The 2010 All-Area Girls Tennis was named. Those from Arcadia High School are Caroline Young, Michelle Zhu, Francis Dean, Annie Tung and Elizabeth Lieu. Coach of the Year is Jerry Dohling. An Arcadia High School girl on the second team is Nadia Pacheco-Amaro.
Altrusa Club of Arcadia celebrated 52 years. Arcadia Mayor John Wuo presented the club with a special commendation from the city for its service to the community.
Annie Yuen was elected as the Arcadia school board's first Asian member. She is part of a growing group of local politicians who came as immigrants and ended up in public office.
Arcadia City Council rejected a proposed draft resolution last week that several argued would give city-designated homeowner associations (HOA) too much power. During a study session, the Council discussed amending and consolidating the five HOAs' development standards, design guidelines and design review procedures into one cohesive document. Some argued the draft would give the associations' Architectural Review Boards (ARB)--which have architectural design review authority over the association area--too much control over the size of homes, setbacks and other issues. ARBs should look favorably on someone's dream home plans "unless it was so garish and outlandish that it might negatively affect property values," said Councilman Bob Harbicht. Opposition from Kevin Tomkins and Laurie Thompson.
Arcadia High School girls' waterpolo against Mayfair. Apaches handily won the Pacific League crown and most recently routed Mayfair 17-0 in the first round of CIF.
Arcadia High School student Nancy Xu, a senior, launches children’s book diversity campaign. She has written a children’s book called Hana and Arnie, a tale of a girl and an armadillo taught their village to embrace immigrants and diversity. She has a Kickstarter campaign.
Arcadia Mayor Peter Amundson defends his speaker of choice at next month's Mayor's Community Breakfast. He has invited H. B. London, of Focus on the Family, a conservative Christian group that opposes same-sex marriage. Residents and activists upset about this choice are organizing two counterevents of their own. Activists are planning a "peaceful" demonstration March 4 outside Arcadia Community Center and a bar-b-que at Pasadena's Unitarian Church for all families. Focus on the Family was founded in Arcadia by Dr. James C. Dobson and believes marriage is meant to be between a man and a woman. Amundson said the event is not about sexuality but about the Arcadia family.
Arcadia Mayor Peter Amundson's selection of Reverend H. B. London, Jr. to speak at the community breakfast on March 4, is drawing criticism from some residents and gay-rights activists. London is a vice president of ministry outreach at Focus on the Family, a conservative Christian group that opposes gay marriage. Some residents are asking Mayor Amundson to reconsider and they feel Focus on the Family delivers hateful messages. The city estimates it will pay between $5000 and $5500 for its contribution to the event, which will include the speaker's plane fare.
Arcadia residents hoping to vote to curb home sizes. Groups want city to have a lot less 'mansionization' and are circulating a petition for a ballot initiative that aims to set square footage regulations for new residential development projects.