Anita Baldwin statue to be unveiled at Le Méridien Hotel in Arcadia
The Anita May Baldwin statue at the Le Méridien Hotel will be unveiled on Monday, Oct. 25, 2021 at 11 a.m. Anita is the daughter of city founder, Elias Jackson "Lucky" Baldwin. The statue will be featured on the opposite end of the Huntington Drive islands’ hotel property.
“We are very excited to be bringing Anita back to Arcadia,” said Mayor Sho Tay in a statement released by the city. “I would like to thank the Shen, Liu and Chen Families, Jeff Lee, the Dextra Baldwin McGonagle Foundation, Heather D. Gibson and Margaux L. Gibson, and the Arcadia Historical Society, for their generous donations.”
“On behalf of the Baldwin family, I would like to express my deepest gratitude to the Arcadia City Council, the Arcadia Historical Society, the Le Méridien Hotel and all those who have supported this effort to pay homage to my great-great grandmother, Anita May Baldwin,” said Margaux Gibson. “This magnificent statue of Anita will showcase a strong woman who was ahead of her time. I am proud to call Anita May Baldwin my great-great grandmother, and I am truly proud to be a part of this historic project.”
The Anita statue was sculpted by local artist and southern California native Alfred Paredes — who created the Lucky Baldwin statue on the corner of Huntington Drive and Holly Avenue — and is aptly named, “A Legacy of Charity” in honor of Anita’s contributions to life in early Arcadia and throughout California.
Carl's Sweet Corn stand opens for 19th year locally a 75 Las Tunas Drive, one block west of Santa Anita Avenue. Operated as a family affair by Carl Kophamer.
A new defensive weapon which shoots darts capable of inflicting 50,000 volts of electricity lasting about a micro-second is being manufactured in Arcadia. It is being marketed by Glen Mead and is called the Taser Gun.
The City Council has turned down Bob Margett's request to build a skate board park with 60 person capacity on Live Oak Avenue. Noise and congestion were the reasons given.
Mayor Bob Margett, in a speech to the Chamber of Commerce, suggested that the city start checking up on businesses operating out of homes within the city.
A draft ordinance has been submitted to the City Council that would allow Arcadia residents to conduct businesses out of their homes if certain criteria are met and a permit is approved. According to current law, such businesses are illegal.
The City Council has approved a new home occupation ordinance that allows certain occupations to be carried out in the home. A city permit is required.
Arcadia City Council agreed to extend a moratorium against commercial buildings with rear windows facing residential properties. Action followed earlier urgency ordinance ... passed at request of residents on Laurel Avenue.
The Board of Directors of the Arcadia Chamber of Commerce voted unanimously to support a retail use for the property being considered for a Target Department Store. The committee did not specifically say that Target would be the preferred use.
Four proposals have been received by the Arcadia Redevelopment Department for a development on Huntington Drive in east Arcadia, across the street from the proposed Target Store. All four meet the criteria set out by the Redevelopment Agency. The agency had requested builders to design either retail stores, a professional office building, or a fine restaurant.
A convenience shopping center has been approved by the Arcadia Redevelopment Agency for the southeast corner of Huntington Drive and Santa Anita Avenue. The businesses now occupying the land (a Texaco station, Burrito Flats restaurant, Miller's Carpet Care and Drive-Through Liquor) will have to be removed.