City News

GOLD LINE WORKSHOP APRIL 11

The Metro Gold Line Extension environmental review continues apace. You can learn more and provide input on the Claremont station proposal at a workshop on Monday, April 11, from 6pm to 8pm in the Padua Room of the Alexander Hughes Community Center. Here's the information from the City's website:

Gold Line Extension Public Meeting

The Metro Gold Line Foothill Extension Construction Authority (Construction Authority), the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) and the City of Claremont invite you to a workshop on the proposed Claremont Gold Line station, which is part of a proposed 12.6-mile extension of the Metro Gold Line from Azusa to Montclair currently under environmental review. The workshop is an opportunity to learn more about the proposed station plan and provide feedback on ways to make it even better.

Gold Line station planning requirements and the proposed Claremont station location will be reviewed, followed by a discussion in which you can provide feedback to be considered in the planning process.

Station Planning Workshop in Claremont:

Monday, April 11, 2011 6 to 8 pm
Alexander Hughes Community Center, Padua Room
1700 Danbury Rd., Claremont, CA 91711

Additional workshops are being hosted in the cities of Glendora, San Dimas, La Verne, Pomona and Montclair.

To learn about all of the workshops and the environmental review process underway, visit www.foothillextension.org or call the Metro Gold Line Foothill Extension Construction Authority (626) 471-9050.

Take a Tour of the Metro Gold Line:

In the coming months, the Construction Authority will host tours of the Metro Gold Line light rail line between Pasadena and Los Angeles. Tours provide an opportunity to experience how light rail interacts within communities, the design of stations and street crossings and the various train sounds. Contact Sylvia Beltran at sbeltran@foothillextension.org or (626) 305-7012 if interested in a tour.

Image courtesy of loscalifornios.org

PADUA HILLS COMMUNITY EVENTS

If your non-profit organization is looking for a place to host a community event, you might consider the Padua Hills Theatre. Through its lease agreement with Arteco Partners, the company that renovated the theatre, the City reserves a few dates each year for community use. The City still has some open dates. You have until May 5 to submit an event planning form. Here's the relevant info:

Community Use Dates Available For Padua Hills Theatre

The Padua Hills Theatre Community Use Program reserves dates each year for non-profit organizations interested in hosting community events at substantially reduced rates. The Padua Hills Theatre Community Use Committee is now accepting applications for events that will take place between January 1 and December 31, 2012. Non-profits interested in submitting an application may download an Event Planning Form and Community Use Addendum on the City website at www.ci.claremont.ca.us. All applications are subject to the review and approval of the Community Use Committee and must be submitted to the Alexander Hughes Community Center, 1700 Danbury Rd., by Thursday, May 5, 2011 at 5:00 p.m. for priority consideration. An optional meeting will be conducted at the Padua Hills Theatre on April 6, 2011 at 10:00 a.m. to tour the site and field any questions. Please RSVP to Kristin Turner at (909) 399-5356 if you plan to attend.

DIAL A RIDE REGISTRATION

The City is also requiring residents who use the Dial A Ride program to register for the program:

Dial A Ride Registration

To Register:

By mail: Mail the completed form to:

City of Claremont
Alexander Hughes Community Center
1700 Danbury Road Claremont, CA 91711

By fax: Fax the completed form to 909-625-3184

By phone: Beginning March 23, 2011, if you are over the age of 18, you can register by phone between the hours of 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Monday through Friday by calling: 909-399-5495

In person: Beginning March 23, 2011, you can register in person between the hours of 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Monday through Friday at 1700 Danbury Road Claremont, CA 91711. Users under the age of 18 will need a parent or guardian's signature.

An identification card and unique identification number will be mailed to riders after they complete the registration process.

Registration Flyer

Weekend Event Calendar

FRIDAY NIGHT FLICKS

Vince Turner over at the Claremont Community College sent us a reminder about his Friday Night Flicks short film series at the Claremont Village Expansion above Chico's.

Date: Thu, March 24, 2011 4:35:58 PM
To: moviefans@claremontcommunitycollege.com
Subject: WOW Friday Night Flicks!

We're batting a thousand! So far every chair has been filled at Friday night Flicks! (OK. So we didn't set up all the chairs!)

This weeks theme is WOW! If you don't say WOW after each flick, then we didn't do our job.

Friday Night 7 PM

101 North Indian Hill BLVD Suite C2 203

Claremont Community College Where the learning never stops!

--
Vince Turner
(909) 477-1747

Also, don't forget that CCC's 5 Second Film Festival is set for April 28. CCC's mission statement, which we've posted below, may preclude certain humor-impaired Claremonters from attending (you know who you are):

Our Mission Statement

• To acquire and disseminate knowledge in a humorous way.
• To recruit like minded people to spread the word that learning can be fun.
• To remember to laugh at our failings before somebody else does.
• To keep an open mind on suggestions even if they sound silly - which most are.
• To recruit more Deans than students for obvious reasons.
• To reserve the right to refuse entry to the College to anyone who takes our mission too seriously.

RAVELERS, HERE AND ON THE ROAD

The Ravelers, Claremont's classic rock band, are on the move. Tonight, they're at the Padua Hills Theatre for Claremont Community Foundation fundraiser (from The Ravelers' PR dept.):

Hey Now...

The Ravelers are proud to be asked to be involved in several fundraisers this year, providing fun music for great causes.

This one is special for us because we call Claremont our home, and we have been looking forward to playing in the newly renovated and historic Padua Theater! We have peaked through the door and walked in the old theater every time we played a wedding reception or event over the past 24 years...hoping someday it would be remodeled to provide a nice place for entertainment and gathering. That day has arrived!

The Claremont Community Foundation was established in 1989 to serve the longer-term philanthropic needs of the community. The Foundation has awarded grants to more than 60 programs and special projects, enriching the lives of youth and adults throughout the community. Please join us to help continue these contributions...

Friday, March 25- Sock Hop at Padua Hills Theater!!!
Padua Hills Theater
4467 Padua Ave
Claremont, CA 91711
(909) 398-1060

The Ravelers play 7-11pm. Join us at the newly renovated theater for some great tunes, a delicious retro buffet, a cash bar and special surprises!

The proceeds go to benefit the community. Tickets are $50. Click here for more details.

Hope to see you in the new theater!


Hai, Pat, Martie, Rob

The Ravelers
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Ravelers/266682436238?ref=ts

The Ravelers are also at Santa Anita racetrack for the 5th Annual Cal Rods Car Show this Sunday, March 27, from 1pm to 4pm and will be playing between races.

Also, on April 28, The Ravelers are at the Ontario Convention Center for a Campfire Girls fundraiser.



AT THE CLAREMONT FMC


Saturday night at the Claremont Folk Music Center, journey back to ancient Persia, land of poets and musicians:

Saturday, March 26, 2011

JOHN BILEZIKJIAN "master Oud player" show

John Bilezikjian is "America's Oud Virtuoso". Mr. Bilezikjian may be the most prominent Oudist of his generation. He is a master Oudist who has elevated this instrument to the concert stage as well as continues to perform as a folk musician. He has performed for some 51 years on this ancient eleven stringed Persian fretless instrument dating back some 2,000 years. The Oud is performed with an eagle's quill.

$10 (doors@7)

Folk Music Center & Museum
220 Yale Avenue
Claremont CA 91711
(909) 624-2928

AT THE 5Cs

Also, check out the Claremont Colleges calendar to see what's happening at the 5Cs this weekend. The following events are on tap:

Saturday, March 26, 2011

• 7:00 AM - 6:30 PM - Latina/o Student Union 4th Annual Rockabilly Festival
  
  Pitzer College
  1050 N. Mill Ave.
  Claremont, 91711
  (909) 607-7492
  
  Enjoy a day of cars, music and food. Hosted by the Latina/o Student Union.
  
  
  
• For the kids:
  
  10:00 AM - Story Time at the Stone Center:
  Goldilocks and the Three Bears
  
  Stone Center for Children's Books
  Claremont Graduate University
  740 North College Avenue
  Corner of College and 8th St.
  Claremont, 91711
  (909) 607-3670
  
  
  
• 8:00 PM - Senior Recital:
  Eddie Sayles, tenor
  
  Bridges Hall of Music
  Pomona College
  150 E. 4th Street
  Claremont, 91711
  (909)607-2671
  
  Pomona College senior, Eddie Sayles will present his senior vocal recital performing the music of Barber, Donizetti, Ravel, Falla and others assisted by pianist Gayle Blankenburg.

Sunday, March 27, 2011

• 3:00 PM - The Claremont Concert Choir and The Chamber Choir Spring Choral Concert
  
  Garrison Theater
  Scripps College
  Scripps College Performing Arts Center
  
  241 E. 10th Street
  Claremont, 91711
  (909) 607-3267
  
  Charles W. Kamm (Scripps/Joint Music faculty), conductor
  Paul R. Bishop (Scripps performance staff), piano and organ works by Brahms, Britten, Purcell, Whitacre, and others.
  

City Council Meets Tonight

The Claremont City Council meets tonight at 6:30pm (no special closed session this week). You can watch the meeting online here, or you can go on down to the council chambers at 225 Second St. in the Claremont Village.

This is the last meeting before the council and the town's various commissions take the month of August off. Here's tonight's agenda.

We noticed a few things that grabbed our interest:

• Item 7 on the consent calendar is a recommendation by staff that the council adopt a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Claremont Police Management Association. If approved, it would cover the fiscal year that runs from July 1, 2010, to June 30, 2011.
  
  The MOU includes the union's concession of a 1.9% cost of living increase for this fiscal year. It also includes the implementation of a two-tiered CalPERS retirement system as a nod to the unsustainability of the present 3% at 55 pension plan for police officers. The MOU gives no specifics on the proposed two-tiered pension, and it only says that the details are subject to negotiation with the CPMA for the MOU for the 2011-2012 fiscal year.
  
  The MOU also continues the City's payment of the each employee's 9% contribution to CalPERS. It also continues the City's annual adjustment of it's portion of each employee's health insurance premiums.
  
  It certainly looks as if the council has done nothing more than push dealing with the employee pension problem out another year, and they've left it open to the CPMA to dictate what new employees would receive for their pensions.
  
  The refusal on the part of the council to make the tough decisions needed to fix the coming pension storm shouldn't be surprising. Three of the council members, Peter Yao, Sam Pedroza, and Linda Elderkin, are up for re-election next March. Pedroza and Elderkin are of the belief that they need to placate city employees, no matter what long-term damage their lack of action causes the City's finances. Neither, after all, are the brightest when it comes to financial issues (see Padua Park, which Pedroza and Elderkin pushed).
  
  You'd think that council member Larry Schroeder, being a retired municipal finance officer, would be able to tell the extent of the pension problems are out there on the city's financial horizon. On the other hand, he does receive a CalPERS pension himself as a former city of Lakewood employee, so perhaps he's willing to let the City take a hit out of some misplaced sense of solidarity..
  
  Pension reform has long been one of Council Member Yao's pet issues, so it will be interesting what, if anything, he has to say on the issue tonight.
  
  
  
• Staff is also asking the council to approve having liens totaling $83,624 placed against 16 abandoned, bank-owned properties. The properties all have delinquent fines that were levied by the City because of the owners' failure to properly maintain the properties.
  
  Among the deadbeat institutions are Bank of America, Wells Fargo, and US Bank (which took over PFF Bancorp).
  
  
  
• Items 12 and 13 on the administrative items portion of the agenda have to do with requests by staff for the council to approve Community Development Block Grants to two Claremont Packing House businesses - the Packing House Wine Merchants and Hip Kitty Jazz & Fondue Lounge. The grants are $50,000 each.
  
  The Hip Kitty grant would be used to pay for expansion into the space formerly occupied by the EMW Limited Gallery. Staff justifies the grant by saying it would create two full-time employee jobs.
  
  Jerry Tessier, whose company Arteco Partners restored the Packing House, has told staff that getting the grant would allow Tessier's Linus Partners LLC to obtain $45,000 more in financing to complete the Hip Kitty expansion.
  
  The Wine Merchants grant would be used to expand the business into the space that had formerly housed the Claremont Forum's book store. As with the Hip Kitty money, Jerry Tessier and Linus Partners LLC would use the $50,000 to qualify for $50,000 in additional financing and would use the total to complete the Wine Merchant's expansion.
  
  The funding for Claremont's CDBG program comes from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. These two grants follow a $150,000 CDBG last December to the new Casa Moreno Grill in the Village Expansion. Since the CDBG money comes from the federal government for job creation, it doesn't cost the City anything. Still, you have to wonder what factors City Hall uses to determine who gets the grants and who does not.
  
  Also, is there any favoritism involved? Because Tessier's fortunes and the City's are so completely intertwined in the Packing House and the Padua Hills Theatre, would they favor him over another equally deserving business?
  
  In the past, the City seemed to favor the Candlelight Pavilion when the council loaned them $175,000 in 2000 and again in 2006 when they had to renegotiate the loan terms after the Pavilion's owners had trouble making their promised payment.
  
  
• Administrative item 14 on tonight's agenda is proposal from staff to allow City Manager Jeff Parker enter into a lease agreement with Three French Hens and its owner Brenda Monahan. The lease is for the space in the Village Expansion parking structure that had been occupied by Bedol What's Next. The City would charge Monahan $1.50 per square-foot, or $1,800 a month for the 1,200 sq.-ft. space.
  
  Staff is also giving Monahan a $300 break on rent in exchange for her functioning as a "City Concierge," a duty that the staff report explains:
  

  Prior to opening staff will work with the tenant on creating the concierge space, which will provide an opportunity for guests to receive and view information on the City's businesses and the services and products they offer. They will also have a calendar with all of the things to do in Claremont on a monthly basis. They will provide in store space for other businesses to advertise its products especially in the food drink and entertainment arenas.
  

  
  Here we have to wonder why we're paying the Claremont Chamber of Commerce $40,000 a year to do much of what the City is asking Monahan to do at $3,600 a year? Do we really need that Chamber visitor's center on Yale Ave? Perhaps the City ought to be thinking about pulling the plug on that Chamber contract.
  
  Three French Hens should certainly benefit from the extra foot traffic generated from being a City Concierge, but, as with the Packing House grants, we wonder how the City decides when they get into the business of choosing economic winners and losers.
  
  
  
• The council will also consider recommendations from their Ad Hoc Commission Selection Committee, composed of council members Larry Schroeder and Corey Calaycay. These are the appointments suggested by the committee:
  

  Architectural Commission
  Mark Schoeman - reappoint to a four-year term
  James Sink - reappoint to a four-year term
  Henry Perera - appoint to a four-year term
  
  Community Services
  Pauline Bourne - appoint to a four-year term
  Antonia Castro - appoint to a three-year term
  
  Human Services Commission
  Robin Gottuso - reappoint to a four-year term
  Robert Miletich reappoint to a four-year term
  
  Planning Commission
  Jeff Hammill - reappoint to a four-year term
  Tom Lamb - reappoint to a four-year term
  
  Police Commission
  Barbara Musselman - reappoint to a four-year term
  Sayeed Shaikh - reappoint to a four-year term
  Laura Fragoso - appoint to a two-year term
  
  Traffic Transportation Commission
  Rob Poy - reappoint to a one-year term

  
  
  
  

Claremont Art News

Fans of the Claremont Museum of Art, which closed last December, may want to know the museum lives on. When they closed, the CMA put its collection into storage with the idea of putting on exhibits in different places around the area.

The museum's website says they reorganized in April:

April 2010: The Board of Directors is working to reorganize the Claremont Museum of Art. We have lost our museum space, but there is still much we can do to promote the arts in Claremont. Our permanent collection has been securely stored and we have a dedicated group of volunteers building our “Museum without Walls”.

The website also has an announcement of a fundraiser this Friday evening at the Padua Hills Theatre. Ticket are $35, and it includes a raffle that includes artworks from Karl Benjamin, Millard Sheets, and other Claremont artists.

(click on the image to enlarge)

* * * * *

Art of the written sort has also been on exhibit in the Claremont Village. One of our readers wrote in to say that though it's not yet open, the new Cheese Cave on Yale Ave. has been tantalizing poetry lovers with a community poetry wall.

The reader sent this message:

....the cheese cave poetry window is getting more and more ridiculous. And by ridiculous, I mean awesome. you should really stop by and have a gander. :-)

Poetry loving fromagephiles should take a look. Since the owners posted their original greeting, they've posted a number of responses, from rhymed poetry,



to Hello Kitty haiku,



to prose (or should we say prosaic?) poems.

So, whether you like your verse verbose or sublime, check out the front window at the Cheese Cave.

We await the opening of our new cheesemonger,
but, please, let the verse linger a while longer.

City Calendar

COUNCIL MEETING TONIGHT

It's the second Tuesday of the May, which means another meeting of the Claremont City Council. Or, if you're the half-full-glass type, only five more meetings until the City's annual August recess for the council and city commissions.

The council convenes at 5:15pm for a special closed session to discuss negotiations involving the Peppertree Square property at 390 W. Arrow Hwy. and with Jerry Tessier and Arteco Partners on price and terms of the lease agreement for the Padua Hills Theatre. That second bit is an odd one - isn't that all settled?

Here's the closed session agenda.

The council's regular session begins at 6:30pm. You can watch it here.

It looks to be a fairly quiet meeting, though agenda item 9 piqued our curiosity. That item concerns a proposal by Claremont Heritage and the Kiwanis Club of Claremont to move from the Garner House in Memorial Park to the adjacent carriage house.

The carriage house used to house a child care program, the Kids Club program, but that ended in 2008, so Claremont Heritage wants to incorporate the carriage house's north half into its lease agreement with the City. The Kiwanis Club wants to renovate the south half and create a formal meeting and exhibit space.

Since 2002, Claremont Heritage has managed the Garner House for the City in exchange for rent-free office space and an agreement to renovate and restore the living room, dining room and kitchen.

City staff is recommending that the council review the proposal, provide some input, and return it to staff for study. Here's the staff report.

One other item of interest is the renewal of the City's agreement with the Claremont Chamber of Commerce. The city staff report recommends renewing the $40,000-per-fiscal year agreement with the chamber of commerce to run the local visitors center. The agreement also calls for the chamber to promote the city and its businesses.


NEIGHBORHOOD MEETING TOMORROW NIGHT

The city of Claremont holds another of its semi-regular neighborhood meetings 7pm tomorrow night at the Joslyn Senior Center. The Joslyn Center is located at 660 N. Mountain Ave. in Larkin Park at the northeast corner of Harrison Ave. and Mountain.

Two councilmembers will be on hand to accept your rotten tomatoes. Hurl them with kindness.

Here's the info:

Neighborhood Forum Set For May 12

The public is invited to a Neighborhood Forum on Wednesday, May 12 from 7 - 9pm at the Joslyn Senior Center. Neighborhood Forums are an opportunity for the community to speak with members of the City Council in an informal setting. The forums are targeted to specific neighborhoods but any residents may attend. For more information, please contact Public Information Officer Bevin Handel at (909) 399-5497.

FRIDAY NIGHTS LIVE RETURNS

Weekly live music returned to the Claremont Village last Friday. The Friday Nights Live! program started May 7 and runs through June 25. Here's the City blurb:

Friday Nights Live is Back in the Village! (May 6, 2010)

The City of Claremont, in conjunction with the Claremont Chamber of Commerce, Village Marketing Group, and the Tolkin Group's Village Square, is pleased to announce that Friday Nights Live is coming back to the Claremont Village! Starting May 7 and running every Friday from 6-9 p.m. through June 25, 2010, two bands will be providing musical entertainment to patrons of Village shops and restaurants. The bands will be located at Second and Yale Avenue, as well as at the Public Plaza. Don't miss this opportunity to enjoy some great entertainment while shopping Claremont's restaurants and stores. Also, every dollar spent shopping in Claremont helps pay for the City's programs and services that makes Claremont the wonderful community it is. For more information on Friday Nights Live, contact the Chamber at (909)624-1681.

7-Eleven: Community Meeting Tonight

The issue of the proposed 7-Eleven in the empty building at the northeast corner of Mills Ave. and Foothill Blvd. is apparently still alive, even though Claremont's Planning Commission voted 6-1 to have city staff draft a denial of the 7-Eleven's conditional use permit application at their February 16 meeting.

We didn't see an announcement for the meeting on the City's website, but we did catch a letter in Saturday's Claremont Courier from resident Jennifer Jaffe--as well as a short article on p. 5-- saying that Claremont Community Development Director Tony Witt has scheduled a community meeting 7pm tonight in the City Council chambers at 225 Second St. in downtown Claremont.

According to Jaffe's letter, "the meeting is intended to provide dialogue between the applicant and the community." Jaffe comes out against the 7-Eleven, and she hopes that others will attend and speak out. Jaffe also said the matter comes back to the Planning Commission at their Tuesday, March 2 meeting. That meeting is at 7pm Tuesday in the council chambers.

You might recall that the planning commissioners expressed their concerns about the issues residents raised about the proposed convenience store. The Daily Bulletin's Wes Woods II reported some of the issues raised at that last Planning Commission meeting:

Lauri Harrison, a resident who lives on Clarion Place, said, "We don't need another place with access to alcohol."

Other residents discussed the possible crime and police issues such a business would cause.

"It seems to me we need to consider the fact the $12,000 to $21,000 in sales tax will be offset by law enforcement costs," Tess Henry told the commission.

The funny thing about the Planning Commission vote is that a different set of residents expressed exactly the same concerns about the City granting the Padua Hills Theatre operators, Chantrelles Catering and Arteco Partners, a conditional use permit to serve alcohol. In fact, the concern about proximity to residences was even greater there, since the Padua Theatre is completely surrounded by single-family homes, some within 100 feet of the theatre. The 7-Eleven site is at least situated on Foothill Blvd., a main, four-lane road, as opposed to the Padua Theatre, whose access is Padua Ave. and Via Padova, both small, curving, two-lane, residential streets.

It seems to us that the City is being awfully inconsistent here. Either they should grant the 7-Eleven their CUP, or they should revoke the one for the Padua Theatre. We don't particularly care one way or the other, but we do believe the City has a duty to act fairly and consistently towards all applicants and residents. The City's inconsistent stances on the 7-Eleven and the Padua Theatre demonstrate precisely how arbitrary Claremont's official processes operate.

Once again, the Official Claremont finds itself hoisted on its own petard.

Happy Anniversary, Mr. Allen

Daily Bulletin columnist David Allen recently celebrated his 10th year in Claremont. Allen wrote that for a journalist, 10 years in one place is a long time indeed, and he touched on some of the things about the Claremont Village that he likes.

From my house, a half-mile walk takes me downtown. And Claremont's downtown is the gold standard. It's a functioning neighborhood with a lively street scene.

L.A.'s planning director once said her three criteria for a neighborhood are being able to walk to a coffeehouse, a bookstore and a movie theater. I can do that.

(Although Claremont could really use a better bookstore.)

The colleges are even closer. I count myself lucky to have attended free talks on campus by so many cultural figures: cartoonists Art Spiegelman and Marjane Satrapi, poet Lawrence Ferlinghetti, humorist David Sedaris, journalist Elizabeth Kolbert and essayist Gore Vidal, among others.

South Claremont doesn't get of a mention in the piece, and Allen says that compared to the Village, the north part of town is pretty much like any other bedroom community, but then those two parts of town don't usually get much attention, unless it's has to do with the Claremont Auto Center or a big project like the Padua Theatre or the Padua Ave. Park. The only time something gets left alone is when it's on a slope, like the Claremont Wilderness Park.

I'd have to agree with Allen that the Village's attraction is its walkability and the intellectual and cultural energy of the Claremont Colleges. There is another kind of community, though, and that one happens at the neighborhood level, and that's happening all over town, not just in the Village.

The Claremont General Plan even makes point of the uniqueness of our neighborhoods as being a hallmark of our city. Outside of the Claremont Village, the uniqueness part sometimes gets forgotten, especially when someone wants to build a big project or expand the Claremont Auto Center. It makes me think of a philosophy professor I used to know who taught a comparative world religions class. He used to say, "I don't want you tell you what a Hindu is or a Muslim is or a Christian is, but I want you to learn to see the cow the Hindu sees, the cow the Muslim sees, the cow the Bhuddist sees."

In Claremont, that's been a big problem. Our friends who make the decisions don't take the time to see the neighborhood the neighbors see. People in the south part of town are looked down on for being from " Baja Claremont" and people in the north part of town are snooty rich folk. But they're really people who are interested in their own immediate community as much as anyone in the Village is.

Padua Theatre Open House

Chantrelles Catering Image

Don't forget the free tours at the Padua Hills Theatre this Sunday, July 12. Wes Woods' information says the tours run every 30 minutes from 5pm to 8pm. For info, call (909) 621-0848.

Padua Theatre Misplaces Guest

The weekend crime wave seems to have moved north from Foothill Blvd.

We've heard from several readers that late Saturday night the fire department received a 911 dispatch to the newly reopened Padua Hills Theatre where a wedding reception was being held.

The 911 call came from a woman whose drunken son, apparently an adult, had wandered off from the theatre and disappeared. The fire department personnel must have had some trouble locating the missing man because a Pomona police helicopter had to be called in to flash its searchlight over the area. The police call went on for about 2-1/2 hours, from a little before midnight to 2:30am, with the helicopter flashing its light all over the area. From what we've heard, police made an arrest for public intoxication, but we don't know if that was the missing guy or one of the other reception guests.

You can probably expect more such incidents (and the attendant costs for police and fire) with the theatre usage ramping up greatly from past years now that the theatre's refurbished. You might even expect a fire or two from people chucking their smokes into the Wilderness Park brush from that new terrace as they admire the view.

This incident is certainly a change from what we might have guessed would happen. People had wondered about drunk drivers leaving the theatre at night and causing accidents or striking pedestrians in the residential areas surrounding the theatre. No one bothered to think about the need to protect the drunks from themselves!

Pomona Public Library Image

At least they can sleep it off quietly in the chamise and California buckwheat with no one to bother them other than the coyotes and the occasional mountain lion. And, too, it's good to have the City, Arteco Partners (the company operating the theatre), and Chantrelles (Arteco's catering company) on notice about all these potential liabilities their property presents - car and pedestrian accidents, increased fire danger, missing partygoers - though that last one might more properly fall under the heading "Natural Selection."

We're assuming, of course, that no harm really befell the missing gentleman. One would assume we'd have heard about it if he were still unaccounted for, unless the Claremont PD wanted things hushed up. This was, after all, just one day before Claremont Heritage's big soirée at the same location and only one week after the theatre's reopening.

Count on hearing (or not hearing) about more of the same in future years. That's just the inevitable and unfortunate downside to the Padua Theatre's location, situated as it is on a dark hillside surrounded by single-family homes.

Padua Theatre Open for Business

Chantrelles Catering Image

The Padua Theatre reopened last weekend after being closed all winter and spring for earthquake retrofitting and other renovations. The remodeling work is being done by Arteco Partners, the same company that completed similar adaptive reuse projects with the Pomona Fox and Claremont Packing house.

The Daily Bulletin's David Allen took a tour of the theatre last week and spoke with Jerry Tessier, one of Arteco's principals. Allen described the renovations in his column:

Tessier's Arteco Partners spent $4 million and five months doing seismic strengthening, adding fire sprinklers and alarms, replacing every inch of plumbing and wiring and bringing the buildings up to code, including handicap accessibility.

Vintage elements such as wall sconces and tables have been repaired and the original theater screen featuring a map of Mexico is in place - although Tessier couldn't find the right rope to pull to show it to me.

The theater interior is quaintly rustic, with poured-in-place concrete walls and an exposed-beam ceiling of hand-chiseled wood.

The interior can be configured for banquets or performances, and photo opportunities for weddings - fountains, benches, a gazebo - dot the complex.

Another addition is a broad terrace overlooking the Claremont Wilderness Park. It offers a breathtaking view of rolling hills and canyons.

Allen also wrote about the theatre's history with characteristic irreverence:

Padua used to be an artists' colony and the theater grew out of that tradition. For most of the theater's active life, a troupe called the Mexican Players, sponsored by Herman and Bess Garner, put on productions to introduce Southern Californians to Mexican dress, songs and culture.

Sounds a bit corny to our modern sensibilities, but in its heyday Padua was popular and surprisingly well known.

The Garners owned a good deal of the land around the theatre and sold off lots to people like Millard Sheets, Milford Zornes, Albert Stewart, Harrison Macintosh, and Betty Ford, area artists who all built homes and studios on the long hill where the theatre sits.

David Allen also informs us that Claremont Heritage has sold 250 tickets to a fundraiser tonight at the theatre, a fitting location for the local historical society whose offices are located in the Garner House in Claremont's Memorial Park.

Claremont Heritage and amateur historian Judy Wright have been the primary force behind the deal with Arteco, just as they were the main forces pushing the ill-conceived Claremont Trolley. Judy has written extensively about the theatre and the Garners, whom she has elevated to the highest pedestal within the Claremont founders pantheon.

Wright and company have made much of the painstaking care and attention to detail employed in the theatre's restoration, though as is Judy's wont, she's employed a good deal of revisionism. For instance, Herman Garner would almost certainly have disapproved of things like the 4,000 square foot terrace addition or the serving of alcohol. Garner was a strong supporter of the temperance movement - recall that Claremont itself was a dry town until the late 60's.

Claremont Heritage's nostalgia for the theatre's Mexican Players also ignores the fact that when Garner founded his artist community it had explicit written prohibitions against non-whites owning property. That's right, it was segregated (a little secret Judy would rather not discuss).

Sure, the Garners' temperance and the racial attitudes were products of their era (major league baseball was still segregated at that time), but one cannot pretend to be a historian without documenting all of the history, even the parts that make one uncomfortable.

That said, if you didn't shell out $89 for a ticket to tonight's Claremont Heritage Gala, David Allen says you have several upcoming opportunities to check out the refurbished theatre. The Claremont Chamber of Commerce will have their mixer July 8 and there will be an open house July 12 from 5pm to 8pm.

Padua Hills Theatre Update (or Creative Destruction)

Claremont City Manager Jeff Parker's weekly report includes a brief note about a meeting last week on the Padua Hills Theatre. According to Parker, the state's Department of Alcohol Beverage Control held the meeting for neighbors last Thursday, and about 70 people attended. Residents raised several concerns, Parker's report says:

ALCOHOL BEVERAGE CONTROL (ABC)

Approximately 70 people attended the Alcohol Beverage Control neighborhood meeting on April 30. It was a very lively meeting, with strong opinions and concerns expressed. Those in attendance raised concerns about noise from the use of the venue and parking lots, need for greater on-site security, enforcement of City and ABC regulations regarding the use of the Padua Hills Theatre, and days and hours of business operation (inside and outside). Most residents wanted the hours to stop at 9 p.m. weekdays and 11 p.m. weekends, with more conditions on security. The residents may form a smaller working group to discuss their concerns with Arteco and ABC further. Staff is actively monitoring this process and will advise the council as developments come to our attention.

The theatre has applied for an ABC liquor license, and the neighborhood meeting was apparently part of the the licensing process. Arteco Partners, the company renovating the theatre, is shooting for a June opening. That could be a tight schedule, considering the construction is still going on and the liquor license hasn't been secured yet.

This all raises one point that Arteco Partners' recent projects at the Claremont Packing House and the Fox Pomona did not face: the Padua Theatre is smack-dab in the middle of a residential neighborhood rather than mixed-use or commercial areas, and two sides are bounded by homes within about 100 feet of the parking lot with a third side adjacent to the Claremont Hills Wilderness Park.

There is no similar commercial venue in Claremont, and one senses that the City's and Claremont Heritage's desperation to restore the theatre at any cost could lead them to sacrifice the peace, quiet, and safety of the neighborhood and the Wilderness Park in the process.

Nothing new here. Claremont's always been about loving things to death.

Downtown Pomona Happenings

David Allen had a column in Wednesday's Daily Bulletin about the ongoing restoration at the Fox Theater. Allen took a tour of the restoration work and reported back, saying that the original Art Deco look is being lovingly resurrected, down to the carpets and chandeliers, the original color schemes, architectural flourishes, old murals, and even the exit signs. We love it that the old revolving neon sign at top the Fox's tower will actually turn again.

Allen likened the work to an archeological dig and gave some insight into the people behind the project:

Credit for the Fox's rescue goes to the band of brothers: developers Ed and Jerry Tessier and concert promoters Paul and Perry Tollett. They bought the Fox in 2007 and are spending more than $10 million to ready the theater for the 21st century, while keeping many 20th century details.

Preservationists watching the Fox's revival say they couldn't be happier. They're happy not only because of the theater's impending return but because of the amount of restoration.

At first, the Tessiers, who are handling the renovation, had planned to put off most of the historic touches for a later time, when they would be paid for by community fundraising events.

The Tessiers mostly concerned themselves with restoring the Fox to operation after three decades of disuse and misuse.

Instead, rather than doing 20 percent of the restoration as planned, the Tessiers ended up doing more like 80 percent, digging deeper to recreate the murals and most of the chandeliers ahead of schedule.

The Pomona Fox Theater is scheduled to have its first event, a fundraiser called Fox First Night, on April 18th. It's not cheap. Tickets for the event are $135 or $1,080 for a table of eight. You can get more info here on the Friends of the Pomona Fox Theater site.

The Fox Theater itself has a separate site with photo albums of the restoration work, along with historical photos of the theater. You can find the photos here.

The Tessiers, incidentally, have pretty strong Claremont connections. Their company Arteco Partners restored the Claremont Packing House and is in the process of doing the same for the Padua Hills Theatre. Ed Tessier is a Pomona alum, Jerry graduated from CMC, and Jerry's wife Nancy owns the Hip Kitty Jazz Club in the Packing House, one of the few new downtown businesses that seems to be doing well.

* * *

The blog for Claremont Colleges radio station, KSPC 88.7fm (who knew they had a blog?), has a post announcing a free hip-hop concert tonight in downtown Pomona's dA Center for the Arts. LA act Bambu is appearing, along with two from Pitzer: Pepe and Jerms.

The dA Center is located at 282 S. Main St. in Pomona. Doors open at 7pm, and the bands start at 9.

The KSPC blog says there's free transportation to the event for 5C students, but you have to reserve a seat in advance:

If you are a 5C student in need of transportation, The Sagecoach bus will leave from the intersection of 6th St. & College Way (between the Rains Center and Smith Campus Center) at 8:30 PM. Be prepared to leave when the show finishes, around 12 AM. To guarantee yourself a spot on The Sagecoach, please e-mail erica.tyron@pomona.edu ASAP.

Pomona Fox Theater News

The Pomona Fox Theater's 14-month-long restoration is approaching completion, the Daily Bulletin's Monica Rodriguez informed us earlier this month. Ed Tessier of Arteco Partners, the developer involved in the restoration, was interviewed for the article and explained what we can expect:

"We've created a multi-faceted venue," Tessier said.

Everyone from "two people to 2,200 people can find a good home for their special event," he said.

A ballroom, banquet facilities, a roof-top restaurant, a lounge, a place for a romantic dinner and other amenities are part of what visitors will find at the Fox.

The auditorium alone will accommodate groups of various sizes, Tessier said. As a banquet hall the auditorium will seat about 350; as a cinema 1,700; and as a concert venue 2,100.

The Bulletin has a photo gallery showing the restoration work in progress. You can also find out more information and can also donate to the Friends of the Fox Theater here.

Arteco Partners is also the company that restored the Claremont Packing House, and they are currently involved with the City of Claremont in the restoration of the Padua Hills Theatre.

Council Meeting Moved to Tonight

Because Veterans Day is tomorrow, the Claremont City Council has moved its regularly scheduled meeting to tonight at 6:30pm in the council chambers at City Hall, located at 225 W. 2nd St. in the Claremont Village.

You can read the agenda here. If you're so inclined, you can also watch tonight's meeting on the City's website.

Among the items on the council's slate for tonight:

• Approval of Claremont Police Chief Paul Cooper's recommendations for the allocation of $100,000 from the state's Citizen Options for Public Safety (COPS) grant.
  
  Chief Cooper wants to use the money to: purchase some new equipment; upgrade some existing equipment; and fund training, additional community outreach, more bike patrols, and more patrols in the Wilderness Park.
  
  Oh, and then there's that $1,200 for a McGruff the Crime Dog costume. Seriously.
  
  Guess we know what Chief Cooper is going as to next year's staff Halloween Party.
  
  
• Acceptance of the resignation of Human Services Commissioner Anne K. Turner. Turner submitted this resignation letter to the City:
  

  October 28 2008
  
  Dear Members of the Claremont City Council and Members of the Human Services Commission:
  
  It is with great regret that I inform you that I can no longer serve on the Human Services Commission. My schedule can't accommodate the commitment necessary to do a proper job.
  
  I have been extremely honored to work with such a wonderful staff and dedicated volunteers. I count myself fortunate to have had the opportunity to be a part of "the process" and I thank you for that. [Are the scare quotes supposed to indicate sarcasm? - ed.]
  
  I apologize for this mid-year decision, but it could not be avoided I wish you all the very best and again thank you.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  Anne K Turner
  
  Anne K Turner MPA.
  VMA Communications

  
  As you can see, Turner is employed by VMA Communications, the public relations firm owned by Preserve Claremonter Valerie Martinez. Martinez is also on the Human Services Commission and reportedly had a hand in the behind-the-scenes machinations that led to the recent resignation of Commission Chair Gwen Carr. You can always count on Martinez to stir the pot.
  
  No word yet on which VMA employee will fill the seat vacated by Turner.
  
  
• An amendment to the city's agreement with Grand Central Recycling and Transfer Station, Inc., to process solid waste and recycling materials. The current agreement expires on November 14th, and city staff would like to extend the agreement one year.
  
  
• An appeal by a group of residents of the Architectural Commission's mitigated negative declaration and site plan approval for the Claremont Commons project at Monte Vista Ave. and Foothill Blvd.
  
  
• Adoption of staff recommendations for new procedures for dealing with foreclosed properties. Staff wants trustees taking possession of foreclosed properties to register vacant homes with the city. They also want enforcement of landscaping requirements reduced to 30 days from the current 180 days.
  
  If the recommendations are adopted, staff also wants the city to approve a fee to register vacant homes (also looking for new revenue, this bunch).
  
  
• Approval of a mitigated negative declaration for the Padua Hills Theatre, as well as a lease agreement between the city of Claremont and the developer, Arteco Partners.
  
  
• Approval of a process for appointing members of Claremont's Sustainability Committee. (In English: We get to pick people who rubber stamp the projects we like.)
  
  
  
  
  

Theatre Developer Chosen

The city of Claremont has decided on a developer to do the renovation and earthquake retrofitting for the Padua Hills Theatre, the Daily Bulletin reports.

Bulletin writer Will Bigham's article said:

Arteco Partners was selected unanimously last week by the Padua Hills Theatre Advisory Committee following interviews with Arteco and another company that submitted a bid.

Jerry Tessier, president and owner of Arteco, said he hopes to begin construction at the theater in December and finish the work within six months.

"We're excited, obviously," said Tessier, a Claremont resident. "Padua is an amazing historical complex. I think it's one of those hidden gems in Claremont."

The project will cost $5 million, and will include complete renovation of the theatre, which currently sits unused. Bigham's article also stated that some of the auxillary buildings will be turned into a bed-and-breakfast operation.

Chantrelle's, the catering company that presently services the theatre for weddings and other functions will continue as the caterer.

Looking for a Buyer?

Yesterday's Daily Bulletin had an article by Will Bigham that said Claremont had received five bids from groups that would like to occupy the Padua Theatre in the Padua Hills area of northeast Claremont.

The theater, which was built in 1928 by Herman Garner, was home to regular shows by a theatrical group called the Mexican Players. Shows at the theatre ended in 1974.

Now used for weddings and other events, the theater is owned by the city of Claremont. The site was placed on the National Registry of Historical Places in 1998. The building damaged in the 2003 Padua Fire and is need of some earthquake retrofitting.

According to the Bigham article, one of the bidders is Arteco Partners, the company that bought the College Heights Packing House from Claremont and redeveloped that building. Arteco is also involved in preservation and adaptive reuse development of old buildings in downtown Pomona, including the Fox Theatre.

Bigham reported that the Arteco proposal for the Padua Theatre includes purchasing the property - something Claremont Mayor Peter was open to:

One potential hitch to Arteco's bid may be its proposal to purchase the facility from the city, which in its request for proposals said it was seeking a tenant to lease the theater space, not to purchase it.

But Mayor Peter Yao and others involved in the process say a sale of the building may be a possibility - it just hasn't been thoroughly considered by the city.

"I think that's a possibility I would entertain," Yao said. "I think we had a very successful project with the Packing House, and I see the Padua (Hills) Theatre as having the same kind of issues and also the same kind of opportunity."

Jerry Tessier, president and owner of Arteco Partners, said an ownership model would allow his company to invest more money into the project.

Other bidders include a ceramics museum, a catering business, and a theatre company.

The city's Human Services Commission will consider proposals and make its recommendations to the City Council, which will then make the final decision early next year, the article noted.

Padua Theatre, circa 1934
Photo Courtesy of Pomona Public Library
and Online Archives of California