Musings on quotations (plus plenty of local business news)

I looked up a musician on the Internet this week and found his official Web site. I wasn't sure how official the site actually was, though, because the word official had quotation marks around it.

"So is this actually not the official Web site," I thought. "Is it something set up to make fun of the musician?"

Maybe the quotation marks were just meant to signify how official the site was - very much official - but wouldn't it be easier and more effective to underline or boldface the word?

Also, people put quotation marks around words all the time just to be mean. It's like when you send an e-mail saying someone did a "really good job" and you have "no problem at all" with them.

Actually, I knew that the word with quotation marks around it on the Web site was just an accident, but I wanted to use it as a lead-in to talk about how my friend Teri Vance uses the word "literally" all the time to add emphasis to her articles, even when it is unnecessary.

Teri didn't write this next sentence, but it's one she might.

"Ron Johnson woke up one morning to find himself on the floor - literally."

Teri would like to point out that she is trying to get better. She said she knows it's a problem.

I told Teri it was OK because I have way more problems than she does. For instance, I use the word "however" in between sentences even when the second sentence doesn't contradict the sentiment of the first sentence in any way.

I didn't write this next sentence before now, but it's one I might have.

"Ron Johnson woke up one morning to find himself on the floor. However, he was wearing a shirt."

This is the "last sentence" of this section - literally.

• • •

• Francisca Gilla is now head of housekeeping for the World Famous Mustang Ranch and the Wild Horse Resort and Spa. Gilla has a staff of five and is responsible for housekeeping at the two brothels.

• Eagle Fitness opens Monday in Dayton on 230 Dayton Valley Road. For more information, call 882-8686.

• AT&T awarded more that $80,0000 to support 11 Northern Nevada nonprofit organizations, including $6,548 to the Carson City Library, as part of a competitive-technology grant program.

• The Feisty Goat, 1881 E. Long St., has a canned food-donation barrel. The food will be taken to the Governor's Mansion on Dec. 14 for an annual food drive to benefit Advocates to End Domestic Violence. Each canned food item donated will get you 25 cents off of a drink.

• David and Jeanette Halderman of Ecocon LLC have hired Ben Calles of Keller Realty, of Reno, to handle their new building and additional acreage they own at the Tahoe-Reno Industrial Center, eight miles east of Sparks on Interstate 80. Ecocon has built a 10,300 square-foot building on land it bought at TRI. The Truckee, Calif.-based company has plans to build additional buildings or sell the parcels it owns. The new building is for sale or lease, according to Calles, who can be reached at 786-1616.

• Carson River Community Bank has a new Web site, featuring Carson Valley and Job's Peak as a backdrop on all of the site's pages. The address is www.carsonrivercb.com. The site also has password-protected online banking and bill paying.

• Tahoe-based Weidinger Public Relations received seven awards, including four Silver Spikes and three Awards of Excellence at the Public Relations Society of America Sierra Nevada Chapter's 17th annual awards program last week. For more information, call 588-2412 or visit www.weidingerpr.com.

• Inman News, an independent real estate Web site and media news service, has released a report naming the top 100 most-influential real estate leaders in 2007. Shari Chase, president and CEO of Chase International, headquartered in Lake Tahoe, was included in this list that encompassed seven categories. Chase was in the brokerage category.

• Contact reporter Dave Frank at dfrank@nevadaappeal.com or 881-1212.