PUSD STALLS AGAIN ON MIDDLE SCHOOL PLANS......Pg. 3


SATURDAY, JUNE 8, 2013

VOLUME 7 NO. 23

Inside this week: 

SIERRA MADRE RESIDENT SELECTED 
TO FILL EMPTY PUSD BOARD SEAT

SIERRA MADRE IS 
EXPERIENCING A DROUGHT

Sierra Madre, CA - The City of Sierra Madre’s existing water supply comes from 
one of two sources; tunnel water from the local dam (5-10%) and groundwater 
wells (90-95%.) Throughout the summer and fall of 2012 City Public Works staff 
observed the water levels receding at each of the City’s four wells, which make 
up the area aquifer. 

Normally, rainfall throughout the winter months reduces customers’ irrigation 
water use and provides water to recharge the aquifer. Aquifer water levels 
therefore tend to increase during the winter and spring months. This year’s 
minimal rainfall, combined with Los Angeles County Public Works diverting 
water from Santa Anita Dam to locations outside of Sierra Madre, has resulted 
in limited water for groundwater recharge at the City’s spreading basins. 

Overall, resident water consumption is up from last year. During the period 
April 24th through 30th the Water Department produced 2.56 million gallons 
of water a day resulting in a 2 foot drop in water level within local wells. The 
same period last year showed a production of 1.5 million gallons a day. During 
the month of April 2013, the department produced a total of 70 million gallons 
versus production of 46 million gallons in April 2012. Well water levels dropped 
over 30 feet within that 12 month period.

While water conservation is always important, the drastically low level of 
available groundwater necessitates implementing additional water conservation 
procedures in Sierra Madre at this time. The Sierra Madre Municipal Code 
provides for the implementation of mandatory water conservation regulations 
in times of water-related emergencies. These conservation measures were 
enacted through adoption of a City Council resolution on May 28, 2013.

The adopted resolution requires that each water customer conserve a percentage 
of his/her July 2011 - June 2012 water use. The required percentage of conservation 
will vary, depending on the customer’s current water use. Customers currently 
consuming 0-12 billing units of water (0-1,200 cubic feet) will be exempt from 
the conservation requirements, but are required to continue to consume less 
than 12 billing units. Customers currently using 13-17 billing units (1,300 – 
1,700 cubic feet) are required to reduce their consumption by 10%. Customers 
using 18 units or more are required to reduce by 20%. 

These mandatory conservation measures will remain in place until the key 
well located in the East Raymond Basin reaches 500 feet above sea level; it is 
currently at 293 feet. It is anticipated that this will take several consecutive years 
of significant rainfall to achieve.

Residents must conserve water, now more than ever. Information on conservation 
recommendations and the City’s latest efforts in the conservation cause can be 
found at www.cityofsierramadre.com/water-conservation. 

 

SIERRA MADRE


Calendar Page 2

Sierra Madre News Page 3

MIKALA RAHN 
APPOINTED TO 
PUSD BOARD OF 
EDUCATION SEAT

Pasadena, CA – The 
Pasadena Unified School 
District (PUSD) Board 
of Education appointed 
Mikala Rahn, Ph.D. to fill 
the vacant at large Seat 
4 on the PUSD Board of 
Education at a Special 
Board meeting held at 
Pasadena City College 
on June 1. Dr. Rahn will 
be sworn in June 11 and 
will serve out the remainder 
of the current term 
for Seat 4 which expires 
on May 4, 2015. Seat 4 
became vacant when 
Kimberly Kenne won the 
election for the new geographic 
subdistrict Seat 5 
in March and vacated her previously 
held at large Seat 4.

“I would like to welcome Mikala Rahn 
to the PUSD board to serve the students 
of the district,” said PUSD Board 
President Renatta Cooper. “All of the 
candidates that appeared before the 
board were impressive in their background, 
diversity and genuine desire 
to improve public education for the 
children of Pasadena, Altadena and 
Sierra Madre.”

Dr. Rahn, a Sierra Madre resident, is 
Executive Director of Public Works, 
a non-profit educational consulting 
firm. She is Founder/CEO of Learning 
Works, a charter school in Pasadena 
that targets high school dropouts, teen 
mothers and youth on probation. Dr. 
Rahn is also Executive Director of 
Community Works Learning Center 
which provides educational opportunities 
for parents, youth and children 
including tutoring, intervention and 
enrichment services. Dr. Rahn is the 
parent of two PUSD students.

A total of 38 individuals applied to fill 
the vacancy on the board. Nine were 
selected at the May 28 Board Meeting 
to appear before the board for a final 
interview June 1.

PUSD’s at large board districts became 
geographic subdistricts encompassing 
Pasadena, Altadena, Sierra Madre 
and portions of unincorporated Los 
Angeles County after the passage of 
Measure A last June. Elections for geographic 
subdistricts 1, 3, 5 and 7 took 
place in March 2013 and elections for 
geographic subdistricts 2, 4 and 6 will 
be in 2015. Details about the appointment 
process, timeline and applicants 
are available at www.boardvacancy.
pasadenausd.org.

PASADENA/ALTADENA

Pg. 4

AROUND SGV Pg. 5

 

ARCADIA NEWS Pg. 6 

MONROVIA/DUARTE 
Pg. 7

EDUCATION & YOUTH

 Pg. 8

Bethany’s Class of 2013

BEST FRIENDS Pg. 9

Fleas & Ticks?

FOOD & DRINK

Pg. 10

Peter Dills Speaks

THE WORLD AROUND US

Pg. 10

LOOKING UP -

THE GOOD LIFE Pg. 11

Savvy Senior

Senior Happenings

HOMES Pg. 12

HEALTHY LIVING 

Pg. 13

ARTS / ENTERTAINMENT 

Pg. 13

What’s New In Sierra Madre?

LES CHAMPS ELYSEES…TRES SPLENDID!

BUSINESS Pg. 14


By Deanne Davis

Walking into Les Champs Elysees, meeting the 
delightful owners, Sarah Vielma, Arthur Franco, and 
eleven-year-old Miss Elysee, was lovely. And then…. 
I saw the earrings, the bracelets, the necklaces and 
about fifteen things I wanted to just grab and try 
on. And I thought, “Breathe. Breathe. Back away 
from the dress rack. You are standing too close to 
the dresses!”

 Les Champs Elysees (formerly Angel’s Everywear) 
is a marvelous addition to our town. We need more 
retail stores. Lots more! We’ve got stunning women 
here and they need shopping!

 The interesting thing about this new store is that 
they have guy clothes in addition to girl clothes. And 
not just clothes, but gorgeous guy clothes. Arthur 
has been in the menswear business for a number of 
years as a manufacturer’s representative-wholesale 
menswear distributor, does product development 
for the Renoir line, and goes yearly to the topline 
fashion shows in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, 
and Paris. He has an eye for the elegant as well as 
awareness that men’s suits should be affordable. Les 
Champs carries the French label, Red Renoir, classic 
100% wool look, and for the younger guy, Pierre Noir, 
slim fit, in microfiber, (light and breathable) as well 
as wool. Here’s the best part: Custom fit! In a huge 
range of sizes, 34S-54R, 38L-54L. AND, $125-$200! 
For suits, Guys!

 Les Champs Elysees carries Andrea Castaldi dress 
shirts in right now’s colors; crew and V-neck T-shirts 
by Rogue (which you’ll see in Bloomingdale’s, 
Neiman-Marcus and Saks). This says to me that 
Sierra Madre guys can look amazing without having 
to travel and float a loan to do it! There are jeans, 
casual pants, slacks ($49.00!) , shorts and hosiery is 
coming to pull together every guy’s complete look. 
And ties! Oh my! Ties: silk and microfiber, regular 
and slim, all for $10.00! Exquisite and affordable. 
Ties are an endangered species as their life is short 
and filled with hazards but now, voila! Replaceable!

 Outerwear is on sale, leather jackets that made my 
mouth water.

 The front of Les Champs is devoted to us, ladies! 
Styles from the Paris, New York, Los Angeles shows, 
contemporary sizes to the grown-up girl, 100% 
cottons, silks, microfibers, I really had to exercise 
self-control! So many beautiful colors and styles in 
dresses, blouses, t-shirts, jeans in 
summer colors; casual to very dressy, and 
it was all different from what’s in other 
stores from Pasadena to Beverly Hills. 
Just think! We won’t see ourselves on 
everybody else. Again, affordable. The 
handbags! From New York. Adorable 
clutches. Jewelry. Leather jackets, like 
the one Sarah is wearing. I’m not saying 
any more! You have to go look!

 Sarah and Arthur are Sierra Madreans, 
Arthur since 1996 and Sarah since 
2006 when they first met. Sarah loved 
Angel’s Everywear and wished more 
than anything that she and Arthur 
could own it. All the planets eventually 
aligned and the moment came when 
they looked at each other in their empty 
store, had the champagne “It’s ours!” 
moment and realized they had a lot to 
do! They stormed the fashion district 
and were up and 
running in twenty 
days. That’s fast, 
folks!

 I asked Arthur 
and Sarah what 
their impossible 
dreams for the 
future were, 
and they are 
wonderful: He 
would like to open 
more businesses 
and maybe one 
day see the Hotel 
Shirley as an 
operating hotel. 
Sarah, who is part 
of the Los Angeles 
County Office 
of Education would love to give back to the Sierra 
Madre community with events, fundraisers such as 
fashion shows and art displays for local students. 
Sarah and Arthur also greatly admire the creative 
fashion designs of their daughter, Elysee, and plan to 
feature her work.

The round table and 
chairs out in front of 
Les Champs Elysees is 
a pleasant spot where 
passers-by can bring 
their coffee, enjoy the 
view of our own personal 
mountains and the 
garden the Pilates ladies 
have put in, and take 
a breath. Starbucks, 
Beantown, and Casa Del 
Rey are right across the 
street and Wistaria Grill 
is north a few doors. 
There is a rose garden 
behind the store, where 
parking can be found, 
and, I have to say, a visit to Les Champs Elysees is a 
pleasure you have in store for yourself! So go already!

Les Champs Elysees is at 26 No. Baldwin, Sierra 
Madre, 626-355-2339. 

OPINION Pg. 15

LEFT/RIGHT Pg. 15

LEGAL NOTICES 

Pgs. 17-19

LEGAL NOTICES 

Pg. 20


@mtnviewsnews


www.facebook.com/
mountainviewsnews 


Les Champs Elysees Owners, Sarah Vielma (right) 
and Arthur Franco. Photos by D. Davis


Read The Paper Online At: www.mtnviewsnews.com