SHOP LOCAL AND SAVE ! CHECK OUT LOCAL RETAIL COUPONS IN THIS EDITION!

SATURDAY, JULY 30, 2011

VOLUME 5 NO. 31

SIERRA MADRE PD MEETS WITH 
NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH CAPTAINS

Upcoming Release of CA Prison Inmates May Impact City Crime 

Story by Chris Bertrand

MIDGE MORASH -SIERRA MADRE’S 
RENAISSANCE WOMAN PASSES AWAY 

On Monday evening, officials from 
Sierra Madre Police Department 
met with Neighborhood Watch 
Block Captains in the first of 
periodic meetings. Earlier this year, 
the officials met with the Business 
Community in a similar format.

 Chief Marilyn Diaz, Larry 
Giannone, Len Hundshamer and 
Ruben Enriquez each delivered 
parts of the presentation. They 
covered current burglary patterns 
and recommendations to minimize 
a home’s exposure, the expected 
local impact of the upcoming state 
mandated downgrade of certain 
nonviolent crimes to reduce the 
prison population, the EVG scandal 
update and other topics. 

 

SMPD Expects October Inmate 
Release Will Impact City Crime 
Levels

 Chief Marilyn Diaz spoke about the 
impact of AB 109 & 117 legislation, 
the State Public Safety Realignment. 
The main components of public 
safety realignment are twofold: 
it defines local custody for non-
violent, non-serious, non-sex 
offenders; and it makes changes to 
state parole and creates “local post-
release community supervision.” 
These changes are to take place 
October 1, 2011. 

 At the meeting and in a follow 
up interview for this article, Diaz 
stressed that Sierra Madre expects 
to see the impact in increased 
property crimes. “These are often 
drug-related crimes. “For instance, 
when people need money for drugs, 
they steal. Burglars often strike on 
streets in proximity to corridors 
like Sierra Madre Boulevard, 
Michillinda Ave., Orange Grove 
Ave., and Grandview Ave. We are 
preparing for this prospect when 
thousands of offenders will be 
released statewide. Police chiefs 
have been meeting regularly to plan 
for the impact of prisoner release to 
our communities.”

Diaz continued, saying we will 
need to draw on the eyes and ears 
of the Neighborhood Watch and 
the community, to pay attention 
to things that seem amiss, and call 
them in. Enriquez stepped in with 
success stories of alert neighbors 
calling in suspicious activity, 
including a recent case where a 
truck with two men pulled up to 
an adjacent home. After a knock on 
the door received no response, they 
broke into the back of the home, 
taking personal property. 

Chatty Burglars Share Their MO 
with SMPD after Arrest.

 When the PD caught up with them 
later, the duo shared their criteria for 
choosing a target home: Morning 
hours after people go to work allow 
burglars to work uninterrupted and 
unnoticed for many hours; Homes 
with long driveways and old, easy 
to pry windows attracted their 
attention; and using a vehicle that 
downgrades suspicion, like a pickup 
with a lawn mower in the back.

 Diaz told of another hair raising 
story involved another morning 
attempted burglary. A resident was 
showering when someone came 
to the door. By the time he came 
downstairs from the shower, he 
viewed two burglars headed to his 
back door, one pulling on gloves. 
With the presence of mind to hide 
in the bathroom with the shower 
on, suggesting his inattention to the 
burglary, he called 911, and within 
a short time, officers showed up, 
detaining the suspects.

On Tuesday, the very next morning 
after the Neighborhood Watch 
discussion, a crime alert email came 
from the PD, announcing that an 
attempted burglary with a similar 
scenario had occurred, followed 
by notice of another crime with a 
block of the first attempt:

 “On Tuesday, July 26, 2011, at 
about 9:41 a.m., an attempted 
residential burglary occurred in the 
500 block of West Highland Ave. 
Suspect #1 repeatedly rang the door 
bell at the front door. The resident, 
an adult male, was home but did not 
answer the person at the front door. 
A few minutes later, the resident 
heard someone trying to open 
an unlocked window to the rear 
of the house. The resident yelled 
out and startled the suspect. The 
suspect ran to the street and into an 
awaiting car occupied by two more 
males. The suspects are described 
as young males, possibly Hispanic 
with shaved heads. The vehicle is 
described as a silver, 4-door sedan, 
with a rear spoiler. The car was last 
seen eastbound on Highland Ave. 
toward Lima St. 

 Officers suggested that when an 
unknown person comes to the 
door, to at least acknowledge that 
someone is home, though not 
interested in whatever is offered, 
hopefully deterring this crime 
scenario being played out again 
locally. 

Residents Encouraged to Sign Up 
for Online Reports of Local Crime 
Events

Capt. Giannone alerted the 
Neighborhood Watch Captains 
that a free online service is now 
available to Sierra Madre and 
other communities. Individuals 
can sign up to receive alerts of 
crimes reported in their area, and/
or a relative’s area, or other location 
of concern, like a school or a 
neighborhood being considered for 
home purchase or lease. The website 
is www.CrimeReports.com and 
requires only about two minutes 
to setup a customized alert sent by 
email, or to view crime information 
online. 

Filters are available to determine 
exactly how often residents receive 
updates, and even on what types 
of crimes they wish to hear about. 
Chief Diaz also recommended 
that residents check their Megan’s 
Law website, www.MegansLaw.
ca.gov to update themselves on 
sexual offenders living in an area of 
concern. 

SMPD Seeks Feedback on 
Operations and Personnel

Giannone pointed out that the 
police department is very interested 
in getting feedback on how they 
are doing, especially when it the 
observations (positive or negative) 
are recent, and can be tied to the 
event or officer for follow-up. While 
on this topic, Giannone remarked 
that the PD sometimes receives 
negative comments about officers 
observed pulling motorists over for 
possible offenses. He commented 
that the officer has the discretion 
to write and file a warning or a 
citation, and a passerby will not 
necessarily be aware which is being 
given. 

SMPD Seeks More Neighborhood 
Watch Groups and Captains

The PD welcomes the opportunity 
to offer as many Neighborhood 
Watch meetings as a group would 
like to have, according to Giannone. 
Many of the groups represented 
had been about two years since a 
neighborhood meeting was held. 
Though the city has many active 
Neighborhood Watch areas, many 
areas have no active Watch. 

To inquire about setting up a Neighborhood 
Watch in your neighborhood, or give 
feedback on how the SMPD is doing, 
contact Capt. Giannone at 626-355-
1414 or email him at LGiannone@
CityOfSierraMadre.com. 

 On Saturday, July 23, 
2011, Midge Morash, 
one of the most 
loved, admired, and 
cherished residents of 
Sierra Madre passed 
away. At age 88, 
she had struggled in 
recent months with 
her health.

 Midge was 
affectionately known 
as “Mother Nature” 
in environmental 
circles because of 
her commitment to 
protecting the earth, 
especially Bailey 
Canyon. In fact, she 
was instrumental in 
developing the first 
trails at Bailey Canyon 
Park in the 60’s.

 Midge was honored 
by the city for her work 
as the developer of the 
Nature Awareness 
Program more than 
30 years ago. That 
program included field 
trips once a year for all third graders 
in town, and the recruiting and 
training docents for the program.

 She was one of the founders of 
the Sierra Madre Environmental 
Action Council (SMEAC) in 
1972 and designed three of their 
brochures and helped develop 
information for the kiosk at Bailey 
Canyon. 

 She also devised a trail guide for 
Live Oak Nature Trail and Canyon 
View Nature Trail in Bailey Canyon, 
with assistance from Eaton Canyon 
Nature Center.

 For several years, along with 
her volunteer work, she was lab 
technician at the hospital when it 
was located in town.

 In an interview with Midge two 
years ago, she said her focus has 
forever been on nature. “I have a 
passion for nature and teaching 
others about nature. Kids have to 
learn respect for nature and the 
knowledge of the environment, 
and to live respectfully.”

 Midge and her husband Tal who 
preceded her in death, were the 
parents of four children. Tal passed 
away in 1988 and their son John 
also passed away.

She is survived by two 
daughters, Kim Lazaro of 
Poway and Anne Johnson of 
Rancho Cucamonga and a 
son, Paul Morash of Evanston, 
Wyoming. When the Morash 
children were small, she also 
volunteered “in all the usual 
school functions” and was a 
leader for Brownie and Girl 
Scout troops for years. 

 The recipient of numerous 
awards and honors over the 
years, in 2009, she was the 
Sierra Madre 4th of July Parade 
Grand Marshal. In 2000, she 
was the Sierra Madre Older 
American of the Year.

“A True Renaissance Woman”

 Dear friend Fran Garbaccio 
described Midge as a “true 
renaissance woman”, because of her 
many talents. For, in addition to 
the countless volunteer hours spent 
protecting, nurturing and teaching, 
Midge was an incredible artist. Her 
Sierra Madre home, and later her 
home at The Oaks in Pasadena, was 
filled with her creations.

 On February 13, 2009, Midge fell 
and broke her pelvis, and shortly 
thereafter moved to The Oaks in 
Pasadena, her residence at the time 
of her death.

 Services for Midge will be held 
on August 27, 2011 at 4:00 p.m. at 
the Sierra Madre United Methodist 
Church. Rev. Mark Trotter will 
preside.

Story & Photos by Susan Henderson


Midge Morash,originally from Northern California, moved to Sierra Madre almost 50 
years ago. She and her husband Tal, raised four children, John, Kim, Anne and Paul 
and three grandchildren.

 In addition to her volunteer work with SMEAC and Bailey Canyon, she is also an 
accomplished artist. Her homes were filled with sculptures. “I like faces”, she once 
said of her work. Much of her work reflects that interest, such as the bust of a 
gentleman shown below.

CORRECTION: 

The correct date for the tribute 
for Ralph McKnight is FRIDAY, 
AUGUST 12, 2011 at the Levitt 
Pavillion at 7:00 p.m. before the 
Billy Mitchell concert.

ELVIS WAS IN THE HOUSE!

Inside This Edition...


CALENDAR Page 2 

Sierra Madre News Page 3

Pasadena/Altadena Page 4

Around San Gabriel Valley Page 5

Arcadia Page 6

Monrovia/Duarte Page 7

Education & Youth Page 8

SUMMER FUN Page 9

Good Food & Drink Page 10

Arts & Entertainment Page 11

Legals Page 12

Left/Right Page 13

Opinion Page 14

The World Around Us Page 15

 The Good Life Page 16

Homes & Property Page 17

 Harry Shahoian rocked Sierra Madre 
as Elvis in a concert sponsored by the 
Rotary Club this evening. Harry paid 
tribute to his parents Mama Pete, who 
was celebrating her 95th birthday during 
the show. (Above)

 The Concert was a part of the Summer 
Concert in the Park series put on 
by the Community and Personnel Services 
Department, with the help of local 
organizations that sponsor a week/
band. 

 On Sunday, Southern California Lyric 
Theater is the sponsor, with a performance 
of Fairy Tales and Fantasy VI.

Photo and caption by

Bill Coburn


Read The Paper Online At: www.mtnviewsnews.com