Monrovia City Manager Estimates Cloverleaf Entry Point Should Be Open Within Three Months

I asked City Manager Oliver Chi for an update on progress opening the Cloverleaf entry point to the Hillside Wilderness area. Here's most of his response:

First, pursuant to the purchase and sale agreements that were approved, he City has been working to implement the capital improvements that were identified.  Those capital improvements include:

§  The City will install two (2) electric access control gates on Cloverleaf Drive.

• The first gate shall be located on Cloverleaf Drive where Cloverleaf Drive splits off from Hidden Valley Road.
• The second gate shall be installed on either the easements being acquired or on City owned property in-between the property owned by Baze and Reid.

§  The City will install a set of locking mailboxes for the residents of Cloverleaf Drive.
 
§  The City will install a public drinking fountain on City property located north of the facility known as Fire Station 103.
 
§  The City will install a public trash receptacle on City property located north of the facility known as Fire Station 103.

§  The City will develop mechanisms to divert pedestrian and bicycle traffic into and out of the HWP through the CAP onto the existing access trail located just west of the City’s Cloverleaf Canyon Reservoir.

We have been making good progress during the past month and half since the agreements were approved.  A status update of each item is included below:

§  We have complete the preliminary designs for the two fences that we need to install, and we have also obtained quotes from the contractors.  We are in the process of working with the contractor to refine the fencing quotes, and we plan on meeting with the residents within the next few weeks to finalize and approve the fencing plans in question.

§  We have identified the recommended mailbox, drinking fountain, and trash receptacle for installation.  We need to review the selections with the residents before we finalize the installation.

§  Our team has also assessed the access trail located west of the City’s Cloverleaf Canyon Reservoir, and the work needed to upgrade the location is minimal.  Our staff has identified that any needed work can be accomplished in less than a week, and therefore, we are holding off on making those improvements in order to coordinate the work with the installation of the two gates.

One other note… the permit parking program for the area has been developed in concert with the capital improvement work that staff has been executing.  The Traffic Safety Committee approved the permit parking program at their May 19, 2016 meeting and we are now working to get the signage developed and installed in consultations with the area residents.

...

Based on our progress to date, I do believe that we should be able to get everything completed within the next 3 months.


- Brad Haugaard

Dinner at Wang's Place

Dinner at Wang's Place, on the south side of Lemon just east of Myrtle. Got the Kung Pow Chicken ($12) and a beer ($4). Very good! I was impressed. 

- Brad Haugaard 

'From Sea to Shining Sea' Musical Production at Monrovia's Clifton School

California Dance Institute presents "From Sea to Shining Sea," with 150 California Dance Institute students, on June 2 at 4 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. at the Clifton Middle School Theater at 226 S. Ivy Ave. Students are from local schools, including Monrovia's Plymouth and Wild Rose Elementary Schools. The show, which also features a professional band and vocalists, travels across America through song and dance, from Zydeco to Bluegrass to Motown.

CDI is an in-school and after-school arts education program and West Coast Affiliate of Jacques D'Amboise's National Dance Institute. It engages children to move toward success in life through dance and music.

- Brad Haugaard

Hippie Bots to Represent US, Monrovia in China Robot Competition

Clifton Middle School's robotics team, the Hippie Bots, has been selected as the sole representative of the United States on behalf of L.A. FTC (FIRST Tech Challenge) in the FIRST China Open in Shanghai June 3rd - 5th. The team is trying to raise about $15,000 on GoFundMe.com for air fare. https://goo.gl/bVSg8V

Monrovia Code Enforcement Seminar

Seminar on "Code Enforcement in Monrovia, including inspecting and mitigating nuisance activity, addressing issues on private property, and protecting the health & safety and general welfare." May 21, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Community Policing Room, 415 S. Ivy. To reserve a spot contact calling Ariel at 626-932-5563 or email at atolefree@ci.monrovia.ca.us.

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Police: Victim Fights Off Man With Gun; Smash and Run; Counterfeit Money; Burglaries; Thief Scoots With Scooters; Etc.

[Monrovia Police activities from the Police Department's Neighborhood Watch Report for May 16-18. - Brad Haugaard]

During the last seven-day period, the Police Department handled 439 service events, resulting in 88 investigations.

Attempt Robbery
May 16 at 10:37 p.m., an attempt robbery was reported in the 200 block of W. Huntington. The victim lives in his motorhome and reported that the suspect began pounding on the side of his motorhome. When the victim opened the window, the suspect stated he wanted money. When the victim refused, the suspect displayed a handgun. The victim grabbed the gun through his window and the two struggled over the weapon. The suspect then pulled the gun out of the victim's grasp and fled. The investigation is continuing.

Commercial Burglary
May 17 at 3:36 a.m., officers were dispatched to a burglary alarm call at a business in the 100 block of W. Foothill. Upon arrival, officers found the front window of the business was smashed. The owners responded to check their inventory. A large amount of cigarettes and some cash was taken. The Investigation ongoing.

Counterfeit Currency
May 17 at 8:02 p.m., an officer responded to a business in the 200 block of W. Huntington regarding a report of receiving counterfeit currency. A female adult entered the business and ordered takeout food. She paid with a one hundred dollar bill. The employee told the customer her food would take approximately 20 minutes. A few minutes later, the female left the restaurant without the food. An employee noticed the currency and believed the bill was counterfeit. The investigation is continuing.

Residential Burglary
May 18 at 1:40 p.m., police received an alarm activation at a residence in the 300 block of Bradoaks. Officers checked the residence and discovered a rear window had been smashed. The owner arrived to check the home and found nothing was missing. It appears that the alarm may have scared off the suspects. The investigation is continuing.

Residential Burglary
May 18 at 3:22 p.m., a residential burglary was reported in the 700 block of Ridgeside. The resident arrived home and noticed his side door was open and things appeared out of place. He checked further and realized the front door was open. It appears the suspect gained entry by smashing the glass window on the front door. The loss was two flat screen televisions, a lawn mower and a computer. The investigation is continuing.

Attempt Residential Burglary
May 18 at 3:36 p.m., an attempt residential burglary was reported in the 300 block of Linwood. The resident arrived home and tried to unlock his door, but could not get his key in the lock. Upon closer examination, he realized someone had tried to use a different key to open the front door, but broke the key off inside the lock. There was no loss. The investigation is continuing.

Grand Theft Auto – Suspect Arrested
May 18 at 6:58 p.m., police were alerted to a possible stolen vehicle in the area of Myrtle and Chestnut. Officers responded to the area and located a parked vehicle matching the description. They observed a male subject get into the vehicle and drive away. A computer check confirmed the vehicle had been reported stolen. A traffic stop was conducted and the driver was arrested without incident.

Shoplifting
May 18 at 5:34 p.m., a business in the 600 block of W. Huntington called police to report a theft. A male suspect entered the store, grabbed two boxed scooters and ran out the doors, dropping one of the boxes on the way out. The suspect ran to an awaiting vehicle driven by a second suspect. The suspects then fled the area. The investigation is continuing.

Driving Under the Influence – Suspect Arrested
May 18 at 7:29 p.m., officers responded to the 100 block of N. Mountain on the report of a driver who was driving on the wrong side of the street. An officer stopped the vehicle for several traffic violations. After field sobriety tests were conducted, the driver was determined to be driving under the influence of a controlled substance and was arrested. The driver was taken into custody and held for a sobering period.

Monrovia College Student in Aeronautics Competition

Left to right, back row: Ben Kenworthy, Samuel Chung, Patrick Ailes, Nia Asmady, Luke Bughman, Alex Wielandt and Kurt Ebert; front row, Jake Stone, Angela Wong, Jared Lehmann and Nathan Rower.

Luke Bughman from Monrovia (third from right, back row), a member of Cal Poly's Design Build Fly club, recently supported the club's participation in one of the aviation industry's premier student contests.

Cal Poly was a finalist in the international Design/Build/Fly radio-controlled aircraft competition, placing 15th in a crowded field of 80. The event, which attracts top aerospace engineering student teams from throughout the world, is sponsored by the AIAA (American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics), Cessna Aircraft Company and Raytheon Missile Systems.

The final fly-off portion of the competition was held April 10-12 in Wichita, Kansas, amid heavy rains and wind, with San Jose State University placing first.

This year's contest challenged students to design and build two airplanes so that one would fit into the other. The flight demonstration in Wichita took the form of three sequenced flight missions. In the first, the larger aircraft was flown alone; in the second, the smaller aircraft served as a payload in the mother ship; and in the third, the smaller aircraft carried a payload in the form of a 32-ounce Gatorade bottle.

"We finished missions one and two with ease, even in the very strong winds of Wichita," said Alex Wielandt, president of the Cal Poly Design Build Fly club. "We were unable to complete mission three, however, due to ground control issues and weather. We placed very well considering we didn't complete a third of the missions. Despite this, we received much praise from other teams regarding our entry's lightweight and innovative design."

Others on the team included Jake Stone, chief financial officer; Kurt Ebert, technical lead; Patrick Ailes, pilot; and members Nia Asmady, Jimmy Wu, Charlie Ross, Angela Wong, Nathan Rower, Jared Lehmann, Ben Kenworthy, Samuel Chung and Josh Buckhalter.


"All in all, we learned a lot and look forward to next year's challenge," said Wielandt.

Source: press release

- Brad Haugaard

Construction On Old Train Station | Will Monrovia Police Bradbury? Apartment Complex Construction Begins | Seniors of the Year

In his weekly report ( http://goo.gl/V8Lu4l ), City Manager Oliver Chi reports that ...

- With the unanimous approval of the Historic Preservation Commission, construction on the old Santa Fe railroad station should begin in mid- to late-summer and it could be finished by the end of the year, or early in 2017. Comment: It appears from the picture above that it will be inhabited by ghosts.

- Our neighbor Bradbury is thinking about about asking Monrovia to take over law enforcement for the town instead of using the Sheriff's Department. Chi writes: "Monrovia could take on the provision of law enforcement services for Bradbury with minimal adjustments to our current police department operation."

- Construction is beginning on the 261-unit luxury apartment complex at Station Square and it is being renamed from the Parks at Station Square to MODA at Monrovia Station.

- Monrovians Clint and Shelli Aresnault were recently selected as the 2016 Older Americans of the Year! Both are active in the Gad-a-bouts Senior Club.

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Police: Unauthorized Art; Woman Gets Ticket for Shoplifting; Road Rage; Stolen Truck; Accident After Driver Falls Asleep

[Monrovia Police activities from the Police Department's Neighborhood Watch Report for May 12-15. - Brad Haugaard]

Following are the weekend’s highlighted issues and events.

Felony Vandalism – Suspect Arrested
May 12 at 6:06 a.m., an officer was dispatched on the report of graffiti vandalism that had just occurred at a business in the 2600 block of S. Peck. Officers responded and located a juvenile subject matching the description of the suspect. The subject was found in possession of two cans of blue spray paint and he had blue paint on his hands and clothing. The suspect admitted to committing the graffiti vandalism with the blue spray paint.

Officers checked the area and additional graffiti vandalism was discovered. Several businesses and vehicles were located with the blue spray painted graffiti on them. One business in the area of Myrtle and Duarte had extensive damage. An expanded check of the area revealed similar graffiti at two Los Angeles County Public Works yards in Irwindale, on curbs in the nearby unincorporated areas of Monrovia, and the Live Oak Bridge above the Santa Anita Wash was also vandalized. Vandalism reports were taken by the Irwindale Police Department and Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department on the incidents in their jurisdiction.

Under the Influence of a Controlled Substance – Suspect Arrested
May 12 at 7:53 p.m., officers responded to the 100 block of W. Colorado regarding the report of a disturbing subject who was approaching pedestrians trying to trade a computer for a cell phone. Officers located the subject and determined he was under the influence of a controlled substance. The suspect was arrested and held for a sobering period. He was later released with a citation to appear in court on the charges.

Residential Burglary
May 12 at 8:33 p.m., a residential burglary was reported in the 1300 block of S. California. The resident left his home at 8:00 a.m. and returned at 8:00 p.m. Upon his return, he found his home had been ransacked. A firearm, miscellaneous jewelry and a computer were stolen. The suspect cut a padlock on a side gate and entered the home through an unlocked sliding glass door. The investigation is continuing.

Bicycle Theft – Suspect Arrested
May 12 at 10:14 p.m., a bicycle theft that just occurred was reported in the 2100 block of S. Myrtle. Officers located a suspect in possession of the stolen bicycle at Myrtle and Altern. He was arrested and taken into custody.

Possession of a Controlled Substance – Suspect Arrested
May 13 at 11:12 a.m., police were called to the area of Palm and Primrose regarding a suspect who was selling drugs in the park. An officer arrived and detained the suspect. A consent search of the suspect revealed methamphetamine in his backpack. The suspect was arrested for possession of a controlled substance.

Parolee at Large / Felon in Possession of a Firearm / Possession of Controlled Substance for Sales / Possession of Drug Paraphernalia – Suspect Arrested
May 13 at 5:14 p.m., an officer stopped a truck for a vehicle code violation in the area of Peck and Atara Street. The driver was found to be a parolee at large. A search of the vehicle revealed a loaded firearm inside the vehicle, as well as drugs. The suspect was arrested and taken into custody for the above listed charges.

Shoplifting
May 13 at 6:44 p.m., a business in the 900 block of W. Huntington called police to report a theft that had just occurred. A male and female entered the store. The female made a service payment as the male subject looked around the store, and then they left. A few minutes later, the male subject returned and asked for a glass of water. When the employee went in the back to get the water, the subject stole an iPhone that was on the counter. Identification of the female was obtained from the payment records and the investigation continues to identify and locate the theft suspect.

Public Intoxication – Suspect Arrested
May 14 at 12:19 a.m., an officer was dispatched to the 1000 block of S. Myrtle regarding a subject who was intoxicated and staggering down the street. The officer contacted the subject and determined he was too intoxicated to care for himself. The subject was arrested and held for a sobering period.

Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol – Suspect Arrested
May 14 at 2:05 a.m., an officer on patrol stopped a vehicle in the 2200 block of S. Myrtle for a vehicle code violation. Upon speaking to the driver, the officer noticed symptoms of alcohol intoxication. Through investigation, the driver was determined to be driving under the influence and was arrested. The driver was taken into custody and held for a sobering period. The suspect was later released with a citation to appear in court.

Shoplifting – Suspect Arrested
May 14 at 6:08 p.m., a business in the 1600 block of S. Mountain called police to report a suspect detained by loss prevention for shoplifting. The female suspect had removed several items from the store without paying. Loss prevention personnel placed the suspect under citizen’s arrest and officers took her into custody. She was later released on a citation to appear in court on the charges.

Public Intoxication – Suspect Arrested
May 15 at 12:41 a.m., officers responded to the 800 block of Norumbega regarding reports of several vehicles racing in the area. When the officers arrived, they located several vehicles. They stopped the vehicles and conducted their investigation. A resident at the location came outside and began interfering with the investigation. The resident had been drinking and would not listen to officers, who requested he go back into his residence. The suspect was extremely intoxicated and continued to interfere with the investigation. He was arrested for public intoxication and held for a sobering period. He was later issued a citation to appear in court.

Weapon Offense
May 15 at 1:27 a.m., an officer was dispatched to a business in the 800 block of S. Magnolia on the report of a weapon offense. The victim was smoking a cigar by the front door of the location. He was confronted by a male Hispanic suspect wearing a green bandanna over his face. The suspect told the victim "this is my vario" and exhibited a firearm in his waistband. The victim tried to remain calm and offered the suspect a beer. The suspect took the beer and left the location in a dark-colored Honda Civic. The investigation is continuing.

Domestic Violence – Suspect Arrested
May 15 at 1:56 a.m., a female victim called police to report her boyfriend had assaulted her and was walking away in the 1600 block of S. Myrtle. Officers located the suspect, who was very agitated and refused to follow the officers’ commands. The suspect became confrontational and one of the officers deployed his pepper spray. The suspect was taken into custody without further incident. The female victim had sustained minor injuries from the assault, but refused further medical treatment. The suspect was arrested and taken into custody, where he was held pending his court appearance.

Grand Theft Auto
May 15 at 6:29 a.m., a vehicle was reported stolen from the 600 block of E. Lemon. The vehicle stolen was a black, 2005 Toyota Tundra with a chrome toolbox and rack on top. The victim heard his truck start up and when he looked outside, it was gone. A description of the vehicle was broadcast to officers and an area check was conducted, but the vehicle was not located. The investigation is continuing.

Injury Traffic Collision
May 15 at 6:54 a.m., an injury traffic collision was reported at Mountain and Lemon. The driver was on his way home from working a night shift and said he fell asleep at the wheel. He clipped the power pole on the corner of Mountain and Lemon, causing the vehicle to rollover several times before coming to a stop. The Monrovia Fire Department responded to treat the driver for complaint of pain. Edison was contacted and responded to inspect the power pole for damage.

Weapon Offense
May 15 at 7:31 p.m., officers responded to the area of Mountain and Huntington regarding a road rage incident where the suspect pointed a firearm. The incident began as two vehicles were exiting the westbound 210 Freeway at Buena Vista. One of the vehicles cut the other off on Central Avenue. When the vehicles reached the intersection of Mountain and Huntington, the suspect pulled up next to the victim’s vehicle and pointed a black, semi-automatic handgun at the victim. The suspect followed the victim and was last seen heading westbound on Foothill from May. The suspect is described as a male Hispanic, 20 years old, driving a burgundy Suburban with tinted windows and chrome wheels. The investigation is continuing.

Vehicle Burglary
May 16 at 5:39 a.m., a vehicle burglary was reported in the 700 block of W. Olive. The victim parked and locked his vehicle in the evening. When he returned to his vehicle the next morning, he found his tools had been stolen from his truck. There were no signs of forced entry. The investigation is continuing.

Monrovia Company Selected to Provide Tiny Drones to Navy

The Navy has selected Monrovia-based AeroVironment to supply miniature Blackwing drones for its submarines. http://goo.gl/AGA6nf

- Brad Haugaard

Steinway Piano Fundraiser

St. Luke's Episcopal Church Choir will present its fourth annual fundraiser to help purchase a Steinway concert grand piano on Saturday, May 22, at 5 p.m. Dinner in Guild Hall at the church, 122 S. California Ave. at Foothill followed by the show, directed by Music Director Kent Jones, in the sanctuary. An array of musical styles will be performed by members of the choir and guests. Wine and dessert will follow. Tickets are $25 and may be purchased at the door. Reservations recommended. Email jklauer@gmail.com or call Kelly Lauer at 905-5247 by Wednesday, May 18.

Pictures of Monrovia Days Parade

Great pictures of the Monrovia Days Parade at Gem City Images: http://goo.gl/SgtRmG

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Mayor In Pie Eating Contest

Monrovia Mayor Tom Adams takes a breather in the Monrovia Days pie eating contest. How cool is a town when you get to see the mayor with his face smeared with pie? Can you imagine the mayor of LA doing this?

- Brad Haugaard

More Trader Joe's Veggie Products Recalled

Monrovia-based Trader Joe's has added to the list of foods it is recalling for fear they may be contaminated with Listeria. All frozen veggies: http://goo.gl/usvrEe

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Days Is On!

Monrovia Days is on today and tomorrow. The center of the action is Library Park. 

- Brad Haugaard 

Monrovia Council to Consider: 'Raw Inspiration' to Run Street Fair; Sending Anti-Tax Letter To County; Etc.

At its May 17 meeting (agenda: http://goo.gl/HyaGB9 ), the Monrovia City Council will ...

- Consider hiring Raw Inspiration to run the Monrovia Friday Night Family Street Fair. A city review team visited and liked the Calabasas Farmers' Market, run by Raw Inspiration, and found that, "While the Calabasas Farmers' Market was not an exact replica of Monrovia's Street Fair (the event lacked a significant entertainment component), incorporating elements from the Calabasas event into our Street Fair was highly recommended." http://goo.gl/jMmQAK

- Consider sending a letter to Supervisor Michael Antonovich saying why the city doesn't like the proposed Los Angeles County Park Tax. In short, city staff thinks it's unfair. In long ... http://goo.gl/YKxUwJ

- Consider spending some of the bond money the city raised for water/sewer/street repair for engineering and design services ($1,532,900 to Merrell Johnson Engineering and $81,260 to Civiltec Engineering)

- Plus another $30,880 to Precision Concrete Cutting for sidewalk assessment services.

- Also, the council will hold a 5 p.m. study session about the city's 2016-2017 budget. http://goo.gl/6iVWjj

- Brad Haugaard

Mayor Adams And Crew In Video Ad for Monrovia Days

If you want to see Mayor Tom Adams in cool blue sunglasses with a squirt gun in a rappy video ad for Monrovia Days, you will want to watch this: https://goo.gl/ucsDe0

- Brad Haugaard

Will Chris Rich Be Interim School Board Member?

Monrovia School Board will likely appoint former board member Chris Rich to serve out the remainder of retiring Alex Zucco's term. Zucco is taking a position with the state PTA. http://goo.gl/mDCFSW

- Brad Haugaard

Dinner at Domenico's

Dinner at Domenico's, a traditional style Italian restaurant on Huntington just east of Magnolia. Got the ravioli and spaghetti combination plate $15.99, and a large beer for $7.50.  It came with a nice salad. Tasty and filling. 

- Brad Haugaard 

Monrovia Garden Club to Host Home Beautification Awards

Monrovia Garden Club will host the 2016 Monrovia Home Beautification Awards. The club will select eight front gardens. Yards are judged on appearance, how they enhance the home and neighborhood, and on its own merit as a work of art. An award sign will be put in the front yard announcing the resident as a winner, and the Mayor will present each resident with a Certificate of Recognition. The next Monrovia Garden Club meeting will be at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, May 24 in Fellowship Hall at First Presbyterian Church, at the corner of Myrtle and Foothill. Light refreshments will be served at 6:30 p.m.