Monrovia Relief Agency, World Vision, Helps Syrian Refugees

Monrovia's World Vision, a Christian relief agency, is helping Syrian refugees with hygiene kits in Bekaa, where it has been working for 10 years, "and plans to provide food vouchers and establish four Child-Friendly Spaces - safe areas where children can enjoy fun activities and learn to cope from emotional upheaval." http://goo.gl/gdof9

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Senator Comments on Budget, Inaction on Education

In his newsletter, Senator Bob Huff, who represents Monrovia, comments on Governor Brown's new budget proposal and that nothing has happened in education reform. He writes that ...

~ "The Governor admitted in his May Budget Revision that the deficit for the upcoming fiscal year had grown to a whopping $16 billion, while the independent Legislative Analysts' Office puts the number at 'north of $17 billion.'" http://goo.gl/B0J3v

~ Five years after the release of a legislature-sponsored analysis, a report analyzing what California has done since the "Getting Down to Facts" studies has concluded that it has done, "next to nothing." http://goo.gl/zbJdX

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Puppet Theater for Children

Little Stage Puppet Theater, 104 E. Chestnut, for kids ages 3-9. Shows on Saturdays, June 16, 23, 30, at 11 a.m. noon and 1 p.m. Tickets $5. http://goo.gl/1KgR0

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Police: Preventing a Sword Assault, Busted Bear Nose, Sexual Hit-and-Run, More Copper Thefts, Swiped Cell Phone, Etc.

[Monrovia Police activities from the Police Department's Neighborhood Watch Report for June 7-10. - Brad Haugaard]

 

Following are the weekend's highlighted issues and events.

 

Grand Theft

June 7 at 7:43 a.m., an officer was dispatched to a transit lot in the 1600 block of South Primrose regarding a theft of property.  The theft occurred sometime between 6:00 p.m. on May 22 and 5:00 a.m. on May 23.  Small spools of copper wire and several car batteries were taken from the lot.  Investigation continuing.

 

Sexual Battery

June 8 at approximately 1:19 p.m., a 17-year-old female was walking south on Magnolia at about Cypress.  She heard footsteps coming from behind her, but did not turn around.  Suddenly, she felt someone grab her buttocks and crotch area from behind.  She stopped, and the suspect ran past her on the left side.  The suspect is described as a male Hispanic, early 30's, 5 foot 7 inches tall, thick medium-length black hair, full beard, wearing a brown shirt and light blue jeans.  Investigation continuing.

 

Deadly Weapon With Intent to Assault - Suspect Arrested

June 8 at 7:15 p.m., officers responded to a park in the 300 block of South Myrtle regarding a suspicious person carrying a sword.  Officers detained the suspect, who was carrying a two-and-a-half-foot-long metal sword.  The suspect had been involved in an altercation with gang members at the park a week prior and had returned to the park with the sword.  The suspect was subsequently arrested for the above listed charge.

 

Bear Incident

June 9 at 2:00 p.m., a large bear was struck by a vehicle at Mayflower and Hillcrest.  The vehicle was not damaged, but the bear had injuries that required him to be tranquilized by Monrovia Animal Control and the Department of Fish and Game.  It was determined that the bear's injuries were minor, a broken nose and tooth, and should heal in a few days.  The bear was released back into the wilderness area above Canyon Park.

 

Possession of Methamphetamine / Trespassing - Suspect Arrested

June 9 at 6:22 p.m., police responded to the report of a subject entering a vacant and unlocked residence in the 1600 block of South Mayflower.  The subject was arrested for trespassing and also charged with possession of methamphetamine.

 

Commercial Burglary / Possession of a Controlled Substance - Suspect Arrested

June 9 at 9:27 p.m., police responded to a business in the 500 block of West Huntington regarding a burglary.  A female suspect entered a business with a box cutter and used it to cut the tags off of merchandise.  She took several items of clothing and left without paying.  She was arrested and taken into custody. During the booking process, methamphetamine was found on her person.  The additional charge was added.

 

Residential Burglary

June 10 at 8:30 p.m., a residential burglary was reported in the 200 block of West Palm.  The victim left his residence for approximately two hours.  When he returned, he found two computers and a backpack containing papers missing from his home.  Nothing else was taken and the residence was not ransacked.  The victim said he left his front door open, but the screen was closed and he believed it was locked.  There were no signs of forced entry.  A witness saw a male Black in his mid 30's and a female Hispanic in her mid 20's in the vicinity of the apartment during the time of the burglary.  Investigation continuing.

 

Strong-arm Robbery

June 10 at 9:17 p.m., a robbery of a cell phone was reported at California and Maple.  The victim and two friends were eating at a fast food restaurant.  The two female suspects were at the same restaurant.  When the victim and her friends left, the female suspects left and followed behind them, east on Huntington and then north on California.  When the victim began to make a call on her cell phone, one of the female suspects ran up behind her, bumped her and grabbed the phone.  Both female suspects ran eastbound on Maple.  The victim and her friends ran after the suspects, but lost sight of them.  Investigation continuing.

 

 

Special Enforcement Team Weekly Activity

 

Search Warrant

On June 7, Special Enforcement Team officers assisted patrol with an investigation of a suspect who was taking pictures of juvenile females near a school.  A search warrant and consent was used to recover a camera and computer from the suspect.  The searches included a vehicle, the suspect's work and residence.  The investigation is continuing.

 

Unlicensed Driver / Warrant - Suspect Arrested

On June 8, the Special Enforcement Team stopped a vehicle on Longden at Live Oak.  The driver was cited for being unlicensed and a passenger was arrested for a warrant for driving under the influence.

 

Driving With a Suspended License / Possession of Drug Paraphernalia - Suspect Arrested

On July 9, a suspicious vehicle that left the 200 Block of East Cherry was stopped by the Special Enforcement Team.  The driver was arrested and cited in the field for having a suspended driver's license and possessing a rock cocaine pipe.  The vehicle was stored.

Monrovia's AeroVironment Sells Drones to Swedish Army

The Swedish Army is buying drone aircraft from Monrovia-based AeroVironment. http://goo.gl/t8S5R

- Brad Haugaard

A Special Library Book Donation

Former student in a computer class at the Monrovia Library - who is paralyzed from the neck down - donates a book she wrote to the library. http://goo.gl/YMChL

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovian Charged in Bike Robbery Incident | More on Graduation

~ Monrovian charged in robbery of bicycle. http://goo.gl/Ba7WI

~ More on the Monrovia High graduation. http://goo.gl/nqB9K

- Brad Haugaard

Helping Find Missing Monrovia Pets

I just saw this missing-dog flyer and thought maybe I could be helpful. If you lose a pet in Monrovia, send me a little picture and a few words and I will probably post it here. I hate for pets to be lost.

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia School District Suing Office Depot, More Layoffs, No Raises, Budget Info

Among other topics at its June 15, 7 p.m. meeting, (agenda: http://goo.gl/ZjBO9 ), the Monrovia School Board will ...

~ Consider hiring an attorney to sue Office Depot. Monrovia and some other local school districts are suing Office Depot for what the district terms: "fraud it committed in pricing." The attorney would be hired on a contingency basis, meaning the law firm only gets paid if it wins. http://goo.gl/tmZsi

~ Consider laying off or cutting the hours of more employees. This time (if I'm reading this correctly) cutting a computer lab instructional assistant at Wild Rose Elementary from five hours a day for nine months a year to 3.75 hours a day for nine months, and cutting four preschool developmental aides at Canyon Early Learning Center from three hours daily for 12 months a year to 3 hours a day for nine months. http://goo.gl/mrucq

~ Reveal the agreement between the district and the Monrovia Teachers Association. It appears to be essentially a no-raises contract ( http://goo.gl/QbRt4 ). Ditto for the non-teacher employees: http://goo.gl/NK5l2

~ Hear some pretty bleak - but apparently slightly better - budget numbers for Monrovia schools. The image above gives a hint. http://goo.gl/em2Jk

- Brad Haugaard

Gold Line Bridge Construction - Freeway Closure June 18-19

Graphic showing what is happening with the bridge construction.


The Gold Line construction folks expect one closure of the eastbound 210 Freeway on Monday, June 18, from 11 p.m. through 5 a.m. on June 19. The lanes may be partially closed from 10 p.m. through 1 p.m. on the 19th.

- Brad Haugaard

Will Gold Line be a Short Line? Metro Not Providing Money to Lay Track to Claremont

The Metro is not allotting any more money to complete the Gold Line to Claremont, though it is providing more money to extend other lines, according to Habib Balian, spokesman for the Construction Authority for the Metro Gold Line.

Balian writes:

"We are extremely disappointed to see the draft updated Expenditure Plan just released by Metro. An updated expenditure plan is required by AB1446 for the proposed permanent extension of Measure R. AB1446 requires that the new Expenditure Plan include updated total cost estimates for the completion of each Measure R project (as defined in AB1446), as well as updated funding years and completion dates.

 

"Despite the fact that the Construction Authority submitted an expenditure plan for the project defined in Measure R ('Pasadena to Claremont'), Metro ignored both the statutory definition of the project as well as its estimated total cost of completion. In fact Metro did not adjust the total cost estimate beyond what has been assumed for the last few years.  This amount is not nearly enough to complete the voter-mandated project from Pasadena to Claremont and therefore does not meet the requirements set out in AB1446.

 

"As a comparison, Metro added a significant amount to the total cost estimates for a number of other projects:

 

· $1.65 billion was added for the I-405 Corridor

 

· Nearly $1 billion was added for the Westside Subway

 

· $500 million was added for the West Santa Ana Branch Corridor

 

· Just under $200 million was added for the Gold Line Eastside Extension"

 

Source: Press release from Habib Balian

 

- Brad Haugaard

Lunch at Burger Basket

Lunch at Burger Basket, corner of Mayflower and Duarte. We got two hamburgers with fries with drinks for $10.34. Not an elegant place but a good burger with crisp, fresh lettuce and tomato.

- Brad Haugaard

Pictures of Monrovia Graduation; Congrats Grads!

Pictures of the commencement ceremony at Monrovia High. http://goo.gl/OJHIL

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia's Senator: Apparent Defeat of Smoking Tax Bad Omen for Governor's Proposed Tax

Video: Senate Republican Leader Bob Huff, who represents Monrovia, says the apparent defeat of the Prop 29 smoking tax bodes ill for Governor Jerry Brown's proposed tax vote. Also he comments on San Jose and San Diego's votes in favor of pension reform and says Republicans are not being given any input into the proposed state budget. http://goo.gl/Fidpl

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia to Adopt Tight But Balanced Budget | After Redevelopment | Fire Department Survey

~ If you are interested in the city's budget, the situation appears to be that money is tight but we're slowly doing a bit better, and the city plans to adopt a balanced budget on June 19. Here is a helpful slideshow ( http://goo.gl/H4MGf ), and if you are a glutton for this sort of thing, here  are several useful documents: http://goo.gl/2riau

~ So with redevelopment killed by the state, how will Monrovia compensate? In the weekly City Manager's Report, City Manager Laurie K. Lile writes: "Moving forward is the launch of the Business Visitation program, the Fill Up Old Town Campaign and increased partnerships with brokers and the Monrovia Chamber of Commerce. As we look ahead, it will be more important than ever to build and maintain relationships, continue to enhance a business attraction strategy and develop a more comprehensive job development program." http://goo.gl/QaLhg

~ If you have had dealings with the Monrovia Fire Department, you may wish to take the department's short customer satisfaction survey: http://goo.gl/tIZrw

- Brad Haugaard