Mountain Views News, Combined Edition Saturday, January 2, 2021

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Mountain Views-News Saturday, January 2, 2021 

WALKING SIERRA MADRE - The Social Side 

by Deanne Davis


I think I may very well have written 2020 for the last time. I shall not miss this year at all. You 
probably won’t either. I don’t need to enumerate what was wrong with this last year, we’re all way 
too familiar with that so I’ll kick off 2021 with a few positive thoughts and a great recipe.

“Write it on your heart that every day is the best day in the year.” Ralph Waldo Emerson

“Let our New Year’s resolution be this: We will be there for one another as 

fellow members of humanity in the finest sense of the word.” Goran Persson

“Your success and happiness lie in you. Resolve to keep happy, and your joy and you

shall form an invincible host against difficulties.” Helen Keller

And a little word from The Word can’t hurt either: 

“Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again – rejoice! Don’t worry about anything; instead 
pray about everything. Tell God what you need and thank him for all he has done. Then you will 
experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand…And now, dear brothers 
and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and 
pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.” 
Philippians 4:4-8

Speaking of things that are excellent and worthy of praise, if you didn’t read that great story 
on the front page of last week’s Mountain Views News by Craig Haikola, “The Angels of Life,” 
you need to go back and read it. More positive thoughts. Also, the “Portrait of our Neighbors” 
by Stuart Tolchin featuring our editor, Susan Henderson, was wonderful. I like Stuart Tolchin’s 
articles and this one is superb.

Many people like to start their New Year’s with black-eyed peas, a Southern tradition for good 
luck and prosperity. In years past, my family liked to kick off the New Year with Split Pea Soup. 
Easy to make, do it ahead of time, and if you’ve planned ahead, you can make enough to keep 
hungry folks happy all day long, provided you can have anybody over to eat. You can double 
and triple this recipe with great success, if your pot is big enough. It also freezes well.

Anything that might bring us good luck is a good idea. So is this soup.

Split Pea Soup

1 package split peas (these are found in the market aisle where rice, noodles, beans, etc. are 
located)

4 ham hocks (usually packaged 2 to a package in the meat section) or a ham shank, or the 
ham bone left over from Christmas.

3 medium-size onions – actually there’s no such thing as too much onion!

6-7 good size carrots (or a package of baby carrots)

1 good size bunch of celery

Salt, Pepper

Split pea soup is an opportunity to creatively express yourself. There are few rules, just a few 
suggestions:

Get out your really large pot and 
put the ham hocks or the ham bone 
in the bottom. Throw the peas on 
top of that, followed by the onions, 
carrots and celery which you’ve 
washed and cut into big chunks. 
Cover all this with water, or a 
combination of water and chicken 
broth. Say about 8-12 cups of water. 
Season with salt and pepper and 
whatever else you like. If you’re 
partial to thyme, put some in there. 
Or Mrs. Dash.

Cover your pot and put in the oven 
at about 300 degrees. Leave it in 
there for about four to six hours, 
or till the peas have become very 
tender. Take it out and let the 
mixture cool to where you can 
handle it without burning yourself. 
Remove the ham hocks or ham 
bone and set them (it) aside.

Assemble your blender and blend 
your lukewarm soup/veggie 
mixture into a smooth puree. Put 
this into a large container with a 
cover, like your crock pot. When 
all your soup is pureed, remove 
whatever meat is on your ham hocks or ham bone, tossing out all fat and other non-meaty parts 
and put the meat back into your soup. Refrigerate. Let it sit for a day or so to develop flavor, 
reheat it and stand back so the hungry relatives don’t run over you as they rush to grab a bowl 
of the best split pea soup anywhere. You could make some cornbread or corn muffins to go with 
your soup and everyone who has some will love you forever, getting your New Year off to a great 
start! Notice all my positive thinking here.

The picture is the 2019 Kersting Court snowman. As of today there isn’t one but this guy is so 
snowpersonable he deserves to make another appearance.

Happy New Year, dear Walking Sierra Madre friends. Here’s hoping the schools open again some 
time soon; and that we can go to the movies safely again; and eat out; and hug people. There’s 
the one I want the most, to hug people again. Raise of glass of relatively decent champagne to 
2021! It will be a wonderful, joyful year.

 My book page: Amazon.com: Deanne Davis

Christmas is just a few days past and my book:

“Sunrises and Sunflowers Speak Hope” 

Would be a really nice gift for anyone you’ve suddenly remembered.

You can find it on Amazon.com and they’ll even send it for you!

“Star of Wonder” a delightful Christmas Kindle story is there, too.

If you’d like a little preview, take a look at: https://youtu.be/Ka1KYrONrd0


CHRISTMAS TREES ARE 100% RECYCLABLE! 

Athens Services will collect Christmas trees at the curb from 12/26/2020 to 1/8/2021 this on 
your normal pickup day. Trees are delivered to various land-fills to be used as mulch or cover 
material, or to Athens’ American Organics compost facility in Victorville. 

Tips to ensure your tree is properly collected:

Remove stands, ornaments, lights and tinsel. 

Place holiday trees next to your regular trash containers. 

Trees over 6 feet in length must be cut in half. 

Trees with flocking or fire retardants ARE acceptable.

If you miss the date for recycling, please cut up your tree and place it in your yard waste 
container(s).

Please help keep our parks clean and safe during the holidays. If you see anyone illegally 
dump-ing holiday trees, please call your city’s Police Department.


SIERRA MADRE POLICE BLOTTER


December 13, to December 26, 2020 During this period the Sierra 
Madre Police Department responded to 503 calls for service.

Thefts from vehicles

Sometime between11-
25-20 at 
10:00AM and 12-4-20 
at 8:00AM, unknown person(s) cut away the catalytic 
converter from her vehicle as it was parked in the 100 
block of Santa Anita Court.

Case to Detectives

On 12-17-20 at 9:25AM, officers were flagged down 
by a motorist in the 700 block W. Grandview Ave. 
The victim advised that his ladder was taken from the 
back of his pickup truck that was parked in front of 
a residence.

A report of stolen property was filed by a driver that 
returned to her vehicle parked to the rear of businesses 
at 12:30PM, in the 300 block of W. Sierra Madre 
Blvd. that it had been ransacked and several personal 
items had been stolen.

Case to Detectives

A resident reported on 12-22-20 at 8:45AM that unknown 
suspect(s) smashed the victim's vehicle window 
parked in the 200 block of E. Sierra Madre Blvd., 
entered and removed the victim's property. No suspect 
or vehicle was seen.

Case to Detectives

Theft from a business

On 12-19-20 at 1:00PM a report was filed of the theft 
of several donation boxes from the Women’s Club 
in the 500 block of W. Sierra Madre Blvd. Case to 
Detectives

Hit and Run

Officers responded at 3:00PM to a hit and run involving 
an unoccupied parked vehicle in the 00 block of 
W.Sierra Madre Blvd. The suspect's vehicle left the
location in an unknown direction of travel. Area
checked for cameras, witness, or signs of evidence
and met with negative results.

Vehicle Tampering

Victim reported that in the 00 block of Esperanza
Ave. sometime from 12-21-20 to 12-22-20 at 5:30PM, 
unknown suspect(s) smashed front right passenger
window and ransacked the inside of the vehicle. No
property taken.

Non-Injury Traffic Collision Officers responded to a
non-injury traffic collision that occurred on 12-23-
20 at 4:54PM at the intersection of Baldwin Ave and
Esperanza Ave.

Residential Break-in Officers responded to a residential 
burglary in progress in the 400 block of Fairview
Terrace on 12-23-20 at 7:06PM. Officers arrived but
did not locate any suspects on the premises or in the
area. A shattered sliding door was discovered on the
west side of the property that was used to make entry 
into the house. The suspect(s) fled the scene in an unknown 
direction. Case to Detectives

Trespassing On 12-24-20 at 9:51PM, in the area of 
the 700 block of Baldwin Court, officers on patrol 
observed a vehicle trespassing on a private road. Following 
an interview of the occupants of the vehicle, a 
20 year old male was cited for being in possession of 
alcohol. Case to DA’s office


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