Cooling centers open for relief from heat wave. Arcadia Public Library is one of 165 Los Angeles County cooling centers, meant to help prevent heat-related illnesses. Until Sunday, high temperatures are expected to reach triple digits.
Live Oak Library reopens new space at a new address. Previously located at 4153 East Live Oak Avenue in Arcadia, it is now 1.1 miles to the west at 22 West Live Oak Avenue. It has undergone a $7.3 million refurbishment.
CEO Ikenna Mmeje begins managing USC Arcadia Hospital. Ikenna "Ike" Mmeje will lead expansion of access to specialized healthcare and research to the San Gabriel Valley while overseeing all management and operations of the hospital. The hospital was formerly Methodist Hospital of Southern California and is now run by Keck Medicine. Mmeje replaces former president and CEO Dan Ausman, who has retired. Mmeje served as CEO of both Memorial Care Long Beach Medical Center and Miller Children's and Women's Hospital in Long Beach. He previously held CEO and COO roles with Tenet Healthcare.
Fire Chief Michael Lang is leaving Arcadia Fire Department to be Fire Chief at Manhattan Beach. He was with Arcadia Fire Department for 21 years, including 5 as chief. He starts at Manhattan Beach Fire Department on June 21.
Arcadia High School cancels season-opening football game against Muir High School after one of its players tested positive for COVID-19 and the school had to place the entire team in quarantine, confirmed athletic director Milica Protic.
Arcadia Methodist Hospital workers vote to unionize. The nearly 700 technical employees, nursing assistants and other workers have voted to join the Caregiver Healthcare Employees Union (CHEU). The CHEU is a sister union to California Nurses Association. The employees want to win strong union representation, better benefits and improved conditions for employees and patients.
Pacific League high schools still waiting for the go-ahead from Los Angeles County Public Health for school districts to resume athletic activity on school campuses. The Pacific League includes Arcadia, Burbank, John Burroughs, Crescenta Valley, Glendale, Muir and Pasadena high schools.
California State to loosen its mask mandate at end of day February 15 for vaccinated people, due to the 65% drop in infection rate since the peak of the winter surge caused by the omicron variant of the coronavirus, as well as stabilization in hospitalization numbers. This won't affect Los Angeles County, which plans to keep its own rules in place past the deadline. Lifting the indoor mask requirement in Los Angeles County will require the level of transmission to fall to the "moderate" level as defined by US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and stays there for two weeks straight, said Barbara Ferrer, the Los Angeles County Public Health Director.
Arcadia High School baseball team postpones games due to COVID-19 virus protocols and will remain in quarantine until at least Monday, according to Arcadia athletic director Milicia Protic.
Hospitals battle overcrowding. Staff shortages, post-pandemic surges have created less-than-desired service. Dr. Emily Johnson, an emergency medicine physician at USC Arcadia, Keck Hospital of USC and Associate Medical Director at the Los Angeles General Medical Center speaks about her experience with the issue.
Los Angeles County reports 138 new deaths, 22,422 cases; healthcare inoculations given. Arcadia Methodist Hospital expects their first shipments of the COVID-19 vaccines to arrive sometime this week.
U.S. deaths top 400k as Trump set to leave office. Methodist Hospital of Southern California in Arcadia says the 400,000th coronavirus (COVID-19) death is shameful. With its morgue full, the hospital has a refrigerated truck to hold bodies.
Public health: staying safe in a pandemic. Experts weigh in on the practicalities of daily life during the coronavirus outbreak. The message from state officials is clear: stay home, only leave for essentials and keep 6 feet from others to stop the spread of the new coronavirus.
Los Angeles County passes 25,000 deaths from Coronavirus (COVID-19), says Los Angeles County Public Health officials. The death toll was the latest indicator of the sweeping impact of the unpredictable, swiftly spreading delta variant.
Assemblymember Mike Fong, D-Alhambra, secures $4.5M for San Gabriel Valley cities. The cities Fong represents include Alhambra, Arcadia, El Monte, Montebello, Monterey Park, Rosemead, San Gabriel, San Marino, South El Monte, South Pasadena and Temple City. The money is for investing in infrastructure that will increase access to park space, library services, and athletic facilities and enhance public safety for the 49th District.
Arcadia Unified School District's middle school choir lifts voices, spirits with a virtually performed video of The Lion Sleeps Tonight, directed by Amanda Svetich, the choir director and assistant orchestra director at Arcadia High School. It was recorded on Zoom during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Arcadia city considers ban on some restaurant takeout containers (polystyrene, aka Styrofoam). Restrictions on straws, utensils also under review. Arcadia Council Member Tom Beck introduced the idea and Council Member Paul Cheng is enthusiastic about it. Jason Kruckeberg, Assistant City Manager and Development Services Director, said the City will work with restaurants and the Chamber of Commerce to implement the ordinance. The Cheesecake Factory is already using eco-friendly containers and utensils.
The Pasadena Tournament of Roses Parade 2021 was canceled, but the show goes on for Rose Parade bands. PCC Band Director Kyle Luck and Arcadia High School Apache Marching Band Director Kevin Sherrill coordinated and edited a Zoom virtual performance starring Kermit the Frog and their student musicians for broadcast.