SATURDAY, MAY 24, 2014 
VOLUME 8 NO. 21
SATURDAY, MAY 24, 2014 
VOLUME 8 NO. 21
COMMUNITY ALERT: 

 The gas pumps at the Valero Gas Station at 4 N. Baldwin Avenue may have been compromised during the 
early morning hours. The Sierra Madre Police Department is currently investigating the break in to the gas 
pumps. It is unknown at this time if anyone’s credit or debit card information was obtained. Anyone that 
purchased gasoline on Friday May 23, 2014 between the hours of 06:00 AM and 3:00 PM and used their debit 
or credit card at the pumps are urged to monitor your bank accounts for any unusual activity and report any 
unauthorized transactions to the Sierra Madre Police Department as soon as possible 

Joe Ortiz 
Sergeant-Patrol DivisionSierra Madre Police DepartmentOffice (626) 355-1414Fax (626) 355-5468Email: jortiz@cityofsierramadre.com 

FIRE RAVISHES LAUREL AVENUE HOME 


BREAKING NEWS: 

SIERRA MADRE RESIDENT 
ARRESTED ON CHARGES 
OF CHILD PORNOGRAPHY 


RELEASED FROM JAIL 

After the flames were extinguished, members of the Sierra Madre Fire Department discuss the 
incident. Photo by S. Henderson/MVNews


Story by Bill Coburn 
speculation that the fire may have been electrical 
in origin, but that Fire Marshal Rich Snyder is 

One thing for sure, Matt Gallagher, his wife and two 

investigating, and he’ll know more about how it 

teenagers will not be sleeping at home in the house 

started after the results of that investigation are 

they’ve lived in since 2001 tonight, after fire swept 

completed. He said that he had been impressed that 

through their home early this morning, leav-ing it 

the insurance people had arranged for the house 

uninhabitable for now, if not for good. Insurance 

to be boarded up and protected from the weather 

investigators were at the site on West Laurel Ave. just 

west of Baldwin Ave., when I dropped by late this within hours of the fire being extin-guished, and At press time, the Mountain Views News learned that Edward L. Sanchez, arrested Wednesday 
afternoon to see the Gallagher home, which caught even had folks come by to gather clothing to get dry morning on child pornography charges was released on bail at 5:29 pm Friday. 

cleaned in an effort to salvage them before the smoke 

fire shortly after nine. A neighbor reported that the 
damage set in permanently. The following statement was issued by SMPD Chief Larry Giannone immediately after the 

fire department was there within minutes, and while arrest:
they were able to put it out fairly quickly, the damage He seemed to be in a pretty upbeat mood considering 

 “An early morning Search Warrant was served at a residence in the 400 Blk of Sturtevant 

to the house is extensive. Mr. Gallagher didn’t know 
how his day was going. He told me “I’ve got great 

Dr., in the City of Sierra Madre. The Sierra Madre Police Department and the Internet 

if any of the house would be salvageable, noting that 
friends and neighbors, Sierra Madre rocks. Mr. 

Crimes against Children (ICAC) Task Force were involved in the investigation. Edward 

this had just happened hours ago and he was waiting 
Newsom from Sierra Madre School came by, and 

L. Sanchez, 66, of Sierra Madre was taken into custody without incident at the location. 
to hear from the people who do this type of work for 
someone from St. Rita also dropped by and told us 

Computers and other items were seized as evidence in the case. 

a living. “I don’t do this every day,” said Gallagher. 
to let them know if there’s any-thing they can do.” 
We’re glad to hear everyone is safe and no one was Police Chief Larry Giannone said” this has been a lengthy investigation and is ongoing…

Mr. Gallagher tells me that he heard some early 

injured. 
we are urging anyone who has minor children that may have had personal contact with Mr. 
Sanchez to contact the Police Department”.

WALKING SIERRA MADRE…… Sanchez was booked at the Los Angeles County Jail for Penal Code Section 311 (a) 
Possession of Obscene Matter involving a minor and is being held on $20,000 bail.”

The Social Side By Deanne Davis 
The investigation was conducted by the ICAC, a task force comprised of several law 

enforcement agencies including Homeland Security. 
“There is something particularly magical about the Mount Wilson 
Trail. On the first venture up there is perhaps a slight feeling of both to be sure that the bigger kids don’t run right over the little 
terror and beauty as you climb in elevation the switch back trail.” ones. Dick Hoyt, who has pushed his wheelchair bound son, 
MWTR Blog Rick, in many marathons will be heading up the volunteers for 

the kid’s races. There will be one extremely special volunteer: 

“Carefully maneuvering each turn and always being aware of 

Simon Cooper aka The Rabbit, who will run in front of the kids 

one’s footing, you are suddenly struck with a feeling of complete 

to get them started, possibly sporting ears and a fluffy tail. Talk 

aloneness and peace” MWTR Blog 

about good sports! 

Yes, aloneness and peace almost every other day of the week except 

Got to spend a few minutes with Sharon talking about her trip 

the Saturday of Memorial Day Weekend when the Mt. Wilson Trail 

to the Boston Marathon a few weeks ago. You need to hunt her 

Race is happening! This year, the 106th running of this grueling 8.6 

down and get her to tell you some of her stories, just so you 

mile race will feature more runners than ever before, including my 

can see the joy on her face. Sharon went to Boston and ran the 

very favorite race participants, the kids! 

marathon purely to join in solidarity with everyone there. She 

Former Trail Race winners Sharon Pevsner and Jill Liston have, took pictures, encouraged runners, hugged folks who needed 
for the second year in a row, hosted the Mt. Wilson Kids Training a hug, and mentioned a woman named Melanie from North 
Camp. On April 16th and again on May 10th kids, ages three to Carolina who was back in Boston this year. Melanie was there 

eleven, stretched, exercised and ran laps around Sierra Vista Park in last year, fifty feet from the finish line when the bomb went 
preparation for their race this Saturday. off. She was there on pre-race Saturday for a practice 5K but 
The first kid’s race will feature the older crowd, ages seven to twelve found she just couldn’t bring herself to cross the finish line. 

who will run all the way up to the top of Baldwin, make a quick Just couldn’t. But she was able to finish the race and cross the 
water stop at the water station there, then dash all the way back to finish line on Marathon Monday. She and Sharon are FaceBook 
the starting line. In the second race, those ferociously competitive friends now along with many others Sharon met in Boston last 
three to six year olds will make a fast break and go all the way to month. 

Highland and back. Each race participant will receive a shirt and a This year eighty Sierra Madre residents will be competing in the 
ribbon and it’s all free! Kids just need to register Saturday morning. Mt. Wilson Trail Race, some of whom have never run it before. 
Sharon and Jill are expecting almost 250 junior racers this year. This is great! Hopefully, it won’t be too hot, runners will be safe 
The kids are so great to watch. Every year one or two of the littlest and runners and spectators will thoroughly enjoy a wonderful 
ones start the race crying but then that natural competitiveness community event. There will be some new bike rack fencing 
kicks in, they start to run and, as none of them know what they’re sort of things to help spectators stay safe and in the right place 
actually capable of, it’s a delight to see some tiny little person get up during the race. My own Mt. Wilson Trail hiker, the non-

and back in a breathtakingly short time. We love watching them, competing but highly supportive John, has reported glorious times 
those huge shirts looking a lot like nightgowns, racing up the hill. hiking up to First Water to look out over the valley and appreciate 
Some of the parents run with their kids, frequently holding some the beauty of the Trail terrain. He highly recommends one Mt. 
tiny future Trail Race winner on the way up or down. Wilson Trail hike per week. 

The bigger kids are much faster than you’d expect and they, too, are “Try to be patient when you are part of a conga line on crowded 
in it to win it. There will be many special volunteers available racing trails.” Trail Etiquette 


Jill Liston with Trainees 

“A Tablespoon of Love, A Tablespoon of Laughter.” 
Is available on Amazon.com and at the following link: https://www.
createspace.com/4561071

Just the thing to relax with AFTER the Trail Race!
Try it! You’ll like it! Trust Me!