Things again seem to be happening at the long-stalled refurbishing of the clock tower building on the east side of Myrtle across from the library. Old Town businesswoman, Pam Fitzpatrick, said drywall has been delivered and a van from an elevator company was parked outside. https://goo.gl/mqrbuf
- Brad Haugaard
Monrovia Young Musicians Ensemble Musical Bake Sale
Monrovia Young Musicians Ensemble will hold a musical bake sale at the Pavilions supermarket on Sunday, Nov. 19 and Dec. 10 from 4-6 p.m. each day. MYME serves the community by sharing music and promoting awareness of the necessity to keep music alive in local schools.
- Brad Haugaard
Monrovia Police: Burglary Suspect Arrested Because He Made a Fuss; Four-Year-Old Wanders Streets; Shoplifting; Wallet Swiped; Bikes Stolen
[Monrovia Police activities from the Police Department's Neighborhood Watch Report for November 6-8. - Brad Haugaard]
During the last seven-day period, the Police Department handled 440 service events, resulting in 73 investigations.
Child Endangerment – Suspect Arrested
November 6 at 7:02 a.m., an officer responded to the area of Monterey and Walnut regarding a four-year-old boy wandering. The child was taken to the Monrovia Police Department and the Department of Children and Family Services was notified. It was determined that the father left the boy alone in the house to take the child's mother to work. There is a domestic violence restraining order against the father. The father was arrested for child endangerment. A verified complaint was submitted to the court to file charges of child endangerment on the mother.
Theft – Suspect Arrested
November 6 at 3:55 p.m., officers on patrol saw a subject running out of a business in the 1600 block of S. Mountain Avenue. Store loss prevention was following after the subject. The subject had attempted to steal merchandise from the business. Once confronted by loss prevention, the subject fled. He was located by officers and arrested for the theft.
Theft
November 6 at 7:09 p.m., an officer responded to a business in the 1600 block of S. Mountain regarding a theft. Two suspects selected backpacks and shoes from the store and fled out of an emergency exit. The suspects had fled prior to officers arriving. The investigation is continuing.
Domestic Violence – Suspects Arrested
November 7 at 1:15 a.m., a couple that reside in the 800 block of W. Walnut were involved in a physical altercation. There were conflicting statements and officers were unable to establish the primary aggressor. Both subjects were arrested for domestic violence.
Traffic Collision with Injury / Driving Under the Influence – Suspect Arrested
November 7 at 4:03 p.m., officers responded to the intersection of California and Olive regarding an injury traffic collision. One driver was traveling southbound on California and the other was traveling eastbound on Olive, where they collided in the intersection. One of the drivers was found to be driving under the influence of alcohol and was arrested. The other driver complained of pain.
Shoplifting – Suspect Arrested
November 7 at 4:57 p.m., an officer responded to a business in the 500 block of W. Huntington regarding a female suspect that stole merchandise and fled the location on foot. The officer arrived and located the female suspect in a nearby parking lot. The stolen property was recovered. The suspect was positively identified by store loss prevention and arrested for the theft.
Theft of Bicycles
November 8 at 1:29 p.m., two bicycles were reported stolen from the 1300 block of S. Alta Vista. The bicycles were stolen from the front common area of an apartment complex. The investigation is continuing.
Petty Theft / Fraud
November 8 at 2:22 p.m., a petty theft of a wallet was reported at a business in the 600 block of W. Huntington. The victim placed her backpack on the back of her chair. A witness saw a male suspect reach into the backpack and remove the wallet, while a second suspect attempted to block the witness’s view by standing up. The witness notified the manager, but when the witness and manager returned to the victim's table to inform her of the theft, the suspects were gone. The victim's debit card was later used at a business nearby. The investigation is continuing.
Burglary
November 9 at 12:06 a.m., the front glass door of a business in the 200 block of W. Foothill was reported shattered. Officers responded and confirmed a burglary had occurred. Surveillance video showed a male, white suspect with a beard, wearing a plaid jacket. The suspect broke the glass with a rock and entered the location. He searched the cash register drawers and left, taking nothing.
Approximately an hour later, officers were dispatched to a gas station in the 1500 block of S. Myrtle regarding a subject causing a disturbance. Officers arrived and recognized the subject as the suspect that committed the burglary on Foothill. The suspect was arrested and taken into custody.
Grand Theft
November 9 at 5:50 a.m., a grand theft of a bicycle was reported in the 400 block of W. Huntington. Officers responded to the location regarding the theft and located a vehicle nearby that was leaving the area. The vehicle was stopped and the bicycle was recovered from inside. The suspect was arrested for the theft.
During the last seven-day period, the Police Department handled 440 service events, resulting in 73 investigations.
Child Endangerment – Suspect Arrested
November 6 at 7:02 a.m., an officer responded to the area of Monterey and Walnut regarding a four-year-old boy wandering. The child was taken to the Monrovia Police Department and the Department of Children and Family Services was notified. It was determined that the father left the boy alone in the house to take the child's mother to work. There is a domestic violence restraining order against the father. The father was arrested for child endangerment. A verified complaint was submitted to the court to file charges of child endangerment on the mother.
Theft – Suspect Arrested
November 6 at 3:55 p.m., officers on patrol saw a subject running out of a business in the 1600 block of S. Mountain Avenue. Store loss prevention was following after the subject. The subject had attempted to steal merchandise from the business. Once confronted by loss prevention, the subject fled. He was located by officers and arrested for the theft.
Theft
November 6 at 7:09 p.m., an officer responded to a business in the 1600 block of S. Mountain regarding a theft. Two suspects selected backpacks and shoes from the store and fled out of an emergency exit. The suspects had fled prior to officers arriving. The investigation is continuing.
Domestic Violence – Suspects Arrested
November 7 at 1:15 a.m., a couple that reside in the 800 block of W. Walnut were involved in a physical altercation. There were conflicting statements and officers were unable to establish the primary aggressor. Both subjects were arrested for domestic violence.
Traffic Collision with Injury / Driving Under the Influence – Suspect Arrested
November 7 at 4:03 p.m., officers responded to the intersection of California and Olive regarding an injury traffic collision. One driver was traveling southbound on California and the other was traveling eastbound on Olive, where they collided in the intersection. One of the drivers was found to be driving under the influence of alcohol and was arrested. The other driver complained of pain.
Shoplifting – Suspect Arrested
November 7 at 4:57 p.m., an officer responded to a business in the 500 block of W. Huntington regarding a female suspect that stole merchandise and fled the location on foot. The officer arrived and located the female suspect in a nearby parking lot. The stolen property was recovered. The suspect was positively identified by store loss prevention and arrested for the theft.
Theft of Bicycles
November 8 at 1:29 p.m., two bicycles were reported stolen from the 1300 block of S. Alta Vista. The bicycles were stolen from the front common area of an apartment complex. The investigation is continuing.
Petty Theft / Fraud
November 8 at 2:22 p.m., a petty theft of a wallet was reported at a business in the 600 block of W. Huntington. The victim placed her backpack on the back of her chair. A witness saw a male suspect reach into the backpack and remove the wallet, while a second suspect attempted to block the witness’s view by standing up. The witness notified the manager, but when the witness and manager returned to the victim's table to inform her of the theft, the suspects were gone. The victim's debit card was later used at a business nearby. The investigation is continuing.
Burglary
November 9 at 12:06 a.m., the front glass door of a business in the 200 block of W. Foothill was reported shattered. Officers responded and confirmed a burglary had occurred. Surveillance video showed a male, white suspect with a beard, wearing a plaid jacket. The suspect broke the glass with a rock and entered the location. He searched the cash register drawers and left, taking nothing.
Approximately an hour later, officers were dispatched to a gas station in the 1500 block of S. Myrtle regarding a subject causing a disturbance. Officers arrived and recognized the subject as the suspect that committed the burglary on Foothill. The suspect was arrested and taken into custody.
Grand Theft
November 9 at 5:50 a.m., a grand theft of a bicycle was reported in the 400 block of W. Huntington. Officers responded to the location regarding the theft and located a vehicle nearby that was leaving the area. The vehicle was stopped and the bicycle was recovered from inside. The suspect was arrested for the theft.
Veterans Day Ceremony
There will be a Veterans Day ceremony at Library Park this Saturday, Nov. 11, at 11 a.m.
- Brad Haugaard
Monrovia State Senator Wants Whistleblower Protection to Apply to Legislative Staff Members
Monrovia's State Senator, Anthony Portantino, thinks some women on legislative staffs in Sacramento have legitimate complaints about abuse and intimidation and thinks whistleblower protection would help. He writes:
"Recently, the legislature has been facing legitimate complaints and serious accusations from women within and outside the capitol workforce. As the father of two daughters, spouse of a working professional and a person who has consistently helped place communities of our district in the hands of extremely talented women I continue to believe a significant barrier to just outcomes and workplace security has been the lack of whistleblower protection for legislative staff. You might be surprised to learn that although whistleblower protection is California law it does not apply to the state legislature and most importantly our staff is not protected against reprisal for shining the light on inappropriate behavior or criminal activity. I first learned of this discrepancy in 2011 and I authored a bill to extend this protection to legislative staff then and again in 2012. Both bills were killed. Upon being elected to the State Senate, I supported a third bi-partisan attempt to make this prudent change to how business is conducted in the state capitol. Everyone who works in Sacramento should have the confidence to bring complaints and observations of wrongdoing forward without fear of retribution.
"There are many good people working to figure out prudent and effective next steps to protect women in the capitol from abuse and intimidation. Immediately extending whistleblower protection is a necessary and easy first step. It is my intention to once again bring it forward in January when we return to regular legislative business."
Source: Portantino letter.
Comment: Noooo, actually it does not surprise me at all that whistleblower protection does not apply to the state legislative staff members.
- Brad Haugaard
San Gabriel Valley Choral Company Presents 'In Dulci Jubilo'
On Saturday, Dec. 9, at 7:30 p.m., the San Gabriel Valley Choral Company will present In Dulci Jubilo at Saint Luke's Episcopal Church, 122 S. California Ave. The event will feature Michael Praetorius' 17th century piece for double choir and the singing of holiday music in Hebrew, Georgian, Spanish, and English. Tickets are $20 for general admission, $15 for seniors and students, and $5 for children 12 and under. Tickets may be purchased at http://www.sgvccsingers.org or by sending a check payable to "SGVCC" to PO Box 2225 Monrovia, CA 91017. They will also be available at the door.
- Brad Haugaard
- Brad Haugaard
Original Celtic Woman Chloë Agnew in Concert at St. Luke
"Ireland's Celtic Songbird," Chloë Agnew, a founding member of Celtic Women, will join special guest Dermot Kiernan to present Chloë's Christmas, a holiday concert, on Friday, Dec. 1, at St. Luke's Episcopal Church in Monrovia. Tickets to the 7:30 p.m. concert may be ordered at ticketleap.com for $20 plus $2 handling.
Chloë Agnew appeared in the PBS special Celtic Woman at fourteen and the US response led to a debut album that remained on the Billboard World Music Chart for 81 weeks. The group's next two albums went on to hold the top three positions on the chart. Agnew was named 2012 Female Vocalist of the Year at the Irish Music Awards. The following year, she moved to Los Angeles to launch a solo career. She has toured internationally with some of America's most distinguished orchestras.
Dermot Kiernan has toured extensively with Dublin's Pro Cathedral and Christchurch Cathedral Choirs, appearing as a soloist for their recordings and concerts worldwide. In 2009, he joined The Celtic Woman Aontas Choir and toured with it across the globe. He was later named its choir leader/director. Now based in Los Angeles, he performs, directs and teaches across the country.
- Brad Haugaard
Chloë Agnew appeared in the PBS special Celtic Woman at fourteen and the US response led to a debut album that remained on the Billboard World Music Chart for 81 weeks. The group's next two albums went on to hold the top three positions on the chart. Agnew was named 2012 Female Vocalist of the Year at the Irish Music Awards. The following year, she moved to Los Angeles to launch a solo career. She has toured internationally with some of America's most distinguished orchestras.
Dermot Kiernan has toured extensively with Dublin's Pro Cathedral and Christchurch Cathedral Choirs, appearing as a soloist for their recordings and concerts worldwide. In 2009, he joined The Celtic Woman Aontas Choir and toured with it across the globe. He was later named its choir leader/director. Now based in Los Angeles, he performs, directs and teaches across the country.
- Brad Haugaard
Mayor Tom Adams: Monrovia Faces a Serious Struggle
The Monrovia City Council tonight approved a series of measures, including a big bond measure, (see here for details: https://goo.gl/Hvp1se) to prevent the city from going bankrupt over the next few years from increases in pension costs.
Mayor Tom Adams said, “Monrovia will be okay, but, boy! it’ll be a struggle.” But neither he or City Manager Oliver Chi was optimistic about the fate of many other cities and government agencies throughout the state, saying there will likely be “a lot of bankruptcies.”
Chi and Adams blamed the state for changes it made during the Gray Davis administration that increased costs for its CalPERS retirement program. Chi added that some cities have already been tracking and dealing with these liabilities and he proposed that Monrovia's city staff be required in the future to inform the council of any new liabilities that will - likely - come along.
Chi is recommending buying a bond to cover the shortfall (total unfunded pension liability is $112 million) because borrowing costs are at an historic low, currently in the 4 percent range.
- Brad Haugaard
Alan Sanvictores Sworn in as Monrovia’s Chief of Police
Tonight, before the city council, Captain Alan Sanvictores got a promotion as he was sworn in as Monrovia’s new chief of police. He promised to do “everything in his being” to serve the city.
- Brad Haugaard
Pension 'Tsunami' Coming to Monrovia; Water Rates Going Up; Smart Trash Cans Installed; Etc.
Bigbelly smart trash cans.
In his weekly update (https://goo.gl/aOqX7O), City Manager Oliver Chi reports that ...
~ A "pension cost tsunami" is coming that "will impact nearly every government agency in the State in the coming years" and "will become unsustainable for Monrovia within the next few years" and will render the city "insolvent in either FY 2021/22 or FY 2022/23." He said the city's plan "will stabilize pension costs and, he said, it is his "most sincere hope and belief" that it will address the immediate and long-term financial challenges "in such a way that we can avoid devastating operational, staffing, and budgetary cuts." More detail here: https://goo.gl/Hvp1se
~ Water rate increases are coming. Based on the proposed rate increase, the typical single-family residential water customer will see a monthly water bill increase of $17.08 in Calendar Year 2018 (effective March 8, 2018) and by fiscal year the increase will be around $37 more per month than it is now. All of these new costs are pass-through costs which will be paid to the San Gabriel Basin Watermaster and the Upper San Gabriel Valley Municipal Water District.
~ Monrovia Fire Department will participate in the "Fill the Boot" fundraising campaign to fight muscular dystrophy on Wednesday, Nov. 15, from 9 a.m. to noon, at the corner of Mayflower Avenue and Huntington Drive.
~ Six new Bigbelly solar trash compactors have been installed at Library Park and along Myrtle in Old Town. These smart cans hold five times the capacity of a regular city trash can, they reduce the number of times staff has to empty a trash can, and can automatically notify staff when the can is filled and needs to be emptied.
~ Studio Movie Grill has begun a renovation that will include the installation of a full menu, bar, and in-theater waiters, upgrading its seats so that every patron will have a high-back recliner. To help this happen the city has issued Studio Movie Grill a permit to put up to two dumpsters on Lemon Avenue for no more than a month.
~ Applications for the Holiday Home Decorating Contest will be available beginning Monday, Nov. 20 at the Monrovia Community Center Applications are due by 5 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 11 and judging will take place on Monday, Dec. 18.
~ MADIA Tech Launch will host Randy Heyler, CEO of Ondax Incorporated, who will speak on how to build a start-up. It will focus on the laser industry, and Randy will share the lessons he learned in building the company over the last seven years. On Thursday, Nov. 9, 6:30 - 8 p.m. at
Tanner Research (825 S. Myrtle Ave., CA 91016). Cost: $10 if purchased by Nov. 8 at noon, Or $12 at the door. RSVP here: https://goo.gl/y2UMi5
- Brad Haugaard
Old Monrovia Train Station Taking Shape
Some nice pictures from Gem City Images showing improvements at the old Monrovia train station. https://goo.gl/y6d1M9
- Brad Haugaard
- Brad Haugaard
Hunter Charged With Illegally Killing Deer in Monrovia Neighborhood
A Duarte man was charged today in connection with the fatal shooting of a deer in Monrovia, the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office announced.
Michael Jackson Rodriguez (dob 2/5/84) was charged in case GA102229 with one felony count of procuring and offering a false or forged instrument and one misdemeanor count each of discharge of a deadly weapon within 150 yards of an occupied dwelling, possession of wildlife taken unlawfully and shooting a bow and arrow within Monrovia.
He is expected to be arraigned Nov. 30 in Department D of the Los Angeles County Superior Court, Pasadena Branch.
Deputy District Attorney Richard Magleby of the Environmental Crimes Division is prosecuting the case.
Rodriguez is accused of fatally shooting a deer with a bow and arrow in a Monrovia neighborhood on Sept. 14. It is illegal to shoot a deer or discharge a deadly weapon within 150 yards of a home, the prosecutor said.
Two days later, Rodriguez filed false information about the incident with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.
If convicted as charged, Rodriguez faces a possible maximum sentence of 3 ½ years in local custody.
The case remains under investigation by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.
Source: LA District Attorney Press release
- Brad Haugaard
Michael Jackson Rodriguez (dob 2/5/84) was charged in case GA102229 with one felony count of procuring and offering a false or forged instrument and one misdemeanor count each of discharge of a deadly weapon within 150 yards of an occupied dwelling, possession of wildlife taken unlawfully and shooting a bow and arrow within Monrovia.
He is expected to be arraigned Nov. 30 in Department D of the Los Angeles County Superior Court, Pasadena Branch.
Deputy District Attorney Richard Magleby of the Environmental Crimes Division is prosecuting the case.
Rodriguez is accused of fatally shooting a deer with a bow and arrow in a Monrovia neighborhood on Sept. 14. It is illegal to shoot a deer or discharge a deadly weapon within 150 yards of a home, the prosecutor said.
Two days later, Rodriguez filed false information about the incident with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.
If convicted as charged, Rodriguez faces a possible maximum sentence of 3 ½ years in local custody.
The case remains under investigation by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.
Source: LA District Attorney Press release
- Brad Haugaard
Monrovia Police: Lots of Burglaries; Truck Stolen from Dealer; Thief Downstairs Steals Keys, Then Car; Man in Porsche Points Gun at Man; Etc.
[Monrovia Police activities from the Police Department's Neighborhood Watch Report for October 30 - November 5. - Brad Haugaard]
Following are the weekend’s highlighted issues and events.
Vehicle Vandalism
October 30 at 7:41 a.m., an officer responded to the 300 block of Heliotrope regarding the report of a vehicle vandalism. The vehicle was parked in the alley and sometime during the night, the passenger side window was broken out. Nothing was taken from the vehicle. Police received a second vehicle vandalism report in the 400 block of Greystone, where another vehicle had the driver-side door window broken out sometime during the night. It appears it was shot out with a BB gun or pellet. It is unknown if these two cases are related. The investigations are continuing.
Grand Theft Auto
October 30 at 11:48 a.m., a vehicle was reported stolen from a dealership in the 1400 block of S. Mountain. Employees arrived at work and discovered the vehicle was missing. The vehicle taken was a gray Ford F-150 truck. The investigation is continuing.
Burglary
October 30 at 5:32 p.m., officers responded to a hotel in the 900 block of S. Fifth Avenue regarding a burglary. Employees reported a male white subject, approximately 6 feet tall, large build, with a mustache, broke into the guest washing machines and stole money from them and fled. Officers conducted an area check for the suspect, but he was not located. The investigation is continuing.
Residential Burglary / Grand Theft Auto
October 30 at 10:55 p.m., a residential burglary was reported in the 2100 block of S. Myrtle. The residents at the location were awakened by noises in their home and the sound of the garage door opening. They went to the garage and discovered their 2017 Toyota Camry had been stolen. The suspect gained entry to the residence by breaking a window. The suspect located the car keys in the home and took the vehicle from the garage, all while the residents were upstairs. The residents heard the suspect in the home, but each one thought it was the other making the noise. The investigation is continuing.
Vehicle Burglary
October 31 at 6:50 a.m., a vehicle burglary was reported in the 200 block of E. Central. The victim parked the vehicle in front of her house in the evening. When she returned to the vehicle in the morning, she discovered the window of her car had been broken out and the door was open. The only thing missing was a makeup bag from the center console. The investigation is continuing.
Residential Burglary
October 31 at 6:22 p.m., a residential burglary was reported in the 1800 block of Estrella. The resident returned home and found her bedroom window was cracked open and her sliding door was ajar. The house had been ransacked and jewelry was missing. The investigation is continuing.
Brandishing a Firearm
November 1 at 1:40 a.m., officers responded to the area of Myrtle and Huntington regarding the report of a driver brandishing a firearm at another driver. The victim stated he was driving west on Huntington and stopped at a red light at Myrtle. He saw a Porsche Cayenne SUV pull up next to him. He saw the driver's window roll down and the driver/suspect pointed a gun at the victim. The suspect was talking, but the victim did not understand what he was saying. The suspect drove north on Myrtle and west on Maple. The investigation is continuing.
Commercial Burglaries
November 2 at 4:45 a.m., officers responded to an alarm activation at a business in the 100 block of S. Myrtle. They arrived and discovered the front windows had been shattered at three separate business locations. The investigation revealed all three locations had been burglarized. The businesses were searched, but no suspects were located. The investigations are continuing.
Commercial Burglary
November 2 at 6:43 a.m., a burglary was reported at a business in the 400 block of W. Foothill. The business was closed and had a broken glass window to the front. When officers arrived, they discovered someone had broken into the business. The cash register had been removed from the counter and was on the ground. No suspects were located and the investigation is continuing.
Residential Burglary
November 4 at 12:49 a.m., a residential burglary was reported in the 400 block of E. Olive. The resident returned home and saw that two laptop computers, several pieces of jewelry and two purses were missing. Officers arrived and conducted an investigation. The house was not ransacked and there were no signs of forced entry. The resident said she had made sure the residence was locked prior to leaving in the evening. The investigation is continuing.
Driving Under the Influence – Suspect Arrested
November 4 at 2:44 a.m., an officer conducted a traffic stop for a vehicle code violation and contacted the driver, who displayed signs of intoxication. A DUI investigation was completed and the subject was arrested, booked, and held for a sobering period.
Domestic Violence – Suspect Arrested
November 4 at 10:47 a.m., a domestic violence incident that occurred in the 700 block of W. Foothill was reported to police. The victim reported that a few days prior, her boyfriend physically attacked her. She stated that he tried to strangle her and then threatened to kill himself. He was holding a kitchen knife up against his neck. The victim had visible physical injuries. Officers responded and contacted the suspect, who had markings on his body consistent with the victim's statement of the physical altercation. The suspect was arrested for domestic violence and taken into custody. An Emergency Protective Order was issued and a firearm was removed from the residence for safekeeping. The suspect later bonded out of custody and the victim was notified.
Residential Burglary
November 4 at 3:03 p.m., a residential burglary was reported in the 300 block of Terrace View. Officers responded and found that a door window pane had been broken and it appears that the suspects made entry into the home. It is unknown yet if anything was taken. The electrical panel appeared to have been tampered with and the electricity had been shut off. An alarm panel inside of the residence also appeared to have been tampered with. The investigation is continuing.
Commercial Burglary
November 5 at 7:35 a.m., an officer responded to a construction site in the 700 block of E. Huntington regarding a theft of items from a trailer. Unknown suspects cut the padlock to the trailer and stole hand tools and a laptop computer. The investigation is continuing.
Driving Under the Influence / Traffic Collision – Suspect Arrested
November 6 at 12:43 a.m., officers responded to the report of a traffic collision at Magnolia and Lemon. Upon arrival, they discovered a solo vehicle had hit a parked car. The female driver appeared to be extremely intoxicated and had locked herself in her vehicle. After several minutes, she unlocked the doors to her vehicle. The officers determined that she was too impaired to drive a motor vehicle safely. She was arrested for DUI and taken into custody.
Following are the weekend’s highlighted issues and events.
Vehicle Vandalism
October 30 at 7:41 a.m., an officer responded to the 300 block of Heliotrope regarding the report of a vehicle vandalism. The vehicle was parked in the alley and sometime during the night, the passenger side window was broken out. Nothing was taken from the vehicle. Police received a second vehicle vandalism report in the 400 block of Greystone, where another vehicle had the driver-side door window broken out sometime during the night. It appears it was shot out with a BB gun or pellet. It is unknown if these two cases are related. The investigations are continuing.
Grand Theft Auto
October 30 at 11:48 a.m., a vehicle was reported stolen from a dealership in the 1400 block of S. Mountain. Employees arrived at work and discovered the vehicle was missing. The vehicle taken was a gray Ford F-150 truck. The investigation is continuing.
Burglary
October 30 at 5:32 p.m., officers responded to a hotel in the 900 block of S. Fifth Avenue regarding a burglary. Employees reported a male white subject, approximately 6 feet tall, large build, with a mustache, broke into the guest washing machines and stole money from them and fled. Officers conducted an area check for the suspect, but he was not located. The investigation is continuing.
Residential Burglary / Grand Theft Auto
October 30 at 10:55 p.m., a residential burglary was reported in the 2100 block of S. Myrtle. The residents at the location were awakened by noises in their home and the sound of the garage door opening. They went to the garage and discovered their 2017 Toyota Camry had been stolen. The suspect gained entry to the residence by breaking a window. The suspect located the car keys in the home and took the vehicle from the garage, all while the residents were upstairs. The residents heard the suspect in the home, but each one thought it was the other making the noise. The investigation is continuing.
Vehicle Burglary
October 31 at 6:50 a.m., a vehicle burglary was reported in the 200 block of E. Central. The victim parked the vehicle in front of her house in the evening. When she returned to the vehicle in the morning, she discovered the window of her car had been broken out and the door was open. The only thing missing was a makeup bag from the center console. The investigation is continuing.
Residential Burglary
October 31 at 6:22 p.m., a residential burglary was reported in the 1800 block of Estrella. The resident returned home and found her bedroom window was cracked open and her sliding door was ajar. The house had been ransacked and jewelry was missing. The investigation is continuing.
Brandishing a Firearm
November 1 at 1:40 a.m., officers responded to the area of Myrtle and Huntington regarding the report of a driver brandishing a firearm at another driver. The victim stated he was driving west on Huntington and stopped at a red light at Myrtle. He saw a Porsche Cayenne SUV pull up next to him. He saw the driver's window roll down and the driver/suspect pointed a gun at the victim. The suspect was talking, but the victim did not understand what he was saying. The suspect drove north on Myrtle and west on Maple. The investigation is continuing.
Commercial Burglaries
November 2 at 4:45 a.m., officers responded to an alarm activation at a business in the 100 block of S. Myrtle. They arrived and discovered the front windows had been shattered at three separate business locations. The investigation revealed all three locations had been burglarized. The businesses were searched, but no suspects were located. The investigations are continuing.
Commercial Burglary
November 2 at 6:43 a.m., a burglary was reported at a business in the 400 block of W. Foothill. The business was closed and had a broken glass window to the front. When officers arrived, they discovered someone had broken into the business. The cash register had been removed from the counter and was on the ground. No suspects were located and the investigation is continuing.
Residential Burglary
November 4 at 12:49 a.m., a residential burglary was reported in the 400 block of E. Olive. The resident returned home and saw that two laptop computers, several pieces of jewelry and two purses were missing. Officers arrived and conducted an investigation. The house was not ransacked and there were no signs of forced entry. The resident said she had made sure the residence was locked prior to leaving in the evening. The investigation is continuing.
Driving Under the Influence – Suspect Arrested
November 4 at 2:44 a.m., an officer conducted a traffic stop for a vehicle code violation and contacted the driver, who displayed signs of intoxication. A DUI investigation was completed and the subject was arrested, booked, and held for a sobering period.
Domestic Violence – Suspect Arrested
November 4 at 10:47 a.m., a domestic violence incident that occurred in the 700 block of W. Foothill was reported to police. The victim reported that a few days prior, her boyfriend physically attacked her. She stated that he tried to strangle her and then threatened to kill himself. He was holding a kitchen knife up against his neck. The victim had visible physical injuries. Officers responded and contacted the suspect, who had markings on his body consistent with the victim's statement of the physical altercation. The suspect was arrested for domestic violence and taken into custody. An Emergency Protective Order was issued and a firearm was removed from the residence for safekeeping. The suspect later bonded out of custody and the victim was notified.
Residential Burglary
November 4 at 3:03 p.m., a residential burglary was reported in the 300 block of Terrace View. Officers responded and found that a door window pane had been broken and it appears that the suspects made entry into the home. It is unknown yet if anything was taken. The electrical panel appeared to have been tampered with and the electricity had been shut off. An alarm panel inside of the residence also appeared to have been tampered with. The investigation is continuing.
Commercial Burglary
November 5 at 7:35 a.m., an officer responded to a construction site in the 700 block of E. Huntington regarding a theft of items from a trailer. Unknown suspects cut the padlock to the trailer and stole hand tools and a laptop computer. The investigation is continuing.
Driving Under the Influence / Traffic Collision – Suspect Arrested
November 6 at 12:43 a.m., officers responded to the report of a traffic collision at Magnolia and Lemon. Upon arrival, they discovered a solo vehicle had hit a parked car. The female driver appeared to be extremely intoxicated and had locked herself in her vehicle. After several minutes, she unlocked the doors to her vehicle. The officers determined that she was too impaired to drive a motor vehicle safely. She was arrested for DUI and taken into custody.
Monrovia Rotary Presents Retiring Police Chief Hunt With Its Highest Award
The Monrovia Rotary Club has presented retiring Monrovia Police Chief Jim Hunt with the highest award a Rotary Club can present, a Paul Harris Fellow Award, in recognition of his 27 years of service to the people of Monrovia. https://goo.gl/JYmtPL
- Brad Haugaard
- Brad Haugaard
City Council: Figuring Out How to Avoid Municipal Bankruptcy; Maybe a BIG Bond? Police Win Community Policing Award; Etc.
At its Nov. 7 meeting (agenda: https://goo.gl/13jymZ), the Monrovia City Council will ...
~ Try to figure out how the city can avoid avoid going broke. According to this report (https://goo.gl/E8qKbe) by City Manager Oliver Chi and Buffy Bullis, Administrative Services Director, "if we do nothing, current financial modeling indicates that the costs associated with the pending CalPERS UAL repayment schedule will strain our General Fund to the point of rendering the City insolvent in either FY 2021/22 or FY 2022/23."
So, how to avoid going broke? City staff proposes:
~ Authorize the issuance of a bond to pay off the unfunded liabilities noted in the previous item for (if my calculations are correct) $112.3 million. Actually, $12.6 million of this amount would not be additional debt since it would go to pay off an earlier bond. Comment: I find it really odd that the staff report (here: https://goo.gl/2o9sSm) recommends issuing the bond but does not give the total amount of the bond, so my calculation of $112.3 million is from the total amount of debt the report mentions.
~ Honor the Monrovia Police Department for winning the International Association of Chiefs of Police/Cisco Community Policing Award.
~ Swear in Alan Sanvictores as the new Monrovia police chief. This will happen at 6 p.m., before the regular meeting. https://goo.gl/5z1Jnf
~ Consider authorizing city staff to set a public hearing to consider water fee adjustments for January 16, 2018. Here's a rather exhaustive (exhausting?) discussion of the issue: https://goo.gl/28yMpK
~ Consider changing the Monrovia municipal election date to March of even-numbered years beginning in 2020. This change is required by the state. https://goo.gl/14xEbG
- Brad Haugaard
~ Try to figure out how the city can avoid avoid going broke. According to this report (https://goo.gl/E8qKbe) by City Manager Oliver Chi and Buffy Bullis, Administrative Services Director, "if we do nothing, current financial modeling indicates that the costs associated with the pending CalPERS UAL repayment schedule will strain our General Fund to the point of rendering the City insolvent in either FY 2021/22 or FY 2022/23."
So, how to avoid going broke? City staff proposes:
- Having employees increase contributions to their pension plans, saving the city about $300,000 a year.
- Issuing a bond to refinance the city's unfunded retirement costs.
- Adopting a policy that (as best I can figure it out) requires city staff to annually present to the city council any unfunded liabilities, along with a proposal of how to pay them off.
- Increasing the city's Transient Occupancy Tax (basically a tax on hotel rooms) from 10% to 12%, which should raise about $400,000 annually.
- Creating Community Facility Districts, basically an additional tax on new residential developments. This could raise about $300,000 annually.
~ Authorize the issuance of a bond to pay off the unfunded liabilities noted in the previous item for (if my calculations are correct) $112.3 million. Actually, $12.6 million of this amount would not be additional debt since it would go to pay off an earlier bond. Comment: I find it really odd that the staff report (here: https://goo.gl/2o9sSm) recommends issuing the bond but does not give the total amount of the bond, so my calculation of $112.3 million is from the total amount of debt the report mentions.
~ Honor the Monrovia Police Department for winning the International Association of Chiefs of Police/Cisco Community Policing Award.
~ Swear in Alan Sanvictores as the new Monrovia police chief. This will happen at 6 p.m., before the regular meeting. https://goo.gl/5z1Jnf
~ Consider authorizing city staff to set a public hearing to consider water fee adjustments for January 16, 2018. Here's a rather exhaustive (exhausting?) discussion of the issue: https://goo.gl/28yMpK
~ Consider changing the Monrovia municipal election date to March of even-numbered years beginning in 2020. This change is required by the state. https://goo.gl/14xEbG
- Brad Haugaard
Annie Van Dyke Named Monrovia Teacher of the Year
The Board of Education and the Personnel Commission will honor Annie Van Dyke as the 2017 Teacher of the Year at a special joint session at 5 p.m. on November 8 at the school district offices.
- Brad Haugaard
- Brad Haugaard
Lunch at Kiku Sushi
- Brad Haugaard
Monrovia Businesses Part of String of 17 Smash-and-Grab Burglaries
Four Monrovia businesses were hit by smash and grab burglaries last night, apparently part of a string of 17 such burglaries the same night. The Monrovia businesses that were victimized were: Coffee Bean, Yogurtland and Noor's Indian Cuisine - all on Myrtle near Foothill -
were hit around 4:30 a.m. Also, Rigo's Mexican Food on Foothill Boulevard. https://goo.gl/tGsnsW
- Brad Haugaard
were hit around 4:30 a.m. Also, Rigo's Mexican Food on Foothill Boulevard. https://goo.gl/tGsnsW
- Brad Haugaard
Construction Underway for New Unity Center Office
Foothill Unity Center reports that construction is underway at its new building - the old World Vision building - on Chestnut. Also, it is "half way to our goal of raising $6.2 million."
- Brad Haugaard
- Brad Haugaard
Monrovia-Led Coalition Prompts Anti-Crime Proposition; Have the Bears Been Faked Out?; Car Show; Etc.
In his weekly update (https://goo.gl/aOqX7O) City Manager Oliver Chi reports that ...
~ The Monrovia-led "Taking Back Our Community" coalition has prompted the development of a proposition for the November 2018 election to modify problems the coalition sees in AB 109, Prop 47, and Prop 57. The initiative was introduced at a press conference in Sacramento on Monday, October 30, and Monrovia, as the lead agency for the Taking Back Our Community Coalition, was invited to participate. The proposition would: change Prop 57 by redefining certain crimes as "violent" felonies, and change Prop 47 so that on the third theft, that theft will become chargeable as a felony. Chi calls this " a terrific development." Here is a summary of what it would do: https://goo.gl/bBtE12
~ The experiment of changing trash pick-up times for residents north of Hillcrest to discourage trash bears may have worked as city staff has seen fewer reports of bear activity, however not a lot of data yet, so the city and Athens plan to continue the test through the end of the year.
~ John Foltz, a member of the City’s Monrovia Renewal Citizens’ Advisory Committee, passed away last Thursday, October 26. He suffered a stroke and a heart attack a few weeks ago.
~ The Monrovia Police Officers' Association will host a fundraising car show (with food booths) as a fundraiser for Men's Health and Cancer Research. It will be held on Dec. 2, 8 a.m. - 2 p.m., at Library Park. For questions email Seth Hermes at shermes@monrovia.laclen.org.
~ Captain Alan Sanvictores will be sworn in as the new Monrovia Chief of Police at 6 p.m., before the Nov. 7 City Council meeting.
- Brad Haugaard
~ The Monrovia-led "Taking Back Our Community" coalition has prompted the development of a proposition for the November 2018 election to modify problems the coalition sees in AB 109, Prop 47, and Prop 57. The initiative was introduced at a press conference in Sacramento on Monday, October 30, and Monrovia, as the lead agency for the Taking Back Our Community Coalition, was invited to participate. The proposition would: change Prop 57 by redefining certain crimes as "violent" felonies, and change Prop 47 so that on the third theft, that theft will become chargeable as a felony. Chi calls this " a terrific development." Here is a summary of what it would do: https://goo.gl/bBtE12
~ The experiment of changing trash pick-up times for residents north of Hillcrest to discourage trash bears may have worked as city staff has seen fewer reports of bear activity, however not a lot of data yet, so the city and Athens plan to continue the test through the end of the year.
~ John Foltz, a member of the City’s Monrovia Renewal Citizens’ Advisory Committee, passed away last Thursday, October 26. He suffered a stroke and a heart attack a few weeks ago.
~ The Monrovia Police Officers' Association will host a fundraising car show (with food booths) as a fundraiser for Men's Health and Cancer Research. It will be held on Dec. 2, 8 a.m. - 2 p.m., at Library Park. For questions email Seth Hermes at shermes@monrovia.laclen.org.
~ Captain Alan Sanvictores will be sworn in as the new Monrovia Chief of Police at 6 p.m., before the Nov. 7 City Council meeting.
- Brad Haugaard
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