Municipal Ordnance

As Daily Bulletin columnist David Allen pointed out last month, there was more than the usual amount of Claremont irony in the town's Architectural Commission Excellence in Design awards.

That empty commercial building at 601 E. Foothill Blvd., the one that was the proposed site for a 7-Eleven convenience store, was one of the seven award recipients. The award no doubt represents a consolation prize to the building owners, who haven't had one tenant since the building was completed (last year? 2008?). Sorta says, "No hard feelings. See, we're not so bad."

Claremont can be an awfully difficult place to do business, mostly because of the interference of our dear Claremonsters, most of whom have never successfully made or sold anything. They are for the most part dilettantes like our town historian, former mayor Judy Wright, or they're in the service sector like former mayor, former school board member, and former Chamber of Commerce chair Paul Held, who has a Claremont-centric family law practice. And that all goes a long way towards explaining Official Claremont's poor understanding of the concerns of people running reality-centric businesses.

All this got us to thinking that the Architectural Commission might want to think seriously about giving their award a snappier title. Here is our humble offering (given to the the commission free of charge - our civic duty, you know): The Claremont Neutron Bomb Award, after the Cold War tactical WMD of choice.

The neutron bomb's main selling point, you'll recall, was that it eliminated people but left most structures standing, similar to what the Claremont 400's tried to do to citizens and businesses alike over the years. So, the neutron bomb was immensely attractive to the realty crowd (another important Claremont interest group). After all, human assets can be replaced much more easily than infrastructure. Think redevelopment, except with people.

Given the current economic climate, there very well could be many more empty buildings around in the future, and that would drive down the town's image. But winning an award goes a long way toward softening bad publicity, a fact with which Claremont is well-acquainted.

We remember that in 2001, when City Hall was still suffering in the press (there were still such things back then) over the shooting death of African American teen Irvin Landrum after a traffic stop by Claremont PD, Claremont's then-Human Services Director Dick Guthrie applied for and received a Helen Putnam Award for Excellence from the League of California Cities for its response to crisis. Needless to say, the award came several years before the issue was resolved. The City's main response up to that point had been a mostly notional heads-in-the-sand one: "You can't see me if I can't see you."

Some things change, others are ever constant. Claremont's mayor at the time the award was announced? The aforementioned Paul Held, Esq., who, along with wife Kay, just last week was honored as the Grand Marshal of our annual 4th of July parade. Held, who as mayor seemed at war with certain Claremonters, could tell you that when things look bleakest, trot out an award.

Knock 'em dead, Claremont.

Council Meets Tonight

One side effect of Claremont's budget problems is that they've used a good chunk of the Great Recession spending their way into a hole that, absent any additional federal stimulus money, will take a few years to recover from. That means no more big budget busting municipal projects (i.e., a new police station or a water company takeover). Fiscal responsibility, like it or not, has been imposed on Claremont.

Another effect (benefit?) of Claremont's financial woes is that City Council meetings are likely to be shorter because fewer big projects mean less time taken up by staff reports and comments, public comment, legal advice from City Attorney Sonia Carvalho, and the councilmembers' questions and opinions.

We'll see if tonight's City Council regular meeting runs under two hours. The council convenes at 5:15pm for a special closed session meeting that covers ongoing negotiations with the Claremont Police Management Association and the Claremont Police Officers Association.

The regular session begins at 6:30pm in the council chambers at 225 2nd St. in downtown Claremont. You can read the agenda here. If you're a glutton for punishment, or if the Lakers are getting walloped, you can subject yourself to a live feed of the meeting here.

On the council's plate tonight are:

• A hike in recreational user fees (to be expected given the tight budget). You'll pay a couple bucks more this year for a ticket to the City's 4th of July fireworks show, and things like swim programs will cost more. See the staff report for the new fee schedule.
  
  
• The annual engineer's report for the Landscaping and Lighting District (LLD). The report recommends an increase of 1.86%, mirroring the year-over-year rise in the consumer price index for Southern California as of March, 2010.
  
  For most single-family residences, this translates to an increase of $2.72, from $147.12 to $149.84. Properties with larger lots pay more. The increase is based on the consumer price index for Southern California.
  
  Those of you who've been around for a while know the history of the LLD. It's what really one of the first things got people thinking about how City Hall manages our finances.
  
  
• An update on the restoration Sycamore Canyon Park, which was damaged in the 2003 Grand Prix Fire. The park has been closed since that time. The City has secured $180,000 in grant funding, and will proceed with restoring the trail and picnic areas. The City will also remove non-native eucalyptus trees and plant sycamores and oaks. Work is expected to commence this coming fall and finish sometime next winter.
  
  
• A report on the traffic signal at Indian Hill Blvd. and 10th St. You'll recall there were several pedestrian accidents there before the City, bowing to pressure from the neighborhood, installed the signal last month.
  
  
• An update on the City's abandoned property ordinance. The staff report by Community Development Director Tony Witt for this item says there are currently 150 Claremont properties in some stage of foreclosure. The City has levied over $120,000 in fines under the ordinance, and around $22,000 has gone uncollected.

City Council Meeting

6:30 PM
225 W. 2nd St. - City Council Chamber
Claremont

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.

A Second Moment of Silence, Please

The local MSM (mainstream media for the acronymically impaired) had plenty of coverage of last Saturday's Claremont 4th of July celebration.

The Daily Bulletin's David Allen blogged about the annual parade, which gave him much amusement.

And the Claremont Courier's Tony Krickl wrote of running in the 5K. Krickl also covered the Opening Ceremonies and the Speakers Corner. Oddly, one important person was notably absent - Claremont Mayor Corey Calaycay (photo, above left), whom Krickl says overslept, causing him to miss his speech following the Flag Raising at 10am. Calaycay also missed his 11am opening Speakers Corner speech.

Since when does a politician pass on a free public-speaking gig? Turns out Calaycay wasn't observing the obligatory moments of silence for recently departed Speakers Corner founder T. Willard Hunter. Krickl ran this one to ground:

By 11:30 a.m., city staff was getting seriously worried about his safety. Police, fire fighters and assistant city manager Tony Ramos were sent to Calaycay's house to make sure he was okay.

They found him, alive and well, if not a bit sleepy-eyed. The mayor had simply overslept. He eventually made his way down to Memorial Park to join in the fun and apologized for his earlier absence.

"It's never a nice thing to have to begin a speech with an apology but I must do that," he said at the Speaker's Corner. "It's tradition for the mayor to open the speaker's corner and I was truly looking forward to that and I'm embarrassed to say I overslept this morning."

If only we could get the pols in Sacramento to sleep in more often, the people's work might actually stand a chance of getting done.

A Moment of Silence

Trumanlibrary.org image

Longtime Claremont resident T. Willard Hunter died this past Monday at the age of 93, and the city's 4th of July festivities will never be the same.

Hunter, who lived in the Pilgrim Place retirement community, started Claremont's 4th of July Speakers Corner back in 1977 as way of reminding people what the true meaning of the holiday is supposed to be. Daily Bulletin columnist David Allen explained:

Just as Charlie Brown lamented that Christmas was too commercial, Hunter, who died Monday at age 93, felt the message of Independence Day had been lost amid hot dogs and fireworks.

And so in 1977 Hunter created the Speakers Corner, an area of the park with a lectern, microphone and stage. Patterned after London's Hyde Park speakers corner, the Claremont version became an annual event and a distinctive part of the city's approach to the holiday.

Anyone who signs up in advance gets 10 minutes to reflect, hold forth or spout off on any topic they choose - city politics, organic farming, the Iraq war, whatever.

Of course, no one is obligated to pay attention - it's not called the Listeners Corner - but people do wander over and linger a while. This year's event is scheduled from 10:45 a.m. to 3 p.m.

In years gone by, you'd see Hunter get up and fill the unscheduled Speakers Corner slots with famous speeches he'd committed to memory - the Gettysburg Address or Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech.

So, sometime today we can expect an ironic moment of silence to remember Hunter, who, as David Allen noted, once orated for a world record 34 hours 8 minutes. The list of speakers for today's Speakers Corner is full except for noon when there will be a memorial to Hunter. The event ends with Hunter's friend Claremont Graduate University president emeritus John McGuire reading the Declaration of Independence, according to the Bulletin's obituary for Hunter.

Hunter was also the author of several books, but he may have achieved his greatest notoriety in 1930's and 1940's for his involvement with the Moral Re-Armament movement. MRA grew out of something called the Oxford Group, which was founded by an American Lutheran pastor named Frank Buchman.

The Oxford Group's Wikipedia entry tells how the group became MRA and how the group influenced the founders of Alcoholics Anonymous:

By the 1930s the Group had fallen into public disfavor, the public associated it with revivalist Protestantism which many mainstream Protestants and most Roman Catholics rejected. It began to be ridiculed in popular plays and books.[7]

In 1938, a time of military re-armament, Buchman proclaimed a need for "moral and spiritual re-armament" and that phrase - shortened to Moral Re-Armament - became the movement's name. Protest grew towards the group grew after it underwent the name change and its style became less religious and more political. It fell from favor and lost respect. Many of its critics believed it influenced appeasement policies at the beginning of the Second World War. The group later became identified with anti-communism stances before and during the Cold War.[8][9]

The Oxfords Group's influence can be found in Alcoholics Anonymous. Both Bill Wilson and Bob Smith, the two founders of Alcoholics Anonymous, were members of the Oxford Group. Though early AA sought to distance itself from the Oxford Groups, Wilson later acknowledged: "The early AA got its ideas of self-examination, acknowledgment of character defects, restitution for harm done, and working with others straight from the Oxford Group and directly from Sam Shoemaker, their former leader in America, and from nowhere else."[10]

orange-papers.org image
Hunter's involvement with MRA brought him into contact with Missouri Senator Harry S. Truman, and Hunter later corresponded with Truman's daughter Margaret. In 1988, Hunter the Truman Library interviewed Hunter as part of an oral history project.

Hunter told the Truman Library how he got involved with MRA:

I decided that I wanted to get into politics. When I was graduated from Carleton in 1936, I went to the Harvard Law School, which has sometimes been known as a "stepping stone to greatness." Michael Dukakis is one of those that followed a similar trail.

Before too long I decided that law and politics and diplomacy weren't really going to do that much. Besides, I had always from the beginning felt that I was called to get into something that dealt with people and changing people. Unless you deal with human nature, you're still always going to have the same problems, I think, because most problems stem from human nature.

While I was still a student, the program of Moral Re-Armament came by. It had been initiated by Frank Buchman back in the twenties. It was known as the Oxford Group for a while, and out of it came Alcoholics Anonymous. He was so good at life-changing that a number of alcoholics were changed. Some of them wanted to apply the Oxford Group idea only to the one problem. So they separated off. The twelve steps of AA were Frank Buchman's life-changing principles. There are over a million living recoveries and it is growing around the world.

I kept on with the Moral Re-Armament program for 18 years fulltime and a good deal of that was in Washington, D.C. I was one of the movement's Washington operatives, you might say.

Hunter's funeral will be held 10:30am Tuesday at the Claremont United Church of Christ. The UCC is located at 233 W. Harrison Ave.

* * * * *

The Claremont Courier gave a rundown of today's T. Willard Hunter Speakers Corner, which begins at 11am in Claremont's Memorial Park:

11:00 - Claremont Mayor Corey Calaycay
11:10 - CUSD Board Member Steve Llanusa
11:20 - Barney Path
11:30 - Richard Harris
11:40 - Butch Henderson
11:50 - C. Freeman Allen
Noon - Tribute to T. Willard Hunter
12:10 - Claremont Councilmember Sam Pedroza
12:20 - Chuck Doskow
12:30 - Claremont Courier Publisher Peter Weinberger
12:40 - Michael Fay
12:50 - Claremont Mayor Pro Tem Linda Elderkin
1:10 - Claremont Councilmember Peter Yao
1:20 - Dick Bunce
2:00 - Michael Keenan
2:10 - David Levering
2:40 - John D. Maguire

Also, don't forget today's 4th of July Parade, which starts at 4pm at 10th St. and Indian Hill Blvd. The parade runs south on Indian Hill to Harrison Ave. and then heads west to Mountain Ave.

And the gates for tonight's concert and fireworks show open at 6:30pm. The show takes place at Pomona College's Strehle Track at the corner of 6th St. and Mills Ave. The fireworks start at 9pm. If you haven't purchased tickets, you might still be able to get them at the gate for $8 if there are any available.

Ravelers in Concert

We got some Raveler spam in the mail the other day. Looks like the band will be busy, with a concert tonight in San Dimas, beginning at 7pm. The Ravelers will also play a couple 4th of July concerts, one in La Puente and the other in Claremont:

Hey Now…

The Ravelers will be busy with summer-time concerts for the next couple of months, and we hope to see you at some of these events!

Here are the events that are open to the public over the next couple of weeks…

Wednesday, June 24
City of San Dimas Concert

---Civic Center Park, next to City Hall
---245 East Bonita Avenue
---San Dimas, CA 91773

The Ravelers play 7:00pm - 9:00pm
See the web site for full details... http://www.cityofsandimas.com/

Friday, July 3
La Puente Independence Day Celebrations and Fireworks Show!

---La Puente Park
---501 N Glendora Ave
---La Puente, CA 91744

The Ravelers play from 7:00pm -9:00pm before the fireworks.
See the web site for full details... http://www.lapuente.org/LP_fliers/2009/June/03July.pdf

Saturday, July 4
Claremont Independence Day Celebrations and Fireworks Show!

---Pomona College Strehle Track Stadium
---Gates open at 6:30pm, tickets available at key spots around Claremont

The Ravelers play from 6:30pm -9:00pm before the fireworks.
See web site for full details... http://www.ci.claremont.ca.us/ps.leisurerecreation.cfm?ID=1821

There will be many more events coming, go to the Schedule page of The Ravelers web site to see what's up...
http://www.ravelers.com

See you soon...

Hai, Pat, Martie, Rob
The Ravelers

Getting Ready for the 4th

The 4th of July will be upon us soon, which for Claremont means lots of things - a pancake breakfast, a 5K run/walk, the festival in Memorial Park with food, games, music, and the annual Speakers Corner, the 4th of July parade, and the evening fireworks show at Pomona College.

The City of Claremont's website has all the information about the events:

Rockin' Hoppin' 4th!

Celebrate the 61st Annual Independence Day Celebration in Claremont! Start the morning off with the Claremont Village Freedom 5000 Run/Walk hosted by the Claremont High School Cross Country Team. Hungry? Enjoy the Kiwanis Pancake Breakfast. Tickets will be sold on site. Then stroll on over to the Official Opening Ceremonies to salute the flag and hear some inspiring words from our community leaders. Next, it's time to enjoy lively entertainment, music, children's games, water bounce houses, Willard Hunter Speaker's Corner, delicious food, and visit all the different non-profit booths. Get ready to enjoy the parade at 4 p.m. as we promenade Indian Hill in red, white, and blue style. Your evening is ready to go at Pomona College (corner of 6th and Mills) for the Amazing Firework's Sky Show and Concert featuring the Ravelers. Gates open at 6:30 p.m., so be sure to get your tickets in advance. Last year we sold out! Tickets are available at City Hall, Alexander Hughes Community Center, Chamber of Commerce, Von's, and Wolfe's Market, $6 presale and $8 at the door, if available. Visit www.Claremont4th.org for more information.

City Manager Jeff Parker's weekly CM report also had a list of the event:

July 4 Memorial Park Activities (840 N. Indian Hill Blvd.)

7 a.m. - 10 a.m. Kiwanis Pancake Breakfast
7:30 a.m. Claremont Village Freedom 5000 1K Walk
8 a.m. Claremont Village Freedom 5000 5K Run/Walk
10 a.m. Opening Ceremonies & Flag Raising
9 a.m. - 4 p.m. Festival (10 a.m. Food Booths Open)
11 a.m. - 3 p.m. Speakers Corner
4 p.m. Parade
6:30 p.m. Gates open for Ravelers Concert and Fireworks Show
(Pomona College, Strehle Track)

Calling All (Convertible) Cars

With Claremont's annual 4th of July Celebration coming up, there's much to do get ready for the event. Last week, the call on the city website went out for convertibles to carry dignitaries in the 4th of July parade.

We understand convertibles of all types are converging on City Hall as we speak, as the car owners rush to answer the call of our city leaders in their hour of need. See you on the 4th, same Bat Time, same Bat Station:

FYI ...
Calling Claremont Convertibles Cars

Those owning convertibles are invited to be in the 4th of July parade to transport dignitaries, honored community members, and elected officials. Applications are available at www.Claremont4th.org. Applications are due by June 12, 2009, to the Alexander Hughes Community Center (1700 Danbury Road.)

Those who volunteer their vehicles and drive in the parade will have their car respectfully decorated with patriotic ribbons and signs indicating the dignitary riding with them. The parade route is approximately 1 mile and travels south on Indian Hill Blvd, west on Harrison, and finishes at the Joslyn Center parking lot.

For additional information, contact the City of Claremont's Human Services Department at 909-399-5490.

Goings On in Claremont

COUNCIL MARKET DAY

It being the first Sunday of the month, you can find our city council working their booth at the Claremont Farmers Market between 8am and 1pm. The councilmembers will be there in one hour shifts. The appearance schedule isn't listed, so if you want see a specific councilmember, you'll just have to take your chances on the timing.

Claremont Farmers & Artisans Market
Downtown Claremont, 8am to 1pm.
2nd St. between Indian Hill Blvd. and Yale Ave.

PRESCRIPTION DRUG DISCOUNT AVAILABLE

The City's website has an announcement about an upcoming city program through the National League of Cities that allows Claremont residents to get free discount cards for prescription drugs. The website says you can save an average of 20% off the retail price of "commonly prescribed drugs." This is the information the city posted:

City to Provide Residents with Easy-to-Use Program for Prescription Drug Purchases

The City of Claremont will soon introduce a program that will offer its residents with a new tool that can provide some relief from the high cost of prescription drugs. The City is making free prescription drug discount cards available to Claremont residents through a program sponsored by the National League of Cities (NLC). The discount cards offer an average savings of 20 percent off the retail price of commonly prescribed drugs.

Available in mid-March, the discount cards may be used by all residents of Claremont and has no restrictions based on the resident's age, income level, or existing health coverage. The NLC card can be used when purchasing prescription drugs at approximately four pharmacies around the city, as well as at more than 59,000 participating retail pharmacies across the country.

The NLC and City of Claremont are able to make these money-saving cards available to Claremont residents at no cost to the individual. A future announcement will provide information on how and when residents may obtain the cards.

PLANNING YOUR NEXT MOVE

The city is also offering a two-part series of programs for people who are nearing retirement. On 7pm on Thursday, March 5th, author Judith Viorst will speak at the Laemmle Claremont 5 Theatre. There will also be a book signing by Viorst at the Claremont Forum in the Packing House.

On Saturday, March 7th, from 8am to noon at the Alexander Hughes Community Center, the City will offer a workshop on getting the most out of your retirement through volunteering, good health, post-retirement jobs, and planning your financial future. The Hughes Center is located at 1700 Danbury Rd.

Tickets for the Viorst event are $15, and tickets for the Saturday event are $10. The city offers a package deal for $20. Call (909) 399-5488 for more information.

Here are the details from Claremont City Manager Jeff Parker's weekly report for February 27th:

Celebrate the Next Chapter of Your Life: Retirement Opportunities

The Claremont Senior Program and the Committee on Aging are delighted to announce a program to celebrate what’s ahead for those approaching their retirement years (or those who have already retired). Celebrate the Next Chapter of Your Life: Retirement Opportunities will consist of two events sure to help you maximize your quality of life in retirement. The series will kick off on Thursday, March 5 at the Laemmle Claremont 5 with a presentation by award-winning author and journalist, Judith Viorst. Ms. Viorst is the author of eight collections of poems for adults and five non-fiction books including Necessary Losses that was on the New York Times bestseller list for almost two years.

She is also the author of Suddenly Sixty and Other Shocks of Later Life and I’m Too Young To Be Seventy and Other Delusions. Viorst will present at 7 p.m., followed by an author reception and book signing at the Claremont Forum. On the following Saturday, March 7, the series concludes at the Hughes Community Center, from 8 a.m. to 12 noon with workshops focused on getting the most out of your retirement through: volunteering, creative expression, wellness, post-retirement employment, and financial planning.

Tickets for the Thursday, March 5 event are $15 and $10 for Saturday, March 7. Presale tickets for both events combined are just $20. For more information, please contact the Joslyn Center at (909) 399-5488.

INDEPENDENCE DAY COMMITTEE SEEKS MEMBERS

The City is also gearing up for its 61st Annual 4th of July Celebration. Claremont seeks members for the 2009 Independence Day Committee. Interested parties can contact Margot Suarez at (909) 399-5496.

You can also read more information on this City press release.

Tuesday Mail

A ROYAL PROCESSION

One last 4th of July note, this time from a reader who seems to think Claremont Mayor Ellen Taylor is more a divider than a uniter:

Re: Ellen Taylor in the 4th of July Parade or The Cheese Stands (or rides in this case) Alone.

This year I had, for a change, a great view of the participants in the 60th Claremont 4th of July Parade. So with my up close and personal view of the parade, I was able to see the whites of the eyes, so to speak , of the parade participants. I expected to see the Claremont City Council in the usual flatbed truck on bales of hay, all five of them perched on high waving to the great unwashed in the crowd (hey, it was a hot day!). Instead., what I saw was Mayor Ellen Taylor in an old car all by herself (maybe after spending all day in the hot weather nobody wanted to sit by her) followed by Mayor Pro-Tem Corey Calaycay and Councilmember Linda Elderkin in another car, followed by Councilmembers Peter Yao and Sam Pedroza in yet another car (hey, aren't we supposed to be a sustainable city--what about 1 car or 2 Priuses?)

It occurred to me that this line-up was a perfect example of the way the Claremont City Council seems to operate these days---Ellen Taylor out in front of the pack, the Queen, waving to her subjects below and followed , at a respectful distance of course , by her loyal court. Calaycay and Elderkin together as they get along best with each other on the council, and last, and maybe least, Yao and Pedroza (remember that Yao nominated Pedroza not Calaycay for Mayor Pro-Tem) bringing up the rear. I wondered what the real reason for this line-up was and if there was a message here that I was missing . Ironically, the Claremont School Board members were all riding together on the flatbed truck on bales of hay ( a hand-me-down from the Council?).

Queen Ellen riding alone in her royal palanquin is a fitting image. All she needs is a throne. Come to think of it, she may already have one.....


POLICE STATION FIX

And then there was this from a problem-solving reader who had an idea of what the city might do with their first choice for the new police station site. Recall that the land, currently owned by Corey Nursery, has the inconvenient problem of straddling the county line:

I was just thinking that development of the proposed CPD site could be accommodated if the city were to annex the portion of that site and the city yard site into the city and exchange that small portion of developed property south of the proposed station that is in Claremont and run the county line south on the east side of Monte Vista. Just a thought.

LIBRARY FRIENDS ASK CITY FRIENDS FOR $50,000

The Friends of the Claremont Library, a group that has done good works in the past (such as helping raise money for the local LA County library's magazine collection or working to get hours extended with the help of city money), is asking the Claremont City Council to give $50,000 to the library for works by Claremont authors (i.e., former Claremont Mayor and very amateur historian Judy Wright).

While such a city donation would certainly be useful in good times, a reader contacted us and wondered if such a collection shouldn't be created through a private fundraising effort. The money could then be used for more important things like library operations, or if they weren't needed, set aside in a city rainy day fund. The city is, after all, work hard to balance its budget as it is.

Our reader says:

Dear Insider,

On the July 8 City Council agenda, there is a request by Friends of Claremont Library for $50,000. They want the money so they can catalog books by Claremont authors. Should this money not be used for keeping the library open longer hours instead? And if they think the library is already open long enough, why can't the city council just put the money in the reserve account for a rainy day - especially with the looming State $15.2 billion deficit which could negatively affect city budgets? If this project is so important, why can't the Friends solicit donations from the community with the "convincing" argument that the community could not do without the very necessary and important project? Inquiring minds want to know.

The Friends used to be a really top-notch local group that didn't involve itself in the Claremont 400 social scene. In recent years, however, the Claremont 400 have taken over the group (can't they leave anything alone?). Consequently, we get harebrained ideas such as this latest bit, which is simply an extension of the Judy Wright-Claremont Heritage myth-making effort.

Get the city to spend $50,000 on this item, make a promise of $25,000 to the League of Women Voter's extremely flawed commemorative marsh proposal, $890,000 or so on the downtown trolley. You get the picture. Pretty soon you're talking about real money.

Speech-Making at Its Claremont Best

Yesterday's Daily Bulletin had an article by Will Bigham about the 4th of July Speakers' Corner in Memorial Park. The article said it was the 31st year the event has been in existence, but we here at the Insider think it might be even older than that.

The Bulletin also has a photo gallery of the goings on in Claremont along with a similar gallery showing the 4th of July parade in La Verne.

The Courier also has a video by publisher Peter Weinberger showing some of the day's events, including the Kiwanis Club's pancake breakfast and the annual parade. Judy Wright even has a cameo.

Claremont, as the video shows, can be a marvelous community to live in, though there is also something about the video and the event that reminds us of the William Inge play "Picnic," or more specifically the montage of the town's Labor Day celebration from the movie version with William Holden and Kim Novack.

Apropos of Inge and our not-so-humble little town, the late Claremonter John Murphy once gave a speech at the 15th Annual William Inge Festival in Independence, Kansas, back in 1996. In a speech titled "Anger and Violence in the Plays of William Inge and August Wilson," Murphy captured the essence of what we 're trying to write about in this and other posts:

As do most plays, the ones in question here offer us both individuals and communities. These two worlds are in some ways symbiotic—each causes and effects the actions of the other. As in all plays, things begin in the middle—the individuals and their communities have their origin in the past. How the characters respond to that past—how we all respond to the past—is what makes them (our characters) so interesting.

....

Picnic offers us Hal, a younger version of Doc [a character from Inge's play Come Back, Little Sheba], who finds it difficult to reach satisfaction either in wanderlust or in apparently settled, small-town Kansas. His anger comes from a desire for acceptance by a community that he knows instinctively will reject him. He even lays claim to Jefferson’s doctrine—he says he has rights just like everybody else. Flo and Rosemary are angry characters as well, torn between their own desires and the demands of the community—what the neighbors or the school board will say. There are many well-defined angry women in Inge’s plays, but two of the most intriguing can easily go unnoticed. The two women who rob Hal at gunpoint seem well ahead of their time. What would William Inge make of Thelma and Louise?

In Claremont, we often see that dramatic tension between the desire for acceptance by the groups that run things and having to deal truthfully with the past. And don't get us started on angry women. Claremont has a League led by several of them from Mayor Taylor on down.

* * *

Speaking of truthfulness...

The Bulletin article about the Speakers' Corner talked about what the event means to some of the participants:

But for participants and audience members, the Speakers' Corner seems to carry a higher level of significance.

"It is a fundamental right that everyone should have and unfortunately the majority of people in the world don't have," said Bil Seymour, an organizer of the event.

"It's important to celebrate it in America, because it's such a rarity in the world."

Mayor Ellen Taylor said the Speakers' Corner concept exists outside Claremont in only one other place - Boston.

Not to be sticklers for detail, but keeping in the spirit of responding well and truthfully to the past, Queen Ellen is wrong. There are Speakers' Corners in many places in America and abroad.

The most famous is the one in London's Hyde Park from which the founder of Claremont's Speakers' Corner, T. Willard Hunter, may have taken his inspiration. There are also speakers' corners in Australia, Canada, Malaysia (sort of), the Netherlands, Singapore (again, sort of), Trinidad and Tobago, and in various locations in the United States (besides Boston).

Some of the U.S locations that have speakers' corners are the Arlington Arts Center in Arlington, Virginia, the city of Denver, Bughouse Square in Chicago's Washington Square Park, the Muir Woods National Monument in Northern California, and Murray State University in Kentucky,

And, there was once a Speakers' Corner in New York's Harlem at which people from Marcus Garvey to Malcolm X once spoke.

The city of Toronto even had a Speakers' Corner television show where people could, for a nominal fee that was donated to charity, record a video of a speech at a public kiosk. (Alberta's version of the show was free.) Some of the speeches were then aired.

Long story short: Many Speakers' Corners, not just two. As usual, with the voice of supreme authority, Ellen tosses off a remark that is utterly false, and it's just absorbed by the public as gospel. It's great that Claremont has a Speakers' Corner, but do we have to falsely inflate it into something it's not?

And there's a lesson there: When Ellen opens her mouth, not everything that drops out is a pearl of wisdom. Take everything with a grain of salt.

Defending Claremont's (and the Insider's) Honor

One more visit to the mailbag....

One of our readers wrote in to comment on the Meanypants post over on LiveJournal. The reader takes umbrage at Meanypants' comments, defends Claremont and CGU, and also wants to throw us a shout out (thanks for that!):

Hello there,

That "meanypants" grad student is such a whiner! Grad schools excel at breeding complainers - please don't base your ideas of CGU students based on that one blog. I'm a grad student here at Claremont and I love being here. I just wanted to stand up for those of us grad students who make the best of a flawed school (and aren't they all flawed in some way?) and enjoy the randomness that is Claremont.

And speaking of random fun...I'd like to place some kind of shout-out to the Claremont Insider in the 4th of July parade. Do you have any ideas for something funny and subtle that those "in the know" would appreciate? I mean, besides a giant portrait of Queen Ellen? (which would be awesome, but which I suspect would get me thrown into toxic low-income housing off Baseline or maybe into the new Claremont Swamp with a pair of concrete shoes...)

Thanks, reader, for speaking up for our town (the town being distinctly separate from the people who run our town). Thanks, too, for the shout-out idea, though we wouldn't want to be the cause of your being thrown in the stocks.

Above: Public punishment, Claremont-style. Last used in January, 2005,
during Claremont's most recent witchhunt.

Be careful out there!

4th of July - One Week Away

Claremont's annual Independence Day Celebration is coming up in one week. A festival at Memorial Park, the parade, and the fireworks show, all those things we've come to expect on the Fourth.

You can get more information from the city's website. Or call the city's Human Services Department at (909) 399-5490 for more information.

Here's a list of events drawn from the city's information:

Pancake Breakfast
7 to 10 a.m.
Claremont Kiwanis Club members will serve a Pancake Breakfast at Memorial Park just north of the band shell. If still available, Fireworks Tickets will be sold from 7-10 a.m. in conjunction with the Kiwanis Pancake Breakfast, and may still be available at the Information Booth at 10:30 a.m.

Proceeds from the breakfast help support a variety of organizations and community events, such as: Ability First, The Claremont American Red Cross, Concerts in the Park, Best B.E.T., plus other youth and community activities.

Tickets for Breakfast
$3.00 each

Tickets may be purchased the day of or in advance at the following locations:

Claremont Print & Copy - 108 Spring Street
Office of Jess Swick - 414 Yale Ave
Office of Neal Coble - 915 West Foothill Blvd Suite #G
Note: Tickets may be used for either the July 4th or September 20th Kiwanis Club Pancake breakfasts.


Claremont Village Freedom Walk 5000
7:30am - 1k Fun Walk
8:30am - 5K Race & Walk

Click here for information.


Opening Ceremonies
10 a.m.
The Flag Raising Ceremony marks the official beginning of the Independence Day Festival in Memorial Park. Together, the VFW and American Legion help the Independence Day Committee with this reverent ceremony, which includes musical selections, the reading of excerpts from the Declaration of Independence and a ceremonial raising of our nation's flag. This profound event emphasizes the importance we place on our nation's independence and provides an opportunity to celebrate our national pride.


Speakers' Corner
10:45 a.m. to 3:15 p.m.
In order to celebrate our country's First Amendment Right, Speakers' Corner provides a forum for citizens in our community to speak their minds on any subject from personal to global.

Past speeches have focused on politics, religion, history, travel, and personal fulfillment. Age is no barrier. Previous orators have ranged in age from 5-years to over 80.

Speakers' time slots will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis and must be pre-arranged. Interested persons should contact the Speakers' Corner Chair Bil Seymour by e-mail at wa6mod@arrl.net.


Festival Booths & Tables
9 a.m. to 4 p.m. - Information, Game and Selling Area
10 a.m. to 4 p.m. - Food Booths
In the tradition of a hometown event, the festival will feature over 70 non-profit groups providing food, information, games and a wide variety of items for sale. Applications will be available March 1st thru May 9th .

If you are looking for a particular booth or table, a complete list of all groups and their locations will be available at the Independence Day Committee information booth located just north of Garner House (next to the Police Command Station).


Entertainment & Family Activities
FREE Fun for People of All Ages
On July 4th, Memorial Park is truly transformed as a wide variety of performers rove the park providing color and frolicsome fun for people of all ages!

Stage entertainment will include a variety of bands, and other types of entertainment and demonstrations will occur throughout the park, including clowns, strolling bands, jugglers and even a very tall Uncle Sam!


Family Games
11 a.m. to 1 p.m. (approximate)
Just east of the band shell
These games, FREE to all, may include a 3-legged race, the World Famous Tug-O-War and much more. Everyone who participates in the games is a winner, and all children receive a participation ribbon.


Children's Games
10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
East side of the park just north of the game booths
About a dozen different non-profit organizations, including the Independence Day Committee, will provide FREE games and activities for children including:

A rock-climbing wall
An inflatable jumper
A variety of wood and rope set ups like simple stilts, a wood slat (jungle) bridge, a rope (monkey) bridge, balance beams, a horizontal ladder, and land skis

Organizations interested in participating in the game booth area may contact the Human Services Department at (909) 399-5490.


4th of July Celebration Parade
Begins at 4:30pm at the corner of Indian Hill Blvd. & 10th St.

The 4th of July Parade is the highlight of the day. Beginning at 4 p.m. at the corner of Indian Hill Blvd. & 10th St., the parade route moves south to Harrison then west to Mountain Ave., ending at Larkin Park.

The parade has approximately 90 entries including bands, floats, specialty vehicles, musical and novelty groups, and dignitaries. The parade is designed to provide a venue for celebration and is non-commercial.

Children and kids at heart, bring your bicycle and helmet and join the Bike Brigade that leads off the parade. This is a time to use your decorating skills!

Spectators are encouraged to select their spot early. Please remember that we do not allow items such as candy, water or flyers to be thrown from the parade route, and we ask that any soliciting be done from the sidewalk.

Click here for parade route.


Claremont's Fireworks Spectacular!
Pomona College - Strehle Track
Gates open 6:30 p.m.
Show begins 9 p.m.
The Independence Day Celebration culminates with an fireworks show and a live Rock & Roll concert by the LCR Band, a hometown band and local favorite that has performed for many Claremont functions. We are excited about having them back!

The fireworks show has developed over the years and has become one of the biggest and best shows in all of Los Angeles County! The 20+ minute show is fully synchronized to music and electronically fired. Each year, the Independence Day Committee has added a new element to the fireworks - from "waterfalls" and "silver bees" to "happy faces." Come check out the latest addition this year - it is sure to make you "pop!"

Click here for Fireworks Event Map.

Tickets Available June 1, 2008
Cost: $6.00 pre-sale, $8.00 at gate

Purchase Locations:
Claremont City Hall -207 Harvard Ave.
Claremont Human Services - 1700 Danbury Rd.
Claremont Chamber of Commerce - 205 Yale Ave.
Vons - 550 E. Baseline Rd.
Wolfe's Market - 160 W. Foothill Blvd.