New congressional districts in the San Gabriel Valley, approved by the California Citizens Redistricting Commission, reflects a significant change from current boundaries. (The new congress representatives will be voted in the November 2012 elections and take office in January 2013.) The new district lines have some local leaders worried about the region's ability to get federal dollars and attention to address local issues.
Arcadia, Alhambra, Monrovia, Pasadena, South Pasadena, San Gabriel, San Marino and Temple City public schools all showed improvement on California state API testing that measures English and math performance. Duarte Unified showed a drop from the previous year.
Work continues on Metro Gold Line Foothill Extension project. Workers installed a 130-foot-high steel cage that will make up a portion of a rapid transit bridge spanning the eastbound 210 Freeway between Baldwin Avenue and Santa Anita Avenue. When complete, the 584-foot-long, $18.6 million Metro Gold Line bridge will be buttressed by columns designed to resemble Native American baskets. The bridge work is expected to be completed in the summer of 2012, while the entire 11.5-mile extension is due to be finished 2015. The bridge contractor is Skanska USA Civil. Construction of the rest of the line may be delayed due to problems with Monrovia's Redevelopment Agency.
Arcadia City Council last week approved expanding the kinds of outdoor special events allowed at Santa Anita Park race track, and in the adjacent parking lot areas, including concerts, carnivals, and farmers markets. The change will allow the track to host the California Philharmonic summer concerts and possibly Cavalia, a Cirque du Soleil show. Councilman Roger Chandler said the amendments made to the city's municipal code allow a very large and underused piece of land, specifically the south parking lot, to be used and to generate additional income for the track.
Paul Graf, 90, of New Albany, Indiana, came back to Arcadia to see Santa Anita Park again. He had been based there as a United States Army staff sergeant during World War II, when the track was turned over to the Army Ordnance Corps for training purposes and was officially renamed Camp Santa Anita. Graf said he used to run for exercise on the Anita Chiquita training track, which was eliminated when the Santa Anita Fashion Park was built in the 1970s. Graf had arrived at Camp Santa Anita around November 1942, after the site had already been used as the Japanese Assembly Center. Photo shows Graf holding an issue of Man O' War, a newspaper issued by army personnel at Camp Santa Anita.
Arcadia City Council rejected a proposed draft resolution last week that several argued would give city-designated homeowner associations (HOA) too much power. During a study session, the Council discussed amending and consolidating the five HOAs' development standards, design guidelines and design review procedures into one cohesive document. Some argued the draft would give the associations' Architectural Review Boards (ARB)--which have architectural design review authority over the association area--too much control over the size of homes, setbacks and other issues. ARBs should look favorably on someone's dream home plans "unless it was so garish and outlandish that it might negatively affect property values," said Councilman Bob Harbicht. Opposition from Kevin Tomkins and Laurie Thompson.
The Ruth and Charles Gilb Arcadia Historical Museum celebrates its tenth year anniversary with an exhibit called Ten Years and Counting: the Legacy of the Ruth and Charles Gilb Arcadia Historical Museum, through October 29.
Yongjian "Richard" Zhang and Ruixia "Nancy" Zhang, the parents of Alice Zhang, have filed a lawsuit against the City of Arcadia and the driver who struck and killed Alice. The lawsuit, filed in August, alleges that "the dangerous condition" of the crosswalk on the 600 block of West Duarte Road was a significant factor in Alice's death. The Zhangs are asking for unspecified general and special damages. The complaint also alleges that driver Bowen Du's negligence was a "substantial factor" in the teen's death.
Arcadia City Council has agreed to reconsider the controversial policy of not allowing homeowners to change their addresses, after several homeowners complained they can't sell their homes at fair market value, due to a popular Chinese belief that the number four is unlucky. Arcadia Mayor Gary Kovacic said, "...I think we have to look at the true economic impact of this." Councilman Roger Chandler said, "I don't think we should operate public policy on superstition."
Santa Anita Park will reduce its work force by merging departments. More than 100 full-time and seasonal positions will be affected--including some layoffs and some full-time positions becoming part-time positions, said Greg Avioli, CEO and President of Stronach Entertainment, the track's parent company. The shift to off-track betting and account wagering has brought less revenue to the race track.
15-year-old Arcadia resident Erica Wu, a student at Westridge School, will compete in table tennis (ping pong) at the Pan American Games this month in Guadalajara, Mexico.