Report on Bob Donaldson's $960,000 suit against the City concerning the Thrifty Drug Store property at the NW corner of Huntington Drive and First Avenue.
Of the 3 parties filing suit against the city of El Monte -- property owner E. O. Rodeffer, Public Storage, Inc., and the City of Arcadia -- only the 2 private parties are paying for the action.
The Arcadia Mounted Police Reserve has filed a lawsuit against the City. The suit apparently stems from the City taking over the organization's headquarters (City owned property) due to members' refusal to allow the City access to their financial records.
The Arcadia Redevelopment Agency has filed a suit against the Clifford C. Bong & Co., a former owner of the 1.6 acre redevelopment site on Huntington Drive. The ARA hopes to recover the $855,000 spent on removal of toxic waste and other debris.
According to El Monte City Attorney Sidney Malek, El Monte's suit against Arcadia is a dispute over a major landfill, pollution of the water table, spheres of influence of various cities, and the industrialization of Southeast Arcadia. But Arcadia City Attorney Michael Miller claims its real purpose is political.
Article describes two June events: a wine and cheese social and a continental breakfast. The history of the founding of the Arboretum, now celebrating its 33rd year, is reviewed.
El Monte city attorney, Sidney Maleck, who was just appointed to a municipal judgeship in Orange County thinks "it would be foolish to continue with the lawsuits" against Arcadia over a public storage facility. Arcadia city attorney, Michael Miller, however, says these conciliatory words need to be backed up with actions.
The Arcadia Redevelopment Agency won a $495,000 settlement for removing toxic waste from 1.6 acres of downtown Arcadia land it bought from Clifford C. Bong and Co. last year. The agency sued Bong in April of 1988 to recover the money it spent to dispose of soil contaminated with high levels of lead, cadmium and hydrocarbon wastes. The agreement was reached two days before the June 27 trial was to begin.
Suzanne Gilstrap, who was paralyzed for life when a 20-foot-long tree limb fell on her at the Los Angeles County Arboretum on July 25, 1977, has won a $1,625,000 settlement from the County. Miss Gilstrap, now 16, has appeared as a paraplegic in a recent television movie, "Skyward," with Bette Davis.