School board to consider three new high school courses, letting 17 employees go


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

~ Adding three new high school level courses:

AP Research, a year-long independent research project in which students design and conduct original investigations. Details. 

English 10: AP Seminar, emphasizing analysis of diverse texts, source evaluation, evidence-based argument, team projects, research essays, presentations. Details

World History in Spanish, a yearlong college-prep course taught primarily in Spanish. Covers global civilizations from ancient to modern times, aligned with state standards. Details

~ Letting 17 employees go and hiring one. Let go a school office manager and head custodian (details), two probationary certificated employees (details), 13 temporary certificated employees (details), and hire an athletic trainer to "support the health, safety, and supervision of student-athletes" (details). 

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia schools fall short in academic goals


The mid-year report required by Monrovia schools' Local Control Accountability Plan shows the district remained fairly steady, but a steady that fell short in meeting several of its academic goals. It also slipped significantly in the quality of its facilities, and in reducing chronic absenteeism, but met its goal of providing 100% access to materials, and increased the number of credentialed teachers to surpass that goal as well. Details

Some of the results in the image above.

- Brad Haugaard

Dinner at Noodle Stars


Dinner at Noodle Stars, an Indonesian style restaurant at the west end of the shopping center at the corner of Huntington and Magnolia. Got the Chicken Satay for $15.95 and an Iced Cendol (brown sugar, coconut milk, and jelly) for $7.95. Very good.

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Police: Man shoots toy gun at vehicles; Graffiti artiste busted; Hotel death threat; Juveniles starting fire in park; Etc.

[Monrovia Police activities from the Police Department's Neighborhood Watch Report for February 12 - 18. 480 calls for service, 78 investigations, 1 mental evaluations, 5 traffic collisions, 13 arrests. - Brad Haugaard]

FEBRUARY 12

Weapon Offense
At 8:07 a.m., several callers in the 600 block of W. Duarte reported an armed male subject in the area shooting at moving vehicles. Officers arrived and located the subject in a nearby apartment complex. An investigation revealed he was using a toy gun to shoot at passing vehicles. He was also found to be in possession of a knife and had harmed himself with it. He had to be transported to a hospital for treatment.

Domestic Violence – Suspect Arrested
At 12:35 p.m., a family disturbance was reported in the 1000 block of Royal Oaks. Officers arrived and made contact with the parties involved. An investigation revealed a female subject battered her spouse. She was arrested and taken into custody.

Drug Offense – Suspect Arrested
At 5:34 p.m., a caller in the area of Myrtle and Foothill reported a subject slumped over the steering wheel of his parked vehicle. Officers arrived and made contact with him. He was found to be in possession of drug paraphernalia. He was arrested and taken into custody.

FEBRUARY 13

Drug Offense – Suspect Arrested
At 12:53 a.m., an officer patrolling the area of 1600 block of S. Myrtle saw a subject in a park after hours. The officer made contact with the subject. He was found to be in possession of a controlled substance and drug paraphernalia. He was arrested and taken into custody.

Threatening
At 2:13 a.m., security at a hotel in the 900 block of W. Huntington reported a male subject on the property threatening to kill an employee. The subject fled prior to officers’ arrival. This investigation is continuing.

Vandalism
At 9:23 a.m., while patrolling the 100 block of E. Central, an officer saw graffiti on a wall. The graffiti was documented for removal. This investigation is continuing.

Theft – Suspect Arrested
At 12:08 p.m., an employee from a business in the 700 block of E. Huntington reported a theft in progress. Officers arrived while the female subject was outside the business. She was arrested and taken into custody.

Vandalism
At 6:05 p.m., a caller at a business in the 1200 block of S. Shamrock reported suspicious juveniles who may have written graffiti on the property. The reporting party believed one juvenile may have written graffiti near a light box on the north side of the property. This investigation is continuing.

Vandalism
At 8:28 p.m., a caller in the 100 block of W. Colorado reported graffiti in a parking structure. This investigation is continuing.

Vandalism – Suspect Arrested
At 9:14 p.m., officers responded to the area of Mayflower and Evergreen regarding reports of three juveniles tagging. Officers arrived and located the three juveniles nearby. The subject responsible for the tagging was arrested and transported to the MPD jail. He was later released to his parents with a citation.

FEBRUARY 14

Vandalism
At 3:39 a.m., multiple locations throughout the city were reported to be tagged with graffiti. This investigation is continuing.

Public Intoxication – Suspect Arrested
At 9:20 a.m., a caller in the 300 block of W. Duarte reported a male subject drinking in a parking lot. Officers arrived and made contact with the subject. Officers determined he was too intoxicated to care for himself. He was arrested and transported to the MPD jail to be held for a sobering period.

Domestic Violence – Suspect Arrested
At 12:55 p.m., a family disturbance was reported in the 1000 block of E. Huntington. Officers arrived and made contact with the parties involved. An investigation revealed a male subject battered his ex-girlfriend. He was arrested and taken into custody.

Shoplifting / Resisting – Suspect Arrested
At 2:23 p.m., an employee from a business in the 500 block of W. Huntington reported a shoplifting in progress. Officers arrived and located the female subject fleeing in her vehicle, she abandoned her vehicle and fled on foot. She was eventually detained and taken into custody.

Public Intoxication – Suspect Arrested
At 4:01 p.m., a caller in the area of Duarte and Shamrock reported three subjects drinking in public. Officers arrived and made contact the subjects. One of the subjects was determined to be too intoxicated. He was arrested and transported to the MPD jail to be held for a sobering period.

FEBRUARY 15

Vandalism
At 2:47 a.m., an officer on patrol found graffiti in the 1800 block of S. Mountain. This investigation is continuing.

Trespassing / Drug Offense – Suspect Arrested
At 5:08 a.m., a suspicious person was seen jumping fences in an apartment complex in the 1600 block of S. Magnolia. Officers arrived and located the subject who was determined to be trespassing and in possession of drug paraphernalia. He was arrested and taken into custody.

Residential Burglary
At 4:07 p.m., a residential burglary was reported in the 200 block of Valle Vista. Property was taken. This investigation is continuing.

Battery – Suspect Arrested
At 6:13 p.m., a domestic dispute was reported in the 700 block of S. Alta Vista. Officers arrived and made contact with the parties involved. An investigation revealed a father and adult daughter were involved in an argument and the father who was determined to be intoxicated became physically aggressive. He was arrested and taken into custody.

Shoplifting
At 7:09 p.m., a shoplifting incident was reported at a business in the 500 block of W. Huntington. The subject was gone prior to officers’ arrival. This investigation is continuing.

Drug Offense – Suspect Arrested
At 9:33 p.m., a caller in the 500 block of S. Primrose reported subjects loitering in an alley, blocking access to a garage door. Officers arrived and made contact with one of the subjects. An investigation revealed the subject had a warrant for his arrest and was in possession of a controlled substance and drug paraphernalia. The subject was arrested and taken into custody.

Vandalism
At 10:41 p.m., officers patrolling the area of Myrtle and Cypress located six instances of graffiti on multiple walls throughout the city. This investigation is continuing.

FEBRUARY 16

Vandalism
At 11:20 a.m., a victim in the 800 block of S. Alta Vista reported graffiti on his van. This investigation is continuing.


Fire

At 2:12 p.m., a resident in the 400 block of E. Cypress reported seeing fire coming from a home. MFD responded and extinguished the fire. This investigation is continuing.

FEBRUARY 17

Grand Theft Auto
At 1:00 p.m., a victim in the 500 block of E. Walnut reported her vehicle stolen. This investigation is continuing.

Missing Critical
At 4:22 p.m., a mother in the 800 block of W. Duarte reported her juvenile daughter as a runaway. Officers were unable to locate her. She was entered into the system as a critical missing runaway. She returned home later that evening.

Vandalism
At 7:03 p.m., multiple vandalism incidents related to graffiti were reported throughout the city. This investigation

Vandalism – Suspect Arrested
At 8:03 p.m., a vandalism in progress at a park in the 300 block of S. Myrtle was reported. Officers arrived and saw two juveniles attempting to start a fire, leaving scorch marks behind. Both juveniles were arrested, transported to the MPD, cited and released to their parents.

FEBRUARY 18

Vandalism
At 1:07 p.m., an officer patrolling the 300 block of S. Myrtle reported graffiti on a wall. This investigation is continuing.

Drug Offense – Suspect Arrested
At 11:23 p.m., an officer patrolling the 100 block of W. Pomona saw a bicyclist commit a traffic violation. A traffic stop was conducted. An investigation revealed he was in possession of a controlled substance. He was arrested, cited, and released at the scene.

Low-key, low-bark Brodie is a perfect gentleman ... mostly. But leave food out of reach


At 13 years young, Brodie is proof that age is just a number. This easygoing Lab mix is an absolute sweetheart who’s mastered the art of companionship. He’s low-key and calm, happiest when he’s lounging nearby, enjoying gentle pets, or heading out for a comfortable stroll around the block. Brodie walks nicely on leash, has excellent mobility for his age, and still gets a spark of joy from sniffing adventures and the occasional squirrel chase. He’s fully house-trained, adjusts easily to new routines, and rarely barks—making him a wonderfully peaceful housemate.

Brodie is extremely food motivated and absolutely lights up for treats, snuffle mats, and puzzle toys. He may pass on traditional toys, but give him a brain game with snacks involved, and he’s all in! He bonds quickly to people and loves snuggles, often content to simply rest by your side. He may have some hearing loss, but he responds well to hand signals and doesn’t let it slow him down one bit.

Brodie isn’t a fan of car rides and has been known to counter surf if tasty treasures are left within reach, but those are small quirks in an otherwise near-perfect gentleman. If you’re looking for a calm, affectionate, devoted companion to share your couch and your heart, Brodie is ready to meet you.

The adoption fee for dogs is $150. All dog adoptions include spay or neuter, microchip, and age-appropriate vaccines.

Walk-in adoptions are available every day from 9:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. View photos of adoptable pets at pasadenahumane.org.

New adopters will receive a complimentary health-and-wellness exam from VCA Animal Hospitals, as well as a goody bag filled with information about how to care for your pet. Pets may not be available for adoption and cannot be held for potential adopters by phone calls or email.

-  Brad Haugaard

A Moment in Monrovia History: Ford dealership on Huntington Drive

Advertising post card for Miller Ford Sales, at 147 E. Huntington Drive, on the north side of the street a block east of Myrtle at Ivy. Probably from the early 1960s. From the Steve Baker collection. See full details here.

For more historic photos and papers, see the Monrovia Historical Society’s complete Legacy Project collection here. Learn more about the Monrovia Historical Society here.

- Brad Haugaard

Chili's restaurant plans a facelift


Chili's restaurant plans a facelift to its restaurant on Huntington Drive. The city's Design Review Committee (agenda here) will consider the plan at its next meeting. Details.

- Brad Haugaard

Dunkin' Donuts restaurant coming to Monrovia


A drive-through Dunkin' Donuts restaurant is apparently going to replace the Yoshinoya restaurant in the shopping center at Huntington and Shamrock. The company's remodel plan, which also includes space for another tenant, will come before the city's Design Review Committee at its next meeting. Details

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia company to auction off estate of Joanna Carson, wife of talk-show host Johnny Carson

Monrovia's John Moran Auctioneers will auction off the estate of philanthropist Joanna Carson, wife of former late-night talk show host, Johnny Carson. The auction will be held on March 3, and will feature more than 400 lots from Carson's collection. Details

- Brad Haugaard

Children's seminar on living with bears, Feb. 28


Bear Aware program teaches children about living safely alongside black bears. Feb. 28, 2 to 3 p.m., Story Room at the Library. For ages 6-11. Photos, games, and hands-on activities show what bears eat, how they survive, and how people and bears share space. Registration required. Details.

- Brad Haugaard

Veterans and service members' coffee meetup, Feb. 24


Veterans and military service members gather 6 to 7 p.m. at Starbucks, Huntington and Magnolia, to connect. Opportunity to schedule appointments with a Veterans Service Officer or Veterans Peer Access Network representative. Free coffee. Details.

- Brad Haugaard

Library adds adult Chinese-language books


The Monrovia Library has introduced a new Adult Chinese Language Collection featuring fiction and nonfiction. Novels, memoirs, history, and other works.

- Brad Haugaard

The world of tomatoes - at next Garden Club meeting

The topic for the next Monrovia Garden Club meeting will be on growing and enjoying diverse tomato varieties. Feb. 23 at the Fellowship Hall of the Monrovia Community Church (former First Presbyterian) at Myrtle and Foothill. Social time 6:30 p.m., program 7 p.m. Bring a snack to share. Coffee, tea, and water provided.

- Brad Haugaard


Gayle Montgomery Celebration of Life Set for Feb. 20

A celebration of Life ceremony for local community advocate Gayle Montgomery will be held Friday, Feb. 20, 12 to 4 p.m., at the Monrovia Community Center. The community is invited to honor her life, share memories, and reflect. Purple and indigo encouraged. Guests may come and go. Children’s activities and food provided.

- Brad Haugaard

County Proposes Sewer Rate Hikes that would affect Monrovia

LA County is proposing sewer rate hikes for area sanitation districts, including districts 15 and 22, which serve Monrovia. Changes would roll out over five years beginning July 1. Public information meetings and hearings are scheduled through May. See rates and meeting dates here.

- Brad Haugaard

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