Gold Line Fist Fight Leads To 
Stabbing

Page 4

Also inside:

 

 Summer Fun Page 9

GOOD FOOD & DRINK 

 Page10

Arts & Entertainment - 

 Page11

 Business Today - 

 Page 12

LEFT TURN/RIGHT TURN

 Page 12

OPINION

 Page 13 
SAVVY SENIOR

 Looking Up with Bob Eklund - 

 Page 15 
THE GOOD LIFE

Page 16

ONE OF A KIND by Chris Bertrand

URBANE SOPHISTICATION 
IN MID-CENTURY SOUTH 
PASADENA HOME

 Page 17

PASADENA

ARCADIA

Hettrick To Receive Distinguished 
Leader Award 

 Page 6

MONROVIA/DUARTE

AROUND SAN GABRIEL VALLEY


CPUC Responds To Senator 
Hernandez

 Page 7

$4 Million EPA Water Settlement

 Page 5

SATURDAY, AUGUST 27, 2011

VOLUME 5 NO. 35

HEAT ALERT DECLARED FOR LOS 
ANGELES COUNTY 

LOS ANGELES COUNTY – The Weather Service has forecast 
very high temperatures for the San Fernando, Santa Clarita and 
Antelope Valleys from today through Sunday, August 28. To 
provide relief from the heat for the elderly and others who face 
heat-related health difficulties and stress, cooling centers are 
open throughout the County, announced County Mayor Michael 
D. Antonovich. 

The Department of Public Health recommends several ways to 
prevent heat-related problems:

Never leave children, elderly people, or pets alone in a parked 
vehicle.

Wear light, loose fitting clothing to stay cool.

Drink water often. Avoid drinking alcohol. (cont. on pg. 3)

TOO HOT TO HANDLE Temperatures Soar And Residents Try To Beat The Heat


The last few days of summer vacation were just too hot for children 
to play outside as evidenced by the empty park on Friday 
afternoon (above right). There were other ways to keep cool 
and have fun however, including (bottom right to left), playing 
inside at the Recreation Center, swimming at the Sierra Madre 
pool or enjoying frozen yogurt in Kersting Court.

Photos by S. Henderson/MVNews


JUST IN CASE:

Sierra Madre Community Redevelopment Agency 
Takes Proactive Steps In The Midst Of The State’s 
CRA Battle

SIERRA MADRE HONORS

City Announces 2011 Sierra 
Madre Honors Awardees

This is an exciting event and the 
City’s opportunity to recognize and 
honor the true treasures of Sierra 
Madre, its volunteers, City Commissioners 
and employees. Sierra 
Madre Honors… Recognition and 
Appreciation Dinner recognizes 
all out-going City Commissioners 
as well as extraordinary community 
members, organizations and 
employees who were selected from 
nominations submitted to the Mayor’s 
Ad-Hoc Committee comprised 
of past recipients. The following 
are the awardees for 2011:

George Maurer Lifetime 
Service Award – Gordon 
Caldwell

Presented to a person/entity 
that most strongly represents 
a commitment to serving and 
volunteering, which is the 
true spirit of Sierra Madre.

Wistaria Award – Friends of 
the Library

In recognition of City/Community 
partnership, presented 
to a local business or 
organization whose major 
contributions to the City/
Community of Sierra Madre 
have demonstrated a true 
partnership that assists in and 
provides services, programs, 
or enhances the general welfare 
of the community as a 
whole.

Police Chief’s Special Award 
– Jeannette Dabney

Presented by the Sierra Madre 
Chief of Police to an individual 
who has demonstrated 
outstanding dedication to duty 
(employee) or service (community) 
in resolving a community law 
enforcement-related issue.

Public Safety Award – Casey 
Morrisey

Presented by the Mayor to an individual, 
either an employee or citizen, 
who took action to protect and 
maintain the safety of the community 
by taking lifesaving action.

Public Service Award – Toni 
Buckner Employee of the Year 
– presented by the Mayor upon 
the recommendation of the City 
Manager to an extraordinary city 
employee who has represented 
remarkable customer and public 
service as well as dedication to the 
citizens of Sierra Madre over the 
course of a year.

Community Youth Service Award 
– Lydia Kerns

Presented to a young adult in the 
community who demonstrates 
dedication and outstanding service 
to the community.

This year’s Sierra Madre Honors... 
Recognition and Appreciation Dinner 
will be held in late September. 

by Susan Henderson

In an effort to protect Community 
Redevelopment Agency funds for 
Sierra Madre, the city’s CRA, which 
consists of the five city council 
members, decided to cover all 
bases and adopted an “Enforceable 
Obligation Payment Schedule 
(EOPS)” on Thursday evening. By 
doing so, the agency will be able to 
continue paying its obligations while 
the California Supreme Court decides 
whether Governor Jerry Brown’s 
actions to abolish CRA’s throughout 
the state are constitutional. The 
Sierra Madre agency, in a 3-0-2 vote, 
(Council members Walsh and Moran 
were absent), approved a proposed 
payment schedule that will now go 
to the state’s Finance Department for 
final approval. This action could be 
considered a ‘safety net’ should the 
state prevail in the lawsuit to dismantle 
CRA’s statewide.

Governor Brown had been advocating 
for some time the abolishment of 
local redevelopment agencies and in 
June, successfully got the California 
Legislature to pass two bills, AB X1 26 
which would demolish local agencies 
and AB 1X 27 which would allow local 
governments to ‘opt in’ by making lump 
sum payments to the state. Brown’s 
goal is to generate additional revenue 
from local governments to alleviate 
some of the state’s budget problems. 
Agencies were given an option to not 
dissolve and to continue operations if 
it adopted an ordinance committing 
certain Agency funds to the State. The 
City of Sierra Madre chose to continue 
its agency operations and adopted 
Ordinance 1320. The ‘opting in’ has 
become known as the CRA “ransom” 
and varies according to the size of the 
city. For instance, Los Angeles has 
voted to ‘opt in’ at a cost in excess of 
$96 million dollars. The city of Sierra 
Madre voted to ‘opt in’ with an initial 
payment of $670,000.

However, before the payments 
were made to the state, a lawsuit 
was brought by the California 
Redevelopment Association and the 
League of California Cities challenging 
the constitutionality of the two laws. 
The lawsuit was granted a modified 
stay of execution on enforcement of 
most aspects of the bills. Cities do 
not have to submit payments (which 
were due Jan. 1), for opting in as long 
as the stay of execution remains in 
effect. However, the court did require 
that cities identify all existing CRA 
obligations and submit a proposed 
payment schedule in order to continue 
making payments while the lawsuits 
are pending. Agencies may not, 
however, enter into any new CRA 
obligations as of July 1, 2011.

In the event the lawsuit is settled in 
favor of Governor Brown, CRA funds 
will be turned over to a ‘successor 
agency’. In the meantime, according 
to Mayor John Buchanan, “we did it 
[submit the EOPS]. in case the CRA is 
eliminated”. 

Currently, Sierra Madre’s CRA has 
a total indebtedness of $8.9 million 
dollars, of which $3.29 million is 
due within the next fiscal year. This 
includes payments (partial listing) on 
the city’s 1998 Tax Increment Bond, 
the LA County/PUSD Pass Through 
(AB1389), The Memorial Park 
Playground, The Hart Park Renovation 
and the General Plan Downtown 
Retail Market Demand Study. 

Mayor Buchanan noted that in 
the worse case scenario, the city 
is prepared to pay to the state the 
payments required to ‘opt in’ and 
continue to operate the local CRA if 
necessary without an adverse impact 
on the city’s operations. He also noted 
that Sierra Madre’s agency agreement 
with the state expires in 2015, but it is 
“better to be safe than sorry”.


Inside This Edition...

CALENDAR Page 2 

Sierra Madre News Page 3

Pasadena/Altadena Page 4

Around San Gabriel Valley Page 5

Arcadia Page 3

Monrovia/Duarte Page 6

Education & Youth Page 7

SUMMER FUN Page 8

Arts & Entertainment Page 9

Legals Page 14/15

Left/Right Page 10

Opinion Page 11

The World Around Us Page 12

 The Good Life Page 13

Homes & Property Page 16

Former Mayor George Maurer, left, and 
2011 Maurer Lifetime Service Award 
Recipient, Gordon Caldwell

Niko’s Wll Be Closed For Vacation From August 27th - September 11th


Read The Paper Online At: www.mtnviewsnews.com