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Pastor of Monrovia's First Presbyterian Unhappy with Church's Denomination

Pastor Tony Osimo, of First Presbyterian Church of Monrovia, appears to be increasingly unhappy with the direction of the church's denomination, saying in the church's "Tower Times" newsletter that he met with 2,200 other Presbyterian Church USA pastors to discuss how "to remain faithful to the Scriptures and our theology while ministering without compromise in a denomination that is becoming increasingly bureaucratic and drifting away from the essential tenants of the Christian faith."
 
He also expressed interest in a new Presbyterian denomination that has been formed for churches that want to transfer out of the Presbyterian Church USA.
 
 
- Brad Haugaard

Pouring Abutment for Gold Line Bridge


The Gold Line reports that this week 21 trucks lined up to pour nearly 227 cubic yards of concrete for the walls of the southern abutment of the Gold Line rail bridge near the Santa Anita offramp.
- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Police: 180 Days in Jail in Hit-and-Run Case; Brandishing Fake Gun; Etc.

[Monrovia Police activities from the Police Department's Neighborhood Watch Report for Jan. 30 - Feb. 1. - Brad Haugaard]

During the last seven-day period, the Police Department handled 470 service events, resulting in 106 investigations.
 
Vehicle Burglaries
On January 30, officers responded to several vehicle burglary reports at a condominium complex in the 100 block of West Colorado in the secured tenant parking area.  Items taken varied from car parts to in-dash radios.  Additionally, a garage door opener was taken in one of the burglaries.  The investigation is continuing.
 
Theft - Suspects Arrested
On January 31 at 11:27 p.m., a witness called police and reported a male and female suspect stealing his neighbor's bicycle from the 100 Block of West Colorado.  An officer stopped a couple matching the description near the location.  The witness positively identified both suspects and they were still in possession of the bicycle.  The victim desires prosecution.  They were both arrested for the theft.
 
Theft From a Vehicle
On February 1 at 3:10 a.m., an officer responded to the 200 block of East Los Angeles regarding a theft from a vehicle.  The victim's front bumper was missing from his 2000 Honda Civic.  Investigation continuing.
 
Brandishing a Replica Firearm - Suspect Arrested
On February 1 at 11:35 p.m., police received a call reporting a man with a gun inside a bar in the 100 block of East Olive.  The reporting party said the male suspect had displayed a handgun, causing the customers to become fearful.  Officers arrived and the man was detained without incident.  The weapon was a BB gun that looked like a pistol.  The suspect claimed to be a gang member and said he needed the gun for protection.  He was arrested and taken into custody.
 
 
Detective Bureau Case Follow-up
 
Vehicle Versus Pedestrian Hit & Run Traffic Collision - Suspect pleads to Felony Charge
On January 27, a hit and run traffic collision occurred at Huntington and Canyon, where a 12-year-old girl was struck by a vehicle as she tried to cross the street.  The driver fled the scene, but through investigation, was located and arrested.  The child was severely injured and was taken by helicopter to a hospital in critical condition.  Detectives submitted the felony hit and run case to the District Attorney for filing.  The suspect pled to the felony charge and accepted a sentence of 180 days in jail and 3 years probation.
 
Search Warrant - Additional Victim Identified
A proactive investigation by patrol officers gave Monrovia Police Department's Detective Bureau enough information to secure a search warrant for a residence in the 200 block of West Olive, which was served on January 25.  The residents are suspected to be selling stolen property and narcotics from the residence.  An additional victim was identified this week from this case.  That brings the total to six victims of theft.

Fighting Cholera | Monrovia Wine Club | Little Gym

~ In an attempt to avoid a cholera outbreak, Monrovia's World Vision, a Christian relief agency, is distributing water purifiers in Mozambique following heavy storms. http://goo.gl/Ua7Hq


~ Monrovia's Original Wine of the Month Club will help sponsor the fifth "Santa Anita Uncorked" wine and culinary festival at Santa Anita Race Track on Sunday, March 25. http://goo.gl/E4VmS


~ A profile of the Little Gym, in Monrovia, a fitness center for little children. http://goo.gl/k7dnc


- Brad Haugaard

Driver in Monrovia Hit-And-Run Case Released | Soup-er Bowl

~ Driver who was arrested in hit-and-run case released on her own recognizance. http://goo.gl/MTJJU

~ On its Facebook page, First Presbyterian Church of Monrovia reports that it will serve a "Soup"-er Bowl Lunch tomorrow (Feb. 2) to the staff and teachers of Clifton Middle School, with several people from the congregation making the soups.

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia's Senator: Don't Blow IPO | Pages from the Heart

~ Senate Republican Leader Bob Huff, who represents Monrovia, says he hopes the state won't blow the expected one-time tax revenue windfall from the Facebook IPO. He said he'd like to use the money for education and to pay down state debt. http://goo.gl/h7kbF

~ Profile of Monrovia scrapbooking company, Pages from the Heart. http://goo.gl/DXTnN

- Brad Haugaard

Opinion: At Least Try, Star-News!


I know I'm pathetic, but I kinda like newspapers. The paper kind. I even subscribe to the Star-News, which covers Monrovia. So it's sad to see it shrinking. I understand the economics the Star-News faces, but what I don't understand is why it doesn't seem to be trying.

For example, I understand that with fewer ads, there must be fewer pages and therefore, less news, but look at the picture above (from Monday, but similar on other days). If you add all the unpaid ads selling the Star-News (Quit selling me - I already bought!) it adds up to about a full page. Wouldn't it be better to fill that space with something more interesting, like NEWS?

Another example. Do people really need TWO horoscopes every day? In today's paper, for example, they are on pages A12 and B8. Couldn't one of those spaces be filled with something different? Like, maybe, stuff about Monrovia ;-)

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Antique Store Has New Home

Monrovia's Antiques Off Fair Oaks store has recently moved to a new 15,000+ square foot building at 137 W. Walnut Ave. in Old Town Monrovia. The collective store includes "everything from furniture to art, chandeliers to jewelry." http://goo.gl/q1EVH
 
- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia High to Host Drum Competition

Monrovia High will host 30 teams in a Southern California Percussion Alliance drum line competition on Saturday, Feb. 11. A note to neighbors warns that "the noise level will be elevated." Details: http://goo.gl/f0Qd2
- Brad Haugaard

Twain's Other Woman | Guilty Plea in Monrovia Hit and Run

~ Talk on The Other Woman in Mark Twain's life. "Learn many of the Twain household's dark secrets in the last decade of his life." Saturday, March 3, 1-3 p.m. at the Library. 256-8274 to reserve a spot. Details (Facebook): http://goo.gl/WmxNE

~ Driver pleads guilty in hit-and-run. http://goo.gl/CWSqy

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Dance Against Cancer


California About Out of Money Again

California will run out of money in early March unless the state takes fast action, Controller John Chiang says: http://goo.gl/OYW6Y Opinion: I wonder if this will affect Monrovia schools. It seems the state is pretty good at cutting other people's budgets (like those of the state's school districts) and pretty bad at cutting its own (I'm still waiting for it to de-fund the Division of the State Architect: http://goo.gl/VKZxe ). I hope it doesn't use this as another opportunity to cut education money. 
 
- Brad Haugaard

210 Freeway Closures Wednesday and Thursday Nights

All eastbound lanes of the 210 will be closed at Baldwin Avenue starting midnight Wednesday (partial closures will begin at 10 p.m.) and lasting until 5 a.m. Thursday. Then, same thing Thursday night through Friday at 5 a.m. Closures are so the rail bridge construction crew can install the temporary support structure that will support the bridge during construction.


UPDATE: The freeway closure for tonight (2/1) is off. The freeway will remain open tonight, but the closure will be in effect tomorrow (2/2)


Source: Gold Line press release


- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Mayor to Attend Mayor's Institute on City Design

Monrovia Mayor Mary Ann Lutz will join an elite group of elected officials this week as she travels to Houston, Texas, to attend the National Mayors’ Institute on City Design (MICD), a conference intended to provide mayors from across the nation with tools to help them lead their cities in urban design. 

Mayor Lutz will be one of only eight western U.S. Mayors invited to contribute to this organization’s study of urban design issues on topics such as downtown revitalization, design of new public buildings, and transportation planning. “I am honored to be invited to this event,” Mayor Lutz said, “It’s a testament to the fact that Monrovia is at the forefront in urban design.”

The Mayors' Institute on City Design is a National Endowment for the Arts Leadership Initiative in partnership with the American Architectural Foundation and the United States Conference of Mayors. Since 1986, the Mayors’ Institute has helped transform communities through design by preparing mayors to be the chief urban designers of their cities. The MICD achieves its mission by organizing sessions where mayors engage leading design experts to find solutions to the most critical urban design challenges facing their cities. “The Mayors’ Institute was founded both to educate mayors about design and to educate the design community about the latest practical needs of our cities,” according to MICD officials.

The sessions are designed to provide mayors with hands on experience and advisement from professional planners. Each session is limited to less than twenty participants, half mayors and half a resource team consisting of outstanding city design and development professionals. Each mayor must present a problem from his or her city for the other mayors and designers to discuss. Mayors present a range of challenges, including waterfront redevelopment, downtown revitalization, transportation planning, and the design of new public buildings such as libraries and arts centers.

The Institute has graduated more than 850 mayors and more than 600 design professionals.

This week’s session is being hosted by the University of Houston’s Gerald D. Hines College of Architecture. Other west coast invitees include representatives from the cities of Boulder, Colo.; Flagstaff, Ariz.; Santa Barbara, Carson and Redwood City, Calif.; and the mayors from Baytown and New Braunfels, Texas.

Source: City of Monrovia press release
 
- Brad Haugaard 

Williams Goes with UC Davis | Drama Teacher Resigns

~ Monrovia High's Luke Williams has committed to UC Davis. http://goo.gl/iGkcV
 
~ MHS Drama Director, Marc Segal, resigns. http://goo.gl/OvvF7
 
- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Police: Hit and Run | Pink Vandalism at Band Shell | Laser vs. Airplane | Stabbing, Etc.

[Monrovia Police activities from the Police Department's Neighborhood Watch Report for January 26-29. - Brad Haugaard]
 
Residential Burglary
On January 26 at 4:58 p.m., a resident in the 200 block of East Lemon called to report a burglary.  An unknown suspect entered the residence sometime after the resident left for work and ransacked the home.  A video game station was stolen.  Additional property was found by the victim on the front lawn.  Investigation continuing.
 
Residential Burglary
On January 27 at 2:48 a.m., officers responded to a residence in the 300 block of East Colorado regarding a burglary.  The victim reported that she left her home for work at 10:00 a.m. on January 26 and returned home at 2:45 a.m. on January 27 to find her house ransacked.  There were no signs of forced entry; however, the front door was open.  Money was taken from a shoe box in the living room.  Investigation continuing.
 
Hit & Run Traffic Collision / Vehicle Versus Pedestrian - Suspect Arrested
On January 27 at 3:31 p.m., a hit and run traffic collision occurred at Huntington and Canyon.  A 12-year-old girl was struck by a vehicle as she tried to cross the street.  After stopping briefly down the road, the driver drove off and did not stop to check on the child or to render any aid.  The child was severely injured and was taken by helicopter to a hospital in critical condition.
 
Officers conducted an intense search for the suspect driver.  Witness statements and evidence at the scene led officers to an address in Monrovia, where the suspect vehicle was recovered and the passenger who had been in the car during the incident was found.  Through further investigation, officers eventually located the suspect at a business in Duarte.  The female suspect admitted to driving the vehicle and striking the child.  She was arrested and booked for the appropriate charges. 
 
The father of the child called later and reported that the victim had been upgraded to stable condition.
 
Vehicle Burglary
On January 27 at 8:06 p.m., an officer was dispatched to a hotel in the 900 block of West Huntington regarding a vehicle burglary.  The victim reported that he arrived at the location at about 7:00 p.m., parked his vehicle in the parking area, and went into the hotel.  When he returned to his vehicle at about 8:25 p.m., he found the dashboard had been removed and the navigation system was missing.  Also missing was a briefcase containing personal information and other miscellaneous paperwork.  Investigation continuing.
 
Vandalism
On January 28 at 2:53 p.m., graffiti was reported at a park in the 300 block of South Myrtle.  Suspects wrote on the band shell in the park in pink/red letters.  Investigation continuing.  
 
Discharge of a Laser at an Aircraft
On January 28 at 9:13 p.m., the Foothill Air Support helicopter reported being hit by a green laser from the area between Diamond and El Dorado.  Arcadia Police Department was also notified.  Monrovia officers responded to the area, but were unable to locate the source of the laser.
 
Assault with a Deadly Weapon
On January 29 at 12:30 a.m., an officer responded to a local hospital regarding a stabbing victim at their facility who reported that the incident occurred in Monrovia.  The victim, a 16-year-old male, stated that he and several friends had left a friend's house in the 100 block of East Evergreen and began walking to another friend's house in the 800 block of East Olive.  When they reached California, they were confronted by two male Hispanic subjects.  The victim pushed the suspect and the suspect stabbed him in the arm.  The second suspect jumped in and hit the victim in the face.  Then they separated and walked away in different directions.  The victim was taken to a hospital by friends.
 
Suspect number one is described as 18 to 22 years old, 5 foot 5 inches tall, 140 to 160 pounds, black hair, thin moustache, wearing a light colored baseball cap, gray hooded sweatshirt and light colored shorts.  Suspect number two is described as a male Hispanic, 20 to 22 years old, 5 foot 7 inches tall, 140 to 160 pounds, black or brown medium length shaggy hair, wearing a black t-shirt.  The weapon is a pocket knife with a 4-inch stainless blade.  Investigation continuing.

Monrovia's Acapulco Restaurant Goes Dark


Monrovia's Acapulco Restaurant, on Huntington Drive, has gone out of business. All that is left of the business sign is a shadow and there is a "for lease" sign out front. Its parent company, Real Mex, is in Chapter 11 bankruptcy. http://goo.gl/UqXUo
- Brad Haugaard

Dam North of Monrovia Appears Low on Water



Cogswell Dam seems a bit low on water.

I took some pictures this weekend of the water level in Cogswell Dam - in the West Fork of the San Gabriel River in the mountains just north of Monrovia. The water appears to be way low. Friend Steve Scauzillo, environmental reporter for the Star-News, comments on it. "Pray for rain," he says. Here's another picture and Steve's commentary: http://goo.gl/xqx2m

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia State of City Video On-Line | Sutherland Honored | Snail's Pace

~ Mayor's State of the City video now on line. http://goo.gl/uqyCo

~ Monrovian Karen Sutherland honored by Chamber of Commerce. http://goo.gl/zb7gK

~ The Monrovia running store, A Snail's Pace, gets national recognition. http://goo.gl/EvfHO

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Hit-and-Run Victim Improving | Donnelly Honored | Police Investigate Stabbing

~ 12-year-old girl struck by car in Monrovia is improving. http://goo.gl/Cnn6M
 
~ Assemblyman Tim Donnelly, who represents part of Monrovia, reports on Facebook that he was named State Legislator of the Year for 2011 by the California chapter of Concerned Women for America, an organization that fights for "Faith, Family and Freedom."
 
~ Police investigate Monrovia stabbing. http://goo.gl/n4YVD
 
- Brad Haugaard