Support Mayor Lutz in Cancer Relay
You can support Mayor Mary Ann Lutz in her participation in the June 4 Cancer Relay - sponsored by the American Cancer Society - at Recreation Park. http://goo.gl/yS1Sc - Brad Haugaard
Fountain-to-Falls Sign-Up Opens
If you are interested in the 7-mile Fountain to the Falls walk/run on May 14, you can sign up now for $30, plus an unspecified "per person online registration fee." The run begins at 7 a.m. and takes you on a round-trip course beginning at the Fountain in Library Park to the Falls in Monrovia Canyon Park. The awards presentation will immediately follow the race. Registration is available on-line only, here: http://goo.gl/iNTv0 . No registration on the day of the event. All entrants will receive a medal and t-shirt. 400 participants maximum. Registration ends May 11. Source: http://goo.gl/82Ihz - Brad Haugaard
Falls are Dangerous
Last Saturday a hiker slipped and fell from the waterfall in Monrovia Canyon Park.
The fire department reports: "Firefighter/Paramedics hiked over a mile up the trail to find an adult patient with injuries to the hip and lower back sustained from a nearly-30-foot fall. Advanced life support procedures were initiated as the patient was placed on a special 'stokes basket' gurney and carefully carried out of the Canyon. Due to the nature of incident the patient was transported to the Trauma Department at Huntington Memorial Hospital in Pasadena for further treatment." http://goo.gl/BeHGy
Nice to look at the falls from below, but please don't climb up there. Very dangerous.
- Brad Haugaard
Partial Preservation
According to a Monrovia city report, while the property owners are very cooperative, they "have encountered unforeseen issues involving the structural integrity of the house that must be addressed in order to meet the minimum requirements of the Building Code."
Details: http://goo.gl/BeHGy
- Brad Haugaard
Redevelopment
The Star-News has a good article today on how local cities are handling the possibility that California will eliminate the redevelopment process, and, by-the-by, grab a lot of local money for itself. http://goo.gl/4xOgc
One scoff-worthy item in the story is that some people criticize redevelopment agencies because they "lack oversight," meaning some state agency isn't controlling what they do.
So, the oh-so fiscally responsible State of California - which always delivers a budget on time and never ever runs a debt and never ever uses accounting tricks to "balance" its budget - wants to make sure that redevelopment agencies are being responsible. Right.
Also in the article, State Treasurer Bill Lockyer calls redevelopment agencies "vampires," sucking blood for their own purposes. I dunno, if I was a state official and therefore representative of the biggest blood-sucker in the Western United States, I don't think I'd bring up the topic of vampires.
Having said all that, I have to add that I am a bit of two minds regarding redevelopment agencies. I agree with Monrovia City Manager Scott Ochoa about their economic benefits, but what concerns me is "eminent domain," meaning that a redevelopment agency (generally a city council wearing a different hat) can buy a property within a redevelopment zone even if the owner does not want to sell.
Redevelopment historians can correct me on this if I am wrong, but I believe redevelopment was initially instituted so government could force the sale of critical property to build vital public structures, such as freeways and hospitals, but it has gone far beyond that.
Yes, there are safety measures in place. Usually the agency has to pay an above-market rate for the property, and it needs to help people and businesses relocate, and I believe the vote to force the sale of a property must be unanimous. Also, I know that cities - Monrovia included - are reluctant to use this power, and a property-owner could challenge the agency in court, nevertheless I'm troubled that someone's property can be purchased without his or her permission, for no crime he has committed and for no debt that he owes.
If redevelopment could be reconstituted without eminent domain, I'd feel better, but that would mean one recalcitrant property owner could derail a large city-benefiting project. But still, it makes me mighty nervous letting any government take people's property just so it can get more money, nice as more money would be right now.
Here is a Monrovia statement on redevelopment from 2008: http://goo.gl/5p58v
UPDATE: See Mayor Pro Tem Tom Adam's thoughts under Comment, below.
- Brad Haugaard
AeroVironment Ships Charger / Store Goes Online-Only / Basketball
~ Monrovia's AeroVironment has begun shipping and installing its residential Smart Charging Dock for plug-in electric hybrid cars. http://goo.gl/VLswn
~ Monrovia clothing business, Suburban Martini, moves to online-only: http://goo.gl/KKDd4
~ Standing of San Gabriel Valley basketball teams. (Dig down a bit, Monrovia is there). http://goo.gl/Tz63E
- Brad Haugaard
Candy Store / Disability Claim
~ New Monrovia candy store opening. http://goo.gl/OUiIr
~ City Manager Scott Ochoa says former Monrovia worker who said he couldn't do handyman work for city was videotaped doing handyman work. http://goo.gl/oASkM
- Brad Haugaard
Cheap Paving / $8 Million Bond / Train Station Landscaping / Servicemen
Here are some items from the agenda for the City Council meeting, this Tuesday, Feb. 15 at 7:30 p.m. Agenda: http://goo.gl/OdGVt
~ Cheap Paving - Monrovia City Staff is recommending the city accept a $1.27 million street-resurfacing bid which is 37 percent lower than the cost staff estimated. In his report Public Works Director Ron Bow suggests that maybe contractors are hurting and are willing to work cheap. He writes: "[A]ll but the two highest bids were below the original estimated cost, which led staff to conclude that contractors are lowering their bids to be more competitive in this present economic condition." The streets to be resurfaced include parts of Huntington Drive, Duarte Road and Grand Avenue. Details here: http://goo.gl/LMTDj
~ $8 Million Bond - Discuss issuing an $8 million redevelopment bond. (If my memory serves me, these bonds are used to redevelop areas, which then - hopefully - produce more tax revenue to pay off the bond and improve the city.) More here: http://goo.gl/9gQyn
~ Station Landscape - Discuss whether to award a contract of up to $60,000 to IBI Group to develop a concept design for the open, public spaces around the new train station in Phase I of the Station Square Transit Village Project. http://goo.gl/PQjKp
~ Servicemen - Also, at a special meeting at 7 p.m., February 15, before the regular meeting, the Monrovia City Council will honor local men serving in the United States military. They are:
- Lance Corporal Guillermo O. Reynosa, United States Marine Corps.
- Private First Class James C. Knight, IV, United States Marine Corps.
- Lieutenant Jeffrey Scott Mitchell, United States Navy
- Seaman Ronnie Paniagua, United States Navy
-- Brad Haugaard
Ecstacy Flyer / Monrovia Rockhounds / Schamadan's 20th
~ Monrovia representative to the LA County Board of Supervisors, Mike Antonovich, is criticizing a county flyer on the Ecstasy drug as a how-to article. http://goo.gl/BxT2F
~ Plan to attend the Monrovia Rockhounds Rock Show at the Arboreteum on March 5 and 6 from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Get a free tumbled stone. More details: http://goo.gl/eWWTr
~ Charlotte Schamadan's 20th anniversary column. http://goo.gl/nHRwQ
- Brad Haugaard
Monrovia's 125th Birthday Party
Monrovia's 125th Birthday, featuring The Monrovia Day Parade - "Cruisin' With Samson." 7 p.m. on May 12. http://goo.gl/PHKJr
- Brad Haugaard
Mountain Lion Alert
From the City Website:
A mountain lion has been sighted during the evening hours in the mountainous area around the 1100 block of Norumbega Road. California Fish and Game has been advised and is monitoring the situation. Residents in the area are encouraged to be alert to their surroundings and use appropriate precautions with their children and pets. http://www.ci.monrovia.ca.us/
More detail: http://goo.gl/oFAPZ
- Brad Haugaard
40 Years in Prison, Meth, Fighting, Mountain Lion, Etc.
[Monrovia Police activities from the Police Department's Neighborhood Watch Report for Feb. 3-9. - Brad Haugaard]
During the last seven day period, the Police Department handled 525 service events, resulting in 101 investigations. Following are the last week's highlighted issues and events:
Update - Gang member sentenced for 2007 attempted murder
February 2, 2011, Monrovia Police Department detectives concluded the prosecution of a Monrovia Nuevo Varrio gang member who was responsible for the 2007 shooting and attempted murder of an individual in the 200 block of Cherry. The suspect was sentenced to 40 years to life in prison.
Vehicle Burglary
February 3 at 8:06 a.m., an officer was dispatched to the 800 block of Wildrose regarding a vehicle burglary. He arrived on scene and the victim reported his vehicle had been broken into during the night. The loss is unknown and the investigation is continuing.
Injury Traffic Collision
February 3 at 8:15 p.m., a vehicle collided into a light pole at Mountain, just north of the 210 Freeway. The light pole fell onto a main power grid line. Officers blocked Mountain until Edison arrived to clear the downed active line. The driver of the vehicle was not hurt; however, the passenger had minor injuries and was taken to a hospital.
Grand Theft Auto Recovery
February 4 at 10:46 p.m., an officer on patrol located an unoccupied stolen vehicle. The vehicle was a 1995 Honda and was parked on Chestnut in front of a business. A DMV computer check confirmed it was stolen out of Monterey Park. No suspects were located.
Driving Under the Influence / Possession of Marijuana / Outstanding Warrant - Three Suspects Arrested
February 5 at 4:30 a.m., an officer stopped a driver at Magnolia and Lemon for possibly driving under the influence. After conducting an investigation, it was determined the driver was, in fact, under the influence. The front passenger was found to be in possession of a paper bag full of Marijuana, totaling just over three ounces. The rear passenger was found to have an outstanding warrant. All three subjects were arrested.
Resisting and Delaying a Peace Officer / Public Intoxication - Suspect Arrested
February 6 at 1:12 a.m., officers responded to a disturbing subject call at a night club in the 300 block of South Myrtle. As the officer arrived, the subject ran from him. The officer apprehended the subject near Ivy and Palm. The subject was determined to be a minor under the influence of alcohol. He was arrested and taken into custody.
Fighting / Drunk in Public - Three Subjects Arrested
February 6 at 1:56 p.m., an officer on patrol in the area of Palm and Myrtle observed several females fighting. He requested assisting officers, who responded and the involved parties where detained. The investigation revealed the females all know each other, but due to their intoxicated state, they argued and two of them got into a physical altercation. All three subjects were arrested.
Possession of Methamphetamine / Possession of Drug Paraphernalia - Suspect Arrested
February 6, a Special Enforcement Team officer conducted a traffic stop, and the resulting search revealed the subject was in possession of methamphetamine and a methamphetamine smoking pipe. He was arrested for the narcotics charges and three outstanding warrants.
Police Pursuit - Suspect Arrested
February 6 at 9:09 a.m., an officer responded to the 100 block of North Lincoln Place regarding vehicle vandalism in progress. The suspect was last seen driving north on Lincoln. An officer located the suspect vehicle at Hillcrest, east of Myrtle. Officers attempted a traffic stop with emergency lights, but the vehicle failed to yield and increased speed. The vehicle went through several posted stop signs and a residential alley. The pursuit ended in the 200 block of Canyon Crest, where the suspect fled on foot. Containment was set up with the assistance of two units from Arcadia Police Department. Officers conducted a search of the area with no results. As officers were about to leave the area, the suspect was spotted in the 100 block of North Ivy. The suspect was taken into custody without incident and positively identified by the witness. The suspect was also wanted for criminal threats.
Resisting and Delaying a Peace Officer / Possession of Methamphetamine - Suspects Arrested
February 6 at 4:43 p.m., dispatch received a call reporting two male subjects fighting in the 800 block of West Duarte. When the officer arrived, he saw a subject loitering near the passenger side of a parked vehicle and another subject in the driver's seat. The subject on the outside of the vehicle had head injuries consistent with a fight. As the officer approached the vehicle, the driver sped off south on Eighth and pulled into the carport area of an apartment complex, where the driver fled on foot. The second subject also tried to flee, but was detained. The Foothill Air Support helicopter assisted in the search for the first suspect. Officers eventually located the suspect hiding in the laundry room of the complex. Further investigation revealed the subject received the head injuries from an unrelated traffic collision and had just been released from the hospital. The suspects were arrested for resisting and delaying officers. One of the suspects was in possession of methamphetamine when arrested.
Disturbing Subject / Resisting and Delaying a Pease Officer - Suspect Arrested
February 6 at 9:51 p.m., officers were dispatched to the 100 block of North Canyon regarding an intoxicated adult throwing furniture and demanding vehicle keys from his family members. The family members refused to give the suspect the keys because he was too intoxicated to drive. The family members locked themselves in a bedroom and called police. When officers arrived, they were greeted by the intoxicated suspect, who became aggressive and yelled profanities at the officers. Officers attempted to check the welfare of the family members, but were obstructed by the intoxicated suspect. Officers had to arrest the suspect in order to control him. The officers were then able to check on the family members and found they were not harmed. The suspect was taken into custody and later released after a sobering period.
Animal Problem - Coyote
February 7 at 6:49 p.m., a resident in the 600 block of Wildrose called to report a coyote had jumped her fence and attacked her cat. Animal Control responded to the location and found the coyote had attacked and killed the cat. The coyote had left the location and returned again several times during the incident. While animal control was at the location the coyote was seen again near the yard before it fled the area. Later that same evening police received another call of a coyote seen at an apartment complex at Foothill and Magnolia, and later there was another sighting at Magnolia and Huntington. The Department of Fish and Game was notified.
Search Warrant - Three Suspects Arrested
February 8, 2011, Special Enforcement Team officers and detectives served a search warrant in the 500 block of East Foothill. Officers recovered a handgun, drugs and stolen property. Three suspects were arrested.
Mountain Lion Sighting
February 9 at 9:06 p.m., a resident driving in the 1100 block of Norumbega saw a mountain lion in the middle of the road that was approximately 125 pounds. An officer was dispatched to the area and located the mountain lion. The officer used a beanbag gun and managed to send the mountain lion back into the hills.
Arboretum Needs Your Opinion / Senator Needs Your Art
~ The LA County Arboretum, next door in Arcadia, wants your opinions for its planning to better serve the area. You can take a 5-10 minute survey here: http://goo.gl/0mHAS I took it. Pretty painless.
~ Bob Huff (R), who represents Monrovia in the California State Senate, is looking for entries for the California State Senate art show. Details here: http://goo.gl/9XCrU
- Brad Haugaard
Online Library / Miss Majorette / Hiker Recovering
~ This is not new, but I'll bet a lot of people don't know that you can check if the Monrovia Library has a book, and if it is checked in, right from your home computer. Just click here: http://goo.gl/5NLn9 ~ Last year Clifton student Madisen Buonsanti became Miss Beginner Pre-Teen Majorette of California. http://goo.gl/FhMj5 ~ Injured hiker recovering. http://goo.gl/SNfkJ - Brad Haugaard
Doggy Drinking Fountain
- Brad Haugaard
Mayor to Testify before State Senate / Rename Olive Ave. Park? / Promotions
In his weekly report, City Manager Scott Ochoa reports that:
~ Mayor Mary Ann Lutz is scheduled to testify before the Senate Local Government Committee next Wednesday. He said she'll defend redevelopment, a program that Governor Brown would like to end.
~ at the last City Council meeting, "Mayor Pro Tem Adams requested that a study be conducted to change the name of Olive Avenue Park to a name that recognizes the contributions of Monrovia's Latino community over the years."
~ Steve Sizemore and Craig Jimenez took over the jobs of Community Development Director and Planning Division Manager, respectively.
Source: http://goo.gl/ncm8s
- Brad Haugaard
Carden School to Combine with Anita Oaks
On July 1, Monrovia's Carden of the Foothills school and Duarte's Anita Oaks School will combine to become Foothill Oaks Academy, located in Duarte.
Here is further information from the press release:
"The school will provide reasonably priced private school education from preschool through 8th grade, with a focus on individual attention to students, small class sizes, core curriculum, after school care, and many exciting opportunities for enrichment. Foothill Oaks Academy will kick off an engaging summer school program in 2011, which will be followed by a full academic program starting in September 2011.
"Both school boards and administrators came together to create Foothill Oaks Academy based on the best methods and style of education gleaned from both schools, with a continued commitment to core values and quality education that have come to define both schools within the community. The combination of the schools will provide a strong future, as well as improvements in academic programs for Foothill Oaks Academy. Nancy Lopez, the current principal at Anita Oaks School, and Diane Kieffaber, the current principal of Carden of the Foothills School, will co-direct Foothill Oaks Academy under the guidance of a board of trustees comprised of representatives from each school."
The Foothill Oaks Academy website is www.foothilloaksacademy.org. For more information or to schedule an interview, contact Ryan Soule at (626) 485-1688.
- Brad Haugaard
Here is further information from the press release:
"The school will provide reasonably priced private school education from preschool through 8th grade, with a focus on individual attention to students, small class sizes, core curriculum, after school care, and many exciting opportunities for enrichment. Foothill Oaks Academy will kick off an engaging summer school program in 2011, which will be followed by a full academic program starting in September 2011.
"Both school boards and administrators came together to create Foothill Oaks Academy based on the best methods and style of education gleaned from both schools, with a continued commitment to core values and quality education that have come to define both schools within the community. The combination of the schools will provide a strong future, as well as improvements in academic programs for Foothill Oaks Academy. Nancy Lopez, the current principal at Anita Oaks School, and Diane Kieffaber, the current principal of Carden of the Foothills School, will co-direct Foothill Oaks Academy under the guidance of a board of trustees comprised of representatives from each school."
The Foothill Oaks Academy website is www.foothilloaksacademy.org. For more information or to schedule an interview, contact Ryan Soule at (626) 485-1688.
- Brad Haugaard
New Monrovia Walking Path / YMCA Run
~ City of Monrovia Management Analyst, Dan Bell, reported today that the city will install signs for a one-mile walking route throughout Old Town this week. The route, suggested by Councilmember Becky Shevlin and her husband, Chris, is being paid for entirely by the Monrovia Kiwanis Club.
~ If you'd like to help the Santa Anita Family YMCA and get a bit of exercise as well, the Y is having a 5k run/walk around Recreation Park on Saturday, Feb. 26. Adults $20, kids 14 and under $10. Money raised by the run will benefit the YMCA. Adult run at 8 a.m.; kids at 9:30 a.m. Call 626 359-9244 for details.
- Brad Haugaard
Huffington in Charge of Patch / Wrestling / Kirby Profile
~ The Monrovia Patch news website - and its hundreds of sister news sites - will soon have a new editor-in-chief in Arianna Huffington, the left-leaning commentator and founder of The Huffington Post. AOL, the owner of Patch, is purchasing The Huffington Post and putting her in charge of its media group.
From the press release:
"As part of the transaction, Arianna Huffington, The Huffington Post’s co-founder and editor-in-chief, will be named president and editor-in-chief of The Huffington Post Media Group, which will include all Huffington Post and AOL content, including Engadget, TechCrunch, Moviefone, MapQuest, Black Voices, PopEater, AOL Music, AOL Latino, AutoBlog, Patch, StyleList, and more." (Emphasis mine.)
Source: http://goo.gl/4OaY4
UPDATE: It appears Huffington will be somewhat of a hands-on manager. TechCrunch reports that Huffington "feels an affinity with Patch, AOL’s burgeoning local news properties." http://goo.gl/OdttT
UPDATE 2: In a blog post on The Huffington Post, Arianna Huffington writes: "AOL's Patch.com covers 800 towns across America, providing an incredible infrastructure for citizen journalism in time for the 2012 election, and a focus on community and local solutions that have been an integral part of HuffPost's DNA." http://goo.gl/htmDR
Certainly media owners have political viewpoints, though they usually try to at least sound neutral, but it sounds here as if Huffington intends to use Patch as a political tool and bring it into ideological alignment with The Huffington Post. I hope I'm misinterpreting this because I wish Patch all the best and I've enjoyed and admired it, and I don't think politicizing it is the road to success.
~ Wrestling. Monrovia's league standing. http://goo.gl/xgegn
~ Profile of former Monrovia City Councilman Dan Kirby. http://goo.gl/Ju043
- Brad Haugaard
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)