Mountain Views News     Logo: MVNews     Saturday, January 25, 2014

MVNews this week:  Page 3

WHY I AM 
RUNNING FOR 
SIERRA MADRE 
CITY COUNCIL 

By Noah Green 

Paid Political Announcement 

As some of you may know, I am running for 
City Council this year. Of course, the question 
people keep asking me is “Why are you running?” 
My answer is simple: “Because we need people 
on City Council that will deal with the big issues.” 
Here is what I mean by that: 

1. More Water 
The recent drought has forced us to buy water 
from the outside. The cost is prohibitive and 
cannot be sustained over the long term. Of course, 
we are not alone in confronting this issue as water 
shortages are a problem throughout California 
and indeed much of the world. Water recycling, 
desalination, conservation, and increased capture 
of rain are alternatives to increased importation 
that should all be considered and implemented 
if possible. Temporary costs for creating the 
infrastructure necessary for these measures will be 

offset over time by reduced costs in water importation and the increased value associated with the 
town’s long-term viability. For more information on this subject, go to http://www.cadroughtprep. 
net/watshort.htm. 

2. IndependenceAnother major reason that Sierra Madre is an independent entity rather than just a subdivision of a 
larger municipality is that we have our own police and fire departments. These agencies provide us 
with quick and comprehensive responses to local emergencies while remaining under the control of 
our locally elected government. Without them, we would be patrolled and protected by distant forces 
not accountable to the local voters who would take longer to get here. 
Of course, maintaining local forces is not cheap. City revenues increase by only 1% a year 
while inflation and mandatory cost increases imposed by outside forces involuntarily grow the City’s 
expenses by 5% per year. These economic realities will inevitably force us to make difficult choices 
about which non-essential government services need to be sacrificed. For a detailed explanation of 
the City’s budget, go to https://sierramadre.opengov.com. 

3. Better Business 
One of the things that makes Sierra Madre a town unto itself instead of neighborhood of 
Pasadena or Arcadia is that we have a “Main Street.” Our local businesses create a hub for local 
activity and a sense of tight-knit community. These businesses also give us the convenience of 
shopping locally. In other words, we can buy the things we need or go out to dinner without “going 
down the hill.” 

While I am not in favor of building new commercial properties, I would like to see the empty 
stores filled up. New businesses that add to our community and convenience should be encouraged 
as much as possible. To read more about the benefits of a local business community, go to http:// 
www.ilsr.org/why-support-locally-owned-businesses/. 

These issues and opinions form the core of my values and reasons for running. If you share 
these values with me, I hope that I can earn your vote on April 8. 

Paid for by the Committee To Elect Noah Green, Sierra Madre, Ca. 

Mountain Views-News Saturday, January 25, 2014 

WALKING SIERRA MADRE……THE SOCIAL SIDE 


By Deanne Davis 

“I have decided to stick with love, hate is too great a burden 
to bear.” 
“Take the first step in faith. You don’t have to see the whole 
staircase,
just take the first step.” Martin Luther King 

Today is a day of remembrance of Dr. Martin Luther King. 
A man whose light was extinguished far too soon, but 
whose legacy will live forever. 

Got out for the walk a little after 6 a.m. and saw one of those 
sunrises that leaves you speechless. A brilliant red streaked 
sky with touches of yellow. The Colby fire in Glendora 
is over 70% contained now so we were relieved to know 
that red sky was not flame induced. Walking up Canon 
Drive we saw four deer in the front yard of our friend, Fay 
Angus’s, house, delicately nibbling her grass, enjoying the 
morning, raising their heads to examine us and dismissing 
us as paltry humans. 

We moved to Sierra Madre in 1967 as newlyweds, John and 
I, with a dowry of two Revere saucepans, a gold Danish 
Modern couch and a couple of end tables, a bedroom set, 
and his three delightful children who were twelve, seven 
and four. We rented the house right in back of Fay’s and she 
and her husband, John, befriended us immediately. She 
taught me how to make chicken and rice: A couple of cups 
of rice, “buy good rice!” she said, a bunch of chicken parts, 
a couple of cans of cream of chicken soup, refilling the cans 
with milk, cook it at about 325 for an hour or so and it’s the best thing you ever ate! Even children 
like it. I can’t count how many cups of tea I’ve drunk in Fay’s kitchen and how many times she’s dried 
my tears and told me God loved me and had a plan for all our lives. 

I think Fay’s first book was, “Between Your Status And Your Quo,” published in 1975. I always 
knew she was funny and this just proved it. Here are a few of her chapter headings: Let Me Die 
With My Eyebrows On, Mother Closes At Nine, Sanctified Teapots. The back cover tells us: “The 
author precisely and humorously deflates Christian pretensions…Fay Angus affords Christians an 
opportunity for honest, gently administered reflection and a little comic relief at the same time.” 

Since that book, Fay has written many others, has been the speaker at countless events, is my youngest 
daughter’s godmother, and blessed her minutes after she was born, has encouraged me in my own 
writing career, and has been a wonderful friend through the years. Fay will be appearing, along with 
several other authors, at the Sierra Madre Woman’s Club on Saturday, February 1st from 10:30 a.m. to 
2 p.m. The program entitled, “Lattes & Literature” will feature opportunities to meet the authors, find 
out why they wrote the books they wrote, and maybe discuss your own writing aspirations. I won’t 
reveal any more of Fay Angus’s story, suffice to say it’s not your average life. The stories of her early 
years are flat out jaw-dropping! I’ll be there, for sure. RSVP: 355-8977 by Wednesday, January 29th. 
It’s just $20 and proceeds will support SMWC’s 30+ charities. 

Have you noticed the Chinese magnolia trees blooming all over town? What a sight! Pink ones, 
purple, white. I’ve always thought they were tulip trees, but Google has straightened me out. Well, 
magnolias, tulips, they’re a delight to see. Daffodils and Dutch Iris are starting to make their presence 
known and I’d like to know why all my oranges have split open on the tree. Taste great, but not their 
usual gorgeous selves. It feels a lot like Spring, but it’s hard to enjoy when we need rain, want rain, 
are praying for rain. 

Governor Jerry Brown has noticed that we seem to be having a drought and suggested we all start 
conserving our water 20%. I’m happy to report that we have been below our water limit the last two 
months so I guess showering in cold water, covering the pool, and never letting the water run during 
those little hygienic rituals is paying off. And the flushing thing, too. 

“When the well is dry, we know the worth of water.” Benjamin Franklin 

One last thing, my Walking Sierra Madre friends, I have a new book, entitled, 
“A Tablespoon of Love, A Tablespoon of Laughter.” 

It’s available on CreateSpace at the following link: https://www.createspace.com/4561071 and also 
on Amazon.com. 

I’m thrilled to report that you guys are buying it and, I hope, enjoying it! Thank you! 

Photo courtesy Sierra MadreWoman’s Club 


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