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Monrovia Police: Stolen Cars; Husband Hit With Frying Pan; Runs Red Light and Crashes Two Cars; Separately, Two Cars Crash and Flip; Drunks and Drugs; Etc.

[Monrovia Police activities from the Police Department's Neighborhood Watch Report for November 22 – 29. - Brad Haugaard]

During the last seven-day period, the Police Department handled 396 service events, resulting in 57 investigations. 

Driving Under the Influence / Traffic Collision – Suspect Arrested
November 22 at 12:43 a.m., officers responded to the intersection of Mayflower and Duarte regarding an injury traffic collision. A vehicle was stopped for the red light when it was rear-ended by another vehicle. The driver that collided into the vehicle displayed symptoms of being under the influence of alcohol. A DUI investigation confirmed that the driver was under the influence. The driver was arrested and transported to the MPD jail to be held for a sobering period.

Driving Under the Influence – Suspect Arrested
November 22 at 1:33 a.m., a witness in the area of Myrtle and Evergreen reported a vehicle stopped in the roadway. Officers arrived and contacted the driver who displayed symptoms of intoxication. A DUI investigation confirmed that the driver was under the influence. The driver was arrested and transported to the MPD jail to be held for a sobering period.

Grand Theft Auto Recovery
November 22 at 6:11 a.m., a suspicious vehicle was reported in the 1200 block of N. Canyon regarding a suspicious vehicle. Officers arrived and investigation revealed that the vehicle was an unreported stolen vehicle from a nearby residence. This investigation is continuing.

Grand Theft Auto
November 22 at 6:30 a.m., officers responded the 200 block of N. Canyon regarding a stolen vehicle. The victim stated she parked her vehicle in front of her residence and discovered it stolen the following morning. This investigation is continuing.

Grand Theft Auto
November 22 at 7:27 a.m., a vehicle was reported stolen in the 500 block of S. Alta Vista. This investigation is continuing.

Attempt Grand Theft Auto
November 22 at 8:46 a.m., officers responded to the 100 block of N. Sunset regarding an attempt grand theft auto report. Officers arrived and discovered that the vehicle door locks and ignition had been tampered with. This investigation is continuing.

Grand Theft Auto
November 22 at 10:16 a.m., a resident in the 200 block of W. Lemon reported their vehicle was stolen overnight. This investigation is continuing.

Petty Theft / Drug Offense – Suspect Arrested
November 22 at 6:25 a.m., officers responded to a business in the 800 block of W. Huntington for a petty theft. The victim stated a male subject stole the business’ tip jar. Officers located the subject and discovered drug paraphernalia on the subject. He was arrested and taken into custody.

Drug Arrest – Suspect Arrested
November 23 at 2:17 a.m., while patrolling the 800 block of E. Olive an officer observed two bicyclists in violation of a vehicle code. A traffic stop was conducted and during the investigation one of the subjects admitted to being in possession of drug paraphernalia. Both subject were arrested, cited, and released at the scene.

Domestic Violence – Suspect Arrested
November 23 at 10:47 p.m., officers were dispatched to a residence in the 1400 block of S. Magnolia regarding a possible domestic violence incident. An investigation revealed that a husband and wife got into an argument which escalated until she hit him in the head with a frying pan. She was arrested and taken into custody.

Assault with a Deadly Weapon
November 24 at 1:51 p.m. a victim in the 200 block of W. Pomona called to report that he had been assaulted. Officers arrived and located the victim with a laceration above an eye. Paramedics arrived and treated the victim at the scene. The victim stated that a male subject at his door subject rang his doorbell and when he went to confront the male subject, the male subject hit him with an object. This investigation is continuing.

Recovered Stolen Vehicle – Suspect Arrested
November 24 at 4:31 p.m., officers were alerted to a stolen vehicle in the area of Foothill and Madison. The vehicle was located and a high risk traffic stop was conducted. The driver was arrested and taken into custody.

Grand Theft – Suspect Arrested
November 24 at 5:26 p.m., an employee from a business in the 700 block of E. Huntington reported a female subject inside the location removing tags and concealing merchandise inside a bag. Officers arrived and located the female subject outside the store and the stolen property was recovered. She was arrested and taken into custody.

Fraud
November 24 at 5:55 p.m., a victim walked into the MPD lobby to report that someone fraudulently got accesses to her business account information, forged a check, and cashed it. This investigation is continuing.

Weapon Offense – Suspect Arrested
November 24 at 10:30 p.m., an employee from a gas station in the 700 block of E. Huntington called to report that a male subject was trying to make entry into the closed mini-mart. Officers arrived and located the subject who was found to be under the influence of a controlled substance and in possession of a prohibited weapon. He was arrested and taken into custody.

Theft from Vehicle
November 25 at 8:00 a.m., a victim in the 300 block of N. Mayflower called to report that his car was broken into overnight. An officer arrived and was told the victim parked his vehicle on the street in front of his house the night before, leaving property in his trunk. The next morning he realized his vehicle had been ransacked and property taken. This investigation is continuing.

Grand Theft Auto Recovered
November 25 at 2:08 p.m., a caller in the 100 block of W. Palm reported a vehicle in a parking lot with a punched ignition. An investigation determined it was an unreported stolen vehicle. This investigation is continuing.

Injury Traffic Collision
November 25 at 2:42 p.m., several callers in the area of Magnolia and Huntington reported an injury traffic collision involving three vehicles. Officers arrived and determined that a vehicle failed to stop for the red light and struck two vehicles in the intersection. Parties had complaints of pain but refused to be transported to a hospital.

Injury Traffic Collision
November 25 at 7:04 p.m., officers were dispatched to the area of Chestnut and Ivy regarding an injury traffic collision. An adult female driver crashed into two parked vehicles and overturned. The driver emitted an odor of an alcohol, but was too injured for a field sobriety test and was transported to a hospital for treatment. This investigation is continuing.

Theft / Drug Activity – Suspect Arrested
November 25 at 10:41 p.m., employees from a business in the 600 block of W. Huntington called to report several suspicious persons in the store. Officers responded and detained one of the subjects to the front of the store. He was placed under citizen's arrest for shoplifting and found to be in possession of a controlled substance. He was arrested, cited and released at the scene.

Municipal Code Violation / Drug Activity – Suspect Arrested
November 26 at 12:05 a.m., officers patrolling a park in the 1600 block of S. Myrtle found a subject in the park past posted hours, in violation of a municipal code. A search revealed the subject was in possession of drug paraphernalia. He was arrested and taken into custody.

Structure Fire
November 26 at 3:05 a.m., a resident in the 600 block of Shady Oaks called to report a structure fire. Officers and MFD arrived and MFD was able to extinguish the flames. No injuries reported. This investigation is continuing.

Fraud
November 26 at 10:34 a.m., a victim in the 1200 block of S. Alta Vista called to report she had been scammed for tickets she purchased on an online platform. This investigation is continuing.

Injury Traffic Collision
November 26 at 11:55 a.m., a caller in the area of Fifth and Huntington reported a fallen bicyclist. The caller reported that the bicyclist hit a small bump in the road and fell off her bike. She was transported to a hospital for treatment.

Theft from Vehicle
November 26 at 12:32 p.m., a victim parked her vehicle in the 700 block of E. Huntington. When she returned, she noticed her purse was missing from her unlocked vehicle and her credit cards were being used in surrounding cities. This investigation is continuing.

Theft from Vehicle
November 26 at 12:57 p.m., a theft from a vehicle was reported in a parking lot in the 1600 block of S. Mountain. The victim reported tools were taken from his unlocked vehicle. This investigation is continuing.

Public Intoxication – Suspect Arrested
November 26 at 11:26 p.m., a movie theater in the 400 block of S. Myrtle reported that a male subject become intoxicated and started making a scene, including kicking over trash cans and hiding in a bathroom. Officers arrived and located the subject. It was determined he was too intoxicated, he was arrested and transported to be held for a sobering period.

Bike Theft
November 27 at 8:10 p.m., the owner of a bicycle reported he had locked his electric bike in the 500 block of W. Huntington and when he returned, the lock was cut and his bike was gone. This investigation is continuing.

Injury Hit and Run Traffic Collision
November 27 at 8:20 p.m., a motorist reported she had just collided with another vehicle in the area of Duarte and 10th and the other driver fled the scene. This investigation is continuing.

Vehicle Burglary
November 28 at 8:51 a.m., a caller in the 100 block of W. Chestnut reported his vehicle was broken into during the night. The suspects smashed a window and took personal property. This investigation is continuing.

Drug Arrest – Suspect Arrested
November 28 at 9:08 a.m., officers were patrolling the area of Huntington and Highway Esplanade when they saw a vehicle commit a traffic violation. The driver admitted to being in possession of drug paraphernalia. The driver was arrested and taken into custody.

Warrant Arrest
November 28 at 1:26 p.m., a disturbing subject was reported in the 700 block of E. Huntington. Officers arrived and located the subject. A computer search revealed the subject had warrants for her arrest. She was arrested and taken into custody.

Grand Theft Auto
November 28 at 2:29 p.m., a caller in the 400 block of W. Huntington reported her vehicle was stolen some time during the night. This investigation is continuing.

Missing Person Report
November 29 at 8:51 am, a caller in the 1400 block of Encino reported that an adult family member had not returned home for a few days. A missing person’s report was taken. This investigation is continuing.

Non-Injury Traffic Collision
November 29 at 7:22 p.m., a caller reported a motorist in the 1400 block of S. Magnolia just collided into several parked cars causing the driver's car to flip upside down. Monrovia police officers and paramedics responded, however, no one was found to be injured. After investigating the collision, the driver was issued a citation for their driving violations.

Dinner at Casa Jimenez


Dinner at Casa Jimenez, on South Mountain, near Home Depot. Got the Burrito Rojo for $14.95 and a beer for $6.45. Tasty, filling, and I had plenty to take home. I figure I got two meals out of this. 

- Brad Haugaard 

Hansel: Playful, Mellow... and a Fetch Machine


Two-year-old Hansel is the most handsome Akita you’ll ever meet! Hansel has a lot of puppy playfulness and exuberance, but he also has a quiet and mellow personality that gives him the look of an overgrown 95-pound teddy bear.

Hansel loves playing with toys- He is a self-fetching machine who can’t seem to wait long enough for people to throw the tennis ball, so he throws it to himself, then trots around like he’s found the best prize ever. Then he is happy to relax and contemplate what bark is made out of on a tree.

Hansel has been out with the Pasadena Humane Mobile team and they have given him a five-star rating. He enjoys meeting people, rolling over for belly rubs and being an easy-going dude.

Come meet this supermodel today!

The adoption fee for dogs is $150. All dog adoptions include spay or neuter, microchip, and age-appropriate vaccines.

- Brad Haugaard

A Moment in Monrovia History: A Lilly Pond at Recreation Park

A lily pond at Recreation Park, parallel to Lemon Avenue. About 1950. 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

Teen Do-It-Yourself and Crafts Event at Library This Wednesday


Teens can unleash their creativity this Wednesday at the library, 3:30 - 5 p.m., with DIY and craft projects. Open to grades 6-12, . No registration required, and it's a drop-in event. Details.

- Brad Haugaard

MultiCar Crash at Magnolia and Huntington


A multi-car crash at the intersection of Magnolia and Huntington just before 3 p.m. today. 

- Brad Haugaard 

Dinner at Fatburger


Dinner at Fatburger, in the shopping center at the northeast corner of Huntington and Fifth. Got the 1000 Island Fatburger for $8.25 and a drink for $3. Nicely grilled. Oops, took a bite before a photo.

- Brad Haugaard

Playground at Library Park Will Get More Shade

Starting Nov. 27, the City will begin installing three steel and fabric shade structures at the Library Park playground. There will be restricted access to the area until Dec. 18. The Monrovia Parks, Wilderness, and Recreation Foundation helped fund the new structures. 

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Police: Let Sleeping Bears Lie; Man Attempts to Burn House; Woman Stops Breathing, Police Save Her With CPR; Lots of Drunk Driving; Etc.


[Monrovia Police activities from the Police Department's Neighborhood Watch Report for November 16 – 21. - Brad Haugaard]

During the last seven-day period, the Police Department handled 306 service events, resulting in 42 investigations. 

Missing Person
November 16 at 10:34 a.m., a female walked into the MPD lobby to report her mother missing. This investigation is continuing.

Injury Traffic Collision
November 16 at 4:22 p.m., a traffic collision was reported in the area of Duarte and Shamrock. One of the passenger’s complained of pain, but refused treatment.

Public Intoxication – Suspect Arrested
November 16 at 6:37 p.m., an officer was dispatched to a business in the 100 block of W. Duarte regarding an intoxicated subject. Officers arrived and contacted the subject. It was determined that he was too intoxicated to care for himself. He was arrested and transported to the MPD jail to be held for a sobering period.

Mental Evaluation
November 16 at 7:20 p.m., a trash fire was reported in a park in the 600 block of S. Shamrock. The fire had been extinguished prior to officers arriving. Officers arrived and located the subject who caused the trashcan fire. It was determined that the subject was a danger to himself and others. He was transported to a medical facility for a mental evaluation.

Shoplifting – Suspect Arrested
November 16 at 8:12 p.m., a business in the 1600 block of S. Mountain reported that a shoplifting had just occurred. Officers arrived and were able to locate the suspect. The suspect was identified by a witness and the stolen property was recovered. He was arrested and taken into custody.

Disturbing Family – Suspect Arrested
November 16 at 9:05 p.m., a family disturbance was reported in a residence in the 800 block of Encino. Officers arrived and contacted the parties. A computer check revealed that the male subject involved in the disturbance had a restraining order against him, ordering him to stay away from the female subject inside the residence, as well as a warrant for his arrest. He was arrested and taken into custody.

Injury Traffic Collision
November 16 at 9:24 p.m., an injury traffic collision involving a vehicle and a pedestrian was reported in the area of Huntington and Monterey. The pedestrian sustained minor injuries and complained of pain. The pedestrian was transported to a local hospital for treatment. The driver was cited for causing the collision.

Injury Traffic Collision
November 16 at 9:58 p.m., an officer was dispatched to the area of Mountain and Huntington in regards to an injury traffic collision. The driver that caused the collision sustained minor injuries, but she declined medical treatment. She was cited for causing the collision.

Grand Theft Auto
November 17 at 1:04 a.m., a vehicle theft was reported in the 400 block of Pearl. Responding officers searched the area for the stolen vehicle, but were unable to locate the vehicle. This investigation is continuing.

Resist / Delay / Unlicensed Driver
November 17 at 3:52 p.m., a female in the 100 block of W. Foothill called to report her grandson and two of his friends took her vehicle without her permission. She said she wanted her vehicle back and didn't want anything done to her grandson. While officers were searching for the vehicle, they saw three juveniles running from the area. They were all detained. The driver of the vehicle was cited for being unlicensed and for resisting and delaying. The other two juveniles were cited for resisting and delaying.

Battery
November 17 at 6:47 p.m., a male and female subject were in a dispute in the 1600 block of Encino. During the argument, the male battered the female. The victim declined prosecution against the male and signed a refusal to prosecute form. A report was taken.

Drug Activity – Suspect Arrested
November 17 at 7:57 p.m., officers were patrolling the 700 block of W. Huntington and conducted a traffic stop on a bicyclist for a traffic violation. The officers made contact with the subject. The subject was found to be in possession of drug paraphernalia. He was arrested, cited and released at the scene.

Driving Under the Influence – Suspect Arrested
November 17 at 8:09 p.m., while patrolling the area of Myrtle and Pomona an officer saw a vehicle moving at an unsafe speed. The officer conducted a traffic stop and contacted the driver. The officer observed the driver displaying symptoms of intoxication. A DUI investigation revealed the driver was under the influence. He was arrested and transported to the MPD jail to be held for a sobering period.

Driving Under the Influence – Suspect Arrested
November 18 at 12:01 a.m., an officer working a DUI patrol was in the area of Myrtle and Colorado when he saw a motorist traveling at an unsafe speed. He conducted a traffic stop, during which the driver displayed symptoms of intoxication. An investigation revealed that the driver was under the influence. She was arrested for DUI and transported to the MPD jail for booking.

Driving Under the Influence – Suspect Arrested
November 18 at 1:11 a.m., an officer working a DUI patrol in the area of Myrtle and Lime saw a vehicle attempt a wrong-way turn onto a one-way street. He conducted a traffic stop and noted symptoms of intoxication in the driver. A DUI investigation was completed and the driver was arrested and transported to the MPD jail to be held for a sobering period.

Driving Under the Influence – Suspect Arrested
November 18 at 1:18 a.m., officers were on patrol in the area of Ivy and Palm when they observed a vehicle drive through a stop sign and then make an abrupt stop at the curb. Officers conducted a traffic stop and observed symptoms of intoxication in the driver. Field sobriety tests were conducted and the driver was arrested for DUI, booked, and later released on citation.

Bear
November 18 at 8:59 a.m., a resident in the 800 block of Oakglade reported a bear in her backyard. When the officers arrived the bear was sleeping in a tree. The bear was left undisturbed and the resident was advised.

Mental Evaluation
November 18 at 9:24 a.m., a caller in the 500 block of E. Cypress said a male was walking up and down the street with his shirt off yelling. Officers arrived and recognized the subject from previous contacts. The officers were able to calm the subject down and they transported him to a medical facility for a mental evaluation.

Runaway Juvenile
November 18 at 9:49 a.m., a caller in the 100 block of N. Ivy reported a juvenile female ran away from the location. The juvenile female was located at a business nearby.

Mail Theft
November 18 at 10:19 a.m., a resident in the 500 block of W. Duarte reported the community mail boxes were broken into. This investigation is continuing.

Residential Burglary
November 18 at 11:22 a.m., a resident in the 300 block of Pine Tree reported a window in their residence was broken. The residence was checked and nobody was inside. This investigation is continuing.

Grand Theft
November 18 at 12:49 p.m., employees from a business in the 1600 block of S. Mountain reported two male subjects exited the store with expensive merchandise without paying. The subjects were gone prior to officers’ arrival. This investigation is continuing.

Illegal Fire / Municipal Code Violation
November 18 at 7:21 p.m., officers were dispatched to a park in the 600 block of S. Shamrock regarding a fire in a trash can. When officers arrived they determined it was a portable charcoal grill, which is prohibited by municipal code. The subject was issued a citation.

Domestic Violence
November 18 at 10:47 p.m., officers were dispatched to the MPD lobby regarding a domestic violence incident that occurred in the 800 block of S. Myrtle. The victim reported that she and her estranged husband got into an argument and it escalated. The victim stated he pushed her down the stairs, strangled her, and stole items. This investigation is continuing.

Grand Theft Auto Recovery
November 19 at 10:37 a.m., officers were alerted to a stolen vehicle in the 500 block of S. Alta Vista. The vehicle was located and a computer check confirmed it was a stolen vehicle. This investigation is continuing.

Public Intoxication – Suspect Arrested
November 19 at 8:16 p.m., a motorist was stopped in the area of Myrtle and Colorado when a male adult subject attempted to open her car door. Officers arrived and contacted the male subject who was too intoxicated to care for himself. He was arrested and transported to the MPD jail.

Attempt Arson – Suspect Arrested
November 19 at 10:47 p.m., officers responded to a disturbing subject in the 600 block of E. Colorado. The male adult that was causing the disturbance used to live in the residence but was kicked out and it was vacant. Witnesses at the location told officers the subject was setting trash on fire inside the residence and made threats of burning down the house. Officers arrived and located the subject along with debris that had been set on fire. The subject was taken into custody.

Hit and Run Traffic Collision
November 20 at 3:00 p.m., a victim in the 1400 block of S. Mountain called to report that her vehicle was struck by another vehicle while parked at a business. The vehicle failed to leave any information prior to fleeing the scene. This investigation is continuing.

Overdose
November 20 at 4:28 p.m., officers responded to the 500 block of W. Duarte regarding a juvenile who was overdosing. Officers administered two doses of Narcan and the juvenile regained consciousness. MFD arrived on scene and transported the juvenile to a medical facility for treatment.

Attempt Grand Theft Auto
November 20 at 5:06 p.m., a vehicle burglary was reported in the 2000 block of S. Myrtle. Officers arrived and determined the ignition had been tampered with. This investigation is continuing.

Grand Theft
November 20 at 6:39 p.m., a grand theft was reported in a parking lot in the 600 block of W. Huntington. Officers arrived and determined the victim’s catalytic converter was stolen. This investigation is continuing.

Residential Burglary
November 20 at 6:45 p.m., officers responded to the 100 block of S. Ivy regarding a residential burglary. This investigation is continuing.

Residential Burglary
November 20 at 10:05 p.m., a residential burglary was reported in the 100 block of W. Hillcrest. Officers arrived and saw the rear glass door was broken. Officers searched the ransacked residence, but the suspects had already fled. This investigation is continuing.

Driving Under the Influence – Suspect Arrested
November 21 at 3:53 a.m., officers responded to a parking lot in the 900 block of W. Huntington regarding several subjects causing a disturbance. Officers arrived and detained several subjects inside a vehicle. The driver displayed symptoms of being intoxicated. A DUI investigation revealed the driver was under the influence. The driver was arrested and transported to the MPD jail to be held for a sobering period.

Driving Under the Influence – Suspect Arrested
November 21 at 4:55 a.m., a suspicious vehicle was reported in the 400 block of Highland. Officers arrived and contacted the driver who displayed symptoms of being intoxicated. A DUI investigation revealed the driver was under the influence. He was arrested and transported to the MPD jail to be held for a sobering period.

Grand Theft
November 21 at 8:21 a.m., a victim in the 900 block of W. Huntington reported her catalytic converter was stolen. This investigation is continuing.

Missing Person
November 21 at 9:08 a.m., officers responded to the 500 block of Fano regarding an adult voluntary missing person’s report. The reporting party wanted to report her son missing. This investigation is continuing.

Medical Assist
November 21 at 10:28 a.m., officers responded to the 300 block of S. Sunset regarding a female adult subject who had collapsed. Officers arrived and discovered the female was no longer breathing and began administering CPR. After 40 minutes the female regained a pulse and was transported to a medical facility for treatment.

Fraud
November 21 at 11:31 a.m., a victim walked into the MPD lobby to report an identity theft that occurred in the year 2016. The victim believes he was a part of a data breach and had several unauthorized accounts open. This investigation is continuing.

Hit and Run Traffic Collision
November 21 at 2:50 p.m., a female subject walked into the MPD lobby to report that her vehicle was hit while parked in a parking lot. This investigation is continuing.

Warrant Arrest / Municipal Code Violation – Suspect Arrested
November 21 at 3:55 p.m., several callers reported a brush fire in the 800 block of Alta. Officers arrived and made contact with the subject who had set the fire. The subject claimed the fire was set for a campfire. A computer check revealed he had a warrant for his arrest. He was arrested and taken into custody.

Monrovia Old Town Named One of Best in California


A website called World Atlas has named Monrovia’s old town as one of the best in California, placing it alongside Yreka, Santa Paula, San Juan Capistrano, Julian, San Juan, Bautista, and Mendocino. Details.

- Brad Haugaard 

Is Boo for You? Happy Lady Loves People and Especially ... Running!


Sweet Boo is the kind of dog that wears her emotions on her sleeve-or tail. This happy lady just can’t stop wagging her tail and beaming with joy whenever she sees her friends at Pasadena Humane. She’s also so quick to roll over for a belly rub that she sometimes tips right over!

Boo enjoys walks and hikes but also likes the opportunity to RUN! She enjoys playing with her favorite stuffy toy and she’s always up for a game of keep-away because she finds that hilarious.

Boo is about four years old, seems to be housetrained, and likes to show off how smart she is when treats are involved. She is a master at several cues and wants to learn more.

Are you ready for your Boo?

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

Police Vs. Fire Basketball Game for City of Hope

Battle of the Badges charity basketball game between Monrovia Fire Department and Monrovia Police Department. Tickets are $5 for ages 13+.  Pay with cash, or Venmo to Monrovia POA.

- Brad Haugaard

A Moment in Monrovia History: Library Park Fountain in 1919

The covered fountain at the southeast corner of Library Park in 1919. 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

Monrovia Police to Increase Traffic Safety Patrols

The Monrovia Police Department will increase patrols throughout the community and provide other traffic safety programs to help reduce the number of serious injuries and deaths on the roads.

"The grant funding allows us to support our ongoing traffic safety efforts in the community," Monrovia Police Lt. Chad Harvey said. "Our intent is to stop the most unlawful and dangerous behaviors that put people at risk and create an environment where everyone feels safe traveling.'

The grant will provide additional programs and resources, including:

- DUI checkpoints and patrols specifically focused on suspected impaired drivers.

- Enforcement operations focused on suspected distracted drivers in violation of California's hand-free cell phone law.

- Bicycle and pedestrian safety enforcement operations focused on driver behaviors that put vulnerable road users at risk.

- Enforcement operations focused on top violations that cause accidents: speeding, failure to yield, stop sign and/or red-light running, and improper turning or lane changes.

- Community educations presentations on traffic safety issues such as distracted driving, DUI, speeding, and bicycle and pedestrian safety.

- Collaborative traffic enforcement efforts with neighboring agencies.

- Officer training and/or recertification: Standard Field Sobriety Test (SFST), Advanced Roadside Impaired Driving Enforcement (ARIDE) and Drug Recognition Expert (DRE). 

The grant program will run through September 2024. Funding for this program was provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Source: Monrovia Police press release

- Brad Haugaard

Fellowship Leadership Faces Hundreds of Concerned Congregation Members


Pastor Albert Tate and two board members of Monrovia's Fellowship Church faced several hundred congregation members tonight, many of whom were concerned about how quickly Tate will resume his preaching after his required leave of absence, about how the church has been run, how staff members have been treated, and about the use of church funds.

At the "Town Hall Meeting" at the church's office at Huntington and California, board member Obed Martinez said one of the main causes of problems at the church is that it grew so fast that it outgrew its administrative structure, and Tate said that his inappropriate texting, for which he was put on leave, was to a woman outside the church and that he has never sexually harassed anyone, though he said that in staff meetings some comments which some people thought were funny were considered by others to be inappropriate. He said he has learned, "Albert, shut up."

Regarding layoffs, Tate said the church was staffed for three campuses, but now only has one, and income was inadequate for all those staff members. Also, Martinez said, there has been a post-COVID giving dip. Tate added that the social media discussion of the church's problems has made the problem worse, and board member Christian Washington said the church's finances are "not good."

Regarding resignations, the leaders said that sometimes staff members simply don't like the direction the church is going. The problem, Tate said, is that "we were dysfunctional, not abusive." Tate also said there has been no hush money paid to anyone who has left, though he said the church has tried to be generous in its severance pay.

Christian investigative journalist Julie Roys (her site here) brought up this point during the time for questions from the audience. She said that the church handbook says that no severance money would be paid to staff members who leave voluntarily, then she asked if any of those who left voluntarily had been given a "six-figure severance."

Tate responded that she had been publishing lies (meaning, apparently, that she had published information from sources that he believes were lying) and that he was "not interested in commenting to a journalist," but later - while he didn't exactly answer the "six figure" question - he added that the church has tried to give severance to as many people as possible. 

Regarding the use of church funds, the leaders said there has been no misappropriation of funds and that the church has been audited yearly by the firm CapinCrouse, which Tate described as the "Cadillac" of auditing firms, and it has never found any problems.

In addition to the meeting, congregation members have posted a petition, named Justice for Fellowship Monrovia Church, that calls for an “independent investigation into these allegations against Senior Pastor Albert Tate and the Fellowship Church Board.” Details

Also, another group, called Hope for Fellowship, posted a statement that objects to the church board’s “lack of transparency” and wants to refocus “on the values upon which it was originally founded.” Specifically, it wants to focus on prayer, hope and encouragement, and having a central place to share information, including information on “how we can support our staff, which includes financial support for former staff members who are unemployed and contribute to restorative justice ministries that Fellowship no longer supports…” Details.

- Brad Haugaard 

City Council to Discuss Money: Their Own Compensation, Paying $6 Million for Temporary Community Center; Budget Review

At a special meeting on Tuesday at 6 p.m. the City Council will discuss Senate Bill 329  (housing discrimination), and compensation for City Council members. Details

At its next regular meeting (agenda here) the council will consider ...

~ Buying the building at 324-328 South Myrtle Avenue (across from the Library) for $6 million as an interim Community Center while the existing Community Center is being remodeled. Details

~ The budget. Property tax revenue is up, hotel bed tax (transient occupancy tax) up, sales tax down, particularly due to slipping vehicle sales. But in summary, "the City will close the books for Fiscal Year 2022-23 in a better position than planned, and the City remains in a strong financial position heading into the second quarter of Fiscal Year 2023-24." Details

- Brad Haugaard

Lujan Named Canyon Oaks Principal; Ross Monrovia Community Adult School Assistant Principal

Left, Fil Lujan; right Tedese Ross.

The Monrovia School District reports that Fil Lujan has been named as the new principal of Canyon Oaks High School and Mountain Park School, and Tedese Ross has been named as the new assistant principal at Monrovia Community Adult School.

- Brad Haugaard

49 People Complete Leadership Program

Forty-nine individuals have completed a 7-week leadership training program with the Monrovia Area Partnership's Youth and Leadership Academies, aimed at preparing them to inform and support the community.

- Brad Haugaard

Kylie Chen Designs American Flag Made of Painted Plastic Soldiers

Kylie Chen, a local Girl Scout who designed a version of the American flag as part of a special scout project, donated it to the Monrovia Public Library’s Veterans Resource Center. She wanted to celebrate veterans and military service members. The flag is made out of plastic army men spray painted in red, white, and blue.

- Brad Haugaard

Draw on the Sidewalk and Win $50

The Monrovia Association of Fine Arts is holding its annual Thanksgiving chalk art event, where participants can create sidewalk or driveway art reflecting what they're thankful for. Registration is open until Nov. 18 at the MAFA website, with chalk kits provided at no cost. Kits can be collected from Century 21 Adams & Barnes Mon-Fri 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday 10 a.m.-noon. Participants can enter the contest by submitting photos of their creations by Nov. 26. Prize is a $50 gift card to a local restaurant. For further information, email christine@monroviafinearts.org.

- Brad Haugaard