SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2025


VOLUME 19 NO. 37VOLUME 19 NO. 37

LEST WE FORGET............


On Thursday, September 11, 2025, Sierra Madre Police and Fire (pictured above) gathered at 7:04 am, to honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice 
24 years ago when the World Trade Center was attacked. Residents also attended the ceremony. Additional remembrances on pages 4 and 14. 
Photo by Dirk Bolle


IN MEMORIAM

CHARLES A. 'CHARLIE' BELL –Trail Builder Extraordinaire

May 8, 1932 – September 4, 2025

 On September 4, the Mt. Wilson Trail lost a long-time treasure and caregiver, Charlie Bell, who 
passed away at the age of 93.

 Charlie was born in St. Louis, Missouri in 1932 and came to the Los Angeles area around the age 
of 5. His father served in the military as an engineer, and Charlie attended public schools in the San 
Gabriel Valley.

 After graduating from high school in 1950, Charlie attended the University of Nevada, Reno, 
where he matriculated in 1954 with a BS degree in Civil Engineering. While attending university, 
Charlie was involved with Sigma Tau, referred to as “the cream of the Engineering crop” of students, 
as well as being a member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity, a member of the American Society of 
Civil Engineers, and was the captain of the school’s track team, earning his Letterman’s jacket. 

 Charlie’s parents built a house in Pasadena near the Rose Bowl in 1952, when Charlie lived in Orange 
County and the South Bay area while working in aerospace. One of the important companies 
he worked for was Aerojet-General Corporation, which in 1953 Time Magazine called “the General 
Motors of U.S. Rocketry.”

 By the early 1990s, with both of his parents deceased, Charlie moved into his parents’ home in 
Pasadena where he would enjoy living out the rest of his days.

 Charlie always said that the first time he ever visited 
the Mt. Wilson Trail was in 1947 and he fell in love with 
it. After moving to this area, Charlie, with the help of 
several colleagues over the years, adopted the Trail as his 
own. Until the last few years, he has been the consistent 
guiding force that has kept the trail open for everyone 
and enabled the Trail Race to be run every year. When 
rainstorms would wash out the Trail, forcing new alternatives, 
Charlie would be the one to design, plan, and organize 
any repairs or changes. Because of him, “Charlie’s 
New Trail” was born as a detour around a chronic slide 
area. Hikers, runners, and casual strollers owe much to 
Charlie for his work.

 In spring of 2023, Charlie was awarded the 2022 George 
Maurer Lifetime Achievement Award by the city of Sierra 
Madre for his lifetime of volunteer work on the Trail.

Charlie could be found on Lizzie’s Trail Inn porch every 
Saturday morning, swapping (continued on page 3) 


INSIDE THIS WEEK

AROUND TOWNPage 2

 The ArtWalk Returns..................Page 3

MORE SIERRA MADRE NEWS Page 4

 Walking Sierra Madre - Remembering 911

PASADENA NEWS Page 5

 Rabid Bat Found

AROUND SAN GABRIEL VALLEY Page 6

FIRE RECOVERY INFORMATION Page 7

EDUCATION & YOUTHPage 8

SM ROSE FLOAT ASSOC. NEWS Page 9

FOOD-DRINK-FUNPage 10

 Peter Dills

THE GOOD LIFEPage 11

BEST FRIENDSPage 12

 Christopher Nyerges:

 HEALTHY LIVING & FITNESS Page 13

OPINIONPage 14

LEGAL NOTICES Page 15

SHOP LOCALPage 16