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Star-News Endorses Adams and Shevlin

The Pasadena Star-News has endorsed Tom Adams and Becky Shevlin for Monrovia City Council. Voting day is April 12. http://goo.gl/WqnaX
 
- Brad Haugaard

Donnelly's Immigration Bill Killed / Monrovia Baseball :-(

~ Assemblyman Tim Donnelly, representing Monrovia, has released a notice indicating he is unhappy with a party-line vote in the Assembly Judiciary Committee that shot down his proposed immigration law. http://goo.gl/lzmym

~ Baseball: Glendora over Monrovia 15-5. http://goo.gl/u3gPC

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Baseball :-( / Sample Ballot / City Logo / World Vision

~ Baseball. Arcadia over Monrovia 3-0 :-( http://goo.gl/j8MVP

~ If you lost yours, click the link to see a sample ballot for the April 12 Monrovia election. http://goo.gl/Q1HIr

~ City Manager calls proposed new city logo a "good idea gone awry." http://goo.gl/3DRPh

~ Lorraine Pierce, he widow of Bob Pierce, who founded World Vision, in Monrovia, has died. http://goo.gl/WA3Cl

- Brad Haugaard

Cupcakes / Children's Books

~ Enter a cupcake baking contest for Monrovia Day. http://goo.gl/Ng1MY

~ If you have any children's books you can spare, Friends of the Monrovia Public Library could use them. http://goo.gl/FEuM6

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Cinco de Mayo - Biggest in the Valley?

Organizers expect the upcoming Monrovia Cinco de Mayo Cultural Art and Music Festival to be the largest Cinco de Mayo celebration in the San Gabriel Valley, with more than 5,000 people expected, and also the first in Monrovia’s 125 years.

The free festival will take place from 2-8 p.m. on Sunday, May 1, at Colorado and Myrtle in Old Town. It will transform the streets with educational and cultural exhibits and musical performances from Grammy-winning entertainers, along with an array of dance performances from popular Folklorico and Oaxacan dance troupes.
 
The event kicks off with performances from CaliMex roots quartet, Los Fabulocos, and popular Latin Jazz ensemble, The Banda Brothers. The fiesta continues at the children’s stage where Folklorico and Oaxacan dance troupes will perform into the early evening. Throughout the celebration, attendees can enjoy works by more than 75 local artists, displaying works in a variety of media, including watercolor, oil painting, photography, ceramics, and glasswork. Visitors can also sample popular Mexican food from a variety of Monrovia restaurants, including Rudy’s Mexican Food Restaurant.
 
The event continues with special performances from the popular Delgado Brothers performing their Latin-infused blues and will culminate with a special performance from the Grammy Award-winning group, The Mariachi Divas, a multi-cultural, all-female mariachi ensemble. 
 
The festival is being produced by the Monrovia Cinco de Mayo Association in partnership with the Nuvein Foundation for Literature and the Arts to celebrate the diversity that is Monrovia and to promote an understanding of all peoples and their cultures. It is a community effort led by a 12-person committee headed by local business owner, Rudy Castrellon.

"I invite everyone to Monrovia to be part of history," Castrellon said.

For more information, including a schedule of the event, please visit www.monrovia5demayo.org.

- Brad Haugaard (from press release)

Monrovia's Bear / Goodbye Trolleys! / Donnelly


~ Some history of Samson the Hot Tub Bear - including new representations of him that will decorate Old Town. http://goo.gl/V0f27

~ Last Day of Monrovia Old Town Trolley Service, May 27, 2011. http://goo.gl/0EFle

~ Assemblyman Tim Donnelly, who represents Monrovia in Sacramento, introduces Arizona-like immigration law. http://goo.gl/d433H

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Schoolyards Become Parks

As of April 1, the schoolyards of all five of Monrovia's elementary schools will double as parks on the weekends. It's a partnership between the school district and city.
- Brad Haugaard

Serve in Monrovia Government

If you would like to serve (for free) in the Monrovia city government, there are openings available for a number of positions, all for three-year terms (except for one) and all which begin on July 1.


You can apply for a position on the Planning Commission, Community Services Commission, Historic Preservation Commission, Library Board, or the Old Town Advisory Board (a two-year term, and open only to Old Town business or property owners). Deadline to apply is May 5.


If you are interested, there will be an informational meeting at 5:30 p.m. on Monday, April 26 at City Hall. Call 932-5598 to register.


- Brad Haugaard

Winning Y Logo / Tent Sale


~ The winning logo for the YMCA's vans, with 48 percent of the vote. http://goo.gl/qxq0R
~ Living Spaces is holding a multi-day parking lot tent sale. http://goo.gl/8Bd9q
- Brad Haugaard

Jim Hunt to be Interim Monrovia Police Chief

When Police Chief Roger Johnson retires on May 1, after 30 years of service, Captain Jim Hunt will become Interim Police Chief while the city recruits a new chief.
 
In his weekly report, City Manager Scott Ochoa said Hunt "is an excellent law enforcement professional, and I have every confidence that he will be able to manage the affairs of the Department during the upcoming selection process."
 
Ochoa also commended Johnson:

"Chief Johnson has built an impressive legacy and has faced many challenges during his career with the Monrovia Police Department. In addition to being a consummate law enforcement professional, he is also an insightful leader and resourceful business manager. These last several years have been some of the most challenging that Monrovia has ever faced. I am glad Chief Johnson has been a part of this team; truly, Monrovia has been the better for it. Congratulations, and thank you, Roger."
 
 
- Brad Haugaard

No Monrovia Land-Sale to Gold Line for Now

In his weekly report, City Manager Scott Ochoa explained why the proposed sale of property for a Gold Line maintenance yard was dropped from the agenda:

"I should note right off the bat that the scheduled public hearing regarding the Monrovia Redevelopment Agency's (MRA's) proposed sale of land to the Gold Line Construction Authority (GLCA) has been cancelled. Unfortunately, GLCA and City/MRA have been unable to come to terms at this time regarding the transaction. For the time being, the City of Monrovia - and presumably GLCA - will mull their respective positions; if a deal is possible, we will re-notice at a future date."
 
However, the topic will still be discussed under Mayor Mary Ann Lutz' portion of the agenda.
 
 
- Brad Haugaard

SWAT team / Police Car Hits Tree / Bakery

~ SWAT team responds to barricaded suspect in 600 block of Shady Oaks Drive, use tear gas to end standoff, arrest man. http://goo.gl/M6UBs

~ Police car forced to hit tree. http://goo.gl/RZE13


~ Monrovia Bakery and "Iceland" pilot filming. http://goo.gl/7aSYV


~ UPDATE: Oops! I've removed a burglar item from here. It referred to the wrong Monrovia. My goof.

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovian Young at 100

Monrovia Centenarian Grace McKeehan taking up golf. http://goo.gl/YvmWZ

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Old Town Bistro Open


Old Town Bistro is now open. Sandwiches, paninis, crepes, salads. Next to the old Box Jewelry clock on Myrtle.

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Library Park Porker

Sweet Pea the pig visits Library Park regularly. http://goo.gl/JYPWg

- Brad Haugaard

New Signal at Myrtle & Chestnut


It appears the new traffic signal at Myrtle and Chestnut has almost been finished. - Brad Haugaard

An Almost-Monrovia Park

Steve Scauzillo, Opinion Editor at the Star-News, recommended that since Monrovians want a park on the south side of town, they consider "adopting" Peck Road Water Conservation Park, at 5401 Peck Road in Arcadia, but just a hop and a jump from Monrovia. ( http://goo.gl/gGxGC ) So, I thought I'd go take a look. Here are some pictures I took.





- Brad Haugaard

Mediterranean Garden Grill


Warm day, nice for outdoor dining. We went to Mediterranean Garden Grill. Got the Chicken Schawarma. Enjoyed it. - Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Library Honored as 'Green' / Mishap with AeroVironment Plane

~ Mayor Lutz reports that Monrovia's Library has been honored by The U.S. Green Building Council Los Angeles Chapter with its 2011 Municipal Green Building Conference and Exposition Award of Recognition. The organization said the library "will serve as a model of measures to promote energy and water efficiency and methods to reduce resource consumption." Monrovia will receive the award at a ceremony on April 14. http://goo.gl/ta43W

~ Something went wrong with a test flight of the Global Observer, a robo-plane developed by Monrovia's AeroVironment. http://goo.gl/9d3G6

- Brad Haugaard

South Monrovia Park / Got Shopping Bags? / Y Honorees

~ Thoughts on building a park on the south side of Monrovia. We already have one ... sort of. http://goo.gl/gGxGC
 
~ Got any left-over plastic shopping bags? Foothill Unity Center could use them. http://goo.gl/nrJst
 
~ Santa Anita Family YMCA honors community members. http://goo.gl/agigG
 
- Brad Haugaard