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Lillian Sass Named Woman of the Year


Lillian Sass, coordinator of the Citrus College Foster/Kinship Education and Resources Program (FKCERP), has been named a Woman of the Year for the 25th Senate District by Senator Carol Liu.

Sass was selected because of her commitment to supporting foster youth and her dedication to educating foster and adoptive families. Citrus College serves the Monrovia area. Source: Citrus press release

- Brad Haugaard

Postage Stamp Train Tickets

Using the train regularly now, I think I've figured out the Metro ticketing system.

If you stand at the machine trying to figure out what it costs to get to Union Station or Culver City, or whatever, you will pull your hair out with frustration, but if you think of it as a postage stamp it becomes a lot clearer.

If you send a letter across the street or to New Hampshire it costs the same. In the same way, for $1.75 you can get to wherever the trains go (what a deal!), as long as you can get there in a couple hours. At least I think that's how it works. Metro could be clearer with its messaging but it's not bad once you change how you look at it.

UPDATE: Since I'm on the subject of trains, I just had the worst experience this morning. I waited 20 minutes (during rush hour) for a train in Monrovia and then it was shoulder to shoulder all the way to Pasadena. Sardine City. 52 minutes door to door. I started taking the train because it was almost as fast and much more pleasant. Today it was much slower and much more unpleasant than driving. A few more experiences such as I had this morning and I'll be back in my car.

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia School Board Agenda

Here's the agenda for the March 23 Board of Education meeting: here. Doesn't look like anything too earthshaking.

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Police: Gang Graffiti At Clifton; Burglaries From Cars; Drunk; Drunk and Driving; Five Arrested in Drug Bust; $100,000 Bail for Driving Without License

[Monrovia Police activities from the Police Department's Neighborhood Watch Report for March 17-20. - Brad Haugaard]

Following are the weekend’s highlighted issues and events.

Vehicle Burglary
March 17 at 4:33 p.m., the victim of a vehicle burglary came to the police department lobby to file a report. The victim parked her vehicle in a parking lot in the 800 block of West Colorado. When she returned, her purse was missing from inside the vehicle. The victim believes she locked the vehicle. There were no signs of forced entry. The investigation is continuing.

Vehicle Burglary
March 17 at 5:18 p.m., a vehicle burglary was reported in the 500 block of S. Shamrock. The front passenger-side window was smashed and a handbag, tablet and other miscellaneous items were taken from inside the vehicle. The investigation is continuing.

Public Intoxication – Suspect Arrested
March 18 at 12:17 a.m., a resident in the 300 block of West Lemon called police to report a male subject on his lawn. Officers arrived and located a male subject wandering around in the area that matched the description. The subject was intoxicated and did not know where he was. The officers determined the subject was too intoxicated to care for himself. He was arrested and held for sobering.

Public Intoxication – Suspect Arrested
March 18 at 12:50 a.m., an officer on patrol saw a male subject stumbling down the street. He stopped the subject to check on his welfare and determined he was extremely intoxicated and unable to care for himself. The subject was arrested and held for sobering.

Driving Under the Influence – Suspect Arrested
March 18 at 1:50 a.m., an officer stopped a vehicle for a vehicle code violation, and while speaking with the driver, the officer could smell alcohol. After field sobriety tests were performed, it was determined the subject was intoxicated. The driver was arrested for driving under the influence.

Possession of Drug Paraphernalia – Suspect Arrested
March 18 at 4:41 p.m., officers responded to a residence in the 200 block of Norumbega regarding the report of drug activity at the location. The resident gave the officers consent to search the location and officers found drug paraphernalia. A female subject admitted the items were hers and she was arrested for possession of drug paraphernalia.

Receiving Stolen Property – Suspect Arrested
March 19 at 12:56 a.m., officers detained a subject walking through a park in the 700 block of E. Lemon after it was closed. The subject was walking with a bike that had an address and a phone number on it. The officers phoned and spoke to the owner of the bike, who reported his bike had been stolen. The subject was arrested for receiving stolen property and taken into custody.

Possession of Drug Paraphernalia/Weapons Offenses – Five Suspects Arrested
March 19 at 10:48 a.m., officers were dispatched to a hotel in the 700 block of W. Huntington regarding foot traffic in and out of one of the rooms. Hotel employees suspected possible prostitution. The subjects had also set off the fire alarm in the room earlier in the week and marijuana was smelled coming from the room. When officers arrived, they contacted two males and one female in the room. The female and one of the male subjects are known gang members. The other male is a known drug user and burglar from prior police contacts in Monrovia. The subject who rented the room was not present. Drug paraphernalia and an empty Beretta handgun case were located in the room. The three subjects in the room were arrested for possession of drug paraphernalia.

As one of the officers was leaving the hotel, he saw another known local drug user pumping gas into a vehicle at a gas station across the street. There was a male and female seated in the vehicle. A computer check of the license plate revealed the vehicle was registered to the subject who rented the room at the hotel. Officers detained all three subjects. A search of the vehicle revealed a loaded Beretta handgun, a large amount of methamphetamine, heroin and cash. A total of 5 suspects were arrested for drug and weapon related charges in this incident.

Public Intoxication – Suspect Arrested
March 19 at 7:15 p.m., officers responded to a welfare check of a female subject in the area of Myrtle and Chestnut. Officers located the female subject matching the reported description and determined she had been drinking and was not capable of taking care of herself. She was arrested for public intoxication and held for sobering.

Vandalism
March 20 at 10:25 a.m., the vice principal at the high school in the 800 block of Colorado called police to report vandalism of school property. Someone had spray painted gang related graffiti on several buildings. The vandalism occurred sometime over the weekend. The investigation is continuing.

Warrant – Suspect Arrested
March 20 at 5:12 p.m., an officer saw a male subject he recognized walking down the sidewalk in the 600 block of S. Mountain. The officer knew the subject had a warrant for his arrest. A computer check confirmed the warrant for his arrest with a bail set at $100,000 for driving without a license. The subject was arrested for the warrant.

New Art Exhibit in Monrovia | Old Homes Tour on May 1


~ A "Works on Paper" exhibit coming to Saga Fine Arts (south side of Lime across from the Library - http://sagafineart.com/ ) on March 22-April 22.

~ Monrovia Historic Preservation Group will again host its annual home tour, but this year on Sunday, May 1, 10 a.m. until 4 p.m., not on Mothers' Day. This is a docent-led tour of five homes and two museums. The selection of homes includes Spanish Colonial Revival, Craftsman, and English Tudor Cottage. Details: http://www.mohpg.org/

- Brad Haugaard

Telescope Night Tonight in Old Town Monrovia

The Old Town Sidewalk Astronomers will be set up this evening at the corner of Myrtle and Lime from around 7-9 p.m. to give people a good look at the moon and Jupiter. One member plans to bring a large 7-inch refractor telescope.

- Brad Haugaard

Alize Neal - Youth Of The Year

Monrovia High Senior Alize Neal, 17, has been chosen as the Foothill Boys and Girls Club's Youth of the Year. http://goo.gl/eDnWPp

- Brad Haugaard

Raising $26,000 for Children's Cancer Research

The St. Baldrick's head-shearing event in Monrovia on St. Patrick's day raised more than $26,000 for children's cancer research. http://goo.gl/6VJ6w9

- Brad Haugaard

Dinner at Cafe Lori


Dinner at Cafe Lori, "healthy Mediterranean food" on the south side of Lime just east of Myrtle, built into the side of the Krikorian Theater. I got the beef shawarma ($10.50) and a Diet Coke ($1.25). There is not much emphasis on aesthetics here but I was very pleased with the food.

- Brad Haugaard 

Police Seek Missing Monrovia Teen

Monrovia Police are looking for 16-year-old Briana Ysenia Valenzuela, who left her guardian's home in a 2011 silver Buick Regal 4-door, license 6NYL096. She is Hispanic with long black hair, brown eyes, 5'4" and about 175 lbs. suffers from mental illness and takes medication. Contact watch commander at (626) 256-8031 or (626)256-8032 with information.


Sign for New Monrovia Starbucks at Foothill and Madison

Here's the sign that will be labeling the new Starbucks that is going in at the corner of Foothill and Madison (at the location of the old Burger Shack). It should be opening within the next month or so. http://goo.gl/m6kfQJ

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Police: Porn on Church Walls; Runaway Boy; Hit and Run; Etc.

[Monrovia Police activities from the Police Department's Neighborhood Watch Report for March 14-16. - Brad Haugaard]

During the last seven-day period, the Police Department handled 407 service events, resulting in 92 investigations.

Hit and Run Traffic Collision/Driving Under the Influence – Suspect Arrested
March 14 at 10:28 p.m., officers were dispatched to the report of a hit and run traffic collision that occurred at Mountain and Huntington. While responding to the call, an officer saw a vehicle traveling west in the 700 block of E. Huntington with damage to the front of their vehicle and a flat tire. A traffic stop was conducted. After investigation, the driver was determined to be intoxicated. The victim of the hit and run signed a refusal to prosecute. The driver was arrested for driving under the influence.

Suspicious Item/World War II Military Ordinance
March 15 at 2:20 p.m., a subject came into the station requesting an officer to look at an item in the trunk of his vehicle, which was parked in front of the station. The subject was cleaning out his father's garage on Magnolia and found some type of military ordinance. Upon viewing the item, officers evacuated the area, blocked off the street and notified the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Bomb Unit for safety purposes. The Bomb Unit responded and x-rayed the device. They determined the item was a military illumination device from World War II, and that it still had a possible bursting hazard. The Bomb Unit was able to remove the device safely and intended to detonate it in an open field.

Vandalism
March 16 at 7:32 p.m., a vandalism incident was reported at a church in the 500 block of West Lemon. A classroom inside the church building had been vandalized. The room had been ransacked and a fire extinguisher was discharged in the room. There was also pornography on the walls. This is the third incident of this kind at the location. The investigation is continuing.

Grand Theft Auto/At-Risk Missing Juvenile
March 16 at 9:20 p.m., a resident reported her juvenile grandaughter stole her car and was missing from the 100 block of North Myrtle. The missing juvenile has a long history of running away and taking her grandmother’s vehicle. The missing person/suspect was entered into the missing persons system and the vehicle was entered into the stolen vehicle system. The investigation is continuing.

Runaway Juvenile
March 16 at 11:27 p.m., the mother of a 14-year-old male subject called police to report her son had run away from home. An officer responded to the location and was told by the mother that her son has been cutting classes. She was having an argument with him and left him momentarily to put her younger son to bed. When she returned, she found he had left the apartment. He took some clothing and belongings with him. Officers checked the area, but were not able to locate him. The juvenile was entered into the missing persons system, and the investigation is continuing.

Warrant/Possession of Drug Paraphernalia – Suspect Arrested
March 17 at 12:36 a.m., officers reponded to a complaint of subjects causing a disturbance at the location by talking loudly. The officers contacted two subjects, one of which had an outstanding warrant for her arrest. During a search of the subject incident to arrest, a glass pipe used for smoking methamphetamine was found on her person. She was arrested and taken into custody.

Warrants/Unlicensed Driver – Suspects Arrested
March 17 at 4:00 a.m., officers conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle for vehicle code violations. Two of the occupants had outstanding warrants for their arrest and the driver was found to be unlicensed. The two occupants with warrants were arrested and taken into custody. The driver was issued a citation.

Man Finds WWII Era Flare, Monrovia Police Evacuate Part of Station

A man who found a World War II era flare turned it in to the Monrovia Police Department Tuesday, which evacuated part of the building and called in the Sheriff's Department bomb squad. http://goo.gl/d5tjSS

Comment: Reminds me of when I was a kid. After a rain a friend and I found a cannon shell (maybe 105 mm) in a wash in the Eaton Canyon area of East Pasadena. We happily carried it home, where it sat in his parent's garage until his mother got nervous and called the cops, who wouldn't go near the thing and called the bomb squad. So... we were pretty dumb. I'd recommend just calling the cops and not even touching anything like that that you might find. I think old explosives can be rather unstable.

- Brad Haugaard

Give Your Thoughts on Monrovia Website

If you have thoughts on how to improve Monrovia's city website, here's where to give your opinion: https://goo.gl/GWVC8X

- Brad Haugaard

Holden Bill Would Require Medi-Cal to Provide Tobacco Cessation Treatments

Assemblymember Chris Holden's Tobacco Cessation Legislation, AB 1696, passed the Assembly Health Committee today with a 16-1 vote. The bill will now head to the Assembly Appropriations Committee. The bill requires tobacco cessation medications, counseling, and assessments to be covered for Medi-Cal patients. Holden represents Monrovia. Source: Holden press release

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Looking for New Company to Run Street Fair; Bears on Bikes; Sculpture: Fountain to Falls; Etc.


More from City Manager Oliver Chi's weekly report:

~ Here is the Library mural painted onto the bindings of recycled books by artist Mike Stilkey. It is a project led by Youth Services Librarian Annette Simpson. (Photo courtesy of City of Monrovia.)

~ The City is looking for a company to run the Friday Night Family Street Fair. Green Leaf Events, Inc., was awarded a contract to serve as interim operator of the fair. http://goo.gl/gP3916

~ The State Water Resources Control Board is proposing to lower Monrovia's water conservation goal from a 28% reduction when compared with 2013 water usage levels, to a 26% reduction.

~ A sculpture by Daniel Stern, an actor in the Home Alone movie series has been working on a movie-themed sculpture for Old Town for several months (see earlier report: http://goo.gl/E8AarP ) and will show the almost-done work to a city delegation on March 28.

~ Monrovia's Youth Sports Soccer Program registration is open for youth in the 4th and 5th grades. Fee is $35 per participant, here: https://cityofmonroviarecreation.org/.

~ 6th annual Fountain to the Falls Run / Walk will take place on Saturday, May 7 at 7 a.m. A 6.38 mile race from the Library Park Fountain to the Canyon Park Waterfall. Early registration through May 4 for $35; event-day registration is $45. 325 participants max. Register here: https://cityofmonroviarecreation.org/. For more information, call Public Services at 256-8246.

- Brad Haugaard

The Four Problems Messing Up Monrovia Rail-Crossing Traffic

In addition to a faulty traffic-gate controller device (noted earlier), City Manager Oliver Chi notes in his weekly report three more problems that are contributing to the snarl of traffic around railroad crossings:

1. "It appears that several new operational procedures being implemented by Metro may be contributing to the delay at several at-grade crossings. Issues such as access to the maintenance and operation yard, operator switch-outs, and the amount of time that trains hold at platforms are all being analyzed, and the City has been assured by Metro personnel that they will be streamlining their operations as much as possible to limit any direct traffic impacts."

2. Traffic signal timing. The city has been reviewing traffic signal timing sheets and video detection cameras to improve when lights turn green and red.

3. "[The] left turn pocket for eastbound traffic on Duarte heading northbound onto Myrtle has been functioning very poorly. There are a variety of issues that have exacerbated the situation, including the fact that the left turn signal is getting skipped in the traffic phasing when the train crossing is activated. In addition, the lack of capacity in the left turn pocket is also contributing to the backup along Duarte.... [T]he plan right now is to revise the phasing at this intersection by making the left turn the leading phase after the rail crossing arms go up. This means that immediately after the train crossing, the left turn phase for eastbound traffic on Duarte turning north onto Myrtle will be set to clear, allowing 8-10 vehicles to get through the intersection, before it cycles back to the north / south traffic light signal."

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Traffic Snarl Makes TV News | Beer and Music Fest

~ An interesting video report on CBS LA News about the messed up crossing gates at the railroad tracks. http://goo.gl/MRwxfE

~ Monrovia Station Beer and Music Festival. April 16, 2-6 p.m. 21 and over. Live music by Go Betty Go and The Delgado Brothers.

- Brad Haugaard

Good Friday Tenebrae Service at Monrovia's First Presbyterian

Good Friday tenebrae service, Friday, March 25, 7:30-9:30 p.m. at First Presbyterian Church of Monrovia, at Foothill and Myrtle. Dr. Anthony Osimo leads in reflection on Good Friday. Featuring a choir and orchestra performance of The Seven Last Days by Joel Raney, directed by David Michael Layne. http://goo.gl/YXbvXj

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Police: Missing Girl Located; Possible Stolen Bikes in Garage; Elderly Man Pushes Wrong Pedal; Man Beaten; Etc.

[Monrovia Police activities from the Police Department's Neighborhood Watch Report for March 10-13. - Brad Haugaard]

Following are the weekend’s highlighted issues and events.

Vandalism
March 10 at 7:30 a.m., officers were dispatched to the 100 block of N. Myrtle regarding a vandalism report. It appears an unknown suspect smashed the driver-side window on a vehicle. There was nothing inside the vehicle in plain view. Officers received information of a second window smash on another vehicle in the 300 block N. Primrose. There was nothing taken from the second vehicle either. The investigation is continuing.

Possession of Stolen Property/Under the Influence of a Controlled Substance / Possession of Drug Paraphernalia – Suspect Arrested
March 10 at 10:56 a.m., an officer was on patrol in the 100 block of N. Primrose when he saw a suspicious subject walk out from the side of a residence. The subject saw the officer and attempted to walk away, but was detained. While the officer was talking with the subject, the subject appeared nervous and was visibly shaken. The subject said he was not alone at the residence, and that there were other people in the back garage. He gave the officer permission to search the garage. Additional units responded to assist. While walking to the garage, the officers observed numerous expensive bicycles, which appeared to be in the process of having the serial numbers ground off and rims repainted. A search of the garage also revealed drug paraphernalia. The subject was determined to be under the influence of a controlled substance. He was arrested for possession of stolen property and the drug charges.

Petty Theft – Suspect Arrested
March 10 at 8:04 p.m., officers responded to a business in the 500 block of W. Huntington on the report of a male subject that fled the store without paying for merchandise. The officers obtained a description of the suspect and searched the area; the suspect was located at a bus bench nearby. During the investigation, the officers located the stolen property, and store loss prevention personnel positively identified the suspect. He was arrested for the crime and taken into custody.

Critical Missing Juvenile Located
March 10 at 10:00 p.m., a female juvenile was reported missing to the Monrovia Police Department. The missing was last seen at her apartment complex in the 500 block of W. Foothill. She had argued with her father over the use of a cell phone. She had gone to school that morning, but had not returned home. Police conducted an area search and followed all investigative leads, but the juvenile was not located. On March 13 at 2:15 p.m., detectives received a lead on the location of the juvenile and went to the Pasadena area to follow up. During the course of their investigation, they located the juvenile at a residence in Altadena. The juvenile’s parents were notified and responded.

Domestic Violence
March 10 at 11:10 p.m., a disturbance was reported at the intersection of Chestnut and Monterey. Officers arrived to investigate and located a female subject hiding near several vehicles. She had been assaulted and had sustained injuries to her face. During the investigation, the officers learned her husband had struck her several times, causing the visible injuries. The officers went to the residence, where the crime occurred, and located the husband. After speaking with him, he was arrested for domestic violence.

Theft from an Unlocked Vehicle
March 11 at 8:56 a.m., a theft from a vehicle was reported in the 200 block of S. Primrose. The victim had parked his vehicle and left it unlocked. Sometime overnight, an unknown suspect entered the vehicle and rummaged through it. A thumb drive and a pair of sunglasses were stolen. The investigation is continuing.

Non-injury Traffic Collision
March 11 at 10:01 a.m., officers were dispatched to a traffic collision at a business parking lot in the 300 block of W. Huntington. An 84-year-old male subject was attempting to park his vehicle and accidentally pushed on the accelerator instead of the brake, causing his vehicle to lunge forward into the side of a building. There was damage to a wall of the building and the store front glass was broken. The subject was wearing his seat belt and sustained no injuries, however, paramedics still responded to check him. A DMV reexamination was issued.

Felony Warrants/Wanted Fugitive/Possession of Drug Paraphernalia – Suspects Arrested
March 11 at 4:13 p.m., officers conducted a high-risk stop on a white VW Jetta in the parking lot of a closed business in the 300 block of W. Foothill. The registered owner of the vehicle had felony warrants out for his arrest and was listed as a wanted fugitive for a weapons charge. The male suspect was arrested and taken into custody without incident. The female passenger was also arrested for being in possession of drug paraphernalia.

Theft of Package
March 11 at 6:42 p.m., a resident in the 300 block of N. Encinitas reported the theft of a package that was delivered and stolen from her porch sometime during the day. The investigation is continuing.

Public Intoxication – Suspect Arrested
March 11 at 7:57 p.m., an officer was on patrol in the 300 block of W. Chestnut when he noticed a subject sitting in a vehicle slumped over. The subject was found to be extremely intoxicated and unable to care for himself. He was arrested for public intoxication and held for a sobering period.

Driving Under the Influence – Suspect Arrested
March 12 at 4:36 a.m., an officer was on patrol in the 300 block of W. Foothill and observed a vehicle commit a vehicle code violation. He conducted a traffic stop and contacted the driver. Through investigation, the officer determined the driver was intoxicated and driving under the influence. The suspect was arrested and held for a sobering period. The suspect was later released with a citation to appear in court on the charges.

Domestic Violence – Suspect Arrested
March 12 at 2:34 p.m., two subjects, a boyfriend and girlfriend, were arguing in the area of Palm and Primrose. The male got angry and threw the female to the ground, causing scrapes on her arms. He was arrested for domestic violence and a temporary restraining order was issued.

Traffic Collision/Driving Under the Influence – Suspect Arrested
March 12 at 7:27 p.m., officers responded to the area of Duarte Road and Magnolia for a non-injury traffic collision. While speaking to the subjects involved, officers noticed the subject suspected of causing the collision appeared to be under the influence of alcohol. Field sobriety tests were administered and the driver was arrested for DUI. The driver was later released after a sobering period with a citation to appear in court.

Injury Traffic Collision
March 12 at 8:06 p.m., officers were dispatched to an injury traffic collision at Myrtle and Evergreen. A vehicle traveling east on Evergreen was struck by a vehicle traveling north on Myrtle that had failed to stop at a red signal. Three people in the vehicle traveling east suffered minor injuries and were treated at the scene by Monrovia Fire Department personnel.

Fight in Progress/Assault With a Deadly Weapon
March 13 at 1:23 a.m., Monrovia Fire Department personnel were at a business in the 400 block of S. Myrtle for a medical assist and observed a disturbance to the front of the location involving three adult male subjects. The subjects separated and left the location heading in different directions. The subjects came back together around the corner on Lemon. A physical altercation began and the two suspects assaulted the victim. During the assault, he was pushed to the ground, kicked in the head and his head was struck against the pavement. The victim was taken to a hospital for treatment of multiple head injuries. The two suspects had fled the location. The investigation is continuing.

Hit and Run Traffic Collision
March 13 at 1:57 a.m., a hit and run traffic collision was reported in the 100 block of W. Colorado. The victim reported a vehicle had crashed into her parked car and fled. The suspect vehicle was described as a gold-colored, four-door vehicle. The investigation is continuing.

Vandalism
March 13 at 3:22 a.m., a resident in the 500 block of W. Duarte Road called police to report a vandalism that had just occurred. The victim was inside his residence when he heard noises outside. He looked out and saw an ex-roommate standing by his vehicle. He went out to confront the subject, but he fled. The victim looked at his vehicle and noticed the tires had been slashed. The suspect was not located and the investigation is ongoing.