Mountain Views News          Saturday, May 28, 2011

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Mountain Views News Saturday, May 28, 2011

From Arcadia’s Best...

From Arcadia’s Best...

Rose Queen Reunion

Caruso backs out of Shops

By Scott Hettrick

It will be a first-of-its-kind reunion of at least a 
dozen women who represented Arcadia as a Rose 
Queen or Princess over a 60-year span when 
they return to be showcased in the Arcadia’s Best 
Patriotic Festival parade at 10 a.m. on Saturday, 
July 2.

1949 Rose Queen Virginia Bower

62 years later, Virginia Bower Nichols is as 
happy and as radiant as ever.

Queens and Princesses covering at least 
five different decades have already confirmed 
appearances, including 1949 Queen Virginia 
Bower Nichols, who is coming to Arcadia from 
Walnut Creek near San Francisco for another ride 
in a parade, this one in her former hometown.

“Arcadia was my home from age four until my 
marriage in 1950,” during which she wore her 
coronation dress, she says, as did her daughter at 
her wedding. And it must have been good luck 
because Nichols has been married for 60 years.

A Princess from 1954-55, Susan Quarness 
James, will be coming all the way from Montana 
and will ride in a 1928 Ford Roadster provided by 
Dick Anderson of Arcadia.

They will be joined by more recent Rose 
Queens Courtney Lee (2009) and Natalie 
Innocenzi (2010), as well as 2010 Princess June 
Ko, all of Arcadia.

“The Rose Court experience was nothing 
short of extraordinary,” says June Ko. “I am very 
excited and honored to participate in Arcadia’s 
Best Patriotic Festival!”

2010 Rose Queen Natalie Innocenzi

Innocenzi today has wonderful memories of 
her Rose experience.

Others joining the special festivities include 
2001 Rose Princesses Crystal Uribe and Nini Wu; 
1996 Rose Princess Sarah Clinton Edgington; 
1987 Rose Princess Diane Welch Sears; and 1951 
Princess June Roan Patterson.Three others are 
also hoping to attend: Melissa Villagagran Kaliel 
(1991), 1987 Queen Kristin Harris McDonald, 
and 1980 Princess Linda Wieczorek.

Additional members of this elite group are 
encouraged to join this celebration of Arcadia 
royalty that will feature each Queen and Princess 
getting their own spotlight in a separate special 
vehicle riding on First Avenue from north of 
Duarte Road to Bonita Street just north of First 
Avenue Middle School. A group photo will be 
taken to commemorate the special occasion. 
Royalty from the 
Arcadia floats in 
the Rose parade 
for many years 
are also invited to 
participate.

1951 Rose 
Princess June 
Roan (Patterson)

Details about the 
free festival in Downtown Arcadia, sponsored 
by non-profit community events group Arcadia’s 
Best Foundation, and featuring the parade, 
10 gourmet food trucks, a car show, street fair, 
and photo contest, can be found at http://
ArcadiasBestFoundation.org. To participate, 
please e-mail info@ArcadiasBestFoundation.org, 
or call 626-538-5431.

Sponsors, City and Volunteer Supporters

Founding sponsors include the Gold Line 
Metro Foothill Transportation Authority, 
Arcadia Masonic Lodge, Mickey Segal, Waste 
Management, Post Alarm Systems, Peter 
Amundson, Santa Anita Park, Matt Denny’s Ale 
House and Restaurant, Foothill Credit Union, 
The Book Rack/Image Foundry, The Arcadia 
Historical Society, and Richard Libby.

2010 Rose Princess June Ko

Arcadia’s Best 
Patriotic Festival has 
been unanimously 
approved by the 
Arcadia City Council 
and is supported by the 
City of Arcadia and the 
Arcadia Police and Fire 
Departments.

Other participating 
and supporting groups 
include the Arcadia 
Chinese Association, the Arcadia Education 
Foundation, Arcadia Republicans,Assistance 
League of Arcadia, the Arcadia Rotary Club, the 
Tzu Chi, and many others.Many of those groups 
and others, along with many individuals, have 
provided invaluable volunteer support.

By Scott Hettrick

Seven years after making a proposal to build a 
$500 million open-air, high-end, 825,000 square-
foot retail center on 51 acres of the parking lot of 
the Santa Anita Park race track, developer Rick 
Caruso has withdrawn from negotiations with 
track owners.

A representative from Caruso confirmed to 
ArcadiasBest.com today (Friday, May 20) that 
reports about discussions ending with Santa Anita 
owner, Canada-based MI Developments, for the 
proposed Shops at Santa Anita are true, at least 
for now.

Neither Caruso Affiliated or Santa Anita Park 
would comment, with MID expected to release a 
statement next week.

The original 50/50 partnership agreement 
between the two companies was dissolved last 
year by track owners during a reorganization 
under bankruptcy protection that was initiated 
in March 2009. Talks between Caruso and MID 
owner, auto parts magnate Frank Stronach, had 
continued off and on since then, but Caruso 
claimed in April 2010 that MID/Santa Anita owed 
Caruso Affiliated $21 million, which had become 
a sticking point, according to The Daily News 
and the Los Angeles Business Journal. The joint 
venture reportedly spent $25 million during the 
process that ended abruptly this wee“It is truly a 
shame when a corporate citizen in our community 
does not give any consideration to their actions 
or in this case their lack of actions and what the 
consequences of that will be to Arcadia,” Arcadia 
City Councilman Mickey Segal told ArcadiasBest.
com. “Mr. Stronach has dragged his feet and not 
delivered on his commitment to develop the 
propeerty and that will now create a tremendous 
shortfall of revenue for our city for many years to 
come. I respect his rights as a property owner but 
not to the total detriment of all residents.”

The Shops at Santa Anita was unanimously 
approved by the City Council in 2007 but was 
immediately challenged in lawsuits by neighbor 
Westfield Santa Anita and its community 
advocacy group Arcadia First! That legal battle 
continued for two years and was still in full swing 
when Santa Anita was taken into bankruptcy 
protection two years ago.


Retired Teachers to Hear Speaker

on Helping the Visually Impaired

The California Retired Teachers’ Association 
#71 (CalRTA) will welcome speaker Rayanne 
Myers of EYE-DAS (Eye-Diseases are Serious) to 
its luncheon meeting on Friday, June 10, at 11:30 
am. The meeting will take place at the Senior 
Center Building in Arcadia Park, 405 W. Santa 
Anita Avenue, Arcadia, next to the Lawn Bowling 
Greens.

Formerly a teacher in Early Childhood Education, 
Rayanne Myers also worked in group sales 
at the Pasadena Convention Center and major 
hotels before she lost her eyesight. She will introduce 
her audience to EYE-DAS, an organization 
founded in 1975 that is dedicated to helping 
adults with impaired, partial, or no vision at 
all. Sighted individuals are also welcome to join 
as they play an important role. EYE-DAS offers 
many resources, social activities, ongoing education, 
and problem sharing at several nearby locations, 
including Arcadia. Its goal is to enable 
independence and to improve quality of life for 
its members. 

Guests are welcome to come enjoy the CalRTA 
#71 luncheon and to hear the informative speaker. 
The cost of the luncheon for members and 
guests is $10. The reservation deadline is June 
3. For luncheon information, please call John 
Gera at (626) 286-0714. Membership in CalRTA 
is open to all retired teachers, as well as to those 
interested in joining.

City of Arcadia 2011 Senior Citizens of the Year

On Monday, May 23rd, the 46th Annual Older 
American’s Recognition Day Awards Program 
was held at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion at the 
Music Center in Los Angeles. This event honored 
senior citizens from the 87 Cities throughout Los 
Angeles County. The City of Arcadia was proud 
to announce that their 2011 recipients were Jim 
and Margaret Barrows. 

ABOUT OUR HONOREES

Jim and Margaret Barrows have demonstrated 
a life of service and exemplify the spirit of 
volunteerism. Their scope of experience and 
commitment is far reaching and passion for the 
community is unending.

Jim currently serves as the Arcadia City Clerk, 
a position he has held since 2004. Working in 
tandem with his wife Margaret, they serve as the 
food coordinator for the Arcadia Invitational 
Track Meet, are members of the Arcadia Police 
Department volunteers in Patrol, past member 
of the Parks and Recreation Commission and 
assist with several City events including the Snow 
Festival, Penny Carnival, Summer Concerts in the 
Park and the Easter Egg Hunt.

In addition to the depth of service they have 
provided to the City, Jim and Margaret have 
worked with the San Gabriel Valley Special 
Olympics, American Diabetes Association Walk, 
Wistaria Festival in Sierra Madre serving as the 
Traffic Coordinator and Camp McDonald (camp 
for children with cancer).


Arcadia Police Blotter

For the period of Sunday, May 15, through 
Saturday, May 21, the Police Department 
responded to 909 calls for service of which 134 
required formal investigations. The following is a 
summary report of the major incidents handled by 
the Department during this period.

Sunday, May 15:

Shortly before 8:00 p.m., units were dispatched 
to the 1000 block of Arcadia Avenue in regards 
to a fire call. An apartment unit caught fire due 
to a malfunctioning toaster oven. The kitchen 
and family room were completely engulfed. 
Only one neighboring unit sustained minor 
water damage. The Arcadia Fire Department 
successfully extinguished the flames and there 
were no reported injuries.

Between 7:20 a.m. and 8:00 a.m., an auto 
burglary occurred in the 100 block of North First 
Avenue. Unknown suspect(s) smashed the rear 
driver’s side window and stole a laptop, camera 
and various pieces of medical equipment for an 
approximate loss of $3180.

Monday, May 16:

3. Between 7:45 a.m. and 3:30 p.m., a 
residential burglary occurred in the 300 block 
of East Longden Avenue. Unknown suspect(s) 
pried open the front door, ransacked the home 
and stole approximately 20 U.S. Savings Bonds. 
The amount of the loss was unknown.

4. At 1:04 p.m., an officer was dispatched to J.C. 
Penney at 400 S. Baldwin Avenue in reference to 
two people in custody for theft. The suspect(s) 
were observed concealing a pair of sunglasses 
as well as a sweater. The total value of the 
merchandise was $70.00. Both the 23-year-old 
Asian female and the 20-year-old Hispanic male 
were arrested for petty theft.

Tuesday, May 17:

5. At approximately 12:00 p.m., a unit was 
patrolling the area of Park Avenue and Duarte 
Road. The officer observed a couple of juveniles 
sitting on the curb, one of them appeared to be 
holding a cigarette. An investigation revealed 
that the 16-year-old White female was smoking. 
She was placed under arrest for possession of 
tobacco under the age of 18.

6. About 2:15 p.m., officers were dispatched to 
the 1200 block of South First Avenue in regards 
to a residential burglary. The suspects (described 
as three Black males between the ages of 25-30) 
forced open the rear sliding door, ransacked 
the bedrooms and took several items including 
jewelry and personal documents. The suspects 
were seen leaving the area in a 2011 Grey Toyota 
Van. 

Wednesday, May 18:

7. Between 12:00 a.m. and 7:30 a.m., an auto 
burglary occurred in the 600 block of Fairview 
Avenue. An investigation revealed that five 
vehicles at the same location, had smashed 
windows and items taken from the interior. 
There were no suspect(s) heard or seen, and the 
approximate value of the loss is $1,100.

8. Between 4:00 p.m. May 17th and 6:45 a.m. 
May 18th, a commercial burglary occurred at 
Dana Middle School, 1401 South First Avenue. 
Unknown suspect(s) entered the library by 
reaching through an unsecured window and 
pushing open the fire exit door. Once inside, 
the suspect(s) stole several power tools. The 
approximate loss is $1,200.00.

Thursday, May 19:

9. Shortly after 8:00 a.m., an officer attempted 
to make a traffic stop on Arcadia Avenue, 
traveling eastbound, when the vehicle failed to 
yield. Additional units responded to assist. The 
vehicle came to a stop in the parking lot located 
off of Arcadia Avenue east of Baldwin Avenue. 
The 41-year-old Asian male was cited for evading 
an officer as well as traveling at an unsafe speed.

10. Shortly after 6:00 a.m., officers were 
dispatched to Arcadia High School, 180 Campus 
Drive. An investigation revealed that between 
11:00 p.m. May 18th and 6:00 a.m. May 19th, 
unknown suspect(s) shattered a dual pane 
window in the science building by rolling a 
cement trashcan into it. The approximate loss of 
the vandalism is $2,000.

Friday, May 20:

11. At approximately 12:30 a.m., units were 
dispatched to the area of Huntington Drive and 
Santa Clara Street in regards to a solo vehicle 
traffic collision. An investigation revealed that 
the driver, a 43-year-old Hispanic male, was 
intoxicated. He was placed under arrest for 
driving under the influence of alcohol.

12. About 3:25 p.m., officers responded to 
the area of Santa Anita Avenue and Huntington 
Drive in regards to a female lying on the ground. 
The 50-year-old White female was conscious but 
heavily intoxicated. She was placed under arrest 
for being drunk in public.

Saturday, May 21:

13. About 2:30 p.m., officers were dispatched 
to the 2300 block of South Santa Anita Avenue 
in regards to a deceased person. Upon arrival, 
officers found an 81-year-old White female in 
her bed and not breathing. Her son had reported 
finding her that way, there were no signs of 
foul play and it appeared she passed away from 
natural causes.

14. At approximately 10:21 p.m., officers 
responded to the 300 block of Floral Avenue in 
regards to a hit and run traffic collision. While 
making a left turn and entering a driveway, the 
victim was rear-ended by an unknown vehicle. 
Immediately after colliding, the suspect vehicle 
backed out of the driveway and fled the location 
southbound on North View Avenue. A follow-up 
investigation is being conducted by the Detective 
Bureau. 

Memorial Day 
Weekend 
“AVOID 100” DUI 
Checkpoint


The Arcadia Police Depart–
ment, with the assistance 
of San Gabriel Valley allied 
police agencies, will conduct 
a sobriety and drivers license 
checkpoint at an undisclosed 
location in the City of Arcadia 
on Saturday, May 28, 2011 as 
part of the “AVOID 100” DUI 
Prevention Task Force. The 
checkpoint will begin at 6:00 
PM and conclude at 2:00 AM. 
Traffic flowing through the 
checkpoint will be contacted 
by uniformed officers, who 
will be checking for alcohol 
and/or drug-impaired drivers. 
Officers will also check to make 
sure drivers have valid driver’s 
licenses. 

The purpose of the 
checkpoint is to promote public 
safety and increase awareness 
of the dangers associated with 
drinking and driving. The use 
of checkpoints has proven to 
serve as an effective deterrent 
to drivers who are impaired 
and or unlicensed.

Funding for this program 
was provided by a grant from 
the California Office of Traffic 
Safety, through the National 
Highway Traffic Safety 
Administration.

Please direct any inquiries to Sergeant 
Brett Bourgeous at (626) 574-5475. 

Summer 2011 Registration!

The Recreation and Community Services Department’s 
Summer Registration is underway. Registration is now open to 
ALL, residents and non-residents. Sign up now for our Outdoor 
Adventure Camp and Swim lessons along with a variety of other 
classes and activities. The always popular dance, sports, exercise 
and enrichment programs are available. Several new classes have 
been added this season including Mad Science Summer Camp, 
Kiddie Tech classes and the Brit-West Soccer Camp for youth. 
Try something new this summer or sign up for your old favorites. 
Hurry the Outdoor Adventure Camp, activities and swim lessons 
are filling up fast.

For class information, registration forms and to register on-line, 
go to the City’s website at www.ci.arcadia.ca.us under Recreation 
and Community Services Department. Registration is also 
being accepted by walk-in, fax and mail. We are located at 375 
Campus Drive, fax 626.821.4370. For questions, please contact the 
Recreation Department at 626.574.5113. 

50% off 2 months rent
City of Arcadia 2011 

Summer Swim Program

The City of Arcadia Recreation & Community Services Department 
will begin the summer swim program on Saturday, 
June 11 at the Arcadia High School Pool, located at 180 Campus 
Drive in Arcadia. The pool will open at 1pm and close at 5pm.

Swim lessons for Session One will begin on Monday, June 
13th. Online registration is now underway by logging onto 
“http://www.ci.arcadia.ca.us” www.ci.arcadia.ca.us 

Walk-in registration for Session I begins Monday, May 9th 
at the Recreation Department, located at 375 Campus Drive. 
For more information regarding swim classes and the online 
and walk-in registration dates for Sessions 2-5, please call 
626.574.5113.