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.
Star Wars stars to meet fans, raise funds for charity at Chalice Collectibles signing event at The Shops at Santa Anita mall in Arcadia. The event raises funds for two of Lucas Films's favorite charities: The Make-A-Wish Foundation and Starlight Foundation. See also Arcadia Weekly, pp. 1, 15, March 28, 2024.
Longtime Arcadia City Clerk Gene Glasco retires. Glasco has served 12 years as its elected City Clerk. In 2022, Arcadia voters approved an update to the City Charter that eliminated the position of the elected City Clerk. With Glasco's retirement, the City Manager will appoint a City Clerk. Most of the traditional City Clerk duties are currently performed by professional staff in the City Manager's Office, ensuring uninterrupted service to the public. Photo of Glasco with Arcadia City Council. See press release dated April 18, 2024 in VF for full-text.
Ochoa, Holden, Murray impress at the 56th Arcadia Invitational. The high school stars of track and field, from around the San Gabriel Valley, the state, and throughout the country, show up at the Arcadia Invitation, held at Arcadia High School.
National monument expansion possible. Report claims United States President Joe Biden plans to add a third more land to the protection of the San Gabriel Mountains.
One found dead in apartment fire on Genoa Street near First Avenue on Sunday, April 7. Arcadia police Lieutenant Kollin Cieadlo said there were no signs of foul play so far. Charlie Tuggle, a battalion chief with Arcadia Fire Department estimated damages to the structure at $10,000 and $1,000 to the contents. Arcadia fire Captain Drew Pryor said the call came in at 9:18 P.M. and the bathroom of the apartment was on fire. By 9:37 P.M. the fire was out. The dead man's identity has not been released.
High school boys basketball All-Area team has been named. Nate Garcia, junior at Damien, is Player of the Year. Those from Arcadia are guard Jordan Dollar on the First Team, and forward Mansour Sanneh and guard Noa Eteuati-Edwards on the Third Team.
Pasadena Symphony announces Brett Mitchell as new music director, beginning a 5-year tenure on April 1. The Pasadena Symphony makes up half of the Pasadena Symphony and Pops Organization, and officials said Michael Feinstein will continue as conductor of the Pasadena Pops, which presents an annual summer concert series at the Los Angeles County Arboretum and Botanic Garden.
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.
High school track and field notes. Local athletes starting to leave an impression. The Covina Invitational takes places March 29-30, Arcadia Invitational takes place April 5-6, and Mt. SAC Relays on April 18-20, but there are some standout competitors such as Reena Hsieh of Arcadia and Arcadia juniorLayla Roslan.
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.
Fans commiserate in closing of their beloved bookstore. 78-year-old Karen Kropp, owner of The Book Rack, a bookstore in Arcadia, has closed the store on First Avenue, after taking over the reins 18 years ago. Declining sales worseneed by the pandemic, as well as her upcoming 80th birthday, precipitated the closure. The store's address was 204 South First Avenue, Arcadia, CA 91006.
2024 ELECTIONS - Pasadena City College: Four candidates compete for two Board of Trustee seats on the March 5 election. Voters elect a trustess from each of the seven districts in an area that includes Arcadia, a portion of El Monte, La Canada Flintridge, Pasadena, Rosemead, San Marino, Sierra Madre, South Pasadena, and Temple City. Area 2 candidates are Kevin D. Strotz and James Aragon. Area 6 candidates are Ryan Liu and John Quintanilla.
San Gabriel Mountains-Veterans seeking expansion of forest. Advocates ask White House to add acreage to federal protection. Iraq War veteran Steve Dunwoody leads veterans struggling with PTSD on hikes through the Angeles National Forest. The veterans group joins legislators, cities, tribal, and environmental groups in support of adding forest land to the San Gabriel Mountains monument. The proposed addition borders the cities of Santa Clarita, Monrovia, Arcadia, and Sierra Madre, as well as Los Angeles communities of Sylmar, Tujunga, and Sunland. Twin bills from House of Representatives Rep. Judy Chu, D-Pasadena and U.S. Sentor Alex Padilla, D-Calif. propose an expansion that would grow the monument by one-third.
Community rallies around Arcadia Donuts' owners Francois Ung and Shally Ung. In recent weeks, they've been doing fundraisers for victims and survivors of the mass shooting at a Monterey Park dance studio one year ago, which claimed the life of their friend Andy Kao. Surveillance video shows someone broke into Ung's car and stole the fundraiser money. A Gofundme is set up if people want to help the couple recover the money.
Arcadia Assisteens Auxiliary accepting applications February 1-28. It is a co-ed auxiliary that provides community service opportunities for high school students. Assisteens staff the Book Buddies Program, in partnership with Arcadia Public Library, and volunteer at the Assistance League of Arcadia's Bargain Box Thrift Shop. A group photo of Assisteens is shown.
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.
Rose Parade 2024. SOI RV Club is a primo event for RV enthusiasts. The Sports Coach Owners International (SOI) has been organizing Rose Parade rallies for 45 years. They park at Santa Anita Park and attend multiple events including Equestfest, Bandfest, and some horse racing at the track.