Popular "Star Wars" talents to head fundraiser on May 4 at Chalice Collectibles at The Shops at Santa Anita mall in Arcadia, 400 South Baldwin Avenue. All proceeds go to the Make-A-Wish Foundation and Starlight Foundation. Pictured is Kat Cressida, the voice of Princess Leia in popular video games. See also Arcadia Weekly, pp. 1, 15, March 28, 2024.
The surprising Anna May Wong. Like many, author Katie Salisbury was startled to learn of the star, then couldn't stop looking. Wong was a famous Chinese-American movie star in the 1920s and 1930s and had her own television series in the early 1950s. Salisbury's nonfiction book about Wong's life is titled Not Your China Doll. The author is half-Chinese and grew up in Arcadia.
The price hasn't been right for bettors at Santa Anita Park. It's too easy to pick the winners. Betting favorites are winning 46% of the races since the meet opened December 26. That's much higher than normal in thoroughbred racing (about 33%), than the highest for any of Santa Anita's 85 previous winter-spring seasons.
Jury finds Deyun Shi, guilty of killing nephews in their Arcadia home. Shi is convicted of two counts of first-degree murder in the 2016 'revenge' act against estranged wife. See also Pasadena Star News, p. A8, March 13, 2024- Jurors get case of man charged in killings of nephews in Arcadia.
Monterey Park mass shooting one year later. City still lives in massacre's shadow. Permanent memorial to the 11 victims is still in planning stages. In Arcadia, doughnut business owners Francois Ung and his wife Shally Ung remember and honor their friend Andy Kao, a victim of the shooting at the Star Ballroom Dance Studio on January 21, 2023, with a pledge that they will send proceeds from sales at their Arcadia Donuts store on January 20 and 21 to the Monterey Park Hope and Resiliency Center and the Andy Kao Memorial Ballroom Dance Group to assist funding the nonprofit organizations. See also related article, "Who were the Monterey Park shooting victims? A year later, a reflection," Pasadena Star News, p. A13, January 21, 2024.
Arcadia City Council members standing, left to right: Michael Cao, April Verlato, Eileen Wang, Sharon Kwan, and Paul P. Cheng. Seated is Gene Glasco, retiring as City Clerk as of April 16, 2024.
Meet Rose Queen Naomi Stillitano. Profile on the Arcadia High School senior, who is ready to welcome new year in style going down Colorado Boulevard. See hard copy in VF Tournament of Roses. See also: Learn more about the 2024 Rose Court's six princesses, p. A5.
Four men sought in smash-and-grab thefts of purses and watches from the store Rebag at The Shops at Santa Anita mall, at 400 South Baldwin Avenue, on Sunday afternoon, December 3. See also Mountain Views News, p. 1, December 9, 2023.
Bay Area horse racing track Golden Gate Fields in San Francisco to close permanently later this year. After the Golden Gate Fields meet ends, The Stronach Group said it will focus on moving horses from the Bay Area to Arcadia, with a goal of increasing field sizes and adding a fourth day of racing to the weekly schedule at Santa Anita Park, beginning in January. See hard copy in VF. See also Arcadia Weekly, p. 28, July 20, 2023.
Pasadena Pops presents in concert "Michael Feinstein Sings Broadway" at the Los Angeles County Arboretum, July 29. Future concerts include "The Music of Queen" on August 26 and "Hollywood Blockbusters" on September 9.
Coverage of the 55th Arcadia Invitational, considered one of the top high school track and field meets in the nation. It brings together the stars of track and field from the state and throughout the country for a 2-day competition at Arcadia High School. Arcadia event coordinator Rich Gonzalez says a record 690 schools are participating from 36 different states. Spotlight on Kayla McBride from Ayala High School. See also spotlight on South Pasadena High School's Mia Holden, at Pasadena Star News, p. B2, April 8, 2023.
Whittier woman,102, embraces change. Story about Mildred Mellin and husband George Mellin. George died in 2016. He had retired after 26 years of military service and became a teacher at Arcadia High School. Her secret to longevity is one Coors Light every night with popcorn.
Santa Anita Park faces suits from former Human Resources head over COVID-19 protocols. Plaintiff Jill Eknoian-Lopez alleges she was forced to resign in 2021 after experiencing a backlash when she complained the company was not following a safe coronavirus protocol. See also Arcadia Weekly, p. 15, March 23, 2023.
Diners line up to get last meal at Rod's Grill in Arcadia. Restaurant that has served generations of people closes on Sunday (yesterday). Hundreds of diners made a final pilgrimage to Rod's Grill in Arcadia at 41 W. Huntington Drive, along Historic Route 66. Rod Wellman started the restaurant in 1946 in Alhambra. The Arcadia location opened in 1957 offering 10 cent coffees and 40 cent slices of pie a la mode. Wellman's sons Barry and Brian took over years later, then Manny Romero bought it about 25 years ago and kept its vintage vibe. Romero was an immigrant from Mexico. He died in 2021. Television shows such as This is Us, Mad Men, Last Man Standing, and Luck, had filmed episodes there. See hard copy in VF. See also Pasadena Star News, p. A3, A4, February 9, 2023.
Arcadia City Council approves a temporary permit for an inflatable Fun Box play area in the parking lot of The Shops at Santa Anita mall (formerly Westfield Santa Anita mall, name was changed in 2022). It will run from March 1 through May 23. The Shops at Santa Anita is at 400 S. Baldwin Avenue.
26 local schools earn high honors, the 2023 California Distinguished Schools award, including Hugo Reid Elementary, Camino Grove Elementary, Highland Oaks Elementary, Rancho Learning Center, Baldwin Stocker Elementary, Holly Avenue Elementary and Longley Way Elementary School from the Arcadia Unified School District.
Woman gets 20 years in prison for bilking investors. Ruixue "Serena" Shi, 38, of Arcadia, bilked investors in a Southern California hotel and condominium project of at least $26 million. See also Arcadia Weekly, p. 8, 14, November 24, 2022.
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.
Monrovia man Yi Chen gets 4 years in prison for fraud in a student visa scheme to get Chinese immigrants into the U.S. unlawfully. From June 2015-February 2021, Chen was the CEO and owner of two so-called educational consulting companies in Alhambra and Arcadia that charged foreign students thousands of dollars for "guaranteed" admission to a college that would lead to the issuance of an F-1 student visa. See also Arcadia Weekly, p. 2, October 6, 2022.