Old Home Restoration Workshop--August 9

It's time again for the annual Pomona Heritage Old Home Restoration Workshop. Our 10th workshop will be held on August 9 beginning at 9:00 am and run until 4:00 pm. Additional information is in the press release below:

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The 10th Annual Pomona Heritage Old Home Restoration Workshop will take place on Saturday, August 9 at Trinity United Methodist Church. The program will begin at 9:00 am and continue until 4:00 pm. The program is made up of a series of seminars (four different ones going on simultaneously) and will include a wide array of information on issues of interest to owners of older homes. In addition, there will be a keynote address at noon on the progress of the restoration of the Pomona Fox Theater, and a special seminar on Pomona’s implementation of the Mills Act.

It was 10 years ago that the board of directors of Pomona Heritage decided to extend their outreach program to the entire community. It was felt that they needed to help in the education of Pomona’s citizenry of the value in protecting the historic fabric of our city and ensure that those who were interested in preserving their homes had the tools to do so in the appropriate manner. Thus was born the Old Home Restoration Workshop.

This year’s workshop will include many favorite seminars from the past along with a several new ones. The workshop committee has put together a program that should have something for everyone who lives in a historic districts, or just lives in an older home and wants to know how do simple repairs. Subjects on tap for this year’s workshop include: Repairing and replacement of wood windows, Herb gardening, Planning your restoration project, Gardening with California native plants, Repairing wood floors, Plaster repair, Repair and maintenance of stained glass windows, and several others not confirmed at press time. A full schedule will be available online at our web site once it has been confirmed.

In addition to learning the important hints and tricks for maintaining and updating your historic home, the workshop will offer the opportunity to meet artisans and craftsmen who can assist in answering questions regarding old homes. Members of the city’s building, code enforcement, and planning staff will be available as will artists from Red Wing Glass, Dominguez Floors, and many others.

With the recent revamping of Pomona’s version of the Mills Act, city planners Sandra Campbell and Judy Kollar will be presenting a seminar on how the Mills Act works and what the procedures are for those interested in taking advantage of the potential 40-60% tax savings that the act provides for the renovation and maintenance of historic properties in the city of Pomona. For those planning on ever doing a major renovation project, this seminar is a must as it will show how a good, historically sensitive renovation can be done, using tax savings to do it.

Each year the Restoration Workshop looks for a keynote speaker of general interest to the entire community. In 2007 Jerry Tessier gave a presentation of the plans for the full restoration of the National Register Landmark Pomona Fox Theater. This year, with construction well underway, Ed Tessier has agreed to present an update on the progress being made and a look ahead at what can be expected for the Fox. The focus will be on the challenges of a large-scale historic restoration project and how many of those challenges have been handled. With historic tax credits as one of their methods of funding, all work on the Fox must be approved by the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) and the National Parks Service of the US Department of the Interior. This is a project that goes will beyond requirements of city codes and should give interesting insights into to how such projects move forward.

“This is our most important educational outreach program of the year,” stated Mark Gearhart, Pomona Heritage board member and chairman of the Restoration Workshop committee. “We offer this as a way to let the greater community understand the importance of the proper repair and maintenance of Pomona’s important historic resources. We invite everyone in the city to come, learn about historic preservation, and, hopefully, make their homes and our entire city environment better.”

In addition to the seminars, a Silent Auction will be held during the course of the day’s activities. It will include a wide array of goods and services geared specifically toward old home renovation and decorating. For additional information, and a full schedule of seminars, as they become available, please visit our web site at http://www.pomonaheritage.org and click on the Restoration Workshop button at the left.

aftershock

In case the earthquake has put you in need of strong drink, our neighbor Jeff came up with a delicious concoction to commemorate the occasion. He calls it the Lincoln Park, and given the local interest, it seemed worth a post. After all, I'm dedicated to bringing your attention to everything in Pomona that catches my eye.




Lincoln Park
orange sherbet
Grand Marnier
tequila
a spritz of lemon juice
a few ice cubes.

Combine in the proportion that suits your level of bibulousness, whiz in the blender until frothy, and serve in an Old Fashioned glass. A toast to our fair city is mandatory, not optional.

shake, rattle, and roll

So, I was at work, in a recently-seismically-retrofitted office building, when the earthquake occurred, and it was scary enough. What did people feel, and has anyone had any damage?

I talked to our neighbor the geologist, and he said his house was rolling like mad. Some stuff was knocked over, too. He checked on our house, and he said he couldn't see any damage, except that our cat was creeping around the house on his belly, all freaked out. Hardly surprising.

Any reports out there?

Update: A friend who was visiting last week and was impressed by the feline population of Lincoln Park wrote to ask if the cats had taken this as an opportunity to take over the 'hood. Has anyone seen any signs of revolt on the part of our feline overlords?

Should I look?

I'm writing this on Monday night, wondering whether the Daily Bulletin will plop a story about Sunday's homicide on Holt right smack in the middle of their front page. Please don't misunderstand my frustrations, it's not that I don't think homicides deserve coverage. And I understand that homicides are news and therefore, I don't really begrudge an editor for placing the story on the front page. What truly perplexes me is why victims of homicide in other inland cities don't warrant a similar gesture. Aren't those communities equally suffering?

I don't really get it.

And as with all of the homicides, my thoughts go out to family and friends of the homicide victim. Sunday's victim was Larry Trevon Hammett, 46, of Ontario.

As of July 28, I count 8 homicides in the city of Pomona. The locations vary throughout the city with two north of the 10 freeway, four between the 10 freeway and Mission, and the other two south of Mission (I'll post a map at the end of the month). Of the eight victims, two people were stabbed, four were shot, one died from neglect, and one died from cardiac arrest. At least four were the result of domestic violence or neglect.

Last Saturday Art Walk

Don't miss
tonight's
"Last Saturday Art Walk".

Also tonight
@ The GLASSHOUSE

"Suicide Final Tour 2008"
featuring At The Gates,
Repulsion, Darkest Hour,
Municipal Waste



Monday night
@ The GLASSHOUSE
Bloc Party, Does It Offend You, Yeah?

When you're down at the Art Walk don't forget to see
"Eyewash" @ 57 Underground
A presentation of the work of 25 students from
the School of Arts and Enterprise

Two Cities and a Newspaper

Pomona just can't catch a break.

The Daily Bulletin covers a police chase and shots fired in Ontario, and yet the article mentions Pomona twice and Ontario once. Yeah, the shooter was reportedly a Pomona gang member who lives in Pomona, but come on, it didn't even happen here!

And just to toss Ontario a bigger break, the reporter included this quote from Officer Bill Russell, "We haven't had a shooting (in the neighborhood) in a while." Were the editors sleeping during this story, since it would have taken a simple text search to find that there was a shooting-related homicide at almost the exact location in April. Rather than tossing out this quote, I'd reckon the reporter should have been asking whether the two incidences might have been related.

Pondering the story, got me to thinking about the parentheses in the quote. Have there been other shootings in Ontario recently? And if so, when? In the last article on shootings in Pomona the reporter was kind enough to chronicle the events for us. Hey, they usually do that for the murders, too! Hmmm!

On a somewhat related note, did you know there were two homicides in two days in Fontana this last weekend, and five people were the victims of homicide in Rialto in the last month. What, no summary......no articles titled, "Two Homicides in Two Days".

In case you can't tell, I'm scratching my head right now or pulling my hair out. I can't even really tell anymore!

grazing

My mother's about to arrive for a week's visit (during which time blogging is sure to be light), and rather than actually clean house as I should, I thought I'd post a few local dining notes before I forget.

First of all, we had lunch at Pupuseria Cuscatleca the very day that David Allen posted his review of it. The woman there was very friendly, and the pupusas were huge, but I still prefer the ones at Guasalmex a few blocks away (at Holt & Garey).

In other news, Food Bargains, the little Middle Eastern grocery on Garey, has changed its name to Grove Farmer's Market. A cashier told me that there was a new owner (also Lebanese), but the guy who acts like the Big Boss is still there, so who knows. Nothing else has changed, although one day there was no meat available because they were swabbing out the refridgerated cases. Everyone in favor of cleanliness, raise your hand.

We've been back to the Back Abbey in Claremont (home of the $13 burger) twice now, and both visits were better than our first. One time, the place was dead empty (and was still noisy, with only one other table besides us!), and the other time we claimed a table outside. I'm not persuaded about the place, mainly because I'm just not a fan of the Belgian beers. But a full pint of Fuller's London Pride is only $5, so I can't really complain.

We had a grand meal at Watergrill in DTLA on saturday, but that's a little out of the purview of M-M-M-My Pomona, so I'll hold off on reviewing it. But we were back at dba256 on friday, where the installation of the tv has gone forth as threatened. I find it a nuisance -- especially when a customer insisted on watching boxing -- but I guess I'm okay with whatever helps them stay open and (one hopes) profitable.

peeking over the chain-link fence

I was happily geeking out at my desk when K. erupted in hyena-like laughter in the living room.
"What?!?" I demanded to know.
He brought in the front page of the L.A. Times, which has a story about Ellen Taylor turfing out the Girl Scouts.

The article makes a point of crediting the Claremont Insider blog, and I was pleased to see that the Insider graciously passed the credit to the Courier, which originally broke the story (although the Insider certainly beat it to death). As K. says, what newspaper is going to credit a rival newspaper?

On a more abstract level, I'm not sure what to think of the LAT getting its front-page stories from blogs. As they eviscerate the newsroom -- 150 reporters and editors canned in the past week, on top of all the previous cuts -- we are spectators of the death of professional journalism. Blogs are a wonderful addition to the global communication network, and an important safeguard of democracy, but as a medium they can never replace good investigative reporting, despite what Sam Zell thinks.

Schools need to start teaching special courses on evaluating sources of information, before our kids start believing everything in the Weekly World News (slogan: "the world's only reliable newspaper"), which will be the last newspaper standing, mark my words.

In happier news, Geoff Boucher, who is the comics and all-things-pulp reporter at the LAT, has not only survived the newsroom putsch (so far) but has been given his own blog. Meg-Bob sez check it out.


I shouldn't be so harsh about the WWN: This week's issue announces that a naturally-occurring Fountain of Vermouth has been discovered. Catch you later -- I'm grabbing my Gilbey's and heading right over!

love for pomona

Living in Pomona, I've gotten used to Our Fair City getting no love and being the butt of jokes (on The Simpsons and 90210, among others).

But if you listened to Larry Mantle on KPCC yesterday, you heard us get our props. A real-estate expert was on the air, talking about the state of housing in Southern California. He didn't really focus on Pomona, for one specific reason: Pomona, LaVerne, and Pasadena were mentioned as three municipalities who weren't suffering much from the mortgage crisis.

His precise point was that older cities, whose housing stock is "more established" (does that just mean old homes?), are the least affected by the current mess. Apparently, the main thing is how much action there was on the local market between 2003 and 2005 -- the "Loans Gone Wild" era. The fewer real estate transactions during that period (and again he mentioned Pomona as a fine example), the more protected the market -- and the less the drop in prices. So San Bernardino has seen a 31% drop in housing prices, while Pomona, Pasadena, and LaVerne have only had "a few percentage points" drop.

Finally, Pomona gets some respect. God bless us, every one.

P.U.

I'm sitting here at my desk on a tuesday night, puttering around, paying bills, watching the recycling scavengers go up and down the street muttering because we all wait until about 9:59am to put our blue bins out.

Suddenly, a scent! Um, more like a stench. A skunk stench. A strong one.

I reckon that one of the stray cats has had a close encounter underneath my window, so verrrry gingerly, I step onto the front porch...

...where I just smell the ordinary aromas of a summer evening.

Back inside, the whole house is skunky.

Yes, I think someone blew a gasket under our house. Oh, joy.

At least it beats having a squirrel die in the wall.

stop, in the name of love

Lincoln Park's city council rep, Paula Lantz, recently sent this out to the Neighborhood Watch block captains, and she kindly gave me permission to post it here, saying "I welcome any input I can get." So without further ado, I bring you --

To All,
Just wanted you to know that I have shared the frustrations of the last Neighborhood Watch meeting, and the Public Works Director has volunteered to analyze "traffic calming" possibilities for the Lincoln Park neighborhoods. He is also going to do some traffic counts and speed analysis to see where the biggest problems are. If you can let me know any specific streets, intersections or blocks that are of particular concern, I will make sure they are included.

In case you haven't been by Lincoln and Como, there is a stop-sign there now, as well as on Gibbs at Garfield.

There has also been some recent discussion about revisiting closing some alleys. My suggestion was, that since each alley has specific "issues" it should be discussed at a Block meeting (actually, a two-block meeting since it involves two sides of the alley) specific to the alley in question. Any Block Captain that wants to set that up, I am happy to attend and bring the specific options available from Public Works. Biggest issues will be getting buy-in from owners of homes that have only alley access to their garages (easements can be granted for access), and the on-going maintenance of the alley. If it is closed to the public, then public tax dollars probably can't be spent on it.

At any rate, let me know specific problem areas for traffic, and hopefully I can have something before the next Block Captian meeting.

I should add (this is Meg, not Paula, talking now) that if other people have announcements or information that they want to get out to fellow Pomoniacs, email them to me and I'll post them. I reserve the right to decide that something isn't appropriate for the blog, but you probably have figured out by now that appropriateness (much less propriety) was never my strong suit, so don't let that stop you.

drink less coffee

I still have a huge backlog of well-considered posts I mean to sit down and scratch out for y'all to make fun of, but in the meantime, a minor squib for your delectation:

No doubt you saw the announcement at the beginning of the month that $tarbuck$ was closing down 600 stores. Well, they've released the initial list, and while Pomona escapes the ax, poor old Montclair doesn't -- the store at Ramona and Mission is one of the eight stores in California to be shuttered.

I've never been to that one (but then again I go to $tarbuck$ only when some well-meaning soul gives me a gift card from there). Are any of y'all gonna miss it?

Free Music on Thursdays

Great weekend for taking in all that Pomona has to offer. Whether its the music, art, food, or the wonderful library, Pomona once again reminds me why I choose to live in the little, big city.

Pomona Concert Band

Pomona Concert Band is offering its 2008 Summer Concert Series at Ganesha every Thursday. Tonight's performance is titled From Sea to Shining Sea. Show starts at 8PM and admission is FREE!

@ Fairplex

Computer Fair Saturday and Sunday 10 AM to 5 PM
Admission:$8, children 10 and under free.
Pomona Auto Swap Meet on Sunday from 5 AM to 2PM
Admission:$12, children 12 and under, free.
Magic: The Gathering on Saturday from 9 AM to 11PM


Metro Pomona
(Metro Pomona blog)

The Glass House
Friday: Freshly Dipped Tour: Hieroglyphics (featuring Souls of Mischief, Pep Love & Casual), Blue Scholars,
Musab * Tanya Morgan * Knobody

Pomona Arts Colony

Saturday's Art Walk starts at 6PM.
Several galleries are opening new exhibits.
I'm a particular fan of student endeavors so a special plug goes out for the
57 Underground which is exhibiting work from the School of Arts and Enterprise students. Artist reception runs from 6-9PM.

Farmer's Markets
Admission is free, but the produce is priceless
Wednesday nights on the corner Garey and 2nd Street
Saturday morning in Pomona First Baptist Parking Lot

City of Pomona
Thursday: Parks and Rec Commission Meeting @ 5:30 PM
in the Administration Conference Room (City Hall 2nd Floor)

Thursday: YFMP Community Board Meeting @ Ganesha
Park Community Center starting

Friday: Teen Swim @ Ganesha Park
(909) 620-2301 for info

Pomona Public Library

Book Discussion of your favorite P.D. James Mystery
Wednesday July 16, 2008--1:00 P.M.
Library Conference Room
Sponsored by the Friends of the Pomona Library
Catch the Reading Bug!/ Metamorphosis @ Pomona Public Library
2008 Kids and Teens Summer Reading Program
June 23 – August 9, 2008.
Tuesday: Storytime xxxxx now at 12:15
Wednesday: Grandparents and Books on vacation until September

Missed Anything? Please comment!

a room with a view

Sorry about the extended silence -- I've been slammed at work. Hats off to Ed for picking up the slack!

I have a long mental list of things to write about, but it's almost suppertime. In the meantime, a couple of random observations from my desk, where I am surfing the web, sipping a Dirty Coward (equal parts cheap gin and fizzy water, a good slug of brine from the bottle of olives, served over crushed ice), and watching the world go by.

Observation No. 1: A young couple walked by, looking very much in love. They walked back about half an hour later, pushing a Staters Bros. shopping cart with a single bag in it. (Further deponent sayeth not.)

Observation No. 2: Nearly every day, an elderly Hispanic couple goes for a walk past our house. She walks at least 15 feet behind him, and if he stops (to pull up his socks or whatever), she stops too, preserving the distance.

In the DB

If you're pondering a correlation between our current hot weather and global warming or happened to glance at the air quality forecast for the Rialto and San Bernardino area, look no further than the online Daily Bulletin for a local solution. The video section on the Daily Bulletin webpage includes a quick video of the Phoenix SUT (not to be confused with the Phoenix slut--sorry, it seemed funny at the time). The Phoenix Motorcar company is an electric truck/SUV startup out of Ontario. I've periodically seen the trucks scooting around LP over the last year. Check out the video or stop by the car company's website for more info.

Although the vehicles aren't quite ready for public consumption, their website does include a sign-up form for those of you who might want to reserve your space in line.

No wonder David Allen looks so tired. The online Daily Bulletin has him doing articles for JChristensen, Vicki Paluch, and Michelle Mills. Frankly, I find him funnier in the columns written under his own name. Maybe its my own bias, but I just don't see him as a "Vicki".

On a depressing note yesterday, a man was killed during an altercation with his son in Whittier and in a shooting in Rialto, one man was killed and another injured while sitting in a parked truck. No reported murders in Claremont...........or Pomona.

Oops! Just read in the Sunday DB that Pomona did tally a homicide on Friday. Apparently a fight between an aunt and an uncle over picking up a teenage nephew. The aunt's husband died from cardiac arrest and the uncle is being held on murder charges.

Historic Commission 7/2/08

Those stalwart volunteers are busy again.

Some new construction/additions, a tree removal, and the all-to-common window issue are on the agenda for tonight's meeting.

Tentatively, next month has a request for a 2nd unit addition on the 200 block of Lincoln. I wonder how people will feel about that one.

Map for 7/2/08
Agenda

"H" word for June

It was a rough weekend for Rialto, but overall the Pomona Valley and San Bernardino Area fared well in the number of homicides for the month of June. San Gabriel Valley is still seeing more homicides than east of the 57, which is the same pattern that I've witnessed in previous months.

Pomona saw 4 shootings with a total of 9 people shot in the last two weeks, but to my knowledge, all the victims survived. I suppose if the bullets had traveled a slightly different path, Pomona could be at 15 homicides for the year instead of 6.

Are the shooters just bad shots in Pomona, or are the victims just luckier? How many incidences of shots being fired did the San Gabriel Valley see in the month of June to account for the approx. 12 homicides? I can't even tell you how many incidences of shots being fired the cities around Pomona might have seen. I am aware of the 9 people shot in Pomona, but that was only because the Daily Bulletin covered it. And no, I'm not griping about the DB's choice of covering the shootings, since I certainly wanted to know about them. My real concern is that my perception of crime, both in Pomona and other cities, is at the whim of the information that I'm receiving (or not receiving).

Here's a few of my other rants:
Why don't police departments put press releases online? Shouldn't the Daily Bulletin cover the homicides just over the hill, since many of us travel through or shop in those areas? Does Pomona PD put out more press releases than surrounding cities? Any chance the Council members could pool their allocations and hire a PR person for the city?

Homicides in June
Homicides in May
Homicides in March/April
Homicides in Jan/Feb