Sunday Signal October 20, 2019 by Signal

OCTOBER 20, 2019

Keeping Pets Happy & Healthy Your News, Entertainment & Lifestyle Source

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

NEWS FEATURES 4 4 Making a name for themselves in the SCV 5 The overweight pets of SCV 6 The challenge of getting quickly to crime that’s far, far away 7 Keeping up a regal homecoming tradition LOCAL NEWS 8 8 Water-main break, sinkhole force lane closure Supervisors OK study of single-use plastics 9 SCV Sheriff ’s Station officials talk crime, how to join efforts 10 5 vehicles involved in Saugus traffic collision, no injuries 4 arrested after $15K in Lululemon merchandise stolen Driver leads CHP on 130-mph chase FROM THE CITY MANAGER 12 12 Shining the spotlight on Santa Clarita FROM THE CITY MAYOR 12 12 Two wheels, fresh air and miles of trails to explore TECHNOLOGY 13 13 Tips for keeping your phone, laptop around longer THINGS TO DO 14 14 Let’s go Wine Tasting! SPORTS 16 16 Boys, girls cross country on pace for competitive finish DINING GUIDE 17 ENTERTAINMENT 20 20 Sir Mix-A-Lot raps his way to Santa Clarita CALENDAR 21 KIDS & FAMILY 22 22 A Creative Twist on Halloween Carvings 23 ’Imagination center’ is a place to create fun TRAVEL 24 24 California’s most haunted from top to bottom HEALTH 25 25 Three tips to overcome everyday aches and pains BEAUTY 26 26 Three ways to improve your self-care routine Wake up refreshed HOME 27 27 Make your house a home HOME IMPROVEMENT 28 28 Plumbing permit, mysterious possible pool leak FOOD 29 29 Family meals matter SENIOR LIVING 31 30 A Second Wind: Getting affairs in order TIME RANGER 32 32 The Grease Fires, Grain Silos and Hogs of the SCV GARDENING 33 33 Five signs you need to hire a landscape pro ST.LIC# 775088 C-17 OPINION 36 BONDED & INSURED 36 Our Views • David Hegg • Tim Whyte VILLAGE IDIOT 39 100 YEARS

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Making a name for themselves in the SCV By Matt Fernandez Signal Staff Writer

ollywood is just a stone’s throw away, or about an hour in moderate traffic, from the Santa Clarita Valley, and the town has often made appearances on the big screen. While catching a famous actor or actress on set is nothing new for Santa Clarita Valley residents, a new generation of talent is emerging in Awesometown, headed for careers in Tinseltown if all goes to plan.

Connor Finnerty

One of Connor Finnerty’s recent notable performances was a young Derek Hough, a younger version of the celebrity dancer in the music video for “I Believe in You” by Michael Bublé. Originally from Roseville, Finnerty first began dancing for fun in front of his family and eventually began to take lessons. At age 12, Finnerty auditioned for a talent agency and was one of five people out of over 200 applicants that was signed. Now at 16, the Valencia resident has worked with stars like Nick Cannon, DJ Khaled, Janet Jackson and Pharell Williams. “I didn’t start dancing seriously until 10, and before that I would put on a show for family and try to do a Michael Jackson freestyle because he’s one of my biggest inspirations,” Finnerty said. “I didn’t think I would like the classes at first, but the more I took the more I fell in love with the art. My favorite style of dance is hip hop because I can dance to the lyrics and tell a story with my movement.” Though he got his start in dance, Finnerty said his main goal and current passion is acting, and he’s going to star in the upcoming Brat series, “Sunnyside Up,” which will premiere in October, as one of the leads, Otis. Finnerty also has a Youtube channel where he posts dance videos and vlogs, and said he still finds it weird when fans recognize him in public and want to meet him. Before becoming an actor, Finnerty said that he used to be very shy but through auditioning and booking jobs, he has become a more confident person. “It’s been great to watch him grow and still see how he has remained the same person and not let the success

Jailen Bates has landed roles on popular shows like “Dr. Ken’ and “WITS Academy.” PHOTO BY DAN WATSON / THE SIGNAL

From left, Justin Tinucci and Connor Finnerty are all looking to make a name for themselves as actors who live in the Santa Clarita Valley. PHOTOS BY MATT FERNANDEZ / THE SIGNAL

change him,” Connor’s mother, Carol, said. “Part of the reason we chose Valencia when we moved down here was because it was removed from Hollywood so that when Connor isn’t working, he could have a normal life.”

Jailen Bates

As a kid with the nickname

“Hollywood,” Jailen Bates almost seemed destined for stardom. “His uncle would call him ‘Hollywood’ back when we lived in Indiana so I always knew he would be an entertainer,” said Bates’ father, Maurice. “Jailen was always just such a character, and he was always very animated with something to say.”

Bates caught the acting bug when he saw a flyer for a community theater production while on his way home from piano practice, and asked his father if he could audition. Though he admits acting is hard, Bates fell in love with the expressive See SHOWTIME, page 31

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The overweight pets of SCV

N E W S F E AT U R E S

By Vivianna Shields Signal Staff Writer

ust like humans, pets don’t get overweight overnight. A growing number of pets are overweight and it might be time to start asking why. If your pet is struggling to walk, becoming more lethargic, or quick to finish its food — those and many others are signs of a possible overweight pet. No matter how cute those little rolls may seem, it could pose a danger to their health. About 60% of cats and 56% of dogs were classified as overweight, according to the Association of Pet Obesity Prevention, or APOP, annual survey. Dr. Ernie Ward, founder of APOP, has built his career on creating a higher quality of life for animals, according to his website. “Obesity is the no. 1 health threat pets face, and the most important pet health decision owners make each day is what and how much they feed,” Ward’s website says. Though veterinarians may provide pet owners with a weight-loss plan for their pets, according to APOP, most owners stop the programs about 4-8 weeks after the initial diagnosis. Ward has an explanation for these lowsuccess rates. “It is called a diet draft,” said Ward. “It becomes difficult for ourselves to maintain these habits because, at the end of the day, it’s hard to resist the puppy dog eyes.” Samantha Smith, who has a pug named Loaf, describes Loaf ’s stature as overweight, but pretty solid. She takes him on two walks a day, yet he does not escape the 28- to 30-pound mark. “I gave up (on his diet) because I felt like I was starving him by just trying to get him to lose a couple of pounds,” said Smith. Owners seem to continue weightloss programs if they see progress, but sometimes progress doesn’t come soon enough, according to Ward. Implementing a mindful eating mindset is a good alternative. This includes making sure what someone feeds their pet, provides some nutritional value. Simply switching from storebrand dog treats to baby carrots and celery are great substitutions. For dog owner Kellie Wesley, monitoring her dog’s health has always

While a family’s pets will be just as adorable, and loved, even if they tip the scales a few pounds overweight — it can impact their quality of life. Just like for people, a structured diet and exercise is critical.

been a priority. Her dog Colt drinks filtered water and eats a raw diet. In addition, he also has a “fitbark” which monitors his activity and shows how his activity compares to other dogs. Everyone has their own way of caring for their dogs, but sometimes it is inevitable for some pets to gain weight. Some pets are overweight due to different medical conditions and the medication they take. For example, Grecia Jimenez’s dog Ziggy suffers from seizures, so he takes a seizure medication that causes weight gain. “We always just called him a ‘chonk,’ because he begs for food very assertively, said Jimenez. She once took him to the vet because he looked overweight, but she was assured that it was normal weight gain from the medication he was taking. Though Ziggy is overweight, Jimenez says that people are surprised to see how fast and agile he still is; however, a walk uphill is still a struggle. On the flip side, there are pets that become overweight over time, whether that be due to overeating or low activity. Regardless, their weight gain can happen right before the owner’s eyes. Cat owner Becky Adler, used to leave her food out in the open for one of her skinnier cats, yet her heavier

cat began indulging in the 24/7 food supply. Bo is now over 20 pounds. Even though he gets tired after playing for a few minutes, he will still try. For some owners, their overweight pets adapt to their lives and live without complications; unfortunately, that is not true for everyone. Elkie Whitmore and her cat Harley were not as lucky. When Whitmore found Harley at the Castaic shelter, Whitmore knew he was the cat for her. Over a year later after taking Harley home, he experienced a urinary tract infection, which she learned is common in older, heavier male cats. At this

appointment, she also learned of his diabetes diagnosis. The vet presented three options: insulin, special food or euthanasia. Right at that moment, she knew she had to turn his life around. “I opted for the food option and was prescribed science diet weight and digestion (for Harley),” said Whitmore. With Whitmore’s persistence and care, Bo went from 23 pounds to about 15 pounds. Whitmore explains that he is still on his weight-loss journey, and that his diabetes has not advanced. Implementing some healthy additions to your pet’s life is easier than it may seem. 

Ziggy, who suffers from seizures, is overweight due to his medication, according to owner Grecia Jimenez. PHOTO COURTESY GRECIA JIMENEZ

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The challenge of getting quickly to crime that’s far, far away By Jim Holt Signal Senior Staff Writer

n the night of April 8, about 8 p.m., 911 dispatchers at the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff ’s Station took a terrifying call. The caller reported hearing gunshots and then a woman screaming. Deputies who bolted from the station faced a huge challenge — the incident was more than 50 miles away, in Neenach, at the Kern County line, on the very outer edge of the territory deputies are sworn to protect and serve. “Deputies responded to the area of West Avenue C-6 and 290th Street West, Neenach, regarding a report of gunshots heard and a woman screaming,” Lt. Ignancio Somoano said. “When deputies arrived and conducted a field investigation, they located a resident who fired ‘blank rounds’ to stop a vicious dog attack on her pet,” he said. No woman hurt, no shots fired. Deputies responded in earnest to the call, treating it as the emergency it appeared to be.

Response times

It took SCV deputies 46 minutes to get there. A Lancaster patrol car joining in the all got there in 38 minutes, Somoano said. No further criminal investigation

was required and officers with the Los Angeles County Department of Animal Care and Control were notified. But what if, as the call suggested, someone had been shot and required immediate help from deputies? “At this point in time, the amount of crime that’s up there and the distance to travel up there, plus the cost of putting in a new station up there is not feasible,” Capt. Robert Lewis said in April, regarding response times. “It would be more beneficial if we hired more deputies,” he said. “More deputies in more patrol cars become more visible than a building that’s not visible to the people.” “We shifted a deputy from certain areas of patrol of the county up to the Gorman area,” he said, pointing to a permanent presence in northern extreme of L.A. County’s 5th District, which includes the Santa Clarita Valley all the way up to Gorman. It’s the future demand on deputies that has SCV’s top cop concerned.

50,000 new homes

Developers building 21,000 homes for Newhall Ranch were given the green light in March 2018 to begin putting in infrastructure. The project stretches from Interstate 5 to the Ventura County line, south of Highway 126. A year later, the green light was given to the Centennial Specific

Plan Project, also on I-5, at the Kern County line. It is expected to accommodate 19,333 homes on about 4,987 acres set aside for residential uses. Combined, the two projects are expected to add 40,000 homes to the number of residents protected and served by the local sheriff ’s deputies. Add to that at least a half-dozen other housing projects calling for about 500 homes on average, and other smaller projects, the number of new homes swells to an estimated 50,000, most of them strung along the I-5. “Same road, same corridor,” Lewis said, “They’re going to be traveling up and down the 5 freeway,” Lewis said. “The Grapevine is going to become backed up,” he said. Lewis said he sees “in the future” a substation built near Gorman. “Right now, the population does not support the addition of a substation up there.”

Emergency calls

Deputies responding to routine calls, such as noisy neighbors, to priority calls, such as reports of domestic disturbance and emergencies — like when someone reports a shooting with screaming heard — have a vast area to cover in the SCV. With Los Angeles being the largest county in the nation, the territory covered by SCV deputies is the largest in that county. From the Kern County line at the

Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station deputies respond to Canyon High following a threatening phone call. Despite the SCV’s continual growth, Capt. Robert Lewis has improved response times since taking over the Sheriff’s Station. PHOTO BY CORY RUBIN / THE SIGNAL

heart of the Grapevine to the Newhall Pass, local deputies respond west to Val Verde at the Ventura County line and as far east as the Le Chene French Cuisine restaurant. The communities deputies respond to include: the city of Santa Clarita, Valencia, Saugus, Newhall, Canyon Country, Castaic, Val Verde, the Angeles National Forest, Bouquet Canyon, Gorman, Hasley Canyon, Neenach, Sand Canyon, Santa Clarita, Saugus, Six Flags Magic Mountain, Sleepy Valley, Southern Oaks, Stevenson Ranch, Sunset Point, Tesoro del Valle, Valencia, Val Verde, West Hills, Westridge. And everyone in those areas expects immediate service.

Recent statistics

Statistics gathered by the Los Angeles County Sheriff ’s Department reviewing response times, from Jan. 1, 2017 to Dec. 31, 2018, show that despite a staggering amount of calls, deputies have responded faster in a 24-month period. Obviously, getting to calls closer to the station in cities contracted for coverage by the county takes less time than getting to the outlying areas. The stats are broken down according to urgency: routine, priority and emergency. In 2017, deputies responded to 5,032 emergency calls in far-out places like Neenach. It took them 8.9 minutes on average to get to them. In 2018, they responded to 4,870 emergency calls in those same hard-to-reach areas. It took them 8.3 minutes on average — an increased response time, despite more and more people moving to those areas. Priority calls showed the same stepped-up response times. It took deputies 17 minutes on average to get to those calls in 2017, but 16.8 minutes in 2018. Even routine calls, like the noisy neighbors same shorter response times from 2017 to 2018. On average, it took deputies 77.6 minutes in 2017, but only 73.9 minutes last year. And, if Capt. Robert Lewis gets his way, those response times will continue to drop, despite the time it takes to get so far, far away. 

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Keeping up a regal homecoming tradition By Emily Alvarenga Signal Staff Writer

alerie Miranda never thought when she was running for homecoming queen her senior year at San Fernando High in 1974 that she was starting a tradition that would continue for decades. “You don’t think anything of it,” she said of her win. “That’s as far as I thought it’d go.” Now, 45 years later, Valerie has come to see the legacy she started: not only was she crowned homecoming queen, but so was her daughter, Noel Miranda-Uribe, and her granddaughter, Leila Uribe. In fact, these three generations of queens aren’t the only ones in the family. When Leila was crowned at Hart High School this year, they started taking inventory, realizing that among others, the family has at least six crowns. “It’s very rare,” Valerie added. “I had no concept that this would happen.” Though Valerie doesn’t remember much about when she ran in 1974, she does remember putting up posters and the fact that she was completely shocked at the results. She heard them announce the first runner-up and thought for sure she’d lost until her partner grabbed her and told her otherwise. “I honestly did not think I had won.” When it was her daughter Noel’s turn, Noel, too, decided to run in her senior year, campaigning to “continue the tradition,” complete with a poster with her mother’s photo on it. “People thought I dressed up in her outfit,” Noel said, chuckling. “The year I ran, my cousin was in 10th grade, so we ran together (for each respective grade).” Noel remembers the campaign vividly, as she and her cousin Sharese Torres were able to utilize her family’s printing company, Miranda’s Printing and Copy Center on Lyons Avenue, to make posters, labels, stickers and even animal balloons. “People were wearing them everywhere — it was a fad,” she said. “We just had a lot of fun with it.” Consequently, both she and Sharese won homecoming queen and princess respectively at James Monroe High

Three generations of homecoming gueens: from left, Santa Clarita Christian student Leila Uribe; her mom, Noel MirandaUribe; and her grandmother, Valerie Miranda. PHOTO BY DAN WATSON / THE SIGNAL

School in 1997. “I was so proud because I knew how hard she worked — she deserved it,” Valerie said. Once Noel had a daughter of her own, they began to joke about keeping the tradition alive. “When I was little, they would joke around,” Leila said, adding that she felt a little bit of pressure. “I thought, ‘Ugh, I’m going to have to run when I’m older.’ Then, I went to a public school from a private school and I was like, ‘There’s no way I would get it —I don’t know anybody here.’” Leila had transferred to Hart High School from Santa Clarita Christian School in her freshman year, which put her at a disadvantage to others who had grown up together. When it finally came time to decide whether to run, Leila was hesitant, but decided to go for it. “My mom had campaigned, so she gave me some insight,” Noel said, adding that she then did the same for Leila. “You have to get people involved.” All three generations had been involved in sports, whether it be cheerleading, softball, volleyball or

basketball, and were all able to use their diverse friendships to help them garner votes. Leila doesn’t have any social media, and wasn’t allowed to put up any posters at school, so she had to go about it the old fashioned way: simply going and talking to her peers. “I met so many interesting people,” Leila said, adding that she talked to a lot of people she wouldn’t have ever spoken to otherwise. “It was really cool.” The school did three separate votes, narrowing down the finalists each time, and once Leila had made it to the top five, she was given a princess crown. “You can’t come this far and not get it.” While many relied on the assumption that their friends would continue to vote for them, Leila continued to put in the work. “I had a good feeling she was going to win,” Noel said, adding that she decided to invite the entire family to the announcement when Leila won. “All these little girls were coming up to her and going, ‘I voted for you,’ — it was so cute,” Valerie added. The best part, though, was being

surrounded by family, Leila said. “It’s just a little extra special,’ Noel added. “I’m really happy, and I’m proud of her, but it’s not just about winning.” Each generation had remembered the importance of goodwill. “I told her to treat people kindly because it’s going to come back around to you, and this is the perfect example,” Noel said. In addition to the women, Noel’s son Michael was also voted homecoming prince his freshman year at Santa Clarita Christian School in 2011, and Valerie’s son Jacob won homecoming king his senior year at John F. Kennedy High School in 2005. “I think it’s just amazing,” Jacob said. “To have one person get it is such a great accomplishment, but to have six of us get it, it’s unreal — you can’t make this up.” And when it comes time for Leila’s daughter to run, Leila said she’ll certainly have a bit of pressure: “I’ll homeschool her, though,” she said jokingly, “and she’ll get it.” 

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LOCALNEWS

Water-main break, sinkhole force lane closure By Caleb Lunetta Signal Staff Writer

water main break in Valencia caused lane closures and traffic delays as crews worked to stop water from spilling onto the streets Wednesday. The break occurred between Avenue Tibbits and Rye Canyon Road at approximately 2 p.m, according to officials. All eastbound lanes on Newhall Ranch Road near the site of the break were shut down as of 2:10 p.m. due to the water main break, according to Carrie Lujan, spokeswoman for the city of Santa Clarita. “That is happening — it looks like from the pictures I just saw they just turned it off and it’s no longer overflowing,” said Lujan, adding that crews would need to keep the lanes shut down while they work. “There’s already crews on the scene.” “It’s going to be all the eastbound lanes, but once they assess the situation they’ll be able to determine if that’s necessary,” Lujan added. The Wednesday incident marks the second time a water main has

City maintenance crews begin pumping water out of a hole that developed on Newhall Ranch Road following a water main break Wednesday afternoon that shut down traffic on the roadway. PHOTO BY BOBBY BLOCK / THE SIGNAL

broken on Newhall Ranch Road. On Aug. 31, a main broke near the intersection of Newhall Ranch Road and Bouquet Canyon Road, sending thousands of gallons of water into the streets, and causing traffic to

come to a grinding halt. This second break, according to officials on the scene, was caused by another weak stretch along Newhall Ranch Road. Officials on the scene said they

were concerned about a sinkhole opening up due to the break. In a tweet posted by the city of Santa Clarita at 2:01 p.m., officials asked residents to avoid the area for the time being. 

Supervisors OK study of single-use plastics By Vivianna Shields Signal Staff Writer

os Angeles County supervisors authorized a study Tuesday that could lead to a ban on single-use plastics, including cups, straws and utensils, in the county’s unincorporated areas. The Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a motion by Supervisors Sheila Kuehl and Janice Hahn to have UCLA’s Luskin Center conduct a study on single-use plastic food service ware waste in Los Angeles County over a span of three months. Once the study is complete, the board will use its findings to make an informed vote on whether to enact a ban or reduction in the use of certain plastics. There have been disruptions in recycling markets due to China’s “National Sword” policy, China’s latest strict regulation on imports such as

recyclable material, said Edel Vizcarra, planning and public works deputy for Supervisor Kathryn Barger, who represents the county’s 5th District, which includes the Santa Clarita Valley. As a result, it’s becoming more expensive to dispose of recyclable waste. Now, California is paying to have recyclables processed. Prior to this policy, recyclables generated revenue. In Santa Clarita, the policy contributed directly to the shutdown of rePlanet, a local recycling center. “Los Angeles was generating $13 million a year from their recycling programs, but now they are paying $6 million to get rid of it,” said Vizcarra. Along with the “National Sword” policy, Los Angeles County has experienced complications in regard to the region’s environmental sustainability, self-reliance and economic

vitality, according to the motion presented by Kuehl and Hahn. In efforts to comply with the Federal Clean Water Act, and protect residents’ quality of life, the county has spent millions retrofitting catch basins, collecting trash, sweeping streets and conducting anti-litter public outreach, the motion said. In addition, the media has heavily reported the harmful effects of plastic waste on the environment and wildlife. Kuehl and Hahn’s motion cites a study that contends that, by 2050, there would be more plastic in the ocean than fish. The study conducted by the Luskin Center will examine how prevalent single-use plastic is in the county’s waste stream. It will also look into different biodegradable alternatives as possible substitutions if a reduction or ban of single-use plastic is issued.

A ban or reduction will affect fastfood spots in the unincorporated areas in the SCV, as they, too, will have to adopt alternatives to single-use plastic. Fast-food single-use plastic ware includes cups, bowls, plates, utensils and straws, officials say. Anissa Engel, manager at Pick Up Stix in Stevenson Ranch, described how a possible ban of these single-use plastic items would affect her establishment. “We constantly have people taking their food to go. That includes plastic straws and plastic drink caps,” said Engel. “I think a lot of people will be upset if they weren’t able to take these items with them.” This decision on whether a ban will take place is expected to be made once the findings from the study are released. The Board of Supervisors is expected to vote in approximately five months, according to the motion. 

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LOCALNEWS

SCV Sheriff’s Station officials talk crime, how to join efforts By Tammy Murga Signal Staff Writer

bout 100 local business leaders gathered Tuesday to learn how they can partner with law enforcement to help keep the community safe by being their “eyes and ears,” as Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff ’s Station Capt. Robert Lewis put it. “I have 179 deputies to support close to 300,000 residents. We cannot do it alone,” he said during the Valley Industry Association’s October Luncheon, held at the Hyatt Regency Valencia. “If you don’t engage (the community) to be visible out there for us, for our kids — we will lose the fight.” Lewis and other officials with the SCV Sheriff ’s Station, including Lt. John Lecrivain and J-Team Intervention Specialist Travis Sabadin, shared

some of the challenges facing parents and children with drug use, how businesses can protect themselves from crime and a construction update on the new SCV Sheriff ’s Station. When it comes to vaping among youth, J-Team Detective Bill Velek said the issue is not an SCV epidemic, but rather, “We have the same epidemic that the rest of the country has.” He and his team shared that they are addressing teen drug use with “education, intervention and enforcement.” “If our parents don’t have the information about what our kids are really exposed to, they can’t properly parent our children,” he said. “Our big piece is teach the parents, teach the adults in our community so they can then teach the children.” The station is working on improving and growing its intervention team

by adding at least one more team member, Lewis said. Aside from the safety of children, businesses can help reduce crime by informing law enforcement of crimes or suspicious activity in a timely manner, said Lewis. “If we don’t create a safe community for Santa Clarita, no one is going to want to … come up to your businesses, no one is going to want to

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LOCALNEWS

5 vehicles involved in Saugus traffic collision, no injuries By Caleb Lunetta Signal Staff Writer

o injuries were reported after a five-way vehicle collision unraveled Saturday in the Saugus area, which prompted law enforcement and medical personnel to respond to the scene. The call of the collision occurred at 4:54 p.m. at the intersection of Bouquet Canyon Road and Soledad Canyon Road, according to Los Angeles County Fire Department Supervisor Melanie Flores. “Units are on scene,” said Flores at approximately 5:15 p.m. on Saturday. “There haven’t been any transports.” Multiple law enforcement vehicles and ambulances were seen at the site of the collision, according to witnesses on the scene, as traffic developed in the area. On Monday, Fire Department

A five-way vehicle collision in the Saugus area Saturday resulted in law enforcement and medical responders being called to the scene. PHOTO BY GILBERT BERNAL / THE SIGNAL

Supervisor Art Amarrujo said their reports did not “indicate that anyone

was transported. We cleared at 5:17 p.m. It sounds like a non-injury if

4 arrested after $15K in Lululemon merchandise stolen By Gilbert Bernal Signal Staff Writer

anta Clarita Valley Sheriff ’s Station deputies arrested four in connection to a theft at the Westfield Valencia Town Center after thieves stole an estimated $15,000 in store merchandise Sunday. Deputies were alerted to the theft that occurred just before 6 p.m. Sunday at Lululemon, a popular fitness apparel store. Four women from the Oakland area entered the Lululemon store and allegedly pointed a black object at a clerk before they grabbed approximately $15,000 worth of merchandise and fled the store, according to SCV Sheriff ’s Station officials. “It is my understanding that it

was a simulated firearm during robbery,” SCV Sheriff ’s spokeswoman Shirley Miller said, adding no weapons were recovered. SCV Sheriff ’s Station Lt. Joseph Fender said the suspects were four women. “They fled the location in a stolen vehicle,” said Fender. “They were detained in the (northbound lanes of the Interstate) 5 freeway by the California Highway Patrol, after we put out a report about the suspects.” CHP officers spotted the suspects at a rest stop near the northbound lanes of the I-5, near Frazier Park, around 7:30 p.m., following a report made by deputies about the theft, according to officials. “They are now in our custody and they are being transported from the scene of the arrest,” added Fender. 

they were only there for 20 minutes.” 

Driver leads CHP on 130-mph chase By Matt Fernandez Signal Staff Writer

man led California Highway Patrol officers on a high-speed chase through Santa Clarita on Monday morning. At 10:39 a.m. officers received a call about a car driving 130 mph on the southbound lanes of Interstate 5 near Highway 138. When the suspect refused to yield, officers gave chase. “There were actually two pursuits of the same vehicle. The first one was canceled at 10:45 due to the suspect’s reckless driving and high speed, and the second pursuit was picked up at 10:52 by another officer and canceled at 10:56, when the officer lost visual contact with the vehicle,” said Officer Peter Nicholson of the California Highway

Patrol. “A news media airship was overhead and assisted CHP in tracking the vehicle to its stopping point, and officers took the suspect into custody as he was trying to walk away from the vehicle.” Officers arrested the man on the intersection of Larkspur Street and Encinitas Avenue. CHP officers transported the suspect to the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff ’s Station for booking, but the suspect’s name had not been released as of late Monday. “The suspect’s vehicle is described as a Mercedes Benz GLA 250 SUV,” said CHP Officer Josh Greengard. “He is going to be initially charged with felony reckless evading. We don’t yet know of any other charges or if he has any existing warrants.” 

O C TO B E R 20, 2019

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O C TO B E R 20, 2019

FROM THE CITY MANAGER

Shining the spotlight on Santa Clarita By Ken Striplin City Manager

his is one of the most exciting times for our City Council and City staff, as we prepare to come together with the community and share all of the hard work that has been completed in the past year. We do this each fall at our annual State of the City luncheon. This year’s event is on Thursday, Oct. 24, at the Hyatt Regency Valencia. Guests will get a behind-thescenes look at everything filming in our City, with the theme — Lights, Camera, Santa Clarita! In the 2018-

19 fiscal yea,r the Santa Clarita Film Office recorded 526 film permits and 1,380 film days, which generated an estimated $33.4 million in economic benefit to the local community. This is the sixth consecutive fiscal year the Film Office has recorded more than 500 permits and $30 million or more in estimated economic impact generated from location filming alone. Not included in the reported numbers are the film days and economic benefit from productions filming on certified sound stages, which do not require a film permit. Not only do these local productions enhance our economy — they also provide jobs to our residents. In fact, some 6,000 Santa Clarita residents are employed by the entertainment industry. Santa Clarita is in the 30-mile zone,

also known as the TMZ. It is more economically feasible for productions to be located within the TMZ, making Santa Clarita an attractive place to film. This all adds up to some of the most popular productions of the bigand small-screen filming right here in Santa Clarita. Television productions for the last fiscal year include “Bless This Mess,” “Holey Moley,” “Mayans MC,” “NCIS,” “S.W.A.T.” and “Pearson.” While some of the blockbuster films include “Ad Astra,” “Badland,” “Call of the Wild,” “Deadwood: The Movie,” “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” and more. At the State of the City luncheon, you will take a tour through Santa Clarita’s rich film history, while also hearing about the latest City projects, programs and initiatives. Our City

Council will share video updates of everything from progress on the new Canyon Country Community Center and Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff ’s Station, to the latest pieces of public art and additions to our Open Space. Guests will enjoy lunch, entertainment and a commemorative gift. Tickets are still available for this year’s luncheon. Please visit santa-clarita. com for more information. We look forward to sharing with you all of the work that has been done to improve upon the already high quality of life we all enjoy here in Santa Clarita.

Ken Striplin can be reached at kstriplin@santa-clarita.com. The views expressed in his column are those of the City and do not necessarily reflect those of The Signal. 

F R O M T H E C I T Y M AY O R

Two wheels, fresh air and miles of trails to explore By Mayor Marsha McLean

n the Santa Clarita Valley, miles upon miles of paved trails offer bicyclists of all ages the opportunity to put on a helmet, kick up the kickstand and feel the breeze against their face as they go for a relaxing bike ride to explore the natural beauty of our City. The City of Santa Clarita has made it a priority to ensure residents have access to safe, healthy and fun activities. Through world-class events held in our City and the workshops and outreach by members of the Santa Clarita Valley Bicycle Coalition, both cycling for sport and recreational

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bike riding have continued to grow in popularity. The City has also invested in improvements to infrastructure aimed at enhancing safety for cyclists and providing amenities that encourage residents to live a healthy and active lifestyle. Safety is essential for everyone who uses our roads and trails, which is why the City is proud of the progress made in two key areas. First, new bike lanes have been added to portions of Plum Canyon Road and Smyth Drive. These bike lanes will

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not only make riding safer for cyclists, they will do so without impacting traffic circulation in these areas. Second, the Pace Bike Share program that was launched at the end of 2018 has become a popular way for casual riders to explore Santa Clarita. More than 3,500 trips have been recorded in the last nine months alone! An exciting addition to Pace is a new subscription program allowing users to have an unlimited number of 30-minute rides. This means that commuters can easily make those first mile/last-mile connections by renting a bike to get from the Metrolink Station to work, and then back again. These improvements allow the City to continue to expand its bike network and build upon its reputation as a Bicycle-Friendly Community. The City recently applied to renew this designation and has added a number of amenities for those riding bicycles on our streets and trails. In the last four years, the City has completed 14 miles of trails and also installed way finding signs throughout Santa Clarita to help bicyclists and pedestrians navigate our beautiful community. “Give Me Green,” which is a smartphone application that detects bicycles at signalized intersections, is

in its pilot phase and is currently being used by nearly 150 riders in Santa Clarita. This innovative application alerts drivers of bicyclists by illuminating electronic blank-out signs at intersections so they are warned that riders are approaching the intersection before making a turn. Finally, I am happy to share with you that the City of Santa Clarita recently welcomed attendees of the California Bicycle Summit on Oct. 17. Summit participants traveled from Los Angeles to Santa Clarita by train, then participated in a bike tour that showed off our City’s trails, bridges, bicycle-friendly technology and more. We are proud that Santa Clarita is a model for other cities when it comes to developing infrastructure and amenities for the bicycling community. To learn more about the City’s commitment to being bicycle-friendly, please visit BikeSantaClarita.com. Mayor Marsha McLean is a member of the Santa Clarita City Council and can be reached at mmclean@ santa-clarita.com. The views expressed in her column are those of the city and do not necessarily reflect those of The Signal. 

O C TO B E R 20, 2019

S U N D AYS I G N A L · 1 3

TECHNOLOGY

Tips for keeping your phone, laptop around longer By Kim Komando Signal Contributing Writer

pill one cup of coffee, and fry your laptop. Drop your tablet while taking a photo, and it can plunge to its doom. Lose your grip on a smartphone, and your $1,000 device could slip through a drainage grate and disappear forever. Most of us can’t afford to regularly replace our devices, which is why we have to take good care of them. Based on calls to my show, email and questions posted on my site’s tech support forums, here are five mistakes that people routinely make. 1. Going the cheap route In theory, you can buy a “Lightning” cable at your local corner store. But many fail to acknowledge that the specific charger and cable included in the box with any new device is

designed especially for that product. If you lose your charger or the USB cable gets frayed, do not buy the cheapest charger and cable you can find. The few dollars you save on a low-cost substitute will very likely negatively affect your device’s performance. The dirty secret these one-size-fitsall charger and cable makers don’t want you to know is that often their products do not have the proper voltage needed to work with your specific device. Why does that matter? Your battery may end up not getting the juice it needs to charge fully. 2. Being an over-charger The newest batteries for smartphones, tablets, and laptops are a vast improvement over past years, and most of them are made of high-quality lithium-ion or lithium-polymer. While it may seem counter-intuitive, overcharging your battery can damage it. The rule of thumb is to keep your phone, tablet and laptop charged somewhere between 40% and 80%.

Batteries containing a higher charge are more stressed. As for your laptop, those batteries have a finite number of chargedischarge cycles. If you frequently let your battery completely run out of juice, it affects the charge-discharge cycle and diminishes its intended lifespan. 3. Charging all the time Do you plug your device into the wall socket and forget about it? Fortunately, when the new generation of batteries reaches maximum charge, they have mechanisms to prevent excess charging. That holds true for tablets, smartphones and laptops. A huge side benefit is that a device’s performance gets a huge boost from a power off, power on cycle. Don’t keep your laptop plugged in all the time. 4. Not paying attention The latest phones are fairly rugged: tough, water-resistant and less likely to shatter when dropped. But leaving

your device in a hot car or out in the sun can cause serious damage. Not only can it cause the battery to leak or overheat, but it can also cause data to be lost or corrupted. Extreme cold temperatures also wreak havoc on your phone. Lithium-ion batteries can stop discharging electricity in extremely cold temperatures, leading to shortened battery life, display problems, and even cracking the display glass. 5. Being a Pig Pen Whether you’re cleaning your laptop, iPad, smartphone or favorite mouse, here are a few useful cleaning items to have on hand. They’re flexible for tidying up just about anything: compressed air; isopropyl alcohol; distilled or purified bottled water; and soft cloths. For information on Kim Komando on today’s digital lifestyle, from smartphones and tablets to online privacy and data hacks, visit her at Komando. com. 

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THINGSTODO

O C TO B E R 20, 2019

Let’s go

By Michele E. Buttelman Signal Staff Writer

Wine country pops with colorful grapevines, huge leaves and delightful tastings during the fall season. Starting in mid- to late-October, the grape harvest crush winds down as the leaf pageant begins its debut. Fall color in the wine country isn’t limited to just the trees, the lush grape leaves of summer transform into beautiful fall foliage, with coppers and reds accentuating grapes left on the vine. Take your pick from dozens of wineries, including Frog’s Leap, Rombauer Vineyards and Reynolds Family Winery, all worth a stop, not just for the wine but for the fall scenery, too.

Silverado Trail

For a relaxed drive that celebrates the beauty of the season, drive the Silverado Trail from Napa to Calistoga. This two-lane country road is trimmed with shady oaks and world-class vineyards. It is quintessential Napa Valley covering an area dotted with so many wineries you could travel it for a week and still not visit all of the tasting rooms. Constructed in 1852 as the first permanent road linking the 30 or so miles between the towns of Napa and Calistoga, the Silverado Trail is the bucolic, parallel counterpart to the busier State Highway 29. If you are super adventurous, and the weather is good, rent a bike and pedal the route.

Prestigious Wineries

Prestigious wineries with Silverado Trail addresses include Joseph Phelps, ZD Wines and Signorello Winery, plus the famous Stags’ Leap District collection of wineries making up Napa Valley’s famous mecca of Cabernet Sauvignon and other big-bodied reds. Signorello, in the town of Napa, was one of the few wineries to sustain major damage in the 2017 wildfires. Its winery building was destroyed, but will be rebuilt next to the vineyards and barrel room, which were spared. Some parts of the Stags Leap District, meanwhile, experienced limited damage. However, most wineries are up and run-

ning with most tasting rooms now open. There’s sparkling wine here too, notably at Mumm Napa, where you can sip the fine bubbly on an elegant patio, in a grand-tasting salon or while wandering the elaborate art gallery.

Resorts

Other turns take you to lavish wine-country resorts, such as Relais & Châteaux’s Auberge du Soleil or the gracious Solage Calistoga. To see one of the most stunning retreats in the entire region, take the long, leafy drive onto the manicured grounds of Meadowood Napa Valley for an alfresco lunch at its garden-sourced The Grill. And if you’re feeling the need to splurge, enjoy dinner at the three-Michelin-star The Restaurant at Meadowood. Experience impeccable service, meticulous farm-to-table menus and exquisite Napa Valley wines. You might consider a stay at the resort and take advantage of the spa and golf course.

Schramsberg Vineyards offers tours of their 125-yearold caves followed by an explanation of their methods of making wine, and more. PHOTOS COURTESY VISIT CALIFORNIA

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S U N D AYS I G N A L · 1 5

The Solbar Restaurant at Solage Calistoga is known for its fresh and seasonal Napa Valley menu and its relaxing, casual mood. Enjoy a leisurely dinner under the glow of a 20-foot fire pit.

Wine Caves

Many Napa vineyards have planted specimen trees like silver maples and liquidambars that dazzle during the fall season. Make an appointment for a tour at Far Niente Winery in Oakville where you can admire its 40,000-square-foot wine-aging caves, plus its stately, double row of ginkgo biloba trees. Hailing from China, these fall foliage kings are revered for their fan-shaped golden leaves that hang on long after oaks and maples have gone bare. Other wineries with extensive must see “wine caves” include Schramsberg Vineyard and Rombauer Winery.

Bothe-Napa Valley State Park

To see California’s native trees in autumn regalia, head to Bothe-Napa Valley State Park, south of Calistoga, and take a walk on the Redwood Trail alongside Ritchey Creek. Black oaks and big-leaf maples form a canopy over the creek that runs year-round. The big-leaf maples bear massive leaves, some bigger than your head, that turn a brilliant yellow in fall. Ferns, wild grape, and spice bush add to the color show. Climb to the top of Coyote Peak to get a birds-eye view of the entire forest. 

Where to Stop Far Niente Winery 1350 Acacia Drive, Oakville https://farniente.com Frog’s Leap 8815 Conn Creek Road, Rutherford www.frogsleap.com Rombauer Vineyards 3522 Silverado Trail North, St. Helena www.rombauer.com Reynolds Family Winery 3266 Silverado Trail, Napa www.reynoldsfamilywinery.com Mumm Napa 8445 Silverado Trail, Rutherford www.mummnapa.com/visitmummnapa Joseph Phelps Vineyards 200 Taplin Road St. Helena www.josephphelps.com ZD Wines 8383 Silverado Trail, Napa www.zdwines.com Schramsberg Vineyard 1400 Schramsberg Road, Calistoga www.schramsberg.com Rombauer Vineyard 3522 Silverado Trail North, St. Helena www.rombauer.com Stags’ Leap Winery 6150 Silverado Trail, Napa www.stagsleap.com/visit (By reservation only) Relais & Châteaux’s Auberge du Soleil 180 Rutherford Hill Road, Rutherford www.relaischateaux.com/us/united-states/ soleil-rutherford Solage Calistoga 755 Silverado Trail N, Calistoga https://aubergeresorts.com/solage Meadowood Napa Valley 900 Meadowood Lane, St. Helena, 94574 Info: www.meadowood.com Bothe-Napa Valley State Park 3801 St Helena Highway, Calistoga, 94515 Info: www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=477

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O C TO B E R 20, 2019

SPORTS

Boys, girls cross country on pace for competitive finish By Diego Marquez Signal Staff Writer

ith the Foothill League cross-country season is in full swing, a few athletes have separated themselves from the rest of the pack. Saugus boys runner Nick Serrano has pulled away and established himself as one of the Centurions’ strongest runners after winning the first league meet and clocking a time of 15 minutes and 28.62 seconds, a full 14 seconds faster than the runner-up. The Centurions boys runner began the season setting a new personal record at the 2-mile Palos Verdes Mini-Meet with a time of 10:14.4. In the most recent meet, The Master’s University XC Invitational, Serrano recorded another runner up finish and set another personal record in the 5,000 meter race in 15:33.4, according to athletic.net. A pair of West Ranch boys runners,

Nick Serrano of Saugus wins the 3-mile run at Central Park recently. The prep cross-country season is in full swing. PHOTO BY DAN WATSON / THE SIGNAL

senior Hunter Romine and junior Dylan Gatua, who finished in second and third place behind Serrano at the first league meet, finished in the top five at the Fastback Invitational, The Master’s XC INvitational along with the league meet. Romine finished fourth at Fastback and fifth at The Master’s, while Gatua pulled out two fourth places finishes at Fastback and The Master’s, respectively. Hart boys runner Joseph Ahart

leads a surprising group of Indians to begin the season recording a ninth place finish at the Great Cow Run, fourth at the Asics/Cool Breeze Invite and a sixth place finish at the league meet before setting a personal record at Woodbridge HS Cross Country Classic in 15:08.1. Ahart’s teammate Jason Lucero finished inside the top-20 in three of the four meets he competed in, while sophomore Jaden Wiley has two top20 finishes on the year. Saugus’ girl runners have carved a name for themselves in the CIF-Southern Section Division 1 standings, ranking No. 2 on the list. Hannah Fredericks, who won the first league meet in 18:04.2, also finished in fifth place at the Palos Verde Mini-Meet with a two-mile personal record of 12:35.1. She also set a personal record at the 5,000-meter The Master’s University Invitational finishing in second place. Cents Hailey Rutter finished as the

runner-up in Foothill League meet No. 1 in 18:25.1 and Danielle Salcedo finished fourth place and set a personal record in 18:42.5. Abigail Welch and Hayden Washington paced the West Ranch girls team with third and fifth place finishes at the league meet as both set season records in the three-mile race in 18:40.0 and 19:08.9, respectively. The West Ranch girls team currently ranks eight in the CIF-SS Division 1 standings. Canyon’s Angelee Berganio is a top runner for the girls team coming in the top seven in all, but one meet this season. Berganio has three sixth-place finishes at the Fastback Invitational (12:02.7) and Asics/Cool Breeze Invite (18:09.3) setting personal records in both meets, and at Foothill League Meet No. 1. Foothill League finals are on Saturday, Nov. 2 at 7 a.m. at Central Park. 

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S U N D AYS I G N A L · 17

Home Made Flavor, Home Made Desserts

AMERICAN Backwoods Inn 17846 W. Sierra Highway, Canyon Country (661) 252-5522 The Backyard Grub n’ Brews 26509 Golden Valley Road, Santa Clarita (661) 286-1165 Bergie’s 16404 Delone Street, Canyon Country (661)251-3133 Black Angus 27007 McBean Parkway, Valencia (661) 288-2000 Black Bear Diner 23626 Valencia Blvd, Valencia (661) 799-4820 Brooklyn Bar & Grill 25860 McBean Parkway, Valencia (661) 284-6057 The Cheesecake Factory 24250 Town Center Dr #110, Valencia, CA 91355 (661) 286-1232 Claim Jumper 25740 The Old Road, Valencia (661) 254-2628 Crazy Otto’s Diner 25373 Wayne Mills Place, Valencia (661) 291-1733 The Daily Harvest Cafe & Juicery 22722 Lyons Ave #6, Newhall (661) 383-9387 Eat Real Cafe 23414 Lyons Avenue, Newhall (661) 254-2237 27530 Newhall Ranch Road, Valencia (661) 254-2237

The Local Pub & Grill 26876 The Old Road Stevenson Ranch Ca 91381 661.495.9192 Mama’s Table 23340 Cinema Dr, Santa Clarita (661) 284-5988 Marston’s Restaurant 24011 Newhall Ranch Road, Valencia (661) 253-9910

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Nealie’s Skillet 25858 Tournament Road, Valencia (661) 678-0031 Newhall Refinery 24258 Main St, Newhall (661) 388-4477 Oggi’s Pizza & Brewing Co 18810 Soledad Canyon Rd, Cyn Country (661) 252-7883

Homemade Cooking!

Route 66 Classic Grill 18730 Soledad Canyon Rd, Cyn Country (661) 298-1494 Saddle Ranch Chop House 24201 Valencia Blvd., Valencia (661) 383-0173 Salt Creek Grille 24415 Town Center Drive, Valencia (661) 222-9999 Souplantation 24303 Town Center Drive, Valencia (661) 286-1260 Stonefire Grill 23300 Cinema Drive, Valencia (661)799-8282 The Old Town Junction 24275 Main Street Newhall (661) 702-4888

Iconic Eats 23460 Cinema Dr, Valencia (661) 481-9404

The Social 23329 Lyons Ave, Ste A, Valencia (661) 799-9155

Grilled Cheese Factory 24201 Valencia Blvd, Valencia (661) 888-1508

Thelma’s Cafe 22876 Copperhill Drive, Saugus (661) 263-8283

Islands 24180 Valencia Blvd, Valencia (661) 284-5903

Wing Stop 18547 Soledad Canyon Rd, Cyn Country (661) 251-9700

Lazy Dog Cafe 24201 Valencia Blvd., Valencia (661) 253-9996

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O C TO B E R 20, 2019

DININGGUIDE Continued from previous page

BBQ Dickeys Barbecue Pit 18742 Soledad Canyon Road, Santa Clarita (661) 251-0840 L&L Hawaiian BBQ 18727 Via Princessa, Canyon Country (661) 251-8333 Lucille’s Bar-B-Que 24201 West Valencia Blvd, Valencia (661) 255-1227 Q&Q Hawaiian BBQ 27530 Newhall Ranch Road #101, Santa Clarita (661) 383-9098 Rattler’s BBQ 26495 Golden Valley Road, Canyon Country (661) 251-4195 Smokehouse on Main 24255 Main St, Old Town Newhall (661) 888-4585 Wood Ranch Bar-B-Que & Grill 25580 The Old Road, Stevenson Ranch (661) 222-9494

BREAKFAST & BRUNCH Casa Canela 27647 Bouquet Canyon Road, Santa Clarita (661) 523-7282 Crazy Otto’s Diner 25373 Wayne Mills Place, Valencia (661) 291-1733 Egg Plantation 24415 Walnut Street, Newhall (661) 255-8222 Eggs N Things 27560 Newhall Ranch Road, Valencia (661) 702-8664 Halfway House 15564 W. Sierra Highway, Saugus (661) 251-0102

BREAKFAST & BRUNCH The Old Town Junction 24257 Main Street, Newhall (661) 702-4888 Saugus Cafe 25861 Railroad Avenue, Saugus (661) 259-7886 Way Station Coffee Shop 24377 Main Street, Newhall (661) 255-0222

BREWERIES BJ’s Restaurant 24320 Town Center Drive, Valencia (661) 288-1299 Oggi’s Pizza & Brewing Co. 18810 Soledad Canyon Road, Canyon Country (661) 252-7883 Pocock Brewing Company 24907 Avenue Tibbits, Valencia (661) 775-4899 Wolf Creek Restaurant & Brewing Co. 27746 N. McBean Parkway, Valencia (661) 263-9653

BURGERS/SANDWICHES Bricks 23820 Lyons Ave, Newhall (661) 286-1091 Brother’s Burgers 20655 Soledad Canyon (661) 299-9278 Burgerim 23740 Lyons Ave, Santa Clarita (661) 670-8939 Corner Bakery 24290 Valencia Blvd, Valencia (661) 259-2813 Cousins Burgers 19318 Soledad Canyon Road, Canyon Country (661) 298-4200

Italia Panetteria & Deli 27674 Newhall Ranch Road, Valencia (661) 294-9069 Jimmy Dean’s 22941 Lyons Ave, Newhall (661) 255-6315 JJ’s Bar and Grill 25848 Tournament Road, Valencia (661) 799-7557 Panini Palace 23120 Lyons Ave, Santa Clarita (661) 678-0552 Pita Pit 28253 Newhall Ranch Road (661) 702-9977 Red Robin 27063 McBean Parkway, Valencia (661) 260-2411 Route 66 Classic Grill 18730 Soledad Canyon Rd, Cyn Country (661) 298-1494 Rustic Burger 24025 Newhall Ranch Road, Valencia (661) 254-1300 Rustic Eatery 25343 Wayne Mills Place, Valencia (661) 254-8100 Submarina California Subs 26517 Carl Boyer Drive, Canyon Country (661) 259-4782 Tiny’s Submarine Sandwiches 27251 Camp Plenty Rd, Canyon Country (661) 251-5885

CHINESE China Express 19417 Soledad Canyon Rd, Cyn Country (661) 251-8783 Genghis Khan 24506 W. Lyons Avenue, Newhall 661-254-0351 Golden Wok Restaurant 16668 Soledad Canyon Rd, Cyn Country (661) 424-0888 Grand Panda 23802 Lyons Avenue, Newhall (661) 253-1898 27924 Seco Canyon Road, Saugus (661) 297-9868

Pick Up Stix 25960 The Old Road, Stevenson Ranch (661) 288-2090 WaBa Grill 19120 Soledad Canyon Road, Canyon Country (661) 367-7297 31739 Castaic Road, Castaic (661) 295 9222 Wok’s Cookin’ Chinese Restaurant 31565 Castaic Road, Castaic (661) 257-2890

CUBAN Hidden Havana Cuban Cafe 23548 Lyons Avenue, Newhall (661) 254-4460

DELICATESSEN Bob’s Country Meats 19012 Soledad Canyon Road, Canyon Country (661) 251-5995 Cathy’s Delicatessen 23120 W. Lyons Avenue, Newhall (661) 288-2217 Italia Panetteria & Deli 27674 Newhall Ranch Road, Valencia (661) 294-9069 Maria’s Italian-American Deli 22620 W. Lyons Avenue, Newhall (661) 259-6261 The Sandwich Shop 25530 W. Avenue Stanford, Valencia (661) 257-4811

FRENCH Le Chene French Cuisine 12625 Sierra Highway, Agua Dulce (661) 251-4315

GREEK Gyromania 20655 Soledad Canyon Rd, Santa Clarita (661) 252-4976

Mama’s Table 23340 Cinema Dr, Santa Clarita (661) 284-5988

Everest Burgers 18645 Soledad Canyon Road Santa Clarita, CA 91351 (661) 252-3412

Marston’s Restaurant 24011 Newhall Ranch Road, Valencia (661) 253-9910

Final Score 23754 Lyons Ave, Santa Clarita (661) 254-6557

Mandarin Wong Chinese Restaurant 23758 Lyons Avenue, Newhall (661) 259-5823

Mimi’s Cafe 24201 Magic Mountain Parkway, Valencia (661) 255-5520

Firehouse Subs 23630 Valencia Blvd. Valencia (661) 255-3473

Moon Wok 23460 Cinema Drive Suite H, Valencia (661) 288-1898

Karma Restaurant, Bar & Lounge 23460 Cinema Drive, Valencia (661) 288-0080

Five Guys 24201 W, Valencia Blvd #3672, Valencia (661) 255-0981

New Moon 28281 Newhall Ranch Road, Valencia (661) 257-4321

Royal Tandoor 26532 Bouquet Canyon Rd, Santa Clarita (661) 263-7100

The Habit 25948 N. McBean Parkway, Valencia (661) 291-1575

Pei Wei Asian Diner 24250 Valencia Boulevard, Valencia 661-600-0132

INDIAN An Indian Affaire 23360 W. Valencia Blvd, Valencia (661) 288-1200

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DININGGUIDE ITALIAN Bella Cucina Ristorante Italiano 27911 Seco Canyon Rd, Saugus (661) 263-1414 Buca di Beppo 26940 Theater Drive, Valencia (661) 253-1900 Italia Panetteria & Deli 27674 Newhall Ranch Road, Valencia (661) 294-9069 Maria’s Italian-American Deli 22620 Lyons Ave, Newhall (661) 259-6261 Olive Garden 27003 McBean Parkway, Valencia (661) 799-8161 Piccola Trattoria 18302 Sierra Highway, Canyon Country (661) 299-6952 Presto Pasta 24375 Magic Mountain Pkwy, Valencia (661) 284-7737

JAPANESE & SUSHI

Sushi 661 26850 Sierra Hwy, Santa Clarita (661) 252-9831 Sushi Song Japanese Restaurant 22896 Copper Hill Dr, Santa Clarita (661) 297-5659 Xevichez Sushi Bar 24250 Town Center Dr #180, Santa Clarita (661) 288-1477 Yamato Restaurant 24947 Pico Canyon Road, Stevenson Ranch (661) 799-0707

KOREAN & MONGOLIAN

Kabuki 24045 Newhall Ranch Road, Valencia (661) 799-8655 Kisho Japanese Teppan Grill & Revolving Sushi Bar 23430 Valencia Blvd, Valencia (661) 284-3856 Masa Ramen 27051 McBean Pkwy, #101, Valencia (661) 254-4229 My Hot Pot 26238 Bouquet Canyon Rd, Santa Clarita (661) 288-1998 Shogun Sushi Japanese Restaurant 26807 Seco Canyon Rd, Santa Clarita (661) 513-0015

Azul Tequila 25387 Wayne Mills Place, Valencia (661) 254-5500

Cabo Cabana Restaurant 25710 The Old Road, Stevenson Ranch (661) 222-7022

Gogi House 26524 Bouquet Canyon Road, Saugus (661) 263-0048

Lee’s Korean BBQ & Tofu House 23360 West Valencia Blvd, Valencia (661) 254-2307

I Love Sushi 26526 Bouquet Canyon Rd, Santa Clarita 661-673-5200

MEXICAN

Genghis Khan 24506 W. Lyons Avenue, Newhall (661) 254-0351

Asako Sushi 27540 Sierra Hwy, Canyon Country (661) 251-6010

Hibiki Restaurant 27625 Shangri La Dr., Canyon Country (661) 298-0273

Zankou Chicken 24463 Magic Mountain Pkwy, Valencia (661) 705-7265

Betito’s Mexican 18902 Soledad Canyon Road, Canyon Country (661)251-0557

Achita Sushi 22913 Soledad Canyon Rd, Santa Clarita (661) 476-5522

Gyu-Kaku Japanese BBQ Dining 27025 McBean Pkwy, Valencia (661) 254-2355

Olive Terrace Cafe 28261 Newhall Ranch Road, Valencia (661) 257-7860

Charcoal Korean BBQ Restaurant 19158 Soledad Canyon Rd, Cyn Country (661) 251-9292

Kogiya 2 Korean BBQ 23410 Lyons Ave, Santa Clarita (661) 678-0999

Bonsai Garden 19358 Soledad Canyon Rd, Cyn Country (661) 251-9008

Manoushee Mediterranean Restaurant 27131 Sierra Hwy, Canyon Country (661) 251-6666

Sam’s Flaming Grill 24802 Orchard Village, Santa Clarita (661) 222-9060 19433 Soledad Canyon Rd, Santa Clarita (661) 298-0115 25347 Wayne Mills Pl, Valencia (661) 254-2154 23874 Copper Hill Dr, Valencia (661) 294-1100 ZingGa Grill 26910 Sierra Hwy, Santa Clarita (661) 250-7592

MEDITERRANEAN Cafe O 20655 Soledad Canyon Rd, Cyn Country (661) 424-0401 Flame & Skewers 25870 McBean Parkway, Valencia (661) 799-7538 Grill Kabob 27653 Bouquet Canyon Road, Saugus (661) 263-7445 Kebab House 24201 Valencia Blvd, Valencia (661) 799-5844

Casa Pasilla 27674 Newhall Ranch Road, Valencia (661) 295-1989 Dario’s Mexican Restaurant 24523 Newhall Avenue, Newhall (661) 255-6868 El Trocadero Mesquite Grill & Cantina 24274 Main Street, Newhall (661) 284-6615 La Charrita Restaurant 24225 Main St, Newhall (661) 288-1204 La Cocina Bar & Grill 28022 Seco Canyon Road, Saugus (661) 297-4546 Las Rocas Mexican Grill 27923 Sloan Canyon Road Castaic (661) 257-6905 Medrano’s Mexican Restaurant 19319 Soledad Canyon Rd, Santa Clarita (661) 367-4945 Rosarito Grill 19425 Soledad Canyon Rd, Cyn Country (661) 251-2732 Solita Tacos & Margaritas 24201 Valencia Blvd., Suite 3470, Santa Clarita (661) 291-1399

PIZZA Ameci Pizza & Pasta 28013 Seco Canyon, Santa Clarita (661) 296-6131 Chi Chi’s Pizza 27117 Sierra Highway, Canyon Country (661) 252-4405 23043 Soledad Canyon Road, Saugus (661) 259-4040 Guido’s Pizza & Pasta 26322 N. Friendly Valley Parkway, Newhall (661)252-4111

Magic Pizza SCV 26870 The Old Road, Stevenson Ranch (661) 291-1921 Mama Mia Pizza 25708 The Old Road, Stevenson Ranch (661) 286-9183 Numero Uno Pizza 26111 Bouquet Canyon Road, Saugus 661-259-3895 Pieology Pizzeria 28295 Newhall Ranch Road, Valencia (661)678-0234 Pizza Di Marco 27674 Newhall Ranch Rd, Valencia 661-295-8769 Pizza Rev 24341 Magic Mountain Parkway, Valencia (661) 260-1257 Tomato Joes Pizza & Taps 19167 Golden Valley Road, Santa Clarita (661) 250-7550 Tomato Joes Pizza Express 27732 McBean Pkwy. Valencia (661) 263-8646 Toppers Pizza 23710 Valencia Blvd, Santa Clarita (805) 385-4444

POLISH Pierogi Spot 26511 Golden Valley Road, Santa Clarita (661) 254-4850

THAI Original Thai BBQ Restaurant 27530 Newhall Ranch Road, Valencia (661) 257-6421 Sister House Thai Fusion 26879 Bouquet Canyon Rd, Santa Clarita 661-263-9911

VIETNAMESE Pho Sure 23876 Copper Hill Drive, Valencia (661) 257-3888

FAST DELIVERY At Our Valencia LOCATION ONLY pizzadimarco.com

Family Owned Since 1985

Pizza • Pasta • Sandwiches • Salads

Dine In - TakeOut - Delivery

661.295.8769 661.295.5605

Fax: (661) 295-9533 Min. Order $12.00

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E N T E R TA I N M E N T

Sir Mix-A-Lot raps his way to Santa Clarita By Perry Smith Sunday Signal Editor

ir Mix-A-Lot, who sold more than 2 million records with his crossover platinum-selling hit “Baby Got Back,” saw his life changed when that song hit in 1992. Even earning him a Grammy award, for Best Solo Rap Performance.

From his breakout album, “Mack Daddy,” Sir Mix-A-Lot embarked on a unique path, embarked marked by several successes. “With two platinum albums, a certified gold album, no less than eight hits on the Rap charts, six of which also charted R&B, and three pop-charters, plus a diverse career that includes engagements with the Seattle Symphony Orchestra, Sir Mix-

A-Lot has most definitely made his mark on the American music scene,” according to Canyon Santa Clarita. He’s also a bit of a self-made man who started his own label to kickstart his own career. Dogged by the label of a one-hit wonder due to the overwhelming success of his debut, Mix-A-Lot still managing to carve out an eclectic career. Check out his performance

when he comes to Santa Clarita on Oct. 25.  Find the Canyon Santa Clarita on the ground floor of the Westfield Valencia Town Center. Get tickets at the box office 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday – Saturday, by phone at (888) 645-5006, or via Ticket Master.com. For more info, visit Where musicmeetstheSoul.com. Stephen K. Peeples contributed to this article.

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S U N D AYS I G N A L · 21

THIS WEEK’S CALENDAR

ONGOING

= Family Friendly Event

hypocrisy and greed. Santa Clarita United Methodist Church, 26640 Bouquet Canyon Sundays, 8:30 a.m. to noon The Road, Santa Clarita. Info: facebook.com/ Santa Clarita Certified Farmers’ events/372477663426283/ Market offers locals a Sunday Friday, Oct. 25, 8-10 p.m. and Saturday, breakfast prepared onsite from one of the Oct. 26, 3-5 p.m. and 8-10 p.m. It isn’t market’s several food vendors or try some of every day that a local newspaper foretells our wonderful artisan bakery products. the time and place of a murder, especially Open year round, rain or shine. College of in a sleepy village in the English countryside. the Canyons, Parking Lot 5, 26455 Rockwell Curious residents draw to the home of Miss Canyon Road, Santa Clarita. Info: vccfarmers Blacklock in anticipation, only to become markets.com/santa-clarita entangled in the crime itself! A classic Thursdays, 4-9 p.m. The Vegan Exchange Agatha Christie puzzle, “A Murder is AnSCV at Wolf Creek Brewery is a weekly 100% nounced” is full of twists and turns, hidden vegan market featuring local food, beverage, identities, mixed motives, and relentless apparel, cosmetics, and lifestyle vendors. At pursuit of justice. $18. The Master’s UniversiVegan Exchange, you’ll find a rotating list of ty, 21726 Placerita Canyon Rd, Santa Clarita. vendors serving tacos, cinnamon rolls, drinks, Info: masters-theatre.tix.com burgers, elote and more! 25108 Rye Canyon Friday, Oct. 25, 11:30 p.m. to 1:30 a.m. Loop, Santa Clarita. Info: calendar.santaLet’s do the Time Warp again for the 1975 clarita.com/event/vegan_exchange_a_weekly cult classic “The Rocky Horror Picture _vegan_market#.XZq8yy2ZM1I Show!” This is the perfect kickoff to your Thursdays, 5:30-7:30 p.m. Halloween festivities so don’t miss this muStroll, shop and enjoy the sounds of sical science fiction comedy horror film. EVENTS BY DATE Northpark Village Square evenings through Sunday, Oct. 20, noon to 5 p.m. Guests are encouraged to wear costumes Nov. 21 for the Autumn Nights Music Seand bring props. $10. The MAIN, 24266 Main “Beers, Brats and Beetles” is a ries. Great shops, restaurants and free congathering of vintage VW enthusiasts who Street., Newhall, Info: atthemain.org/tickets/ certs full of family-friendly music to ease into those relaxing autumn evenings. 27756 want to show off their vehicles for the visitors the-rocky-horror-picture-show-screeningwho enjoy them. The event is family friendly 68027577315/ McBean Parkway, Valencia. Info: facebook. Friday, Oct. 25, 5:30-8:30 p.m. and free to attend. Wolf Creek Brewery, com/events/2415899645364304/?event_ Halloween at Real Life Church is the 25108 Rye Canyon Loop, Valencia. Info: time_id=2415899655364303 largest, free, family-friendly Thursdays, 6 p.m. Come to The Canyon for BeersBratsandBeetles.com Halloween event in Santa Clarita. Our all a night of line dancing lessons and county Sunday, Oct. 20, 2-4:30 p.m. Mission new experience will feature endless indoor music presented by Borderline Bar & Grill. Opera pairs two of Giacomo Puccini’s trick-or-treat booths filled with candy, most popular operas “Suor Angelica” Guests 18 years old and older. Show a valid balloon artists, face-painting, delicious and “Gianni Schicchi” for its next producidentification upon entry. The Canyon — food vendors, animals of all shapes and Atoperas Ourhighlight Valencia Puccinis Santa Clarita, 24201 Valencia Blvd., No. 1351, tion. These two sizes, and oh yeah, “Jax” the giraffe. 23841 LOCATION ONLY storytelling, each Santa Clarita. Info: wheremusicmeetsthesoul. mastery of emotional Newhall Ranch Rd, Valencia, Santa Clarita. pizzadimarco.com sharing two contrasting tales about moral com/canyon-santa-clarita Info: reallifechurch.org/events/halloween/ Friday, Oct. 25 and Saturday, Oct. 26, 7-10 p.m. Beware the Dark Realm is a free nonprofit Halloween haunt to help raise funds for the local non profit SCV Child and CONGRATULATIONS to Ron Frazier for correctly Family Owned Since 1985 identifying Truck Depot on page 11. Family Center. Beware the Dark Realm hauntPizza • Pasta • Sandwiches • Saladsed house is a high intensity walk-through Identify this advertiser and the page number in this week’s DineforIn - TakeOut - Delivery attraction filled with terrifying live monsters, issue, and you will be entered to win a $100 gift certificate a local restaurant. One game and one winner each week. amazing special effects, and incredible sets, making this one of the premiere home Mail your entry to The Signal – Contest haunts in California. 28621 Sugar Pine Way, 26330 Diamond Place | Santa Clarita, CA 91350 Fax: (661) 295-9533 Min. Order $12.00Santa Clarita. Info: bewarethedarkrealm.com Or email contest@signalscv.com Saturday, Oct. 26, 10 a.m. to Advertiser:______________________________ Page #_______ 5 p.m. Brave New World Comics will host a Halloween ComicFest Name:______________________________________________ event to provide a family-friendly atmoAddress:____________________________________________ sphere for kids to enjoy the holiday. All day Phone:______________________________________________ Trick or Treating for kids! Artists from Space Wolf Studios doing sketches! Live This week’s entries are due Wed. October 30 tattooing! Over 20 participating businesses Winner to be announced in 2 weeks. First Saturday of the Month, 8:30 a.m. The Gibbon Conservation Center presents Yoga with the Gibbons. Stretch, strengthen and lengthen alongside the beautiful gibbons at the Conservation Center. Participants should bring a mat. Classes begin at 8:30 a.m. and attendees should arrive 5-10 minutes early. $20. Gibbon Conservation Center 19100 Esguerra Road, Santa Clarita. Info: mailchi.mp/ gibboncenter/yoga-with-the-gibbons-d3n4z t4zjv?e=[UNIQID] First Saturday of the month, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Flutterby is a nocharge open art studio for kids and their parents to stop by and make their own artwork to display. All art materials are provided and no prior registration necessary, as it’s free to the whole community. ARTree Community Arts Center, 22508 6th St., Newhall. Info: (661) 673-7500, http:// theartree.org/events/

FAST DELIVERY

! N I W

661.295.8769 661.295.5605

in Old Town Newhall! 22722 Lyons Ave, Ste 2, Santa Clarita. Info: facebook.com/pg/BNW Comics/posts/?ref=page_internal Saturday, Oct. 26, 2-4 p.m. Enjoy 20-minute yoga sessions with adorable goats, and also get your photos taken with them! Any age or fitness level may participate, however, we recommend that you be at least 75 pounds, wear a shirt that covers your back, remove loose jewelry, wear sunscreen and bring a yoga mat and water bottle. $30. Sweetwater Veterinary Clinic, 33324 Agua Dulce Canyon Rd, Santa Clarita. Info: (661) 268-8128 Saturday, Oct. 26, 6-7:30 p.m. Come to the old depot for delicious seasonal treats while taking a ghostly walk to historical sites where creepy theatrical scenes await. This 90 minute experience puts you in the middle of one of Santa Clarita’s most historic sites. Theatrical scenes will unfold before you, with original and published works including Edgar Allan Poe, Shakespeare, and more. Tickets include a hot apple cider and sweet treat. $10-25. Santa Clarita Valley Historical Society, 24101 Newhall Avenue, Santa Clarita. Info: facebook.com/ events/928071870884185/?event_time_ id=928071877550851 Sunday Oct. 27, 9-11 a.m. Come to Henry Mayo Fitness and Health’s Dance for Life Zumba Fundraiser! Enjoy Zumba as you help us fight breast cancer. Prizes and refreshments available! A $10 donation is required at signup and proceeds from today’s event will go to the Sheila R. Veloz Breast Center, a service of Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital. 24525 Town Center Drive, Valencia Info: henrymayogiving.com/zumba, (661) 200-1202 Saturday, Oct. 27, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Come to The Gentle Barn’s annual Halloween Bash and enjoy costume contests, pumpkins, scavenger hunts and more! 15825 Sierra Hwy, Santa Clarita. Info: calendar.santa-clarita. com/event/halloween_bash Sunday, Oct. 27, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Come to the annual Haunted Jailhouse Halloween Carnival hosted by the Boys & Girls Club of Santa Clarita Valley and the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station. Enjoy treats, ghouls, costume contest, haunted maze, food, and more! 23740 Magic Mountain Pkwy, Santa Clarita. Info: facebook.com/ events/282891942588937/

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K I D S & FA M I LY

A Creative Twist on Halloween Carvings

hen it comes to Halloween, carving the same pumpkin designs each year can become routine. This year, save a pumpkin and carve your spooky masterpiece into a watermelon instead. Nutrient-rich watermelon can be a healthy alternative to other sweet treats full of added sugar during Halloween festivities. It’s a source of vitamins A and C, as well as the antioxidant lycopene and the amino acid citrulline. Because they are made up of 92% water, watermelons can be an effective way to stay hydrated during trick-or-treating, and creations like a Mummy or Jack O’Melon can help satisfy sweet cravings while keeping friends and family members frightfully delighted. To get started, consider these carving tips and tricks. • To make cutting and slicing easier, the watermelon should be at room temperate when carving. • Cut a small, thin, flat piece from the bottom of the watermelon to provide a stable base for carving. • Draw the design on the watermelon rind with a dry-erase marker before cutting. If you make a mistake, this can make it easier to wipe off and start over. • Use a sharp knife with a pointed tip for easier, cleaner cuts. Consider a paring knife with a smaller tip for ease of detail. • Blend scraps of watermelon that are too messy for dicing or slicing to create an easy juice. For more watermelon carving ideas, visit watermelon.org.

Mummy

Supplies and tools

Watermelon Cutting board Kitchen knife Dry-erase marker Paring knife Melon baller Scoop Vegetable peeler Cheesecloth or gauze Straight pin (optional) Battery-operated candle or light Small bowl Blueberries or bloody candy eyes Toothpicks, pins or glue Wash the watermelon under cool running water and pat dry. On a cutting board, place the water-

melon on its side and use a kitchen knife to cut off ¼- to ½-inch of rind from the bottom to provide a sturdy base. Be careful not to cut too deep into the white part of the rind. Cut 1-2 inches from the stem end to create an opening for the bowl to be added.

Jack O’Melon

Using a dry-erase marker, draw the eyes, nose and mouth, along with wavy slits around the carving. Use a paring knife to cut them out, making sure to cut through to the red flesh to let more light flow through.

Using a knife, cut a thin slice from the bottom of the watermelon to provide a stable base.

Use a melon baller to hollow out the inside of the watermelon. Reserve the watermelon balls. Use a scoop to remove any remaining watermelon. Using a vegetable peeler, remove the green skin off of the outside of the watermelon, similar to peeling a cucumber. Wrap thin strips cheesecloth or gauze around the mummy carving and secure with a straight pin, if needed.

Monday Oct. 21 6:30pm

Thursday Nov. 7 8:30am

28310 Kelly Johnson Pkwy, Valencia, CA 91355 TrinityClassicalAcademy.com | (661)296-2601

Place a battery-operated candle or light inside the carving and fit a small bowl into the top of the carving. Trim away any excess rind to make the bowl fit securely. Fill the bowl with melon balls. Attach candy eyes or blueberries using a toothpicks, pins or glue.

Supplies and tools Knife Round watermelon Melon baller Dry-erase marker Toothpicks (optional) Battery-operated light

Cut a circular piece of rind from the top of the watermelon that is large enough for you to reach into the watermelon and remove the flesh. Carefully remove a top section and reserve it for use as a “lid.” Remove the flesh from inside the

watermelon using a melon baller; reserve the melon balls for snacking. Hollow out any remaining watermelon flesh and use a blender to juice the scraps and to get any excess juice. Use a dry-erase marker to draw outlines of the eyes, nose, mouth, hair, ears and any other features you want. If a mistake is made with the marker, simply wipe it off using a paper towel. Following the outlines you’ve made, carve features into the watermelon, and remove any excess rind. A safe, battery-operated light can be firmly placed inside the watermelon to provide a haunting glow. Place the circular piece of rind back on top of watermelon. (Family Features) 

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K I D S & FA M I LY

Donna’s Day: Creative Family Fun

’Imagination center’ is a place to create fun By Donna Erickson Signal Contributing Writer

t’s fall, and winter is on the way — a time to sort, toss and save. Collecting and squirreling away supplies for artful indoor and outdoor fun with your kids in the months ahead can be a creative activity in itself. If you have space, set aside an area in your home and call it the “Imagination Center” — a place to create! Organize the big stuff in a large bin or box, and smaller “project parts,” such as ribbons, buttons and nature finds, along with craft-store items (crayons, paints, brushes, paper and glue) in easy-to-open and -close containers, jars and drawers. Kids love tools, too, such as hole punches, pliers, pencil sharpeners and staplers. And don’t forget stuff from the toolbox and hardware store, such as sandpaper, wire, nuts and bolts. As you set up your crafty center, think with your children about how you can use ordinary things for something other than their intended use. When you look at your home through another filter, suddenly stuff headed for the recycle bin can take on amazing possibilities:

• Plain paper bags for making garlands and holiday wrapping paper • Buttons and lace off old clothes for decorating doll clothes or for jazzing up a Halloween costume • Blooper or unused printed family photos for designing personalized cards and posters • Pine cones outside your door for creating miniature forest people and animals • Ribbons off opened presents for colorful ties on baked-good gifts • Yarn for stringing, trimming and tying anything • Milk and juice jugs for birdfeeders • Egg cartons and yogurt containers for sorting small stuff • Tin cans for handy, attractive containers for paintbrushes, colored pencils and scissors Once you’ve gathered everything and you’re ready to create and play, you can just dig in; pull out a bin for the large things and a drawer for the little things, and get to having fun.

Make busy boxes

Put aside a box or two and designate and label with special themes for pretend play. Fill them with items related to the topic as you collect them and save for when friends come by. For example, fill one with items to play “supermarket,” such as play money, empty food boxes and tote bags. Donna Erickson’s award-winning series “Donna’s Day” is airing on public television nationwide. To find more of her creative family recipes and activities, visit www.donnasday.com and link to the NEW Donna’s Day Facebook fan page. Her latest book is “Donna Erickson’s Fabulous Funstuff for Families.”  ©2019 Donna Erickson Distributed by King Features Synd.

CLIP N SAVE Elementary School Menus Menus courtesy of Santa Clarita Valley School Food Services which serves these school districts: Castaic USD • Newhall USD • Saugus USD • Sulphur Springs USD

(choice of one entree, seasonal fruit and milk)

Monday, Oct. 21 Tuesday, Oct. 22 Wednesday, Oct. 23 Thursday, Oct. 24 Friday, Oct. 25

BREAKFAST

LUNCH

Blueberry Bash Mini Waffles Breakfast Bun Cereal Chilled Fruit Fruit Juice Super Star Corn Muffin Breakfast Bun Cereal Chilled Fruit Fresh Fruit Pancake Sausage Stick Breakfast Bun Cereal Chilled Fruit Fresh Fruit Fruit Juice

Mini Corn Dogs (chicken) Chicken Sandwich Spicy Chicken Sandwich Smart Choice Pizza Seasonal Salad Bar Chicken Taco Dippin’ Chicken & Sauce PBJ Sandwich & String Cheese Smart Choice Pizza Seasonal Salad Bar

Sausage Biscuit Breakfast Bun Cereal Chilled Fruit Fresh Fruit Breakfast Burrito Breakfast Bun Cereal Chilled Fruit Fruit Juice

Orange Chicken w/ Rice Cheeseburger Sliders Smart Choice Pizza Seasonal Salad Bar

Chicken Fiesta Bowl Cheeseburger Dippin’ Chicken & Sauce Smart Choice Pizza Seasonal Salad Bar Chocolate Chip Cookie

Toasty Grilled Cheese Sandwich Popcorn Chicken Smart Choice Pizza Manager’s Choice Seasonal Salad Bar

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T R AV E L

California’s most haunted from top to bottom

Winchester Mystery House. PHOTO COURTESY WINCHESTER MYSTERY HOUSE

Spanning 500 acres in Mono County, about 75 miles southeast of Lake Tahoe, Bodie is a Gold Rush-era ghost town frozen in time. More than 100 structures remain, as do the supposed spirits of prospectors. While dishware shards and nails can be found on the streets, anyone who takes home a souvenir risks the curse of Bodie (and it’s also against park rules).

Winchester Mystery House

Preston Castle. PHOTO COURTESY VISIT CALIFORNIA

By Michele E. Buttelman Signal Staff Writer

he forlorn spirit of a lovely young woman, a headless friar, a bevy of prehistoric phantoms: frightful sightings abound in these paranormal hotspots across California. Whether or not you believe in ghosts, a visit to these 10 spooky spots is sure to deliver a thrill. Listed from north to south, here are a handful of reportedly haunted houses, hotels, ocean liners and more.

Fort Humboldt State Historic Park

3431 Fort Ave., Eureka Info www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=665 Overlooking a rugged bluff in Humboldt Bay, this former fort’s remote location in Humboldt County lends an eerie air. The real draw, however, is the supposed ghost of a deceased com-

mander who succumbed to malaria in 1897 and now stares out hospital windows as hikers stroll past.

Preston Castle

At the end of Palm Drive, off Highway 104, Ione Info www.prestoncastle.com The castle’s foreboding facade looks straight out of a horror film. Once a reform school for unruly youth and abandoned children, the structure’s sinister history includes corporal punishment, toxic dunking baths and a housekeeper’s murder. Open for tours year-round, the Amador County castle turns into a full-fledged haunted house in October.

Bodie State Historic Park

Northeast of Yosemite, 13 miles east of Highway 395 on Bodie Road, Bridgeport Info www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=509

525 S Winchester Blvd., San Jose Info winchestermysteryhouse.com A door that leads to nowhere and a staircase that dead-ends into the ceiling? It’s said that widow Sarah Winchester designed the house this peculiar way to confuse the ghosts: men killed by her late husband’s creation, the Winchester rifle.

Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel

7000 Hollywood Blvd., Los Angeles Info www.thehollywoodroosevelt.com Stay at this swanky hotel for a chance to glimpse one of the most glamorous ghosts of all time. It’s said that Marilyn Monroe still haunts the halls. Guests have also reported mysterious trumpet music believed to be the spirit of Montgomery Clift who liked to practice in suite 928.

The Queen Mary

1126 Queens Highway Long Beach Info www.queenmary.com Once known as the “Grey Ghost,” the Queen Mary serves up chills in the form of screams from a decapitated sailor in the boiler room, visions of a lady in white roaming the halls and various children located throughout the ship including the 1st Class Pool. Visitors can choose from a handful of haunted tours, or book a stay in Stateroom B340 for overnight thrills.

Stateroom B340 has a large volume of recorded paranormal activity with many stories of haunted encounters noted in the ship’s logs.

El Adobe de Capistrano Restaurant

31891 Camino Capistrano, San Juan Capistrano Info eladobedecapistrano.com The site of this restaurant has been recognized as a California State Historical Landmark. Go for the chips and guacamole; stay for the headless friar sometimes seen at the restaurant’s door. This Mexican eatery sits atop the town’s old jail. A spirit of a former prisoner reportedly haunts the wine cellar, converted from a cell.

Hotel del Coronado

1500 Orange Ave., Coronado Info hoteldel.com In 1892, 24-year-old Kate Morgan checked into this luxurious waterfront resort alone and then ended her life on the hotel’s staircase. Kate’s original third-floor guestroom is the hub of the activity where visitors have experienced flickering lights, a television that turns itself on and off, breezes coming from nowhere, inexplicable scents and sounds, items moving of their own accord, doors that randomly open and close, abrupt changes in room temperature and unexplained footsteps and voices. The room, number 3327, is the most requested guestroom at the hotel. There have also been Kate sightings in hotel hallways and along the seashore. Another very “active” area is the resort’s gift shop, established in 1888, where visitors and employees routinely witness giftware mysteriously flying off shelves, oftentimes falling upright and always unbroken. 

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S U N D AYS I G N A L · 2 5

H E A LT H

Three tips to overcome everyday aches and pains

ain is a significant concern for many people. Estimates from the International Association for the Study of Pain suggest that one in five adults across the globe suffer from pain. Pain can affect anyone, even people who have not been in an accident or suffered an injury while playing a sport or performing another physical activity. For example, lower back pain, which can be caused by sitting at a desk for long stretches of time, is the most common type of chronic pain in the United States. Such pain may be unavoidable, but that does not mean it and other types of everyday aches and pains cannot be overcome.

Begin a well-rounded exercise regimen

Regular exercise that includes both strength training and cardiovascular exercise increases blood flow and helps build a strong core. A strong core supports the spine and reduces the pressure on it, making it less likely

a new exercise regimen, men and women, especially those with existing aches and pains, should consult their physicians about which exercises they should do and which they might want to avoid.

Employ RICE

Pain may be unavoidable, but that does not mean it, and other types of everyday aches and pains, cannot be overcome.

that people who sit for long stretches at a time will end their days with lower back pain. Routine exercise also helps other areas of the body by keeping muscles loose and flexible. Before beginning

RICE, which stands for rest, ice, compression and elevation, can help men and women overcome the aches and pains that result as the body ages and tendons begin to lose some of their elasticity. RICE might be most helpful for people who have been diagnosed with tendinitis. Athletes over 40, who engage in activities that require repetitive motion, might need to take more days off between rounds of golf or other competitive and/or repetitive activities. If tendinitis flares up, take some time away, icing any sore areas, wrapping them in bandages, and elevating them while resting. Athletes rarely want to sit on the sidelines, but a few days off can go a long way toward alleviating

the pain associated with tendinitis.

Recognize your body may develop some limitations

Age should not prevent you from being physically active, and numerous studies have touted the benefits of continuing to exercise into your golden years. However, as the body ages, muscle fibers become less dense, resulting in a loss of flexibility that increases the risk of injury and/or soreness. As men and women grow older, they shouldn’t abandon activities like gardening or strength training. But they may need to scale back on the intensity with which they perform such activities. Doing so can prevent the kinds of muscle strains associated with aging. Pain affects more than one billion people across the globe. But some simple strategies can help people overcome pain and enjoy a rich quality of life. (MC) 

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O C TO B E R 20, 2019

BEAUTY

Three ways to improve your self-care routine

shown to decrease the stress hormone cortisol while increasing the release of sleep-promoting serotonin. I love that these weighted blankets are affordable and that they’re available at popular retailers like Target and Walmart.”

elf-care — the practice of taking care of oneself — has become a hot topic across generational groups, with sleep, stress management and fitness as key areas to build better habits. But where to start? Here are three tips for practicing better self-care.

Set aside time for fitness

Get a sleep routine

Only 11% of Americans say they get excellent sleep on a regular basis while 18% report poor/not good sleep quality, and the rest are somewhere in between. Commit yourself to good sleep hygiene habits like going to bed and waking up at the same time daily, avoiding food and beverages within two hours of bedtime and limiting nighttime stimulants like electronics to an hour before bedtime. “People are more aware of their sleep quality these days thanks to better sleep science and sleep trackers,” says lifestyle expert Jenn Falik. “But better sleep solutions remain elusive

to many. In addition to routinizing wakeup and bedtime, look at your bedding and wind down routines.”

Manage stress

Managing stress is critical to overall wellness. Experts recommend setting aside time each day for relaxation activities, which could include meditation, a walk in nature or even chilling out with a good book or TV show. The survey found that 62% of Amer-

icans say that chilling out at home and watching/streaming TV is part of their de-stress routine. “One way to help you relax and unwind is to use a weighted blanket like Tranquility while resting or sleeping,” says Falik. “The blanket uses heavy glass beads distributed evenly across the box-woven design to stimulate deep touch pressure, which has been

The American Heart Association recommends adults strive for at least 150 minutes of heart-pumping physical activity each week. Exercise not only staves off illness but is correlated to better sleep and stress management, making it essential to good self-care habits. Experts also recommend thinking about self-care as an ongoing approach rather than a one-time fix. “I’ve found setting time aside to unwind after a long day helps me stay balanced,” says Falik. “I also use the time to reflect on what I’m doing for myself so I can make sure I am prioritizing self-care.” (BPT) 

Wake up refreshed

eady, set, go. Just as you would set off at the starting line of a race, this hectic pace is how mornings begin for many men and women. Instead of waking with dread to face another hectic morning, consider these tips for a healthier way to ease into your daily rituals. While these activities may require you to allow extra time, you may be pleased with the productive results.

Meditate A practice that has been around for thousands of years may still be one of the best stress busters for hurried mornings. To start, find a place in your home that is free of noise and distraction. Practice sitting still, with eyes closed, and focus only on your breathing. Using deep, controlled breaths, try to steer your thoughts away from negative and stress-inducing thoughts. Stretch While the most health-conscious person may opt for a morning sweat-a-thon, working in some stretches can also be beneficial. When you awake, think about oftused muscles and extend each one for 15-30 seconds.

Activate Give your brain some fuel in the morning while also doing something nice for your mind. For example, journaling is a gentle way to ease into your morning and get your brain firing. If you can’t think of a topic, simply write down a few affirmations for the day, revisit a pleasant memory from your past or scribble down a goal for the week. Journaling can be an uplifting way to engage the mind and express gratitude for the day ahead. Find more tips for starting your day on the right foot at eLiving Today.com. (Family Features) 

O C TO B E R 20, 2019

S U N D AYS I G N A L · 2 7

INTERIORDESIGN

PHOTO COURTESY SARA LIGORRIA-TRAMP FOR EHD

Tips for adding personality to your leased-living space

ven if you don’t own the house you lease, there’s no reason you can’t make it feel like home by taking a creative approach to designing and decorating your space. More are renting now than at any point in the last 50 years. That’s why Invitation Homes, the premier home leasing company in the U.S., put together a team of design experts to create the “Make It Home” design forecast with affordable design and decor ideas created with renters in mind. Before starting any design, you need a plan.

Temporary wall coverings A permanent wall texture or de-

Unconventional storage Staying organized is key when living a leasing lifestyle. “Live Pretty on a Penny” blog writer Erin Marshall recommends using space-saving and unconventional items that are beautiful and functional to effectively store and organize items. Look for furnishings that are both attractive and practical so you can achieve the look you want with the benefit of added storage. Options like nesting chairs or storage boxes that double as benches can add seating options with a modest footprint. Live outdoors Maximize your living space by creating usable outdoor settings. With

the right combination of outdoor seating, pillows, shade and colorful planters, you can turn any patio into an outdoor oasis, said Rhoda Vickers, author of the “Southern Hospitality” blog. Whether you treat the space as a garden retreat or an extension of your entertaining area where guests can spill out during a party, the right decorative elements can allow you to add livable square footage without any construction. Make it a smart home Smart homes aren’t just for homeowners. Options like thermostats, doorbell cameras, smart locks, light bulbs and smart plugs all can be easily integrated into a rented property, said Meghan Giddens, design expert at Invitation Homes. In fact, nearly everything in your home can be connected to the internet and controlled by your smart device. Just keep any originals stored safely, and when it comes time to move out, swap out your devices. Light and bright paint Cooler paint tones and white trim

can brighten a room and offer a timeless color scheme. Plus, they welcome of-the-moment decor. If your lease allows it, Giddens recommends creating a light and airy ambiance with paint to bring a rental space to life. If you’re unsure about your lease guidelines, talk to your property manager before painting. Visit InvitationHomes.com for more tips on how to make a rented house a home. (Family Features) 

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Embrace color and pattern Emily Henderson, author of “Styled,” a “New York Times” bestseller, believes color gives a room life, but it doesn’t have to be on the walls. With rugs, textiles and furniture, you can have a lively, fun, lease-friendly room by choosing colors that are on the opposite sides of the color wheel to ensure balance.

sign may be a no-no in a rental, but removable wallpaper is a yes-yes and an instant way to add personality to your space. Brittany Hayes, author of the “Addison’s Wonderland” blog, believes that bold and daring geometric patterns are perfect for creating an accent wall. Or simply incorporate your favorite colors to embrace a custom feel while you lease.

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HOMEIMPROVEMENT

Plumbing permit, mysterious possible pool leak By Robert Lamoureux Signal Contributing Writer

Two-inch line permit Robert, I live in Santa Clarita and also have a home in the Los Angeles area. I’m having a 2-inch main line that feeds several homes on my property replaced. The plumber is telling me that I have to have a permit to repair this line. It is a large 2-inch line, but is this guy taking advantage of me? This will cost me much more than originally planned, so I’d like to know if it is in fact required because if not then I’d like to be able to put this plumber in his place. — Ken R. Ken, Anything within the County of Los Angeles that is a domestic line of this size, must be inspected. If it were a minor repair, it wouldn’t be necessary — but being that you are replacing that entire 2-inch line of whatever length, you will absolutely be required to pull permits and get this work inspected. Your contractor is smart, making sure that he’s working within the law and also protecting himself at the same time. The inspectors are there to ensure that work is being done properly and ultimately they have safety in mind. When they come on site and inspect, they’re keeping everyone in-

Inspectors keep everyone involved in a job safe by ensuring that the work is of quality. volved safe by ensuring that the work is of quality. It will end up costing more but it is unfortunately just one of those things as a property owner that has to be dealt with at times. No shortcuts here, Ken. — Good luck, Robert Pool over garage leak Robert, I live in Santa Clarita in a condo where the pool sits over the parking garage. There is a leak in the garage that is getting worse noticeably, and the pool man isn’t sure of the exact problem causing this leak. We as an

association don’t have a ton of money and we need to be frugal about solving this issue. We had a water test done at the pool deck, the deck drains and still can’t figure out where the issue is. The test didn’t create more water flow so we don’t think that it is the deck or the drains, but speaking of draining, we don’t want to drain our reserves trying to figure this out. Can you help with some ideas on how to solve this problem? — Mitch G. Mitch, If you haven’t pressurized all of the pool supply lines, I’d start there for sure. It could be that there is a

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break in the line somewhere. Have a leak detection do this, they are proficient at this. They’ll have you drain your pool, plug all of the lines and they’ll run a pressure test. To do this, they attach the gauge to the lines, then fill the lines with air (pressure). If there is a break in any of the lines then the pressure will drop and then they’ll troubleshoot to find out where the break is. They may have to run a camera to determine the exact location but with the configuration of your pool and parking garage, you’ll absolutely need to consult a structural engineer prior to opening any of those walls. These setups are great but they require extra care when it comes to getting invasive for repairs, because the structural integrity could be compromised. Your initial cost will be worth determining the issue, then once you figure that out then you’ll have to weigh your options depending on the findings. Good luck to you with this project, — Robert Robert Lamoureux has 38 years of experience as a general contractor, with separate licenses in electrical and plumbing contracting. He owns IMS Construction Inc. in Valencia. His opinions are his own, not necessarily those of The Signal. Opinions expressed in this column are not meant to replace the recommendations of a qualified contractor after that contractor has made a thorough visual inspection. Email questions to Robert at robert@imsconstruction.com. 

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O C TO B E R 20, 2019

S U N D AYS I G N A L · 2 9

FOOD

or busy families, finding time to eat together isn’t always easy, but coming together around the dinner table regularly isn’t just about keeping hungry bellies full. Family meals nourish the spirit, brain and overall

health. Children who grow up sharing family meals are also more likely to exhibit prosocial behavior as adults, such as sharing, fairness and respect. Research has also shown that with each additional family meal shared during the week, adolescents are less likely to show symptoms of violence, depression and suicide; less likely to use or abuse drugs or run away; and less likely to engage in risky behavior or delinquent acts. In addition, adults and children who eat at home more regularly are less likely to suffer from obesity, and increased family meals are associated with greater intake of fruits and vegetables. If you struggle to make family meal time happen, try these tips from the experts at the Food Marketing Institute Foundation, creators of the National Family Meals Movement, which aims to help families reap the benefits of enjoying more meals together at home. Or you can find inspiration to make one extra family meal happen each week with recipes like these Meatballs from the family-focused cookbook “Family Table by Robert Irvine.”

Meatballs

Recipe courtesy “Family Table by Robert Irvine” on behalf of the Food Marketing Institute Foundation

Serves: 6 1 Spanish white onion 3 cloves garlic, minced 3 cups diced bread (such as baguette) water 2 large eggs 1/2 cup ricotta cheese 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese 1 pound ground pork 1 pound ground veal 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 1 tablespoon fresh Italian parsley, chopped 1 tablespoon fresh oregano, chopped 2 tablespoons grapeseed oil 3 cups basic tomato sauce In small saucepan over medium heat, sweat onion and garlic. In large bowl, soak bread in water 1-2 minutes. Strain excess liquid. In separate large bowl, add eggs, ricotta cheese, Parmesan cheese and onion-garlic mixture. Combine then add ground meat, soaked bread, extra-virgin olive oil, parsley and oregano. Mix thoroughly. Divide mixture evenly to form 10-12 meatballs and use hands to roll into shape. In large sauté pan over high heat, brown meatballs in grapeseed oil on all sides.

Place browned meatballs in separate saucepot with basic tomato sauce. Bring to simmer and finish cooking, about 1 hour.

Barbecue St. Louis Ribs

Recipe courtesy of “Family Table by Robert Irvine” on behalf of the Food Marketing Institute Foundation Serves: 12

Barbecue Sauce

2 cups ketchup 2 cups apple cider vinegar 1 cup Dijon mustard 1 cup brown sugar 2 tablespoons cayenne pepper 2 tablespoons kosher salt 1 tablespoon black pepper

Spice Rub

1/2 cup kosher salt 1/4 cup ground mustard 1/4 cup paprika 1/4 cup black pepper 1/4 cup cayenne pepper 1/4 cup ground white pepper 1/4 cup seafood seasoning 2 tablespoons ground cumin 4 full racks St. Louis-style ribs

To make Barbecue Sauce

In bowl, mix ketchup, vinegar, Dijon mustard, brown sugar, cayenne pepper, salt and black pepper. Transfer to thick-bottomed saucepot over medium-low heat. Allow sauce to warm and mix over heat 10-15 minutes, stirring continuously. Remove and cool.

To make Spice Rub

In bowl, mix salt, ground mustard, paprika, black pepper, cayenne pepper, white pepper, seafood seasoning and cumin. Keep dry and covered until ready to use. Remove silver skin from bottom side of ribs. Evenly rub each rack with 1/4 cup Spice Rub on top and bottom. Wrap each in plastic wrap and keep overnight in refrigerator or cooler. Heat smoker with pecan or other fruit wood to 165 F and maintain temperature. Remove plastic and place ribs in smoker 4 hours then check doneness. Ribs should be cooked but not falling off bone. Remove ribs from smoker and glaze each rack with 1/2 cup Barbecue Sauce. Return to smoker 30-40 minutes. Remove and glaze again with 1/2 cup sauce for each rack and cook 20 minutes. Remove ribs from smoker. Allow to rest 5 minutes then cut into single or double bone sections and serve. (Family Features) 

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O C TO B E R 20, 2019

SENIORLIVING A SECOND WIND

Getting affairs in order By Mary Petersen Signal Staff Writer

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ast month a friend invited me to attend a Caregiver Resource Day at the new SCV Senior Center, Bella Vida. What an impressive facility! It’s beautiful, spacious, I would even say elegant. The event was titled Knowledge is Power: Aging with Dignity. The keynote speakers, professionals with impressive credentials in the field of aging and caregiving, spoke about the L.A. master plan for aging and provided an Alzheimer’s disease research update. The day included a variety of vendors providing resources for seniors and caregivers. As I browsed the tables, I was struck by the number of services available to assist seniors as they age. Representatives from hospitals, health insurance, life insurance, in-home care, law offices and senior living facilities provided information and assistance to attendees. And yes, there were representatives from funeral services and estate planning. I picked up helpful brochures about planning ahead for end of life decisions. In the back of my mind, I heard a haunting little voice whisper “get your affairs in order.” This phrase evokes such feelings of dread. Most of us don’t like to think about drawing up a will, signing “do not resuscitate” orders or planning funeral services. If we think about 100 YEARS

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end-of-life planning, then we have to think about end of life. We’re too young, too busy to think about stuff like that. So we procrastinate and create all kinds of reasons to avoid making these decisions. Forbes Magazine describes it as “Americans’ Ostrich Approach to Estate Planning.” Only about one-third of Americans are estimated to have any advanced-medical directives. Geriatrician Dr. Diane Meier explains, “In part, the public’s lack of excitement about this is related to the reality that it’s very hard to make decisions about the kind of care you want in the future when you don’t know what that will be like.” But leaving future decisions to family members without any guidance is not an effective option either. We all know that life is short … and unpredictable. We can be struck by lightning, bitten by a shark or run over by a bus. Providing family members with clear directives takes the pressure off them, and could save them time and money in court. To ensure that our preferences and priorities are honored, we should spend at least as much time planning our final directives as we do our summer vacation. Journalist Ellen Goodman, founder of the nonprofit organization The Conversation Project, says, “It’s best to have these conversations before there’s a crisis, because a crisis is a terrible time to learn.” The more comfortable we feel about end-of-life decisions, the more we can live life with ease and peace of mind. Gail Rubin, author of “A Good Goodbye: Funeral Planning for Those Who Don’t Plan to Die,” encourages humor to help start a conversation with loved ones. If humor is a part of living, then why shouldn’t it be a part of dying? She says, “Talking about sex won’t make you pregnant, and talking about funerals won’t make you dead.” Regarding funeral arrangements, Rubin urges people to “shop before you drop!”

Mary Petersen is a retired COC English instructor, 30-year SCV resident and two-time breast cancer survivor. 

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S U N D AYS I G N A L · 3 1

N E W S F E AT U R E S

SHOWTIME

Continued from page 4

storytelling of theater and the potential to explore different characters. “Acting is not easy to do and it’s important to have a solid foundation,” Bates said. “Community theater is important because it’s a perfect place to establish the basics of acting before you can become a movie star. That’s why I think it’s so important for communities to support the arts and allow them to grow.” In 2014, Bates moved to Santa Clarita from San Francisco and enrolled in the Santa Clarita School of Performing Arts where he was discovered by a talent agent. Now 13, Bates has starred in shows like “WITS Academy,” “Superior Donuts,” “Dr. Ken” and “Gwen Stefani’s You Make It Feel Like Christmas.” In June, Bates and fellow actors Arlington Randolph and Andrew Amaru started the “Every Freakin’ Friday” channel on Youtube where they talk about a range of topics from music to sports. As more people enter the entertainment field, the actor said it is critical to staying relevant, building up a following and landing roles. “Staying in school and being around kids helps me keep my youth — where in Hollywood, I’m surrounded by adults which makes some people grow up faster,” Bates said. “Getting good grades is also such a big part of my life and sometimes I worry about balancing that with work. A lot of actors don’t go to college, which is fine for them, but I think it’s important to have something to fall back on. I love studying history and science, especially chemistry, and my goal is to attend Juilliard or NYU for dramatic arts.” Maurice said his son’s journey has been transformative and has made him very proud. “The first time I saw him on stage, he was 4 and he was learning how to read, so his brother helped him learn his lines, and that was the proudest moment of my life,” Maurice said. “The first time I saw him on screen was for a Clorox wipes commercial, and I just thought that he can really make it in this business.”

Justin Tinucci

Skydiving changed Justin Tinucci’s life, and then famed kind of happened almost by accident. When he was 7 years old, Tinucci began competing in indoor skydiving tournaments with his sister. Footage of the two Tinuccis soon spread across the internet and the siblings soon achieved viral fame. “We were the world’s youngest professional indoor skydivers and we beat a team of Air Force cadets at our first competition, and we realized we were pretty good at this sport so we began competing at national and international competitions,” Tinucci said. “People picked up on it and we were interviewed on ‘Good Morning America,’ we were featured on the cover of ‘The Wall Street Journal’ and Ellen DeGeneres called us out to Hollywood to interview us on her show.” Tinucci’s first real taste of Hollywood came three years later, when he and his sister were featured in an episode of “iCarly,” featuring talented internet stars. While all the other cast members auditioned for their roles, the Tinuccis were the only ones who had been invited to appear in the episode for a real accomplishment. Tinucci went back to his native Colorado, but now that he had been given his first taste of the arts. Tinucci went to a talent agency’s open casting call which his grandparents had seen in a newspaper and was invited to come to Los Angeles. Though he only intended to stay in Los Angeles for one summer, he booked the role from his first audition and found enough consistent work to permanently relocate to Los Angeles. Since then, Tinucci has appeared in “The Muppets,” “Big Love,” “Lady Dynamite,” “The Goldbergs” and “AP Bio.” “My dad is the youngest of 11, and there are no artists in my family, so if my sister and I hadn’t started skydiving, I probably would have just played football and gone to university in the middle of the country doing nothing related to the arts,” he said. “I feel like if I had stayed in Colorado, I would have been turned off from acting because I don’t think that kids there would have understood it It just feels so much more real here in L.A. This really is a magical town.” 

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TIMERANGER

The Grease Fires, Grain Silos and Hogs of the SCV Not counting volcanic eruptions, tidal waves or dinosaurs crawling out of Earth’s steaming crevices in a biblical prediction, there’s not really a bad day to ride a horse. It’s fall. Finally. Beautiful day to climb aboard the saddle, wiggle in, laugh and chat with friends and neighbors. Hope you enjoy today’s trail ride into the rich backtrails of Santa Clarita Valley history. What say? Shall we mosey into the mystic? WAY BACK WHEN & THEN SOME

• Wonder what she’d think of the place now … Sarah Gifford was born Oct. 16, 1853, in jolly old England. She would migrate to the United States, marry John Gifford, move to the SCV and become one of Newhall’s leading citizens, which wasn’t hard to do because there were just a handful of people in Newhall in the 1870s. She’s buried next to her husband, in Eternal Valley. • I’d buy it Back on Oct. 20, 1873, Ventura attorneys J.T. Richards and Charles Fenald bought most of the SCV at a sheriff ’s sale in Ventura. It was a pretty good deal — $33,000 for the valley, or, about 75 cents an acre. • From a 5-star to a no-star One of the finest hotels on the entire Pacific Coast of America burned to the ground on Oct. 23, 1888, just 10 years after it had been built. The Southern was built to attract the money people to Newhall and it was the centerpiece of town founder Henry Mayo Newhall’s dream to make the sleepy little cowtown into a booming and cultural mecca. A grease fire in the kitchen incinerated the all-wooden structure within minutes. OCT. 20, 1919

• No relation to the cereal mogul Charles Kellogg built a 1,000-ton grain silo on his ranch. It cost just $1,000 to build. Not much you can buy for a buck a ton these days, save for grief and lip… • They had a ball The Newhall Pharmacy (where The Old Town Junction restaurant sits today at Main and Market) changed ownership. W.S. Houghton sold it to R.A. Ball of Los Angeles. For years, the pharmacy was a favorite local eatery with its old-fashioned sandwich counter and fountain. It later became a work boot store before being reincarnated as the Junction.

OCT. 20, 1929

• Cripes! We were anti-green? And lived to tell about it? Here’s a Signal viewpoint from 1929, which varies a wee bit from today’s national norm: “Trees were the greatest enemies of our pioneer forefathers. It took them two centuries to hew their way through a thousand miles of forest before they emerged into the plains of the Middle West.” OCT. 20, 1939

• It started as a nap and ended in DEATH A trucker and the hitchhiker he was carrying pulled their double rig over along a downhill slope of the old Ridge Route to catch a couple of winks. The driver, Charles McCune, wedged a block of wood under his tires and stuck the transmission into gear. An hour later, his rider, Bob Barrett, nudged him and said, “This rig is moving,” and sure enough it was. The truck gathered speed and efforts to get it into gear or start it failed. It rolled along downhill on the treacherous, curvy road, gaining speeds of over 70 mph. McCune tried scraping the truck along the sides of the mountain to slow it down. Barrett panicked and jumped, crushing his head in the fall. McCune ended up with scrapes, burns and contusions. No satisfactory answer was ever given as to why the truck lurched out of gear or how a fire started. OCT. 20, 1949

• What a concept. Going to war over oil. A report in the old Los Angeles Examiner detailed an old-fashioned oil war on Placerita’s Confusion Hill. Story goes that warring oil companies battled it out with armed guards, bulldozers and oil tankers. Local sheriff ’s deputies cooled tempers and work went back to normal.

• Drunk driving. Will it forever be with us? A motorist swerved on the wrong side of Highway 99 and smashed into a Greyhound bus, flipping the bus completely over. Miraculously, no one was seriously injured. The wrong-way driver was completely blottoed. • Hog crisis in the SCV A special state Assembly emergency committee was convened to investigate pigs in the Little Santa Clara River Valley. Hogs were used to consume garbage 50 years back and a movement by outside garbagemen tried to bring hundreds of thousands of the carrion-eating beasts here to consume most of the trash of Los Angeles and the San Fernando Valley. Ken Kazarian, grandfather of the Ken Kazarian who later attempted to build the big Elsmere Canyon dump, was stopped from creating mega hog ranches in the SCV. Several big farms were started but headlines of Old Testament fly infestations and stench closing schools, plus a hog disease epidemic here, helped stopped turning the SCV into one big pig pen. • And that’s why we had a hanging Cowboy (and he didn’t deserve that title) Curly Downs was arrested and charged for grand theft and cruelty to animals. The ranch hand ran off with as much of his boss’s loot as he could carry on three horses. Then, Downs hid the three horses in a local box canyon and let them die of thirst. OCT. 20, 1959

• Unfortunately, they don’t pass out IQ tests with hunters’ licenses Seems a pair of hikers with guns were wandering through the brush. In their meanness or boredom, they took to shooting at high-tension wires. They cut one in half and it started a 1,500acre brush fire in Castaic. • At least they could have gotten together to play cards Nordhoff High had to cancel their game with Hart on this date. Seems the Ojai squad had played powerhouse San Marcos the week before. San Marcos had so beaten up the 19-man Ojai team, they didn’t have enough players left to play Hart. OCT. 20, 1969

• Light industry base, birthplace of Valencia, and, a jolly great placed to dump dead bodies There was a time here in the 1960s and early 1970s where we were a favored spot

for dead bodies. Hunters found the remains of what authorities believed was a dead hobo. It was the third dead body discovered in the SCV in a month. • You can’t always trust the polls An unofficial referendum taken at Canyon High came out in favor of the Vietnam War. Of the 1,086 students polled, more than 80% were in favor it. In a separate, emotionally charged meeting of the Hart board of trustees, Superintendent Collins Haan walked out of the meeting in tears, noting that he completely disagreed with their ruling to crush any student protest of the war. • But, can they run for President? Another poll, this one conducted by The Mighty Signal, found that 88% of those in the survey (the paper didn’t say how many people it contacted) felt that communists shouldn’t be allow to teach. Only 4% thought that commies should be allowed to teach. Ah, science. OCT. 20, 1979

• Instead of Centurions, perhaps the cowpies? Maybe cows did their best for Jerseymaid, but they didn’t do much for Saugus High. Seems the campus was built atop a former dairy, with layers and layers of what cows leave behind. The campus had to undergo thousands of dollars of pipe refittings, even though the school was only four years old. The corrosion was blamed on decades of cow presents. Thank you for the dear company, compadres, compadre-ettes and those who refuse to be so narrowly defined. I can tell just by the particular bending of light that we’re riding up on 2019. Octoberish. Up ahead’s our stop and make sure you didn’t leave anything in the past, like an American Express card in that it could change the entire here-&-now. See you next Sunday with another exciting Time Ranger adventure. Until then — ¡Vayan con Dios, amigos! John Boston has been writing about SCV history for more than 40 years. Read his historical tome, “Images of America: The Santa Clarita Valley” on Amazon.com. Check out his History of The Mighty Signal series on Saturdays on A1. 

O C TO B E R 20, 2019

S U N D AYS I G N A L · 33

Five signs you need to hire a landscape pro

n this age of DIY, many outdoor home projects look doable. The truth is, plenty of outdoor projects tackled by homeowners to save money are better left to landscape professionals. When attempting these projects on their own, homeowners soon realize that some jobs require more knowledge and expertise than an online search engine can provide, and the project may end up costing more if doing it themselves. Fortunately, trained, experienced and certified experts are available to help turn your vision into an enjoyable reality and bring years of knowledge and value to your outdoor project. Experts found through the National Association of Landscape Professionals, which represents an industry of nearly one million landscape, lawn care, irrigation and tree care professionals, have the expertise to create and maintain healthy green spaces that benefit our communities and environment. How do you know if you need a professional? Here are five signs.

Your lawn looks unhealthy

You see brown grass, patchy growth and weeds. You’ve tried everything from various lawn products to altered watering techniques, but nothing works. Lawn care professionals have the expertise and education to get to the root of your yard problems. A trained lawn-care professional can evaluate factors including the pH balance of your soil, the presence of non-native grasses or problems created by overor under-fertilizing your lawn.

it’s time to call an arborist. Consulting an arborist will help determine issues with your trees and the best course of action. Better yet, use an arborist to prevent problems with your healthy trees down the road. Arborists are trained and certified to ensure proper pruning and maintenance. They can recommend the best trees for your yard, where to plant them and how to get them off to a healthy start. These experts may have your soil analyzed and work alongside an agronomist to determine the best fertilizer application for your specific type of grass, and create a maintenance plan to achieve optimal lawn health.

You want a patio

You’ve dreamed of entertaining outdoors, viewing online pictures of patios, and think, “How hard can it be?” Hardscaping — installing elements of landscape architecture, from pathways to retaining walls — requires a skilled hand, careful consideration of the best materials, plus knowledge of placement and installation. A landscape professional will know what materials work best for your region and landscape design, and can assess your yard to consider issues that could impact your new feature. With a complex project, a landscape architect or designer can further assist you on planning your vision.

You want a new landscape

You love seeing colorful flowers and lush greenery at the local garden store, but don’t know where to start. What will work best with your existing trees and plants? Where should you plant? What will grow best with your climate and soil type? You may be tempted to choose shrubs based only on their appearance, but improper choices could greatly impact your landscape design. A landscape professional is trained in proper plant selection and understands what flowers and greenery

grow best in specific soil conditions, plus how to achieve a balance of colors and variety. They also know how to use plantings to camouflage unsightly areas of your landscape and add focal points to locations you wish to feature. When working with a landscape professional, they’ll help you consider layering plant sizes and textures to create a beautiful outdoor space.

You have big plans

You’ve invested time and energy into your yard, and you want to protect that investment. Perhaps you want an irrigation system or landscape lighting, water feature or another upgrade. A landscape professional can help bring your vision to life. They can assess the cost, timing and aesthetic considerations, and how it will impact your existing design. Within the lawn and landscape industry, there are experts for any size project and need. To find a local professional to advise you on your outdoor space, visit loveyourlandscape.org/find-a-pro/. (BPT) 

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Private fenced yard, 2 beds, 2 baths, 864 sqft-End Unit. Remodeled Master Bath, Newer Roof, Newer A/C Unit. HOA includes Cable TV, Trash/Recycle. Washer/Dryer included. 24 hour Security Guard Gated Community. Amenities include Multipurpose buildings, heated Olympic size pool, 9 hole executive golf course, barbecue / picnic areas and more.

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34 · S U N D AYS I G N A L

O C TO B E R 20, 2019

Beautiful Property ~ Beautiful Home Country Estate on easily one of the most beautiful pieces of property in all of Agua Dulce! Single story, Hacienda style ranch house, 4,080 sf, 5 Bedrooms/4 bathrooms. Spacious kitchen with Center Island. Formal Dining room. Family-room with raised hearth fireplace and wet bar. The Master suite has a fireplace & giant walk-in closet. Absolutely stunning park like 7.2 flat and usable acres is completely fenced and private. 3 car garage. Incredible views from everywhere on the property. This property will not disappoint.

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Kitchen upgraded with granite counters, cabinets, stainless steel appliances, recessed lighting, sinks and fixtures. Property upgraded with carpet and hard wood flooring. All bathrooms have upgraded granite, sinks and fixtures and toilets. recently painted. Attached 2 car finished garage with epoxy floors and washer and dryer. This community includes pools, playgrounds and bike path near by. VA Approved! Tres Robles Townhome 2 Master Suites +2.5 baths $344,900

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Mountains, trees and nature all around. What an opportunity for full time residence, personal get away or rental. Beautiful 3 bed- 2 bath well maintained 2002 manufactured home on permanent foundation. Back deck for outdoor dining & enjoying the view. Open updated kitchen w/custom cabinets, granite counters, newer flooring & morning room. Master suite has two walk in closets. Ensuite with soaking tub, separate shower, water closet and vanity dual sinks. Living room with wood burning fireplace, vinyl dual glaze windows & increased insulation in walls, ceiling & floor. Single extra length garage. Amenities at Pine Mountain Club include pool, tennis, golf, Equestrian Center, hiking trails, lake, etc..................$275,000

Manya Prybyla CalBRE #01920105

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This charming unit features upgraded kitchen and baths. There is Pergo style flooring thru-out and plantation shutters as well as dual paned windows. The delightful entertainers patio is accessed by dual opening sliders and the setting for summer parties is exceptional. Lush landscaping gives added ambiance. This Senior guard gated community is patrolled 24/7 and has all the usual country club amenities including two golf courses. There are clubs galore and a little theater group, a City of Hope chapter is a great way to get involved in the community as is the community church. Senior lunch program at the church is an added plus. Come join the fun! You can be as active as you wish or just enjoy the quiet life style....$475,000

BEAUTIFUL MOUNTAIN HOME!!!

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Are you looking to get away from the hustle and bustle of the crowded city life, whether its just for the weekend, or PERMANENTLY? Come and look at this home in Pine Mountain Club, Santa Clarita's best kept secret! This 2,304 sq ft Log Cabin home has rural charm mixed with practical layout and a LOT of STORAGE!!. Large Covered Front Porch! 3 Bedrooms plus a Bonus Room. 1 Full bath and 2 half baths. Master bedroom on the top floor as well as a recently converted Master Bedroom on the bottom floor. The property is just over a Quarter Acre of USABLE land! Also, close to the heart of Pine Mountain Club where you will enjoy restaurants, the local festivals, golf course, hiking trails, and much more! FANTASTIC VACATION HOME, OR PERMANENT RESIDENCE!!! Come see for yourself!!!!

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PINNACLE ESTATE PROPERTIES INC

6 beds 5 baths 3,674 sq ft 4 car garage Beautifully upgraded Hasley Canyon Estate. Travertine flooring, crown moldings, plantation shutters, mirrored closets, surround sound and recessed lighting! Tons of upgrades throughout this spacious open floor plan. Beautiful views looking down on the valley from every room. Private serene country setting with perfect backyard for entertaining. $1,250,000

O C TO B E R 20, 2019

S U N D AYS I G N A L · 35

Happy Valley Single Story Home 5+3 – 2,950 sq ft, single story, classic California ranch style pool home in Happy Valley. Lot is 11,822 sq ft and there is tons of RV/Boat/Toy parking. $840,000

Dean Cox

RE/MAX of Valencia CalBRE #01331788

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23322 Maple St., Newhall, 91321

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Just minutes from SCV. Enjoy all 4 seasons on this 20+ acre ranch Home is 6247 sq. ft. with incredible VIEWS

~ 3 BEDROOM 3.5 BATH ~ EACH BEDROOM HAS EN-SUITE BATH & BALCONY ~ POOL WITH SUNDECK ~ CUSTOM HOME THEATER ~ MOUNTAIN VIEWS FROM MASTER w/LOFT ~ GOURMET KITCHEN W/ ISLAND ~ UPGRADED APPLIANCES ~ DECORATOR FINISHES THROUGHOUT ~ CALL FOR DETAILS!

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Sierra Bonita 80 acre ranch Located just 40 miles north of Los Angeles. 5 houses built on a high plateau with 360 degree unobstructed views of the Sierra Pelona Mountains and beyond. Built in 2009 the single story main house is 3+3, and is 2,908 sf of understated elegance. The other 4, more rustic, houses range in size from 822 to 1,204 sf and are ideal for the ultimate family compound or corporate retreat. A huge resort style patio with pool & spa, Tennis Court, helicopter garage, airplane hangar, pond, mature trees and 3 wells are also included on the property.

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3 6 · S U N D AY S I G N A L

Opinion

O C TO B E R 20, 2019

Unless otherwise stated, the views and opinions expressed are those of the respective authors and do not necessarily represent the views of The Signal.

OURVIEWS

E T H I C A L LY S P E A K I N G

The Democrats and Their Measuring the Quality of Fake Impeachment Query Life: A Four-Year Exercise

By The Signal Editorial Board

he current impeachment inquiry is not an inquiry at all. Without a congressional vote, the impeachment inquiry is not an inquiry. It’s nothing more than a series of hearings on a congressional investigation. The Democrats are conducting a fraud on the American people. If this were a real impeachment proceeding, there would be a vote of the full House of Representatives to start an impeachment investigation. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi will not ask for a vote. She does not want her members from swing districts to be on the record asking for an impeachment with no evidence of wrongdoing. If this was a real impeachment inquiry, it would go to the Judiciary Committee, not the Intelligence Committee, where it is now. In the three impeachment inquiries that have taken place in our country — for Andrew Jackson, Richard Nixon and Bill Clinton — there have been certain rules and procedures that have been followed, none of which are currently occurring. The Republicans would have a right

to call witnesses. The Republicans would have a right to subpoena witnesses and documents. The president’s counsel would have a right to sit in on the questioning and also the right to suggest witnesses. This time, however, none of this is happening. Why? This time witnesses are testifying in secret. Why? Is it because they know there is nothing there but to have a fake impeachment and selectively leak a sentence here and there that might hurt President Trump’s re-election campaign and his standing in the polls? Is it because there really is no evidence but the Democrats and Rep. Adam Schiff want to leak only a couple of sentences out of 10-hour sessions to make the president look bad? And remember, Schiff is the one who ad-libbed a fake transcript of Trump’s phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, and See OUR VIEW, page 38

ou can tell that we are in the throes of the election season when everywhere you go you hear the same question being thrown at us by the politicos and their surrogates. Are you better off now than you were four years ago? It seems to me this question is grounded in several erroneous presuppositions. First, it begins from the position that someone other than myself is responsible for either my progress or failure to progress over the past few years. It treats me as a ball that has either been kicked into the goal, or out of bounds. Either way, it is the boot that is responsible, not the ball. If I am better today than I was, I am therefore supposed to appreciate the boot. If not, then I should go looking for a different boot. But in either case, I am not responsible. The truth is, my being better off has much more to do with the choices I have made and the perseverance I have demonstrated than anything some elected boot has done. The second problem with the question is that it assumes a homogeneous answer among the masses. It suggests

that most people will answer in the way that pleases those asking the question. But let’s take a closer look. Suppose for a moment that two men with the same job, same pay, same station in life, are asked the question. It is possible that they will answer differently based on other criteria in their lives. It is also possible that someone who today is making less money than four years ago still believes she is “better off ” simply because now she is doing something she enjoys through which she believes she is making a significant impact in her community. The idea that the question can be answered definitively, the same way, and for the same reasons, by a majority of the population is simply naïve. And that brings us to the third and most important problem with this question. It presupposes that the only criteria people will use to measure their progress over the past four years is economic. Of course, we’ve all heard that elections are supposed to be about the economy. And certainly See HEGG, page 37

READERLETTERS

Giving Up Hope? Confucius once said, “He who expects nothing is never disappointed.” Perhaps the best way to manage our emotions through this next election cycle is to have realistic expectations about President Trump, the Democrats, the media and ultimately, the American people. I’ve given up hope that Trump will rise above his pettiness and tweet-fests that drown out the accomplishments of his policies. I’ve given up hope that Democrats will be able to separate themselves from their psychotic hatred for Trump and try to govern. And I’ve long lost hope that the media will ever

again report the news as journalists and not liberal activists. When I gave up hope and surrendered my expectations, I started feeling better. But I’ve not yet lost hope in the people. Voters are much like a jury presiding over a trial and my hope is they will render their verdict based on evidence and not partisan talking points, media bias, or slick political ads. For example, Clinton may have escaped justice in 2016, but the jury was watching and their verdict carried the day. Voters weren’t as stupid as Democrats and the media perceived. In 2020, will the American jury demand more investigations of Trump instead of governing? Will they believe secondhand gossip leaked to the media

is grounds for impeachment? Will the jury agree with Democrats that immigration enforcement is inhumane, taxes should be increased, the economy is on the verge of recession, the president is a white supremacist and the world will end in 12 years? Will they be swayed by the Democrats/media propaganda, or will the jury stay focused on the facts when they render their verdict? Gil Mertz, Thousand Oaks Submit a Letter to the Editor

Include name, address & phone number; Anonymous letters are not printed; Email: letters@signalscv.com; Mail to: Letters to the Editor, The Signal, 26330 Diamond Place, Ste. 100, Santa Clarita, CA 91350.

O C TO B E R 20, 2019

S U N D AY S I G N A L · 3 7

Opinion

Contact: Tim Whyte, Signal Editor Phone: 661-287-5591 | Email: letters@signalscv.com Mail: 26330 Diamond Place, Suite 100, Santa Clarita, CA 91350

BLACK&WHYTE

D R AW I N G C O N C LU S I O N S J E F F S TA H L E R

A Final Whack at the Dead Horse in the Hart District By Tim Whyte Signal Editor

old my drink while I take one more swing at this dead horse. You might remember a month or so ago, after the William S. Hart Union High School District named Mike Kuhlman as its next superintendent, we roughed up the district a bit over the process. The Hart District board’s first public discussion of appointing Kuhlman to replace the retiring Vicki Engbrecht was a brief Aug. 21 decision when the board voted 5-0 to appoint Kuhlman, despite never publicly discussing the superintendent search or even acknowledging a search was under way. At the time, we said it didn’t appear as if the district broke any laws, but that we expect greater transparency. Turns out, we kind of soft-pedaled it. In the weeks since, I have become convinced the Hart District did indeed violate the Ralph M. Brown Act, California’s open meeting law. Soon after our original round of columns and editorials, local resident Steve Petzold did some homework, and sent the Hart District a “cure and correct” letter, alleging the board violated the Brown Act by failing to properly agendize and publicly discuss the search for a new superintendent. Petzold demanded that the district vacate the appointment and start over, this time following the law. You may remember Petzold for a rather notorious video he posted in 2016, when he was objecting to the Measure E bond initiative for College of the Canyons. He was in his back yard, and after making a statement in which he described taxpayers as “targets” of the community college district, he took aim with a pellet rifle at a “target” depicting a map of the college.

It was unsettling, let’s just say that. COC Chancellor Dianne Van Hook obtained a restraining order requiring Petzold to stay at least 100 yards away from her, her home and her workplace. Fast forward to 2019 and Petzold has succeeded in getting some major Measure E campaign donors slapped on the wrist by the state Fair Political Practices Commission because they didn’t fill out proper donor paperwork. It was a technicality, and technically they were wrong, but no fines were issued. They got warning letters. And now, Petzold has shifted his attention to the Hart District. I’ve met Steve. He’s a “gotcha” kind of guy who’s generally regarded among movers and shakers as something of a gadfly. He gets riled up about things that don’t get most people riled up. But gadflies aren’t always wrong. And Petzold wasn’t wrong about the Hart District. I’m just glad he didn’t make his point with videotaped gunplay this time. Here’s where he was right, bearing in mind I’m not an attorney, but I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night: The Hart District board considered the following agenda item, in closed session July 17: “Discussion of criteria to be utilized for future selection of superintendent candidates.” No action was reported after that closed session, as the Brown Act requires when actions are taken in closed session. It was in all likelihood an illegal closed session in the first place. The Brown Act specifies exemptions allowing bodies like school boards and city councils to discuss some things in private. These include pending litigation, real estate negotiations and personnel matters. See WHYTE, page 38

HEGG

Continued from page 36

the amount of money in our pockets is important. But this also underlies the basic decay of our society, which this question seeks to exploit. The question of whether we are better off now than four years ago presupposes that our economic situation is the only important measurement of our quality of life. It cynically demands that we consider money to be what most makes life worthwhile. But, as we all find as we mature, meaning is much more important than money. By that I mean, finding real meaning, satisfaction and purpose in life is much more important than simply living to accumulate money and the stuff it provides us. Someone has said money doesn’t buy happiness, but it does let you look for it in more places. The trouble here is, if you have to go looking for happiness, you probably don’t have a proper definition of it. Happiness, or better yet, a personal sense of well-being, must never be dependent upon money. The stories of multi-millionaires whose lives are horribly sad tell us that. A casual reading of the entertainment pages confirms that many, if not most, of those we so admire for their fame and corresponding wealth lead lives largely devoid of true, long-term happiness.

Despite my disdain for the question about being better now than before, I do think it is a question everyone should answer for themselves and do so honestly. I also believe the criteria must not be purely economic. Think about your relationships, your character, your ethics. Are your relationships with the important people in your life – your family and close friends – stronger, more satisfying now than before? Have you improved in areas of character weakness, and grown in areas that used to cause you trouble? Are you more courageous in your beliefs, more winsome in times of conflict, and more a person of virtue and value? And are you more involved in serving your family and those in your community? Are you finding more satisfaction in seeking significance than success? Money can’t buy happiness, and money doesn’t make your life better. The best things in life aren’t things, and the best things are still free. Invest in your soul, and in the lives around you, and then you’ll find that elected officials don’t create happiness. That’s our job as individual, responsible citizens, and that’s what has always been the real strength of America. David Hegg is senior pastor of Grace Baptist Church and a Santa Clarita resident.“Ethically Speaking” appears Sundays. 

3 8 · S U N D AY S I G N A L

O C TO B E R 20, 2019

Opinion

OUR VIEW

Continued from page 36

when Schiff was called on it, he chalked it up as “parody.” Here’s what Schiff said last month, on the dais, at the testimony of Acting Director of National Intelligence Joseph Maguire: “I have a favor I want from you,” the California congressman said, appearing to read the lines from a piece of paper. “And I’m going to say this only seven times, so you better listen good. I want you to make up dirt on my political opponent, understand? Lots of it, on this and on that.” Funny thing. Trump never said that. Or anything like it. But the truth doesn’t matter to people like Schiff who will stop at nothing — even fabricating things during congressional hearings — to achieve their political goals. The Democrats have tried to impeach this president since his first day in office. They never accepted his

WHYTE

Continued from page 37

Here’s the thing: A closed session to discuss hiring policy or criteria is not an allowable exemption. According to the League of California Cities’ guide to the Brown Act, public bodies can meet in closed session “to consider the appointment, employment, evaluation of performance, discipline, or dismissal of a public employee or to hear complaints or charges brought against the employee.” The guide adds: “The purpose of this exception — commonly referred to as the ‘personnel exception’ — is to avoid undue publicity or embarrassment for an employee or applicant for employment and to allow full and candid discussion by the legislative body; thus, it is restricted to discussing individuals, not general personnel policies.” If the Hart District board was discussing criteria for a future superintendent search, they clearly should have done so publicly. Further, if they decided in that meeting — or any other time — to conduct an internal search, that was a reportable action under the

election victory. The multiyear, multimillion-dollar investigation by special counsel Robert Mueller turned up nothing. So now we have the whistleblower. The rules were changed just days before the complaint to accommodate this whistleblower. Until the rules were changed you had to have firsthand knowledge of the events. Yes, the rules were changed to allow hearsay evidence for the complaint. Good enough for Democrats but it would not be allowed in any court in the United States. Schiff, in a TV interview, claimed he did not know or speak to the whistleblower prior to the complaint being received, but as it turns out that’s not true. In fact not only did Schiff and his cohorts know who he was, but they also spoke to him, got him a lawyer and helped him write the complaint. Lies, lies and more lies. They wanted the whistleblower to testify, but in secret behind closed doors, and hiding his identity. All of

this, denying the president even the most basic concepts of due process. Then it comes out that the whistleblower is a partisan Democrat and worked with Joe Biden during Biden’s vice presidency. According to the Washington Examiner: “Michael Atkinson, the Intelligence Community’s inspector general, told members of Congress that the whistleblower had a ‘professional tie’ to a 2020 Democratic candidate. He had written earlier that while the whistleblower’s complaint was credible, he had shown ‘some indicia of an arguable political bias ... in favor of a rival political candidate.’ “A retired CIA officer told the Washington Examiner, ‘From everything we know about the whistleblower and his work in the executive branch then, there is absolutely no doubt he would have been working with Biden when he was vice president.’” Now Schiff has changed his mind. No need for the whistleblower to testify. Why allow him to be cross-examined

and reveal his biases and the fact that he was coached in his complaint? This whole whistleblower complaint started because Trump asked the Ukrainian president to investigate Biden. The media says there is no evidence against Biden, despite him bragging on camera about threatening to withhold $1 billion in U.S. aid unless the thenUkrainian president fired a prosecutor who was investigating Burisma Holdings, a Ukrainian gas company for which Biden’s son, Hunter, was a board member making $50,000 a month. Interestingly enough, the Democrats’ push has been to kill our natural gas exploration here in the United States, while we are subsidizing Ukraine’s. Someone should be following the money when it comes to the Bidens and Ukraine. But with Trump-obsessed Democrats holding the power in the House of Representatives, that won’t happen — and the fake impeachment inquiry marches on. 

Brown Act, and it was never reported. Another funny thing: Even though the district insists Engbrecht has not informed the board of her intention to “retire,” here’s the wording from the Aug. 21 agenda: “Board to consider appointment of new superintendent, assignment effective upon Mrs. Engbrecht’s retirement (on or before June 30, 2020).” At some point, the board became aware Engbrecht was retiring. The district put it in writing, on the agenda. And now they claim it hasn’t happened. When their clearly predetermined 5-0 vote for Kuhlman was taken with little discussion on Aug. 21, district officials wouldn’t even confirm how many candidates were considered. They still haven’t. This was the slam-iest of slam dunks. It’s worth reiterating that this isn’t about Kuhlman or his suitability for the job. He’s been the heir apparent since he was named deputy superintendent in 2018, and really that’s fine. It’s good to have a deep talent pool to draw from and, when an opening occurs, to have an obvious candidate who already knows the ropes, ready in the bullpen. But the Brown Act exists for good

reasons. One is to ensure transparency, and to prevent decisions like this from being made without public review and input. The Hart District flouted the spirit and, I believe, the letter of the law. That brings us to what happened this past Wednesday. Responding to Petzold’s “cure and correct” letter, the board — obviously on the advice of counsel — approved a letter to be sent to Petzold in which the board denies all wrongdoing, but promises not to do it again. Huh? Suppose you rob a bank. And you get caught. Then you go before the judge and deny it. “I didn’t rob that bank, your honor. But I promise never to do it again.” Not to equate what happened here with a bank robbery, but you get the idea. Deny, deny, deny. The board got caught making public decisions behind closed doors, and the district has been in CYA mode ever since. (If you don’t know what CYA means, check the Urban Dictionary.) Here’s what board President Bob Jensen said during Wednesday’s meeting: “It is essential that our community feels confident in the board’s actions.

While we respectfully do not agree with the allegation of a procedural violation, we nevertheless are here tonight to consider an additional step going forward that we hope will provide further assurance that the board recognizes and agrees with the need for transparent and open communication, especially in regard to the selection of our superintendent.” The board was wrong here, even if they won’t admit it, and I hope the district is sincere in its pledge to not do it again. You know. That thing they said they didn’t do. Sadly, the community doesn’t seem fazed by it all. There’s been no uproar to speak of. Test scores are good, the district’s schools are great — and they are — so the community as a whole didn’t get very riled up about this particular violation of the public trust. Beating a dead horse? I’d say the horse isn’t really dead. But no one other than Steve Petzold — and certainly no one at the Hart District — seems to care all that much. Tim Whyte is editor of The Signal. His column appears Sundays. On Twitter: @TimWhyte. 

O C TO B E R 20, 2019

S U N D AYS I G N A L · 39

THE VILLAGE IDIOT

There is joy in Mudville By Jim Mullen Signal Contributing Writer

hen the baseball playoffs really get going, Sue will sometimes watch four games in one day. If I watch with her, I am not allowed to speak, because that would spoil the spell. During the regular season, she will only watch her team — the Yankees — and maybe the All-Star Game and Home Run Derby. But during the playoffs? It doesn’t matter what teams are playing: Don’t even think of walking in front of the TV. A few years ago, we were going to be in New York City when the Yankees were scheduled to play their archrivals, the dreaded Boston Red Sox. As a surprise for Sue, I thought it would be a good idea to buy a couple of tickets to one of the games. The cheapest seats were somewhere above the nosebleed section, and they were $300 apiece. To this day, I thank my lucky stars that the games were sold out. That’s when I started saying things like, “The best seats are in front of the television, anyway, and those are free.” Only the TV access is NOT free; we had to buy a package for that, too. Broadway musicals at only $125 a ticket were starting to look like a bargain. Of course, the common complaint is that professional athletes make too much money. I’ve yet to hear anyone say the team owners make too much money, or the sports commentators. It’s only the athletes. I wonder if the people who say athletes are overpaid would turn down the money if they were playing. Can’t you just hear them say to the team owner, “Oh no, that’s way too much money! Please cut my salary and use the money to buy yourself another home in Aspen. You deserve it. I don’t. After all, all I did was practice every waking moment since the age of 10, spend hours on a bus going to high-school meets, and spend every dime my parents could scrape together on trainers, equipment and private coaching. Whereas YOU did all the hard work of inheriting this team.”

(A note: 13 of the 32 NFL teams were inherited.) I once heard a guy complain about overpaid athletes while he was standing in line to buy lottery tickets. If the lottery isn’t money for nothing, what is? So why is it OK for some people to have “too much money,” but not others? It’s not. It’s just something people have learned to say without thinking. Who hasn’t heard somebody complain about a sales tax at the counter by saying “Gotta pay Governor So-and-so’s tax,” as if no one ever had to pay taxes before the current guy or gal got into office? When I hear people say that the problem with baseball is that it’s too slow compared to football, I wonder what they’re talking about. A regulation one-hour football game takes three to four hours to watch. One minute of action, four minutes of commercials. No wonder the TV executives want you to watch more football. And no wonder there are so many ads for beer and snacks — you’ve got to do something during all that downtime, why not eat and drink? One of my friends is into something called “game theory,” which I can’t explain too well, except to say that the games and sports we like to play (and watch) didn’t happen by accident. They evolved to where they are now, and knowing how that happened helps people design new games. For instance, they’ve learned that if a game is too easy or too hard, no one will play it. It’s not an accident, for example, that there are so many near-ties at first base, with the runner barely beating the throw, and vice versa. It turns out that putting the base 90 feet away from home plate is the perfect distance for that to happen. Had they made the bases 89 feet apart, or 91, it would rarely happen, and the game would be boring. (Or “more boring,” if you’re not a fan.) And a baseball game has become a metaphor for life. Its vocabulary is everywhere: “He struck out with her,” “She balked,” “He hit a home run with that proposal,” “She’s on deck for a promotion,” “That speech was a curveball.” Even if you don’t watch, baseball is a part of your life.  Contact Jim Mullen at mullen.jim@ gmail.com.

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