Local Professor To Have Symphony Performed

REDDING, Calif. – Simpson University announced today its partnership with the North State Symphony, which will be showcasing the world premiere of Dr. Dan Pinkston’s first full symphony—Symphony No. 1. The concert, Aspects of Enchantment, directed by Dr. Kyle Wiley Pickett, will also include excerpts from Mendelssohn’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Barber’s Violin Concerto.

Tickets are available now for the concert scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 13 at 7:30 p.m. at the Laxson Theatre in Chico and Sunday, Nov. 14 at 2 p.m. at the Cascade Theatre in Redding. Tickets are $20 – $48 and can be purchased at the Chico box office or by calling 898-6333 or the Redding box office or by calling 243-8877.

“I am very excited to be giving the premiere of Dan’s first symphony” said Kyle Wiley Pickett, conductor of the North State Symphony. “Dan’s music is beautiful, interesting, dramatic and very accessible. I think our audience is going to really enjoy hearing this thrilling new work, written by a composer right here in our community.”

“I purposely chose to have my first symphony be influenced by the works of 20th-century composer, Dmitri Shostakovich” said Pinkston. “His symphonies were well received and enjoyed by average, every day people and not just by the connoisseurs of the music world. My hope is that my music connects with, and appeals to, a broad range of listeners in the community. With the caliber of talent in the North State Symphony, I have no doubt Symphony No. 1 will sound amazing.”

Dr. Pinkston has won many composition awards including the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers award annually from 2001 to 2010. He won the 2000 American Choral Directors Association Composition Contest and his music has been published by several publishers including Warner Bros. Music. Dr. Pinkston and his wife of 16 years, Lori, reside in Anderson with their two daughters.

For more information about the North State Symphony, visit www.northstatesymphony.org. For more information contact the Simpson University music department at 226-4507 or visit www.simpsonu.edu/musicevents.

Foothill Wins Battle with Lassen in high school football

The Friday night Game of the Week on Fox Sports Radio AM 1670 at Bill Johnson Stadium in Palo Cedro featuring Foothill High School of Palo Cedro versus Lassen of Susanville lived up to its billing….an outstanding football game between two perennial high school “powerhouses”. Previewed as a battle between the high-powered and varied formation oriented Foothill Cougars and the larger and more run oriented and defensive strengths of the Lassen Grizzlies, the game turned out to be an exhibition by both teams of very well executed offensive plays and defensive stands that made this game one that was not decided until the final 30 seconds, with Foothill winning 14-7. With the explosive running of Foothill running backs Tevin Slaton and Addison Gillam and the ever-present threat of the long pass by QB Zach Ray, it was obvious that a touchdown could come with each play. And, this was the same scenario with Lassen. Outstanding QB Richard Murphy was a constant threat both as a running back and as a very fine passer, and kept the Foothill defenders on constant alert. Murphy found that their new look spread offense was confusing the Cougars defense, and, had it not been for the very football savvy Foothill linebackers, who were literally “all over the field”, this game would have had a much different ending. What prevailed in the final moment was a show of excellent speed by Foothill runner Slaton and receiver John Choate and the passing accuracy of Ray against the very well executed option threat of Lassen’s Richard Murphy and the defensive prowess of Luke Peterson and the Lassen secondary. In the end, an outstanding game, and no doubt both of these teams, if this level of play continues, will be in the North State playoffs. Congratulations to both teams….a very well coached game performed by some outstanding young and talented football players. No one in the audience could question this, and no one left until the final “take a knee” play.

The North State has a lot of very good high school football to offer, and last night all of the local teams were in action. Enterprise HS took on Antelope of Sacramento in their Homecoming Game and, under the leadership of Alex Henderson, got their offensive machine up and running thanks to the short burst running of speedy backs and the option plays of Henderson leading to a 28-14 victory. Coming off a last minute upset loss to West Valley last week, Enterprise re-established themselves as a playoff contending team, as has been the case over many years in the past. West Valley traveled to the coast to take on host Fortuna, but could not withstand the challenge there, losing 13-0. Shasta High traveled to Eureka on the coast and in an offensive shoot out, QB Clay Cavender lead the Wolves to a 48-41 victory, illustrating that they are also going to be a strong team that can go all the way into the playoffs. Local school Central Valley easily got by Oroville 36-6, and Anderson had their way with Las Plumas winning 49-15, telling us that the Anderson Cubs are on their way to re-establishing their role in the north state as a football power.

So, in the next few weeks, if you are a high school football fan…it does not get much better than what you can see here in the Redding, Shasta County, and the North State. The Game of the Week on Fox Sports Radio AM 1670 will be announced early in the week, and if you are not able to make one of the games…tune in. (Note: thanks to Andreas Fuhrmann of the Record Searchlight for these great action photos…a real action photo pro)

Sentinel 2010 September

Next Monday at noon we will have the first meeting of the 2010-2011 year for MOAA, at the Country Waffles Restaurant on Athens Ave near OSH Hardware, and all military officers, active, reserve, and retired are invited. MOAA is the nation’s largest and most influential association of military officers. It is an independent, nonprofit, politically nonpartisan organization, and the Redding chapter is in a growing mode and recruiting members. This September meeting will feature Shasta County Historian Dottie Smith as she relates the history of our county and the Redding area.

The attached PDF is our monthly Sentinel Newsletter…one of the best information pieces prepared by Bill Nicol. This gives you an idea of what is going on in the MOAA…..and if you are, or were, an officer in any of the military branches, please join us this Monday, September 13th at Country Waffles at noon

Clay Cavender is ready for High School Game

Clay Cavender is not just the starting quarterback for the Shasta High School football team, he also is the third Cavender to take snaps for the Wolves. The final Cavender brother leads the unbeaten Wolves into Friday’s High School Game of the Week on Fox Sports Radio AM 1670. This will be a good game and Clay and team will be up against a good defense in the West Valley “swarm” defense.
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High School Football on Radio This Friday

For all of you high school football fans…it all starts this Friday night…Football under the lights…California style. The Game of the Week will be between Shasta Hi and West Valley Hi, and it should be a good one. I have been at practices for both teams, and they are ready. Listen to us on Fox Sports Radio, AM 1670 starting at 7 PM Friday.

For questions or info on the teams or the games, e-mail me ronlargent@kw.com www.ronlargent.com

Here is the West Valley HS team that will be starting the game…a good looking team….in the Record Searchlight this morning.




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"Color" Announcer for the High School Game of the Week

I will be joining Aaron Williams of the Record Searchlight (formerly Sports Editor) on Fox Sports Radio in Redding, CA to broadcast the high school “Game of the Week”. It all starts next week, and I will be doing the “color” portion of the broadcast, which is pretty much everything other than the play calling, which Aaron will do. So, in preparation for knowing a little about each of the teams that we will be covering over the 10 game schedule, I have been visiting each of the team practices….and have visited, although briefly, Shasta High, Enterprise High, and today, Central Valley High. One thing is becoming very obvious…we are in for a good season. These kids are working hard, and looking as if they are really enjoying it, although it has been almost a hundred degrees each day, and some excellent teaching and coaching is going on. All 3 of the head coaches are class guys; are in it for the kids; and are doing a great deal of “teaching’ during the practices. It is very impressive, and we, here in the North State, are very fortunate to have this caliber of quality coaches, and people, working with our high school kids.

So, we are in for a good season…and I am looking forward to doing my part to bring high school sports into the homes of the North State residents….it is AM 1670, KNRO, Fox Sports Radio…and it all starts next Friday, Sept 3rd at 7 PM. Hope you can join us for exciting high school football.

www.ronlargent.com ronlargent@yahoo.com

My Letter to the Editor

In the Editorial earlier this week, the Editor made some comments about City Councilman and current Mayor, Patrick Jones…and this is my reply:

As I read your editorial “Million Dollar Lanterns” a couple of points became clear to me. At the risk of not endorsing one candidate or another, the fact the Patrick Jones is asking the “hard questions” as a current city council member is admirable. And, even though the circumstances for the funding of the Lanterns may not be exactly as was stated by Mr. Jones, the fact of the matter is the City has had been involved in some rather extensive funding of similar projects over the past few years, and these expenditures are seldom questioned by Council. If the staff wants to spend it, it is approved, has been the impression, right or wrong. From man hole covers to Hilltop palm trees, as income from fees and taxes flowed in, it was spent. Like the federal government, if you do not spend what is given to you in a fiscal year, next year that agency will get less to spend.

Things are going to have to change, if we are going to survive in tough economic times, and we have a few years left. Property taxes will be going down, thanks to Prop 13 and follow on Prop 8. Fact. Income to the county will be less, and the flow down income to the City will be less. Fact. If income is not there, expenses will have to be cut. Fact. And, the City Council, whomever it is, is going to be facing this reduction in expenses head on. Some things will have to go…and hopefully it will not be jobs. But streets need to be fixed; the Redding infrastructure is getting old and repairs will have to be made; and the increasing pensions already approved will have to be paid…so how can we even spend a relatively little on “Lanterns” when these hard decisions on funding for the basics of our city government responsibilities must be made.

So, I commend Mr. Jones for making his opinion heard, and I challenge the incoming City Council to heed the warning…the revenue that we have had for a number of years will not be there in the next few years, so look long and hard at the “future lanterns” that will proposed for our beautiful city. Can we afford it…the never ending question?

www.ronlargent.com ronlargent@kw.com