Concert in the Park, outside on Arcadia City Hall lawn, featuring the band Alumni Acoustic. Band members are alumni of Arcadia High School. They perform rock music and folk music.
Breeders' Cup 10th Santa Anita Park visit overshadowed by another equine death. 70,000 attended Saturday's event. Terry Miller recaps the race day, which ended with racehorse Mongolian Groom being euthanized after suffering a serious fracture. Earlier in the day, protesters angered by 36 horse deaths since last December, stood outside Santa Anita Park urging the end of horse racing in California. Ricardo Santana in photo.
Hoop dreams snuffed in Arcadia park contretemps. Larry Wilson, columnist, gives his opinion about Arcadia City Council member Roger Chandler's remarks about basketball attracting a "type" of people to Arcadia.
Six Arcadia police recruits graduate from Rio Hondo Police Academy. They are pictured with Arcadia Police Chief Bob Guthrie and captains Larry Goodman and Paul Foley. They will be swon in as police officers and start their two week orientation on July 16. See also Arcadia Weekly, p. 1, 10-July 19, 2018.
Measure A makes waves. The debate on repealing the Utility User's Tax (UUT) is coming to a head. Measure A is opposed by City of Arcadia workers. It is supported by Larry Papp and California Tax Limitation Committee, backed by TeaPAC, part of the Tea Party's Tax Revolt. See hard copy in VF Arcadia-City Council-Elections-2016.
Karen Gutierrez-McNair named new CEO of Arcadia Chamber of Commerce, effective February 29. She is executive director of Santa Anita Family YMCA in Monrovia. She replaces Chamber CEO Scott Hettrick, who has resigned to move to Nebraska.
Measure A seeks to repeal utility users tax in Arcadia, on the April 12 ballot. The utility users tax is a source of revenue expected to generate $7 million for the city this year. Arcadia charges residents 7% for gas, water, and electricity, and 5% for telephone on utility bills. The city estimates each household pays less than $10 per person per month on average. The tax is 12.5% of the city's $54.9 million general fund budget. If repealed, it would mean a 12.5% cut to city services, including cutting 12 police officers, closing a fire department, increasing blight, street sweeping would be reduced from weekly to every other week. Programs for children and seniors would be eliminated and library and museum hours would be reduced significantly. Larry Papp helped author the initiative.
Teen brothers, ages 15 and 16, beaten to death in their home on 400 block of Fairview Avenue, just west of Holly Avenue. The suspect is their uncle by marriage, who is believed to have fled to China. The FBI was working with Chinese authorities. The victims appeared to have suffered "blunt force trauma." The suspect was already being sought in an attack on his wife. His wife filed a restraining order against him and began divorce proceedings.
Arcadia man Larry Roger Beck, 66 years old, was sentenced to 5 years in prison for killing his girlfriend's toddler son in Louisville, Kentucky 43 years ago. He admitted to shaking the 20-month old Michael Sanders, which was a factor that caused the child's death.
Arcadia All-Star rock reunion planned for Saturday, February 21at Santa Anita Park to honor well-known musician and beloved Arcadia High School alumnus Joe Ramsey, who recently passed away at age 58. More than 15 accomplished performers will pay tribute toRamsey, including "The Third Man," featuring Arcadia musicians Gary Putnam and Curt Lichter, who recorded and performed with Ramsey during the 1980s as The Prime Movers and Dread Zeppelin.
New legislation gives city clerks statewide authority to sanctify marriages. Gene Glasco, Arcadia City Clerk, has authority to marry couples in California.
Assemblymember Ed Chau (49th Assembly District) honors "Women of the Year" for their distinguished leadership and volunteer work. The recipients are Patsy Harbicht, Chua B. Hua, Rebecca Huang, Floretta Lauber, Olivia Liao, Rita Padilla, Franca Scorscone, and Amy Wong.
H. B. London, Jr., of Focus on the Family, a conservative Christian group that opposes gay marriage, spoke at the 2011 Mayor's Community Breakfast, about the importance of compassion and unconditional love in the family. Outside there were some 90 protestors that support the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community.
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.
Bristol Palin, daughter of Sarah Palin, the former Vice Presidential candidate in the 2008 presidential elections, came to speak at Our Saviour Lutheran Church in Arcadia for "Lovefest 9," an annual 2-day church event that focuses on teens and values. Her message was about abstinence.
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.
Pat Diroll recaps opening day of Santa Anita Park's 74th season as a social event. In attendance (and photographed) were actress Bo Derek, jockey Rafael Bejarano, Gary and Barbara Kovacic, Robert and Patsy Harbicht, trainer Bob Baffert, Joe Harper, Adrienne Haines, Roger Chandler, Don and Debbie Penman, Andrea Van de Kamp, and Sandra Chillingworth.