20-year-old man Jason Scott Gustin found guilty of attempted murder of his ex-girlfriend in Arcadia. On August 22, 2016, according to testimony at trial, Gustin met near Arcadia and sat in his car to talk when he pulled out a knife and slashed her throat and then began strangling her. As the victim tried to escape, he stabbed her multiple times. She ran away to a nearby convalescent home. He was arrested a short time later after he showed up at his mother’s workplace in Arcadia.
A $30 million plan to provide standardized breathing equipment for every fire department in Los Angeles County has been suspended after a lawsuit alleged the contract process was mishandled and firefighters complained about the quality of the equipment. Arcadia-based Allstar Fire Equipment is suing the city and county of Los Angeles, contending the contract process was improperly handled in a manner that ignored firefighter input and unfairly favored the winning bidder, L.N. Curtis and sons.
375 Arcadia High School Apaches are set for marching in the Pasadena Tournament of Roses Parade on January 2, 2017, and at the Rose Parade Band Fest on New Year's Eve at Pasadena City College. Band director is Mr. Seth Murray. The Apache Marching Band has performed in the Rose Parade 15 times over the past 50 years.
The 2001 murder of grocer Adel Karas, a 48-year old Egyptian man from Arcadia, a few days after the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, was initially thought to have been a hate crime. He was shot at his store International Market at 1381 E. Last Tunas in San Gabriel. Now police suspect Adel Karas was the victim of extortion. The suspects are two Latinos in their mid-20s.
About 20 demonstrators organized by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) protested the perceived mistreatment of race horses in front of Santa Anita Park during the Breeders' Cup. Pictured is Natalie Stauffer of San Francisco.
An ancient Chinese maternity tradition, from the Sung Dynasty (960-1275 AD), known as "Zuo Yue Zi," is translated as "doing the month."It refers to the care of a Chinese woman during the first month after giving birth. The practice is explained here by Wei-Chen Tung, a former registered nurse at Arcadia Methodist Hospital and now an assistant professor of nursing at University of Nevada, Reno. The practice requires new mothers to follow a strict diet and rest for 3-4 weeks following a pregnancy. Tung says a lot of Chinese women still practice this, so hospitals should be aware of this part of Chinese culture. Maternity tourists--women who want to come to the United States to give birth to a full-fledged American citizen, have given rise to businesses that cater to them, such as the maternity home that was shut down in the 1300 block of South Palm Avenue in San Gabriel on March 8. It had been 5 townhomes illegally converted into a maternity home.
Animal Pest Management Services, Inc. will conduct a peafowl census in Arcadia during the week of May 20. The results and courses of action to contain the peafowl population will be given to City Council to review.
Arcadia Branch of the American Association of University Women (AAUW) sponsors local Arcadia girls' week at Tech Trek Science and Math Camp June 14 through June 20 at Whittier College. The girls will explore science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) courses and careers.
Arcadia Chamber of Commerce will introduce candidates who represent Arcadia in the U.S. Congress in a forum at 8:00 AM, August 2, at 388 W. Huntington Drive. Longtime Arcadia resident and Republican candidate Jack Orswell is confirmed to speak and Democratic candidate Judy Chu is expected to attend.
The Arcadia City Council approved an owner participation agreement with American Senior Living for a 54-unit affordable senior housing project at 150 W. Las Tunas Drive. The City will put in $1.8 million for the $8.5 million project. Residents will be selected by lottery.
Arcadia City Council gave preliminary approval for a proposed $18.5 million, four-story medical office building to be constructed near Methodist Hospital on about 4 acres of Santa Anita Park's expansive southern parking lot. Dick Hale's development firm Hale Corporation, has a joint venture with Santa Anita Park's owner The Stronach Group, to use part of the race track's under-used property at 289 W. Huntington Drive for the roughly 70,000 s.f. building.
Arcadia City Council has approved a list of a dozen projects to lobby for with the federal government. The projects will be pursued by city lobbyist, the Ferguson Group, by Mayor Mickey Segal, and a representative from Sierra Madre, as they try to coordinate lobbying efforts in Washington DC. On the list is a $20 million request jointly with Sierra Madre, for continuing programs to ensure safety of the water supply in case of seismic problems.
The Arcadia City Council has decided to seek a new operator for the Arcadia Par 3 Golf Course, located adjacent to the Peck Road Water Conservation Park, at the city's border south of Live Oak Avenue, by putting the contract up for bid. American Golf Corporation has operated the golf course for the past 20 years. There was discussion of the land's worth and increased city profits with a new golf course operator.
Arcadia City Councilman Gary Kovacic will take over as mayor at the next City Council Meeting. He will serve through October 21 and then the position will rotate to John Wuo (October 21-January 4), Mickey Segal (January 4-April 20). Gail Marshall was mayor through April 15 of this year. All council members are rotating to the position of mayor during the city's centennial.
Arcadia City Council members to submit nominees for John Wuo's vacant seat at next meeting October 20. Mayor Gary Kovacic and Councilman Tom Beck recommended former mayor Mickey Segal. Councilman Roger Chandler and Sho Tay wanted to take time to think of a few more nominees.
Arcadia city officials are cracking down on "maternity tourism" boarding houses by dedicating a full-time police detective to investigate the issue. Maternity or birth tourism is a phenomenon in which women, often from China, pay a handsome fee to have their babies in the United States, so the children can be citizens. While that is not illegal, at least five establishments have been shut down for violations, such as unlawfully operating boarding house businesses in residential zones.
Arcadia City's legal team and traffic safety experts re-created the scene of the crash that killed Arcadia teen Alice Zhang, 16, of Arcadia, and badly injured her friend Priyanka Patel of Upland, on April 10, 2011. The driver, Bowen Du, 20, of Arcadia, has been sentenced to one year in jail after pleading guilty to a misdemeanor count of vehicular manslaughter and reckless driving.