2 articles. 1. Racing returns at Santa Anita. The historic Santa Anita racetrack reopened Friday for racing amid concerns for horse safety and the future of the track and the industry. There were no deaths in eight races Friday, which had been closed for racing since March 5.
2. Back in the saddle: racing resumes without incident after 26-day closure.
$12 million headquarters of the Angeles National Forest Service was dedicated yesterday. It is an environmentaly energy efficient 24,000 square feet administrative facility at 701 N. Santa Anita Avenue. Mary McGrath, of Mary McGrath Architects, was the executive architect on the project.
45th Annual Arcadia Invitational track and field event took place at Arcadia High School yesterday. The Arcadia High School girls team of Laura Guidolin, Isabel Annino, Veronica Yamane (photo) and Glyndyll Mancia finished fifth with the ninth fastest time in the nation at 9:22.09 in the 4X800 relay. The Arcadia High School boys team of Ryan Vargas, Francis Lee, Juan DeLaRosa and Tony Moseley ran the nation's fourth fastest time, 7:48.66. Yamane ran her personal best in the 3,200-meter race.
210 Freeway sound wall is finished. The Metro project, which started in 2009, consists of 2 miles of sound walls along westbound and eastbound lanes of the 210 Freeway between Santa Anita Avenue and California Avenue in Arcadia and Monrovia, paid with Measure R funds. The sound walls provide at least 5 decibels of noise reduction. A ribbon cutting ceremony was held. Several Arcadia residents near Victory Chapel on N. First Avenue, where the sound wall ends, are disappointed the barrier doesn't extend farther west.
The 2010 All-Area Girls Tennis was named. Those from Arcadia High School are Caroline Young, Michelle Zhu, Francis Dean, Annie Tung and Elizabeth Lieu. Coach of the Year is Jerry Dohling. An Arcadia High School girl on the second team is Nadia Pacheco-Amaro.
Abandoned pet turtles, specifically red-eared slider turtles that are native to Louisiana, are turning up at the Los Angeles County Arboretum in Arcadia (shown in photograph), Huntington Library, and local golf courses. It is illegal to buy turtles less than 4 inches long and to dump them. They threaten to push out the state's only native turtles species in urban and natural waters here.
Actress and model Bo Derek has photographed jockey Chantal Sutherland nude, inside Santa Anita Park's elegant Turf Club Chandelier Room, for June's Vanity Fair magazine.
After a five-year hiatus, Arcadia City Council is considering reinstating a policy that would let property owners pay to be assigned a more auspicious house number, which some believe would improve the value of their home. The number 4 in a street address is considered a bad omen in many Asian cultures. In Mandarin language, the word "four" sounds like the word for death, while the number eight is considered lucky, because it sounds like the word for prosper. Arcadia's Asian population is approaching 60% and most potential buyers will be Asian. In a 3-2 vote, Arcadia City Council endorsed the move in principle and directed staff to report back on the costs involved.
After a two-year suspension, the Arcadia City Council will reinstate a coyote trapping program, after residents complained that the animals are attacking pets and showing aggressive behavior. The city has contracted with Animal Pest Management of Chino, California, to trap coyotes and euthanize them.
Afternoon for young inventors at NASA's JPL at the Annual Invention Challenge. Shown in photo Arcadia High School student Taesong Hwang. Arcadia High School's team entered a water conveyor transport system in the contest.
Altrusa Club of Arcadia celebrated 52 years. Arcadia Mayor John Wuo presented the club with a special commendation from the city for its service to the community.
The American Red Cross chapter in Arcadia has laid off 10 of 11 employees, citing a large budget deficit. Chapter officials say all services will continue, with help from staff from the Los Angeles and San Gabriel/Pomona Valley chapters. Most of the laid off staff were trainers who taught first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation.
Annual Taste of Arcadia, an Arcadia Chamber of Commerce event, will take place Monday, September 19 at the Los Angeles County Arboretum. As always, a percentage of proceeds goes to three local non-profit organizations. This year, the beneficiaries are Assistance League of Arcadia, the Boy Scouts of America/Lucky Baldwin District, and the Arboretum Foundation.
Arcadia aims to upgrade city library. The library is getting community feedback at a community needs assessment forum tonight and has hired an outside party to create a survey written in three languages. The goal is to determine what barriers they need to overcome to bring more people to the library and which programs and services need improvement, particularly in the technology sector.
Arcadia author Patricia Anaya has written an anti-bullying book for kids, inspired by a child's suicide. It is called "The Three Powers: Magic to Love Yourself."