Arcadia resident and philanthropist Charles Huang donates $7.5 million to Methodist Hospital of Southern California. Huang is a global entrepreneur who owns Pasadena-based private equity company Pasaca Capital Inc. His gift will fund a high-tech operating room. Representative Judy Chu is in the photo with Charles Huang. See also Mountain Views News, p. 8, July 2, 2022.
Shining light on our area's 10 most well-mannered. Pamela Hillings Tegtmeyer compiles an annual list of the Ten Most Well-Mannered Persons in the San Gabriel Valley. Richard Schulhof, CEO of Los Angeles County Arboretum and Botanical Gardens made the list for treating everyone with respect and showing graciousness.
Foothill Workforce allocation of funds to South Bay continues to raise eyebrows in Monrovia. Monrovia has filed an application to withdraw from the Foothill Workforce Development Board (FWDB), which distributes federal money for job skills assessment, basic education, job training, job placement, and community workforce development. The FWDB covers Sierra Madre, Monrovia, Arcadia, Pasadena, South Pasadena, and Duarte.
Ben Zhang is seeking a position on the Arcadia Unified School District Board. Zhang is a business owner, project manager and community volunteer in Arcadia. He currently manages a senior living facility, works with local non-profits such as Arcadia Police Foundation and American Red Cross, along with establishing several other developments throughout San Gabriel Valley.
Pasadena City College Board. Three challengers hold leads over incumbents in the recent primary election. In Trustee Area 7, Incumbent Anthony Fellow and Alton Wang, a legal advocate focused on improving representation in government for communities across the country, hope to represent the city of Arcadia on the college's Board of Trustees. Wang led early in a tight race. Both Fellow and Wang recognize the importance of the issues of housing insecurity and increasing access to college courses in the wake of declining enrollment at PCC. See also Pasadena Star News, p. A8, June 9, 2022--Incumbent Fellow leads Alton Wang.
Horse racing regulations lead to fewer equine deaths. Fatalities in California have been cut in half in 2 years and plummeted to the lowest levels since 1990 as a result of reforms implemented after dozens of death at Santa Anita Park in 2019. The reforms in the last two years include strict limitations on use of whips by jockey, a prohibition on most medications before races, installation of new imaging technologies to catch injuries sooner, more opportunities for veterinarians and stewards to sideline horses and a mandatory requirement for trainers to participate in the postmortem.
Pandemic looms over school election. Arcadia Unified School District Board incumbents and one hopeful revisit COVID era. Leigh Chavez and Fenton Eng are seeking re-election on June 7. Ben Zhang is a thrid candidate for the two seats.
Three candidates vie for two seats on Arcadia Unified School District Board. Leigh Chavez and Fenton Eng are currently the respective president and vice president of the school board. In Tuesday's primary election, newcomer Ben Zhang is in the running. Zhang has criticized the current board for its response to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. See also Pasadena Star News, p. A3 and A9, June 9, 2022 for semifinal vote count--incumbents Leigh Chavez and Fenton Eng are ahead.
Appeals court in Kentucky rejects Bob Baffert's bid to halt ban. Signage outside Baffert's barn at Santa Anita Park was removed as part of a California Horse Racing Board (CHRB) rule that mandates any trainer who is suspended for 60+ days be banned from all CHRB-licensed facilities.
L-Line Extension. Claremont Councilman Ed Reece to chair light rail line board, the Foothill Gold Line Construction Authority Board of Directors. The extension of the L-Line (formerly Gold Line) from Glendora to Pomona is 40% finished and scheduled for completion in early 2025. Reece will oversee the extension to Claremont and Montclair. The light rail line serves Arcadia, Pasadena, East Los Angeles and Los Angeles's Chinatown.
Fourth horse dies, from training injury during Santa Anita Park's fall season. The horse was a 4 year-old filly named Star of Africa. She was owned by Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and trained by Patrick Gallagher.
Santa Anita Park: no crimes in horse deaths report says. California Horse Racing Board's yearlong investigation into deaths of 23 horses at Santa Anita Park has determined there were no violations of animal welfare laws and no evidence of illegal medications, but exams possibly were compromised by anti-inflammatory medications. All but two of the horses that died between December 30, 2018 and March 31, 2019 appeared to have preexisting injuries caused by high-intensity racing and training. Senator Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif. said the report makes it clear that transparency is needed in the sport. She has called for the passage of the Horseracing Integrity Act, a bill that would establish a national anti-doping authority for the country.
Santa Anita Park modifiest rack after horse deaths. It is the first significant change in 67 years. Horses running 6 and 6 1/2 furlongs will instead start on a new turf chute under construction at the racetrack's northeast corner, near the Gate 5 entrance. Santa Anita Park will host a short meet September 19-October 25, still without spectators due to the coronavirus. The racing board delayed the start of the meet to give the horses time to rest and to ensure its COVID-19 protocols were in place. County officials recorded 38 coronavirus cases at Santa Anita Park by the end of its previous meet in June.
Arcadia Methodist Hospital changing names today as it partners with USC Health System. It is now USC Arcadia Hospital. The affiliation with USC will augment existing services at the medical center, tapping into the USC Keck's resources as an academic institution and high-level research and expertise. Dan Ausman is the president and CEO of USC Arcadia Hospital. The hospital has 348 beds. Ausman said the hospital has a 120 year history, dating back to its origins of 5 beds inside a two-story house on Hewitt Street in downtown Los Angeles. From there it moved to Hope Street (Los Angeles) and then to Arcadia, in 1957. The hospital delivers nearly 2000 babies each year and treats 50,000+ in its emergency department.
California Horse Racing Board (CHRB) rebuffs Santa Anita Park, gives Pleasonton thumbs up. Tensions had risen when Craig Fravel, executive vice chairman of 1/ST Racing, which runs Santa Anita Park for the Stronach Group, said in a letter to CHRB members that the Arcadia track might close if Southern California interests don't receive more simulcast wagering revenue, which would have happened if Northern California was denied a major meet.
Third horse in three days dies at Santa Anita Park, while animal rights activists continue to push for a nationwide ban on racing. The race horses were named Tikkun Olam, Uncontainable, and Harliss. The California Horse Racing Board (CHRB) was given authority, in legislation backed by Governor Gavin Newsom, to suspend racing. Officials at Santa Anita Park released a statement reaffirming their commitment to horse safety. See also Arcadia Weekly, p. 1, January 23, 2020.