Arcadia High School's cross country team, coached by Jim O'Brien, has received praise and accolades since qualifying for the CIF State Finals for the first time in school history. Arcadia's top runners are Paul Beckwith and Andrew Pilavjian.
73-year-old Jesus Plasencia Lopez from El Monte has been arrested for a fatal hit-and-run. He allegedly drove a Saturn that hit Guey-Ying Wu and her husband Chia Wu at Santa Anita Avenue and Camino Real Avenue in Arcadia. Lopez is being held at Los Angeles County Jail on $50,000 bail.
As their own volunteer project, local boys from Arcadia acquire shelving and install it at Bienvenidos Children's Center in Altadena. Sam Pievac Co. in Santa Fe Springs donated the shelves.
Gold Line Foothill Extension Authority officials unveiled a San Gabriel Valley-themed design for a rail bridge honoring local wildlife and native cultures. The span of the 739-foot bridge will stretch diagonally across the 210 Freeway to Santa Anita Avenue in Arcadia. It will be adorned by four basket-shaped columns and the bridge itself will have individual grooves resembling the scales of a snake. Andrew Leicester is the artist and designer.
A jury hears defendant Richard Robert Russo's conversation with Arcadia policeman Bruce Smith as he says, "I killed my wife." Russo's wife Carmen had about 18 bullet holes in her body. Russo is charged with murder and two counts of child abuse. They lived in the exclusive Santa Anita Oaks neighborhood of Arcadia.
Ryan Michaelson, 20, of Temple City, and Andrew Hernandez, 32, of Rosemead were arrested by Arcadia police on Friday. Michaelson was booked on suspicion of transporting an explosive device. Hernandez allegedly pulled the pin on a hand grenade and held police at bay for 5 hours. A hostage negotiation team convinced him to surrender.
The Arcadia Board of Education promised parents and supporters of former teacher Sandra Ragusa a statement on why she was not allowed to withdraw her resignation.
Survey proposed on Arcadia Arts Center. The city and school district may collaborate on a public survey to determine public attitude toward construction of an Arts Center in Arcadia. City Manager Bill Kelly told local leaders that an arts center could cost from $5 to $15 million, whether it is an auditorium alone, or a complex, which could include an art gallery and meeting rooms.
Featured articles on Seabiscuit include quotes from the book, readers remembering the horse, locals used as extras in the filming of the movie at Santa Anita Park, silver lined hooves on display at the California the Thoroughbred Association's library, information on Gary Stevens, and interviews with author Laura Hillenbrand.
Mark Wourms, CEO of the Arboretum, says the Arboretum is trying to meet the needs of its demographics. A new activity area called the Children's Discovery Node will open tomorrow featuring a large earthen turtle (or rabbit) and a scented maze of lavender and rosemary.
Arcadia Unified School District is urging parents by letter to send their children to school if they show no symptoms of the recently discovered Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS). SARS was first diagnosed in China and Hong Kong, and is similar to the flu.
Arcadia Methodist Hospital employs a staff of seven full-time interpreters fluent in medical terminology and the most common Chinese dialects to help with patients who don't speak English. Dr. Andrew Lee, internist, occasionally talks to patients in the Spanish he learned as a resident, but the hospital will be having a team of Spanish interpreters next month.
City of Arcadia's Housing Element receives state certification. The Housing Element is one of seven state-mandated elements to address specificities in housing requirements, based on four income level categories, as illustrated in the city's General Plan.