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Kids Learn Music at Music Makers at Library, Sept. 23


Music Makers in Story Room. Monday, Sept. 23, 4 to 5 p.m. Interactive music program for children ages 4-8. Learn rhythm, beat, pitch, tempo through games, songs, and instruments. Music from around the world. No registration required. For information contact: 256-8269 or asimpson@ci.monrovia.ca.us.

- Brad Haugaard

Innovation Lab at Library Wednesday, Sept. 18


Innovation Lab at the Library Story Room, Wednesday, Sept. 18, 3 to 4 p.m. STEAM activities for ages 6-11. Learn, experiment, explore. No registration required. Adults must attend and engage with children. For details contact Josh, 256-8274 or jtuszynski@ci.monrovia.ca.us.

- Brad Haugaard

Makerspace for Kids Today, Sept. 16, at Library


Pop-Up Makerspace for Kids at Library Story Room today 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. Children ages 5-12 create, play, tinker, and learn using various materials and tools. No registration required; drop-in anytime.Every other Monday in September, October, and November.

- Brad Haugaard

City Budget for 2024-25 - $153 Million


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

~ Receive a budget update for fiscal year 2024-25, which projects total revenues of $152.88 million against appropriations of $148.18 million. Details. (In an earlier posted version of this story I stupidly got the income and expenditure numbers mentally reversed, saying the city was in a deficit position.)

~ Consider proclaiming September 15 - October 15, as Hispanic Heritage Month and September as National Preparedness Month.

- Brad Haugaard

Beer, Wine and Music Festival Set for Sept. 28


The Chamber of Commerce will host the 9th annual Beer, Wine, and Music Festival at Library Park on Saturday, Sept. 28, from 4 to 8 p.m. The event will feature local breweries, wineries, and live music. Tickets are $40 presale, $50 at the door, and include 10 tastings. Ages 21+ only. Click here for tickets.

- Brad Haugaard

Community Development Director Craig Jimenez Retiring, Sheri Bermejo to Succeed Him; John Mayer Becoming Planning Manager


Craig Jimenez, Community Development Director, will retire next month after 29 years of service. He joined the city as an administrative intern and held various roles, including nine years as director. Sheri Bermejo will succeed him, with John Mayer becoming Planning Division Manager. Bermejo has 19 years of municipal planning experience; Mayer has worked on key projects since 2018.

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Floral Celebrates 100th Birthday


Monrovia Floral recently celebrated its 100th anniversary. The shop, located at 119 E Olive Ave, has been serving the community since 1924. Owned by Monrovian Gloria Huss, it is known for flower arrangements and excellent customer service. A celebration took place Saturday, September 7.

- Brad Haugaard

Bookmark Design Contest at Library


The Friends of the Library is hosting its annual Bookmark Contest. Open to all ages, the contest invites participants to design a unique bookmark reflecting love for reading and the Library. Submissions are due by Saturday, Oct. 12, with winners notified Nov. 4. Visit the Library for more information.

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Arts Group 'Art Night' Begins Tonight


MAFA’s new Art Night series begins today. Every second Friday from 6 to 9 p.m. artists will display work at Old Town locations. Dates for Old Town Pizza (338 S Myrtle Ave) are Sept. 13, Nov. 8, and Jan. 10, 2025. Grey & Cash (425 S Myrtle Ave) will host on Oct. 11 and Dec. 13. Details

- Brad Haugaard

Job Fair at Adult School Set for Sept. 17


The Community Adult School will host a Job Fair on Tuesday, Sept. 17, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at 920 S Mountain Ave, Room 33. Job seekers can connect with businesses and explore opportunities. Free In-N-Out for the first 200 participants. Register here to secure a spot.

- Brad Haugaard

Dinner at Noodle St


Dinner at Noodle St, in the Vons parking lot at Myrtle and Foothill. Got the spicy beef noodle (rice noodles) soup for $16.50 and a Diet Coke for $2.80. Very good.

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Police: Drugs and Lots of Bad Behavior; Knocking on a Window ... a Roof Window; Pack of Credit and Debit Cards Found; Drunk Flips Car; Etc.

 [Monrovia Police activities from the Police Department's Neighborhood Watch Report for September 5 – 11. - Brad Haugaard]

During the last seven-day period, the Police Department handled 494 service events, resulting in 88 investigations.

Disturbing Subject – Suspect Arrested
September 5 at 12:45 p.m., officers were dispatched to the 800 block of Monterey regarding a female subject walking into yards and looking in windows. Officers arrived and located the female subject. The female showed signs of being under the influence. An investigation revealed she was under the influence. She was arrested and taken into custody.

Wanted Person – Suspect Arrested
September 5 at 7:43 p.m., an officer patrolling the area of Maple and Magnolia saw a vehicle commit a traffic violation. A traffic stop was conducted and the driver was contacted. A computer search revealed the driver was wanted by MPD. A further investigation discovered he was in possession of drug paraphernalia. The driver was arrested and taken into custody.

Drug Activity – Suspect Arrested
September 6 at 1:29 a.m., while patrolling the area of Primrose and Walnut an officer saw a bicyclist commit a violation. The officer conducted a traffic stop and made contact with the bicyclist. An investigation revealed the subject was in possession of drug paraphernalia. The subject was arrested and taken into custody.

Domestic Violence Restraining Order – Suspect Arrested
September 6 at 11:31 a.m., a resident in the 500 block of W. Duarte called to report that her daughter was at her home in violation of a restraining order. Officers arrived and located the daughter. She was arrested and taken into custody.

Vandalism
September 6 at 6:13 p.m., a resident in the 200 block of E. Cherry reported that his ex-girlfriend was outside his residence and she refused to leave. Officers arrived and made contact with the parties involved. This investigation is continuing.

Weapon Offense – Suspect Arrested
September 6 at 7:31 p.m., an officer patrolling the area of Myrtle and Kruse when he saw a motorist commit a vehicle code violation. The officer conducted a traffic stop and made contact with the driver. An investigation revealed the driver was in possession of brass knuckles. The driver was arrested and taken into custody.

Injury Traffic Collision
September 7 at 2:20 a.m., a vehicle traveling in the 1500 block of S. Mayflower at a high rate of speed lost control of the vehicle and collided with two parked cars. The driver was injured during the collision.

Warrant Arrest – Suspect Arrested
September 7 at 10:04 a.m., a resident in the area of Myrtle and Novice flagged down an officer regarding a subject who was slumped over in an alley. Officers located the subject and checked on his well-being. A computer search revealed he had a no-bail warrant. He was arrested and taken into custody.

Intoxication – Suspect Arrested
September 7 at 7:35 p.m., a business in the 400 block of S. Myrtle reported an intoxicated subject outside bothering customers. Officers arrived and contacted a man who was too intoxicated to care for himself. He was arrested and transported to the MPD jail to be held for a sobering period.

Drug Activity – Suspect Arrested
September 7 at 10:27 p.m., an officer patrolling the area of Cypress and Ivy saw a motorist commit a vehicle code violation. The officer conducted a traffic stop and made contact with the driver. An investigation revealed the driver was in possession of a controlled substance. The driver was arrested and taken into custody.

Drug Activity – Suspect Arrested
September 8 at 12:28 a.m., while patrolling the area of Myrtle and Pomona officers saw a motorist commit a vehicle code violation. The officer pulled the vehicle over and discovered the driver was in possession of a controlled substance. The driver was arrested and taken into custody.

Battery
September 8 at 10:53 a.m., a battery was reported in 700 block of Monterey. Officers arrived and made contact with the victim. The suspect was gone prior to officers’ arrival. The victim was transported to a hospital for treatment. This investigation is continuing.

Domestic Violence – Suspect Arrested
September 8 at 11:36 a.m., a victim in the 900 block of W. Colorado reported his partner him to the ground and hit him several times. Officers arrived and detained the suspect. The suspect was arrested and taken into custody.

Petty Theft – Suspect Arrested
September 8 at 4:24 p.m., an employee from a business in the 100 block of W. Foothill reported a male subject walked in and got into an argument with them, took property and left. Officers arrived and located the subject a short distance away. He was arrested and taken into custody.

Grand Theft Auto – Suspect Arrested
September 8 at 10:50 p.m., offices were alerted to a stolen vehicle in the area of Duarte and Fifth. Officers arrived to the area, located the vehicle, conducted a traffic stop and made contact with the driver. The driver was arrested and taken into custody.

Vandalism – Suspect Arrested
September 9 at 2:56 a.m., officers responded to the 100 block of E. Cherry regarding a suspicious person on the property. The suspect was seen on a roof, knocking on the victim's window. The suspect then jumped down onto the victim's vehicle, causing damage. The victim confronted the suspect and a physical altercation ensued. The suspect fled the area prior to officers’ arriving. Shortly after, the suspect was located after nearby residents reported the subject was breaking vehicle windows. Officers arrived and located the subject who was arrested.

Theft
September 9 at 10:14 a.m., a victim in the 1600 block of S. Magnolia called to report that a suspect entered her backyard and stole her bicycle. This investigation is continuing.

Theft
September 9 at 2:42 p.m., a theft was reported in the 600 block of W. Huntington. The victim reported that her wallet was stolen from her purse while she was shopping. This investigation is continuing.

Vandalism
September 9 at 9:40 p.m., a resident in the 600 block of Linwood called to report that she was in a verbal altercation with a subject and later noticed one of her tires was slashed. This investigation is continuing.

Drug Activity – Suspect Arrested
September 10 at 9:10 a.m., an employee from a business in the 700 block of W. Huntington reported a male subject yelling in front of the business and was refusing to leave. Officers arrived and spoke to the subject. An investigation revealed he was in possession of drug paraphernalia. He was arrested, cited and released at the scene.

Vandalism
September 10 at 11:11 a.m., a victim in the 700 block of E. Huntington reported that his girlfriend’s ex-boyfriend vandalized his vehicle. This investigation is continuing.

Found Property
September 10 at 12:15 p.m., a caller in the 900 block of W. Huntington reported finding a pack filled with numerous credit and debit cards with different names. This investigation is continuing.

Mental Evaluation
September 10 at 1:15 p.m., officers were dispatched to the 300 block of W. Huntington regarding a male subject exposing himself. Officers arrived and made contact with the subject. Officers determined that he was unable to care for himself. He was transported to a medical facility for a mental evaluation.

Driving Under the Influence / Traffic Collision – Suspect Arrested
September 11 at 12:08 a.m., a traffic collision was reported in the 200 block of W. Colorado. Officers arrived and located a vehicle turned over. An investigation revealed the driver collided with two vehicle prior to turning over. The driver of the vehicle was at the scene and displayed objective signs and symptoms of being intoxicated. He sustained injuries and was transported to a hospital for treatment.

Crudgington Station Dedicated


A small dedication ceremony was held this morning for Crudgington Station, the building just inside the Monrovia Wilderness Preserve at its Cloverleaf entry point. The ceremony was attended by city council members, city staff, and Gloria Crudgington. The facility will be open to the public and have restrooms for visitors to the preserve.

- Brad Haugaard 

Hart House Closes All Its Restaurants


The vegan fast food restaurant chain, Hart House, which had a restaurant in Monrovia's Huntington Oaks shopping center, has closed all its sites permanently, according to the website Eater LA. The Monrovia restaurant opened in November of 2022. Details.

- Brad Haugaard

9/11 Memorial; No Current Wildfire Threat


City Manager Dylan Feik reports that the city had a simple memorial ceremony today in remembrance of the 9/11 attack. He added that there is currently no threat to Monrovia from the Bridge Fire.

- Brad Haugaard 

Free Eye Care Workshops for Seniors at YMCA


Free eye care workshops for seniors at Monrovia's Santa Anita Family YMCA.

  • Eye Health with Dr. Wong, O.D., Sept. 18, 9:30 - 10:30 a.m.
  • Cataract Workshop with Dr. Obi, O.D. Oct. 16, 9:30 - 10:30 a.m.
  • Glaucoma Workshop with Dr. Tran, O.D. Nov. 12, 8:30 - 9:30 a.m.

Breakfast provided.

- Brad Haugaard

Lobo -The Tail-Waggingest, Fun Lovingest Dog Around


Meet Lobo, one of the wiggliest dogs around! This sweet guy with the always-wagging tail makes fast friends with everyone he meets!

Lobo is about 1 ½ years old, and full of energy and fun. He loves running around the yard and playing, but he finds time for snuggling as well.

Lobo is quite a character - he has so much fun playing with his toys that he usually draws a crowd of onlookers. He runs full speed after any toy thrown his way, then grabs it, rolls onto his back and holds the toy in his front paws to give it a good chew. Then he throws it into the air and runs after it again. No one has more fun than Lobo!

As happy as he is with meeting new people friends, Lobo also seems to like doggy friends, too. He loves meeting new dogs at the shelter, so he would probably do well with a dog companion. Lobo is sure to bring a ton of love and a lot of laughter to his forever home - maybe it’s yours?

The adoption fee for dogs is $150. All dog adoptions include spay or neuter, microchip, and age-appropriate vaccines.

Walk-in adoptions are available every day from 2:00 – 5:00. For those who prefer, adoption appointments are available daily from 10:30 – 1:30, and can be scheduled online. View photos of adoptable pets at pasadenahumane.org.

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

- Brad Haugaard

A Moment in Monrovia History: The Monrovia Steam Laundry in 1905

The Monrovia Steam Laundry around 1905. It was located at 316 S. Myrtle Ave., then moved in 1907 to 727-729 S Myrtle. The officers and directors of the Monrovia Steam Laundry company were all prominent citizens and businessmen of Monrovia, including the following officers: President, C.E. Slosson; vice president, F.N. Hawes; secretary, C.H. Anson. Directors, C.E. Slosson, F.N. Hawes, C.H. Anson, B.R. Davisson and H.J. Thomas. From the Myron Hotchkiss collection. See full details here.

For more historic photos and papers, see the Monrovia Historical Society’s complete Legacy Project collection here. Learn more about the Monrovia Historical Society here.

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Company SiLC Gets Investment From Honda to Develop Car Radar


Monrovia-based SiLC Technologies has received an investment from Honda to develop next-generation FMCW LiDAR. 

LiDAR means Light Detection and Ranging. LiDAR systems use lasers to measure distances and movement in the environment, useful - among other things - for detecting objects ahead of cars. FMCW (Frequency-Modulated Continuous Wave) is a more efficient form of LiDAR.

SiLC, the leading developer of integrated, single-chip FMCW LiDAR solutions, focuses on enabling advanced AI-based machine vision.

"SiLC is the industry leader in FMCW LiDAR research and development, capable of detecting vehicles and obstacles from long distances," said Manabu Ozawa, Managing Executive Officer, Honda Motor Co., Ltd. He added that he believes SiLC's advanced LiDAR technology will help meet the company's goal of zero traffic collision fatalities by 2050.

SiLC's FMCW LiDAR technology addresses critical challenges in vehicle vision, overcoming limitations of current radar and vision systems. It can detect objects at distances of a kilometer or more and measure their velocity accurately.

Dr. Mehdi Asghari, SiLC Technologies CEO, said the investment from Honda will accelerate SiLC's progress toward fully autonomous solutions that enhance safety.

Details.

- Brad Haugaard

Hispanic Heritage Celebration a Library Sept. 14


Hispanic Heritage Month celebration at the Library on Saturday, September 14. Art, crafts, and dance showcasing Latin American cultural traditions. 12 to 2 p.m. in Youth Services Area.  For more information contact: gantunez@monroviaca.gov, 256-8275.

- Brad Haugaard