Column: It’s hooray for Cucamonga at Chaffey College

Rancho Cucamonga now has its own Hollywood-style “Cucamonga” sign on the Chaffey College campus. The whimsical piece by artist Amy Maloof has been up for a few weeks but is now finished with lighting and landscaping. I write about that, with a bit about the adjacent Wignall Museum’s renovation and opening, in Friday’s column. Also: Hooray for Fridays. Above, Maloof with her piece, partly blocked by an annoying pole.

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When Ronald Reagan and Bob Hope visited Chaffey College

Photos courtesy Rancho Cucamonga History Facebook page

On Nov. 3, 1990, former president Ronald Reagan came to Chaffey College to stump for fellow Republican Pete Wilson, who was running for governor.

“You have to make sure people know they are violating their heritage by not going to the polls,” Reagan told an audience of 400, according to news reports. “They are supposed to be telling people elected to office what to do.” He contrasted this with other countries, where he said people in office tell the public what to do.

Wilson was there, as were many other Republicans seeking office. Bob Hope warmed up the crowd. “We’ll all be glad when this election is over,” Hope said. “Pete Wilson will be governor, and the rest of us will be able to get our regular commercials back on television.”

Reagan made at least one phone bank call, to Ontario resident Vena Stout, 78. “Hello, this is Ronald Reagan,” the call began. He urged her to get out and vote, which the lifelong Republican promised to do.

If you’ve forgotten, Wilson did indeed win.

Thanks to the Chaffey College library staff for digging up news clippings of the event, just in time for Presidents Day.

Update, June 2021: Todd Stout emails to say the photos were taken by his father, Dennis L. Stout, then the mayor of Rancho Cucamonga, with Todd’s mother’s camera and scanned by Todd. I’ve corrected the source of the photos, which Chaffey had shared.

Stout continues: “Also, the Vena Stout mentioned in the article from 1990 was my grandmother. Mr. Reagan calling her was pure coincidence but rather cool nonetheless. She was actually 79 in November of 1990 and not 78. She and my grandfather lived at the same address in Ontario, CA from 1953 until they both passed away back in the 1990s.”
I appreciate the added details. I can’t accept, though, that it was by wild chance that the former president phoned the grandmother of the mayor. It must have been at someone’s suggestion. But I’m sure it was a thrill to get that call.

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Column: Unearthing news from Chino, RC

It had been a few months since I’d attended a Chino City Council meeting, and two years (!) since I’d been to a full-fledged Rancho Cucamonga City Council meeting. (Last year I did attend an afternoon workshop, though — as part of my effort to attend a council meeting in all nine of our cities.)

So I hit Chino on Tuesday and Rancho on Wednesday, finding enough material, and commentary, for Sunday’s column.

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