Living With Bears Seminar; 296-Unit Residential Buildings (and Tattooing) Approved; Teen Scene; Renewal Celebration
~ There will be a "Coexisting With Wildlife" seminar on Wednesday, Aug. 8, at 7 p.m., in the Library Community Room. Chi says that, "since the start of May 2018, we have had 100 calls for service about bear sightings alone." And somebody has been feeding the bears raw meat. Don't do it, he says.
~ On July 3, the City Council approved the 296-unit Richman Residential multi-family housing development to be located just south of Station Square. It will include: a drop-off point for the train station, a walking path connecting to the drop-off point, a 2,130 square foot publicly-accessible open space area (I think that means "park") fronting on Magnolia.
~ The Council also approved regulations that would allow for tattoo services on a limited basis in Old Town Monrovia.
~ The new Friday Night Teen Scene program is being held on Myrtle and Colorado between Rudy's Mexican Restaurant and the Monrovian every Friday night from 5 to 10 p.m. through Aug. 10. It includes a variety of free activities and the area will be furnished with teen-inspired equipment and furniture.
~ There will be a dedication of the Monrovia Renewal Phase II Project on Thursday, July 19, at 4 p.m. in Library Park (at the corner of Palm and Primrose) to christen the completion of the Northwest Section of the project.
- Brad Haugaard
Timothy the Pit Bull - Always Smiling
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.
*** The Pasadena Humane Society & SPCA is having a Free Cat Adoption weekend! Cats and kittens will have their adoption fees waived July 13 through July 15. View cats at pasadenahumane.org.
Casual Bears
I encountered this guy this morning in Canyon Oark coming down the road as I was going up. I thought he’d go over the side when he saw me, but nope. Just kept coming. He just bear-ly (sorry) edged away. We passed about 15 feet apart. Scared me a bit.
Citrus College Foundation Gets Its Biggest Gift Ever
The bequest, which is designated to support student success and faculty enrichment, is the largest in the organization's history.
For more than 40 years, Dr. Cassey taught western civilization, world politics and humanities courses at Citrus College. After a long and successful career, he retired in October 2002.
Dr. Cassey passed away in March 2017. When his estate was settled, the Citrus College Foundation was the primary beneficiary.
Proceeds from Dr. Cassey's gift will establish the Dr. John William Cassey Endowed Scholarship, which will provide two scholarships to history and/or political science degree majors. They will also be used to endow the Patricia Knox Scholarship Fund, which was previously established to benefit nursing students.
In addition, Dr. Cassey's gift will endow faculty development programs, assist with equipment needs, and help finance academic events for the history, political science and nursing programs.
To celebrate Dr. Cassey's contribution and honor his memory, the Citrus College Foundation installed a Faculty Enrichment Honor Wall, which will include the names of any donors who support faculty enrichment and the educational mission of Citrus College. If you would like to contribute, contact the Citrus College Foundation by phone at 914-8825 or visit www.citruscollege.edu/foundation.
Source: Citrus College press release
- Brad Haugaard
Lunch at LeRoy’s
Hot! Hot! Hot! - Monrovia Cooling Center Opens
We would like to remind everyone that precautions should be taken, especially by individuals who participate in outdoor activities, older adults, caretakers of infants and children, and those sensitive to the heat. This alert may be extended if weather conditions do not improve.
If you have an elderly or infirm neighbor without air conditioning, make sure that they get to a cooling center or other air conditioned space. The City of Monrovia has a designated cooling center located at:
The Monrovia Community Center - 119 West Palm Avenue
The cooling center will operate 8 a.m. – 9 p.m. on the following days:
Thursday, July 5
Friday, July 6
Saturday, July 7
Sunday, July 8
Monday, July 9
Additionally, due to these dangerous conditions and possible fire danger, there will be an extension to the closure of Canyon Park and the Hillside Wilderness Preserve (HWP). Canyon Park and HWP will remain closed and reopen on Monday, July 9.
Source: Monrovia Fire Department
- Brad Haugaard
Happy Fourth of July, Monrovia!
Poems on Sidewalks; Cooling Room; SGV Cities Interested in GoMonrovia; Etc.
In his weekly report (https://goo.gl/aOqX7O) City Manager Oliver Chi reports ...
~ Monrovian Kathee Bautista penned the verse shown above. It is the first resident sidewalk poem in Monrovia's Art in Public Places Committee's sidewalk poetry program. It's at 238 West Palm Ave.
~ A hot weekend is predicted, so a cooling room will be available at the Monrovia Community Center at 119 W. Palm. It will be available July 5-9, from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.
~ A bunch of San Gabriel Valley cities is sponsoring a meeting to discuss the city's pioneering GoMonrovia transportation program on July 11 at 3 p.m. at the Monrovia Library Community Room. City staff and representatives of Lyft and LimeBike will be there to explain the details.
~ City Manager Chi is having difficulty accepting that Hello Kitty is not a kitty. Comment: Well, I'm with him on that, and I don't care what Sanrio says! Hopefully this link works by the time you get it or you may forever remain confused: https://goo.gl/aOqX7O . Or just go here: https://goo.gl/jiQyPH
- Brad Haugaard
Curious Kitten Needs a Home
Ollie (A460442) is a 2-month-old black and white domestic shorthair looking for a new home. He is a very curious kitten who comes right up to the kennel door when someone enters the room. He was transferred from the ASPCA and has enjoyed his time here, cuddling and playing with his kennelmates. If you’re looking for a sweetheart, come meet Ollie.
The adoption fee for cats is $75. Allcats are spayed or neutered, microchipped, and vaccinated before being adopted.
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.
- Brad Haugaard
Monrovia Police: Stabbing; Attack With Hot Curling Iron; 20 Cars Doing Donuts; Bank Robbery; Gas Station Robbery; Attack With Automobile
Stolen Vehicle Recovered
June 28 at 10:15 a.m., an employee at a business in the 3300 block of S. Peck Road called police to report a vehicle they had purchased turned out to be a stolen. An officer responded and recovered the stolen vehicle.
Graffiti Vandalism
June 28 at 11:18 a.m., an incident of vandalism was reported at a church in the 100 block of E. Foothill. The reporting party stated that sometime during the night and unknown suspect wrote gang related graffiti on the side of the church. The investigation is continuing.
Grand Theft
June 28 at 1:31 p.m., loss prevention at a business in the 1600 block of S. Mountain called police to report a suspect that stole copper wire and fled the store without paying. An officer responded and searched for the suspect, but the suspect was not located. The investigation is continuing.
Residential Burglary
June 28 at 4:11 p.m., an officer was dispatched to a residence in the 400 block of Wildrose regarding a residential burglary. The victim reported his house was burglarized sometime during the night. The investigation is continuing.
Bank Robbery
June 28 at 5:34 p.m., officers responded to a bank robbery in the 100 block of W. Foothill. An adult male entered the bank and handed a note to the teller that said to give him all of the money and the teller complied. The suspect took the cash and fled the bank. Officers responded and searched the bank and the surrounding area, but the suspect was not located. The investigation was handed over to the FBI.
Robbery
June 29 at 9:51 a.m., a robbery was reported at a gas station in the 1600 block of S. Myrtle. A male suspect entered the gas station and threatened the employee with a knife. The employee gave the suspect some cash and the suspect fled on foot. A witness saw the suspect enter the passenger side of a black SUV, possibly a Chevrolet Equinox with paper license plates. The investigation is continuing.
Vehicle Burglary
June 29 at 11:35 a.m., a vehicle burglary was reported in the 600 block of N. Canyon. The victim parked on Canyon and went hiking with her friends. When they got back to her vehicle, the victim found her window had been broken and items were taken. The investigation is continuing.
Hit & Run Traffic Collision – Suspect Arrested
June 29 at 4:15 p.m., two drivers were involved in a vehicle collision and one fled the scene. The driver in the remaining vehicle had minor injuries. A witness chased down the suspect and told him to go back to the scene, which he eventually did. The driver that fled the scene was arrested for felony hit and run and driving without a license.
Assault with a Deadly Weapon / Evading – Suspect Arrested
June 29 at 9:10 p.m., a male subject called police and reported his ex-girlfriend was following him and had attempted to hit him with her vehicle. The subject was in the parking lot in front of the police station in the 100 block of E. Lime. Officers responded and attempted to detain the female subject, who was still in her vehicle, but she fled and a short pursuit ensued. The suspect drove to her family's residence on Sherman and exited her vehicle, where she was arrested for evading and assault with a deadly weapon/vehicle.
Reckless Driving / Evading – Suspect Arrested
June 30 at 1:10 a.m., officers responded to reports of approximately 20 vehicles doing donuts in a shopping center parking lot in the 600 block of W. Huntington. When the officers arrived, they observed a vehicle driving recklessly and attempted a traffic stop. The vehicle fled, leading officers on a brief pursuit. The vehicle yielded after colliding with the pursuing police vehicle, causing minor damage. The driver, a male juvenile, was arrested and taken into custody. He was booked and later released to his parents on a citation to appear in court on the charges.
Vandalism
June 30 at 11:50 a.m., a police sergeant was conducting extra patrol in the 300 block of W. Evergreen when he observed graffiti spray painted across the front of a vacant house. Additional graffiti was found spray painted inside the location, as well. The investigation is continuing.
Felony Vehicle / Wanted Person – Suspect Arrested
June 30 at 6:24 p.m., Monrovia police located a wanted vehicle and conducted a felony stop in the 100 block of W. Duarte, as the suspect was listed as armed and dangerous. The driver was a named suspect wanted by the East Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department for assault with a firearm on a deputy. The driver was detained and the Sheriff’s Department was notified. East Los Angeles deputies arrived on scene, arrested the suspect and took him into custody.
Driving Under the Influence / Hit and Run Traffic Collision – Suspect Arrested
June 30 at 7:55 p.m., a traffic collision was reported in the 700 block of W. Foothill. A vehicle traveling east on Foothill collided with several parked cars. The driver fled the scene on foot and was located by officers hiding under a vehicle nearby. The driver was determined to be intoxicated. He was arrested for DUI and for the Hit and Run collision.
Domestic Violence
June 31 at 1:16 a.m., officers responded to the 1300 block of Alta Vista regarding a disturbance. A couple was arguing near a vehicle and at some point during the argument, the male subject drove away with the female hanging onto the outside of the vehicle, causing minor injuries. Officers checked several locations for the suspect with negative results. A wanted person entry was made into the law enforcement system for the suspect.
Identity Theft – Suspect Arrested
July 1 at 11:00 a.m., an employee of a hotel in the 900 block of W. Huntington called police to report a female subject who used a fraudulent credit card to purchase a room. Officers arrived and spoke with the subject, who wasn't forthcoming with information. Officers then contacted an out-of-state victim, who confirmed his credit card was compromised and had been used by the female subject. The female was arrested for identity theft.
Public Intoxication – Suspect Arrested
July 1 at 1:03 p.m., officers were flagged down in the area of Foothill and Primrose regarding a disoriented subject. Officers contacted the subject and determined he was drunk in public and could not care for his personal safety or the safety of others. He was arrested and held pending a sobering period.
Fraud / Counterfeit Currency
July 2 at 9:29 a.m., a fraud incident was reported at a business in the 2600 block of S. Myrtle. The business owner accepted cash payment for the purchase of a pair of vehicle bumpers. It was later discovered that several of the bills used in the transaction were counterfeit. The investigation is continuing.
Vehicle Burglary
July 2 at 12:05 p.m., an officer was dispatched to the report of a vehicle burglary at a business in the 700 block of E. Huntington. A woman parked her vehicle in the parking lot and went inside her gym. When she returned, her window had been smashed and her gym bag containing her purse and other personal property had been taken. The investigation is continuing.
Domestic Violence – Suspect Arrested
July 2 at 12:22 p.m., a boyfriend and girlfriend were in a verbal argument that escalated in the 500 block of Sombrero. Sometime during the argument, the girlfriend grabbed her hot hair iron and clamped it around her boyfriend's arm, causing a burn on his forearm. Paramedics responded. The female was arrested and taken into custody for domestic violence.
Non-Injury Traffic Collision
July 2 at 1:17 p.m., a traffic collision was reported in the 600 block of W. Huntington. A driver inadvertently stepped on the gas in the parking lot instead of the brake and crashed into a dental office building. No one was injured, but there was substantial damage done.
Domestic Violence – Suspect Arrested
July 2 at 9:34 p.m., police responded to the report of a domestic violence incident in the 600 block of E. Lime. A male and female at the location were arguing, due to female’s use of marijuana. The subjects are married and sometime during the argument, the female reached out to grab her husband’s cell phone and caused an abrasion to his arm. She then punched her husband in the face, causing a mark on his lip. She was arrested for domestic violence.
Attempt Robbery / Assault with a Deadly Weapon
July 2 at 11:23 p.m., a husband and wife got home from the store and were unloading their vehicle in the 100 block of W. Cypress. As the husband was about to close the rear hatch, he was approached from behind by a male suspect who demanded his money and grabbed at his wallet, which was in his pants pocket. The suspect then pushed the husband from behind, causing him to fall to the ground and hit his head on the vehicle. The suspect then fled the location. The wife heard the commotion and came to help her husband up, but realized he was bleeding on his left side. They both realized he had been stabbed in the torso. They couldn't stop the bleeding, so they drove to a hospital and police were notified. The investigation is continuing.
Monrovia Company Plans to Fly a Helicopter on Mars
- Brad Haugaard
Monrovia Church 'Adopting' Every Classroom in Monrovia Schools
- Brad Haugaard
Twirly Head Robber Hits Chase Bank; Another Bathing Bear; Historic Walking Tours
~ Yet another Monrovia bear-in-a-pool video. Samson, you started a trend. https://goo.gl/bsMBvn
~ Monrovia Historic Preservation Group will hold its first walking tour of the summer of downtown Monrovia on Saturday, July 7, starting at 10 am. Cost is $5 per person. Learn about early Monrovia and the buildings that populated Myrtle Avenue when the town became incorporated in 1887. Meet at the SE corner of Myrtle and Palm Avenues.
- Brad Haugaard
Lime Scooters Coming to Monrovia?
More on One Way Streets
Traffic lights would be added at Hintington and Primrose and at Huntington and Ivy.
A mock up of the two way bike lanes, which would mostly be on Ivy and Primrose. (Pretend the area with the baby buggy is actually sidewalk.)
A mock up of the one way bike lanes, that would be installed on Central and Evergreen.
Monrovia City Council: Tattoos and a Large Multi-Unit Residential Complex
Breakfast at Nano Cafe
Breakfast at Nano Cafe, on the north side of Duarte Road just east of Mayflower. Got the Italian Frittata for $11.99 and a coffee for $2.79. It came with potatoes (I substituted cottage cheese) and toast. It also came with bell peppers and I’m not a fan of bell peppers, but that was my own fault as it clearly said “peppers” on the menu. But it was fresh and good and a normal person who likes bell peppers would have been pleased.
Monrovia Police: Suspect Given Citation, Then Vandalizes Police Car; Gardener Threatened With Knife; Etc.
During the last seven-day period, the Police Department handled 399 service events, During the last seven-day period, the Police Department handled 399 service events, resulting in 82 investigations.
Grand Theft Auto
June 21 at 9:08 a.m., a vehicle was reported stolen from the 400 block of E. Duarte Road. The reporting party arrived at work and noticed a U-Haul was missing from the street. The street was checked where the vehicle had been parked and broken glass was found on the ground. The incident was captured on video footage. The investigation is continuing.
Shoplifting / Resisting & Delaying a Peace Officer / Felony Vandalism – Suspect Arrested
June 21 at 9:19 a.m., a business in the 1600 block of S. Mountain called to report a male subject had concealed a hammer underneath his jeans and walked out without paying for the merchandise. Officers arrived and searched for the subject, but he was not located. One of the officers viewed video footage and confirmed a crime had occurred. A couple hours later, police dispatch received calls reporting a suspicious male subject walking onto several residents’ property. Officers arrived, located the subject and took him into custody. The officer identified the subject as the shoplifting suspect from the video footage. The suspect was holding a black plastic bag, which contained the stolen hammer. The suspect would not provide officers with his personal information and he did not have identification in his possession. He was arrested and taken into custody. At 3:42 p.m., the suspect was released with a citation to appear in court on the charges. As he was leaving the area, he walked by a citizen patrol unit that was parked along the curb on Lime. He stopped and used a lighter to vandalize the rear quarter panel of the vehicle. Two police employees witnessed the suspect committing this crime. Officers responded and the subject ran north through the public parking lot. The suspect was detained in the 100 block of E. Palm and was arrested.
Vehicle Burglary
June 22 at 7:04 a.m., a vehicle burglary was reported in the 100 block of S. Fifth Avenue. The victim came out to his vehicle in the morning and discovered that the window he'd left slightly ajar was now completely broken and his wallet had been stolen out of the glove compartment. The investigation is continuing.
Stolen Motorcycle Recovered
June 22 at 4:21 p.m., an officer was dispatched regarding a motorcycle that had been parked on the street for more than 72 hours. He ran a computer check on the identifying number and found the motorcycle had been reported stolen. The registered owner was not able to respond immediately, so the motorcycle was recovered and stored.
Warrant / In Park After Closing Hours – Suspect Arrested
June 22 at 11:42 p.m., an officer was conducting extra patrol at Library Park in the 300 block of S. Myrtle and found a subject loitering in the park after closing hours. A computer check revealed he had an outstanding warrant. He was arrested for the warrant and also charged with the municipal code violation for being in the park after closing hours.
Warrant / In Park After Closing Hours – Suspect Arrested
June 23 at 12:16 a.m., an officer was conducting extra patrol at Recreation Park in the 700 block of E. Lemon when he found a subject loitering after the park was closed. A warrant check revealed he had an outstanding warrant. He was arrested for the warrant and also charged with the municipal code violation for being in the park after closing hours.
Public Intoxication – Suspect Arrested
June 23 at 4:09 a.m., while on patrol in the 1600 block of S. Myrtle, an officer saw a male subject at a gas station who appeared intoxicated. He stopped to check on the subject and determined he was too intoxicated to care for himself or others. The subject was arrested for being drunk in public.
Public Intoxication – Suspect Arrested
June 24 at 3:14 a.m., officers were on patrol in the area of California and Fig, when they saw a male subject asleep along the east curb of California. The subject was too intoxicated to care for his own well-being and was arrested for public intoxication.
Violation of Temporary Restraining Order – Suspect Arrested
June 25 at 12:57 a.m., officers responded to a residence in the 200 block of E. Lime regarding a subject pounding on the back door. Officers arrived and contacted a subject who was recently served with a restraining order prohibiting him from being at the location. He was arrested for violation of the restraining order.
Residential Burglary
June 25 at 3:51 p.m., a residential burglary was reported in the 1400 block of Alamitas. The residents were gone overnight, and when they returned home the next day, they found a television and clothing had been taken from the residence. There were no signs of forced entry. The investigation is continuing.
Traffic Collision
June 25 at 5:46 p.m., a traffic collision was reported at Eighth and Duarte. A bicyclist was traveling in the opposite direction of vehicle traffic and was hit by a vehicle traveling at a slow speed. The bicyclist suffered minor injuries.
Commercial Burglary
June 26 at 5:34 a.m., dispatch received a call reporting that a window to a business in the 600 block of S. Myrtle had been smashed. Officers arrived and cleared the business. No suspects were located inside, but the business had been burglarized. The investigation is continuing.
Vandalism
June 27 at 6:13 a.m., a vandalism incident was reported in the 600 block of W. Foothill. The victim called and reported multiple vehicles had been egged and there was video surveillance footage of the incident. Officers responded and determined that the vandalism stemmed from a neighbor dispute. The investigation is continuing.
Vehicle Burglary
June 27 at 7:02 a.m., an officer responded to the report of a vehicle burglary in the 400 block of Foothill. The victim parked her vehicle on Duarte road overnight. The following morning she discovered that her window had been smashed and her backpack containing miscellaneous items had been taken from the vehicle. The investigation is continuing.
Attempted Robbery
June 27 at 8:56 a.m., an officer was dispatched to the report of an attempted robbery in the 200 block of E. Hillcrest. A gardener was walking out to get equipment from his boss’s truck, when he was confronted by a suspect brandishing a knife toward him. The suspect had cut a rope in the back of the truck as if he was going to remove equipment, but left after the confrontation with the victim. An area search was conducted, but the suspect was not located. The investigation is continuing.
Fraud / Possession of Methamphetamine – Suspect Arrested
June 27 at 5:18 p.m., an officer responded to a business in the 200 block of W. Huntington regarding a female who was attempting to pay for new tires with credit cards that were possibly stolen and someone else's California identification card. The female seemed very suspicious to store employees. The officers determined the subject was in possession of multiple identification and credit cards in other people's names. She was also found to be in possession of methamphetamine. She was arrested and taken into custody.
Suspicious Subject / Public Intoxication – Suspect Arrested
June 27 at 8:13 p.m., police dispatch received a call reporting a silver Jaguar with a broken window parked on the street. A suspicious male subject was seen walking away from the vehicle and jumping over a wall at the end of the street, which leads to a shopping center. Officers arrived and conducted an area check for the subject, but were unable to locate him. As officers were talking to the reporting party, the male subject jumped back over the wall. Officers contacted the subject, who was extremely intoxicated, and asked him why he jumped the wall. He told them it was a shortcut. The officers could smell alcohol emitting from the subject’s breath and his eyes were bloodshot and watery. After talking with the subject further, the officers determined he was too drunk to care for his own safety. He was arrested for being drunk in public.
Grand Theft Auto
June 28 at 5:04 a.m., a vehicle was reported stolen from the 200 block of N. Myrtle. The victim parked his vehicle at his residence in the evening. When he returning to his vehicle early the next morning, his vehicle was gone. The vehicle is a white, 2003, GMC passenger van. The investigation is continuing.
Audition for Neil Simon's 'Fools' at Jewish Federation Office
Fools is a comic fable by Neil Simon, set in the small Ukrainian village of Kulyenchikov, around 1890. The story follows Leon Steponovich Tolchinsky, a schoolteacher, new to the village, who becomes tutor to Sophia, the daughter of Dr. Zubritsky and his wife, Lenya. Leon senses something odd about the little hamlet and soon learns that there is a curse on the village that makes everyone in the town stupid and unable to fall in love until the curse is broken.
Complications ensue when Leon falls in love with his pupil.
Audition dates and times:
Sunday, July 29, 2-4 p.m.
Monday, July 30, 7-9 p.m.
Tuesday, July 31, 7 p.m.-9 p.m.
All auditions will be held at the Jewish Federation, 114A Lime Ave., in Monrovia.
More information can be found at https://www.jewishsgpv.org/our-community/community-calendar or by contacting the Jewish Federation at 445-0810.
- Brad Haugaard