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Monrovia Will Hold Special Meeting to Consider MALDEF Demand for District Elections

The City of Monrovia has been issued a demand letter from MALDEF requesting that our current at-large based system for electing City Council members be converted into a district-based electoral system.  In the letter, MALDEF cites as the basis for their demand both the California Voting Rights Act of 2001 and the purported lack of Latino representation on the City Council.  Furthermore, MALDEF’s correspondence states their intention to seek judicial relief if they do not receive a satisfactory response from the City by August 24, 2016.

City Manager Oliver Chi responded by saying, “We certainly do take the demand letter issued by MALDEF seriously, especially given that Monrovia has had such a rich history of electing individuals that represent a diverse range of backgrounds and perspectives to serve on the City Council.”

“Given the issues that MALDEF has raised and the manner in which those matters have been articulated, we are working to schedule a special meeting next week for the City Council to discuss this particular issue,” continued Mr. Chi.  “We would note, however, that prior to receiving their letter on August 10, 2016, the City had not been contacted by any representatives from MALDEF, nor have we received any complaints about the City’s current at-large system for electing City Council members.”

Source: City of Monrovia press release

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Police: Assault With Pepper Spray; Dating Gone Bad; Etc.

[Monrovia Police activities from the Police Department's Neighborhood Watch Report for August 8-10. - Brad Haugaard]

During the last seven-day period, the Police Department handled 393 service events, resulting in 65 investigations.

Driving Under the Influence / Traffic Collision – Suspect Arrested
August 9 at 1:36 a.m., officers responded to the area of Huntington and Cypress regarding a rollover traffic collision. When officers arrived, they found an intoxicated 18-year-old, male subject standing outside of his crashed vehicle on the center divider. The driver told the officers he had been drinking beer. He was driving west on Huntington when he hit the center divider and rolled his vehicle approximately four times. The driver claimed no injuries, but Monrovia Fire Department personnel responded to the scene and checked out the subject. The driver was arrested for driving under the influence.

Trespassing – Suspect Arrested
August 9 at 7:52 a.m., citizen patrol officers were conducting extra patrol of an uninhabited residence in the 1100 block of Sesmas. They discovered an open door to the rear of the location and requested an officer to assist. An officer arrived and conducted a search of the residence, locating a male adult inside. The suspect was arrested for trespassing on the property.

Graffiti Vandalism
August 9 at 8:12 a.m., the owner of a business in the 1800 block of California called police to report graffiti vandalism from taggers on the side of his business. The investigation is continuing.

Assault
August 9 at 6:16 p.m., an officer was dispatched to a business in the 200 block of East Cypress on the report of an assault that occurred in the parking lot. The victim was involved in a vehicle dispute in the parking lot with the suspect. The suspect then cut off the victim with his vehicle, ran up to the victim's window and pepper sprayed the victim through the open window. The victim drove to his residence and called the police. The suspect was not located and the investigation is continuing.

Domestic Violence – Suspect Arrested
August 10 at 1:28 a.m., an incident of domestic violence that occurred in the 900 block of E. Huntington was reported to police. Sherriff’s deputies contacted a male and female subject in a business parking lot in Duarte. The female told the deputies that she was assaulted by the male in Monrovia. Monrovia officers were requested to investigate. Through investigation, it was learned that the subjects work together and are in a dating relationship. They were involved in an argument outside of work that escalated and the male assaulted the female. The female victim ran across Huntington to a business in Duarte and was followed by the male suspect. The female called police on her cell phone and both subjects were at the location when the deputies arrived. The male suspect was arrested for domestic violence and taken into custody. Paramedics arrived and treated the female for her injury.

Graffiti Vandalism
August 10 at 11:30 a.m., an incident of graffiti vandalism was reported at a park in the 700 block of E. Lemon. Graffiti was spray painted all over the tennis courts at the park. The investigation is continuing.

Residential Burglary
August 10 at 9:44 p.m., dispatch received a call reporting a possible burglary at a residence in the 100 block of Poinsettia. The caller reported that the door to the home was open. Officers arrived and searched the residence, which had been ransacked. A bottle of prescription medication had been taken. The investigation is continuing.

MALDEF Threatens Monrovia With Legal Action if City Doesn't Switch to District Elections

The Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF) has written a letter to the Monrovia City Council threatening legal action if the city does not divide the city into districts for electing council members rather than having each candidate be elected by the entire city electorate, as is currently done.

MALDEF writes: "The City currently elects council members using an at-large method, which has denied Latino residents the opportunity to elect candidates of their choice to the City Council. MALDEF demands that the City convert to a by-district election system."

The organization says it is giving the city until August 24, 2016, and "if the response is unsatisfactory, MALDEF and its clients will seek a judicial order changing the election system from at-large to by-district, along with other relief provided for in the CVRA, including the collection of costs and attorneys' fees."

Source: http://goo.gl/DsvHDx

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Assemblyman's Bills on Tobacco Meds, Drones, and College for Undocumented Students Go to Senate Floor

Three bills by Assemblymember Chris Holden, who represents Monrovia, cleared the California State Senate Appropriations Committee today.

- AB 1696 requires tobacco cessation medications, counseling, and assessments be covered for Medi-Cal patients.

- AB 2148 gives the National Resources Agency the ability to develop regulations regarding drone use on publicly-managed lands.

- AB 2364 gives undocumented high school students equal access to higher education.

All three bills now head to the Senate Floor.

- Brad Haugaard

Navy Deploys Drone Made By Monrovia-Based AeroVironment in Persian Gulf


Monrovia's AeroVironment has announced ( https://goo.gl/oRIrcM ) that the United States Navy is deploying AeroVironment's hand-launched RQ-20B AeroVironment Puma AE in the Persian Gulf. It gives a good overview for those ships that don't have a helicopter. Here's the Navy's report: http://goo.gl/bh52R9

- Brad Haugaard

Evening with Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin

An Evening with Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin at the Sow House, 404 S. Myrtle, on Sunday, Aug. 21 at 6 p.m. Frank and Dean's greatest hits - Fly Me to the Moon, The Best is Yet to Come, New York New York, You're Nobody till Somebody Loves You, Ain't That a Kick in the Head and many more - performed by Douglas Roegiers. Tickets are $28 and each ticket includes a $10 credit towards food and drink. Details: http://goo.gl/EgvsJb

- Brad Haugaard

What's Up With Old Monrovia Albertson's Site; Train Depot Rehab; Flags on Myrtle? Etc.

In his weekly update ( http://goo.gl/ac4nI0 ), City Manager Oliver Chi reports that ...

~ Warner Pacific, which owns the former Albertson's site, has told the city it is interested in subdividing the building space for three users, but has held off submitting any plans to the city until it can round up a couple of businesses to occupy those spaces.

~ Rehab should begin on the historic Santa Fe Depot in September, and should be finished first quarter of next year. Daylight Limited has submitted its building plans for city review. Both city and developer looking for a restaurant to go in the depot.

~ Monrovia Old Town Advisory Board (MOTAB) member Soren Loft is suggesting that the city consider mid-block crosswalks - with flags - on Myrtle in Old Town. If I understand, there would be a stand at either side of the street with flags. You pick up a flag and cross the street (I guess the flag increases your visibility), then drop the flag off at the flag-holder on the other side.

~ The new Orchard Supply Hardware (Huntington and Monterey) is going to make a donation to Monrovia Area Partnership (MAP) at its grand opening ribbon cutting event tomorrow, August 10, at 4:30 p.m.

~ Canyon Park hosted its first night-hike on July 28. There's another one on August 11. If you would like to participate, contact Public Services at 256-8281.

- Brad Haugaard

Jake's Roadhouse Expanding

Old Town businesswoman Pam Fitzpatrick reports that Jake's Roadhouse will expand into the old Army/Navy space.

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Police: Bumper Dragger Arrested; Prowlers; Tailgate Stolen; Ex-Girlfriend Arrested; Biting to Escape; Etc.

[Monrovia Police activities from the Police Department's Neighborhood Watch Report for August 4-7. - Brad Haugaard]

Following are the weekend’s highlighted issues and events.

Drug Paraphernalia – Suspects Arrested
August 4 at 10:22 a.m., an officer was on patrol in the 200 block of W. Huntington Drive and noticed a make shift enclosure that had multiple subjects inside, blocking the rear access to a business. Officers made contact with the subjects and, through investigation, arrested one suspect for having an outstanding warrant and being in possession of drug paraphernalia. A second suspect was arrested for being in possession of drug paraphernalia and was issued a citation.

Grand Theft
August 4 at 12:00 p.m., a grand theft from a vehicle was reported in the 700 block of W. Huntington Drive. The victim parked and locked his vehicle in a hotel parking lot the day before. When he returned to his vehicle the following day, he found his third row seats had been stolen. There were no signs of forced entry into the vehicle. The investigation is continuing.

Driving Under the Influence – Suspect Arrested
August 4 at 3:22 p.m., police received a call reporting a subject behind the wheel of a vehicle, who appeared to be asleep. Officers arrived and determined the suspect had been driving while intoxicated. The suspect was arrested for driving under the influence and two outstanding arrest warrants.

Warrant – Suspect Arrested
August 5 at 2:18 a.m., officers were on patrol in the 300 block of S. Myrtle when they observed an adult male subject loitering in the park after it was closed. They contacted the subject and a computer check revealed the subject had a domestic violence warrant for his arrest. He was arrested and taken into custody for the warrant.

Hit and Run Traffic Collision / Driving Under the Influence – Suspect Arrested
August 5 at 3:37 a.m., a resident in the 100 block of West Olive reported that the driver of a red Toyota had just crashed into a parked vehicle and fled south on Primrose with its bumper dragging on the ground. The driver of the Toyota failed to stop and exchange information or leave a note on the vehicle. Officers searched the area and located the suspect vehicle in the 100 block of W. Maple, being driven with no lights. The driver headed north on Magnolia, still dragging the bumper. When the officer turned on his red and blue lights, the driver put the car in park while it was still in motion, causing the gears to grind to a halt. The driver was asked to exit the vehicle and field sobriety tests were conducted. The driver was arrested for driving under the influence and the hit and run traffic collision. She was taken into custody.

Prowling
August 4 at 8:00 p.m., residents in the 300 block of Oakcliff and the 700 block of Norumbega called police to report three male adults prowling around two houses. The two houses back up to one another. One of the callers had just arrived home and saw a grey, four-door sedan with paper plates parked on the street. The vehicle was running and a male adult subject was in the driver's seat. The resident pulled into her driveway with her headlights on and saw a male Hispanic in his late 20's, wearing a red, longsleeve shirt, run from her backyard and into the waiting vehicle. The suspects then fled east on Norumbega in the vehicle. The caller from Oakcliff reported that he saw the same male suspect in the red shirt in his neighbor's backyard on Oakcliff, prowling around. Officers searched the area with the assistance of the Foothill Air Support Team police helicopter, however, were unable to locate the suspects. This investigation is continuing.

Grand Theft
August 5 at 6:29 a.m., a grand theft from a vehicle was reported in the 400 block of W. Colorado. The victim parked his vehicle on the street the day before and when he returned in the morning, he found his tailgate had been stolen from his Toyota truck. The investigation is continuing.

Vehicle Burglary
August 5 at 9:19 a.m., a vehicle burglary was reported in the 600 block of E. Colorado. The victim parked his work truck on the street on the day before and when he returned to his truck the next morning, he found his rear window had been shattered and a new faucet, which he had left in the truck, had been stolen from inside. The investigation is continuing.

Grand Theft
August 5 at 10:30 a.m., a grand theft from a vehicle was reported in the 1300 block of S. Mayflower Avenue. The victim parked his truck in a parking lot the day before and when he returned in the morning, he found his tailgate had been stolen from his Ford truck. The investigation is continuing.

Domestic Violence
August 5 at 2:46 p.m., an officer responded to a domestic violence incident in the 200 block of W. Hillcrest Avenue. A female subject was involved in an argument with her ex-boyfriend. The argument became physical and the female caused an injury to the male subject. The female was arrested for domestic violence and taken into custody. She was held pending her court appearance.

Public Intoxication
August 5 at 3:29 p.m., police received a call reporting a suspicious subject loitering in the 300 block of W. Huntington Drive. Officers responded and contacted the male subject. He was determined to be too intoxicated to care for himself. He was taken into custody and held for a sobering period. He was later released with a citation.

Robbery
August 6 at 10:48 a.m., a robbery was reported at a business in the 1600 block of S. Mountain Avenue. Two suspects entered the business. One of the suspects selected merchandise, placed it in a basket and walked toward the garden area. The suspect passed several manned check stands and fled without paying for the merchandise. Once outside, loss prevention agents confronted him and a fight ensued. During the struggle, the suspect bit one of the agent's arms, attempting to get away. The suspect was subdued and detained by loss prevention prior to officers arriving. The officer arrested the suspect and he was taken into custody. He was held pending his court appearance.

Grand Theft
August 6 at 11:00 a.m., a grand theft was reported at a residence in the 200 block of N. Primrose. Unknown suspects stole three bicycles from a backyard shed. The shed does not have doors and the bicycles were visible from an alley behind the property. The bicycles were stolen sometime after August 1. The suspect(s) entered the backyard through an unlocked gate. The investigation is continuing.

Possession of Drug Paraphernalia – Suspect Arrested
August 6 at 11:30 p.m., a caller reported a subject was sleeping inside their business and refused to leave. Officers arrived and contacted the subject. During a consent search of the subject, a pipe used for smoking methamphetamine was located in his front pant pocket. The suspect was arrested and issued a citation to appear in court.

Drug Activity / Possession of a Controlled Substance – Suspect Arrested
August 7 at 1:40 p.m., an officer was flagged down by Monrovia Fire Department personnel at a hotel in the 700 block of W. Huntington. They had responded to the report of a fire alarm activation in a room at the hotel. Fire personnel were told by employees at the hotel that they suspected suspicious activity in the room. The officer detained a suspicious male subject in the lobby that had come from the room. Officers went to the room and located a female subject, who gave them consent to search the room. Methamphetamine was located inside the room and drug paraphernalia was found on the male suspect. The female suspect was arrested for possession of a controlled substance and the male suspect for possession of drug paraphernalia.

More Details on Monrovia Zip Code Day - 9/10/16

Monrovia Chamber of Commerce will host Monrovia Zip Code Day - 9*10*16 - a celebration unique to Monrovia, on Saturday, Sept. 10, 2016 (9*10*16). Mayor Tom Adams will kick off Zip Code Day at 11 a.m. in Library Park, local businesses will be there with fun activities for kids (and for kids at heart), games, kid's art activities, hand-outs and hot dogs by Athens Services.

To celebrate Zip Code Day, the Library is having a Postcard Contest. All ages are welcome to create a Monrovia Postcard. The Library will provide the blank postcard and finished postcards will be due by Saturday, September 3. Judges will choose a first, second, and third place winner. On Zip Code Day library staff will have all postcards postmarked with this special date and sent back to each participant's residence, and will announce the winners of their Postcard Contest during the day's events.

Shane Nichols will take a Community Photo (via drone) at 1:30 p.m. in front of the fountain in Library Park. Commemorative Zip Code Day items are available to purchase at http://fspdesigns.com/zipcodeday - tee shirts all sizes, mugs, water bottles, hats and more. A unique Monrovia Postcard will be available to the first 300 folks that visit the Monrovia Chamber booth.

Also, take a postcard (or your own letter) over to the Post Master to have it stamped with a commemorative Monrovia Zip Code Day postmark.

- Brad Haugaard

Listening In On Monrovia Students; New Class in Mandarin

At its August 10, 7 p.m. meeting ( agenda and everything else, here ), the Monrovia Board of Education will consider ...

~ Contracting with GeoListening to listen in on social media for posts that "suggest a threat to person or property" and provide daily reports to the district. The company looks for posts about, "bullying, despair, hate, crime, vandalism, substance abuse and truancy." It will cost $10,000 for Clifton and Santa Fe Middle Schools and another $5,000 for Monrovia High and Canyon Oaks High through the end of June of 2017. Comment: The staff report says the company "monitors social media network postings within the perimeter of a school." I am very dubious that it limits its research to those postings made within the perimeter of the school, and the company website does not suggest it does that. I suspect is simply looks at public postings by students who attend the school and postings that contain keywords related to the schools - "Monrovia High," or "Clifton" or whatever.

~ Offering "Mandarin III," a new course for Monrovia High students.

- Brad Haugaard

Dinner at Hon Sushi

Dinner last night at Hon Sushi, in the Pavilions shopping center at Myrtle and Foothill.  Got the Spicy Baked Salmon Roll for $10.99 and a beer for $6.95. Very good. 

- Brad Haugaard 

Pink Patch Police


Monrovia police are joining officers from other local police agencies in wearing a pink patch during October to raise funds for cancer research, treatment, and care. The idea is from the Irwindale Police Department, which started the pinkpatchproject in 2015 and raised over $20,000 for the City of Hope. Details: http://goo.gl/sHd3xr

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Police: Alarm Scares Burglars; Dating and Fighting; Father's Retribution; Women in Relationship Fight; Etc.

[Monrovia Police activities from the Police Department's Neighborhood Watch Report for August 1-3. - Brad Haugaard]

During the last seven-day period, the Police Department handled 428 service events, resulting in 67 investigations.

Residential Burglary
August 1 at 4:00 p.m., officers responded to the report of a residential burglary in progress in the 300 block of Norumbega. Two adult male subjects wearing long hooded sweatshirts were seen fleeing the front yard of a residence on foot. The caller reported that the front door of the residence was open. Police dispatch then received a burglary alarm activation at the same residence. Officers responded, searched the area and the residence. The suspects were not located. It appears the suspects kicked a rear door open and once inside, the alarm activated, causing the suspects to flee. No loss was reported. The investigation is continuing.

Hit and Run Traffic Collision
August 1 at 7:29 p.m., a hit and run traffic collision was reported in the 800 block of W. Foothill. The victim called to report his vehicle was struck and the side mirror was damaged. The suspect driver left the scene of the collision and left no identifying information. The investigation is continuing.

Driving Under the Influence – Suspect Arrested
August 2 at 2:50 a.m., officers on patrol observed a vehicle traveling north in the 2000 block of S. Myrtle at a high rate of speed. The officers attempted to catch up to the vehicle as the driver entered the 210 Freeway, heading west. The vehicle was eventually stopped at Rosemead in Pasadena. The driver was determined to be intoxicated. Field sobriety tests were conducted and the driver was arrested for DUI. He was taken into custody, booked for the applicable charges and held for sobering.

Domestic Violence – Suspects Arrested
August 2 at 1:45 p.m., officers responded to a residence in the 400 block of E. Walnut regarding a disturbing subject. When they arrived, they determined the male and female adults who lived there were in a dating relationship and had been involved in two separate fights. The female started the first fight and the male subject started the second fight. Both parties were arrested for domestic violence and taken into custody.

Domestic Violence – Suspect Arrested
August 2 at 6:02 p.m., officers were dispatched to a residence in the 400 block of E. Royal Oaks regarding a domestic violence incident. When the officers arrived, the male suspect had already left the residence. A few minutes later, police received a call reporting a fight in progress at Fifth and Huntington. When they arrived, they discovered the fight was between the father of the female from the domestic battery and the male suspect. The father was cited in the field for battery and the male suspect was arrested for domestic violence.

Hit and Run Traffic Collision
August 2 at 8:08 p.m., a hit and run traffic collision was reported in the 100 block of E. Lemon. The victim parked his vehicle on the street and attended a meeting at City Hall. When he returned to his vehicle, he noticed it had new damage. The suspect left the scene of the collision. The investigation is continuing.

Residential Burglary
August 3 at 12:40 p.m., officers responded to a burglary alarm at a residence in the 800 block of Oakdale. When they arrived, they saw the rear door of the residence was open. Additional officers responded and the interior was searched. The house had been burglarized and a few small jewelry items were taken. The investigation is continuing.

Domestic Violence
August 4 at 12:23 a.m., an officer witnessed a fight between two females in a business parking lot in the 400 block of W. Foothill. It was determined that the females were in a domestic relationship. One of the females was determined to be the aggressor in the incident and was arrested for domestic battery.

Possession of Drug Paraphernalia
August 4 at 1:25 a.m., an officer observed a suspicious female next to a business who was attempting to conceal something under a bike seat. He asked her what she was doing and discovered she was attempting to conceal a used glass methamphetamine pipe. The subject was arrested for possession of drug paraphernalia and taken into custody.

Monrovia OSH Store Holding Grand Opening Saturday, Aug. 13

Monrovia's new Orchard Supply Hardware (725 West Huntington, at the corner of Monterey) will hold a grand opening celebration beginning at 6:30 a.m. on Saturday, August 13. The store will offer $25 gift cards to the first 100 adults in line, followed by Enter-to-Win giveaways, a live DJ, weekend-long promotions and tons of savings on thousands of products. Source: OSH press release

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia's Congresswoman Judy Chu - An Amazing Stock Picker

The economics blog, ZeroHedge.com, notes ( http://goo.gl/JeJKlP ) that Judy Chu, one of the two congresswomen who represent Monrovia, is a prolific and amazingly successful market trader, buying numerous "calls" and "puts" in amounts in the range of $1,000-$15,000 per trade and growing her net worth (apparently by the trades, the article speculates) from less than $100,000 in 2008 to more than $3 million by 2014.

Comment: Calls and puts, if I understand correctly, are not stock or bond ownership, but essentially bets that the value of an investment will either go up (calls) or down (puts). Investing books I've read say such financial mechanisms are extremely risky, so I wouldn't try to emulate the congresswoman's success.

- Brad Haugaard

Dog Cafe at Monrovia Street Fair, Mountain/Duarte Intersection, eLibrary, Etc.

In his weekly update, City Manager Oliver Chi reports ...

~ Raw Inspiration, which will be running the Friday night street fair starting August 19, will add a pet cafe area where you can drop off your dog or hang out with other dog owners. Also adding meat, fish, and flower vendors, and special kids activities the first Friday of each month.

~ After discussions with Metro, northbound traffic on Mountain Avenue will be able to turn right at Duarte Road on most red lights, except when a pedestrian is crossing Duarte.

~ You can now access movies, e-magazines and e-books on your smartphone, tablet, or laptop. You just need a library card. Start here: https://monrovia.biblionix.com/catalog/

~ Monrovia has sent Fire Engine 101 and four personnel to assist with the fire fight in Big Sur.

~ The library will establish a Veterans Resource Center with a state grant of $9,725. The money will be used for materials, equipment and display items, and for event programming and training for volunteers and staff.

~ New stop signs will be installed on August 8 at the Mayflower Avenue and Evergreen/Diamond intersection, just south of the 210.

~ Monrovia-based Los Angeles News Group (owner of the San Gabriel Valley Tribune and Pasadena Star-News) has changed its name from Los Angeles News Group (LANG) to Southern California News Group (SCNG) after recently acquiring the Orange County Register and the Riverside Press-Enterprise.

Meet the Monrovia Police Tuesday Night, Library Park

Meet the police at National Night Out, from 6 to 9 p.m. tomorrow, August 2, in Library Park. Free food and music. Learn why the men and women behind the badge chose this profession and what they are doing to keep Monrovia safe. Details: http://goo.gl/HCCsRE

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Now: Stolen Packages; Police Chase Motorcyclist, Rear-End It; Wife Arrested for Scratching; Taxi Escape; Etc.

[Monrovia Police activities from the Police Department's Neighborhood Watch Report for July 28-31. - Brad Haugaard]

Following are the weekend’s highlighted issues and events.

Grand Theft Auto
July 28 at 10:44 a.m., a vehicle was reported stolen from the 800 block of W. Foothill. The victim parked and locked the vehicle in front of her apartment complex. When she returned to the vehicle in the morning, it was missing. The investigation is continuing.

Theft of a Package
July 28 at 1:26 p.m., a resident from the 100 block of N. Primrose Avenue called police to report the theft of a package from her property. The resident had purchased radios and had them delivered to her home. She received notification that the package was delivered, but when she arrived home, the package was missing. The empty packaging the delivery came in was found a short distance away. The investigation is continuing.

Warrant – Suspect Arrested
July 28 at 6:41 p.m., officers responded to the report of a suspicious female subject loitering behind homes in the 200 block of W. Cypress. Officers arrived and located the female subject. A computer check revealed the subject had a warrant for her arrest. She was arrested and taken into custody.

Vehicle Pursuit / Driving Under the Influence of a Controlled Substance / Possession of Stolen Checks / Warrants – Suspect Arrested
July 29 at 12:04 a.m., officers were on patrol, heading south on California, when a motorcycle passed them, traveling north on California at a high rate of speed. The officers made a u-turn and drove after the motorcyclist to stop him. A short pursuit ensued onto the 210 Freeway. The motorcyclist exited the freeway at Irwindale Avenue and drove into a gas station at Irwindale Avenue and Foothill. The suspect then exited onto Foothill to make a left turn, but did not see a raised island in the middle of the street. The motorcyclist slammed on his brakes to avoid hitting the island, causing the police car, which was behind him, to collide into his rear tire. The motorcycle toppled over and the suspect ran north, across Foothill. The officers gave chase and apprehended him as he attempted to jump over a wall into a rock quarry. The suspect was found to have a suspended license, warrants for his arrest, stolen checks, and he was driving under the influence of drugs. He was taken to a hospital for a minor cut and complaint of pain to his shoulder, then booked for several felony and misdemeanor charges, as well as the outstanding warrants.

Warrant – Suspect Arrested
July 29 at 2:30 p.m., a parking control officer was issuing a citation to a parked vehicle and found a person with an outstanding warrant came back after checking the vehicle registration. Officers arrived, located the subject associated with the vehicle, confirmed the warrant and took him into custody. The subject was later issued a citation to appear in court.

Mailbox Tampering
July 30 at 7:00 a.m., an incident of mailbox tampering was reported at an apartment complex in the 300 block of Genoa Avenue. Sometime between midnight and 7:00 a.m., someone pried open the door to the apartment mailbox. No loss could be substantiated at the time of the report. The investigation is continuing.

Possession of Drug Paraphernalia – Suspect Arrested
July 30 at 7:58 a.m., an officer observed a bicyclist commit a vehicle code violation. The officer stopped the subject on the bike and, during the investigation, a syringe was found on his person. The subject was arrested and later issued a citation to appear in court.

Domestic Violence – Suspect Arrested
July 30 at 8:31 p.m., an incident of domestic violence was reported in the 1100 block of Sesmas Street. A male subject called police to report his wife was intoxicated and was damaging his property. Officers arrived and learned the wife had slapped and scratched her husband, causing injuries. The wife was arrested for domestic violence and the case will be submitted to the District Attorney's office for filing.

Fight in Progress – Suspects Arrested
August 1 at 3:02 a.m., police responded to the report of a fight in progress involving five to six subjects in the 100 block of W. Duarte Road. The subjects had fled the area, several of them in a taxi. An officer located the taxi turning south on Shamrock from Duarte. Several subjects were in the taxi that had been involved in the fight. One subject, who was the victim of battery during the fight, was taken to the hospital for treatment; one was taken into custody for possession of narcotics; and a third subject was arrested for an outstanding warrant. The suspects who committed the battery were not found. The investigation is continuing.

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