2001 Arcadia homicide suspect, 72-year-old Richard Cole, arrested by Los Angeles Sheriffs Department Homicide and Arcadia Police Department, in the stabbing death of his wife, Charlotte S. Cole. She was killed September 1, 2001 on the 50 block of Las Tunas Drive, in Arcadia.
Arcadia city council accepts gift of a bronze statue of Elias J. "Lucky" Baldwin, founder of Arcadia, from his descendant Margaux Viera. Article erroneously states that she is the granddaughter of Elias J. Baldwin. In her proposal to the City of Arcadia, she states that she is the great-great-great-granddaughter of Baldwin.
Arcadia city council agrees to accept gift statue of Elias J. "Lucky" Baldwin. His great-great-great granddaughter, Margaux Viera, 34 of Pasadena, will commission a bronze statue for display next to Arcadia Community Center. The statue will be worth close to $60,000. The city will pay for pedestal, lighting and landscaping, up to $25,000.
Arcadia City Council makes changes to Historic Preservation Ordinance. Council member Tom Beck speaks about saving Clara Baldwin Stocker's home, which is facing possible destruction. See hard copy in VF City Council (2010-2019).
Arcadia City Council upholds delay of zoning revamp and exclusion of Highlands from historical preservation survey. Divided Council rescinds nonpublic votes, reaffirms stance on zoning delay and historical preservation.
Arcadia Mayor Peter Amundson defends his speaker of choice at next month's Mayor's Community Breakfast. He has invited H. B. London, of Focus on the Family, a conservative Christian group that opposes same-sex marriage. Residents and activists upset about this choice are organizing two counterevents of their own. Activists are planning a "peaceful" demonstration March 4 outside Arcadia Community Center and a bar-b-que at Pasadena's Unitarian Church for all families. Focus on the Family was founded in Arcadia by Dr. James C. Dobson and believes marriage is meant to be between a man and a woman. Amundson said the event is not about sexuality but about the Arcadia family.
Arcadia Mayor Peter Amundson's selection of Reverend H. B. London, Jr. to speak at the community breakfast on March 4, is drawing criticism from some residents and gay-rights activists. London is a vice president of ministry outreach at Focus on the Family, a conservative Christian group that opposes gay marriage. Some residents are asking Mayor Amundson to reconsider and they feel Focus on the Family delivers hateful messages. The city estimates it will pay between $5000 and $5500 for its contribution to the event, which will include the speaker's plane fare.
Arcadia resident David Arvizu to challenge city on open meeting law. His letter gives city officials 30 days to respond to alleged open meeting law violations before he files a complaint with the D.A. or a lawsuit against the city. He offered two alternatives to litigation: the Council would either set aside the decisions made in closed session on May 5, or make the meeting minutes available to the public. In a closed session May 5, City Council voted to suspend comprehensive updates to the city's residential and commercial zoning codes, postpone the Neighborhood Impacts Committee, and move forward with a citywide historic preservation survey, excluding the Highland Oaks Homeowners Association. City Attorney Stephen Deitsch said officials did not violate the Ralph M. Brown Act when they voted on three "procedural" items in closed session because they were tied to pending litigation against the city.
Arcadia’s Baldwin Lake makes history. A “History Lives Here” historical marker was dedicated at Baldwin Lake at the Los Angeles County Arboretum last Thursday. The marker was donated by Arcadia Historical Society.
Arcadia's Baldwin Stocker Elementary School and Pasadena's Roosevelt Elementary have been nominated for National Blue Ribbon honor. The program recognizes some of the highest performing and most improved schools in the nation.
Arcadia's bond rating raised to highest possible AAA rating from Standard and Poor's (S&P), with the outlook for the city as "stable." The rating increase from AA to the highest rating of AAA is a reflection of Arcadia's strong economy, budgetary performance and flexibility and liquidity, but namely strong management and solid financial practices and responsibility by city leaders. See also Arcadia Weekly, p. 13, November 3, 2016.
Arcadia Unified School District Board of Education recently appointed Kelsey Brown as Principal of Baldwin Stocker Elementary. See also Mountain Views News, p. 6, December 2, 2017.
Arcadia Unified School District revives middle school athletics. In 1995, the middle school sports program was dismantled when the district transitioned junior high to the middle school model (6th-8th grades), then the focus veered heavily toward academics. On December 3, 2015, First Avenue Middle School faced off with Dana Middle School for the first time in two decades.
Fall of the House of Baldwin. Part 1 of a 6 part series about Elias J. "Lucky" Baldwin's younger daughter Anita Baldwin. By Galen Patterson. See hard copy in VF Baldwin, Anita
Fall of the House of Baldwin. Part 2 of a 6 part series: Anoakia's lifespan. History of Anita Baldwin's residence, a mansion named Anoakia. By Galen Patterson. See hard copy in VF Baldwin, Anita
Fall of the House of Baldwin. Part 3 of a 6 part series: What happened to the Jinks Room murals by Maynard Dixon? The Jinks Room had nine Dixon murals. The Lowry B. McCaslin family, which owned Anoakia at the time, held onto three murals, the rest were donated to the University of Southern California (USC). The McCaslin family bought the Anoakia estate after Anita Baldwin passed. By Galen Patterson. See hard copy in VF Baldwin, Anita
Fall of the House of Baldwin. Part 4 of a 6 part series: This issue of Arcadia Weekly is missing. By Galen Patterson. See hard copy in VF Baldwin, Anita