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Monrovia Hillsides Presentation | MHS Auditorium

~ Presentation on Draft Environmental Impact for Monrovia hillsides. http://goo.gl/Yyb0L
 
~ I hear that the revamped Monrovia High School auditorium is opening this Friday and that it is "beautiful."
 
- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Canyon Rattlers


This rattlesnake (in Monrovia Canyon Park) took a lunge at my biking buddy today. I think they were both surprised. We saw two rattlers within three minutes. This one is the biggest I've ever seen.

Sacramento Acts Against Possible Gold Line Lawsuit

The Gold Line is getting support from Sacramento in its battle with a Monrovia property owner, with legislators introducing legislation to permit local city council members to sit on the Gold Line board, and also by appealing to the state Attorney General not to allow the property owner's lawsuit to proceed. Habib Balian, of the Gold Line, writes:

"As many of you know, legislators representing the corridor are supporting legislation in Sacramento to respond to technical challenges being made by a local property owner trying to slow down or stop the project. The allegations he makes relate to the issue of 'incompatible offices,'  suggesting that local officials have a conflict of interest by serving on the Gold Line Board. However, as Assemblywoman Torres  points out in the article 'The best qualified folks to sit on these types of boards are the ones who sit on local city councils.' This LA Times article outlines the issue and the work led by Assemblywoman Norma Torres and Senators Hernandez and Huff."

- Brad Haugaard

Henry's to Become Sprouts

Henry's Farmers Market, on Huntington, is switching its name to Sprouts Farmers Market, as part of a merger between Henry's and Sprouts. http://goo.gl/FrmZv

- Brad Haugaard

Ramirez in Monrovia Football Lineup

De'Shawn Ramirez back in lineup for Wildcats football. http://goo.gl/4bDcL

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia FD Uses Jaws of Life | Have a Home Escape Plan

~ Monrovia Fire Department responded to 95 emergency calls from 8 a.m. August 9 to 8 a.m. August 16, 2011, including an early Sunday morning collision in which firefighters used the Jaws of Life to rescue a female from a vehicle. She suffered a broken leg and was transported to a trauma center in stable condition. http://goo.gl/4EBty 

~ Also, the Monrovia FD recommends creating a home escape plan. Scroll down a bit to see the instructions on making one: http://goo.gl/4EBty 
 
- Brad Haugaard

Mayor on How Monrovia is Helping Air Quality

Video of Monrovia Mayor Mary Ann Lutz being interviewed by the Air Quality Management District's "On the Air" program, discussing how Monrovia is helping improve local air quality. http://goo.gl/pBr8g

- Brad Haugaard

Popular Pastor to Start Church in Monrovia


Albert Tate, a popular pastor at Lake Avenue Church in Pasadena, is starting a new church in Monrovia that will hold its first service Jan. 15, 2012. Tate is dividing his time between serving at Lake Avenue Church (the large church at Lake Avenue and the 210 Freeway) and this new venture. He is looking for a building in Monrovia and will spend several months in New York, where he will study how to start churches.
Tate is known for his humorous and congregation-involving style. A sermon clip ( http://goo.gl/bT7UO ) and a one-on-one chat ( http://goo.gl/HEP34 ).
- Brad Haugaard

Monrovian Killed

Monrovian killed in North Hollywood shooting. http://goo.gl/FsQ56


UPDATE: Police searching for gunmen. http://goo.gl/1Wy2w

- Brad Haugaard

Star-News Editorial Page

For the second Saturday in a row, the paper Star-News (which covers Monrovia) has not had an editorial page. Last Saturday I thought maybe it was just an emergency problem fitting it in to the paper - though I had never seen it missing in decades - but now, twice in a row, I think maybe it is going away on Saturdays. Too bad.
 
- Brad Haugaard

Construction at Old Spire's Site


Construction appears to have begun on what I've heard will be a Chase Bank at Huntington and Monterey. At the old Spire's restaurant site.

- Brad Haugaard

Lunch at Chili's


Got the Bacon Ranch Chicken Quesadilla with a bowl of chili. $7. Very good. Been to Chili's many times and they've never disappointed me.

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Quarterback | More Portantino | And Now Donnelly, Too

~ Monrovia High quarterback: http://goo.gl/IqWpj


~ Portantino vs. Perez - columnist says it's about Congress: http://goo.gl/0gFgZ


~ And now Assemblyman Tim Donnelly (who also represents part of Monrovia) and two other Republicans have released their full office budgets in defiance of Assembly leadership and in support of Democrat Portantino. [How about that - bipartisanship.] Donnelly said voters would be angry if they knew how the legislature spends its money. http://goo.gl/qxW58

- Brad Haugaard

Redistricting the County | Should Monrovia Football Worry?

~ Three plans for redistricting for the County Board of Supervisors. http://goo.gl/5nk4p

~ Should Monrovia High football be worried about West Covina? http://goo.gl/06Ity

- Brad Haugaard

Gold Line Art

If you are interested in public art at the Gold Line stations, here are two videos produced by the Gold Line folks that talk about it: http://goo.gl/e4bxu and http://goo.gl/qbhSD .
 
The first of these video says that the Gold Line spends half a percent of its $810 million budget on public art, or, a little over $4 million.
 
- Brad Haugaard

Foundations About to be Built for 210 Bridge

Work will soon begin on the foundations for the Gold Line bridge over the 210 near the eastbound Santa Anita Avenue offramp, including three 110-foot deep foundations, according to a press release from the Gold Line, which adds ...
 
"Over the coming months, intermittent partial and/or full freeway closures of the eastbound I-210 lanes will continue to occur, mostly from Midnight to 5:00 a.m.  Traffic will be detoured along Foothill Boulevard.
 
"Avoid Traffic Delays: Register to receive construction alerts to your cell phone or e-mail at www.foothillextension.org."
 
- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia PD Gets Money to Reduce Alcohol-Related Problems

The Monrovia Police Department has been awarded a grant in the amount of $20,000 by the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC). Representatives from the department attended an ABC training conference in Sacramento earlier this month.
 
The grant will allow the Monrovia Police Department to focus on providing education to ABC licensed establishments in their responsibilities as licensees. The department will also focus on enforcement of alcohol related offenses related to the licensed establishments. The police department will be conducting inspections of licensed establishments, as well as conducting enforcement operations to ensure the establishments are operating within the law.
 
The Monrovia Police Department has not received a grant from ABC in the past. The Monrovia Police Department hopes to establish lasting relationships with the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control and with the licensed locations within the city.
 
Receiving an ABC grant for a city the size of Monrovia is significant because it will allow the Monrovia Police Department to focus on alcohol related offenses before they occur with a goal of reducing the number of alcohol related calls for service.
 
- Brad Haugaard (from Police Department press release)

Monrovia Detective Cases: Theft from Under Termite Tents, Molestation, Etc.

[Monrovia PD Detective Bureau Cases from the Police Department’s Neighborhood Watch Report for August 11-17- Brad Haugaard]
 
Identity Theft
On Tuesday, August 16, 2011, Monrovia detectives served a search warrant in the 200 block of West Palm on an identity theft suspect's apartment.  Detectives found evidence linking the suspect to the crime.  Monrovia detectives also found evidence of three additional identity theft victims.  The suspect was arrested and the handling detective is continuing his investigation by contacting the three additional victims.  This case will be presented to the District Attorney's office for filing considerations.  The suspect will be facing a minimum of 10 identity theft allegations/charges. The investigation into the additional victims may produce even more allegations/charges of identity theft.
  
Residential Burglaries Committed While the Residences Were Tented and Being Treated for Termites
On Thursday, August 18, 2011, Monrovia detectives served a search warrant at a public storage facility in Arcadia in connection with two burglaries.  The investigation led the handling detective to believe that one of the suspected burglars had a storage space at this storage facility.  The search warrant allows the detectives to enter the storage space and to obtain information and records from the office regarding this space.  This investigation is still ongoing.
  
Child Molestation / Suspect Convicted on August 16, 2011
The suspect was arrested on December 15, 2009, for child molestation.  The suspect, a registered sex offender, allegedly, had repeatedly molested his live-in stepdaughter over an 8-year period, beginning when she was only 4 years of age.
 
The case was assigned to a detective for further investigation and the District Attorney's review.  During the course of the detective's investigation, he was able to locate a previous victim of the suspect, an ex-girlfriend's daughter.  She, too, was the victim of repeated sexual molestation by the suspect, which began when she was 6 years old.  This case occurred in West Covina in 1995, while the suspect lived with the victim's mother. 
 
Three felony charges were filed against the suspect for the Monrovia case by the Pasadena Superior Court and a jury trial began on August 10, 2011.  On August 16, 2011, the case went to the jury, and in a short 60 minutes, they returned with a verdict: GUILTY on all counts.  Each of the three counts holds a 25-year-to-life sentence, due to his prior felony sexual assault conviction.

Monrovia Police: Mother and Child Hurt in Car Accident, Etc.


[Monrovia Police activities from the Police Department’s Neighborhood Watch Report for August 11-17- Brad Haugaard]


During the last seven-day period, the Police Department handled 659 service events, resulting in 103 investigations. Following are the last week’s highlighted issues and events:


Driving Under the Influence Traffic Collision – Suspect Arrested


On August 13 at 12:46 a.m., a female driver in an SUV was traveling south on Mayflower when another female driver in a sedan pulled out in front of her in the 1300 block of South Mayflower. The driver of the SUV was unable to stop and struck the sedan. Her SUV drove over the front end of the sedan, she overcorrected, and then struck a wall under the freeway overpass. The SUV was occupied by a 12-year-old female and her mother. The child sustained a broken femur and the mother sustained a broken left foot, both were taken to a hospital for treatment. The driver of the sedan was determined to be under the influence and was arrested. She was also taken to a hospital for evaluation.


Residential Trespassing


On August 14 at 12:15 p.m., the owner of an apartment complex located in the 100 block of Montana discovered that one of the empty units at the complex is being used by what appears to be transients. The transients left evidence of possible identity and the investigation is continuing.


Grand Theft Auto Recovery


August 14 at 7:45 p.m., a stolen 1993 Nissan Altima was located at a hotel in the 700 block of West Huntington. The vehicle had been stolen out of Azusa on July 28. No suspect information is known. The owner responded and recovered the vehicle. Investigation continuing.


Grand Theft Auto


August 14 at 8:25 p.m., a green, 1997 Honda was stolen from a carport area in the 400 block of West Duarte Road. The victim last saw the vehicle at 9:30 p.m. the previous night. Investigation continuing.


Grand Theft Auto Recovery


August 15 at 8:20 a.m., an officer was dispatched to the 1600 block of Radford Place regarding a suspicious vehicle. The officer located the vehicle parked on the street. It was a reported stolen vehicle and it was unlocked and intact. The victim was notified and responded to recover the vehicle. The victim did not find anything missing from the vehicle. A witness reported seeing a male Hispanic subject, 25-30 years old, 5'10", 200 pounds, with short hair and clean shaven. The subject drove the vehicle to the location and parked it. He then left the location in a Chevy Tahoe that had followed the stolen vehicle and was being driven by a female Hispanic, approximately 25-30 years old. The vehicle was returned to the victim and the investigation is continuing.


Vehicle Burglary


October 15 at 1:54 p.m., an officer responded to the 200 block of South California on the report of a vehicle burglary. The victim reported that her locked vehicle was broken into and her property was stolen.


Vehicle Versus Pedestrian Traffic Accident


On August 15 at 4:07 p.m., officers responded to the 100 block of North Mayflower Avenue regarding a traffic accident. The incident involved a vehicle that struck a 77-year-old female pedestrian. The Monrovia Fire Department paramedics were on scene and readying the victim to be taken to a hospital. The driver of the vehicle was apparently backing up his van, using only his mirrors, and did not see the female victim and struck her. The female subject fell backward onto the roadway and hit her head on the street. The victim was taken to the hospital and was in critical care overnight. She passed away the next day.


Criminal Threats – Suspect Arrested


On August 15 at 8:09 p.m., police received a call reporting a disturbing subject at the skate park in the 800 block of East Olive. The caller reported that a male subject was threatening people and said he had a gun, which was not seen, but he repeatedly reached into his waistband. The subject left the area prior to the arrival of officers. The suspect was claiming that the subjects at the skate park had taken his wallet, which he believed he had lost there. A short time after the officers left the area, the subject returned and confronted three people at the skate park. He pointed at them and threatened to shoot them. Officers responded and the suspect was positively identified by the victims, arrested, and charged for criminal threats. The suspect did not have a gun.


Attempt Burglary


On August 17 at 10:00 p.m., a resident in the 400 block of South Mayflower reported an attempt burglary. Sometime between August 16 and 17 an unknown suspect attempted to pry open the front door of the residence. There was no loss and the investigation is continuing.


No-Bail Warrant – Suspect Arrested


On August 17 at 1:04 p.m., an officer on patrol observed two suspicious subjects standing next to a vehicle in a parking lot in the 800 block of West Huntington and a third subject was crouching next to the vehicle. One of the standing subjects nudged the subject who was crouching down as if to alert him of police presence. The officer continued driving, but then went back to watch the three subjects. The officer believed the subjects were tampering with parked vehicles and detained them. Warrant checks revealed one of the subjects had two no-bail warrants for grand theft auto. He was arrested for the warrants. The other




- Brad Haugaard

Tree Blocks Monrovia Canyon Park


A rotted oak tree has fallen over and blocked cars from getting in or out of the upper park. I guess the folks here now will have a longer picnic than they counted on.

- Brad Haugaard