Monrovia Mayor vs Mayor | Football vs. La Canada Tonight | School Board Candidates | Video Rental Store Still Around

~ Former Mayor Bob Bartlett withdraws his endorsement of Rob Hammond (also a former mayor) in Hammond's school board run. http://goo.gl/dZzS9

 

~ Preview of tonight's football game against La Canada. http://goo.gl/MWOdn

 

~ Overview of candidates in Monrovia School Board race. http://goo.gl/OkZEd

 

~ Monrovia's Video House, still standing despite market changes. http://goo.gl/wRnYt

 

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Patch Owner, AOL, Wants to Sell Out to Yahoo

AOL's stock price has slipped from the $19-20 range to around $13.

AOL, the owner of the Patch local-news websites - including the Monrovia Patch - is asking Yahoo to buy AOL. AOL CEO Tim Armstrong says combining some of AOL and Yahoo's operations could save money. AOL's stock price, as you can see above, has not been doing well the last few months. http://goo.gl/sDx85

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia's McCarthy Selected for All-American Bowl | Meth Arrest | Bear Pool Party | Bradoaks Car Wash

~ U.S. Army All-American Bowl selects Monrovia football player, Ellis McCarthy. http://goo.gl/HnjpV

 

~ Monrovia woman jailed on meth charge. http://goo.gl/paQRn

 

~ I understand this bear pool party video was shot in Monrovia, though it doesn't say so. Cute. http://goo.gl/dqxp1

 

~ Car wash to benefit Bradoaks School. http://goo.gl/MmCfS

 

- Brad Haugaard

Cheaper Charger from Monrovia's AeroVironment

Nissan is offering a lower-cost electric car charging station (made by Monrovia-based AeroVironment) for charging its LEAF car at home. http://goo.gl/H0RT5

 

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Water Polo | Pictures of Plymouth Award

~ South Pas water polo team over Monrovia. :-( http://goo.gl/HL4sH

 

~ Pictures of Plymouth School receiving its award for fitness. http://goo.gl/691IS

 

- Brad Haugaard

Another Monrovia Bear - Yawn | Plymouth Wins Award | Folk-Pop Music

~ Another Monrovia bear report, this time on KCAL9. More like slides than film. http://goo.gl/0Sn6J

 

~ Good fitness wins Plymouth School $6,000. http://goo.gl/b32CW

 

~ Faith Hefty's folk-pop music first Friday of the month at Monrovia Coffee Co. http://goo.gl/3z7E9

 

- Brad Haugaard

New Monrovia Dentist Office | Green Dot Expands Biz | Search and Rescue

~ Monrovia Modern Dentistry office opening at Huntington Plaza Nov. 15. http://goo.gl/ZX9ex

 

~ Monrovia's Green Dot has joined with Blackhawk Network to sell Green Dot's prepaid credit cards through Blackhawk's many retail outlets. http://goo.gl/9M4K4

 

~ Monrovian Susan McCreary, volunteer with Sierra Madre Search and Rescue. http://goo.gl/WCFFI

 

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Hummingbird Wins Award | College Fair

~ Hummingbird drone by Monrovia's AeroVironment wins Popular Mechanics breakthrough technology award. http://goo.gl/ANxYM

 

~ Monrovia High will be having its college fair tonight (Oct. 11) at 7 p.m. for students in its event center. http://goo.gl/bDyrm

 

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Employment Seminar | Sacramento Stuff | Girls' Tennis | Art in Park | UPS Store | Halloween

~ Steps to Employment seminar at the library Oct. 18. http://goo.gl/9Zgx9

 

~ Governor Brown signs a bill by Senator Bob Huff, who represents Monrovia. It allows door-to-door household hazardous waste collection programs. http://goo.gl/j8lse

 

~ Assemblyman Tim Donnelly, who represents part of Monrovia, is unhappy that Governor Brown approved the DREAM Act. "California is billions of dollars in the hole ... Yet, he has found a slush fund of $42 million to hand to illegal aliens?"

 

~ You can support the Monrovia High Girls' Tennis team by printing this coupon and having a meal at Panda Express on Oct. 13. http://goo.gl/tIDgL 

 

~ Community art in the park. http://goo.gl/DYwNK

 

~ A UPS Store has opened in the Paragon building on Myrtle. http://goo.gl/t8ZeV

 

~ Jack-O-Lantern Jubilee, Library Park, on Halloween. The first 50 registrants will receive a free pumpkin. Details: http://goo.gl/45IFX

 

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Grad Wins Nobel Prize

1961 Monrovia High grad, Thomas Sargent, has won a Nobel Prize in economics. http://goo.gl/V2o4i

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Money for Energy Upgrades | Health Screenings | Fire and Deer Plants | Kid's Book Club | Philippines

~ If you are "income qualified," you may be eligible for money to upgrade your house with "residential energy saving devices" and to create jobs of low-income youths, who will - I take it - be installing the devices. Call Dan McConnell at City Hall - (626) 932-5504 - and ask about the GREEN (Green Residential Energy Efficiency Neighborhoods) grants.

 

~ Life Line health screenings on Friday, Oct. 14, 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Single screenings from $35 to $60 and packages from $129 to $159, which include four screenings of the carotid artery, abdominal aortic aneurysm, peripheral arterial disease and atria fibrillation. To register, contact Life Line Screening at (888) 653-6441.

 

~ Information from Monrovia Fire Department on deer and fire resistant plants (scroll down after clicking here): http://goo.gl/AXbz9

 

~ A Kid's Book Club will be held on Monday, Oct. 10, at 3:30 p.m. The program, titled Animals, Animals, Animals, is for Kindergarten through first grade children. Register at www.monroviapubliclibrary.org or call the Library at (626) 256-8274.

 

~ There will be a free cultural Library program about the Philippines, with story, song, craft and film, on Saturday, Oct. 15, at 2 p.m. Treats, too.

Source: http://goo.gl/AXbz9

 

- Brad Haugaard

Governor Approves and Vetoes Portantino Bills

Governor Jerry Brown has signed one bill by Anthony Portantino - who represents part of Monrovia - and vetoed another. Brown signed the bill criminalizing openly carrying an unloaded handgun in public ( http://goo.gl/IsWCV ) and vetoed a bill designed to encourage college students to get federal loans ( http://goo.gl/XcCeV ). Brown said that could be left to the colleges.

 

- Brad Haugaard

Nominate a Great Monrovian | Football

~ Know some high-quality Monrovians? Nominate them for one of these three awards: Monroe Award, Iris Award, and Dick Lord Award. Details here: http://goo.gl/LR8b0

 

~ A look at Monrovia's (and other teams') chances in football. http://goo.gl/MrkKi

 

- Brad Haugaard

Change in Monrovia School Start Date for 2012

For the 2012 year, Monrovia schools will begin on August 13, pending ratification by the Monrovia Teachers Association. According to the report ( http://goo.gl/HROnG ), "The earlier start date is being recommended in order to accommodate the needs of secondary students to complete the first semester before winter break." [Thanks to Vicke Thrower and Alex Zucco for pointing that out to me. I had missed it.]

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia School Board Candidate Forum

There are quite a few Monrovia school board candidates this election (more than I've ever seen). Here's a good opportunity to get to hear them.

- Brad Haugaard

Shots Fired | Monrovia Over Paramount :-) | Governor Signs Gold Line Exception Bill

~ Shots fired on 200 block of E. Colorado Blvd. early Saturday morning. http://goo.gl/Gnz6v

 

~ Monrovia Wildcats beat Paramount in football. http://goo.gl/f3xUS

 

~ Governor Jerry Brown has signed into law a measure that will allow elected officials along the Gold Line to serve on its board. That had been challenged by a property owner fighting against having his property taken by eminent domain. http://goo.gl/v4sTT 

 

- Brad Haugaard

Monday Freeway Closures | New Monrovia Church | School Board | Epilepsy Law Signed | Lawsuits

~ Monday, Oct. 10, there will be more lane closures for the 210 Freeway bridge so the construction crew can remove the big crane in the center divider. Up to three lanes will be closed on the 210 eastbound from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. Oct. 11.

~ Here is what will apparently be the web page  ( http://goo.gl/yhy9t ) of a new Monrovia church - Fellowship Monrovia - that will be founded by Albert Tate (currently a pastor at Lake Avenue Church in Pasadena). Website is clearly not quite ready for prime time, but these three videos by Tate are: http://goo.gl/BnknW

~ The next school board meeting is Oct. 12. I checked the agenda and there do not appear to be any killer items that will be discussed, but here's the agenda if you are interested: http://goo.gl/6vkHz

~ Senator Bob Huff's law permitting trained school employees to give emergency aid to epileptic students has been signed into law. http://goo.gl/LoIUG

~ More lawsuits filed against city to prevent eminent domain being used to take private property for a Gold Line maintenance yard. http://goo.gl/aLXIp 

UPDATE on schools from Vickie Thrower:

Wanted to let you know that Alex Zucco emailed to let me know that there will be an announcement at the 10/12 School Board Meeting – the 2012/2013 School year will start on August 13, 2012.  The end date of that school year will not be decided until this coming January.

Also, wanted to let you know that there is a School Board Candidate Forum scheduled for Oct 19th.  I am the President of the Monrovia PTA Council and we are one of the Co-Sponsors of this event, being moderated by the League of Women Voters.

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia's Senator: Is California Neglecting the Trades?

State Senator Bob Huff, who represents Monrovia, thinks the idea that college is for everybody is mistaken and that California education has neglected the trades (wood shop and auto mechanics), apprenticeships, "and other hands on learning opportunities with actual businesses and industries." For the whole thing, scroll down to "Preparing students for an ever-shifting world" - http://goo.gl/PGNGi

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Company Patents Hydrogen-Powered Airplane

Monrovia's AeroVironment has been issued a patent for a "hydrogen powered aircraft," invented by Paul B. MacCready, Bart D. Hibbs, and Kyle D. Swanson. http://goo.gl/YynxS

 

- Brad Haugaard

Three Bridge Foundations Done - Abutments Next

The three foundations for the Gold Line bridge near Santa Anita Avenue have been poured. Here's a report from Gold Line spokesman Habib Balian

"Early this morning, Skanska completed the last of three deep (110 foot deep, 11 foot diameter) foundations for the I-210 Bridge - a significant undertaking. Each deep hole was reinforced with 60-ton steel cages that had to be brought to the site in two large segments and permanently joined on-site. Once lowered into place, close to 450 cubic yards of concrete was poured into each reinforced hole – requiring 45 truck-loads of Irwindale-produced concrete. Most of this work was done late at night, from Midnight to 5:00 a.m., requiring multiple closures of the eastbound I-210 Freeway and coordination with Caltrans, CHP, City of Arcadia Police Department, and others.

 

"In addition to the fact that the amount of steel used in the three reinforcing steel cages is enough to circle the Santa Anita main racetrack three times, it is also interesting to note that what is intertwined into that steel makes each column "smart." As discussed in this article, wires were embedded into each reinforcing steel cage capable of sending electrical impulses through the foundation’s structure. In the event of an earthquake, these impulses will be utilized to identify if any damage has occurred to the foundations. This technology, called Time Domain Reflectometry, has been utilized in landslide prone areas to detect earth movement and is being used for the first time in a bridge with this project. Without this state-of-the-art technology, the only way to check the impact of an earthquake on the foundations would be to physically excavate them.

  

"Skanska will now focus on building the bridge abutments, or the ingress/egress points to the bridge on either side of the freeway. They will also start work on the three iconic, basket-themed columns (being built above the three deep foundations) that are certain to become the hallmark of the gateway bridge."

 

- Brad Haugaard