Arcadia Public Library hosts workshop on January 18, 2020 called The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up, based on the KonMari Method, developed by author Marie Kondo. The presenter is Tiffany Ng.
Application deadline looms for Arcadia small-business grants totaling $1 million. The applications are due December 29, 2022 and the program is funded through the federal American Rescue Plan Act. The grants can be used for physical improvements to a company's place of business, updating digital marketing and branding and other improvements focused on attracting new customers. Contac Arcadia Economic Development Division for more information.
Arcadia Public Library hosts Lunar New Year celebration on January 18, 2020. Celebrating the Year of the Rat with fun stories, activities and a Lion Dance and presentation by Shin Dance Academy, sponsored by Sino U.S. Performing Arts Organization.
Enjoy being safe at home with Arcadia Public Library. Arcadia Public Library is offering a surprising array of phone, pick-up, and online services that will definitely brighten your days during the pandemic.
Arcadia Public Library screens international films every third Wednesday of the month. Coming up on March 18 will be "11 Flowers." Bring your dinner, dessert is provided.
Arcadia officials attempt to expand dialogue around homelessness. Arcadia homeowners are concerned that increased homelessness numbers within the city pose a threat to their children and property values. Arcadia City Council's idea to install 15 or so tiny homes as emergency shelter for unhoused people is being discussed.
Arcadia announces City Council redistricting mapping tool and public hearing schedule. Residents can use this portal to draw a map and a community of interest for the city and submit it to City Council.
Assemblywoman Jackie Goldberg (D-Los Angeles) has reintroduced her bill to ban the use of Native American names for school mascots. The bill was defeated in the last session, with opposition from the city of Arcadia and the Arcadia Unified School District. The act lists only two tribal names as specifically banned - Apaches and Comanches -- along with terms such as Redskins, Chiefs, Braves and Papooses. Under AB858, the only schools exempted from the ban are those under the regulation of tribal councils.
Opinion piece by Roger Nemrava. He writes that Mayor Sho Tay is putting his personal agenda above Arcadia's citizens in regard to redistricting and filling of the city council seat which was vacated due to Roger Chandler's death.
Arcadia Library Board of Trustees appoints Mary Beth Hayes as interim Director of Library and Museum Services, following the sudden death of Jackie Faust-Moreno. Mary Beth Hayes has been employed by the City of Arcadia since 1989 and is currently Library Services Manager.
Assembly bill AB858, also known as the Jerry Ballesteros Act, is now going to the Assembly Appropriations Committee. It is a bill introduced by Assemblywoman Jackie Goldberg (D-Los Angeles), calling for a ban on the use of Native American tribal names, specifically Apaches and Comanches, as school mascots. The Arcadia Board of Education opposes the bill. Arcadia leaders say the use of the name Apaches is a gesture of respect. Arcadia High School has a close relationship with the White Mountain Apache tribe, which supports the use of the name. This year's bill is different, in that last year's bill left a small loophole if the name is used respectfully.
County Assessor reports solid growth for Arcadia in 2020 Assessment Roll. The Roll for 2020 has been closed and it reflects solid growth for Arcadia and the rest of the County. However, the Roll is pre-COVID. This comprehensive tally values more than 2.5 million real estate parcels in Los Angeles County and results in the very tax dollars that goes to pay for vital public services, such as healthcare, police, fire, schools, and even librarians, to name just a few. The County Assessor is constitutionally mandated to close the roll by the end of the Fiscal Year on June 30. The 2020 Assessment Roll has a total net value of $1.7 trillion, indicating the 10th year of consecutive growth. That value places $17 billion in the hands of the County to be used for those public services I just mentioned. This year the Roll has an added dynamic, the COVID-19 pandemic. Locally, Arcadia for 2020 came in at $18.3 billion for taxable values, which is a 4.4% increase over last year’s numbers. That includes 14,854 single-family homes, 809 apartment complexes, 995 commercial-industrial parcels for a grand total of 16,658 taxable properties. Growth is steady in Arcadia.
More importantly, that $18.3 billion translates into about $183 million for vital public services such as public safety, healthcare and public education that benefits Arcadia.
Beacon Media announces launch of Hey Media, targeted at younger consumers. Along with original reporting, hey Media will aggregate content from other local, regional and national sources to keep readers informed on issues that impact their communities, with a focus on social justice and impact issues.