March 2011 Archives

A comic book and pop culture show takes place from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. April 3 at the Claremont Packing House.

The Packing House is at 532 W. First St. 

Parking and admission are free to the public.

The Plus-Tones will perform their brand of rock, R&B and blues while comic book art demonstrations will also take place. 

Collectibles, comic books and art dealers will be at the event with graphic novels, vintage and new comic books, prints, action figures, games, original art and more.

There will also be fantasy and professional comic book artists and writers with special guests and costumed characters.

For more information, contact comicbookie@msn.com or their Facebook page under the listing "Claremont Packing House Comic Book & Collectible Show."
Assistant professor of history at Pomona College Arash Khazeni won a 2010 Middle East Studies Association book award.

The award was the 2010 Houshang Pourshariati Iranian Studies Book Award for Khazeni's volume "Tribes & Empire on the Margins of Nineteenth-Century Iran."

The Middle East Studies Association of North America gave the recognition, according to a Pomona College news release. 

Award criteria, according to the news release, included "substantive understanding of the social and political experiences of the Iranian people and their civilization" and "their contribution to and influence on the world at large."
The associate dean of students at Pomona College Neil Gerard received an honorary membership award from the Association of American College Unions International.

Gerard's award was given at an ACUI meeting earlier this month in Chicago.

According to a Pomona College news release, the award is usually given to student activities and college union professionals retiring.

Earlier this spring, Gerard announced his retirement after spending 18 years at Pomona College. 

Gerard is also director of Bridges Auditorium and the Smith Campus Center.

In 1993, he was hired as associate dean to create "campus center worthy of Pomona," according to the news release.

In 1999, the building opened and in 2007 a large renovation completed the structure. 
Consumers in the Los Angeles County foothill communities from Claremont to La Crescenta are being asked to reduce their water usage.

People are asked to stop outdoor watering while a major water treatment plant is out of service.

The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, local cities and area retail and wholesale agencies have made the request, according to a news release.

MWD will upgrade its F.E. Weymouth Water Treatment Plant in La Verne and the outage is scheduled to last until March 28. 

For more information on the shutdown and water-saving tips, residents can visit www.mwdh2o.com and www.bewaterwise.com. 
Pomona College politics professor Michael Teter and Pomona College history professor Tomas Summers Sandoval Jr. will lead a PSU Presents: Speech, Politics, and Hate discussion tonight.

The 7:30 p.m. talk in the Hahn 101 building takes place inside the Pomona Student Union. Snacks will be provided.

For more information, michael.levine@pomona.edu
The Peter F. Drucker and Masatoshi Ito Graduate School of Management  at Claremont Graduate University will team with the American Red Cross for a "drive-through" fundraiser to help Japan tsunami and earthquake victims.

The Drucker Relief Drive for Japan will let people donate without getting out of their vehicles. 

Volunteers will collect at the university's north campus parking lot from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. The lot is at the northwest corner of E. 11th Street (Drucker Way) and Dartmouth Avenue.



Cash and checks, made out to the American Red Cross with "Japan Earthquake written in the memo line, will be accepted.
Neo-Nazi rally

Heated words, no more

Dueling events feature sharb jabs, but no violence
CLAREMONT - Armed for a war of words with megaphones and sharp tongues, about 30 people from the National Socialist Movement and 400 to 500 anti-Nazi protesters taunted each other Saturday during two rallies drawing attention to America's policy on immigration.

"We have more white people than you," came a barb from someone with the anti neo-Nazi group, which stood at the southeast corner of Foothill and Indian Hill boulevards. "How does it feel?"

Jeff Hall, Southwest States regional director of the neo-Nazi group fired back, "It feels good not to be scared. It's all about quality, not quantity."

The group said they came to protest illegal immigration and to show there are other viewpoints than just Claremont College

Mohammed Martinez, 63, of East Los Angeles, yells at Josh Davenport of the National Socialist Movement, a neo-Nazi group, as the group rallied on Saturday on the corner of Foothill and Indian Hill boulevards in Claremont. (Thomas R. Cordova/Staff Photographer)
students who were for "open borders."

Being outnumbered didn't faze the Nazi group, many of whom had bald heads, black or fatigue-style clothing and U.S. flags with swastikas.

They claimed victory Saturday.

"You said you were going to stop us, but you didn't. Thank you for being tools and showing up here today," Hall said on his megaphone.

Hall would use his megaphone to get his group to chant or incite the hundreds across the street while police officers and yellow police tape blocked people from reaching them.

The neo-Nazi chants included "White power," "Whose streets? Our streets," "Heil Hitler" and "If it's brown, flush it down."

A woman in the Nazi group took off an overshirt to reveal a black shirt that read "because the beauty of the white Aryan woman must not perish from the earth ..."

Responses from the other side included chants like "Nazis go home" or insults such as "No matter how hard you try you will not be Edward Norton," which was a reference to the Norton movie "American History X."

Another neo-Nazi, who only gave his first name of Ken, said he was a 44-year-old mechanic who lives in Claremont.

He claimed there were Claremont College students and Claremont police who were part of the neo-Nazi group but declined to say more when asked for specifics.

Neo-Nazi member Josh Davenport, 27, of Las Vegas, and Hall, of Riverside, said they considered the event a success because of potential new membership.

"We saw such a huge spike on a national level and new interest we have had a hard time keeping up with it," Hall said.

The Nazi protest lasted from noon until about 1:30 p.m.

There were 16 police agencies and more than 110 officers to provide security for the rally, which ended with no arrests or property damage, Claremont police Lt. Mike Ciszek said.

"It went extremely well, and we definitely appreciated mutual aid that came out," Ciszek said. "We would have been overwhelmed in a second if things would have gone bad. It's great to see law enforcement come together for a purpose."

The alternative peace rally, which started at 10 a.m., was held three blocks away at Memorial Park. A large group from the peace rally then walked over to protest the neo-Nazi's presence on Foothill Boulevard.

When the approximately 30 neo-Nazis walked to their location, a small number of protesters confronted them, yelling into a megaphone "garbage" over and over.

Raymond Herrera, founder and president of the Claremont-based anti-illegal immigration group We the People, California's Crusader, was at the event and again said he opposed the neo-Nazi rally.

Herrera said his organization does not join racist groups like neo-Nazi, La Raza or the Ku Klux Klan.

As he spoke, some of the neo-Nazi protesters turned to him and questioned why he hated illegal immigrants, but he did not answer them.

Chris Baca, 35, of Riverside, was part of the anti neo-Nazi rally and briefly confronted them.

"This is racism," he said. "They're claiming they're white when they're not white themselves. I think they're sad. White people were the first illegal immigrants in the country."

Mohammed Martinez, 63, of East Los Angeles, also was able to verbally confront the neo-Nazis and said he remembered confronting the Nazis 30 years ago "back in El Monte."

Art Gamboa, 50, of Maywood, said he opposed the neo-Nazis.

"I don't think nothing is going to stop these guys," he said.

Hall added he thought Claremont police did a great job in organizing the event and "took it seriously."

There are no immediate plans of coming back to Claremont for another rally, Hall said.

Claremont City Manager Jeff Parker said he was relieved the event was peaceful.

"The First Amendment freedom of speech worked. I'm happy it all concluded with no violence of any kind," Parker said.

Photo Gallery: Neo-Nazi, Claremont for Peace rallies


By Wes Woods II Staff Writer

CLAREMONT - The Claremont Unified School District nutrition services department has combined nutritional programs with mouth-watering foods to please district administrators and students.

A few of the numerous programs and foods include a Meatless Monday program at the district's elementary school sites; Fresh Food Fridays where food such as lemon herb chicken, seasoned ground beef with rice, barbecue chicken, and other items are made from scratch; and chickens fed organic feed, cage free and produce eggs that are used in their nutrition programs.

School officials and administrators say the children have really responded to the improved food choices.

"The junior high kids can be finicky," said El Roble Intermediate School principal Kevin Greer. "One day they'll love tacos and the next day they'll think it's the worst thing since sliced bread. (Rick Cota, district director of nutrition services) brings a variety of choices. He keeps it kind of fresh. After pasta on one day, there will be a taco bar the next day and then we'll have other specialty items like a chicken and rice dish."

Cota is a former audit manager and consultant for a CPA firm who consulted for more than 25 school districts and community college districts in California.

"This is exactly what our families have said is important," Cota said about his efforts in a recent interview.

Over a 10-year period, Cota was in charge of 45 clients in California,Nevada and Arizona and was responsible for reporting financial information for each one.

Before his auditing career, Cota said he spent 15 years in different levels of upper management with Souplantation and Chili's.

To create meals, Cota said the Royal Range Company of California donated two professional series ranges with ovens and the Thermador Co. donated one professional series range and oven, both worth thousands of dollars.

Lisa Shoemaker, assistant superintendent of business services, was also pleased with the program results, which she attributed to Cota's involvement.

"He can't make all the food in house so he's cultivated partnerships with local businesses to bring in some meal options that meet all his standards for nutrition and healthy foods," Shoemaker said.

"He's cultivated relationships with local growers to bring in locally grown fruits and vegetables. They're not stored in warehouses, they're picked from strawberry fields ... they're not using waxy oranges or storage apples, they're picking and bringing them to the school district."

Shoemaker said the program, despite its use of prepared and healthy foods, is a money-maker for the district.

"Because the meals are so much better he's really increased the numbers of meals being purchased and that means we're being reimbursed by the federal government," Shoemaker said.

"Our goods are costing us more, the price of organic foods is more but we've increased revenue by a like amount. So it's not costing us. We're in the black. More kids are buying meals."

Shoemaker said Cota worked for a firm the district had used for auditing purposes but "he has an interesting background. He was formally trained in culinary arts but has a business degree. He not only knows food but also business."

Cota has also made the district styrofoam-free and said he's more than willing to help out and talk with other school districts about nutrition.

In 2008-09, before Cota joined the district, there was a total revenue of more than $2.2 million from the program.

In 2009-010, after Cota joined the district, it was more than $2.6 million and this school year it is projected to be more than $2.8 million, a 28.9 percent growth in two years.

The program has also provided more than $330,000 in revenue for Claremont business owners in the 2009-10 school year from purchasing meals and foods within the community, Cota said.

Cota said in the 2008-09 school year, there were 466,057 total complete meals served; this school year it is projected to be 566,460.

"Every product we serve is backed by nutrition data," Cota said. "The cost to the child is well worth the effort."

wes.woods@inlandnewspapers.com 909-483-8549


church.JPGMore than 200 members of the community came to watch the Duke University Chorale, lead by Rodney Wyncoop, perform at the Claremont United Church of Christ on March 10, according to a news release.

The chorale's songs included everything from Mozart's classical pieces to civil war era spirituals.

The Claremont United Church of Christ is at 233 W. Harrison Ave.
Steven Chu, secretary for the U.S. Department of Energy, will deliver the main commencement speech.

Pomona College will hold its 118th commencement services at 10 a.m. May 15 on Marston Quadrangle, between Fourth and Sixth Streets.

About 390 Class of 2011 members will receive undergraduate degrees.

Also speaking briefly is Edwin Krupp, class of 1966; Douglas Preston, class of 1978; and Judy Burton who will also receive honorary degrees.

Krupp is the director of the Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles and an astronomer. 

Burton is president and chief executive officer of the Alliance for College-Ready Public Schools, a non-profit, charter management organization aimed at promoting high achievement and college enrollment among children from disadvantaged communities, according to the Pomona College news release.
William Peterson has had to cancel his March 27 organ recital at Pomona College's Bridges Hall of Music.

Concert production manager Elizabeth D. Champion issued a news release on Monday about the cancellation.
Consumers in the Los Angeles County foothill communities from Claremont to La Crescenta are being asked to reduce their water usage.

People are asked to stop outdoor watering while a major water treatment plant is out of service for 10 days starting Friday.

The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, local cities and area retail and wholesale agencies have made the request, according to a news release.

MWD will upgrade its F.E. Weymouth Water Treatment Plant in La Verne and the outage is scheduled to last until March 28. 

For more information on the shutdown and water-saving tips, residents can visit www.mwdh2o.com and www.bewaterwise.com
There has been close to $84,000 raised to support the 2011 Amgen Tour of California cycling competition in Claremont, said Andrew Behnke, general manager of Doubletree Hotel Claremont in an e-mail.

Los Angeles-based Anschutz Entertainment Group will present America's largest cycling tour from May 15 to 22.

Stage 7 on May 21 will run from Claremont to Mt. Baldy, and feature the first-ever mountain top finish.

Cyclists will start at the Claremont Depot at First Street and Harvard Avenue, make two loops through the Claremont Village, head up College Avenue and onto Foothill Boulevard.

The race will continue on Mills Avenue to Mt. Baldy Road. Cyclists will take a detour along Glendora Mountain Road before heading back up Mt. Baldy Road.

The stage concludes with a dramatic finish at the Mt. Baldy ski lift.

To minimize City and Chamber expenditures there is a need of an additional $60,000, Behnke said. 

Anyone or any business wishing to be a sponsor can contact Behnke directly at abehnke@doubletreeclaremont.com or use a sponsorship packet available online on the Claremont Chamber website at www.claremontchamber.org or 909-624-1681.

There are some limitations on what types of business can contribute and that would need to be addressed on a case by case basis, Behnke said.
The National Socialist Movement, a neo-Nazi group, has scheduled a march and rally against illegal immigration from noon to 1 p.m. on March 19 at Foothill Boulevard with the cross street to be announced at a later date. 

"We will have a lot of flags, our signs and a bullhorn," said National Socialist Movement Lt. and regional director of the southwest states Jeff Hall. "We're going to be heard and let it be known we're against illegal immigration ... we believe in free speech. We're going to make our voices heard." 

Hall, who expected between 30 and 40 people from his group at the rally, said the cross street for the event would probably be announced on Monday. 

The rally is in response to Claremont College students who have protested in favor of "open borders," Hall said. "Our guys from Claremont wanted a voice."

Hall said his group, "a white civil rights organization," was "the largest white nationalist socialist group in America. We're the only national socialist group in America that protects the border."

Hall said he wants "a white nation that doesn't have multiculturalism forced on them." 

According to the group's website, its "core beliefs include: defending the rights of white people everywhere, preservation of our European culture and heritage, strengthening family values, economic self-sufficiency, and reform of illegal immigration policies, immediate withdrawal of our national military from an illegal Middle Eastern occupation and promotion of white separation."

City manager Jeff Parker said a counter rally, from a group called Claremont for peace, would be held the same time at Memorial Park at 840 N. Indian Hill Blvd. 

"It seems to be more people talking about this Claremont for peace rally that's out there," Parker said, adding he did not know who their organizers were. Parker said the city was in communications with the neo-Nazi group.

The neo-Nazi group does not have to have a permit for their rally on the sidewalk unless they were to block the sidewalk or hold a parade, Parker said.

Parker said he believed the neo-Nazi group had the First Amendment right to freedom of speech.

"The biggest fear we have is we want to have whatever it is be peaceful. We don't want people to incite anything no matter who it is." 

Incumbent Sam Pedroza with newcomers Opanyi Nasiali and Joseph Lyons are the unofficial top vote getters with 3,336, 2,697 and 2,470 votes respectively. 

Robin Haulman, who had been the third highest vote getter early on, unofficially has 2,275 votes.

For specific precinct results: http://www.ci.claremont.ca.us/download.cfm?ID=27384

Incumbent Sam Pedroza, Robin Haulman and Opanyi Nasiali are in the lead for the three council seats, according to the latest city information.

Armendarez-5.1%

Haulman- 18.1%
Jaime- 3%
Keenan- 5%
Lyons- 17.4%
Nasiali-17.9%
Pedroza-24.5%
Pocock-9%

Here's the new totals per the city:

Armendarez-6.1%
Haulman- 16.7%
Jaime- 3.4%
Keenan- 5.2%
Lyons- 14.3%
Nasiali-20%
Pedroza-24%
Pocock-10.4%

Four precincts have been counted.

Note: This is from the city's website at http://www.ci.claremont.ca.us/ with the breakdown here: http://www.ci.claremont.ca.us/download.cfm?ID=27384

The following poll results are unofficial. Vote by mail and provisional ballots turned in at the polls will be counted in the next few days. Election results will be unofficial until they are certified at the March 17 Special City Council meeting.

The results document will be updated after each precinct's ballots are counted. Please refresh your browser for the latest update.

Armendarez-7.3%
Haulman- 18.5%
Jaime- 4.5%
Keenan- 9%
Lyons- 12.9%
Nasiali-14.6%
Pedroza-24.2%
Pocock-9%


Electro hip-pop act LMFAO and comedian Aziz Ansari are headed to Bridges Auditorium in April.

LMFAO will perform at 8 p.m. April 2. Tickets are $30 general admission and $25 for students.

Meanwhile, Ansaril will perform at 8 p.m. April 14. Tickets are $40 general admission and $20 for students.

Bridges Auditorium, which seats 2,500, is at 450 N. College Way.

Information for students: http://www.pomona.edu/administration/bridges-auditorium/index.aspx

Information for general public: www.ticketmaster.com or http://www.pomona.edu/administration/bridges-auditorium/index.aspx

 

There is a pizza fundraiser Tuesday through Eddie's New York Pizzeria for the Claremont and La Verne Relay for Life.

The restaurant, from 4 to 9 p.m. Tuesday, is giving back 20 percent from the evening's proceeds to The American Cancer Society.

Eddie's New York Pizzeria is at 1065 W. Foothill Blvd. and located near Towne Ave. and Foothill in the Stater Bros. Shopping Center.

A flier must be used with the offer, which is dine in and take out. Fliers can be asked for and will be at the restaurant's counter.

For more information, contact 909-398-1985 or go to http://www.eddiesnewyorkpizzeria.com/

 

 

The Duke University Chorale,a 37-member traveling chorale, will perform at 7 p.m. Thursday at the Claremont United Church of Christ.

There is no charge to attend the performance, which is scheduled to last for about two hours.

According to a news release, the music will include secular and sacred works ranging from contemporary to the Renaissance with various accompanying instruments or none at all.

"The performance is the day after Ash Wednesday," said Rob Patton, senior pastor at the church in the news release.  "For Christians this is a time of reflection and introspection. The Chorale's performance will include some traditionally sacred pieces of music that serve as an excellent way for us to enter the Lenten season. However, we offer this concert to any and all in our community as an opportunity to enjoy a world-class choir regardless of the motivation to do so. We're thrilled to be able to welcome the Duke Chorale thanks to a generous gift provided by our members, Dudley and Ceci Rauch."

Claremont United Church of Christ, according to the news release, "is an open and affirming congregation in which all persons regardless of race, ethnic background, economic status, gender, age, personal ability, or sexual orientation are equally affirmed into membership and leadership and are joyfully welcomed."

The church is at 233 West Harrison Ave. For more information, contact 909-626-1201 or www.claremontucc.org.

 

The Duke University Chorale is coming to Claremont on Thursday, March 10.  The 37-member traveling chorale will perform in the sanctuary of the Claremont United Church of Christ.             The performance will begin at 7:00pm and last for approximately two hours.  There is no charge to attend.
            "The performance is the day after Ash Wednesday," said Rob Patton, senior pastor at the church.  "For Christians this is a time of reflection and introspection.  The Chorale's performance will include some traditionally sacred pieces of music that serve as an excellent way for us to enter the Lenten season.  However, we offer this concert to any and all in our community as an opportunity to enjoy a world-class choir regardless of the motivation to do so.  We're thrilled to be able to welcome the Duke Chorale thanks to a generous gift provided by our members, Dudley and Ceci Rauch."

Rebecca Coleman Lerback was recently appointed Director of Development at the Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden.

Lerback was announced development director Feb. 21 and has worked with higher education and non profit institutions for 23 years including stints at Harvey Mudd College, California State University and Claremont Graduate University, according to a botanic garden news release.

She will encourage philanthropy and oversee garden fund-raising, according to the release.
"RSABG has held a special place in my heart for nearly 40 years," Lerback said in a news release. "I am looking forward to working with the donors, volunteers and staff who help the Garden achieve its mission to inspire, inform and educate the public about California's native plants."

A botanic garden official said he was pleased to have Lerback join the organization.

"I am really excited to have Rebecca join our leadership team," said Patrick Larkin, RSABG executive director in a news release. "She brings a tremendous amount of experience from the philanthropic world, and has a strong background of fund-raising success. Additionally, her enthusiasm for the Garden and the important work we do is a valuable asset in achieving our overall fund-raising goals."

Lerback holds a bachelor's degree in English from California State University, Fullerton.

She has lived in Claremont since childhood and was recently appointed by Claremont City Council to serve on the Claremont Hills Conservation Corporation until 2013, according to the release.

Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden is the largest botanic garden dedicated to California's native plants and was founded in 1927.
The Princeton Review ranked local colleges as "Best Value Colleges for 2011" among liberal arts colleges in a study recently released with USA Today.

Pomona College, Scripps College, Harvey Mudd College and Claremont McKenna College were all ranked as a best value among liberal arts colleges.

The list "highlights 50 four-year private and 50 four-year public colleges that provide high-quality academics at a reasonable price, either by controlling costs or offsetting them with stellar financial aid packages," according to the website at http://www.usatoday.com/news/education/2011-02-22-1Aprinceton22_ST_N.htm.

headshot.jpgCongressman David Dreier announced applications are available for his annual Youth Volunteer Award, which is available to all high school students aged 14 through 18 in the 26th Congressional District which includes Claremont.

"Each year I look forward to honoring the young people in our community," Dreier said in a news release. "It is always inspiring to see the level of responsibility and commitment they put forward. Far too often students are not recognized for the good they have done. The goal of the Youth Volunteer Award program is to highlight their efforts and ensure they receive the recognition they deserve."

Applications are available online at http://dreier.house.gov or at his district office at 510 East Foothill Blvd., Suite 201, San Dimas.

Those interested, according to the release, must: complete an application for documenting his/her volunteer service; write a 250-500 word essay describing the benefits of this service to the community; submit one letter of reference; and have an informal interview with the Youth Volunteer Award Council.

Congressman Dreier's office can be reached by calling 909-575-6226 or 888-906-2626.
The deadline for completed applications is 5 p.m. April 1.

Besides Claremont, the district has the cities of Arcadia, Bradbury, Charter Oak, Glendora, La Cañada Flintridge, La Crescenta, La Verne, Monrovia, Montclair, Montrose, Rancho Cucamonga, San Antonio Heights, San Dimas, San Marino, Sierra Madre, Upland, Walnut, Wrightwood and portions of Altadena, Pasadena and San Gabriel.

chs.jpgClaremont High's 100th anniversary graduating class will feature special graduation night ceremonies and is taking reservations for the June 9 event.

All graduating seniors at Claremont and San Antonio High Schools are invited with up to two parents or legal guardians.

Location of the event, which marks the 100th anniversary of Claremont High's first graduation in 1911, is secret until after the graduation ceremony.

Parents will return home at midnight but the supervised non-alcoholic beverages, entertainment and food will continue for graduates until dawn when they will be transported back to Claremont High.

Ticket information can be found at www.gradnightchs.com.

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