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Dinner at La Adelita


Dinner at La Adelita, on the south side of Colorado a little bit west of Ivy. Got a bean and cheese burrito for $9.95, plus $2 for avocado, and a beer for $6.50.  Very nice!

- Brad Haugaard 

Garden Design Workshop at Water District Headquarters, Sept. 21


Free 2-hour, in-person, garden design workshop on Sept. 21, 9-11 a.m. at the Upper San Gabriel Valley Municipal Water District headquarters at 248 E. Foothill Blvd., in Monrovia. Topics: Watershed-wise landscaping, rainwater capture, climate-appropriate plants, hydrozones. Details and registration here

- Brad Haugaard

One-Year-Old Trina is a 'Plug-and-Play' Dog - Well Trained and Cuddly


One-year-old Trina has been getting rave reviews from the volunteers at Pasadena Humane. They’ve said that she is such a loving and wonderful girl who loves cuddling on the couch or bed and playing fetch or chewing on her toys. Her favorites were squeaky toys, though she happily chews on any the toys given to her.

Trina recently went on an overnight field trip and was exceptionally well-behaved in the foster family’s apartment. She was clearly house-trained, never had any accidents, and knew how to sit on command (especially if you had treats handy). She rarely barked and showed no signs of anxiousness when left alone for short periods.

This sweet girl was also a wonderful work-from-home companion; During several work Zoom meetings, Trina was left alone in the bedroom with the door closed, and she was perfectly content, either sleeping or playing with her toys. She also enjoyed car rides, happily sitting in the back seat without any issues.

Trina is ready to be your plug-and-play dog! Come see for yourself and meet Trina today!

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 Savings Bank - 1910

The caption on this photo from 1910 says, "Monrovia Savings Bank where Gilbert's store now stands" (No, Gilbert's is gone as well.) at Myrtle & Orange Ave. (Colorado) in the former First National location. Signs in window above bank: "Drs. C. Davies Physician Surgeon and Dr. L.L. Day, Dentist." To left a jeweler. A California law that prohibited commerical banks from paying interest on deposits prompted the formation of savings banks, including the Monrovia Saving Bank. From the Myron Hotchkiss collection. Hmm. I wonder which corner this was on. 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

Creative Projects for Teens at Library, Wednesday, Aug. 28


Pop-up Makerspace for Teens at Library on Wednesday, Aug. 28, 3:30 to 5 p.m. For grades 6-12. Creativity station with supplies for zines, bracelets, pins, buttons. Sphero Mini Bots for coding, 3D art pen available. No registration required. Details

- Brad Haugaard

Veterans Meetup Tuesday Aug. 27



Monthly Veterans Meetup at Starbucks (Magnolia and Huntington) on Tuesday, Aug. 27, 6 to 7:30 p.m. Veterans and military service members invited for free coffee, connections, and resource sharing. Veterans Service Officer or available to answer questions. Details.

- Brad Haugaard

Merengue Bakery Plans Building Modifications

Proposed remodel of Merengue Bakery.

Merengue Bakery is asking the city's Historic Preservation Commission for its thoughts on a proposed facade remodel and addition to its building on Myrtle. The unused second floor (unused because the interior staircase was removed years ago) would be converted into a residential unit with an exterior staircase on the adjacent pedestrian ally. Details

- Brad Haugaard

Last Summer Art Walk of the Year, August 24 In Old Town


Last Summer Art Walk of the year, this Saturday, August 24.

- Brad Haugaard

Volunteers Wanted for Greening Projects on Sept. 14


Food ED is looking for volunteers to help transform Monrovia outdoor school spaces and greening projects on Saturday, September 14 from 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Sign up here.

- Brad Haugaard

Clothing Drive to Support Monrovia High Music


There will be a clothing drive at Monrovia High School to support the school's musical arts program. Gently used or new clothes, shoes, bedding, towels, and linens. Drop-off dates: August 24, September 7, and 14, 9 a.m. to noon. Clean, sellable items in 13-gallon trash bags only. Drop-off point is on the east side of the school, but enter on the west side, at Madison Ave. parking lot (484 S. Madison Ave).

- Brad Haugaard

Dinner at Stinkin Crawfish


Dinner at Stinkin Crawfish, on the north side of Colorado a half block east of Myrtle. Got the Catfish and Fries for $14.25 and a beer for $6.50. Nice. Also, they give you a free dessert - deep fried Oreo and ice cream. 

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Police: Truck Tailgate Stolen; Free Phone Fraud; Sleeping Driver Rolls Car; Car Thieves Crash Their Own Car; Drunks and Stuff ...

[Monrovia Police activities from the Police Department's Neighborhood Watch Report for August 15 – 21. - Brad Haugaard]

During the last seven-day period, the Police Department handled 496 service events, resulting in 85 investigations. 

Warrant Arrest – Suspect Arrested
August 15 at 11:35 a.m., while patrolling the 600 block of S. Shamrock officers made contact with a subject known to have outstanding warrants. A computer search confirmed the warrants. He was arrested and taken into custody.

Driving Under the Influence – Suspect Arrested
August 15 at 8:36 p.m., an officer patrolling the area of Mayflower and Chestnut saw a motorist commit a vehicle code violation and conducted a traffic stop. Officers contacted the driver and noticed he displayed symptoms of intoxication. 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.

Missing Person
August 16 at 8:42 p.m., a resident walked into the MPD lobby to report her adult daughter missing. She was entered into the system as missing. This investigation is continuing.

Grand Theft
August 16 at 10:34 a.m., a caller in the 200 block of W. Huntington reported the tailgate of his vehicle stolen. This investigation is continuing.

Grand Theft Auto
August 16 at 10:57 a.m., a business in the 3300 block of S. Peck reported that they were notified that a vehicle that was towed to their lot was actually stolen. The vehicle was recovered and the registered owner was notified. The vehicle was stored and removed from the stolen vehicle system. This investigation is continuing.

Petty Theft
August 16 at 1:04 p.m., a victim walked into the MPD lobby to report her wallet stolen. She forgot her purse in a business in the 400 block of W. Huntington, when she returned to pick up her purse she noticed her wallet was gone. This investigation is continuing.

Driving Under the Influence – Suspect Arrested
August 16 at 9:06 p.m., officers working a DUI checkpoint in the 1800 block of S. Myrtle observed a driver passing through who displayed symptoms of intoxication. A DUI investigation determined the driver was under the influence. He was arrested and transported to the MPD jail to be held for a sobering period.

Vehicle Burglary / Curfew – Suspect Arrested
August 16 at 11:22 p.m., a caller in the 100 block of W. Walnut reported a subject broke a window to a parked car and fled. Officers arrived and located a group of juveniles. The group fled on foot when they saw the officers. One of the juveniles was located a short distance away. An investigation revealed that the suspect broke a window, ripped off the ignition cylinder, and tried to steal the car before being interrupted by the witness. The juvenile that was caught was not the suspect who caused the damage, however he was in violation of curfew. He was arrested and taken into custody to be released with a citation to his parent. This investigation is continuing.

Intoxication – Suspect Arrested
August 16 at 11:49 p.m., a passerby in the 400 block of W. Huntington reported a male subject was passed out on the sidewalk. Officers arrived and located the male subject who was found to be so intoxicated that he was unable to care for himself. He was arrested and transported to the MPD jail to be held for a sobering period.

Fraud
August 17 at 11:18 a.m., a resident in the 100 block of N. Encinitas called to report he was a victim of fraud. An unknown subject called him pretending to be a phone company employee stating that he won a free phone and all he had to pay was the shipping fee. The resident paid for shipping the phone and never received the phone. This investigation is continuing.

Hit and Run Traffic Collision
August 17 at 12:22 p.m., a caller in the 100 block of W. Foothill reported that he was involved in a traffic collision in the parking lot of a business. As he was retrieving his insurance from inside of the vehicle the other driver fled. This investigation is continuing.

Domestic Violence – Suspect Arrested
August 17 at 8:13 p.m., a victim walked into the MPD lobby to report a domestic violence incident. The victim reported that she was battered at home by her boyfriend. While speaking with the victim the suspect called and spoke to officers. The suspect agreed to meet with officers in front of his residence. The suspect was arrested and taken into custody.

Driving Under the Influence – Suspect Arrested
August 17 at 11:48 p.m., officers were patrolling the area of Myrtle and Huntington when they saw a motorist commit a violation. The motorist was pulled over and officers noticed he displayed symptoms of intoxication. 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.

Traffic Collision / Driving Under the Influence – Suspect Arrested
August 17 at 11:49 p.m., a passerby in the area of Mountain and Evergreen reported a solo vehicle collision. Officers arrived and made contact with the driver who was determined to be a juvenile and displaying symptoms of intoxication. 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.

Traffic Collision
August 18 at 3:29 a.m., officers responded to the 500 block of E. Olive regarding a vehicle collision. Officers arrived and determined a vehicle hit a parked vehicle and rolled over. The driver reportedly fell asleep while driving and collided with two parked vehicles.

Intoxication / Trespassing – Suspect Arrested
August 18 at 6:36 a.m., a resident in the 1800 block of 9th reported a subject knocked on his front door and went into his backyard. The resident told him to leave but he refused. Officers arrived and located the subject. The subject displayed symptoms of being intoxicated. An investigation determined the subject was too intoxicated to care for himself. He was arrested and transported to the MPD jail to be held for a sobering period.

Driving Under the Influence – Suspect Arrested
August 18 at 7:48 p.m., officers were dispatched to a shopping center in the 100 block of W. Foothill regarding a motorist driving erratically. Officers arrived and located the vehicle driving erratically. A traffic stop was conducted and the driver was contacted. The driver displayed symptoms of being under the influence. 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.

Shoplifting – Suspect Arrested
August 18 at 9:25 p.m., while investigation a shoplifting incident in the 1600 block of S. Mountain, an officer was alerted of another shoplifting in progress. The officer was able to located the suspect and detain them. The suspect experienced a need for medical attention and was transported to a medical facility for treatment. This investigation is continuing.

Missing Person
August 19 at 2:24 p.m., a resident in the 2700 block of S. Peck reported her son missing. This investigation is continuing.

Missing Person
August 19 at 3:08 p.m., a caller in the 200 block of E. Maple reported her sister missing. This investigation is continuing.

Injury Traffic Collision
August 19 at 3:12 p.m., a traffic collision was reported in the 900 block of E. Huntington. The driver at fault was transported to the hospital for a complaint of pain.

Battery on Peace Officer
August 19 at 3:47 p.m., a passersby in the 1600 block of S. Myrtle reported a subject laying in the bushes and passed out. Officers and MFD responded and made contact with the subject. The subject was awake but having difficulty responding to questions. The subject attempted to hit a firefighter. He later hit an officer in the face. He was transported to the hospital for treatment.

Vandalism
August 19 at 8:20 p.m., a caller in the area of Huntington and Myrtle reported a vehicle vandalism. Officers arrived and detained a suspect who was identified by the victim. The suspect was also found to be in possession of drug paraphernalia and a controlled substance. He was arrested and taken into custody.

Vandalism
August 19 at 9:29 p.m., a victim in the 400 block of S. Myrtle reported the tired of her vehicle were slashed. This investigation is continuing.

Attempt Grand Theft Auto / Felony Evading – Suspects Arrested
August 20 at 2:57 a.m., a witness in the area of Mayflower and Diamond reported four male subjects were attempting to steal a vehicle. Officers arrived and the suspects fled on foot to a parked car. Officers attempted a traffic stop, but the driver refused to stop and a pursuit ensued. The pursuit came to a stop in a nearby city after the suspects crashed into a wall. All four suspects fled on foot. Two suspects were located. They were arrested and taken into custody.

Trespass Arrest – Suspect Arrested
August 20 at 8:00 p.m., an employee from a hotel in the 1100 block of E. Huntington reported a trespassing. Officers arrived and located a male adult subject who had entered a room unlawfully. The owner completed a private person's arrest. The subject was arrested and taken into custody.

Evading
August 21 at 3:22 a.m., an officer patrolling the area of Walnut and Myrtle saw a vehicle who was in violation of several vehicle codes. The officer attempted a traffic stop, but the driver refused to stop and a short pursuit ensued. The pursuit was terminated. This investigation is continuing.

Suspicious Circumstances
August 21 at 4:53 p.m., an employee from a storage facility in the 100 block of E. Lime reported locating a box of mail belonging to multiple individuals in a storage unit. This investigation is continuing.

Public Intoxication – Suspect Arrested
August 21 at 7:30 p.m., a caller in the area of Shamrock and Fig reported a male adult riding a bicycle fell into bushes. Officers arrived and determined the male adult was too intoxicated to care for himself. He was arrested and transported to the MPD jail to be held for a sobering period.

Monrovian Gustavo Menezes Named Outstanding Professor at Cal State LA


Monrovian Gustavo Menezes, a professor of civil engineering in the College of Engineering, Computer Science, and Technology (ECST) at Cal State LA, was recognized for excellence in teaching and outstanding achievements during University Convocation 2024.

Menezes, who also serves as chair of the Department of Civil Engineering, was presented an Outstanding Professor Award on Aug. 19 for his achievements in scholarly inquiry or creativity, as well as professional activities and community service.

Menezes’ research has focused on subsurface water quality and availability. He is interested in investigating the physicochemical processes related to water infiltration through the vadose zone using lab experiments and computer models. His research uses the steady-state centrifugation method to simulate and investigate flow conditions in unsaturated soils.

Most recently, Menezes has worked with a group of faculty members on a National Science Foundation-funded curriculum for sophomores, a service-learning summer bridge program for rising sophomores, and the First Year Experience @ ECST, which focuses on supporting students throughout their first year at the college.

Currently, he leads a team of faculty working on the NSF-funded Eco-STEM project that focuses on “Transforming STEM Education using an Asset-Based Ecosystem Model.” The goal of the project is to create a supportive and culturally responsive learning and working environment for all members of the ECST community.

Since 2009, Menezes has taught courses in environmental engineering and water resources at Cal State LA. He has published his research in peer-reviewed journals and presented at numerous state, national, and international conferences.

Born in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, Menezes received his Ph.D. in infrastructures and environmental systems from the University of North Carolina, Charlotte. He resides in the city of Monrovia.

Source: Cal State LA press release

- Brad Haugaard


A Moment in Monrovia History: Meat and Potatoes - 25 Cents

Monrovia Restaurant around 1887. Map drawn on back shows on NE side of Orange (Colorado) from Myrtle -- Bank, Seymore Grocery, Joseph Jubile's Pool Hall, John Isaac Wesley Fisher's Blacksmith Shop (at 109 E. Orange), vacant, Central House (rooming house run by the McAlonan family). If the small boy in the front row on the bottom step at right is Julian Fisher, that may indicate the date to be around 1905. 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

Baylie the Boxer - a Spry 13 Years Old, and Gentle


Baylie thinks that age is just a number, and we couldn’t agree more! This darling boxer may be 13, but she acts (and feels) much younger!

This spry thing loves going for walks and will even run alongside you if you let her. She is always calm and quiet and makes fast friends with everyone who stops to say hello.

Baylie has lived with other animals - she is cat-friendly and has also shared space with rabbits and birds- she's been very gentle with everyone she’s met.

Baylie has been described as very demure and very mindful. She thinks that she’s not like other senior dogs and can literally run circles around them. Come meet this demure diva today!

Baylie and all other pets over 5 years old can be adopted at no charge for anyone over the age of 60, thanks to Pasadena Humane’s Seniors for Seniors program!

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

Sensory-Friendly Morning for Neurodivergent Children, August 24


Sensory-Friendly Morning for Neurodivergent Children at the Library on Saturday, August 24 from 10 to 11 a.m. For children ages 2-15 with sensory processing challenges, autism spectrum disorder, or ADHD. Includes book check-outs, sensory toys, and art supplies. Register here. Contact Cynthia Eschenfelder at 256-8274 for more information.

- Brad Haugaard

Barks and Books - Read to a Dog, Tomorrow at Library


 Barks and Books at the Library on Tuesday, August 20 from 4 to 4:45 p.m. Children ages 6-11 can read to therapy dogs in the Story Room. Program aims to boost reading confidence in a relaxed environment. Sessions are 10 minutes long. Register here. Contact Allison Simpson at 256-8269 for details.

- Brad Haugaard

Nintendo Switch for Adults Friday, August 23

Nintendo Switch Freeplay for Adults program at the Library on Friday, August 23 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Adults 18 and older can enjoy social gaming on Nintendo Switch consoles in the Community Room. Contact Angel Loera at 256-8274 or aloera@ci.monrovia.ca.us for more information.

- Brad Haugaard

Gala Planned to Support Children’s Hospital LA

The Monrovia Guild for Children's Hospital LA will host a "Denim and Diamonds" fundraiser on Saturday, September 14, from 5 to 9 p.m. at the Monrovia Historical Museum. The event, supporting pediatric research in ophthalmology and pulmonary infant healthcare, will feature live music by the R & J Band, entertainment by Theatre Americana, a no-host bar, raffles, and dinner by Jake's Roadhouse. Tickets are $75 per person. Purchase tickets or donate here.  For more information, contact Sandra Macis at sandrammacis@gmail.com.

- Brad Haugaard 

Crudgington Station to Be Visitor Center

Crudgington Station, the small building just inside the Cloverleaf entry point to the Wilderness Preserve, is being refurbished as a visitor center, according to rangers I have talked to. The porch outside has been given planters with native plants, and a bench has been added. Tipsy the cat (named, I was told, from the white tip of her otherwise black tail, not from over-indulging in alcoholic beverages) has worked on mouse-control at the station for years and has now been adopted by a friend of one of the rangers. 

- Brad Haugaard