Register for Monrovia's Fountain to the Falls Run

You can register now for the Fountain to the Falls Run/Walk, which begins Saturday, May 9, at 7 a.m. and goes from the Library Park fountain to the waterfall in Monrovia Canyon Park... and back. http://goo.gl/6JAzwQ

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Council: City Reorganization; Huntington Drive Median Design

At its March 3 meeting (agenda: http://goo.gl/qy1tbt ), the Monrovia City Council will ...

~ Consider reorganizing some city departments. You can see the proposed changes here ( http://goo.gl/5n8Zgr ). Scroll down to page seven to see charts of the proposed reorganization.

~ Contract with Lawrence R. Moss & Associates for landscape architectural design services related to Huntington Drive Median Improvement Project in an amount not to exceed $8,500. http://goo.gl/Kjd6CF

- Brad Haugaard

Personal Finance Class at Monrovia Library | Creation Class at Calvary Road Baptist Church

~ Calvary Road Baptist Church will sponsor a series of personal finance classes called "Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University" at the Monrovia Public Library. Class starts Thursday, March 12 at 7 p.m. Contact coordinator Jackie Glover for information: 386-3549.

~ Dr. Jonathan Sarfati, of Creation Ministries International, will present a seminar on creation called, "Design, Deluge and Dilemma" at 10:45 a.m. on Sunday, March 8, at Calvary Road Baptist Church, at 319 West Olive in Monrovia.

- Brad Haugaard

Fox Visits Jake's Roadhouse | 70s Style Fundraiser for Monrovia's Y

~ Fox LA has dinner out at Jake's Roadhouse in Monrovia. http://goo.gl/ZAs5K7

~ A 70s Party fundraiser for Monrovia's Santa Anita Family YMCA. Buffet dinner, trivia games. At Rudy's Mexican Restaurant, March 14, 5-11 p.m. $50 per person. Wear your bell bottoms.

- Brad Haugaard

Refinished Furniture Store Coming to Monrovia

A new store featuring refinished furniture called Knot Too Shabby is planned for the building at the southeast corner of Palm and Myrtle, in the former L&G Fashion & Boutique. That, according to Gem City Images. http://goo.gl/1QJ8OT

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Police: Domestic Violence, Theft of Car, Motorcycle

[Monrovia Police activities from the Police Department's Neighborhood Watch Report for February 23-25. - Brad Haugaard]

During the last seven-day period, the Police Department handled 386 service events, resulting in 81 investigations.

Grand Theft Auto
February 24 at 2:58 a.m., and officer responded to the 1500 block of Alamitas regarding the report of a stolen vehicle. The victim parked his vehicle at about 12:30 a.m. on the street and left his vehicle unlocked. He noticed his vehicle missing at 2:58 a.m. and called police. The vehicle taken is a tan, 1996 Honda Accord. The investigation is continuing.

Grand Theft of a Motorcycle
February 25 at 8:44 p.m., a motorcycle was reported stolen in the 100 block of Fig. The motorcycle is a blue, 2009 Harley Davidson Street Glide. The motorcycle was last seen in front of the residence. The victim accounted for all sets of keys. The investigation is continuing.

Domestic Violence – Suspect Arrested
February 25 at 10:47 p.m., an officer was dispatched to a residence in the 300 block of East Palm regarding a domestic disturbance. A male and female subject who have been in a dating relationship and have lived together for 8 years became involved in an argument. During the argument, the male subject threw the female to the ground and punched her in the back of the head, causing a minor injury. The male suspect was arrested for domestic violence and served with a temporary restraining order.

'Works on Paper' Show at Monrovia's Saga Fine Art


"Works on Paper," a display of watercolor, pastel, and pencil at Saga Fine Art through March 27, at 110 West Lime.

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia High to Host Drum Competition

This weekend the Monrovia High School band will be hosting the SCPA (Southern California Percussion Alliance) drumline competition. This is a two-day event with 60 ensembles from various junior high, high schools and colleges. This competition will take place at the school's event center (new gym) on Saturday February 28, 2-8:30 p.m. and Sunday March 1, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Tickets are $10 at the event center box office throughout the weekend.

Monrovia Reads Fundraiser

Monrovia Reads fundraiser, March 5, 6-9 p.m. at Doubletree, 924 W. Huntington, Monrovia. Drawing, auction. Tickets $5 each or 5 for $20. Call Diane Delmatoff at 303-6600 to register.

Monrovia Boys Soccer In Round Two of Playoffs | Great Art at Elementary Schools

~ Monrovia Boys Soccer has beaten St. Margaret, advance to round two of CIF playoffs. http://goo.gl/UepqAO

~ Students at Monroe Elementary recreate a Diego Rivera masterpiece.  Blue Boy up next at Wildrose. http://goo.gl/4iNFeb

- Brad Haugaard

Rainy Days Coming for Monrovia

20% chance of rain Friday, 80% Saturday, 60% Sunday, 30% Monday, 20% Tuesday and 40% Wednesday. http://goo.gl/EoYLBr

- Brad Haugaard

Power Outage on Mayflower

Reader Brad Hori reports a problem on Mayflower just north of the freeway. He said the power went for the shopping center and most of the area, but was back on about 20 minutes later. Thanks for the tip and photo, Brad.

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Police: Arrested for Going Through Trash; Drunk; Drunk; Drunk; Stolen Cars; Etc.

[Monrovia Police activities from the Police Department's Neighborhood Watch Report for February 19-22. - Brad Haugaard]

Following are the weekend’s highlighted issues and events.

Warrant – Suspect Arrested
February 19 at 7:00 a.m., an officer was sent to the 1400 block of Pilgrim Way on the report of a subject going through a resident’s trash. The subject was contacted by police and found to have several warrants for his arrest. The subject was arrested and taken into custody for the warrants.

Public Intoxication – Suspect Arrested
February 19 at 9:35 a.m., a disturbing subject was reported in the 300 block of Huntington. An officer responded and upon contact, determined the subject was too intoxicated to care for his own safety. The subject was arrested for public intoxication and held for sobering.

Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol / Injury Traffic Collision – Suspect Arrested
February 20 at 2:27 a.m., officers were dispatched to the intersection of Mayflower and Duarte regarding an injury traffic collision. The investigation revealed one of the drivers was driving under the Influence of alcohol. The driver was arrested and taken into custody.

Driving Under of the Influence of Alcohol – Suspect Arrested
February 20 at 6:00 a.m., an officer stopped a vehicle for a vehicle code violation in the 300 block of West Colorado. Through investigation, the officer determined the driver was driving under the Influence of alcohol. The driver was arrested and taken into custody.

Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol – Suspect Arrested
February 21 at 1:42 a.m., an officer stopped a vehicle for a vehicle code violation. The driver, a 19-year-old female, was determined to be driving under the influence of alcohol and was arrested and taken into custody.

Grand Theft Auto
February 21 at 7:18 a.m., an officer responded to the 100 block of Spanner regarding a vehicle theft. The vehicle taken was a black Honda Civic. The vehicle was stolen sometime after 10:30 p.m. and was noticed missing the following morning at 7:30 a.m. The investigation is continuing.

Grand Theft Auto
February 21 at 12:09 p.m., an officer was dispatched to the 300 block of Evergreen regarding a grand theft auto. The victim’s friend parked his white Acura with gray fenders on the street. The vehicle was stolen between 6:30 to 8:30 a.m. The Investigation is continuing.

Burglary Vehicle
February 21 at 4:32 p.m., a vehicle burglary was reported in the 100 block of North Ivy. The victim left her purse and mail inside her car and did not lock it before she went into her home. When she returned in the morning, the items were missing. The investigation is continuing.

Stolen Vehicle
February 21 at 4:35 p.m., a vehicle was reported stolen from the 1200 block of Primrose. The vehicle stolen was a blue Acura Integra. The vehicle was stolen sometime over night. The victim went out to his car in the morning and it was gone from its parking space. The investigation is continuing.

Monrovia's Xencor Plans 5.5 million Stock Offer

Monrovia's Xencor (antibody and protein biotherapeutics) plans to offer up to 5.5 million shares of its common stock for sale. http://goo.gl/f3DixU

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia a Good City For Renters

A new report by consumer finance site NerdWallet says Monrovia is the ninth best city in Southern California for renters. It is 20.1 times cheaper to rent in Monrovia than to buy here. 49.5% of Monrovia rent rather than own their residences. http://goo.gl/TIx2TT

- Brad Haugaard

Police Still Working to Solve old Monrovia Gang Killing

Police still working to solve 2008 Monrovia gang killing. http://goo.gl/pmafeH

- Brad Haugaard

Peek Through a Telescope Next Saturday at Monrovia's Library Park

Jane Houston Jones reports that, eather permitting, the Monrovia Old Town Sidewalk Astronomers will be out with their telescopes in Monrovia next Saturday the 28th. Starting at about 6 p.m. for 2-2.5 hours. Usually the group meets at the southeast corner of Library Park, near Lime and Myrtle, and they're happy to let you peek through their telescopes at whatever is visible that night.

- Brad Haugaard

Preliminary Financial Contribution Reports for Monrovia Council Race

While very preliminary, initial campaign contribution reports show that so far City Council candidate Scott Austin has raised the most money, $5239.13. Details:

- Scott Austin's campaign for city council has received $1,028.52 from Debbie Austin, $3,000 from Monrovia Firefighters Local 2415 and $1,210.61 from the California Professional Firefighters Political Action Committee in Sacramento.

- Mayor Mary Ann Lutz's campaign has received $5,000 from herself and her husband.

- Becky Shevlin's campaign received $5,000 from Chris Shevlin.

City Clerk Alice Atkins writes that these are preliminary reports and that, "The rest of the candidates filed stating they spent or received less than $1,000 in 2014 (FPPC Form 470). I have not included those statements, as it does not require any itemized reporting - just that declaration.

"The next reporting period for candidates with committees ends February 28 and is due on March 5. I expect more candidates who established their committees after January 1 to be filing at that time."

- Brad Haugaard

Options for Opening Cloverleaf Entrance to Wilderness Area Should Come Before Council In March

I asked Monrovia Community Services Director Tina Cherry for an update on progress opening the Cloverleaf entry point to the Hillside Wilderness Preserve. She wrote back to say:

"We have been in discussions with the impacted property owners at Cloverleaf and did in fact meet with both affected parties in person recently. We are still attempting to develop a resolution that will be acceptable to all involved and we plan on discussing potential options with the City Council in March.  Of course, given the nature of property negotiations, the conversation with the City Council will initially occur in a closed session format."

- Brad Haugaard

Catch Mars and Venus Together Tonight

The Monrovia Old Town Sidewalk Astronomers reports: Look west just as soon as it gets dark tonight (Friday) and tomorrow night too and see a pretty pairing of Mars and Venus! They are closer than they've been in half a dozen years.  Tonight you'll see the slender crescent moon just below the pair, and tomorrow night the moon will be a little bigger crescent above the planets.

- Brad Haugaard

Former Interim Monrovia City Manager Gets New Interim Gig

Former interim Monrovia City Manager Fran Delach has been hired as interim executive director of the San Gabriel Valley Council of Governments. http://goo.gl/4xmkAH

- Brad Haugaard

Class Size Report for Monrovia Schools

At its next meeting (agenda: http://goo.gl/nm6qZS ) the Monrovia School Board will hear a report on average class size. Summary: Average for K-5 classes is 27.84. For middle school it's 28.45, and for Monrovia High it is 30. Highest elementary class size is the fifth grade class at Monroe, with 35. Details: http://goo.gl/JBk3IQ

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia's Resistor Records in the News

Monrovia's Resistor Records gets some love from LA Weekly, which calls the little store on Myrtle (west side, just south of Lemon), "Los Angeles County's most lovingly curated record shop." And if you don't know what a "record" is, ask your parents. http://goo.gl/3LjrCh

- Brad Haugaard

Dinner at London Gastropub


Dinner at London Gastropub, on the west side of Myrtle just south of Lime. Got the Butter Burger for $10 and a beer for $6. Cheerful place with music. Burger was fine. 

- Brad Haugaard

Tom Gulley Withdraws from City Council Race

Monrovia City Council candidate has announced that he has withdrawn from the council race. He writes:

"Just to let you know that I did withdraw my name from the race for City Council. ... I'm sorry for any inconvenience that this might of caused you."

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Police: Stripping to Fool Police; Hit and Run - On Foot; Etc.

[Monrovia Police activities from the Police Department's Neighborhood Watch Report for Highlighted Activity for February 16-18. - Brad Haugaard]

During the last seven-day period, the Police Department handled 419 service events, resulting in 73 investigations.

Resisting and Delaying a Peace Officer / Grand Theft / No-Bail Warrant – Suspect Arrested
February 16 at 7:06 p.m., a bicycle was stolen from the front of a business in the 100 block of East Olive. Officers responded to the area and located the suspect riding the bicycle. When the suspect noticed the patrol cars, he immediately rode in the opposite direction. As the suspect was riding, he began taking off his outer garments in an attempt to confuse the officers. One of the officers was able to stop the suspect, but he attempted to flee and tried to hide behind a retaining wall. The suspect would not comply with the officer’s commands until other officers arrived to assist. He was then taken into custody without incident. The suspect also had an outstanding no-bail warrant issued for his arrest, which was added to his charges.

Possession of a Controlled Substance / Possession of Drug Paraphernalia – Suspect Arrested
February 16 at 11:05 p.m., an officer on patrol observed a suspicious male subject riding a bicycle in a park in the 600 block of South Shamrock. When the subject noticed the police vehicle, he rode in the opposite direction, and the officer lost sight of the subject as he went around a corner. The officer searched the area, found the subject and contacted him. As a result of the investigation, the subject was found to be in possession of a controlled substance and drug paraphernalia. The subject was arrested and taken into custody.

Grand Theft Auto / Vehicle Burglary
February 17 at 6:34 a.m., a vehicle was reported stolen from an apartment complex in the 100 block of West Olive. The vehicle taken was a black, 4-door, 1995 Toyota Avalon. During the investigation, an officer discovered a vehicle parked in a nearby alley with the driver's side window down and the steering column damaged, with wires exposed. The owner of the vehicle lives in same complex as the victim of the stolen vehicle. The owner was contacted and confirmed his GPS system was stolen from the vehicle. It appears the suspect attempted to steal the vehicle, but couldn’t get the vehicle started. It is unknown if the crimes were committed by the same suspect. The investigation is continuing.

Bicycle Theft
February 17 at 7:19 p.m., a bicycle was reported stolen from the 800 block of South Primrose. The victim parked his truck in front of the location and walked into a building. He left his bicycle in the bed of his truck; it was tied down, but not locked. When he returned to his truck about an hour later, the bicycle was gone. The bicycle is described as a black, 16-speed, street bike, with a sticker on the frame with red and white lettering on it. The investigation is continuing.

Hit and Run Traffic Collision – Suspects Arrested
February 17 at 7:41 p.m., a vehicle exited the 210 Freeway at Myrtle and Evergreen at a high rate of speed. The vehicle jumped the curb, went up on the sidewalk and hit a gas station sign. The occupants of the vehicle all exited and fled. Police dispatch received numerous calls reporting the location of the suspects. Two of them were pointed out to responding officers by witnesses and were arrested. The driver of the vehicle was not initially located. An area check was being made, when dispatch received calls reporting a male subject running on the freeway, approaching Mountain. An officer responded and detained the suspect at gunpoint until backup arrived. The suspect was determined to be extremely intoxicated, and he admitted to being the driver of the vehicle involved in the hit and run. He was arrested and taken into custody.

Possession of a Controlled Substance / Possession of Drug Paraphernalia / Littering – Suspect Arrested
February 18 at 8:37 a.m., a resident reported a suspicious male subject emptying the contents of a bag onto the sidewalk in the area of Melrose and Foothill. The contents of the bag appeared more likely to belong to a female, according to the reporting party. Officers responded and contacted the subject. After investigation, the officer determined the subject had not stolen anything and was in possession of his own property; however, he was in possession of a usable quantity of methamphetamine and a glass smoking pipe. In addition, the officer observed him walking away from trash he had dumped on the sidewalk prior to making contact with him. He was arrested for drug possession, possession of drug paraphernalia and for littering.

Assault
February 18 at 3:22 p.m., a gas company employee was parked in his marked vehicle and in uniform, when a resident in the 500 block of East Los Angeles drove up in his vehicle and verbally confronted him about parking in the space on the public street. The resident was very agitated and said the space was his. He proceeded to use verbal obscenities toward the gas company employee and then swerved his vehicle toward him to intimidate him. He then parked his car and walked toward his home, intentionally bumping into the gas company employee as he passed, continuing to berate him verbally. An officer was requested, but the suspect left the location before the officer arrived. As the officers were not able to speak directly to the suspect, the investigation will continue and a verified complaint with the District Attorney’s Office may be filed. The investigation is continuing.

Pieology Pizza Coming to Monrovia

Gem City Images reports that Pieology, a build it yourself pizza place is going into the location formerly occupied by Daphne's. http://goo.gl/iWFIAC

- Brad Haugaard

Vaccination Discussion in Sierra Madre

On February 26 at 6:30 p.m., Assemblymember Chris Holden, who represents Monrovia, is joining health professionals for a community forum on vaccinations. Topics: Who should get the vaccine? How well-vaccinated is your child's school? Concerns about the safety of the vaccine. At the Sierra Madre City Hall, Council Chamber, 232 Sierra Madre Blvd., Sierra Madre.

- Brad Haugaard

Easter Egg Hunt and Fountain to the Falls Race Planned

~ The Annual Easter Egg Hunt and Healthy Kids Day Event will be held on Saturday, April 4, at 10 a.m., at Recreation Park. Registration for all egg hunts will begin at 9:45 a.m. Activities include arts and crafts, face painting, carnival games, refreshments, wellness activities, demonstrations, toddler activities, teen activities, music, and a visit from the Easter Bunny.

~ The fifth annual 7-mile out-and-back Fountain to the Falls Run/Walk from the Library Park Fountain to the Canyon Park waterfall will be held on Saturday, May 9, at 7 a.m. First through third place awards will be given for each age category. The race is limited to 325 participants. Advance registration is required. The $35 entry fee includes a participation ribbon and a t-shirt. Registration will only be accepted on-line at www.cityofmonrovia.org [although right now I can't find anywhere to register on the site - Brad]. No late starts or unregistered participants. Registration will be accepted through May 6, or until filled. For more information, contact the Department of Community Services at 256-8246.

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Robotics Team Advances to Regional Competition


The Kings and Queens Robotics Team

Their robot, Sir Lancelot.

Ten students from Monrovia High School and their purple robot “Sir Lancelot” were one of the top teams at the Los Angeles FTC (FIRST Tech Challenge) Regional Championship Tournament held in Monrovia this past Saturday. Along with seven other teams from across Southern California they qualified to advance to compete with 71 top teams from twelve western states at the West Super-Regional FTC Robotics Championship to be held at the Oakland Convention Center March 27-29. Teams at the West Super-Regional will compete for the chance to go on to the FIRST Robotics World Championship to be held in St. Louis in April.

The “Kings and Queens” team, made up of four seniors, one sophomore and five freshmen, designed and built their own 18 by 18 inch robot from t-slot channel, Plexiglas, and machined aluminum to compete with alliances of robots on a 12 by 12 foot playing field. They stand out not just for their driving skill, design prowess, and their robot’s ability to quickly scoop up baseball-sized whiffle balls and deposit them in four-foot-high goals. Heads turn when they take the field dressed in their signature costumes of purple velvet gold-embroidered renaissance dresses for the girls and fur-trimmed black velvet jerkins with purple capes for the boys. They also spread the word of robotics design as they share their robot adventures with students around Monrovia as well as mentor other middle and elementary school robotics teams.

Engineer and computer programming judges from major regional companies chose the team from among a field of the top 48 FTC robotics teams from throughout Southern California as a "role-model" team for their on-field success, teamwork, inspiration to others, representation of the First Robotics program to their school and community, and embodiment of "Gracious Professionalism," the core value of the FIRST program. They were named as second runner-up for the Inspire Award, the top award given at the tournament. On the playing field the Kings and Queens were outstanding with their alliance finishing second in the tournament overall.

This is the second year in a row that the Kings and Queens team has advanced to the Western Super-Regional Championship. Last season the team went on to compete in the FIRST Robotics World Championship in St. Louis where they finished ranked 100th overall for the season out of nearly 4000 FTC robotics teams worldwide. Monrovia High School Robotics advanced all five of its teams to the Los Angeles Regional Championship, which drew winners from eight qualifier competitions held across Southern California in December and January. This high school FTC after-school program is one of many opportunities supporting STEM education (science, technology, engineering, and math) in conjunction with Monrovia High’s Math and Science Academy.

The Monrovia High School FTC robotics program seeks tax-deductible donations and company sponsorships to help cover the cost of sending The Kings and Queens to Sacramento and hopefully on to St. Louis. Donations may be made at the team’s GoFundMe page at http://www.gofundme.com/kingsandqueens2015

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Council Members Ask for Report on Loss of $927,000 Grant

At tonight's Monrovia City Council meeting council member Tom Adams noted the loss by the city of a grant of $927,000 for fixing up the old train depot (apparently referring to this: http://goo.gl/79oQEF ) and asked for a staff report on the matter. "There may be other money at risk," he said. Mayor Mary Ann Lutz repeated Adams request, asking for a "full, detailed report."

- Brad Haugaard

Reader Challenges Monrovia Campaigns to Keep it Civilized

I received a note from MonroviaNow reader Janet Wall lamenting the tone of the current council/mayor race on social media sites, such as Facebook. She asks, "If the tone of the campaign is this hostile this early, how bad will it be as the election date gets closer?"

She challenges candidates to:

Run a civilized and respectful campaign
- Stick to the issues
- Do not engage in personal attacks on your opponent
- Discourage “anonymous” postings on social media as most mean-spirited posts come from anonymous posts

Think of the long term good of the city
- Will mean spirited and untrue comments help the City when the campaign is over?
- Will remarks that are made by candidates, and their supporters, make it impossible for people who supported different candidates to work or volunteer together after the campaign?
- Will the tone of this campaign reflect the values of the City and will it make the citizens of Monrovia proud of its leaders and future leaders?

She says, "Let’s not allow this election to tear the community apart."

COMMENT: I've not seen nasty comments by the candidates themselves, though I have seen some from their supporters. I do allow anonymous postings on MonroviaNow.com and have had some minimal problems as a result. I bleeped one comment and wrote a warning in another instance. I allow anonymous postings because I don't want to put any hurdles in the way of people making their voices heard, and so far it has not gotten out of hand, so at the moment I'll keep it the way it is, but I agree with Janet Wall, please keep it civil.

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Police: Car Wash Crash With Injuries; Drunk Driving; Take Keys from Locker, Steal Car

[Monrovia Police activities from the Police Department's Neighborhood Watch Report for Highlighted Activity for February 12-15. - Brad Haugaard]

Following are the weekend’s highlighted issues and events.

Injury Traffic Collision
February 13 at 3:41 p.m., officers responded to an injury traffic collision involving multiple vehicles and victims at a car wash in the 900 block of East Huntington Drive. The collision involved an adult, male driver of a Toyota Camry who was attempting to exit an express car wash. The driver lost control of his vehicle and collided into four cars that were parked on the property. A 10-year-old boy was standing near the collision scene and was struck by one of the vehicles, knocking him to the ground. The boy sustained a head injury and was taken to a hospital for treatment. He was listed in serious, but stable, condition. The boy’s 3-year-old sister was in a child restraint car seat inside the vehicle. She sustained minor bruising on her face and was also taken to a hospital for treatment. The mother of the two children was vacuuming the vehicle and sustained bruising on her upper body. She did not desire medical treatment at the scene.

During the course of this multi-vehicle collision, a white Toyota Rav-4 was also struck by the driver of the Toyota Camry. An adult woman was drying off this vehicle when it was struck, and she sustained injuries to the right side of her body. She was taken to a local hospital for treatment. She was listed in stable condition. The driver of the Toyota Camry sustained a minor injury to his nose. His 8-year-old son was in the back seat and complained of pain to his right arm. He was treated at the scene by paramedics. The driver of the Toyota Camry and his 8-year-old son were not taken to the hospital. There was no indication of alcohol or drugs related to this traffic collision.

The 10-year-old boy’s parents were contacted by police later in the week, and they reported that the child is home recovering and is doing well.

Driving Under the Influence – Suspect Arrested
February 14 at 12:55 a.m., an officer on patrol saw a vehicle run a red light in the 500 block of South Myrtle. The investigation revealed that the driver was under the influence of alcohol. The driver was arrested and taken into custody.

Hit and Run Injury Traffic Collision
February 14 at 5:22 p.m., an injury hit and run traffic collision was reported in the area of Huntington and Magnolia. A witness provided a description of the suspect vehicle as a Grey Volkswagen Jetta with major front end damage. Witnesses said the vehicle had Mexico plates. The suspect vehicle was not located. The investigation is continuing.

Driving Under the Influence – Suspect Arrested
February 15 at 1:55 a.m., an officer on patrol stopped a vehicle in the area of Foothill and Primrose for making a right turn on a red against a posted sign. During the contact, the driver was determined to be driving under the influence and was arrested.

Grand Theft Auto
February 15 at 1:06 p.m., an officer responded to a business in the 500 block of South Mountain regarding a vehicle theft that just occurred. The vehicle taken was a silver, 4-door, 2002 BMW. Further investigation revealed that the suspect entered a locker room and cut the victim's lock. He then took the victim’s backpack, which contained the victim’s car keys, from the locker and stole the victim’s vehicle from the parking lot. The investigation is continuing.

Opera Animata, 'Resonant Witness,' Youth Discussion Group at St. Luke Church

~ Opera Animata returns on March 20 and 21, from 8 to 10 p.m., with two performances of Orfeo ed Euridice. The staged production with chamber orchestra offers a twist on Gluck's famous setting of the classic Greek myth about love and hell. At St. Luke Church. Tickets at operaanimata.com.

~ San Gabriel Valley Choral Company will present Resonant Witness at 7:30 p.m. on March 28. Featuring music by J. S. Bach, Dvorak, Coleridge-Taylor, Hailstork, and Robles, Resonant Witness weaves a musical tapestry of the civil rights movement, the Trail of Tears, the crucifixion and other poignant images in a choral journey from grief, loss and injustice toward hope, healing, and reconciliation. Tickets available here: http://goo.gl/I04h6X . At St. Luke Church. More at sgvccsingers.org.

~ A new Youth on the Way program is launching at St. Luke Episcopal Church as a discussion gathering for people 12 to 18 to "create a safe place where kids can make new friends and talk about what's really going on in their lives and how God fits in." The group meets the second and fourth Sundays of the month at 4 p.m. in the church library.

Monrovia Candidate Statements

Here are all the Monrovia candidate statements I received before the deadline (midnight last night), in alphabetical order.

Mayor
Leonard Holen
Mary Ann Lutz
Tom Adams

City Council
Becky Shevlin
Chris Ziegler
Clifford DeCosta
Gloria Crudgington
Jordan Kittleson
Robert Parry
Scott Austin
Stephen Grollnek
Tom Gulley (I did not receive a candidate statement from Mr. Gulley).

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Boys Soccer in CIF Playoffs

Monrovia vs. South Pasadena in boys CIF soccer playoffs? http://goo.gl/dsjjs6

- Brad Haugaard

Chris Ziegler Election Statement - Running for Monrovia City Council


As a 20-year Monrovia resident, homeowner and volunteer, I am running for City Council because I care about Monrovia’s future.


My experience as a Navy veteran and former financial services IT professional taught me valuable problem-solving skills and the ability to anticipate challenges. I will ask tough questions, prioritize issues and provide the vision to move Monrovia forward, promising to:
  • Value your input, serve you honestly, and restore integrity to Monrovia’s business and political processes. Anything less is unacceptable!
  • Hold town-hall meetings, building a more effective, connected and informed citizenry.
  • Employ experienced resources, crafting smarter policy, building long-term financial prosperity.
  • Seek partnerships with higher-levels of government, addressing macro concerns. We must end Clean Water mandate opposition and capitalize on funding sources to build a cleaner, safer, more enjoyable Monrovia.
  • Work toward more than just a park for residents in “southern” Monrovia. Our city’s fabric must be re-woven to value and include ALL constituents equally.
My volunteer experience is exceptional (see www.Ziegler4Council.com).

I encourage you to contact me directly and seek-out individuals who know me personally. What I lack in endorsements from current city government, I make up for with broader vision, grass-roots hard work and dedication to a better Monrovia. If you are satisfied with the status quo, then vote for who they support. If you believe Monrovia deserves a new approach, use your voice and vote to insist on change, moving Monrovia into the future: a future where your representatives are honest and direct, where they responsibly administer the important service they are tasked with delivering, and where OUR TAX DOLLARS are not abandoned in Sacramento or Washington for other cities to appropriate.

We are ALL invested in this great city. Let’s work together, making it even better! Humbly, I ask for your vote.

Becky Shevlin Election Statement - Running for Monrovia City Council


BECKY A. SHEVLIN, INCUMBENT FOR 
RE-ELECTION TO THE MONROVIA  CITY COUNCIL

It has been an honor to serve Monrovia for the past six years. I pledge to remain connected and informed in working together to meet the needs of all my fellow Monrovians. My commitments include:

Council Representative
  • Adopt-A-School; Clifton Middle School  
  • Community Services Commission Liaison; past Commissioner serving 11 years 
  • Foothill Transit Executive Board Member
  • Mayor Pro Tem (2013/2015)
  • Monrovia Old Town Advisory Board
  • Southern California Association of Governments and its Community, Economic & Housing Development Committee
  • SG Valley Council of Governments Housing Committee VP
  • Alternate –
          - Foothill Workforce Investment Board
         - LA County Sanitation Districts 15/22
         - SG Valley Council of Governments
         - San Gabriel Valley Economic Partnership

Community
  • Friends of the Monrovia Library
  • Monrovia Historic Preservation Group
  • Monrovia Association of Fine Arts Board Member
  • Monrovia Reads Board Member since 2003 and Past President 2008 and 2009
  • Monrovia Community Coordinating Council Member 17 Years; serving two terms each in all Executive Board positions; current Calendar Coordinator
  • Monrovia Chamber BEACON; Secretary; past Chamber Board Member; President 2007  
  • Monrovia Guild – Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles 
  • Organize and participate in clean-up events and Make-a-Difference Days 
  • LA County Commission for Women Commissioner; current President
  • Sunday School Teacher ongoing 34 Years 
  • Supporter of numerous other Community Groups/Organizations
I believe I am qualified, prepared, and committed to represent and work with you to address and balance growing economic and regulatory challenges while also diligently working to preserve our rich heritage and sense of community to collectively assure a prosperous future for all Monrovians. I humbly ask for your vote on April 14th and always encourage you to contact me directly at (626)253-0072 or beckyshevlin@gmail.com with any comments, questions, or concerns you may have. Also please see my website www.beckyshevlin.com and Facebook page, Becky Shevlin for City Council.

Monrovia Wrestler to State Championships | Rain?

~ Monrovia High wrestler Brianna Dominguez took third place in the CIF Finals and has earned a trip to the State Championships in Visalia in 2 weeks. http://goo.gl/GBEsg7

~ 60% chance of rain next Wednesday. http://goo.gl/qNSzD8

- Brad Haugaard

Leonard Holen Election Statement - Running for Monrovia Mayor


LEONARD HOLEN
Candidate for Mayor of Monrovia

Dear Friends and Neighbors,
I am running for Mayor of the City of Monrovia because I believe we each have a responsibility to make the world a better place in his or her own way. I am going door to door meeting people and shaking hands.

First, I would like to share with you all a few facts about myself. I was born on a farm in the Midwest and, as a child, moved to a small town. Small town values and common sense were instilled in me by my parents and family. I served in the U. S. Army for eight years and a veteran of the Gulf War. I am married to my wife, Rocio Holen, have one son that is married and has two children who are also residents of Monrovia.

I am an elected Trustee with the Veterans of Foreign Wars, Post 2070, and a member in good standing of the American Legion. Each month I volunteer to feed the homeless. My dedication to community service and desire is to do what is best for the City of Monrovia. This has  motivated me to run for Mayor.

Some of the programs I would like to institute as Mayor of the City of Monrovia are:
- Institute a women's shelter for Veteran's with Children
- Installation of community pocket parks and gardens
- Collaboration with water district and city to install sustainable landscaping for water conservation

A vote for me, Leonard W. Holen, as Mayor of Monrovia is a vote for our City. 

See you in the neighborhood,                                                                                         

Leonard Holen

Gloria Crudgington Election Statement - Running for Monrovia City Council


Gloria Crudgington

Candidate for City Council

I am running for City Council because I am deeply concerned about the following issues:

·        I attended the 2014 City Council Budget Study Sessions (10 sessions over 9 months, not videotaped), the only member of the public that attended regularly.  I learned that we have $38 Million in unfunded deferred maintenance and budgeted only $300,000 to fix it.  At this rate, it would take 125 years to fix everything, assuming nothing else breaks.  In other words, we balance the budget by essentially ignoring the deferred maintenance.

·        Despite assurances from City officials that our zoning codes protected us from Arcadia-style McMansions, they don’t.  Please visit my website, www.GloriaCrudgington.com, to view the Youtube video that led to the temporary moratorium.  I am a 17-year Monrovia Historic Preservation Group Board Member and activist.  New construction must be compatible with our neighborhoods.  Who you elect will determine the future of our architectural heritage.

·        Last year, we were told we didn’t receive a grant to restore our historic train depot.  That was untrue.  (Visit my website to view another Youtube video, “Monrovia Train Depot Disaster.”) The City lost a $927,000 grant to restore our train depot.   According to a note sent to me by Interim City Manager Fran Delach last year, the grant was “neglected,”  “the funds had to be returned to the MTA,” and the employee responsible for the project was terminated by the City.”  This would mean the grant loss was not “deliberate” or “thoughtful,” as recently described by the City.

In the past year, these circumstances have turned me, an 11-year Community Services Commissioner, former Citizen of the Year and dedicated volunteer, into a whistle blower.  I refer you to my website for my additional credentials, and I ask for your vote. 

Monrovia Council: Maintenance Issues; Finances; Dial-a-Ride

At the next City Council meeting (agenda: http://goo.gl/8tFkpp ) the Council will consider a number of maintenance issues:

- Mud and Debris Removal in the Madison Fire Area.

- A contract for design and construction management services for the Huntington Drive median.

- A contract for the preparation of a citywide street reconstruction plan.

Also, a report on city finances. Summary: Looking a bit better with a few glitches: http://goo.gl/GHhUz9

And, the city may purchase up to four new Dial-a-Ride vehicles: http://goo.gl/KESl8n

- Brad Haugaard

Crab House and Bakery, And More Pizza, for Monrovia

Apparently there will be a new restaurant at 941 West Duarte Road called "Momo Crab house and Bakery." Interesting combination. And another, at 400 W. Huntington Drive (Sprouts shopping area, I believe), called Papa Murphy's Pizza. The Monrovia Development Review Committee will consider proposed signs for the businesses. http://goo.gl/iZLzIj

- Brad Haugaard

Author Compiling Visual History of Monrovia | Injuries in Car Wash Crash


~ If you have any vintage photographs, postcards or stories of Monrovia, local author Melanie Frick would like to communicate with you about a photographic history of Monrovia she is assembling to include in a book to be published by Arcadia Publishing. To share your photographs and stories, please contact Melanie Frick at monroviamelanie@gmail.com by March 13, 2015.

~ Several people injured in accident at Monrovia car wash. http://goo.gl/3s60ka

- Brad Haugaard

Former Monrovia Teacher Dies | New Businesses | Maryknoll Sister Celebrates 60 Years

~ Notable former Monrovia teacher dies. Marianne Krackhart Campbell: http://goo.gl/9qCQwM

~ New businesses coming to Old Town Monrovia: http://goo.gl/gDzhAV

~ Monrovian, Sister Josephine Magoffin Lucker, has celebrated 60 years as a Maryknoll Sister. http://goo.gl/pM2c3p

- Brad Haugaard

Robert Parry Election Statement - Running for Monrovia City Council


As I have knocked on doors to talk to Monrovians from 5th Avenue to Bradbury Drive to Hillcrest to Encino Place, I have heard many concerns about our special community. Concerns like crime, streets without stripes potholes, empty store fronts and fears of traffic from the Gold Line. We must address our massive deferred maintenance backlog, preserve our natural and historic ambiance, and budget carefully.

I’m proud to be endorsed by community leaders like Councilmembers Tom Adams & Alex Blackburn; Former Mayors Rob Hammond, State Senator Dick Mountjoy and John Nobrega; activists Gwendolyn Jones and Jimmy Oballes; and the Monrovia Police Officers’ Association.

My qualifications include:
- Small-business owner; 20 years in marketing and finance
- Master’s degree in business from USC; bachelors in journalism from the University of La Verne
- Military reserve officer: three combat tours; currently responsible for 120 Soldiers & $10 million in government property
- Community activist and proven City hall fighter
- Member of Monrovia Library Park Conduct Committee
- VFW Post 2070 Senior Vice Commander
- Father of a pre-schooler
- San Gabriel Valley native

My priorities are simple:

  1. Prioritize fiscal responsibility & public safety
  2. Preserve Monrovia’s unique character and appearance
  3. Maintain our infrastructure.
  4. Economic development and integration of the Gold Line, to include attracting new high tech businesses to town while mitigating noise for the neighbors.
  5. Improve quality of life; building a park south of Huntington Drive.

I promise to always do what I believe is Monrovia’s best interest.  I’ll apply my experience as a father, businessman and leader to every question.  And I will respect all who come to participate in our democracy and make Monrovia a better place.

You can learn more at: www.ParryForMonrovia.com

Thank you for the honor of your vote.

Dinner at Black Angus

Dinner at Black Angus. Got the 11 oz. top sirloin with baked potato soup and Caesar salad as sides for $22.99 and a 25 oz. beer for$8.  It came with fresh bread and everything was tasty. 
- Bead Haugaard

Monrovia Police: Extremely Drunk; Knife on Campus; As Cop Takes Hit and Run Info, Suspect Drives By

[Monrovia Police activities from the Police Department's Neighborhood Watch Report for February 9-11. - Brad Haugaard]

During the last seven-day period, the Police Department handled 421 service events, resulting in 91 investigations.

Driving Under the Influence/Injury Traffic Collision
February 9 at 4:56 p.m., police responded to the report of an injury traffic collision in the 500 block of Norumbega. A male subject was driving up Norumbega when he crashed into the front of the property. The resident saw that the driver was trying to flee and gave chase. Officers arrived and detained the subject, who had visible injuries to his face. The driver was determined to be extremely intoxicated. Due to his injuries, the driver was taken to a hospital for treatment. Charges will be submitted to the District Attorney’s office for filing.

72 Hour Mental Evaluation
February 10 at 1:39 p.m., an officer responded to the front of a business in the 600 block of West Huntington. A subject wearing camouflage was making threats about shooting people. Officers contacted the subject and no weapons were found. The subject was taken to a hospital, where he was held for a 72 hour mental evaluation.

Weapon on School Grounds – Suspect Arrested
February 10 at 1:47 p.m., staff from an elementary school called police to report a student being detained for possession of a folding knife. A male student brought the knife to school and passed it on to one of the female students. The female student started showing off the knife to others. When school staff learned about the knife and confronted the student, she ran and gave it back to the male subject she received it from. The knife was eventually recovered and the female student was cited for possessing a knife on school grounds.

Vehicle Burglary
February 11 at 8:16 p.m., a vehicle burglary was reported in the 500 block of Diamond. The victim parked and thought she locked her vehicle in front of her home. When her husband went out to use the vehicle the next evening, he found the car was unlocked and property was missing. The investigation is continuing.

Domestic Violence
February 11 at 11:46 p.m., officers were dispatched to a domestic violence incident on Duarte Road. Both the suspect and victim were last seen in front of the location. The officer arrived and found the victim had sustained a cut lip and finger after the male suspect hit her several times. The officer located the male suspect and arrested him for domestic violence.

Driving Under the Influence/Traffic Collision
February 12 at 1:30 a.m., an officer was dispatched to the 300 block of Wildrose regarding a hit and run traffic collision where the suspect had fled the scene. The suspect vehicle was described as a green Chevy Silverado. As the officer was getting information from the reporting party, the suspect vehicle was seen driving down the street. The officer stopped the vehicle and determined the driver was driving under the influence. The driver was arrested and taken into custody.

Windy? | New Bike Bill in State Senate

~ Gusty winds expected today: http://goo.gl/ySHTyq

~ State senator Carol Liu, who represents Monrovia, has authored a bill requiring adult bicyclists to wear helmets (already required of minors) and all riders to wear reflective gear at night. http://goo.gl/6qcZ0l

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Candidate Forums in March

~ Monrovia City Council Candidate Forum Wednesday, March 4 at 6 p.m., Monrovia City Council Chambers, 415 South Ivy. Hosted by the Monrovia Chamber and facilitated by the Pasadena League of Women Voters.

~ Monrovia Mayoral Candidate Forum Tuesday, March 10 at 6 p.m., Monrovia City Council Chambers, 415 South Ivy. Hosted by the Monrovia Chamber and facilitated by the Pasadena League of Women Voters.

- Brad Haugaard

Should Monrovia Celebrate Its Zip Code Day? | Volunteer Opportunities

~ Reader Kelly Moran thinks it would be a good idea for Monrovia to celebrate its Zip Code Day (91016), because, you see, 9/10/16 is coming up. She says, "I would hope a more organized community event with fireworks is in order!" And, she wonders what candidates for city council think.

~ Volunteer Center of the San Gabriel Valley has internship opportunities for high school students. Details: http://goo.gl/cCKQM2

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia's Starr Surgical Says It Is Working to Address FDA Concerns

Monrovia's Starr Surgical reports that it is responding to a U.S. Food and Drug Administration Warning Letter following an inspection of its Monrovia facilities. The company says it "is currently drafting a response to the FDA's observations" and "will continue to work diligently to address the observations identified in the Form 483 and 2014 Warning Letter." http://goo.gl/8VpJzO

- Brad Haugaard

Scott Austin Election Statement - Running for Monrovia City Council


My name is Scott Austin and I am running for City Council to bring a new voice and new energy to Monrovia. My goal is to foster a more open form of government that welcomes input from throughout the community to make our city a better place to live, work, shop and do business.
A decade-long resident of Monrovia, I’ve sought ways to give back to our community. For the last four years, I’ve served as a Monrovia Planning Commissioner, and have also served on the Historic Preservation Commission. I’ve also been a KGEM board member for 9 years
As a firefighter for 27 years with the City of Pasadena, public service has been my life’s work. I hold an Associate Degree in Fire Science and Business Management. I believe my education work experience and civic involvement make me a good choice to help lead our city into the future.
As a council member, my priorities will be economic development, sensible fiscal planning, public safety, and historic preservation.
Working collaboratively with the business community, our public-sector partners and all of our residents, we can make a better Monrovia for everyone. I welcome your comments and questions at any of the addresses below. I respectfully ask for your vote on April 14th.
Scott Austin
Email:scottaustin2015@gmail.com
Facebook: Scott Austin 4 city council



What Calvary Chapel Monrovia Wants to Do With Fourth Dimension Building

Calvary Chapel Monrovia is in escrow to purchase the Fourth Dimension building on Myrtle, right across from Library Park. I reported this as a possibility before, but have now confirmed it with Calvary Chapel Administrative Pastor Mike Antenesse. The escrow, he said, has contingencies, so it's not a done deal, but the church is hopeful.

Here's what Calvary Chapel hopes to do:

  • Refurbish the front of the building so it is more in keeping with Old Town, sort of Fifties-ish style.
  • Use the back of the building for the church, making the entrance off the alley in the back of the building. The church would not face Myrtle at all.
  • Put two retail businesses facing Myrtle. One would be a family friendly bookstore with not only Christian books, but also children's books, home school materials, books on cooking, hobbies, travel, history, home and garden, etc. The other would be a coffee shop. Both businesses would be church-owned but would be taxed just like any other retail businesses.
  • The main floor would be for services and the downstairs would be for classrooms.
  • Parking would be at the five story Colorado Commons parking structure (mid-block on the north side of Colorado just west of Myrtle). Antenesse said there would be a shuttle service for those too infirm to walk the roughly three blocks, but he believes many of the 700-member congregation would walk and go to restaurants or a movie after church. And since Calvary Chapel is a "commuter church," he said, this should mean a lot of new people coming to town.
  • Offer the building for city meetings, such as the State of the City message, and make it available for community organizations to rent.
  • Work with the city doing programs in Library Park. He said the church doesn't want to start something separate but would like to use its experience with youth programs, tutoring and drug rehabilitation to assist existing efforts.

He said one Old Town merchant told him that if the 28,000 square foot property was used as a regular retail building operating during regular business days, that it would swamp the parking, but because it would be used primarily during low-traffic Sundays, it could be a boost to those businesses that are open Sundays.

Antenesse said the down payment for the building is "sizeable" and that the church is still $400,000 short, but he said the congregation is behind the effort and he is hopeful that the church can move in sometime this year.

- Brad Haugaard

What Happened to $900,000 Monrovia Had to Fix Its Historic Train Station?

I've had a couple requests that I check on what happened to $900,000 the city had for fixing up the old train station. So, I asked City Manager Oliver Chi, and here is his response:

"With regard to the grant for the Historic Depot that you asked about, the funds you are referencing are related to a 2002 grant that the City obtained through Metro. At that time, the City was awarded $927,000 for use towards rehabilitation of the Historic Depot. The funds were intended to be used to upgrade the facility in conjunction with the Gold Line project coming through town.

"In discussing the matter with staff, it appears that after much deliberation, discussion, and analysis, a conscious decision was made not to utilize all of the funding to complete the project. One of the factors that impacted the decision was related to ownership of the actual Historic Depot. Until October 2013, the City did not actually own the facility. Property ownership, along with coordination and timing issues with the Gold Line, created a scenario where it was simply not feasible or possible to coordinate the renovations for the Historic Depot with the plans being developed by the Gold Line Construction Authority. Therefore, based on these issues, the City returned the unused monies to Metro once the funding period had ended for the grant."

- Brad Haugaard

Mary Ann Lutz Election Statement - Running for Monrovia Mayor


Candidate Statement of Mayor Mary Ann Lutz
    I am proud to serve as Monrovia’s Mayor for the past six years, one of the most challenging financial periods in our city’s history. A steady, consistent hand on the helm has pulled us through these hard times with our finances secure, our homes and streets safe and our future as bright as ever.
    My area-wide involvement, including work on such issues as water quality, energy and waste management, has helped bring Monrovia new businesses, new programs and new funding, leveraging and strengthening the community’s resources and maintaining its role as a regional leader. It is important that we continue that long-standing policy of regional engagement if we are to maintain the advances we’ve made and the opportunities we’ve identified.
    I see great things ahead for Monrovia!
•             Crime is down, the lowest in decades!
•             Our budget is balanced.
•             We have come through hard times with minimal disruption and our economy is growing again. Nearly 200 new businesses were added to the tax base last year!
•            The Gold Line and Station Square are under construction after decades of hard work.
•             Our playgrounds are getting new equipment.
•             Master plans for sewer and water upgrades are in the works, and
•             A comprehensive, affordable and citywide program of sidewalk, street, curb and gutter improvements is on the drawing boards.
    The opportunities for Monrovia are as great today as they have ever been. We have the team, the support, the commitment and the momentum to make the next few years truly special in our community and I look forward to helping lead that great effort.
    Please join me at LutzforMonrovia.com or at Facebook.com/MayorMaryAnnLutz as we work to keep Monrovia the dynamic community it is today!
Leadership with Impact!
Mayor Mary Ann Lutz
Delivering Results for All Monrovia

Monrovia's Assemblyman Wants 30-Day Notice Before Dealer Can Use Starter-Blocker for Car Repo

Assemblymember Chris Holden, who represents Monrovia, has introduced Assembly Bill 265 to require buy-here/pay-here car dealerships (for poor-credit customers) to provide 30-day written notice before using a starter-interruption device which disables the vehicle. Current law requires a 48 hour warning for repossession due to late payments or insurance cancellation. Source: Holden press release

- Brad Haugaard

Text of Monrovia Mayor Mary Ann Lutz State of City Speech

Monrovia Mayor Mary Ann Lutz' State of the City speech: http://goo.gl/vYR3Eo

- Brad Haugaard

Mayor Lutz Kicks off Reelection Campaign

Monrovia Mayor Mary Ann Lutz will open her 2015 campaign for reelection with a kickoff party Friday, Feb. 20, at the Doubletree Hotel, 924 W. Huntington Drive. The event is scheduled from 6 to 7:30 p.m. She will be on hand to greet and talk with supporters and elaborate on many of the points she made during her State of City address. To attend, call 357-3064. Source: Lutz press release.

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Mixer for Young Professionals

Monrovia Chamber of Commerce is sponsoring a "Monrovia Young Professionals" event for businesspeople age 20-40 at Pacific Plate Brewing Co. (1999 S. Myrtle) on Wednesday, Feb. 25, 5:30-7:30 p.m. For reservations: 358-1159

Monrovia Police: Vandal Caught on Video; Baby Cries, Car Crashes; Mental Evaluation; Drugs; Alcohol; Etc.

[Monrovia Police activities from the Police Department's Neighborhood Watch Report for February 5-8. - Brad Haugaard]

Following are the weekend’s highlighted issues and events.

Suspicious Subject / Warrants – Suspect Arrested
February 5 at 9:46 a.m., residents in the 400 block of South Violet reported a suspicious male subject in the area, looking into vehicles. Officers arrived and contacted the subject, and after investigation, found he had two outstanding warrants for his arrest. The subject was arrested and taken into custody for the warrants.

Vehicle Burglary
February 5 at 10:00 a.m., a resident parked and locked his vehicle in front of his house in the 400 block of West Walnut, then went into his home. At 1:00 p.m., he went back out to his vehicle and saw that someone had shattered the rear window and stole his iPad from inside the vehicle. The investigation is continuing.

Residential Burglary
February 5 at 3:49 p.m., a resident in the 100 block of Sky Way called police to report a burglary in progress at his neighbor’s house. He heard his neighbor’s house alarm activate and saw two males run out the front door and get into a small black Honda style vehicle, waiting on the street. The vehicle fled the area, driven by a female subject. Officers arrived quickly, along with the Foothill Air Support Team helicopter, to search the area for the suspects, but no arrests were made. The suspects had shattered a rear door window to gain entry into the home, but it appears that nothing was taken. The investigation is continuing.

Residential Burglary
February 5 at 4:12 p.m., a residential burglary was reported in the 300 block of Meadow Lane. The resident had left for work at 6:15 a.m. When he returned, he found that someone had broken into his home. Unknown suspects shattered a rear door window to gain entry and then ransacked the home, taking jewelry. The investigation is continuing.

Under the Influence of a Controlled Substance – Suspect Arrested
February 5 at 7:21 p.m., an officer responded to the report of a female subject near the intersection of Huntington and Primrose that was smoking drugs. The officer arrived and located the subject. The investigation revealed the female was under the influence of a controlled substance and she was arrested.

Possession of a Controlled Substance / Possession of Drug Paraphernalia – Suspect Arrested
February 6 at 2:24 a.m., an officer was on patrol in the area of Hillcrest and May when he observed a suspicious male kneeling down next to a parked vehicle. A female subject was behind the wheel of the vehicle and was speaking to the male subject. The officer contacted the subject and the investigation revealed the male subject was in possession of Heroine, Methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia. The suspect was arrested and taken into custody.

Stalking / Felony Vandalism / Violation of Domestic Violence Restraining Order – Suspect Arrested
February 6 at 6:00 p.m., a vandalism incident was reported in the 1300 block of South Mayflower. The suspect has a domestic violence restraining order prohibiting him from coming onto the victim's property. After several suspicious vandalisms occurred, the victim installed a camera. The suspect could be seen on surveillance video breaking the victim’s window with a hammer. Officers went to the suspect's home in Glendora and were able to recover the clothes and sandals the suspect was wearing in the video and the claw hammer he used to break the window. The suspect was arrested and taken into custody.

Injury Traffic Collision
February 7 at 9:26 a.m., a male subject was driving in the 600 block of Montana and turned to look into the backseat to see why his one-year-old son was crying, causing his vehicle to swerve to the right. His vehicle collided into a parked vehicle, then spun out of control and overturned. The driver sustained head injuries, but was able to exit his vehicle and get his son out, prior to police arrival. The child did not have any visible injuries, but both father and son were taken to a hospital to be checked out.

Drunk in Public – Suspect Arrested
February 7 at 3:10 p.m., an officer was dispatched to the front of a bar in the 400 block of south Myrtle, where a female was lying on the sidewalk. The officer arrived and located the female, who did not have any friends or family around, and was too intoxicated to care for her own safety. She was arrested for being drunk in public and held for sobering.

Driving Under the Influence – Suspect Arrested
February 7 at 4:55 p.m., a vehicle was reported to have collided into the guard rail on the 210 Freeway and then exited at Myrtle and was heading north. An officer located the vehicle and stopped it at Lime and Ivy, next to the Police Station. The driver was determined to be intoxicated and was arrested for driving under the influence.

Driving Under the Influence – Suspects Arrested
February 7, during the late evening hours, three separate suspects were arrested for driving under the influence. The stops were made in the area of Peck and Clarke, in the 900 block of South Magnolia, and in the area of Myrtle and the 210 Freeway. Two of the suspects were stopped for speeding and were found to be intoxicated. The other was stopped for driving with no headlights during hours of darkness and was found to be intoxicated. All three were arrested and taken into custody. Vehicle Burglary February 8 at 7:24 a.m., a vehicle burglary was reported in the 100 block of Norumbega. The victim parked and locked his 2003 Toyota at his apartment complex and went inside. When he returned to the vehicle, he found that unknown suspects had opened the vehicle and had stolen miscellaneous items. It is unknown how the suspects entered the vehicle, as there was no evidence of forced entry. The investigation is continuing.

72-Hours Mental Evaluation
February 8 at 10:22 p.m., a resident in the 700 block of West Duarte Road phoned police to report her adult brother had beaten up their father. He was intoxicated and was breaking things in the home. Officers arrived, but the subject had fled the location on foot, jumping fences to get away. The father had been beaten up, but told officers he did not want to prosecute. Officers conducted an area search for the son, but he was not located.

The officers had left the scene, but were called back when the son returned to the location. When the officers approached the subject, he became combative and told officers to shoot and kill him. One of the officers announced he was going to deploy his Taser, and the subject stopped being combative and began a dialogue with the officers. He was eventually taken to a hospital by paramedics for treatment of injuries he sustained jumping over a fence to get away from officers.

At the hospital, the subject told the officers he had planned to get a knife from the kitchen and charge them, so they would have to shoot and kill him, but the officers arrived on scene before he could get the knife. The subject was placed on a 72-hour hold for mental evaluation.

Vehicle Burglary
February 8 at 4:48 a.m., a vehicle burglary was reported in the 1800 block of South Peck Road. The victim reported that her vehicle had been broken into sometime within the past 10 hours. The back window to her vehicle had been shattered and items had been stolen from inside. The investigation is continuing.

Monrovia Schools: New Fencing for Mayflower, Santa Fe; Black History Month

~ If approved by the Monrovia Board of Education at its Feb. 11 meeting (agenda: http://goo.gl/vpDoz9 ), Mayflower Elementary and Santa Fe Middle School will get new fencing. http://goo.gl/ZC9iYZ

~ Here are some events for Monrovia school students to remember Black History Month, including a presentation by the Buffalo Soldiers for Monrovia High students only. http://goo.gl/ppAAJo

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Escapes RadioShack Closures

RadioShack is filing for bankruptcy and is closing a lot of its stores, but apparently not the Monrovia store (at Alta Vista and Huntington). The closest store being closed that I can find is in the Target shopping center in Duarte. http://goo.gl/fzyUPx

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Boys Soccer Over La Canada

Monrovia knocks La Canada boys out of the running for Soccer championship with its first victory over LC in at least 14 years. http://goo.gl/0uufwh

- Brad Haugaard

Democrats Endorse Mary Ann Lutz and Scott Austin

The group, Foothill Community Democrats, has endorsed Mary Ann Lutz for Monrovia mayor and Scott Austin for Monrovia City Council. http://goo.gl/hg6tnG

- Brad Haugaard

Lunch at Flame Broiler

Lunch at Flame Broiler, next to Sprouts on Huntington. It's a healthy rice bowl kind of place. Got the chicken rice bowl for $6.40 and a drink for $1.75. Tasty. 

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Football Players Choose Colleges

Monrovia football players Khalil Bradley and Blake Cusick have given verbal commitments to play for Southern Utah (Bradley) and Fresno State (Cusick). http://goo.gl/iWjL8w

- Brad Haugaard

So Cal Edison: Be Careful With Valentine's Day Balloons

Southern California Edison urges its customers to be careful with Valentine's balloons.

Drifting metallic balloons caused the 656 power outages last year in Edison's service territory.

Valentine's Day balloons traditionally lead to an increase in power outages in February, so SCE is urging customers to make sure their balloons are always tied to weights to prevent them from floating into power lines and causing outages, injuries and property damage.

Last February SCE experienced 30 balloon-related outages, down nearly 50 percent from the 59 in February 2013. But, last year's 656 overall outages were down only 5 percent from the 689 in 2013. This led to 2,965 hours of interruption to customers compared to 2,455 hours in 2013.

Oother safety tips for handling metallic balloons:

- Do not attempt to retrieve a balloon or anything else tangled in power lines. Call SCE at 800-611-1911 and report the problem.

- Never tie a metallic balloon to a child's wrist. If the balloon contacts electricity, it will travel through the balloon and into the child, causing serious injury or death.

- Never attach streamers to any balloon - latex or metallic.

- Don't touch any downed line or dangling wire - even if it appears not to be live. Call 911 immediately.

- When done with balloons, do not release them. Puncture them several times or cut the knot and throw them in the garbage to prevent them from floating away.

Source: SCE press release

- Brad Haugaard