CHS students featured at tonight's Democratic Club gathering

The Democratic Club of Claremont will hold its monthly meeting tonight, March 26, from 7 to 9 p.m. at Porter Hall on the Pilgrim Place campus (601 Mayflower Road).

This month's gathering will feature a panel of members of the Student Democrats Club at Claremont High School. The students will share their knowledge of the opinions of their peers on a variety of topics, according to a recent press release.

For more information, visit www.claremontdems.org.

Solar contractors on hand at Hughes

Claremont residents are invited to participate in a free Solar Connection event from 6 to 8 p.m. on Wednesday, March 28, at the Alexander Hughes Center.

Hosted by Southern California Edison, the networking event will help connect residents interested in solar generating or solar water heating system installation with contractors, according to a recent release.

The Hughes Center is located at 1700 Danbury Road. To register, visit www.sce.com/solartrainingCLARE or call 866-970-9221.

Free dessert for Fair Trade tonight

Locals are invited to join the community in supporting Fair Trade products through a dessert party titled Sweet Justice, to take place tonight, March 22, from 7 to 9 p.m. on the Pomona College campus. The event is free and open to the public.

The dessert social, co-sponsored by Fair Trade Claremont and Pomona College International Relations, is an initiative to help bring together people interested in learning about and discussing issues of Fair Trade, and to generate further enthusiasm and support on campus and in the community.

Fair Trade is a movement aimed at promoting better trade conditions and sustainability. Fair Trade products focus on quality, improving the lives of the workers that provide the product and protecting the environment.

The event will take place on the Pomona College’s campus in the Hahn Building, Room #101, 420 N. Harvard Ave. Pomona College Dining Services will provide Fair Trade coffee, tea, hot chocolate and desserts.

Fourth of July honoree nominations sought

The 2012 Independence Day Committee is now accepting nominations for Grand Marshal, Honored Citizen, and Honored Community Group to be recognized at the Fourth of July Celebration. The deadline to submit nominations has been extended to Thursday, March 29 to the Hughes Community Center, 1700 Danbury Road.

Applications are available at the event's website www.Claremont4th.org. All honorees will be presented with certificates at the pre-parade reception on July 4, 2012 at Garner House at Memorial Park. Honorees will also appear in the official parade in their own decorated vehicle.

Last year, the Blue Ribbon Committee, comprised of city council members, school board members and other respected community leaders, met and selected 2011's Grand Marshal Linda Elderkin, Honored Citizen Chris & Barry Ulrich, Honored Group CHS Wolfpack Alumni Society, and Blue Ribbon Spirit Award recipients CHS Theatre Department.

The Fourth of July Celebration is a time-honored tradition in Claremont. The celebration consists of a 5K run, pancake breakfast, opening ceremonies, festival area with games, parade, and a Fireworks Sky Show.

For sponsorship opportunities, please contact Claremont Human Services at 399-5490. Additional information about the celebration can be found at the Claremont Fourth of July Celebration website at www.Claremont4th.org.

Foreclosure rally planned for Thursday

Claremont residents and members of MoveOn.org, a grassroots political action group, will lead a rally against foreclosure on Thursday at Wells Fargo, located on the corner of Yale Avenue and Second Street in the Claremont Village. The event will begin at 4:30 p.m.

Thursday’s demonstration is part of a nationally organized “Save Our Homes event” sponsored by MoveOn.org, demanding that government-sponsored lenders Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac adjust the mortgages of those struggling to keep their homes. The event was planned to coincide with a meeting of the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs taking place in Washington on Thursday to discuss issues of lending and foreclosure.

For more information on Thursday’s rally contact organizer Don Overlin at 626-383-9344 or visit MoveOn.org.

Claremont Chorale to perform at Bridges Saturday

Twentieth century classical music for chorus and orchestra will be featured at the spring concert of the Claremont Chorale, the premier choral group in the Pomona-Claremont area.The concert will be at 3 p.m. next Saturday, March 17, at Bridges Hall of Music, 150
East Fourth St., on the Pomona College campus in Claremont.

Its theme is the cycle of life, as indicated by the program title, "Songs of Life and Death." Concert tickets are $15 for general admission or $12 for students and seniors, and season tickets are also available.

The Claremont Chorale was founded in 1968 and is currently in its 44th year. It is composed of about 60 experienced choral vocalists, chosen by audition. Gregory Norton has been its conductor and music director for the last 19 years, and its accompanist is Barbara Durost, a faculty member at the Claremont Community School of Music.

In 2006 the Claremont Chorale represented the United States in the Seventh International Choral Festival in Puebla, Mexico. It has also participated in several recent music festivals, including the choral festival in Redlands, Messiah concerts in Santa Monica and Glendale, and a concert exchange with the U.C. Berkeley Alumni Chorus.

Volunteers to help support the Chorale's programs and activities with time or monetary donations are always being sought. Interested individuals are urged to contact the Chorale at P.O. Box 489, Claremont, CA, 91711, phone at 621-9782, or email info@claremontchorale.org.

Botanic garden welcomes new horticulture director

Rancho SantaAna Botanic Garden's has hired Scott LeFleur as its new horticulture director. Mr. LeFleur succeeds Susan Jett, who accepted the position of associate director of horticulture for nursery operations last fall.

Before coming to the garden, Mr. LeFleur was on the staff at the New England Wild Flower Society (NEWFS) for 6 years, most recently as the director of horticulture. NEWFS, a non-profit dedicated to native plants of New England, is the oldest plant conservation organization in the United States.

As NEWFS' director of horticulture, Mr. LeFleur was responsible for the operations for the society's public botanic garden and native plant nursery. He modernized and advanced awareness for the botanic garden by designing a new public entrance, emphasizing the society's connection to conservation through the landscaped living collection, designing a demonstration garden to help homeowners appreciate the beauty of native plants and creating a native edible garden.

Mr. LeFleur also reorganized the nursery operations for the society, which resulted in a rapidly growing native plant nursery, which produces more than 75,000 plants each year for homeowners, landscape professionals, restoration projects and towns.A1994 graduate of the University of New Hampshire, he worked in private landscape design and installation before joining the NEWFS team.

"I am really excited to have Scott LeFleur join our leadership team. He brings a great experience from the world of public horticulture and conservation," said Patrick Larkin, RSABG's executive director. "Scott's enthusiasm for engaging people with native plants will
be valuable asset as RSABG increases its engagement with the greater southern California community about the importance of natives."