Free Booze and support the MUSD Schools 12/20

What could be better than free booze and some munchies?  Great Art and a chance to help the MUSD schools bring (keep?) art in the class rooms for the elementary schools.  Members of the Monrovia Association of Fine Arts (MAFA) have donated art for a silent auction that night.  The proceeds will go to help MAFA continue its funding of art programs in the schools and community.  

It should be a fun evening.  Very relaxed a half dozen artists showing their work, including me.

Frank

MPD on the street - Neighborhood Watch in Action

Around 4:38 Shane calls and lets me know a guy was at his door saying he was selling magazines.  The guy had none of the usual accroutrement one would see with a door-to-door magazine.  Shane recalled the post here a few weeks back about the Robo-dial message from MUSD.  He ask's the guy where is his "sellers permit" issued by the city.  The guy says he has none, Shane tells him no thanks and warns him "You probably should leave as this street is pretty tight and you won't get much further without MPD being called".

Shane calls me.  He tells me he saw the guy last heading to Robertos and leave. While we are talking I see him going to Rob and Julies.  I tell him to call MPD and let him know I saw him there looking in the windows.  I asked him to let MPD know to talk to me as well as I saw him look into the window over at Rob's and Julies then move towards the Cohen's front door.  At that point my view of him was blocked by trees.

  

Shane calls MPD and calls me back.  He tells me MPD will send someone.  About that time he tells me he see's the guy had made it around to the Birkholz.  It was my turn to call MPD with the new info so Shane could watch.

As I was talking with MPD dispatch the first squad car arrived.  While I was on the line they had me relay what I saw.  Then 2 more squad cars arrived.  By 5 the first of the cars left,  a few minutes later the remaining cars left.  

I don't know what the guy was up to.  I do he was given a field interview by MPD per the information from dispatch while I was on the phone with them.  We do know he wasn't around after MPD left.  Thanks for the fast response MPD.

It pays to share with each other, watch and report as we see strange stuff.  If anything when these field interviews are conducted on our calls they do know we are watching and will call MPD to report unusual activity.  

As we noted the other day here, report what you see.  Lock it up to prevent the crimes of opportunity that happen in the area.

City Manager Report addresses crime prevention

If you haven't taken the time to visit the city managers weekly recap you should.  The reading is tedious and editorial in nature, kind of like a lot of blogs: shameless self-promotion, but good bits can be found.  From the report this week an interesting comment on controlling crime through neighborhood awareness and reporting it to the police and sharing with each other.  

"One of the best ways to combat residential burglaries is to have “eyes on the street” – to keep neighbors engaged and vigilant, to be aware of suspicious cars and people on the block, and to guard against “crimes of opportunity”. Especially with this last point, it is important to notify to the Police Department of even minor incidents. This helps police track crime trends and find clues. For example, a car owner might leave their doors unlocked and notice the next morning that the tray of small change has been emptied and CD’s are gone. Many times, victims of this type of crime will blame themselves rather than notify the police (“It wasn’t that much money and, besides, I left the door unlocked.”) But it is precisely this type of crime report that helps us understand if there is a problem on that street, and the magnitude of the problem (for example, is it simply kids doing stupid things or has the neighbor’s trouble-bound son or daughter just gotten out of jail?). Make no mistake; this kind of activity can happen anywhere in our town. And it is important that we don’t get scared or rattled, but rather that we get involved.

Thus, I strongly encourage folks to take up the Community Policing Bureau’s offer to establish/reinvigorate a local Neighborhood Watch program. It can be as structured or as casual as folks might desire, and it is a great way to get to know the people on your street."

If you see something going on let Renee and I know, we'll publish it here.  If dire enough Renee will do a mass email as well to make sure the word is out.

North Primrose Blogs notes increased area burglary

Hey all, it stands to reason we go shopping and the bad guys visit us or rifle through our cars looking for goodies for gift giving as well.

Home burglary in particular are on the upswing in Monrovia.  North Primrose blog notes conversations with MPD regard some specifics up on Scenic and Canyon.  The latter is too close to home so pay heed.  Read their two posts HERE and HERE.

In short lock your house.  Lock your car and don't leave anything of the car like GPS, iPods to tempt a thief.

I for one would like to seem some robo-dials on crime in the area just like the one we recently had regarding the coyote attack on the bicyclist.

Happy Holidays are here.  Who will have the most over the top Display this year?  Seems we have two really consistent ones...

Coyote Attacks, Lions and Monrovia Neighborhood Watch

I just ran a post on LA Metblogs regarding the robo-dial message we got from MPD on the coyote attack.  I have to give hats off to MPD for that message and alerting us to the hazard this poses to all of us, but the little ones and pets on the street.  

Mountain Lions continue to be a problem in the area as well.  Two have been killed in as many months.  Early September was one in Monrovia and the other was a few days ago in Arcadia. All very unnerving, especially so when you realize we have a large open field abutting the neighbors on the north end of the street.  If you see predators prowling call MPD immediately.

A final note.  Monrovia City Watch is a good source of information, and editorial regarding City Government.  To better assist all of us in monitoring crime and knowing what to watch for he has started a sub-page appropriately named "Monrovia Neighborhood Watch".  If you see a crime and and want it reported let him or me know. If you wish to remain anonymous your privacy will be respected.  

So far what has been reported shows that daytime home burglaries are continuing.  The problem with wildlife in the neighborhoods is a bit more than local news sources have reported as well.

Frank

Door-to-Door Fund Raising Scam Alert

For those of you who don't have kids in MUSD you missed a robo-dialed message from Dr. Taylor, MUSD Superintendent that we received a few minutes ago.

"Dear MUSD Families,

We have been made aware that groups of youths are going door-to-door identifying themselves as members of the MHS ROP selling subscriptions to the LA Times as a fund raiser.

It is False.  They youth are not MHS Students.  They are not associated with MHS or MHS ROP. MHS ROP has no such fund raiser in progress.

If someone knocks on your door trying to sell you a subscription turn them away.  Immediately call Monrovia PD and alert them.

Thank You,

Dr Louise Taylor"

Frank

Garden exchange anyone?

Back east it isn't uncommon to have neighborhood garden exchanges.  How it worked was as various plants, bulbs and perrenials in particular overcrowded a garden the excess was passed out to anyone in the neighborhood who wanted them.  Better than them going to waste either by dying off due to overcrowding or into the landfill when they were thinned.

I have about 5 dozen callalilly rhizomes (bulbs to some) at the moment looking for a new home.  I have mostly the scarlet red ones right now.  The yellow will follow over the coming weekend.  If you want them speak up in the comments or stop by.

Calla Lily's do best with morning sun and afternoon shade.  They like regular water during the summer, but once established do well with light watering and tolerate drying out of the soil between waterings.  Other than than feeding once in early spring is all they need for blooms all year.  They do best at the back of a garden or against a wall as they will grow 4-7 feet tall!

Sometime in November I will have some traditional Iris up for grabs.  These are even easier than calla's to grow and naturalize in the gardens really well.  When they are ready I will drop you all a note here.

If anyone else has plants they are dividing out just drop me a note and I'll share it with the neighborhood.

Frank

Be safe burglary's continue in the area

Monrovia and Arcadia share a lot in common in terms of crime and crime patterns.  Arcadia POA has a blog that continually gives updates on crime on the area.  APOA Blog also has a wealth of information that affects us as we run about driving on errands, getting kids to school as well as staying safe at home.  I met Sgt Tom LeVeque of APD who runs the APOA blog last spring when he arranged a ride-along with APD.  Nice guy, knowledgeable and certainly had plenty of information on how the two communities are so similar when it comes to crimes of opportunity.

In light of the continued day time home burglary's in the area take time to read APOA's Blog on Staying Safe at Home.

Auto burglary's continue.  In the area where Arcadia and Monrovia abut a Monrovia man was recently arrested attempting an auto burglary.  

If you want to stay on top of crime trends as well as general safety info bookmark or subscribe to the Arcadia Police Officers Association Blog.

Until then, be aware, watch, report and lock up while staying safe!

Celebrate the Arts is coming 10/11&12

Celebrate the Arts is the Monrovia Association of Fine Arts(MAFA) single biggest event of the year. This is MAFA's 45th Celebrate the Arts event! It will be held in the Community Center and its parking lot on Palm Avenue this year as the usual venue, Library Park is undergoing its huge building and renovations.

MAFA supports art and art education in the community. MAFA supports the art program in the Village After School Program. With that support fully 10% of the elementary school kids in the community get some art education. (Art education was cut from the program years ago and MAFA stepped in where they could).

Industrious principals like Stacey Ayers over at Wild Rose Elementary sought to find ways to bring art classes and a dedicated art teacher to the school. She contacted MAFA and we gave them direct grants as well as assisted in their fund raising efforts.

This is only one way that MAFA helps bring Art to the community. The other way is through working with local businesses to help them open gallery's in their stores using MAFA artists. Focus One Credit Union, Monrovia Coffee Company, CA Wine and Cheese and "Art at the Aztec" are examples of MAFA artists being showcased in local businesses.

Other times MAFA is contacted by businesses to help them establish gallery's. The Paint n Play Art Studio and Gallery and the Route 66 Gallery at the Aztec are examples of that partnership with local businesses.

All of this needs help and financial support from the community. Please attend the FREE shows during the Day Saturday and Sunday October 11&12. There will be 65 artists representing a variety of fine art mediums. There will be silent auction items available for your bidding as well. The silent auction is composed of fine art donated by the participating artists and the proceeds to fund the events and grant programs supported by MAFA.

Also...a little disclosure, I am a MAFA board member. It is pretty strange seeing my name all over as this years "featured artist" but the group chose to give me the honor which I am humbled by.

See you at the show!

Caution at night - recent event in Duarte

Stacey Birkholz dropped an email to a few of us. So every one is aware here is what she wrote tonight.

"That would explain the helicopters....

I heard today from my neighbor that her friend's sister was attacked in the parking lot of the Target in Duarte. She was walking to her car the other night - and she had parked by Denny's. Someone hit her in the back. When she turned around, he hit her in the face, splitting her lip and knocking loose some of her teeth. Then he took her purse. A witness ran to the Sheriff's substation, and it took them quite awhile to come out.

So, this is not a message to not shop at Target, but to park close; look around you; try to go during daylight; and at night, ask a security guard or Target employee to walk you out. Better to feel silly by asking, than to have your teeth knocked out - or worse. We all have children who need us."