Mountain Views News          Saturday, January 3, 2015

3

Mountain View News Saturday, January 3, 2015 

MEET THE AUTHORS

Walking Sierra Madre…The Social Side 

by Deanne Davis

The Sierra Madre Historical Preservation 
Society and First Water Design present the 
finest assembly of experts of our magnificent 
mountains and their impact on our history, 
culture, and way of life. This extraordinary 
gathering will be held in Sierra Madre 
on Saturday, January 24, from 1 to 4 p.m. 
Everyone is invited to this free event at 154 
West Sierra Madre Blvd.

 This “who’s who” roster of authors will be 
selling and signing their works:

John Robinson, The San Gabriels, Trails of the 
Angeles: 100 Hikes in the San Gabriels, Sierra 
Madre’s Old Mount Wilson Trail; Michele 
Zack, Southern California Story: Seeking 
the Better Life in Sierra Madre, http://www.
mtlowe.net/altadenahistoricalsociety.htm

Altadena: Between Wilderness and City; 
Elizabeth Pomeroy, John Muir: A Naturalist 
in Southern California, San Marino: A 
Centennial History; Nat Read, Don Benito 
Wilson: From Mountain Man to Mayor Los 
Angeles 1841 to 1878; Michael Patris, Mount 
Lowe Railway; Glen Owens, The Heritage of 
the Big Santa Anita; Paul Rippens, The Saint 
Francis Dam; Willis Osborne, A Guide to Mt. 
Baldy & San Antonio Canyon; Christopher 
Nyerges, Enter the Forest; Norma Rowley, 
The Angeles Was Our Home; and Chris 
Kasten, cartographer and former manager of 
Sturtevant Camp.

 At 2 p.m. there will be a panel discussion 
with our writers.

 For more information, contact Jeff Lapides 
of First Water Design at FirstWaterDesign.com 
or (626) 695-8177. 


“Write it on your heart that every day is the best day in 
the year.” Ralph Waldo Emerson

 “Let our New Year’s resolution be this: We will be 
there for one another as fellow members of humanity in 
the finest sense of the word.” 

Goran Persson

 It’s 2015. Hard to believe. Looking back over the past 
year, we think it was pretty good. Hope yours was, too. 
We went to more baby events and children’s birthday 
parties than funerals and we’ve learned to enjoy the 
Chuck E. Cheese birthday party, with pizza and soft 
drinks for the kids, vast quantities of tokens to play 
all the games and parents taking thousands of phone 
pictures. OK, grandparents, too. The kids who work 
at Chuck E. Cheese as birthday party wranglers are 
indefatigable and beyond nice to everyone. Besides, if 
your little person has their party at Chuck E. you don’t 
have to clean house afterwards. No chocolate frosting 
on your white couch. Seriously! No downside at all! 
Just saying….

 “Your success and happiness lies in you. Resolve 
to keep happy, and your joy and you shall form an 
invincible host against difficulties.” 

Helen Keller

 Many people like to start their New Year’s with 
black-eyed peas, a Southern tradition for good luck 
and prosperity, but my family likes to kick off the New 
Year with Split Pea Soup. Easy to make, do it ahead of 
time, and you can make enough to keep hungry teen-
agers happy all day long. You can double and triple 
this recipe with great success, if your pot is big enough.

Split Pea Soup

1 package split peas (these are found in the market 
aisle where rice, noodles, beans, etc. are located)

4 ham hocks (usually packaged 2 to a package in the 
meat section) or a ham shank, or the ham bone left 
over from Christmas.

3 medium-size onions

6-7 good size carrots (or a package of baby carrots)

1 good size bunch of celery

Salt

Pepper

Split pea soup is an opportunity to creatively express 
yourself. There are few rules, just a few suggestions:

 Get a really large pot and put the ham hocks or the 
ham bone in the bottom of the pot. Throw the peas 
on top of that, followed by the onions, carrots and 
celery which you’ve washed and cut into big chunks. 
Cover all this with water, or a combination of water 
and chicken broth. Say about 8-10 cups of water. 
Season with salt and pepper and whatever else you 
like. If you’re partial to thyme, put some in there. Or 
Mrs. Dash.

 Cover your pot and put in the oven at about 300 
degrees. Leave it in there for about six hours, or till 
the peas have become very tender. Take it out and let 
the mixture cool to where you can handle it without 
burning yourself. Take out the ham hocks or ham 
bone and set them (it) aside.

 Assemble your blender and blend your lukewarm 
soup/veggie mixture into a smooth puree. Put this 
into a large container with a cover, like your crock 
pot. When all your soup is pureed, remove whatever 
meat is on your ham hocks or ham bone, tossing out 
all fat and other non-meaty parts and put the meat 
into your soup. Refrigerate. Let it sit for a day or 
so to develop flavor, reheat it and stand back so the 
hungry relatives don’t run over you as they rush to 
grab a bowl of the best split pea soup anywhere. You 
could make some cornbread or corn muffins to go 
with your soup and everyone who has some will love 
you forever.

 Happy New Year, dear Walking Sierra Madre 
friends. Hope to see you out and about in 2015. 

Check out my book page on Amazon.com: Deanne 
Davis@Amazon.com


Sierra Madre Police Blotter

During the week of Sunday, December 21st, 
to Sunday, December 28th, the Sierra Madre 
Police Department responded to approximately 
273 calls for service.

Monday, December 22nd

 At 1:21 am, Sierra Madre Police responded 
to the 500 Block of North Hermosa Ave. 
regarding a domestic violence call. Upon 
arrival, Officers were met by the victim who 
informed them of what had happened. She 
stated she and her boyfriend had gotten 
into an argument when she questioned him 
about being faithful in the relationship. She 
stated her boyfriend shoved her to the floor 
then wrapped his arm around her neck and 
dragged her downstairs. The victim pleaded 
to her boyfriend to let her go because she 
couldn’t breathe. After the victim threatened 
to call the police, the victim’s boyfriend let her 
go. She then informed Officers she called the 
police after her boyfriend threatened to harm 
anyone else she would date. Ultimately the 
victim’s boyfriend was arrested and cited for 
domestic abuse. 

At 1:30 pm, Sierra Madre Police responded to 
the 100 Block of Lowell Ave. regarding a theft 
report. Upon arrival, Officers were informed 
by the victim that the night before, at around 
9:30 pm, he left his tools unsecured on his 
front porch. The following day, at around 
11:30 am, the victim realized he had left the 
tools on the porch and went to check on his 
property when he realized they had already 
been stolen. This case has been forwarded to 
the Detectives Bureau. 

Tuesday, December 23rd

 At 11:15 am, Sierra Madre Police responded 
to the 500 Block of West Montecito Ave. 
regarding two dogs loose in the subject’s 
backyard. Upon arrival, the subject informed 
Officers that while in his home, he noticed the 
two dogs in his backyard. When he opened 
his gate to investigate, his two dogs ran from 
the house and began fighting with the two 
other dogs. The subject attempted to separate 
the dogs and was bitten twice by one of the 
two unknown dogs. The subject was able to 
get his dogs into his home, which helped calm 
the situation. The subject then investigated 
his yard and noticed a large hole in the fence 
between him and his neighbor’s yard. The 
dog’s owner was notified of the incident and 
was told his dogs were placed on a ten day 
home quarantine until the fence was replaced 
with a more durable material.

Wednesday, December 24th

 At 9:25 am, Sierra Madre Police responded 
to the 400 Block of Foothill Ave. regarding 
a possible residential burglary. Officers were 
informed by the victim, that at around 8:15 
that morning, he went into his backyard to 
adjust his pool cover when he noticed the 
door to the pool house was open, along with 
a side gate that was rarely ever used. Upon 
investigating the pool house, the victim 
noticed the door had been damaged and items 
in the pool house had been visibly disturbed 
but nothing seemed to have been taken. 
Officers investigated the door and concluded 
the door had been smashed inwards and 
caused debris and broken window panes. 
The estimated property damage was set to 
$150. This case has been forwarded to the 
Detectives Bureau.

Thursday, December 25th

 At 4:06 pm, Sierra Madre Police responded 
to the 500 Block of West Sierra Madre Blvd. 
regarding a theft report. The victim informed 
Officers that sometime between 4 pm the day 
before and 4 pm that day, someone gained 
access to her unlocked apartment storage 
locker. Stolen from the locker was various 
hair care products and a printer, totaling to 
about $600. This case has been forwarded to 
the Detectives Bureau. 


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