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Happy Birthday, America!


The Monrova fireworks show was great, as usual. I was particularly impressed by how well the music synced with the fireworks. (Sorry about the bad cell phone photo.)

Much better pictures at Gem City Images: http://goo.gl/jXz3ZO

- Brad Haugaard

Waiting for the Monrovia Fireworks Show


2:30 PM on a hot Fourth of July and there are already lots of people camped out waiting for toniight's fireworks show. Actually, I heard there were people camped out at eight in the morning.

- Brad Haugaard

Will 19-Acre Property in North Monrovia Be Subdivided into Seven Parcels?

A 19-acre property containing six leased houses is for sale at an asking price of almost $4 million in north Monrovia. The real estate listing says the City of Monrovia has said the property, at 537 Cloverleaf Drive, "can be subdivided into a minimum of 7 huge residential parcels." http://goo.gl/kePMuI

- Brad Haugaard

Fourth of July Fireworks Safety Tips

No home fireworks are allowed in Monrovia (but there'll be a great fireworks show at Library Park: http://goo.gl/JGJ6yg ), but if you are going to be in an area that allows fireworks and decide to use fireworks, the city recommends you follow these safety tips:

- Make sure fireworks are legal in your area before buying or using them.
- Never allow young children to play with or ignite fireworks.
- Avoid buying fireworks that are packaged in brown paper because this is often a sign that the fireworks were made for professional displays and that they could pose a danger to consumers.
- Always have an adult supervise fireworks activities. Parents don't realize that young children suffer injuries from sparklers. Sparklers burn at temperatures of about 2,000 degrees - hot enough to melt some metals.
- Never place any part of your body directly over a fireworks device when lighting the fuse.
- Back up to a safe distance immediately after lighting fireworks.
- Never try to re-light or pick up fireworks that have not ignited fully.
- Never point or throw fireworks at another person.
- Keep a bucket of water or a garden hose handy in case of fire or other mishap.
- Light fireworks one at a time, then move back quickly.
- Never carry fireworks in a pocket or shoot them off in metal or glass containers.
- After fireworks complete their burning, douse the spent device with plenty of water from a bucket or hose before discarding it to prevent a trash fire.

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Fourth of July Event Schedule

Here's the schedule for Fourth of July in Monrovia:

- 3:00-7:00 p.m. DJ will play recorded music
- 5:00-9:30 p.m. Old Town Family Festival will be held until 9:30 p.m.
- 7:00-8:30 p.m. Live performance featuring the band "Stone Soul", playing your favorite 1970's songs
- 8:50 p.m. Formal welcome from the Mayor, City Council, and other dignitaries in attendance
- 9:00-9:20 p.m. Firework show

Event sponsors include: Presidential Sponsor, Mary Ann and Corey Lutz; Wendy's Hamburgers; Samuelson & Fetter; Monrovia Old Town Merchants; Upper San Gabriel Valley Municipal Water District; The Sierra Family of Dealerships; and Ducommun AeroStructures.
 
Source: City news release
 
- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Police: Runaway Juvenile; Fraud; Meth; Under the Influence; Etc.

[Monrovia Police activities from the Police Department's Neighborhood Watch Report for June 30 – July 2. - Brad Haugaard]

During the last seven-day period, the Police Department handled 431 service events, resulting in 77 investigations.

Vandalism
June 30 at 7:21 a.m., staff from an elementary school in the 400 block of West Colorado called to report graffiti spray painted on tables, benches, and the fence. Black spray paint was used and most of the graffiti was unreadable. The investigation is continuing.

Vandalism
June 30 at 8:09 a.m., staff from the high school in the 800 block of West Colorado called police to report that a number of buildings at the school had been vandalized. Graffiti had been written on them in a red wax or paste. The investigation is continuing.

Commercial Burglary / Possession of Burglary Tools – Suspect Arrested
June 30 at 5:55 p.m., officers responded to a business in the 500 block of West Huntington on the report of a burglary. Three female suspects entered the store, selected clothing items, and went into the dressing room, where they entered the same dressing stall. Two of the females came out of the dressing room and exited the store. They were detained by arriving officers at their vehicle. The females had no stolen items in their possession. They were identified and released. The third female was detained inside the store. She had store merchandise in her purse, along with a pair of wire cutters. She had attempted to remove the security tags. She was arrested and taken into custody.

Suspicious Person / Runaway Juvenile Located
July 1 at 11:13 a.m., an officer was dispatched to a business in the 300 block of West Huntington on the report a female sleeping on the rear dock area. The officer located a 16-year-old female, who told him she had run away from a group home in Bakersfield. A computer check revealed she was a reported missing person out of Bakersfield. She said she took a bus to Union Station in Los Angeles and called a male friend, who drove her to Monrovia. When she arrived in Monrovia, she and her friend got into an altercation, and she was left on foot. The Department of Children and Family Services was contacted and they took custody of the juvenile.Under the influence of a Controlled Substance / Possession of Drug

Paraphernalia – Suspect Arrested
On July 1 at 3:03 p.m., an officer on patrol in the 1400 block of South Mayflower stopped to contact a subject in the park. As the officer was talking to the subject, he noticed that the subject displayed signs of being under the influence. After further evaluation, the subject was determined to be under the influence of a controlled substance. A search of the suspect revealed two syringes. He was arrested for being under the influence of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Commercial Burglary / Possession of Forged Drivers License / Possession of Forged Access Card – Suspects Arrested
July 1 at 9:48 p.m., an officer responded to a business in the 500 block of West Huntington on the report of a fraud in progress. The officer arrived and met with the loss prevention employee, who pointed out the suspects that were still in the process of making a transaction at the register. The suspects exited the store and were detained outside by the officer. Further investigation revealed the two suspects entered the store with the intent to purchase store merchandise using fraudulent identification and credit cards. Both suspects were arrested for burglary and the fraud related violations.

Possession of Methamphetamine – Suspect Arrested
July 2 at 4:31 a.m., an officer on patrol in the area of Myrtle and California stopped a motorist for a minor vehicle code violation. Upon contacting the driver, the officer discovered he was on probation for drugs. The driver consented to a vehicle search that revealed a case for sunglasses containing methamphetamine and a glass pipe concealed between the center console and the right front passenger seat. The right front passenger admitted the pipe belonged to him. The passenger was arrested and taken into custody. The driver and his vehicle were released in the field.

Vehicle Burglary
July 2 at 7:15 a.m., a vehicle burglary was reported in the 200 block of West Scenic. The victim reported that a window on the vehicle had been smashed and his wallet was taken from inside. The vehicle had been parked on the street overnight. The investigation is continuing.

Mental Evaluation
July 2 at 12:26 p.m., officers responded to a residence in the 300 block of South Fifth Avenue regarding a family disturbance. A 19-year-old male was holding a knife to his throat and threatening to kill himself. The knife was taken from the subject prior to police arrival. The subject was taken to a hospital, where he was placed on a 72-hour hold for mental evaluation.

Driving Under the Influence of a Controlled Substance – Suspect Arrested
July 2 at 10:12 p.m., an officer was dispatched to the area of Alta Vista and Colorado to a fight in progress. When he arrived, many of the subjects began to leave the area, including one motorist who was detained to further investigate the fight call. The investigation revealed that no one was injured as a result of the fight and that no one desired prosecution. The detained motorist was found to be operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of drugs. The subject was arrested and taken into custody.

Traffic Collision / Driving Under the Influence – Suspect Arrested
July 3 at 1:49 a.m., a rollover traffic collision was reported in the 1100 block of Orange. A solo vehicle veered off the roadway and struck a brick wall. The vehicle came to rest in the roadway on its side. The driver received minor visible injuries, but was complained of pain. The investigation revealed the driver was operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol. The motorist was taken to a hospital for treatment of his injuries. A verified complaint request will be submitted to the court for filing DUI charges.

Opinion: What Will People Push Monrovia to Ban Next?

In watching the discussion about banning plastic carry-out grocery bags, I heard so many ban advocates indicate that banning the bags is "just a start," which leads me to think that now that Monrovia has prohibited the bags (starting Jan. 1) that we will soon see attempts to ban other things.

Like what?

Well, based on comments I've heard at various City Council meetings, I'd guess that there will be pressure for the city to go after smoking in multi-unit dwellings - or in public parks, or both - so if you smoke, not only do you get to die young, but you may also get to be harassed in your own home.

Second-hand smoke is bad, and I support bans on smoking in confined places that the public can freely enter (businesses, government offices, etc.) and smoking near the doors of such buildings, but in the great outdoors every additional foot of distance between me and a smoker dilutes the smoke, and at some not-very-great distance the smoke becomes barely a smell. And at that point, I think we should stop harassing these poor people.

And, no, I don't smoke.

- Brad Haugaard

No Home Fireworks in Monrovia

The City wants to remind everybody - no home fireworks in Monrovia ( http://goo.gl/zQ4YpH ). There is a great fireworks show at Library Park, however: http://goo.gl/ZmNSE1

- Brad Haugaard

Citrus College Sued - Charged With Limiting Free Speech

A student is suing Citrus College, which serves Monrovia, for limiting free speech to "a small 'free speech area' on the campus quad." http://goo.gl/uhfNwc

- Brad Haugaard

Proposed New Building for Monrovia BMW Dealership


The BMW dealership at 1425 S. Mountain Ave. may get a new building. The Monrovia Design Review Committee recommended accepting a proposed three-story, 208,783 square feet structure. http://goo.gl/zRM2qG

- Brad Haugaard

Will Your Home Be Made Part of a National Recreation Area?


A section of the boundary of the proposed National Recreation Area (the yellow line). The area includes parts of Monrovia - including homes. For a full interactive map (zoom in to see Monrovia): http://goo.gl/WPHmHm

Former State Senator Dick Mountjoy, a Monrovia resident, thanked the City Council for opposing the National Recreation Area proposed by Congresswoman Judy Chu, who represents the top edge of Monrovia. He said the boundary for the proposed federal area cuts through his property and that of his neighbors. He asked that the city write a letter to Congress opposing the NRA.

Councilman Tom Adams added that Congresswoman Chu has not responded to the city's request to be excluded from the federal area and asked for a staff report on how to proceed when a congresswoman "ignores a city request."

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Plastic Bag Ban Finalized

The Monrovia City Council tonight approved the second reading of the plastic grocery carry-out bag ban, which means the ban will go into effect on January 1, 2015.

Councilmembers Larry Spicer and Alexander Blackburn did not make the same mistake of missing the council meeting. Last time there was a second reading on the ban, they failed to show up and the bag ban was reversed. Blackburn then reintroduce the ban and it was approved tonight. Councilmembers Tom Adams and Becky Shevlin again voted against the ban.

- Brad Haugaard

New Monrovia Craftsman House | Fourth of July Event

~ Craftsman style house being built at the corner of Foothill and Canyon. Picture: http://goo.gl/IEFJaH

~ Details about Fourth of July concert and fireworks show at Library Park. The band Stone Soul playing from 7-8:30 p.m. A 20-minute fireworks show beginning at 9 p.m. http://goo.gl/ZmNSE1

- Brad Haugaard

Three Law Firms Say They Will Investigate Monrovia Company

At least three law firms have announced they will be investigating Monrovia's Staar Surgical in connection with the warning letter the company received from the Food and Drug Administration ( http://goo.gl/E6lxdY ). These are: The Rosen Law Firm ( http://goo.gl/CT0HRX ), the Law Offices of Howard G. Smith ( http://goo.gl/nmlB96 ), and Harwood Feffer LLP ( http://goo.gl/6Y1plj ).

- Brad Haugaard

Jewish Federation Moving to Monrovia

The Jewish Federation of the Greater San Gabriel and Pomona Valleys is excited to announce that it has just signed a lease to move to its new offices in Monrovia. The Jewish Federation will be temporary located at Temple Beth David in Temple City while its new offices are being built out. With this move, the Jewish Federation is moving closer to the center of our community – an area from Glendale to Rancho Cucamonga.

The Jewish Federation had been located in Arcadia at the former Congregation Shaarei Torah building on Second Avenue since September 2010, after over 30 years in Covina. During its tenure there, the Jewish Federation was able to expand its programming and the services it offered. With the many events and performances that took place here (An Evening with the Consul General of Israel, plays and musicals, concerts and lectures), our Arcadia location become a center for Jewish life in the greater San Gabriel and Pomona Valleys. As one community member put it, “We now have a place for all Jews from across our community, to come together and feel connected.”

The new facility will allow the Jewish Federation to continue its valuable work it does for and on behalf of the local Jewish community, as well as have a multipurpose room for small meetings and gatherings, along with a rehearsal space for Kol HaEmek (the community’s Jewish community choir), the Jewish Youth Orchestra, and upcoming plays and musicals.

“While the physical space of our new location will have a distinctly different look and feel,” Jason Moss, Executive Director explains, “the Jewish Federation’s Board of Governors and Staff are completely committed to continue providing the services and our current programs that so many people have come to count on.”

Jewish Federation’s new address is 116 W. Lime Avenue, Monrovia, CA 91016. The tentative move in date will be August 1, unless the build-out is completed in a shorter period of time.

For more information about the Jewish Federation’s move, or upcoming plans, please contact the Jewish Federation at 626.445.0810 or by email at federation@jewishsgpv.org.

The Jewish Federation of the Greater San Gabriel and Pomona Valleys provides programs and services that meet the needs of the local Jewish community – from Glendale to Rancho Cucamonga and south to Whittier – and provides the Jewish voice and leadership in addressing issues that affect the Jewish community as a whole.

Source: press release

- Brad Haugaard

FDA Warns Monrovia's Staar Surgical

Monrovia's Staar Surgical, which makes replacement lenses for the human eye, has received a warning letter from the Food and Drug Administration. It appears to be mostly about record keeping. http://goo.gl/E6lxdY

- Brad Haugaard

Old Style Tiles Needed to Restore Destroyed Monrovia Fountain

The historic fountain structure at the corner of Lime and Myrtle that was destroyed by a car accident is about to be rebuilt, and while much of the stonework and timbers were saved and can be reused, many old roof tiles, like these, were broken. If you happen to have a lead on where these may be obtained, contact Monrovia Historic Preservation Group President Jim Wigton, at 599-8187.

Source: Monrovia Historic Preservation Group newsletter

- Brad Haugaard

Swap Produce at Monrovia's Library Park


Picture caption: June's Collard Greens

If you are interested in sharing locally grown food, then come check out the next Produce in the Park meet-up this Saturday, July 5, from 9 AM - 11 AM by the Mark Twain bench in Library Park (on the corner of Lime & Myrtle)! To find out more about us, visit our blog ( http://goo.gl/BDxL1U ) and join emailing list ( produceinthepark@gmail.com ). See you there!

Source: press release

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Police: Curb Abuse; Men and Women Fighting; Hiker Safe; Etc.

[Monrovia Police activities from the Police Department's Neighborhood Watch Report for June 26-29. - Brad Haugaard]

Following are the weekend’s highlighted issues and events.

Found Elderly Couple
On June 28 at 10:53 p.m., officers were dispatched to the 200 block of North Mountain regarding an elderly couple inside a truck continuously hitting and running over the curb with their vehicle for approximately 2 hours. Officers arrived and found an 87 and 85 year old married couple. The female believed she was in Oakland and the male did not know where he was. Their son was eventually located in Apple Valley however, could not drive to Monrovia to pick-up his parents. An officer drove the couple home and Adult Protective Services were notified.

Warrant – Suspect Arrest
On June 29 at 1:56 a.m., officers were dispatched to an apartment complex in the 1100 block of Royal Oaks, where a male was reportedly hitting a female in the complex's parking lot. When officers arrived they determined the two were cousins and had only been yelling at each other. A computer check revealed the male subject had an outstanding warrant. He was arrested and taken into custody.

Drunk in Public – Suspect Arrested
On June 29 at 2:28 a.m., officers responded to the rear parking lot located in the 300 block of South Myrtle regarding a male and female possibly fighting. When officers arrived, they found a male, who was so intoxicated he could hardly stand up. After investigating whether they had been fighting or not, it was determined they had not been. The male was arrested for being drunk in public.

Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol – Suspect Arrested
On June 29 at 4:45 a.m., a silver car was stopped at Maple and Primrose for a traffic violation. The officer approached the driver and could smell alcohol on the driver's breath. Field sobriety tests were conducted and it was determined the driver was driving under the influence of alcohol and was arrested.

Outside Assist /Missing Person - Located
On June 29 at 7:20 a.m., dispatch received a call regarding a missing 32 year old female who resides in Pasadena. The missing person told her family she was going hiking Saturday, June 28 at 8:00 a.m., in Monrovia with a co-worker. The family made a missing persons report with Pasadena Police Department when she didn’t return home and she wasn’t answering her cell phone. The missing person left home in her dark grey, Honda Accord. Monrovia Park Rangers were notified and a thorough search was conducted for the Honda, but it was not found. At 1:50 p.m. we received a call from the family stating the missing hiker was located, she was spending time with a friend and had left her cell phone in her vehicle.

Detective Bureau Case Follow-Up: Robbery – Suspect Sentenced
A twenty year old male who has been arrested numerous times for theft and other narcotics offenses was sentenced to five years in state prison this past week for a robbery he committed in May at the Pavilions market. This was a culmination of the collaborative effort of the patrol officers, loss prevention officers and the work of Detectives to finally get a habitual offender off the streets.

Wizard of Oz at Monrovia's Taylor Performing Arts Center



Professional performance of The Wizard Of Oz at the Taylor Performing Arts Center, a.k.a. Monrovia High auditorium, on July 11, 12, 13, 18, 19, 20. Details:http://goo.gl/FmQlfF 

- Brad Haugaard