Americans of Japanese descent gathered at Santa Anita Park yesterday to reflect on the dark period of history when Santa Anita Park was the largest assembly center for interned Japanese-Americans. Nearly 20,000 were processed at Santa Anita Park and sent to internment camps. Several people who were once incarcerated at Santa Anita Park were among those who gathered there at the Cherry Blossom Festival Southern California's 11th Annual Camp Stories Award Show and Auction.
Sierra Madre and Arcadia engaged in water fight. Sierra Madre accused Arcadia of stealing water from a shared East Raymond Basin. Holly Whatley, Sierra Madre's assistant city attorney, said the California Supreme Court divided the east and west Raymond Basin in a 1944 judgment. Arcadia spent $2.8 million to build its Anoakia Well in 2001 and its Colorado Well in 2007. Hydrogeology expert Tim Thompson said although Arcadia's two wells reside on the eastern side, the wells actually draw ground water that originates from the West Raymond Basin. He said there is very little water traveling from the east and west basins because of a hydrogeological barrier, and a scientific look at the ground shows that Arcadia is taking adjudicated water from the West Raymond Basin. See hard copy in VF Water.