Support Education Picnic at Monrovia's Shamrock Park

Twenty third annual family day picnic for HOPE (Helping Others Pursue Education) at Monrovia's Shamrock Park, June 27, 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Details: http://goo.gl/Wwc88S

- Brad Haugaard

Help Monrovia's Mayflower School Win $20k for Playground Equipment

Jennifer Bray reports that the contest for Mayflower School to win $20,000 for new playground equipment ends on Friday, June 26, and "our lead has diminished - we need all the support we can to finish this strong!" You can vote to help Mayflower win,. here: https://www.facebook.com/LetsPlay . More detail here: http://goo.gl/lJipTh

- Brad Haugaard

Whole Foods to Compete Against Monrovia-Based Trader Joe's

Whole Foods is entering the high-quality/small-store market dominated by Monrovia-based Trader Joe's with a new store chain called 365. http://goo.gl/Jub6Oe

- Brad Haugaard

Forum About Serving Low-Income Families | More on Monrovia/Arcadia Street Fair

~ Community members with ideas or concerns about programs and services for local low-income families can share them at a public forum hosted by Foothill Unity Center on Wednesday, June 24, at the Center's Monrovia location, 415 W. Chestnut Ave. Your input helps to establish program priorities for the 2016/2017 Community Action Plan (CAP). For questions, call the Center at 358-3486.

~ More on the Monrovia/Arcadia street fair dust-up, from an Arcadia perspective ( http://goo.gl/vjJwpt ). Comment: The producer of the Monrovia street fair is moving to Arcadia; the Monrovia street fair is not.

- Brad Haugaard

Looking at the Sun in Library Park

New Monrovian Kristin Kyle looks at the sun in Library Park. Brad Hori has his solar telescope out as part of the Charlie Bates Solar Astronomy Project, a solar astronomy outreach project. http://www.solarastronomy.org/

- Brad Haugaard

Get a View of the Heavens Tonight at Myrtle and Lime in Monrovia

Monrovia's Old Town Sidewalk Astronomers will be at Myrtle and Lime from about 8-10 p.m.

"You might have seen that lovely show last night in the western sky put on by the crescent moon, Venus, and Jupiter. We'll get a repeat tonight with a slightly different arrangement. The nearby moon will make a significant move against the background of the distant planets.

"It should also be a great night for Saturn, which is putting on a fabulous show this year. The rings are tilted toward Earth, making it possible to see the Cassini division in Saturn's rings.

"It's going to be hot and clear. Drop by for a look if you can."

- Brad Haugaard

No, Monrovia Street Fair is NOT Moving to Arcadia

A lot of Monrovians on Facebook are really upset about a news article that appears to say that the Monrovia Street Fair is moving to Arcadia. http://goo.gl/7jRjoD

The second paragraph of the article says: "On June 2 the Arcadia City Council unanimously approved the new weekly event that has been in Monrovia for 23 years to now be staged from 5-9 p.m. on Fridays in Arcadia..."

Comment: Uh, no. The Monrovia Street Fair isn't going anywhere.

- Brad Haugaard

School Board: Roof Repair and 2015-16 Budget

At the June 24 Monrovia School Board meeting (agenda: http://goo.gl/2o6NrX ), the board will consider, among other things, ...

- spending $186,787 "for the roof repair, restoration, and replacement at Plymouth Elementary School, Mayflower Elementary School, Canyon Early Learning Center, Santa Fe Middle School, and Monrovia High School." http://goo.gl/ZbiC0M

- adopting the 2015-16 budget. http://goo.gl/g9sA69

- Brad Haugaard

Dinner at Shrimp House

Dinner at the Shrimp House last night, at Myrtle and Live Oak, on the south end of town. Got the seafood sampler plate for $15.99, and a beer for $3.65. The meal came with coleslaw, not shown, and that bowl is rice and beans. It was really quite good. Kind of an old style restaurant but clean and tidy.

- Brad Haugaard

Prayer Vigil Tonight Following Killing of Lajoya McCoy

Following the recent killing in Monrovia of Lajoya McCoy, Rev. Melanie Mays is opening Bethel AME Church tonight for a prayer vigil. The church is at 148 W Lime Avenue. Mays writes that she "would love to have you come and support to help people feel safe." She added that, "Our church has suffered loss that we can not explain away."

- Brad Haugaard

'Blue Boy' Unveiled at Monrovia's Wildrose School

Video of the unveiling of Wildrose School's copy of "The Blue Boy." https://goo.gl/6U1LbT

- Brad Haugaard

'Bluto' Cases Monrovia Bank | 'Athlete of Year' Mosley To State Finals

The "Bluto Bandit" seen casing a bank in Monrovia. http://goo.gl/BqyJTs

Monrovia High's Sydney Mosley goes to CIF State finals and wins "athlete of the year." http://goo.gl/kEfZTJ

- Brad Haugaard

Coming Up in Monrovia

~ June 27 Kattywompus Traditional Music Gathering, in the breezeway behind 412 S Myrtle Ave, 7-9 p.m.

~ June 27 The PG movie Annie at the Monrovia Historic Museum, 742 E Lemon Ave. at 8 p.m. Bring a chair.

~ July 11 The PG movie Maleficent at Rotary Park, 401 S. California; at 8 p.m. Bring a chair.

~ The play, Thoroughly Modern Millie, July 16-19 at The Taylor Performing Arts Center (aka Monrovia High Auditorium), 845 W. Colorado Blvd. Thursday and Friday at 8 p.m.; Saturday 2 and 8 pm and Sunday 4 pm. Tickets at http://www.brownpapertickets.com

~ July 25 Kattywompus Traditional Music Gathering, 7-9 p.m. in the breezeway behind 412 S Myrtle Ave.

~ July 25 MAFA Summer Art Walk in Monrovia Old Town, on the east side of 400 Block of S. Myrtle; 6-10 p.m.

Source: Becky Shevlin's great community calendar

- Brad Haugaard

Jimmy John's Sandwich Shop Coming to Monrovia? Plus a Hot Dog Stand?

It appears there is a Jimmy John's sandwich shop coming to the Huntington Oaks Shopping Center since the city's Design Review Committee is being asked to approve a "Jimmy John's" sign for 672 W. Huntington.

Also, the committee is being asked to approve a hot dog stand out in front of Home Depot. Comment: HD has had a few a hot dog stands there before, and one of them was really good. Get that one back!

Source: http://goo.gl/ILeKsu

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia High Student Selected to Attend Technology Congress in Boston

Samantha Childers, a freshman at Monrovia High, has been nominated to attend the Congress of Future Science and Technology Leaders in Boston on June 28.

The Congress is an honors-only program for high school students who are passionate about science, technology, engineering or mathematics. The event is to honor, inspire, motivate and direct the top students in the country who aspire to be scientists and technologists, to encourage them to stay true to their dream and, after the event, to provide a path, plan and resources to help them reach their goal.

Samantha Childers was nominated by astronaut Buzz Aldrin, Science Director of the National Academy of Future Scientists and Technologists, to represent California based on her academic achievement, leadership potential and passion for science and technology.

During the three-day Congress, she will join students from across the country and hear Nobel Laureates and National Medal of Science winners talk about scientific research; be given advice from deans of the world's top tech universities; be inspired by fellow teen science prodigies; and learn about cutting-edge advances and the future of science and technology.

Source: press release

- Brad Haugaard