Monrovia School Board Lectures State; Suggests 'Revisiting' Prop 13

At its Feb. 27, 7 p.m. meeting (agenda: http://goo.gl/PtpSl ), the Monrovia School Board will consider sending a message ( http://goo.gl/pHwQz ) to the California state government:

- Stop cutting school budgets.
- Protect school funding for the future. "[R]evisit Proposition 13 and the property tax arena."
- Make sure there are no big gaps between students who get lots of money and others who don't get enough.
- Pay for the stuff you make the school districts do.
- Pay the money you owe to the districts on time.
- Make sure districts know how much money they will get before they have to decide on staffing.
- Give districts a reprieve on testing scores while they are transitioning from the old tests to the new ones.

Opinion: Fat chance, but I would love to see taxing authority returned to local school districts rather than having the districts dependent on whims of the state. I like decisions to be local, and when the state takes over financial control, the local school districts become increasingly like puppets whose strings are jerked in Sacramento and Washington D.C.

- Brad Haugaard

Parry Kicks Off Monrovia Council Race | Youth Leadership Summit | Suspect vs Cement Truck

~ Write-in Monrovia City Council candidate, Robert Parry, will kick off his campaign with a reception at 8 p.m. tomorrow (Saturday, Feb. 23) at Rudy's Restaurant in Old Town. Parry writes, "I anticipate making major announcements about endorsements and supporters."

~ The third annual Monrovia/Duarte Youth Leadership Summit. Details: http://goo.gl/CMHHU

~ A suspect in a La Verne robbery smashed into a cement truck in Monrovia. http://goo.gl/DRQQT

- Brad Haugaard

Lunch at Los Guerros

Lunch at Los Guerros, near the corner of Magnolia and Huntington. Got a carnitas taco and chili relleno combo ($9.95) with iced tea and some made-at-the-table guacamole. Good! Lots of crisp chips to keep you busy as you wait for your food. $30.80 total for two of us. Very good food, and lots of it, and very pleasant service.

- Brad Haugaard

Canada Cops Buy Monrovia Drone | Drug and Sex Offenders in STATE Prison

~ Canada's Royal Canadian Mounted Police is buying a little Qube drone from Monrovia's AeroVironment. http://goo.gl/5k5hu

~ Assemblyman Chris Holden, who represents Monrovia, has introduced a bill that would require criminals convicted of some drug and sex crimes to serve their time in state prison rather than local jails. http://goo.gl/vNrhn

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia's Five Year Plan - The Top Priorities

Here are Monrovia's six priorities for the next five years, selected by the City Council after suggestions from the community.

LONG-TERM FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY Continue to demonstrate long-term fiscal responsibility by balancing the budget through revenue generation, wise use of available funds, building adequate resources and leveraging volunteer support; ensuring expenses are carefully considered and kept in line with revenues.

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT Strengthen Monrovia's economy and tax base through economic development efforts that include proactively retaining and attracting businsses, streamlining permit and plan check processes, and enhancing customer service and a business-friendly reputation.

INFRASTRUCTURE & FACILITY MAINTENANCE Catch up to the extent feasible on the deferred maintenance of City facilities and infrastructure, and develop a program for long-term, ongoing maintenance that includes a system for establishing priorities among projects and maintenance services.

HISTORIC PRESERVATION Maintain our commitment to historical stewardship by preserving historic homes, structures, sites, and districts with sensitivity to neighborhood context.

PUBLIC SAFETY Provide a high level of public safety services through adequate staffing, high-quality personnel, up-to-date technology, and planning in both fire and police departments to assure resources are strategically invested in the highest priority areas.

ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP Maintain our commitment to environmental stewardship by improving our energy efficiency, water and air quality, parks and open space, and our urban-wildland interface.

Source: Monrovia City Newsletter, This Week in Monrovia

- Brad Haugaard

New Art Display | Legislators Legislate | Hong Kong Market

Arrangement with Walnuts and Oranges

~ Paintings by Amanda Fish at Segil Fine Arts, March 2-30, 110 West Lime Ave.

~ Senator Carol Liu, who represents Monrovia, has introduced a bill that defines "fair market value" in sales of unneeded homes by state agencies to mean, "as is." http://goo.gl/nlU0C

~ Assemblyman Chris Holden, who represents Monrovia, has introduced a bill that looks as if it is designed to prevent people from performing architectural services if they are not architects. http://goo.gl/boFCu

~ Pictures of the grand opening of Hong Kong Supermarket, on Duarte Road. http://goo.gl/Dqqqg

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Hazardous Waste Roundup March 2

There will be a Household Hazardous Waste and e-waste roundup at the Park and Ride Lot, Myrtle at Pomona Avenues, on Saturday, March 2 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Police: Window Route Doesn't Work Second Time

[Monrovia Police activities from the Police Department's Neighborhood Watch Report for Feb. 18-20. - Brad Haugaard]

Note: I excluded the explosion on Chestnut as it duplicates a previous post.

Attempted Burglary

February 19 at 3:48 a.m., officers responded to a burglary alarm at an elementary school in the 900 block of East Lemon Avenue. They found an open window in the administration building. The same window was the point of entry for a burglary that occurred the previous night at the school. The suspect did not gain entry this time. The investigation is continuing.

Underground Explosion in Monrovia Closes West Chestnut Ave.

An underground explosion of a utility main prompted the evacuation of businesses and a street closure on West Chestnut Avenue between Fifth Avenue to Monterrey Avenue this morning.

The Monrovia Fire Department received a call at 8:35 a.m. on Thursday morning of steam coming out of a four-foot opening on the street. World Vision, at 800 W. Chestnut Avenue, was temporarily evacuated, and the street.

No residential units were evacuated, and the freeway remained open.

Southern California Edison arrived on scene at 8:45 a.m. and determined that electrical wiring in the vault exploded. Edison isolated the circuit at 9 a.m., and allowed occupants back to their businesses.

The street closure on West Chestnut between Fifth Avenue to Monterey Avenue will remain in effect until further notice. Commuters and residents are asked to take alternative routes to avoid back-up.

Source: Monrovia press release

- Brad Haugaard

Beer Making in Monrovia

Microbreweries interested in starting up in Monrovia. http://goo.gl/v1iYr

- Brad Haugaard

Frost Again | Microsoft Gives to World Vision

~ Frost warning tonight for Monrovia and foothills area. http://goo.gl/kYZNL

~ Microsoft employees gave $105 million to charities in 2012, including to Monrovia-based World Vision. (World Vision also has an office in Washington.) http://goo.gl/i3lYE

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia City Council Candidate Websites

Websites for the three candidates for the Monrovia City Council. http://goo.gl/Jxg83

- Brad Haugaard

Liu: Electronic Library Lending

Senator Carol Liu, who represents Monrovia, has introduced a bill to have the state library delivery system be an electronic "intranet" instead, and open it to schools. Comment: I approve of computerizing things, but how do you deliver a paper book by intranet? http://goo.gl/Omn6J

- Brad Haugaard

Miss LA, Monet Bagneris of Monrovia, Completes Her Term

2012 Miss Los Angeles County, Monet Bagneris of Monrovia, completes her service. http://goo.gl/1IJdZ

- Brad Haugaard

Grading for Monrovia Gold Line Yard Done

Mass grading is now complete for the 24-acre, $160 million Gold Line Operations Campus in Monrovia. FTC crews are now focused on utility relocation and foundation work on the main building. Utility relocation on streets surrounding the campus is also on-going.

Source: Gold Line press release

- Brad Haugaard