SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2015

VOLUME 9 NO. 45

THE GOOD THE 
BAD ABOUT EL 
NIÑO By Dean Lee

 The anticipated El Niño event 
this winter is not expected to 
get us completely out of the 
drought and the much needed 
rainfall will be “manageable” 
with any damage concentrated 
into local individual events, JPL 
climatologist Dr. Bill Patzert 
told the Kiwanis Club Tuesday. 

Patzert said its local, personal, 
things like “Your roof is not 
fixed, you’re in the foothills 
below a burn area, or you have 
been flooded every time it rains 
and don’t do anything about it,” 
that are associated with El Niño. 
He said a lot of the problems are 
just preparation and common 
sense. 

 “My point is, the largest floods 
are not El Niño, El Niño tends 
to be steady but more frequent,” 
Patzert said. “That’s the good 
news.” He also said with the 
areas flood control, “We’re in 
good shape.” 

 Patzert noted “real“ flooding 
happens when the area gets 
a Pineapple Express, “These 
are things that come out of 
the tropics like a firehose.” 
A Pineapple Express is a 
continuous surge of tropical 
moisture extending from near 
Hawaii to the west according 
to AccuWeather.com. Patzert 
said it’s not fully understood 
but these storms can produce 
over 10 inches of rain in a single 
event compared to 1.5 inches 
for El Niño events. With El 
Niño we get more rainy days, 
noting that during the El Niño 
of 1998 there were 13 rain 
days with 13.68 inches of rain 
in February alone. Patzert 
also said El Niño only happens 
about every 17 to 20 years and 
supplies roughly 7 percent of 
the state’s water. “Sixty percent 
of the water comes from these 
pineapple express kind of 
events, which can happen any 
year. We make a big deal out of 
El Niño but it’s not a drought 
buster.”

 To get out of the drought the 
state needs a decade or more 
of above normal rainfall and 
snowpack, said Patzert plus, 
we need to learn to adapt to a 
warmer and drier California. 

All in all, he advised getting 
flood insurance and to make 
copies of important documents 
and keep originals safe (stored 
outside of you house), take 
photos of possessions and 
make an itemized list of them. 
Safeguard valuables by moving 
them to higher ground and to 
know your evacuation routes.

Patzert ended his talk by saying 
in the Rose Parade’s history it 
has rained 10 times, none of 
which was an El Niño year. 

PHS DEFEATS MUIR BREAKING 20 YEAR LOSING STREAK


WINTER WATER CONSERVATION TARGETS

Sierra Madre, CA. – As we head into the 
winter months, the Sierra Madre Public Works 
Department would like to remind residents that 
water conservation targets will be adjusted to 
reflect the new season. The Utility Billing Chart 
below should serve as a guide to understanding the 
seasonal dates applied to consumption readings 
found on your utility bill. For more details about 
conservation targets, please visit: http://tiny.cc/
waterconservation. 

First PHS Turkey Tussle Victory 
in 20 Years!

 The last time Pasadena High came close to 
winning the annual ‘big game’ with John Muir 
High was in 1998 when there was a tie game. 
Three years earlier in 1995, they actually won, 
but it has been a dry season for PHS since 
then. That is, until Friday night when the PHS 
Bulldogs broke the spell and won the Turkey 
Tussle with a score of 13-6.

 No, 5 Jeremiah Jones helped lead his team to 
victory with a 71 yard touchdown in the 4th 
quarter. PHS also intercepted the ball in the last 
two minutes of the game.

 The Turkey Tussle is the annual homecoming 
tradition between the two cross town rival since 
1954. 

 The coveted Victory Bell which came as a gift 
from the Santa Fe Railroad in 1955 at the pep 
ralley for the Turkey Tussle will come home 
with the Bulldogs, something that has only 
happened 19 times in the 69 year history of the 
rivalry and not since 1995.

 The bell was intended to be used, as it still is, as 
a perpetual trophy to rotate between John Muir 
High School and Pasadena High School, 

 One of the highlights for the winning team is 
to rush to the end zone, celebrating their win, by 
ringing the VictoryBell. In June 2005, the John 
Muir High School campus was burglarized and 
the Victory Bell was stolen. On February 7, 
2006 the Victory Bell was found near a road in 
the Angeles National Forest.

 In November 2007 a documentary about the 
Turkey Tussle was produced and featured on 
Fox Sports West cable channel. Although it 
didn't tell the entire story of the Turkey Tussle, it 
did showcase the cross town battle that has been 
going on for 60 years between Pasadena High 
School and John Muir High School.

 Photos by Fred Thomas


BAILEY CANYON PARK FALL CLEANUP SET

FOR SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 2015 
8:00AM- NOON

The Sierra Madre Environmental Action Council (SMEAC) could use your help! Put on your work 
gloves and join us at Bailey Canyon Park (at the top of Grove), we’ll be pulling weeds, clearing out 
dead brush and improving paths. In addition to light snacks and beverages, we offer you; fresh air, 
exercise and enjoyable teamwork experience. Hope to see you there!

 

CALENDAR Pg. 2


VFW 2.jpg
ANNUAL VETERAN’S DAY CEREMONY 

KEYNOTE SPEAKER ADMIRAL JAMES A. “ACE” LYONS, RET. 

Sunday, November 08, 2015 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM

Sierra Madre Memorial Park

Seating capacity is limited so come early or bring your own 
folding chair. Those attending who are or are bringing WWII Veterans, please 
RSVP at tceremony (VFWPost3208@gmail.com) 

SIERRA MADRE NEWS

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PASADENA/ALTADENA

 Pg. 5


SAN GABRIEL VALLEY

 Pg. 6

ARCADIA NEWS Pg. 7 
MONROVIA/DUARTE Pg. 7

EDUCATION & YOUTH

 Pg. 8

BEST FRIENDS

 Pg. 9

FOOD & DRINK

 Pg. 10

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

 Pg. 11

BUSINESS NEWS & TRENDS

HEALTHY LIFESTYLES

 Pg. 12

THE GOOD LIFE

 Pg. 13 
THE WORLD

 Pg. 14

OPINION Pg. 15

 
LEGALS Pg. 16