Veteran paddock guard at Santa Anita Park, John Shear, will be honored on October 1, for his heroic act of shielding a 6-year-old girl from a runaway horse on March 12, 2011, with a race named "The John Shear Hero Purse." The race will include a winner's circle ceremony in which 90-year-old Shear will be recognized.
Arcadia Elks Lodge, which is a non-profit charitable organization, has donated $5,590 since April 2011 to local organizations such as Arcadia High School baseball, City of Hope, Salvation Army, Special Olympics, Children's Wish Foundation and many more. The lodge has been located in Arcadia since 1957, at 27 West Huntington Drive.
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.
Live racing returns to Santa Anita Park for its Autumn Meet, which runs September 30-November 6, 2011. This fall features racing on Thursdays through Sundays.
Several San Gabriel Valley teachers were honored last Friday at the annual Teachers of the Year Awards and Banquet given by the Los Angeles County Office of Education. Talmage Jones, of Arcadia High School, was one of 16 County Teachers of the Year.
Construction of the Metro Gold Line Foothill Extension bridge, that will span the 210 Freeway, has begun. Preparation of the giant column supports included drilling over 100 feet into the ground. The 584-foot Gold Line bridge will take shape by December. It replaces an old railroad bridge across the freeway, which was built about 1969 and torn down in 1997, said Gary Baker, director of construction for the Metro Gold Line Foothill Extension Construction Authority. The bridge's design has been controversial, as some say it is not representative of the origins of the area. The entire bridge is slated to be finished summer 2012.
Arcadia High School was locked down by Arcadia police for several hours on Tuesday, November 1. A note received by high school officials indicated that people would be killed on the campus that day. Students were released without incident. The investigation led Arcadia police to Holly Avenue Elementary School, which was on lockdown as well.
Crystal Ball raised $500,000 for Arcadia Methodist Hospital. Legendary singer Paul Anka performed. Crystal Ball honorees were Sandy Whitman and Alan Whitman.
Sneak preview for HBO's "Luck" on December 11. It is a highly anticipated show on HBO starring Dustin Hoffman, Nick Nolte, Dennis Farina, John Ortiz and others. It is filmed in large part at Santa Anita Park and written and produced by David Milch. The show's official pilot premiere on HBO is January 29, 2012.
Home invasion robbery in unincorporated Arcadia leaves father of 3 dead. Police issue sketch of wanted subject. The dead man is Jose Antonio Parra and lived on the 11000 block of Kristi Court.
Red Robin Gourmet Burgers, Inc. opens their newest restaurant at 400 S. Baldwin Avenue, at the Westfield Santa Anita Mall in Arcadia, on the second story of Promenade Shops near Macy's on January 9, 2012.
Arcadia's Baldwin Stocker Elementary School and Pasadena's Roosevelt Elementary have been nominated for National Blue Ribbon honor. The program recognizes some of the highest performing and most improved schools in the nation.
The next Arcadia city council election in April will be an all-mail ballot, that is saving the city thousands of dollars. The five candidates for two seats are Arcadia Mayor Gary Kovacic, John Wuo, Sho Tay, Henry Nunez and Mary Dougherty.
Obituary/death notice. An emotional farewell to Arcadia firefighter Andy Michael Troncale. He died at age 52 of cancer. Funeral services were held January 30, 2012 at Holy Angels Catholic Church, interment at Rose Hills Memorial Park in Whittier.
HBO Television show "Luck" will hold open casting call February 12 for extras and season two will begin production. Shown in picture are actor Nick Nolte and Carolyn Conley, from HRTV.
Gold Line bridge across the 210 Freeway just west of Santa Anita Avenue is underway. There is a temporary support structure across the lanes which allows trucks under 15 feet tall to pass freely. When the structure is complete, the Gold Line Construction Authority says the height allowance will be 19 feet. The $18.6 million, 584-foot Gold Line Bridge, the first component of the 11.5 mile Pasadena to Azusa Metro Gold Line Foothill Extension, started last summer and expected to be completed later this year.
Congressional Gold Medal of Honor presented to Sierra Madre Nisei soldier Shoso Nomura, age 93. It has been 68 years since Nomura served as a Japanese-American intelligence officer for the U.S. Army in World War II. He was born on Lucky Baldwin's daughter Anita Baldwin's ranch (corner of Foothill Boulevard and Double Drive--known today as Santa Anita Avenue).