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Monrovia Police Provide Christmas Help for Needy Family

Yesterday Monrovia Police delivered a Christmas tree and gift cards to a Monrovia family in need whose baby recently died due to illness. http://goo.gl/lOKLoK

- Brad Haugaard

Salvation Army Chorus at Pavilions Market


A Salvation Army chorus sings at Pavilions market in Monrovia.

- Brad Haugaard

Magnolia to Be Closed South of Freeway for Construction

Magnolia Avenue will be closed from Evergreen Avenue (that's the south-side freeway-access street) down to Genoa Street (that's one block above Duarte) from December 29 to January 9. Crews will be excavating for electrical vaults in the street on Dec. 29. The road will be closed during working hours from December 29 until January 9, but will remain open New Year's Eve, and New Year's Day. Source: press release

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Fire Department Helps Family That Lost Everything | Possible Winds Today

~ Monrovia Fire Department and Spark of Love toy drive have stepped in to make Christmas better for a Monrovia family that lost everything in a fire. http://goo.gl/KHCDq6

~ Possible winds today - 20-30 mph with gusts to 40 - until about 3 p.m. http://goo.gl/gFT2BI

- Brad Haugaard

Citrus a 'Fastest Growing' School | Monrovia Providers Group Gets Donation

~ Citrus College, which serves Monrovia, has been named one of the fastest-growing community colleges in the nation, according to a recent Community College Week report. The college ranked fifth among U.S. community colleges with enrollments of 10,000 or more, according to 2012 and 2013 records. Nearly 13,000 students attended Citrus College in 2013, a 10 percent increase over the previous year. Source: press release

~ At its 90th Anniversary Breakfast on December 10 the Arcadia Association of Realtors donated $1,000 to Monrovia Providers Group. MPG is a non-profit organization of community agencies and private resources that provides services to area seniors. Source: press release

- Brad Haugaard

Police Chief Hunt: Proposition 47 'Terrible' for Monrovia Merchants

Let's say you (foolishly) leave your iPad on the front seat of your car, forget to lock the door, and go shopping. You come out, see someone making off with your iPad and call the Monrovia Police. They catch the guy. Hooray! But what happens next?

A ticket. The thief gets a citation, and he may be ticketed right on the spot and released, though he may be brought in for fingerprinting and identification. But at the end of the day the suspect walks out the door with a misdemeanor citation.

Monrovia Police Chief James Hunt told me why.

With the passage of Proposition 47, which Hunt strongly opposed (see here: http://goo.gl/dETaoI ) many felonies were turned into misdemeanors, including many types of theft.

Previously, he said, if a person stole something worth more than $500, it was a felony, or if he entered a business - for example - with the intent of stealing, regardless of the value of the item, it was a felony. Now, as long as the value of the item is under $950, it's a misdemeanor and it doesn't matter if the criminal has been doing it all day long all over town and has 100 prior arrests for the same crime, it's still a misdemeanor.

And even if the suspect is convicted in court, Hunt said, the likelihood of him spending time in jail is extremely low since there is little room in the jails for misdemeanor offenders.

The effect of the law, he said, was almost immediate. Just after it passed, he said, police stopped crimes and were told by the thieves, "You can't arrest me for a misdemeanor."

"Why break in to steal something when you can just grab it and run out the door?" Hunt said. The worst you face if you get caught is a misdemeanor charge.

"For our merchants," he said, "it's terrible."

All businesses are affected, he added, but the large retailers like Home Depot, Kohl's and supermarkets (where thieves like to grab alcohol) are hit hardest.

Hunt is also concerned that...

~ People serving jail time for felonies are petitioning to be released early since their crimes are now misdemeanors.

~ Probation terms are not applied for misdemeanors, and with some felonies being reclassified as misedmeanors, probation terms will not apply.

~ Possession of drugs, even date-rape drugs, is now just a ticketing offense.

- Brad Haugaard

Candlelight Service at Monrovia's First Presbyterian Church

First Presbyterian Church of Monrovia will hold a Christmas Eve (Dec. 24) candlelight service at 5:30 p.m. http://goo.gl/Ht92gf

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovians Killed in Crash

Monrovians killed in SUV crash on way to funeral. http://goo.gl/NkMeDg

- Brad Haugaard

Lunch at Church's Chicken

Lunch at Church's Chicken, at the corner of Huntington and Shamrock. Got the three-piece lunch for $7.49. Came with drink, biscuit, mashed potatoes and handy spork. Not health food, but filling and tasty. If you want something healthy, go next-door to Something Healthy. There was a sign saying, "Have a side of chicken genius." No clue what that means and neither did the attendant. 
- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Company Installs Big Battery

CODA Energy of Monrovia has installed the "largest behind the meter lithium-ion energy storage system in the Los Angeles basin." CODA began installations at the beginning of this year and now has nearly 3MWh of energy storage installations. The company designs and builds "industrial energy storage solutions." http://goo.gl/mc7Xph

- Brad Haugaard

Awesome Christmas Street in Monrovia

Wow! Ignore my bad photography and check this street out for yourself. Amazing and enchantingly beautiful! Winner of the Best Neighborhood Effort in Monrovia's Holiday Home Decorating Contest, Valmont Drive and Valmont Place. From Foothill drive north on Norumbega, past Greystone, past Valle Vista, then turn left on Valmont. You're there. Really, it's great!

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Police Tip: Don’t Fill Your Vehicle With Presents for Thieves!

It only takes a few seconds for thieves to break into your vehicle and steal your valuables.

It only takes a few seconds to remove your valuables and secure your vehicle.

Don't Be a Victim!

Auto-burglary prevention starts by limiting the criminal's opportunity to commit the crime and can be accomplished with very little time and effort. Criminals are looking for something to steal - don't supply the valuables. Leaving your valuables in your vehicle instantly makes your car a target for thieves.

Take a few seconds to prevent auto-burglary!

The University of Oklahoma Police Department offers great auto-burglary prevention tips, here: http://goo.gl/jnhKHY

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Police: Snoozing Driver Hits Power Pole; Thefts from Vehicles; Etc.

[Monrovia Police activities from the Police Department's Neighborhood Watch Report for December 15-17. - Brad Haugaard]

During the last seven-day period, the Police Department handled 369 service events, resulting in 68 investigations.

Injury Traffic Collision
December 16 at 4:06 a.m., a traffic collision was reported in the 700 block of East Huntington Drive. The female driver of the vehicle had just left work, fell asleep at the wheel and struck a power pole. She was not badly injured, but there were downed power lines. Southern California Edison was advised.

Attempt Theft From a Vehicle
December 16 at 5:40 a.m., a resident in the 300 block of West Lime heard noise to the front of her residence. She noticed a male subject dressed in dark clothing trying to get into her car. She called police, who arrived at the location and saw the suspect run north. Containment was set up, but the suspect was not located. The investigation is continuing.

Vehicle Burglary
December 16 at 7:23 a.m., a vehicle burglary was reported in the 700 block of West Huntington. Unknown suspect(s) smashed the rear window and took a black backpack with an iPad and an Apple Computer in it, as well as credit and identification cards. A credit card was used at a Walmart in Rosemead a short time later. The investigation is continuing.

Residential Burglary
December 16 at 1:47 p.m., police responded to the report of a residential burglary in the 100 block of North Madison. While the victims were away, the home was broken into and ransacked. Point of entry was a sliding glass door that was smashed and items of jewelry were stolen. The investigation is continuing.

Celebrating Former Monrovia Mayor Bob Bartlett

Tomorrow former Monrovia Mayor Bob Bartlett will be celebrated at Bethel AME Church in Monrovia, where he was recently voted Man of the Year. Details: http://goo.gl/KcIxQA

- Brad Haugaard

Best Christmas Displays in Monrovia

If you want a list of Christmas-decorated homes to see, try the winners of Monrovia's Annual Holiday Home Decorating Contest. The winners are:  

  • Best Still Display - 702 East Lemon Avenue (Note: a reader believes this may actually be E. Lime)
  • Best Neighborhood Effort - Valmont Drive & Valmont Place
  • Best Outdoor Display - 409 Meadow Lane
  • Best Window Display - 550 South Park Rose Avenue
  • Holiday Spirit Award - 639 Parker Avenue
  • Snowman Award - 632 Terrado Drive
  • Toyland Award - 214 South Alta Vista Avenue
  • Best Decorated Outdoor Tree - 308 West Lemon Avenue
  • Children's Choice Award - 333 Norumbega Drive
  • Judges' Award - 2514 Rochelle Avenue
  • Most Effective Use of Outdoor Holiday Lighting - 163 Mauna Loa Drive
  • Tim McKeehan "Best of Season" Award - 309 North Madison Avenue


- Brad Haugaard

Fire Truck Santa Touring Monrovia

Santa is making his rounds on the top of a Monrovia fire truck. I snapped this poor quality picture tonight. Here's his schedule: http://goo.gl/0b5rgi

- Brad Haugaard

More Monrovia Christmas Lights


The most Christmas-light covered house I have seen so far this year. Very nice! On Alta Vista south of Foothill, about a half block north of Palm. 

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Football Player Spencer Commits to UCLA

Monrovia football star Octavius Spencer commits to UCLA. http://goo.gl/WUjg3j

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Congresswoman Judy Chu Rebuked by House Ethics Committee

Congresswoman Judy Chu, who represents the top edge of Monrovia, has been rebuked for interfering with an investigation by the House Ethics Committee into whether some of her staff members used some of their time to do campaign work. The committee found she didn't know about the improper work, but that she did interfere with the investigation. She apologized. http://goo.gl/Cy2h4R

- Brad Haugaard

Rain Shouldn't Cause Debris Flow Below Madison Burn Area in Monrovia

LA County Department of Water and Power predicts that the current rain shouldn't result in "appreciable amounts of debris on streets or specific public infrastructure locations" from the Madison Fire burn area above Monrovia. http://goo.gl/g0qbj2

- Brad Haugaard