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Refrigerator Bear and Burglaries

[Monrovia Police activities from the Police Department's Neighborhood Watch Report for October 28 to November 3. - Brad Haugaard]
 

During the last seven day period, the Police Department handled 536 service events, resulting in 81 investigations.  Following are the last week's highlighted issues and events:

 
Residential Burglary
October 29 at 1:42 p.m., an officer was dispatched to the 300 block of Beechworth Avenue on the report of a burglary.  The victim left his garage door open.  The suspect took gardening equipment from inside and then fled the area.   
 

Bear Incident
October 30 at 3:12 a.m., an officer responded to the 1000 block of Norumbega regarding a bear incident.  The bear had entered the detached garage of a residence and forced entry into a refrigerator.  The bear took meat out of the refrigerator and left the location.
 

Grand Theft Auto Recovery - Suspect Arrested
October 31 at 4:39 a.m., an officer was patrolling in the 500 block of Sherman when he observed a suspicious vehicle occupied by two subjects.  The officer ran the vehicle's license plate and discovered it was reported stolen out of San Dimas.  The officer arrested the person in the driver's seat and completed an identification card on the passenger.  It was later determined the suspect had rented the vehicle and did not return it as agreed upon.  The owner then reported it stolen.
 

Driving Under the Influence / Suspect Arrested
November 2 at 2:11 a.m., an officer responded to the report of a suspicious vehicle driving around the area of Bradbury and Royal Oaks.  The officer located and stopped a vehicle for traffic violations that matched the description of the vehicle.  The driver was determined to be driving under the influence and was too impaired to drive a motor vehicle safely.  The driver was arrested and taken into custody.

 
Robbery / Witness Intimidation / Drug Activity - Suspects Arrested
November 2 at 6:32 p.m., the victim of a strong-arm robbery that occurred on Wednesday, October 27, called police.  He reported that he just saw the two suspects, who are known gang members, on Duarte Road.  He said they were threatening and following him as he was walking down Duarte Road.  Officers responded and conducted an area search for the suspects.  They located four juveniles at an elementary school in Arcadia.  One of the juveniles was wanted for the strong arm robbery, and was also found to be in possession of methamphetamine.  He was arrested for suspicion of robbery, possession of methamphetamine and witness intimidation.   A second juvenile suspect was arrested for witness intimidation.  The third juvenile attempted to run from officers, and the forth was found to be in possession of marijuana, both were arrested.  The juvenile wanted in the robbery was booked and taken to Eastlake Juvenile Hall.  The other three were cited and later released to their parents at the station.

 
72-Hour Mental Evaluation
November 2 at 7:46 p.m., a caller reported to police that her neighbor appeared to be under the influence of drugs.  She stated that he was in an argument with his girlfriend and he jumped through a living room window.  She reported that a piece of glass struck the girlfriend, who was bleeding.  Officers responded and detained a known gang member that threatened to kill himself.  He was detained and taken to a hospital, where he was held for 72-hour mental evaluation.


Vehicle Burglary
October 3 at 9:08 p.m., a vehicle burglary was reported at a business in the 700 block of East Huntington.  The suspect smashed the window of the car and took items that were left visible from outside the vehicle.

 
Vehicle Burglary     
October 3 at 10:17 p.m., a vehicle burglary was reported that occurred during the evening hours of October 2.  The crime occurred in the 200 block of North Primrose.

Mayor Mary Ann Lutz Honored


Frank Griffith, Corey Lutz, Mayor Mary Ann Lutz and Bob Harbicht

By Karin Crehan, Monrovia Chamber of Commerce Executive Director

It was my pleasure on Friday night to attend the San Gabriel Valley Council, Boy Scouts of America dinner to honor Mayor Mary Ann Lutz with the 2010 Distinguished Citizen Award.  Hosted by the San Gabriel Valley Council, Boy Scouts of America and Lucky Baldwin District Chairman and Arcadia City Council Member, Robert C. Harbicht.  This award is given to honor prominent area leaders who have a wide influence in the business and professional community, while serving as exemplary role models for our young people.  Mary Ann Lutz's contributions to the quality of life in our community and her commitment to youth and the values of Scouting make her a particularly appropriate honoree.

Speaking to a room full of community leaders you could certainly tell that Mary Ann was pleased with receiving this award, and her words clearly reflected the sentiment of Scouting, "The reason this award is so special is because of the organization that stands behind it.  I believe there is no better way to express it than by stating this: The mission of the Boy Scouts of America is to prepare young people to make ethical and moral choices over their lifetimes by instilling in them the values of the Scout Oath and Scout Law."  Mary Ann has a personal connection to scouting as well, her four brothers were scouts and her nephew became an Eagle Scout two years ago, and she said, "I know personally how that achievement has changed his life."  She went on to highlight the positive results of Scouting and noted some Eagle Scout projects in our community included work in Canyon Park, painting and cleaning area schools, churches and community areas.  In addition, a current project will post identifying markers for historic walking tours in our community.

Mary Ann thanked everyone for attending and encouraged them to support scouting with their time, money and spirit!

Football / City Council / STAAR Surgical / Green Dot

~ Beating Wildcats this Friday? Not easy says SoPas football coach. http://goo.gl/vmGDw


~ Latest City Council meeting is on line if you'd like to watch it. http://kgem.tv/

~ Monrovia's STAAR Surgical had a third-quarter net loss of $1.2 million, compared with a net loss of $2 million during the third quarter of 2009. http://goo.gl/pJY3s


~ Monrovia's Green Dot, a financial services company, reported a strong third quarter: http://goo.gl/MuxRV . UPDATE: But, LA Business Journal said it beat expectations but missed revenue expectations: http://goo.gl/goSaP

- Brad Haugaard

Most Dangerous Corner in Monrovia?

Every time I come to the corner of Alta Vista and Chestnut avenues, I'm scared. I think it is the most dangerous corner I've encountered in Monrovia and I hope city officials will give it a serious look.

The problem, it seems to me, is that it LOOKS like the north-south traffic on Alta Vista would be stopping at the corner. It seems to be one of those sleepy intersections where there would be four stop signs, but there aren't!

The north-south traffic just goes barreling through.

It is understandable that when a low-traffic street comes up against a high-traffic street that the low-traffic street will have a stop sign and the high-traffic street will not, but Alta Vista is not a high-traffic street.

Just to the west there is a four-way stop sign at Mayflower Avenue and Chestnut and just to the east there is a four-way stop at Magnolia Avenue and Chestnut, and both Mayflower and Magnolia are much higher-traffic streets than Alta Vista, yet the higher-traffic streets have four-way stops and the low-traffic Alta Vista does not.

Clearly this is not just my imagination. You can tell because the city has put up a yellow sign saying that "Cross Traffic Does Not Stop" and the only reason for putting up a sign like that is because it looks as if cross traffic SHOULD stop.

So why doesn't it?

Even when you notice the yellow sign and know cross-traffic won't stop, it is scary to cross Alta Vista. For example, with a vehicle parked on the east side of Alta Vista it is almost impossible to see if a fast car is bearing down on you. Look at the series of pictures I have here, in which I pull further and further into the street and still have a hard time seeing if anything is coming down Alta Vista. Then imagine a car coming down Alta Vista at 35 miles an hour. Would you feel safe?
Here's a Google map of the corner: http://goo.gl/Tvq3W

As I said, I hope city officials will take a look at this and consider changing this corner to a four-way stop.

- Brad Haugaard






Local Election Results

All the numbers aren't in yet, but the Los Angeles Times is calling the races for both Republican candidates, David Dreier and Tim Donnelly. So, assuming the Times is right (and it would be no surprise if it is) Dreier goes back to the House of Representatives and Donnelly and Portantino go to the State Assembly.



http://goo.gl/L11xA


http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/election/


 


- Brad Haugaard

AeroVironment Receives $17.2 Million Order

Monrovia-based AeroVironment has received a $17.2 million order from the U.S. Army for its digital Puma All Environment (AE) unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) contractor logistics support, training and accounting for contract services.

Source: http://goo.gl/wdvyI

- Brad Haugaard

Abducted children / DA Investigation

~ Abducted children - who spent time in Monrovia - turned over to Texas authorities. http://goo.gl/GqaVu

~ DA Investigated Monrovia fire officials. http://goo.gl/5VA2X

- Brad Haugaard

Vote Today! Your Country Needs You

I saw our neighborhood cat, Clyde, at the polling area. I said, "Sorry Clyde, you can't vote, this isn't Chicago."



- Brad Haugaard

Historic Preservation: 270 N. Myrtle

In his weekly report, City Manager Scott Ochoa said the Historic Preservation Commission had an "interesting and intense meeting" about the property at 270 N. Myrtle Avenue. The commission voted 3-to-3, thus taking no action. Ochoa said:
 
"The property at 270 N. Myrtle Avenue was purchased by a private owner, who apparently intends to demolish the house in favor of building two new homes. Again, there are two underlying lots and the construction of two single-family homes is a permitted use. Still, the historic preservation community in Monrovia fervently desires to save the house. Thus, we may end up with the immovable object meeting the irresistible force. That said, I do hope and believe that a workable compromise is within reach. Our Planning staff is doing a great job of educating folks and problem-solving."
 
Source: http://goo.gl/6bof


UPDATE: A correspondent writes to say that some members of the Commission want things both ways.

She said they want to be able to say that some pre-1940 homes are not historic and bar them from the benefits accorded to historic homes, but at the same time want to be able to prevent non-historic homes from being replaced, thereby denying all the benefits of historic status but demanding all the limitations.

She said her family attempted to get her older home designated as an historic home, but was told that it was old but not historic.


- Brad Haugaard

AeroVironment Sells Chargers / Radich runs through Ohio / Train Station / Tirah Le'au

~ Monrovia's AeroVironment got a deal to equip Nisan dealerships with battery chargers for the launch of the Nissan LEAF electric car. http://goo.gl/efhw

~ Monrovia runner John Radich - as we noted earlier - is running across the continent to the East Coast. He is now in Ohio. http://goo.gl/aLE9

~ Nice black and white photo of Monrovia's old train station. http://goo.gl/jtBL


~ Tirah Le'au Transforms Monrovia High volleyball.  http://goo.gl/fAJG8



- Brad Haugaard

Discrimination Lawsuit

Firefighter files suit against the City of Monrovia claiming he was discriminated against for union activities.

http://goo.gl/WMH95

- Brad Haugaard

Time Right for Monrovia Electronic Media?

In his weekly report, Monrovia City Manager Scott Ochoa notes MonroviaNow (this publication) and Monrovia Patch:
 
"Patch.com and Monrovia Now, a local daily news service and quasi-community blog, respectively, have hit the ground running. While Monrovia Now posts a lot of community news and information, and invites folks to share their opinions, it is not a commercial venture. Patch.com, on the other hand, is a venture by AOL to fill the hole that exists in the traditional print media's coverage of community news; and, at the same time, sell advertising of local businesses and events.

"With daily newspapers still losing money and having trouble covering small-town news (no matter how many municipal scandals there seem to be), and the weeklies (such as the Monrovia Weekly) only printing true community news once a week (the second run is largely legal ads), the time may be ripe for an expansion of e-media. We shall see..."
 
Yes, we shall indeed see.
 
Source: http://goo.gl/LGla
 
- Brad Haugaard

Jim Stafford Dies

The Monrovia Chamber of Commerce reports that member Jim Stafford of Nethook, Inc., passed away Monday evening, October 25, 2010. "Jim was a personal friend of the chamber, helping us many times with our computers and he attended Chamber events regularly." He also worked at Maranatha High School in Pasadena.

http://www.facebook.com/MonroviaChamber

- Brad Haugaard

Wilderness EIR Ready. Got Thoughts?

The City has prepared an environmental impact report for the Hillside Wilderness Preserve and Hillside Recreation Area (the foothills area north of town from Arcadia to Bradbury). You can get a CD copy of the report at the Monrovia City Hall, Community Center, or Library, and, I believe, it will be posted on the city website, but I can't find it yet. Anyway, once you read it you may have thoughts, so there will be a "scoping" meeting (which means you get to give your thoughts but it is not a meeting for questions) at the Community Center at 6:30 p.m. on November 17. Or you can send thoughts to asoash@ci.monrovia.ca.us.


UPDATE: In his weekly report, City Manager Scott Ochoa notes that: "the City will introduce and study only those uses that can reasonably be considered under the terms of Measures A & B (i.e., no motocross, no golf courses, etc.; only hiking, biking, interpretive trails, nature centers, etc.)." However, he added that "this range of uses is considerably more intensive than what was originally approved."


 - Brad Haugaard

Nominees for Outstanding Monrovian

If you know an outstanding Monrovia resident, who has been making contributions to the community both recently and for an extended period of time, you might want to nominate him or her for the Chamber of Commerce's Iris Award, which is kind of a Citizen of the Year award. Nominations must be in by November 22. You can download the nomination form here: http://goo.gl/PlVI

- Brad Haugaard

Magic With Tigers?

The Monrovia Kiwanis is sponsoring the "Art of Imagination" magic show. I hear there may be tigers. Tickets are about gone. This Friday at Clifton Auditorium at 7 p.m. Call 358-8988 for reservations.

- Brad Haugaard

Trust and Raises


Not strictly about Monrovia, but I noticed this juxtaposition of items on the front of the Star-News website this morning and couldn't resist showing it. Methinks the two may be connected.

http://www.pasadenastarnews.com/

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Girls on Magic Carpet

Hope you had a happy Halloween. I think these girls did.

http://goo.gl/iBFH

- Brad Haugaard

Aztec Hotel

Article about historic Route 66 Aztec Hotel at Foothill and Magnolia.

http://goo.gl/QKTO

- Brad Haugaard

Donnelly Supporters Furious at Sacramento

Assembly candidate Donnelly fears violence if no progress is made in shrinking size of government.

http://goo.gl/zHAg

- Brad Haugaard