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Combined EditionInside this Week: Sierra Madre: Around The San Gabriel Valley: Food, Drink & More: Puzzles for You:
The Good Life: Opinion: Sports & More: Support Your Local Businesses: Columnists: Recent
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MOUNTAIN VIEWS NEWS TO HONOR 2025 GRADUATES The June 7th edition of this paper will be dedicated to the Class of 2025! In order to be included, please send your graduates picture, full name, age, school and a line or 2 about them. The Class of 2025 - tomorrow's leaders - deserve to be honored! Send to: editor@mtnviewsnews.com Subject: Class of 2025 SATURDAY, MAY 17, 2025 VOLUME 19 NO. 20VOLUME 19 NO. 20 345 Foothill Avenue, Sierra MadreCompass is a real estate broker licensed by the State of California and abides by Equal Housing Opportunity laws. Lic. #01991628. All material presented herein is intended for informational purposes only and is compiled from sources deemed reliable but has not been verified. Changes in price, condition, sale or withdrawal may be made without notice. No statement is made as to accuracy of any description. All measurements and square footage are ap- proximate. If your property is currently listed for sale this is not a solicitation.EJan Greteman 626.975.4033lic #01943630Judy Webb-Martin 626.688.2273lic #00541631webbmartingroup.com3 BD | 3 BA | 2234 SF | 8366 SF LOT SOLD! 94 East Highland Avenue, Sierra MadreOffered at $1,175,0002 BD | 2 BA | 1065 SF | 8729 SF LOT JUST LISTED! Open Sunday, May 18th, 1-4pm CITY FALLS BEHIND IN ZERO-EMISSION REQUIREMENTS By Kevin McGuire For Sierra Madre to set an example as a leader in sustainability and innovation, it must first implement a fleet of zero-emission Municipal vehicles to meet California’s aggressive goal of improving air quality and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. And so far, the city is lagging a bit behind. In 2023, California enacted several mandates promoting zero-emission technology for vehicle fleets, including the Advanced Clean Fleets (ACF) regulation, which targets municipal fleets to meet key requirements and milestones, including 50% zero-emission vehicles (ZEV) starting in 2024 and 100% ZEV by 2027. Such a Municipal Fleet Electrification Plan would require changes to the city’s infrastructure as well, as electric charging stations would be needed at all city facilities. This raises the same question as always—what about the cost? Eric Lozick, Management Analyst, presented to the City Council on May 13, 2025, highlighting the importance of meeting compliance and discussing options to cover the plan's costs, including seeking grants, rebates, and partnerships to help offset some of the expenditures. Council Member Gene Goss was not in attendance. In addition to not meeting the 50% EV goals as part of meeting ACF annual requirements, Sierra Madre was also required to send a record-keeping report to the California Air Resources Board (CARB) starting on April 1, 2024, to demonstrate compliance. As of this May 13 City Council meeting, no report had been filed. What is the penalty for not being compliant? According to Lozick, administrative penalties under the California Health and Safety Code could be as high as $10,000 per day, though no penalties have been issued to Sierra Madre just yet. Lozick stressed to the City Council the importance of filing this report to meet the ACF’s request and working on becoming compliant with the 50% EV fleet requirements. Lozick even pointed out that the last vehicles purchased by the city included no EVs. “The city recently purchased four new vehicles. Two of those were Ford Rangers, there was a Boom truck related to public service work, and a Ford F-250. Those vehicles—could have been EVs, and they should have been EVs meeting the 50% compliance from CARB and ACF,” Lozick stated. Director of Public Works Arnulfo Yanez defended the purchase of the four non-EVs as needed vehicles bought with American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds for use during fires and mudslides. However, Yanez stated that he hopes to implement a five- and 10-year plan to address infrastructure needs and the purchase of required electric vehicles (EVs). The Future is Now By achieving these goals sooner rather than later, Sierra Madre can take advantage of new vehicle offerings, accumulate “early action” credits, and realize long-term savings, as well as lower fuel and maintenance costs, according to a report by Lozick. This also puts the city in a position to lead by example in the quest for sustainability, innovation, and piloting new technologies. The ACF regulations would apply to vehicles with a Gross Vehicle Weight Rating over 8,500 pounds. Emergency vehicles (Fire Engines, Police vehicles, ambulances) are exempt from these requirements, as are school buses, transit buses, and military tactical vehicles. Although not yet available, quality ZEV options for these types of vehicles are likely to be introduced in the future. These ACF regulations only apply to newly purchased vehicles. Sierra Madre will still be able to operate gas-powered vehicles, but when those vehicles are no longer operational, replacement vehicles should be ZEVs. In addition, California has mandated that all new passenger cars, SUVs, and light pick-up trucks in the state be zero-emission by 2035. Going Electric Moving forward with electric vehicles means adding facilities to charge up. The city is looking at options for several charging locations, including the City Yard (Public Works), the Police Department parking area, and possibly City Hall or other sites where municipal vehicles are housed. The city currently has two Level 2 charging stations at the Police Station. City Staff will work with Southern California Edison and other technical consultants to review the necessary components, including new electrical panels, transformers, and dedicated circuits, needed to handle the increased demand. Then there are other factors to consider, such as making sure our vehicles are ready during a power outage and having backup power options at hand. Then, of course, zoning codes, building codes, Americans with Disabilities Act requirements, and meeting California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) standards. What was it that a wise man once said? “With great power comes great responsibility.” The Savings Might Shock You As the City reviews monetary options to set the initial spark for an eco-friendly Sierra Madre, the long-term cost savings could prove significant. Electricity is cheaper by the mile than gas or diesel, and its price is more stable. This could be a factor in more reliable budget planning. According to the report, some municipalities have seen a 60-70% reduction in fuel expenditures after introducing electric vehicles (EVs) into their mix. Additionally, the maintenance requirements for electric vehicles (EVs) are lower than those of gas-powered vehicles. Other cities have reported a decrease of up to 80% in maintenance and repair costs following the introduction of EVs. Some of the towns already implementing EV programs include South Pasadena, Pasadena, Santa Monica, and Culver City. Notably, South Pasadena made National News headlines after switching its entire police force to electric vehicles by leasing Teslas. City staff have identified several funding sources and financial assistance programs to help initiate the Municipal Fleet Electrification Plan. • The Hybrid and Zero-Emission Truck and Bus Voucher Incentive Project (HVIP) is a key program for public agencies looking to buy medium- and heavy-duty vehicles. HVIP provides point-of-sale vouchers that directly reduce the purchase price of eligible zero- emission trucks and buses, with incentives typically ranging from around $7,500 up to $120,000+ per vehicle, depending on the vehicle class. • The Carl Moyer Program could help fund the replacement of any older, high-polluting trucks in our fleet. For instance, if we have a pre-2010 diesel vehicle, we might receive a grant to retire it and replace it with an electric vehicle (EV). • The Mobile Source Air Pollution Reduction Review Committee (MSRC) runs a Local Government Partnership Program that offers grants to cities for zero-emission vehicles and infrastructure. In recent years, the MSRC program has (Continued on Page 3) Eileen Benson626.278.0187CalRE# 01880650Barbara Rogers626.484.8135CalRE# 01169115Not intended as a solicitation if your property is already listed by another broker. Affi liated real estate agents are independent contractor sales associates, not employees. ©2025 Coldwell Banker. All Rights Reserved. Coldwell Banker and the Coldwell Banker logos are trademarks of Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. The Coldwell Banker® System is comprised of company owned offi ces which are owned by a subsidiary of Anywhere Advisors LLC and franchised offi ces which are independently owned and operated. The Coldwell Banker System fully supports the principles of the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Opportunity Act. 40+ Years of Combined Experience Representing Buyers and SellersCharming 1922 Renovated Spanish Bungalow3 Bedrooms | 2.5 BathsApprox Square Footage 1,948 Sq FtLot size 12,500 Sq Ft | Price $1,875,0001650 E. Orange Grove Blvd. Pasadena, CA 91104 LET'S FIGHT SCAMS TOGETHER By Kellie Strubinski Scams are everywhere. Avoiding scams is easier than you think. Your first line of defense is to say "No" to all requests that you receive asking for money, information or offering you some type of assistance. Usually, these requests are accompanied with a sense of urgency. Beware. If you get a text, email, letter or phone call requesting money/payment or information that you didn't initiate, delete the text, email or hang up. If you get a solicitor at your door, either don't answer it if you don't know them or close your door if they want money or information that seems suspicious. If this makes you feel rude or disrespectful, that's OK. Now is the time to be "rude". Letters can be intercepted in the mail and deposit account numbers can be swapped out for fraudulent account numbers. Before sending money to an account in a letter, confirm the account number with the vendor. If you are unsure of the request, call the establishment directly to verify the request. Don't let Logos fool you into thinking the request is real. It is good to have a scam protector. Pick someone in your family or friend circle that you agree to contact when you are unsure of a request. Often a second opinion will help reveal to you that someone is trying to scam you. Get good at inspecting URLs and email addresses. Often the first characters look legitimate but the last characters do not. That can be the first red flag. Even if the URL and email address pass your tests, it is still wise to contact the vendor/establishment directly if something seems suspicious. If you get a ransom request or repair request (computer popup window) on your computer, turn your computer off and take a break before turning it back on. Be careful not to click on links that are questionable. QR Codes: If you can run your fingers over the code and it feels like a sticker, avoid it. Scammers put their own QR Codes over legitimate codes. Look into getting a RFID wallet to avoid people walking close to your wallet and electronically scanning payment from one of your credit cards. At ATMs, cover your hand when you enter your access code so that miniature cameras that scammers can place on ATM Kiosks can't record your fingers. Freeze your credit with the Credit Bureaus. It is easy to unfreeze when needed. (Continued on page 3) INSIDE THIS WEEK AROUND TOWNPage 2 SIERRA MADRE NEWS Page 3 PASADENA NEWSPage 4 AROUND SAN GABRIEL VALLEY Page 5 FIRE RECOVERY INFORMATION Page 6 EDUCATION & YOUTHPage 7 PUZZLES FOR YOUPage 7 FOOD-DRINK-FUNPage 8 Dining With Peter Dills The Tasting Room - Gustavo Lira BEST FRIENDS Page 9 THE GOOD LIFE Page 10 OPINION. Page 11 LEGAL NOTICESPage 12 SPORTS & FITNESS & MORE Page 14 Fitness For Life...............Michele Kidd Unlock Your Life............Lori Harris SUPPORT LOCAL BUSINESSSES Page 15 | |||||||||||||||||||
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Mountain Views News 80 W. Sierra Madre Blvd. #327 Sierra Madre, Ca. 91024 Office: 626.355.2737 Fax: 626.604.4548 www.mtnviewsnews.com |