Opinion

Wilderness park master plan committee selection Dear Editor: A statement by Ludd Trozpek in his letter to the COURIER published April 11 needs correcting. In reference to Dean McHenry’s criticism of the composition of the Wilderness Park Master Plan Technical Advisory Committee (TAC), Mr. Trozpek asserts that the Claremont Wildlands Conservancy (CWC) “…was doubtless instrumental […]

By John Pixley “Yes, we support the subway, but don’t touch anything, and don’t inconvenience us in any way.” * * * Who remembers the veterinarian office in the Village along the west side of Indian Hill Boulevard? What about the Union Ice Company? I remember taking a kitten to the vet there when I […]

We had to destroy the wilderness to save it Dear Editor: My friend Dean McHenry spills out a cornucopia of grievances tied to the wilderness master planning in his April 4 viewpoint. His concerns are imaginary and overwrought. I will not address the first half of his article except to say that anyone dispassionately viewing […]

by Mark von Wodtke, FASLA Imagine entering Claremont from the freeways (210 or the 10) or by the highways (Base Line, Foothill or Arrow) and experiencing beautiful tree-lined streets with parkways that define our community. As we can see on Indian Hill Boulevard, street trees provide wonderful gateways that celebrate each season of the year. […]

Democracy to the highest bidders Dear Editor: Whatever your political persuasion—left, right or center—we should all be concerned about the corrosive influence of big money in politics. Over a hundred years ago, Teddy Roosevelt had to struggle with political bosses to get elected and pass reforms. Today’s real political bosses are the billionaires who spend […]

by Dean E. McHenry, Jr. The city is stumbling in its efforts to help foster the development of a fair and far-sighted Wilderness Park Master Plan aimed at resolving the variety of problems faced in our efforts to preserve and enjoy that wonderful asset to our north. This concern was raised to a critical level […]

Park parking Dear Editor: My neighbors and I just received the most recent parking restriction notification. We live on Michigan Drive, west of Mills. If you keep restricting parking for the park, the hikers and cyclists will eventually fill up the Vons parking lot. Already, there are easily a dozen vehicles that do just that. […]

By Mellissa Martinez Strolling past the Claremont Pooch Park, it’s hard not to notice the crazed canine vibe. Beloved pets yelp, jump and sprint in excitement. Others silently snoop around. Life, however, has not always been so sweet for our four-legged friends. Expressions like a dog’s life, sick as a dog, dog days, dog tired […]

When I was a little girl, I would imagine my wedding day as an extravagant affair in Paris complete with horse-drawn carriages, copious amounts of goodies and, of course, a show-stopping gown with an unreasonably long train. Perhaps I could even have my favorite songstress Joanna Newsom take the stage for the first dance. No […]

by Susan Schenk When I walk around the city, I look for gardens, big and small, that seem not only to embody principles of sustainability, but which add to the beauty of Claremont. I admire some that are simple, some that are complex, some that grow edibles, some given over to annuals or shrubs, some […]

It is called food porn. I thought it was one of those crazy things that I sometimes hear about—at least as crazy as it sounded—but then I kept seeing friends and other people doing it. They probably do it in their kitchens and dining rooms, but I see them doing it usually in restaurants and […]

By Jan Wheatcroft I just returned from a wonderful month’s visit to southern India in the states of Tamil Nadu and Kerala. I went with my friend, Barbara, and it was an independently planned trip where we were the trip planners, travelers and guides (for the most part).  About half of the trip was planned […]

Golden State’s full mission Dear Editor: The article by John Neiuber was a fascinating look back. Reading the acknowledgements, I was pleased to learn Frank Wheeler’s scrapbooks are available online, and I was reminded again of Judy Wright’s passion for research about the town she loved. “The Citizens Light and Power Company” is a great […]

by Debbie Carini A lot of people don’t consider walking exercise. A rule of thumb is 100 calories per mile are burned for an 180-pound person and 65 calories per mile for a 120-pound person. So even though I walk almost every day, I am barely hoofing-off those four Girl Scout Thin Mints I ate […]

by John Neiuber As I sit down at the desk in my study looking out onto Indian Hill Boulevard, I am prepared to write about a totally different topic, but the first sizeable rainstorm of the season has arrived and it is taking my attention away from the computer screen. Our dog, Gus, is fascinated […]

By John Pixley Never mind having my own private airplane. This was like having my own private airport. It was 8 o’clock on a recent Friday morning, and I was flying to Portland, Oregon with a companion for the weekend. Being dropped off at Ontario International Airport was exciting—I don’t fly much and love getting […]