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arcadiaweekly.com
Thursday, November 24, 2016 - November 30, 2016
Your Voice, Your Community
Since 1996
Firefighters Bring Hope to Homeless in Arcadia
COMPLIMENTARY COPY .VOLUME 20, NO. 47
BY KATTA HULES
I
n addition to their traditional equipment, Arcadia Firefighters are now carrying Hope Packages for the homeless on their rigs. “A Hope Package is a backpack with a blanket, socks, hygiene kit, water bottle, and an information card with helpful services information in L.A County. We hope that these supplies will meet some basic needs and provide a benefit for those receiving them,” says Arcadia Firefighters Association President Brian Ursetti. The idea came from Firefighter Gary Robinson, who, last Christmas, gave out supplies to the homeless with his family. “At this point in my career and in life, I have pretty much everything that I need and we wanted to give back and I wanted to show my kids that giving spirit.” Robinson was inspired to bring the idea to his fellow firefighters by the
number of homeless people he encountered when responding to 9-1-1 calls. Supported by the Firefighters Association, Robinson put together the packages with the help of Firefighter Richard Olivarez and Passion, a community of homelessness outreach groups. Passion provided them with blankets and hygiene kits including a toothbrush, mouthwash, toothpaste and soap. On Ursetti’s suggestion, they also procured the sponsorship of the local REI, which supplied them with water bottles and socks. They then took it to Fire Chief Mike Lang and the command staff of the Arcadia Fire Department who were “elated to be involved,” says Robinson. Three packages have been placed on each front-line apparatus truck to be handed out at the discretion of the firefighters aboard and SEE PAGE 11
Firefighter Gary Robinson, who, last Christmas, gave out supplies to the homeless with his family.“At this point in my career and in life, I have pretty much everything that I need and we wanted to give back and I wanted to show my kids that giving spirit.” – Courtesy photo
Residential Burglary – Arcadia Home Ransacked On Saturday Nov. 19, at about 10 p.m., officers were dispatched to a residential burglary in the 1000 block of Singing Wood Drive. The victim heard a man and woman inside the house and speaking outside the room the victim was in. Someone tried entering the victim’s room and the victim said something. The victim then left her room
and saw the house had been ransacked. Both suspects fled the house and abandoned the stolen property. Officers recovered some evidence, but the suspects were not located. This incident is being investigated by Arcadia Police Department Detectives. Anyone with information on this incident is encouraged to contact the Arcadia
Police Department at (626) 574-5151, case #1606159. If you prefer to provide information ANONYMOUSLY, you may call “Crime Stoppers” by dialing (800) 222TIPS (8477), or use your smartphone by downloading the “P3 MOBILE APP” on Google play or the App Store, or by using the website http://lacrimestoppers. org.
Recreation and Parks Master Plan Seeking Resident Comments
The City of Arcadia Recreation and Community Services Department is in the process of updating the City’s 2007 Recreation and Parks Master Plan. The master planning process has been going on for the past 18 months and has included extensive community input in the form of citywide resident surveys, workshops, stakeholder involvement,
and a series of focus group meetings with the people and organizations the City partners with to deliver recreation and leisure services. Based on resident input the draft master plan is now ready for public review and comment. The master plan will determine short term and long term park and facility improvements and space allocation for youth, adult
and senior recreation programs. Residents are invited to view the master plan and provide comments at a public workshop on Dec. 3 at the Snow Festival from 9 a.m. 2 p.m. or on Dec. 12 from 6 p.m. – 8 p.m. both held at the Arcadia Community Center, 365 Campus Drive. For more information, please call (626)574-5113.