October 2011 Archives

Rancho Cucamonga is turning a wise age of 34. To celebrate, Victoria Gardens is once again host of the Founders Festival Community Parade.

Procession starts 9:30 a.m. Nov. 12 on South Mainstreet. This year's theme is "Superheroes -- Up, Up, and Away." The parade is followed by a birthday celebration and the presentation of parade awards at the Cultural Center courtyard.

Prizes will be presented to those with the best representation of the theme, most creative, most participation, best overall float and others. Like past parades, a Founders Award will be given to the entry that best embodies the spirit of Founder's Day.

Information: 909-477-2760    

Arts and crafts store Hobby Lobby will have its grand opening on Monday. The store will open 9 a.m. with the ribbon-cutting ceremony at noon.

Hobby Lobby takes the space of the former Mervyn's on Foothill Boulevard at the Terra Vista Town Center. Five Hobby Lobby stores are opening across the country on Monday. The locations in Rancho Cucamonga and Temecula are both located in former Mervyn's.

Opened Monday through Saturday, Hobby Lobby sells crafts and home decor items including fabric, picture frames, baskets, jewelry and scrapbooking supplies.  

The Lewis Family Playhouse will stage Tap Kids, a series of musical vignettes following a group of teenagers as they prepare for the big school dance and graduation. New York Stage Original's stage show has toured more than 30 states and internationally.

Tickets are $23; $21 for seniors and $18.50 for youth. The 2 p.m. performance is on Nov. 12.
 

I was granted a six-minute interview with Ann Coulter, who stopped by the Barnes and Noble bookstore this evening. About a dozen fans are still waiting in line at this time, two hours after the start of the signing.

Coulter has been a vocal supporter of New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie. I wanted to know what she thought of former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney's chances. Below is an excerpt:

Daily Bulletin: Who will win the Republican primary?

Ann Coulter: Mitt Romney

DB: Who should win?

Coulter: I thought for two years that it would be Mitt Romney unless my love Chris Christie jumped in. Chris Christie didn't jump in, so I'm back to thinking Romney.

Right wingers such as myself would rather imagine a hypothetical Ronald Reagan but we don't have a hypothetical Ronald Reagan running. And in terms of who can beat Obama ... if you've been watching these debates -- and for right wingers who haven't been watching the debates they may want to boil me in oil for saying this, but if they've been watching the debates and are going to read this, they're going to say, oh yeah, she's absolutely right -- Romney has been absolutely magnificent in these debates. We don't fully trust him, but I don't think he'll be worse than Bush was. He'll probably be between the first Bush and the second Bush and really wouldn't we all be happy to have George Bush back than the current occupant?

DB: Do you think Romney can beat Obama?

Coulter: Yes. I didn't until a year ago. I said at CPAC last January, who I wanted for president and who I predicted to be president, and I said if my boy Chris Christie doesn't run, it'll be Romney and we'll lose. And I must say by the summer time, I'd taken that back and said it's 50-50. I'd say that now.

Unfortunately, it's shocking that we have a divided nation. I don't know if you've seen these polls but only about what, 43 percent approve of the job Obama is doing. Who are those 43 percent? That's disturbing.

Photo by Eric Reed/Correspondent

The St. Clare of Assisi Episcopal Church will have a rummage sale from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Nov. 5. The sale at 6563 East Avenue will feature household and garden items, clothes, toys and other items. There's even a couple of rusty barbecues that some ambitious person can sell as scrap metal.

Information: 909-574-8918

Sen. Bob Dutton will give a Sacramento update and talk about redistricting at the next dinner meeting of the West Valley Republican Assembly. The dinner begins at 6:30 p.m. and the meeting starts 7 p.m. on Nov. 10 at Carrow's Restaurant, 11669 Foothill Blvd.

I like seeing new businesses fill in the void left by the less fortunate. But come on, is nothing sacred?

The Victoria Gardens Borders closed last month and within weeks, Halloween City moved in. Where the words of Gertrude Stein and John Steinbeck were once displayed, there are now beer stein babe costumes. According to an ad, the costume store also sells an array of wigs based on the characters of Jersey Shore.

Halloween City will be opened through Halloween. Then on the first several days of November, there will be a half-off sale. You can also find other Halloween stores at former Linens 'n Things, Off Broadway shoes and other victims of the recession.   

General Motors, 9150 Hermosa Ave., will host an open house event with cars on display, children's activities and tours of the plant. You might even get to take a GM car out for a drive. The family-friendly event is 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Nov. 5.  

Those 50 or older can get their flu shots for free on Wednesday at the James L. Brulte Senior Center, 11200 Base Line Road. The flu immunization clinic, sponsored by the San Antonio Community Hospital, will take place 9 a.m. to noon.

The same clinic will take place Monday from 9 a.m. to noon at Upland's Gibson Senior Center, 250 N. Third Ave.

Health officials recommend flu shots for those 50 and over, healthcare workers, women who will be pregnant during flu season and people who are in close contact with babies six months or younger.

Army combat engineer Ronnie J. Pallares died one year ago this Sunday. The Alta Loma High School graduate was just 19 when he was killed by a roadside bomb in Afghanistan.

Friends and family will gather near his military banner on Haven Avenue north of Sixth Street Sunday evening. Pallares' mother, Brenda Pallares, said it'll be a small tribute for her son and the community is invited to bring a candle and share a moment with the family. Taps will be played at 6 p.m.

The family will also gather at the Pallares' gold star banner again on Friday at 7 p.m. Friday would have been Pallares' 21st birthday.

Pallares' military banner, on the west side of Haven Avenue, became a makeshift memorial during the days following his death. On patriotic holidays, the light pole is often seen decorated with American flags and other memorabilia.

Chaffey College will host a Disability Awareness Fair Tuesday through Thursday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. each day. On Thursday, speakers will talk about autism, the Disabled Veterans SCUBA Project, Ms. Wheelchair Pageant and the dog-training program at the prisons. Vendors including the Department of Rehabilitation, Inland Regional Center, Autism Society and other organizations will be present each day.

The event takes place at the Disability Program Services, building CCE. Free parking is available in lot 8 tennis parking, lot 20 P.E./Athletics parking and near the Omnitrans Center parking area. Access to parking lots is on Wilson Avenue onto College Drive. For a campus center map, click here.  

Information: 909-652-6379

The City Council approved a conceptual plan for Southwest Cucamonga Park last night and adopted a mitigated negative declaration. If you don't speak planning, it means the city believes the development of the park will not have any significant environmental impact.

This move makes the city one step closer to building a park on Madrone Avenue between 9th Street and Arrow Route. The city will now hold a series of public meetings to finalize the park plan and then begin construction. In two and a half or three years, a new city park will be in place.

In 2010, the city was one of 62 communities to receive a grant by the state Department of Parks and Recreation. It received $3.9 million to develop a park in the 3.4-acre property.

Currently, there are six 1950s-era bungalows constructed by Konstanty Stys on the site of the future park. Stys is known for constructing the Russian Village in Claremont. A cultural resources assessment was conducted last year and it was determined that the historic character of the bungalows have been compromised by changes made to the buildings and that they do not meet the criteria for California Register of Historical Resources or local historic designation.

However, the city plans to use at least 10 percent of the building materials to construct features in the park such as shade structures and paths.

The author of children's book "If You Give a Mouse a Cookie" and others in the "If You Give ..." series will have a book signing at Barnes and Noble, 11090 Foothill Blvd., at 1 p.m. Saturday.

Laura Numeroff will read from and sign her latest book "If You Give a Dog a Donut." This is Numeroff's ninth book in the "If You Give" series, which has sold more than 38 million copies and have been translated to 13 languages.






Courtesy of Harpers Childrens

The Founder's Festival Community Parade will take place 9:30 a.m. on Nov. 12 at Victoria Gardens. If you want to enter a float, print out an entry form here and visit www.rcpark.com for more details. The deadline to turn it in is Friday.

Superheroes is the theme this year.

A special Daily Bulletin on vacation photo came to my inbox this weekend courtesy of Mayor Dennis Michael. The mayor recently came back from a vacation to Rwanda and Kenya, where he had this photo shot on Rusinga Island. Michael, his wife Regina Holt-Michael and friends paid a visit to Rusinga Island Trust School. Located in a fishing village on the shores of Lake Victoria, the school houses 230 students, 70 percent of which are AIDS orphans.

Visitors in the back row from left: Bob Smith, Cheryl Smith, Jack Lam, Linda Lam, Dennis Michael, Regina Holt-Michael, Russ Warner, Mark Ross, Kris Warner, Michael Martin and Joy Martin.

Thanks to Mayor Michael for playing the Daily Bulletin on vacation game. Other good sports include former Mayor Don Kurth in Harvard and former City Manager Jack Lam who sent a photo of him, his wife Linda Lam and some penguins on vacation. 

Tomorrow is the start of Educator Appreciation Week at Barnes and Noble, 11090 Foothill Blvd. Educators who sign up for a free discount card will receive 25 percent off classroom and personal purchases through Oct. 22. On Tuesday from 4 to 7 p.m., there will be a reception with prizes, refreshments and an opportunity to win a $500 gift card.

Farrell's is looking for servers, hosts, cooks, bussers, dishwashers and "ice cream artisans." Applicants for hosts and servers may get called back next Friday or Saturday for "group auditions." This is the time to show off your personality to your future employer. Think perky.

Job applications will be handed out at the event or you can download one here.

Alta Loma High School graduate Sara Hills, pictured, needs all the help she can get. The writer and producer is making a short film "You Got This," a story about two young women, whose paths cross during a charity run. Hills, a runner herself, plans to shoot the film in Rancho Cucamonga next month. This is her thesis project for school, the prestigious American Film Institute.

AFI is paying $13,000 for Hills and her team to shoot the film. Hills has raised $11,000 so far and needs another $8,000. She is also looking for a hotel to house her crew of 35 people, a catering company to feed everyone, a golf cart to shoot the running scenes and extras to be in the movie.

"We're also looking for some extra hands to help with the production," she said. "Just some extra hands on deck."

Visit the "You Got This" website for more about the film or to learn how you can help.

Hey, we're not just suburban sprawl after all.

A recent issue of the Inland Empire Weekly had readers voting Rancho Cucamonga as the best city. Readers of the alt-weekly also thought the best mall, best Mexican restaurant and best restaurant overall are located in the city of grapes.

Other nods to this city includes Brunswick Deer Creek on Haven Avenue as best bowling alley, Galli's on Carnelian Avenue as best rock bar, online business Allgreens Lip Balm as best eco-friendly business, punk record store Dr. Strange on Amethyst Avenue as best place to buy vinyl, Victoria Gardens as best mall, Suite 106 Cupcakery at Victoria Gardens as best dessert, Berries Frozen Yogurt on Day Creek Boulevard as best frozen dessert, Red Hill Coffee Shop on Foothill Boulevard as best greasy spoon, Haandi on Haven Avenue as best Indian restaurant, Corky's on Haven Avenue in this city as best late-night eats, Tio's on Day Creek Boulevard as best Mexican restaurant, Monaco's Pizza on Day Creek Boulevard as best pizza, Sycamore Inn as best restaurant, and Steer n' Stein on Archibald Avenue as best steakhouse.       

The Animal Care and Adoption Center's big annual fundraiser is next Saturday, Oct. 22. From 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., the Furry Friends Festival will take place on the soccer fields behind the Arrow Route animal center.

Early birds can purchase the pancake breakfast for $5 from the Rotary Club starting 8 a.m.

At 9 a.m., there will be a pet walk-a-thon going around the one-mile course at Quakes Stadium. Registration, beginning 8 a.m., is $25 for individuals with two pets and $80 for a team of four people with two pets. Participants are encouraged to seek pledges from friends and family. There will be awards for most pledges, most walkers and best team t-shirt.

From 10 a.m. to 1:35 p.m., there will be a number of pet demonstrations and contests including the pet look-alike and costume contest. It costs $5 or $8 for both contests.

Veterinarians, entertainment and food can also be found throughout the day. Proceeds from the event goes to the animal center's medical rehabilitation program.

To pre-register for the walk-a-thon or for more information, visit www.rcpets.info.

Information: 909-466-7387
 

If you noticed an earthy odor in your tap water, it's algae bloom. Apparently, some people can taste it and some people can't. Algae bloom thrives in the warmer months of autumn, or Indian Summer. Today is one example; it's supposed to be 100 degrees today!

Read today's article on page A3 to find out when this algae will go away.

The Lazy Dog Cafe will open its newest location at the Signature Plaza on Fourth Street and operate everyday from 11 a.m. to midnight. Shown here is the Temecula restaurant.

Courtesy
of Lazy Dog Cafe


Lazy Dog Cafe, a chain of Southern California restaurants, is opening its 10th location on Fourth Street between Richmond Place and Buffalo Avenue. Construction of the restaurant is expected to be complete in March or April.

The Planning Commission last night gave the green light on the cafe, which will have a bar and outdoor dining space. Moni Dosanjh of RSI Group, which represents the restaurant, told the commission the menu includes everything from meat loaf to calamari to kung pao chicken.

"I like the look and feel of the restaurant. It has that kind of craftsman bungalow look that fits very well with Fourth Street," said commission Chairman Lou Munoz. "I'm partial to Not Your Mom's Meatloaf. It sounded pretty mouth-watering."

Not Your Mom's Meatloaf was among the more standard items on the menu. Lazy Dog also dishes up some unique items such as spicy fried chicken lollipops and sweet potato tater tots.

The 9,400-square-foot restaurant will be built on an empty parcel near where the Mel's Drive-in used to be. Dosanjh said this is the first time the restaurant is building from the ground up, as opposed to moving into an existing space.

"We're looking forward to go under construction," he said. "This building will be our prototype."

Tomorrow, the restaurant is expected to wrap up construction of its West Covina restaurant.

I've been trying to limit my red meat and carb intake, which is probably why the local chapter of the Sons of Italy is holding their annual Pasta Meatball Dinner on Oct. 23.

For $10, you can get a pasta dinner made by the chef of Antonino's Ristorante. The dinner is from 3 to 7 p.m. at the Vineyard Avenue and Foothill Boulevard restaurant. Organizers recommend you buy your tickets in advance at Antonino's or Wahoo's. You can also tell Councilman Sam Spagnolo to save you a ticket. His phone number is 951-315-3158.

The yearly dinner is the largest fundraiser for the Italian American community group. Money raised will go toward local and national charities.

If you go, look for the non-Italian reporter eating her pasta shamelessly, and say hello.

"Today has been a pretty good day," Maureen Crabbe told me over the phone today.

We like these words. We like to hear good news for the Crabbe family.

Maureen was talking about her son, Cpl. Justin Crabbe, who has been in the hospital since August recovering from his wounds after stepping on a bomb in Afghanistan. On Monday, President Obama paid him a visit at his hospital in Bethesda, Md. and gave him the purple heart.

Justin, 22, a Los Osos High School graduate who enlisted in the Marines in 2008, lost both of his legs in the incident and continues to struggle in the recovery process. But today Crabbe got to use his wheel chair and worked his arms. That's fantastic news.

On Oct. 22, there will be a fundraiser car show at Legends Burgers, 8775 Base Line Road. Money raised will go to the Crabbe family to offset their expenses as they take time out of their lives to be with Justin in Maryland. From noon to 3 p.m., the restaurant will donate 15 percent of proceeds to the family.

To read more about Justin's progress, look in the newspaper this weekend for a lengthier feature. You can also learn more about Justin by visiting this blog the family has set up.

Animal Services Director Joe Pulcinella led a special meeting on Monday outlining steps the animal center will take to curb the influx of abandoned animals.

Just how many animals is the center taking in these days?

Last year, the center took in 5,067 animals, up 22 percent since 2005. Pulcinella said the numbers have climbed since 2005 but really spiked in the last two years.

The economy has made it hard for many families to keep their pets. This spring, the center saw three to four times more puppies coming in than they normally do. The center had to convert some cat space to fit all the puppies.

To help solve the influx, the center is considering a two-puppy limit for non-residents. Pulcinella said the center sometimes gets an entire litter of puppies.

"These probably aren't strays but unplanned litters," Pulcinella said. "Some are people who deliberately breed dogs to sell but later can't find homes for the litter."

Read today's article on page A3 to find out what a frustrated councilman said about the animal center and what Pulcinella's plans are for retirement. 

Animal Services Director Joe Pulcinella will give a status report to the City Council on Monday. Pulcinella will discuss the foster care program, outline recent activities with the center's volunteers and other issues. The special meeting takes place 4 p.m. at the Central Park Alta Loma room.

In taco news, a friend has informed me that Felipe's on Foothill Boulevard and Archibald Avenue has closed. A red note courtesy of Sheriff Rod Hoops is taped outside, warning employees from entering.

Mexican restaurant Felipe's once had three locations in the city. The one on Carnelian Avenue was the first to close. Then owner Felipe DeLaPiedra sold the Foothill and Archibald location but allowed the new owner to keep the name. Finally in 2008, DeLaPiedra sold his last restaurant on Foothill and Masi Drive and it became El Loco Cantina. We all know what happened there. When it started operating like a bar and night club, the city closed it down.

Earlier this year, Taco Hut opened in the El Loco Cantina location. Last weekend, Taco Hut finally re-opened at its original location -- Foothill, just east of Hellman Avenue. A fire ruined the taco joint last year but owners vowed to renovate.

According to Taco Hut's Facebook page, the new restaurant has more televisions, larger restrooms but same great service.

Orchard Supply Hardware, on Foothill Boulevard east of Vineyard Avenue, is closing. A liquidation sale is currently taking place.

OSH isn't exactly a small mom and pop hardware store but compared to the behemoths on the east side of town, it sort of is. OSH filled a hole that was once left long empty when Gemco closed. Remember Gemco? The original big box.

Speaking of big box stores ... Wal-mart is preparing to submit an application at the end of the year to build a store on Foothill Boulevard and Mayten Avenue, according to Planning Director James Troyer. The plan would be to close the current location near the 15 Freeway and build a store facing Foothill near Home Depot.  

The City Council said yes to a lease agreement with the owners of the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes today. That means, the minor league team will stay in this city for at least another 10 years. 




Daily Bulletin file photo

The subject of the permitting process for rallies and protests cropped up once again at the City Council meeting tonight.

At previous meetings, Democrats and members of the tea party, among others, have spoken out against the ordinance approved in August. Among the three speakers who spoke out against the ordinance tonight were anti-illegal immigration activists.

Robin Hvidston, who frequently speaks out against illegal immigration and Spanish language billboards, said the ordinance was "outrageous" and restricts freedom of speech.

The ordinance requires groups of 75 people or more to obtain a permit should they want to stage a protest in this city. The permit is free but the city wants advanced notice for protests.

Hvidston, along with Raymond Herrera, lambasted city leaders for not prohibiting day laborers from congregating on Grove Avenue and Arrow Route, an intersection that has historically been an area for laborers to seek temporary work, and instead restricting rally organizers such as herself.

"In the name of decency, repeal this outrageous law and focus on the day labor site if you want to deal with the bedlam in this town," Hvidston said.

Mayor Dennis Michael, along with others in the City Council, has said the ordinance will not be repealed. However, city leaders are looking into changing certain provisions of the ordinance and make some concessions for those who oppose the permit process.

"Honus and Me," a play based on the first in a series of "Baseball Card Adventure" books by Dan Gutman, runs through Oct. 16 at Lewis Family Playhouse. The story follows the young Joey Stoshack who comes across a magical baseball card that takes him to the 1909 World Series. This performance is appropriate for children ages 6 and older.

There are shows 1 and 4 p.m. Saturdays and 1 p.m. Sundays. Tickets are $16; $14 for seniors and youth.


This Sunday, it's Little League Day with special games and children's activities before the show.

Information: 909-477-2752