Temple City hires Don Penman, former City Manager of Arcadia, as Interim Temple City Manager, while city officials search for a permanent replacement for Jose Pulido, who was terminated January 13.
H. B. London, Jr., of Focus on the Family, a conservative Christian group that opposes gay marriage, spoke at the 2011 Mayor's Community Breakfast, about the importance of compassion and unconditional love in the family. Outside there were some 90 protestors that support the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community.
Arcadia Mayor Peter Amundson's selection of Reverend H. B. London, Jr. to speak at the community breakfast on March 4, is drawing criticism from some residents and gay-rights activists. London is a vice president of ministry outreach at Focus on the Family, a conservative Christian group that opposes gay marriage. Some residents are asking Mayor Amundson to reconsider and they feel Focus on the Family delivers hateful messages. The city estimates it will pay between $5000 and $5500 for its contribution to the event, which will include the speaker's plane fare.
Santa Anita Racing to resume on Friday.
Santa Anita’s scheduled reopening March 29 is back on after the track’s parent company, The Stronach Group, and the Thoroughbred Owners of California reached agreement Saturday on the Lasix controversy that had swept through the industry the past few days.
The story was first reported by Jay Privman of the Daily Racing Form and confirmed by the Southern California News Group.
The deal includes the elimination of Lasix beginning with next year’s crop of 2-year-olds and immediately reduces race-day administration of the diuretic from a maximum of 10 ccs to 5.
Santa Anita Park names Dennis Moore, 63, as track superintendent, effective immediately. Moore has built and maintained track surfaces the world over for the past 40 years.
Actor and activist George Takei, 75, famous for his portrayal of Sulu on television series Star Trek, will talk about gay rights and a childhood spent in internment camps at Santa Anita Park (assembly center), Tule Lake and Rohwer, Arkansas, during World War II. He will be speaking at Cal Poly Pomona on Tuesday.
Los Angeles County Supervisors are set to approve $8.5 million to build a new pool building, pool and splash pond at Arcadia County Park. Officials recommended hiring Sparano & Mooney Architecture. The firm designed the Arcadia Historical Society Museum.
Construction of the Gold Line Bridge in Arcadia, over the 210 Freeway, will cause eight more full overnight eastbound lane closures through March 17, between Rosemead Boulevard and Santa Anita Avenue.
Arcadia's parcel tax, Measure A, is validated. It gives schools $17 million over the next 5 years. Residents, with a few exceptions (seniors and those who receive Social Security), will have to pay an additional $228/year to help offset the fiscal deficit the Arcadia Unified School District faces. This Measure A was on the March 13 ballot.
Mike Smith (photo) wins second Bill Shoemaker Award as most outstanding jockey at Breeders' Cup. He had three wins over the weekend at the 30th annual Breeders' Cup, held at Santa Anita Park. Lists past Bill Shoemaker Award winners.
Arcadia Unified saves taxpayers over $40 million by refinancing bonds that were obtained through Measure I, Facilities Bond that voters approved November 2006. The refinancing takes advantage of current lower interest rates.
Arcadia City Council today will once more reconsider whether to allow customer-requested address changes in light of concerns about a Chinese superstition involving the number four. Since the number four sounds like the word for death in Mandarin and is considered unlucky, some realtors and residents have argued that addresses that end in the number four are more difficult to sell and affect home prices. The cost of processing an address change would be about $2600.
Arcadia Unified School District has faced the reality of mid-year school budget cuts for the past 3 years. To prepare for a possible fourth year of mid-year cuts, the AUSD school board is exploring the option of a parcel tax, an amount to raise hopefully a few million dollars that would help offset what the State is expected to take away. Arcadia School Board Vice President Joann Steinmeier and colleagues are investigating the need for a parcel tax and what form it might take to get passed at the March election.
375 Arcadia High School Apaches are set for marching in the Pasadena Tournament of Roses Parade on January 2, 2017, and at the Rose Parade Band Fest on New Year's Eve at Pasadena City College. Band director is Mr. Seth Murray. The Apache Marching Band has performed in the Rose Parade 15 times over the past 50 years.
Major changes on tap for Arcadia in the new year. Delta Marriott Hotel slated for the old Santa Anita Inn; Arcadia's tallest building, currently housing Bank of America at 150 N. Santa Anita Avenue, has gone up for sale. The current Arcadia Self Storage at 35 W. Huntington Drive is proposed to become a modern food vendor location, reminiscent of the Grand Central Market in Downtown Los Angeles or the Anaheim Packing House.
Individual students and the Arcadia Educational Foundation (AEF) raised about $840,000 for the Arcadia Unified School District (AUSD) during its annual appeal last year, enabling the district to reinstate 12 teaching positions. Budget cuts from the state have created "serious challenges" for Arcadia schools over the past 4 years, said AUSD superintendent Joel Shawn.
Completion of the Gold Line Bridge over the 210 Foothill Freeway in Arcadia is celebrated. The $18.6 million bridge, completed on time and on budget, is only one element of the $1.2 billion eastward extension of the Gold Line through Arcadia, Monrovia, Duarte, Irwindale, and Azusa. Andrew Leicester is the artist and designer of the bridge baskets.