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Monrovia Council: Crime Up, Fire Calls Up, Water Rates Up, and More

In his weekly report (https://goo.gl/aOqX7O) City Manager Oliver Chi reports ...

~ Crime continued to rise in Monrovia during 2017, up 2.8 percent, though that's more slowly than in the prior year.  When compared with 2016, Monrovia experienced a total increase of 2.8% in serious crimes. There were  3 more murder / negligent manslaughter incidents than in  2016 (when there were zero incidents). Still, Chi writes, "[I] t is important to keep in mind that similar and greater increases in Part I crimes are being seen throughout Los Angeles County and in the State of California."

~ Also, more calls for fire services. Up 3 percent, 123 more incidents. The city "is now analyzing how we might reorganize our operations to better respond to changing needs."

~ The City Council has  approved raising water rates. The new cost will be about $16.87 more and will take effect as of March 8, and will first appear on customers' April 2018 bills. If you think you need a discount, here's the application: https://goo.gl/kc2VDU

~ The  State of the City Address is scheduled for Monday, Jan. 29, at Studio Movie Grill in Old Town, at 7 p.m. Details soon.

~ A funeral mass will be held for Monrovia leader, Pat Ostrye, on Saturday, Jan. 27 at 10 a.m. at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, 740 S. Shamrock Avenue, Monrovia.  In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in honor of Pat to the Foothill Unity Center, 358-3486.

~ The proposed  GoMonrovia transportation program should be rolled out in March. Its core features are using subsidized Lyft (like Uber) rides and offering LimeBike's dockless bike-share (You can leave the bike pretty much any old where, rather than in a docking station).

~ Beer. How to make it.  Wednesday, Feb. 7, 6:00 - 8 p.m. at the Monrovia Public Library. Space limited. Sign up by calling 256-8274.

- Brad Haugaard

County Supervisor Barger Will Help Count Homeless in Monrovia

LA County Supervisor Kathryn Barger will join other volunteers at the Monrovia Community Center at 8 p.m. Tuesday as part of the countywide effort to count the homeless population. She said: "Our homeless population has a face and a name. In addition to public safety and mental health, there is no greater emergency or mission than to protect those who are most vulnerable and in need. I count because they count."

Source: Barger press release

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Leader Pat Ostrye Has Died

The first woman to serve on the Monrovia City Council, Mary Patricia "Pat" Ostrye, died on January 13 of this year (not last year, as the obituary says), a day after her 94th birthday. In addition to being the first woman to serve on the Monrovia City Council, in 1978 she also became the first elected mayor of the city. Here is the full obituary: https://goo.gl/vucuaR

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Schools Receives Audit Report


At its next meeting (agenda here) the Monrovia Board of Education will ...

~ Receive an audit report that to my non-accounting eye, looks fairly bleak. See image above. It would be great if someone with accounting skills could look it over. The audit report is here. Any accountants out there want to give a professional opinion on this?

~ Consider approving the rental agreement with Fellowship Monrovia, the church that meets at the Monrovia High auditorium. The church will be spending $167,708 this year to use the facilities. Report here.

~ Consider recruiting international students to attend district schools, and, related to that, will consider updating a US Immigration and Customs Enforcement form to allow Canyon Oaks High School and Monrovia Community Adult School to be added to the list of schools authorized to receive such students.

- Brad Haugaard

Citrus Fourth Best California Community College

Citrus College, which serves Monrovia, has been recognized as California's fourth‐ranked community college in a recent study by Schools.com.

The website reviewed the state's 114 community colleges, scoring them on a 10‐point scale in six areas: percentage of students enrolled in distance education, cost of attendance, student‐to‐faculty ratio, graduation rate, number of transfers to the University of California system, and flexibility.

Citrus College was ranked as the fourth best community college in California and the second best in Los Angeles County.

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Scouts Tour Submarines

Monrovia scout troop gets tour of submersible vehicles at SEAmagine Hydrospace Corporation.  https://goo.gl/eXuabW

- Brad Haugaard

Dinner at Cafe LuMar

Dinner at Cafe LuMar, a Croatian restaurant on the south side of Colorado about a half block east of Myrtle. Got the goulash for $18 and a Lasko Croatian beer for $4.75. It came with a crispy bread appetizer with a red pepper eggplant sauce, and a tangy cabbage salad. Food and service were excellent!

- Brad Haugaard 

Monrovia Police: Cell Phone Rescues Hiker Just Before It Goes Dead; Stake Out Catches Suspect; Pedestrian Stopped for Vehicle Code Violation, Arrested; Porch Package Theft; Etc.

[Monrovia Police activities from the Police Department's Neighborhood Watch Report for January 11-17. - Brad Haugaard]

During the last seven-day period, the Police Department handled 425 service events, resulting in 76 investigations.

Alcohol Offense / Suspended License
January 11 at 8:17 a.m., a caller reported a suspicious vehicle with two males inside parked in the area of Alta Vista and Concord. The subjects left the area but officers were able to locate the vehicle which had expired registration. Further investigation revealed there was an open container of alcohol in the vehicle and the driver had a suspended license. The driver was cited and the vehicle was stored.

Possession of Methamphetamine / Parole Violation – Suspect Arrested
January 11 at 1:31 p.m., an officer was on patrol in the 1600 block of S. Myrtle when he noticed a suspicious subject standing by the men’s bathroom at Station Square. The officer made contact with the subject and during the search of the subject, officers found he was in possession of methamphetamine. The subject was also on active parole. The suspect was detained and taken into custody.

Apprehension of Wanted Felon
January 11 at 7:11 p.m., detectives were conducting surveillance in an attempt to apprehend a wanted felon in the 800 block of S. Magnolia. The subject was eventually seen and as officers moved in to arrest him, he fled. A short foot pursuit ensued until the subject hid in a fenced area in the 200 block of W. Huntington. A containment was set up, outside agencies including K9 Units responded to assist as well as a Police Helicopter. Once secured, a K9 announcement from the helicopter was made and the suspect surrendered. The suspect was arrested and taken into custody without incident.

Domestic Violence – Suspect Arrested
January 12 at 5:42 a.m., officers were dispatched to a business in the 900 block of S. Fifth on the report of a disturbance. The female was visiting her ex-boyfriend, they drank and began to argue. The male subject hit the female, she sustained several visible injuries due to the altercation. The male was arrested for domestic violence.

Non-Injury Traffic Collision / Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol – Suspects Arrested
January 13 at 3:23 a.m., an officer was on patrol in the 100 block of W. Central and noticed a traffic collision that had just occurred. The vehicles had pulled to the side of the road. The officer made contact with them and further investigation revealed both drivers were under the influence of alcohol. Both drivers were arrested and taken into custody.

Theft / Evading a Peace Officer – Suspect Arrested
January 13 at 7:12 p.m., officers were dispatched to a business in the 500 block of W. Huntington regarding a subject stealing merchandise. While the officers were en route, the suspect fled in a vehicle. Officers caught up to the vehicle after a short pursuit on the 210 freeway eastbound when the suspect exited at Myrtle. The suspect was arrested and taken into custody.

Outside Assist (Lost Hiker)
January 14 at 3:47 p.m., a caller reported he was lost in Canyon Park. The hiker left the trail and became disoriented. An air unit checked the area but was unable to locate him. The dispatchers called his cell phone numerous times before they were able to reach him. When they reached him, they explained to the caller step by step how to send his location over the phone. The phone died shortly thereafter. Search & Rescue were contacted for assistance and shortly after the lost hiker was located.

Theft
January 15 at 2:32 p.m., a theft was reported by a resident in the 400 block of Cloverleaf Dr. The victim reported a package was stolen from her porch. There is no suspect information at this time. The investigation is ongoing.

Petty Theft
January 15 at 5:56 p.m., a resident in the 400 block of Cloverleaf Dr. called the police to report a theft. The victim is an elderly female. She reported a bracelet valued at $250 was stolen from inside her home on January 10, 2018. The investigation is continuing.

Warrant – Suspect Arrested
January 17 at 7:46 p.m., officers on patrol in the 100 block of W. Huntington Dr. stopped a pedestrian for a vehicle code violation. A computer check revealed the subject had several warrants for his arrest. The suspect was arrested and taken into custody.

Tattooing in Old Town? Homeless Meeting Tonight; Housing/Retail Complex Planned on Myrtle; Etc.

In his weekly update, City Manager Oliver Chi reports ...

~ Should tattooing be allowed as a secondary service for Old Town businesses? The city is considering allowing such services if it is limited to a small portion of the business. "This is similar to the way Monrovia regulates massage businesses, where in Old Town, massage can be offered as one of the services provided by a business as long as it does not occupy more than 20% of the floor area of the business." Mini four-question survey here: https://goo.gl/rPrK9t

~ There will be a community meeting tonight (Jan. 17) to discuss homeless issues. 6:30 p.m. in the Library Community Room.

~ Public meeting at 6 p.m. on Feb. 1 at the Library to discuss AvalonBay, a proposed 154 unit housing and retail complex that would be located at the northwest corner of Myrtle and Chestnut. It would also have 2,900 square feet of retail space, and a 286-space parking structure.

~ The Monrovia Police Officers' Association's Tip-A-Cop Fundraiser last week raised $500 for Foothill Unity Center.  The event was held during lunch at Copper Still Grill. All tips from Monrovia police officers, along with 25% of all sales, were donated.

~  The Historic Preservation Commission will hold a study session to review the Citywide Historic Context Statement on Jan. 18, at 5 p.m. at the Monrovia Community Center. The statement will be a tool to evaluate potential historic landmarks and districts.

~ Monrovia's State of the City Address will be on Monday, Jan. 29, at Studio Movie Grill at 7 p.m. Details to come.

~ The Chamber of Commerce has named Sari Canales as its new executive director. There will be a welcome reception today (Jan. 17) from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at the Chamber. Canales has worked for the Irwindale Chamber of Commerce since 2015 as an Administrative Assistant, Membership Development Coordinator, and Membership Services Director.

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Council to Consider Monument to Allen Allensworth


At its next meeting (https://goo.gl/PLSvf4) the Monrovia City Council will consider this 10-foot tall monument to early Monrovian, Allen Allensworth, which would be installed on Shamrock, near Second Baptist Church, which I believe Allensworth helped found. The art piece would be produced by Ron Hubbard, "known for his work at Walt Disney Feature Animation, where he has 24 animation credits associated with Walt Disney related films. Mr. Husband is also a Monrovia resident and has the distinction of serving as the first African American Disney animator." https://goo.gl/B3RyMn

Also, the council will hold a hearing and vote on proposed water rate hikes. https://goo.gl/XDtTKx

- Brad Haugaard

Dinner at at Sakura Sushi House



Dinner at at Sakura Sushi House, at the corner of Foothill and May, a couple blocks east of Myrtle. Got the Bento Dinner A (chicken) for $16.95 and a small beer ($3.95). The meal came with a little salad and a miso soup. Very good!

- Brad Haugaard 

Monrovia Police: Attack With Machete; Massage Therapist Opens Door for Robbery; Threat Against MHS - In Virginia; Peeper; Fake IRS Scam

[Monrovia Police activities from the Police Department's Neighborhood Watch Report for January 4-10. - Brad Haugaard]

During the last seven-day period, the Police Department handled 408 service events, resulting in 88 investigations.

Fraud Incident
January 4 at 9:52 a.m., a fraud incident was reported at a business in the 100 block of W. Foothill. The victim purchased two gift cards from the business and had a receipt as proof of purchase. When the recipients of the gift cards went to use them, one did not have a value and the other had already been used. The investigation is ongoing.

Warrant – Suspect Arrested
January 4 at 10:59 a.m., a shoplifting incident was reported at a business in the 1600 block of S. Mountain. The shoplifter exited the store and ran into a neighboring business, where he was contacted by officers. The subject was not found to be in possession of any merchandise from the business, but a computer check revealed he had numerous warrants for his arrest. He was arrested for the warrants and taken into custody. A no trespassing order was completed against the subject for the business. 

Assault with a Deadly Weapon – Suspect Arrested
January 4 at 7:14 p.m., officers responded to a fight in progress in the 400 block of Monrovista. The fight involved two adult brothers and one had been cut with a machete. Both subjects were injured, with one having a laceration on his head. After investigation, the brother identified as the suspect was arrested for assault with a deadly weapon and taken to a hospital to be checked out. The brother identified as the victim was also taken to a hospital for treatment.

Suspicious Subject / Warrant – Suspect Arrested
January 4 at 7:28 p.m., a suspicious subject was reported in the 200 block of N. Primrose looking at houses and in vehicles. Officers responded and detained a subject that fit the description. The subject had no valid reason to be loitering in the residential area, and a computer check revealed he had several warrants for his arrest. He was arrested for the warrants and taken into custody.

Vandalism
January 5 at 10:46 a.m., a vandalism incident was reported in the 800 block of W. Duarte. Unknown suspect(s) broke two windows on the victim's vehicle. The investigation is ongoing.

Vandalism
January 5 at 9:49 p.m., a vandalism incident was reported in the 200 block of S. Primrose. The victim reported that the rear window to his Dodge Durango had been smashed. There was a rock laying on the ground near the vehicle. At 7:00 p.m., the victim did hear a loud crash and saw two juveniles running north on Primrose. At the time, the victim did not know the crash sound was the window to his SUV breaking. The investigation is continuing.

Residential Burglary
January 6 at 12:30 a.m., a residential burglary was reported in the 500 block of N. Myrtle. The residents arrived home and discovered an upstairs window was broken. The victims could not determine what was taken at the time of the report. The investigation is continuing.

Driving Under the Influence – Suspect Arrested
January 6 at 3:00 a.m., an officer stopped a vehicle for vehicle code violations at Evergreen and California. The investigation revealed the driver was too impaired to drive a motor vehicle safely and the driver was arrested for DUI. The vehicle was stored and the driver was held for a sobering period.

Criminal Threats – Suspect Arrested
January 6 at 9:57 a.m., an incident of criminal threats was reported in the 100 block of S. Mountain. The victim reported that her neighbor’s boyfriend was at the location and he was threatening to kill her. Officers arrived and took statements from the parties involved and a witness. The suspect was ultimately arrested for verbal threats and was taken into custody.

Grand Theft From a Vehicle
January 6 at 4:48 p.m., a grand theft was reported in the 500 block of Fano. The victim reported that her laptop and work identification were taken out of her unlocked vehicle. Her vehicle was parked in her carport when the theft occurred. The investigation is continuing.

Vehicle Burglaries
January 6 at 9:56 p.m., two vehicle burglaries were reported in the area of Parker and Mayflower. The victims parked their cars on Parker, near Mayflower, and went inside their homes for the day. Both victims were not sure if they locked their cars or not, and both returned to their vehicles and discovered items missing. The investigations are continuing.

Residential Robbery
January 6 at 9:56 p.m., a robbery was reported at a residence in the 1000 block of Royal Oaks. The victim hired a massage therapist on Craigslist to come to his residence. Eventually, a female and a male subject came to the door and he let them in. While the victim was talking to them, two more male subjects entered his residence. The four suspects hit the victim with a lamp and robbed him of his wallet and cell phone. The suspects fled in a white SUV. The investigation is continuing.

Warrant – Suspect Arrested
January 7 at 11:54 a.m., officers were dispatched to the 200 block of N. Mayflower regarding two subjects possibly smoking drugs. The subjects were contacted and one subject was found to have a warrant for his arrest. He was arrested for the warrant and taken into custody.

Traffic Collision
January 7 at 4:09 p.m., a traffic collision was reported in the area of Primrose and Linwood. A motorhome struck a parked vehicle and drove away from the scene. Officers arrived and found the motorhome still in the area. The driver had pulled over and was trying to make his way back to the location. The parties exchanged information and the driver was cited for driving on a suspended license.

False Threat Reported at Monrovia High School
January 7 at 9:00 p.m., police dispatch received dozens of calls reporting a photo of rifles and a threat to "MHS" being posted on social media. After investigation, it was determined through Facebook postings that the threat was actually to Monticello High School in Virginia. The post began trending here because it had the hashtag #MHS on it. Nonetheless, there were many upset students and parents, so extra police patrol was provided.

Stolen Vehicle
January 8 at 7:10 a.m., a vehicle was reported stolen from the 700 block of S. Alta Vista. The vehicle was parked on the street and was stolen sometime overnight. The vehicle is a white, 2001 GMC Savanna. The investigation is continuing.

Hit and Run Traffic Collision
January 8 at 11:45 a.m., officers were dispatched to the 200 block of W. Huntington on the report of a hit and run traffic accident. The victim stated his vehicle was struck by a grey Mazda that was traveling east on Huntington. The suspect vehicle fled the area, heading north on Primrose and out of sight. The victim was not injured and the investigation is continuing.

Non-injury Traffic Collision
January 8 at 5:21 p.m., a single vehicle traffic collision occurred on Myrtle at Chestnut. The vehicle overturned as a result of the collision, however, the occupant was not injured. The cause of the collision is under investigation.

Grand Theft
January 8 at 10:20 p.m., a grand theft was reported at a business in the 1600 block of S. Mountain. The suspect placed merchandise into a shopping cart and left the store without paying for the items. The suspect was last seen driving north through the parking lot and east onto Evergreen. The investigation is continuing.

Burglary
January 9 at 6:00 a.m., officers responded to a burglary alarm activation at a business in the 400 block of W. Huntington. When they arrived, they found the front door open. No suspects were at the location and the investigation showed the cash register and some cash had been stolen. The investigation is continuing.

Peeping / Prowling
January 9 at 7:59 a.m., a peeping/prowling incident was reported at a residence in the 300 block of E. Colorado. A female adult subject was inside her bedroom and noticed a male Hispanic subject peeping through a hole in her blinds. She screamed and the suspect fled in a black truck through an alley. The investigation is continuing.

Burglary
January 9 at 11:10 a.m., a burglary was reported in the 1100 block of S. Fifth Avenue. The victim called and reported his parking garage had been burglarized in the early morning hours. There were two suspects that stole tools and equipment from the location. The suspects loaded the stolen property into a tan Jeep SUV, possibly a Commander. The vehicle had black rims, a burned out headlamp and a sticker in the rear window. The investigation is continuing.

Grand Theft
January 9 at 10:09 a.m., a grand theft incident was reported to police. The victim reported that an unknown suspect called and claimed to be from the IRS. The suspect told the victim she needed to pay back taxes and that she could pay them with Apple gift cards. The victim went to two different Apple stores and purchased gift cards. She then provided the PIN numbers to the suspect. The investigation is continuing.

Traffic Collision
January 10 at 6:17 a.m., dispatch received multiple calls reporting an accident at Myrtle and Lime. The collision involved one vehicle that collided with a city bench at the intersection. The driver was found to have a suspended driver's license. He was arrested and later released with a citation to appear in court on the charges. There were no injuries involved.

Stolen Vehicle Recovered
January 10 at 11:37 a.m., the owner of a stolen vehicle called police to report he had located the vehicle in the 600 block of W. Olive. He had received a phone call from a friend of his that had found the vehicle. Officers responded, recovered the vehicle, and it was released to the registered owner.

Warrant / Possession of a Controlled Substance – Suspect Arrested
January 10 at 2:35 p.m., a suspicious person in a vehicle was reported in the 600 block of E. Lime. Officers arrived and contacted the occupant, who was found to be on parole. A computer check revealed the subject had an outstanding warrant for his arrest. He was arrested and a search of his person revealed methamphetamine hidden in his socks. The additional crime was added to his charges.

Shoplifting – Suspect Arrested
January 10 at 5:11 p.m., employees at a business in the 1600 block of S. Mountain called police to advise they were chasing a theft suspect through the parking lot. The suspect was possibly armed with a knife. The suspect went into a nearby business and locked himself in the bathroom. Officers arrived and detained the suspect. He was arrested and booked for shoplifting.

Missing Person
January 10 at 7:25 p.m., a male subject came into the police lobby to report his roommate had been missing for a few days. He was last seen at his residence on Monday, January 8, 2018. He called out sick to work on January 4 and 5. He was a no show to work on January 8, 9 and 10. Local hospitals and jails were checked with negative results. Officers went to the missing person’s residence to see if he showed back up, but he had not returned. The missing person and his vehicle were entered into the law enforcement missing person’s system. The investigation is continuing.

Possession of a Controlled Substance – Suspect Arrested
January 10 at 10:16 p.m., officers stopped a bicyclist for traffic violations. Further investigation revealed she was in possession of an illegal drug. She was arrested and taken into custody. She was later released with a citation to appear in court on the charges. 

Student Acting Workshop; Emergency Training

~ Five-week Readers Theatre Workshop for students grades 4-12.  Combine puppetry, reading, and acting to create mini sketches for a performance at the library. Participants must attend all workshops and the performance.  No experience necessary.​ Thursdays, Jan. 11, 18, 25, and Feb. 1 and 8, 3:30-5 p.m., Library Community Room. Public performance Saturday, Feb. 10, 2 p.m.
 
~ Community Emergency Response Training (CERT) on Feb. 17, 24, and March 3. Email Suzi Dobson at sdobson@ci.monrovia.ca.us to register.

Source: Becky Shevlin’s calendar 

- Brad Haugaard 

Monrovia's Senator's Bill Would Help Protect Legislative Staffers From Sexual Harassment

California's Senate Judiciary Committee unanimously passed SB 419, co-authored by Senator Anthony Portantino, who represents Monrovia. The bill "protects victims of sexual harassment in and around the Legislature against retaliation once cases are reported." It is now headed to the full Senate Floor for a vote.

Source: Portantino press release

Comment: What a novel idea! having our legislators live under the same rules they make us live under. I approve.

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia City Sponsored Meeting on Homelessness


On Wednesday, Jan. 17, at the Library Community Room, at 6:30 p.m., the city will host a community meeting. At the meeting, we plan to allow plenty of time for questions and dialogue. In addition, we also plan on sharing with meeting participants the things that we can and can't do in responding to homeless related issues, while also providing some preliminary information about proposed upgrades to Library Park this coming year.


- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia's New Transportation Plan; Train Depot Almost Done; Help Count Homeless

In his weekly update (https://goo.gl/aOqX7O) City Manager Oliver Chi reports that ...

~ The city has been working on a new transportation plan called GoMonrovia! that will include:
  • More parking.
  • A deal with Lyft to provide reduced-fare car rides for Monrovians. (Lyft is like Uber.)
  • A deal with LimeBike to provide bicycles for people to ride around town. This bike-share program doesn't require docking stations, but uses a GPS system so bikes can be picked and dropped off anywhere. Use an app to find a bike, scan bike, ride it, lock it when you're done. http://www.limebike.com/
  • A scaled down version of the current dial-a-ride program.
Comment: Frankly, I'm impressed. This is good, up-to-date, non-bureaucratic thinking!

~ Monrovia’s Historic Santa Fe Depot is almost done. Final inspections will be done within the next few weeks, and then much of construction fencing will come down to allow for partial access of the Station Square Transit Plaza. But there will still need to be tenant improvements for a restaurant.

~ If you are interested in participating in the city's homeless count show up at the Monrovia Community Center (119  W. Palm Ave.) by 8 p.m.  A volunteer training and orientation session will occur at that time, and representatives from the City's Public Services Department and Police Department will be on hand to address any questions / concerns.  The actual count is expected to begin at 9 p.m. You an also register online at  http://www.theycountwillyou.org/

- Brad Haugaard

History of Monrovia Now on Amazon

A second edition of Renaissance Years: A History of Modern Monrovia is now available for purchase from Amazon.com.


The 428-page book by former journalist and city public information officer Richard Singer tells the story of Monrovia’s transformation from a racially troubled and economically failing city in the 1960s and ‘70s to an award-winning, nationally recognized model community. The work covers the entire history of the city, from its beginnings in the late 1880s to events of just a few months ago.


The new Amazon version is a second edition of the book, which was first published in September of last year and sold briskly during the holiday season. A few of the first edition copies are still available locally, with the total purchase price from those sales going to support both the MonroviaHistorical Museum and the historic Anderson House museum. Remaining first edition copies may be purchased at the Historical Museum, at the Dollmakers shop in Old Town, and at the Friends of the Library store inside the Monrovia Public Library.


Online, Renaissance Years may be purchased from Amazon.com.

 

Source: press release 


- Brad Haugaard 

Lunch at Sunday’s Old Town Bistro



Lunch today at Sunday’s Old Town Bistro, on the east side of Myrtle s bit north of Colorado. Got a roast and cheddar panini for for$8.99 and a “Bistro-Aide” (lemonade and bubbly water) for $2.75. Both the sandwich and the Bistro-Aide were very good. 

- Brad Haugaard 

Monrovia's AeroVironment Developing Drone Aerial Satellites

Monrovia-based AeroVironment is establish a joint venture with Japanese telecommunications company SoftBank to develop solar-powered, high-altitude, long-endurance drones for telecommunication. Sort of communications satellites in the air, I guess.  https://goo.gl/4hkG3j

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Police: Beaten and Robbed After New Year's Party; Grand Theft Dog; Man Struggling With Dogs Arrested; Lighting Fires at Intersection; Etc.

[Monrovia Police activities from the Police Department's Neighborhood Watch Report for January 1-3. - Brad Haugaard]

During the last seven-day period, the Police Department handled 437 service events, resulting in 90 investigations.

Robbery
January 1 at 6:55 p.m., a male and female subject came into the police station and reported they had been assaulted that morning at approximately 1:00 a.m. The victims were walking home from the downtown area and noticed they were being followed by two male Hispanic subjects, wearing hoodies. The two suspects approached the couple, asked them where they were from and demanded their cell phones. The male victim pulled out a knife and one of the suspects pulled a baseball bat out of his pants. The suspect struck the victim multiple times with the bat, causing lacerations to his head and breaking the victim's thumb. The victims were able to escape and sought medical treatment. The investigation is continuing.

Public Intoxication / Warrants – Suspect Arrested
January 1 at 7:39 p.m., an officer was dispatched to the 400 block of E. Lemon regarding an intoxicated male subject that was causing a disturbance. Officers arrived and contacted the subject. A computer check of the subject revealed he had multiple warrants for his arrest and he was determined to be too intoxicated to care for himself. He was arrested and held for a sobering period. He was later released on citations to appear in court on the charges.

Theft From a Vehicle
January 1 at 9:04 p.m., a theft from a vehicle was reported in the 900 block of W. Duarte. The victim reported several items were taken from his unlocked vehicle that was parked at the location. The items included clothing and shoes. The investigation is continuing.

Vehicle Burglary
January 2 at 1:22 p.m., the victim parked his vehicle on the street in the 100 block of N. Lincoln on December 30 and locked it. When he returned to his vehicle on January 2, he found the driver’s door ajar. His glovebox was open and a phone charger was missing. The investigation is continuing.

Residential Burglary
January 2 at 4:53 p.m., a residential burglary was reported in the 800 block of Naples. It appears the suspect removed a window screen and opened a bathroom window to make entry. The suspect took household documents, such as mortgage papers, bank paperwork, etc., and exited the home. The suspect put the screen back on the window and then fled. The investigation is continuing.

Warrants – Suspect Arrested
January 2 at 5:04 p.m., officers responded to the 900 block of Diamond regarding an animal problem. Officers arrived and found a male subject struggling with four leashed dogs. The officers attempted to help the subject, but the subject was acting suspicious. He was evasive as to where he lived and refused help. He was hesitant to answer any questions. Officers finally obtained identification from the subject and ran a computer check, which revealed he had two no-bail warrants for burglary. He was arrested for the warrants.

Warrant – Suspect Arrested
January 3 at 3:46 p.m., officers were dispatched to the area of Mayflower and Chestnut on the report of a subject seen sitting at the intersection, lighting fires. Officers arrived and detained the subject. A computer check revealed he had an outstanding warrant and he was arrested.

Burglary
January 3 at 7:07 p.m., a resident in the 400 block of N. Encinitas returned home to find the front door had been kicked in and the location had been ransacked. The only known loss at the time of the report was credit cards. The investigation is continuing.

Grand Theft
January 3 at 8:10 p.m., a grand theft was reported in the 600 block of W. Huntington. The victims arranged a meeting online with a potential buyer for a French Bulldog puppy. The potential buyer fled with the dog on foot. Officers responded and searched the area, but were unable to locate the suspect. The investigation is continuing.