Mountain Views News, Combined Edition Saturday, May 18, 2019

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Mountain Views-News Saturday, May 18, 2019 

WALKING SIERRA MADRE by Deanne Davis

SIERRA MADRE POLICE BLOTTER


“Your education is a dress rehearsal for a life that is yours to live.” Nora 
Ephron

“The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.” 
Eleanor Roosevelt

“Your time is limited so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t 
let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice. And 
most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. Stay 
hungry. Stay foolish.” Steve Jobs

Yes, friends and 
neighbors, it is indeed 
graduation season and 
Friday before last I 
attended a really splendid 
one. My grandson, Luke 
Matthew Simon, was 
graduating from the USC 
School of Dramatic Arts. 
Already an accomplished 
actor/dancer/singer, 
Luke has appeared in 
many productions. 
This relatively small 
graduation, compared 
to the mass graduation 
that took place earlier in 
the day which featured 
thousands of graduates 
all wearing cap and gown, 
accessorized with donuts, 
coffee and gum, took 
place in Bing Auditorium 
and Luke’s mom, our 
daughter, Patti, got herself 
Uber-ed over there at 7 
a.m. to save us all seats for 
the graduation which started at 11:00 a.m. We were in the second row 
and thrilled to be there, also thrilled that the rain which threatened all 
morning didn’t materialize.

“Ranked as one of the top drama schools in the world and recognized as 
a leader in performing arts education, the USC School of Dramatic Arts 
nurtures artists who will lead, innovate and create the performance and 
storytelling of the future. Under the leadership of Dean David Bridel, the 
faculty and administration of the USC School of Dramatic Arts has begun 
to re-imagine and redefine what it means to train dramatic artists in the 21st 
Century without losing the rigorous foundational training that has been 
a hallmark of the School for over 70 years.” (From the commencement 
program.)

Dean Bridel welcomed the graduates and their families by saying, “Thank 
you! Bon Voyage! Your future begins today. You will turn success into 
triumph!” Needless to say, there was tremendous applause here. He 
continued, “Thank you to the faculty who have guided you the last four 
years, and to the families who have supported you through them.” Spirits 
were high, to say the least!

Two student speakers started the program: Angelica Sarkisyan (BA), 
told us that we need to be a good person. The most important lesson she 
learned was you can be a good person and help other people. And that you 
can give yourself permission to mess up! And to love yourself. That’s pretty 
good advice. The other young woman who spoke, Caroline Haskins (BFA 
– Bachelor of Fine Arts) shared that art brings light into darkness and to 
be ready to fuel dreams with a warrior mentality! She ended with: Class 
of 2019...Break a leg!! These two young women were confident, eloquent, 
inspirational and brief.

The main graduation speaker was Kristen Bell, currently starring in the 
NBC series, The Good Place, with Ted Danson. She also just finished 
recording the sequel to Frozen, which is scheduled to hit theaters this fall. 
She will also be reprising her role as the main character in Veronica Mars. 
She is tiny, gorgeous, funny, and the first thing she told us was that she 
dropped out of college. Kristen’s theme was to be nice, that she is nice, and 
it is amazing what can happen when you’re nice. She told us to listen just 
as fiercely as you want to be heard and that dividends of your kindness 
will appear exactly when you need them and to build your tribe of friends 
as they will keep you alive. Kristen’s remarks were just what these young 
people...and some of us not so young people... needed to hear.

The graduates each received their diploma to thunderous applause and a 
brief statement written by each one, read as they walked from their seat, 
thanking parents, siblings, professors, friends and, in one case, “my cat, 
Bobby!” Balloons were released, Pomp & Circumstance played and we 
were so proud of Luke, pictured here with Dean Bridel. 

Hoping that all the graduations that you attended were as terrific as this 
one was, with a great speaker who was inspirational, funny, and, best of 
all, brief.

My book page: Amazon.com: Deanne Davis 

Star of Wonder the CD is now on TuneCore! Take a look!

Blog: www.authordeanne.com

Follow me on Twitter, too! https://twitter.com/@playwrightdd

“Sunrises & Sunflowers Speak Hope” is coming soon!

May 5 to May 12, 2019

During this period, the Sierra Madre Police Department 
responded to 198 calls for service

Theft from a vehicle

Between 8:40AM and 9:00AM, on Monday, May 
6, a vehicle burglary occurred in the 100 block of 
E. Bonita Street. The suspect(s) entered the locked 
camper shell of the victim's vehicle and removed 
the victim's gardening equipment. The suspect(s) 
then fled the scene.

Traffic Collision

On Wednesday, May 8, a traffic collision causing 
minor injuries and involving 3 vehicles occurred in 
the 00 block of S. Lima Street at about 1:29PM. The 
driver's complaint of pain was evaluated by Sierra 
Madre Paramedics at the scene. The driver was not 
taken to a hospital and all involved parties left the 
scene after exchanging information.

Warrant Arrest

Officers picked up a subject from the Claremont 
Police Department at about 10:43PM on May 9, 
who had an outstanding warrant from the Sierra 
Madre Police Department. The subject was taken 
to Pasadena PD Jail. The on duty jailer searched his 
property and found that the subject was also in possession 
of methamphetamine.

Case to DA’s office

Suspicious Persons

Officers responded to the 200 block of Foothill Ave. 
at about 2:25PM on Friday,

May 10 regarding a suspicious vehicle occupied by 
2 males and 1 female. Upon further investigation, 
it was revealed that one of the male subjects was in 
violation of a domestic violence restraining order. 
The female subject was found to be in possession 
of medication without a prescription and she had 
an outstanding outside agency warrant. Both subjects 
were arrested and taken to the Pasadena Jail 
for booking. Case to DA’s office


KATIE Tse....This and That

BRAIN FIZZLES: 
EPISODE 5 “8-1/2”

 I’m so proud of myself! 
Despite having zero ideas for 
an article I still churned out 
another Brain Fizzle for your 
weekly pleasure. After four 
whole months my resolution of 
not recycling old articles is still 
live. (Patting my uninspired 
self on the back.)

 The idea for this week’s piece comes from one of 
my favorite movies, Federico Fellini’s cult classic, “8-
1/2.” Maybe “cult classic” isn’t the right description, 
but then “8-1/2” defies easy categorization. “Artsy,” 
is probably more like it.

 “8-1/2” is the kind of film moody teenagers 
gravitate to because they feel it speaks to their inner 
angst. At least that was my experience when I first 
saw it back in high school. It’s individualistic, yet 
universal. Primal, yet sophisticated. Unprincipled, 
yet moral. Essentially the human condition in a 
nutshell.

 The cinematography is great. Hopefully I don’t 
sound like a film snob. I really don’t know much 
about film, except that I know what I like. Movies 
should be like wine: we should enjoy what we enjoy 
without passing judgment or worrying about what 
others think.

 Getting back to the cinematography, this is a 
very visually appealing film. The attached photo 
is my favorite shot of the main character played by 
Marcello Mastroianni (rabbit ears added). Is it just 
me, or do you sometimes feel like he looks? I read 
somewhere that he had little sandbags stuck under 
his eyes to make them look puffy and bloodshot. 
Ha, I’m all over that look without any enhancement 
necessary! But seriously, to me everything comes 
together in that shot. The angle, the lighting, his 
expression. The pathos of it all. Sheesh, I’m starting 
sound like snob again.

 While at PCC I incorporated this picture of 
Mastroianni into a self portrait for an art class I was 
taking. They put our work up in the admissions 
building. Mine was right by where people lined 
up to wait for their forms to be processed. I’d be 
walking around campus and people would tell me 
they recognized me from their time in the line at 
admissions. My fifteen minutes of fame!

 Another thing I love about this 
movie is the dialogue. I quoted 
Mastroianni’s line in my portrait, 
“I have nothing to say, but I want to 
say it anyway.” Who knows if that 
translation’s even true to the original 
Italian. But it speaks to me today just 
as strongly as it did when I was 18.

 Such a universal longing. The 
understanding that your experience 
and insight probably isn’t new, 
exciting, or unique, but the desire to 
express it anyway. Maybe that’s part 
of what makes us human. Maybe 
that’s why I write for the paper. Till 
the next fizzle...


NEED TO TRASH BULKY ITEMS?

 Athens Services provides bulky waste collection for Sierra Madre 
residents with barrel service up to 4 times per year free of charge. 
Bulky waste includes large items that do not fit into barrels or bins 
such as:

• Water heaters

• Furnaces

• Bed springs

• Mattresses

• Dressers

• Couches

• Washers

• Dryers

• Stoves

• Tables

• Chairs

• Refrigerators

• Freezers

• Air conditioners

• Patio furniture

Items should be placed curbside (not in the street).

 

To schedule a pick-up, please call Athens Services at (855) 557-
1007, or complete a Request Services form ONLINE and select 
“Bulky Item Pick-Up.” Click Here to Schedule pickup. 

 

IMPORTANT NOTE: TO PROTECT CHILDREN, PLEASE 
REMOVE OR SECURE ALL APPLIANCE DOORS.

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