A Moment in Monrovia History: Awaiting Monrovia Days Parade in 1937

Monrovia Day Parade in 1937 in front of Slick Bros. and other stores at 622-26 S. Myrtle. See full details here. From the Myron Hotchkiss collection.

For more historic photos and papers, see the Monrovia Historical Society’s complete Legacy Project collection here. Learn more about the Monrovia Historical Society here.

- Brad Haugaard

School District to Consider Creating New Position - Deputy Superintendent

At its next meeting the Monrovia Board of Education will consider ...

~ Creating and hiring for a new position of deputy superintendent. The deputy superintendent "will assist in meeting the demands of successfully operating the District and instituting appropriate transformation of functions. In partnership with the Superintendent, the Deputy Superintendent is responsible for leadership and management of the internal operations of the District." https://is.gd/5nTxnC

~ Hiring Leadership Associates of Glendora for $15,000 to find the deputy superintendent. The company will be paid $7,500 30 days after the contract is  approved and $7,500 upon selection of a finalist. https://is.gd/ZFbyPK

~ An agreement to provide meals to Immaculate Conception STEM Academy. https://is.gd/76TL08

~ Recognizing Sept. 15-Oct. 15 as Hispanic Heritage Month. https://is.gd/LFPT1G

- Brad Haugaard

City Suspends MAX Aquatics After Arrest of Coach; Commercial Non-Eviction Moratorium Ended; Jobs With City

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

~ The city and school district have suspended all MAX Aquatics programming in Monrovia until further notice in light of the arrest of one of the company's coaches on suspicion of sex crimes with a child.

Monrovia has contracted with MAX Aquatics to operate aquatics programs at the Monrovia High School pool since 2016.

Arcadia Police is concerned that there may be additional victims.  If you have any information, or know someone who may have been a victim, please contact the Arcadia Police Department at (626) 574-5160, case number 2103509.

~  On September 7, 2021, the Monrovia City Council ended the emergency moratorium on the eviction of commercial tenants for non-payment of rent due to COVID-19 financial hardships and "no-fault" commercial evictions.

~ The city is looking for two management analysts in its Public Works and Administrative Services Departments. Full-Time, $69,557.84 to $93,214.16 Annually. Details: https://is.gd/fFeRbp

- Brad Haugaard

Arcadia Police Arrest Suspect in Sex Acts With Child, But Fear There May Be More Victims

Arcadia Police have arrested a former swim coach with Max Aquatics, a private swim club that uses pools in Monrovia, Arcadia and El Monte, on suspicion of committing Unlawful Sexual Acts with a Child. Police, however, are concerned that there may be additional victims.

Arcadia Police report: 

"On September 7, 2021, a representative of Max Aquatics contacted the Arcadia Police Department to report an inappropriate relationship between an adult Max Aquatics swim coach and a juvenile athlete. Max Aquatics is a private swim club that uses the pools in the cities of Arcadia, El Monte, and Monrovia. Max Aquatics immediately suspended the coach, and his employment was subsequently terminated. 

"Arcadia Police Detectives conducted an investigation, obtained an arrest warrant for the suspect, and a search warrant for the suspect who is 25-year-old Marco Antonio Flores from Arcadia, pictured [here]. On September 16, 2021, Detectives served the search and arrest warrants at Flores’ residence. Flores was arrested for violations of unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor, lewd and lascivious acts involving children, and other sex crimes. Flores is being held in the Arcadia Police Department’s jail with a bail of $25,000.

"Marco Flores was a swim coach at Max Aquatics since 2017, and detectives are concerned there may be additional victims. The case is currently under investigation. Anyone with information regarding this investigation, or may have been a victim, are encouraged to contact the Arcadia Police Department Detective Bureau at (626) 574-5160, case number 2103509. If you prefer to provide information anonymously, you may call "Crime Stoppers" by dialing (800) 222-TIPS (8477), use your smartphone by downloading the “P3 Tips” Mobile APP on Google play or the Apple App Store, or by using the website http://lacrimestoppers.org."

Source: Arcadia Police press release

- Brad Haugaard

Mayor Withdraws Application for Historic Landmark Status for His House

Mayor Adams' house.

Mayor Tom Adams has withdrawn an application set to come before the City Council (https://is.gd/HkqM2u) for an historic landmark designation for his home on Norumbega Drive.

Earlier, the Historic Preservation Commission declined to take any action on Adam's request though the commission's staff concluded the request was reasonable, but not on the architectural grounds under which it was submitted.

The commission report (https://is.gd/rgp3YQ) says: "The applicant had submitted the application for designation focused on architecture; however, staff believes that designation based on association [with a notable person] is more compelling and has greater merit as described below." The report then lists Adams contributions to the city.

- Brad Haugaard

Weekly Coronavirus Count: Two New Deaths - One in Monrovia, One in Unincorporated Monrovia

Coronavirus cases from LA Department of Public Health as of 8 p.m., 09/15/2021. Changes since 09/09/2021.

City of Monrovia: 3,839 cases (up 70), 81 deaths (up 1)
Unincorporated Monrovia: 434 cases (up 1), 1 death (up 1)

- Brad Haugaard

Renters Now Majority in Monrovia

This is admittedly somewhat old, but I haven't heard it mentioned before. Monrovia, along with many other suburban cities across the country, has switched from a majority of homeowners to a majority of renters.

The study in RentCafe Blog has a table showing that between 2010 and 2019 the percentage of renters in Monrovia rose from 49.5% to 54.3%. Details: https://is.gd/Y1eOxp

Thanks to David Campbell for the tip. 

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Police: Woman Runs Over Man Sleeping in Alley; Valuables Stolen from Unlocked Vehicle; Car Breaks Open Fire Hydrant; Pedestrian Hit by Car; Pedestrian Punched in Face; And More ...

[Monrovia Police activities from the Police Department's Neighborhood Watch Report for September 9-15. - Brad Haugaard]

During the last seven-day period, the Police Department handled 362 service events, resulting in 74 investigations.

Theft
September 9 at 10:46 a.m., a theft from a vehicle was reported in the 1100 block of S. Fifth. The victim reported that his backpack had been stolen from his unlocked vehicle sometime during the night. His vehicle was parked in a parking structure. The backpack contained sunglasses, a computer, a tablet, and credit cards. The victim's credit cards had already been used in Pasadena and Hollywood. This investigation is continuing.

Possession of a Controlled Substance – Suspect Arrested
September 9 at 10:20 p.m., an officer on patrol stopped a vehicle for a traffic violation near the intersection of Myrtle and Lemon. The officer contacted the driver and found he was driving with a suspended license and the vehicle registration has been expired for over 18 months. The driver was also found to be in possession of a controlled substance. He was arrested and taken into custody.

Grand Theft Auto
September 10 at 8:15 a.m., a resident in the 400 block of W. Hillcrest called police to report her vehicle had been stolen sometime during the night. This investigation is continuing.

Shoplifting
September 10 at 1:10 p.m., an employee from a business in the 700 block of E. Huntington called to report that a subject left the store without paying for a bottle of fragrance. Officers arrived, but the suspect had already left. This investigation is continuing.

Injury Traffic Collision
September 11 at 8:40 a.m., a caller reported that a three car traffic collision had just occurred at the intersection of Duarte and Mayflower. Officers arrived and checked on the well-being of the occupants. Two occupants reported minor injuries. The driver at fault was issued a citation.

Grand Theft
September 11 at 11:53 a.m., a resident in the 600 block of W. Hillcrest called police to report the theft of a catalytic converter. The resident went to her vehicle in the morning, turned it on, and noticed an unusually loud noise. She discovered the catalytic converter had been removed. This investigation is continuing.

Commercial Burglary
September 11 at 2:16 p.m., an employee from a business in the 600 block of W. Huntington called police to report that sometime during the night someone entered the property and took a small fountain and several pots. This investigation is continuing.

Shots Fired
September 11 at 3:46 p.m., police dispatch received two calls reporting shots heard near the area of Primrose and Pomona. Officers arrived and located six casings in the street. No victims were located. Witnesses were interviewed and video footage was reviewed. This investigation is continuing.

Driving Under the Influence – Suspects Arrested
September 11 at 9:06 p.m., a caller reported a possible intoxicated driver near the intersection of Myrtle and Huntington. The Foothill Air Support Team helicopter was in the area and found the vehicle. They directed officers to the vehicle and they conducted a traffic stop. Officers approached the driver and, during their investigation, determined the driver had been driving while under the influence. The driver was arrested for DUI and the passenger was arrested for public intoxication. Both driver and passenger were taken into custody and held for a sobering period.

Driving Under the Influence – Suspect Arrested
September 12 at 12:05 a.m., a caller reported two intoxicated females driving away in a vehicle near the intersection of Myrtle and Colorado. Officers responded to the area and located a vehicle matching the description with a similar partial plate. The driver was traveling significantly slower than the posted speed limit, so a traffic stop was initiated. While speaking with the driver, the officer found she displayed symptoms of being under the influence and a DUI investigation was conducted. The driver was arrested for DUI and held for a sobering period.

Drunk in Public – Suspect Arrested
September 12 at 2:18 a.m., officers were dispatched to the 100 block of W. Olive regarding a female subject sleeping to the rear of a closed business. When the officers arrived, they found the female and determined she was intoxicated and unable to care for herself. She was arrested and held for a sobering period.

Injury Traffic Collision
September 12 at 2:51 a.m., a female driver called police to report she had just run over a person in an alley. She stated she was driving through an alley in the 100 block of W. Olive when she made a turn and felt a bump. When she exited her vehicle she found a male subject under her vehicle screaming. Officers and paramedics responded and discovered a subject was trapped under the vehicle, but alive. Fire personnel worked to extract the subject, who was then transported to Huntington Memorial Hospital. The subject stated he was sleeping in the alley when he was run over by a vehicle. The subject sustained non-life-threatening injuries. This investigation is continuing.

Grand Theft Auto
September 12 at 1:51 p.m., the owner of a business in the 1800 block of S. Myrtle arrived at work and discovered the business work van had been stolen sometime during the night. No one had permission to take the van. This investigation is continuing.

Hit & Run Traffic Collision
September 13 at 4:29 a.m., a caller reported a fire hydrant was spilling water into the street in the 3300 block of S. Peck. Officers arrived and saw a large amount of water coming from the fire hydrant, but were unable to see the cause. Fire personnel were called to the scene and were eventually able to turn off the water. Officers then discovered the hydrant had been hit by a vehicle and the driver had fled the scene before their arrival. This investigation is continuing.

Commercial Burglary
September 13 at 8:15 a.m., the manager of a business in the 1800 block of S. Shamrock arrived to work and discovered someone had forced entry into the business over the weekend and stolen scrap metals and pressure washers. This investigation is continuing.

Attempt Grand Theft
September 13 at 8:45 a.m., an employee of a restaurant in the 200 block of W. Foothill looked outside and saw a male subject underneath the employee's vehicle, attempting to steal the catalytic converter in broad daylight. The suspect fled in a grey Toyota sedan when he saw he was being watched. This investigation is continuing.

Injury Traffic Collision
September 13 at 10:40 a.m., a caller reported four motorists collided into one another at the intersection of Huntington and Shamrock. One of the vehicles struck a fire hydrant, causing water to spray into the air. Officers arrived and found one of the passengers was complaining of pain, so she was transported to a nearby hospital by ambulance. The driver found to be at fault for the collision was issued a citation.

Grand Theft
September 13 at 1:26 p.m., a gardener called police to report someone had just stolen several tools from the back of his work truck while he was doing work at a home in the 200 block of N. Canyon. This investigation is continuing.

Warrant – Suspect Arrested
September 13 at 11:40 p.m., a caller reported a possible DUI driver at a local drive-thru in the 100 block of W. Duarte. Officers arrived and waited for the driver to leave the drive-thru. An officer observed a traffic violation and conducted a traffic stop on the vehicle. The driver was not intoxicated, but had a no-bail arrest warrant. The driver was arrested for the warrant and taken into custody.

Commercial Burglary
September 14 at 7:03 a.m., the manager of a business in the 1800 block of Enterprise Way arrived to work and discovered someone had forced entry into the business overnight and had stolen merchandise. This investigation is continuing.

Warrant – Suspect Arrested
September 14 at 11:59 a.m., an officer was patrolling the 400 block of Genoa when he saw a male and female subject he recognized from previous contacts. An investigation revealed the female subject had a no-bail warrant for her arrest for assaulting police officers in Pasadena. She was taken into custody and Pasadena officer responded and transported her to their jail for booking.

Non-Injury Traffic Collision
September 14 at 2:44 p.m., a caller reported two motorists collided into one another in the intersection of Huntington and California. Officers responded and found no one was injured. Both vehicles had to be towed from the collision scene.

Battery – Suspect Arrested
September 14 at 7:20 p.m., officers were called out to a residence in the 200 block of S. California regarding a family disturbance. When they arrived, they were confronted by an intoxicated female at the front door. She refused to let officers check on the welfare of a child and other subjects inside the location. Officers made entry into the house and located the sister and elderly mother of the suspect.

Upon entry, the officers learned the suspect had assaulted both the sister and mother during an argument. The suspect tried to stop the sister from being interviewed by physically confronting her. The suspect was arrested for battery against the sister, elder abuse for battery against her elderly mother, and for resisting and delaying a police officer. The Department of Children and Family Services was notified, as well as Adult Protective Services. Both entities generated cases against the suspect with immediate follow-up.

Injury Traffic Collison
September 15 at 8:15 a.m., a caller reported two motorists collided into one another at the intersection of California and Walnut. Officers responded and found one of the drivers complained of pain. Monrovia Fire Department responded and had the driver transported her to a nearby hospital. The driver found at fault was issued a citation.

Hit & Run Traffic Collision
September 15 at 12:15 p.m., several callers reported a motorist had collided into an adult female pedestrian crossing a crosswalk at the intersection of Foothill and Ivy. The driver stopped, exited her vehicle, then got back into her vehicle and fled the scene. Officers and paramedics arrived and found the pedestrian had a leg injury. The suspect was located hiding on a nearby street and, after being positively identified, was arrested.

Injury Traffic Collision
September 15 at 9:20 p.m., a vehicle traveling eastbound on Foothill in the 200 block of W. Foothill in the number two lane suddenly made a u-turn, causing another vehicle to collide into them. Investigation continuing.

Assault
September 15 at 10:42 p.m., a caller reported their adult son was just punched in the face while walking near Station Square in the 1500 block of S. Myrtle. Officers arrived and contacted the male adult, who was bleeding from his nose. The victim did not know who the suspect was and stated the attack was unprovoked. The suspect had fled before officers arrived. Investigation continuing.

Santa Fe School First in Country to Integrate Coding into All Four Teaching Areas

Santa Fe Computer Science Magnet School Principal Dr. Geoff Zamarripa reports that Santa Fe is the first school in the country to incorporate Codesters, an online computer coding platform for students, into all four core content areas: math, science, social studies and English.

See report for Santa Fe and other schools here:  https://is.gd/0DjAfK

- Brad Haugaard

Dinner at Sushi Kuni

Dinner at Sushi Kuni on the east side of Myrtle a bit north of Olive. Got the spicy pork bento box for $19.99 and a beer for $6.  Very good! and the chef even came out and greeted us. 

- Brad Haugaard 

Monrovia Drunk Driver Checkpoint Friday, September 24

Monrovia Police Department will be conducting a DUI / CDL checkpoint on Friday evening, September 24, 2021.  Vehicles entering the checkpoint will be stopped.  Drivers will then be evaluated for being under the influence of alcohol and checked for having a valid driver’s license.  

Over the course of the past three years, there have been 290 DUI investigations with 27 of those resulting in collisions with injuries, harming our citizens and neighbors of Monrovia. 

In California, this deadly crime led to countless deaths because someone failed to designate a sober driver.  Alcohol and drug-impaired deaths still make up the largest category of overall vehicle fatalities, with 29% of all deaths being caused by a drunk driver.  

Monrovia Police Department offers these reminders to ensure you have a safe night of fun without a DUI:

• Always use a designated driver – a friend who is not drinking, ride-share, cab or public transportation

• See someone who is clearly impaired try and drive?  Take their keys and help them make other arrangements to find a sober way home. 

• Report drunk drivers – Call 911.

• Hosting a party?  Offer nonalcoholic drinks.  Monitor who’s drinking and how they are getting home. 

Getting home safely is cheap, but getting a DUI is not!  Drivers caught driving impaired and charged with DUI can expect the impact of a first time DUI arrest to be upwards of $13,500.  This includes fines, fees, DUI classes, license suspension and other expenses not to mention possible jail time. 

Funding for this checkpoint is provided to Monrovia Police Department by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Source: Monrovia Police press release

- Brad Haugaard

With Love and Patience Dolly Blossoms

Dolly is such a sweetheart! This seven-year-old dog is a little shy and reserved in the shelter environment, but one of our volunteers spent some quality time with Dolly and observed that she just wants pets and attention. In fact, she even paws gently at you if you stop petting her. Dolly needs a little time to get to know you, but with some love and patience, this sweetie will blossom!

The adoption fee for dogs is $150. All dog 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 and schedule an adoption appointment at pasadenahumane.org. Adoptions are by appointment only, and new adoption appointments are available every Sunday and Wednesday at 10:00 a.m.

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

- Brad Haugaard

A Moment in Monrovia History: Library Park in 1908

Monrovia's Library Park postcard 1908.. See full details here. From the Myron Hotchkiss collection.

For more historic photos and papers, see the Monrovia Historical Society’s complete Legacy Project collection here. Learn more about the Monrovia Historical Society here.

- Brad Haugaard

Market Grill Back in Monrovia - For a Day

 For those who miss The Market Grill, it will be taking over the kitchen of the newly revamped Gem City Bar and Grill (north side of Olive just east of Myrtle) on Saturday, Sept. 25, from noon to 4 p.m.

"Serving those crazy amazing hand ground burgers served on those great homemade buns, Impossible burgers for the vegetarians, plenty of regular fries & chili cheese fries, with sides of spicy ketchup and homemade ranch. We're including packs of Bacon Chocolate Chip Cookies, too!"

21 and older, RSVP, masks required.  https://www.facebook.com/themarketgrillmonrovia 

- Brad Haugaard

Local Council of Governments Asks Governor to Veto Bill Allowing Four Houses on Single-Family Zoned Lots

Monrovia City Council member Becky Shevlin, who also serves as president of the San Gabriel Valley Council of Governments, said "Senate Bill 9 will drive real estate speculators to purchase homes in order to split parcels, build duplexes on each lot." 27 San Gabriel Valley  cities have signed a letter urging Governor Newsom to veto the bill. https://is.gd/wRGokG

- Brad Haugaard