SATURDAY, MAY 7, 2016

VOLUME 10 NO. 19

Use Alternate Routes 

Construction is set to begin along Foothill 
Boulevard between Michillinda Avenue and Santa 
Anita Avenue, on Monday, May 9, 2016. This 
rehabilitation project will run through mid-August 
2016 and will include repairs/improvements to the 
roadway, medians, curbs, and sidewalks. 

During construction, there will be periodic lane 
reductions from two to one lane in both the east 
and westbound lanes. There may be delays in both 
directions. The construction will take place during 
daytime hours. Unfortunately, the lane closures may 
impact commuter traffic due to curing concrete. 
Please use alternate routes as traffic will be heavy 
during peak travel times. 

LANE CLOSURES: FOOTHILL BOULEVARD BETWEEN 
MICHILLINDA AND SANTA ANITA AVES, BOTH 
DIRECTIONS, MAY 9TH - MID AUGUST

PETE SIBERELL - SIERRA MADRE 4TH OF JULY 
GRAND MARSHAL & HOMETOWN HERO 

 The volunteers of the Sierra Madre 4th of July 
Committee are pleased and excited to announce that the 
2016 Fourth of July Parade Grand Marshal will be Sierra 
Madre’s man of many hat’s Pete Siberell. “The Grand 
Marshal is a person or persons whose efforts over a long 
period of time has been beneficial to the community of 
Sierra Madre. The title of Grand Marshal is intended to 
honor a person or persons’ volume of work, dedication 
and overall enhancements to our community.” Pete has 
demonstrated time and time again he is the Spirit of Sierra 
Madre. 

 Since moving to Sierra Madre over 20 years ago Pete 
has been active in the community. He been a community 
leader with Sierra Madre Little League serving as 
President for 3 terms, a 2 terms Library Board of Trustees, 
head of the Mt. Wilson Trail Race Committee for close to 
20 years, and much more. He was also on the board of 
the former Arcadia Chapter of the American Red Cross 
and he was Sierra Madre Chamber of Commerce’s 2007-
08 Citizen of the Year. Pete is also currently on the board 
of directors of the Pasadena Humane Society, a position 
he is very passionate about. Pete cares deeply about Sierra 
Madre and continues to give back every chance he can. 
Pete is the Spirit of Sierra Madre. Pete, his wife Marianne 
and two college age sons still happily give back to Sierra 
Madre ever chance they get. 

 Additionally, the Committee is proud and honored 
to announce that the Kristine Lowe has been selected as 
a “Hometown Hero”. A lifetime Sierra Madre resident 
Kris Lowe is a wellloved member of the Sierra Madre 
community. A retired Captain for the Sierra Madre 
Volunteer Fire Department (SMVFD), she served the 
community for over 15 years. She continues to volunteer 
her time to her community through charitable events 
such as the Friends of the Library Wine Tasting, Wistaria 
Festival & the SMVFA. She is also the newest member 
of the Sierra Madre Community Foundation. Kristine 
is currently a teacher with the Glendale Unified School 
District, and the coordinator for the Public Safety Academy 
at Hoover High School, a program which certifies youth for 
disaster preparedness and emergency response. She truly is 
preparing the next generation of heros. 

 The Committee is also pleased to announce the 
Official Sponsor of the 2016 Parade is The Kensington. 
The Kensington-Sierra Madre is an assisted living and 
memory care residence in the heart of Sierra Madre. The 
committee and community join us in thanking them for 
their partnership this year as we work together to bring the 
community and outstanding All-American Celebration. 

 For more information on all of the 4th of July 
Festivities, please visit www.sierramadre4thofjuly.com. 


SIERRA MADRE NEWS BRIEFS

2016 OLDER AMERICAN RECEPTION - Friday, May 13, 2016

Each year the president of the United States, the governor of California and the Los Angeles County 
Board of Supervisors designate the month of May as Older American Month. In recognition of 
2016 Sierra Madre Older American of the Year Ann Tyler, the City will be hosting a special reception 
at the Hart Park House Senior Center from 4:30-6:00PM.

BRUSH AWARENESS – TUESDAY, MAY 17, 2016

The Sierra Madre Fire Department will host a Brush Awareness Event from 6:00 - 9:00PM in City 
Hall Council Chambers. Sierra Madre firefighters will discuss fire prevention and safety for residents 
who reside in the High Severity Fire Zone.

INTERACTIVE TOWN HALL ON THE STATE BUDGET – 

SATURDAY, MAY 21, 2016

In collaboration with “NEXT 10,” Assemblymember Chris Holden is hosting this free event where 
you have a say in putting together a budget while learning how our California state budget works! 
The event will take place from 10:00AM- 12:00PM at the Alexander Hughes Community Center in 
Claremont. 

PLANNING COMMISSION VACANCY 

There is currently a seat available on the Planning Commission. Applications will be accepted until 
July 2016, or such time that the City Council receives three qualified candidates.

The Planning Commission is a seven-member volunteer citizen body. It conducts public hearings 
and makes decisions and/or recommendations on a variety of land use applications, including use 
permits, variances, General Plan amendments, zone changes and subdivision maps. The Planning 
Commission is responsible for the City’s long-term planning, and serves to review and study other 
such land use and planning issues as assigned by the City Council. Applications are available online 
at the City's website. Applications for vacancies to the Planning Commission are forwarded to the 
City Council for consideration and final appointment. Commissioners are appointed to four-year 
terms and are eligible for re-appointment for a consecutive second term; serving an eight year 
maximum.

INVASIVE AEDES: IS YOUR BACKYARD 

A HUB FOR MOSQUITOES? By Benjamin Waswa, SGV Vector Contol

 The San Gabriel Valley has been a hot spot in Los 
Angeles County for Aedes albopictus since it was first 
discovered in El Monte by Marc Mitchell in 2011. 
Since then, The San Gabriel Valley Mosquito and 
Vector Control District’s (“District”) field staff has 
tirelessly battled this significant new nemesis. The 
District is part of a statewide system of agencies that 
were formed originally in the early 1900s to combat 
malaria. Presently they continue to protect public 
health against diseases caused by mosquitoes. To 
help achieve this, the District focuses on reducing the 
population of mosquitoes; its vector control specialists 
(“Specialists”) are generally at the forefront. 

 Since mosquitoes and the viruses they transmit 
proliferate more rapidly with warm weather, as 
summer approaches the District’s Specialists gear 
up for each year for an “endless summer.” When it 
is warm immature mosquitoes (larvae and pupae) 
develop quickly and flying adults are more active, 
feeding and reproducing more frequently. When 
there is a large population of adult mosquitoes, it is 
more likely that they will feed on humans, and the 
possibility that they may transmit diseases increases.

 A day in the work life of a Specialist involves 
implementing an integrated approach to controlling 
vectors which encompasses mapping larval habitat, 
surveys to detect mosquitoes, and removing sources 
of standing water. They might apply pesticides specific 
for the life stage and species of vector, but most 
importantly they are educators. As invasive Aedes 
become more prevalent, to fulfill their mission the 
District’s Specialists are asking residents to also engage 
in control efforts. 

 To control invasive Aedes residents must adopt 
a new way of doing things. Invasive Aedes bite very 
aggressively during the day unlike the common 
mosquitoes most Californians are used to. They 
develop in containers of water as small as a bottle 
cap; this makes them difficult to find during routine 
inspections. 

 Generally, when the District’s Specialists respond to 
requests for service, residents are surprised that they 
have sources of mosquitoes in their own backyard. An 
unfortunate comment heard too often by Specialists is, 
“I hardly visit my backyard.” “This confession should 
be a wakeup call to all our residents, because what is 
biting you could actually be in your own backyard,” 
says the District’s Operations Manager Melvin Cook. 
Invasive Aedes pose an additional challenge. Even 
when sources of water are emptied, a backyard might 
still be a ‘hub’ for mosquitoes because of the eggs 
invasive Aedes leave behind. These eggs can resist 
drying for many months and hatch when they again 
come in contact with water. Thus a conscientiously 
emptied container must not be left where it might be 
re-filled by water sprinklers because if this occurs, the 
eggs will hatch and a breeding habitat will once again 
be created. 

 As a best practice, the District promotes scrubbing 
container walls with soap before discarding them. 
Finally, residents should also wear appropriate 
clothing and apply mosquito repellent according to 
the label when outdoors.

The threat of invasive Aedes cannot be ignored. 
Controlling them will require a change of behavior, 
something the District and the residents they serve 
must face together. .