August 14, 2007
The Buzz: Aug. 14
High and the mighty
Inland Valley native Tracy Caldwell, who is spending this week in orbit as a crew member of the shuttle Endeavor, said she not only was bad at math, but out-and-out afraid of it. She managed to overcome that.
"I told myself I wasn't good at it because it just didn't come natural," she said in a pre-launch interview at NASA.
Caldwell, whose parents were Pomona residents when she was born in 1969, said things changed in college when she was studied chemistry and was forced to learn calculus and other types of higher mathematics.
"When I got to chemistry and started learning the physics of chemistry, I actually started using that math to describe the properties of an atom," she said.
"And I could picture an atom in my head, and I knew what atoms did and I could see how the math explained what an atom did. It made so much more sense to me. And I really enjoyed that, just learning how things worked."
Caldwell graduated from Beaumont High School and later attended Cal State Fullerton and UC Davis.
- j_blackstock@dailybulletin.com
Clearing the air
If the air seems just a tiny bit cleaner today, you can give some thanks to a program of the South Coast Air Quality Management District.
At six sites in July, the AQMD exchanged 1,500 old leaf blowers with new low-polluting, low-noise models. Owners got a $470 Stihl model blower for $200 through the program.
It was the second year for the program for the Diamond Bar-based agency.
Interested in participating in the future? Check out www.aqmd.gov.
- j_blackstock@dailybulletin.com
An Elvis sighting
CLAREMONT - Rock icon Elvis Costello will be making an appearance, at least in spirit, this weekend at The Press in downtown.
An band of local musicians will be performing Costello tunes Friday and Saturday beginning at 10 p.m. Admission is free.
Costello has been performing for more than 30 years. He's known for songs such as "Alison," "Watching the Detectives" and "(What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love and Understanding?"
The Press is at 129 Harvard Ave.
- will.bigham@dailybulletin.com
Seeing it from the inside
RIALTO - Anyone who has ever wondered about what the Police Department does has a chance to find out during an upcoming Citizens Academy.
The program will be Thursdays from 6 to 9 p.m. from Sept. 6 to Nov. 15. Applications are being accepted now.
Classes will feature such topics as criminal investigations, traffic laws, radio communications, drug and gang enforcement, police ethics, police dogs and SWAT.
Applications for the Citizens Academy are available at the Police Department, 128 N. Willow Ave.
Information: Lt. Kathy Thompson, (909) 820-2560
- gina.tenorio@sbsun.com
A lofty pursuit
ONTARIO - The beauty of the San Gabriel Mountains and its foothills will be on display beginning Aug. 24 at a special exhibit of the Museum of History and Art Ontario.
"Canyons, Creeks and Mountain Peaks" will show off the higher elevations above the Inland Valley through 56 photographs, paintings, drawings and sculptures. The exhibit is organized by curator Annette Johnson.
The exhibit runs through Sept. 30 at the museum, 225 S. Euclid Ave. It is open Wednesdays through Sunday from noon to 4 p.m.
On the opening day, there will be a free artists reception from 5 to 7 p.m.
Also, John Robinson, a leading writer about the history of the San Gabriel and San Bernardino mountains, will present a lecture Sept. 20 at 7 p.m. A book signing at 6:30 p.m. will be held with authors Robinson and Ann Olander and photographer Farley Olander.
Information: (909) 983-3198
- j_blackstock@dailybulletin.com
Equine consideration
NORCO - A special meeting will be held tonight to ponder a question that has nagged at city officials and residents for years - "What should go in Silverlakes?"
From 6 to 10 p.m., the City Council and the Parks, Recreation and Community Services Commission will talk about proposals for the property along the Santa Ana River in the north part of the city.
One offer that has some equestrians buzzing: the creation of a horse show facility for all equine disciplines.
To pitch in your thoughts, attend the meeting at the Corona-Norco Unified School District's Learning Center North, 2820 Clark Ave., at 6 p.m.
- andrea.bennett@dailybulletin.com