News: brad.haugaard@gmail.com   •  Restaurants   •  Library Catalog   •  Library Activities  •  History   •  Facebook / X/Twitter / RSS

Statement of Monrovia School Board Candidate Maritza Travanti


As a parent of a school-aged child, school volunteer, Hispanic female and a 28- year government professional, I am the best choice for the Monrovia School Board. As a Senior Policy Analyst with the IRS, I have the skills that directly translate to the duties of a board member such as data analysis, interpreting law, regulations, statutes, creating and reviewing budgets and drafting new policy.

Education every where is changing right before our eyes and I want to ensure Monrovia is on the cutting edge and preparing our children for a fast paced world. Education is not “One size fits all.” It is critical to have many viable options in place where students will feel inspired, focused on a pathway and feel a sense of readiness to embark on their future goals.

MUSD needs to attract and retain students by continuing to add programming that is attractive and beneficial in addition to becoming masters of the programs already in place such as the Dual Immersion, Code to the Future, STEM, Arts and curriculum that makes our graduating students competitive.

I will add new energy, a fresh perspective and a spirit of collaboration to ignite our community’s maximum education potential. 66% of all enrolled Monrovia students are Hispanic or Latino. The board is in dire need of someone that understands the challenges and barriers that exist with many of our students and families. I have the right qualifications and background to make the biggest impact and hope to earn your vote!

Power Outage Around Foothill and Myrtle

There's a power outage around Foothill and the west side of Myrtle, affecting the Vons shopping center and street lights. Edison is aware of the problem says 2790 customers are affected. https://goo.gl/GiwZY2

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Over La Canada 42-0 :-)

Friday's football against La Canada was another blowout. - 42-0. link

- Brad Haugaard

Power Outage Affecting East Monrovia

At 7 a.m. today a power outage that occurred during last night's thunder storm is apparently still affecting much of the east side of Monrovia, east of Myrtle.

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Council to Consider Establishing Employee Fraud Hotline

At its next meeting (agenda: https://goo.gl/csMRc4) the Monrovia City Council will consider establishing an employee fraud hotline hosted by an independent provider contracted by the City. It would have a 24-hour-a-day phone and web reporting system. Also, the city would implement whistle-blower protection. https://goo.gl/vuWQJr

- Brad Haugaard

Lunch at Stinkin Crawfish


Big Shrimps is gone, replaced by Stinkin Crawfish, on the north side of Colorado a half block east of Myrtle. I got the Catfish lunch special with an iced tea for $10.99 (drink included). It was good. 

- Brad Haugaard 

Scouting 'Venture Crew 147' Open House Tomorrow

Venture Crew 147 will host an Open House for prospective members tomorrow, Saturday, 13 October at the Gazebo in Recreation Park in Monrovia. We’ll get started at 3:30 and wrap up by 5:00. After that we’ll fire up the BBQ. Parents are encouraged to attend. Venturing is a Scouting program for young women and men ages 14 to 21 with a focus on adventure, leadership, personal growth, and service. It’s a great way to build life skills (and a great resume) while having fun in the outdoors with new friends. You can find us on the web at www.VentureCrew147.org and on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter @VentureCrew147.

- Brad Haugaard

Pre-Election Thoughts on the Monrovia School District

With the School Board election coming up I'd like to share a few semi-informed thoughts on the Monrovia schools:

- I applaud the emphasis on technology and college prep, but I think the trades are getting short shrift, not just in Monrovia but in most schools. My wife had an uncle who got an engineering degree from Caltech, worked at it for a while and hated it, so he bought a nursery and happily worked at it all his life. There's nothing dishonorable or second class about being a plumber or electrician or mechanic, and I think students should at least have the opportunity to explore those options if they are interested. I believe candidate Selene Lockerbie has commented on this, so that's something. [Candidate Maritza Travanti writes to say that she also has "addressed the need to have ... pathways as diverse as our students are. Not everyone is headed to a college or university."]

- I have recently been chatting with a young man about investing, and have been wondering why there isn't a life-skills class in high school that teaches students this basic stuff, things like: how to cook an egg, basic nutrition, how to shop, how to write a check, how banks work, how to invest, using credit cards, renting an apartment, writing a resume, and so forth. Maybe it's there but I've never heard of it.

- Maybe there are things going on here I'm unaware of, but it seems to me that Monrovia's continuation high schools are AMAZING (many of the students go on to college; at most continuation schools zero go to college), and I really don't get why the district doesn't do more shouting and waving and tooting of horns to tell the world, "Look, this is how it should be done!"

These are impressions, and I'd be happy to be corrected, and I'd especially welcome comments by the four School Board candidates.

- Brad Haugaard

Halloween Art Lesson

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Police: Ring Doorbell Stolen; Walking in Traffic; Smoking in Park; Shoplifting; Credit Card Swiping; Gardener's Truck Stolen; Alcohol; Etc.

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

During the last seven-day period, the Police Department handled 386 service events, resulting in 85 investigations.

Fraud
October 4 at 9:37 a.m., a resident in the 400 block of Granite reported that she had dropped her wallet while shopping the day before. She later discovered someone had used one of her credit cards at a gas station in Monrovia. This investigation is continuing.

Hit & Run Traffic Collision
October 4 at 4:25 p.m., a caller reported a collision between two vehicles at the intersection of Shamrock and Foothill. One of the motorists drove away from the accident scene without stopping. Officers searched the area for the hit and run suspect vehicle, but could not locate it. No injuries were reported. This investigation is continuing.

Petty Theft / Fraud
October 4 at 5:48 p.m., a caller reported someone had stolen her wallet while she was shopping at a grocery store in the 600 block of W. Huntington. The suspect used one of her credit cards at another nearby store. She had left her wallet in her shopping cart and it was taken when she wasn’t looking. This investigation is continuing.

Shoplifting – Suspect Arrested
October 4 at 7:03 p.m., security for a store in the 500 block of W. Huntington reported a female subject had just left their store without paying for merchandise she had taken. Officers responded and stopped the subject outside the store. The stolen property was recovered and returned to the store. The suspect was arrested.

Possession of Methamphetamine / Warrant – Suspect Arrested
October 4 at 9:26 p.m., Special Enforcement Team officers were patrolling the 2600 block of S. Peck when they saw a bicyclist commit a Vehicle Code violation. The bicyclist was stopped and found to be in possession of methamphetamine. He was taken into custody. A computer check revealed the subject also had a warrant for his arrest.

Commercial Burglary
October 5 at 6:39 a.m., an employee of a business in the 100 block of W. Huntington arrived at work and discovered one of the building windows was shattered. The investigation revealed the suspects had entered the building sometime during the night and took a safe containing over $1,000. This investigation is continuing.

Petty Theft
October 5 at 2:11 p.m., an elderly female subject reported someone had taken her wallet while she was shopping inside a grocery store in the 600 block of W. Huntington. She placed her wallet in a shopping cart, and when she wasn’t looking, someone took it. This investigation is continuing.

Shoplifting / Evading / Warrants – Suspect Arrested
October 5 at 2:12 p.m., an employee of a store in the 500 block of W. Huntington reported a male subject had just run out of their store without paying for merchandise he had taken. He entered a vehicle and fled. Officers located the vehicle and attempted to stop it. A short pursuit ensued. The suspect stopped, exited the vehicle and ran. With the assistance of witnesses in the area, the suspect was apprehended. The suspect was found to be in possession of several tools used to commit burglaries. The stolen property was returned to the store. A computer check revealed the suspect had multiple warrants for his arrest.

Grand Theft Auto
October 5 at 2:36 p.m., a resident in the 700 block of Mountain View reported his gardener’s work truck had just been stolen. Two male suspects stopped in front of the house, one entered the truck and both subjects drove away. The truck was entered into the DMV stolen vehicle system. This investigation is continuing.

Possession of Methamphetamine – Suspect Arrested
October 5 at 6:29 p.m., Special Enforcement Team officers were patrolling the 2600 block of S. Peck when they saw a motorist commit a driving violation. The vehicle was stopped and the driver was found to be in possession of methamphetamine. He was arrested.

Vehicle Burglaries
October 5 at 7:52 p.m., a caller reported his vehicle had just been burglarized while he was eating inside a restaurant in the 800 block of W. Huntington. The vehicle had been entered through a rear passenger side window. Multiple items were stolen. An officer responded and checked the parking lot. One additional vehicle that had been burglarized in the same manner was located. This investigation is continuing.

Domestic Violence – Suspects Arrested
October 5 at 11:14 p.m., a resident in the 100 block of Montana reported he could hear a woman screaming for help and believed it was possibly his neighbor. Officers arrived and located the female subject. She had been involved in an argument with her live-in boyfriend. An investigation revealed the male subject had hit the woman several times. Monrovia paramedics provided medical care and the suspect was arrested.

Driving Under the Influence – Suspect Arrested
October 6 at 2:30 a.m., an officer was patrolling the 2200 block of S. Myrtle when he saw a motorist commit a driving violation. The vehicle was stopped and the driver was found to be intoxicated. After field sobriety tests were conducted, the driver was arrested for DUI.

Warrant – Suspects Arrested
October 6 at 10:08 p.m., Special Enforcement Team officers were patrolling the 300 block of W. Duarte when they saw a female subject they recognized from previous contacts. A computer check revealed the subject had a felony warrant for her arrest. She was stopped and taken into custody for the warrant.

Public Intoxication / Warrant – Suspect Arrested
October 7 at 12:36 a.m., an officer was patrolling the 400 block of S. Myrtle when he saw a male subject who appeared to be intoxicated and unable to care for his own safety. The subject was arrested for public intoxication and taken into custody. A computer check revealed the subject also had a warrant for his arrest.

DUI – Suspect Arrested
October 7 at 2:15 a.m., an officer was patrolling the 1800 block of S. Myrtle when he saw a motorist commit several traffic violations. The vehicle was stopped and the driver was found to be intoxicated. After field sobriety tests were conducted, the driver was arrested for DUI.

Smoking in a Park – Suspect Cited
October 7 at 11:25 a.m., an officer was patrolling the 700 block of W. Olive and saw a male subject in the skate park smoking. He stopped and contacted the subject. The substance he was smoking was found to be marijuana. A citation was issued for the violation.

Shoplifting
October 7 at 2:32 p.m., employees of a business in the 100 block of W. Huntington reported a male subject had just walked out of the store without paying for merchandise. Officers responded and searched for the subject, but could not locate him. An investigation revealed the subject left the stolen property outside the business prior to fleeing the area. The property was returned to the business.

Domestic Battery – Suspect Arrested
October 7 at 11:16 p.m., a resident in the 700 block of California reported he could hear a woman yelling for help because her husband was hitting her. The caller believed it was his neighbor yelling. Officers responded and located the woman who needed help. An investigation revealed her husband had hit her. The suspect was arrested.

Domestic Violence
October 8 at 5:02 p.m., a caller in the 1300 block of S. Fifth reported she was having a dispute with her boyfriend after trying to drop him off at his uncle’s house. He became angry with her, pulled her out of the car and began hitting her. She said he left the area when she started calling the police. Officers searched the area for the suspect, but could not locate him. This investigation is continuing.

Identity Theft – Suspect Arrested
October 8 at 6:50 p.m., an employee at a business in the 500 block of W. Huntington reported a male customer had just attempted to pay for merchandise using someone else’s identification. When the employee began calling the police, the suspect fled the business. Officers located the suspect and found him to be in possession of over twenty- five different identifications, Social Security cards and credit cards belonging to other people. The suspect was arrested.

Public Intoxication – Suspect Arrested
October 8 at 7:58 p.m., an employee of a store in the 400 block of W. Foothill reported a male subject was in their store, heavily intoxicated and yelling. Officers arrived and located the subject. He was found to be too intoxicated to care for his own safety or that of others, so he was arrested and taken into custody.

Public Intoxication / Battery on a Police Officer – Suspect Arrested
October 9 at 5:14 p.m., a caller reported a female subject who appeared intoxicated was attempting to get into the driver’s seat of a vehicle parked in the 700 block of E. Foothill. Officers responded and located the subject. She was found to be too intoxicated to care for her own safety and was attempting to drive while intoxicated. While the officers were taking her into custody, she hit them several times. She was booked and later released on a citation.

Grand Theft Auto
October 9 at 6:28 p.m., a caller reported her vehicle had just been stolen from the 300 block of S. California while she was at work. She believed it was a family member who took it without permission. Officers responded to the house of the family member and located the vehicle. Just as they arrived, they saw a male subject run from the home. The subject was not located. This investigation is continuing.

Grand Theft
October 10 at 9:34 a.m., a grand theft was reported at a business parking lot in the 1500 block of S. Primrose. The victim returned to her parked vehicle and found someone had removed the catalytic converter. This investigation is continuing.

Walking in Traffic / Resisting Arrest – Suspect Arrested
October 10 at 3:17 p.m., several callers reported a male subject walking in traffic in the 800 block of S. Mayflower. Officers arrived and saw the subject standing in front of cars that were swerving around him. They contacted the subject, who immediately began resisting the officers as they attempted to remove him from the street for his safety. He was arrest and taken into custody.

Hit & Run Injury Traffic Collision Run
October 10 at 4:58 p.m., a caller reported she was driving in the 800 block of E. Duarte when another motorist struck her vehicle and drove away without stopping. The caller was not injured. Several callers reported the suspect vehicle had collided into three more vehicles, one block from the original collision. Several occupants and drivers were transported to a nearby hospital for non-life-threatening injuries. This investigation is continuing.

Petty Theft
October 10 at 6:12 p.m., a resident in the 500 block of Norumbega reported they had arrived home and found that someone had stolen their Ring doorbell device that had been attached to their home, next to the front door. This investigation is continuing.

Breakfast at Tiffany's Movie This Saturday at the Library


For Classic Movie Afternoon, Breakfast at Tiffany's, Oct. 13, from 2-4 p.m. in the library Community Room. Details: https://goo.gl/ZZKZcm

- Brad Haugaard

Smitten on Paper Holding 'CalligraFair,' Two Days of Calligraphy Seminars


Monrovia's Smitten on Paper (114 E. Lemon) will hold a two-day calligraphy fair, "CalligraFair," on Oct. 13-14, with eight presenters. The area where vendors and the study hall is set up will be free to the public; tickets for the seminars are $10 for both days. Details

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia's Staar Surgical Enters Agreement with German Firm

Monrovia's Staar Surgical, a leading developer, manufacturer and marketer of implantable lenses for the eye, has entered a multi-year strategic alliance with Dr. Tobias Neuhann of the Augenklinik am Marienplatz (Eye Clinic at Marienplatz) in Munich, Germany. The agreement serves as a global partnership model for smaller and single site refractive surgery eye clinics. link

- Brad Haugaard

Halloween in Library Park

- Brad Haugaard

Fall Festival This Weekend in Old Town

- Brad Haugaard

Survey Says Community Center Sub-Par; Diseased Trees Coming Down; K-Rail; Lyft

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

~ A Community Services Commission survey about the Community Center found that of the 215 respondents more than half said the center does not meet the needs of the community. Comments from the survey: It needs to be updated; rooms are out of date; not enough parking; needs a face lift; kitchen outdated and needs a freezer; rooms should all have projectors and sound. link

~ Some trees may come down. The Development Review Committee will consider removing two large oak trees in front of the Mary Wilcox Youth Center. They have multiple dead branches and are infected with bark beetles. Also, a sycamore tree just west of the playground is infested with the Polyphagous Shot Hole Borer and this tree is tentatively scheduled to be removed during the week of Oct. 22.

~ The removal of the K-Rail will begin Wednesday, Oct. 10 - Nov. 16, first along Avocado Place, Crescent Drive, Heather Heights Court, Lotone Street, and the upper portion of Highland Place (located north of Scenic Drive). Then, from February-March 2019 it will be removed along the lower portion of Highland Place (south of Scenic Drive) and Hillcrest adjacent to Highland Place. The rail along Highland Place will be removed later because this location has been more prone to flooding and theoretically we may get rain this winter.

~  About 40 people showed up at the how-to-use-Lyft seminar on Oct. 3. and learned how to download and use the Lyft app to get cheap rides around town.

- Brad Haugaard

Altadena Kitty Wants to Emigrate to Monrovia


Can you believe this beautiful boy was found on the streets of Altadena? A good Samaritan brought him to us at the end of August. He has been here getting big and strong and now is available for adoption. He is a little shy at first but loves to play. Show him a cat toy and he will show off his spunky side. He is currently looking for a new best friend. Could it be you?

The adoption fee for cats is $75. All cats 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

Native Plant Sale October 13


- Brad Haugaard 

Octoberfest in Monrovia - Oct. 27

- Brad Haugaard


AeroVironment Building 'Air Squadron' Drones

Monrovia's AeroVironment is building drones that can be launched from armored ground vehicles and sorta hang out in the air until they spot a target, then attack. link

- Brad Haugaard