Casa Colina offers seminar on dealing with back pain

In its continued efforts to educate the community about new medical and rehabilitation options for the prevention and treatment of back pain, Casa Colina will be hosting a free community seminar called “Oh, My Aching Back.” The event will be held on Wednesday, October 23 from 6 to 8 p.m. at Casa Colina’s Pomona campus, 255 E. Bonita Ave.

Topics of discussion include diagnosing low back pain, causes of low back pain, treatment algorithms, surgical and non-surgical therapies and the role of weight loss and core strengthening in treating back pain. A question-and-answer session will follow the presentation.

Guest speakers include neurosurgeon Dr. Ramin Amirnovin; pain medicine specialist Dr. John Sasaki; physiatrist Dr. Michael Fraix; and physical therapist Tom Ponce. Refreshments will be served and seating is limited. Call Casa Colina Centers for Rehabilitation at 866-724-4132 to reserve a space.

City drop-off recycling center relocates to city yard

Starting November 1, the city’s drop off recycling center will relocate from its current location on Berkeley Avenue to the city yard’s south parking area at 1616  Monte Vista Ave., Claremont.

The new recycling center will be open to Claremont residents Friday through Sunday. Please note that bulk items, electronic waste and hazardous waste will not be accepted. For information, contact the Community Services Division at 399-5431.

Dale Bros Oktober Fiesta helps Shoes That Fit

Tomorrow night, Saturday, October 19, Dale Bros Brewery will host an “Oktober Fiesta,” the proceeds of which will benefit Shoes That Fit. Guests are invited to enjoy live music by The Plus Tones and food from The Viking Truck from 5 to 8 p.m. Bring a new pair of athletic shoes sizes 10 youth to 12 adult to be entered into a charity raffle. A $5 donation is requested for entrance. The event takes place from 5 to 10 p.m. at the Dale Bros Tap Room, 2120 Porterfield Way, Upland. Visit www.dalebrosbrewery.com for more information.

CHS student holds yard sale to benefit third world countries

Claremont High School freshman Cara Clonts is asking for the community’s help as she strives to give back to others.

In addition to balancing her high school studies, Cara is working toward the Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints’ Young Womanhood Award, an endeavor that takes an estimated four to six years to complete as young women better understand the church’s eight virtues/values.

Cara is currently working toward the value of integrity, which involves making a difference in other people’s lives. As part of her work on better understanding integrity, she will be hosting a yard sale and bake sale this Saturday, October 19, from 8 a.m. to noon. All proceeds will help bring clean water to third world countries. The sale takes place at 2332 Bonnie Brae Ave. in Claremont.

City preps for Halloween Spooktacular in the Village

The Claremont Village is gearing up for the city’s annual Halloween Spooktacular on Thursday, October 31, providing tricks and treats as well as free games and entertainment for the whole family.

Over 40 Village businesses, marked with balloons and a special poster, will be handing out free goodies to trick-or-treaters from 3 to 5 p.m. Other festivities, taking place at the Claremont Depot, include free games and entertainment from 4 to 7 p.m. a dog costume contest at 5 p.m., a wildlife presentation at 5:30 p.m. and a children’s costume contest at 6:30 p.m.

Maps listing all participating locations will be available at the Claremont Depot (200 W. First St.) and City Hall (207 Harvard Ave.). For more information about this year’s Halloween Spooktacular, visit the city’s website at www.ci.claremont.ca.us or call 399-5490.

Enjoy live jazz at the Joslyn

Claremont seniors are invited to a night of music and all that jazz at the Joslyn Senior Center on Wednesday, October 23 at 5 p.m.

Lee G. Power will provide the night’s jazzy accompaniment as guests dine and dance. Tickets are available for $5 and must be purchased in advance. The Joslyn Center is located at 660 N. Mountain Ave. For more information, call 399-5488.

Safeco Insurance donates $5000 to Be Perfect Foundation

Safeco Insurance has donated $5,000 to the Be Perfect Foundation on behalf of Hal Hargrave Jr. and Brad Kessler, president at Kessler Alair Insurance Services, Inc. in Upland, who nominated Mr. Hargrave for the award.

Mr. Hargrave is one of 16 community hero award winners selected from across the country by Safeco Insurance to be entered to win an additional $10,000 in an online voting event.

“Hargrave makes our community better and inspires others to get involved,” Mr. Kessler said.

Safeco Insurance Community Hero Awards honor hometown heroes and nonprofit organizations that have a positive impact in education, health and safety, or civic engagement, and the award program supports the community involvement of independent insurance agents across the country.

To vote for Mr. Hargrave, visit www.safeco.com and click on the “community hero” tab by 10 a.m. on Monday, November 4.

Within a year of the car accident that left him paralyzed six years ago, Mr. Hargrave both created and coordinated the organization’s first fundraiser, bringing in $250,000 for those affected by spinal-cord injuries.

To learn more about how you can support Be Perfect Foundation, visit www.beperfectfoundation.com.

Activist Maria Guiardad visiting Claremont’s Pilgrim Place

Maria Guardado, a noted activist for many years before, during and after the tumult of time when American nuns and Salvadoran priests were murdered by infamous “death squads,” reportedly trained by an organization called School of the America. A civil war was in its beginnings and the military was conducting massive roundups of suspected enemies of the state. Ms. Guardado was captured on January 2, 1980 and tortured by paramilitary forces, then left for dead on the street.

Ms. Guardado fled her country and received political asylum in the United States in 1983 and has since immersed herself in the struggle for human rights and social justice. She continues to be a major activist in the Los Angeles area and across the country.

There will be two opportunities to hear about those activities on Wednesday, October 23—first at a women’s perspective program at 11 a.m. in Decker Hall at Pilgrim Place then at 4 p.m. at Honnold Mudd Library at The Claremont Colleges. Both programs are free and open to the public.

Ms. Guardado’s activities in human rights and social justice have continued throughout her time in the United States. She has remained involved in the drive to close the “School of the Americas” and is active in TASSC—Torture Abolition and Survivors Support Coalition. She has spoken at countless universities, churches and community organizations, and has taken part in marches and rallies throughout the US. A documentary film, Testimony:?The Maria Guardado Story, has won numerous awards. She is also a poet, and has authored the recently released Poemas. A 10-story mural of Maria was painted by El Mac in 2012 on the Avenida Reforma in Mexico City in honor of her “courage and work as an unrelenting fighter for social justice.”

Mass street tree trimming continues next week

West Coast Arborists, the city’s contracted tree trimming company, conducted mass trimming in several locations throughout the city last week.

Work will continue in the commercial area of the Village from 6 to 9 a.m. to accommodate local businesses. Trimming in the Village is expected to take two to three weeks to complete.

Trimming was complete on Green Street, Doane Avenue and Geneva Avenue, which included select trees being raised for high-profile vehicle clearance. Also,  all street trees along Cooke Drive and Fuller Drive will be trimmed.

According to the city manager’s report, “All city trees shall be pruned in a manner that will encourage good development while preserving their health, structure and natural appearance in compliance to the professionally accepted standards, as established by the International Society of Arboriculture (ISA).”

Contact the Community Services Department at 399-5431 with questions.