A sponge toss, sack race, pumpkin-carving contest and the Mayor's Spelling Bee will all return for the second annual Lucky Baldwin Day Community Picnic on October 27 at the Arcadia County Park.
In keeping with the theme of "The Year of Community and Communication," the City of Arcadia will host the first Lucky Baldwin Day Community Picnic on Sunday, October 28, 2001, at Arcadia County Park.
The first Lucky Baldwin Day community picnic takes place October 28, 11:30-3:30 at Arcadia County Park. Activities will include pumpkin carving, three-legged race, water balloon toss, spelling bee, magic show, live music, penny carnival, relay races, inflatable rides, and more.
Special events to be featured at the second annual Lucky Baldwin Day Community Picnic on October 27 include sack races, a spelling bee, and pumpking carving contest. The highlight will be the drawing to select a boy or girl to ride on the city's Rose Parade float.
Mayor of Arcadia Mickey Segal reports on progress toward meeting his three goals. 1) New reflective street signs which are easier to read at night will be installed soon on all street corners. 2) Lucky Baldwin Day Picnic, designed to create a sense of community and city pride, is scheduled for October 28 at Arcadia County Park. 3) Begin to develop a place for low-income senior housing in Arcadia. City Manager and staff are working on this plan and hope to have a proposal in spring.
County officials are offering a $20,000 reward for information in the slaying of Jason Wei, an Arcadia restaurant owner. He was held up and shot at his Osaka Ya Restaurant on November 25, 2007.
Wing Wong Lam has been identified as the second victim in the shooting on September 4 at a restaurant in the 1000 block of South Baldwin Avenue. The other victim was Kennneth Tsui. No motive for the shooting has been estblished.
Arcadia park goes to the dogs. The 46th annual Bassett Hound Picnic was held at the Arcadia County Park. Picnic featured contests for the saddest face, longest ears, most spots, humorous costume, and crazy hat.
73-year-old Jesus Plasencia Lopez from El Monte has been arrested for a fatal hit-and-run. He allegedly drove a Saturn that hit Guey-Ying Wu and her husband Chia Wu at Santa Anita Avenue and Camino Real Avenue in Arcadia. Lopez is being held at Los Angeles County Jail on $50,000 bail.
Charles Cooper continues his Arcadia city centennial series "Memories of Arcadia" with a story about Arcadia's mayors. A. N. Multer was the first person to be given the title of mayor of Arcadia. City founder Elias J. "Lucky" Baldwin was the city's first presiding officer, but he held the title of president of the Board of Trustees. The title of mayor was not adopted until 1927, when the Board of Trustees changed to the City Council. Arcadia will have 4 mayors this year to mark the city's centennial. Each city council member will rotate into the position. More interesting facts: Floretta Lauber was the first woman to serve as mayor. She paved the way for Mary Young, Barbara Kuhn, and Gail Marshall to follow. Other history of mayors is recapped. The first city manager was William J. Richards in 1951, when a charter was adopted. The longest serving city official was City Clerk Christine Van Mannen, who held the job for 32 years. See hard copy in VF Arcadia (City) History.
Arcadia honors victims of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, with a brief service held at City Hall. Arcadia Police Chief Dave Hinig attended (photo).
The Arcadia High School Class of 2001 graduated 780 students at the Santa Anita Park race track. Valedictorian Vincent Auyeung gave a speech. This was the second year the graduation was held at the race track.
Gary Kovacic is Arcadia's mayor for the third time. His first term was in 1998-1999 and his second term was in 2000-2001. In this, his third term, he is one of four out of the five Arcadia city council members rotating into the mayor's position during the 2003 Arcadia Centennial. The article includes biographical information.