Dinner at Mikomi Sushi

Dinner at the new Mikomi Sushi, moved to the former T Phillips site at the corner of Myrtle and Colorado. The location has been nicely redone. I got the Chicken Katsu for $16.95 and a beer for $5.95.  A very tasty and generous portion of chicken, good service, and it came with a green salad and some very nice tempura, not shown. 

- Brad Haugaard 

Monrovia High Girls Volleyball Team Raises Money for City of Hope

The Monrovia High School Girls Volleyball team raised $1,703 for the City of Hope Cancer Center with its annual Breast Cancer Fundraiser match against Arcadia on October 4. The Wildcats won. The fundraiser runs until the end of October and the team is hoping to go beyond its $2,000 goal. Here's more information on how to donate.

- Brad Haugaard 

Sate of Monrovia Schools Address November 17

Monrovia Board of Education will present its 2021-22 State of the Schools Address at the Louise K. Taylor Performing Arts Center (845 W Colorado Blvd) on Wednesday, November 17 at 6 p.m.

Highlights will include how the District navigated COVID-19 and school closures; moving from virtual learning to hybrid learning; the return to in-person instruction; how MUSD has maintained a sound budget; expansion of student support systems; and school programs such as athletics, the arts, early college and more.

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Auctioneer to Put Rare Apple-1 Computer on Block; Estimated worth - $400,000-600,000

Monrovia's John Moran Auctioneers will put a rare, hand-built Apple-1 computer on the auction block on November 9. The Apple-1, which belonged to Chaffey College, is estimated to be worth $400,000-600,000. 

This year marks the 45th birthday for Apple, the world's largest technology company, currently valued in the trillion-dollar range, and it all began with two Steve's, one garage, and Apple Computer 1, more commonly referred to as Apple-1. The company was created in 1976 when electronic engineer Steve Wozniak (b. 1950) teamed up with marketing guru and industrial designer Steve Jobs (1955-2011).  

Source

Monrovia Chamber of Commerce Day Oct. 20

- Brad Haugaard

Citrus College Board Member Edward Ortell Dies - Represented Part of Monrovia

Edward C. Ortell, J.D., who represented part of Monrovia on the Citrus Community College District Board of Trustees, where he served for more than 50 years, passed away on Oct. 16, 2021, at the age of 82.

As a trustee, Dr. Ortell held all board offices, including more than 10 terms as board president. He also served on other boards and associations, including the California Community College Trustees Board, the California Master Plan for Education Task Force and the Los Angeles County School Trustees Association. 

A professor emeritus of business and computer technology at Pasadena City College, Dr. Ortell also authored two college textbooks on mathematics and received several National Science Foundation grants. He was also the former executive director of the Pasadena Education Association, received the CBS anchor Ralph Story Service Award, the Community College Association We Honor Ours Award and the Duarte Chamber of Commerce Outstanding Civic Service Award.

"The board extends our deepest condolences to the family and friends of Dr. Ortell," said Dr. Patricia A. Rasmussen, president of the Citrus Community College District Board of Trustees. "For more than 50 years, Dr. Ortell has advocated on behalf of all community colleges and was instrumental in helping promote significant initiatives at Citrus College. I served alongside Dr. Ortell since 2007, and I will always remember him for his passion, devotion and commitment. This loss is enormous, and we will all miss him tremendously."

Source: Citrus College press release

- Brad Haugaard

A Moment in Monrovia History: Snowy Mountains Above Monrovia in 1927

Winter in Monrovia 1927 showing the 300 block of Myrtle Avenue and snow on the mountains. 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

Monrovia Police Asking: You Know This Motorcyclist?

Monrovia PD Tweet: "The Monrovia Police Department is asking the public’s help in identifying the subject pictured here.  Over the course of many miles yesterday this subject failed to yield to an officer who attempted to pull him over for a traffic violation, choosing instead to drive recklessly through red lights and stop signs and weave in and out of traffic at speeds topping 100 mph, both on city streets and on the 210 Freeway. He is currently wanted for felony evasion and reckless driving. Anyone with information should call the Monrovia Police Department at (626) 256-8000, or may make an online report at lacrimestoppers.org."

- Brad Haugaard

Silly Girl Is Shy But Sweet ... and Totally Up For Birdwatching!

Seven-year-old Silly Girl is a little shy but very sweet! She loves being pet on her head and shoulders, and will even lay on her back and roll around when she’s relaxed. This beautiful tabby has a calm personality and would be a wonderful companion for movie marathons or lazy Sundays birdwatching through the window. Silly Girl is ready to bring lots of light and love to your home!

The adoption fee for cats is $100. All cat 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 and Wednesday at 10:00 a.m.

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

- Brad Haugaard

Bridgestone Provides New Van for Boys & Girls Club

Bridgestone Retail Operations, a subsidiary of Bridgestone Americas, surprised Monrovia-area youth last Friday by unveiling a new passenger van donated to the Boys & Girls Club of the Foothills, one of 12 clubs to receive a van nationwide. The van (equipped with Bridgestone tires) will provide kids with transportation to and from their clubhouse, on field trips, college tours and other enrichment activities. The donation is part of the Bridgestone Driving Great Futures initiative, which has helped youth connect with Boys & Girls Club resources across the U.S. since 2015. Bridgestone will also maintain the vehicle.

"We are so grateful to Bridgestone and are honored to be selected as a recipient for a new passenger van to help our club youth and families overcome transportation barriers," said John Wilson, executive director of Boys & Girls Club of the Foothills.

Last year, Bridgestone raised $3.6 million for Boys & Girls Clubs of America to help Club kids and teens gain access to high-impact, out-of-school support amid the COVID-19 pandemic, including bridging technology and transportation gaps. Since 2015, Bridgestone has contributed a total of $15.3 million to Boys & Girls Clubs of Amereica.

Source: Bridgestone press release

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Defeats San Marino in Football

Undefeated Monrovia football adds to its triumphs with a 63 to 13 victory over San Marino. https://is.gd/Kp8cW1

- Brad Haugaardd

Monrovia Needs Substitute Teachers

The Monrovia Unified School Board has unanimously approved a resolution to increase the substitute teacher pay rate to $190 as the substitute teaching daily rate; $205 as the 60-plus cumulative days daily rate; and $220 as the long-term daily rate. This is a $50 per day increase and is in effect until the end of the 2021-2022 school year. For more information on being a substitute teacher please visit: https://is.gd/XLnpLF

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Reads Gets New Electric Van

To celebrate its acquisition of a new electric van, Monrovia Reads will hold a celebration at Library Park on Wednesday, October 27, at 4 p.m. with speakers from the City and Monrovia Reads. The van wil bring library services to local schools and community events throughout the year. It was paid for by a grant from the California State Library.

Tell City How to Spend Measure K Money; What That Helicopter's Doing; Neighborhood Watch

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

~ He will visit community groups to share an update on Measure K, the Keep Monrovia Revenues Local Sales Tax Measure, which should bring in about $10.8 million for fiscal years 2021-23. If you have thoughts on how the city should spend the money, fill out this form on the City's website: https://is.gd/doyimg

~ If you see a helicopter going back and forth overhead on Wednesday, October 20, or Thursday, October 21, between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., it's SoCalGas checking for methane gas leaks in Monrovia and other local cities. Yeah, they can do it from the air.

~ If you'd like to get involved in Neighborhood Watch, the Monrovia Police Department will host a Zoom meeting on Tuesday, October 19, at 5 p.m. to introduce the program and answer questions. Join Zoom Meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88694096685?pwd=MmhYa2UrOXdRVkRqZXErcHErNTduUT09 Meeting ID is 886 9409 6685; Passcode is 369680

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia In Better Financial Shape Than Predicted

Monrovia is in better financial shape than expected - by $2.03 million - according to a budget update (https://is.gd/rKGXlJ) that will be presented to the City Council at its next meeting (https://is.gd/w71JZL).

The staff report says:

Due to a variety of factors, the General Fund is expected to close the Fiscal Year 2020-21 significantly better than originally anticipated. When the Fiscal Year 2020-21 Budget was originally approved in August of 2020, at a critical time during the pandemic, City Council utilized a conservative budget approach to prepare the City for the uncertainty of the negative financial impacts of the pandemic, the potential for new business closures, and the impacts of stay-at-home orders. In addition to conservative budgeting, the original Fiscal Year 2020-21 Budget incorporated expenditure savings measures, such as staffing vacancies, adjustments to maintenance and operations budgets, and savings from renegotiated vendor contracts. To ensure sound financial management throughout the pandemic, staff monitors the budget regularly as the City cautiously navigates the financial impacts of the pandemic.

The General Fund’s estimated surplus of $2.03M can be attributed to higher than expected revenues, most notably sales tax, Redevelopment Residual Property Tax Revenue, and hotel tax. Additionally, staff’s diligence in managing costs has also contributed to the overall savings. The General Fund was originally expected to close the year with a deficit of $663,201.

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Weekly Coronavirus Count: 18 More Cases, No More Deaths

Coronavirus cases from LA Department of Public Health as of 8 p.m., 10/13/2021. Changes since 10/06/2021.

City of Monrovia: 3,973 cases (up 18), 82 deaths (unchanged)
Unincorporated Monrovia: 445 cases (up 3), 1 death (unchanged)

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Police: Detectives Arrest Grand Theft Suspects; Women Fight in Road-Rage Incident; Sleeping Driver Hits Light Pole; License Plate Swap; and More

 [Monrovia Police activities from the Police Department's Neighborhood Watch Report for October 7-13. - Brad Haugaard]

During the last seven-day period, the Police Department handled 422 service events, resulting in 74 investigations.

Domestic Violence – Suspect Arrested
October 7 at 7:24 a.m., a caller requested a welfare check on a female subject in the 800 block of Alta. She had told a co-worker she was punched in the face by her boyfriend. Officers arrived and talked with both parties. During the investigation, it was learned the boyfriend slapped the girlfriend, causing a small scratch. He was arrested and taken into custody.

Grand Theft – Suspect Arrested
October 7 at 1:46 p.m., detectives conducted surveillance at an address in a neighboring city in an attempt to locate two wanted burglary suspects. While at the location, the two suspects left in a vehicle. A traffic stop was conducted and one of the occupants threw a loaded handgun and drugs from the vehicle. The two individuals were positively identified as the suspects in the grand theft case. They were arrested and taken into custody.

Assault – Suspect Arrested
October 7 at 4:59 p.m., a caller reported a fight between two females in the parking lot of the business in the 600 block of W. Huntington. Witnesses intervened and one of the parties left the location. Officers learned the fight was over a road rage incident. One of the females used her car keys to hit the other female over the head, causing a large gash. The suspect later turned herself in to police and was arrested.

Driving Under the Influence – Suspect Arrested
October 7 at 8:24 p.m., officers responded to a family disturbance in the 1900 block of Peck. The reporting party advised the male suspect had left the area in a white SUV and appeared intoxicated. Officers located the vehicle driving erratically in the area and conducted a traffic stop. The driver was too intoxicated to operate the vehicle safely and was arrested for DUI.

Weapon Offence – Suspect Arrested
October 8 at 7:43 a.m., a caller reported that he was assaulted by a subject in the 800 block of E. Royal Oaks. Officers arrived and learned the victim had his phone knocked out of his hands by the suspect after a dispute over a parking space. The suspect then brandished a knife at the victim. The suspect was arrested.

Warrant – Suspect Arrested
October 8 at 8:51 a.m., a suspicious vehicle was reported parked in the 500 block of S. Lincoln. Officers arrived and located a male subject who was sleeping in the vehicle. An investigation revealed he had multiple warrants for his arrest. He was arrested for the warrants.

Hit & Run Traffic Collision
October 8 at 1:49 p.m., a caller reported that her vehicle was involved in a hit and run traffic collision in the 600 block of W. Huntington. No suspect information was obtained. This investigation is continuing.

Fraud
October 8 at 3:36 p.m., the owner of the business in the 400 block of S. Myrtle reported that someone fraudulently cashed one of his employee's paychecks. An online banking application was used. This investigation is continuing.

Driving Under the Influence – Suspect Arrested
October 8 at 9:48 p.m., an officer patrolling the intersection of Mayflower and Evergreen observed a vehicle fail to stop for the stop sign. The driver also made several unsafe turning movements. The driver was stopped and the officers noticed he displayed symptoms of being under the influence. It was determined the driver was under the influence of alcohol. He was arrested for DUI and held for a sobering period.

Traffic Collision
October 9 at 1:30 a.m., officers responded to a traffic collision at the intersection of Foothill and Mayflower. A driver was traveling east on Foothill when he fell asleep behind the wheel and collided with a light pole. The driver was not injured and had not been drinking.

Mail Tampering
October 9 at 8:46 a.m., a resident in the 500 block of N. Alta Vista called to report his mailbox was tampered with and mail was missing. This investigation is continuing.

Mail Tampering
October 9 at 9:41 a.m., a resident in the 500 block of N. Alta Vista called to report her mailbox was also tampered with and mail was missing. This investigation is continuing.

Mail Tampering
October 9 at 9:50 a.m., while an officer was patrolling the 500 block of N. Alta Vista, he located an empty mail package. The address on the package was from a residence in the 500 block of N. Alta Vista. He spoke with the victim and confirmed a mail theft did occur. This investigation is continuing.

Public Intoxication – Suspect Arrested
October 9 at 10:22 a.m., a caller stated a male subject was urinating on the wall of a business in the 100 block of W. Foothill. Officers arrived and located the subject. He was extremely intoxicated and unable to care for himself. He was arrested and transported to the Monrovia PD Jail for booking and a sobering period.

Court Order Violation / Mental Health Evaluation – Suspect Arrested
October 10 at 12:00 a.m., officers were dispatched to the 200 block of E. Pomona regarding a subject trespassing in a rear yard. Officers arrived and found a subject who had a domestic violence court order restraining him from being at the location. They noticed the subject had open sores on his neck. Paramedics were dispatched to the location, but the subject refused to be treated. The suspect was arrested. While in custody, the subject began displaying behavior indicating he was in need of mental health treatment. He was then transported to a mental health facility to be evaluated by a professional.

Possession of Burglary Tools – Suspect Arrested
October 10 at 12:15 a.m., officers were dispatched to the 900 block of E. Royal Oaks regarding a subject causing a disturbance at the location. The subject had a dispute with a resident and refused to leave. Officers arrived and spoke with the subject. During the investigation it was discovered he was in possession of property he claimed was given to him to polish. He also had lock picking tools. The subject was arrested for possession of burglary tools and released on a citation.

Fight in Progress
October 10 at 12:54 a.m., officers responded to a fight in progress in the rear parking lot of a business in the 100 block of W. Lime Avenue. When officers arrived, they located several subjects who said they had been involved in a fight with subjects who left the area in a Grey Nissan. Additional officers searched for the vehicle, but were unable to locate it. Officers had Monrovia Fire Department respond to make sure all subjects were medically okay. All the subjects had been drinking and would not provide further information. Later the same day, two of the subjects came into the Monrovia Police Department station to provide additional details about the event and file a report. A report was taken and the investigation is continuing.

Grand Theft Auto
October 10 at 6:17 p.m., a vehicle was reported stolen from a parking lot in the 3300 block of S. Peck. Surveillance footage of the theft was collected by the investigating officer. This investigation is continuing.

Stolen License Plate
October 10 at 7:03 p.m., a female subject reported that her vehicle's license plate had been stolen and replaced with another vehicle's license plate while parked in the 200 block of W. Lemon. This plate was later found to be stolen from a vehicle in Sierra Madre. It is unknown when the plates were switched, but the recovered plate was reported stolen in the early part of September. This investigation is continuing.

Injury Traffic Collision
October 11 at 6:48 a.m., an officer was patrolling the 500 block of S. Myrtle when he witnessed a traffic collision in the intersection of Myrtle and Colorado. He stopped and found one of the drivers was complaining of pain, so paramedics responded. The injured driver did not want to go to a hospital. After investigation, the driver found to be at fault was issued a citation for the traffic violation.

Theft
October 11 at 7:24 a.m., a resident in the 700 block of Wildrose started his car to go to work and heard something wrong with his exhaust. He looked under his vehicle and saw someone had cut off and stolen his catalytic converter. This investigation is continuing.

Vehicle Burglary
October 11 at 7:58 a.m., a resident of an apartment complex in the 800 block of S. Myrtle walked to their vehicle, which was parked in the building's parking structure, and discovered someone had broken into it sometime during the night. Personal items had been stolen. This investigation is continuing.

Injury Traffic Collision
October 11 at 9:25 a.m., a caller reported two motorists collided into one another at the intersection of Huntington and Primrose. Officers responded and found one of the drivers was complaining of pain so paramedics also responded. The injured driver did not want to go to the hospital. The non-injured driver was found to be at fault and was issued a citation for the traffic violation.

Vehicle Burglary
October 11 at 12:53 p.m., a resident of an apartment complex in the 800 block of S. Myrtle walked to his vehicle, which was parked in the parking structure, and discovered someone had shattered one of the windows. The loss from inside the vehicle is undetermined at this time. This investigation is continuing.

Warrant – Suspect Arrested
October 11 at 3:40 p.m., an officer was on patrol in the 1600 block of S. Primrose when he contacted a subject who was found to have a warrant for his arrest. The subject was arrested for the warrant and taken into custody.

Trespassing – Suspect Arrested
October 11 at 6:05 p.m., a caller reported a male subject that was trespassing at a business in the 100 block of W. Palm. Officers arrived and contacted the subject. He had been advised previously about trespassing on the property and was subsequently arrested.

Court Order Violation / Mental Evaluation – Subject Evaluated
October 11 at 7:25 p.m., a caller reported that her adult son was at her residence in the 200 block of E. Lime in violation of a court order. She also said it appeared he was under the influence and possibly overdosing. Officers and paramedics responded. The subject then made suicidal statements and it was determined he needed to be evaluated by a mental health professional. He was then transported to a facility for treatment and the case was forwarded to the District Attorney’s office for filing charges.

Grand Theft
October 11 at 9:10 p.m., a witness observed a male subject underneath a vehicle using a power tool near the intersection of Mayflower and Chestnut. Officers arrived and located the vehicle, however, the suspect was gone. It was learned that the suspect had stolen the catalytic converter and was last seen driving a grey truck. This investigation is continuing.

Commercial Burglary
October 12 at 1:15 p.m., the manager of a coin laundry business in the 900 block of W. Duarte reported someone had burglarized the business at around 3:00 a.m. that morning when the business was closed. This investigation is continuing.

Vandalism – Suspect Arrested
October 12 at 7:20 p.m., a caller reported that a subject was vandalizing a wall in the 800 block of E. Olive. Officers arrived and detained the suspect. He was identified by a witness and admitted to the crime. He was also in possession of spray paint. The suspect was arrested.

Residential Burglary
October 12 at 10:03 p.m., a resident arrived home in the 900 block of California to find their rear sliding glass door shattered and the home ransacked. Two suspects were seen on surveillance at the front door, before they entered the backyard, at approximately 7:20 p.m. A sum of money, jewelry, and the family's passports were stolen. Investigation continuing.

Warrant – Suspect Arrested
October 13 at 3:29 a.m., an officer located a vehicle stopped in the roadway, blocking traffic near the intersection of Myrtle and Foothill. The driver provided a false name to the officer. After further investigation, the driver’s identity was confirmed and she was found to have a warrant for her arrest and no driver’s license. She was arrested for the warrant and taken into custody.

Mental Evaluation – Subject Evaluated
October 13 at 12:55 p.m., several callers reported a female subject running naked in the middle of the street in the 2600 block of S. Myrtle. Officers responded, along with paramedics, and located the subject. It was determined she needed to be seen by a mental health professional. She was transported to a nearby hospital for treatment.

Injury Traffic Collision
October 13 at 2:21 p.m., a caller reported two motorists collided into one another in the intersection of Mountain and Royal Oaks. Officers responded and found one person involved in the collision complained of pain. Paramedics responded and she was transported to a nearby hospital for treatment.

Package Theft
October 13 at 3:09 p.m., a caller reported seeing a male subject on a bicycle stop in the 600 block of Monterey, walk onto someone's front porch and take a delivered package. The subject fled the area on his bicycle. Officers searched for the subject, but could not locate him. This investigation is continuing.

Hit & Run Traffic Collision
October 13 at 3:51 p.m., a resident in the 100 block of E. Cypress walked outside his home and discovered his vehicle, which was parked on the street in front of his house, had fresh collision damage that occurred sometime in the morning. This investigation is continuing.

Local Water District Honored as 'WaterSense Partner of the Year'

For a third consecutive year, the Monrovia-based Upper San Gabriel Valley Municipal Water District has been honored by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as a 2021 WaterSense Partner of the Year.

The district received the award at the WaterSmart Innovations Conference and Exposition in Las Vegas for its helping residents and businesses save water.

The EPA highlighted Upper District's creative outreach efforts to promote water efficiency in 2020 despite the challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic. https://is.gd/M4mDEn

- Brad Haugaard

Dinner at Basin 141

Dinner at Basin 141, at the corner of Myrtle and Lime. Got the Chicken Mole Tacos for $13 and a beer for $6. Really good. 

- Brad Haugaard 

Monrovia Historical Society President to Speak on City's Founding Women on Nov. 13

Monrovia Historical Society President Steve Baker will speak on Saturday, Nov. 13 at the Monrovia Community Center on "Monrovia's Founding Women and What they Created." The event, jointly sponsored with the Monrovia Historic Preservation Group, will be both in-person and virtually by Zoom, at: https://wmp.zoom.us/j/92755488491?pwd=dlJJRDg5ZEk4YkhPamU0ZzVXTHZidz09 Password: 639273.

There will be refreshments for those who come in person. Masks will be required.  The Community Center is at 119 E Palm in Monrovia.

- Brad Haugaard