By the 2010 census, Asians and Pacific Islanders will make up more than half of the population in Arcadia and 10 other communities in the San Gabriel Valley.
A special report on the Asian population of the San Gabriel Valley. Arcadia is a city with an Asian population near or above 50 percent. A chart shows Asian presence in the San Gabriel Valley and the percentage who speak English "not well" or "not at all."
Mayors ask for zoning bill veto. 27 San Gabriel Valley cities urge Governor Gavin Newsom to kill legislation that changes single-family lots to allow zoning for up to 4 units. This is Senate Bill 9, introduced by Senator Toni Atkins. The San Gabriel Valley Council of Governments advocates for addressing the affordable housing shortage by rezoning vacant and nonviable commercial properties and providing incentives to affordable housing developers to build on that land. SGVCG's letter in opposition was signed by Alhambra, Arcadia, Azusa, Baldwin Park, Bradbury, and others.
Affirmative action vote splits Asian-Americans. Community members take part in a "No on Proposition 16" rally at Arcadia County Park on August 8. Prop 16 would legalize race-aware decisions in public college admissions, hiring, and contracting. This is a divisive issue among Asian-Americans. Some view it as racist. One banner reads, "Keep discrimination illegal."
This article is a continuation of a special report about the Asian communities in transition in the San Gabriel Valley. Observers think Asians are blending Asian and American influences into forging a distinct Asian-American identity. A chart shows Asian population becoming majority in many San Gabriel Valley cities.
Review by Merrill Shindler - Asian market is authentic. 99 Ranch Market chain has hundreds of good things at its multiple San Gabriel locations, including one in Arcadia. Its mission is to offer authentic Chinese ingredients to underserved Chinese-American communities across America.
WeChat ban may jolt lives of many. Chinese-Americans use apps for communication, delivery services, payments, appointments, news. In an executive order last week, President Donald Trump announced a ban on Chinese social media apps Tik Tok and WeChat. WeChat is heavily used by Chinese in Arcadia, Alhambra, San Gabriel. WeChat is an unofficial channel of the City of Arcadia. WeChat is the backbone of Chinese social organizing, from business to political movements.
Asians make up more than 47% of the city's total population of 53,421. The largest group is Chinese-American. John Wuo discusses what makes Arcadia such an attractive city for Asians.
Three women were violently robbed in a span of a week in the 99 Ranch Market parking lot at 1300 S. Golden West Avenue. In two of the incidents, a passenger leaned out of a car to grab purses, and in the other incident, two men pushed a woman to the ground, kicked her in the face and stole her purse.
The 626 Night Market is the brainchild of 3 Taiwanese-Americans who were heavily inspired by their experiences at night markets in Taiwan. The 626 Night Market will continue at Santa Anita Park next summer.
This article traces Chinese history in the San Gabriel and Los Angeles County areas back to the late 1840s. Many early Chinese Americans washed laundry, harvested crops, packed oranges, crushed grapes and dug water trenches.
Local business owners tell Assemblywoman Carol Liu that Temple City needs more affordable housing. The article includes a photograph of Christine Hernandez, Arcadia resident and owner of CKW uniforms.
Dr. Sheng Chang has been elected mayor of Arcadia. He is the first Asian-American mayor of Arcadia. In 1994, he was the first Chinese-American Arcadia City Council member.
Arcadia City Council member Sho Tay aims to bridge city's cultural gap between Chinese immigrants and Caucasians. Tay says there are three distinct batches of Chinese immigrants. The first came from Taiwan in the 1980s and went to college here. The second came from Hong Kong after Tiananmen Square, and the third, most recent, batch is from mainland China. They came with wealth.
In a letter sent to Mayor Tom Beck, the HQH Chinese American Equalization Association demands district voting in Arcadia. The association claims at-large system dilutes influence. According to 2010 U.S. Census, Asians represent 60% of the city's population of 56,364 and about 46% of its registered voters. The letter points out that no more than 2 Asian Americans have served on Arcadia City Council at the same time. Beck said Arcadia doesn't have the problem of Asians being underrepresented.
The County Board of Supervisors urged the State Legislature and Governor Reagan to defeat a bill which would make it easier for citizens to form a new county.
Second of five articles about Asian immigrants concerns the differing cultural stresses that arise when East meets West. See hard copy in VF "Population" item #42.
Third article in a series of five about new Asian residents deals with the problems faced by the new arrivals. See hard copy in VF "Population" item #43.