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Monrovia Police Win Big Award; City Leading Anti-Crime Coalition; 395-420 Unit Residential Project Proposed; Wine Walk

In his weekly report (https://goo.gl/aOqX7O), City Manager Oliver Chi reports that ...

~ Monrovia's Achieving Community Trust community policing program is the winner of the International Association of Chiefs of Police / CISCO Leadership in Community Policing Award, sponsored by Cisco Systems. The award recognizes police organizations that use collaboration and partnerships to make communities safer. The award will be presented at a dinner ceremony at the IACP Annual Conference in Philadelphia on Tuesday, Oct. 24.

~ Monrovia has taken the lead in developing the Taking Back Our Community coalition, which will argue that AB 109, Proposition 47, and Proposition 57 have had hurt public safety in California. Member cities include: Alhambra, Claremont, Glendora, Arcadia, Covina, Duarte, La Canada Flintridge, Monrovia, Sierra Madre, Whittier, SGVCOG, Cal Chiefs, Association of Deputy District Attorneys.

Chi adds that 14 other agencies are considering joining.  (Temple City and Rosemead have asked Monrovia to present the program to their city councils.) Coalition members will pay Monrovia $1,500 a year to coordinate the development of a public education and outreach campaign. "We are working right now on developing new content, including an infographic video, a dedicated website, and a social media campaign."

~ There will be a community meeting regarding a new high-density residential housing project called Alexan, which has been proposed for the northeast corner of Duarte and Magnolia, just west of the trains station. The meeting will be Thursday, Sept. 7, from 5:30 - 7:30 p.m. at the Knights of Columbus Hall, 130 W. Pomona Ave. The proposed Development would be five stories with 395-420 units and a six story parking garage. For questions, contact Sheri Bermejo, Planning Division Manager, at 932-5539, or at sbermejo@ci.monrovia.ca.us.

~ Monrovia's first Wine Walk is coming this Saturday, Aug. 26, 6-9 p.m. More than twenty Old Town businesses will serve samples of wine while attendees browse all they have to offer. There will live music on each block of Myrtle Avenue Old Town. Pre-sale tickes are $40. A the door, $45. You can buy tickets here: https://goo.gl/P5txSf

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Police: Gas Station Robbery; Red Light Runner Causes Injury Crash; Robbery Suspects Arrested at Wild Party; Etc.

[Monrovia Police activities from the Police Department's Neighborhood Watch Report for August 14-20. - Brad Haugaard]

Following are the weekend’s highlighted issues and events.

Injury Traffic Collision
August 14 at 9:56 a.m., a traffic collision involving injuries was reported in the 100 block of W. Foothill. A vehicle moved into the double yellow center median and struck a motorcyclist who was already positioned in that area for a turning movement. Traffic had to be diverted on Foothill while emergency crews worked on the injured person. The motorcyclist sustained injuries and was taken to a local hospital for treatment.

Public Intoxication – Suspect Arrested
August 14 at 11:35 a.m., officers were dispatched to the 400 block of W. Foothill regarding a disturbing male subject. The subject matched the description of a man officers had spoken with at prior disturbance calls earlier in the day. Officers arrived and located the same subject and determined he was too intoxicated to care for himself. He was arrested for public intoxication.

Possession of a Controlled Substance – Suspect Arrested
August 14 at 1:19 p.m., officers responded to the Community Center in the 100 block of W. Palm regarding the report of a naked male adult sleeping in a bathroom stall. Officers arrived and located a male subject sleeping inside a stall and he was partially undressed. As officers assisted the subject off of the ground, a small baggie containing a controlled substance was located underneath him. He was arrested for possession of a controlled substance.

Medical Assist
August 14 at 8:18 p.m., police dispatch received a call from the Community Center in the 100 block of W. Palm regarding a male subject whose leg was bleeding significantly and he was requesting help. Officers arrived on scene quickly, assessed the wound, and determined the need to apply a tourniquet to the subject's wound to prevent any further significant loss of blood. The subject had a shunt in his leg that had come out, which was causing the bleeding. The subject was taken to a hospital, where he was stabilized and later released to his family.

Attempted Theft
August 18 at 8:45 p.m., an attempted theft that occurred in the area of Shamrock and Huntington was reported to police. The victim told police that he was walking on Shamrock when he was approached by two male juveniles who attempted to take his cell phone from him, but were unsuccessful and fled from the victim on foot. The investigation is continuing.

Petty Theft – Suspect Arrested
August 15 at 10:45 a.m., an officer was on patrol in the 900 block of W. Foothill when he observed a male subject run from a business and down the street. The officer continued to observe the subject to see if he continued to run or made any other suspicious movement. The subject ran to a block wall and hid behind it. The officer stopped his vehicle and contacted the subject. The investigation revealed the subject had just stolen merchandise from the store. The subject was arrested for the theft.

Vehicle Burglaries
August 16 at 7:00 a.m., an officer was dispatched to a hotel parking lot in the 700 block of W. Huntington regarding several window smashes on customer and employee vehicles. Further investigation revealed five vehicles were broken into and cash, electronics, and sports gear was taken from the vehicles. The investigation is continuing.

Armed Robbery
August 16 at 1:43 p.m., officers responded to the report of an armed robbery at a gas station in the 1600 block of S. Myrtle. The suspects, two male Hispanic adults in their 20s, walked into the store and brandished a black semi-automatic handgun at the female clerk. The suspects took money from the register, two phone chargers, beer and cigarettes. Both suspects exited the store with the stolen items and fled on foot to an awaiting vehicle on a nearby street. Officers conducted a search, but the suspects were not located. The investigation is continuing.

Medical Assist
August 17 at 3:03 a.m., officers were dispatched to the 700 block of Montana regarding an unresponsive male subject. Upon arrival, the officers were told by the subject’s roommates that he had overdosed on heroin. Officers quickly evaluated the subject and found he was not breathing and had no pulse. Officers performed CPR until paramedics arrived and took over. The paramedics were able to regain a pulse and the subject began breathing. He was taken to a local hospital for treatment.

Under the Influence of a Controlled Substance / Possession of Drug Paraphernalia – Suspect Arrested
August 17 at 3:37 a.m., officers on patrol observed two suspicious subjects and contacted the subjects in the 1200 block of S. Magnolia. One of the subjects, an adult female, showed symptoms of being under the influence of a controlled substance. She was also found to be in possession of several methamphetamine smoking pipes, a rock cocaine pipe and methamphetamine. She was arrested and taken to the station for booking and detoxification. She was later released with a citation to appear in court on the charges.

Injury Traffic Collision
August 18 at 9:01 a.m., a traffic collision was reported at Mayflower and Duarte involving three vehicles. Officers arrived and spoke to all parties involved and independent witnesses. It was determined that one of the drivers ran a red light, causing another vehicle to broadside him. That vehicle then swerved and struck another vehicle. Two parties were taken to the hospital with a complaint of pain and one had a laceration to his arm.

Grand Theft
August 18 at 9:36 p.m., a grand theft was reported in the 100 block of W. Lemon. The victim was seated on the curb, waiting for her boyfriend to park his car. She had her purse in her lap. Two Hispanic female juveniles walked by and stole her purse from her. The loss was cash that was inside the purse. The investigation is continuing.

Large Party / Outside Assist – Suspects Arrested
August 18 at 11:54 p.m., a resident in the area called and reported a loud party causing a disturbance in the 400 block of Monrovista and thought the party goers were vandalizing the home, which is vacant. Officers responded and broke up the party. While officers were dispersing the crowd, West Covina Police Department called and advised Monrovia Police Department of a robbery that had occurred in their city. A cell phone and other property had been taken from the victim, who was badly beaten, and the victim's phone was tracked to the 400 block of Monrovista. West Covina officers responded to the scene and located the phone and other items inside a vehicle. The suspects were also located and arrested by the West Covina officers for the robbery.

Driving Under the Influence / Traffic Collision – Suspect Arrested
August 19 at 1:19 p.m., officers responded to the 300 block of W. Duarte Road regarding a traffic collision. A vehicle traveling on Duarte Road collided with several parked cars. The investigation determined that the driver of the vehicle was intoxicated. He was arrested and held for detoxification. He was later released on a citation to appear in court.

Driving Under the Influence / Injury Traffic Collision
August 20 at 3:03 a.m., a vehicle traveling in the 800 block of W. Colorado lost control and struck several parked vehicles. The driver was unable to regain control and the vehicle rolled over after colliding with the curb. The driver was taken to a hospital with minor injuries. It appears the driver was under the influence of marijuana. The investigation is continuing. 

New High School Photography Course; Monrovia Schools Will 'Geo Listen' in on Students

At its Aug. 23 meeting the Monrovia Board of Education (agenda here) will consider adding a high school course in "commercial photography" and will consider paying the Geo Listening company $10,000 to monitor social media activity of students at Clifton and Santa Fe middle schools, plus another $5,000 for Monrovia High School and Canyon Oaks High School. The contracts are for a year.

- Brad Haugaard

Dinner at Big Shrimp



Dinner at Big Shrimp, on the north side of Colorado about half a block east of Myrtle. Got two Cajun tacos for $10 and an iced tea for $2. It was good.

- Brad Haugaard 

Traffic Signals on Foothill May be 'Disoriented'; Solar Eclipse; Community Bike Ride; 'No Pucker Challenge'; Etc.


Monrovia Fire & Rescue takes 'No-Pucker Challenge'.

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

~ You can view the solar eclipse on Monday, Aug. 21, from 9 to 10 a.m. at the Library. There will be special glasses for viewing the eclipse, which will occur at 9:48 a.m., along with snacks and craft activities for kids.

~ LA County has been synchronizing the signals on Foothill from the west edge of Pasadena to Shamrock Avenue in Monrovia. Ultimately traffic flow should be better but in the short term "traffic signal timing could get a bit disoriented, which may impede traffic." Should be unscrambled within a month.

~ To celebrate the initial implementation of the Bicycle Master Plan, Monrovia is working with MoveMonrovia to host a Community Bike Ride, tentatively scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 21. MoveMonrovia is making a bike jersey that can be purchased before the ride. It'll have the City logo on both shoulders, and a smaller US and California flags on the collar.

~ Monrovia Fire & Rescue took the No Pucker Challenge to help raise funds and awareness for Niemann-Pick Type C. NPC is a progressive, and ultimately fatal disease also known as "childhood Alzheimer's" because it causes dementia as one of its symptoms. The challenge asks individuals to take a video of themselves eating a lemon, and then challenge three people to do the same to help find a cure for NPC. More info on NPC: https://www.hopeformarian.org/

~ The city is looking for a volunteer Old Town merchant to be the Old Town Merchant Film Liaison, helping coordinate between merchants and filming companies, which like Old Town's all-American feel.

~ Author Wendelin Van Draanen will be at the Library on Sept. 11, from 7 to 8 p.m. She has written more than thirty books for young readers and teens, including the award-winning Sammy Keyes mystery series, the Shredderman books, The Secret Life of Lincoln Jones, and the novel Flipped, which was made into a 2010 movie directed by Rob Reiner. She also grew up in Monrovia. She'll discuss her latest novel, Wild Bird.

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia's Staar Surgical Enters Agreement With Korean Clinics

Staar Surgical Company of Monrovia, a developer, manufacturer and marketer of implantable lenses for the eye, has entered an agreement to provide lenses to Dr. Jong Ho Lee, whose Korean clinics have implanted more than 30,000 lenses in the past 15 years. Staar says Lee has implanted more ICL's than any other surgeon. https://goo.gl/LJ6CLo

- Brad Haugaard

Help Monrovia Identify Its Historic Sites

Help Monrovia identify its historic sites. Meeting at the Library August 24, 5:30-7:30 p.m. https://goo.gl/qx3bKe

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Police: Drunk Driver Kills Pedestrian; Driving Drunk - Shirtless Drunk - Walking Drunk; Drunks and More Drunks; Robbed While Texting; Etc.

[Monrovia Police activities from the Police Department's Neighborhood Watch Report for Highlighted Activity for August 10 - 13. - Brad Haugaard]

Following are the weekend’s highlighted issues and events.

Vandalism
August 10 at 10:00 a.m., a vandalism was reported in the 500 block of S. Mountain. An employee at YWCA called the police to report that the men's restroom had been vandalized with a black marker. The investigation is continuing.

Warrant – Suspect Arrested
August 10 at 7:35 p.m., an officer on patrol conducted a traffic stop in the 600 block of W. Olive. The officer recognized the driver from prior contacts and a computer check on the driver revealed he had several outstanding warrants. The suspect was arrested and taken into custody.

Driving Under the Influence – Suspect Arrested
August 10 at 9:26 p.m., an officer on patrol in the area of Foothill and Highland conducted a traffic stop for a vehicle code violation. Further investigation revealed the driver was too impaired to drive a motor vehicle. He was arrested and taken into custody.

Public Intoxication – Suspect Arrested
August 10 at 11:35 p.m., officers were dispatched to the 600 block of W. Colorado regarding a subject laying on the sidewalk with no shirt on. The officers contacted the subject and determined he was too intoxicated to care for himself. He was taken into custody and held for a sobering period.

Public Intoxication – Suspect Arrested
August 11 at 2:10 p.m., officers responded to the report of a subject almost being struck by a motorist in the 100 block of W. Palm Ave. The caller reported the subject was stumbling and appeared intoxicated. Officers located the subject and determined he was too intoxicated to care for himself. The subject was arrested, taken into custody and held for a sobering period.

Public Intoxication – Suspect Arrested
August 11 at 2:38 a.m., officers were dispatched to the 500 block of S. Myrtle regarding a 9-1-1 hang-up. Officers arrived and contacted a male subject, further investigation revealed the subject could not care for himself. The subject was detained and taken into custody.

Evading a Peace Officer / Possession of a Controlled Substance / Receiving Stolen Property – Suspect Arrested
August 11 at 7:20 p.m., police received a call of a suspicious vehicle in the area of Elfwood and Norumbega. When officers arrived and attempted to contact the driver, the vehicle fled. The vehicle failed to yield for a short distance and then stopped at a dead end. During the investigation the suspect admitted he was in possession of heroin and stealing mail.

Robbery
August 11 at 9:13 p.m., an officer responded to a report of a robbery in the 400 block of W. Colorado. The victim was walking down the street texting when a male black forcefully took his phone out of his hand and fled. The investigation is continuing.

Domestic Violence
August 12 at 2:48 p.m., a domestic violence incident was reported in the 800 block of W. Walnut. A husband and wife had a verbal argument that escalated into a battery. The victim was punched twice in the face. When the officers arrived to the residence the husband had fled the scene. The victim refused medical treatment. An emergency protective order was granted and the suspect is being sought. The investigation is continuing.

Vehicle Burglary
August 12 at 4:48 p.m., a vehicle burglary was reported in the 1600 block of S. Mountain. The caller reported a vehicle in the parking lot with a smashed window. The owner was located and some items were stolen from the vehicle. The victim parked and locked his vehicle and went inside the business to shop. The suspect used an unknown tool to gain entry into the vehicle. The investigation is continuing.

Driving Under the Influence / Fatal Traffic Collision – Suspect Arrested
August 12 at 11:41 p.m., officers responded to a traffic collision in the area of Duarte and Magnolia. A vehicle travelling east on Duarte struck a pedestrian near the intersection of Magnolia. Officers arrived on scene and found the victim conscious but seriously injured. He was transported to Huntington Memorial Hospital where he was pronounced dead a short time later. The driver of the vehicle was found to be under the influence of alcohol. The suspect was arrested and taken into custody.

Domestic Violence – Suspect Arrested
August 13 at 12:36 a.m., a domestic violence incident was reported in the 400 block of Monrovista. The male and female were involved in an argument after the male arrived home intoxicated and with their child. The male kicked and punched the victim and threw her on the ground while he was holding the child. The male was arrested and taken into custody.

Monrovia Quality Inn and 7-Eleven Getting Facelifts

What it'll look like.

Monrovia's Community Development Department reports that the Quality Inn on the north side of Huntington kinda across from Target is getting a facelift - new stone facades, shutters, light fixtures, and a new breakfast room. Also, the 7-Eleven near Sixth on Duarte Road is getting new paint and new parking. https://goo.gl/NQEwL1

- Brad Haugaard

Dinner at a Shrimp House



Dinner at the Shrimp House, at Live Oak and Myrtle. Got the Grilled Seafood Sampler for $16.29 and a beer for $4.39. I enjoyed it. 

- Brad Haugaard 

Monrovia Police: Stolen Luggage Recovered; Two Catalytic Converters Stolen; Gas Siphoning; Counterfeit Money; Mailbox Explosion; Etc.

[Monrovia Police activities from the Police Department's Neighborhood Watch Report for August 7-9. - Brad Haugaard]

During the last seven-day period, the Police Department handled 447 service events, resulting in 80 investigations.

Grand Theft – Suspect Arrested
August 7 at 7:20 a.m., officers responded to a hotel in the 700 block of W. Huntington regarding the report of a grand theft from a vehicle. Officers arrived and spoke with the victim and a hotel staff member. The trunk of the vehicle had been left unsecured and an unknown suspect was seen removing the victim’s luggage from the trunk. The suspect took the bags into a room at the hotel. The officers went to the room and contacted a male subject inside. The bags were located, along with several other items that indicated credit cards were being made with stolen information obtained through mail. The suspect was arrested and taken into custody.

Grand Theft Auto – Motorcycle
August 7 at 7:48 a.m., a motorcycle was reported stolen from the 1800 block of Encino Avenue. The victim parked and secured his motorcycle in the carport area at the location. When he returned to it the following morning, he discover his motorcycle was missing. The investigation is continuing.

Grand Theft
August 7 at 10:23 a.m., an officer was dispatched to a residence in the 300 block of Stedman Avenue. The victim went out to his vehicle and attempted to start it. As he started it, he heard a loud noise and then discovered that the catalytic converter had been removed from the vehicle. The investigation is continuing.

Grand Theft
August 7 at 6:16 p.m., a grand theft incident was reported in the 500 block of S. Alta Vista. The victim parked their Honda Accord in front of their house and sometime during the night someone stole the catalytic converter off of the car. The investigation is continuing.

Warrants / Possession of Drug Paraphernalia – Suspects Arrested
August 8 at 3:21 a.m., an officer was on patrol in the area of Mountain and Foothill when he contacted two suspicious subjects in the area. A computer check revealed one of the subjects had a warrant for his arrest and the other was found to be in possession of drug paraphernalia. Both subjects were arrested and taken into custody.

Sex Registration Violation – Suspect Arrested
August 8 at 4:55 a.m., an officer on patrol observed a known sex registrant in the 500 block of E. Olive that he knew was in violation of failing to register as a sex offender. The subject was detained and arrested for the violation.

Possession of a Controlled Substance – Suspect Arrested
August 8 at 11:01 a.m., officers responded to a hotel in the 700 block of W. Huntington regarding a female suspect that had returned to retrieve items from a room. A grand theft of luggage from a vehicle had occurred at the hotel the day prior. The investigation led to the arrest of the suspect and the recovery of stolen mail and credit card fraud. During the investigation, officers received information that there was a female suspect that had fled the hotel before police arrived. The female suspect and a female friend had now returned to the hotel to retrieve items from the room. The clerk quickly called police, but the suspect fled. Officers detained the female friend and further investigation revealed she was in possession of methamphetamine and cocaine. She was arrested and taken into custody. The investigation is continuing.

Commercial Burglary
August 9 at 1:09 p.m., a commercial burglary was reported at a school in the 1000 block of S. Canyon Boulevard. The chain and lock were cut to a storage container on the lot. When the container was opened they found emergency earthquake supplies had been stolen.

Critical Missing Person Located
August 9 at 6:08 p.m., a male juvenile with autism was reported missing from a family member's residence in the 500 block of E. Walnut. Officers and the Foothills Air Support Team helicopter quickly responded to conduct an area check for the missing subject. The juvenile was located at a nearby residence he is familiar with and was reunited with family members.

Vehicle Tampering
August 9 at 6:57 p.m., a suspicious person was reported loitering near vehicles in a business parking lot in the 900 block of W. Huntington. The subject had left the area and was not located. A review of surveillance footage showed the suspect attempting to siphon gas out of four different vehicles into a large plastic water jug. The investigation is continuing.

Counterfeiting
August 9 at 7:45 p.m., a victim of counterfeiting called police to report an incident that occurred at a business in the 1600 block of S. Mountain. The victim claimed he had received counterfeit money when he returned merchandise to the store that he had previously purchased. The store was notified regarding the transaction and the money was collected for evidence. The U.S. Secret Service was notified of the crime and the investigation is continuing.

Shoplifting
August 9 at 8:03 p.m., officers were dispatched to a shoplifting incident that just occurred in the 400 block of W. Huntington. The suspect took merchandise from a store without paying for the items. Officers located the suspect in the area and the store representative placed him under citizen's arrest. He was arrested and taken into custody.

Fight in Progress / Criminal Threats
August 9 at 9:04 p.m., a fight involving multiple subjects fighting in the middle of the street was reported in the area of California and Royal Oaks. Officers responded and found the majority of the people involved had dispersed. The investigation revealed a battery had occurred; however the victim and witnesses at the scene were uncooperative with providing any further information. There was an additional victim of criminal threats who was cooperative with officers; however the witnesses were not. The investigation is continuing.

Vandalism
August 9 at 10:25 p.m., a vandalism incident was reported in the 300 block of Hillcrest. The suspects placed an object inside a mailbox, causing a small explosion that destroyed the mailbox. Two vehicles occupied by teenage suspects were seen speeding away, heading east on Hillcrest. The investigation is continuing.

Second Annual Monrovia Station Beer, Wine & Music Fest Sept. 16


The second annual Monrovia Station Beer, Wine & Music Fest is coming September 16. Craft beer, wine sampling, food trucks and live music at Station Square Park from 5-8 p.m. with limited VIP admission with ticket from 4-5 p.m. For those 21 and older only. Proceeds will benefit the Monrovia Chamber of Commerce and the Boys & Girls Club of the Foothills. Music by the Swinging 8 Balls, followed by the popular headliner, No Duh, a No Doubt Tribute band.

Ticket information and ticket purchases here: https://tinyurl.com/lbpv6xh

Bring valid photo identification and leave pets at home. Price of food is not included in admission. Bring lawn chairs, blankets, and anything else you need to enjoy the evening outside. We can’t serve anyone who appears intoxicated, so please consume responsibly.

Station Square Park is at the Monrovia Metro Gold Line Station. Parking in the Metro lot is $3 per car. There is limited street parking.

Source: Monrovia Chamber of Commerce press release

- Brad Haugaard

Dedication Ceremony for Monrovia Canyon Park's New Entryway

Some photos of the ceremony celebrating the improvements to the entryway of Canyon Park from Gem City Images: https://goo.gl/KrDBXx

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia's Water Supplier Has to Buy 40.7 Billion Gallons of Water

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

~ Our Watermaster has just purchased 40.7 billion gallons of water, which will cost more than $100 million. That means water bills will go up across the San Gabriel Valley, including Monrovia, but by how much is unclear at the moment.

The drought may be over for the rest of California - as Gov. Jerry Brown announced - but for the Main San Gabriel Basin (MSGB) Chi writess that "we are still in the midst of a serious drought situation," made worse by communities thinking the drought is over.

The water level ticked up a smidge after last year's rains, but it is going back down again and "if we do nothing, our groundwater levels will fall below the lowest levels ever recorded by this coming Fall 2017. If that happens, it is likely that 10% of all water production wells in the Main San Gabriel Basin – including water production wells in Monrovia – will go dry by the end of 2017."

The city plans to have an assessment completed and ready for review in September.

~ Here is a video explaining the water situation: https://goo.gl/xxRjq8

~ Water rules: Water no more than every fourth day, no more than 15 minutes per landscaped area (except for drip irrigation systems, new planting of low-water usage plants, or if using reclaimed water), and only between 6 p.m. and 8 a.m.

~ Free earthquake workshop with guest speaker Margaret Vinci from CalTech. Saturday, Sept. 9, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Library Community Room. Sponsored by the Monrovia Fire Department and the Monrovia Historic Preservation Group. RSVP (required) here: https://goo.gl/xaCBeN

- Brad Haugaard

Photo Report on How Monrovia Train Depot Rehab is Going

Some photos of how the rehab of the Monrovia train depot is coming along. https://goo.gl/gXvw3n

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Police: Victim Finds His Stolen Car, Police Arrest Suspect; Boyfriend Accused of Battering Girlfriend; Sleeper Arrested; Etc.

[Monrovia Police activities from the Police Department's Neighborhood Watch Report for August 3-6. - Brad Haugaard]

Following are the weekend’s highlighted issues and events.

Warrant – Suspect Arrested
August 3 at 12:29 p.m., a caller reported a possible theft in the area of Duarte and Magnolia. Officers arrived and located three subjects sitting at a bus bench, one of them matched the description of the theft suspect given to police. The investigation revealed that no crime was committed; however, one of the detained subjects was found to have two no-bail warrants for his arrest. The subject was arrested, booked and later released to the Redondo Beach Police Department on the warrant.

Commercial Burglary
August 4 at 8:30 a.m., a commercial burglary was reported at a business in the 2600 block of S. Myrtle Avenue. The victim locked and left his business on July 28 at 8:00 a.m. When he returned on August 4, he noticed the locks to his storage garage door were missing and he found car parts were missing from inside.

Domestic Violence – Suspect Arrested
August 4 at 2:41 p.m., a domestic violence incident was reported in the 200 block of W. Evergreen. The victim called to report that she was battered by her boyfriend. An officer responded and contacted both subjects. The victim alleged she was punched in the face and had visible injuries. The suspect was arrested, booked and is being held pending his court appearance.

Stolen Vehicle Recovered – Suspect Arrested
August 4 at 2:44 p.m., the victim of a grand theft auto that was stolen out of Baldwin Park located his vehicle in Monrovia in the 3300 block of S. Peck Road. He called police and was waiting for assistance, when the suspect arrived and entered the vehicle using a shaved key to try and start the car. Officers arrived and the suspect was detained. He was arrested, booked and held pending his court appearance.

Vandalism
August 5 at 7:47 a.m., a vandalism incident was reported at a park in the 300 block of N. Grand Avenue. Graffiti was spray painted on the steps going down to the park. Graffiti removal was advised.

Warrant – Suspect Arrested
August 5 at 11:02 a.m., police dispatch received a call reporting a subject causing a disturbance at Foothill and Alta Vista. When officers arrived, the subject was identified and found to have an outstanding warrant for his arrest. He was arrested for the warrant and taken into custody.

Possession of Drug Paraphernalia – Suspect Arrested
August 6 at 3:25 a.m., officers were dispatched to the 200 block of W. Huntington regarding a subject parked at the location all day and sleeping in his vehicle. When officers arrived on scene, the subject was still asleep and they could see hypodermic needles in the vehicle. They woke the subject, who consented to a vehicle search. Needles and a methamphetamine pipe were found inside the vehicle. The suspect was arrested for possession of drug paraphernalia.

Monrovia Back To School Night Schedule

Here's the schedule for Monrovia's back-to-school nights:

Mayflower Elementary - August 22
Wild Rose Elementary - August 24
Santa Fe Middle School - August 28
Bradoaks Elementary - August 29
Monrovia High School - August 30
Monroe Elementary - August 31
Plymouth Elementary - September 5
Clifton Middle School - September 7

- Brad Haugaard

Dinner at Sena



Dinner at Sena, on the west side of Myrtle right across from the theater.  Got a Chimichurri Chicken Burrito for $9 and a $5 happy-hour beer. Okay, now I'm conflicted. I love the short rib tacos but now I love the chimichurri burrito as well. Sigh. Life is full of hard decisions. 

- Brad Haugaard 

Monrovia Police: Another Catalytic Converter Stolen; All Four Tires Stolen; Ex-Girlfriend Busts Window; Etc.

[Monrovia Police activities from the Police Department's Neighborhood Watch Report for July 31 – August 2. - Brad Haugaard]

During the last seven-day period, the Police Department handled 409 service events, resulting in 66 investigations.

Grand Theft
August 1 at 10:50 a.m., a theft was reported in the 400 block of E. Lemon. The victim parked his vehicle in front of his residence overnight. When he returned to his vehicle in the morning, he heard a loud noise from underneath his vehicle when he started the ignition and upon inspection saw the catalytic converter was missing. The investigation is continuing.

Trespassing – Suspect Arrested
August 1 at 8:26 p.m., dispatch received a call from a resident in the 200 block of E. Palm regarding a subject at the location refusing to leave. Officers were dispatched to the residence and advised the subject to leave. The subject left but later returned to the location and continued to be a disturbance. Officers were called back to the residence and the subject was arrested and taken into custody.

Vandalism
August 1 at 10:52 p.m., a vandalism was reported in the 700 block of W. Foothill. The victim called the police to report that his front window had just been shattered. Officers arrived to the location and determined the victim's ex-girlfriend went to the victim’s house and shattered his front window. The investigation is continuing.

Grand Theft
August 2 at 9:55 a.m., officers were dispatched to a business in the 1300 block of S. Mountain on the report of a theft. The employee explained that the location is a vehicle storage lot for a local auto dealer. When employees arrived they noticed a new Dodge Challenger was missing all four of its tires and rims. This investigation is continuing.

Driving Under the Influence / Injury Traffic Collision
August 2 at 4:49 p.m., officers responded to a traffic collision at the intersection of Monterey and Huntington Dr. One vehicle hit a parked vehicle and then rolled over. The driver admitted he had been drinking and he was taken to a hospital.

$30,000 to Plan How to Help 39 People; Bike Plan for Roads; Save Water; Etc.


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

~ Monrovia is eligible for a $30,000 planning grant to develop programs for responding to the 39 homeless people in town.

~ The city has prepared a bike plan involving street striping and signs to go with it. Here are the streets that will be marked: https://goo.gl/2ksMDp

~ We're still only supposed to water once every four days for 15 minutes per sprinkler between 6 p.m. and 8 a.m. Details here: https://goo.gl/23CHBd

~ Monrovia Renewal is coming to the northwest part of town (west of Myrtle between Colorado and Hillcrest). Water and sewer lines and street repairs. Work begins this month.

~ The entry to Canyon Park will be dedicated on Tuesday, Aug. 8, at 4 p.m. Comment: I've seen it; it looks nice!

~ Learn from a NASA Solar System Ambassador about the solar eclipse on August 21 in the Community Room at the Library, Saturday, Aug. 5, from 2-4 p.m. Plus, make an eclipse viewers or solar oven.

~ Tickets are now on sale for the first Wine Walk, on August 26. Explore local businesses and drink wine. You can buy tickets for $40 or $45 at the door. Get them from a local non-profit: Centre Stage, Monrovia Duarte Black Alumni Association, Monrovia Youth Baseball League, Monrovia Reads, or Monrovia Latino Heritage Society. Or here: https://goo.gl/P5txSf

- Brad Haugaard