A milkshake and hamburger fortune results in record-setting charity. A notorious Northern California wine arson ties into a Rancho Cucamonga murder over a century earlier. The Civil War in the West, social media, and asteroids are all topics covered in a series of riveting speakers joining the lineup as the San Bernardino County Museum announces its inaugural Dome Talks. These evening discussions feature leading authors, historians, scientists, researchers, and technologists discussing topics relevant to the past, present, and future of our Inland Southern California region. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. and speakers begin at 7 p.m. On Thursday, Jan. 26, author Lisa Napoli will discuss her bestselling book, Ray and Joan: The Man Who Made the McDonalds Fortune and the Woman Who Gave It All Away. Published in November 2016, this is the story of how fast food fare became the foundation for a business empire and a force for public good. Other speakers featured in Dome Talks are: March 16: Frances Dinkelspiel, the author of Tangled Vines: Greed, Murder, Obsession, and an Arsonist in the Vineyards of California (published in October 2015), tells the extraordinary story of winemaking in California woven into the tale of Rancho Cucamongas John Rains and his mysterious murder. April 19: Andy Masich, President and CEO of the Heinz History Center and author of Civil War in the Southwest Borderlands 18611867, tells a gripping tale of the least-understood theater of the Civil War, the Southwest borderlands, which saw not only Union and Confederate forces clash but Indians, Hispanos, and Anglos struggle for survival, power, and dominance on both sides of the U.S.-Mexican border. May 18: Bergis Jules, archivist at the University of California Riverside, discusses his cutting edge work documenting current social events through hashtags, including a project to archive #Ferguson and #BlackLivesMatter. June 22: Dr. Aaron Parness, of NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratorys Extreme Environment Robotics Group speaks about his groups work experimenting with things that stick in space including asteroid anchors, rock-climbing robots, and gecko grippers for NASAs Asteroid Redirect Mission. Admission to a Dome Talk is $15; museum members are $10. A series ticket purchased in advance for all five presentations is $60 or $40 for museum members. Light refreshments will be provided by the San Bernardino County Museum Association. Reservations are recommended; visit www.sbcountymuseum.gov/museum to purchase tickets. Tickets will be available at the door as space permits. Dome Talks and the County Museums other exciting events and exhibits reflect the effort by the Board of Supervisors to achieve the Countywide Vision by celebrating arts, culture, and education in the county, creating quality of life for residents and visitors. The San Bernardino County Museum is at 2024 Orange Tree Lane, at the California Street exit from Interstate 10 in Redlands. The museum is open Tuesdays through Sundays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Parking is free. For more information, visit www.sbcountymuseum.org. The museum is accessible to persons with disabilities. 30