Independence day - highlights - this edition 


SATURDAY, JULY 11, 2015 
VOLUME 9 NO. 28SIERRA MADRE NEWS BRIEFS 
PROUD TO BE AN AMERICAN IN SIERRA MADRE 


PUBLIC HEARING NOTIFICATION FOR THE 
HIGHLAND MEWS TOWNHOMES 

City staff and staff from Heritage Housing Partners will beavailable the evening of Monday, July 13th (at 6:00 pm in theCouncil Chambers) to answer any questions from the projectneighbors, or other interested individuals. The DevelopmentAgreement and other associated documents will be available onthe City’s website by Friday, July 10th.

 City Council & Planning Commission Hearings are scheduledfor next week. Location of Both Hearings:
City of Sierra Madre, City Council Chambers232 W. Sierra Madre Blvd. 
City Council Hearing: Tuesday, July 14, 2015Hearing begins at 6:30 PM

 The City Council public hearing will be conducted to considerthe Development Agreement between the City and HHP.

 The Planning Commission Hearing: Thursday, July 16, 2015Hearing begins at 7:00 PM

The Planning Commission public hearing will be conducted toconsider 1) a request for a three-unit subdivision for condominiumpurposes (parcel map), 2) a proposal to designate the property asa local historic landmark, 3) a certificate of appropriateness torestore, modify, and change the use of the structure, and 4) theuse of affordable housing incentives.

 The Planning Commission is a recommending body to the CityCouncil on this project. A second, City Council hearing on allentitlements will be held before the City Council under a separatenotice. We anticipate this hearing taking place in September. 

REMEMBER TO CONSERVE 

 
Penalties for overuse will be 
enforced effective July 1st.

 Governor Brown’s April ExecutiveOrder requiring a statewide waterconservation of 25% is now in 
full force and effect. The State 
regulations call for:

• A limitation on outdoor 
irrigation to two days a week.
• A prohibition on watering 
hardscape such as streets, 
driveways, walkways or 
sidewalks. 
• No irrigation within 48 hoursafter measurable rain. 
• A prohibition on restaurantsservice water to customers if 
not specifically requested by the 
customer. 
• A prohibition on wastefulwatering 
Inside this week: 

• Water providers such as theCity must report to the stateon a monthly basis their total 
water production and their 
enforcement activity regarding 
these regulations.
• The City of Sierra Madre, withits above average daily per capitawater use, is being required bythe State to conserve 32% over the 
levels of 2013. 
• A prohibition on watering ofstreet median turf with potable 
water. 
City Staff will be assisted byvolunteers who will patrol the citylooking for water waste violations.
Fines for repeated violation of thewater waste regulations are $100 forthe first offense, $250 for the second 
and $500 for the third. 

PASADENA/ALTADENA 
Pg. 5 
ARCADIA NEWS Pg. 6 
MONROVIA/DUARTE 
Pg. 7 
AROUND SGV Pg. B1 
BEST FRIENDS 
Pg. 10 
FYI 
Pg. 14 
FOOD & DRINK 
Pg. 11 
SECTION B 
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT 
Pg. B4 
HEALTHY LIFESTYLES 
Pg. B5 
THE WORLD 
Pg. B6 
BUSINESS TODAY 
Pg. B7 
OPINION Pg. B8 
CALENDAR Pg. 2 
SIERRA MADRE NEWS 
Pg. 4 
THE GOOD LIFE 
Pg. 13 
EDUCATION & YOUTH 
Pg. 9 
LEGALS Pg. B9 
Celebrating AMERICA 
Sierra Madre celebrating the IndependenceDay weekend in storybook fashion lastweek. Starting on Friday night, withthe Beer Garden, Food Trucks, Dunk 
Tank and Concert. The following day,
bright and early, the Spero Foundationsponsored the annual July 4th Fun Run.
The Sierra Madre Women’s Club held 
their annual breakfast and then it was off 
to the Annual July 4th parade.

 There were moe than 80 entries 


celebrating America. In addition to 
Sierra Madre’s own celebrities such as 
Triple Crown Jockey Victor Espinozaand our elected officials, we had the 
honor of having our 97 year old OlderAmerican Laurie Cooper riding in the 
parade. Congresswoman Judy Chu,
Assemblyman Chris Holden and LACounty Supervisor Michael Antonovichalso attended the event. When the paradecompleted route down Sierra Madre Blvd.,
a community picnic was held at the park. 

The all volunteer 4th of July Committeemanaged the event.

 Sierra Madre’s Internet Radio and Video 
Station, Village Vine, streamed the eventlive. If you missed the parade, or wouldlike to see it again, you can do so bylogging on to: www.villagevine.org.

 This edition of the Mountain Views 
News features many memorable momentscaptured by a variety of photographers.

Editorial 

PROPOSITIONS 109 & 47 & INCREASED CRIME 

By Joan Schmidt, East Valley Editor 

In the last two months, I have attendedthree events, listened to reports/statistics,
and the outlook is bleak. The Governor 
began the trend, and CA voters continuedit. The three events were the Third Annual 
Crime Victims’ Clinic, The Chiefs of PoliceLuncheon and Supervisor Antonovich’s 
annual Meeting with the City of Monrovia. 

Let’s start with AB 109, which hasbeen around for four years. The FederalGovernment ordered the state to reduce its 
overcrowded state prisons. I can accept that.
The problem was the governor refusing tohouse them out of state at half the cost. No 
he chose to send 30,000 prisoners downto already overcrowded county jails. I didresearch and found this not only here inLA County, but other counties as well.
We were told that the prisoners send tocounty jails would be non-violent, non-
serious, non-sex offenders. (Unfortunatelythe classification is based on the prisoner’sCURRENT offense-doesn’t matter if 
there were charges of armed robbery ormanslaughter previously!) 

In November, 2004, Proposition 69 
(DNA Fingerprints, Unsolved Crime, 
and Innocence Protection Act) was 
passed. Unfortunately Proposition 47 hasnegated it. Proposition 47 downgradeddrug possession and minor thefts tomisdemeanors. These “misdemeanor” 
offenders may be avoiding jail, but 
unfortunately also the drug treatment 
that could have turned their lives around! 
(This point was emphasized at the Crime 

Victims Clinic, the Chiefs Luncheon and the 
Monrovia City Meeting!) 

Los Angeles County Assistant Sheriff MikeRothans and Chief Dave Bender attended the 
Monrovia City Meeting. Sheriff Rothans saidcrime has increased 7% in the 42 contract 
cities and 107 unincorporated areas servedby LASD. It’s happening everywhere-fromMalibu, Palos Verdes, Walnut and Diamond 
Bar-to name a few. He also said LAPD also 
reported a spike in crime. (LAPD Lt. PhilTingirides at the Crime Victims’ Clinic alsoreported this.) 

Sheriff Rothans gave some soberingfigures: 31,000 people have been arrested-
but only 1/3 of them remain in jail. What issad is I read an article where an officer justgave a warning-because the crime was just amisdemeanor and the person would be backon the street anyway. (That is scary!) So howmany perpetrators are walking around? I amwithin . mile of a beautiful housing complexwhere the rapist was from-the one who held awoman captive for 11 hours and continued toharm her! (I believe he was supposed to be onprobation.) 

At the Chiefs’ Luncheon, SupervisorAntonovich asked about an increase in crime 
since Proposition 47, and all attendees said itwas happening in their jurisdictions. (Thisincluded the Captains/Commanders of theSheriff’s Stations and the Chiefs of Police in 
the 5th Supervisory District. For instance,
Chief Rainey, from Covina reported 13%
increase. (Also at the recent Monrovia-
Arcadia Duarte Town Council Meeting,
Deputy April Nelsen (cont. on page 4)