Zenyatta, a filly and the kind of sensational race horse that comes along only once in a generation, scored perhaps the greatest victory in the history of the Breeders' Cup Classic at Santa Anita Park. With jockey Mike Smith (in photo), Zenyatta wins the $5 million Breeders' Cup Classic by one length. Other winners are listed.
Arts & Culture spotlight on the new exhibit at the Ruth & Charles Gilb Arcadia Historical Museum. The exhibit is called "Roll 'em!: Motion Pictures Filmed in Arcadia and Surrounding Communities." Photos include Dana Dunn, curator at the museum, and movie posters of "A Star is Born" starring Judy Garland and James Mason, and "The African Queen," starring Humphrey Bogart and Katharine Hepburn.
Los Angeles County's median home price is rising. In July, 2009, it was $339,430, up from $319,860 in June 2009, but well below $395,240 a year ago. Broker Chris Vigil thinks the market has hit rock bottom. Arcadia's median home price in July 2009 was $663,000, up from $626,500 a year ago (July, 2008). A chart shows figures from surrounding cities.
Survivors of a bus crash on Santa Anita Avenue that happened 50 years ago, on July 14, 1959, recall the accident. The bus had been carrying a group of boys from a Catholic summer camp at Chantry Flat. Brakes failed coming down the steep grade of Santa Anita Avenue. The crash killed 3-year-old Cory Matson. The driver was Brady Bolt. Ken Kramer shares his story of the crash in a separate, related article on p. A4.
Dr. Daniel Healy, 53, of Arcadia, pled guilty to one count of distribution of a controlled substance, the painkiller oxycodone. He faces up to 20 years in prison when he is sentenced December 7.
Senior citizens competed in the Senior Olympics powerlifting event held at the home gym of Arcadia personal trainer Harry Sneider as part of the California Senior Games Championships. The highlight of the games was seeing 89-year-old Eugene Mailin lift 140 pounds, winning gold in his weight division. Other participants named were 53-year-old Val Olotoa and 75-year-old Ernie Smith. Legendary competitor Beatrice Maullin died two weeks before the games began.
Arcadia police surrounded a home in the 1700 block of Mayflower Avenue in a 7-hour standoff with an armed suspect believed to be threatening suicide and harm to other people in the house. Herb Rodrigues said the alleged gunman was his girlfriend's son. When police entered the house, only an elderly man was there, alone. The suspect had fled.
Alhambra Superior Court Judge Alice Hill found "sufficient cause" to hold Isaac Campbell, 34, to be tried for the murder of Liya "Jessie" Lu. He will be arraigned May 7.
Burglaries are on the rise in Arcadia. Police cite the economic downturn as a possible reason. Composite sketches of two men, who allegedly assaulted and robbed a man on March 7, 2009 in the 1100 block of Arcadia Avenue, are included. Police are seeking the public's help.
Hundreds of people gathered at Santa Anita Park to honor the slain Ortega family, which lost nine members in a Christmas Eve mass murder on the 1100 block of East Knollcrest Drive in Covina, CA. The tribute and fundraiser was organized by Jerry and Jim Rocha. Jockey Joseph Talamo rode "Return of the King," a horse owned by Charles and James Ortega, in the fourth race yesterday. The horse finished second in the race dedicated to the Ortegas.
The race horse "Return of the King" with jockey Martin Pedroza, won a race at Santa Anita Park. The horse belonged to the Ortega family, some of whom were killed by Bruce Pardo in a Christmas Eve massacre in Covina.
Horse racing community feels the loss of James Ortega, Joseph Ortega, and Charles Ortega, 3 of the 9 victims killed by Bruce Pardo, a disgruntled former in-law who crashed a Christmas Eve party in Covina, dressed at Santa Claus. James, Joseph and Charles Ortega all owned race horses and loved the sport.
Two articles describe the Breeders' Cup at Santa Anita Park this year. One is about Victor Espinoza riding a horse called Casino Drive on the track's new Pro-Ride Synthetic surface. The other article is about a 4-year-old filly named Zenyatta, ridden by jockey Mike Smith, that won the first all-female card in Breeders' Cup history.