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A Moment in Monrovia History: The Monrovia Motor Lodge

A post card showing the Monrovia Motor Lodge, at 715 E Huntington, around where Aldi and Home Goods is now, just east of Shamrock. From the Kim Anderson 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

Tabletop Game Night for Adults at Library, Friday, Aug. 9

Tabletop Game Night for Adults at Library Community Room. Friday, August 9, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Play new games from extensive collection. Meet new people. Ages 18+. Contact Angel Loera at 256-8254 or aloera@ci.monrovia.ca.us for information.

- Brad Haugaard

One More Summer Concert


The country band, 33 Thunder, (very good) performed tonight at the Library Park bandshell. Just one more performance for the summer concert series. Next Sunday at 7 p.m. in Library Park, the Regae band, Upstream.

- Brad Haugaard 

Police Blood Drive Sept. 12


Blood drive hosted by Police Department at Community Center (119 W. Palm) on Thursday, September 12, 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Free t-shirt for donors. Schedule appointment online here. Enter "bob23" as sponsorship code.

- Brad Haugaard

Jazz and R&B Festival August 17 at Station Square Park

 

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia High Alumna Charlie Gallardo Named PCC Female Athlete of the Year


Charlie Gallardo, a Monrovia High School alumna known for her soccer skills and character, has been named PCC Female Athlete of the Year. At MHS, she excelled academically, participated in the YES internship program, and represented Monrovia in the 2024 All-America City competition.

- Brad Haugaard

Give Blood, Grab a Meal, Send a Kid to Camp

 

Monroe Elementary School is hosting a blood drive and dine-out fundraiser on Wednesday, August 21 from 3 to 7 p.m. to raise funds for students to attend Pali Institute, a phone-free outdoor adventure camp, for a 3-day sleepaway experience. Those unable to attend can still support by contacting Karen DeClue at karendeclue@gmail.com to make a donation.
- Brad Haugaard

Meet the Cops at National Night Out in Library Park August 6


Joining the police at National Night Out will be the Monrovia Fire Department, Code Enforcement, Neighborhood Services, Pasadena Humane Society, and the Foothill Air Support Team.

- Brad Haugaard

New Features When Canyon Park Reopens


City Manager Dylan Feik reports that Canyon Park, which is set to reopen in December, will have a new sewer and water system, an outdoor education center, a gazebo next to the stream, rebuilt rock walls, more native plants, renovation of the Nature Center, and the potential addition of three bronze statues.

- Brad Haugaard

Road to White Saddle Now Cleared

City Manager Dylan Feik (left) with friend at White Saddle, looking back toward Monrovia and Arcadia.
Panoramic view of White Saddle. Road on right goes to Monrovia. Road on left to Azusa Canyon. Behind to the left is the road to Rincon Road.
A clear road you could ride barefoot.

 The road to White Saddle is clear. City Manager Dylan Feik rode his bike up to White Saddle this morning. He writes:

"Greetings from White Saddle this morning. The trail is as smooth as it’s ever been…you could ride bikes barefoot if you like…this trail is so nice!!!!"

The story as I heard it is that the Forest Service gave the city a call and asked if they could bring their equipment out through Canyon Park. Surprise! They'd been working their way down the road from White Saddle.

Opinion: This came as quite a shock to me (delightful, but a shock) as just under three months ago I was allowed to scout the road, and it was a disaster, including, I wrote (here), "a gap in the road maybe 30 or 40 feet deep into which you could easily fall and die." I figured it would be very expensive to fix. And now it's done! Thank you, Forest Service!

Although the road is not yet open to the public, I don't see any reason why it shouldn't be opened very soon.

- Brad Haugaard

City Council to Consider Hiring Firm to Create Statues for Canyon Park, Etc.

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

~ Hiring Daniel Stern and Lost Men Productions for up to $285,000 to create three life-size bronze statues for Canyon Park. Stern did the movie director statue in front of the theater. These statues would honor firefighters, rangers, and trail crew members. Details. Here are sketches of the three statues:



Comment: Not sure about this last one. It looks like he's pulling the log with his arms but pushing it away with his foot.

~ Supporting a proposal by the city of Glendora that the League of California Cities pass a resolution that, "The California State Legislature shall not enact, and the Governor shall not approve, any law or regulation that applies solely to elected officials of California cities, counties, and special districts, unless such law or regulation also applies equally to members of the California State Assembly and Senate. The prohibition shall not apply to laws or regulation affecting the inherent power of the legislative branch under the California Constitution.” Details

~ Change zoning to allow government services in Old Town. This is necessary because the city plans to renovate the Community Center (and later City Hall) and needs a temporary space while that is happening. Details

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Police: Sting Breaks Up Sports-Card Theft Ring; Cops Find Missing Woman; Arrest Suspect in El Monte Robbery; Cyclist Runs Red Light, Hit by Vehicle; Drunk Driver Hits Porch Light Pole; Etc.

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

During the last seven-day period, the Police Department handled 480 service events, resulting in 91 investigations. 

Grand Theft – Suspects Arrested
July 8 at 8:25 p.m., a residential burglary was reported in the 50 block of Hidden Valley. An investigation revealed $500,000 worth of sports cards were taken. Through a thorough investigation, it was discovered that the suspects attempted to sell the sports cards at various card shops in Los Angeles County. Monrovia Detectives conducted a sting operation that resulted in the recovery of the $500,000 worth of stolen sports cards and the apprehension of key individuals involved in a sophisticated theft ring.

Vehicle Burglary
July 25 at 1:25 a.m., a fire truck was reported burglarized at a hotel in the 700 block of W. Huntington. The firefighters were staying in Monrovia to help fight the wildfire in the mountains above Glendora. This investigation is continuing.

Commercial Burglary
July 25 at 2:20 a.m., an alarm company for a restaurant in the 300 block of W. Huntington reported an alarm activation. Officers arrived and found the front glass of the business had been shattered. The suspects had already fled the scene after taking the restaurant's safe. This investigation is continuing.

Injury Traffic Collision
July 25 at 5:27 p.m., officers responded to an injury traffic collision in the area of Shamrock and Foothill. One of the parties involved was transported to a hospital for treatment.

Warrant Arrest / Municipal Code Violation – Suspects Arrested
July 25 at 10:56 p.m., while patrolling the 1600 block of S. Myrtle officer saw two subjects in the park after hours and made contact with the subjects. A computer check revealed the one of the subjects had an outstanding warrant. They were both arrested and taken into custody.

Located Missing
July 26 at 4:49 p.m., officers responded to a complex located in the 200 block of W. Pomona regarding a parked suspicious vehicle. Officers located the vehicle and contacted the solo occupant. A computer check revealed she was reported missing out of Los Angeles. The subject was an adult and advised that someone reported her missing. She was removed from the system.

Grand Theft / Warrant Arrest – Suspects Arrested
July 26 at 5:30 p.m., officers responded to a business in the 700 block of E. Huntington regarding two subjects concealing items. Officers arrived and contacted the suspects outside of the business. They subjects were found in possession of the taken items. A computer search revealed one of the subject had a warrant for his arrest. He was arrested and taken into custody. The other subject was arrested, cited, and released at the scene.

Outside Assist – Suspects Arrested
July 26 at 6:59 p.m., El Monte PD requested assistance locating a robbery suspect vehicle that had just committed a robbery in their city. Officers patrolling the area of Shamrock and Walnut saw the suspect vehicle and conducted a high-risk traffic stop. El Monte PD responded and arrested all 3 occupants.

Vandalism
July 27 at 8:04 a.m., a resident in the 200 block of Linwood reported his tires were slashed while his vehicle was parked. This investigation is continuing.

Injury Traffic Collision
July 27 at 10:26 a.m., officers responded to the area of Duarte and Mayflower regarding an injury traffic collision. One of the parties involved suffered injuries.

Public Intoxication – Suspect Arrested
July 28 at 12:01 a.m., an officer patrolling the 900 block of W. Duarte saw a male adult subject asleep behind the wheel of a parked car. The officer made contact with the subject to do a wellness check and discovered the subject displayed symptoms of being under the influence. An investigation revealed he was too intoxicated to care for himself. He was arrested and transported to the MPD jail to be held for a sobering period.

Petty Theft
July 28 at 2:44 a.m., an alarm company for a car dealership in the 1300 block of S. Mountain reported two males removing tires from a vehicle belonging to the dealership. When officers arrived the suspects were already gone and could not be located. This investigation is continuing.

Vandalism
July 28 at 4:05 p.m., a resident in the 100 block of E. Colorado reported the front window to the residence was broken. An officer arrived and noticed a pair of brass knuckles lying on the window ledge. This investigation is continuing.

Grand Theft
July 28 at 6:11 p.m., a caller in a shopping center in the 700 block of E. Huntington reported a catalytic converter theft in progress. The suspect vehicle fled and responding officers were unable to locate it. Officers confirmed a catalytic converter had been stolen from the victim's vehicle. Through investigation, the suspect vehicle was identified and entered as a felony wanted vehicle. On July 29 at 4:23 a.m., the suspect vehicle was stopped by El Monte PD. M PD officers responded to the scene, identified and interviewed the vehicle's occupants. This investigation is continuing.

Mental Evaluation
July 28 at 10:37 p.m., officers responded to a family disturbance in the 1300 block of S. Alta Vista. A male at the residence with a history of mental illness was causing a disturbance and challenging other family members to fight. It was determined that he was a danger to others. He was transported to a medical facility for treatment.

Grand Theft Auto
July 29 at 12:17 a.m., a victim in the 400 block of Los Angeles reported their vehicle had been stolen. Officers arrived and were unable to locate the vehicle. This investigation is continuing.

Warrant Arrest – Suspect Arrested
July 29 at 1:09 a.m., an officer patrolling the 1300 block of S. Mayflower saw a subject on the sidewalk who appeared to be passed out. The officer made contact with the subject to check on his well-being. A computer search revealed he was a parolee at large with a no bail warrant. He was arrested and taken into custody.

Warrant Arrest – Suspect Arrested
July 29 at 10:13 a.m., while patrolling the 800 block of E. Huntington an officer saw a vehicle in violation of a vehicle code. The officer conducted a traffic stop and made contact with the driver. A computer check revealed the driver had a warrant for his arrest. He was arrested and taken into custody.

Assault with Deadly Weapon / Brandishing – Suspect Arrested
July 29 at 12:45 p.m., a victim in the 900 block of W. Olive reported that he was attacked by a male subject at the location. Officers arrived and made contact with all of the parties involved. An investigation revealed the suspect was involved in a verbal argument with the victim, hit the victim multiple times, and brandished a gun. The victim suffered a laceration. The suspect was arrested and taken into custody.

Injury Traffic Collision
July 29 at 5:01 p.m., several callers in the area of Mountain and Evergreen reported a traffic collision. Officers arrived and saw 2 involved vehicles. Both parties complained of pain and one was transported to the hospital for further treatment.

Grand Theft
July 29 at 5:10 p.m., a victim in the 700 block of S. Shamrock reported an unknown female subject gave her a hug and without the victim knowing, the subject removed the victims watch from her wrist. The victim didn't realize it until after the suspect was walking away. This investigation is continuing.

Grand Theft – Suspects Arrested
July 29 at 6:04 p.m., an employee from a store in the 700 block of E Huntington reported a male and female subject concealing merchandise. Officers arrived and located the subjects as they were exiting the store. They were both arrested and taken into custody.

Warrant Arrest – Suspect Arrested
July 29 at 10:45 p.m., an officer patrolling the 300 block of W. Foothill saw a bicyclist commit a violation. A traffic stop was conducted and the bicyclist was contacted. A computer search revealed a warrant for his arrest. He was arrested and taken into custody.

Court Order Violation – Suspect Arrested
July 30 at 2:34 a.m., a resident in the 1300 block of S. Alta Vista reported her 32 year old son was banging on her front door in violation of a court order. Officers arrived and confirmed the restraining order had been served. He was arrested and taken into custody.

Injury Traffic Collision
July 30 at 8:20 a.m., a traffic collision between a bicyclist and a vehicle was reported in the area of Mayflower and Duarte. Officers arrived and determined the bicyclist ran a red light and was hit by the vehicle. The bicyclist suffered injuries and was transported to a hospital for treatment.

Attempt Burglary
July 30 at 8:21 a.m., an employee from a business in the 1300 block of S. Myrtle reported an attempt burglary. Officers arrived and saw pry marks on the front door. This investigation is continuing.

Mental Evaluation
July 30 at 1:53 p.m., several callers in the 300 block of S. Myrtle reported a male subject at the park yelling and screaming acting erratic. Officers arrived and made contact with the subject. Officers determined he was in need of a mental evaluation. He was transported to a medical facility for a mental evaluation.

Shoplifting – Suspect Arrested
July 30 at 3:18 p.m., a loss prevention officer from a store in the 500 block of W. Huntington reported a male subject concealing merchandise. Officers arrived, located the subject leaving the store, and made contact with him. An investigation determined he was in possession of stolen property from other locations. He was arrested and taken into custody.

Injury Traffic Collision / Driving Under the Influence
July 30 at 11:51 p.m., multiple callers in the 500 block of N. Myrtle reported a motorist collided into a private porch light pole. Officers and MFD arrived and determined the driver was injured and trapped inside the vehicle. The driver was removed from the vehicle and found to be heavily intoxicated. He was transported to a nearby hospital for non-life threatening injuries. This investigation is continuing.

Grand Theft Auto
July 31 at 7:28 a.m., a victim in the 1700 block of S. Fifth reported his vehicle stolen. This investigation is continuing.

Interfering and Delaying an Officer – Suspect Arrested
July 31 at 10:24 a.m., a caller in the area of Foothill and Heliotrope reported an unknown male subject in his yard. Officers arrived and attempted to make contact with the subject who was attempting to walkway. Officers were eventually able to make contact with the subject who was uncooperative and refusing to provide identifying information. He was arrested and taken into custody.

Fraud
July 31 at 11:01 a.m., a victim walked into the MPD lobby to report that he received fraudulent check as payment. This investigation is continuing.

Grand Theft Auto / Pursuit / Recovery – Suspect Arrested
July 31 at 12:45 p.m., a resident in the 600 block of W. Huntington reported his vehicle stolen. An officer near the area located the stolen vehicle being driven by the suspect. The officer attempted a traffic stop, but the subject fled and a pursuit ensued. The suspect ran a red light and collided with another vehicle. No injuries were reported. The suspect was arrested and taken into custody after being medically cleared at a local hospital.

Driving Under the Influence – Suspect Arrested
July 31 at 1:46 p.m., a caller in the area of Duarte and Myrtle reported a vehicle was swerving and hit a trashcan. Officers arrived, located the vehicle and the driver inside. The drover admitted to drinking prior to driving. A DUI investigation determined he was under the influence. He was arrested and transported to the MPD jail to be held for a sobering period.

Residential Burglary
July 31 at 1:51 p.m., a victim in the 100 block of W. Olive called to report damage to her front door. This investigation is continuing.

Stalking – Suspect Arrested
July 31 at 3:53 p.m., a caller in the 300 block of W. Duarte called to report that her exboyfriend was loitering near the front of the location and had been for months. Officers arrived and contacted him. Further investigation revealed he has been texting her and leaving voicemails numerous times a day. The victim is fearful he might try and harm her. He was arrested and taken into custody.

Current Local Job Opportunities - August

Here are links to the latest job opportunities for Monrovia:

Monrovia School District 

City of Monrovia 

Private 

There is also a group called Monrovia Works. Search for it on Facebook and ask to join it.

- Brad Haugaard


Dinner at Las Marias


Dinner at Las Marias, in the shopping center at the corner of Foothill and Alta Vista. Got the combination plate with a taco and enchilada for $12.50, and a soda for $3.50. Very good!

- Brad Haugaard

Paprika Is a People-Pleaser With Nearly Perfect Manners


Paprika is a sweet, people-loving dog who thrives on cuddles. This two-year-old shepherd mix happily greets every person she meets with a wagging tail and near-perfect manners. 

She’s an active girl who enjoys walks and is learning to take time to smell the roses. She especially loves taking a break to roll in soft grass. 

Paprika is also a ton of fun and very intelligent, too! She loves chewing on toys and playing fetch with them. She enjoys treats and takes them ever so gently from your hand, she wants to please her people so much!

Paprika is also an exceptionally quiet dog. She looks out the window with interest at dogs and people passing by, but she doesn’t bark. However, a home where she’s the only dog might be best. 

Paprika is a perfect choice for someone who wants a young, active dog who also loves to snuggle.

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

Walk-in adoptions are available every day from 2:00 – 5:00. For those who prefer, adoption appointments are available daily from 10:30 – 1:30, and can be scheduled online. View photos of adoptable pets at pasadenahumane.org.

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. 

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 Ladies College, 1890

Monrovia Ladies College. Monrovia Messenger Jan. 16, 1890. The Principal was Miss M.E. Abbott. The school was created "to awaken and strengthen the faculties of the mind and fit them for independent work, and at the same time to develop the moral faculties to the highest standard. This is not a sectarian school, but one intended to develop the highest grade of Christian character." See also Monrovia Messenger March 13, 1890. Vol. IV . No.17. 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

Storytime at Station Square Farmers Market, Saturday, Aug. 3

Storytime at Farmers Market at Station Square Park on Saturday, August 3, from 10 to 10:30 a.m. First Saturday of each month. Farmers Market runs 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., offering fresh produce and various food items. For information, contact 256-8275 or gantunez@monroviaca.gov.

- Brad Haugaard

Movie Trivia Night at Library Friday, August 2


Movie Trivia Night at the Library on Friday, August 2, from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Test movie knowledge of iconic scenes, characters, and quotes. For ages 13 and up. 11 seats remaining. Register here.

- Brad Haugaard

Care Solace - Free Help For Mental Health, Drug Treatment, Food, Housing, Etc.


The city has a new partnership with Care Solace, which provides free care coordination services for mental health, substance-use treatment, food, housing, and low-cost health/dental care. Hotline at (888) 515-7881 or website

- Brad Haugaard

Art Walk in Old Town This Saturday Evening


Evening Art Walk along Myrtle in Old Town this Saturday, July 27, from 5 to 8 p.m. Artists will be demonstrating and selling their work. Sponsored by Monrovia Association of Fine Arts. More artwork is on display at Artist Alley in the Community Center during regular business hours.

- Brad Haugaard