Mountain Views News          Saturday, February 23, 2013

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Mountain Views-News Saturday, February 23, 2013 

Sierra Madre Playhouse’ Production of ‘Driving Miss 
Daisy’ Receives OVATION RECOMMENDATION From 
L.A. Stage Alliance - Performances extended through March 30th 

WISTARIA FESTIVAL SHUTTLE TICKETS ON SALE NOW!

Shuttle tickets to ride up to view the Wistaria Vine at the annual Wistaria Festival will be available for purchase 
on February 15th. . The 2013 Wistaria Festival will take place on March 17th, 2013.

 The Festival features tours of the world’s largest blossoming plant, certified by the Guinness Book of World 
Records. Each year, the property owners upon whose land the vine sits open their 
property to allow thousands to view the vine. Dozens of Sierra Madre residents 
volunteer to act as docents at the property, telling the story of the vine, which was 
originally planted from a 1-gallon pot that was purchased for $0.75 in 1894. In 
addition to the tours of the vine, the two main downtown streets of Sierra Madre 
are closed to traffic so that crafters and artists can set up booths to display and sell 
their arts/crafts. Downtown village shops are open, and musical acts perform at 
multiple outdoor venues. Memorial Park is transformed into a combination Kids/
Food zone, as bouncy houses, slides, rock climbing and other kids attractions set 
up in the park alongside food vendors, both for profit and non-profit alike.

 The shuttle to the vine from downtown avoids a long uphill walk from downtown 
to the neighborhood in which the vine sits. “Day of” tickets for the shuttle are $14 
this year, and pre-sale tickets are $12. Also this year seniors (over 65) and children 
(6 to 16) receive a discounted rate of $7. Children under five ride for free. Families 
of 6 or more can ride the shuttle of $30. (No more than 2 adults). 

Go to www.wistariatickets.com or call 626-355-5111 today!

March 17, 2013March 17, 2013• 
Sierra 
Madre Wistaria Festival 
•• 
Sierra 
Madre Wistaria Festival 
•
The Sierra Madre Playhouse production 
of “Driving Miss Daisy” 
has received an Ovation Recommended 
designation from L.A. 
Stage Alliance, the non-profit 
organization dedicated to building 
awareness, appreciation and 
support for the performing arts in 
Greater Los Angeles. 

 LA Stage Alliance Ovation Awards 
are the only peer-judged theatre 
awards in Los Angeles, created to 
recognize excellence in theatrical 
performance, production and 
design in the Greater Los Angeles 
area. Each year, 400 productions 
compete in 35 Ovation Categories, 
and are evaluated by a pool of 250 
vetted Ovation Voters, who are all 
currently working theatre professionals. 
The Awards are presented 
at the end of each year. 

Our “Ovation Recommended” 
says the votes we have received to date by voters who have attended are better than top 15% of all 
votes placed for Los Angeles theater. It is a good first indication of possible Ovation nomination as 
the 2013 season goes forward.

According to the the show's producer, Estelle Campbell, several elements fell into place with this first 
production of the Sierra Madre Playhouse's 2013 season ensuring its success. Christian Lebano, who 
directed last season's L.A. Times Critics Choice production of Alan Ayckbourn's "Woman In Mind", 
was available to direct "Driving Miss Daisy". As well, Drama Desk Award winning actress, Mary Lou 
Rosato, veteran of eleven shows on Broadway; Drama Desk Award winner for her performance in 
“The School For Scandal” and nominated for a Tony and Drama Desk Awards for her role in Alfred 
Uhry's musical "Robber Bridegroom" chose this to be the moment to do her first Equity waiver 
production in Los Angeles where she now is co-head of the Cal Arts Theater Department. The role 
of Daisy Werthan's chauffeur is played by Willie C. Carpenter, from the new TV series “1600 Penn”. 
Also a Broadway veteran, he auditioned for the original production of "Driving Miss Daisy" when, 
he claims he was too young to play the part that Morgan Freeman made his own. Brad Reed and 
Mitch Ward round out the cast beautifully. A final element was the decision to have Jonathan Beard 
compose original music for the show to lend a hand to the 25 year journey of this unlikely friendship 
through a period of great change in Atlanta.

Performances run Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sunday matinées at 2:30. There will be a 6 p.m. 
performance of the show on the day of the Wistaria Festival, March 18.

For further information and to purchase tickets go to www.sierramadreplayhouse.org or contact the 
box office at (626)355-4318


SPECIAL SIERRA MADRE POSTMARKS AVAILABLE 
AT WISTARIA FESTIVAL

The United States Postal Service and the Sierra Madre 
Chamber of Commerce announce a special postal 
cancellation to celebrate The Sierra Madre Wistaria 
Festival.

This special postmark will be available at the Sierra 
Madre Wistaria Festival, Sunday March 17, 2013 at 
the Wistaria Festival Postal Station located at Kersting 
Court in Sierra Madre at Sierra Madre Boulevard 
and Baldwin Avenue. 

This special temporary postal station will be open 11 
A.M. to 3 P.M. 

Bring post cards or letters. You can send mail and post from this special event post office and surprise 
your friends when they receive mail with this extraordinary postmark.

The announcement of this postal cancellation has been printed in the U. S. Postal Bulletin which is 
distributed world wide. To accommodate collectors from out of the area the Sierra Madre Post Office 
will cancel postcards and letters upon request with the Wistaria cancellation for 30 days after the 
event. 

To postmark a letter after the event go to Sierra Madre Post office and request The Wistaria Postmark 
on your mail.

For more information contact: The Sierra Madre Chamber of Commerce (626) 355-5111

The U. S Post Office, Sierra Madre, California 91024 

(Note: The Sierra Madre Wistaria Festival spells Wistaria with an “a” not with an “e”) .


Sierra Madre Police Blotter

For the Period February 11-17, 2013

Friday February 15, 2013

A resident from the 300 block of Sycamore Place reported that portions of her house had been 
vandalized by an unknown suspect. A light fixture had been pulled down from the front door area 
and a decorative item was damaged. Additionally, liquid and another unknown substance had been 
scattered on the front porch. 

Saturday February 16, 2013

During the early morning hours, unknown suspects removed property from seven parked vehicles. 
These vehicles were parked in the 100 block of East Laurel and Grandview Avenues. Five of the 
vehicles were left unsecured overnight. The suspects entered, ransacked the interiors and removed 
items such as money, and small electronic devices. During this same time period, a bicycle was 
reported taken from a back yard in the same general area. Preliminarily, it appears that the same 
suspects are responsible for all the crimes.

2013 HUCK FINN FISHING DERBY AND 
CAMPOUT - The Fishing Frenzy is about to begin in Sierra Madre!

The annual Huck Finn Fishing Derby and Campout will be here before you know it: Friday, April 
5 – Sunday, April 7. The weekend long event is held at the Sierra Madre Settling Ponds next to 
Dapper Field and behind the Public Works Yard. The event is sponsored by the City of Sierra Madre 
Community Services Department, Sierra Madre Civic Club and the Sierra Madre Kiwanis Club. 

Campout (Friday, April 5)

Participants must sign up in advance for campsites which are available on a first come, first serve 
basis. Camping registration is available starting Monday, February 25 through Friday, March 29 and 
must be done at the Community Service office located at 611 E. Sierra Madre Blvd. The cost is $55 per 
campsite which includes derby contest for four kids and family fishing on Saturday. 

Fishing Derby (Saturday, April 6)

Youths ages 3-15 years are encouraged to participate in the Fishing Derby which is held from 7:00 
– 11:30 am on Saturday, April 6. Participation in the derby is $10 per youth and registration will be 
accepted the morning of the event only. Participants will pay at the entrance located next to Dapper 
Field in Sierra Vista Park. All skill levels are welcome and experienced Fishing Guides will be on hand 
to assist all participants. The Kiwanis Club will provide food available for purchase.

Family Fishing (Saturday, April 6 and Sunday, April 7)

Family Fishing is open to all ages and will be held Saturday from 12:30-4:00 pm and Sunday from 
7:00am-4:00pm. Admission is $20 for a family of four. 

For more information, please contact the Community Services office at 626.355.5278.


DUARTE’S APPEAL OF AZUSA/VULCAN 
MATERIALS EIR DENIED BY STATE COURT OF 
APPEAL

 

DUARTE, CA – The City of Duarte appeal, filed August 5, 2012 with the State Court of Appeal 
as part of its ongoing battle to save Van Tassel Ridge from being destroyed by a massive Vulcan 
Materials Company mining expansion project, was denied today.

 

 Duarte’s lawsuit, originally filed in August 2010 and first heard in the Superior Court in late March of 
2011, challenged the validity of the Environmental Impact Report prepared for the mining expansion 
project. Duarte’s challenge was originally denied at the Superior Court on May 9, 2012. Today’s 
Court of Appeal decision upholding the Superior Court judgment will not be final for approximately 
30 days.

 

“We just received word from the Court of Appeal that our challenge to Azusa/Vulcan EIR has been 
rejected. We have not yet reviewed the court’s opinion and will be discussing its impacts with the 
City Council in the near future. Duarte is to be commended for fighting Vulcan’s mining expansion 
project and making the preservation of our mountains a priority for both our residents and the San 
Gabriel Valley as a whole,” said Duarte City Manager, Darrell George.

 

The appeal process included a new review of the case by a three-judge panel and involved preparation 
of an administrative record, the filing of three briefs, a hearing, and ruling which came down 
today. Duarte’s appeal focused on its stance that the Azusa City Council’s violated the California 
Environmental Quality Act and sought to overturn its certification of the Final Environment Impact 
Report and related entitlements for the mining expansion project. Duarte’s challenge identified 
numerous deficiencies in the EIR, including insufficient analysis of project alternatives, insufficient 
analysis of air quality impacts from blasting and trucking activities, ignoring South Coast Air Quality 
recommendations on the location and number of air monitoring stations, and Azusa’s failure to 
impose any mitigation measures for potential liquefaction impacts.

 

As approved by the Azusa City Council, the Vulcan mining expansion project is poised to destroy 
Van Tassel Ridge as Vulcan plans to extract 105.6 million tons of aggregate from the mountain 
between now and 2038. Over that same period, the City of Azusa stands to make more than $65 
million in mining fees and incentives from Vulcan at the expense of its neighbors in Duarte.