SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2013

VOLUME 7 NO. 39

JASON WILLIAMS PROMOTED TO SMFD BATTALION CHIEF

SIERRA MADRE STORIES & TREASURES: 
OPENING CELEBRATION TODAY

Launching two new interactive digital storyboards at the Sierra 
Madre Public Library and Richardson House

Fire Chief Steve Heydorff is proud to announce the promotion 
of Jason Williams to the position of Battalion Chief for the Sierra 
Madre Fire Department effective September 20th, 2013.

 

Battalion Chief Williams has been with the SMFD for almost four 
years and brings a wealth of education, training and experience to 
the new position. Jason has been a full time firefighter and paramedic 
for 17 years and is currently working with the Orange County 
Fire Authority as a Fire Captain/Paramedic.

 

Jason has a Bachelor of Science Degree from Cal State Long Beach 
in Occupational Studies, as well as an Associate in Science Degree 
in Fire Administration from Santa Ana College, and two Associate 
in Science degrees in Fire Technology and Emergency Medical 
Services from Mt. San Antonio College.

 

Jason is California state-certified as a Type-4 Incident Commander, 
Chief Officer, Engine Boss, Fire Officer, Apparatus Operator, 
Firefighter-1 and Firefighter-2. Additionally, he has taken extensive 
classes in advanced incident command, rescue, structure and 
wildland firefighting through the National Fire Academy, National 
Wildfire Coordinating Group, and New Mexico Tech. He is also an 
advanced-level Terrorism Liaison Officer.

 

Jason, his wife Rena, and their daughter Zoe have been residents of 
Sierra Madre for nine years. He is very honored by this promotion 
and looks forward to continuing to give back to his community as 
a “Neighbor Helping Neighbors”.

 

Please join me in welcoming Jason Williams to his new position as a Battalion Chief with the Sierra Madre Fire Department.


Come enjoy the opening day festivities 
at the Sierra Madre Public Library 
and Richardson House on Saturday, 
September 28. Beginning at 10 am at 
Sierra Madre Public Library and continuing 
at 11 am at the Richardson 
House, this celebration highlights our 
grant-funded project featuring two 
innovative and interactive digital storyboards. 
Rediscover the rich history 
of Sierra Madre through this digitized 
platform displaying rare primary materials, 
historical images, and artifacts. 
Light summer refreshments will be 
served at each location. 

Sierra Madre Stories & Treasures 
digital storyboard project utilizes sensacells 
to activate content from a portable 
hard drive and delivers rare and 
fragile primary resources to tell Sierra 
Madre’s story in a meaningful and engaging 
way. Categories at SMPL’s Local 
History Room include Joy Ride, 
Locals, Trailblazers, Disaster Strikes, 
Surprise Me, and Historic Hometown. 
Topics at Richardson House include 
Happy Trails, Our Museums, Bushels 
& Blooms, and Growing Up.

Funded by the California State Library 
through the Library Services 
and Technology Act (LSTA) Pitch an 
Idea Grant, this digitized platform 
will increase accessibility to the local 
history collection and connect 
the community to its fascinating past. 
Using [i]Cell digital storyboards, the 
past comes alive as we offer Sierra 
Madre residents and visitors increased 
visibility and access to the unique materials 
that tell the story of our distinct 
California community. The project 
aims to raise awareness of both public 
institutions as centers for local history 
and offers an improved public space 
for scholars, students, and the general 
public. 

The Local History Collection at the Sierra 
Madre Public Library is built on a 
partnership between the Sierra Madre 
Historical Preservation Society and 
the Sierra Madre Public Library. We 
would like to thank our volunteers, 
and collection donors and lenders for 
their continued support and upkeep 
of the archival collection. 

The Richardson House and Lizzie’s 
Trail Inn museums are owned by the 
City of Sierra Madre and operated by 
the Sierra Madre Historical Preservation 
Society under a joint agreement. 
In 1974, the Society began restoring 
the Richardson House in Mount Wilson 
Trail Park and opened it to the 
public as a museum and repository of 
historical artifacts in 1976. 

The opening celebration is free and 
open to the public. It will take place 
Saturday, September 28, 2013: 10 
am at Sierra Madre Public Library 
and 11 am at Richardson House. Be 
sure to check our website for the latest 
updates. The Sierra Madre Public 
Library is located at 440 West Sierra 
Madre Boulevard in Sierra Madre. For 
more information please call (626) 
355-7186, or visit our website: www.
sierramadre.lib.ca.us.


CHANNEL 98 BEGINS REGULAR 
PROGRAMMING

 

 The Sierra Madre SMTV Committee recently announced through member John 
Johnson, that regular programming has begun. The schedule is a reflection of a 
survey taken last year by residents indicating the kimd of shows participants were 
interested in. As a result, the programming ranges from Children’’s Program from 
7-11 and a host of nostalgic dramas, westerns and comedies from the last 50 years 
of television. A complete guide guide can be found on pages 11 and 12 of this 
edition.

 

PREVIEW OF THE WATER & SEWER RATE 
STUDY - CORRECTED DATE

On Monday, September 30 at 6:30 in the City Council Chambers, 232 W. Sierra 
Madre Blvd. a preview of the Water & Sewer Rate Study will be presented to the 
community. At 7:00pm the City Council will convene to provide policy direction 
on developing the rate structure for presentation to the community under the 
Proposition 218 process. Please join to learn and provide freeback on this important 
process. 

Inside this week: 

SIERRA MADRE

COUNCIL APPROVES CONVERSION OF 
SINGLE FAMILYLOT FOR MULTIPLE UNITS

On Tuesday, the Sierra Madre City Council held a public hearing conduct a 
Public Hearing to approve a Conditional Use Permit and amend the city’s General 
Plan changing the use of the property at 215N. Baldwin from Residential 
Medium Density to Residential High Density. By so doing, the changes will allow 
the construction of two one-story multi-family dwelling units and a garage 
on the property. Currently there exists a a 3 bedroom, 2,145 sq. foot house. 
The new units will be 900 sq. feet each.

No fee waiver of permit fees were granted to the property owners.

Calendar Page 2

Sierra Madre News Page 3

PASADENA/ALTADENA

Pg. 4

Royal Court Tryouts

eCigarette Thief

WALKING SIERRA MADRE……THE 
SOCIAL SIDE By Deanne Davis

AROUND SGV Pg. 5

Foothill Gold Line Extension

Julie Andrews and Cal Phil

LWV Affordable Health Care Forum


Fall! It’s in the air! At last! 
Finally! Thought it would never 
cool off, that this was the year we 
would all just fry and be done 
with it. But there’s a pleasant 
breeze this week, the nights are 
cooler, walking ‘round town is 
delightful again and the stores 
and citizens are gearing up for 
Halloween. We are, too. It’s 
been Fall at our house since the 
first of September; my version 
of a rain dance, i.e., if I put up 
Fall, maybe it will cool off!

 Walking down Baldwin with 
my adorable husband, the 
incredibly patient John, we see 
giant trucks with enormous 
paver vehicles secured on them 
with chains to keep them from 
escaping. Sort of like you’d tie 
up your giant bull, if you had 
one. New asphalt on Carter. 
There are cute little patches of 
smoothed over places all over 
town. Less potholes!

 The girls at Sierra Madre 
Pilates on North Baldwin have put 
up their Halloween scarecrows and 
pumpkins. The Yellow Bus Gift Shop 
has had their window Halloween-ized 
for a couple of weeks and in just another 
week or so, we’ll see Sierra Madre kids 
all over Baldwin and Sierra Madre Blvd. 
doing their best to create terror in the 
town painting windows with ghosts 
and gravestones, witches and boiling 
cauldrons. Can’t wait!

 Walking further down Baldwin, 
there was another one of those paver 
machines, wearing a Halloween smile. 
Totally unintentional, we’re sure, but 
it’s kinda cute. The windows at Savor 
the Flavor, Leonora Moss and Brown’s 
Classic Interiors are filled with ghostly 
Halloween goodies. Go take a look!

 There are pumpkins for sale everywhere: 
Smart & Final, Trader Joe’s, Albertson’s. 
Why not pick up a couple and put ‘em out 
on your porch. The folks who grow the 
giant pumpkins up on East Alegria have 
picked theirs, put them away someplace 
safe and are probably dreaming up 
amazing new pumpkin sculptures to put 
on their lawn when Halloween descends 
upon that street. 

 Hunt up your hot spiced cider recipe 
and start thinking about making a big 
pot of chili! Fall is in the air and we’re 
so very glad to welcome the season 
of chrysanthemums, college football, 
turning leaves, Jack-O-Lanterns, 
witches, goblins and small children 
dressed as lions, tigers, and bears! Oh 
my!! Hey! Take a walk around town and 
enjoy our ambience!

NEW EENRC WISHES TO THANK 

CITIZENS OF SIERRA MADRE FOR 
WATER CONSERVATION EFFORTS

The newly formed Energy, Environment, and Natural Resources Commission 
met for the first time as an official city commission on Wednesday, September 
18 at 7 pm. The commission is made up of members of the former Tree 
Commission and those of the Green Advisory Committee. During the meeting 
it was brought to the attention of the commissioners by Bruce Inman, Sierra 
Madre Public Works Director, that the residents of our city have done an outstanding 
job in their water conservation efforts. In the month of August the 
city used 26.6% less water than it did in August of last year (2012). For the 
month of September we are currently 18% behind the amount we used last year 
by this same point in the month. 

The mandatory water conservation measure put into effect by the City Council 
in May 2013 to address the issue of the city's failing wells requires residents to 
cut water usage 10- 20%. The required percentage of conservation varies, depending 
on the customer’s water use during the period from July 2011 through 
June 2012. Customers consuming 0-12 billing units of water (0-1,200 cubic 
feet) will be exempt from the conservation requirements. Customers using 13-
17 billing units (1,300 – 1,700 cubic feet) are required to reduce their consumption 
by 10%. Customers using 18 units or more are required to reduce by 20%. 

The community deserves great praises for coming together during this crisis 
to help abate the situation and going above and beyond what they have been 
asked to do. These actions will not only help our current situation, but will protect 
our valuable water resources for future generations. For this the EENRC 
is very grateful!

If you would like to share any of your water conservation experiences or useful 
tips that you have discovered in your efforts to conserve, please email Kim Kelley 
through the contact link on the Mountain Views News' website. 

ARCADIA NEWS Pg. 6 

Assemblyman Hernandez 
Speaks

MONROVIA/DUARTE 

 Pg. 7

EDUCATION & YOUTH

 Pg. 8

FOOD & DRINK

ARTS & MORE

 Pg. 9



BEST FRIENDS Pg. 10

SMTV 98 Pg. 11-12

HEALTHY LIVING 

 Pg. 13

THE GOOD LIFE Pg. 14

Savvy Senior

Senior Happenings

This and That

THE WORLD AROUND US 

 Pg. 15

BUSINESS Pg. 15

SPORTS Pg. 16

ANNUAL OKTOBERFEST GOLF & 

TENNIS TOURNAMENT FUNDRAISER 
SATURDAY OCTOBER 19TH 2013 

It’s once again that time of year when the golf clubs are pulled out, the tennis 
racquets are restrung, and the day ends with some beer and brats! The City of 
Sierra Madre’s 9th Annual Oktoberfest Golf and Tennis Tournament fundraiser 
is right around the corner, and promises to be the best one yet. This year, the golf 
tournament will feature 3 hole-in-one mega prize holes with the opportunity to 
win a car, cash, or dream vacation! After the tournaments, come to our Oktoberfest 
Luncheon where you can win great prizes in our opportunity raffle, eat a 
wonderful meal provided by Matt Denny’s and have a beer specially brewed by 
Congregation Ale House.

LEFT TURN/RIGHT 
TURN/OPINION 

 Pg. 17

LEGAL NOTICES Pg. 18

FYI Pg. 24

CORRECTION/CLARIFICATION: In the September 21st edition of the Mountain Views News in the 
article on Lizzies Trail in, the name of the resident who was interviewed was spelled incorrectly. His name was reported 
as Bob Bolche. His name is Bob Vlcek. In addition, the Richardson House is not the oldest home in Sierra Madre. According 
to the SM Historical Presdervation Society President Amy Putnam, “Richardson House was built in 1890. Dick & 
Elva Johnson live in the oldest standing home in Sierra Madre, the Wilson-Bixby House, which was built in 1881. There 
are 14 other homes (besides the Johnson’s home) which are still standing and are occupied that were built prior to 1890.

 The original story was intended to give readers and potention visitors a glimpse of what they may encounter when they 
visit Lizzie’s. It’s a museum full of treasures and history where you are likely to encounter a local historian or two.


Read The Paper Online At: www.mtnviewsnews.com