Chen Suen becomes first Asian American fire chief in Arcadia. He takes over from Barry Spriggs who retired November 8, after 29 years of service. Suen is an Arcadia resident. He emigrated from Taiwan. He graduated from Arcadia High School, and attended Loyola Law School, UC Irvine, and Santa Ana College, before spending the last 18 years with Arcadia Fire Department.
Fire Chief Michael Lang is leaving Arcadia Fire Department to be Fire Chief at Manhattan Beach. He was with Arcadia Fire Department for 21 years, including 5 as chief. He starts at Manhattan Beach Fire Department on June 21.
One found dead in apartment fire on Genoa Street near First Avenue on Sunday, April 7. Arcadia police Lieutenant Kollin Cieadlo said there were no signs of foul play so far. Charlie Tuggle, a battalion chief with Arcadia Fire Department estimated damages to the structure at $10,000 and $1,000 to the contents. Arcadia fire Captain Drew Pryor said the call came in at 9:18 P.M. and the bathroom of the apartment was on fire. By 9:37 P.M. the fire was out. The dead man's identity has not been released.
Arcadia firefighters raise funds to help fight pediatric cancer. Arcadia firefighters have been involved with Saint Baldrick's Foundation for over 15 years, said Arcadia Fire Chief Chen Suen. Arcadia firefighters are shown in photo.
Worker rescued after falling 22 feet into underground vault (hole). Firefighters rescued him at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia on Thursday. The man suffered moderate injuries and was taken to Huntington Hospital in Pasadena according to Chen Suen, Deputy Fire Chief for Arcadia Fire Department.
Arcadia adopts comprehensive pension management plan, saving $85 million. It addresses the City's $154 million in unfunded pension liabilities. It focuses on:
-use of reserves to prepay existing liabilities
-refinancing existing debt to lower interest rates to free up cash flow
-prepaying costs with surplus funds from voter-approved Measure A sales tax increase
-financing long-term capital improvements
-using pension obligation bonds to lower the overall costs of pensions
-negotiating for more employee cost-sharing.
See also Arcadia Weekly, p. 3, February 27, 2020
Damage saps fun from Angeles forest. Angeles National Forest's Chantry Flat Road remains closed after suffering damage from the 2020 Bobcat fire and subsequent fires. Storms and fires force closure of trails, roads and campgrounds, some for years. The forest's second-most visited area, Chantry Flat, in the section north of Arcadia, Monrovia and Sierra Madre, has been closed since the start of the pandemic in March 2020. A sign in Arcadia (photo) advises motorists of the Chantry Flat Road closure.
Foothills threatened as Bobcat Fire swells. Santa Ana winds lead to San Gabriel Valley evacuation warnings. The fire started on Sunday, September 6 near the Cogswell Dam and West Fork Day Use area. It had grown to 10,344 acres with no containment by Tuesday evening. It is moving slowly toward the residential areas of Monrovia, Arcadia, or Duarte, but an evacuation warning has been issued for Arcadia.
City of Arcadia employee Tim Schwehr, Senior Economic Development Analyst, will talk to Arcadia Community Coordinating Council on February 3, 2020 about what's happening in Arcadia. In his role, he oversess efforts to attract new business and development, fosters economic growth and acts as liaison to the business community. Includes some biographical information.
Nearly all of region's national forest areas, including the Angeles, Los Padres, San Bernardino and Cleveland national forests, reopened yesterday, one week after the expiration of the California regional closure. The forests also lowered their fire danger level from critical to extreme, according to the U.S. Forest Service. The closure order was issued August 31 in response to statewide wildfires. Although the majority of the Angeles National Forest will reopen, a significant part will remain closed due to the 2020 Bobcat fire. The closure order for Angeles National Forest has been in place since September 2020 and remains in effect until April, to allow for affected areas to recover from the 100,000-plus-acre Bobcat Fire. Still closed are Chantry Flat Picnic Area and Buckhorn Campground.
San Gabriel Mountains: Bobcat Fire grows, but Arcadia lifts evacuation warning. The fire has burned more than 19,796 acres. as of yesterday evening. It was 0% contained.
Fire crews in the Angeles National Forest brace for Santa Ana winds. The Bobcat fire is burning in the San Gabriel Mountains. Residents of Arcadia, Monrovia, Duarte, Bradbury, and Sierra Madre were told to prepare for possible evacuation. It has burned 4900 acres, north of Azusa,
Health care workers and employees at Arcadia Methodist Hospital voted to unionize. They voted to join Caregivers and Healthcare Employees Union (CHEU) for a stronger collective voice on patient care issues, especially in improving safe staffing.
Some evacuation orders lifted-Bobcat Fire. Sierra Madre and Arcadia residents okayed to return to their homes starting yesterday (Wednesday) at 4 PM. By Wednesday evening the fire had grown to 46,263 acres with containment still at 3%.