Hundreds Attend Meet the Author Event
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SATURDAY, JANUARY 31, 2015 VOLUME 9 NO. 5 HUNDREDS ATTEND MEET THE AUTHOR EVENT EMERGENCY DEMOLITION MORATORIUM PASSED After hours of public could begin the demolition of However, Gina Felikian, whose comment and discussion the house which some have property will be delayed by the among the council members, deemed as historical. moratorium, reminded the a unanimous vote enacted a 45 Also offering differingcouncil that none of the owners day Demolition Moratorium of perspectives were Former of the four homes that were in any residence in Sierra Madre Mayors Clem Bartolai and Glen the ‘pipeline’ were developers. built before 1940. Lambdin. Bartolai was for She stated that it was clear With a full chamber of the moratorium and Lambdin that the town did not want residents both for and against expressed concerns on its developers but, “But not once the moratorium, speaker after impact on individual property did I hear that you did not want speaker, united in their desire owner’s rights. families”. to maintain the small town The Ordinance was proposed In the end, the council character of Sierra Madre, in an effort to preventunanimously passed the brought forth their differing developers from destroying Moratorium with exceptions opinions. Four of the most historic homes and replacing that will spare two of the compelling speakers were the them with structures that do four homes that have already families currently with projects not fit the diverse, yet size and submitted applications for “in the pipeline” that would be style appropriate residences permits. The project on E. halted. All had been working in Sierra Madre. Reference Miramonte along with the on building their homes for after reference was made to project on Rancho will be on years and the most controversial the ‘supersized’ structures hold for the next 45 days. demolition project, 126 E. in Arcadia and how no one The full emergency ordinance Montecito, was only days away wanted Sierra Madre to become can be found on page 14. from completing the 30 day subject to the same type of waiting period before they development. S. Henderson/MVNews HISTORICAL FIRE HORN RESTORED Starting on Monday, February 2nd, the 75 year-old Fire Horn will once again be heard throughout the community on a daily basis. The Horn, which is located on North Baldwin Avenue Jan Reed examining A Foothill Village at the SMHPS table Photo by Diane Sands within the East Montecito Public Parking Lot, will be blown By Diane Sands Patris and Steve Crise (writer and photographer every day at 5:00pm. During emergencies, the horn will go off in Last Saturday, the 24th, 300 visitors packed respectively of Mount Lowe and local railways). a series of three blasts. When residents hear the three blasts, they should take a moment to become aware of their surroundings, Pritchard Hall at Sierra Madre Congregational Many of these experts sold out of their volumes and tune in to the City’s Emergency Radio Station AM 1630 for Church to see and hear the most renowned by the conclusion of the “Meet the Authors” information. historians and authors specializing in our San sponsored by the Sierra Madre Historical This restoration project is the culmination of an idea from Sierra Gabriel Mountains. There was a great demand Preservation Society and First Water Design Madre Kiwanis Club members including Hank Landsburg, to visit with, and buy signed books from, John (designer of books written by four of the authors). George Maurer, and Joe Pergola to enhance the City’s emergency Robinson and a dozen other notables. The event that began at 1 p.m. paused for a communication abilities. In April of 2008, many hillside residents of Sierra Madre were faced with approaching flames of In addition to Robinson (writer of the definitive lively hour-long panel discussion at two o’clock. the Santa Anita Fire. The premise was that during a major disaster books on the history and trails of the San Gabriels Jeff Lapides of First Water Design, the event’s or emergency, the Fire Horn could be sounded manually and and our own Mount Wilson Trail), the authors organizer, moderated and posed questions, some residents would be able to tune into a City low-power AM radio were Michele Zack (our town’s centennial book), of which came from those in the audience. station, which would be powered by emergency generators. The Elizabeth Pomeroy (John Muir and San Marino), Amy Putnam, president of the historical society, Kiwanis Club, along with community volunteers, began raising Nat Read (Don Benito Wilson), Glen Owens thanked the authors and welcomed her special the funds and the new emergency radio station, AM 1630, was completed in 2011 and proved to be a valuable communication (Big Santa Anita Canyon), Christopher Nyerges guest, Jan Reed, former editor and publisher tool during mudslide events that followed the Santa Anita Fire and the major windstorm event. Currently the (whose weekly column graces these pages), Willis of the Sierra Madre News from 1983 to 1997. radio broadcasts city and community events and programs in the absence of emergency messages. Osborne (Mount Baldy and San Antonio Canyon), The historical society sold many copies of the When computer aided dispatch technology was installed in 1999, the use of the Fire Horn as a secondary system Paul Rippens (Henninger Flats, Mount Lowe, new edition of Reed’s 1997 coloring book, A was abandoned and the Horn was no longer tested. Shortly thereafter, and number of residents signed petitions Saint Francis Dam), Harrison Scott (historian Foothill Village. Putnam presented the authors and created t-shirts in support of reactivation of the horn for nostalgic reasons. The campaign was successful, and and crusader for the Ridge Route), Chris Kasten complimentary jams donated by E. Waldo Ward, again the Fire Horn was sounded daily until its equipment became unreliable. There are countless donors and supporters that are responsible for the Fire Horn’s return. The City would (cartography and Sturtevant Camp), Norma and she offered cookies for the event that were especially like to thank the Kiwanis Club, George Maurer, Hank Landsburg, Joe Pergola, Gary Hood, Mark Rowley (Forest Service personnel in the Angeles baked by Poppy Cake Baking Co. Kennedy and his Post Alarm technicians, Debbie Henderson, Fire Department and Public Works Department for National Forest over the years), and Michael returning the historical Fire Horn back to life on its 75th anniversary. Inside this week: SIERRA MADRE LOCALS ARE STANDOUTS AT THIS YEAR’S NAMM SHOW SERVICES FOR LONGTIME SIERRA MADRE By Dean Lee RESIDENT RUTH A. PICKETT TO BE HELD ON CALENDAR Pg. 2 FEBRUARY 3RD SIERRA MADRE NEWS Each January, the Who’s Who the largest guitar companies in size,” Rich Seymour said. ”I Pg. 3 in the music world make a, the U.S.” Along with Listug, Bob imagine, on a lot of levels, we Ruth A. Pickett, metaphorical, pilgrimage like, Taylor founded the company in are as complicated as a Home 97, passed journey to Anaheim for the 1974. Depot, yet we don’t have an IT away peacefully in PASADENA/ALTADENA NAMM (National Association Rich Seymour said Taylor department. “ of Music Merchants) trade show Guitars have always been an The software would allow them her home January Pg. 4 and this year was no different innovator and this year was no to control inventory and track 23, 2015. Ruth was for Sierra Madre residents Tom different, “They have changed sales along with repair and born in Fallriver, AROUND SGV and Rich Seymour, owners of the way guitars are built.” He service, lesson/appointment Massachusetts in Pg. 5 the legendary Fret House music said. “They have developed a new scheduling, sales contracts and 1918. She then store in Downtown Covina. pickup system [the Expression rentals. moved with her Although the show, held at System Baby pickup in the line The two longtime Sierra Madre family to Sierra ARCADIA NEWS the Anaheim Convention of travel guitars] a design that’s residents said most people in Madre in 1923, where Center, features over 600 she lived for a great MONROVIA/DUARTE exhibitors, everything from part of her life. She Pg. 6 DJ equipment to collectable spent the last 20 years living in Glendora. Ruth Pickett, right, with “Lizzie” at 2014 violins to synthesizers, it was SMHPS Chicken Ravioli Dinner the traditional guitars Tom and In Sierra Madre, EDUCATION & YOUTH Rich Seymour were looking for she was a member of the Priscillas organization for 45 years. She Pg. 7 —both acoustic and electric. was lovingly known as “Little Ruthie. She used to share so many “Guitar players are unique, stories of the old days of Sierra Madre, from riding the Red Car, to so many of them tradition her marriage to Ken Pickett, to spending time with Lizzie of Lizzie’s FOOD & DRINK bound, a lot of them don’t want Trail Inn, to changing linens for her Uncle at Orchard Camp. She Peter Dills anything that was designed always considered Sierra Madre her home town. Pg. 8 after 1957, period, Rich Ruth’s dad was a fireman in town. She and her husband lived Seymour said. As an example, through the depression in Sierra Madre. Her uncle for a time HEALTHY LIVING Tom Seymour took down, from owned Orchard Camp, and his store display, a new Fender she and her cousin spent Pg. 9 Stratocaster they had ordered at many summer weekends BEST FRIENDS NAMM. The striking sapphire up there having the time blue Fender sandblasted ash of their life, never realizing Pg. 10 guitar had a design identical that they were the maids! as ARTS & to Stratocasters made decades they changed linens, helped ago.