Los Angeles County - Here’s who’s running in local Assembly races on the November 3 ballot. California State Assembly District 49: Edwin Chau (D) vs. Burton Brink (R)
The district:Parts of Alhambra, Arcadia, El Monte, Montebello, Monterey Park, Rosemead, San Gabriel, San Marino, South El Monte, and Temple City.
Overview of upcoming primary elections. The 49th Assembly District, which Arcadia is in, has Assemblymember Mike Fong, D-Monterey Park, running against Republica Long "David" Liu, an attorney and small business owner.
Maps shift election shapes. Redistricting offers little for Democrats to fear but comes as retirements open doors. Final maps were released yesterday to redraw boundaries for California's elected seats in Sacramento and Washington DC. The 14-member independent California Citizens Redistricting Commission's maps set up newly drawn Assembly, State Senate and Congressional maps, which must be formally approved. The maps did little to loosen Democrats' hold on Los Angeles County's state and federal districts. On the State Senate level, where the Commission is tasked with creating districts with 1 million people each, state Senator Susan Rubio's vast San Gabriel Valley District 22 loses several heavily Asian American communities, including San Gabriel, Alhambra, Monterey Park, Rosemead and Arcadia. Those communities would join Pasadena, Glendale and Altadena in Senator Anthony Portantino's District 25.
Assemblymember Mike Fong, D-Alhambra, secures $4.5M for San Gabriel Valley cities. The cities Fong represents include Alhambra, Arcadia, El Monte, Montebello, Monterey Park, Rosemead, San Gabriel, San Marino, South El Monte, South Pasadena and Temple City. The money is for investing in infrastructure that will increase access to park space, library services, and athletic facilities and enhance public safety for the 49th District.
Los Angeles County National Merit Scholarship semi-finalists named. They will now compete for a share of scholarships worth almost $28 million. Those from Arcadia High School students are Isaac Cheng, Hongji Dai, Casey R. Kim, Kaitlyn A. Kwan, Caroline J. Ji, Jeffrey Oo, Steven H. Shi, Philip Tan, William Wong, Felicia Ye, Katelyn A. Yu.
Fong out to early lead in election. Democrat Mike Fong garners 70% of first votes, is ahead by 39 percentage points in the 49th Assembly District race against Republican Burton Brink. The 49th District is comprised of 10 San Gabriel Valley cities, including Arcadia. The seat was vacated by Ed Chau-D-Monterey Park, who left his post early for an appointment to the Los Angeles County Superior Court judge's bench.
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.
Another homeless village set to open in Baldwin Park. 16-unit tiny home complex will house families in need. It's called Serenity Homes, 13167 Garvey Avenue in Baldwin Park. Senator Susan Rubio, D-West Covina, celebrated the opening with elected officials from all over the San Gabriel Valley, including from Arcadia, Azusa, Glendora, La Puente, Monrovia, San Marino, South Pasadena, Temple City and Mount San Antonio College. It is the second tiny homes village opening in Baldwin Park within a year and serves as a model for how cities can expand homeless services.
Sriracha lovers feel the heat as shortage persists. Huy Fong Foods, Inc. reports no relief in sight because of drought in Mexico. The hot chili sauce with the rooster logo is experiencing a shortage of red jalapenos peppers. This week the Arcadia branch of 99 Ranch Mareket had the 17-ounce bottle on sale for $5.98, down from $7.99. Huy Fong Foods is located in Irwindale.
Outstanding Educator Awards honor 17 area teachers, presented by Assemblymember Mike Fong. Grace Shahinian from Camino Grove Elementary (Arcadia Unified School District) was among those honored.
Housing grades given by Southern California News Group. Every city and county in California has state-mandated targets for how much additional housing it needs across a range of affordability levels. Many are failing to meet those targets, especially for lower-income housing. Arcadia has received an overall D grade. See also Pasadena Star News, p. A14, November 28, 2021.
Democrat Mike Fong and Republican Burton Brink vie for vacant Assembly seat in the 49th Assembly District, which is comprised of 10 San Gabriel Valley cities, including Arcadia. Vote centers are open. The term is through December 5. Biographical information included.
Horse dies from training injury at Santa Anita Park. Echosmith, a baby gelding, 3-years-old, from Ireland died Sunday. The horse was owned by Benowitz Family Trust, CYBT, Michael Nentwig, and Ray Pagano. His trainer was Jonathan Wong and jockey was Jessica Pyfer.
Arcadia Assemblyman Ed Chau appointed by California Governor Gavin Newsom as Los Angeles County Superior Court judge, with biographical information. Chau was elected to represent the 49th Assembly District in November 2012, which includes Arcadia. He was in private practice for nearly 20 years before his election and served on Montebello Unified School District Board. His law degree is from Southwestern University.
Indictment implicates Baldwin Park's ex-city attorney Robert Tafoya in $70,000 bribery scheme to help secure cannabis permit from a vote by Councilman Ricardo Pacheco. Special agents with the FBI and IRS arrested former Compton Councilmember Isaac Galvan, 36, and another person, a 50-year-old Arcadia resident, who is the owner and operator of a cannabis grower that obtained a permit in Baldwin Park.
City of Arcadia to place three measures on November 8, 2022 ballot. 1. Proposed City Charter Amendment Measure. The City Charter was last amended in 1998. The citizen-led Charter Review Committee recommends updates to mirror changes in state laws since 1998 and to reflect current local government standards, to include a) mirroring changes in state laws to increase voter turnout by moving the date of regularly scheduled city council elections from April in even-numbered years to the November Statewide General Election in even-numbered years. b) recognizing the city's change to by-district elections as required by California Voting Rights Act. c) Creating a rotation of mayor and mayor pro tem positions every 9.5 months to allow all council members to serve during their term. d) Change position of City Clerk from elected to appointed. e) other amendments to streamline government, utilize technology and increase transparency. 2. Two measures to increase locally controlled funding. One measure would increase Arcadia's local tax on stays at hotels and motels from 10% to 12%--similar rate to many neighboring cities. The other measure would enact a local tax on sports wagers if sports betting becomes legal in California through State Proposition 26, also on the November ballot
Arcadia Resident Receives Cal State Faculty Innovation and Leadership Award. James Brady, an anthropology professor at Cal State L.A. and Arcadia resident, has received the Faculty Innovation and Leadership Award for his mentorship of students.
Los Angeles County - Congressional races include some on national stage
District 27: Judy Chu (D) vs. Johnny Nalbandian (R)
The District: District 27 encompasses parts of L.A. and San Bernardino counties including Pasadena, Arcadia, Rosemead, Glendora, and Claremont. Home to approximately 709,231 people, this district has been represented by Judy Chu (D-Monterey Park) since 2013. Most residents of District 27 are Asian (37.94%), White (29.22%), or Hispanic (26.88%).