Mountain Views News          Saturday, December 13, 2014

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Mountain View News Saturday, December 13, 2014 

Walking Sierra Madre…The Social Side 

by Deanne Davis

REMEMBRANCE


BRIAN KEITH ECK, 

aka “AUGGIE, OGGIE, OG,” 

Born on Sept. 5th 1963 to Sheila Joan Eck Pierce 
and James Clarence Eck, Sr., succumbed to a blood 
infection on Dec. 2, 2014. 

He is survived by his parents and brother James 
C. Eck, Jr., sister Melissa Stute, half brothers James 
Eck and Scott Eck, half sisters Margaret Eck and 
Elizabeth Eck, and step sister Jeanne Pierce and 
step brother John Pierce. 

Rosary will be held on Saturday, Dec. 13th followed 
by a mass at 10:30 a.m. at St. Rita Church, 318 N. 
Baldwin Ave. in Sierra Madre. 

Burial will be private. 

Photo Courtesy sierramadrenews.net


“Christmas is not a time 
nor a season, but a state 
of mind. To cherish 
peace and goodwill, to 
be plenteous in mercy, 
is to have the real spirit 
of Christmas.” Calvin 
Coolidge

 Christmas is just a 
little more than two 
weeks away. Yes, it 
really is! This is such a 
beautiful time of year, 
especially if you happen 
to be driving ‘round 
town at night when the 
lights on all the houses 
are at their best. My 
walking buddy and 
outdoor light designer, 
John, put the lights on 
our fence yesterday 
and, once again, I find 
it heart-stoppingly 
beautiful to see the 
lights across the street, 
next door and down 
the block. 

 Our tree in Kersting 
Court is the best one 
ever. And today the 
park around the tree 
was filled with folks 
enjoying the Nativity 
scene and the tree. The 
menorah on the far 
side of the tree looks 
stunning, too. There was one young lady there 
reading, wearing a Santa hat with mouse ears.

 Mother Moo has shiny ornaments hanging 
from her awning and many of our store 
windows have had Christmas theme pictures 
painted on them. We are definitely in the 
Christmas spirit.

 Have you noticed FoothillTEK is now where 
Sierra Fitness Pilates was before they moved to 
their beautiful new home on Montecito. And 
Harlequin Gallery is coming back to where 
Yellow Bus was. Baldwin is a busy place these 
days! Speaking of Baldwin, our friends up at 
the top who decorate their cactus with Santa 
hats have done it again, bigger and better! 
You’ve got to walk up there and take a look. A 
guaranteed smile! And while you’re up there, 
just a few steps before Carter, admire the baby 
oak tree which is decorated with some lovely 
ornaments. 

 The moment is fast arriving when everyone 
will be bringing their Christmas tree home. 
The drought and the heat have supposedly 
impacted the tree market, but I’ll tell you, 
friends and neighbors, the trees were piled 
higher than ever before at Home Depot last 
week. Like you, we have so many wonderful 
memories in the boxes where our Christmas 
ornaments live, like all the Christmas goodies 
the children made in Sunday School through 
the years; the little hands pressed into plaster of 
Paris; the pictures mounted in tiny frames, the 
miniature red felt stockings with family names 
in glitter, the red globes that date from the 
beginning of our marriage, which are cracked 
and crazed (as is, occasionally, our marriage), 
but precious in our sight. We’ve got all the 
bread dough ornaments, some really serious 
art there, our two youngest made the year they 
were both home from school with chicken pox. 

 Yep, it(s two weeks before Christmas, you(ve 
brought home a perfectly symmetrical real 
tree that smells so fresh and forest-y that you 
want to bury your face in it. It(s in the house 
in the time-honored Christmas tree spot and 
it(s time to decorate. Even though you tell 
the family how much fun decorating the tree 
together will be, they still scatter like roaches 
when the light is turned on, and you and Tree 
find yourselves alone, even though you made 
cookies to convince everyone how much fun 
we’re all going to have. This intimate moment 
deserves a small celebration. It(s definitely 
time to make Egg Nog! 

Here(s my version:

1. Buy a carton of prepared low-fat egg nog 
right out of the dairy case at your favorite 
market.

2. Put a tray of ice cubes in your blender.

3. Fill the blender two thirds full of egg nog 
mix.

4. Add a half cup of rum, brandy, or a little of 
both to the blender (or more, or less, depending 
on how annoyed you are).

5. Blend until ice is pleasantly crunchified.

6. Pour into a large, elegant, stemmed glass. 
Grate fresh nutmeg over top.

7. Sit down and admire Tree, while enjoying 
egg nog.

8. Realize that peace reigns now that family 
has scattered to unknown destinations.

9. Put on the Christmas CD that YOU like(. 
the one that has (Grandma Got Run Over By 
a Reindeer( on it, if that(s your cup of egg 
nog, or maybe that wonderful recording of The 
Messiah you’ve wanted to play.

10. Allow joy to flood your heart, soul and 
mind.

11. Plug in that first string of lights and think 
about that first Christmas night, that first 
Light.

12. Rejoice! Peace on Earth, Good Will to Men!

13. Know in your heart that Tree will be the 
most beautiful one ever!

14. Invite friends and family over to share your 
egg nog and admire Tree.

“Christmas It’s almost here!

My favorite, favorite time of year!

Think…mistletoe and holly, children’s faces...
jolly!

Carols on the radio, happy smiles each place 
you go.

Presents piled beneath the tree, some for you 
and some for me.

Christmas! It’s almost here!

Think Joy! Think Peace! Think love!!”

(“Think Joy!” from “Star of Wonder – A 
Christmas Musical”

Book & Lyrics by Deanne Davis, Music by 
David Wheatley)


Sierra Madre Police Blotter

During the week of Sunday, November 30th, to 
Sunday, December 7th, the Sierra Madre Police 
Department responded to approximately 281 
calls for service.

Tuesday, December 2nd

 At 6:53 am, Sierra Madre Police responded to 
the 100 Block of Vista Circle Drive regarding 
a suspicious person in the reporting victim’s 
car. Upon arrival, Officers were informed by 
the victim that as she was leaving her house, 
she noticed the interior light of her vehicle 
was on. With her vehicle being parked on the 
hillside above her front door, she was able to 
see under her car and saw the suspect’s feet 
hanging out the side of the car. When the 
victim confronted the suspect he informed 
her that “They were at it again,…cars were 
hit…they didn’t find anything.” The suspect 
then got out of the vehicle and walked to 
sit across the street. The victim then went 
back into her home to call the Police, and 
the suspect left the area. The suspect was 
described as a white male with long black hair 
wearing a multi-colored tye-dyed shirt, dark 
jogging pants, and without shoes. Further 
investigation concluded the victim failed to 
lock her car because she felt the area was safe. 
No property was reported missing. This case 
has been forwarded to the Detectives Bureau. 

Tuesday, December 2nd

 At 7:54 pm, Sierra Madre Police responded 
to the station lobby regarding a financial 
crime report. Officers were informed by the 
victim that, earlier that day he had checked 
his bank business account and noticed 
two unauthorized purchases. One charge 
was for just over $9 and another charge for 
over $1800 for airline tickets. The victim 
contacted his bank and filed a fraud report 
and closed his accounts. This case has been 
forwarded to the Detectives Bureau. 

Friday, December 5th

At 7:19 pm, Sierra Madre Police responded to 
the 500 Block of Brookside Lane regarding 
a possible burglary report. Upon arrival, 
Officers were informed by the victim that 
earlier that morning she left her house 
secured and intact. Upon returning home 
later that evening, she noticed a window 
pane from her front door had been broken. 
The victim feared her house was possibly 
burglarized and called Sierra Madre Police to 
clear the residence. As Officers investigated 
the area, they noticed a package on the porch 
with one of the corners showing signs of 
being smashed or bent. Officers cleared the 
home and no property was reported stolen. 
Concluding their investigations, Officers 
believed the window pane was damaged 
when the delivery service threw the package 
onto the porch, where it then hit the window, 
shattering the glass. This case has been 
forwarded to the Detectives Bureau. 

Sunday, December 7th

 At 2:13 am, Officers were patrolling the area 
of the 100 block of North Baldwin Avenue, 
when they were flagged down by the passing 
motorist. The motorist informed Officers 
there was a man asleep in his running vehicle 
on the 210 freeway off-ramp near Foothill 
Blvd. Upon arrival, Officers discovered a male 
subject asleep with his head resting against the 
window. When Officers attempted to make 
contact, the driver released his foot from the 
brake causing the vehicle to roll forward into 
a center median and colliding with a traffic 
sign. The driver exited the vehicle unharmed 
and informed Officers that he was 18 and that 
he had been drinking at his friend’s house 
prior to the incident. The subject agreed to 
a BAC test, and was ultimately deemed over 
the legal limit. The subject was arrested and 
booked for underage drinking and driving 
while under the influence. 


Mountain Views News 80 W Sierra Madre Blvd. No. 327 Sierra Madre, Ca. 91024 Office: 626.355.2737 Fax: 626.609.3285 Email: editor@mtnviewsnews.com Website: www.mtnviewsnews.com