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Bomb Threat at Train Station

Monrovia Police tweet 5:11 p.m. today (Saturday):

The Los Angeles Sheriff's Department is handling a bomb threat on the Monrovia Gold Line train platform. Please refer any questions to the LASD Temple City Station at (626) 285-7171.

- Brad Haugaard 

Monrovia Football Wins Over San Dimas

Monrovia over San Dimas, 36-17 Friday night. Non-conference game. https://is.gd/58PPLQ

- Brad Haugaard

Job Openings with the City of Monrovia

Open positions:

  • Part time police communications operator (Dispatch), $25.56 - $34.26 an hour.
  • Full time entry level police officer, $62,969.80 - $102,966.42 annually.

Details: https://is.gd/ELXrA1

- Brad Haugaard

Old Gas Station on Shamrock Being Restored; West Nile Mosquitoes In Monrovia


In his latest report (https://goo.gl/aOqX7O) City Manager Dylan Feik reports: 

~ If you've noticed construction at the former Flying A Gasoline Station at 721 S. Shamrock, the concrete foundations are being replaced and soon the refurbished gasoline pumps will be back in place. The building is being modified into an "artisan workshop with incidental retail and a live/work space."

~  The San Gabriel Valley Mosquito & Vector Control District has detected one mosquito carrying West Nile virus in Monrovia. Mosquitoes can complete their life cycle - from egg to adult - in a week, so eliminate stagnant water weekly around your home and keep your pool clean. Use Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus (or PMD), Picaridin, DEET or IR3535. About West Nile: https://is.gd/U6Xt9l

- Brad Haugaard

Landscaping for Fire Preparedness

To register, email Nichol Delgado at nichol@usgvmwd.org.

- Brad Haugaardd

Weekly Monrovia Coronavirus Count: 57 More Cases, One More Death

Coronavirus cases from LA Department of Public Health as of 8 p.m., 09/22/2021. Changes since 09/15/2021.

City of Monrovia: 3,896 cases (up 57), 82 deaths (up 1)
Unincorporated Monrovia: 438 cases (up 4), 1 death (unchanged)

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Police: Man Arrested for Stealing Ring Doorbells; Red-Light Runner Causes Four-Vehicle Accident; Man Hits Wife and Officer; Man Injures Himself While Intentionally Running Into Another Car

[Monrovia Police activities from the Police Department's Neighborhood Watch Report for September 16-22. - Brad Haugaard]

During the last seven-day period, the Police Department handled 404 service events, resulting in 54 investigations.

Grand Theft Auto
September 16 at 8:58 a.m., a resident in the 400 block of S. Sunset called to report his Ford truck was stolen sometime during the night. Officers responded and conducted an investigation. The vehicle was entered into the law enforcement stolen vehicle system. This investigation is continuing.

Warrant / Identity Theft – Suspect Arrested
September 16 at 1:05 p.m., a caller in the 100 block of W. Foothill reported a subject causing a disturbance in the area. Officers arrived and contacted the subject, who they recognized from previous encounters. An investigation revealed he had two outstanding warrants for his arrest. He was arrested for the warrants and found to be in possession of an ID card, credit card, and checks belonging to other persons.

Fraud – Suspect Arrested
September 16 at 6:10 p.m., officers were dispatched to a business in the 1400 block of S. Mountain regarding a male subject attempting to purchase a new vehicle using false identification. The officers detained the suspect, and the investigation revealed he was already on probation for fraud charges. The suspect was arrested and taken into custody.

Traffic Collision / Driving Under the Influence – Suspect Arrested
September 17 at 12:21 a.m., an officer on patrol near the intersection of Myrtle and Huntington saw a traffic collision in the area that just occurred. An investigation revealed that one of the drivers was under the influence of alcohol. He was arrested for DUI and held for a sobering period.

Attempt Residential Burglary
September 17 at 12:52 a.m., officers were dispatched to the 200 block of S. Heliotrope regarding a male suspect attempting to enter a residence through a window. The suspect removed a widow screen and started to pry the window open, before fleeing the area. The suspect was described as a male subject wearing a hooded sweatshirt. This investigation is continuing.

Attempt Grand Theft Auto
September 17 at 1:05 p.m., a resident in the 200 block of S. Sunset called police to report that someone tried to steal his vehicle. Upon entering his vehicle, he discovered that someone had tampered with the ignition. This investigation is continuing.

Commercial Burglary
September 17 at 2:12 p.m., the owner of a business in the 1900 block of S. Myrtle reported that his business had been burglarized. The front glass door had been smashed and car parts, wheels, and other items had been stolen. The owner was last at his business a week ago. This investigation is continuing.

Trespassing / Missing Person Located / Mental Evaluation
September 17 at 2:54 p.m., employees at a business in the 100 block of W. Foothill reported that a female subject was trespassing and causing a disturbance. Officers arrived and contacted the female, who was found to be a missing person out of San Bernardino County. While speaking with the female, it was determined she was a danger to herself and in need of an evaluation by a mental health professional. She was transported to a facility for treatment.

Assault / Mental Evaluation – Suspect Arrested
September 17 at 11:42 p.m., officers responded to the 800 block of W. Duarte regarding a family disturbance. A son was upset with his mother for requesting a welfare check on him. An investigation revealed he had broken his mother’s door and battered her and his sisters. The mother suffered minor injuries as a result of the attack. The suspect was arrested and taken into custody. It was determined he was a danger to others and needed to be evaluated by a mental health professional. After being released from custody, he was transported to a mental health facility for treatment.

Court Order Violation – Suspect Arrested
September 18 at 6:48 a.m., a resident in the 200 block of E. Lime reported her adult son was at her home in violation of her restraining order. Officers were familiar with the subject due to prior violations. They arrived and contacted him on the front porch. The subject did not care about the order and stated he would come back after he was released from custody. He was arrested and taken into custody. Based on his history of past violations, he was held in custody for a likelihood of re-occurrence.

Making a False Police Report
September 18 at 7:21 a.m., police dispatch received a call from someone claiming they were 8 years old, bleeding, and were in the 400 block of W. Palm. They also claimed to be the victim of sexual abuse. The dispatcher asked multiple questions and the caller gave very vague details. Officers checked the location and found no one living there had made the call. The call was determined to have originated from a Portland Oregon area code number associated with a texting application. Dispatch contacted Portland Police Department, who had received a similar call from the same number six hours prior. It was determined that this was a false report of an incident. Neighboring agencies were notified of the circumstances. The investigation is continuing.

Mental Evaluation
September 18 at 9:06 a.m., a caller reported there was a shirtless subject behind a business in the 100 block of W. Foothill who was yelling and banging on a wall. Officers arrived and identified the subject. The subject then picked up a piece of lumber and walked toward one of the officers. The officers were able to subdue the subject and he was taken into custody. Based on the circumstances and the subject's mental status, he was determined to be a danger to himself and others. He was transported to a facility to be evaluated by a mental health professional.

Driving Under the Influence / Traffic Collision – Suspect Arrested
September 19 at 12:37 a.m., a traffic collision was reported in the 700 block of S. Magnolia. Officers arrived and found the driver to be heavily intoxicated, but not injured. After field sobriety tests were conducted, the driver was arrested for DUI and held for a sobering period.

Commercial Burglary
September 19 at 8:36 a.m., a passerby called police and reported a business in the 600 block of W. Huntington had a shattered front window. Officers arrived and determined a burglary had indeed occurred. The owners of the business were notified and evidence was collected at the scene. This investigation is continuing.

Trespassing – Suspect Arrested
September 20 at 1:52 a.m., officers responded to a business in the 1500 block of S. Myrtle regarding a subject who was concealing merchandise in a backpack. Officers arrived, detained the suspect, and found merchandise concealed in the backpack. The suspect was arrested for trespassing and taken into custody.

Vandalism
September 20 at 2:29 a.m., officers were extra patrolling the 100 block of E. Lime, when they noticed someone had vandalized the fence in front of a local building. No suspects were seen. This investigation is continuing.

Driving Under the Influence – Suspect Arrested
September 20 at 3:37 a.m., a caller reported a driver asleep in his vehicle in the 400 block of W. Foothill. The vehicle engine was running and the gear was in drive. Officers responded and located the subject outside the vehicle, searching through it for his car keys. Officers spoke with the reporting party, who indicated she saw the car running, so she reached in, turned the car off, and removed the keys to protect the intoxicated driver, who appeared to be a minor. A DUI investigation was conducted and the subject was found to have been driving under the influence of alcohol. The driver was arrested and held for a sobering period.

Grand Theft – Suspect Arrested
September 20 at 4:40 a.m., officers were dispatched to the 400 block of W. Foothill regarding a suspect who had just taken a Ring doorbell. Officers searched the area and found the suspect hiding. During the investigation, officers discovered the subject had six Ring doorbells and two Nest cameras in his possession. He was arrested and taken into custody.

Vehicle Burglary
September 20 at 8:50 a.m., employees of a utility company in the 1600 block of S. Mountain arrived to work and discovered someone had forced entry into one of their work trucks and had stolen tools. This investigation is continuing.

Grand Theft
September 20 at 10:54 a.m., a gardener reported he was doing backyard work at a home in the 200 block of Highland, and while he was distracted, someone stole several tools from the back of his truck. Officers searched the area for possible suspects, but were unable to locate anyone. This investigation is continuing.

Injury Traffic Collision
September 20 at 6:15 p.m., a caller reported an accident involving four vehicles near the intersection of California and Huntington. Officers responded and determined a vehicle ran a red signal light and caused a chain reaction collision into three other vehicles. A single driver complained of pain and was treated at the scene by paramedics

Fraud / Warrants – Suspect Arrested
September 20 at 8:15 p.m., officers responded to a business in the 1600 block of S. Mountain regarding a fraud in progress. A male suspect had entered the business and attempted to return items he had just selected. The suspect used a fake identification card during the transaction. The suspect was arrested for fraud and three outstanding warrants.

Vandalism – Suspect Arrested
September 21 at 5:50 p.m., a caller reported witnessing a male subject write graffiti on stop signs at the intersection of Primrose and Palm. Officers responded and located the subject. After he was positively identified by the witness, he was arrested and taken into custody.

Domestic Violence / Assault on a Police Officer – Suspect Arrested
September 21 at 8:52 p.m., a female subject in the 1300 block of S. Primrose called police to report her husband just assaulted her in front of their small children. Officers arrived and quickly located the husband a short distance away. It was determined that the husband punched his wife while she was holding their small child. During the process of arresting the husband, he kicked one of the officers in the leg. The officer was not injured, but the violation of assault against a police officer was added to his charges, along with domestic violence and child endangerment. The suspect was taken into custody.

Mental Evaluation
September 22 at 12:20 a.m., officers responded to a business in the 900 block of W. Duarte regarding a male subject wielding a knife in front of their customers. Officers arrived and found a distraught subject outside the store, pacing back and forth, holding a large knife. Officers were able to convince the subject to drop the knife, and he was safely detained. The subject was placed on a mental evaluation hold and was transported to a local medical facility to be evaluated.

Residential Burglary
September 22 at 9:39 a.m., a resident in the 700 block of S. Myrtle called police to report a burglary at his home. An unknown suspect entered the residence and stole his iPad and his wallet. He had gone to bed in the evening and discovered it missing in the morning. The only noise heard during the night was a roommate who had come home between midnight and 1:00 a.m. The roommate didn't notice anything out of the ordinary at that time. There was no forced entry to any of the doors. The victim believes the suspect may have come through a patio door. The investigation is continuing.

Theft From a Vehicle
September 22 at 11:17 a.m., a theft from a vehicle was reported in the 1000 block of Royal Oaks. The victim reported that he left his garage door open and someone came in and took coins, his registration, clothing, and a diamond from his unlocked vehicle. The investigation is continuing.

Assault With a Deadly Weapon – Suspect Arrested
September 22 at 5:43 p.m., dispatch received a call reporting a hit and run traffic collision in the area of Duarte and Encino. A witness reported that one of the subjects had exited his vehicle and took off running into a residence. Officers arrived and located the subject, who was injured. The injured party was the suspect, who intentionally ran his vehicle into the other vehicle with the driver still inside. The independent witness corroborated the victim's statement and it appears this was a road rage incident. The suspect was arrested, treated for his injuries, and brought back to the station for booking.

Lunch at Las Marias

Lunch at Las Marias, in the mini-mall on Foothill and Alta Vista. Got the Soft Taco and Chile Relleno combination for $9.49 and an iced tea for $2.10. Very good!

- Brad Haugaard 

Arcadia Police Looking for Missing Person - Kristen Chang

Update: Found safe. 

The Arcadia Police Department is seeking your help in locating a missing person: Kristen Chang, a 16-year-old female Asian, 5'6", approximately 145 lbs., with brown eyes and black hair. Miss Chang was last seen wearing a green shirt and bomber jacket, black sweatpants, black shoes, a black hat, and black face mask. Miss Chang was last seen on 9/21 at 3:30 p.m. at the Arcadia High School. If you have information that can assist in locating Miss Chang, please contact the Arcadia Police Department at (626) 574-5123 or call 9-1-1.

- Brad Haugaard

Temperatures May Hit 105 Degrees Tuesday

National Weather Service has announced a heat advisory for Tuesday. Temperatures could reach 105 degrees in the San Gabriel Valley.

"Drink plenty of fluids, stay in an air-conditioned room, stay out of the sun, and check up on relatives and neighbors. Young children and pets should never be left unattended in vehicles under any circumstances. Take extra precautions if you work or spend time outside." https://is.gd/16Gvrz

- Brad Haugaard

How Far South In Monrovia Have Bears Gone?

Monrovian Peter Fertig reports this hefty bear was in their front yard, cooling off in their fountain. "One of the reasons," he writes, "we all love Monrovia."

It's common to get bears in north Monrovia, and the Fertigs live on Oakcliff Road in the Norumbega area right next to the wash that comes down from Canyon Park, so this is perhaps not unusual, though this one looks pretty substantial. But anyway, it got me wondering:

How far south have bears gone? I think I've seen reports of them as far south as Foothill, but much further?

I'm curious. Has anyone seen bears further south than Foothill Boulevard?

Brad Haugaard


Undefeated Monrovia Football - Here's the Schedule

Monrovia High Football is undefeated in four games so far this season, against West Covina, Arcadia, Los Altos and South Hills. Here's what's coming up. All games are on Fridays at 7 p.m.

9/24 At San Dimas (non-league)

10/1 At La Canada

10/8 At home vs. Polytechnic

10/15 At San Marino

10/22 At Temple City

10/28 At home vs South Pasadena

https://is.gd/fdy41S

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Settles With Justice Department: Will Provide Equal GoMonrovia Access to Disabled

The City of Monrovia has entered into a settlement agreement with the United States to ensure that individuals with disabilities have equal access to its transportation services program, the Department of Justice announced today.

In February 2018, Monrovia launched the GoMonrovia program to restructure its dial-a-ride service, which previously provided rides only to seniors and to individuals with disabilities. GoMonrovia provides reduced-fare Lyft rides available to people traveling within the program’s service area. Individuals with disabilities who needed wheelchair-accessible vehicles could not use Lyft as part of the GoMonrovia program because the ride-sharing company did not provide such vehicles, according to the settlement agreement. Instead, they were required to use transportation services provided by a separate company, Empire Transportation Services, Inc., court documents state.

The Justice Department’s compliance review pursuant to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) found that individuals using reduced-fare Lyft rides could travel 24 hours a day and seven days a week, but individuals with disabilities using Empire Transportation could not travel on nights and certain holidays such as Independence Day and Thanksgiving. Accessible vehicles could not be reserved through a website or by telephone. Individuals needing this service were required to complete paper applications while those who used the Lyft service were not.

The settlement agreement requires Monrovia to take several steps to ensure that its program complies with the ADA. Individuals with disabilities will have equivalent access to the GoMonrovia program, including the abilities to travel at the same time as others. As part of the agreement, Monrovia did not admit that any qualified individual with a disability was excluded from participation in or was denied the benefits of the GoMonrovia program on the basis of a disability.

Source: US Justice Department press release https://is.gd/0B0yOX

- Brad Haugaard

Lulu - You Can Have a Full Conversation With Her


Six-year-old Lulu enjoys burrowing under blankets, getting wild on catnip, and being petted. She also enjoys drinking water out of the sink, and will even chase her treats if you throw them across the floor! Lulu has the sweetest purring meows and is the kind of cat you could have a full conversation with. She loves climbing into her foster parent’s lap while she’s working, so she would make a great work-from-home companion. No matter what you’re doing, Lulu just wants to be around you!

The adoption fee for cats is $100. All cat adoptions include spay or neuter, microchip, and age-appropriate vaccines.

New adopters will receive a complimentary health-and-wellness exam from VCA Animal Hospitals, as well as a goody bag filled with information about how to care for your pet.

View photos of adoptable pets and schedule an adoption appointment at pasadenahumane.org. Adoptions are by appointment only, and new adoption appointments are available every Sunday and Wednesday at 10:00 a.m.

Pets may not be available for adoption and cannot be held for potential adopters by phone calls or email.

- Brad Haugaard


A Moment in Monrovia History: Awaiting Monrovia Days Parade in 1937

Monrovia Day Parade in 1937 in front of Slick Bros. and other stores at 622-26 S. Myrtle. See full details here. From the Myron Hotchkiss collection.

For more historic photos and papers, see the Monrovia Historical Society’s complete Legacy Project collection here. Learn more about the Monrovia Historical Society here.

- Brad Haugaard

School District to Consider Creating New Position - Deputy Superintendent

At its next meeting the Monrovia Board of Education will consider ...

~ Creating and hiring for a new position of deputy superintendent. The deputy superintendent "will assist in meeting the demands of successfully operating the District and instituting appropriate transformation of functions. In partnership with the Superintendent, the Deputy Superintendent is responsible for leadership and management of the internal operations of the District." https://is.gd/5nTxnC

~ Hiring Leadership Associates of Glendora for $15,000 to find the deputy superintendent. The company will be paid $7,500 30 days after the contract is  approved and $7,500 upon selection of a finalist. https://is.gd/ZFbyPK

~ An agreement to provide meals to Immaculate Conception STEM Academy. https://is.gd/76TL08

~ Recognizing Sept. 15-Oct. 15 as Hispanic Heritage Month. https://is.gd/LFPT1G

- Brad Haugaard

City Suspends MAX Aquatics After Arrest of Coach; Commercial Non-Eviction Moratorium Ended; Jobs With City

In his latest report (https://goo.gl/aOqX7O) City Manager Dylan Feik reports: 

~ The city and school district have suspended all MAX Aquatics programming in Monrovia until further notice in light of the arrest of one of the company's coaches on suspicion of sex crimes with a child.

Monrovia has contracted with MAX Aquatics to operate aquatics programs at the Monrovia High School pool since 2016.

Arcadia Police is concerned that there may be additional victims.  If you have any information, or know someone who may have been a victim, please contact the Arcadia Police Department at (626) 574-5160, case number 2103509.

~  On September 7, 2021, the Monrovia City Council ended the emergency moratorium on the eviction of commercial tenants for non-payment of rent due to COVID-19 financial hardships and "no-fault" commercial evictions.

~ The city is looking for two management analysts in its Public Works and Administrative Services Departments. Full-Time, $69,557.84 to $93,214.16 Annually. Details: https://is.gd/fFeRbp

- Brad Haugaard

Arcadia Police Arrest Suspect in Sex Acts With Child, But Fear There May Be More Victims



Arcadia Police have arrested a former swim coach with Max Aquatics, a private swim club that uses pools in Monrovia, Arcadia and El Monte, on suspicion of committing Unlawful Sexual Acts with a Child. Police, however, are concerned that there may be additional victims.

Arcadia Police report: 

"On September 7, 2021, a representative of Max Aquatics contacted the Arcadia Police Department to report an inappropriate relationship between an adult Max Aquatics swim coach and a juvenile athlete. Max Aquatics is a private swim club that uses the pools in the cities of Arcadia, El Monte, and Monrovia. Max Aquatics immediately suspended the coach, and his employment was subsequently terminated. 

"Arcadia Police Detectives conducted an investigation, obtained an arrest warrant for the suspect, and a search warrant for the suspect who is 25-year-old Marco Antonio Flores from Arcadia, pictured [here]. On September 16, 2021, Detectives served the search and arrest warrants at Flores’ residence. Flores was arrested for violations of unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor, lewd and lascivious acts involving children, and other sex crimes. Flores is being held in the Arcadia Police Department’s jail with a bail of $25,000.

"Marco Flores was a swim coach at Max Aquatics since 2017, and detectives are concerned there may be additional victims. The case is currently under investigation. Anyone with information regarding this investigation, or may have been a victim, are encouraged to contact the Arcadia Police Department Detective Bureau at (626) 574-5160, case number 2103509. If you prefer to provide information anonymously, you may call "Crime Stoppers" by dialing (800) 222-TIPS (8477), use your smartphone by downloading the “P3 Tips” Mobile APP on Google play or the Apple App Store, or by using the website http://lacrimestoppers.org."

Source: Arcadia Police press release

- Brad Haugaard

Mayor Withdraws Application for Historic Landmark Status for His House

Mayor Adams' house.

Mayor Tom Adams has withdrawn an application set to come before the City Council (https://is.gd/HkqM2u) for an historic landmark designation for his home on Norumbega Drive.

Earlier, the Historic Preservation Commission declined to take any action on Adam's request though the commission's staff concluded the request was reasonable, but not on the architectural grounds under which it was submitted.

The commission report (https://is.gd/rgp3YQ) says: "The applicant had submitted the application for designation focused on architecture; however, staff believes that designation based on association [with a notable person] is more compelling and has greater merit as described below." The report then lists Adams contributions to the city.

- Brad Haugaard

Weekly Coronavirus Count: Two New Deaths - One in Monrovia, One in Unincorporated Monrovia

Coronavirus cases from LA Department of Public Health as of 8 p.m., 09/15/2021. Changes since 09/09/2021.

City of Monrovia: 3,839 cases (up 70), 81 deaths (up 1)
Unincorporated Monrovia: 434 cases (up 1), 1 death (up 1)

- Brad Haugaard