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A Soggy Fountain to the Falls Run


Runners coming in to the finish line after a rainy run from the Library Park fountain to the falls in Monrovia Canyon Park and back. And my weather app still says zero percent chance of rain. 

- Brad Haugaard 

Monrovia Council: Historic House? Property Sales; Etc.

Historic Designation for this house?

At its next meeting (agenda: https://goo.gl/ybq28a) the Monrovia City Council will consider...

~ Designating the House at 921 East Greystone Avenue an historic landmark and approving a Mills Act contract for it. The historic designation costs the city nothing but the Mills Act contract gives the homeowner a tax break and will cost the city around $1,808 a year in lost property tax. https://goo.gl/gMCdnq

~ Selling the property at 1528 and 1532 South Primrose Avenue to 123 West Pomona, LLC for  an “above-market sales price of $1,695,000, or around $183 / square foot.” The property is intended for a mixed use development. https://goo.gl/awRzPa

~ Modifying a contract with West Coast Arborists for the period ending June 30, 2019, to add brush clearance and hazardous vegetation management service. That will cost up to $30,000 for the fiscal year. 

- Brad Haugaard 

Dinner at Domenico’s

Dinner recently at Domenico’s, on the south side of Huntington just east of Magnolia. Traditional style Italian. Got the ravioli for $15.99 and a beer for $5.75. Meal came with a dinner salad and basket of bread. Good and very filling. 

- Brad Haugaard 

Firefighters Pancake Breakfast Tomorrow

Tomorrow, May 12, is the annual pancake breakfast at fire station 101, 141 E Lemon, sponsored by the Monrovia Firefighters Association.. From 7-11 a.m. there will be a bounce house, live demonstrations, a Jr. Firefighter challenge and pancakes.  $5, kids 3 and under eat free. Proceeds benefit Monrovia charities. 

- Brad Haugaard 

Monrovia Baseball Wins Championship

Monrovia baseball wins Rio Hondo League championship. https://goo.gl/3WkyAF

- Brad Haugaard 

Monrovia Police: Bather Being Sent Back to Nebraska; Mom Gets Child to Steal; Drunks; Etc.

[Monrovia Police activities from the Police Department's Neighborhood Watch Report for May 3-9. - Brad Haugaard]

During the last seven-day period, the Police Department handled 448 service events, resulting in 96 investigations.

Warrant – Suspect Arrested
May 3 at 9:26 a.m., an officer was patrolling the 1600 block of S. Myrtle when he saw a male subject bathing in the decorative fountain at Station Square Park. The officer contacted the subject, and a computer check revealed he was wanted by the State of Nebraska for crimes committed there. The officer arrested and took custody of the subject, who will be transported back to Nebraska by authorities from that State.

Grand Theft
May 3 at 2:33 p.m., a resident in the 600 block of E. Olive walked outside her home and discovered someone had stolen the catalytic converter from her vehicle, which had been parked in front of her house. She believes it was stolen sometime during the night. This investigation is continuing.

Grand Theft
May 3 at 5:01 p.m., a resident in the 1500 block of S. Fifth reported that someone had stolen the catalytic converter from his vehicle sometime during the night. This investigation is continuing.

Warrant – Suspect Arrested
May 3 at 6:46 p.m., the Special Enforcement Team saw a male subject in the 400 block Hurstview whom they recognized from previous contacts. A computer check revealed the subject had a warrant for his arrest. He was arrested and taken into custody. In the jail, he admitted to being involved in a local gang and was responsible for several vandalisms around the city.

DUI – Suspects Arrested
May 3 at 11:16 p.m., officers stopped a motorist in the 800 block of E. Huntington after he was reported to be possibly driving under the influence. Officers contacted the driver and found him to be intoxicated. After field sobriety tests were conducted, the driver was arrested for DUI.

Domestic Violence – Suspect Arrested
May 4 at 12:44 a.m., a female resident in the 700 block of W. Foothill reported her husband had just hit her after an argument. Officers arrived, and after an investigation, they arrested and took the male subject into custody for domestic violence.

Injury Traffic Collision
May 4 at 8:12 a.m., a motorist inadvertently turned his vehicle abruptly at the intersection of California and Huntington, causing the vehicle to overturn. Officers arrived and found the driver had sustained injuries requiring medical attention. The driver was transported to a nearby hospital.

Drunk in Public – Suspect Arrested
May 4 at 8:31 a.m., several callers reported a male subject lying on the ground in the 300 block of W. Duarte. Officers arrived to offer assistance. They found the subject was too intoxicated to care for his own safety. He was arrested and taken into custody.

Warrant – Suspect Arrested
May 4 at 10:20 a.m., callers reported a male subject behaving suspiciously in the 600 block of E. Olive. Officers arrived and contacted the subject. A computer check revealed he had two warrants for his arrest. He was arrested and taken into custody.

Injury Traffic Collision
May 4 at 12:32 p.m., two vehicles collided into one another in the 1800 block of S. Myrtle. Officers arrived to investigate the cause of the collision. Occupants in the vehicles complained of pain, but did not have visible injuries.

Injury Traffic Collision
May 4 at 4:39 p.m., callers reported two vehicles had collided into one another in the 800 block of W. Foothill. Officers arrived to investigate the collision. Occupants in the vehicles complained of pain, but did not have visible injuries.

DUI Traffic Collision – Suspect Arrest
May 4 at 10:03 p.m., callers reported a motorist had just collided into a parked car in the 400 block of Wildrose. Officers arrived and contacted the driver. He was found to be intoxicated. Field sobriety tests were conducted and the subject was arrested for DUI.

Attempt Grand Theft / Parole Violation – Suspect Arrested
May 5 at 7:12 a.m., callers reported seeing a male subject attempting to pry off the lock of a Lime Bike in the 300 block of W. Huntington. Officers arrived and located the subject, and after he was identified by witnesses, he was arrested. A computer check revealed he was also on active parole.

Possession of Stolen Property – Suspect Arrested
May 5 at 7:50 a.m., an employee of a restaurant in the 600 block of W. Huntington reported a male subject inside their business was causing a disturbance. Officers arrived and contacted the subject. The subject was found to be in possession of property and identification belonging to someone else. The owner was contacted and informed officers that their property had been stolen from their car the previous night. The subject was arrested.

Drunk in Public – Suspect Arrested
May 5 at 10:36 a.m., a caller reported a male subject lying on the ground in the 100 block of W. Duarte. Officers arrived and found the subject to be intoxicated. He was too drunk to care for his own safety. He was arrested and taken into custody.

Shoplifting – Suspect Arrested
May 5 at 6:27 p.m., the employee of a store in the 1600 block of S. Mountain reported a male subject had just entered their store, removed merchandise and concealed it in his clothing before leaving the store. Officers arrived and apprehended the suspect. The stolen property was returned to the store and the suspect was arrested and taken into custody.

Drunk in Public – Suspects Arrested
May 6 between 1:41 and 2:06 a.m., officers detained two subjects in the 100 block of W. Lime and the 1500 block of S. Myrtle for appearing intoxicated. Both subjects were found to be too drunk to care for their own safety. They were both arrested and taken into custody. 


Assault with a Deadly Weapon 
May 6 at 1:58 a.m., the owner of a business in the 800 block of S. Myrtle was at work when he saw two subjects at a neighboring business removing parts from a parked car. One of the two subjects pointed a gun at the business owner. Officers arrived, but the subjects were gone. A search was conducted for the suspects, but they were not located. This investigation is continuing.

Drunk in Public – Suspect Arrested
May 6 at 9:12 a.m., a caller reported a male subject stumbling in the 100 block of W. Duarte who may need assistance. Officers arrived and contacted the subject. He was found to be too drunk to care for his own safety, so he was arrested and taken into custody.

Shoplifting
May 6 at 10:40 a.m., an employee at a store in the 500 block of W. Duarte detained a female subject and her child outside the store for shoplifting. Officers arrived to investigate and found the mother had told her child to take toys before leaving the store without paying. The Department of Child and Family Services was notified and charges will be filed against the mother.

Grand Theft – Suspect Arrested
May 6 at 2:37 p.m., an employee of a store in the 1600 block of S. Mountain reported that they had detained a male subject for leaving the store with power tools that he did not pay for. Officers arrived, and after an investigation, arrested and took the subject into custody.

Possession of Narcotics – Suspect Cited
May 6 at 10:17 p.m., a caller reported a male subject behaving suspiciously in the 900 block of W. Huntington. Officers arrived and contacted the subject, who was found to be in possession of illegal narcotics. The subject was issued a citation to appear in court on the charges.

Possession of Narcotics – Suspect Cited
May 6 at 11:05 p.m., a sergeant was patrolling the 1500 block of S. California when he saw a male subject riding a bicycle at night without lighting equipment. The subject was stopped and found to be in possession of illegal narcotics. The subject was issued a citation to appear in court on the charges.

Vandalism
May 7 at 6:47 a.m., an employee at a school in the 200 block of N. Mayflower found someone had broken one of the school’s cafeteria windows sometime over the weekend. Officers were called to investigate, and they found that no one had entered the building. This investigation is continuing.

Injury Traffic Collision
May 7 at 4:08 p.m., callers reported a vehicle had just ran a red light, causing a collision with a bicyclist. Officers responded along with paramedics and provided medical attention to the bicyclist, who was then transported to a nearby hospital. The party at fault was issued a citation for the violation.

Injury Traffic Collision
May 8 at 3:24 p.m., callers reported a vehicle failed to stop for a red light and caused a collision with another vehicle in the 200 block of W. Duarte. Officers arrived to investigate. Both drivers complained of pain, but did not have visible injuries. The party at fault was issued a citation for the violation.

Residential Burglary
May 8 at 4:55 p.m., a resident in the 1200 block of S. Alta Vista walked into her garage to get her purse, which she had left inside the garage with the garage door open. She discovered someone had entered the garage and taken her purse. This investigation is continuing.

Residential Burglary
May 8 at 9:15 p.m., a resident in the 500 block of Hacienda returned home and discovered someone had entered an unlocked door to the house and stole a shotgun. This investigation is continuing.

Drunk in Public – Suspect Arrested
May 9 at 1:16 a.m., an officer was patrolling the 1800 block of S. California when he saw a male subject stumbling. He contacted the subject to see if he needed help and found him to be heavily intoxicated. Sobriety tests were conducted and the officer determined the subject was too drunk to care for his own safety. He was arrested and taken into custody.

DUI – Suspect Arrested
May 9 at 2:19 a.m., an officer was patrolling the 2600 block of S. Peck when he saw a motorist commit a driving violation. The officer stopped the vehicle and contacted the driver, who was found to be intoxicated. Field sobriety tests were conducted and the driver was taken into custody for DUI.

Commercial Burglary
May 9 at 3:16 a.m., officers responded to a burglary alarm at a business in the 500 block of S. Myrtle. When they arrived, they found the front glass window to the business had been shattered and the inside of the building appeared ransacked. The owners of the business arrived and told officers that a large quantity of eyeglasses had been stolen. This investigation is continuing.

Vandalism
May 9 at 3:56 a.m., a resident in the 800 block of W. Foothill was awakened by the sound of glass breaking. He went outside his home and discovered someone had shattered his car window, but nothing appeared to be missing from inside. This investigation is continuing.

Warrant – Suspect Arrested
May 9 at 8:21 a.m., a caller reported a male subject in the 900 block of W. Duarte causing a disturbance. Officers arrived and contacted the subject. A computer check revealed he had a warrant for his arrest, so he was taken into custody.

Shoplifting / Identity Theft – Suspect Arrested
May 9 at 3:17 p.m., an employee at a store in the 1600 block of S. Mountain saw a male subject enter the store, remove an air conditioner from a shelf, then leave the store without paying. The subject then walked back into the store through another door and attempted to return the stolen merchandise for cash, using someone else’s identification. The employee detained the subject and called the police. Officers arrived and investigated the incident. The subject was arrested and taken into custody. 

Summer Family Fun Night

Fellowship Monrovia will hold its first Family Night of the summer on Thursday May 17, from 6-8 p.m. at its Huntington Drive Campus at the corner of  Huntington and California Ave. Dinner, bounce houses, DJ, lawn games, and more. No registration needed. $10 for the family, $5 per individual. Cost includes dinner. Parking will be off site.

- Brad Haugaard

Tribute to Monrovian Julius Parker

A tribute to Monrovia’s “unsung hero,” Julius Parker, who received his high school diploma a little late - at age 91. https://goo.gl/Ybi8dR

- Brad Haugaard 

First Presbyterian Church Turns 130

First Presbyterian Church of Monrovia, at the corner of Foothill and Myrtle, will celebrate its 130th birthday on Sunday, May 20, from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. 

- Brad Haugaard 

St. Luke - Final Evensong of Season

St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in Monrovia will present the final Evensong of the choir season on Sunday, May 20, at 4 p.m. at the church, 122 South California Avenue at Foothill Boulevard. It will feature Mendelssohn’s Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis featuring soloists Caitlin Stave, Trisha Rivera, Eric Werner, and David Conley. The most popular work by composer Randall Thompson, Alleluia, will also be performed. A wine and cheese reception will follow the performance.

- Brad Haugaard 

Hammond Enters Florida

Bicyclist and Monrovia School Board member, Rob Hammond, has crossed into Florida on his San Diego to Florida bike ride. He dipped his rear wheel in the Pacific and will dip his front wheel into the Atlantic to end the ride. 

- Brad Haugaard 

Monrovia Water Usage 'Skyrockets'; Shevlin Mayor Pro Tem; GoMonrovia a Hit; Etc.

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

~ The Monrovia City Council has unanimously selected Becky Shevlin as our next Mayor Pro Tem. 

~ Monrovia has dramatically increased its water usage. Chi writes: “Since Governor Brown announced that the drought in California was over on April 4, 2017, water usage in Monrovia has skyrocketed. In the 11 months following Governor Brown’s announcement (May 2017 – March 2018), water usage has increased an average of 23% on a year-over-year basis!

“In March 2017, Monrovians consumed just 288 acre feet of water, having done a tremendous job conserving and reducing their consumption 25% from March 2016’s level of 384 acre feet. But in March 2018, usage jumped up to a whopping 408 acre feet!” Monrovia is still way low in its water supply. To get to normal levels, Chi said, “the San Gabriel Valley needs 36 inches of rain.”

~ Monrovia Police Department is coordinating a blood drive with the American Red Cross in May 30, from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the Community Center at 119 W Palm.

~ City staff discussed the GoMonrovia! program on a panel discussion titled, “At a Crossroads: Our Transportation Future,” at the 2018 SCAG Regional Conference. Chi writes: “I am pleased to share that our program was a hit with those that attended the session, and numerous people and agencies asked to follow-up with us to review the ins-and-outs of how we established the GoMonrovia! initiative.” Here’s the report: https://goo.gl/CpEFmf

~ Local community member, Liam Kennedy, invented ISS-Above, which lets one see a live stream from the International Space Station. He has donated an ISS-Above device and TV screen to the library after visiting with his grandson and learning about our science programming and circulating telescopes. The ISS-Above Display is in the Library Lobby. 

~The Monrovia Fire Department will be doing brush inspections of all properties in  high-fire danger areas of town beginning on or after Monday, May 15.

~ The LA County Assessor’s Office will host a seminar on May 12, 2-4 p.m. to provide information on the transfer real property, how to take your current property tax base to a new home, and how to save on property taxes.  

- Brad Haugaard 

Pet of the Week: Dexter Dog


Dexter (A455155) is a 9-year-old Puggle who is as friendly as can be. This Pug/Beagle mix is a loving and happy dog, according to his former owner. Sadly, Dexter made his way to the Pasadena Humane Society & SPCA when his owner could no longer care for him. They wrote that he gets along well with people of all ages and other pets. If you are looking for a happy-go-lucky dog, ask for Dexter. 

 

The adoption fee for dogs is $130. All dogs are spayed or neutered, microchipped, and vaccinated before going to their new home. Dexter qualifies for our Seniors for Seniors program, making his adoption fee free for adopters age 60 and over. 

 

New adopters will receive a complimentary health-and-wellness exam from VCA Animal Hospitals, as well as a goody bag filled with information about how to care for your pet.

View photos of adoptable pets at pasadenahumane.org. Adoption hours are 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday; 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Friday; and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday.

Pets may not be available for adoption and cannot be held for potential adopters by phone calls or email.


- Brad Haugaard 

Hammond Crosses Into Alabama


Country-crossing Monrovia bicycle rider, Rob Hammond, crosses into Alabama on his Pacific to Atlantic bike ride. He's also using the ride to raise money for the Monrovia PTA. See here: http://www.irideforyou.com/

- Brad Haugaard

German Navy Acquires AeroVironment's Puma Drones; Xencor Reports Loss

~ The German Navy has acquired the Puma maritime unmanned aircraft system, built by Monrovia-based AeroVironment. https://goo.gl/uKqjnQ

~ Monrovia's Xencor Inc. reported a $29.5 million loss for its first quarter, or 62 cents per share. The company develops antibody drugs. https://goo.gl/sgy6QA

- Brad Haugaard

School Board Considers ‘Cognitive Guided Instruction’

At its Wednesday, May 9 meeting (agenda:  https://goo.gl/FvawBS) the Monrovia School Board will decide, among other things, whether to do a deal with the Cotson Foundation for Cognitive Guided Instruction, which seems to do some sort of math training as best I can figure out, for $18,384 for May 2018 - July 2018, and $12,800 for August 2018 - June 2019.

- Brad Haugaard 

Plymouth School Wins $10,000 Grant

Monrovia’s Plymouth Elementary School has won $10,000 to upgrade its library with resources geared toward technology and Mandarin. https://goo.gl/wxRyzh

- Brad Haugaard 
Tomorrow morning (May 5) there will probably be a Vandenberg Air Force Base rocket launch visible from Monrovia, as long as you can see north to south 1/3 up from the horizon at 4 a.m.

InSight, NASA's next lander on Mars, will launch May 5 at 4:05 a.m. (3 hour window), then several minutes later each day for about a month if the launch is no-go on the 5th. 

Source: Jane Houston Jones of the Old Town Sidewalk Astronomers

- Brad Haugaard 

Lunch at Nano Cafe




Lunch at Nano Cafe, on the north side of Duarte Road just east of Mayflower. A very pleasant, homey place. Got the Chef Salad for $11.98 and an iced tea for $2.79. Very nice. 

- Brad Haugaard 

Monrovia Police: Assault With Glass Mug; Drunks and Drugs and Lots of Arrests

[Monrovia Police activities from the Police Department's Neighborhood Watch Report for April 26 – May 2. - Brad Haugaard]

During the last seven-day period, the Police Department handled 404 service events, resulting in 67 investigations.

Warrant – Suspects Arrested
April 26 at 9:23 a.m., a resident in the 800 block of W. Duarte reported a male subject in front of her house who was yelling and causing a disturbance. Officers arrived and contacted the subject. A computer check revealed he had a warrant for his arrest, so he was arrested and taken into custody. 


Assault with a Deadly Weapon
April 26 at 4:08 p.m., two male subjects had been drinking at a bar in the 1100 block of E. Huntington and an argument started between the two subjects. One of the subjects hit the other in the head with a glass mug, then fled the bar. Officers and paramedics arrived, but the victim refused medical treatment. This investigation is continuing.

Driving Under the Influence – Suspect Arrested
April 26 at 9:58 p.m., the Special Enforcement Team was on patrol in the 700 block of S. Primrose when they saw a motorist in front of them violate a driving law. They stopped the vehicle and contacted the driver, who they found to be intoxicated. Field sobriety tests were conducted, and the driver was arrested for DUI.

Warrant – Suspect Arrested
April 27 at 3:04 a.m., an officer was patrolling the 100 block of E. Huntington when he saw two subjects near the intersection who appeared to be intoxicated. He stopped to speak with them. A computer check revealed one of the subjects had multiple warrants for his arrest; he was arrested and taken into custody. The second subject was intoxicated, but was capable of caring for their own safety.

Traffic Collision
April 27 at 6:33 a.m., a motorist was traveling along the 300 block of W. Foothill when another motorist made a left turn in front of the first vehicle from a side street and caused a collision. No one was injured in the collision. The party at fault was issued a citation for the driving violation.

Possession of a Controlled Substance / Possession of Drug Paraphernalia / Warrant – Suspect Arrested
April 27 at 8:42 a.m., residents in the 100 block of N. Highland reported a female subject going through people’s trashcans on the street. Officers arrived and located the subject. A computer check revealed she had several warrants for her arrest, so she was arrested and taken into custody. A search incident to arrest revealed she was in possession of methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia, which were added to her charges.

Warrants – Suspects Arrested
April 27 between 7:51 and 9:29 p.m., the Special Enforcement Team detained two subjects, one in the 700 block of Valley View and the other in the 1900 block of S. Myrtle. Computer checks revealed both subjects had warrants for their arrest, so they were arrested and taken into custody.

Driving Under the Influence – Suspect Arrested
April 28 at 12:56 a.m., an officer was on patrol in the 1400 block of S. Myrtle when he saw a motorist in front of him commit a vehicle code violation. The officer stopped the vehicle and approached the driver, who appeared to be intoxicated. Field sobriety tests were conducted and the driver was arrested for DUI.

Warrant – Suspect Arrested
April 28 at 10:33 a.m., the employee of a business in the 200 block of W. Huntington arrived to work and found a male subject sleeping on the front lawn of the business. Officers arrived and contacted the subject. A computer check revealed he had a felony warrant for his arrest and was on mandatory probation supervision, so he was arrested and taken into custody.

Petty Theft
April 28 at 5:29 p.m., a resident in the 600 block of Anita arrived home and discovered someone had taken a package from their front porch that had been delivered earlier in the day by UPS. This investigation is continuing.

Domestic Violence
April 30 at 4:21 p.m., officers responded to a home in the 500 block of W. Duarte regarding a possible family argument. When they arrived, they discovered a male subject in the home had hit his wife, but did not cause any visible injuries. He was arrested for domestic battery.

Under the Influence of Narcotics – Suspect Arrested
April 30 at 8:40 p.m., the employee of a convenience store in the 900 block of W. Duarte reported a male subject walking back and forth in the business parking lot. The subject was yelling and causing a disturbance. Officers arrived and contacted the subject. They found him to be under the influence of a controlled substance, so he was arrested and taken into custody. He was later issued a citation to appear in court on the charge.

Trespassing / Warrant – Suspect Arrested
May 1 at 8:47 a.m., the manager at an apartment complex in the 1200 block of S. Alta Vista saw a female subject sleeping inside one of the vacant apartments. Officers arrived and contacted the subject. A computer check revealed she had a warrant for her arrest, so she was arrested and taken into custody. She was also charged with trespassing.

Warrant – Suspect Arrest
May 1 at 4:31 p.m., an officer was patrolling the 100 block of W. Foothill when she saw a motorist talking on their cellphone while driving. She stopped the vehicle and contacted the driver. A computer check revealed the driver had a warrant for his arrest, so he was arrested and taken into custody.

Warrant – Suspect Arrested
May 2 at 5:38 p.m., officers were alerted to a vehicle traveling north in the 2000 block of S. Myrtle that was wanted in connection with a felony that had previously occurred in San Bernardino County. Officers located the vehicle and contacted the driver. A computer check revealed the driver had a warrant for her arrest, so she was arrested and taken into custody.

Residential Burglary
May 2 at 8:16 p.m., a resident in the 100 block of El Nido arrived home and discovered someone had forced entry into her home through a sliding glass door. She entered the home and saw that it had been ransacked. This investigation is continuing.