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Trail touch up complete in Wilderness Preserve


David Campbell rides the switchbacks below Sunset Bench. 

The city contractor has finished grading and taming the trails in the Hillside Wilderness Preserve. The switchbacks below Sunset Bench in particular have been well worked. Many of the steps at the hairpin corners have been removed and the corners smoothed and widened. Because of the grading the ground is still quite soft, especially near the edges.

- Brad Haugaard 

Teen Game Hangout April 18 at Library


Teen Game Hangout Friday, April 18, from 3 to 5 p.m. at the Library. Teens in grades 6-12 can hangout, eat snacks, play Nintendo Switch games, Beyblades, and board games. No registration is needed; drop-ins are welcome.

- Brad Haugaard

Veterans Meetup April 22 - free coffee!


Monthly Veterans Meetup, Tuesday, April 22, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at Magnolia/Huntington Starbucks. Connect and share stories with free coffee on the fourth Tuesday of each month.

- Brad Haugaard

Beginner vocal class at Library April 19


Beginner Vocal Class for Adults and Teens 16+ Saturday, April 19, from 2 to 3 p.m. at the Library. The introductory lesson will cover easy voice exercises and simple songs. Registration required, here

- Brad Haugaard

Children read to therapy dogs, April 15


Barks and Books lets children 6 to 11 read to therapy dogs to boost their reading confidence. Tuesday, April 15, from 4 to 5 p.m. at the Library. Registration required, one seat remaining. See here.

- Brad Haugaard

Garden Tales at the Huntington - told at next Garden Club meeting


At its next meeting the Monrovia Garden Club will hear Sandy Masuo present “Rooted in History: Garden Tales at the Huntington,” a program on horticultural history and plant lore. The meeting will be at 7 p.m., Tuesday, April 22, at 6:30 p.m. at First Presbyterian Church, at the corner of Myrtle and Foothill. Contact martharund@gmail.com for details.

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Reads to honor John Wilson at fundraiser


Monrovia Reads' annual literacy fundraiser, this year honoring John Wilson, will take place May 8 at the Doubletree, 924 W Huntington. Wilson will receive the Literacy Legacy Award. Tickets are $75 and include dinner and auctions. RSVP at soallmayread@monroviareads.org or purchase tickets here.

- Brad Haugaard

Artist reception, free food and music, April 25


The Monrovia Association of Fine Arts will host a free artist reception on Friday, April 25 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Community Center, featuring new artwork, live music, and refreshments provided by Rivans Baking Company and Wine of the Month Club. All ages welcome. No RSVP required.

- Brad Haugaard

Historical Museum debuts 'Monrovia’s History Through Architecture'


The Monrovia Historical Museum will debut "Monrovia’s History Through Architecture" on Sunday, May 4, coinciding with the 41st Annual MOHPG Historic Home Tour. Tickets for the tour are available at Charlie’s House, the MOHPG website, or the Museum on the day of the event. Museum admission is free.

- Brad Haugaard

Container gardening workshop at Community Garden South


There will be a workshop April 19 on container gardening, and a tree raffle, at Monrovia Community Garden South, 1650 S. Magnolia. Dwarf fruit trees raffled at 10:15 and 11:15 a.m.; winners must be present. Recommended parking at 168 W. Pomona. Contact info@monroviacommunitygarden.org for details.

- Brad Haugaard

Farmers Market now has food scrap collection point

The Saturday Farmers Market at Station Square now has a drop-off point for food scraps. Bring them from 8 a.m. to noon and learn how to compost, play an educational sorting game, and receive compost.

- Brad Haugaard

City adds web page to help people build ADUs


The city's Community Development Department has launched a web page to help residents who want to build an ADU (Accessory Dwelling Unit). The page covers permitting, common questions, and has pre-approved, code-compliant designs, plus information for architects and designers.  Here is the page

- Brad Haugaard

Council to consider: Campaign contribution limits; Evaluating Cypress property for affordable housing; Hiring company to build out Tsuneishi Park

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

~ Limiting campaign contributions to candidates for city offices to either $500 or $1,000 per election, whichever limit the Council decides. The limit does not apply to personal funds a candidate wants to contribute to his or her own campaign. Details

~ Participating in the San Gabriel Valley Council of Government's  Affordable Housing Incubator Program to analyze the feasibility of having affordable housing at the newly acquired city-owned property at 222 East Cypress Ave. while preserving the existing 1892 Victorian home. Details.

~ Hire RG General Engineering, Inc. for $838,042, plus a contingency amount of$83,800, to build out the new Satoru Tsuneishi Park, on Huntington just south of the Chick-fil-A. Also, the city will consider hiring Merrell Johnson Engineering, Inc. for $83,655 to manage the project. Details

- Brad Haugaard

School district to consider hiring firm to study options for fixing aquatics facility at Monrovia High; Etc.

At its next meeting (agenda here) the Monrovia Board of Education will consider ...

 ~ A deal with Little Diversified Architectural Consulting for up to $18,000 to study options to replace the aquatics facility at Monrovia High. Details

 ~ Hiring CL Consulting for $18,925 to figure out if the district is eligible for state funds to fix up its facilities. Details.

~ Having Boys and Girls Club of the Foothills provide a summer program for Monrovia school students for $1,800 per student. Details

~ A contract with the LA County Office of Education to enable the district to participate in the Children and Youth Behavioral Health Initiative, which will pay Monrovia Schools up to $486,863.10 for wellbeing and support services for district students.  Details

~ A partnership with Managed Career Solutions to provide workforce development and career services for jobseekers, businesses, and students.  Details

~ Recognizing April 20-26 as "Adminstrative Professionals Week" and April 23 as"Adminstrative Professionals Day" (details),  May 5-9 as National Teacher Appreciation Week and May 6 as National Teacher Day (details), and May 7 as National School Nurse Day and May 6-12 as National Nurse Week (details).

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Police: Wallet thief uses distraction; Car overturns, suspect flees; Juvenile with handgun busted; Fake IDs found in traffic stop; Etc.

[Monrovia Police activities from the Police Department's Neighborhood Watch Report for April 3 – 9. - Brad Haugaard]

During this period the Police Department handled 400 service events, resulting in 74 investigations.

Grand Theft
April 3 at 2:58 p.m., a victim walked into the MPD lobby to report that she was in a parking lot in the 300 block of W. Huntington when she was approached by a subject who removed her wallet by directing her attention away from her purse. This investigation is continuing.

Public Intoxication – Suspect Arrested
April 3 at 6:56 p.m., officers responded to a welfare check in the 300 block of W. Huntington regarding a male subject sleeping on the ground. Officers arrived and made contact with the subject who was determined to be too intoxicated to care for himself. He was arrested and transported to the MPD jail to be held for a sobering period.

Warrant Arrest – Suspect Arrested
April 3 at 8:17 p.m., a caller in the 300 block of S. Myrtle reported a male and female subject arguing. Officers arrived and made contact with the parties. A computer check revealed the male subject had a warrant for his arrest. He was arrested and taken into custody.

Mental Evaluation
April 3 at 11:59 p.m., a subject called MPD to say he wanted to harm himself. The dispatcher was able to calm the subject until officers arrived. Officers arrived and determined he was a danger to himself. He was transported to a medical facility for treatment.

Drug Possession – Suspect Arrested
April 3 at 2:23 a.m., while patrolling the 900 block of W. Huntington, officers made contact with a subject who was in possession of drug paraphernalia. He was arrested, cited and released at the scene.

Hit and Run Traffic Collision
April 4 at 6:36 p.m., a caller in the area of Ivy and Maple reported a vehicle collision were a vehicle overturned. An investigation revealed the suspect fled after the collision. Officers arrived and made contact with the victim who suffered minor injuries. This investigation is continuing.

Vandalism
April 5 at 1:29 a.m., a victim in the 700 block of E. Foothill reported the sunroof to his vehicle was smashed by an unknown subject. This investigation is continuing.

Warrant Arrest – Suspect Arrested
April 5 at 3:59 a.m., an officer patrolling the area of Magnolia and Genoa conducted a traffic stop on a bicyclist for a vehicle code violation. A computer search revealed the subject had a warrant for his arrest. He was arrested and taken into custody.

Injury Traffic Collision
April 5 at 1:01 p.m., a traffic collision involving a motorcyclist was reported in the 700 block of W. Foothill. The motorcyclist suffered non-life threatening injuries and was transported to a hospital for treatment.

Identity Theft – Suspect Arrested
April 5 at 3:31 p.m., while patrolling the area of Mayflower and Evergreen an officer saw a vehicle commit a traffic violation. A traffic stop was conducted and the driver was contacted. An investigation revealed the driver was in possession of counterfeit identifying cards. The driver was arrested and taken into custody.

Driving Under the Influence – Suspect Arrested
April 5 at 8:20 p.m., officers patrolling the area of Myrtle and Central saw a vehicle commit multiple vehicle code violations. A traffic stop was conducted and the driver was contacted. The driver displayed symptoms of intoxication. A DUI investigation revealed he was under the influence. He was arrested and transported to the MPD jail to be held for a sobering period.

Drug Possession – Suspect Arrested
April 5 at 9:35 p.m., while patrolling the area of Huntington and Monterey officers saw a bicyclist in violation of a vehicle code. An investigation revealed the bicyclist was in possession of a controlled substance. The suspect was arrested and taken into custody.

Reckless Driving – Suspect Arrested
April 5 at 9:52 p.m., several callers reported a vehicle driving recklessly in the area of Los Angeles and Ivy. Officers arrived and located the vehicle. The driver was contacted, arrested and taken into custody.

Driving Under the Influence – Suspect Arrested
April 6 at 12:59 a.m., an officer patrolling the area of Huntington and Mountain saw a vehicle commit a vehicle code violation. A traffic stop was conducted and the driver was contacted. The driver displayed 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.

Weapon Offense – Suspects Arrested
April 6 at 1:24 a.m., while patrolling the 1500 block of S. Myrtle an officer saw a vehicle commit a vehicle code violation. A traffic stop was conducted and the driver was contacted. A juvenile passenger fled on foot but was apprehended a short distance away. The juvenile was found to be in possession of a loaded handgun. The driver was found to be in possession of alcohol and a controlled substance. They were both arrested and taken into custody.

Grand Theft
April 6 at 11:34 a.m., a resident in the 1300 block of S. Mayflower reported the catalytic converter from his vehicle stolen. This investigation is continuing.

Non-Injury Traffic Collision
April 6 at 4:23 p.m., a traffic collision was reported in the area of California and Central. Officers responded and made contact with the parties involved. No injuries were reported. This investigation is ongoing.

Vehicle Burglary
April 6 at 6:44 p.m., a victim in the 600 block of W. Huntington reported his vehicle’s window was broken and property taken. This investigation is continuing.

Public Intoxication – Suspect Arrested
April 7 at 2:05 a.m., a family disturbance was reported in the 500 block of W. Lime. Officers arrived and made contact with a subject outside the location. He displayed symptoms of being intoxicated. It was determined he was unable to care for himself. He was arrested and transported to the MPD jail to be held for a sobering period.

Hit and Run Traffic Collision
April 7 at 3:49 a.m., a traffic collision was reported in the area of Longden and Peck. Officers arrived and made contact with the victim. An investigation revealed the suspect fled after the collision. This investigation is continuing.

Warrant Arrest – Suspect Arrested
April 7 at 8:08 a.m., officers were dispatched to the 800 block of W. Walnut regarding a dispute. Officers arrived and made contact with the parties involved. A computer check revealed one of the subjects had a warrant for his arrest. He was arrested and taken into custody.

Grand Theft
April 7 at 8:23 a.m., a victim in the 700 block of E. Huntington reported her wallet was stolen from the backseat of her vehicle. This investigation is continuing.

Grand Theft Auto
April 7 at 8:41 a.m., a caller in the 500 block of E. Maple reported his vehicle stolen. This investigation is continuing.

Non-Injury Traffic Collision
April 7 at 6:39 p.m., a traffic collision was reported in the area of Foothill and Primrose. The driver determined to be at fault was issued a citation.

Drug Possession – Suspect Arrested
April 8 at 1:52 a.m., an officer patrolling in the area of Duarte and California saw a bicyclist commit a traffic violation. A traffic stop was conducted and the bicyclist was contacted. An investigation revealed the subject was in possession of a controlled substance. The subject was arrested, cited and released at the scene.

Non-Injury Traffic Collision
April 8 at 8:01 a.m., a traffic collision was reported in the area of Foothill and Ivy. Officers arrived and made contact with the parties involved. No injuries were reported. The party found to be at fault was cited.

Injury Traffic Collision
April 8 at 3:14 p.m., an injury traffic collision was reported in the area of California and Central. Both drivers had a complaint of pain and both vehicles had to be towed away. This investigation is continuing.

Commercial Burglary
April 8 at 4:18 a.m., a burglary alarm was activated at a business in the 3200 block of Peck. Officers arrived and determined the unknown suspect made entry by forcing the front door open. The suspects entered and removed property. This investigation is continuing.

Domestic Violence
April 9 at 7:11 a.m., a battery was reported in the 100 block of N. Magnolia. Officers arrived and made contact with the parties involved. An investigation revealed a physical altercation took place. The aggressor was arrested and taken into custody.

Vandalism
April 9 at 10:16 a.m., a caller from a business in the 1700 block of S. Mountain reported seeing a passerby throw an object at a vehicle, causing damage. This investigation is continuing.

Court Order Violation
April 9 at 5:19 p.m., an employee from a business in the 100 block of W. Lime reported a subject loitering nearby was in violation of a court order. Officers arrived and made contact with the parties. A computer search confirmed the court order. The subject was arrested and taken into custody.

Driving Under the Influence
April 9 at 7:57 p.m., an officer patrolling the area of Mountain and Lemon saw a vehicle commit a traffic violation. A traffic stop was conducted and the driver was contacted. The driver displayed symptoms of being under the influence. She was arrested and transported to the MPD jail to be held for a sobering period.