$2 million in funding to help provide more homes. San Gabriel Valley Regional Housing Trust gets state award for affordable, transitional housing. About 2 dozen cities have partnered, including Alhambra, Arcadia, Azusa, Baldwin Park, and others, to develop affordable housing.
11 Arcadia High students named National Merit Scholarship Program semifinalis
Arcadia High School continues its 28-year streak of seeing a double-digit number of students represented in the renowned National Merit Scholarship Program. This year, 11 Arcadia High students are counted among less than 1% of high school seniors across the nation that have been named 2022 National Merit Scholarship semifinalists, who now have the opportunity to vie for one of nearly 7,500 scholarships that collectively total close to $30 million.
26 local schools earn high honors, the 2023 California Distinguished Schools award, including Hugo Reid Elementary, Camino Grove Elementary, Highland Oaks Elementary, Rancho Learning Center, Baldwin Stocker Elementary, Holly Avenue Elementary and Longley Way Elementary School from the Arcadia Unified School District.
26-year-old Arcadia man Lucas Naccarati still shaken by deadly toll and tried to help people around him at a Travis Scott concert in Houston, TX where people were trampled to death.
A 38-year-old Los Angeles man, accused of setting four arson fires in Arcadia and of carjacking a woman trying to move her car away from one of the fires, is arrested. The first fire was in a rear corridor on the second floor of The Shops at Santa Anita mall, at 400 South Baldwin Avenue at 11:40 A.M. on Friday. The other three fires were in the vicinity of the 900 block of Arcadia Avenue.
2023 Pasadena Tournament of Roses Parade's Rose Court profiled with their hobbies. Sahanna Rajinikanthan, one of the Royal Court, is from Arcadia and enjoys baking. She made it to the state championship for the VEX Robotics Competition and enjoys volunteering as a singing coach in the language of Araneri, passing on her Indian culture to her students.
2024 ELECTIONS - Pasadena City College: Four candidates compete for two Board of Trustee seats on the March 5 election. Voters elect a trustess from each of the seven districts in an area that includes Arcadia, a portion of El Monte, La Canada Flintridge, Pasadena, Rosemead, San Marino, Sierra Madre, South Pasadena, and Temple City. Area 2 candidates are Kevin D. Strotz and James Aragon. Area 6 candidates are Ryan Liu and John Quintanilla.
All Arcadia Unified School District's elementary schools earn historic acclaim in California's coveted 2023 Distinguished Schools Program. The award winning Arcadia elementary schools are Hugo Reid Elementary, Camino Grove Elementary, Highland Oaks Elementary, alternative learning program Rancho Learning Center, Baldwin Stocker Elementary, Holly Avenue Elementary and Longley Way Elementary School.
Anita Baldwin statue to be unveiled at Le Méridien Hotel in Arcadia
The Anita May Baldwin statue at the Le Méridien Hotel will be unveiled on Monday, Oct. 25, 2021 at 11 a.m. Anita is the daughter of city founder, Elias Jackson "Lucky" Baldwin. The statue will be featured on the opposite end of the Huntington Drive islands’ hotel property.
“We are very excited to be bringing Anita back to Arcadia,” said Mayor Sho Tay in a statement released by the city. “I would like to thank the Shen, Liu and Chen Families, Jeff Lee, the Dextra Baldwin McGonagle Foundation, Heather D. Gibson and Margaux L. Gibson, and the Arcadia Historical Society, for their generous donations.”
“On behalf of the Baldwin family, I would like to express my deepest gratitude to the Arcadia City Council, the Arcadia Historical Society, the Le Méridien Hotel and all those who have supported this effort to pay homage to my great-great grandmother, Anita May Baldwin,” said Margaux Gibson. “This magnificent statue of Anita will showcase a strong woman who was ahead of her time. I am proud to call Anita May Baldwin my great-great grandmother, and I am truly proud to be a part of this historic project.”
The Anita statue was sculpted by local artist and southern California native Alfred Paredes — who created the Lucky Baldwin statue on the corner of Huntington Drive and Holly Avenue — and is aptly named, “A Legacy of Charity” in honor of Anita’s contributions to life in early Arcadia and throughout California.
Another homeless village set to open in Baldwin Park. 16-unit tiny home complex will house families in need. It's called Serenity Homes, 13167 Garvey Avenue in Baldwin Park. Senator Susan Rubio, D-West Covina, celebrated the opening with elected officials from all over the San Gabriel Valley, including from Arcadia, Azusa, Glendora, La Puente, Monrovia, San Marino, South Pasadena, Temple City and Mount San Antonio College. It is the second tiny homes village opening in Baldwin Park within a year and serves as a model for how cities can expand homeless services.
Arboretum kicks off summer. Visitors to the 127-acre botanical garden and historical site, once the heart of Rancho Santa Anita--can enjoy seeing peacocks and the "Twilight Music and Cocktails at the Peacock Cafe Terrace."
Arcadha High School welcomes community to Spring Preview Open House on Thursday, 4:00-6:30 at 180 Campus Drive. All are invited to see what it's like to be a student at Arcadia High School.
Arcadia adopts comprehensive pension management plan, saving $85 million. It addresses the City's $154 million in unfunded pension liabilities. It focuses on:
-use of reserves to prepay existing liabilities
-refinancing existing debt to lower interest rates to free up cash flow
-prepaying costs with surplus funds from voter-approved Measure A sales tax increase
-financing long-term capital improvements
-using pension obligation bonds to lower the overall costs of pensions
-negotiating for more employee cost-sharing.
See also Arcadia Weekly, p. 3, February 27, 2020
Arcadia Advises Residents to Wear Face Coverings in Public. Per additional guidance from local, state, and federal public health officials, the City of Arcadia is encouraging all residents to wear face coverings when outside the home conducting essential activities, like going to the grocery store or caring for family members, to help slow the spread of COVID-19. This recommendation does not substitute existing guidance about social distancing and handwashing.
Arcadia announces August 17 public hearing on City Council redistricting. Every 10 years, after the US Census, the City Council District Map is realigned to reflect Arcadia's current population.
Arcadia announces City Council redistricting mapping tool and public hearing schedule. Residents can use this portal to draw a map and a community of interest for the city and submit it to City Council.
Arcadia Announces Limited Reopening of City Facilities by Appointment. The City of Arcadia is reopening City Hall to the public for services by appointment only for essential activities in response to the revised Safer at Home Order issued by Los Angeles County on May 13, 2020. These include building permits, inspections, and planning related services. Tennis courts are now open for modified use. All players must abide by posted rules and those who ignore the guidelines will not be allowed to play.
Arcadia announces public hearing on city council redistricting, where draft maps will be reviewed. It will take place on March 1, 2022 at City Council Chambers, 240 West Huntington Drive, at 7:30 PM.
Arcadia assisted living facility Arcadia Retirement Village is under investigation by the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health for alleged COVID-19 health violations including the timeliness in reporting Coronavirus-related deaths and not giving staff new, sanitary supplies.