2008 Rose Queen, Dusty Gibbs of Arcadia, and past Rose Queens select photos and news clippings to be scanned and digitally archived by Kodak's ScanVan.
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.
Arcadia City Council hears report on Phase Two of the Arcadia Public Library Strategic Plan. It outlines the need for additional funding to the Strategic Plan to accommodate for remodeling and additional office space and staff.
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 High School student and 2008 Rose Queen Dusty Gibbs and her Rose Court spread good will and smiles as ambassadors for the Tournament of Roses. Gibbs and the princesses are pictured.
Arcadian Luben Balabanoff, a Bulgarian by birth, was in Dresden, Germany when it was bombed during World War II. Retired now, he has spent the last 10 years making travel films and touring with them.
Arcadia Unified School District celebrates grand opening ribbon cutting ceremony of the Compressed Natural Gas Station. It was made possible by nearly $500,000 in grants from California Energy Commission and Mobile Source Air Pollution Review Committee. The new CNG station is estimated to save the district up to $40,000 in fuel and maintenance costs per year.