Opinion

“AmeriCorps NCCC’s 2024 budget was $37.7 million. The federal government spent $6.78 trillion that same year. So, DOGE cut the feet off the youth volunteer branch of a 32-year-old agency that does unquantifiable good for some of the neediest Americans, all to save an amount equal to 0.000556047198% of the federal budget. Nice work, DOGE. Who’s next, Santa?”

“The mission of NAC is to assist newcomers to become independent. Most NAC family breadwinners work in lower-level jobs outside their profession. To upgrade, language skills and retraining are usually necessary. This takes time and lots of it. Financial independence can take several years but it rarely happens on its own. I witnessed this with my own children. NAC assists families wherever possible. We already have several ‘graduates.’ They are so proud!” Illustration/courtesy of cleanpng.com

Taken together, these eco-disasters make a case for the passage of Polluters Pay Climate Fund bills legislators have introduced in the State Assembly and Senate, and the U.S. House and Senate. These bills are all variations on the same theme: make the fossil fuel corporations pay for their carbon emissions. Right now, these bills are gaining traction, advancing through various state committees. Both the Democratic Club of Claremont and the Democrats of Pasadena Foothills endorsed them last month. Photo/by Dan Watson, Santa Clarita Valley Signal

“What began as a family vacation to Rome unexpectedly turned into a front row seat to history. From both the air and the ground, I witnessed newly elected Pope Leo XIV address a crowd of more than 100,000 outside the Vatican on May 8.” Courier photo/Peter Weinberger

“Claremont’s Evangeline Lien was recently named a grand prize winner in Los Angeles Music Center’s Spotlight Performing Arts Competition. It’s clear her steadfast discipline has resulted in a confident, astoundingly grounded musician. The fact that she’s a 15-year-old Claremont High School freshman makes it all the more striking.”

“Modest at best, sorta rundown at worst, it’s not fancy, and the views are unremarkable. But the people are great, and so is the food. I’m of course talking about Los Jarritos, the little strip mall Mexican joint at 3191 N. Garey Ave. that so many Claremonters love, which, quite sadly, is closing May 14.” Courier photo/Mick Rhodes

There is no denying the role preservation has played in protecting the built environment of Claremont, while addressing the needs of the community for the present and the future. The National Trust for Historic Places is celebrating the power of place for this year’s preservation month. Photo/courtesy of Hartman Baldwin Design Build

“One afternoon in 2017, I had a transient ischemic attack. It’s sort of a mini-stroke. One minute I was fine, the next I could not recognize anything I was seeing. Words were unreadable. Letters seemed scrambled. It was terrifying. My first glimpse at a Welsh roadway sign was a little like that. ‘Gwernymynydd.’ ‘Tafarn-y-Gelyn.’ ‘Bodelwyddan.’ And the coup de grace, ‘Llanfairpwilgwyngyll.’ Every sign looked like the worst set of Scrabble tiles I’d ever seen.”

“The ‘make America healthy again’ movement has garnered attention for its promises to address the nation’s health challenges. There is no question the U.S. health care system is failing. Something needs to change. But MAHA exploits fears, oversimplifies complex health issues, and manipulates public sentiment for financial gain, rather than genuinely improving health outcomes.”

The signs in the front yard not far from my house are, if nothing else, insistent. They yell out at me every time I go by.

By Peter Weinberger | pweinberger@claremont-courier.com Electric bikes have become a hot topic — largely due to safety concerns, especially when riding around other people. And that’s nearly all the time. Yes, e-bikes are regulated, but enforcement is difficult, especially when it comes to limiting power and speed. As a longtime e-bike rider, and having lived […]

Americans have never been shy about the importance of free speech, or the right to agree — or disagree — with others’ opinions. How many times have we said that?

“It is well worth a trip to the Hilbert to see John Kosta’s masterful work. Beautiful colors, rich and warm; light that bathes what some might call sterile, or others see as dirty and blighted, Kosta’s brush paints with nature’s golden glow. Who knew concrete could have so many colors?”

“It’s just a tough time to laugh. I’m hoping to recharge over the next two weeks, when Lisa and I will be motoring around England and Wales. We have the first week mapped out and the second wide open. I’m hoping to return with something fun or funny to report. Based on my previous overseas foibles, that should be a guarantee.”