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Monrovia Students Honored by Citrus College

Monrovia residents Johnny Elie Baradii and Adriana Mendez have been honored by Citrus College at the college's 54th Annual Academic Achievement Awards ceremony held earlier this month.

Johnny Elie Baradii, a civil engineering major, was presented with a 2017 Citrus College Key of Knowledge award during  Keys of Knowledge are the highest academic honors presented by the college, and are awarded every year to the 10 students who have achieved the highest overall academic performances.


Mathematics Instructor Jesus Gutierrez, award presenter, and Johnny Baradii.

"Receiving the Key of Knowledge is a great honor for me," said Johnny. "I owe this success to my family here and back in Lebanon, my friends, and to Citrus College. That you for bringing to reality what was once a dream."

Adriana Mendez, a communications major, was one of two students presented with the 2017 Citrus College Service Leader of the Year award. Adriana was selected to receive this honor because of her academic achievement and volunteer service to the college and community.


Adriana Mendez and Program Evaluator Dr. Veronica Estrada, award presenter.

"As a member of the Associated Students of Citrus College since the fall of 2016, it has been my pleasure to volunteer at many campus-wide activities," said Adriana. "I would love to continue my involvement at Citrus College going forward."

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Summer Movie Series

The Summer Movie Series will feature ...

  • Jungle Book, June 17 at Monrovia Historical Museum, 742 E. Lemon Ave.
  • Finding Dory, July 15 at Rotary Park, 331 S. California Ave.
  • Zootopia, July 29 at Station Square Park, 1629 S. Myrtle Ave.
  • Moana, August 12 at Kiwanis Park at Grand Ave, 340 N. Grand Ave. at Prospect Ave.

These are Saturday nights at 8 p.m. Bring a blanket.

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Police: Man Wanted for Murder Arrested; Man With Bleach Arrested; Man Conned Out of Car; Fight Over Wrong Food; Etc.

[Monrovia Police activities from the Police Department's Neighborhood Watch Report for June 8-11. - Brad Haugaard]
Following are the weekend's highlighted issues and events.

Warrant / Possession of a Controlled Substance for Sales - Suspect Arrested
June 8 at 8:08 p.m., officers were on patrol in the 500 block of W. Huntington and recognized a subject who was wanted for attempted murder. They detained the suspect, confirmed the warrant and arrested him. While booking the suspect, a large quantity of drugs were found on him packaged in bindles and ready for sale. The charge was added to his booking.

Robbery
June 8 at 9:03 p.m., a robbery was reported at a hotel in the 700 block of W. Huntington. The suspect entered the lobby of the hotel wearing a skeleton mask and demanding money. He then fled the location in a newer, light-colored sedan, which was parked in front of the hotel. The suspect is described as a male Black, 35 to 40 years old, about 6'3" and 250 pounds. The investigation is continuing.

Warrant - Suspect Arrested
June 9 at 5:03 a.m., officers were dispatched to the area of Lemon and Mountain about a male subject walking around with bleach and acting suspicious. Officers located the individual and a computer check revealed a warrant for his arrest. He was arrested and taken into custody for the warrant.

Warrant - Suspect Arrested
June 9 at 9:41 a.m., an officer was on patrol in the 300 block of W. Huntington when he observed a subject that he recognized from previous contacts and he knew had an outstanding warrant. A computer check confirmed the warrant and the subject was arrested and taken into custody.

Driving Under the Influence - Suspect Arrested
June 9 at 5:11 p.m., an officer was dispatched to the 300 block of W. Huntington about a vehicle that collided into the center divider and ruptured two tires. The officer arrived and, through investigation, determined the driver was intoxicated. The suspect was arrested, taken into custody and held for a sobering period.

Burglary Alarm
June 9 at 6 p.m., officers responded to a residence in the 600 block of N. Canyon about a burglary alarm activation. They arrived at the location and found a door had been kicked in, but it did not appear anything was taken. The investigation is continuing.

Grand Theft Auto
June 9 at 9:57 p.m., a vehicle was reported stolen from the 500 block of E. Olive. The victim advertised his vehicle for sale on Craigslist. A potential buyer called him and arranged to meet for a test drive. The buyer insisted the victim bring the vehicle registration and pink slip. While on the test drive, the suspect told the victim he heard a noise and wanted to switch seats and let the victim drive. When the victim exited the vehicle, the suspect drove off. The investigation is continuing.

Warrant / Possession of Drug Paraphernalia - Suspect Arrested
June 9 at 11:32 p.m., an officer was on patrol in the area of Primrose and Huntington when he saw a vehicle with a subject sleeping inside. He stopped to check on the subject and later ran a DMV check on the subject. The subject was found to have an outstanding warrant. He was arrested for the warrant and also found to be in possession of drug paraphernalia, which was added to his charges.

Domestic Violence - Suspect Arrested
June 10 at 11:29 a.m., a domestic violence incident was reported in a business parking lot in the 400 block of W. Huntington. The incident involved a 16-year-old female and 18-year-old who have been in a dating relationship for the last 19 months. The couple were in a vehicle and began to argue over the female getting the male suspect's food order wrong. The female became upset and moved to the backseat. The argument escalated and the male suspect leaned into the backseat and punched the female in the head several times. Witnesses detained the suspect and called the police. The suspect was arrested and the victim was taken to a hospital for treatment. An Emergency Protective Order was issued and the Department of Child and Family Services was advised.

Domestic Violence - Suspect Arrested
June 10 at 12:37 p.m., witnesses reported a male and female arguing and physically fighting to the rear of a hotel in the 700 block of W. Huntington. The male suspect was hitting the female and slammed her up against a storage container. When police arrived the male suspect was gone. The female refused medical attention, but did have a noticeable bruise/bump on her forehead. The male suspect was eventually located behind a storage container to the rear of the hotel. He was arrested and taken into custody.

Vandalism / Battery - Suspect Arrested
June 10 at 2:56 p.m., an officer responded to a business in the 1600 block of S. Mountain about a battery in progress. The male suspect went into the business to return an item his mother had purchased. The suspect began to argue with the sales associates. He became irate and started throwing paint from a display counter, causing a mess. The associates were escorting him off property, when he physically battered one of the associates. The associate took him to the ground and held him until police arrived. He was arrested and taken into custody.

Possession of Drug Paraphernalia - Suspect Arrested
June 10 at 6:53 p.m., officers responded to a business in the 500 block of W. Huntington about a petty theft. The suspect was located and a pat-down search revealed a drug pipe in his possession. Store security did not want to press charges for petty theft, but the suspect was arrested for the possession of drug paraphernalia.

Residential Burglary
June 10 at 9:03 p.m., a residential burglary was reported in the 600 block of Norumbega. The victim's home is for sale and they were notified by their realtor that a door was found open. The victim responded to the home and discovered that some paintings and tools had been stolen. The victim believes the door may have been left unlocked. The investigation is continuing.

Grand Theft Auto
June 11 at 1:39 a.m., a vehicle was reported stolen from the 500 block of W. Lemon. The victim parked their Maroon Honda Civic on the street in front of the residence. It was seen by a family member at 11:30 p.m. and discovered missing at 11:45 p.m. The investigation is continuing.

Receiving Stolen Property / Felon in Possession of Ammunition / Stolen Credit Cards / Possession of a Controlled Substance - Suspects Arrested
June 11 at 1:57 a.m., an officer stopped a vehicle for a vehicle code violation in the area of Mountain and Huntington. The investigation revealed the driver was a felon in possession of ammunition and had stolen property. The passenger had numerous credit cards that did not belong to her and was later found to be in possession of methamphetamine. Two victims were contacted and said their vehicles had been burglarized earlier in the evening. Their wallet and purse had been taken in the incidents. Both suspects was arrested.

Driving Under the Influence - Suspect Arrested
June 11 at 4:30 p.m., a possible drunk driver in the 300 block of E. Hillcrest was reported to police. An officer arrived in the area and observed a vehicle come to a stop. The driver of the vehicle started yelling at the officer using vulgar language. The investigation revealed the driver was intoxicated. The driver was arrested, booked and held for a sobering period. He was later released with a citation to appear in court.

Vehicle Burglary
June 11 at 4:56 p.m., a vehicle burglary was reported in the 300 block of N. Encinitas. Unknown suspects made entry into the vehicle that was parked and believed to be locked. The investigation continues.

Gold Line Riders Will Be Charged $3 to Park at Monrovia Station

 
Starting June 26 Monrovia Gold Line riders are going to get an extra $3 tacked on to their daily commute if they Park at the Monrovia station. 

Brad Haugaard 

Santa Fe Becomes a Computer Magnet School; Trader Joe's Recalls Green Tea Ice Cream

~ Santa Fe Middle School has now been renamed Santa Fe Computer Magnet School. It will provide a computer science curriculum. https://goo.gl/lPkz9B

~ Monrovia-based Trader Joe's is recalling its Matcha Green Tea Ice Cream because it may have little pieces of metal in it. https://goo.gl/J4urcp

- Brad Haugaard

Man in Skeleton Mask Robs Monrovia Hotel

A man wearing a skeleton mask robbed the Oak Tree Inn on the south side of Huntington next to the freeway entrance Thursday night just after 9 p.m. https://goo.gl/hGHdw9

- Brad Haugaard

Free Compost and Mulch at Monrovia Yard

Free compost and mulch, Saturday, June 17, 8 a.m. to noon at the Monrovia Public Works Yard, at 600 S. Mountain Ave. You gotta shovel it yourself, but shovels will be provided. Bring your ID or an Athens bill, sturdy containers, but no plastic bags.

Monrovia School Board to Honor Hippiebots on Big Win; Etc.

At its June 14, 7 p.m. meeting (Agenda Take care, it's a 222 page download), the Monrovia Board of Education will ...

~ Congratulate Paul Flores and the Clifton Middle School Hippiebots on winning the 2017 First Tech Challenge Dutch Open in Eindhoven, Netherlands.

~ Hear a report that the district administration has reached a tentative agreement with its various labor unions for a 1.5 percent salary increase retroactive to July 1 of last year. That will cost the district an additional $702,366.

~ Hold a public hearing on the district's Local Control Accountability Plan. The agenda says a copy of the plan is at the district website (http://www.monroviaschools.net), but I can't find it. I'll update this if I hear back. Update: The plan is here.

~ Hold a public hearing on its Proposed Adopted Budget Report, which the agenda says is attached, but I can't find it. Again, I'll update this if I hear back. Update: The budget is now in the agenda file.

- Brad Haugaard

Dinner at Mayan Bar and Grill

 

Dinner at Mayan Bar and Grill, in the Aztec Hotel on Foothill. Ordered an Aztec Burger for $9 and a beer for $5. Both were good and very friendly service. 


- Brad Haugaard 

Monrovia's Trader Joe's Wins Legal Battle With Pirate Joe's

Canadian company, Pirate Joe - a Trader Joe's copycat company - shuts down after legal battle with Monrovia-based Trader Joe's. https://goo.gl/3s15S6

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Police: Suspect in Fight Breaks His Ankle; Man Hits Girlfriend; No Violence - Just Meth; Etc.

[Monrovia Police activities from the Police Department's Neighborhood Watch Report for June 5-7. - Brad Haugaard]

During the last seven-day period, the Police Department handled 432 service events, resulting in 72 investigations.

Vehicle Burglary
June 5 at 8:35 a.m., a vehicle burglary that occurred in the 1200 block of S. Alta Vista was reported to police. The victim parked his vehicle the evening before and returned to it the next morning to find a window shattered and a gym bag that was in the vehicle was missing. The investigation is continuing.

Suspicious Circumstances / Warrant – Suspect Arrested
June 5 at 12:02 p.m., officers responded to a business in the 1600 block of S. Mountain to investigate a suspicious female subject seen carrying merchandise around the inside of the store. The same female had been seen at the store’s El Monte location, trying to go out an emergency exit with similar merchandise and nearby stores were notified. There was a vehicle parked outside the emergency exit that matched the description of a vehicle seen at the El Monte location. Officers arrived, contacted the female and stopped the vehicle, which had just left the parking lot. The vehicle was a rental that had its plates covered and was being driven by a subject that was found to have a no-bail probation warrant, in addition to other warrants. The male subject was arrested for the warrants and the vehicle was stored. The female was identified and released, as she had not left the store with the merchandise.

Domestic Battery
June 5 at 5:07 p.m., police responded to the report of a domestic battery incident in progress in the 700 block of Montana. The suspect is the estranged husband of the victim. The suspect came to the victim's residence while she had a male friend over and became involved in a physical altercation with both the male subject and his estranged wife. During the altercation, the suspect broke his ankle. The suspect was taken to a hospital for treatment. He was issued a citation to appear in court on the battery charges and was served with an Emergency Protective Order.

Stolen Vehicle Recovered
June 7 at 6:10 a.m., a vehicle was reported stolen from the 300 block of Pine Tree Lane. The victim reported that the vehicle was parked on the street and was locked. The vehicle was located by Monrovia parking control officers three hours later, unoccupied, and parked in the 300 block of N Encinitas. Several items were missing from the interior of the vehicle. The vehicle was returned to the victim and the investigation is continuing.

Domestic Violence – Suspect Arrested
June 7 at 8:28 a.m., officers responded to the 200 block of W. Cypress on the report of a domestic violence incident. The investigation revealed that the male subject struck his girlfriend during an argument. The altercation resulted in redness and bruising to the female. The male subject was arrested for domestic violence.

Stolen Vehicle Recovered – Suspect Arrested
June 7 at 1:45 p.m., officers responded to a business in the 1600 block of S. Mountain Avenue to investigate a possible theft. Store loss prevention was observing a male suspect inside the store concealing merchandise and a waiting vehicle outside. Officers arrived and located the male suspect outside, next to the unoccupied vehicle. The vehicle was found to be a reported stolen. The male suspect told police he had driven the vehicle to the location and knew it was stolen. The suspect was arrested and taken into custody.

Possession of a Controlled Substance / Possession of Drug Paraphernalia – Suspect Arrested
June 7 at 3:29 p.m., officers were dispatched to the 700 block of S. Shamrock Avenue regarding a possible domestic violence incident. The officers located the subjects and determined there was no domestic violence that occurred, but during the course of the investigation, they discovered the male subject was in possession of drug paraphernalia and methamphetamine. He was arrested and taken into custody.

Monrovia RiteAid is Closing

 
The RiteAid at Huntington and Magnolia is closing. 

- Brad Haugaard 

Monrovian Arrested in Connection With Sexual Assaults

A Monrovia man is under arrest in connection with a string of sexual assaults. https://goo.gl/N6hqlp

- Brad Haugaard 

Monrovia Music Fest

A report and pictures of Monrovia Music Festival from Gem City Images: https://goo.gl/hmnoqp

-Brad Haugaard

Crime Up - Monrovia Blames State; Historic Tours; City Wins Financial Reporting Award; Police Carry a Torch; Park at Train Station

In his weekly update (https://goo.gl/aOqX7O) Monrovia City Manager Oliver Chi reports ...

~ Serious crime is up in Monrovia, as it is across the state. In 2016 it went up nearly 20% in the city compared to 2015. Chi said the state's new laws (AB 109, Prop 47, and Prop 57) have attracted out-of-state criminals. He writes: "Many are unaware that during the past several years, the State has enacted multiple new laws that have taken away and weakened certain law enforcement authorities, which have eroded public safety efforts."

~ The Monrovia Historical Society has scheduled four narrated tours of Monrovia, each of which only has room for just 14 people.

- June 24, 10 a.m. - The Northwest Quarter
- July 22, 10 a.m. - The Northeast Quarter
- Aug. 26, 10 a.m. - The Southeast Quarter
- Sept. 23, 10 a.m. - The Southwest Quarter

Cost is $50 per person per tour, or $40 for Monrovia Historical Society members.  ($25 off if you buy all four tickets.) All proceeds go to the society to preserve and share Monrovia's history.  To buy tickets contact the Monrovia Historical Society at 256-3423 ormonroviahistoricalsociety1896@gmail.com.

~ Monrovia has been awarded the Government Finance Officers Association Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting, the highest honor possible through the GFOA program.

~ Non-metro riders can now park at the train station parking lot during off hours for $5. Off hours are Monday through Friday - 6 p.m. to 5 a.m. and Saturday, Sunday and Federal holidays. If you are going to ride the train, parking is free.

~ Monrovia Police Department will participate in a Special Olympics Torch Run this Thursday, June 8.  Monrovia Police will pick up the torch at the intersection of Myrtle and Live Oak and carry it 5.41 miles to Red Lobster on Huntington Drive, where they'll hand it off to Arcadia Police.

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Police: Woman vs. Man; Man vs. Woman; Son vs. Mom; Etc.

[Monrovia Police activities from the Police Department's Neighborhood Watch Report for June 1-4. - Brad Haugaard]

Following are the weekend’s highlighted issues and events.

Warrant – Suspect Arrested
June 1 at 10:43 a.m., an officer was on patrol in the 900 block of S. Magnolia when he recognized a subject he knew to have an outstanding warrant. The officer detained the subject, confirmed the warrant and took him into custody. The subject was booked and held pending a court appearance.

Warrant – Suspect Arrested
June 1 at 2:31 p.m., an officer stopped a vehicle in the 400 block of W. Huntington Drive for committing a vehicle code violation. The officer contacted the driver and a computer check revealed an outstanding arrest warrant, and that the subject was unlicensed. The suspect was taken into custody, booked and held pending a court appearance.

Traffic Collision / Driving Under the Influence – Suspect Arrested
June 2 at 6:33 a.m., a solo-vehicle traffic collision was reported in the 900 block of E. Huntington Drive. Officers arrived and contacted the driver, who demonstrated signs of alcohol intoxication. The investigation determined the subject was intoxicated and collided into a parked vehicle. No injuries were sustained. The suspect was arrested, booked and held for a sobering period. She was then released with a citation to appear in court on the charges.

Domestic Violence – Suspect Arrested
June 2 at 8:52 p.m., a domestic dispute was reported in the 100 block of N. Myrtle. A couple who were living together were ending their relationship and the female was moving out. As the male subject was helping her get her things out of the residence, the female became upset and threw a hard object at the male subject, striking him in the back of the head and causing a large laceration. The female was arrested for domestic violence.

Domestic Violence
June 3 at 7:12 a.m., a female resident in the 900 block of S. Fifth Avenue called police to report that she and her boyfriend were involved in a verbal argument that turned physical. The male suspect fled prior to police arriving. The female subject had no visible injuries, however, she complained of pain to her shoulder. The investigation is continuing.

Vandalism
June 3 at 8:11 a.m., a vehicle vandalism was reported in the 200 block of W. Chestnut Avenue. The victim parked his vehicle on the street and left it there overnight. He returned to his vehicle in the morning and found damage to his driver-side window. A rock had been used to smash the window. No entry was made and nothing was taken from vehicle. The investigation is continuing.

Petty Theft – Suspect Arrested
June 3 at 7:23 p.m., a petty theft was reported at a business in the 300 block of W. Huntington Drive. A male suspect entered the business, selected items and then exited without paying. An officer responded and the suspect was arrested and taken into custody.

Public Intoxication – Suspects Arrested
June 3 at 8:52 p.m., officers were dispatched to the area of Palm and Alta Vista to check on the welfare of two females. They arrived and found both women were extremely intoxicated and unable to care for themselves or others. They were arrested for being drunk in public.

Family Disturbance / Battery – Suspect Arrested
June 4 at 8:59 p.m., a family disturbance was reported in the 900 block of S. Fifth Avenue. Officers responded on the report of a mother and son arguing. The investigation revealed the son had hit his mother and tried to prevent her from calling the police for help. The suspect was arrested.

Monrovia City Budget; Outsourcing Check Processing; Raise Park Maintenance Fee? Etc.

Divvying up the budget pie.

At its Tuesday, June 6 meeting (agenda: https://goo.gl/u7Rx5B) the Monrovia City Council will consider...

~ Its 2017-19 General Fund budget, which, "is structurally balanced in both years." The city expects that for 2017-18 it will bring in $42.4 million and spend $41.65 million, and for 2018-19 bring in $43.64 and spend $43.54 million. https://goo.gl/EiZylW

~ Outsourcing utility bill check processing to the Whittier company, RT Lawrence. It'll cost about $22,166 the first year of the contract, then about $15,516 annually thereafter. As more residents
utilize online payment, this cost may decrease. https://goo.gl/awCl3J

~ Raising the fee for the citywide Park Maintenance District by 24 cents, from $11.53 to $11.77 for a single-family dwelling unit. https://goo.gl/0tnrwi

~ The fee for the Lighting and Landscaping Maintenance District. City staff is recommending leaving it as is. https://goo.gl/wLxYUe

~ Granting a Conditional Use Permit so Bowden Development can build a four-unit, two-story resdential project at 902 W. Colorado Blvd. https://goo.gl/D4HFFd

~ Granting a Historic Landmark designation to the house at 228 W. Olive Ave. Staff is recommending approval. https://goo.gl/sKxWeV

- Brad Haugaard

Dinner at Wang's Place

 
Dinner recently at Wang's Place, on Lemon just east of Myrtle. It is kind of an outgrowth of the old Wang's Palace, but has a more hip, bar feeling to it. Got the orange chicken for $12.50 And a beer for $5. I don't know why it is but I'll get the same brand of beer at different places and it tastes different. Anyway, it tastes great here. And the orange chicken was good and filling.

- Brad Haugaard 

Monrovia's AeroVironment Gets $36.5 Million Contract From Australian Military


The Australian Defence Force has selected Monrovia's AeroVironment to provide it with its Wasp hand-launched drone system. The contract calls for the delivery of Wasp AE systems over a three-year period, as well as training and logistics support for up to ten years, for a total AeroVironment contract value of up to USD $36.5 million. https://goo.gl/7Ezozk


- Brad Haugaard

Stolen Car Hits Parked Car - Driver Abandons Car; Woman Arrested After Man Gives Her a Lift

[Monrovia Police activities from the Police Department's Neighborhood Watch Report for May 29-31. - Brad Haugaard]

During the last seven-day period, the Police Department handled 420 service events, resulting in 79 investigations.

Theft From a Vehicle
May 29 at 10:56 a.m., officers responded to the 1200 block of S. Alta Vista regarding a theft from a vehicle. The victim reported that she had secured her vehicle the day before at 2:00 p.m. When she returned to her vehicle and entered, she realized it was unlocked. She then saw items strewn about the vehicle. The items had previously been in the glovebox and center console. She reported that several items were missing. There was no sign of forced entry. The investigation is continuing.

Hit & Run Traffic Collision / Stolen Vehicle Recovered
May 29 at 9:27 p.m., a hit and run traffic collision was reported at Encinitas and Foothill. The suspect vehicle hit a parked vehicle. The driver exited the suspect vehicle and entered a silver sedan that fled the area. The suspect vehicle that remained unoccupied at the collision was found to be a stolen vehicle reported to the Los Angeles Police Department the day prior. A silver sedan resembling the description of the vehicle the suspect fled in was stopped by officers nearby, but none of the witnesses were able to identify the suspect or the vehicle that fled the location. The subjects were identified and released. The investigation is continuing.

Assault – Suspect Arrested
May 30 at 3:51 p.m., police dispatch received a call from a subject reporting her boyfriend had been involved in a fight at a business in the 700 block of E. Huntington and he was unconscious. Officers responded and determined two subjects had been involved in a fight. The victim sustained injuries to his face and the suspect had fled the scene. The officer conducted further investigation, identified the suspect and entered a wanted person entry into the law enforcement database for the suspect's arrest. On May 31, the suspect came to the Monrovia Police Department Lobby and turned himself in to police. The suspect was arrested without incident.

Violation of Restraining Order
May 30 at 7:55 p.m., a suspicious vehicle was reported to police with its engine running in a business parking lot in the 2100 block of S. Myrtle. Officers arrived on scene and detained two subjects inside the vehicle. A computer check revealed there was a domestic violence restraining order against one of the parties and the other party was the protected person of the order. The protected person advised that he voluntarily picked up the restrained subject because she was hitch-hiking from Arizona. Officers arrested the restrained person and took her into custody for violation of the court order.