Preservation Group announces homes on Historic Homes Tour

1914 Mediterranean Craftsman home.

The Monrovia Historic Preservation Group has announced the lineup for its upcoming Historic Homes Tour on Sunday, May 4. On view will be five vintage homes, a new bungalow court, and the town's two museums, the Monrovia Historical Museum and the Anderson House. Details.

- Brad Haugaard

TableTop Adventures, March 15 at Library

TableTop Adventures, where participants can play tabletop role-playing games with experienced game masters, on Saturday, March 15, from 12:30 to 4:30 p.m. at the library. Call 256-8254 for more information. Register here.

- Brad Haugaard 

Dungeons and Dragons, March 11 at Library

Dungeons and Dragons, a classic fantasy tabletop role-playing game, on Tuesday, March 11, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the library. For those 16 and up. Contact 256-8254 for more information. Register here.

- Brad Haugaard 

Baby Storytime at Library

Baby Storytime at the Library focuses on songs, games, and motion, in addition to books, to help babies learn and grow pre-literacy skills. For children to age 5 and accompanying adults. It takes place Tuesday, March 11. Call Mr. Josh at 256-8274 for more information.

- Brad Haugaard 

Wildfire workshops planned

Community workshops planned for wildfire preparation.

- Brad Haugaard

Easter egg hunt planned for April 19

The annual Easter egg hunt will be held on Saturday, April 19 (April 12, as printed in Monrovia Today, is incorrect) from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Recreation Park, at 620 S. Shamrock Ave.. Registration for the egg hunt begins at 9 a.m. on the morning of the event. For more information call the Community Services Department at 256-8246.

- Brad Haugaard

Spring Veggie Gardening Workshop March 15

A free Spring Veggie Gardening Workshop will be held next Saturday, March 15, from 9 to 11 a.m. at Community Garden South (1650 S. Magnolia Ave.). Free veggie starts will be available while supplies last.

- Brad Haugaard

Presentation planned on Monrovia Legacy Project, March 22

The Monrovia Historical Society and the Monrovia Historic Preservation Group are partnering to present the Monrovia Legacy Project, a website containing almost 10,000 historical photos and documents. The presentation will take place on March 22 at 10 a.m. in the Monroe Room of the Monrovia Community Center.

- Brad Haugaard

KCAL spotlights Monrovia restaurant, Historical Museum

City Manager Dylan Feik reports that KCAL News recently featured Monrovia in its Spotlight Segment, highlighting Max's Restaurant and the Monrovia Historical Museum. The segment included an interview with the owner's daughter, who shared the history of Max's, and a tour of the Monrovia Historical Museum.

- Brad Haugaard

Officer Sanchez Named ‘Police Officer of the Year’

Monrovia Police Officer Sanchez has been honored as the department’s Police Officer of the Year, an award that recognizes “outstanding performance, including talent, dedication, work ethic, and commitment to community goals.”

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia High to use Duarte pool for swim team; School report cards; District can pay its bills

At its next meeting (agenda here) the Monrovia Board of Education will consider ...

~ Approving a deal for the Monrovia High swim team to use the Duarte Fitness Center Pools for practice and meets. (People at the latest City Council meeting complained that the Monrovia High pool is out of order.) Details. 

~ Approving School Accountability Report Cards for the district's schools. The following analysis of the report cards (experimental) was provided by AI. Comment: I think it should be noted that Canyon Oaks High School and Mountain Park are rather different animals and it probably isn't fair to treat their results relative to other schools as if it was an apples to apples comparison...

Here are some potential anomalies, both positive and negative, found in the School Accountability Report Cards (SARCs):

• Teacher Credentialing and Assignments:

  • Canyon Oaks High School has a high percentage of teachers (47.35%) assigned out-of-field, compared to the district (1.45%) and state (4.41%).
  • Mountain Park has a notably high percentage of teachers without credentials and misassignments (13.66%) and teachers assigned out-of-field (55.46%) compared to district and state averages.
  • For the 2022-23 school year, Monrovia High School had 9.06% of teachers without credentials or misassignments, while the state average was 5.38%. Therefore, Monrovia High School's percentage was 3.68 percentage points higher than the state average in that year.

• Suspension Rates:

  • Santa Fe Middle School has a significantly higher suspension rate (14.32%) compared to the district (3.14%) and the state (3.28%).
  • Canyon Oaks High School also shows a high suspension rate of 10.94% compared to the district (3.14%) and state (3.28%).

• Academic Performance:

  • Canyon Oaks High School shows notably lower percentages of students meeting or exceeding state standards in English Language Arts/Literacy (13%) and Mathematics (0%) compared to the district and state averages.
  • Wild Rose Elementary shows lower percentages of students meeting or exceeding state standards in English Language Arts/Literacy (29%) and Mathematics (31%) compared to the district and state averages.

• Facility Repair Status:

  • Clifton Middle School and Mountain Park are in "Exemplary" repair status, which is a positive anomaly compared to the "Good" repair status of other schools.

• Physical Fitness Test Results:

  • Canyon Oaks High School shows 0% participation in all five components of the California Physical Fitness Test.
  • Monroe Elementary shows 100% participation in all five components of the California Physical Fitness Test.
  • Mountain Park shows 100% participation in all five components of the California Physical Fitness Test for Grade 5.

Here are the report cards:

Bradoaks Elementary
Mayflower Elementary
Monroe Elementary
Plymouth Elementary
Wild Rose Elementary
Clifton Middle School
Santa Fe Middle School
Monrovia High School
Mountain Park
Canyon Oaks

~ Approving a certification that the school district can pay its bills for the current fiscal years and two following fiscal years. Details. 

- Brad Haugaard

Dinner at Dave’s Hot Chicken

Dinner at Dave’s Hot Chicken, on the south side of Huntington just west of Mayflower. I got the #1 Meal for $12.99 and a soft drink for $2.69. I thought I liked hot food until a while ago when I ate here and found that they are not kidding when they say “hot.” So I got “mild” this time. Good, but next time I might go up one level to “medium” heat.

- Brad Haugaard 

Monrovia Police: Masked by ambush at Grand Park; Man bear-sprays girlfriend, steals her car; Hit-and-run DUI Driver tracked by victim; etc.

[Monrovia Police activities from the Police Department's Neighborhood Watch Report for February 27 – March 5. - Brad Haugaard]

During this period the Police Department handled 387 service events, resulting in 127 investigations. 

Hit and Run Traffic Collision – Suspect Arrested
February 27 at 10:35 a.m., officers were dispatched to a hit and run call in the 300 block of Wildrose. A vehicle had rear ended another vehicle and fled the scene. Officers were able to locate the suspect and the suspect vehicle a short distance away. The victim of the hit and run desired prosecution. 

Theft
February 27 at 10:42 a.m., a victim reported he was at a store in the 100 block of W. Foothill when someone took his debit card from him. He realized he didn't have it when he went to check out. He looked at his bank account and noticed someone had already taken $650 from his checking and $1,000 from his savings account. This investigation is continuing. 

Warrant Arrest – Suspect Arrested
February 27 at 12:43 p.m., officers responded to the area in the 1100 block of E. Huntington regarding some subjects possibly stealing wire and cable. The officers arrived and detained 3 subjects matching the description. They had not stolen any wire but one of them had a warrant for his arrest. He was arrested and taken into custody. 

Warrant Arrest – Suspect Arrested
February 27 at 3:17 p.m., officers responded to a call in the 100 block of W. Huntington, an employee at the location called to report a male walking around the parking lot area acting suspicious. Officers arrived and located the subject. He could not give them a reason why he was there and was vague with all his answers. A computer check revealed a warrant for his arrest. He was arrested and taken into custody. 

Injury Traffic Collision
February 27 at 3:40 p.m., officers responded to an accident in the area of Huntington and Monterey. A vehicle driving east on Huntington realized the light was red and stopped partially in the intersection. A vehicle driving east, directly behind that vehicle, rear ended the other vehicle. The driver of that vehicle was unlicensed and following too closely. He was cited for unsafe speed and being unlicensed. 

Hit and Run / Driving Under the Influence – Suspect Arrested
February 27 at 3:42 p.m., a vehicle in the area of Myrtle and Pomona, sideswiped another vehicle and continued to drive. The victim followed the suspect vehicle to a liquor store and watched the driver exit. Officers arrived and detained the driver when he came out. He displayed signs of being intoxicated but refused any Field Sobriety Tests. He was arrested and taken into custody. 

Grand Theft Auto
February 27 at 4:15 p.m., a resident in the 400 block of Los Angeles, came in to the station to report his truck had been stolen. He received a call that morning from the Sheriff's Department in El Monte who discovered his vehicle partially stripped. He did not know that his Chevrolet Silverado had been stolen until he received the phone call that morning. This investigation is continuing. 

Driving Under the Influence – Suspect Arrested
February 28 at 12:24 a.m., an officer patrolling the 500 block of W. Duarte conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle for a vehicle code violation. After an investigation, it was determined the driver was under the influence of alcohol. The driver was arrested and taken into custody. 

Drug Possession – Suspect Arrested
February 28 at 2:20 a.m., an officer was patrolling the 700 block of W. Huntington when he noticed a vehicle parked in a red zone. The officer contacted the driver and an investigation revealed the driver was found to be in possession of a controlled substance and drug paraphernalia. He was arrested. 

Drug Possession - Suspect Arrested
February 28 at 2:57 a.m., an officer contacted a subject in Station Square Park, which was closed for the night, and during the contact the subject was found to be in possession of drug paraphernalia. He was arrested and released on a citation. 

Commercial Burglary
February 28 at 5:07 a.m., officers responded to a burglary alarm at a business in the 900 block of W. Huntington. Upon arrival, they found the front door glass shattered. The suspects had made entry but fled before officers arrived. No property was reported missing. The investigation is ongoing. 

Warrant Arrest – Suspect Arrested
February 28 at 1:07 p.m., a suspect came to the Monrovia Police Department Lobby to turn himself in. A computer check revealed the suspect had a warrant for his arrest for driving under the influence. The suspect was arrested and booked in the Monrovia Jail. 

Wanted Person – Suspect Arrested
February 28 at 1:27 p.m., a wanted person came to the Monrovia Police Department Lobby to turn himself in. A computer check revealed the suspect was wanted for domestic violence. The suspect was arrested and booked in the Monrovia Jail. 

Traffic Collision / Driving Under the Influence – Suspect Arrested
February 28 at 6:13 p.m., officers responded to a traffic collision at the intersection of Evergreen and Mayflower. No injuries were reported. During the investigation, one driver displayed signs of intoxication. The investigation determined the driver was impaired. She was arrested for Driving Under the Influence. 

Drug Possession / Warrant – Suspects Arrested
February 28 at 10:59 p.m., an officer conducted a traffic stop at the intersection of Royal Oaks and Mountain for a vehicle code violation. During the investigation, the driver was found in possession of drug paraphernalia and was arrested. The passenger had an outstanding $60,000 traffic warrant out of San Bernardino County and was also taken into custody. 

Grand Theft Auto
March 1 at 12:04 a.m., a victim discovered her black 2022 BMW 430i had been stolen from the parking garage of her apartment complex in the 1000 block of S. Fifth. The victim tracked the vehicle using a mobile app, showing it traveling west on the 210 Freeway. The vehicle was later found parked in a lot in North Hollywood, where it was recovered. This investigation is continuing. 

Want – Suspect Arrested
March 1 at 2:05 a.m., officers located a vehicle in the 300 block of Genoa that was wanted in connection with a threatening and domestic violence investigation out of Monrovia from the previous week. The vehicle was unoccupied but it led officers to the suspect's residence. Officers contacted the suspect outside of the residence and arrested him for the outstanding Want. 

Warrant Pick-up – Suspect Arrested
March 1 at 10:33 a.m. a female adult with an outstanding Monrovia robbery warrant was arrested by West Covina Police. One of our officers responded and took custody of her, per the authority of the warrant. She was taken to the Monrovia Police Department where she was booked and housed pending her court date. 

Grand Theft Auto
March 1 at 6:22 p.m., a victim reported her black 2018 Hyundai Sonata had been stolen from the carport of her residence in the 400 block of E. Foothill. She saw the vehicle the previous day. This investigation is continuing. 

Drug Possession – Suspect Arrested
March 1 at 7:28 p.m., a caller reported he witnessed a subject on the stairs of a church in the 100 block of W. Palm, injecting narcotics. Officers arrived and detained the individual after determining she was in possession of drug paraphernalia. She was arrested. 

Prowling
March 1 at 8:29 p.m., officers responded to a suspicious call reported in the 300 block of N. Madison. Three subjects in a blue Hyundai parked in the area and two exited the vehicle. They attempted to open several parked cars but found them locked. The subjects walked around the property of a vacant residence, a witness reported seeing them in the backyard. No signs of burglary or forced entry were found. The subjects fled south on Madison in the suspect vehicle before officers arrived. This investigation is continuing. 

Drug Possession - Suspect Arrested
March 1 at 11:50 p.m., an officer conducted a bicycle stop for a vehicle code violation at the intersection of Brisbane and Myrtle. During the investigation, the subject was found to be in possession of a controlled substance. He was arrested and taken into custody. 

Warrant Arrest – Suspect Arrested
March 2 at 12:33 a.m., an officer in the intersection of Encino and Huntington conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle for a vehicle code violation. A records check revealed the driver had a $45,000 warrant out of Covina for receiving stolen property. He was arrested and taken into custody. 

Shoplifting
March 3 at 1:31 p.m., an employee in the 600 block of W. Huntington, called to report a male subject had been in the restroom for approximately an hour. He was asked to leave and said he would 30 minutes prior. He was recognized as being the same subject who stole items from the location on a prior incident. Officers arrived and located the subject. Items were recovered and he was issued a citation in the field for theft. 

Fraud
March 3 at 1:59 p.m., a victim came in to the station to report that she had moved to Monrovia in May of 2023 from Pennsylvania. In September of 2023, she received a bill from Verizon for service in Pennsylvania. She called and told them it was not hers and she did not authorize anyone to use her information. She recently checked Credit Karma and noticed her name went to collections regarding a Verizon payment in excess of $10,000. She called Verizon again and they requested a police report. This investigation is continuing. 

Hit and Run
March 3 at 2:20 p.m., a resident in the 400 block of S. Shamrock, came in to report his vehicle was hit. It was parked in front of his residence on February15th and it was hit overnight. This investigation is continuing. 

Fight in Progress
March 3 at 3:55 p.m., dispatch received several 911 calls of a fight in progress in the area of Madison and Foothill. When officers arrived, they detained several juveniles at the location. Two male juvies from the high school had fought the week prior and saw each other at the location. They decided to fight again. One of the subject’s sisters was there and jumped in when her brother got knocked down. She broke the other subject’s headphones and necklace. This investigation is continuing. 

Fraud
March 3 at 3:55 p.m., a resident in the 200 block of S. Ivy, reported that he went to the post office and mailed a check in the amount of $18,253.11 on December 9, 2024. He realized recently, it had been stolen and cashed by a different person than who he made it out to. This investigation is continuing. 

Petty Theft
March 3 at 7:59 p.m., officers responded to a complex in the 1100 of block E. Huntington regarding a theft report. The reporting party stated that staff stole her scooter and clothes. This investigation is continuing. 

Traffic Collision Hit and Run
March 3 at 9:04 p.m., officers responded to the 400 block of S. Myrtle regarding a truck seen hitting a lamp post, causing damage to the bulb. The driver failed to stop and fled the scene. Public Works was notified. This investigation is continuing. 

Drug Activity – Suspect Arrested
March 4 at 2:58 a.m., officers were providing extra patrol to a business in the 700 block of W. Huntington when they noticed a male subject to the rear of the location. They contacted the subject who was found to be in possession of methamphetamine and a pipe used to smoke methamphetamine. He was arrested. 

Grand Theft Auto Recovery
March 4 at 8:23 a.m., officers were dispatched to an apartment complex in the 400 block of E. Foothill regarding a suspicious vehicle that was left parked in a resident's parking space for the past four days. A computer check revealed the vehicle was stolen out of Carson. The vehicle also had a stolen license plate from another vehicle. The stolen vehicle was recovered. 

Domestic Battery / Grand Theft Auto
March 4 at 7:10 p.m., officers responded to an apartment building in the 800 block of S. Myrtle regarding a grand theft auto investigation. Officers learned that a male and female who have been in a dating relationship for one year, were in a verbal argument when the male subject sprayed her in the face with bear spray. He then fled in her vehicle. The female refused paramedics and did not desire prosecution for the domestic battery but did desire prosecution for the grand theft auto. The vehicle was entered into the system as stolen. This investigation is continuing. 

Assault with a Deadly Weapon
March 4 at 9:35 p.m., officers responded to the 300 block of Valle Vista regarding a male subject who was assaulted while at Grand Park. The subject told officers he met with a female who he had been talking to on social media. While he was at Grand Park, six male subjects wearing masks, snuck up on him and struck him in the face with a bat. He was able to run away to a nearby residence where he asked for help. He sustained a laceration to the head. The subject was transported to a local hospital for further treatment. After the incident, he learned that the female blocked him on social media. This investigation is continuing. 

Driving Under the Influence / Drug Offense – Suspect Arrested
March 5 at 8:12 a.m., a caller reported a male driver asleep at the wheel near the intersection of Chestnut and Monterey. Officers responded and located the vehicle leaving the area. A traffic stop was attempted, however, the driver briefly tried to evade the officers but eventually yielded. All occupants were in possession of drugs and the driver, who was under the influence, gave a false name. It was later learned that he had multiple warrants for his arrest. All three subjects were arrested. 

Vandalism
March 5 at 8:48 a.m., a caller reported a vandalism at a business in the 600 block of S. Myrtle. A window at the business had been shattered sometime during the night. The investigation is ongoing. 

Traffic Collision
March 5 at 9:26 a.m., a motorist collided into a parked vehicle in the 700 block of S. Myrtle. No injuries were reported. A property damage report was completed.

Transient arrested on suspicion of killing his father

Arturo Gonzalez Jr., a transient, has been arrested on suspicion of killing his father at his apartment on West Olive in Monrovia last Saturday. Details.

- Brad Haugaard

Police chief reports crime trending down in Monrovia

Monrovia Police Chief Heath Harvey reported to the City Council Tuesday night that crime is down in the city, though police activity (such as patrolling and special details) is up.

- Brad Haugaard