AeroVironment Jumps / Census / Unity Center / New Sermons

~ The stock of Monrovia's AeroVironment jumped 13 percent in after-hours trading after it reported that it had a better  quarter than Wall Street expected. http://goo.gl/07adT

 

~ Census data released today show the black population in Monrovia has slipped while the Asian population has increased. http://goo.gl/8dEjh

 

~ If you know a local person whose efforts have made an exceptional difference in the lives of others, Foothill Unity Center wants to know about it. Nomination forms may be downloaded at http://www.foothillunitycenter.org or picked up at the distribution site at 415 West Chestnut. Submission deadline is 5 p.m., April 15. Executive Director Joan Whitenack said the nominee's activities do not need to be associated with Foothill Unity Center, and they may have been done on a volunteer basis or in connection with regular work.

 

~ Monrovia Presbyterian Church begins a new series this Sunday: The Gospel In Life, Grace Changes Everything. http://goo.gl/2iim9

 

- Brad Haugaard

Talk to Staff of Monrovia's State Senator

If you'd like to talk with a staff member of Monrovia's state senator, Bob Huff, you can do that at a "Mobile District Office" on March 24, 10-11 a.m. at the Westfield Santa Anita Shopping Mall in Arcadia. http://goo.gl/0eT3o

- Brad Haugaard

Business Gift Cards that Support Monrovia Schools

I mentioned that you can support the School District by buying gift cards from the district offices. Well, I just got a list of all the businesses involved. They are all national chains, but there are lots of them in our area: Starbucks, Best Buy, Home Depot, Chili's, Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf, CVS, Olive Garden, Pinkberry, and scads more. See the attachment to this post for the whole list. (Thanks to School Board President Ed Gililland for that.)

- Brad Haugaard

Invading Bug Threatens Monrovia Oaks

The Monrovia Fire Department is asking residents to be careful about bringing oak firewood into town as it may be infested with the Gold Spotted Oak Borer, which very much likes to munch on coastal live oak,
 black 
oak and
 canyon
 live 
oak 
trees.

 

The department recommends that you do not use oak for firewood at all unless you know that it is not infested. Firewood from San Diego County, Arizona, and Mexico is particularly at risk for spreading this pest.

 

Here's a San Diego notice about the bug: http://goo.gl/hXQWj

 

Source: http://goo.gl/jFELb

 

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia's Sales Tax Revenue Looking Up

City Manager Scott Ochoa writes:

 

"This week, we received our 3rd quarter sales tax report (July-September 2010). I am pleased to report that the positive trajectory in our sales tax trend line is continuing. We are doing better than we were a year ago in the same quarter, and we are marching confidently toward our sales tax revenue goals for FY 2010-11. Auto dealers and new soft goods retailers (Kohl's and Living Spaces) are bolstering our numbers. All in all, we are gaining momentum - here's hoping we can pull ourselves out of the doldrums and to up toward a better economy."

 

Source: 

http://goo.gl/jFELb

 

- Brad Haugaard

Ochoa Predicts State Will Vote to Kill Redevelopment This Week

City Manager Scott Ochoa said it appears that the leadership of the California State Legislature is preparing an up-or-down vote on the budget - which includes killing redevelopment - for this Wednesday or Thursday. He writes: "At this point, my guess is that the budget package will pass along party lines." With the results of November's election, only a simple majority is required to pass the budget. After that, he writes, "the League of Cities and the California Redevelopment Association will file suit and the entire matter will be litigated - probably on the grounds of constitutionality."

Ochoa said that under Governor Brown's proposal, redevelopment agencies would disappear on July 1 of this year, to be replaced by successor agencies that would be controlled not by the city council, but by an oversight committee most likely controlled by outsiders who don't live in the city and are not answerable to its residents.

Source: http://goo.gl/jFELb

- Brad Haugaard

Budget Woes for City and Unity Center

~ Tomorrow, March 8, the Monrovia City Council will have a special meeting to figure out what to do in the face of the potential state abolition of redevelopment agencies, which City Manager Scott Ochoa has said is an attempt by the state to grab local money. City Council member Becky Shevlin said what the state intends to do - as outlined by Ochoa - "is insane, to say the least." I will post the meeting time as soon as I get it.

UPDATE: Meeting time is 4 p.m. Here is the agenda: http://goo.gl/LSPwi
 
~ The effects of President Obama's budget proposals may reach right down to Monrovia. Joan Whitenack, of Foothill Unity Center (which, by-the-by, distributed more than 200 tons of food - 4,230,000 pounds - to 4,606 families last year), reports that Community Services Block Grant funds may be cut by 50 percent, and since Unity receives 40 percent of its funding from government allocations, that will hurt. She writes that, "In the end, Foothill Unity Center will probably survive in some form thanks to strong community support" and to its lean operations (95 percent of funding supports programs), but she asked people to write their federal representatives pointing out the problem.

- Brad Haugaard

Gift Cards for Monrovia Schools / Produce in the Park / Lenten Fish

~ You can support Monrovia schools for free by purchasing gift cards to local businesses at the school district office (325 East Huntington Drive). School Board Member Ed Gililland said you can get cards for lots of businesses, including Starbucks, Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf, and others. He said if the cards are not on hand when you walk in, they can be ordered.

~ If you have too many oranges or other produce, bring it to "Produce in the Park" and swap for some carrots or something. Produce in the Park is held on the first Saturday of each month, from 9-11 a.m. at Library Park, at the corner of Myrtle and Palm. For info, write to produceinthepark@gmail.com
~ Monrovia Knights of Columbus will serve fish dinners for Lent every Friday - March 11 to Good Friday, April 22 - from 5:30-8:30 p.m. at 130 W. Pomona Ave. Adult fish dinners are $8, children's are $5. for information, call 626 359-6489.
- Brad Haugaard

Old Home Tour / Half-off For Kids

~ If you'd like to attend the Monrovia Mother's Day Home Tour, here's ticket information and pictures of some of the houses.

http://goo.gl/Swiaf

 

~ Half-off coupon for kids meal if you buy an adult meal at Chang Thai Bistro on Myrtle. http://goo.gl/O4Kuu

 

- Brad Haugaard

Will Family Festival Expand to Azusa?

The Azusa City Council will consider having Monrovia-based Family Festival Productions Inc. produce a farmer's market 

on Saturdays between April and September: http://goo.gl/wYymX

 

- Brad Haugaard

The Bear That Made Monrovia Famous

More on Monrovia' Fiberglas bears - based on Samson the Hot Tub Bear - which will soon be decorating the downtown: http://goo.gl/kL7ML

 

- Brad Haugaard

School Board Agenda / St. Patrick's Dinner

~ If the stuff below isn't enough, here is the full agenda of the next school board meeting, Wednesday, March 9, 7:30 p.m. at the district offices at 325 E. Huntington. http://goo.gl/GcsSH

~ Monrovia VFW is sponsoring a St. Patrick's Day Dinner on March 17. Details: http://goo.gl/i5ytU

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Schools Could Lose Up to $5.5 Million

Monrovia Schools Superintendent Linda Wagner reports that even if  Governor Jerry Brown's proposed tax extension passes, the district will be out around $230,000. If it does not pass, she writes, the district will be out $5.5 million in the next three years.

It is all phrased very politely, but the Board of Education is going to vote at its next meeting (March 9, 7:30 p.m.) on an "advocacy" statement (here: http://goo.gl/1teu8) that basically tells the state to keep its paws off education.

Also, the board will vote on whether to adopt a resolution favoring the tax extension (http://goo.gl/QI2aA). And because the district gets money from the Monrovia Redevelopment Agency, it will consider a resolution opposing the state's plan to abolish redevelopment agencies: http://goo.gl/s0yOK

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia School Attendance Rate Slipped, But is Recovering

Until last year, Monrovia schools were successful at increasing the percentage of students who show up for school - ever since that became a district priority in 2006-07. Since the district's income from the state is based on attendance, that translates directly into more money.

But in 2009-10 attendance slipped, perhaps because of a flu outbreak. Fortunately, as you can see from the chart, it appears 2010-11 attendance will be up again. This report (http://goo.gl/rBlXz) will be presented at the next school board meeting, Wednesday, March 9, 7:30 p.m. at the district offices.

- Brad Haugaard

Lunch at Pho Lemon

I'm not a big pho fan (it's a soup), but Pho Lemon has other things, such as a mighty nice chicken curry dish, shown here with a coconut milk. Also, very nice staff! It's on Lemon just east of Myrtle.

- Brad Haugaard