City and Chamber of Commerce Thinking About How to Help Restaurants and Other Businesses

In reference to the idea expressed here of closing Myrtle for additional restaurant seating when restaurants are allowed to open again, Craig Jimenez, Monrovia's Director of Community Development, writes:

Clearly, there are a lot of us on the same wavelength! Just to let you know that City staff has already been mulling the idea of providing additional opportunities for restaurants and other businesses when the time is right…not only on Myrtle, but throughout Monrovia. I know that that the folks at the Chamber are talking about this too.

While we’re still bound by the County and state orders, we’re all looking forward to a time when we can support all of our business community to the fullest.

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia School District Student Information System Hacked

On April 27, Monrovia School District was informed by Aeries, the company that provides the district's student information system, that information for some of the districts the company serves might have been breached.

Possible compromised information is: parent and student login information, residents' physical addresses, email addresses, and password hashes. [Password hashes, by the way, won't let you log into an account. They're passwords, but they've basically been turned into hash. - Brad]

All accounts have been locked and Aeries will be sending out a password reset to students and parents.

The district is asking people to login as soon as possible to reset their passwords. For help, call (626) 471-2064.

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Coronavirus Count: 95 Cases, Up Four; No More Deaths

The LA County Department of Public Health reports (https://is.gd/LcrzHl) Monrovia Coronavirus cases today:

Monrovia: 95 cases (up 4 from yesterday), 9 deaths (unchanged from yesterday - https://is.gd/bmKPBb).

Unincorporated Monrovia: 15 cases (up two from yesterday)

Brookdale Monrovia (assisted living facility): 2 cases (unchanged from yesterday).

Monrovia Gardens Healthcare Center: 64 (up one from yesterday), 6 deaths (unchanged from yesterday)

Monrovia Memorial Hospital:  16 cases (unchanged from yesterday)

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Days Celebration Watch Party

Enjoy the 2020 Monrovia Days virtually, with a Watch Party on Saturday, May 16, at 10 a.m.

Monrovia’s 134th birthday will be celebrated with a commemorative video. Watch at-home parades, pie eating contests and community members wishing Monrovia a happy birthday.

Ways to Watch

• Monrovia Days Facebook Watch Party
• Spectrum Cable - Channel 3
• Giggle Fiber - Channel 87.3
• KGEM-TV YouTube

Monrovia Days is one of the town’s favorite ways to get together and celebrate Monrovia, along with recognizing the scholars and champions who have worked so hard all year. Given the growing concerns around COVID-19, the difficult decision was made to change how the Monrovia Days celebration will look this year.

For more information on Monrovia Days, visit www.monroviadays.org, “Like” City of Monrovia and Monrovia Days on Facebook and follow the City and Monrovia Days on Instagram @cityofmonrovia and @mymonrovia.

- Brad Haugaard

Opinion - Devote Myrtle Avenue to Restaurant Seating

A friend in Lodi told me his city is considering this plan, and I think it could work in Monrovia.

When it becomes legally possible for restaurants to open, the city could close off Myrtle to vehicle traffic and open the street as a dining area for the adjacent restaurants.

If restaurants are required to have seating spaced at least six feet apart, this would allow them to have - more or less - full seating. And it would be kinda fun, too!

If I want to go north or south in Monrovia, I avoid Myrtle. Too many stop lights and pedestrians. I'm usually only on the street if I'm going somewhere ON Myrtle, so I don't think closing it would be a big inconvenience for drivers.

Also, it need not be a permanent arrangement. This could just be for summer and fall, or just afternoons and evenings.

With the Friday night festival, the city has plenty of experience with closing the street, so planning would mostly involve simply copying the procedures for Friday nights.

I dunno. Just a thought ...

- Brad Haugaard

Demure Rose - Just Needs Stability and Love

Four-year-old Rose is a demure cat who needs patience to come out of her shell, but earning her trust and affection will be well worth the wait! She loves to explore once she’s comfortable, and if you want to be her friend, she can be swayed by some yummy treats (raise your hand if this describes you too). Rose doesn’t ask for much, just a little time to get used to you. With stability and love, this beautiful cat will thrive!

Currently, all adoption fees are waived, made possible by the Spence Family and Capital Group. All cat adoptions include spay or neuter, microchip, and age-appropriate vaccines.

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 and fill out an online adoption application. Adoptions are by appointment only.

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

- Brad Haugaard

Humane Society Swamped With People Wanting to Adopt a Pet

The Pasadena Humane Society, which serves Monrovia, reports that it has been swamped with people wanting to adopt a pet. In fact, it has more applicants then cats and dogs.

From the PHS web page (https://is.gd/aCa37H):

"We are extremely grateful to our community for your excitement and willingness to adopt a shelter pet during this time. In the past week, we have received nearly 1,000 adoption applications for adoptable animals in our care. This means that we have more applications than we have animals—while we generally consider this a good problem to have, we also understand that this can be frustrating for people ready to bring a new pet into their lives. While we work to develop a more seamless adoption process, we appreciate your patience and support."

- Brad Haugaard

Canyon Park to Open May 18

In his latest report (https://goo.gl/aOqX7O) City Manager Dylan Feik reports that Monrovia Canyon Park will open Monday, May 18. All other parks, and the Wilderness Preserve, are already open, but for Canyon Park to open, the city needs to "prepare a social distancing protocol for the park and park users."

Feik says residents are required to wear cloth face coverings when in contact with non-household members and when accessing essential businesses and services, such as the grocery store, bank, work or on public transportation.

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Coronavirus Count: 91 Cases, 9 Deaths; Another Care Facility Affected

The LA County Department of Public Health reports (https://is.gd/LcrzHl) Monrovia Coronavirus cases today:

Monrovia: 91 cases (up 14 from yesterday), 9 deaths (up two from yesterday - https://is.gd/bmKPBb).

Unincorporated Monrovia: 13 cases (up one from yesterday)

Brookdale Monrovia (assisted living facility): 2 cases (unchanged from yesterday).

Monrovia Gardens Healthcare Center: 63 (up 10 from yesterday), 6 deaths (up two from yesterday)

Monrovia Memorial Hospital:  16 cases, 8 staff and 8 residents

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Community Garden Wins Award

The Monrovia Community Garden Pilot program received an Award of Merit in the Green Region category from the Southern California Association of Governments, which encourages innovative planning to improve the mobility, livability, prosperity and sustainability for the Southern California region.

Since it launched  in July 2019, the Monrovia Comminunity Garden has generated:

• More than 800 hours of community service by volunteers
• 500 pounds of produce
• 2 tons of food waste composted and diverted from landfills
• More than 200 children participating in garden crafts and seeds planted at community events
• 125 community members attending workshops and education events
• More than 1,100 feet of Deodar Cedar Urban Rescue wood used for raised beds instead of being wood chipped

The garden, at 303 W Colorado Blvd., on the corner of Magnolia Avenue and Colorado Boulevard, is open from sunrise to sunset.

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Coronavirus Count: 77, 7 Deaths

The LA County Department of Public Health reports (https://is.gd/LcrzHl) Monrovia Coronavirus cases today:

Monrovia: 77 cases (same as yesterday), 7 deaths (up one from yesterday - https://is.gd/bmKPBb).

Unincorporated Monrovia: 12 cases (up one from yesterday)

Brookdale Monrovia (assisted living facility), 2 cases (unchanged from yesterday).

Monrovia Gardens Healthcare Center: 53 (up three from yesterday), 4 deaths (up one from yesterday)

- Brad Haugaard

New Restaurant, Cafe de Olla, Going In on Myrtle

Cafe de Olla, a new restaurant, is going in on the west side of Myrtle between Lemon and Lime, next to the STIX skateboarding shop. It'll be a while; it's still gutted on the inside. Info and photo thanks to Kelly Moran.

- Brad Haugaard

Six Deaths in Monrovia; Another Care Facility Affected

The LA County Department of Public Health reports (https://is.gd/LcrzHl) Monrovia Coronavirus cases today:

Monrovia: 77 cases (up 3 from yesterday), 6 deaths (up 3 from yesterday - https://is.gd/bmKPBb).

Unincorporated Monrovia: 11 cases (unchanged)

Brookdale Monrovia: 2 cases, one staff member and one resident. This is an assisted living facility at 201 E Foothill Blvd. Two blocks east of Myrtle, north side.

Monrovia Gardens Healthcare Center: 50 (unchanged), 3 deaths (up one from yesterday)

- Brad Haugaard

School Board to Discuss Rules for Protective Gear at Social Gatherings

At its next meeting (agenda: https://is.gd/wuwJTn) the Monrovia Board of Education will discuss the kinds of personal protective gear that the district will require at social gatherings, and will likely proclaim May 18, through May 22 as Classified School Employee Week, to recognize and honor the contributions of school employees.  https://is.gd/QlVh7j

- Brad Haugaard

Mountain Lion Just a Block North of Foothill

A resident in north Monrovia reports on Nextdoor seeing a 150-200 pound mountain lion on Stedman between Oak and Greystone today. Oak is one just block north of Foothill, though it is a long block.

- Brad Haugaard