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Monrovia Budget Study Session | Miyachi Opens Brazil Office

~ The Monrovia City Council will hold a study session to look at the 2011-2013 fiscal years budget at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, May 31. http://goo.gl/D3eIC
 
~ Monrovia's Miyachi Unitek Corporation, which specializes in welding, soldering and cutting, is opening a new office in Brazil. http://goo.gl/YKtxb
 
- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia PD: DUI, Hit and Run, Burglary, Theft, Robbery

[Monrovia Police activities from the Police Department's Neighborhood Watch Report for May. 19-25. - Brad Haugaard]
 
During the last seven day period, the Police Department handled 520 service events, resulting in 95 investigations.  Following are the last week's highlighted issues and events:
 
False Information to a Peace Officer / Possession of a Controlled Substance / Warrant - Suspect Arrested
May 19 at 2:50 p.m., an officer on patrol in the 200 block of West Foothill stopped a bicyclist for a violation.  The officer had suspicions that the bicyclist did not provide his true name.  The officer's fingerprint reader revealed the suspect did give a false name.  The suspect was found to have a warrant out for his arrest and a search revealed a small package of methamphetamine on his person.  The suspect was arrested and taken into custody.
 
Felony Evading / Driving Under the Influence - Suspect Arrested
May 22 at 2:35 a.m., an officer on patrol in the area of Duarte Road and Sixth noticed his radar activate, which indicated a vehicle was approaching at a high rate of speed.  The vehicle passed by and the officer went in pursuit, attempting to stop the vehicle.  The driver failed to stop and made numerous sharp turns in an attempt to get away.  The driver finally stopped at the 210 Freeway and was detained.  During the investigation, the driver was determined to be driving under the influence and was arrested. 
 
Outstanding Warrant - Suspect Arrested
May 22 at 9:35 a.m., an officer was patrolling a business parking lot in the 100 block of West Foothill when he saw a male subject loitering in front of a store.  He recognized the subject and knew he had an outstanding felony warrant for his arrest for possession of methamphetamine.  He detained the subject and confirmed the warrant, then arrested him without incident. 
 
Commercial Burglary - Suspect Arrested
May 23 at 5:00 a.m., officers responded to a burglary alarm at a business in the 300 block of West Huntington.  Upon arrival, they found someone had forced a back window open and entered the location.  There was no evidence of any property taken.  One of the officers noticed a suspicious person on a bicycle leaving the area of Cypress and Magnolia.  The bicyclist was detained and found to be in possession of numerous packages of cigarettes.  A search of the area revealed that a neighboring business was also burglarized by a suspect using a cutting tool to create a crawl space into the location.  The investigation revealed that the cigarettes found in the suspect's possession were stolen from that business.  The suspect was arrested.  The investigation is continuing.
 
Vehicle Burglary
May 23 at 6:17 a.m., an officer was dispatched on the report of a vehicle burglary that occurred in the 200 block of West Lemon.   The window on the victim's vehicle was broken and items inside the vehicle were stolen. 
 
Grand Theft Auto
May 23 at 7:12 a.m., a victim called to report his green, 2005 Honda Pilot had been stolen sometime during the night.  The victim's son parked and secured the vehicle in front of the residence the night before.  He believes this is related to a burglary at his residence in which his extra keys to his vehicle were taken.  There were no signs of forced entry. 
 
Theft from a Vehicle
May 23 at 11:22 a.m., a resident in the 300 block of North May called to report a theft from her vehicle.  The suspect took checks and other items from the vehicle during the night.  The victim believes she left the doors unlocked. 
 
Robbery - Suspect Arrested
May 23 at 4:18 p.m., loss prevention officers from a business in the 700 block of East Huntington called regarding a female subject they detained for shoplifting.  The female would not comply with the loss prevention officer's request to walk back inside the store.  After several attempts, the loss prevention officer tried to take the female's hand to control her and she began to fight him.  As they fell to the ground, the suspect kicked at the loss prevention officer.  A police officer arrived and the female suspect was taken into custody without further incident. 
 
Residential Burglary
May 23 at 4:49 p.m., a resident in the 800 block of Oakdale Avenue called to report that someone had broken into her home.  She had left the location and had been away from her home overnight.  When she returned the next day at about 4:30 in the afternoon, she found the rear, sliding glass door had been smashed.  Officers arrived and checked the premises.  Miscellaneous items, jewelry, and a rifle and revolver were taken. 
 
Hit & Run Traffic Collision / Evading Police / Attempt Suicide / 72-Hour Mental Evaluation
May 23 at 11:55 p.m., police received a call reporting a man and woman arguing in the area of Palm and Canyon.  Officers arrived and contacted the female subject.  She said she had been arguing with her boyfriend, who then left her there and drove away.  An officer saw the boyfriend driving north on Primrose from Colorado, then east on Lemon.  The officer attempted to make a traffic stop, but the man drove through the red light at Myrtle.  He continued east on Lemon and ran the stop sign at Ivy.  He lost control of his vehicle and collided into a parked car in the 200 block of East Lemon.  The suspect fled the accident scene on foot.  The suspect was not located, but his identity was determined.  Officers attempted to locate the suspect at his home, but he was not at the location.   
The next morning at 8:18 a.m., officers were dispatched to the suspect's residence in the 200 block of Poinsettia.  The 19 year old suspect had returned and was threatening suicide.  Officers arrived and were told the suspect locked himself in his room and he had two knives with him.  The suspect refused to open the door for officers.  Officers forced entry through the door and detained the suspect without further incident.  He was taken to a hospital, where he was held for mental evaluation.  Charges will be filed with the District Attorney's Office. 
 
Vehicle Burglary
May 24 at 6:29 a.m., a resident in the 100 block of McKinley called to report that someone had broken into her vehicle.  An officer was dispatched to the location and found that the suspect had broken out a rear passenger window.  The victim had left her purse in the vehicle and it had been taken by the suspect. 
 
Commercial Burglary - Suspect Arrested
May 25 at 1:59 p.m., loss prevention from a business in the 500 block of West Huntington reported that a female subject had taken merchandise and exited the store without paying.  She fled in a black vehicle driven by a male subject.  Loss prevention officers obtained the license plate number.  An officer responded and contacted the loss prevention officers, who provided the license plate number of the vehicle and a photo of the female suspect.  A DMV check of the license plate indicated the vehicle is registered to a residence in the county area of Arcadia.  The officer contacted the Los Angeles Sheriff's Department and requested they drive by the location to check for the vehicle.  The vehicle was located at the residence.  Monrovia officers went to the location and contacted the female suspect.  She was arrested for burglary without incident. 

Free Monrovia High Concert | School Librarians | Unity Leaders Honored| Stolen Laptop

~ The Monrovia High Band will perform at the fountain in Library Park this Friday (May 27) at 6 p.m. Bring dinner, chairs and blankets. Soft drinks, coffee and pastries will be for sale. It is a free concert, but donations are welcome and greatly appreciated!

~ Parents ask for school librarians to be retained. http://goo.gl/AziCx

~ Foothill Unity Center Executive Director, Joan Whitenack, and board member Lois Gaston were honorees at the "2011 Fifty Fabulous Women" event in Pasadena. More than 250 women were nominated for this year's group of women who give back to the community in exceptional ways. http://goo.gl/jkNSo

~ Lorraine Delgado, who had her laptop stolen from her car would like to hear from anyone who may have seen anything. The passenger window of her car was broken into between 11 p.m. May 20 and 6 a.m. May 21 and her Macintosh lG4 laptop was stolen. Thes theft occurred on the 600 Block of King Street, north of Huntington between Monterrey and Mayflower. If you have information, please contact Lorraine at mindescapedesign@yahoo.com .

- Brad Haugaard

Army Orders Planes from Monrovia's AeroVironment | Football Schedule

~ Monrovia's AeroVironment has received $8.4 million Army order for hand-launched Raven mini-spy plane. http://goo.gl/duZfU

~ Monrovia Wildcat football schedule. http://goo.gl/GdMqi

- Brad Haugaard

Will Monrovia School Libraries Be Cut?

Parents are concerned that Monrovia school libraries remain intact. http://goo.gl/hxgG3
I totally sympathize with the parents. I love libraries. I haunted my junior high library. But I also sympathize with the dilemma of the Monrovia School Board. As long as money is not coming from the state (and I don't see much more coming any time soon) I fear that not cutting in one place will simply mean cutting more in another place. I'm afraid it is not a question of whether school programs are hit, but which school programs are hit.

Many years ago, school districts controlled their own money. As I recall, they had taxing authority and raised their own funds. Then a judge ruled that it was unfair because poorer districts couldn't spend as much as wealthier districts, so all state education funds would be collected by the state and distributed "fairly." Well, you know what happened. The state decided this was its money.
I think that back then all the state's school districts should have banded together and fought to collect and disburse education tax money themselves, rather than ceding that authority to the state. When a governmental entity gives up its taxing power, it becomes a begging, insignificant pawn.
I know, I know. 20/20 hindsight.

- Brad Haugaard



Monrovia's Senator Huff: Governor 'Moving In Right Direction'

Not exactly love and kisses, but Republican State Senator Bob Huff, who represents Monrovia, is making some positive noises about Democratic Governor Jerry Brown's latest budget:
 
"Senate Republicans believe that the Governor is moving in the right direction by making education and law enforcement funding a top priority. We're also pleased that the Governor chose to embrace Republican proposals to pay down state debt and, at the same time, provide some badly needed job-creation incentives."
 
But, he adds, "the Governor's proposal still sets the state on a course of unsustainable spending growth in the future."
 
Source: http://goo.gl/5vdRh
 
- Brad Haugaard

Eat Pizza, Help Unity Center | Computer Stolen

~ Eat CPK pizza on June 6 to raise money for Foothill Unity Center.

~ Laptop computer stolen from newly unemployed woman. http://goo.gl/Qr3L2

- Brad Haugaard

No Monrovia High Senior Ditch Day

Parents of MHS seniors, the high school has a warning:
"Senior ditch day is not a school endorsed activity. If your child participates in such a given activity with an unverified absence, he/she will lose their senior privileges which include grad night, senior breakfast and graduation. Refunds will not be given if tickets are already purchased. All absences must be cleared by Friday at 3:00pm."
http://goo.gl/lkbNh

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia FD Gets Back Its Very First Fire Engine

Monrovia is once again in possession of its very first fire engine, a 1917 Seagrave. It's a mess, but the Fire Department wants to restore it, and is beginning to look for donations.
 
Here's the story, from the City Manager's weekly report:
 
"Ninety-five years ago, on May 3, 1916, Monrovia's La Vista Grande Hotel was destroyed by a fire. As a result, Fire Chief George C. King began asking the City trustees for a more effective apparatus and with support the first piece of mechanized equipment the City ever purchased, a 1917 Seagrave Fire Engine, was placed in service. The City trustees authorized the purchase of a 350 gallon capacity six-cylinder Seagrave motor-pumping fire engine, combination hose, truck and chemical, for $5,000. The engine was a front line piece of equipment and served the City well until it was eventually taken out of service here in Monrovia and replaced.
 
"While currently in a state of disrepair, the engine has changed hands many times and saw service in several communities, including the famous collection at Harrah's in Reno. In 2003, local resident, Susan Motander tracked down the engine in Nevada and purchased it from the previous owners.
 
"Earlier this year Susan graciously donated the engine to the Monrovia Fire Department.
 
"Now begins the campaign to raise the funds necessary to restore the engine, which has a working name of "Tommy" in honor of a former Monrovia Firefighter Tommy Knowles. It is estimated that the 1917 Seagrave will need considerable restoration work to bring it back to its original condition."
 
- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Plans $39.6 Million Land Sale to Gold Line

Monrovia plans to sell properties near California Avenue and Duarte Road to the Metro Gold Line for $39.6 million. The matter will be considered at the City Council's June 7 meeting.

If you want to see the proposed sales agreement between the Monrovia Redevelopment Agency and the Gold Line, here it is: http://goo.gl/abNxd . There will be a public hearing on the matter at the same meeting: http://goo.gl/gLw6z

In his weekly report, City Manager Scott Ochoa says that, "No doubt, the consideration of this proposed agreement will ratchet up the legal maneuverings by the party already suing both the City of Monrovia and GLCA on this matter." http://goo.gl/i9DGt
 
- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Schools: Where to Cut | MHS Sign | Rock Store

~ Monrovia School Board member Alex Zucco writes that she hopes people will come to the next school board meeting with "ideas/suggestions of what their cuts would be...sports, a school, buses, more teachers?" But, she wrote, she'd like people to have "already bombarded their State lawmaker with complaints because Schools only have as much money as the State gives them." She said the district is $700k short and "The State is crippling public schools".

~ Photo of the new electronic sign at Monrovia High. http://goo.gl/jPAI5

~ Profile of Monrovia rock store owners Anthony Arreola Lailani Leyden. http://goo.gl/VBO9g

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Police Chief Search | Aztec at Night

~ More on search for new Monrovia Police Chief. http://goo.gl/0CtwM
 
~ Beautiful picture of the Aztec Hotel at night. http://goo.gl/RkM8i
 
- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia FD Checking Buildings for Fire Safety

Monrovia Fire Department checking for fire safety this month - especially brush around buildings. http://goo.gl/OTjEu

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia School Lunch Prices Up, Re-Roof Mayflower, Plymouth toTraditional Schedule

At its Wednesday, May 25, meeting ( http://goo.gl/pS9Wx ) the Monrovia Board of Education will consider some changes to the construction project at Monrovia High and also ...
~ Consider raising school lunch prices from $2.25 to $2.50 for elementary lunches and from $2.50 to $2.75 for secondary school lunches. And apparently this is required by the federal government. http://goo.gl/wodpV
~ Hear a budget report that says finances look slightly less dire than last time the board got a report, but still nasty. In order to come up with a balanced budget, Director of Fiscal Services David Conway says "additional budget adjustments will likely be necessary." http://goo.gl/CkGde
~ Consider spending up to $10,000 to re-roof four buildings at Mayflower School, from July 13 to August 12. http://goo.gl/g3PXJ
~ Consider switching Plymouth Elementary back to a traditional schedule. Apparently this will save money, but in the short run it'll cost $159,012. Yikes! http://goo.gl/yOtNq

- Brad Haugaard



Breakfast at JB Burgers


At the corner of Myrtle and Olive. Nothing elegant here, but nice chorizo for breakfast.

- Brad Haugaard

Free Film at Monrovia Library | Writing Workshop

~ Free writing workshop, May 25, June 1, and June 8, at the library. http://goo.gl/LDUNY

~ Foreign film, "Cape No. 7," with English subtitles at 2 p.m. this Saturday at the Library. http://goo.gl/1cyBx

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Biggest Loser | Artist Susan Dobay

~ Here are Foothill Unity Center clients, Franklin Quan and Claudia Pelaez Quan, on The Biggest Loser. Just click on "Jillian Michaels Gives Back." http://goo.gl/MbTd6

~ Susan Dobay's work at Monrovia's Scenic Drive Gallery. http://goo.gl/TYbVI

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Police: Theft, Attempted Suicides, Assaults, Etc.

[Monrovia Police activities from the Police Department's Neighborhood Watch Report for May 12-18. - Brad Haugaard]

 
During the last seven day period, the Police Department handled 533 service events, resulting in 88 investigations.  Following are the last week's highlighted issues and events:
 
Grand Theft Auto / Vehicle Burglary
May 13 at 9:12 p.m., police responded to the report of a stolen vehicle in the 900 block of South Primrose.  The victim parked his 1994 Honda Accord at the location.  When he returned to where he parked his vehicle, approximately an hour later, he discovered his vehicle was missing.  The victim did not know his license plate number.  The vehicle was located an hour later, half a block away in an alley.  The stereo and speakers were missing from the vehicle.
 
Attempt Suicide / Mental Evaluation
May 13 at 9:29 p.m., a female subject came to the police department lobby to report her ex-husband had stated that he was going to commit suicide.  He had grabbed the garden hose and left the location in his truck, which has a camper shell.  When his son called him, he stated that he was going to park somewhere, connect the hose to the exhaust pipe, and die of carbon monoxide poisoning.  The ex-wife had driven around searching for the ex-husband, but when she was unable to find him, she came to the police station.  The father refused to tell his son where he was parked. 
 
Police dispatchers where able to locate the vehicle by using the cell phone and discovered the vehicle was parked in a parking lot in the 400 block of East Foothill.  Officers arrived and located the vehicle with the hose attached to the tailpipe, leading into the camper shell.  The officers opened the rear hatch and smelled a strong odor of carbon monoxide.  The subject was lying in the bed of the truck, lethargic.  Paramedics responded and took the subject to a hospital for treatment, where he was held for 72-hour mental evaluation. 
 
Assault  with a Deadly Weapon - Suspect Arrested
May 13 at 10:14 p.m., officers were dispatched to a residence in the 100 block of Montana regarding a large party at the location, and someone reported seeing a firearm on a subject.  A few seconds later, dispatch received a second call reporting a fight at the location and someone had been stabbed in the neck.  Officers arrived and saw numerous subjects running from the location.  A stabbing victim was found on the ground.  Witnesses reported seeing the victim fighting with another male subject.  Sometime during the fight, the suspect stabbed the victim.  The suspect was last seen running south through the property.  Containment of the area was established.  During the investigation, police received a call from a business reporting a subject lying on the ground in front of their establishment between two vehicles.  Officers responded and noticed the subject matched the description of the suspect from the stabbing incident.  The subject was positively identified as the suspect, and he was arrested and held for bail.  The investigation is continuing.
 
Assault with a Deadly Weapon - Suspect Arrested
May 15 at 10:31 a.m., officers responded to the area of Mayflower and Evergreen, where a fight between two male subjects had just occurred.  One of the subjects had a pocket knife and slashed at the victim, causing a laceration to the victim's arm.  The suspect ran north on Mayflower, where he was detained by an officer.  The suspect still had the knife in his pocket.  The suspect had gone to the location to drop off his child and an argument ensued between the suspect and the boyfriend of the child's mother, which escalated into a fight.  The victim was taken to a hospital for treatment of his injury.
 
Attempt Suicide / Mental Evaluation
May 15 at 2:31 p.m., a female subject called to report she had received a telephone call from her mother, who told her she had taken an entire bottle of pills.  The mother hung up the phone and then would not answer.  Officers responded to the residence located in the 400 block of East Foothill and were able to gain entry through an open sliding glass door.  They searched the house, which was empty except for one bedroom that was locked, and no one was answering inside the room.  An officer forced entry into the room and found the woman unresponsive.  The officer performed first responder emergency aid until paramedics arrived.  She was then taken to a hospital for medical treatment and held for 72-hour mental evaluation. 
 
Vandalism / Emergency Restraining Order Issued
May 16 at 8:01 a.m., police responded to the 800 block of West Olive regarding a disturbance.  An adult male that had just moved in with his grandparent's became verbally abusive toward them and his mother.  The police were called to mediate the situation.  While police were at the residence, the subject broke the bathroom window with his fist.  He refused medical treatment and was placed under private person's arrest by his family.  He was taken into custody and booked.  When he was released from custody, he went directly back to his grandparent's house, where he began yelling at them again.  The grandmother called back and said she was scared and didn't want him there.  She requested an emergency protective order against him and a judge immediately issued a protective order.  Officers served the order and removed the male from the home without incident.
 
Commercial Burglary - Suspects Arrested
May 19 at 6:19 p.m., a business in the 700 block of East Huntington advised a theft of alcohol had just occurred.  The male and female suspects fled in a black Honda.  A witness followed the suspect's vehicle and directed officers to them by phone.  Officers apprehended the suspects on the 210 Freeway.  The investigation revealed they had stolen alcohol from multiple stores.  Four subjects were in the vehicle and all four were arrested and booked for burglary.  Several of the suspects were admitted gang members or gang member associates and said they had taken the alcohol for a party.  One of the male subjects is on parole for burglary and the female had recently been arrested for theft.

Monrovian Makes Sitcoms International | Patch Plans to Influence Election

~ Profile of Monrovian John Vorhaus, who adapts American TV sitcoms for remakes in other countries. http://goo.gl/rxVM6

~ The family of Patch news websites, one of which is in Monrovia, hopes to play a roll in next year's presidential election, according to next-door Sierra Madre Patch ( http://goo.gl/n4mST ). The headline says Patch - headed by left-leaning Arianna Huffington - is expanding "Into Three Key 2012 Election Primary States" (New Hampshire, Iowa and South Carolina) and the story adds that "the sites weren’t chosen at random. Those three are key early primary states in the 2012 presidential election."

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Chamber has Free Speedway Tickets

Monrovia Chamber of Commerce has free tickets for Saturday May 21, 2011, Armed Forces Appreciation Night at Toyota Speedway in Irwindale. Call now 626 358-1159 to reserve yours. The Chamber hours are Mon - Thursday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. http://goo.gl/VaiZa

- Brad Haugaard