Mountain Views News Saturday, April 18, 2026 

Weather Wise 

6-Day Forecast Sierra Madre, Ca. 



Sun Sunny Hi 80s Lows 50s 
Mon: Sunny Hi 70s Lows 50s 
Tues: Rain Hi 70s Lows 50s 
Wed: Ptly Cldy Hi 70s Lows 50s 
Thur: Ptly Cldy Hi 70s Lows 50s 
Fri: Ptly Cldy Hi 70s Lows 50s

 Forecasts courtesy of the National Weather Service 


SIERRA 
MADRE CITY 
COUNCIL 
MEETING 

APRIL 28, 2026 5:30 pm 

THIS MEETING WILL BE HELD 
IN THE COUNCIL CHAMBERS! 

As part of the City of Sierra Madre’s 
COVID-19 transparency efforts and The Brown 
Act provides the public with an opportunity to 
make public comments at any public meeting. 
Public comment may also be made by e-mail to 
PublicComment@CityofSierraMadre.com by

3:00 p.m. on the day of the meeting. 
Emails will be acknowledged at the Council 
meeting and filed into public record. The public 
may also comment in person at the meeting. 

The meetings will be streamed live on Foothills 
Media website at foothillsmedia.org/sierramadre 
and broadcast on Government Access 
Channel 3 (Spectrum).. 


1630 AM EMERGENCY RADIO & 
Free on-air publicity for local events 

Sierra Madre’s EMERGENCY radio station is now accepting scripts for 
Public Service Announcements (PSAs) about community events. PSAs will 
be broadcast on the air at no charge. The station operates 24/7 and can be 
heard at 1630 on the AM dial.

 Any local non-profit or non-commercial organization can have their 
event information broadcast to the public on Sierra Madre CommunityInformation Radio. The station covers the city of Sierra Madre, plus 
surrounding areas of Pasadena, Arcadia, and Monrovia. 
Your event must: 

• 
Benefit a non-commercial or non-profit entity
• 
Be open to the public 
• 
Be of general interest to local citizens 
Just write a Public Service Announcement that describes your event and 
e-mail it to radio@cityofsierramadre.com. 

Celebrate~Connect~GrowLocal
   APRIL 22, 2026
   2:00 – 3:30 PM
   THE KENSIGNTON – 245 W SIERRA MADRE BLVD
   REFRESHMENTS PROVIDED 
Let’scelebratelocalbusiness&thankyoutoourMeetingSponsorswww.sierramadrechamber.comGENERAL MEMBERSHIP 
MEETING 
JOININSIERRA MADRE 
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE 
Not a member yet? 
Come join us and become one! 
Speakers&PresentationsbyAlex Vasquez 
helpingsmallbusinessesgrowwithbetterGooglelistings,owning&controllingyouronlinepresence& 
Sierra Madre City Manager 
Michael Bruckner 
THE SIERRA MADRE ART WALK RETURNS 


A Conversation with Xrstine Franco, Director of LMF 
Gallery + Darkroom 

By Elizabeth Converse 

The Sierra Madre Art 
Walk returns on June 
19 from 4 to 8 p.m.,
bringing together local 
artists, businesses, 
and community members 
for an evening 
that celebrates what 
makes this small town 
singular. This series of 
articles explores that 
relationship — between 
the event, the 
businesses that host 
it, and the community 
that sustains both. 

A CONVERSATION 
WITH XRSTINE 
FRANCO 

What is your favorite thing about Sierra Madre, and why did you 
choose this location for your business?

The mix of people and the mix of businesses. I’ve always loved the 
feeling of being here — shopping here, eating here. The people are 
just really nice. It’s a good mix. I chose this location because it had 
space for a nice gallery, and it had a “kitchen” with wet walls that 
we converted into a working darkroom. 

What does your business specialize in?

Showing and selling fine art for collection, and darkroom services. 

Do you feel supported by the town?

Yes, all the feedback is warm and positive. People express how 
much they appreciate the mix of artists we show, and they value 
the ability to process film, print, and be guided by our Darkroom 
director. People love that Sierra Madre now has an additional art 
establishment in town. 

What would you like people to know about your shop that they may 
not know? 

LMF stands for The Language Mobilization Factory. All art is a 

WALKING SIERRA MADRE: 

The Social Side by Deanne Davis 

language, and to mobilize it is to show it and offer it for collection. 
The Factory is the Darkroom — where one can print their negatives, 
scan negatives, or develop their film. 

What are your recommendations?

I recommend joining the gallery. A “member” receives a discount 
on all qualifying artwork, a gallery T-shirt, and special Member 
viewing nights. 

What are your personal favorites?

I personally love printing in the darkroom, and talking with visitors 
and collectors about the artwork. I enjoy making sure visitors 
connect with the work in the manner the artist intends. 

Is there a special product or experience you’d like to recommend?

I recommend developing and scanning your film here. I would 
also like to recommend our Opening Nights — every new artist 
opens their show on the Second Saturday of each month. These 
are fun evenings, and they’re meant to support both the artists 
and the gallery. I also recommend buying time in the Darkroom. 
There is nothing like learning to print from your black and white 
or color negatives, or developing those old film rolls. We can also 
scan your negatives so you have digital files. 

What is your dream for LMF?

My dream is to have an assistant! And to not just get by, but to 
thrive. We would like to be solvent enough to add darkroom 
equipment and provide more great programming. We endeavor 
to engage, inform, and inspire all of our visitors and collectors. 

Where do you see yourself in five years?

I see the gallery still here, of course — but with programming that 
includes more poetry, in-gallery music nights, fine art pop-ups, 
art talks, eclectic speakers, and more photographic and language 
arts workshops. I still need that assistant. Ha ha. 

How do you think you will benefit from participating in the Sierra 
Madre Art Walk in June 2026? 

The LMF will benefit through increasing community awareness 
and engagement. I believe the best way to do business is through 
friendship, genuine connections, and cooperating with others in 
the community. 

April is celebrated as National Humor Month, a month-long event dedicated to 
highlighting the therapeutic value of laughter and joy, particularly in a month associated 
with unpredictable weather and the stress (pain and agony) of tax season. 

“I believe we should all pay our taxes with a smile. I tried that, but they wanted cash.” 
“Income tax has made liars out of more of the American people than golf.” Will Rogers“The best things in life are free, but sooner or later the government will find a way to tax 
them.” 
“Today it takes more brains and effort to fill out the income tax forms than it does to 
make the income.” Alfred E. Newman 

Last Wednesday was April 15th. Yes, friends and neighbors, it was time to file our income 
taxes again. My tax guy is fonder of filing for extensions than he is of actually filing the 
taxes. So, while I’d like more than anything to file in April, it seems that I’m filing inOctober, again. I’m set up on the quarterly system so I keep paying all year anyway so I 
guess it doesn’t matter all that much. 

Remember people lining up at the Post Office to be sure to get that April 15th postmark 
on their envelope? Now most of us are filing electronically, which is certainly easier. To 
try to lighten your mood, in the spirit of April being National Humor Month, I’m sending 
along this lament which will either make you smile or want to break something… 


THE IRS BLUES (An original lament by Deanne Davis) 

“I’ve got those sad old, bad old, gotta pay my taxes blues.
The IRS has called me out, “Girl, don’t even bother to cry or pout.
We’re gonna get your very last dime.
And if you think you can fool us, well, you’re gonna do some time.” 

I listed my deductions, and all my charities.
IRS just looked and laughed.
They said, “Girl, seriously? Please!
We see you feed the homeless and keep some foreign kids afloat.
You’re faithful to your church and send that tithe check in each month.
Folks like you, faithful and true, honest to the core,
Are the backbone of the Nation. 
But to us, you’re just another tiresome, whiny bore. 

We’re checking out your tax return with a microscope and fine-toothed comb.
We’re hoping that we’ll find a flaw so we can charge you even more.
Penalties, our penalties, we love those little things.
You thought that you had done it right, thought maybe you’d even sleep tonight.
IRS just looks and laughs, ‘Girl, seriously? Please!
If you think you’re gonna keep a dime, we’ll take you down in record time.” 
Yes, my friends, I’ve got those sad old, bad old, gotta pay my taxes blues. 

Ohhhh yeah…
And I suspect that you do, too. 

In case you’re wondering who has tried to do the government out of its pound of flesh, here are a few of the more notorious tax 
evaders: 
Al Capone: Murder, extortion and bootlegging were nothing compared to the $215,000 in taxes he didn’t pay. 

Nicholas Cage: The IRS filed documents in 2009 alleging that Nicolas Cage failed to pay more than $6 million in taxes for 
2006. Cage contended his failure to pay taxes was due to his management team, and he ended up suing his money manager for fraud 
and negligence. After taking any role he was offered, Cage announced in 2022 that he had finally paid off his tax bills and would be 
more selective with his film roles. 

Martha Stewart: In addition to her high-profile conviction for insider trading, television personality and entrepreneur MarthaStewart was fined $221,677 for unpaid New York state taxes on her home in the Hamptons. 

Hope you’re enjoying these beautiful days of April, the rain, flowers budding and blooming on every side, hummingbirds and bees 
feasting on open blossoms and our bears awakening from their long winter nap. The picture this week is one created for me by 
granddaughter, Emily, as a birthday present. One of the petals contains one of my favorite Bible verses: Jeremiah 29:11“For I know the plans I have for you, for good and not for ill, to give you a future and a hope.” 

One last thought about April 15th; that was the day Abraham Lincoln was assassinated…
“Other than that, Mrs. Lincoln, how did you like the play?” just to end on a truly tasteless note! 

“Taxes are what we pay for a civilized society.” Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. U.S. Supreme Court Justice 

Check out my book page: Deanne Davis: Amazon.com Great stories there about my granddad searching for gold,
“The Fever Never Ends” 

FEES 
Continued from page 1) 

to recognize the significant contributions made by business district property owners and to uphold the original intent of the LLMD. 
Charging the SMCC for events designed to benefit local businesses and the community is contrary to the purpose of the district that 
downtown property owners voted for. 
In a letter from its President, Chris Cimino, the council was reminded that, “As you are aware, the Downtown Business Lighting and 
Landscape Maintenance District (LLMD) was established in 2022. This district is funded by a tax paid by all property owners within 
the downtown boundaries, including churches and city properties. This assessment is intended to cover costs for lighting, electricity, 
grounds maintenance, and CIP projects. Furthermore, these funds are designated to support administration and security for events 
that benefit our downtown businesses. 
Following the establishment of this district, funds from four abandoned districts were transferred to the LLMD account with the 
express requirement that they be used solely for the benefit of the downtown business district. We have already seen the positive 
impact of these funds through enhancements to Kersting Ct park and the enlargement of the south side sidewalks.” 
When public input was over, the council directed the Community Service Commission to hold public meetings with the community 
and its organizations to discuss the the proposed Sierra Madre Special Events policy and its impact with respect to staff, city support, 
monetary and otherwise. 

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