Successful opener. Jockey sets stakes record on first day of Santa Anita Park meet. Jockey John Velazquez won both the Chandelier Stakes and the American Pharoah Stakes, riding Bast and Eight Rings, respectively. Both horses are trained by Bob Baffert.
Update on Jay Cohen and other Santa Anita news. Joan Schmidt writes that former beloved Santa Anita Park trumpeter Jay Cohen has Bell’s Palsy, which has caused paralysis of the right side of his face. Jay was born in Camden, NJ. Includes other biographical information. Jockey Ruben Fuentes was voted “Jockey of the Week” by Jockeys’ Guild Foundation Detox. Happy 98th birthday to Santa Anita Park worker John Shear, who still has no intention of retiring.
Arcadia based Cub Scouts go Supernova. Four Scouts recently earned the highest accomplishment a Cub Scout can receive for science, technology, engineering and math. Gianni Carrano, Vincent Docimo, Ian Parsons and John Short, fifth graders at Holy Angels School in Arcadia and members of the school’s Cub Scout Pack 114, achieved the Supernova Award.
Arcadia’s iconic windmill restoration almost complete. Mid-November slated as tentative schedule for installation. The former Van De Kamp windmill atop what is now Denny’s, was restored once, but broke in a freak accident. The current restoration is being done by Joe Sargis and his company Creative Fabrication and Design on St. Joseph Street in Arcadia.
Arcadia firefighters reunite with girl they saved in 2008. Ten years later they give Ashley Barrancos a birthday party at Arcadia Fire Station 105. As a two year old, she had cardiac arrest, now she is twelve years old.
California State Treasurer John Chiang and Arcadia leaders shower accolades at the groundbreaking of Le Meridien, One Gallop Way. It is a $300 million hotel and mixed-use development on seven acres, opposite Santa Anita Park race track. Developer Chateau Group USA held the ceremonal groundbreaking on June 27. Le Meridien is a Marriott brand. CEO Eric Chen spoke. Architects Orange, interior design firm Linda Snyder Associates and construction company Snyder Langston have been tapped to work this project. To open in 2020.
Obituary/death notice. James W. Robinson, also known as John W. Robinson, author of hiking guide Trails of the Angeles: 100 Hikes in the San Gabriels, has died at age 88.
Shock of brothers' deaths still lingers. John Ziska is trying to find ways to cope with the deaths of his sons JD and Brian Ziska, two former star quarterbacks at Arcadia High School, whose deaths in the past year have left many in their hometown of Arcadia reeling. This fall, the Arcadia High School football program has ceremonies planned to honor them. Last summer JD Ziska died of a stroke at age 35. Brian Ziska had a massive heart attack.
Arcadia shooting. Lt. John Corina, a detective for Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, said video footage from the Gold Line train and businesses near the scene of the shooting last Friday, of two teenagers, supports the border agent's version of the story, that three teenagers attempted to rob him. One teen was shot dead. The border patrol agent is unnamed.