COMPLIMENTARY COPY
ARCADIAWEEKLY.COM
Thursday, February 8 - February 14, 2018
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THEARCADIAWEEKLY
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ARCADIAWEEKLY
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Volume 22, NO. 6
RENAISSANCE MAN, MATT MCSWEENY CHARTS A NEW COURSE IN LIFE
Arcadia Speakeasy, Matt Denny’s, Changes Hands
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Matt McSweeny said the decision to sell the business was not easy as the restaurant has become a huge extension of his family. – Photo by Terry Miller/Beacon Media News
HIGHLIGHTING
Downtown ARCADIA DAIA, Columnist | DonnaChoiDAIA@gmail.com
Carcadia at Route 66 in Downtown Arcadia Glenn OYOUNG When I Arcadia, I but notice exotic cars
first moved to couldn’t help the number of I saw roaming
BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT “Helping One Person Every Day” at Hope Café in Pasadena
the streets - or better yet the rare classic cars tucked away in garages. After my youngest daughter was born it was hard for me to get to SEE PAGE 10
Arcadia City Council Recap: Passports and Preservation Galen PATTERSON galen.patterson303@gmail.com
The evening began with a report from the Chief of Arcadia’s police force, Robert Guthrie, about the general state of the city’s crime. According to Chief Guthrie,
crime within the city’s limits in January was down in every way compared to last year at this time. Next, Sheriff’s Department power-couple Burton and Kimberly Brink were presentSEE PAGE 10
ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT
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‘Henry V’ at A Noise Within Stars PasadenaArea Native
n Saturday morning Matt McSweeny was preparing for staff meeting the ever-popular Matt Denny’s in Arcadia. “It will be the most difficult meeting I have ever had. I will be informing them that Matt Denny's will be posting a ‘Change in Ownership’ sign in the window.” McSweeny told Arcadia Weekly last Friday night. On Tuesday morning Arcadia Weekly sat down with the man behind the legendary Ale House. It was a particularly emotional time for McSweeny, as he had just posted the notice on the front window indicating the change of ownership. McSweeny took a cellphone picture of the sign and sent it to his relatives. “There were a lot of tears, this morning,” McSweeny told Arcadia Weekly. Why leave now? We posed the question to McSweeny – “Because, I can no longer serve straws!” McSweeny quipped referring to a rather absurd proposed legislation that could make straws illegal
unless requested. The sale was pending for some time before McSweeny informed his staff but reassured every one of his 40 or so employees that all would keep their jobs. This was vitally important to McSweeny as he considers it one big family. “It’s bittersweet,” McSweeny said of his tenure as owner of one of the most successful businesses in Arcadia. On Jan 17 in 1999 Matt McSweeny took the plunge with his the business partner Dennis Hartman and although it was a struggle at first, McSweeny’s business has become an Arcadia icon of enormous proportions. Hartman parted ways with Sweeny in 2001 but the two remain good friends. McSweeny told Arcadia Weekly that it was time for him to take a break. As a philosophical and spiritual man, McSweeny’s love for people and his extended family that is the Ale House has prompted a huge outpouring of love when the news of the change of SEE PAGE 11
Be Aware Of Arcadia Hot Prowl Burglaries Residential burglary prevention continues to be a focus of the Arcadia Police Department. While Officers have made some recent daytime residential burglary arrests, the Department has also responded to reports of residential burglary occurring
overnight. We refer to these crimes as Hot Prowl Burglaries. These crimes have happened while folks are home and asleep. In one instance, a victim woke up to a light being turned on in the home, SEE PAGE 11
VALENTINE’S DAY
The way to Spend Your Valentine’s day
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