Lunch at Baja Mar, in the little shopping center at the corner of Foothill, and May. Got three hardshell tacos for $3.99 each and a soda for $3.99. Tasty!- Brad Haugaard
Lunch at Baja Mar
Lunch at Baja Mar, in the little shopping center at the corner of Foothill, and May. Got three hardshell tacos for $3.99 each and a soda for $3.99. Tasty!
Monrovia Police: Man barricades hotel room; Stolen car, DUI crash; Loaded gun magazine and drugs; Fake banker scams woman; Etc.
[Monrovia Police activities from the Police Department's Neighborhood Watch Report for September 10 - 16, 2026. 488 calls for service, 93 investigations, 0 mental evaluations, 6 traffic collisions, 25 arrests. - Brad Haugaard]
SEPTEMBER 10
Drug Offense – Suspect Arrested
At 1:03 a.m., an officer patrolling the area of Mayflower and Evergreen saw a bicyclist commit a traffic violation. A traffic stop was conducted and the bicyclist was contacted. He was found to be in possession of a controlled substance. He was arrested, cited, and released at the scene.
Commercial Burglary
At 4:34 a.m., officers were alerted to an alarm activation for a business in the 500 block of S. Myrtle. Officers arrived and saw the main door shattered. This investigation is continuing.
Shoplifting – Suspect Arrested
At 5:29 p.m., an employee for a business in the 500 block of W. Huntington reported a shoplifting incident. The officer arrived and located the suspect. The stolen property was recovered. She was arrested and taken into custody.
SEPTEMBER 11
Drug Offense – Suspect Arrested
At 4:29 a.m., an officer patrolling the 100 block of W. Palm made contact with a subject. An investigation revealed the subject was in possession of drug paraphernalia. He was arrested and taken into custody.
SEPTEMBER 12
Petty Theft
At 1:14 a.m., a juvenile victim walked into the MPD lobby to report that her shoes were stolen in the 300 block of S. Myrtle. This investigation is continuing.
Arson / Vandalism
At 3:23 a.m., while patrolling the 300 block of S. Myrtle, an officer discovered that a building had been vandalized and showed evidence of fire damage. This investigation is continuing.
Municipal Code Violation – Suspect Arrested
At 3:23 a.m., an officer patrolling the 300 block of S. Myrtle saw a subject in the park, after hours, in violation of a municipal code. The subject was arrested and taken into custody.
Drug Offense – Suspect Arrested
At 11:35 p.m., while patrolling the area of Primrose and Linwood, an officer saw a bicyclist in violation of a vehicle code. A traffic stop was conducted and the bicyclist was contacted. The subject was found to be in possession of drug paraphernalia. The subject was arrested.
SEPTEMBER 13
Drug Offense – Suspects Arrested
At 1:34 a.m., an officer patrolling the 1600 block of S. Myrtle saw two subjects inside a park after hours and made contact with the subjects. An investigation revealed the subjects were in possession of a controlled substance and drug paraphernalia. They were arrested and taken into custody.
Weapon Offense – Suspect Arrested
At 2:40 a.m., while patrolling the area of Myrtle and Cherry, an officer saw a vehicle in violation of vehicle codes. A traffic stop was conducted and the driver was contacted. Officers found the driver was in possession of an open container, a loaded high capacity magazine, and a controlled substance. The driver was arrested and taken into custody.
Grand Theft Auto – Suspect Arrested
At 7:49 a.m., a caller in the area of Duarte and Mountain reported that a vehicle collided with a center median. Officers arrived, located the vehicle, and made contact with the driver. An investigation revealed the driver was under the influence and the vehicle had been reported stolen out of Long Beach. He was arrested and transported to the MPD jail to be held for a sobering period.
Domestic Violence – Suspect Arrested
At 10:00 p.m., a fight in progress was reported in the 300 block of W. Huntington. Officers arrived and made contact with two subjects. An investigation revealed the female subject was battered by her boyfriend. He was arrested and taken into custody.
Domestic Violence – Suspect Arrested
At 10:42 p.m., a family disturbance was reported in the 800 block of E. Lime. Officers arrived and made contact with the parties involved. An investigation revealed the male resident battered his girlfriend. He was arrested and taken into custody.
SEPTEMBER 14
Resist / Delay / Municipal Code Violation
At 2:21 a.m., a caller in the area of Myrtle and Lime requested a welfare check on a subject walking in the roadway. Officers arrived, located the subject, and made contact. An investigation revealed the subject was loitering in the park after hours. The subject began to walk away while officers were trying to detain the subject. The subject tripped and fell on the ground. The subject was treated at the scene and transported to a hospital.
Vehicle Burglary
At 6:17 a.m., a passerby in the 100 block of W. Greystone reported a parked vehicle with a broken window. Officers arrived and notified the owner. An investigation revealed tools were stolen. This investigation is continuing.
Vehicle Burglary
At 6:29 a.m., a victim in the 400 block of W. Chestnut reported a broken window to his vehicle and stolen tools. This investigation is continuing.
Court Order Violation
At 7:09 a.m., a victim in the 500 block of Fano called to report her ex-boyfriend was sending her text messages in violation of a court order. This investigation is continuing.
Shoplifting – Suspect Arrested
At 9:58 a.m., a caller in a business in the 1600 block of S. Mountain reported a female subject stole merchandise and fled on foot. Officers arrived and located the female a short distance away. A computer search revealed she had a warrant for her arrest and the alleged stolen property. She was arrested and taken into custody.
Fraud
At 1:10 p.m., a victim in the 300 block of Grand reported receiving a call from a subject pretending to be a bank representative. The victim was asked to remove funds and transfer them to another account. After the victim deposited the money, she realized she had been scammed. This investigation is continuing.
SEPTEMBER 15
Fraud
At 11:22 a.m., a resident walked into the MPD lobby to report that he has been receiving mail for unknown subjects at his address. This investigation is continuing.
Counterfeiting
At 12:53 p.m., an employee at a store in the 700 block of E. Huntington reported a male subject purchased merchandise with counterfeit money. This investigation is continuing.
Public Intoxication – Suspect Arrested
At 8:51 p.m., a disturbing subject was reported in the 500 block of W. Huntington. Officers arrived and made contact with the subject. 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.
Trespass – Suspect Arrested
At 9:46 p.m., officers were dispatched to the 100 block of E. Lime regarding a male subject sitting on a bench. Officers arrived and made contact with the male subject, who refused to leave the property. He was arrested and taken into custody.
Domestic Battery
At 11:01 p.m., a domestic disturbance was reported in the 1600 block of Pilgrim. Officers arrived and determined the couple was involved in a verbal argument. The husband began to yell in close proximity of the wife and she extended her arm, pushing him away. This investigation is continuing.
SEPTEMBER 16
Commercial Burglary
At 5:02 a.m., the owner of a restaurant in the 600 block of S. Myrtle reported the rear door glass to the business was broken. An investigation revealed money and property were taken. This investigation is continuing.
Drug Offense – Suspect Arrested
At 1:17 p.m., officers responded to a hotel in the 900 block of S. Fifth regarding a customer who was refusing to check out of his room. Upon arrival, officers discovered the room door had been barricaded with furniture. After removing the obstruction, officers gained entry to the room and took the subject into custody. The subject was found to be in possession of a controlled substance. The subject was arrested and taken into custody.
Drug Offense – Suspect Arrested
At 11:32 p.m., an officer patrolling the area of Myrtle and El Norte saw a bicyclist commit a traffic violation. A traffic stop was conducted and the bicyclist was contacted. An investigation revealed he was in possession of drug paraphernalia. He was arrested and taken into custody.
Clothing Swap at the Library, Oct. 3
Monrovia Public Library will hold an adult clothing swap Saturday, Oct. 3, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Bring up to two clean, like-new or gently used clothing items; donations may also be dropped off Friday, Oct. 2. Details here.
- Brad Haugaard
Interview with Keely Milliken, CEO of Monrovia's Centre Stage
Centre Stage is holding its first fundraising gala since 2006. What has changed financially or organizationally to make a major fundraiser necessary now, and how will the proceeds be used?
This year marks Centre Stage’s 28th year serving children and families in Monrovia and the surrounding communities, and it is also one of the biggest years of growth in our history. We recently acquired our new home at 724 E. Huntington Drive, giving us approximately 9,000 square feet where we can expand our classes, rehearsals, private instruction and performances and create a permanent home for the organization.
With that opportunity have also come significant unexpected expenses. As we have worked through the building and inspection process with the city, we have encountered improvements the city requires that were not anticipated when we took on the space. Those costs are substantial for small nonprofit organization like ours.
At the same time, the economy has made our mission of accessibility more important than ever. One of the principles I have held onto throughout Centre Stage’s history is that we never want a child turned away simply because their family cannot afford to participate. As more families need financial assistance, we need additional resources to continue making that commitment possible.
The proceeds from The Other Side Gala will help us complete and improve our new facility, including our black box theatre, while also supporting scholarships and the continued expansion of our performing-arts programs in the community and local schools.
Since you founded Centre Stage in 1998, how have youth participation and families’ ability to afford performing-arts instruction changed?
Children’s lives have changed tremendously since 1998. There are more demands on families financially, and there are also many more things competing for young people’s time and attention. We are seeing families who genuinely want their children involved in the arts but simply cannot take on another expense.
At the same time, I believe young people need these opportunities more than ever. Performing arts give students a place to belong, particularly during the middle-school and teen years when finding a positive community can be so important. They are putting down their phones, working toward something together, making music, creating art and forming real relationships.
That is one reason we continue expanding our partnerships with schools. If a child cannot come to Centre Stage, we want to find ways to bring Centre Stage to them. Our goal is to remove as many barriers as possible so that a family's income does not determine whether a child has access to music, theatre and dance.
Apart from producing skilled performers, what lasting effects have you observed in students, and how does Centre Stage determine whether its programs are succeeding?
Some of our greatest successes have very little to do with whether a student becomes a professional performer.
Of course, we want our students to grow as singers, actors, dancers and musicians, and we believe strongly in artistic excellence. But we are equally interested in the person who walks off the stage. We see children learn confidence, responsibility, teamwork, empathy, public speaking, leadership and how to recover when something doesn't go exactly as planned.
Over 28 years, I have had the privilege of watching students grow up, go to college, begin careers and start families of their own. Some have pursued careers in the arts, while many have gone into completely different fields. What matters to me is hearing them say that Centre Stage was a place where they belonged, where someone believed in them, and where they learned skills and formed relationships that stayed with them long after the final curtain.
We measure success through the growth we see in individual students, through families who return year after year, through our relationships with schools and community partners, and through former students who continue to come back and stay connected. Sometimes success is a standing ovation. Sometimes it is a child who was afraid to speak in front of a room finally stepping forward and finding their voice.
That is ultimately what Centre Stage has always been about: using the arts not only to create great performances, but to help create confident, creative and connected young people.
- Brad Haugaard
Fountain to the Falls Run/Walk this Saturday
The starting line from previous Fountain to the Falls event.
The 2026 Fountain to the Falls Run/Walk will be held this Saturday, Sept. 19, starting at 7 a.m. from the fountain in Library Park to the waterfall in Monrovia Canyon Park, and back. Count on portions of Myrtle, Hillcrest and Canyon being closed or narrowed. Details.- Brad Haugaard
Starlight Cinema to open in Monrovia in late 2026
Starlight Cinemas plans to open at the site of the former Look Cinema on Myrtle in late 2026. The theater will feature laser projectors, digital sound and a large-format EPEX (Extreme Presentation Experience) auditorium, as well as reserved seating, and bargain days. Details.
- Brad Haugaard
Trip to Descanso Gardens’ Carved Event
Monrovia is offering a bus trip to Descanso Gardens’ Carved fall celebration Thursday, Oct. 15, from 4:30 to 9:30 p.m. The evening features glowing jack-o’-lanterns, hand-carved pumpkins and illuminated displays; tickets are $45 for residents and $55 for nonresidents. Preregistration is required. Details here.
- Brad Haugaard
Adult 3D Printing Workshop at the Library, Sep. 26
Adults can learn how 3D printers work and use Tinkercad to design a small project on Saturday, Sep. 26, 2–4 p.m. at the Library. Register.
- Brad Haugaard
LEGO Free Play at the Library, Sep. 23
Children ages 2–12 can build, play, and flex their engineering muscles with Library-supplied LEGO blocks on Wednesday, Sep. 23, 2:30–4:30 p.m. at the Library. Details.
- Brad Haugaard
Spooky TableTop Adventures at the Library, Oct. 3
Explore Ravenloft, a Dungeons & Dragons gothic-horror adventure, with experienced Dungeon Masters on Saturday, Oct. 3, noon–4 p.m. at the Library; the beginner-friendly event includes light refreshments. Register.
- Brad Haugaard
Veggie gardening workshop Oct. 17 at Community Garden South
A fall veggies gardening workshop will be held Saturday, Oct. 17, from 9 to 11 a.m. at Community Garden South, 1650 S. Magnolia Ave. Topics will include soil improvement, responsible watering and pest treatment. Free vegetable starts will be available while supplies last.
- Brad Haugaard
SGV Habitat for Humanity Online Auction Through Sept. 19
San Gabriel Valley Habitat for Humanity's "Raise the Roof" online auction is live through 7 p.m. Sept. 19, offering items such as a private Dawes concert for 10, signed guitars by Phoebe Bridgers and Jackson Browne, a signed LA Rams Puka Nacua jersey, and premier Rose Bowl Parade seats. Bidding is open now, with proceeds supporting affordable home-ownership for Eaton Fire survivors. Auction here.
- Brad Haugaard
Upper Water Offers Free October Landscaping Workshops
Monrovia-based Upper San Gabriel Valley Municipal Water District (Upper Water) is offering two free landscaping workshops in October.
On Thursday, October 1, a virtual "Irrigation & Controller Basics: Smart Watering" workshop runs from 6–7 p.m.
On Saturday, October 17, an in-person "Fire Resilient Gardening" workshop takes place from 10–11:30 a.m. at the Upper Water office, 248 E. Foothill Blvd., Monrovia; attendees receive free water conservation items.
Register here.
- Brad Haugaard
Monrovia Schools celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month with districtwide events
Monrovia Unified School District is celebrating National Hispanic Heritage Month with Ofrenda displays (a decorated altar built to honor deceased loved ones), live Mariachi assemblies, morning Spanish music broadcasts, hallway showcase exhibits, and classroom read-alouds featuring Hispanic authors and artists.
- Brad Haugaard
Rize Credit Union opens new branch in downtown Monrovia
- Brad Haugaard
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