Rep. Chu's Proposed National Recreation Area Would Overlap Into Monrovia

Red outlining shows where proposed National Recreation Area would overlap City of Monrovia boundaries. Click picture to enlarge.

The National Recreation Area, which Representative Judy Chu has again introduced into Congress, would overlay part of north Monrovia, including all of Monrovia Canyon Park and most or all of the Hillside Wilderness Area, as well as several residential streets.

In her press release (here: http://goo.gl/5ffDzt ) Representative Judy Chu, who represents the north edge of Monrovia, writes that:

"Establishing an NRA along the Foothills and San Gabriel River corridor would enhance conservation, increase access for all communities by connecting park poor areas to open space, and improve the management of the area through improved resources, education, and public engagement."

The Monrovia City Council opposed a previous version of her proposed National Recreation area, as it, too, would have overlayed part of the City of Monrovia.

A map of the proposed National Recreation area: https://goo.gl/xXAWnb

- Brad Haugaard

Dinner at Jake's Roadhouse

Had dinner last night at Jake's Roadhouse, on the east side of Myrtle just north of Olive. I got a Jalapeño Burger for $11.95 and a draft beer for $6.50. Tasty and quite filling. 

- Brad Haugaard 

Monrovia Congresswoman Judy Chu Pushing to Expand National Monument Area in San Gabriel Mountains

Congresswoman Judy Chu, who represents Monrovia, has just announced on Twitter that:

"I'm about to introduce a bill to expand the San Gabriel National Monument and create a new National Recreation Area."

Chu had earlier pushed for the San Gabriel Mountains -including part of Monrovia - to be designated as a National Recreation Area. The Monrovia City Council opposed that measure and the proposal did not advance in Congress. Then, she asked President Obama to declare part of the San Gabriel Mountains to be a National Monument, an approach which did not require approval of Congress. Mr. Obama did that.

- Brad Haugaard

Name of Donor of Monrovia Library Park Fountain Repainted

An engraving on the center block on the left indicates that the covered fountain in Library Park was donated by the Farmers Club, and tiny bits of paint in the engraving indicated that it had been painted. Well, now it has been repainted so everyone can easily read the name of the donor. Photos courtesy of MOHPG: http://www.mohpg.org/

- Brad Haugaard

Tribune Endorses Montgomery for Citrus Board

The San Gabriel Valley Tribune is endorsing Joanne Montgomery to continue as the Monrovia-area representative on the Citrus College Board. http://goo.gl/w4A2wm

- Brad Haugaard

Gold Line Begins Service to Monrovia On March 5, 2016

The Gold Line will start operation on March 5, 2016, with service out to Azusa. http://goo.gl/41UPLC

- Brad Haugaard

Dia De Los Muertos Celebration

Dia de los Muertos celebration, 6 to 10 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 2, at Live Oak Memorial Park, at 200 East Duarte Road. http://goo.gl/omYJjw

- Brad Haugaard

Jewish Authors Speak at Monrovia Library

The Monrovia-based Jewish Federation's 17th Annual Jewish Book Festival continues with these Monrovia events:

- At the Monrovia Library Community room at 7:30 p.m. on Nov. 4, Mary Morris will discuss her novel The Jazz Palace, the story of two Jewish families in the turbulent Chicago of the 1920s.

- Bestselling writer Shulem Deen, author of "All Who Go Do Not Return: A Memoir," will speak at 7:30 p.m. on Dec. 1 at the Monrovia Library Community Room. Born into an insular Hasidic sect, Deen married at 18, fathered five children, and then one day turned on the radio – which led him to the library, and then the Internet. His faith unraveled. Deen has been called "the poet laureate of ex-Chasidism." Reservations are suggested.

The full calendar of events at www.jewishsgpv.org. For information, ticket reservations, or to request a brochure, call the Jewish Federation at 445-0810 or send an e-mail to federation@jewishsgpv.org. Reservations can also be made on line at jewishsgpv.org/event-tickets

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Police: Burglary; Speeding Past Police Car; Drunkenness; Etc.

[Monrovia Police activities from the Police Department's Neighborhood Watch Report for October 19-21. - Brad Haugaard]

During the last seven-day period, the Police Department handled 392 service events, resulting in 77 investigations.

Warrant – Suspect Arrested
October 19 at 9:24 a.m., an officer on patrol contacted a suspicious subject in the 200 block of West Lemon Avenue. During the contact and identification of the subject, it was discovered that the subject had a warrant out for his arrest. He was arrested and taken into custody for the warrant.

Warrant – Suspect Arrested
October 19 at 10:26 a.m., an officer on patrol contacted subjects at a park in the 300 block of South Myrtle Avenue and recognized several from prior contacts. A computer check of the subjects revealed one of them had a sizeable warrant for his arrest. The subject was arrested and taken into custody.

Residential Burglary
October 19 at 12:43 p.m., officers responded to a burglary alarm activation in the 800 block of Crescent Drive. Officers arrived and established containment of the area. A male subject was seen in the area just prior to the call. Officers approached the location and saw a rear door had been pried open and there were fresh footprints leading up to the entry point. The home was cleared and no one was found inside. An extensive area search was conducted, but the suspect was not located. The owner responded and did not find anything missing. The investigation is continuing.

Driving Under the Influence – Suspect Arrested
October 21 at 12:19 a.m., an officer was on patrol in the area of Huntington and California when he saw a speeding vehicle traveling east on Huntington pass his vehicle, almost colliding into it. The officer stopped the vehicle for the speeding violation at Huntington and Mountain. While speaking with the 21-year-old male driver, the officer determined he had been drinking. Field sobriety tests were conducted, and the driver was arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol. He was taken into custody and held for sobering.

Suspended Driver’s License/Warrants – Suspect Arrested
October 21 at 12:29 a.m., an officer stopped a vehicle for a traffic violation in the 3100 block of South Peck Road. A computer check revealed the driver had a suspended driver’s license and two warrants for his arrest. The driver was cited for his traffic violations and arrested for the warrants. The driver was taken into custody and later released to the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department Temple Station on the warrants.

Stolen Vehicle Recovered
October 21 at 7:00 a.m., an unoccupied stolen vehicle was located by an officer on patrol in the 600 block of West Palm Avenue. The vehicle had been stolen out of Rancho Cucamonga and abandoned at the location.

Drunk in Public – Suspect Arrested
October 22 at 3:16 a.m., officers responded to the report of a male and female arguing in front of an apartment complex in the 800 block of West Duarte Road. When they arrived, they located the subjects on the sidewalk. The male subject was intoxicated and determined to be too drunk to care for his own safety. He was arrested and held for sobering.

Monrovia's Mt Sierra College Will Participate in Global Game Jam

Mt Sierra College will participate in the worldwide Global Game Jam, which gives has participants develop, design and test a game over a 48-hour period. http://goo.gl/G8FKfa

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Police Looking For Car-Fix Scammer

Monrovia Police looking for a man who would disable cars belonging to seniors, then "fix" them and demand payment. Photo of suspect here: http://goo.gl/DJmAOA

- Brad Haugaard

Metro Opening Day Announcement Tomorrow; Left Turns Blocked; New Traffic Signal

From City Manager Oliver Chi's weekly report ( http://goo.gl/DV0Bfh ):

- Metro will announce the opening date for the Metro Gold Line tomorrow, Oct. 22.

- The City has installed a "No Left Turn" sign for westbound traffic on Hillcrest Boulevard at El Nido Avenue because of "concerns that were raised by neighbors." Comment: Uh. If you block westbound traffic from turning south on El Nido doesn't that just mean there will be more traffic turning south on Sunset, McKinley, Garfield, Madison, Lincoln and 5th? It seems this benefit for the residents of El Nido comes at the cost of an additional burden on the residents of these other streets. How is this fair?

- A new traffic signal at Peck Road and Duarte Road is scheduled to be turned on this week.

- Brad Haugaard

Learn To Brew Beer in Monrovia

Learn How to Brew Day, Saturday, Nov. 7. 11 a.m. - 3 p.m. at Monrovia Homebrew Shop, 1945 S Myrtle. "This is a free event, we will be giving a free course on making an Amber Ale. We will cover ingredients, equipment, and have a hands on brew session. This event is free! All attendee's receive a complimentary 10% discount on any purchase the day of the event. Call 531-0825 for information.

Upcoming Monrovia Events

Coming events in Monrovia (Thanks to Becky Shevlin for these calendar items):

~ There will be a viewing for former Monrovia Mayor Bob Bartlett on Thursday, Oct. 22 from 3-7 p.m. at Woods Valentine Mortuary 1455 N Fair Oaks in Pasadena. Services Friday, Oct. 23 at 11 a.m. at United Methodist Church at 140 E Palm Ave. in Monrovia (parking at and shuttles from Paragon and Colorado Commons Parking Structures). Immediately following: Burial at Live Oak Cemetery. Repast at Second Baptist Church, 925 S. Shamrock Ave., Monrovia (parking at and shuttles from Albertson's parking lot off of Huntington Drive.)

~ Caring Crafter's Boutique Sale, Thursday, Oct. 22 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. at the Community Center 119 W. Palm. Purchase one-of-a-kind handmade items including hats, scarves, purses, blankets, quilts and more.

~ Waterwise Gardening Fair and Native Plant Sale, Saturday, Nov. 14, 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. at Library Park. For more information on backyard composting and water conservation contact Public Services at 932-5575. For information about the Native Plant Sale, contact Canyon Park Staff at 256-8282.

~ Interfaith Thanksgiving Celebration, Thursday, Nov. 19 at Immaculate Conception Church; 740 S Shamrock. For information contact Bobbi Rahmanian at 215-2704 or bobbir9@gmail.com

Asian Tiger Mosquitos Are Indeed in Monrovia

People have been commenting on Facebook about what they thought were tiger mosquitoes in Monrovia, and now the city has confirmed this with this posting in Facebook:

Asian Tiger Mosquitos are in Monrovia. Some tips on preventing the spread of mosquitos include:

1. Eliminate any standing water from yards, watered vegetation, planters and flower pots.

2. "Dump & Drain" any areas with standing water.

3. Residents who suspect that Asian Tiger Mosquitoes are present in their yards should routinely dispose of or carefully clean and disinfect any containers that hold water.

For additional information go to http://www.sgvmosquito.org/index.php

- Brad Haugaard

Business Seminar: Monrovia Tech Hub

Free business seminar, "Monrovia's Emerging Tech Hub," Wednesday, Nov. 4, 11:15 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Technology Center, 800 Royal Oaks Ave., Monrovia. Limited to 50 attendees. Panelists from Lab Launch, Coda Energy, and more. RSVP by Oct. 28 to Korrine Ramirez, 358-1159 or kr@monroviacc.com.

- Brad Haugaard

Celebration of Life of Former Monrovia Mayor Bob Bartlett

Celebration of the life of former Monrovia Mayor Robert "Bob" Bartlett, Oct. 23 11 a.m. at First United Methodist Church of Monrovia, 140 E. Palm. Call 303-2783 for more information.

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Police: Stolen Vehicles; Girlfriend Punches Boyfriend; Shoplifting; Pants and Bra Only; Etc.

[Monrovia Police activities from the Police Department's Neighborhood Watch Report for October 15-18. - Brad Haugaard]

Following are the weekend’s highlighted issues and events.

Stolen Vehicle Recovered
October 15 at 9:30 a.m., police were notified of a suspicious vehicle that had been parked in the 1000 block of South Canyon for several days. An officer responded and ran a computer check of the vehicle identification number. The vehicle was found to be reported stolen and was recovered.

Grand Theft Auto
October 15 at 11:30 a.m., a vehicle was reported stolen from the 700 block of Foothill. The victim's vehicle was taken from their assigned parking stall.

Driving Under the Influence – Suspect Arrested
October 16 at 11:30 p.m., an officer on patrol stopped a motorist in the 300 block of Duarte Road for failing to stop at a railroad crossing, against the red flashing lights. The subject was determined to be intoxicated. He was arrested and taken into custody. He was released on a citation after sobering.

Warrants – Suspects Arrested
October 16 at 11:44 p.m., officers were sent to investigate two suspicious subjects loitering in a parking lot in the 200 block of East Foothill. Upon contacting and identifying the subjects, both of them were found to have outstanding warrants for their arrest. The subjects were arrested per the authority of the warrants and taken into custody.

Domestic Violence – Suspect Arrested
October 17 at 10:56 p.m., officers were dispatched to the report of an assault in progress at a park located in the 900 block of California. The victim said his girlfriend punched him in the face. The victim was found to have a half-inch laceration to his face. The suspect was arrested for domestic violence and taken into custody.

Grand Theft of Bicycle
October 18 at 1:47 a.m., officers were advised of the theft of a bicycle from a fast food restaurant in the 700 block of East Huntington. They were able to locate and recover the stolen bicycle in the 200 block of East Maple; however, the suspect had fled and was not identified. The investigation is continuing.

Petty Theft/No-bail Warrant – Suspect Arrested
October 18 at 6:30 p.m., officers were dispatched to a business in the 100 block of West Foothill regarding a shoplifter in custody. Upon further investigation, the suspect was found to have a no-bail warrant for his arrest. The suspect was arrested and taken into custody.

Under the Influence of a Controlled Substance – Suspect Arrested
October 18 at 9:02 p.m., an officer stopped a subject on a bicycle in the 300 block of West Huntington Drive for a vehicle code violation. The suspect was determined to be under the influence of a controlled substance. He was arrested and taken into custody.

Under the Influence of a Controlled Substance – Suspect Arrested
October 19 at 12:40 a.m., an officer on patrol located a female subject in the 900 block of South Mountain. The female was wearing pants and a bra only. She was determined to be under the influence of a controlled substance. She was arrested and held for sobering.

Monrovia Street Fair Organizer Willl Also Organize Arcadia's Street Fair

Green Leaf Events, which puts on Monrovia's Friday Night Street Fair with LA Party Works, will soon assume control of the Downtown Arcadia Street Market as well. http://goo.gl/IgK9J0

- Brad Haugaard

Miracle on 34th Street Movie at Monrovia Library

Monrovia Providers Group invites you to a free screening of "Miracle on 34th Street", the 1947 holiday classic, at Monrovia Library on Saturday, Nov. 21, 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. This is a multi-generational event. Light refreshments provided and free community aging resources and information will be available. To reserve free tickets, call 205-4308 or email movie@monroviaproviders.org. For more information about Monrovia Providers Group, events for foothills seniors, and community information, go to www.monroviaproviders.org.