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Henry Ford, a Fan of Monrovia

Pioneer car maker Henry Ford preferred Monrovia groceries and baked goods to those of Pasadena. Who knew? http://goo.gl/N5NeXP

- Brad Haugaard

New Monrovia Weather Station

Monrovian Brad Hori reports that he has recently put his Personal Weather Station (PWS) on the Internet for the Monrovia area. Data is updated every couple of seconds and his weather station is 25+ years old and has been operating for that long).

"This is real time info, not what you would get from the TV news, which maybe hours old or not from this area, as stuff like temperature, humidity, wind and rain will vary, even blocks away.

"I try to keep my sensors calibrated (within reason) as I have calibrated equipment at work that I can use and portable equipment."

His station, one of a number of Monrovia stations, is called Route 666 Monrovia, KCAMONRO6, and you can see it here: http://goo.gl/S5v5KE

- Brad Haugaard

AeroVironment Drone Gets Over-Land Permission | Citrus Best | Mason Joins Staar Board

~ The FAA has granted a first-ever over-land restricted type certificate to the AeroVironment Puma AE Drone for use in operations at the BP-operated Prudhoe Bay oil field on Alaska's North Slope. AeroVironment is based in Monrovia. http://goo.gl/qkQBBp

~ San Gabriel Valley residents have voted Citrus College as the best community college in the region in the 2014 Readers Choice Award for Best Community College in the San Gabriel Valley's Best competition, which is conducted annually by the Pasadena Star-News, San Gabriel Valley Tribune and Whittier Daily News. Source: Press release.

~ Caren Mason has been elected to the board of Momrovia's STAAR Surgical. http://goo.gl/ZBRqpv

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Softball Star in All-Star Game

Monrovia's Elise McCarthy and three other softball MVPs will be featured in the 10th annual private vs. public all-star softball game in Temple City. http://goo.gl/qFVleu

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Police: Bad Dating Relationship, Etc.

[Monrovia Police activities from the Police Department's Neighborhood Watch Report for June 5-8. - Brad Haugaard]

Following are the weekend’s highlighted issues and events. 

Theft from a Vehicle
On June 6 at 4:00 p.m., a theft from a vehicle was reported in the 300 block of West Foothill. The victim parked and locked his car in front of his home, but did not roll the windows up all the way. An unknown suspect reached inside and removed the handicapped placard from the rearview mirror and fled with the item. 

Domestic Violence
On June 7 at 3:27 p.m., a female subject ran into the police department lobby to report an incident of domestic violence. She is in a dating relationship with the suspect. They were driving in a car in the 500 block of West Maple when they began to argue. The male suspect slapped the female victim in the face a couple of times, causing injury. The victim jumped from the car and ran to the police station. The male suspect was not located. A wanted person’s entry was made into the law enforcement computer data base for the suspect. 

Yet Another Monrovia Bear Video

Moma bear and cub caught on video. http://goo.gl/l2Ofhv

- Brad Haigaard

Monrovia Has Second Fastest Runner in State

Monrovia's Cravon Gillespie wins second place in statewide track competition. http://goo.gl/MPNXJI

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia School Board: Budget, Congratulate Track Members, Etc.

At its June 11, 7 p.m. meeting (agenda: http://goo.gl/8MjsD8 ), the Monrovia School Board will ...

~ Consider a 2014-15 combined general budget with revenue of $53,142,291 and expenditures of $53,827,927 - $685,636 more than revenue. http://goo.gl/xugnn3

~ Congratulate Monrovia High Girls Varsity Track Team members Madison Herrera, Elise McCarthy, Sydney Mosley, and Jordyn Tucker as the CIF-Southern Section Division 3 Champions in the 4x100m Relay.

~ Congratulate the Monrovia High Varsity Track members who qualified for the CIF State Championships: Sydney Mosely - 100m Hurdles; Crayvon Gillespie - 100m Dash; Aubrey Mosely, Seth Raines, Octavius Spencer, Crayvon Gillspie - 4x100m Relay.

~ Hear a report on the district's Latino Family Literacy Project. http://goo.gl/hGBwMH

~ Hear a report on concussion training for coaches. http://goo.gl/ZmDPz2

~ Hear a report on the outcomes of the California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress.

- Brad Haugaard

Salad Restaurant Coming to Monrovia

There is a new restaurant called The Salad Bistro going into the building that was occupied by The Irish Gardener. Just below Lemon on the east side of Myrtle. 

- Brad Haugaard

Lunch at Something Healthy


Lunch at Something Healthy, just north of Huntington on the east side of Shamrock. Got the cold roast beef sandwich ($6.60) and an iced tea ($1.50). Nice sandwich. It had a tangy sauce I really liked.

- Brad Haugaard

Religious Diversity Hikes

June 14, Boy Scouts Religious Diversity Hikes. Five-mile hikes with check-in at 5:45 a.m. and 7:30 a.m., at First Baptist Church at 223 S. Encinitas. Religious leaders from various faiths will speak on various topics. Open to boys and girls of any youth organizations and their families. Details: http://goo.gl/1Bg86M

- Brad Haugaard

Gold Line Sound Walls Installed in Monrovia

The Gold Line Construction Authority reports its crews have completed installation of these concrete sound walls from the Santa Anita Wash to Mayflower Ave. Source: press release

- Brad Haugaard

Ice Cream Bowls Fundraiser

Buy an artistic bowl and have it filled with ice cream. A fundraiser for Foothill Unity Center, Saturday, June 21, 4-7 pm. Details: http://goo.gl/y8StWn

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Police Carry Special Olympics Torch

Monrovia police carried the Special Olympics torch through Monrovia and handed it off to Arcadia police this morning. http://goo.gl/9v7D7A

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Runners to Finals | Nick Bueno | Questioning National Recreation Area

~ Monrovia to send runners to the state finals in Clovis. http://goo.gl/rxzS4G

~ Photo of Nick Bueno, for three years starter quarterback for Monrovia, trying out pro football. http://goo.gl/xhz2iq

~ A column by former Glendora Mayor Lois M. Shade questioning Representative Judy Chu's proposed National Recreation Area, which would affect Foothill cities, including Monrovia. http://goo.gl/g4j7tW

- Brad Haugaard

Women Painters at Monrovia's Segil Fine Art


Tulips 14x16, monotype by Joan Baral

Summer Solstice, an annual show by Women Painters West at Segil Fine Art, 110 West Lime, June 7-30.

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Police: Graduation Graffiti; Car Left Running Stolen; Husband vs. Wife; Shoplifting

[Monrovia Police activities from the Police Department's Neighborhood Watch Report for June 2-4. - Brad Haugaard]

During the last seven-day period, the Police Department handled 384 service events, resulting in 80 investigations.

Stolen Vehicle Recovered
On June 2 at 7:37 a.m., an officer was dispatched to a business in the 2600 block of South California regarding an unreported stolen vehicle that was taken on May 30. After taking the report, the officer made an area check and located the vehicle in an alleyway, just north of the location. The vehicle was recovered.

Felony Vandalism
On June 2 at 10:37 a.m., the high school in the 800 block of West Colorado reported graffiti on the north side of the school. The reporting party took pictures of the graffiti and had it cleaned up before graduation ceremonies. The damage was estimated at over $700. The investigation is continuing.

Burglary / Forgery / Receiving Stolen Property
On June 2 at 1:31 p.m., a vehicle burglary was reported in the 100 block of East Pomona. The victim reported that someone broke into his vehicle and took his personal checks. A subject went into a credit union in the 500 block of South Myrtle on May 29 and cashed one of the victim’s checks for $175.00. The subject returned on June 2 and tried to cash a second check, but was denied. The investigation is continuing.

Grand Theft Auto
On June 3 at 12:36 p.m., a vehicle was reported stolen from the 300 block of North Alta Vista. The victim stopped to pick up his daughter at the caretaker's home. He left the car running and the key fob in the driver's seat. He went in the location to get his daughter, and when he returned to the car, it was gone. The vehicle is a dark gray, 2014 Toyota Prius with a black car seat in the back seat and a green carpool sticker on the passenger side. The investigation is continuing.

Domestic Violence
On June 3 at 1:56 p.m., the Monrovia Fire Department responded to the 600 block of West Duarte Road on an unknown medical call. Upon their entry into the residence, the female stated that she wanted to press charges. Officers responded and determined the husband and wife were involved in an altercation. The wife had a small cut on the top area of her nose and scratches on her arms. The husband was arrested and taken into custody. A Temporary Retraining Order was obtained on the wife's behalf.

Petty Theft – Suspect Arrested
On June 4 at 2:00 p.m., a business in the 500 block of West Huntington called police to report a female subject shoplifting and putting merchandise inside her purse. The suspect exited the store without paying for the merchandise. Officers responded and located the suspect in the 600 block of West Huntington. She was arrested.

Monrovia's AeroVironment Makes Cheaper Car Charger

Monrovia's AeroVironment introduces a cheaper way to charge electric cars; TurboCord for $599: http://goo.gl/8IVm6E

- Brad Haugaard

Opinion: Thoughts on Plastic Bag Ban Discussion at Monrovia Council Meeting

A 12-year supply of plastic bags.

A few observations about discussion at the City Council meeting the other night about banning plastic carry-out grocery bags. As always, I know people have different views on this topic, so please feel free to tell me I'm an idiot in the Comments section below.

1. One speaker said the average number of plastic bags used is 83 per person per year, as if that was shocking. Okay, assuming that is true, this little package of 1,000 shopping bags (available at Smart & Final, where I took this picture) represents a 12-year supply. I wish all our trash was so compact.

2. Chris Shevlin, who was on the ad hoc committee considering banning the bags, asked where the banning stops. What, he asked, are we going to ban next? Then, as if to prove his point, several speakers in favor of the ban said that the ban will not solve everything, but it is a start.

3. One speaker in favor of the ban said that even banana peels and newspapers, when buried in landfills, do not decay because the earth keeps the air away. Umm. Okay. But isn't one of the objections to plastic carry-out bags that they don't decay? So if banana peels and newspapers also don't decay, are we supposed to stop eating bananas and stop reading newspapers?

4. There was an approving reference or two to Pasadena and its plastic bag ban. For me, "Let's be more like Pasadena" is not a good argument. My wife and I moved here from Pasadena because we prefer Monrovia to Pasadena. My wife, incidentally, does volunteer work in Pasadena, and she and another woman were going through a cabinet trying to locate something and came upon a wad of plastic carry-out bags. "Oh!" the other woman said, "Can I have those? I live in Pasadena and we can't get them."

5. One speaker in favor of the ban said that there are lots of nice products for sale for picking up dog waste. So... forcing people to buy plastic bags to replace free plastic bags is less polluting?

6. A couple speakers said people simply need to be "trained," or to "train themselves" to use reusable bags. Not a big selling point for me as I'm not wild about being "trained" by my government.

- Brad Haugaard

Learn About Monrovia

Sign up for the Monrovia Area Partnership (MAP) conference to learn about the community and how to be involved. Saturday, August 9, 9:30 a.m. - 3 p.m. Details: http://goo.gl/EEnMr9

- Brad Haugaard