SATURDAY JUNE 26, 2010


VOLUME 4 NO. 25


Gold Line 
Hits, Kills 
Pedestrian

By Dean Lee

 A southbound Gold Line train 
leaving the Del Mar Station struck 
and killed a pedestrian early Friday 
morning. No one on the train was 
hurt and all 40 passengers were 
immediately evacuated according 
to officials from the Metropolitan 
Transit Authority. Passengers were 
transported by bus to the next 
station. Service was restored at 7:54 
a.m.

 The deceased, Michael Flowers, 24, of 
Altadena was found at approximately 
5:34 a.m. just west of the tracks on 
Del Mar Boulevard between Arroyo 
Parkway and Raymond Avenue said 
Pasadena Fire Department Public 
Information Officer Lisa Derderian. 
Early reports suggested the victim 
may have been a transient. 

 Derderian said paramedics declared 
the man dead at 5:45 a.m. It was 
unclear why the man was on the 
tracks. MTA spokesman Jose Ubaldo 
said all the crossing signals were 
working properly. 

 A spokeswoman for the Los 
Angeles County Coroner’s office said 
initially that the man’s name was 
being withheld. “The next of kin has 
not been notified,” she said adding 
that an autopsy was scheduled for 
Sunday. “We won’t know the actual 
cause of death until then.” 

 Sgt.Dan Gardner,of the Los Angeles 
County Sheriff’s Department said 
they were reviewing any video 
tape that may have captured the 
incident. “Right now there is an 
only speculation as to why he may 
have been on the tracks,” Gardner 
listed a range of causes including the 
obvious, an accident,or suicide or 
intoxication. 

 Ubaldo also said the train involved 
was taken out of service for further 
investigation, “It was moved to a yard 
where the investigation continues.” 

 This incident is the second fatality 
since the Gold Line’s inception in 
2003.

 “The first was a suicide,” Ubaldo 
said. “That was in 2007.” 

Graduation Day At Last!

City Council 
Reviews Water 
Rate Increase

Process

By Susan Henderson

 At Tuesday’s Sierra Madre City Council 
meeting the topic of the Water Rate 
Increase was primarily responsible 
for the longest meeting held so far this 
year. It was almost 11:30 pm before the 
meeting was adjourned. The matter 
will be discussed again, however, at a 
public hearing on July 13th.

 Although the re-agendized item called 
for a discussion of the Prop 218 process 
for opposing the rate hike, Director of 
Public Works, Bruce Inman, Finance 
Director Karen Schnaider, City 
Manager Elaine Aguilar, each took time 
to review the basis for the request again.

 Inman pointed out that the Rate 
Increase was a two part fee, not a tax, 
that would in the end reward those who 
conserve water. The proposal calls for 
an increase of approximately 15.75% 
of the bimonthly meter charge that 
is assessed. That is a flat rate fee and 
is the same for each classification of 
meter. For households that have a 5/8” 
meter, the most common type, the flat 
rate increase would total $6.50. The 
second part of the increase, however, 
would be based upon consumption. It 
is a ‘tiered’ rate and, like the current 
Edison structure, would increase as a 
users level of consumption increases. It 
is hoped that the increase will generate 
sufficient revenue to sustain our current 
water system and would also encourage 
water conservation.

 Inman noted that 64% of the water used 
in the city is for irrigation purposes. 

 Schnaider informed the council and 
public that without the rate increase 
we would not be able to rebuild our 
revenues. In the last five years we have 
been able to complete a number of 
major projects with the help of federal 
grant money, and funds from other 
sources such as the San Gabriel Valley 
Municipal Water District. The cost of 
the improvements was over $20 million 
dollars and while a majority of the 
funds came from other sources, the city 
was required to use matching funds 
generated from our water revenues.

 Costs for the operation and 
maintenance have continued to escalate 
and without the proposed increase, 
it will be impossible for the city to 
maintain its’ aging wells, and we will 
have missed the opportunity for future 
funding matches. (See chart on page 2). 

 Schnaider also noted that one of the 
most significant operating expenses is 
the cost for electricity used to operate 
the city’s wells. 

 (continued on page 2)

Pasadena High School’s Class of 2010 Graduated on Thursday at the Rose Bowl.

 
More than 470 students 
were presented with 
diplomas at Pasadena High 
School’s commencement 
ceremonies on Thursday, 
as thousands of friends and 
family looked on. 

 This years graduating 
class won an estimated $1.5 
million in scholarships 
and awards, including a 
National Achievement 
Scholarship for senior Asya Hollins, an appointment 
to the U.S. Naval Academy for senior Scott Snowden, 
and an Honors Challenge full tuition scholarship to the 
University of Pittsburgh for senior Ryan Latimer. 

 Graduates won admission to a wide variety of colleges 
including, (partial listing):

Academy of Art University; Arizona State University; Art 
Institute of California; Art Institute of North Hollywood; 
Art Institute of Seattle; Azusa Pacific University; Biola 
University; Butte Junior College; California College of 
the Arts; California Lutheran University; California 
Polytechnic University Pomona and San Luis Obispo; 
California State University Channel Islands, Chico, East 
Bay, Fullerton, Fresno, Humboldt, Long Beach, Los Angeles, 
Northridge, San Diego and San Francisco; Calvary Chapel 
Bible College; Centgro Escolar University, Philippines; 
Chaffey Community College; 
Citrus College; College of 
the Canyons; Columbia 
University; DeVry University; 
East Los Angeles College; 
Emery-Riddle Aeronautical 
University; Everest College; 
George Washington 
University; Glendale 
Community College; Harvey 
Mudd College; Howard 
University; ITT Technical 
Institute; Kalamazoo College; 
Langston University; Long 
Beach City College; LA Trade 
Tech; Loyola Marymount University; Marymount College; 
Massachusetts Institute of Technology; Masters College; 
Mt. San Antonio College; Northern Arizona University; 
Notre Dame de Namur University; Occidental College; 
Pace University; Pasadena City College; Pennsylvania State 
University; Pepperdine University; Santa Ana Community 
College; Santa Barbara College; Santa Monica City College; 
Scripps College; South Carolina University; Syracuse 
University; Tulane University; Tuskegee University; UEI 
College; UEI College; UNAM; United States Naval Academy; 
Universal Technical Institute; University of Arizona; 
University of California Berkeley; UC Davis; UC Irvine; 
UCLA; UC Merced; UC Riverside; UC San Diego; UC Santa 
Barbara; UC Santa Cruz; University of Idaho; University of 
Pittsburgh; University of Texas, El Paso; University of the 
Pacific; Washington University, St. Louis; Wyotech Institute.

Graduate Treavor 
Robinson is 
congratulated by 
PUSD Superintedent 
Diaz

Proud graduates wave to 
family and friends at the 
end of the ceremony.

For retiring PHS Principal Derrick Evans, left, 
this ceremony marked the end of a rewarding 
career.


Surveyors study the scene of the 
accident late Friday afternoon.

Inside This Week

 Music News Pg. 3


Sierra Madre’s Fourth of July Festivities

Around San Gabriel Valley

 Page 2 
Calendar Page 3

Pasadena/Altadena 
Page 4

Safety Page 5

Education Page 6

Good Food Page 7

World Around Us Page 8

Left Turn/Right Turn

 Page 9

Opinion Page 10

Legal Notices Page 11

Good Life Page 12

Homes & Property

 Page 13

FYI Page 14

A Star-Spangled 
Weekend - Food, Fun, 
and Festivities for the 
4th in Sierra Madre

 
You don’t need fireworks to brighten 
the foothills during the City of Sierra 
Madre’s Fourth of July Celebration. 
  
The City will be celebrating the 
holiday in style with a gala parade, 
concerts, games, food, drink, and 
plenty of family-friendly fun.   Rather 
than confine the festivities to one 
day only, the City traditionally has 
held events throughout the three-day 
holiday weekend.

   A Pre-Parade Party in Memorial 
Park on Saturday, July 3, 5:00-10:00 
p.m., kicks off the weekend’s events. 
  
The Food Booths and Beer Garden, 
operated by volunteers from local 
nonprofit groups, will open at 5:00 p.m. 
  
The popular Bubble-Wrap “Fireworks-
O-Rama,” a playful event for the 
youngsters, is now in its sixth year.   At 
6:00 p.m., Aluminum Marshmallow, 
known for its exhilarating “Age of 
Aquarius Horns,” will take to the stage 
and set the night ablaze with classic 
60s and 70s rock ‘n’ roll.   Seating for 
this, and all other concerts, is on the 
green, so concert-goers will want to 
bring along a lawn chair or blanket. 
On Sunday, July 4th, the Food 
Booths and Beer Garden in Memorial 
Park will again be open from 5:00-
10:00 p.m.   Be ready to rock and 
roll by 5:30, when Rocktail will be 
performing in concert. The band 
specializes in classic rock and 
typically invites the audience to sing 
along with their favorite tunes.   Not 
to leave out the kids, at 8:00 p.m. there 
will be a showing of the movie “Shrek.” 
On Monday, July 5th, between 8:00-
10:00 a.m., the Sierra Madre Woman’s 
Club will hold a complimentary pre-
parade breakfast, at the historic Essick 
House, located on the corner of Sierra 
Madre Blvd. and Sunnyside Avenue. 
  
Sierra Madre’s famous Fourth of July 
Parade, starts on Monday at 10:00 
a.m.   Leading the parade down Sierra 
Madre Blvd. will be artist and civic 
leader Lew Watanabe, this year’s 
Grand Marshal.   

 Traditionally, water has been 
squirted back and forth amongst 
viewers and participants during the 
parade.   However, this year the City 
has established a new set of Water 
Play Zone Guidelines. Sierra Vista 
Park is now the only designated water 
play zone (west side of the park on the 
grass lawn).   The Sierra Madre Fire 
Department will be spraying water 
into Sierra Vista Park for children 
and families to play in. Only water/
squirt guns will be permitted at the 
water play zone.   Absolutely no water 
balloons or use of water hoses will 
be tolerated at the water play zone 
or anywhere along the parade route.
Absolutely NO water will be allowed 
along the parade route.   Parking 
signage will exhibit a “No Water 
Zone” notice along Sierra Madre Blvd. 
The Community Picnic in Memorial 
Park immediately follows the parade. 
  
The Food Booths and Beer Garden 
will open at Noon.   Also at Noon, the 
band Night Blooming Jazzmen will get 
everyone in the groove with a concert 
of hot and cool jazz at the bandshell. 
  
On the south lawn throughout the 
afternoon kids can enjoy a variety of 
games, face painting, and balloons.

 
Matt Bosse is Chairman of the all-
volunteer Fourth of July Committee.   


MountainViews-News 55 W. Sierra Madre Blvd. No. 302, Sierra Madre, Ca. 91024 Office: 626.355.2737 Fax: 626.609.3285 Email: editor@mtnviewsnews.com www.mtnviewsnews.com