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Congratulations to Ben Castro, who was chosen at random among the 17 readers who correctly identified last week’s “Where Am I?” photo as the majestic rooster atop Donahoo’s Chicken, everyone’s favorite local fried chicken mecca on Garey Avenue in Pomona. So “Where Am I” this week? Courier photo/Tom Smith
The Claremont Unified School District Board of Education — Kathryn Dunn, Richard O’Neill, Bob Fass and Kathy Archer — voted unanimously Thursday to appoint a successor to its former president Steven Llanusa, who resigned December 10. The new board member will likely be sworn in February 2. COURIER photos/Matt Weinberger
Hoping not to repeat the last minute cancellation of Claremont’s Fourth of July fireworks show, city staff has investigated several options for the 2023 Independence Day celebration including switching to a drone light show.
Walk by Lani Fox’s house on a typical day and you’ll likely find the south Claremont resident in her front yard harvesting fragrant basil from her garden beds, picking vibrantly colored pansies, or plucking passion fruit from fast-growing vines.
Longtime Claremont resident and former mayor Joe Lyons died Thursday, December 8 at the age of 77. “It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Joseph M. Lyons, former Claremont Council Member and Mayor. Joe passed away earlier today surrounded by his loved ones,” read a statement from the city. “Our sincere condolences to his family and friends. He will be deeply missed and forever remembered for his strong convictions and commitment to bettering his community.” The city lowered its flags to half-staff in Lyons’ honor this past week.
This week Claremont continued its longstanding tradition of reorganizing its City Council and naming a new mayor. A largely celebratory event, the annual changing of the guard at city hall presents an opportunity to reflect on the past year’s accomplishments and difficult decisions, while at the same time looking forward to the challenges ahead. On Tuesday the selection of a new mayor had to wait until the council officially declared the results of the November election, which saw the reelection of three sitting council members: Jed Leano, Ed Reece, and Jennifer Stark. The trio then took the oath of office in front of a standing room only crowd.
Claremonters are accustomed to dealing with wildlife around their homes, mostly smaller critters, ranging from rarely seen to annoying and troublesome.
“Side by Side,” an exhibit of mixed media by Toti O’Brien and paintings by Anne Seltzer, is on display at the Ginger Elliott Gallery, 840 N. Indian Hill Blvd., Claremont through Sunday, December 18.
Here are the updated results of the November 8 general election from the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder: Claremont City Council: in District 2, incumbent Ed Reece (1,298 votes) narrowly defeated […]
A large, fast-moving storm system hit Southern California Sunday, dumping up to a foot of snow on throughout the San Gabriel mountain range. That included Mt. Baldy, above, where significant snow fell above 6500 feet elevation. This trend over the past two years in particular, has warmer temperatures reducing snow coverage to less than 20 inches since the fall 2021. COURIER photo/Peter Weinberger
Claremont Unified School District Superintendent Jim Elsasser administers the oath of office to former COURIER editor Kathryn Dunn, pictured above, during a special meeting of the CUSD Board of Education on Friday, December 9. Dunn will represent Trustee Area 1.
Embattled Claremont Unified School District Board of Education President Steven Llanusa has resigned. The move, announced at 1:30 p.m. today, comes after a week in which several parents — and Llanusa’s four colleagues on CUSD’s Board of Education — asked for his resignation following widely reported allegations of misconduct at a recent holiday party at his home that included shirtless adult male entertainers and underage Claremont High students. “Earlier today, Board Vice President Archer and I received a letter of resignation from Board member Steven Llanusa, effective immediately,” wrote CUSD Superintendent Jim Elsasser in an email to district parents. “In the very near future, the Board of Trustees will discuss the next steps for filling this vacant position. Thank you for your patience during this very difficult week.”
Four fifths of the Claremont Unified School District Board of Education and several angry parents are calling for the resignation of Board President Steven Llanusa, citing widely reported allegations of misconduct at a recent holiday party at his home that included shirtless adult male entertainers and underage Claremont High students. Photos from the Saturday, December 3 party at Llanusa’s north Claremont home in the Claraboya district show shirtless men flexing their muscles and mugging for the camera, while members of the Claremont High School Choir — who were hired by Llanusa to perform at the event — are nearby.
Longtime Claremont City Council member Joe Lyons has died. He was 77. Lyons died today surrounded by his loved ones, according to a news release from the city, which has lowered its flags to half-staff in his honor. “Joe Lyons was so much more than a councilmember and mayor,” Claremont Mayor Jed Leano told the COURIER in a text message. “He was the San Gabriel Valley’s original champion for affordable housing and homelessness, inspiring a new generation of housing and homelessness advocates. Before there was Measure H, Housing Claremont, Inclusive Claremont, or Claremont Tenants United, there was Joe Lyons. We must never stop fighting for Joe’s vision of housing all our neighbors.”
This past Saturday I sang a song at a wedding, attended a memorial for an old friend, then finished the day off with a birthday party for my youngest daughter, who turned 17. If I’d thrown in a birth and a graduation, I would have covered nearly all of life’s major milestones. It was an epic day full of big feelings.
Waleed Rashidi, better known as DJ Wal to listeners of KSPC 88.7 FM, hit a broadcast milestone this month: 25 years on the air at the venerable Pomona College radio station.
Although he’s been with KSPC so long that he’s forgotten when he actually started, he’s enjoyed every second on the job. From sometime in December 1997 to today, Rashidi has been sharing his unique taste in music with KSPC listeners. With a playlist made up of mid- and up-tempo classic instrumental jazz, he broadcasts from 3 to 5 p.m. every Saturday. One of his taglines is “no ballads, no big bands, no vocals.”
The light rail system formerly known as the Gold Line may seem like a mirage that remains just out of reach, but it now appears to have yet another opportunity to finally make it to Claremont. By a unanimous vote on December 1, the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority Board included extending light rail service through to Montclair as one of three projects prioritized for funding under the 2023, sixth cycle Transit and Intercity Rail Capital Program.