Crime statistics for the first six months of 1980 show an increase in all categories. There have already been five bank robberies this year. According to Police Chief Charles Mitchell, "We're taking a beating."
Paul A. Jones has been appointed president of the Southland National Bank, scheduled to open this month at 800 South Santa Anita Avenue. The article gives a brief run-down on Mr. Jones' banking career and educational background.
A continuous left turn lane will be provided in the center of Duarte Road from Lovell Ave. to Baldwin Ave., and directional left turn lights will be installed at the Baldwin and Duarte intersection. This was passed by the Council, requested by the West Arcadia Business and Professional Association.
The foundation of Arcadia's first redevelopment project is being poured at the corner of 5th Avenue and Huntington Drive. The prime tenant of the 3-story office building will be Arcadia's Southland National Bank.
A new RTD line (119) has been instituted between Arcadia and Pasadena. It covers the area from Lincoln Ave. to Washington Blvd., Altadena Ave. to Orange Grove, out to Baldwin and terminating at Fashion Park. Buses leave every 30 minutes on weekdays.
The Arcadia Historical Society building was recently moved to its permanent location across from the Chamber of Commerce in Arcadia Park. The building was moved from 30 North Santa Anita Avenue to First Avenue just south of Huntington Drive.
An Arcadia man who didn't like a group of church Christmas carolers singing on his front lawn, brandished a gun at the group and threatened to kill them unless they got off his property. Police surrounded his house for an hour before he surrendered.
Harry Hufford, the chief administrative officer for Los Angeles County, predicted that taxes would double for residents of Newhall-Saugus-Santa Clarita Valley area if they were to break away from Los Angeles County. The same would hold true for the San Gabriel Valley.
An international businessman was abducted from his Arcadia home and later released the same evening after his abductors demanded he pay them $1 million. He was told that he would be contacted the next day with instructions about where to put the money, but no money has been paid. This is the first kidnapping of this type in Arcadia, although there have been four other kidnappings in the San Gabriel Valley since last October.
A house-to-house survey of registered voters in Annexation Area 80-2 shows that most of the voters favor annexation by Arcadia over Temple City. Article gives the breakdown by street. The area is an "island" bounded by Temple City Blvd. on the west, Longden Ave. on the south, and the Arcadia boundary on the north and east.
On behalf of the Arcadia Redevelopment Agency, Mayor Gilb accepted a check for $250,000 from Hometel of America Corporation. This is the first of several payments toward the purchase of the property at the northeast corner of Second Ave. and Huntington Dr.