Pasadena Star News conducted a survey of local city government websites among area cities, looking for transparency of public information. Monrovia and Rosemead scored the highest, with A grades. Arcadia came in 6th among 32 cities, with a B-minus grade.
The ad (open letter to the Arcadia community) that was paid for by the three members of the Arcadia Unified School District Board of Education who are targeted for recall--Cung Nguyen, lori Phillipi, and Kay Kinsler--was printed in the Pasadena Star News August 11, 2013. Fired Arcadia High School cross country coach James O'Brien and his supporters say the letter was a public relations bid to derail the recall effort. See hard copy of the letter in VF "Arcadia High School." See also Arcadia Weekly, p. 1 and 27, August 15, 2013.
Arcadia High School, Marine Corps, Arcadia Fire Department and Arcadia Police Department pay memorial tribute to those who lost their lives in the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.
Arcadia firefighter/paramedic Michael Herdman was remembered as a devoted father and animal lover, at a memorial service yesterday, at Arcadia Performing Arts Center. Hundreds attended. His body was found June 27 in Sespe Wilderness in Ventura County. He went missing June 13. See also Arcadia Weekly, July 10, 2014, p. 1, 20 and Mountain Views News, July 12, 2014, p. 6.
Medal of Honor recipient U.S. Army staff sergeant Salvatore Giunta visits Arcadia High School to talk about his experiences in Afghanistan. He is the first living person to receive the Medal of Honor since the Vietnam War.
Shock of brothers' deaths still lingers. John Ziska is trying to find ways to cope with the deaths of his sons JD and Brian Ziska, two former star quarterbacks at Arcadia High School, whose deaths in the past year have left many in their hometown of Arcadia reeling. This fall, the Arcadia High School football program has ceremonies planned to honor them. Last summer JD Ziska died of a stroke at age 35. Brian Ziska had a massive heart attack.
Santa Anita Park track switches back to natural track surface of "El Segundo sand." The El Segundo sand is coveted for its uniformity, which is paramount to track safety, a top concern for Track Superintendent Dennis Moore. Main track to re-open for training September 2. See also Arcadia Weekly, p. 1, 29, August 28, 2014.
Fired Arcadia High School cross country coach James O'Brien questions reason for dismissal. The Arcadia Unified School District's Board of Education upholds its decision to not reappoint Mr. O'Brien as head coach for the 2013-2014 year. He will continue to teach at Arcadia High School.
Joshua Parra-Davis, 23, of Arcadia, was allegedly found with a bomb after visiting Foothills Middle School on January 14, 2011. He will face four felony counts of possession of a destructive or explosive device. He is being held at Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department Pitchess Detention Center in Castaic, and due back at Pasadena Superior Court on June 15 to enter a plea. If convicted of all four felony counts, he could face up to 19 years in prison.
2011 Standardized Testing and Reporting (STAR) scores show a majority of area schools are progressing. California's STAR program assesses public school students' knowledge of the math, English and science in grades 2 through 11. At Arcadia Unified School District, these are the percentage of students who scored proficient or advanced in core subjects: English-Language Arts 83.9%; History 76%; Mathematics 82.4%; Science 84.7%; Science end of course 80.4%. STAR scores from other area schools are given.
Arcadia resident, 17 year-old Nikolas Smalldridge, is a Boy Scout from Troop 169 in Temple City. He is collecting baby items to fly from El Monte Airport to the House of Ruth Pregnancy Care Center in Cottonwood, Arizona. He has a private pilot license.
The 2001 murder of grocer Adel Karas, a 48-year old Egyptian man from Arcadia, a few days after the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, was initially thought to have been a hate crime. He was shot at his store International Market at 1381 E. Last Tunas in San Gabriel. Now police suspect Adel Karas was the victim of extortion. The suspects are two Latinos in their mid-20s.