The City Council offers $20,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and charging of the killer(s) of Arcadia resident Charlotte Cole. The City Council offers a $15,000 reward for information leading to the killer of two hit and run victims. The victims were an elderly man and his grandson.
Sixty-four year old Fuzhi Ji and his two-year-old grandson died after a hit and run accident at Santa Anita Avenue and Bonita Street left them with fatal injuries.
The dead body of 24-year-old Nancy Christina Sanchez, of Baldwin Park, was found in an alley behind Alice Street near Santa Anita Avenue. In an unrelated case, 60-year-old Gisela Fischer died at Arcadia Methodist Hospital after she was found floating in the hot tub at the Elite Westerner Motel at 161 Colorado Place.
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.
Arcadia Battalion Chief Don Shawver received a request to report for special duty at the Pentagon six hours after the first terrorist attack on September 11, 2001. He went to help as a safety officer.
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.
Local Muslim businessman and resident Fawaz Elmasri, of Lebanese descent, condemns the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. He dispels myths about Muslims to promote better relations between Muslims and the communities that are now looking upon his people with suspicion.
A photo with a caption shows the Hugo Reid statue's move from Los Angeles County Park to a place outside the Ruth and Charles Gilb Arcadia Historical Museum. The statue is of Hugo Reid, his wife Victoria Reid, her children, and the family dog.
Carol Libby was honored as Arcadia Senior of the Year for 2001 by the Arcadia Rotary Club. Carol has been in Arcadia since 1956 and is Curator at Arcadia Historical Society.
Arcadia Unified School District kicked off the 2001-2002 school year with its annual Back to School Barbeque. Kiwanis Club of Arcadia sponsored the event.
A group of Arcadia firefighters who had gone to New York City to help after the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks were so profoundly affected that they organized a fundraiser to benefit widows and orphans of the New York Fire Department and Arcadia Fire Department. Those who went were Captain Hutcheson, Captain Trabbie, John Beveridge, Craig Stogner, Cody Cerwin and paramedic Mike MacGregor.
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 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.
Baldwin Stocker Elementary School Principal John S. Pisula, Jr. will be leaving his job at the end of the school year. The article provides biographical information.
Assembly bill AB858, also known as the Jerry Ballesteros Act, is now going to the Assembly Appropriations Committee. It is a bill introduced by Assemblywoman Jackie Goldberg (D-Los Angeles), calling for a ban on the use of Native American tribal names, specifically Apaches and Comanches, as school mascots. The Arcadia Board of Education opposes the bill. Arcadia leaders say the use of the name Apaches is a gesture of respect. Arcadia High School has a close relationship with the White Mountain Apache tribe, which supports the use of the name. This year's bill is different, in that last year's bill left a small loophole if the name is used respectfully.