A Moment in Monrovia History: Monrovia orange groves and mountains

A color postcard from 1908 showing Monrovia orange groves, rooftops, and the mountains to the north, sent to Mrs. Loomis in Diamond Springs, Kansas. From the Kim Anderson 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

Protesters object to Trader Joe’s relationship with chicken farm

About a dozen protesters from the animal activist network, Direct Action Everywhere, showed up in front of Trader Joe’s headquarters in Monrovia today to protest the company’s relationship with Petaluma Poultry, which the protesters say mistreat its chickens.

- Brad Haugaard

People purchased 'ice scrapers' at Monrovia Home Depot to protest ICE raid

CBS LA posted video (here) of people protesting the ICE raid in the parking lot of the Monrovia Home Depot by purchasing what they called "ice scrapers" from the store, although several of those commenting on the video said they were putty knives.

- Brad Haugaard

Foothill Unity Center plans European-style holiday market and toy drop-off

Foothill Unity Center will hold a European-style holiday market toy drop-off event - drop off a toy and enjoy cider, sweets and snacks. The toy fundraiser will be held Dec. 6 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 790 W. Chestnut Ave.

- Brad Haugaard

LEGO Free Play for children at Library, Nov. 26

LEGO Free Play for children ages 2 to 12, Nov. 26 from noon to 2 p.m. in the Library Story Room. Participants can build and play with LEGO bricks provided by the Library. Details. 

- Brad Haugaard

Introductory ukelele lessons Dec. 6 at Library

Introductory ukulele lesson for teens and adults, Dec. 6 from 2 to 3 p.m. in the Library Story Room. Participants will learn basic chords and songs using Library-provided instruments or their own. Registration required. Held in partnership with Monrovia Music Academy. Details.

- Brad Haugaard

Wheelhouse Ceramics sale set for Dec. 6

The annual ceramic sale hosted by Wheelhouse Ceramics will take place Saturday, Dec. 6, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Santa Fe Computer Science Magnet School gym. The event features locally made ceramic art and community support and is sponsored by the Monrovia Schools Foundation, and the Community Adult School.

- Brad Haugaard

Thanksgiving week: Trash collection delayed, no street sweeping, no parking enforcement

Waste collection will be delayed and street sweeping paused for Thanksgiving week. Residential waste collection scheduled for Nov. 27 and 28 will be pushed back one day, Thursday to Friday and Friday to Saturday. No street sweeping or parking enforcement Nov. 24–28. 

- Brad Haugaard

Kiwanis Sponsoring Christmas Concert Dec. 11

Monrovia Kiwanis Club will host its annual Citrus Singers Christmas Concert on Dec. 11 at the DoubleTree Hotel. The event begins with an 11:30 a.m. champagne social, followed by a noon luncheon and holiday performance. Tickets are $65 and available at the door or in advance through the club.

- Brad Haugaard

2025 Monrovia Christmas tree ornament now available

The 2025 Christmas ornament, "Monrovia Merriment," by Karen Drylie, is now available at City Hall or the Monrovia Store for $17. The double-sided ceramic keepsake features Library Park fountain. 

- Brad Haugaard

Coming Up in Monrovia

Low-stimulation morning for neurodivergent children Nov. 22

Hands-on creative play for kids during Thanksgiving break, Nov. 24

Children can create Thanksgiving craft at Library, Nov. 25

LEGO Free Play for children at Library, Nov. 26 ＋

Small Business Saturday Nov. 29

Garden Club Christmas party Dec. 2

Winter Adult Craft Night at the Library, Dec. 2

Monrovia Christmas Parade Dec. 4

Wheelhouse Ceramics sale set for Dec. 6

Introductory ukelele lessons Dec. 6 at Library

Boys & Girls Club Festival of Trees on Dec. 6

San Gabriel Valley Choral Company free caroling event Dec. 7

'Let it Snow,' an evening of winter songs, Dec. 13

- Brad Haugaard

Protest planned at Trader Joe's Headquarters

Members of the animal activist network, Direct Action Everywhere (DxE), will hold a protest at Trader Joe’s Monrovia headquarters, at 800 S. Shamrock Ave., on Nov. 24-25, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on both days. The demonstration is to protest the company's relationship with Petaluma Poultry, which the group accuses of cruelty to chickens. DxE is particularly objecting to the verdict in the trial (news account here) of Zoe Rosenberg, whom the group said was rescuing suffering chickens, but whom a jury found guilty. She faces anything from probation to 4-1/2 years in prison.

- Brad Haugaard

Dinner at TK Cafe Hawaiian BBQ

Dinner at TK Cafe Hawaiian BBQ, in the Vons shopping center at the corner of Foothill and Myrtle. Got the mahi-mahi plate for $14.98 and a soda for $1.98. (There are also veggies under the fish.) Nice, and they definitely do not skimp. I’ve got enough for a couple more meals.

- Brad Haugaard 

Monrovia Police: Drug package misdelivered; Careless pedestrian struck crossing street; Woman assaulted, wallet stolen; Vehicle runs into wash in Canyon Park

[Monrovia Police activities from the Police Department's Neighborhood Watch Report for November 13 – 19. - Brad Haugaard]

During this period the Police Department handled 417 service events, resulting in 77 investigations.

Trespass – Suspect Arrested
November 12 at 4:43 a.m., a caller in the 100 block of W. Pomona reported a trespasser was being followed by security. Officers arrived and located the subject. He was arrested and taken into custody.

Suspicious Circumstances
November 13 at 5:20 a.m., a passerby reported a fire in the 1600 block of S. Magnolia. Officers arrived and located a group of individuals, but were unable to locate a fire. The subjects were found to be in possession of stolen property.

Non-Injury Traffic Collision
November 13 at 7:35 a.m., a semi-truck in the 100 block of W. Pomona sheared a fire hydrant. The fire department and public works responded.

Drug Offense – Suspect Arrested
November 13 at 9:00 a.m., multiple callers in the 100 block N. Encinitas reported a suspicious person. Officers arrived and made contact with the subject. An investigation revealed he was in possession of a controlled substance. He was arrested and taken into custody.

Traffic Collision
November 13 at 4:25 p.m., a traffic collision between a pedestrian and a vehicle was reported. Officers arrived and made contact with the parties involved. An investigation revealed the pedestrian ran across lanes without checking traffic and was struck by a vehicle. This investigation is continuing.

Warrant / Drug Offense – Suspect Arrested
November 14 at 12:16 a.m., officers patrolling a park in the 1600 block of S. Myrtle saw a subject in the park after hours. Officers made contact with the subject. A computer search revealed he had warrants for his arrest. He was arrested and taken into custody.

Warrant / Drug Offense – Suspect Arrested
November 14 at 3:03 a.m., while patrolling the 2800 block of S. Peck officers saw a vehicle in violation of a parking code. Officers made contact with the single occupant. A computer search revealed he had a warrant for his arrest and further investigation revealed he was in possession of a controlled substance. He was arrested and taken into custody.

Vandalism
November 14 at 8:12 a.m., a security guard for a building in the 1300 block of S. Mountain reported seeing a subject throw an object at a window and shattering it. Officers arrived, but the subject was gone prior to their arrival. This investigation is continuing.

Drug Trafficking
November 14 at 1:41 p.m., a resident walked into the MPD lobby to report receiving a package containing a controlled substance. This investigation is continuing.

Injury Traffic Collision
November 14 at 3:58 p.m., a traffic collision was reported in the 500 block of S. Ivy. Officers arrived and made contact with the parties involved. One of the parties complained of pain and received treatment.

Warrant Arrest – Suspect Arrested
November 14 at 5:28 p.m., an employee from a business in the 500 block of W. Huntington reported a female subject causing a disturbance inside. Officers arrived and made contact with her. A computer search revealed she had a warrant for her arrest. She was arrested and taken into custody.

Structure Fire
November 15 at 11:38 p.m., several callers in the 500 block of W. Duarte reported a residential fire. Officers arrived and evacuated residents in the home and nearby. MFD and Arcadia FD responded and extinguished the fire. No injuries were reported. This investigation is continuing.

Missing Person / Missing Located
November 16 at 6:14 p.m., an officer responded to a facility in the 100 block of N. Ivy regarding a runaway juvenile. Officers arrived and checked nearby locations. She was located later that night and removed from the missing person’s computer system.

Commercial Burglary
November 16 at 6:15 p.m., an employee from a business in the 100 block of E. Pomona reported a burglary. Officers arrived and determined merchandise was taken. This investigation is continuing.

Robbery
November 16 at 9:15 p.m., officers conducted a welfare check on a female subject in the 400 block of W. Foothill. Upon contact officers learned she had been assaulted and her wallet had been stolen. This investigation is continuing.

Structure Fire
November 16 at 9:39 p.m., multiple callers in the 200 block of W. Central reported a structure fire. Officers arrived and located the fire. The structure was evacuated while officers were extinguishing the fire. This investigation is continuing.

Drug Activity – Suspect Arrested
November 17 at 7:59 a.m., a business owner in the 100 block of Railroad reported two subjects sleeping in front of the business and blocking the path. Officers arrived and made contact with both subjects. One of the subject’s was found to be in possession drug paraphernalia. He was arrested, cited, and released at the scene.

Overdose
November 17 at 8:17 a.m., a mother on Ivy reported her juvenile child attempted to harm themselves. Officers and paramedical arrived and transported her to a medical facility for treatment.

Vandalism
November 17 at 9:30 a.m., a victim in the 200 block of E. Olive reported a window to his vehicle smashed. This investigation is continuing.

Theft
November 17 at 1:13 p.m., an employee from a business in the 700 block of E. Olive reported a theft. Officers arrived and learned that the suspect was confronted by an employee and the suspect returned one of the items, but fled with the rest. This investigation is continuing.

Forgery
November 17 at 2:56 p.m., a victim in the 200 block of S. Ivy reported the check he mailed was intercepted and fraudulently cashed by an unknown subject. This investigation is continuing.

Mail Theft
November 17 at 7:10 p.m., mail theft was reported at a residence in the 200 block of W. Pomona. This investigation is continuing.

Mental Evaluation
November 17 at 7:29 p.m., officers were dispatched to a block on South Peck regarding a welfare check on a juvenile subject. Officers arrived and made contact her. It was determined she was a danger to herself. She was transported to a medical facility for a mental evaluation.

Warrant Arrest – Suspect Arrested
November 18 at 1:28 a.m., while patrolling the area of Myrtle and Evergreen an officer made contact with a female subject. A computer search revealed she had warrants for her arrest. She was arrested and taken into custody.

Hit and Run Traffic Collision
November 18 at 11:46 a.m., a victim in the 1600 block of S. Mountain reported his parked vehicle was crashed into, but no note was left behind. This investigation is continuing.

Trespass – Suspect Arrested
November 18 at 4:14 p.m., a caller in the 1600 block of S. Magnolia reported a female subject was trespassing. Officers arrived and located her a short distance away. A computer search revealed she had a warrant for her arrest. She was arrested and taken into custody.

Non-Injury Traffic Collision
November 18 at 4:44 p.m., a vehicle in the 1200 block of N. Canyon was driving through Canyon Park and took the turn out to the Trask Park over the short bridge when she accidentally accelerated instead of breaking. The driver lost control of the vehicle and struck a picnic table and moving it over so her vehicle could launch into the wash area. The driver was not hurt and was able to get out of the vehicle. The heavy crane was called in to lift the vehicle out.

Hit and Run Traffic Collision
November 18 at 6:42 p.m., a resident from the 1600 block of S. Mayflower came into the MPD lobby to report a hit and run that occurred earlier in the day. The reporting party stated he was visiting a friend at the complex and parked his vehicle in front of one of the units. At one point he observed a truck near his vehicle and when he later walked out to his car, there was damage. This investigation is continuing.

Grand Theft
November 19 at 6:16 a.m., a victim in the 800 block of E. Lemon reported the catalytic converter to his vehicle stolen. This investigation is continuing.

Identity Theft
November 19 at 7:03 a.m., a resident walked into the MPD lobby to report his identity stolen. This investigation is continuing.

Drug Activity
November 19 at 10:19 a.m., while patrolling the 1600 block of S. Mountain an officer saw a subject inhaling a controlled substance. The officer made contact with the subject. An investigation revealed the subject was in possession of a controlled substance. He was arrested, cited and released at the scene.

Grand Theft

November 19 at 12:27 p.m., an employee from a business in the 400 block of W. Foothill reported a customer walked in and stole her cellphone from the front counter and left the location. This investigation is continuing.

Non-Injury Traffic Collision
November 19 at 12:49 p.m., a solo vehicle traffic collision was reported in the 400 block of W. Huntington. Officers arrived and made contact with the driver. No injuries were reported.

Runaway Juvenile
November 19 at 3:28 p.m., a female juvenile was reported as a runaway from the 100 block of W. Foothill. Officers arrived and were unable to locate her. She was entered as a runaway. This investigation is continuing.

Hit and Run Traffic Collision
November 19 at 3:50 p.m., a witness in the 300 block of Grand reported a vehicle sideswiped a parked vehicle and fled. Officers arrived and located the possible suspect vehicle abandoned. This investigation is continuing.

Theft
November 19 at 4:16 p.m., a victim in the 800 block of W. Huntington reported his bicycle stolen. This investigation is continuing.

Proposed assessment district voted down

The proposed Citywide Lighting, Landscaping, and Parks Maintenance Assessment District did not win voter approval and will not be implemented.

City manager, Dylan Feik reported that of the nearly 4000 ballots cast, 72% were against the proposal.

The proposed district would have replaced two existing assessment districts. With the failure of this measure to win approval, the two existing districts will remain in place.

- Brad Haugaard