In La Verne, the City Council finally has its first woman. Donna Nasmyth was sworn in Monday night, the first councilwoman in the city’s 101-year history. You’d think a city whose name sounds like a woman’s would have gotten this milestone out of the way earlier, but, well, better late than never.

(Coming soon to La Verne: electricity, flush toilets and direct-dial telephones.)

There was a celebratory mood in the council chambers. The city clerk, a woman, said it was an honor to swear in Nasmyth, and a representative of the city trash hauler, also a woman, said: “Normally I would say in a presentation to a woman that you’re following in the footsteps of all the women who have gone before you, but there were no women who have gone before you.”

More in my Wednesday column.