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High Water Mark at Sawpit Dam

This picture shows the high water line at Sawpit dam caused by Tuesday’s storm. I spoke with a ranger who said a lot of their cars are trapped in Canyon Park because the mud is covering the road out. He also said that a log was washed into a fire hydrant and broke it open. A lot of work to do. However, there appears to be no damage whatsoever to the nearby residential streets that were threatened. 

- Brad Haugaard 

Marigold is a Cuddle Cat


Two-year-old Marigold is affectionate, gentle, and loves to be petted. She’ll rub against your legs and hands when she wants attention, and loves to be held. She even allows belly rubs! She’ll follow you from room to room to be near you, or cuddle up next to you while you watch a movie. Marigold would be a wonderful companion for someone who wants a little shadow in their life!

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

No Mud Problems for North Monrovia Residences, But Damage to Monrovia Canyon Park

The city reports:

"Thus far, the neighborhoods of Ridgeside Drive and Oakglade Drive have not experienced significant debris or mudflow onto the streets. Throughout the rain event, the Oakglade Debris Basin, a drainage structure, has captured the debris and mudflow. At this time, these neighborhoods remain under an Evacuation Warning."

However ...

"The City of Monrovia has issued a Proclamation of Existence of Local Emergency in response to the rainstorm on December 13 and December 14, 2021, and is activating a virtual Emergency Operation Center. There has been significant movement of mud and debris, along with rocks and boulders, in Monrovia Canyon Park. There is a substantial amount of debris and mudflow within Monrovia Canyon Park causing damage to facilities, roads, parking areas, utility systems and trails. 

"Additionally, staff has identified a broken water main in Monrovia Canyon Park caused by the debris flow. The water system in Monrovia Canyon Park, including the running water in bathrooms and drinking fountains, has been compromised. Monrovia Canyon Park has been closed to the public since Thursday, December 9, and will remain closed indefinitely. Although Monrovia Canyon Park is closed, signs for “Do Not Drink the Water” will be placed within the park until the water main can be repaired."

Details here.

- Brad Haugaard

New School Board President and New Deputy Superintendent


School District Superintendent Dr. Ryan Smith reports that:

The school board has selected Selene Lockerbie as its new president, replacing Maritza Travanti, who served as president for 2021. Also, Traci Gholar was elected as vice president, and Jennifer Anderson as clerk.

The board also welcomed new Deputy Superintendent, Dr. Greg Francois, from the Paramount Unified School District, where he has served for the last fifteen years in various leadership roles including interim assistant superintendent and director.

Superintendent Smith is also from the Paramount school district. 

- Brad Haugaard 

No Sign of Mudflows Yet

As of about 9:15 this morning there is no sign of mudflow on the streets below the Bobcat burn area in north Monrovia. Both Oakdale and Ridgeside are clear. Also, residents appear ready, with mud guard plywood barriers blocking driveways between k-rail.

- Brad Haugaard 

Evacuation Warning for Ridgeside and Oakglade Due to Possible Mudflow

Monrovia has issued an evacuation warning for residents living in the areas of Ridgeside Drive and Oakglade Drive. An Evacuation Warning means that there is potential threat to life and/or property, and those who require additional time to evacuate and those with pets and livestock should leave now.

The city is providing extra patrols and Public Works is prepared with tractors and dump trucks and the county has cleaned out a lot of the mud in the Sawpit catch dam.

Details here

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia YMCA Reopening January 15, 2022

Santa Anita Family YMCA  Associate Executive Director Rachel Diaz writes to local YMCA members that, "I’m thrilled to let you know that Santa Anita Family YMCA is officially reopening on Saturday, January 15, 2022!"

- Brad Haugaard

A Moment in Monrovia History: First Baptist Church in 1930s

Postcard of the First Baptist Church c. 1930s. See full details here.

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

Monrovia Library Gets Super-Rare Book From Historical Society



The Monrovia Public Library is now the only public library in the world to own a copy of a book so rare that only five other libraries in North America – all academic libraries – have a copy.

The book, The March of Progress, was recently donated to the library by the Monrovia Historical Society after it was found tucked away among its possessions. In her organizing efforts, Historical Society board member, Jan Pack, found a box marked “Monroe School PTA,” donated by Joanne Spring, former Monroe School Principal, and a founding president and still a leading force behind Monrovia Reads. Inside were books of minutes, treasurers’ accountings and newspaper clippings. But with these was something she wasn’t expecting, a large but slender work called The March of Progress. The volume had seen better days – the cover was water-stained and the spine was torn – but its inside pages were pristine.

Joanne said she found the PTA box in the basement of Monroe School in the 1990s when the school was being renovated. She took it home to get it out of the way and for safe-keeping, but when she wanted to return it to the PTA executives, they didn't want it. She thought, "'Uh, what shall I do with it now?' I didn't feel comfortable just pitching it but I didn't want to keep it." So she gave it to the Monrovia Historical Society. Therefore, she said, she really didn't "donate" the materials because they were never hers. She said, "I just made sure it wasn't thrown away and if it was going to be thrown away I didn't want to do it."

So anyway, as Jan thumbed through the pages, she found illustrated vignettes highlighting Los Angeles history and saw that the book was published by Times Mirror in 1935. But what really jumped out was a printed notation on the back page: the volume was stamped no. 25 of 500 total copies printed.

The Historical Society Board agreed that the book should be offered to the library, and within a few days of being contacted, Rebecca Elder, the library’s supervisor of adult services, phoned to say she was interested.

Then, within a week, Rebecca reported that The March of Progress is indeed rare, found in only five academic libraries in North America, three in California, one in Arizona, and one in Alberta, Canada. But it is in no public library anywhere in the world.

So, very shortly, The March of Progress will be available among the other books in Monrovia Public Library’s Heritage Room collection.

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Video of Baby Bear Wrestling Inflatable Reindeer Makes News

Baby bear wrestles with a blow-up Christmas reindeer figure in Monrovia. The video made it on to CBS Los Angeles news.

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Police: Throwing Noodles at Vehicle; Traffic Stop Turns to Child Abuse Arrest; Drunk Driving; Police Respond to Five Fights at High School; Etc.

[Monrovia Police activities from the Police Department's Neighborhood Watch Report for December 2 – December 8. - Brad Haugaard]

During the last seven-day period, the Police Department handled 370 service events, resulting in 67 investigations.

Warrant – Suspect Arrested
December 2 at 9:51 a.m., a caller reported a male subject was loitering in the area of Chestnut and Fifth. Officers arrived and discovered the subject had an outstanding warrant for his arrest. The subject was cited in the field and released.

Vehicle Theft
December 2 at 10:17 a.m., a caller in the 400 block of Genoa reported the tailgate to his truck was stolen sometime during the night. This investigation is continuing.

Throwing Object at a Vehicle – Suspect Arrested
December 2 at 10:34 a.m., a Monrovia Parking Control Officer reported a resident threw a cup of noodles at her vehicle while she was issuing a parking ticket in the 700 block of E. Olive. Officers responded and located the suspect nearby. The suspect was arrested and released with a citation.

Traffic Collision / DUI – Suspect Arrested
December 2 at 10:41 a.m., a three vehicle collision occurred at the intersection of Mayflower and Huntington due to a vehicle running a red light. It was later determined the driver was too intoxicated to drive. He was arrested for DUI and transported to the Monrovia PD Jail for booking and a sobering period.

Injury Traffic Collision
December 2 at 11:26 a.m., two vehicles were involved in a collision at the intersection of Myrtle and Huntington when a driver's foot came off the brake pedal and rear ended the vehicle in front of him. Paramedics responded and treated the subject at the scene.

Injury Traffic Collision
December 2 at 12:02 p.m., a vehicle traveling south on Mountain ran the red light at Evergreen and collided into the side of another vehicle. One driver had complaint of pain and was treated by paramedics at the scene.

Wanted Person – Suspect Arrested
December 2 at 2:42 p.m., a husband called to report his wife had locked him out of his house in the 1000 block of E. Huntington. The husband called a locksmith who responded and opened the door. Once inside officers made contact with the wife who had two outstanding warrants for her arrest due to prior domestic violence incidents. The wife was arrested and transported to the Monrovia PD Jail for booking.

Vehicle Burglary
December 2 at 5:15 p.m., a caller reported she went into a grocery store in the 400 block of W. Huntington and returned minutes later to find the window of her vehicle had been smashed. Her purse was missing and it was later discovered her credit card was used at a nearby department store. This investigation is continuing.

Commercial Burglary
December 2 at 11:35 p.m., a caller who was in Los Angeles reported his business in the 1900 block of S. Myrtle had a subject in the rear of his business on surveillance footage he was viewing from his cell phone. It looked like the subject possibly jumped over the fence on the west side of the property. Officers arrived and located two bikes on the other side of the property. One of the bikes belonged to the victim and the other one belonged to the suspect. The stolen/recovered bike was left at the location and the other bike was booked as found property. This investigation is continuing

Domestic Violence – Suspect Arrested
December 2 at 11:43 p.m., a caller in the 700 block of W. Olive said she could hear her mom and her mom's boyfriend arguing. It sounded like her mom might be hitting the boyfriend. Officers arrived and contacted the boyfriend to the rear of the residence. They could immediately see injuries on his face. They contacted the female and she was very uncooperative and intoxicated. After an investigation officers placed the female under arrest for domestic violence and transported her to the Monrovia PD Jail for booking.

Warrant – Suspect Arrested
December 3 at 3:58 a.m., officers were patrolling the area of Huntington and Monterey when they saw a subject in the area and stopped to speak with him. An investigation revealed he had a no bail warrant for his arrest. He was arrested per the authority of the warrant and transported to the Monrovia PD Jail for booking.

Grand Theft Auto
December 3 at 6:33 a.m., a resident in the 2600 block of S. Myrtle called to report his vehicle was taken sometime during the night. This investigation is continuing.

School Threat
December 3 at 7:16 a.m., there were several reports of a potential threat of violence to occur at Monrovia High School. Officers, Detectives, and the School Resource Officer responded to the school to investigate. A comprehensive investigation revealed the validity of the threat was not credible.

Mail Theft
December 3 at 7:40 a.m., a resident in the 800 block of Norumbega called to report several mailboxes in the area, including hers, were broken into and mail was taken. This investigation is continuing.

Fire Assist
December 3 at 11:08 a.m., a resident, who is non-verbal with severe autism, bit another resident at an assisted living facility in the 100 block of N. Mountain. The residents were separated and now calm. The aggressor has a caregiver and the Los Angeles County Psychological Evaluation Team was notified to perform an assessment.

Warrant – Suspect Arrested
December 3 at 11:33 a.m., a resident in the 300 block of E. Foothill called to report that a subject was on her vacant property and he did not have permission to be there. Officers arrived and contacted the subject, who is a local homeless individual. He had an outstanding warrant for his arrest. He was arrested and transported to the Monrovia PD Jail for booking.

Injury Traffic Collision
December 3 at 12:14 p.m., a caller reported a traffic collision occurred in the area of California and Lemon. Officers arrived and checked on the well-being of the occupants. Two occupants complained of pain. A report was taken and the driver at fault was issued a citation.

Vehicle Fire
December 3 at 12:23 p.m., a resident in the 800 block of E. Foothill called to report his vehicle caught fire while he was working on it. The fire was extinguished and no one was injured.

Court Order Violation / Warrant – Suspect Arrested
December 3 at 9:21 p.m., officers patrolling near the intersection of Mountain and Huntington saw a vehicle commit a traffic violation. They conducted a traffic stop and an investigation revealed the driver had a child abuse warrant for his arrest. He also had an active court order restraining him from being near the female passenger in the vehicle. He was arrested per the authority of the warrant and transported to the Monrovia PD Jail for booking.

Warrant – Suspect Arrested
December 3 at 10:06 p.m., officers were extra patrolling Station Square Park in the 1600 block of S. Myrtle when they saw a female subject loitering in the area. An investigation revealed the subject had a no bail warrant out of Glendora for grand theft. She was arrested per the authority of the warrant and transported to the Monrovia PD Jail for booking.

Vehicle Pursuit
December 4 at 12:19 a.m., officers attempted to stop a vehicle for multiple traffic violations near the intersection of Shamrock and Evergreen. The vehicle started to yield on Evergreen east of Shamrock, but abruptly fled east on Evergreen to the 210 eastbound freeway. The suspect vehicle information was relayed to the California Highway Patrol. A short time later, CHP responded to a traffic collision involving the suspect vehicle.

Mental Evaluation – Subject Evaluated
December 4 at 9:01 a.m., a resident in the 500 block of Valmont called to report a subject was standing in the middle of the street. Officers arrived and located the subject. An investigation revealed he was a danger to himself and officers determined he needed to be evaluated by a mental health professional. He was transported to a local facility for treatment.

Traffic Collison / DUI – Suspect Arrested
December 4 at 6:53 p.m., officers responded to the 1900 block of Peck regarding a traffic collision. The driver attempted to leave the scene prior to officer’s arrival, but witnesses confronted the driver until officers arrived. Further investigation revealed the driver swerved and crashed into three parked vehicles. An investigation revealed the driver was under the influence of alcohol. He was arrested and transported to the Monrovia PD Jai for booking and a sobering period.

Public Intoxication – Suspect Arrested
December 4 at 10:14 p.m., officers responded to a restaurant in the 300 block of W. Foothill regarding a subject walking out on paying his bill. When they arrived, they spoke with an intoxicated male subject. The elder male arrived at the restaurant with two young girls and consumed $ 600.00 worth of food and alcohol. The male subject gave one of the females the cash to pay the bill at the register, but both girls exited the restaurant with the money and fled on foot. Restaurant employees followed the females on foot, but lost sight of them. Restaurant employees refused to prosecute the male. However, the male was too intoxicated to care for himself and was arrested for public intoxication. He was transported to the Monrovia PD Jail for a sobering period.

DUI – Suspect Arrested
December 5 at 1:22 a.m., a caller reported a vehicle had hit the center median at the intersection of Myrtle and Maple. Officers arrived and saw that the driver was unconscious behind the wheel. An investigation revealed the driver was under the influence of alcohol. He was arrested for DUI and transported to the Monrovia PD Jail for booking and a sobering period.

Hit and Run Collision / Possession of a Firearm – Suspect Arrested
December 5 at 1:23 p.m., a caller reported two motorists just collided into one another in the intersection of Duarte and Mayflower, and one of the vehicles fled the scene. Officers searched the area for the suspect, and located him a few blocks away. He was stopped and after an investigation, was arrested for felony hit & run, because the driver of the other vehicle had minor injuries. He was transported to the Monrovia PD Jail for booking. A handgun was found in the suspect's glove box during a search of his vehicle.

Missing Person
December 5 at 10:58 p.m., a mother in the 100 block of N. Mountain reported her adult old son missing. He was last seen at 1:00 a.m., that morning when he left the home after getting into an argument with his sister. The mother does not believe he is at risk, but he does have depression. The son took his vehicle, but left his cell phone behind. He, along with his vehicle, were entered into the missing person system.

Vehicle Burglary
December 6 at 7:05 a.m., a resident in the 1100 block of S. Fifth walked outside his home and discovered someone had forced entry into his parked vehicle sometime during the night. The interior of the vehicle had been ransacked and personal property was stolen. This investigation is continuing.

Catalytic Converter Theft
December 6 at 11:36 a.m., the guest of a hotel in the 700 block of W. Huntington discovered someone had stolen the catalytic converter from her vehicle, which had been parked in the hotel parking lot overnight. This investigation is continuing.

Warrants – Suspect Arrested
December 6 at 2:13 p.m., a resident of a condominium complex in the 100 block of S. Mayflower reported a male subject in the yard of the complex. Officers responded and located the subject after a brief search. An investigation revealed he had multiple warrants for his arrest. He was arrested per the authority of the warrants and transported to the Monrovia PD Jail for booking.

Vandalism
December 6 at 10:24 p.m., the victim in the 200 block of W. Central reported that her boyfriend slashed her vehicle's tires. Officers arrived but the boyfriend was uncooperative. The female victim agreed to leave. She later returned to the location just after midnight and called again, reporting that he damaged more of her property. The boyfriend was intoxicated and refused to come outside. The female had two children with her and she too became uncooperative. DCFS was contacted and a warrant will be issued for the male suspect.

Mental Evaluation – Subject Evaluated
December 7 at 12:49 p.m., a resident in the 1600 block of Leafwood reported her neighbor was outside yelling her house was on fire. The caller could not see smoke or flames, but could smell a burning smell in the air. Officers and fire personnel responded. Almost the entire inside of the home appeared burned in various places, but the fire had already been extinguished. The resident who started the fire was transported to a nearby hospital due to smoke inhalation. It was determined the female needed to be evaluated by a mental health professional. She was transported to a local facility for treatment.

Injury Traffic Collision
December 7 at 1:26 p.m., a caller reported a motorist struck a pedestrian in a crosswalk at the intersection of Shamrock and Evergreen. Officers responded along with paramedics. The pedestrian sustained a leg injury and was transported to a nearby hospital for medical care. The driver was issued a citation.

Indecent Exposure / Warrants – Suspect Arrested
December 7 at 3:09 p.m., a caller reported seeing a homeless male adult exposing himself in the alley behind a grocery store in the 100 block of W. Foothill. Officers responded and located a subject matching the description, but the caller refused to identify him or cooperate in the investigation. An investigation revealed the suspect had multiple warrants for his arrest. He was arrested per the authority of the warrants and transported to the Monrovia PD Jail for booking.

Injury Traffic Collision
December 7 at 5:08 p.m., a motorist reported he just collided into a bicyclist in the 600 block of W. Huntington. Officers responded along with paramedics. The bicyclist had complaint of pain to his legs, but refused to be transported to the hospital. The party found to be at fault was issued a citation.

Grand Theft
December 7 at 7:51 p.m., a loss prevention officer at a business in the 1600 block of S. Mountain reported that a male suspect removed a Makita jack hammer from a display and left the store. Officers checked the area but could not locate the suspect. This investigation is continuing.

Grand Theft Auto
December 8 at 7:24 a.m., a resident in the 1800 block of S. Peck walked outside his apartment to go to work and discovered someone had stolen his gold colored Honda Accord. Officers searched the area for the vehicle, but could not locate it. This investigation is continuing.

Injury Traffic Collision
December 8 at 8:44 a.m., a caller reported a vehicle and motorcycle collided in the 1200 block of S. Mayflower. Officers responded along with paramedics. The motorcyclist was transported to a nearby hospital for serious, but non-life threatening injuries. The other party was found to be at fault and was issued a citation.

Injury Traffic Collision
December 8 at 12:25 p.m., a motorist reported he was just in a collision with another motorist in the intersection at Wildrose and Mountain. The caller reported he suffered injuries, so paramedics responded along with officers. When officers arrived, they found the driver was only complaining of pain. The party found to be at fault was issued a citation.

Wanted Felony Vehicle – Vehicle Located
December 8, at 12:53 p.m., Azusa Police Department reported they had stopped a vehicle in their city that was wanted by the Monrovia Police Department for being involved in the grand theft of wheels and tires from a Mercedes that had been parked in the parking lot of a hotel in Monrovia. Monrovia detectives responded, identified the occupants and stored the vehicle as evidence.

Fight in Progress
December 8 at 1:58 p.m., a parent reported two MHS students hitting one another in front of the school. Officers responded and located both subjects who were both no longer fighting and separated with no injuries. At the same time four additional and separate fights were reported around the school. With the help of school security, the incidents dissipated and no injuries were reported.

Missing Person
December 8 at 9:05 p.m., the night employee at a girl’s home in the 100 block of N. Ivy called to report one of the juveniles left the location and may have been picked up by someone she knew. The juvenile was on probation with an ankle monitor. She also previously had an opiate addiction. Officers checked the area, but could not find her. Probation notified dispatch that the ankle monitor had been removed in the area of Foothill and Heliotrope. Officers located the monitor in a front yard near the intersection. She was entered into the missing person system.

Boys and Girls Club Needs Volunteers


Boys & Girls Club of the Foothills is looking for people to support youth grades K-5 with tutoring, arts and crafts, sports, STEM, and more. For more information on volunteering visit www.foothillsbgc.org/volunteer, email: volunteer@foothillsbgc.org, or call (626) 594-3264.

- Brad Haugaard

Local Businesses Collecting Pet Food for Unity Center

Local businesses are collecting non-perishable food items for pets to donate to Foothill Unity Center's Food Bank and Pet Food Bank on December 17. If you'd like to contribute, these local businesses are collection points:

  • Caring Transitions 135 E Chestnut Ave Ste 2B, Monrovia
  • Wonder Dog Ranch 220 Taylor St, Monrovia
  • The Dog Zone, 150 W. Foothill Blvd., Monrovia
  • Monrovia Chamber of Commerce 620 S Myrtle Ave, Monrovia
  • Monrovia Police Dept. 140 E. Lime Ave., Monrovia
  • Sierra Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Ram 1305 S. Mountain Ave., Monrovia
  • Monrovia Floral 119 E Olive Ave, Monrovia
  • Douglas Elliman Real Estate, 517 S. Myrtle Ave., Monrovia
  • Monrovia Unified School District 325 East Huntington Dr., Monrovia
  • Mt. Lowe Brewery 150 E Saint Joseph Street Arcadia
  • Mitry Pharmacy 145 East Duarte Rd., #D Arcadia
  • Starbucks 5 W Live Oak Ave., Arcadia

Image by Gerhard G. from Pixabay

- Brad Haugaard

How Should Monrovia Spend $6 Million Extra a Year? Free Electric Vehicle Charging Extended to Feb. 15; Parade Winners; Sign the Pledge


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

~ The city is still looking for ideas on how to spend the $6 million per year it is raising from the Measure K sales tax measure. You can submit a suggestion online, here, or there are two more community forums planned:  Monday, December 13, 5 p.m. - 5:30 p.m., Julian Fisher Park; and Wednesday, December 15, 11 a.m. - 11:30 a.m, Zoom Meeting ID: 862 1435 6452.

~ The city has extended free electric vehicle charging at its charging stations through February 15. Four public stations are located at 124 E Lemon. More information here, or contact Chris Castruita at (626) 256-8224 or ccastruita@ci.monrovia.ca.us. 

~ The 2021 Holiday Parade Winners are: 

  • Best Band - Monrovia High School;
  • Best Float - North Pole Support Team;
  • Judges Award - Plymouth Elementary School;
  • Best Dance Squad - Dancing for His Glory;
  • Best Holiday Spirit - Monroe Elementary School.

~ The city is asking residents to sign "Monrovia's Pledge" at the Community Center. It says: "We are honored to be residents, business members and community leaders in the Gem City of the San Gabriel Valley foothills. We are thankful for the opportunity to learn more about our neighbors and grateful for this time to embrace and rejoice our diversity. We are committed to engage in and contribute to the diverse world around us and to facilitate opportunities that result in effective and meaningful participation. We are proud Monrovians!"

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Police Officers' Toy Drive Tomorrow

The Monrovia Police Officers' Association and Detail Union are partnering with the Foothill Unity Center for this year's Toy Drive on December 11, 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. The toy drive will be held at Detail Union at 1311 S. Shamrock Avenue. All donations are appreciated, but specifically requested are board games, puzzles, and gift cards.

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia High Spyder Lab Ceremony Shows Off Lab's Equipment

Monrovia High students demonstrate the equipment in the relatively new Spyder Lab,  part of the Career Technical Pathway programs at the school. Students demonstrate how each piece of machinery is used. The lab has multiple 3D printers, a large cutter and printer, a fusion laser, vinyl cutter and a heat press. Although the lab opened in June, because of COVID, the grand opening was delayed until now. 

- Brad Haugaard

Weekly Monrovia Coronavirus Count: Another Death, 29 More Cases

Coronavirus cases from LA Department of Public Health as of 8 p.m., 12/8/2021. Changes since 12/1/2021.

City of Monrovia: 4,211 cases (up 29), 87 deaths (up 1)
Unincorporated Monrovia: 468 cases (up 4), 1 death (unchanged)

- Brad Haugaard

Mudflow Not Expected From Today's Rain, But Heavy Rain Expected Monday; Gravel and Bags Available

The city says that LA County Flood Control does not anticipate any debris or mudflows in the recent Bobcat Fire burn areas because of today's rain, however,  Monrovia Canyon Park is closed starting today, and will reopen when weather permits.

Rain is also expected this Monday and Tuesday, December 13-14. "According to the National Weather Service, a powerful storm system will bring periods of heavy rain into the area."

If you need gravel and gravel bags, they are available at Recreation Park (620 S Shamrock) in the parking lot off of E. Olive near the skate park. Self-serve so bring your own shovel, gloves and eye protection. Supplies limited. First come first served. Details here.

- Brad Haugaard

Dinner at Ikonicks

Dinner at Ikonicks, on the east side of Myrtle just south of Lime. Burgers and Nicaraguan food. Got the Pechuga (chicken) en Salsa Jalapena for $16.95 and a beer for the happy hour price of $3.  It came with plantain and a toasted slice of cheese (the toast-looking thing). Different and really excellent!

- Brad Haugaard 

Can You Use Washing Machine Water To Irrigate Your Garden?

With the continuing drought and the city's considering moving from voluntary to mandatory water usage restrictions (fines for people who do not cut their water usage by at least 10 percent) could residents perhaps use what is called "gray water," from -- for example, clothes washing machines -- to water their gardens?

Well, they can, but...

Director of Community Development Craig Jimenez said "Monrovia has adopted provisions for the installation of gray water systems as part of the plumbing code, however we do not get many inquiries about these types of systems.  My guess is that since retrofitting a gray water system is more complex than changing out fixtures, and typically requires hiring a professional to install, that influences residents’ decision to pursue this option (or not)."

The city, he said, has adopted the California Plumbing Code, but, he added, "Over the upcoming year, one of our goals is to provide more building/permitting information on the city’s website. That could be one topic we add."

The basic gray water philosophy in the California Plumbing Code, Section 503.0, is that:

Gray water shall be permitted to be diverted away from a sewer or private sewage disposal system, and discharge to a subsurface irrigation or subsoil irrigation system, or disposal field. The gray water shall be permitted to discharge to a mulch basin for residential occupancies. Gray water shall not be used to irrigate root crops or food crops intended for human consumption that comes in contact with soil.

If you are interested, the relevant section of the plumbing code is here.

- Brad Haugaard