Readers’ comments: October 7, 2022

5C student wonders if Colleges care about conservation

Dear editor:

Do the Claremont Colleges really care about water conservation? Every night, at exactly 9 p.m., I can hear the sprinklers start on the walkways near my dorm. Every night, I wonder how, as the City of Claremont is experiencing a level two water shortage, can the Claremont Colleges be watering grass that serves no other purpose other than adding to the “beauty” of the campuses?

The problem extends to all 5C campuses: as I walk onto Pomona’s, I see sprinklers cascading water onto the bright green grass of the school’s new gym. Claremont McKenna dorms continue to water lawns that are cordoned off to protect regrowth — even though they will inevitably be stomped by partygoers every weekend.

Scripps’ campus walkways are ironically covered in signs that read “DROUGHT. The struggle is real. Conserve.” The “ugh” is in bold in an attempt to be cute, but instead, it just adds to the irony and is in fact my reaction to the sign itself.

These signs suggest the college is aware and actively pursuing water conversation, yet, aside from these signs, there is no other action taken by the schools to encourage water conservation, not even suggestions to limit shower times.

At a time when Claremont residents are having to minimize their water consumption by 20%, the Claremont Colleges need to take action and stop wasting water on grass. It is distasteful and disrespectful to the residents of Claremont who are making significant sacrifices to follow conservation rules.

Sylvie Hasson

Scripps College student

Claremont

Bad experience with Get About service

Dear editor:

My wife is recovering from surgery, is temporarily transport chair bound (no transfer to car seat and back). Get About Claremont offers transport chair van service. We booked that service for a  follow-up trip to her doctor’s office last week. It was a disaster! We were late for a 2:15 p.m. appointment, then waited for an hour and-a-half for the return home pick-up. The outdoor temp was above 90 degrees! Repeated calls to Get About were useless. No driver in our area (the building just south of Pomona Valley Hospital Medical Center). We were trapped with no alternative other than just wait.

This is not acceptable dependable public transit service. Shame on all those involved in this failure. No apology is sufficient. Get this fixed or shut down now.

Ted Nall

Claremont

One enthusiastic vote for a Lake Castaic getaway

Dear editor:

Although the summer season has just come to a close, it is still hot out here! Living in San Bernardino County we will experience temperatures in the 70s to high 80s for a bit longer than the rest of Los Angeles. That is why the perfect place for a fall weekend away is Lake Castaic.

Located just over an hour away from Claremont in the Sierra Pelona Mountains of northwestern Los Angeles County, Lake Castaic provides a mini oasis away from the heat and the city. During the summer it has an open swim beach with lifeguards and snack trucks. During the fall it opens its docking areas for boats, paddle boards and kayaks. Lake Castaic also has a wide variety of fish, including largemouth bass and striped catfish for any of those interested in sitting back and catching their dinner.

Furthermore, the lake’s campsite sits right above its bank, allowing visitors to camp with views of the glistening blue waters in front and mountains in the back. The per night price is just $30 with larger group sites options available. My friends and I went camping during the summer and we had a fantastic experience. We spent the afternoon swimming in the water, which was surprisingly warm, then headed to a nearby restaurant to have a quick dinner before heading back to our campsite to make s’mores and watch the stars. Lake Castaic is the perfect weekend getaway for anyone looking to cool off, enjoy some time in nature and not have to drive too far!

Hope you all stay cool these next couple weeks.

Mihika Desouza

Claremont

MAGA Republican has more to say

Dear editor:

The reactions to my Sept. 16 “Readers’ Comment” in the subsequent Sept. 23 and 30 editions of the COURIER were as expected from frantic Democrat voters too proud to admit their party has messed up a good economy, a safe society, a secure border, low inflation, a strong dollar, and a strong international standing to name a few. These critics are labeling MAGA voters like me as racist non-thinking science deniers. The signs around town saying “Stop Trumpism! Save Democracy!” are, in my opinion, a joke.

For our representative republic to survive we need to protect our individual freedoms and not allow our government to take them away. Creating laws to punish medical doctors who are brave enough to speak out against Covid policies with which they disagree, allowing government induced partisan censorship of news stories, and the unequal application of justice by a highly partisan department of justice and an attorney general bent on digging up and even fabricating crimes on some people while ignoring crimes of others, are flagrant tells of a tyrannical government. When the media is “in bed” with the government, that is truly when we have lost our freedoms. Why isn’t the media criticizing the outright lies and cover-ups of the Biden Administration? They certainly excoriated the Trump Administration.

I know my political views are different than those of the COURIER, but I totally support and admire their policy of allowing me to express my views in their paper even when they may be different than their own. The free expression of ideas coupled with limited government control is the bedrock that has made this country great. I want this country to return to those parameters. A government which cannot be questioned is a government which cannot be trusted.

Kris M. Meyer

Claremont

Vote Hanlon for TVMWD

Dear editor:

Having read the COURIER’s exceptional candidate coverage, I would like to urge my fellow Claremont area residents to vote for Jeff Hanlon in November. I am convinced that a vote for Jeff Hanlon is a vote for the conservation, protection, and restoration of our region’s water supplies in the daunting face of unprecedented drought and climate change.

In almost three decades that I have been working in water conservation related fields, I have learned that there is no magic pill for the challenges facing us. Jeff supports the need to prioritize local water supply initiatives including robust storm water capture programs, water conservation incentives, and water recycling projects, all of which are supported and funded by Three Valleys Municipal Water District’s parent agency, Metropolitan Water District. Jeff has not and will not support the ill-conceived Cadiz project which seeks to pump and deplete water from endangered desert ecosystems for short term gain. Nor will he support any projects like it.

 From the COURIER’s thorough coverage of the candidates, it’s clear that Jeff is most committed to balancing the need for reliable cost effective water delivery with the need to protect Claremont’s and California’s environment for our children. Let’s ensure we don’t make a Cadiz-like mistake again.

A vote for Jeff Hanlon is a vote for sustainability, innovation and transparency on the board of Three Valleys MWD.

Drew Ready

Claremont

Council debate videos make choice clear: Leano

Dear editor:

I want to thank Active Claremont and the Claremont Chamber of Commerce for hosting two candidate forums, September 15, and September 22, respectively.

I watched both videos on YouTube, and I strongly urge all voters in City Council District 4 to watch them to hear the candidates discuss several issues, including city budget, pensions, sustainability, homelessness, public safety, and outreach and engagement.

(Editor’s note: Active Claremont’s footage is at https://youtu.be/f7-4cZZySTI, and the chamber’s at https://youtu.be/TosAEozosqw.)

It is truly clear that Mayor Jed Leano is the far more qualified candidate in District 4 based on his depth of knowledge of all questions asked, his ability to give specific details on the policy questions at city hall, and his experience the last four years of handling unique problems like the pandemic, the January 2022 windstorm, and so many more.

To all voters in District 4: please watch these candidate forum videos and examine the candidates yourself. You can go to the Active Claremont and Claremont Chamber of Commerce YouTube channels, where you will easily find the candidate forum videos. In the District 4 race, the contrast in qualification, experience, and preparation for service could not be more pronounced and clearer.

Greg Shapton

District 4 resident, Claremont

Challengers are distorting Cadiz Water Project

Dear editor:

The issue of water in Southern California cannot be summarized in a soundbite. It is a complex web of facilities and sources that assures a reliable, affordable, and clean supply of drinking water. After reading the interview summaries in last week’s edition I want to make sure your readers are not left with any misunderstandings about what Three Valleys is doing to assure their water supply.

Neophyte candidates have attempted to make this election about things we shouldn’t do. But their real plans for our area leave us with higher rates and fewer jobs. We have chosen an “all of the above” option. We have several projects and studies underway to stabilize our water supply. They include: storm water storage, new local groundwater wells, water recycling, pipeline retrofitting and groundwater treatment.

Some have tried to distort one of those projects. Here are the facts: the Cadiz Water Project offers new water, storage, and infrastructure that we could access at an affordable price. In 2012, we reserved supply and storage from the project in the event it is constructed.

In 2018, activist groups raised concerns about the project’s connection to a remote desert spring called Bonanza Springs. Our board did the right thing and authorized further study. To avoid impacts on our ratepayers, we demanded that the $1 million cost of the studies be reimbursed by the project developers. We kept full control of the scope and process, and even held multiple special public meetings. Only $400,000 has been spent to date.

  After two years backlogged at the federal Bureau of Land Management, by unanimous action, TVMWD agreed to terminate our role in the study. The Cadiz Water Project itself remains fully permitted under our state’s strict environmental laws and is proceeding with development.

Water is serious business, and I will always do what’s right for our district.

Brian Bowcock

La Verne

Bowcock represents Division III on Three Valleys Municipal Water District’s Board of Directors.

Former mayor Pedroza endorses Johnson

Dear editor:

It truly was an honor to serve on the council and represent Claremont. In my time, I had the opportunity to travel to D.C. and Sacramento and represent our needs as a community. One message I heard consistently from congressmembers, legislators and even President Obama, was how special it is to represent local government, where our country’s efforts and laws meet the people.

Being locally elected was very rewarding. However it was, and still is, disheartening when former locally elected office holders who move on to higher office forget the local challenges and instead rule against local government. I am even more dismayed with locally elected office holders who are already signaling support for anti-local governance in favor of one-size-fits-all approaches from Sacramento.

That is why I cannot support Mayor Jed Leano’s re-election efforts and instead support Aundré Johnson. Aundré’s campaign is about Claremont and about how we need to keep local governance, whereas Jed’s campaign is about, well, him.

Jed associates with people like Senator Scott Wiener, who has authored numerous pieces of legislation that allow developers to overstep local ordinances and build what they want “by right.”

We know Claremont is a special place. We know it’s this way by design, and we have countless councilmembers who embrace a continuum that maintains our unique community. That is not to say we cannot grow. We do obviously grow, but we grow in a community-driven manner. That is the message I hear from Aundré.

I do not see or hear that from Jed, who obviously has higher political aspirations. While I wish him luck on that,  I will support Aundré. He is running to represent Claremont and the continuum that has made our city so special.

Sam Pedroza

Claremont