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Canyon Park Damage Estimated at $10 Million


In his latest report (https://goo.gl/aOqX7O) City Manager Dylan Feik reports that the initial estimate of damage to Canyon Park is $10 million. "At this time, staff is preparing plans to: clear out debris; remove silt, sediment and rock from the park, and; begin to repair the damaged infrastructure." The park will remain closed indefinitely.

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Police: Car Stolen With Owner Asleep in Back Seat; BMW Driver Escapes Police; Grand Theft Perfume; Drunk Drivers; And More

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

During the last seven-day period, the Police Department handled 345 service events, resulting in 68 investigations.

Carjacking / Kidnapping
December 16 at 5:14 a.m., a caller near the intersection of Peck and Camino Real advised that he was just the victim of a carjacking. The caller and his girlfriend were asleep in his vehicle and were awakened by the sound of his vehicle starting and driving north on Peck. The victim jumped into the front seat and began wrestling with the male suspect who was driving the vehicle. The vehicle ultimately crashed into the center median in the 100 block of W. Duarte. The suspect got out of the vehicle and ran east out of sight. It appears the suspect was attempting to steal the vehicle and did not know the victims were in the back asleep. This investigation is continuing.

Outside Assist / Mental Evaluation
December 16 at 4:04 p.m., two social workers requested the Monrovia Police Department’s assistance regarding a mental evaluation hold in the 200 block of Jasmine.  Officers arrived and assisted the social workers. When the subject learned he was being placed on a hold, he became argumentative and refused to cooperate. Officers were able to restrain the subject and he was transported to a local hospital without further incident.

Pursuit
December 17 at 3:21 a.m., officers were patrolling the area of Hillcrest and Alta Vista when they saw a white BMW traveling east on Hillcrest passing them at a high rate of speed. Officers attempted a traffic stop, but the vehicle sped onto the freeway. This investigation is continuing.

Court Order Violation / Warrant – Suspects Arrested
December 18 at 1:47 p.m., a resident in the 200 block of E. Lime called to report a suspicious motorhome parked in a nearby parking lot with several people coming and going. Officers arrived and contacted three subjects they knew from previous encounters. One had an outstanding warrant for his arrest and another was in violation of a domestic violence restraining order. The two were arrested and taken into custody.

Traffic Collision / Driving Under the Influence – Suspect Arrested
December 18 at 10:25 p.m., a traffic collision was reported in the 700 block of S. Magnolia. One of the vehicles struck a parked vehicle and then drove around the corner. Officers contacted the driver who displayed signs and symptoms of being under the influence of alcohol. The driver refused to cooperate. A warrant was obtained for the driver’s blood. He was arrested and transported to the Monrovia Police Department jail for a sobering period.

Warrant – Suspect Arrested
December 18 at 10:51 p.m., officers were patrolling Station Square Park when they observed a subject loitering in the park after hours. Officers contacted the subject and during the investigation discovered he had an outstanding felony warrant for his arrest. He was arrested and transported to the Monrovia Police Department jail.

Traffic Collision / Hit and Run
December 18 at 10:55 p.m., a vehicle was traveling east on Evergreen when she entered the intersection at Myrtle on a green light. Another driver was traveling south on Myrtle and entered the intersection on a red light and collided into the vehicle. The vehicle at fault fled the scene of the accident before officers’ arrival. This investigation is continuing.

Driving Under the Influence – Suspect Arrested
December 19 at 1:30 a.m., officers were dispatched to the intersection of Duarte and Mayflower regarding a driver slumped over the wheel. Upon arrival they contacted the driver and discovered he was displaying symptoms of being under the influence of drugs. The driver refused to submit to any testing. The driver was arrested and transported to a local hospital where a warrant was completed for a blood sample. He was then transported to the Monrovia Police Department jail for a sobering period.

Injury Traffic Collision / Driving Under the Influence
December 19 at 2:14 a.m., a driver was traveling east on Foothill when she struck a boulder in the front yard of a residence at Mountain and Foothill. The collision spun the vehicle and came to rest prior to striking the residence. Officers arrived and detected the strong odor of alcohol emitting from her breath. She was disoriented and ultimately transported to a local hospital for treatment, where a blood sample was obtained and the results will be submitted to the Los Angeles County District Attorneys’ Office for DUI charges.

Wanted Person
December 20 at 4:37 am, multiple callers reported that a wanted male was banging on the front door of the female victim's home in the 300 block of E. Palm. He was also yelling for the female to come out of the house. Officers arrived in the area but the male had already fled. This investigation is continuing.

Non-Injury Traffic Collision
December 20 at 4:44 am, a vehicle was traveling northbound in the 700 block of Ridgeside when an oncoming vehicle blinded the driver with its high beams. The driver swerved because she thought the vehicle was going to hit her and crashed into a tree. The driver was not injured.

Commercial Burglary
December 20 at 9:10 a.m., an employee of a convenience store in the 400 block of W. Foothill discovered their private locked office had been burglarized sometime during the night, possibly when the store clerk was helping customers. An unknown amount of money was stolen. This investigation is continuing.

Warrant – Suspect Arrested
December 20 at 2:47 p.m., a caller reported a suspicious male possibly sleeping in his car in the 100 block of N. Alta Vista. Officers arrived and located the subject. An investigation revealed the subject had a felony warrant for a weapons offense. He was arrested.

Drug Activity – Suspect Arrested
December 20 at 3:58 p.m., an employee of a gas station in the 1500 block of S. Myrtle reported a suspicious male subject in front of their store smoking unknown type of drugs from a glass pipe. Officers arrived and located the subject who was in possession of drug paraphernalia that had been used to smoke a controlled substance. The suspect was arrested and taken into custody.

Embezzlement – Suspect Arrested
December 20 at 4:08 p.m., security for a hardware store in the 1600 block of S. Mountain reported that they were detaining an employee who had stolen over $3,000 over the past couple months. Officers responded and after an investigation, placed the suspect under arrest.

Mental Evaluation
December 21 at 8:48 a.m., a male adult subject entered the Monrovia Police Department lobby yelling profanities at personnel. He advised that he has a lot of guns and when asked if he had any with him, he told them that it was none of their business, as he shoved his hands into his pockets. Detectives responded to the lobby from the Detective Bureau to verify the subject was unarmed. He was found with not having any weapons on him. Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health and a patrol officer evaluated him to determine if he should be placed on a 72 hour hold, however, he did not meet the criteria.

Wanted Person - Suspect Arrested
December 21 at 12:30 p.m., a mental hospital notified the Monrovia Police Department that they were releasing a subject from their custody after evaluating her for a couple weeks. The subject was wanted by MPD for felony crimes committed two weeks prior. The subject had intentionally burned her mother's house and killed the family dog. Officers responded to the mental hospital in Los Angeles and took custody of the subject.

Injury Traffic Collision
December 21 at 1:40 p.m., a caller reported two motorists collided into one another in the intersection of Foothill and Canyon, and one of the vehicles flipped onto its side. Officers and the Monrovia Fire Department Paramedics responded. The driver of the car on its side had minor injuries from the seatbelt, but did not want to go to the hospital. The driver found to be at fault was issued a citation.

Hate Crime/Battery
December 21 at 8:39 pm, multiple callers reported a fight in progress at a business in the 400 block of W. Foothill, between one of the business employee’s and an intoxicated male subject. Officers arrived and separated the parties. It was learned that the male subject entered the business and called the employee multiple racial slurs. The subject then grabbed the employee and pulled the employee's hair. The subject was arrested.

Driving Under the Influence
December 22 at 1:30 a.m., an officer observed a vehicle commit a traffic violation in the area of Colorado and Primrose. He stopped the vehicle and learned the driver had been drinking. After field sobriety tests, the Officer arrested the driver for driving under the influence. The driver was arrested and transported to the Monrovia Police Department jail for a sobering period.

Grand Theft
December 22 at 1:38 p.m., a resident in the 1700 block of Alamitas walked outside his home and discovered someone had stolen his work vehicle. Officers searched the area for the vehicle, but could not locate it. It was entered into the Department of Motor Vehicle's stolen vehicle system. This investigation is continuing.

Grand Theft
December 22 at 6:29 p.m., a witness called to report a theft had just occurred at a store in the 700 block of E. Huntington. Two male suspects entered the store and stole approximately $10,000 worth of merchandise from the fragrance aisle. The investigation is continuing.

Shoplifting
December 22 at 7:27 p.m., employees from a store in the 1600 block of S. Mountain contacted the police regarding a suspicious male who stated he was going to "shoot up" the store. Officers responded but could not locate the male. After speaking with employees, it was learned that a crime did not occur. At approximately 2300 hours, the male subject returned to the store and stole a pair of shoes, then fled on foot. Officers detained the male not far from the business. The male was identified by employees and was arrested for shoplifting.

City Releases Photos of Canyon Park


Two (of several) photos of Canyon Park.

The City of Monrovia has published a set of photos of the devastation at Canyon Park, here.

- Brad Haugaard

Donna Baker Awards Eight Bikes to Eight Artists

Eight bicycle winners in Donna McCabe Baker's art contest.

Donna McCabe Baker sponsored a holiday coloring contest for local youngsters. She writes:

“Congratulations to the kids who won my holiday coloring contest! One of the best things I’ve done in a long time! These 8 kids submitted the winning  holiday drawings. I had originally planned on giving away five bikes to the winners, but the kids from Boys & Girls Club of the Foothills entered, too, so I ended up awarding eight! The joy in that room was amazing! Thanks to Steve at @bicyclesam503 for helping me make this happen!”

- Brad Haugaard 

Dinner at The Diplomat

Dinner at The Diplomat, on the north side of Lemon a few feet east of Myrtle. I’m usually a carnivore but decided to give the falafel ($12) a try along with a German beer ($8). The falafel - patties of bean paste deep fried - was tasty and filling. The humus and garlic paste gave it a nice tang. 

- Brad Haugaard 

Jobie is Full of Goofy, Playful Puppy Energy


Ten-month-old Jobie is a large, playful, goofy puppy! He’s very active and loves a good game of chase. Since he’s a puppy, he’s still learning, but he’s very treat-motivated and picks up new things quickly. He’s very curious and loves to greet everyone. If you have experience with bigger dogs and love that playful puppy energy, Jobie may be perfect for you!

The adoption fee for dogs is $150. All dog 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

Monrovia Quarterback Noah Rodriguez named Offensive Player of the Year

Monrovia High School quarterback Noah Rodriguez has been named Offensive Player of the Year by the sports writers for the Pasadena Star News, San Gabriel Valley Tribune and Whittier Daily News. The writers also selected Monrovia players Carlos Hernandez, Robert Bush and Jacob Calnon for their ideal All-Area Team. https://tny.im/YNEn2

- Brad Haugaard

A Moment in Monrovia History: Covered Fountain at Library Park

Postcard of the fountain at the entrance to Library Park. 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

School District and Chamber of Commerce Donate Food to Unity Center

School District.

The Monrovia Chamber of Commerce and Monrovia Unified donated food - for people and critters - to the Foothill Unity Center today.


Chamber of Commerce (Photo by Kevin Sullivan.)

- Brad Haugaard

Clifton Students Put On Concert, Perform Elf and A Christmas Carol

Clifton Middle School students put together a Winter Concert in their school auditorium and the Drama Class performed Elf and a condensed version of A Christmas Carol. 

- Brad Haugaard

Scout Camp Above Canyon Park Also Damaged By Storm

Camp Trask, the Boy Scout Camp above Canyon Park, was also hard hit by the storm. Posting on the Trask Scoout Reservation Facebook page, Ranger Anthony wrote that despite the scouts’ “Be Prepared” motto, “all the preparation that was made could not have prepared us.” Supporters have offered to come help make repairs but Anthony said the road through Canyon Park is not usable and a lot of the repair work will need to wait until the first of the year.

- Brad Haugaard 

Canyon Park Damage: Rocks as Big as Minivans, Mud and Debris Everywhere

The road to the ranger station. I got this picture second hand, so I don't know the photographer.

In his latest report (https://goo.gl/aOqX7O) City Manager Dylan Feik reports that, "on Thursday afternoon, I was able to join staff for a tour of Canyon Park to observe damage from Tuesday's rain storm. It is quite incredible to see the power of water and how it impacted our beloved park. There is mud and debris everywhere. Sections of roadway are gone and culverts are filled in. The stream has cut new paths throughout the park and in some areas, 6-12 feet of earth has been eroded away. There are rocks of all sizes, some as large as minivans, scattered throughout the park. We are already preparing our work to: clear out debris; remove silt, sediment and rock from the park, and; begin to repair the damaged infrastructure. Our work will take a long time so we should all expect the park to be closed indefinitely for a period of time."

- Brad Haugaard

Christmas Tree Recycling

- Brad Haugaard

Winners of Holiday Home and Business Decorating Contest


Here are the winners of the Holiday Home and Business Decorating Contest:

Home Winners

  • Best Still Display: 752 Valley View Avenue
  • Best Outdoor Display: 612 W. Palm Avenue
  • Most Effective use of Lighting: 214 S. Alta Vista Avenue
  • Best Neighborhood Effort: 517 Valmont Place & Valmont Drive
  • Santa's Workshop Award: 1128 Carmelita Circle
  • Holiday Spirit Award: 826 Ocean View Avenue
  • Judge's Award: 300 Block of North Alta Vista Avenue
  • Children's Choice Award: 221 Grand Avenue
Business Contest Winners
  • Most Creative Display: Mark Houston Associates, Inc. - 517 S. Myrtle Avenue
  • Best Holiday Spirit: Monrovia Floral - 119 E. Olive Avenue
  • Judge's Award: Dream Décor - 505 S. Myrtle Avenue
  • Most Spectacular Display: Civiltec Engineering - 118 W. Lime Avenue
Map here: https://tny.im/Bq8G


- Brad Haugaard

Tik Tok Friday School Threats Not Credible, Extra Police Anyway

From Superintendent Ryan Smith:

“The Monrovia Unified School District has become aware of troubling posts that have been shared widely this week on the social media platform TikTok. The posts refer to a threat to school safety on Friday, December 17.

“The posts are part of a national TikTok trend and did not originate in our schools or district and are not specific to Monrovia Unified. We have heard reports from other districts that the same posts are circulating in their communities. While we do not believe the threat to be credible, we are closely monitoring the situation and taking it seriously. The safety of our students and staff is our top priority.

“Additionally, the district has been in contact with the Monrovia Police Department (MPD) regarding this matter. MPD will have an increased presence around our campuses throughout the school day on Friday as an added precaution.”


- Brad Haugaard 

Santa At The Aztec Hotel

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia City Council to Consider Getting Rid of Elected Mayor Position

At its next meeting (agenda: https://tny.im/U3hN) the Monrovia City Council will ...

~ Consider the wording of a proposed ballot measure that would make the office of mayor a yearly rotating position among the council members. The proposed wording of the ballot measure, which would be voted on at the regular municipal election in 2022, would cause the office of mayor to revert to being a standard city council seat after the expiration of the mayor's term in 2024. https://tny.im/xgxZE

~ Receive and file the 2020-2021 Independent Financial Audit of the Low and Moderate Income Housing Asset Fund and the 2020-2021 Housing Successor Annual Report. https://tny.im/EfIhP

- Brad Haugaard


Weekly Monrovia Coronavirus Count: 15 More Cases, Zero More Deaths

Coronavirus cases from LA Department of Public Health as of 8 p.m., 12/15/2021. Changes since 12/8/2021.

City of Monrovia: 4,226 cases (up 15), 87 deaths (unchanged)
Unincorporated Monrovia: 470 cases (up 2), 1 death (unchanged)

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Post Office Gets a New Postmaster


Monrovia's post office is welcoming its new Postmaster, Wayne Truong.

Truong started his postal career in April 1998 as a PTF (part-time, flexible) mail carrier in the city of Glendale. On Dec. 20, 2014 he was promoted to supervisor in the City of Burbank. He then was promoted to be postmaster of a Level 21 Post Office in Tujunga in 2019, and then given an opportunity to be the officer in charge of the Monrovia Post Office. This is an upper level position as the Monrovia Post Office is a Level 22 office. His goal is to continue moving up within the Post Office and manage a Level 24 Post Office. He says his passion and love for the job keep him going and he is always looking for ways to support his employees' growth within the Post Office.

"It's an honor and privilege to be a postmaster," he said. "I plan to create a positive work environment for all my employees and provide a reliable customer service to the Monrovia community "

- Brad Haugaard

Dinner at Sena

Dinner at Sena, on the west side of Myrtle just south of Lime. It was 52 degrees and we sat outside, but the heater kept us nice and warm. Got the Short Rib Tacos for $12.50 and a beer for $5. Yummy! Very good. 

- Brad Haugaard