Shaw's Seat on Monrovia City Council | API Scores | City Beat | 9-11 Memorial

~ Discussion of Clarence Shaw's empty seat on the Monrovia City Council. http://goo.gl/blSqT

 

~ API scores show Monrovia schools doing a bit better. http://goo.gl/0Todb

 

~ The latest City Beat cable program features Sena (a new pub) and Candy Connection on Myrtle and information about the Police Department's "Drive 25" program. http://goo.gl/2NanJ

 

~ 9-11 memorial. Just a reminder, there will be a memorial at Fire Station 101, 141 E. Lemon Ave., at 1 p.m. Sunday, September 11. It will begin with a presentation of the colors, the national anthem, then Mayor Mary Ann Lutz will give a presentation and the city's Youth Commission will present a tribute poem, and a bronze statue will be unveiled. http://goo.gl/VxsDd

 

- Brad Haugaard

Old Car Show in Monrovia | Financial Aid | Green Dot

~ Saturday, Sept. 10, there will be an old car show along Myrtle, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., according to the Monrovia Chamber of Commerce.

 

~ A student financial-aid simplification bill by Anthony Portantino, who represents part of Monrovia, has been approved by the Legislature and is on its way to the Governor for his signature. A Portantino press release says it would "end a needlessly duplicative process and get more students to participate in state and federal aid programs." 

 

~ Monrovia's Green Dot will give a presentation at the Goldman Sachs Financial Technology Conference. http://goo.gl/DVOlM

 

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia's Ellis McCarthy on Cover of Local Sports Magazine

If you are a high school football fan, you probably ought to pick up a paper copy of the Star-News today. It comes with a nice insert magazine - prepXtra - with Monrovia's Ellis McCarthy on the cover and profiles of all the local teams (it ranks Monrovia #1).

 

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia's Senator: Budget and Economy Bad, Epilepsy Bill Progresses

Senator Bob Hufff, who represent Monrovia in the State Senate, paints a bleak picture of the California budget and economy in his latest newsletter ( http://goo.gl/JRDor ), but on the bright side, he says his bill to authorize school employee volunteers to provide emergency medical assistance to pupils with epilepsy who suffer a seizure is making progress: http://goo.gl/pFQzz

 

Huf writes that "there's no question that the budget is in trouble." He says it depends on "overly optimistic" tax estimates which are not coming true, plus the State Supreme Court has agreed to hear challenges to the state's plan to kill redevelopment [and thus collect more tax revenue].

 

Also, he writes that "the California unemployment rate edged up to 12%. It’s the first increase in the jobless rate since September 2010. California’s unemployment rate is now 30% higher than the national average. This isn’t good news."

  

- Brad Haugaard

210 Bridge Foundation About to be Drilled

Mr. Crane being assembled to drill foundations.

The foundation for the 210 bridge over the eastbound lanes near Santa Anita will be drilled over the next four weeks, according to a press release from Gold Line Spokesman Habib Balian.

In the image you can see a large drill rig and crane are being assembled on the south side of the freeway. This is the location of the first of three 110 foot deep, 11 foot in diameter foundations. The other two are located in the center median of the freeway.  

"Each foundation will take approximately six days to drill and cast. We anticipate drilling the first foundation next week, followed by the installation of the reinforcing steel cage, concrete placement and testing the following week. This schedule is dependent on receiving final approval from Caltrans this week. During these activities, partial and full eastbound lane closures are planned (full closures occur late at night to minimize traffic delays)."

- Brad Haugaard

Indian Restaurant for Myrtle Ave.

an "upscale" Indian restaurant will replace Teri & Yaki near Foothill and Myrtle. http://goo.gl/1XwIj

- Brad Haugaard

Paintings at Segil Fine Art

Paintings by Lynne Fearman (car) and Sharon Weaver (walkway) on display until October at Segil Fine Art, 110 W. Lime. Artist's reception this Saturday, Sept. 3, from 5 to 7 p.m.
- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia's AeroVironment Introduces New Drone

AeroVironment introduces Shrike "quadcopter" vertical take-off drone. http://goo.gl/pHs8G

 

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia's Green Dot Hires General Manager

Green Dot Corporation, a Monrovia-based prepaid financial services company, has hired marketing and branding expert Eric Duehring as general manager of the Green Dot-branded card business unit. http://goo.gl/Qf3JN

 

- Brad Haugaard

Comment Time for Monrovia Hillsides | Welcoming Baby Monrovians | Happy Birthday

~ Monrovia seeks comment on Hillside plan. http://goo.gl/Pz8aq

~ City Council welcomes the newest Monrovians. http://goo.gl/TF47I

~ MonroviaNow.com is a bit over a year old. Here's a link to our first posting, on July 31, 2010. On bears. What else. http://goo.gl/8cPbN

- Brad Haugaard

Stanford Report: Numbers Used Against Portantino 'Suspicious'

A Stanford University non-profit research group, California Common Sense (CACS), says Assemblyman Anthony Portantino, who represents part of Monrovia, is not the top spender in the Assembly - he's 18th - and that the figures released by the Assembly that show him to be the top spender are "suspicious."

From the CACS press release: "Given everything we know right now, it appears that the Rules Committee under-reported other Assemblymembers’ spending on staff and over-reported Portantino’s spending on staff. If this turns out to be the case, it is a sad day for California. It is a problem if elected officials such as Portantino who seek more transparent and accountable governance are being punished."

In his own press release, Portantino writes that the Stanford researchers "have completely exposed the clumsy attempt to falsely portray me in a bad light and exposed petty politics at its worst.  The actions of the Assembly leaders not only undermine the public’s trust, they raise serious constitutional questions."

He adds: "I am asking the legislature to join me in requesting a complete and thorough audit of the State Assembly’s budget and expenditures."

Sources: CACS press release ( http://goo.gl/hKhWG ), CACS executive summary ( http://goo.gl/hjk1X ), CACS Policymaker Report ( http://goo.gl/G0XR5 )

UPDATE: Commenting on the Portantino affair, the Star-News accuses Assembly Speaker John Perez of "cooking" the Assembly's books and says he should resign. http://goo.gl/W8gh9

- Brad Haugaard

Back to School, Monrovia! | Profile of Ellis McCarthy

~ Back to school day. Drive carefully! And here's a picture: http://goo.gl/jhz0I

~ LA Times column on Monrovia football player, lineman Ellis McCarthy: http://goo.gl/BPV52

- Brad Haugaard

Hit and Run Near Farmers' Market

Man run over near Farmers' Market. http://goo.gl/3d6KD

UPDATE: http://goo.gl/08JP0

- Brad Haugaard

Hurray for the Frugal Ones!

Opinion: It is disappointing to find Assemblyman Anthony Portantino, who represents part of Monrovia, has been spending more than any other Assembly member on office staff ($213,263.28) so far this year -- unless, of course, as Portantino maintains, that this isn't the full picture.

Still, I very much appreciate him forcing this information out into the open. But anyway what REALLY strikes me is the following five Assembly members, who all managed to squeak by spending less than $100 grand on their office staffs:

Jose Solorio (D), $98,134.27
Mariko Yamada (D), $96,990.86
Mike Morrell (R), $86,610.09
Bob Blumenfield (D), $81,036.50
Mary Hayashi (D), $62,457.60

I don't know how they vote on the bigger issues of spending, but good for them for keeping their office expenses under control. Maybe the rest of the Assembly could take lessons.
 
- Brad Haugaard

Released Records: Portantino Had Highest Spending | Ellis McCarthy Pictures | Accident Pictures | School Summer Music | Four Burglary Arrests

~ According to this article ( http://goo.gl/ahMR8 ), recently released Assembly records show that Assemblyman Anthony Portantino, who represents part of Monrovia, spent more than any other Assembly member. Portantion has called this the equivalent to an April Fools joke: http://goo.gl/Dk80d

 

~ Pictures of Monrovia's Ellis McCarthy. "Intimidating." http://goo.gl/cxhUo

 

~ Photos of Friday accident at Huntington and Mayflower. http://goo.gl/GzJ3a

 

~ Summer music at Monrovia schools. http://goo.gl/X7xfb

 

~ Four Monrovians arrested on suspicion of burglary in Pasadena. http://goo.gl/xv1xM

 

- Brad Haugaard

Next Monrovia School Board Meeting

Back to school night schedule

At the next School Board meeting - Aug. 31, 7 p.m. in the board room (agenda: http://goo.gl/26MIS ) - the board will, among other things:

~ Consider ratifying an agreement with the various school employee unions. Big items: in 2013 employees will take a 3 percent salary cut, but will work six fewer days. Also, annual health insurance cost for employees will rise from $300 to $800. http://goo.gl/EizzZ

~ Hear a report on the STAR test results. http://goo.gl/2VIQt

~ Decide whether to fill Clare Chesley's seat (she moved out of town) or just leave it vacant until the November 8 election. http://goo.gl/1HsjC

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Schools Could Take Another Financial Hit

The likelihood of state cuts to K-12 education is "quite real," according to an analysis by David Conway, Monrovia Schools' Director of Fiscal Services.

In his preamble to a proposed revised budget ( http://goo.gl/wRhlP ) that the school board will consider at its August 31 meeting, Conway slammed the state and warned of possible cuts to come. Here's some of his analysis:

"As has become standard practice in recent years, the State Budget is balanced using some accounting gimmicks, funding shifts and an increase in the deferral of state apportionments into the next fiscal year. Even more troublesome, this budget assumes an additional $4 billion dollar increase in State revenue above the already optimistic assumptions used in the May Revised budget.

"To reassure financial markets and others that this budget was in fact balanced despite its rosy revenue assumptions and projections, the legislature included a 'trigger' that will be implemented after December 15th if revenue collections do not meet the projections at that time.

"Should these revenues not be realized, mid-year cuts - including cuts to K-12 education - will be implemented, unless subsequent legislation offering a different solution is passed by the legislature and signed by the Governor. July State tax collections were well under projection. The probability of mid-year and/or out-year cuts to K-12 education funding is quite real."

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Assemblyman Portantino Says Perez Insults Public

Assemblyman Anthony Portantino, who represents part of Monrovia, responded today to the release of Assembly documents, saying:

"If these documents were not posted on the Assembly's web page, I would think they were an April fool's joke.  Today, Assembly Speaker John Perez released 8 month expenditures that continue to mislead the public on how the Assembly operates.  The documents released hide true and accurate accounting of staff budgets and complete staff expenditures.  I once again implore Assembly leaders to come clean and open the Assembly to true transparency.  The documents released today are an insult to the public."

 

- Brad Haugaard (from press release from Portantino's office)

Monrovia's Clifton Middle School Gets New Principal

Monrovia High Assistant Principal Jennifer Gates will be moving over from Monrovia High School to take over the job of principal at Clifton Middle School, according to Monrovia School Board member Alex Zucco.

- Brad Haugaard

Lunch at Kiku Sushi

Lunch at Kiku Sushi, 670 W. Huntington, just west of Chili's. Got a Jalapeños Bomba (not strictly authentic Japanese) and Kiku's Lunch with chicken teriyaki and spicy albacore roll. Very nice.

- Brad Haugaard