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Monrovia Widow Faces Husband’s Killer in Court

Monrovia widow Erica Nelson faces off her husband’s drunk driver killer in court. https://goo.gl/TK4eKw

- Brad Haugaard 

Monrovia Rotary Sponsors Blood Drive

Monrovia Rotary Club is sponsoring a blood drive on Wednesday, Jan. 24, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., at 800 Royal Oaks Drive, Monrovia. Walk-ins welcome but you can make a reservation here (https://goo.gl/qkw2tM) or by calling City of Hope at 218-7171.

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Police: Hiking Shortcut Leads to Fall; Lots of Drunk Driving; Drunk Accidents; Jimmying Mail Boxes; Etc.

[Monrovia Police activities from the Police Department's Neighborhood Watch Report for December 14-17. - Brad Haugaard]

Following are the weekend’s highlighted issues and events.

Traffic Collision
December 14 at 7:40 a.m., a traffic collision was reported at Duarte and Myrtle. A driver was traveling east on Duarte, approaching Myrtle, when a vehicle pulled away from the curb and failed to yield, colliding into the vehicle. No one was injured in the incident.

Traffic Collision
December 14 at 12:36 p.m., a traffic collision was reported in the 100 block of W. Olive. A driver was traveling east on Olive and began to make a left turn into an alley, failing to yield to oncoming traffic. She collided into a vehicle traveling west on Olive. There were no injuries involved.

Driving Under the Influence – Suspect Arrested
December 14 at 4:02 p.m., an officer on patrol saw a vehicle run the red light at Myrtle and Foothill. The officer stopped the vehicle, and further investigation determined the driver was driving under the influence of alcohol. The driver was arrested for DUI and held for a sobering period.

Shoplifting – Suspect Arrested
December 14 at 6:09 p.m., loss prevention at a business in the 500 block of W. Huntington called police regarding a male and female subject they were detaining for shoplifting. The female subject had placed store merchandise in her purse and left the store without paying for the items. An officer was dispatched and handled the investigation. The female subject was arrested for shoplifting and the male subject was released.

Trespassing – Suspect Arrested
December 14 at 7:50 p.m., a resident in the 200 block of E. Pomona called police to report his adult son was trespassing and disturbing their peace. The son has an active no-trespassing order signed against him. The subject was contacted and arrested.

Attempted Mail Theft
December 14 at 9:36 p.m., a resident in the 1400 block of Monterey witnessed a subject attempting to force open the mailboxes at an apartment complex. A tenant came out and scared the suspect away. The mailbox locks appeared to have been damaged. The suspect was not located and the investigation is continuing.

Traffic Collision / Driving Under the Influence – Suspect Arrested
December 15 at 7:47 p.m., a traffic collision was reported in the 800 block of W. Colorado. A driver was dropping off his son in front of the high school and was parked along the north curb. As he pulled away from the curb, he collided into a vehicle that was traveling west on Colorado. The driver who was traveling west on Colorado was determined to be driving under the influence with a suspended driver's license. He was arrested and taken into custody for DUI.

Driving Under the Influence – Suspect Arrested
December 16 at 2:11 a.m., an officer stopped a vehicle for unsafe speed in the 700 block of W. Huntington. The investigation determined the driver was too impaired to drive a motor vehicle safely. He was arrested for DUI and the vehicle was stored.

Traffic Collision
December 16 at 3:42 p.m., a traffic collision was reported in the 700 block of W. Huntington. A driver was traveling in the number two lane heading eastbound on Huntington, just east of Encino. The driver attempted to make a lane change and sideswiped the vehicle in the number one lane. The driver making the lane change was issued a citation at the scene. No injuries were reported.

Vehicle Burglary
December 16 at 3:46 a.m., a vehicle burglary was reported in the 200 block of California Avenue. The victim parked his vehicle in front of the location the day before, and when he returned to his vehicle the next day, he saw the lock on the driver-side door was dislodged. Construction tools had been stolen from inside the vehicle. The investigation is continuing.

Vehicle Burglary
December 16 at 9:12 p.m., a vehicle burglary was reported in the 900 block of W. Huntington. The victim reported that someone forced the window open to her SUV and took a purse and a speaker from inside the vehicle. The investigation is continuing.

Package Theft / Attempted Mail Theft
December 16 at 9:19 p.m., a package theft was reported in the 900 block of California. The victim was expecting a package during the day while both residents were at work. When they arrived home, the package was not there. The investigation is continuing.

Warrant – Suspect Arrested
December 16 at 10:34 p.m., an officer was on patrol in the 1000 block of Oakleaf and stopped a vehicle for impeding traffic. A computer check revealed the female passenger of the vehicle had a warrant for shoplifting out of Arcadia. She was arrested and taken into custody for the warrant.

Public Intoxication – Suspect Arrested
December 17 at 12:57 a.m., an employee from a business in the 400 block of W. Huntington called police to report a male adult subject who was loitering in their restaurant and acting strange. An officer arrived and contacted the subject, who was walking east on Huntington. The subject was found to be too intoxicated to care for himself or others and was arrested for being drunk in public.

Driving Under the Influence – Suspect Arrested
December 17 at 12:58 a.m., an officer stopped a vehicle at California and Huntington for vehicle code violations. Further investigation revealed the driver was too impaired to drive a motor vehicle safely. He was arrested for DUI and the vehicle was stored.

Grand Theft
December 17 at 1:01 p.m., an employee at a church in the 100 block of W. Palm reported that cash was taken from a locked drawer in their thrift store. The money was taken sometime between December 14 through 17. The investigation is continuing.

Missing Hikers Located
December 17 at 1:21 p.m., a husband and wife that had gone on a hike with their dog in Canyon Park were reported lost. Apparently, they took a wrong trail which led them to a dead end. Rather than back tracking, they tried to take a shortcut, which led them to a cliff area, where the female fell. The couple and dog were then stranded on the side of the cliff. It took the Foothill Air Support Team helicopter about an hour to find them and all three were airlifted. They were then transported to a hospital for treatment of scrapes and bruises.

Theft From a Vehicle
December 17 at 2:58 p.m., a theft from a vehicle was reported in the 800 block of W. Duarte. The victim parked her vehicle in the carport area of her apartment complex and left her vehicle unlocked and the windows down. When she returned to the vehicle, someone had stolen her handicap placard from her car. 

Christmas Cantata This Sunday

Christmas cantata, “When Earth Received Her King,” at Calvary Road Baptist Church (319 W. Olive) Sunday, Dec. 17 at 6 p.m. Refreshments to follow. 

- Brad Haugaard 

Monrovia Council: Give City Manager a Raise? Two New Taxes

At its Tuesday, Dec. 19 meeting (agenda: https://goo.gl/H2gA76) the Monrovia City Council will consider ...

~ Giving City Manager Oliver Chi a 5 percent raise, to $18,363.51 per month. The staff report says that would still put him below the pay of other local cities. https://goo.gl/J2qqLb

~ Holding a special election on June 5 to vote on a hotel bed tax to help pay for unfunded retirement liability. https://goo.gl/ghE7RA

~ Creating districts where new housing is likely to be built, and levy an additional tax on new housing built in those areas. Again, to help help pay for unfunded retirement costs. https://goo.gl/VpV8oQ


- Brad Haugaard

Dinner at Mikomi Sushi



Dinner at Mikomi Sushi on the east side of Myrtle just south of the theater. Got the Spicy Chicken entree ($14), which comes with miso soup, salad and tempura, and a beer for $7.95.  Really quite good food! And a lot; had to take some home.

- Brad Haugaard 

Navy Commander Surprises His Children at Monrovia Schools

A touching story of Navy Commander Jeffrey Mitchel who arrived home to Monrovia early and surprises his children in their schools. https://goo.gl/ZjNwVJ

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Police: Serial Shoplifter; Truck With Keys Stolen; Auto Thief Will Return Car 'When He's Ready'; Etc.

[Monrovia Police activities from the Police Department's Neighborhood Watch Report for December 11-13. - Brad Haugaard]

During the last seven-day period, the Police Department handled 441 service events, resulting in 74 investigations.

Vehicle Tampering
December 11 at 10:04 p.m., an incident of vehicle tampering was reported in the 800 block of W. Olive. The victim stated that someone entered his unlocked vehicle and went through it, but it appeared nothing was taken. The investigation is continuing.

Shoplifting
December 11 at 2:10 p.m., the manager of a business in the 400 block of W. Huntington called police to report a shoplifter. A male suspect entered a business and filled up a bag with items. He then exited the store with the merchandise and the manager ran after him. The business reported that the same suspect has stolen items before from them. The suspect dropped the stolen items and fled the scene. The store desires prosecution. An area check was conducted, but the suspect was not found. The investigation is continuing.

Vehicle Burglary
December 11 at 8:13 p.m., a vehicle burglary was reported in the 900 block of Monterey. The victim parked her vehicle at the location at 2:00 p.m. and returned at 8:00 p.m. The passenger window had been shattered and the vehicle was ransacked. It appears that nothing was taken from the vehicle. The investigation is continuing.

Grand Theft Auto
December 12 at 8:17 a.m., a vehicle was reported stolen from the 600 block of E. Colorado. The victim parked his vehicle on the street and went inside for the evening. The next morning, his girlfriend looked out the window and saw the truck being driven away from the location. She told the victim, who then realized he had left his keys in the vehicle. The investigation is continuing.

Grand Theft Auto
December 12 at 9:25 a.m., a vehicle was reported stolen from the 200 block of W. Colorado. The vehicle was parked at the victim’s residence. The following day it was not there and a family member called the victim to tell her that a male subject they all knew was driving the vehicle. The family member told the male subject he needed to return the car, but the subject replied that he would return it when he was ready. The vehicle was entered as stolen and the male subject entered as the suspect. The investigation is continuing.

Hit & Run Traffic Collision
December 12 at 11:04 a.m., a hit and run traffic collision was reported in the 500 block of W. Palm Avenue. The suspect driver struck two vehicles on Palm and fled the area. A witness reported that the suspect vehicle is a green, box-type Scion. The vehicle was last seen traveling east on Foothill from the area. Officers arrived and checked the area, but were unable to locate the vehicle. The investigation is continuing.

Sign Up for Home Security Rebate; Congrats to Fire Department; New Bed Tax; Etc.

From City Manager Oliver Chi's his weekly update ...

~ Monrovia's Home Security Rebate Program has been approved and the city will begin accepting applications in January. The program will rebate you up to $250 when you install a home security system. If you are interested send an email to securityrebate@ci.monrovia.ca.us. You'll be notified when the City begins to accept applications.

~ Congratulated the fire department and other personnel who jumped on the Norumbega fire and doused it so quickly. Comment: Yes! Much appreciated.

~ Just as other fire agencies helped Monrovia, Monrovia has also been sending firefighting support for the fires in the San Diego and Santa Barbara areas.

~ In case of future evacuation orders, "the City will always utilize law enforcement personnel to start knocking on doors to personally notify residents of the need to evacuate."

~ Monrovia's RED Program is designed to help elderly and disabled citizens who may not be able to help themselves in critical and life-threatening situations, such as evacuations. To sign up for the program, contact the Monrovia Fire Department at 256-8181, or visit Fire Station 101 (141 East Lemon Avenue).

~ As part of Monrovia's response to its huge unfunded retirement problem the city wants to raise the bed tax on hotels from 10 to 12 percent. It will have to go on the ballot of a special election in June 2018. Chi said "Staff has spoken with the DoubleTree, Courtyard Marriott, and the developer of the proposed Marriott TownePlace Suite hotel about the proposed 2% increase" and they're okay with it.

~ Horse-drawn carriage rides for $5 on Thursdays and Sundays this month in Old Town. Thursdays, Dec. 14 and 21, from 5-8 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 17, from 3-6 p.m.

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia High Basketball 'Thriller' Victory; Christmas Parade on Video

~ The Monrovia High boys basketball team beat Bellflower 97-93 in a double-overtime thriller. https://goo.gl/BehGwr

~ Here's the Monrovia Christmas Parade on video, if you missed it in person: https://goo.gl/Mjy4zq

- Brad Haugaard

Unity Center Food Distribution Day on Dec. 16

Monrovia's Foothill Unity Center will hold a food distribution day for families with children on Saturday, Dec. 16, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., at Ayres Hall, at the LA County Arboretum in Arcadia. Packing Day will be Friday, Dec. 15, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Each family will take home a holiday food box with a meat and the makings for a traditional dinner. Boxes are packed to family size. Families with children will also take home bags of unwrapped gifts specifically requested by their kids through the Center’s Adopt an Angel program. The bags are opaque, so families can wrap and give them as part of their own holiday traditions.

More than 400 youth and adult volunteers will work together to pack nearly 1,000 holiday food boxes and organize the gift bags Friday in preparation for the distribution day on Saturday, staffed by more than 150 volunteers.

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Chamber of Commerce Award Winners

Monrovia Chamber of Commerce award winners:

~ Stephen Bray will receive the Iris Award, equivalent to Citizen of the Year.

~ The 2017 Monroe Award honoree, for business person of the year, will go to Paul Kalemkiarian.

~ Penny Arroyo, of Volunteer Center of San Gabriel Valley, has been selected as the recipient of the
Service to the Chamber Award.

~ The Military Service & Stewardship Award will be presented to Gene Glasco.

Source: https://goo.gl/cs9LPk

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Police: First He's In an Accident, Then His Car is Stolen; Etc.

[Monrovia Police activities from the Police Department's Neighborhood Watch Report for December 7-10. - Brad Haugaard]

Following are the weekend’s highlighted issues and events.

Warrant / Possession of Personal Identifying Information / Possession of Access Card – Suspect Arrested
December 7 at 10:13 a.m., officers responded to a business parking lot in the 600 block of W. Huntington regarding a male subject walking around and yelling, causing a disturbance. Officers contacted the subject and a computer check revealed he had an outstanding warrant; he was arrested. An inventory of his property revealed he was in possession of someone else's driver's license and debit card. Further investigation revealed the two items were reported stolen from a vehicle in another city. The victim did not know the subject and did not give him permission to be in possession of his license or debit card. The suspect was additionally charged with possessing another person’s identifying information and for possession of an access card without cardholder's consent.

Driving Under the Influence – Suspect Arrested
December 7 at 9:28 p.m., an officer stopped a vehicle for several vehicle code violations. The driver was found to be too impaired to drive a motor vehicle safely and was arrested for DUI. Due to driver’s high level of intoxication, the Monrovia Fire Department paramedics were summoned. The driver was taken to a hospital for medical treatment.

Grand Theft Auto
December 7 at 10:01 p.m., a vehicle was reported stolen from the area of Myrtle and Central. The victim called police and reported that he had been in an accident on the freeway and he exited at Myrtle. He parked his car near Myrtle and Central and then went to call his daughter. When he returned to the vehicle, it was gone. The investigation is continuing.

Domestic Battery – Suspect Arrested
December 8 at 2:29 a.m., officers were dispatched on the report of a family disturbance at a residence in the 500 block of E. Olive. After interviewing both parties, the husband was arrested for battery and taken into custody.

Theft From a Vehicle
December 8 at 12:00 noon, a theft from a vehicle was reported in the 200 block of W. Lemon. An unknown suspect entered the victim's unlocked vehicle and stole his wallet from the center console. His wallet contained various debit and credit cards. One of the cards had already been used at an unknown location. The investigation is continuing.

Shoplifting – Suspect Arrested
December 8 at 3:58 p.m., a female subject was detained for shoplifting at a business in the 500 block of W. Huntington. She entered the location, grabbed a handbag and exited the store without paying. The suspect did not have any identification or form of payment on her. She was arrested and taken into custody. The suspect was also found to have an outstanding warrant. She was later released with a citation to appear in court on the charges.

Under the Influence of a Controlled Substance / Possession of Drug Paraphernalia – Suspect Arrested
December 8 at 8:27 p.m., a disturbing subject was reported at a business in the 300 block of W. Huntington. Officers arrived and contacted the subject, who showed signs of drug influence. A search of his person revealed he had a methamphetamine pipe in his possession. After investigation, the subject was arrested for being under the influence of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Shoplifting / Possession of a Controlled Substance / Possession of Drug Paraphernalia – Suspect Arrested
December 8 at 8:40 p.m., officers responded to the report of a shoplifting in progress at a business in the 500 block of W. Huntington. As officers arrived, the loss prevention officer was detaining a male adult for shoplifting. A search of the suspect revealed methamphetamine and a methamphetamine pipe. The suspect was arrested for shoplifting, possession of methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Driving Under the Influence – Suspect Arrested
December 9 at 2:02 a.m., an officer stopped a vehicle for vehicle code violations in the area of Mountain and Royal Oaks. The investigation revealed the driver was too impaired to drive a motor vehicle safely and the suspect was arrested for driving under the influence. The vehicle was stored.

Warrants / Possession of a Controlled Substance – Suspect Arrested
December 9 at 4:18 a.m., an officer observed a suspicious subject in a vehicle at a closed business. He contacted the subject and a computer check revealed he had two warrants for his arrest. During a search of the subject, he was found to be in possession of methamphetamine. The subject was arrested.

Grand Theft
December 9 at 10:19 a.m., a grand theft was reported at a business in the 100 block of W. Chestnut. Unknown suspects cut the lock to the gate and took a compressor from the rear of the business. The investigation is continuing.

Theft
December 10 at 11:29 a.m., a theft was reported at a business in the 600 block of W. Huntington. The victim realized her wallet had been taken from her purse while she was at the business the day prior. When she contacted the bank to cancel her accounts, she was informed of two fraudulent transactions made to her account. The investigation is continuing.

Under the Influence of a Controlled Substance / Warrant – Suspect Arrested
December 10 at 7:43 p.m., an officer on patrol saw a subject trying to jump start a vehicle parked in a no-parking zone. The officer contacted the subject and noticed the subject appeared to be under the influence of a controlled substance. A computer check of the subject revealed he had a warrant for his arrest. He was arrested and held for a sobering period. He was later released on a citation to appear in court on the charges.

Grand Theft Auto
December 10 at 8:24 p.m., a vehicle was reported stolen from a business parking lot in the 500 block of W. Huntington. The victim had been shopping and was returning to her vehicle, when she saw her vehicle being driven away. The vehicle had been parked and secured at the location. Officers conducted an area check, but did not locate the vehicle. The investigation is continuing. 

Norumbega Fire Under Investigation

The city reports that, "The cause of the fire is currently under investigation, and fire investigators have already been deployed on scene to assess the situation."

Comment: Yeah, two fires in just a few days. Suspicious.

- Brad Haugaard

Burned Water Tank Above Monrovia Not Being Used

On the TV news last night you may have seen a large water tank on a hillside north of Monrovia engulfed in fire. Well, that won't cause any disruption because it is not in use. City Manager Oliver Chi reports that it was decommissioned in late 1950s.

- Brad Haugaard

Fire Above East Monrovia



A substantial fire is burning in the hillsides of east Monrovia. Possibly around Norumbega. This bad picture taken from Hillcrest near Magnolia. Apparently just above Grant Park.

Update: No homes damaged yet but it appears a water tank on the hillside may be damaged.

Update: People evacuating the area may go to the Community Center, just north of the library.

Update: You can take your dog to Wonder Dog Ranch if you are evacuating the area. 220 Taylor Street, east off Myrtle two blocks south of Duarte Road.

Update: Very low winds helping a lot. Firefighters seem to be getting a handle on it. Encouraging, except I'm wondering about the cost of fixing/replacing that water tank.

Update: Mayor Tom Adams reports that Foothill Gym has opened for anyone needing a place to go. On the east side of Myrtle just across from the Pavilions shopping center.

Update: From TV coverage it looks like firefighters have it pretty much under control. It looks as if it is now a job of keeping an eye on the embers to make sure there are no flare-ups.

- Brad Haugaard 

School Board to Consider Social Justice Camp; New Courses; Online Chat Software

At its December 13 meeting (agenda), the Monrovia School Board will consider ...

~ Approving a deal for 20 students to attend a free multi-day Building Bridges Camp by the California Conference for Equality and Justice during the 2017-18 school year. "After attending Builing Bridges Camps, students return to campus as leaders on anti-bias and social justice efforts." Details here.

~ Approving several new courses: Global Affairs, Avid (college prep), Math II and III, and Advanced Video Production.

~ Approving a contract with Fulcrum Management Solutions for its online software "that creates online conversations for meaningful engagement by parents, staff, and community members." Details here.

- Brad Haugaard

Lunch at Gem City Grill




Had lunch yesterday at Gem City Grill, on the north side of Olive just east of Myrtle. Got a Bacon Cheddar Ranch Sandwich for $7.95 and a beer for $5. Nothing trendy about this place. It’s an old style bar and grill with pool tables but the  sandwich (really a burger) was great. Patty was twice as thick compared to burger patties at most places. 

- Brad Haugaard 

Bake Sale Sunday to Benefit Young Musicians

The Monrovia Young Musicians Ensemble will hold a bake sale this Sunday, Dec. 10, from 3-5 p.m. at the Pavilions market. Live music and goodies to buy.

- Brad Haugaard

Firefighters Put Out Brush Fire in North Monrovia

Firefighters last night quikly put out a small brush fire in north Monrovia, in back yards near the entrance to Canyon Park.  Details here.

- Brad Haugaard