"Baby factories" in Arcadia? City of Arcadia forms a task force to look into the matter of motels, such as Santa Anita Inn, and residential homes, being used to house expectant mothers from overseas, particularly China. These women want their children born in the U.S. to garner citizenship for that child.
An ancient Chinese maternity tradition, from the Sung Dynasty (960-1275 AD), known as "Zuo Yue Zi," is translated as "doing the month."It refers to the care of a Chinese woman during the first month after giving birth. The practice is explained here by Wei-Chen Tung, a former registered nurse at Arcadia Methodist Hospital and now an assistant professor of nursing at University of Nevada, Reno. The practice requires new mothers to follow a strict diet and rest for 3-4 weeks following a pregnancy. Tung says a lot of Chinese women still practice this, so hospitals should be aware of this part of Chinese culture. Maternity tourists--women who want to come to the United States to give birth to a full-fledged American citizen, have given rise to businesses that cater to them, such as the maternity home that was shut down in the 1300 block of South Palm Avenue in San Gabriel on March 8. It had been 5 townhomes illegally converted into a maternity home.
Arcadia Police close 13 maternity homes in a crackdown months after a full-time detective was assigned to address calls about pregnant Asian women living in groups at residences around the city. The pregnant Asian women come to the U.S. so their babies receive U.S. citizenship. Detective James Trabbie became the quality-of-life detective.
Birth-tourism sites not easily detected.Terry Moore-Corse, a code enforcement officer in Arcadia has encountered three maternity homes in the past six years, most recently in 2009, when a resident reported "a lot of pregnant women" coming out of a house. Beyond building code and business license violations, there is nothing illegal about coming into this country to give birth, according to the U.S. State Department, which issues visas. Maternity tourism is a money-making cottage industry in which wealthy women from Asia pay anywhere from $25,000-35,000 to have American-born infants.
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.
Steve and Yan-Fen Lin, a couple possibly of Arcadia, have been running the illegally modified townhome in San Gabriel, owned by Dwight Chang of Arcadia, as a maternity home for Asian tourists. They violated building codes for setting up a makeshift maternity ward.
The Arcadia City Council voted to authorize closure of California St. between Santa Anita and First Avenue so that the Arcadia School District can install temporary classrooms while First Avenue School is being rebuilt.
The Arcadia City Council voted to authorize closure of California St. between Santa Anita and First Avenues so that the Arcadia School District can install temporary classrooms while First Avenue School is being rebuilt.
The Arcadia Board of Education turned down a recommendation to shorten the last week of school at the high school. The recommendation was that for the last week, Monday would be a full day, while Tuesday through Thursday would be half days.
Martial arts champion, Hollywood actress, and stunt woman, Jing Li, is a martial arts instructor at Washu Action Star Academy in Temple City. She will be a guest at the Arcadia Branch of the American Association of University Women on Monday, November 12. She will present a program about Washu, an exhibition, and full contact sport, and view the documentary film "Autumn Gem," in which Jing Li has a starring role. See also Arcadia Weekly, p. 12, November 1, 2012.
American Association of University Women (AAUW)-Arcadia Branch Collection, 1950-2000s The Arcadia branch of AAUW was founded in 1950 and disbanded in 2016. First of three boxes.
Chronological Folders 1950-2000s
AAUW Bulletin (newsletter), Arcadia Branch 1950-1971 (various months and missing years)…
American Association of University Women (AAUW)-Arcadia Branch Collection, 1950-2000s
The Arcadia branch of AAUW was founded in 1950 and disbanded in 2016. First of three boxes.
Chronological Folders 1950-2000s
AAUW Bulletin (newsletter), Arcadia Branch 1950-1971 (various months and missing years)
The folder for each fiscal year (July through June) 1972-2000, may contain the following items (some items and months may be missing):
Bulletin (newsletter)
Membership directory
Annual report
Installation program pamphlet
Newsletters AAUW Arcadia Jan 2009-May/June 2015
AAUW Arcadia Branch membership directories 2001-2004
Misc. booklets-AAUW and other women’s organizations
Judge tells City of Irwindale to just chill out. Request to have Huy Fong Foods' Sriracha chili hot sauce factory shut down was denied. Owner David Tran is an Arcadia resident.
Irwindale officials said Huy Fong Foods (the maker of the popular Sriracha hot chili sauce) can continue operations at its plant as long as it doesn't smell. Huy Fong officials said if forced to shut down, 200,000 fewere bottles would be produced per day. David Tran, CEO and founder, is an Arcadia resident.
Two of the four Arcadia "tree-sitters"--Julia Jaye Posin and Andrea Bowers--have pleaded no contest to one count each of trespassing, while protesting the destruction of an Arcadia woodland. The two women were fined $60, waived for jail time served, and ordered to do 10 hours of community service. The two other tree-sitters John Quigley and Travis Jochimsen are scheduled to appear in court in late July.
Arcadia's Morgan McFadden selected as one of 2019 Distinguished Young Women of North Los Angeles County. This program was previously known as America's Junior Miss.
Arcadia Branch of the American Association of University Women (AAUW) held a holiday program at Church of the Good Shepherd on December 12, featuring the Brighter Side Singers of Temple City High School, directed by Matt Byers.
Arcadia City Council declines to further consider moratorium on residential construction. Opponents of temporary development freeze turn out in force. State law requires a five-member municipal panel have at least four votes to approve a moratorium on real estate development. The Council could not muster majority support.