Arcadia Unified School District has launched new online application for its meals program. For each student that qualifies for free or reduced-priced meals, the savings can equal more than $1400 per school year. Under the new Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF) adopted by the state, school districts will receive additional money for each student that qualifies. Arcadia High School students that qualify can also waive AP and SAT fees, graduation will be free, and get a reduced rate for Grad Night.
Metro to improve 210 Freeway barriers, after a series of crashes over the last 2 years involved cars and trucks landing on the Gold Line tracks. Metro plans to install taller, stronger barriers and a detection system on 6 miles of right-of-way down the middle of the 210 Freeway in Pasadena and Arcadia.
Arcadia man Ziwen Li, 30, arrested in attempted robbery of $50,000 from a man who arranged to meet Li to buy a used car, a Porsche Cayenne. See also Arcadia Weekly, May 4, 2017, p. 1, 13.
Arcadia City Clerk is accepting applications from people under age 18 to serve on the Youth Advisory Council. It is a 7 member group appointed by City Council. Four must be current high school students and three must be middle school students. See also Arcadia Weekly, p. 3, March 31, 2016.
Environmentalists, such as the Sierra Club in Pasadena and other groups, have requested an urgent meeting with Los Angeles County Department of Public Works officials to discuss last minute alternatives to the flood control project that would involve demolishing 11.1 acres of Arcadia woodlands. A 30-day moratorium on work at the site is ending in 2 days.
Dana Middle School students released a weather balloon 80,000 feet into the air. It was made of latex and equipped with a tracking device that sent updates every 16 seconds to science teacher Mike Mora's laptop computer. The balloon reached its final resting place near California City, north of Edwards Air Force Base, about 150 miles from its launch point.
Arcadia Unified School District has been mandated to honor transgender student's rights. A settlement agreement resolves a complaint filed October 2011. The complaint alleged that the district had prohibited the student from accessing facilities consistent with his male gender identity, including restrooms and locker rooms. The United States federal government investigated the complaint under Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 and Title IV of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Both Title IX and Title IV prohibit discrimination against students based on sex.
California Philharmonic's debut at Santa Anita Park Race Track drew approximately 7000 guests. Featured music by Vanessa Carlton and conducted by Victor Vener.
Arcadia City balks at surge in animal control bill. New contract with Pasadena Humane Society would raise costs fivefold, from $90,000 to $525,000 annually. See also Arcadia Weekly, p. 4, September 12, 2019.
Gold Line bridge across the 210 Freeway just west of Santa Anita Avenue is underway. There is a temporary support structure across the lanes which allows trucks under 15 feet tall to pass freely. When the structure is complete, the Gold Line Construction Authority says the height allowance will be 19 feet. The $18.6 million, 584-foot Gold Line Bridge, the first component of the 11.5 mile Pasadena to Azusa Metro Gold Line Foothill Extension, started last summer and expected to be completed later this year.
Last year it seemed Santa Anita Park might be sold in a bankruptcy auction, but it appears owner Frank Stronach will keep an interest in the track. Under a deal arranged by Stronach's bankrupt Magna Entertainment Corp. (MEC) and its creditors in a Delaware bankruptcy court, ownership of the track would be transferred to MI Development, a real estate holding company controlled by Stronach. If a judge accepts the plan, Stronach would also retain ownership of Golden Gate Fields in the Bay Area, and Gulfstream Park in Florida. Also, it sets up developer Rick Caruso to proceed with building the Shops at Santa Anita mall that is proposed for the track's parking lot.
Arcadia City Council gave preliminary approval for a proposed $18.5 million, four-story medical office building to be constructed near Methodist Hospital on about 4 acres of Santa Anita Park's expansive southern parking lot. Dick Hale's development firm Hale Corporation, has a joint venture with Santa Anita Park's owner The Stronach Group, to use part of the race track's under-used property at 289 W. Huntington Drive for the roughly 70,000 s.f. building.
A message supporting embattled former Arcadia High School cross country coach James O'Brien, sent by a concerned parent named Michael Yamane, was forwarded to the police by a school board member. Yamane's email urged the district to reconsider its firing of O'Brien, accuses district officials of abusing employees, lying about a CIF-SS investigation into O'Brien's program, and suggested officials might be breaking state law. Yamane is concerned about his constitutional right to free speech, after his email was forwarded to police. Yamane is also a proponent of the "Recall Arcadia" campaign, which seeks to recall three school board members.
Santa Anita Park will be hosting the coveted 2012 Breeders' Cup World Championships. The Stronach Group took full control of the race track from MI Developments at the end of June. The two-day event will generate some revenue for the city and bring a lot of exposure to the San Gabriel Valley.
Arcadia police seek information and help with a home invasion robbery that took place June 13, 2013 at approximately 11:44 PM at a residence in the 500 block of East Norman Avenue.
Police are seeking three men who attacked, robbed and carjacked a mother and son in front of their home in the 200 block of West Lemon Avenue. The crime occurred on March 4, before 9:30 PM, as they pulled into their driveway. The suspects got away in the victims' blue 2006 Lexus.
A video created by three Arcadia High School graduates went viral and brought people to a school board meeting alst week, in support of fired cross country coach James O'Brien. The creators of the video are Esmond Wei, Ben Hsueh, and Sergio Rodriguez. The video was posted on YouTube.com and had more than 10,000 views in three days. A week later, it had more than 16,000 views.