VOLUME 6 NO 36

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2012


HONOR TO WHOM HONOR IS DUE - While Remembering The Fallen on 9/11, City’s First Responders Are Honored

 By Bill Coburn

 At approximately 6:55 am on Tuesday, members of the SMFD and SMFD 
marched out in front of the bay door of the fire station. One of the men lowered 
the flag to half mast, and then the group was called to attention. They stood at 
attention until 6:59, when an announcement was made systemwide by the Verdugo 
Fire Communications Center in memory of the victims of 9/11. The bells 
rang out, the officers were called to salute, and then dismissed.

Following the memorial, the Sierra Madre Kiwanis Club hosted breakfast for Sierra 
Madre’s first responders. In attendance were members of the SMFD, SMPD, 
CERT, and the Sierra Madre Emergency Communications Team (SMECT). 
Breakfast was held at The Lodge, where Kiwanis holds its weekly luncheon 
meetings.

Bean Town provided breakfast burritos, fresh fruit, muffins and croissants, and 
coffee and orange juice. Following a group sing of “My Country Tis of Thee” and 
the recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance, Kiwanis and Elder Clem Bartolai gave 
an invocation. Kiwanis president 
Susan Henderson played 
an audio recording of a tribute 
to Old Glory by Jimmy Weldon, 
and then introduced Council 
member Chris Koerber. 

Koerber briefly discussed a 
conversation he was having 
with SMPD Officer Gonzalez, 
and noted that first responders, 
similar to members of the 
military, are a part of something 
that’s “bigger than just yourself.” 
He noted that for many of his 
generation, the younger generation, 
and even some of his parents’ 
generation, it’s more about 
what’s in it for me, the “WIIFM” 
radio station. “I really appreciate 
that when something’s going 
down, and people are running 
out of the building,” said Koerber, 
“the firemen are the people 
running in to take care of business and help people, and I just want to say on this anniversary of 
9/11, thank you very much.”

 Ms. Henderson then spoke, discussing a personal experience of hers in the Oakland firestorm 
of 1991, when more than 3,300 single family homes and more than 400 apartments and condos 
were destroyed. Twenty-five people died in the fire, and 150 others were injured. Fifteen hundred 
firefighters from 250 agencies worked that fire, and Ms. Henderson spoke of driving down the 
street, unable to see in front of her, being guided by emergency personnel surrounded by flames, 
some of whom were there without even the heavy fire retardant uniforms to protect them. 

“Although I have always had a great respect for our men in uniform, after that experience, nothing 
I had seen or could imagine really portrayed how much police and firefighters lay their lives down 
on the line for us.”

 Ms. Henderson then presented on behalf of Kiwanis, plaques to Chief Steve Heydorff of the 

Sierra Madre Fire Department and Chief Larry Giannone of the Sierra Madre Police Dept.


Left, SMPD Chief Larry Giannone and Kiwanis President Susan Henderson. 

Photo by Bill Coburn. 

Above - Sierra Madre Police and FIrefighters honoring 9-11’s heroes. 

Photo courtesy Mountain Views News.

Captain Chris Morrison of 
SMFD Retires after 20 Years

FOOTHILL UNITY CENTER CELEBRATES 32 YEARS 
OF SERVICE AT 2012 GOLDEN PLATE AWARDS

Rob Fukuzaki of KABC To Emcee


Foothill Unity Center, Inc., a multi-service agency that is the 
primary provider of food, shelter, transportation, referrals, 
case management, and a variety of health services to low-
income and homeless families in the San Gabriel Valley, is 
celebrating its 32nd year with the 2012 Golden Plate Awards 
Gala, Friday, September 21, 2012 at the Pasadena Convention 
Center. Those being honored for their service to the 
community this year are Joan Whitenack and Ray Wheeler 
as Humanitarians of the Decade, and Lorraine Bernstein as 
the 2012 Heart in Hand Humanitarian. In addition, Wells 
Fargo will be receiving the Neighbor Helping Neighbor 
Corporate Award, with Gary Harrigian and Bruch Laughton 
receiving the Neighbor Helping Neighbor Advocates 
Award. 

This event is chaired by Suzanne Marks, with Mickey and 
Lee Segal as Honorary Chairs. Honorary Committee members 
for this event also include: Arcadia Councilman Peter 
Amundson; Supervisor Michael Antonovich; Sheriff Leroy 
D. Baca; Bob Bartlett; Pasadena Mayor Bill Bogaard; Fred 
& Diane Bowden; South Pasadena Mayor Michael & Anne 
Cacciotti; Charles & Diane Carroll; Santa Anita Park President 
George Haines; Arcadia Mayor Robert & Patsy Harbicht; 
Peter & Toni Hoffman; Monrovia Mayor Mary Ann 
Lutz; Vice President from KABC, Diane Medina; Betty 
Sandford; Pete Siberell; and William & Linan Ukropina.

The event will begin at 6:00PM with a reception and silent 
auction accompanied by chamber music. The extraordinary 
silent and live auctions will feature such exciting items as 
Four Dugout Club seats at a 2013 Dodger Game, Three Days 
and Two Nights at the world famous Red Mountain Resort 
in Utah, a Seven Night Stay at the Verandah Resort and Spa 
in Antiqua, an Ultrazone Laser Tag Party for 15 people, a 
Private Wine Tasting for up to 16 people, and much, much 
more. 

The highlight of the evening’s festivities will be the award 
presentations, hailing the accomplishments of this year’s 
honorees and their dedicated service to the local community, 
while after 
the presentations, 
the dance 
floor will 
be opened 
up with 
entertainment 
from 
Sunnie 
Paxson and 
Friends, 
allowing 
our guests 
to continue 
the 
celebration.

The Center 
would like 
to give our 
heartfelt 
thanks to 
the sponsors 
making 
this evening possible including: Presenting Sponsor 
Wells Fargo, along with Avant Advisory Group, Sierra Auto, 
Wells Fargo Capital Finance, BuchalterNemer, the Volunteer 
Center of San Gabriel Valley, Lutheran Church of the 
Cross/Thrivent Financial, AT & T, Microjoining Solutions, 
Betty Sandford, Foothill Transit, Huntington Hospital, 
Citizen’s Business Bank, Minuteman Transport, McGuireWoods, 
Deloitte CRG, Vosberg & Associates, Alice Wang, 
Employed Security Service Center and Focus Management. 
Media sponsors also include Pasadena Magazine and Pasadena 
NOW.

For more information contact Dr. Kim Alaine Rathman at 
(626) 358-3486, or visit our website at www.foothillunitycenter.
org.

By Bill Coburn 

At Tuesday’s City Council meeting, 
the City presented a commendation 
to Capt. Chris Morrison of the Sierra 
Madre Fire Dept. upon his retirement 
after twenty years of service to the 
community. Capt. Morrison, whose 
main job is in the construction industry 
working for a custom home building 
company, moved to Sierra Madre 
at the age of 13 in 1976, and became a 
member of the SMFD in 1992. He is 
married and has a daughter.

 

He graduated from the Foothill Fire 
Academy in 1993, and became a captain 
in 2003. His first structure fire 
was a single family residence near 
Mary’s Market, and his last was the 
“infamous turtle fire” (at Mayor Josh 
Moran’s home). He also was involved 
on numerous medical calls ranging 
from bloody noses to heart attacks, 
and says the delivery of a baby by his 
crew on one call was the highlight of 
his career.

 

Capt. Morrison said that “it has been 
an honor and a privilege to serve 
our community for the past twenty 
years, and an even greater honor to 
serve with all his fellow firefighters.” 
He thanked them all, past and present, 
for being part of his career, and 
thanked his family “for putting up 
with 20 years of not being around and 
being gone on weekends…” 

City of Duarte Issues Statement On Its Role In Anti-Islamic Video......Pg. 7

This Week’s Highlights: 

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

Good Food & Drink Page 9

Best Friends/Sports Page 10 

Arts/Health Page 11

Homes & Property Page 12 

The Good Life Page 13

Business Today Page 14

Opinion Page 15

Left Turn/Right Turn Page 16

Legal Notices Page 17-19

SIERRA MADRE NEWS

AROUND SG Valley

3

5

Sierra Madre Search and Rescue

ARCADIA NEWS

6

PASADENA/ALTADENA

4

MONROVIA/DUARTE

7

Suspicious Carport Fire