VEGAS BEST CITY FOR WILD WEEKEND

To the surprise of few, Las Vegas has won the distinction as the best place for a wild weekend.

That's according to the results of the 2010 America’s Favorite Cities survey from Travel + Leisure.

With travelers rating 35 cities in categories ranging from culture and hotels to restaurants and nightlife in this year’s survey on TravelandLeisure.com,

Portland, Oregon came in first place for intelligent residents, farmers’ markets, public parks and access to the outdoors, environmental friendliness, and microbrew beer.

New York City was the highest-scoring city in such categories as classical music and theater, big-name restaurants, ethnic food, and stylish people.

The best place for a romantic getaway is Honolulu, while Las Vegas is the top-ranked city for a wild weekend.

The complete survey results covering 54 topics are posted on http://www.travelandleisure.com/americas-favorite-cities/2010 now. A special America’s Favorite Cities report will be featured in the December issue of Travel + Leisure, on newsstands November 19.

30 SECONDS TO MARS LANDS AT PALMS

The Palms Casino Resort announced Monday that rock band Thirty Seconds to Mars will performer at The Pearl at the Palms Casino Resort on New Year's Eve.

The band recently won a Video Music Award for Best Rock Video.

Formed by Jared and Shannon Leto in 1998, the group’s first self-titled album was released in 2002 and their follow-up album, "A Beautiful Lie" (2005) boasted two Top 5 Modern Rock singles “From Yesterday” and “The Kill,” which set the record for the longest-running hit in the history of Modern Rock radio with airplay for more than 50 weeks following its No. 3 peak in 2006.

LAS VEGAS 10-YEAR-OLD HEADED FOR WORLD COMPETITION

Ten-year-old dance sensation Angelique Vollmer of Las Vegas is headed for the Ohio Star Ball World Pro Am dance competition at the Columbus Convention Center in Columbus, Ohio, Nov. 16-21. That comes on the heels of Vollmer's after three national titles at the United States Dance Championships in Orlando, Fla.

A straight-A fifth-grade student at Our Lady of Las Vegas, she won International Latin, American Rhythm and American Smooth in the United States Dance Championships earlier this year in Orlando, Fla.

She has been training with Las Vegas' Tony Delgado.

PERFECT FINISH FOR SAM SCHMIDT BENEFIT

Former Indy Car race Sam Schmidt couldn't have asked for a more dramatic finish to his 5th Annual Racing for Recovery Golf Tournament.

Last Friday at The Golf Club at SouthShore, Dr. Lynn Dayton from Orem, Utah scored a hole-in-one lined on the 192-yard, par 3 10th hole in full view of many participants in the tournament to benefit the Sam Schmidt Paralysis Foundation.

The ace, Dayton's second in his career, won him a new Harley Davidson, courtesy of Don Andress, the owner of Las Vegas Harley Davidson.

BEASLEY SIGNS TOM HUMM TO FIVE-YEAR EXTENSION

Beasley Broadcast Las Vegas is pleased to announce that Vice President and Market Manager Tom Humm has signed a five-year extension to his current employment contract. Mr. Humm joined Beasley Las Vegas in 2008. He reports to Brian Beasley, Executive Vice President of Operations. Mr. Humm manages Beasley Broadcast’s 96.3 KKLZ-FM, 102.7 The Coyote KCYE-FM and AM 720 KDWN. Additionally, he oversees The Oasis 105.7 KOAS-FM and 107.9 KVGS-FM, two radio stations owned by GGB Las Vegas, LLC.

FLUTIST ANTHONY TRIONFO TAKES TOP HONOR

The honors keep coming for Anthony Trionfo, a 15-year-old from Las Vegas. In September he received a record-setting scholarship award and he achieved the first chair position in arguably the finest youth orchestra in the United States: the Interlochen [Michigan] Arts Academy Orchestra.

Now comes news that he was named one of four winners (from a highly competitive international field of 15 finalists narrowed down from 50-plus entrants across all instruments) in the annual Concerto Competition and will appear as soloist with the Interlochen Arts Academy orchestra next February.

He began his nine months of study on Sept. 2. Just three days after arriving and getting settled in his new Michigan environment, Anthony won the first chair flute position in the Interlochen Symphony Orchestra.

Sunday he was declared a winner of the prestigious IAA Concerto Competition. He is one of four winners chosen from a final field of 15 and a preliminary field of over 60 of the world's best young musicians.

John Kane an alumnus of the IAA and mentor to Anthony said, "This is THE top performance honor awarded at Interlochen (thus one of the foremost performing opportunities for a high-schooler in the world) and means that Anthony, as a Concerto Winner, has been recognized as the best of the best, all the more remarkable since he just arrived two month ago, and is only a sophomore."