HAPPY BIRTHDAY AMERICA!

 
SATURDAY, JUNE 28, 2025

VOLUME 19 NO. 26VOLUME 19 NO. 26


THE STRENGTH OF OUR COMMUNITY 

Fourth of July Message from Mayot Robert Parkhurst

2025 has been one of the most challenging years for our village in the foothills. We weathered four natural disasters in just the first three months of 
the year – a windstorm followed by one of the worst wildfires in the city’s history, which led to two mudslides. 

When I decided to run for City Council and represent you and your interests, I did so because Sierra Madre is the most unique place I 
have ever lived. The compassion, civic virtues, and community spirit of residents are the treasure of the city and what makes it so unique. 

This culture was exemplified in the hours, days, and weeks following the natural disasters of the 
year. As the windstorm started on January 7, the city opened our emergency operations center, 
which allowed staff to assess the dangers early and led to a proactive decision to evacuate the city, 
which allowed firefighters to save lives and protect property. 

As the fire raged, cities throughout the San 
Gabriel Valley called to offer support. In just 
one example, the City of El Monte showed 
up unannounced with water and food for 
our first responders. Before the fire was out, 
our citizens worked with the YMCA to set 
up an emergency shelter and food bank. The 
outpouring of donations was tremendous. 
We had food and clothing not only for the 
residents of Sierra Madre whose homes were 
lost or damaged, but also for our friends and 
neighbors in Altadena who lost their homes. 

In the coming days, weeks, and years we will 
continue to face challenges at the local, regional, 
state, and national level. Our resilience is in our sense of community. Many 
times I have seen our residents discuss and debate difficult issues with passion, but in a way that, at the end of the conversation, they 
can shake hands and continue to be friends, neighbors, and community members. Put another way, our culture allows us to disagree 
without being disagreeable. 

As we celebrate this Fourth of July with the beer garden, fun run, parade, and swimming at the YMCA, I encourage all our residents to 
reach out to their friends and neighbors around the city and around the world to demonstrate the compassion, civic virtues, and community 
spirit that make this city so unique. Happy Fourth of July!!


SIERRA MADRE APPOINTS MICHAEL 
BRUCKNER CITY MANAGER

A FOND FAREWELL AND THANKS 
FOR 15 YEARS OF SERVICE

 
The City of Sierra 
Madre is pleased to announce 
the appointment of Michael 
Bruckner as its next City Manager, 
following a comprehensive 
and competitive recruitment 
process. Mr. Bruckner 
brings more than 15 years of 
progressive leadership experience 
in municipal government, 
most recently serving as 
Assistant City Manager for the 
City of Culver City, California.

 Throughout his public 
service career, Mr. Bruckner 
has been recognized for his innovative 
leadership, strategic 
vision, and strong commitment 
to community engagement. 
His areas of expertise include 
budget and financial management, 
service delivery optimization, 
and policy and program 
development.

 Mr. Bruckner holds 
a Master’s degree in Government 
Administration from the 
University of Pennsylvania’s 
Fels Institute of Government 
and a Bachelor’s degree in Political 
Science from Sonoma 
State University. Some of his 
accomplishments include developing 
Culver City’s Homeless 
Services reporting dashboard, 
streamlining internal 
city processes related to hiring 
and emergency preparedness, 
coordinating several successful 
municipal ballot initiatives, and 
acting as a regional liaison on 
key intergovernmental issues.

 “I am honored to join 
the Sierra Madre community 
and look forward to working 
alongside the City Council, 
staff, and residents to build 
upon the City’s strong tradition 
of service excellence and 
civic pride,” said Mr. Bruckner. 
“Together, we will continue to 
enhance the quality of life in 
Sierra Madre and address the 
opportunities and challenges 
ahead, including resolving the 
City’s structural budget deficit.”

 Mayor Robert 
Parkhurst expressed confidence 
in the appointment, stating, 
“Mike’s depth of experience, 
collaborative leadership style, 
and passion for city management 
make him the ideal person 
to guide Sierra Madre into 
the future.”

 Bruckner will start on 
July 7, 2025.


At the regular City Council meeting on Tuesday, outgoing City Manager Jose 
Reynoso was honored for his 15 years of service to Sierra Madre...his 'dream 
job'. (https://mtnviewsnews.com/v19/htm/n14/index.htm). Recipient of numerous 
tokens of appreciation included a unique and creative 'keepsake' (held 
by Councilwoman Lowe), representing his years with the SM water department. 
Photo courtesy City of Sierra Madre

Local Businesses Burglarized

Story on Page 4

EL1•s AUTO SERVICE 
Your Trusted Auto Care Partner 
CERTIFIED SMOG 
TESTS 
& 
REPAIRSB:DD am - 05:00 pm 
125 W. SIERRA MADRE BLVD. 
SIERRA MADRE, CA. 91024 
We love our customers, so feel free to visit 
during normal business hours. 
We offer free shuttle service locally. 
INSIDE THIS WEEK

JULY 4TH ACTIVITIESPage 2

THE NEXT CHAPTER - SM LIBRARY Page 3

MORE SIERRA MADRE NEWS Page 4

 2025 Budget / Bears in Sierra Madre

WALKING SIERRA MADREPAGE 5

PASADENA NEWSPage 6

AROUND SAN GABRIEL VALLEY Page 7

FIRE RECOVERY INFORMATION Pgs 8/9 

EDUCATION & YOUTHPage 10

FOOD-DRINK-FUNPage 11

THE GOOD LIFEPage 12

BEST FRIENDS. Page 13

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENTPage 14

SPORTS & FITNESS & MOREPage 15

CELEBRATING AMERICA

Section B

In The Beginning........B1-B6

Opinions

Legal Notices

More July 4th Activities