Senator Huff: How About People Voting on Pension Reform, Too?
State Senator Bob Huff - who represents Monrovia - and other Republican senators challenged Governor Brown, saying that if Brown wants the people to vote on keeping the tax he wants, how about letting them also vote on pension reform and a spending cap as well. http://goo.gl/fIQ18 - Brad Haugaard
Monrovia Police: Pursuit, Stalking, Hit and Run, Etc.
[Monrovia Police activities from the Police Department’s Neighborhood Watch Report for June 16-21 – Brad Haugaard]
During the last seven day period, the Police Department handled 540 service events, resulting in 92 investigations. Following are the last week’s highlighted issues and events:
Grand Theft Auto / Residential Burglary / Pursuit – Suspect Arrested
On June 17, 2011, the Special Enforcement Team (SET) received information that a suspect with a stolen vehicle was in the southwest area of our city. Members of SET and patrol responded to the area and found the moving vehicle in the 800 block of West Huntington. The vehicle was being driven by a male adult. Members of the Special Enforcement Team attempted to stop the vehicle. The driver of the vehicle fled from the officers and a short pursuit ensued.
In an effort to evade officers, the fleeing suspect drove at high rates of speed and ran several red lights. The suspect then purposely sideswiped several parked cars on a residential street. He then turned the wrong way on a one way street into oncoming traffic. The suspect slowed down in the 200 block of East Central and then jumped out of the vehicle while it was still moving. A short foot pursuit followed, and the suspect was caught and arrested. The vehicle the suspect was driving had been stolen from Altadena. The vehicle contained personal property which had been stolen in residential burglaries in Altadena and Glendora. The suspect had items stolen from these burglaries on his person when arrested. See Detective Bureau Case Follow-up section below.
Child Annoying / Stalking – Suspect Arrested
July 17 at 10:57 p.m., a 17-year-old female subject ran into a gas station in the 800 block of East Huntington. She asked the clerk for help because she was being followed by a male adult. The police were called. The victim reported that she was walking eastbound on Huntington at Mayflower when a male subject approached her numerous times and kept hugging her. She pushed him away, but he continued to follow her. The suspect also made attempts to pull her into parking lots as she tried to get away. At one point, the suspect approached her and she kicked him in the groin and ran to the gas station.
An officer located the suspect, who was still in the area of Huntington and Mountain, and detained him. The suspect told the officer he had followed the female because she was attractive, and he thought she was flirting with him. He also stated he did not know the victim was a juvenile. The suspect was taken to his vehicle, which he had left parked in the 400 block of West Huntington. Officers searched the suspect’s vehicle, but no additional evidence was located. The suspect was arrested. Information was sent out to police agencies regarding the description of the suspect and vehicle.
Hit and Run Traffic Collision
June 18 at 4:03 p.m., a black Toyota collided into the left side of another vehicle and the driver drove away, west on Huntington, without stopping to exchange information. The victim was able to get the license plate number, which is registered to a residence in the 1600 block of South Mayflower, Monrovia. Officers went to that address, but the vehicle was not there. The investigation is continuing.
Vehicle Burglary
June 21 at 9:05 p.m., a resident in the 300 block of South Fifth reported someone entered his vehicle by prying the door open and then pried open the console. The crime occurred sometime between June 19 and 20. There was no loss.
Vehicle Burglary
June 21 at 11:55 p.m., an officer heard a vehicle alarm activate in the lot across the street from the police station in the 100 block of Lime. He located a vehicle that had a smashed window. He also located two witnesses who were walking through the lot when the crime occurred. The vehicle was registered to a business in the 100 block of East Lime. When the victim arrived, he learned the suspect’s description and realized it matched an employee who had quit his job that same day. Later that day, the victim received a phone call from the ex-employee/suspect. The suspect apologized to the victim and offered to make restitution.
Assault With a Deadly Weapon / Criminal Threat
On June 22 at 11:26 a.m., officers responded to a residence in the 500 block of Almond. The caller reported that his 15-year-old sister had a knife and had threatened to kill him and his other sister. When officers arrived, the subject no longer had the knife. Officers determined crimes had been committed and detained the suspect. She was arrested and brought to the station, and later taken to Eastlake Juvenile Detention Center.
Assault With a Deadly Weapon
June 23 at 5:22 a.m., police received a report of two males fighting at a residence in the 500 block of East Foothill. One of the men threatened the other with a machete and was arrested by officers. There were no injuries.
- Brad Haugaard
Monrovia Coach Quits Because of Parents | School District Cuts Dozens of Employees | Brazing Tool
~ Randy Medina quits as Monrovia softball coach. His staff, too. Says it was because of some parents. http://goo.gl/7u4g4
~ As expected, the Monrovia School Board cut dozens of employees due to budget constraints. http://goo.gl/JiNU2~ Monrovia company, Miyachi Unitec, showcases brazing tool to help make solar panels. http://goo.gl/mbqic
- Brad Haugaard
Monrovia's Assemblyman Pleased About No Pay for Legislators
Assemblyman Tim Donnelly, who represents part of Monrovia, seems pleased with "State Controller John Chiang's decision to uphold State law by withholding the Legislators' pay until they pass a truly balanced budget." He writes that "the people have won this battle," and "it is time for the Legislature to get to work making tough choices to live within our means and stop whining that they will feel the same pressure every Californian feels when the budget is late."Source: http://goo.gl/iroPF - Brad Haugaard
Monrovia Councilman Called to Active Duty | E-Recycling
~ Monrovia City Councilman Shaw has been called onto active duty in the Army. http://goo.gl/iwxT3 ~ There will be an e-recycling event at the corner of Myrtle and W. Pomona Ave. (south of freeway) on July 30, 31, 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. http://goo.gl/3Kwsn - Brad Haugaard
Gold Line and Monrovia Try to Work It Out
It appears both the Gold Line and Monrovia are backing away from a fight.
Gold Line spokesman Habib Balian writes that the Gold Line Construction Authority "has deferred eminent domain action on city/redevelopment agency land" and "has instructed its negotiators to explore with city officials work-arounds that satisfy both City and Authority interests."
Balian said the action was taken in response to the Monrovia City Council tabling any action regarding the proposed Gold Line property acquisition.
"The Authority," he writes, "remains hopeful that negotiations will produce a result that is satisfactory to all parties."
- Brad Haugaard
Gold Line Bridge About to be Built
The Gold Line Construction Authority will begin work on the 210 bridge (just west of the eastbound Santa Anita exit) in the coming weeks.
Here are sections from the press release:
The first step will be to prepare the site and provide access for the large construction equipment. The center median slope will be removed and a temporary retaining wall will be built to support the westbound lanes. This work will take approximately a month to complete. Once the retaining wall is installed, work will begin on the bridge's foundations.
Initial foundation work will consist of drilling several deep steel-reinforced concrete foundations (called piles) ranging in size from 3 to 11 feet in diameter and up to 110 feet below ground. Once the foundations are ready, construction of the bridge structure itself will begin in the Fall. To protect the freeway during the year-long construction, a temporary support (called falsework) will be installed across the eastbound freeway lanes.
As construction begins, the Authority will be preparing bi-weekly construction notices as well as sending construction alerts when eastbound freeway closures are anticipated. Attached is the first bi-weekly notice (for June 27 through July 2011).
To sign up to receive future notices directly, click here ( http://goo.gl/Do5rT ) or keep checking the Authority website for the latest construction news. If you want to receive closure alerts, don't forget to provide your cell phone number.
- Brad Haugaard
Monrovia's AeroVironment Going Strong | Gold Line Analysis
~ Monrovia's AeroVironment fourth quarter profit greater than expected. http://goo.gl/Avq2N ~ Thoughtful news analysis of the Monrovia/Gold Line battle by Patch Editor Nathan McIntire. http://goo.gl/vYWpL - Brad Haugaard
Monrovia's Unity Center to Prep Kids for School
On August 18, Monrovia's Foothill Unity Center will hold its 13th annual Back to School Fair to give 2,000 low-income K-12 students a new backpack, clothing and school supplies, plus, dental screenings, haircuts, manicures, activities, snacks and music. [Cool! That's better than I ever got.] If you can volunteer or donate, call the Unity Center at 626-358-3486.
- Brad Haugaard
Selling Gold? Take Care
With gold at astronomical heights, companies are popping up offering to buy gold. The Monrovia Business License Division wants you to know that legitimate gold businesses must be licensed through the California Department of Justice and the weighing scales should have a blue label from the LA County Department of Agriculture and Measurement Standards. Details here: http://goo.gl/1bLzG
- Brad Haugaard
Gold Line Threatens to Take Monrovia Property
This morning Monrovia received notices of a "Proposed Eminent Domain Proceeding" from the Gold Line Construction Authority, according to Monrovia City Manager Scott Ochoa, writing in his weekly report.
In a nutshell, this means the Gold Line is moving ahead in its plans to take Monrovia property without the approval of the Monrovia City Council. Ochoa said the Gold Line's board will meet on July 5 to consider doing this.
Ochoa adds: "In the shadow of a condemnation action, our willingness and ability to reach out to GLCA is limited at best. Though we still communicate with them about the project, it is becoming more apparent that our interests have diverged."
And, "I am hopeful that an agreement can still be reached that allows Monrovia to sustain the deal that we negotiated in good faith. I am more confident, however, in our ability to effectively defend our community's interests against an action by GLCA."
Source: http://goo.gl/1bLzG
- Brad Haugaard
Eminent Domain Against Monrovia? | Star-News Whacks City Council
Will the Gold Line use eminent domain against Monrovia ( http://goo.gl/txtey )? And today's Star-News editorial whacks Monrovia in its property dispute with the Gold Line: http://goo.gl/yD6Fs
OPINION: While not totally in disagreement with the Star-News editorial, there are three things I'd like to mention in Monrovia's defense:
1. The S-N says Monrovia will benefit from the proposed maintenance yard, which is undoubtedly true, but it will also be hurt by the maintenance yard because - as I seem to recall Councilman Tom Adams saying - part of the land is now private (read "taxable") and once it is transferred to the Gold Line (a governmental entity) it becomes non-taxable, meaning no more tax from that land going to the city from now until, well ... forever.
2. The S-N correctly points out that the maintenance yard could bring jobs and people to Monrovia. Yeah, but if a private developer opened a large business in the same location, that would do the same thing, so I'm not sure there is a net benefit from a maintenance yard.
3. If it is - all things considered - a benefit to Monrovia, why did no other city along the line volunteer to have the yard?
Still, I agree with the general thrust of the editorial, which is that we really need to see this fight resolved.
- Brad Haugaard
UPDATE: Councilman Tom Adams responds:
Brad,
Please keep in mind that there are always alternatives to Monrovia giving in on this.
1) The maintenance of the trains could continue right where it is today, in Los Angeles. That yard serves the MTA rolling stock well and can for many years to come.
2) The yard could be built in one of our neighboring communities rather than our neighbors ganging up on Monrovia and threatening to file a lawsuit for our unwillingness to do what they won't.
As for the S-N talking about jobs, far less will be created at the yard than would be created in a business other than the yard, so Monrovia actually would lose jobs by taking the yard. Taxes, well none will be paid. 50 years from now when someone calls the paramedics to the yard, that cost will be subsidized by the Monrovia taxpayers, no one else.
We all want the Gold Line to come but at what price? Does the S-N and others really think that Monrovia should bear this burden alone? Let's see, Los Angeles says it wants the current yard out of their city, none of the cities on the extension want it, everyone seems to want the yard in Monrovia and they all know at what price we should take what they won't.
I don't think this passes the smell test.
Monrovia Schools 'Qualified' (Not a Good Thing) | 10-Day Pinto Baseball | Business Recycling
~ Monrovia School District assigned "qualified" status, meaning it may not meet financial obligations. http://goo.gl/FdXd7
~ The Monrovia Youth Baseball League is hosting a Regional Pinto Level Baseball Tournament at the Santa Fe Fields featuring over 20 baseball teams from all over. Many parent volunteers have spent many hours making getting the field and the grounds ready. Games start today and last for the next 10 days. (Thanks for the news, Jack).
~ Business Refuse & Recycling Workshop, Monday, June 20, 2011 11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. at the Monrovia Community Center. Details here: http://goo.gl/HWFVZ
- Brad Haugaard
Portantino and Wagner Make Up
A picture ( http://goo.gl/5BwZh ) of Assemblyman Donald Wagner (R) making up with Assemblyman Anthony Portantino (D), who represents part of Monrovia. Wagner compared the budget process to something out of The Sopranos and, as an Italian-American, Portantino objected. Nice to see political foes being personally friendly.
- Brad Haugaard
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