Monrovia Church to Offer Drive-Through Communion

Monrovia's Fellowship Church will hold its first ever drive-through communion service on Sunday, June 14 from 3-5 p.m. in the Monrovia High School parking lot. Staff will "distribute the elements of communion and pray a blessing over you from the safety of your vehicle."

- Brad Haugaard

Lunch from Cafe X2O


Lunch from Cafe X2O, on the north side of Foothill just east of Alta Vista. Got the Chicken Kebab ($14) and substituted the rice with spinach for about $4 (wasn’t broken out so not sure). Very good. I enjoyed it all. 

- Brad Haugaard 

Monrovia Coronavirus Count: 166, 2 More, 1 More Death

Today's Coronavirus cases from LA Deptartment of Public Health:


Monrovia: 166 cases (up 2), 20 deaths (up 1).


Unincorporated Monrovia: 21 cases (unchanged).


Brookdale Monrovia: 8 cases (unchanged), 1 death (unchanged).


Monrovia Gardens Healthcare Center: 74 (unchanged), 16 deaths (unchanged). This facility has suddenly disappeared from the county's stats page, so these numbers are old.


Monrovia Memorial Hospital:  27 cases (unchanged) and 2 deaths (unchanged).


- Brad Haugaard

Monrovian Restaurant Prepares to Re-Open

The Monrovian restaurant, at the corner of Myrtle and Colorado, is apparently getting ready to re-open. A Facebook post says:

“We are a new family restaurant located in Old Town Monrovia, California. Chef owned, offering fresh baked pastries, cakes, pies, and local coffee in our quick service pastry area located in the front of our dining room. We offer many different styles of artisan pastries and breads, alongside our naturally leavened pizza dough! We serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner with a full bar.”

- Brad Haugaard

Wildlife in Wilderness Area


It’s not just bears you encounter in Monrovia’s Wilderness Preserve. I saw these two today. The fawn stopped and stared at me for a while.

- Brad Haugaard 

Civic Leaders Join to Discuss George Floyd, Racism



Members of the Monrovia City Council, School Board members, law enforcement, and other community leaders gathered in Library Park today to talk about racism and the killing of George Floyd. 

A prayer, a hymn, comments by organizer Tyler Spicer and brief comments from officials and others. Above is School Board President Rob Hammond, who condemned the “murder” of Floyd, recalled the interview with Floyd’s brother and compared the pain to that which he experienced on the death of his own brother. 

Mayor Tom Adams said the killing in Minneapolis has hurt the Monrovia Police as a stain upon their profession and something they would not have allowed if they were in Minneapolis. 

Note: I put “murder” in quotes because I’m quoting and because officially a person is only a murderer if convicted, not because I doubt the facts. 

- Brad Haugaard

Curfew Starts Later Tonight - 9 p.m.

City Manager Dylan Feik reports:

Los Angeles County has issued the fourth night of a countywide curfew. Tonight's curfew will start later at 9 p.m. and will end tomorrow at 5 a.m. Residents are asked to stay in their home during the curfew unless traveling to and from work, experiencing homelessness and without access to a viable shelter or seeking medical treatment.

- Brad Haugaard 

Major Monrovia Facebook Groups Display Same Image As Statement of Solidarity

Police Chief Alan Sanvictores kneeling before protesters.

Four of the main Monrovia Facebook groups - Monrovia Happenings; Monrovia, California;  Monrovia Messenger, and Everything Monrovia, together having more than 26,000 members - have switched their groups' pictures to the same image, showing Police Chief Alan Sanvictores kneeling before people protesting the killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis police.

Carmen Martinez, of Monrovia Happenings, writes:

"Today we have solidarity throughout our town.

"If you belong to several community groups you will see us changing our group picture to the same picture. We are all different and yet, we are all the same.

"Thank you, Brian Tindall, for capturing such an amazing moment, but more so for our MPD Chief Sanvictores, our entire MPD and our entire community."

- Brad Haugaard

Superintendent Thorossian's May Update

The 2019-20 school year is quickly drawing to a close, and I find myself shocked that we have reached the end of May already. Since the beginning of our dismissal, I have missed our students, teachers, staff, and school community, but it has been wonderful to hear about our students’ many achievements even while on distance learning.

In the beginning of May, the District and our school community celebrated Teacher Appreciation Week. Our teachers chose this profession because of their belief in the value of education, their love of learning, and their connection to their students. I’d like to personally thank them for their passion and dedication to their students, to Monrovia Unified, and to our community.

Monrovia Unified honored the Class of 2020 with a celebration at 8:20 p.m. May 6 at Monrovia High School. Monrovia High lit up the Stadium and the Monrovia ‘M’ on the mountain, as another way to acknowledge seniors and their achievements. This has continued to occur every Wednesday since then and will continue through our June 3 graduation. Monrovia Unified is dedicated to celebrating its Class of 2020.

On May 10, Monrovia Unified took part in Virtual Monrovia Days 2020, and shared a video montage that celebrated our scholars and athletes. The video highlighted all of the things that make our District great: our students, teachers and staff, families, and strong academic programs and enrichment opportunities.

We’ve also been busy this month preparing for the celebrations ahead, including our promotions and graduation ceremonies. I’d like to extend a thank-you to our Board of Education, Monrovia High School Principal Kirk McGinnis and administrators, Supervisor Kathryn Barger, the City of Monrovia, and our entire community for advocating on behalf of our students and making sure their successes and achievements were celebrated. I look forward to our promotion and graduation ceremonies – our students deserve this.

Toward the end of the month, Monrovia High School announced Kate Tadeo as its valedictorian and Jessica Lee as salutatorian. Congratulations to both on their achievements. We wish them luck as they pursue their academic and personal goals in college.

Lastly, congratulations to you all for rising to the challenge that this dismissal presented all of us. I know I speak for everyone when I say I cannot wait until we are back in school again but, until then, please stay safe and take care of one another.

We will continue providing updated information on our website and social media platforms. Pre-recorded informational messages are regularly updated at (626) 471-2084.

Sincerely,
Dr. Katherine Thorossian, Superintendent

- Brad Haugaard

Company With Monrovia Lab Develops Mail-In Coronavirus Test Kit

A New York company, LetsGetChecked, with a lab in Monrovia, has developed a consumer mail-in COVID-19 test kit. https://is.gd/qNVLBz

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Coronavirus Count: 164, Up 2 - No New Deaths

Today's Coronavirus cases from LA Deptartment of Public Health:


Monrovia: 164 cases (up 2), 19 deaths (unchanged).


Unincorporated Monrovia: 21 cases (unchanged).


Brookdale Monrovia: 8 cases (unchanged), 1 death (unchanged).


Monrovia Gardens Healthcare Center: 74 (unchanged), 16 deaths (unchanged).


Monrovia Memorial Hospital:  27 cases (up 1) and 2 deaths (unchanged).


- Brad Haugaard

George Floyd Rally at Library Park

A group of about 150 plus people  gathered in Library Park today to protest the death of George Floyd.

“No justice, no peace. No racist police.”

- Brad Haugaard

Assembly Planned With City Council, Law Enforcement, at Library Park



A "peaceful assembly event where the Monrovia City Council and local law enforcement, as well as religious and community leaders will come together" is set for this Wednesday at 3 p.m. in Library Park. Call or text 703-2398 for more information.

- Brad Haugaard

Spot Space Station Docked with SpaceX Ship

Jane Houston of Old Town Sidewalk Astronomers reports that tonight at 10 p.m. (and for the next several nights) we can watch the International Space Station docked with SpaceX's Crew Dragon Demo pass overhead. Here's how to spot it: https://spotthestation.nasa.gov/

- Brad Haugaard

Curfew Again Tonight - at 6 P.M.

Yet another countywide curfew today, from 6 p.m. today to 6 a.m. Monday morning. - Brad Haugaard
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