The City is going to enforce ordinance on false burglar alarms with a $100 fine for the fourth and fifth false alarms in a 1-year period and $200 for each one after that.
Former Arcadia police lieutenant Kenneth Kuwahara, 40, entered his plea of guilty to false personation and identity theft, both felonies, and four misdemeanor counts of soliciting prostitution. The solicitations happened between January and May of 2005, while Kuwahara was on duty as watch commander. He faces up to 5 years in prison. The article includes Chief Bob Sanderson's comments.
Bob Sanderson is the new chief of police in Arcadia now that Dave Hinig has retired. Hinig discusses his retirement plans and Sanderson discusses his new duties.
The City Council has temporarily closed Wilderness Park on weekends (at least until September 7) because of overcrowding. About 200-300 visitors use the park each weekend, although it has a capacity for 100 people and 50 parking spaces.
Arcadia Police Department has a new police chief. His name is Bob Guthrie and has been serving as interim police chief since Bob Sanderson retired in April. He joined the Arcadia Police Department as a cadet in 1989.
Dr. Badrudin Rajabali "Bud" Kurwa's medical license has been suspended and he was placed on fine years' probation for false billing charges in his ophthalmologist practice.
San Gabriel Valley home values went up in May, the third month in a row in which median home prices rose across the state. Arcadia had the highest median price at $700,000. A chart compares SGV cities.
Arcadia kidnapping, rape suspect Philippe Brian Lutete, 29, is charged with false imprisonment and sexual battery of a woman on November 26 in the 2900 block of Spruce Court. He was out on bail when he was also arrested on April 8, 2015 on suspicion of kidnapping and raping a woman over an 11-hour period.
In the largest Medicare fraud settlement involving an individual in the southland, Arcadia eye doctor (ophthalmologist) Badrudin Kurwa paid the government more than $375,000 to resolve false billing charges.
California's median home price posted its biggest annual gain in more than 5 years last month, rising 20.8% to $301,790, as reported by California Association of Realtors. Arcadia has the second-largest increase in the state with its median home price jumping 40.2% in March to $726,136 compared to $518,000 a year earlier.
As part of Arcadia's 2003 centennial celebration, each council member has served as mayor for a three-month period of time. Mickey Segal will lead the city for the last three months until after the April 13 City Council election.
Next month Arcadia leaders will vote on an ordinance that takes Jessica's Law further by banning sex offenders from living within 2000 feet of certain locations, in addition to schools and parks, such as golf courses, day care centers, public libraries, and swimming pools. It would also create "child safety zones," banning sex offenders from loitering within 300 feet of the locations and it would prevent more than one sex offender from living in any single residence. Pasadena is considering a similar ordinance.
Anti-mansionization candidates snag seats on Arcadia City Council. Peter Amundson received 4122 votes and April Verlato received 4077 votes to become the two new city council members. Bob Harbicht received the third highest number of votes.
Los Angeles County home sales dropped 8.6% last month from a year earlier. Arcadia, however, shows a 4.1% increase in median home price, from a year ago December. Arcadia's median home price was $692,000 last month. Figures for California state, Los Angeles and other San Gabriel Valley cities are shown.