5,133 attended the first day of inter-track wagering at Santa Anita Park where wagering was offered on racing at Del Mar. $1,069,980 was wagered on the simulcast races. Santa Anita Park is one of 10 off-track wagering satellites.
The $10.5 million renovation project at Santa Anita Fashion Park has begun, with a formal ground-breaking ceremony to be held January 26. The project is expected to last 10 months.
200 people turned out to honor retired Arcadia Tribune editor, Helen Schrader. The retirement party included mayors and public officials from surrounding communities served by the Foothill Inter-City newspapers which were edited by Mrs. Schrader.
After serving 17 years as a crossing guard, 83-year-old Harry Christianson is retiring. The children at Highland Oaks honored him with a special Mr. Chris Day.
An Arcadia undercover police officer, 28, helped a Drug Enforcement Administration team and the LAPD in Sylmar for the biggest drug bust in history, a cache of 20 tons of cocaine valued at $20 billion. Federal agents also confiscated $10 million in cash.
Anoakia School plans to relocate to another city. The Fire Department has cited the school with many violations in the past year. Last month the Department closed a group of 10 classrooms for being unsafe.
Arcadia Board of Education candidate, Gene Shepherd feels it is unfair that he and 3 other candidates were not interviewed (as they had been in past years) by Arcadians for Arcadia. A spokesman for the group said it was pointless to interview Shepherd since the 3 incumbents "are doing a good job" while Shepherd "hasn't proven himself."
The Arcadia Board of Education ratified a new contract with the district's teachers by a 4-1 vote, but with some reservations about a binding arbitration provision (which would have district-teachers disputes resolved by a 3rd party). The contract includes a 10% salary increase for 1984/85 and an increase from a 177-day a year student school year to 180 days, along with lengthier instructional time per day.
The Arcadia City Council has grounded a proposal that would have allowed hang glider pilots to land their grafts on an unused LA County floodplain in the north end of the city. The 30 pilots of the Mr. Wilson Soaring Society need a landing site because the one used for the last 8 years in Pasadena has been developed with the new Pasadena Rose Court homes.
Arcadian Luben Balabanoff, a Bulgarian by birth, was in Dresden, Germany when it was bombed during World War II. Retired now, he has spent the last 10 years making travel films and touring with them.
Arcadian Roger S. Stevens, a flutist with the Los Angeles Philharmonic for 30 years, is a professor of music at USC. As owner and pilot of a Cessna 182, Stevens frequently flies himself and his wife, Dr. Margaret M. Stevens, minister of the Santa Anita Church, to classes and speaking engagements in other areas.
The Arcadia Planning Commission approved a request for a variation in the distance between buildings for a proposed 20-unit condominium project at 412-422 California St. and 417-421 Diamond St. The variance would allow a 10-18 foot distance between buildings, instead of the standard 20-foot requirement.
Arcadia resident Dean Murray spends his weekends working at the Universal Studio Tours as the "Hulk" from the TV program "The Incredible Hulk." Article outlines Murray;s background and other interests.
Arcadia's Mini-Mall contains several shops and services all housed in what residents still call the old Market Basket building at 30 S. First Ave. Past and present occupants are mentioned.
The Arcadia Unified School District again ranked among the top 10% of statewide districts in the latest California Assessment Program (CAP) results. CAP scores were based on tests given to 3rd and 6th grade students last May in math, reading, and writing as well as tests given to 8th-graders in reading, math, history and science.
Arcadia voters will have an opportunity to vote for a change in the city charter at the April 10 election. A majority vote will be required to elect future members to the City Council of amendment is passed.