Free presentations of play, 'A Legendary Christmas' Dec. 7

Two free Centre Stage presentations of the play, "A Legendary Christmas," will be held Sunday, Dec. 7, at 9 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. at the regular services at IFGF Church at Palm and Primrose. The event features a story about Jingles the elf and concludes with photos with Santa, food, and fellowship following the second service.

- Brad Haugaard

Here's Santa's Monrovia neighborhood tour schedule

Here's the schedule for Santa's tour of Monrovia neighborhoods each evening from Dec. 8 to 12 starting at 5 p.m., He will be accompanied by Fire & Rescue, Police, and Public Works. A Santa Tracker (here) will go live on Dec. 8 to show his location each night.

- Brad Haugaard

Winter edition of Monrovia Today now online

The winter edition of Monrovia Today is now online here with details on events, New Years, classes, and programs. 

- Brad Haugaard

Coming up in Monrovia

Christmas Parade set for Thursday, Dec. 4 at 7 p.m.

Play: 'The Iliad, the Odyssey and all of Greek Mythology in 99 Minutes or Less' at Monrovia High Dec. 4-6

Horse-drawn carriage rides set for Sundays in December

Foothill Unity Center plans European-style holiday market and toy drop-off Dec. 6

Boys & Girls Club Festival of Trees on Dec. 6

Wheelhouse Ceramics sale set for Dec. 6

Produce in the Park - share produce and other food, Dec. 6 in Library Park

Introductory ukelele lessons Dec. 6 at Library

Turn in old prescription drugs Dec. 6 at Temple Sheriff's Station

Free presentations of play, 'A Legendary Christmas' Dec. 7

San Gabriel Valley Choral Company free caroling event Dec. 7

Santa's Monrovia tour scheduled for Dec. 8-12

Here's Santa's Monrovia neighborhood tour schedule - Dec. 9-11

Crafts for children 2-5 at Library, Dec. 10

Middle school musicians to present Winter Concert Dec. 10

Beer and coasters - Craft Night for Veterans, Dec. 11

Holiday Family Feud Night at Library, Dec. 12

Santa and cheap children's books at the Library Dec. 13

'Let it Snow,' an evening of winter songs, Dec. 13

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Celebrates

Monrovia celebrates tonight at its annual Christmas Parade. Photos by Kevin Sullivan. 

- Brad Haugaard 

Turn in old prescription drugs Dec. 6 at Temple Sheriff's Station

Temple Sheriff's Station in Temple City (8838 Las Tunas Dr.) will host a Prescription Turn In Event on Dec. 6 from 12 to 3 p.m. Drop off unwanted or expired prescription medications in sealed bags, not over-the-counter items or inhalers . Sharps may be placed in the designated container in the northwest corner of the station's front parking lot. For details contact the Temple Station Watch Deputy at (626) 285-7171.

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Police: Knife attack on family member; Fake-friend text scam; ATM distraction theft; Shots fired inside vehicle; Payment rerouted by impostor

[Monrovia Police activities from the Police Department's Neighborhood Watch Report for November 26 – December 3. - Brad Haugaard]

During this period the Police Department handled 432 service events, resulting in 65 investigations.

Grand Theft Auto
November 26 at 9:13 a.m., a victim in the 800 block of W. Colorado reported her vehicle stolen. This investigation is continuing.

Injury Traffic Collision
November 26 at 9:20 a.m., a traffic collision was reported in the 500 block of W. Huntington. Officers arrived and made contact with the parties involved. One of the parties involved complained of pain and was transported to a hospital for treatment, the other party refused treatment.

Public Intoxication / Warrant Arrest – Suspect Arrested
November 26 at 12:53 p.m., a caller in the 300 block of S. Myrtle reported an intoxicated subject who was harassing citizens. 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.

Warrant Arrest / Vandalism / Resisting Arrest – Suspect Arrested
November 26 at 3:44 p.m., an employee from a business in the 200 block of Taylor reported that a subject in the business was threatening staff. Officers arrived and located the subject a short distance away. A traffic stop was conducted and the subject was contacted. The subject began to resist officers; a short struggle ensued. He was arrested and taken into custody.

Mental Evaluation
November 26 at 6:00 p.m., a family disturbance was reported in the 600 block of W. Foothill. Officers arrived and made contact with the parties involved and determined one of the subjects was a danger to others. She was transported to a medical facility for a mental evaluation.

Driving Under the Influence – Suspect Arrested
November 26 at 9:09 p.m., while patrolling the area of Foothill and Primrose officers saw a vehicle commit a traffic violation. A traffic stop was conducted and the driver was contacted. The driver displayed symptoms of narcotics intoxication. A DUI investigation confirmed the driver was under the influence. He was arrested and transported to the MPD jail to be held for a sobering period.

Public Intoxication / Warrant Arrest – Suspect Arrested
November 27 at 12:38 a.m., a disturbance was reported in the 100 block of W. Palm. Officers arrived and located an intoxicated male subject causing a disturbance. Officers’ made contact with him. A computer search revealed he had multiple warrants for his arrest. He was arrested and taken into custody.

Warrant Arrest / Drug Offense – Suspect Arrested
November 27 at 1:26 a.m., officers were dispatched to the 1600 block of S. Magnolia regarding a suspicious male subject in the area. Officers arrived and discovered the subject forced entry into a building. The subject was located and contacted. During the contact a computer search revealed he had a warrant for his arrest. He was found to be in possession of drug paraphernalia. He was arrested and taken into custody.

Drunk in Public – Suspect Arrested
November 27 at 11:40 a.m., a caller in the 700 block of Ridgside reported a female subject was sitting in her parked car and drinking alcohol. Officers arrived and made contact with her. It was determined she was too intoxicated to care for herself. She was arrested and transported to the MPD jail to be held for a sobering period.

Driving Under the Influence – Suspect Arrested
November 27 at 3:06 p.m., officers were dispatched to a store in the 400 W. Foothill regarding an intoxicated subject who was attempting to drive. Officers arrived and located the subject driving away. A traffic stop was conducted and the driver was contacted. A DUI investigation confirmed the driver was intoxicated. He was arrested and transported to the MPD jail to be held for a sobering period.

Driving Under the Influence – Suspect Arrested
November 27 at 8:13 p.m., officers patrolling the area of Duarte and California saw a vehicle commit a traffic violation. A traffic stop was conducted and the driver was contacted. The driver displayed symptoms of intoxication. A DUI investigation determined he was under the influence. He was arrested and transported to the MPD jail to be held for a sobering period.

Weapon Offense – Suspect Arrested
November 27 at 8:32 p.m., an officer patrolling the area of Mountain and Huntington saw a vehicle commit a traffic violation. A traffic stop was conducted and the driver was contacted. The subject was found to be in possession of a loaded firearm. He was arrested and taken into custody.

Wanted Person – Suspect Arrested
November 27 at 8:35 p.m., a resident in the 500 block of Royal Oaks reported that her adult son was intoxicated and causing a disturbance. Officers arrived and made contact with the son. A computer search revealed the son was wanted for a domestic violence incident. He was arrested and taken into custody.

Vehicle Tampering / Weapon Offense – Suspect Arrested
November 28 at 12:54 a.m., a resident in the 100 block of N. Primrose reported that he saw someone breaking into his vehicle. Officers responded and located the subject nearby. A traffic stop was attempted, but the driver fled, a brief purist ensued. The vehicle became disabled and the driver was contacted. A firearm was located inside the vehicle. He was arrested and taken into custody.

Theft
November 28 at 9:00 a.m., a victim in the 100 block of N. Primrose reported his unlocked vehicle was broken into and property was taken. This investigation is continuing.

Grand Theft
November 28 at 11:04 a.m., a caller in a business in the 300 block of W. Huntington reported a breaker from the business electrical panel was stolen. This investigation is continuing.

Theft
November 28 at 11:30 a.m., a resident in the 1500 block of S. Mayflower reported a package theft. This investigation is continuing.

Injury Traffic Collision
November 28 at 11:57 a.m., a traffic collision was reported in the area of Myrtle and Duarte. Officers arrived and made contact with the parties involved. One of the parties complained of pain and was transported to a hospital for treatment.

Grand Theft
November 28 at 12:06 p.m., a victim in the 200 block of S. Myrtle reported a theft at an ATM machine, where the suspects distracted the victim. The suspects convinced the victim to use both ATMs claiming one was inoperative. The suspects made an unauthorized withdrawal. This investigation is continuing.

Grand Theft Auto
November 28 at 12:10 p.m., a resident near Primrose and Oaks reported his vehicle stolen. Officers found it unoccupied nearby. This investigation is continuing. 

Assault with a Deadly Weapon

November 28 at 6:40 p.m., officers were dispatched to a medical assist on Royal Oaks for a report of a male subject having difficulty breathing. Upon arrival, officers learned that the man had chased his sister-in-law around the residence while holding a knife in each hand and had nearly struck her when he threw one of the knives at her. Once he was determined to not be having a medical condition he was arrested and taken into custody.

Warrant Arrest – Suspect Arrested
November 28 at 7:21 p.m., officers patrolling the 400 block of W. Foothill saw a vehicle commit a traffic violation. A traffic stop was conducted and the driver was contacted. A computer search revealed he had a warrant for his arrest. He was arrested and taken into custody.

Drug Offense – Suspect Arrested
November 29 at 1:35 a.m., while patrolling the 600 block of Diamond officers saw a vehicle commit a traffic violation. A traffic stop was conducted and the driver was contacted. A computer search revealed she had a warrant for her arrest. She was also found to be in possession of a controlled substance. She was arrested and taken into custody.

Weapon Offense / Mental Evaluation
November 29 at 8:20 p.m., a resident in the 800 block of W. Duarte reported that his brother accidentally discharged a firearm inside a moving vehicle. Officers arrived and made contact with all of the occupants. No injuries were reported. It was determined that the brother was a danger to himself and others. He was transported to a medical facility for a mental evaluation. The weapon was taken and kept for safekeeping.

Shoplifting
November 30 at 6:33 p.m., a business in the 500 block of W. Huntington reported a shoplifting incident that occurred early in the day. This investigation is continuing.

Warrant Arrest – Suspect Arrested
November 30 at 9:39 p.m., while patrolling the area of Myrtle and Lime an officer saw a vehicle commit a traffic violation. A traffic stop was conducted and the driver was contacted. A computer search revealed the driver had a warrant for their arrest. The driver was arrested and taken into custody.

Warrant Arrest – Suspect Arrested
December 1 at 12:27 a.m., an officer patrolling the 500 block of S. Myrtle saw a pedestrian he recognized from prior contacts and made contact with him. A computer search revealed the known pedestrian had a warrant for his arrest. He was arrested and taken into custody.

Grand Theft Auto
December 1 at 8:09 a.m., a victim in the 100 block of W. Huntington reported his vehicle stolen. This investigation is continuing.

Theft
December 1 at 2:27 p.m., a theft was reported in the 700 block of E. Huntington. The victim reported her wallet was stolen days prior and her credit cards had suspicious charges. This investigation is continuing.

Fraud
December 1 at 2:37 p.m., a victim in the 300 block of E. Huntington reported that an unknown subject sent an email impersonating him to his employer. The request included changing his direct-deposit information. The subject provided a new routing number and bank account, asking that all future paychecks be deposited into that account. The employer processing the request updated the information, and as a result, the victim did not receive his paycheck. This investigation is continuing.

Warrant Arrest / Drug Offense – Suspects Arrested
December 1 at 7:43 p.m., an officer patrolling the 500 block of W. Huntington saw two subjects inside a vehicle, with a male subject slumped over the steering wheel of his vehicle. The officer made contact with the subjects in the vehicle and saw drug paraphernalia in plain view. A computer check revealed one of the subjects had a warrant for his arrest and he was found to be in possession of a controlled substance. The other subject was found to be in possession of drug paraphernalia. Both subjects were arrested.

Grand Theft Auto Recovery
December 2 at 12:38 a.m., while patrolling the 400 block of W. Evergreen an officer was alerted to a stolen vehicle in the area. The vehicle was located, recovered and removed from the stolen vehicle system. This investigation is continuing.

Drug Activity – Suspects Arrested
December 2 at 2:19 a.m., an officer was patrolling a park in the 1600 block of S. Myrtle when he saw two male subjects in the park after hours. The officer made contact with the subjects and discovered they were both in possession of a controlled substance. They were both arrested.

Warrant Arrest / Drug Activity – Suspect Arrested
December 2 at 7:42 a.m., a caller in the 100 block of W. Central reported a suspicious subject. Officers arrived and located a subject matching the description of the suspicious person. A computer search revealed he had a warrant for his arrest. He was also found to be in possession of drug paraphernalia. He was arrested and taken into custody.

Injury Traffic Collision
December 2 at 8:02 a.m. a traffic collision between a vehicle and a pedestrian was reported in the area of Mayflower and Duarte. Officers arrived and made contact with the parties involved. The pedestrian complained of pain, but did not request treatment.

Runaway Juvenile
December 2 at 11:12 a.m., an employee for a facility in the 100 block of N. Ivy reported a juvenile runaway. The juvenile was located nearby and returned to the facility. Shortly after, the juvenile was reported as a runaway again. Officers were unable to locate her and she was entered into the system as a runaway. This investigation is continuing.

Fraud / Scam
December 2 at 4:32 p.m., a victim walked into the MPD lobby to report that she had received text messages from someone she believed was a friend, asking for money. She sent the individual money and later realized that she had been scammed. This investigation is continuing.

Warrant Arrest / Drug Activity – Suspects Arrested
December 2 at 11:30 p.m., an officer patrolling a shopping center in the 500 block of W. Huntington saw a male subject near a closed business and made contact with him. A computer check revealed he had a warrant for his arrest. He was also found to be in possession of drug paraphernalia. He was arrested and taken into custody.

Monrovia Municipal Code – Suspects Arrested
December 3 at 12:47 a.m., officers patrolling the 1600 block of S. Myrtle saw a male subject in a park after hours and made contact with him. He was found to be in possession of drug paraphernalia. He was arrested and taken into custody.

Vehicle Burglary
December 3 at 6:47 p.m., a resident in the 700 block of W. Duarte reported that his vehicle was broken into and property was taken. This investigation is continuing.

Lunch at La Noria

Got a light lunch at La Noria, a taco stand at the corner of Foothill and May. Got a couple little carnitas tacos for $4.25 and a soft drink for $3.25. Quite tasty.

- Brad Haugaard 

New book written by Monrovia founder William Monroe released

A never-before published book written by Monrovia's founder, William Monroe, William Newton Monroe's Life: In His Own Words, has just been released by the Monrovia Historical Society and is now available at Charlie’s House, 430 S. Myrtle, for $30.

At the age of 91 Monroe wrote down the story of his life. He tells of his Civil War battles (with his wife Mary Jane riding along), building railroads in Texas, "old" Mexico and Berkeley, California, run-ins with Judge Roy Bean (who called himself "The Only Law West of the Pecos"), his work in the Alaskan gold rush, and surprising details of the founding of Monrovia.

The 84-page book, with rare photos of his life, shows the original pages in Monroe's own handwriting side-by-side with a deciphering of his writing in clear type.

 - Brad Haugaard

Tenderhearted Polar Bear brings warmth, whimsy, and mismatched ears

There’s something delightfully fun about Polar Bear — a 2-year-old cream Labrador at Pasadena Humane whose one-up, one-down floppy ears make him look perpetually ready for holiday mischief. After his owner could unfortunately no longer care for him, he was surrendered to the shelter and is now hoping for a calm, cozy home where he can be the only pet. He can be nervous in new places or around loud noises, but once he warms up, he settles in nicely. He enjoys steady walks, close companionship, tasty chews, and patient guidance.

Spend just a little time with Polar Bear and you’ll see his festive charm unfold. He hops right into the car, explores a backyard like it’s his own snowy hideaway, and lights up for toys, treat puzzles, and snuffle mats. This sweet boy leans in close for scritches, nudges his leash when he needs a potty break, and offers kisses to anyone who kneels down to greet him. If you’re hoping to add a tenderhearted companion to your winter season, Polar Bear is ready to bring warmth, whimsy, and a very cute pair of mismatched ears to your home.

Polar Bear is available for a 10-day adoption trial at Pasadena Humane today!

The adoption fee for dogs is $150. All dog adoptions include spay or neuter, microchip, and age-appropriate vaccines.

Walk-in adoptions are available every day from 10:00 – 5:00. View photos of adoptable pets at pasadenahumane.org.

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. 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: Residential Myrtle Avenue in the early days

A postcard showing a residential section of North Myrtle in the early days, bordered by pepper trees. From the Kim Anderson 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

Play: 'The Iliad, the Odyssey and all of Greek Mythology in 99 Minutes or Less' at Monrovia High Dec. 4-6

A comedic performance of The Iliad, the Odyssey and all of Greek Mythology in 99 Minutes or Less will be staged by Monrovia High's Wildcat Theater Company on Dec. 4–6 at 7 p.m., with a 2 p.m. matinee on Dec. 5. 

- Brad Haugaard

Current Local Job Opportunities - December

Here are links to the latest job opportunities for Monrovia:

Monrovia School District 

City of Monrovia 

Private 

Also, drop by America's Job Center of California at the Monrovia Community Adult School at 920 S. Mountain Ave., 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday or Wednesday, or from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, Thursday, or Friday.

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Firefighters Buy toys for children in need

Monrovia Firefighters purchased toys today to support the Spark of Love Toy Drive, which provides toys and sports equipment for children and teens in need. If you want to help you can drop off brand-new, unwrapped toys or sports equipment at either fire station:

Station 101 — 141 E. Lemon Ave

Station 102 — 2055 S. Myrtle Ave

- Brad Haugaard 

Monrovia-based St. Baldrick’s gives nearly $1.2 million to fight pediatric cancer

Monrovia-based St. Baldrick’s Foundation has awarded nearly $1.2 million for pediatric cancer research. The funding includes 20 grants, nearly $1 million total, supporting clinical trials at institutions such as Loma Linda University Children’s Hospital, UI Health, and others nationwide. An additional $200,000 was granted to Mount Sinai’s Icahn School of Medicine for Burkitt lymphoma research. Details.

- Brad Haugaard