Los Angeles County Supervisors approved an $8.5 million budget to complete a new pool facility at Arcadia County Park by May 2013. Sparano & Mooney Architecture will create initial "scoping" designs that contractors will use to bid on aspects of the project.
Children's Hospital Los Angeles opened a new outpatient services center at 468 E. Santa Clara Street in Arcadia on November 1. It is a 10,000 square feet facility with specialty services such as ophthalmology, pulmonology, lab and radiology services, pediatric surgery, orthopaedics, gastroenterology and ear, nose and throat. The outpatient clinic is open Monday through Friday.
Make-a-Wish recipient Elizabeth Victoria, 12, of San Gabriel, hugs former recipient Jayne Philbin, 14 of Sierra Madre. Elizabeth's wish for a shopping spree was fulfilled yesterday in Arcadia as part of Macy's National Believe Day. Elizabeth suffers from renal disease.
Maria C. Martinez, a former employee of a Rite-Aid store in Arcadia, was awarded $3.4 million by a jury, which found she was discriminated against because of a medical disability and for complaining that a company manager sexually harassed her.
Individual students and the Arcadia Educational Foundation (AEF) raised about $840,000 for the Arcadia Unified School District (AUSD) during its annual appeal last year, enabling the district to reinstate 12 teaching positions. Budget cuts from the state have created "serious challenges" for Arcadia schools over the past 4 years, said AUSD superintendent Joel Shawn.
A national mobile "Driving for Quality Care" campaign to fully fund nursing care came to Country Villa Huntington Drive, an Arcadia retirement village yesterday, where seniors signed its petition. The petition urges state lawmakers to allocate $16 million in recently approved emergency Medicaid funding for long-term care. Residents Helen Smith and Janet Spriggs are pictured.
Clean-up may cost millions in the aftermath of the windstorm that hit in the early hours of December 1. Power is still out in many communities, hundreds of homes damaged and thousands of trees have snapped.
Hazel Williams, 96, of Arcadia, volunteers as coordinator of two outreach ministry projects she started at Arcadia Presbyterian Church--Operation Christmas Child and The Happy Big Box Program. The programs help needy children.
Arcadia Methodist Hospital's new wing, a $140 million, 184-bed tower, that opened last month, largely replaces 2 hospital buildings built in 1957 and 1967. This new building helps as Arcadia Methodist Hospital (AMH) plans to address the risks of buildings collapsing during an earthquake. Joe La Brie, a structural engineer said AMH has addressed utility line hazards. Acute services are being relocated to the new tower. See related story about earthquake preparedness at other hospitals in the San Gabriel Valley (see same page).
A sculptural 584-foot Metro Gold Line bridge, that will span the eastbound 210 Freeway, is under construction now. The $18.6 million bridge will be a dramatic gateway to the San Gabriel Valley. The bridge builder is Skanska USA Civil. The bridge's design concept of Native American baskets was designed by artist Andrew Leicester. The bridge should be completed in summer 2012. The bridge will have a built-in technology that can gauge damage to underground pilings after an earthquake. The entire 11.5 mile eastward Gold Line Foothill Extension through Arcadia, Monrovia, Duarte, Irwindale and Azusa is due to be finished in 2015.
Federal legislation aimed at bringing more teachers back in the classroom is providing Pasadena-area school districts with more than $12.3 million, according to the California Department of Education's preliminary figures. Many district officials are wary of immediately using the money to hire teachers, saying they will likely have to lay off the teachers next year. The money comes from President Obama's $26 billion Jobs Bill for teachers and other government jobs. A chart shows preliminary allocations to San Gabriel Valley school districts. Arcadia Unified School District is scheduled to receive $1,667,871.
Thousands of San Gabriel Valley customers will be receiving refunds from Golden State Water Company after state regulators ruled the San Dimas-based company failed to properly oversee contracts that led to overcharging customers. The CPUC ruled that Golden State must refund Northern California and Southern California customers $9.5 million over the next 3 years and/or lower rates. About $400,000 in refunds will be given to 100,000 Southern California customers, including customers in Charter Oak, Claremont, Covina, Glendora, La Verne, San Dimas, Walnut, San Gabriel, Arcadia, El Monte, Irwindale, Monrovia, Monterey Park, Rosemead and Temple City.
Environmentalists are using today's date 10/10/10 to rouse global action on the environment. They want "regular people" to work on environmental projects such as installing solar panels, planting trees, and demonstrating against polluters. In Arcadia, the California Institute of Environmental Design and Management will hold an environmental workshop with the Green Net Group today at the Arcadia Eco Home on 8th Avenue.
Arcadia officials urge residents to report wind damage from the overnight windstorm that hit on November 30 and December 1, to help with efforts to receive state and federal emergency assistance. Damages in the city may reach the millions of dollars. Residents are asked to report their storm-related costs to the Los Angeles County Office of Emergency Management, 211a.org or by calling 211.