Vehicles to be Washed Less Often; Is 'Monrovia' Sign Too Small? Water Usage Cut; Etc.

In his weekly report ( http://goo.gl/8QsqWU ), City Manager Oliver Chi reports ...

~ As part of its water conservation effort, the city will wash its vehicles less frequently.

~ Initial feedback on the "Monrovia" sign that was installed on the south side abutment of the 210 Freeway at Myrtle Avenue is that it looks a bit small. "However," Chi writes, "as we move forward, additional artistic leaf details will soon be added to the "Monrovia" sign, as well as more landscape to finish off the area."

~ In May 2015, Monrovians reduced their water consumption by 20.25% compared with May 2013, and in June by 34.5% compared with June 2013. Also, for April, the city reduced its water usage by 29% compared to April 2013, and in May by 46% compared with May 2013.

~ Scout Angel Benitez from Boy Scout Troop 483 recently completed his Eagle Scout Project at Canyon Park, leading a team building a new fence around a native plant garden at the Nature Center.

~ Traffic clog-ups on Duarte Road between Myrtle Avenue and California Avenue have been caused by the loss of the vehicle detector during recent street paving activities. Chi said the city hopes to get that fixed in the near future.

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovians Can Now Water Only Every Fourth Day, and More Water Rules

On July 21, 2015, the Monrovia City Council adopted Phase IV of the City’s Water Conservation Plan requiring additional water use restrictions. The regulations in Phase IV will take effect immediately due to the severity of California’s drought, while the enforcement plan and penalty structure will take effect following a 45-day educational period, ending on September 5th.

The City Council’s adoption of Phase IV includes the following elements:

• Mandatory 28-percent water conservation for Monrovia as a whole in order to meet the reduction level mandated by the State;
• Outdoor watering should be limited to about once per week or no more than every fourth day for a maximum of fifteen minutes per watering station or landscaped area before 8 a.m. or after 6 p.m. only; and
• An enforcement plan that focuses on achieving water conservation primarily through the use of education and outreach.

The enforcement mechanism included with Phase IV restrictions includes the following six-step Enforcement Plan:

• First violation results in a door hanger containing water conservation information.
• Second violation results in phone or in-person Staff contact providing conservation information.
• Third violation results in a formal written notice containing information on the fines that may be issued if additional violations occur.
• Fourth violation may result in a $100 fine.
• Fifth violation may result in a $200 fine.
• Sixth or more violations may result in a $300 fine.

The City wants to emphasize that the goal is to conserve water and comply with State mandates, not to issue a high number of fines or collect more money from our residents and businesses.

Furthermore, the City Manager or his designee can issue variances for customers who have received a violation notice and have extenuating circumstances that require them to conserve less water.

Additional water conservation restrictions remain in effect, including:

• No turf irrigation within 48 hours following measureable rain or during high winds.
• All water leaks must be fixed within 48 hours of discovery.
• Hoses should be equipped with a nozzle or quick relief shutoff valve.
• No washing hard or paved surfaces with potable water except as is required for sanitary purposes.
• No water shall be used to clean, fill, or maintain levels in decorative fountains, ponds, lakes or other similar aesthetic structures unless such water is part of a recirculating system.
• No person shall permit or cause irrigation water to spray or flow to any impermeable private or public surface, including driveways, sidewalks, streets, or storm drains.

City Staff will be conducting significant outreach to the community to help raise awareness of the Phase IV mandatory regulations during the educational period, and the new penalty structure will not be enforced until September 5th.

The good news is that Monrovians are doing more than their part to conserve water in the midst of our current drought. As a community, we have been able to reduce our overall water usage levels by 34.5% in June 2015 when compared with June 2013.

As a water customer, the City reduced its water usage by 46% in May 2015 as compared with May 2013. The City is taking additional steps to use water efficiently at City facilities, including:

• Conducting water audits at four parks within the City, namely Highway Esplanade Park, Lucinda Garcia Park, Recreation Park, and Rotary Park; and
• Drought-tolerant landscape renovations within Julian Fisher Park, along Myrtle Avenue in Old Town Monrovia, at City Hall, and on street medians.

The Public Services Department will be hosting Water Conservation Outreach booths at the Friday Night Street Fair through September 4th. Feel free to stop by to ask questions, pick up informational materials, and win free giveaways!

For more information or to read the complete Water Conservation Ordinance, visit www.CityofMonrovia.org.

Source: City of Monrovia press release

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Police: Biter Arrested; Ski Equipment Stolen; Robber Loads Backpack, Walks Out; Intoxicated Woman Calls for Help; Etc.

[Monrovia Police activities from the Police Department's Neighborhood Watch Report for July 23-26. - Brad Haugaard]

Following are the weekend’s highlighted issues and events.

Robbery/Warrants – Suspect Arrested
July 23 at 2:22 p.m., a suspect entered a business in the 100 block of West Foothill and selected merchandise. He walked out of the store without paying for the merchandise and was confronted by a loss prevention agent in front of the store. A struggle ensued, and the suspect bit the agent on the arm, attempting to flee with the stolen merchandise; he was detained by loss prevention agents. An officer arrived and arrested the suspect for robbery. A computer check revealed the suspect also had two outstanding warrants for his arrest, which were added to his charges.

Petty Theft
July 23 at 3:47 p.m., officers responded to the 800 block of West Duarte Road regarding a theft investigation. The victim reported his apartment storage unit had been broken into and miscellaneous camping and ski equipment was stolen. The investigation is continuing.

Robbery
July 23 at 6:49 p.m., a robbery was reported at a business in the 300 block of West Huntington. Officers arrived and were informed that the robbery actually occurred the day before. Employees reported that a male suspect came into the store and walked down one of the aisles. He was carrying a backpack, and as he exited the aisle, he walked directly out of the store, sounding the theft alarm. An employee followed the suspect outside and asked him to come back into the store. The suspect told the employee he had a knife and to leave him alone. The employee turned and went back into the store. The employee did not report the incident to his manager until the next day. The investigation is continuing.

Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol – Verified Complaint Filed
July 23 at 10:51 p.m., dispatch received a call of a solo vehicle traffic collision at the intersection of Olive and Shamrock. Officers responded and located a vehicle that had collided into a block wall. The driver was still inside the vehicle. After investigation, officers determined the driver had been drinking and was driving under the influence. He also had several medical conditions and was taken to a hospital. A verified complaint for the charges will be filed with the District Attorney’s Office.

Vehicle Vandalism/Attempt Burglary
July 24 at 8:06 a.m., an officer responded to the 100 block of West Cherry regarding vehicle vandalism. The victim stated his vehicle's rear window had been smashed. An officer investigated and determined nothing had been stolen.

Petty Theft – Suspect Arrested
July 24 at 1:25 p.m., a petty theft was reported at a business in the 1600 block of South Mountain. The suspect was detained by loss prevention for stealing a power drill and several deadbolts. The suspect was positively identified and determined to be on probation for burglary. The suspect was arrested and received a citation to appear in court on the charge.

Possession of a Controlled Substance – Suspect Arrested
July 24 at 8:54 p.m., an officer conducted a traffic stop in the area of Palm and Primrose for a vehicle code violation. During the contact for the traffic stop, the suspect told the officer he had marijuana and methamphetamine in the vehicle. The driver was arrested for possession of a controlled substance.

Under the Influence of a Controlled Substance – Suspect Arrested
July 25 at 3:22 a.m., officers observed two male subjects at a park in the 700 block of East Lemon after the park had closed. The officers contacted the subjects and determined one of them displayed symptoms of being under the influence of a controlled substance. Further investigation confirmed this and smoking paraphernalia was also located on the subject. He was arrested and taken into custody.

Medical Assist
July 26 at 7:25 p.m., dispatch received a call from the California Highway Patrol reporting a female subject in distress. She was crying and asking for police help. She was calling from her cell phone and disconnected from CHP before they could get any information. Monrovia dispatchers called the woman back on her cell phone, but could not get any identifying information from her either. Monrovia dispatchers then conducted a thorough investigation and were finally able to contact the woman’s husband. He said she was driving from Las Vegas in a rental car. The husband called his wife and she said she was parked behind a business in Monrovia. Officers responded and located the vehicle behind a gas station in the 700 block of West Huntington. The female was extremely intoxicated and was taken to a hospital for treatment.

Monrovia's Boy's and Girl's Club Gets $3,000 Check

West Coast footwear retailer, WSS, presented a $3,000 check on July 23 to Monrovia's Boys & Girls Club of the Foothills to support education and career opportunities for youth. This is part of a ten-day tour to present $3,000 checks to 27 Boys & Girls Clubs throughout LA.

- Brad Haugaard

Grandparents Day Celebration Sept. 12

For your calendar: Grandparents Day, Saturday, September 12, noon to 3 p.m. at Second Baptist Church, 925 S. Shamrock Ave. Sponsored by the Monrovia Duarte Black Alumni Association. Tickets $20, $10 for kids 12 and younger. RSVP to Eloise Hart at (760) 669-0669.

- Brad Haugaard

New Townhomes Planned Near Monrovia's Station Square

Brandywine Homes will begin demolition this month on Lotus Court, a .74-acre community that will offer 13 townhomes on Duarte Road near Station Square, a newly revitalized transportation hub in Monrovia, Calif. Brandywine expects to begin sales in February 2016 and plans to complete the community by summer 2016. http://goo.gl/lmdXFI

- Brad Haugaard

Look at Saturn Tonight at Monrovia's Library Park

Join Monrovia's Old Town Sidewalk Astronomers at Library Park at the corner of Myrtle and Lime after dark tonight to look at the Moon and Saturn.

- Brad Haugaard

Truck Petting Zoo at Library Park

Truck Petting Zoo, Saturday, July 25 from 2-3:30 p.m. at Library Park. Stories, songs, craft and movie about trucks, and climb on trucks - fire trucks, police trucks, garbage trucks and more. For children in grades K-5.

- Brad Haugaard

Lunch at Le Gourmand

Lunch Saturday at the new Le Gourmand, on the west side of Myrtle just south of Lime. Got a prosciutto with whipped goat cheese, arugula and sun dried tomato panini ($9.98) and an iced tea ($2.28). This is mostly a market but with a fair number of tables.  The service was friendly and the food was fine. 

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Police: Stolen Trains; Police Decline High-Speed Chase; Thief Drives Away While Owner Getting Coffee; Graffiti on Community Center

[Monrovia Police activities from the Police Department's Neighborhood Watch Report for July 20-22. - Brad Haugaard]

During the last seven-day period, the Police Department handled 407 service events, resulting in 67 investigations.

Burglary Follow-up
On July 14, an officer stopped a vehicle in the 400 block of Stedman for a traffic violation and inside the vehicle were numerous antique hobby trains and jewelry, which the suspect claimed he purchased from an auction. The driver had a suspended license, and the vehicle and property were stored. Also inside the vehicle was a name on a business card belonging to a subject that lives in Arcadia. The officer went to the address listed on the card to verify if the subject was the victim of theft, but no one was home at the time. He left his business card for the owner to contact him. On July 20, the subject arrived home from vacation to find his residence had been burglarized. Arcadia Police Department was called to handle the burglary report and the victim responded to Monrovia Police Department, where he identified the stolen property. The investigation is continuing.

Vehicle Pursuit
July 20 at 2:29 p.m., an officer responded to a business in the 500 block of West Huntington regarding a theft of merchandise. The suspect fled the location in a 2014 Nissan Armada with Colorado plates. The officer was entering the parking lot as the suspect pulled out onto Huntington. When the officer tried to pull the vehicle over, it fled westbound Huntington and then onto the 210 Freeway, heading westbound. The officer went in pursuit of the vehicle. The suspect vehicle began accelerating to a high rate of speed. Due to the unsafe speed and the incident being a minor theft, the officer discontinued the pursuit at Baldwin. The investigation is continuing.

Grand Theft
July 21 at 8:50 a.m., a grand theft was a reported in the 200 block of South Alta Vista. The victim had parked his truck in front of his residence the night before. When he returned to his truck the next morning at 8:45 a.m., he found that a piece of equipment had been stolen from the bed of his truck. The victim had several pieces of work equipment in his truck; one of the items was a welder that was locked to the bed of the truck. The suspect cut the chain and stole the welder. The investigation is continuing.

Grand Theft Auto
July 22 at 2:58 a.m., a vehicle was reported stolen from the 900 block of West Duarte Road. The victim parked his vehicle in front of a business and went into the store, leaving his vehicle running with the key in the ignition. As he was buying a cup of coffee, he looked outside and saw a male suspect in his vehicle, backing up and out of the parking stall. The victim ran outside yelling at the suspect, but the suspect did not stop. He drove out of the parking lot and fled in the vehicle. Officers searched the area for the vehicle, but it was not located. The victim described the suspect as a male, approximately 20-30 years old, 5’10” to 6’ tall, weighing 190-200 pounds, with a shaved head and wearing a black t-shirt. The stolen vehicle is a white, 4- door, 2008 El Dorado. The investigation is continuing.

Felony Vandalism – Suspect Arrested
July 22 at 7:29 a.m., an officer was on patrol in the area of Lime and Heliotrope when he stopped a motorist for a vehicle code violation. The officer contacted the driver and recognized him as a possible wanted suspect. The officer confirmed the subject was wanted for felony vandalism and arrested him.

Vandalism
July 22 at 8:42 a.m., an officer was dispatched to the Monrovia Community Center in the 100 block of West Palm on the report of vandalism at the location. Unknown suspect(s) spray painted graffiti on the rear side of the building on the walls. The investigation is continuing.

Public Intoxication/Resisting Arrest – Suspect Arrested
July 22 at 8:54 p.m., officers were dispatched to the 200 block of West Palm regarding a male subject who was yelling and banging on his girlfriend's front door. Officers arrived and found the male subject in the front yard yelling at the neighbors and displaying signs of intoxication. He was yelling because his girlfriend had broken up with him. Officers determined he was too intoxicated to care for his own safety. As the officers attempted to detain him, the suspect struggled with the officers, resisting arrest. The suspect was arrested and taken into custody, where he was held for sobering.

New VP at Monrovia's STAAR Surgical | Adams Gives Spicer a Turn

~ Dr. Jon K. Hayashida has been named to the newly created position of Vice President of Global Clinical and Medical Affairs at Monrovia's STAAR Surgical Company, which makes and markets implantable lenses for the eye. http://goo.gl/ByiBUX

~ At Tuesday's city council meeting, Mayor Tom Adams turned the gavel over to Mayor Pro Tem Larry Spicer and let him run the show. http://goo.gl/7RX6pS

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia's Kings and Queens: They Understand Robot Too

Monrovia High's Kings and Queens robotics team hosted a group of 80 students from Shanghai, China who visited Monrovia High to see what high schools in the U.S. are like. "They may speak a different language, but they understand robot just like we do." Source: Kings and Queens Facebook post.

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia: When You Can't Bear Them in Your Trash; Former Fire Department Leader Dies; Rock in the Park; Youths Honored; Etc.

In his weekly report ( http://goo.gl/3dt3Eo ), City Manager Oliver Chi writes that ...

~ Bear-resistant trash cans available for a fee from Athens Services.

~ Former Monrovia Fire Department Division Chief Dave Dennis passed away at his home in Rancho Cucamonga.

~ The Bulldogs Classic Rock Band, from 7-8:30 p.m. this Sunday, July 26. in Library Park.

~ The Community Services Commission Board and City staff recognized Jackie Villalvazo and Lilia Alvarez as its Youth Commissioners of the Year at the monthly Commission Meeting.

~ Big Hero 6 is the final movie in the free Summer Movie Series is on August 8, at 8 p.m. at Grand Avenue Park. Bring a chair. For more information call the Monrovia Community Center at (626) 256-8246.

~ Monrovia Library met its goal of singing up at least 2,000 individuals for its 2015 Summer Reading Club.

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Police: Fake Firearm; Two Dead From Gunshots; Car Stolen at ATM; Burglar Leaves Clues; Etc.

[Monrovia Police activities from the Police Department's Neighborhood Watch Report for July 16-19. - Brad Haugaard]

Following are the weekend’s highlighted issues and events.

Domestic Violence/Possession of a Replica Firearm/Possession of a Dirk or Dagger – Suspect Arrested
July 16 at 7:00 a.m., an officer responded to a call reporting a male suspect pushing and dragging his girlfriend through the grass at a park in the 700 block of East Lemon. The officer arrived at the location and detained the suspect. He was found to be in possession of a dagger and a replica firearm. The suspect had melted the red tip off the barrel to give the gun an authentic appearance. The suspect's girlfriend did not sustain any injuries during the incident. The suspect was arrested and held, pending his court appearance date.

Disturbance/Warrant – Suspect Arrested
July 16 at 7:05 a.m., an officer was dispatched to the 200 block of East Central regarding a disturbance. Upon contacting and identifying the subjects, one of them was found to have an outstanding warrant for his arrest. The suspect was arrested for the warrant and taken into custody.

Death Investigation
July 17 at 1:46 a.m., Monrovia Police Dispatch received a call reporting possible shots heard in the area of 100 Grand Avenue. Monrovia Police Officers arrived and located a male and female adult deceased from apparent gunshot wounds. The initial investigation indicates a domestic dispute. There are no suspects being sought at this time. The investigation is continuing and is being handled by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Homicide Bureau.

Warrants – Suspect Arrested
July 17 at 9:21 a.m., police received a call reporting a suspicious male subject looking into parked cars in the 200 block of Montana. Officers responded and located the suspect. He was identified and found to have several warrants for his arrest. He admitted that he was looking into the cars and had actually entered a couple looking for things to steal. The suspect was arrested and taken into custody.

Burglary/Possession of Burglary Tools – Suspect Arrested
July 17 at 3:32 p.m., police received a call from a business in the 500 block of West Huntington reporting a burglary in progress. The suspect had stolen merchandise from the Alhambra location of the business earlier in the week and was now at the Monrovia store. Officers responded to the location and detained the suspect. The suspect was found to be in possession of burglary tools, which was added to his charges.

Burglary
July 17 at 9:13 p.m., a burglary was reported at a residence in the 300 block of Valle Vista Avenue. The victim had just arrived home at her residence and found it had been ransacked. Officers responded, but no suspects were located at the residence. The victim had left the garage door to her residence open while she was gone, and the interior door from her garage to the residence was closed, but also unlocked. Several items were taken. The investigation is continuing.

Driving Under the Influence – Suspect Arrested
July 18 at 1:57 a.m., officers observed a vehicle stopped at a red light at Duarte and Myrtle without headlights during hours of darkness; the vehicle then made an abrupt lane change and accelerated through the intersection. The vehicle was stopped for the vehicle code violation, and after investigation, the driver was determined to be driving under the influence and was arrested.

Warrants/Possession of a Controlled Substance – Suspect Arrested
July 18 at 10:12 p.m., an officer stopped a driver at Mountain and Huntington for a vehicle code violation and discovered the driver had several outstanding warrants. The driver was subsequently arrested. During a search, the subject was found to be in possession of a controlled substance and several access cards that did not belong to him. The additional crimes were added to his charges.

Grand Theft Auto
July 19 at 12:19 a.m., the victim of a grand theft auto phoned police to report her vehicle had just been stolen. The victim exited her vehicle to use an ATM in a parking lot in the 600 block of West Huntington and left her vehicle unlocked and running. While she was outside of the vehicle, a male suspect got into the vehicle and fled the area. The vehicle was entered into the law enforcement stolen vehicle system. The investigation is continuing.

Burglary – Suspect Arrested
July 19 at 7:48 a.m., an employee from a preschool in the 900 block of West Duarte called to report someone possibly inside the school. Officers responded and it appeared someone had been at the location, as a bicycle and clothing had been left behind. One of the officers recognized the bicycle from previous contact with a local male subject. After officers cleared the school, a resident in the 1800 block of Sixth Avenue called and reported a male suspect was trying to get into his rear shed. When officers arrived, the subject ran to the rear of a business, but was quickly detained. This was the same male subject the officer had contacted several days earlier on the bicycle. The suspect was wearing a shirt taken from the preschool. He admitted to being at the school and was arrested and taken into custody.

Wine Not? Fundraiser to Support Monrovia Providers Group Work With Seniors

The Monrovia Providers Group will host its annual grant fundraiser, Wine Not?, to support its senior grant program, at Westminster Gardens, 1420 Santo Domingo Ave. in Duarte on Friday, September 18 from 6-9 pm. Tickets are $25 per person. The event will feature samplings of specially chosen wines from local wineries, hors d'oeuvres, raffle prizes and a special non-alcoholic "mock-tail" for those who don't care for wine, but would like to support the grant program. Additional sponsorship opportunities and information, as well as event tickets, are available by emailing: info@monroviaproviders.org.

- Brad Haugaard

ChapCare Opening New Health Care Center in Monrovia

On August 3, Community Health Alliance of Pasadena (ChapCare) will open a new health center (ChapCare Lime) at 513 E. Lime Avenue, Suite 101, in Monrovia. ChapCare brings a range of healthcare services to underserved and underinsured families in Monrovia, Duarte, and Arcadia. It accepts Medi-Cal, Medicare and many Covered California and private insurance plans. Services include family medicine, women’s health, pediatrics, mental health, optometry, and health insurance screening and enrollment, and hours of operation are Monday - Friday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Source: Press release

- Brad Haugaard

Doña Oxford to Perform at St. Luke's

Doña Oxford will perform a benefit at 6:30 p.m. on August 1 in the courtyard of St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, 122 S. California Ave. at Foothill. Tickets, $25, include dinner and one drink, and can be ordered at http://goo.gl/9W4mxC. Proceeds benefit community service efforts and the church building fund. Oxford's style fuses blues/soul vocals and boogie-woogie piano. She has performed with such artists as Keith Richards, Buddy Guy, Levon Helm, Bob Weir, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Julia Fordham and Shemekia Copeland. Also appearing will be violinist and pianist Dr. Adam Kendall, who studied violin performance at UC San Diego and played with the Columbia Symphony Orchestra during a research year abroad.

Difficult Trash Disposal

How to get rid of bulky items and hazardous waste in Monrovia: http://goo.gl/P7J0y8

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Woman's Car Hijacked - Her Son Almost Taken

A Monrovia woman reports that her car was hijacked just a few feet away from her as she got money out of the Wells Fargo ATM machine in the Huntington Oaks Shopping Center at about midnight Saturday night. Her son was in the car and just managed to get out. Source: Facebook posting.

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Police Assist With Sierra Madre Emergency

Apparently Sierra Madre just had an emergency in which someone apparently turned in a hand grenade, according to a City News Service report. Interestingly, Sierra Madre asked people to contact the Monrovia Police Department. I guess our contract with Sierra Madre to provide it with police command assistance is kicking in.

- Brad Haugaard