Town Hall Meeting

The Ad-Hoc Finance Committee is seeking your input on the future financing of Public Safety Services. Come and hear a progress report from the Committee and share your ideas and opinions.

When: Saturday, September 29
Time: 9 am to 11 am
Where: Sierra Madre Room, Sierra Madre Recreation Center, 611 E. Sierra Madre Blvd.

Only in L.A.

I have been downtown at the court house doing my civic duty serving on a jury for the last few days. Fortunately the case was settled today, and my estimated 3 week trial, was only 3 days.

I have been enjoying riding the gold line into the city, walking all over the civic center at lunch time and getting a taste of the City of Angels. Mayberry can be a little simple at times.

So when I was on a break making my way out of the building in search of a Starbucks, who did I per chance run into (so to speak). Yes, the weirdo himself! Phil Spector. He is as creepy in person as he is on TV, and he is also quite short. It was surreal watching him walk by me with his entourage, bodyguard, attorneys, I did a double take.

What were the odds. Oh well back to Mayberry.

Good Eats

This sounds like fun!


8th ANNUAL CHILI COOKOFF
The Sierra Madre Chamber of Commerce invites contestants and the community to our 8th Annual October Chili Cookoff mixer to compete and sample twenty different hili recipes.

No host bar.

Admission: $10.00 for members / $15.00 for non members. Check or cash ok.

GET YOUR ENTRY FORM TODAY 626-355-5111 or WWW.SIERRAMADRECHAMBER.COM

THURSDAY OCTOBER 11, 2007

6:00 – 8:00 pm
Mary’s Market
561 Woodland in the Sierra Madre Canyon

Due to parking issues in the canyon, shuttle buses will be available beginning at 5:45 in the Mariposa Parking lot.

Sierra Madre Chamber of Commerce, 37 Auburn Blvd. #1, Sierra Madre, CA 91024 (626)355-5111

All the News, not fit to print

I actually stooped so low as to read that throw away that appears in my driveway from time to time. The PSN and SGVT have had not a thread of scut about sleepy sSierra Madre so I thought I would see what the crazies were up to, and sure enough.

Headline is “Water Abuse in Sierra Madre”. Well we all know that most of Southern California is under water restrictions, mandatory conservation. Some cities are taking it more seriously than others. I know that hotlines have been set up in neighboring Foothill Cities, and I reported the Rules & Regs here several months ago. Watering lawns and gardens between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. is prohibited, as is hosing down walkways, driveways, patios, etc. Only decorative fountains with recycling water systems may be operated. Washing machines and dishwashers should be run with full loads; automated car washes are preferred. Fix or report leaks promptly. Restaurants will provide water only when.

Well Susan Henderson of the mighty Throw Away, since she has nothing better to do obviously, has taken it upon herself to report that the developer at Carter 1 is legally buying water from the city! OMG! This is front page news in fact. A developer is buying water, thus creating revenue, for the City of Sierra Madre. And why is this important? Well because some concerned citizens are troubled that they will use up all our water, and what will we have to make our lemonade with?

That same citizen bothered to take a photo of the developer legally obtaining water from a meter that he legally obtained from the city at a cost and is paying $1.79 per unit. This crazy citizen should spend their time wandering around town between 10-4 and take pictures of all the people hosing down their driveways, watering lawns, and washing cars which at this point is illegal. That is the news, these people should be fined or sited.

But no, in this town which is dived by no development versus, really no development, lets pick on the developer who is legally doing his job. Or better yet lets stop all development all over town because of the water shortage!

Come on people!

That is why I call this rag the throw away. All the news not fit to print.

CaliforniaCityNews.Org

Interesting website that serves as a resource for blogging activity occurring in cities all over California. Both the FC and I got a mention, so did Rick Cole up in Ventura. They even have a "Gadfly Hall of Fame", how cool is that! So far the list of cities is not long, but I am sure that will change daily!

For Aaron

A Picture is worth a 1,000 words

Our favorite Blog has just diversified a bit. There is now a Foothill Cities Flicker Group. How cool is that! Of course I have joined. Go check it out. Photos can be contributed by any member, and pictures of anything conceivable in the foothill cities from Pasadena to Pomona will be allowed. Can’t wait as this site matures; It should be amazing as I think of all the talented bloggers who I am sure will contribute.

Guess I better put some fresh batteries in my Fuji and get out and about in town. *smile*

Breaking News......

Pancakes Build Local Park
The Sierra Madre Kiwanis Club will host its annual Pancake Breakfast fundraiser on Saturday, September 15 in Memorial Park. Breakfast will be served under the pergola, beginning at 7am, with service until 11am.

There will be plenty of pancakes hot off the griddle, plus sausages, coffee, and orange juice served to hungry Sierra Madreans. The cost is only $5 per breakfast.

The Pancake Breakfast is a major fundraiser for the Sierra Madre Kiwanis Club. Monies raised from this year’s breakfast will help pay for the new “pocket park” on Sunnyside Avenue, which will begin construction soon. Past Kiwanis projects have included computers for the library, improvements to Sierra Vista Park, tables and chairs for the Senior Center, the summer reading program at our local library, and other worthy causes in Sierra Madre.

Tickets are available at Webb-Martin Realtors on Baldwin Ave, from any Kiwanis Club member, or by calling Kiwanis Club President Hank Landsberg at 355-3656.

Observations

It seems for a City the size of Sierra Madre the ratio of people to a variety of things here is disproportionate. I have lived here over 10 years now and though my very thorough observations have concluded that Sierra Madre has an excess number of:

1. Men over 40 with pony tails
2. Volkswagon Buses
3. Hippies
4. Bears, deer, raccoons and skunks
5. Coffee shops
6. Churches
7. Bloggers
8. Websites
9. Wisteria Vines
10. Gadflys

Also during my search for some content to blog about came across some interesting statistics:

77% of residents are homeowners, 19% are renters, and the remaining 4% are vacant residences, a pied-à-terre perhaps?

Median income is $75,000. Median age is 42, with the 35-60 age groups making up about 40% of the population.

Disturbingly 86% of the population is white, so diversity is not a strong point; however 61% are registered Democrats.

I suppose I really fit right into the community based on these statistics. Oh, and I so wanted to be special!

P.S. Thanks Aaron for giving me the idea to compare things....

You Make the News!

Well things have been pretty quiet here is sleepy Sierra Madre lately. Other than the record setting temperatures this last week, not much has been going on. So if you are desperate for some SM news you can read the Impartial Analysis of the Police Officers Initiative (look under featured City documents), be forewarned its 55 pages. Or you can put the upcoming Ice Cream Social on your calendar, or you can mosey over to see what Bad Boy Jim is up too.

I missed the Bloggers Picnic due to unforeseen circumstances, looks like everyone had a grand time!

I have pretty much written only about SM news, or Canyon events on this blog. It seems with the lack of reportable events or hot topics here in town I need to diversify my content and perhaps start looking for some topics. I would appreciate some comments of things you would be interested in!!! HELP!