Former Monrovia City Manager Now Heads LA Convention Center | Zumbathon

~ Former Monrovia City Manager "Bud" Ovrom named to head LA Convention Center. http://goo.gl/wU6Lx

~ Local Zumba instructors will hold a "Zumbathon" to raise money for the American Cancer Society. As many as 30 instructors will tag-team teach an 8-hour Zumba fitness party on the infield of the Santa Anita Racetrack on Saturday, June 15, 12:30-8:30 p.m. Zumba is a Latin and world dance workout. You can sign up here: http://goo.gl/FVbBg

- Brad Haugaard

Arcadia and Monrovia Rotary Clubs Build Garden at Boys and Girls Club

The Arcadia and Monrovia Rotary Clubs have joined forces to build a sustainable garden at the Monrovia Boys and Girls Club. With funds donated by both clubs, along with a Rotary District 5300 Foundation Lefler grant, the project will enable children to grow fresh fruit and vegetables.

"I had heard in the news about hunger in the United States with numbers higher than many would expect, especially for children," said Dr. Brad Miller, Arcadia Rotary past president. "Then after reading about community gardens sponsored by Rotary clubs, the idea came together."

After failing to secure land for the garden in Arcadia, Mary Ann Lutz, Rotarian and mayor of Monrovia, suggested they try the Monrovia Boys and Girls Club.

"Not so much serving the whole community, but serving a specific community, underprivileged kids," said Miller. "John Wilson, CEO of Monrovia Boys and Girls Club, had initiated a community garden in a prior non-profit he was involved with. We connected and it was a natural fit."

According to Arcadia Rotary President Eric Barter, in just half a day, "with a little sweat and muscle from 25 Rotarians," phase one of the project was completed which consisted of the construction of three planter boxes.

"The Monrovia Rotary Club enjoyed working side by side with the Arcadia Rotary Club on this project. It was a day filled with laughter, hard work and fellowship," said Monrovia Rotary Club President Julie Roybal. "We are all excited to see our work manifest to the betterment of the Boys and Girls Club and it will be wonderful to see the fruits of the kids' harvest."

"I am pleased to see several organizations working together for the good of youth," said Barter. "The City of Monrovia for allowing us to use the land and supporting the project, the Arcadia and Monrovia Rotary clubs working together, the Arcadia arboretum for their guidance on the raised bed design and Rotary District 5300 for helping us with the funding."

Phase two of the project is an irrigation system and phase three, a covering for the planter boxes. "Then the kids can start planting," said Barter. "As Rotarians, these are the best projects - hands on. Together we can make a difference is the mantra for my year as president and this project is another fine example."

Source: Rotary Club press release

- Brad Haugaard

Juvolicious Starts in Monrovia | Monrovia Bakery | Dog Comes Home

~ A start-up company in Monrovia, Juvolicious: "a venture funded ecommerce company that purchases popular consumer products from manufacturers and wholesalers across the United States​." http://www.juvolicious.com/

~ The new owners of Monrovia Bakery will specialize in "French inspired pastries." Sounds good to me. http://goo.gl/tDhpS

~ Pepper dog found and returned to owner. Microchips are your friend. http://goo.gl/ioFoQ

- Brad Haugaard

Friendship Tea for Foothills Pregnancy Center

"Friendship Tea" to raise funds for Foothills Pregnancy Resource Center. May 25, 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. at United Methodist Church of Monrovia, 140 E. Palm. $15 in advance, $20 at the door. Tickets: 358-2122.

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Police: Rabies and Licensing; Robber Gets Soccer Uniforms; Trespassing Suspect Awakened and Arrested for Meth; Etc.

[Monrovia Police activities from the Police Department's Neighborhood Watch Report for May 2-5. - 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 and click on the crime mapping link.  Sign up to follow us on twitter for police notifications.

Annual Low-Cost Rabies Vaccination & Licensing Clinic for Dogs

On June 12, 2013, the Monrovia Police Department will be hosting its Annual Low-Cost Rabies Vaccination & Licensing Clinic for dogs.  The clinic will be held at Recreation Park in Monrovia, outside the tennis courts, off Olive Avenue; parking is available.  The Clinic will start at 5 p.m. and end at 7 p.m.  For more information, click on Rabies Vaccination & Licensing Clinic.

 

Residential Burglary

May 2 at 5:53 p.m., officers responded to the 600 block of Maryanna Lane regarding the report of a residential burglary.  The victim's loss was a gun safe which contained a pistol and cash, as well as two computers, an iPad, an iPhone, and several designer purses.  It appears the suspect(s) entered through a rear door. The investigation is continuing.

 

Utility Problem

May 2 at 8:25 p.m., a power line was reported down in the 200 block of East Colorado.  Officers arrived and contained the area until Monrovia Fire Department personnel arrived.  The line, for some unknown reason, snapped and struck a parked vehicle, causing minor damage.  Edison responded and repaired the line, which was energized. 

 

Vehicle Tampering / Attempt Burglary

May 3 at 5:15 p.m., a resident in the 100 block of Mauna Loa came out of his house and discovered a suspect inside his vehicle.  Once the suspect realized he had been discovered, he fled the location.  Officers got into the area quickly, but were unable to locate the suspect.  The investigation is continuing.

 

Structure Fire

May 3 at 9:39 p.m., a structure fire was reported in the 900 block of West Foothill.  When officers arrived, they saw smoke emitting from a third story window.  Monrovia Fire was dispatched.  Officers spoke with the resident, who stated he was asleep in his bedroom when he was awakened by the automatic sprinkler system.  He sat up and saw the window drapes where on fire, which were apparently ignited by a lamp.  The sprinkler system extinguished most of the fire. 

 

The Monrovia Fire Department contacted the Red Cross, and they responded to the station and provided a hotel voucher to the victim for temporary shelter for a week, which would be the duration the unit would be uninhabitable.  The fire was determined not suspicious in nature. 

 

Driving Under the Influence – Suspect Arrested

May 4 at 2:06 a.m., an officer on patrol in the 1500 block of South Myrtle noticed that a vehicle approaching Central almost struck the concrete center median, and then the driver abruptly turned on the roadway.  The officer stopped the driver and noticed he appeared to be under the influence.  After investigation, the driver was determined to be under the influence and was arrested.

Carrying a Concealed Weapon / Possession of Marijuana / Driving Without a License – Suspect Arrested

May 4 at 2:18 a.m., an officer stopped a vehicle that was speeding in the 100 block of South Myrtle.  The officer discovered the driver was unlicensed.  Further investigation revealed the driver had an open container of alcohol and marijuana in the vehicle.  He also had a concealed dagger in his rear pocket.  The driver was arrested for the above listed charges.

 

Robbery

May 4 at 6:09 a.m., officers responded to the report of a robbery that just occurred in the 1400 block of Alamitas.  Two male victims were approached in front of their friend's house by a passenger/suspect that got out of a tan, four-door sedan, possibly a Hyundia, occupied by two other male Hispanic suspects.  The victims were loading their duffle bags into a vehicle.  The suspect walked up to the victims and demanded they give him the bags.  He lifted his sweatshirt, revealing a black handgun in his waistband.  The suspect did not brandish the weapon. 

 

The victims gave the suspect their gear bags, which contained soccer uniforms, soccer gear, and a wallet with identification and a bank debit card.  The suspect is described as a male Hispanic, 5'8" tall, thin build, shaved head, wearing a grey hooded sweatshirt with "Los Angeles" written on the front in black letters.  The suspect had his hood up and a black bandana over his face.  Officers searched the area for the suspects, but they were not located.  The investigation is continuing.  

 

Warrant / Possession of Narcotics for Sale – Suspect Arrested

May 5 at 10:44 a.m., dispatch received a call reporting a possible male trespasser who was unresponsive at a residence in the 100 block of Oaks Avenue.  When officers arrived, they entered the home with the assistance of the home owner's house sitter.  They located a male subject sleeping, unresponsive on the couch.  Officers had to yell at him to wake him.  He did not have any medical issues, but did have an outstanding warrant for his arrest out of San Bernardino.  He was arrested for the warrant and transported to the Monrovia City Jail with his bicycle and backpack. 

 

In the jail, a search of his backpack revealed a large quantity of methamphetamine, a large amount of cash in his wallet in multiple denominations, small empty plastic bags, and a digital scale with white residue on top of it.  It was determined he was in possession of the methamphetamine in order to sell it.  He was charged with the additional crime.

 

Extradition Warrant – Suspect Arrested

May 5 at 10:15 p.m., an officer on patrol stopped a vehicle in the area of Mountain and Huntington for a traffic violation.  A computer check of the driver revealed he is on parole and had an out-of-state felony warrant for narcotics.  The issuing agency was contacted and confirmed they would extradite the suspect.  The suspect was arrested and taken into custody, pending extradition.

Historic Monrovia Carriage House Being Moved

Carriage house being taken apart.

After months of planning and work, the last remaining vintage carriage barn in Monrovia has been moved (in pieces) to its new home in the 900 block of N. Norumbega, where it will be put back together. Slideshow of the process at the bottom of the page here: http://www.mohpg.org/

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Schools Fundraiser | Memorial Day Ceremony

~ Monrovia Schools Foundation celebration on Thursday, May 16, 5:30-6:30 p.m., with dinner at Monrovian Restaurant. Price $35 per person. Call 471-2006 for info and reservations.

~ Memorial Day ceremony Monday, May 27, 10 a.m. at Live Oak Memorial Park, 200 E. Duarte Rd. All welcome.

- Brad Haugaard

50% Chance of Rain in Monrovia

Fifty percent chance of rain today in Monrovia. Thirty percent tomorrow. http://goo.gl/KRfex

- Brad Haugaard

Chastity Fellows | Monrovia Birthday Party

~ Feature story on Monrovia High runner Chastity Fellows. http://goo.gl/fTdlM

~ Monrovia's 127 birthday celebration. May 18. Pancakes, pop stars, music, more. Library Park. Details: http://goo.gl/Bla26

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia School Board: Summer School for Paying Chinese Students, Etc.

Among other things, at its May 8 meeting (agenda: http://goo.gl/Dqw41 ), the Monrovia School Board will ...

~ Have a closed session for evaluation of superintendent, collective bargaining stuff and a personnel issue.

~ Consider entering in to an agreement with a company (and picking up a few bucks in the process) to provide paying Chinese exchange students from Shanghai with an American summer school program ( http://goo.gl/FY2Ml ). And if you are interested in hosting a Chinese student: http://goo.gl/vDZcs

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia School Attendance Slips Slightly

According to a report that will be presented at the School Board's May 8 meeting, attendance at Monrovia schools slipped .13 percent since last year (lower attendance equals less money from the state). http://goo.gl/QTV4g

- Brad Haugaaard

Lunch at London Gastropub

Lunch at London Gastropub, on Myrtle in Old Town. Got the Crispy Chicken sandwich ($9), the Avocado Eggroll ($9) and an Diet Coke $2.50), Plus tax and tip. Delicious and generous portions. I like spicy and everything was.

- Brad Haugaard

Fire-Safe, Water-Wise Gardening | Health Fair | Bears at City Hall

~ Free fire-safe, water-wise gardening class, 9 a.m.-noon May 4 (Saturday) at water district office, 602 E. Huntington Drive, Monrovia. Call 443-2297 to reserve a spot. http://goo.gl/Adhgy

~ Health and Wellness Fair, 10 a.m., May 4 (Saturday) at Monrovia United Methodist Church, 140 E. Palm. Details: http://goo.gl/26q5z

~ "I Love Monrovia" stuffed teddy bears on sale at City Hall. http://goo.gl/xUEyk

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Council: Hire $3 Million Station Square Consultant | Emergency Resident Phoning Service | Dispute with Firefighters | Etc.

At its May 7 meeting (agenda: http://goo.gl/tmYJo) the Monrovia City Council will ...

~ Consider hiring IBI Group for up to $2,988,367 to do design work of the public improvements within the Station Square Transit Village. It will provide "consultant services related to the planning, design, architecture, engineering and construction administration of the public improvements within the Station Square Transit Village Planned Development Area." http://goo.gl/E3IlU

~ Consider awarding a three-year contract with Nixle for $9,995.00 per year to provide the fire department with a system that allows the city to auto-call residents on their home or mobile phones, useful during large scale emergency incidents.

~ Consider authorizing the city manager to settle or deny lawsuits against the city for $25,000 or less. http://goo.gl/9jluJ

~ Meet in closed session regarding a legal dispute with the city's firefighters' union. It will also discuss labor negotiations with the police and firefighters in the closed session. http://goo.gl/XFiMY

- Brad Haugaard

Top Monrovia Priorities

At its May 7 meeting the Monrovia City Council will consider adopting a Monrovia Citywide Strategic Plan for 2013-2015 ( http://goo.gl/nwX20 ). Here are the priorities:

The Top Priorities/ Major Goals are:
Economic Development
Environmental Stewardship
Historic Preservation
Infrastructure and Facility Maintenance
Long-Term Fiscal Responsibility
Public Safety

The other objectives and priorities are:
Community Participation
Gold Line
Monrovia Area Partnership
Quality Professional Staff
Youth and Senior Services

And the goals to address as funds become available are:
Hillside Preserve and Management Plan
Planned Development (PD) Zone Review
Regional Employee Group Negotiations

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Mini Makeover | Dam Drones | Lots of Looks | Toasty Days

~ "Mini of Monrovia" Mini Cooper dealership gets bold new look. http://goo.gl/pQtAM

~ US Geological Survey using Raven drones from Monrovia's AeroVironment to monitor environmental changes following a dam removal. http://goo.gl/NCj2t

~ This April MonroviaNow.com had a record 10,985 page views, up from the previous record - the previous month, March - of 9,832. Now if only that translated into money. ;-)

~ More warm. Could get up into the mid-90s tomorrow and Saturday. http://goo.gl/jQVHq

- Brad Haugaard

Have a Safe Cinco - Tips From Monrovia Police

Tips from Monrovia Police Department on how to have a safe Cinco de Mayo celebration.

If you are hosting a party for Cinco de Mayo:

- Remember, you can be held liable and prosecuted if someone you serve is involved in an impaired driving crash.
- Make sure all your guests designate a sober driver in advance or help arrange ride-sharing with other sober drivers.
- Serve lots of food and include lots of non-alcoholic beverages at the party.
- Keep the phone numbers for local cab companies handy and take the keys away from anyone who is thinking of driving impaired.

If you are attending a Cinco de Mayo Celebration Party:

- Designate a sober driver before the party begins and give that person your car keys.
- If you do not have a designated driver, call a cab, sober friend, or family member to pick you up.
- Never let a friend leave your sight if you think they are about to drive drunk.
- Always buckle up.

Alcohol not only dangerously impairs your driving skills, it impairs your judgment. If you see a friend under the influence of alcohol - don't let them get behind the wheel.

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Police: Child Abuse Investigation, Running a Red While on Parole, Burglaries, Resisting Arrest, Etc.

[Monrovia Police activities from the Police Department's Neighborhood Watch Report for April 29 – May 1. - Brad Haugaard]

  

During the last seven-day period, the Police Department handled 487 service events, resulting in 77 investigations.

 

Parolee at Large – Suspect Arrested

April 29 at 9:15 a.m., an officer stopped a vehicle at Shamrock and Lime for speeding and running a red light.  A computer check revealed the 43-year-old, male driver was a parolee at large on parole for grand theft auto.  After being issued a citation for the traffic violations, he was arrested and taken into custody.

 

Child Abuse – Suspect Arrested

April 29 at 12:58 p.m., an officer was dispatched to an elementary school in the 200 block of Jasmine regarding a child abuse report.  School staff notified the police after a child reported the abuse to her teacher and said she was afraid to go home.  The 10-year-old girl was whipped and punched several times by her mother, resulting in the child receiving multiple bruises.  Officers investigated and eventually arrested the mother for causing corporal injury to a child.  The Department of Children and Family Services took custody of the child.

 

Violation of Restraining Order – Suspect Arrested

April 30 at 2:54 a.m., a female subject called police reporting her boyfriend was outside her home at the front door.  She claimed to have a valid restraining order against the subject.  Officers located and detained the subject at a gas station at Foothill and Madison.  A computer check revealed the subject had several outstanding warrants.  He was arrested on the warrants, and a report regarding the restraining order will be sent to the District Attorney for filing consideration.

 

Residential Burglary

April 30 at 6:57 p.m., a residential burglary was reported in the 200 block of Madeline.  A real estate agent arrived at the home, which is currently for sale, and noticed the front door ajar; she called police.  Officers responded and checked the house for possible suspect(s), but no one was located inside the home.  The property inside the home had all been moved to the center of the living room, including the refrigerator.  The lockbox was missing and there were no signs of forced entry found.  The investigation is continuing.

 

Resisting and Delaying a Peace Officer / No-Bail Warrant – Suspect Arrested

May 1 at 1:55 p.m., an officer on patrol observed a wanted suspect in the area of Palm and Shamrock.  When the suspect saw the officer, he ran west and into the school yard of Clifton Middle School in the 200 block of South Ivy Avenue; he ran through the school gym.  Responding officers set up containment of the area and advised school staff at Clifton and Tzu Chi Preschool to lock their facilities down.  Clifton students had already gone home for the day.  A search was begun.

 

A resident in the 200 block of East Foothill called and reported a subject matching the suspect description had run into their garage.  Officers responded and checked the residence, but the suspect had fled the garage out a side door and over a wall.  He fled north onto Foothill and out of sight.  The schools were advised to release their lock down once officers were convinced he was out of the area. 

 

The suspect eluded officers for several hours, but at 5:36 p.m., he was located in the area of Jasmine and Palm.  A perimeter was set up and the Foothill Air Support helicopter responded to assist in the search.  After several attempts to evade officers, the suspect finally surrendered and was arrested for the no-bail warrant and for resisting and delaying officers.

 

Residential Burglary

May 1 at 7:45 p.m., police responded to the 100 block of Los Angeles Avenue regarding a residential burglary.  The victim left for work at about 10 a.m. and her home was secured.  She returned home at around 7:45 p.m.  She went inside and noticed her jewelry box was missing and the bedroom window was broken and open; she called police.  No suspect(s) were located and investigation is continuing.

Holden Bill to Fund Infrastructure Approved by Committee

Assemblymember Chris Holden's bill to promote economic development and revitalize communities has been approved in the Assembly Local Government Committee. Holden represents Monrovia.

AB 294 creates a Joint Investment Partnership Program whereby the state can partner with local governments to invest in up to 25 critical infrastructure projects that an economic analysis determines will result in a net gain of general fund revenues over the life of the investment.

"California lacks an economic development plan and strategy to revitalize communities," explained Assemblymember Holden. "This bill creates a pilot program to reform the way public works projects are financed. It's part of the discussion on how best to revitalize California's communities."

All financing for public works projects would have to be approved by the Infrastructure and Economic Development Bank (I-Bank). Among the public works projects that could be considered are city streets and county highways, sewage collection and treatment, water treatment, water supply and flood control, educational facilities, parks and recreation facilities and solid waste collection and disposal.

Source: Holden press release

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Baseball Hopes to Win Top Spot | Strong Financial Results for STAAR | Unitek's New Glue

~ Monrovia baseball striving for top spot in Rio Hondo league. http://goo.gl/xtQW5

~ Monrovia's STAAR Surgical reports strong first quarter 2013 financial results. http://goo.gl/K9qSy

~ Monrovia's 3M Unitek introduces new adhesive for orthodontics. http://goo.gl/PmHZf

- Brad Haugaard