Biodeiesel fuel pump to be added at Arco 

The city’s Community Development Department has received an application from Propel Fuels Inc. to add a new biodiesel fuel pump at the ARCO AM/PM service station (701 E. Foothill Blvd.). This will be the first outlet for biodiesel fuel in Claremont. Propel proposes to sell Ethanol (FlexFuel E85) and Biodiesel (B5) in addition to the existing ARCO AM/PM operations, which will remain. The design for Propel’s new fuel canopy and associated signs will be reviewed by the architectural commission on July 27.

Residential parking restriction reminder

Residents may not be aware, but parking a vehicle on any unpaved surface or landscaped area, such as a front yard or unimproved area, is prohibited. Residents who have an overflow of parking  due to visitors or a special occasion can legally park on city streets and apply for overnight parking permits from the police department, if needed.  For more information, contact the Community Improvement office at 399-5467, or you can view Claremont Municipal Code Section  16.154.070.D online at www.ci.claremont.ca.us  under the “City Government/Municipal Code” link.

Wilderness Park parking lot project

This project is currently out to bid, with a bid opening date of Tuesday, June 26. This project will accommodate approximately 137 parking spaces encompassing nearly 1.7 acres at the north end of Mills Avenue using Pomona Valley Protective Agency (PVPA) property. Access to the park will be made available during construction, except for limited periods for grading and paving. Notifications will be made in advance for any closures. Construction is estimated to start early August. This project is partially funded by a Los Angeles County Regional Parks and Open Space District Grant. The primary construction for this project will be completed in October and also calls for the installation of parking meters.  

The grant calls for utilizing the California Conservation Corps (CCC) for the installation of the landscaping, which will occur later this fall. The CCC is a state agency that puts together young people and the environment, to the benefit of both. Corps members—young men and women between the ages of 18 and 25—sign up for a year of working outdoors to improve California’s natural resources.

Indian Hill storm drain improvement/Indian Hill and Auto Center Drive widening project

This project will add approximately 0.5 miles of new storm drain to stop flooding during heavy storms and accommodate drainage on Indian Hill Boulevard from Vista Drive to American Avenue.  This project is funded mostly with a Highway Safety Improvement  Program Grant (HSIP) and will start in early August. 

Pedestrian and vehicular access will be accommodated during construction. Street and/or lane closures will be done on an as-needed basis. Night work will also be done on this project to accommodate drivers’ commutes from San Jose Avenue to American Avenue. The city of Pomona  is also planning to extend the storm drain from American Avenue to San Bernardino Avenue as a separate project.

Conrad to direct MacArthur Fellows

Cecilia Conrad, vice president for academic affairs and dean of Pomona College, has been selected to serve as the next director of the MacArthur Fellows Program.

An economist, Ms. Conrad conducts research on economic inequality. At Pomona, she has championed the college’s summer undergraduate research program, led conversations regarding the value and assessment of a liberal arts college education and worked with academic departments to improve the campus climate for diversity.

In 2002, Ms. Conrad was recognized as California’s Carnegie Professor of the Year, a national award that recognizes faculty members for their achievement as undergraduate professors. Prior to joining the faculty at Pomona in 1995, she taught at Duke University, Barnard College and Columbia University.

Ms. Conrad received her master’s and doctorate degrees in economics from Stanford University with a specialization in labor economics, industrial organization and public finance. She was awarded her bachelor’s degree from Wellesley College where she was elected to Phi Beta Kappa.

She will start on January 15, 2013.

CUC announces leadership appointments

Two key leadership appointments were announced by Claremont University Consortium.

Anya Camille Booker, M.F.A., was named dean/director of the office of black student affairs (OBSA), and Reverend Brad J. Tharpe, M.Div., was selected as Protestant chaplain for the Inter-Faith Chaplaincy of the Claremont Colleges.

Ms. Booker received her B.A. in African American Studies from the University of California, Berkeley. She obtained a Masters in Fine Arts (M.F.A.) in film from the American Film Institute in Los Angeles and a M.F.A. in creative writing from Antioch University, Los Angeles.

Ms. Booker served as the director of african american student development in the multicultural student development program at UC Berkeley for 5 years. Her position with OBSA is effective July 16.

Rev. Tharpe received his B.A. in religious studies and classical studies from Vanderbilt University, Nashville.

He completed the Clinical Pastoral Education, Level 1, from Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center, obtained his Master of Divinity from Wake Forest University School of Divinity and was ordained to the Christian ministry by the First Baptist Church, Winston-Salem, N.C.

Rev. Tharpe served as the director of spiritual life at DePauw University, Greencastle, Ind., for 4 years. He also served as the associate director for the master of arts in dioethics, and administrative director for the center for bioethics, dealth and society for 4 years.

His position at the Inter-Faith Chaplaincy of The Claremont Colleges is effective August 1.

Haugh theater says hello yellow brick road, catches up with Peanuts gang

A duo of theatrical performances are coming up at Citrus Community College.

The first of these is a family-friendly production of The Wiz, a soulful adaptation of Frank L. Baum’s Wizard of Oz.

Featuring music by Charlie Smalls and a story by William F. Brown, the musical follows Dorothy as she is blown by a tornado into Munchkinland, where she meets the Tinman, the Cowardly Lion and her beloved Scarecrow. They all go off to see the Wizard of Oz, who turns out to be a phony, but she starts believing, and they all live happily ever after.

The Wiz is produced by the Citrus Summer Conservatory, a 5-week program offered to high school and college students interested in musical theater performance training and performance opportunities.

Performances will be held Friday, July 27 at 8 p.m. and Saturday, July 28 at 2 p.m.

A show aimed at slightly more mature audiences, Dog Sees God: Confessions of a Teenage Blockhead, will be performed in the Citrus Little Theatre on Sunday, August 5 at 2 p.m. 

Dog Sees God is an unauthorized revisiting of the popular Peanuts comic strip that imagines them as dysfunctional teenagers. It is a dark comedy with some adult language and themes.

The Citrus Theatre production was chosen as one of the featured performances at the American College Theatre Regional festival in Ogden, Utah in February of this year. The standing-room-only performances received high praise. 

Performances of Dog Sees God will be held adjacent to the Citrus Little Theatre, which is being remodeled this summer. A number of performances are planned: Friday, July 17, Saturday, July 28 and Friday, August 3 and Saturday, August 4 at 8 p.m. There will also be a matinee held on Sunday, August 5 at 2 p.m.

Tickets for both shows will be available online beginning Sunday, July 1. They can be purchased at the Haugh Performing Arts Box Office at Citrus College (1000 W. Foothill Blvd.) beginning Tuesday, July 3. Tickets cost $12 for general admission, $10 for students and seniors.

Claremont Chamber releases the 2012 Summer Coupon Book

The Marketing Committee of the Claremont Chamber of Commerce has published a Summer Coupon Book, similar to one published during the 2011 Holiday Season.

There are over 50 local business coupons, with many choices for customers including massage, hair and beauty salons, 10 restaurants, apparel, fitness, specialty stores and service industries.

All coupons are valid until September 26, 2012.

Coupon books are available at the Chamber of Commerce, city hall and at various business locations throughout the city. It is also available for download on the chamber’s website at www.claremont chamber.org.

The Claremont Chamber is located at 205 Yale Ave. For more information, call 624-1681 or email contact@claremont chamber.org.

Public invited to review Dial-a-Ride service plan

The public is invited to take part in a review of the Claremont Dial-a-Ride cab service this Thursday, June 28, at 6 p.m. at the Alexander Hughes Center, 1700 Danbury Road. This is the first in a series of community workshops gathering stakeholder input on the local non-profit organization.

The past several years have reflected an increase in Dial-a-Ride’s ridership and cost of service. With the way the program is growing, the city’s designated funds will only be able to maintain the program for the next 2.5 years. To address these concerns, the Claremont City Council suggested the community and human services commission analyze potential changes to the service to bring the program in line with available funding.

Those unable to attend Thursday’s meeting may also take part in review sessions to be held Thursday, July 19  at 7 p.m. at the City Council Chamber (225 W. Second St.), and Monday, July 23 at 9 a.m. at the Joslyn Center (660 N. Mountain Ave.) Comments may also be submitted to Cari Sneed, management analyst, at 399-5306 or csneed@ci.claremont.ca.us, or by mail to the Dial-A-Ride Ad Hoc Committee, 1616 Monte Vista Ave.

Claremont resident commissions in the US Navy

Thomas Belna of Claremont, son of James and Marilynne Belna, graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in mechanical engineering from Boston University in Boston, Mass. on May 20. Mr. Belna was commissioned as an ensign in the US Navy on May 21.

Mr. Belna attended Our Lady of the Assumption School in Claremont and Damien High School, graduating in 2008. He is currently assigned to the USS Monterey, a guided missile cruiser, in Norfolk, Virginia.

Wilderness Park bear sightings

Claremont city officials are alerting residents of recent bear sightings at the Claremont Hills Wilderness Park. 

Officials say the bears are not aggressive, but urge hikers and cyclists to avoid any contact. The warm summer weather brings other animals out in search of food and water, especially in the early mornings and evenings. Hikers and cyclists may encounter snakes, coyotes, tarantulas, raccoons and opposums in the Wilderness Park. Staying in groups and making noise will help minimize encounters.

If you see a wild animal behaving aggressively or attacking, contact the California Department of Fish and Game.  During regular office hours, call (310) 590-5132 or contact their 24-hour dispatch at (916) 445-0045.

Maple Boutique grand opening

The most recent addition to Village West, Maple Boutique, will host an opening reception tonight at 6 p.m. at 456 W. First St.

Maple Boutique, a women’s apparel shop, was opened in Wrightwood in 2008 by owner Amy Ogilvie. To learn more or to shop online, visit www.mapleboutique.com.