- Brad Haugaard
Portantino's Info Request Denied by Assembly Rules Committee
The California Assembly Rules Committee has refused Anthony Portantino's request for information on the spending of other assembly members. Portantino represents part of Monrovia. His staff is being cut after he was accused of overspending by Assembly leaders. He says he didn't overspend and the cut is punishment because he voted against Gov. Brown's budget. http://goo.gl/I5B1z
Monrovia Fire Department: Overturned Car on Myrtle
Fire personnel responded to 68 emergency calls between 8 a.m. July 19 to 8 a.m. July 26, including an incident of a vehicle rolling over on Myrtle. The report:
"During rush hour traffic on the morning of July 26, MFD was dispatched to a vehicle accident at Myrtle Avenue and Huntington Drive. Fire units arrived on scene and found one car overturned with a victim trapped and an additional vehicle with one person injured. MFD personnel extricated the trapped victim utilizing specialized rescue tools carried on Truck 101, while the additional patient was treated by Engine 102. Engine 101 was assigned to assist with manpower, Safety Officer operations and manning the safety protection hose-line. Both patients were treated for their injuries and transported to the local hospital."
Source: http://goo.gl/smonm
- Brad Haugaard
Why Monrovia Can't Approve Gold Line Deal Until September | Drawing Straws | Recycling
Monrovia City Manager Scott Ochoa writes in his weekly report that ...
~ Although the Gold Line officially approved a deal to purchase Monrovia land, "the Monrovia City Council cannot consider the proposed purchase and sale agreement until its September 6 Council meeting because of the State's adoption of AB 1X 26 and 27 - the redevelopment elimination and extortion bills." At that time the Monrovia Redevelopment Agency should be up and running again.
~ A property issue that would normally be routine will be unusual because of conflicts of interest which would prevent the City Council from having a quorum to vote on the matter (a new housing development at 1116 and 1122 South Magnolia and 239 West Cypress.) Under these circumstances, Ochoa said the Council will essentially "draw straws" to see who gets to consider the matter.
~ The closing of the Puente Hills Landfill in October 2013 means recycling will soon be cheaper than dumping. So, should the City Council require small businesses to recycle 75 percent of their trash, or just let the market nudge them in that direction? He said staff recommends requiring it.
Source: http://goo.gl/smonm
- Brad Haugaard
Water District Headquarters Moves to Monrovia
The Upper San Gabriel Municipal Water District has moved to a new home in Monrovia. 602 E. Huntington Drive, Suite B, to be exact. http://goo.gl/v3CmN
- Brad Haugaard
Newspapers Slam Assembly over Portantino Affair
Both the LA Times ( http://goo.gl/2YWAe ) and the San Gabriel Valley Tribune ( http://goo.gl/scqYR ) criticize the State Assembly leadership for this whole Anthony Portantino affair. (Portantino represents part of Monrovia.) I said it makes the Assembly leadership smell like a rotten chicken, but they go in to a bit greater detail.
- Brad Haugaard
Portantino May Move to Monrovia, Etc.
~ Star-News columnist Larry Wilson says Assemblyman Anthony Portantino (D-La Canada Flintridge) may move to Monrovia so he can run for Congress after congressional districts are redrawn. http://goo.gl/JHQ6V
~ More on Portantino's battle with the state Assembly. Portantino represents part of Monrovia. http://goo.gl/yI9B2
- Brad Haugaard
Help Unity Center by Having Dinner at Paco's
Help Monrovia's Foothill Unity Center help low-income families by having dinner Sunday night, July 31, at Paco's (200 E. Foothill, Arcadia). Ten percent of the proceeds Paco's receives between 5 and 8 p.m. will go to help the Center.
- Brad Haugaard
Bears, Bears, Bears - in Monrovia and Elsewhere
I received a note from a Monrovia correspondent the other day entitled "bears bears bears," which read:
"The past three nights, when my husband and I have gone out to do our walks, we've had to turn back because of bears. Bears are all the buzz. Bears are all the rage. Praying nothing bad happens!"
And then I saw this NY Times story about increasing numbers of human run-ins with bears: http://goo.gl/INlqB
I've seen plenty of black bears - even in my back yard - and never had a problem, but it is wise to remember they're wild animals and not safe, Samson notwithstanding.
- Brad Haugaard
Monrovia's Senator Huff Says State Making Life Tougher for Schools
State Senator Bob Huff, who represents Monrovia, writes that...
"Life is about to get far more difficult for school districts across California thanks in large part to a measure that strips local school boards of a great deal of authority when it comes to making budget decisions."
"AB 114 strips local authority by making it virtually impossible for districts to cut spending by laying off teachers or cutting programs."
Huff said the measure was rushed through during the budget process.
Source: http://goo.gl/wlgnb
- Brad Haugaard
Lunch at Hon Sushi
- Brad Haugaard
Amazon Ads Aiming at San Gabriel Valley | Monrovia Arboretum?
Example of San Gabriel Valley advertising from Amazon.com
~ Amazon.com's AmazonLocal - in association with LivingSocial.com - has begun distributing local coupon-advertising to the San Gabriel Valley by email. (See image above.) More competition in the local advertising arena.
~ Monrovia almost had an arboretum, according to City Council member Tom Adams. http://goo.gl/AdqYE
- Brad Haugaard
Monrovia's Green Dot Doing Great | Portantino Staff Members Face Furloughs
~ Monrovia's Green Dot reported a whopping big revenue increase for the second quarter of this year. http://goo.gl/DJIMb
~ Eleven staff members of Assemblyman Anthony Portantino, who represents part of Monrovia, have been notified that they will be temporarily laid off in late October. http://goo.gl/ryTXo
- Brad Haugaard
Monrovia Police: Brave Little Dog Saves the Day, Etc.
[Monrovia Police activities from the Police Department’s Neighborhood Watch Report for July 21-27 – Brad Haugaard]
During the last seven-day period, the Police Department handled 588 service events, resulting in 97 investigations. Following are the last week’s highlighted issues and events:
Hot Prowl
On July 22 at 1:20 a.m., a resident in the 800 block of East Lemon was sleeping in the living room when she heard her small dog growling at something outside. She went to investigate and saw a male subject wearing dark colored clothing crawling through her bedroom window. The suspect saw the resident and fled. Officers conducted an area search, but were unable to locate the suspect. The investigation is continuing.
Receiving Stolen Mail / Parole Violation – Suspect Arrested
On July 22 at 9:17 a.m., an officer was patrolling the 800 block of West Walnut due to recent complaints of drug activity. He observed two subjects walking down the street carrying a duffle bag. When he stopped and talked with the subjects, he learned one of them was on parole for burglary. A search of the duffle bag revealed stolen mail from several residences off Royal Oaks. The suspect was arrested for possession of stolen mail and a parole violation.
Armed Robbery – Suspects Arrested
On July 24 at 4:00 p.m., officers were dispatched to a motel in the 900 block of West Huntington. A male victim reported that a male occupant staying in a room at the motel had just robbed him of all his property at knife point. The victim went to the motel to trade items he found in the trash for marijuana. The suspect did not want what he was trading and decided to take everything he had, including his backpack and iPod. The suspect was identified and arrested without incident. The stolen property was located and returned to its owner. A female subject inside the room was also arrested for being under the influence of a controlled substance, as well as another male subject that had rented the room. A stolen bicycle was found in the second male subject’s vehicle, so he was also charged with possession of stolen property.
Wanted Robbery Suspect Arrested
Arcadia Police Department recently circulated a special bulletin regarding a wanted robbery suspect from their city. On July 24 at 10:43 p.m., a Monrovia officer who is familiar with the suspect from prior contacts drove by an area where the suspect was known to frequent. The officer saw the suspect walking near Fifth and Olive with another male subject. The suspect tried to conceal himself behind a bush, but was detained without incident. Arcadia officers arrived and took custody of the suspect.
Under the Influence of a Controlled Substance / Possession of Burglary Tools – Suspect Arrested
On July 25 at 4:00 a.m., an officer saw a suspicious person in the area of Foothill and Canyon. The officer contacted the male subject and determined he was under the influence of a controlled substance. Upon further investigation, the officer found the suspect had a flashlight, screwdriver, and box cutter in his possession. The suspect did not have a reasonable explanation for having these tools or being in Monrovia. The suspect was arrested for being under the influence and possession of burglary tools.
Driving Under the Influence / Hit and Run Traffic Collision – Suspect Arrested
On July 25 at 2:34 p.m., officers were dispatched to the 2600 block of South Peck, where a vehicle collided into four parked cars. The suspect’s vehicle lost one of its wheels, but the suspect continued south on Peck into the City of El Monte on three wheels and an axle. A witness followed the driver and led officers to the suspect. He was detained and officers determined he had been driving while under the influence of alcohol. He was arrested and taken into custody.
Battery
On July 25 at 6:23 p.m., police received a report of a battery that just occurred in the area of California and Walnut. The reporting party stated a male subject had exited a truck and was seen hitting a female, then dragging her into the bushes. Officers checked the area, but were unable to locate anyone. The reporting party called again and stated he had been incorrect in the location, and that it was Canyon and Walnut. Officers returned and located a trail of blood from Walnut to Maple. After an extensive investigation, it was determined an altercation had occurred between a teenage boyfriend and girlfriend, and the female may have hit the male in the nose, causing him to bleed. Officers were unable to determine exactly what transpired, as the two juveniles were uncooperative and had no visible signs of injury.
Battery Thefts
On July 26, three curbside box battery thefts were reported. The suspect(s) pried open the box doors and stole several back-up power batteries that are used in case of power outages. The thefts occurred in the 1300 block South Magnolia, the 500 block of Bradbury, and the 1000 block of Royal Oaks. No suspects have been located. Time Warner Cable reported that a few nights ago, the City of Pomona had approximately 60 of these boxes broken into in one night. The same thefts are also occurring in Arcadia and South Pasadena. Investigation continuing.
Residential Burglary
On July 26 at 10:00 p.m., a subject who was house-sitting in the 100 block of North Madison arrived at the home and found the front door ajar. The point of entry into the home was a kitchen window; no forced entry was apparent. The house appeared to be thoroughly ransacked and the actual loss is unknown, since the owners are away. The loss will be determined when the owners return. Investigation continuing.
Possible Drug Activity
July 27 at 12:11 a.m., a caller reported a male subject standing near a blue van in the 900 block of West Walnut that appeared to be smoking marijuana. The caller stated they did not think the person belonged in the area. When the officer arrived, the suspect fled. As he ran, he placed his hands in his sweatshirt. The officer called out commands for the suspect to remove his hands, but the suspect kept running and was able to get into a construction storage yard at the 210 Freeway and Fifth. Containment of the area was set up and the Foothill Air Support Team helicopter assisted in the search. The suspect was not found. He is believed to be associated with a local residence in the area. A methamphetamine pipe was found in the area.
- Brad Haugaard
Gold Line Gets Two-fer: Most Techie and Cheapest Contractor
As expected, the Gold Line awarded a $485.9 million contract to "Foothill Transit Constructors – A Kiewit Parsons Joint Venture," to design and construct the Metro Gold Line Foothill Extension from Pasadena to Azusa. The Kiewit/Parsons team was both the top ranked technical proposal and the lowest bid, according to Construction Authority Board Chairman and Glendora Mayor Doug Tessitor. According to the Gold Line press release: "Kiewit and Parsons have teamed up nearly 20 times in the last decade to complete design-build projects and have designed and built more than 60 major infrastructure projects in the last forty years. Both are award-winning companies, providing world-renowned experience in successful completion of light rail transit projects. "Kiewit was the lead team member on Phase 1 of the Gold Line from Los Angeles to Pasadena (with Parsons as the lead design subcontractor), which was completed in 2003 on time and under budget. Kiewit also recently oversaw demolition of the Mulholland Bridge (part of the I-405 Sepulveda Pass Improvement Project)." According to Gold Line spokesman Habib Balian, "The Kiewit Parsons proposal was $72 million less than the next highest proposer and $123 million less than the highest price proposal."- Brad Haugaard
Monrovia Assemblyman Portantino Denied Access to Assembly Finance Info
In a battle with his own Democratic party, Assemblyman Anthony Portantino, who represents part of Monrovia, has been denied information regarding fellow legislators' budgets. He had been accused of overspending (he denies it) and I think he'd like to compare his office expenses with those of other Assembly members. http://goo.gl/k0dw7
Opinion: This makes the Assembly leadership smell like a rotten chicken. Portantino - and for that matter, the public - should be able to see how much money the Assembly is spending on each of its members. Star-News reporter Beige Luciano-Adams did a good job on this article.
- Brad Haugaard
Monrovia Dental Clinic | Alta-Dena Dairy
~ Free dental clinic for Monrovians August 5. http://goo.gl/7gjeu
~ Some history: Alta-Dena Dairy started in Monrovia. http://goo.gl/Jld0l
- Brad Haugaard
Gold Line Plans to Award $500 Million Contract
The Metro Gold Line Foothill Extension Construction Authority Board of Directors will consider awarding a nearly $500 million design-build contract for the 11.5-mile light rail extension from Pasadena to Azusa tomorrow at a Special Board Meeting. This contract is anticipated to create nearly 7,000 jobs and $1 billion in economic output to the region during the next four years of design and construction.
The July 27 board meeting is from 9:30-11:30 a.m. at the Arcadia City Hall Council Chambers, 240 W. Huntington Drive in Arcadia.
Update: According to Gold Line spokesman Habib F. Balian, the Gold Line intends to award the Pasadena to Azusa Alignment Design-Build contract to Foothill Transit Constructors - A Kiewit Parsons Joint Venture.
- Brad Haugaard (from Gold Line press release)
Monrovia and Gold Line | Artist's Work Displayed
~ The Star-News is sorta happy with how things are progressing between Monrovia and the Gold Line. http://goo.gl/xKOR6 . Opinion: And I'm sorta in agreement, though I don't see the Monrovia City Council in the negative light the Star-News casts it as compared with the saintly Gold Line.
Update (from City Council Member Becky Shevlin): Brad – Thanks for giving us the benefit of the doubt. The reason that we have to wait until September is that the State has rendered the Redevelopment Agencies powerless unless of course we pay their ransom; which is what we agreed to at our last meeting; with the resolution process now taking place, it won’t be until September that we can actually take any further actions. As for the being “ambushed” don’t believe it.
~ Here is a review of artist Susan Dobay's work at Monrovia's Scenic Drive Gallery. http://goo.gl/7le0d
- Brad Haugaard
New Monrovia Police Chief 'Soon' | Gold Line Deal Not Done | Redevelopment Law Challenge | State Government 'Frightening'
In his weekly report ( http://goo.gl/HGju5 ), Monrovia City Manager Scott Ochoa ...
~ Says the city should have a new police chief very soon. He said the city is now down to three candidates. "I think Monrovia will be well-served by this process and we will have our new Chief seated very soon."
~ Adds a bit of caution to reports that Monrovia and the Gold line have reached a land-sale agreement. He writes: "I must note that there can be no deal until and unless the Monrovia City Council / Redevelopment Agency Board agrees to the transaction. Considering the position all cities and redevelopment agencies are in because of the State budget, Monrovia cannot consider this matter until early September - at the earliest."
~ Lays into the state government again. He said the state's new redevelopment law ("AB 1X 26 and AB 1X 27, commonly referred as the redevelopment 'elimination and extortion' bills") are being challenged in court.
~ Says it is "frightening" that the "State Legislature seems overcome with a need to control the entire apparatus of government in California. They appear to be desirous of making policy at every level, for every level. Today, the State effectively controls school districts and counties" and, he said, the state is becoming "increasingly aggressive" towards cities.
- Brad Haugaard
Portantino Gets HERO Award from Gay Group
Assemblyman Anthony Portantino, who represents part of Monrovia, has been given a HERO award by The Stonewall Young Democrats, "whose mission is to represent and mobilize Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Queer/Questioning and Allied youth within the Democratic Party." http://goo.gl/x5Hm8
- Brad Haugaard
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