Three Monrovia City Manager Candidates

Monrovia is down to three candidates for city manager position. http://goo.gl/xn2Nq

 

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Old Homes Tour

Monrovia Old Homes Tour is coming up. See information on tickets and a slideshow of the homes here: http://goo.gl/appy8

- Brad Haugaard

Accident at Huntington and Hwy Esplanade

A report from correspondent Brad Hori ...

This happened just feet in front of us Sunday at 1:15 PM at Huntington Dr and Hwy Esplanade. We were in the turn lane. One car was flying through the red and t boned a black Jeep going S into the shopping center and hit the white car waiting to turn N on Hwy Esplanade. It just started to rain an hour before.

I forgot to mention how funny it is when they block off the street and all cars are diverted up Hwy Esplanade. All cars will turn left on to Maple (my street) only to find out its a cul-de-sac. Some go up to King St and make the same mistake before finding their way on to Chestnut.

Thanks Brad!

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia's Senator on the Budget Process | Monroe Cottage

~ Video: Senator Bob Huff, who represents Monrovia, in his weekly Capitol Comment, on the budget process. He predicts a balanced budget based on all taxes and no cuts.

~ Profile of the "Monroe Cottage," built by Monrovia founder William N. Monroe. http://goo.gl/03qvV

 
- Brad Haugaard

The Best-Selling Item at Monrovia-Based Trader Joe's Markets Is ...

The CEO of Monrovia-based Trader Joe's says his favorite product (because it is the customers' favorite) is Charles Shaw wine (aka "Two-Buck Chuck"). It is the stores' best-selling product. http://goo.gl/NwFSD

- Brad Haugaard

Hot Rods for Monrovia's Unity Center

Hot rodders help Foothill Unity Center. Some nice car pix at the link. http://goo.gl/kH0Dj

 
- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia School Board May Adopt Official Paint, Allow Pay-by-Work for Baseball League, Etc.

At its March 28 meeting (agenda: http://goo.gl/TbR9B ) the Monrovia School Board will consider, among other things, ...

 

~ adopting Dunn-Edwards as the standard paint for the district. Yeah, really. Because it matches the paint used on the new construction. http://goo.gl/ef3Lq

 

~ revising its recently adopted policy on charging for the use of school facilities to allow in-kind work as payment. http://goo.gl/vEFrn

 

~ signing a memo of understanding with the Monrovia Youth Baseball League allowing it to take advantage of the previous item by letting the league to use school facilities if it works on the school fields. http://goo.gl/O2rlt

 

~ adopting a three-year technology plan (July 1, 2012 through June 30, 2015). http://goo.gl/1iwjO

 

~ instituting bus fees ( http://goo.gl/5IvHX ) and rules regarding staff use of mobile cellular devices ( http://goo.gl/8fvsG ).

 

- Brad Haugaard

Gold Line Prep Work in Monrovia | Astronomy

~ Some prep work for the Gold Line maintenance yard will take place March 26 (Monday), 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. that will affect    Duarte Road (along the railroad tracks) from Mayflower Avenue to Mountain Avenue, and the railroad grade-crossings at Mayflower Avenue, Magnolia Avenue, Myrtle Avenue, California Avenue, Shamrock Avenue, and Mountain Avenue. http://goo.gl/KuP4c

 

~ Astronomy on the sidewalk in Old Town. http://goo.gl/dajEy

 

- Brad Haugaard

No More Freeway Closures Anticipated

No more freeway closures for Gold Line bridge anticipated. Gold Line spokesman Habib Balian:

I am ... pleased to announce that the I-210 Bridge temporary false-work is now complete and work has begun on the form-work for the superstructure. The false-work construction took several months and required more than 20 full eastbound closures of the I-210 Freeway. Skanska has done an outstanding job to complete a very challenging element of the overall project, under conditions that are much less than ideal. Above, you can see the tremendous work that has been done over the last eight months. The photo ... provides a unique perspective, looking down on the deck of the false-work where the superstructure will be formed and placed over the next several months.

- Brad Haugaard

Lunch at Popeyes

Lunch at Popeyes at Huntington and Magnolia. Fast food for sure. It's kind of like KFC with Cajun overtones. Got the jambalaya. Okay. Stole some of my wife's chicken and fries. Think of KFC food but with some mild spice.
- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Senator Slams 'Sham' Budget

In this video State Senator Bob Huff, who represents Monrovia, slams a "sham budget" and a secretive legislative approval process. http://goo.gl/pBPf7

- Brad Haugaard

Manzanar Author to Speak at Monrovia Library

On April 14 at 1 p.m. the author of "Farewell to Manzanar," Jeanne Wakatsuki Houston, will speak at the Monrovia Library about the three years she spent in a United States internment camp during World War II. http://goo.gl/JRuXX

- Brad Haugaard

No Hunger Games for Bradoaks Students | Art Award Winners

~ Monrovia School District cancels field trip for Bradoaks students to see Hunger Games: http://goo.gl/RJvMO

 

~ Monrovia Association of Fine Arts awards Donna Baker its Renaissance Award and Betsy Matz wins the Hearts in the Arts award. http://goo.gl/zPJ9o

 

- Brad Haugaard

Police Pick up Trophy | Tiger Mosquitoes | Monrovia Today | World Vision

~ The Monrovia Police Department has a new trophy for its cabinet. On March 12, Councilmember Larry Spicer and Police Chief Jim Hunt went to the annual California Police Chief Symposium in Sacramento to pick up the department's James Q. Wilson Award. 

 

~ Invasive Asian tiger mosquitoes are back. They're little black and white guys. Last reported in El Monte, South El Monte, and unincorporated area just south of Duarte. They seem to be reviving as the weather warms. If you see any, call San Gabriel Valley Mosquito & Vector Control District at (626) 814-9466 ( http://goo.gl/kQGVP ).  And here's a flyer: http://goo.gl/wAUxW

 

~ The April-June edition of Monrovia Today is on the way, heading for your mailbox.

 

~ Monrovia's World Vision says food running out in African country of Niger. http://goo.gl/nc5qp

 

- Brad Haugaard

Children's Slide to be Removed from Monrovia's Library Park

The children's slide will be removed from Library Park by next Thursday, according to the City Manager's weekly report ( http://goo.gl/kQGVP ). Here's why:

Unfortunately we have been informed by our playground equipment contractor that the slide in Library Park has a manufacturer's defect and must be taken out.  It seems that without some sort of covering around the top of the "bigger kids" slide, it makes it too easy to climb up the slide, which is potentially dangerous for small children.  The slide is closed now, and will be removed by the contractor next Thursday, March 29.  In addition, a dying Silver Maple tree, located at the edge of the playground area, will be removed as well.  We are looking at replacing the tree, as well as the slide (with a piece of equipment that is compatible).  Whatever happened to the good old days when getting cuts and bruises in the playground was all part of the fun of being at the park??

- Brad Haugaard