What’s on Tuesday’s Election Ballot

The primary election ballot includes local, state, and national candidates, as well as two statewide ballot and two local initiatives. See what candidates Arcadia residents are choosing between.

Los Angeles County voters will go to the polls Tuesday to cast ballots in local, state and national political races, as well as on two statewide ballot initiatives and several local initiatives.

Without a high-stakes presidential primary — Republican Mitt Romney has already earned the delegates he needs to claim the GOP nomination — voter turnout is expected to be low.

The county’s 4.5 million registered voters will have the chance to select a presidential candidate, a U.S. Senate candidate and whether to approve two state ballot measures — one to add a $1 tax on cigarettes to fund cancer research and another to reduce the amount of time politicians can serve in the
state Legislature from 14 years to 12 years.

Six candidates are vying to become Los Angeles County’s top prosecutor. Voters across the county will also weigh in on a total of 18 U.S. House, seven
state Senate, 24 state Assembly and three Los Angeles County supervisorial
races.

The election will mark the first major test of the state’s “top two” primary system approved by California voters in 2010. Under the system, only the top two vote-getters, regardless of political party, will advance to a Nov. 6 runoff. The system does not apply to local, presidential or central committee races.

The system was intended to produce more moderate candidates, said Fernando Guerra, a Loyola Marymount politics professor and director of the Thomas and Dorothy Leavey Center for the Study of Los Angeles.

The intention, however, is likely to be counteracted by low voter turnout.

“Voters that are motivated by ideology are still going to dominate this election,” Guerra said.

Guerra said the “top two” runoff system is also likely to devastate third parties.

“I predict there will not be a single third-party candidate on the (runoff) ballot in November for the first time in decades, in almost 50 years,” Guerra said.

In some cases that could leave as much as 10 percent of the electorate up for grabs during a runoff election.

Dan Schnur, director of the Jesse M. Unruh Institute of Politics at USC, said it could force candidates to communicate more with voters.

“It’s not just a quantity of voter communication. It’s the nature of that communication as well,” Schnur said. “Candidates will find that they can no longer rely solely on the most ideologically intense members of their own party. They will be forced to reach out to a broader range of voters.”

The results of the every-10-year redistricting process also affected the makeup of candidates on Tuesday’s ballot. The 2010-11 redistricting, the practice of redrawing political district boundaries to reflect changing demographics, was conducted by a non-partisan citizens commission, rather than lawmakers. In some cases the process forced incumbents of the same party into the same district.

Arcadia residents will vote for new representatives for Congress and state Assembly. Arcadia is in the 27th Congressional district and 49th Assembly District.

While Arcadia falls in the newly-created state Senate District 22, that district won’t be included in this year’s election cycle; however, a committee will appoint a representative for the district. That representative will remain responsible for the district until the next election cycle in 2014.

The Arcadia representative races and the candidates include:

United States Representative – 27th District (Includes Arcadia, Sierra Madre, Glendora, Altadena, San Marino, and La Cañada Flintridge)

Judy Chu – Democratic
1531 Purdue Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90025
(626) 320-4835
chuforcongress@gmail.com
http://www.judychu.org

Bob Duran  – Republican
P O BOX 1067, Pasadena, CA 91102
bob@bobduran.org
bobduran.org

Jack Orswell – Republican
316 W Foothill Blvd., Monrovia, CA 91016
626-629-VOTE (8683)
Jack@JackOrswell.com

State Assembly – 49th District (Includes Arcadia, San Marino, Temple City, Alhambra, San Gabriel, Rosemead and Monterey Park)

Edwin Chau – Democrat
1401 Mission St., Ste C1,  South Pasadena, Ca. 91030
(626)-300-0024
edchau4assembly@gmail.com
edchau.com

Mitchell Ing – Democrat
1432 Arriba Drive,  Monterey Park, Ca. 91754
(213)-509-7579
mitchelling@aol.com
mitchelling.com

Matthew Lin – Republican
(626)-943-2280
drlin@votedrlin.com
votedrlin.com

For more information on the candidates or the June 5 primary election visit the Los Angeles County Clerk website.

Mortgage rates keep plunging: 15-year dips below 3%

By Jessica Dickler @CNNMoney May 31, 2012: 12:45 PM ET
mortgage-rates

NEW YORK (CNNMoney) — Mortgage rates continued to plunge to new lows this week, with interest rates on the 15-year fixed rate mortgage dipping below 3% for the first time on record.

The 30-year fixed mortgage, the most popular mortgage product, fell by 0.03 percentage points to 3.75%, setting yet another record for the fifth week in a row, according to a weekly survey by Freddie Mac. Last year, 30-year loans averaged 4.55%. The new low can save borrowers about $47 a month for every $100,000 borrowed. Over a 30-year term, that comes to $16,756.

Rates on the 15-year fixed mortgage, which is popular among those looking to refinance, fell to 2.97% — the first time it has dropped below 3% since Freddie Mac began tracking the weekly data. Down from 3.74% a year ago, the new 15-year rate would lower borrowing costs to $689 a month for every $100,000 borrowed, a $37 savings compared to last year.

The continued slide in mortgage rates is, in part, due to ongoingeconomic turmoil in Europe, according to Freddie Mac’s chief economist, Frank Nothaft.

“Market concerns over tensions in the Eurozone led to a decline in long-term Treasury bond yields helping to bring fixed mortgage rates to new record lows this week,” he said.

Rates are almost half what they were at the peak of the housing bubble in mid-2006. At the time, the average interest rate was about 6.75% for a 30-year loan.

Meanwhile, home prices have hit new post-bubble lows, according to the most recent S&P/Case-Shiller home price index of 20 major markets. Home prices have not been this low since mid-2002.

Much lower home prices, along with affordable mortgages, should help to bolster the housing market, but don’t expect a vigorous recovery to follow, said Mike Larson, a housing market analyst for Weiss Research.

“The less you have to pay for a house the better that is but it’s not a cure all,” he said. “Despite lower interest rates, there is still a weak economy and weak job market. That’s not good for underlying housing demand.”

Craig and Susan McCaw List a Private Island for $75 Million

 

Craig and Susan McCaw have listed their 780-acre private island off the coast of Vancouver, B.C., for $75 million. Candace Jackson has details on The News Hub. Photo: Jacob McNeil/PlatinumHD.

Craig and Susan McCaw have listed their 780-acre private island off the coast of Vancouver, British Columbia, for $75 million.

Known as James Island, the property is about a mile off the coast of Vancouver Island and has a private Jack Nicklaus-designed golf course, sandy beaches, an airstrip and a marina. There is a four-bedroom, 5,000-square-foot main residence built from reclaimed cedar, a large warehouse that has been converted into an entertainment center, a gym, a store, staff accommodations and six guest cottages.

[SB10001424052702303640104577438521856489182]

Jacob McNeil/PlatinumHDCraig and Susan McCaw have listed their 780-acre private island off the coast of Vancouver, British Columbia, for $75 million.

Formerly the site of a World War II-era dynamite plant, the island once had a population of roughly 800. In the 1980s it was partially developed into a resort. Mr. McCaw, the cellphone-industry pioneer, purchased the island in 1994.

Mr. McCaw said in an email that his family “adores being on the island” but are selling now because they “have the perfect storm of kids’ activities and no one wants to be left behind.”

Mark Lester of Sotheby’s International Realty in Vancouver has the listing.

A Beverly Hills Estate Goes Back on the Market for $39 Million

A 10.5-acre Beverly Hills, Calif., equestrian estate is back on the market for $39 million, a 30% discount from its most recent asking price of $54.9 million late last year. The property is owned by Bo Zarnegin, who built the Peninsula Hotel in Beverly Hills with his brother Robert.

The large property is on a hilltop off Coldwater Canyon with views of the city and ocean and is zoned for horses, with equestrian facilities including eight stables and offices. The 6,377-square-foot, five-bedroom, five-bath Monterey Colonial-style main house was built in 1939 and was recently restored. There’s also a large guesthouse with two bedrooms, a kitchen and a living room that opens onto an outdoor swimming pool.

The home was previously owned by Warner Bros. Pictures chief John Calley and later, Dawn Steel, who ran Columbia Pictures. Mr. Zarnegin purchased the house seven years ago from Ms. Steel’s estate. Listing broker Barry Peele, of Sotheby’s International Realty in Beverly Hills, says the home is not Mr. Zarnegin’s primary residence. Mr. Peele shares the listing with Robin Greer, also of Sotheby’s.

Lake Tahoe Waterfront Home Lists for $20 Million. The Lake Tahoe, Calif., home of Richard and Mary Lou Johnson has listed for $20 million.

The 4,000-square-foot home has six bedrooms and five baths. It is on 400 feet of lakefront and is adjacent to 350 acres of private meadows and forest. It was designed in 1939 by Julia Morgan, the architect of the Hearst Castle.

The Johnsons purchased the home in 1976. Mr. Johnson, the co-founder of an electronics and semiconductor company, says he’s selling because he and his wife are assembling a financial estate to be left to their children.

Christy Curtis and Dwight McCarthy of Coldwell Banker have the listing.

—Candace Jackson

Seniors Graduate La Salle High

It went by so fast! La Salle High School graduated 195 seniors Friday.

Lancers enter the Church of Nazarene for graduation ceremonies. Credit John Blackstock

Photos

Lancers enter the Church of Nazarene for graduation ceremonies.Katrina Dela Cruz delivers the Commencement Address at La Salle High School's graduation ceremony. Meaghan Allen delivers the Welcome Address for La Salle High School's 2012 Commencement. Meaghan Allen delivers the Welcome Address for La Salle High School's 2012 Commencement.

La Salle High School graduated 195 seniors at its 53rd Commencement on Friday evening. Commencement exercises took place at the Church of the Nazarene, next-door to the school.

Sheyda G. Pejoumand received the La Salle High School General Excellence Award and will attend the University of California, Berkeley in the fall. Pejoumand also received the Excellence Award for Spanish.

The General Merit Award went to George J. Pearman who will also attend the University of California, Berkeley.

Claire C. McCarthy and Mathew Godshall received the Archdiocese of Los Angeles Christian Service Award.

Chelsee J. Grover-Odom was selected by her senior class peers to receive the Pro Deo et Patria Award.

The De La Salle Service Award went to Vincent Delgatto and Manuel M. Sariano. Francisco Luna and Arolyn D. Basham received the Brother Celestine All Around Athlete Award.

Meaghan E. Allen, who lives in Sierra Madre gave the Welcome Address and Katrina A. Dela Cruz was chosen by the Faculty Commencement Committee for the honor of delivering the Commencement Address.

Every member of La Salle’s graduating class will attend college or post graduate academies next year, and 91-percent of the class will matriculate to four-year institutions.

Locals go 4 for 4 at Masters

Locals go 4 for 4 at Masters

Track and Field: Kieffer-Wright, Ezold, Crear and De La Torre all move on.

La Salle's Daniel De La Torre qualified for the CIF State Meet in the the 1,600- and 3,200-meter runs.Friday.La Salle’s Daniel De La Torre qualified for the CIF State Meet in the the 1,600- and 3,200-meter runs.Friday. (Raul Roa/Staff Photographer / May 25, 2012)
By Andrew J. Campa, andrew.campa@latimes.comMay 25, 2012| 10:55 p.m.

NORWALK — Perhaps the qualifying standards were too simple, or maybe the Pasadena area’s track and field athletes are hitting their strides at the right moment.

Whatever the reason, there was little doubt Friday evening’s CIF Southern Section Masters Meet was a wild success as all four local competitors — La Salle High’s Daniel De La Torre, Maranatha’s Ebony Crear, San Marino’s Kyle Ezold and South Pasadena’s Claire Kieffer-Wright – qualified to the following weekend’s CIF-State Meet in Clovis.

The ever-hungry De La Torre turned in the most impressive effort as he was the only area athlete to qualify in two events: the 1,600- and 3,200-meter runs.

“I know I should be happy, but I really thought I’d do better than my times today,” De La Torre said. “I guess the goal was to advance and I did that. The best thing is that I have one more week to run my best race.”

Like every athlete who competed Friday, De La Torre needed to either finish in the top five in his respective event or hit a state at-large qualifying mark.

In the 3,200, De La Torre moved from fifth after four laps to third with a lap remaining before settling for fourth in 9 minutes, 06.13 seconds.

De La Torre began the day by racing out to third place through the first three laps of the 1,600 before tiring and finishing sixth with a qualifying mark of 4:12.84.

“My muscles were tightening up and I just didn’t feel my strongest today,” De La Torre said, “but I guess it could have been worse.”

Like De La Torre, Crear also hoped to advance in two events, but wasn’t as fortunate, as the sophomore qualified in the 100-meter dash, but just missed out in the 300 hurdles.

Crear, who was sixth after 40 meters, rallied into fourth (14.09) in the 100 hurdles, but fell from fifth to seventh over the final 20 meters of the 300 hurdles as her time of 44.29 missed the at-large mark of 43.75.

“I’m a little disappointed, but this is all a learning experience,” Crear said. “My goal was to make it to state and I did that, so that’s cool.”

San Marino multi-sport athlete Ezold entered Friday’s 400-meter dash having finished second in the Division III championships last weekend and seventh overall with a mark of 48.12, well ahead of the at-large time of 48.65.

Yet, Ezold needed no at-large mark, as he finished fourth in 48.60.

“I worked on my form this week and on finishing,” Ezold said. “I kept a faster pace than last week and finished hard.”

As for the area’s close call, that came from Kieffer-Wright in the high jump.

The sophomore needed two turns to hit 5 feet 3 inches before eventually landing on the state qualifying mark of 5-5 on her third try at that height, which tied her for seventh.

“I’ve never really jumped when it was this windy before, but I know it affected everyone,” Kieffer-Wright said. “When it came around to 5-5 and I missed on my first two attempts, I can’t lie, I was really nervous. I was telling myself, ‘This is it.’“

Friday also marked the end of the road for two Pasadena residents as Loyola 3,200-meter runner Charles Marquardt (ninth, 9:20.38) and Cubs’ junior Josh Lewis, who finished seventh in the 800 (1:54.37), did not advance to state.

New to Arcadia or thinking about moving to Arcadia California?

 

The City of Arcadia extends a warm welcome to you as a new resident of our great city.  Arcadia has a long history of excellence, dedication and community pride.  The City Council and staff are committed to providing the best public services and the people who live here are very involved in community activities and in keeping Arcadia a wonderful place to call home.  We hope you enjoy being here as much as we do. 

Below is some information that should help you get settled.  If you have any questions, please feel free to call the phone numbers listed, browse the rest of this website, or you can call the City Manager’s Office at 574-5401.

COMMUNITY CALENDAR

The on-line community calendar (which can be accessed here) contains information about many City meetings, special events and other activities.  Please check the calendar regularly to see what is going on in town.

The “News and Information” section of the website is also a good resource for interesting information about Arcadia. 

PARKING REGULATIONS

The Arcadia Municipal Code prohibits parking on public streets between the hours of 2:30 a.m. and 5:30 a.m. unless certain special circumstances arise. 

Storage of vehicles on the roadway is strictly prohibited.  Any vehicle parking on the roadway in excess 72 hours will be subject to tow at the owner’s expense.  These restrictions were enacted to increase safety and security–as well as enhance Arcadia’s aesthetics–while allowing a clear path for street sweeping vehicles.

A permit allowing all-night street parking may be granted on an annual or temporary basis:

Obtaining an Annual Parking Permit

If all of the below circumstances exist residents may obtain an annual permit that allows all-night street parking:

A)     Insufficient parking space is available or obtainable upon the property designated as the applicant’s residence, and;

B)     Additional parking space cannot be provided or constructed anywhere on the property, and; 

C)     No spaces previously provided for parking have been converted to other uses.

Annual parking permit applications may be obtained from the Cashier’s Office at City Hall (240 W. Huntington Drive).  The permit fee for a full calendar year is $84, with fee reduced by $7 for each month elapsed.  Please note that a copy of the vehicle’s registration is required, and permit fees are non-refundable.  Click here to download a copy of the Annual All-Night Parking Permit Application form.  

Obtaining a Temporary Parking Permit

A temporary night-by-night overnight parking permit may be obtained from a 24-hour self-service machine in the lobby of the Police Station (250 W. Huntington Drive).  Temporary permits are $3 per night and may be purchased from the automated machine from one night up to nine nights.  

Payment in cash, VISA, or MasterCard is accepted.   

PLEASE NOTE: Any outstanding parking citations must be paid or a permit will not be issued.  Permits are not issued for commercial vehicles or recreational vehicles.  The Police Department Watch Commander may grant exception for issuance of temporary permits on a case-by-case basis.  Parking permits, annual or temporary, are only valid for overnight parking.  The permits do not allow a vehicle to park in violation of any other municipal code or parking regulation, such as street sweeping.  In the event that a permit is issued and it is later determined that the vehicle does not meet the above criteria, the permit will be revoked and the application fee will not be refunded.

Transfer Of Permit

Should a change of vehicle occur during the year, a new permit sticker can be obtained by presenting the current parking sticker (containing the permit number) to the Cashier’s Office, where an application for transfer will need to be filled out.  There is a $1.00 transfer fee for this transaction.

For any additional questions regarding obtaining an overnight parking permit, please call (626) 574-5464.

PARAMEDIC MEMBERSHIP PROGRAM

In an effort to lower the cost of emergency medical fees to Arcadia residents, the City offers a Paramedic Membership Program.  For $40.00 per year, you and your entire household can be covered for any Arcadia paramedic and ambulance service fees – a bargain given that one emergency call can cost as much as $1,500.00.

As a member of the Paramedic Membership Program your entire household is covered and pays nothing for 24-hour emergency paramedic and emergency ambulance service (non-emergency trips to or from a hospital or retirement home are not provided by Arcadia paramedics and are not covered by this program).   The Program is especially beneficial for people who are not insured, are under-insured, or have a deductible higher than the membership fee. Insurance coverage varies so you should check with your insurance company to find out what, if anything, is covered for emergency medical fees.

The Paramedic Membership Program offers a plan for residents and businesses, as well as a low-income discount.  If you would like to request a brochure and an application form for the Program, please call 574-5126.

REFUSE AND RECYCLING

Waste Management provides refuse and recycling services for all residential homes in Arcadia.  Households are provided with a black container for trash, a blue container for recyclables, and green containers for green waste.  The containers have built-in wheels, handles and a permanently attached lid.  The containers are specifically designed for automated trash collection.  Waste in any other container will not be collected.  To begin service or inquire about what can and cannot be recycled, please call Waste Management at 856-1285.

For your information, trash containers should be placed at the curb for pick-up no more than 24 hours prior to collection and removed by 5:00am the day after pick-up.  

STREET SWEEPING

Streets in commercial districts are swept a minimum of once per week. Residential streets are swept every week, the day after refuse collection.  To help keep our streets and storm drains clean, sweeping leaves and grass into the street is prohibited.  Questions about street sweeping may be answered by calling 256-6554.

UTILITY TAX EXEMPTION FOR LOW INCOME AND DISABLED PERSONS

An exemption from having to pay the 5% Utility User’s Tax is available to low income qualified and disabled residents.  The exemption allows those who qualify to avoid paying the 5% City tax on their utilities (Edison Company, Southern California Gas Company and telephone companies) as well as providing water customers with 600 cubic feet of water each billing period without charge.  This exemption also qualifies you to enroll in the Paramedic Membership Program at the reduced rate of $21 per year.

If you are interested in this program and believe you may qualify, pick up an application at City Hall or call 574-5463 for more information.

HELPFUL TELEPHONE NUMBERS

Arcadia’s area code is 626.

Arcadia Unified School District – 821-8300

AT & T Cable – www.att.com

Champion Broadband Cable – 866-801-1122

City Hall (general telephone number) – 574-5400

Water Billing – 574-5428

Water Service – 256-6650

Southern California Edison – 800-684-8123

Southern California Gas Company – 800-427-2200

Time Warner Cable – 441-4559

Verizon – 800-483-4000