SATURDAY OCTOBER 23, 2010

VOLUME 4 NO. 42

If Those Walls Start Talking.........

Sierra Madre’s Favorite Watering Spot 
Celebrates 50 In Business

Special Water Rate Hearing Held

Supporters and Opponents of Proprosed Rate Hike Speak Up

 In keeping with the 
Mayor’s promise to better 
educate residents on the 
elements of the proposed 
water rate increase, a 
special council meeting/
public hearing was held 
on October 19th. 

 Residents on both 
sides of the issue were in 
attendance, however the 
council chambers were 
not filled to capacity, 
as generally is the case 
with truly controversial 
matters in Sierra Madre.

 Although opponents 
of the proposed hike of 
approximately $8 per 
month failed to gather 
sufficient signatures to 
block the increase via 
Prop 218, Mayor Mosca 
and the council agreed to 
postpone any action until residents 
were given the opportunity to 
review the proposed hike. Since 
that time, city staff have availed 
themselves to the community 
through a series of informational 
presentations and water tours. 
Nevertheless, those opposed, such 
as former Mayor Kurt Zimmerman, 
continue to challenge the process 
and the increase.

 During Tuesday’s meeting, City 
Attorney Sandra Levin addressed 
accusations that the Prop 218 
process had not been conducted 
properly. The Proposition, passed 
1996, gives citizens the opportunity 
to vote down, among other things, 
rate increases for water. 

 One aspect of the proposed rate 
increase that opponents have 
questioned is the city’s current 
water bond indebtedness. A part 
of the proposed increase will keep 
the city from defaulting on its 
bond obligations and help the city 
maintain the required reserves 
which were a condition of the bonds 
when they were granted.

 The bonds in question have been 
the city’s obligation for a number 
of years. In 1998, a Water Revenue 
Refunding Bond was issued for 
$4.5 million dollars. In 2003, 
$12.6 million in parity bonds 
were issued. Those bonds, along 
with a loan from the San Gabriel 
Valley Municipal Water District of 
$1.5 million dollars, have allowed 
the city to meet matching fund 
requirements for state and federal 
grants that paid for projects such 
as the Mira Monte Resevoir and 
maintenance of the system.

 

 Several residents who support 
the council’s proposed actions 
also spoke, encouraging personal 
responsibility for conserving water 
resources as a way to ease the 
‘pinch’ should a rate increase be 
implemented. At least one such 
speaker, however, was subjected to 
interruptions from the back of the 
room by opponents. 

 The council directed staff to consider 
a different distribution of the increased 
costs over a period of time in an 
effort to meet the needs of the city’s 
water system and soften the blow to 
ratepayers. A report is due back to the 
council at the next meeting.

Story and Photo by 

S. Henderson/MVNews


Susan G. Komen for the Cure®, 
the world’s largest breast cancer 
organization, united global leaders, 
philanthropists, celebrities, 
performers, scientists and medical 
pioneers in the Eisenhower Theater 
of the John F. Kennedy Center for 
the Performing Arts last week for 
“Honoring the Promise.” The evening 
marked the first 30 years of the breast 
cancer movement and set the stage for 
continuing progress in the global fight 
against the disease. 

• The gala evening honored 
the significant contributions set in 
motion by a promise between two 
sisters 30 years ago. Komen for the 
Cure Founder and CEO Ambassador 
Nancy G. Brinker promised her dying 
sister, Susan G. Komen, that she would 
do everything in her power to end 
the disease that claimed Susan’s life. 
Brinker founded Susan G. Komen for 
the Cure in 1982 in her sister’s memory. 

• “While this evening is a 
reflection on our past 30 years of work, 
I’m here for the next 30 years,” Brinker 
said in her keynote speech. “We’re going 
to find a simple, inexpensive test to find 
cancers early. We’re going to learn how 
to accurately determine which cancers 
will grow quickly and those that won’t. 
We’re going to find treatments for 
those women with metastatic disease 
and aggressive cancers and we’re going 
to see that every woman in the world 
has access to care from Bethesda to 
Bangladesh. Then, and only then, the 
promise I made 30 years ago to my 
sister Suzy will be complete." 

• In one generation, Komen has 
forever changed the way the disease 
is talked about and treated, touching 
every medical advance in the fight 
against breast cancer. Komen funding 
has helped deliver more accurate 
screening technologies, targeted 
therapies and an increase in survival 
rates from 74 percent in 1982 to more 
than 98 percent for early stage breast 
cancer today – an increase reflected 
in the faces of the 2.5 million breast 
cancer survivors alive in the U.S. today. 

• Breast cancer survivor 
Robin Roberts, anchor for ABC’s 
“Good Morning America,” emceed 
the evening’s program which 
featured performances by actress 
and singer Lynda Carter, pianist 
ELEW, Australian singer and cancer 
survivor Delta Goodrem, Broadway 
legend Stephanie Mills, breast cancer 
survivor Olivia Newton-John and the 
Washington Performing Arts Society’s 
Children of the Gospel Choir. 

 “Honoring the Promise” Recognizes Three Decades of 
Global Impact in the Fight Against Breast Cancer

A ceremonial ribbon cutting was sponsored by the Chamber of 
Commerce (above) to commemorate 50 years as “The Buc”. 
Photo by Bill Coburn Owner Gerri Fraser (center) along with 
her daughters and their husbands keep our local ‘Cheers’ open. 

Photo by S. Henderson

The owner of Sierra Mader’s very own Cheers, The Buccaneer Lounge, 
had a packed house as it celebrated its’ 50th anniversary Tuesday night. 
Fondly known as ‘The Buc’, the bar has become an institution in the 
city, drawing patrons from every legal age, educational, political and 
economic spectrum on a nightly basis. In fact, the 50th Anniversary 
Celebration, which began shortly before the special council meeting on 
water rates, drew a larger crowd.

 Current owner Gerri Fraser and her family have owned the business 
for twenty years. Gerri’s husband Brian, who was also a SM Volunteer 
Firefighter, passed away in 1998 and she, with the help and support of her 
daughters Jennifer Higdon and Robyn Tapert keep the doors open.


Inside This Week...

CALIFORNIA GENERAL ELECTION 2010 - 59th Assembly District

CALENDAR Page 2 

SIERRA MADRE Page 3

PASADENA/ALTADENA

 Page 4

ARCADIA Page 5

MONROVIA/DUARTE

 Page 6

A Word From The Editor: The Mountain Views News will continue in its tradition of providing readers with as much unbiased information as possible regarding the issues and 
candidates on the General Election Ballot in November. The series will include coverage of all Propositions, The U. S. Senate Race, The California Governor’s Race, all other Statewide 
races, and the California Legislative Races. Please remember that the opinions of ALL columnists are not necessarily the position of the paper, but rather, those of the individual author. 
Those opinions will NOT be a part of our General Election Coverage. The official position of the Mountain Views and its’ Editorial Advisors will be clearly stated prior to the election. 
We do encourage readers, however, to submit their views as Letters To The Editor. The more we communicate with each other, the more informed our decisions will be. -Susan 
Henderson, Publisher/Editor Mountain Views News. Excerpts of Candidates biographies are listed below.

TIM DONNELLY 

Tim Donnelly, 44, was born in Atlanta, 
Georgia, 
the third 
oldest of 14 
children. 

 In 1989, he 
earned his 
BA from the 
University of 
California, 
Irvine. He 
started his 
own small 
company.

 In 2005, 
Tim became 
involved 
in the fight to secure our borders. As the 
founder of the largest Minuteman chapter 
in California, he leveraged the media to 
bring national spotlight on the Federal 
government’s failure to enforce the border 
as required by Article IV, Section IV of the 
Constitution. 

 Tim is married to Rowena, has five sons, 
and one grandson. 

ROBERT GOSNEY

Robert Gosney, 
Victor Valley 
resident and 
businessman is 
a married father 
of four. 

 Born originally 
in Fontana 
California, 
he attended 
Hesperia 
Christian School 
and Victor 
Valley College. 

 A building contractor for 20 years, Robert 
is known in the building community as a 
businessman with a "Whats Right" attitude 
in all of his business dealings.

 Robert's personal life experience, love and 
service of his community have uniquely 
positioned him to be the leader that this 
area needs. He has deep compassion for 
the struggling families, seniors , children 
and teens that have been the victims of our 
current economic crisis.

DARCEL WOODS

Darcel Woods, a 
native of California, 
attended public 
schools and earned a 
Bachelors Degree in 
Music Education from 
Cal State Fullerton 
and a Masters in Public 
Administration from 
the University of La 
Verne.

Her career in Criminal 
Justice includes 
her work within the LA County Sheriff’s 
Department, Orange County Probation 
Department, and the California Department 
of Corrections and Rehabilitation Division 
of Juvenile Justice. In 2007, she was 
appointed Darcel as a Commissioner to the 
State Board of Parole Hearings. 

 Darcel is currently a tenured professor at 
Chaffey College. Her parents stressed 
education, integrity, self-accountability, 
and solid work ethics. These are some of 
the core values Darcel will take with her to 
Sacramento.

TONY TYLER

Tony Tyler is a 
native Californian, 
and a small 
business owner. 
My wife Sherry and 
has four daughters. 
I have worked 
in the printing 
industry for 35 
years, including 
managing a large 
printing company 
in Riverside 
before purchasing One Stop Printers 
in Hesperia in 1994. We love the 
opportunities that the High Desert has 
provided our family, we value family and 
enjoy outdoor activities like camping, 
the beach, mountains and horses. I am 
not a politician.

I didn’t come from a political family, nor 
did I major in Political Science. I’ve only 
entered politics for the defense of my 
family and myself. I believe in leaving my 
children a better America, not the debt 
for my failed ambitions.


FEATURES

Education & Youth Page 7

Good Food & Drink Page 8

 Peter Dills....Table For Two

Legals Page 9

Opinion Page 10

The World Around Us Page 11

The Good Life Page 12

Homes & Property Page 13

SPORTS Page 14 

 Bobby Eldridge - On The Course

 Betty Cleveland - No. 1 Tennis Player 

California State 59th Assembly District includes: All or parts of Eastern Los Angles Communities of Claremont • La Verne • Glendora • San Dimas • Sierra Madre • Monrovia • 
Bradbury • Arcadia, La Crescenta • San Bernardino County communities of Apple Valley • Hesperia • Lake Arrowhead • Crestline • San Bernardino • Highland • Mentone


Read The Paper Online At: www.mtnviewsnews.com