Monrovia's Senator on the Budget Process | Monroe Cottage

~ Video: Senator Bob Huff, who represents Monrovia, in his weekly Capitol Comment, on the budget process. He predicts a balanced budget based on all taxes and no cuts.

~ Profile of the "Monroe Cottage," built by Monrovia founder William N. Monroe. http://goo.gl/03qvV

 
- Brad Haugaard

The Best-Selling Item at Monrovia-Based Trader Joe's Markets Is ...

The CEO of Monrovia-based Trader Joe's says his favorite product (because it is the customers' favorite) is Charles Shaw wine (aka "Two-Buck Chuck"). It is the stores' best-selling product. http://goo.gl/NwFSD

- Brad Haugaard

Hot Rods for Monrovia's Unity Center

Hot rodders help Foothill Unity Center. Some nice car pix at the link. http://goo.gl/kH0Dj

 
- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia School Board May Adopt Official Paint, Allow Pay-by-Work for Baseball League, Etc.

At its March 28 meeting (agenda: http://goo.gl/TbR9B ) the Monrovia School Board will consider, among other things, ...

 

~ adopting Dunn-Edwards as the standard paint for the district. Yeah, really. Because it matches the paint used on the new construction. http://goo.gl/ef3Lq

 

~ revising its recently adopted policy on charging for the use of school facilities to allow in-kind work as payment. http://goo.gl/vEFrn

 

~ signing a memo of understanding with the Monrovia Youth Baseball League allowing it to take advantage of the previous item by letting the league to use school facilities if it works on the school fields. http://goo.gl/O2rlt

 

~ adopting a three-year technology plan (July 1, 2012 through June 30, 2015). http://goo.gl/1iwjO

 

~ instituting bus fees ( http://goo.gl/5IvHX ) and rules regarding staff use of mobile cellular devices ( http://goo.gl/8fvsG ).

 

- Brad Haugaard

Gold Line Prep Work in Monrovia | Astronomy

~ Some prep work for the Gold Line maintenance yard will take place March 26 (Monday), 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. that will affect    Duarte Road (along the railroad tracks) from Mayflower Avenue to Mountain Avenue, and the railroad grade-crossings at Mayflower Avenue, Magnolia Avenue, Myrtle Avenue, California Avenue, Shamrock Avenue, and Mountain Avenue. http://goo.gl/KuP4c

 

~ Astronomy on the sidewalk in Old Town. http://goo.gl/dajEy

 

- Brad Haugaard

No More Freeway Closures Anticipated

No more freeway closures for Gold Line bridge anticipated. Gold Line spokesman Habib Balian:

I am ... pleased to announce that the I-210 Bridge temporary false-work is now complete and work has begun on the form-work for the superstructure. The false-work construction took several months and required more than 20 full eastbound closures of the I-210 Freeway. Skanska has done an outstanding job to complete a very challenging element of the overall project, under conditions that are much less than ideal. Above, you can see the tremendous work that has been done over the last eight months. The photo ... provides a unique perspective, looking down on the deck of the false-work where the superstructure will be formed and placed over the next several months.

- Brad Haugaard

Lunch at Popeyes

Lunch at Popeyes at Huntington and Magnolia. Fast food for sure. It's kind of like KFC with Cajun overtones. Got the jambalaya. Okay. Stole some of my wife's chicken and fries. Think of KFC food but with some mild spice.
- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Senator Slams 'Sham' Budget

In this video State Senator Bob Huff, who represents Monrovia, slams a "sham budget" and a secretive legislative approval process. http://goo.gl/pBPf7

- Brad Haugaard

Manzanar Author to Speak at Monrovia Library

On April 14 at 1 p.m. the author of "Farewell to Manzanar," Jeanne Wakatsuki Houston, will speak at the Monrovia Library about the three years she spent in a United States internment camp during World War II. http://goo.gl/JRuXX

- Brad Haugaard

No Hunger Games for Bradoaks Students | Art Award Winners

~ Monrovia School District cancels field trip for Bradoaks students to see Hunger Games: http://goo.gl/RJvMO

 

~ Monrovia Association of Fine Arts awards Donna Baker its Renaissance Award and Betsy Matz wins the Hearts in the Arts award. http://goo.gl/zPJ9o

 

- Brad Haugaard

Police Pick up Trophy | Tiger Mosquitoes | Monrovia Today | World Vision

~ The Monrovia Police Department has a new trophy for its cabinet. On March 12, Councilmember Larry Spicer and Police Chief Jim Hunt went to the annual California Police Chief Symposium in Sacramento to pick up the department's James Q. Wilson Award. 

 

~ Invasive Asian tiger mosquitoes are back. They're little black and white guys. Last reported in El Monte, South El Monte, and unincorporated area just south of Duarte. They seem to be reviving as the weather warms. If you see any, call San Gabriel Valley Mosquito & Vector Control District at (626) 814-9466 ( http://goo.gl/kQGVP ).  And here's a flyer: http://goo.gl/wAUxW

 

~ The April-June edition of Monrovia Today is on the way, heading for your mailbox.

 

~ Monrovia's World Vision says food running out in African country of Niger. http://goo.gl/nc5qp

 

- Brad Haugaard

Children's Slide to be Removed from Monrovia's Library Park

The children's slide will be removed from Library Park by next Thursday, according to the City Manager's weekly report ( http://goo.gl/kQGVP ). Here's why:

Unfortunately we have been informed by our playground equipment contractor that the slide in Library Park has a manufacturer's defect and must be taken out.  It seems that without some sort of covering around the top of the "bigger kids" slide, it makes it too easy to climb up the slide, which is potentially dangerous for small children.  The slide is closed now, and will be removed by the contractor next Thursday, March 29.  In addition, a dying Silver Maple tree, located at the edge of the playground area, will be removed as well.  We are looking at replacing the tree, as well as the slide (with a piece of equipment that is compatible).  Whatever happened to the good old days when getting cuts and bruises in the playground was all part of the fun of being at the park??

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Police: Police Look for D Man, Meth, Gun Safety

[Monrovia Police activities from the Police Department's Neighborhood Watch Report for  March 19-21. - Brad Haugaard]

During the last seven-day period, the Police Department handled 403 service events, resulting in 93 investigations.  

Possible Vehicle Tampering

March 20 at 4:39 p.m., officers were dispatched to the 700 block of West Chestnut regarding possible vehicle tampering.  The reporting party noticed a subject sticking his head into a vehicle in a carport and believed the subject was looking for something to take.  When the reporting party confronted the subject, he walked out of the carport area and out to the street.  The subject fled on foot, dumping his bicycle, when an officer arrived in the area.  The officer ordered the subject to stop, but he ran.  Containment was established, but the suspect was not located.  The suspect is described as a male Hispanic, mid-twenties, dark shirt, dark blue basketball-style shorts, shaved head with a tattoo of the letter "D" on the top of his head.  Investigation continuing.

Possession of Narcotics - Suspect Arrested

March 21 at 3:36 a.m., an officer on patrol observed a suspicious subject riding a bicycle in the area of Magnolia and Palm.  When the officer attempted to stop the subject for a traffic violation, the subject tried to evade the officer.  The subject was detained in the 200 block of West Palm.  During a consent search of the subject, a baggie of methamphetamine was found in the subject's shoe.  The suspect was arrested.

Tip of the Week: Gun Safety

Even if your family doesn't have a gun in the home, chances are that your child will come in contact with a gun at some time during his or her childhood. Relatives and neighbors own guns that are probably hidden, but children may find them.  Children are exposed to guns early on from television, cartoons and movies, arousing their natural curiosity.  The best safety measure for gun safety in the home is to avoid having one in your home. However, if you already own a gun or plan to purchase one in the future, following the guidelines below can help protect your family's health and safety. 

If you own a gun:

 - Always keep your gun unloaded and locked up.

- Lock and store bullets in a separate location.

- Make sure children do not have access to the gun lock keys.

 

If you do not own a gun:

- Talk with your children about the risk of gun injury outside the home in places where they may visit and play.

- Tell your children to stay away from guns when they are in the homes of their friends.

- Speak with the parents of your children's friends to determine whether or not they have a gun in the home.

- If they do, urge them to empty it out and lock it up.

Wind Damage Reimbursement Instructions

If you'd like to get reimbursed from Southern California Edison for damage during the recent windstorm, here are instructions: http://goo.gl/eYFoO
 

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Assemblyman: Job Loss as State Implements Cap and Trade

Assemblyman Tim Donnelly, who represents part of Monrovia, writes on Facebook that he heard Lord Monckton (a British politician: http://goo.gl/D9W2X) testify that global warming is false at a hearing in Sacramento today. Here's Donnelly's comment:

Just listened to Lord Mockton eviscerate the Global Warming hysteria as a massive FRAUD. As California implements a Cap & Trade program under AB32 (administered by CARB), energy prices including gasoline prices will do nothing but rise, while businesses who fall under this regulation continue to flee this environmental extremist regime, costing us an estimated 485,000 jobs. Really made a compelling case that it is immoral to attempt to reverse the natural cycle of warning and cooling that has gone on for centuries.

 

- Brad Haugaard