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Firefighters Pancake Breakfast

May 12 is the annual pancake breakfast at fire station 101, 141 E Lemon, sponsored by the Monrovia Firefighters Association.. From 7-11 a.m. there will be a bounce house, live demonstrations, a Jr. Firefighter challenge and pancakes.  $5, kids 3 and under eat free. Proceeds benefit Monrovia charities. 

- Brad Haugaard 

Council Will Consider Buying More Water

The City Council will get an update on water consumption during a study session at 6 p.m. prior to its regular session this coming Tuesday, then at 6:30 will honor graduates of the Monrovia Area Partnership Youth Leadership Academy. 

During its regular session at 7:30 (agenda: https://goo.gl/6THK3c) the council will consider spending $734,160 to lease 1,000 acre feet of Main San Gabriel Basin water production rights from the Azusa Valley Water Company and the Main San Gabriel Basin Watermaster “to meet our current customer demand.” https://goo.gl/Tfs15U

- Brad Haugaard 

Origin of ‘Two Buck Chuck’

An interesting story in Reader’s Digest on the origin of Monrovia-based Trader Joe’s Charles Shaw wines, more popularly known as “Two Buck Chuck.” https://goo.gl/NxpwKc

- Brad Haugaard 

Free Compost and Mulch Today

Free compost and mulch, today, April 28, 8 a.m. to noon at Monrovia Public Works Yard, 600 S. Mountain. Self serve. Bring ID or Athens bill, sturdy container. Shovels provided. While supplies last. Compost is a blend of organic material, including food waste.

- Brad Haugaard

Rocket Launch Visible on May 5

On May 5 there will (probably} be a Vandenberg Air Force Base rocket launch visible from Monrovia, as long as you can see north to south 1/3 up from the horizon at 4 a.m.

InSight, NASA's next lander on Mars, will launch May 5 at 4:05 a.m. (3 hour window), then several minutes later each day for about a month if the launch is no-go on the 5th. 

Source: Jane Houston Jones of the Old Town Sidewalk Astronomers

- Brad Haugaard 

Breakfast at Mimi’s


Breakfast at Mimi’s, at the corner of Mayflower and Huntington. Got the Pork Sausage and Eggs for $9.99 and coffee for $3.49. Very tasty. 

- Brad Haugaard 

Citrus College Offering Low-Or No-Cost Enrollment

Local students will soon be able to enroll at Citrus College, which serves Monrovia, for little to no cost through Citrus College Promise, a program designed to cover enrollment fees and other college costs for first-time students.

To be eligible for the Citrus College Promise, high school seniors must participate in Citrus College's Early Decision program at a district high school. Home school and private school students who live in the college's service area and have signed up for an on-campus Early Decision event are also eligible.

- Brad Haugaard

Fritz Coleman at Fundraiser for Foothill Unity Center

Fundraiser for Monrovia’s Foothill Unity Center on June 2, 6 p.m. at The Ice House in Pasadena. Tickets $20 - $27. Fritz Coleman “proves that aging isn’t pretty….but, it’s funny!” Tickets: https://goo.gl/gxTBrd

- Brad Haugaard 

Pirate Themed Fundraiser at Mayflower School Tomorrow

Mayflower Elementary's PTA will hold an Anchors Away Family Fun Night tomorrow, April 28, 4 p.m.-8pm.  This Pirate theme event will include games, music, bingo, food trucks, silent auction and more. The school is at 219 N. Mayflower Ave.

Landlubbers of all ages are invited to help celebrate, as the school sets sail into Spring to raise funds to enhance children's education. "Money from this event will assist with literacy programs, afford to send children on field trips and assist with ensuring classrooms have needed supplies" said Faith Mellinger, Mayflower PTA president." We invite all the community to help their local school by joining us on this special night," she added.

Pre-event donations of $8 per person include unlimited rides, games, and bingo can be made through Eventbrite at

www.eventbrite.com/e/mayflower-family-fun-night-tickets-440-2463553?ref=estwevent

Or, at the Friday Monrovia Street Fair during the month of April.  Tickets will also be available at the door.

A suggested donation per person at the door is $5 and cost for unlimited rides will be $10. Bingo is $20. Children under the age of 5 are free.  Food and other activities are not included in either entrance donation.

Sponsorships and volunteer opportunities are also available.  For more information, to give a donation or to learn more about how you can support Mayflower PTA, visit the Mayflower PTA Facebook page at Mayflower PTA.

- Brad Haugaard

Bill By Monrovia's State Senator Would GPS-Monitor Paroled Burglars

Senate Bill 1266, by Monrovia's State Senator, Anthony Portantino, would require anyone convicted of burglary to be subject to GPS monitoring as a condition of parole. Upon release law enforcement would monitor the offender's activity. The bill has passed committee and now goes to the Senate Appropriations Committee.

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Police: Drunk Socks Cop; Safe Stolen From House; Burglar Returns - Caught; Etc.

[Monrovia Police activities from the Police Department's Neighborhood Watch Report for April 19-25. - Brad Haugaard]

During the last seven-day period, the Police Department handled 462 service events, resulting in 80 investigations.

Injury Traffic Collision
April 19 at 7:34 a.m., a bicyclist in the 400 block of W. Duarte was riding along the north sidewalk, when a motorist exited a business parking lot and struck the bike. The bicyclist fell to the ground and sustained no visible injuries, only minor pain.

Shoplifting – Suspect Arrested
April 19 at 7:51 p.m., a male subject entered a store in the 1600 block of S. Mountain and removed items from a shelf. The subject ran out of the store without paying for the merchandise. He was stopped by store security and the police were called. Officers arrived and took custody of the subject.

Warrant – Suspects Arrested
April 19 at 9:18 p.m., an officer was patrolling the 1800 block of S. Mayflower when he saw a vehicle in front of him commit a violation. He conducted a traffic stop and contacted the occupants. A computer check revealed two of the occupants had warrants and they were arrested and taken into custody.

Under the Influence of Narcotics – Suspect Arrested
April 20 at 1:20 a.m., an officer was patrolling the 1600 block of S. Myrtle when he saw a male subject in Station Square Park after closing hours. He contacted the subject and found the subject to be under the influence of narcotics; he was arrested and taken into custody.

Warrant – Suspect Arrested
April 20 at 3:21 a.m., officers were extra patrolling the 500 block of S. Myrtle when they saw a suspicious female subject. They stopped the subject, and a computer check revealed she had a warrant. She was arrested and taken into custody.

Residential Burglary
April 20 at 7:27 a.m., a resident in the 1200 block of Sherman reported that her brother had just forced his way into her home and had taken money. Officers responded and located the male subject outside the home. After an investigation was conducted, he was arrested for burglary.

Battery Against a Peace Officer – Suspect Arrested
April 20 at 9:43 a.m., an employee of a business in the 200 block of E. Duarte reported a male subject trespassing. Officers arrived and located the subject inhaling intoxicants. They approached the subject, who swung his fist and hit one of the officers in the face, causing an injury. The subject was arrested.

Residential Burglary
April 20 at 11:31 a.m., a resident in the 400 block of Highland returned home and found her front door had been forced open. She entered her home and discovered it was ransacked and her safe had been stolen. Officers responded and searched for suspects, but were unable to locate any. This investigation is continuing.

Shoplifting
April 20 at 9:42 p.m., a male subject entered a store in the 100 block of W. Foothill. He removed several bottles of alcohol from a shelf, then fled the store without paying for the merchandise. Officers responded and searched for the suspect, but were unable to locate him. This investigation is continuing.

Warrant – Suspect Arrested
April 20 at 11:26 p.m., an officer was patrolling the 400 block S. Alta Vista when he saw a bicyclist commit a riding violation. The officer stopped the bicyclist and a computer check revealed the subject had a warrant for his arrest; he was arrested and taken into custody.

Vehicle Burglary
April 21 at 9:00 a.m., a resident in the 900 block of W. Foothill went to her car and discovered someone had shattered her car window. She found the suspect had entered her vehicle and stole her wallet, checkbook and ID. This investigation is continuing.

Drug Activity – Suspect Cited
April 21 at 6:59 p.m., Special Enforcement Team officers stopped a vehicle in the 2600 block of S. California for a driving violation. A probation search of the vehicle revealed the occupants were in possession of narcotics. The occupants were issued citations.

Warrant – Suspect Arrested
April 21 at 7:08 p.m., an officer was patrolling the 3300 block of S. Peck when he saw a female subject lying across the sidewalk. The officer stopped to see if she needed medical assistance, but found she was only sleeping. A computer check revealed she had a warrant for her arrest, so she was arrested and taken into custody.

Grand Theft
April 21 at 11:34 p.m., a female subject was sitting on a bench with her friends in the 100 block of E. Colorado with her purse on the bench next to her. A male subject approached the bench and grabbed her purse, then fled the area. Officers were called, but they were unable to locate the suspect. This investigation is continuing.

Residential Burglary
April 21 at 11:48 p.m., a resident in the 600 block of Royal Oaks returned home and discovered his front door had been kicked open. He entered the house and found it to be ransacked. A television and several shoes were stolen. This investigation is continuing. 



DUI – Suspect Arrested 
April 22 at 1:24 a.m., an officer was patrolling the 100 block of W. Duarte when he saw a vehicle commit a driving violation. He stopped the vehicle and found the driver to be intoxicated. Field sobriety tests were conducted and the driver was arrested for DUI.

Public Intoxication – Suspect Arrested
April 22 at 3:34 a.m., several residents in the 700 block of Monterey called the police because a male subject was heard and seen walking through their front yards. Officers arrived and located the subject. They found him to be heavily intoxicated and unable to care for his own safety, so he was arrested for public intoxication and taken into custody.

Residential Burglary – Suspect Arrested
April 22 at 12:11 p.m., a resident in the 600 block of Royal Oaks arrived home and found a male subject inside his home. The suspect ran out of the home and jumped into a car. The victim chased the suspect and looked into the car. The victim saw items inside the car that had been stolen from his house the previous day. Officers arrived and arrested the suspect.

Injury Traffic Collision / Driving Under the Influence
April 22 at 4:40 p.m., a vehicle collided into another vehicle in the 800 block of W. Foothill. The driver found to be at fault was heavily intoxicated and was complaining of pain. He was transported to a nearby hospital. This investigation is continuing.

Vehicle Burglary
April 23 at 6:56 a.m., a resident in the 200 block of W. Colorado walked outside his home and discovered his vehicle had been burglarized sometime during the night. The victim’s wallet and money had been stolen. This investigation is continuing.

Commercial Burglary
April 23 at 7:33 a.m., the owner of a business in the 500 block of Fig arrived at work and found large amounts of scrap metal had been stolen from his locked and gated yard sometime during the weekend while the business was closed. This investigation is continuing.

Shoplifting - Suspect Arrested
April 24 at 10:40 a.m., a male subject entered a store in the 1600 block of S. Mountain, removed merchandise from a shelf and left the store without paying. Store security stopped the suspect outside the store. Officers responded and after an investigation, arrested the suspect for the theft.

Residential Burglary
April 24 at 11:04 a.m., officers responded to a burglary alarm at a house in the 500 block of N. Alta Vista. When they arrived, they found the front door open. There was no one found inside the house. The owner arrived and told officers that two shotguns and jewelry had been stolen. This investigation is continuing.

Vandalism – Suspect Arrested
April 24 at 2:05 p.m., a witness saw a male subject writing graffiti on a trash can in the 600 block of S. Myrtle. Officers arrived and located the male. He was arrested and taken into custody.

Petty Theft
April 25 at 2:55 p.m., a resident in the 100 block of W. Pomona arrived home and discovered a package that he had delivered had been stolen from his front porch. This investigation is continuing. 

Interview With Pastor of Fellowship Monrovia

An interview with Pastor Albert Tate of Fellowship Monrovia, one of the largest churches in the San Gabriel Valley, in the Los Angeles Sentinel: https://goo.gl/Ut8mjD

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Navy Vet to be Honored at Dodgers Game

Monrovia Navy veteran Joseph Amador will be honored at Dodgers game: https://goo.gl/qWH6tt

- Brad Haugaard

'She Loves Me' and 'A Taste of Broadway'

~ The JFed Players, part of Monrovia's Jewish Federation, will present its Spring 2018 production of She Loves Me, starting on May 12, 8 p.m. at Porticos Art Space, at 2033 E. Washington Blvd. in Pasadena. It inspired the motion pictures, The Little Shop Around the Corner and You've Got Mail. Details: https://goo.gl/jCqF5a

~ The San Gabriel Valley Choral Company will present A Taste of Broadway on Saturday, June 9,  at 7:30 p.m. at Saint Luke's Episcopal Church at 122  S. California Ave. The concert will feature excerpts from Oklahoma, Oliver, Jesus Christ Superstar, Phantom of the Opera, and more. From the Classical American Songbook to  Disney. Tickets are $20 for general admission, $15 for seniors and students, and $5 for children under 12. Tickets may be purchased at http://www.sgvccsingers.org or by sending checks payable to "SGVCC" to PO Box 2225 Monrovia, CA  91017. They will also be available at the door.

- Brad Haugaard

Act Quickly - More Money for Monrovia Home Security Rebates; No Carbon Footprint; Arbor Day

In his weekly report (https://goo.gl/aOqX7O) City Manager Oliver Chi reports ...

~ The rebates for home security program is back on! The program was originally funded for $50,000, but that ran out, so now the City Council has added another $15,000 to the Home Security Rebate Program. Apply here, quick: https://goo.gl/eqB4t9

~ Every Lyft ride now has a net zero carbon emission footprint. Lyft has agreed to purchase carbon offsets for every single Lyft ride that occurs across the globe.

~  On Thursday, April 26, the Youth Commission and the Teen Advisory Board will host an Arbor Day celebration at Library Park starting at 4 p.m.

- Brad Haugaard

Pet of the Week: Lobo the Pit Bull




Lobo (A453205) is a beautiful brindle pit bull looking for a loving home. This two-year-old is a volunteer favorite; he greets each visitor with a wagging tail. He is super friendly and affectionate, and is generous with his face licks. He listens well to commands, knowing his “sit,” “down,” and “shake.” He likes time in the social yard, running around and playing with a tennis ball. Come visit Lobo today at the Pasadena Humane Society.

The adoption fee for dogs is $130. All dogs are spayed or neutered, microchipped, and vaccinated before going to their new home.

New adopters will receive a complimentary health-and-wellness exam from VCA Animal Hospitals, as well as a goody bag filled with information about how to care for your pet.

View photos of adoptable pets at pasadenahumane.org. Adoption hours are 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday; 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Friday; and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday.

Pets may not be available for adoption and cannot be held for potential adopters by phone calls or email.

** It’s Kitten Week at the Pasadena Humane Society. Kitten Week is a week-long awareness and action campaign held April 23-29, to encourage community members to spay/neuter, adopt, and get involved. You can find more information at pasadenahumane.org/kittenweek.

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Police Department Will Honor 12 Employees

The Monrovia Police Department will be recognizing the accomplishments of 12 of their employees on Thursday, April 26, 2018, at 5:00 p.m. in the City of Monrovia Council Chambers. Two recipients will be awarded the Medal of Valor, one recipient will be awarded the Medal of Merit, seven recipients will be awarded the Distinguished Service Medal, and three recipients will be awarded the Life Saving Medal for their exceptional work, their dedication to the Monrovia Police Department and their commitment to the community of Monrovia. The Honorees are:

Medal of Valor 
Officer Oliver Medina
Officer Esteban Castañeda

Medal of Merit 
Agent Michael Garcia

Distinguished Service Medal 
Officer David Andrew
Officer James Ruano
Officer Travis Ortega
Officer William Wilkins
Parking Control Officer Alfonso Castañeda
Volunteer Pam Greene
Volunteer Sandy Williams

Life Saving Medal 
Officer Brian Cofield
Officer David Andrew
Officer John Jefferson

- Brad Haugaard

Wheelhouse Ceramic Sale - May 4, 5

Ceramic Sale on Friday, May 4 from 1788 to 2088 p.m. at 1831 Santa Fe Place, Monrovia. (Behind AAMCO and Troy's Donuts & Burgers. Sponsored by The Wheelhouse. Ceramic sale at The Wheelhouse, 1831 Santa Fe Place, Monrovia. (Behind AAMCO and Troy's Donuts & Burgers). Handcrafted pottery by local artisans. Friday, May 4, from 6-9 p.m. and May 5, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Cash or check only. This is a non-profit group and the sales help fund the studio.

-Brad Haugaard

Anchors Away Family Fun Night at Mayflower School


Mayflower Elementary School will hold a pirate-themed Anchors Away Family Fun Night on April 28, from 4-8 p.m. at the school, at 219 N. Mayflower Ave. There will be inflatables, carnival games, booths, music, bingo, raffle food trucks, and a silent auction. There will be booths for the Monrovia Fire Department, Police Department, Canyon Park, Monrovia Library Mobile, Pasadena Humane Society therapy dogs, face painting, and more.

"Money from this event will assist with literacy programs, send kids on field trips, and assist with ensuring classrooms have needed supplies," said Faith Mellinger, Mayflower PTA president. "We ask all community members to help their local school by joining us on this special night."

Tickets are $10 at the door ($8 early purchase here: https://goo.gl/RBjNxp) for a wristband to access to all games, $5 donation to enter with no games, and children under 5 are free. $20 for Bingo. Extra fees apply for food and certain activities.

-Brad Haugaard

Monrovia's AeroVironment Gets $44.6 Million Army Contract

Monrovia's AeroVironment has received a $44.6 million contract modification from the U.S. Army to provide hardware and parts for its Switchblade miniature missile systems. https://goo.gl/kzuACy

- Brad Haugaard

Trying Out LimeBike

I tried out the LimeBike system today. I walked to a bike shown on the LimeBike smartphone app, but I think it was in someone’s back yard. So I kept walking. After about 10 minutes I found a bike a block south of Foothill. It was a bit hard entering my credit card number in the app; it’s lime and yellow color makes it hard to read in the sunshine. Should have done that at home. 

Otherwise easy. Unlocked bike, rode to the train station, went to LA and met a friend for lunch at Horse Thief BBQ, which I can HIGHLY recommend.

It’s a bit odd that a bike ride costs a dollar and a Lyft car ride costs 50 cents, but if you add a tip on the Lyft ride (and knowing what a nice person you are I’m sure you will) you come out ahead on the bike. 

- Brad Haugaard 

Monrovia Latino Heritage Society Fundraiser Dance

The Monrovia Latino Heritage Society will present a scholarship fundraising dance tomorrow, Sunday, April 22, from 2-7 p.m. at the VFW Post at 250 E. First Street in Azusa. $20 per person; $25 at the door. Music by The In Crowd. For information contact Pat Lowell at 386-5896 or Cuca Mack at 359-2130.

- Brad Haugaard

The Moon and Meteors Above Monrovia

In the skies of Monrovia.

~ Tonight after sundown the Old Town Sidewalk Astronomers will gather in Library Park, probably at the corner of Primrose and Lime, to avoid the Wine Walk. You should be able to see a great view of the moon.

~ And if you are up in the very early hours Sunday morning, you might see some Lyrid Meteors. Get to an area where the moon is blocked, and look up.

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Church Institutes Shuttle Service

Fellowship Monrovia, the church that meets at Monrovia High, has apparently grown so large that it is instituting a shuttle service to bring people to church. 

According to an email, the church successfully experimented with shuttles for Easter and now plans to use the system regularly “to create a better parking experience for our first-time visitors, our families with young children, our elderly, and our handicapped.”

The shuttles will run from the parking lot at 488 E. Santa Clara Street in Arcadia to Monrovia High.

- Brad Haugaard 

Joint Monrovia City Council/School Board Meeting

The Monrovia Board of Education and Monrovia City Council will meet in joint session Monday, April 23 at 5 p.m. (agenda) in the district's board room to discuss the Monrovia Day's Parade and Library Park Festival on May 18-20, and to get an update on I Ride for You, Board Member Rob Hammond's cross-country bicycle ride that is also raising money for the Monrovia PTA.

- Brad Haugaard

Foothill Unity Center Moving

Foothill Unity Center is moving to its new home next week and will be closed Tuesday, April 24 through Tuesday, May 1. The new address is: 790 W. Chestnut Ave., at the site formerly housing World Vision. The Unity Center will have a ribbon cutting ceremony on Thursday, May 17 at 5:30 p.m.

- Brad Haugaard

Dinner at Rigo’s Mexican


Dinner at a Rigo’s Mexican Food, on Foothill at Mayflower. Got a cheese enchilada and carnitas taco combination for $13.95 and a beer for $5. All very good. 

- Brad Haugaard 

Monrovia Pizza Voted Top Pizza Restaurant in Town

The readers' votes are in on "Which Monrovia restaurant serves the best pizza?"

The winner is Monrovia Pizza (on Duarte Road at Mayflower), followed by Blaze, then Alitalia, and Domenicos.


- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Police: Watch Out for IRS Scams!

Monrovia Police want you to be aware of tax-season scams involving the IRS.

It's really simple: The IRS will always send taxpayers a written notification of any tax due via the U.S. mail, NOT by phone or through any other electronic media.

The IRS never asks for financial access information over the telephone or by any type of electronic communication, such as text messages and social media.

Don't open any attachments or click on any links contained in an electronic message. Instead, forward the e-mail to phishing@irs.gov. More information on how to report phishing scams involving the IRS is available on the genuine IRS website, IRS.gov.

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Police: Robbery at ATM; Counterfeit Money; Cell Phone Robbery; Drunks and More Drunks; Etc.

[Monrovia Police activities from the Police Department's Neighborhood Watch Report for April 12-18. - Brad Haugaard]

During the last seven-day period, the Police Department handled 445 service events, resulting in 86 investigations.

Petty Theft
April 12 at 1:10 p.m., a resident in the 300 block of W. Walnut found their mailbox open and discovered that a package was missing. The package had been delivered, and it contained clothing that had been ordered online. It was taken sometime during the day. This investigation is continuing.

Traffic Collision
April 12 at 1:30 p.m., officers were called to the intersection of Mayflower and Huntington, where a traffic collision had just occurred. One vehicle had been traveling south on Mayflower and attempted a left turn directly in front of another vehicle that was traveling north on Mayflower. The vehicles collided in the intersection. One of the drivers was taken to a nearby hospital for treatment.

Hit & Run Traffic Collision
April 12 at 1:57 p.m., the owner of a parked vehicle in the 100 block of W. Palm returned to her car and discovered it had collision damage on the driver’s side. There was no note left on the vehicle letting the owner know who collided into her car. This investigation is continuing.

Counterfeit Money
April 12 at 3:39 p.m., an employee of a restaurant in the 900 block of W. Huntington discovered a customer had used counterfeit U.S. currency to purchase a meal. The employee called the police. This investigation is continuing.

Residential Burglary
April 12 at 5:45 p.m., the owner of a house in the 1800 block of S. Mayflower returned home after work and discovered the glass in a side door had been shattered and the door was left open. She went inside her house and found it had been ransacked. All her jewelry was stolen. This investigation is continuing.

Robbery
April 12 at 6:46 p.m., several suspects entered a store in the 600 block of W. Huntington and removed new cellphones from the shelves, then ran out of the store without paying for the merchandise. One of the store’s employees was outside with a cellphone in his hand. He yelled at the suspects, who had just ran out of the store. One of the suspects forced the employee’s phone out of his hand, then ran. The employee chased after the suspects, yelling at them, but the suspects fled the area. Officers arrived, but were unable to locate the suspects. This investigation is continuing.

Under the Influence of Narcotics – Suspect Arrested
April 12 at 7:20 p.m., Special Enforcement Team officers saw a female subject approaching customers and vehicles in front of a liquor store in the 400 block of W. Duarte. They stopped to find out if she needed help. They found that she appeared to be under the influence of a controlled substance. Field tests were conducted, and she was arrested for being under the influence.

Domestic Violence – Suspect Arrested
April 13 at 2:27 a.m., officers were called to a house in the 700 block of W. Foothill because neighbors heard yelling coming from inside the house. They arrived and found a male and female living in the house had been in an argument. The argument had become physical, and the female subject had caused injuries to her boyfriend. She was arrested and taken into custody.

Wanted Person – Suspect Arrested
April 13 at 7:15 a.m., an officer was patrolling the 200 block of E. Foothill, when he saw a male subject he recognized as being wanted by the Monrovia Police for a weapons offense. The subject was stopped, his identity was confirmed and he was arrested.

Hit & Run Traffic Collision / Warrant – Suspect Arrested
April 13 at 7:42 a.m., an officer was patrolling the 200 block of E. Palm, when he saw a vehicle that matched the suspect vehicle description from a hit & run collision the day before. The vehicle had fresh collision damage. The officer stopped the vehicle and approached the driver. The driver immediately confessed to colliding into the victim’s parked vehicle and not stopping. A computer check revealed the driver also had a warrant for her arrest. She was arrested and taken into custody.

Hit & Run Traffic Collision
April 13 at 3:22 p.m., two vehicles collided into each other in the intersection of Shamrock and Huntington. One of the vehicles fled the scene as the other pulled to the curb out of the intersection. Officers were called and they searched for the fleeing vehicle, but were unable to locate it. This investigation is continuing.

Warrant – Suspect Arrested
April 13 at 10:35 p.m., an officer was patrolling the 700 block of W. Duarte, when he saw five homeless persons in the wash area. He stopped to see if they needed services, however, they refused. A computer check revealed one of the subjects had a warrant for his arrest, so he was taken into custody.

Driving Under the Influence – Suspect Arrested
April 14 at 12:49 a.m., an officer was patrolling the 800 block of S. Mountain, when he saw a vehicle in front of him fail to stop for a red light signal. He stopped the vehicle and found the driver to be intoxicated. Field sobriety tests were conducted, and the driver was arrested for DUI.

Under the Influence of Narcotics / Possession of Drug Paraphernalia – Suspect Arrested
April 14 at 6:25 a.m., employees of a hotel in the 900 block of W. Huntington reported a suspicious male subject on their property for the second day in a row. Officers arrived, located the subject, and found him to be under the influence of a controlled substance. He was taken into custody. A search incident to arrest revealed he was in possession of drug paraphernalia, which was added to the charges.

Petty Theft
April 14 at 9:56 a.m., employees of a grocery store in the 600 block of W. Huntington reported two female subjects had just entered their store, removed several bottles of liquor from a shelf, and then ran out of the store without paying. Officers arrived and searched the area, but were unable to locate the subjects. This investigation is continuing.

Public Intoxication – Suspects Arrested
April 14 at 7:40 p.m., a sergeant was patrolling the 1700 block of S. Myrtle when he saw a male subject slumped over on a bench in Station Square Park. He stopped to check on the subject’s welfare and found him to be heavily intoxicated. The subject was not able to care for his own safety, so he was arrested and taken into custody for public intoxication.

Armed Robbery
April 14 at 9:01 p.m., a customer of a bank in the 600 block of W. Huntington was in his vehicle at the drive-thru ATM, when a male suspect approached his vehicle and pointed a handgun at him demanding money. The victim handed the suspect $300, which had been withdrawn from the ATM, as well as some additional money he had in his pocket. The suspect fled the area with the money. Officers arrived and searched for the suspect, but were unable to locate him. This investigation is continuing.

Driving Under the Influence – Suspect Arrested
April 15 at 2:32 a.m., an officer was patrolling the 3300 block of S. Peck when he saw a vehicle speeding. He stopped the vehicle and found the driver to be intoxicated. Field sobriety tests were conducted and the driver was arrested for DUI.

Public Intoxication – Suspect Arrested
April 15 at 3:32 p.m., a resident in the 200 block of Los Angeles reported a male subject outside causing a disturbance. Officers arrived and located the subject. He was found to be heavily intoxicated and unable to care for his own safety, so he was arrested and taken into custody for public intoxication.

Petty Theft / Public Intoxication – Suspect Arrested
April 15 at 5:24 p.m., an employees of a gas station in the 1500 block reported a male suspect had just stolen a beer from their store. Officers arrived and located the subject in front of the store. He was heavily intoxicated and unable to care for his own safety. The unopened beer was returned to the store and the store refused to prosecute him for the theft. He was arrested for public intoxication.

Burglary
April 15 at 8:18 p.m., a resident at an apartment complex in the 900 block of S. Monterey walked outside his home and discovered someone had cut the locks off of several of the carport storage lockers sometime during the day. It is unknown what was stolen. This investigation is continuing.

Public Intoxication – Suspect Arrested
April 16 at 1:23 a.m., an officer was patrolling the 300 block of S. Myrtle, when he saw a subject loitering and stumbling inside Library Park, which had been closed for several hours. He stopped the subject and found him to be heavily intoxicated. The subject was unable to care for his own safety and was arrested for public intoxication and taken into custody.

Alcohol Offense – Suspects Cited
April 17 at 11:00 a.m., officers were on patrol in the 100 block of W. Palm, when they saw four subjects in Library Park, drinking alcohol near a posted sign prohibiting possession of alcohol in the park. The officers stopped all four subjects and issued them citations to appear in court on the charges.

Grand Theft Auto – Suspect Arrested
April 16 at 11:36 a.m., police dispatch was notified of a stolen vehicle traveling north in the 2100 block of S. Myrtle. The vehicle description was broadcast and officers stopped the vehicle at Myrtle and the 210 Freeway. After investigation, the female driver was arrested for grand theft auto without incident.

Grand Theft Auto
April 18 at 8:07 a.m., a vehicle was reported stolen from the 800 block of Oakdale. The resident walked outside her home and discovered her Honda Accord had been stolen sometime during the night. The vehicle information was entered into the DMV stolen vehicle database. This investigation is continuing.

Grand Theft
April 18 at 8:09 a.m., while gardeners were mowing the lawns at Recreation Park in the 700 block of E. Lemon, someone removed several tools and gardening equipment from the back of their two trucks. This investigation is continuing.

Shoplifting
April 18 at 8:44 a.m., an employee of a store in the 400 block of W. Foothill reported a male subject had entered the store, removed several boxes of cigarettes from a shelf behind the checkout counter, and then fled the store without paying. Officers arrived and searched for the subject, but were unable to locate him. This investigation is continuing.

Domestic Violence – Suspect Arrested
April 18 at 8:53 a.m., a business owner in the 500 block of Chestnut reported he could hear a female subject yelling for help outside his business. Officers arrived and located a male and female subject who are in a dating relationship. After investigation, it was found that the two had been arguing and the female subject began hitting the male subject, causing physical injuries. The female subject was arrested and taken into custody.

Bicycle Theft – Suspect Arrested
April 18 at 12:22 p.m., a resident in the 700 block of E. Lemon witnessed a male subject enter the side yard of his neighbor’s house, then exit the yard with his neighbor’s bicycle. The subject began riding away from the house with the bike and the resident called police. Officers arrived and located the subject on the bike. He was stopped and after investigation, he was arrested for the theft. The bicycle was returned to the owner. 

Monrovia High's Impressive Swim Team

Article on Monrovia High's revamped swim team and its impressive results. https://goo.gl/DdZajY

- Brad Haugaard

Homeless Woman Charged With Stealing Shuttle Bus in Monrovia, Crashing It In Pasadena

Homeless woman charged with stealing shuttle bus in Monrovia, crashing it in Pasadena. https://goo.gl/xM18HU

- Brad Haugaard

Holden Bill Would Allow College Athletes to Be Paid Yet Retain Amateur Status

A bill by Monrovia's Assembly member, Chris Holden, would allow higher education institutions to create degree-completion funds from which college athletes could receive income while competing and yet retain their amateur status. The athletes would be able to access the fund upon graduation or when they no longer are eligible to participate in college sports in order to fund their education. 

The College Athletes Civil Rights Act of 2018, Assembly Bill 2747, has passed the California State Assembly Committee on Higher Education. The bill would also designate NCAA employees, coaching staff, and other university officials as mandated reporters and require them to report to law enforcement agencies any abuse or neglect.

- Brad Haugaard

Bill By Monrovia's Senator Would Limit Firearms Purchases, Increase Minimum Purchase Age to 21

The California Senate Public Safety Committee has voted to pass SB 1100 authored by Senator Anthony J. Portantino, who represents Monrovia. SB 1100 would prohibit a person from making more than one firearm purchase within a 30-day period in California and increases the age requirement for purchasing all firearms to 21 years.

Source: Portantino press release

- Brad Haugaard

Yet Another Starbucks Coming to Monrovia; Kid Empire Coming, Too; Police to be Honored; Lyft Glitches; Historic Homes


In his weekly report (https://goo.gl/aOqX7O) City Manager Oliver Chi reports ...

~ 3-Day Suit Broker, at the corner of Huntington and Magnolia will be replaced with a Starbucks. The new Starbucks will be 2,200 square feet and will include a drive-thru operation.  It will be on a 28,974 square foot site, with 35 parking spaces. The drive-thru will be able to handle 11 vehicles in the queue.

~ A Kids Empire indoor playground will be going in the shopping center at the northeast corner of Huntington Drive and Shamrock. The 10,480 foot space, just east of 24-Hour Fitness, is an indoor playground with slides, climbing structures, a café pantry, and space for private parties such as birthday events.

~ The Monrovia Police Department will hold its Annual Awards Ceremony in the City Council Chambers on Thursday, April 26, at 5 p.m., followed by a cake and punch reception in the Police Department Community Policing Room. Award recipients are:

Distinguished Service Medal: David Andrew, Travis Ortega, James Ruano, William Wilkins, Alfonso Castaneda, Pam Greene, Sandy Williams.

Medal of Valor: Esteban Castaneda, Oliver Medina.

Medal of Merit: Michael Garcia.

Life Saving Medal: David Andrew, Brian Cofield, John Jefferson.

~ Some people have had bugs with the promo code (GOMONROVIA) when using Lyft. Chi said, "Lyft is working to solve the problem with their third-party vendor who assists with promotions like ours.  If you experience an issue with the promo code stopping working, please let us know and we will work with Lyft to resolve the problem."

~ The 36th Annual Monrovia Historic Preservation Group's Historic Homes Tour is scheduled for Sunday, May 6, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. There are six vintage homes that embody the variety, charm, and character of Monrovia's neighborhoods.  Advance tickets may be purchased at Dollmakers' Kattywompus, the Monrovia Chamber of Commerce, or here: http://www.mohpg.org/ost.html

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia School Board Member into Texas on Cross-Country Bicycle Ride

Monrovia school board member and former mayor, Rob Hammond, is in Texas now on his bicycle ride from San Diego to Florida. In 2013 Hammond rode his bicycle from Canada to the Mexican border.

You can follow his progress and donate to the Monrovia PTA at this site: http://www.irideforyou.com/track-rob-s-ride.html

- Brad Haugaard

Noodle Street Coming



New restaurant, Noodle St, appears to be replacing the Starlight Chinese restaurant. In the Vons shopping center. 

- Brad Haugaard 

Monrovia Wine Walk

Monrovia Wine Walk, 6-9 p.m. this Saturday, April 21. Stroll through Old Town, explore businesses and sample wine while enjoying music. For the $40 ticket price, participants will receive 12 one-ounce wine samples. Get tickets here (https://goo.gl/grHQnM) or avoid the processing fee by purchasing the at the Community Center, Volunteer Center, Douglas Elliman Real Estate, Charlie's House, Merengue,  Sunday's Old Town Bistro, or PrimeLending. For more information: https://goo.gl/XeZa1B

- Brad Haugaard

Will Monrovia Acquire Peck Lake Wetland for Additional Parkland? Twelve Potential Historic Districts Dropped from Historic Context Statement; Etc.

At its next meeting (agenda: https://goo.gl/Hq6wZF) the Monrovia City Council will consider ...

~ Adopting a Citywide Park Master Plan. Highlights:

  • Aim to provide 1.5 acres of park for every thousand residents. Currently the city is at 0.9.
  • Look for properties that could be turned into parks, especially in areas more than a half mile from existing parks. This may mean: "Acquire and develop the Peck Lake Wetland project for passive recreation and stormwater treatment." Also, consider partnering with school district, which "could provide opportunities to improve school facilities in ways that may help meet community park needs." 
  • Improve existing parks: Picnic shelters, playgrounds, water play splash pads, sport fields and courts, restrooms and playground shade structures.

Monster report here: https://goo.gl/6KUhV9

~ Consider adopting an Historic Context Statement (https://goo.gl/eacGnw) which is, "the foundation for identifying, evaluating, and handling historic properties and it helps communities and cities make land use decisions." An earlier version of the HCS identified 12 parts of the city that could become historic districts, but these have been dropped because the Historic Preservation Commission feels it needs to communicate more with residents in those areas and because commissioners felt that "potential district designation should begin at the homeowners' request."

~ Authorize an agreement with Oak Crest Institute of Science and the Boys and Girls Club of the Foothills to develop a summer science program for Monrovia students. https://goo.gl/aX5Ty4

- Brad Haugaard

Lunch at Thai Divine

Lunch at Thai Divine Bistro, which appears to be the new name for Chang Thai Bistro, on the east side of Myrtle just north of Olive, but it seems pretty much the same except the new name. Got the Chicken Satay lunch for $8.95 and an iced tea for $3.50. Came with a green salad, and was all very nice. 

- Brad Haugaard 

Who Serves the Best Pizza in Monrovia?

Vote on which restaurant serves the best pizza at the top of the page at MonroviaNow.com.

NOTE: You may not see the survey if you are using a mobile device. Try a standard computer, and next time I'll try to find a better survey system.

- Brad Haugaard

Cycling School Board Member Now in New Mexico


Transcontinental bicycle rider and former mayor and current school board member, Rob Hammond, reports he has crossed the Continental Divide and is now in New Mexico in his San Diego to Florida ride.

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Police: Bicyclist Stopped for Vehicle Code Violation; Senior Bilked by Publishers Clearing House Scam; Cell Phone Tracks Down Suspect; Lots of Car Windows Busted; Etc.

[Monrovia Police activities from the Police Department's Neighborhood Watch Report for April 5 - 11. - Brad Haugaard]

During the last seven-day period, the Police Department handled 440 service events, resulting in 91 investigations.

Violation of Restraining Order – Suspect Arrested
April 5 at 12:38 a.m., residents in the 200 block of N. Shamrock heard a male and female yelling inside one of the houses on their block. Officers responded and located the two subjects. A computer check revealed the male subject had a valid restraining order against him which prohibited him from being around the female subject. He was taken into custody.

Possession of Drug Paraphernalia – Suspect Arrested
April 5 at 10:46 p.m., an officer was patrolling the 100 block of W. Duarte when he saw a bicyclist commit a vehicle code violation. He stopped the bicyclist and found the rider was in possession of an open container of alcohol, as well as drug paraphernalia. The rider was arrested.

Violation of Restraining Order – Suspect Arrested
April 6 at 8:26 a.m., a resident in the 800 block of Montana reported a male subject pacing back and forth on the street. She had a valid restraining order against the male, who was prohibited from being anywhere near the residence. Officers arrived, located the subject and took him into custody.

Fraud
April 6 at 11:12 a.m., an elderly resident in the 600 block of E. Olive received a telephone call from someone telling her she had won a sweepstakes from Publishers Clearing House; however, to receive the money she would have to purchase $15,000 worth of gift cards, then provide the caller with the gift card numbers. The resident complied with their request, but never received the prize money she was promised. This investigation is continuing.

Domestic Violence – Suspect Arrested
April 6 at 2:08 p.m., a caller reported a male and female fighting at a residence in the 500 block of Sombrero. Officers arrived and located the two subjects, who are living together and in a dating relationship. An investigation revealed the female subject had bitten the male, so she was taken into custody.

Fraud – Suspect Arrested
April 6 at 8:09 p.m., a sergeant was patrolling the 700 block of E. Foothill when he saw a vehicle in front of him with current registration tabs; however, a DMV computer check revealed the registration was actually expired. The vehicle was stopped and the driver was arrested for fraud.

Burglary / Grand Theft Auto
April 6 at 10:03 p.m., a resident in the 1100 block of S. Fifth returned home after spending several days in the hospital and discovered her home had been burglarized. Several designer clothing items had been stolen, as well as one of her vehicles. This investigation is continuing.

Vandalism
April 6 at 10:18 a.m., a sergeant was patrolling the 800 block of W. Duarte when she was stopped by a resident who said they had just found their parked vehicle’s window had been shattered. The resident was inside her home when she heard the vehicle’s alarm activate, so she went outside and saw the damage. This investigation is continuing.

Warrant / Drug Paraphernalia – Suspect Arrested
April 6 at 11:04 p.m., a sergeant was patrolling the 1700 block of S. Magnolia when he saw a male subject he recognized from previous contacts. A computer check revealed the subject had a warrant for his arrest, so the sergeant took him into custody. A search incident to arrest revealed the subject was also in possession of drug paraphernalia.

Commercial Burglary
April 7 at 6:36 a.m., the owner of a business in the 300 block of W. Huntington arrived to work and discovered one of the windows to the building had been shattered. When she went inside the business, she found that it had been burglarized, with several packages of merchandise taken. This investigation is continuing.

Vehicle Burglary
April 7 between 8:30 and 9:41 a.m., residents in the 900 block of Monterey and the 300 block of N. Grand walked outside their homes to go to work and discovered windows to their vehicles had been shattered. Two vehicles had been burglarized sometime during the night. A laptop computer and a backpack were taken. This investigation is continuing.

Possession of Stolen Property – Suspect Arrested
April 7 at 4:32 p.m., the victim of a vehicle burglary in the City of Duarte had their cellphone and other items stolen. The victim used the phone’s tracking system to locate the phone inside a house in the 1400 block of Encino. Officers responded and the phone and other stolen property was recovered. The person who was in possession of the stolen property was arrested.

Warrant – Suspect Arrested
April 7 at 10:14 p.m., an officer was patrolling the 700 block of W. Huntington when he saw a female subject lying across the sidewalk. The officer stopped to see if she needed medical assistance, but found she was only sleeping. A computer check revealed she had a warrant for her arrest, so she was taken into custody.

DUI / Warrant – Suspect Arrest
April 7 at 10:27 p.m., an officer was patrolling the 100 block of W. Walnut, when he saw a motorist weaving back and forth along the road. He stopped the vehicle and found the driver to be intoxicated. After field sobriety tests were conducted, the driver was arrested for DUI. A computer check revealed the driver also had a warrant for his arrest.

Under the Influence of Drugs – Suspect Arrested
April 7 at 11:47 p.m., a sergeant was patrolling the 800 block of S. Fifth when he saw a male subject walking in the parking lot of a business that was closed. The male was behaving suspicious. The sergeant stopped the subject and found him to be under the influence of drugs, so he was arrested.

Petty Theft
April 8 at 12:05 a.m., an employee of a restaurant in the 600 block of W. Huntington walked outside to his car and found someone had stolen one of the wheels off his vehicle. The car was propped up on a jack. This investigation is continuing.

DUI – Suspects Arrested
April 8 between 1:34 and 2:09 a.m., officers stopped two separate vehicles, one in the 2000 block of S. Myrtle and the other in the 900 block of S. Alta Vista for vehicle code violations. Both drivers were found to be intoxicated, so field sobriety tests were conducted. Both subjects were too intoxicated to operate a vehicle safely, so they were arrested for DUI.

Warrant – Suspect Arrested
April 8 at 3:05 a.m., a resident in the 1100 block of Sesmas heard someone knocking on the front door to her home. When she looked outside, she did not recognize the male subject, so she called the police. Officers arrived and contacted the subject. A computer check revealed he had a warrant for his arrest, so he was taken into custody.

DUI – Suspect Arrested
April 9 at 12:06 a.m., a sergeant was patrolling the 2600 block of S. Myrtle when she saw a vehicle traveling north on Myrtle, swerving back and forth. She stopped the vehicle and found the driver to be intoxicated. Field sobriety tests were conducted and the driver was arrested for DUI.

Vehicle Burglary
April 9 at 8:33 a.m., a resident in the 1200 block of Encino walked outside his home and discovered that sometime during the night someone had shattered two of his car windows. He looked inside his car and found that his laptop and wallet containing credit cards had been stolen. He called his credit card companies and was told the cards had already been used at several different stores in various cities. This investigation is continuing.

Shoplifting – Suspect Arrested
April 9 between 1:10 and 2:48 p.m., employees of a store in the 500 block of W. Huntington reported two incidents of shoplifting. The suspects in the first incident stole over fifty pair of jeans, then fled the store. The investigation in this incident is continuing. In the second incident the suspect was detained by store security, and after police arrived, the suspect was arrested.

Vehicle Burglary
April 10 at 8:09 a.m., a resident in the 100 block of S. Mountain walked outside his home and discovered someone had shattered his car window sometime during the night. Several items from inside the vehicle had been stolen. This investigation is continuing.

Warrant – Suspect Arrested
April 10 at 9:00 a.m., an officer was patrolling the 100 block of W. Foothill when he saw a subject loitering whom he recognized from previous contacts. A computer check revealed the subject had several warrants for his arrest. The officer contacted the subject and took him into custody.

Shoplifting
April 10 at 12:23 p.m., an employee of a store in the 100 block of W. Foothill saw a female subject enter the store, removed items from a shelf, then run out of the store without paying for the merchandise. He saw her get into a vehicle and drive out of the parking lot. Officers were called and a search was conducted, but the suspect was not located. This investigation is continuing.

Public Intoxication / Warrant – Suspect Arrested
April 10 at 3:01 p.m., a sergeant contacted a male subject in the 400 block of S. Myrtle to see if he needed medical help. The sergeant found that the subject was actually heavily intoxicated and unable to care for his own safety. The subject was taken into custody. A computer check revealed he also had a warrant for his arrest.

Grand Theft
April 10 at 8:27 p.m., a resident in the 100 block of E. Evergreen called the police to report his UPS package containing a Harley Davidson wheel had been stolen from his front porch sometime during the day. He had called UPS and confirmed that the package had, in fact, been delivered. This investigation is continuing.

Residential Burglary
April 11 at 11:26 a.m., a resident in the 100 block of N. Lincoln arrived home from working all morning and discovered someone had broken a window to their home and gained entry. It is unknown what was taken.

Vehicle Burglary
April 11 at 3:40 p.m., a resident in the 700 block of W. Foothill walked outside his home and discovered someone had burglarized his vehicle sometime during the day. Several items were stolen from inside the vehicle. This investigation is continuing.

Grand Theft
April 3 at 8:09 p.m., a resident in the 900 block of W. Foothill walked outside his home and discovered someone had entered his unlocked vehicle. His laptop computer was stolen from inside the vehicle. This investigation is continuing.

Commercial Burglary
April 4 at 4:01 a.m., the owner of a business in the 100 block of S. Myrtle received an alarm activation on his cellphone for his business. His phone was connected to his store’s surveillance system, so he could see two suspects inside his store attempting to steal the office safe. Being unsuccessful, they fled within one minute after entering. This investigation is continuing. 

Monrovia's Pacific Plate Brewing Named One Of Fastest Growing Craft Breweries

Pacific Plate Brewing Company of Monrovia was one of the fastest craft breweries in the country in 2017, according to the Brewers Association. https://goo.gl/EzNZ6q

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Company's Stock Jumps More than 17% Today

The stock in Monrovia's AeroVironment jumped up 17.06% today, to $54.28, on news "that it conducted a successful maritime demonstration of a Puma-Switchblade automated sensor-to-shooter capability from a US Navy Coastal Riverine Craft." https://tinyurl.com/y7wghl33

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Assembly Member: Reimburse Disability Service Businesses For Higher Local Minimum Wages

Assembly member Chris Holden, who represents Monrovia, has introduced legislation (AB 2623) to increase state reimbursement to developmental disabilities service providers so they can meet local minimum wage laws when those laws require a higher minimum wage than the state minimum wage.

"Time is running out," said Assemblymember Chris Holden. "Without an increase to reimbursement rates to meet local mandates, many developmental disability service providers may have to shut their doors, leading to a shortage of services available to people with disabilities throughout our state."

A Holden press release reports the bill was approved unanimously with bipartisan support in the Assembly Committee for Human Services.

Comment: It sounds as if this bill is designed to solve a problem created by cities that raised their minimum wage. Minimum wage increases are always accompanied by protestations that businesses can easily meet the increase, but here we have Assembly member Chris Holden saying these higher minimum wage laws may force disability service providers "to shut their doors."

It really isn't rocket science: If apples cost more, people buy fewer apples; if employees cost more, employers hire fewer people, or, as Holden suggests, they may just go out of business.

- Brad Haugaard

GoMonrovia Program 'Very Popular,' Tip-A-Cop' for Special Olympics; Neighborhood Conference; Serve on a City Board

In his weekly report, City Manager Oliver Chi reports that ...

~ GoMonrovia is "very popular" just a few weeks into the program. The program offers $.50 rides with the car-sharing provider, Lyft, and $1 30-minute rides with the dock-free bike share provider, LimeBike.

You can get three free rides on LimeBike by downloading the LimeBike app, signing up, then clicking the "present" icon to share a referral code with a friend. That'll give you both free rides. The city is working with the company to improve rearranging of the bikes and move them when they're badly parked. You can report an illegally parked bike in the app by clicking the "!" on the home page.

To get the discount on Lyft, enter the promo code "GOMONROVIA" before requesting a ride, make sure your pick-up and drop-off locations are within the Monrovia service area, and make sure that you have selected "Lyft - 4 seats".

The current dial-a-ride program will continue for riders with ADA-related and wheelchair needs, but the fare to ride now costs $.50.

~ The Monrovia Police Department will host a Tip-A-Cop fundraiser to benefit the Special Olympics this Thursday at Claim Jumper Restaurant at 820 W. Huntington Drive, from 5 to 9 p.m. Monrovia Police Officers and LA County Deputies will be servers and all tips will be donated to the Special Olympics.

~ Ninth Annual Monrovia Area Partnership (MAP) Neighborhood Conference s scheduled for Saturday, April 21, from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Topics: De-Escalation Simulation with Monrovia Police Department, Neighborhood Treasures with Neighborhood Services Division, GoMonrovia for Suburban Mobility with City Manager Oliver Chi, Building a Better Monrovia with Public Services Director Tina Cherry. Register here: https://goo.gl/8Q9GB7

~ The City is accepting applications to fill positions on the Planning Commission, Historic Preservation Commission, Community Services Commission, and Monrovia Old Town Advisory Board (MOTAB). Details: https://goo.gl/DzJJEa

- Brad Haugaard

Rat Terrier Seeks Good Home



Inez (A452468) is a sweet 8-year-old rat terrier mix. She is the definition of a lap dog. She loves your warmth and affection, and enjoys being petted. She greets every visitor with a wagging tail and enjoys the treats the volunteers give her. Inez came to us a few weeks ago from the Downey Shelter and is looking for a new loving home.

The adoption fee for dogs is $130. All dogs are spayed or neutered, microchipped, and vaccinated before going to their new home.

New adopters will receive a complimentary health-and-wellness exam from VCA Animal Hospitals, as well as a goody bag filled with information about how to care for your pet.

View photos of adoptable pets at pasadenahumane.org. Adoption hours are 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday; 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Friday; and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday.

Pets may not be available for adoption and cannot be held for potential adopters by phone calls or email.

** The Pasadena Humane Society is launching “Kitten Week,” a week-long awareness and action campaign held April 23-29, to encourage community members to spay/neuter, adopt, and get involved. You can find more information at pasadenahumane.org/kittenweek.

The Pasadena Humane Society serves Monrovia.

- Brad Haugaard

Free Compost and Mulch

Free compost and mulch, Saturday, April 28, 8 a.m. to noon at Monrovia Public Works Yard, 600 S. Mountain. Self serve. Bring ID or Athens bill, sturdy container. Shovels provided. While supplies last. Compost is a blend of organic material, including food waste.

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Police: Customer Protests By Pulling Down Her Pants; Bicycling While Stoned; Drunk Driving; Burglaries; Etc.

[Monrovia Police activities from the Police Department's Neighborhood Watch Report for March 29-April 4. - Brad Haugaard]

During the last seven-day period, the Police Department handled 488 service events, resulting in 92 investigations.

Petty Theft / Possession of Methamphetamine - Suspects Arrested
March 29 at 9:38 a.m., employees of a store in the 800 block of W. Foothill reported a male and female subject had just taken the employee tip jar full of cash, then fled the area. Officers responded and located the two subjects. The Suspects were also in possession of methamphetamine and a syringe. Both suspects were arrested and the money was returned to the store.

Battery / Violation of Restraining Order
March 29 at 12:11 p.m., a resident in the 1400 block of S. Magnolia called the police to report her adult daughter was physically fighting her. When officers arrived, the suspect had fled the area. The suspect was also in violation of a restraining order that the family had obtained against the suspect. This investigation is continuing.

Possession of Methamphetamine – Suspect Arrested
March 29 at 9:11 p.m., a sergeant was on patrol in the 900 block of S. Myrtle when he saw a bicyclist commit a riding violation. He stopped the subject and further investigation revealed he was in possession of methamphetamine. The subject was arrested and taken into custody.

Warrants – Suspect Arrested
March 29 at 11:55 p.m., an officer stopped a bicyclist in the 1600 block of S. Mayflower for a riding violation. Further investigation revealed the subject had multiple warrants for his arrest. The subject was arrested and taken into custody.

Vehicle Burglary
March 30 at 10:10 a.m., a vehicle burglary was reported in the 800 block of S. Mayflower. The resident parked the vehicle outside of their home and discovered it had been burglarized sometime during the night. The suspects took a drill and the vehicle’s stereo. The investigation is continuing.

Residential Burglary – Suspect Arrested
March 30 at 11:03 a.m., officers were dispatched to a residence in the 300 block of W. Foothill. The caller reported a male subject kicked the back door open and entered the home. The suspect was holding a knife and when he saw the resident inside the home the suspect ran outside. Officers located suspect and arrested him.

Indecent Exposure – Suspect Arrested
March 30 at 3:11 p.m., a customer at a business in the 300 block of W. Huntington was angry at not being able to schedule an appointment. The subject began yelling at staff then lowered her pants and exposed herself.

Public Intoxication – Suspect Arrested
March 30 at 9:26 p.m., an officer was patrolling the 800 block of S. Mayflower when he saw a male and female subject yelling at one another. He stopped and contacted both subjects. One of the subjects was found to be heavily intoxicated and unable to care for her own safety. She was taken into custody.

Driving Under the Influence – Suspect Arrested
March 30 at 9:57 p.m., a caller reported an intoxicated driver. Officers located the vehicle in the 100 block of Montana and found the driver to be asleep at the wheel and heavily intoxicated. After an investigation was conducted, the driver was arrested for Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol.

Vehicle Burglary
March 30 at 11:29 p.m., an employee of a store in the 900 block of W. Huntington called to report her vehicle had been burglarized. Her backpack and laptop computer were stolen. The suspect entered the vehicle by breaking one of the car windows. This investigation is continuing.

Driving Under the Influence – Suspect Arrested
March 31 at 2:25 a.m., an officer on patrol in the 100 block of N. Mountain stopped a bicyclist for a vehicle code violation. The investigation revealed the bicyclist was found to be under the influence of marijuana. The subject was arrested and taken into custody. 

Petty Theft from a Vehicle
March 31 at 3:02 a.m., a resident in the 500 block of King was awoken to the sound of his car alarm activated. He went outside and found the driver’s door open and his backpack missing. Later that morning another resident in the same block reported a theft from their unlocked vehicle as well and money missing. This investigation is continuing.

Grand Theft Auto
March 31 at 10:25 a.m., a resident in the 800 block of W. Duarte reported his vehicle stolen. He walked outside his home and found his 2001 Chrysler Town & Country had been stolen from his apartment complex’s parking lot sometime during the night. This investigation is continuing.

Residential Burglary
March 31 at 3:41 p.m., the caretaker of an estate in the 100 block of N. Garfield arrived at the home to water the lawn and discovered the rear sliding glass door had been shattered. The interior of the home was ransacked. It is unknown what was stolen. This investigation is continuing.

Possession of Methamphetamine – Suspect Arrested
March 31 at 6:51 p.m., officers were on patrol in the 400 block of S. California when they saw a male subject they recognized from previous contacts. They contacted him and found he was in possession of methamphetamine. The subject was arrested.

Warrants – Suspect Arrested
April 1 at 1:30 a.m., an officer was patrolling the 1800 block of S. Myrtle when he saw a male subject he recognized from previous contacts. Further investigation revealed the subject had multiple warrants for his arrest. He was arrested and taken into custody.

Warrant – Suspect Arrested
April 1 at 1:44 p.m., employees of a store in the 600 block of W. Huntington reported two suspicious subjects in their store. Officers arrived and contacted the subjects. One of the subjects had multiple warrants for her arrest, she was taken into custody.

Grand Theft
April 1 at 3:41 p.m., a resident in the 800 block of W. Walnut called to report a theft. The victim reported her wedding ring had been stolen from a dresser drawer in her bedroom. This investigation is continuing.

Grand Theft Auto / Fraud / Possession of Drugs – Suspects Arrested
April 1 at 4:20 p.m., the employees of a store in the 1600 block of S. Mountain called to report two suspicious subjects. Officers located the subjects next to a vehicle that did not belong to them and had been reported stolen by the owner. The subjects were found to be in possession of methamphetamine, false identification and personal identifying information belonging to other people. The suspects were both arrested and taken into custody.

Recovered Stolen Property
April 1 at 6:55 p.m., an officer was patrolling the north alley of the 500 block of E. Huntington when he saw a backpack in the roadway. He was able to identify the backpack and contents as belonging to a resident in the 500 block of King. They had previously reported the items as stolen from their vehicle. The officer returned the stolen property to the owner.

Warrants – Suspect Arrested
April 2 at 8:46 a.m., an employee of a coffee shop in the 600 block of W. Huntington reported a male subject was disturbing customers. Officers arrived and contacted the subject. A computer check revealed he had several warrants. The suspect was arrested and taken into custody.

Mail Theft
April 2 between 10:12 a.m. and 3:35 p.m., several residents in the 600 block of Willowbrook and Laurel, the 800 block of Ridgeside, and the 900 block of Briarcliff, reported their mail had been stolen from their mailboxes. Some of the stolen mail was located in the 1100 block of Briarcliff. This investigation is continuing.

Violation of Restraining Order – Suspect Arrested
April 2 at 1:58 p.m., a sergeant stopped a vehicle in the 700 block of E. Huntington for a vehicle code violation. Further investigation revealed the male occupant had a court order to stay away from the female occupant. The male subject was arrested for violation of the restraining order.

DUI – Suspect Arrested
April 2 at 8:32 p.m., a caller reported seeing a motorist drive over a curb at Primrose and Palm. Officers located the vehicle in the 500 block of S. Primrose and conducted a traffic stop. After an investigation, the driver was arrested for Driving Under the Influence.

Public Intoxication – Suspect Arrested
April 2 at 9:08 p.m., a customer at a bar in the 600 block of S. Myrtle reported a male subject causing a disturbance inside the business. Officers responded and when the subject saw the officers, he ran from them. Officers located and arrested the subject who was found to be heavily intoxicated and not able to care for his own safety.

Possession of Methamphetamine / Warrants – Suspect Arrested
April 3 at 11:50 a.m., an officer was on patrol in the 1000 block of Royal Oaks when he stopped a motorist for a vehicle code violation. A computer check revealed the driver had multiple warrants. During the investigation the officer found the driver in possession of methamphetamine.

Grand Theft
April 3 at 8:09 p.m., a resident in the 900 block of W. Foothill reported a vehicle theft. The resident had parked his vehicle outside his home and discovered someone had stolen his laptop computer from inside the vehicle. This investigation is continuing.

Commercial Burglary
April 4 at 4:01 a.m., the owner of a business in the 100 block of S. Myrtle received an alarm activation on his cellphone for his business. His phone was connected to his store’s surveillance system, he could see two suspects inside his store attempting to steal the office safe. The subjects left within one minute after entering. This investigation is continuing.

GTA / Possession of Methamphetamine / Fraud – Suspects Arrested
April 4 11:33 a.m., residents in the 900 block of Royal Oaks reported a suspicious vehicle parked on their street occupied by two male subjects. Officers arrived and contacted the two subjects. A computer check revealed the vehicle did not belong to the subjects and been reported stolen. Both subjects had several warrants for their arrest and were in possession of methamphetamine as well as stolen property and other people’s personal identifying information. Both subjects were arrested.

Warrants – Suspects Arrested
April 4 between 7:38 p.m. and 8:32 p.m., two male subjects walked into the police department lobby to report they were turning themselves in for warrants they had issued to them for their arrest. Computer checks confirmed the warrants and the subjects were taken into custody.

Dinner at Los Gueros


Dinner at Los Gueros, on the north side of Huntington just west of Magnolia. Got the Special Burrito with carnitas for $11.95 and an iced tea for $2.75. Very good and if “burrito” means little donkey I think I got a full burro, because it was Big! Also, if you come here get the made-at-your-table guacamole; I was scraping the last bits from the bowl with my finger. It’s that good.

- Brad Haugaard

Biking School Board Member Crosses into Arizona


Rob Hammond at Arizona border.

Monrovia school board member and former mayor, Rob Hammond, has crossed into Arizona on the San Diego to Florida bicycle ride he began on Easter Day.

In 2013 Hammond rode his bicycle from Canada to the Mexican border.

You can follow his progress and donate to the Monrovia PTA at this site: http://www.irideforyou.com/track-my-ride.html

- Brad Haugaard

The Homeless and Rotating Churches

I was talking to a friend who attends Lake Avenue Church in Pasadena, who said something interesting that I think might be relevant to the homeless problem in Library Park.

Apparently a number of churches in Pasadena feed the homeless, but they take turns, and they don't do the feeding in one place, but at each of the churches.

This taking turns part interests me.

Not that Pasadena is generally a model to be emulated, but I wonder if by taking turns the churches there tend to ensure that the homeless do not all congregate in one area, making life difficult for people who live and work in that particular area. One place doesn't become too much of a problem.

I'm not suggesting this approach solves the problem, but I wonder if it might help.

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Women Invited to Tomorrow's Meeting Of Arcadia Woman's Club

Monrovia women are invited to attend tomorrow's meeting of the Arcadia Woman's Club on Wednesday, April 4 at 11 a.m. in its clubhouse, 324 S. First Ave., Arcadia. The meeting will have a baby shower theme with attendees encouraged to bring baby layette items to benefit the Pregnancy Help Center of San Gabriel Valley. Along with games, prizes and cake associated with a baby shower, the meeting will include a social time, business meeting and luncheon, for $15. Reservations may be made with Linda Mokler at 287-0261. More about the club at www.arcadiawomansclub.org.

- Brad Haugaard

Homeless in Park Will Probably Stay; Oak Tree in Park Will Go; New Sign for Studio Movie Grill; Money for Home Security Gone; More

New theater facade.


In his weekly report, City Manager Oliver Chi reports ...

~ As currently written, the city ordinance against "camping in city parks" is "unenforceable and unconstitutional." The main difficulty in creating a new ordinance is in providing an alternate place for homeless people to go. Chi said that means "it would be unconstitutional for the City to simply say 'get off my lawn' and start pushing homeless people out of the park."

"[I]t is increasingly clear," he writes, "that there is no simple law that can be adopted to make homeless people disappear. Ultimately, adopting the law is easy, enforcing it is hard. The status of homelessness cannot be criminalized, and efforts to simply make homeless individuals go away through any means necessary will likely violate those individuals' constitutional rights if not done carefully and compassionately. Both state and federal courts have made these points exceedingly clear recently."

There will be a City Council study session on the matter today at 5:30 p.m. at City Hall.

~ A new facade and signage have been approved for Studio Movie Grill. The theater is also working on interior upgrades of food and beverage service areas. Construction is tentatively scheduled to start in mid-summer.

~ The Cork Oak tree at Library Park (just east of the fountain) is dying due to a pinhole borer beetle infestation and will have to be removed. The dying tree will be replaced with two new Cork Oak trees.

~ You know the city program to help residents pay for home security systems? Well, it was popular and the money has run out, so it's all over for now.

~ During Spring Break this upcoming week, the Monrovia Library, in partnership with Oak Crest Institute of Science, will be holding daily programs on a variety of scientific and engineering fields. There will be a small Open House event, scheduled for this Thursday, April 5, 2 to 3 p.m.

~ Boys and Girls Club of the Foothills will be honoring outstanding youth. Details: https://goo.gl/S7ci5A

~ Monrovia Garden Club is planting a new Engelmann Oak tree at Kiwanis Park at Grand Avenue today.

~ Monrovia Police Department is participating in Autism Awareness Month. T-shirts are now available (1 for $20, 2 for $30) at the Police Department. For questions contact Seth Hermes at SHermes@monrovia.laclen.org.

~ Monrovia Reads has been added to a new entry sign logo on Huntington Drive, along with the other service clubs in town.

- Brad Haugaard

Volunteers Needed to Pack Food at Post Offices

Monrovia's Foothill Unity Center needs volunteers to pack up food gathered by letter carriers as part of The National Letter Carrier Food Drive on Saturday, May 12. People who can handle physical labor can volunteer here: https://goo.gl/d0V1yf

- Brad Haugaard

The Chief Dog


Puppy alert! Say hello to Chief (A452766), a fun 8-month-old shepherd puppy. Playful Chief is an enthusiastic young pup who already knows his sit command. He loves to run around and chase squeaky toys. If you are looking for an active dog to add to your family, stop by and ask for Chief.

The adoption fee for dogs is $130. All dogs are spayed or neutered, microchipped, and vaccinated before going to their new home.

New adopters will receive a complimentary health-and-wellness exam from VCA Animal Hospitals, as well as a goody bag filled with information about how to care for your pet.

View photos of adoptable pets at pasadenahumane.org. Adoption hours are 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday; 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Friday; and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday.

Pets may not be available for adoption and cannot be held for potential adopters by phone calls or email.

** The Pasadena Humane Society is launching “Kitten Week,” a week-long awareness and action campaign held April 23-29, to encourage community members to spay/neuter, adopt, and get involved. You can find more information at pasadenahumane.org/kittenweek.

The Pasadena Humane Society serves Monrovia.

- Brad Haugaard

Talk on 'Freedom is Ours Now' at Myrtle Tree Cafe


Christian Science practitioner Patricia Woodard will give a talk, "Breaking News: Freedom is Ours Now", Monday, April 23, 7:30 p.m. at The Myrtle Tree Garden Cafe at 405 S. Myrtle. She will explore the practicality of Christ Jesus' life and works as recorded in the Bible and as discussed in Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, written by the founder of the Christian Science movement, Mary Baker Eddy.

Source: press release

- Brad Haugaard

Happy Easter, Monrovia. He Has Risen!


“He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come see the place where he lay.” - Matthew 28:6

See, the tomb is empty!

This is the Easter setup at our house. A paper mache cave that held “Jesus,” wrapped in tissue and closed off with a coffee coaster (usually we use a grapefruit), and guarded by our son’s old Lego soldiers.

Now, as you can see, the soldiers are out cold and Jesus has arisen (Don’t tell but he’s now on top of the fireplace mantle). We’ve done this since our kids were little and they had fun trying to figure out where Jesus had arisen to.

Happy Easter, Monrovia!

- Brad Haugaard