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Monrovia Police Carry Special Olympics Torch

Monrovia police carried the Special Olympics torch through Monrovia and handed it off to Arcadia police this morning. http://goo.gl/9v7D7A

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Runners to Finals | Nick Bueno | Questioning National Recreation Area

~ Monrovia to send runners to the state finals in Clovis. http://goo.gl/rxzS4G

~ Photo of Nick Bueno, for three years starter quarterback for Monrovia, trying out pro football. http://goo.gl/xhz2iq

~ A column by former Glendora Mayor Lois M. Shade questioning Representative Judy Chu's proposed National Recreation Area, which would affect Foothill cities, including Monrovia. http://goo.gl/g4j7tW

- Brad Haugaard

Women Painters at Monrovia's Segil Fine Art


Tulips 14x16, monotype by Joan Baral

Summer Solstice, an annual show by Women Painters West at Segil Fine Art, 110 West Lime, June 7-30.

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Police: Graduation Graffiti; Car Left Running Stolen; Husband vs. Wife; Shoplifting

[Monrovia Police activities from the Police Department's Neighborhood Watch Report for June 2-4. - Brad Haugaard]

During the last seven-day period, the Police Department handled 384 service events, resulting in 80 investigations.

Stolen Vehicle Recovered
On June 2 at 7:37 a.m., an officer was dispatched to a business in the 2600 block of South California regarding an unreported stolen vehicle that was taken on May 30. After taking the report, the officer made an area check and located the vehicle in an alleyway, just north of the location. The vehicle was recovered.

Felony Vandalism
On June 2 at 10:37 a.m., the high school in the 800 block of West Colorado reported graffiti on the north side of the school. The reporting party took pictures of the graffiti and had it cleaned up before graduation ceremonies. The damage was estimated at over $700. The investigation is continuing.

Burglary / Forgery / Receiving Stolen Property
On June 2 at 1:31 p.m., a vehicle burglary was reported in the 100 block of East Pomona. The victim reported that someone broke into his vehicle and took his personal checks. A subject went into a credit union in the 500 block of South Myrtle on May 29 and cashed one of the victim’s checks for $175.00. The subject returned on June 2 and tried to cash a second check, but was denied. The investigation is continuing.

Grand Theft Auto
On June 3 at 12:36 p.m., a vehicle was reported stolen from the 300 block of North Alta Vista. The victim stopped to pick up his daughter at the caretaker's home. He left the car running and the key fob in the driver's seat. He went in the location to get his daughter, and when he returned to the car, it was gone. The vehicle is a dark gray, 2014 Toyota Prius with a black car seat in the back seat and a green carpool sticker on the passenger side. The investigation is continuing.

Domestic Violence
On June 3 at 1:56 p.m., the Monrovia Fire Department responded to the 600 block of West Duarte Road on an unknown medical call. Upon their entry into the residence, the female stated that she wanted to press charges. Officers responded and determined the husband and wife were involved in an altercation. The wife had a small cut on the top area of her nose and scratches on her arms. The husband was arrested and taken into custody. A Temporary Retraining Order was obtained on the wife's behalf.

Petty Theft – Suspect Arrested
On June 4 at 2:00 p.m., a business in the 500 block of West Huntington called police to report a female subject shoplifting and putting merchandise inside her purse. The suspect exited the store without paying for the merchandise. Officers responded and located the suspect in the 600 block of West Huntington. She was arrested.

Monrovia's AeroVironment Makes Cheaper Car Charger

Monrovia's AeroVironment introduces a cheaper way to charge electric cars; TurboCord for $599: http://goo.gl/8IVm6E

- Brad Haugaard

Opinion: Thoughts on Plastic Bag Ban Discussion at Monrovia Council Meeting

A 12-year supply of plastic bags.

A few observations about discussion at the City Council meeting the other night about banning plastic carry-out grocery bags. As always, I know people have different views on this topic, so please feel free to tell me I'm an idiot in the Comments section below.

1. One speaker said the average number of plastic bags used is 83 per person per year, as if that was shocking. Okay, assuming that is true, this little package of 1,000 shopping bags (available at Smart & Final, where I took this picture) represents a 12-year supply. I wish all our trash was so compact.

2. Chris Shevlin, who was on the ad hoc committee considering banning the bags, asked where the banning stops. What, he asked, are we going to ban next? Then, as if to prove his point, several speakers in favor of the ban said that the ban will not solve everything, but it is a start.

3. One speaker in favor of the ban said that even banana peels and newspapers, when buried in landfills, do not decay because the earth keeps the air away. Umm. Okay. But isn't one of the objections to plastic carry-out bags that they don't decay? So if banana peels and newspapers also don't decay, are we supposed to stop eating bananas and stop reading newspapers?

4. There was an approving reference or two to Pasadena and its plastic bag ban. For me, "Let's be more like Pasadena" is not a good argument. My wife and I moved here from Pasadena because we prefer Monrovia to Pasadena. My wife, incidentally, does volunteer work in Pasadena, and she and another woman were going through a cabinet trying to locate something and came upon a wad of plastic carry-out bags. "Oh!" the other woman said, "Can I have those? I live in Pasadena and we can't get them."

5. One speaker in favor of the ban said that there are lots of nice products for sale for picking up dog waste. So... forcing people to buy plastic bags to replace free plastic bags is less polluting?

6. A couple speakers said people simply need to be "trained," or to "train themselves" to use reusable bags. Not a big selling point for me as I'm not wild about being "trained" by my government.

- Brad Haugaard

Learn About Monrovia

Sign up for the Monrovia Area Partnership (MAP) conference to learn about the community and how to be involved. Saturday, August 9, 9:30 a.m. - 3 p.m. Details: http://goo.gl/EEnMr9

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Plastic Bag Ban Returns

After being adopted, then rejected, the proposed plastic grocery carry-out bag ban is back again. The Monrovia City Council voted 3-2 tonight to put the proposed ban back on the council agenda for reconsideration. Voting in favor of reconsidering the ban were council members Alexander Blackburn, Larry Spicer, and Mayor Mary Ann Lutz. Council members Tom Adams and Becky Shevlin voted against.

If you haven't been following, the council first voted in favor of the ban (with Blackburn, Spicer and Lutz voting in favor and Adams and Shevlin voting against). Then, at the next meeting, when the measure came up for 'second reading' - a normally routine confirming vote - Blackburn and Spicer were absent, so Adams and Shevlin voted the ban down, with Lutz voting against them.

At tonight's meeting, Blackburn called the vote at the previous council meeting "surreptitious." Adams said it was not surreptitious because it was right there on the agenda and was voted on by those council members who were present. All council members had the opportunity to show up, he said, and if you don't show up your vote doesn't count.

Anyway, the result is that the ban will be reconsidered by the council. If you would like to contribute your thoughts, here is email contact information for the council members: http://goo.gl/XhKYcN . Also, when the issue is rescheduled, residents will be able to address the issue when it comes up at council meetings.

- Brad Haugaard

Virgin Mobile Commercial to Film on Myrtle

Diane Delmatoff of Monrovia's Community Development Department, reports that there will be a Virgin Mobile commercial filmed on the 400 and 500 block of South Myrtle between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m. Tomorrow, Wednesday. 
 
- Brad Haugaard

Watch Out For 'Attack' Hawks on North Myrtle

Reader Karen E. Karlsson  warns of hawk attacks on North Myrtle. She writes:

  Just an item of interest regarding the interaction of humans and wildlife.  I live in the 300 block of North Myrtle and there is a hawk family living high up in a Chinese Elm tree on the east side in the middle of the block.  There are 3 young hawks in this nest and the parents are doing everything in their power to keep all of us away.  Their talons are vicious and dangerous.  Several of us have been "attacked" and one neighbor is being checked out by the paramedics right now as she has a few hits on her head and face.   Everybody out there who walks our street must be very aware of this situation.  It is no laughing matter.  Some of us carry umbrellas when we walk - actually a hard hat would be good too - but that's a bit much.  So - heads up everyone!!

- Brad Haugaard

Opinion: Please, Monrovia City Council, No Plastic Bag Ban!

Because the Monrovia City Council will tonight again consider putting a plastic shopping bag ban on its agenda for consideration, I thought I'd publish an email I sent to the council members urging them not to adopt a plastic bag ban. (Here is tonight's agenda,  http://goo.gl/li8CxH . Look for item RCC-4.) I know not everyone agrees with my view, so feel free to comment, pro or con, in the Comments section, below.

Dear Mayor Lutz and City Council Members,

I am writing to request that you do not adopt a plastic bag ban for Monrovia.

Every waste product I can think of has possible negative consequences:

- Human and animal waste can cause disease.
- Glass never decays and can have sharp edges that can cut people.
- Paper is flammable and is easily windblown.
- Yard waste, in large piles, can spontaneously burst into flame, and it gives off methane gas when buried.

The obvious answer to all these problems is that when handled properly these problems can be minimized or eliminated.

But that is precisely the case with plastic bags.

Handled properly, plastic bags present no more of a problem than other forms of waste, and arbitrarily banning them is an inconvenience and an unnecessary infringement on the rights of Monrovians.

Any problems presented by plastic bags are a triviality and the city should not be concerning itself with the little details of people's lives.

Thank you,

Brad Haugaard

Monrovia High Coach Moore Retiring

Monrovia High baseball coach Dave Moore retiring after 32 years. http://goo.gl/F4Amml

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Police: Assaulted by Hallucinations; Drunk and Feisty; Drug Sales; Etc.

[Monrovia Police activities from the Police Department's Neighborhood Watch Report for May 29 – June 1. - Brad Haugaard]

Following are the weekend’s highlighted issues and events.

Commercial Burglary / No-Bail Warrants – Suspect Arrested
On May 29 at 4:50 p.m., loss prevention personnel at a business in the 1600 block of South Mountain called police to report a shoplifter in custody. The loss prevention officer observed the suspect concealing merchandise in the pockets of his pants. The suspect then left the store without attempting to pay for the merchandise. An officer responded and arrested the suspect. A computer check revealed the suspect had two no-bail warrants for his arrest. The warrants were added to his charges.

Vehicle Burglary
On May 29 at 6:11 p.m., an officer responded to the 900 block of West Huntington regarding a vehicle burglary. The victim parked and secured his vehicle. Upon returning to it a half hour later, he noticed his rear passenger door window was shattered. A brown leather duffle bag containing a laptop and a credit card reader were stolen. The investigation is continuing.

Under the Influence of a Controlled Substance – Suspect Arrested
On May 31 at 12:08 p.m., officers responded to the 500 block of West Duarte regarding a subject being threatened by several subjects in the common area of his apartment complex. When officers arrived and spoke to the person reporting the incident, it was determined he was hallucinating because he was under the influence of a controlled substance. He was arrested and taken into custody.

Possession of a Controlled Substance for Sales / Convicted Felon in Possession of a Stun Gun – Suspects Arrested
On May 31 at 1:36 a.m., an officer stopped a vehicle in the 800 block of West Chestnut for a vehicle code violation. During the course of his investigation, he discovered the driver and the passenger were in possession of narcotics, a scale, cash, and information relating to the sales of narcotics. A stun gun was located in the vehicle and both subjects were found to be convicted felons. Both subjects were arrested and taken into custody for the above listed charges.

Injury Traffic Collision
On May 31 at 5:22 p.m., a traffic collision was reported in the 700 block of Valley View. A female subject was driving her vehicle on Valley View and ran into a parked trailer. It appeared as though the driver had some type of seizure. She was taken to a hospital for evaluation. There were three people inside the trailer when it was hit, but no one was injured.

Drunk in Public – Suspects Arrested
On May 31 at 10:42 p.m., dispatch received a call reporting a male and female arguing and possibly fighting in 600 block of South Myrtle. Officers arrived to find a husband and wife arguing. Both subjects were so intoxicated they could not explain what they were arguing over. The female became belligerent and aggressive. Both were arrested and taken into custody for being drunk in public.

Drunk in Public – Suspect Arrested
On June 1 at 1:44 a.m., dispatch received a call reporting a male and female arguing in the 100 block of North Ivy. When officers arrived, the male subject had left the location. The female had been drinking and became belligerent. The subject’s friends asked officers if they could arrest the subject because she was angry and combative with them. Officers tried speaking with the subject and she became irate and combative with the officers. The subject was arrested for being drunk in public.

Domestic Violence / Possession of Drug Paraphernalia – Suspects Arrested
On June 1 at 12:25 p.m., officers responded to the 1800 block of Eighth Avenue regarding the report of domestic violence. The officer observed minor visible injuries to the male subject and determined the female subject to be the aggressor. The officer arrested the female for domestic violence. The male subject was found to be in possession of a glass methamphetamine pipe and was arrested for possession of drug paraphernalia.

Under the Influence of a Controlled Substance – Suspect Arrested
On June 1 at 4:22 p.m., an officer on patrol noticed a pedestrian gate left open in the 100 block of West Foothill. Earlier in the day, the officer noticed that same gate was closed. As the officer exited his vehicle to investigate, he found two subjects loitering in the area. One of the subjects was under the influence of a controlled substance and was arrested. The other subject was released.

Zombie Apocalypse at Monrovia's First Presbyterian

Monrovia's First Presbyterian Church will begin a new "mini series" this Sunday entitled: "How to Survive a Zombie Apocalypse, and other Thoughts About the End of the World". http://goo.gl/Gg6GJB

Comment: Sounds like useful information :-)

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia FD Providing CPR Training Thursday

The Monrovia Fire Department will provide free CPR Training Thursday, June 5 at the Library Park fountain, 312 S Myrtle, between 9 AM and noon. http://goo.gl/8sYRXS

- Brad Haugaard

Swap Produce in the Park this Saturday


Spring and summer are the best times for cultivating produce in our gardens! Produce in the Park is a group of people dedicated to sharing locally grown food to decrease food waste; exchange gardening, cooking and other useful tips; and create an awesome community of awesome people. If all these things sound like you, then come check out our upcoming PitP meet-up this Saturday, June 7, 9-11 AM by the Mark Twain bench in Library Park (on the corner of Lime & Myrtle). To find out more, visit our blog and join email list. Source: PitP press release

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Old Home Tour Attendance Nice, But Lower | Dillard in Need of Heart Operation

~ Jim Wigton, of the Monrovia Historic Preservation Group, reported this morning that attendance at the group's annual Old Homes Tour was about 500, a nice crowd, but down from previous years when it has been over 700. He attributed the decline to other old home tours, which has given people more choices.

~ Terrance Williams, who serves on the Monrovia School Board, reports that Bishop Wm. LaRue Dillard, who has long led Second Baptist Church of Monrovia, is publicly asking for prayer because he needs a heart transplant. Williams, who attends the church, said Dillard is at the top of the list for the operation.

- Brad Haugaard

Coming up in Monrovia

~ Job search workshops: http://goo.gl/wTnO36

~ A Friendship Tea sponsored by United Methodist Church and Foothills Pregnancy Resource Center, June 7, 11 a.m. To 2 p.m. At 140 E Palm. $15 advance or $20 at the door. Fashion show, thrift store shopping, gold purchasing. Tickets: 358-2122.

~ Fundraiser for Centre Stage June 10 at Flamzz pizza restaurant. 15% of purchases to Centre Stage. Details: 930-0973.

~ Summer movie schedule: June 14, Surfs Up at St. Luke's Episcopal Church; June 28, Frozen at Second Baptist Church; July 12, The Avengers, on IvyAvenue between Fig and Los Angeles; July 26, The Lego Movie, at Monrovia High.

~ Black Alumni Association picnic, June 28, 11 AM to 6 PM at Shamrock and Olive. Games, raffle, food. More info, call Eloise Hart at 529-5671.

~ Knights of Columbus charity golf, San Dimas Canyon Golf Course. June 27. BBQ to follow. Info, call Hal Leavens at 359-8648.

~ Fourth of July concert and fireworks. Featuring Stone Soul. Library Park, starting at 7 PM, fireworks at 9 PM.

~ Professional performance of The Wizard Of Oz at the Taylor Performing Arts Center, a.k.a. Monrovia High auditorium, on July 11, 12, 13, 18, 19, 20. Details: http://goo.gl/FmQlfF

- Brad Haugaard

Historic Group to Oppose Large Homes | Fountain to be Replaced | Monrovia in WWII

~ Gloria Crudgington, in the Monrovia Historic Preservation Group's newsletter, writes: "Historically, MOHPG has focused much of its energy on the preservation of our old home stock. Now, we also are directing our attention to the preservation of our neighborhoods." She says the group would like to prevent small houses being replaced by "McMansions."

~ The Monrovia Historic Preservation Group's newsletter reports that the insurance company of the driver who clonked the historic drinking fountain structure in Library Park at Myrtle and Lime has agreed to a settlement, so hopefully the fountain can be rebuilt to its original condition (I've been told all the rocks making up the fountain have been saved.)

~ The Monrovia Historical Museum has officially unveiled its newest exhibit, "Monrovia at War," about the city during World War II. The museum is at 742 E. Lemon, and is open Thursdays and Sundays, 1-4 p.m. Admission is free.

- Brad Haugaard

New Coffee Shop on Myrtle

A new coffee shop is apparently going in on Myrtle - Eureka Coffee Lounge. http://goo.gl/MunNb6

- Brad Haugaard