Gerardo Cortez, 26, of Monrovia was arrested for allegedly making telephone threats to shoot adults and children with an AK-47 at schools (including Arcadia High School), a mall, and hospitals in the San Gabriel Valley last week. See also Mountain Views News, September 14, 2013, p. 1.
A federal investigation of a San Gabriel Valley-based Asian crime syndicate led to the arrests of 18 suspected Red Door gang members in several San Gabriel Valley cities, including Arcadia. The effort was dubbed "Operation Paint it Black." Authorities seized seven guns, 12,500 ecstasy pills, 2,230 marijuana plants and a Lamborghini. The 18 were indicted on drug trafficking and international marriage fraud charges.
Thomas McKernan, Arcadia resident, recently retired as CEO of the Automobile Club of Southern California. He had worked with the Auto Club for 46 years. On May 1, he was succeeded by Robert Bouttier. McKernan has been elected to chairman of the Auto Club's board of directors. He will continue with several national responsibilities, including serving on the National AAA board of directors, chairing its planning and strategy effort. He will serve as vice chair of the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety.
Frank Stronach, chairman of MI Developments, the owner of Santa Anita Park, says he is optimistic his company can work out a new deal with developer Rick Caruso to build an outdoor mall at Santa Anita Park, even though he voided a 2005 joint-venture agreement with Caruso in April to build the Shops at Santa Anita mall in the race track's parking lot.
Developer Rick Caruso said he is in the process of finalizing a new deal with Santa Anita Park's owners to build an outdoor mall at the race track's south parking lot. MI Developments (MID) (owner of track), voided a 2005 joint-venture development agreement with Caruso Affiliated in April 2010 for the proposed 825,000 square feet The Shops at Santa Anita, as part of MID's bankruptcy reorganization. MID and Caruso have been renegotiating since, and the development will be similar with some minor variations.
A high speed police chase that began in Pasadena, then went through Arcadia, Monrovia, Duarte and several other San Gabriel Valley cities, ended in the driving crashing into another car. The suspect was Edgar Angarita, 45, of Hollywood and the 21-year-old woman from Baldwin Park that he crashed into, are both being treated at the hospital. Police say Angarita was intoxicated. The chase occurred Monday, January 24. He is being held on suspicion of felony evading a police officer, but additional charges may be coming.
Arcadia firefighter Michael Herdman, who went missing and was found dead on June 27 at the bottom of a cliff in Los Padres National Forest, had drugs in his system when he died. Ventura County Medical Examiner toxicology report said he had alcohol, Ecstasy, and Adderall in his body.
Man gets 64 years for sexually assaulting three workers at Westfield Santa Anita in Arcadia. Diego Cervantes, 37, of San Gabriel is a former maintenance supervisor at the mall. He was found guilty of rape and other sexual offenses.
Fired Arcadia High School cross country coach James O'Brien questions reason for dismissal. The Arcadia Unified School District's Board of Education upholds its decision to not reappoint Mr. O'Brien as head coach for the 2013-2014 year. He will continue to teach at Arcadia High School.
Feds move to seize homes in San Gabriel Valley, Rancho Cucamonga. The properties were allegedly purchased with millions in proceeds from what FBi investigators said was a fraudulent visa program. Victoria Chan and her father Tat Chan exploited the EB-5 visa program which offers legal permanent residence in the U.S. for foreign nationals who make job-creating investments of $500,000 or more in U.S. companies.
Westfield Santa Anita mall, Santa Anita Park race track, and other businesses cope with power outages and wind damage. Westfield Santa Anita mall was unable to open due to a widespread power outage although power was restored to the center's east end by 4:30 PM yesterday. Santa Anita Park was closed yesterday due to a power outage. The race track also sustained wind-related damage to the roof in its stable area and also had several uprooted trees. Huge, old trees were blown down in Arcadia.
Hurricane strength winds blew through the San Gabriel Valley early yesterday, damaging buildings, downing trees and knocking out power to thousands across the region. Temple City, Sierra Madre, San Marino and Pasadena were especially hard hit by the 70 mph winds that left a trail of destruction from Boyle Heights in East Los Angeles to Irwindale and Azusa. Several cities, including Pasadena, Sierra Madre, Monrovia, Arcadia, Glendora, Alhambra and South Pasadena have been declared states of emergency. Schools were either closed or on a modified schedule yesterday. See related story on p. A3, A4, A5
Westfield mall properties in West Covina, Sherman Oaks, Arcadia, and Palm Desert, have a new tenant--Forest Lawn Memorial Parks and Mortuaries. Forest Lawn has information carts in malls in a new marketing effort.
Dropout rates for eight of nine school districts across the western end of the San Gabriel Valley decreased, according to state numbers released yesterday. Monrovia, Arcadia, San Gabriel, San Marino, Temple City, Alhambra, and Duarte school districts all measured decreases in their dropout rates for the 2009-2010 academic year, when compared to the previous year.
Arcadia High School requests move to Rio Hondo League, although its first preference is to keep the Pacific League as is. The changes would go into effect for the 2014-2015 school year. Arcadia High School's request to leave Pacific League is contingent upon Crescenta Valley High School joining the Rio Hondo League, which is currently made up of Blair, La Canada, Monrovia, San Marino, South Pasadena, and Temple City High Schools. The Pacific League is made up of Arcadia High School, Burbank, Burroughs, Crescenta Valley, Glendale, Hoover, Muir, and Pasadena.
Bob Baffert, a Hall of Fame horse trainer, had a heart attack in Dubai, where he was preparing a horse named Game on Dude in the $10 million Dubai World Cup. Baffert's assistant Jim Barnes, said from Santa Anita Park, that Baffert was doing well after having three stents inserted into two arteries.
Canadian billionaire Frank Stronach, who is about to become the sole owner of Santa Anita Park, said he hasn't ruled out talking to developer Rick Caruso about reviving a project to build an outdoor mall in the race track's parking lot. Last week Caruso announced that he is no longer pursuing a development deal with Santa Anita Park's outgoing owner, MI Developments, Inc. (MID), for the upscale Shops at Santa Anita. Stronach is the outgoing chairman of MID.
San Gabriel Mayor Albert Y. M. Huang announced he would resign from office after his arrest in a domestic violence case involving a confrontation with a woman (not his wife) outside New Taste Dupling House at 301 West Valley Boulevard. San Gabriel City Council accepted his resignation. He graduated from Arcadia High School in 1994.