SANTA CLAUS IS COMING TO SIERRA MADRE ON CHRISTMAS EVE 

7pm - December 24th at the Sierra Madre Fire Station


VOLUME 6 NO 51

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 22, 2012

Imagine Snow In Sierra Madre For Christmas!


Artist Sonny Salsbury created this painting depicting snow in Sierra Madre at Christmas. His caption, “Wouldn’t It Be Nice?” reflects the sentiments of many a child and 
adult alike. Salsbury is also a Grammy nominated musician who was born in Pasadena. He is the brother of local businesswoman Judith Brandley, owner of Leonora 
Moss in Sierra Madre.

A Christmas Message THE STAR FINAL

By Craig Hakola

SIERRA MADRE LOSES POWER TO HIGH WINDS

Memories of 2011 Windstorm Resurface

 When the National Weather Service 
issued an advisory on Tuesday warning 
of high winds, Sierra Madre residents 
braced themselves for a possible 
repeat of the 2011 Windstorm. 

 “I immediately made certain I knew 
where the candles and flashlights were 
and made certain all of my electronic 
devices were charged”, said one Sunnyside 
Avenue resident.

 By nightfall, those fears intensified 
as power failures popped up all over 
town. The outages ranged in duration 
from 10 minutes to as long as 10 
hours, with portions of some streets 
not loosing power at all. Reports 
from Southern California Edison indicated 
at one point that as many as 
650 residences were without power. 

 There were also downed power lines 
on East Highland and East Grandview, 
an area of town that just recovered 
from flooding due to a broken 
water main.

 Southern California Edison was 
quick in their response to problems 
in the area and by day break all lights 
were back on. 

 In addition to electrical power outages, 
telephone and cable service provided 
by Time Warner were also out 
for various periods of time. Time 
Warner cable and telephone customers 
who did not experience electrical 
outages had to resort to using cellular 
devices to contact the company. According 
to TWC, most problems were 
resolved within a few hours.

 Although the storm did not compare 
to 2011 by any means, debris from 
trees was clearly visible the next day.

S. Henderson/MVNews

 It was an ancient time when the world 
lived amongst the stars. The sailors of 
that age drifted upon pools of immortal 
blue, but their eyes left this earthly 
realm to fasten to the place of the sky. 
The sky was the tool they employed for 
navigation, and when the captain spied 
a cloudless night, he knew the highest 
stamp of fortune as the gift of a clear 
night meant a window of study -- and 
the compass of a heavenly map. It didn’t 
materialize until the modern age that 
navigation by stars was made wholly 
obsolete. Prior to that novelty, a captain 
and crew often depended on the 
light above the world for safe passage. 
There must have been greater magic in 
that age. For the daunting glow of the 
city had yet to be known, and the light 
of stars were reckoned to the people 
as if the eyes of angels. Flickering in 
the sacred heights, the stars recited to 
earthly inhabitants in the philosophy 
of a timeless lesson, teaching of the one 
who framed the heavens. Some two 
thousand years ago, it must have been 
an unusually quiet night in the hills of 
Bethlehem when a baby’s voice crackled 
in that first cry of birth. 

 There rooted a certain type of peace in 
the countryside on that evening. About 
the fields, men stretched under a night 
so clear that the stars appeared to be 
within their reach. They were a forgotten 
category of people -- outcasts -- and 
barred by the priests from the temple. 
They were said to be unclean, but the 
sheep they guarded were the pure offerings 
of the temple. The shepherds knew 
a common life and were a simple people. 
Their gentle hearts carried a form of 
humble love. In the quiet ceremony of a 
starry night, an angel appeared to these 
meek shepherds and the glory of the 
Lord shone round the angel as he told 
the shepherds of the birth of a Savior. As 
the angel spoke, a company of winged 
agents appeared, saying, “Glory to God 
in the highest.” The shepherds gathered 
and went to Bethlehem as they had been 
told, found the baby, and praised Him 
with great love. While the shepherds 
went to Bethlehem, there were men in 
the East, known as wise men, and they 
saw a new star dancing about the night. 
In the star, they saw not the workings of 
the universe with its customary magic, 
but the complete hand of God. They deciphered 
the writing upon the star, for 
they lived upon the sky and had studied 
the prophets. It was on this night, that 
the wise men blessed their very eyes, 
beholding an event that stood above all 
revelations -- the star of God. So they 
collected themselves for a journey, gathered 
riches, and left their own land to 
follow the star. When they arrived at the 
place of the baby, they fell to their knees 
praising a king. 

 This year, amid the cheer of Christmas, 
as you stare into the eyes of a child and 
see the wonder of a promise, you will 
perceive the miracle of a season. How 
great and dear is the present lain before 
the world some two thousand years ago. 
For those that believe in the magic of 
the Christmas and understand the glory 
of the one true King, they are filled 
with song for the birth of the One that 
fell under the light of a star. So let it be 
known, that you are the captain, and the 
world is your crew; and as you voyage 
through life’s great passage, may the star 
of Christmas always guide your course. 

Merry Christmas! 

THE NAUGHTY TAKE NO BREAK DURING THE HOLIDAYS

Burglars, Scam Artists,Thieves, And Drivers Under The Influence Keep SMPD Busy 

“Tis the season to be”...Cautious. 
That is the warning that police all 
over the San Gabriel Valley are suggesting 
that residents adhere to. 
“The holidays tend to bring out the 
very best and very worst in people”, 
noted one law enforcement officer.

 In Sierra Madre, there has been a 
noticeable increase in crime activity 
including auto theft, home burglaries. 
In less than a month, two homes 
within a two block radius were burglarized 
during the day. According 
to SMPD Sgt. Gonzales, it is 
believed that the burglars watched 
the residents leave and then forced 
entry into the home.

 In an interview with Chief Giannone 
earlier this month, he noted 
that today’s thieves are looking for 
more than just jewelry and other 
valuables. Information that will 
help thieves steal your identity are 
also of interest to criminals.

 As a result of the increased activity, 
Gonzales says the SMPD will 
have extra law enforcement on duty, 
but residents are reminded to secure 
their homes at all times. Never leave 
doors and windows open and never 
leave valuables in your vehicles.

 On Tuesday morning, one resident 
was notified by the Pasadena Police 
Department that his vehicle had 
been stolen and was found crashed 
and abandoned. Apparently, the 
owner, who lives on West Highland, 
had left his keys in the truck the 
night before. It is estimated that the 
theft occurred after 10 p.m. when 
the owner parked it in his driveway.

 Scams are running rampant this 
time of year as well. One resident 
reported what she believed to be a 
worthwhile fund raising effort by a 
young lady for a local High School 
in front of Ralph’s Grocery Store. 
However after attempting to confirm 
with the school and the store 
,the young woman’s claims turned 
out to be false. The teenager was 
part of a ‘revolving crew’ from out of 
state soliciting donations under false 
pretenses.

 Holiday Decorations have also become 
an ‘item of choice’ by thieves. 
Although there have been no reports 
of such items being stolen in Sierra 
Madre as of this writing, neighboring 
towns have been targeted. 

 DUI’s also increase dramatically 
during the holidays with officer 
stops also finding guns and drugs in 
vehicles passing through town.

 Law enforcement encourages everyone 
to be careful this holiday season 
and most importantly, DON’T 
DRIVE AND DRINK.

SIERRA MADREAN, FORMER NEWTOWN RESIDENT HAS AN IDEA.....Page 3

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

World Around Us/Best Friends Page 10

Arts/Health Page 11

Homes & Property Page 12

The Good Life Page 13

Business Today Page 14 

Left Turn/Right Turn Page 15

Opinion Page 16

Left Turn/Right Turn Page 16

Legal Notices Page 17,19-21

HOLIDAY HAPPENINGS Page 18

SIERRA MADRE NEWS

AROUND SG Valley

5

3

The Beauty of Christmas

Largest Public Art/Transit Infrastructure 
Project in California Completed

ARCADIA NEWS

6

PASADENA/ALTADENA

4

MONROVIA/DUARTE

7

Police Exonerated In Shooting