School District to Consider Buying Anti-Virus 'Desk Guards', Delay Enforcing Dress Code

At its next meeting (agenda: https://is.gd/dcisDz) the Monrovia Board of Education will consider ...

~ Buying $200,000 of "desk guards" at $77 apiece in  preparation for the reopening of the elementary schools. The student desk guards "offer an additional

protective barrier for younger students, reminding them to social distance and

increase protection among students." They'll be paid for by the CARES Act Provider Relief Fund.

~ Delaying enforcement of the district's student dress policy for the 2020-21 school year.

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Coronavirus Count: 4 More cases, 546 Total

Coronavirus cases from LA Department of Public Health as of 8 p.m., 8/04/2020 . Changes since 8/03/2020 .

City of Monrovia: 546 cases (up 4), 34 deaths (unchanged)
Unincorporated Monrovia: 66 cases (up -1), no deaths
Glen Park at Monrovia: 3 cases (unchanged), no deaths

County says: Public Health anticipates receiving a backlog of cases once the State electronic laboratory system issues are fixed.

- Brad Haugaard

Announcement of School Board Candidacy of Sashary Zaroyan

Following is an announcement by Sashary Zaroyan of his candidacy for the Monrovia Board of Education. Other candidates are welcome to submit announcements. - Brad Haugaard

 
As a product of Monrovia's public schools, I am honored to run for the Monrovia School Board to give back to the community that gave me the opportunity to advocate for my peers.

Monrovia Unified School District is facing an important crossroad affecting our students’ education, health, and opportunities to thrive. As school districts across the state pivot to distance-based learning, we must tackle these statewide problems with community-led solutions that work for Monrovia. We must prioritize the safety, academic engagement, and social and emotional wellbeing of students during this pandemic and in the future.

I will diligently work to better prepare our school district for the future. I will push for:

• More innovation around distanced-based learning
• Improving transparency and communication for parents
• Reducing Monrovia’s increasing chronic absenteeism that has surpassed the statewide average in our K-8 schools
• Increasing focus on college and career readiness for our high school graduates

My experience will allow me to achieve these goals through collaboration with community members, making tough decisions, and prioritizing our students’ best interests. As co-founder of the Healing Connections Committee, I expanded mental health services for my peers in Monrovia schools. I took my passion to our state's Capital as an Education and Mental Health Policy Advocate and pushed for equity-centered solutions and funding to prioritize vulnerable student populations.

Through my efforts in Sacramento, I have advocated for Monrovia students on additional youth mental health resources and services for schools and community-based organizations, equity-centered solutions and funding that prioritizes our vulnerable student populations, and increased funding, assessment, and behavioral health training for our diverse community's student populations to improve mental health.

I have introduced innovative and creative solutions to ensure every student has the opportunity to succeed. When all students thrive, we thrive as a community. Please visit my website at sasharyzaroyan.com to learn more about my equity-focused solutions for our community. I hope to earn your vote on Tuesday, November 3rd, 2020.

Monrovia Coronavirus Count: 542, Up Zero ... Maybe

Coronavirus cases from LA Department of Public Health as of 8 p.m., 8/03/2020. Changes since 8/02/2020.

City of Monrovia: 542 cases (unchanged), 34 deaths (unchanged)
Unincorporated Monrovia: 67 cases (unchanged), no deaths
Glen Park at Monrovia: 3 cases (unchanged), no deaths

However, the county reports that, "Today's data is incomplete due to delays in the State electronic lab reporting system."

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia's Xencor Reports Larger Loss for Second Quarter of 2020

Monrovia's Xencor Corporation, "a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing engineered monoclonal antibodies for the treatment of cancer and autoimmune diseases," reported a net loss for the second quarter ended June 30, 2020 of $35 million, or 61 cents a share, compared to net loss of $16 million, or 28 cents, for the same period in 2019. It attributed the loss to "lower research collaboration revenue and higher research and development expenses in 2020." https://is.gd/PKqCfY

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia High Wildcat Masks for Sale

Mina - Love Enough for Two Dogs

Six-year-old Mina loves attention, treats, and toys! Her foster family reports that she loves following everyone around and getting pets. If you stop petting her, she’ll gently put her paw on you to say “please pet me some more”. Mina enjoys walks and exploring, and has a tail that wags so fast, she almost can’t keep it still. Mina would do best as the only dog in the home, but she promises she’ll give you as much love as two dogs. She’s having a great time in her foster home, but she can’t wait to find her forever family soon!

The adoption fee for dogs is $140. All dog adoptions include spay or neuter, microchip, and age-appropriate vaccines.

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 and fill out an online adoption application. Adoptions are by appointment only.

Pets may not be available for adoption and cannot be held for potential adopters by phone calls or email.

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Coronavirus Count: 538 - Up 4; No New Deaths

Coronavirus cases from LA Department of Public Health as of 8 p.m., 8/02/2020 . Changes since 8/01/2020 .

City of Monrovia: 538 cases (up 4), 34 deaths (unchanged)
Unincorporated Monrovia: 67 cases (unchanged), no deaths
Glen Park at Monrovia: 3 cases (unchanged), no deaths
Trader Joe's Market: 6 cases (unchanged), no deaths

- Brad Haugaard

Governor Will Decide Whether to Release Former Monrovian and Manson Follower, Leslie Van Houten

The California Board of Parole Hearings has again recommended that former Monrovian and Charles Manson follower, Leslie Van Houten, be granted a parole for her part in the 1969 killings of Leno and Rosemary LaBianca. The final decision on whether to release her belongs to Governor Gavin Newsom, who denied her parole in 2019. https://is.gd/IfqfE3

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Coronavirus Count: 534, Up 4

Coronavirus cases from LA Department of Public Health as of 8 p.m., 8/01/2020 . Changes since 07/31 .

City of Monrovia: 534 cases (up 4), 34 deaths (unchanged)
Unincorporated Monrovia: 67 cases (up 1), no deaths
Glen Park at Monrovia: 3 cases (unchanged), no deaths
Monrovia Trader Joe's store: 6 cases (unchanged), no deaths

- Brad Haugaard

See Dual Spacecraft This Evening

8:45 p.m.	10:21 p.m.

Old Town Sidewalk Astronomers says the crew of the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket that docked at the International Space Station a few months ago is returning to earth tonight, and you can see the Dragon capsule and the space station go past simultaneously.

There will be two passes, the first at 8:45 p.m. (which will fly from the northwest to the east), and the second pass is at 10:21 p.m. will be from northwest to southeast.

Old Town Sidewalk Astronomers says that, "Seeing both spacecraft go over simultaneously at 17,500 MPH and 220 miles up is super cool, so check it out tonight!"

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Coronavirus Count: 530 Cases, Up 4; No New Deaths

Coronavirus cases from LA Department of Public Health as of 8 p.m., 07/31 . Changes since 07/30 .

City of Monrovia: 530 cases (up 4), 34 deaths (unchanged)
Unincorporated Monrovia: 66 cases (up -1), no deaths
Glen Park at Monrovia: 3 cases (unchanged), no deaths

Monrovia Trader Joe's store: 6 cases (unchanged), no deaths

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Coronavirus Count: 526, Up 7; One More Case at Trader Joe's

Coronavirus cases from LA Department of Public Health as of 8 p.m., 07/30 . Changes since 07/29 .

City of Monrovia: 526 cases (up 7), 34 deaths (unchanged)
Unincorporated Monrovia: 67 cases (up 1), no deaths
Glen Park at Monrovia: 3 cases (unchanged), no deaths

Trader Joe's Monrovia Store 6 cases (up 1), no deaths

- Brad Haugaard

Living With Bears Webinar; Tongva Talk

In his latest report (https://goo.gl/aOqX7O) City Manager Dylan Feik reports: 

~ On Thursday, August 6, at 11 a.m., the California Department of Fish & Wildlife will present a Living with Bears webinar for Monrovia. Safety tips on how to coexist with bears, how they respond to calls, and more. To join in on the webinar, please register here: https://is.gd/RpASyN. If you are unable to attend but have question, send it to pio@ci.monrovia.ca.us. A recording of the webinar will be available.

~ Learn in this video talk how the indigenous people of the LA area, the Tongva, lived here many years ago: https://is.gd/zKacS1

- Brad Haugaard

Trader Joe's NOT Changing Labels On Its Ethnic Foods

According to a report on ABC7, Monrovia-based Trader Joe's is now saying that it does NOT intend to change the labels on its ethnic foods - such as Trader Ming and Trader Jose - based on a petition that said the names were racist, an accusation it denies. Earlier it had appeared the company did intend to change those brand names. https://is.gd/VX3gtJ

- Brad Haugaard