Opinion
by Sue Schenk Pretty much everyone agrees that California has a housing shortage, and that the lack is greatest in what is called “affordable housing.” In an attempt to address this problem, the state now requires that owners of residential properties be allowed to build “accessory dwelling units” (ADUs), popularly known as “granny flats.” Because […]
When enough is enough Dear Editor: Like many other small cities, Claremont elections are non-partisan. Candidates seeking municipal office do not campaign as Democrats or Republicans. Each party may have a club, but they are not part of official Claremont. Over the years, the COURIER has shied away from taking a position on national political […]
When I was growing up in Claremont, my parents made sure I knew the importance of telling the truth. And if I did tell a lie, I had to own up and apologize to anyone involved. It was good advice about doing the right thing. In my 43-year career as a journalist, editor and photographer […]
New complex by Griswold’s Dear Editor: Many years ago, my father lived on and owned a small lemon grove in Claremont. While I grew up on the west side of town, my Claremont roots are deep as I have enduring memories of this beautiful Village we all call home. Finally, I was able to move […]
by Jan Wheatcroft “Where is your next trip?” is the question I get asked most often by people who “read me” in the COURIER. Often I have no idea or have so many places that I would love to visit I find it hard to choose. This past year has been difficult for me “travel […]
Neighbors matter [Editor’s note:?The following letter was addressed to Mayor Corey Calaycay and Councilmembers Jed Leano and Ed Reece, with a copy forwarded for publication. —KD] Dear Mayor Calaycay, Councilmembers Leano and Reece: I wanted to officially share my sincere disappointment in your selection of map 124a, drawn by the consultant to preserve your […]
by Jan Wheatcroft When I was 11 years old I went up to sleep away camp for the summer. My mother put me on a night train, the Owl, which left from LA’s Central Station and went up to Redding, California. I traveled with other children and an adult or two in a train carriage […]
It’s no secret that Southern Californians have a complicated relationship with snow. We love it, hate it, ski and sled in it, slip on it, try to drive in it, and even wait in huge traffic jams to be near it. Many people move to Southern California to get away from it. But for those […]
by Mellissa Martinez My eight-year-old son Felix has recently started watching a Disney show called Mr. Young. As the dialogue from the TV flows through our living room, I loosely follow the story of a 14-year-old prodigy who returns to his hometown to teach at his former high school. After a few episodes, however, I […]
Good intentions, bad outcomes Dear Editor: Claremont, wake up! Big changes are coming to the way we elect our city council members. In response to a potential lawsuit that may be filed against the city seeking to enforce the provisions of the California Voter Rights Act (CVRA), the Claremont City Council is moving toward a […]
by John Neiuber This column is the fifth installment of the “Building Claremont” series that focuses on the architects and structures that have shaped the development and built environment of the city. At the end of 2018, the fully revised sixth edition of An Architectural Guidebook to Los Angeles, by David Gebhard and Robert Winter, […]
Transparency, please Dear Editor: In the course of the several council meetings where the proposal to switch Claremont to a by-district voting system has been discussed, the city attorney referred to a “threat” that the city had received which supposedly indicates that a resident or group of residents intend to challenge the city’s existing at-large […]
by Mellissa Martinez I recently came across a Facebook post in which a friend shared a picture of a delicious looking pastry from her hometown in Poland. The caption read, “home sweat home.” I could not help but double over in laughter. Don’t get me wrong, I was not laughing at the fact that a […]
Electric charge Dear Editor: I like to think of myself as someone who can figure “it” out doing research, reading, asking questions and talking to knowledgeable people. Confession: It has been frustrating learning about our new power company. What we did figure out is that Clean Power Alliance (CPA) is another government agency started with […]
By Peter Weinberger President Trump’s decision to shut down the government until he gets a wall between Mexico and the United States continues to cause chaos in our country. Not only do 800,000 federal employees and their families suffer without paychecks, but 387 of our 737 national parks have been forced to close some […]
A year ago I wrote about how I’d finally found peace in my dead mother’s house (“Forgiveness: a mother’s love even after death,” January 12, 2018). I talked about forgiveness, moving on, and how happiness, after a long vacation, had returned to my home. I’m here to report that in some ways I spoke too […]