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City Preparing for Fire in Foothills

It has been a long time since the hills above Monrovia burned, and the brush just keeps building up ...

http://goo.gl/LXMb

- Brad Haugaard

School Board Upset About HS Building Costs

We knew this, but here's a good story about the Monrovia school district and contractor having a "forceful exchange" about costs and delays.

http://goo.gl/2iH7
- Brad Haugaard

Public Art in Monrovia

How public art arose in Monrovia.

http://goo.gl/wrvT

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Patch Launches

Today is the first day of a new daily online newspaper/directory for Monrovia, called MonroviaPatch.
 
The Patch nationwide network of smaller-town news websites is owned by AOL. The company has hired professional journalists at (from what I've read) very attractive salaries.

I am glad Patch is here. Journalism has had a rough time adjusting to the Internet world. International, national, and state news is, I think, well covered on the Internet, but the big, gaping hole has been small-town journalism. And what happens when you don't have small-town journalism? Bell! That's what happens.

So welcome Patch, and Editor Nathan McIntire.

My only concern about Patch (other than that it sounds like a gardening site) is that I don't understand how it will make money. (I'm not even *trying* to make money with MonroviaNow.com.) From what I've read I think it plans to sell national and local ads and position itself as a local directory, sort of like a yellow pages, in which merchants can upgrade their free listings for a fee. Things like this have been done in the past (I was involved in founding CitySearch.com) and it is very difficult with the costs of selling to local merchants. And if you add in the costs of a local editorial staff, I think it will be extremely difficult. But times have changed and maybe AOL has found a way.

Best wishes, Patch! http://monrovia.patch.com/

- Brad Haugaard

Mascot Added to New Gym

The Wildcats mascot has been added over the door of the new Monrovia High gym.

Some pictures here: http://goo.gl/wWs0

- Brad Haugaard

Make a Difference Pictures

Some great pictures by Terry Miller over at Monrovia Weekly of people involved in Make a Difference Day.

http://goo.gl/sgl6

- Brad Haugaard

VFW Wants Teachers

The Arcadia-Monrovia VFW is looking for nominees for its "Teacher of the Year" awards:

http://goo.gl/2Dn2

- Brad Haugaard

Water Board?

I dunno. Waterboarding seems a little bit severe for the poor guy.


- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia's Big Boats

Garry Acs points out on the "I like Monrovia because ..." Facebook page that Monrovia has huge boats.
 
"Whaaaa?"

Oh.

http://goo.gl/4GCC

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Airfield History

Here's an interesting bit of history, with some cool old black-and-white pictures, of the old Monrovia airfield.

http://goo.gl/jfd2

- Brad Haugaard

Mobile Dental Clinic

We had a bit on this earlier, but here's a nice story about the big dental clinic for Monrovia elementary students in the Star-News.

http://www.pasadenastarnews.com/news/ci_16341034

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Wildcats Clobber Blair :-)

Oh, man! I feel sorry for Blair. 57 to zero.

http://www.pasadenastarnews.com/preps/ci_16344438

- Brad Haugaard

Life-Sentence Appeal Rejected

A three-justice panel has turned down the appeal of Shawna Lenora Robles, who said life in prison was cruel and unusual punishment. She was convicted of killing an elderly Monrovia couple in 2003.


Source: http://www.pasadenastarnews.com/crime/ci_16341769

- Brad Haugaard

More Train Station Project Study

Monrovia has been working with Olson Urban Housing to try to figure out what to do with the 20-acre area around the proposed new Monrovia Gold Line train station (Here's a rough map of the site location: http://goo.gl/NC7v ). The City Council agenda says that "the economic recession has had a considerable affect on the Developer’s site model analysis."

I'll bet.

So the city wants to work with Olson for another six months to do "additional project analysis."

Anyway, the City Council will decide whether to do that at its next meeting, 7:30 p.m. on October 19 at City Hall.

Here's the Council agenda (PDF): http://goo.gl/QQT3

- Brad Haugaard

Electronic Sign

New electronic sign at Nazarene Church.


- Brad Haugaard

Make a Difference

This Saturday, October 16, is Make a Difference Day. Meet at the Monrovia Public Library. Registration and continental breakfast at 7:30 am; work starts at 8 a.m. For information contact Amy Gray (626) 256-8187 or voffice@ci.monrovia.ca.us.

- Brad Haugaard

Police Activity - October 7-13

[Highlights (lowlights?) from the Monrovia Police Department's Neighborhood Watch Report for October 7-13. - Brad Haugaard]

During the last seven day period, the Police Department handled 541 service events, resulting in 94 investigations. Following are the last week's highlighted issues and events:


Vehicle Burglary
October 7 at 12:47 p.m., an officer went to a residence in the 100 block of West Colorado regarding a vehicle burglary. The victim reported that his company's vehicle was broken into sometime during the night. Investigation continuing.


Vehicle Burglary
October 7 at 3:20 p.m., an officer went to a park in the 1200 block of North Canyon on the report of a vehicle burglary. The victim parked his black Toyota Highlander in a lower level parking lot and went for a hike in the park. Upon his return, he found the passenger window broken out on his vehicle. His property was stolen and the investigation continuing.


Mental Evaluation
October 7 at 9:31 p.m., an officer was dispatched to the 100 block of West Foothill regarding a subject who wanted to harm himself. A male subject riding as a passenger in his mother's vehicle had begun stating he wanted to harm himself by ending his life. He was detained and taken to a hospital and held for mental evaluation.


Filing a False Police Report
October 7 at 11:38 p.m., officers responded to a location in the 200 block of Aspen regarding a subject attempting to repossess a vehicle when another subject exited the residence with an assault rifle. Officers arrived and detained the involved parties. The officers investigated and discovered there was no brandishing of a rifle. Officers interviewed the parties and the investigation is continuing.


Domestic Violence - Suspect Arrested
October 8 at 12:55 a.m., officers responded to the 100 block of West Colorado on the report of a female stating she had been struck by her boyfriend. During the investigation, officers discovered a battery had occurred and they arrested the male subject.


Traffic Collision
October 8 at 4:39 p.m., police received a call reporting that a vehicle had ended up in the wash in the 1600 block of South Mountain. Monrovia Fire Department personnel responded and used a ladder to have the driver climb out of the wash. The driver was not injured. Los Angeles County Flood Control and tow service were notified.


Auto Burglaries / Search Warrant - Suspect Arrested
Since last May, there have been several auto burglaries in the 1200 block of North Canyon at the park. On October 7, officers were sent to the park regarding a suspicious vehicle. An officer located the suspicious vehicle and identified the driver. No crime was known at that time. Just after the subject was sent on his way, a call was received reporting an auto burglary at the park. After the investigation was conducted, it was determined that the person stopped by the officer was the suspect. Enough information was obtained for a search warrant. A search warrant was served on October 9, and items were recovered in the search that link the suspect to several burglaries. The suspect was taken into custody.


Grand Theft Auto Recovery
On October 5, a 1994 Acura Integra was stolen from the 1300 block of South Alta Vista. On October 10, an officer patrolling in the 400 block of Genoa located the vehicle parked on the street in front of a residence. The stereo had been taken from the vehicle. Investigation continuing.


Mental Evaluation
October 11 at 11:56 p.m., a female subject came into the police lobby, crying and asking for help. She stated her live-in-boyfriend of many years was acting crazy and was possibly suicidal. She said that when she left her residence, he was attempting to light things on fire in the rear yard. Officers responded and located the male subject in the rear yard. He had started a very small fire on top of a wooden table. Officers detained him and determined he was not mentally stable. He was transported to a hospital, where he was held for mental evaluation.

Pinkberry Picture

Beautiful photograph of Pinkberry, on Myrtle.

http://www.livinginmonrovia.com/archives/1092

- Brad Haugaard

MHS Track Not Done

When the Monrovia High athletic folks were told that the field at MHS would be done in time for the football game against Arcadia, they thought that meant the whole stadium would be done.
Nope.
The track isn't done and now the athletic department is scrambling to find a neutral site for a couple events.
http://www.pasadenastarnews.com/sports/ci_16334395
- Brad Haugaard


Monrovians Sentenced to Life in Prison

Two Monrovia gang members have been sentenced to life imprisonment for the 2008 killing of Sammantha Salas.

http://www.pasadenastarnews.com/ci_16328772

- Brad Haugaard