For the wonderfully weird, Monarch rules. Amid theatrical decor, try a martini with vinegar and Slippery Egg Crab Fried Fun. There is no destination in San Gabriel Valley like Monarch at 1212 South Baldwin Avenue. Merrill Shindler reviews the restaurant opened by the Leon family, who first brought us their take on Peruvian-Chinese cooking at Chifa in Eagle Rock. Monarch is serving modern Chinese cuisine.
Veterans group and Arcadia Mayor April Verlato celebrate World War II veteran Jack McEwan's 100th birthday. He was a pilot on a B-17 bomber from 1942-1943.
All-Area Baseball. Pasadena Star News names Mike Ebner of Maranatha High School, as Player of the Year. All-Area team consists of four from Arcadia: Pitcher Ian Hoffstetter, Infielders Danny Chavez, Alex Dolan, and Jack Esguerra.
Decorated vet to celebrate 100th birthday. U.S. Air Force vetean Edward Lopez was a fighter pilot in both World War II and the Korean War. Born in Los Angeles and living in Arcadia for more than 50 years, he is one of the last living members of the Air Force's 365th Fighter-Bomber Group known as The Hell Hawks, a reserve fighter squadron in the U.S. Marine Corps. See hard copy in VF People.
LA County expected to reach COVID-19 herd immunity by July. The rate of people getting vaccinated has slowed, so it is taking longer to reach herd immunity. We have probably over 2 million more first doses to go until 80% of all LA County residents age 16 and over, will have received at least one vaccine.
California State to loosen its mask mandate at end of day February 15 for vaccinated people, due to the 65% drop in infection rate since the peak of the winter surge caused by the omicron variant of the coronavirus, as well as stabilization in hospitalization numbers. This won't affect Los Angeles County, which plans to keep its own rules in place past the deadline. Lifting the indoor mask requirement in Los Angeles County will require the level of transmission to fall to the "moderate" level as defined by US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and stays there for two weeks straight, said Barbara Ferrer, the Los Angeles County Public Health Director.
Los Angeles County easing indoor mask rules. Health officials say business customers who are fully vaccinated will not need face coverings starting Friday.