It's extremely rare to see a mountain lion, but recently residents of Sierra Madre have reported a rise in sightings.

Mountain lions are solitary animals that would rather not have contact with us if at all possible, but living close to the foothills and hiking through areas where mountain lions live; sightings of the big cats are on the rise. They prefer secluded areas where there's plenty of cover and abundant game, mainly deer and elk. In the absence of larger prey; they turn to smaller prey, such as, frogs, rabbits, raccoons, bats, rodents and pets (dogs and cats). Mountain lions hunt during the day and night, but are most active at sunrise and sunset.

If you see a mountain lion on or near the trail, immediately stop walking, biking or running. Back up slowly and carefully. Keep your eyes on the cat so he is aware you have seen him and you're ready to fight if necessary, but you should avoid direct eye contact. You want the cat to see you as a threat and not as prey. Do whatever you can to make yourself look bigger and show the cat you are a force to be reckoned with to intimidate him. Keep your voice calm and talk loudly to the cat.

The City Council will be holding a public hearing to consider changes to the development standards that apply to the construction and remodeling of single-family homes. The City Council meeting will be held on March 26, 2013 at 6:30 p.m., in the City Council Chambers at the Sierra Madre City Hall located at 232 West Sierra Madre Blvd. The meeting is open to the public and there will be opportunity to make comments. Information regarding the draft amendments is available on the Development Services page.

Some of the major proposed changes include:

Medical emergencies are almost always stressful for the patient and everyone in the patient’s household. The time to assemble important medical information is before the medical emergency occurs rather than during the actual medical crisis. Medical information assembled in a period of calm is likely to be more accurate and more thorough than information assembled in a moment of crisis.

The File of Life program enables Sierra Madre residents to compile important medical information into one complete packet and make it available to the local paramedics in case of a medical emergency. The information is stored in a plastic envelope in the resident’s refrigerator, and a decal on the resident’s front window alerts EMS personnel that the information is available on the premises.

File of Life Packets, made possible by the Senior Community Commission, can be obtained free of charge at the Hart Park House Senior Center or Sierra Madre Fire Department. Instructions for completing the packet will be provided upon pick up. For more information, please call the Hart Park House Senior Center at 626.355.7394.

Winners of the Sierra Madre Public Library I Love My Library Drawing and Essay Contest were honored Tuesday, February 26th, by the Sierra Madre City Council. Library Trustee Pete Siberell read the names of the 17 outstanding young winners and Mayor Josh Moran gave them each a handsome certificate from the City.

The City Council Subcommittee on Water will be meeting Saturday, March 9th at 10:00 am in the Sierra Madre Room (611 E. Sierra Madre Blvd.) to discuss all things water including...