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Monrovia Rolls Over Temple City in Football

Monrovia has big win over Temple City - 56 to 6.

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Schools: More Transferring Out Than In; Declining Enrollment; Etc.

At its Oct. 22 meeting (agenda: http://goo.gl/NX5Za6 ) the Monrovia School Board will ...

~ Hear a report that says more students asked to transfer out of the district (332 for 2014-15) compared to students asking to transfer in (220). Plymouth Elementary has been particularly hard hit this year, with 81 students transferring out compared to an average of 21.25 transferring out for the other elementary schools. It appears the "Incoming Permits" table is either messed up or I need more coffee, but it seems that there was either only 1 request to transfer in to Plymouth, or 13 requests to transfer in. http://goo.gl/Waob7I

~ Hear a report that projects continued enrollment losses at least until the 2016-17 school year. Here is an enrollment summary: 2011-12, 5,970 students; 12-13, 5,947; 13-14, 5,988; 14-15, 5,903; 15-16 projected, 5,804; 16-17 projected, 5,681. http://goo.gl/4C7DWC

~ Hear a report on student achievement. (Unfortunately, no detail provided in this staff report: http://goo.gl/S0r8vv )

- Brad Haugaard

Join the Christmas Chorus at Monrovia's First Presbyterian Church

If you've ever wanted to sing Handel's Messiah, here's your chance to sing parts of Messiah and other Christmas music. Dr. Peter Green, Chair, Visual and Performing Arts Division, Professor of Music, Glendale College, will conduct the Monrovia First Presbyterian Church Chorus with orchestra on Sunday, Dec. 14, 7:30-8:30 p.m. at the First Presbyterian Church, corner of Foothill and Myrtle. If you want to sing, come to rehersals, every Thursday night 7:30-8:30 at the church. Bring a friend. For more information, contact Dr. Peter Green, Music Director, 358-3297 Ext. 205 or peter@fpmonrovia.org. Source: press release

- Brad Haugaard

Lunch at Philly's Best


Lunch at Philly's Best at Huntington and Fifth. Got the Mushroom Steak sandwich ($6.99) and iced tea ($1.99). Simple but tasty. 

- Brad Haugaard

Duarte Road and Mountain Intersection Closed Tonight

The entire intersection at Mountain and Duarte Road will be closed tonight beginning at 9 p.m. and ending Saturday morning at 9 a.m. as part of the Gold Line light rail project. Crews will be realigning the traffic lanes to the final configuration during the closure and re-striping the pavement. No additional full closures are anticipated.

- Brad Haugaard

Creative Writing for Family, Friends of Vets at Monrovia Library

The Monrovia Public Library is offering a Creative Writing Workshop for Family and Friends of Veterans, Wednesday, Oct. 22, 6 p.m. at the Monrovia Public Library Community Room. Bring an object or picture that means something special to you in relation to the veteran in your life. Pen and paper will be provided. Workshop is open to adults and mature teens. Contact Rebecca Elder at 256-8268 for more information. The library also offers resources for vets, here ( http://goo.gl/MGux6w ).

Comment: Since this program is funded by Cal Humanities, with a goal "to increase public understanding for those who have served in the U.S. Military as well as how best we can support the process of reincorporating veterans into our community," it got me thinking. As a vet, what do I think vets would like? Well, a) A job. b) An occasional thank you. c) The government fulfilling its obligations to vets (See VA hospitals as an example of how not to do this.) d) An occasional free beer. And what wouldn't vets like? Unless he's laid up in the hospital, anything that smacks of, "Oh, you poor dear! Let me help you with that." Any other vets have thoughts?

- Brad Haugaard

Investment in Monrovia's Huntington Oaks

$71 Million investment in Monrovia's Huntington Oaks Shopping Center. http://goo.gl/kmndIU

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Council: Wine Plaza Tuscan Village Planned; More Efficient Meetings; Veterans; Family Festival; Last Best Offer

At its next meeting (main agenda: http://goo.gl/2Sbt0M ), on Tuesday, Oct. 21, the Monrovia City Council will ...

~ Consider approving a $2,225,000.00 sale of property located at 123 and 137 West Pomona Avenue to Wine of the Month Club for "a Wine Plaza Tuscan Village, which is a conglomerate of wine ordering, wine blending production, wine shipping, wine purchasing, wine tasting, food and beverage sales and consumption, retail related to food and beverage production, and other food and beverage related uses or other shops consistent with the atmosphere of a European village marketplace," etc. http://goo.gl/uupHtd

~ Consider recommendations to make city meetings more efficient. They are: 1) Do all proclamations and presentations on first meeting of the month, begin that meeting at 6:30 p.m. 2) End meetings at 11 p.m. and carry over all other items until the next meeting unless the meeting is extended by a majority vote. 3. Enforce the current 5-minute time limit for speakers. http://goo.gl/RzoP2J

~ Honor local veterans: http://goo.gl/tQi78J

~ Approve an agreement with Family Festival Productions, Inc., for production of the Friday Night Family Festival in Old Town through 2017, with two one-year options to renew. http://goo.gl/tUcHxk

~ Impose the city's "Last, Best and Final Offer" to the Monrovia Firefighters Association. http://goo.gl/dur0ka

- Brad Haugaard

Street Construction Around Monrovia's Station Square

There will be work from October 22, 2014 to May 2015 on the area around Station Square (Duarte Rd., Magnolia Ave., Pomona Ave., Primrose Ave., Evergreen Ave., Myrtle Ave. and California Ave). Traffic on these streets will be reduced to one lane in each direction or closed at times. When full street closures or changes on the original lane closures are required by the construction activity, a notice will be provided to residents and businesses at least 48 hours in advance. Expect delays. City of Monrovia press release.

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Police: Casing Cars | Wallet Stolen from Unlocked Car

[Monrovia Police activities from the Police Department's Neighborhood Watch Report for October 13-15 2014 . - Brad Haugaard]

During the last seven-day period, the Police Department handled 376 service events, During the last seven-day period, the Police Department handled 376 service events, resulting in 72 investigations.

Warrant / Receiving Stolen Property / Petty Theft / Theft of Mail – Suspect Arrested 
On October 14 at 5:19 p.m., an officer on patrol in the area of Madison and Foothill observed a male subject on a bicycle acting suspicious. The officer watched as the subject was looking into parked vehicles and then looking around to see if he was being watched. The subject was contacted and found to have an outstanding warrant for his arrest. A search of the subject’s backpack revealed bank checks and identification with someone else’s name on them. The checks and identification were found to be stolen. The suspect was arrested and taken into custody.

Theft From an Unlocked Vehicle 
On October 14 at 5:48 p.m., a male subject called police to report his wallet was stolen from his unlocked car in the 600 block of West Foothill. The investigation is continuing.

Curious Facts about the Gold Line

Curious facts about the Gold Line, like: How many space shuttles would it take to carry all the concrete ties into space? http://goo.gl/ua4UMk

- Brad Haugaard

Opera Animata Canceled

The first two performances of the Opera Animata season, that was to have begun on Oct. 17-18 at Monrovia's St. Luke Church, have been canceled "due to unforeseen circumstances."

- Brad Haugaard


Work to Begin Soon on Improvements Around Monrovia's Station Square Project

Public improvements for the Station Square project (around the new train station) will begin in mid October and will include "modernization and beautification of medians and public right-of-ways of several streets ... as well as landscape areas east and west of Myrtle Avenue along the 210 Freeway frontages and on the underpass. Details: http://goo.gl/tU2SL8

- Brad Haugaard

Bone Marrow Match Test at Monrovia High

Vicki Barstow, 45-year-old wife and mother of two Monrovia High students, writes to say that she has Acute Myeloid Leukemia and needs a bone marrow transplant, but needs a match. There will be a bone marrow test sponsored by "Be the Match," this Friday, Oct. 17, at the homecoming game at Monrovia High School from 5:30-8:30 p.m. The donor test (you must be 18-44) is an easy mouth swab. Details: http://goo.gl/4ibTS7

- Brad Haugaard

What 'National Monument' Designation Means for Monrovia

This fact sheet from the White House (http://goo.gl/38pjPb) gives a bit of detail on what it means that a big chunk of the San Gabriel Mountains is now a national monument. Here are a few points I find interesting for Monrovia:

- There is a map that is way too small to study detail, but it seems to show that the southern border of the monument is along Rincon Road, which is an east-west crestline dirt road several miles above the north edge of Monrovia.

- I had thought national monuments were all administered by the Park Service, but apparently they can be administered by a variety of federal agencies, and this one will be administered by the Forest Service, as it is now.

- Various charitable organizations have pledged about $3.5 million for the monument area.

Comment: Honestly, I'm not really sure what has changed. As part of the National Forest, all the things that will be protected now were protected before, and there doesn't seem to be a dime more in federal funds as a result of this (though it's nice some charities are chipping in), and the Forest Service, which was in charge before, is still in charge.

- Brad Haugaard

How to Lay Train Track - Gold Line Construction Video

To celebrate the near completion of track-laying for the Gold Line to Azusa, the Gold Line folks have released a video documenting the construction of the line. Gives a nice glimpse into the technical details of laying track ... in case you ever need to know ;-). http://goo.gl/lYPQiP

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia's World Vision Partners with Grundfos to Provide 2 Million with Clean Water

Monrovia's Christian relief and development agency, World Vision, is partnering with Grundfos, the world's leading pump manufacturer, to provide clean water to 2 million people in sub-Saharan Africa over the next five years. World Vision is the largest non-governmental provider of clean water in the developing world. http://goo.gl/AgChJC

- Brad Haugaard

Opera Animata Opens Second Season in Monrovia

UPDATE: Canceled. 

Opera Animata kicks off a new season on Oct. 17-18 with a madcap mix of arias and antics spoofing the beauty pageant scene. Performances start at 8 p.m. in Swan Hall at St. Luke's Church in Monrovia. In a world where opportunities for classical singers are few, five female opera singers compete in a beauty pageant in hopes of advancing their careers. When the contestants are tested by a disgruntled accompanist, capricious judges, and fiendish backstage workers, they must persevere or go back to searching the Gigs section of Craigslist. Presale tickets $25 at http://operaanimata.ticketleap.com and at the door for $30. Student/senior tickets for $20. For more information visit http://www.operaanimata.com. Source: press release.

- Brad Haugaard

Haunted Hikes Gone for Good? | 'Geo Listening' to Monrovia High Students | Taste of Old Town

~ Gem City Images says the Haunted Hikes in Monrovia Canyon Park have been cancelled and appear to be dead for good. http://goo.gl/e43ywM

~ Monrovia High implements "Geo Listening," monitoring students' postings on public media: http://goo.gl/xKsGxt

~ Taste of Old Town Monrovia October 19 in Old Town from 5-8 p.m. Advance Tickets $50; $60 at the door. Food and spirits from more than 40 vendors, plus live music.

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Police: Takes the Whole Cash Register; Texting While Driving? Peeing on People; Lost and Found; Etc.

[Monrovia Police activities from the Police Department's Neighborhood Watch Report for October 9-12 . - Brad Haugaard]

Following are the weekend’s highlighted issues and events.

Armed Robbery 
On October 9 at 3:36 p.m., an armed robbery occurred at a business in the 400 block of West Foothill. The suspect entered the business, brandished a knife and demanded money from the register. The suspect began hitting the register in an attempt to open it. When the register did not open, he grabbed it and ripped it away from the counter. He then ran west from the location. An extensive search was made for the suspect and items from the register were found discarded in the 700 block of West Foothill. The suspect was not located. The suspect is described as a male African American, approximately 6'5" tall, medium build, wearing multiple layers of clothing and gloves. The investigation is continuing.

Stolen Vehicle 
On October 10 at 8:06 a.m., a vehicle was reported stolen from the 300 block of South Primrose. The victim parked her white Toyota Camry in her carport the day before. When she returned to her vehicle in the morning, the car was gone. The investigation is continuing.

Stolen Vehicle Recovered 
On October 10 at 2:41 p.m., a stolen vehicle was located in the 900 block of West Walnut. The registered owner was contacted and the vehicle was released to the owner. The investigation is continuing.

Hit & Run Traffic Collision – Suspect Arrested 
On October 10 at 10:02 p.m., an officer was dispatched to the 700 block of West Colorado to a hit and run traffic collision where the suspect had hit a fence on a property. The officer arrived within minutes and stopped the suspect vehicle as it was attempting to leave the scene; the driver was detained. The suspect and his vehicle were positively identified and he was arrested. Although a fence was damaged in front of the residence, the house did not sustain any structural damage and no injuries were reported. There was no evidence of the suspect being under the influence of drugs or alcohol; the suspect was believed to have been texting on his cell phone just prior to the collision.

Battery with Urine / Urinating in Public / Resisting a Peace Officer by Means of Threats or Violence – Suspect Arrested 
On October 13 at 10:19 p.m., an officer responded to a business in the 400 block of South Myrtle regarding a subject causing a disturbance. The suspect was intoxicated and intentionally urinated on two female victims that were seated at an outdoor patio table. When the officer approached, the suspect kicked the officer and threatened to kill him. The suspect was arrested and taken into custody. The officer was not injured as a result of being kicked by the suspect.

Possession of Drug Paraphernalia – Suspect Arrested 
On October 10 at 11:55 a.m., a disturbance was reported in the 800 block of West Walnut. An officer arrived and saw a subject throw an object down on the ground. Further investigation revealed the object was a methamphetamine pipe. The officer arrested the suspect for possession of the pipe.

Public Intoxication / Possession of a Controlled Substance – Suspect Arrested 
On October 11 at 2:11 a.m., an intoxicated subject entered the police lobby with a bloody lip and claimed he was the victim of an assault that occurred near a night club in the 300 block of South Myrtle. Further investigation revealed he was involved in a fight with his friend in the 100 block of East Lime. The officer located the friend near the front of the police station. The friend was also intoxicated and was found to be in possession of methamphetamine. Both suspects were arrested and taken into custody.

Critical Missing Person Located 
On October 11 at 3:20 p.m., the family of a fifteen-year-old, autistic boy contacted Monrovia Park Rangers about their son being missing. Their son was hiking with a group when he ran ahead to a trailhead where they were going to have lunch and went missing. He was dressed in light clothing with a hat and backpack. He had several bottles of water and some snacks, but did not have a cell phone and was not familiar with the area. The Foothill Air Support Team helicopter was immediately dispatched to the area and Sierra Madre Search and Rescue was contacted. Sierra Madre Search and Rescue located the boy about two miles from the location he was last seen. His parents were brought to him, and he was checked by paramedics and determined to be in good condition.

Driving Under the Influence – Suspect Arrested 
On October 12 at 1:53 a.m., an officer was on patrol near the intersection of Myrtle and Lemon when he stopped a motorist for a traffic violation. The motorist was determined to be under the influence of alcohol; the driver was arrested and taken into custody.