American Pharoah's trainer Bob Baffert and his wife Jill donated $150,000 to three charities. Jockey Victor Espinoza, who rode American Pharoah to win 2015 Triple Crown, donated all his earnings from Belmont Stakes race to City of Hope.
Environmental activists plan to block work crews from clearing 179 oak and sycamore trees, north of Arcadia. Bob Spencer, spokesman for the Los Angeles County Department of Public Works, confirmed that construction would begin this morning to clear the 11 acres of trees, to make room for an estimated 500 cubic yards of sediment from Santa Anita Dam, as well as debris from seven other area catch basins. Spencer said, "The purpose behind this project is public safety; the damn built in 1927 does not meet seismic standards. Arcadia city manager Don Penman hopes that the several hundred thousand cubic yards of extra capacity is not an invitation for frequent trucking from other basins.
Arcadia spends $2 million on water to offset needs for the 2015-2016 fiscal year. It is the second purchase of its kind since April. The 3000 acre-feet of water was purchased from the Upper San Gabriel Valley Water District, will be stored in a cyclic storage account in main groundwater basin, which supplies a major portion of the city's drinking water.
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.
A Los Angeles County report showed that life expectancy in Los Angeles County reached 80.3 years, an all-time high, according to the county Department of Health Services. Arcadia, East San Gabriel, Walnut and Rowland Heights had some of the highest life expectancy rates in the county. Arcadia's life expectancy is 84.7 years. Females of Asian-Pacific Islander descent have the highest life expectancy in the county and all four of the SGV communities with the highest life expectancy rates also have high populations of residents of Asian Pacific Islander descent. In general, the report found that people in affluent communities tend to live longer while residents of poorer cities in more urban parts of the county had some of the lowest life expectancy rates.
A pictorial collection of historic estates and vintage homes from the collections of the Arcadia Historical Society is now exhibiting at the Ruth and Charles Gilb Arcadia Historical Museum, through August 20, 2011. Carol Libby curated it. On exhibit are Anoakia, the Southern California Nursery (later a residence), La Cuccia, Prince Eric of Denmark's home, and the Burnell Oaks Estate, among others.
Triple Crown winning jockey Victor Espinoza (he rode the race horse American Pharoah) visits patients at City of Hope. He donated about $80,000-his entire earnings from the Belmont Stakes-to the City of Hope cancer research and treatment facility.
Arcadia's first Lunar New Year Festival (Year of the Monkey) is set for Sunday in downtown Arcadia, will feature traditional Chinese lion and dragon dances at Huntington Drive and Santa Anita Avenue.
An overnight break-in occurred at Burlington Coat Factory in Arcadia, at 1201 S. Baldwin Avenue. Employee found a jewelry display case had been smashed open. Arcadia police searched the store but no suspect was found. It was not clear what, if anything, had been stolen, other than the jewelry from the case.
Arcadia city council agrees to accept gift statue of Elias J. "Lucky" Baldwin. His great-great-great granddaughter, Margaux Viera, 34 of Pasadena, will commission a bronze statue for display next to Arcadia Community Center. The statue will be worth close to $60,000. The city will pay for pedestal, lighting and landscaping, up to $25,000.
Chinese firms donate $20,000 to City of Arcadia. Several city officials and employees might use it for business travel to China and Taiwan in hopes of fostering sister-city relationships. City employees plan to meet with government officials in China and Taiwan to learn more about government services, residential design and the culture in an effort to better serve Arcadia. The two companies that donated this money are Companhia de Comercial Dingyuan Limitada and Sichuan Arrow Recovery Technology Company Ltd. See VF Sister City.
Arcadia police officer Luis Vicuna received the Arcadia Police Department's Life Saving Medal last week for helping save the life of 76-year old James Chen, who collapsed at the Arcadia Sports Fitness Club late last year. Pictured are Arcadia Police Chief Robert Sanderson, Officer Luis Vicuna and Captain Gene Gioia.
Clean-up crews are collecting wind debris. Tom Tate, Director of Public Works for Arcadia, said that "on December 10, we started a systematic clean-up of the city, starting with city crews and contractors, one on the north end, one on the south end. We plan to move through the city, street by street, and hopefully meet in the middle." Tate said his crews have moved about 5,000 tons of debris off the streets since the windstorm hit on November 30-December 1, and estimates they are at least a quarter of the way done. Arcadia Public Works is trying to keep residents updated with Twitter and their website, as well as media releases, on their progress. Tate hopes to conclude the clean-up before Christmas.
A Metro Gold Line deal to purchase land in Monrovia for a maintenance yard for $56 million, from George Brokate, a Marine veteran from Newport Beach, has been reached. This cleared the last major obstacle to the $735 million Pasadena to Azusa Metro Gold Line Foothill Extension. Photo shows the Gold Line bridge over the 210 Freeway in Arcadia under construction.
Lucky Baldwin statue to be unveiled at Reverend Monsignor Gerald M. O'Keefe Rose Garden at Holly Avenue and Huntington Drive. Bronze sculpture commissioned, donated by city founder Elias J. "Lucky" Baldwin's descendants Margaux Gibson-Viera and Heather Gibson (Baldwin's great-great-great granddaughters). Statue was designed and made by artist Alfred Paredes. See also VF Statuary #20.
Lucky Baldwin statue dedicated. at Reverend Monsignor Gerald M. O'Keeffe Rose Garden at Holly Avenue and Huntington Drive. Bronze sculpture commissioned, donated by city founder Elias J. "Lucky" Baldwin's descendants Margaux Gibson-Viera and Heather Gibson (Baldwin's great-great-great granddaughters). Statue was designed and made by artist Alfred Paredes. See also VF Statuary #20.
Arcadia Chess Club meets on Monday nights. The club is open to members of the U. S. Chess Federation and has annual dues of $10. For more information, visit arcadiachessclub.com.
Tatsuhiko Sakamoto, 37 of Arcadia, was charged with gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, felony drunken driving and driving with a blood-alcohol level above .08. He allegedly drove onto a closed freeway in Baldwin Park while drunk and killed a 21-year-old road worker named Connor McDermott Penhall. Penhall is son of hall of fame motorcycle racer and actor Bruce Penhall.