Montclair has a big new piece of fire equipment, bought at a relative bargain price. I write about that, and then dip into the ol’ mailbag for recent-ish reader comments about Bruce Springsteen and Ritchie Valens. That’s all in Wednesday’s column — plus a Valley Vignette teasing Friday’s column.
I revisit the Montclair Plaza sign, which came down last Friday, by rounding up some reader comments, determining that the sign wasn’t quite as old as originally stated and, going farther back, noting the Christmas star that was placed on the original sign annually. That’s all in Wednesday’s column, along with a Valley Vignette from neighboring Upland. Above, a portion of the story photocopy referenced in the column that has the sign images, the middle one being the almost-forgotten mid-period sign.
The 100-foot sign along the 10 Freeway for Montclair Plaza is coming down next week. It will be replaced, later this year, by a digital sign. I offer the scoop on that, as well as a report about a Chino Valley newsman at 90 and some former grapevines in Rancho Cucamonga, in Wednesday’s column.
I attended an event at Montclair Place mall Monday at which city officials signed a bright yellow girder that will be placed in the AMC 12 now under construction. You can sign it too. After all, I did. This novelty event is the subject of my Wednesday column.
Independent shop Bill’s Auto Service could no longer compete in a changing world. Two brothers have operated the shop that was founded by their father in 1963. I write about them for Friday’s column. Above, Brian and John Brew in their shop Tuesday.
I gave up my Monday evening to make an unplanned visit to the Montclair City Council meeting — and am glad I did. Perhaps you will be too after you read Wednesday’s column.
Sometimes topics hang around a while before becoming a column. A case in point is Sunday’s, in which I belatedly write about John Darnielle’s book “Wolf in White Van,” published in 2014, read in 2017 and finally a column in the back half of 2018. Still, from your standpoint I hope the delay doesn’t matter. “Wolf” is almost certainly the first major novel, and perhaps the only novel period, set in our very own Montclair.
If enough people read the book and respond, or simply respond to my posed questions about certain settings in the book, there will be a follow-up.
Montclair says it’s close to getting an In-N-Out. In-N-Out says that’s not true. Well, I got a column out of it anyway (especially as it was almost finished when In-N-Out replied), working in a lot of In-N-Out stuff from Pomona and La Verne. That’s Sunday’s column.
Replacing the ailing Paul Eaton as mayor of Montclair is Ginger Eaton, his wife, who was appointed Monday to serve out the final four months of his term. I was there, and the story became Wednesday’s column.
On Monday I compiled comments I’d solicited on Facebook about the old Broadway store into several usable paragraphs to have ready after Tuesday morning’s demolition ceremony for Wednesday’s column, due a couple of hours after I got into the office. But the ceremony proved lively enough that I didn’t have room for the previously prepared material.
So I set it aside to use in Friday’s column. Very little goes to waste here. I also have some Culture Corner items, an item about some upcoming appearances by yours truly (two of them this weekend) and a Valley Vignette. Above, a view of the store under construction from early 1968.
