Star Wars celebrities to gather for fan event at Chalice Collectibles in Arcadia to raise funds for charity. Chalice Collectibles is one of the biggest independent retail stores selling Funko Pops (mostly vinyl pop culture figurines). Chris Bartlett, the voice and human behind C-3PO and 1-JAC on the Disney Plus streaming series "Obi Wan Kenobi," Kat Cressida, the voice of Princess Leia in "Star Wars: Rebellion," "X-Wing Alliance," and "Star Wars: Rogue Squadron," Misty Rosas, who portrayed Kuiil and Frog Lady on "The Mandalorian," and Leilani Shiu, who portrayed Teeka the Jawa on "Obi Wan Kenobi," Tatooine Jawa and offworld Jawa on "The Mandalorian" and other roles on "The Book of Boba Fett" will be there to sign toys and stuff. Chalice Collectibles is located in The Shops at Santa Anita (mall), 400 South Baldwin, Suite 2, Arcadia, CA 91007.
USC Arcadia Hospital announces leadership changes. The appointments will "better serve its community and align with Keck Medicine of USC health system." Colleen Wilcoxen, is now chief nursing officer. Robert Begg has been named Vice President of Human Resources and will supervise workforce training and development. Beginning January 29, Lisa Johnson will serve as the USC-AH chief quality officer.
Indictment implicates Baldwin Park's ex-city attorney Robert Tafoya in $70,000 bribery scheme to help secure cannabis permit from a vote by Councilman Ricardo Pacheco. Special agents with the FBI and IRS arrested former Compton Councilmember Isaac Galvan, 36, and another person, a 50-year-old Arcadia resident, who is the owner and operator of a cannabis grower that obtained a permit in Baldwin Park.
Bella Ballard of Altadena is the Rose Queen of the 2023 Pasadena Tournament of Roses. Sahanna Rajinikanthan, one of the Royal Court, is an Arcadia resident and a senior at Arcadia High School. Royal Court. See also Arcadia Weekly, p. 14, October 27, 2022.
National Merit Scholarship Foundation announces 2023 semifinalis from Los Angeles County. The Arcadia High School students are Ian Chan, Kevin Y. Hu, Cassie Kao, Weber C. Lin, Tin P. Nguyen, Carolyn Sun, Ashley K. Te, Nathan Vuong, Avari Wang, Phoebe Wang, and Stephanie H. Wang.
ChapCare opens weekend COVID-19 vaccination clinic at Westfield Santa Anita. Congresswoman Judy Chu (CA-27) stresses the importance of getting the vaccine at a press conference last Thursday.
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.
Mayors ask for zoning bill veto. 27 San Gabriel Valley cities urge Governor Gavin Newsom to kill legislation that changes single-family lots to allow zoning for up to 4 units. This is Senate Bill 9, introduced by Senator Toni Atkins. The San Gabriel Valley Council of Governments advocates for addressing the affordable housing shortage by rezoning vacant and nonviable commercial properties and providing incentives to affordable housing developers to build on that land. SGVCG's letter in opposition was signed by Alhambra, Arcadia, Azusa, Baldwin Park, Bradbury, and others.
Arcadia City Manager Dominic Lazzaretto has appointed Captain Roy Nakamura as the city's 30th police chief. He is a 28-year veteran of the Arcadia Police Department. He succeeds Chief Robert T. Guthrie, who is retiring. Nakamura is the first police chief of Japanese and Asian descent in a city that once temporarily incarcerated Japanese and Japanese-Americans at Santa Anita Park. Arcadia's population is currently 60.8% Asian.
Two related stories.
Early to the party - Voting: Poll workers say regional centers are swamped on first day of in-person balloting.
Scattered paper jams, tech glitches don’t spoil first in-person day at the polls. many of 2020’s early voters showed up to voting centers before they even opened on Saturday, Oct. 24, the first day of in-person balloting in Los Angeles County.
But much to the relief of voters and elections officials, the kind of polling-place meltdowns that left voters angered and election officials worried back in March, when the county debuted its $300 million network of vote centers, did not repeat. Back in March, for the primary, many voters were left seething after tech glitches delayed the opening of some sites and even forced the Hollywood site to close down.
But Saturday’s voting played out much more smoothly. And when issues did pop up, they appeared to have been resolved quickly in most cases.
Behind the scenes, poll workers reported paper jams and other tech issues, some of which caused short delays.
Many voters were certainly eager to cast their ballots. Several voting centers saw a line wrapped around the building before they opened. Such hubs included large polling locations, such as the Arboretum and Botanical Gardens in Arcadia, stocked with 45 of the county’s new voting devices.
Los Angeles County - Congressional races include some on national stage
District 27: Judy Chu (D) vs. Johnny Nalbandian (R)
The District: District 27 encompasses parts of L.A. and San Bernardino counties including Pasadena, Arcadia, Rosemead, Glendora, and Claremont. Home to approximately 709,231 people, this district has been represented by Judy Chu (D-Monterey Park) since 2013. Most residents of District 27 are Asian (37.94%), White (29.22%), or Hispanic (26.88%).
Half Day After School Camp Offered at Two Arcadia Elementary Schools.
As the 2020-2021 school year begins, Arcadia Recreation and Community Services Department will be offering a half day after school camp that will follow approved modifications by the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health. These guidelines are subject to change, based on the local protocols related to COVID-19 and will be sent out to parents at registration.
The half day after school camp will be offered at Baldwin Stocker Elementary School and Camino Grove Elementary School from 1-5 p.m. beginning Aug. 24. Registration is $92 per week and will open on a monthly basis. Camp will still offer a variety of organized recreational activities for ages 5-12, led by trained activity leaders. Registration is now open for camp taking place Aug. 24 – Oct. 2 online at ArcadiaCA.gov/recreation.
Back on track. Santa Anita Park resumes racing today, still minus spectators and with several precautions. The last time there was racing was March 27, when the track was shut down by Los Angeles County Health Department to slow the spread of coronavirus. Some of the most important protocols include: restricted zone that will house jockeys, valets and essential personnel, all trainers, employees and essential racing personnel must wear face cloths covering their nose and mouth and practice social distancing, all trainers, employees and essential racing personnel must wear a race-day wristband signifying they passed the daily health screening.
Le Meridien hotel by Marriott in Arcadia is taking shape. Photo. The site of the former Santa Anita Inn, now razed, is the site for an ambitious new $300 million hotel and mixed-use condominium project opposite the Santa Anita Park racetrack. Contruction has been swift, but delayed a bit this week due to the rain. Developer Chateau Group USA held a ceremonial groundbreaking for the project on June 27, 2018.
Arcadia adopts comprehensive pension management plan, saving $85 million. It addresses the City's $154 million in unfunded pension liabilities. It focuses on:
-use of reserves to prepay existing liabilities
-refinancing existing debt to lower interest rates to free up cash flow
-prepaying costs with surplus funds from voter-approved Measure A sales tax increase
-financing long-term capital improvements
-using pension obligation bonds to lower the overall costs of pensions
-negotiating for more employee cost-sharing.
See also Arcadia Weekly, p. 3, February 27, 2020
Bradbury man Steve Chen, CEO of U.S. Fine Investment Arts, Inc. Gem Coin, and other companies, allegedly conspired to commit fraud with his Arcadia-based marketing company, to plead guilty. He promised potential investors gemstones from their mines along with valuable digital currency. See also Arcadia Weekly, p. 4, February 27, 2020.
Arcadia kicks off 2020 City Council election. Final candidates in District 1 are Mayor April Verlato running for reelection and newcomer Yuli J. Sira. Verlato is currently on the last year of her first term on city council and she as elected mayor her last year. She is an attorney with Verlato and Roberts law firm in Arcadia. She is a native of Arcadia, with a long list of endorsements, including former mayors of Arcadia. Sira is a real estate agent with Coldwell Banker. District 4 has two candidates--longstanding council member and former mayor Peter Amundson and newcomer Paul Cheng. Amundson has completed three terms on City Council and served twice as mayor. He is an Arcadia native, with a long list of endorsements. Paul P. Cheng is a highly publicized attorney specializing in business operations and commercial realty transactions. He previously ran for Arcadia City Council in 2010. Also up for reelection is City Clerk Gene Glasco. He is running unopposed.
Gene Glasco, City Clerk 2012-2024. Retired in 2024. This photo c. 2020. Gene Glasco is a native Californian and long time resident of Arcadia. Gene attended Highland Oaks Elementary school, First Avenue Junior High School, and is a graduate of Arcadia High School where he lettered in Football and played second chair trombone in the award-winning AHS Marching Band. Gene is Arcadia’s first elected City Clerk that is a graduate of Arcadia High School.
Gene served six years in the United States Navy. He spent fourteen months in Vietnam as a Radioman in support of US Navy riverboat activities in the Mekong Delta and is a service-connected disabled Veteran. Gene is an Honor Role graduate of Cuesta College in San Luis Obispo. He attended San Jose State University where he majored in Public Relations with a minor in Asian American History. After thirty years in the foodservice industry, Gene retired from Glasco and Associates, Inc. He also has practiced real estate in Arcadia.