New pup to get behind the wheel

Budd the dog's owner, Bill Williamson, was seen with a new golden retriever puppy earlier this week at Java Joe's.

Budd, the car-driving dog, died tragically when he was hit by a car in September and was honored posthumously for his talent in October.

The new puppy's name is Beauregard and Bill plans to train him to drive the 1926 Model T he shared with Budd for many years.

Bill says he named the puppy for the bloodhound on "Hee Haw." In fact his first car-driving dog, Buddy, appeared on the program for three seasons, driving Junior Sample's car in the mid-'70s. Bill has had Beauregard, called Bo for short, for a couple of weeks and the dog will be 10 weeks old on Monday.

Beauregard will get a taste of the famous life Thursday at the Silver and Snowflakes holiday lighting festival.

He will get to ride in the Model T with Bill to deliver Santa to the event at the Capitol Grounds.

Budd will be attending, no doubt, in spirit. Budd drove the Model T for seven years.

At 81, Bill has been through the training process many times.

"I just play with them," he said. "I try to be the top dog. The top dog is always in charge."

People love a happy ending and it sounds like there was one for Rosie the Rottweiler, found tied to an abandoned motor home earlier this month.

Rosie's plight appeared on Page 3 the Nevada Appeal on Nov. 15.

According to Tom Blomquist of the Silver Springs Spay and Neuter Project, Rosie and her litter are on their way to happy recovery.

Rosie has received needed eye surgery and as of Tuesday and had found a home with a couple. One of her nine puppies was adopted by a cross-country trucker.

It turns out that Rosie herself will make an appearance at Monday's Capital City Humane Society dinner and fund-raiser at B'Sghetti's.

Tom says she will be providing paw print autographs. The dinner is 5:30 p.m. and tickets are $12. Call 841-1911 for information. For more about the Spay and Neuter project, call 577-3518.

I like to think of myself as a sensitive new-age guy, of sorts. But I missed the chance to prove it last weekend when Christine Lavin appeared at the Brewery Arts Center and was also broadcast live over KUNR.

It was my first concert at the new St. Teresa's concert venue and it was a good one to start with.

It was also a chance to catch up with Joe McCarthy and Ann Suter. Joe's like me, haunted by an old job. In Joe's case, he helps out at the Brewery without having to run it.

Joe's a good salesman. So good that when I gave wife Jennifer a $20 bill to go get us some refreshments, Joe sold her a raffle ticket for $10. Those were some expensive waters ... unless we win. Since the prize is an RV from Michael Hohl, the ticket might end up being a pretty good investment.

As for being a sensitive new-age guy, Ms. Lavin calls for men to come up and play back-up singers for her tune, "Sensitive New Age Guy." However, I was trapped in the middle of a row and couldn't get out, a mistake I won't make again.

Kurt Hildebrand is former managing editor at the Nevada Appeal. Reach him at 887-2430, ext. 402 or e-mail him at kurt@tahoe.com.