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A Moment in Monrovia History: Rehrman Home

The Rehrman home at 135 W. Palm showing solar panels before the second story was added. c. 1930s. See full details here. From the Rehrman family collection.

For more historic photos and papers, see the Monrovia Historical Society’s complete Legacy Project collection here. Learn more about the Monrovia Historical Society here.

Note: This is the first in a series of historical Monrovia photographs which will be presented once a week. Full disclosure: I am a board member of the Monrovia Historical Society.

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Police Investigating Burglary at Marijuana Grow House


Monrovia Police Department Detectives are conducting an investigation into a commercial burglary that occurred at an illegal marijuana grow house, in the 1200 block of S. Shamrock. The incident took place on January 1, 2021, at approximately 4:26 a.m. A security guard monitoring the property encountered three male suspects burglarizing the building. During the encounter, the security guard discharged his firearm at the suspect vehicle, prompting the three male suspects to exit the vehicle and flee the scene. Evidence of the shooting was recovered at the scene.

No additional information is available for release at this time due to this being an active investigation.

Anyone with information is urged to call the Monrovia Police Department Detective Bureau at (626) 256-8041.

Source: Monrovia Police press release

- Brad Haugaard

Happy 2021, Monrovia!

Image by Jeff Jacobs from Pixabay

Happy New Year, Monrovia! And a cheery goodbye to 2020.  I think we're all hoping and praying for better things in 2021. 

May God bless us this new year, and may we bless God.

😊

- Brad Haugaard

Dinner from Cafe Mundial


Celebrated the end of 2020 with dinner from Cafe Mundial, on the east side of Myrtle half a block north of Colorado. Got the Salmon Filet for $22 with a side Caesar Salad for $5.  It was a good finish to a bad year. 

- Brad Haugaard 

Weekly Coronavirus Count: 219 More Cases, 2 More Deaths

Coronavirus cases from LA Department of Public Health as of 8 p.m., 12/30/2020. Changes since 12/23/2020.

City of Monrovia: 1964 cases (up 219), 43 deaths (up 2)
Unincorporated Monrovia: 224 cases (up 25), 1 death (unchanged)

- Brad Haugaard

Bolt - A Mellow and Chill Dog

Don’t let Bolt’s name fool you - he’s actually quite mellow! Although his name sounds like someone who loves fast-paced lifestyle, Bolt is actually more of a chill guy. This six-year-old dog likes taking his time to get to know new people and environments, but once he does, he’s very friendly and relaxed. Bolt can’t wait to bolt right into your heart!

The adoption fee for dogs is $140. All dog adoptions include spay or neuter, microchip, and age-appropriate vaccines.

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 and schedule a virtual adoption appointment at pasadenahumane.org. Adoptions are by appointment only, and new adoption appointments are available every Sunday at 10:00 a.m. for the following week.

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

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Police: Driver Hits Tree, Runs Off; Gunpoint Robbery; They Arrest Each Other; Thefts from Vehicles; Thief Trades Purse for His Cell Phone; Auto Thief Suspect Arrested Using 'Find My' App

[Monrovia Police activities from the Police Department's Neighborhood Watch Report for December 17-23. - Brad Haugaard]

During the last seven-day period, the Police Department handled 300 service events, resulting in 67 investigations. 

Hit & Run Traffic Collision
December 17 at 8:24 a.m., a caller reported a driver exited the 210 freeway at Huntington, and collided into a tree in a restaurant parking lot across the street from the exit. The driver abandoned the vehicle, then fled the scene on foot. Officers searched for the driver but were unable to locate him. The vehicle was towed. This investigation is continuing. 

Armed Robbery
December 18 at 4:09 a.m., a resident in the 200 block of W. Pomona called to report that he had just been robbed at gun point. He said he was approached by a male subject who exited a black SUV. He stated the subject told him to give him everything he had while waving a gun in his face. This investigation is continuing. 

Domestic Violence – Suspect Arrested
December 18 at 5:06 a.m., a resident in the 300 block of W. Colorado called to report a physical altercation between his brother and his brother's wife just occurred. Officers arrived and spoke with both subjects. An investigation was conducted and it was determined the wife was the aggressor. She was arrested and taken into custody. 

Trespassing / Battery – Suspects Arrested
December 18 at 11:45 a.m., employees of a business in the 200 block of Railroad reported a suspicious person dressed in black filming in the business' private parking lot. Officers arrived and the subject moved to the public sidewalk. The business did not want to prosecute for trespassing. After officers left, the subject began instigating a fight with employees. One employee approached the subject and battered him. The subject in return used pepper spray on the employee. Officers were dispatched to the location again, and both parties placed one another under private person’s arrest. Officers arrested both parties. 

Vehicle Burglary
December 18 at 4:20 p.m., a resident in the 300 block of Genoa called to report a vehicle burglary. The resident walked outside her home and discovered someone had forced entry into her parked vehicle, then took her personal property. Officers arrived and took a report of the incident. This investigation is continuing. 

Residential Burglary
December 18 at 7:41 p.m., a resident in the 700 block of Mountain View returned home from work and saw his front door was ajar. Moments later a male subject exited the front door, saw the home owner, and ran back into the house. He continued out the back door and through neighboring yards. The home owner called the police and waited outside until the police arrived. Officers checked the area and the house, but did not locate the suspect. It was unknown what was taken at the time of the report. This investigation is continuing. 

Reckless Driving / Resisting Arrest
December 18 at 7:49 p.m., a resident in the 900 block of Greystone called to report a motorcyclist speeding up and down the street with the headlights off. Officers checked the area and located the motorcyclist. He was speeding, failed to stop at a stop sign, was not wearing a helmet, and the headlights were off. Several vehicles were driving in the area due to the neighborhood Christmas lights. The subject was identified by officers from previous encounters. Officers attempted a traffic stop, but the subject did not comply. He continued to drive to his residence where he quickly went into the backyard with his motorcycle. A police report was done and will be forwarded to the District Attorney's Office for filling considerations. 

Grand Theft
December 19 at 1:26 a.m., an employee from a business in the 1600 block of S. Mountain called to report four male subjects had just taken pallets of merchandise. They left the location prior to the police being notified. Officers responded and investigated the matter. This investigation is continuing. 

Domestic Battery
December 19 at 8:48 p.m., a female in the 600 block of E. Olive called to report a battery. The female stated that during a monitored child visitation with her ex-boyfriend, the male pulled her hair and pushed her multiple times. The child was present, but sleeping during the incident. The female sustained no injuries. Officers arrived to the location, but the male subject was not located. This investigation is continuing. 

Grand Theft
December 20 at 3:47 a.m., a witness observed two males in the parking lot of a business in the 1200 block of S. Myrtle, removing the catalytic converter from underneath a truck. Officers arrived within minutes, but the suspects had already fled the area. This investigation is continuing. 

Vehicle Burglary
December 20 at 11:06 a.m., an employee of a furniture store in the 400 block of W. Huntington called to report a vehicle burglary. The employee walked outside to her vehicle and discovered the windows were shattered and her personal property from inside the vehicle was taken. This investigation is continuing. 

Non-injury Traffic Collision
December 20 at 11:28 a.m., a caller reported two motorists collided into one another in the 1900 block of S. Myrtle. Officers responded and found no one was injured. Both drivers chose to exchange information only. 

Attempt Theft
December 20 at 12:28 p.m., a resident in the 1600 block of Pilgrim reported male subjects attempted to take a catalytic converter from her family's vehicle. The subjects were scared away by the resident’s father who ran after the suspects. The suspects fled in a vehicle. Officers searched for the suspects, but could not locate them. This investigation is continuing. 

Commercial Burglary – Suspect Arrested
December 20 at 12:36 p.m., the manager of a hotel in the 700 block of W. Huntington reported she discovered a male subject inside the hotel's locked conference room. Officers arrived and found the subject had entered the conference room by forcing entry to an exterior window. He said his intention was to take property from inside the room. He was arrested for burglary. 

Domestic Violence / Violation of a Restraining Order – Suspect Arrested
December 20 at 1:23 p.m., a resident in the 1400 block of S. Magnolia called to report a physical altercation had just occurred between her and her long-time boyfriend. Officers arrived and found the subjects together in violation of a valid Domestic Violence Restraining Order. The caller had visible injuries caused by her boyfriend battering her. He was arrested and taken into custody. 

Theft from a Vehicle
December 20 at 1:35 p.m., a resident in the 1800 block of Tenth Avenue reported someone had stolen the catalytic converter from his Jeep sometime during the day. His Jeep had been parked in front of his home. This investigation is continuing. 

Disturbing Subject
December 20 at 4:15 p.m., the pastor of a church in the 700 block of S. Shamrock called for assistance with a parishioner that was yelling at him and causing a disturbance to others. Officers arrived and kept the peace. 

Theft from a Vehicle
December 20 at 4:35 p.m., the customer of a grocery store in the 100 block of W. Foothill walked outside to her car and discovered her car had been ransacked and her purse was missing. She found a cell phone in the car that did not belong to her. Before leaving, a male subject approached her and handed her purse back to her apologizing for taking her purse, then asked if he could have his cell phone back. She gave the phone back to the subject, then left the area. Officers searched for the suspect, but could not locate him. 

Residential Burglary / Grand Theft Auto – Suspect Arrested
December 20 at 9:43 p.m., a caller in the 300 block of E. Palm said she heard someone breaking into her residence. She told dispatch that it was actually her son who was not allowed at the home. Officers arrived, but the son had already left after taking the family vehicle. The vehicle was reported stolen. A few hours later, the victim called the police to report he found his vehicle parked in a parking lot in the 1600 block of S. Mountain. His son who stole the vehicle was inside. Officers responded and arrested the suspect. There was a pending restraining order which needed to be served, the suspect was served with the Court Order while he was in custody with the Monrovia Police Department. 

Burglary / Grand Theft Auto – Suspect Arrested
December 22 at 8:42 a.m., a caller from a business in the 1100 block of E. Huntington said that the location had been burglarized in the early morning hours. Officers arrived and saw there were numerous items stolen along with a vehicle. The vehicle was entered into the law enforcement stolen vehicle system and was soon after located in San Dimas. The Monrovia Police Department Detectives arrived at the San Dimas location and arrested the suspect. 

Grand Theft Auto – Suspect Arrested
December 22 at 11:59 a.m., a victim in the 1800 block of Enterprise Way called to report his vehicle had been stolen sometime in the morning. Officers arrived and determined the vehicle had been unlocked with the key left in the ignition. The vehicle was entered into the law enforcement stolen vehicle system. The victim also advised that his wallet and Apple iPad were inside the vehicle when it was taken. The victim used the Find My iPad app, and saw it was in Palm Springs. Palm Springs Police Department was notified and located the vehicle occupied by one male suspect. The suspect was arrested and booked by Palm Springs Police Department. 

Homicide
On December 23 at 8:19 p.m., officers responded to a liquor store in the 400 block of W. Duarte regarding gunshot victim. Officers arrived and saw that there was one male subject lying on the ground inside the store. He was found to have a gunshot wound. The officers immediately began rendering first aid until paramedics from the Monrovia Fire Department arrived to take over. Despite the medical aid the victim died as a result of the injury. The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Homicide Unit was notified and their detectives responded to take over the investigation. 

Christmas Tree Recycling Through January 16

The City of Monrovia says that Christmas tree recycling will be available through January 16. Place your tree curbside on your regularly scheduled trash collection day.  Remove all ornaments, tinsel, plastic bags, nails, lights and plastic or metal stands.

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia and Other Local Fire Departments Getting Vaccinated

Fire Chief Brad Dover gets Covid vaccine.

Monrovia Fire Department reports that it has "partnered with area departments and LA County to start distribution of the COVID19 vaccine" and that they plan to get "all San Gabriel valley firefighters vaccinated this week."

- Brad Haugaard

Snow Topped Mountains


Monday morning there were snow-capped mountains above Monrovia. As seen from City Hall. 

- Brad Haugaard

Rain Possible, Sand Bags Available for Residents Below Burned Hillsides

City Manager Dylan Feik reports that because of possible rain Sunday and Monday (up to 3/4-inches in the foothills), the LA County Department of Public Works has issued a Phase I Mud and Debris Forecast for the Ridgeside Drive and Oakglade Drive area of Monrovia. This means "the possibility of minor to moderate flooding and mudflow/sediment deposition on these streets and below burned hillsides."

If you reside in these areas, please travel with caution. If you don't, please avoid the area.

If you need gravel and bags, they are available at Recreation Park (620 S Shamrock) in the parking lot off of East Olive Avenue, near the skate park and Barney Glen Baseball Field. Bring your own shovel and eye protection and just take what you need.

- Brad Haugaard

Wednesday Shooting Victim Identified as 27-Year-Old Monrovian Antonio Zaza

The man shot and killed on Duarte Road Wednesday night was a Monrovian, 27-year-old Antonio Zaza, according to MyNewsLA.com: https://is.gd/RuZNii

- Brad Haugaard

Merry Historical Christmas, Monrovia!

 


Merry Christmas, Monrovia!

“But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, so that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.” – Galatians 4:4-5

- Brad Haugaard

Weekly Coronavirus Count: First Death in Unincorporated Monrovia

Coronavirus cases from LA Department of Public Health as of 8 p.m., 12/23/2020. Changes since 12/16/2020.

City of Monrovia: 1745 cases (up 232), 41 deaths (unchanged)
Unincorporated Monrovia: 199 cases (up 25), 1 deaths up 1

Redell Pine: 2 cases (unchanged), no deaths
Caltrans Monrovia: 6 cases
Miracle Works: 5 cases


- Brad Haugaard

LA Sheriff's Department to Investigate Shooting Death on Duarte Road

The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department Homicide Bureau will be investigating the shooting death of a man Wednesday night in the 400 block of West Duarte Road, according to a Monrovia Police Department press release. Monrovia Police urge anyone with information the shooting death to call the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Homicide Bureau at 323 890-5500 or the Monrovia Police Department Detective Bureau at 626 256-8041.

The press release adds that the victim of the shooting, which occurred at approximately 8:19 p.m., "was shot in the chest by unknown suspect(s). He was pronounced dead at the scene by Monrovia Fire Department."

CBS News, citing the LA Sheriff's Department, adds that the shooting occurred at Al’s Liquors, that the victim was inside the store and was shot in the upper torso. https://is.gd/PUYYDZ

- Brad Haugaard

Lunch from Jimmy John’s


Got lunch yesterday at Jimmy John’s, in the Huntington Oaks Shopping Center. Got the Beach Club (turkey, provolone and avocado) on wheat bread (also comes on French bread).  $12. Very nice!

- Brad Haugaard 

Man Shot and Killed on Duarte Road

A man was shot and killed Wednesday night about 8:20 p.m. in the 400 block of West Duarte Road, between Mayflower and Magnolia avenue, according to a report in the Star-News. https://is.gd/ve3G93

- Brad Haugaard

Snowball: Mellow and Easy-Going


 Even though the weather in Southern California is sunny, Snowball is the purr-fect cat for the winter season and beyond! This four-year-old kitty will probably win you over with her snow-white fur and striking green eyes, but she also has a great personality. Snowball is the kind of cat who enjoys attention, and will head-butt you to get more. She’s mellow and easy-going, and is looking for a home where she can settle in and really come out of her shell. Snowball can’t wait to bring her chill demeanor to your home all year long! 

The adoption fee for cats is $90. All cat adoptions include spay or neuter, microchip, and age-appropriate vaccines.

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 and schedule a virtual adoption appointment at pasadenahumane.org. Adoptions are by appointment only, and new adoption appointments are available every Sunday at 10:00 a.m. for the following week.

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

- Brad Haugaard

Trader Joe's Recalling Lightly Salted Edamame

Monrovia-based Trader Joe’s is recalling its "Trader Joe’s Lightly Salted Edamame," sold locally, which "have the potential to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes." Affected products have these date codes: 22LA102 M, 22LA102 N, 22LA102 P, 22LA080 B. If you bought it, don't eat it. Discard it or return it to any Trader Joe’s for a refund.

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Chamber of Commerce Discount Deal to Help Restaurants

- Brad Haugaard