Richard John Villareal, Jr., 28, received a sentence of more than 15 years in prison for a car crash following a police pursuit in Temple City that killed his passenger. The defendant led Arcadia police officers on a high-speed pursuit after they attempted to pull him over for driving a stolen car near Workman and Baldwin Avenue.
Proposed logistics center in Arcadia could impact traffic and El Monte residents. A former gravel mine (quarry) may soon become a 1.6 million square foot logistics center and industrial park on an 81-acre site on the southeastern end of Arcadia. Property owner is John Edwards, Jr. El Monte City Manager Jesus Gomez is working with Arcadia and the developer to protect El Monte residents. With enough mitigation measures, if approved by Arcadia City Council, construction could begin after the reclamation is complete, as early as 2017.
Arcadia Mayor Peter Amundson defends his speaker of choice at next month's Mayor's Community Breakfast. He has invited H. B. London, of Focus on the Family, a conservative Christian group that opposes same-sex marriage. Residents and activists upset about this choice are organizing two counterevents of their own. Activists are planning a "peaceful" demonstration March 4 outside Arcadia Community Center and a bar-b-que at Pasadena's Unitarian Church for all families. Focus on the Family was founded in Arcadia by Dr. James C. Dobson and believes marriage is meant to be between a man and a woman. Amundson said the event is not about sexuality but about the Arcadia family.
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.
Hollywood actors Ed Begley, Jr. and Daryl Hannah called on prosecutors to drop a trespassing case against the group of tree-sitters who have become known as the "Arcadia 4." The four climbed into oak trees on January 12, 2011 while Los Angeles County bulldozers destroyed an 11-acre woodland around them. Begley rallied with supporters outside Los Angeles County District Attorney Steve Cooley's downtown headquarters. The four are John Quigley of Glendale, Julia Jaye Posin of Venice Beach, Travis Jochimsen of Lancaster and Andrea Bowers of Los Angeles. The trees were cleared to make room for a sediment site.
Arroyo High School (El Monte) assistant coach of the junior varsity softball team Raymond Daniel Yniquez, 21, of Pomona, died in a car crash on Live Oak Avenue near Las Tunas Drive, along with two others dead.