Monrovia Liquor Store Robbery / Challenging Times

~ Robbery - Duarte Road liquor store robbed, clerk beaten with pistol. Here http://goo.gl/cVPcc and here http://goo.gl/977Wp

~ Most Challenging Times in 30 Years - Linda Taubenreuther of the Foothill Unity Center reports that: "In the last two and a half years, our client base has doubled. This is by far the most challenging opportunity in our 30-year history, and we need your help more than ever before."

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Company Gets $46.2 Million Order / MAP Program is Finalist

~ Monrovia's AeroVironment receives $46.2 million order. http://goo.gl/D8EKP
 
~ Monrovia Area Partnership program is a finalist in an international contest. http://goo.gl/CZeb9
 
- Brad Haugaard

City of Monrovia and Monrovia Unified School District To Host A Wildcat CIF Football Championship Victory Celebration On January 6th!

 The Monrovia Unified School District and the Monrovia City Council are pleased to honor the Monrovia Wildcat football team on Thursday, January 6 at 6:30p.m., in Monrovia Library Park, (321 South Myrtle Avenue).  The Wildcats are being recognized for bringing home the school’s first CIF football championship. This season was the Wildcat’s tenth attempt at a championship.  A processional parade will begin at the high school campus, travel along Colorado Boulevard and eventually arrive at Library Park in the Historic Old Town District.  Upon arrival at Library Park, the football team will be serenaded by the MHS Band and the high school’s cheerleading squad.  The champions and their coaching staff will be individually recognized and congratulated by the Monrovia City Council and Monrovia Unified School District Board Members. The public is encouraged to line the streets of the processional route from the high school to Library Park and then join the celebration at the park.  Congratulations Wildcats!

 

- Linda Wagner, Superintendent of Schools

Recycle Tree / Green January / Boys Soccer / Food Trucks

~ Recycle your Christmas tree. Place it on the curb during your regular trash collection day through Jan. 14. Remove all ornaments, tinsel, plastic bags, nails, lights, and plastic or metal stands or tree will not be collected. Flocked and fire retardant coated trees will be accepted.
 
Source: http://goo.gl/fHNvA
 
~ Green January. Details about the four weeks of January: Recycle Week, Reduce Week, Donate Week and Reduce Week. Here: http://goo.gl/cHwj3
 
~ Monrovia boys soccer coach Mike Williams. http://goo.gl/CGtV0
 
~ No food trucks - at least not in Old Town. http://goo.gl/chAnz
 
- Brad Haugaard

MonroviaOpoly / Movie Houses / Sanford

~ MonroviaOpoly - It may still be available. Get it while it lasts. $25 at library. http://goo.gl/vLSIN
 
~ History - About Monrovia's movie houses. http://goo.gl/EwYIl

~ Profile - Betty Sanford, long-time volunteer. http://goo.gl/ZZzCO
 
- Brad Haugaard

Merry Christmas, Monrovia!

[From Luke 2:1-19]
 
And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed. (This was the first census taken when Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And all went to be registered, every one into his own city.
 
And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:) To be registered with Mary his espoused wife, who was with child. And so it was, that, while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in strips of cloth, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.
 
And in that same region there were shepherds in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, an angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were very afraid. And the angel said to them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good news of great joy, which shall be for all people. For to you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign to you; You shall find a baby wrapped in strips of cloth, lying in a manger.
 
And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,
 
Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men with whom he is pleased.
 
And it came to pass, as the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, Let us go straight to Bethlehem, and see this thing which has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us. And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. And when they had seen, they made known what was told them concerning this child. And all those who heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds. But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.
 
- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Christmas Eve Services

~ At First Presbyterian Church tonight, a family service at 5 p.m. "Children's Ministry will present the Christmas Story, we will sing Christmas Carols and end by candle light." Childcare for infants-2 years. At 10 p.m. the candlelight service, featuring choir singing and leading in worship with carols proclaiming the birth of Jesus Christ. No childcare available. http://goo.gl/I9Ev8
 
At Immaculate Conception today, a 4 p.m. English family mass, 6 p.m. English, 8 p.m. Spanish, and again at midnight with musical prelude at 11:30 p.m. More here: http://goo.gl/ka7UX
 
~ At St. Luke's Episcopal Church tonight, carol singing at 7:30 p.m., full Eucharist service at 8 p.m. Also, a children's story reading and visit from St Nicholas, with presents for the children. http://goo.gl/H9LtZ
 
~ First Baptist Church. Christmas Eve Service at 6:30 p.m.

~ Calvary Chapel Monrovia tonight. Soup and chili potluck at 5 p.m. followed by worship and study time.

~ Pastor's Christmas Story Time for parents and kids at Calvary Road Baptist Church, 319 West Olive Avenue, 7 p.m.

- Brad Haugaard

Injured Monrovia Child Home Again / Smoking in Parks

~ An infant injured by a Great Dane is home again.  http://goo.gl/XUWSI
 
~ Smoking remains legal in Monrovia Parks. http://goo.gl/zueyD
 
- Brad Haugaard

Lake Library

Looking out from the front door of the Monrovia Library today. A sea of water.

- Brad Haugaard

Sawpit Debris Basin Full

Sawpit Debris Basin, which was a mere mud puddle before the rains, is now an overflowing lake. (Corrected. I originally labeled this Sawpit Dam.)

-Brad Haugaard

Boys Soccer / Christmas Flash Mob

~ Boys Soccer: Garey 2, Monrovia 0 :-( http://goo.gl/wY5Yt and http://goo.gl/lQJR8

~ Next door in Arcadia, at the Nordstrom in the mall, a "flash mob" began singing Handel's Hallelujah Chorus. If you are not familiar with the flash mob concept, read about it - and see the video - here: http://goo.gl/yaOeT
 
- Brad Haugaard

Wildcat Victory Celebration on January 6

There will be a celebration of the Monrovia Wildcats' football victory on January 6, according to Mayor Mary Ann Lutz.
On her Facebook page, Mayor Lutz said the schedule will be:
- 6:30 pm: Depart MHS with escort of Fire and Police Department apparatus/vehicles. Players and coaches will be riding on decorated vehicles. They will travel east on Colorado, turn north on Myrtle, then circle Library Park (Palm, Primrose, Lime, Myrtle).
- 6:45 pm: The players will be delivered to the mid-300 block of Myrtle Avenue, where the MHS Band and Cheerleaders will already be present. Big M Boosters will be selling pompoms, etc., hot cocoa, etc.
- 7 p.m.: Celebratory program and presentation of the CIF championship trophy.
Source: http://goo.gl/5FY7Z
- Brad Haugaard

MHS Wildcat Parade

Monrovia City Manager Scott Ochoa said that at tomorrow's city council meeting "the Mayor and Council will outline a community celebration featuring a parade/procession and a rally in Library Park." He guesstimates that the proclamation of "MHS Wildcat Day" will dominate the meeting.
He adds: "Also on the agenda, we have the recognition of the "Holiday Home Decorating Contest" (PR-2), the proposed amendment to the Monrovia Municipal Code relating to mobile vendors (PH-1), the rezoning of recently-acquired hillside property from a residential designation to a Hillside Wilderness Preserve zone designation (PH-2), and the mid-year budget update (AR-1)."
Source: http://goo.gl/m6ED8
- Brad Haugaard

Glowing-Nosed Rudolph

A red-nosed reindeer on N. Canyon in Monrovia.

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Household Tip

I'd like to share today a tip I have learned from painful experience. But because this is a Monrovia blog I'll have to ask you not to share it with anybody living across the border in Arcadia.

Okay? Okay!

So, let's say you have cats (an orange one and a black one in this example) and, further, let's say you like to wear t-shirts, but sometimes you gotta change into a button shirt to go to church or a Christmas party or something. However, the t-shirt isn't dirty yet - you know because you sniffed it (I'm talking to guys, here) - so you lay it on your bed, planning to come back to it after the formal event.

But what happens? The wrong-color cat comes and lays on your t-shirt! (See pictures.) Note that dark cats do NOT lay on dark t-shirts and light cats do NOT lay on light shirts. They know that their fur will not properly show up on a similarly colored shirt.

So anyway, now you have orange cat hair on your black t-shirt and black hair on your white t-shirt. Sigh.

But, here's where this handy household tip comes in.

When you take the t-shirt off, simply flip it inside out and lay it on the bed.

Then the cat comes along all smug-like and lays on the t-shirt and thinks he's getting it all covered with cat hair, but then you come back and - Ha Ha! - flip the t-shirt right-side-out and put it on again. It's a little bit tickley, but not a whisker's worth of cat hair showing!

It's not so hard to trick a cat if you really put your mind to it.

- Brad Haugaard

Home Decorations Map / Food Distribution / Girl's Basketball

~ A list of Holiday Home Winners here: http://goo.gl/OXc96 and here's a map you can print out: http://goo.gl/oNIjz

 

~ Picture of Foothill Unity Center's food distribution. http://goo.gl/NO7Q6

 

~ Girls Basketball: Arcadia 59, Monrovia 38 :-( 38 http://goo.gl/tKkf3

 

- Brad Haugaard

Unity Center Box-a-Thon

Many hands makes light work at Saturday's food boxing for Christmas distribution at Arboretum.
- Brad Haugaard

Rainy Saturday in Monrovia

It's umbrella weather today. Hot soup for lunch?

- Brad Haugaard

One of Biggest Distributions in LA County

Monrovia's Foothill Unity Center is "racing to get ready for one of the biggest holiday distributions in LA County Sunday and Monday at the Arboretum. Total signups: 1,852 families, 2,988 children." http://goo.gl/dsWzD

When I contacted the Center I was told there is need for toy-packers this afternoon, starting at noon at the Arboretum and that I could just come on down to help, so I guess if you are an adult you could as well.

- Brad Haugaard

Soggy Santa & Caroling

I caught a few pictures of Santa touring Monrovia. I think you can just see him wearing a yellow raincoat. I don't blame him.

Also, Monrovia First Presbyterian Church friends and family gathered for dinner and caroling at local nursing homes. Here's a video collage: http://goo.gl/dSjNM

- Brad Haugaard