Fish Dinners for Lent

Monrovia Knights of Columbus Lenten Fish Dinners every Friday starting March 8 to Good Friday, April 19, from 5:30-8 p.m. $12 for adult fish dinner, $6 for child fish dinner, and $6 for grilled cheese (sandwich, I guess). 130 W. Pomona Ave., Monrovia. 

- Brad Haugaard 

Santa Fe Seventh Grader Wins Spelling Bee - Moves On to Regional Contest

Santa Fe Computer Science Magnet School seventh-grader Jose Dawis spelled out “flauta” to take first place in his school’s 2019 Spelling Bee and ensure he will move on to the Los Angeles County Scripps Regional Spelling Bee on March 9. https://goo.gl/KbcHmz

- Brad Haugaard

Here's What's Going Up at Chestnut and Magnolia

The construction at the corner of Chestnut and Magnolia will be a 16,349 square foot 10-unit industrial condominium complex and the first industrial condominium development to be built in the City since 1980. The project was approved by the Planning Commission in April...of 2008, according to Community Development's Over the Counter blog: https://goo.gl/Rif97C

- Brad Haugaard

Wedding Thief Makes off With Gift Cards and Cash

A wedding crasher (he's on video - Do you know him?) stole gift cards and cash from a Monrovia bride and groom during their wedding reception. https://goo.gl/XuesWW

- Brad Haugaard

Info for Parents on Kindergarten

There will be a meeting to introduce parents to the various kindergarten programs Monrovia Schools offers. It'll be Monday, March 18, at 6 p.m at the Monrovia Unified District Office, 325 E. Huntington Dr. https://goo.gl/q1CVNs

- Brad Haugaard

Anniversary of New Monrovia Literacy Van

On Facebook, Monrovia Reads reports that one year ago it launched a new Mobile Literacy Van, which visits each elementary school in the Monrovia Unified School District each week.  As of Feb. 6 the stats for the van are:

Books Checked Out: 2, 407

Library Cards Issued: 144

Outreach Visits: 168

People Visiting Van: 6, 036

- Brad Haugaard

Citrus Ranks Among Top Schools for Hispanics

For the 12th consecutive year, Citrus College, which serves Monrovia, has been recognized as one of the nation's top community colleges by Hispanic Outlook on Education, a national monthly magazine. This year, it ranked Citrus 25th out of the nation's more-than 1,100 community colleges for the number of Hispanic students receiving degrees and certificates. The college also ranked 32nd for total enrollment of Hispanic students.

- Brad Haugaard

Free Neighborhood Conference

Monrovia Area Partnership (MAP) will hold its free 10th Annual Neighborhood Conference on Saturday, April 6, from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Second Baptist Church, 925 S. Shamrock. Workshop Topics: Neighborhood Treasures, upcoming development, de-escalation simulations with Monrovia Police, history, active shooter training, renewal updates. For further information contact MAP staff at 932-5563 or map@ci.monrovia.ca.us. Details: https://goo.gl/P67uoE

- Brad Haugaard

Frontier Building to Become Self Storage; We're Still Way Low on Water; Sidewalk Poetry; Wine Walk

Former Frontiers building remodeled as self-storage, offices, retail.

In his latest report (https://goo.gl/aOqX7O) City Manager Oliver Chi reports:

~ The company, Overton Moore Pacific, plans to convert the current Frontier Building on Lime Avenue to a mixed-use self-storage project with 550 self-storage units, 4,470 square feet of ground floor retail/commercial space, and 1,247 square feet of ground floor office space. The Development Review Committee will consider the project in May.

~  The Main San Gabriel Basin Watermaster reports that while higher-than-average rainfall has helped our groundwater level, it is still extremely low. We're still short around 52.9 billion gallons.

~  A growing amount of personal property stored on the west side of the Monrovia Public Library has been removed and is being stored at the Monrovia Police Department. Police posted a 72-hour notice on the property and when it elapsed on February 20, no one had relocated or moved the items. The Homeless Outreach Team tried to figure out whom it belonged to, without success.

~  The Footnotes program stamps poetry by local authors into sidewalks when they are repaired. The 2019 winners have been selected (https://goo.gl/U5XZzJ). Here is an example:

Library Park is the place to be
Children, dogs, and squirrels I see
A glance, I wave
A familiar face?
No, he wants my parking space

By Maria Ramirez

~ The 3rd Annual Wine Walk in Old Town will take place April 13, from 6 to 9 p.m. Tickets go on sale March 1 at the Community Center, Charlie's House, PrimeLending, 3 Beauty Bar, Sauté, and Sunday's Old Town Bistro. If you spend $100 in one shopping/dining experience in Old Town, you can buy two pre-sale tickets for $35 each instead of $40. Show your receipt when purchasing tickets.

- Brad Haugaard

Bobo Looking for Seeing Eye Human

Bobo, the sweet blind Pit Bull, is seeking a seeing-eye human soulmate. Must love dogs and have lots of patience to show him around and orient to his surroundings. Someone with a soothing voice to reassure him that he’s safe and help him feel confident. Bobo is blind and hesitant at first, but with a little help he can figure it out and resume his dog duties. This 3-year-old boy loves affection from all of his staff and volunteer friends, enjoys laying on his doggy bed, and loves filling his tummy with yummy dog treats.

 

The adoption fee for dogs is $140. All dogs are spayed or neutered, microchipped, and vaccinated before going to their new home.

 

New adopters will receive a complimentary health-and-wellness exam from VCA Animal Hospitals, as well as a goody bag filled with information about how to care for your pet.

View photos of adoptable pets at pasadenahumane.org. Adoption hours are 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday; 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Friday; and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday.

Pets may not be available for adoption and cannot be held for potential adopters by phone calls or email.

- Brad Haugaard 

Monrovia Under Quarantine Because of Citrus Bug

It is now illegal to move citrus trees or other plants out of Monrovia, or to bring plants into town from other states or countries.

A press release from Citrus Pest & Disease Prevention Program explains:

“Due to the detection of an incurable plant disease called Huanglongbing (HLB) in Duarte, the California Department of Food and Agriculture has expanded the Los Angeles HLB quarantine area by 79 square miles to include the city of Monrovia. This quarantine means that it is illegal to move citrus trees and plant material out of the quarantine area and to bring citrus fruit or plant material into this area from other states or countries. “HLB kills all citrus trees it infects and is spread by a small pest called the Asian citrus psyllid as it feeds on leaves and stems of citrus trees. HLB is not harmful to humans or animals, but once a tree is infected, it will die and must be removed.     “Agricultural officials are in the Monrovia area and working to protect backyard citrus trees by inspecting them for the disease.”

Symptoms of HLB include blotchy, yellowing of leaves, yellow shoots, lopsided, small and bitter fruit, and premature and excessive fruit drop. 

Agriculture officials are working hard in the area to find and stop the disease. Please allow them to access your property.

Be sure to dry out citrus tree clippings or double bag them before removing the plant material from the property.

Control for ants on your citrus tree. Ants protect harmful pests like the Asian citrus psyllid. Place ant bait around citrus trees and follow the product’s label instructions. 

- Brad Haugaard

Educator Brings Clifton Audience to Tears

An educator known for her unconventional classroom tactics brought more than 700 Clifton Middle School students to tears on Feb. 14 with stories of how her “unteachable” students have blazed paths to college and successful careers. Full story: 

https://goo.gl/hFTfUK

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Scout to Place Wreath on Tomb of the Unknown Soldier

Monrovia Troop 66 Star Scout and Senior Patrol Leader Willem Aponno will place a wreath on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Washington, D.C, along with a group of eighth grade students from Arcadia Christian School. https://goo.gl/uHWNTn

- Brad Haugaard 

Help Monrovia Schools Plan the Future

If you are interested in giving your thoughts on Monrovia schools, he Monrovia School District will hold a series of three Local Control and Accountability Plan meetings, to which you're invited. Details: https://goo.gl/VHzNMQ

- Brad Haugaard

Dinner at Mayan Restaurant

Dinner at the Mayan Restaurant, in the Aztec Hotel at Foothill and Mayflower. Got the Seafood Combo for $19 and a beer at the happy hour price of $2.50.  It was a bit of work shelling, but worth it. Very tasty. Also, without our ordering it we were given a free, beautiful and delicious cheesecake dessert. 

- Brad Haugaard