Gold Line Foothill Extension Authority officials unveiled a San Gabriel Valley-themed design for a rail bridge honoring local wildlife and native cultures. The span of the 739-foot bridge will stretch diagonally across the 210 Freeway to Santa Anita Avenue in Arcadia. It will be adorned by four basket-shaped columns and the bridge itself will have individual grooves resembling the scales of a snake. Andrew Leicester is the artist and designer.
Arcadia city officials adopt a 5-year redevelopment plan. The major goals are the expansion of the Rusnak Mercedes Benz auto dealership, development around the future Gold Line station and several affordable housing programs. The city demolished the Church of Arcadia's old building at 21 Morlan Place in September to make room for a parking lot that could be used by Rusnak.
9-year-old Maria Lugo came to Arcadia Arcadia Methodist Hospital from Mexico to have a steel plate removed from her chin. It was a follow-up surgery to a softball-size tumor removal she had in April, 2008, at Arcadia Methodist Hospital. Dr. Jon Tyrell, a member of LIGA International, and Dr. B.S. Chandrasekhar operated on her. LIGA International is a non-profit group of medical experts, pilots and volunteers who travel to clinics in Sinaloa, Mexico several times a year.
Monica Rodriguez, a 27 year old pregnant woman from El Monte, died at Arcadia Methodist Hospital. The family believes she died of complications from the H1N1 virus (swine flu). The family is considering legal action against Greater El Monte Community Hospital because she went there to be treated October 14 and 15, but was sent away with medicine and cough syrup, instead of admitting her.
Arcadia Methodist Hospital staff have a drill to practice responding to a dirty bomb detonation, imagining a scenario in which terrorists explode a bomb with radioactive material at Toyota Speedway in Irwindale.
San Gabriel Valley Economic Partnership held its annual awards gala at Santa Anita Park. AeroVironment Inc. received the Green Technology Award. Harry Baldwin, a former San Gabriel councilman, recived the Community Service Award. The Majestic Realty Foundation received the Humanitarian Award. Other award recipients are listed.
Arcadia Methodist Hospital has filed 2 lawsuits against Anthem Blue Cross, one in Superior Court and one in federal court, alleging the insurer underpays for emergency room visits by Blue Cross members.
Dr. Elizabeth Lee is a board certified general/vascular surgeon, currently practicing with Arcadia Surgical Associates and is medical director of the Methodist Hospital Wound Healing Center in Arcadia. She answers questions about wounds in today's column.
Richard Schulhof is the top candidate in the search for executive director of the Los Angeles County Arboretum and Botanic Garden. His salary will be $117,000, plus an annual supplement of $52, 935, plus an annual performance bonus of up to $10,000. The supplement and bonus will be paid by the nonprofit Los Angeles Arboretum Foundation. He is the former executive director of Descanso Gardens. He replaces Mark Wuorms.
Getting a permit to install solar panels on homes in the San Gabriel Valley is costly. A Sierra Club report shows that San Gabriel Valley cities charge more than other Southland communities. The average permit cost to install a typical 20-panel system in Southern California is about $493. Arcadia's fee is $283. A chart shows the fees of surrounding cities.
Arcadia Methodist Hospital received a $4 million gift from philanthropists Tom and Bea Hollfelder, the largest outright gift made by individual donors in the hospital's 106 year history. In recognition of their donation, the first floor of the new hospital tower, scheduled to open in 2012, will be named the Hollfelder Emergency Care Center.
Registered nurse Shawn Douthit, of Cerner Corp., promotes the "Smart Semi," a mobile caregiver station that travels across the country and is making a stop at Arcadia Methodist Hospital. This new technology integrates different systems and devices, including electronics, IV pumps, monitors, into the electronic medical record. Kara Marx, the hospital's chief information officer, already has plans to install a system similar to Cerner's by August.
The Women's Health and Issues club at Arcadia High School has organized a petition against misogynistic music at this Saturday's prom. Activities director John Pung said he supports the club's cause and could guarantee that 20 songs from the club's 300 song list won't be played.
St. Baldrick's Foundation held its annual fundraising event at Matt Denny's Ale House. More than 70 volunteers got their family, friends and co-workers to give donations for them to shave their heads. Their baldness helps raise awareness of cancer and shows solidarity with the childhood cancer patients. Arcadia firefighter Drew Pryon is shown in photographs with children.
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 City of Arcadia will request millions in federal dollars for Arcadia's transportation and water needs. The city plans to act through Washington DC based lobbying firm The Ferguson Group. Other wish list areas in need of federal money are identified.