Wednesday, January 21, 2009
LACDPW Issues Phase I Watch, City Goes on Yellow Alert
At 4:52pm, I received notice that LACDPW had issued a Phase 1 watch, and at 5:34pm, I was notified that the City has upgraded to a Yellow Flag Alert status. Both notices have now been posted at www.SierraMudre.Info.
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
City Upgrades to Green Flag Alert Status
Posted at SierraMudre.Info:
The National Weather Service has posted an 80% chance of rain for Wednesday, with enough precipitation to produce debris flows. Thus, the City of Sierra Madre has issued a Green Flag Alert. For more information please visit www.cityofsierramadre.com.
The National Weather Service has posted an 80% chance of rain for Wednesday, with enough precipitation to produce debris flows. Thus, the City of Sierra Madre has issued a Green Flag Alert. For more information please visit www.cityofsierramadre.com.
Friday, January 16, 2009
Reaction from local legislators re: State of the State
From Assemblyman Anthony Adams: Assemblyman Anthony Adams (R-Hesperia) offered the following comments in response to Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger's annual State of the State address, which he delivered to a joint session of the Legislature on January 15, 2009.
''There is no doubt the challenges before us are great. But great challenges provide the opportunity for great success. Now is the time for us to invoke the spirit of America's ''Greatest Generation'' and unite behind the call of individual sacrifice for the good of the whole,'' said Adams.
Adams said that he shared the Governor's commitment to working across party lines to craft honest and realistic solutions to avert California's looming cash crisis and get the state back on track. He said he agreed with the Governor that everyone - including the Legislature - should be prepared to make the sacrifices required to solving our growing budget crisis.
From State Senator Bob Huff: Senator Bob Huff (R - Diamond Bar) released the following statement after hearing Governor Schwarzenegger’s 2009 State of the State address which was delivered to a joint session of the Senate and Assembly earlier today.
“I applaud the Governor’s petition to the legislature to produce a sound and balanced budget before addressing the many other issues that plague California,” stated Senator Huff. “Vital infrastructure projects have already been brought to a halt, and people up and down the state are concerned about whether or not they will be paid. California’s finances must be brought under control or the consequences will be devastating.”
Senator Huff continued, “2008 was a tough year. A weakened economy, a decline in the housing market, and a lack of the Legislature’s will to rein in government spending has wreaked havoc on the hardworking taxpayers of California. As we look to 2009, I am encouraged that the Governor’s top priority will be to restore the foundation of our state’s fiscal house, for we are hamstrung by a budget crisis that dwarfs all other issues.”
“I remain committed to working with the Governor and my colleagues across the aisle to produce a fiscally responsible budget. We must strive to keep more money in the pockets of hard-working Californians and enact real budget reforms to keep this boom/bust cycle from happening again,” said Senator Huff.
“Looking beyond 2009, California lawmakers must prioritize spending and make each taxpayer dollar work to benefit California – that is how government continues to meet the needs of its citizens during an economic downturn. For this reason, I have authored Senate Bill 8, which requires state departments to utilize a performance-based budgeting program. California must institute long-term budget reform. We must ensure that every taxpayer dollar is being used resourcefully and efficiently,” concluded Senator Huff. “There is no alternative.”
From Supervisor Michael Antonovich: Los Angeles County Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich issued the following response to Governor Schwarzenegger’s State of the State speech today:
“The crisis our state faces in Sacramento highlights the need for structural reform that includes a 2-year budget, a part-time legislature, an end to legislation that costs more to pass than the recipient receives – as well as an end to term limits.
A 2-year budget provides local government a consistent funding stream for it to prepare its own financial agenda for public safety, schools, libraries and parks. In addition, a part-time legislature would enable citizen lawmakers to bring valuable professional experience to the legislative process. Term limits have created instability to the process and an inexperienced legislature that is unable to govern effectively.
Also, it makes no sense for the State Legislature to spend $500,000 just to pass a bill allocating $100,000 for a library or municipal program when local government could use the entire $500,000 and pay directly for these types of services.”
''There is no doubt the challenges before us are great. But great challenges provide the opportunity for great success. Now is the time for us to invoke the spirit of America's ''Greatest Generation'' and unite behind the call of individual sacrifice for the good of the whole,'' said Adams.
Adams said that he shared the Governor's commitment to working across party lines to craft honest and realistic solutions to avert California's looming cash crisis and get the state back on track. He said he agreed with the Governor that everyone - including the Legislature - should be prepared to make the sacrifices required to solving our growing budget crisis.
From State Senator Bob Huff: Senator Bob Huff (R - Diamond Bar) released the following statement after hearing Governor Schwarzenegger’s 2009 State of the State address which was delivered to a joint session of the Senate and Assembly earlier today.
“I applaud the Governor’s petition to the legislature to produce a sound and balanced budget before addressing the many other issues that plague California,” stated Senator Huff. “Vital infrastructure projects have already been brought to a halt, and people up and down the state are concerned about whether or not they will be paid. California’s finances must be brought under control or the consequences will be devastating.”
Senator Huff continued, “2008 was a tough year. A weakened economy, a decline in the housing market, and a lack of the Legislature’s will to rein in government spending has wreaked havoc on the hardworking taxpayers of California. As we look to 2009, I am encouraged that the Governor’s top priority will be to restore the foundation of our state’s fiscal house, for we are hamstrung by a budget crisis that dwarfs all other issues.”
“I remain committed to working with the Governor and my colleagues across the aisle to produce a fiscally responsible budget. We must strive to keep more money in the pockets of hard-working Californians and enact real budget reforms to keep this boom/bust cycle from happening again,” said Senator Huff.
“Looking beyond 2009, California lawmakers must prioritize spending and make each taxpayer dollar work to benefit California – that is how government continues to meet the needs of its citizens during an economic downturn. For this reason, I have authored Senate Bill 8, which requires state departments to utilize a performance-based budgeting program. California must institute long-term budget reform. We must ensure that every taxpayer dollar is being used resourcefully and efficiently,” concluded Senator Huff. “There is no alternative.”
From Supervisor Michael Antonovich: Los Angeles County Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich issued the following response to Governor Schwarzenegger’s State of the State speech today:
“The crisis our state faces in Sacramento highlights the need for structural reform that includes a 2-year budget, a part-time legislature, an end to legislation that costs more to pass than the recipient receives – as well as an end to term limits.
A 2-year budget provides local government a consistent funding stream for it to prepare its own financial agenda for public safety, schools, libraries and parks. In addition, a part-time legislature would enable citizen lawmakers to bring valuable professional experience to the legislative process. Term limits have created instability to the process and an inexperienced legislature that is unable to govern effectively.
Also, it makes no sense for the State Legislature to spend $500,000 just to pass a bill allocating $100,000 for a library or municipal program when local government could use the entire $500,000 and pay directly for these types of services.”
DREAD ZEPPELIN to Perform to Raise Money for Sierra Madre School
Dread Zeppelin will appear at the Sierra Madre School Auditorium in the First Annual Family Concert on Friday, Feb. 6th at 7pm. There will also be special appearances by The Late Bloomers and DC3. Funds generated will benefit the Sierra Madre School Annual Fund. For more complete information, click here to view the flyer.
Monday, January 12, 2009
Thomas Friedman Suggests Educator Tax Cuts
In Sunday's NY Times, columnist Thomas Friedman discusses the need for America to use part of the economic stimulus to change the current education system. Unlike California, where the latest plan is to cut five days out of the school year to save money, Friedman argues that money should be invested in education, so that more Americans will be prepared to create the innovations that will lead to a re-birth of American leadership. He also suggests that we should try to keep some of the foreign born students here in America, rather than educating them and then sending them home with their creative ideas.
"Over the next couple of years, two very big countries, America and China, will give birth to something very important. They’re each going to give birth to close to $1 trillion worth of economic stimulus — in the form of tax cuts, infrastructure, highways, mass transit and new energy systems. But a lot is riding on these two babies. If China and America each give birth to a pig — a big, energy-devouring, climate-spoiling stimulus hog — our kids are done for. It will be the burden of their lifetimes. If they each give birth to a gazelle — a lean, energy-efficient and innovation-friendly stimulus — it will be the opportunity of their lifetimes.
So here’s hoping that our new administration and Congress will be guided in shaping the stimulus by reading John Maynard Keynes in one hand — to get as much money injected as quickly as possible — and by reading “Rising Above the Gathering Storm: Energizing and Employing America for a Brighter Economic Future” with the other.
“Gathering Storm” was the outstanding 2005 report produced by our National Academies on how to keep America competitive by vastly improving math and science education, investing in long-term research, recruiting top students from abroad and making U.S. laws the most conducive in the world for innovation.
You see, even before the current financial crisis, we were already in a deep competitive hole — a long period in which too many people were making money from money, or money from flipping houses or hamburgers, and too few people were making money by making new stuff, with hard-earned science, math, biology and engineering skills.
Snip.
One of the smartest stimulus moves we could make would be to eliminate federal income taxes on all public schoolteachers so more talented people would choose these careers. I’d also double the salaries of all highly qualified math and science teachers, staple green cards to the diplomas of foreign students who graduate from any U.S. university in math or science — instead of subsidizing their educations and then sending them home — and offer full scholarships to needy students who want to go to a public university or community college for the next four years."
Right now I'm about halfway through Friedman's "Hot, Flat and Crowded." Frankly, I think the man has some darn good ideas....
"Over the next couple of years, two very big countries, America and China, will give birth to something very important. They’re each going to give birth to close to $1 trillion worth of economic stimulus — in the form of tax cuts, infrastructure, highways, mass transit and new energy systems. But a lot is riding on these two babies. If China and America each give birth to a pig — a big, energy-devouring, climate-spoiling stimulus hog — our kids are done for. It will be the burden of their lifetimes. If they each give birth to a gazelle — a lean, energy-efficient and innovation-friendly stimulus — it will be the opportunity of their lifetimes.
So here’s hoping that our new administration and Congress will be guided in shaping the stimulus by reading John Maynard Keynes in one hand — to get as much money injected as quickly as possible — and by reading “Rising Above the Gathering Storm: Energizing and Employing America for a Brighter Economic Future” with the other.
“Gathering Storm” was the outstanding 2005 report produced by our National Academies on how to keep America competitive by vastly improving math and science education, investing in long-term research, recruiting top students from abroad and making U.S. laws the most conducive in the world for innovation.
You see, even before the current financial crisis, we were already in a deep competitive hole — a long period in which too many people were making money from money, or money from flipping houses or hamburgers, and too few people were making money by making new stuff, with hard-earned science, math, biology and engineering skills.
Snip.
One of the smartest stimulus moves we could make would be to eliminate federal income taxes on all public schoolteachers so more talented people would choose these careers. I’d also double the salaries of all highly qualified math and science teachers, staple green cards to the diplomas of foreign students who graduate from any U.S. university in math or science — instead of subsidizing their educations and then sending them home — and offer full scholarships to needy students who want to go to a public university or community college for the next four years."
Right now I'm about halfway through Friedman's "Hot, Flat and Crowded." Frankly, I think the man has some darn good ideas....
Thursday, January 1, 2009
Congratulations to SMRFA and Float Designer Charles Meier on Four Award Winning Years!!
The Sierra Madre Rose Float Association and float designer Charles Meier were again awarded the Lathrop K. Leishman Award for Most Beautiful Non-Commercial Float. This is the fourth year in a row that the Sierra Madre float has been a winner. In 2008, "Valentine's Day" won the Princess' Trophy. In 2007, "Our Wonderful Wistaria" also won the Lathrop K. Leishman Award. In 2006, "Wonder of Reading" took home the Founder's Banner Trophy. All four floats were designed by Charles Meier. I interviewed Meier last January shortly after the third award, you can read that interview here. In January 2008, we ran the image above left as the front page on the now deceased SGV Weekly newspaper. If you click on that picture, you'll see a much larger version, with lots more detail. It is a 4mb image though, so it will take a minute to download. The image on the right is this year's float during its stopover at Kersting Court, click on it for a larger view, also. I'm heading down to the parade route to get some photos of the flo
at during the parade, but I have more photos of last night's stopover already posted at www.SierraMadreNews.Net with more still to come. In the third comment, a reader made a suggestoin that I'm sorry I didn't think of to post earlier, so I'll correct that now. SMRFA is always in need of donations, and if you are proud of the work they've done, and enjoyed seeing the float in the parade, become a part of it. Here's their application form and an address where you can send your donation:
Sierra Madre Rose Float Association
P.O. Box 603
Sierra Madre, CA 91025
Download the application form, and become a member
Please feel free to post your congratulatory messages for the SMRFA by clicking on the number of comments below this post. You do not need to sign up or register to post a comment.... A very big THANK YOU to all the donors, sponsors and volunteers who made Bollywood Dreams Sierra Madre's fourth winner in a row. Congratulations SMRFA, you've made us all very proud!!!
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