Chen Suen becomes first Asian American fire chief in Arcadia. He takes over from Barry Spriggs who retired November 8, after 29 years of service. Suen is an Arcadia resident. He emigrated from Taiwan. He graduated from Arcadia High School, and attended Loyola Law School, UC Irvine, and Santa Ana College, before spending the last 18 years with Arcadia Fire Department.
Man hospitalized yesterday after explosion of possible illegal butane honey oil drug lab in a commercial building in Arcadia. At 2;23 PM, Arcadia Fire Department responded to a fire in the 11700 block of Goldring Road and determined an explosion had happened and found a man inside. He was taken to the hospital due to the severity of his burns. Honey oil is described as a marijuana concentrate made by extracting THC from marijuana.
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.
One found dead in apartment fire on Genoa Street near First Avenue on Sunday, April 7. Arcadia police Lieutenant Kollin Cieadlo said there were no signs of foul play so far. Charlie Tuggle, a battalion chief with Arcadia Fire Department estimated damages to the structure at $10,000 and $1,000 to the contents. Arcadia fire Captain Drew Pryor said the call came in at 9:18 P.M. and the bathroom of the apartment was on fire. By 9:37 P.M. the fire was out. The dead man's identity has not been released.
Monrovia man Yi Chen gets 4 years in prison for fraud in a student visa scheme to get Chinese immigrants into the U.S. unlawfully. From June 2015-February 2021, Chen was the CEO and owner of two so-called educational consulting companies in Alhambra and Arcadia that charged foreign students thousands of dollars for "guaranteed" admission to a college that would lead to the issuance of an F-1 student visa. See also Arcadia Weekly, p. 2, October 6, 2022.
El Monte man pleads guilty to killing boss in office. Zhong Qi Chen, 63, pleaded guilty to fatally shooting his boss Yining Xie, 58, of Arcadia, at a newspaper office in Alhambra in 2018, at The China Press, 2121 W. Mission Road, Alhambra, CA.
Two weekends remain for 626 Night Market at Santa Anita Park. It wraps up its ninth season on September 3-5. The 626 Night Market is an evening festival of food and merchandise vendors, games and entertainment. Founded in Pasadena in 2012 by entrepreneur Jonny Hwang. After taking up residence at Santa Anita Park, it expanded to OC Fair in Costa Mesa and Alameda County Fairgrounds in Pleasanton. Festival did not take place in 2020 due to Coronavirus pandemic.
El Monte man gets 21 years for killing boss at newspaper's office. Zhong Qi Chen, 64, of El Monte, was sentenced. He pleaded guilty in March to the voluntary manslaughter of Yining Xie, of Arcadia, at The China Press in Alhambra at 2121 W. Mission Road, Alhambra, CA.
Bradbury man Steve Chen, CEO of U.S. Fine Investment Arts, Inc. Gem Coin, and other companies, allegedly conspired to commit fraud with his Arcadia-based marketing company, to plead guilty. He promised potential investors gemstones from their mines along with valuable digital currency. See also Arcadia Weekly, p. 4, February 27, 2020.
Two more horses die after injuries at Santa Anita Park. Jockey Joe Bravo was hospitalized after a tumble on horse Decorated My Life. Decorated My Life and Merit Song are the names of the horses euthanized. Six animals in all have been euthanized this year at the racetrack where twelve died last year. Santa Anita Park officials have said they've made major improvements in horse safety after 2019, when forty-two horses died at the track.
Turf mare Going to Vegas looks to cash out in Kentucky. In photo: Going to Vegas and jockey Umberto Rispoli after winning the $300,000 Grade I Rodeo Drive Stakes on Saturday at Santa Anita Park.
Asian night markets share a common language: food. Evening events draw thousands to LA, Orange, and San Diego counties. In 2012, the first 626 Night Market took place at Old Town Pasadena. Then the event moved to Santa Anita Park in Arcadia and it has become a signature event, becoming kind of synonymous with Arcadia, says Jason Kruckeberg, assistant City Manager, and Development Services Director.
Breeders' Cup. Teen boy dies day after namesake horse wins. Cody's Wish, which won the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile race at Santa Anita Park, was named after 17-year-old Cody Dorman. Cody's Wish won the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile for the second consecutive year. Cody Dorman had Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome.
Winner of the Kentucky Derby dies in training at Santa Anita Park yesterday. The horse was named Medina Spirit and died of an apparent heart attack after morning workout. See also related article Arcadia Weekly, p. 1, 5. December 9, 2021.
Flames continue north to homes. Residents evacuate as Bobcat Fire jumps Highway 2, tops mountain ridge, menaces Antelope Valley. The 50,539-acre fire which once primarily threatened San Gabriel Valley foothill communities after it started on September 6, jumped Highway 2 overnight and continues to spread north, putting Antelope Valley under an evacuation warning. Evacuation warnings were still in place for parts of Monrovia, Arcadia, Duarte, Bradbury, Sierra Madre, Pasadena, and Altadena, though evacuation orders in parts of Sierra Madre and Arcadia were lifted Wednesday.
Foul weather foils New Year's Day racing at Santa Anita Park--its New Year's Day racing was canceled 5 1/2 hours before first post after a light rain fell through much of Saturday's card and intensified throughout the night and into Sunday morning (January 1).
Santa Anita Park faces suits from former Human Resources head over COVID-19 protocols. Plaintiff Jill Eknoian-Lopez alleges she was forced to resign in 2021 after experiencing a backlash when she complained the company was not following a safe coronavirus protocol. See also Arcadia Weekly, p. 15, March 23, 2023.
Bay Area horse racing track Golden Gate Fields in San Francisco to close permanently later this year. After the Golden Gate Fields meet ends, The Stronach Group said it will focus on moving horses from the Bay Area to Arcadia, with a goal of increasing field sizes and adding a fourth day of racing to the weekly schedule at Santa Anita Park, beginning in January. See hard copy in VF. See also Arcadia Weekly, p. 28, July 20, 2023.