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.

Claremont Happenings

The two local newspaper blogs, Claremont Now and the Courier City Beat, list several Claremont-related events this week.

The Bulletin's Wes Woods II has a number of blog posts on things to do in next few days:

• Phil Settle & Friends perform tonight from 8pm to midnight at the Hip Kitty in the Claremont Packing House. Settle & Friends will be back at the Hip Kitty in two weeks, on June 17 for a return engagement.
  
  Hip Kitty is located at 502 W. First St. For information call (909) 447-6700.
  
  
  
• On Sunday, June 7, the Mountainside Master Chorale will perform Paul McCartney's oratorio "Ecce Cor Meum." The concert takes place 3:30pm in Garrison Theater at 231 W. Tenth St.
  
  Tickets are $18 for general admission and $15 for students and seniors. Call (909) 510-6699 for information and tickets.
  
  
  
• On Sunday the Claremont Folk Music Center will also host a Hawaiian slack key guitar workshop with Cyril Pahinui from 4:30 to 6pm. The workshop is followed by a Pahinui concert at 7:30pm.
  
  The workshop is $25, and the concert is $15. Doors for the concert open at 7pm. You can pick up tickets at the Folk Music Center at 220 Yale Ave. or call (909) 624-2928.
  
  
  
• The Inland Valley Health Plan will host a senior health and wellness fair at the new Pomona Valley Health Center on Wednesday, June 10, at 10am. The new center is located at 1601 N. Monte Vista Ave. just south of the Claremont Club.
  
  The fair takes place in suite 275, and it offers a free stress test. Call (800) 251-8191, ext. 316, for information, or check out the IVHP website.
  
  

* * * * *

The Courier's Tony Krickl informs us that El Roble eighth grader Mata Barr will appear as a member of the Los Angeles Children's Chorus on the Tonight Show tomorrow night. The group will sing back up to singer John Meyer on "California Dreamin'."

Mata Barr and the LA Children's Chorus are fortunate that their Tonight Show booking went through. From what we hear, the new host barely made it out to Los Angeles from his old digs in New York City:

Health Officials Investigate Claremont Cases - UPDATED

Update: No Swine Flu in Claremont

[Update, midnight Tuesday - from NBC news: "Meanwhile, tests were completed to determine if the mother of a student at Our Lady of the Assumption School in Claremont had swine flu or another illness. Both tested negative for the swine flu, according to the Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles."]

[Update, 7 a.m. Tuesday - Still no word on outcome of tests on student referred to below. Statement from Our Lady of Assumption School was dated Monday, 4/27 (and is now, Tuesday night, replaced with an all-clear message). OLA school is closed today, Tuesday, "out of an abundance of caution". More recent coverage without much new information here.]

[Update, 8:45 p.m. - Tony Krickl's Courier City Beat blog had a post earlier today on this item. Krick's post includes OLA's statement on the matter.]

The Pasadena Star News carried a report today that Los Angeles County public health officials are investigating two cases of people in Claremont who reported flu-like symptoms after returning from a trip to Mexico.

The cases have not been confirmed as swine flu.

The Star article said:

CLAREMONT - Los Angeles County Health Services is investigating a possible Swine flu case at a private school in Claremont, officials said.

A student at Our Lady of the Assumption School fell ill with flu-like symptoms four days after returning from a visit to Mexico with her mother, according to a statement from the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, which oversees the school.

The girl's mother also became sick, according to the Archdiocese. Both are awaiting test results to see if they are infected.

Los Angeles County health officials confirmed they are investigating the case.

"There are no confirmed cases of the swine flu in L.A. County," said spokeswoman Sarah Kissell. "Claremont is one area we are looking at."

The article went on to say that the OLA school has not been closed, but classes have been cancelled for Tuesday. School officials notified the county of the cases Monday, according to The Star.

Incidentally, Google Flu Trends lists flu activity in California, and in the U.S. in general, as low:

Click to Enarge

Senior Flu Shot Clinic Today

Claremont is holding its yearly flu shot clinic from 9am to 1pm today at Taylor Hall, located on Indian Hill Blvd. just north of Claremont High School. Free flu shots for anyone over 50 years old and for people with chronic illnesses.

The city's website has the all the information:

The City of Claremont Senior Citizens Program is proud to announce that its annual Fall Information Fair & Flu Shot Clinic will be held on Thursday, November 13 from 9:00 a.m. -1:00 p.m. at Taylor Hall, located at 1775 N. Indian Hill Blvd. FREE flu shots will be made available to adults 50 and over or anyone who has a chronic illness. Flu Shots are available on a first-come, first-served basis, with no appointments being taken. Various healthcare providers and agencies will also be available to answer questions and provide up-to-date information and giveaways. Participants will want to be sure not to miss our FREE Health Screenings which include, balance, bone density, foot diabetes, glucose, video osteoscopic ear inspection, weight measure for diabetes, or just a relaxing chair massage. Lunch for those 60 and over will be available at noon for a suggested $2.00 donation. For more information, call (909) 399-5488.