23-year-old Arcadia man Joshua Martin Parra-Davis was booked by Arcadia Police on suspicion of possessing an explosive device and leaving it in a backpack near a Bank of America on Foothill Boulevard on Friday, January 14, 2011. Witnesses said Parra-Davis first went to Foothills Middle School and may have been trying to open classrooms when he was confronted and ran off. The suspect was then seen dropping a backpack in bushes near the Bank of America and then running through the parking lot, where officers detained him. Arcadia Police called the bomb squad. The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department Bob Squad successfully detonated the device. Parra-Davis could be arranged in Pasadena Court today.
25-year old Colleen Kay Hutchins, who represented Utah in the Miss America contest, was named Miss America Saturday night. She is one of seven children of Mr. and Mrs. H. A. Hutchins of Arcadia.
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.
2011 Standardized Testing and Reporting (STAR) scores show a majority of area schools are progressing. California's STAR program assesses public school students' knowledge of the math, English and science in grades 2 through 11. At Arcadia Unified School District, these are the percentage of students who scored proficient or advanced in core subjects: English-Language Arts 83.9%; History 76%; Mathematics 82.4%; Science 84.7%; Science end of course 80.4%. STAR scores from other area schools are given.
The ad (open letter to the Arcadia community) that was paid for by the three members of the Arcadia Unified School District Board of Education who are targeted for recall--Cung Nguyen, lori Phillipi, and Kay Kinsler--was printed in the Pasadena Star News August 11, 2013. Fired Arcadia High School cross country coach James O'Brien and his supporters say the letter was a public relations bid to derail the recall effort. See hard copy of the letter in VF "Arcadia High School." See also Arcadia Weekly, p. 1 and 27, August 15, 2013.
Alhambra man Isaac Campbell was sentenced to the maximum of 11 years in prison for killing his girlfriend Liya "Jessie" Lu, 31, of San Gabriel, and then putting her body in a trash can full of kitty litter in the backyard of Campbell's friend in Arcadia.
All four "tree-sitters" arrested while protesting the destruction of an 11-acre oak woodland in Arcadia appeared in Alhambra Superior Court and pleaded not guilty to one count each of trespassing and obstruction a police officer. They are John Quigley, 50, of Glendale, Julia Jaye Posin, 23 of Venice Beach, Travis Jochimsen, 28, of Lancaster and Andrea Bowers, 45 of Los Angeles. They rejected an offer of community service and payment of restitution from the District Attorney's office. The four will appear in court again April 22 for a pre-trial hearing.
The American Red Cross chapter in Arcadia has laid off 10 of 11 employees, citing a large budget deficit. Chapter officials say all services will continue, with help from staff from the Los Angeles and San Gabriel/Pomona Valley chapters. Most of the laid off staff were trainers who taught first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation.
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 businesses are eager for extended race season at Santa Anita Park to increase their own business. The live racing season will be extended by 11 weeks next year, through July 5, pending approval of California Horse Racing Board, due to the closure of Betfair Hollywood Park in Inglewood.
Arcadia City Council moves toward a smoking ban at city parks and recreation areas, excluding the Par 3 Golf Course. While Council voted 4 to 1 last week in support of the concept, an ordinance is expected to be presented to the Council in May for public comment and approval.