Welcome to Arcadia FYI!: Your host, Christine Zito, sharing with you the inside scoop on everything happening in and around the city. Bringing you the latest news, current events, and fun topics, featuring insightful conversations with local business owners, community spokespeople, and our city leaders. Also your opportunity to let me know what you want to hear or what questions you have at arcadiafyi.com
How A Small Downtown Hosts 6,500 Trick-Or-Treaters
A banner over Huntington Drive is one thing. Turning an entire downtown into a safe, walkable Halloween night for thousands of people is something else. I’m Christine Zito (yes, I show up dressed as Piglet), on Arcadia FYI, I’m joined by Donna Choi, Executive Director of Downtown Arcadia, plus MJ Finstrom, the Marketing Mastermind, to break down what Halloween Haunting in Downtown Arcadia really looks like when the streets fill up. Tell me what you want to hear at https://ArcadiaFYI.com/
15 Aug 2026
Behind The Gardens In Arcadia: Conservation, History, And Crescent Farm
127 acres can hide a lot of surprises, especially when it’s the LA County Arboretum and Botanic Garden sitting right in Arcadia, California. On Arcadia FYI, I roll through the grounds with Sylvia and quickly realize this isn’t just a place to take photos. It’s a living museum of plants, a keeper of local history, and a hands-on conservation site that depends on both LA County and community support to keep growing, teaching, and restoring what matters. Tell me what you want to hear at https://...
8 Jul 2026
How Small Businesses Can Outsource HR With Confidence
HR is the part of business ownership nobody brags about, yet it’s the part that can keep you up at night. I’m Christine Zito, and I’m joined by Pricilla Cunningham and Kenneth Lindstrom, Business Performance Advisors with Insperity, for a real conversation about what human resources looks like for small and mid-sized businesses when you’re trying to grow and stay compliant, especially in California. Tell me what you want to hear at https://ArcadiaFYI.com/
2 May 2026
Floods, Fires, And The Cleanup Crew
A burst water heater, an overflowing toilet, a kitchen full of smoke residue, or a home sitting vacant after a wildfire can flip your life overnight and the hardest part is often simply knowing what to do first. On Arcadia FYI I sit down with Amy Moufarrege from SERVPRO to break down what property damage restoration actually looks like. from water damage cleanup and drying to smoke and soot cleanup, mold prevention, and the rebuild work that brings a house back to how it was before the loss. ...
15 Feb 2026
How A Parents Choir Built Community, Culture, And Confidence
I have a talented show for you. A hidden gem of Arcadia takes the mic: the Arcadia High School Chinese Parents Choir. What started as a group of school boosters became a confident, 40-voice ensemble that now brings joy to city festivals, fundraisers, and cultural celebrations across the San Gabriel Valley. We sit down with members Heidi, Ming, Juan, Marilee, and Lillian—plus their artistic director Marie, a professionally trained lyric soprano—to trace how carpools and bake sales turned into ...
26 Jan 2026
Arcadia Politics, Plain Talk with Councilman David Fu on Recall and Cost of Housing
I sat down with Councilman David Fu for a candid look at his recall challenges and how Arcadia really works—what keeps the city safe and solvent, and where theatrics can hijack the public square. We explore the city’s “virtuous circle”—top-tier public schools attract families, stable property values support revenue, and that funding sustains public safety. It’s a loop that works when leaders resist showboating and ask subject matter experts the right questions. That’s especially ...
6 Dec 2025
How A High School Theater Became The City’s Cultural Heart
A city can spend decades wishing for a stage—or it can build one that becomes the neighborhood’s favorite seat. I sit down with Christine Lee, president and CEO of the Arcadia Performing Arts Foundation, to share how Arcadia transformed cafeteria concerts and borrowed auditoriums into a state-of-the-art venue that students and families can claim as their own. From the first blueprints to opening night, this is the story of a community that funded a dream and now fills it with music, theater, ...
29 Nov 2025
What Makes A City Feel Like Home During The Holidays
I sat down with Donna Choi, MJ Finstrom, and Diana Bacero as they share the story of the Downtown Arcadia Holiday Fair and why it evokes such a special, hometown feel: a curated mix of makers and local shops, Macy’s on-site with Shiseido facials, hand-thrown ceramics, vintage hand-glittered ornaments, jewelry, charcuterie boards, and specialty foods. Food and drink fuel the stroll with Goki Cafe’s beloved Mexican hot chocolate, Mount Lowe’s seasonal brew and cider, D’Accino wines, and n...
8 Nov 2025
Who Built A City’s Soul: The Baldwins, Memory, And The People Who Preserve It
What makes a city feel like home? In this episode of Arcadia FTY, I follow the journey through Arcadia’s past—where a land deal by Elias J. “Lucky” Baldwin set the stage for incorporation in 1903, and where his daughter, Anita, turned ambition into institutions that still shape daily life. Along the way, my guest, Ed Anderson, president of the Arcadia Historical Society, helps us map stories onto streets: County Road becoming Duarte Road, the first racetrack shuttered by law, World War II bal...
21 Oct 2025
Trick-or-Treat, Inside Downtown Arcadia’s Events, Partnership, To Small-Business Growth
A tiny nonprofit team, Downtown Arcadia, maps out a safe, walkable Halloween Haunting while revealing how email, giveaways, and partnerships turn community moments into real support for local businesses. We share routes, vendors, volunteer strategy, candy needs, and why collaboration beats algorithms. Tell me what you want to hear at https://ArcadiaFYI.com/
17 Oct 2025
How A Historic Racetrack Became A Safer, Busier, And Olympic-Ready Venue
What if a 90-year-old racetrack could feel brand new without losing its soul? I sit down with Pete Siberell of Santa Anita Park to unpack how a true Arcadia icon blends world-class racing, safer practices, and community-first programming to create a destination that locals and visitors love. From the backside’s daily rhythm to the thrill at the finish line, Pete takes us through the work it takes to keep the place vibrant all year. Tell me what you want to hear at https://ArcadiaFYI.com/
5 Oct 2025
Inside Arcadia Unified: Stability, Choice, and the Whole Child
If you’ve ever wondered what a great public school district looks like from the inside, this conversation pulls back the curtain with rare honesty and heart. I got the opportunity to sit with Superintendent Dr. David Vannasdall to trace how Arcadia Unified pairs long‑term stability with thoughtful innovation—and why families from far and wide aim to enroll here. Tell me what you want to hear at https://ArcadiaFYI.com/
13 Sept 2025
Beatles, Prayer, and City Planning: Conversation with Paul Cheng
The journey from immigrant to civic leader is a classic American story, and Councilman Paul Cheng's path exemplifies this transformative experience with remarkable emotion. Arriving on Christmas Day 1977, Cheng recalls his family's pursuit of opportunity amid the challenges of being visibly different in a predominantly white Orange County neighborhood. What makes this conversation particularly compelling is Cheng's philosophical approach to governance. He shares his pre-meeting ritual of pra...
31 Aug 2025
Building Your Online Brand: Email, Social Media, and AI Strategies
I sit with Digital marketing expert MJ Finstrom shares practical strategies for enhancing your business's online presence through effective email marketing, social media tactics, and artificial intelligence tools. We dive deep into building meaningful customer relationships in the digital space while maintaining authenticity and the human touch in all your marketing efforts. Tell me what you want to hear at https://ArcadiaFYI.com/
9 Aug 2025
A Conversation with Mayor Sharon Kwan, First Asian Woman Mayor of Arcadia and Former Mayor April Verlato
What happens when a city's first Asian woman mayor takes office during a time of significant challenges? Mayor Sharon Kwan joins former Mayor April Verlato for a candid, solutions-oriented conversation about Arcadia's future. The homelessness crisis takes center stage as Mayor Kwan reveals how recent legal changes finally allow the city to address the issue effectively. "Now the law is in our favor," she explains, detailing how Supreme Court decisions have freed municipalities from prev...
18 Jul 2025
Hydration, Grilling, and Hidden Summer Nutrition Wisdom
On this Episode of Arcadia FYI, USC Arcadia Hospital dietitian, professor, and author, Victoria Buxton-Pacheco shares some great insights on summer nutrition, hydration needs, and healthy eating strategies during hot summer month. She also challenges outdated health recommendations including the "8 glasses of water" rule and offers practical advice for staying nourished when it is hot and you don’t feel like eating. Tell me what you want to hear at https://ArcadiaFYI.com/
3 Jul 2025
Arcadia's Hidden Champion: From Drifter to Business Owner to Kids Books
Nadine Sachiko Hsu discusses her transition from being the first female drift racer in America to becoming a business owner and children's book author, in this interview.
20 Jun 2025
Downtown Arcadia: Building Community on First Avenue
Host Christine Zito interviews Donna Choi, MJ Finstrom, and Peter Amundsen about Arcadia's downtown development, revealing how community desire shaped the city's central district.
Who has been a guest on Arcadia FYI
Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.
Nadine Sachiko Hsu
Donna Choi
MJ Finstrom
Peter Amundsen
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