THERE’S NO PLACE LIKE HOME

The COURIER received a most scornful email this week with the subject line, “Disgusting message spread at local festival.” 

In it, the writer blasts Claremont for defending sexual assault and promoting a rape culture. “I was appalled to see that the Soundwave Festival held in Claremont over the weekend allowed such disgusting T-shirts to be sold at their otherwise fine festival,” she wrote in reference to the sale of a collection of T-shirts emblazoned with unsavory comments about women.

The Soundwave Festival didn’t ring a bell with newsroom staff. After a request for more information, the woman responded, “Sorry, wrong Claremont! My apologies. Claremont, Australia.”

FLYING HIGH

More information came in regarding the plane crash of 1936, although the year of the crash may be under question. Margaret Burgess Cooke shared:

“I think, at that time, the Hawkins family lived there. It crashed into the gazebo in the backyard of 132 W. 12th Street. The 2 people in the plane were college students. My parents said they had had too much to drink! The fire department was worried that the plane would catch fire and so they buried the gasoline in our backyard. We lived next door, but, unfortunately, I was at my piano lesson and did not see it happen. The firemen were just finishing getting rid of the gasoline when I arrived home.”

Bud Weisbrod followed up this week to express the impact of witnessing the crash.

“I was interested in airplanes, even at that age, and eventually became a pilot and flight instructor in single and multi-engine planes, seaplanes and gliders. Even ran a flight school in Hawaii for a couple of years. I’m an industrial engineer, Oregon State 1955, and have been married for over 58 years to my wonderful wife, who is also a pilot. I proposed to her in a tailspin in a Piper Cub, spinning straight down, just like the plane I had seen crash some 16 years earlier. But I didn’t crash…and she said ‘yes.’”

MAKING A SPLASH

Golden State Water Company launched a project to replace approximately 1300 feet of aging pipeline in Claremont as part of an infrastructure improvement. The new pipeline, according to Golden State, “will reduce the risk of leaks and improve water flow for customers locally.” There’s no mention of what, if any, impact these improvements will have on residents’ water bills.

MONEY MATTERS

Los Angeles County will receive $3.6 million from the city of Claremont as part of a mandate by the Department of Finance, according to City Manager Tony Ramos’ latest city update. Mr. Ramos explains that the payment is a requirement of “the state’s elimination of redevelopment and the seizure of local redevelopment funds to balance the state budget.” A bulk of the fee, about $2.9 million, had been given to the city’s former Redevelopment Agency for economic and redevelopment, with $673,479 for the creation of affordable housing. Anticipating the payment, city officials incorporated the amount into the city’s budget. 

In other city finance news, ?Mr. Ramos reported that the California Department of Finance rescinded its claim that any profits received from the city’s Base Line Road property and its purcase agreement with City Ventures, LLC was to be shared with the DOF.

Mr. Ramos and his team flew to Sacramento last month and successfully defeated the DOF’s grab at the cash. The property will remain a housing asset of the city, as will the proceeds from its sale.

“Had the final determination not been in the city’s favor,”??Mr. Ramos noted, “it is likely that the property would have been subject to disposition and the proceeds turned over to Los Angeles County for distribution to taxing entities.”

Until next time,

Sammy

sammy@claremont-courier.com