- Brad Haugaard
210 Bridge Patterned on Basket
The Engineering News Record calls the design of the new rail bridge over the 210 at Santa Anita "iconic." Reports it is patterned after a Native American basket. http://goo.gl/8qjY1
Monrovia's AeroVironment Reports Nice Profit
Monrovia's AeroVironment reports a $6.6 million profit for the quarter. http://goo.gl/JEDZR
- Brad Haugaard
New Owner of Chesley Law Office
Torossian LLP, of Pasadena, is taking over the Law Office of Clare Chesley, formerly run by Monrovia School Board Member Clare Chesley, who moved out of town.
Partner Darrell G. Brooke - a longtime Monrovian - will head the new Monrovia office, assisted by Aimee Saye and Sigrid Caldera. Brooke has been involved in various community organizations, including the Monrovia Historic Preservation Group, on which he serves as a board member and legal advisor.
Torossian specializes in estate planning, probate, elder law, conservatorships, and tax and business planning. The office is located at 525 S. Myrtle Ave., Suite 204, at the corner of Myrtle and Colorado. Telephone: (626) 303-1806.
- Brad Haugaard (from press release)
Santa Touring Monrovia
Santa is set to tour Monrovia for five nights, Monday, Dec. 12 through Friday, Dec. 16, from 5:30–9:30 p.m. as follows:
Monday, Dec. 12 – Streets south of Huntington, west of Myrtle to Fifth, and north of southern city boundaries. Also includes Valley Circle.
Tuesday, Dec. 13 - Streets east of Myrtle and north of Foothill.
Wednesday, Dec. 14 – Streets west of Myrtle and north of Foothill.
Thursday, Dec. 15 – Streets east of Myrtle south of Foothill, north of Duarte Road and west of the east city boundaries.
Friday, Dec. 16 – Streets south of Foothill to Huntington between Myrtle and Fifth.
- Brad Haugaard (thanks to Becky Shevlin for info)
Monrovia Assemblyman Asks SG Valley be Declared in State of Emergency
Assemblyman Anthony Portantino, who represents part of Monrovia, has asked Governor Jerry Brown to declare the San Gabriel Valley to be in a state of emergency. Here is his letter:
Dear Governor Brown,
The devastation in the San Gabriel Valley and the 44th Assembly District has been significant and dramatic. There continue to be homes without power nearly one week after the winds began.
I respectfully request that you declare a "state of emergency." Residents of small and large cities need assistance and the towns and counties warrant the state's help in meeting the demand placed on them from this horrendous natural disaster.
Please consider touring the affected communities and I again urge you to quickly declare so that emergency resources can be made available.
Respectfully,
Anthony J. Portantino
- Brad Haugaard (from press release)
Monrovia PD: Emergency Operations, Burglary, Theft, Etc.
[Monrovia Police activities from the Police Department’s Neighborhood Watch Report for December 1-4 – Brad Haugaard]
Following are the weekend’s highlighted issues and events. To see a complete listing of crimes reported, go to the City of Monrovia website at www.cityofmonrovia.org and click on the crime mapping link.
Monrovia’s Emergency Operations Center Activated
On December 1 at 4:24 a.m., the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) for the City of Monrovia was activated due to the amount of damage created by windstorms. All available personnel were assigned to specific tasks to meet the demands on the calls for service regarding power outages, downed power lines and downed trees. The windstorms began the night before at approximately 11:00 p.m., but calls reporting property damage began after midnight. The police department received over 500 calls for service in a 24-hour period. The calls ranged from residents trapped due to downed trees or power lines, preventing them from leaving their residences, to broken water lines. The appropriate departments were notified through the EOC. The entire day was spent answering calls for service due to the wind related incidents. While there were over 500 calls for service, only two calls involved criminal investigations. The calls for service did not let up until after 9:00 p.m. The EOC was scaled down after midnight.
Attempt Residential Burglary
On December 1 at 8:36 a.m., a resident in the 400 block of West Colorado reported an attempt burglary. Suspect(s) tampered with the deadbolt on the detached garage and cut the lock off a toolbox on a nearby trailer. The incident occurred sometime between 2:45 and 6:30 a.m. No suspects were seen or heard. Investigation continuing.
Commercial Burglary / Forgery
On December 1 at 5:31 p.m., the owner of a business in the 400 block of West Foothill called to report that a female suspect had entered her business on November 19, 2011, and purchased several items using a check from a closed account. The female was identified through computer checks. The investigation is continuing.
Petty Theft
On December 2 at 1:26 p.m., a resident in the 500 block of Falling Leaf called to report someone had stolen his laptop from his unlocked vehicle, which was parked in front of his residence during the night. No suspect(s) seen or heard. Investigation continuing.
Commercial Burglary / Runaway Juvenile
On December 2 at 3:46 p.m., a business in the 500 block of West Huntington called to report two female juveniles who had walked into the business, selected merchandise, and stole several items from the location. The juveniles fled the location when approached by the loss prevention officer. They had dropped their purses as they were trying to get away. One of the juveniles eventually came back to the location and turned herself in to police. A computer check revealed she had an outstanding warrant for her arrest. The juvenile was taken into custody.
The subject was found to be a ward of the court and was later released to a worker from the Department of Child and Family Services (DCFS). As the female and the DCFS worker exited the police department, the female ran southbound on Ivy and out of sight. Officers responded and conducted a search, but she was not located. A missing person’s report was completed for the runaway.
Vehicle Burglary
On December 2 at 6:54 p.m., a female resident in the 1000 block of Royal Oaks parked her vehicle in the parking lot of her apartment complex, leaving her purse inside the vehicle. The female was inside for about hour, and when she returned, she discovered the passenger window had been smashed and her purse was taken. No suspect(s) were seen or heard. Investigation continuing.
Vehicle Burglary
On December 2 at 8:37 p.m., a female subject called to report a vehicle burglary that occurred in the 1300 block of South Magnolia. She parked and locked her vehicle in a carport of an apartment complex. When she returned to her vehicle, she discovered her rear window smashed and her computer case and accessories missing. A citizen recovered some of the victim’s property in the roadway at Canyon and Chestnut. The citizen called police and turned in the victim’s property. The crime occurred sometime between 6:40 and 8:30 p.m. Investigation continuing.
Traffic Collision / Driving Under the Influence – Suspect Arrested
On December 4 at 3:20 a.m., a vehicle collided with two parked vehicles in the 800 block of West Foothill. Officers responded and determined the driver to be driving under the influence of alcohol. The driver was arrested.
- Brad Haugaard
$4 Million Damage in Monrovia | Arboretum Hit
~ Monrovia estimates $4 million loss from wind storm. http://goo.gl/FVA9t
~ Next door in Arcadia, the Arboretum was seriously hit. See the video. Sad, but an "opportunity." http://goo.gl/FVA9t
- Brad Haugaard
Monrovia Clean-Up Could Cost Half a Million Dollars
Clean-up costs for the City of Monrovia could be up to half a million dollars. http://goo.gl/Uykh6
- Brad Haugaard
Extra Curbside Green-Waste Collections | County Emergency Management | Big-Item Collection | Big Bins | Mini Police Copter
~ Athens will pick up extra green-waste this week. Just keep putting your refilled green-waste barrels out through Dec. 9. http://goo.gl/HWwb0
~ LA County announced today that it is activating its Disaster Hotline (1-800-980-4990) to report damage caused by the wind storm. You can also call 2-1-1. The press release says the county will use this information to get state and federal assistance. Also, it reports that the Office of Emergency Management "stands ready to ramp up if conditions warrant." [Opinion: Good, but, um, I think conditions warranted five days ago. For an emergency office, this strikes me as rather slow off the mark.] http://t.co/5cikr0OT
~ Athens will also pick up bulky items that won't fit in your barrels (you get two free bulky-item pick-ups per year). If you need to do that, call Athens Services to schedule a pickup at (626) 336-3636. http://goo.gl/HWwb0
~ Updated list of where you can take big branches and big-plant stuff (but not palm fronds): http://goo.gl/HWwb0
~ A pretty cool (though slow-loading for me) video of AeroVironment's Qube mini police-copter. http://goo.gl/x8dBl
- Brad Haugaard
99 Percent of Monrovia Power Should be Restored Today
April Soash, of the City of Monrovia, reported to the Monrovia Coordinating Council this morning that power should be on for 99 percent of Monrovia sometime today. She said city workers, Southern California Edison workers, and private volunteer contractors, such as Steve Pokrajac (She said if you see him, say "thank you, thank you, thank you") have been working together to get the electricity back on.
Kate Clark, a businesswoman on Myrtle, said that some businesses in the 300 and 400 blocks of Myrtle "can't hang on much longer." She said the broken poles are in places that are difficult to fix. Other council members suggested that businesses' insurance policies may cover some of the loss and Edison may be able to process claims for some reimbursement from the Public Utilities Commission.
Also, Soash said:
- Street sweeping should get back on schedule. The city crew from Canyon Park will be preceding the sweeper to take care of problems.
- Athens Services has been working "24/7."
- The city has been contacting disabled Monrovians to make sure they are okay.
Foothill Unity Center Executive Director Joan Whitenack said the center lost power only for one day, but kept its walk-in freezer locked down tight, so there was no spoilage. Still, she said, the Center could use more meats for its holiday distribution to low-income families. Ham, turkey, chickens and small roasts, if you can help.
- Brad Haugaard
Monrovia City Offices Open, Park Not | Careful With Contractors | Free Storage | Monrovia vs. San Gabriel | Green Dot
~ All Monrovia city offices and schools are open for regular business today. One exception: All wilderness access points, including Canyon Park, are closed until Tuesday. http://goo.gl/7y9tO
~ If you encounter any independent contractor who says he has been sent by the city, he hasn't been. Monrovia isn't endorsing or authorizing specific contractors. http://goo.gl/7y9tO
~ U-Haul offering free storage for wind victims. http://goo.gl/3m2xH
~ Monrovia vs. San Gabriel Saturday in football finals. http://goo.gl/hNV93
~ Green Dot hires John MacIlwaine as new Chief Information Officer. http://goo.gl/lDC5M
- Brad Haugaard
Monrovia Holiday Parade Set for Wednesday | Expert: Lee Died of Drug Overdose
~ Holiday Parade rescheduled for this coming Wednesday, Dec. 7 at 7 p.m. along Myrtle in Old Town. http://goo.gl/gB6H2
~ Psychiatrist says Felicia Lee died from overdose of GHB. http://goo.gl/laVVJ
- Brad Haugaard
Football: Monrovia Wildcats Over Covina 41-27 :-)
Monrovia Wildcats win over Covina, 41 to 27, according to San Gabriel Valley Tribune reporter Mike Robledo.
Game report: http://goo.gl/W2M4r
- Brad Haugaard
Regular Schedule for City Hall on Monday | Business Friendly Video | Will State Get Rid of Self-Checkout?
~ Monrovia Police Department reports that the City Hall should be back to operating on a regular schedule on Dec. 5, this Monday.
~ Here is the video that was played at the awards ceremony when Monrovia won its Most Business Friendly City award. http://goo.gl/uBwsf
~ Senator Bob Huff, who represents Monrovia, says self-serve checkout systems at supermarkets are probably doomed because the state is trying - because of union pressure - to legislate them out of existence. He said these efforts are particularly aimed at non-union Fresh and Easy markets. http://goo.gl/o2HXC
- Brad Haugaard
Monrovia Y Reopens Saturday
On its Facebook page, the Santa Anita Family YMCA reports that its power is now back on and it will reopen tomorrow (Saturday, Dec. 3) at 7 a.m.
- Brad Haugaard
The Power of the Wind
I think this tree (at Encinitas and Hillcrest) is the biggest one I've seen that has come down. It blocked the street and pulled down power lines as well.
- Brad Haugaard
Lunch at Rudy's Mexican Food
- Brad Haugaard
Details on Monrovia Cleanup Efforts
Some clean-up stats from Monrovia Mayor Mary Ann Lutz, from a press conference this morning:
- 5,138 Monrovia customers remain without power, down from 13,000 yesterday. So Cal Edison has been working around the clock.
- The city has lost about 252 trees, up from yesterday's estimate of 150.
- 31 cars have been reported damaged, up from 16 reported yesterday.
- 23 fences reported damaged, up from six yesterday.
- Still unclear on the extent of telephone and cable problems.
- New date for Holiday Parade still undecided, but the city has a tentative date of Dec. 7.
- There is still debris in the roads. Watch out.
But there have been no arrests, nobody taken to the hospital because of the storm, and no buildings "red tagged" (meaning they may not be occupied.)
Also, Lutz said that while City Hall staff may not be doing their regular jobs, they are on duty, and City Hall is sorta-open, if you need to pay a water bill you can do so at the front desk.
If you need help, call the city at (626) 932-5550.
- Brad Haugaard
Monrovia Roll-Out Bins for Branches
The bins are at:
240 W. Foothill Blvd.
800 block of W. Foothill Blvd.
204 E. Foothill Blvd.
1300 S. California (2 bins)
148 W. Duarte Road (2 bins), in front of Santa Fe Middle School.
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