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Former Monrovia City Manager Takes City Manager Job for Irvine

Former Monrovia City Manager, Oliver Chi, who took the job as city manager of Huntington Beach, has now accepted a job as city manager of the City of Irvine. https://v.gd/4P1bve

- Brad Haugaard

Weekly Monrovia Coronavirus Count: 29 More Cases, One More Death

Coronavirus cases from LA Department of Public Health as of 8 p.m., 11/03/2021. Changes since 10/27/2021.

City of Monrovia: 4,065 cases (up 29), 84 deaths (up 1)
Unincorporated Monrovia: 453 cases (up 6), 1 death (unchanged)

- Brad Haugaard

Interactive Map Showing Public Art Works in Monrovia

Decorated library book drops, one of many examples of public art on the interactive map.

The Monrovia City website now has an interactive map showing the location of more than 120 pieces of public art, including painted utility boxes, Samson bears, "Projects" (sculptures, murals, metal work, decorated Big Belly trans cans, etc), "Footnotes" (poems in concrete sidewalks), and Neighborhood Treasures (plaques about notable people in Monrovia history). Here's the link. You'll need to scroll down a bit: http://www.cityofmonrovia.org/art.

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Police: Woman Lying in the Middle of Huntington; Man Attacks Woman With Knife; Drunks; Fake 911 Call; Broken Gas Line; Tires Stolen Off Car; Etc.

[Monrovia Police activities from the Police Department's Neighborhood Watch Report for October 28 – November 3. - Brad Haugaard]

During the last seven-day period, the Police Department handled 419 service events, resulting in 67 investigations.

Mental Evaluation
October 28 at 2:38 p.m., a resident in the 400 block of S. Fifth called to report that a subject was inside a vacant apartment. Officers arrived and located a subject inside the apartment. Upon arrival, it was determined the subject suffers from mental illness and lives in the adjacent apartment. It was determined he needed to be evaluated by a mental health professional and he was transported to a local facility for treatment.

Trespass – Suspect Arrested
October 28 at 3:59 p.m., a caller reported seeing a suspect trespassing at a business in the 100 block of W. Palm. Officers arrived and contacted the suspect, who they recognized from previous encounters. It was determined he was in violation of trespassing laws and he was arrested.

Mental Evaluation
October 29 at 7:40 a.m., an officer was patrolling the 700 block of E. Huntington when he saw a female subject lying in the middle of the road. The officer positioned his patrol car to protect the safety of the female. He contacted her and she began yelling. The officer detained her and determined she needed to be evaluated by a mental health professional. She was transported to a local facility for treatment.

Arson – Suspect Arrested
October 29 at 5:45 p.m., a resident in the 900 block of Royal Oaks called to report a brush fire in the area. A suspect was seen leaving the area. Officers responded and extinguished the fire. The suspect was detained in close proximity to the fire, and a witness positively identified him as the one who started the fire. He was arrested and taken into custody.

Driving Under the Influence – Suspect Arrested
October 30 at 1:06 a.m., a manager of a business in the 400 block of W. Huntington called to report a subject drove into the drive-thru and struck a vehicle in front of him. The manager believes the driver was under the influence of alcohol. Officers arrived and spoke with the drivers at the location. A DUI investigation was conducted and it was determined that the driver at fault was under the influence. He was arrested and held for a sobering period.

Domestic Violence – Suspect Arrested
October 30 at 2:13 a.m., a caller near the intersection of Myrtle and Los Angeles reported he was just flagged down by a female victim who reported her boyfriend threatened her with a knife. Officers arrived and located the parties involved and discovered the victim and suspect where involved in an argument. During the argument, the male suspect attacked the female with a knife. He was arrested and taken into custody.

Residential Burglary
October 30 at 7:39 a.m., a residential burglary was reported in the 1100 block of S. Fifth. The victim reported his storage unit was broken into and several pairs of shoes were taken. This investigation is continuing.

Injury Traffic Collision
October 30 at 10:58 a.m., a traffic collision was reported at the intersection of California and Duarte. Officers arrived and checked on the well-being of the occupants. One driver complained of pain. The driver at fault was issued a citation.

Misuse of 911
October 30 at 12:59 p.m., a caller who identified themselves as an 8-year-old girl said her mother fell down the stairs and was bleeding from her head. The caller quickly disconnected. The dispatcher recognized the voice of the caller as the same one from a previous swatting call. Officers responded to a residence in the 300 block of N. Primrose and confirmed no one called from that residence. This investigation is continuing.

Driving Under the Influence – Suspect Arrested
October 30 at 11:25 p.m., officers patrolling the intersection of Peck and Live Oak stopped a vehicle for a traffic violation. An investigation revealed the driver was under the influence of alcohol. The driver was arrested and held for a sobering period.

Driving Under the Influence – Suspect Arrested
October 30 at 11:55 p.m., officers patrolling the intersection of Peck and Lower Azusa saw a vehicle commit a traffic violation. A traffic stop was conducted and the driver was found to be under the influence of alcohol. The driver was arrested and held for a sobering period.

Gas Leak / Fire Assist
November 1 at 12:23 p.m., a road construction crew in the 900 block of S. Primrose were excavating the road and struck a two-inch gas service line. The gas line was broken and caused a major gas leak. Officers and Fire personnel responded to the gas leak. The streets surrounding the area were shut down until the Gas Company arrived and repaired the gas line. No injuries were caused from the gas leak.

Critical Missing – Located
November 1 at 3:16 p.m., a woman came to the lobby to report her elderly mother missing. She stated that her mother suffers from dementia and Parkinson’s disease. She and her mother had gone for a walk and she lost sight of her mother near the area of Primrose and Colorado. Officers responded to the area where the missing person was last seen. Officers were able to locate the missing woman at Primrose and Chestnut. The missing woman was reunited with her daughter.

Fraud
November 1 at 6:00 p.m., a resident in the 700 block of Norumbega reported that someone fraudulently cashed their escrow check at a Wells Fargo bank. The check was supposed to be mailed to them, but it was never received. This investigation is continuing.

Traffic Collision / Driving Under the Influence / Mental Evaluation – Suspect Arrested
November 1 at 9:20 p.m., a traffic collision involving a parked vehicle was reported in the 700 block of S. Magnolia, which caused the moving vehicle to roll over. Officers arrived and determined that the driver of the vehicle was driving under the influence of alcohol. She was arrested and transported to the Monrovia PD Jail for booking and a sobering period. During the booking process it was determined that she needed to be evaluated by a mental health professional. She was then transported to a facility for treatment.

Commercial Burglary
November 2 at 7:24 a.m., the manager of residential rental units in the 1000 block of E. Huntington arrived at his office and discovered someone had forced entry into the building sometime during the night. The unknown suspect had stolen all the rental checks he had received from tenants. This investigation is continuing.

Commercial Burglary
November 2 at 10:08 a.m., employees of a restaurant in the 900 block of W. Huntington arrived to work and discovered the business had been burglarized. The suspects entered the store at 6 a.m., took the store's cash register, then fled the area. This investigation is continuing.

Warrant / Possession of Drug Paraphernalia / Possession of a Controlled Substance – Suspect Arrested
November 2 at 12:42 p.m., officers patrolling the 1600 block of S. Primrose contacted a subject who had just abandoned a bicycle he had been pushing. An investigation revealed the subject had a warrant for his arrest. He was arrested for the warrant and it was discovered he was also in possession of drug paraphernalia and a controlled substance.

Criminal Threats – Suspect Arrested
November 2 at 1:44 p.m., the owner of a business in the 400 block of W. Foothill reported that a male subject in his store was refusing to leave. The same subject was warned not to trespass at that location a week prior. The suspect began yelling at the owner and told the owner he was going to kill him. Officers arrived and found the suspect to be in possession of a knife used to threaten the business owner. He was arrested and taken into custody.

Court Order Violation – Suspect Arrested
November 2 at 2:49 p.m., an employee of a business in the 900 block of W. Huntington reported a male subject loitering near her business with an occupied vehicle parked next to him. She requested the police to ask them to leave. Officers arrived and saw the male subject get into the vehicle. The vehicle fled and officers conducted a traffic stop. The officers discovered the male subject had an active domestic violence restraining order against him to stay away from the female driver. The male subject was arrested and taken into custody.

Hit and Run Traffic Collision
November 2 at 6:35 p.m., a hit and run traffic collision involving a parked vehicle was reported in the 200 block of E. Duarte. This investigation is continuing.

Mail Theft / Fraud
November 2 at 8:27 p.m., a mail theft incident was reported in the 300 block of N. Grand. One stolen piece of mail contained a credit card which someone tried to use at a business in Duarte. This investigation is continuing.

Warrants – Suspect Arrested
November 3 at 3:51 a.m., officers responded to a domestic disturbance at a residence in the 200 block of E. Lime. A female suspect was found to have multiple warrants for her arrest. She was arrested for the warrants.

Petty Theft
November 3 at 3:53 p.m., an employee of a hardware store in the 1600 block of S. Mountain walked outside the business and discovered someone had stolen two of the wheels off her car. Her car was propped up on bricks that were placed there by the suspect. This investigation is continuing.

Theft from a Vehicle
November 3 at 5:40 p.m., the victim reported that she left her unlocked vehicle in a parking structure in the 700 block of S. Myrtle on November 1. She returned to the vehicle on November 3 and found it had been ransacked. Her purse, wallet, and other personal documents were stolen. The investigation is ongoing.

Lunch at Cafe de Olla

Got lunch today at Cafe de Olla, on the west side of Myrtle just north of Lemon. Got the Chicken Chipotle sandwich for $12.25 and an iced tea for $3.75. Excellent!

- Brad Haugaard 

Thankfulness Gathering November 18


Truck petting? I think it means petting a fire truck or police car or something.

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Dance Academy, SoCal Arts, Presents 'Nutcracker'


After a difficult time with COVID, Monrovia's new dance academy, SoCal Arts, is ending its Rebirth Season with a production of Nutcraker. It will be held at the Covina Center for the Performing Arts, November 26 at 1 p.m. and 5 p.m., November 27 at 1 p.m. and 5 p.m., and November 28 at 6 p.m. For more information visit: https://www.socal-arts.com/the-nutcracker-2021/ 

- Brad Haugaard

Enrollment at Monrovia Schools Continues to Decline

Enrollment continues to decline for the Monrovia schools. The district released a report (here: https://v.gd/Ofegma) showing the numbers:

  • In 2018-19 enrollment decreased by 121 students, or 2.18%
  • In 2019-20 enrollment decreased by 38 students, or 0.70%
  • In 2020-21 enrollment decreased by 157 students, or 2.91%
  • This year, enrollment decreased by 113 students, or 2.15%, compared to last year

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia's Carlos Hernandez Named 'Athlete of the Week'

The Pasadena Star-News has named Monrovia High football star, Carlos Hernandez, as its "San Gabriel Valley Boys Athlete of the Week." https://tny.im/F1a2g

- Brad Haugaard

No Reservations Needed for Weekday Visits to Canyon Park

Reservations are no longer required to visit Monrovia Canyon Park on the weekdays. For weekends, however, you still need reservations, which you can get here:  www.cityofmonrovia.org/CPreservation.

The park is open 6:30 a.m. to  6 p.m. daily, except Tuesdays, when it is closed to vehicles for maintenance, but it is still open for those walking or biking in. It will also be closed if it is raining.

- Brad Haugaard

Library Park Ready for Veterans Day


The flags along Myrtle at Library Park are to celebrate Veterans Day, coming up November 11. 

- Brad Haugaard 

Sweet and Affectionate Mars Loves Attention


Four-year-old Mars is such a friendly cat! This beautiful fluffy kitty greets new people with head bumps and loud purrs. He especially loves having his face petted. When you finish petting him, he’ll meow at you for more attention! Mars is so sweet and affectionate, and would love to be your shadow. 

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: Early Homes Along Charlotte (Now Canyon) Avenue

Postcard of homes on 400 block of Charlotte Avenue (renamed Canyon) with Mt. Wilson in background.. 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

Community Prayer Breakfast Nov. 19

Community Prayer Breakfast Nov. 19 at Courtyard by Marriott, 700 W. Huntington Drive. 7:45 a.m. check-In, 8 a.m. start and breakfast. $30 per person. Speaker Pastor Christopher Bourne of Second Baptist Church.  For information contact Monrovia Chamber of Commerce at 358-1159. Register here: https://tny.im/NDGOV

- Brad Haugaard 

Halloween Celebrations


There was a huge crowd at Library Park (top) to celebrate Halloween and lots of activities at Calvary Chapel Monrovia’s Harvest event (bottom). 

- Brad Haugaard

Watch for Trick-or-Treaters!

Be especially careful driving on Halloween night. Arcadia Police Department has these tips:
 
Drivers
  • Slow down and watch out for more foot traffic in residential neighborhoods.
  • Take extra time looking for trick-or-treaters at intersections and entering/exiting driveways.
  • Never drive distracted or impaired.
Parents and trick-or-treaters
  • Make sure costumes fit to prevent trips and falls.
  • Decorate costumes and bags/buckets with reflective tape.
  • Have kids use flashlights or glow sticks to make it easier for drivers to see them.
  • Walk on sidewalks, when available.
  • Avoid darting into the street or crossing between parked cars.
  • Stick to familiar, well-lit routes.
  • Look both ways before crossing the street.
  • Make eye contact with drivers before crossing in front of them.
If you are heading to a local bar, restaurant or house party and plan to drink, bring a designated sober driver with you, use a ride-hailing service, or stay the night.

- Brad Haugaard

Halloween Alternative at Calvary Chapel Tomorrow - Petting Zoo, Candy, Etc.


Tomorrow, Calvary Chapel Monrovia will hold a free Harvest event from 5:30-8:30 p.m. with candy, a petting zoo, games, food and a variety of music. The church is at the southwest corner of Myrtle and Cherry.

- Brad Haugaard 

Monroe Principal Slides Through Chocolate; Commended Students; Santa Fe Green Space in News


~ Monrovia High had three seniors recognized as Commended Students in the 2022 National Merit Scholarship Program: Matthew Hui, Andrew Smithwick, and Kristoffer Kaufmann. https://tny.im/kxcyj 

~ Superintendent Ryan Smith reports that because Monroe Elementary School raised $25,000 in its annual fundraiser, more than the $20,000 goal, that Principal Amanda Noriega slid through a slip-n-slide covered with chocolate sauce and whipped cream to celebrate her students' work. https://tny.im/kxcyj 

~ Spectrum News 1 came to Santa Fe Computer Science Magnet School to showcase the school's green outdoor spaces. Here's the report: https://tny.im/l27UA

- Brad Haugaard

Burlington Stores Donates $5,000 to Wild Rose School


Monrovia Unified School District has received a $5,000 donation from Burlington Stores through its partnership with the national non-profit organization, AdoptAClassroom.org. The donation will go toward school supplies to MUSD Wild Rose School of Creative Arts in celebration of the new Burlington store now open at 660 Huntington Dr.

Wild Rose Principal Paige Ramos said the money will be used to purchase musical sound makers and instruments for each classroom. 

"We are delighted to receive this grant from AdoptAClassroom.org in partnership with Burlington," Ramos said. "A donation like this gives us the opportunity to purchase additional supplies that we were not anticipating having this school year."

Each time Burlington opens a new store, the company celebrates by adopting and funding a local elementary school in the store's community.

- Brad Haugaard

Kiwanis Cornhole Competition Nov. 6 to Raise Funds for Student Scholarships

Kiwanis Club of Monrovia will hold a Cornhole Competition on November 6, 2 - 8 p.m. Enter as teams of two to win cash prizes, or come and just have fun. First, second, and third place teams will have a chance to win $250, $150, or $100. Event is 21+ only. All proceeds go towards scholarships for local youth. https://tny.im/oYEFj

- Brad Haugaard