Columnist Joe Delaney: Beatty residents turn out for old-fashioned fun

Joe Delaney

Thursday, June 11, 1998 | 10:16 a.m.

BEATTY RAILROAD DAYS, a joint effort of the Beatty Museum and Historical Society and Friends of Rhyolite, was a big success last weekend. ... KLAS Channel 8 news anchor Gary Waddell came up on his Harley to judge Saturday morning's parade entries. ... It was the biggest and best attended parade to date; the whole town turned out.

As the new Honorary Mayor of Rhyolite, a ghost town four miles west of Beatty, we sat with the Grand Marshal, Mildred "Midge" Ondes, born in Rhyolite, delivered by the famed Dr. Grisby on July 28, 1908; an attractive, articulate person, much younger than her nearly 90 years. ... We had a beer together at Alpheus Bruton's Beatty Club after the parade.

There were two filled days of special events; at the museum, the community center, Beatty Park, various town locations, with great turnouts everywhere, a little bit of a sadly vanishing American era.

Anent Rhyolite

Rhyolite is a fascinating ghost town, one of much historical import, worth the 120-mile journey whenever your time allows. ... Beatty is the gateway to Death Valley with salt-of-the-earth inhabitants who maintain an up attitude despite the fact that mining activities will cease this year, which could reduce Beatty's population drastically.

A recent Sun article pointed out that the only new job source on the horizon may be work if they do open up parts of the Test Site to industry, or on the Yucca Mountain project, when and if that becomes a reality. ... Yucca Mountain is 10 miles east of Beatty.

The Bureau of Land Management has been of some help to Rhyolite. ... Beatty's immediate future might be a little brighter if the state of Nevada would take part in restoring Rhyolite, making the railroad station a visitor's center, making the area a year-round attraction.

Playing catch-up

Congrats, all concerned at the Flamingo-Hilton, as both "The Great Radio City Spectacular" and "Forever Plaid" have passed the 2,000 performance mark. ... The first-named is the last bastion for dinner shows at early LV performances. ... "Damn Yankees" continues through June 27 (Spring Mountain Ranch State Park) while "Hay Fever" closes with a 2 p.m. performance on Sunday at the LV Little Theatre.

Hills Park in Summerlin presents the LV Pops Picnic Pops, 8 p.m. Saturday and the LV Summer Band in Concert, 7 p.m. Sunday. ... Rick Springfield is the attraction, 8 p.m. Friday (Sunset Station).

The Diamonds will do 8 and 10:30 p.m. shows Friday and Saturday (Santa Fe Hotel). ... Aisling (pronounced "Ash-ling") Bowyer headlines the Voices For Spirit Concert, 7 p.m. Saturday, Summerlin Library Center. ... Proud father, Brendan Bowyer will be her special guest.

There's more

Sax man Kenny Garrett and his Quartet perform, free at 8 p.m. Saturday (Clark County Government Center Amphitheater) enroute to the Playboy Jazz Festival. ... "Tony and Marie's Wedding" opens June 17 in one of the Orleans Hotel convention areas. ... "Ally McBeal's" Vonda Shepard appears at 8 p.m., June 18 (Boulder Station). ... Christopher Cross is there with two shows, 7 and 9 p.m. on June 19.

ELO, the Electric Light Orchestra, is another June 18 special in Ra, the Luxor Hotel's night club. ... Our next weekend best bet would be Al Martino, 8 p.m. June 19 and 20 (Sunset Station).

Golden Rainbow's 12th annual "Ribbon of Life" benefit show will be in the Luxor's state-of-the-art theatre at 1 p.m., June 20 and 21. ... Principals from all the LV production shows will participate. ... Call 384-2899 for tickets and show information.

Star-policy rundown

It's Louie Anderson (Bally's); Earth Wind & Fire (Caesars); Debbie Reynolds (her hotel); Rita Rudner (Desert Inn); Patsy Cline Tribute (Gold Coast); Tom Jones (MGM Grand); Paul Anka (Mirage); Lance Burton (Monte Carlo); Myron Floren Polka Festival (Orleans) and Danny Gans (Rio). ... Thunder From Down Under is back at the Stardust Hotel.

Claudia Reidhead is the new Ms. Rhyolite. ... Visit Beatty and Rhyolite, a nice one-day's outing from Las Vegas and you will agree that Rhyolite, its train station and bottle house was worth it and worth restoring. ... Support the Sun Summer Camp Fund. ... See you Friday.