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Lunch at Las Marias Mexican Restaurant


Lunch at Las Marias Mexican Restaurant in the shopping center at Foothill and Alta Vista. Got the carnitas plate for $8.49 and a soft drink for $1.92. Good and filling. 

- Brad Haugaard 

City Manager Oliver Chi Says Goodbye


An emotional Oliver Chi said goodbye to Monrovia at a farewell ice cream social in Library Park. Chi said serving in Monrovia has been the greatest honor of his life. Chi has accepted a job as city manager of Huntington Beach. 

- Brad Haugaard 

Monrovia Police: Drunks and Drugs; Shoplifting; Etc.

[Monrovia Police activities from the Police Department's Neighborhood Watch Report for September 5-11. - Brad Haugaard]

During the last seven-day period, the Police Department handled 421 service events, resulting in 75 investigations.

Grand Theft Auto
September 5 at 6:21 a.m., an employee from a business in the 2600 block of S. Myrtle called to report a company vehicle had been taken from the property without permission. The vehicle was last seen on the property September 4 at 7:00 p.m. The vehicle taken was a white, 2006, GMC van. Investigation continuing.

Grand Theft Auto
September 5 at 3:03 p.m., an employee from a business in the 1800 block of S. Mountain called to report one of their work trucks had been stolen and was later located in Los Angeles. The vehicle was taken several days earlier, but employees did not notice it missing. The vehicle was entered as stolen and recovered in Los Angeles.

Resisting a Peace Officer / Warrants – Suspect Arrested
September 5 at 11:31 p.m., an officer was on patrol in the 1500 block of S. Myrtle when he saw a subject inside Station Square Park after hours in violation of the city ordinance. The officer attempted to stop the subject, but the subject refused to comply. The subject was subsequently stopped one block away. A computer check revealed the subject had four outstanding warrants for his arrest. He was arrested and taken into custody.

Vehicle Burglary
September 6 at 6:56 a.m., a vehicle burglary was reported at a business in the 1800 block of S. Mountain. An employee called police to report five of their work trucks had been burglarized and cleaning equipment was stolen. Investigation continuing.

Driving Under the Influence – Suspect Arrested
September 7 at 7:43 p.m., an officer was patrolling the 900 block of W. Huntington when he saw a motorist commit several traffic violations. He stopped the vehicle and found the driver to be heavily intoxicated. After field sobriety tests were conducted, the driver was arrested for DUI. He was taken into custody and held for a sobering period.

Shoplifting / Warrants – Suspect Arrested
September 7 at 9:57 p.m., security for a business in the 100 block of W. Foothill called police to report they were detaining a female subject for taking merchandise outside the store without paying for it. Officers responded and, after investigating, arrested the suspect. A computer check revealed she also had two outstanding warrants for her arrest.

Warrant – Suspect Arrested
September 8 at 12:09 a.m., an officer was patrolling the 200 block of W. Duarte when he saw a male subject on a bicycle commit a vehicle code violation. He stopped the bicyclist, and a computer check revealed he had an outstanding warrant for his arrest. He was arrested taken into custody.

Possession of Drug Paraphernalia – Suspect Arrested
September 8 at 3:20 a.m., an officer was on patrol in the 2000 block of S. Myrtle when he saw a suspicious male subject carrying two backpacks. He was hiding in the shadows near a residence. The officer contacted the subject, who was found to be in possession of a pipe that had been used to smoke methamphetamine. The suspect was arrested and taken into custody for possession of drug paraphernalia.

Possession of Drug Paraphernalia – Suspect Arrested
September 8 at 1:25 p.m., a resident in the 900 block of Royal Oaks called police to report a suspicious subject trespassing on their property. Officers arrived and located the subject standing near the front door of the residence. When officers approached, the subject threw a glass methamphetamine pipe in the planter, which was later recovered. The suspect was arrested for possession of drug paraphernalia.

Public Intoxication – Suspect Arrested
September 8 at 8:35 p.m., a resident in the 1300 block of S. Magnolia called police to report a subject causing a disturbance with family members. Officers arrived and located the subject, who was too intoxicated to care for himself. He was arrested and held for a sobering period.

Warrant – Suspect Arrested
September 10 at 10:38 a.m., a caller reported two male subjects at Station Square in the 1600 block of S. Myrtle causing a disturbance. The caller said the subjects were arguing in the bathroom and it sounded as if they were about to fight. Officers arrived and detained the two subjects, who were now outside the bathroom. A computer check revealed one of the subjects had a warrant for his arrest. He was arrested for the warrant.

Injury Traffic Collision
September 10 at 12:57 p.m., a traffic collision was reported at the intersection of Central and Myrtle. Two vehicles came to a stop at the light for Central and Myrtle. The light turned green and the vehicle in front moved, but then stopped. The vehicle behind rear-ended the one in front. There was very minor damage, but the driver complained of pain.

Vandalism / Trespassing
September 11 at 12:01 a.m., officers responded to the 100 block of Stedman Place regarding a subject who was jumping through various properties and broke a window on one of the residences. Officers located the subject on Myrtle and found he had a laceration on his back. The subject was heavily intoxicated. He was positively identified by a witness. The subject was taken to a local hospital for treatment and the investigation is continuing.

Theft
September 11 at 5:01 p.m., a theft was reported at a business in the 600 block of W. Huntington. The victim called police to report her wallet had been stolen from her purse while shopping in the store. When she went to the register to pay for her items, she realized her wallet wasn't in her purse. She checked with store employees, but nothing had been turned in to them. Investigation continuing.

Vehicle Burglary
September 11 at 6:39 p.m., a vehicle burglary was reported in the 600 block of N. Canyon. The victim reported the vehicle was broken into sometime between 4:00 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. The rear passenger window was smashed and a black bag was stolen from the vehicle. Investigation continuing.

Shoplifting / Possession of Burglary Tools – Suspects Arrested
September 11 at 7:58 p.m., officers were conducting extra patrol at a business in the 1600 block of S. Mountain, when they were advised of a shoplifting that had just occurred. Loss Prevention pointed out the vehicle and the officers conducted a traffic stop. The stolen items were located and recovered from the vehicle. One of the suspects was also in possession of burglary tools. Both of the suspects were arrested and taken into custody.

Monrovia Finalist for Business-Friendly City Award

For the third year in a row, Monrovia has been named as one of five finalists for the Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation's Eddy Awards, honoring business-friendly cities. Monrovia was nominated as a finalist for jurisdictions with a population of under 50,000 people, along with Duarte, La Mirada, San Gabriel and Santa Fe Springs. https://is.gd/ppswbq

- Brad Haugaard

Free Dental Care at Monrovia High

Monrovia High School will be offering free dental care for children to 18-years-old through Big Smiles Dental, "the nation’s largest mobile in-school dental program." https://is.gd/hlpiRa

- Brad Haugaard


Another Closed Meeting About New City Manager - Getting Close?

Monrovia City Council is holding another closed session, tomorrow, Friday, about a new city manager. I'm guessing it's getting very, very close. https://is.gd/FvEAcF

- Brad Haugaard

Samson to be Named Monrovia Fire Department's 'Spokesbear'

The Monrovia Fire Department will introduce Samson as its new "spokesbear" at next Tuesday's City Council meeting. Monrovia Weekly has the story: https://is.gd/76tSYd

- Brad Haugaard

Construction on Old Reservoir

Construction has begun on the old, leaky reservoir at Canyon and Ridgeside in north Monrovia. 

- Brad Haugaard 

Rotary Fundraiser to Support Local Projects


- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Expects New City Manager Decision in Week or Two


In his weekly report City Manager Oliver Chi reports (herethat...


~ Monrovia expects to have a candidate to be the new city manager in the next week or two.


Chi writes that, ”In addition to a full battery of internal reviews and candidate background checks, the City Council also engaged three in-depth reviews of city manager candidates.”


~ The Monrovia Public Library Foundation Will hold its fifth annual Team Up! Dream Up! For Literacy fundraiser on Sunday, Sept. 29 at the Monrovia Public Library. Adult learner-turned-author, Mabel Ngo, will be signing copies of her book and all proceeds will go to the library's Literacy Services program.  Tickets are $60 per person and can be purchased at monrovialibraryfoundation.org.  You can also purchase $10 Dining for Literacy raffle tickets at the Friends Book Store in the library and enter for a chance to win over $1,000 in gift cards to Monrovia eateries.  To learn more about the library’s Literacy Services, visit monrovialibrary.org or call 626-256-8273.


- Brad Haugaard 


Gracie: She's All Ears; Good at Nosework, Too

Gracie, a precious 7-year-old Bluetick Hound, has lots of things to tell you! Stories, advice, opinions...and you’ll want to listen, she’s very funny! Gracie’s a great sounding board too! Just look at those adorably long, floppy ears! She’s ALL ears! Gracie’s a smart, friendly girl and like all good hounds she’s very nosy! The key to “happily ever after” with Gracie would be, consistent companionship, nosework activities and an abundance of love.

The adoption fee for dogs is $140. All dogs are spayed or neutered, microchipped, and vaccinated before going to their new home.

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

A Bear in a Car in North Monrovia

Jen Wang, posting on the Nextdoor social media site, tells about a bear that got stuck in a car in north Monrovia:

“Went to visit family on northern Norumbega tonight, and since they have a long driveway with a gate, we left our car unlocked when we went inside. A while later, we heard our car horn blaring, and came outside to find a bear in our car!”

The bear, she wrote, had opened the car door and gotten in, but because they were parked on a hillside, the door shut behind the bear, which was leaning on the horn.

"My father-in-law calmly opened a door and backed away, and the bear ran away, no harm done.

"There's only minimal damage to the car, but just FYI, if you're hanging out near the foothills, it might be best to treat your car like you're camping! My advice would be to keep your food, trash and snacks in the car to a minimum (we had a bit of both in the car and the bear definitely investigated them), and lock your car, even if you're in a spot where you're not worried about break-ins. The bear didn't seem threatening at all, but be safe!

(Bear picture is of a Monrovia bear, not necessarily this Monrovia bear... but who knows.)

- Brad Haugaard

Arts Show and Chalk Fest Oct. 5 at Station Square

- Brad Haugaard

T-Pumps Opening Sept. 10


T-Pumps - a boba tea kinda place on Myrtle in Old Town - is opening Tuesday Sept 10. Also, they’re hiring if you need a job. 

Thanks to Kelly Moran for tip!

- Brad Haugaard

T-Phillips Changes Ownership

T. Phillips restaurant, at the corner of Myrtle and Colorado, to be under new ownership.

Thanks to Kelly Moran for tip!

- Brad Haugaard

Cars on Myrtle - New and Old


The Monrovia Soapbox Derby has been revived. And is going on right now. 



And lots and lots of classic cars. Here’s former Monrovia School Board member, Chris Rich, with his 1959 Devin, a kit car made next door in El Monte. 

- Brad Haugaard 

Monrovia Police to Participate in Pink Patch Project

Monrovia Police Department employees will be wearing these pink patches on their uniforms during "Breast Cancer Awareness Month" this October. The patches are intended to stimulate conversations and raise awareness about the importance of early detection and treatment in the fight against breast cancer.

The Pink Patch Project is a collaborative effort between the Los Angeles County Police Chiefs' Association and more than 175 public safety agencies throughout the nation.

The Monrovia Police Department is selling commemorative pink patches to the community, along with Pink Patch Project T-shirts, challenge coins and other items. Beginning September 3, these items will be sold at the Monrovia street fair, in our lobby, and on the City of Hope website (https://is.gd/SBAjs7). Proceeds from the sale of Monrovia's commemorative Pink Patch Project items go to fund breast cancer education, research, and treatment at the City of Hope. For more information visit the Pink Patch Project website: https://pinkpatchproject.com/

- Brad Haugaard

KGEM May Broadcast Monrovia High Varsity Games

At its next meeting (agenda: https://is.gd/X9nhjq) the Monrovia Board of Education will consider ...

~ A deal for KGEM to broadcast Monrovia High varsity athletic games. The school will pay Community Media of the Foothills $800 per game to broadcast the games live and archive them. KGEM will offer two to four sponsor announcements per game at $200 each, which it will use to reduce the $800 being charged to the District. https://is.gd/xHonZB

~ A memorandum of understanding to provide students of La Sierra University, of Riverside, teaching, administration, and pupil services (special education, counseling and school psychology). https://is.gd/4BOOXw

~ Hiring Terra Pave, Inc. for $14,600 to remove and replace approximately 1,700 square feet of failed asphalt at the Colorado driveway of Monrovia High. https://is.gd/QUv9Ke

- Brad Haugaard

Lunch at T-Burgers

Lunch at T-Burgers, on the south side of Foothill a block east of Magnolia. Got the Chef’s Salad for $8.99 and an iced tea for $1.98. Nice. Veggies were fresh and service quick. 


- Brad Haugaard 

Monrovia Police: Repeated Rock Attack’s; Drugs; Burglaries; Etc.

[Monrovia Police activities from the Police Department's Neighborhood Watch Report for August 29 - September 4. - Brad Haugaard]

During the last seven-day period, the Police Department handled 384 service events, resulting in 87 investigations. 

Residential Burglary
August 29 at 11:19 a.m., a resident in the 100 block of S. Magnolia called to report his home was broken into and items were taken. The homeowner said he left his residence for approximately one hour. When he returned home, he saw the sliding door was open. The point of entry was a bathroom window that was forced open. Investigation continuing. 

Grand Theft
August 29 at 4:39 p.m., a grand theft incident was reported in the 300 block of N. Mountain. The victim called to report his computer was taken sometime while his home was under construction. The investigation is continuing. 

Possession of Narcotics for Sales – Two Suspects Arrested
August 30 at 12:28 a.m., an officer was on patrol in the 1100 block of S. Magnolia when he saw a driver commit a traffic violation. The driver was stopped and two occupants in the vehicle were contacted. A computer check revealed the passenger had an outstanding warrant for her arrest. In addition, officers located over two ounces of methamphetamine in the vehicle, along with packaging materials. Both occupants were arrested for possession of narcotics for sales and transportation of methamphetamine. 

Warrants / Possession of a Controlled Substance – Suspect Arrested
August 30 at 7:47 p.m., an officer was patrolling the 100 block of W. Pomona when he saw a bicyclist commit a traffic violation. The officer stopped the bicyclist and explained the reason for the stop. A computer check revealed she had two outstanding warrants for her arrest. The subject was searched incident to arrest and was found to be in possession of methamphetamine. She was arrested and taken into custody. 

Vandalism
August 30 at 9:19 p.m., a resident in the 200 block of W. Lime called police to report an unknown subject threw a large rock through one of the windows on his home. Investigation continuing. 

Vandalism
August 30 at 10:52 p.m., a vandalism incident was reported in the 200 block of W. Colorado. The victim reported that an unknown suspect threw a large rock through the front window of his home. This is the third time in the last several months that an incident similar to this has happened. The investigations are continuing. 

Warrant – Suspect Arrested
August 31 at 5:40 a.m., an officer was patrolling the area of Duarte and Magnolia when he saw a subject he recognized from prior contacts. A computer check revealed the subject had several outstanding warrants for her arrest. The officer detained the subject and arrested her for the warrants. 

Petty Theft From a Vehicle
August 31 at 9:44 a.m., a petty theft was reported in the 500 block of W. Colorado. The victim reported that someone entered his unlocked vehicle and took items. The vehicle was parked in front of his house. The resident returned to his vehicle in the morning and discovered the interior was ransacked and his registration tab was stolen. The investigation is continuing. 

Vehicle Burglary
August 31 at 11:12 a.m., a victim visited a business in the 500 block of S. Mountain and parked her vehicle in the parking lot. She went into the business and when she returned to her vehicle, she saw a window had been smashed and her cell phone had been taken. Investigation continuing. 

Drug Activity / Possession of a Controlled Substance – Suspect Arrested
September 1 at 1:30 p.m., a female subject called police to report possible drug activity she witnessed in the 300 block of W. Huntington. She was at a business and said she saw two male subjects possibly using drugs. She provided a description of the subjects to dispatch. Officers responded and located the two subjects in question. One of the subjects was found to be in possession of a controlled substance. He was arrested and taken into custody. 

Drug Activity / Possession of a Controlled Substance – Suspect Arrested
September 2 at 7:51 a.m., a suspicious vehicle was reported parked to the rear of a business in the 500 block of W. Huntington. An officer responded and contacted the solo occupant, which was a female adult. The subject consented to a search, which led to the discovery of a small amount of methamphetamine. She was arrested and taken into custody. 

Warrant – Suspect Arrested
September 2 at 12:40 p.m., an officer was on patrol in the area of Cypress and Shamrock when he saw a driver commit a traffic violation. A computer check revealed the male subject had an outstanding warrant for his arrest. He was arrested and taken into custody for the warrant. 

Mail Theft
September 2 at 7:49 p.m., a resident in the 600 block of S. Mayflower called to report her mail was taken from her mailbox. The resident reviewed her Ring camera and discovered her mail was stolen at 2:51 p.m. The suspect is described as a male Hispanic in his 20's, wearing dark sunglasses, a gray baseball cap, a black Clippers t-shirt with the number 13 on it, black shorts and white shoes. Mail was taken from the mailbox and a package with two headlamps was taken from the porch. The investigation is continuing. 

Grand Theft
September 3 at 9:53 a.m., a grand theft was reported by a resident in the 200 block of W. Colorado. The victim called police to report a tankless water heater was taken from an apartment unit. The investigation is continuing. 

Stolen Vehicle Recovered
September 3 at 12:20 p.m., an officer was on patrol in the 2400 block of S. Peck when he saw a parked vehicle that appeared to have been stripped. A computer check of the license plate revealed the vehicle had been reported stolen out of Bell Gardens. The vehicle was recovered and the registered owner was notified. 

Shoplifting – Suspect Arrested
September 3 at 8:02 p.m., an employee from a business in the 100 block of W. Foothill called police to report a male subject had entered the business, concealed merchandise, and then exited the business without making any attempts to pay for the items. The suspect was detained by officers and arrested for shoplifting. 

Public Intoxication – Suspect Arrested
September 4 at 11:07 a.m., an employee from a business in the 100 block of W. Foothill called police to report a subject was disturbing customers. Officers arrived and located the subject. The officer determined the subject was too intoxicated to care for his own safety. He was arrested and held for a sobering period.