By Kathryn Reed

Joseph Michael Nissensohn stared intently at the court clerk on Thursday as she read the jury’s verdicts – guilty on three counts of first-degree murder.

The six-woman, six-man jury found the 62-year-old guilty of murdering Kathy Graves, 15. The remains of the South Lake Tahoe teen were found near the Mount Tallac trailhead in 1990, about one year after she was last seen alive. He was charged with that crime in January 2008. He was also found guilty of killing Monterey County teenagers Tanya Jones and Tammy Lynn Jarschke in 1981. He was charged with those murders in fall 2008.

Joseph Michael Nissensohn

But these aren’t Nissensohn’s first murder convictions. In 1990 he was convicted of second-degree murder in the 1989 stabbing death of a woman in Tillicum, Wash. He served 15 years in prison for that crime.

With the three convictions on Oct. 31, Nissensohn faces the death penalty. He has been in El Dorado County Jail since 2008. The penalty phase begins Nov. 12 and should last a few weeks.

“A very bad person is finally being held for his actions as a direct result of the efforts of a dedicated team. The victims and their families are entitled to nothing less,” District Attorney Vern Pierson told Lake Tahoe News.

Nissensohn didn’t interact with his two attorneys, Hayes Gable III and Peter Kmeto, who sat to his left in El Dorado County Superior Court in South Lake Tahoe. With his gray hair pulled back in a ponytail, his focus was on the clerk and Judge Suzanne Kingsbury and not the 12 who just found him guilty.

By Robert D. Dávila, Sacramento Bee

Maryanne B. Ingemanson, a world-class concert pianist who founded a Sacramento land-development company and led a successful property-tax revolt in Incline Village, died Oct. 2 of cancer. She was 80.

Mrs. Ingemanson was a musical prodigy who began piano lessons at 21/2 at the Chicago Conservatory of Music. Her early years of discipline and rigorous training as a performer helped prepare her for a pioneering career in the rough-and-tumble world of commercial real estate and a nine-year battle over property-tax bills in North Lake Tahoe communities in Nevada.

Maryanne B. Ingemanson

“She was a very determined and hardworking woman,” said Andy Matthews of the Nevada Policy Research Institute, a free-market think tank. “When she made up her mind that she wanted to accomplish something, nothing was going to stand in her way. She was very intelligent as well, a really gifted thinker.”

Born Aug. 13, 1933, in Atlanta, the former Maryanne Bullock moved with her family to Chicago and gave her first concert at 5. By 10, she had a manager and traveled the world as a professional classical pianist. She performed with major symphonies after settling in Sacramento with her family and graduated from McClatchy High School in 1950.

At 19, she won the Marie Morrisey Keith Award as the outstanding young piano soloist in the United States. In 1954, she earned a licentiate and fellowship – equivalent to American bachelor’s and master’s degrees – in music from Trinity College in London and began a tour in Europe.

Mrs. Ingemanson settled in Incline Village in 1984 with her husband after he retired from dentistry. She formed the Village League to Save Incline Assets and led the group’s efforts to keep the local hospital from closing and to protect homeowners’ private beaches at Lake Tahoe.

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Vicki Price is busy basking pies at the Apple Pantry Farm in Apple Hill. Photos/Kathryn Reed

By Kathryn Reed

CAMINO – It’s apple season. And while these sweet and tart orbs are full of nutrients, sometimes it’s better to alter them in ways that makes them not be so healthy.

Pie is normally my first choice for what to do with the haul I bring back from Apple Hill this time of year. And while the ones I have left will become a pie, I used many of them for applesauce.

I have fond memories of mom canning applesauce when I was growing up. She spoiled me. I turn my nose up now at what is on store shelves. Most are way too sweet, and some don’t even taste like apple.

Like a lot of foods, there is a tremendous amount of personal preference. Sweet or tart? Just how much cinnamon is the right amount? Chunky or smooth? I’m one who likes cinnamon, but wasn’t sure what others thought. Apparently they agree with me. But the samples I made lacked the amount of cinnamon I would have put in if they were just for me.

A slew of apple varieties to choose from.

I don’t have a food mill, which would have made the sauce smooth enough to serve a baby. I used a potato masher to make the chunks of apple smaller, but I would still describe all that I made as chunky.

The biggest revelation is that what I’ve known all these years about Golden Delicious was thrown in the trash this week. Mom had advised me to, “Stay away from Delicious.” This has been our family mantra for pies and it was her same warning for applesauce, in  particular for Red Delicious. And while I will stick with that philosophy for pies, others and I are saying yes to Golden Delicious for sauce.

Vicki Price at Apple Pantry Farm swears by Golden Delicious for her pies and sauce.

“It’s the best because of the high sugar content. You really taste the fruit,” Price, who lived in South Lake Tahoe for 30-plus years, told Lake Tahoe News. She likes not having to add as much sugar to her products because it’s naturally in the fruit.

Peter Jivanove at Mother Lode Orchards said to use Empire apples.

“It’s the best of both worlds – sweet and tart,” he said of that varietal.

Jivanove also said a number of bakeshops in the Apple Hill area buy Golden Delicious from his orchard.

Candy Tuso would only use Pink Ladies if she could get them all the time. On Saturday she was using Granny Smith because that’s what was available.

(I grew up using Pippin for pies, with Granny Smith the backup because they are more readily available in grocery stores.)

Tuso, who is at Apple Ridge Farms, also likes the density of Arkansas Blacks.

O’Halloran’s is one of the older orchards in Apple Valley. Apple Hill Growers Association turns 50 in 2014.

For Donna O’Halloran of O’Halloran’s it’s all about mixing Romes, Wine Sap and Golden Delicious. But she admits if she were to ask her employees their preference, each would likely have a different answer.

(She also said Golden Delicious always make a good pie, and that Red Romes make an impressive baked apple.)

At Hangtown Kid Apple Orchard they are trying to grow Gravenstein, which is a popular apple in Sebastopol. Cindy Cogswell is filling in for her sister, Gail, on this particular day. (Gail and John Palmer own the orchard.) That’s what they prefer for pies because they are more tart.

Apples are usually in season September-December. The growers in Apple Hill have mixed thoughts about freezing them. But having cold storage – like, a garage in Tahoe in the winter – should keep apples into the spring.

More than 750,000 people visit Apple Hill each year.

When the sauces were warm, I liked the Wine Sap-Golden Delicious-Red Roma best. Chilled, I liked the Golden Delicious best.

Seven women at the AAA office in Carson City tasted the five versions of applesauce made from the fruit the growers recommended. It was a blind tasting and until they read this they haven’t known what they tasted.

Here is what they had to say:

• Golden Delicious

Vanessa – Spicy, good for sweet things.

Kathy – Nice and sweet. (Tied for favorite with Arkansas Black.)

Susan – Sweet, with cinnamon.

Angie – Sweet, cinnamon, yum! My favorite.

Dawn – A bit bland. More cinnamon.

• Arkansas Black

Deb – Right combo sweet and tart. All needed more cinnamon.

Kathy – Nice and sweet. (Tied with Golden Delicious.)

Angie – Tart, OK.

Dawn – Nice and tart, but too chunky.

• Wine Sap-Golden Delicious-Red Rome

Angie – Mushy, OK.

Dawn – Mellow. Not enough kick.

• Pink Lady

Angie – Sweet, OK.

Natalie – Tart enough to stand up to the cinnamon.

Dawn – Tangy, but needs to be smoother.

• Empire

Angie – Mushy, OK.

Dawn – Blah, blah, blah.

Apple Sauce

6 medium Golden Delicious apples

1/8 C sugar

2 tsp cinnamon

Dash nutmeg

Slice the apples like you would for a pie. Put in medium saucepan on low heat. When slightly mushy, add the remaining ingredients. Keep stirring.

Adjust flavoring to your preference.

Use potato masher or food mill to make sauce less chunky.

Eat warm or chilled.

By Bonnie Rochman, Wall Street Journal

Amid the ghosts and ghouls spooking trick-or-treaters this week, there is something even more terrifying to their parents: sugar.

Research into candy and children helps explain why they love it and, despite some contradictory theories, offers a few guidelines for this time of year.

Children may be more partial than adults to sugar because of the way their taste buds are clustered. “Children have the same number of taste buds as adults, but their tongue is a whole lot smaller, so the flavors are more intense the younger you are,” says Brian Wansink, director of Cornell University’s Food and Brand Lab, which researches why we eat what we do. “That’s why little kids don’t like bitter foods and really like sweet foods. The effect is magnified.”

Americans eat far more added sugar—white sugar, brown sugar, corn syrups and honey, among others—than is recommended. The average person consumes 22 teaspoons of added sugar a day, or 355 calories. Boys, ages 14 to 18, take in 34 teaspoons, or roughly 550 calories, according to the American Heart Association. Researchers say children and teens should follow recommendations for adults of no more than 9 teaspoons a day for men and 6 teaspoons for women.

U.S. government dietary guidelines use a different system, recommending that added sugars and solid fats combined, the so-called discretionary calories, should make up no more than 15 percent of a daily diet. However, kids and teens on average exceed this level from added sugars alone, which account for 16 percent of their daily total calories, according to a recent report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

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By Kade Krichko, GrindTV

As far as X Games gold medalists go, Maddie Bowman is about as unassuming as they come.

The 19-year-old halfpipe skier doesn’t flaunt her accomplishments — two X Games medals and a handful of Dew Tour podiums, to name a few — and in many ways has retained a normal teenage identity. She graduated from South Tahoe High School in 2012 after captaining her school’s soccer team to a state championship, and, just like her classmates, went on to college, in Utah.

But while friends are rushing sororities and organizing pep rallies, the California native has stayed busy by pushing for a spot in the Sochi Winter Olympics — the first Olympic Games to include her sport. She is the face (and signature braid) of a young wave of competitors peaking at just the right time for Olympic success, but remains the coolest of customers on the competition circuit.

We got a chance to talk with her about life these days and what a shot at the Olympics would mean to the young skier with the easy smile. Here’s what she had to say:

You grew up in Tahoe; how did growing up in that community shape who you are today?

Growing up in Tahoe was one of the highlights of my childhood. It is a very down-to-earth and fun community. It has really taught me to appreciate the outdoors and take in every aspect of my adventures—something I learned from all my adventures at Sierra-at-Tahoe and throughout the summer.

Tahoe has also taught me to work very hard for my dreams because it has a very strong and successful middle class. I love where I grew up; it is truly the gem of the Sierra.

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By Kathryn Reed

South Tahoe Public Utility District is spending only half of the money it should on infrastructure in order to keep up with an aging system, according to officials.

The board is trying to figure out how to allocate the money it has.

Earlier this month the five electeds had a workshop about the capital improvement program. The board directed staff to do a rate study in order to have more information on which to base a decision. A significant number of water meters have been installed since the 2011 study, which plays a role in water use and money collected.

After the first of the year the district plans to have more workshops to seek the public’s input regarding their priorities.

On average for the last 10 years the district has spent $4,020,022 on sewer and $6,462,312 on water projects each year.

Installing water meters is an unfunded mandate by California. Photo/LTN file

In the district’s 10-year plan nearly $60 million in upgrades to the water system are needed and more than $70 million for the sewer side. Even then, not all of the nearly 8,000 customers who still need a water meter would have one.

To achieve those dollar amounts, the district would need to raise sewer rates 4 percent each year. The needed water rate increase will be determined after the study is completed. Each year that rates are not raised the district falls behind on its master capital improvement plan.

For the current budget, which started July 1, the board voted not to raise sewer or water rates.

Historically, board members Jim Jones and Eric Schafer favor rate increases for infrastructure needs, members Chris Cefalu and Randy Vogelgesang are against increases, and Kelly Sheehan is the swing vote. The last increases were in 2012 on a 3-2 vote to raise sewer rates 5 percent and water rates 2 percent.

Rates in the last 10 years have gone up on average 2 percent a year for water and 2.3 percent for sewer.

Needs of the district

Water meters is the biggest issue board members hear about from constituents. About one-third of STPUD customers are on meters. This creates an inequity between users when it comes to who is paying what.

“It will be unfair until everyone is metered,” Richard Solbrig, STPUD general manager, told Lake Tahoe News.

The state is mandating California water districts install meters by 2025. While the district lobbied to be exempt because it is not in the California watershed, lawmakers said too bad.

The district is looking into zero interest loans from the state to cover the $27 million expense to complete the meter installation. To pay that money back would require a rate increase either just for the 20-year repayment of the loan or an ongoing adjustment. That is another issue for the board to decide.

If STPUD were to ignore the mandate, money from the state would dry up and penalties are likely.

The district also has the need to replace more than 100,000 feet of undersized water line.

“With Angora we had enough water. How much worse would it have been if we didn’t?” Solbrig said of the 2007 Angora Fire that destroyed 254 houses and burned more than 3,000 acres on the South Shore.

An area like Sierra Tract in South Lake Tahoe doesn’t have the minimum 8-inch water lines to fight a fire like Angora. There aren’t hydrants every 500 feet like firefighters want.

Every time the district installs water lines it also puts in meters at residences and hydrants in the neighborhood. Some of the “state streets” were done this fall, with the rest of the area, including Tahoe Keys Boulevard, to get upgraded water lines next year.

Going forward

“The board is looking at the affordability to ratepayers,” Solbrig said in regards to if and when to raise rates.

Earlier this year the majority of the board believed ratepayers could not sustain an increase because of the economic downturn.

Chief Financial Officer Paul Hughes explained that the industry standard is to replace 1 percent of underground facilities annually and above ground at 2 percent. The district isn’t doing that. STPUD’s infrastructure is worth about $1.3 billion.

Besides meters and water lines, the district also has a couple storage tanks and booster stations that need replacing.

“All of our lift stations are approaching 50 years in age and need significant refurbishments,” Solbrig said.

When it comes to prioritizing projects, the district looks at what lines have sustained leaks, the probability of failure, if there are backup units and the risk involved if nothing is done.

The booster station at Luther Pass is inadequate. It pumps the treated wastewater into Alpine County.

“There is not a full backup for utilities there. Every year we get a little more nervous,” Solbrig said.

If something significant fails on the wastewater side, it would likely have a more immediate impact on the environment. But a fire that cannot be extinguished because of inadequate water supply would undoubtedly be detrimental to the land and water as well.

Those are the concerns the board must weigh when deciding how to spend money and where the money will come from.

There was a time in the late 1970s and early 1980s when South Tahoe PUD was banned from adding customers because of issues with the export lines – as in spills and leaks involving sewage and treated wastewater.

Staff wants to ensure the district does not create a scenario with the existing infrastructure where that could happen again.

The bottom line is there is not enough money being generated to do all that needs to be done.

Seventy percent of revenues come from ratepayers. The remaining 30 percent is a combination of grants, loans, connection fees, investment revenue, delinquent penalties and property tax.

With water and sewer mandatory for those who are connected to STPUD, it means 70 percent of the residential ratepayers don’t live in the district. The cost to locals would be much greater without the second homeowner subsidy.

Three black bears caught in west Reno were released into the mountains above Spooner Lake on Tuesday, while a bear in Incline Village on Monday was euthanized by the Nevada Department of Wildlife.

A 2-year-old male black bear was positively identified as the bear that broke into the same house on Friday and Sunday nights. Authorities said it was preparing to break into that same house when tranquilized by a NDOW game warden.

“The bear was euthanized on scene because it was a danger to human beings,” Chris Healy, NDOW public information officer, said in a statement.

On Oct. 28, the bear was observed attempting to break into a locked truck. Initial attempts to scare the bear away were unsuccessful.

“The bear was described as ‘fearless’ by the NDOW game warden at the scene,” Healy added.

At the same time another bear in the area was trapped. The yearling female was released Tuesday afternoon in an area southeast of Gardnerville.

The euthanized bear had been handled once before near Dayton in early October. Three days later it was seen in the Incline Village area.

In October, NDOW has released 14 of the 15 bears it has caught.

The three that were released Oct. 29 were a mama and her two cubs that were caught Sunday night-Monday morning in the Juniper Ridge area off of Mayberry Drive in Reno. Mom weighed about 200 pounds and each cub about 50 pounds.

— Lake Tahoe News staff report

By Paul Rogers, San Jose Mercury News

SAN FRANCISCO — Saying that the West Coast must lead the way in battling climate change, the governors of California, Oregon and Washington, along with the premier of British Columbia, signed an agreement Monday committing the Canadian province and the three states to coordinate global-warming policies.

Each state and the Canadian province promised to take roughly a dozen actions, including streamlining permits for solar and wind projects, better integrating the electric power grid, supporting more research on ocean acidification and expanding government purchases of electric vehicles.

“You are witnessing a historic small-but-powerful first step,” Gov. Jerry Brown said during the event at Cisco’s San Francisco campus.

“It’s only the beginning. You just watch,” Brown said. “Next year and the year after and the year after that, this will spread until finally we get a real handle and grasp on what is the world’s greatest existential challenge — the stability of our climate, on which we all depend.”

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By Kathryn Reed

“Whatever the cost of our libraries, the price is cheap compared to that of an ignorant nation.”

– Walter Cronkite

But it takes a slew of volunteers to keep libraries open and to provide the diverse programs. No longer do taxpayer dollars foot the entire bill.

It is through nonprofits called Friends of the Library that these institutions remain a stable resource for communities. South Lake Tahoe is no different.

“Long term, when times are good the Friends have the opportunity to enrich resources that are available to the community. When times are tough, Friends can support libraries on the basics,” Kay Henderson, president of South Lake Tahoe Friends of the Library, told Lake Tahoe News.

Book sales help fund library programs. Photo/Denise Haerr

The local chapter has existed for more than 50 years.

“The upstairs loft of Pat Amundson’s house at 961 Cave Rock once held the library. Then it was moved to Bob Wakeman’s on Highway 89, before the Friends of the Library finally were able to build the present library. The ‘new’ school (now South Tahoe Middle School) had a wall in one room devoted to books once it was built,” according to the Lake Tahoe Historical Society.

The South Lake Tahoe organization is one of six chapters of El Dorado County Friends of the Library.

The local group’s contributions include:

• Jeanne Wakatsuki Houston, “Farewell to Manzanar” author presentation.

• Free family summer performers.

• Free book distribution to children at community events.

• Improvements to community meeting room and community display case.

• Yoga instruction, nutrition instruction, farmers’ market cooking demo.

• Refreshments for Saturday morning classic movie series.

• Spanish language books for adults and children.

• Audiobooks and DVDs for children and adults.

• Free holiday concert for the community.

• Kindle and Nook instruction.

• Teen journaling workbooks.

• Summer music series on the lawn.

• Laptops for teen homework use.

• Supplies for early literacy storytime.

Book sales are the common way for Friends of the Library to raise money. On Sunday, the Friends are trying something a bit more ambitious.

“Whenever we have had the opportunity to bring a major author we get a major response. It seems to me there is a hunger for intellectual stimulation in the community,” Henderson said.

That, coupled with the knowledge of successful fundraisers in Placerville, the Tahoe group came up with the idea of a Toast to Twain. Legendary Twain impersonator McAvoy Layne will help celebrate Twain’s 178th birthday Nov. 3. The library will also be celebrating the publication of “Autobiography of Mark Twain, Volume 2″.

Money for the South Lake Tahoe branch also comes in the form of grants, donations from the community, as well as people who have left a portion of their estate to the library.

No longer are libraries just about stacks of books – though those still exist. Libraries have been great adaptors to technology as well as keeping up with what interests the community.

“El Dorado County Library has been a real leader in providing digital books. You can check out books digitally,” Henderson said. “You can check online to see if the library system has a book, and you can order it to be saved for you at your local library.”

Programs at the library are often the result of the Friends coming up with the money to make it happen. The volunteers put a high value on the young children and teen reading programs. Library workers put on the events, while Friends buy supplies and prizes.

In the last handful of years the Friends have brought in speakers that range from authors to gardening specialists to cooking experts.

The whole goal is to provide enrichment to the community. And all of these events have been free because people support Friends of the Library.

—-

Notes:

• A Toast to Twain is Nov. 3 from 4-7pm. Tickets are limited and must be purchased by Oct. 30 at the library – 1000 Rufus Allen Blvd. They are $40. The library is open today and Wednesday from 10am-8pm.

• To become a member of Friends of Library, applications are at the front desk or may be downloaded. Cost is $10/year. It’s not necessary to attend a meeting or volunteer at an event.

• The South Lake Tahoe branch is open Tuesday-Wednesday from 10am-8pm and Thursday-Friday-Saturday from 10am-5pm.

By Howie Nave

Let’s face it, Halloween up here in Lake Tahoe is truly on par with the remaining biggies we have the rest of this year. Who would have ever thought that a holiday (that’s right, I called it that) would have as many, if not more, movies associated with it than Christmas?

Call it my love of the scary, but I’ve been a fan of horror movies dating back when I was just a kid staying up late on a Saturday night watching “Creature Features” on KTVU Channel 2 growing up in the Bay Area before it became a Fox affiliate. Not only was the television my tutor at that hour, introducing me to the likes of a Lon Chaney Jr., Boris Karloff, Bela Lugosi and Vincent Price, but it also gave me ideas how I could scare my sisters on days other than Halloween.

There are so many good Halloween movies (and a few great ones, too) that you may be disappointed that yours wasn’t included here. Maybe it will get you to rent and remember some of those classics that made you scream and laugh too because I’ve included a couple of humorous horror flicks just to balance it out some.

Many of these I have on DVD and when the world gets weird I’ll go down into my man cave, close the curtains, pop in a disc and crank it up to cover my screams just in case somebody might be lurking nearby.

“Halloween”, R (1978)

What better way to kick off any Halloween Horror Fest than the namesake that would spawn over 20 sequels? “Halloween” is director/writer John Carpentaer’s horror masterpiece and introduced us to the new ‘Queen of Scream’ Jamie Lee Curtis long before she was regulated via Activia. “Halloween” set the sci-fi/horror standard in which other movies would soon copy. Starring the late, great Donald Pleasence as Dr. Sam Loomis, “Halloween” had it all didn’t it? A psychotic murderer, The Shape (later to be known as Michael Myers in subsequent sequels) who loved to slash his victims, a terrifying music that sticks to your soul and by far one of the most frightening experiences I have ever had in a theater. There were some equally scary sequels but nothing that captured that first scream as the original.

“The Conjuring”, R (2013)

Probably the best horror flick this year, “The Conjuring” was directed by James Wan (probably best known for “Saw”. The movie already captured my interest being an ensemble piece. First we’re introduced to Ed and Lorraine Warren (Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga) who believe in the occult but are quick to understand that most events are easily explained hoaxes. Then there’s the Perron family, Carolyn, Roger and their five daughters. This is my favorite couple played by the always reliable Ron Livingston and Lili Taylor. They call on the Warrens once they realize that the old house they invested in is, yes, haunted by nasty spirits. The Perrons have invested too much in an old house, which they gradually learn is haunted by spirits who mean to do them harm. Shot on a modest budget, director Wan knows all too well that his audience has probably seen every cliche out there so comes up with a mind-bending conclusion that will not only scare you silly but will leave you wanting more even though there isn’t anything left except the possibility of sequel.

“The Cabin in the Woods”, R (2012)

As a fan of horror movies and one who has pretty much, “seen it all” when it comes to predicting the storyline (I can usually tell you what’s going to happen within the first 15 minutes of the feature) it’s refreshing when a movie comes long like “The Cabin in the Woods” that isn’t as formulaic as one would expect. Let’s just say that you’re not going see this one coming. Oh sure, the movie starts out with the requisite college students, each with its own stereotypical character centered around a cabin where horrific things are happening. But wait, these undead wanting to kill the living (btw why do they always crave college-aged students?) don’t just show up randomly. They appear to be controlled by scientists. Say what? Yes, beneath the cabin is a basement, and beneath that basement is where Richard Jenkins and Bradley Whitford hash out their dastardly schemes. But what’s in it for them? I ain’t tellin’ but there is a surprise ending that reminded me a little of “The Hunger Games” meets John Carpenter’s “The Thing.” Survival of the fittest but when those controlling the outcome are themselves upstaged that’s when things get really interesting. “The Cabin in the Woods” was produced and co-written by Joss Whedon (creator of “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” “Angel”) and directed by Drew Goddard (writer of “Cloverfield”).

“Carrie”, R (1976)

After seeing this year’s remake (which was horrid, but not in a good way) I couldn’t wait to dust off the original and see why the original was that good to begin with. Brian de Palma’s masterpiece had an incredible cast that included Sissy Spacek, Piper Laurie and a very young John Travolta and Amy Irving. Carrie White is a shy girl who doesn’t make friends easily and is bullied a lot at school because her classmates think she’s a freak. Kids in high school can be so cruel, but what they don’t know is that Carrie has some pretty unusual powers making her the ultimate revenge on bullies candidate. A classmate does take pity on her and convinces one Tommy Ross (her boyfriend and class hunk played by William Katt) to invite Carrie to the senior prom. Carrie cleans up nicely (on the outside) until you get her mad and then watch out. Some fundamentalists were offended by this movie but hey, aren’t most of them anyway if there’s even a hint of a devilish angle?

“Alien”, R (1979)

To this day when you witness that alien bursting out of John Hurt’s stomach you know that director Ridley Scott’s terrifying flick has you captivated. “Alien” and it’s sequel, “Aliens” (1986) are still two of the better sci-fi/horror flicks out there even though their version of high tech by today’s standards looks antiquated. The aliens are still some of the creepiest and scariest I have ever seen in a movie which by the way were based on the work of H.R. Giger (for which he received an Academy Award under Best Visual Effects category).

“The Exorcist”, R (1973)

It would forever typecast its little known actress, Linda Blair. After this flick it was tough for Blair to get any real serious roles forever typecast as that possessed girl who spit up pea soup. Of course it was supposed to be barf, but soon everyone found out it was pea soup and then people would always imitate her making a mess. One of the scariest and psychologically tinged movies ever, “The Exorcist” caused a sensation when it first premiered including religious protestors that of course only made me want to see it more. And yes, there were countless sequels and prequels but none of them holds up to the mother of all satanic movies.

“Hellraiser”, R (1987)

Clive Barker knows a thing or two when it comes to messing with people’s minds and this to me is one of his best in that department and one of the most original too. Originally titled, “Sadomasochists from Beyond the Grave,” Barker (who wrote, directed and produced) must have been on some sort of medication (or stopped taking it!) when he came up with this classic horror gem. The character of Pinhead, the lead Cenobite is truly one of the more original icons in horror. You’ll never play with a Rubik’s Cube again if you haven’t seen this classic that’s for sure. Go ahead I dare ya.

“Saw”, R (2004)

Also directed by James Wan (based on his story) “Saw” not only became a cult classic overnight but would eventually spawn four sequels. Shot primarily in one place, we’re introduced to Adam Stanheight (Leigh Whannell) who awakens in a water-filled bathtub in an industrial bathroom. Right across from his is Lawrence Gordon (Cary Elves). Both men are chained at the ankle to pipes, and a corpse is lying face down in a pool of blood between them holding a microcassette recorder and one revolver. They find tapes in their pockets, and Adam is able to retrieve the recorder. Adam’s tape instructs him to escape, while Lawrence’s tape instructs him to kill Adam before six o’clock, or his wife and daughter will be killed and he will be left to die. It’s mind-provoking and clues are slowly found that could assist in their escape including two hacksaws which are best used fir cutting off their feet in order to escape. There’s much more but suffice it to say not for the faint of heart.

“The Grudge”, R (2004)

Based on Takashi Shimizu’s Japanese movie, “Ju-On: The Grudge”) the American version is just as good. Why? Because someone out there in Hollywood was smart enough to let Takashi Shimizu do a remake from his own movie. How about that? The original creator gets to do his own work and — wow — the results are impressive. Starring Sarah Michelle Gellar as an American nurse living and working in Tokyo, she discovers (and is exposed) to a mysterious curse that causes a person to experience an uncontrollable rage before taking their life. The part that still creeps me out is that of images of zombied looking kids in this waterlogged black and white image with freaky noises that stay with you long after the movie has ended. You’ll never want to enter an uninhabited house again unless accompanied by an army of eye witnesses.

“Shaun of the Dead”, R (2004)

Got a have a funny horror flick and nothing says, funny better than a Simon Pegg movie especially when it involves zombies. The British horror comedy “Shaun of the Dead” makes scary sexy. By treating the genre as a joke Pegg gets plenty of mileage with his dry wit making this satire one of the best comedy/horror one of the funniest I’ve ever seen outside of “An American Werewolf in London.” When zombies start descending on London the media declare it “Z-Day” in the U.K. Pegg, who wrote the screenplay with director, Edgar Wright, plays the title character, a hapless 29-year-old clerk who, with his best friend Ed (Nick Frost) plot a plan to make a safe exit along with Shaun’s on-again, off-again sweetheart, Liz (Kate Ashfield). The movie also stars Bill Nighy and trust me one of the funniest movies I’ve ever seen with regard to brain-eating zombies.

“The Thing”, R (1982)

Hands down one of the best remakes ever/ How good? Well, there was a prequel that came out earlier this year that takes you up to the 1982 remake that’s how good. I first saw this as a double feature in the theater (yes kids, they used to let you see two movies sometimes for the price of one) not knowing what to expect but was literally blown out of my seat when I did see it. It was that good. Starring a bearded Kurt Russell as the head of an American Antarctic expedition “The Thing” still boasts some of the best special effects ever and has an all-star stellar cast that includes Wilford Brimley, T. K. Carter, David Clennon, Keith David, Richard A. Dysart and Charles Hallahan. Directed by the master himself, John Carpenter, you’ll be grabbing anything when you see what happens when an alien being replicates itself into anything starting with huskies and moving on up from there. Every movie mentioned so far has had a sequel or two and yet this one is the one that I wanted to see a sequel but alas-Carpenter felt otherwise.

“Paranormal Activity”, R (2007)

The original was good and I could see having a sequel was inevitable but three sequels? Someone went to the horror well a little too often and that’s why global warming is not a myth. The original was good because of its low-budget quality that made it appear so real with its single-camera, rapid-movement-shot in the first-person style. With each subsequent sequel the budget got bigger as the quality depreciated. “Paranormal Activity” works in much the same way another very low-budget flick, “The Blair Witch Project.” The tension is just as shaky as those hand-held cameras are. You know the story is good when you don’t require any big names to carry your picture. Of course that makes it easier for the filmmakers to control their young actors lest they want to be killed off and not be in another sequel.

“Poltergeist”, PG-13 (1982)

Would you believe that back then executive producer (and writer) Steven Spielberg had to lobby to give this movie a PG rating? The film was originally given an R rating so he (along with the filmmakers) protested successfully and got a PG rating (the PG-13 rating did not exist at the time). This was the movie that gave us the immortal line, “They’re baaaaaack” that was uttered by Heather O’Rourke, the cute little blonde who played Carol Anne, daughter of Craig T. Nelson and JoBeth Williams in the movie. The movie is a stark reminder of what happens when developers, in their zeal to construct urban sprawl forget to move bodies from a cemetery they are building on. The movie took on a life of its own with real life actors dying in each production. The eldest daughter in the movie (played by Dominique Dunne) was killed in real life by her boyfriend upon completion of the first film. Actor Julian Beck died of stomach cancer after shooting the second film and actress Heather O’ Rourke died of a mystery case of intestinal stenosis shortly before completion of the third film. Also, many cast members’ careers have suffered after appearing in the films. The ghosts at first appear friendly moving moving objects around the house to the amusement of everyone but then they turn nasty and start to terrorize the family before they “kidnap” Carol Anne. Still a great scare factor to this day, “Poltergeist” has a great story and great effects that rival only that of “The Thing.”

“28 Days Later”, R (2003)

Who would have guessed that the same guy who directed last year’s Summer Olympic Games in London would also be the same chap who brought us “28 Days Later” revolving around a deadly virus? Is it airborne? Can I get it from shaking somebody’s hand? Will it kill me slowly and is there a host to help find me a cure? Only Boyle has the answer an he plays on this common fear combining the terror of its after effects turning one into a zombie. The movie also takes a look at what might happen if we experiment on things that go unchecked. It’s that unknown element that can be the scariest psychologically playing off our minds. We’re introduced to Londoner Jim (Cillian Murphy) who wakes up in a hospital room all alone and no one else is in the entire hospital either. He puts his clothes on, walks out into the empty streets and does see other survivors, but how long will they last? Are they exposed as well? It’s not pleasant and I can now see why people become germaphobes after seeing this movie.

“Psycho”, PG (1960)

“Psycho” is that one movie that would forever make showers a scary experience (if you’re a woman) and brand those of the male species a “momma’s boy” forever, but taking to the next creepiest level. Leave it to Alfred Hitchcock to deliver one of the truly frightening masterpieces of all time. Phoenix office worker Marion Crane (Janet Leigh) is fed up with the way life has treated her. She has to meet her lover Sam (John Gavin) at lunch breaks and they cannot get married because Sam has to give most of his money away in alimony payments. One Friday afternoon Marion is entrusted to bank $40,000 by her employer. Seeing the opportunity to take the money and run, Marion leaves town and heads toward Sam’s California store. Tired after the long drive and caught in a storm, she gets off the main highway and pulls into The Bates Motel. The motel is managed by a quiet young man called Norman (Anthony Perkins) who seems to be dominated by his mother. An interesting piece of trivia: After the film’s release Hitchcock received an angry letter from the father of a girl who refused to have a bath after seeing “Les Diaboliques” (also on this list), and now refused to shower after seeing “Psycho.” Hitchcock sent a note back to the father simply saying “Send her to the dry cleaners.”

“A Nightmare on Elm Street”, R (1984)

Outside of John Carpenter, Clive Barker and George Romero, I kind of know I’m going to pretty much enjoy my scare factor when I see horror master Wes Craven’s name attached to it. And with “A Nightmare on Elm Street” I wasn’t disappointed. One could argue that many a subsequent horror flick borrowed their chops (no pun intended) from Craven’s original “Elm Street”. High school kids being killed off in a small town and nobody knows why. Enter Nancy Thompson (Heather Langenkamp) playing detective who traces the cause to Freddy Krueger (Robert Englund), a disfigured bum in a slouch hat who sporting knives for fingernails long before Wolverine made it sexy. Still holds up as classic slasher that I think horror fans continue to hold in high esteem in part because it comes across as low-budget and with an intelligent (and original) script featuring some pretty impressive newcomers such as Johnny Depp, Ronee Blakley and Amanda Wyss with Craven himself directing.

“The Shining”, R (1980)

The pairing of director Stanley Kubrick with Jack Nicholson’s cold and frightening character (also named Jack) defined this movie and the career of both. “The Shining” introduces the viewer to Jack Torrance (Nicholson), a man who plans to spend the winter in solitude with his wife, Wendy (Shelley Duvall) and son, Danny (Danny Lloyd) as Jack becomes the caretaker of the Overlook Hotel just as workers are shutting it down for the winter. Chef Dick Hallorann (the classic Scatman Crothers) is one of the crew but the movie centers almost entirely around Jack and his slow, deterioration into madness writing the novel that is page after page of the same line. For me it’s a psychological mind —- at its best and a movie that would label Shelley Duvall as the Queen of Scream and one that every young actress would have to emulate in order to be considered as the leading lady for any horror flick.

“Night Of The Living Dead”, R (1968)

If this movie were made today, it would be considered tame compared to the current crop of gore flicks out there. “Night of the Living Dead” is a true classic (and always will be) that definitely deserves its place in the Smithsonian Institute of Horror. The movie is still quite effective shot in glorious black and white. I had the rare privilege of seeing this film in a theater at a midnight screening. The audience found themselves screaming and jumping as I did in certain parts of the film. It’s raining weird rays from outer space that causes the dead to awaken from their graves to feed on human flesh for sustenance. After seeing this movie originally on television, I never slept near my sister again when camping with the family.

“Jaws”, PG (1975)

The was the movie that literally put a young Steven Spielberg on the cinematic map and if you think the PG rating is too tame, you’re correct, but back then they hadn’t come up with the PG-13 rating which is what this should be if seen today. This is one of the best psychological horror-adventure flicks I’ve seen in a while. The idea of a lone, killer shark bent on eating people in a vacation resort community just begs buffet specials. That coupled with the signature shark music of John Williams makes this an all time fav of mine and even to this day I ask myself, “Is it safe to go into the water?”

“Diabolique”, R (1955)

This movie (original French title “Les Diaboliques”) centers around a nasty headmaster having an affair on his wife who, as it turns out treats his mistress just as badly as he treats his wife. In a twisted three-way the two women conspire to do in he headmaster Robert Bloch, author of “Psycho,” called this his favorite horror movie.

Honorable mentions:

There are so many other flicks that make Halloween worth celebrating including “Basket Case” (1982), “The Omen” (1976), “House of Wax” (not the Paris Hilton version but the original 1953 rendition with Vincent Price), “The Haunting” (1963), “The Blair Witch Project” (1999), “Dracula” (1931), “The Birds” (1963), “Scanners,” “The Fly” (1958), “Seven” (1995). For campy horror fun you must see “An American Werewolf in London” (1981), “Scream” (1996), “Zombieland” (2009).

Howie Nave is host/emcee/manager of The Improv at Harveys. You can hear him Monday-Friday 6 to 10am on KRLT FM-93.9.