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Thursday, DECEMBER 19 - DECEMBER 25, 2013
Local cities attempt to put out e-cigarettes
Community News, Arts & Opinions Since 1996
San Gabriel Valley based non-profit 'Here to Serve' helps families of critically ill children
By SHEL SEGAL As the city of Temple City – along with the city of Los Angeles – is working to curb the sale of e-cigarettes, it appears that some of Temple City’s neighbors aren’t following suit. Officials from the west San Gabriel Valley cities of Arcadia, San Gabriel and Sierra Madre said earlier this week that they have no plan in the works to restrict the sale of e-cigarettes to minors. However, Jason Krukeberg, assistant city manager in Arcadia, said the situation could change as is warranted. “(Arcadia) is not currently working on any local ordinances to curb sales of e-cigarettes to minors, but Please see page 9
Sierra Madre residents plan protest vote Jan. 28 Proposition 218 written protest process begins The Sierra Madre City Council will hold a public hearing on Tuesday, January 28, 2014, at 6:30 pm in the City Council Chambers, City Hall, 232 W. Sierra Madre Boulevard, Sierra Madre to consider adopting an increase in rates for water and sewer fees. The first rate adjustment would occur on February 1, 2014, followed by increases on July 1, 2014, Please see page 16
Volume 18, No. 51
pasadenaindependent.com
Moody's downgrades Sierra Madre water revenue bonds to Ba1 from A3 $3M debt affected
needed non-medical assistance. “I am a mother and a wife who has been through
Moody's Investors Service, New York, has downgraded to Ba1 from A3 the City of Sierra Madre water enterprise's 1998 Revenue Bonds, of which there is currently about $3 million outstanding. The enterprise has an additional $8.1 million in outstanding debt not rated by Moody's but considered in their analysis, including $6.75 million Series 2003 parity bonds. The 1998 bonds are
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Two-year-old Hazel Hammersley plays with a stethoscope while undergoing a recent treatment. -Courtesy Photo
We all know what time of year it is. It’s a month of reflection, compassion, friends and family and celebrating the holidays. What most of us don’t know is
what it is like to face the holidays as a family with a critically ill child or parent of young children. Enter Here to Serve, an innovative and emerging
NSA phone surveillance program unconstitutional, federal judge rules
nonprofit based in the San Gabriel Valley that helps families year-round, that have loved ones who are experiencing a life-threatening health crisis, with much
It’s no Fish Story…
Sierra Madre Rose Float Association needs your help
Judge describes scope of program as 'Orwellian' According to the Associate Press, The National Security Agency received a momentous legal setback since the disclosures prompted by a former contractor, Edward Snowden, when a federal judge ruled on Monday that its majority collection of telephone records is likely to violate the constitution. Judge Richard Leon declared that collection of so-called metadata probably violates the fourth amendment, relating to unreasonable searches and seizures, and was "almost Orwellian" in its scope. Leon said that the mass
collection of phone metadata, revealed by the Guardian newspaper of London, England in June, was "indiscriminatory" and "arbitrary" in its scope. "The almostOrwellian technology that enables the government to store and analyze the phone metadata of every telephone user in the United States is unlike anything that could have been conceived in 1970," he wrote in his 68-page ruling. Leon also expressly denied the government’s claim that a 1979 Supreme Court case, Smith v MaryPlease see page 17
-Courtesy Photo
It is that time of year the Sierra Madre Rose Float Association (SMRFA) needs your help. Have you always wanted to help create a Rose Float? Have you helped in the past and look forward to
coming again? Get involved in the Sierra Madre community event by helping create the Sierra Madre Rose Parade float. SMRFA needs construction and decoration crew
members now and ongoing until the float is finished. Presently they are working on Saturdays and Sundays. The week between Please see page 7