Fire Sale at The Garden

This just in from Pomona Heritage...

Fire Sale At The Garden

Sunday, July 19

From 12:30 to ???

Help with the cleanup efforts at The Garden and get great bargains on plants. You don't have to work except to buy lots of plants. Clearing the plants will help Dawn and Fred to begin to rebuild.

Don't miss out. See you there!

report from the field

Like PiGP, K. and I have just gotten back from the burn-razing. To add to the request for boxes and packing supplies, they are dreadfully in need of work gloves. I may swing by the 99¢ Store and see if I can pick some up later today. The work party at Dawn's is in need of tools (not sure which specific ones). And Pam and Larry need bureaus to hold the many clothes they've been given.

I had never actually met Pam, so it was great to put a face to the name. I also got to meet Eliot and Jason Rothman, who looked like an ordinary suburban father and son. Which is what you'd expect, except that my only image for the mayor was the photo that hangs in city hall, so I was expecting a suit, not a guy in a polo shirt and baseball cap. Silly me.

Councilman Tim Saunders brought a sno-cone machine, and I gotta say, I've never had a better sno-cone. He kept encouraging his helper to put more syrup on our sno-cones. Other folks had brought hot dogs, sub sandwiches, and all kinds of things. Really, you've never seen such a community turnout; there must have been 75 people working between the two houses.

The principal and teachers of Golden Springs Elementary were there in force -- one of Pam's little girls (grandaughter?) goes to the school. When Pam was talking about everybody's help, she started to get choked up, but I was already a couple of chokes ahead of her. Pomona, you amaze me!

Work will be going on every day, so come on down when you can. Someone is sure to put you to work and thank you for coming. It's a great way to get some exercise (no need to go to the gym today), meet your neighbors (and city officials!), and polish your halo, so don't be shy! If you see me (look for a Campbell's Soup Kid in a floppy hat), say hey.

Boxes? Packing Supplies?

I just returned from a morning shift over at the Henry's. They are in need of some boxes and other packing supplies to aid in the secure storage of the many things in the home that made it through the blaze.

I called the U-HAUL on Garey to ask if they could donate some supplies to the effort. The response? "Nope, we're too busy." The lack of community spirit stood in stark contrast to the outpouring of kindness over at the site.

At any rate, if you've got some boxes -- especially smaller sizes for the heavy items like dishes -- please drop them by.

Torres 2

It looks like GoP was trolling the DB depths before I. How cool is this........Norma's son appears to be stepping into the vacant District 2 VPD slot. A little more detail in his application would engender a tad more confidence in this Pomona resident, but oh well, Freddy Rodriguez believes in him, so why should I worry. Does anyone know where Robert goes to school?

Good luck kid! The VPD looks like a lot of work.

Here's the application.

drinking for a cause

For all you beer-lovers and fire-haters, Tibbi (and others) is throwing a Burn-Out Benefit down at dba256 on Wednesday evening. All the details are available on his blog. I'm planning on being there (yeah, I know, Tibbi, I always say that for your beer nights!).

PiGP and I will be at the burn-razing tomorrow morning -- hope to see some of y'all there!

Free Energy Efficient Light Bulbs

I just received this announcement on a work listserv -- thought others might be interested:

"Operation Light Exchange is an energy efficiency program that allows residential customers of Southern California Edison to exchange inefficient halogen and incandescent light fixtures for new, Energy Star labeled lamps. SCE customers may bring up to 10 lamps for exchange. To participate, please make sure you have your California driver’s license showing a residential ZIP code in SCE's service territory or a residential SCE bill. Operation Light Exchange also accepts used CFL bulbs for recycling (no fluorescent tubes). The event will take place on July 18 and 19 between 8 a.m. and 1 p.m. at Montclair Plaza. For more information, please visit www.scelampexchange.com"

Pomona woos Woo.

Life indeed does go on, so I thought a little Cal Poly Pomona news would be interesting.

Michael Woo, former councilman and mayoral candidate, named dean of Cal Poly Pomona’s College of Environmental Design

Michael Woo, currently a member of the Los Angeles City Planning Commission and adjunct professor at the University of Southern California’s School of Policy, Planning and Development, has an accepted an offer to lead Cal Poly Pomona’s College of Environmental Design. His appointment begins July 30.

Since joining the planning commission in 2005, Woo has been a leader on land use and transportation issues, initiated a moratorium on new billboards and opened a review of health effects of breathing polluted air in residential developments near freeways. He also helped draft the city’s “Do Real Planning” principles adopted in 2006, which advocate more affordable housing and jobs near mass transit, improving the city’s aesthetics, reducing “visual blight” and improving walkability.

“It is an honor to join this elite academic program at Cal Poly Pomona,” Woo says. “The College of Environmental Design has long enjoyed an exceptional reputation in the design community, and I look forward to building on that legacy.”

The College of Environmental Design is one of only three design schools in California that combine departments of architecture, landscape architecture, and urban and regional planning. The college also includes the Department of Art.

Woo received his master’s degree in city planning from the University of California, Berkeley. He completed his undergraduate studies in politics and urban studies at the University of California, Santa Cruz.

Woo serves on the board of directors for several organizations in Southern California, including Sustainable Economic Enterprises of Los Angeles (chairman), KCRW Foundation, Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center (chairman), California Food Policy Advocates, Mural Conservancy, and the American Institute of Architects, Los Angeles Chapter.

Oh, Henrys!

Pam's blog confirms the rumor: work party at the Henrys' place on saturday and sunday. I'll be there, and it sounds like PiGP will be too. Hope to see y'all there -- it would be a shame for Dawn & Fred to get the benefit of all our help-the-neighbors energy. But we wouldn't let that happen!

I must say, I've been really floored by the way the community has jumped in to help. It's like a barn-raising in Oklahoma (or is it Seven Brides for Seven Brothers?), except that it's a burn-razing.

On a completely different note, am I the only one who thinks there's something extremely fishy about the fact that the local teachers organization, Associated Pomona Teachers, has endorsed candidates for the school board even though the filing period hasn't even opened yet? And that's to say nothing of the fact that the lucky endorsees are Hank Mollet, Roberta Pearlman-Hensen, and Jason Rothman.

Work Party Continuing Through Rest of the Week.

This from Lee Krusa,

"Many thanks are in order for the great efforts put forth today to help Dawn and Fred put their nursery back together. We accomplished alot and everyone should be proud of the contributions they've made to building community within Pomona. Dawn and Fred are truly beside themselves with appreciation for all the offerings made thus far! However, there is much work left to do so please stop by the Garden whenever you can over the next week at least to check in on what projects might need an extra hand.

Tomorrow a handful of us will be dealing with the debris pile that was the storage garage. There is some considerable degree of toxins within this pile so those who are helping will be using all precautions possible to reduce the chance of contamination (skin, respiratory, and eyes). I have an extra asbestos grade respirator for anyone who would like to lend a hand with the work early am tomorrow so please contact me if you are free and willing to help with this. If you are interested you should bring a long sleeve shirt, wear work pants and good sturdy shoes. A hat is recommended as well as the heat of the day catches up to you quick. Since we will be stirring the pile early in the morning we feel it would be best if any other volunteers could come by no earlier than 10 am in order to let particulate settle and be wiped off of chairs and work tables.

Again thanks a million for all efforts put forth and please continue with your generosity however you can.

My Best,
Lee Krusa
631-935-4588 "

paint your wagon, roll up your sleeves

I just got back from a couple of hours working at Dawn's. I took photos, which I'll update this post with once I've got them downloaded.

Before, I reported that Dawn was upbeat, but that doesn't do her justice. She is the same cheery Dawn that we all know and love. She had a plan to put into action, but it was as if she was just organizing a spring cleaning.

The garden is not a total loss. In fact, "up and running by next week" actually seems feasible. A lot of plants died, but a lot lived, too -- some of them completely untouched, by the look of them. A number of plants look quite happy but had their pots melted off of them.

Lee and the gang from the Regen Coop were there when I arrived, as well as an older gentlemen I never got to introduce myself to. They cleared rubble in the back while Dawn put me to work watering the living. Ren was also there, but Dawn wouldn't let him take a picture of her ;-)

I had to leave after a couple of hours to come home, shower, and get to work, but a whole host of folks had arrived by then, including a troop/troupe of kids and moms from Lincoln Elementary, where Dawn volunteers.

Dawn clearly has a strategic game plan, and I'm sure she'll have something for you to do if you show up! Try to bring gloves, though, and a sunhat. Dawn will dowse you with sunscreen whether you want her to or not.

PS: Ophelia the chicken will greet you upon your arrival, although she's much more freaked out than Dawn is.

"up and running by next week"

If you haven't already, check out the article on Dawn & Fred in Pomona Now.

Optimism and determination like that are traits to aspire to -- and I have started aspiring. (I was also sooo relieved to hear that all the cats and dogs survived! Since we got our own Ciceronian orator, I've become a complete mushball. And furball, but a lint-roller can fix that.)

The pikkie is of a walnut tree, in tribute to Dawn & Fred's Amazing Surviving Walnut Tree. Come see it tomorrow (tuesday) between 8:15 and 6pm, and wear your work clothes!

Work Party Tomorrow, 8:15am at The Garden

This is from Lee Krusa of the Regen Co-ops. (See Pam's thoughts here)

"Hey everyone,

So I just talked with Dawn and Fred and you should all know that they are handling their losses with great grace and are eagerly looking forward to rebuilding the nursery first and then everything else. Anyone who knows these two would not be surprised by this and I feel it speaks greatly to their abilities to draw friends from such diverse circles.

We are going to be meeting tomorrow (Tuesday) at 8:15 for a big workparty cleanup. The day is to be split between 2 shifts, 8:15-1 and 3 to 7 so basically there will be people there all day. Come by for one or come for both. There’ll be a siesta and break for food between the two and this will be potluck style so please bring a dish, your own plates and silverware. Also, there will be need for more hands in the coming weeks with both small and large projects as they come up so keep this in mind.

Things to Bring:
gloves, demolition, and cleaning-up tools (shovels, rakes, hand pruners, hand trowels, rope, tarps, wheel barrels etc.) water, sunscreen, a good hat and a dish to contribute to lunch.

We’ll be moving debris, adding a tarp or shade-sheets to her old metal-framed shade-house, consolidating plants together which are salvageable, repotting plants and generally cleaning up from the fire. The next door neighbors with the yarn shop (Pam) got burned up pretty bad too and will be in need of help also. As well, if you can think of others nearby who would value coming out to help, of course any willing hand is welcome.

Many of you know Dawn and have come to the nursery there for gardening supplies for Regen. Dawn has also been a big supporter of food-not-lawns, the Pomona Historical Society, the Tri-city gardens, and done much to establish a large garden at the nearby elementary school. This is a great way for us to help her to get her place back on its feet and build community here in Pomona.

Thanks everyone and I look forward to working with many of you tomorrow.

My Best,
Lee Krusa
631-935-4588

Oh Pomona, A Fire Victim's Blog

For those of you who were unaware, Pam Henry has maintained a blog about Pomona for some time now. She, along with her neighbors, Dawn and Fred Van Allen, lost their homes in the fire on Saturday.

Rather than my passing on information on how Pam's doing, I'll let her tell you in her own words. She's posted two items since the fire and you can read them at the Oh, Pomona blog at (http://pomonaprattle.blogspot.com/).

Drop by and let Pam and Larry know that you're thinking of them, as well as getting information from the most reliable source.

Another Fire Update

The following message was forwarded by Eurydice Turk from councilmember Paula Lantz. For those of you who haven't seen it, it's long but clarifies some of the information and discusses what WE can go to help.

---

Eurydice, and all you folks who get this one way or another,

I know this is a bit long, but I wanted to update you all as best I could.

Danielle Soto (Council Member for District 1, where all this took place), and I got there around 11:30. We were at a conference in San Diego this weekend, along with Council Members Rodriguez and Saunders. We walked and talked and tried to absorb the enormity of it all. Danielle and Cindy went to Stater's for ice, water and some other essentials as folks continued to pour in from the neighborhood, from family, church friends, customers that had heard about it on TV and via the “grape vine.” I was the chauffer. Several folks were there helping to board up the Henry’s place, as there may be some things salvageable. It was definitely a community effort!

We then went to the apartment complex where it began, and Muffin is right, you can’t see anything from the street, and to realize that it all started from there is amazing. We actually got there before the tenant whose place was damaged arrived. He had just returned from Havasu, and was looking forward to a shower and some “down” time. Obviously he was stunned, but as we walked through with him he was amazed. There was some water damage in the very front, on some stools and magazines, etc. but everything else was in great shape, unless the fine dust and ash messed things up. They were boarding the place up, so he needed to get his stuff out ASAP. We went to get my truck so he would be able to get it wherever he needed to, and he had also called his Dad and a friend. He was just afraid they wouldn’t get there in time, or that they wouldn’t have enough room. In the 15 minutes it took for us to get back with the truck, his Dad and friend were there, and they were sure that between the three vehicles they could get it all. Since he wasn’t there last night when the Red Cross was there, he hasn’t made contact. He has a place to stay, but his “stuff” is on a family member’s patio. What he could really use is someplace to store his stuff on a temporary basis until he finds out whether his Landlord has another place for him, or will refund the rest of his rent for the month so he can find another place. Phone service was a problem for the area most of the day, and Verizon was at the apartments repairing the damage to their utility lines until about 3. I think all is well now.

I know there have been rumors about a meth lab, and firecrackers, but Firefighters were there for several hours, tearing out some continuingly smoldering areas of the house, and trying to further assess what happened. They really have ruled out both of the above. According to Dawn this evening, they think it was a transformer, back over by the Gordon Street apartment complex. Apparently the transformer sparked, or “blew” or something, and started a storage shed on fire behind a house on Park Ave. The fire climbed an Oak tree to cross the fence to the back upstairs apartment on Gordon. The wind blew the embers across Gordon and some homes to eventually land in the vacant lot behind the Garden. While it had been recently mowed, all the dead grass was still there (formerly 4 or 5 feet high), and it caught the trees at the back of the Henry’s, then the roof of their back house, and so on. Mayor Rothman was there last night, as was Council member Atchley, and Mayor Rothman was there again shortly after noon today, and was obviously moved by this tragedy. Council Members Saunders and Rodriguez were also there this afternoon offering their support.

There have been many calls and emails from people who would like to help. Right now, since neither family has really determined what there long-term plans are (except both are determined to stay!) I think it would be best to hold off on any hard goods donations. When the need has been determined, Sandra Reyes, block captain from Monroe Street has volunteered to host the collection point. Thank you Sandra!

While in Stater’s today, Danielle asked about the possibility of their donating Stater’s Gift Cards, and the manager indicated that if we could get him the appropriate paper work, that was a good possibility. Thank you Danielle!

This morning during services at Pomona First Baptist, Pastor Gunderson announced that anyone wanting to contribute to the N. Gary victims could write checks to the church, writing “fire” on the bottom, and they would be setting up a special account to be split evenly between the two families. Pastor Gunderson was actually at the site by 5:30 last night, and members of the Church have been praying for the families for more than 24 hours now. I was also told that Pastor Bingham from Pilgrim Congregational also asked for prayers for the families during this morning’s service. I met with Pastor Gunderson this afternoon, and later with Dawn, and I think that we have a good plan that will facilitate any of you that may want to contribute money, since the specifics of what is needed is still so unclear. Danielle and I really wanted those contributing to at least have the tax advantages that come with that, and this seems to make that happen. Those who would like to write a check, make it out to: Pomona First Baptist Church. In the bottom left area, write Fire, or Fire Fund. Mail it to 586 N. Main Street, Pomona, CA, 91768, or drop it off at the Main Office, same address. If you would rather do it online, go to www.pfblive.tv and click on “on line giving.” Assuming you don’t have an account, or want one, just go to “give now.” There will be places for you name, etc. but eventually there is a box for the nature of the donation, the choices will be like, general fund, missions, etc, but click “other.” There is a box that drops down for you to specify, and just type Fire, or Fire Fund. Then you choose electronic check or credit card, and proceed as required. A couple of months ago they had PayPal as an option, but I didn’t see it when I tried it myself earlier. All such donations will be tax deductible, as long as you don’t put a specific name on the check or the online designation. “Fire” makes it tax deductible. At the end of the year the church sends a statement to the address you list, itemizing your contributions for tax purposes. Sounds like a win-win to me.

My thanks to all of you for your concerned and caring emails and phone calls. As hard as this is for so many, it is great to see how we all come together for those we care about.



Paula

update on Dawn & Fred

K. talked to D&F's pastor a bit ago, who had an update. They're staying in Fullerton tonight, but they're planning on coming up here tomorrow. They do have insurance (oh, thank heavens!), and the insurance company is on the case. D&F are both quite upbeat and are planning to rebuild. Their church is collecting household goods for them, and their biggest need seems to be clothes.

I don't have contact info for Dawn & Fred or Pam (or even names for the other dispossessed), but I'd be happy to post (and update) lists of what they need, if you happen to be in touch with them.

conflagration

I'm still all tore up about all the folks who were dispossessed and dispossessioned by last night's fire -- Dawn, Fred, Pam, and the folks in the apartments on Gordon. I'm sure we all are.

I was in touch with Dawn & Fred's pastor again just now, and there is great resolve to coordinate efforts to help out the victims. If other folks are in touch with Pam and other victims, let me know. It's inevitable that things gradually slip off a person's radar, but a community of folks eager to help will keep the issue fresh in mind. I suspect that the greatest need will be in a week or a month, as the victims start to rebuild their lives.

In the meantime, I leave you with some visual impressions. First, a crappy photo I took last night at about 11pm. The firefighters seemed to be packing up, or at least standing down, when some embers were visible where the second floor of Dawn & Fred's had been. They immediately shot it with water, at which point a whole shower of sparks and embers proved that the fire was still smoldering away inside. I don't know what time the FD finally left, but I'm sure it was well after midnight.



Also, if you missed the video link that GoP posted on her reanimated blog -- video by Juan Cabrera -- be sure and check it out.

I took a happy picture last night too, and I'm going to post it not only to commemmorate Bunny Gunner's second birthday (although I missed the hirsute young men in historic swimwear, wah!) but also in anticipation of happier times for Dawn, Fred, Pam, et al.:

Dear Families...

If you would like to leave a message of support for the families affected by tonight's fire, please do so here. As the community organizes other forms of tangible and instrumental support, the families might appreciate knowing they are in our thoughts and prayers.

Fire on Garey

UPDATE (10:11 pm)

Garey is still closed from Alvarado to Pearl with more fire engines than I think I've ever seen in the area outside a major forest fire.

Just got back from the 2nd Saturday Art Walk and the fire was the topic on everyone's lips. Here's what I heard:

The Garden is completely destroyed as are Pam Henry's two homes on the lot next door. It looks like the Victorian to the north of The Garden has only peripheral damage.

Reports are that the fire actually started in a tree a couple blocks away on Park Ave, but then skipped over Gordon Street and, carried by the high winds, caught at The Garden. I'm sure that there will be further updates on this as information comes in.

Thanks to all those who have responded. I spoke with Meg and she definitely wants us to use this blog for anything that will help. Johanna, thanks so much for letting us know that Pam and her family is safe. I know that Dawn and Fred were out of town when all of this occurred.

Original Posting

This just in. There is a fire burning just off Garey Avenue at about Kingsley. A report from a neighbor on Jefferson was that it's the property of Dawn and Fred Van Allen's home, The Garden, and some adjacent structuress. At this point it's completely unknown what's going on.

I was unaware of it from my home but a short drive down Bradford to Jefferson saw a huge plume of black smoke coming from the south and when I got to Jefferson and Garey it looked to be a very large fire, but I couldn't see much from that angle.

Please let us know anyone out there who has information.

Let's all hope for the best for Dawn and Fred, and their neighbor Pam Henry, as well as the buildings adjacent owned by the First Baptist Church.

lies, damned lies, and statistics

This morning's mullet wrapper reports that the LA public online crime map omits 40% of the crimes handled by the PD. I feel sure that such sloppiness -- much less malfeasance -- would never occur here on M-M-M-My Pomona, where our Ed is on the case, keeping us safe and informed.

In other news, what the heck was up with the cop-chopper last night? I swear it was running Spirograph patterns last night overhead as we were entertaining neighbors in the back yard.

Hey, parents, do they still make Spirograph? Has it been dumbed down and/or automated, like Candyland and Chutes & Ladders?

bunnygunner birthday bash

Greetings from Bend, Oregon, where K. and I consumed 20 different beers yesterday and went whitewater rafting.

But that's not why I'm posting.

Now, I know you're all planning to go to 2nd Saturday Art Walk -- you wouldn't miss it for the world -- but this month (that would be July 11) make a special point of stopping by Bunny Gunner to celebrate their second birthday. There will be a summertime-themed art show (featuring people you know and love), a summertime-themed menu, and judging by the poster, young men in retro swimwear.

Come to think of it, while we've been on our roadtrip (the Pacific Northwest Volcano Tour 2009, K. insists), we passed our second birthday in Pomona -- we moved in on June 22, 2007.

Victorian Ice Cream Social

On Sunday, July 12 from 2:00 pm to 5:00 pm, The Historical Society of the Pomona Valley presents a Victorian Ice Cream Social fundraiser at the historic Phillips Mansion, 2640 Pomona Boulevard (near Temple). There will be a number of family-friendly activities including ice cream with toppings, face painting, flea circus, hot dogs, vintage photos, croquet, bubbles, goldfish, historic tours (the first floor of the Phillips Mansion will be available for tours for the first time in over a decade), and much more!

Games, activities, and food items just $1.00 each!

Free parking in the dirt lot area behind the mansion. Call (909) 623-2198 for further information. For google-map location, click HERE

Pomona AYSO takes a hiatus

If you were waiting for Fall 2009 Pomona AYSO registrations, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but due to a lack of volunteers the Pomona AYSO program has been put on hold. I'm still crossing my fingers that the program will be resurrected in the future, but for now, the only Pomona AYSO program still running calls itself Phillips Ranch.

For those interested in staying in AYSO, in addition to Phillips Ranch AYSO, there may still be registration opportunities in Chino AYSO, Ontario AYSO, Walnut AYSO, South Ontario AYSO, Claremont AYSO, and LaVerne/San Dimas AYSO. Whichever program you choose, PLEASE VOLUNTEER! But don't wait to register, Claremont is still open, but most of these regions are only accepting registrants if space is available.

I'll put aside my AYSO bias and point out that we also have Pomona Youth Soccer League and would you believe the Boy Scouts has started a Soccer and Scouting program. Sorry, I couldn't gather much info on these programs.

Pomona Baking Company

I was under the impression that the Pomona Baking Company would be written up in the DB. Did I miss it?

Hey, it looks like they twitter.


Thanks to Metro Pomona, I finally found it. Here's the link. (Click Here).

I sorta, kinda expected a little more from the article.......I guess if it's in RCNow, it could be argued that it really isn't an article. Too bad since I really enjoy reading Wendy Leung's take on the world. Here's to hoping she gets a chance to write a little bit more on the little bakery in P-town.

and now, P-ROK

Now that you've made your plans to see the Repertory Opera Company in Pomona, how about some ROK culture in P-town, for a value of ROK that equals the Republic of Korea?

Yes, Pomona has a new Korean restaurant: Tofu House, on Foothill just east of Towne, in the Darvish shopping center. (What's that you say? That's officially Claremont? La-la-la, I can't hear you...)

Tofu House is in the little fast-food building close to the street that hasn't held a successful business in the five-plus years we've been in the Greater Pomona Metropolitan Area. My pal at work (who also lives down the street) and I have been meaning to try it for lunch, and we finally remembered it before lunch, rather than after we were seated at Pho Ha waiting for a big bowl of noodles to splash on our shirtfronts.

Despite the name, Tofu House isn't all tofu. And it doesn't appear to be related to the many other restaurants of the same name in Los Angeles, Tokyo, and the Korean Peninsula, although I should confirm that the next time I'm there. To be sure, the menu and vibe are very different and very homespun -- not "Denny's with kimchee" at all (which is how the restaurant reviewer of the New York Times described the chain when they opened a Manhattan branch -- pffft).

Tofu House has about a dozen dishes to order from, with pictures on the wall. My pal, who is vegetarian, ordered the sauteed noodles with vegetables, and I had the "special" bibimbap (made special by piles and piles of alfalfa sprouts, as it turned out). Each one was about $6.

The fact is, neither dish was all that great. But I'll be back anyway, because I have the feeling that we ordered badly. I know I did; I don't even like alfalfa sprouts! Next time I'll try something with big piles of meat in it, instead of one of their many vegetarian dishes. Besides, it was healthy, cheap, and Korean -- how can I turn up my nose at that.

My one cavill (non-foodies, you may want to tune out now) was the gochujang, the ubiquitous (and delicious!) Korean sauce made from red peppers, glutinous rice, and soybeans. The gochujang at Tofu House was seriously sad -- weak sauce, you might say. But their banchan (the little side dishes) were good, even if they only give you three. That's pretty good for a $6 lunch, as far as I'm concerned.

All in all, TH isn't going to give Montclair's KBBQ (hi, Tibbi!) a run for its money, but you should give it a try.

P-ROC

Perhaps you were thinking that P-ROC stands for the People's Republic of China, but you would be wrong, at least for the duration of this public announcement.

Tim has written, as promised, with information about the Repertory Opera Company, which has two upcoming performances in Pomona. The first is this Sunday, at St. Paul's on Alvarado -- a pasta lunch followed by a concert. I'm afraid we'll miss it, because we'll be on the Oregon coast (in fact, your humble correspondent is posting from a wi-fi café in Seattle), but you should go. Report back if you do.

The second event we all have time to plan for: L'elisir d'amour (presumably Donizetti's comic opera -- the info doesn't specify) on August 30 at the Fabulous Fox.

More details are available at the ROC website -- and I have the feeling that Tim will answer any questions posed in the comments.

book 'em, Dan-O

Ms. Lois has written to let us know about the Adult Summer Reading Program that starts down at the one and only Pomona Public Library on June 22.

Not only am I big fan of our municipal library -- no suffering with the LA County System for us! -- but I have a giant soft spot for summer reading programs. In fact, in the summer of fourth grade, back in Murrville, Tennessee, I started keeping a list of all the books I read, and while everyone else stopped when school started in the fall, I just kept on. I still write down every book I read in an ancient three-subject spiral notebook, the cover of which says "79¢" and bears my childhood address in my 7th- or 8th-grade handwriting. I'm up to 4,972 as of today -- a much more meaningful statistic than the car's odometer to my way of thinking.

Not that the Adult Summer Reading Program is that kind of reading program, but I commend it to your attention nonetheless. Meg-Bob sez check it out!

'H' word for May

Here's the homicide locations that I've collected for the month of May and a little of June. Hopefully you'll find the west LA County data (from the LA Times homicide map) a useful addition.

May homicides

Pomona saw two homicides in the month of May. Roberta Romero, a 24 year-old resident of West Covina, was found in the street at approximately 5:30 AM after being shot by to males, one from Covina and the other from Azusa. Both men have been arrested. Based on the limited reporting it appears that the victim was simply driven to this location before being shot. If anyone can add any further clarifications please do. The second homicide appears to be hit-and-run victim who was struck while a father was attempting to kidnap his child and the child's mother. The child and mother were found safe the next day, but I have no information regarding the status of the suspect.

so long, big chicken

Okay, who'll be the first to identify the location of the new photo on the blog? There might be a wee prize in it for you.

Cohabitants (with me) and Facebook friends ineligible to participate.

Pomona Fox

Sorry to push the DPOA news down the page, but this is so short, it won't be pushed very far.

The Pomona Neighborhood Watch blog caught a recent OC Weekly article about the Pomona Fox (Tussier?). It's very much worth a read. I particularly like the reference to Pomona's stature in the indie music scene. Being from Seattle, I always took the plethora of music venues and indie bands as a given, but it was only in the process of posting the Glass House events on this blog that I realized how few cities these bands actually hit. And (a little drum roll) Pomona is one of them.

Congrats to everyone who continues the fight. You've got to be a little bit.............Hmmm, what's the word................."SPECIAL" to proudly call Pomona your home (whether past, present, or future).

DPOA Update

DPOA

UPDATE: The City Council voted unanimously (Paula Lantz attended via teleconference) to submit petitions for all of the city's properties in favor of recertifying the DPOA. That gave the DPOA 54.xx% of the property owners submitting petitions. The process will move to a public hearing and vote on July 20.

Downtown councilmember Freddie Rodriguez was unable to make the meeting. He is an EMT (Emergency Medical Technician) working in an ambulance and had been called to an emergency. According to Mayor Rothman, the councilman had requested that the item be rescheduled to a special meeting when he could atttend, on Thursday at 6:00 pm. Councilmember Paula Lantz noted that she was scheduled to be out of town at another meeting on that date and could not make it. While I've (echoing the Mayor) called councilmember Rodriguez the downtown councilmember, actually downtown is shared by three councilmembers, Rodriguez (the bulk of downtown south of 2nd street except between White and Palomares where it's south of 3rd Street), Lantz (most of the Antique Row area and north of 2nd Street east of Garey), and Soto (north of 2nd and west of Garey as well as north of 3rd between White and Garey). A district map can be seen on the city's web site at: http://www.ci.pomona.ca.us/city_departments/city_council/district_map.pdf.

Interestingly, there was a dueling message from councilmember Rodriquez. Mayor Rothman stated that the councilman had asked for the delay. Councilmember Lantz answered that she had spoken to the councilman and that he was OK with it moving forward since there would not be a final vote, but only the acceptance of the petition for recertification. The mayor then countered that he had spoken to Rodriguez AFTER Lantz had and that he had reversed his opinion and DID request the delay.

To some observers, it appeared that the "fix" was in and that this issue had been maneuvered to marginalize Lantz, a supporter of the DPOA. I have no evidence of such, but it was certainly interesting that one councilmember's wishes to be part of the process (a duly noticed meeting, by the way) was deemed more important than another councilperson's and that there appeared to be no consideration of the time and inconvenience that this action caused for those citizens who felt strongly enough to come out for this issue. This kind of action doesn't appear to pass the "smell" test. Council members miss meetings all the time. Do we stop the actions of the city? While I appreciate the nature of the councilman's job, this is something that he knew when he ran for the council. He was surely aware that his job might have to force him to make some important decisions on which service to the community was more important to to have to live with the consequences of those decisions.

The actions of the council will be really stretching the timeline for recertification of the DPOA. In order for the assessment to be collected by the county, all the information MUST be turned in by July 10. This delay will significantly reduce the time for the process.

So, once again, we call on anyone who wishes to speak on this important issue to show up at the council chambers on Thursday, June 4 at 6:00 pm.

REMINDER: The council has, over the past month of so, instituted a new policy on speakers. Speaker cards must be turned in prior to the beginning of discussion at the beginning of the meeting. No late speaker cards are accepted. So it is imperative that if you wish to speak that you be at the meeting ON TIME and that you turn in your speaker card as soon as possible after arriving.

Monday's Council Meeting Report

Hmmm, Where to start?

The council chambers were completely full with standing room only in the outer lobby. About 100 folks were there to discuss the DPOA issue and others for the various issues such as the closing of Monroe St. and the city's budget cut and outsourcing proposals. Here's a a recap of what happened:

DPOA
This is so complex I've decided to shorten this post and add it as the next post so this is not too long.

MONROE STREET CLOSURE
With over 30 speaker cards, this became the largest issue of the evening to be heard. Residents of Monroe spoke to the burgeoning problems with "cut through" traffic on Monroe, which juts out from Orange Grove and Garey and curves up to meet McKinley. Monroe has been a convenient shortcut for those who don't want to get caught in the traffic trying to get on the freeway when they want to head east on McKinley. Tales of cars ending up in front yards and accidents as well as fear for the safety of the growing number of families with children in the area made an impression on councilmembers.

In opposition were Frantz Cleaners and the Dentist office at Monroe and Orange Grove, both of whom felt that the closure would have negative impacts on their businesses. Other speakers opposing included residents of surrounding streets who feared that the closure of Monroe would move the problem to their streets.

However, councilmember Lantz gave a very well thought out history of the intersection and the problems that have occurred during the past 20 years or so. She noted that when the street was originally laid out, that there was no freeway and that the changes in traffic patterns necessitate such action.

For myself, a resident of Monroe, I spoke to the historic nature of our district, which was more urban and does not have cul-de-sacs and questioned making such a drastic change while acknowledging the very real problems that exist. I'm afraid that I probably was not as clear as I could have been in my 3-minutes. I was not actually against the closure, but felt that there might be an alternative mitigation.

The council voted unanimously to support the closure of Monroe. At least it should have a positive impact on my personal property value as being on the only "quiet cul-de-sac" in the city's National Historic District.

BUDGET
It was pointed out at the start of discussion that this was not a public hearing, but mearly an exploratory meeting so that staff could better understand the council's direction on preparing the budget. There were several speakers from the city's employees' union decrying the use of outsourcing and the probable reductions in service as jobs are taken over by individuals who don't know the city and have no long-term committment to serving our citizens.

There was a lot of discussion about the impacts of cuts. Councilmember Soto was concerned that if we moved to outsource a service such as street sweeping that we'd have a hard time bringing it back in-house if we wanted to, especially since the plan would be to sell off all of the city's equipment. It was also noted that at one point that we had outsourced the street sweeping of Holt Avenue and that it was so bad that we had to take it back.

Councilmember Lantz spoke at length about the fact that they were not given "apples to apples" comparisons as to where the savings were coming from. In some cases the solution to elimianting a city position was that the duties would fall to others in the department, but how would that affect service? Would there be additional delays in getting jobs done. As for the outsourcing, the proposals note that there would also be a reduction in service, but there was no indication what the costs would be of a similar reduction using current city staff.

Probably most intersting was City Manager Lowry's analogy to the budget process as potentially being a yo-yo diet with the budget getting fat and skinny as conditions change, but what she felt we needed was liposuction. I can only guess that she means getting rid of anything that is fat and then going on a starvation diet. Unfortunately, from my perspective, the patient might be thin, but dead in a very short period.

The next meeting on the budget will be on June 15. Mayor Rothman asked that the meeting be dedicated to the budget and that other items be postponed to later meetings so that they can concentrate on the budgetary matters.

WATER CONSERVATION
Also on the agenda was an ordinance mandating water conservation throughout the city. This was a requirement by the Metropolitan Water District if the city wanted to be eligible for grant funding for water related projects in the future. Basically MWD was telling the city what it had to do, even though Pomona gets over 75% of its water from local sources and only relies on MWD for a maximum of 25% of its water.

The ordinance includes restrictions on when residents can water their yards, with automatic irrigation limited to three days a week and a maximum run time of 15 minutes. For myself, in my back yard I have a system with three zones that each run for 10 minutes, three times a week. The sytem is a moderate drip system, unlike lawn sprinklers which run full tilt. So will I be out of compliance with this new ordinance? Do my plants have to die?

Speaking on the subject was Dawn Van Allen, owner of The Garden who expressed concerns about her business which relies on irrigation system watering. Ms. Van Allen was assured that her business would be protected under the new ordinance.

With an amount of conern, the council passed the ordinance. Councilmember Lantz noted that with cutbacks and an already overburdened code enforcement division, that we probably have little to worry about from the "water police." However, she did hope that all residents would conserve water as much as possible, especially in this period of drought. Staff noted that they are planning on having "friendly reminder" cards created to give to residents when violations of the new ordinance are noted.

Monday Council Meeting

Monday's council meeting will be very critical on a series of issues that will dramatically affect the future of our city.

DPOA
First up will be the re-certification of the Downtown Pomona Owner's Association (DPOA). The DPOA is a special assessment district that funds, through assessment of property owners, increased services for the downtown area beyond those that the city normally provides. Other such assessment districts in the city include the landscaping district in Phillips Ranch, as an example, which provides extra landscaping for the hillsides and streetscapes of the Phillips Ranch area that are paid for by the property owners in that area.

For the DPOA, the mission is a little different. They are tasked with providing a clean, safe downtown AND to promote our downtown as a destination for our citizens and for those in our surrounding communities. DPOA also goes by the name "Metro Pomona." It is the DPOA that coordinates such activities as the 2nd & 4th Saturday Art Walks, the farmers' market at the art walks and the farmers' market on Wednesdays in the Antique Row area. They also sponsor and support many other activities that focus attention on the businesses and opportunities in our downtown. They also pay for two police officers dedicated to patrolling downtown to keep us safe when we visit there, and cleaning of the streets and sidewalks so our experiences are pleasant when we visit.

It has been suggested that the city can't afford its participation in such an enterprise at this time. Because the city is a major property owner within the assessement district, they are assessed the same as any other property owner. It has been suggested that pressure be put on the council to vote against renewal of the district as a cost-saving function. However, the reality of the situation is that most of the city-owned property is either redevelopment agency and vehicle parking district. Funds from these two entities cannot, by law, be transferred to the general fund and must be used solely for activities related to the properties that they own, such as the DPOA. In addition, the DPOA takes part of the responsibility for maintenance of sidewalks and adds two police officers that the city does not have to pay for from general funds. So the city definitely gains value from any money paid toward DPOA activities.

If you believe that we need to have a DPOA and actively support our downtown, please show your support with a letter to your councilperson or by coming to Monday's meeting and speaking in support of the DPOA. Let's not let short-sightedness rule

---

CITY BUDGET
Also on the Agenda for Monday is the city's budget. This is particularly difficult as the city is looking to make significant cuts to city staff, police, and services to children and seniors.

On the chopping block will be:

• 20 Police officers / positions, including 5 police investigators
  
• 5 Police report takers, whose work will go to patrol officers
• 2 Police crime prevention officers (I guess we don't prevent crime, we just respond to it)
• Reduced patrol overtime to the tune of $100,000 (so fewer officers working fewer hours)
• Reduced homicide weekend standby to the tune of $7,000
• Reduction of funding for unexpected repairs to police facilities, $25,000
• Outsourcing of Park Security

Fire

• Elimination of one engine company for 7 months, $819,000

Housing and Planning

• Outsource Building and Safety Department
• Eliminate 1 Planner and 1 Planning Assistant
• Outsource street sweeping including a reduction in the number of days/streets

Public Works

• Outsource Parks Division, eliminate 19 positions
• Eliminate downtown and weekend graffiti removal position
• Eliminate 3 Engineering/Construction positions
• Eliminate 3 Equipment Division positions
• Eliminate tree trimming positions resulting in fewer street trees being trimmed, planted, removed
• Reduce median maintenance resulting in mowing, trimming, watering, fertilizing, weed control, etc.

Community Services

• Eliminate 5 Parks coordinators and recreation coordinators/supervisors
  
• Eliminate Admin. Assistant in Youth and Family Services program
• Eliminate Veteran's Park Rentals Coordinator
• Eliminate Concessions program at Veterans Park
• Eliminate 4 Parks/facilities custodians
• Eliminate Senior Trips and Tours Program
  
• Eliminate funding for Cultural Arts Commission
• Eliminate funding for Pomona Concert Band
• Reduce facilities maintenance by $15,000
• Eliminate funding for Youth Advisory Committee

Library

• Close Library on Mondays
• Eliminate 2 Library Assistants
• Reduce Operations budget by $14,000
• Reduce library book and materials and related personnel, $32,600

Total reductions by category:

• Planning & Housing $130,670
• Public Works $636,030
• Library $83,055
• Community Service: Level 1 $341,855 | Level 2 $751,505
• Police: Level 1 $341,225 | Level 2 $448,740 | Level 3 468,770

All of this information comes from the Staff Report, which is part of the information online. Read the full report to see other areas of cuts and staff's assessment of the impacts of the cuts. I admittedly didn't include everything as this post is already too long.

This is another of those areas where if you disagree with the cuts, please write your councilperson or address the council at Monday's meeting. The council has some tough choices and they need to know what we citizens are willing to let go and what we feel we truly need.

The Sweet Smell of Victory

Pomona came up victorious in a couple of recent court decisions.

Robert Dahms vs Downtown Pomona Property et al
and
Hernandez vs the City of Pomona

I'm not a daily subscriber, so give me a heads-up when the DB runs the story.

ticktock

June 1st is the deadline for submitting nominations to the Home Beautification Contest.

Homes will be judged on the following criteria:
 Overall appearance and “curb appeal” of the property
 Landscaping and the use of decorative plantings
 On-going upkeep of landscaping and maintenance of the home’s exterior
 Overall neatness and superior upkeep
 Property should be visibly compliant with building, safety, or code (what fun is that)

What do I get if I can answer 'no' to ALL of these criteria?

Guidelines
EntryForm

And the winner gets...................

First place winners and honorable mention recipients will receive a lawn sign
recognizing them as winners. In addition, the award winners will be featured on the
City’s website at www.ci.pomona.ca.us . Publicity for the winners will also extend to
local newspapers with a press release.

And most importantly, you'll receive the "I'm an overachiever in Pomona" award.

where's my bobbecue chicken?

Long ago, in a galaxy far far away known as Appalachia (pronounced 'apple-atcha', thankyouverymuch), the phone rang at 2am in my first apartment after moving out on my own. I struggled up from the abyss of sleep, and answered groggily. On the other end, an irate woman screamed into the phone, "WHEAH'S MAH BOBBECUE CHICKEN?!? I ODAH'ED THAT BOBBECUE CHICKEN A OWAH AGO!!!"

I hung up on her without saying anything (it was all I could think of at 2am), but that line has stuck with me in the mumblety-nine years since.

I was reminded of it last night, when we decided to try out Red Hill Bobbecue Barbecue out in Rancho Cucamonga. We've driven past it at various times -- most notably on the way to Vince's (for which I have a very spongy soft spot), and we've always meant to try it. K. was working from home, so, hey, why not?

Now I know why not: It's just not very good. Well, the meat is good -- very well smoked. But the sauce, which they ladle over your food by the pint, is awful stuff: sticky, sweet, and artificially thickened.

K. decided to get the Carnivore Carnival, or whatever they called the sampler. It consisted of meat, meat, and more meat (specifically: pork ribs, beef ribs, brisket, chicken, ham, and two hot links) shoveled into a large styrofoam box and then drowned in sauce.

I got the rib tips, which received the same treatment. Both of our styrofoam boxes were bulging so dangerously that they were (only barely) held shut with toothpick. K.'s weighed about four pounds; mine was only three.

For sides, I got the cole slaw and the mac&cheese, because they were out of collards (my favorite!). The cole slaw was fine, the mac&cheese was mediocre. Both were pretty soupy. K. said the potato salad was pretty good, but I didn't get a verdict on his baked beans.

We ended up taking the rest of our dinners home. K. will be nibbling on his for the next week, whereas I'll be feeding cats with mine. Voiceover has quite a sweet tooth, and he loved the combination of sugar and smoke and beef. I'll give him some bits as a treat and put the rest out for the neighborhood felines (most of whom live outside and eat nothing but kibble). The couple (of ribs, not cats) I tossed onto the driveway were gone in minutes.

I have left strict instructions with the cats, however, that if they're looking for bobbecue chicken, don't. call. me.

business notes from all over

Like Peaches, I went AWOL for a bit there, but I'm back home and firmly leashed to the internet so I can't go far.

I have, however, done a little local commerce, and I'm here to report back.

Pomona
K. just got back from a week-long business trip, and I'm getting over the creeping crud, so we decided to eat out on saturday night. But where is one to go on commencement weekend, when thousands of families attack Claremont and environs? We thought Pho Ha, on Indian Hill, would be safe, but it was the most crowded I've ever seen it. And indeed, there was a graduation table -- smug-looking 22-year-old, a couple of stroppy siblings, proud mom and pop, and Grandma waving a chopstick in each hand and saying loudly "How am I supposed to eat my noodles with these things?!?"

Laverne
As you know, I'm a big fan of the Corner Butcher Shop, in the Marshalls shopping center across from Target. The other day the special on the chalkboard was a "Kitchen Nightmares Burger." Turns out that Ricky, my regular counter guy, was the head chef at Lela's, to whom Gordon Ramsay gave such a ration of grief on the tv show. I didn't try the burger; Ricky's a great guy, but I'm taking Ramsay's word on the lamb-and-chocolate combination.

Claremont
I was getting my specs tightened up at Pigale Optical yesterday when a very elderly man came in, followed closely by a woman and her daughter.
Mom: "Excuse me, sir, were you just at the California Bank & Trust?"
Man: "Yesssss..."
Mom: "Well, you left your card in the machine. The man behind you took it in to the counter."
Man: "You followed me all the way here to tell me that? Thank you!"
Daughter: "You walk really fast for such an old man!"
Mom: "Honey! Hush!"
Daughter: "But you said so yourself!"
I'm sure there's a lesson in that for everyone.

The pikkie was the first hit for a search on "Pomona LaVerne Claremont." Doesn't have much to do with anything, but who's going to turn their nose up at bonbons?

Peaches went AWOL

A member of the Pomona blogosphere lost a feline family member.

Check Pomona's Art Colonists for more information.

Just another day in POMONA

After you're all dirty from cleaning up Pomona, what could be more exciting than heading on over to the Cal Poly Pomona Farm store for the Tractor and Car Show.

Food
Entertainment
Tractor rides
Petting Zoo
Oldies and Hot Rod Tunes

Got a cool car, you can enter it and receive a free t-shirt ($35 to enter).

Word on the street is that they'll have a fully-restored vintage steam tractor! I know Meg and K won't miss this event. And couldn't we all just picture David Allen wearing a straw hat and riding a tractor. OK, well how about Mayor Rothman.

Where else in Southern California, could you pick up the city's trash and pull weeds in the morning, pet some animals and ride a tractor in the early afternoon, and then in the evening, get all gussied up to hobnob with aspiring artists.

I LOVE POMONA!

The 'H' word for April

For April's map, I've tossed in vehicular-related deaths to give it a little more color. Sorry, my LA County vehicle info is a bit lacking, since I haven't found easy access to the coroner's info and the newspapers don't really cover death by vehicle too often.

Here's some food for thought when you're assessing risk:

Year Vehicle Homicide
2007 3557 2258
2006 3793 2483
2005 3822 2503
2004 3701 2394
2003 3726 2402
2002 3650 2392
2001 3517 2201
2000 3331 2074
1999 3144 2006
1998 3075 2170


By my count, Pomona has experienced 6 homicides in 2009, with guns being the weapon of choice. As for April, the single homicide was a shooting that occurred during a crowded party. I believe suspects have been arrested or identified in 4 of the 6 shootings.

And how does this year compare to last year:

1. by the start of May 2008, Pomona had reached 5 and we eventually hit an unofficial 20. Of the 20, 9 people were killed in the last 3 months of the year.
2. Over the last ten years, we've averaged 21 homicides a year.

April Homicide map
Jan-March Homicide map

Another Month of Public Service

Here we go with another round of Council and commission meetings. YIKES, and I don't even volunteer for any of these positions.

On tonight's City Council agenda:

1. 2nd reading of ordinance to further regulate the possession and consumption of alcoholic beverages in public places.
   
2. shuffling some capital improvement funds
3. 2009-10 community development block grant programs
4. amendment to police furloughs
5. first reading of ordinance modifying reimbursement for some emergency responses
6. a ticket and passes distribution policy to comply with Fair Political Practices Commission amended regulation
7. approval of Fox Theatre Community Events Selection Committee ( let's shorten to the FTCESC.....isn't that so much easier).
8. Downtown Parking plan
9. monopoly for city towing services
10. modify, suspend or revoke CUP for Angelo's pizzeria
    
11. First reading of ordinance to modify Pomona's code regarding water conservation.

And a thanks to the city for making it easier to access public documents!

Romeo and Juliet @ Cal Poly

Here's a cut and paste from a Cal Poly press release:

"The timeless tale of star-crossed lovers will be told at Cal Poly Pomona’s main stage theatre in a production of “Romeo and Juliet.”

Shakespeare’s classic work will be presented May 8, 9, 14, 15 and 16 at 8 p.m. in Building 25. There will be matinee performances on May 12 and 13 at 10 a.m., and May 17 at 2 p.m.

The department will put on a full-fledged production, with student actors donned in traditional Renaissance costumes on a stage filled with Elizabethan scenery and props.

Many of the students are fully versed in Shakespearean language, having performed at the university’s Southern California Shakespeare Festival, a professional repertory theatre company dedicated to nurturing artists and enriching the diverse community of the Inland Empire.

“We have strong actors who can tell this universal story of hate and love,” said Linda Bisesti, director and associate professor of theatre, who has appeared in multiple film and television roles.

Tickets are $15 for general admission and $10 for students, faculty and staff.

For more information, contact the Theatre Box Office at (909) 869-3800. "