A federal investigation of a San Gabriel Valley-based Asian crime syndicate led to the arrests of 18 suspected Red Door gang members in several San Gabriel Valley cities, including Arcadia. The effort was dubbed "Operation Paint it Black." Authorities seized seven guns, 12,500 ecstasy pills, 2,230 marijuana plants and a Lamborghini. The 18 were indicted on drug trafficking and international marriage fraud charges.
San Gabriel Mayor Albert Y. M. Huang, 35, was arrested on suspicion of felony robbery and assault and battery, after an argument with an unidentified woman over money at New Taste Dupling House at 301 West Valley Boulevard. He graduated from Arcadia High School in 1994.
San Gabriel Mayor Albert Y. M. Huang announced he would resign from office after his arrest in a domestic violence case involving a confrontation with a woman (not his wife) outside New Taste Dupling House at 301 West Valley Boulevard. San Gabriel City Council accepted his resignation. He graduated from Arcadia High School in 1994.
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.
Margaret Mathews, 85, of Arcadia, wants the stone pine tree in front of her house to be removed. It has caused more than $14,000 of damage to her home. Hers is one of 36 huge stone pines the City of Arcadia will soon remove and replace in the Highland Oaks area north of Elkins Drive. The trees were originally planted in 1955. The Arcadia City Council last month approved spending $181,700 to rehabilitate several streets and curbs damaged by the trees and nearly $78,000 to remove and replace them. Each tree that is removed will be replaced with a smaller 24-inch box tree, either a fern pine, an evergreen, or a southern oak.
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.
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.
On the 84th anniversary of the murder of Arcadia police officer Albert E. Matthies, a ceremony was held by the Arcadia Police Officers Association in his honor. Matthies is the city's only police officer killed in the line of duty. A memorial plaque at Foothill Boulevard and Northview Avenue commemorates Matthies' sacrifice and a small plaque marks his grave site at Live Oak Memorial Park in Monrovia. Matthies was shot on July 18, 1927 and died the day after. The shooter was Frank Miller.
Commemorating the 85th anniversary of the death of Arcadia Police Department officer Albert Edward Matthies, the Arcadia Police and Fire departments will have a service at Live Oak Memorial Park, where he is interred and a commemorative monument will be unveiled at his grave site.
Vintage fashion show for Arcadia Woman's Club. Ladies modeling past fashions in photo include Carol Libby, Mari Clavern, Julie Fendrick, Cheryl Alberg, Mary E. Hanson, Beverly Street, Alice Tangey, and Marge Totter.