Monrovia Council to Consider Sale of Property to Gold Line for $39.6 Million

At its Tuesday, March 22, meeting, the Monrovia Redevelopment Agency (the City Council wearing a different hat) will consider selling the property bounded by Evergreen Road, Shamrock Avenue, Duarte Road and California Avenue, to the Metro Gold Line Foothill Extension Construction Authority for $39,627,818. http://goo.gl/R1OhY

- Brad Haugaard

Bark Pix / No Climbing / Monrovian: Woman of Year / AeroVironment CEO /Carden

~ Cute pictures from the Bark for Life anti-cancer fundraiser. http://goo.gl/oGK4W

~ "No climbing" sign installed at waterfall. (Good idea!) http://goo.gl/tsCl3

~ Monrovian Beth Costanza named 44th Assembly District's Woman of the Year. http://goo.gl/0eiKU

~ Nice profile in LA Times of Timothy Conver, CEO of AeroVironment. http://goo.gl/jqVq4

~ Carden of the Foothills School is sponsoring a golf tournament to raise funds for the school. http://goo.gl/eAavs

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia MAP Program a Finalist

Monrovia's "Monrovia Area Partnership" (MAP) program is a finalist - competing with cities across the nation - in two categories in an awards program sponsored by Neighborhoods USA: "Neighborhood of the Year Award," and "The Best Neighborhood Program Award." http://goo.gl/1bLzG 

 

- Brad Haugaard

Endorsements for Monrovia City Council: Tom Adams & Becky Shevlin

On April 12 Monrovians will select two of five candidates to serve on the Monrovia City Council. (Actually, two of four, since candidate Joe Espinosa has withdrawn, though his name will remain on the ballot).

I think the best choices are the two incumbents, Tom Adams and Becky Shevlin.

My reasoning is that the overriding concern for Monrovia today is the city budget, and Shevlin and Adams have the focus and experience to deal with that.

At the candidates' forum I attended this seemed to be the main issue for both of them. Both talked about the city fixing its pension system and both spoke of attempts by the state to extract even more money from local government.

That was exactly the focus I wanted to hear.

Now I'm sure the challengers don't want to blow the budget either, but the incumbents are familiar with the problem and have been wrestling with it, and however competent the challengers may be, there is always a learning period before people become effective in a new position. But the situation is critical and I don't feel there is time for on-the-job training. We already have two competent people who understand the problem and are working on it - Tom Adams and Becky Shevlin - and I think we should stick with them.

I welcome other opinions.

[UPDATE: Please see responses by clicking the Comment link to the right, below.]

- Brad Haugaard

Association of Schools Visits Monrovia School

The Monrovia Adult School is welcoming a visiting team from the Western Association of Schools and Colleges. (That's the group that accredits schools, so it's important.)  http://goo.gl/7lx91

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia's Farmers Market / Youth Vote / Thai Bistro Discount

~ A review of Monrovia's Farmers' Market - "just keeps getting better & better." http://goo.gl/27vvV

~ Promoting the youth vote in Monrovia. http://goo.gl/fr8X2

~ Chang Thai Bistro at 614 S. Myrtle. Bring in proof of Monrovia residence and get 20% off on lunch. http://goo.gl/hgsQe

- Brad Haugaard

Items the Monrovia School Board Will Consider

At its March 23 Meeting ( http://goo.gl/ucj2F ), the Monrovia Board of Education will consider, among other things ...
- Changes to its Board Policies, including its Independent Study program and foster youth program. If either of those apply to you, you may want to read this document: http://goo.gl/OlPK9
- Approving a Monrovia High School plan to add a year-long Mandarin 2 Chinese language course to its curriculum, following up on the Mandarin 1 course already in place. http://goo.gl/urbgO
- Leasing 2,500 square feet of spare space at Santa Fe Middle School to Verizon for a cell phone antenna. The district will get about $24,000 per year. http://goo.gl/XLNHg . Also, the district will consider continuing a lease to MetroPCS for an antenna at Monrovia High. That one brings in $21,600 a year. http://goo.gl/5EOpx
- Passing a resolution supporting Governor Jerry Brown's plan to put an extension of a temporary state tax on the June 2011 ballot. http://goo.gl/6mFeb
- A report saying that since November, the district has implemented a new web filtering service, instituted new procedures to keep student data safe, implemented a parent telephone notification system, installed interactive classroom equipment at Monrovia High and installed WiFi at Monroe and Wild Rose elementary schools. http://goo.gl/wXzd2
- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Schools: $390,000 for Elementary English Books?

The Monrovia Board of Education will consider spending $390,000 to purchase the "California Treasures" English textbooks for kindergarten through fifth grade. http://goo.gl/QaT9W
Let's see, with 2,636 Monrovia elementary students as of 10/6/2010, and one book per student, that comes to $147.95 per student. Yowza! Well, come to think of it, kids are hard on books, plus there are probably some teachers' guides to go with it, so let's order half again as many books, 3,954. So, that comes to $98.63 per book.
Unless I'm missing something big, that still seems like an insane amount of money for a book.
Right now I am looking at a book I own called "World Art." It is large-format, 448 pages, printed on glossy, heavy paper, with beautifully-printed full-color images on 350 of its pages, and it is filled with intelligent prose. You can buy this book in its hardcover edition on Amazon for a (comparatively) piddly $26.47: http://goo.gl/ZLQfK
Not that I'm saying anything new, but there seems to be something seriously wrong in the world of textbooks.
- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Anti-Cancer Foundation in Wall Street Journal

St. Baldrick's Foundation ( http://goo.gl/nYdge ) of Monrovia just got a write-up in the Wall Street Journal ( http://goo.gl/2fNtt ). St. Baldrick's funds childhood cancer research with shaved heads.

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia's AeroVironment Gets Hawaii Contract

Monrovia's AeroVironment has an $820,000 deal with Hawaii to provide electric charging stations throughout the state. http://goo.gl/gdUkv

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Quake Insurance / ZuniConnect

~ Insurance agent says earthquake insurance cost for Monrovia is pretty reasonable. http://goo.gl/8wOFu

~ Monrovia company, ZuniDigital, has created "ZuniConnect Travel," a device that creates a secure wireless network from a wired or wireless internet connection and charges multiple portable electronic devices such as smartphones, tablets, MP3 players and gaming systems. http://goo.gl/BPFJa

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Police Formative Years Project

If you have young children, you may want to sign up for the Monrovia Police Department's Formative Years Project, scheduled to begin May 5.  The project is for parents and their children, grades 1-3, and introduces life values and skills to children, beginning the process of building healthy and safe practices.  See the flyer for information on how to register for classes. 

- Brad Haugaard

Assault by Glass Mural, Burglary, Etc.

[Monrovia Police activities from the Police Department's Neighborhood Watch Report for March 10-16. - Brad Haugaard]

During the last seven day period, the Police Department handled 508 service events, resulting in 100 investigations.  Following are the last week's highlighted issues and events:

  

Grand Theft

March 10 at 11:10 a.m., an officer was dispatched to a residence in the 100 block of North Primrose regarding a theft.  The victim reported that her daughter-in-law lost the house key approximately three weeks ago, and they now have discovered the victim's jewelry box with cash missing.  There were no signs of forced entry.  The investigation is continuing.

 

Burglary

March 10 at 4:10 p.m., an officer responded to a business in the 100 block of West Foothill regarding a subject that loss prevention had in custody for trying to steal a cart full of Red Bull.  The officer arrived and, through investigation, determined the subject had the intent to steal prior to entering the store and arrested him for burglary.  The subject is a known heroin addict and admitted he was going to sell the merchandise.

 

Burglary

March 11 at 12:13 p.m., police received a call from a business in the 700 block of East Huntington, reporting two male suspects had stolen merchandise and left in a truck that was being followed by a loss prevention officer.  Officers were able to detain the truck, as the loss prevention officer relayed their location by phone.  The property was recovered, the two subjects were positively identified by the loss prevention officer, and both were arrested for burglary.  One suspect was found to be on parole for petty theft with a prior. 

 

Domestic Violence / Assault with Great Bodily Injury

March 11 at 1:51 p.m., a male subject came into the police lobby to report that his live-in girlfriend had thrown a glass mural at him, which cut his right arm.  Monrovia Fire Department paramedics tended to the victim's injury.  An officer responded to the incident location in the 200 block of East Lemon and contacted the female suspect.  She admitted to throwing the glass mural which caused the injury.  She was arrested and taken into custody.

 

Medical Assist

March 13 at 9:58 a.m., an adult male subject fell from the waterfall at Canyon Park and sustained a head injury.  He was airlifted from Canyon Park with non-life-threatening injuries.

 

Assault with a Deadly Weapon

March 13 at 6:59 p.m., police responded to a residence in the 900 block of Genoa regarding an assault.  The victim was involved in an argument with his adult stepson.  The argument escalated and the stepson verbally threatened to kill his stepfather.  The victim confronted his stepson and challenged him.  The argument became physical and led to the stepson stabbing the victim once in the left side, and the victim bit the stepson on the hand.  Officers arrived and both parties were transported to the hospital for their non-life-threatening injuries.  The victim was treated and released from the hospital.  The stepson was treated, released from the hospital, and arrested for assault with a deadly weapon.

 

Robbery

March 13 at 7:54 p.m., a male Hispanic suspect entered a business in the 100 block of West Huntington and produced a handgun.  The suspect demanded money from an employee.  He took approximately $150.00 from the employee and fled on a bicycle.  The suspect is described as a male, Hispanic with facial hair.  He was wearing a black sweatshirt and a Los Angeles Dodger's baseball cap.  Investigation continuing.

 

Residential Burglary

March 15 at 7:37 p.m., police responded to a residential burglary in the 1300 block of South Primrose.  The resident left home for work during the early morning hours and returned home at 7:30 p.m. to discover someone had broken a rear window and gained entry to the residence.  A laptop computer and several other items had been taken.  No witnesses were located and the investigation is continuing.

 

Theft from Vehicle

March 16 at 12:25 a.m., a resident in the 300 block of North Primrose observed a suspicious subject looking into vehicles on the street and called police.  When officers arrived, they saw the suspect fleeing on foot.  A perimeter was established, but officers were unable to locate the suspect.  It was discovered that the suspect entered a vehicle and removed coins, but dropped the coins next to the vehicle.  Officers continued to search the area and saw the suspect in the passenger seat of a moving vehicle.  They conducted a traffic stop and arrested the 16 year old male suspect.  He was later cited and released to a parent.

Monrovia Blockbuster Store a Survivor

The Monrovia Blockbuster video store at 123 W. Foothill Blvd. will apparently survive an April 10 round of closures that will affect Blockbuster stores in other local cities. http://goo.gl/LBLlG

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia's STAAR Plans Five Commercials

STAAR Surgical, of Monrovia, plans five new commercials focused on the benefits of its contact lenses and glasses. http://goo.gl/NG4ZT

- Brad Haugaard

The Monrovia Rule

The Monrovia Rule, no wearing jewelry during track and field events. http://goo.gl/L2Z9S

- Brad Haugaard

Win $50k / Bark for Life / Firefighters Fight Cancer

~ Enter the Home Energy Makeover Contest before March 31. Win up to $50,000. http://goo.gl/ihwIg

~ Bark for Life of Monrovia to raise money for American Cancer Society, Sunday, March 20. http://goo.gl/4mZ4F

~ Monrovia firefighters help raise more than $30,000 to fight Cancer. http://goo.gl/xdMVO

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Mayor: Contact State Representatives / Gold Line Benefits

~ Monrovia Mayor Mary Ann Lutz is asking residents to contact Senator Bob Huff (916) 651-4029, Assembly Member Anthony Portantino (916) 319-2044 and Assembly Member Tim Donnelly (916) 319-2059 before noon today to ask them to vote against Assembly Bill 101 and Senate Bill 77, which would end redevelopment agencies. http://goo.gl/YcHtS

~ Thoughts on how the Gold Line will benefit Monrovia and the San Gabriel Valley by Cynthia Kurtz, president and CEO of the San Gabriel Valley Economic Partnership. http://goo.gl/nWVYS

- Brad Haugaard

Donnelly Votes Against Higher Benefits

Assemblyman Tim Donnelly, who represents Monrovia, says that he has voted to stop an increase of government spending for illegal immigrant benefits. http://goo.gl/OiKLB

Monrovia Deer

These deer were all munching in someone's front yard on Scenic Drive. They saw me but couldn't care less. Can you spot all seven of them?

- Brad Haugaard