SATURDAY, MARCH 28, 2015

VOLUME 9 NO. 13

CITY REACHES OUT TO RESIDENTS THROUGH 
LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS FOR BUDGET INPUT


The Sierra Madre City Council is embarking on the 
two-year biennial budget process for fiscal years 2015-
2017 this April and would like your input on the budget. 

As you likely know, the utility user tax (UUT) will 
be reduced from 10% to 8% beginning July 1, 2015 
resulting in a reduction of almost . million dollars in 
General Fund revenues (it will further be reduced from 
8% to 6% on July 1, 2016 resulting in an additional . 
million dollar reduction). This translates into a need 
to either (1) find an alternate revenue source(s) or (2) 
reduce the City’s expenditures (services). 

The City Council members would like resident’s input 
on these decisions. They have extended an invitation to 
local organizations to hold public meetings so they can 
listen to the input your members can provide on how 
to move forward in light of the reduction of the UUT. 

The initial budget numbers will be presented at the 
April 14th City Council meeting. Council Members 
will be available to meet with interested community 
groups the last two weeks of April and during the 
month of May. All input received at the individual 
community meetings will be presented to the City 
Council as a whole in June prior to the adoption of the 
2015-2017 biennial budget. 

This process will expand the opportunity for input 
from the community as tough decisions on Sierra 
Madre’s budget are made. For more information, call 
626-355-7135.

FIRST WATER TESTING ANALYSIS DUE APRIL 6

Sierra Madre City Manager Elaine Aguilar, in her 
weekly report, gave an update on the status of the city’s 
water treatment issues. The contents are below:

 “Dr. Helene Baribeau, under contract to the City 
has two concurrent studies underway on our 
behalf. The first, a pilot corrosion test is designed 
to determine the best long-term treatment for the 
imported MWD water to eliminate corrosion-
related water discoloration and odor. The second 
study is to assess the possibility for the city to 
blend its own free-chlorinated well water with 
the chloraminated MWD water without reaching 
chlorine breakpoint, the resulting disinfection 
by-products (trihalomethanes, THM4; and 
haloacetic acis, HAA5) that are likely to be found 
should breakpoint chlorination* occur, and to 
provide recommendations.

 Procurement of test rack materials and fabrication 
of the test racks took a good deal longer than 
expected, particularly due to delays in receiving 
the mild steel test “coupons”, in designing a 
stand-alone water supply system for the test racks, 
and in stabilizing water flows through the test 
racks. The corrosion testing is now under way, 
with test coupons having been immersed in the 
subject waters and treatment types for over a 
month. Because corrosion is a slow process, the 
testing is as well. The first analysis of this testing 
is scheduled for April 6, 2015. The final of eight 
analysis is scheduled for July 13, 2015, however 
Dr. Baribeau staff has indicated that she should 
be able to provide the city a preliminary report in 
June based on some of the early coupon tests that 
will occur in May.

The study of blending MWD water with the City’s 
well water has only been recently implemented. 
The actual sample testing will begin March 
30, with completion of that phase of the work 
by April 6. Analytical results will be obtained 
almost immediately on April 6th for everything 
but disinfection by-products. The DBP analysis 
requires 2 weeks, which will set the likely release 
of a draft report for the first week in May.

At this point, from discussions with Dr. Baribeau, 
staff is not confident that a workable blending 
plan can be developed. However, the study will 
also touch on the possibility of chloramination 
of the city’s water well, which would allow for 
blending the two sources.”

 * Breakpoint chlorination is the point where the 
demand for chlorine has been fully satisfied in terms of 
chlorine addition to water. http://www.corrosionpedia.
com/

HUCK FINN - THE FISH ARE HERE!

600 pounds of rainbow trout have been delivered to the settling basins for 
the 2015 Huck Finn Fishing Derby!

Fishing Derby

Saturday, March 28

Time: 7:00AM – 11:30AM

On-site registration, $11 per youth

Open to participants 3-15 years of age

Certificates and trophies awarded to participants who catch the heaviest fish

Fly fishing demonstrations from the Pasadena Casting Club

Food provided by the Sierra Madre Kiwanis Club for purchase

Win raffle prizes such as fishing poles and gift certificates

Family Fishing

Saturday, March 28 12:30PM – 4:00PM

Sunday, March 29 7:00AM – 4:00PM

$21 for a family of four (separate admission required for each day)

Open to participants of all ages - No catch limit

Experienced fishing guides will be on hand to assist throughout the entire weekend.

Payments (cash or check) are accepted on the day of the event at the entrance located next 
to Dapper Field in Sierra Vista Park. For more information please contact the Community 
Services Department at 626-355-7135.

Inside this week: 

THE LIFE & TIMES OF PANCHO 
BARNES by Deanne Davis

“You have to die, sweetie!”

Memorial Park House was packed Thursday evening, March 19th, 
for the March meeting of the Historical Preservation Society, 
featuring Terry Terrell. Terry’s specialty is the life of Florence 
Leontine Lowe, one of ten children of the wealthy Pasadena Lowe 
family. Her grandfather, Thaddeus Lowe, was one of the builders 
of the Mount Lowe Railway, heading up Lake Avenue into the hills 
of Altadena. Florence became known as Pancho later in life as she 
headed across Mexico on a donkey, but that’s another one of Terry’s 
stories.

Leslie Ziff introduced Terry, a charming gentleman with a rakish 
ponytail, a Pancho Barnes inscribed ball cap and a knockout of a 
lady friend, Peggy Hartwell. I realized I have been missing out not 
being a regular attendee at these meetings when the refreshment 
table was loaded with wine, brownies, cake, some peanut butter-
chocolate chip cookies and bottles of water. More chairs had to be 
quickly assembled as the crowd grew to a good sixty people! 

Terry’s delightful sense of humor flavored his slide show of photos 
of the legendary Pancho Barnes’ life. Married at 18 to a mid-30’s 
aged minister, she knew early on, after the birth of her only child, 
Billy, that life had more to offer. She realized flying was what she 
had to do when she was taken up for a 15 minute stunt ride from 
Ross Field. You’ll recognize the current name of Ross Field – Santa 
Anita Race Track. Her course was set and she quickly learned 
to fly. Orville Wright, yes, that Orville Wright, signed off on her 
application for a pilot’s license.

Terry had pictures galore of Pancho with friends such as Amelia 
Earhart, Jimmy Doolittle, Chuck Yeager, and movie stars by the 
score. Pancho did test flying of the Vega for Lockheed, flew booze 
in from Mexico during Prohibition, founded the Stunt Workers 
Union when she discovered those fearless men and women 
were risking their lives for as little as $10 a gig, and was one of 
the organizers of The 99’s, the women who ferried aircraft during 
WWII. Her Happy Bottom Ranch in Lancaster is legendary and 
Terry’s stories about it are a riot.

Pancho was quite a woman! When a young lady asked her about 
the pictures of the pilots on her wall in the bar at the Happy Bottom 
Ranch, and what a pilot had to do to get on the wall, Pancho simply 
said, “You have to die, sweetie!”

The next meeting of the Historical Preservation Society will be 
Saturday, April 25th at 1 p.m. when Jim Costacian (sp?) of Sierra 
Madre Congregational Church will be hosting a video presentation 
of Sierra Madre, circa 1927, and leading a tour of SMCC’s old North 
Church, the Caretaker’s Craftsman-style cottage and the mortuary. 

Terry Terrell left us with a strong desire to know more about 
Pancho Barnes and the assurance that he only tells true stories, 
some of which are truer than others. I’d go hear Terry again in a 
minute!

SIERRA MADRE’S ANNUAL EASTER EGG HUNT

Since 1931, the Sierra Madre Volunteer Firefighters’ Association has 
hosted an Easter Egg Hunt each spring. This year’s Easter Egg Hunt 
will take place on Saturday, April 4th at 10:00 am in Memorial Park. 
There will be thousands of pieces of candy for the enjoyment of the 
kids (and their parents). In addition to the candy, there will be a dozen 
“golden” eggs hidden in the park. If a child finds a gold egg, they get 
to turn it in and receive a big basket full of candy and other goodies.

The Easter Bunny will arrived on a fire engine shortly before 10am, 
when the bell will sound to start the hunt. He will stay around to take 
pictures with the kids following the hunt. 


CALENDAR Pg. 2

SIERRA MADRE NEWS 
Pg. 4

 PASADENA/ALTADENA

 Pg. 5

ARCADIA NEWS 

 Pg. 6

CREATIVE ARTS GROUP’S 21TH ANNUAL 

ART OF THE GARDEN TOUR

MONROVIA/DUARTE 
Pg. 7

Creative Arts Group’s 21th annual Art of the Garden tour will take place Sunday, April 19th from 
10:30-4:30 pm. 
Four outstanding 
residential gardens 
in the Pasadena 
area will be on 
display showcasing 
landscapes as 
divergent as the 
homes they adorn. 

 Banks of Roses, 
parterre gardens, 
shady alees, and 
park-like lawns 
greet visitors at four 
exquisite estates 
on this year’s Art 
of the Garden 
tour. Step into a 
world of romantic 
landscapes, formal 
Italian gardens, 
and gracious living 
of a bygone era as 
you stroll through 
the grounds of 
these historic residences. Breath-taking vistas appear unexpectedly and secret gardens surprise and 
delight. Wisteria-covered arbors provide shelter for intimate dinners and fire pits allow conversations to 
continue long after the sun sets. Gardens have undergone amazing transformations as massive mature 
Olive trees have been removed and relocated and earth contoured, re-imagining landscapes. Pathways 
are designed to leisurely draw you further into serene settings and charming vignettes adorned with 
classic statues, whimsical sculptures and soothing fountains. Prepare to be delighted and inspired.

 Artists will be in one of the gardens and will have work for sale.

 Tickets are $30 in advance and $35 the day of the tour. For more information, call Creative Arts Group 
at (626) 355-8350 or visit us at 108 N. Baldwin Ave. in the foothill village of Sierra Madre or online at 
www.creativeartsgroup.org. 

EDUCATION & YOUTH

 Pg. 8


FOOD & DRINK

Peter Dills Pg. 9

BEST FRIENDS

 Pg. 10

HEALTHY LIVING

 Pg. 11

AROUND SGV 

 Pg. B1

 ARTS & 

 ENTERTAINMENT

 Pg. B2

GOOD LIFE

 Pg. B3

BUSINESS NEWS 

 Pg. B4

THE WORLD AROUND 
US Pg. B5

OPINION Pg. B6

LETTERS TO EDITOR

LEGAL NOTICES 

 Pg. B7