Fire Prevention Week in Monrovia

This year, Monrovia Fire & Rescue will be participating in Fire Prevention Week. This year’s Fire Prevention Week campaign, “Don’t Wait – Check the Date! Replace Smoke Alarms Every 10 Years,” represents the final year of a three-year effort to educate the public about basic, but essential elements of smoke alarm safety. As part of the campaign, Monrovia firefighters will be visiting Monrovia Unified School District (MUSD) 4th grade classrooms during the week of October 10, 2016. 

The teaching point will be centered on the importance of checking to ensure smoke detectors are not expired. To conclude the week, on October 15, 2016, Monrovia Fire & Rescue will be opening its doors at Station 101, located at 141 E. Lemon Ave., to the general public between the hours of 12:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.  In order to gain access to Station 101, a simple quiz regarding smoke alarms will need to be completed and/or the smoke alarm challenge sheet will need to be submitted. For more information on Fire Prevention Week and the links to the quiz and the challenge sheet, visit our website at http://www.cityofmonrovia.org/fire/page/fire-department-press-releases.

Source: City of Monrovia press release

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Police: Suspect Spotted With Pink Cell Phone; Battling Boyfriends; Etc.

[Monrovia Police activities from the Police Department's Neighborhood Watch Report for October 3-5. - Brad Haugaard]

During the last seven-day period, the Police Department handled 413 service events, resulting in 76 investigations.

Vandalism – Suspect Arrested

October 3 at 12:42 p.m., officers responded to the report of a vandalism incident in progress. The reporting party followed the suspect and was able to direct officers to his location. The suspect was arrested.

Theft From a Vehicle – Suspect Arrested

October 3 at 4:04 p.m., the victim of a theft from a vehicle that occurred a few days prior in the 600 block of W. Foothill called police for additional assistance. The victim’s cell phone was stolen during the theft and the victim saw a male subject in the area at the time of the theft. The victim was now reporting that she saw the same male subject walk into his apartment with her pink cell phone in his hand.

Officers arrived at the location and contacted the suspect, who admitted to taking the cell phone out of the unlocked vehicle. He gave the phone to the officers and they returned it to the victim. A verified complaint charging the suspect with theft was forwarded to the District Attorney for filing.

Warrant / Possession of Drug Paraphernalia – Suspects Arrested

October 4 at 1:37 a.m., an officer was on patrol in the 500 block of W. Palm and stopped a vehicle for a traffic violation. The vehicle was occupied by three subjects. During his contact with the occupants, the officer discovered one of the passengers had an outstanding warrant for his arrest. The passenger was arrested and the driver consented to a search of her vehicle. The search revealed a pipe used for smoking methamphetamine and several syringes. The driver was arrested for possession of drug paraphernalia.

Burglary – Suspect Arrested

October 4 at 7:26 a.m., a worker at a business in the 2100 block of S. Myrtle called to report two suspects breaking into a storage unit with a crowbar. As the suspects were leaving in their vehicle, they were having problems getting the vehicle gate to open. The passenger exited the vehicle and fled on foot. When officers arrived, they detained the driver at the gate. Officers confirmed the suspects forced open and burglarized a storage unit. The driver was arrested for burglary and a wanted person’s warrant was issued for the second suspect.

Warrant / Possession of a Controlled Substance / Possession of Drug Paraphernalia – Suspect Arrested

October 4 at 1:00 p.m., an officer on patrol in the 400 block of W. Maple contacted a subject regarding a trespassing issue. A computer check of the subject revealed he had an outstanding warrant for his arrest. The subject was arrested and taken into custody. A search incident to arrest revealed a baggie of methamphetamine and a glass pipe for smoking controlled substances.

Battery – Suspect Arrested

October 4 at 7:21 p.m., a battery incident was reported in the 800 block of W. Colorado. The victim reported that he was assaulted by the current boyfriend of his ex-girlfriend. The victim had been driving by his ex-girlfriend's residence and had a prior verbal confrontation with her boyfriend/suspect. The victim returned to the location and was assaulted by the suspect. The victim placed the suspect under private person's arrest. The officer arrested the suspect and took him into custody. He was later released with a citation to appear in court on the charges.

Commercial Burglary

October 5 at 2:25 a.m., officers responded to the 900 block of W. Huntington Drive on the activation of a burglary alarm. When they arrived, they discovered a glass door had been shattered. Further investigation revealed unknown suspect(s) entered the location through the shattered door and ransacked the drawers and cabinets. It appears that nothing was taken from the location, but the investigation is continuing.

Driving Under the Influence / Warrant -

October 6 at 2:25 a.m., an officer conducted a traffic stop on a driver in the 400 block of W. Chestnut for driving without headlights during hours of darkness. The driver displayed symptoms of being intoxicated. The officer conducted a DUI investigation and determined the driver was too intoxicated to operate his vehicle safely. A computer check of the driver revealed there were two outstanding warrants for his arrest, as well. The driver was arrested and held for a detoxification period.

Monrovia Attorney Disbarred

Monrovia attorney disbarred for failing to appear at his disciplinary trial. https://goo.gl/wKWuag

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Girls Volleyball Over South Pas :-)

Monrovia Girls Volleyball hands South Pasadena its first loss. https://goo.gl/UhyHmP

- Brad Haugaard

Wilderness Entry-Point to Open Soon; Applebee's Closing; Police Get Mental Health Clinician; Etc.

Improvements at the soon-to-be-opened Cloverleaf trailhead.

In his weekly report ( https://goo.gl/hWUj7B ), Monrovia City Manager Oliver Chi reports ...

~ The city has made "significant progress" this past week in repairing the Hillside Wilderness Preserve trail system and installing improvements at access points. With the progress that was made last week, "we are feeling confident that we will be able to finish the trial improvements in time to open up the Hillside Wilderness Preserve by the end of October 2016." Comment: Hooray!

~ Applebee's Restaurant (in the Huntington Oaks Shopping Center) will be closing "in short order."

~ Monrovia Police Department will have an LA County mental health clinician assigned to if for six days every month to help officers who encounter people with mental problems.

~ Cacique, is one of the largest Hispanic-style dairy product manufacturers in the US, has leased 28,000 square feet of office space in Monrovia to be its headquarters.

~ If you are interested in the hotel project planned for the corner of Huntington and Myrtle, Tharaldson Hospitality Group, which is planning a Marriott Towneplace Suites Hotel, will discuss the project on Oct. 13 from 6-8 p.m., at the Monrovia Public Library.

~ The compost and mulch give-away was a success. 30 tons of compost and 20 tons of mulch were given away to 200 people.

~ Brews and Books will be held Oct. 6 from 7-8 p.m. at the Station Square Promenade by the Metro Parking Structure. Featuring, well, beer and books. Open to adults 21 years and older and you'll need a valid ID. They're not just going to take your word for it.

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Company Gets $22.7 Million Contract for Killer Drones

Monrovia drone maker, AeroVironment, has announced the United States Army has awarded the company a contract for "Block 10C Switchblade Lethal Miniature Aerial Missile Systems and support services valued at $22,776,812." https://goo.gl/LDmHko

- Brad Haugaard

Sketches of Historic Monrovia Homes to be Published

Monrovia Historic Preservation group is planning to publish this month a set of pen and ink drawings by Marjorie Brewer, who started in the late 1950s when she noticed that homes in a state of disrepair were being torn down. Of the eleven houses in this anthology, three were eventually demolished.

The book will contain not only the drawings but also vintage photographs of the homes where available and a current picture if the home is still standing. Plus early histories of the homes.

Source: MOHPG newsletter

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Police: Drugs, Alcohol and Burglaries

[Monrovia Police activities from the Police Department's Neighborhood Watch Report for September 29 – October 2. - Brad Haugaard]

Following are the weekend’s highlighted issues and events.

Warrant – Suspect Arrested
September 30 at 12:46 a.m., an officer observed a subject in the 300 block of S. Myrtle that he knew had an outstanding warrant. The subject was arrested, booked and later released with a citation to appear in court on the warrant.

Petty Theft
September 30 at 4:43 p.m., a petty theft was reported in the 600 block of W. Huntington Drive. The victim called to report someone had stolen hand tools from the bed of his truck. The investigation is continuing.

Residential Burglary
October 1 at 8:41 a.m., a residential burglary was reported in the 300 block of E. Lime. The home was involved in a fire earlier in the week and had been declared uninhabitable. The front door had been boarded up and someone removed one of the boards. The owner of the property was notified and responded to the location. Officers searched the home, but did not locate anyone inside. The owner did not find anything missing. The investigation is continuing.

Possession of Methamphetamine / Possession of Drug Paraphernalia – Suspect Arrested
October 1 at 11:19 p.m., an officer was on patrol in the 1600 block of S. Myrtle when he observed a suspicious male adult subject. The subject tossed something on the ground when he saw the officer. The officer detained the subject and requested assisting officers. When assistance arrived, the officer retrieved the items which had been tossed. He discovered the items were a baggie of methamphetamine and two used pipes for smoking methamphetamine. The suspect was arrested and taken into custody.

Public Intoxication / Warrant – Suspect Arrested
October 2 at 12:15 p.m., an officer was flagged down regarding a man down, possibly intoxicated. The subject was located and determined to be too intoxicated to care for his own safety. He was arrested for being drunk in public. He was also found to have an outstanding warrant for his arrest.

Possession of Drug Paraphernalia – Suspect Arrested
October 2 at 5:20 p.m., an officer saw a bicyclist commit a vehicle code violation and stopped the subject. During the contact with the officer, the subject admitted to having drug paraphernalia in his possession. He was arrested and taken into custody.

Halloween Film at Library

Free screening of Tim Burton's Halloween Film, Frankenweenie, Saturday, Oct. 22, 10 a.m. at Monrovia Public Library. For free tickets call 205-4308 or email movie@monroviaproviders.org. Wear a costume for trick or treating! Light refreshments, senior community resources available.

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Council to Consider Refinancing Bonds to Save About $200,000 a Year

At its next meeting ( https://goo.gl/odMD9F ) the Monrovia City Council will consider ...

~ Refinancing at a lower interest rate the bond that paid for the new library to save about $2.2 million, or $105,000 to $110,000 per year for 20 years. https://goo.gl/YjdyNH

~ Refinancing some bonds from the old redevelopment agency bonds to save $1.8 million in lower interest rates over 20 years, or approximately $90,000 per year. https://goo.gl/fDl14G

- Brad Haugaard

Dinner at Jake's Roadhouse

Had dinner last night at Jake's Roadhouse on the east side of Myrtle just a bit north of Olive. Got the tri-tip dinner, which comes with two sides, for $19.95, and a large beer for $7.50. Food was good and filling.

- Brad Haugaard 

Walking Tour of Old Monrovia

Monrovia Historic Preservation Group will conduct a walking tour of downtown Monrovia on Saturday, Oct. 8 at 10 a.m. The tour lasts about two hours, and participants will walk eight blocks. $5 per person. Reservations not necessary, just meet at the SE corner of Palm and Myrtle Avenues.

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Police: Hit With Crowbar and Stabbed; Domestic Violence; Drugs; Thefts of and From Vehicles; Drunk Driving

[Monrovia Police activities from the Police Department's Neighborhood Watch Report for September 26-28. - Brad Haugaard]

During the last seven-day period, the Police Department handled 456 service events, resulting in 73 investigations.

Grand Theft Auto / Possession of a Controlled Substance / Receiving Stolen Property – Suspect Arrested
September 26 at 9:52 a.m., officers responded to the report of a suspicious vehicle and subject at a gas station in the 700 block of W. Huntington. When officers arrived, the subject exited the vehicle and fled on foot. As the suspect fled, he was taking items from his pockets and throwing them on the ground. Assisting officers arrived and the suspect was detained. The suspect’s vehicle was determined to be stolen and stolen property was found inside the vehicle, along with a large amount of both heroin and methamphetamine. The suspect was arrested and taken into custody.

Assault with a Deadly Weapon – Suspect Arrested
September 27 at 8:28 a.m., officers were dispatched on the report of an assault with a deadly weapon at a storage facility in the 2100 block of S. Myrtle. The victim reported he had been struck with a crowbar and stabbed. Officers located the subject and saw visible facial injuries to the victim. He identified the suspect, who was located and arrested. The victim was taken to a local hospital for treatment.

Domestic Violence
September 27 at 10:14 p.m., an incident of domestic violence was reported in the 300 block of E. Palm. A male and female subject were involved in an argument and the male subject pushed the female, causing her to fall and sustain injuries to her hand, arm and head. The suspect had left the location prior to officers arriving and could not be located. A wanted person entry was made into the law enforcement system and the investigation is continuing.

Grand Theft Auto
September 27 at 10:36 p.m., a vehicle was reported stolen from the 300 block of W. Huntington Drive. The victim parked her car in the parking lot of a business and went inside. When she returned to her vehicle, it was gone. The vehicle is a 1991 Honda.

Theft From a Vehicle
September 28 in the early morning hours, police received three reports of theft from unlocked vehicles. The thefts occurred sometime overnight in the 400 block of N. Primrose, the 200 block of W. Scenic and the 200 block of Monroe. In all three incidents the vehicles were ransacked and miscellaneous items were taken. The investigations are continuing.

Possession of Drug Paraphernalia – Suspect Arrested
September 28 at 9:17 a.m., a suspicious subject was reported in the 800 block of W. Olive. The subject was contacted and found to be in possession of used syringes. He was arrested for being in possession of drug paraphernalia and later released with a citation to appear in court on the charges.

Shoplifting / Warrant – Suspect Arrested
September 28 at 3:56 p.m., a shoplifter was reported at a business in the 1600 block of S. Mountain. The suspect entered the business and selected multiple items. He then took the items to the front of the store and returned them. He was given store credit for the merchandise. Officers detained the suspect and a computer check revealed he had warrant for his arrest. The suspect was arrested and taken into custody for the charges.

Driving Under the Influence – Suspect Arrested
September 29 at 3:43 a.m., a motorist called police to report a possible drunk driver in the area of Sixth and Duarte. The driver was swerving from lane to lane. Officers responded and located the vehicle at Eighth and Camino. They stopped the vehicle for vehicle code violations and determined the driver was driving under the influence. The driver was arrested for DUI.

Progress on Hotel for Myrtle and Huntington; Bartlett Memorial Design; Monrovia Library Events

Design for Bartlett Memorial.

In his weekly report ( https://goo.gl/3BHJO7 )  City Manager Oliver Chi reports ...

~ The Tharaldson Hospitality Group is making "good progress" on the proposed Marriott Towneplace Suites Hotel for the southwest corner of Myrtle Avenue and Huntington Drive.

~ The Bob Bartlett Memorial Committee has selected artist, Carole Choucair Oueijan, to design a memorial for the late Monrovia Mayor, Bob Bartlett. The proposed project will be considered by the city council in October.

~ Have thoughts on improving library operations? There will be an open forum on Oct. 8 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the library to discuss this. Questions, call the city at 256-8274.

~ Second- through fifth-grade students can vote for their favorite books between Sept. 28 - Nov. 2, every Wednesday from 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., at the Monrovia Library. Voting is part of a class in which children will hold elections, learn about states, read about presidents, as well as make crafts, and play games. Prizes, tool Those who attend four out of six classes will receive a free book!  Call the Library at 256-8274 for questions.

~ Pajama storytime on Sept. 28 and Oct. 26, at 6:30 p.m. in the Library Storytime Room. Call the Library at 256-8274 for questions.

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Fire; Injured Football Player Doing Fine

~ A Monday morning fire in Monrovia caused minor leg injuries to two firefighters and caused about $500.000 damage to four homes, a garage and their contents. https://goo.gl/QaC6BX

~ Monrovia High football player Michael Washington is doing fine after being taken to a hospital after a head and neck injury in Friday's game against Damien. https://goo.gl/7zhziJ

- Brad Haugaard

Astronaut to Speak at Citrus College

Former NASA astronaut and engineer, Jose M. Hernández, the first migrant farm worker to become a NASA astronaut, will be the guest speaker at Citrus College's Haugh Performing Arts Center (1000 W. Foothill Blvd. in Glendora), on Wednesday, Sept. 28 from 2:40-4 p.m. Citrus College serves Monrovia and the talk is free and open to the public.

Hernandez is one of four children born to a Mexican migrant family. He did not learn to speak English until he was 12 years-old and spent most of the year working with his family picking strawberries and cucumbers on California farms.

Hernández completed NASA's astronaut training and has traveled on two space missions where he served as one of two robotic arm operators. He has also taken three space walks and worked on developing quantitative x-ray film imaging analysis techniques for the x-ray laser program at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory.

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Police: Fake Gun, Fireworks; Surfboard Stolen; Lying in Parking Lot Smoking; Burglaries; Catalytic Converter; Stolen Ring; Dark Bike

[Monrovia Police activities from the Police Department's Neighborhood Watch Report for September 22-25. - Brad Haugaard]

Following are the weekend’s highlighted issues and events.

Residential Burglary
September 22 at 8:02 a.m., an officer was dispatched on the report of a residential burglary in the 1500 block of S. Mayflower Avenue. The victim called to report that sometime between 2:00 and 4:30 a.m., someone entered his attached garage and stole items. The investigation is continuing.

Warrant / Altered Imitation Firearm / Possession of Dangerous Fireworks – Suspect Arrested
September 22 at 11:03 a.m., a suspicious subject was reported in the 2700 block of S. Peck Road. Officers responded and contacted the subject, who was seated in a parked vehicle, attempting to hide from the officers. A computer check revealed the subject had an outstanding warrant for his arrest. He was also found to be in possession of a modified replica firearm and fireworks. The suspect was arrested and taken into custody.

Public Intoxication – Suspect Arrested
September 22 at 2:23 p.m., a disturbing subject was reported in the 800 block of W. Colorado. The subject was causing a disturbance in front of the high school. Officers made contact and determined the suspect was too intoxicated to care for himself. He was arrested and held for a sobering period. He was later released from custody with a citation to appear in court on the charges.

Residential Burglary
September 22 at 4:24 p.m., an officer responded to the report of a residential burglary in the 1000 block of E. Lemon. The home had been burglarized sometime between 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. The investigation is continuing.

Petty Theft
September 23 at 9:09 a.m., a petty theft was reported in the 500 block of Norumbega Road. The victim left his surfboard and wetsuit on his porch overnight to dry. When he returned the next morning, he discovered someone had stolen his property. The investigation is continuing.

Public Intoxication – Suspect Arrested
September 23 at 9:33 a.m., an officer responded to the report of a male subject lying in the middle of a parking lot in the 900 block of W. Huntington, smoking a cigarette. Officers contacted the subject and determined he was too intoxicated to care for himself. The subject was arrested for public intoxication and held for a sobering period.

Trespassing – Suspect Arrested
September 23 at 9:53 a.m., a business owner in the 700 block of W. Huntington Drive called police to report a subject that was causing a disturbance at his business and was refusing to leave. Officers arrived and contacted the subject. He was arrested for trespassing. The suspect was later released with a citation to appear in court on the charges.

Shoplifting – Suspect Arrested
September 23 at 3:55 p.m., a shoplifter was reported at a business in the 100 block of W. Foothill. The suspect stole merchandise from the business. Officers arrived and located the suspect. He was placed under citizen’s arrest and taken into custody.

Residential Burglary
September 23 at 11:38 p.m., an officer was dispatched to a residence in the 500 block of Bradbury Road on the report of a residential burglary. The resident arrived home after being away from the residence for two weeks to find the home had been burglarized. It appears the suspect removed a swamp cooler from the window to gain entry to the home. Items of jewelry were taken. The investigation is continuing.

Theft
September 24 at 10:50 a.m., a theft from a vehicle was reported in the 200 block of S. Shamrock Avenue. The victim called to report his catalytic converter was stolen from his vehicle sometime during the night. The investigation is continuing.

Grand Theft
September 24 at 6:23 p.m., a grand theft was reported at a business in the 500 block of W. Huntington. The suspect entered the business and asked to look at the best wedding ring in the jewelry department. Once the clerk handed the ring to the suspect, he took the ring and ran out of the store to a waiting vehicle. A second suspect was driving the vehicle, a white Toyota Tercel. An area search for the suspects was conducted, but they were not located. The investigation is continuing

Traffic Collision
September 25 at 8:12 p.m., officers responded to a traffic collision in the 1700 block of S. Mayflower. A vehicle was making a right turn onto Mayflower from Genoa and struck a bicyclist who was traveling on the wrong side of the road with no headlight in the darkness. The bicyclist complained of pain to her arm and neck. She was taken to a hospital for treatment.

Monrovia Predicted to Reach 107 Degrees

A blazing 107 degrees in Monrovia predicted for today. https://goo.gl/0qMTb8

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia School Board to Consider Compensation for Superintendent

At its Sept. 28 meeting ( info here ), the Monrovia Board of Education will consider giving Superintendent Katherine Thorossian an annual salary of $239,213 for the 2016-2017 school year, which includes $10,000 that is paid each year as long as her rating remains "above satisfactory" for the previous year. Plus annual salary increases and benefits.

- Brad Haugaard

Dinner at Rigo's Mexican Food

Dinner last night at Rigo's Mexican Food at Foothill and Mayflower. Got a beef burrito for $11.95 and a bottle of beer for $4.95. It was fine.

- Brad Haugaard