Monrovia Now: News and Comment about Monrovia, California

Mellow Bleu is a calm, snack-loving gentleman with lap-dog ambitions

2026-04-28T12:27:00.000-07:00

Meet Bleu, a 7-year-young gentleman with a heart as big as his love for snacks, especially hot dogs and cheese. This lab/pittie mix at Pasadena Humane is all about the simple joys: slow strolls, thorough sniff inspections, and soaking up every pet he can get. He also loves to happily try to sit in your lap like he's still a puppy.

Bleu is calm and easygoing, keeping his cool around the shelter and busy surroundings, and nothing seems to ruffle his relaxed vibe. He walks politely on leash, has wonderful manners, and shows all the signs of being a "treat enthusiast" who isn't picky about rewards. More than anything, Bleu is looking for a cozy spot, a kind human, and plenty of affection.

And there's no better time to adopt — starting this week, adoption fees are discounted at Pasadena Humane as a part of the Price is Right adoption promotion.

The adoption fee for dogs is $150. All dog adoptions include spay or neuter, microchip, and age-appropriate vaccines.

Walk-in adoptions are available every day from 9:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. View photos of adoptable pets at pasadenahumane.org.

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.

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: When Library Park had a bridge

2026-04-28T07:51:00.000-07:00

A rustic bridge in City Park in 1912, a page from the 1912 Monrovia Board of Trade brochure - "Monrovia Illustrated." It was called City Park before it had a library on it. Now, of course, it is called Library Park. From the Ella Long collection. 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

Ceramics Sale May 2 at Santa Fe

2026-04-27T16:55:00.000-07:00

The Monrovia Schools Foundation will host a ceramics sale on Saturday, May 2, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Santa Fe Middle School gymnasium. The event features works by artists from the Wheelhouse Ceramics Studio.

- Brad Haugaard

A website to track Burger Basket burglars set up; also a fundraising site to help family

2026-04-25T13:16:00.000-07:00

A website has been set up to help track down the perpetrators of the burglary that cost the owners of the Burger Basket restaurant their life savings of $140,000, and a gofundme page has been set up to raise money to help the family. So far $42,306 of a $45,000 goal has been raised. Also, the restaurant has reopened.

The webpage to help solve the crime is here.

The gofundme page is here.

- Brad Haugaard

Veterans Thank You Dinner at Library, May 6

2026-04-25T06:28:00.000-07:00

Veterans and family members are invited for dinner, information, and connection at the Library, May 6 from 6 to 8 p.m. An LA County Veterans Service Officer will discuss benefits and services. Opportunity to meet other veterans and share experiences. Registration required, here.

- Brad Haugaard

Adult craft night at the Library - Stashbusting, May 5

2026-04-25T06:24:00.000-07:00

Spring Adult Craft Night - Stashbusting - May 5, 6 to 7 p.m. in the Library Story Room. For ages 18+. Supplies provided, including planters, notebooks, clay, canvases, yarn, and paint. Registration required, here.

- Brad Haugaard

Homes of former City Historian Steve Baker to become a restaurant and inn

2026-04-24T20:27:00.000-07:00

Baker's homes before the addition of a third structure.

One of the two historic homes left when Monrovia City Historian Steve Baker died will be turned into a restaurant, called Viola's, which should open around May 25. The other two homes on the property will be an inn.

Baker's property, which held two historic Monrovia homes, was purchased by Saxony Design Build, a Monrovia company that specializes in historic restoration. The company added a third historic-style home at the south end of the property on the east side of Ivy just south of Lemon.

According to the website, WhatNow.com, the restaurant, which will be in the middle of the three homes on the property, will have a nostalgic atmosphere and serve small plates for brunch and dinner - "French bistro meets Southern influence." Plus beer, wine and cocktails.

- Brad Haugaard

National Day of Prayer at Library Park, May 7

2026-04-24T11:00:00.000-07:00

The Interfaith Council of Monrovia and the Monrovia Ministerial Association will hold a National Day of Prayer gathering at Library Park on May 7 at noon. The event includes prayer for local and national leaders. All are welcome.

- Brad Haugaard

Monroe Elementary PTA silent auction is open

2026-04-24T10:59:00.000-07:00

The Monroe Elementary PTA annual silent auction is open for bidding here. Everything from a vacation in Bali to being City Manager for a Day. New items will be added through April 24 at 6:30 p.m., when bidding closes. Winners will be notified through the auction site.

- Brad Haugaard

VFW Post 2070 BBQ & Car Show, June 13

2026-04-24T10:54:00.000-07:00

Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 2070 will host a BBQ and Car Show on June 13 at the post, at the corner of Chestnut and Magnolia. Ribs, chicken, hot links, potato salad, baked beans, coleslaw, and corn muffins. Pre-ordered meals are $20; advance sales begin May 1.

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Historical Museum opens 'Engines of Change' exhibit, April 30

2026-04-24T10:51:00.000-07:00

The Monrovia Historical Museum will hold a grand opening for its new, free exhibit, "Engines of Change: How Transportation Shaped Monrovia," on April 30 from 4 to 6 p.m. The exhibit explores how transportation shaped the city and includes a Route 66 display. Live music by The Houston Trio, Good Humor ice cream bars, and a Helms Truck serving donuts. After the opening there will be a cruise tracing two historic Route 66 alignments through Monrovia.

- Brad Haugaard

Sandy Burud named Monrovia's Older Monrovian of the Year

2026-04-24T10:48:00.000-07:00

Monrovia Historical Society president Sandy Burud has been named Older Monrovian of the Year by the Monrovia City Council. The award honors an involved Monrovia resident age 60 or older.

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia elementary campuses open to public after school hours

2026-04-24T10:45:00.000-07:00

The five Monrovia elementary school campuses will be open to the public during non-school hours. During the school year, campuses are open on weekdays from 6 p.m. until sunset; on non-school days, from sunrise to sunset. Dogs allowed on leash, no alcoholic beverages, no portable BBQs, and no smoking.

- Brad Haugaard

Coming Up in Monrovia

2026-04-24T06:17:00.000-07:00

New art to be unveiled for Artist Reception at Community Center, April 24

Game Night for Adults at the Library, April 24

Trip planned to Renaissance Pleasure Faire on April 25

MAP Neighborhood Conference at Second Baptist Church, Apr. 25

Neighborhood Conference: AI made simple, civic leadership, Route 66, etc., April 25

Quiet library time for neurodivergent children. April 25

Learn to draw manga characters at the Library, April 25

Monrovia Garden Club program on plant reproduction, April 27

Free class on making art with found items, April 29

New exhibit coming on 'How Transportation Shaped Monrovia,' April 30

Trivia night for adults at the Library, May 1

Children's crafts at the Library, May 2

Veterans movie night at the Library, May 2

Classic Car Show at Recreation Park, May 3

Femineer program to host showcase at high school May 4

Blood drive at Monrovia Public Library, May 5

Monrovia Reads fundraiser May 7›Monrovia Reads annual fundraiser, May 7 at 6 p.m.

Trip planned to see Sound of Music May 8

Unity Center needs volunteers for big May 9 food drive

Monrovia Fire & Rescue pancake breakfast, May 9

- Brad Haugaard

Troublesome bear cubs in north Monrovia

2026-04-23T19:54:00.000-07:00

A couple Monrovia bear cubs caused their mama - and Pasadena Humane workers - some trouble; one got stuck up a tree for three days and the other got stuck in a storm drain. Details.

- Brad Haugaard

Dinner at Mahan Indian Restaurant

2026-04-23T18:17:00.000-07:00

Dinner at Mahan Indian Restaurant, at the southeast corner of Myrtle and Foothill. Got the Mango Chicken Tikka for $19 and a beer for $5. Very good and very filling.

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Police: Drunk woman bites rideshare driver; Three fail to steal bank card; ATM distraction leads to fraud; Etc.

2026-04-23T10:41:00.000-07:00

[Monrovia Police activities from the Police Department's Neighborhood Watch Report for April 16-22, 2026. 481 calls for service, 102 investigations, 3 mental evaluations, 3 traffic collisions, 10 arrests. - Brad Haugaard]

APRIL 16

Shoplifting

At 4:08 p.m., an employee from a business in the 500 block of W. Huntington reported a shoplifting incident. This investigation is continuing.

Trespass – Suspects Arrested

At 7:49 p.m., an officer patrolling the 200 block of W. Evergreen saw a male subject enter a vacant residence. Officers made contact with the male subject and a female subject was also found inside. They were arrested and taken into custody.

APRIL 17

Residential Burglary – Suspect Arrested

At 12:58 a.m., officers were dispatched to a vacant residence in the 600 block of Maryanna regarding an unknown subject inside. Officers arrived and located a male subject in the residence. He was also found to be in possession of property from the residence. He was arrested and taken into custody.

Trespass – Suspect Arrested

At 7:50 a.m., while patrolling the 200 block of W. Evergreen, officers checked a known vacant residence due to ongoing trespassing issues. Upon arrival, they discovered a male subject inside. He was arrested and taken into custody.

Pursuit

At 10:35 a.m., officers patrolling the area of Myrtle and Pomona located a stolen vehicle. A traffic stop was attempted, and the driver refused to yield, resulting in a pursuit. In the interest of public safety, officers terminated the pursuit, and the vehicle was not located. This investigation is continuing.

Drug Offense

At 2:33 p.m., while patrolling the 700 block of W. Chestnut an officer saw a bicyclist in violation of a vehicle code. A traffic stop was conducted and the cyclist was contacted. An investigation revealed the cyclist was in possession of a controlled substance. The subject was arrested and taken into custody.

Attempted Fraud

At 3:04 p.m., an employee from a business in the 200 block of S. Myrtle reported a theft. Officers arrived and determined three subjects entered the business and attempted to steal a bank card from a patron. The patron realized what was happening and took his card back. This investigation is continuing.

Public Intoxication – Suspect Arrested

At 10:03 p.m., a caller in the area of Lime and Myrtle reported an intoxicated male subject walking in and out of traffic. Officers arrived, located the subject, and made contact with him. He displayed symptoms of intoxication. It was determined that he was too intoxicated to care for himself. He was arrested and transported to the MPD jail to be held for a sobering period.

APRIL 18

Battery – Suspect Arrested

At 8:18 a.m., an employee from a business in the 700 block of W. Huntington reported that a male subject spat on him. Officers arrived and made contact with the parties involved. The male subject was arrested and taken into custody.

Drug Offense – Suspect Arrested

At 12:10 p.m., a caller in the 100 block of W. Palm reported an unconscious subject on the floor. Officers arrived and made contact with the subject. The investigation revealed he was in possession of a controlled substance and drug paraphernalia. He was arrested and taken into custody.

Shoplifting – Suspect Arrested

At 12:59 p.m., an employee from a business in the 500 block of W. Huntington reported a shoplifting incident. Officers arrived and made contact with the subject. He was arrested and taken into custody.

Battery / Vandalism / Public Intoxication – Suspect Arrested

At 7:36 p.m., a disturbance was reported in a parking lot in the 700 block of W. Huntington. Officers arrived and made contact with the parties involved. An investigation revealed a female subject was refusing to exit a rideshare vehicle, bit the driver and damaged the vehicle. Officers determined she was also intoxicated. She was arrested and taken into custody.

Battery

At 7:39 p.m., a battery was reported at a store in the 700 block of E. Huntington. Officers arrived and discovered a female subject entered the store, punched an employee and fled. This investigation is continuing.

Grand Theft Auto

At 8:39 p.m., a victim in the 1600 block of S. Myrtle reported their vehicle stolen. This investigation is continuing.

APRIL 19

No significant incidents to report.

APRIL 20

Missing Person

At 9:31 a.m., a relative walked into the MPD lobby to report a family member missing. This investigation is continuing.

Grand Theft Auto / Drug Offense – Suspect Arrested

At 2:08 p.m., while patrolling the 1600 block of S. Myrtle an officer saw two suspicious subjects in a park. When she attempted to make contact with them, they separated and walked in different directions. She made contact with one of the subjects and determined that he was in a stolen vehicle and in possession of drug paraphernalia. He was arrested.

Shoplifting – Suspect Arrested

At 5:04 p.m., an employee from a business in the 500 block of W. Huntington reported a shoplifting incident. Officers arrived and located the suspect nearby. He was found to be in possession of the stolen property. He was arrested and taken into custody.

Shoplifting

At 5:41 p.m., a shoplifting incident was reported in a store in the 500 block of W. Huntington. Officers arrived, but the suspect was gone prior to officer's arrival. This investigation is continuing.

APRIL 21

Drug Offense – Suspect Arrested

At 11:14 a.m., an officer patrolling the area of 5th and Chestnut saw three subjects trespassing within the fenced area of the 210 Freeway embankment. Officers made contact with them and discovered that one of the subjects was in possession of drug paraphernalia. She was arrested and taken into custody.

Public Intoxication – Suspect Arrested

At 11:47 a.m., a caller in the 2400 block of Peck reported a subject slumped over in his vehicle. Officers arrived and discovered the subject was intoxicated and unable to care for himself. He was arrested and transported to the MPD jail to be held for a sobering period.

Drug Offenses – Suspect Arrested

At 2:34 p.m., an officer patrolling the area of 5th and Chestnut made contact with a subject. An investigation revealed the subject was in possession of a controlled substance. She was arrested and taken into custody.

APRIL 22

Grand Theft Auto Recovery

At 11:29 a.m., an employee for a business in the 3300 block of S. Peck reported a suspicious vehicle parked nearby. An investigation revealed the vehicle had been reported stolen. This investigation is continuing.

Resist / Delay Officer – Suspect Arrested

At 12:49 p.m., an officer patrolling the 1600 block of S. Myrtle saw a subject she recognized from prior contacts. She made contact with him and discovered he had a warrant for his arrest. He began to walk away and she was able to detain him. He was arrested and taken into custody.

Theft

At 2:24 p.m., a theft was reported at an ATM in the 100 block of W. Foothill. Officers arrived and made contact with the victim who reported a female subject approached him, distracted him and when he arrived at home, his bank alerted him to multiple fraudulent transactions. This investigation is continuing.

Shoplifting – Suspects Arrested

At 5:15 p.m., an employee from a business in the 700 block of E. Huntington reported a male subject concealed merchandise and fled without paying. An officer arrived and located the vehicle the suspect fled in and conducted a traffic stop. The suspects were arrested and taken into custody.

Mail Theft

At 6:38 p.m., a resident in the 700 block of Genoa reported package theft. This investigation is continuing.

Drug Offense – Suspect Arrested

At 9:51 p.m., an officer patrolling the area of Myrtle and Brisbane saw a vehicle in violation of a traffic code. A traffic stop was conducted and the driver was contacted, when the passenger exited the vehicle and began to walk away. The officer gave the passenger commands to stop and the subject did. An investigation revealed the passenger had a warrant and both were found to be in possession of a controlled substance. They were arrested and taken into custody.

Free class on creating art from found objects, April 29

2026-04-22T13:34:00.000-07:00

Monrovia Association of Fine Arts is offering a free abstract "Combines" class that uses found objects to create art. Bring canvas board, glue, acrylics, brushes. Instructor Ed Houlemarde will provide additional materials. Register by April 29, here.

- Brad Haugaard

Wiggly Achoo is a mellow shepherd mix — and she thinks she's a lap dog

2026-04-21T11:01:00.000-07:00

Meet Achoo! This 4-year-old shepherd mix at Pasadena Humane is the perfect mix of playful and mellow. She's happy to curl up next to you on the couch (or climb right into your lap!) and will greet you with excited wiggles, jumps, and plenty of affection. According to her foster, she's mostly housetrained and crate trained, knows "sit," absolutely loves car rides, and is great out on walks.

Achoo can be a little shy with new people and prefers slow, calm introductions, so she'd do best in a quieter home with an adopter who can help her feel safe and seen. Once she settles in, her sweet, silly personality really shines.

If you're looking for an affectionate sweetheart to share your couch, car, and home with, Achoo might be your girl! And there's no better time to adopt: from April 27-May 1, Pasadena Humane's "The Price is Right" promotion will be discounting adoptions for adult dogs, just like Achoo.

The adoption fee for dogs is $150. All dog adoptions include spay or neuter, microchip, and age-appropriate vaccines.

Walk-in adoptions are available every day from 9:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. View photos of adoptable pets at pasadenahumane.org.

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.

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: Possibly a patient at Pottenger tuberculosis sanatorium

2026-04-21T06:58:00.000-07:00

Possibly a patient at the Pottenger Sanatorium, a tuberculosis treatment center located on North Canyon Boulevard in the hills of north Monrovia. More on the sanatorium here. From the Kim Anderson collection. 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

Legislature considering non-lethal requirements to human-wildlife conflicts

2026-04-20T10:28:00.000-07:00

Following the outcry over the killing of the Monrovia bear "Blondie" by the Department of Fish and Wildlife, state legislators are considering a bill to require non-lethal solutions to human-wildlife conflicts, according to an article in the LA Times, here. The full text of the bill is here.

- Brad Haugaard

Trip planned to see Sound of Music May 8

2026-04-20T06:23:00.000-07:00

The Community Center is planning a day trip to see "The Sound of Music" at the Pantages Theatre May 9. Bus departs 10:30 a.m. Event runs from 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Residents $100, non-residents $110. Call the Community Center at 256-8246 for details.

- Brad Haugaard

DUI patrol plan for May 1

2026-04-19T12:48:00.000-07:00

Monrovia Police Department plans a DUI saturation patrol for May 1, 6 p.m. to 2 a.m. Officers will focus on high-risk areas such as major roads and nightlife locations.

- Brad Haugaard

Trivia night for adults at the Library, May 1

2026-04-18T06:37:00.000-07:00

Trivia night for adults at the Library May 1, 5:30 to 7 p.m., Community Room. Teams tackle pop culture, history, science, and more; snacks and social atmosphere. Register here.

- Brad Haugaard

Children’s crafts at the Library, May 2

2026-04-18T06:35:00.000-07:00

Children’s craft program at the Library May 2, 12 to 2 p.m. Kids to age 11 explore arts and crafts, build skills and imagination; adults must attend with children. No registration required. Details.

- Brad Haugaard