Give Your Thoughts on Monrovia Parks

Have thoughts on Monrovia parks? Parks in general, pocket parks, Julian Fisher Park, Station Square Park? Here are some meetings where you can give the city your ideas:
 
Oct. 11 - Community Center (Community Services Commission meeting), 119 W Palm, 7 p.m.

Oct. 12 - Greater Ambassador Church, 420 Monrovista Ave., 7 p.m.

Oct. 24 - Community Center, 119 W Palm, 6:30 p.m.

Oct. 25 - City Hall (Planning Commission Meeting), 415 S. Ivy Ave.,  7:30 p.m.

Nov. 8 - Community Center (Community Services Commission meeting),119 W Palm, 7 p.m.

- Brad Haugaard

Hammond's Plan for Monrovia Schools

Monrovia School Board candidate (and former mayor) Rob Hammond, has sent out a mailer saying the way to improve Monrovia schools is to persuade students living in Monrovia to attend Monrovia schools (school districts get paid by the state on a per-student basis) by "expanding, not cutting" music, arts and vocational programs. Last year, he said, the district lost $1 million because 112 students went to other districts. Hammond said he'd like to create focus groups at each school to make sure the district is offering what the community wants.

NOTE: I'd be happy to report news from any other school board candidates as well. Just let me know.

- Brad Haugaard

Old Monrovia is Magazine's Cover Story

Old town Monrovia is featured as the cover article in the magazine, "Redevelopment." http://goo.gl/7c46X

 

- Brad Haugaard

Gold Line Gets $6 Million from Federal Government

According to Gold Line spokesman Habib Balian, the federal government is giving the line approximately $6 million "for bus/pedestrian interface enhancements around the future Gold Line stations from Arcadia to Azusa." This is in addition to $3 million that was allocated "to study how such enhancements would be integrated into the station areas."

 

- Brad Haugaard (from press release)

Acapulco Restaurant Owner Files for Bankruptcy

Real Mex, the corporate owner of the Acapulco restaurants (Monrovia has an Acapulco) has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy and hopes to find a buyer for the chain. It says people aren't eating out as often in the current economy. Real Mex also owns Chevys and El Torito. http://goo.gl/AQiMZ

 

Opinion: Sad. In addition to the economy, I suspect that the competition among Mexican-style restaurants is ferocious.

 

- Brad Haugaard

Rain in Monrovia: Sand Bags and Mosquitos

~ If you are nervous about the rain, the city is passing out free sandbags and sand. The sand is available at Recreation Park, between the parking lot and tennis courts on Olive Ave. The bags may be obtained from 7 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Monday-Thursday at the City Yard, 600 S. Mountain Ave. (across from the park) and after 5:30 on Fridays and weekends at Fire Station 101, on Lemon Ave. between Myrtle and Ivy. Bring your own shovel to fill the sandbags. http://goo.gl/xp4YK

 

~ After the rains are over, make sure to empty standing water from containers. The San Gabriel Valley Mosquito and Vector Control is trying to prevent the spread of the invasive tiger mosquito. More hints here: http://goo.gl/n7KPT

 

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Survey: Let's Get a Bookstore or Housewares Store

A Monrovia city survey (though of a very small sample, 24) shows most people (i.e. 5 people) want a bookstore and the second most (3) want a housewares store like Crate and Barrel or Williams-Sonoma. http://goo.gl/bNkub

 

- Brad Haugaard

Portantino Claims Victory Over Speaker of Assembly

The staff of Assemblyman Anthony Portantino, who represents part of Monrovia, will not be furloughed. Portantino is claiming victory in his dispute with Assembly Speaker Perez, who ordered the furlough after saying Portantino had overspent on office expenses. Portantino denied that, saying he didn't overspend and the layoff was because he voted against Governor Brown's budget. Here is Portantino's letter:

 

“This afternoon I received a letter from Speaker Perez indicating that the staff of the 44th Assembly District would no longer face unprecedented furloughs.

  

Though I am thrilled for my staff and district, I am disappointed that the Speaker is holding on to the delusion that this was anything but retaliation for my independent budget vote. 

  

It never made any sense to single out my staff and the half-million residents of the 44th A.D. because I voted my conscience.

 

As always, I remain committed to fighting for the issues that I care about and I’m glad we can now focus on taking care of business.”

 

- Brad Haugaard (from Portantino press release)

Monrovia PD Rounding Up Old Prescription Drugs

The Monrovia Police Department is taking back unwanted prescrition drugs on October 29 at the Monrovia Community Center, 119 W. Palm Avenue, in Monrovia, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

 

The Monrovia Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) will give the public an opportunity to prevent pill abuse and theft by ridding their homes of potentially dangerous expired, unused, and unwanted prescription drugs.  Bring your medications to the Monrovia Community Center. The service is free and anonymous, no questions asked. 

 

Medicines that languish in home cabinets are highly susceptible to diversion, misuse, and abuse. Rates of prescription drug abuse in the U.S. are alarmingly high, as are the number of accidental poisonings and overdoses due to these drugs.  Studies show that a majority of abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, including from the home medicine cabinet. In addition, Americans are now advised that their usual methods for disposing of unused medicines—flushing them down the toilet or throwing them in the trash—both pose potential safety and health hazards.

  

- Brad Haugaard (from City of Monrovia press release)

Portantino Challenges Speaker - Again

Assemblyman Anthony Portantino, who represents part of Monrovia, is challenging Assembly Speaker, John Perez, to release information about a transparency task force he, Perez, had created. Portantino wants: to know who is on the task force, when it will next meet ("Thus far," he writes, "There is no evidence that the Task Force has met or is planning on meeting"), and to be assured that the public will be able to give testimony. He says: "There is no doubt that the current effort to keep office budgets secret sends the message that there must be something to hide."

- Brad Haugaard (from Portantino press release)

East Lanes of 210 Closing Tonight | Monrovia Parks Meeting | Monrovia Reads

~ Beginning at 9 p.m. tonight, eastbound lanes will begin to be closed on the 210 near Santa Anita offramp so workers can finish the third foundation pier for the Gold Line bridge. Lanes will be completely closed from midnight to 5 a.m. Oct. 5. http://goo.gl/4EQaE

 

~ Monrovia will hold a "town hall" meeting Oct. 12 to discuss the need for recreational/park space, particularly on the south side of town. 7 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 12, at Greater Ambassador Church, 420 Monrovista Avenue. Call (626) 932-5584 for information.

 

~ Spaghetti Western dinner Oct. 6 to benefit Monrovia Reads. $30. Details here: http://goo.gl/oxo1x

 

- Brad Haugaard

Murder Mystery Benefit Dinner

A dinner murder-mystery to benefit the Foothill Unity Center.

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Fire Department Rescues Collision Victims

Between Sept. 20 and 27, the Monrovia Fire Department responded to 64 emergency calls, including a traffic collision on Sept. 22 in the 700 block of West Duarte Road. Victims were trapped in vehicles and the Fire Department used the Hurst Tool (Jaws of Life) to extricate one victim. All of the victims were treated by paramedics and transported to the hospital.  http://goo.gl/pYhkH

 

- Brad Haugaard

Grand Avenue Park Vandalism

During the past few weeks there has been increasing vandalism at Grand Avenue Park in north Monrovia, including "etching, tagging, burning the plastic surfaces of the playground equipment,etc." The city will sponsor a neighborhood watch meeting to try to catch the vandals. http://goo.gl/pYhkH

 

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia's Year for Business Award?

In his weekly report, City Manager Scott Ochoa writes that he hopes "this is our year" to win the Business-Friendly City award sponsored by  the Los Angeles Economic Development Corporation. He said it has become "an almost annual ritual" for Monrovia to be a finalist, but the city has learned and improved a lot, so "I hope and trust that 2011 is our year!" http://goo.gl/pYhkH

 

- Brad Haugaard