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Monrovia Preservationists Use YouTube to Object to Replacing Old Homes

Monrovia historical preservationists have taken to YouTube to object to smaller old homes being torn down to be replaced by larger modern homes. Video: http://goo.gl/lU22Qg

- Brad Haugaard

Protest Planned Against Making San Gabriel Mountains a National Monument

A protest against Representative Judy Chu's plan to have President Obama declare the San Gabriel Mountains a National Monument is being planned for Monday, Oct. 6, at 2 p.m. at Chu's field office at 527 S. Lake Avenue in Pasadena. According to a representative of Art Alas, who is running for Congress against Chu, local groups will speak out against the plan and deliver letters of opposition. Among those delivering letters will be the California Trail Users Coalition, Pasadena Bait Club, Public Lands for Public People, SoCal Cycling, Mt. Baldy Lodge, Off-Piste Hikers, Glendora Community Conservancy, San Gabriel Valley Regional Conservancy (SGVRC), and California Off-Road Vehicle Association (CORVA). Source: press release.

UPDATE: Monrovia Councilwoman Becky Shevlin writes to say that, "I, along with Tom Adams and other electeds did sign a letter of opposition" to having the mountains declared a national monument.

- Brad Haugaard

Literacy Fundraiser at Monrovia Library

Monrovia Public Library Foundation will hold "Team Up! Dream Up! For Literacy," a literacy fundraiser, on Sunday, Nov. 2 from 1-3:30 p.m. at the Monrovia Public Library. Team trivia, silent auction, live auction, and good food. Tickets are $40 per person and may be purchased at the Library. Form your own team of 8 to 10 people or join a team to play Team Trivia. Winning team gets a prize.

Nearly 15% of U.S. adults cannot read, and in the past few years funding for literacy programs has been reduced by 40% due to state budget cuts, so to offset cuts the Monrovia Public Library Foundation must increase its fundraising. We hope you will come to this event for fun and to support the Monrovia Public Library Literacy Program. Source: press release.

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Police Win 'Guns & Hoses' Competition With Fire Department

Monrovia Police officers won the "Guns & Hoses" trophy over the Monrovia Fire Department at the Boys & Girls Club of the Foothills charity golf tournament. http://goo.gl/lJuhNb

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia School Board Meeting Topics

At the Wednesday, Oct. 8, School Board meeting, the board will congratulate Monrovia High Athletic Director Randy Bell as the 2014 recipient of the CIF-SS 9 th Annual Jim Staunton "Champions for Character" Award, and, the following Monrovia High School nominees for the National Merit Scholarship Program: Trinity Carwile, Melissa Johnson, Evan Launchbaugh, Austin Newton, and Bonnie Zucco.

Also, the board will consider textbook funding, which topics the district will discuss with its employee unions in the next round of negotiations, proclaiming Oct. 19-25 as America's Safe Schools Week and Oct. 23-31 as "Red Ribbon Week - Love Yourself, Be Drug Free."

Agenda: http://goo.gl/X7DH0w

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Cooling Centers | Power Outages | STAAR CEO Retiring

~ Mayor Mary Ann Lutz reports that with the hot weather, the Monrovia Community Center and Library will act as a Cooling Center for residents who need to escape the heat, on Saturday (10/4) 8 a.m.-6 p.m. and Sunday (10/5) 8 a.m.-6p.m. Also, the cool library will be open Saturday (10/4) noon-5 p.m.

~ Apparently some brief blackouts today. Residents reported electricity out on the 500 block of Magnolia and on part of Myrtle for an hour.

~ STAAR Surgical Company of Monrovia today announced that Barry G. Caldwell, President & CEO (64), will retire on March 1, 2015. STAAR Surgical is a developer, manufacturer and marketer of implantable lenses for the eye. http://goo.gl/vlY59V

- Brad Haugaard

Lunch at Claim Jumper


Lunch at Claim Jumper, on Huntington. Got the chicken pot pie off the lunch menu ($10.99) and a beer ($5.75). Broke the crust so you could see. Hint: Very hot! Punch a few holes in it and be patient. Very tasty. 

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Girls Volleyball

Monrovia High Girls Volleyball doing well. Feature story. http://goo.gl/JJpqxM
 
-Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Fire Department to Give Gift Cards to People Displaced By Emergencies

On October 1, the Monrovia Fire Department initiated a new program in collaboration with the Monrovia Firefighters Association and the State of California Fire Foundation to offer $100 gift cards to victims displaced by fire or other emergency.

 

The new program, SAVE, Supplying Aid to Victims of Emergency (SAVE), allows the Monrovia Fire Department to offer emergency financial assistance to fire and natural disaster victims while on the scene of an emergency.  Working with the California Fire Foundation, Monrovia is one of only three fire agencies in Southern California to offer this kind of assistance.  The cities of Long Beach and Anaheim were also chosen. 

 

Monrovia’s on-duty Division Chief now carries a packet and is authorized to activate the gift cards, 24-hours a day, thereby providing temporary assistance for basic necessities such as food, clothing, medicine or overnight housing at a local hotel four Monrovians.  

 

Monrovia Firefighters Association (MFA) was a driving force behind this program.  “This is truly a great endeavor to further aid and comfort our residents that are impacted by disasters,” said Fire Association President Brad Dover.  “As firefighters, we are uniquely positioned to offer a helping hand of support in the immediate aftermath of a catastrophic loss.  Firefighters want to do more than just put out fires- We want to serve even after the fire is out.”

 

According to the California Fire Foundation “Firefighters working with CFF on the SAVE program provide assurance that those impacted by disaster will receive instant, direct relief, before, during and after the alarm.” 

 

“I’m certainly proud of this new program and although we hope no one in our community needs to use the SAVE program, we are certainly grateful for the opportunity to provide financial support for those immediate needs following an emergency,” said Fire Chief Chris Donovan.

 

The California Fire Foundation, a not for profit 501(c)(3). Funding for the SAVE program comes from both private and corporate donations. The largest corporation to specifically support the SAVE program is Chevron, Inc.


Source: City of Monrovia press release


- Brad Haugaard

 


Monrovia Police: CHP Pursuit; Seizure Causes Accident; Man Arrested in Domestic Violence Incident

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

During the last seven-day period, the Police Department handled 479 service events, During the last seven-day period, the Police Department handled 479 service events, resulting in 77 investigations.

Runaway Juveniles Located 
On September 29 at 6:45 p.m., a caller reported two male juveniles walking south on Mountain who appeared to be smoking marijuana and looking into parked vehicles. An officer responded and located the two subjects. Both subjects were determined to be reported runaways from a group home. The subjects were detained. One subject was released to the custody of the group home and the other was arrested on a no-bail juvenile warrant and taken to the Department of Children and Family Services in Los Angeles.

Vehicle Pursuit / California Highway Patrol Outside Assist – Suspect Arrested 
On September 30 at 8:23 p.m., California Highway Patrol phoned Monrovia dispatch to advise they were entering our city at Colorado and Monterey, pursuing a vehicle. Officers quickly located and trailed the pursuit at the request of CHP. The pursuit terminated in the 200 block of East Lemon. Monrovia officers set up a perimeter, as CHP units began verbal communication with the suspect, who had run inside a residence. CHP entered the residence and located the suspect; the suspect was arrested and taken into custody.

Injury Traffic Collison 
On September 30 at 8:44 p.m., a caller phoned police to report they were just involved in a hit and run traffic collision and they were following the suspect. Officers arrived and located the suspect vehicle. After speaking with both parties, it was determined that the suspect had a seizure and struck the victim’s vehicle. The victim sustained minor injury to his leg and complained of pain.

Domestic Violence – Suspect Arrested 
On September 30 at 9:59 p.m., officers were dispatched to a residence in the 100 block of North May Avenue regarding the report of domestic violence at the location. The female victim went to a neighboring residence and told the neighbor that her boyfriend had tried to kill her by strangling her. The neighbor was afraid and called the police. The victim went back inside the boyfriend’s residence. Officers arrived and secured the perimeter of the location. The victim’s sister also arrived and was worried because her sister was not answering her cell phone. Monrovia dispatch called the cell phone and the victim answered. She would not answer any of the dispatcher's questions and appeared to be under duress. The phone call was suddenly ended. A short time later, the female ran out the front door and two officers escorted her to safety. A few minutes after that, the male suspect came out and was taken into custody. The male suspect was determined to be the aggressor in the incident and was arrested.

Legally Blonde | Be the Assistant Monrovia City Manager | Community Awards

~ Legally Blonde The Musical at the Louise Taylor Performing Arts Center (aka Monrovia High auditorium) on Oct. 3-4. Tickets on sale now. Details: http://goo.gl/UvpRC7

~ Want to be the Executive Assistant to the Monrovia City Manager? The job's open. $4,467.46 - $5,646.69 monthly. Details: http://goo.gl/iEsfVH

~ The Monrovia Chamber of Commerce is seeking nominations for its annual community awards. Deadline is October 15. Details for Iris Award ( http://goo.gl/0RCrkm ), Dick Lord Award ( http://goo.gl/nQgQOZ ), Monroe Award ( http://goo.gl/T37akX ).

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Thrift Store Welcomes Donations

United Thrift Store, at the United Methodist Church at 140 E. Palm Ave., welcomes donations of clothing, shoes, bags, household items, jewelry, books, miscellaneous items and cash donations. No large furniture. Tax receipts available at church office upon request. The thrift store is open Tuesadys and Thursdays, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. and benefits the Foothills Pregnancy Resource Center and the church. 303-2783.

- Brad Haugaard

On-Line Language Learning from Monrovia Library

The Monrovia Library has added an online language-learning program that helps you learn any of 80 languages. You'll need your library card. http://goo.gl/U1Tqxv

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia City Council Meeting: Trash Talk

At the Tuesday, Oct. 7 Monrovia City Council meeting, a number of items on Athens Services, the company that picks up our trash. http://goo.gl/Dhc1B1

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia's AeroVironment Catching Drunk Drivers | Bike Safety

~ Grand Forks North Dakota Sheriff's Department apprehended its first set of suspects (drunk driving) using a drone made by Monrovia's AeroVironment. http://goo.gl/mNK7J9

~ Monrovia Police is promoting an, "I Give Three Feet for Bicycle Safety" program to highlight the new law requiring drivers give bicyclists at least three feet of clearance when passing. http://goo.gl/pUvTMA

Comment: I'm an avid bicyclist and I approve. HOWEVER, I think it would be nice if some bicyclists (and I am, uh, not entirely innocent myself) could be troubled to obey traffic laws as well. How about an, "I Stop at Stop Signs Just Like Cars" safety program for cyclists.

- Brad Haugaard

Art In the Park at Monrovia's Library Park


- Brad Haugaard

Resident Writing Photo History of Monrovia

Local resident, librarian, and genealogist, Melanie Frick, has contracted to write a photographic history of Monrovia - for the Images of America series, and would love to talk to anybody with old pictures of the city.

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia E-Waste and Tool Drive

Volunteer Center of San Gabriel Valley is holding an e-waste and tool drive, Sept. 2-Dec. 23. Drop off broken or outdated computers, TV's, monitors, laptops, cell phones and other unused electronics. Call in advance and they will pick up donated items. 119 W. Palm Ave. Monrovia. 256-8187. http://goo.gl/OKaTnG

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia's Jewish Federation Book Festival in November

A noted Bible scholar, one of New York's most celebrated chef/caterers, a foreign correspondent and several historical novelists are among the acclaimed authors coming to speak in the San Gabriel and Pomona Valleys for the Monrovia-based Jewish Federation's 16th Annual Jewish Book Festival from Nov. 2-23. Festival-goers will get the inside scoop on everything from integrating nuts and seeds into a healthy gourmet diet to Chinese attempts to save thousands of Jewish lives during World War II. Details: http://goo.gl/RqrCy6

- Brad Haugaard

Panera Fundraiser to Fight Breast Cancer

On October 10, 100% of net sales of Panera Bread's Pink Ribbon Bagel at participating Southern California bakery-cafes will be donated to Dr. Susan Love Research Foundation for research into the cause and prevention of breast cancer. For the rest of the month, 10 cents from the sale of each bagel will be donated to the Foundation. There is a Panera Bread in Monrovia at the Huntington Oaks Shopping Center.

- Brad Haugaard