After a five-year hiatus, Arcadia City Council is considering reinstating a policy that would let property owners pay to be assigned a more auspicious house number, which some believe would improve the value of their home. The number 4 in a street address is considered a bad omen in many Asian cultures. In Mandarin language, the word "four" sounds like the word for death, while the number eight is considered lucky, because it sounds like the word for prosper. Arcadia's Asian population is approaching 60% and most potential buyers will be Asian. In a 3-2 vote, Arcadia City Council endorsed the move in principle and directed staff to report back on the costs involved.
2010 U.S. Census data shows that 12 San Gabriel Valley cities, including Arcadia, saw the percentage of owner-occupied homes rise, something that experts said was extremely uncommon following the housing crisis. 63.1% of Arcadia's homes are owner-occupied, while 36.9% are occupied by renters. Other cities' figures are shown in chart. Arcadia's vacancy percentage is 5.3%. Vacancy rates are determined by the U.S. Census Bureau by sending out canvassers to homes that did not respond to Census mailers.
Bowen Du, 19, a Pasadena City College student, was charged with felony vehicular manslaughter in the death of 16-year-old Arcadia High School student Alice Zhang on April 10. In court, he said he was sorry and did not mean to do it. He was a graduate of Arcadia High School in 2010 and a private first class in the U.S. Army Reserve. His arraignment was continued until June 28. Du has no prior criminal record. Arcadia police have said the car's windshield was "excessively dirty" and that "this vision obstruction, combined with the setting sun at the time of the collision, played a major role in the cause of the collision." Du was driving about 30 mph when he struck Zhang and her friend on the 600 block of West Duarte Road.
Developer Rick Caruso of Caruso Affiliated is no longer pursuing a deal with Santa Anita Park owners MI Developments to develop an outdoor mall in the race track's parking lot. The project was known as The Shops at Santa Anita. Caruso said, "We're not pursuing it, because of the (Magna Entertainment Corp.) bankruptcy...and everything else." Arcadia city councilman Mickey Segal said it's a loss of "a projected $2.5 million to $3 million of revenue (each year) to the city" in sales and property tax.
Wei Sheng "Jackie" Chen, 46, of Arcadia, owner of Tema Media Inc., and store manager Dong Qun Lin, 40, of Alhambra, were arrested for allegedly importing and selling Chinese movie DVDs bearing an allegedly counterfeit Dolby Digital trademark. They were charged for the federal crime of trafficking in counterfeit goods. If convicted, Chen and Lin each face a maximum possible sentence of 10 years in federal prison.
Los Angeles County Arboretum and Botanic Garden will have its historic buildings upgraded and a new 5-year strategic plan is being drafted for the first time in many years. Among items to be improved are the roof replacement and stabilization of the Hugo Reid Adobe (aka Baldwin Adobe), the rehabilitation of the library, as well as roof replacements for the 126-year-old Queen Anne Cottage of "Fantasy Island" fame, and the Coach Barn. Mitchell Bishop, curator of the historic collections, said he plans to rehabilitate Baldwin Lake.
Canadian billionaire Frank Stronach, who is about to become the sole owner of Santa Anita Park, said he hasn't ruled out talking to developer Rick Caruso about reviving a project to build an outdoor mall in the race track's parking lot. Last week Caruso announced that he is no longer pursuing a development deal with Santa Anita Park's outgoing owner, MI Developments, Inc. (MID), for the upscale Shops at Santa Anita. Stronach is the outgoing chairman of MID.
Arcadia High School boys baseball team loses in semifinals of the CIF-Southern section playoffs. Arcadia's Haram Park and K.J. Edon are shown in photos.