Dining for Dollars a
delicious way to support vulnerable students
OGDEN — The Dining for Dollars fundraiser returns next week to a downtown restaurant.
Described as “a delicious way to support Weber State students, the annual event will run from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 6, at Sonora Grill, 2310 S. Kiesel Ave. Brunch is offered before 11 a.m., with lunch and dinner afterward.
All sales that day will be donated to Weber State University’s Oportunidad Scholarship Fund, which benefits first-generation or low-income students, as well as undocumented students who are ineligible for financial assistance like FAFSA federal student aid, grants and loans.
“This event is something that we look forward to every year as it brings out the best in our community,” WSU Access & Diversity executive director Enrique Romo is quoted in a news release. “The event is special because it helps some of our most vulnerable students pursue their higher education aspirations by providing scholarships to remove some of the barriers that stand in the way of achieving their academic potential.”
A special scholarship menu item is offered for $12, and includes a choice of entree, chips and salsa. Regular menu items are also available.
An anonymous donor has committed to matching up to $25,000 of the money raised from Sonora Grill.
Reservations are recommended, and may be made by calling 801-393-1999 or visiting thesonoragrill.com.
‘Aida’ coming to On Pitch Performing Arts in Layton
LAYTON — The Elton John/Tim Rice musical “Aida” is coming to On Pitch Performing Arts.
The show opens Friday, Feb. 1, and continues through Feb. 16 at the theater, 587 N. Main St.
The musical is based on the Giuseppe Verdi opera by the same name. Set in ancient Egypt, “Aida” tells the story of a love affair between an Ethiopian princess being held captive and an Egyptian general.
Tickets are $12 to $15.
“Aida” is the first show in an OPPA season that will also include “The Musical Comedy Murders of 1940,” “The Lion King Jr.,” “Newsies,” “Les Miserables” (school edition), “Into the Woods,” “Sweeney Todd,” “OPPA Holiday Follies” and “The Little Mermaid Jr.”
Season tickets are $90; there are also options for main-stage-only and children-shows-only packages.
For tickets, call 385-209-1557 or visit onpitchperformingarts.com.
Wing commander to speak at Plane Talk on Saturday
HILL AIR FORCE BASE — The commander of the 75th Air Base Wing at Hill Air Force Base will be the featured speaker at this weekend’s Plane Talk lecture series.
Col. Jon A. Eberlan will speak at 1 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 2, in the Hill Aerospace Museum theater, 7961 Wardleigh Road, just off the Interstate 15 Roy exit.
Eberlan oversees installation support for the Ogden Air Logistics Complex, two fighter wings and 50 other associate units, involving 24,000 active duty, civilian and contractor personnel. The OALC also supports Air Expeditionary Forces operations, as well as the 1,500-square-mile Utah Test and Training Range.
Admission is free.
For more information on the series, call the museum at 801-825-5936.
New York City dance
company headed to Ogden
OGDEN — An evening of eclectic and evocative contemporary dance comes to Ogden this weekend.
Jessica Lang Dance, a New York City-based dance company, will perform at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 2, in the Browning Center’s Austad Auditorium at Weber State University, 3848 Harrison Blvd.
Founded in 2011, the dance company presents performances that are described as “visually stunning,” combining classical techniques with contemporary themes and motifs. The event is sponsored by the Ogden Symphony Ballet Association.
Tickets are $5 to $30, available online at syphonyballet.org or by calling 801-399-9214.
Nature center to present lecture on owls and climate
OGDEN — Nikki Wayment, of HawkWatch International, will present a lecture at the Ogden Nature Center next week.
Wayment will address the topic “Cavity-nesters in a Changing Climate” at 6 p.m. Monday, Feb. 4, at the center, 966 W. 12th St.
Each winter, several owl species look for cavities in trees to nest and raise their young, according to a news release from the nature center. However, little is know about these cavities and how many species use them. Wayment’s presentation will discuss current HawkWatch research on the subject, and how humans have affected these owls’ lives.
Admission is $6 for adults, $4 for seniors and $3 for ages 2 to 11. Nature center members are admitted for $3.
For more information, visit www.ogdennaturecenter.org or call 801-621-7595.
Comic who loves Diet Coke takes stage at Wiseguys
OGDEN Stand-up comic Alex Velluto takes the stage this weekend at Wiseguys Comedy Cafe in downtown Ogden.
Described as “a stand-up comedian and Diet Coke drinker from Salt Lake City,” Velluto has performed at comedy festivals throughout the country, including the Boston Comedy Festival, Big Sky Comedy Festival, and the Seattle International Comedy Competition. He was named “Best of Fest” at the Golden Spike Comedy Festival, and has also won the Finger Lakes Comedy Festival in Ithaca, N.Y.
His debut comedy special, “Alex Velluto: Spurious,” is currently streaming on Amazon.com.
Shows are at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Feb. 1-2, at the comedy club, 269 Historic 25th St.
Tickets are $12.
For tickets or more information, visit www.wiseguyscomedy.com or call 801-622-5588.