The California state senator who drunkenly “threatened to ‘bitch slap’ a female lobbyist at a Sacramento bar this summer will soon be out of office. Sen. Joel Anderson, R-Alpine, conceded defeat in his bid for a seat on the state’s elected tax board — the Board of Equalization. It’s the first time a Democrat has captured the San Diego-based seat in at least four decades.
And, gang, it was done by a former resident of our village, Mike Schaefer, who was always running for one office or another in Las Vegas. We have remained in touch over the years and I thought this would be of interest to those who remember Mike. Mike was and is quite a character and I, for one, congratulate him for this victory. It just goes to prove the old saying, “You can’t win unless you try.” And God only knows how many times Mike has tried to win?
When the bar confrontation erupted this summer, the California Nurses Association immediately called on Anderson to resign from the Senate and end his candidacy for tax board. He persisted, though, vowing to come out on top in an area Republicans have traditionally dominated. But that historical stronghold flipped blue, dealing yet another blow to a party that has been overwhelmed by the midterm election.
A Senate investigation ultimately found he threatened Stephanie Roberson, director of government relations for the nurses association, during an evening fundraiser. Anderson declined to discuss his political future or comment on why he thought he lost, but he offered a congratulatory message to his opponent in a statement:
“I feel privileged to have served the people of Senate District 38, and I am grateful for the last 12 years,” Anderson wrote. “The people have spoken, and I am happy to help Mike Schaefer in any way that I can. At the end of the day, we serve the will of the people.”
Schaefer’s win gives Democrats their first BOE victory in California’s four southernmost counties in at least four decades, according to historian Alex Vassar.
THIS AND THAT QUICKLY:
The Bullring at Las Vegas Motor Speedway is set for a full season of action-packed racing in 2019. The 3/8-mile paved oval will host 13 racing weekends throughout the course of the year, with a number of theme nights continuing at the beloved short track. Action kicks off with NASCAR Whelen All-American Series opening night on Saturday, March 9, and runs through Saturday, Nov. 23, when the West Coast Short Track Championships return to Las Vegas.
The track will host a number of theme nights that will include an array of special guests, extra activities, giveaways, and surprises for fans. Fans can enjoy special evenings like the Chris Trickle Classic (June 15) and Pack the Track Night presented by K&N Air Filters (Aug. 31), just to name a few, and more theme nights will be announced in January. The wildly popular Night of Fire is set for Wednesday, July 3, and Championship Night will be held on Sept. 21. In addition, the SPEARS Southwest Tour Series, SPEARS Modified Series, Late Model Truck Series and Jr. Late Models are all expected to return to The Bullring in 2019. New for 2019, the Thunder Car class will move to Friday nights for its six-event season, and the NASCAR Modifieds will exclusively run crate 602 engines. Including the Thunder Cars, the track will feature 10 official points-earning classes next year.
The track will take a break after the Night of Fire to avoid the summer heat and will return to action with Back to School Night presented by Whelen Engineering on Aug. 24. The Bullring will also host the Fall Classic, featuring The Open Comp, Oct. 11-12. All children 12 and under will continue to be granted free admission to The Bullring in 2019 when accompanying a ticketed adult, with the exception of the Night of Fire. LVMS offers discounts to seniors and the military at all events, and tickets will be available for purchase after the first of the year.
Golden Globe winning actress and musician Katey Sagal is returning to Las Vegas for a special performance at Red Rock Resort. The “Sons of Anarchy,” “Shameless” and “Married With Children” star will perform at Rocks Lounge inside Red Rock Resort Saturday, February 16, 2019 at 8 p.m. Tickets start at $35 and are now go on sale.
An extremely gifted and versatile performer adept at both comedy and drama, actress/singer Katey Sagal became a household name in the late 1980s as the fabulously brazen, undomesticated Peg Bundy on the enduring Fox series Married with Children (1986). During its lengthy run, she received three Golden Globe and two American Comedy Award nominations. As popular and identifiable as her Peg Bundy persona was, Katey assertively moved on without a hitch after the show went off the air, not only starring in other sitcoms and television movies, but portraying characters that were polar opposite to the outrageous role that first earned her nationwide attention. For example, in 2008, she took on the role of Gemma Teller Morrow — the matriarch of a Hell’s Angels-esque California biker gang — on the series Sons of Anarchy (2008), and in 2011, her portrayal earned her a Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series – Drama.
In addition to her busy on-camera scheduling, Katey has retraced her steps back to her first love: singing and songwriting. She released the album Room in 2004, which combined such classics as “Feel a Whole Lot Better” and “(For the Love of) Money,” along with original songs she penned, including “Life Goes Round,” “Daddy’s Girl” and “Wish I Were a Kid.” Performing February 16, 2019 at Red Rock Casino, tickets for Katey Sagal & The Reluctant Apostles can be purchased online or at any Station Casinos Reward Center and The Fiestas.
As the NHRA Mello Drag Racing Series off-season reaches its midway point, the drivers of John Force Racing took some time to reflect on a challenging 2018 season. The finale to 2018 may not have ended with the championship celebration many had predicted but the teams all finished inside the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series Top 10 for the 35th time in the past 36 seasons. Robert Hight came close to defending his 2017 championship finishing in second with Courtney Force ending a career best season in the sixth spot. Team namesake and CEO John Force finished ninth and in Top Fuel Brittany Force finished fifth.
Although he didn’t get the monumental 150th NHRA tour victory, John Force and his PEAK Coolant and Motor Oil Chevrolet Camaro came one step closer with a victory at the Mile-High Nationals in Denver to tally 149 and finished the 2018 season in far better shape than he started it. The 16-time champion began the year outside the Top 10 following car control problems, engine explosions and a crash. The 69-year-old veteran’s season record was set at 25-22, the 32nd year he has won more racing rounds than he’s lost and the 36th year he has finished in the Top 10.
“Obviously not the season we set out for,” Force admitted. “We set out every day to win, that’s our job. Courtney was on fire all year, Robert got hot at the end, thought we had something there. I was on fire just not in the right way. We’ll call it bad luck. We’re already looking to 2019. It’s not just about making it in the Countdown, it’s about winning the championship and that’s what we’re going after next year. I had a bad year, but I’m getting right for next season.”
Robert Hight and his Auto Club of Southern California Chevy Camaro team earned four event wins this season, boosting his career total to 45, third-all time behind only boss and teammate John Force and veteran Ron Capps.
Courtney Force ended the season sixth in the point standings, a number that does not represent the career best season the winningest female in NHRA Funny Car history had. Force and her Advance Auto Parts team earned four event victories in six final rounds with 11 No. 1 qualifiers and led the points standings for 12 consecutive events.
Brittany Force’s highlight win of 2018 came in Houston at the SpringNationals where her Monster Energy team debuted a brand-new dragster after an intense crash at the Winternationals that ruined the dragster her team had built over the off-season. Force now has eight national event wins and 10 No. 1 qualifying positions.
The NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series ends its hibernation with preseason testing at Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park in Chandler, Ariz. at the end of January before getting underway with the 59th annual Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals February 9-11 at Auto Club Raceway at Pomona in Pomona, Calif.
El Dorado Cantina, an authentic Mexican restaurant and bar close to the Las Vegas Strip is showing holiday cheer by offering their delicious tamales to-go this holiday season. Guests can submit their orders now through Christmas Eve, Monday, Dec. 24. Pick-up dates will begin Friday, Dec. 21 through Christmas Day, Tuesday, Dec. 25. Tamales are available in chicken with salsa verde, pork in chile rojo and sweet pineapple and guests can order them to go for $29.99 per dozen (12 of one flavor or four of each). Guests may also order tamales plates for $12.99 each, which feature two tamales of choice, accompanied by rice and beans.
Portable, easy to store and meaning “wrapped food,” tamales have been part of the traditional Christmas Eve dinner in Mexico for centuries and date back as early as the 13th century and the Aztec Empire. For more information and to place an order, guests can call 702.722.2289. Happy Hour is available 2 to 6 p.m. and again from midnight to 4 a.m. daily, featuring half off well and domestic beer, $7 food menu and $3.50 street tacos. El Dorado Cantina offers $5 1942 Don Julio tequila shots (valued at $35) every Tuesday.
EL Dorado Cantina is located at 3025 Sammy Davis Jr. Dr., Las Vegas, Nev. 89109. Hours of operation are 24 hours a day. For more information, visit www.ElDoradoVegas.com. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Well, gang, that’s about it for this week. Have a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
I’m outa here!