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Scout Project to Help Bradoaks School; Disney Movie; Vacation Bible School

~ Blake Minett, Eagle Scout candidate, has a project to update Bradoaks Elementary School's emergency safety buckets with all new supplies. If you'd like to contribute to his Eagle Scout project, you can do so here: https://goo.gl/uXtgdL

~ Walt Disney's animated musical, The Jungle Book (1967), on Saturday, August 27 at 10 a.m. at the Monrovia Public Library. For free tickets call 205-4308 or email movie@monroviaproviders.org. Light refreshments, aging resources available.

~ Jesus as Light of the World is the theme of a free Vacation Bible School at St. Luke's Episcopal Church in Monrovia. Classes Monday through Friday, August 8-12, from 7 to 8:25 p.m., taught by the church's Assistant Pastor, the Rev. Nathan Biornstad. For children ages 4-10.

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Council: New Zoning Rules; Bartlett Mosaic Finalists; Land to Bradbury; Etc.

At the Aug. 2, 7:30 p.m. Monrovia City Council meeting (agenda: http://goo.gl/kwd0An ), the council will ...

~ Hold a public hearing and consider adopting proposed modifications to the zoning code to make construction compatible with neighborhoods. A lot of detail here: http://goo.gl/u5NA7N

~ Consider giving a $500 stipend to four finalist artists who are proposing to do the Bob Bartlett Memorial Mosaic at the train station. Finalists are: Cha-Rie Tang & Gerda Govine, Katherine England, Dawn Mendelson, Carole Choucair Queija. http://goo.gl/uH0FZq

~ Consider Bradbury's request to annex 2.65 acres of Monrovia. http://goo.gl/m8syby

~ Consider opposing Governor Brown's Public Safety and Rehabilitation Act of 2016 (Proposition 57), which "attempts to reform the prison sentencing system by proposing to allow the early release of 'non-violent' felons that meet certain eligibility requirements." However, the staff report says the definition of "non-violent" includes drive-by shootings and assault with a deadly weapon. http://goo.gl/scBhQl

~ Replacing police rifles and "less-than-lethal" shotguns for $42,066.26. http://goo.gl/S76K3l

~ Consider creating a partnership with other local cities and agencies to deal with storm water clean-up requirements. http://goo.gl/KvoQPi

- Brad Haugaard

Hotel Coming to Southwest Corner of Myrtle and Huntington?

A possible buyer for the property at the southwest corner of Huntington and Myrtle wants to build a hotel on the site. At the Aug. 2, 7:30 p.m. meeting of the "Successor Agency to the Redevelopment Agency" (the City Council wearing a different hat), the city will consider selling the property to Tharaldson Hospitality Development for $2.8 million. Details: http://goo.gl/HyOfQG

- Brad Haugaard

Walking Tour of Old Town Monrovia

The Monrovia Historic Preservation Group will conduct a walking tour of downtown Monrovia on Saturday, August 6, at 10 a.m. The tour lasts about two hours, and participants will be walking a total of 8 city blocks during that time. Cost is $5 per person, and reservations are not necessary. Meet at the SE corner of Palm and Myrtle Avenues.

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Police: Roomie Arrested After Argument Over Cell Phone; Shoplifting; Drugs; Bad Getaway

[Monrovia Police activities from the Police Department's Neighborhood Watch Report for July 25-27. - Brad Haugaard]

During the last seven-day period, the Police Department handled 473 service events, resulting in 79 investigations.

Grand Theft Auto Recovered – Suspect Arrested
July 25 at 3:00 p.m., officers were advised of a stolen vehicle possibly traveling north on Myrtle. An officer in the area saw the vehicle near Myrtle and Lime. He confirmed the plate, which showed it was reported stolen to Signal Hill Police Department. Officers stopped the vehicle in the 200 block of N. Alta Vista and arrested the female driver. The suspect was also found to have warrants for her arrest, which were added to her charges.

Shoplifting – Suspect Arrested
July 26 at 10:29 a.m., loss prevention personnel from a business in the 500 block of W. Huntington called police to report a shoplifter that left the store without paying. The suspect was last seen getting on a public transit bus headed west on Huntington Drive. Officers stopped the bus in Arcadia and learned the suspect had exited at the prior stop. The officers returned to the prior stop and searched the area. The suspect was detained by an officer. He was positively identified and arrested. The stolen property was recovered outside of the store during the course of the investigation.

Possession of a Controlled Substance/Possession of Drug Paraphernalia/Warrant – Suspects Arrested
July 26 at 11:06 p.m., officers were on patrol in the 100 block of W. Walnut and conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle for a vehicle code violation. There were two female subjects in the vehicle. During the traffic stop, the driver was found to have a warrant for her arrest. The passenger admitted to having methamphetamine concealed on her person and drug paraphernalia was located in the side door of the vehicle. Both suspects were arrested and taken into custody.

Battery – Suspect Arrested
July 27 at 12:42 a.m., officers were dispatched to the 100 block of W. Walnut regarding the report of a battery incident. The victim lives at a group facility in the 200 block of W. Colorado. He reported that his roommate accused him of taking his cell phone. When the victim denied taking the cell phone, the roommate started hitting the victim. The victim ran from the location and called the police. Officers responded to the residence, where the victim placed the roommate under private person's arrest. The roommate was arrested and taken into custody.

Shoplifting – Suspect Arrested
July 27 at 4:54 p.m., an employee from a business in the 500 block of W. Huntington called police to report a shoplifter. The suspect left the store with merchandise without paying. An officer arrived, located the suspect and a short foot pursuit occurred. The suspect was apprehended and arrested. The stolen property was recovered.

Night of Lamenting Evil in the World at Fellowship Monrovia

Fellowship Monrovia will hold a "Night of Lamenting" for the evil and destruction that have dominated the news lately. The meeting will be held this Thursday, July 28, at 7 p.m. in the church's Fellowship Center at 401 E. Huntington Drive in Monrovia. Details: http://goo.gl/c8GZGZ

- Brad Haugaard

Seminars for Youth and Adults to Become Monrovia Leaders

Monrovia Area Partnership (MAP) is offering two leadership programs coming this fall for those who would like to be involved in the Monrovia community, one for adults and one for youth. Here are the details on how to participate from Neighborhood Services Program Coordinator Ariel Tolefree-Williams:

Adult: The Leadership Academy provides a foundation of knowledge to jump-start and sustain residents' service in the community. After the Academy, graduates become part of an ever-growing network of community leaders. Get more information and apply now here: http://goo.gl/Cce6vc

Youth: The Youth Leadership Academy is designed specifically to help youth learn, develop and grow so they, in turn, can take active roles in the health of their community. Get more information and apply now! http://goo.gl/a7ApIl

- Brad Haugaard

Buses - Not Best Getaway Vehicles

Man tries to catch a bus to make his escape with vacuum cleaner stolen from Monrovia store. http://goo.gl/K0vg7g

- Brad Haugaard

Details For Monrovia's Zip Code Day Coming Together



Nancy Bond, who has been organizing Monrovia's Zip Code Day (9/10/16), reports that the event will be held in Library Park from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on 9/10/16, of course. (Sept. 10, 2016, if you haven't had your coffee yet.) She reports that there will be games, a dunk tank, snow cones, kid's art activities and fun hand-outs. Also, a Hot Rod Show is being held on the same day, so Myrtle will be closed to traffic and filled with old cars. Plus, there will be an online store "where people can pre-order their Celebrate Monrovia T-shirts, hats, cups, and other commemorative items" for this once-in-a-lifetime event. More details to come soon. Local organizations that would like to have a booth at the event can email Korrine Ramirez at kr@monroviacc.com or call her at the Monrovia Chamber Office at 358-1159.

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia: Allow Bradbury to Have 2.65 Acres of Monrovia? Trash Changes Not Well Communicated; OSH Opens August 13; Etc.

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

~ City staff is recommending that Monrovia allow Bradbury to annex 2.65 acres. Chi writes that, "Two of the properties in question are actually owned by the Bradbury Estates Association and serve as an entry point into Bradbury. In addition, the other two parcels are connected to properties that have structures which were built and are located in Bradbury."

~ Chi said the city goofed in communicating about the new trash contract and fees. "Our most sincere apologies here at the City for not doing a better job of communicating the reasons behind the changes!" More data about the change at city website, http://goo.gl/WYarxn , and Chi's discussion of the issue in his weekly report: http://goo.gl/FgQkpy

~ Orchard Supply Hardware (OSH), at Huntington and Monterey, will officially open to the public on Saturday, August 13.

~ Monrovia sent a water tender, fire engine, and six firefighters to assist with the fire fight in Santa Clarita.

~ Bradbury was considering contracting with Monrovia for police services but decided to stick with the LA Sheriff's Department (LASD).

~ Work begins in southwest and southeast Monrovia early August on sewer and sidewalk repairs. First up is sewer pipeline work on Monterey Avenue just south of Huntington Drive, and on Shamrock Avenue from Olive Avenue to the alley north of Walnut Avenue. Also, sidewalk repairs. Then, in late August, there will be water pipeline work on Primrose Avenue from Central Avenue to Huntington Drive, and on Cypress Avenue from Sherman Avenue to Shamrock Avenue.

~ Lower Clamshell Truck Trial is closed (not even hikers allowed) for road repairs starting July 25 for approximately 3-4 weeks. A chunk of the road got washed out in the rains.

~ Service calls to the Monrovia Fire Department have increased by 13.2% since 2014. Comment: Hmmm. Wonder why.

~ Monrovia will celebrate Parks & Recreation Month at Recreation Park on Wednesday, July 27 at 3 p.m. There will be a presentation from Police and Fire Departments. Super Heros will give a talk, answer questions, provide demonstrations, and show off emergency vehicles. There will be games and activities and opportunities to work on one of six different murals highlighting the benefits of recreation, nature, police, and fire services. For questions, call the Monrovia Community Services Division at 256-8246.

~ Foothill Unity Center will hold its Annual Back to School Distribution Event on Tuesday, August 9, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Santa Anita Racetrack. To find out how to help contact Foothill Unity Center at bts@foothillunitycenter.org, or 358-3486.

- Brad Haugaard

National Night Out in Monrovia - Police-Community Partnerships

National Night Out, August 2, 6:30-8:30 p.m. at Library Park. A night of neighborhood unity, awareness, safety and police-community partnerships.

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Police: Bear Rousted from Under House; Busted Bicyclist; Cash from Unlocked Vehicle; Etc.

[Monrovia Police activities from the Police Department's Neighborhood Watch Report for July 21-24. - Brad Haugaard]

Following are the weekend’s highlighted issues and events.

Warrant – Suspect Arrested
July 21 at 8:46 a.m., an officer stopped a bicyclist for a vehicle code violation in the area of Mayflower and Fano. Further investigation revealed the bicyclist had a warrant for his arrest. The suspect was arrested and taken into custody.

Warrant – Suspect Arrested
July 21 at 1:04 p.m., officers were on patrol in the 600 block of W. Huntington when they saw a suspect they knew had an outstanding warrant for his arrest. The subject was located inside a business. After the warrant was confirmed, the suspect was arrested and taken into custody.

Vehicle Burglaries / Theft From a Vehicle
July 21, two vehicle burglaries and a theft from a vehicle were reported to police. The two vehicle burglaries occurred at an apartment complex in the 200 block of W. Lime. Unknown suspects broke into the vehicles and stole miscellaneous items that were left inside, including a purse. The theft from a vehicle occurred in the 300 block of S. Primrose. The victim left the vehicle unlocked and a personal checkbook and some cash was taken. The investigations are continuing.

Bear Incident
July 23 at 9:37 a.m., a bear was reported in the 200 block of W. Hillcrest Drive. The resident reported that the bear was in the crawl space under their home, which had been left unsecured. Officers arrived at the location and made attempts to get the bear to flee, but the bear did not respond. The Department of Fish and Wildlife responded and were able to get the bear to leave the crawl space and to go back into the foothills.

Grand Theft Auto Recovered
July 24 at 10:42 p.m., officers were dispatched to the 100 block of N. Encinitas on the report of a recovered stolen vehicle. The vehicle was located outside of Monrovia by another police department. The officers requested assistance with locating the owner of the vehicle to confirm if he knew the whereabouts of his vehicle. The vehicle owner stated his vehicle should be parked in his complex in Monrovia and that he did not give anyone permission to take it. A grand theft auto report was taken and the victim was told where to pick up his vehicle. The investigation is continuing.

Grand Theft Auto Recovery / Possession of Drug Paraphernalia / Fraud / Warrants – Suspects Arrested
July 25 at 2:05 a.m., officers were on patrol in the area of Duarte and Tenth when they stopped a driver for a vehicle code violation. Further investigation revealed the vehicle was stolen out of Fontana. The passenger was found to be in possession of drug paraphernalia and had warrants. The driver was in possession of stolen credit cards, checks and identifications. Both suspects were arrested and taken into custody.

Learn to be a Monrovia Leader

2016 Monrovia Area Partnership Adult Leadership Academy, Thursdays at 7 to 9 p.m. at the Monrovia Community Center, Sept. 8 through Oct. 20, for ages 18 . Course provides a foundation jump-start and sustain residents' service in the community. Learn about local government, public health and safety, tools and resources, etc. Details: http://goo.gl/Cce6vc

- Brad Haugaard

Lunch at Wok & Fire


Lunch today at Wok & Fire, in the Rite Aid shopping center at Huntington and Magnolia. Got the Combo A with noodles and orange chicken and a drink for $5.25. Nice and filling. Good price. 
- Brad Haugaard 

Monrovia OSH About to Open?

Brad Hori writes to say that he spoke to the guard at OSH (Orchard Supply Hardware) at Huntington and Monterey Avenue, who said the store is opening this Tuesday.

- Brad Haugaard

Raising Money for Monrovia 'Church in the Park'

Last year Trevon Blackwood and some friends put on a church picnic at Monrovia Library Park and are now trying to raise $1,000 to do Church In The Park again. https://goo.gl/atv3lN

- Brad Haugaard

Former Monrovian, Leslie Van Houten, Denied Parole

Governor Jerry Brown denied parole to former Monrovian, Leslie Van Houten, a part of the Charles Manson group, who is serving a life sentence for her involvement in murder about 40 years ago. http://goo.gl/lEIF2v

- Brad Haugaard

Dinner atClaim Jumper


Dinner recently at Claim Jumper, on the south side of Huntington just west of the freeway. Got the Clubhouse sandwich with avocado ($13.99) and a large beer ($8.25). Had to take half of it home (sandwich, I mean, not the beer). It was quite good and they don't let you leave hungry.

- Brad Haugaard 

Monrovia Police: Cussing Out Cops and Fire Fighters; Bean Bagged Bears; Car Escapes in Chase; Sleeping Gets Him Busted; Etc.

[Monrovia Police activities from the Police Department's Neighborhood Watch Report for July 18-20. - Brad Haugaard]

During the last seven-day period, the Police Department handled 476 service events, resulting in 81 investigations.

Vehicle Burglary
July 18 at 7:05 a.m., an officer was dispatched to a business in the 200 block of Taylor regarding two vehicle burglaries. Two work trucks were broken into and specialty tools were taken. The suspects gained access to the property by cutting a lock off a gate. The investigation is continuing.

Possession of Illegal Weapon – Suspect Arrested
July 18 at 8:45 a.m., a driver was observed by police personnel driving in front of the police station and yelling obscenities as he passed. The driver parked the vehicle in the 100 block of East Lime, exited the vehicle and walked out of sight. All officers were informed of the incident and the vehicle description.

A short time later, police received a call from the Monrovia Fire Department reporting the same individual was now at the fire station, yelling and screaming obscenities. Officers responded and found the subject driving his vehicle in the area. The officers stopped the vehicle for a vehicle code violation. During the contact, the subject gave consent for the officers to search his vehicle. During the search, an illegal weapon was located under the driver seat. The subject was arrested for the illegal weapon and released on a citation to appear in court.

Robbery
July 18 at 11:33 a.m., a robbery was reported at a business in the 900 block of West Huntington Drive. A male adult subject entered the business and ordered product from the business. He gave the employee a $50.00 bill to pay for the product. When the employee began to process the payment and provide change, the suspect grabbed the $50.00 bill and the change from the employee's hand and fled the business. The investigation is continuing.

Grand Theft Auto
July 18 at 2:30 p.m., an officer responded to the 400 block of W. Duarte Road on the report of a stolen vehicle. The victim parked her vehicle at a business at 6:00 a.m. When she returned at 2:30 p.m., she found the vehicle was missing. The investigation is continuing.

Possession of Drug Paraphernalia – Suspect Arrested
July 19 at 12:55 a.m., an officer was on patrol in the 400 block of W. Duarte when he noticed a vehicle parked in a business parking lot. The vehicle was running and the subject had his head down on the steering wheel. He appeared to be sleeping. The officer contacted the subject and asked him to step out of the vehicle to make sure he was okay. As the subject opened the door, the officer saw a glass smoking pipe in the side door pocket. The suspect was arrested for possession of drug paraphernalia.

Bear Sighting
July 19 at 1:05 a.m., a resident in the 300 block of W. Lime called to report a large bear on the side of her house. When officers arrived, the bear was up in the backyard tree. When the bear came down, the officers deployed two bean bag rounds, which encouraged the bear to move back into the foothills.

Vehicle Burglary
July 19 at 9:51 a.m., a vehicle burglary was reported in the 700 block of S. Myrtle Avenue. The victim’s vehicle was broken into sometime during the night. Unknown suspects entered the vehicle, but there were no signs of forced entry. Several items were taken. The investigation is continuing. Residential burglary July 19 at 4:02 p.m., police were dispatched to a residential burglary in the 200 block of E. Chestnut Avenue. The victim left his residence in the morning and when he returned in the afternoon, he noticed his front door was closed, but unlocked. When he entered, he saw the location had been ransacked. Several electronic and other miscellaneous items were taken. The investigation is continuing.

Bear Sighting
July 20 at 1:20 a.m., an officer responded to the report of a bear sighting in the rear yard of a residence in the 200 block of N. Ivy. The bear was attracted to the area due to the avocado trees. The officer deployed two bean bag rounds at the bear to get him off the property. The bear was hit once and retreated from the area back into the foothills.

Injury Traffic Collision
July 20 at 8:38 a.m., an officer witnessed a vehicle pull out of a gas station and strike a bicyclist that was riding the wrong direction on the sidewalk. The bicyclist received minor injuries.

Stolen Vehicle Pursuit
July 21 at 4:38 a.m., an officer on patrol located a stolen vehicle heading north on Myrtle at Olive. The vehicle continued north on Myrtle and made a right turn on Lemon. The officers commenced a pursuit of the vehicle east on Lemon to Mountain, where the vehicle drove south on Mountain reaching a speed of 80 miles per hour with no traffic. The vehicle continued south on Mountain and made a right turn, heading west on Central. The vehicle increased speed on Central and continued onto the 210 Freeway heading west. The suspect vehicle was weaving in and out of light traffic. Officers lost sight of the vehicle at Hill Street, where the pursuit was discontinued for safety reasons. The Pasadena Police Department and California Highway Patrol were advised of the pursuit and suspect vehicle.

Rotating Monrovia Mayor Idea Tabled

Monrovia City Council tables for now the idea of returning the city to a mayor who is chosen by rotation among the city council members. Currently Monrovia's mayor is directly elected. http://goo.gl/NwX0H6

- Brad Haugaard