Beth Costanza, Executive director of the Arcadia Chamber of Commerce, has received positive feedback from chamber members after she published a piece called "Arcadia's meanest spirited businesses," in which she took to task such companies as Washington Mutual, Bank of America, Ralphs and Sav-On.
Charles Cooper continues his Arcadia city centennial series "Memories of Arcadia" with a story about Arcadia's mayors. A. N. Multer was the first person to be given the title of mayor of Arcadia. City founder Elias J. "Lucky" Baldwin was the city's first presiding officer, but he held the title of president of the Board of Trustees. The title of mayor was not adopted until 1927, when the Board of Trustees changed to the City Council. Arcadia will have 4 mayors this year to mark the city's centennial. Each city council member will rotate into the position. More interesting facts: Floretta Lauber was the first woman to serve as mayor. She paved the way for Mary Young, Barbara Kuhn, and Gail Marshall to follow. Other history of mayors is recapped. The first city manager was William J. Richards in 1951, when a charter was adopted. The longest serving city official was City Clerk Christine Van Mannen, who held the job for 32 years. See hard copy in VF Arcadia (City) History.
Harris & Associates will design streetscape and landscape improvements for the Santa Anita Entry Corridor, meaning Santa Anita Avenue from Huntington Drive to the Foothill 210 Freeway and on areas adjacent to the Santa Anita Avenue and Baldwin Avenue freeway ramps. The project will include pavement work. The contract for the project is for $107,211.
Harry Lee, a 73-year-old Chinese American sheriff from Jefferson Parish, Louisiana, is visiting Arcadia as part of a fundraising tour for the Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office Deputy Disaster Relief Fund. He will be attending the Oak Tree Racing Association's Mid-Autumn Festival luncheon.