Watch Monrovia Saturday at All-America City Finalist Competition

Watch a delegation of Monrovia community members, City Manager Dylan Feik and other staff members present "Building Blocks of Monrovia" at the All-America City Finalist competition in in Denver. Livestream the presentation this Saturday, June 10 at 2:45 p.m. on the National Civic League Facebook Page.

- Brad Haugaard

Youth Punched in Grocery Store; Burglar Pepper Sprayed; Hit and Run Vehicle Caught on Camera; Person Gets Jewelry Then Stops Payment; Burglar Followed Until Police Arrive

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

During the last seven-day period, the Police Department handled 393 service events, resulting in 74 investigations.

Possession of Stolen Property
June 1 at 2:07 a.m., a caller in the 1800 block of S. Peck Road, reported two suspicious subjects in the complex near the mailboxes. The subjects left on foot and were last seen near Myrtle and Railroad. Officers responded and located the subjects on Raymond near Pomona. One of the subjects was in possession of two wallets that did not belong to him. Officers contacted the owners and learned they were stolen from two unlocked vehicles on Peck. The property was collected and returned to the owners. The subject was issued a citation and both were released.

Vehicle Tampering / Trespassing / False Information to Officers / Resisting Arrest
June 1 at 11:42 p.m., a resident in the 900 block of Genoa witnessed a male subject attempting to get inside of the resident’s vehicle parked in front of his house. The victim pepper sprayed the suspect’s face to deter him from burglarizing his vehicle. The suspect immediately ran from the area. He was located by an officer responding to the call. He attempted to run from the officer, but was unsuccessful. The suspect was arrested, but due to having pepper spray in his eyes and face, he was taken to a nearby hospital for medical care. The suspect was not forthcoming about his identity, however, while at the hospital it was discovered he was from Monrovia. The hospital advised he would be required to stay in their care for an extended period of time. He was issued a citation to appear in court.

Grand Theft
June 1 at 7:24 a.m., a victim in the 900 block of California called to report a theft. The catalytic converter had been stolen off of his 2005 Honda Accord. Surveillance footage was recovered. This investigation is ongoing.

Grand Theft
June 2 at 8:02 a.m., the owner of a business in the 400 block of W. Duarte Rd. called to report a theft. The owner reported that around 5:50 a.m., unknown subjects broke into one of his cash vending machines, stealing an estimated $400 and causing approximately $1,500 in damage. The business security cameras captured the subjects, their vehicle, and the license plate. This investigation is ongoing.

Hit and Run Traffic Collision
June 2 at 9:19 a.m., the victim of a hit and run traffic collision that occurred in the 100 block of W. Chestnut made a counter report in the police department lobby. The victim's vehicle has an advanced on-board security camera system with sensors, which captured the collision from three angles and yielded a suspect vehicle license plate. The suspect’s vehicle has been tied to several DUI reports. The unoccupied suspect vehicle was located several hours later by an officer and had damage consistent with the collision. This investigation is continuing.

Fraud Report
June 2 at 11:37 a.m., the owner of an auction company in the 100 block of E. Walnut reported he'd been defrauded out of nearly $40,000 worth of jewelry. An unknown suspect placed winning bids on the jewelry and wired payment. Once shipping confirmation for the jewelry was received, the suspect immediately canceled the payment through his bank before the payments cleared the three day waiting period. The investigation is ongoing.

Grand Theft Auto Recovery
June 2 at 2:30 p.m., a resident from the 1800 block of S. Alta Vista called to report a possible abandoned vehicle parked in the area for about three weeks. A computer check of the vehicle license plate confirmed it was a stolen vehicle. The agency of record for the stolen vehicle did not respond and the registered owner could not be located. The vehicle was removed from the stolen vehicle system and stored.

Residential Burglary – Suspect Arrested
June 2 at 2:34 p.m., a resident in the 400 block of Linwood called to report a residential burglary. He arrived home and found a female suspect ransacking his apartment. She left when he confronted her. The resident followed her until she was located by officers. She was arrested and taken to the Monrovia Police Department Jail.

Located Runaway Juveniles
June 2 at 4:09 p.m., an officer who had just gone off-duty was traveling south in the 1400 block of S. Myrtle when he saw two voluntary runaway juveniles with whom he'd had prior contacts. A backup officer was dispatched and they contacted the juveniles and returned them to their parents.

Battery Report
June 2 at 10:03 p.m., employees of a grocery store in the 100 block of W. Foothill reported several juveniles fist fighting inside of the store. Officers arrived and found one male juvenile victim from Duarte who had been punched in the face and was bleeding. The male juvenile suspects had fled the area prior to officers arriving. Paramedics responded along with the juvenile’s mother. She said she had dropped him off at Library Park earlier that night then drove home. The victim told officers a group of male juveniles asked him where he was from or why he was "mad dogging" them, then one punched him in the face and they all ran out of the store. This investigation is continuing.

Public Intoxication - Suspect Arrested
June 2 at 10:36 p.m., an officer was patrolling the 100 block of N. Mayflower when he noticed a parked car blocking the roadway. The person in the car then began to drive forward with no lights on. The officer stopped the vehicle and found the driver to be unlicensed and the passenger to be so intoxicated he was unable to care for his own safety or the safety of others. The passenger was arrested and housed until sober. The vehicle was stored.

Driving Under the Influence - Suspect Arrested
June 3 at 1:12 a.m., an officer was patrolling the 3300 block of S. Peck when she saw a motorist commit a traffic violation. She stopped the vehicle and found the driver to be intoxicated. After field sobriety tests were conducted, she arrested the driver for Driving Under the Influence.

Injury Traffic Collision CHP Assist
June 3 at 1:45 a.m., an Amazon big rig truck and trailer was traveling west on the 210 freeway when it crashed into the back of a stalled Mustang. It went through the sound wall, west of Myrtle Avenue. The Mustang was pushed into the number one lane where it crashed into another moving vehicle. The collision caused major cinder block debris to cover the 100 block of Central and multiple Amazon packages to fly through the air and cover the freeway. Several parked cars on Central were damaged from the flying cinder block debris. CA Highway Patrol, CalTrans, Monrovia Fire Department, Monrovia Public Works and Monrovia Police responded. Three people were injured and transported to a nearby hospital. At the same time as this collision, a solo car traveling east on the 210 freeway crashed west of Myrtle, the driver fled the scene and could not be located.

Death Report
June 3 at 3:29 p.m., Monrovia Police officers were dispatched to assist Monrovia Fire Personnel on a medical assist call at a gas station in the 1500 block of S. Myrtle. An elderly gentleman had collapsed and CPR was being performed by bystanders. Monrovia Fire personnel arrived and continued CPR for nearly 15 minutes before pronouncing the subject deceased. The deceased male was in a public place therefore officers put up a privacy screen and waited until the mortuary arrived.

Possession of Methamphetamine - Suspect Arrested
June 3 at 10:15 p.m., an officer was patrolling the 700 block of W. Huntington when he saw a motorist fail to stop for a red light on Huntington and Monterey. He stopped the vehicle and found the driver to be in possession of a used methamphetamine pipe. Upon further inspection of the vehicle, he found she was also in possession of methamphetamine for personal use. The driver was arrested.

Mental Evaluation
June 3 at 8:48 p.m., officers responded to the 100 block of W. Duarte regarding a male subject jumping on top of vehicles in the drive-thru. Officers were out on the same subject earlier in the shift for walking in and out of traffic. He was taken to a hospital and placed on a 72 hour mental evaluation hold.

Grand Theft Auto Recovery
June 4 at 10:18 a.m., an officer ran the license plate of a vehicle parked in the 1800 block of Tenth. It returned as a stolen vehicle. The vehicle was recovered and an investigation is being conducted.

Grand Theft Auto Recovery
June 5 at 11:34 a.m., a property manager from the 100 block of W. Olive called Foothill Tow to have a vehicle removed from the property. An investigation revealed the vehicle was reported stolen from Arcadia. It was recovered and returned to the registered owner.

Injury Traffic Collision
June 5 at 3:42 p.m., officers responded to the area of Mayflower and Duarte to assist with an injury collision. A vehicle made a left turn without yielding to oncoming traffic in the intersection. One party from the collision suffered minor injuries.

Theft – Suspect Arrested
June 5 at 5:44 p.m., officers were dispatched to the 1600 block of S. Mountain regarding a theft report. A male adult had taken numerous items without paying for them. Officers conducted an area check and located the suspect. He was arrested for the theft and the property was returned to the store.

Theft
June 5 at 11:55 p.m., officers responded to a call of a theft at a parking structure in the 200 block of West Pomona. Some items from a vehicle were stolen. A resident walked out to the parking structure and saw a suspect inside his vehicle. The suspect fled down the stairwell towards the train depot. A can of mace and a folding knife was taken from the vehicle. Officers checked the area for the suspect, but were unable to locate him.

Grand Theft Auto Recovery
June 6 at 12:16 p.m., a Parking Control Officer patrolling the 1800 block of Tenth ran a license plate of a Honda Civic parked at the location. The vehicle returned as a stolen vehicle. Officers responded and confirmed the vehicle was not occupied. It was recovered and removed from the Stolen Vehicle System.

Vandalism
June 7 at 07:03 a.m., officers responded to a call regarding a vandalism in the 300 block of E. Palm. A caller reported her rental car had been vandalized. The vehicle had been parked overnight on the street. The window was smashed with an unknown object. There is no suspect information. This investigation is continuing.

Embezzlement
June 7 at 09:05 a.m., officers were dispatched to the 1000 block of S. Mountain regarding an embezzlement report. The owner of the business reported two employees have stolen over 200K from the business. The investigation is continuing.

Grand Theft
June 7 at 08:20 p.m., a male suspect entered a business in the 1600 block of S. Mountain and selected several power tools. The suspect started acting strangely and walked out with tools and electronics valued at $1,500. The suspect entered a dark SUV with chrome rims and no license plates and fled towards Mountain. Officers searched the area but were unable to locate the vehicle. This investigation is continuing.

Canyon Park Should Reopen Fall of 2024

Canyon Park should re-open in the fall of next year. The city’s engineer is completing the final designs for park construction and work will begin this year and should last about nine months. That, according to city manager, Dylan Feik, posting on Facebook.

He added that the city will have an update on the park next month.

I asked if it would be possible to open the road that goes up to and past the Boy Scouts’ Camp Trask.

Feik said that scouts coordinate with the city when they want to get to the camp, but I added that the road has had several mud slides, that the road beyond Camp Trask is closed [by the Forest Service], and that there are heavy vehicles working in that area.

- Brad Haugaard 

Dinner at Lucious Dumpling

Dinner at Luscious Dumpling, in the shopping center at Sixth and Duarte Road. Got the pan fried beef, cheese and onion dumplings for $14 and a tea for $3.75. No ambiance but very yummy dumplings. 

- Brad Haugaard 

Fun Loving Frosty - Acrobat Dog!

Fun-loving Frosty is a jolly, happy soul for sure. He loves hiking, romping in the yard and enjoying the simple pleasures of splashing around in the kiddie pool after an adventure.

Frosty has been working with our trainers diligently. He loves treats and is very happy to perform tricks in order to receive them. He learns commands very quickly and like the excellent student he is, will repeat them as often as he can (or until he gets a yummy treat). One of his favorite tricks is to hop up on a wall during a walk and act like an acrobat!

Frosty is still a youngster- he is just a little over a year old, and he’s got a lot of puppy energy still. He has learned some fun calming techniques and now knows that settling on his bed is a great way to wind down and get some more yummy snacks!

Frosty is ready to thaw even the coldest of hearts!

Pasadena Humane is having a free adoption day on Saturday, June 17th from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. All adoption fees for all available pets will be waived. No appointments will be necessary. Pet licensing fees may apply.

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 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

Cookie Baking Class at Y

- Brad Haugaard 

Plans to Turn City Historian's Two Homes Into Bed and Breakfast

Elevation of a planned bungalow as it would be seen from Ivy. 

At its Wednesday meeting (agenda: here) Monrovia's Development Review Committee will consider plans by Saxony Holdings to turn the two historic houses once owned by now-deceased City Historian Steve Baker into a bed and breakfast. The plan (here) involves adding two cottages, a pool, and removing an existing garage.

Baker's two homes as they appear now.

- Brad Haugaard

A Moment in Monrovia History: Traveling House - The WA Chess House Around 1896

Home of W.A. Chess, circa 1896. This is the former Chess Bros. Real Estate office, which became the Chess family residence. It was moved from 400 block of S. Myrtle Ave to 148 N. Ivy. L to R: Claude Chess, William Albert Chess, Minnie McCall Chess, and Kathleen Chess. From 1897 Souvenir Edition of the Monrovia Messenger. From the Myron Hotchkiss collection. See full details here.

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

Library Summer Reading Program

Kick off of Library Summer Reading program. Arts and crafts, games, dancing, and a performance from Magician Billy Bonkers. Saturday, June 10 from 12 p.m.-4 p.m. for all ages. 

- Brad Haugaard 

Amazon Truck Crashes on 210; Three Sent to Hospital

Amazon semi truck crashes on westbound 210 Freeway early this morning in Monrovia. Woman driver ejected into carpool lane, sent to hospital. Two other people also sent to hospital as two vehicles crash because of packages scattered on freeway. Details

- Brad Haugaard

Love Life Celebration at Second Baptist Church on June 10

SET for LIFE is inviting the community to its Love LIFE Celebration on Saturday June 10, from 2-7 p.m. at Second Baptist Church in Monrovia (925 S. Shamrock). Activities include a roller-skating rink, 9-hole miniature golf, kids and teens fun zones, DDs Catfish, Caribbean Gourmet, Philly Gourmet Ice, Hot Links, Red Velvet Cake and other Sweets and Treats, along with a dominoes, bid whist and hula hoop contests, Live performances from the LA Chargers and Kings Drumline, Original Soul Train Dancers, The Jazz Zone, Jazz Band, and the DJ will be spinning Motown hits, and mental health resource booths. Everything is free.  

“The Love LIFE Celebration is our final event to bring awareness to the stigma around mental health in our communities for National Mental Health Awareness month.” said Autumn Holmes, President of SET for LIFE. “Families need a safe space where they can get together, eat great food, listen to music, have fun, and just unwind from all the stressors.”

The Love LIFE Celebration is sponsored by the California Mental Health Service Authority, and the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health and part of the Take Action for Mental Health Initiative taking place throughout the County through June 20th. Ample parking available. Everyone is welcome! Registration is suggested - here. 

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Competing for 'All America City'; Trash Rates Going Up; Race Unity; Garden Night; Historic Walking Tour; ADUs

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

~ Monrovia is one of 20 finalists, 10 of which will an All-America City award. That out of more than 30,000 cities in the country. On June 11 each community will have 10 minutes to present to a jury why it is an All-America City. City Manager Dylan Feik and a group of community leaders will travel to Denver to make the presentation.

~ Trash costs going up. Athens Services has requested both a Consumer Price Index (plus 1%) fee increase and an extra fee to comply with the state's "Short-Lived Climate Pollution Reduction Strategy." The CPI increase (to keep up with inflation) will be 3.82% plus 1%, or 3.82%. The fee for complying with the state's new regulations will be another 3% for residential services and 7% for businesses. The fee would be effective July 1, 2023.

The city estimates that typical residential customers with 90-gallon trash/recycling barrels, cost will be $42.80/month. Typical commercial customers with one-3 yard bins, cost will be $258.92/month. The City Council will review the rate increase request at its June 13 meeting. For more information contact Public Works at 932-5575.

~ The Second Annual Race Unity Celebration and Awards will be held Saturday, June 10, 2023, from 10 a.m. - 12 p.m., at Station Square with guest speaker Oscar DeGruy, youth advocate, experienced actor, public speaker, workshop creator, and mentor. Sponsored by Baha'is of Monrovia. Contact Barbara Gholar at 415-7259 for more information. 

~  Arcadia Association of Realtors Breakfast will be provided, and City staff will be available before and after to answer any questions. For further information call the Arcadia Association of Realtors at (626) 446-2115. Details

~ There will be a Family Garden Night on Friday, June 16, from 5:30 to 8 p.m., at the Monrovia Community Garden at the corner of Magnolia and Colorado. Email info@monroviacommunitygarden.org to register and for more information.

~ Monrovia Historic Preservation Group will hold a walking tour of Old Town tomorrow, Saturday, June 3, at 10 a.m. Meet at the southeast corner of Myrtle and Palm. $5 per person. Tour lasts approximately two hours and includes a history of the downtown and the development of Monrovia. 

- Brad Haugaard

City Council to Decide Details of Its Participation in Clean Power Alliance; Study Budget; Etc.

At its next meeting (agenda: here) the Monrovia City Council will ...

~ Decide at which level to participate in the Clean Power Alliance, which provides electricity from renewable sources. The city has three choices: 100% renewable, 50%, or 40%. 100% would mean, starting in 2024, an increase of about $3 for each $100 of electricity charges. The deal also allows Monrovians to select their own level of participation (or opt out entirely). Details. 

~ Appoint a member of the City Council to serve as a regular board member on Clean Power Alliance’s board of directors. Details.

~ Hold a 6 p.m. study session to review the proposed 2023-2025 operating budget and the 2023-2024 Schedule of Fees and Charges. Details. 

Consider proclaiming June 19 as Juneteenth National Freedom Day (here) and June (here) as Pride Month.

- Brad Haugaard

City Seeking to Acquire More Land Next to Wilderness Area

In a closed session meeting Tuesday the Monrovia City Council will continue negotiations to buy two parcels of land (outlined in red) on the uphill side of the Monrovia Wilderness Preserve, north of Clamshell Road (identified here as "Cloverleaf Drive"). Details

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Police: Thieves Steal Safe With Nothing of Value; Running Drunk in Traffic; Driving Stoned; Teacher Given Stolen License Plates; $25k Wheelchair Stolen; Etc.

[Monrovia Police activities from the Police Department's Neighborhood Watch Report for May 25 through May 31. - Brad Haugaard]

During the last seven-day period, the Police Department handled 292 service events, resulting in 55 investigations. 

Outside Agency Assist
May 25 at 8:09 a.m., the Arcadia Police Department requested for Monrovia Police Department units to assist in the 200 block of Woodruff Way regarding a call of a possible murder/suicide with ten people being detained. Officers responded to assist. Within minutes, the location was secured and it was determined to be a "swatting" call. No homicide or suicide had occurred at the location. 

Burglary
May 26 at 9:16 p.m., officers were dispatched to the 100 block of North Sutter Creek due to an alarm activation. The officers arrived and found the glass to the rear door shattered. The house is currently for sale and not occupied. Several drawers in the master bedroom were ransacked, but it did not appear anything was taken. This investigation is continuing. 

Residential Burglary
May 27 at 9:39 a.m., a caller from the 100 block of Mill Run reported someone had broken into their house and stole a safe. Officers arrived and discovered the suspect(s) entered the residence through a second story balcony slider. Once inside, they went straight to the closet and took a small safe. The victim informed the officers that only insurance papers were inside the safe at the time. This investigation is continuing. 

Warrant and Public Intoxication - Suspect Arrested
May 27 at 7:16 p.m., officers responded to a call about a male adult running in an out of traffic in the 700 block of W. Duarte. Officers arrived and located the subject. He was heavily intoxicated and was found to be unable to care for his own safety. A computer check revealed he had a warrant for his arrest. The subject was arrested and taken into custody. 

Driving Under the Influence - Suspect Arrested
May 28 at 12:36 a.m., an officer was patrolling the area of Mayflower and Duarte when she witnessed a motorist commit traffic violations. The officer stopped the vehicle and found the driver to be intoxicated. An additional officer arrived and conducted field sobriety tests. The driver was too impaired to drive a motor vehicle, he was arrested and taken into custody. 

Domestic Violence – Suspect Arrested
May 28 at 10:39 a.m., the Monrovia Police Department received a call of a domestic disturbance in the 1600 block of S. Mayflower. Officers arrived and conducted an investigation. It was learned that the female battered the male. The female was arrested and taken to the Monrovia Police Department Jail for booking and processing. 

Driving Under the Influence – Suspect Arrested
May 28 at 9:07 p.m., an officer was patrolling the 900 block of W. Huntington when he saw a motorist commit a traffic violation. He stopped the vehicle and as he approached the driver, a large amount of fresh marijuana smoke poured out of the open driver's window. The driver appeared heavily intoxicated from the marijuana and after field sobriety tests were conducted, the 19 year old male driver was arrested for Driving Under the Influence. 

Residential Burglary
May 28 at 9:53 p.m., a resident from the 600 block of California called to report a residential burglary. The victim arrived home and discovered someone had gained entry into her home by unknown means and stole $300 cash. Her bedroom was ransacked. Officers arrived and conducted an investigation. This investigation is continuing. 

Recovered Stolen Plate
May 30 at 8:16 a.m., the Monrovia Police Department was notified of a stolen vehicle entering city limits. Officers found the vehicle and conducted a high risk stop. It was learned the plates on the vehicle had been switched and the teacher who was driving the vehicle to work, had no idea it happened. This investigation is continuing. 

Commercial Burglary
May 30 at 9:23 a.m., a caller from the 200 block of N. Mayflower reported someone had broken into the school during the night. An officer arrived on scene and conducted an investigation. It was determined the suspect(s) used some type of bolt cutters and defeated a padlock on a storage room. Once inside, the suspect(s) took a rolling projector and a leaf blower. This investigation is continuing. 

Shoplifting
May 30 at 12:53 p.m., a business owner from the 200 block of W. Foothill called to report two juveniles had just stolen food items from his store. Officers caught the juveniles nearby who were supposed to be in school. The items were found on the juveniles and returned to the store. The juveniles were cited then released to their parents. 

Grand Theft
May 30 at 1:48 p.m., a caller from the 1400 block of S. Mountain reported a theft. While the caller slept in his vehicle that night, someone stole his $25,000 wheelchair. The reporting party said he had to wait in front of the dealership all night to get his vehicle fixed in the morning. Officers found video surveillance of a male adult walking by the victim's vehicle and then walking away with the wheelchair. This investigation is continuing. 

Felony Vandalism
May 30 at 3:56 p.m., a caller from the 1800 block of S. Shamrock reported a vandalism. Someone entered the rear area of their business during the night and damaged one of their fleet trucks causing over $450 worth of damage. This investigation is continuing. 

Commercial Burglary
May 30 6:02 p.m., a caller from the 500 block of S. Myrtle reported a burglary. Sometime between Friday and Saturday, someone entered the business and stole keys, chair liners, and multiple artificial plants. The business has no alarm or video cameras. This investigation is continuing. 

Bicycle Theft
May 30 9:12 p.m., a victim called from the 400 block of S. Myrtle to report a theft. His bicycle, a pink Throne Goon XL, was stolen from the bike rack sometime between 7:20 p.m. and 9 p.m. This investigation is ongoing. 

Grand Theft Auto
May 31 at 9:39 a.m., a caller from the 1100 block of E. Huntington called to report the theft of his vehicle. His Ford F650 Box Truck was stolen from their rental business sometime during the night. The truck had a company tracker on it. Officers were able to track the vehicle to a location somewhere in Compton. Officers had Los Angeles Sheriffs Department go to the location and recover the vehicle. This investigation is continuing. 

Commercial Burglary
May 31 2023, at 1:35 p.m., a school employee from the 1300 block of Boley called to report someone had broken into their school during the night. Officers arrived and discovered a door had been pried open to a room and a computer was missing. This investigation is continuing. 

Commercial Burglary
May 31 at 1:13 p.m., a business employee from the 2100 block of S. Myrtle called to report someone had broken into several storage units during the night. Officers discovered a storage door was pried open and the suspects tunneled through multiple walls to gain access to other storage units. This investigation is continuing. 

Shoplifting
May 31 10:08 p.m., officers responded to a call from a business in the1600 block of S. Mountain. A subject stole six pairs of shoes worth approximately $250. The subject fled the scene on a skateboard. This investigation is ongoing. 

Lunch at Café de Olla

Lunch at Café de Olla, on the west side of Myrtle just north of Lemon. Got the patty melt for $13.95 and a cup of coffee for $3.95. The interior of the restaurant is very modern and attractive, and the food was good.

- Brad Haugaard

Thawed Out Dyna Dog Ready for Forever Home

Five-year-old Dyna has taken some time to acclimatize to being at Pasadena Humane. When she first arrived, she often hid in the back of her kennel and avoided people. She was heartbreakingly shy despite our best efforts.

Slowly but surely, with patience and love, volunteers and staff began to thaw the ice. Supplying Dyna with yummy treats and gentle pets was the key. Once Dyna realized all these new visitors were actually friends, we started seeing the sweet and affectionate side of this gentle girl.

Now Dyna gets so excited to see people that she knows, she almost dances with anticipation of going out for a walk or to the play yard. It is so lovely to see her zoom around with a smile on her face, sitting patiently for treats and nudging people for more pets. Sweet Dyna is ready to fill her forever home with fun and love!

Dyna’s age qualifies her for the Seniors for Seniors Program. Her adoption fee is waived for any adopter over 60!

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 and Wednesday at 10:00 a.m.

Game Night for Adults at Library, June 16

Game Night for Adults, Friday, June 16, 5:30 - 7:30 p.m. in the library Community Room. Video games for adults 18+ featuring Nintendo Switch (Smash and Mario Kart, for example) and a variety of tabletop games.

- Brad Haugaard

A Moment in Monrovia History: Hotel Scotia, Early 1900s, Near Myrtle and Walnut

The Scotia Hotel with guests, located near Myrtle and Walnut. It was managed by Maude S. Washburn at one time, in whose family's collection this photo was found. She had worked as a cook for the Hancock Banning family in 1900 when the family owned part of Catalina Island, where she may have learned her skills. She also owned and managed another hotel. Both hotels may have also served as boarding houses. From the Maude S. Washburn, Washburn Parks and Bailey Families collection. See full details here.

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’s Devin Paton Second in State Track Meet

Monrovia High’s Devin Paton came in second place, losing first place in a photo finish, at the CIF State Track and Field Championships in Clovis. Details.

- Brad Haugaard