“Go fast, turn left, repeat.”
arcadiaweekly.com
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 5 - NOVEMBER 11, 2009 VOLUME 14, NO.89
Celebrating a Quarter Century of Racing
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Arcadia Political Pasadena Imposes Watering Leaders Call California’s Restrictions as State Says Drought is Easing Constitution “Flawed” Town Hall Meeting at Dana Middle School to Discuss Possible Changes
This Weekend’s Breeders’ Cup Offers Incredible Chance to See World’s Best Thoroughbreds in Action
BY JOHN STEPHENS
It has been a tough couple of years in many ways for the profession and business of horseracing, and with its own share of problems to contend with, Arcadia’s Santa Anita Racetrack is certainly no ex-
ception. Earlier this year, a possible sale of the track followed a bankruptcy filing by Santa Anita’s parent company Magna Entertainment. And online wagering options have driven down attendance numbers at tracks across the country. Add
to this a host of complaints about the artificial ProRide track allegedly causing injuries to racehorses, and an image of but a few of the hurdles facing Santa Anita begins to come into focus. But as with any other busi-
New CERT Team Members Certified in Sierra Madre
Students listen intently to instructors at the CERT class last week. - Photo by Terry Miller BY TERRY MILLER
Spearheaded by former firefighter Gary Hood, the Sierra Madre CERT class finished its training
last week and the graduates received certificates of completion from Sierra Madre’s Mayor MaryAnn MacGillivray.
The Community Emerg e nc y R e s p o n s e Te a m (CERT) Program educates people about disaster preparedness for hazards that may impact their area and trains them in basic disaster response skills, such as fire safety, light search and rescue, team organization, and disaster medical operations. Us i n g t he t r a i n i n g learned in the classroom a nd du r i ng exercises, CERT members can assist others in their neighborhood or workplace following an event when professional responders are not immediately available to help. CERT members also
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ness, a dedicated team of track officials have been working day and night to address these and other problems, and this weekend’s Breeders’ Cup is a chance for Santa Anita to strut their stuff before the eyes of the
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Arcadia Girl Formally Crowned as 92nd Rose Queen
BY BILL PETERS
T he A rcad ia Cit y Council and the Arcadia Unified School District’s Board of Education will co-host a Town Hall meeting tonight to learn from an advocate for a California Constitutional Convention just what the proposal might entail. The two bodies have banded together to invite Matt Regan, Government Relations for the Bay Area Council, a business group in Nor t her n Ca lifor nia; and affiliated with Repair California—a political advocacy group that has turned in ballot language to call the first Constitutional Convention in California in more than 130 years—to speak on the current structure of state government and its affects on local government and to suggest changes. The Town Hall Meeting is tonight, Thursday, Nov. 5 in the Multipurpose Room at Dana Middle School, 1401 S. First Ave., Arcadia, starting at 6 p.m. Regan, who is the driving force behind Repair California’s efforts, will be speaker and facilitator. He is expected to offer solutions to the concerns of clearly disappointed local officials who believe that in spite
The legislature has been meeting in special session to cope with the problems of divvying up the Delta estuary for beneficial water use by just about everyone in the State while the California Department of Water Resources shows an easing of drought conditions in much of the State, according to its Oct. 30 report and drought map. That leaves cities like Pasadena in a confusing spot with little room to move in planning delivery of water to its citizens and businesses. Planners at Pasadena’s Department of Water and Power just one week ago issued a one-day-perweek watering schedule on the belief that the drought is still with us. The Department has declared that a Level 1 water shortage advisory remains in effect in Pasadena and that calls for mandatory water shortage procedures as called for in the Municipal Code. Between now and March 31, 2010, property owners can choose which day of the week they would prefer to water: that is, Tuesday, Thursday or Saturday. Hours for watering are restricted to before 9 a.m. or after 6 p.m. In announcing the cutback on watering, certain exemptions apply such as watering by hand, drip irrigation or “smart” weather-based irrigation controllers. The city remains confident that there will be rain this winter and that would reduce the need for landscape watering. Land-
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New Commissioner, Board Member Appointed in Monrovia
Arcadia’s Rainy Day Savings Address Budget Deficit
BY BILL PETERS
This weekend, the prestigious Breeders’ Cup returns to Arcadia’s Santa Anita Racetrack for an unprecedented second year in a row. - Photos by Terry Miller
FREE
BY SAMEEA KAMAL
Rose Queen Natalie Innocenzi was formerly crowned Wednesday afternoon at the Pasadena Convention Center by Dominic DiSano, the son of the recently deceased President of the 121st Rose Parade, Gary DiSano. -Photo by Terry Miller
Two Monrovians have been appointed to City positions to fill the unexpired terms of two commission and board members who recently resigned. Jhaila Brown, an attorney, was appointed to the Monrovia Planning Commission to fill the unexpired term of Patricia Gonzales, which
Though an earlier look at the budget for the last fiscal year showed the city budget to be in a large deficit, city staff reported Tuesday that the budget would require just a fraction of the money from the reserve fund than previously expected for 2008-2009. In an update to the Coun-
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