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Person Threatens With Axe, Escapes in RV

An axe-wielding person who allegedly threatened a manager and customers at The Home Depot in Monrovia drove away in an RV, was pursued along the 210 and 2 freeways, then escaped on foot and - at least for now - got away. https://tny.im/FfJqp

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Weekly Coronavirus Count: 96 More Cases, 3 More Deaths

Coronavirus cases from LA Department of Public Health as of 8 p.m., 02/16/2022. Changes since 02/09/2022.

City of Monrovia: 8,060 cases (up 96), 99 deaths (up 3)
Unincorporated Monrovia: 834 cases (up 4), 3 deaths (unchanged)

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Police: Bad Timing - Cops Are at Store While Theft in Progress; Five EBT Accounts Compromised; Drunk in the Middle of Foothill; Keys Left in Car, Car Stolen; Hoodie Burglars Scared by Scream; Etc.

[Monrovia Police activities from the Police Department's Neighborhood Watch Report for February 10 – February 16. - Brad Haugaard]

During the last seven-day period, the Police Department handled 460 service events, resulting in 56 investigations.

Grand Theft Auto – Suspect Arrested
February 10 at 7:16 a.m., an officer on patrol observed a vehicle commit a traffic violation near the intersection of Mayflower and Huntington and a traffic stop was conducted. During the traffic stop, the officer discovered the vehicle was in the process of being reported stolen by the owner. The driver was arrested and taken into custody.

Public Intoxication – Suspect Arrested
February 10 at 12:10 p.m., an employee from a business in the 100 block of W. Pomona called to report a subject was laying on the driveway of the business. Officers contacted the individual and discovered he was intoxicated and unable to care for himself. He was arrested and taken into custody.

Injury Traffic Collision
February 10 at 8:33 p.m., officers in the 1300 block of S. Mayflower were flagged down regarding a traffic collision involving a motorcycle. They located the accident and conducted an investigation. A vehicle exited the parking lot from Huntington Oaks and failed to yield the right of way to the motorcyclist that was traveling on Mayflower, causing him to crash.

Shoplifting / Drug Activity – Suspects Arrested
February 10 at 11:05 p.m., officers were at a business in the 1600 block of S. Mountain investigating a possible vandalism when the store reported a theft in progress. The officers detained two subjects and arrested them for shoplifting and being under the influence of a controlled substance. They were arrested and taken into custody.

Public Intoxication – Suspect Arrested
February 10 at 11:23 p.m., a disturbance was reported in the 200 block of W. Foothill. Officers arrived and located the subject in the middle of Foothill. The subject was intoxicated and unable to care for himself. He was arrested and taken into custody.

Driving Under the Influence of Drugs – Suspect Arrested
February 11 at 2:17 a.m., an officer patrolling the area of Ivy and Colorado saw a vehicle commit a traffic violation. The officer was stopped and the officers noticed he displayed symptoms of being under the influence. It was determined the driver as under the influence of marijuana. He was arrested and taken into custody.

Warrant Arrest – Suspect Arrested
February 11 at 9:26 a.m., a caller reported that a subject in the 100 block of E. Duarte started to undo his pants in front of her. The subject then walked away. Officers detained the subject and learned he had a felony warrant for his arrest. He was arrested and taken into custody.

Traffic Collision
February 11 at 3:55 p.m., a traffic collision was reported in the area of Royal Oaks and Mountain. Officers arrived and discovered four vehicles were involved in a traffic collision. The well-being of the occupants were checked and no one was injured. The driver at fault was issued a citation.

Driving Under the Influence / Traffic Collision – Suspect Arrested
February 11 at 11:15 p.m., officers responded to a solo vehicle traffic collision in the area of Huntington and Encino in which the driver struck the curb. Officers responded and contacted the driver and discovered he displayed symptoms of being under the influence. The driver was arrested and taken into custody.

Vehicle Burglary
February 12 at 1:53 a.m., a vehicle burglary was reported in the 1100 block of S. Fifth. The victim parked her vehicle in the parking structure earlier in the evening. She returned to her vehicle at about 1:45 a.m. and discovered the passenger window was smashed. She was unable to determine a loss at the time. This investigation is continuing.

Commercial Burglary
February 12 at 4:50 a.m., officers responded to a business in the 300 block of W. Duarte regarding an alarm activation. When officers arrived they discovered the rear door appeared to be pried open. The responsible party was notified, but the loss is unknown. This investigation is continuing.

Possession of Drugs for Sale – Suspect Arrested
February 12 at 5:26 a.m., while officers were investigating a commercial burglary in the 300 block of W. Duarte, they observed a subject on a bicycle who appeared suspicious. The subject was contacted and during a search of the subject's property, they located numerous small baggies sealed with crystal like substance and a scale. The subject was arrested and taken into custody.

Warrant Arrest – Suspect Arrested
February 12 at 8:02 a.m., a resident in the 100 block of E. Pomona called to report that a subject was trespassing on his property. Officers arrived and contacted the subject. It was discovered the subject had an outstanding felony warrant for his arrest. He was arrested and taken into custody.

Vehicle Burglary
February 12 at 11:36 a.m., a resident in the 1300 block of S. Magnolia called to report that sometime during the night his vehicle was broken into and items were taken. This investigation is continuing.

Injury Traffic Collision
February 12 at 12:07 p.m., a caller reported that a traffic collision occurred in the area of Mayflower and Walnut. Officers arrived and checked on the well-being of the occupants. One of the driver's was transported to a local hospital for his injuries. This investigation is continuing.

Petty Theft
February 12 at 12:20 p.m., a caller stated she was eating at a business in the 600 block of W. Huntington with a friend. She concealed her wallet in her backpack, which she placed on the back of the chair she was sitting on. Sometime during the course of her lunch someone unzipped her backpack and took her wallet. Shortly after she was notified of fraudulent activity on her credit cards. This investigation is continuing.

Vandalism / Mail Tampering
February 13 at 8:40 a.m., a resident of a condo complex in the 1800 block of S. Tenth called to report that the bank of mailboxes at the complex had been damaged. It is unknown if this was a vandalism or an attempted mail theft at this time. This investigation is continuing.

Warrant Pick Up
February 13 at 8:55 a.m., an officer responded to the Long Beach Police Department to pick up a subject being held on a felony firearms warrant. The subject was arrested and transported to the Monrovia Police Department jail, where he was held pending his court appearance.

Warrant Arrest – Suspect Arrested
February 13 at 2:13 p.m., an employee at a pharmacy in the 900 block of W. Foothill reported a man behaving erratically in and around the vaccination center. Officers responded and contacted the subject. A check for wants/warrants showed the subject had multiple warrants from several jurisdictions. He was arrested and issued citations to appear in court.

Warrant Arrest – Suspect Arrested
February 13 at 4:35 p.m., a subject entered the Monrovia Police Department lobby to turn himself in for a bench warrant he knew he had. Due to the small amount of the warrant per court protocol, he was cited and released.

Grand Theft Auto
February 13 at 6:18 p.m., a victim borrowed a friend's vehicle to pick up some food from a restaurant in the 600 block of W. Huntington. The victim parked the vehicle in the parking lot, left the keys inside, and entered the restaurant for the food. When she returned to the parking lot, the vehicle was missing. The vehicle was entered into the stolen vehicle system. This investigation is continuing.

Attempted Residential Burglary
February 13 at 6:51 p.m., a victim in the 700 block of Monterey called to report an attempt burglary at her residence. The victim was inside the residence when she heard a loud knock at her front door. She opened the door and looked outside, but no one was there. As she walked towards the back room of the house, she saw a male suspect attempting to crawl through her open window. There were two additional suspects outside wearing black and white hoodies. The victim screamed and all three suspects ran to a gray, 4 door vehicle and fled. This investigation is continuing.

Residential Robbery
February 13 at 9:44 p.m., a resident in the 300 block of W. Olive called 911 stating she was just robbed at gunpoint inside her residence. The victim was in her room watching television when a male suspect wearing a ski mask and holding a gun kicked in her back door and ordered her to lay face down on the bed. The victim heard two suspects talking. The suspect was asking where the money was. The suspect kicked in her roommate’s bedroom door looking for items. Both suspects fled out the back door. The victim heard a vehicle drive away, but never saw it. It's unknown at this time if this call is related to the earlier call for service in the 700 block of S. Monterey. This investigation is continuing.

Driving Under the Influence – Suspect Arrested
February 13 at 11:53 p.m., an officer stopped a vehicle for a traffic violation in the area of California and Camino Real. The driver displayed symptoms of being under the influence of alcohol. After a DUI investigation, the driver was arrested and held for a sobering period.

Petty Theft – Suspect Arrested
February 14 at 8:55 a.m., a clerk at a business in the 1500 block of S. Myrtle phoned stating a female subject took items from the store without paying for them. A description was given and she was located near the platform at the train station. The items were recovered and she was issued a citation for theft and released in the field.

Fraud
February 14 at 11:11 a.m., a resident in the 300 block of Valley Circle reported her EBT card had been compromised and was used without her permission. She still had her card in her possession and has no idea how someone got the information. This investigation is continuing.

Public Intoxication
February 14 at 2:00 p.m., an employee at a business in the 200 block of W. Foothill said a male subject came into their lobby and requested a cab. They asked him to step outside and they would call him a cab, but as he was walking out, he urinated in his pants and it came out onto their lobby floor. The subject went outside and passed out. Paramedics were summoned when officers arrived and he was transported to the hospital.

Fraud
February 14 at 4:45 p.m., a resident in the 400 block of W. Walnut came in to report her EBT account had been compromised. She is still in possession of her card and didn't give anyone permission to use it. This investigation is continuing.

Fire Assist
February 14 at 5:22 p.m., a fire was reported in the 100 block of W. Colorado. Officers arrived and found flames inside the oven. A fire extinguisher was used to put out the fire. Monrovia Fire and Rescue arrived and assumed control of the situation.

Fraud
February 14 at 5:34 p.m., a resident in the 100 block of Montana reported his EBT account had been compromised. It's unknown how it was compromised since he still has his card. Nobody had permission to use his card. This investigation is continuing.

Recovered Stolen Bicycle
February 14 at 10:52 p.m., while patrolling the area of 100 S. Myrtle an officer observed a subject in possession of a bicycle that had been reported stolen in the 400 block of W. Huntington. The subject told officers he traded his own bicycle for the stolen bicycle with one of our local transients. The bicycle was returned to the owner.

Domestic Violence – Suspect Arrested
February 14 at 11:26 p.m., a victim in the 1300 block of S. Alta Vista called to report her husband had choked and threatened to kill her during an argument. The victim said she was at work while the husband watched their kids. When she arrived home, she discovered he was asleep and none of the kids had been fed. When she awakened him, he assaulted her and threatened to kill her. The husband was arrested for domestic violence. He was arrested and taken into custody.

Grand Theft Auto Recovery
February 15 at 8:53 a.m., an employee from an auto processing yard in the 3300 block of S. Peck phoned to report a vehicle they have on their lot as scrap, came back reported stolen. An officer arrived recovered the vehicle.

Grand Theft Auto
February 15 at 9:53 a.m., an employee at a rental car business in the 1100 block of E. Huntington phoned to report one of their rental cars that has been gone since September 2021 has not yet been returned. A report for GTA by embezzlement was taken and the vehicle was listed as stolen.

Possession of Drug Paraphernalia – Suspect Arrested
February 15 at 2:25 p.m., a resident in the 100 block of N. Madison saw a female transient walking through front yards with what looked like an open container of alcohol in her hand. Another resident called to say the female went into a backyard. Officers arrived and saw the female sitting in the backyard eating. While speaking with her, they got consent to pat search her. The officer located a glass pipe commonly used to smoke methamphetamine. The female was not under the influence of a narcotic. She was arrested and issued a citation for possession of drug paraphernalia.

Petty Theft – Suspect Arrested
February 15 at 8:04 p.m., officers responded to a business in the 1600 block of S. Mountain regarding a female suspect placing merchandise inside bags and entering the bathroom. The suspect left the store and was detained by officers nearby. A no trespassing form was completed by employees.

Warrant Arrest
February 16 at 2:49 p.m., an officer observed a vehicle commit a traffic violation in the area of Myrtle and Olive. A traffic stop was made on the vehicle. A computer check on the driver revealed he had an outstanding warrant for his arrest. He was arrested and taken into custody.

Fraud
February 16 at 3:21 p.m., a victim came in to the Monrovia Police Department lobby to report her EBT account was compromised. It's unknown how the suspect(s) gained access to her account.

Fraud
February 16 at 4:34 p.m., the victim came in to the Monrovia Police Department lobby to report her EBT account was compromised. It's unknown how the suspect(s) gained access to her account.

Battery 232 W. Colorado
February 16 at 5:47 p.m., the victim in the 200 block of Colorado phoned and said her son hit her in the face with a keychain. Officers arrived and made contact with both parties. The victim desired prosecution and completed a private persons arrest for battery. He was arrested and taken into custody.

Dinner at Sushi Nakata

Dinner at Sushi Nakata, on the south side of Lime just east of Myrtle. Got two orders of yellowtail sushi (four pieces total) for $17 and I ordered an Asahi beer but through the mask it came out “hot sake” ($10). The restaurant was happy to exchange it but I decided to give it a try. All very  tasty. 

- Brad Haugaard 

Safe Routes to and from Schools

The Monrovia School District has released a series of maps showing the safest paths for students walking to and from schools. https://tny.im/Pjrmm

- Brad Haugaard

Hide a Hot Dog and Sergeant Will Find It


Two-year-old Sergeant is an intelligent, active dog who loves playing games! Sergeant is a big fan of puzzles – everything from treats in egg cartons, to snuffle mats, to searching for hidden hot dogs around the room. This smart pup will do best in a home where he has lots of enrichment and games to keep him busy. When Sergeant isn’t solving puzzles, he loves getting attention from his favorite people and getting lots of pets!

The adoption fee for dogs is $150. 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 an adoption appointment at pasadenahumane.org. Adoptions are by appointment only, and new adoption appointments are available every Sunday and Wednesday at 10:00 a.m.

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

- Brad Haugaard

A Moment in Monrovia History: Oranges and Snow Capped Mountains

A California anomaly - snow and oranges. . From the Gary Boen collection. See full details here.

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.

- Brad Haugaard

A Tour of the Canyon Park Mess

Canyon Park is a mess. It is going to cost approximately $10.3 million dollars - maybe a bit less - to fix it up, paid for by federal, state, county, and insurance company money, and - of course - by Monrovia money.

City Manager Dylan Feik gave me a tour of the park (though it'll be closed for a long time) and outlined what the city has planned for restoring it.

The road inside the park is a one car-width lane scraped through the debris. While the road is badly damaged in some places it is not much damaged at all in others. However, Feik said that by the time the heavy equipment clears out all the debris even the parts of the road that appear to be okay will be a mess. Because of that the city plans to redo the road from the concrete sign on Canyon Boulevard to the top of the park. Although there is no real damage to the road above the public rest rooms, he said the pavement is old and with the paving equipment on site the additional cost to do that section should be minimal.

Here the county is busy cleaning out the Sawpit Debris Basin.



Fortunately, none of the buildings in the park were damaged, though the flooding came fairly close. However, Camp Trask, above the park, was badly damaged, with its swimming pool filled to several feet over its top with mud, and the floor of the dining area also covered in mud.

There are three bridges, or "box culverts," in the park as well as the bridge on the road that goes up to Camp Trask Boy Scout Camp. Before the storm you could walk through the culverts under the road, now the lower two of the culverts are filled to the top with mud, and the top culvert has a wad of trees clogging the upper side. The bridge to Camp Trask seems to have survived nicely. 

Here is the lower box culvert. You used to be able to walk through that area below the gray pipe you see in the picture.


Here is the upper box culvert, looking at it from the lower side...


... and here it is from the upper side, clogged with trees.


In places the road has been badly undercut.



Some trees that still look okay for the moment have had their trunks and roots damaged by the debris flow, and will probably die, so they will have to be removed.

- Brad Haugaard

YMCA Grand Opening Today


The Y is reopening today. They’re celebrating with a pancake breakfast. 

- Brad Haugaard 

Monrovia To Conduct Foot Traffic Study - Particularly Around Schools; City's Financial State

At its next meeting (agenda: https://tny.im/Ij8sp) the Monrovia Board of Education will ...

~ Consider hiring Gibson Transportation Consulting for up to $46,270.00 to do a pedestrian safety study. The company would analyze existing pedestrian data and do studies of foot traffic in the city, and particularly around the schools. Details: https://tny.im/91WN

~ Receive the  Annual Comprehensive Financial Report for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2021. Despite a global pandemic, an economic recession, and the Bobcat Fire, the General Fund closed the year with an increase of $4,634,647 due to cost cuts and unexpectedly higher revenues. On the negative side, there were increases in the city's pension liability and the city has $165,210,000 in bond debt. Details: https://tny.im/DITpr

~ Receive a mid-fiscal-year financial report that recommends setting aside $1,690,000 in addition to the $1,077,000 the City Council already planned to set aside for a reserve. (The additional amount is from the city's sale of two properties on Primrose near the train station.) Also, the report recommends rehiring  for some positions that were frozen during COVID. Details: https://tny.im/NQvyf

- Brad Haugaard

Homeless Count; City's Draft Housing Element Available; Biking for Bucks Extended; Library Job; Job Fair

In his latest report (https://goo.gl/aOqX7O) City Manager Dylan Feik reports: 

~ If you want to help in the annual homeless count on  February 22 show up at the Monrovia Community Center (119 West Palm Avenue) at 8 p.m. The count will be recorded on participants' smart phones using a mobile app. For questions email Heather Gibson at hgibson@ci.monrovia.ca.us. 

~  The revised draft housing element of the city's general plan is online, here: https://tny.im/oKOp1. If you have any thoughts about it, submit them before 5 p.m. Tuesday, February 15, to Sheri Bermejo by email at planning@ci.monrovia.ca.us or in person or by mail to City of Monrovia Planning Division, 415 S Ivy Ave, Monrovia, CA 91016. 

~ The city's Biking for Bucks rebate program has been extended to February 28. Through it the City offers to those who live or work in Monrovia a reimbursement for purchases related to bicycle transportation and accessories. Up to $350. Details: https://tny.im/iej9H

~ Monrovia has a job opening for a full time Library Supervisor $76,835-$102,966 per year. Details: https://tny.im/OJDQS

~ Monrovia Chamber of Commerce is putting on its 2022 Career Expo and Job Fair March 10 from 2-7 p.m. at Sierra Auto Group, 1450 S. Shamrock.

- Brad Haugaard

Free Compost March 26

- Brad Haugaard

Water Usage and Penalties For Overuse

This graph shows the level of water in the Baldwin Park Key Well. The area between the green line and red line indicates the safe amount of water that can be pumped out of the ground. The black line shows how much actually is being drawn out of the wells.

Because too much is being pumped out now the city has instituted Phase II of its Water Conservation Plan, which means that "customers who fail to reduce their water usage by the required 10% will be billed a penalty of two times the cost of a water billing unit (748 gallons of water) for each unit in excess of what is permitted. For a typical residential unit, the standard penalty is $4.88 per unit in excess."

- Brad Haugaard

Ceremony Honoring Almera Romney as 6th Neighborhood Treasure March 19


On March 19 Monrovia will honor its 6th Neighborhood Treasure honoree, civil rights activist, and former teacher and principle of Huntington School, Almera Romney. There will be an art unveiling and a block party celebration to follow. Free and open to the public. For questions, email map@ci.monrovia.ca.us or call (626) 932-5525.

- Brad Haugaard

Weekly Monrovia Coronavirus Count: 4 Deaths, 160 New Cases

Coronavirus cases from LA Department of Public Health as of 8 p.m., 02/09/2022. Changes since 02/02/2022.

City of Monrovia: 7,964 cases (up 160), 96 deaths (up 4)
Unincorporated Monrovia: 830 cases (up 18), 3 deaths (unchanged)

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Police: Five Thefts from Debit Card Accounts; Man Lying in Parking Lot Won’t Leave; Girlfriend Removal; Cyclist Broadsides Car; Woman Fails to Break Store Window - Arrested; Etc.

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


During the last seven-day period, the Police Department handled 358 service events, resulting in 59 investigations.

Grand Theft Auto
February 3 at 6:55 a.m., a resident in the 100 block of W. Cypress called to report that his vehicle was stolen sometime during the early morning hours. A report was taken and the vehicle was entered into the stolen vehicle system. This investigation is continuing.

Warrant – Suspect Arrested
February 3 at 2:07 p.m., an officer was patrolling the area of Mayflower and Huntington when he recognized a subject loitering in the area. An investigation revealed she had an outstanding warrant for her arrest. She was arrested and taken into custody.

Warrant – Suspect Arrested
February 3 at 3:57 p.m., while on patrol in the area of California and Duarte an officer noticed a vehicle commit a vehicle code violation and initiated a traffic stop. Further investigation revealed the driver had an outstanding warrant for her arrest. She was arrested and taken into custody.

Missing Located
February 3 at 4:23 p.m., a caller reported an elderly gentlemen was lost and confused while walking in the 200 block of W. Huntington. Officers responded and located the person in question. He wasn't able to answer many questions and appeared to be in need of medical attention. An investigation revealed he had been reported missing out of Palm Springs. He was treated by paramedics and transported to a local hospital. His care taker was notified of his location.

Fraud
February 3 at 6:09 p.m., a victim in the 100 block of E. Cypress called and stated that an unknown suspect withdrew money from her debit account. The victim was still in possession of her access card. This investigation is continuing.

Drug Activity – Suspect Arrested
February 3 at 8:46 p.m., an officer conducted a traffic stop on a bicyclist for a traffic violation near the intersection of Primrose and Cypress. Further investigation revealed the subject was in possession of drug paraphernalia and a controlled substance. He was arrested and taken into custody.

Vandalism
February 4 at 4:03 a.m., an officer patrolling the 300 block of W. Duarte noticed graffiti spray painted on a business wall that had not been there earlier in the night. This investigation is continuing.

Residential Burglary / Battery on a Peace Officer – Suspect Arrested
February 4 at 4:28 a.m., officers responded to a residence in the 300 block of S. Fifth regarding a male subject knocking on the front door. While officers were on the way, the resident advised that the suspect was now inside the house. Upon arrival officers saw the suspect who then began to run. He was detained after trying to break into a neighbor’s house. One of the officers was struck by the suspect while trying to make a detention. The suspect was arrested and taken into custody.

Trespassing
February 4 at 12:04 p.m., an employee from a business in the 400 block of W. Huntington called to report that a subject was lying in the parking lot of the business and refused to leave. An officer arrived and contacted the subject who immediately started yelling at the officer and refused to leave the property. The subject then complained of pain and was transported by paramedics to a local hospital for treatment.

Injury Traffic Collision
February 4 at 5:41 p.m., a caller reported a traffic collision at the intersection of Foothill and Garfield. Officers and paramedics arrived and checked on the wellbeing of the occupants. One of the occupants was transported to a local hospital for treatment. This investigation is continuing.

Trespass / Mental Evaluation – Subject Evaluated
February 5 at 7:34 a.m., a resident in the 900 block of E. Greystone called to report that a suspicious male adult was banging on her back door and refusing to leave. The home owners did not know the subject and had never seen him before. Officers arrived and contacted the subject in the backyard of the property. The subject said he was there to speak with his girlfriend. He then changed his story and said he was waiting for his boss. The subject was not making sense and was confused as to why he was there. The subject's behavior was indicative of a mental health issue. It was determined he needed to be evaluated by a mental health professional and was transported to a local facility for treatment.

Domestic Violence – Suspect Arrested
February 5 at 7:59 p.m., a domestic dispute was reported in the 500 block of E. Colorado. A male caller requested officers remove his girlfriend from the apartment. Officers arrived and discovered a male and female had been involved in an altercation. An investigation was conducted and the female subject was ultimately arrested and taken into custody.

Driving Under the Influence – Suspect Arrested
February 6 at 1:00 a.m., an officer was patrolling the area around Olive and Ivy when he saw a driver commit several traffic violations. A traffic stop was initiated and the driver displayed symptoms of being under the influence of alcohol. An investigation was conducted and the driver was arrested for DUI. He was transported to a local hospital for a blood draw before being transported to the Monrovia Police Department jail.

Warrant – Suspect Arrested
February 6 at 8:19 p.m., an officer saw a subject near the intersection of Primrose and Huntington he recognized from previous encounters. An investigation revealed he had an outstanding warrant for his arrest. The suspect was arrested and taken into custody.

Warrant – Suspect Arrested
February 6 at 9:24 p.m., an officer responded to the Redondo Beach Police Department regarding a suspect in their custody who had an outstanding warrant for his arrest out of our city. The officer confirmed the suspect’s identity and took custody of him. He was transported to the Monrovia Police Department jail.

Resist / Delaying a Peace Officer
February 7 at 1:20 a.m., a traffic stop was conducted near the intersection of Duarte and Alamitas for a traffic violation. During the stop, the driver lied about his identity and provided a false name to the officer. He had been cited an hour prior by another agency using the same false name. The officer was able to locate documents that showed the subject's true identity. He was arrested and taken into custody.

Injury Traffic Collision
February 7 at 12:58 p.m., a bicycle traveling west through the alley between Lime and Palm did not look before crossing the street and didn't see the vehicle traveling north on Alta Vista. The bicyclist tried to swerve but struck the side view mirror of the vehicle. Officers arrived and conducted an investigation. He had suffered a minor injury to his nose and was treated by paramedics. The driver of the vehicle was unlicensed and he subsequently received a citation before his vehicle was impounded.

Fraud
February 7 at 2:47 p.m., a victim from the 800 block of W. Duarte came in to report a financial account had been compromised. She had no idea how anyone got into the account because she still has her debit card in possession. This investigation is continuing.

Fraud
February 7 at 2:53 p.m., the victim residing in the 200 block of W. Cypress came in to report her financial account had been compromised. This investigation is continuing.

Theft
February 7 at 4:30 p.m., a theft was reported in the 700 block of W. Huntington. The victim was fueling up her vehicle at a gas station when a male subject got into her vehicle, stole her purse, and other belongings. He ran and got into a silver Honda Accord which fled west on Huntington with a female driver. Officers reviewed surveillance footage and were able to get a license plate on the suspect vehicle. It appears the suspect vehicle was waiting in the parking lot just west of the gas station. This investigation is continuing

Residential Burglary
February 7 at 5:07 p.m., a victim called to report her residence in the 100 block of W. Hillcrest had been burglarized. The officer arrived and conducted an investigation. The point of entry appears to have been a laundry room window. The suspect(s) took a camera and some keys. This investigation is continuing.

Shoplifting
February 7 at 5:51 p.m., an employee at a business in the 700 block of E. Huntington called to report that a male subject came into the location and took merchandise. They have surveillance footage of the suspect in the store and leaving with stolen merchandise. This investigation is continuing.

Fire Assist
February 7 at 8:02 p.m., Monrovia Fire Fighters responded to a brush fire near the intersection of California and Evergreen along the outside of the Gold Line landscaping. Upon arrival they saw a male subject wearing a white shirt walking away from the fire. It’s unknown if the subject was involved in setting the fire or if the fire was intentionally set. Officers were unable to locate the subject. This investigation is continuing.

Attempt Commercial Burglary – Suspect Arrested
February 8 at 5:01 a.m., officers responded to a burglary alarm at a business in the 700 block of E. Huntington. The alarm company advised a suspect was seen on camera attempting to break through the store's front window. Officers arrived and detained a female suspect. It appears she was trying to ram the glass windows with a shopping cart. She was arrested and taken into custody.

Grand Theft Auto
February 8 at 6:40 a.m., a caller stated that his vehicle had been stolen from an apartment building in the 200 block of W. Pomona. He parked it the night before and realized in the morning that he no longer had his keys. He believes he had dropped them upon arriving to the complex. Officers reviewed surveillance footage and were able to see the suspect take the vehicle. This investigation is continuing.

Injury Traffic Collision
February 8 at 11:34 a.m., a traffic accident was reported in the intersection of Magnolia and Olive with one of the vehicles rolled onto its side. Officers arrived and all the occupants of the vehicle had exited safely. After speaking with the involved parties they concluded the collision occurred when one of the vehicles failed to stop at a posted stop sign. The injured parties were treated by paramedics and transported to a local hospital. The driver at fault was issued a citation.

Indecent Exposure – Suspect Arrested
February 8 at 11:53 a.m., an employee from a business in the 200 block of W. Huntington called to report a transient inside with his hands down his pants. After being told to leave he exposed himself as he was walking out of the store. Officers located him a short distance away. He was arrested.

Vandalism
February 8 at 4:13 p.m., a victim called to report his vehicle had been vandalized while parked in the 600 block of E. Foothill. He had parked his vehicle in a rear parking lot of a business. The officer arrived and saw the front passenger window was shattered. Nothing was missing from the vehicle. This investigation is continuing.

Warrants – Suspects Arrested
February 8 at 8:04 p.m., officers responded to a gas station in the 1500 block of S. Myrtle regarding two male suspects who had stolen some items. Both suspects fled on foot towards the Gold Line and were detained by officers on the platform. Further investigation revealed that both suspects had no bail felony warrants for their arrests. Both suspects were arrested and taken into custody.

Fraud
February 9 at 8:36 a.m., victims residing in the 400 block of W. Walnut came in to report fraudulent activity on their debit account. It is unknown how someone got their information and they did not give anyone else permission to use their account. This investigation is continuing.

Fraud
February 9 at 10:51 a.m., a female came into the Monrovia Police Department lobby to report her debit account had been compromised and used without her permission. She had paperwork showing several transactions that she said she did not do. It is unknown how someone got her information. This investigation is continuing

Failure to Yield – Suspect Arrested
February 9 at 1:31 p.m., an officer observed a vehicle commit a traffic violation near the intersection of Myrtle and Duarte. He attempted to catch up to the vehicle and when he did, he initiated a traffic stop. The vehicle failed to yield and continued westbound on Duarte. After a couple of blocks, the vehicle turned into a gas station in Arcadia and the driver put his hands out of the window immediately. A high risk stop was performed and the driver was detained without incident. He was arrested and released with a citation at the scene for evading and the other traffic violations. His vehicle was also impounded.

Warrant – Suspect Arrested
February 9 at 4:05 p.m., a citizen phoned in regarding a suspicious person near the intersection of Mayflower and Evergreen. When officers arrived, they recognized the male subject as being the same subject that ran from them the week prior. He took off running when he saw the officers. A foot pursuit ensued and they eventually detained the subject without incident. He had warrants and a parole hold. He was arrested and taken into custody.

Dinner at Viet Phomula

Dinner at Viet Phomula, on the north side of Lemon just east of Myrtle. Got the BBQ Pork Pho for $14 and a Vietnamese Coffee for $5. Pho was good and the coffee delicious. 

- Brad Haugaard 

Buttercup Ready to Live a Cozy Indoor Life


Four-year-old Buttercup came to us as a stray cat with a litter of kittens. Now, she’s ready to live a cozy indoor life! Buttercup is a little shy at first and needs some time to adjust to new people and surroundings, but once she does, her affectionate side starts to show. Buttercup enjoys head scratches and petting, and purrs a lot when she gets attention. She even gives a gentle head butt when she wants more pets, and is learning to play with toys!

The adoption fee for cats is $100. 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 an adoption appointment at pasadenahumane.org. Adoptions are by appointment only, and new adoption appointments are available every Sunday and Wednesday at 10:00 a.m.

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

- Brad Haugaard

A Moment in Monrovia History: Banana Avenue, Now Hillcrest

Postcard showing 115 E. Hillcrest at right. Left is Bynum at 101 E. Hillcrest. Looking west from east of Myrtle Ave. From the Monrovia Legacy Project collection. See full details here.

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.

- Brad Haugaard

School Board: Average Daily Attendance for Monrovia Schools; February to be Named Black History Month

At its next meeting (agenda: https://tny.im/IYZwx) the Monrovia Board of Education will ...

~ Receive a report on the Average Daily Attendance for Monrovia Schools for the 2021-22 school year. It's 4,741.68. https://tny.im/ezFYe

~ Recognize February 2022 as Black History Month. https://tny.im/1XnhG

~ Honor February Employees of the Month:

  • Kristine Gomez-Brenes, clerical assistant at Clifton
  • Raul Ochoa, teacher at Clifton
  • Araceli Briones, secretary at Monrovia High
  • Peter Davis, teacher at Monrovia High

~ Congratulate the Monrovia High 2021 Boys Varsity Football team on a championship season.

- Brad Haugaard