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THURSDAY, JANUARY 15- JANUARY 21, 2015
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VOLUME 3, NO. 3
Construction on New Mercedes Showroom in Arcadia Fully Underway
Pasadena Seeks Legal Action to Recover $6.4 Million in City’s Biggest Scandal
BY JOE TAGLIERI After a nearly 14-year effort, Arcadia’s only auto dealership and the city’s largest generator of sales tax revenue is in the final stage of its quest to construct a larger, more elaborate showroom. Rusnak Mercedes-Benz — in town since 2000 and currently located at 55 W. Huntington Drive near Santa Anita Race Track and the Civic Center — broke ground in December to begin construction of a 22,500-squarefoot, two-story structure just around the corner from its longstanding base of operations. The new location is destined for the 100 block of Santa Anita Avenue and will also include 78,000 square feet for vehicle service and repairs, storage and parking. In line with Mercedes’ arguable status as the flagship of luxury car brands, the plan for Rusnak’s new showroom is indeed nothing short of luxurious. The
palatial yet at the same time conservative design features panoramic glass walls with sleek light-blue columns and
white stone surfacing on the roof, creating a front facade reminiscent of somewhere between an ancient Roman
temple and ultra-modern sports arena. Inside, the forthcoming showroom will boast a mas-
sive sales floor to accommodate upwards of 30 brand
Mayor Bill Bogaard announced plans to file a civil lawsuit to recover funds lost in the $6.4 million embezzlement of the utility funds at this week’s City Council meeting. The announcement followed a closed-session prior to the regular council meeting Monday night. Bogaard also announced the formation of an ad hoc committee comprised of City Councilmembers who will probe the case as well as a citizens’ task force which
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-Photo by Terry Miller
Art Installed at Duarte Former Liverpool Gasa Gasa Girl Goes to Gold Line Station Friday Camp: A Nisei Youth Behind Goalkeeper Bruce Grobbelaar Visits Pasadena a World War II Fence Former Liverpool football ( i.e. Soccer) legend and colorful character Bruce Grobbelaar visited Lucky Baldwin’s in East Pasadena Sunday night. Grobbelaar, 57, is the current goalkeeper coach for Ottawa Fury FC of the North American Soccer League. He made a personal appearance Sunday evening to the delight of his fans of all ages. Many re-
membered the controversy of his past but few brought it up. Grobbelaar represented Zimbabwe at the international level and a number of clubs, most prominently Liverpool, during a professional career spanning more than 20 years. He is remembered for his gymnastic-like athPlease see page 3
-Courtesy Photo
The Duarte Station is part of the Foothill Gold Line light rail project from Pasadena to Azusa. The station is located along Duarte Road, just west of Highland Avenue and within a short walk to the City of Hope National Medical Center (COH). With a center platform and tracks on both sides, access to the station will be available from the east and west sides of the platform. A new traffic signal has been installed at the entrance to COH and a new sidewalk on the north side of Duarte Road will be installed soon to allow easy walking to and from the station. A 125-space parking lot will be located north of the station. Bicycle parking and lockers are also planned. Andrea Myklebust and Stanton Gray Sears are two artists who began
working collaboratively in 1993, and have extensive experience in transit/infrastructure projects and site-responsive artwork. Based in Wisconsin, this artist team has an impressive array of public art projects around the country. Some of the highlights of their collaborative work include artwork for light-rail stations on the MinneapolisSt. Paul Central Corridor Line; architecturally-integrated artwork for the Microbial Sciences building at the University of Wisconsin at Madison; work on the Minnesota World War II Memorial; and design and creation of a granite entry paving for the historic Fox Theatre in Stockton, CA. For more information on previous or current projects by this artist team visit: www.myklebustsears.com
Lily Havey was born in Los Angeles in 1932. Ten years later, along with 120,000 other people of Japanese descent (many native-born American citizens), she was incarcerated
in American prison camps, first at Santa Anita Assembly Center and then at the Amache Relocation Center. After World War II Please see page 3
-Courtesy Photo