Monrovia's New Year's Eve Party

The second New Year's Eve Party on Myrtle, from 7 p.m. to midnight. Featuring a beer and wine garden ($5 for a drink), family friendly seating (I believe that means seating for those without alcohol), a live band, midnight ball drop. And, of course, Myrtle restaurants will be open. For more info, call Dan Bell at City Hall - 303-6602

Comment: Having seating for families, as well as those having a drink, is an excellent idea. Last year my brother and I took our families with kids and the kids had to sit on the curb since they couldn't go into the alcohol area.

- Brad Haugaard

Gold Line Work Moves to Monrovia | Sick Dog Fundraiser

~ Pouring the foundations for a retaining wall at the Gold Line "Operations Campus" (I think that is the maintenance yard) just below the freeway in Monrovia. http://goo.gl/pDzxK

~ Fundraiser for sick Monrovia dog. http://goo.gl/UqeYZ

- Brad Haugaard

Lunch at Chang Thai Bistro

Lunch at Chang Thai Bistro on Myrtle just south of Colorado. Got the Green Curry with chicken instead of my standard chicken curry, Kang Ka Ree (yummy), for $6.95 plus tax and tip. Came with a cup of veggie soup. Very nice, but I think my favorite is still the Kang Ka Ree.

Hmm. It appears the restaurant is undergoing a change of ownership. There is a notice next to the front door saying the restaurant is applying for an alcoholic beverage licence for the new owner.

- Brad Haugaard

Find a Job Seminar at Monrovia Library

Job Seekers All Day event at Monrovia Library, Jan. 5, 9-5. http://goo.gl/IiNvN

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Store and Tough Retail Economy

Monrovia store used in this story as illustration of struggling retail economy. http://goo.gl/IgKyU

- Brad Haugaard

Electric Car Trends - Interview with AeroVironment

A question and answer session with a senior VP at Monrovia's AeroVironment about trends in electric cars. http://goo.gl/OI7w9

- Brad Haugaard

Merry Christmas, Monrovia: A Christmas Painting and Story

I hope you enjoy this. I admired a Madonna painting by Duccio di Buonisegna

and thought I would try one myself.  I call it, "Child and Madonna." 

In the following story I imagine what the nighttime flight of Joseph, Mary, and Jesus into Egypt might have been like, inspired by Matthew 2:13-14. I think the magi actually arrived after Jesus' birth, but since they are traditionally portrayed in Christmas scenes, and since I mention them here, and since I don't have a more Christmasy story, I thought I'd go with this. So ...

Escape to Egypt

He woke suddenly and alert.

The lamp was still burning and Mary was sitting in the corner sewing by its flickering light and humming quietly, the child beside her.

It hadn't been a bad dream. He'd had those before - waking with a gasp and sweat on his forehead - but still, though he felt he should be frightened, he wasn't. Perhaps he was getting used to angels.

No, you don't get used to angels appearing in your dreams.

It was certainly frightening the first time, though, when the angel told him not to be afraid to take Mary as his wife. Strange that he just knew it was not some bizarre nighttime halucination, but an angel, a real angel. Maybe it was the reality of the experience, the clarity of the dream, that convinced him. It was astonishing, but not weird and disjointed, like so many dreams.

And this dream was the same way. It was as clear as a friend talking to him across his carpenter's bench. No, not a friend, more like the governor! It was frightening, like standing in front of a high official.

And this time the angel didn't give him comforting words, to do as his heart desired - to wed Mary. This time it was an order. Not exactly threatening, but in a tone that could not be mistaken, with an insistence that would not let him wait until morning.

"Get up," the angel said, "take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt."

It wasn't fear he felt, just urgency.

Joseph got up.

"What is it? Mary asked.

"We need to leave. Now."

"Now? But why?"

"I'll explain later. We need to pack and leave right away."

There was clothing, water skins, a bit of food, and, of course, the gifts the Magi had left for Jesus - gold, incense and myrrh. They would be useful for a trip to Egypt.

Mary wrapped Jesus in a blanket, and they slipped quietly out of the house. Joseph left a coin on the table for the landlord. It would more than pay for their rent.

He held the rope and led the donkey, with Mary and Jesus, through the town, the donkey's little feet clicking against the occasional stone.

The angel had warned that Herod meant to kill the child, so Joseph watched for soldiers, his heart beating wildly when he saw two guards talking. But they barely glanced as Joseph led the donkey past them.

At the edge of town he heard what he wanted before he saw it, the braying and chuffing of camels - a caravan, and, as he had hoped, a caravan to Egypt.

The magi's gold was useful. For a few gold coins, a packet of myrrh, and the donkey, Joseph purchased a trip.

He helped Mary and Jesus onto a kneeling camel.

"Joseph, where are we going?" Mary was insistent.

"Egypt," he said, climbing atop his own camel.

"Egypt? But why?"

He did not want to speak aloud. If he was overheard perhaps the caravan leader would turn them in to Herod for a reward, or perhaps he would be afraid of Herod and not want them in his caravan. So he held up his hand to Mary and looked at her, as if to say, "Be patient."

Roped head to tail, Joseph's camel to the back of Mary's, and hers to the camel in front of her, the train headed into the desert as the eastern sky turned pink, and then golden.

The sun rose and the shadows shortened and the camels plodded farther into the desert and Joseph's heart ceased its hammering, and Mary leaned back when she could, to talk, and when he thought nobody was watching he would lean forward and whisper bits of what the angel had said, and sometimes she heard but mostly she couldn't.

But that was all right. When they stopped for the night, then, near a flickering fire in the wilds of Sinai, he would whisper the story to her, and they would plan what to do in Egypt, and wait for the day when the angel would come again and tell them it was safe to return to Israel.

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Christmas Eve Services

~ Calvary Chapel Monrovia (123 W. Pomona Ave., near Myrtle next to the freeway). 6 p.m. for a "time of worship and remembrance of the birth of our Lord." Childcare for grades 3 and below.

~ First Baptist Church (Encinitas and Palm). Christmas Eve Service at 6:39 p.m. A "simple yet touching time of Scripture, carols, candle lighting and communion."

~ First Presbyterian Church (Myrtle and Foothill). Family Candlelight Service, 5:30 p.m.

~ Immaculate Conception (726 Shamrock Ave.). A 4 p.m. English family Mass, 6 p.m. English, 8 p.m. Spanish, and midnight Mass.

~ St. Luke's Episcopal Church (Foothill and California). Carol singing at 7:30 p.m., first mass of Christmas at 8 p.m.

If I've missed any Christmas Eve services, let me know quickly and I'll add them.

Miracle on Myrtle Christmas Celebration

Quite a crowd at the Miracle on Myrtle Christmas celebration in the front yard of the Library. Some great singing, snow for kids. Just got started.

Update: The Miracle on Myrtle film featured a cameo, of sorts, of Monrovia Mayor Mary Ann Lutz. Cute.

- Brad Haugaard

Best Outdoor Display in Monrovia

Drove by the "Best Outdoor Display" on Alta Vista tonight. Just morth of Foothill. Pretty.

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Church Outgrows Community Center, Will Move to High School

Beginning on the last Sunday of this year, Dec. 30, Fellowship Monrovia will begin meeting at the newly-renovated Performing Arts Center at Monrovia High School. According to one of my sources, the church, which began early this year, quickly grew to 500-600 in attendance each Sunday and outgrew the Community Center across from Library Park. Services will continue to be held at 9 and 11 a.m. http://goo.gl/nLS3Q 

 

- Brad Haugaard

World Premier of 'Miracle on Myrtle' Movie

Here is the flyer for the Miracle on Myrtle Christmas event. 5 p.m. Sunday at Library Park. Live music, the world premier of the film, "Miracle on Myrtle," and there are rumors of snow. http://goo.gl/7tLqH

- Brad Haugaard

Memorial in Library Park

A memorial in Monrovia's Library Park to the children and school staff who were killed in Newtown, Connecticut.

- Brad Haugaard

Lunch at 21 Bistro. Wow!

Lunch at the new 21 Bistro, at 110 E. Lime, just east of Myrtle, a French style restaurant. Got the Slow Braised Short Ribs and Mashed Potato, $10, and iced tea for $1.75. Plus tax and tip. Nice, crunchy warm bread for starters. If you know menu-French you'll be ahead of the game. Food? Oh! My! Goodness! A-mazing! I've always thought short ribs were greasy, but not here. Okay, I do admit to a personal interest in this review, which is that I want it to stay open so I can eat here again, so please try it! Oh, dessert was also super.

- Brad Haugaard

Christmas Music at Monrovia's Academy of Music for the Blind | Christmas Eve Rain?

~ Video: Two cute kids at the Academy of Music for the Blind in Monrovia perform Christmas music at the Academy's winter recital - http://goo.gl/tQ7ZB - and, 'Twas the Night Before Christmas: http://goo.gl/L4diR . Here is the Academy's website: http://www.ouramb.org/

~ Forty percent chance of rain in Monrovia on Christmas Eve but should be a partly-cloudy but rain-free on Christmas. http://goo.gl/baqY9

- Brad Haugaard

Memorial Walk | Elf on Almond Street Tonight

~ Memorial walk at Library Park for Newtown victims. http://goo.gl/gXYNb

~ Movie night on Almond Avenue tonight. Showing Elf. Bring a chair (and a coat). Details: http://goo.gl/KrrEG

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Police: More Police Near Schools; Grinch Stealing Christmas Packages

[Monrovia Police activities from the Police Department's Neighborhood Watch Report for December 17-19. - Brad Haugaard]

 

During the last seven-day period, the Police Department handled 410 service events, resulting in 76 investigations.

 

Monrovia Police Department Providing Police Presence at City Schools

Our hearts go out to all touched by the tragedy that has occurred in Newtown, Connecticut.  This horrific event has affected us all.  Safety in our schools has always been, and continues to be, a high priority for law enforcement.  In response to this senseless act of violence, the Monrovia Police Department is providing an increased police presence at schools throughout the city.  Patrol officers have been instructed to periodically visit and touch base with all schools in the city during daytime hours.  The visits will be random and will occur at various times and locations.  This increased visibility is meant to help comfort and calm the fears of the children, parents, and school staff, alike.     

 

The Monrovia Police Department trains annually to deal with incidents of violence that might occur at a school.  The department has a tremendous collaborative working relationship with the Monrovia Unified School District.  Police Department and school staff meet and train regularly to ensure employees are prepared to deal with these rare, but critical, types of incidents.  Police officers conduct scenario training, yearly, at actual school campuses throughout the district, and each school in the district has prepared a crisis response box for the Police Department with information necessary to deal, immediately, with any incident at any school.    

 

Theft of Packages

December 17 at 3:15 p.m., a theft of packages was reported in the 500 block of Terrado.  The victim had packages delivered and they were left on the front porch.  A neighbor saw a white Chevy Silverado drive up quickly to the front of the victim's home.   The suspect exited the truck and ran up to the home, grabbed the two packages and ran back to the truck.  The vehicle fled southbound, out of sight.  The suspect is described as a young, male, African American.  Investigation continuing.

Monrovia Library Board Member Sponsors Elephants for Library

Monrovia Public Library becomes sponsor of elephant babies. http://goo.gl/Vr9ec

- Brad Haugaard

Santa Touring Monrovia

Santa is touring Monrovia now ...

with his reindeer ...

and sleigh full of Monrovians.

For full Santa schedule: http://goo.gl/KLSKG

- Brad Haugaard

Visit the Monrovia Home Decorating Winners

All the Monrovia Holiday Home Decorating contest winners: http://goo.gl/aF86F

- Brad Haugaard