Pomona Growth

Today's photograph is of the Center Street Community Garden, with the Monterey Station Luxury apartments growing in the background.

Apparently this image is only temporary since the City owns the community garden land and word is they plan to sell it.

If the Center Street Community Gardens gets uprooted (which I really hope they don't!), perhaps the dirt and gardens can be moved to the empty gravel lot across from the Pomona Library parking lot on Garey. The set up could be sort of like this Atlanta Veterans Farmer's Market, but leaving the gravel area larger, so the lot can still be used by the City for overflow parking.

Ethan's Growing Legacy for Pomona

Four years and much collective sadness ago, Ethan Esparza was killed in a driveby shooting the day before his 4th birthday, while attending his own birthday party in the front yard of his grandmother's Pomona home.

At the time that it happened, my Mr. Big had celebrated his own 4th birthday just weeks earlier, 8 blocks -and apparently worlds- away, in the front yard of our Lincoln Park home.

Ethan's death triggered lots of talk about enough being enough, and a banding together of local church and community leaders to find a solution. The most visible legacy of Ethan today is the Tri City Community Gardens at 2008 North Garey Avenue in Pomona. Tri City "Victory" Gardens is the lovechild of local cattle farmer Randy Bekendam, who was inspired by Ethan's story.

Garden photos courtesy of the Tri City blog site, unknown photographer. With what I am told was little support from the City of Pomona, Farmer Randy had trouble finding any where that would even allow him to build the gardens. How typical Pomona dysfunctional is that? As a result, the gardens are tucked away; if you blink as you drive up Garey, you will miss them. But if you stop and go inside, you will see an orchard, a succulent labyrinth, various farm plots and sporadic gardeners growing hope amidst the vegetables there.

Truth be told, there has not been overwhelming participation in the gardens by local residents. Other than a few visits there myself, I have not been involved as I thought I would be. One family here in Lincoln Park has been deeply engaged in the gardens, and that is how I have kept informed about what is going on there.

Sadly, changes in staffing at the mental health facility have resulted in young patients not using the gardens for therapy as they once did when it first opened. Recently, however, a woman from nearby Berkeley Avenue laid claim to a plot, which she tends alongside neighborhood children from her violence-prone street.


Over the past couple of months, a group of children have been painting the north wall at the Tri City gardens (see today's photo). The wall painting is part of environmental art classes hosted by Otterspace Arts. Mr. Big attended a class last week. Otterspace Arts is run by two former school teachers, trying to make a difference by bringing the arts back to local children. Check out their class schedule and get on their mailing list here.

No arrests were ever made in Ethan's case, until yesterday, when one man was taken into custody for the murder. The arrest has brought Ethan's story to the forefront once again.

At the garden last week, a large sunflower stood tall and proud in the middle of the vegetable beds (you can see it in the above photo). The sunflower immediately made me think about Ethan. I have no idea if Ethan's family has been to the community gardens that Ethan inspired. I'd like to think that big, beautiful, and oh so hopeful looking sunflower could bring them some needed solace.

If you would like to get involved in Pomona's community garden, Tri City holds work days every first Saturday of the month. If you can't get there in person, you can always go there via youtube. Please note that this video was shot last year, before Pomona's most hopeful sunflower came to life.

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Two Great Pomona Outreach Events for Saturday April 4, 2009

And no, I"m not talking Victory Outreach. This SAturday will be the 6th Annual Sustainability Seminar hosted by the Pomona Regens, and the Restoration Workshop hosted by Pomona Heritage.

Go to Regen.org for more info on the sustainability day that goes from 8 a.m. to midnight. The day will start with a tour of the Tri City Garden, but will otherwise be held at their co-op on Kingsely and the newest one on Palomares. And oh yeah, the Goddess of Garey Avenue will give a talk.

Go to Pomona Heritage for info on the restoration workshops being held at Trinity Methodist from 9 to 4, although they've chosen not to post the schedule which is a bummer.

For anyone reading this that still uses weed killers like Roundup, I urge you to check out the Monsanto video over at the Organic Consumer Organization. We've had a few dogs drop dead here in Lincoln Park, and these chemicals really have no place in our food chain, much less residential yards where our pets and children play and walk. Additionally, Monsanto is trying to get legislation passed that would encroach on our very ability to farm freely in our own backyards. You can link to petitions from the above site.

Now that even Obama is doing the food-not-lawns thing, perhaps this is the Spring to go for it!

p.s. anyone else notice that there are about a zillion "mosquito catchers" around right now? I've never seen anything like it, and hope this doesn't mean the mosquitos are going to be just as numerous this year.

THE END And here is the rest of it.

Obama Cruises Holt Boulevard

Obama in Pomona
Originally uploaded by BeatsCOM

The first photo is not just another classic caddy with tinted windows cruising down Holt. That's Obama, care of the Daily Bulletin. The second photo is Obama's car about to get on the 10 freeway from Towne. Hey Pomona, we don't look half bad in terms of actual landscaping on the offramp in the background! See why that sort of thing can come in handy.

Obama, however, must have gone by those ugly dirt plots just below the 10 freeway on Towne, which renews my vow to get something planted there this Spring.


Anyone up for making this a project for the upcoming Pomona Beautification Day? If so, post below and I will call the Korean Church who owns the land to see if they are still on board. Otherwise, I'll take on a project I can handle myself,
like the Memorial to the Lone Palm Tree Fire of 2007.

As for Obama, I got a big kick out of the photos on the various blogs and at the Daily Bulletin. Honestly, I was worried last night that the Gas Company guy from Pomona who was shot might upstage the Edison folks, but in the end the kids at Village Academy and on the streets of Pomona, stole the show. How could I ever doubt my people? (And here I thought Norma Torres was sure to ruin the whole thing.) Of course Pomona was not even mentioned on the 10 p.m. KTLA news segment on Obama.

I've been trying to post links, but bloggers not allowing them. Thanks to the Pomona School website for the photo of the group of students with Obama, and Pride of Garfield Park for the photo of the two kids along the parade route. See more great photos from her at Pomonawatch.blogspot.com.

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Wanted: Pomona's 100th Monkey

Over the weekend, I drove through the intersection of Garey and Alvarado. I am certain that my whole face lit up as I saw what is today's photo: a giant, circular "for lease" sign in front of the old Firehouse Restaurant. My first thought was, "Why didn't anyone email me?" But then I realized the sign must have just gone up, as I drive through that intersection to and from Stater Bros. all the time. During my five years here, there has never been any attempt to rent this abandoned building at an amazingly central corner.

I will now officially channel all my good vibes into the hope that a wonderful neighborhood-oriented business will take lease of this corner. I can imagine so many viable businesses that could open there. I really REALLY hope the space doesn't become a janitorial supply company or a tire shop. Knock on wood...seriously. What do you think will end up going in? And "nothing" doesn't count as an answer. LOL

I'll call the leasing agent this week and let you know what I find out about the particulars, given the excuses we've heard about it sitting vacant so long because there is too much asbestos inside. Isn't that what abatement is for?

The place also has quite a bit of grafitti currently, so if anyone else in addition to me will call it in to the city for removal, perhaps we can get the place cleaned up a bit for prospective renters. As for any guerilla painters or gardeners out there, well now is not the time to be shy.


In the meantime, if everyone who happens to read the blog would join me in thinking good thoughts for both the great hole on 2nd street and the corner of Garey and Alvarado, perhaps we'll finally reach the 100th monkey and create positive change here in Pomona.

Just like old times, senior staff photographer Ren took today's photograph. And me, just another goddess from Pomona, supplied the potatoes. Now start washing.

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Pomona Beautification Day is May 10, 2008

So by now, you may have read that this Saturday, May 10, 2008 from 8 a.m. to noon is Pomona Beautification Day.

I'm not sure what I can say to make you come out on the streets this Saturday, other than that this is a chance to do more than just talk. A group of us will be at Alvarado and Garey if you would like to come out. Well okay, at this point just the entire Big family will be out there. We're not early birds, but I'll try to be out there myself nearest 8 a.m. as I can do. The idea is to cover Garey Avenue from the 10 freeway to Holt. For anyone interested, please email me to give me some idea how many there will be. If anyone can donate anything besides time, like something that will look good in the ground or on a wall, that is great too. Dawn's Garden Shop is near that corner for those with extra money in their pocket.

Frank Garcia from the Chamber of Commerce, is organizing this entire event. He will supply wrist bands and will keep in touch with us by telephone. The wrist bands will get you into the Fair grounds afterwards for a big lunch and party. Frank can get us some Cal Poly students for Garey and Alvarado if need be, and materials. Anduhrew: Do you have anything planned for the south side? Do you know if the Regens and/or the landscape architecture students are already volunteering? Garrett: Likewise, are you going to do anything there on the south end of town?

Keep in mind that you can work anywhere in the City. Ren: Do you have anything planned for the downtown Second Street area? Pride: Will you be cleaning up in Garfield Park? For those who do want to work at an alternative site, call Frank Garcia beforehand to arrange to keep in touch with him that day by cell phone and to get wrist bands. You can email him at info@pomonachamber.org or call 622-1256.

If I can't convince you, perhaps our staff photographer Ren can (and yes, this marks Goddess of Pomona's rather raw debut on youtube):


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