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ChapCare Gets New Chief Medical Officer

Dr. Mitchell S. Kushner has been named Chief Medical Officer of Community Health Alliance of Pasadena (ChapCare), which has an office in Monrovia. Kushner is a Board-certified Internal Medicine Physician with more than 30 years experience specializing in HIV and communicable diseases and more than 10 years of senior management experience, having previously been employed as the Medical Director of Community Health for the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health and as the City of Long Beach Health Officer. Source: ChapCare press release. Source: press release.

- Brad Haugaard

Effect of Gold Line on Monrovia | Volunteers for Homeless Count | New AeroVironment President

~ What do you think the effect of the Gold Line coming to Monrovia will be? Anonymous survey here: https://goo.gl/tRbDdX . Created by Monrovian Robert Parry. (It'll take about 30 seconds.)

~ Volunteers needed for homeless count on Jan. 26. Details: http://goo.gl/pCIsOE

~ Wahid Nawabi, chief operating officer at Monrovia's AeroVironment, will become president of the company. https://goo.gl/lX7RNY

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Police: 300-Pound Thief; Argument Causes Car Accident; Domestic Violence; Grand Theft Auto Suspect Arrested; Bike Stolen; Etc.

[Monrovia Police activities from the Police Department's Neighborhood Watch Report for January 14-17. - Brad Haugaard]

Following are the weekend’s highlighted issues and events.

Violation of Domestic Violence Restraining Orders/Warrants – Suspects Arrested
January 14 at 6:22 p.m., police received a call reporting a male and female adult arguing in the 1200 block of South Magnolia. Officers arrived and located the subjects. During the investigation, it was discovered that the subjects had domestic violence restraining orders against each other and both had outstanding warrants for their arrest. The subjects were both arrested and taken into custody.

Domestic Violence – Suspect Arrested
January 14 at 9:03 p.m., an officer was dispatched to a residence in the 100 block of East Cypress regarding a male and female adult arguing. The officers arrived and found the subjects outside the residence, still arguing. The argument was found to be over custody of their children. During the argument, the female struck the male in the face with a clenched fist, which caused a bloody lip. The male refused paramedics. The female subject was arrested for domestic violence.

Warrant – Suspect Arrested
January 15 at 8:43 a.m., officers responded to a disturbance between a male and female in the 200 block of North Shamrock. During the investigation, it was discovered that the male subject had two outstanding warrants out of Monrovia. He was arrested and taken into custody for the warrants.

Traffic Collison/Grand Theft Auto – Suspect Arrested
January 15 at 9:22 a.m., a traffic collision was reported at Evergreen and Mountain Avenue. Officers responded to assist the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department at the location. Sheriff’s deputies were in pursuit of a grand theft auto suspect who crashed into another vehicle at the intersection in Monrovia. The suspect fled the scene of the collision, but was apprehended in a business parking lot in Duarte. Monrovia officers handled the traffic collision investigation and sheriff’s deputies handled the grand theft auto investigation.

Petty Theft
January 15 at 1:08 p.m., a mountain bike was reported stolen from a residence in the 400 block of Linwood Avenue. An unknown suspect entered an open garage door and took the mountain bike. The mountain bike is a black and while, 2016, PST Cannondale Synapse with lime green trim. The investigation is continuing.

Residential Burglary
January 15 at 1:47 p.m., a residential burglary was reported in the 1700 block of Pilgrim Way. Unknown suspects broke into a residence that is under construction and stole building materials and tools. The investigation is continuing.

Petty Theft – Suspect Arrested
January 15 at 5:10 p.m., officers were dispatched to a business in the 500 block of West Huntington regarding a petty theft. Store loss prevention agents phoned to report a female running through the parking lot with stolen merchandise. Officers responded and located the female. She was positively identified by loss prevention and the property was recovered. The suspect was arrested and received a citation to appear in court.

Suspicious Subject/Vehicle Tampering/Parole Hold – Suspect Arrested
January 15 at 5:20 p.m., police received several calls from residents in the area of Alta Vista and Lime reporting a suspicious male subject walking onto their property, up to their homes, and looking into their vehicles. Officers responded and, initially, could not locate the subject. He was eventually located and found to be currently on parole. He was arrested and taken into custody and a parole hold was issued.

Theft of Mail
January 16 at 9:45 a.m., a theft of mail was reported in the 00 block of Hidden Valley Road. The victim described the suspect as an adult, male Hispanic, weighing approximately 300 pounds. The suspect walked up to the front porch of the home and removed a package that had been delivered earlier. The suspect was seen leaving the area in an older, grey Suburban. Police responded, but the suspect was not located. The investigation is continuing.

Injury Traffic Collision
January 16 1:24 p.m., police responded to the report of a traffic collision involving a vehicle and a pedestrian at the intersection of Myrtle and Huntington. Officers arrived and found a vehicle on the center median that had struck another vehicle in the turn bay. The investigation determined that the traffic collision was caused by an argument between the driver and passenger. The female passenger had exited the vehicle after the collision and ran from the scene. There was no pedestrian involved in the collision. The female was located in the area and was not injured. The male subject was taken to the hospital for complaint of pain.

Possession of Methamphetamine/Under the Influence of a Controlled Substance/Warrant – Two Suspects Arrested
January 17 at 11:59 p.m., officers were dispatched to a residence in the 800 block of West Olive on the report of possible drug activity at the location. Officers arrived and located four subjects at the location that did not have permission to be there. All of the subjects had been drinking or smoking. One subject was arrested for possession of methamphetamine and a second subject was arrested for being under the influence of a controlled substance and a warrant.

Monrovia Robotics Team Wins New Award | Bad Cashews!

~ Monrovia High's Kings and Queens robotics team has won the Think Award at the LA Region FIRST Tech Challenge Riobotics qualifying tournament held at De Toledo High School in West Hills. The award is the second highest judged award given at FTC tournaments and is awarded to the team with the most outstanding engineering notebook. (Source: Facebook post)

~ Monrovia-based Trader Joe's is recalling some cashews, which it has discovered may have salmonella. http://goo.gl/otbT7z

- Brad Haugaard

Collection Box Play Set For Feb. 27-28


Ixthus Players presents, "The Collection Box," a presentation for Black History Month set in Virginia during the late 1940s. Feb. 27 (6 p.m.) and Feb. 28 (4 p.m.) at the Fannie M. Goodwin Education Center, 925 Shamrock Avenue, Monrovia. Call 386-8071 for tickets. VIP, $20; General, $15; Seniors, $10; Children, $5. Two adult tickets for $25. Under pressure to save the family farm his parents spent their lives building, Jacob makes a bombshell decision that shocks his new wife, leaves his wedding guests in disbelief and lands him in front of a judge and jury. http://goo.gl/GOl0yw

- Brad Haugaard

Filming CSI in Monrovia


They're about to start filming CSI at 4 PM today, the guard said. On Myrtle just south of Lime. 

- Brad Haugaard

Station Square Park Dedication This Saturday

This coming Saturday (Jan. 23) Station Square Park, the new train station area at 1601 S. Myrtle, will be dedicated. 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Live entertainment, arts and crafts for children, a Canyon Park critter display, giveaways, refreshments. LA Metro will distribute train safety and other Gold Line materials. http://goo.gl/3F423b

- Brad Haugaard

Audition for Monrovia Production of 'The Music Man'

IFGF Church and Centre Stage will hold an open audition for their April 21-May 1 community theater performance of The Music Man. Open to all ages. Auditions are Jan. 23 at IFGF Church, 147 West Palm Ave., Monrovia. Adult/Teens at 9 a.m. Prepare 16 bars of a traditional Broadway piece. Pianist provided. Those auditioning for teen dance ensemble, Harold Hill, Marion, Ethel, Marcellus, Zaneeta and Tommy, will be taught a dance combination. Please wear clothing accordingly. Children at 11 a.m. Children will be taught the opening phrase to Wells Fargo Wagon and a short dance combination. For more information contact Director, Keely Milliken at centrestageinc@yahoo.com Source: press release

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Council To Consider Hiring Engineering Firms

At its Tuesday, Jan. 19 meeting (agenda: http://goo.gl/9WaQII ), the Monrovia City Council will ...

- Consider hiring General Pump Company, Inc. of San Dimas to rehab "Well No. 4" (at 354 Valley Circle, in the south end of town) for $109,100. http://goo.gl/CCua4r

- Consider hiring Gibson Transportation Consulting for $28,000 to prepare an Engineering and Traffic Survey for the city, as required by state law. The survey will include pedestrian and bicyclist safety. http://goo.gl/uglRwV

- Consider paying Civiltec Engineering up to $23,230 to do engineering and design for a proposed Mountain Avenue crosswalk between the Best Buy shopping center on the east side and the BMW dealership on the west. http://goo.gl/us9oNK

- Brad Haugaard

Play, 'Damn Yankees' Playing in Monrovia Jan. 14-16


- Brad Haugaard

Dinner at Bella Serra Trattoria


Dinner last night at Bella Serra Trattoria on Myrtle just south of the theater. Got the lasagna ($16) and a beer ($7). The lasagna was good and filling, the place was humming, and the service was great. 
- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia City Hall Closed Monday | Citrus Receives Grant for Veterans

~ City Hall will be closed Monday in observance of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.

~ The Citrus College Foundation has received a grant from the Ludwick Family Foundation that will support the continuing work of the Citrus College Veterans Success Center, which helps student veterans transition from the military to civilian and college life. Citrus College serves Monrovia.

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Police: Traffic Accidents; Black Beard Steals Purse; Meth Bust; Etc.

[Monrovia Police activities from the Police Department's Neighborhood Watch Report for January 11-13. - Brad Haugaard]

During the last seven-day period, the Police Department handled 354 service events, resulting in 63 investigations.

Vandalism in Progress – Suspect Arrested
January 11 at 3:19 p.m., police received a report of a subject vandalizing a park in the 500 block of West Olive. An officer responded and detained a subject, who was positively identified by two witnesses and arrested.

Traffic Offense/Resisting and Delaying a Peace Officer/Bench Warrants – Suspect Arrested
January 11 at 5:06 p.m., an officer on patrol observed a subject in the 1300 block of South Shamrock that he knew had several warrants outstanding for his arrest. The subject saw the officer and fled on his bicycle. As the officer pursued him, the subject ran several stop signs and eventually abandoned his bicycle and fled on foot. The officer eventually caught up to him on foot and placed him under arrest. 

Traffic Collision with Injuries
January 12 at 3:40 p.m., a vehicle was traveling westbound on Huntington and ran a red light. The vehicle struck another car that was traveling south on California, causing a rollover collision. There were no serious injuries, just complaints of pain.

Possession of Drug Paraphernalia/Possession of a Controlled Substance/ Warrants – Suspect Arrested
January 12 at 10:35 p.m., officers responded to the report of a suspicious male subject loitering in the area of King and Highway Esplanade. When officers arrived, they located a subject matching the description given and made contact with him. The subject had two outstanding warrants for his arrest. He was also found to have a methamphetamine pipe and a useable amount of methamphetamine on his person. The subject was arrested and taken into custody.

Significant Traffic Collision Investigation
A traffic collision occurred at the intersection of Foothill Boulevard and Myrtle Avenue on Wednesday, January 13, 2016, at 12:54 p.m. As a result of the traffic collision, nine people were injured and required medical attention, including the adult driver of the vehicle believed to have caused the collision. Several others were taken to local area hospitals. The cause of the accident is under investigation and the questioning of the driver believed to have caused the collision is pending, as they are being treated for their injuries and have not regained consciousness at this time. Witnesses stated that the driver of a late model Mercedes-Benz station wagon was driving west on Foothill Boulevard at a very high speed, failing to come to a stop behind the already stopped vehicles at the intersection. The driver then drove around the stopped vehicles and through the intersection against a red light, striking the first vehicle, facing east in the number one lane of Foothill Boulevard. The impact caused an additional number of vehicles to collide into each other. The Mercedes-Benz struck a Toyota sedan, which became airborne, landing on the hood of a large pickup truck. The Toyota then rolled off the truck onto the south sidewalk of Foothill Boulevard, narrowly missing a mother walking her child in a stroller. The child was thrown from the stroller and was later taken to the hospital for medical examination. Due to the extensive scene and the serious nature of several of the injuries, a specialized traffic investigations unit was called to assist. Several vehicles were stored as part of the investigation process so accurate data can be gathered regarding the cause of this collision.

As of January 14, the two most seriously injured persons remain hospitalized in critical condition, but are expected to survive. The infant child that was thrown from the stroller was released from the hospital with minor injuries.

Vehicle Burglary
January 13 at 1:31 p.m., a vehicle burglary was reported in the 500 block of West Huntington. An unknown suspect smashed the right rear passenger window of a vehicle and stole a purse containing cash, credit cards, and the victim’s driver’s license. The suspect fled the scene and was chased by a witness for several blocks, but he was not caught. The suspect is described as a male Hispanic, 5'7” tall, with a black beard. He was wearing a black hooded sweatshirt and blue jeans.

Monrovia Police Report on Major Collision At Foothill and Myrtle

A traffic collision occurred at the intersection of Foothill Boulevard and Myrtle Avenue on Wednesday, January 13, 2016, at 12:54 p.m. As a result of the traffic collision, nine people were injured and required medical attention, including the adult driver of the vehicle believed to have caused the collision. Several others were taken to local area hospitals. The cause of the accident is under investigation and the questioning of the driver believed to have caused the collision is pending, as they are being treated for their injuries and have not regained consciousness at this time.

Witnesses stated that the driver of a late model Mercedes-Benz station wagon was driving west on Foothill Boulevard at a very high speed, failing to come to a stop behind the already stopped vehicles at the intersection. The driver then drove around the stopped vehicles and through the intersection against a red light, striking the first vehicle, facing east in the number one lane of Foothill Boulevard. The impact caused an additional number of vehicles to collide into each other. The Mercedes-Benz struck a Toyota sedan, which became airborne, landing on the hood of a large pickup truck. The Toyota then rolled off the truck onto the south sidewalk of Foothill Boulevard, narrowly missing a mother walking her child in a stroller. The child was thrown from the stroller and was later taken to the hospital for medical examination.

Due to the extensive scene and the serious nature of several of the injuries, a specialized traffic investigations unit was called to assist. Several vehicles were stored as part of the investigation process so accurate data can be gathered regarding the cause of this collision.

As of January 14, the two most seriously injured persons remain hospitalized in critical condition, but are expected to survive. The infant child that was thrown from the stroller was released from the hospital with minor injuries.

No further information is available at this time. Updates may be available by calling the Monrovia Police Department Watch Commander at 626-256-8030.

Source: Monrovia Police Department press release

- Brad Haugaard

Embezzler Gets 16 Months for Stealing from Monrovia Company | Rain | EV Charger is Finalist | Bartlett Award

~ Walnut woman sentenced to 16 months in prison for embezzling nearly $1 million from Monrovia company, Mask-Off, a maker of protective films, papers and specialty coatings. http://goo.gl/fsSTpz

~ 60% chance of more rain Tuesday. http://goo.gl/VnR5SB

~ AeroVironment's "TurboCord" Dual plug-in EV charger has been named as a finalist for the 2016 Automotive News PACE Awards. The electric car charger can charge nearly three times faster than others. http://goo.gl/JcbBlD

~ Nominate a Monrovia Area Partnership (MAP) leader for the "Bob Bartlett MAP Leader of the Year Award" someone who is tireless in working to improve the community. The person must be a Neighborhood Leader and have completed the MAP Leadership Academy. http://goo.gl/3eOrjl

- Brad Haugaard

Bad Car Accident at Foothill and Myrtle

Facebook posters note a bad car accident at Foothill and Myrtle with at least six vehicles involved. One person posting mentions an elderly driver and another speeding as contributing factors.

Nine injured, no fatalities: http://goo.gl/H232RZ

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Basketball Defeats Mark Keppel

Monrovia basketball victorious over Mark Keppel, 57-41. http://goo.gl/b4KOkX

- Brad Haugaard

Swedes Like Monrovia Drones

Swedish police using drones made by Monrovia's AeroVironment. http://goo.gl/JR0l7G

- Brad Haugaard

Health Insurance Enrollment Help

On Jan. 23 ChapCare will host its final health insurance enrollment event in Monrovia to help people get enrolled before the deadline. The event will take place at its facility at 513 E. Lime Ave. from 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. Counselors will answer health insurance questions and help people enroll in a low or no-cost health insurance plan.

- Brad Haugaard

4th Dimension Project Dead; Monrovia Bike Master Plan; What To Do With Parks? Sandbags; Volunteers

In his weekly report ( http://goo.gl/Ugi5L0 ), City Manager Oliver Chi reports that ...

- the 4th Dimension/Community Center project is pretty dead. "After discussing the matter further, the Hale Corporation shared with the City that they would cancel escrow on their proposed purchase of the 4th Dimension facility. That cancellation effectively ends the proposed 4th Dimension / Community Center initiative." A formal City Council action upcoming.

- Open House Workshop to discuss Bicycle Master Plan at the Monrovia Community Center (119 West Palm Avenue) on Wednesday, Feb. 3 at 6 p.m. (Preceded by community bike ride at 5 p.m. starting at Library Park.

- Meetings to ask Monrovians what they want in their parks. Saturday, Jan. 30 from 9-11:00 a.m. in the Library Community Room; Saturday, Feb. 6 from 9-11 a.m. at Fire Station 102 (2055 S. Myrtle Avenue). Call Public Services Department for more info: 256-8246.

- With more rain likely, sandbags available here: Public Services Corporate Yard (600 S. Mountain Avenue, from 7 a.m.-6 p.m., Monday through Thursday); Community Center (119 W Palm Ave from 8 a.m.-9 p.m., Monday through Thursday and 8 a.m.-5 p.m. on Friday); Monrovia Fire Station 101 (141 East Lemon Avenue) and Fire Station 102 (2055 South Myrtle Avenue). Also, gravel for residents at 900 Block of Crescent (between Madison and El Nido); 352 Hill Street (North-East corner of Hill Street and Prospect Avenue); and Recreation Park (near Barney Glen Baseball Field Parking Lot). BYO shovel, gloves, goggles.

- Bob Dollins has been recognized as the 2015 Volunteer of the Year for the Canyon Park / Hillside Wilderness Preserve. Also, Tod Barry and Bonny Hidas received Spirit Awards for their humility and loyalty.

- Brad Haugaard