SATURDAY, AUGUST 10, 2019 

VOLUME 13 NO. 32

Find a lender & get pre-approvedChoose an agent.
Choose a house & make an offer.
Schedule an inspection.
The lender schedules an appraisal.
Negotiate any repairs requested after 
receiving the inspectors report.
Sign escrow instructions.
Sign loan documents.
Conduct a final walk-through within 
five days of closing escrow.
The loan funds & the deed is recorded.
Collect keys from agent.
Move in.
Jan Greteman 626.975.4033jan@jangreteman.com 
jangreteman.com #01943630 
Judy Webb-Martin 626.688.2273jwmartin@dppre.com #00541631Katie Orth 626.688.0418korth@dppre.com #00942500The 
Homebuying 
ProcessWho We are:
Residents & business owners 
of Sierra Madre selling real estate 
since 1975 & proudly giving back 
to the community.
Your Story.
Your Home.
Your Team.
Together Stronger.
30 N. Baldwin Avenue, Sierra Madre 91024Contact Us for a FREEProperty Assessment.
THEWEBB-MARTIN GROUP
HAS SIERRA MADRE HAD ENOUGH?


Story and Photos By Rebecca Wright

On July 28, 2019 a white supremacist opened fire at the Gilroy Garlic Festival, 
killing three and wounding 12 others before he turned the gun on himself. Then, 
a week later, there were back-to-back shootings in El Paso, Texas and Dayton, 
Ohio, killing 22 and 10, and injuring 25 and 27 respectively. In light of these 
events, several local activists, as well as organizations like Moms Demand Action, 
Everytown, Move On, the Brady Campaign, and SMART (Sierra Madre Activists 
Rebuilding Together), held a candlelight vigil in Kersting Court on Wednesday, 
August 7 to honor the victims of those shootings. The vigil remembered as well, 
the shooting in a Mississippi Walmart on July 30, and the hundreds of other 
shootings this year and years past. This was just one of several vigils in the area - 
other locations included Pasadena and Claremont. 

Sierra Madre has become an activist community, and so there were many familiar 
faces at Wednesday’s vigil. Members of SMART like Kim Kissinger, one of the 
organizers, and local members of other organizations showed up in numbers, 
Moms Demand Action was also one of the groups that put on this vigil and many 
of the members showed up with their children to hold candles, honor the victims, 
and spread awareness. Sierra Madre Mayor John Harabedian, Maile Plan. a 
member of Congresswoman Judy Chu’s staff, and Vickere Murphy-a member of 
Senator Anthony Portantino’s staff were also present. 

The vigil started with attendees lined up along the curb at Kersting Court. People 
held signs and candles, and passing cars honked in support. Around 7:30 PM, 
some of the organizers took turns thanking those in attendance. One of the Moms 
Demand Action representatives read a speech that she had prepared, Mayor 
Harabedian spoke, as did the representatives for the Congresswoman and the 
Senator; Maile Plan said that Congresswoman Judy Chu is pushing the Senate to 
vote on a gun safety bill that has already passed in the House. Then, the 
mic was opened up to attendees who felt moved to share. Rudy Chavez 
took the mic and spoke, reminding everyone gathered that “we are all 
sisters and brothers…we need to fight for humanity.” 

For anyone looking to get more involved in events like this and to 
support the cause, one easy way is to text “Checks” to 644-33. This will 
put you in contact with the office of your senators and it will let them 
know that you support gun safety. You can also go online to the websites 
of organizations like Moms Demand Action, Move On, or Everytown to 
get involved with local chapters.


Photo courtesy MVNews Archives

The roots of the Sierra Madre Public Library date back to the 
early history of the City. The town’s first settlers valued the 
arts and literature while local citizens took on an active role 
in building this new community. Prior to organized police 
or fire forces, prior even to the official incorporation of the 
city, the settlers in Sierra Madre valued having a Library. The 
first Library was built 130 years ago on the same lot where the 
current Library stands today. The Sierra Madre Public Library 
is the fourth oldest

library system in Los Angeles County and the tenth oldest 
library operation in Southern California.

The current Library building, constructed in 1955, and is now 
over 60 years old. In spring of 2015 a committee was formed 
by the Library Board of Trustees, as prescribed by the 2014 
Library Strategic Plan, to research the current condition of 
the Library facility to identify deficiencies, needed repairs, 
and assess the overall condition of the building’s ability 
to serve into the future. The findings were reported in the 
Library Facility Master Plan which can be viewed at: http://
cityofsierramadre.hosted.civiclive.com/common/pages/
DisplayFile.aspx?itemId=7238478.

Sustaining libraries in a town like Sierra Madre takes the 
support of the entire village. And, although there are currently 
two other local organizations that play very important roles 
in the sustenance of the SMPL, the Foundation will address another 
aspect of continued support. Our current “Friends of the Library” 
raise current funds for the annual needs of the library. Their primary 
focus is on Special Events, such as the Used Book Sales, Annual Giving 
and the like to help supplement the Library’s annual budget.

On the other hand, the focus of the Sierra Madre Library Foundation 
will be to conduct Capital Campaigns as needed to support the larger 
financial needs of the Library such as Equipment, Technology and 
Furnishings and will have a major role once a new library is built. One 
of the Foundation’s major goals will be to build an Endowment Fund, 
primarily through Planned Giving, Bequests and other Estate Planning 
vehicles.

This isn’t the first time that such a Foundation has been considered. An 
attempt was made to create a Library Foundation in 2008, but other 
pressing Community needs took priority. Now, however, the problems 
of 2008 have become more acute and more expensive to address. The 
nucleus of the 2008 group has gathered together again to attempt to 
create a Foundation. Involved are Former Councilmen, Bart Doyle and 
Rob Stockly; retired Librarian, Toni Buckner: Library Trustees Patricia 
Hall and Dr. Rich Procter and retired Architect Fred Wesley.

The Foundation has applied to become a 501(C)(3) Non Profit 
organization with the Internal Revenue Service so donors will be able 
to deduct their gifts from Federal Income Taxes. Similar documents 
have been filed with the State of California.

To learn more about the Foundation and how to support it, contact 
Library Trustee Patricia Hall at fnphallnsm@aol.com



Saving Our Library: 

SIERRA MADRE LIBRARY 
FOUNDATION ESTABLISHED


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