(ARCADIA, CA) – Following extensive public input on the permit application to remove 34 protected trees within the proposed cross-country equestrian course for the LA28 Olympic and Paralympic Games, Santa Anita Park has requested that the City of Arcadia suspend its review of their permit. With the application now on pause, the City’s administrative review process is also suspended. At this time, there is no decision pending before City staff or the Arcadia City Council regar

Arcadia The Senior Lunch Program operates Monday-Friday from 11:30am-12:15pm and offers those 55 years or older a meal for $3. During the week of August 31, 431 meals were served.

Starting this week and continuing through the end of October, SCE’s drone team will be handling inspections in the mountainous areas of Arcadia. Work is expected to take place from 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, with some Saturdays as needed. They can’t provide exact inspection dates because schedules may change due to heat, wind, and other weather conditions. SCE has assured us that, if a line needs to be inspected from a resident’s backyard, the team will ei

The City has received a Temporary Use Permit (TUP) application for the return of Enchant Christmas at Santa Anita Park for the 2026 holiday season. This year’s event will be similar to the 2025 event, with modifications to attendance, attractions, hours, parking, and operations. The event is proposed from November 18, 2026, through January 3, 2027. This year, the maximum daily attendance will be reduced from 19,500 to 16,000 attendees. All the daytime events before 4:30 p.m.

As you saw earlier this week, Santa Anita Park has asked us to pause our review of the proposed tree removals to accommodate the Cross Country Course at the LA28 Olympic Games, which we have done. Also, this week, we received several letters from the attorneys representing a group known as Grow Monrovia. The letters are fairly standard “pre-litigation” type notices asking to remain informed of every future action, asking for all existing documents, and demanding that the City

Does Her Link to a Chinese Energy Company While She was on Council require More Disclosure? Why did Sharon Kwan not Support Fu’s Motion to Investigate her ties to a Failed Lawsuit Against the City of Arcadia? Is Sharon Kwan Twisting Facts on the Olympics Because she was not the Designated Representative to Work on the Olympics with Eileen Wang? What is the Difference Between Burton Brink and Sharon Kwan? From an unexplained role inside the U.S. operations of a Chinese energy

West Nile Virus Detection: The San Gabriel Valley Mosquito and Vector Control District (SGV Mosquito) confirmed its first detection of West Nile Virus in the city of Arcadia this year. The sample was collected on 8/18/2026 from a trap site near Baldwin Stocker Park. WNV is transmitted to people and animals through the bite of an infected mosquito. There is no cure for WNV. One in five persons infected with the virus will exhibit symptoms. Symptoms can include fever, heada

On Thursday, August 20, 27 seniors participated in the monthly Taste the Town excursion, a popular program that invites guests to experience some of Arcadia’s vibrant local dining. This month, the group visited New Full House Seafood Restaurant and enjoyed a traditional dim sum experience.

The big activity this week was the community meeting hosted by Santa Anita Park and LA28 last night to review the proposed cross-country course and associated tree removals. The meeting was well attended, with about 150 people coming. While the majority seemed to be from cities outside of Arcadia, there were many residents in attendance. Editorially, I will say that the presentation was less than ideal, which made an already tough meeting worse. There remains a lot of confusi

The formal noticing period ended at 5:30 p.m. on Monday. By that time, we had received 523 written comments. • Of the comments received, 71 were from stated Arcadia residents, 118 did not state where they were from, and 334 were from outside of the City. • 361 (69%) were in the format of the template letter, sometimes with additional commentary or minor changes. • 18 (3%) were a different template letter • 145 (27%) were individual comments We have responded to all comments r

On August 4, we provided formal notice for the proposed removal of 34 oak trees associated with the LA28 Cross Country Course at Santa Anita Park. This was after several focus groups and community meetings since May designed to ensure that the neighbors and those most affected would have time to provide input and get their questions answered. Despite these efforts, our notice went a bit viral. The City has received 446 emails regarding the proposed removal of the 34 oak trees

The grocery store, Sprouts, is currently undergoing plan check review for their tenant improvement permit to operate at 610 Las Tunas Drive. The building which features stonework on its exterior was previously occupied by Big Lots, until its closure in late 2024. In addition to their tenant improvement permit, the company has formally submitted a sign application for their new signage. This use will be a great addition to the southern part of the City, providing a much-antici

Below is a sample of the new uniforms SoCalGas Co. field crews will be wearing. Key identifiers of SoCalGas employees include: • Updated uniforms with a recognizable SoCalGas logo • An official photo identification badge, which you can request to see at any time • Branded vehicles used by most field employees Burglars and scammers commonly impersonate field crews to help blend in to neighborhoods and take advantage of homeowners. So, knowing what a legitimate uniform looks li

Builders and Destroyers: Before April Verlato Points the Finger Again, Arcadia Should Read the Public Record Opinion and Investigative Analysis By Arcadia’s Best News Editorial Board Sometimes the best way to evaluate a political accusation is not to answer it. It is to pull the original records. That is particularly useful after former Arcadia Mayor April Verlato’s latest mass email, which reaches back more than a decade to portray a 2016 Lunar New Year event involving EDI M

Opinion and Investigative Analysis By Arcadia’s Best News Editorial Board August 9, 2026 Former Arcadia Councilmember April Verlato has once again inserted herself into an approaching city election, this time through an email blast attempting to connect Councilmember Michael Cao to a recent federal investigation involving EDI Media and its founder, James Su. The email is presented as a public accountability report, but its structure more closely resembles election season

July 23, 2026 Contact: Justine Bruno Deputy City Manager jbruno@ArcadiaCA.gov Court Dismisses Lawsuit Challenging Arcadia City Council Censure (ARCADIA, CA) - A Los Angeles Superior Court judge has dismissed a lawsuit challenging the Arcadia City Council's 2025 censure of former Mayor and current Councilmember Sharon Kwan, ruling that the censure was a constitutionally protected exercise of free speech and did not violate the Ralph M. Brown Act. The lawsuit, filed by two Arca

Court Dismissal Reframes Arcadia’s Censure Dispute and the Political Narrative Surrounding It Opinion and Investigative Analysis By Arcadia’s Best News Editorial Board July 23, 2026 A Los Angeles Superior Court judge has dismissed a lawsuit challenging the Arcadia City Council’s 2025 censure of former Mayor and current Councilmember Sharon Kwan, delivering a significant legal victory for the City and rejecting claims that the censure violated California’s open government law.

ARCADIA POLICE DEPARTMENT PRESENTS NATIONAL NIGHT OUT - Free TUESDAY, AUGUST 4 6-9PM NATIONAL NIGHT OUT IS AN ANNUAL COMMUNITY-BUILDING CAMPAIGN THAT PROMOTES POLICE-COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS AND NEIGHBORHOOD CAMARADERIE. Live Music by The Answer, Classic Rock K-9 Team Kids Activities Police Station Tour Food Car Show & More Arcadia City Hall Lawn, 240 W. Huntington Dr. CITY OF ARCADIA

The annual free HHW drive-thru collection event hosted by Los Angeles County will be held on August 1, 9AM to 3PM, at Santa Anita Park, near Gate 3 (the main entrance on Huntington Dr.). Carefully secure your hazardous waste, electronic waste, chemicals, paints, sharps, and more in the trunk of your vehicle. When you pull up the event, staff will remove the items for you. There is a limit of 15 gallons or 125 pounds of waste you can drop-off per trip. For more information, c