More about Juan Bautista de Anza’s 1774 expedition, the subject of a column last month. After the explorer left Riverside 250 years ago, he went through Ontario and Cucamonga. A park, a school and a bear sculpture mark the way. Also: an award is received and a lunch date arrives two days early. Find all this in my Wednesday column.
Category Archives: Around Ontario
Column: 50 years ago, California Jam rock festival drew 200,000
It’s been 50 years since California Jam, a Woodstock-style rock festival, drew 200,000 to Ontario. I explain what it was all about and quote memories from fans in my Sunday column.
Column: How Ontario reacted to JFK’s assassination 60 years ago today
JFK’s assassination caused a scramble at the Ontario Daily Report, but the late-morning news was able to be included in the evening edition Nov. 22. The next two issues offer a window into the immediate impact on daily life. I offer some highlights and perspective in my Wednesday column, appearing Nov. 22, 2023, 60 years to the day later.
Column: Bus line will accelerate change on Holt Blvd.
You may have read about the upcoming West Valley Connector rapid bus that will travel from Pomona through Ontario and Montclair to Rancho Cucamonga. It turns out that it’s going to have a big impact on a few blocks of East Holt Boulevard in Ontario, where 22 structures in a seven-block stretch will be demolished. Currently many are boarded up. I delve into that in a rather sober Friday column.
Column: Feinstein helped return ONT to IE’s hands
As senator, Dianne Feinstein helped facilitate the transfer of Ontario International Airport to local control, which took place in 2016. I pay tribute to that act, as well as offer advice — and chastisement — to those who say they didn’t know that a certain star (or Starr) was coming to Ontario, plug a screening of a movie shot in mid-1990s La Verne and share a vignette from Upland, all in my Friday column.
Column: Help! Column on Ringo gets drumbeat of criticism
My column about Ringo’s poorly attended concert in Ontario did not go over well with his fan base. Asks one irritated reader: “How many concerts has the author sold out?” I excerpt my mail and social media comments, and reply, in my Friday column. It’s rare that I get enough outraged reaction to fill a column, given my topics, but when I do, I love rounding it up like this. It’s a chance to challenge myself to come up with terse responses that are funny but not mean, or at least are less mean than the comments themselves.
Column: A big Starr comes to Ontario: Ringo
One day when Ringo Starr is no longer with us, I’ll be able to say I saw him in Ontario once. I won’t be able to say it was very entertaining, but it was nice to be in the same room as him. Attendance was so light that not many will be able to say the same. My Wednesday column shares what it was like and offers some unsolicited advice.
Column: Ontario makes its play for the RC Quakes
Ontario OKs a framework to start talks with the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes about relocating. I attend a council meeting to try to understand what’s going on. (I may or may not have succeeded.) I write about it for my Friday column — my first from an Ontario council meeting in four years.
Column: With 30 ballparks in 30 days, couple hits for the cycle
An Ontario couple, Alan and Judi Wapner, spent May 2 to 31 visiting all 30 major league ballparks, seeing a game per day before traveling to the next city for the next game. Sounds exhausting, but also quite an experience. Their quest is the subject of my Friday column.
Column: Couple’s venture adds life to neglected corner
I visit Holt x Palm, a new home-goods store in Ontario that has sprouted in an unlikely place, a forgotten corner downtown south of Holt, and with a striking mural on the exterior. The couple behind it are heavily invested in making downtown a success. Also: the children’s room of the Ontario City Library is now named for writer Beverly Cleary, and a business sign in Ontario has been covered up in a curious way. Yes, Friday’s column is all-Ontario. See how you like it.