Monrovia Police: Lots of Overdrinking

Monrovia police activity for March 5-8. 

Commercial Burglary

March 6 at 9:22 a.m., an employee from a hotel in the 900 block of South Fifth Avenue called police to report a burglary. Sometime during the night, unknown suspects broke into the locked housekeeping closets that are located on three different floors and stole several items, including paint and electronic equipment. The suspect then fled without being seen. This investigation is continuing.

Warrant – Suspect Arrested

March 6 at 9:22 p.m., an officer was on patrol in the 200 block of Montana, when he made contact with a suspicious male subject who had an outstanding warrant for his arrest issued out of Monrovia. The officer arrested the suspect and took him into custody.

Public Intoxication – Suspect Arrested

March 7 at 11:38 p.m., dispatch received a call reporting a male subject walking down the center of Myrtle Avenue, swaying as he walked. Officers responded and located the subject at the intersection of Maple and Myrtle Avenues. The subject was determined to be extremely intoxicated and was not able to care for himself. He was arrested for being drunk in public and held for sobering.

Public Intoxication – Suspect Arrested

March 8 at 12:02 a.m., a resident in the 100 Block of East Evergreen called to report her front vehicle gate had been opened and a male adult was lying on the driveway near the open gate. An officer responded and found the subject had passed out and smelled of alcohol. The officer was able to wake the subject, but he could not walk without assistance. He was arrested for being drunk in public and held for sobering.

Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol – Suspect Arrested

March 8 at 3:35 a.m., an officer on patrol observed a vehicle driving very slow, heading north on Myrtle Avenue. The officer stopped the vehicle at Myrtle and Live Oak and discovered the driver had been drinking. Through investigation, the driver was determined to be driving under the influence and was arrested.

 Public Intoxication – Suspect Arrested

March 9 at 12:11 a.m., officers were dispatched to the 300 block of South California regarding a fight in progress. Upon arrival, officers located one subject who was extremely intoxicated. He was arrested for being drunk in public and held for sobering.

Felony Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol / Injury Traffic Collision – Suspect Arrested
March 9 at 12:58 a.m., officers responded to the area of Duarte Road and Walker regarding a traffic collision. Witnesses reported the vehicle was traveling at a high rate of speed and ran a red light at Myrtle, nearly colliding with northbound vehicles. The vehicle lost control near Walker, rolled and came to rest on its side with three occupants inside the vehicle. All three subjects were intoxicated and were taken to a hospital for complaint of pain and minor injuries. The driver was arrested for felony drunk driving. 

Independent Lab Confirms Monrovia Water Is Good

From city press release

On Thursday, February 26, 2015, Monrovia City Officials were made aware of alleged unlawful disposal of wastewater at the City's main water well field located at 2655 South Myrtle Avenue. Upon discovery of this practice, the City immediately initiated a comprehensive review of the overall situation to ensure that stringent water quality and safety standards are maintained. This review included the retention of a third-party contractor, Clinical Laboratories, to perform additional testing of the City's water.

On Tuesday, March 3, Clinical Laboratories conducted thorough tests of Monrovia's water supply. The tests were conducted at all City water collection, holding, and distribution sites, and the test results showed that the entire water supply in Monrovia is sanitary and safe. This third-party report supports the results that have been determined through the City's ongoing monthly testing processes, which has shown that Monrovia's water supply consistently meets or exceeds State and Federal drinking water standards.

Moving forward, to ensure that the City is taking proactive measures regarding the safety of our water, the City will be implementing bi-weekly testing to ensure that our water continues to meet or exceed every State and Federal drinking water standard. Also, the Water Utilities Operation in the City will be preparing an overall water report on a quarterly basis, rather than on an annual basis, as an added layer of public communication.

Current water testing information, including our Annual Water Reports as well as the updated reports provided by Clinical Laboratories, can be found on our city website at www.cityofmonrovia.org.


- Brad Haugaard

Rita's Opening in Monrovia

Rita's of Monrovia is opening March 12 in the Sprouts shopping center. Italian ice, frozen custard, etc. http://goo.gl/DhEUX6

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia School Board Agenda

On the agenda for the next school board meeting ( http://goo.gl/sUfPqB ):

- Review of supplemental algebra and geometry curriculum materials.

- Enrollment and staffing projections.

- Interim financial report.

Boys Soccer Wins COF | Historic Walking Tour of Old Monrovia Planned

~ Monrovia boys soccer wins CIF title with 1-0 win over South Pas. http://goo.gl/J9mgiC

~ The Monrovia Historic Preservation Group will lead its first walking tour of downtown Monrovia on Saturday, May 16, at 10 a.m., as part of the Monrovia Days celebration. The tour will begin at the corner of Palm and Myrtle, go down to Olive Avenue (4 blocks) and back. The tour is expected to last 1 1/2 hours. The tour includes a history of the downtown area as well as the history behind the development of Monrovia itself. Tickets are $5 per person (12 and under free). Reservations required. Go here ( http://goo.gl/n80u3u ) to reserve a space.

- Brad Haugaard

Trader Joe's Best | Monrovia Boy's Soccer in Championship Battle

~ Monrovia's Trader Joe's named best grocer in the country. http://goo.gl/BsQrUQ

~ Monrovia boys soccer faces off against South Pasadena in CIF championship game. http://goo.gl/4XXiTR

- Brad Haugaard

BearVid | Monrovia Y Fundraiser | City Income from Canyon Park

~ Another Monrovia bear video. http://goo.gl/GkOj1r

~ A fundraiser for the Santa Anita Family YMCA will be held Wednesday, March 18 at 5:30 p.m. at Pacific Plate Brewery, 1999 S. Myrtle Ave. in Monrovia. 239-8456

~ Parking fees for Monrovia Canyon Park brought in $125,106 in the 2013-14 fiscal year. http://goo.gl/d5TSHf

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Council Forum Video | Barks and Books

~If you missed it, here is a video of the Monrovia City Council Candidates Forum. http://goo.gl/VmBllo

~ Barks & Books, Pasadena Humane Society & SPCA's reading enrichment program, branches out to the Monrovia Public Library starting Monday, March 16. Barks & Books makes reading fun, boosts confidence and encourages respectful, humane treatment for all animals for children ages 5 to 12. PHS Volunteer Judy and her canine companion Daisy will meet at the library on the third Monday of every month at 4 p.m.

- Brad Haugaard

Dinner at Domenico's

Dinner at Domenico's, on the south side of Huntington just east of Magnolia. Got the spaghetti with meatballs for $14.95 and a beer for $7.50. Domenico's is an old-fashioned Italian restaurant. Nothing trendy about it, but I liked it.

- Brad Haugaard 

Monrovia City Manager Oliver Chi On Lost Grants

Here is the presentation City Manager Oliver Chi gave regarding the various grants the city has had then lost. http://goo.gl/V5r6t2

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Boys Soccer to Championship | Kittleson Announces Endorsements

~ Monrovia Boys Soccer wins a trip to the CIF Southern Section Division VI championship match. http://goo.gl/TGOhAl

~ Monrovia City Council candidate Jordan Kittleson writes that he has rounded up endorsements from: Los Angeles County Business Federation; Jack Orswell, 2014 Republican Congressional Nominee (CA-27); Dr. Paul Chabot, 2014 Republican Congressional Nominee (CA-31); Mountain View GOP; State Senator Bob Huff; Retired State Senator Bob Dutton; Upland Councilwoman Carol Timm; San Bernardino Councilman John Valdivia.

Note: If any other candidate wants to send me a list of endorsements (please, no more than 10) send them to me.

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia City Council Candidate Forum Tonight

I just wanted to remind everybody that there will be a Monrovia City Council Candidate Forum tonight, March, 4 at 6 p.m. in the Monrovia City Council Chambers, 415 South Ivy. It will be hosted by the Monrovia Chamber and facilitated by the Pasadena League of Women Voters. I'd like to attend, but unfortunately, I will not be able to. This does not involve the race for mayor. The candidate forum for the mayoral race will be Tuesday, March, 10 at 6 p.m. also in the Monrovia City Council Chambers.

- Brad Haugaard

Report on Grants Monrovia Has Lost; Criminal Charges in One Case

City Manager Oliver Chi reported on three different grants that the city received but did not use until the grants expired, meaning the money was lost. In one case - a downtown streetscape grant - criminal charges were filed against a former city employee for filing false progress reports on the project. Chi did say that the city may be able to get a re-grant on one of the grants. Chu's full report should be posted on the city website soon.

- Brad Haugaard

Bakery Coming to Old Town Monrovia

According to a speaker at tonight's City Council meeting, the former Monrovia Bakery will again become a bakery, to be called Frost My Cake.

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovian on Let's Make a Deal

CBS reports that Monrovian Alzaharaa Mouzon will be on CBS' Let's Make a Deal on Wednesday, March 11.

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia's AeroVironment Reports Lower Q3 Earnings

Monrovia's AeroVironment today reported third quarter earnings of $2.3 million compared with $11.2 million last year. http://goo.gl/CNnSBa

- Brad Haugaard

STAAR Gets New CEO | Monrovia's First Lutheran Hosting Craft Fair

~ Monrovia's STAAR Surgical Company, which makes implantable lenses for the eye, has named Caren Mason President and Chief Executive Officer effective immediately. Ms. Mason, who was elected to STAAR's Board of Directors in June 2014, and was appointed by the Board to chair the Quality and Regulatory Committee in September 2014, replaces Barry G. Caldwell who retired as of March 1, 2015. http://goo.gl/x56MYs

~ First Lutheran Church at 1323 S Magnolia is having a multi-church craft fair on Saturday, April 25, from 2-5 p.m. There will be easy family-friendly crafts to make, items to purchase, and food to buy.

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Has Been Draining Unclean Water into Soil Above Drinking Water Pump

Map key: The green line encloses the French drain; the red area is for trash containers with a pipe leading to the French drain, and the blue area is where vehicles are washed.

Note: I sent the following article to Monrovia City Manager Oliver Chi and Public Works Director Tina Cherry for comment, and received the response directly below my article.

My Article ...

Is Monrovia draining dirty water from trash and sewer-truck clean-outs directly into the ground above its water well at the corner of Peck Road and Jeffries Avenue?

According to a source, a city supervisor was placed on administrative leave last Thursday as a result of what is apparently a continuing investigation.

I am told that apparently all the drinking water coming from the well is still clean, but will it remain so as wash-water slowly percolates down to the point where it would be pumped out?

According to my source, water from leaky trash containers goes down a pipe which leads to a "French drain," a perforated underground pipe surrounded by gravel. The water goes out through the holes in the pipe, through the gravel, and sinks into the soil.

I'm told that the sewage truck - which I occasionally see pumping out the septic tanks at the rest rooms in Monrovia Canyon Park because the sewer line from the park does not work - is emptied into a main line of the sewer system, then is rinsed and again drained into the sewer system. But then it is rinsed a second time, and the water from this second rinsing is dumped on the ground near the French drain. Definitely better than dumping raw sewage there, but still not clean water.

My source said this water is supposed to be drained into the sewer system (a sewer line runs along the north side of the property) and not leached into the ground, and that elected officials have not been aware of this issue.


The City's Response ...

On Thursday, February 26, 2015, Monrovia City officials were made aware of alleged unlawful disposal of wastewater at the City’s main water well field located at 2265 South Myrtle Avenue. Upon discovery of this information, the City immediately initiated a comprehensive review of the overall situation to ensure that stringent water quality and safety standards are maintained. This review included the retention of a third-party contractor to perform additional testing of the City’s water and the hiring of a third party investigator to perform a comprehensive investigation into the allegation. That same day, one supervisor was placed on paid administrative leave, pending the completion of the review.

It is important to emphasize that ongoing monthly testing shows that Monrovia’s water supply consistently meets or exceeds State and Federal drinking water standards. Our most recent monthly report attests to the fact that the City’s water is safe for consumption, and the alleged unlawful disposal of wastewater has not impacted the safety of Monrovia’s water.

Furthermore, the City employs multiple additional layers of water testing to ensure that Monrovia’s water is safe for human consumption. In addition to monthly testing, the City performs Annual Water Reports, tests water nitrogen levels monthly, and conducts additional daily monitoring of our water production operation. These ongoing efforts help to ensure that the water provided to Monrovia customers is not only safe, but meets or exceeds every State and Federal drinking water standard. Moving forward, to ensure that the City is taking proactive measures regarding the safety of our water, the City will be implementing bi-weekly testing to ensure that our water continues to meet or exceed every State and Federal drinking water standard. Internally, the Water Utilities Operation in the City will be preparing an overall water report on a quarterly basis, rather than on an annual basis, as an added layer of public communication.

Furthermore, the City has made plans to hire a third party contractor to perform immediate environmental testing of our water facility site where the alleged disposal occurred. The tests will include taking samples from the City’s water and the soils surrounding the water facility site. Also, the City will be contacting the Regional Water Quality Control Board to make them aware of the situation and the details of all actions being taken to address the issue. Additionally, the investigator will also look deeper into the situation and ensure that all proper mitigation measures are being taken.

In an effort to distribute information to the public, the City will also continue to make all reports available to the public. Current water testing information, including our Annual Water Reports, can be found on our city website at www.cityofmonrovia.org. Finally, in an effort to enhance all services provided to the community, the City has been working on a proposed reorganization. This proposed plan includes the addition of a Utility General Manager to ensure additional attention and oversight of all utility functions.

The City of Monrovia is taking this matter very seriously and we are implementing robust response measures to ensure the safety and quality of our community’s water source. We will continue to have updates on the city website (www.cityofmonrovia.org) to keep the public apprised of the situation.

Monrovia Police: Off His Meds; De-Mail Man; Etc.

[Monrovia Police activities from the Police Department's Neighborhood Watch Report for February 26 – March 1. - Brad Haugaard]

Following are the weekend’s highlighted issues and events.

72-Hour Mental Evaluation
February 26 at 5:35 p.m., police responded to the report of a male subject in his twenties, walking down Myrtle, talking to himself and holding a sharpened stick. He entered a local restaurant on Myrtle with the sharpened stick and continued to act in a bizarre manner. Police arrived and contacted the subject. He was determined to be off his required medication and a danger to himself and others. Monrovia Fire Department paramedics were summoned, as the subject began to complain of chest pains. He was taken to a hospital to be medically checked and held for 72-hour mental evaluation.

Outstanding Warrant – Suspect Arrest
February 26 at 8:00 a.m., an officer was sent to the 1200 block of South Myrtle on the report of a subject causing a disturbance. The officer contacted the subject and discovered he had an outstanding warrant for his arrest. The subject was arrested for the warrant and taken into custody.

Outstanding Warrants / Mental Evaluation – Suspect Arrested
February 27 at 11:49 a.m., a male subject was reportedly removing mail from business mailboxes in the 500 block of South Myrtle and throwing the mail on the ground. He was also reportedly making vague threats to people in the downtown area of Monrovia. Officers responded and detained the subject. He had outstanding warrants for his arrest. He was arrested and taken into custody for the warrants, and then taken to a hospital, where he could be evaluated for his abnormal behavior and threats to harm people. He was held for 72-hour mental evaluation.

Outstanding Warrant – Suspect Arrested
February 27 at 3:42 p.m., an officer observed a male subject he recognized at the corner of Buena Vista and Huntington Drive in the City of Duarte. He believed the subject had an outstanding warrant. A computer check confirmed the subject did have a warrant for his arrest on a Monrovia Police Department case, with a bail set for $50,000.00. The officer detained and arrested the subject without incident.

Possession of a Controlled Substance / Possession of Drug Paraphernalia – Suspect Arrested
February 27 at 8:12 p.m., officers were dispatched to a business in the 100 block of West Foothill Boulevard regarding a fight in progress. Upon arrival, officers detained several subjects in the parking lot. One subject was found to be in possession of a hypodermic syringe and heroin. The suspect was arrested for the drug related offenses and taken into custody. No arrests were made in reference to the initial fight call.

Grand Theft Auto / Stolen Vehicle Recovered – Suspects Arrested
February 28 at 1:18 a.m., officers responded to a business complex in the 2600 block of California Avenue to investigate the report of a male subject in dark clothing walking around the complex. When officers arrived, they located two subjects and a motor home parked to the rear of the complex, hidden from the street and public view. Officers immediately checked the plate of the vehicle and it had been reported stolen. One of the suspects admitted to taking the vehicle. The second suspect was found to have checks on his person belonging to the victims of the stolen vehicle. Both suspects were arrested and the vehicle was returned to the victims.

Vehicle Burglary
February 28 at 3:41 a.m., a vehicle burglary was reported in the 400 block of West Central Avenue. A vehicle was broken into and a backpack with an iPad in it was stolen. Police were able to track the iPad to the 200 block of West Palm Avenue in Monrovia. Officers responded and began searching. They located a backpack matching the description of the stolen item in plain view inside the cab of a pickup truck. The victim responded to the location and confirmed the item was hers. The vehicle was taken to the Monrovia Police Department, where it was stored for evidence. A search warrant will be written to recover the property from the vehicle. The investigation is continuing.

Outstanding Warrant – Suspect Arrested
February 28 at 10:00 p.m., an officer was dispatched to a park in the 400 block of North Grand on the report of suspicious subjects loitering in the area. Upon contacting the subjects, one of them was found to have an outstanding warrant for his arrest. The subject was arrested and taken into custody.

Register for Monrovia's Fountain to the Falls Run

You can register now for the Fountain to the Falls Run/Walk, which begins Saturday, May 9, at 7 a.m. and goes from the Library Park fountain to the waterfall in Monrovia Canyon Park... and back. http://goo.gl/6JAzwQ

- Brad Haugaard