Opinion

“Aging can give us a broader perspective or a rigid, narrowed view, based on our experience. I certainly feel more secure in my skin than I ever have at 68, but there is much less that that skin wants to do. I envy artists, thinkers, and writers who are able to consider views not necessarily comfortable or immediately advantageous to their popularity or bank account. Most of us are too busy worrying about navigating our day or the grocery store parking lot to think big thoughts.”

“Our free and open to the public ‘Sip and Socialize’ open house at Garner House takes place from 5 to 7 p.m. next Friday, September 27. It will include beverages, snacks, a book signing of ‘Timeless Claremont,’ raffles, and a community ribbon cutting with an aerial photo of everyone at the party we will publish on our front page on October 4. Have a story idea, complaint, compliment, or question? The entire Courier staff will be on hand at this event to hear you out. We hope to see you there!”

“I awoke Thursday to a chill in the air for what seemed the first time in weeks. It was 55 degrees when I stepped out onto my front porch before sunrise and took my first sip of coffee. And I thought about the perils of living up against the wilderness. These horrific wildfires are increasing, both in frequency and size. What does the future hold for folks like us who live adjacent to their source of fuel?”

“I grew up envying friends who could trace their families back through the generations. Not knowing anything about my family made me feel untethered, temporary, invisible even, like I didn’t have a story. But now I feel connected to my ancestors, to this country, to the earth. My family has become a tangible thing and an unexpected, deeply gratifying gift.”

“I do not intend to dignify Trump’s political name-calling by giving it a venerable classical lineage. Far from Trump’s cavalier, libelous (and yes, often childish) name-calling, Cicero had a sense of rhetorical decorum and understood that while playful nicknames could help criticize vices and point out crimes, they also raised a problem of the appropriateness, moderation, and decorum of legal and political speech.” Photo/

When my husband Frank and I founded our theater company Inland Valley Repertory Theatre in 1990, we did so with the mission of building a community of storytellers whose work together would enhance not only our lives but the lives of our audiences.

My son started ninth grade Wednesday, his first year at Claremont High School. The youngest of four, he’s the last to wind his way through Claremont’s public schools. We’ve no more middle schoolers, and have long since said goodbye to the sweetness of elementary school. Soon my boy will be driving himself to CHS and staking out his independence before flying the coop for college. Presumably.

“There are caustic people in this world. Sometimes we find that we are related to them. Sometimes it’s a friend who changes, maybe due to some very difficult life event. Sometimes they sit across from us at the conference table at work or school. Their bitterness is insidious and cancerous.”

Governor Gavin Newson, who had been seen as a supporter for compensating news publishers in their fight with Google and other social media platforms, recently promised to veto any legislation calling them a “tax increase.” I didn’t realize a state could tax something stolen. This decision ended a long battle big tech has won. Does this surprise anyone?

by Peter Weinberger | pweinberger@claremont-courier.com The Courier officially began operating as a nonprofit in October 2021. During the nearly three intervening years, we have averaged about $75,000 in donations annually, which has been added to our overall yearly revenue of 10 to 12 times that amount. This incredible generosity has literally been the difference between […]

August 31 is International Overdose Awareness Day. The aim of the annual campaign, initiated in 2001, is to raise awareness of overdose, which has by now impacted every community in the country. Too many families have lost loved ones, but this campaign and others like it can save lives.

“The joy of being a stay-at-home father is the best thing I’ve ever felt. Being in tune with their every utterance, their diets, sleep schedules, doctor’s visits, and of course all that time spent exploring the neighborhood parks, climbing trees, swimming, and laughing, all the while serving as pre- pre-K teacher and caregiver, it just can’t be beat.”

by John Pixley I wanted to go to Ophelia’s Jump’s Midsummer Shakespeare Festival at the Sontag Greek Theatre on Pomona College’s campus last month. I really did, and I meant to. I have long been a fan of this theater company, which originated in Claremont, and thought it was cool that it staged this outdoor event […]

“Despite a reasonable amount of curiosity in staying somewhat engaged with the modern world, technology, and scientific innovation, as a man of a certain age, some things remain out of my grasp. Artificial intelligence is among the advances with which I’m woefully behind the curve.”