A $30 million plan to provide standardized breathing equipment for every fire department in Los Angeles County has been suspended after a lawsuit alleged the contract process was mishandled and firefighters complained about the quality of the equipment. Arcadia-based Allstar Fire Equipment is suing the city and county of Los Angeles, contending the contract process was improperly handled in a manner that ignored firefighter input and unfairly favored the winning bidder, L.N. Curtis and sons.
The Arcadia Board of Education promised parents and supporters of former teacher Sandra Ragusa a statement on why she was not allowed to withdraw her resignation.
Arcadia police are calling this past holiday season quiet in terms of criminal activity. The one crime of note was the bank robbery of Citizen's Business Bank on First Avenue on December 31, 2001.
Arcadia police pursued and arrested armed suspects after they robbed a Wells Fargo Bank at 211 East Foothill Boulevard. The suspects were Wilfredo Ramirez, Aaron Allen, Melonie Young, and Robert Burnham.
Bruce Sikora, part owner of Arcadia All-Pro Athletic Club, hopes that his nephew Marine Lance Corporal Donald John Cline will return safely from Iraq. Cline has been missing in action since March 23. A photo of Sikora and family is included
.
Celebrity and super model Tyra Banks' television show "Top Model" did a photo shoot at Santa Anita Park Race Track, using semi-nude models. Pete Siberell, Director of Community Service at Santa Anita Park, described it as "kinda sleazy."
Dr. Stephen Liu, CEO and chairman of the board of Tomato Bank, is shown in photo. Tomato Bank is opening a branch in Arcadia at 1317 S. Baldwin Avenue with a grand opening celebration on Saturday.
The FBI is asking for the public's help in finding the "Fedex bandits" who have robbed banks throughout Southern California including Arcadia on October 24, 2003.
Four suspects involved in an Arcadia bank robbery had their original bail amounts increased from $35,000 to $280,000 and upwards of $300,000. The suspects were Wilfredo Ramirez, Aaron Allen, Melonie Young, and Robert Burnham.
Los Angeles Superior Court Judge James Chalfant has voided a $30 million contract that Los Angeles County awarded to L.N. Curtis and Sons for fire equipment. Arcadia-based Allstar Fire Equipment sued the city and county of Los Angeles, claiming the selection process used to award the contract was improperly handled and the judge agreed. The actual funding for the contract came from the federal Department of Homeland Security. The judge's orders require the county to either restart the bidding process or re-evaluate all the bids properly.
A man believed to be the "Old Timer Bandit" was shot and killed by an Arcadia police detective after he allegedly robbed banks in Arcadia and Pasadena and led police on a high-speed chase.