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Pho Restaurant / No Rent

Monrovia gets a Pho restaurant. Lemon Pho at 113 E. Lemon. (I ate at this place when it was in Pasadena and it was good.) http://goo.gl/K3l8M
 
Monrovia High theater production of "Rent" canceled because of content. http://goo.gl/WjJc6
 
- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Girl's Volleyball & Boy's Basketball

Monrovia's Girls Volleyball star: Tirah Le'au. http://goo.gl/GxVOF
 
Boy's Basketball. Monrovia 47, St. Francis 59. :-( http://goo.gl/BjAWc
 
- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia's Canyon Oaks/Mountain Park Students Donate 22 Turkeys

[Awesome generosity by Monrovia's continuation high school students. I've written before ( http://goo.gl/C4j0k ) about Monrovia's amazing continuation high schools. This article is from Natalie Macchia, Canyon Oaks/Mountain Park Counselor. - Brad Haugaard]

In response to Foothill Unity Center's outcry for help when short 300 turkeys, Canyon Oaks and Mountain Park High School students rallied to meet the needs in our community.  Under the direction of Special Education teacher Scott Iler, the effort began with a simple e-mail to teachers for help in collecting money to buy a couple of turkeys.  Mr. Iler proceeded to make an announcement in the classrooms letting students know they could participate in this effort and donate change if they had any to share.  Within an hour, over $300 was collected!

One young lady was embarrassed to give a handful of pennies, but still wanted to contribute anything she could.  A young man insisted on giving $1.50, which was reserved for his bus fair, stating he would walk instead.  Students repeatedly said, “I know what it's like to need and I want to give back, my family has used the Unity Center before." And lastly, a remarkable student who is gainfully employed, donated $120 of his own money, sharing that he is presently in a position to give back and believes that is the right thing to do having been in a previously rough situation. 

Following the collection, several staff members and students drove to Fresh and Easy in Duarte and were able to purchase 22 turkeys and 4 boxes of stuffing, partly because of the coupons employees provided so we could get the most with our money. The Unity Center was overjoyed with the delivery that meant so much coming from the most unlikely of groups in so many’s opinion.  It’s not very often that students in alternative education are recognized for the positive things they do to give back to their community. 

The students at COHS and MPS gave generously of themselves with no extrinsic reward attached; they gave selflessly because they care and know how awful it is to want/need.  Our students are good, many just have big problems that have caused them to be unsuccessful academically and at times personally in the past.  And their goodness did not stop at Thanksgiving.  COHS and MPS partnered with the Unity Center once again for Christmas, adopting two local children and showering them with gifts on their wish list, afforded by staff and students who again felt the need to give back.

Monrovia High Science Building - Done

Monrovia School Board member Ed Gililland reports that the new science building at Monrovia High is now in use. He called the building "a fabulous facility" and said "it just blows me away." He said the district hopes to have an open house for the building very soon.

Also, he said, the new gymnasium is "basically finished" and should open within the next couple of weeks.

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia - Space Hub



Messenger Spacecraft (NASA image)

Communicating with America's unmanned spacecraft is coordinated right from Monrovia, according to Dawn Medeiros, a project manager with ITT Systems for the government's Deep Space Network.

Medeiros, speaking at the monthly Monrovia Coordinating Council, said the Monrovia facility, at 1400 S. Shamrock Avenue, is 8.5 years into a 10-year contract with JPL to administer and maintain the space communications system. There are communications facilities around the world, but in California this includes running an office at JPL and taking care of the massive antennas at the Goldstone facility located at Ft. Irwin, near Barstow.

Among the 50-60 spacecraft ITT tracks is the ancient, will-not-die Voyager, which is now 15 billion kilometers away. It takes 29 hours for a round-trip signal to reach out to Voyager and for the reply to come back.

And coming up soon: the Messenger spacecraft, which should arrive at Mercury and begin orbiting the planet on March 18 of this year.

- Brad Haugaard

Schamadan / Looking Forward

Charlotte Schamadan reflects on shopping. Moral? Probably better to stick with Monrovia stores. http://goo.gl/ocSbs
 
Monrovia community leaders look forward to 2011. http://goo.gl/6n0um
 
- Brad Haugaard

Stealth Over Monrovia

The Stealth fighter plane made a brief appearance New Year's morning in the sky over Monrovia after flying over the Rose Parade in Pasadena. If you run outside as soon as you see it on television, you can sometimes see it. Here are a couple shots.

- Brad Haugaard



Happy New Year, Monrovia!

Happy 2011, everyone!
 
From what I read in the city's Monrovia Today newsletter, there will be an In-N-Out Burger coming to Monrovia in 2011. That sounds like a pretty good start to 2011 right there. That and a bank, two more restaurants and a 7-unit residential development, also scheduled to come to town.
 
- Brad Haugaard

Whitenack and Unity Center

A nice profile of Joan Whitenack and the Foothill Unity Center. http://goo.gl/zSOFR
 
- Brad Haugaard

Senior to Regular Housing

At its next meeting, on Jan. 4 at 7:30 p.m., the Monrovia City Council will consider whether to approve a settlement city staff has negotiated with the owner of the Primrose Villa and Villa Olive Oak apartments, which were built as senior housing.
 
History: The buildings were required to be senior housing for 20 years, but when the 20 years were up the owner, G&K Management Company, wanted to convert the buildings to be standard housing units. The City said no, that G&K needed a conditional use permit to do that. The owner and city disagreed but they worked on it for three years and came up with an agreement:
 
- At least 54 units will remain senior units and not more than 102 units will be conventional units.
 
- The owner will build parking structures at both locations, on Olive Avenue and on Colorado Boulevard.
 
- The owner will make various other improvements, including a bus shelter.
 
Source: http://goo.gl/kUozC
 
- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia High Construction Meeting

You may recall that the visitor's bleachers at Monrovia High were the reason the MHS winning game was not played at Monrovia High. At a special meeting at 6 p.m. January 5 (agenda here: http://goo.gl/L1g4t), the School Board will consider having the bleachers improved and raised so they are the same height as the home bleachers, at a cost of $94,144. Source: http://goo.gl/q2yEY

Also, the district will consider:

~ Spending $20,988 for some concrete work.
~ Spending $83,673 for fire protection improvements to the auditorium.

~ Spending $25,866 to add some guard rails.

~ Hiring a new owner-representative (the previous owner-rep is unable to continue) to represent the school district in dealings with the MHS contractor.
- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Checkpoints / State of City Address

~ Drink responsibly this New Year's Eve because there will be drunk-driver checkpoints in Monrovia and surrounding towns. http://goo.gl/XE2oF
 
~ State of the City Address - If you'd like to hear in-person Mayor Mary Ann Lutz's State of the City address at 7 p.m. on January 24, you might want to get your tickets soon by calling 303-6600. The talk will be at the Krikorian theater. Or, after the event, you will be able to see a printed version of the talk on the city's website or the video on KGEM on cable, or on KGEM online (www.kgem.tv).

- Brad Haugaard

Mr. Monrovia / Wildrose Area

The 7th Annual Mr. Monrovia Competition will be at 6 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 13 in the Clifton Middle School Auditorium.  Tickets are $5. See a great show while supporting the efforts of MHS Renaissance to "Save lives, change lives and impact futures."  Tickets are available from Ms. Partain in the student activities office or at the door. Source: http://goo.gl/3wiBt
 
The Wildrose Historic District. http://goo.gl/T74rL
 
- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Liquor Store Robbery / Challenging Times

~ Robbery - Duarte Road liquor store robbed, clerk beaten with pistol. Here http://goo.gl/cVPcc and here http://goo.gl/977Wp


~ Most Challenging Times in 30 Years - Linda Taubenreuther of the Foothill Unity Center reports that: "In the last two and a half years, our client base has doubled. This is by far the most challenging opportunity in our 30-year history, and we need your help more than ever before."



- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Company Gets $46.2 Million Order / MAP Program is Finalist

~ Monrovia's AeroVironment receives $46.2 million order. http://goo.gl/D8EKP
 
~ Monrovia Area Partnership program is a finalist in an international contest. http://goo.gl/CZeb9
 
- Brad Haugaard

City of Monrovia and Monrovia Unified School District To Host A Wildcat CIF Football Championship Victory Celebration On January 6th!

 The Monrovia Unified School District and the Monrovia City Council are pleased to honor the Monrovia Wildcat football team on Thursday, January 6 at 6:30p.m., in Monrovia Library Park, (321 South Myrtle Avenue).  The Wildcats are being recognized for bringing home the school’s first CIF football championship. This season was the Wildcat’s tenth attempt at a championship.  A processional parade will begin at the high school campus, travel along Colorado Boulevard and eventually arrive at Library Park in the Historic Old Town District.  Upon arrival at Library Park, the football team will be serenaded by the MHS Band and the high school’s cheerleading squad.  The champions and their coaching staff will be individually recognized and congratulated by the Monrovia City Council and Monrovia Unified School District Board Members. The public is encouraged to line the streets of the processional route from the high school to Library Park and then join the celebration at the park.  Congratulations Wildcats!


 


- Linda Wagner, Superintendent of Schools

Recycle Tree / Green January / Boys Soccer / Food Trucks

~ Recycle your Christmas tree. Place it on the curb during your regular trash collection day through Jan. 14. Remove all ornaments, tinsel, plastic bags, nails, lights, and plastic or metal stands or tree will not be collected. Flocked and fire retardant coated trees will be accepted.
 
Source: http://goo.gl/fHNvA
 
~ Green January. Details about the four weeks of January: Recycle Week, Reduce Week, Donate Week and Reduce Week. Here: http://goo.gl/cHwj3
 
~ Monrovia boys soccer coach Mike Williams. http://goo.gl/CGtV0
 
~ No food trucks - at least not in Old Town. http://goo.gl/chAnz
 
- Brad Haugaard

MonroviaOpoly / Movie Houses / Sanford

~ MonroviaOpoly - It may still be available. Get it while it lasts. $25 at library. http://goo.gl/vLSIN
 
~ History - About Monrovia's movie houses. http://goo.gl/EwYIl


~ Profile - Betty Sanford, long-time volunteer. http://goo.gl/ZZzCO
 
- Brad Haugaard

Merry Christmas, Monrovia!

[From Luke 2:1-19]
 
And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed. (This was the first census taken when Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And all went to be registered, every one into his own city.
 
And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:) To be registered with Mary his espoused wife, who was with child. And so it was, that, while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in strips of cloth, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.
 
And in that same region there were shepherds in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, an angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were very afraid. And the angel said to them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good news of great joy, which shall be for all people. For to you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign to you; You shall find a baby wrapped in strips of cloth, lying in a manger.
 
And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,
 
Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men with whom he is pleased.
 
And it came to pass, as the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, Let us go straight to Bethlehem, and see this thing which has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us. And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. And when they had seen, they made known what was told them concerning this child. And all those who heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds. But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.
 
- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Christmas Eve Services

~ At First Presbyterian Church tonight, a family service at 5 p.m. "Children's Ministry will present the Christmas Story, we will sing Christmas Carols and end by candle light." Childcare for infants-2 years. At 10 p.m. the candlelight service, featuring choir singing and leading in worship with carols proclaiming the birth of Jesus Christ. No childcare available. http://goo.gl/I9Ev8
 
At Immaculate Conception today, a 4 p.m. English family mass, 6 p.m. English, 8 p.m. Spanish, and again at midnight with musical prelude at 11:30 p.m. More here: http://goo.gl/ka7UX
 
~ At St. Luke's Episcopal Church tonight, carol singing at 7:30 p.m., full Eucharist service at 8 p.m. Also, a children's story reading and visit from St Nicholas, with presents for the children. http://goo.gl/H9LtZ
 
~ First Baptist Church. Christmas Eve Service at 6:30 p.m.


~ Calvary Chapel Monrovia tonight. Soup and chili potluck at 5 p.m. followed by worship and study time.


~ Pastor's Christmas Story Time for parents and kids at Calvary Road Baptist Church, 319 West Olive Avenue, 7 p.m.


- Brad Haugaard