A Monrovia man, Robert Anthony Camou, 27, has been charged with murder in the suspected death of Amanda Kathleen Custer, 31, also of Monrovia. https://shrtm.nu/3pgB
- Brad Haugaard
Monrovia Market May Become Auto Museum; Monrovia 39th Safest City in State; Library Receives Grant
~ The former Monrovia Market (which housed the much-lamented Market Grill) at Shamrock and Colorado, may be turned into an automobile museum, with two residential units on the to-be-added second floor. The city's Development Review Committee considered an application by Bowden Development to change the building into a Route 66 Automotive Museum / Special Event Venue. The museum would showcase several 1950 classic cars and memorabilia owned by the late Fred Bowden, and could be rented out for private parties and gatherings on a limited basis. The application will be considered by the Planning Commission on September 11.
~ An organization called Backgroundchecks.org has listed Monrovia as the 39th safest city in California and the fifth safest in the San Gabriel Valley, ranking only behind Sierra Madre (7th), San Marino (12th), South Pasadena (24th), and Glendale (32nd).
~ Monrovia Public Library is one of 26 recipients of the 2020 Book To Action Grant awarded by the California Center for the Book. This grant lets Monrovia's Adult Services Team collaborate with community partners to create a dynamic series of events for adults and intergenerational groups across Monrovia. The program will revolve around The Hidden Life of Trees, by Peter Wohlleben, a New York Times Bestseller.
- Brad Haugaard
Trouble Between Cities and Pasadena Humane Society
City Manager Oliver Chi, writing in his weekly newsletter, reports that PHS is telling Arcadia that it wants a 578 percent increase for its animal control services, from $90,000 to $525,000.
(Monrovia would not be immediately affected since its contract with PHS - for $120,000 a year - is locked in through 2021.)
Chi writes, "My understanding is that Arcadia has had two meetings with PHS which were both contentious, and in both instances, PHS had trouble addressing very basic questions related to significant planned cost increases." He said that other jurisdictions have also reported that the PHS "has been employing a negotiating approach that is short on details about why costs are increasing so dramatically."
In response, he said many cities are considering creating their own regional animal control service. He said "staff level conversations are being planned with several cities, including Arcadia, La Canada, Bradbury, Sierra Madre, South Pasadena, San Marino, Pasadena, and Monrovia."
- Brad Haugaard
Farewell Ice Cream Social for City Manager Oliver Chi
- Brad Haugaard
Monrovia Schools Celebrates Reopening of Wildcat Stadium
Board Vice President Rob Hammond, Board Clerk Bryan Wong, and Board Members Maritza Travanti and Selene Lockerbie were joined by Monrovia Mayor Tom Adams, Councilmembers Becky Shevlin and Gloria Crudgington, Monrovia High Principal Kirk McGinnis, and students from the school’s band and football, track, cheer and soccer teams.
“It is an honor to be here today in front of all of you as we celebrate the grand reopening of Wildcat Stadium,” Board Vice President Rob Hammond said. “This is an effort that began a few years ago, and it has been exciting for us all to see it finally happen. It will benefit our athletes and scholars for many years to come.”
Field upgrades completed over summer included changing out an aging rubber pellet infill for a cool-fill product that decreases turf temperature and relocating communication boxes to outer parts of the field to ensure the continued safety of students.
“This is a great way to celebrate Monrovia High School’s 126 years of service to our families and community,” McGinnis said. “Thank you to our Board of Education for their support in making this new field become a reality for all Monrovia High Wildcats.”
Following the grand reopening, Monrovia’s community roared as the Wildcats made their way to the field to face Alta Loma High School and secure their first home victory, 34-7.
Source: Monrovia Schools press release
- Brad Haugaard
Carmel Aims to Please ... Especially in a Kiddie Pool
The adoption fee for dogs is $140. All dogs are spayed or neutered, microchipped, and vaccinated before going to their new home.
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 at pasadenahumane.org. Adoption hours are 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday; 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Friday; and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday.
Pets may not be available for adoption and cannot be held for potential adopters by phone calls or email.
- Brad Haugaard
Monrovia Wins Big Over Alta Loma at First Home Game
Monrovia football debuted its refurbished field at its first home game of the season with a decisive 34-7 win over Alta Loma High School of Rancho Cucamonga. https://shrtm.nu/S6Wm
- Brad Haugaard
New Monrovia City Manager? South-Side Entry Point to Train Station; Etc.
~ Maybe, maybe ... a new city manager to replace Oliver Chi? It is not certain but the council will meet Tuesday, Sept. 3, at 4 p.m. in closed session. Topic: "Public Employee Appointment Pursuant to Government Code GC 54957: City Manager". https://is.gd/UBXKte
~ Build a south-side entryway to the train station. This would involve buying a strip of property (enough for a walkway) on the north side of the recycling facility on Duarte Road just south of the train station to build an access way so people can get to the tracks from the south side, rather than just the north side. The little stub of Peck Road above Duarte Road would be the south-side drop-off area. https://is.gd/ikcETF
~ Creating a five-member Board of Appeals to consider appeals to staff building code decisions. The board would be comprised of three Planning Commissioners and two Historic Preservation Commissioners. https://is.gd/14vFIQ
~ Designating the George H. Anderson House at 215 E. Lime Ave. as an historic landmark. The house is the home of the Monrovia Historical Society. https://is.gd/xQf2AP
- Brad Haugaard
Maryknoll Family Fun and Craft Fair
Family Fun and Craft Fair at Maryknoll Sisters, 300 Norumbega Drive, Sunday, Sept. 29, 1-5 p.m.. Raffle, first prize $1,000; quilt raffle, In-N-Out Burgers; children's fun zone; handmade items and plants. Call 358-1825 for information and tickets.
- Brad Haugaard
- Brad Haugaard
Lunch at Sunday’s Old Town Bistro
Lunch at Sunday’s Old Town Bistro, on the east side of Myrtle about a half block north of Colorado. Even though it was lunch I ordered a California Omelet, for $13.99 and an iced tea for $2.75. Quick and pleasant service, and decent food. - Brad Haugaard
Superintendent Thorossian's August Update
At Monrovia Unified, the success of our scholars is at the heart of everything we do. We are underway to a promising 2019-20 school year and are excited to see what accomplishments our students will achieve this academic year.This month, our elementary schools held TK/K Meet and Greets, with parents and students visiting classrooms and preparing for the new school year.
On the first day of school, parents joined our elementary students in classrooms as they got acclimated and greeted their friends and teachers. At the middle schools and high school, orientations took place for each school’s incoming class, and students got to know their new campus during tours.
We also launched our Back to School nights. It has been exciting to visit our schools and hear about the new activities that will occur throughout the school year.
Our Spanish Dual-Language Immersion TK/K students at Wild Rose School of Creative Arts are fully engaged in the new curriculum, excitedly immersing themselves in the new language.
Finally, Monrovia Unified’s Board of Education is celebrating Monrovia High School’s Wildcat Stadium Grand Reopening with an event at 6:45 p.m. Friday, Aug. 30, right before the Wildcats’ first home football game of the year!
Monrovia Unified’s mission is to provide world-class schools for world-class students, and we invite our community to learn more about our extraordinary programs from the Board of Education during our State of the Schools Address on Wednesday, Oct. 16. The event will begin at 6:30 p.m. at Monrovia High School’s Performing Arts Center, 845 W. Colorado Blvd., Monrovia.
Source: Monrovia Schools press release
- Brad Haugaard
Monrovia Police: Car Window Smashing; Almost Shoplifting; Etc.
During the last seven-day period, the Police Department handled 468 service events, resulting in 104 investigations.
Vehicle Burglary
August 22 at 7:06 a.m., a resident in the 900 block of S. Fifth called to report his vehicle had been burglarized. He parked his vehicle in the parking lot overnight. When he returned to his vehicle in the morning, he discovered the rear window had been smashed and his laptop and an empty toolbox had been taken. Investigation continuing.
Vehicle Burglary
August 22 at 7:49 a.m., a vehicle burglary was reported at a business parking lot in the 700 block of E. Huntington. While the victim was inside a business, someone shattered one of his vehicle windows and stole his dashboard camera. Investigation continuing.
Warrant / Possession of Drug Paraphernalia – Suspect Arrested
August 22 at 8:48 p.m., an officer was on patrol in the 400 block of S. Myrtle when he saw a bicyclist commit a vehicle code violation. The bicyclist was stopped and a computer check of the subject revealed he had an outstanding warrant for his arrest. The subject was arrested and found to also be in possession of a methamphetamine pipe, which was added to his charges.
Injury Traffic Collision
August 23 at 12:06 p.m., a motorist was traveling east on Maple and failed to stop at the stop sign at the intersection of Magnolia. He collided into another motorist, who was traveling south on Magnolia. The involved drivers both complained of pain. The driver at fault was issued a citation.
Shoplifting
August 23 at 1:15 p.m., a female subject entered a business in the 1600 block of S. Mountain and selected merchandise. She left the store without paying for the merchandise and fled the parking lot in a waiting vehicle. Investigation continuing.
Injury Traffic Collision
August 23 at 3:32 p.m., a motorist was traveling at a slow rate of speed near the intersection of Duarte and Sixth. She took her attention off the road and rear-ended the vehicle in front of her. Both drivers complained of pain. The driver at fault was issued a citation.
Warrants – Suspect Arrested
August 23 at 10:14 p.m., security for a business in the 1600 block of S. Mountain called police to report a shoplifting incident. A male subject selected merchandise from inside the business and was about to leave without paying, but then put down the merchandise and left. Security believed the subject still had some merchandise on his person when he left. Officers arrived and stopped the subject outside the store and determined he did not have any merchandise in his possession, but a computer check revealed he had several outstanding warrants for his arrest. The subject was arrested and taken into custody.
Vandalism
August 23 at 10:17 p.m., a resident in the 200 block of Linwood arrived home and found someone had thrown a rock through the front window of his apartment. The suspect is unknown at this time. This investigation is continuing.
Possession of Drug Paraphernalia – Suspect Arrested
August 24 at 7:00 p.m., a resident of an apartment complex in 100 block of W. Lemon called police to report a suspicious male subject walking around the complex. Officers responded and located the subject, who did not live there. He was found to be in possession of a pipe that had been used to smoke methamphetamine. He was arrested for possession of drug paraphernalia and taken into custody.
Violation of Domestic Violence Restraining Order – Suspect Arrested
August 24 at 10:07 p.m., a resident in the 300 block of S. Primrose reported hearing a female yelling at someone outside his house. Officers responded and located the female, who was yelling at her boyfriend. A computer check revealed the boyfriend had a domestic violence restraining order to stay away from the female. He was arrested and taken into custody for violating the court order.
Driving Under the Influence – Suspect Arrested
August 24 at 11:45 p.m., an officer was patrolling the 100 block of W. Foothill when he saw a motorist weaving in the traffic lane and changing lanes unsafely. He stopped the vehicle and found the driver to be heavily intoxicated. After field sobriety tests were conducted, the driver was arrested for DUI and held for a sobering period.
No-Bail Drug Warrant – Suspect Arrested
August 25 at 12:56 a.m., a resident called police to report loud yelling going on at his neighbor's home in the 1300 block of south Alta Vista. Officers responded and found the family that lives in the apartment were yelling at one another. The subject causing the argument was found to have a no-bail warrant for his arrest. He was arrested and taken into custody.
Grand Theft Auto
August 25 at 2:10 a.m., a guest staying at a hotel in the 900 block of S. Fifth reported her silver Mercedes was stolen from the hotel parking lot. The vehicle was entered into the law enforcement stolen vehicle system. This investigation is continuing.
Possession of Drug Paraphernalia / Warrant – Suspect Arrested
August 25 at 4:13 a.m., officers were on patrol in the area of Live Oak and Myrtle when they saw a suspicious male subject. He was contacted and found to be in possession of a glass pipe that had been used to smoke methamphetamine. He also had an outstanding warrant for his arrest. He was arrested and taken into custody.
Vehicle Tampering
August 25 at 8:51 a.m., a resident in the 2000 block of S. Myrtle saw a subject inside their vehicle. The resident called the police and the subject fled on foot. Officers arrived at the location, but were unable to locate the suspect. Items were removed from the glovebox, but were not taken. Investigation continuing.
Arson – Suspect Arrested
August 25 at 1:15 p.m., a caller reported a small brush fire on the property of a business in the 700 block of W. Huntington. Officers arrived and found the fire had been extinguished by a witness with a fire extinguisher. The investigation revealed a known subject had lit something on fire adjacent to the bush, which then caught the bush on fire. The suspect left the area prior to police discovering how the fire was started. The suspect was not located and was entered into the law enforcement system as wanted for arson. The next day, August 26 at 8:31 a.m., an officer was on patrol in the 700 block of W. Huntington when he saw the suspect wanted for the arson. The officer detained the suspect, confirmed his identity and arrested him for arson incident.
Petty Theft From a Vehicle / Fraud
August 26 at 7:19 a.m., a resident in the 300 block of W. Duarte called police to report a theft from her vehicle. She parked her vehicle in her assigned parking stall, but did not lock her vehicle. Someone entered the vehicle and ransacked the interior. A debit card was taken and later used fraudulently at a local business. Investigation continuing.
Welfare Check / Medical Assist
August 26 at 11:01 a.m., officers responded to a residence in the 500 block of Ranchito regarding a welfare check of an elderly female that had not been seen in several days. The officers learned the elderly female was typically seen on a daily basis and it was very unusual not to see her. Officers were able to make entry into the home and found the elderly lady on the ground in need of medical attention. She was taken to a nearby hospital for treatment.
Petty Theft From a Vehicle
August 26 at 2:05 p.m., a resident in the 700 block of W. Olive called police to report a theft from his vehicle. The victim parked his vehicle in his assigned parking stall with the windows a portion of the way down. Sometime during the day, a suspect made entry into his vehicle and took items. Investigation continuing.
Shoplifting – Suspect Arrested
August 27 at 8:44 p.m., an employee from a business in the 100 block of W. Foothill called police to report a male suspect had entered the store, concealed merchandise and fled without paying for the items. Officers arrived and located the suspect. He was arrested for the theft.
Driving Under the Influence – Suspect Arrested
August 28 at 3:26 a.m., an officer was patrolling the area of Primrose and Huntington when he saw a vehicle stopped in the middle of the road with the vehicle running. He stopped and checked on the driver, who appeared to be intoxicated. After field sobriety tests were conducted, the driver was arrested for DUI and held for a sobering period.
Grand Theft Auto
August 28 at 9:16 a.m., a resident in the 200 block of W. Cherry called police to report his vehicle had been stolen. The vehicle had been parked in his driveway. The vehicle is a 2001 Chevy Astro van. This investigation is continuing.
Combat Wounded to Get Special Parking Spots; Tree Lighting to Merge With Thanksgiving Celebration; Lyft for Disabled; Etc.
In his latest report (https://goo.gl/aOqX7O) City Manager Oliver Chi reports:
~ In the next week or two wounded veterans will get up to four parking spaces in Old Town. The parking spaces will be painted purple and have signs indicating they are for wounded veterans. One of the proposed parking spaces will be on Palm (between the Community Center and the Library), one on Lime (between the Library and the Lime Parking Lot), one in front of City Hall, and one somewhere in the 400 block of Myrtle Avenue.
~ The Christmas tree lighting and Christmas parade will be split into two events. The tree lighting will be during a Thanksgiving event on Tuesday, Nov. 26, from 5 to 8 p.m. in Library Park. As usual, the parade will be on the first Thursday in December, Dec. 5 this year. The Thanksgiving event, or, more correctly, the "Thankful and Grateful Holiday Gathering," is "designed to show our gratitude to all who make Monrovia special." At the Thanksgiving event there will be live entertainment, community booths, a petting zoo, story times, crafts, a canned food drive, hay rides, and a community art project.
~ Disabled Monrovians will soon be able to call for transportation using the same app Lyft riders use. Lyft has made improvements to its system that will allow it to dispatch vehicles from Empire Transportation, which provides transportation for the disabled. A beta-test of the new system should occur "within the next month or two."
~ More than 2,700 people participated in the library's Summer Reading Program. They logged 53,359 days of reading over eight weeks.
~ Disabled Monrovians who find it difficult to find convenient off-street parking near their homes may now apply for Residential On-Street Accessible Parking. "The approved space will not be exclusive to the applicant and any other persons or vehicles with a valid Disabled Person Parking Placard or Disabled Person License Plate may park in this designated space." But you still gotta move your car for street sweeping and such. Application: https://is.gd/hDpNiP
~ If you check out a lot of library books at a time, you can now check out a basket to carry them in. The book baskets check out for three weeks and automatically renew up to two times. For questions, call the Library at 256-8274.
~ The city is accepting applications for the Youth Commission, for teens grades 6-12. Details https://is.gd/tBXmhI
- Brad Haugaard
Vamp: Looking for a Partner in Crime
The adoption fee for cats is $90. All cats are spayed or neutered, microchipped, and vaccinated before being adopted.
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 at pasadenahumane.org. Adoption hours are 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday; 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Friday; and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday.
Pets may not be available for adoption and cannot be held for potential adopters by phone calls or email.
- Brad Haugaard
Slow-Moving Bear Above Monrovia
Today a friend and I were riding our bikes down the fire road from White Saddle, above Monrovia, when we encountered a slow-moving bear walking the same direction we were going.
He (or she) was not at all impressed by us, unlike other bears I’ve encountered, who scoot off the road as soon as they see me.
He just casually lumbered down the road ahead of us, stopping occasionally to scratch himself, rub his back and scratch his claws on an old telephone pole, nose around under a log, and nibble on some weeds.
Slowed us down for about 10 minutes.
Isn’t holding up traffic a ticketable offense? Where’s a cop when you need one?
And, no, I don’t need to be tolerant because we humans are encroaching on the bears’ territory. We were here first. Our bears were imported from Yellowstone, so I still think he deserves a ticket!
- Brad Haugaard
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