Mirai Nagasu, an ice skater who was born in Montebello and raised in Arcadia, shown in photo, is training and competing hard to become an international skating champion.
The Shops at Santa Anita (formerly Westfield Santa Anita mall, changed name in 2022) hosts a holiday winter wonderland with synthetic ice rink, hot cocoa, and face painting, 6-8 PM today. Event is on the Promenade area. Skating rink is free but donations accepted. Proceeds benefit the Arcadia High School Marching Band. The Shops at Santa Anita is at 400 S. Baldwin Avenue.
The Arcadia City Council has adopted an ordinance with rules for using Bonita Park's Skateboard Park. The city will follow state requirements that skateboarders must wear a helmet, elbow pads, and knee pads. Hours are 8 A.M. to 10 P.M. Alcohol, drugs, and smoking are forbidden, as are graffiti and reckless skating.
Posted safety signs go mostly unheeded at the skate parks in the San Gabriel Valley. Arcadia police can ticket kids who don't follow the rules, with the first ticket being a $10 fine.
Rubik's Cube craze culminates in the U. S. Rubik's Cube Championship competition at Caltech. Local middle school student Shotaro "Macky" Makisumi clocked the fastest time but could not claim top prize because he was born in Japan. Local Frank Chang also competed.
U. S. Forest Service officials met with cabin owners and residence permit holders to hear concerns regarding evacuation of the Big Santa Anita Canyon area.