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Monrovia City Council: Homeless in Park; National Recreation Area

At the next Monrovia City Council meeting (agenda: http://goo.gl/6a2owZ ), there will be a report from the Committee on Homelessness and Park Conduct, and an update on the proposed National Recreation Area boundaries (which currently include part of Monrovia) by Interim City Manager Fran Delach. The Council earlier requested that the city be excluded from being part of the NRA.

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Police: Arrest for Making Honey Oil; Fight Over Headphones and Watch; Thief Can't Start Car; Etc.

[Monrovia Police activities from the Police Department's Neighborhood Watch Report for July 7-9. - Brad Haugaard]

During the last seven-day period, the Police Department handled 449 service events, resulting in 85 investigations.

Vandalism
July 7 at 7:51 a.m., an officer was dispatched to the high school in the 800 block of West Colorado on the report of vandalism. Campus security arrived in the morning after the 4 th of July weekend and discovered someone had written graffiti on the auto shop building. The investigation is continuing.

Attempt Grand Theft Auto / Vehicle Burglary
July 7 at 11:10 a.m., a resident in the 100 block of North Lincoln called police to report that someone had attempted to take his vehicle. The victim parked his vehicle on the street and secured it on July 3. When he returned to his vehicle on July 7, he discovered the driver side door lock was punched. The suspect tore the steering column apart, attempting to take the vehicle, but it appears they couldn't start it. The suspects took some welding books from inside the vehicle. The investigation is continuing.

Manufacturing of a Controlled Substance / Possession of Honey Oil – Suspect Arrested
July 7 at 3:24 p.m., an officer on patrol in the 100 block of West Greystone came upon a vehicle with the door left open. When he stopped and looked inside, he saw approximately 50 butane bottles and a pipe with possible honey oil on it. The driver of the vehicle could not be located and the vehicle was registered out of town. Due to the extreme hot weather and the butane bottles sitting in the sun, the Monrovia Fire Department was requested and responded to the scene. A resident from the 300 block of Stedman told officers the vehicle belonged to his son's friend, who was inside the house. The 19-year-old suspect was located and arrested for manufacturing honey oil.

Vehicle Tampering – Suspects Arrested
July 7 at 12:21 a.m., a resident in the 300 block of Fowler Drive saw two male subjects lift the door handle to his vehicle, checking to see if the door was unlocked. He chased the suspects, but wasn't able to keep up. A few minutes later, a security officer from an alarm company who was patrolling the 700 block of West Foothill saw the two males running. He called the police and then detained the suspects, who cooperated. The victim arrived just as officers arrived and placed the two under private persons arrest for vehicle tampering. The suspects were taken into custody.

Strong-arm Robbery – Suspect Arrested
July 9 at 6:35 p.m., officers responded to a business parking lot at Foothill and Myrtle regarding a robbery. Two male adults who knew each other began arguing in the shopping center parking lot. One of the subjects took the other subjects headphones and then demanded the subject’s wrist watch. The victim did not attempt to recover the headphones out of fear for his safety and attempted to walk away; however, the suspect wanted the watch and began hitting the victim, attempting to remove it from the victim's wrist. A bystander broke up the fight and the suspect fled in a vehicle with the victim's headphones. The victim was able to identify the suspect, and he was located and apprehended by police, as the vehicle was still in the area.

Registration Open for Monrovia Neighborhood Conference

Registration is now open for the Monrovia Area Partnership (MAP) Neighborhood Conference on August 9, where you can learn about what is going on in and around town. http://goo.gl/9sAaXP

Comment: Ya know, I think it would be good to record these sessions on video and post them online for those who can't attend.

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia-Based Jewish Federation Supports Israeli Response to Rocket Attacks

The Monrovia-based Jewish Federation of the Greater San Gabriel and Pomona Valleys has issued a statement saying it and the Jewish community "unequivocally stand and support the Government of Israel and its right, and duty, to defend its citizens from the terror and continued rocket fire from Hamas, Islamic Jihad and other terror groups operating in Gaza. Over the past 48 hours days, Hamas and other terror groups in the Gaza Strip have indiscriminately fired over 150 rockets and mortars at civilians of Southern Israel[.]"

Source: Jewish Federation press release

- Brad Haugaard

Historic Monrovia Drinking Fountain Being Restored

Construction has begun to repair the historic drinking fountain in Library Park at the corner of Myrtle and Lime. It was destroyed in a car accident. Comment: Hooray!

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Loses Deputy Fire Chief to Monterey Park | Another Bear Video

~ Monrovia Deputy Fire Chief Scott Haberle will move to Monterey Park to become its fire chief. http://goo.gl/NczlqP

~ Yet more Monrovia bears. These eating Cocoa Krispies. http://goo.gl/aUJWbj

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Companies: Good Earnings for AeroVironment; STAAR Surgical in Class Action Suit

~ For its fourth quarter ended April 30, Tim Conver, CEO of Monrovia's AeroVironment, reported: "An 87 percent increase in diluted earnings per share on an adjusted basis, the achievement of our financial and operating objectives and the delivery of solid results that exceeded our guidance for fiscal 2014." http://goo.gl/SQQDyA

~ Pomerantz Law Firm has filed a class action lawsuit on behalf of shareholders against STAAR Surgical, of Monrovia, charging that "Defendants made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that the Company's Monrovia Facility: (i) lacked adequate methodologies and facilities for the manufacture, packing, storage and installation of the Company's implantable lenses; (ii) lacked adequate procedures for documenting complaints, sterility testing, and maintaining required records; and (iii) as a result of the foregoing, the Monrovia Facility was not in conformity with current good manufacturing practice requirements at all relevant times." http://goo.gl/hcPcSn

- Brad Haugaard

Photo Tour of Gold Line Yard in Monrovia

A photo tour of construction at the Gold Line maintenance yard, just west of Home Depot in Monrovia. http://goo.gl/SyHjOR

- Brad Haugaard

Coming Up: Concerts at Monrovia's Library Park

Reminder: Summer concerts begin this coming Sunday evening in Library Park. Here's the schedule: http://goo.gl/CCHwzD

- Brad Haugaard

Big Marble Dragons Stolen from Monrovia Home

On June 26, a theft was reported by the resident at 111 McKinley Place. Two very heavy white marble sculpture dragon pieces were stolen from the yard. The sculptures were situated near the mailbox in front of the property. They were extremely heavy and it would have taken more than one person to lift them. Most likely the suspects used a truck to haul them away. The theft occurred sometime between June 14 to 23, 2014. If anyone in the area saw or heard anything regarding this crime, please contact the Monrovia Police Department and reference case #14-009940.

Source: Monrovia Police notice

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Police: Burglar Surprises Woman in Bed; No Bomb, Just a Typewriter; Walking in Middle of Street; Etc.

[Monrovia Police activities from the Police Department's Neighborhood Watch Report for July 3-6. - Brad Haugaard]

Following are the weekend’s highlighted issues and events.

Structure Fire
July 4 at 6:58 p.m., an officer was on patrol in the 600 block of West Lime when he noticed smoke emitting from a residence. As he approached, he noticed a two story detached garage was on fire. The Monrovia Fire Department was notified and responded. Adjacent residents were evacuated while the fire was extinguished. The second story sustained severe damage.

Grand Theft Auto Recovery – Suspect Arrested
July 4 at 11:26 p.m., police received information and responded on the report of a possible stolen vehicle in the area of Monterey and Chestnut. The vehicle was reported as a white Ford Mustang with paper plates. Officers located a vehicle matching the description in a parking lot and observed the vehicle for a while. A female subject was seen getting into the vehicle and driving away. Officers observed a traffic violation and conducted a traffic stop. A computer check was run on the vehicle's identification number and it was confirmed that it was a reported stolen out of Ontario. The driver was arrested and taken into custody.

Suspicious Package
July 5 at 11:40 p.m., two residents called police to report a suspicious package that was left in the middle of the street in the 200 block of North Mayflower. Officers arrived and found a briefcase in the middle of the street. It appeared that someone may have deliberately left the case. As a precaution, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Bomb Squad was notified and responded. They X-rayed the briefcase and determined it contained an old typewriter.

Hot Prowl Burglary
July 6 at 1:13 a.m., a resident in the 200 block of North Ivy called police to report a burglar in her house. She was asleep when she heard a creeping sound on her wood floors and noticed a light in her room. She sat up in bed and noticed a dark round object on the floor next to her bed. Suddenly, a man wearing all black clothing stood up. She screamed and the suspect fled the room. The resident locked her bedroom door and yelled she was calling the police. Officers arrived and noticed the front door was wide open. An area search was conducted, but the suspect was not located. There was no loss. The investigation is continuing.

Domestic Violence – Suspect Arrested
July 6 at 1:26 p.m., officers were dispatched to a residence in the 200 block of West Cypress on the report of domestic violence. The call was transferred from the CHP. A female was heard crying and was in an altercation with her husband. The phone was disconnected by the victim. When Monrovia dispatch called the number back, a child answered the phone and said the mother and father were fighting. The child said the father hurt the mother and she was bleeding on one of her fingers. Further investigation revealed the mother and father were both threatening to leave the house and started to fight over the car keys. During the fight, the father bit the mother on the hand. The father was arrested for domestic violence and was served with an emergency protective order.

Residential Burglary
July 6 at 7:16 p.m., a resident in the 1000 block of Winding Oak called police to report a burglary at his home. He had locked his house and left for a weekend vacation. Upon his return home, he discovered the back bathroom door and a sliding glass door wide open. The house had been ransacked. Officers responded to investigate the burglary. The resident's flat screen television, laptop computer and Sony PlayStation were taken. The investigation is continuing.

Commercial Burglary
July 6 at 11:49 p.m., an alarm company called police to report that a burglary alarm at a business in the 100 block of West Duarte Road had been activated. Officers responded and discovered the front door to the business was open. They searched the building and determined the business had been burglarized. The owner of the business was notified. The cash registers had been forced open; however, the owner said no money was kept in the registers. An area search was conducted, but no suspects were located. The investigation is continuing.

Possession of a Controlled Substance – Suspect Arrested
July 7 at 2:52 a.m., an officer on patrol was driving east on Huntington, passing Mountain, when he saw a female walking in the middle of the street. He told her to move out of the street and she responded and walked to the center raised median. The officer made a u-turn and was driving back west on Huntington. The same female stepped out in front of the patrol car, causing the officer to brake rapidly. He ordered the female to the sidewalk, where he was going to issue her a citation. A computer check revealed she was on active probation for assaulting a peace officer and she was subject to search. The female consented to having her purse searched, and a small bag of methamphetamine was found. She was arrested and taken into custody.

Car Wash for Monrovia High Band and Colorguard

The Monrovia High School Marching Wildcats Band and Colorguard will hold a car wash and bake sale Saturday July 12 from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. at the Walgreens at 253 E. Foothill Blvd. in Arcadia. Suggested donation: $6 for cars, $8 for trucks and SUVs.

- Brad Haugaard

Happy Birthday, America!


The Monrova fireworks show was great, as usual. I was particularly impressed by how well the music synced with the fireworks. (Sorry about the bad cell phone photo.)

Much better pictures at Gem City Images: http://goo.gl/jXz3ZO

- Brad Haugaard

Waiting for the Monrovia Fireworks Show


2:30 PM on a hot Fourth of July and there are already lots of people camped out waiting for toniight's fireworks show. Actually, I heard there were people camped out at eight in the morning.

- Brad Haugaard

Will 19-Acre Property in North Monrovia Be Subdivided into Seven Parcels?

A 19-acre property containing six leased houses is for sale at an asking price of almost $4 million in north Monrovia. The real estate listing says the City of Monrovia has said the property, at 537 Cloverleaf Drive, "can be subdivided into a minimum of 7 huge residential parcels." http://goo.gl/kePMuI

- Brad Haugaard

Fourth of July Fireworks Safety Tips

No home fireworks are allowed in Monrovia (but there'll be a great fireworks show at Library Park: http://goo.gl/JGJ6yg ), but if you are going to be in an area that allows fireworks and decide to use fireworks, the city recommends you follow these safety tips:

- Make sure fireworks are legal in your area before buying or using them.
- Never allow young children to play with or ignite fireworks.
- Avoid buying fireworks that are packaged in brown paper because this is often a sign that the fireworks were made for professional displays and that they could pose a danger to consumers.
- Always have an adult supervise fireworks activities. Parents don't realize that young children suffer injuries from sparklers. Sparklers burn at temperatures of about 2,000 degrees - hot enough to melt some metals.
- Never place any part of your body directly over a fireworks device when lighting the fuse.
- Back up to a safe distance immediately after lighting fireworks.
- Never try to re-light or pick up fireworks that have not ignited fully.
- Never point or throw fireworks at another person.
- Keep a bucket of water or a garden hose handy in case of fire or other mishap.
- Light fireworks one at a time, then move back quickly.
- Never carry fireworks in a pocket or shoot them off in metal or glass containers.
- After fireworks complete their burning, douse the spent device with plenty of water from a bucket or hose before discarding it to prevent a trash fire.

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Fourth of July Event Schedule

Here's the schedule for Fourth of July in Monrovia:

- 3:00-7:00 p.m. DJ will play recorded music
- 5:00-9:30 p.m. Old Town Family Festival will be held until 9:30 p.m.
- 7:00-8:30 p.m. Live performance featuring the band "Stone Soul", playing your favorite 1970's songs
- 8:50 p.m. Formal welcome from the Mayor, City Council, and other dignitaries in attendance
- 9:00-9:20 p.m. Firework show

Event sponsors include: Presidential Sponsor, Mary Ann and Corey Lutz; Wendy's Hamburgers; Samuelson & Fetter; Monrovia Old Town Merchants; Upper San Gabriel Valley Municipal Water District; The Sierra Family of Dealerships; and Ducommun AeroStructures.
 
Source: City news release
 
- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Police: Runaway Juvenile; Fraud; Meth; Under the Influence; Etc.

[Monrovia Police activities from the Police Department's Neighborhood Watch Report for June 30 – July 2. - Brad Haugaard]

During the last seven-day period, the Police Department handled 431 service events, resulting in 77 investigations.

Vandalism
June 30 at 7:21 a.m., staff from an elementary school in the 400 block of West Colorado called to report graffiti spray painted on tables, benches, and the fence. Black spray paint was used and most of the graffiti was unreadable. The investigation is continuing.

Vandalism
June 30 at 8:09 a.m., staff from the high school in the 800 block of West Colorado called police to report that a number of buildings at the school had been vandalized. Graffiti had been written on them in a red wax or paste. The investigation is continuing.

Commercial Burglary / Possession of Burglary Tools – Suspect Arrested
June 30 at 5:55 p.m., officers responded to a business in the 500 block of West Huntington on the report of a burglary. Three female suspects entered the store, selected clothing items, and went into the dressing room, where they entered the same dressing stall. Two of the females came out of the dressing room and exited the store. They were detained by arriving officers at their vehicle. The females had no stolen items in their possession. They were identified and released. The third female was detained inside the store. She had store merchandise in her purse, along with a pair of wire cutters. She had attempted to remove the security tags. She was arrested and taken into custody.

Suspicious Person / Runaway Juvenile Located
July 1 at 11:13 a.m., an officer was dispatched to a business in the 300 block of West Huntington on the report a female sleeping on the rear dock area. The officer located a 16-year-old female, who told him she had run away from a group home in Bakersfield. A computer check revealed she was a reported missing person out of Bakersfield. She said she took a bus to Union Station in Los Angeles and called a male friend, who drove her to Monrovia. When she arrived in Monrovia, she and her friend got into an altercation, and she was left on foot. The Department of Children and Family Services was contacted and they took custody of the juvenile.Under the influence of a Controlled Substance / Possession of Drug

Paraphernalia – Suspect Arrested
On July 1 at 3:03 p.m., an officer on patrol in the 1400 block of South Mayflower stopped to contact a subject in the park. As the officer was talking to the subject, he noticed that the subject displayed signs of being under the influence. After further evaluation, the subject was determined to be under the influence of a controlled substance. A search of the suspect revealed two syringes. He was arrested for being under the influence of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Commercial Burglary / Possession of Forged Drivers License / Possession of Forged Access Card – Suspects Arrested
July 1 at 9:48 p.m., an officer responded to a business in the 500 block of West Huntington on the report of a fraud in progress. The officer arrived and met with the loss prevention employee, who pointed out the suspects that were still in the process of making a transaction at the register. The suspects exited the store and were detained outside by the officer. Further investigation revealed the two suspects entered the store with the intent to purchase store merchandise using fraudulent identification and credit cards. Both suspects were arrested for burglary and the fraud related violations.

Possession of Methamphetamine – Suspect Arrested
July 2 at 4:31 a.m., an officer on patrol in the area of Myrtle and California stopped a motorist for a minor vehicle code violation. Upon contacting the driver, the officer discovered he was on probation for drugs. The driver consented to a vehicle search that revealed a case for sunglasses containing methamphetamine and a glass pipe concealed between the center console and the right front passenger seat. The right front passenger admitted the pipe belonged to him. The passenger was arrested and taken into custody. The driver and his vehicle were released in the field.

Vehicle Burglary
July 2 at 7:15 a.m., a vehicle burglary was reported in the 200 block of West Scenic. The victim reported that a window on the vehicle had been smashed and his wallet was taken from inside. The vehicle had been parked on the street overnight. The investigation is continuing.

Mental Evaluation
July 2 at 12:26 p.m., officers responded to a residence in the 300 block of South Fifth Avenue regarding a family disturbance. A 19-year-old male was holding a knife to his throat and threatening to kill himself. The knife was taken from the subject prior to police arrival. The subject was taken to a hospital, where he was placed on a 72-hour hold for mental evaluation.

Driving Under the Influence of a Controlled Substance – Suspect Arrested
July 2 at 10:12 p.m., an officer was dispatched to the area of Alta Vista and Colorado to a fight in progress. When he arrived, many of the subjects began to leave the area, including one motorist who was detained to further investigate the fight call. The investigation revealed that no one was injured as a result of the fight and that no one desired prosecution. The detained motorist was found to be operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of drugs. The subject was arrested and taken into custody.

Traffic Collision / Driving Under the Influence – Suspect Arrested
July 3 at 1:49 a.m., a rollover traffic collision was reported in the 1100 block of Orange. A solo vehicle veered off the roadway and struck a brick wall. The vehicle came to rest in the roadway on its side. The driver received minor visible injuries, but was complained of pain. The investigation revealed the driver was operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol. The motorist was taken to a hospital for treatment of his injuries. A verified complaint request will be submitted to the court for filing DUI charges.

Opinion: What Will People Push Monrovia to Ban Next?

In watching the discussion about banning plastic carry-out grocery bags, I heard so many ban advocates indicate that banning the bags is "just a start," which leads me to think that now that Monrovia has prohibited the bags (starting Jan. 1) that we will soon see attempts to ban other things.

Like what?

Well, based on comments I've heard at various City Council meetings, I'd guess that there will be pressure for the city to go after smoking in multi-unit dwellings - or in public parks, or both - so if you smoke, not only do you get to die young, but you may also get to be harassed in your own home.

Second-hand smoke is bad, and I support bans on smoking in confined places that the public can freely enter (businesses, government offices, etc.) and smoking near the doors of such buildings, but in the great outdoors every additional foot of distance between me and a smoker dilutes the smoke, and at some not-very-great distance the smoke becomes barely a smell. And at that point, I think we should stop harassing these poor people.

And, no, I don't smoke.

- Brad Haugaard

No Home Fireworks in Monrovia

The City wants to remind everybody - no home fireworks in Monrovia ( http://goo.gl/zQ4YpH ). There is a great fireworks show at Library Park, however: http://goo.gl/ZmNSE1

- Brad Haugaard