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Suspect Caught in Monrovia After Being On the Lam for More than 30 Years

Long-running murder parolee suspect caught in Monrovia after being missing since 1980. He's been running a drug rehab center. http://goo.gl/wUEuw

- Brad Haugaard

Catalog of Spring Activities in Monrovia

Download a new 27-page catalog of Spring activities (in PDF format) from Community Services. Stuff for youth, adults, and seniors; trips, library, parks, events. http://goo.gl/ZYUFY

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia School Board Member Alex Zucco on Assemblymember's Staff

Monrovia School Board member Alex Zucco reports on Facebook that she has a new job at the field office of Assemblymember Chris Holden, who represents Monrovia. The district office is at 600 N. Rosemead Blvd., Suite 117, in Pasadena. There will be an open house there this Saturday, March 16 from 2-5 p.m.

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Elementary Students in Elementary Olympics

From 850 to 950 Monrovia elementary students will participate in the eighth annual Monrovia Elementary Olympics, a physical fitness event for fourth and fifth grade students in the Monrovia Unified School District. The event will be held March 28, from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Monrovia High football and baseball fields.

This event is organized by Dana Elliott, a fifth grade teacher at Wild Rose Elementary school, all elementary school P.T.A.'s and P.E. teachers, and the school district's Network for a Healthy CA. One hundred of these students have been selected to participate in the Olympic Games, which include the long jump, soccer shot, football punt, 50-yard sprints, and many more challenging track and field events. All other students will have the opportunity to participate in a volleyball game called Breakfast Beach Ball Bash! This game, hosted by the Network for a Healthy CA, is played with giant beach balls while the students learn the importance of making healthy breakfast choices. Students will also dance with KidTribe, a physical activity program that encourages them to move using hula hoops.

The Monrovia Elementary Olympic Games were created to promote physical fitness, healthy habits, and let the elementary schools get together to celebrate health and fitness. Through this collaboration, students will learn how breakfast fuels their body as well as how they can make informed choices that support good nutrition. By providing a variety of physical activity events, students will be exposed to activities that they may be able to do at home. As several studies have shown, increased physical activity enhances heart health, improves academic performance, and is a great way to manage stress. Furthermore, it is the goal of the Monrovia Unified School District's Network for a Healthy CA, and schools, to promote wellness and reduce the prevalence of preventable diseases.

Opening Ceremonies: 9 a.m.; Breakfast Beach Ball Bash/Hula Hooping: 10 a.m.; Lunch: beginning at 11:50 a.m.: Awards Ceremony: 12:30 p.m.

Source: press release

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Firefighters Get Bald to Fight Children's Cancer

Tomorrow, March 14, members of the Monrovia and Arcadia fire departments, and others, will get their heads shaved to raise money to end children's cancer.

This event is being held at approximately 6:30 p.m. at Matt Denny's Ale House Restaurant, at 145 E. Huntington Drive in Arcadia and in more than 700 locations throughout 48 U.S. states and in many countries around the world.

The firefighters are working through Monrovia's St. Baldrick's Foundation ( www.stbaldricks.org ), the world's biggest volunteer-driven fundraising program for childhood cancer.

Source: press release

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Candidate Forum Tomorrow

Monrovia City Council candidate forum tomorrow, March 14, 7 p.m. at City Hall. Details: http://goo.gl/5USGb

- Brad Haugaard

Aztec Hotel Restaurant Closer to Opening

Work is going nicely on the new restaurant at the Aztec Hotel. Here is the new bar.

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Superintendent Linda Wagner Leaving

Monrovia Schools Superintendent Linda Wagner is leaving the Monrovia School District to take a job running the Anaheim schools. She writes:

"I have been hired in Anaheim City School District, effective in April. The actual start date is being discussed. This is a wonderful opportunity for career advancement. Anaheim City is a K-6 district with nearly 20,000 students.

"I have had a great experience in Monrovia. We have a very strong staff and community, working together to do great things for kids. I am most grateful for the opportunity to have worked here."

- Brad Haugaard

Fire Engine Fund | Filming on Myrtle

~ Save the Seagrave. Foundation created to raise money for Monrovia's first fire engine. http://goo.gl/G29Vq

~ Filming on Myrtle today. http://goo.gl/20ZLV

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Police: Too Drunk to Drive; Asleep at the Wheel; Etc.

[Monrovia Police activities from the Police Department's Neighborhood Watch Report for March 7-10. - Brad Haugaard]

Following are the weekend's highlighted issues and events.

Commercial Burglary

On March 8 at 4:12 a.m., officers were dispatched to an alarm activation at a business in the 500 block of South Myrtle. Upon arrival, officers found the front door had been pried open and the pry tool was left behind. The owner of the business was notified. The only loss was some display jewelry, which was of low value. Surveillance cameras captured the suspects entering and opening the display cases. The suspects were wearing hooded sweatshirts and face masks. The suspects exited out the front door and fled northbound from the store and out of view. The investigation is continuing.

False Police Report - Suspect Arrested

March 9 at 12:54 p.m., dispatch received a call reporting a grand theft auto. Officers responded and interviewed the person claiming to be the victim. The officers were suspicious of the victim's story, but could not prove he was lying, so they took the report. When the vehicle was entered into the computer system, a record showed the car had just been stored by the California Highway Patrol. Further investigation revealed the car had been abandoned off the westbound transition curve from the 57 Freeway to the 210 Freeway in Glendora. The vehicle was involved in a solo vehicle collision, totaling the car.

When confronted again with the facts the officer had gathered, the reporting party admitted he had lied. He stated he had fallen asleep at the wheel and crashed the car, then took a taxi to his friend's home in Monrovia. The suspect was arrested and charged with filing a false police report. He was released on citation to appear in court.

Public Intoxication - Suspect Arrested

On March 9 at 5:31 p.m., an officer was driving in the 1500 block of South Myrtle when he observed a man staggering to his vehicle, which was parked at a gas station. The subject got into the driver's seat. The officer approached and observed that the subject had passed out with the keys in his hand in the driver's seat. He did not start his car. He was arrested for public intoxication. He was found to be on probation for DUI; a copy of the police report will be forwarded to the court of jurisdiction and a reevaluation will also be requested.

Attempt Commercial Burglary

On March 11 at 3:39 a.m., officers responded to the 900 block of West Huntington regarding a burglary alarm. When they arrived, they found the front door had been pried open. A store employee responded and met with the officers at the scene. The employee determined that nothing had been taken. The investigation is continuing.

Possession of Methamphetamine - Suspect Arrested

On March 11 at 4:00 a.m., officers were checking the area of the 210 Freeway and Myrtle for the suspect involved in the attempt commercial burglary which occurred earlier. During the search, a suspicious person was found walking east on the 210 Freeway, near Myrtle. The person was detained and questioned, but could not be linked to the attempt burglary; however, he was found to be in possession of a small amount of methamphetamine. The suspect was arrested for the drug violation.



- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Police Will be Looking for St. Patrick's Day Drunks

Officers from the Monrovia Police Department's DUI Enforcement Team will be deploying this St. Patrick's celebration weekend to stop and arrest alcohol and drug-impaired drivers in the Department's ongoing traffic safety campaign. DUI Saturation Patrols will deploy on March 15, 2013, between the hours of 10 p.m. and 4 a.m. in areas with high frequencies of DUI collisions and/or arrests.

"This is a 'Zero Tolerance' crackdown -- so 'Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over!'"

In California, this deadly crime led to 774 deaths in 2010 because someone failed to designate a sober driver. After falling dramatically for five straight years, figures for 2011 indicate that DUI deaths remained the same as 2010. Over the course of the past three years, DUI collisions have resulted in 33 injury crashes in Monrovia, harming 45 of our friends and neighbors.

DUI can impact the economy, in addition to the pain and suffering of those immediately affected. Conservatively, a fatality has a $1.4 million impact, an injury $70,000, and a crash that only damages property averages nearly $9,000.

"California's roadways are very much safer than they were before 2006," said OTS Director Christopher J. Murphy. "The Monrovia Police Department will be keeping the pressure on through enforcement and public awareness so that we can continue saving lives and reach the vision we all share -- Toward zero deaths, every 1 counts."

Funding for this program is provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Report drunk drivers – call 911.

Source: Monrovia Police press release

- Brad Haugaard

Filming to Close Myrtle Monday

Myrtle between Lemon and Palm closed Monday. http://goo.gl/S701M

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia School Board to Discuss Superintendent, Certify It Has Enough Money ... for Now

At its March 13 meeting (agenda: http://goo.gl/2YCGP ) the Monrovia School Board will ...

~ discuss Superintendent Linda Wagner in closed session prior to the main meeting. Is she leaving?

~ certify that although it expects to have enough money for the current year and the following two fiscal years while maintaining at least a three percent reserve, however ... its reserves may drop below the required three percent in the 2015-16 fiscal year. http://goo.gl/kc8t2

- Brad Haugaard

Dogwood For Sale Again

Well, I told you a while ago that Juvo Capital was going to move in to the old Dogwood Market. But after all that renovation I guess they decided not to. It appears to be for sale again.

- Brad Haugaard

Lunch at Cafe LuMar

Lunch at Cafe LuMar, 136 E. Colorado, just east of Myrtle. Got the ham, cheese and peas crepe ($9.75) with a LuMar Coffee (Turkish style. For $3). Really good crepe! Coffee was good in an espresso kinda way. Nice service, too. And the chocolate banana crepe ($9) for desert is wonderful.

- Brad Haugaard

Fish, Fountain, Fling and More

Lenten fish fry, Fountain to Falls race, Spring Fling (shop in Old Town and get entered in a drawing), living with Parkinsons seminar at the Y. http://goo.gl/CYpkk

- Brad Haugaard

Tomorrow, California Avenue at the Railroad Tracks Will be Closed for Five Months

California Avenue in Monrovia will be closed at the railroad crossing, just north of Duarte Road, beginning tomorrow, for five months.

The Metro Gold Line Foothill Extension Construction Authority says crews will be constructing grade crossing improvements at California Avenue between Evergreen Avenue and Duarte Road as part of the 11.5-mile Metro Gold Line Foothill Extension light rail project.

Tomorrow, the California Avenue/Duarte Road intersection will be completely closed to traffic for one day only - from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. - while crews place traffic control equipment. Once in place, Duarte Rd will reopen to traffic, but California Ave will be closed for five months to construct the train crossing improvements.

Construction work hours for the California Ave crossing work will be 7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday through Saturday. Note: Occasional longer work hours, possible work on Sundays and night work may be necessary to complete this work as scheduled.

There will be no left turns from westbound Duarte onto southbound California Ave. Traffic will be allowed to proceed east and west on Duarte Rd through the California Ave intersection (with the exception of a one-day closure of the intersection on Saturday, March 9, 2013).

A temporary pedestrian crossing will be available for pedestrians traveling north-south on California Ave. A detour route for motorists will be in place and signage will be posted to direct motorists. Local surrounding businesses will remain open and accessible during this activity. Motorists are advised to expect delays and use alternate routes.

Source: Metro Gold Line Foothill Extension Construction Authority press release. For more information call its hotline -  (626) 324-7098.

Update: The Metro Gold Line Foothill Extension Construction Authority wants to be clear that it is not the "Metro." Fair enough. I've changed the post above to add the underlined stuff.

- Brad Haugaard

Baseball: Monrovia Wildcats vs Temple City

Photos of Wildcats vs. Temple City high school baseball. http://goo.gl/DCbQZ

- Brad Haugaard

Del Taco on the Plate for Monrovia Planning Commission

At its March 13 meeting, the Monrovia Planning Commission will consider allowing a Del Taco to be built across Huntington Drive from the Target store. (Yeah, I always thought that was Duarte, too, but guess not.) If approved, it would join a Fast5Xpress automatic car wash, which has already been approved for the site. http://goo.gl/ibwpY

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Leading in Baseball | Restore the Old Fire Engine | Rain Likely

~ Monrovia High leads the league in baseball. http://goo.gl/EC7HD

~ Monrovia fire personnel responded to 88 emergency calls last week, including a house fire that caused $100,000 in damage.

~ If you'd like to donate to restore Monrovia's 1917 Seagrave fire engine, here's how: http://goo.gl/Txenf

~ Ninty percent chance of fain tonight and Friday. http://goo.gl/anhUy

- Brad Haugaard