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Monrovia Street Fair: Hire Two Companies Instead of Just One

Citing problems with the way LA Partyworks was running the Friday Night Street Fair, the Monrovia City Council recently considered replacing it with a company called Green Leaf. The council didn't do that, but at the Sept. 1 meeting the city will consider another alternative - hiring both of them.

"This revised production model for the Event involves LA PartyWorks transitioning into a special event / marketing role, while Green Leaf would assume the weekly management and coordination of the Friday Night Family Street Fair."

Details: http://goo.gl/1Bpb1o

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Community Bike Ride

City Manager Oliver Chi on his unique bicycle at the first Community Bike Ride this morning. It went from Library Park to Station Square and back. The point was to show how easy it will be to ride your bike to the train station and back when Gold Line service begins to Monrovia.

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Loses to Burbank :-(

Monrovia football loses 20-38 to Burbank. http://goo.gl/tccl7H

- Brad Haugaard

Help Children of Murdered Monrovia Mother

John Wilson, head of the Monrovia Boys and Girls Club, writes on Facebook that the two children of murdered Monrovian Lajoya McCoy are in need of "Target gift cards to purchase clothes, shoes, toiletries, school supplies, and food. If you want to help you can either drop off gift cards at the Club (600 S. Shamrock Ave. Monrovia 9am-6:30pm M-F) or go to our webpage, foothillsbgc.org, and click donate now in the upper right hand corner and we will purchase the gift cards."

- Brad Haugaard

Dinner at Blaze Pizza


Dinner last night at Blaze Pizza, in the Pavilions shopping area. Got a Build Your Own Pizza for $7.65 and an iced tea for $1.95. Good, fast pizza. I liked it and quite filling. 

-  Brad Haugaard

100 Degrees Today In Monrovia - Then a Bit Cooler

Could get up to 100 today. But then should begin to cool off. http://goo.gl/VnR5SB

- Brad Haugaard

Man Arrested in Killing of Monrovian Lajoya McCoy

Man arrested in killing of Monrovia woman, Lajoya McCoy. http://goo.gl/T5DrMi

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Police: Kicking a Car; Hitting Sister With a Tray; Burglary of Myrtle Business; Walks Off With Purse, But Gives It Back; Etc.

[Monrovia Police activities from the Police Department's Neighborhood Watch Report for August 24-26. - Brad Haugaard]

During the last seven-day period, the Police Department handled 362 service events, resulting in 69 investigations.

Recovered Stolen Vehicle
On August 24 at 7:53 a.m., an officer responded to the parking lot of a business in the 2100 block of South Myrtle regarding a suspicious vehicle. The officer located the unoccupied vehicle. A computer check revealed the vehicle was a reported stolen from Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department. The workers at the business said the vehicle has been parked there, undisturbed, for several days. The registered owner was contacted and the vehicle was turned over to him.

Vehicle Vandalism
On August 24 at 12:02 p.m., a vehicle burglary was reported in the 700 block of West Huntington regarding a subject kicking a vehicle. The reporting party observed the subject throw a rock through one of the vehicle’s windows. Officers responded and spoke with the reporting party. The subject was gone when officers arrived. The reporting party said the subject appeared to have been recently released from a hospital and was rambling while disturbing the vehicle. It was later discovered a subject matching this person's description had walked away from a hospital. We were unable to locate the owner of the vehicle and have not been able to identify the suspect. The investigation is continuing.

Violation of Gang Injunction Court Order – Suspect Arrested
On August 24 at 12:04 a.m., a traffic stop was conducted in the 300 block of West Maple. The driver and passenger were found to be on probation for drugs and the driver had previously been served with a gang injunction court order prohibiting him from being out on the streets of Monrovia past 10:00 pm. The driver was arrested for violating the court order.

Attempt Robbery
On August 25 at 3:34 a.m., officer responded to the 800 block of West Duarte regarding an attempted robbery that had occurred 30 minutes prior. The victim said while standing outside his apartment complex smoking, he was approached by two males, who requested a cigarette. Both subjects then started patting down the victim’s pockets. The suspects both punched the victim and one suspect pulled out a knife and cut the victim three times across his forearms. The victim fled into his apartment complex and the suspects did not pursue him. The victim did not require medical attention due to the injuries only being superficial scratches. The investigation is continuing.

Assault - Suspect Arrested
On August 25 at 8:39 a.m., an officer responded to the 100 block of East Fig regarding an assault. The parent of two adult children (son and daughter) were fighting inside their home. She reported the argument had become physical. Officers responded and discovered the female had sustained a laceration on her head when her brother struck her with a wooden tray. The mother confirmed the incident and the suspect admitted to striking his sister. He was arrested for assault and taken into custody.

Commercial Burglary
On August 25 at 12:38 p.m., dispatch received a call from a business owner in the 100 block of South Myrtle reporting a burglary that occurred between the hours of 10:00 p.m., to 10:00 a.m. today. There were pry marks on the front doors and the loss was extensive. The business has no cameras or alarm system. Neighboring businesses were contacted and video was reviewed. The investigation is continuing.

Petty Theft
On August 25 at 1:10 p.m., an officer responded to the 100 block of South Myrtle regarding a theft. A suspect had just walked out of a business carrying the victim’s purse. The victim contacted the subject and he gave her the purse back. He did not have a legitimate or plausible reason for having the purse. The suspect was gone when officers arrived. Through investigation, the officers created a photo lineup that identified the suspect.

Receiving Stolen Property – Suspect Arrest
On August 26 at 10:49 p.m., officers observed a suspicious occupied vehicle in the 100 block of West Walnut. As the officers watched from a distance, they saw the subjects drive to the 100 block east Walnut and enter a condominium complex’s parking lot, where thefts have occurred recently. After a few minutes, one of the vehicles, a U-Hall truck exited the structure and the officer stopped the vehicle to investigate. The driver was on probation for theft, which allowed for a search of the vehicle. During the search the officer found mail not belonging to the driver, but instead to victim of a burglary in the city of Covina and La Puente. The mail had been stolen out of the victim’s vehicles. The driver was arrested for being in possession of stolen property and taken into custody.

Possession of Methamphetamine and a Smoking Pipe – Suspect Arrested
On August 26 at 11:25 p.m., an officer observed a suspicious vehicle in the 100 block of west Walnut. He saw the vehicle commit a traffic violation, so he stopped it at Chestnut and Primrose. The male driver did not have any driver’s license or identification. A misdemeanor in California. The officer found the driver to be in possession of methamphetamine and a smoking pipe. The driver was arrested for the violations and taken into custody.

Monrovia Fire Department Practices for Disaster at Rail Yard, Rescues Dogs, Fights NorCal Fires | City Again Uses Less Water | Etc.

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

~ Monrovia Fire Department has been working with Metro and Gold Line representatives to better understand fire and life safety issues at the new rail yard (aka, Maintenance and Operations Campus). Fire personnel have done walk-throughs, table top exercises, and full-scale functional exercises to prepare for fires, train derailments, and other potential emergencies that may occur once the Gold Line extension is opened.

~ Monrovia firefighters rescued three dogs from a structure fire at 550 West Foothill Boulevard. No humans were home, but two of the dogs were not breathing. Fire and police personnel, as well as the department nurse educator began to resuscitate the animals with special airway devices for pets, and within 15 minutes all animals were awake, alert, and walking around.

~ For July Monrovia used 23.5% less water then in July 2013.

~ Monrovia has sent out two strike teams to assist with the fire activity here in Northern California, a 16-day deployment to the Mad River Fire and an 8-day deployment to the Rocky Fire in the Clear Lake area.

~ You should have received a notice (or two) from the city about proposed rate adjustments for water and sewer service. Questions? Call the Public Services Department at 932-5575.

~ Sunday, August 30, 2015 at 7:00 p.m. in Library Park, featuring Latin / Salsa Music from, "Yari More Latin Band."

Mary Wilcox Youth Center Grand Opening

Boys & Girls Club of the Foothills will celebrate the grand opening of its teen program at the Mary Wilcox Youth Center (843 E. Olive) this Friday, August 28, from 5 - 6:30 p.m. Tour the newly-renovated facility and hear from local leadership about the expected impact of this much-needed resource for our youth. 843 East Olive Avenue. RSVP to kbuller@foothillsbgc.org Source: Press release

- Brad Haugaard

State Senate Approves Franchise Bill by Monrovia Representative

AB 525, legislation by Assembly Majority Leader Chris Holden, who represents Monrovia, will raise the standard that must be met in order for a corporation to terminate a franchisee, set-up a framework that allows franchisees to sell or transfer their businesses, will compensate them for capital improvements they are required to make, and require franchisors to pay damages for any breaches of the franchise contract. AB 525 now goes back to the Assembly for approval of brief amendments before being sent to Governor Brown for signature.

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Choral Company Presents Samuel Coleridge-Taylor Project



The San Gabriel Valley Choral Company begins its twenty-first season with a historic concert: "The Samuel Coleridge-Taylor Project: A Musical Legacy in Concert." The concert will be held at St. Luke's Episcopal Church of Monrovia (122 California Ave.) at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, September 15, 2015 - the 140th anniversary of Coleridge-Taylor's birth. In his time, African British composer Samuel Coleridge-Taylor (1875-1912) was affectionately referred to as the African "Mahler." Because of his incredible success in a field dominated by white males at a time when racism in America was peaking, Coleridge-Taylor's influence on African American artists and intellectuals was powerful and far-reaching. The artistic director of SGVCC, Dr. Zanaida Robles, created the Samuel Coleridge-Taylor Project to perpetuate the study and performance of the music of this celebrated composer and others of African descent. Other composers programmed on this concert include William Grant Still, Margaret Bonds, Jester Hairston, Zanaida Robles, Robert Owens, Joshua Uzoigwe, and Sydney Guillaume.

Founded in 1995, SGVCC is a mostly volunteer ensemble based in Monrovia. In 2012, conductor and soloist Dr. Zanaida Robles took over as SGVCC's artistic director. Having recently earned her Doctorate in Musical Arts in Choral Music at the University of Southern California, her prior credits include serving as director of classical choirs for the Los Angeles County High School for the Arts as well as preparing elite choirs for performances with such greats as Josh Groban and Kristin Chenoweth.

This is a free concert with a suggested donation of $20. Tickets are not necessary. Donations to SGVCC, a non-profit organization, are also gladly accepted online ( http://www.sgvccsingers.org ) and by check sent to San Gabriel Valley Choral Company; P.O. Box 2225; Monrovia, CA 91017.

- Brad Haugaard

Photography, Jazz And Ceramics Sept. 12

An Evening of Imagination, Saturday, Sept. 12 from 7-10 p.m. Photography, jazz, and ceramics, plus food, wine, raffle drawings and a pottery wheel demonstration. At Paint 'n' Play Art Studio, 418 S. Myrtle. For information contact Lia Barrios at 256-4848 or at paintnplaystudios@gmail.com

- Brad Haugaard

Join Monrovia Mayor For Community Bike Ride

Join Mayor Tom Adams on the first Community Bike Ride, this Saturday, August 29. A family-friendly ride from Library Park to Station Square and back. Meet at Library Park at 8 a.m. Wear a helmet.

- Brad Haugaard

Saute Culinary Academy Now Open: Offers Cooking Classes

Partial list of classes for October

Saute Culinary Academy is now open at 150 E. Colorado. Cooking classes for adults and children. Also, adult and children birthday parties, team building and private cooking parties. Here is the phone number and website: 626-429-2323, http://www.sauteacademy.com

- Brad Haugaard

Does Monrovia-Based Trader Joe's Raise Property Values Nearby?

Not only does Monrovia-based Trader Joe's sell groceries, but according to one study, it also increases the property values nearby. http://goo.gl/6t1SVk

- Brad Haugaard

Music on Myrtle, This Saturday

Traditional Music Gathering, August 29, 7-9 p.m. 412 S. Myrtle in Old Town. Windy Ridge Bluegrass and Katywompus. http://goo.gl/nfU60I

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia's AeroVironment Gets Big Drone Order

Monrovia's AeroVironment gets orders for $47 million worth of drones. http://goo.gl/KwxOgd

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Police: Apartment Fire; Stolen Rifle; Woman Beaten; Intoxication; Scooter Found; Scooter Stolen

[Monrovia Police activities from the Police Department's Neighborhood Watch Report for August 20-23. - Brad Haugaard]

Following are the weekend’s highlighted issues and events.

Structure Fire
August 20 at 1:47 p.m., officers responded to an apartment structure fire in the 500 block of West Foothill. The apartment complex consisted of four units, but the fire was contained to only one unit. No residents were home, but three dogs were rescued from the fire and suffered smoke inhalation. The fire started in a bedroom and was possibly caused by electrical failure. No residents were injured.

Residential Burglary
August 20 at 7:33 p.m., a residential burglary was reported in the 100 block of McKinley. The investigation revealed the suspect entered the victim's home by prying open the rear door. The suspect took camera equipment from the location. The burglary occurred sometime between 12:00 and 7:00 p.m. The investigation is continuing.

Theft of a Firearm
August 21 at 3:00 p.m., the theft of a firearm was reported in the 300 block of Prospect. The victim stated his rifle was lost or stolen during shipping. The victim shipped his rifle and scope to Missouri. The sealed package arrived, but the rifle and scope were missing. The rifle was entered into the stolen firearm system. The investigation is continuing.

Receiving Stolen Property/Possession of Marijuana – Suspect Arrested
August 21 at 9:47 p.m., an officer responded to the 900 block of Ocean View on the report of a suspicious person riding a motorized scooter in the area. Upon arrival, the officer contacted the subject and discovered the scooter had been reported stolen. The subject claimed he rented the scooter for $40.00 from an unknown subject at a park in the 300 block of South Myrtle. The subject was also in possession of marijuana. The subject was arrested for receiving stolen property and taken into custody.

Warrant – Suspect Arrested
August 21 at 10:11 p.m., an officer was dispatched to a residence in the 100 block of Madeline regarding a suspicious female loitering in the area. Upon arrival, the officer contacted the subject and discovered she had a warrant for her arrest. The subject was arrested and taken into custody for the warrant. She was later released to the Temple Sheriff’s Department, as the warrant was from their agency.

Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol – Suspect Arrested
August 22 at 2:03 a.m., officers on patrol observed a vehicle in the area of Palm & Magnolia commit a vehicle code violation and stopped the vehicle. Through investigation, it was determined that the driver of the vehicle had been drinking and, after field testing, he was arrested for driving under the influence.

Drunk in Public – Suspect Arrested
August 22 at 2:24 a.m., an officer was on patrol in the 100 block of West Lemon when he saw a subject displaying signs of intoxication. Upon contacting the subject, it was determined he was too intoxicated to care for his own safety. The subject was arrested for public intoxication, taken into custody and held for sobering.

Domestic Violence – Suspect Arrested
August 22 at 6:53 p.m., officers responded to the 100 block of Violet on the report of domestic violence in progress. They contacted the victim, who had significant visible injuries to her face. The suspect had left the location. The victim was taken to a hospital for medical treatment, where she was admitted for her injuries. The suspect's vehicle was entered into the law enforcement system as a felony vehicle. Hours later, Huntington Beach Police Department notified Monrovia police that they had the vehicle and suspect detained. Monrovia officers responded to arrest the suspect. The suspect was taken into custody and held pending his court appearance.

Theft of a Motor Scooter
August 23 at 6:54 p.m., dispatch received a call reporting a stolen motor scooter from the 300 block of South Shamrock. The victim parked his Yamaha scooter in front of the location at 12:30 p.m. on August 21. When he returned to where he parked the scooter on August 23 at 7:15 p.m., the scooter was gone. The investigation is continuing.

Non-Injury Hit & Run Traffic Collision
August 23 at 8:02 p.m., an officer responded to the 400 block of East Maple regarding a hit and run traffic collision investigation. During the investigation, a witness was interviewed and a suspect vehicle was identified. The investigation is continuing.

Dinner at Wingstop


Dinner last night at Wingstop, in the Pavilions shopping center. I got a 10 piece combo with half lemon pepper and half the new Serrano pepper, for $9.99, and a beer for $4.49. Tasty and messy. I think I still like the lemon pepper best.

-  Brad Haugaard