Mountain Views News, Combined Edition Saturday, May 6, 2023

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Mountain View News Saturday, May 6, 2023 

Residents Speak Out Regarding Metro/Transportation

WALKING SIERRA MADRE - The Social Side

by Deanne Davis

BRING TRANSPORTATION BACK TO SIERRA MADRE

By resident, Max Romero

(Max is also a 16 year old Sophomore at Maranatha High School)


“Step aside to a brand new day. In the month of May I feel 
I can start again. Life is feeling new. This is hope, this is 
love, this is where we all win. If you call, I will hear. I will 
listen for you.”

Mychal Simka

“You have to remember to be thankful! But in May one 
simply can’t help being thankful that they are alive, if for 
nothing else.” L.M. Montgomery

It’s May! There is so much to celebrate in this particular 
May that we probably won’t be able to take time to 
think! The first thing that comes to mind is that song 
from Camelot (the 1960 Lerner & Lowe musical) that 
Guinevere warbles…

“Tra la! It's May!

The lusty month of May!

That lovely month when ev'ryone goes

Blissfully astray.

Tra la! It's here!

That shocking time of year

When tons of wicked little thoughts

Merrily appear!

It's May! It's May!

That gorgeous holiday

When ev'ry maiden prays that her lad

Will be a cad!

It's mad! It's gay!

A libelous display!

Those dreary vows that ev'ryone takes,

Ev'ryone breaks.

Ev'ryone makes divine mistakes

The lusty month of May!”

Well, we’re probably not going to get that excited about it as there is so much more in 
May to celebrate. The 58th Annual Art Fair, featuring artist Suzanne Kustner is this 
weekend, May 6 and 7. Ms. Kustner creates enamel jewelry, bowls, dishes and wall 
hangings made with copper, fine silver and gold. Her designs are inspired by nature 
and our surroundings…the colors, textures and shapes we see every day. Looking at 
some of her work online was awe-inspiring. Trust me, friends and neighbors, you will 
want to be sure to bring your checkbook. With 85 artists, food and entertainment, 
Memorial Park is the place to be. The weather may cooperate and then again, it may 
not, but don’t miss this really wonderful event. So much creativity and talent for us to 
see, admire and, hopefully, buy.

Cinco de Mayo was yesterday and I’m hoping you stopped by Casa del Rey for a margarita 
and an enchilada or two. And some guacamole and chips. Ole!

Mother’s Day is next weekend, May 14th and I’m giving you advance warning to order 
flowers, buy a card, make dinner reservations, do something to celebrate your mom. 
More about that next week.

My son’s birthday is May 12th. This is a significant birthday, I’m not saying which 
one, but a spectacular party is planned for him later in the month. I’m just shamelessly 
using Walking Sierra Madre…The Social Side to wish him a happy birthday. 
Happy birthday, John!

I’ve got so many other family events going on this month that I’m not sure I’ll have 
time to sleep: A graduation, more birthdays, anniversaries, and a new baby is supposed 
to make his appearance around May 15th. I know your family is celebrating 
all good things this month, too, so may God bless each and every one of these happy 
times as they fill your family with joy.

The Mt. Wilson Trail Race on the gorgeously refurbished trail is May 27th. Memorial 
Day is May 29th and we have a full moon coming up this week: The Flower Moon. 
Aptly named. You know: April showers bring May flowers. Naturally, the picture today 
is of some May roses.

I was sorry to see that Bob Stane has had to close The Coffee Gallery Backstage. This 
was a really cool place to go and John and I enjoyed whoever was playing there a number 
of times. Best of luck, Bob, in the days to come.

“It's May, the lusty month of May

That darling month when everyone throws self-control away

It's time to do a wretched thing or two

And try to make each precious day, one you'll always rue

It's May, it's May, the month of yes you may

The time for every frivolous whim, proper or im-

It's wild, it's gay, a blot in every way

The birds and bees with all of their vast amorous past

Gaze at the human race aghast”

I wanted to close with something neat…a quote from John Lennon:

“When I was 5 years old, my mother always told me that happiness was the key to life. 
When I went to school they asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up. I wrote 
down ‘happy.’ They told me I didn’t understand the assignment. I told them they 
didn’t understand life.”

My book page: Amazon.com: Deanne Davis

Where you’ll find the Emma Gainsworth Kindle novelettes, 

Along with other goodies like “A Treasure Map, A Drunken Owl

And 47 Rattlers in A Bag” True Tales of Early California

According to the Department of Transportation website, “Public transportation provides people 
with mobility and access to employment, community resources, medical care, and recreational 
opportunities in communities across America.” For residents of Sierra Madre, this statement 
could not be more true. Unfortunately our public transportation system was drastically cut in 
the pandemic and has not been restored, making access for Sierra Madre for students, residents, 
and those seeking leisure or work in our town reserved for those who can only walk a number 
of miles or drive. Reincorporating public transportation would not only reopen our town to 
visitors from all around, but would also make it much easier for residents such as myself to commute 
to and from the necessities of daily life such as school, work, or even the grocery store. I 
myself commute to and from school during the week, often taking a combination of a bus and 
a train to get where I need to go. 

Unfortunately, due to the lack of Sierra Madre public transportation access, I find myself leaving 
the house at five in the morning each day to walk nearly 45 minutes to the Hastings Branch Library 
to catch my first bus. Many other residents I have spoken to on my way to and from school 
agree that something has to change and we encourage the City Council to improve our current 
program, adding route options to help residents get to where they need and want to go. As part 
of possible solutions, there are two existing bus routes I think could solve the problem and provide 
public transportation access 
to Sierra Madre.

The first proposed route change 
(right) would be to the Metro 
Local 268 that runs from Sierra 
Madre Villa Station to El Monte 
Station, passing through The 
Shops at Santa Anita. This route 
change would bring the bus up 
from its current route on Foothill 
onto Michillinda, then move to 
Kersting Court on Sierra Madre 
Boulevard. It would then go 
down on Baldwin Avenue, continuing 
the normal route without 
removing any existing stops. 
This would bring transportation 
access to La Salle, The Sierra 
Madre Library, City Hall, Kersting 
Court, and more.

The second proposed route 
change would be an extension to 
the Pasadena Transit 60. While 
the 60 only runs weekdays in 
the mornings and afternoons, it 
would still provide connection 
during the off hours of the current 
system our city offers, the 
Gateway Coach. The 60 currently 
offers a direct route to Sierra 
Madre Villa Station, PCC, and 
a number of other connections 
along the way. Currently terminating 
at Michillinda and Sierra 
Madre Boulevard, an extension 
to Kersting Court or the Community 
Center would provide 
residents with new options.

 

By reinstating public transportation we would reopen the gateway to our city not only for others 
who come to visit but for our own residents as well.


To the editor:

Metro is not an elective. Their funding comes from property taxes (whether tenant or owner, 
you pay into property taxes), and they receive those funds to provide public transit. LA is working 
to not be a car-dependent city, that’s why Metro is es-sential. The term MetroMicro is ironic 
given what they do not do. The several times I tried to use Micro, I couldn’t book one or it 
didn’t show up. In some ways it could be a viable strate-gy—a van that can carry six passengers, 
on a regular schedule and route, to fill in the gaps left by the bus system. 

Since the buses have left us, I have had to turn down several of-fers to teach at Cal State LA. I get 
rides with friends to go shopping. Grocery shopping, laundry and work are not extravaganc-es, 
they are essentials. And we need and pay for Metro to con-tinue to give us access to these. It is 
not an elective.

Renée Cossutta, Sierra Madre

ABOUT YOUR METRO STORY:

First of all, the headline of Kevin McGuire's article "Metro Leaves Sierra Madre Stranded" is untrue. 
Metro had numerous meetings, during the process of developing the NexGen Plan, where 
the public was invited to give their input. One of the determinations from this process, was to 
implement the Micro Bus service we have currently. This type of service is much better suited 
for a residential area of our size, and provides on demand service. Maybe the service has some 
issues to work out, but Metro did not leave Sierra Madre stranded. The truth is, the routes that 
were previously servicing Sierra Madre for decades, were an inefficient use of resources, driving 
around with few or no passengers most of the time. 

Regards, A. Wasson


SIERRA MADRE POLICE BLOTTER


The following represents a summary 
report of some of the major 
incidents handled by the Sierra Madre Police 
Department during this period. This list is 
not intended to be considered exclusive or 
all-inclusive.

Sunday, April 23 Hit and Run, Property 
Damage At approximately 3 PM, officers 
responded to the 100 block of N. Lima St 
regarding a traffic collision. An unknown 
driver collided with a parked vehicle causing 
damage. After the collision, the driver left 
the area without leaving contact information 
or contacting the police. The Detective 
Bureau is following up on this incident.

Wednesday, April 26 - Grand Theft

At approximately 10 AM, officers responded 
to the 200 block of W Sierra Madre Blvd regarding 
a grand theft. Upon arrival, officers 
made contact with the reporting party, a 
Care Manager for the Kensington Assisted 
Living Facility, who reported that jewelry 
was missing from the possessions of a recently 
deceased patient. The reporting manager 
spoke to the next of kin for the patient, 
who requested a police report. The Detective 
Bureau is following up on this incident.

Theft from a Vehicle

At approximately 12 PM, officers responded 
to the 100 block of E. Alegria Ave regarding 
a theft from a vehicle. Upon arrival, officers 
contacted the reporting party, who stated 
their catalytic converter was stolen from 
their vehicle. The Detective Bureau is following 
up on this incident.

Saturday, April 29 Burglary from a Vehicle

At approximately 10 AM, officers responded 
to the 300 block of N. Baldwin Ave. regarding 
a theft from a vehicle. An unknown suspect 
used a blunt object to force entry into 
the victim’s vehicle and removed property 
from the vehicle. After the theft, the suspect 
fled the area in a vehicle. The Detective Bureau 
is following up on this incident.

Public Intoxication Arrest

At approximately 6 PM, officers responded 
to public parking lot in the 00 block W. Sierra 
Madre Blvd. for reports of a subject 
leaning against a parked vehicle. Upon arrival, 
an officer located a subject who was intoxicated 
and unable to care for themselves. 
The subject was arrested for public intoxication 
and booked at the Pasadena City Jail for 
public intoxication.

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