Former Arcadia mayor George Fasching has been named to a 12-member committee to oversee the spending of up to $150 million in bond money at Pasadena City College.
Profile and biography of jockey George Woolf, also known as Iceman. Woolf rode race horse Seabiscuit to fame in 1938. He died in 1946. There is a statue in his memory at Santa Anita Park.
At the recent Bravo Society Dinner, held to recognize major supporters of California Philharmonic Orchestra, George Fasching of Arcadia was given the Crystal Vision Award. This award is given to an individual whose vision and actions demonstrate an extraordinary commitment to Cal Phil.
The history of local restaurant The Derby, since it was originally founded in 1922 as Proctors Tavern, to being bought by jockey George Woolfe in 1938, then sold to Dominic and Lorene Sturniolo, or Sturinolo (article has it spelled both ways) is presented. See VF "Restaurants, Bars, etc." for copy of article.
Hall of Fame jockey and Sierra Madre resident Gary Stevens is doing well after a fall that injured his lung and shoulders at the Arlington Million. Stevens, in his first acting role, starred as George "The Iceman" Woolf in the Universal film, Seabiscuit. Stevens has won the Santa Anita Derby.
The City Council approved three members for the Planning Commission. They are attorney Craig Lucas, architect Frank Hsu, and manager-consultant S. H. Wen.
Plans are underway for "Peacock Corner" at the fountain and entrance at Arcadia County Park at Santa Anita Avenue and Huntington Drive. The bronze peacock will be 8 feet tall.
A black-tie centennial ball was held in Ayres Hall at Los Angeles County Arboretum, with a Greek theme. Dinner was catered by The Derby Restaurant. Pictured at Pamela Blackwood (Chairman of the Centennial Ball committee, George Fasching, Susan Guirguis, Mayor Gary Kovacic, Gail Marshall, Mickey Segal, John Wuo, Bob Margett, Jim Helms, Floretta Lauber, Robert Harbicht, Edward Butterworth and Charles Gilb.
New Arcadia police station opens to the public on Friday, October 3, 2003 at 4:30 PM. It is a state-of-the-art facility that is now bigger and better equipped than the old station that has since been demolished. It waas built using an $8 million bond measure in addition to $8 million that had alerady been allocated from the city general fund and city redevelopment funds.
In Arcadia, 8 schools increased their Academic Performance Index (API) scores and two declined. Dana Middle School and First Avenue Middle School were the schools that showed declines in API scores.
First Avenue Middle School celebrated the 26th birthday and life of teacher Jennifer Castillo with a ceremony and the release of over 900 balloons. She taught 6th grade Algebra and introductory Spanish. She died February 8 of heart failure.
Manny Romero, owner of Rod's Grill, has initiated Measure A to try to block the Rusnak Mercedes Benz automobile dealership from expanding. The city has put out a counter measure, Measure B, to citizens to vote on at the May 8 election.
Dr. Charles H. Strub brought horse racing back to Arcadia. After the state made it legal again in 1930, Anita Baldwin tried to revive her father, Elias J. "Lucky" Baldwin's dream of a Santa Anita Racetrack. She worked with Joe Smoot but he couldn't achieve this, even though Arcadia City Council licensed his Santa Anita Jockey Club. San Francisco dentist Charles H. Strub (pronounced Stroob), owner of the San Francisco Seals baseball team, got a license for the Los Angeles Turf Club and founded Santa Anita Park with Hal Roach and other promoters. The track was designed by Gordon Kaufman and opened December 25, 1934.
Grant Chu, son of Mr. and Mrs. Ming R. Chu of Arcadia, received a Bachelor of Science degree in neuroscience from Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island.
The Arcadia City Council has adopted an ordinance with rules for using Bonita Park's Skateboard Park. The city will follow state requirements that skateboarders must wear a helmet, elbow pads, and knee pads. Hours are 8 A.M. to 10 P.M. Alcohol, drugs, and smoking are forbidden, as are graffiti and reckless skating.
An 8-foot tall bronze tribute to Arcadia's official bird, the peacock, will be unveiled August 5, as part of the city's centennial celebration. The statue will be located in the fountain at Peacock Corner, in the front of Arcadia County Park, at the southwest corner of Huntington Drive and Santa Anita Avenue. The sculptor of the peacock is Dave Chapple and the sculpture cost $30,000.
Former Arcadia High School baseball coach Mike Parisi was arrested June 8 on suspicion of cocaine possession and of being under the influence of the drug. The Arcadia school board dismissed him. He will begin a 2-week trial period in drug court on August 7, where he will undergo counseling, drug testing, and a 12-step program.
The city has taken a second pumper truck out of service following a July 4 incident in which a water pump failed to engage on a fire truck. The two engines that malfunctioned were bought from Kovatch Mobile Equipment Fire Apparatus. David Contreras died in the July 4 incident. See related story, Arcadia Weekly, July 11, 2002, p. 8.