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Monrovia Youth Collects 700 Shoe Boxes Of Christmas Gifts For Children of the World

Monrovian Grayson Wade will be taking more than 700 packed shoebox gifts to Arcadia Presbyterian Church in support of Samaritan's Purse "Operation Christmas Child," a charity he has been supporting since he was nine years old. He is now 15 and attends Bosco Tech High School.

This is his sixth year raising money and packing boxes. His first year he packed 2, second year 64, third year 130, fourth year 364, last year 444 and this year more than 700. He walks door to door seeking monetary donations and encouraging families to pack shoeboxes. He speaks at Kiwanis and Rotary Clubs, has presented at scout troops and service fairs at local high schools.  He has donation boxes around the community and local shoe stores save empty boxes for his campaign.

This year he has donations from over 275 families and the donations are still coming in. With the money collected, he will pack more than 600 boxes and will collect more than 150 packed boxes from local families.
 
The shoeboxes include school supplies, hygiene items and an assortment of crafts, musical instruments, games and toys. He also includes a note to the recipient and has received notes back. Among other countries, his shoeboxes have gone to Nepal, China, Bangladesh, Mongolia, Haiti, and the Philippines.

Source: press release

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Police: Alcohol Caused Auto Crash; Packages Stolen From Porch

[Monrovia Police activities from the Police Department's Neighborhood Watch Report for November 9-11. - Brad Haugaard]

During the last seven-day period, the Police Department handled 395 service events, resulting in 59 investigations.

Driving Under the Influence Traffic Collision
November 9 at 6:51 p.m., officers responded to a parking lot in the 1600 block of South Mountain Avenue regarding a possible medical assist or drunk driver. Officers arrived and located the vehicle, which had struck a parked vehicle in the parking lot. The vehicle was still running and a female driver was unresponsive behind the wheel of the vehicle. The windows were up and the doors were all locked. Fire Department personnel broke a door window to assist the subject and she was taken to a hospital for treatment. Alcohol was believed to be a factor in this accident and DUI charges are pending the blood test results.

Theft of Packages
November 10 at 6:24 p.m., a resident in the 800 block of Sequoia Circle reported that two packages that were delivered to her front porch had been stolen. The packages had been delivered sometime on October 28, 2015, and were taken by an unknown suspect. The investigation is continuing.

Veterans Day Event at Monrovia's Library Park

Allied Veterans Council of the Upper San Gabriel Valley hosts Veterans Day event at Library Park. http://goo.gl/Bdok6e

- Brad Haugaard

Help Monrovia's Clifton Middle School Win a $100K Science Lab | Cheaper Electricity Coming

~ Prep your keyboard fingers! Monrovia's Clifton Middle School is one of 20 semifinalist schools nationwide (and one of only two in California) in Northrup Grumman Foundation's Fab School Labs science lab makeover contest and could be one of five schools to receive $100,000. To win a lot of people gotta vote on Facebook on Tuesday, Nov. 17 on this page: www.facebook.com/fabschoollabs . Details: http://goo.gl/wRQEDR

~ Southern California Edison reports that residential customer bills could decrease about six percent by the end of March as a result of several actions by the California Public Utilities Commission. http://goo.gl/34aXvT

- Brad Haugaard

Antonovich Veterans Day Message | ChapCare Offers Insurance in Monrovia

~ Mayor Mike Antonovich, who represents Monrovia on the County Board of Supervisors, has released this Veterans Day Message: "On Veterans Day, our nation honors the 50 million soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines and Coast Guard personnel throughout our history, and their families, who have dedicated themselves to the defense of our country. We pray for those who have died, those with us today, and those currently serving to preserve liberty and peace throughout the world. For their service, sacrifice and courage, they have earned our permanent gratitude and respect."

~ Community Health Alliance of Pasadena (ChapCare) is expanding its Covered California insurance enrollment efforts to Monrovia beginning Nov. 10. Its office is at 513 E. Lime Ave., Suite 102.

- Brad Haugaard

Cleo the Cat Dies | Monrovia Police Win

~ You may have seen Tina pushing her cat Cleo around town in a baby carriage. According to Facebook poster Judy Walker, Cleo passed away Saturday at the ripe old age of 22. Tina hopes to get a new cat when the time is right.

~ In the Battle of the Badges - a fundraising volleyball game - the Monrovia Police were victorious, 16-14, over the Monrovia Firefighters. http://goo.gl/Op65Xf

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Police: Shoplifting Suspects Get Citation; Burglar Gets Costume Jewelry; Driving Drunk Into a Wall; Etc.

[Monrovia Police activities from the Police Department's Neighborhood Watch Report for November 5-8. - Brad Haugaard]

Following are the weekend’s highlighted issues and events.

Theft From a Vehicle
November 5 at 6:55 a.m., a theft from a vehicle was reported in the 800 block of West Duarte Road. The victim went to his vehicle, which he had parked in the carport area, and saw items were missing. He realized he left the vehicle unlocked and someone entered his vehicle without his permission and had stolen his belongings. The investigation is continuing.

Stolen Vehicle Recovered
November 5 at 4:10 p.m., an officer on patrol saw a vehicle traveling at a high rate of speed, heading south on Ivy from Colorado. Officers tried to catch up to vehicle, but lost sight of it until a caller reported a subject fleeing from a vehicle matching the description in an alley in the 200 block of West Maple Avenue. Officers arrived and located the unoccupied vehicle. A search of the surrounding area was conducted for the fleeing suspect, but no suspect was located. The vehicle was stolen earlier in the day from another city.

Identity Theft/Fraud Investigation
November 5 at 6:58 p.m., an officer responded to a location in the 800 block of West Duarte. The victim reported that several credit card accounts had been opened fraudulently in her name by an unknown suspect. The suspect had also canceled her cell phone service. The investigation is continuing.

Theft From a Vehicle
November 5 at 7:05 p.m., a theft from a vehicle was reported in the 100 block of North Ivy. The victim parked her vehicle and had left it unlocked. An unknown suspect entered the vehicle and stole several items that had been left inside. The investigation is continuing.

Stolen Vehicle
November 5 at 8:12 p.m., a vehicle was reported stolen from the 200 block of East Huntington. The victim reported her 1998 Honda Civic was stolen from the business parking lot while she was at work. The investigation is continuing.

Shoplifting – Suspect Arrested
November 6 at 8:16 p.m., a theft was reported at a business in the 500 block of West Huntington. An adult female walked into the store, selected and concealed several items in her purse, and walked out of the business without paying. She was stopped outside by store loss prevention. An officer responded to the location, arrested the suspect and took her into custody. She was later released on a citation to appear in court on the charges.

Shoplifting – Suspect Arrested
November 6 at 10:37 p.m., an officer responded to a business in the 500 block of West Huntington regarding a theft of merchandise. A male and female went into the business and concealed several items of merchandise on their persons. They attempted to leave the store without paying for the merchandise and were stopped by loss prevention personnel. An officer responded to the business and they were arrested and taken into custody. They were later released on a citation to appear in court on the charges.

Hot Prowl Burglary
November 7 at 7:38 a.m., an elderly resident in the 1000 block of East Huntington Drive phoned police to say she heard a noise inside her mobile home sometime in the middle of the night. She went into the spare bedroom to see what the noise was, but did not notice anything unusual. She did not turn on the lights. She returned to the room in the morning and found the screen had been removed from the window, which she had left open, and the room had been ransacked. Two pieces of costume jewelry were missing. The investigation is continuing.

Driving Under the Influence Traffic Collision
November 7 at 4:31 p.m., officers responded to the report of a male subject who had driven his vehicle into a wall in the 900 block of West Duarte Road. Officers arrived and found the subject unresponsive behind the wheel with the doors locked and the windows rolled up. The officers broke a window to the vehicle to gain entry. Once inside, they determined the subject was breathing. It was determined that the subject was intoxicated and was possibly driving under the influence. He was taken to a hospital for treatment. Charges will be filed pending blood test results.

Domestic Violence – Suspect Arrested
November 7 at 11:30 p.m., officers were dispatched to the 200 block of West Lime regarding a male and female adult couple arguing. When Officers arrived, they learned the male had struck the female in the face with a clenched fist during the argument. The male suspect was arrested and taken into custody for domestic violence.

Driving Under the Influence – Suspect Arrested
November 8 at 5:20 a.m., an officer responded to the intersection of Colorado and Ivy regarding a subject passed out behind the wheel with the vehicle running. When officers arrived, they discovered the driver was intoxicated. He was arrested for driving under the influence and held for sobering.

Sewage Smell in East Monrovia

Several east Monrovia residents are complaining about a strong sewage smell in the area between Mountain and Bradbury and Wildrose and Lemon. People posting on Facebook say they've contacted the city and have been told it is the county's responsibility and have contacted the county and been told it's the city's responsibility.

- Brad Haugaard

Veterans Day Banner at Monrovia Library | Square Dance at St. Luke's

~ In honor of Veterans Day the Monrovia Public Library is displaying in its lobby a banner honoring local active duty and retired service members, who can sign it and share their service history. http://goo.gl/PV78n8

~ On Saturday, Nov. 14, from 6 to 9 p.m., square dance caller Bill Berry will call line dancing at the "Raise the Roof" fundraiser at Saint Luke's Episcopal Church, 122 S. California Ave. Part of the proceeds will help fund the replacement of the church's roof.

- Brad Haugaard

Restaurant to Open at Monrovia's Aztec Hotel?

The parking lot at the Aztec Hotel on Foothill is being redone. What's happening? Well, Planning Division Manager Craig Jimenez writes:

"One of the conditions of approval for the restaurant to open is that the parking lot needed to be replaced. My understanding is that the Aztec is in negotiations with a restaurateur to operate the Mayan Room, however, at this point nothing new has been submitted to the City."

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Home Decorating Contest

Details about the Holiday Home Decorating Contest (being judged December 14) here: http://goo.gl/DlDafv

- Brad Haugaard

Holiday Boutique at Calvary Baptist | Stuff a Monrovia Fire Engine

~ Holiday Boutique Nov. 20, 4-9 p.m. and Nov. 21 9 a.m.-2 p.m. at Calvary Road Baptist Church, 319 W. Olive. Handmade arts and crafts by local crafters. Rustic home decor, Christmas ornaments, jewelry, crocheted baby items, scarves, hats, toffee, etc. Fundraiser to benefit students of Calvary Road Baptist Academy.

~ Stuff a Monrovia fire engine to make a child's Christmas more enjoyable. Nov. 27 and 28, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. For details contact firefighter Ernie Moreno at 256-8181.

- Brad Haugaard

Three Restaurants Coming to Monrovia

Restaurants coming to Monrovia: Press Cafe (761 S Myrtle), Saltner Wine and Cicchetti (108 E Colorado), 38 Degrees Ale House & Grill (110 E Colorado), http://goo.gl/LVOYia

- Brad Haugaard

Dinner at Chipotle


Dinner last night at Chipotle, on Huntington Drive. Got the Barbacoa beef burrito ($7.70) with guacamole ($1.95), and a premium beer ($4.15). I took a few bites so you could see inside. As always, very good.

Monrovia Old Homes Tour Changes Days

The Old Homes Tour put on by the Monrovia Historic Preservation Group has been held on Mother's Day for years, but starting in 2016 the tour will be held on the first Sunday in May. http://goo.gl/4TY1MU

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Police: Jogger Hit By Car; Stolen Credit Cards; Stolen Vehicles; Etc.

[Monrovia Police activities from the Police Department's Neighborhood Watch Report for November 2-4. - Brad Haugaard]

During the last seven-day period, the Police Department handled 436 service events, resulting in 99 investigations.

Traffic Collision
November 2 at 7:45 a.m., a traffic collision involving a vehicle and a pedestrian was reported at the intersection of Greystone and Encinitas. A vehicle was traveling south on Encinitas and stopped at the intersection stop sign. The driver proceeded to turn left onto eastbound Greystone and struck a jogger that was running north across the intersection. Monrovia Fire Department paramedics treated the victim on scene and she left the location on her own.

Residential Burglary
November 2 at 1:42 p.m., an officer was dispatched to a residence in the 700 block of East Greystone. The resident left the location at approximately 11:00 a.m. and returned at 1:30 p.m. to discover the home had been burglarized. It appears the suspect(s) entered and exited through an open window. The loss was jewelry. The investigation is continuing.

Warrant – Suspect Arrested
November 2 at 6:55 p.m., officers responded to a hotel in the 700 block of Huntington Drive on the report of a fire alarm activation where the occupant of the affected room was refusing to leave. Officers contacted the subject and a computer check revealed she had an outstanding warrant for her arrest. She was arrested and taken into custody for the warrant.

Possession of Marijuana/Warrant – Suspect Arrested
November 3 at 12:21 a.m., an officer was on patrol in the 100 block of east Cherry when she noticed a vehicle with paper plates with no temporary registration in the front windshield. The officer stopped and contacted the occupants of the vehicle. A computer check of the subjects revealed one of the passengers had an outstanding arrest warrant. During a pat-down search of the subject, a pill bottle was found in his pocket which contained marijuana. The subject was arrested for the warrant and possession of marijuana. He was later released with a citation to appear in court.

Driving Under the Influence – Suspect Arrested
November 3 at 6:48 a.m., police received a call reporting a female driving erratically in the 100 block of East Foothill. Police responded and located the vehicle with the driver asleep behind the wheel. She was arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol and taken into custody.

Grand Theft Auto
November 3 at 1:02 p.m., a vehicle was reported stolen from the 600 block of West Palm. The vehicle was parked on the street and was stolen sometime between 7:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. The vehicle is a green Honda Prelude. The investigation is continuing.

Fraud/Stolen Credit Card/Stolen Personal Information – Suspects Arrested
November 3 at 1:38 p.m., officers responded to a hotel in the 700 block of West Huntington regarding a stolen credit card that was used to rent a room. As officers arrived, the suspects were trying to leave the area. The suspects were detained, and during the investigation, it was discovered that the suspects had a notebook with additional credit card numbers and personal information of potential victims. One suspect was arrested for providing false information, and one suspect admitted to using a stolen credit card and someone else's personal information. The suspects were arrested and taken into custody.

Injury Traffic Collision
November 3 at 6:32 p.m., officers were dispatched to the area of California and Cypress on the report of an injury traffic collision. A vehicle pulled out in front of another causing the collision. One of the passengers was taken to the hospital for complaint of pain to her head.

Violation of Domestic Violence Restraining Order – Suspect Arrested
November 3 at 7:28 p.m., an officer responded to a residence in the 100 block of South Alta Vista regarding a subject at the location refusing to leave. The suspect is the estranged wife of the resident and she had knowledge of an Emergency Protective Order filed against her to stay away from the location. The officer arrived, located the suspect on the property and detained her. Investigation revealed a valid Emergency Protective Order was in place and the suspect was arrested for violating the court order. She was held pending her court appearance.

Grand Theft Auto
November 4 at 9:20 a.m., a vehicle was reported stolen from the 1200 block of Los Robles. The vehicle is a black, 2013 Mini Cooper, and the vehicle was stolen from the street sometime overnight. The investigation is continuing.

Filming The Conjuring 2 in Monrovia

Filming near the corner of Hillcrest and Primrose. I asked a guard who said it is The Conjuring 2, a horror flick. http://goo.gl/PPoZ6J

- Brad Haugaard

Art Exhibit at Monrovia's Saga Fine Art | Hairspray Play


~ W. Jason Situ Solo Exhibition at Saga Fine Art, 110 West Lime, Nov. 3-27. Reception 5-7 pm Saturday, Nov. 7. Gallery Hours: Tuesday-Saturday 1-6 p.m.

~ Monrovia's Taylor Performing Arts Center will present the Tony Award-winning musical Hairspray on Dec. 4, 5, and 6 (Friday, Saturday and Sunday) at the Performing Arts Center (aka Monrovia High auditorium). Friday at 8 p.m.; Saturday at 2 and 8 p.m.; Sunday at 4 p.m. Details: http://goo.gl/m2qr14

- Brad Haugaard

Holiday Boutique in Old Town Monrovia

Holiday Boutique Nov. 15 at Paint n Play, 418 S. Myrtle Ave. in Old Town. Presented by BossBabes. Handbags, cosmetics and skincare products, jewelry, art, clothing, linen and home goods, floral arrangements, pet blankets, etc. Proceeds benefit Holdin' Hands, Helpin Hearts Program, Indonesian relief efforts, Younique Foundation for Sexual Abuse Victims. #shopmonroviabossbabes

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Veterans Day Celebration Nov. 11 | Montgomery Wins Another Term

~ Veterans Day celebration in Library Park, Wednesday, Nov. 11 at 11 a.m. http://goo.gl/Ev4LFg

~ Incumbent Joanne Montgomery has won another term on the Citrus Community College board. http://goo.gl/nrELeh

- Brad Haugaard