The State of California has required cities throughout Los Angeles County to adopt a program that will reduce trash and other pollutants in urban runoff. Arcadia's municipal code prohibits the dumping or discharging of water containing harmful chemicals or materials into city streets, catch basins, and storm drains.
Arcadia will join a coalition of 39 other cities in suing the federal and state governments over a new program regulating storm water runoff from local streets. The federal and state program requires cities to reduce trash runoff by 10 percent a year, until it reaches zero, or pay a fine.
10 year-old Arcadia resident Eddie Drain, who lost his hair after chemotherapy treatments, got a boost from his baseball league teammates when they got together and shaved their own heads.
Arcadia Methodist Hospital has filed 2 lawsuits against Anthem Blue Cross, one in Superior Court and one in federal court, alleging the insurer underpays for emergency room visits by Blue Cross members.
Arcadia is one city among at least 18 cities in the San Gabriel Valley that have met or exceeded the state of California's goal to recycle 50 percent of its waste. Arcadia is recycling 63 percent of its waste.
The Administration at Arcadia High School had to institute a new policy against freak dancing or "freaking" after students got too wild at the Homecoming Dance. Freaking is a kind of dancing in which dancers grind against each other's pelvises. Students who attended the Winter Casual dance had to sign a contract "to conduct themselves appropriately both on and off the dance floor."
City of Arcadia lost its lawsuit against the county to establish a redevelopment area in South Arcadia. The county determined the area did not fit legal definition of a blighted area.
City officials of Arcadia and Monrovia are keeping an eye on the financial struggles of Adelphia, one of two cable television providers in the two cities.
New estimates of the population released by the California Department of Finance report that the population in Arcadia was 55,500, an increase of 1.1% over the year before. Estimates of other cities are also listed.
The Ruth and Charles Gilb Arcadia Historical Museum is now in a city-owned building, with a curator paid through the city, and is managed by the library and museum director Janet Sporleder. The Arcadia Historical Society owns the collection and a new agreement commits the city and the society to jointly pay for an insurance policy.
The Arcadia Board of Education will vote on a policy change regarding the release of students' personal information to military recruiters, colleges or prospective employers. In the past, Arcadia has had an "opt-in" policy, in which parents must specifically request information be made available, particularly to military recruiters. This policy is no longer allowed under federal guidelines, so the district will adopt an "opt-out" policy, putting the burden on parents to decide when information will be withheld.
Rose Queen Courtney Lee and her Royal Court visited City of Hope to bring holiday cheer to patients. Courtney Lee is from Arcadia and will reign over the 120th Pasadena Tournament of Roses Parade on New Year's Day, 2009.
Two new issues brought up by Westfield Group against the Caruso project may go to Arcadia voters in a special election in November. One issue is to ban paid parking and the other is to prevent Caruso from erecting large billboards at the mall. Any election could cost the city up to $80,000.
City of Arcadia's Housing Element receives state certification. The Housing Element is one of seven state-mandated elements to address specificities in housing requirements, based on four income level categories, as illustrated in the city's General Plan.