Donnelly Condemns Driver Licenses for Illegal Aliens

Assemblyman Tim Donnelly, who represents part of Monrovia, has issued
a press release condemning a decision to issue drivers licenses to
illegal aliens. http://goo.gl/Pqq7a

- Brad Haugaard

Aztec Hotel Being Renovated

The city reports that the Aztec Hotel is being renovated by it's new
owners. http://goo.gl/3ZClg

- Brad Haugaard

Video: Senator Bob Huff Commentary

Senate Republican Leader Bob Huff (who represents Monrovia) gives a
preview of the final two weeks of legislative session in the
California State Capitol and provides an update on Senate hearings
into unreported "slush funds." http://goo.gl/E6yFG

- Brad Haugaard

Darrione Jones May Join Monrovia Football Backfield

Darrione Jones may give Monrovia High football backfield more power.
http://goo.gl/gp55G

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Police Gets Grant to Help Enforce Drunk and Distracted Driving Laws

The Monrovia Police Department has just received a grant for $54,760
from the California Office of Traffic Safety. This award provides
additional enforcement for driving under the influence and distracted
driving. It will also provide training to officers on standardized
field sobriety testing and impaired driving enforcement. These funds
will help the Monrovia Police Department enforce the laws regarding
driving under the influence and distracted driving and help ensure
that citizens utilizing our streets are safe.

Source: Monrovia Police press release

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia to Honor Its Olympian, Kim Rhodes

The City of Monrovia will honor the accomplishments of Monrovia
resident and Olympic gold medalist skeet shooter, Kim Rhode this
Sunday. The Monrovia City Council will be hosting a recognition
celebration on Sunday, August 19 at 6:15p.m., in Monrovia Library
Park, (321 South Myrtle Avenue).

Rhode won the gold medal in woman's skeet shooting at the 2012 Olympic
Games in London. In doing so Rhode set a U.S. record by becoming the
first American to win an individual medal in five straight Olympic
Games.

Monrovia Mayor Mary Ann Lutz, speaking of Rhode's accomplishment,
said, "The Olympic Games are a spectacle all on their own, but to be
able to watch one of our residents excel on that stage is truly
heartwarming and inspirational." Lutz also said, "We look forward to
publically welcoming her home and letting her fellow Monrovians
congratulate her on her accomplishments."

Kim Rhode will be available for autographs and photos at the event.

For more information on this event please contact the Monrovia
Department of Community Services at (626) 256-8246.

Source: city press release

- Brad Haugaard

World Vision to Build Canal | First Pres Helps Clifton | Support the Band

~ Monrovia's World Vision Christian relief agency is planning a canal
project in northeastern Kenya to radically transform one of the most
drought-stricken parts of the Horn of Africa. The project calls for
the construction of a 33-mile canal to divert water from Kenya's
longest river, the Tana, to recharge aquifers and irrigate land
surrounding the city of Dadaab, close to the border with Somalia. The
project, currently in its design phase, is expected to benefit more
than 160,000 people. http://goo.gl/ZNXeU

~ First Presbyterian Church of Monrovia is planning a work day to help
the back-to-school process at Clifton Middle School.
http://goo.gl/pUwSl

~ Monrovia High School Wildcats Band and Colorguard's annual end of
summer band camp car wash is this Saturday at the Walgreens on
Foothill 253 E. Foothill Blvd in Arcadia. Time is 9:00 to 1:00.
Suggested donation is $6 for cars and $8 for SUV/Truck.

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Settles Food-Truck Suit

Monrovia settles lawsuit with food vendor truck group that had sued
city over restrictions. http://goo.gl/wIJmH

- Brad Haugaard

Portantino Opposes 710 Freeway Completion

Assemblyman Anthony Portantino, who represents part of Monrovia,
writes on Facebook that he opposes the completion of the freeway
through South Pasadena. He writes:

"The 710 tunnel and the 710 surface routes in total are bad ideas, a
waste of prescious resources and bad for all our neighborhoods. This
is not about pitting one neighborhood against another. It is about
solving our transportation problems with 21st century solutions not an
outdated plan that will devastate Los Angeles, Pasadena and the San
Gabriel Valley?"

Opinion: I couldn't disagree more. How much gas would we save and how
much congestion and pollution would we prevent by having shorter
freeway distances to travel? And I'll believe cars and freeways are
outmoded when Mr. Portantino stops using them.

- Brad Haugaard

Cool Treat, Cool Contribution

On Aug. 15 (tomorrow) Yogurtland (on Myrtle) will donate a portion of
it's proceeds between 11 a.m. and midnight to the Monrovia High
Marching Band and Colorguard.

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Shopping Cart Clean-up Tool

The city of Monrovia is recommending the California Shopping Cart
Retrieval Service. http://goo.gl/OdlSw

- Brad Haugaard

Hot, Hot, Hot! - For the Week

Heat wave to last through this week. Star-News: http://goo.gl/MdiV5

And here is the National Weather Service report for the area:
http://goo.gl/wqr8o

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Police: Indecent Exposure, Domestic Violence, DUI Whacks Four Parked Cars, Etc.

[Monrovia Police activities from the Police Department's Neighborhood Watch Report for August 0-12 – Brad Haugaard]

Following are the weekend's highlighted issues and events.

Indecent Exposure – Suspect Arrested

August 9 at 6:20 a.m., a female resident reported a male subject near the intersection of Palm and Primrose exposing and fondling himself. An officer responded and detained the suspect, and the female reporting party completed a private person's arrest. The suspect was taken into custody and was later released on citation.

At 6:15 a.m. the next day, the female resident observed the same male subject again exposing and fondling himself at the same intersection of Palm and Primrose. An officer arrived and apprehended the male suspect. Another private person's arrest was completed. Charges of indecent exposure will be filed with the District Attorney's Office.

The suspect is described as an adult male Black, 5 foot 8 inches tall, 235 pounds, and approximately 30 years old. If anyone has witnessed a similar crime in the area, please contact the Monrovia Police Department Detective Bureau at (626) 256-8041.

Domestic Violence – Suspect Arrested

August 10 at 10:01 p.m., officers were dispatched to a residence in the 300 block of West Lemon regarding a man choking a woman. When officers arrived, the female victim told them her live-in fiance had choked her and hit her, then left the location. She had visible bruises on her face, arms and legs. She told the officers it was the second time he had hit her in the past week, but she did not report the first incident. An area check was made for the suspect; he was located, detained and ultimately arrested. He was charged with two counts of domestic violence.

Driving Under the Influence Traffic Collision – Suspect Arrested

August 11 at 2:23 a.m., a vehicle that was traveling south on Alta Vista, turned east onto Cypress and lost control. The driver veered the vehicle toward the north curb and stopped. He then accelerated and managed to turn the vehicle toward the south curb, where it collided with a parked vehicle. Officers arrived and determined the driver to be intoxicated; he was arrested for driving under the influence.

Vehicle Burglary

August 12 at 3:59 p.m., a vehicle burglary was reported in the 100 block of West Lemon. The victim parked and locked his Toyota 4Runner in the gated garage complex of his residence in the evening. He returned to his vehicle the next day at about 3:00 p.m. and found his vehicle was open. Miscellaneous items were taken. No damage was done to the vehicle. Investigation continuing.

Driving Under the Influence Traffic Collision – Suspect Arrested

August 13 at 4:09 a.m., officers responded to the 2500 block of South Myrtle regarding a non-injury traffic collision. When they arrived, they discovered a solo motorist had collided into four unoccupied parked vehicles. Through investigation, the officers determined the motorist was driving under the influence of alcohol. The driver was arrested and taken into custody.

Special Enforcement Team Weekly Activity

Possession of a Loaded Firearm in a Vehicle / Possession for Sales and Transportation of Marijuana / Possession of Rock Cocaine / Warrants – Three Suspects Arrested

August 11 at 7:26 p.m., Special Enforcement Team officers stopped a vehicle for vehicle code violations in the 500 block of East Cherry. Officers noticed an odor of marijuana emitting from the vehicle as they spoke to the driver. The vehicle was occupied by two male adults and one female adult. The vehicle was searched and officers found a loaded firearm, baggies of marijuana, empty baggies, and a weight scale. All three occupants were arrested.

The driver was arrested for possession for sales and transportation of marijuana, possession of a loaded firearm in a vehicle, and possession of rock cocaine. The male passenger was arrested for false impersonation of another, possession for sales of marijuana and an outstanding misdemeanor warrant. The female passenger was arrested for possession of a methamphetamine pipe and an outstanding warrant. The vehicle was stored.

- Brad Haugaard

Detail Work Being Revealed on 210 Bridge

Gold Line Spokesman Habib F. Balian commends the craftsmanship in the architectural elements being revealed on the 210 Freeway bridge. He said "the fine craftsmanship has made this structure unique from anything you’ve probably ever seen. I applaud the hard work and dedication by Skanska in their execution of this important and visible project element, made more challenging by the harsh conditions of the active freeway and the blistering summer heat (temperatures reached 113 degrees on the bridge."

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia: No Brown Act Violation

Monrovia denies that it committed a violation of the Brown Act
open-meeting law. http://goo.gl/rLlud

Opinion: The Star-News also reports on a threat to file a lawsuit over
this issue. I recall when I was a young reporter there and
breathlessly told an editor about someone threatening a lawsuit. She
was unimpressed. She said to have him call back when he FILED the
suit, her logic being that anybody can threaten to get headlines, but
filing means you are serious. Sure enough, the guy never filed. I was
impressed by her logic and am disappointed if the S-N is abandoning
that principle. http://goo.gl/Y3LXi

- Brad Haugaard

Portantino Helps Sponsor AIDS Seminar

California Assemblymember Anthony Portantino, who represents part of
Monrovia, and City of Hope are teaming up with fashion designer and
HIV activist Mondo Guerra for the Sixth Annual HIV/AIDS Action Summit
on September 12, 9 a.m.-12:30 p.m. at City of Hope, Cooper Auditorium,
1500 E. Duarte Rd., Duarte. The San Gabriel Valley HIV/AIDS Action
Summit raises awareness about HIV and AIDS and efforts to prevent new
infections and keep HIV-positive patients healthy.

Source: Portantino press release


- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia High in it's New Coat

Monrovia High School in it's fresh new coat of paint. http://goo.gl/ec09c

- Brad Haugaard

Another Heat Warning for Today

Another excessive heat warning for today, Monday. http://goo.gl/viQBt

- Brad Haugaard

Hijack-able Drones? | Monrovia Dino Bone Mystery

~ Can civilian drones, such as those made by Monrovia's AeroVironment,
be hijacked? http://goo.gl/RCIYG

~ Monrovia woman's dino bone mystery solved on reality TV. http://goo.gl/I9Z9h

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Choral Company Looking for Singers

The San Gabriel Valley Choral Company of Monrovia is looking for
singers. http://goo.gl/MJTIk

- Brad Haugaard