Sierra Madre Wistaria Festival Special Edition

Arcardian’s Organize For Aid To Japan Page 5


SATURDAY MARCH 19, 2011

VOLUME 5 NO. 12

The City of Sierra Madre has issued a Yellow 
Flag Alert. The County of Los Angeles Public 
Works Department has issued a Phase 1 Mudflow 
Forecast.

 A Phase 1 indicates that small isolated debris and mudflows are possible 
at specific locations.

 Streets may be flooded or blocked by debris. Woodland Drive, Skyland 
Drive, and other streets may be closed due to blockage. Should debris 
flows occur overnight, crews will begin clearing the following morning.

 Parking restrictions are now in effect in the Upper and Lower Canyon 
during Yellow or Red Flag alerts. Vehicles parked on the streets may be 
towed at owner’s expense.

 The affected streets are: Mount Wilson Trail, Churchill Rd., Skyland Dr., 
Fern Glen, Fern Dr., Idlehour Ln., Canyon Crest Dr., Orange Dr., Woodland 
Dr., Brookside Lane (upper, middle, and lower segments), Sunnyside 
Lane, Sturtevant Dr., and Yucca Trail. Overnight parking restrictions 
through the rest of the city are lifted during Yellow or Red Flag Alerts.

 The City Public Works Department may determine that Upper Brookside 
Lane and the very northern portion of Woodland Drive will be closed 
and a temporary debris wall will be erected.

 Residents in the affected areas are urged to be "set" to leave at a moment’s 
notice and may choose to voluntarily evacuate. In the event the City receives 
a Phase 2 or Phase 3 alert from the County, a Red Flag Alert will be 
issued that will most likely include mandatory evacuation orders. Evacuated 
residents will not be allowed to return into an evacuation area until 
the order is lifted. For additional information and updates:

PHONE: City Hall - 626-355-7135 (business hours 7:30am – 5:30pm)

Police Dept - 626-355-1414 (non-emergency, 911 for emergencies)

City Website (http://www.cityofsierramadre.com/)

Emergency Radio Station: 1630AM


SIERRA MADRE 

ISSUES A YELLOW 
FLAG ALERT

90 Year Old Sierra Madre Resident 
Saves Little Girl

 
By Susan Henderson

 Sierra Madre resident, John Shear 
has a reputation for being a really 
nice guy, and that was before he, 
heroically at age 90, stopped a horse 
from running over a little girl.

 According to track officials, last 
Saturday, as John was working as a 
Paddock Gaurd at Santa Anita Race 
Track, a 3 year old gelding named 
Sea and Sage was in the walking 
ring with nine other horses who 
were readying for the upcoming 
race. Sea and Sage wheeled, freeing 
himself from his handler and 
in a 180 degree about-face, sprinted 
towards the opening Shear was 
guarding just outside the walking 
ring. As seen live on simulcast television, 
Shear, instead of dropping 
the perimeter rope he was holding 
and protecting himself, ran in 
front of the loose horse and threw 
himself in front of and on top of the 
young girl in the crowd, who appeared 
to be three or four years of 
age. 

 Sea and Sage collided with Shear, 
who remained conscious, responsive 
and was moving when he was 
attended to by on-site First Aid 
personnel and later by members of 
the City of Arcadia Fire 
Department. Shear was 
taken by ambulance to 
Huntington Memorial 
Hospital in Pasadena 
for further evaluation. 

 Shear is said to have 
suffered several broken 
bones but is expected 
to fully recover.

 Shear, a former jockey, 
has been a gaurd in the 
paddock at Santa Anita 
and at one time Hollywood 
Park since 1962. He turned 
90 on January 17th of this year. 

 In an interview after a rail fell on 
him and broke his leg inseveral 
places several years ago, he told a reporter 
that, “Retirement was never 
an option. I’ve worked since I was 
14 years old,” said the Britishborn, 
5-foot-4, 115-pound one-time 
jockey, trainer and exercise rider. 
“I’ll never retire. I’m physically fit. 
I don’t put on weight. Sometimes I 
drive Diane (his wife of more than 
40 years) crazy because I climb up 
on ladders and do things around 
the house. But I can’t be idle.”

 With that said, well wishers hope 
that John will have a speedy recovery. 


John Shear, pictured above on 
duty at Santa Anita, risked his 
life in order to save a little girl. 
The picture in the inset shows 
John in 1956. Archived Photos 

UPDATE: JAPANESE CULTURAL EVENT 
IN MEMORIAL PARK TO INCLUDE RED 
CROSS BOOTH

Those wishing to make a contribution to the Red Cross for the disaster 
relief effort in Japan may do so at Memorial Park, 222 W. Sierra Madre 
Blvd., on Friday, March 25, from 5:30 p.m.-7:30 p.m. The Red Cross 
will have representatives at the park during the “Sierra Madre Japanese 
Cultural Night, which the event participants requested go on as planned, 
out of honor and respect for the Japanese people as they cope with the 
devastation resulting from the earthquake and tsunami. All are invited 
to come to the park in a communal expression of solidarity and concern 
for our “neighbors to the west” in their time of need.

For updated information on the event programming, please call the 
Sierra Madre Public Library, 626-355-7186. Information is also available 
on the Sierra Madre City Facebook or website, www.cityofsierramadre.
com. This event is sponsored by Tokyo City Keiba (TCK), Yakult USA, 
Santa Anita Park, and U.S. Equine, Inc. 

CIVIC CLUB PREPARES FOR MAIN EVENT

“Catch The Wave” will be the theme 
of the Sierra Madre Civic Club’s annual 
salad luncheon and Chinese 
Auction on Saturday, April 9, 2011 
at 11:30 a.m. The event will be held 
in the LaSalle High School Auditorium, 
corner of W. Sierra Madre 
Blvd. and Michillinda Avenue.

 Planning a big splash for this 
Sierra Madre main event are Co-
Chairs Jean Coleman, Karma Bell 
and their committees. They promise 
the best beach party in town.

The day’s highlight is the Chinese 
Auction with Anita Thompson returning 
as Auctioneer Extraordinaire. 
She keeps the action rolling 
at a fast pace and with great humor. 
There will be a large variety 
of quality items, each which can be 
won for a small amount of money. 
There will also be a silent auction 
with some very special items to be 
bid on. The top prize of the day is the money hat, a 
beautifully designed beach hat by Sheila Woehler and 
paying the very lucky number winner a whopping 
$250.00.

The event is also popular for its salad luncheon with 
a delicious variety of gourmet salads provided by 
members.

This will be a day to remember, the best party in town 
(and sand-free). Tickets are $25.00 with prior purchase 
a must. Proceeds of this main benefit supports 
the club’s very generous annual charity giving.

For tickets and more information all Reservations 
Chair Shirley McGillicuddy at (626) 355-8715.


CITY POSTPONES ACTION ON 

HIGHLAND AVENUE PROPERTY

By Bill Coburn

Co-Chairs Karma Bell and Jean Coleman, with surf board in tow, are 
preparing to “Catch The Wave” at the club’s annual Chinese Auction 
on April 9th

After receiving numerous comments 
from residents near the former 
church/YAC at 186 W. Highland 
that indicated that they were 
uncomfortable with the speed at 
which the City has seemingly accelerated 
the process to construct 
low to moderate housing at the site, 
the City Council decided not to allow 
staff to enter into negotiations 
with Heritage Housing Partners, 
instead appointing Council Members 
MaryAnn MacGillivray and 
Josh Moran to meet with neighbors 
to discuss why the site was headed 
in that direction and to request input 
as to what the neighbors would 
like to see happen with the site.

The property was acquired by the 
City more than a decade ago using 
CRA funds and designated for low 
and moderate housing. During the 
development of the recent Housing 
Element (part of the General 
Plan), it was reiterated that the site 
was designated for low to moderate 
income housing, to help the 
City comply with state designated 
Regional Housing Needs Assessment 
(RHNA) requirements for 
that type of housing. Nothing 
has been done with the property, 
though for a while, the City’s Youth 
Activity Center was located there. 
Recently, the Community Redevelopment 
Agency (CRA) adopted a 
5-year plan that called for expanding, 
improving and preserving the 
City’s supply of housing affordable 
to persons and families with low 
and moderate incomes. In addition, 
the Governor’s proposed budget 
calls for abolishing the CRA, 
eliminating the possibility of using 
CRA funds to develop the property. 
These two occurances have 
led to the City accelerating the 
process of converting the property. 
And, as Mayor Mosca informed 
the residents, because the land was 
acquired with CRA funds and designated 
for low to moderate housing, 
the only way to avoid that is to 
have the City acquire the property 
from the CRA funds using General 
Fund money, and the City doesn’t 
have enough General Fund money 
to make that happen. 

At a recent Council meeting, the 
Council appropriated $25,000 for 
the retention of a consultant to assist 
with the development and evaluation 
of Request for Proposals for 
the development of the property. 
By entering into negotiations with 
Heritage Housing Partners, staff 
was hoping to save that $25,000 
for the CRA. However, the outcry 
from the site’s neighbors caused 
Council to delay entering into negotiations 
until outreach with the 
community has been explored 
further.


Sierra Madre Paramedic Lifesavers 
Paramedic Subscription Program

Do you know it can cost in 
excess of $1,000 if you are 
transported to the hospital 
during an emergency by 
an ambulance? Members of 
the Sierra Madre Paramedic 
Lifesavers Paramedic 
Subscription Program will 
never have to worry about 
such a cost. 

 The Sierra Madre Paramedic 
Lifesavers Paramedic 
Subscription Program is 
an official program offered 
by the City of Sierra Madre 
which offsets the cost 
of emergency medical 
response and transport. 
Residents of the City of 
Sierra Madre, who subscribe 
to the program by paying 
an annual membership fee, 
avoid any additional out-of-
pocket costs associated with 
ambulance transportation 
their individual insurance 
carrier does not cover. 
Residents who do not have 
health insurance, and are 
subscribers to this program 
would pay nothing out-of-
pocket if they were to be 
transported to the hospital 
by ambulance. 

 One emergency call for 
Emergency Paramedic 
services can cost in excess 
of $1,000. Additionally, 
many insurance companies 
do not cover the full cost of 
these services. As a member 
of the Lifesavers Paramedic 
Subscription Program 
you will be provided with 
emergency medical services 
with no additional costs. 

 Your subscription to the 
program will perform 
similarly to a secondary 
insurance plan, with no out-
of-pocket cost to you. This 
program is provided to all 
residents of the City of Sierra 
Madre with an annual cost of 
$30.00 per resident. Annual 
renewal to the Lifesavers 
Paramedic Subscription 
Program happens every 
fiscal year on July 1st, and 
lasts a full 12 months. We 
highly encourage every 
resident in the City of Sierra 
Madre to participate in this 
important program. 

 To subscribe to the Sierra 
Madre Lifesavers Paramedic 
Program, please fill out the 
membership application 
form provided in this article 
and send it in with your 
payment. 

 Please mail the completed 
application and payment 
to: Sierra Madre Fire 
Department Attn: Lifesavers 
Subscription Program, 242 
W. Sierra Madre Blvd., Sierra 
Madre, CA 91024, or you 
may visit the Sierra Madre 
City Hall and subscribe to 
this program in person.

Application on page 3 


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