No matter how hard we try to go gentle into that good night (and believe us, we do try), we're always compelled to start yakking again, usually after the powers-that-be start stirring things up.
Now that the Measure CL school bond has come and gone, Shelob-like they've been in their lairs licking their wounds, but rest assured, you'll see many of the old familiar faces back in action in the next City Council election, which should be hitting high gear in another month or so.
If things follow form, we'll see a number of unforeseen issues come to the fore at the next two City Council meetings. These issues will have been carefully chosen to position the insider (small "i") candidates in their campaigns. In the past we've seen things like false rumors of council members harassing city staff or the imminent threat of gravel mining rise up in the months before the election and then fade as soon as the polls close. As always, they'll use a false sense of urgency to instill fear into people - we need to act NOW or else....
We can't wait to see what surprises the next month will bring. We know this much: there will be at least two new faces on the council come next March. Incumbent Sam Pedroza is running, but Mayor Linda Elderkin is not. Peter Yao, the third council member whose term is up, had to step down after he was appointed to the California Citizens Redistricting Commission. Incidentally, Yao was named interim chair at the commission's first meeting yesterday.
The city council candidate pool will these people, all of whom have pulled the necessary papers but haven't filed yet:
- Joseph Armendarez, unknown
- Robin Haulman, former Architectural Commission chair
- Rex Jaime, unknown
- Citizen Michael John Keenan, man about town
- Ed Leavell, former Human Services Commission member
- Joseph Lyons, unknown
- Opanyi Nasiali, former Traffic Commission member
- Sam Pedroza, incumbent and America's Got Talent 4th Runner Up
We've got some thoughts on these folks, but we'll hold those until the race firms up. We'll be curious to see which one(s) will end up as the straw candidates the Claremonsters encourage run in order to siphon off votes from the people they don't want on the council.
In the meantime, there's plenty going on around town, beginning with the City's tree lighting ceremony this coming Friday beginning at 5pm at the Claremont Depot (from the City's website):
Annual Holiday Promenade & Tree Lighting
The evening will include a variety of entertainment throughout the Village, as well as the following activities:
- Photos with Santa and Mrs. Claus at City Hall
- A Tree Lighting Ceremony at 6 p.m. at the Train Depot
- An arts and crafts fair, hosted by Gypsy Sisters, in the Packing House
- Performances by holiday carolers and the Claremont High School Chamber Singers
- Many shops and restaurants hosting "Holiday Cheer Stops"
You won't want to miss this magical Claremont event. Please join us on Friday, December 3 from 5 - 8 p.m. at the Claremont Village Holiday Promenade and Tree Lighting. Enjoy the festive atmosphere and remember to shop Claremont this holiday season.For more information, please call (909) 399-5490 or visit us at www.ci.claremont.ca.us.
They'll have a skating rink set up as well, and if you've got any old holiday lights and want to exchange them, you can do that at the tree lighting. Southern California Edison customers can bring in one strand of the old-style lights and exchange them for a strand of LED lights.
It's also the first weekend of the month, which means the City Council will be at the Farmers Market in the Claremont Village on Sunday, December 5, between 8am and 1pm.
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