46th Annual Mayor's Community Breakfast to honor women of Arcadia, on February 21, 2020. Mayor April Verlato will give the State of the City Address. Dr. Jasmine Sharma will give keynote address
Arcadia Rotary Club and Arcadia Chinese Association (ACA) announce plans to restore Fort Rotary, a two-story western-style Boy Scout fort in the foothills behind Monrovia. This is historic, the first coordinated project between these two organizations. Architect Kevin Le from Le Architecture in Monrovia, has already volunteered his time to help. The project is expected to cost up to $140,000. So far, Boy Scouts of America (BSA) has pledged $25,000, ACA has pledged $25,000 and Arcadia Rotary has pledged $22,000 on behalf of Mary Hansen of Arcadia.
Santa Anita Park: weather could impact track. Santa Anita Park agrees to California Horse Racing Board (CHRB) demand to cancel horse racing in case of inclement weather during the winter-spring meet that begins December 26. Jockey Joel Rosario is mentioned in this article.Gregory Ferraro, new chairman of the California Horse Racing Board, a former race track veterinarian who was appointed to the board by Governor Gavin Newsom earlier this year, pledged the state board would be pursuing stricter regulations than it has in the past.
Arcadia City Council denies consideration for first application in the Friendship Cities Program, proposed by council member Sho Tay for a friendship between Arcadia and Dongfang City, Hainan Province, China. A majority of council members are concerned about the politics in supporting a city in China that is currently embroiled in the South China Seas protests, such as Hong Kong.
World War II veteran Joe Sciarra, 95, makes history come alive at Holy Angels School in Arcadia during a Veterans Day assembly. Other veterans in attendance were Julian Andrews, 86 of Temple City (a veteran of the Korean War) and Darren Parsons, 45, a former U.S. Marine.
Teens reduce stress at Arcadia Public Library with programs such as crafting their own stress balls and calm bottles on November 19 and cuddle time with Go Team Therapy Dogs on December 12.
Moonlight Forest returns to Arboretum by popular demand. It is a magical lantern art festival that will be bigger and brighter in 2019. Runs November 9 through January 12.
Arcadia High School Marching Band selected to march in 2021 Pasadena Tournament of Roses Parade. This will be Arcadia High School's 17th time in the Rose Parade. Bob Miller is the Tournament of Roses President.
Ringing in the Rose Queen. Camille Kennedy of La Salle High School is crowned 2020 Rose Queen of the Pasadena Tournament of Roses. One woman on the Royal Court of princesses is Rukan Saif of Arcadia High School. The others are Mia Thorsen of Marshall Fundamental School, Emilie Risha of Flintridge Sacred Heart, Reese Saporito of Marshall Fundamental School, Michael Wilkins of Marantha High School and Cole Fox of South Pasadena High School. Laura Farber is the Tournament of Roses President.
Stronach Group and Santa Anita Park issue statement following the death of a 3-year-old colt named Emtech, euthanized on September 28. Two-time Kentucky Derby winning jockey Mario Gutierrez was tossed off in the incident. Santa Anita park will be reviewing the factors that could have contributed to Emtech's injury. Veterinarians Dr. Dionne Benson and Dr. Dana Stead were employed to euthanize and investigate.
Arcadia City balks at surge in animal control bill. New contract with Pasadena Humane Society would raise costs fivefold, from $90,000 to $525,000 annually. See also Arcadia Weekly, p. 4, September 12, 2019.
Demonstrators occupy Arcadia City Council meeting and call for resignation of Mayor Pro Tem Roger Chandler. They spoke out against removal of basketball courts from Eisenhower Park. Some called Chandler to resign because of his August 20 remarks that he didn't like the "type" of people the courts attracted. Chandler accused Mayor April Verlato of orchestrating the protests.
Arcadia wrestles with homeless issue. Metro Gold Line is seen as factor by some in the growing numbers camping nearby. In 2016, the Arcadia Station of Metro Gold Line opened and police began seeing a marked increase in calls for service regarding homelessness, said Sergeant Dan Crowther.
Arcadia opens first Veterans' Administration (VA) clinic in the San Gabriel Valley area in eight years, called the Interim San Gabriel Valley Community Based Outpatient Clinic, located at 7 West Foothill Boulevard, Arcadia. It is called interim because this is a temporary location. This is a branch of the West Los Angeles VA Hospital. In an email from Gene Glasco, elected City Clerk, after years of advocacy, this veterans health clinic had its grand opening celebration on August 23, 2019.
Luis Alonso Cruz Gaitan, 33, of Altadena and Isis Ondina Villalobos, 26, of Pasadena, accused of helping suspect named Heber Diaz in the killing of Chyong Jen Tsai, 76, during a burglary and robbery at her Arcadia home on April 9.
Santa Anita Park: horses must get OK of veterinarian team to race. This is a joint effort between the California Horse Racing Board and Santa Anita Park to enhance safety measures and reviews to further protect horses. Twenty-nine horses have died at Santa Anita Park since December 26.
Fisher family reunion celebrated during Monrovia Day. Forty-four descendants of Julian Fisher and Gladys Fisher are still around in this area. Julian Fisher was Monrovia's first African American police officer and his father was recruited to come work on Lucky Baldwin's race horses. Julian and Gladys Fisher had 11 children.
Leon Logothetis, star of Netflix show “The Kindness Diaries” spoke at Holy Angels School in Arcadia on April 12. He said, “Kindness is literally the coolest thing, the most epic thing you can do. How you show up to the world matters. The most beautiful way to make a person feel that they matter is to be kind. And kindness is free.”