EXCESSIVE HEAT WARNING FOR ENTIRE SAN GABRIEL VALLEY!*

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2014


VOLUME 8 NO. 37

SIERRA MADRE REMEMBERS SEPTEMBER 11, 2001


On Thursday, September 11, 2014, Sierra Madre�s First Responders 
- The Sierra Madre Police and Fire Departments, along with several 
residents honored the memory of those who lost their lives thirteen 
years ago. 

Led by SMPD Chief Larry Giannone, SMFD Chief Steve Heydorff 
and SMPD Captain Carlos, silence was observed and all officers 
stood at attention as the Verdugo Emergency System commemorated 
the precise time when the last World Trade Center collasped.

 Verdugo Fire Communications Center is a regional emergency 
dispatch facility serving the cities of Burbank, Glendale, Pasadena, 
Alhambra, Arcadia, Monrovia, Montebello, Monterey Park, San 
Gabriel, San Marino, Sierra Madre, and South Pasadena. Verdugo 
also provides contract dispatch service for the Burbank-Glendale-
Pasadena Airport Authority Fire Department.

Photos by Mary Lou Caldwell

EVERY DROP COUNTS! 

 Residents need to be aware of the new restrictions on 
watering. 

 Even-numbered addresses are limited to landscape irrigation 
on Mondays and Thursdays. Odd-numbered addresses and 
addresses ending in fractions are limited to landscape irrigation 
on Tuesdays and Fridays. 

 For more information on the City�s water conservation efforts, 
please click here or call City Hall at 626.355.7135. If you would 
like to report water waste you can now do so on the City�s 
website or by emailing water@cityofsierramadre.com. Please 
describe how water is being wasted, include the location, and 
a photo if available. We will then send a courtesy notice to the 
property so the issue can be fixed. Every drop counts!

 Send an Email to water@cityofsierramadre.com OR use 
the form on the city�s website: www.cityofsierramadre.com 

 Describe how water is being wasted, include location, and 
photo if available. 

The National Oceanic 
Atmospheric Administration 
(NOAA) National Weather 
Service (NWS) announced 
it is forecasting extended 
periods of hot temperatures 
for Los Angeles County areas 
including the valleys, lower 
mountains and Antelope 
Valley. The peak of the heat 
wave is expected to start on 
Saturday, September 13 and 
will continue on through 
Monday, September 15 for the 
Los Angeles County areas. 
To help prepare residents and 
businesses for the upcoming 
heat wave, the following are 
some safety tips from the 
Los Angeles County Office of 
Emergency Management.

MANAGEMENT�S 
EMERGENCY SURVIVAL 
PROGRAM:

Avoid the sun from 10 a.m. to 3 
p.m. when the burning rays are 
the strongest.

Reduce physical activity.

Drink plenty of fluids even if 
you are not thirsty. Eight to 
10 glasses of water a day are 
recommended. Drink even 
more if you are exercising or 
working in hot weather.

Do not drink alcohol or caffeine 
since they are diuretics (i.e., 
promote water loss).

Use sunscreen with a sun 
protection factor (SPF) of at 
least 15 if you need to go out in 
the sun.

Wear a wide-brimmed hat and 
light colored, lightweight loose-
fitting clothes when you are 
outdoors. This type of clothing

reflects heat and sunlight, 
which helps you to maintain a 
normal body temperature.

Avoid sudden changes of 
temperatures, (i.e. air out a hot 
car before getting into it).

Set your air conditioning 
thermostat between 75 and 
80 degrees. If you do not have 
an air conditioner, take a cool 
bath or shower twice a day and 
visit air-conditioned public 
spaces during the hottest hours 
of the day.

For additional information, 
please go to http://espfocus.org.

Los Angeles County residents 
and businesses, including 
persons with disabilities 
and others with access and 
functional needs, may call 
211 LA County for emergency 
preparedness information, and 
other referral services. The toll-
free 2-1-1 number is available 
24 hours a day and seven 
days a week. 211 LA County 
services can also be accessed at 
http://211la.org. To register for 
the Specific Needs Awareness 
Planning program please 
go to https://snap.lacounty.
gov. For disaster/emergency 
preparedness information, 
please access http://lacoa.org 
and/or http://espfocus.org

IN SIERRA MADRE ALL 
PUBLIC FACILITIES, 
LIBRARY, POLICE STATION, 
ETC. ARE AVAILABLE 
AS COOLING CENTERS 
DURING REGULAR 
BUSINESS HOURS.

EXCESSIVE HEAT 
WARNING FOR 
ENTIRE SAN GABRIEL 
VALLEY!*

SMPD IMPLEMENTS ADDITIONAL 
PROCEDURES AFTER TOWN HALL MEETING

During the public comment segment of Tuesday�s City 
Council meeting and in the wake of public outcry 
regarding the return of AWest a convicted sex offender 
who has returned to Sierra Madre, Police Chief Larry 
Giannone gave an update on what the department has 
done in an effort to address the community�s concerns.

Giannone informed the council and public that 
he has been in contact with AWest and reviewed 
all 23 conditions of his release with him. Of those 
requirements, Giannone reiterated to the public that 
should they observe a violation of any of the terms, 
especially those listed below, they should contact the 
SMPD immediately. AWest is:

1- Not live in a place where he is in view of where 
children congregate; 

2. Must not loiter anywhere children under 18 are 
present and 

3. Must not contact children under 18 without 
parental consent and he must tell parents before they 
give consent that he is a registered sex offender.

Giannone has implemented, with the council�s blessing 
the following additional procedures for making certain 
that the public is notified as soon as possible when 
predators register with the city. 

These enhanced procedures include:

1. Notifying the Department of Justice within 24-48 
hours of an offender registering; 

2. Following up with the DOJ to make certain they 
have received the information and posted it on the 
Megan�s Law website; 

3. Monitoring the Megan�s law website and once the 
information has been posted

4. Advising the public via social media and electronic 
communications whenever a change has been made 
on the site. These notifications will include notice to 
the schools, all of whom the SMPD has met with as of 
this date.

Mayor John Harabedian thanked the Chief and the 
department for an outstanding and timely response 
to this situation. Harabedian noted, however, that the 
issue of sex offenders living within 2000 feet of schools 
is a matter which the city must revisit. He is proposing 
that the city write a letter to all Federal, State and County 
agencies indicating Sierra Madre�s disapproval of their 
failure to prosecute those who violate the proximity 
laws. For details on sex offenders in Sierra Madre go to:

http://www.meganslaw.ca.gov/ 

S. Henderson/MVNews

A Note from The Mountain 
Views News Editor:

 Earlier this week via email, this 
paper received an interesting 
communication from an 
attorney claiming to represent 
the convicted sex offender, 
AWest. In it, she �demanded� 
that I �immediately cease and 
desist any further publication 
of information regarding Mr. 
AWest�.

 It is unclear what a licensed 
attorney�s objectives were in 
sending such a �demand�, as the 
United States Constitution is the 
backbone of our legal system 
and freedom of speech and the 
press is an integral part of it.

 I informed the writer that 
The Mountain Views News is 
committed to reporting news of 
importance to our community 
and will continue to do so. 
AWest�s return to Sierra Madre 
was and remains news of great 
importance.

 I am deliberately omitting the 
name of the attorney for if her 
goal was to solicit free publicity 
for herself and/or the advocacy 
group for that wants to change 
current sex offender laws that 
she organizes, she has failed. 

As stated in this paper�s 
mission statement every week, 
�The traditions of community 
newspapers and the concerns of 
our readers are this newspaper�s 
top priorities. We support a 
prosperous community of well-
informed citizens. We hold in 
high regard the values of the 
exceptional quality of life in 
our community, including the 
magnificence of our natural 
resources. Integrity will be our 
guide.�

 Committed to delivering the 
news our community cares about,

Susan Henderson,

Publisher/Editor

L.A. COUNTY OFFICE OF EMERGENCY MANGEMENT 
ISSUES EXCESSIVE HEAT SAFETY TIPS

CALENDAR Pg. 2

SIERRA MADRE NEWS

 Pg. 3

PASADENA/ALTADENA

 Pg. 4

ARCADIA NEWS 

MONROVIA/DUARTE 

 Pg. 5

EDUCATION & YOUTH

 Pg. 6

FOOD & DRINK

 Pg. 7

BEST FRIENDS

 Pg. 8

HEALTHY LIFESTYLES

 Pg. 9

THE GOOD LIFE

Rich Johnson is back! Pg. 10

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

 Pg. 11

SECTION B 

AROUND SGV Pg. B1

THE WORLD AROUND US

 Pg. B2

 BUSINESS NEWS Pg. B3

 OPINION Pg. B4

 LEGAL NOTICES Pg. B5