SIERRA MADRE EDITION


SATURDAY, APRIL 22, 2017 

VOLUME 11 NO. 16


SIERRA MADRE POLICE LOCKDOWN SCHOOLS IN 
SEARCH OF BURGLARY SUSPECT

Just as school was about to be dismissed for the weekend, the Sierra Madre Police Department informed 
local school officials to lockdown their campuses while the department attempted to apprehend a burglary 
suspect. The request was sent to all the schools near the 400 block of Auburn and included Sierra Madre 
Elementary School, Gooden School, and Bethany Christian School. St. Rita School was on spring break 
and the Sierra Madre Middle School was not near the crime scene. The general public was also advised 
via social media, to stay away from the area. The lockdown lasted approimately 1/2 hour.

SMPD was responding to a burglary that was discovered on Auburn. A large window had been broken, 
the front door left open and the house had been ransacked. The homeowners were not home a the time. 
Efforts to catch the thief or thieves included assistance from the joint task force helicopter and the Arcadia 
and Pasadena Police Departments. A canine unit was also brought in to assist.

After the authorities determined that the burglar(s) was no longer in the area, the search was called off and 
the schools returned to their normal activities.

This incident happened around 2 pm on Friday and the investigation is ongoing. If anyone has information 
regarding this crime, please contact the Captain Donna Cayson at the Sierra Madre Police Department 
626-355-1414. IF YOU SEE SOMETHING, SAY SOMETHING!

JEWELRY STORE CLOSES AFTER 47 YEARS

Last week, the 
Mountain Views News 
was contacted by the 
owner of Charlotte’s 
Fine Jewelry with 
the sad news that the 
establishment, which 
has been in existence 
for 47 years, was calling 
it quits. 

According Charlotte 
Waddingham, she 
and the business are 
relocating to Edmunds, 
Washington. 

The store closing 
may leave the city 
with another vacant 
downtown business for 
a while, however public 
records show that the building has already been purchased. 

In the case of Charlotte’s the relocation is unrelated to another problem commercial businesses are 
having in Sierra Madre, i.e., escalating rents. One business at a recently remodeled location on Sierra 
Madre Blvd. has already closed its doors and another is rumored to also leaving due to high rents. 

“Attracting new businesses to Sierra Madre has been a challenge over the past decade and having 3 or 4 
empty commercial sites in downtown is certainly not desirable”, said one member of the local chamber 
of commerce. 

There was a time in Sierra Madre’s history when downtown offered everything residents needed: (partial 
listing) a grocery store, a car dealership, a barber shop, a haberdashery, a fresh fish market, a furniture 
store and much more. Today, with the proliferation of Big Box stores and online retailing, the city will 
need to maintain and support the kind of brick and mortar businesses that are trendy and attract today’s 
consumers.

 In the meantime, according to Charlotte’s Fine Jewelry social media posts, the store will only be 
opened Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturdays from Noon to 6 pm and Wed, Thurs, Fri, Sat.
12 noon to 6 pmis scheduled to officially close its doors on May 17, 2017. Photo by D.Davis/MVNews


ATHENS SERVICES HOSTS COMPOST 
GIVEAWAY THIS SATURDAY

 Athens’ compost giveaway is a blend of organic 
material, including food waste. It is OMRI 
Listed, licensed by the California Department of 
Food and Agriculture. And approved for use in 
agriculture operations certified organic under the

USDA National Organic Program. 

For Residents of Sierra Madre Drive Up Only 

Containers should be 32 gallons in size of smaller

Saturday, April 22, 2017 9:00 am – 12:00 pm

Sierra Vista Park (West End Parking Lot, by the 
Tennis Courts)

PLEASE REMEMBER:

 Must be Sierra Madre resident

 Bring your shovels, dolly, & containers

 Sturdy containers ( no larger than 32 gallons 
each due to safety concerns)

 No plastic bags allowed

 30 gallon limit during first hour (no limit from 

 10:00 am to Noon, while supplies last)


BAILEY CANYON SPRING CLEAN UP APRIL 29TH!

8:00am to noon

 Volunteers needed!

Please dress carefully, i.e., closed-toed shoes and 
comfortable clothing. You will also need gloves 
and garden tools. 

 Bailey Canyon Wilderness Park is located at 
451 W. Carter Ave., at the top of Grove St. Bring a 
friend!

 This event is sponsored by the Sierra Madre 
Environmental Action Council (SMEAC).


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