The 75th anniversary of Santa Anita Park was celebrated with festivities including a parade of Budweiser Clydesdales and the unveiling of sculptor Nina Kaiser's life-size bronze statue of the race horse John Henry. The article includes a list of people in attendance at the party in the Directors' Room.
Arcadia considers rate tiers for water use. Santa Anita Park race track, Los Angeles County Arboretum, Westfield Shoppingtown, and the two golf courses are Arcadia's biggest users. The tiered rate structure means that users would be charged more per gallon once they cross certain thresholds.
Art Wilson writes about some of the famous names in Santa Anita Park's 75 year history, including Charlie Whittingham, Bill Shoemaker, Laffit Pincay, Jr., Seabiscuit, Citation and John Henry.
Santa Anita Park race track will unveil a 1000-pound bronze statue of popular race horse John Henry and a historical marker covering 75 years of the race track's history, as part of its 75th anniversary this Saturday. The bronze statue cost more than $100,000. The marker was done by the Arcadia Historical Society.
Arcadia High School juniors Catrina McAlister and Ammar Moussa are the Pasadena Star News girls and boys Runners of the Year, and Arcadia High School coach Jim O'Brien is the Boys Coach of the Year.
Many San Gabriel Valley cities are seeing an increase in property tax revenues in the 2009-2010 fiscal year, namely San Marino, Arcadia, Bradbury, Alhambra and South Pasadena. Arcadia's property tax revenue is expected to be $3,359,282.80 compared to $3,294,314.77 in 2008-2009. Other cities' figures are given. In the average city, property taxes make up 11% of the city budget.
Gold Line Foothill Extension Authority officials unveiled a San Gabriel Valley-themed design for a rail bridge honoring local wildlife and native cultures. The span of the 739-foot bridge will stretch diagonally across the 210 Freeway to Santa Anita Avenue in Arcadia. It will be adorned by four basket-shaped columns and the bridge itself will have individual grooves resembling the scales of a snake. Andrew Leicester is the artist and designer.
Arcadia city officials adopt a 5-year redevelopment plan. The major goals are the expansion of the Rusnak Mercedes Benz auto dealership, development around the future Gold Line station and several affordable housing programs. The city demolished the Church of Arcadia's old building at 21 Morlan Place in September to make room for a parking lot that could be used by Rusnak.
An Arcadia family was terrorized and victimized at gunpoint in a home invasion robbery. The robbers choked the father of the family until he gave them cash and threatened to return to kill the family if they called police. The robbery occurred in the 100 block of West Forest Avenue. It is not known if this crime is related to the robbery of an elderly couple in Arcadia last week.
Measure R, by which voters approved a half-cent sales tax last November, was to fund dozens of new transportation projects across Los Angeles County. However, rather than launch new projects, several San Gabriel Valley cities plan to use the windfall to keep municipal bus routes and Dial-a-Ride shuttles in operation. Arcadia may store up some of the funding it is due to receive, 290,000 this year and $496,000 next year, for a larger project down the line, said Transportation Services Manager Linda Hui. Possible projects include funding part of a grade separation at a future Gold Line station in Arcadia, or funding other Gold Line station enhancements, such as shuttle services. Street improvements are also a possibility for Arcadia.
An elderly couple in Arcadia was robbed outside their house on the 300 block of West Duarte Road by two teenagers. The robbers took the man's wallet and his wife's wedding ring and watch.