Filming for ‘Bourne’ sequel to start near Smith Center

Filming for an untitled sequel of the "Bourne" film series starring Matt Damon will start next week near The Smith Center for the Performing Arts.

There was activity in Smith Center's parking lot Thursday. Traffic cones were redirecting vehicles, and a large trailer truck arrived in the lot.

Myron Martin, Smith Center president and CEO, said he didn't know specifics but added, "They are definitely setting up for a film."

Eric Preiss, director of the Nevada Film Office, confirmed a "high-profile production" was coming to town but added, "We try to stay away from publicity until they are done filming."

A spy tells me extras are being sought for Jan. 14 and 15 and the 18th through the 21st.

It is the fifth film in the "Bourne" franchise, inspired by the Robert Ludlum series.

Damon plays Jason Bourne, a U.S.-trained assassin who suffers from amnesia. Julia Stiles returns to the film as his love interest. Tommy Lee Jones is cast as a CIA counterpart, with Vincent Cassel in the villain role. Swedish beauty Alicia Vikander also stars in the thriller.

Puppy Bowl picks trio

A year after landing one puppy in Animal Planet's "Puppy Bowl," the Nevada SPCA will send three to the 12th edition of the event, which drew 10 million viewers last year.

Following in the paw prints of Keno, the trio of Ginger, Toby and Magic will join 81 other puppies from 44 rescue centers across the country.

Ginger and Toby are sister and brother. All three were surrendered because of financial hardships by their previous owners.

Hinueber retires

Longtime Review-Journal attorney Mark Hinueber announced his retirement as an in-house newspaper attorney Wednesday on Facebook, saying it was "time for a new chapter in my life."

He served as an in-house newspaper attorney for 38 years, 22 of them at the RJ.

Among his plans: travel, continue his second career as a college professor, consult newspapers, "hang out my shingle" and give up golf.

On a personal note, I not only benefited from his solid advice for nearly 17 of those years, but he tipped me to a major scoop: Linda Ronstadt's ejection from the Aladdin hotel in July 2004 after praising filmmaker Michael Moore as a "patriot" and dedicating her encore song, "Desperado," to him.

The scene and heard

Former Mayor Oscar Goodman had to do some schedule shifting to avoid being in the doghouse with his wife, Mayor Carolyn Goodman. Her State of the City address started at 6 p.m. Thursday at City Hall. Oscar was double-booked until he changed the starting time for a speech at the Mob Museum on Jewish mobsters who played a part in the history of Las Vegas. The kickoff event of the Jewish University series was hilariously titled "Kosher Nostra." The former mob attorney pleaded guilty to the scheduling conflict. "It was my fault. I didn't have it on my calendar." He added, "Let's put it this way, I would rather disappoint 10 million Jews rather than disappoint my wife." ...

Comedy hypnotist Marc Savard was hired by Ford Motor Co.to help launch its $450,000 Ford GT Supercar. Only 250 were made. Savard hypnotized CES attendees so they could "experience" the thrill of driving the GT. He had them taking high-speed corners, and racing next to other GT's "in their minds," he said. ...

The rumor's not true: Bruce Springsteen is not performing at The Joint at the Hard Rock Hotel and shooting an HBO special, a Hard Rock rep said Thursday. Springsteen has not performed in front of the public here since 2002.

Sightings

Jenny McCarthy, interviewing husband Donnie Wahlberg on her SiriusXM radio show Thursday at the Fiat-Chrysler Uconnect booth at CES in the Las Vegas Convention Center before interviewing Rick Harrison of "Pawn Stars" and Mike and Kiki Tyson. ... At Wednesday's grand opening of Encore Players Club in the Wynn Las Vegas: host Charlotte McKinney, who ceremoniously tossed dice at the craps table with Steve Wynn and his wife, Andrea. McKinney, a blond beauty, is known for her Carl's Jr. TV commercials and Guess ad campaigns. The luxury gaming lounge was built specifically for millennials. Also there: Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo, baseball Hall of Famer Cal Ripken Jr., Nick Cannon, DJ Skrillex, four-time Mr. Olympia Jay Cutler and Dan Cox of ABC's "Bachelor in Paradise." ... Cannon, dining Wednesday at La Cave Wine & Food Hideaway in the Wynn. ... Rapper T.I. and Latin singing star Luis Miguel, in separate parties Wednesday at STK in The Cosmopolitan.

The punch line

"Twitter is testing a feature that will allow you to write a post that contains up to 10,000 characters. They're calling this exciting new feature 'Facebook.' " — Conan O'Brien

Norm Clarke's column appears Sunday, Monday, Wednesday and Friday. He can be reached at 702-383-0244 or norm@reviewjournal.com. Find more online at www.normclarke.com. On Twitter: @Norm_Clarke