Mountain Views News          Saturday, February 5, 2011

Mountain Views News 80 W Sierra Madre Blvd. No. 327 Sierra Madre, Ca. 91024 Office: 626.355.2737 Fax: 626.609.3285 Email: editor@mtnviewsnews.com Website: www.mtnviewsnews.com

3


Mountain Views-News Saturday, February 5, 2011 

Pasadena City Council Candidate Profile: 

Chris Chahinian

A CANDIDATE I REALLY LIKE 
By Rich Johnson

 
As many of you know I have two good friends (Vic and 
Amy), owners of the Corfu Restaurant in Sierra Madre. 

 Well, Vic has another friend (Chris Chahinian) who 
happens to be running for the Pasadena City Council 
District 4. Vic asked me if I would interview Chris for the 
newspaper. “I’ve never interviewed a candidate before, Vic,” 
said I. Then I thought to myself, how could I say no to not 
only a good friend, but a good friend who prepares a great 
moussaka (Greek lasagna)!?

 So I read up on Chris. I liked what I was reading about 
Chris. For example: 

 Chris is a small business owner, like me. I like small 
business owners because their success hinges on their 
ability to make smart decisions daily. And I like the fact 
that Chris is finishing up an advanced degree in theology. 
Now here is a guy who can think outside the box. So, he 
is a business owner who has spiritual depth. Intriguing. He 
also volunteers as a chaplain at Huntington Hospital. What’s 
more he speaks 5 languages!

 I agreed to meet him. Put him through the Johnson ringer 
and to the test. See if this candidate could offer up more 
than typical campaign rhetoric or sloganeering. I sat across 
from him at a neutral location and grilled him. I discovered 
he is a man of action and has solid ideas for helping the city:

1. He is very business friendly. For starters, Pasadena 
needs to make changes to be more business friendly. 
According to Chris, ideas such as speeding up the permit 
process and waiving business license fees for the first two 
years. Easily enacted actions that will encourage businesses 
to make Pasadena their home. That will generate revenue 
for the city and help with little things like, oh, employment.

2. Education is one of his priorities. His kids are a 
product of the Pasadena Public Schools and in talking with 
teachers Chris has discovered the schools lack the funds to 
provide even necessary items like pencils and paper. His 
action/ suggestion: Raise ticket prices at the Rose Bowl and 
pass the added revenue on to the schools. No, it won’t hurt 
the citizens of Pasadena, as most of the attendance at Rose 
Bowl functions come from outside the city. Hey, that works 
for me.

3. Traffic Reduction. We all would like to see traffic 
snarls and entanglements eased. Chris, thinking out of the 
box, offered up a simple but novel idea: Encourage people 
to start a habit. If you want to change people’s behavior start 
small. Encourage them to make life an adventure one day a 
week, or a month and use public transportation. Take the 
family on the Gold Line into downtown LA. Get the family 
involved in once-a-month bicycle excursions through 
Pasadena.

 Finally I asked Chris if he was a Democrat or a Republican. 
He said, “Yes.” No, he wasn’t dodging the question. Actually 
he has wide support from all sides of the spectrum. Isn’t that 
a refreshing change?

 So if you are resident of Pasadena, and more 
specifically District 4, I encourage you to support Chris 
Chahinian for City Council. Visit his website at www.
chahinianforcitycouncil.com. 

 I liked Chris so much I may change my name to Rich 
Johnsonian. Is that like Smithsonian? 

CITY OF SIERRA MADRE 
CALENDAR OF EVENTS

Unless otherwise noted, all meetings listed below are held at City Hall 232 
W. Sierra Madre Blvd. Sierra Madre, Ca. 91024 626-355-7135

NEXT CITY COUNCIL MEETING:

February 8, 2011 6:30 pm

Arts Commission - 2nd Wednesday @ 6:30

Community Services - 3rd Monday @ 6:00

Library Trustees - 4th Wednesday @ 7:00

Planning Commission - 1st & 3rd Thursdays 7:00

Senior Community - 1st Thursday @ 3:00

Tree Advisory - 3rd Wednesday @ 7:00

February 5, 2011 

Parks and Facilities Master Plan Committee

Special Joint Meeting with Community Services

9:00 AM – Community Recreation Center

REMEMBRANCE

SYLVIA TOLCHIN 

June 16, 1915 – January 31, 2011

Sylvia, age 95, 
kept battling 
until the 
last moment 
and finally 
succumbed on 
the morning 
of January 
31, 2011. She 
was a devoted 
mother, 
grandmother, 
and great 
grandmother 
and is survived 
by her daughter 
Elaine 
Kretchman 
and her son 
Stuart and her 
grandchildren 
Courtney, 
Jolie, Aaron, 
and Stacy. The 
final lights of her life were her great grandchildren, the little 
carpunchkela (a word Sylvia created for Sydnie Loeb and 
her little sister Annie Loeb).

 Sylvia and her beloved husband Al always did what 
needed to be done. When Al lost his vision she learned 
to drive and acted as his eyes as they continued to work 
and support the family for another fifteen years. She will be 
missed by everyone who had the privilege of knowing her 
and her spirit lives on through the generations. 


SIERRA MADRE HEALTHY FAMILY 
FUN AND WALK WITH THE MAYOR 

The Community and Personnel Services Department will be 
starting the Healthy Family Fun program again for 2011! The 
Healthy Family Fun program focuses on monthly outdoor 
activities for families to enjoy together. Such activities will 
include: the Huck Finn Fishing Derby, Mount Wilson Trail 
Race Kids Fun Run, Capture the Flag, Historic Bike Ride 
and a monthly Walk with the Mayor just to name a few. 

The Walk with the Mayor will begin on Saturday, March 
5, 2011. Each Walk with the Mayor will be held the first 
Saturday of every month in 2011. Please meet at Sierra Vista 
Park at 9:00am for a stroll with Sierra Madre Mayor Joe 
Mosca for the March activity. There is no need to register 
for the activity, just show up with your walking shoes and 
plenty of questions for Mayor Mosca to answer!

 

For more information on Healthy Family Fun please call 
626-355-5278.

WISTARIA FESTIVAL SHUTTLE 
TICKETS NOW AVAILABLE ONLINE

The Sierra Madre Chamber of Commerce reminds you that 
shuttle tickets to ride up to view the Wistaria Vine at its annual 
Wistaria Festival are now available online. The 2011 Wistaria 
Festival will take place on March 20th, 2011.

The Wistaria Festival features tours of the world’s largest 
blossoming plant, certified as such by the Guinness Book of 
World Records. Each year, the property owners upon whose land 
the vine sits, the Solts and the Dorrances, open their property 
to allow thousands to view the vine. Dozens of Sierra Madre 
residents volunteer to act as docents at the property, telling the 
story of the vine, which was originally planted from a 1-gallon 
pot that was purchased for $0.75 in 1894. At its peak, the vine 
covered more than an acre of ground, and in the early 20th century 
was so large that it even destroyed a home that was under it.

In addition to the tours of the vine, the two main downtown 
streets of Sierra Madre are closed to traffic so that 175 juried 
crafters and artists can set up booths to display and sell their arts/
crafts. Downtown village shops are open, and more than a dozen 
musical acts perform at multiple outdoor venues. Memorial Park 
is transformed into a combination Kids/Food zone, as bouncy 
houses, slides, rock climbing and other kids attractions set up in 
the park alongside food vendors, both for profit and non-profit 
alike.

The shuttle to the vine from downtown avoids a long uphill walk 
from downtown to the neighborhood in which the vine sits. 
“Day of” tickets for the shuttle have been reduced from $15 to 
$12 this year, and pre-sale tickets are just $10. This year, for the 
first time, seniors and kids (6 to 16) receive a discounted rate of 
$7. Children under five ride for free. There is no charge to view 
the vine.

Mountain Views News readers that purchase non-discounted 
($10) pre-sale tickets on line can also receive a $1 savings on their 
ticket by entering promo code MVN01 on the ticket order page 
when prompted.

To order tickets online, visit www.WistariaTickets.com.

 Dan Richter is best known 
as Moonwatcher the man-
ape in the opening sequence 
of Stanley Kubrick’s “2001: 
A Space Odyssey” which he 
also choreographed. Dan 
has had a long career as a 
mime, choreographer, actor, 
director, producer, memoirist, 
and for two decades a 
Hollywood executive. Dan 
will be the guest speaker at 
the SMHPS Annual Program 
meeting on Thursday, 
February 17 at 6:30 pm in 
Hartzel Hall at Sierra Madre 
United Methodist Church, 
695 W. Sierra Madre Blvd. 
(parking lot entrance is on 
Michillinda).

Dan’s talk “Why I Love 
the Mt. Wilson Trail!” will 
be the main program and 
will explore Dan’s battle 
with cancer and the part 
walking the trail daily played 
in his recovery. This is sure 
to be an engaging program 
by a warm, humorous man.

Dan currently lives in Sierra 
Madre, where he volunteers 
on weekends doing 
trail maintenance and has 
been leading Sierra Club 
mountaineering trips since 
1991 and teaches courses 
on rock climbing and 
mountaineering. 

 

Admission is free and light 
refreshments will be served.

 

www.danrichter.com

www.smhps.org

ANNUAL SIERRA MADRE 
HISTORICAL PRESERVATION 
SOCIETY FEATURES DAN 
RICHTER


CHARCUTERIE FEEDS AND ENTERTAINS 
THE CHAMBER Photo by Bill Coburn


Sierra Madre Police Blotter

During the week of Sunday, January 23rd, to Saturday 
January 29th, the Sierra Madre Police Department responded 
to approximately 295 calls for service. See crimereports.com 
for updated information.

Sunday, January 23rd:

1:43 AM- DUI Alcohol/Drugs, Esperanza and Baldwin 
Ave. An officer stopped a motorist for a Vehicle Code 
violation, and determined that the driver was under the 
influence of alcohol. The officer arrested the Arcadia 
resident for DUI.

Wednesday, January 26:

10:12 AM- Inflicting Corporal Injury on Spouse, Edgeview 
Dr. This case involves an argument that became a fight 
between a couple filing for divorce. The husband battered 
his wife, who was treated by Sierra Madre Fire Department. 
Officers arrested the suspect for felony battery. 

Thursday, January 27th:

7:28 PM- DUI Alcohol/Drugs, Valley Ave and Denair St. 
An officer stopped a motorist for a Vehicle Code violation, 
and determined that the driver was under the influence of 
alcohol. The officer arrested the Pasadena resident for DUI. 

Friday, January 28th:

11:47 PM- DUI Alcohol/Drugs, Ramona Ave and 
Sunnyside Ave. An officer stopped a motorist for a Vehicle 
Code violation, and determined that the driver was under 
the influence of alcohol. The officer arrested the Sierra 
Madre resident for DUI. 

Sunday, January 30th:

1:05 AM – Solo Injury Traffic Collision, 160 N. Baldwin 
Ave. A 17-year old driver was taking his two younger 
siblings home and fell asleep at the wheel. The driver was 
driving north on Baldwin Ave. and crashed into a palm tree 
and City sign on the east side of Baldwin Ave. One of the 
passengers in the rear seat was sleeping and did not have a 
seat belt on. He was thrown into the front seat, sustaining 
serious injuries. The driver and front seat passenger also 
suffered injuries. The van sustained heavy damage.

NOTE: As of Monday, January 31st, the number of EVG Gas 
station fraud cases is over 525. The loss exceeds $245,000.

 Members of the Chamber enjoyed great refreshments and 
live entertainment at the January mixer held at Charcuterie. 
This Thursday, from 5:30 to 7, the Chamber will hold a joint 
mixer with the Arcadia Chamber hosted by Ed Clare Electrical 
and Corfu, at Corfu, 48 W. Sierra Madre Blvd. 


COMMUNITY 
BLOOD DRIVE 

SUNDAY - 
FEBRUARY 6 

ST. RITA CHURCH

Come early to donate critically 
needed blood, then go home to 
enjoy the Super Bowl game and 
restore your reserve!

All are welcome on Sunday, 
February 6, 2011 at St. Rita 
Catholic Church, O’Malley Hall 
(located on lower level of church), 
located at 318 N. Baldwin, Sierra 
Madre.

Schedule your appointment 
for anytime between 8:30 AM 
- 2:30 PM on Sunday, February 
6 by logging on today to www.
RedCrossBlood.org , then enter 
sponsor code: StRita or contact 
Marilyn McKernan at St. Rita 
Parish office, 626.-355-1292.

For more information contact 
Marilyn Mc Kernan, St. Rita 
Parish, 626-355-1291 or 
Marilyn@St-Rita.org