The American Indian will be spotlighted on three floats in this year's Tournament of Roses Parade. Farmers Insurance Group's float will depict an Indian on horseback. Arcadia's float theme is "The First Americans" and the County of Los Angeles' float theme is "The Proud American."
Three city-owned lots at 521 N. First Avenue, adjacent to the Foothill Freeway, were sold last week by the Arcadia City Council to the W. D. Wilson Co., which will construct a building on the site and move from its present location in South Pasadena. James J. Melas, president of the W. D. Wilson Co. and an Arcadia resident said his firm deals in sophisticated biomedical supplies and unusual alloys and fittings for medical instruments. Selling price was $41,500. The city originally purchased the lots from the state Department of Highways for $33,000.
Enormous cut backs, reduced operating hours, and admission fees are all being contemplated as solutions to keeping the Arboretum going in the face of Proposition 13 caused revenue losses.
Marquee West use permit: new hurdle. Operators of the Marquee West teenage night club at 30 S. First Avenue will face a new hurdle when Planning Commission will reconsider the conditional use permit under which the center operates. The staff recommendation will be to revoke the permit, "due to the inability to control irresponsible behavior and the apparent inability of Marquee West to comply fully with all the conditions of the permit." See hard copy of newspaper in Box 51.
A small group of teachers, dissatisfied with an 8.5% salary increase, may go on strike. Both the Arcadia Teachers Association and the American Federation of Teachers local have disavowed the action.
Fire Chief Gene Mahoney, with City Council approval, is instituting an apprentice fireman program, in which the men will take training classes at PCC while actually employees of the Arcadia Fire Department.
Approval was given by the Planning Commission to a group which wants to open Marquee West in the former bowling alley on Morlan Place. The owners plan to bring various musical groups to the facility. There will be no drugs or liquor allowed.
A group of local businessmen have initiated steps to open a new bank, independently owned by other Arcadians. If all goes well, it will be the first independent bank to open in Arcadia since 1929.
30 people were injured on opening day at Santa Anita Park when two men became involved in an altercation. One dropped a gun and this was enough to cause a wave of panic which spread through the crowd.