Monrovia Commercial Fire Still Under Investigation

The cause of the commercial structure fire at 1120 South Shamrock is "still under investigation, with a special team of investigators working to get the details of how the fire started, where it started, and how it spread so quickly," according to a report from Monrovia Fire Department. The department reports that during the $1.5 million fire "the mutual aid system worked as designed, with units from Monrovia, Los Angeles County, Arcadia, Alhambra, San Gabriel, San Marino, Glendale, Pasadena and Burbank on scene to control and extinguish the fire."

 

Source: http://goo.gl/R9Lxe

 

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia FD: Whack Back Lantana

The Monrovia Fire suggests severely whacking back any Lantana plant you may have. The stuff builds up and presents quite a fire hazard as we enter fire season. The FD says that because we can "begin to expect Santa Ana conditions in the next few months, the efforts of brush abatement and evacuation planning will be well worth the efforts."

 

For information on the Ready, Set, Go! program for residents in the very high fire hazard zone, contact the fire prevention office at (626) 256-8106.

 

Source: http://goo.gl/R9Lxe

 

- Brad Haugaard

Portantino VIP at NARAL Summit | HIV/AIDS Summit

Assemblyman Anthony Portantino, who represents part of Monrovia, was a "VIP" guest and Honorary Co-Chair of NARAL (National Abortion and Reproductive Rights Action League) Pro-Choice America's 2011 Power of Choice Summit on September 15. http://goo.gl/ywr1A

Also, Portantino is sponsoring an AIDS/HIV Action Summit at City of Hope on Sept. 21, from  9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.: http://goo.gl/vmCSA

- Brad Haugaard

Eastbound Freeway Closed Tonight

All eastbound lanes of the 210 Freeway will be closed tonight, September 19, from midnight to around 5 a.m. Tuesday for the Gold Line bridge construction near the Santa Anita offramp. Eastbound lane and on-ramp closures will begin even earlier, at 9 a.m. for Rosemead, Michillinda, and Baldwin on-ramps. http://goo.gl/e1VrH

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia School Board Candidate Starts Facebook Page | No Grocery Strike

~ School Board candidate (and incumbent) Ed Gililland has started an election Facebook page, here: http://goo.gl/oUGoG

(If other candidates have online resources for people, please let me know. I'd be happy to publicize them.)

~ A grocery store strike deadline has passed with no strike - yet. http://goo.gl/sqkoc

OPINION: I hope that's a good sign Ya know, I don't really think now is a great time for a strike. With so many out of work the grocery chains will probably have no difficulty hiring replacements, and the replacements (for checkers, at least) may simply be more automatic check-out stations. They're coming anyway, but from a checker's perspective, why hurry them along? Striking seems a bit suicidal to me.

- Brad Haugaard

Workers at Grocery Chains May Strike | Donnelly on TV

~ Vons (Pavilions, by the way, is owned by Vons) and Albertsons workers (and Ralphs, if you shop in Arcadia) may go on strike. http://goo.gl/Ya7dL

~ Assemblyman Tim Donnelly, who represents part of Monrovia, appears on Star-NewsMakers video program ( http://goo.gl/LK39u ). And on the Daily Show? http://goo.gl/Aj4qr

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia House is Historic

East Palm Avenue house granted historic status. Nice house!: http://goo.gl/O2KDg

 

- Brad Haugaard

Football: Arcadia Over Monrovia :-(

Monrovia loses to Arcadia 30 - 22.

The sad details: http://goo.gl/WojSv 

- Brad Haugaard

Pouring the Bridge Foundation | Monrovia Korean War Vets

~ Tonight, 45 concrete trucks pour the first pillar foundation for the Gold Line bridge near the Santa Anita offramp on eastbound 210.

~ The Monrovia American Legion is looking for Korean War vets, especially women. http://goo.gl/qVUAz

- Brad Haugaard

Lunch at Oto-Oto

At Oto-Oto Japanese restaurant for lunch. At Fifth and Huntington. We got the Monrovia Roll, Caterpillar Roll, Wagyu beef, chicken meatball with cheese, mushrooms, and green iced tea. Kind of like tapas, lots of little items. Be bolder than me and try the chicken cartilage. Very elegant place. And delicious. Shown here: Monrovia Roll, mushrooms and chicken.

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Mountain Lion

Mountain lion sighted in Monrovia ( http://goo.gl/2EIEW ) on Lotone St. Here's Lotone: http://goo.gl/iMDJz

UPDATE: http://goo.gl/RwCkA

- Brad Haugaard

Help Families & Honor Former Monrovia Mayor Bob Bartlett

Join Foothill Unity Center on Sept. 22, 6-9 p.m. at Santa Anita Park racetrack, to help local families in need with food, health services, crisis referrals and more. $75 per person. MC is Rob Fukuzaki, ABC7 Eyewitness News Sports Anchor. Music by Instrumental Women Project Lady Jazz Ensemble. Honorees include former Monrovia Mayor Bob Bartlett. Sign up here: http://goo.gl/FlDB0

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Council to Consider Covering Wash, Etc.

At its Sept. 20 meeting ( http://goo.gl/9UTvl ), the Monrovia City Council will (among other things) ...

~ Consider contracting with Cordoba Corporation for up to $229,700.00 to oversee construction of a cover over approximately 50 feet of Santa Anita Wash at the southeast corner of Fifth Avenue and Huntington Drive. Presto! New land for the Monrovia Redevelopment Agency. http://goo.gl/lVUV6

UPDATE: And a picture of the wash: http://goo.gl/I8YuD

~ Consider adopting a resolution to transfer money from the Monrovia Redevelopment Agency to the City each year so the city can pay the state-required annual payment (probably about $262,000 a year) that will allow the Redevelopment Agency to exist. It's kinda convoluted, but I think that's what it says. http://goo.gl/NoNi6

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Staff - Consider South-Side Park as Part of Gold Line Station Project

Monrovia city staff reports that "Monrovia is still deficient in the amount of urban park space it affords residents compared to national recreation standards," but is recommending not buying a residential property in south Monrovia for a "pocket park" because it isn't in the best location, wouldn't have the best facilities, and a park might be better considered together with the proposed "Station Square" project attached to the Gold Line station. http://goo.gl/che6w

 

The report will be presented at the Monrovia City Council meeting on Sept. 20: http://goo.gl/9UTvl

 

- Brad Haugaard

Fewer Shopping Carts Laying Around Monrovia

Monrovia City staff reports that a shopping-cart ordinance passed last year "has resulted in a significant decrease of abandoned and discarded shopping carts throughout the City." From 993 abandoned shopping carts between Jan. 1-Aug. 31, 2010 down to 848 for Jan. 1-Aug. 31, 2011. The report will be presented at the City Council's Sept. 20 meeting. Take a peek at it here: http://goo.gl/8M1Rt

 

- Brad Haugaard