A driver has been arrested on charges of hitting a cyclist and fleeing the scene in Monrovia last night, reports City News Service. Jason Travers, 34, allegedly hit the victim, whose name hasn't been released, from behind as the cyclist was making a left-turn at about 6:00 p.m. at Violet Avenue and Foothill Boulevard. more ›

Now that the lights are finally back on, local agencies are tallying up the damage wrought by last week's epic windstorm. Officials estimated that the storm caused $40 million in damage — half of that is in Pasadena, the epicenter of the storm — but they expect that number to rise. more ›

Brian Lee Randone, a onetime contestant on the TV reality show "The Sexiest Bacherlor in America" and a self-proclaimed preacher, was acquitted today of charges he tortured and murdered his girlfriend, 31-year-old Felicia Lee. more ›

Jury selection is underway for the trial of Brian Lee Randone, the 45-year-old self-proclaimed preacher and onetime "Sexiest Bachelor in America" contender accused of killing his porn star girlfriend in 2009. Randone, now 47, "is charged with murder and torture for allegedly killing Felicia Lee." more ›

A six-year-old Monrovia boy claiming he was kidnapped Sunday could be responsible for a serious hoax, and now authorities say the child was "not truthful" with his case's investigators, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. more ›

A 6-year-old boy escaped from the clutches of a man who kidnapped him out of his backyard yesterday by biting his hand, according to sheriff's deputies. The man put his hand over the boy's mouth to keep him from screaming, but the boy bit him and ran back home. more ›

A police standoff in Old Town Monrovia ended this afternoon when a man shot and killed himself. The man had pulled a gun on a woman that he was arguing with in a busy commercial area of Monrovia, according to Monrovia Patch. Police responded and told him to drop the gun. Instead, the man pushed the woman out of the way and turned the gun on himself. more ›

One way to ensure your boss discovers you are stealing from the company: Leave your altered paperwork in the copy machine. This is what happened in Monrovia, when on October 14, a business owner discovered documents falsified in order to financially benefit a female employee, according to Monrovia Patch. more ›

One local superintendent's decision to ban a body building competition from being held school grounds during break next summer is going to get a second look, according to Monrovia Patch. The superintendent of Monrovia Unified School District Linda Wagner told West Coast Classic Bodybuilding and Figure that they couldn't hold their event on school grounds, if there were going to be any "scantily-clad women" around. more ›

No matter what Jimmy Johnson, the spokesman for ExtenZe says, their little pills don't help a man's littler penis get bigger. Alas, the Monrovia-based Biotab Nutraceuticals Inc. have been misleading customers with their "unsubstantiated advertising claims," for their supplements, including ExtenZe, and are now being made to payout $1.75M in civil penalties to their deflated consumers. more ›

A recently enacted law banning food trucks from parking in the Old Town shopping district has prompted an organization representing 100+ vendors to sue the City of Monrovia, notes KPCC. According to Monrovia officials, the law, adopted in January, was intended to protect local restaurants and... more ›

AOL's brand of local news websites are growing faster than ever. Just last week, LAist posted about two new Patches in the San Gabriel Valley and today are two more in North Hollywood/Toluca Lake and in Monrovia. more ›

A Metro committee Thursday is poised to vote on a move that would fully fund the first of two phases extending the Gold Line along the 210 Freeway. If the $690 million transfer is approved, Phase IIA would extend the light rail line 11.3 miles from Pasadena to Azusa, mostly along the 210 freeway, by 2014. There would be six stops in the cities of Arcadia, Monrovia, Duarte, Irwindale, and Azusa. The vote is to transfer Measure R dollars from Metro to the Goldline Construction Authority so it can break ground in June. “This historic vote will secure victory for the San Gabriel Valley and move us toward our goal of a truly regional transit system,” said County Supervisor Michael Antonovich, who has been pushing for this project. The move then must be approved by the full board next week. Correction: The committee vote was last week and the full board vote is Thursday. more ›

The Station Fire has slowed significantly, but that doesn't mean its impact is any less significant as it continues to burn through ravines full of dry brush and vegetation on its eastern front. As of yesterday, the total acreage the blaze has consumed reached 157,220 according to the LA Times, and is burning "a safe distance from populated areas." more ›

The Republic of Liberia, tucked warmly between Sierra Leone and the Ivory Coast on the African-Atlantic seaboard, is supposed to be a success story. Loosely founded in 1822 by freed American slaves in search of hope, homogeny, and a life of freedom, Liberia immediately became a West African beacon of choice and political change. By 1847 they had established independence, relying heavily on U.S.-educated leaders and the deeply entrenched social norms of the great American South; they even spoke English. more ›

Some of the many wonderful submissions from our LAist Featured Photos contributors on Flickr... more ›

Ten cities in two separate categories are up against each other for an award naming them the most business friendly city of the year in Los Angeles County. Starting in 2006, the LA Economic Development Corporation began the Eddy Awards to "celebrate individuals and organizations that demonstrate exceptional contributions to positive economic development in the region." For example, Santa Clarita does not assess a utility user tax and Glendale has no business tax, license fees and no gross receipts tax. more ›

What's that sound? Oh, it's your stomach. It must be almost lunchtime! more ›

• In an attempt to avoid the voter confusion rampant in the state during this year's Super Tuesday balloting, LA County officials are doing their best to educate the public about the InkaVote Plus system, including the audio options for disabled and multilingual voters.
• It seems "fire season" in the Southland is now a year-round thing. After yesterday's Griffith Park fire comes news of another fire, this one in Pomona, which is burning over 25-acres and near to homes.
• LA's flat track Derby team, the Angel City Deby Girls have an intra-leaue bout tomorrow night at the Toyota Sports Center in El Segundo. See the photos from their last game.
• Metrolink riders commuting through Placentia this morning may have arrived to work late with a unique excuse: Their rides were delayed due to a despondent 18-year-old man's wish to commit suicide by laying down on the tracks.
• An accident this afternoon in North Hills involving a Metro bus and another vehicle sent three people to the hospital with injuries.
• Two men behind the illegal selling of body parts through UCLA's Willed Body Program have been indicted for their crimes, including "conspiracy to commit a crime, grand theft and grand theft of personal property."
• Residents of Monrovia angered over recently erected billboards as "part of a campaign by the Monrovia Police Officers' Association to gain support for its position during contract negotiations with the city" plan to rally in protest tonight at the police station.
• A toast to you, Mister Mondavi. Legendary California vintner Robert Mondavi died today at the age of 94.
• And for you fashionistas, today was day one of a three-day preview of designer Rogan Gregory's new line for the exclusive, upscale, sophisticated mecca of haute couture known as Target, hitting the racks at Barney's. Fashion Intelligentsia has the pics of the duds.

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Trader Joes, based here in Southern California in Monrovia, made a big announcement today regarding imported food from China:

Garlic, frozen organic spinach and other "single ingredient" food items from mainland China will be phased out by April 1, although products that include ingredients from both China and other sources will remain. more ›

He goes by the name 'frazgo' and he had an encounter with a Monrovia Public Information Officer that left a sour taste in his mouth. In a post on blogging.la, he ventures into that new media gray area that still is fuzzy... is a blogger considered media?

I attended the city press conference regarding the gang warfare here. The city Principal Information Officer was giving transcripts of the mayors speech. Several of us asked for a copy and he replied "it is for media only". I said, that's fine "I am the media, I am frazgo at blogging.la and I happen to live here". He said" I am familiar with your work, you are not media you do not get one" He turned around and walked away from me I said, "oh, can I quote you on that?". He stopped for a second and then walked on. [blogging.la]

Photo by kpe II via the LAist Featured Photos pool on Flickr more ›

Foothill Cities blog has done it again. They have made us turn our attention ever-Eastward and into the nutty world of local council meetings. Today's gem comes from Monrovia (fast-forward to around 12:30 into the video) where Stephen Grollneck, a man who wants to run for Mayor of Monrovia, shows up at the meeting and insults the sitting Mayor, Rob Hammond, and his Campaign Manager, Gloria Crudgington (who saw a family friend killed by... more ›