A royal contest. The Rose Court field of 617 entrants trimmed to 25 finalists for the 2020 Pasadena Tournament of Roses. Those from Arcadia High School include Rukan Saif and Sydney Chang.
Seven candidates for two seats on Arcadia City Council: Paul Cheng, April Verlato, Bob Harbicht, Peter Amundson, Dr. Sheng Chang, Burton Brink, and Paul Van Fleet.
Six candidates vying for two seats on Arcadia City Council in the April 12 all-mail-in ballot. Current Mayor Gary Kovacic is terming out this year and Councilman Mickey Segal is not seeking re-election. Among those running are three former city councilman-- Peter Amundson, Bob Harbicht, and Sheng Chang. Also running are Burton L. Brink, Paul Van Fleet, April Verlato, an attorney and community activist. See also Arcadia Weekly, p. 1, 15, January 28, 2016.
Arcadia plans for the future. Arcadia City Manager Dominic Lazzaretto presented the City's Fiscal Year 2018-2019 budget. Fiscal year 2018-2019 budget maintains existing levels of public services, but the City can no longer guarantee that services will remain at current levels over the long term. Due to recent changes in state law and other fiscal constraints, the City's proposed budget has a structural deficit of nearly $13.1 million in expenditures in excess of revenues.
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 City Council makes changes to Historic Preservation Ordinance. Council member Tom Beck speaks about saving Clara Baldwin Stocker's home, which is facing possible destruction. See hard copy in VF City Council (2010-2019).
Marriott seeks two hotels in Arcadia. Andrew Chang, of Continental Assets Management, and owner of Santa Anita Inn, is proposing to build two Marriott hotels on the property. His proposal seeks to add 110 rooms to the West Huntington Drive property and would include a six-story Residence Inn and a four-story Fairfield Inn and Suites (Marriott brands). The Santa Anita Inn was built in 1955. The project will require approval from the Planning Commission and City Council.
Arcadia City Council decided that Arcadia residents will not be allowed to change their house addresses, despite concerns some have about the fear of the number four. See same story on November 3, 2011, pages S1 and S2 of San Gabriel Valley edition of the San Marino Tribune.
Tournament of Roses announces 2016 Royal Court. Two girls are from Altadena, four from Pasadena and one from Arcadia. Rose Princess Rachelle Chacal Renee Liu lives in Arcadia, but goes to San Marino High School. See also Pasadena Star News, October 6, 2015, p. 1
Unanimous Arcadia City Council acts to place local funding measure, known as the “Arcadia Public Safety, City Services and Accountability Measure” on the June 2019 ballot to maintain public safety and other city services. City staff and the Citizen’s Financial Advisory Committee have indicated Arcadia has a multi-million dollar structural deficit.
Arcadia City balks at surge in animal control bill. New contract with Pasadena Humane Society would raise costs fivefold, from $90,000 to $525,000 annually. See also Arcadia Weekly, p. 4, September 12, 2019.
Dwight Chang of Arcadia is owner of a house on the 1300 block of South Palm Avenue in San Gabriel. The building has been operating as a makeshift maternity ward with 10 newborns and about 12 Chinese nationals, crammed into an illegally converted townhouse. Chang has been warned twice before for operating a business that primarily caters to Asian "maternity tourists." Chang denied any wrongdoing and was fined $800 for building code violations. Children born on American soil automatically become United States citizens, under the 14th Amendment to the Constitution. Maternity tourism caters to wealthy Taiwanese, Chinese and Koreans. Throughout the past decade, similar set-ups have been uncovered in Rowland Heights, Hacienda Heights, New York, and Quebec.
Is historic preservation important to Arcadia? Arcadia City Council recently met and considered the most recent historic preservation proposal. It did not pass but was not entirely dismissed. Several city council members agreed that the City should adopt some sort of historic preservation policy, but the citizens fear homeowner's rights will be infringed upon. See hard copy in VF City Council 2010-2019.
A tale of two cities: Arcadia and bygone Arcadia. Noted historians Carol Libby and Sandy Snider slighted by longtime Councilman Roger Chandler's remarks about Anoakia, Anita Baldwin's mansion, and the historic preservation issue. See hard copy in VF City Council 2010-2019
Tournament of Roses Parade Royal Dreams. Thirty-four teens named court finalists. Next up is selection of queens, princesses for January 1, 2017. A few students from Arcadia High School are finalists (in photo). See also Arcadia Weekly, p. 3, September 29, 2016.