Tour of Historic Monrovia

Monrovia Historic Preservation Group will conduct a walking tour of downtown Monrovia on Saturday, March 5, at 10 a.m. The tour lasts about two hours, and participants will walk eight blocks. $5 per person. Reservations not necessary, just meet at the SE corner of Palm and Myrtle Avenues. http://goo.gl/I9gLrc

- Brad Haugaard

Seminar on Essential Oils at Monrovia Library

Make over your Medicine Cabinet with essential oils, Monday, March 7 at 10 a.m. with host Kate Garland. At Monrovia Library. Register here: https://goo.gl/bK3cTg

Monrovia Girls Soccer Loses To Arcadia

Monrovia girls soccer loses to Arcadia, 3-0. http://goo.gl/FGcIRP

- Brad Haugaard

Monty Python Play at Monrovia High

Monty Python's Spamalot, a musical "ripped off from the motion picture, 'Monty Python and the Holy Grail.'" March 3, 4, 5 at 7 p.m. Tickets here: http://www.wildcattheater.com/

- Brad Haugaard

Cost Breakdown for Monrovia to Comply With State Environmental Regulations

Here is a breakdown, from City Manager Oliver Chi, of the cost for Monrovia to comply with the state's storm-water runoff regulations. It's not just Monrovia, by the way, lots of cities are being hit.


- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia's Bond Rating Upgraded; Gold Line Opening Ceremony; A Mural of Books; Author Talk

In his weekly report, City Manager Oliver Chi reports...

- Standard & Poor, the bond rating agency, has upgraded Monrovia's bonds to AA-, the fourth highest rating and considerably better than the BBB- to BBB+ range the city's bonds were in before. Simply put, this means that if Monrovia needs to borrow money, it can do so at a cheaper interest rate.

- Ribbon cutting March 5 for Monrovia Gold Line Station at 11:30 a.m. for the first day of public train service. Also, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. – Music, crafts, games, booths, giveaways, food, trackless train rides. Free shuttle between Old Town Monrovia and Station Square. Noon – Live entertainment begins by the band, Person to Person.

- Artist Mike Stilkey is creating a mural in the youth section of the Library of Monrovia-area animals painted on the spines of approximately 3,000 books. The project should take about two weeks. Comment: Nice that books are still useful for something.

- On Saturday, April 16, 2016, at 2 p.m. at Monrovia Library, author Attica Locke will discuss her third novel, Pleasantville. She also writes for the TV show, Empire.

- Brad Haugaard

Should City Let Bradbury Annex Part of Monrovia?

Land Bradbury wants to annex.

Four parcels of Monrovia land (2.65 acres) are also within the jurisdiction of the Bradbury Estates Community Services District, and the City of Bradbury is wondering if it might annex that land to Bradbury. In his weekly report Chi said the city is analyzing the situation, including any financial impacts to Monrovia.

- Brad Haugaard

Biotech Day in Monrovia

Monrovia Biotech Day April 22, 3:30-4:30 p.m. at Mary Wilcox Youth Center (843 E Olive). Biotech opportunities in Monrovia. Activities for all ages. Sponsored by Boys and Girls Club, Lab Launch, City of Monrovia.

Monrovia Police: Almost Arson; Hit and Run; Car Chase; Beer Theft; Disneyland Ticket Scam; School Vandalism

[Monrovia Police activities from the Police Department's Neighborhood Watch Report for February 18-21. - Brad Haugaard]

Following are the weekend’s highlighted issues and events.

Attempted Arson
February 18 at 2:25 p.m., officers responded to the 400 block of South Violet regarding an attempted arson. The victim reported he saw a former female roommate outside his residence. He watched her exit her vehicle and walk over to his vehicle. She opened the driver’s door to his vehicle and began pouring gasoline throughout the interior of his vehicle from a red gas can she was carrying. He ran outside and confronted her. As he approached, it appeared she was preparing to toss a lit cigarette into the vehicle, but she saw him and fled to her vehicle. She left the area without lighting the vehicle on fire. The investigation is continuing.

Hit & Run Traffic Collision
February 18 at 6:35 p.m., officers were dispatched to the 400 block of South Violet regarding a traffic collision. The victim was unloading her vehicle, which was parked on the street. An unknown vehicle traveling south on Violet struck the left rear door of the parked vehicle and fled the scene. The investigation is continuing.

Pursuit/Stolen Vehicle Recovered – Suspect Arrested
February 19 at 3:41 p.m., an officer located a stolen vehicle in the area of Myrtle and Duarte. A pursuit ensued that went from Myrtle to Huntington, east on Huntington, then south on Mountain. The suspect sideswiped a vehicle at the 210 Freeway underpass on Mountain and continued south. The suspect vehicle became blocked by traffic on Mountain at the railroad tracks. Officers blocked the suspect in and approached the vehicle. The suspect would not follow verbal commands and resisted the officers, but was eventually removed from the vehicle and taken into custody.

Warrant/Possession of a Controlled Substance – Suspect Arrested
February 19 at 8:45 p.m., an officer stopped a vehicle for a vehicle code violation at Primrose and Chestnut. The driver was found to have an outstanding warrant. During an inventory search of the vehicle prior to storing it, methamphetamine was found inside.

Traffic Stop/Evading a Police Officer
February 19 at 11:21 p.m., an officer attempted to stop a vehicle in the area of Euclid and Shamrock for a vehicle code violation. The driver fled in the vehicle, heading south on Flagstone, where the vehicle came to an abrupt stop. Both occupants then jumped out of the vehicle and fled on foot. The passenger appeared to be holding something in his waistband as he ran. A search for the suspects was conducted, but they were not found. The Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department helicopter assisted at the scene. The vehicle was impounded as it matched the description of a vehicle involved in a recent crime that occurred in Duarte. The investigation is continuing.

Petty Theft/Violation of Court Order – Suspect Arrested
February 21 at 12:08 p.m., an officer responded to a business in the 100 block of west Foothill regarding a shoplifter in custody. The suspect entered the store, concealed bottles of beer on his person, and left the store without paying. The suspect is an active gang member and was in violation of Monrovia’s gang injunction. He was arrested for shoplifting and violation of the court order.

Fraud/Scam – Suspect Arrested
February 21 at 2:15 p.m., the victim of fraud called police to report the scam. He reported an ad on Craigslist regarding tickets for sale for Disneyland. The victim said he met with the suspect and bought the tickets, only to find out that they were fraudulent. He had a friend call the suspect requesting to buy additional tickets and they agreed to meet in Monrovia. The victim asked if police could help him recover his money.

Although the first incident did not occur in Monrovia, it was similar to a Monrovia case that occurred earlier that week. An officer was dispatched to the location at the time they agreed to meet and the suspect was detained. The suspect admitted he had taken gift cards from a local grocery store and advertised on Craigslist. He admitted selling three gift cards that were never activated. Two incidents possibly occurred in Monrovia. The first incident occurred in Arcadia, and the victim was advised to file a police report with Arcadia. The suspect also had four outstanding warrants. He was arrested and taken into custody.

Vandalism – Suspect Arrested
February 21 at 7:05 p.m., dispatch received a call reporting suspects vandalizing a school in the 100 block of West Duarte Road. Two young male subjects were seen by witnesses spray painting a wall at the school. Officers arrived and detained two juveniles near the school. A field show up was conducted with three witnesses. All three witnesses positively identified the suspects. Both suspects were arrested for vandalism and taken into custody. They were booked and released to their parents with a citation to appear in court on the charges.

Monrovia Man Killed in Car Crash

A Monrovia man was killed in a car crash with a man who has been arrested on charges of driving while under the influence. The name of the victim has not been released. http://goo.gl/iMUTYc

Update: The victim was Chris Nelson, who leaves behind a wife and four children. A memorial fund has been set up for him: https://goo.gl/CuqFkV

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Sailor Honored | Story of Franklin | Ben Hur at First Presbyterian

~ Monrovian Steven Chester won the Sailor of the Day award aboard the USS John C. Stennis. http://goo.gl/JtFgNt

~ School teacher tells the story of how she persuaded Peanuts' cartoonist Charles Shulz to include a black character, Franklin, in the famous comic strip. http://goo.gl/dRxEnl

~ On Saturday, Feb. 27 at 7 p.m. Monrovia's First Presbyterian Church will present the classic 1925 silent movie, Ben Hur: A Tale of the Christ, accompanied by a live pipe organ score by Randy Woltz. Suggested donation is $7. For more information call 358-3297 or email David@fpcmonrovia.org. http://goo.gl/NaJaJF

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia School Board Agenda

School board agenda for Feb. 24. Big items are agreements with the various contractors fixing Monrovia High after the arson. Fortunately, it appears most of the cost will be covered by insurance. Agenda here.

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Assemblyman Wants to Control Drones To Keep Bears' Heart Rates Down

Assembly Majority Floor Leader Chris Holden, who represents Monrovia, has introduced Assembly Bill 2148 to require the Department of Fish and Wildlife to develop guidelines for the use of drones over public lands managed by the department. His press release says that two years ago drones caused a stampede of bighorn sheep, and that drones have also "caused elevated heart rates in bears."

- Brad Haugaard

Lunch at Veranda Mediterranean


Lunch recently at Veranda Mediterranean restaurant, at Myrtle and Lime. I got the lunch buffet for $9.95 and an iced tea for $3. I liked the stuffed grape leaves and cucumber salad best and went back for seconds on those. 
  
- Brad Haugaard

A Video Ride on the Gold Line

Take a virtual (video) ride on the new Metro Gold Line train, from Pasadena to Azusa. https://goo.gl/z85pOb

- Brad Haugaard
Experimental. try to get to work on mobile devices