School to host community blood drive June 20

Duarte's California School of the Arts will co-host a community blood drive with the American Red Cross on Friday, June 20, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the American Red Cross Arcadia. Donors receive a $15 Amazon gift card and a t-shirt. Appointments here. 

Note: I don't usually do things outside of Monrovia, but hey, this was a special request from a neighbor for a good cause, so I made an exception.

- Brad Haugaard

A Moment in Monrovia History: Phillip B. Adams, the only black Monrovia serviceman to die in WWII

1943, Phillip B. Adams, 23, the son of Frank and Mary Adams, 232 E. Maple Ave., was the only Monrovia serviceman of African descent to die in World War II. Ironically, his death came not from an enemy's bullet, but from tuberculosis. Adams became ill while working at an Army hospital in England and was later diagnosed with chronic, severe pulmonary tuberculosis. He was treated at that hospital, then sent to Bushnell General Hospital in Brigham, Utah where he lingered for a month and twenty-three days. He died the morning of July 12. Adams' funeral in Monrovia was attended by a throng of relatives and neighbors. He was buried at Live Oak cemetery with full military honors and the all-Black Phillip Adams Post of the American Legion was named for him by his fellow veterans. From the Dick Singer collection. See full details here.

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

Sushi restaurant planned for former Chronic Tacos location

Sushi Kyo, a new sushi restaurant, is planned for the old Chronic Tacos location on the Myrtle side of the Vons shopping center. A full menu here (scroll down a bit).

- Brad Haugaard

Two new Monrovia history books published

Richard Singer has published two new books about Monrovia: Monrovia Confidential: Larceny, Bribery, Drugs, Scandal and Murder in a great little American town! and Tales of the Gem City.: Stories, Sketches, and Vignettes - 1912-1950.

These are Singer's fourth and fifth Monrovia history books. His previous books were 1887 (about Monrovia's founding), Renaissance Years (the city's decline and its renaissance starting in 1974), and People Like You and Me (Monrovia during World War II). 

Tales of the Gem City and Monrovia Confidential are available for purchase for $20 each at Charlie's House, 430 S. Myrtle Ave. in Old Town. All proceeds from the sales go to support Monrovia's historical heritage.

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia city budget plans: Upgrade Old Town, citywide tree replacement, lots more ...

The City Council will consider adopting a $285 million two-year budget for 2025–27 at its next meeting (agenda here), emphasizing infrastructure funding, pension obligations, and building a reserve. The staff report says city finances are "strong and stable" and expects a surplus of $2.34 for the first year but a $2.65 million deficit in the second year, largely due to rising pension liabilities. Residents may see fee increases for city services.

Major costs are: Employees, pensions, and maintenance. Lower sales tax receipts caused by a slowdown in consumer spending aren't helping. 

Major infrastructure improvement plans are: upgrading Old Town, citywide tree replacement, parks, water projects, slope stabilization on Cloverleaf (the hillside is slip-sliding away), computer systems, vehicle replacements, City Hall renovation, Community Center work, preservation of city documents, police and fire facility improvements, streets, parking lots. Details here. Scroll down to Attachment D for list of projects. 

- Brad Haugaard

Fire-prone areas to expand to include thousands more properties

At its next meeting (agenda here) the Monrovia City Council will consider adopting an updated Fire Hazard Severity Zone map (not that the council has much choice; the state is requiring it), that expands fire-prone designations, adding 1,481 properties to the Very High severity zone (red), 619 to High (orange), and 754 to Moderate (yellow).  Affected properties, almost all near the mountains, face strict construction standards, brush clearing rules, and real estate disclosure requirements. Details here. 

Update: Look up your own property here. (Thanks to City Manager Dylan Feik for link.)

- Brad Haugaard

Veterans Meetup at Starbucks June 24

Monthly Veterans Meetup at Starbucks at Huntington and Magnolia, June 24, 6 to 7 p.m. Veterans and service members connect over coffee; appointments can be scheduled with a VSO from VPAN. Details.

- Brad Haugaard

Kids audition their stuffed animal at Library

Casting Call: Lights, Camera, Stuffie, at the Library, July 12, 4 to 6 p.m. For kids 6–12 to audition to bring a stuffed animal or toy to life in an upcoming video. Details.

- Brad Haugaard 

Potluck planned to celebrate summer solstice

A Summer Solstice Soirée will be held at One Community Garden on Friday, June 20 from 6 to 8 p.m. at 777 Greystone Ave. Attendees are encouraged to bring a dish to share, along with their own plate and utensils.

- Brad Haugaard

Weekend reservations will be required when Monrovia Canyon Park reopens

Weekend reservations will be required to access Monrovia Canyon Park when it reopens June 27, according to City Manager Dylan Feik. No reservations required for weekdays. The reservation system, here, will be active starting June 23. Each group or family may reserve one of 150 available slots per time period: 6 to 10 a.m., 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., or 2 to 6 p.m.  Parking will be free for a few weeks, then $5 weekdays and $6 weekends. All current annual pass holders will start a 12-month cycle on opening day, regardless of when the pass was set to expire. For more information, contact the Community Center at 256-8246. Everyone is invited to the grand opening June 17 at 8 a.m.

- Brad Haugaard

San Fernando Coffee Company grand opening June 27

The new San Fernando Coffee Company, in the southeast section of the Vons shopping center at Foothill and Myrtle, will hold its grand opening June 27, from noon to 5 p.m. The store is open now. The company started by serving drinks from a trolley car in downtown San Fernando. Monrovia will be its eighth Southern California store.

- Brad Haugaard

Dinner at Taqueria El Diablo

Had a light dinner at Taqueria El Diablo at the northeast corner of Myrtle and Olive. Got two Tacos Premium for $8 and a watermelon drink for $6. Nice. 

- Brad Haugaard 

Monrovia Police: Rash of tailgate thefts; Vehicle rams storefront; One night, multiple DUI collisions; Arrests for starting brush fire; Five mental health interventions; etc.

[Monrovia Police activities from the Police Department's Neighborhood Watch Report for June 5 – 11. - Brad Haugaard]

During this period the Police Department handled 407 service events, resulting in 71 investigations.  

Mental Evaluation
June 5 at 12:54 p.m., a family disturbance was reported in the 500 block of W. Walnut. Officers arrived and discovered a male subject was experiencing hallucinations. It was determined he was in need of a mental health evaluation. 

Public Intoxication – Suspect Arrested
June 5 at 8:05 p.m., while patrolling the 400 block of W. Foothill, officers saw a subject wandering in the street. Officers made contact with the subject and determined he was too intoxicated to care for his own safety. He was arrested and transported to the MPD jail to be held for a sobering period. 

Driving Under the Influence / Traffic Collision
June 5 at 8:44 p.m., a traffic collision was reported in the 600 block of W. Foothill. Officers arrived and made contact with the driver who displayed signs of intoxication. The driver was transported to a local hospital for treatment. This investigation is continuing. 

Driving Under the Influence – Suspect Arrested
June 5 at 10:37 p.m., officers responded to the area of Myrtle and Central regarding a vehicle stopped in the middle of the roadway. A second caller stated the driver appeared unresponsive. Officers arrived and made contact with the driver, who displayed signs of intoxication. A DUI investigation determined the driver was under the influence. The driver was arrested and transported to the MPD jail to be held for a sobering period. 

Driving Under the Influence / Traffic Collision – Suspect Arrested
June 5 at 11:57 p.m., while patrolling the area of Primrose and Huntington officers saw a vehicle with traffic collision damage. Officers made contact with the driver and learned that the driver had struck a curb multiple times. The driver displayed symptoms of intoxication. A DUI investigation revealed the driver was under the influence. The driver was arrested and transported to the MPD jail to be held for a sobering period. 

Mental Evaluation
June 6 at 10:53 a.m., an employee from a business in the 500 block of W. Huntington reported a suspicious subject in the parking lot. Officers arrived and made contact with the subject. It was determined he was a danger to others. He was transported to a medical facility for a mental evaluation. 

Fire – Suspects Arrested
June 6 at 7:50 p.m., a brush fire was reported in the 100 block of W. Lime. Officers and MFD responded and extinguished the flames. An investigation revealed two subjects were seen fleeing the location. The suspect vehicle was located several hours later and three suspects were occupying the vehicle. They were arrested and taken into custody. This investigation is continuing. 

Battery
June 6 at 9:07 p.m., a battery was reported in the 600 block of S. Shamrock. Officers arrived and made contact with the victim, who reported the suspect approached, grabbed her neck, pushed her against a wall, and fled. This investigation is continuing. 

Public Intoxication – Suspect Arrested
June 7 at 4:50 a.m., a resident in the 700 block of S. Mayflower reported an unknown male subject was sleeping on his front porch. Officers arrived and made contact with the subject who was determined to be too intoxicated to care for himself. He was arrested and transported to the MPD jail to be held for a sobering period. 

Grand Theft
June 7 at 6:48 a.m., a victim in the 1500 block of S. Fifth reported that the tailgate of his vehicle was stolen. This investigation is continuing. 

Grand Theft
June 7 at 8:26 a.m., a resident in the 800 block of S. Mayflower reported the tailgate from his vehicle was stolen. This investigation is continuing. 

Grand Theft
June 7 at 8:28 a.m., a caller in the 100 block of S. Shamrock reported the tailgate from his vehicle was stolen. This investigation is continuing. 

Mental Evaluation
June 7 at 10:43 a.m., callers in the 500 block of S. Myrtle reported a male subject in the area causing a disturbance. Officers arrived and made contact with the subject who was determined to be a danger to himself. He was transported to a medical facility for a mental evaluation. 

Grand Theft
June 7 at 10:57 a.m., a victim in the 200 block of E Olive reported the tailgate from his vehicle had been stolen. This investigation is continuing. 

Residential Burglary
June 7 at 3:04 p.m., a resident in the 400 block of Genoa reported her home was burglarized. This investigation is continuing. 

Warrant – Suspect Arrested
June 8 at 12:36 a.m., officers patrolling the 1600 block of S. Myrtle saw a male subject in a park after hours and made contact. A computer search revealed the subject had a warrant for his arrest. He was arrested and taken into custody. 

Vandalism
June 8 at 1:49 a.m., a resident in the 100 block of May reported two of his vehicle tires were slashed. This investigation is continuing. 

Warrant Arrest – Suspects Arrested
June 8 at 9:31 a.m., a caller in the 700 block of S. Primrose reported multiple subjects on private property. Officers arrived and made contact with the subjects. A computer search revealed two of the subjects had warrants for their arrest. They were arrested and taken into custody. 

Drug Arrest – Suspect Arrested
June 8 at 10:01 p.m., officers were dispatched to the 1600 block of S. Myrtle regarding a suspicious person. Officers arrived and made contact with the subject. An investigation revealed the subject was in possession of a controlled substance. He was arrested and taken into custody. 

Non-Injury Traffic Collision
June 9 at 6:28 a.m., a traffic collision was reported in the area of Duarte and Myrtle. Officers arrived and made contact with the parties involved. No injuries were reported. 

Commercial Burglary
June 9 at 9:21 a.m., employees from a business in the 1800 block of S. Shamrock reported finding a broke door that was likely pried open. This investigation is continuing. 

Vehicle Burglary
June 9 at 5:40 p.m., a resident walked into the MPD lobby to report his vehicle was broken into on June 4. The suspect stole property. This investigation is continuing. 

Vehicle Burglary
June 9 at 5:48 p.m., a vehicle burglary was reported in a parking lot in the 1600 block of S. Mountain. This investigation is continuing. 

Hit and Run Traffic Collision
June 10 at 7:45 p.m., a female subject in the 300 block of W. Huntington reported her parked vehicle was hit by another vehicle that left the scene. This investigation is continuing. 

Commercial Burglary
June 11 at 4:42 a.m., an alarm company for a business in the 400 block of E. Duarte reported multiple alarm activations. Officers responded and discovered damage to the building. An investigation revealed a vehicle rammed the front of the location to gain entry. This investigation is continuing. 

Shoplifting
June 11 at 12:21 p.m., a loss prevention officer for a business in the 500 block of W. Huntington reported a shoplifting incident that occurred on June 7. This investigation is continuing. 

Fraud
June 11 at 5:28 p.m., a resident walked into the MPD lobby to report fraudulent activity on his checking account. This investigation is continuing. 

Mental Evaluation
June 11 at 5:55 p.m., officers were dispatched to a hotel in the 700 block of W. Huntington regarding a female subject saying she wanted to hurt herself. Officers and the SGV Cares team responded and made contact with the female subject. It was determined she was a danger to herself. She was transported to a hospital for mental evaluation. 

Vehicle Burglary
June 11 at 8:39 p.m., a caller in the 900 block of W. Duarte reported her vehicle was broken into while parked in a parking lot and property was taken. This investigation is continuing. 

Vehicle Burglary
June 11 at 8:55 p.m., a victim parked his vehicle in a parking lot in the 900 block of W. Duarte and went into a store. When he returned he discovered a vehicle window was smashed and property had been taken. This investigation is continuing. 

Hit and Run Traffic Collision
June 11 at 9:15 p.m., a caller in the 500 block of W. Huntington reported her parked vehicle was sideswiped and no information was left behind by the suspect. This investigation is continuing. 

Mental Evaluation
June 11 at 10:39 p.m., a resident in the 200 block of E. Evergreen reported her daughter was trying to hurt herself. Officers arrived and located the daughter a short distance away. It was determined she was a danger to herself. She was transported to a medical facility for mental evaluation. 

Historical Museum suffers water damage, closed through June

The Monrovia Historical Museum in Recreation Park (not to be confused with the Monrovia Historical Society) has experienced water damage to its lobby area and will be closed throughout June, and possibly longer.

- Brad Haugaard

Matt Rainwater New Monrovia High principal

This information was posted on May 27.I don’t know how I missed this before.

Dr. Matt Rainwater has been appointed the new principal of Monrovia High School following a selection process involving students, staff, and community members. He holds a doctorate in Educational Leadership from Cal State Fullerton, has taught social studies, and has served as an assistant principal since 2020. Also an experienced coach, his boys Cross-Country teams have won multiple CIF and State Championships.

- Brad Haugaard