The address is 2540 Anthem Village Drive, #120, but it may work better for me to describe it as adjacent to Rebellion Pizza, in the plaza next to Vons Plaza.

Vietfresh occupies the space that formerly hosted Kiyoshi’s Katsu House, which closed last December. It is currently open every day from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.

I have a pet peeve about people who describe restaurants serving particular types of cuisine as “the best in town” or words to that effect, because I don’t think anyone is qualified to make such a statement unless they have tried every other restaurant that serves that type of cuisine. Otherwise, how would they know for sure that a specific restaurant is “the best in town?” And besides, isn’t it often just a matter of subjectivity?

When it comes to Vietnamese restaurants in the area, I believe I have tried every one within reasonable driving distance, including some that are gone such as Lemongrass Café and Pho MaiLan. I have done this for the simple reason that I love Vietnamese food, arguably the healthiest cuisine in the ethnic category.

What I have to say about ALL of them in the area is that they are all good. There may be one or two favorite dishes I have at each local Vietnamese restaurant, but in general they all meet the test, especially when it comes to the pho —pronounced like “fuh”— that is a standard measuring stick in determining whether a Vietnamese restaurant is good.

For the uninitiated: Pho is a traditional Vietnamese noodle soup made with clear, flavorful broth, flat rice noodles (bánh phở), fresh herbs, and various meats such as beef sliced thin (bánh phở) or chicken (phở gà).

The broth is the heart of the soup, simmered for hours with beef or chicken bones and aromatic spices like star anise, cinnamon, cloves, and ginger. Fresh garnishes served on the side include bean sprouts, lime wedges, basil, cilantro, and jalapenos.

This photo shows the pho that my party of three enjoyed at Vietfresh on our first visit last week.

Having expressed my belief that all the area Vietnamese restaurants are quite good, Vietfresh has something the others do not have:

PROXIMITY!

If you are craving a nice Vietnamese meal, all you need do is get into your vehicle, drive a few minutes, and you are there. Of course, you can probably walk to Vietfresh if you live in Mountainview Village!

Like most of the area’s Vietnamese eating spots, Vietfresh occupies a small space, making it a boutique restaurant. This is one reason why it will depend on solid neighborhood support for its success.

In addition, the menu, at least during its opening days, is abbreviated in comparison to its local competitors, especially in its pho selections.

I’ve scanned and inserted the entire menu below. If you’ve dined at some of the local Vietnamese restaurants, you are probably familiar with menus that go on for page after page.

According to Long Tran, one of the three co-owners I’ve spoken with, the menu will most likely be gradually expanded if the public reception to it justifies adding additional menu options.

In addition to the pho at last week’s initial visit to Vietfresh, we shared a tasty appetizer of Vietnamese egg rolls:

(photo by Marites D.)

The restaurant also has blackboard specials and offers a selection of tasty mocktails.

The official grand opening of Vietfresh is Thursday, September 3. On that day and for several days thereafter, diners ordering an entree will be entitled to a free appetizer, one appetizer per table.

However, Anthem Diary readers have the opportunity to take advantage of the free-appetizer offer through September 15 by printing or clipping the following coupon and presenting it at the restaurant.

I hope you will enjoy visiting Vietfresh and will let me know what you think if you do visit it. Years ago, a friend of mine described the stretch of businesses in that plaza as a place “where restaurants go to die” because a bunch of them have come and gone there. Rebellion Pizza has proven otherwise, and Vietfresh deserves to also be a winner.

It is well known that senior citizens make especially vulnerable targets for scammers of all kinds.

With the rise of A.I., it is more and more challenging to separate legitimate interactions from those that are designed to separate you from your money and your identity.

With that as backdrop, the Sun City Anthem Financial Club invites ALL RESIDENTS to attend a very special program in the Delaware Room at Anthem Center at 4 p.m. on THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, presented by speakers from the Las Vegas Field Office of the FBI.

Details are in the following poster. This is one you won’t want to miss!

Daniel Edward Forgeron

July 30, 1947 ꟷ July 25, 2026

I am deeply saddened to report on the recent death of community leader Dan Forgeron, beloved husband of MaryAnn Forgeron and father of Amie Forgeron.

He is also survived by his sister Mary and brothers Patrick and Michael.

Dan passed away five days short of his 79^th birthday.

As you will read, Dan was the epitome of the type of resident who, through a commitment to serve, applied his experience and skills to help make and keep Sun City Anthem one of the nation’s most highly regarded active-adult communities. Rosalyn and I were proud to have him as a personal friend, but all who cherish living in SCA, whether they knew him or not, owe Dan a debt of gratitude.

There are so many good things to say about Dan that I’ll dispense quickly with the sad part of this remembrance.

Dan’s story represents a triumph over adversity. He fought a battle with kidney disease, and the side issues it causes, from the time he was 16 years old. MaryAnn says they stopped counting after 40 surgeries to remove kidney stones.

From an early age, Dan was destined for a business career. He earned a BS Degree in Accounting & Business Administration at the University of San Diego and followed that with a Master of Science Degree in Administration at Cal State.

After working as an accountant for Price Waterhouse, he served as vice president and chief financial officer for Analysts, Inc., and as president and CEO of Atlas Testing Laboratories. All these positions helped prepare him for a long and distinguished career as vice president for business affairs at Loyola Marymount University.

Looking back on his Loyola Marymount years, Dan wrote these words when he became involved with governance in Sun City Anthem: “The school’s primary goal is educating men and women in the service of others, always treating everyone with dignity and respect. This is a belief I have embraced throughout my life.”

In fact, MaryAnn says, he had a motto that he lived by:

Dan loved the ocean. He took up surfing when he was 10 and surfed throughout his college years.

He also loved to sail, competing on the sailing team at the University of San Diego and as a member of the National P-Cat (Catamaran) team. Both he and MaryAnn sailed regularly until moving to Nevada.

P-Cats on the Water

Of all his recreational activities, though, Dan’s real passion was golf. He was on the golf team during his high school and university years and, like so many, he had a love/hate relationship with the game.

Dan and MaryAnn had 54 wonderful years of marriage, actually tying the knot in Las Vegas on June 24, 1972, at what was then known as Guardian Angels Shrine and holding their wedding reception at the old Desert Inn Golf Club.

Dan and Amie

After the couple retired to Sun City Anthem, Dan almost immediately became involved in the business aspects of the Association. He served on several advisory groups and then, while a member of the Finance Committee, he was selected in 2009 to fill a vacancy on the SCA Board of Directors, stepping almost immediately into the role of Board treasurer. He was subsequently elected two times by the community to serve two-year terms, finally concluding his SCA service in 2013. This reporter’s wife Rosalyn was on the Board with Dan until May of 2011, a period when we got to know him very well.

“I served with a number of exceptional fellow homeowners on the Board,” Roz remembers, “but none exceeded Dan in terms of his courtesy, his financial skills, and his willingness to roll up his sleeves to get the job done.”

There were some challenging times during Dan’s service on the Board of Directors, especially involving the Association’s tax returns and dealings with the IRS. But his expertise in a number of areas related to the managing of SCA’s affairs was vital as he employed a skill set that included organizing and planning; managing growth; minimizing risk; and improving quality systems. His background in high-level negotiations, complex financial transactions, project management and litigation management proved vital to the progress of our community.

When Dan finally decided to retire from SCA governance to spend more time with MaryAnn and relax a bit, he still found a way to serve the area’s older citizens. Before too long he was recruited to the management team of the Foundation Assisting Seniors. He served for several years as the group’s treasurer, and in 2020 was recognized as the Foundation’s “Person of the Year.”

Dan and MaryAnn supported a number of worthy causes over the years, including Easter Seals, the Salvation Army, and the Nevada Ballet Theater. Donations to those worthy organizations in his memory, as well as to any others of your choice, would surely be welcomed.

Dan Forgeron stood tall in the annals of those who understand that dedicated volunteerism is the key to the success of Sun City Anthem. He challenged everyone around him to be all they could be, and he never faltered in his belief that respect for others brings out the best in everyone.

He will be greatly missed.

The monthly meeting of the Sun City Anthem Board of Directors will take place this evening (Aug. 27) at 5:30 p.m. in the Delaware Room, Anthem Center.

GoTo Meeting Information
(Note: GoTo Meeting links and codes remain consistent across BOD meetings.)

• Click GoTo Meeting to watch live

• Listen on your phone: 571-317-3116

• Access Code: 932-637-461

Click BOD Book to review the meeting materials.

For those of us who live in this region of the nation, the Colorado River water shortage is more than just a newspaper headline. It is a crisis that is real and growing.

To bring the matter close to home, in this month of August Lake Mead sank to roughly 1,039.5 feet above sea level, sitting nearly 190 feet below full pool and roughly 27% full.

Lake Powell, the second-largest Colorado River reservoir, dropped to 3,519.9 feet, resting only about 30 feet above the critical minimum power pool threshold required to run hydroelectric turbines at the Glen Canyon Dam.

Both of these lows are historic: The total water storage across both systems hasn’t been this low since May 1957, long before Lake Powell was even filled.

If you want to become fully informed about the Colorado River crisis, there is a way to do so if you are willing to spare the time, as I’ll show you below.

But first, let me offer a brief example of how climate change, exacerbated this year by a very powerful El Niño, affected a Sun City Anthem resident living about 6,000 miles from where it happened.

Two days before she and a friend were to fly out for a lengthy and leisurely cruise on the Danube River, the SCA resident was informed that her trip had been canceled.

Climate change has affected European waterways to such an extent this summer that rivers are drying up. In fact, you may have seen the stories about sunken WWII ships that have been exposed for the first time due to the dropping water levels.

For this SCA resident, her trip was canceled because the cruise line, even with its shallow-draft longboats, cannot safely navigate significant sections of the Danube due to the low water level.

Back to the Colorado.

Last night (Aug. 19), PBS presented online, as part of its “Tipping Point” series, a detailed examination of the Colorado River crisis that ran for about 2 1/2 hours.

While the live program was running, viewers were able to post comments and questions, which you can see on the right side of the screen while watching the video of the program.

This link will take you to the program.

If you take the time to watch it in its entirety —you can skip forward and back if you wish— you will be much more informed and knowledgeable about the subject than the average person.

This is Miles O’Brien, the award-winning science correspondent for the PBS NewsHour who produced and hosted the Colorado River special:

If you are as much a fan of O’Brien as I am, you may have wondered why he is missing his left arm.

He lost his left arm above the elbow in February 2014 after a heavy camera equipment case fell onto his forearm while he was on a reporting assignment in the Philippines.

While loading and securing gear, the 50-to-60-pound equipment case toppled and struck his forearm.

Thinking it was just a bad bruise, O’Brien initially ignored the pain and did not immediately seek medical help.

Over the next 48 hours, severe pain and swelling set in. He was diagnosed with acute compartment syndrome, a dangerous condition where extreme pressure buildup inside the muscle compartment cuts off blood flow.

During emergency surgery to relieve the pressure, he suffered a dangerous drop in blood pressure, and the surgeon made a life-saving call to amputate his arm.

This reporter has long advocated for Masterpiece Cuisine to increase resident support of the restaurant by engaging with our residents in special programs that help to create bonds of loyalty.

For example, I’d like to see Masterpiece offer cooking classes or demonstrations, with the participants being able to sample the dishes that are produced.

Another way would be to sponsor contests in which winning recipes would be featured on the menu.

And now Masterpiece is doing just that, starting with a Chili competition for SCA residents only.

Here are the details, and just my luck that despite my affinity for cooking, I don’t do chili.

Here are the Masterpiece Cuisine lunch and dinner menus for this week.

Note: Billboard Top 40 recording artist Laura Angelini will be performing during dinner hours on Thursday, August 20.

I asked on Nextdoor for recommendations for a grill-cleaning person or company based on their personal experiences. Many positive recommendations were given, and I chose Bar-B-Clean of Las Vegas due to the comparatively large number of positive comments posted on Nextdoor in response my original query.

Some contributors, who obviously don’t know my aversion to manual labor —in pre-Internet days my “technical manual” was the Yellow Pages— suggested I should clean the grill myself.

But when co-owner Ashton DeMartino arrived and set up for the cleaning, it was immediately clear to me that in addition to being disinclined to do the project myself, I don’t have all the tools and gizmos the job required.

The three hours it took for the cleaning and the money I spent, $350, was well worth it. Before hiring this company, I confirmed through research that the cost was within the range of $300-$400 that is the going rate for a deep cleaning these days.

When Ashton was done, we had a grill that looks as good as new.

Bar-B-Clean is part of a national franchise network, and Ashton and his brother Leon are the franchisees for this area. While I’m sure that the other grill-cleaning services recommended by posters on Nextdoor all do a good job, I was confident that having our service performed by a vendor who is part of a national network assured that all the necessary tools and techniques would be applied to a high standard.

I recommend this company highly: Bar-B-Clean of Las Vegas.

The SCA Activities Department issued the following announcement in the SCA Chronicles distribution today (Aug. 10). Upgrading the flooring of the stages in both Freedom Hall and Hanneman Hall has been in the works for a long time, so it’s nice to see this work finally starting.

Temporary Closure of Freedom Hall: August 24–September 9

Be advised that Freedom Hall in Independence Center will close from Monday, August 24, through Wednesday, September 9, for stage flooring improvements.

During this period, Freedom Hall will be unavailable for resident use, club meetings, rehearsals, or other scheduled activities.

Freedom Hall will reopen Thursday, September 10, barring unforeseen delays.

Thank you for your cooperation as we work to maintain amenities for our community.

Here are the Masterpiece Cuisine lunch and dinner menus for this week.

Note that Margaret Carbaugh and Carol Joyce, aka Just The Two Of Us, will be performing during dinner hours on Wednesday, August 12.

You probably saw the news: The Lake Mead water level dropped to its lowest level in history last week.

Nevada is not the main culprit when it comes to water use…not even close. Seventy to 80 percent of the total water consumption from the Lower Colorado River system, which includes Lake Mead, is for agriculture. Most of this irrigation water is directed to vast farmlands in downstream states like Arizona and California (such as the Imperial Irrigation District), and parts of Mexico.

Almonds are a major crop in California. But if the preservation of water for human consumption is to be first and foremost, maybe farmers should find something else to grow.

Per pound, mature almond orchards need approximately 350 to 540 of water per day, depending on the climate, soil type, and regional irrigation efficiency.

A single mature almond tree consumes roughly 3,000 to 4,000 gallons of water each year.

Tree crops like almonds, walnuts and pistachios naturally require more water than annual vegetables or field crops because they have year-round foliage, deep root structures, and long growing seasons.

While the general philosophy of Anthem Diary is to be non-political, I will make occasional, infrequent exceptions when there are some political matters that directly affect Sun City Anthem residents.

The Henderson mayoral election, pitting incumbent Michelle Romero against former Henderson police chief Hollie Chadwick, qualifies for impartial attention in this newsletter.

I am thinking of inviting representatives of both mayoral candidates to provide me, one a one-time basis, with literature about their candidacies that I can share with our readers.

If you are a reader who is opposed to this plan, you are welcome to email me with your objections, davidinlv15@gmail.com, at your earliest opportunity.

The spectacular 2024 show created, directed and choreographed by SCA’s own Susan Girard has been turned into a theater-quality film and will have its premiere this evening with seats available on a first come, first served basis. No ticket required, just show up!

Featuring iconic songs from some of Broadway’s most memorable shows, this is one you want to miss, and at a great price: ZERO!

Here are this week’s lunch and dinner menus for Masterpiece Cuisine:

Today, August 1, is an anniversary day for Rosalyn and me.

It was on this date in 2000, 26 years ago, that Roz and I completed a cross-country drive from Massachusetts with the help of our nephew and moved into our Sun City Anthem home.

On the day we moved in, Eastern Avenue south of the intersection of Eastern and Horizon Ridge was literally a dirt road, all the way up to Anthem. So I guess you could say we’ve come a long way, baby!

This has been a wonderful period in our lives, filled with many memories and many new friends. Along the way, it was a privilege for me to serve our community in 2005 as vice president of the historic SCA transition Board of Directors, which marked transfer of control of SCA from Del Webb to our homeowners. Soon after I left that role, Rosalyn completed more than three years on the Finance Committee and was herself elected to the Board, serving at various times during the next four years as treasurer, vice president and president.

What’s next for us as we begin our 27th year in our wonderful community? The best answer I can give to that question is…stay tuned.

For Nevadans, the big news this week was unquestionably the release by the federal government of a new plan for sharing water from the Colorado River.

As most know, the Colorado provides water for more than 40 million people in seven U.S. states and dozens of tribal communities, but it’s facing dire drought conditions and continued heavy demand. The plan from the Interior Department comes after years of deadlock negotiations, and it calls for potentially huge cuts in water use in California, Arizona and Nevada.

Tens of thousands of farms and communities across the West could be affected by this federal plan, which sets up a 10-year framework with a very wide range for how much water could be cut. The plan is a response to more than two decades of climate change and drought which have shrunk the nation’s largest reservoirs. Among other requirements, it forces policymakers to come back to the table every two years and tweak the plan in response to river conditions.

The Interior Department is expected to announce the exact size of cuts for the next two years in the coming days or weeks. The plan gives the federal government the ability to cut water by up to 40% for Arizona, California and Nevada. That’s a lot of water. For now, the plan does not put mandatory cutbacks on Colorado, Utah, New Mexico or Wyoming.

A 40 percent cut would be massive, so the question is how are farms and cities preparing for the impact of that plan?

The three downstream states - Arizona, California and Nevada - had already come up with a plan to spread out the pain of cutbacks, with the hardest hits to come for cities in the Phoenix and Tucson areas. City utilities have spent years planning for shortages just like this, so taps are not expected to go dry.

Like any good investor, a city generally has a diverse portfolio of water. So when there is less from the Colorado River, they can lean a little harder on a different source, like groundwater or a different nearby river. These cities have backup plans, but the cuts will still be very painful and expensive.

A good question is what’s next for the several other river-using states that are being spared mandatory cuts, at least for now? Specifically, this is Colorado, Utah, Wyoming and New Mexico?

Those states did not volunteer to take any mandatory cuts. So they are legally required to send a certain amount of water downstream every year. They argue that they are already taking cuts because drought and climate change give them less water to send.

That is a big part of this disagreement. Water managers say this new plan leaves the door open for further negotiations among the states, but tensions are still high. After years of bitter disagreement and failed talks, some states are still prepared to sue each other or the federal government if future changes threaten their water supplies.

What is Nevada’s reaction to the newly announced federal plan?

Nevada officials strongly oppose the 10-year Colorado River management plan, calling the mandated lower-basin cuts unrealistic and warning of devastating economic and environmental impacts. State leaders argue that Nevada is the basin’s smallest water user and a leader in conservation, and that the burden must be shared fairly across all seven states rather than targeting the lower basin alone.

While promising to fight the measures, Governor Lombardo stated that the federal plan outlines “unrealistic reductions” and could cause “devastating economic and environmental impacts.”

John Entsminger, Southern Nevada Water Authority General Manager, criticized the framework as “fundamentally flawed by its nature” because it places heavy mandatory cuts on only three states while sparing the upper basin from binding reductions.

Despite strong pushback, Nevada leadership maintains they remain open to negotiating a true seven-state consensus agreement rather than accepting unilateral federal mandates.

Here is City Councilwoman Monica Larson’s monthly summary of Henderson highlights, included in the Board Book for the July 23 meeting of the Sun City Anthem Board of Directors:

The heat has not abated, but tickets are available to help you cool down at the annual Veterans Club Ice Cream Social this evening. Tickets will be sold at the door, so join us for all the ice cream you can eat, great entertainment, and all sorts of wonderful raffle prizes!

Temporary Closure: July 28–29
The Liberty Center outdoor pool and spa will be closed Tuesday, July 28, and Wednesday, July 29, for temporary deck repairs. Permanent repairs are planned for the off-season to avoid further summer disruptions.

Reopening Status (Effective Thursday, July 30)

• Outdoor Pool: Reopens Thursday, July 30, for normal use.

• Outdoor Spa: Reopens Thursday, July 30, but remains unheated because of a mechanical issue. Equipment delivery and Southern Nevada Health District (SNHD) permit processing timelines are expected to take four to six weeks once parts arrive.

Management will provide updates as work progresses. Thank you for your understanding as we complete these necessary repairs.

The heat continues, and all it takes is some ice cream -all you can eat- to cool you down.

Tickets sales are continuing for the annual Ice cream Social this Saturday.

There will be a ticket sales table outside of Masterpiece every afternoon from 3:30-6:30 this week, as well as outside of the Delaware Room and in Independence Center during evening events this week.

Ice Cream! Entertainment! Fabulous raffle prizes!

Don’t miss it! Non-residents and grandkids are welcome at this delicious event!

Here are this week’s menus for Masterpiece Cuisine.

Bob Bush & Friends will be performing live at the restaurant during dinner on Thursday, July 30.

Did you know that the 11 restaurants at the South Point lose between $1.5 and $2 million a month, and that the owner -Michael Gaughan- wouldn’t have it any other way?

That’s how a feature article in the July 24 Wall Street Journal began, under a title reading “The Lonely Fight to Keep the Cheap Las Vegas Buffet Alive.”

Almost the entire article is about the South Point’s Garden Buffet.

As Gaughan notes in the article, the South Point, serving a customer base comprised primarily of locals, uses the buffet and its other dining options as an effective way to drive traffic to his property in order to make money with its other offerings.

I have formatted the entire article and its many photos into a pdf document that you can have by sending me a request, davidinlv15@gmail.com.

Note: Please remember that when I offer full articles to our readers upon request, it is because copyright law prohibits me from printing them here in their entirety.

We’re setting all kinds of heat records in our area and, as is always the case this time of year, the Sun City Anthem Veterans Club is stepping up to cool things down a bit with its annual Ice Cream Social.

Tickets are still available at the Activities Office in Anthem Center, so don’t miss out!

Remember, too, that this eagerly awaited event is not just an opportunity to eat delicious ice cream. Entertainment and raffle prizes are additional highlights of the event, with all profits going to fund the Veterans Club’s donations to a host of worthy charities that support veterans-related organizations and their families.

We’re in the midst of watermelon season, and you can’t go into most local supermarkets without being greeted by tempting displays of watermelons.

I imagine just about everyone has seen tips and has theories on how to go about assuring that the watermelons you buy at the market are properly ripe and ready to be consumed.

A recent article by a senior editor of NYT Cooking and Food at the New York Times contained a wealth of information about watermelons and how to make the best purchase decisions. You may already know most or all of this, but I’m sharing highlights with you because I learned a few things from the article.

The sweetness of a watermelon is determined largely by the weather. The drier the weather is during harvest time, the better the product.

Unlike many fruits —and I think of peaches, pears and plums in particular— watermelons don’t gain any sweetness once cut off the vine. That’s a major reason why it’s a challenge to select one that is ready to eat and at its peak of sweetness when you bring it home. As an expert quoted in the article said, (harvested watermelons) continue to ripen only “in the sense that they soften and start to decay.”

There is nothing to smell when you are choosing a watermelon. Rather, you want to listen, because sound is the most important factor. And the best way to use sound is with an openhanded smack.

What you are listening for is tone. As another expert says, the full sound of a good watermelon is like beating on a drum. When you slap it, the sound should bounce back, and if the sound is absorbed, it means the inside is old and mealy. According to this expert, an overripe tone is an “overly flat sound, as if you were slapping a flat basketball.”

The second thing to listen for is pitch. If there are many watermelons in a bin, slapping a number of melons actually will let you hear differences in pitch, with something in between indicating a good watermelon. But in high summer like we are experiencing now, the best ones will have a deeper sound, whereas in September those with slightly higher pitches are better.

Another way to spot good melons is by their color, regardless of whether the melon is striped or solid. The color of watermelons lightens as they ripen, so you will want to look for paler ones rather than green ones.

In general, look for watermelons with “yellow bellies.” Because most U.S.-grown melons sit on the soil, the spot where they rest develops a patch that starts out white, and then turns creamy yellow once the melon has matured.

If you lack the confidence to select melons using these methods, and especially if you don’t want to look like a crazy person in the eyes of other shoppers by slapping a bunch of melons, there is always the approach frequently used by yours truly: Pay extra to buy pre-cut watermelon chunks and slices that you can tell at a glance are ripe and ready to eat!

Back in April of 2024, esteemed SCA producer/director/choreographer Susan Girard presented three well-attended performances of “Broadway Treasures” under the auspices of the Performing Arts Club.

With a huge cast of performers and incredible costumes, this memorable show featured beloved songs and dances from iconic Broadway shows spanning many decades, and hundreds of those who attended were still talking about it weeks later.

Filmed by members of SCA’s Multimedia Club and skillfully edited over the past two years by the incredibly talented Rex Suba-Anderson, a video of “Broadway Treasures,” shot not just by a single camera at the back of the hall, but a professional movie produced with multiple cameras and angles that brings the viewer up close and personal with this fabulous show, is now ready for its public premiere.

Freedom Hall will open its doors at 6 p.m. on Monday, August 3, for a FREE showing of “Broadway Treasures,” with the film to begin at 6:30 p.m.

There are no tickets required to attend this historic presentation. Seating will be strictly on a first come, first served basis, so show up early if you want to be in the audience of the premiere of “Broadway Treasures” on film!

Still on the subject of film…

Readers may recall that I recently shared news about the next film to follow the residency of “Wizard of Oz” at the Sphere, which I personally saw there and immensely enjoyed.

The Sphere will be presenting “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” in 2027, with the premiere date for the cult classic yet to be announced.

I’ve seen the film too many times to count over the years, and I can’t wait to see it again at the Sphere.

I was curious, however, about whether the running time of “Rocky Horror” would be shortened for the Sphere presentation, much like the original running time of “Wizard of Oz” was shortened.

Here’s what I’ve learned:

The short answer is yes, “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” is being significantly edited and reimagined for the Sphere. Sphere Studios is reformatting it into a condensed, immersive dome experience, streamlined into a shorter cinematic presentation designed specifically for the dome’s massive screen.

There will be updated visuals to fit the Sphere’s 16K-resolution wrap-around screen, alongside high-tech atmospheric features like spatial audio, in-seat haptics —vibrations, motions, etc.— and sensory effects.

Those who have attended showings of “Rocky Horror” know that there is often a great deal of audience participation, such as throwing toast and toilet paper at the screen. These things will almost certainly be restricted at the Sphere, but because the film relies on an interactive, raucous fan culture, Sphere officials intend to incorporate some of this energy, perhaps with interactive effects similar to how falling apples were introduced during “The Wizard of Oz.”

I found a statement from James Dolan, Sphere’s executive chairman, who emphasized that the goal is to enhance the interactive spirit of the film for the 17,600-seat venue, with possible live-action segments and pre-show activations in the Sphere Atrium.

While we wait for the announcement of the “Rocky Horror” premiere date, let’s do the Time Warp again!

Join members of the Sun City Anthem Board of Directors at Masterpiece Cuisine on Friday, July 24 from 8:30 a.m. to 10 a.m.

Recent coffee sessions have proved to be very lively and informative, so don’t miss this opportunity to engage with several directors face-to-face with your questions and opinions.

Let’s start our Monday newsletter with a trivia challenge.

Now I realize you can “cheat” by looking up the answers online, and you can easily jump to the bottom of this article to find the answers. But before you do either, see if you can test your knowledge by guessing as many correctly as you can.

Here is a list of 10 well-known actors and actresses who were not American-born. See if you can identify which of them are now American citizens or had become American citizens by the time of their deaths.

• Elizabeth Taylor

• Charlize Theron

• Liam Neeson

• Cary Grant

• Maureen O’Hara

• Helen Mirren

• Anthony Quinn

• Olivia de Havilland

• Joan Fontaine (de Havilland’s sister)

• Greta Garbo

Here are this week’s lunch and dinner menus at Masterpiece Cuisine:

The monthly meeting of the SCA BOD will take place on Thursday, July 23 at 1:30 p.m. in the Delaware Room, Anthem Center.

GoTo Meeting Information
(Note: GoTo Meeting links and codes remain consistent across BOD meetings.)

• Click GoTo Meeting to watch live

• Listen on your phone: 571-317-3116

• Access Code: 932-637-461

Click BOD Book to review the meeting materials.

AARP experts are forecasting a 3.6% cost-of-living increase for Social Security benefits in 2027.

If correct, this would compare with the 2.8% increase SS beneficiaries received for the current year.

What was interesting about the AARP forecast is that it is the first time the organization has made its prediction prior to availability of the third-quarter inflation reports that are used as the official basis for calculating the following year’s SS COLA.

Many people in our demographic rely on Social Security for the bulk of their income. In releasing its forecast earlier than normal, the AARP Public Policy Institute said, “Family budgets have been under increasing pressure because of rising prices. The sooner we can give them reliable information as to how much their benefits might increase next year, the sooner they can start planning.”

I think it was of significant local interest last week when an announcement was made that the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California approved an agreement in which the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation will pay the agency millions of dollars to leave up to 200,000 acre-feet of water from the Colorado River in the Lake Mead reservoir, enough to serve about 600,000 households.

The deal is expected to add up to three feet of water to Lake Mead.

Though this doesn’t solve the long-term problem, it buys the water-sharing western states more time to work out an arrangement with respect to water from the Colorado River. It is especially significant because forecasters are predicting the imminent arrival of a historic "Super El Niño" that will inhibit the accumulation of a significant snow pack in the mountains that feed the Colorado River.

Though I’m not going to state the name, I think it is well known that one local company virtually owns the market for painting the exteriors of homes in Sun City Anthem. And for the most part, that business receives good ratings.

We had our home exterior painted last week, but after shopping around we used a different contractor for the job. This contractor gave us a better price than the one that “owns” the SCA business, has a comprehensive website, receives five-star ratings, and provided excellent customer service.

This is our “before” photo:

And this is our “after” photo:

If you are thinking about having your home exterior painted and want information about this contractor from me, feel free to contact me via personal email, davidinlv15@gmail.com.

Answer to the trivia quiz:

Every actor/actress on the list became an American citizen.

From the SCA Chronicles:

The Liberty Center outdoor spa remains open but is currently unheated due to a mechanical issue. Maintenance will begin as soon as the new heater arrives. Due to Southern Nevada Health District (SNHD) permit processing timelines, the repair project is expected to take approximately four to six weeks from the date the equipment is delivered.

We will provide regular updates regarding the project's progress. We appreciate your patience and understanding as we complete this necessary project.

Here are this week’s Masterpiece Cuisine lunch and dinner menus:

In case you are wondering if the new Aldi supermarket previously announced for the former Albertsons at Horizon Ridge Parkway and Eastern Avenue is really coming, it was encouraging to see the following banner added last week to the fence surrounding the project:

The store is scheduled to open later this year, though a specific date has not been announced. It will be the fifth Aldi in the Las Vegas Valley.

And when it opens, joining Smith’s, Trader Joe’s and Seafood City at the Eastern Ave.-Horizon Ridge crossroads, grocery-shopping options will be dramatically expanded.

“The Disappearing Las Vegas Buffets Hold A Mirror To The American Soul.”

That was the title of an article by the chief restaurant critic of the New York Times, published in that newspaper last week.

On balance, in my opinion, the writer came to Las Vegas with somewhat of a negative bias, but I’ll be interested to see whether you agree.

To receive a copy of the lengthy article formatted as a pdf document and including its 10 photos, send a request to me, davidinlv15@gmail.com.

Liberty Center Spa: Temporary Closure for Repairs

The Liberty Center outdoor spa is temporarily out of service while it undergoes repairs. Due to Southern Nevada Health District (SNHD) permit processing timelines, work is expected to take approximately four to six weeks. We appreciate your patience and understanding as we complete this necessary project.

Here are the Masterpiece Cuisine lunch and dinner menus for the week beginning Monday, July 6:

Margaret & Carol

“Just The Two Of Us”

Parades.

Barbecues.

Fireworks.

Concerts.

Readings of historic documents.

Flying the American flag.

All these things, and more, make up the traditions of Independence Day.

On this, the 250th anniversary of the beginning of our nation with the signing of the Declaration of Independence, it is worth noting that the Declaration is much more than just an eloquent document whose second paragraph begins “We hold these truths to be self evident…”

What it is, more than anything else, is a list of 27 grievances spelling out why the Founding Fathers were determined to break away from England, whose king they viewed as a tyrant.

True patriotism means much more than love of country. As the signers of the Declaration demonstrated, it also means being willing to stand up to tyrants “in order to form a more perfect union.”

There are, of course, countless songs that instill a justified sense of pride in being American and living in this great country of ours.

But I wanted to share something a little different with you by finding some music accompanied by images showing the vastness, the geographic variety, and above all the beauty of America.

I found three videos that I think do just that, and I hope you will agree.

The first, “This Is My Country,” is performed by Fred Waring & The Pennsylvanians:

The second, an orchestral version of “America The Beautiful,” shares brief scenes from every state in the nation:

The third, with lyrics you can follow along with, is a version of Woody Guthrie’s iconic “This Land Is Your Land” that you probably have never heard in its entirety; Guthrie, of course, was a social crusader who actually composed the song as a satiric rejoinder to “God Bless America,” which he considered sappy. The full version of Guthrie’s song, as you’ll see here, includes lyrics that most versions strip out as being too political.

And I end with this story, which I am reminded of every year when Independence Day rolls around:

Alex Trebek was once asked if he could recall the dumbest answer to a question he asked during his decades as a quiz-show host.

Trebek replied, without hesitation, “I once asked what holiday we celebrate on July 4th. A contestant buzzed in and said, ‘The Fourth of July.’”