Chen Suen becomes first Asian American fire chief in Arcadia. He takes over from Barry Spriggs who retired November 8, after 29 years of service. Suen is an Arcadia resident. He emigrated from Taiwan. He graduated from Arcadia High School, and attended Loyola Law School, UC Irvine, and Santa Ana College, before spending the last 18 years with Arcadia Fire Department.
Worker rescued after falling 22 feet into underground vault (hole). Firefighters rescued him at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia on Thursday. The man suffered moderate injuries and was taken to Huntington Hospital in Pasadena according to Chen Suen, Deputy Fire Chief for Arcadia Fire Department.
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.
City of Arcadia will reopen City Hall and other facilities to the public as part of the Safer At Work and in the Community Order issued by Los Angeles County. Beginning June 15, open facilities now include City Hall, Arcadia Fire Department, Public Works, and city parks and open spaces. The Arcadia Police Department, Community Center, Arcadia Public Library and Museum remain closed. Arcadia City Council meetings will still be conducted virtually in June.
City of Arcadia employee Tim Schwehr, Senior Economic Development Analyst, will talk to Arcadia Community Coordinating Council on February 3, 2020 about what's happening in Arcadia. In his role, he oversess efforts to attract new business and development, fosters economic growth and acts as liaison to the business community. Includes some biographical information.
CEO Ikenna Mmeje begins managing USC Arcadia Hospital. Ikenna "Ike" Mmeje will lead expansion of access to specialized healthcare and research to the San Gabriel Valley while overseeing all management and operations of the hospital. The hospital was formerly Methodist Hospital of Southern California and is now run by Keck Medicine. Mmeje replaces former president and CEO Dan Ausman, who has retired. Mmeje served as CEO of both Memorial Care Long Beach Medical Center and Miller Children's and Women's Hospital in Long Beach. He previously held CEO and COO roles with Tenet Healthcare.
Santa Anita Park to delay start of fall meet, due to poor air quality of Bobcat Fire, to September 25. The Red Cross is using Santa Anita Park as the evacuation zone for people, including many of our horsemen, whose homes are less than 2 miles from here.
Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón facing further opposition. Two more cities, Norwalk and La Habra Heights, are preparing to cast votes of no confidence in Gascon. So far, 18 cities have had similar votes, including Arcadia, Azusa, Beverly Hills, Covina, Diamond Bar, Hidden Hills, Lancaster, La Mirada, Manhattan, Palos Verdes Estates, Pico Rivera, Redondo Beach, Rosemead, Santa Clarita, San Gabriel, Santa Fe Springs, Temple City and Whittier.
Man hospitalized yesterday after explosion of possible illegal butane honey oil drug lab in a commercial building in Arcadia. At 2;23 PM, Arcadia Fire Department responded to a fire in the 11700 block of Goldring Road and determined an explosion had happened and found a man inside. He was taken to the hospital due to the severity of his burns. Honey oil is described as a marijuana concentrate made by extracting THC from marijuana.
Election 2022. Tallies continue for city council races in San Gabriel Valley. Semi-official results for Arcadia:
District 2--Sharon Kwan in lead with 42%, Bob Harbicht with 31%, Tracy Jensen Han with 25%.
District 3--Eileen Wang has 61%, Sheng Chang has 38%.
District 5--Dr. Michael Cao has 42%, Jason J. Lee has 33%, Michael Danielson has 21%, Daniel Malki has less than 10%.
Some evacuation orders lifted-Bobcat Fire. Sierra Madre and Arcadia residents okayed to return to their homes starting yesterday (Wednesday) at 4 PM. By Wednesday evening the fire had grown to 46,263 acres with containment still at 3%.
California Attorney General Rob Bonta allows lawsuit over Arcadia City Council appointment to proceed. HQH Chinese American Equalization Association and Arcadia Voters Rights Group are suing to challenge the appointment of Michael Danielson, representing District 5, which was vacant after the death of Council Member Roger Chandler. Danielson's term expires upon certification of the November 8 election results.
Arcadia City Council poised for historic changes. In a pair of firsts, the Arcadia City Council will have majority of women and three Asian-American members on the dais. New council members are:
District 2--Sharon Kwan
District 3--Eileen Wang
District 5--Dr. Michael Cao
See hard copy in VF City Council (2020-2029)
Arcadia City Manager Dominic Lazzaretto has appointed Captain Roy Nakamura as the city's 30th police chief. He is a 28-year veteran of the Arcadia Police Department. He succeeds Chief Robert T. Guthrie, who is retiring. Nakamura is the first police chief of Japanese and Asian descent in a city that once temporarily incarcerated Japanese and Japanese-Americans at Santa Anita Park. Arcadia's population is currently 60.8% Asian.
New risk rises from wildfires. Smoke can make people more subject to COVID-19, experts say. Smoke inhalation can weaken the immune system and make people more vulnerable to respiratory infections, including the novel coronavirus. Smoke from nearby Bobcat Fire shrouds Foothill Boulevard in Arcadia (in photo).
Foothills threatened as Bobcat Fire swells. Santa Ana winds lead to San Gabriel Valley evacuation warnings. The fire started on Sunday, September 6 near the Cogswell Dam and West Fork Day Use area. It had grown to 10,344 acres with no containment by Tuesday evening. It is moving slowly toward the residential areas of Monrovia, Arcadia, or Duarte, but an evacuation warning has been issued for Arcadia.
Damage saps fun from Angeles forest. Angeles National Forest's Chantry Flat Road remains closed after suffering damage from the 2020 Bobcat fire and subsequent fires. Storms and fires force closure of trails, roads and campgrounds, some for years. The forest's second-most visited area, Chantry Flat, in the section north of Arcadia, Monrovia and Sierra Madre, has been closed since the start of the pandemic in March 2020. A sign in Arcadia (photo) advises motorists of the Chantry Flat Road closure.
Arcadia City Council elections make history. For the first time, Arcadia City Council will have majority Asian and majority female representation. Unofficial results for Arcadia:
District 2--Sharon Kwan
District 3--Eileen Wang
District 5--Dr. Michael Cao
Arcadia assisted living facility Arcadia Retirement Village is under investigation by the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health for alleged COVID-19 health violations including the timeliness in reporting Coronavirus-related deaths and not giving staff new, sanitary supplies.
San Gabriel Valley elections come to a close. Board of Supervisors set to officially declare election over, ballots still being counted. In Arcadia, as it stands, as of December 2:
District 2--Sharon Kwan won with 40.04%. Bob Harbicht had 30.13%, Tracy Jensen Han had 29.83%.
District 3--Eileen Wang won with 64.21%. Sheng Chang had 35.79%.
District 5--Dr. Michael Cao won with 42.60%. Jason J. Lee had 31.6%, incumbent Michael Danielson had 23.05%, and Daniel Malki had less than 2.76%.