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Oak Crest Institute of Science Open House

- Brad Haugaard

Make A Difference Day Oct. 26

If you'd like to volunteer to be part of Make a Difference Day, Oct. 26, 8 a.m. to noon, as an individual or as a group, sign up here https://is.gd/r8bJB4. Contact Penny Arroyo at 755-1636 for information on large group registration. Some of the projects are:  Installing and replacing smoke detectors, painting city Christmas Tree fencing, park beautification and clean-up.

- Brad Haugaard

Red Ribbon Week Starts Tomorrow

Wednesday begins National Red Ribbon Week and the Monrovia Police Department will tie red ribbons around light poles in front of public buildings and will wear red wristbands to send the message that we do not want people to become victims of drug addiction. The week is in honor of Enrique Camarena, who served in the Marines, became a police officer, and joined the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, where he worked undercover in Mexico. Later he was kidnapped and tortured to death.  Within weeks of his death family and friends launched Camarena Clubs in Calexico, Camarena's hometown, and pledged to lead drug-free lives, wearing red badges and ribbons in his memory.

- Brad Haugaard

Daphne: Shy But Good at Playing

Hello! I’m Daphne, and I get to tell you all about ME! I’m a 2-year-old puppy and I'm kinda shy around new people, but I really like them! I love sunshine and cuddling and yummy treats. OH! And I really love small dog playgroup time! It is sooo fun. It’s where I, Daphne, get to play with other small doggies. We run around pouncing, barking and sniffing! We play bow and of course we take turns being chased and being the chaser. I’m super good at playing! Let's become forever play friends over a game of hide-and-seek!

The adoption fee for dogs is $140. 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.

- Brad Haugaard

Cheap Appliances at New Lowe's Outlet in Monrovia

Lowe's Outlet, a store for new but dented or scratched appliances, will have its grand opening today at the site of the old Osh store at Monterey and Huntington. https://is.gd/Ii7gsR

- Brad Haugaard

Number of Monrovia Students Slightly Higher than Expected

At its next meeting (agenda: https://is.gd/FyFFoJ) the Monrovia Board of Education will ...

~ Get an enrollment report that shows the number of students is 5,407, actually a bit higher than the 5,350 projected eaarlier. https://is.gd/d2E6iQ

~ Consider buying a Paxton/Patterson Learning
System for Santa Fe Computer Science Magnet School for $81,877. https://is.gd/LaOraI

~ Participate in the clinical training of University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine students in Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology (https://is.gd/swbzIs), and in the clinical training of New York University Steinhardt School of Culture, Education and Human Development students in the field of Speech-Language Pathology (https://is.gd/Ed1irm).

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Victorious Over South Pas

Friday Monrovia sailed to a 49-7 win over South Pasadena. https://is.gd/uF2kkm

- Brad Haugaard

Dinner at Church’s Chicken

Dinner at Church’s Chicken at Huntington and Shamrock. Got the “3Pc Mixed” with a biscuit, fried okra as a side, and an iced tea for $8.79. Okay, keeping in mind that we’re not talking health food here, the chicken and iced tea were good, the okra was an experiment and was okay though I confess I’d probably get fries if I ordered it again. And good price. 

- Brad Haugaard 

Monrovia High's Homecoming Game Tonight Will be Broadcast

If you can't make it to Monrovia's homecoming game against South Pas this evening, it will be broadcast here: https://is.gd/mZCM0X

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia High's Coffee Roaster Program Makes Evening News


Here's an ABC7 video report on Monrovia High School's Roasters coffee cart program where special education students learn skills that could get them jobs. https://is.gd/aNbg6t

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovians Invited to Arcadia Woman's Club Holiday Fashion Show

Arcadia Woman's Club invites local residents to its holiday fashion show, "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year," on Saturday, Nov. 9, from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., in the historic clubhouse at First and Diamond Avenues. Vendors will display boutique items, there will be door prizes, silent auction items, opportunity drawings, and no-host wine and champagne. Tickets are $50 per person and reservations may be made by contacting Joyce Platt at 574-1303 or jgn4paws@pacbell.net.

- Brad Haugaard

Professional Video of Monrovia Schools Programs

A professional video description of Monrovia schools' programs.

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Police: Hot Coffee Rolls Car; Woman Arrested in Package Theft; Marijuana Farm Busted; Drunks, Too

[Monrovia Police activities from the Police Department's Neighborhood Watch Report for October 10-16. - Brad Haugaard]

During the last seven-day period, the Police Department handled 370 service events, resulting in 86 investigations.

Hit & Run Traffic Collision
October 10 at 4:09 p.m., a caller reported a traffic collision at the intersection of Fifth and Huntington. An officer arrived on scene and conducted an investigation. One of the drivers fled the scene on foot. A witness was able to identify the driver who fled. The investigation is continuing.

Rollover Non-Injury Traffic Collision
October 11 at 6:19 a.m., a rollover traffic collision involving a single vehicle was reported at Fifth and Huntington. Officers responded and located the vehicle, but the driver was not inside. Officers checked the area and found the driver walking away from the scene. He admitted to being the driver of the vehicle, but he left the scene because his license was suspended. He said he spilled hot coffee on himself and jerked the steering wheel, causing the vehicle to hit the center divider. The appropriate action was taken against the driver.

Fraudulent DMV Registration Tabs – Suspect Arrested
October 11 at 9:54 p.m., an officer was patrolling the 100 block of W. Pomona when he located an illegally parked vehicle occupied by one male subject. The vehicle had homemade DMV registration tabs attached to the license plate. The owner admitted to affixing the false tabs to the plate. He was arrested and later released with a citation.

Wanted Person / Weapon Offense – Suspect Arrested
October 12 at 12:34 a.m., a caller reported a suspicious vehicle parked in the 200 block of Kruse that was occupied by a male and female subject. Officers arrived and contacted the occupants. A computer check revealed the male subject was wanted by Los Angeles County Probation. He was also in possession of a dagger, which is a dangerous prohibited weapon in California. He was arrested and taken into custody.

Public Intoxication – Suspect Arrested
October 12 at 2:32 a.m., an officer was on patrol in the 1200 block of S. Myrtle when he saw a male subject stumbling in the street. He stopped the subject and found he was heavily intoxicated and unable to care for his own safety. He was arrested and held for a sobering period.

Theft of Mail/Packages – Suspect Arrested
October 12 at 4:52 p.m., a caller reported a female subject wearing a green hoodie that stole packages from a residence in the 100 block of W. Colorado. The witness contacted the owner, who confirmed the packages were stolen. Officers arrived and detained a female matching the description and the property was recovered. The suspect was positively identified. She was arrested and taken into custody.

Shoplifting – Suspect Arrested
October 12 at 8:53 p.m., an employee from a business in the 500 block of W. Huntington called police to report a female subject that concealed clothing items inside her purse and exited without paying for them. Officers arrived and located the female as she was leaving. The employee placed the female under private person’s arrest. The subject was arrested for shoplifting.

Public Intoxication – Suspect Arrested
October 12 at 10:30 p.m., officers were dispatched to a business in the 900 block of E. Huntington regarding an intoxicated subject inside. Officers arrived and located the subject. The subject was too intoxicated to care for himself and he was arrested for public intoxication. He was held for a sobering period.

Driving Under the Influence / Traffic Collision – Suspect Arrested
October 12 at 11:36 p.m., multiple witnesses reported a hit and run traffic collision at the intersection of Greystone and Canyon. The suspect vehicle fled the scene of the collision. Officers arrived and located the vehicle at Greystone and Myrtle, which had damage and was still occupied by the driver. The driver displayed symptoms of intoxication. After field sobriety tests were conducted, the driver was arrested for DUI and held for a sobering period.

Driving Under the Influence – Suspect Arrested
October 13 at 7:22 p.m., a caller reported a male and female subject yelling at one another in the street at Hillcrest and Stedman. Officers responded and found the female had driven away and the male subject stayed behind. While officers were still in the area, the female subject returned. She was found to be heavily intoxicated while driving. After field sobriety tests were conducted, she was arrested for DUI. She was taken into custody and held for a sobering period.

Illegal Indoor Marijuana Cultivation for Sales
October 13 at 9:30 p.m., a caller reported seeing an open door to a building in the 300 block of W. Chestnut. Officers responded and found a large, multi-room marijuana grow and processing center with all stages of growth and processing. The Fire Department, building inspector, and detectives responded. The building was red-tagged due to illegal and dangerous unpermitted wiring and watering systems indoors. This investigation is continuing.

Grand Theft Auto / Stolen Vehicle Recovered – Suspect Arrested
October 14 at 10:05 a.m., an officer was patrolling the 700 block of W. Huntington when he saw a suspicious vehicle. A check on the license plate revealed it was reported stolen out of San Jose. There was a male subject sleeping in the vehicle. The subject was detained and an investigation was conducted. The occupant was the suspect listed on the original stolen vehicle report. The suspect was arrested and the vehicle was recovered.

Shoplifting – Suspect Arrested
October 14 at 10:08 a.m., an employee from a business in the 1600 block of S. Mountain called to report a subject who was in the store concealing merchandise. As he exited the business, a loss prevention employee stopped him. Officers arrived and accepted a private person’s arrest on behalf of the loss prevention employee. The suspect was arrested and taken into custody.

Residential Burglary
October 14 at 11:37 a.m., a resident in the 100 block of James Town called to report their home had been burglarized. Officers arrived and checked the interior of the residence. The master bedroom exit door was shattered. The home was ransacked and items were missing. The investigation is continuing.

Injury Traffic Collision
October 15 at 2:31 p.m., a witness called to report an injury traffic collision at the intersection of California and Evergreen. One motorist failed to stop at a red light and collided into another motorist. One of the parties had a complaint of pain and was treated by Monrovia paramedics at the scene. The driver at fault was issued a citation.

Domestic Violence – Suspect Arrested
October 15 at 5:12 p.m., a caller reported a male and female subject arguing in the 1800 block of Encino. Officers arrived and located the two subjects outside a residence. The investigation revealed they are in a dating relationship and live together. The female complained of pain to hear neck and head. She was treated at the scene by Monrovia paramedics. Officers determined the male was the aggressor and he was arrested for domestic violence and false imprisonment.

Injury Traffic Collision
October 16 at 11:40 a.m., a caller reported an injury traffic collision at the intersection of Myrtle and Walnut. Officers arrived and saw a vehicle that had driven into an open trench, but just the front tires were in the trench. The driver was still in the vehicle and he complained of pain to his knees. Monrovia Fire Department personnel arrived and were able to get the driver out of the vehicle. He was treated at the scene for his injuries. The vehicle was removed from the trench.

Domestic Violence – Suspect Arrested
October 16 at 9:25 p.m., a caller reported a couple arguing inside a residence in the 300 block of Prospect. During a verbal altercation, the girlfriend tore the boyfriend's t-shirt and as she did, she scratched his back. The boyfriend sustained lacerations to his back. He was medically treated at the scene. The girlfriend was arrested for domestic violence and taken into custody.

Giant Spiders Invade Library



Either the library is getting ready for Halloween or somebody needs to call pest control. 

- Brad Haugaard 

Big 'M' on Monrovia Hillside Cleaned Up

Gem City Images has a great picture of the cleaned-up Big M on the hillside above Monrovia. https://is.gd/aMibGk

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Police Get Money for Traffic Enforcement

The Monrovia Police Department received a $55,000 grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety for a one-year enforcement and education program. The money will fund various activities intended to reduce deaths and injuries on California roads.

"We are committed to keeping everyone safe on the road. We believe through the enforcement of driving and DUI laws, we will reduce injury traffic collisions in Monrovia," said Lt. Daniel Verna.

The grant-related activities are for the 2020 federal fiscal year, which runs from Oct. 1, to Sept. 30, 2020.

Funding from the Office of Traffic Safety will be used for numerous programs, including:

  • DUI/driver's license checkpoints.
  • Patrols specifically looking for suspected alcohol and/or drug-impaired drivers.
  • Patrols targeting violations of California's hands-free cell phone law and vehicle code violations by drivers, motorcyclists, bicyclists and pedestrians that put other roadway users at risk.
  • Patrols targeting the primary causes of crashes in Monrovia - speeding, unsafe turning, and right-of-way failure to yield violations.
  • Patrols specifically looking for seat belt and child safety seat violations.
  • Traffic safety education presentations for youth and community members on distracted and impaired driving, bicycle and pedestrian safety.  DUI Logo
  • Serving warrants to multiple DUI offenders.
  • Creating "Hot Sheets" identifying repeat DUI offenders.
  • Officer training to identify suspected impaired drivers and conduct sobriety tests. 
"Getting in a vehicle remains one of the most dangerous things we do," OTS director Barbara Rooney said. "We must continue to work with our partners in law enforcement to shift that realization and make traveling on our roads safer."

Source: Monrovia Police press release

- Brad Haugaard

Board of Supervisors Renews $20,000 Reward for Information About Shooting Two Years Ago

More than two years ago Monrovian Oscar Garcia was shot and killed by a man police say look like this drawing.

The LA County Board of Supervisors has renewed its $20,000 reward for information about the killing. If you know anything about the suspect, contact the Sheriff's Homicide Bureau at (323) 890-5500, or to report anonymously, call Crime Stoppers at (800) 222-8477.

Source: https://is.gd/I8OjVw

- Brad Haugaard

Video About Monrovia Measure K Tax Measure



The City has created a video, here (https://is.gd/mxYf7o) explaining why Monrovians should vote for Measure K, which would raise Monrovia's sales tax from the current rate of 9.5 percent to the maximum legal rate of 10.25 percent.

In brief, the logic is this:

The maximum allowable sales tax under California law is 10.25 percent, and city officials are convinced that there will be more measures on the county ballot to raise sales tax.

However, if Monrovia raises its tax first, and raises it to the maximum permitted level, any new sales taxes approved by the county won't apply to Monrovia. We won't have to pay it because we're already paying the maximum, and we're paying it to the city, not the county, so we get to keep 100 percent.


Comment

While I don't think increasing taxes is generally a good thing for reasons I won't go into unless someone begs me, in this case I'm going to vote for this tax for the reasons the city has given.

However, for your own consideration I want to point out a few possible negatives that occur to me.

1. If there are no more county sales tax measures on the ballot then Monrovia would be left with a higher sales tax than cities that have not increased their sales tax.

That seems correct, but how likely is it? I'm inclined to agree that there will be more sales tax increases on the county ballot.

2. What is to prevent the state from raising the 10.25 percent sales tax limit?

Probably nothing, but if the state raises the sales tax limit I suppose Monrovia is still better off because this measure would still keep more Monrovia money in Monrovia.

3. Suppose we pass this measure but then benefit from some new county sales tax. Might the cities that end up paying the new tax file lawsuits claiming they are being unfairly burdened by having to raise money that is being distributed even to cities - such as Monrovia - that are not paying the tax?

I'm no legal expert but that seems possible, and I've no idea how the courts might rule.

- Brad Haugaard

Taste of Old Town Coming Up; Be On a City Commission; Nominees Wanted.

In his latest report (https://goo.gl/aOqX7O) Interim City Manager Brad Dover reports:

~  A Taste of Old Town Monrovia is coming up on Sunday, Oct. 20, from 5 to 8 p.m. It showcases Old Town merchants and restaurants and lets you sample a variety of foods and beverages up and down Myrtle Avenue in one  evening. Purchase tickets here: https://is.gd/yeZgYD

~  There is a vacancy on the city's Community Services Commission. If you are interested in the position submit an application (here: https://is.gd/FOOHfy) by 5:30 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 18. For questions contact the City Clerk's Office at 932-5599.

~  Monrovia Chamber of Commerce wants nominees for its annual awards, the Iris Award (Citizen of the Year); Monroe Award (Monrovia Businessperson of the Year); Service to the Chamber Award; Military Service and Stewardship Award (A person who works to assist either veterans and/or veteran causes; and the new Pam Fitzpatrick Award (Advocate for building a stronger business community). Nomination form here: https://is.gd/RSc56D .Questions? Contact the Monrovia Chamber at 358-1159 or email sc@monroviacc.com.

~  Senator Anthony Portantino is looking for nominees for his Women in Business awards. Nominees should be "outstanding women for their contributions to economic growth, non-profit impact, and business development in the 25th Senate District." Nomination info here:  https://is.gd/5OJvF3

- Brad Haugaard

Flower - Classic Kitty

Cats come in all different colors and patterns, and they’re all beautiful, but Flower is a kitten who embodies the beauty of a classic gray tabby. Oh sure, she’s cute and adorable and playful and all the things kittens are. But have you ever met a kitten who can be bouncing around one minute, and then perfectly pose for a photo the next? We can’t guarantee that she’ll be a star on social media, but Flower has all the makings of an internet celebrity (only she seems like the type to stay humble and never forget her fans who were with her from the beginning). One day, when Flower is a beautiful full-grown cat with tons of followers, we can say “we knew her when”!

The adoption fee for cats is $90. 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