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Have Dinner With a Monrovia Police Officer

Monrovia residents are invited to Library Park for a night of free food, music and unity from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. on Tuesday, August 4. Meet Monrovia Police officers, share a meal and ask those questions you have always wanted to ask a police officer.

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia May Limit Truck Weight | Seat for City on Board of LabLaunch? | Etc.

In his latest weekly report ( http://goo.gl/MwOjki ), City Manager Oliver Chi reports ...

~ The city's Traffic Safety Committee is considering a modification to the city's truck route ordinance to limit trucks entering the 210 freeway from Myrtle to 14,000 pounds.

~ Korva Labs (www.korvalabs.com) and Drywired, LLC (www.drywired.com) have moved into the new LabLaunch science / technology incubator facility at 605 East Huntington, and more companies are scheduled to move in during the coming months. Chi said that the city has "discussed the possibility of the City being provided with a seat on the LabLaunch Monrovia Board of Directors to ensure that the City's interests are well represented as the overall biotech / science / technology platform continues to grow.

~ The city is tentatively planning a joint meeting between the Monrovia City Council and the Monrovia Unified School District on August 17 at 5 p.m. Location not announced yet.

~ The new Foothill Gold Line Operations Campus got its first resident train car, or "light rail vehicle" (LRV). Chi writes: "The vehicle was very large and was delivered using an oversized-load trucking service. This is the first of many similar deliveries that will be taking place over the next year and a half."

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Providers Group Honors Brenda Shorkend

The Monrovia Providers Group awarded its annual Joel Olsen Award, honoring the member with the best volunteer record, to Brenda Shorkend of Shorkend Care Management. Also, bakery owner Becky Rivanis of Rivanis Baking Company, was presented with an appreciation award for her support of MPG's Care Cafe events.

MPG is a non-profit organization of community agencies and private resources that help provide reliable, local services to area seniors. All donations are used to assist seniors with age-related issues; educate them about opportunities; and provide supportive activities and emergency grants to those in need.

- Brad Haugaard

Portantino Running For State Senate in Monrovia's District

Anthony Portantino, who formerly represented Monrovia in the state Assembly, is now running for the State Senate to represent the 25th State Senate district, which runs from Sunland-Tujunga in the west to Upland in the east and includes Monrovia. Today he announced an endorsement by State Controller Betty Yee. Source: Portantino press release

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia's LeRoy's Makes Diner List

Monrovia's LeRoy's Diner makes the list in LA Eater.com's "13 Super Cheap Diners You've Never Heard of In LA." http://goo.gl/ggoSxC

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Adult Leadership | Montaigne

~ Monrovia Area Partnership is putting on an Adult Leadership Academy on Thursdays at 7-9 p.m. from September 10 through October 22 at the Monrovia Community Center, 119 W Palm.. Training on how to network with existing city resources to improve neighborhoods. Sign up here: http://goo.gl/xbFHT1

~ The J*Fed Players, under the umbrella of the Monrovia-based Jewish Federation, will present "Montaigne," a new musical by Joseph Charney. On the surface, Montaigne is a glimpse into modern high school life, but at a deeper level it is about how we communicate with each other and discover who we are. At the First Church of the Nazarene (3700 Sierra Madre Blvd., Pasadena) on Saturday, August 1 at 8 p.m., Thursday, August 6 at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday, August 8 at 8 p.m. Tickets at www.jewishsgpv.org/forms

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Summer Art Walk July 25

Scene from a previous Summer Art Walk

Summer Art Walk, Saturday, July 25 from 7 to 10 p.m. in the 400 Block of S. Myrtle, in Old Town Monrovia. There will be local MAFA artists (painters, sculptors, photographers, jewelry designers, ceramic artists) plus art demonstrations and local musicians. A gallery reception with refreshments at Paint 'n' Play Studio, 418 S. Myrtle. The gallery will showcase art from Duarte Youth & the Arts Program, a pilot crime prevention program for 3rd to 12th grade youth, co-sponsored by the California Gang Reduction Intervention and Prevention (CalGRIP), MAFA and Paint 'n' Play Studio.

Empty Bowls Monrovia will be selling the more than 40 handmade ceramic bowls left over from its June fundraiser for $10 each. All proceeds are donated to Foothill Unity Center, which also received more than $6,000 from the June event. Empty Bowls is a grassroots movement to end hunger through ceramics: emptybowlsmonrovia.wix.com/2014
 
- Brad Haugaard

Bill Shieff Takes Over As Head of Monrovia Rotary

Bill Shieff, a long time Rotarian, resident of Monrovia, and Chairman of Move Monrovia, took over the helm of the Monrovia Rotary Club, succeeding outgoing president Bryan Earll of Apex Fasteners, in a custom of yearly leadership turnover practiced in Rotary Clubs around the world.

Shieff, in his introductory remarks, reaffirmed that a top priority of the club will be to offer services and programs to the children and teens of Monrovia including sending high school students to Rotary Youth Leadership Camp (RYLA), sending eighth graders to Teen Leadership Camp (TLC), a continuation and expansion of the clubs Santa Clothes program providing school clothes to needy students, and ongoing support of the Interact Club and Robotics program at Monrovia High School as well as many more. Shieff also commented on the clubs renewed partnership with Monrovia Adult School to provide Vocational Scholarships.

Mr. Shieff and his wife Sue are parents of two and grandparents of six. They enjoy travel, music, and fine food. Bill is an avid road cyclist, motorcyclist, licensed pilot and continuing education and technology enthusiast. He is a Vietnam Veteran with an Honorable Discharge from the United States Navy.

In his business career, he was the President/CEO of Randolph Shieff & Associates, Inc. which provided domestic and international clients with contract manufacturing services.

The Monrovia Rotary Club welcomes visitors to its meetings and actively seeks service minded individuals to join its membership. The club meets Tuesdays at noon at the Monrovian Restaurant on Myrtle Avenue, in the upstairs banquet room. More information can be found at www.monroviarotaryclub.com

Source: press release

- Brad Haugaard

Dinner at Max's Mexican Cuisine


Dinner recently at Max's Mexican Cuisine, across the street from Target, on Huntington. Yes, that's still Monrovia. Got an Enchilada Suiza and Chili Relleno combo for $9.45 and a 22-oz beer for $7. I've never been disappointed at Max's, and I wasn't this time either. It was very good. Also, cheerful quick service and I love their good-bye: "See you tomorrow."
- Brad Haugaard 

Scaffolding Finally Down on New Commercial Building

Not quite done yet, but the commercial building across from the Library on Myrtle is looking good now that the scaffolding and fencing is finally down. http://goo.gl/ZXOMjA

Monrovia School Board: Textbooks and Budget

At its July 15 meeting (agenda: http://goo.gl/upf8DX ), the Monrovia School Board will consider ...

~ Adopting a math textbook and submitting an art textbook for public review.

~ Approving a revised 2015-16 budget. http://goo.gl/OGxp7X

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Police: Stealing Electricity From a Bank; Sleeping in a Park; Car Stolen; Etc.

[Monrovia Police activities from the Police Department's Neighborhood Watch Report for July 6-8. - Brad Haugaard]

During the last seven-day period, the Police Department handled 421 service events, resulting in 64 investigations.

Residential Burglary
July 6 at 5:49 p.m., a residential burglary was reported in the 200 block of East Maple. The night before, the victim closed his automatic garage door and went into his house. He thought it had closed all the way, but at 7:00 a.m. the next morning, he walked outside and saw the garage door was partially open, with enough room for someone to crawl underneath. He closed it all the way and went to work. When he returned home from work, he opened his garage door and noticed several car batteries and a hydraulic fuel pump had been stolen. He immediately called the police. The investigation is continuing.

Drug Paraphernalia/Under the Influence – Suspect Arrested
July 7 at 1:21 a.m., an officer was on patrol in the 500 block of South Myrtle when he saw a male subject loitering around a bank’s ATM machines; however, he was not using the machines. The male had a bandanna covering his face and he was sweating, appearing suspicious.

The officer contacted the subject, who told the officer he was stealing electricity from the bank by charging his cell phone in their outside electrical outlet. The subject was showing signs of being under the influence of a controlled substance, so the officer conducted a drug evaluation. He was arrested for being under the influence, and he was found to be in possession of an almost empty baggy of methamphetamine and a used, glass smoking pipe.

Park Closed – Citations Issued
July 7 at 2:08 a.m., an officer was patrolling a park in the 500 block of South Mountain and located two male subjects camping out and sleeping after the park closed. Signs were posted notifying the subjects that the park was closed; they were both issued citations and asked to leave the park.

Grand Theft Auto
July 7 at 4:38 p.m., a vehicle was reported stolen from the 600 block of West Huntington Drive. The vehicle is a 2015, Chevy Camaro and was stolen from a business parking lot. The victim saw the vehicle being driven away by a male suspect, but did not realize the car was hers until she found that her vehicle was gone from where she had parked it. The investigation is continuing.

Warrant – Suspect Arrested
July 7 at 10:28 p.m., officers responded to a market in the 400 block of West Foothill regarding a male subject who was causing a disturbance in the parking lot with store customers. When the officers arrived, a computer check revealed the male had two outstanding warrants for his arrest. The male subject was arrested and taken into custody for the warrants.

Monrovia FD Creates Training Facilities With Grant Money

What the Monrovia Fire Department has done with its Homeland Security grants: http://goo.gl/L1PYSu

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovian Kim Rhode to be Pan American Games Flag Bearer

Monrovian Kim Rhode has been selected as Team USA's flag bearer for the opening ceremony of the XVII Pan American Games to be held July 10 in Toronto. http://goo.gl/c83k7y

- Brad Haugaard

Tour of Historic Monrovia This Saturday

Monrovia Historic Preservation Group will conduct its next walking tour of downtown Monrovia this Saturday, July 11, at 10 a.m. Reservations are not necessary. Meet at the southeast corner of Palm and Myrtle Avenues. Cost is $5 (12 and under free) and lasts approximately two hours. http://goo.gl/I9gLrc

- Brad Haugaard

Family Services Director Retires | Mt. Sierra Student Graduation

~ Executive director of Santa Anita Family Services retires: http://goo.gl/DMMq9L

~ Monrovia's Mt. Sierra College honors its graduates: http://goo.gl/AzXwdH

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovian Charged With Attempted Murder | Holden Human Rights Bill

~ Monrovia man charged with attempting to kill Arcadia police officer: http://goo.gl/LxDuLt

~ A bill by Monrovia's Assembly representative, Chris Holden, to expand the time limit for filing human rights claims in cases of torture, rape, and sex trafficking, has been approved by the Senate Judiciary Committee. AB 15 extends the statute of limitations on human rights abuse cases from two to ten years, bringing it into line with federal law. Source: Holden press release

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia's AeroVironment Gets New CFO

Monrovia-based AeroVironment today announced the appointment of Raymond Cook as senior vice president and chief financial officer, effective immediately. http://goo.gl/u6Cg3k

- Brad Haugaard

Holden School-Employee Travel Bill Signed By Governor

Governor Jerry Brown has signed into law Assembly member Chris Holden's bill (AB 915) to remove travel restrictions on public school employees. Existing law prohibits employees who are on leave and receiving workers' compensation from traveling outside California unless the school board approves the travel. AB 915 repeals that prohibition. According to Holden's office, "This bill received overwhelming bi-partisan support in both Assembly and Senate." Holden represents Monrovia. Source: Holden press release

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Police: 'I Have Meth In My Pocket'; Domestic Violence; Under the Influence

[Monrovia Police activities from the Police Department's Neighborhood Watch Report for July 2-5. - Brad Haugaard]

Following are the weekend’s highlighted issues and events.

Driving Under the Influence – Suspect Arrested
July 3 at 1:23 a.m., police received a call reporting a possible drunk driver. The caller observed the driver drinking behind a business near Myrtle and Evergreen. The caller saw the subject get in his vehicle and reported him to police as he was leaving the area. Officers located the vehicle and saw the driver swerve and nearly hit a parked car. The driver was stopped and, through investigation, he was determined to be driving under the influence; the driver was arrested and held for sobering.

Domestic Violence – Suspect Arrested
July 3 at 1:15 p.m., an officer was sent to the 500 block of West Olive on the report of a male and female arguing inside of a parked vehicle. Officers arrived and, through investigation, determined the male subject was the primary aggressor. The subjects are in a dating relationship and were involved in an argument. During the argument, the male suspect grabbed the victim by the back of the neck, squeezing for several seconds before releasing his grip. The suspect also slapped the victim several times. The suspect was arrested and taken into custody; he was held pending his court appearance.

Possession of a Controlled Substance/Outstanding Warrant – Suspect Arrested
July 4 at 9:57 a.m., an officer observed a bicyclist riding erratically in and out of the roadway and crosswalk in the 400 block of West Huntington Drive. He stopped and contacted the subject. The subject told the officer he had methamphetamine in his pocket. The officer searched the subject and found that he was in possession of methamphetamine; he was arrested and taken into custody. A computer check revealed the subject also had an outstanding warrant for his arrest, which was added to his charges.

Warrant – Suspect Arrested
July 5 at 7:31 p.m., officers were dispatched to the 500 block of Linwood regarding a welfare check. The caller reported her father was extremely intoxicated and she thought he was going to get in his car and drive away. The subject was found sitting on the curb in front of the home. A computer check of the subject revealed two outstanding misdemeanor warrants for his arrest. He was arrested and taken into custody for the warrants.