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History: Japanese Family's Experience Farming in Monrovia

Story of how a Japanese family grew and sold strawberries in Monrovia and their internment experience during World War II. Here.

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia's Suitbots Robot Team Raising Funds to Compete in Super Regional Championships

The Suitbots, of the Monrovia High School Robotics program, have advanced to the Western Super Regional Championships in Tacoma Washington where on March 9-12 they will be up against 79 teams from the 13 western states for a slot at the World Championships. The money will be used for transportation, lodging, meals and competition fees. Click here to contribute.  Tax-deductible robot sponsorships are available.  Call 841-1956 for details.

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Police Officers' Association Raises Money For Specialized Wheelchair


Monrovia Police Officers' Association presented Jose De Anda, a young man with muscular dystrophy, with a specialized wheelchair to increase his mobility. The police department's School Resource Officer, James Ruano, learned of De Anda's situation and led a campaign to raise money for the chair. In addition to the Police Officers' Association, other contributors were the Monrovia Fire Fighters Association, Monrovia Kiwanis, personal donations from Monrovia's mayor, council members, city manager and city employees. Also, Rifton Equipment, the manufacturer, gave "a very large discount on the chair" and its employees donated their time to build it. https://goo.gl/Oax27j

- Brad Haugaard

Urinetown Play at Monrovia High


Monrovia High School's Theater Department will perform the musical, Urinetown, on March 9,10 and 11 from 7 to 9 p.m. The play has won three Tony Awards. It is a comedic satire of the legal system, social irresponsibility, bureaucracy, corporate mismanagement, and musical theater. Music by Mark Hollmann, lyrics by Greg Kotis, and directed at MHS by Nathanael Overby. The play features a full student cast and student orchestra. Tickets ($10 pre-sale and $15 at the door) are available from www.wildcattheater.com or any cast member or parent volunteer.

Monrovia Company Reports Q4 Loss

Monrovia-based Xencor Inc. reported a fourth-quarter loss of $9.1 million, or 21 cents per share. It reported a profit for the previous fourth quarter. https://goo.gl/8WiDRds

- Brad Haugaard

Police Make Arrests in Burglary Cases; You Can Help Form Parks Plan; Faster Library Internet Speed; Etc.

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

~ Monrovia police made arrests in the burglary of Party City, and more arrests in a burglary of  Smash Burger restaurant.

~ The city would like your opinion to help in developing a master plan for its parks. You can take the survey here: https://goo.gl/kxNIcQ

~ The black barriers you see on the Huntington Drive medians show contractors where the roots of healthy tree roots so they aren't damaged as workers replant the medians with less thirsty plants.

~ During the recent rains "our community was for the most part not heavily impacted," but the city is going to see if the state and federal government will reimburse it for what costs it did incur.

~ Speaking of which, the rain did cause ruts in some of its mountain trails. Be careful hiking and biking in those areas.

~ The library hopes to make the speed of its Internet connection ten times faster, from 100 MGps to 1 GBps.

~ Monrovia is looking for bids from qualified companies to run the Monrovia Transit program, designed primarily to help seniors get around. In fiscal year 2015/16 it provided nearly 50,000 trips.

~ Monrovia Public Library Librarian Annette Simpson was honored by Wild Rose Elementary at its Founder's Day assembly for her service to the community. She created many fun and educational programs and visited schools to encourage kids to love reading.

~ Boys and Girls Club of the Foothills will host a "Youth of the Year" event on March 16, at 5:30 p.m. at the Doubletree Hotel in Monrovia. The award recognizes club members who, with the help of their club, have met obstacles head-on and, despite the odds, have given back to their club and community.

- Brad Haugaard

Golden Streets Takes Place Sunday


On the one year anniversary of the opening of the Gold Line from Pasadena to Azusa, Bike SGV and Los Angeles County Metro will be hosting 626 Golden Streets, an open streets event spanning seven cities in the San Gabriel Valley where more than 17 miles of roadways will be closed off from automobiles to allow for people to walk, bike, jog, skate and more. The route, between South Pasadena and Azusa, will connect with the newest Gold Line stations in Arcadia, Monrovia, Duarte, Irwindale and Azusa.

Foothill Gold Line staff will be hosting a booth near the Azusa Downtown station. Stop by and say hi or to ask any questions you may have about the Glendora to Montclair extension.

626 Golden Streets takes place this Sunday, March 5, 2017, from 9 AM to 3 PM. For more information on the event, including the route, visit www.626goldenstreets.com.

Source: Press release

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia's Trader Joe's Recalls Apple Sauce

Monrovia-based Trader Joe's has recalled apple sauce. It might have glass in it: https://goo.gl/wuG481

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Police: Sleepy Driver Crashes; Man Arrested for Domestic Violence; Car Window Smashed, Purse Taken; Man Arrested for Feeding Juveniles Marijuana; Etc.

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

Following are the weekend’s highlighted issues and events.

False Evidence of Registration / Ex-Felon in Possession of Firearm – Suspects Arrested
February 23 at 5:14 p.m., an officer on patrol in the 200 block of E. Lime Avenue stopped a vehicle for a vehicle code violation. The vehicle registration was expired, but the vehicle displayed current registration stickers. The officer obtained permission to search the vehicle and a gun was found inside. One of the two occupants in the vehicle was an ex-felon. Both occupants were arrested. The gun was not registered to either of the subjects and had not been reported stolen.

Grand Theft Auto
February 23 at 7:14 p.m., a vehicle was reported stolen from the 500 block of E. Lime. The vehicle was parked on the street overnight. When the owner returned to the vehicle in the morning, it was gone. The vehicle is a white Ford Focus. The investigation is continuing.

Injury Traffic Collision
February 23 at 10:16 p.m., a solo vehicle traffic collision involving injuries occurred at Myrtle and Foothill. The driver was heading west on Foothill, approaching Myrtle, when he fell asleep at the wheel, momentarily. When he awoke, he swerved and lost control of the vehicle, colliding into the wall of the bank building on the corner. No other vehicles were involved and the driver was taken to the hospital for treatment of injuries.

Driving Under the Influence – Suspect Arrested
February 24 at 5:04 a.m., officers responded to the intersection of Myrtle and Duarte on the report of a vehicle in the roadway with someone slumped over the steering wheel. Officers arrived and determined the driver was intoxicated. He was arrested for driving under the influence.

Vehicle Code Violation / Warrants – Suspects Arrested
February 24 at 5:30 p.m., an officer on patrol stopped a vehicle for a vehicle code violation in the 200 block of E. Duarte Road. Two of the occupants had outstanding warrants and were subsequently arrested for the warrants. The driver was found to be operating the vehicle on a suspended license. The vehicle was stored.

Grand Theft
February 25 at 9:22 p.m., a grand theft was reported at a business in the 600 block of S. Myrtle. An unknown suspect entered the business and took cash from a backpack behind the counter. The investigation is continuing.

Domestic Violence – Suspect Arrested
February 26 at 2:31 a.m., officers responded to a residence in the 100 block of Montana regarding possible domestic violence occurring. The reporting party could hear a male yelling and a female crying. Officers arrived and found the female subject had visible injuries on her face. The male subject was arrested for domestic violence.

Theft From a Vehicle
February 26 at 10:15 a.m., a theft from a vehicle was reported in the 1300 block of S. Alta Vista. The victim reported that the license plates were stolen off his vehicle, along with items from inside. The vehicle was left unlocked. The investigation is continuing.

Vehicle Burglary
February 26 at 12:18 p.m., a vehicle burglary was reported at a business parking lot in the 700 block of W. Huntington. The victim parked her vehicle in the lot at 7:00 a.m. When she returned to her vehicle around noon, the window had been smashed and her purse had been stolen from the vehicle. The investigation is continuing.

Drug Activity / Counterfeit Currency / Possession of Burglary Tools – Suspect Arrested
February 26 at 2:46 p.m., officers went to a residence in the 700 block of W. Colorado to conduct a probation compliance search of a male juvenile. The search revealed the juvenile was in possession of heroin, counterfeit currency and burglary tools. He was arrested and later released to his family.

Public Intoxication – Suspect Arrested
February 26 at 9:07 p.m., dispatch received a call reporting a male subject that was lying in the road. An officer responded to the area and located the subject. The subject was extremely intoxicated and refused to provide his name. He was arrested for being drunk in public and held for a sobering period.

Detective Bureau Follow-Up Investigation: Child Endangerment / Drug Offense – Case Follow-Up
On February 22 at 11:29 a.m., staff at the high school called police to report three juveniles were complaining of stomach pain and were throwing up. Officers arrived and determined the juveniles had ingested edible marijuana. The paramedics and parents were summoned. The juveniles were taken to the hospital for treatment. The investigation revealed they had all eaten food given to them by an adult, knowing it contained THC. On February 23, the young adult, 19 years old, came into the Monrovia Police Department and was arrested for the incident.

Learn About Monrovia's Flying History


Laurel and Hardy at Monrovia Airport.

Relive early flying days in Monrovia with an historical review of Monrovia's own Flying Field, a special event on Sunday, April 30, 2 -4 p.m. at the Monrovia Historical Museum, 742 E. Lemon. The event is free to members of the Monrovia Historical Museum and the Monrovia Historical Society. Tickets for the public are $5 at the door. Refreshments will be served.

From 1928 to 1953, Monrovia had its own airport, located parallel to Shamrock Ave. south of Huntington Drive. At the airport, pilots practiced their craft, students learned to fly, passengers went for rides, and an occasional movie was filmed.

Now, history lovers and flying enthusiasts can relive those aviation years with "Monrovia’s Flying Field, featuring chats with and stories from experts in the history of the Flying Field. There will also be photographs of historic planes, and videos of the Flying Field in action. In addition there will be photos of the McDonald Brothers first hamburger stand, which was at the Monrovia airport. Special guests include Tom Blackburn, son of the airport owner, Al Blackburn, and Gary Boen, airport historian and collector of more than 1,000 photos and papers on the airport.
The event is co-sponsored by the Monrovia Historical Museum and the Monrovia Historical Society. Both organizations have decades-long  history in preserving and presenting local history. The Museum contains exhibits on the Flying Field as well as the founding of Monrovia and its early history. It is open Thursdays and Sundays from 1 to 4 p.m. The Society oversees the historic George Anderson House and oversees the Monrovia Legacy Project. The Legacy Project is digitizing the city historian’s collection which will be shared online and through the Monrovia Library.

Source: Press release

- Brad Haugaard 

Lunch at Oke Poke

 
Has lunch recently at the new Oke Poke restaurant in the Pavilions shopping center at Foothill and Myrtle. Got three-scoops of raw tuna and salmon in a kimchi sauce on white rice with various toppings for $9.95. Very good!

- Brad Haugaard 

Jewish Federation Presents Musical, 'Curtains'

Monrovia-based Jewish Federation has announced that the JFed Players Community Theatre Ensemble's next production, Curtains, will open on March 18 at the Clarke Center at 401 Rolyn Place, Arcadia. Curtains was the final collaboration between Kander and Ebb, creators of Cabaret and Chicago. Set in 1959, it has murder, mystery, music, comedy and romance. The story unfolds when the star of a new musical is murdered while taking a bow on opening night in Boston. Showtimes: Saturday, March 18, 8 p.m.; Sunday, March 19, 3 p.m.; Thursday, March 23, 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, March 25, 8 p.m.; Sunday, March 26th, 3 p.m. Tickets at http://www.jewishsgpv.org/event-tickets or by contacting the Jewish Federation at 445-0810.

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Police: Violent Argument; Catalytic Converters Stolen; Shoes In Their Pants; Marijuana Makes You Barf; Etc.

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

During the last seven-day period, the Police Department handled 390 service events, resulting in 58 investigations.

Domestic Violence – Suspect Arrested
February 20 at 7:16 a.m., officers responded to a residence in the 200 block of W. Central regarding a domestic violence incident. The victim reported that her husband battered her during an argument. Officers interviewed both subjects involved and arrested the husband for domestic violence.

Grand Theft
February 20 at 5:00 p.m., a grand theft was reported in the 200 block of N. Encinitas. Sometime during the early morning hours, someone stole the catalytic converter from the victim’s Honda Accord that was parked on the street in front of her home. The investigation is continuing.

Petty Theft – Suspect Arrested
February 20 at 8:10 p.m., officers were dispatched to a business in the 500 block of W. Huntington on the report of a theft that just occurred. Two male suspects entered the store and went to the shoe department, where they removed price tags from shoes, concealed them in their pants and left the location without paying. Store security saw the suspects enter a vehicle and drive east on Huntington. Officers located and stopped the vehicle. The suspects were positively identified by store security and arrested.

Grand Theft
February 21 at 7:21 a.m., a resident in the 200 block of Poppy Avenue called police to report a grand theft. The victim parked his vehicle in front of his home in the evening. When he returned to his vehicle in the morning, he found the catalytic converter had been stolen off the vehicle. The investigation is continuing.

Grand Theft
February 21 at 8:06 a.m., a grand theft was reported at a residence in the 200 block of W. Pomona Avenue. A dirt compactor was stolen from a construction site sometime during the evening or early morning hours. The investigation is continuing.

Medical Assist / Drug Offense
February 22 at 11:29 a.m., staff at the high school called police to report three juveniles were complaining of stomach pain and were throwing up. Officers arrived and determined the juveniles had ingested edible marijuana. The paramedics and parents were summoned. The juveniles were taken to the hospital for treatment. The investigation is continuing.

Public Intoxication – Suspects Arrested
February 23 at 3:13 a.m., officers were dispatched to the 200 block of W. Colorado regarding two subjects causing a disturbance. They contacted the subjects and determined they were intoxicated and unable to provide care for themselves. They were arrested for being drunk in public and held for a sobering period.

Monrovia Candidate Forum Set

The Monrovia Chamber of Commerce and the League of Women Voters are sponsoring a City Council candidate forum on Monday, March 6 at 6 p.m. in the Council chambers at City Hall. The forum will be broadcast on KGEM and viewers at home can submit questions by calling 932-5550

- Brad Haugaard 

How to Support 1917 Fire Engine Restoration Project

Mayor Tom Adams has set up a GoFundMe page to help pay for the restoration of Monrovia's 1917 Seagrave fire engine. If you would like to donate, click here: https://goo.gl/C107vS

- Brad Haugaard 

Monrovia Police: Burglaries; Mom vs. Daughter; Robbery; Boyfriend Hit With Broom; Hit and Run; Etc.

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

Following are the weekend’s highlighted issues and events.

Stolen Vehicle Recovered
February 16 at 10:56 a.m., officers responded to the report of a suspicious vehicle parked in a business parking lot in the 1600 block of S. Mountain Avenue. Officers located the vehicle and determined it was stolen. The vehicle was processed and returned to the owner. No suspects were located.

Residential Burglary
February 16 at 8:59 p.m., a residential burglary was reported in the 200 block of N. Encinitas. An unknown suspect entered the residence through an unlocked back door and took a backpack belonging to a juvenile. The suspect then fled. The investigation is continuing.

Battery
February 17 at 11:03 a.m., officers were dispatched to a residence in the 1400 block of S. Magnolia to investigate a physical altercation between a mother and her adult daughter, which has been an ongoing problem. The mother has signed a no trespass order against her daughter, who has returned to the residence on multiple occasions for a variety of reasons, and has been arrested for violation of the order. The mother allowed the daughter to stay at the home overnight, but then asked her to leave because DCFS was coming to the house and the daughter was not supposed to be there. The two began to argue and the argument turned physical. A report will be filed with the District Attorney’s office for battery charges.

Possession of Methamphetamine / Warrants – Suspect Arrested
February 17 at 2:27 p.m., a suspicious vehicle was reported in the 200 block of N. Ivy Avenue. An officer arrived and located the vehicle and a person in the driver's seat who appeared to be hiding from the officer. During the course of the investigation, the officer discovered the driver had several warrants, no license, and methamphetamine on his person. The suspect was arrested.

Residential Burglary
February 17 at 11:09 p.m., a residential burglary was reported in the 300 block of Bradbury. The victim left his residence for several hours. When he returned, he found the back sliding door shattered and his home had been ransacked. The resident is determining the loss. The investigation is continuing.

Stolen Vehicle
February 18 at 8:15 a.m., the victim parked their vehicle in their apartment complex parking lot in the 900 block of W. Walnut in the evening. They returned to the lot in the morning and the vehicle had been stolen. The keys were in the vehicle. The vehicle is a 2015 Lexus IS 250. The investigation is continuing.

Domestic Violence
February 18 at 12:54 p.m., a victim of domestic violence went to her friend’s home and told the friend that her boyfriend had beaten her. The incident occurred in the 200 block of W. Colorado and the victim had visible injuries; she was taken to a hospital for medical treatment. Officers went to the boyfriend's residence and interviewed him. He was then arrested for domestic violence.

Vehicle Burglary
February 18 at 3:44 p.m., employees at a business in the 1100 block of E. Huntington witnessed a male Hispanic suspect with a tattoo on his neck enter a locked vehicle in the business parking lot. The suspect fled in a gold, 4-door sedan, possibly a Honda or Toyota. The investigation is continuing.

Stolen Vehicle Recovered
February 18 at 3:50 p.m., two suspicious vehicles were reported in the 700 block of E. Royal Oaks, possibly involved in drug activity. Officers arrived and located the two vehicles. One vehicle was found to be a reported stolen vehicle from Upland. The vehicle was recovered and the investigation is continuing.

Stolen Vehicle
February 18 at 5:11 p.m., a vehicle was reported stolen from the 1200 block of Sherman. The victim reported his green, 2000 Honda Civic had been stolen sometime between 12:00 and 5:10 p.m. The investigation is continuing.

Commercial Robbery
February 18 at 6:25 p.m., officers responded to a robbery at a business in the 100 block of W. Huntington. A male suspect entered the location wearing a grey and green hooded sweatshirt and revealed a black handgun in his waistband. He demanded money from the cash register, which the employee gave to him, placing it in a Walmart bag. The suspect then fled the location. The investigation is continuing.

Shoplifting – Suspect Arrested
February 18 at 8:11 p.m., a business in the 500 block of W. Huntington reported a theft that had just occurred. The suspect concealed items on his person and exited the store. An officer responded and detained the suspect nearby. The stolen property was recovered and the suspect was arrested.

Stolen Vehicle Recovered
February 18 at 10:51 p.m., a vehicle that was reported stolen earlier in the day from the 900 block of W. Walnut was recovered in Upland by the Upland Police Department. A Monrovia officer responded to Upland to process the vehicle for fingerprints. The investigation is continuing.

Domestic Battery
February 19 at 7:46 a.m., a battery incident was reported in the 500 block of Cloverleaf Drive. The investigation revealed that a boyfriend and girlfriend were in a verbal argument that turned physical. The female struck her live-in boyfriend with a broom. The male complained of pain to his hand. The female was arrested for domestic battery.

Felony Hit & Run Traffic Collision
February 19 at 3:51 p.m., the victim driver was traveling west on Huntington and came to a stop at Mayflower. The suspect rear-ended the victim's vehicle and then fled the area. The victim and a passenger complained of neck pain. The investigation is continuing.

The Monrovia Shooting That Could Have Been Prevented; Flags at Myrtle Crosswalk; Historic City House Sold; Etc.

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

~ That the police department did some "tremendous work" in arresting suspects in an attempted murder case, but said that it should never have happened. The suspect, he said, served a nine months in prison for attempted murder and  assault with a deadly weapon, "then, just a few months after he was released from prison, he attempted to kill another individual here in Monrovia." Chi said, "This overall situation illustrates how the new set of laws in California have resulted in criminals - and even violent criminals - being allowed to repeat their crimes over and over, and in that process, the end result is that more individuals are becoming victims of crime."

~ The city will conduct a 3-month trial placement of flag stands at the mid-block crosswalk on Myrtle Avenue between Lemon and Colorado. The idea is that pedestrians pick up a flag on one side of the street, walk across the street with it, then leave the flag in a stand on the other side of the street. Hopefully this increases their visibility.

~ Monrovia has installed a new pedestrian crosswalk on Mountain Avenue between Monrovia's auto dealerships on the west side of the street and the Best Buy shopping center on the east side of the street.

~ The city has sold the former City Annex building, also known as the Tillapaugh House, an historic residence at the corner of Ivy and Lime. The buyer plans to fix it up.

~ Monrovia Library Foundation's third annual literacy fundraiser, Team Up Dream Up for Literacy, will take place on Sunday, Feb. 26, from 1 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the Library.  Based loosely on the game show "Family Feud." Tickets are $50 and all proceeds benefit the Library's literacy services program.  You can purchase tickets at the Monrovia Library.

Pinwheels In The Garden at Monrovia Garden Club Meeting

Jeralyn Crute Sackman will speak on "Pinwheels in the Garden," about her handcrafted garden pinwheels inspired by nature at the annual tea of the Monrovia Garden Club on Tuesday, Feb. 28, 7 p.m. in Fellowship Hall at First Presbyterian Church, on the northeast corner of Myrtle and Foothill. She will have pinwheels available for purchase. Social hour with light refreshments at 6:30 p.m. Visitors welcome.

- Brad Haugaard

Husband Shares Disney Experiences | Park Closed | Free Driving Lesson

~ Monrovia High 1968 grad, Ron Husband, the first African-American animator to work for Disney Studios, shared his experience with current Monrovia High students. https://goo.gl/0ZUmJP

~ Monrovia Canyon Park closed through Feb. 20 because of the storm. https://goo.gl/R7P8KG

~ Ford Motor Company Fund is holding Driving Skills For Life, a free driver training program coming to Arcadia this March. This program is geared toward helping younger drivers become safe and cautious drivers. Drivers will receive advanced training on hazard recognition, vehicle handling, braking and stopping distance, speed management, reaction time, avoiding the dangers of distracted and impaired driving and more. There will be two sessions on March 4 and 5 at the Santa Anita Park, one from 7:30 am to noon and the afternoon session from 1 pm to 5:30 pm on both March 4 and 5. Sign up at http://www.drivingskillsforlife.com .

- Brad Haugaard 

Dinner at 38 Degrees

 
Dinner at 38 Degrees, on the south side of Colorado just east of Myrtle. Got the Thirty Eight burger for $14 and a beer for $7. Nice burger. 

- Brad Haugaard