Council Will Consider Buying More Water

The City Council will get an update on water consumption during a study session at 6 p.m. prior to its regular session this coming Tuesday, then at 6:30 will honor graduates of the Monrovia Area Partnership Youth Leadership Academy. 

During its regular session at 7:30 (agenda: https://goo.gl/6THK3c) the council will consider spending $734,160 to lease 1,000 acre feet of Main San Gabriel Basin water production rights from the Azusa Valley Water Company and the Main San Gabriel Basin Watermaster “to meet our current customer demand.” https://goo.gl/Tfs15U

- Brad Haugaard 

Origin of ‘Two Buck Chuck’

An interesting story in Reader’s Digest on the origin of Monrovia-based Trader Joe’s Charles Shaw wines, more popularly known as “Two Buck Chuck.” https://goo.gl/NxpwKc

- Brad Haugaard 

Free Compost and Mulch Today

Free compost and mulch, today, April 28, 8 a.m. to noon at Monrovia Public Works Yard, 600 S. Mountain. Self serve. Bring ID or Athens bill, sturdy container. Shovels provided. While supplies last. Compost is a blend of organic material, including food waste.

- Brad Haugaard

Rocket Launch Visible on May 5

On May 5 there will (probably} be a Vandenberg Air Force Base rocket launch visible from Monrovia, as long as you can see north to south 1/3 up from the horizon at 4 a.m.

InSight, NASA's next lander on Mars, will launch May 5 at 4:05 a.m. (3 hour window), then several minutes later each day for about a month if the launch is no-go on the 5th. 

Source: Jane Houston Jones of the Old Town Sidewalk Astronomers

- Brad Haugaard 

Breakfast at Mimi’s

Breakfast at Mimi’s, at the corner of Mayflower and Huntington. Got the Pork Sausage and Eggs for $9.99 and coffee for $3.49. Very tasty. 

- Brad Haugaard 

Citrus College Offering Low-Or No-Cost Enrollment

Local students will soon be able to enroll at Citrus College, which serves Monrovia, for little to no cost through Citrus College Promise, a program designed to cover enrollment fees and other college costs for first-time students.

To be eligible for the Citrus College Promise, high school seniors must participate in Citrus College's Early Decision program at a district high school. Home school and private school students who live in the college's service area and have signed up for an on-campus Early Decision event are also eligible.

- Brad Haugaard

Fritz Coleman at Fundraiser for Foothill Unity Center

Fundraiser for Monrovia’s Foothill Unity Center on June 2, 6 p.m. at The Ice House in Pasadena. Tickets $20 - $27. Fritz Coleman “proves that aging isn’t pretty….but, it’s funny!” Tickets: https://goo.gl/gxTBrd

- Brad Haugaard 

Pirate Themed Fundraiser at Mayflower School Tomorrow

Mayflower Elementary's PTA will hold an Anchors Away Family Fun Night tomorrow, April 28, 4 p.m.-8pm.  This Pirate theme event will include games, music, bingo, food trucks, silent auction and more. The school is at 219 N. Mayflower Ave.

Landlubbers of all ages are invited to help celebrate, as the school sets sail into Spring to raise funds to enhance children's education. "Money from this event will assist with literacy programs, afford to send children on field trips and assist with ensuring classrooms have needed supplies" said Faith Mellinger, Mayflower PTA president." We invite all the community to help their local school by joining us on this special night," she added.

Pre-event donations of $8 per person include unlimited rides, games, and bingo can be made through Eventbrite at

www.eventbrite.com/e/mayflower-family-fun-night-tickets-440-2463553?ref=estwevent

Or, at the Friday Monrovia Street Fair during the month of April.  Tickets will also be available at the door.

A suggested donation per person at the door is $5 and cost for unlimited rides will be $10. Bingo is $20. Children under the age of 5 are free.  Food and other activities are not included in either entrance donation.

Sponsorships and volunteer opportunities are also available.  For more information, to give a donation or to learn more about how you can support Mayflower PTA, visit the Mayflower PTA Facebook page at Mayflower PTA.

- Brad Haugaard

Bill By Monrovia's State Senator Would GPS-Monitor Paroled Burglars

Senate Bill 1266, by Monrovia's State Senator, Anthony Portantino, would require anyone convicted of burglary to be subject to GPS monitoring as a condition of parole. Upon release law enforcement would monitor the offender's activity. The bill has passed committee and now goes to the Senate Appropriations Committee.

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Police: Drunk Socks Cop; Safe Stolen From House; Burglar Returns - Caught; Etc.

[Monrovia Police activities from the Police Department's Neighborhood Watch Report for April 19-25. - Brad Haugaard]

During the last seven-day period, the Police Department handled 462 service events, resulting in 80 investigations.

Injury Traffic Collision
April 19 at 7:34 a.m., a bicyclist in the 400 block of W. Duarte was riding along the north sidewalk, when a motorist exited a business parking lot and struck the bike. The bicyclist fell to the ground and sustained no visible injuries, only minor pain.

Shoplifting – Suspect Arrested
April 19 at 7:51 p.m., a male subject entered a store in the 1600 block of S. Mountain and removed items from a shelf. The subject ran out of the store without paying for the merchandise. He was stopped by store security and the police were called. Officers arrived and took custody of the subject.

Warrant – Suspects Arrested
April 19 at 9:18 p.m., an officer was patrolling the 1800 block of S. Mayflower when he saw a vehicle in front of him commit a violation. He conducted a traffic stop and contacted the occupants. A computer check revealed two of the occupants had warrants and they were arrested and taken into custody.

Under the Influence of Narcotics – Suspect Arrested
April 20 at 1:20 a.m., an officer was patrolling the 1600 block of S. Myrtle when he saw a male subject in Station Square Park after closing hours. He contacted the subject and found the subject to be under the influence of narcotics; he was arrested and taken into custody.

Warrant – Suspect Arrested
April 20 at 3:21 a.m., officers were extra patrolling the 500 block of S. Myrtle when they saw a suspicious female subject. They stopped the subject, and a computer check revealed she had a warrant. She was arrested and taken into custody.

Residential Burglary
April 20 at 7:27 a.m., a resident in the 1200 block of Sherman reported that her brother had just forced his way into her home and had taken money. Officers responded and located the male subject outside the home. After an investigation was conducted, he was arrested for burglary.

Battery Against a Peace Officer – Suspect Arrested
April 20 at 9:43 a.m., an employee of a business in the 200 block of E. Duarte reported a male subject trespassing. Officers arrived and located the subject inhaling intoxicants. They approached the subject, who swung his fist and hit one of the officers in the face, causing an injury. The subject was arrested.

Residential Burglary
April 20 at 11:31 a.m., a resident in the 400 block of Highland returned home and found her front door had been forced open. She entered her home and discovered it was ransacked and her safe had been stolen. Officers responded and searched for suspects, but were unable to locate any. This investigation is continuing.

Shoplifting
April 20 at 9:42 p.m., a male subject entered a store in the 100 block of W. Foothill. He removed several bottles of alcohol from a shelf, then fled the store without paying for the merchandise. Officers responded and searched for the suspect, but were unable to locate him. This investigation is continuing.

Warrant – Suspect Arrested
April 20 at 11:26 p.m., an officer was patrolling the 400 block S. Alta Vista when he saw a bicyclist commit a riding violation. The officer stopped the bicyclist and a computer check revealed the subject had a warrant for his arrest; he was arrested and taken into custody.

Vehicle Burglary
April 21 at 9:00 a.m., a resident in the 900 block of W. Foothill went to her car and discovered someone had shattered her car window. She found the suspect had entered her vehicle and stole her wallet, checkbook and ID. This investigation is continuing.

Drug Activity – Suspect Cited
April 21 at 6:59 p.m., Special Enforcement Team officers stopped a vehicle in the 2600 block of S. California for a driving violation. A probation search of the vehicle revealed the occupants were in possession of narcotics. The occupants were issued citations.

Warrant – Suspect Arrested
April 21 at 7:08 p.m., an officer was patrolling the 3300 block of S. Peck when he saw a female subject lying across the sidewalk. The officer stopped to see if she needed medical assistance, but found she was only sleeping. A computer check revealed she had a warrant for her arrest, so she was arrested and taken into custody.

Grand Theft
April 21 at 11:34 p.m., a female subject was sitting on a bench with her friends in the 100 block of E. Colorado with her purse on the bench next to her. A male subject approached the bench and grabbed her purse, then fled the area. Officers were called, but they were unable to locate the suspect. This investigation is continuing.

Residential Burglary
April 21 at 11:48 p.m., a resident in the 600 block of Royal Oaks returned home and discovered his front door had been kicked open. He entered the house and found it to be ransacked. A television and several shoes were stolen. This investigation is continuing. 

DUI – Suspect Arrested 

April 22 at 1:24 a.m., an officer was patrolling the 100 block of W. Duarte when he saw a vehicle commit a driving violation. He stopped the vehicle and found the driver to be intoxicated. Field sobriety tests were conducted and the driver was arrested for DUI.

Public Intoxication – Suspect Arrested
April 22 at 3:34 a.m., several residents in the 700 block of Monterey called the police because a male subject was heard and seen walking through their front yards. Officers arrived and located the subject. They found him to be heavily intoxicated and unable to care for his own safety, so he was arrested for public intoxication and taken into custody.

Residential Burglary – Suspect Arrested
April 22 at 12:11 p.m., a resident in the 600 block of Royal Oaks arrived home and found a male subject inside his home. The suspect ran out of the home and jumped into a car. The victim chased the suspect and looked into the car. The victim saw items inside the car that had been stolen from his house the previous day. Officers arrived and arrested the suspect.

Injury Traffic Collision / Driving Under the Influence
April 22 at 4:40 p.m., a vehicle collided into another vehicle in the 800 block of W. Foothill. The driver found to be at fault was heavily intoxicated and was complaining of pain. He was transported to a nearby hospital. This investigation is continuing.

Vehicle Burglary
April 23 at 6:56 a.m., a resident in the 200 block of W. Colorado walked outside his home and discovered his vehicle had been burglarized sometime during the night. The victim’s wallet and money had been stolen. This investigation is continuing.

Commercial Burglary
April 23 at 7:33 a.m., the owner of a business in the 500 block of Fig arrived at work and found large amounts of scrap metal had been stolen from his locked and gated yard sometime during the weekend while the business was closed. This investigation is continuing.

Shoplifting - Suspect Arrested
April 24 at 10:40 a.m., a male subject entered a store in the 1600 block of S. Mountain, removed merchandise from a shelf and left the store without paying. Store security stopped the suspect outside the store. Officers responded and after an investigation, arrested the suspect for the theft.

Residential Burglary
April 24 at 11:04 a.m., officers responded to a burglary alarm at a house in the 500 block of N. Alta Vista. When they arrived, they found the front door open. There was no one found inside the house. The owner arrived and told officers that two shotguns and jewelry had been stolen. This investigation is continuing.

Vandalism – Suspect Arrested
April 24 at 2:05 p.m., a witness saw a male subject writing graffiti on a trash can in the 600 block of S. Myrtle. Officers arrived and located the male. He was arrested and taken into custody.

Petty Theft
April 25 at 2:55 p.m., a resident in the 100 block of W. Pomona arrived home and discovered a package that he had delivered had been stolen from his front porch. This investigation is continuing. 

Interview With Pastor of Fellowship Monrovia

An interview with Pastor Albert Tate of Fellowship Monrovia, one of the largest churches in the San Gabriel Valley, in the Los Angeles Sentinel: https://goo.gl/Ut8mjD

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Navy Vet to be Honored at Dodgers Game

Monrovia Navy veteran Joseph Amador will be honored at Dodgers game: https://goo.gl/qWH6tt

- Brad Haugaard

'She Loves Me' and 'A Taste of Broadway'

~ The JFed Players, part of Monrovia's Jewish Federation, will present its Spring 2018 production of She Loves Me, starting on May 12, 8 p.m. at Porticos Art Space, at 2033 E. Washington Blvd. in Pasadena. It inspired the motion pictures, The Little Shop Around the Corner and You've Got Mail. Details: https://goo.gl/jCqF5a

~ The San Gabriel Valley Choral Company will present A Taste of Broadway on Saturday, June 9,  at 7:30 p.m. at Saint Luke's Episcopal Church at 122  S. California Ave. The concert will feature excerpts from Oklahoma, Oliver, Jesus Christ Superstar, Phantom of the Opera, and more. From the Classical American Songbook to  Disney. Tickets are $20 for general admission, $15 for seniors and students, and $5 for children under 12. Tickets may be purchased at http://www.sgvccsingers.org or by sending checks payable to "SGVCC" to PO Box 2225 Monrovia, CA  91017. They will also be available at the door.

- Brad Haugaard

Act Quickly - More Money for Monrovia Home Security Rebates; No Carbon Footprint; Arbor Day

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

~ The rebates for home security program is back on! The program was originally funded for $50,000, but that ran out, so now the City Council has added another $15,000 to the Home Security Rebate Program. Apply here, quick: https://goo.gl/eqB4t9

~ Every Lyft ride now has a net zero carbon emission footprint. Lyft has agreed to purchase carbon offsets for every single Lyft ride that occurs across the globe.

~  On Thursday, April 26, the Youth Commission and the Teen Advisory Board will host an Arbor Day celebration at Library Park starting at 4 p.m.

- Brad Haugaard

Pet of the Week: Lobo the Pit Bull

Lobo (A453205) is a beautiful brindle pit bull looking for a loving home. This two-year-old is a volunteer favorite; he greets each visitor with a wagging tail. He is super friendly and affectionate, and is generous with his face licks. He listens well to commands, knowing his “sit,” “down,” and “shake.” He likes time in the social yard, running around and playing with a tennis ball. Come visit Lobo today at the Pasadena Humane Society.

The adoption fee for dogs is $130. All dogs are spayed or neutered, microchipped, and vaccinated before going to their new home.

New adopters will receive a complimentary health-and-wellness exam from VCA Animal Hospitals, as well as a goody bag filled with information about how to care for your pet.

View photos of adoptable pets at pasadenahumane.org. Adoption hours are 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday; 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Friday; and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday.

Pets may not be available for adoption and cannot be held for potential adopters by phone calls or email.

** It’s Kitten Week at the Pasadena Humane Society. Kitten Week is a week-long awareness and action campaign held April 23-29, to encourage community members to spay/neuter, adopt, and get involved. You can find more information at pasadenahumane.org/kittenweek.

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Police Department Will Honor 12 Employees

The Monrovia Police Department will be recognizing the accomplishments of 12 of their employees on Thursday, April 26, 2018, at 5:00 p.m. in the City of Monrovia Council Chambers. Two recipients will be awarded the Medal of Valor, one recipient will be awarded the Medal of Merit, seven recipients will be awarded the Distinguished Service Medal, and three recipients will be awarded the Life Saving Medal for their exceptional work, their dedication to the Monrovia Police Department and their commitment to the community of Monrovia. The Honorees are:

Medal of Valor 
Officer Oliver Medina
Officer Esteban Castañeda

Medal of Merit 
Agent Michael Garcia

Distinguished Service Medal 
Officer David Andrew
Officer James Ruano
Officer Travis Ortega
Officer William Wilkins
Parking Control Officer Alfonso Castañeda
Volunteer Pam Greene
Volunteer Sandy Williams

Life Saving Medal 
Officer Brian Cofield
Officer David Andrew
Officer John Jefferson

- Brad Haugaard

Wheelhouse Ceramic Sale - May 4, 5

Ceramic Sale on Friday, May 4 from 1788 to 2088 p.m. at 1831 Santa Fe Place, Monrovia. (Behind AAMCO and Troy's Donuts & Burgers. Sponsored by The Wheelhouse. Ceramic sale at The Wheelhouse, 1831 Santa Fe Place, Monrovia. (Behind AAMCO and Troy's Donuts & Burgers). Handcrafted pottery by local artisans. Friday, May 4, from 6-9 p.m. and May 5, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Cash or check only. This is a non-profit group and the sales help fund the studio.

-Brad Haugaard

Anchors Away Family Fun Night at Mayflower School

Mayflower Elementary School will hold a pirate-themed Anchors Away Family Fun Night on April 28, from 4-8 p.m. at the school, at 219 N. Mayflower Ave. There will be inflatables, carnival games, booths, music, bingo, raffle food trucks, and a silent auction. There will be booths for the Monrovia Fire Department, Police Department, Canyon Park, Monrovia Library Mobile, Pasadena Humane Society therapy dogs, face painting, and more.

"Money from this event will assist with literacy programs, send kids on field trips, and assist with ensuring classrooms have needed supplies," said Faith Mellinger, Mayflower PTA president. "We ask all community members to help their local school by joining us on this special night."

Tickets are $10 at the door ($8 early purchase here: https://goo.gl/RBjNxp) for a wristband to access to all games, $5 donation to enter with no games, and children under 5 are free. $20 for Bingo. Extra fees apply for food and certain activities.

-Brad Haugaard

Monrovia's AeroVironment Gets $44.6 Million Army Contract

Monrovia's AeroVironment has received a $44.6 million contract modification from the U.S. Army to provide hardware and parts for its Switchblade miniature missile systems. https://goo.gl/kzuACy

- Brad Haugaard

Trying Out LimeBike

I tried out the LimeBike system today. I walked to a bike shown on the LimeBike smartphone app, but I think it was in someone’s back yard. So I kept walking. After about 10 minutes I found a bike a block south of Foothill. It was a bit hard entering my credit card number in the app; it’s lime and yellow color makes it hard to read in the sunshine. Should have done that at home. 

Otherwise easy. Unlocked bike, rode to the train station, went to LA and met a friend for lunch at Horse Thief BBQ, which I can HIGHLY recommend.

It’s a bit odd that a bike ride costs a dollar and a Lyft car ride costs 50 cents, but if you add a tip on the Lyft ride (and knowing what a nice person you are I’m sure you will) you come out ahead on the bike. 

- Brad Haugaard