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Monrovia Police: Driving While Drugged; Driving While Asleep

[Monrovia Police activities from the Police Department's Neighborhood Watch Report for August 27-30. - Brad Haugaard]

Following are the weekend’s highlighted issues and events.

Possession of a Controlled Substance – Suspect Arrested
August 27 at 10:10 p.m., an officer was on patrol in the area of Myrtle and Central when he stopped a motorist for multiple vehicle code violations. The officer conducted a consensual search of the vehicle and found a baggie of methamphetamine. The driver was arrested and charged for possession of a controlled substance and the vehicle code violations.

Driving Under the Influence – Suspect Arrested
August 28 at 1:29 a.m., an officer stopped a motorist for a vehicle code violation in the 200 block of South Ivy. The investigation determined the subject was driving under the influence of alcohol. The subject was arrested and taken into custody.

Driving Under the Influence – Suspect Arrested
August 28 at 2:46 a.m., an officer was on patrol in the area of Longden and Live Oak when he stopped a motorist for a vehicle code violation. The investigation revealed the subject was driving under the influence of alcohol. The subject was arrested and taken into custody.

Traffic Collision
August 30 at 6:06 a.m., a traffic accident was reported in the 500 block of East Foothill. Officers arrived and saw five parked vehicles that had been struck. The driver of the vehicle that struck them had fallen asleep at the wheel.

Monrovia Democrat Club Endorses Senate Candidate

In his run for State Senate in the 25th Senate District, which includes Monrovia, Anthony Portantino - who previously represented Monrovia in the State Assembly - has announced that the Foothill Community Democrats of Monrovia, along with six other Democratic clubs, have endorsed him. Source: Portantino press release

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Providers Group Fundraiser for Seniors

The Monrovia Providers Group will host its annual grant fundraiser, Wine Not?, to support its senior grant program which supplies funds for one-time emergency needs to Foothills seniors.

The event will be held at Westminster Gardens, 1420 Santo Domingo Avenue in Duarte on Friday, September 18 from 6-9 p.m. Tickets are $25 per person and the event will feature samplings of specially chosen wines, hors d'oeuvres, raffle prizes and a special non-alcoholic "mock-tail" for those who don't care for wine.

Additional sponsorship opportunities and information, as well as event tickets, are available by emailing: info@monroviaproviders.org. Tickets may also be purchased at the door with cash or by check.

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Art: Movie Themed Bronze Statue Proposed for Myrtle Avenue


Sketch of proposed bronze statue on Myrtle.

Monrovia's Art in Public Places Committee wants a life-size bronze statue on Myrtle Avenue of an old fashioned movie director, a free standing movie camera and a tall director's chair. (The money is in an account accumulated from a tax on developers.)

The committee wants to use sculptor Daniel Stern, who did two bronze statues for Temple City, Red Car Man and Red Car Woman which whimsically depict passengers and reference the history of the site along the Pacific Electric Railway.

"The director's chair is designed to be interactive and you will actually be able to sit in it and have your picture taken. The art has movement, whimsy and ties into the history and present of the City. The Art in Public Places Committee recommended that 'The Monrovia Feature Film Company' and the 'The Argonauts of 49,' which was filmed in Canyon Park, be incorporated into the piece. The art will be located on the east side of Myrtle Avenue in the mid 400 block." http://goo.gl/Gi5Qfb

The City Council will consider the request at its Sept. 1 meeting: http://goo.gl/HvKcMJ

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Street Fair: Hire Two Companies Instead of Just One

Citing problems with the way LA Partyworks was running the Friday Night Street Fair, the Monrovia City Council recently considered replacing it with a company called Green Leaf. The council didn't do that, but at the Sept. 1 meeting the city will consider another alternative - hiring both of them.

"This revised production model for the Event involves LA PartyWorks transitioning into a special event / marketing role, while Green Leaf would assume the weekly management and coordination of the Friday Night Family Street Fair."

Details: http://goo.gl/1Bpb1o

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Community Bike Ride

City Manager Oliver Chi on his unique bicycle at the first Community Bike Ride this morning. It went from Library Park to Station Square and back. The point was to show how easy it will be to ride your bike to the train station and back when Gold Line service begins to Monrovia.

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Loses to Burbank :-(

Monrovia football loses 20-38 to Burbank. http://goo.gl/tccl7H

- Brad Haugaard

Help Children of Murdered Monrovia Mother

John Wilson, head of the Monrovia Boys and Girls Club, writes on Facebook that the two children of murdered Monrovian Lajoya McCoy are in need of "Target gift cards to purchase clothes, shoes, toiletries, school supplies, and food. If you want to help you can either drop off gift cards at the Club (600 S. Shamrock Ave. Monrovia 9am-6:30pm M-F) or go to our webpage, foothillsbgc.org, and click donate now in the upper right hand corner and we will purchase the gift cards."

- Brad Haugaard

Dinner at Blaze Pizza


Dinner last night at Blaze Pizza, in the Pavilions shopping area. Got a Build Your Own Pizza for $7.65 and an iced tea for $1.95. Good, fast pizza. I liked it and quite filling. 

-  Brad Haugaard

100 Degrees Today In Monrovia - Then a Bit Cooler

Could get up to 100 today. But then should begin to cool off. http://goo.gl/VnR5SB

- Brad Haugaard

Man Arrested in Killing of Monrovian Lajoya McCoy

Man arrested in killing of Monrovia woman, Lajoya McCoy. http://goo.gl/T5DrMi

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Police: Kicking a Car; Hitting Sister With a Tray; Burglary of Myrtle Business; Walks Off With Purse, But Gives It Back; Etc.

[Monrovia Police activities from the Police Department's Neighborhood Watch Report for August 24-26. - Brad Haugaard]

During the last seven-day period, the Police Department handled 362 service events, resulting in 69 investigations.

Recovered Stolen Vehicle
On August 24 at 7:53 a.m., an officer responded to the parking lot of a business in the 2100 block of South Myrtle regarding a suspicious vehicle. The officer located the unoccupied vehicle. A computer check revealed the vehicle was a reported stolen from Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department. The workers at the business said the vehicle has been parked there, undisturbed, for several days. The registered owner was contacted and the vehicle was turned over to him.

Vehicle Vandalism
On August 24 at 12:02 p.m., a vehicle burglary was reported in the 700 block of West Huntington regarding a subject kicking a vehicle. The reporting party observed the subject throw a rock through one of the vehicle’s windows. Officers responded and spoke with the reporting party. The subject was gone when officers arrived. The reporting party said the subject appeared to have been recently released from a hospital and was rambling while disturbing the vehicle. It was later discovered a subject matching this person's description had walked away from a hospital. We were unable to locate the owner of the vehicle and have not been able to identify the suspect. The investigation is continuing.

Violation of Gang Injunction Court Order – Suspect Arrested
On August 24 at 12:04 a.m., a traffic stop was conducted in the 300 block of West Maple. The driver and passenger were found to be on probation for drugs and the driver had previously been served with a gang injunction court order prohibiting him from being out on the streets of Monrovia past 10:00 pm. The driver was arrested for violating the court order.

Attempt Robbery
On August 25 at 3:34 a.m., officer responded to the 800 block of West Duarte regarding an attempted robbery that had occurred 30 minutes prior. The victim said while standing outside his apartment complex smoking, he was approached by two males, who requested a cigarette. Both subjects then started patting down the victim’s pockets. The suspects both punched the victim and one suspect pulled out a knife and cut the victim three times across his forearms. The victim fled into his apartment complex and the suspects did not pursue him. The victim did not require medical attention due to the injuries only being superficial scratches. The investigation is continuing.

Assault - Suspect Arrested
On August 25 at 8:39 a.m., an officer responded to the 100 block of East Fig regarding an assault. The parent of two adult children (son and daughter) were fighting inside their home. She reported the argument had become physical. Officers responded and discovered the female had sustained a laceration on her head when her brother struck her with a wooden tray. The mother confirmed the incident and the suspect admitted to striking his sister. He was arrested for assault and taken into custody.

Commercial Burglary
On August 25 at 12:38 p.m., dispatch received a call from a business owner in the 100 block of South Myrtle reporting a burglary that occurred between the hours of 10:00 p.m., to 10:00 a.m. today. There were pry marks on the front doors and the loss was extensive. The business has no cameras or alarm system. Neighboring businesses were contacted and video was reviewed. The investigation is continuing.

Petty Theft
On August 25 at 1:10 p.m., an officer responded to the 100 block of South Myrtle regarding a theft. A suspect had just walked out of a business carrying the victim’s purse. The victim contacted the subject and he gave her the purse back. He did not have a legitimate or plausible reason for having the purse. The suspect was gone when officers arrived. Through investigation, the officers created a photo lineup that identified the suspect.

Receiving Stolen Property – Suspect Arrest
On August 26 at 10:49 p.m., officers observed a suspicious occupied vehicle in the 100 block of West Walnut. As the officers watched from a distance, they saw the subjects drive to the 100 block east Walnut and enter a condominium complex’s parking lot, where thefts have occurred recently. After a few minutes, one of the vehicles, a U-Hall truck exited the structure and the officer stopped the vehicle to investigate. The driver was on probation for theft, which allowed for a search of the vehicle. During the search the officer found mail not belonging to the driver, but instead to victim of a burglary in the city of Covina and La Puente. The mail had been stolen out of the victim’s vehicles. The driver was arrested for being in possession of stolen property and taken into custody.

Possession of Methamphetamine and a Smoking Pipe – Suspect Arrested
On August 26 at 11:25 p.m., an officer observed a suspicious vehicle in the 100 block of west Walnut. He saw the vehicle commit a traffic violation, so he stopped it at Chestnut and Primrose. The male driver did not have any driver’s license or identification. A misdemeanor in California. The officer found the driver to be in possession of methamphetamine and a smoking pipe. The driver was arrested for the violations and taken into custody.

Monrovia Fire Department Practices for Disaster at Rail Yard, Rescues Dogs, Fights NorCal Fires | City Again Uses Less Water | Etc.

In his weekly report ( http://goo.gl/SugJAi ), City Manager Oliver Chi reports that ...

~ Monrovia Fire Department has been working with Metro and Gold Line representatives to better understand fire and life safety issues at the new rail yard (aka, Maintenance and Operations Campus). Fire personnel have done walk-throughs, table top exercises, and full-scale functional exercises to prepare for fires, train derailments, and other potential emergencies that may occur once the Gold Line extension is opened.

~ Monrovia firefighters rescued three dogs from a structure fire at 550 West Foothill Boulevard. No humans were home, but two of the dogs were not breathing. Fire and police personnel, as well as the department nurse educator began to resuscitate the animals with special airway devices for pets, and within 15 minutes all animals were awake, alert, and walking around.

~ For July Monrovia used 23.5% less water then in July 2013.

~ Monrovia has sent out two strike teams to assist with the fire activity here in Northern California, a 16-day deployment to the Mad River Fire and an 8-day deployment to the Rocky Fire in the Clear Lake area.

~ You should have received a notice (or two) from the city about proposed rate adjustments for water and sewer service. Questions? Call the Public Services Department at 932-5575.

~ Sunday, August 30, 2015 at 7:00 p.m. in Library Park, featuring Latin / Salsa Music from, "Yari More Latin Band."

Mary Wilcox Youth Center Grand Opening

Boys & Girls Club of the Foothills will celebrate the grand opening of its teen program at the Mary Wilcox Youth Center (843 E. Olive) this Friday, August 28, from 5 - 6:30 p.m. Tour the newly-renovated facility and hear from local leadership about the expected impact of this much-needed resource for our youth. 843 East Olive Avenue. RSVP to kbuller@foothillsbgc.org Source: Press release

- Brad Haugaard

State Senate Approves Franchise Bill by Monrovia Representative

AB 525, legislation by Assembly Majority Leader Chris Holden, who represents Monrovia, will raise the standard that must be met in order for a corporation to terminate a franchisee, set-up a framework that allows franchisees to sell or transfer their businesses, will compensate them for capital improvements they are required to make, and require franchisors to pay damages for any breaches of the franchise contract. AB 525 now goes back to the Assembly for approval of brief amendments before being sent to Governor Brown for signature.

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Choral Company Presents Samuel Coleridge-Taylor Project



The San Gabriel Valley Choral Company begins its twenty-first season with a historic concert: "The Samuel Coleridge-Taylor Project: A Musical Legacy in Concert." The concert will be held at St. Luke's Episcopal Church of Monrovia (122 California Ave.) at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, September 15, 2015 - the 140th anniversary of Coleridge-Taylor's birth. In his time, African British composer Samuel Coleridge-Taylor (1875-1912) was affectionately referred to as the African "Mahler." Because of his incredible success in a field dominated by white males at a time when racism in America was peaking, Coleridge-Taylor's influence on African American artists and intellectuals was powerful and far-reaching. The artistic director of SGVCC, Dr. Zanaida Robles, created the Samuel Coleridge-Taylor Project to perpetuate the study and performance of the music of this celebrated composer and others of African descent. Other composers programmed on this concert include William Grant Still, Margaret Bonds, Jester Hairston, Zanaida Robles, Robert Owens, Joshua Uzoigwe, and Sydney Guillaume.

Founded in 1995, SGVCC is a mostly volunteer ensemble based in Monrovia. In 2012, conductor and soloist Dr. Zanaida Robles took over as SGVCC's artistic director. Having recently earned her Doctorate in Musical Arts in Choral Music at the University of Southern California, her prior credits include serving as director of classical choirs for the Los Angeles County High School for the Arts as well as preparing elite choirs for performances with such greats as Josh Groban and Kristin Chenoweth.

This is a free concert with a suggested donation of $20. Tickets are not necessary. Donations to SGVCC, a non-profit organization, are also gladly accepted online ( http://www.sgvccsingers.org ) and by check sent to San Gabriel Valley Choral Company; P.O. Box 2225; Monrovia, CA 91017.

- Brad Haugaard

Photography, Jazz And Ceramics Sept. 12

An Evening of Imagination, Saturday, Sept. 12 from 7-10 p.m. Photography, jazz, and ceramics, plus food, wine, raffle drawings and a pottery wheel demonstration. At Paint 'n' Play Art Studio, 418 S. Myrtle. For information contact Lia Barrios at 256-4848 or at paintnplaystudios@gmail.com

- Brad Haugaard

Join Monrovia Mayor For Community Bike Ride

Join Mayor Tom Adams on the first Community Bike Ride, this Saturday, August 29. A family-friendly ride from Library Park to Station Square and back. Meet at Library Park at 8 a.m. Wear a helmet.

- Brad Haugaard

Saute Culinary Academy Now Open: Offers Cooking Classes

Partial list of classes for October

Saute Culinary Academy is now open at 150 E. Colorado. Cooking classes for adults and children. Also, adult and children birthday parties, team building and private cooking parties. Here is the phone number and website: 626-429-2323, http://www.sauteacademy.com

- Brad Haugaard

Does Monrovia-Based Trader Joe's Raise Property Values Nearby?

Not only does Monrovia-based Trader Joe's sell groceries, but according to one study, it also increases the property values nearby. http://goo.gl/6t1SVk

- Brad Haugaard