City News

WORKS IN PROGRESS

Claremont City Manager Jeff Parker's weekly report for March 4 had this news about the ongoing sidewalk construction and upcoming water service interruptions:

VILLAGE CONSTRUCTION AND WATER COMPANY SERVICE INTERRUPTIONS

The Village Accessibility project continues to progress. The sidewalk on the north side of First Street, from the Post Office alley to Yale Avenue, was installed this past week. Beginning Monday March 8, the work will move to First Street, between Yale Avenue and Indian Hill Boulevard. Westbound First Street, from Yale Avenue to Indian Hill Boulevard, will be closed for approximately two (2) days while the work is being performed.

Golden State Water will have the following service interruptions to update water mains, services, and fire hydrants:

• Yale Avenue and portions of Second Street and Bonita, from First Street to Fourth Street, starting at 11:00 p.m. on Sunday, March 7, to 7:00 a.m. Monday, March 8.
  
  
• Bonita Avenue, from Indian Hill to Harvard, starting Tuesday, March 9, at 11:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. Wednesday, March 10.
  
  
• Arrow Highway, from Elder Drive to easterly City limit, Oakdale Drive and adjoining areas, beginning Tuesday, March 9, from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (This Golden State Water project is in preparation for the Arrow Highway Resurfacing Project.)

All businesses and property owners are being contacted by the Water Company. The majority of the utility work in the Village, conducted by the Water and Gas companies, is taking place after the businesses are closed.

HEALTH NEWS

Parker's newsletter also had information about the annual Health and Wellness Expo on March 20:

Health and Wellness Expo

The City of Claremont Human Services Department and Pomona Valley Hospital are excited to announce a Health & Wellness Expo to be held on Saturday, March 20, from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. at the Alexander Hughes Community Center in Claremont. The Expo will include a wide variety of local businesses and non-profit organizations featuring health and wellness programs and services available to the community. Included in the day’s activities will be:

• Hughes Center Open House & Class Demonstrations – A variety of contract class demonstrations, including cooking, dance, art classes, judo and more.
  
  
• Free Health Screenings - Audiology, 3-D Video Otoscope Inspection of the Ear Canal, Blood Pressure, Body Mass Index, Body Fat Analysis, Chair Massage.
  
  
• Vendor Fair - Various non-profits and businesses displaying their health and wellness programs.
  
  
• Entertainment by the Happy Crowd – Claremont’s very popular children’s entertainers, the Happy Crowd, will perform at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.
  
  
• $1 BBQ Lunch hosted by the Kiwanis Club – The Kiwanis Club of Claremont will be hosting a BBQ Lunch from 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. Presale lunch tickets can be purchased at the Alexander Hughes Center and the Joslyn Center.

For more information, please call either the Alexander Hughes Center at (909) 399-5490 or the Joslyn Center at (909) 399-5488.

IN JUST SPRING...

The little lame ballonman will be whistling on April 4 when the City and the local Rotary Club will host their annual spring celebration:

Spring Celebration

The City of Claremont and the Rotary Club of Claremont will be hosting the annual Spring Celebration on Saturday, April 3 from 9 - 11 a.m. This FREE community event includes a petting zoo, magician, crafts, and more. The candy egg hunt for children 10 and under will begin at 10:30 a.m. This year, the Kiwanis Club will host a pancake breakfast from 7 - 10 a.m. for $4 per person. For more information, contact the Alexander Hughes Community Center at (909) 399-5490.

CITY SEEKS 4TH OF JULY IDEAS

If you know of some person or group you think should be honored in this year's 4th of July parade, the city wants your input. Also, the City invites our K-6 readers to submit their ideas for this year's 4th of July theme. Mr. Parker tells us that you don't have much time to put in your two cents worth:

CLAREMONT 4TH OF JULY HONOREES & THEME CONTESTS

Honorees: The 2010 Independence Day Committee is now accepting nominations for Grand Marshal, Honored Citizen, and Honored Community Group, to be recognized at the 4th of July Celebration. All honorees will be presented with certificates at the pre-parade reception and appear in the official parade in their own decorated vehicle.

Theme Contest: All Claremont students in grades K-6 are invited to enter their ideas for the theme of this year’s 4th of July Celebration. Each theme submitted must be four words or less and have no more than 36 characters. Winners will be recognized at a pre-parade reception, ride in the parade, receive a special prize and firework tickets, as well as see their theme used throughout the event.

Nominations for Honorees and Theme Contest entries are due Thursday, March 18 to the Alexander Hughes Community Center. Entry forms can be found on the 4th of July website at www.claremont4th.org.

City Egg Hunt Saturday

The City of Claremont's annual spring egg hunt takes place from 9am to 11am this Saturday, April 11, at Memorial Park. There's lots of activities scheduled for the young'uns, so come on out, says the City website:

Join Us at the Annual Spring Egg Hunt

Co-sponsored by the City's Human Services Department and The Rotary Club of Claremont, families are invited to the annual Spring Egg Hunt in Memorial Park on Saturday, April 11 from 9-11 a.m. There will be free games, crafts, clowns, a magician, and petting zoo for the family to enjoy together.

The children's candy egg hunt will be divided up into the following age groups and times: 0-3 years/7-9 years at 10 a.m. and 4-6 years/10-12 years at 10:10 a.m. Parents may accompany children 6 years and younger into the egg hunt area. All children will enjoy finding candy eggs and some may discover the Golden Egg, which can be redeemed for a special prize!

There will be plenty to do before and after the hunt, including visiting the petting zoo, enjoying free face painting, a magician, and a variety of children's games on the open field. Children can also have their photos taken with the Spring Bunny for a $5 donation that benefits the Claremont ABC Preschool program.

For more information about the Spring Egg Hunt, log onto the City website at www.ci.claremont.ca.us or call the Human Services Department at (909) 399-5490.

Early Spring

The year has cast its cloak away
That was of driving rains and snows,
And now in flowered arras goes,
And wears the clear sun's glossy ray.

No bird or beast but seems to say
In cries or chipper tremolos:
The year has cast its cloak away
That was of driving rains and snows.

From Rondeau
- Charles d'Orleans
Translated by Richard Wilbur

It's hard to believe just a few short weeks ago we had freezing temperatures, pouring rains, and snow down to the top of Potato Mountain. All that's a dim memory now. The sun may still has three more weeks before it reaches the halfway point in its northward crawl, but it sure felt a lot like spring these last few days.

This past weekend we had glorious weather, and it was great to get out and enjoy the warm sunshine before we cool off again in the coming days. The weather reports say we may get a little spritz of rain, though not nearly enough to break the drought we're in, which is why Governor Schwarzenegger last week declared a drought emergency for California. Water rationing for farms and cities appears to be on the way, and a long, dry fire season awaits. But for now, the hills are still green, and the frogs are croaking away in great choruses if you're up for an evening hike.

Might as well celebrate the good weather while it's here.