Lyft Rides in Monrovia (and California) Are Back On!

The Lyft ride-sharing program, which powers most of Monrovia's GoMonrovia transit program, was going to end at midnight tonight, but Lyft has announced that "We’re back on." The company says that rideshare operations will not be suspended in California.

The company adds:

"The California court has granted our request for a further stay, so our rideshare operations can continue uninterrupted, for now. Thanks to the tens of thousands of drivers, riders, and public officials who urged California to keep rideshare available for so many people who depend on it."

The City of Monrovia had earlier announced that the Lyft portion of GoMonrovia would be ending at midnight tonight.

The problem is Assembly Bill 5, which requires rideshare companies, including Lyft and Uber, to reclassify their contract workers as employees.

The city says that, "According to Lyft, the costs associated with reclassification are extreme and cost-prohibitive."

City Manager Dylan Feik said Californians will ultimately make a decision (Proposition 22) about whether to exempt rideshare companies from AB5.” https://is.gd/YkBkHG

- Brad Haugaard

Lunch at B&C Teriyaki

Lunch at B&C Teriyaki, at the corner of Foothill and Madison. Got the Chicken Teriyaki Bowl for $6.35 and a small drink for $1.50. Cash only. A nice price for a good meal. 

- Brad Haugaard 

School Board to Get Reports on Start of School Year, Efforts to Ensure Attendance

At a special meeting of the Monrovia School Board, the board will get "the latest updates on the start of the 2020-21 school year in a distance learning environment" from Superintendent Katherine Thorossian, Superintendent and a report on the district's efforts to ensure learning continuity and attendance from Assistant Superintendent of Educational Services Dr. Sue Kaiser. https://is.gd/VilCmK

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Coronavirus Count: 636 - Up 10; No New Deaths

Coronavirus cases from LA Department of Public Health as of 8 p.m., 8/18/2020. Changes since 8/17/2020.

City of Monrovia: 636 cases (up 10), 34 deaths (unchanged)
Unincorporated Monrovia: 70 cases (up 1), no deaths
Glen Park at Monrovia: 2 cases (unchanged), no deaths

- Brad Haugaard

Metro Line Detour Saturday Night and Sunday Morning

If you're planning to take the train towards LA anytime between 8 p.m. this Saturday and 10 a.m. Sunday, you'll need to catch a bus at the Monrovia train station. Southern California Edison performs utility work that'll block the rail line. https://is.gd/EPzbSU

- Brad Haugaard

School Meals for After-School Program Participants

Monrovia Unified Schools will be providing breakfast, lunch and supper or snack if children participate in an after school program, based on income. Details: https://is.gd/PAx1E8

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Coronavirus Count: 626, Up 4. No New Deaths

Coronavirus cases from LA Department of Public Health as of 8 p.m., 8/17/2020. Changes since 8/16/2020.

City of Monrovia: 626 cases (up 4), 34 deaths (unchanged)
Unincorporated Monrovia: 69 cases (unchanged), no deaths
Glen Park at Monrovia: 2 cases (unchanged), no deaths

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Police Want You to Beware of Fake Cop Scam

The Monrovia Police Department wants community members to be aware of a phone scam that is currently active in the area. We know scammers are out there, impersonating the authorities and conjuring up different schemes to fool people into giving them money. Impersonators can create a sense of urgent fear, telling you to send money or provide your personal identifying information. The scammers rig the caller ID to look like they are calling from the police department, when in actuality they aren’t. 

Monrovia officers have received reports from community members, who stated that callers contacted them claiming to be members of the police department. The law enforcement impersonator often times:

• Refers to the community member by name.
• Tells the community member they missed a court appearance or jury duty.
• The caller states they need to send money or a warrant will be issued for their arrest.

Sometimes scams such as these will include spoofing a legitimate police agency phone number and using a real name of a law enforcement officer in an attempt to gain the trust of the victim. No government agency of any kind takes gift cards as payment. 

The Monrovia Police Department reminds you to be aware that:

The Monrovia Police Department does not call individuals and demand or request money under any circumstances.

• The Monrovia Police Department or any other legitimate law enforcement agency does not call community members seeking payment for outstanding traffic citations or warrants. This includes claims of unpaid federal or state taxes.
• If you are a resident of Monrovia and fall victim to these scammers with financial loss, you are encouraged to file a report by calling the Monrovia Police Department’s Non-Emergency line at (626) 256-8000.

So what can you do to protect yourself against imposters?

• Don’t trust caller ID – it can be faked. Even if it might look like a real call, don’t trust it.
• Never pay with a gift card or wire transfer. If someone tells you to pay this way, it’s a scam.
• Check with the real agency. Look up their number. Call them to find out if they’re trying to reach you – and why.
• Never give personal or financial information to an unsolicited caller or email.

Source: Monrovia Police Department press release

- Brad Haugaard

COVID Testing Available in Monrovia Tuesdays and Fridays

Drive-through (stay in your car) COVID testing for symptomatic and non-symptomatic people is now available at Monrovia Health Center, at 330 W. Maple Avenue. Results available in 2 - 3 business days. 

Testing is available on Tuesdays and Fridays, 8:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.

Appointments are required. To make an appointment, call (626) 256-1600, from Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

- Brad Haugaard

Milk Truck Crashes on 210 Near Magnolia

An eastbound big rig carrying 38,000 pounds of milk crashed through the freeway retaining wall and ended up near Evergreen (the south-side freeway access road) near Magnolia about 2 a.m. today (Tuesday). https://is.gd/NogBEA

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Coronavirus Count: 622 - Up 7

Coronavirus cases from LA Department of Public Health as of 8 p.m., 8/16/2020. Changes since 8/15/2020.

City of Monrovia: 622 cases (up 7), 34 deaths (unchanged)
Unincorporated Monrovia: 69 cases (unchanged), no deaths
Glen Park at Monrovia: 2 cases (unchanged), no deaths

- Brad Haugaard

Dan: Sweet and Attentive, Likes Carrots

Five-year-old Dan is sweet and attentive, and loves resting his head on his foster parent’s lap. He enjoys watching his foster parent chop vegetables, and even gets a healthy, crunchy carrot to snack on sometimes! Dan came to us as a stray, but with a little patience he’s warmed up to so many people and discovered that he especially loves back scratches. Dan would do best as the only dog in the home, and just wants to be your one-and-only.

The adoption fee for dogs is $140. All dog adoptions include spay or neuter, microchip, and age-appropriate vaccines.

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 and fill out an online adoption application. Adoptions are by appointment only.

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

- Brad Haugaard

Heat Warning Extended to Thursday - Tuesday Expected to be Hottest

The National Weather Service has again extended it's excessive heat warning for the San Gabriel Valley, from Wednesday to Thursday at 9 p.m. "Dangerously hot conditions with high temperatures between 98 and 110 degrees expected. Hottest on Tuesday." https://is.gd/lwnia9

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Coronavirus Count: 615 - Up 1

Coronavirus cases from LA Department of Public Health as of 8 p.m., 8/15/2020. Changes since 8/14/2020, although County Health is complaining of a backlog in processing cases.

City of Monrovia: 615 cases (up 1), 34 deaths (unchanged)
Unincorporated Monrovia: 69 cases (up 1), no deaths
Glen Park at Monrovia: 2 cases (up -1), no deaths

- Brad Haugaard

Homeless Man Arrested in Connection With Azusa Canyon Fire

A homeless man living in the Azusa Canyon riverbed has been arrested in connection with the Azusa Canyon fire, the "Ranch" fire. https://is.gd/MMuKjK

- Brad Haugaard

Ranch Fire Kicks Up

The Ranch Fire, in Azusa Canyon, northeast of Monrovia, seemed to have burned low today. Fire helicopters were still dropping water but no smoke was visible from Azusa Canyon, as you can see in the top photo here, which was taken Saturday morning. But the fire apparently kicked up again, as you can see from the bottom photo, taken Saturday evening from Monrovia. The City of Monrovia says there is “no immediate threat to our community.“

- Brad Haugaard 

Monrovia Coronavirus Count: 614 - Up 19; No New Deaths

Coronavirus cases from LA Department of Public Health as of 8 p.m., 8/14/2020. Changes since 8/12/2020. County Health reports that these numbers include "delayed reporting of a few hundred cases from yesterday."

City of Monrovia: 614 cases (up 19), 34 deaths (unchanged)
Unincorporated Monrovia: 68 cases (up 2), no deaths
Glen Park at Monrovia: 3 cases (unchanged), no deaths

- Brad Haugaard

Hot! Hot! Hot! Through Wednesday - Up to 111 Degrees!

The National Weather Service has extended it's excessive heat warning for the San Gabriel Valley to Wednesday at 9 p.m. "Dangerously hot conditions with high temperatures between 102 and 111 expected." https://is.gd/lwnia9

- Brad Haugaard

Library Park Fountain Has Broken Pump; Canyon Park, Wilderness Areas Closed; And More

Library Park fountain ... when it was working.

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

~ Monrovia Canyon Park and the Hillside Wilderness Preserve are closed through the weekend because of high temperatures and bad air quality.

~ The Library Park Fountain is broken. One of the fountain pumps failed and needs to be repaired. Feik says that, "we are anticipating that the fountain will be down for about the next 4 weeks."

~  LA County is offering COVID-19 Rent Relief  to low-income renters who have struggled to pay their rent and/or who are behind on paying rent. More information at  rentrelief.lacda.org

~ Monrovia Area Partnership (MAP) will hold an online meeting on August 22 at 11 a.m. to update the community on:

• Meet Your Monrovia Police Officers
• Mayor Tom Adams gives insight on the Monrovia Ad Hoc Committee
• Q&A with Monrovia City Manager, Dylan Feik

To register, click here: https://is.gd/7TV7pG

~  The Public Works team has pressure washed and painted the canopies of the bus stops along Huntington Drive.

- Brad Haugaard

School District Releases Back-to-School Roadmap

The Monrovia School District has released its "2020-21 Back to School Roadmap." It includes information about:

• Elementary and secondary school schedules
• Student wellness
• Mountain Park Independent Study
• Special Education
• Nutrition Services
• Technology Support

Details: https://is.gd/XwLuNK

- Brad Haugaard