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Lunar New Year Celebration at Library Saturday


There will be a Lunar New Year Celebration at the Library this Saturday, Feb. 3 from noon to 2 p.m. This is the Year of the Dragon, so there will be a lion and dragon dance by Field Elementary School. Following the performance there will be crafts in the Youth Services area. No registration required. For more information call 256-8269 or email asimpson@ci.monrovia.ca.us.

- Brad Haugaard

School Board to Consider Hiring Corsca Group to Find New Superintendent


The Monrovia School Board will hold a special meeting Tuesday (agenda here) to consider hiring The Cosca Group of Costa Mesa for up to $21,500 to find a new school superintendent. Details.

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Supports Adding City Historian's Homes to National Register of Historic Places


The city has submitted a letter of support for the homes of late City Historian and Treasurer, Steve Baker, to be included on the National Register of Historic Places, according to City Manager Dylan Feik. The homes, at 508 and 512 S. Ivy, are under construction to become an historic inn. Feik said there are several volunteer groups working to preserve the city's history: The Monrovia Historic Preservation Group, Monrovia Historical Society and Monrovia Historic Museum Foundation.

- Brad Haugaard

Police Department Seeks Volunteers For Citizen Patrol


Monrovia Police Department is looking for volunteers for its Citizen Patrol. Volunteers assist with graffiti patrols, subpoena service, school crossings, traffic control, neighborhood watch, and crime prevention. Candidates must attend a Citizens Academy, fill out lots of forms, undergo a background check and an interview. To volunteer or for more information call the Monrovia Police Department Community Activist Policing Bureau at 256-8020.

- Brad Haugaard

City Proposes Higher Monthly Sewer and Water Bill - Estimated $7.71 More For Single Family Residences


Monrovia is proposing to increase sewer and water rates an estimated $7.71 more per month. Sewer and water rates haven't been adjusted since 2020 and 2022, respectively, according to City Manager Dylan Feik, and since the last updates, costs for operating both utilities have increased. Above is an estimated monthly increase for a single-family residential customer based on 10 units of water usage. Discount programs will still be offered to seniors, veterans, low-income, and Lifeline customers. Details.

- Brad Haugaard

Free Art, Magic, Music and Refreshments This Sunday at Community Center


Art, magic, music and refreshments will be at the Artist Alley Gallery Reception, from 2 to 5 p.m.this Sunday at the Monrovia Community Center, 119 W. Palm Ave. There will be new art on display and for sale by four Monrovia Association of Fine Arts artists, Karl Washington will perform his magic show, art from the Clifton and Santa Fe middle schools art competition will be on display, and there will be live music and refreshments donated by Rivanis Baking Company and the Wine of the Month Club. Free admission and all are welcome.

- Brad Haugaard

Free Health Fair With Health Screenings Feb. 10

There will be a free Fit Fair and Clinic with health screenings at the Monrovia Community Center (119 W. Palm) Saturday, Feb. 10 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., sponsored by the Monrovia Duarte Black Alumni Association. Details here

- Brad Haugaard

'Wizard of Bras' Shop Closing

The store, Creative Woman, also known as The Wizard of Bras, is closing in March. The store has been in business on Myrtle just south of the freeway since 1975. 

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Police: Man Arrested Making Off With Gardening Truck; Man Punches Elderly Employee, Steals a Drink; Catalytic Converters Being Stolen; Etc.

[Monrovia Police activities from the Police Department's Neighborhood Watch Report for January 18 – 24. - Brad Haugaard]


During the last seven-day period, the Police Department handled 332 service events, resulting in 81 investigations. 

Hit and Run Traffic Collision
January 18 at 8:05 a.m., a hit and run traffic collision was reported in the 700 block of W. Huntington involving three parked vehicles. This investigation is continuing.

Injury Traffic Collision
January 18 at 1:18 p.m., an injury traffic collision between a bicyclist and a vehicle was reported in the area of Mayflower and Huntington. The bicyclist sustained minor injuries and complained of pain. He was transported to a hospital for medical treatment.

Reckless Driving
January 18 at 10:51 p.m., an officer was patrolling the 1100 block of E. Huntington when he heard the sound of a vehicle driving recklessly. The vehicle was gone prior to officers’ arrival. This investigation is continuing.

Residential Burglary
January 19 at 8:08 a.m., a caller in the 200 block of W. Lemon reported that someone broke into his garage and stole his bike. This investigation is continuing.

Grand Theft Auto
January 19 at 8:32 a.m., a grand theft auto was reported in the 400 block of W. Palm. This investigation is counting.

Theft / Fraud
January 19 at 8:50 a.m., a resident in the 200 block of Linwood reported that her purse was stolen from inside her vehicle. This investigation is counting.

Grand Theft
January 19 at 9:19 a.m., a caller in the 100 block of N. Fifth advised that sometime during the night, the catalytic converter to his vehicle was stolen. This investigation is continuing.

Grand Theft Auto / Pursuit / Felony Evading / Parole Hold – Suspect Arrested
January 19 at 10:49 a.m., a victim in the area of Grand and Foothill reported that his truck full of gardening equipment had just been stolen. Officers located the vehicle nearby as it was getting into the 210 freeway. When the vehicle exited the freeway, officers attempted to conduct a traffic stop, but the vehicle fled and came to rest after it collided. The driver exited the vehicle and attempted to flee on foot and officers located him a short distance away. He was arrested and taken into custody.

Robbery / Elder Abuse
January 19 at 11:34 a.m., an employee from a business in the 1500 block of S. Myrtle reported a robbery where he was injured. An investigation revealed that when the suspect entered the business with a backpack, the employee, who is elderly, put his hands on the backpack and told the suspect he could not enter with it. The suspect punched the employee in the face, entered the business, grabbed a drink and as he was about to exit, the victim got in front of the suspect to prevent him from leaving but the suspect pushed him out of the way and fled the scene. MFD responded and treated the employee at the scene. This investigation is continuing.

Grand Theft
January 19 at 11:48 a.m., a caller in the 800 block of W. Hillcrest reported that the catalytic converter to his vehicle was stolen while parked in his driveway. This investigation is continuing.

Mail Theft
January 19 at 4:04 p.m., the caller in the 200 block of W. Pomona reported mail stolen from her mailbox. This investigation is continuing.

Petty Theft
January 19 at 4:17 p.m., a caller from a business in the 1600 block of S. Myrtle reported tools were stolen from inside of a work vehicle. This investigation is continuing.

Municipal Code Violation – Suspect Arrested
January 19 at 10:30 p.m., officers were patrolling the 600 block of S. Shamrock and found two adults loitering in the park after hours. Both subjects were arrested, cited and released at the scene.

Shoplifting
January 19 at 11:10 p.m., an employee from a store in the 500 block of W. Huntington reported a male and female subject, entered the store, took merchandise and left without paying. The subjects were gone prior to officers’ arrival. This investigation is continuing.

Grand Theft
January 20 at 10:30 a.m., a caller in the 3100 block of S. Peck reported the catalytic converter to his vehicle stolen. This investigation is continuing.

Injury Traffic Collision
January 20 at 10:57 a.m., officers responded to the area of Duarte and Mayflower regarding a vehicle injury traffic collision. One of the parties sustained injuries and was transported to a hospital for treatment. The driver at fault was issued a citation.

Mental Evaluation
January 20 at 12:07 p.m., a disturbing subject was reported in the 100 block of W. Central. The caller stated that his roommate was damaging property inside of the apartment. An investigation revealed the subject had damaged property inside of the residence with a hammer, and made suicidal statement to the officers about wanting to kill himself and hurt other people. It was determined he was a danger to himself and to others. He was transported to a local hospital for a mental evaluation.

Domestic Battery – Suspect Arrested
January 20 at 6:13 p.m., a resident in the 1100 block of Sesmas reported his girlfriend had become upset with him and began hitting him. Officers arrived and an investigation revealed the girlfriend was the aggressor. She was arrested and taken into custody.

Criminal Threats / Vandalism
January 20 at 8:37 p.m., a resident in the 900 block of S. Ivy reported a male subject had just shattered the front window to his home and yelled that he was going to kill him. The resident said the subject was staying in the house, but the resident did not want him back in the house. The subject was gone prior to officers’ arrival. This investigation is continuing.

Driving Under the Influence – Suspect Arrested
January 21 at 1:36 a.m., an officer was patrolling the area of Myrtle and Olive when he saw a motorist commit a traffic violation. A traffic stop was conducted and the officer made contact with the driver who displayed symptoms of being under the influence. 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.

Commercial Burglary – Suspects Arrested
January 21 at 6:13 a.m., officers responded to a business in the 100 block of W. Pomona regarding a burglary in progress. As officers were arriving a suspicious vehicle with several subjects inside was fleeing. The officer approached the vehicle and initiated a traffic stop with five subjects inside and property stolen from the business. The suspect were arrested and taken into custody.

Grand Theft
January 21 at 10:34 a.m., a caller in the 500 block of W. Maple reported that the catalytic converter to his vehicle was stolen sometime between January 18 and January 20. This investigating is continuing.

Vandalism
January 21 at 12:50 p.m., graffiti was reported on a wall in the 600 block of W. Huntington. This investigation is continuing.

Grand Theft
January 21 at 2:37 p.m., a caller in the 300 block of Melrose reported a theft from his vehicle in the 300 block of Melrose. The victim forgot to lock his vehicle and sometime between January 18 and January 21, someone entered his vehicle and property. This investigation is continuing.

Grand Theft
January 22 at 5:15 a.m., a victim in the 600 block of Monterey reported two male subjects were stealing the catalytic converter to her vehicle. This investigation is continuing.

Vandalism – Suspect Arrested
January 22 at 3:29 p.m., a caller in the 100 block of W. Central called to report a male subject breaking things. Officers arrived and contacted the male subject. He was arrested, cited, and released at the scene.

Grand Theft Auto
January 22 at 6:03 p.m., a victim in the 500 block of W. Duarte called to report his vehicle stolen. This investigation is counting.

Theft
January 22 at 9:03 p.m., a theft from a vehicle was reported in the 400 block of Montana. The victim reported the tailgate to his vehicle was stolen. This investigation is continuing.

Unlawful Fire
January 23 at 1:48 a.m., an officer observed smoke coming from the 700 block of W. Duarte. Officers arrived and determined it was created by several subjects. The fire was extinguished by MFD and the subjects were cited for the violation.

Embezzlement
January 23 at 8:07 a.m., a business owner in the 900 block of W. Foothill called to report that a former employee had stolen business checks, forged signatures, and cashed them to his personal account. Officers contacted the subject, who admitted the theft and forgery. He was arrested and taken into custody.

Hit and Run
January 23 at 7:36 p.m., a victim in the 200 block of E. Greystone called to report a vehicle struck his parked vehicle and the driver ran away. This investigation is continuing.

Domestic Violence
January 24 at 3:00 a.m., a female subject in the 600 block of E. Colorado called to report that her husband was arguing with her and abused her. Officers arrived and observed that both the male and female subject had been drinking. An investigation determined the couple had been arguing and the female subject hit the male subject numerous times. She was arrested and taken into custody.

Commercial Burglary
January 24 at 4:34 a.m., officers were alerted to a burglary in progress in the 1100 block of S. Shamrock. Officers arrived and the subjects were gone prior to officers arriving. This investigation is continuing.

Theft
January 24 at 8:03 a.m., a victim in the 500 block of Violet called to report a theft. Items totaling more than $550 were stolen from his vehicle overnight. The victim reviewed surveillance camera footage, which captured the crime in progress. This investigation is continuing.

Loitering
January 24 at 11:40 p.m., officers responded to a call to the Boys and Girls Club regarding subjects sleeping at the front doors. The officers located 2 subjects sleeping by the front doors. They were identified and cited for loitering in a park after hours. This is the second time for one of them being cited for this same reason. They were both cited and released in the field. The subjects cleared the area without incident.

February Free Garden Seminars


The Upper San Gabriel Valley Municipal Water District is sponsoring two garden seminars next month. Both free but registration required.

Tuesday, Feb, 13, from 6-8 p.m. there will be a virtual workshop on California-friendly native plants. Details and register here

Saturday, Feb. 24, from 9-10:45 a.m. there will be an in-person Hands-on Garden Design workshop at 248 E. Foothill Blvd., Monrovia. Details and register here

- Brad Haugaard

Dinner at 38 Degrees


Dinner at 38 Degrees, on the south side of Colorado half a block east of Myrtle. Got the taco plate with fish, pork and brisket tacos for $13.50, and a beer for $7.  Delicious.

- Brad Haugaard 

Statement of City Council Candidate Sergio Jimenez


Sergio was unanimously appointed to the Monrovia City Council in 2022. Prior to that, Sergio served on the Monrovia Historical Preservation Commission for 9 years and was a Former Chair. Sergio has been a Board Member of the Monrovia-based Volunteer Center of the San Gabriel Valley for 12 years. A Board Member of Monrovia Historical Preservation Group (MOHPG) for 3 years. A Member of Monrovia Rotary, The Bradoaks Neighborhood Watch, Monrovia Latino Heritage, a Reader at Read Across Monrovia at Monrovia Schools, AND THE Chair of Monrovia Art in Public Places Committee. He also served on the Monrovia Make A Difference Day for 10 years. Sergio is a Third Generation Monrovian with a Masters degree and a Juris Doctor law degree, lifelong resident who attended local schools, public servant, and businessman. His priorities include:

Strong Public Safety: Sergio has been a strong advocate for giving Monrovia Law Enforcement and Firefighters the resources they need to perform their jobs. Public safety is the #1 job of government. Sergio wants to continue building on strong relationships with First Responders.

Preserving Monrovia’s Historic Identity: Advocating to preserve the historic character and architecture of Monrovia has been a priority for Sergio. He has championed recognizing and celebrating the Route 66 Centennial in Monrovia. If elected will continue to be the voice for Historical Preservation on the Monrovia City Council.

Small Business Advocacy: Advocating for businesses was one of the reasons that Sergio ran for City Council. Sergio has met with small business owners to help create a more business friendly Monrovia. Sergio will continue to promote the small business community.

Mental Health: Sergio voted to implement the SGV Care program that adds mental health professionals to the 911 and 988 Emergency Calls to those suffering a mental health crisis in Monrovia.

Expanding More Affordable Housing: Sergio is for setting aside units in housing developments that are far more affordable than market rental rates.

Homelessness/The Unhoused: Sergio is committed to continue the progress of Monrovia’s Homeless Prevention Program.

Vote for Sergio Jimenez on Tuesday, March 5, 2024.
www.SergioJimenezForCityCouncil.com

Candidate Statements for Monrovia Municipal Election

I will be posting statements from Monrovia city council and mayoral candidates for the March 5 election as I receive them. I try to present them exactly as I receive them and not edit at all - essentially copy and paste. The first candidate to respond was Sergio Jimenez, whose statement will be along momentarily.

- Brad Haugaard

Captain - A Regal But Friendly German Shepherd


Captain is a regal German Shepherd who is as nice as he is handsome! Captain is about 4 years old, and ready to be someone’s best buddy!

Captain has been out on a number of field trips and he’s become a favorite of the Pasadena Humane volunteers. He is very friendly around all the people he’s met, even a curious toddler - he's been an ideal ambassador!

He walks right by your side and is completely relaxed while you take a leisurely walk in the neighborhood. When you stop for a break, he sits right by your side and takes it all in.

Captain appears to have done some training and responds very well to training cues. He’s one smart cookie!

Captain is ready to go home with you- he's available for a 10-day adoption trial as well to make sure he’s a good fit for your home!

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. Limited same-day appointments are available during weekend Visiting Hours. Check website for times. Pets may not be available for adoption and cannot be held for potential adopters by phone calls or email.

- Brad Haugaard

A Moment in Monrovia History: Monrovia High - 1908 Baseball Champs

Here is the Monrovia High School Baseball Team, 1908 champions of the Suburban Athletic League. 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

'Minuite to Win It' Games for Teens

The Teen Advisory Board (TAB) is sponsoring Minute to Win It games for grades 6-12, Saturday, Jan. 27, 3:30-4:30 p.m. at the Library. Registration not required. For information email acarey@ci.monrovia.ca.us or call 256-8274.

- Brad Haugaard

Mario Kart Tournament at Library Jan. 26


Casual Mario Kart video game tournament for adults,  Friday, Jan. 26,   5:30 - 7:30 p.m. at the Library.  Compete in a low stakes tournament or watch the competition unfold on the big screen. For information email aloera@ci.monrovia.ca.us or call 256-8274.

- Brad Haugaard

Nominees Wanted for Woman of the Year

Assembly member Chris Holden is seeking nominations for his annual 41st Assembly District’s Woman of the Year and Women of Distinction celebration.  Nominees must live, volunteer, or work in the 41st Assembly District, which includes Monrovia. Deadline to submit nominations is Thursday, February 15 at 5 p.m. and can be submitted here.

- Brad Haugaard 

People Counter To Be Installed at Wilderness Preserve; Council Approves Satoru Park; Gravel, Bags Available; Learn Beer Brewing; Garden Plots Available

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

~ A people-counter device will be installed at the Ridgeside access point for the Hillside Wilderness Preserve to better understand how the trials are being used. An invisible beam and detect hikers and bicyclist as they pass by. The device will not take pictures. For questions contact Canyon Park and Hillside Wilderness Preserve Staff at 256-8282.

~ The City Council has approved naming Monrovia's new park Satoru Tsuneishi Park to honor him, his family and Asian Americans. Hale Corporation donated the land behind the new Chick-Fil-A to the city for the park.

~ In anticipation of this weekend's storm, gravel and gravel bag materials will be available at the Recreation Park parking lot off of Olive, near the skate park. Self serve. Bring your own shovel, gloves and eye protection. For information call Public Works at 932-5575 or email pwcomments@ci.monrovia.ca.us. 

~ Be a Monrovia brew master. Each week participants will meet at a Monrovia brewery, sample beers, and learn about beer making. Light snacks at each stop. Participants must be 21 or older. $100 per person (plus $10 for non-residents). Fee includes a flight of beers each week and a Monrovia Brew Masters t-shirt. Register here  (click on Adult Classes > Education). For more information contact the Community Center at 256-8246. 

~ One Earth Community Garden now has garden plots available. For more information visit the Grow Monrovia website here

- Brad Haugaard


Workshop on Tree Pruning Tomorrow, Saturday


There will be a fruit tree care and pruning mini-workshop tomorrow, Jan. 20 at 9 a.m. at the Monrovia Community Garden (303 W Colorado Blvd). Free. For more information, email info@monroviacommunitygarden.org 

- Brad Haugaard