San Diego-area artists did not go unnoticed by the Recording Academy when it announced the nominations last week for the 51st annual Grammy Awards.

"Mr. A to Z" himself, Coastal North County songwriter Jason Mraz, could win two Grammys thanks to his song "I'm Yours." It's up for honors in the Song of the Year and Best Male Pop Vocal Performance categories.

Poway resident Steve Vaus, aka Buck Howdy, earned a Best Spoken Word Album for Children nomination for the Buck Howdy With BB recording "Around the Campfire." San Diego-based jazz musician James Moody, as part of the Monterey Jazz Festival 50th Anniversary All-Stars, received a nomination in the Best Jazz Instrumental Solo category for the song "Be-Bop" from "Live at the 2007 Monterey Jazz Festival."

Tijuana-based Nortec Collective received a nomination in the Best Latin Rock or Alternative Album category "Nortec Collective Presents: Bostich + Fussible / Tijuana Sound Machine."

One-time county resident Eddie Vedder of Pearl Jam earned a Best Solo Rock Vocal Performance nomination for his song "Rise," one of many that Vedder wrote for the movie "Into the Wild."

Lastly, North County-based producer Chris Goldsmith did not earn a Grammy nomination himself, but he did produce a Best Traditional Gospel Album nominee, "Down in New Orleans" by the Blind Boys of Alabama.

Winners will be announced Feb. 8.

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San Diegan Scott Zensen was a familiar sight in North County. One of the most passionate supporters of the local music scene, particularly the folk and acoustic scenes, Zensen was spotted frequently at venues ranging from the Belly Up to Hot Java Cafe. If live music was being performed by local musicians, Zensen was probably there. If not, it's only because another local artist or band was playing elsewhere in the county that night and he'd not yet figured out a way to clone himself. He even started up his own Web 'zine to cover local music, myweekmagazine.com, enlisting fellow fans and musicians to contribute articles and reviews.

Only 50, Zensen died of a heart attack two days before Thanksgiving, leaving a huge void in the county's music community. Family and friends have organized a memorial concert from 1-4 p.m. Saturday at Desi and Friend's in Point Loma. Among those who have committed to perform at the show are Escondido's "Doctor Dave" Sawyer, Poway's Hot Rod Harris, Chuck Schiele of The Grams, Barbara Nesbitt, Veronica May and Steph Johnson, among others.

And it's a fair bet that at the Acoustic Alliance/ListenLocalSD.Com Christmas party beginning at 6 p.m. that evening at Brick by Brick, the celebration of Zensen's life will continue.

Directions and contact info are available at myspace.com/sazshot.

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For the third year in a row, the Star Theatre in Oceanside will present an all-ages cast production of the musical "Annie" for the holidays.

Based on the "Little Orphan Annie" comic strip, the musical tells the story of a Depression-era orphan who wishes for a family during the Christmas holidays. The Star Theatre Company cast includes 45 North County residents, both children and adults. As an added treat, Santa Claus will attend all performances and will take wishes and photos in the Star's lobby.

Performances are at 7:30 p.m. Friday and at 2 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday. Tickets are $15 for adults, $12 for students, seniors and military and $7 for children under 12. The Star is at 402 N. Coast Highway in Oceanside. Call (760) 721-9983.

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Last month, Santa Ana's Opera Pacific canceled the rest of its season when its coffers ran dry, but to give Orange County opera lovers their aria fix, San Diego Opera has reached out to them with a special ticket offer.

The partnership announced between the two opera companies last week allows former Opera Pacific subscribers to buy season tickets to San Diego Opera's 2009 season at a deep discount.

"Live opera is a unique and unforgettable experience, and I hope our patrons continue to experience it in Southern California through this generous offer from San Diego Opera," commented Martin Hubbard, Opera Pacific board member and spokesman.

The offer, being mailed to Opera Pacific patrons this month, offers a five-for-four opera subscription package and discounts on single tickets and select performances. San Diego Opera is also looking into chartering bus service from Orange County and booking hotel and restaurant packages for Opera Pacific patrons who don't want to make the round-trip drive in one night.

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If you want to give the gift of live music and theater for Christmas, the Poway Center for the Performing Arts has just the ticket.

From 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, the center will offer half-price tickets to all the remaining shows in its 2008-09 season. This includes an acoustic concert by David Hidalgo and Louis Perez of Los Lobos on Jan. 10; Gary Moore's play "Burning in China" Feb. 21-March 1; a performance by Missoula Children's Theatre (featuring local schoolchildren) on March 21; the Kennedy Center's Theatre for Young Audiences on Tour's "The Phantom Tollbooth" on March 28; Ragamala Music and Dance Theater's "SVA" on April 4; the San Diego Symphony on April 17; and "On the Divide," a play starring Eva Marie Saint, on May 16.

Tickets were priced from $17 to $45, so the discounts are substantial. Children's tickets are all $5.

The tickets will be available at the center's satellite office at 14027 Midland Road in Poway. Call (858) 748-0505.

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The Reuben H. Fleet Science Center will reopen its IMAX dome theater Saturday, after a 3 1/2-month renovation.

The Fleet shuttered its 35-year-old IMAX theater for a major overhaul that included installing new screen panels (with smaller, flatter seams for a more curved appearance), new seats and new carpeting.

To celebrate the dome's reopening on Saturday, three new IMAX films will be introduced and will play in rotation throughout the day. "Wild Ocean" is a nautical documentary that chronicles the migration of billions of fish off the coast of South Africa and shows how overfishing, global warming and overpopulation on the African coast are threatening the ocean ecosystem. "Van Gogh: Brush With Genius" takes a look at the famed Impressionist's life and work through some of the more than 900 paintings he created before the painter took his own life at age 37. And "Animalopolis," created to appeal to smaller children, is a whimsical comedy about wacky animal behavior, with 12 vignettes on everything from dancing bears, somersaulting sea lions and hungry hippos.

Admission to the Fleet museum, at 1875 El Prado in Balboa Park, is $10 for adults and $8.75 for seniors and children ages 3 to 12. Admission, including one IMAX film, is $14.50 for adults and $11.75 for seniors and children. Rides on the motion simulator (now screening "Escape from Dino Island") are $5. For film showtimes, call (619) 238-1233 or visit rhfleet.org.

Pam Kragen is the arts editor of the North County Times.