Mountain Views News          Saturday, March 12, 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

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CALENDAR

Mountain View News Saturday, March 12, 2011 

SIERRA MADRE LIBRARY’S FREE 
PARENT/CHILD WORKSHOPS TO 
FEATURE LOCAL EXPERTS

Sierra Madre Public Library’s new five-week Parent/Child 
Workshop for families with children ages three and younger 
will feature noted resource professionals from the community. 
Each workshop session will feature a different aspect of 
parenting, including early literacy, speech, hearing and language 
development, child development, nutrition, music, play, and 
health. The workshops, which will take place at the Library on 
consecutive Wednesdays: March 2, 9, 16, 23 and 30, from 6:30 
p.m. - 8:00 p.m., will be interactive and will include toys, crafts, 
books and play in addition to discussions of parenting issues and 
concerns. Enrollment is free, but in-person pre-registration at 
the Library is required to ensure a spot in the program.

The workshop itinerary and speakers are:

March 16: Child Development – Dr. Tina Bryson, lecturer, 
parenting educator and psychotherapist at Pediatric and 
Adolescent Psychology Associates. Dr. Bryson is the author of 
“The Whole-Brain Child.” Tina combines practical parenting tips 
you can use every day with cutting-edge science. She gives parents 
easy ways to solve parenting struggles, lay the groundwork for 
whole and happy children, understand their child’s development, 
and be more intentional in their parenting. Come learn how to 
tame tantrums and build your child’s brain at the same time!

March 23: Nutrition – Dr. Edward Laurance, pediatric 
gastroenterologist specializing in nutrition and in treating 
children’s stomach and digestive disorders, along with Registered 
Dietician Wendy Crump.

March 30: Music, Play & Health – Melissa Moore Castillo, who 
holds a master’s degree in dance-movement therapy and has led 
preschool movement groups. Melissa is currently Sierra Madre 
School PTA President.

This project is supported by the U.S. Institute of Museum and 
Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and 
Technology Act, administered in California by the State Librarian.

For more information, please call Meegan Tosh, Youth Services 
Librarian at (626) 355-7186. The Sierra Madre Public Library 
is located at 440 West Sierra Madre Boulevard in Sierra Madre.
www.sierramadre.lib.ca.us 


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.

 Weather Wise

5-Day Forecast 

Sierra Madre, Ca.

 Mon: Ptly Cldy Hi 70s Lows 50s 

 Tues: Sunny Hi 70s Lows 50s 

 Wed: Ptly Cldy Hi 70s Lows 50s 

 Thur: Ptly Cldy Hi 70s Lows 40s 

 Fri: Ptly Cldy Hi 60s Lows 40s 

Forecasts courtesy of the National Weather Service

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:

March 22, 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 

1630 AM

Free on-air publicity for local events

Sierra Madre’s new community radio station is now accepting 
scripts for Public Service Announcements (PSAs) about 
community events. PSAs will be broadcast on the air at no 
charge. The station operates 24/7 and can be heard at 1630 on 
the AM dial.

Any local non-profit or non-commercial organization can have 
their event information broadcast to the public on Sierra Madre 
Community Information Radio. This new radio station covers 
the city of Sierra Madre, plus surrounding areas of Pasadena, 
Arcadia, and Monrovia. 

In a nutshell, your event must:

• Benefit a non-commercial or non-profit entity

• Be open to the public

• Be of general interest to local citizens

Just 
write a Public Service Announcement that describes your 
event and e-mail it to radio@cityofsierramadre.com. 

THE SIERRA MADRE CHAMBER OF 
COMMERCE AND THE U.S. POSTAL 
SERVICE ANNOUNCE A SPECIAL 
POSTMARK CANCELLATION TO 
CELEBRATE THE SIERRA MADRE 
WISTARIA FESTIVAL.

This special postmark will be available at: 

Event: The Sierra Madre Wistaria Festival, 

Date: Sunday, March 20, 2011 

Hours: Open 11 A.M. to 3 P.M. 

Location: 

 The Wistaria Festival Postal Station at Kersting 

 Court in Sierra Madre

 Located at Sierra Madre Boulevard and Baldwin 

Bring postcards or letters and mail them from this special event 
post office and your friends will be surprised when they receive 
mail with this extraordinary postmark.

This postal cancellation has been announced and printed in 
the U. S. Postal Bulletin which is distributed worldwide. To 
accommodate collectors from out of the area, the Sierra Madre 
Post Office will cancel postcards and letters upon request with the 
Wistaria Cancellation for 30 days after the event. To postmark a 
letter after the event go to Sierra Madre Post Office and request 
the Wistaria Postmark on your mail.

For more information contact:

The Sierra Madre Chamber of Commerce 

Phone: (626) 355-5111

E-mail: Info@sierramadrechamber.com

U.S. Post Office Sierra Madre, California 91024 

BARGAIN BOOK SALE

The Sierra Madre Public Library is the place to go in March 
for the “Savin’ o’ the Green”—greenbacks, that is! The 
Friends of the Library will hold a bargain book sale inside 
the Library, Monday, March 7 through Saturday, March 12, 
during the Library’s open hours. This month’s featured topics 
will include Fiction, Films, TV, Hollywood, Politics, the 
Military, and Children’s and Specialty Books. All books are 
in good condition and are $1.00 each. Drop by often--there 
will plenty of new titles to choose from throughout the 
week, as books are replenished daily. 

 

TRAVELERS AND COLLECTORS SPEKAERS SERIES: 

"Collection the American Old West"

David Goff will present his collection of American Old West 
art and artifacts in Sierra Madre Library’s second Travelers 
and Collectors program, Friday, March 11, at 7:30 p.m. in 
the Sierra Madre City Hall Council Chambers, 232 W. Sierra 
Madre Boulevard. Pioneers and cowboys remain iconic 
figures in American culture, much admired for their “true 
grit” and independent spirit. We never seem to tire of movies 
and novels set in this time period, and even the everyday, 
commonplace items unique to this period continue to fascinate 
us. History buffs will not want to miss this hands-on 
program with David Goff, who has dedicated years to collecting 
and preserving the art and artifacts of this colorful 
time in our nation’s history.

 

This program is free and open to the public. A program 
schedule is available at the Sierra Madre Public Library, 
440 W. Sierra Madre Blvd., and can also be found on the 
Library website, www.sierramadre.lib.ca.us. Travelers and 
Collectors is held on the second Friday of the month, February 
through May, and is funded by the Friends of the Library. 
For more information call Catriona Shafer at (626) 
355-7186.


City of Sierra Madre Community Arts Commission Presents: 

An Exhibition By Paul Fairbanks

You are invited to view the latest work of the Artist, Paul 
Fairbanks, who hails originally from the land of the Bean 
and the Cod. His natural ability to capture nature in its 
changing moods over the course of 48 years has allowed 
him to be represented in many private collections. Enjoy 
the fruits of his adventure! 

 Paul Fairbanks' Exhibition thru April 1, 2011

Sierra Madre City Hall - 232 West Sierra Madre Bl. 

Sierra Madre, CA 91024

Sierra Madre Police Blotter

During the week of Sunday, February 27th, to Saturday 
March 5th, the Sierra Madre Police Department responded to 
approximately 340 calls for service. See crimereports.com for 
updated information.

Monday, February 28th:

5:22PM- Warrant/Outside/Criminal, Montecito and 
Baldwin Ave. A want/warrant check of a vehicle parked 
behind Bean Town revealed to have two misdemeanor 
warrants. The San Dimas resident entered the vehicle and 
drove away. A traffic stop resulted in an arrest of the suspect 
for her warrants. 

Tuesday, March 1st:

4:28PM- Possession of Marijuana in Vehicle, Mariposa 
Ave and Ross Place. An officer stopped a motorist for a 
Vehicle Code violation. Further investigation revealed that 
the driver was in possession of marijuana. The Sierra Madre 
resident was cited and released on the field

Wednesday, March 2ND:

1:54 AM- Receiving/Concealing Stolen Property, 2000 
blk. Windwood LN. A Sierra Madre Resident notified the 
Police Department regarding a male trying to enter her car 
on her driveway. The suspect left the scene in an unknown 
direction. The suspect was later found at a gas station in 
Arcadia. Further investigations by Sierra Madre police 
officer’s revealed that a vehicle on Oak Meadow Rd. had also 
been ransacked. The suspect was arrested and transported 
to Sierra Madre Police to interview and later transported 
to Pasadena Police Department Jail for Possession of Stolen 
Property, Possession of Burglary Tools, Attempted Burglary 
and Petty Theft. 

8:00PM- Attempted Residential Burglary, 100 blk. N. 
Sunnyside Ave. Unknown suspect(s) tried to force entry 
into a house through living room window and a closet 
window but fled the scene once they heard a noise in the 
house. 

Friday, March 4TH:

11:35 PM- False ID to Peace Officer, 70 blk. W. Sierra 
Madre Blvd. This incident involves the police contacting a 
subject in regards to a vehicle parked in a parking lot of 73 
Montecito CT. The subject told the police he never had a 
California Drivers license. Further investigations revealed 
that the subject had given false information to the officer 
in regards to his identity. The subject prints were run 
through the Blue-check system which revealed the man’s 
true identity and his name had a $30,000 warrant. The 
Los Angeles resident was transported to Pasadena police 
Department Jail for booking.

Saturday, March 5TH:

12:23 AM- Disorderly Conduct/Drunk in Public, 70 
blk. W. Sierra Madre Blvd. An officer responded to 
a rear parking lot of the Buccaneer Bar regarding a fight 
in progress. Officers detained two subjects; further 
investigations revealed that one of the subjects assaulted the 
other patron in the bar. The LA resident was arrested for 
public intoxication and transported to Pasadena PD Jail for 
booking. 

1:00 PM- Petty Theft, 611 E. Sierra Madre Blvd, Sierra 
Vista Park. This case involves a theft investigation of a 
victim’s property from her car while parked. The victim 
reported that she left her wallet in the rear trunk area of her 
SUV. Later, the victim discovered that her Debit card had a 
$1.00 charge. It was unknown if the vehicle was left locked. 
The vehicle was dusted for finger prints. 

8:05 PM- DUI Alcohol/Drugs, 300 blk. E. Grandview Ave. 
An officer stopped a motorist for a Vehicle Code violation, 
and determined that the driver was under the influence of 
alcohol. The Sierra Madre resident was arrested and taken 
to the Pasadena Police Department jail for booking.

Sierra Madre Historical 

Preservation Society 

and 

Sierra Madre Books

Present:

Author Michele Zack 

signing her award winning book:

Southern California Story:

Seeking a Better Life in Sierra Madre

Sunday March 20th from 1-3pm

At Sierra Madre Books

52 W. Sierra Madre Blvd.

Sierra Madre, Ca.


AUTHOR NAOMI HIRAHARA TO 
SPEAK AT SIERRA MADRE LIBRARY

 All are invited to the Sierra Madre 
Public Library on Thursday, March 17, 
at 7:00 p.m. to meet acclaimed author 
Naomi Hirahara. Ms. Hirahara is 
an award-winning mystery novelist, 
children’s author, biographer, and the 
author of numerous books on Japanese 
history, culture and horticulture. 

 In 2004 Ms. Hirahara began a series 
featuring one of the most original 
protagonists in mystery fiction, 
the “reluctant detective” Mas Arai, 
an Hiroshima survivor, inveterate 
gambler, gardener and curmudgeon, 
who longs for the simple life, but finds 
instead, murder on his doorstep and 
wrongs that only he can right. Her highly regarded first novel in 
the series, Summer of the Big Bachi, was included in Publishers 
Weekly Best Books of 2004, and was featured in the Chicago 
Tribune’s Best Mystery list of 2004. Her second novel, Gasa-Gasa 
Girl, received a starred review and was a Southland best seller. 
Snakeskin Samisen, the third Mas Arai mystery, won an Edgar 
Allan Poe Award for Best Paperback Original. 

 The intrigue in her latest book, Blood Hina, includes the theft of 
antique “hina dolls.” Hina dolls are used to celebrate Girls Day, a 
beloved Japanese cultural festival held in March. As an adjunct 
to the presentation, dolls from Ms. Hirahara’s personal collection 
will be on display. 

 Attendees are invited to bring personal copies of Ms. Hirahara’s 
books for signing. Following the presentation, Japanese snack 
foods and Gen Mai tea will be served. This program is free and 
open to the public.

 The Sierra Madre Public Library is located at 440 West Sierra 
Madre Boulevard in Sierra Madre. For more information call 
(626) 355-7186, or go to www.sierramadre.lib.ca.us.


The 2011 Pasadena Public 
Library One City, One Story 
celebration will conclude 
Saturday, March 26, from 3 
to 5:30 p.m. at the Pasadena 
Convention Center 
Ballroom, 300 E. Green St. 
with Theatre Americana’s 
USO Show “One for 
the Boys” followed by a 
community conversation 
with author Hillary Jordan. 
The author will join Library 
Director Jan Sanders as they 
discuss Jordan’s experiences 
first envisioning and then 
writing Mudbound. 

A question-and-answer 
session from the audience 
will follow.

Jordan’s prize winning 
debut novel tells the story 
of two families and their 
struggles in post-World War 
II Mississippi as the forces of 
change and resistance collide 
with terrible consequences. 

Jordan grew up in Texas and 
Oklahoma. She received her 
MFA in creative writing from 
Columbia University and a 
BA in English and political 
science from Wellesley 
College. Her short fiction 
has appeared in numerous 
literary journals, including 
StoryQuarterly and The 
Carolina Quarterly. She 

lives in New York.

One City, One Story is 
designed to broaden and 
deepen an appreciation of 
reading and literature in 

the community, engage 
participants in dialogue and 
bring Pasadenans together 
by promoting greater

understanding of differing 
points of view. 

For more information visit 
www.onecityonestory.com 
or call (626) 744-7270.

PASADENA’S ONE CITY, ONE 
STORY FINALE