'The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel' at Monrovia Library

Monrovia Providers Group will present a free screening of the British Comedy, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (PG-13) on Saturday, Jan. 9, 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Monrovia Public Library. A multi-generational event for baby boomers, friends and family. Light refreshments and aging information and resources. For free tickets call 205-4308 or email movie@monroviaproviders.org

Man Shot in Unincorporated Monrovia | Mt. Sierra College Moving Across Town

~ Man was shot Sunday night while sitting his car in an unincorporated area of Monrovia. http://goo.gl/Bi8o5A

~ Monrovia's Mt. Sierra College is moving from Huntington Drive to a new campus on Royal Oaks. http://goo.gl/OhexQf

- Brad Haugaard

Rain Forecast for Monrovia

Rain shouldn't be too intense in Monrovia today, but tomorrow, Tuesday, there is the possibility of more than an inch of rain ( http://goo.gl/VnR5SB ). Areas below burn areas should prepare for possible mudslides. Overall, a rainy week. This might be a good time to remind folks that the city has a "Sandbag Saturday" event planned for Jan. 9: http://goo.gl/zgjb3V

- Brad Haugaard

Rain Coming Next Week to Monrovia

Looks like a rainy week coming up. Monday 60%; Tuesday 100%; Wednesday 90%; Thursday 60%; Friday 50%; Saturday 20% and next Sunday 50%. http://goo.gl/VnR5SB

The National Weather Service warns of flooding around burn areas from recent fires. I suppose that applies to sections of North Monrovia as well: http://goo.gl/fnIZfr

- Brad Haugaard

Dinner at 38 Degrees Ale House

Dinner recently at the new 38 Degrees Ale House, just east of Myrtle on the south side of Colorado. Got the pork schnitzel ($17) and a 12 ounce beer for $7. All very tasty. And Happy New Year, by the way!

- Brad Haugaard 

Politics Over Monrovia

Don't know if you can read this picture I just snapped, but it says "America is great! Trump is disgusting." Well, Happy New Year to you too.

Followed just now by: "Trump loves to hate anybody but Trump. US  Trump is delusional"

Hmm. I'm beginning to think somebody doesn't like the man.

- Brad Haugaard

Happy New Year - Good Chance of Rain Next Week

Good chance of rain Tuesday (60%), Wednesday (80%) and Thursday (60%). That's a good way to start the new year. Happy New Year! http://goo.gl/VnR5SB

- Brad Haugaard

New Year's Eve Celebration on Myrtle

Live music on Myrtle as part of the New Year's Eve party. 

- Brad Haugaard

New Year's Eve Party Tonight In Old Town Monrovia!

New Year's Eve party tonight on Myrtle Avenue, 7 to midnight! Beer, wine, snacks, music, restaurants open. http://goo.gl/NJ2arI

- Brad Haugaard

Nominate Someone as Monrovia Neighbor of the Year

Monrovia Area Partnership is looking for a Monrovian whose volunteer efforts combat crime and blight while encouraging participation in the community. The award honors a person who makes everyone feel welcome, goes above and beyond to help make the neighborhood better. Nomination form here: http://goo.gl/OGqFET

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia State Senator Reports on Her Bills That Have Become Law

State Senator Carol Liu, who represents Monrovia, reports that nine of her bills were signed into law by Governor Jerry Brown this year. Here are six she highlights:

• SB 64 requires the California Transportation Commission to provide specific recommendations to the Legislature and Governor for improving the California Transportation Plan. The Plan is updated every five years to improve the state’s highway, passenger rail and public transit systems and integrate transportation planning with greenhouse gas reduction and sustainability planning. Comment: It's kind of a sorry situation when you have to require a state agency to do something that should be one of its basic functions.
• SB 68 expands the time that juvenile courts can provide to reunify teen-age parents with their children who have been placed temporarily in the Foster Care system.
• SB 172 suspends the outdated California High School Exit Exam and directs the State Superintendent of Public Instruction to convene a task force to recommend an updated exam linked to current Common Core public education standards.
• SB 219 streamlines a California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation program that helps nonviolent, low-risk offenders complete their sentences and re-enter society as productive citizens.
• SB 445 will let homeless youth stay in the school where they are currently enrolled if they find housing in another area. This is the same enrollment security that Foster Care Children receive when they change places of residence.
• SB 675 will make sure hospitals identify a caregiver and engage that person in discharge planning to assure patients receive proper care when they return to their home.

Source: Liu press release - http://goo.gl/Mslv4G

- Brad Haugaard

Frost Advisory Again

Another frost advisory for tonight. Bring pets and sensitive plants inside. http://goo.gl/7PWod2

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Terrorism Prep | Water Main | El Nino Prep

In his weekly report ( http://goo.gl/9PM1Tj ), City Manager Oliver Chi ...

- Described city preparations in light of the terrorist attack in San Bernardino:

* Monrovia is part of a regional tactical response team called FSET, kinda like a SWAT team.

* Police participate in annual tactical training.

* The Community Policing bureau is "a resource of intelligence information from our citizens who may see suspicious activity."

* Police "provide extra patrol to both of the [Monrovia] mosques to try to deter any criminal hate crimes at those locations."

- The water main that broke on Ridgeside Drive near Canyon Boulevard on Christmas Day was a nearly 70-year-old 8-inch main. "It was important that we had to get the pipe repaired as soon as possible, because without that pipe functioning, the Emerson Reservoir would have run out of water within a day. And if the Emerson Reservoir ran out of water, a large segment of the community would be left without water service." Comment: Thanks indeed to the city crew that fixed it.

- Sandbag Saturday, from 10 a.m. to noon on Saturday, Jan. 9 at Recreation Park, "will assist residents with filling sandbags, provide demonstrations on how to properly build sandbag debris walls, and educate on additional ways to best to prepare for the El Nino storms." Also, the city has scheduled two El Nino prep classes at 6 p.m. in the Library Community Room: Tuesday, Jan. 5, and Thursday, Jan. 21.

- Brad Haugaard

Walking Tour of Downtown Monrovia

Walking tour of downtown Monrovia on Saturday, Jan. 9, at 10 a.m. by Monrovia Historic Preservation Group. The tour lasts about two hours, and is 8 city blocks long. $5 per person, reservations not necessary. Meet at the SE corner of Palm and Myrtle Avenues.

C-c-c-cold Tonight in Monrovia

The National Weather Service has a frost advisory in effect from midnight tonight to 9 a.m. Tuesday. Bring sensitive plants, and of course your pets, inside for the night. The report says: "There will likely be at least 2 hours of temperatures at or just slightly above freezing." But Monrovia will miss out on the worst of it... "The coldest area will be in the extreme western San Fernando valley where temperatures could briefly fall into the upper 20s." http://goo.gl/yI30EX

- Brad Haugaard