VOLUME 6 NO 31

SIERRA MADRE CHAMBER 
REORGANIZES

Volunteer Leadership to Reinvigorate Business 

Community Despite Financial Challenges

Ed Chen, recently elected President of the Sierra Madre Chamber of Commerce, 
has announced changes in the way the organization will operate. The Chamber, 
whose primary purpose is to support local businesses, will cut its overhead expenses 
by eliminating its paid position of Executive Director. Bill Coburn, who 
held the job for the last four years, served his last day in that position June 30th. 
He remained as an independent contractor to help with the transition through 
July. The Chamber’s first paid Executive Director was hired in 2007. Coburn 
was the second person to hold the paid position.

The Chamber will now function as an all volunteer organization. “This change 
will not have a negative impact on the Chamber’s operations. We still have an 
ambitious calendar ahead of us,” said Chen. “We thank Bill Coburn’s service as 
our Executive Director, and we look forward to continue providing excellent 
service to our members with the support of our board members, the business 
community and the City of Sierra Madre.”

In the coming month, the Chamber will co-host two additional business forums 
on the heel of the successful release of the city’s Buxton Market Demand Study, 
which provides local business owners with current consumer data specific to 
each business. It will also soon be formally announcing its Welcome Wagon 
program for new residents and businesses. In addition, plans are underway for 
co-sponsoring a Health Fair with the city in late September and a fun filled “All 
American Pooch Parade and Dog Show” in November.

In addition, plans are also in the works for two of the group’s annual events, 
Dickens Village the Saturday after Thanksgiving and the Citizen of the Year Dinner 
in January.

The Chamber’s office hours can be confirmed by calling 626-355-5111.

The Sierra Madre Chamber has been in existence more than 80 years. It was 
formally known as the Sierra Madre Trade Association. It is the sponsor of one 
of the city’s largest events, the annual Wistaria Festival, which showcases “The 
World’s Largest Blossoming Plant.”

BEARS, BEARS, BEARS


This big guy, or girl, was spotted last week on Toyon Rd. Sierra Madre resident Rudy Van Cleef was able 
to get a few great pictures before SMPD Officers encouraged the bear to return to the hills.

THE CAPTAINS

 
Seems like Sierra Madre is becoming 
more like Monrovia – “their” bears 
seem to be moving our way and showing 
up in town more frequently, making 
them “our” bears. And the first 
response might be, “Awwww, isn’t that 
cute!?!?? I just Love Bears.” 

 Until one starts ambling towards 
you, and you suddenly realize that – 
um, it’s a whole lot bigger than you, 
you can’t cuddle it the way you do your 
plush bear - and all your cooing and 
empathetic “Shooing” and “Hey, go 
away” doesn’t have any effect … and 
you dimly realize that you might have 
a bit of a problem, here … and then it’s 
vividly clear that this could be really 
dangerous to you, and any children in 
the area, not to mention other random 
passersby. What to do? Make lots of 
sharp scary noises, Call 911 ….. and get 
out of the way.

 OK, there are rules for handling 
bears. We all should know them from 
hearing / reading about Monrovia’s ongoing 
trials and tribulations. 

 #1. DO NOT FEED THE BEARS. 
In any way. At any time. Ever. Even 
accidentally. Keep fallen fruit off your 
yard. Don’t put ANY food into your 
trash bin Until The MORNING Your 
Trash is Picked Up. I can hear you ask 
now, “But what do I do with leftovers 
between trash days?” Tuck a plastic 
bag in your fridge or freezer door: store 
leftovers there. It’s only a week. Especially 
during hot, dry summers, bears 
and other wildlife head for the nearest 
water – which might be your (or 
your neighbor’s) a fish or flower pond 
or fountain – and leftover food smells 
can invite bears to freely raid your poor 
unprotected trash can in the middle of 
the night – leaving you a big mess in 
the morning. Trust me, you REALLY 
DON’T want to be the Bear Magnet in 
your neighborhood. 

 #2. LEAVE THE BEAR ALONE. 
Bears generally like peace and quiet – 
with enough time they’ll just wander 
elsewhere. However, if one wanders 
(trespasses) into your yard – it needs to 
learn in no uncertain terms that your 
yard is your territory. From a very safe 
distance, making sudden, loud sharp 
noises (clang pot lids), making sharp 
motions (Big broad arm movements), 
your own very clear emotional dominance 
“NO!” may help – but that’s dangerous 
for you. So, 

 #3. CALL THE SIERRA MADRE 
POLICE DEPARTMENT - 911. That’s 
the safest way to get a bear out of your 
area. They have this really great tool 
to shoot bean bags at it, whacking it 
sufficiently smartly upside the head – 
or neck – or chest until it decides to 
change direction and amble elsewhere. 
Our SMPD officers aren’t into killing 
bears – but if you and it have gotten 
into a physical argument and you’re 
losing, that’s what will happen. They’d 
also prefer not to tranquilize and move 
it – that’s especially not bear-fair during 
hunting season. If a bear is ill, that’s 
a whole other problem, as it’s not safe 
to let an ill bear return to the wild. In 
any event, once our SMPD finest are on 
site, move out of the way and let them 
do their jobs-they’re the professionals 
and should be treated as such. Interfering 
with an officer will create problems 
for you, so please be respectful and 
supportive as they move the bear back 
to a safer environment for all involved.

 #4. TO PROTECT ALL BEARS - 
DO NOT FEED THE BEARS – IN 
ANY WAY.

Welcome to Sierra Madre Volunteer Fire Departments newly hired 
Captains. From left to right, Captain Perry Goth, Captain Greg Christmas 
and Captain Rich Snyder. Also, in last week’s edition Fire Chief 
Steve Heydorf was incorrectly identified as Police Chief. 

Photo by S. Henderson

ROSEMARIE GORMAN 
PASSES ON THURSDAY

LUNCH AND LEARN AT 
THE HART PARK HOUSE

City Councilmember 
Capoccia To Speak

Wednesday, August 8, 2012 @ 
12:15pm

A special guest from the Sierra 
Madre City Council is hosting the

August Lunch and Learn program 
at the Hart Park House. The

councilmember will speak about 
the state of the city, the Senior

Community Commission 
and a little background about 
themselves.

Don’t miss out on an opportunity 
to sit and talk with one of your

elected officials!

DONATIONS NEEDED FOR BACK-
TO-SCHOOL PROGRAM 

Foothill Unity Center is collecting new school 
supplies for 2,000 low-income children.

“When a cute little nine year old girl comes up to you, smiling 
from ear to ear, and tells you, ‘This is the best day of 
my whole life – EVER’, and she can hardly wait until school 
starts – you know that you have made a difference in that 
child’s life!” So says Betty McWilliams, Executive Director 
of Foothill Unity Center, Inc.

 The Center will be preparing 2,000 children at its 14th Annual 
Back-to-School event at Santa Anita Park on Thursday, 
August 16. The families that come to Foothill Unity Center 
for food assistance do not have the funds to furnish their 
children with the items they need to return to school. Consequently, 
pre-registered K-12 grade students from qualified 
low-income families in Altadena, Arcadia, Azusa, Baldwin 
Park, Bradbury, Duarte, Irwindale, Monrovia, Pasadena, Sierra 
Madre and South Pasadena will be attending this event 
and receiving backpacks, school supplies, clothes/uniforms, 
socks, underwear, haircuts, as well as eye and dental exams.

 Event Chair Kathy Valentine has determined that “it takes 
us about $50 to prepare a child for school, which is minimal 
because of our loyal supporters.” Monetary donations, however, 
are still needed as the number of children continues 
to climb.

 The entire community shares in this annual effort, with 
more than 400 volunteers from businesses, schools and 
community groups, that all have our heartfelt thanks for 
their participation. We want to give special thanks to our 
major contributors as well, including; CapitalSource Bank, 
Pasadena Independent Schools Foundation, Marshalls/
TJX Foundation, Ronald McDonald House Charities, Tzu 
Chi Foundation, Vons Foundation, Wells Fargo and Xerox 
Corporation. In addition, we are extremely grateful to our 
community partners who make this event possible, including: 
Santa Anita Park for use of its facilities; Citrus College 
Cosmetology Department for helping with haircuts and 
manicures; USC School of Dentistry for providing dental 
check-ups; Western University School of Optometry for 
furnishing vision screenings; Paint N’Play for art activities; 
Monrovia Reads for new books; and many, many more.

 Checks may be mailed to: Foothill Unity Center, 415 West 
Chestnut Avenue, Monrovia, California 91016. For further 
information on Back-to-School Distribution needs and 
volunteer opportunities, call the Foothill Unity Center in 
Monrovia at (616)358-3486, in Pasadena at (626)584-7420, 
or view our website at www.foothillunitycenter.org.


beloved former Sierra Madre resident 
Rosemarie Gorman (above with 
grandchildren) passed away after a 
valiant battle with cancer. Arrangments 
have not yet been made. 

The Sierra Madre Police Blotter Is Back!

This Week’s Highlights: 

Good Food Page 10 

Best Frieds Page 11

Arts & Entertainment Page 12 

Homes Page 13

Good Life Page 15

Business Today Page 16

Opinion Page 17/18

Sports Page 19

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 and Youth Page 8

The World Around Us Page 9

AROUND SG Valley

SIERRA MADRE NEWS

1

5

Don’t Feed The Bears

ARCADIA NEWS

6

PASADENA/ALTADENA

4

MONROVIA/DUARTE

7

710 Meeting To Be Held


Read The Paper Online At: www.mtnviewsnews.com