The Arcadia Police Department has moved to a new police station building at 250 W. Huntington Drive, Arcadia, CA, 91007, that is 42,000 square feet and cost $16 million. The official opening ceremony will be October 3, 2003. The old building that was built around 1956 will be demolished in a few weeks. Dispatchers Rosemarie Espejo and Carol Hunter are shown in a photo.
Arcadia resident Thomas V. McKernan, Jr., president and chief executive officer of Automobile Club of California, has been elected president of the non-profit Los Angeles Police Foundation, which was created to help fund police safety programs.
Canning-Hunger, a non-profit organization that raises money to help feed hungry children, has been authorized to paint residential curb addresses throughout the city.
San Marino resident Alexandra Wucetich was named Rose Queen. Arcadia local Anjali Agrawal is a princess. She and Tournament of Roses President Gary Thomas are shown in a photo.
The Arcadia City Council is considering changes to fees charged by the city through the Development Services Department. One change might be a $25 fee for new business license applications. The fees may increase for design review of new commercial projects and appeals from an architectural review board to the Planning Commission. The General plan amendment fee may drop and tentative tract maps for condos may drop. The city plans to increase fines for code violations.
Reserve funds that were set aside for city infrastructure improvements may have to be used to deal with state budget cuts, as proposed by city manager Bill Kelly.
The Habitat for Humanity Program may be a viable option for the city to build low-income housing on property called the "Mounted Police Facility" on Live Oak Avenue next to the Santa Anita Wash.
Animal Pest Management Services, Inc. will conduct a peafowl census in Arcadia during the week of May 20. The results and courses of action to contain the peafowl population will be given to City Council to review.
Arcadia City Council has approved a plan revision for the expansion of the Westfield mall. The revised plans involve adding a grade plus one-level parking structure south of Robinson-May, and a 5,400 square feet auto center northeast of the site.
Manny Romero, owner of Rod's Grill, has initiated Measure A to try to block the Rusnak Mercedes Benz automobile dealership from expanding. The city has put out a counter measure, Measure B, to citizens to vote on at the May 8 election.
The Feds (Secret Service, part of the U.S. Treasury Department) take over counterfeiting case from Arcadia Police Department. Five individuals were arrested on suspicion of passing counterfeit bills at Robinsons-May, Macy's and possibly JC Penney, at Westfield Shoppingtown in Arcadia.
Former Arcadia mayor George Fasching has been named to a 12-member committee to oversee the spending of up to $150 million in bond money at Pasadena City College.
Grant Chu, son of Mr. and Mrs. Ming R. Chu of Arcadia, received a Bachelor of Science degree in neuroscience from Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island.
Arcadia Weekly columnists: Mimi Hennessy, superintendent of Arcadia Schools, p. 4; Albert Ramirez, p. 12; Brian Lottman, "Seniors Page," p. 18; Ethel Mitty, "Seniors Page," p. 19; Mathy Mezey, "Seniors Page" p. 19.