Creative Housing Options in Arcadia (CHOA). Local efforts to address the lack of affordable housing and homelessness. On Saturday, April 20, 2024, a group of about 30 community members met at The Hills Church in Arcadia for a 2-hour "Sharing Session" to learn about what is being done in the city to address these issues. Safe Parking Programs were discussed. Arcadia City Council member Eileen L. Wang and Arcadia Mayor April Verlato attended.
Longtime Arcadia City Clerk Gene Glasco retires. Glasco has served 12 years as its elected City Clerk. In 2022, Arcadia voters approved an update to the City Charter that eliminated the position of the elected City Clerk. With Glasco's retirement, the City Manager will appoint a City Clerk. Most of the traditional City Clerk duties are currently performed by professional staff in the City Manager's Office, ensuring uninterrupted service to the public. Photo of Glasco with Arcadia City Council. See press release dated April 18, 2024 in VF for full-text.
High school track and field notes. Local athletes starting to leave an impression. The Covina Invitational takes places March 29-30, Arcadia Invitational takes place April 5-6, and Mt. SAC Relays on April 18-20, but there are some standout competitors such as Reena Hsieh of Arcadia and Arcadia juniorLayla Roslan.
Arcadia Assisteens Auxiliary accepting applications February 1-28. It is a co-ed auxiliary that provides community service opportunities for high school students. Assisteens staff the Book Buddies Program, in partnership with Arcadia Public Library, and volunteer at the Assistance League of Arcadia's Bargain Box Thrift Shop. A group photo of Assisteens is shown.
Monterey Park mass shooting one year later. City still lives in massacre's shadow. Permanent memorial to the 11 victims is still in planning stages. In Arcadia, doughnut business owners Francois Ung and his wife Shally Ung remember and honor their friend Andy Kao, a victim of the shooting at the Star Ballroom Dance Studio on January 21, 2023, with a pledge that they will send proceeds from sales at their Arcadia Donuts store on January 20 and 21 to the Monterey Park Hope and Resiliency Center and the Andy Kao Memorial Ballroom Dance Group to assist funding the nonprofit organizations. See also related article, "Who were the Monterey Park shooting victims? A year later, a reflection," Pasadena Star News, p. A13, January 21, 2024.
World AIDS Dayspotlights those who have died. This is the 35th anniversary of World AIDS Day. One event is being held at The Arboretum in Arcadia, a breakfast hosted by Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger. Paul Edmonds will be the speaker.
President Biden sending official to hear public views on the proposed expansion of the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument. Chantry Flat, a hiking and picnic spot north of Arcadia and Sierra Madre, closed for several years, is proposed for inclusion in the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument.
Breeders' Cup-Back to front. Race horse Fierceness rebounds from previous race struggle to win Juvenile, the $2 million Grade I race. Fierceness is a Mike Repole homebred trained by Todd Pletcher. Jockey John Velazquez in photo riding on Fierceness.
Let's make a record. Onyx Record Press plant, has recently opened in Arcadia, to manufacture vinyl record albums. Founded by Gil Tamazyan, recording artists Moe Espinosa, Surachai and Cyrusrex, their advanced record pressing plant is in a 5200 s.f. building in Arcadia. Located at 11728 Goldring Road, Suite A, Arcadia, California, 91006, according to their website onyxrecordpress.com. See hard copy in VF.
Los Angeles County Court official says zero-bail policy working as intended. Risk is deciding factor in determining if suspect is released without payment. Zero bail eliminates the financial requirements for release from all but the most serious offenses prior to arraignment. Police will instead cite and release, or book and release, suspects for a majority of misdemeanors and some felonies. Serious and violent crimes (such as killing, kidnap, robbery, assault with deadly weapon), are not eligible and still retain previous bail amounts. More than a dozen LA County cities have joined a lawsuit attempting to reverse the policy. Attorneys for the cities, include Whittier, Downey, Beverly Hills, and Arcadia, argue the Superior Courts have balanced the system too heavily in favor of offenders, so much that "victims and public safety are given a zero value."
Arcadia through the years: Mayor Paul Cheng hosts 48th Annual Community Breakfast and State of the City on September 6, 2023 at Le Meridien hotel at 130 West Huntington Drive. Ed Andersen of Arcadia Historical Society and Rotchana Sussman, owner of White Springs Cafe, are featured speakers.
Singers Ruben Studdard and Clay Aiken perform at Arcadia Performing Arts Center on Saturday, 9/23/2023. They were two of the favorites on the second season of TV show American Idol. Studdard won the American Idol competition and Clay Aiken was the runner up 20 years ago. The tour is called "Twenty, the Tour."
La Verne's mayor Tim Hepburn to lead as President of San Gabriel Valley Council of Governments. The other newly elected leadership includes: Claremont Mayor Ed Reese, first VP, Arcadia Mayor Pro Tem April Verlato, second VP, and City of Industry Mayor Cory Moss, third VP.
Bay Area horse racing track Golden Gate Fields in San Francisco to close permanently later this year. After the Golden Gate Fields meet ends, The Stronach Group said it will focus on moving horses from the Bay Area to Arcadia, with a goal of increasing field sizes and adding a fourth day of racing to the weekly schedule at Santa Anita Park, beginning in January. See hard copy in VF. See also Arcadia Weekly, p. 28, July 20, 2023.
A San Bernardino teen is arrested following crash. Arcadia police find the fatal hit-and-run suspect, a 17-year old boy, hiding in the bushes after pedestrian, a 28-year-old man, is killed crossing Huntington Drive. The suspect drove a gray Dodge Charger, which was found in the 1200 block of Oakhaven Road, with front end damage and a broken windshield.
Public lands: additions sought for San Gabriel Mountains National Monument. U.S. Senator Alex Padilla and Rep. Judy Chu, D-Pasadena, push bid to expand area by 109,000 acres by designating the western Angeles National Forest as part of the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument. The San Gabriel Mountains are north of Arcadia.
Los Angeles County Arboretum selects new CEO, Michael Desplaines. He has more than two decades of experience in historic property development and restoration, public garden management, environmental education and fundraising. He begins in July. He previously served as president and CEO of the Norfolk Botanical Garden in Virginia. He replaces Richard Schulhof, who retired after 14 years as CEO.
El Monte man gets 21 years for killing boss at newspaper's office. Zhong Qi Chen, 64, of El Monte, was sentenced. He pleaded guilty in March to the voluntary manslaughter of Yining Xie, of Arcadia, at The China Press in Alhambra at 2121 W. Mission Road, Alhambra, CA.