SATURDAY, MAY 16, 2015 VOLUME 9 NO. 20 SIERRA MADRE: - 24th Safest Statewide of Cities With Populations BARTOLAI’S NAMED 4TH OF of 10,000 or more. Topped ranked San Gabriel Valley City JULY GRAND MARSHALS There are many reasons why city of Sierra whatsoever.” Madre is considered a great place to live. 24. SIERRA MADRE Sierra Madre has had no murders Certainly, its’ village character is one You’ll find the safe city of Sierra Madre 13 miles south and ranks well below the national reason. Our independence is another. We of Los Angeles. For roughly a century, the Sierra Madre average when in comes to crime. have excellent schools and our own police Police Department has worked with citizens to keep the In the report, this is attribute and fire departments. We have our own community a safe place to settle. Leveraging the latest to the use of technology by the library. We have our own grocery store, technology, the department uses the free online service SMPD. hardware store, auto repair shops, coffee CrimeReports to give residents insight into what types of shops, florists, restaurants and much more. crime are happening in their community. In all, the safe Other San Gabriel Valley Cities However, if a survey were taken today, you city cited only 13 violent crimes for the year and only five that make the top 50 list are: would probably find that most residents other cities on our list reported fewer forcible rapes and Temple City - No. 37; La Canada consider safety their number one priority. fewer robberies. Flintridge – 43 and La Puente – And, according to a recent survey released Violent Crimes per 1,000: 1.17 46. by safewise.com, Sierra Madre ranks No. 24 Property Crimes per 1,000: 11.67 in the top 50 cities in the State of California The incorporated cities and and, based upon the survey’s findings, it is www.safewise.com unincorporated neighborhoods the safest city in the San Gabriel Valley! of the San Gabriel Valley with a population over 10,000 include: There are 482 cities in California that rates among several cities, we calculated the 38 million residents call home. Safewise chance of these crimes happening out of Altadena, Alhambra, Arcadia, Azusa, examined those cities with populations 1,000 people. Baldwin Park, Citrus, Covina, Diamond over 10,000 and evaluated recent FBI Crime Bar, Duarte, East Pasadena, El Monte, Report data. and compiled a list of the 50 “The average violent crime rate among Glendora, Hacienda Heights, Hillgrove, safest cities based upon the incidents of our safest cities was 1.12 per 1,000 people, Irwindale, La Cañada Flintridge, La Puente crime compared to the national average. and the average property crime rate was Monrovia, Monterey Park, Pasadena, “From there, we determined the number 11.32 per 1,000 people. That means the Rosemead, Rowland Heights, San Gabriel, of Violent Crimes, which are considered average safe city listed below experienced San Marino, Sierra Madre, South El Monte, murder, aggravated assault, robbery and 70 percent less violent crime and 60 percent South Pasadena, South San Gabriel, South forcible rape, as well as Property Crimes, less property crime than the typical U.S. San Jose Hills, Temple City, Valinda, consisting of burglary, motor vehicle theft, city. We were particularly impressed to Vincent, Walnut, West Covina and West arson, and larceny-theft that were reported discover that 42 of California’s 50 safest Puente Valley. in each city. Then, to create a level playing cities (84 percent) reported no murders. field and make it easy to compare crime And the safest city on our list, Hillsborough, S. Henderson/MVNews reported no incidents of violent crime SUSPECTS ARRESTED FOR ATTEMPT ROBBERY AND POSSESSION OF STOLEN PROPERTY Sierra Madre, CA. - On Wednesday May 13, 2015 at 04:00 AM a resident on Grove Lane heard noises in the front of his residence. The resident looked out the window and observed a suspect breaking into his vehicle. The resident went outside and confronted the suspect, who was now inside his vehicle, and a brief struggle ensued. The suspect had a large silver object in his hand which the resident felt was a gun. Fearing for his safety the resident backed away from the suspect allowing the suspect flee southbound to a dark colored SUV. As the SUV pulled up another The volunteers of the Sierra Commissioner, and then in suspect ran out of the residence south of the original victims and fled to the vehicle. Madre 4th of July Committee the 1980s and 90s as Mayor are pleased and excited to and Councilmember. In the Within minutes of the original call officers spotted the dark colored SUV traveling at a high rate of speed southbound on Baldwin from Sierra announce that the 2015 1960s he was a member of the Madre Blvd. A high risk traffic stop was conducted and three suspects were detained without incident. Stolen property and narcotics were located Fourth of July Parade Grand Sierra Madre Lions Club. He Marshal will be Sierra Madre’s is a Past President and current inside the vehicle. very own Nina and Clem member of the the Sierra Bartolai. Madre Kiwanis Club and was Police Chief Larry Giannone said “we discourage residents a founding member of the from confronting suspects for their safety but are glad the victim “The Grand Marshal is a Sierra Madre Community is okay. The quick response from the officers was instrumental person or persons whose Foundation. in apprehending these suspects and recovering the victim’s efforts over a long period property”. Police located additional property in the vehicle and of time has been beneficial Nina has served on the Senior will be attempting to identify other victims. to the community of Sierra Community Commission for Madre. The title of Grand over six years and has been a The three suspects are gang members and have lengthy arrest Marshal is intended to member of the Priscilla’s since records. All three suspects reside in El Monte and were booked honor a person or persons’ 1997. Throughout the years at the Pasadena City Jail. Bail for each is set at $50,000. volume of work, dedication both Clem & Nina have been Jesus Rojas (20) Geovany Martinez (19) Aaron Vazquez (33) and overall enhancements to active with the Sierra Madre our community.” Nina and Rose Float Assoc. Historical Clem have embodied these Society, SMEAC and Friends Inside this week: COMMUNITY INPUT SOUGHT TO characteristics for years. of the Library. CALENDAR Pg. 2 HELP BALANCE SIERRA MADRE’S This ultra civic Sierra Madre There isn’t a civic cause or couple have continued to local group they haven’t SIERRA MADRE NEWS donate time and service to the helped with. Together they Pg. 3/4 BUDGET Sierra Madre community for are committed to making over 60 plus years. They are the town of Sierra Madre PASADENA/ALTADENA With the reduction of revenue for the next fiscal | Community Garden | Community Newsletter | true examples of the Sierra the community we treasure year, July 1, 2015 through June 30, 2016, and the Coordinating Council | Special Event Permits | Madre spirit and continue to today. The Bartolais are Pg. 6 reality that Sierra Madre cannot sustain the level Contract Services: Aquatics, Recreation Classes, give back today. Sierra Madreans that make a ARCADIA NEWS of services it currently provides, Mayor John After School Youth Programs | Special Events: difference. Capoccia, Councilwoman Rachelle Arizmendi Huck Finn, MWTR, 4th of July, Summer Fun Clem was part of the first Pg. 7 led one of many outreach efforts to solicit input in the Park, Concerts in the Park, Movies in committee in 1964/65 to plan For more information MONROVIA/DUARTE from the community as to how the council the Park, Halloween | Staff the Community the first 4th of July Parade/ on all of the 4th of July Pg. 7 should balance next year’s budget. Services & Senior Community Commissions Celebration in Sierra Madre. Festivities, please visit www. On Tuesday, the presentation made to the Clem served the community sierramadre4thofjuly.com. Sierra Madre Kiwanis Club asked residents to (continued on page 4) as a Parks & Recreation SAN GABRIEL VALLEY review the city’s financial situations and let their Commissioner, Planning Pg. 8 elected officials know what services were most important to them; what services should be cut; suggest ways to increase city revenue and ideas TOTAL GENERAL FUND EXPENDITURES BEST FRIENDS on how to address the current situation. (In thousands, with transfers) Pg. 9 The Mayor noted that the city does have healthy reserves, however those funds are needed for emergencies such as the fires of 2008 or the EDUCATION & YOUTH windstorm on 2011. In each instance, because Pg. 10 of the size of our town and other factors, the city had to pay a portion (and for certain items all) FOOD & DRINK of the funds needed to repair the damages done. The current decrease in revenue, which is ARTS Pg. 11 projected to be approximately $600,000 for the next fiscal year and as much as an additional HEALTHY LIVING $1 million for the 2016-2017 fiiscal year is the direct result of the failure of residents to pass Pg. 12 the Utility User Tax modification in 2014. The GOOD LIFE current UUT will decrease to 8% for the 2015- 16 fiscal year and 6% the following year. Had Pg. 13 the ballot measure passed, the rate would have remained where it is today, at 10%. THE WORLD AROUND The presentation focuses of the city’s general US Pg. 14 fund, the unrestricted revenue that operates Sierra Madre.