Monrovia Man Arrested in Las Vegas on Suspicion of Killing His Father

The Monrovia man wanted in connection with the killing his father in Rialto was arrested today, July 11, in Las Vegas. Curtiss Booker Jr., 31, was arrested shortly after noon Sunday by the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, https://is.gd/DoTc9A

- Brad Haugaard

Have You Been Eating Bugs? Learning From Tongva Tribe; Job Openings in Monrovia

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

~ In the video above, Christopher Diaz, a member of the Chumash Tribe and representing the Tongva Tribe, stopped by Lucinda Garcia Park to harvest the Cochineal scale off of the prickly pear and to demonstrate how the insects are turned into dye, which is used as food coloring, for dying clothes, makeup, and more. If you ever see carminic acid or carmine as an ingredient, you're eating bugs.

~  Monrovia is accepting applications for: Administrative Assistant and Maintenance Worker. https://is.gd/VMBcQW

- Brad Haugaard

Auction to Support Recreation and Community Programs

The Monrovia Parks, Wilderness and Recreation Foundation (https://monroviapwr.org/) is holding an on-line auction during July 18 to 23. There are 85 items to bid on, from wines and dinners out to jewelry and travel packages, like Las Vegas and Disney World Orlando. Auction page: https://is.gd/C0lDYL

The MPWR supports "recreation and community programs, parks, facilities, and open spaces in Monrovia."

- Brad Haugaard

Photo Essay on New Businesses Planned for Monrovia

Gem City Images has a great photo essay showing current building sites around Monrovia and what is planned for them. https://is.gd/GMr0qB

- Brad Haugaard

Expect Heavy Traffic in Arcadia This Weekend

Arcadia Police report …

“We are expecting an increased volume of traffic around the areas of the Santa Anita Race Track, the Los Angeles County Arboretum and the Westfield Santa Anita Mall this weekend.  There are a number of events taking place and we expect increased traffic during the afternoon and evening hours.“

- Brad Haugaard 

Weekly Monrovia Coronavirus Count: 7 More Cases, One More Death

Coronavirus cases from LA Department of Public Health as of 8 p.m., 07/07/2021. Changes since 06/30/2021.

City of Monrovia: 3,224 cases (up 7), 79 deaths up 1
Unincorporated Monrovia: 377 cases (unchanged), no deaths

- Brad Haugaard

Chicken Finger Restaurant Planned for Zen Buffet Site

 A new fast food restaurant called Raising Cane's is planned for the northeast corner of Huntington and Fifth Avenue, at the site currently occupied by Zen Buffet. Raising Cane's serves one thing - chicken fingers.

The proposed project consists of a 3,100 square foot restaurant with 16 tables (50 seats), outdoor dining, and dual lane drive-thru service will be considered by the Monrovia Planning Commission at its July 14 meeting. https://is.gd/q422Uj

The Louisiana-based company's website says, "Our concept is simple and unique… we only have ONE LOVE – quality chicken finger meals!"

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Police: Woman With Large Knife Talking to Herself; Four Arsons, One Arrest; Drunk Golf Cart Driving; Etc.

[Monrovia Police activities from the Police Department's Neighborhood Watch Report for July 1-7. - Brad Haugaard]

During the last seven-day period, the Police Department handled 389 service events, resulting in 62 investigations.

Injury Traffic Collision
July 1 at 12:35 p.m., a traffic collision occurred at the intersection of Magnolia and Olive. One of the parties had a complaint of pain to her neck and was treated by paramedics. He was transported to a local hospital for treatment.

Arson
July 1 at 3:26 p.m., several callers advised police dispatch there was a fire in the 1400 block of Encino. Once on scene, officers found an area of vegetation near the Metro rail line was on fire. The fire was extinguished by Monrovia Fire Department and an arson investigation is ongoing.

Arson
July 1 at 3:28 p.m., two minutes after the report of the Encino fire, several more callers reported another fire near the intersection of Fifth and Huntington. Officers arrived and located a shopping cart on fire in the pedestrian tunnel. Fire personnel responded to that scene and put out that fire as well. An arson investigation is ongoing.

Mental Evaluation
July 2 at 12:24 p.m., a female subject was reported walking in the 800 block of S. Shamrock, waving a large knife in the air, and talking to herself. Officers arrived and contacted the female. Officers responded and determined the subject was a danger to others and that she needed to be evaluated by a mental health professional. She was detained safely and transported to a local facility for treatment.

Grand Theft
July 2 at 12:57 p.m., an employee from a business in the 1600 block of S. Mountain called police to report a male suspect had taken items from the business without paying for them. Officers arrived, but the suspect had already left the area. Surveillance footage was collected and the investigation is continuing.

Domestic Violence – Suspect Arrested
July 3 at 2:35 a.m., a female subject called police to report she was assaulted by her husband while driving through Monrovia, near the intersection of California and Evergreen. Officers responded and located the involved parties. An investigation was conducted and it was determined the husband was the primary aggressor. He was arrested and taken into custody.

Arson
July 3 at 5:27 p.m., Fire Department personnel advised there was a brush fire near the 800 block of W. Huntington. Officers arrived after the fire had already been extinguished. The fire was located in a brush area along the 210 Freeway on-ramp. It was determined that the fire was caused by human activity and an arson investigation is ongoing.

Arson – Suspect Arrested
July 3 at 8:46 p.m., officers were dispatched to the 900 block of S. Fifth regarding a dumpster fire. When officers arrived, they discovered that Arcadia Fire Department personnel had responded to the fire and encountered a suspect who had placed several small items of debris in a can and lit it on fire. As they put out the fire, the suspect became upset and argumentative, and then fled the area. Local hotel staff recognized the suspect as one of their guests who was staying in a room. Officers secured the room and notified the Monrovia Detective Bureau. Detectives arrived and served a search warrant. The suspect eventually showed up and was arrested. This investigation is continuing.

Theft
July 4 at 3:51 p.m., a customer of a business in the 1600 block of S. Mountain walked outside the store to his truck and discovered someone had stolen unsecured tools from the bed of his truck. Officers arrived, but the suspect had already left the area. This investigation is continuing.

Driving Under the Influence / Traffic Collision – Suspect Arrested
July 4 at 4:14 p.m., a caller reported a female subject riding an electric golf cart in the 1800 block of S. Mayflower. She had fallen from the cart while driving it. The cart was not designed to leave the golf course or be driven on public streets. The female subject was found to be too intoxicated to ride the golf cart. She was arrested for DUI and held for a sobering period.

Residential Burglary
July 5 at 12:48 a.m., a residential burglary was reported in the 200 block of W. Pomona. The victim reported that upon returning home, he found his balcony door had been forced open and his apartment had been ransacked. Officers responded and learned that two of the victim’s backpacks had been taken. This investigation is continuing.

Structure Fire
July 5 at 1:39 a.m., officers responded to the 500 block of W. Foothill regarding a structure fire. Upon arrival, officers saw that a dumpster against an apartment building was on fire. The flames quickly spread up the apartment wall and caught the roof on fire. A total of three apartment units sustained damage before Monrovia Fire Department personnel were able to put out the fire.

Injury Traffic Collision
July 5 at 10:05 a.m., a caller reported his vehicle just collided with another motorist at the intersection of Myrtle and Pomona. Officers responded and found no visible injuries to either driver, however, one of the drivers had a complaint of pain and wanted to go to the hospital. Paramedics transported her to a local hospital for examination and care.

Hit & Run Traffic Collision
July 5 at 12:21 p.m., a concerned citizen walked into the police lobby and reported witnessing a motorist park his car in the city parking lot, 100 block E. Lime, hitting a parked vehicle and causing damage. The driver then parked his vehicle and walked away without leaving a note. Officers searched for the driver, but could not locate him. A note was left by officers on both vehicles involved. This investigation is continuing.

Vandalism – Suspect Arrested
July 5 at 5:18 p.m., a caller reported witnessing a male suspect spray painting graffiti on the rear wall of a business in the 500 block of S. Myrtle. The suspect was located and an investigation revealed that he had come to Monrovia from Baldwin Park to spray paint around the city. It is unknown if other locations were also vandalized. He was arrested and released with a citation to appear in court on the charges.

Mental Evaluation
July 5 at 7:30 p.m., a caller reported he had received a text message from his friend, which stated she wanted to kill herself. Officers arrived at the friend's location in the 100 block of N. Primrose and found her distraught over family issues. The female adult told officers she wanted to harm herself. It was determined that she needed to be evaluated by a mental health professional. She was then transported to a local medical facility for treatment.

Grand Theft
July 6 at 4:33 p.m., a resident in the 100 block of W. Olive reported that the catalytic converter on his vehicle had been stolen sometime during the night. He discovered the theft in the early morning, but was unable to report it until after he finished working. This investigation is continuing.

Hit & Run Traffic Collision
July 6 at 5:42 p.m., an employee of a business in the 200 block of W. Duarte walked outside to her vehicle and discovered someone had collided into it while she was inside working. The suspect who hit her vehicle did not leave a note or make an attempt to report the collision. This investigation is continuing.

Grand Theft Auto
July 7 at 7:27 a.m., a caller advised police that his work truck had been stolen from in front of his residence in the 700 block of W. Colorado. He parked it there the night before and noticed it was missing in the morning. The vehicle was entered into the law enforcement stolen vehicle system. This investigation is continuing.

Grand Theft Auto
July 7 at 8:07 a.m., an employee from a car dealership reported that two vehicles had been stolen from their lot in the 800 block of E. Central sometime during the night. Officers arrived and reviewed surveillance footage that showed several suspects on the property. Both vehicles were entered into the law enforcement stolen vehicle system. This investigation is continuing.

Opinion: Monrovia School District's 'Equity' Policy

A parent with children in Monrovia schools wrote to express her concern about a new Monrovia School Board policy called, "Equity" (https://is.gd/neOlcA), which she believes means teaching Critical Race Theory (CRT), which is the idea that "racism is not merely the product of individual bias or prejudice, but also something embedded in legal systems and policies" and it "puts an emphasis on outcomes, not merely on individuals’ own beliefs, and it calls on these outcomes to be examined and rectified" (https://is.gd/nthBWB).

My correspondent, who wishes to remain anonymous, adds: "This needs to be an open discussion for all of Monrovia stakeholders not just a few people assigned to a committee to decide for all and especially for our children that attend Monrovia schools." She suggests that parents should be provided with a syllabus of each class, from Kindergarten up.

I've looked at this document and don't see anything specifically mentioning CRT, though there are elements that concern me. Such as:

-- "[T]he Board also acknowledges other forms of social inequalities and oppression, including gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, religion, national origin, foster youth, involvement with the dependency or juvenile justice systems, and students with disabilities and learning differences, and how these different forms of oppression intersect."

Involvement with the juvenile justice systems is oppression? So if a student robs a liquor store and becomes "involved with the juvenile justice system" he is oppressed? And "gender" is a form of oppression? I don't think so and I don't think this was intended; it is just very badly worded.

-- "Adopt curriculum and instructional materials that accurately reflect the diversity among student groups."

If there are liberal and conservative students, religious and non-religious students, socialist and capitalist students, and so forth, does this mean instructors will be careful to explain multiple positions on political, economic, social and religious issues, or are we in fact using the word "diversity" in the least important sense, that of skin color?

-- "Promote the employment and retention of a diverse staff that reflects the student demographics of the community."

Again, I doubt the demographic diversity referred to here is about political, religious, and economic viewpoints, so since it is most likely referring to race, shouldn't we be teaching our children to learn from the best sources -- to accept good information without judging it based on the color of the instructor?  I would really rather the district just hire the best teachers and employees, regardless of race.

- Brad Haugaard

Dinner at Jim’s Burgers

Dinner at Jim’s Burgers, at Sixth and Duarte Road. Got the pastrami sandwich for $9.69 and an iced tea for $1.59. Very good.

- Brad Haugaard 

Monrovian Sought In Shooting Death of His Father

Monrovian Curtiss Booker Jr., 31, is being sought by Rialto Police in connection with the July 5 shooting death of his father. https://shrtm.nu/54mb

- Brad Haugaard 

Kris May Need a Bit of Time, But He's a Sweet, Smart Dog

One-year-old Kris is looking for a quiet home with a patient and loving adopter! Kris is active and enjoys being petted. He’s been described by Pasadena Humane volunteers as a sweet dog, but he does need time to get to know new people and new situations. Once he does, you’ll see his sweet smile and wagging tail. Kris is a smart dog who would enjoy puzzle toys, lots of mental enrichment, and exercise. This handsome dog is looking for someone who’s ready to help him build his confidence using positive reinforcement and lots of love.

The adoption fee for dogs is $150. 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 and schedule an adoption appointment at pasadenahumane.org. Adoptions are by appointment only, and new adoption appointments are available every Sunday at 5:00 p.m. for the following week.

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

- Brad Haugaard

Community Organizations to Honor Community Leaders on July 15

At a free family event at 7 p.m. on July 15 in Library Park the community organization, iNSPIRE - along with the Boys & Girls Club of the Foothills, LifeChurch UPC, and the Santa Anita Family YMCA - will honor Dr. Tamala Kelly, Keely Milliken, Kurt and Sonia Luginbul as community members who have over the past 15 years have labored, led, raised money, and donated to ensure that everyone in the community has the support they need when disaster strikes.

Also, students from throughout the community will be awarded financial scholarships. The evening will kick-off with live mariachi by Mariachi Alma de mi Tierra and dinner by Max's Mexican Cuisine and Cabrera's Restaurant. To attend, RSVP by text to: (626) 703 2398.

- Brad Haugaard

A Moment in Monrovia History: Chevron Station at Myrtle and Foothill

Chevron Station, southwest corner of Myrtle Ave. & Foothill Blvd. 1978. See full details here. From the Myron Hotchkiss collection.

For more historic photos and papers, see the Monrovia Historical Society’s complete Legacy Project collection here. Learn more about the Monrovia Historical Society here.

- Brad Haugaard

Happy Fourth of July!

The fireworks are on at Library Park.

A wonderful show, as always!

- Brad Haugaard

Old Town Movie Theater Opens July 15

The Old Town movie theater will open on July 15. The former Studio Movie Grill will be taken over by an executive from ... Studio Movie Grill, but under new corporate ownership, Look Dine-In Cinemas. Brian Schultz left Studio Movie Grill and founded Look. https://is.gd/Qo82af

- Brad Haugaard

Weekly Monrovia Coronavirus Count: 15 More Cases, No More Deaths

Coronavirus cases from LA Department of Public Health as of 8 p.m., 06/30/2021. Changes since 06/23/2021.

City of Monrovia: 3,217 cases (up 15), 78 deaths (unchanged)
Unincorporated Monrovia: 377 cases, no deaths

- Brad Haugaard

Starbucks-Chick-fil-A Project Will Set Aside Area for Park; Monrovia Using Less Water Per Person

Starbucks and Chick-fil-A project. The green block (Parcel 3) will be set apart for parkland.

At its next meeting (agenda: https://is.gd/Y012QN) the Monrovia City Council will consider ...

~ Approving various enabling measures to allow for the construction of a Starbucks and Chick-fil-A project at the 2.09-acre Huntington Drive site occupied by the Claimjumper restaurant. The project will set aside 8,600 square feet on the south side of the project, next to Alta Street, to be turned over to the city for a park sometime in the future. https://is.gd/OV4Fbr

~ Adopting an Urban Water Management Plan, as required by the state. The staff report indicates that Monrovia is actually using less water per person than before - 154 gallons of water per person per day compared to its historically determined baseline of 195 gallons per person per day. Also, the report says staff has "determined that the City can meet water demands during normal, single dry, and five-consecutive dry year periods over the next 25 years." https://is.gd/jLZ6w7

- Brad Haugaard

Fellowship Church Collecting for Union Rescue Mission

Monrovia's Fellowship Church, which meets at Monrovia High, is collecting gifts for Union Rescue Mission's Christmas in July. Drop off items at an in-person service on July 11, at 9 or 11 a.m. Needed items are:

• Unwrapped toys for boys and girls ages 9+
• $10 gift cards
• Mexican Candy
• Juice Boxes
• Pre-packaged snacks like granola bars, chips, etc
• Latex Balloons

- Brad Haugaard

New Schools Superintendent Outlines His Core Values

A letter from new Monrovia Schools Superintendent Dr. Ryan Smith.

Dear Monrovia Unified School District Family,

I am excited to write this letter to you on my first official day as your superintendent. It is hard to truly express how much of an honor and a privilege it is to serve all of you in this capacity. I am grateful to our Board of Education for entrusting me with the responsibility of leading Monrovia Unified School District and ensuring world-class schools for world-class students.

I want to thank Dr. Katherine Thorossian for her incredible leadership over the last eight years, capping a stellar career in education.

Over the coming weeks, I am looking forward to meeting with as many of you as I possibly can. The thoughts of our students, parents and families, teachers and staff, and community members, are all very important to me. Meeting with our stakeholders is the best way to introduce myself, and provides an opportunity for me to hear what matters most to those I serve. I plan on asking questions and listening to learn and understand. I will use what I learn during this time to lead the work we do moving forward, and build on the strong foundation already in place, to propel Monrovia Unified to new heights.

Core values are deeply held beliefs that a person or organization operates from. In a sense, core values act as a compass that points to true north, especially in difficult times or when tough decisions must be made. I think it is important that you know what my core values are, as they are what drives me:  

• Students first, ALWAYS
• Equity, Access, and Success
• Collaboration
• Transparency
• Trust and Respect

As we get to know one another, I am looking forward to sharing more about why these are my core values and what they mean to me. More importantly, I hope you see how I demonstrate them through my actions.

There is much to accomplish between now and the first day of school. We are diligently working to prepare for a full return to in-person instruction, following public health guidelines and strengthening remote learning options for families, should that be their preference. We are ensuring plans are in place to identify and address not only the academic needs of all our students, but their social-emotional needs as well. Our team is also in the process of recruiting highly qualified staff to fill our certificated, classified, and administrative vacancies. I will provide updates on our progress in these areas and others in the future.

Monrovia Unified School District and the community it serves are truly amazing. I am thrilled to be your superintendent and look forward to working collaboratively to reach new heights!  If you see me while I am out and about, please take a few minutes to introduce yourself - if I don’t beat you to it. In the meantime, if you would like to learn more about me, please listen to this podcast hosted by California School News Radio:  https://tinyurl.com/DrSmithPodcast.

Source: Monrovia Schools press release

- Brad Haugaard