- Brad Haugaard
Monrovia High Schedules Grand Opening
Monrovia High schedules grand opening on Nov. 16 to celebrate its renovations and to open the Louise Taylor Performing Arts Center. (Taylor was the former superintendent.) http://goo.gl/dQrff
Monrovia Teachers Endorse Candidates | Football vs. San Marino | MHS Reunion | Green Dot
~ Monrovia Teachers Association endorses Ed Gililland, Byron Wong and Terrence Williams. http://goo.gl/Hg2eF
~ A look at the upcoming Monrovia-San Marino football game. http://goo.gl/6tmz3
~ Monrovia High all-class reunion Oct. 30 at the racetrack. It's a fundraiser to send the Wildcat Symphonic Band to Carnegie Hall. http://goo.gl/mtWUT
~ Monrovia's Green Dot will work with GE Capital Retail Bank and Walmart to expanded the Walmart MoneyCard prepaid cards. http://goo.gl/UbPM8
- Brad Haugaard
Monrovia City Council to Consider Allowing Gates on a Residential Project
At its Nov. 1 meeting, the Monrovia City Council will consider whether to allow Bowden Development to put gates at both entrances of a recently-completed, 7-unit residential development between 1122 and 1126 South Magnolia Ave. and 239-247 West Cypress Ave. City staff is recommending allowing the variance. Details: http://goo.gl/q5X3y
- Brad Haugaard
Monrovia's State Senator: Governor on the Right Path
Senator Bob Huff, who represents Monrovia, said he supports "raising the mandatory retirement age for all new employees and the adoption of a hybrid risk-sharing plan." He said he thinks the governor "is on the right path." http://goo.gl/oMDgw
- Brad Haugaard
Support Monrovia Girls' Tennis | Water-Smart Gardening
~ Have dinner at T. Phillips to help the Monrovia High Girls' Tennis team. (Thanks to Alex Zucco on Facebook). Details: http://goo.gl/N7tdw ~ An evening workshop on water-efficient gardening, Nov. 2. Details: http://goo.gl/gLWhs - Brad Haugaard
Monrovia's AeroVironment Unveils a new Police Drone | Green Dot Has a Great Third Quarter
~ AeroVironment unveils a new police and public-safety drone. http://goo.gl/DR9cl and http://goo.gl/799sU
~ Monrovia's Green Dot Corporation had a very nice third quarter. http://goo.gl/ibIlR
- Brad Haugaard
Gold Line Works Around State Supreme Court Roadblock
Working on the Gold Line bridge at Santa Anita Avenue.
The Metro board has freed money for continued Gold Line rail line work, kind of outflanking a State Supreme Court decision.
As you may recall, the court froze redevelopment agencies until a lawsuit is settled, but since the Gold line needed to lock up property from the Monrovia Redevelopment Agency for a maintenance yard before it would qualify for more money, the court order meant it was stuck. But now the Metro board has taken that into consideration and decided to free up some of the cash. Gold Line spokesman Habib Balian writes:
"Earlier today, the Metro board approved an important amendment to our funding agreement, affording the Construction Authority access to $208 million of the approved $735 million total project budget, an increase of $103.6 million from the original terms.
"Having access to the funds allows the Authority to provide Kiewit Parsons Joint Venture an Interim Notice to Proceed for the Pasadena to Azusa design and preconstruction work, maintaining our current schedule of construction completion in 2015."
- Brad Haugaard
Monrovia PD: Stealing a Stethoscope, Craigslist iPhone Snatch, After-School Fires, DUI, Etc.
[Monrovia Police activities from the Police Department's Neighborhood Watch Report for Oct. 20-26, 2011 - Brad Haugaard]
During the last seven-day period, the Police Department handled 583 service events, resulting in 114 investigations. Following are the last week's highlighted issues and events:
Public Demonstration
On October 21, the Coalition of Immokalee Workers (CIW) conducted a demonstration in the 600 block of West Huntington protesting Trader Joe's. There were approximately two-hundred supporters in attendance. The demonstration began at 12:00 noon, and at 12:30 p.m., they walked through the Huntington Oaks shopping center and proceeded to the Trader Joe's Corporate Office in the 800 block of South Shamrock. They held a rally there for nearly an hour. At that time, the group was approached by officers from the police department and instructed to leave per Penal Code Section 602(a) at the request of Trader Joe's security, and the group eventually dispersed. The remainder of the time they stayed on the church grounds, where they had permission to stand.
Grand Theft Investigation
On October 23 at 12:16 p.m., a female subject called police and reported that she had just been robbed of her cell phone. When officers arrived, she stated that she had advertised her IPhone on Craigslist for sale. She met with the potential buyer at Mayflower and Huntington. When she handed the cell phone to the subject, he took it and ran east across Mayflower and out of sight. Officers responded and checked the area, but met with negative results.
Driving Under the Influence - Suspect Arrested
On October 23 at 3:26 p.m., officers responded to the report of a male adult drinking alcohol while driving through a business parking lot in the 300 block of West Huntington. Officers arrived and arrested the driver for driving under the influence and his vehicle was stored.
Commercial Burglary
On October 23 at 11:04 p.m., a car with three occupants pulled up near a gas station at Shamrock and Huntington. A male subject ran into the store and took a case of beer and ran directly out to the waiting car. The clerk obtained the license plate of the car. An officer went to the address the vehicle was registered to and waited until the car returned. The officer was able to detain the suspect, and the stolen property was located. The witness positively identified the suspect and the vehicle. Based on investigation, only one suspect was charged and held.
Vandalism
On October 24 at 10:16 a.m., officers were dispatched to the 1300 block of South Primrose regarding vandalism. They arrived and found gang graffiti on the sidewalk at the northeast corner of Primrose and Montana, and on the limit line on the street. The graffiti was written in black spray paint. Graffiti removal was notified.
Vandalism
On October 24 at 4:34 p.m., additional gang graffiti was reported in the 1100 block of South Primrose. Graffiti removal was notified.
Residential Burglary
On October 25 at 6:00 a.m., a resident in the 800 block of California left their house. When they returned at 5:00 p.m., they found their home had been burglarized. The suspect gained entry by climbing through an unlocked second floor window. Two laptop computers and thumb drives were stolen. Investigation continuing.
Vehicle Burglary
On October 25 at 6:26 a.m., an employee of a restaurant in the 500 block of West Huntington reported that someone had broken into a customer's vehicle. An officer responded and found a rear window had been shattered. A green backpack containing documents and a stethoscope was taken. No witnesses. Investigation continuing.
Residential Burglary
On October 25 at 9:54 a.m., officers responded to an apartment in the 700 block of Monterey regarding a burglary. The victim had left an hour earlier and returned to find a bedroom window open and a laptop missing. The suspect(s) removed the window screen and forced the lock to gain entry. Investigation continuing.
Vehicle Burglary
On October 25 at 1:17 p.m., an officer was dispatched to the intersection of Alta Vista and Chestnut on the report of a vehicle burglary. The victim said his vehicle was broken into the day before, between 4:00 and 5:00 p.m., but he was unable to report it then. The suspect(s) broke the driver side window and removed a clipboard from the front seat which contained $200 in cash. No witnesses were located. Investigation continuing.
Illegal Fire Setting
On October 25 at 3:57 p.m., Monrovia Fire Department advised they were responding to a small fire on the tracks in the 1400 block of South Alamitas. Officers responded to assist. It was determined that someone set fire to some trash. The fire was put out. A similar fire was reported at the same location a week prior. No witnesses were located, but indications are that it may be school kids that are causing these fires after school. Extra patrol will continue in the area. Investigation continuing.
Burglary
On October 26 at 9:28 a.m., an officer responded to a business in the 500 block of West Huntington regarding a theft that had just occurred. When the officer arrived, the reporting party told him a female subject who had been wandering in the store walked out and the anti-theft alarm went off. The reporting party saw the female get into a vehicle and leave, but was able to obtain the license plate number. A check of the video and the sales floor indicated the female had taken five Android eReaders valued at $1150 dollars. Investigation continuing.
Shots Heard
On October 26 at 6:39 p.m., dispatch received numerous calls of shots heard over a wide area of the north end of town. The majority of calls seemed to indicate the shooting occurred somewhere in the area of 400 to 600 blocks of Norumbega. Pasadena's helicopter responded and searched the area with ground units. Officers searched along the wash and door-to-door in the area for over an hour, but were unable to locate the source of the gunfire. No witnesses or suspects were located. Investigation continuing.
Residential Burglary
On October 26 at 8:30 a.m., a resident who lives in the 400 block of North Primrose left her home. When she returned at 10:15 p.m., she found someone had forced her back door open. It appears that nothing was stolen. The suspect may have been scared off when a motion detector lamp activated when the door was forced open. Investigation continuing.
Monrovia's AeroVironment is Hot | No Bodybuilding at MHS | More Democratic?
~ Monrovia's Aerovironment is among the companies in the Aerospace & Defense Industry with the highest growth in Earnings Per Share. http://goo.gl/A7YVH
~ No bodybuilding competition at Monrovia High, school board decides. http://goo.gl/nkmTY~ Redistricting could make San Gabriel Valley lean more Democratic: http://goo.gl/tm8Ig
- Brad HaugaardShots on Norumbega | Monrovia's McCarthy Great Player, Nice Guy | Boot Camp Video | Trader Joe's Stays Quirky | Drug Roundup | Bartlett vs. Hammond | City Website Changes
~ Gunfire heard on Norumbega. A reader reports that she heard the sounds "while I was out on my walk tonight. It really freaked me out." http://goo.gl/vTjYC and http://goo.gl/CgBZN
~ Ellis McCarthy. Not only is he a top 50 football recruit, he is "one of the most mild-mannered, polite, friendly students at Monrovia (Calif.)." http://goo.gl/VkoYn
~ "Disturbing" video of conditions at the Pasadena boot camp of Kelvin McFarland, a Monrovia resident. http://goo.gl/d3QTm
~ Monrovia's Trader Joe's tries to keep things quirky as it expands. http://goo.gl/KTiZc
~ On Oct. 29 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., the Monrovia PD and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) will be at the Community Center (119 W. Palm) to collect potentially dangerous expired, unused, and unwanted prescription drugs. http://goo.gl/8EJWw
~ More on Bartlett withdrawing his endorsement of Hammond. http://goo.gl/XA633
~ The domain name for the City of Monrovia's web site has been changed from the rather obscure www.ci.monrovia.ca.us/ to the easier-to-remember http://www.cityofmonrovia.org/ .
- Brad Haugaard
Report on Make a Difference Day | La Cañada over Monrovia :-(
~ A report on Make a Difference Day. http://goo.gl/kTNer
~ La Cañada over Monrovia in water polo, 27-0. http://goo.gl/e6O5r
- Brad Haugaard
Monrovia's Unity Center Needs Help | Hidden Freeway Signs
~ With holiday events coming up, Monrovia's Foothill Unity Center is looking for volunteers. Needed: Thanksgiving food (non-perishable and frozen turkeys), volunteer time, fulfill children's gift wishes, funds. For more information contact Raina Martinez at 626 358-3486 or raina@foothillunitycenter.org
~ Freeway signs hidden at the corner of Magnolia and Chestnut. http://goo.gl/1Xest
- Brad Haugaard
Opinion: In Defense of Trader Joe's
There is a lame commentary over at Monrovia Patch today ( http://goo.gl/EG8fa ) criticizing Monrovia's Trader Joe's. (I intend no criticism of Patch, by the way, as it is simply doing its job by providing a forum for the writer to express herself on a local topic.) Anyway, the writer lays into Trader Joe's because it "had not agreed to pay the penny extra a pound for tomatoes" to benefit tomato pickers in Florida.
So, right off, the writer ignores what even the workers' union itself stated in its own press release just a few days ago: that Trader Joe's has already agreed to pay an extra penny a pound for tomatoes. It just isn't going to sign the union's contract.
And frankly, I don't understand what the whole issue has to do with Trader Joe's at all.
Unless there is something I'm missing, Trader Joe's does not employ the tomato pickers, so why don't the workers ask their own employers for an extra penny a pound for tomatoes and then their employers can pass the cost along to Trader Joe's and other buyers? Why should Trader Joe's pay someone else's employees? What would you think if employees at the supermarket where you shop demanded that you pay extra money directly to their union? And what if you -- sweetheart that you are -- agreed, but then your word wasn't good enough for them so they demanded that you sign a contract to that effect?
Further, the writer of the opinion piece completely ignored Trader Joe's response ( http://goo.gl/M0OGG ). But if just half of what the company says is true, it is even more justified in rejecting a contract that it should not feel obliged to sign even under the fairest of circumstances.
Here is just one of the six points Trader Joe's makes:
"The draft agreement contains a requirement that Trader Joe’s somehow will pay the total premium whether or not the supply of Florida Tomatoes is sufficient to meet our demands or regardless of where we actually buy the tomatoes. This, of course, is a ridiculous requirement to which no serious business would agree."
So... if Trader Joe's buys tomatoes in Texas it has to pay workers in Florida!?
I beg your pardon?
- Brad Haugaard
Monrovia Assemblyman Seeks to Overturn Dream Act | Women Pilots Talk
~ Assemblyman Tim Donnelly, who represents part of Monrovia, is collecting voter signatures to try to overturn the Dream Act, which allows undocumented students to compete for state money. http://goo.gl/FMBJD
~ Hear the stories of women pilots (including Amelia Earhart) from members the San Gabriel Chapter of the Ninety-Nines, a women pilots organization. Nov. 1, 6:30 p.m. at the Library Community Room. Details: http://goo.gl/7Dwik
- Brad Haugaard
Monrovian Invents Quick Collapsing Goalposts
Monrovian solves problem of celebrating fans knocking down goalposts and getting hurt. http://goo.gl/mUX2t
- Brad Haugaard
Monrovia - Football Goliath? | Top Band | Flame Broiler
~ Is Monrovia a football Goliath? http://goo.gl/O81iz
~ Monrovia High has the top band. http://goo.gl/2WAIZ
~ Monrovia Flame Broiler is now open. Near Sprouts. http://goo.gl/sa17T . And here's the menu: http://goo.gl/PW2VI
- Brad Haugaard
Pink Firefighters
Next week, the Monrovia Fire Department will be participating in the National Breast Cancer Awareness Month by wearing pink t-shirts. The crews have been given permission to wear the special pink t-shirts while on duty to raise awareness of the disease and support cancer awareness. It was the idea of the Monrovia Firefighter's Association. http://goo.gl/KAi9u - Brad Haugaard
Halloween Costume Tips From Monrovia FD
~ When choosing a costume, stay away from billowing or long trailing fabric. If you are making your own costume, choose material that won't easily ignite if it comes into contact with heat or flame. If your child is wearing a mask, make sure the eye holes are large enough so they can see out.
~ Provide children with flashlights to carry for lighting or glow sticks as part of their costume.
~ Dried flowers, cornstalks and crepe paper are highly flammable. Keep these and other decorations well away from all open flames and heat sources, including light bulbs and heaters.
~ It is safest to use a flashlight or battery-operated candles in a jack-o-lantern. If you use a real candle, use extreme caution. Make sure children are watched at all times when candles are lit. When lighting candles inside jack-o-lanterns, use long fireplace-style matches or a utility lighter. Be sure to place lit pumpkins well away from anything that can burn and far enough out of the way of trick-or-treaters, doorsteps, walkways and yards.
~ Remember to keep exits clear of decorations, so nothing blocks escape routes.
~ Tell children to stay away from open flames. Be sure they know how to stop, drop and roll if their clothing catches fire. (Have them practice stopping immediately, dropping to the ground, covering their face with hands, and rolling over and over to put the flames out.)
~ Use flashlights as alternatives to candles or torch lights when decorating walkways and yards. They are much safer for trick-or-treaters whose costumes may brush against the lighting.
~ If your children are going to Halloween parties at others' homes, have them look for ways out of the home and plan how they would get out in an emergency.
Source: http://goo.gl/KAi9u
- Brad Haugaard (from Monrovia Fire Department)
Monrovia's STAAR Surgical Doing Well | Make a Difference Day
~ Monrovia's STAAR Surgical, which makes implantable eye lenses, reported third quarter revenue of $15.3 million, 16 percent more than the third quarter of 2010. http://goo.gl/oTGGR
~ Monrovia City Manager Scott Ochoa wants everybody to pitch in for Make a Difference Day this Saturday. He quotes Shakespeare, "How far that little candle throws his beams! So shines a good deed in weary world." http://goo.gl/KAi9u
- Brad Haugaard
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