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KICKOFF SCV storylines to watch this season

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AU G U S T 26, 2018

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S U N D AYS I G N A L · 3

AUGUST 26, 2018

TABLE OF CONTENTS

[4] NEWS FEATURES

[4] Top storylines for SCV football in 2018 [6] Employers look to accommodate millennials [8] Putting the brakes on SCV speeding

[9] NEWS OF THE WEEK

Councilman Kellar has heart attack; Church members find missing man’s body; Master’s University on probation; Businesspeople hear active shooter scenario

8

SPEEDING PROBLEM

[14] CITY MANAGER COLUMN

[15] [16] [18] [20] [23] [24]

Preparing the next generation for employment

BUSINESS Real estate transactions REAL ESTATE Home sales; HOA Living HISTORY: John Boston’s Time Ranger OPINION Our View, David Hegg, Tim Whyte SCV CALENDAR THINGS TO DO Labor Day getaways; Best places for stargazing

[27] ENTERTAINMENT Herman’s Hermits

starring Peter Noone to perform at Canyon Santa Clarita Sept 2

[29] YOUR HOME

Choosing window treatments; Quick projects for weekends

School menus; Saugus teacher of the year honored

& after-school snacks; Restaurant Profile: Pho Ha 888

[30] SCHOOLS

[31] KIDS & FAMILY Donna's Day [32] FOOD STUFF Easy recipes for school mornings [34] ARTIST PROFILE Lorelle Miller [36] SENIORS Leader of SCV Senior Center support groups;

24

LABOR DAY GETAWAYS

33

RESTAURANT PROFILE

SUNDAY SIGNAL STAFF

SignalSCV.com

Columnist Diana Sevanian: Gettin’ Up There

[37] PETS

How to deal with cancer in older pets

[38] HEALTH & FITNESS

Richard Budman

[39] GARDENING Edible flowers [41] BRAIN GAMES Games, Crossword, Puzzles

Tim Whyte

Dr. Roach; Health boosters readily available in your home

Jason Schaff Trish Galloway Perry Smith Brad Lanfranco

On the cover: Saugus Junior Cade Gallagher leads the Saugus Centurians out onto the field for their season opener against Taft of Woodland Hills at Cougar Stadium at College of the Canyons on Aug. 17. CORY RUBIN/ THE SIGNAL.

Publisher Sunday Signal Editor Signal Editor Graphic Design & Production Deputy Managing Editor Advertising Director

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AU G U S T 26, 2018

S C V F E AT U R E

TOP 7 storylines to watch this football season

By Dan Lovi

F

ootball is back! Here are the power rankings for the Foothill League teams heading into the 2018 season, plus a look at one school’s mission to finish the year undefeated.

[6] SCCS playing for perfect

[7] Gritty Grizzlies face

tough climb

There’s no way around it: Golden Valley didn’t look good in its season opener.

After beating Highland 30-0 in the opening game last year, the Grizzlies got a taste of their own medicine, losing 46-7.

Golden Valley’s non-conference schedule doesn’t get any easier, as they take on Antelope Valley, Fullerton, Crespi and Bishop Diego, all of whom won their opening games.

A slow start to the season could derail the Grizzlies in league play, which could hurt their chances at a playoff berth. With last season’s 8-6 record and Division 6 title game appearance in the rearview mirror, a .500 record would feel like a win as Golden Valley is now in Division 4.

It’s only been one game, and coach Dan Kelley will have his players ready to go every Friday night. A few early losses, however, could make 2018 a season to forget.

Talk about getting the monkey off your back.

Santa Clarita Christian School put the hurt on Santa Clara in its opening game, winning 28-14 on the road, leading by three scores most of the way.

It was a sweet victory for the Cardinals, who were on their way to a perfect season last year, until they met the Saints in the second round of the Division 13 playoffs. A 3514 loss ended the season, leaving returning players eager for their opening game.

“We have very high expectations,” said senior wide receiver Kade Kalinske. “We’re really focused on beating them (Santa Clara) Week 1 and just working hard to beat everyone after and hopefully go undefeated.”

Senior quarterback Blake Kirshner is back, along with wide receivers Ethan and Carson Schwesinger, Kalinske and junior running back Lucas Pettee, who scored three touchdowns in the rematch.

SCCS takes on St. Bernard next, a team they handled 36-12 last year, and they have a favorable schedule the rest of the way. Can Mark Bates lead the Cardinals to a perfect season in his first year as head coach?

Saugus Senior quarterback Cole Gallagher completes a pass to senior James Sumpter at College of the Canyons in their season opener against Taft on Aug. 17.

CORY RUBIN/ THE SIGNAL.

[5] Hart’s underclass-

men will anchor team

Replacing talent is hard to do, and Hart is going to have to count on its younger players in order to stay near the top of the Foothill League.

The Indians lost a bevy of skilled players on both sides of the ball and will have to rely heavily on its underclassmen this season, including four sophomores. Of the 35 players on its roster, only 10 are seniors.

While the defense is more senior-laden, including three senior linebackers, the offense will be led by junior quarterback Zach Johnson and junior running back Brayden York. Senior Michael Colangelo, who had 13 receptions for 146 yards last season, will be tasked with leading the Indians’ receiving corps.

“I’m just trying to go out there, use my speed because that’s the biggest weapon I have, and just do my thing out there and make plays,” Colangelo said.

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S U N D AYS I G N A L · 5

S C V F E AT U R E Golden Valley Senior Quarterback Chevalier moves around in the pocket in a scrimmage against Crescenta Valley at Harry Welch Stadium. CORY RUBIN/ THE SIGNAL

“The biggest difference with this year’s team is that we had like two seniors last year, or it felt like we did,” said senior wide receiver Carson Strickland. “Now we only have a lot more experience and that’s a big difference.”

four-man running back committee, all of whom scored in the opening game.

There were a few issues that Saugus has to work on, including the quarterback-center exchange. Quarterback Cole Gallagher and center Nathan Tripp emphasized that they will work on it more in practice and in their free time.

“We’ll do some more under center. We’ll do it before practices,” Tripp said. “Do some shotgun snaps just so that he’s [Gallagher] completely familiar taking the snaps.”

Once that issue is taken care of, there’s not much left standing in the way for the Centurions this year.

its case

[2] West Ranch will-

ing and able

[3] The Centurions’ balanced command

It was a dominating performance by Saugus in its opening game against Taft. A 63-0 route was impressive, but the Centurions shouldn’t think of that game as precursor for the rest of the season.

Instead, Saugus will continue to rely on a balanced approach moving forward.

The Centurions could be one of the most complete teams in the Foothill League, boasting a senior offensive line, talented wideouts, an experienced defensive line and secondary, as well as a versatile

[1] Valencia’s road to the top

[4] Canyon making Since going 2-8 in the 2015 season, Canyon has increased its win total by two every year. After a 6-6 finish last year, including a second-round appearance in the Division 6 playoffs, the Cowboys are poised to finish this season above the .500 mark for the first time since 2014.

Last year’s starting quarterback Shawn Gallagher moved to wide receiver this year, opening the door at quarterback for junior varsity callup Aydyn Litz.

While Litz is inexperienced on the varsity level, the rest of the team, including the receivers, running backs, and offensive and defensive lines, have all played together for several years. Now seniors, they are ready to make a big impact.

season like they did in the opening game doesn’t seem far-fetched, especially with such a potent offense.

The proverbial dark horse, in this instance, is a wildcat.

The West Ranch Wildcats cruised to a 39-14 victory over Nordhoff in their opening game, behind a six-touchdown spectacle from the Camacho twins, Ryan and Jovan.

Ryan had 11 carries for 74 yards, adding three rushing touchdowns and an 82-yard kickoff return for a score. Jovan had eight receptions for 203 yards and two touchdowns.

Quarterback Weston Eget displayed his strong and accurate arm, going 13 of 18 for 288 yards and two passing touchdowns.

Putting up big numbers all

For the last decade, Valencia has had a stranglehold on the Foothill League. The Vikings haven’t lost a league game since 2011.

Now in Division 1, Valencia will face stiffer competition in its non-conference schedule, including a rematch against Calabasas, a team that beat them 65-63 last season.

The added difficulty in the preleague games could add a wrinkle to Valencia’s Foothill League plans.

A perfect league record is in jeopardy not only because of the tougher schedule, but also because the Vikes lost a ton of talent as well.

Last year’s starting quarterback Connor Downs and starting running back Moises Haynes have graduated. Valencia’s leading receiver Mykael Wright transferred.

The team’s sack leader Joshua Deneal and leading tackler Anthony Hernandez also graduated.

While Valencia has the talent to remain at the top of the Foothill League, this postseason will be one of the more difficult tests for coach Larry Muir and the Vikings. 

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AU G U S T 26, 2018

S C V F E AT U R E

MILLENNIALS: Evolving the workplace with a growing generation

By Tammy Murga

M

any businesses across the country, including some in the Santa Clarita Valley, are changing the way they engage with a particular group of employees: Millennials.

That’s because the group, born after 1980 and before 2000, has been the largest generation in the labor force in the United States since 2016.

Just how large?

More than one in three, or 35 percent, of working Americans, are between the ages of 21 and 36, according to a Pew Research Center analysis of 2017 U.S. Census Bureau data. This placed the generation ahead of more than 53 million Generation Xers (born between the mid-1960s and the early-1980s), who represented a third of the workforce. Millennials also surpassed the 41 million Baby Boomers, or those between the ages of 53 and 71 in 2017, who accounted for 25 percent of the total.

By 2025, millennials are expected to dominate the workforce by a solid 75 percent, according to the report, “How Millennials Could Upend Wall Street and Corporate America,” by Governance Studies at Brookings.

While data reflecting millennials in the SCV labor force is not available, the generation is the largest category of residents, based on a recent report by the SCV Economic Development Corp. Data showed that 86,000 local residents are millennials, pulling ahead of the 78,000 Baby Boomers.

“We are expecting that millennial rate will increase in the next couple of years,” said Holly Schroeder, president and CEO of SCVEDC. “By 2020, our forecast shows that number will grow to 91,000 people; that’s a 36-percent growth, versus the state as a whole at just an 8-percent growth.

“Millennials are increasingly moving to communities like the Santa Clarita Valley because they are getting married and raising kids. The Santa Clarita Valley offers good schools, parks and employment.”

NETWORKED APPROACH

With the largest generation working all over the area, businesses are transforming the workspace, moving leadership toward a more networked approach, rather than a centralized, “command and control” style to engage a group known to appreciate a business with a humanized set of values highly.

Among those keeping up with this shift in the workplace is the College of the Canyons Economic Development Division, which offers tools and resources for anyone planning on growing a business. Employees here are provided the opportunity to “be innovative and creative” as the department emphasizes a more project-oriented environment and less of a time-oriented one.

“Millennials don’t want to spend time in meetings,” said Jeffrey Forrest, Economic Development Division vice president. “They want to take on something where they can be creative. They want to be in a position where they feel empowered. That’s what we do.”

He added that direct communication is critical in the department where 50 percent of its employees are millennials. With less time spent in traditional PowerPoint-led meetings, millennials are given straightforward directions and space to

Scorpion’s new Valencia headquarters was built with employee engagement in mind.

SIGNAL FILE PHOTO

create directly, such as web building and other digital-based projects.

Feedback is just as valuable, said Forrest. “I am much more of a mentor and advisor to millennials than I am a colleague. Millennials ask me more about life and where we are moving forward. Millennials like to hear that they matter.”

Millennials expect to have these conversations more than older generations do, Forrest added.

But with a growing number of millennials in the workplace, he welcomes the practice and is trying “to make that a part of all my team now.”

Though not a new concept, creating a work environment its employees look forward to attending is more crucial than ever, according to

AU G U S T 26, 2018

S U N D AYS I G N A L · 7

S C V F E AT U R E Valencia’s Rocky Mountain Recreation Co. A spokesperson with the business, which offers maintenance and management services to recreational areas, said it is challenging to find well-qualified individuals of the generation. When located, upper management aims to create a structural yet dynamic workspace to retain its younger employees. About 30 percent of the company’s employees are millennials. The age group with the company’s highest percentage of employees is 60 and above..

Training by experts who understand millennials is one way the company and many others have tried to perfect engagement.

CLEAR MISSION

Paul Butler, a Santa Clarita resident and a client partner with Newleaf Training and Development of Valencia, which offers leadership and time management training to local companies and others around the world, said companies are digging much more in-depth than training, however, to keep millennials engaged.

“Millennials like to connect with an organization that has a purpose and even supports a cause,” said Butler. “Most organizations have a mission statement that is very generic and broad.

But now they are moving away from the vanilla mission statements and writing a very clear mission and vision.”

For example, he said, one of his company’s clients has found a creative way to share its values of respect, integrity and service by renaming generic statements with short sections titled, “Speak Out,” and “Own It.” Simply put, companies are “humanizing these core values,” ultimately attracting high-quality talent, said Butler.

Perhaps at the lead of this transforming labor force locally is Scorpion, an internet marketing company with its headquarters in Valencia. Just on its website, the modern, slick design highlights its core values with a direct, two-word statement: Scorpion Cares, indicating it’s not just business.

“Our core value of giving back to the community is brought to life with our philanthropic arm, Scorpion Cares,” the website reads, listing some charities it supports, including Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital.

Showing employees matter falls under engagement, said Butler. And at Scorpion, it comes, in part, in the form of a 100,000-square-foot, custom-made headquarters. The design was executed “with its employees in mind, providing them with the amenities and resources they need to work efficiently and be as productive as possible,” Jeff Wirt, president of Wirt Design Group, the commercial interior design firm behind the creation of the building, said in October 2017 when the new headquarters first opened. The building offers everything from themed conference rooms to a basketball court and employee restaurant.

“The new building gives our employees a workplace that spurs their creativity while rewarding them for the hard work they do for our clients day in and day out,” said Scorpion CEO Rustin Kretz.

With a growing number of millennials moving into the SCV workforce, employers are encouraged to challenge engagement to fortify collaboration and build trust with the next generation of leaders.

“We can speak about generational differences, but in the end, we just want to work with people we can trust,” said Butler. 

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AU G U S T 26, 2018

S C V F E AT U R E

Local efforts to curb speeding Deputies out all times of day to put brakes on continuing problem

By Jim Holt

W

hether it’s triple-digit speeding or speeding when everyone else is in bed, local sheriff’s deputies are doing all they can to stop this life-threatening trend in the Santa Clarita Valley.

“We have to follow the rules of the road,” said Deputy Josh Stamsek of the SCV Sheriff’s Station. “And, it’s for the safety of the public.”

When brass at the SCV Sheriff’s Station noticed a trend this month in motorists speeding on near-empty streets in the early hours of the morning, Capt. Robert Lewis responded by assigning a special team of deputies to confront the problem. He called for specialized patrol units to be set up in the middle of the night along roadways frequented by speeders.

“At his request, motor deputies were to meet the needs of the community,” said Shirley Miller, spokeswoman for the SCV Sheriff’s Station. “He adjusted their hours to work early-morning hours.”

The results paid off.

Citations

This past week, in a two-day period, at least 30 citations were handed out, Stamsek said.

On one morning during the first week of operation, more than two dozen citations were issued to motorists between 2 a.m. and 6 a.m. by two motor deputies assigned to the specialized patrol, Miller said last month.

On another morning the same week, two motorists driving on Newhall Ranch Road were cited between 5:30 a.m. and 6 a.m. for allegedly driving 90 mph and 85 mph, respectively.

Other citations were issued to motorists traveling on Golden Valley Road for speeds of 65 and 70 mph, Miller said.

Deputies assigned to monitor An SCV sheriff’s deputy watches out for speeding motorists on Copper Hill Drive.

SIGNAL FILE PHOTO

speeding use three methods to determine how fast motorists are driving, Stamsek said. They use traditional radar guns, lasers and “pacing” to assess speeds.

“With pacing, I can get behind a vehicle and determine how a vehicle is going a certain speed,” Stamsek said.

Success of the deployment means it’s going to continue.

But, dead-of-night speeding wasn’t the only trend deputies spotted in the past year: They also noticed triple-digit speeding.

Although it’s uncommon, deputies noticed and responded accordingly.

Triple-digit speeds

At least two motorists were clocked driving at triple-digit speeds – or close to it – on city streets recently in the SCV. Speeds recorded for one driver reached 107 mph, the other 99 mph.

Deputies cited the two for excessive speeding and, acting on a zero-tolerance approach for speeders, set out

on a plan to continue monitoring and conducting traffic enforcement throughout the city of Santa Clarita.

But, if motorists have to get somewhere in a hurry, why is it important they not speed?

“For one, it’s illegal,” said Officer Josh Greengard of the California Highway Patrol. “And, it could result in a traffic citation that could cost a minimum of $350, plus traffic school, and a potential increase in your insurance.

“Also, the faster you go, the less time you have to perceive and react to other motorists either changing lanes, pulling out from a driveway or a potential hazard in the roadway, i.e. debris, stalled car, traffic collision, pedestrians crossing the street,” Greengard said.

Stopping time

It takes the average person 1.5 seconds to perceive and to react to a change in condition, according to the CHP.

•

A vehicle traveling 40 mph will have traveled 88 feet before it even begins braking. During braking it will travel another 76 feet.

•

A vehicle traveling 60 mph will have traveled 132 feet before it begins braking. During braking it will travel another 171 feet.

These numbers are minimum values for a vehicle in good condition with good braking efficiency on dry pavement, Greengard said.

“Lastly, if you were involved in a collision, the faster you go, the damage to your vehicle, your body, and the bodies of your passengers will increase,” he said. “Remember, the roads we share going to work, the grocery store and schools are the same your family use, your friends use, and your neighbors use.” jholt@signalscv.com 661-287-5527 On Twitter @jamesarthurholt 

AU G U S T 26, 2018

S U N D AYS I G N A L · 9

LOCALNEWS

Kellar recovering, feeling better after heart attack Longtime city councilman plans to take it easier after health scare while on vacation up north

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Santa Clarita City Councilman Bob Kellar returned to Santa Clarita last weekend, cutting short a fishing trip.

By Perry Smith

Santa Clarita City Councilman Bob Kellar had a heart attack Aug. 17, and plans to take it a little easier over the next couple of months, he said on Tuesday.

He also had a message for those who might be concerned for their own health: “If you get those warning signs, don’t ignore them.”

Kellar, 74, said he was feeling well Tuesday, just days after he and his wife, Kathy, cut short a fishing trip over the weekend to Tuolumne Lake.

He woke up around 1 a.m. on Saturday feeling pain in his arms and chest, he said, one of the tell-tale signs, and with little other recourse, he took some Advil and went back to sleep, he said.

The following morning, he told his wife they’d need to cut the trip short, and they drove straight to Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital.

“Kathy and I went over there and I knew those symptoms were something not to fool around with,” Kellar said. “And later that evening, I was told that I had had, based on their information, some degree of a

heart attack.”

The medical staff put a stint in his chest, he said, and then ordered him to take it easy for the next six to eight weeks.

“I was trying out our relatively new cath lab,” Kellar said, complimenting the staff and facilities at Henry Mayo, adding that he was at home and “kind of taking it easy.”

“But I cannot give enough kudos to Henry Mayo hospital and their staff,” he said, praising the staff ’s professionalism and patient care.

“None of us ever want to have to utilize (that equipment),” he said, “but I was just so impressed.”

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10 · S U N D AYS I G N A L

AU G U S T 26, 2018

LOCALNEWS

Newhall parishioners find missing man’s body Family reached out to congregation; search party located person who'd been sought since June

By Jim Holt and Ryan Mancini

After an extensive weekend search by more than five dozen volunteers assembled by pastors of the Elevate Church in Newhall, the body of a young man missing since late June was found, church leaders said.

The body of Matthew Leyoya Weiss, 21, was found near a remote hilly location he reportedly liked to frequent, the searchers reported.

Church officials who have been working with the man’s parents posted news of the discovery on the church’s Facebook page.

Weiss, who was described by investigators with the Los Angeles County Sheriff Department’s Missing Persons Unit as bipolar and schizophrenic, went missing June 30.

“His mother reached out to us three weeks ago,” Assistant Pastor Anthony Stamps of the Elevate Church said Monday.

Although the woman was not a parishioner, members of the church on Main Street in Newhall immediately rallied to help her, he said.

Flyers

“She was passing out ‘missing person’ fliers, doing the work all by herself,” Stamps said.

“When Pastor (Mauricio) Ruiz heard this, he felt we needed to do more than just help pass out fliers,” he said. “He felt it was something that needed to be done.”

After a three-hour search by first responders at

Deputy Sheriff Joel Anzures leads Det. Steven Lankford through a cordoned off area near Pico Canyon Road and Southern Oaks Drive during a death investigation. AUSTIN DAVE/THE SIGNAL

the end of June, despite searches by foot and air, Weiss was still missing.

“We sat down and asked, ‘How can we help this

woman?’ She was not a member of our congregation. She was an individual from the community,” Continued next page FOUND

TMU hit with probation by accreditation team Accrediting agency report cites allegations of conflict of interest, ‘climate of fear, intimidation’

By Brennon Dixson

One of the six regional accrediting agencies in the United States has formally notified The Master’s University its accreditation is on probation, following a report questioning the college’s board independence, personnel and management practices, operational integrity, and leadership.

The Western Association of Schools and Colleges, or WASC, through its Senior College and University Commission, imposed the sanction of probation after its review team con-

ducted a visit to TMU in March.

Among the issues cited in the WASC report are allegations of conflicts of interest regarding student financial aid, institutional leaders being hired who lack qualifications for the higher education positions they hold, and what the commission described as “a disturbing climate of fear, intimidation and bullying” at the university.

The university has less than two years to correct the problems, according to a WASC letter sent to the private college and seminary in

Placerita Canyon.

“We are very committed to addressing and fixing every issue that WASC has highlighted,” said Dean of Faculty Kevin Hill. “There’s a lot of complicated issues, so we’re working diligently because it’s not something we can fix in a day.”

Everything in the report is being dealt with at the board level right now, Hill said, adding, "WASC had nothing but positive things to say on the academic side of the institution.”

Hill said he could not speak on the specifics of the report, because it

mostly deals with personnel matters, which are protected by federal law.

“We take seriously the obligation to provide an excellent education for our students and work environment for our employees,” according to a statement on TMU’s website, “not only because it is expected by our accrediting agency, but more importantly because it honors Christ our Lord.”

TMU has already begun to address the content of the report, Hill said.

Continued next page TMU

AU G U S T 26, 2018

S U N D AYS I G N A L · 11

LOCALNEWS

TMU

Continued from page 10

School leaders assured students that the college’s accreditation status is fully maintained, and all state and federal financial aid is still available.

Among the issues taken up by members of the commission was TMU’s operational integrity, which came under question when the committee found a 2017 financial audit that contains the appearance of a conflict of interest, according to the WASC letter. “Multiple students who are family members of donors or related parties at TMUS received institutional aid (that) appeared to be above what is typically offered to all students.”

In addition, some individuals have been hired without job descriptions being provided or searches being conducted, and other institutional leaders appear to lack higher education experience, preparation and knowledge of key higher education regulatory expectations and professional standards, according to the commission. “For example, when asked by the visiting team, the (chief operating officer of the college) was unaware of the Clery Act, the Violence Against Women Act and the Family Education Right to Privacy Act,” the letter said.

The commission said it’s concerned because its auditor first identified these practices as significant findings

more than six months ago, yet there is no evidence that they have been addressed by the institution to date, according to the commission’s letter.

Despite the infractions, the school’s accreditation will continue for seven months and a special visit is scheduled for November to address areas of noncompliance, the WASC letter states. However, while an institution is on probation, any new sites or degree programs must be approved.

The commission’s letter said: “The commission is concerned about the capacity and willingness of the institution’s leadership to operate with integrity, high performance, appropriate responsibility and accountability,” due to the reasons outlined.

Many members of the college’s board are employed by the institution or another organization over which the university president has authority, which violates commission requirements, the letter states. “Additionally, the team learned through individual interviews and confidential emails from significant numbers of faculty and staff that there is a disturbing climate of fear, intimidation and bullying at the institution.”

School leaders said the board and staff are working intensively with the accreditation group to resolve every area of concern, according to the prepared statement.

FOUND

Continued from page 10

Stamps said. “Our feeling was — this is a mother missing her child.”

More than 60 volunteers banded together for a search on Aug. 18.

“Our mission was: Bring Matthew home,” Stamps said.

Search parties

The group broke up into three search parties, one of which concentrated on a very steep section on Pico Canyon Road, near Southern Oaks Drive, where Weiss liked to go.

“We sent our most experienced hikers to that area,” Stamps said,

referring to a particularly steep section of hills.

“We felt we needed to do whatever it took,” he said. “They (experienced hikers) went down a treacherous hillside and slid down that mountain. As they were working their way down the mountain, that’s when they found him.”.

The body was found at the foot of an oak tree.

The father, according to Stamps, confirmed the body was that of his son.

12 · S U N D AYS I G N A L

AU G U S T 26, 2018

LOCALNEWS

VIA hosts active shooter talk with business leaders Valley Industry Association program on worst-case scenario to encourage planning, preparation

By Tammy Murga

A sea of hands went up in a room filled with scores of individuals when asked if they knew someone or had heard from someone affected by the 2017 Las Vegas shooting.

“We’ve been saying the words ‘active shooter’ a whole lot more now,” Jenny Ketchepaw, vice president and training manager at Citizens Business Bank, said Tuesday to the crowd that filled the ballroom at the Hyatt Regency Valencia. “It literally brings chills to see almost every person raise their hand in this room.”

The conversation, hosted by the Valley Industry Association as part of its monthly luncheon series, aimed to help businesses and employees prepare in the case of an active shooter incident.

Capt. Robert Lewis with the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff ’s Station also spoke during the afternoon event, answering questions guests had about best practices to deal with active shooter situations.

Information shared during the event was gathered by VIA from the U.S. Homeland Security Department and the Federal Emergency Management Agency, Ketchepaw said at the start of the event.

Through a series of discussions with both speakers and a training video, business representatives had the opportunity to learn three crucial options when facing the unthinkable: run, hide or fight.

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Jenny Ketchepaw, vice president and training manager at Citizens Business Bank, demonstrates a backpack that turns into a bulletproof vest during the active shooter training luncheon. PHOTO BY TAMMY MURGA

“I hope you never have to use this,” Ketchepaw said. “But, I want you to be prepared… There’s a very simple premise of run, hide, fight.”

The video, funded by the Homeland Security Department, broke down the three options, reasoning that running away or evacuating the endangered area is the best practice.

If escape is not an option, individuals should find a place to hide, especially behind large objects if possible, and remain very quiet. As a last resort, victims should act with physical aggression and improvise weapons.

Lewis reminded attendees that the last option should only be used if one’s life is in danger.

He added that the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff ’s Station is most highly trained in active shooting across the board for the L.A. County. He said that while he can help send a large response group of up to 70 personnel in a matter of about 15 min-

utes to an SCV location, businesses highlighted the importance of prepaneed to provide law enforcement ration in the workplace. Businesses as much informawere encouraged tion as possible to develop an I HOPE YOU NEVER including suspect emergency acdescription and tion plan, conduct HAVE TO USE THIS, location. training and recBUT, I WANT YOU To report susognize indicators picious activity, of potential workTO BE PREPARED… Ketchepaw recomplace violence.

THERE’S A VERY mended individu“It’s really imSIMPLE PREMISE OF als report to their portant for you all human resources to have some kind RUN, HIDE, FIGHT." department. And of plan and knowto indicate an ing what you are active situation, going to do when JENNY KETCHEPAW, Lewis said to dial faced with that sitVICE PRESIDENT, 911. He reminded uation,” said Diana CITIZENS BUSINESS that for those who Meyer, chairwomcall from mobile an of the board for BANK phones, each call VIA. goes first to the Meyer said anyCalifornia Highway Patrol. He said one interested in learning about the the SCV Sheriff ’s Station can also be information shared during Tuesday’s dialed directly at 661-255-1121. luncheon can visit the VIA website The active shooter training also at via.org.

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S U N D AYS I G N A L · 13

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A tow tru ck operator ter being watches lift Castaic on ed about 200 fee as a Toyota Corol la reaches Signal file photo t by a cra Sept. 30, ne the 2011. Da vid La Vau on to Lake Hughes surface afsurvived the Road north of crash.

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See LA VA U, A6 Santa Cl the state arita’s rate eclips A national average of es two-b stu as dy 2.1 week indica well as the edroom released percent, growth rat tes Santa Clarita’s this of 1.4 percent, national average is $2,564, an in Santa Clarita d a one-b is $1,995. now at 4.1 e from year to yearent compared to but has decrease edroom 0.2 percent, do Th from last percent, a slight dec r is renting platfo last month, onlin d crease for tw is marks a $4 in- cent, according wn by 0.04 permonth’s 4.9 o-b e lin rm Salviati, Only 21 of to the site. percent. e revealed Mond Apartment List $3 increase for edrooms and a the 10 housing ecoan Apartment a one-bed ay. ies from Jun The July List room fal in America have0 largest cite. median rat Much of nomist. l over seen ren Santa e for a an addit the past year, tho ts growth can the SCV’s ren month ren Clarita’s month ion ug -to t be t change al for July is - gains of les 24 saw mode h general growt attributed to a st s tha at such h as Santa Cl n 1.0 percent, in the Los Ange in population les metro arita, said area.

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Hotel plan event proc s to donate child’s ba eeds to tt Sanf ilipp le against o sy nd rom e

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14 · S U N D AYS I G N A L

AU G U S T 26, 2018

FROM THE CITY MANAGER

Preparing the next generation through Youth Employment Services

By Ken Striplin

O

Particicpants in the 2018 YES program. COURTESY PHOTO

16720 Mil Potrero Hwy - PMC Unique, charming & quaint woodland cottage with large mahogany entry door opening to 12' high ceilings. Floor to ceiling fireplace wall w/ new pellet insert. $299,000

(661)

242-4107

CaBRE# 01879356 16215 Pine Valley Ln. #103 Pine Mountain Club kurteast@gmail.com

ne of my top priorities, both personally and professionally, is to work Ken Striplin hard to put the pieces in place that will help our community thrive, now and well into the future. also translate to classroom success.

The Youth Employment Services The program, which also caters to (YES) program continues to be one youth from low-income families and such opportunity for teens, which those with special needs, also holds not only helps them find work, but workshops on resume writing, job also gives them the skills and educa- interview simulations and sessions tion needed to succeed. on developing a strong work ethic.

This summer, the YES program The benefit of the YES program provided work readiness and leadis two-fold; teens develop the skills ership skills training to more than they’ll need for their careers and 40 teenagers, ages 15 to 18, as well as businesses get hardworking, loemployment ascal employees sistance to help to help them them get their achieve their T E E N S D E V E LO P foot in the door goals. As a reat businesses THE SKILLS sult, the commuin Santa ClariT H E Y ’ L L N E E D nity comes tota. By teaming gether to ensure FOR THEIR up with College the continued of the Canyons, CAREERS AND success of the loCity staff put cal economy.

BUSINESSES GET on an informaI encourage tive presentation HARDWORKING, business owners, about a variety LO C A L from the smallof career paths est stores to the E M P LOY E E S for teens, as well largest corpoas the skill sets TO H E L P T H E M rations in Santa that are needAC H I E V E T H E I R Clarita, to learn ed for advancemore about beGOALS. ment in the ever coming a partchanging work ner with the environment.

City’s YES program.

Your support By connecting teens with busiis vital.

Parents can also get more nesses in our City through the YES details on what the YES program program, teens are immediately given the opportunity to develop in- entails and see if their teen is eligible by visiting the City’s website, at sanvaluable on-the-job experience that ta-clarita.com/YES. prepares them for future employPreparing future generations for ment. Teens work with a range of successful careers and ensuring that companies in our valley, including our local businesses have a solthose in the retail, entertainment, id workforce bolsters the economdining and education industries, as well as with the City of Santa Clarita ic vitality of our entire community, which is something I believe all of us itself. can say a resounding YES to!

While they are in the program, Ken Striplin is the Santa Clarita YES participants develop critical City Manager and can be reached at thinking, problem solving, organizational and interpersonal skills that kstriplin@santa-clarita.com. 

AU G U S T 26, 2018

S U N D AYS I G N A L · 15

SCVBUSINESS

Patrons travel world without leaving Tiny’s Sub shop has been SCV staple for 43 years

By Ryan Painter

T

ravel posters and memorabilia dot nearly every square-inch of wallspace at Tiny’s Submarine Sandwich Shop in Canyon Country.

Placemats from Rio de Janeiro, street signs from Paris and tapestries from Venezuela stare out into the dining room, turning each customer seated in Tiny’s muted, turquoise booths into a veritable world-traveler.

“A lot of people come to look at all the posters,” said Teri King, whose father, Wayne King, founded Tiny’s. “When my dad was alive, he and my mom traveled the world, and everytime they came back they added to the wall.”

Yet Tiny’s, despite it’s jet-setting heritage, is as local as it gets.

“We started in (Canyon Country in) 1975,” she said. “My dad started it with his friend. He wanted something just quick and easy, nothing fancy.”

Tiny’s got its start after Wayne King noticed a distinct lack of restaurants in the Santa Clarita Valley. Residents, Wayne’s daughter Teri King recalled, were offered few choices.

“When we moved here, the only thing here was McDonald’s,” she said of a mid-70s Canyon Country.

Wayne’s widow, Susan King, echoed a similar sentiment.

“There weren’t any sub shops out here,” said Susan King, who moved to the Santa Clarita Valley in the 1960s. “He looked in the (San Fernando) Valley, but he thought it’d be best to open out here.”

Much of Tiny’s success, she said, has been predicated on one principle — consistency.

Consistency, in this case, extends threefold — to the building, to the product and to the customers.

For one, she said, Tiny’s has remained in the same shopping center since it was founded.

“It was three doors up, on the other side of the strip, for 18 years — but then we moved here in 1994,” she said.

But beyond merely the physical building, Tiny’s, King claims, has thrived on the regularity of its menu.

“We just have a good product,” she said.

“We’ve never changed how we make sandwiches, how much meat we put on them. It’s always been the same.”

This uniformity extends to the ingredients as well, she said. Tiny’s makes its vinegar and oil on-site every morning. Tiny’s employees, King said, never weigh the amount of meat they place onto sandwiches, attempting to cultivate a warm, inviting dining environment.

But for King, the most rewarding consistency is the people — many of whom first frequent Tiny’s as students at Sierra Vista Junior High School and continue to do so into adulthood.

“They come over everyday after school for ice cream,” she said. Tiny’s offers cone — vanilla and chocolate soft serve — for a mere 80 cents.

“They tend to start with ice cream, and then,

[Top] Teri King, owner of Tiny’s Submarine Sandwich Shop shows off one of her sandwiches in the restaurant that features vintage travel memorabilia on the walls. [Above] Tiny’s Sub, the signature sub at Tiny’s in Canyon Country. [Left] Tiny’s soft serve ice cream.

PHOTOS BY KEVIN KARZIN PHOTOGRAPHY LLC

over the years, they move onto sandwiches,” laughed King.

Tiny’s works actively with Sierra Vista and with many of the Hart District campuses to sponsor football, basketball, baseball, soccer and many other teams. Many students, King said, get acquainted with Tiny’s through these partnerships.

Once they get a taste, however, King says they’re there to stay.

“A lot of kids grew up here (at Tiny’s),” she said. “And now they bring in their own kids and grandkids.” *** A customer walks in and King looks up from the faded fluorescent booth in which she’s seated. The Canyon Country sunshine floods in from the floor-to-ceiling windows and illuminates the dining room, dimming the azure hues of the booths and the travel posters. One shows a photo of a white, sandy beach replete with palm trees. It’s written in French.

“Customers would always come in to see where (my parents) had traveled since last time they ate here,” King remarked. “They know they may never get to a lot of the places (my parents) have been.”

“They say they come into Tiny’s to travel.”

Tiny's can be found at 27251 Camp Plenty Road, in Canyon Country. 

16 · S U N D AYS I G N A L

AU G U S T 26, 2018

The Week in Real Estate

H

ow is the housing market?’ is the #1 question that people ask Realtors. It’s great, depending on your position and situation.

Still historically low interest rates benefit both the buyer and the seller. It’s obvious for the buyer, but many sellers become buyers once their home sells. If you are a renter, you need to become a buyer. Period.

The housing market has seasonal swings. Families with children tend to want to close on a home purchase or sale during the summer months before school starts. As the weather cools so does the market.

The current lack of inventory makes finding the perfect home difficult for buyers, and competing with multiple offers can be discouraging. For sellers, low inventory tends to drive home prices up, but pricing for the current market is still critical.

The Santa Clarita Valley enjoys so many advantages, including good local schools, relatively low crime, employment opportunities, proximity to both metropolitan areas and recreational activities. In fact, the SCV has been regularly rated among the best places to live.

It’s why you’re here, and why buyers keep coming here.

It’s a truly great market overall, but is it a great market for you to make a move? Let’s talk.

Ray the Realtor Kutylo

grew up in the Santa Clarita Valley and was first licensed for real estate practice in 1986.

He loves his clients! Ray is skilled in the hard cases: divorce situations, 1031 TDX, trusts, probates, and ‘special’ properties and circumstances. While his team of real estate professionals is awesome, with Ray the Realtor and the SCV Home Team you will never be treated as a number. You will always be treated with respect and get the professional services you expect and deserve.

Contact Ray at 661-312-9461 or Ray@SCVhometeam.com. CA DRE 00918855

SANTA CLARITA VALLEY CLOSED SALES 8/11/18 to 8/17/18 AREA/St#

St Name

ACTON/AGUA DULCE Silverset RD 31238 34923 Garlock RD 6917 Sierra Hwy HY CANYON COUNTRY Bergamot CT 25113 Sierra Hill ST 17612 Bockdale 28283 18761 Oakmoor ST 27336 Dewdrop AV Soledad Canyon RD #37 18223 Oak Spring Canyon RD #2 28955 16944 Shinedale DR 29052 Poppy Meadow ST 17981 Lost Canyon RD #107 17953 Lost Canyon RD #30 26762 Claudette ST #423 19715 Elizabeth WY CASTAIC & VAL VERDE Calcite CT 31925 Agate WY 27629 Gibraltar LN 28003 Bancroft PL 29938 Medford PL 30008 29126 Quincy ST 28040 Sturbridge DR 32231 Big Oak LN 27728 Wilderness PL 28535 Heather LN 31172 Cherry DR NEWHALL 24309 Cheryl Kelton PL 23463 Darcy LN 19844 Sandpiper PL #85 26337 Oakspur DR #A 19660 Crystal Springs CT 27186 Remer CT 18665 Pad CT 26029 Nirvana LN 19845 Ellis Henry CT 24479 Valle Del Oro #201 24438 Leonard Tree LN #101 18853 Tenderfoot Trail RD SAUGUS Garza DR 27371 Santa Clarita RD 27848 Garza DR 27430 Sheffield LN 25452 22618 Cardiff DR 22538 Cardiff DR 28431 Seco Canyon RD #163 28343 Seco Canyon RD #101 20507 Sugarberry CT 28461 Santa Rosa LN 28357 Mirabelle LN 28444 Casselman LN #357 28315 Maitland LN 28342 Nield CT 26241 Prima WY 22603 Barbacoa DR

Sold Price

Br/Ba

Sqft/Source

Price/SqFt

$489,000 $540,000 $465,000

3/2 3/3 3/2

2292/A 2108/A 1344/P

$213.35 $256.17 $345.98

$583,000 $395,000 $445,000 $470,000 $521,000 $335,000 $415,000 $470,000 $560,000 $405,000 $410,000 $345,000 $480,000

2/2 2/1 3/2 3/2 4/2 2/1 4/2 4/3 3/3 3/2 3/2 3/2 3/2

1670/B 1077/A 2050/A 1120/A 1300/SEE 1159/A 1580/A 2050/A 1464/A 1280/A 1339/A 1007/A 1471/A

$349.10 $366.76 $217.07 $419.64 $400.77 $289.04 $262.66 $229.27 $382.51 $316.41 $306.20 $342.60 $326.31

$351,000 $415,000 $557,500 $745,000 $760,000 $505,000 $607,000 $550,000 $600,000 $530,000 $660,000

2/2 3/2 3/2 4/3 5/3 3/3 3/2 4/3 4/3 3/2 5/3

1140/A 1536/A 1788/A 3160/A 3020/A 1512/A 1782/A 2093/A 2358/A 1735/A 3092/A

$307.89 $270.18 $311.80 $235.76 $251.66 $333.99 $340.63 $262.78 $254.45 $305.48 $213.45

$550,000 $764,000 $325,000 $329,000 $517,000 $530,000 $589,900 $595,000 $619,000 $310,000 $330,000 $911,625

3/2 5/4 3/2 2/2 3/2 3/3 3/2 5/3 4/3 2/2 2/2 5/3

1410/A 2952/A 970/A 909/A 1418/A 1794/A 1838/A 2402/A 2420/A 819/A 943/A 3230/A

$390.07 $258.81 $335.05 $361.94 $364.60 $295.43 $320.95 $247.71 $255.79 $378.51 $349.95 $282.24

$495,000 $579,250 $580,000 $530,000 $540,000 $615,000 $399,000 $435,000 $580,000 $380,000 $400,000 $421,500 $610,000 $670,000 $567,000 $540,000

4/2 3/2 3/2 3/2 3/2 3/3 2/2 4/3 4/3 2/2 2/2 2/3 3/2 5/3 2/4 3/2

1260/A 1347/A 1456/A 1158/A 1158/P 1635/A 1059/A 1146/A 2241/A 1121/A 1404/A 1440/A 1887/A 2850/E 2453/A 1416/A

$392.86 $430.03 $398.35 $457.69 $466.32 $376.15 $376.77 $379.58 $258.81 $338.98 $284.90 $292.71 $323.26 $235.09 $231.15 $381.36

AREA/St#

St Name

STEVENSON RANCH 25936 Verandah CT 25258 Steinbeck AV #H 26629 Campbell CT VALENCIA Riverview LN #53 27263 Olive Mill CT 27622 Brookhaven PL 27909 Chervil CT 23271 Lyons AV #150 23515 Lyons AV #168 23515 Mcbean #121 26131 Alicante DR 25563 Palomita DR 26009 25811 El Gato PL 23951 Mill Valley RD 25190 Avenida Rotella 24253 Kirby CT 27574 Cherry Creek DR 22922 Magnolia Glen DR 22970 Las Mananitas DR 28202 Via Sonata DR 28617 Stonegate CT 26958 Pebble Beach DR 26608 Fallen Oak CT 25543 Via Pacifica 23956 Via Onda 27033 Clarence CT 24319 Astor Racing CT 27548 Cherry Creek DR 26922 MONTEREY AV 24611 Garland DR 24709 Garland DR 28477 Herrera ST 28526 Herrera ST 28838 Silversmith DR 27007 Pebble Beach DR #12 26734 Via Amare 27253 Baviera WY 26161 Quartz Mesa LN

Sold Price

Br/Ba

Sqft/Source

Price/SqFt

$1.650 M $362,000 $921,585

5/4 2/2 5/3

3835/A 1035/A 2916/A

$430.25 $349.76 $316.04

$425,000 $679,000 $680,000 $760,000 $234,950 $275,000 $425,000 $459,900 $479,000 $485,000 $540,000 $685,000 $660,000 $505,000 $565,000 $630,000 $549,900 $711,650 $575,000 $1.285 M $690,000 $770,000 $695,000 $699,000 $530,000 $670,000 $960,000 $975,000 $415,000 $415,000 $660,000 $559,000 $610,937 $675,000 $1.250 mil

2/2 4/2 4/3 4/4 1/1 2/2 2/2 2/2 2/2 2/2 3/2 4/3 4/3 3/2 4/2 4/3 3/2 4/4 3/3 5/5 4/2.

4/3.

4/3.

4/3.

3/2.

4/3.

4/3,1 4/5.

2/2,1 2/2,1 4/3.

3/3.

3/3.

3/2,1 5/4,1

1120/A 2363/A 1902/A 2917/AP 675/A 987/A 1154/A 864/O 864/A 909/S 1325/A 2192/A 1995/A 1263/A 1624/A 1976/A 1831/A 2750/A 1632/A 4171/A 1857/A 2935/A 2161/A 2883/A 1263/A 2308/A 3583/A 3376/A 1270/A 1440/A 2236/A 1659/P 1717/A 2215/A 3960/A

$379.46 $287.35 $357.52 $260.54 $348.07 $278.62 $368.28 $532.29 $554.40 $533.55 $407.55 $312.50 $330.83 $399.84 $347.91 $318.83 $300.33 $258.78 $352.33 $308.08 $371.57 $262.35 $321.61 $242.46 $419.64 $290.29 $267.93 $288.80 $326.77 $288.19 $295.17 $336.95 $355.82 $304.74 $315.66

Based on information from the Southland Regional Association of REALTORS®/ Multiple Listing Service for the week ending on 8/17/18. All data, including all measurements and calculations of area, is obtained from various sources and has not been, and will not be, verified by broker or MLS. All information should be independently reviewed and verified for accuracy.

Properties may or may not be listed by the office/agent presenting the information.

AU G U S T 26, 2018

S U N D AYS I G N A L · 17

HOALIVING

Welcome to the community are kept clean, security patrols the neighborhood, in some cases the water and trash bill are taken care of through their dues, so living can be t all begins at 7:00 am with my peaceful, until it's not and in a minphone ringing nonstop: the ute, the HOA from Hell phenomena sprinklers outside my window occurs and I get the calls. are broken and water is hitting Communication is the key to sucmy window, my neighbor’s dog is cess in any business, relationship or barking and woke me up, my neighHOA and one of my most disturbing bor always slams his door, my car was calls is the homeowner that tells me towed, when did the HOA start doing I did not respond to a question. It that “no I did not have a parking per- usually goes like this… “I called you mit”, the gardeners blow dirt into my ten times about that dog; you know patio, I have a late fee on my billing, the one that keeps peeing on the “remove it now, I am plant in front of my never late”, someone house. You need to took my Signal newsstop it from lifting ONE OF paper and “I want its leg NOW!” They you to find out who”, MY MOST hang up without any people don’t pick up phone number, adDISTURBING after their dogs, “fine dress or name. These them”, the kids are CALLS IS THE types of messages making too much are very frustrating HOMEOWNER noise, it's 10:00 pm and I have to take why are there still another deep breath THAT TELLS people in the pool. and wait for them ME I DID NOT Okay, you get the to call back again idea! Welcome to because you know RESPOND TO HOA Living and my they will. My advice A QUESTION. world as a properto homeowners and ty manager. 24/7 their tenants is to 365 days a year, it’s communicate clearly a relentless job that takes all the will with their management company power, tact, communication savvy not just with a phone call but put and diplomacy that one can muster. their issues in writing with all the At the start, newcomers move specific details that pertain to the in and they are not aware of or issue. read all the Rules and Regulations Seems simple, but as a managof the community and how it will er we need to have a detailed paper affect their living. It is so importtrail with the date, times descripant that each new owner takes the tion and even pictures of that dog time to read the information given would be helpful. Make contact as to them by the HOA through their soon as possible so that a follow up Escrow Company. can be made and if it’s an emergenHomeowner Associations opercy make that call right away. Let ate like their own little cities with me give you an example: “Hi Gary, Rules & Regulations, Governing someone broke into my car and took Documents, Board of Directors and everything including that check for Members who are not always willmy HOA dues, guess it will be late!” ing to abide by the laws of the land.

I took another deep breath, “Please Don’t get me wrong, these commugive me all your information (see nities are unique in the fact that above) and when did this occur? “ they take care of most amenities, The caller relayed that it was yesso you can just drive in your garage terday morning and that he just got and be taken care of. around to making the report, hours after the incident had occurred.

Gardener’s mow the lawns, pools

By Gary Choppé HOA Management of Santa Clarita Hoamanagementsc@yahoo.com

I

On this property we have 20 security cameras that our Security Company can view in real-time and they could have responded within a short amount of time and now they have to go back and review hours of video. My point is, as a resident living in an HOA, please be part of

the community and communicate all the time with your Management Company, Security or Board…your voice counts.

Welcome to HOA Living! Please email me your questions, comments or suggestions and lets all try to get along. 

October 27th

18 · S U N D AYS I G N A L

AU G U S T 26, 2018

Looking down from Pig Mountain

D

earest saddlepals? Is that you, still hugging the pillows and sleeping off the previous night’s debauchery? C’mon. It’s Santa Clarita history trail-riding time. I’ve several thousand well-humored ponies downstairs, each a custom fit for your abilities and behinds. Like Wendy, Michael and John Darling in “Peter Pan,” soon as you magically climb aboard, we’re off to explore exciting vistas.

There’s movie stars and moguls, champions, killer bugs and the King of Saxonia. Into the mystic go we…

WAY BACK WHEN & THEN SOME • Ignacio del Valle had an interesting relationship with his dad, Antonio. For one thing, they didn’t get along until Tony was nearly on his deathbed. Like many of the caballeros de ocio (gentlemen of leisure) of his day, Ignacio liked to carouse. To get his attention, his dad offered him the Santa Clarita Valley, a huge ranch in Santa Barbara, plus other fortunes — if only Iggy would settle down, marry and produce an heir. The younger del Valle promptly tested fertile soil with several women and started a family. On Aug. 24, 1853, Tony left

• Women were the downfall of Tiburcio Vasquez. The bandito (after whom Vasquez Rocks is/are/be named) was eventually captured in May 1874 near the present-day Hollywood Bowl. What led to his capture was one of his gang members tattled on his whereabouts (Vasquez was in bed with a lover with the nickname of “La Coneja” (The Rabbit; you do the math). Earlier, Tibby had sent his future snitch on a snark hunt way upstate while he, ahem, “dated” the guy’s wife.

Earlier, on Aug. 26, 1873, Tibby and his gang raided Tres Pinos and took over the entire town. A hotel clerk was gunned down and killed.

Vasquez would later hang for that murder in 1875. Right after lunch.

A weekly trailride through Santa Clarita Valley History

company that still was running like a Dark Ages fiefdom. Within two years, McBean saved NL&F. Had he not? The SCV would have been sold off for scrap, there would be no planned Valencia years later and we’d end up looking like the butt-ugly San Fernando Valley instead of the spectacularly mediocre beige yuppie concentration camp we are today.

by John Boston

AUG. 26, 1938 • When I was a boy, most of the valley was still farm and ranchland. Long before I was born, we raised even more crops. Sugar beets were a bumper crop and Newhall Land sent an average of 20 train car loads a day to be processed in Ventura.

• Five generations of the Reynolds family gathered to help their matriarch, Alice, celebrate her 99th birthday. Her husband had fought in the Spanish-American War of 1846.

• Newhall Land just kept getting luckier. Record rains and the management of Atholl McBean helped guide the company to a profitable year. The rains also produced a natural lake in the hills north of Newhall that pumped out several million gallons of free water for crops and watering stock, including 3,000 sheep tended by Basque sheepherders.

The Time Ranger

half his Rancho San Francisco to his oldest son.

Nice reconciliation considering they fought against one another in the Battle of Cahuenga Pass.

• While hiking from downtown Newhall to Mentryville, Peter Mentry, 77, disappeared mysteriously on Aug. 28, 1886. His bones were found a dozen years later. There were two theories to his death. One, locals surmised that the elder gentlemen died either from the heat or a heart attack or both. Two? Pete was torn apart by a mountain lion. The smart money is on Theory No. 1. His son, legendary oilman Alex Mentry, identified the clothing clinging to the skeleton as that of his father. Alex himself had an odd death in 1900. While he was near death’s door in L.A. from kidney disease and typhoid, he was pushed over the edge and perished from the bite of the notorious local kissing bug, which still dwells in the SCV. Mwa ha ha. Mwa ha.

AUG. 26, 1928 • Film superstar Harry Carey once owned most of San Francisquito and Seco canyons. But, he spent his summers at his Balboa Island home.

The movie star returned to Saugus just to vote in the primary.

AUG. 26, 1933 • Without fanfare, one of the most significant events in SCV history occurred. Atholl McBean was an amazing San Francisco businessman who managed to keep his fortune during the Great Depression. He was married to the granddaughter of Henry Mayo Newhall and was picked to run a nearly bankrupt Newhall Land and Farming Co. on this date. At the time, ALL of the SCV was up for sale for an asking price of $750,000. McBean stepped in, stopped issuing fat monthly checks to the many heirs of Henry “Hold The” Mayo Newhall and modernized a

AUG. 26, 1948 • Ever heard of Pig Mountain? Of course not. It exists on no map. It was the nickname given to a giant — and I do mean GIANT — mound of hog poop in Canyon Country. The hill, especially in the hot summer months, would frequently erupt in spontaneous combustion, sending a toxic cloud of flame and smoke over our valley. Firefighters used to joke about being issued clothespins for their noses when they had to battle the blazes.

• With his own hands, J. Warren MacClatchie tearfully dug the grave for his beloved horse, High Quest. Born in France in 1931, the famous thoroughbred died of a heart attack on this date at his Mint Canyon home. High Quest was pure royalty and a champion. In his day, he won the Preakness (by a nose!) and finished second in the Belmont. His lineage was traced to superstar racers Sir Galahad and Man o’ War. While he made a tidy fortune racing, High Quest made even more money as a stud, fathering 83 winners of more than $700,000 — big money in the 1930s and 1940s.

AU G U S T 26, 2018

S U N D AYS I G N A L · 19

SCVHISTORY

AUG. 26, 1958 • We used to have so many wild deer here. I remember once a stag ran into the side of my car — at Hart Park. CHP officers Bob Moir and Charlie Coudry swerved off the road after hitting a huge buck. They flipped their prowl car and ended up in a ditch.

• Fred S. Cooke of Honby (by Mike’s Tires on Soledad; 252-4455; ask for your John Boston discount and be prepared to get sworn at creatively) died. He traced his lineage to one of California’s first families and left 116 direct descendants.

• Saxonia Park today is a church. But for years, it was THE place to gather for big community events, like the Fourth of July picnic. It started as a German beer garden where all sorts of fests were celebrated by the Southland’s children of the Fatherland. Several SoCal German clubs gathered for their annual games.

Gerhardt Gengelbach was named “King of Saxonia” after taking first in ancient cross bow shooting.

• This week in 1978, the girls from the hit jiggle TV show, “Charlie’s Angels,” were on Walnut Street, AUG. 26 1968 filming an episode. Since debuting in 1976, the franchise in TV, film and games has brought in more • Geez. Remember Diner’s Club credit cards? Rethan $1 billion. Cheryl Ladd was my favorite angel. It’s OK. I wasn’t married yet and Cheryl and I were member. This is 1968. A young Newhall couple litage-appropriate. OK. Want some cool and REAL trivia? John Forsythe was the voice of Charlie. He only appeared once on the set and that was when producer Aaron Spelling was desperate when the actor erally ate themselves out of house and home when who was supposed to be Charlie was so drunk, he didn’t show up to work. Spelling begged Forsythe to they ran up a $3,000 dining tab on their Diner’s rush to the set and the actor did so — in his pajamas. Forsythe never appeared on the set of “Charlie’s Club. Couldn’t pay. Diner’s Club ended up owning Angels” ever again, but did the voice from another studio. their home.

• I can’t tell you how many high-ranking officials have come down on completely opposite sides of this question: Were there missiles with active nuclear warheads stationed at the top of Bear Divide? In the dead of night, a convoy of military trucks slowly rolled through the SCV, through Sand Canyon and up the windy road toward Little Tujunga Canyon. The Army NIKE base, overlooking both Santa Clarita and San Fernando Valleys, was being stripped. The escalating cost of the Vietnam War was blamed for shutting down the base.

• Not exactly a family vacation. The Nunley family of Saugus followed the dad, Don, on a job assignment. Don was filming the Czechoslovakian Revolution. They got stuck with 1,000 American refuges and were almost killed in the fighting between the Czechs and Russians.

AUG. 26, 1978 • One of many reasons why people moved to Valencia was to get away from court-ordered busing of schools where children were sent to inner-city campuses and vice versa. A strange theater was underway at the College of the Canyons parking lot. Sheriff’s deputies, some dressed as housewives and children, were “angrily” battling regular officers in riot gear. It was a prep just in case folks rioted.

• Fewer and fewer old-timers are around who remember Proposition K. It was the ballot measure for the SCV to separate from Los Angeles and form their own county, to be called Canyon County. Signal editor and gossip columnist MIMI jokingly worried that if Prop. K passed, people would call our new government, “Kanyon Kounty.”

John Boston, aka, Mr. Santa Clarita Valley, has been writing about and teaching the history of the SCV for more than 40 years. Recipient of The Will Rogers Lifetime Achievement Award and 119 major journalism honors, he is also author of the historical tome, “Images of America: The Santa Clarita Valley.” 

You either are, or you are not.

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Opinion

AUGGUUSSTT 26, 26, 2018 2018 AU

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

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

OURVIEW

Polarization of America: Hypocrisy, Lies and Good TV, Bad for Reality Unbelieving Believers

By The Signal Editorial Board

T

he well has been poisoned, and we’ve come to conclude it’s no accident. We are witnessing the polarization of America — for profit.

Think about who gains from it: Some politicians, of course. But who really profits from America’s inability to have a civilized conversation?

The national media, and in particular, cable news networks and social media platforms. That’s who.

Yelling at each other and insulting each other and tearing each other down — it’s great theater. It’s good TV. It makes for wildly entertaining threads on social media, where the ability to attract eyeballs equals the ability to profit from online advertising.

It’s bad for America.

And, it’s not a “right or left” issue.

Obviously, much of the focus is on President Trump, whose rhetoric is pro-America yet highly divisive.

But this problem is bigger than any one person, even the president. Both extremes of the political spectrum are guilty of bad behavior, as are the media outlets that cultivate discord.

By David Hegg

Make no mistake — when there’s an opportunity to pit people against each other over something the president or his critics have said, the national media eats it up like candy, and it’s not limited to one side or the other. Just as CNN fans the flames of discord for ratings and profit, so does FOX. It’s to the point where there’s no room for respectful disagreement. Everyone wants to be heard, but no one is willing to listen. If you don’t march in lock-step with the left or the right, they will shout you down, distort your views, engage in intimidation and, in extreme circumstances, will even resort to violence.

Worse, we’re teaching the younger generations that this is how it’s done.

America needs to learn how to once again disagree, agreeably. Remember leaders like John F. Kennedy, Bobby Kennedy, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Ronald Reagan? They unified, See OUR VIEW, page 22

A

s a member of the clergy the past months have been gut-wrenching. We have all watched as men in positions of religious power have been exposed as predatory hypocrites.

Men masquerading as Christ-followers on both sides of the Reformation divide have been exposed, and parishioners and pundits alike have called for appropriate action and increased accountability, and rightly so.

But, the fundamental questions remain. How did this happen? How did the president of the Southern Baptist Convention — the largest Protestant denomination in the country — remain in power so long after tragically mishandling a case involving the rape of a young woman at an institution under his leadership? How did the pastor of Willow Creek Community Church, certainly the most influential Protestant churchman of the last 30 years, involve himself in sexual deviance for so long, even as his personal kingdom continued to thrive?

And how did the leaders of his church fail to act, even when the facts were undeniable? And how were hundreds of Roman Catholic priests protected by the church as they continued molesting and abusing thousands of children?

While inappropriate sexual behavior ravages our society, it is even more despicable when promulgated by those charged by God to preach and practice sexual purity. Add to that the heinous abuse of power demonstrated when those in positions of religious authority use it to manipulate and seduce women and children into sexual activity, and you reach an even deeper level of debauchery.

How does such treachery happen?

That question speaks to the issue of accountability. But when we ask why does this behavior occur, what we’re really talking about are issues of the heart.

Simply put, no amount of accountability can prevent sinful behavior on the part of someone whose aberrant See HEGG, page 22

READERLETTERS

City Addressing Trail Safety with Emergency Locators, More The city of Santa Clarita would like to thank Max Morgan, who penned a letter (Aug. 16) voicing his concerns about safety and directional signage on Santa Clarita trails and bridges. The city agrees that these are important projects to promote safety and has begun the process of implementing these ideas.

The city’s Capital Improvement Projects Division began developing an emergency

locator system for Santa Clarita’s trails last year and plans to roll out new signage by the end of September. City staff will be marking every oneeighth mile on trails with a sign that tells people to call 9-1-1 in case of emergency. Each sign will have a location printed on it and first responders will have those locations mapped out so they can respond appropriately. More information about this project will be disseminated to local media soon.

In regards to adding identifiers to paseo bridge signage and overpasses in the city, a bridge identification plan is in the early discussion

phase between the city’s Public Works Division and Neighborhood Services Division. City staff is working on a solution similar to Mr. Morgan’s proposal, pending budget approval.

The city thanks Mr. Morgan and residents like him who voice their opinions and bring forward ideas on how Santa Clarita can improve safety and continue to be one of the best places to live.

Carrie Lujan, Communications Manager City of Santa Clarita See LETTERS, page 21

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AU G U S T 26, 2018 S U N D AYS I G N A L · 21

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 CO N C LU S I O N S D R E W L I T TO N

The Brown Act and the Holiday Inn Express

By Tim Whyte Signal Editor

I

t turns out, we were all asking the wrong question.

When a College of the Canyons student tried to crash a private meeting hosted on campus

by Rep. Steve Knight, R-Palmdale, and Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue, he felt that he should have been allowed to attend so he could hear what Knight had to say about the meeting’s subject: wildfire issues in our area.

But, the meeting was an invitation-only affair, and the student was asked to leave. The rest of his experience and the debate over how and why he was asked to leave the University Center building — and who called campus security about it — was explored in a news story we carried last week, as well as the “Our View” editorial one week ago today, plus an ad nauseum social media thread that drew more than 1,000 comments.

Through all that, we neglected to ask one important, relevant question, which should have come from the community newspaper. After all, I don’t expect a student, whose focus is on campaigning against Knight, to pick up on the question we didn’t ask.

The questions we DID ask included: Should the meeting have been open to the public because Knight was hosting?

No, he can hold a private meeting.

(However, Knight’s critics contend he is ducking public discussion. He might want to do something about that.)

Should the meeting have been open to the public because it was at COC? No, it’s allowable to book a room to conduct a private meeting at COC. No rules broken there.

Should the meeting have been open to the public because Sonny Perdue was in attendance?

Nope. Cabinet members are not obliged to conduct all of their meetings in public.

BUT... Here’s the question we neglected to ask and answer, until this week, when we developed a follow-up story: In attendance at the meeting were Santa Clarita Mayor Laurene Weste, Mayor Pro Tem Marsha McLean and Councilman Bill Miranda.

That’s one, two, three, count ’em, three members of the Santa Clarita City Council.

A quorum.

The meeting was not an agendized City Council meeting. It was not advertised as being open to the public, and indeed it was not open to the public, as evidenced by the fact that Germain was turned away.

On its face, that makes it look like a potential violation of California’s open meeting law, and the question we should have been asking was: “Did the City Council quorum violate California’s Brown Act?” Confession: The thought crossed my mind briefly last week, but it was a fleeting thought and right now I am kicking myself for letting it fleet right out of the space between my ears. We should have asked it then.

I should have asked it then, as a matter of routine. That’s on me.

But, we’re asking now. It’s the kind of thing a community newspaper should ask: When elected officials gather to discuss issues of local interest, are they meeting their legal obligation to do so in public?

Sometimes, the question is not as easy to answer as it may sound. There are, of course, exceptions to the law that generally requires bodies like city councils to meet in public.

See WHYTE, page 22

LETTERS

Continued from page 20

More on Bike Trails...

About a month ago I decided to ride my bicycle starting at the Iron Horse trailhead. It was a beautiful day. As I started there was an easily marked trail on the south side of the dry riverbed. However, as the trail continued east it sometimes became obscure. When I decided it was time to turn around, I realized the sun was starting to set. Looking back at where I started became a rambling puzzle to me.

There were paths and trails going in several different directions. I didn’t have my cell phone.

I was lost. I kept walking my bike slowly as the night began to set in. I didn’t know which direction to go.

A glimpse of light flashed quickly above the hillside. I was determined to get to the light. There was no trail up this hill so I dragged my bicycle with me to the top. The lights became brighter as I reached the top, where I found a sidewalk next to a busy road of cars going by.

I rode my bike to the nearest shopping center about half a mile away. From there I was able to get help.

I wholeheartedly applaud your

letter (Max Morgan, Aug. 5), “Great City Bike Trails, But...” in the Sunday Signal.

Susan Carter, Castaic Editor’s note: We’re glad you safely found your way off the trail!

Please see the previous letter from city spokeswoman Carrie Lujan (page 20) for information on the steps the city of Santa Clarita is taking to improve safety and signage on the city’s network of bike trails.

Open Best Seats to All When I called the College of the Canyons box office to get tickets for this season (Santa Clarita Performing Arts Center), I was told that, again, the best seats already had been sold to donors. This is unfair. As a senior citizen on a fixed income, I cannot afford to donate $1,000 or more each season to get the best seats. All of us in the Santa Clarita Valley pay taxes to support the theater, so the process of buying tickets must be fair to everyone.

Tippi Lewis, Santa Clarita 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.

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Opinion

HEGG

Continued from page 20

sexual desires have been fed while hiding behind a well-maintained facade of piety. But make no mistake. God hates sin, and those who hide behind his Name while intentionally transgressing his law will suffer his discipline, or worse.

In every case where behavior violates the basic rights of others, we often hear about extenuating circumstances. Powerful people find all manner of ways to excuse their aberrant activity. They’re stressed, fatigued, misunderstood, or maybe they have been abused, maligned, or victimized themselves. But here’s the truth. What happens to us certainly can put huge challenges and obstacles in our way. They will bear influence on us, but — and get this — they are not determinative. Regardless of what we’ve faced or felt, unless we have been rendered unable to make our own choices, we are still responsible for the choices we make and the things we do.

Perhaps the best-known Old Testament scripture is the beautiful depiction of God as shepherd found in Psalm 23. The care of the shepherd for his sheep is expressed in ways that show his heart of love for those he leads, feeds and protects. But one phrase holds the key to

WHYTE

Continued from page 21

For example, they are allowed to conduct “closed session” meetings on issues like personnel, real estate negotiations and “pending litigation,” an exception that public agencies often abuse. (Back in the ’90s, during my first go-round with The Signal, we had quite a spat with the city government at the time over a series of closed session council meetings they held to discuss strategy to defeat a proposed landfill. They chalked it up to “pending litigation” even though there was no “pending” litigation whatsoever.)

There are other circumstances that allow a quorum to gather without it being a publicly noticed meeting. For example, it’s OK for ceremonial things, like those times when they all go to a ribbon cutting or groundbreaking and pose for pictures with giant scissors or golden shovels. This, while wearing hard hats, as if any of them are going to do actual construction. But, I digress. That doesn’t have to be an agendized City Council meeting, either.

understanding how those who work for God can end up disobeying his commands.

In verse 4 we read, “He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.” Here’s the simple yet profound truth. The religious leaders making tragic headlines have stopped following their shepherd down the paths of righteousness.

At some point, probably gradually, they started telling themselves an alternate story. They started believing their own lies. They slowly determined that obeying their lusts was a better option than keeping their promises to God and their people.

While their shepherd was pointing out the paths of righteousness, they chose another path, and at that point, became unbelieving believers.

Sadly, we’re all susceptible to this delusion.

And while we might conjure up some sense of moral superiority when we hear how the mighty have fallen, the better response is to search our own hearts. Never forget, whatever you believe should make you a better person. And when what you believe stops driving better behavior, you’ve really stopped believing it.

After all, hypocrisy feeds on the lies we tell ourselves, no matter who we are.

David Hegg is senior pastor of Grace Baptist Church and a Santa Clarita resident.“Ethically Speaking” appears Sundays. 

If all five council members show up at a birthday party, that’s OK too — so long as they don’t discuss city business.

And, they can go to conferences and conventions, etc., in which they are not gathering to specifically discuss matters within the city’s jurisdiction.

There’s the rub as it applies to the Knight-Perdue meeting.

The city is arguing that this meeting is akin to a conference or seminar, in which they were discussing things that aren’t in the city’s jurisdiction. As of Thursday afternoon, the city was refusing to let us interview City Attorney Joe Montes about it — which seems odd — but they replied to our query with a written statement that said, in part: “Meetings held to discuss subject matters within the jurisdiction of the City Council are subject to the Brown Act. However, last Wednesday’s event with Secretary Perdue and Congressman Knight does not fall within the requirements for a Brown Act noticed meeting by the local jurisdiction, as the subject of management, safety and prevention of wildfires on federal lands is not within the subject matter jurisdiction of the City Council.”

OUR VIEW

Continued from page 20

with positivity, not insults.

Our national media need to learn how to reward that kind of behavior, rather than the inflammatory behavior they are rewarding now.

Something has to change, because the current environment is literally tearing America apart. In a 2017 Reuters poll, 16.4 percent of respondents said they had stopped talking to a family member or close friend because of political disagreement.

More than 17 percent had blocked a family member or close friend from their social media accounts, and 13.4 percent said they had ended a relationship with a family member or close friend.

Literally, families have been torn apart — and it’s a safe bet that those percentages have increased in the past year.

On a national level and on a local one, we need to bring the conversation back to the high road. Collectively, we all need to be more tolerant of opposing viewpoints, and make more of an effort to understand where the other side is coming from. That’s not to say we can’t disagree, but we accomplish a lot more with persuasive positivity, without tearing each other down.

It can start locally. As the Nov. 6 election approaches, these are the qualities we will be looking for in the candidates seeking to represent the Santa Clarita Valley and its residents. 

I am not an attorney, but I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night, so... I think the argument about jurisdiction is a little tenuous. While the Angeles National Forest is not technically within city limits, it basically SURROUNDS the city. I could hit a 9-iron shot from my front yard and, if I hit it straight, it’ll land in the Angeles National Forest.

Last I checked, a major fire in the Angeles National Forest is a pretty big deal for Santa Clarita and its residents. If you live on the outer edge of the city and the forest is burning across the street, city resources will undoubtedly be called upon, and you’re damn straight going to feel like that issue is within the city’s “subject matter jurisdiction.”

It’s a question of interpretation. We talked to a couple of media law attorneys who lean more toward believing the meeting should have been public, but it’s the sort of thing that would have to be tested in court if anyone were so inclined to pursue it.

In my humble, non-attorney opinion, the meeting should have been open to the public because three City Council members attended to discuss a local issue of interest to city residents.

So, I’d say Phillip Germain, after all, should have been allowed into the meeting — just not for the reasons he originally thought.

Do I think the city intentionally did something that might be viewed as a Brown Act violation? No. Let’s be real.

This wasn’t a decision-making meeting.

It was a photo op with the secretary of agriculture for Knight and three council members seeking re-election.

I mean, they talked about using goats as a wildfire prevention measure. (It just might be silly enough to work...)

If I were advising the city going forward (not that anyone’s asking), I would just make the following suggestion: When you have a meeting like this one that might raise eyebrows about a potential Brown Act violation, just pick two council members to go. I don’t care how you choose (rock-paper-scissors?) but at least then it’s bulletproof: No quorum, no pesky questions about the Brown Act. Tim Whyte is editor of The Signal.

His column appears Sundays. Email: twhyte@signalscv.com. Twitter: @TimWhyte. 

AU G U S T 26, 2018

S U N D AYS I G N A L · 23

THIS WEEK’S CALENDAR

ONGOING Santa Clarita City Council Meetings second and fourth Tuesday of every month (except summer hiatus second meeting in July and the first meeting in August) 6 p.m. Council meetings are also broadcast live on SCV TV channel 20 and on the city's website. Santa Clarita City Hall, City Council Chambers, 23920 Valencia Blvd., Santa Clarita. Next meeting Aug. 28. Info: City Clerk's office Clerk's office: (661) 255-4391.

Sundays 7:30 a.m. Dragon Boat Paddling.

Experience a long Dragon boat with the Castaic Lake Dragon Boat team and a two-hour physical workout. Free, no experience necessary. Paddle and PFD personal flotation device provided.

Info: https://teamdragoneyes.my-free.website (213) 447-5707.

Saturdays and Sundays 1-4 p.m. The Santa Clarita Valley Historical Society invites guests to visit Heritage Junction Historic Park inside William S. Hart Park in Newhall. Tours are held every Saturday and Sunday, 1-4 p.m. 24101 Newhall Ave, Newhall. Info: https://scvhs.org.

Tuesdays 7:30-8:30 p.m. Remo Community Drumming Experience is an hour of fun entry-level experiential music making with drums and percussion that is accessible to everyone. Family-friendly environment with facilitator. All ages and levels of ability are welcome and no prior musical experience is necessary. Drums and percussion instruments provided at no cost. Free. Info: santaclaritaarts.com.

Saturdays thru Dec. 8 8 a.m.-noon. Trails & Open Space Beautification Projects. Join a group of dedicated volunteers and help clean up and maintain City trails. Interested volunteers must pre-register at SantaClaritaVolunteers.com.

Saturdays 11 a.m. Family Nature Walk and a Native Live Animal Presentation at 1 p.m. Free. Placerita Nature Center, 19152 Placerita Canyon Road, Newhall. Info: www.placerita.org.

Second Saturday of the month 8 a.m. a docent led Bird Walk for beginning to advanced birders. Bring binoculars, a field guide, and water. 19152 Placerita Canyon Road, Newhall.

Info: www.placerita.org.

First, second and third Thursdays of each month 6-9 p.m. ARTree Figure Drawing. Visit ARTree Community Arts Center for a chance to really explore your creative potential using a

live model. Just drop in and bring a pencil and paper. $10 donation. ARTree Community Arts Center, 22508 6th St., Newhall. Info: http:// theartree.org.

Saturdays and Sundays (except rainy days and holidays) 9:30 a.m.-noon. The Gibbon Conservation Center is open to the public. A tour is given at 10 a.m. and self-guided tours are available at all times. Admission: $15 (adults); $12 (teens and students); $10 (seniors); $5 (children 6-12); $0 (Children under 5). Gibbon Conservation Center, 19100 Esguerra Road Saugus. Info: http://www.gibboncenter.org Now thru Oct. 1. “Pettable Paintings,” is animal-themed artwork

by Santa Clarita artist, Janine Cooper Ayres where guests are encouraged to touch the artwork. Newhall Community Center, 22421 Market St., Newhall. Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Info: jbarber@santa-clarita.com or www.SantaClaritaArts.com.

Preschool Storytime. Mondays, 10-11 a.m., thru Sept. 17. Listen to stories, sing songs, learn rhymes, and do other fun activities. Ages 3-5 with an adult caregiver. Castaic Library, 27971 Sloan Canyon Road, Castaic, (661) 257-7410, lacountylibrary. org/libs/Castaic/.

Baby-Toddler Storytime. Wednesdays, 10-10:45 a.m., Aug. 15-Sept. 12. Listen to stories, sing songs, learn rhymes and do other fun activities.

Ages 0 - 3 with an adult caregiver. Castaic Library, 27971 Sloan Canyon Road, Castaic, (661) 257-7410, lacountylibrary.org/libs/ Castaic/.

EVENTS BY DATE Sunday, Aug. 26 ~11:30 a.m. CBS Film Series presents Land of Milk and Funny. $5 per ticket includes lunch and popcorn. This hilarious and uplifting film views Israel through the eyes of society’s funniest observers: comedians. All profits goes to the synagogue, Congregation Beth Shalom. CBS Social Hall 21430 Centre Pointe Parkway, Santa Clarita. Info: Email cbsfilmseries@gmail.com or http://cbs-scv.org.

Tuesday, Aug. 28 ~ 4-5 p.m.

Imagination Playground. Build animals, rocket ships, robots using Imagination Playground Blocks.

Ages 5-12. Castaic Library, 27971 Sloan Canyon Road, Castaic, (661) 257-7410,

= Family Friendly Event lacountylibrary.org/libs/Castaic/.

Thursday, Aug. 30 ~7 a.m.-7:30 p.m. Henry Mayo Blood Drive. To schedule your appointment: visit redcrossblood.org and enter Sponsor Code: HenryMayo or call 1-800-Red Cross.

Refreshments and Snacks will be provided. Photo I.D. required. Henry Mayo Center, Education Rooms 5,6, 23803 McBean Parkway, Valencia.

Info: redcrossblood.org Saturday, Sept. 1 ~10 a.m.-1 p.m.

Flutterby Open Art Studio is a no-charge open art studio held on the first Saturday of each month for kids and their parents to come in and make art. All art materials are provided. Free. ARTree Community Arts Center, Studios One and Two, 22508 6th St., Newhall. Info: santaclaritaarts.com or theartree.org.

Saturday, Sept. 1 ~ Noon. Classical Concert with Pianist John Pramik Celebrate the first day of Autumn with classical masterpieces performed by renowned pianist John Pramik. Program includes works by Beethoven, Chopin, Bach. Also enjoy the lively tunes of Scott Joplin's Ragtime and movie

themes. SCV Senior Center, Dining Room, 22900 Market St., Newhall. Info: Robin Clough email rclough@scv-seniorcenter.org, (661) 259-9444.

Thursday, Sept. 6 ~ 6:30-8:30 p.m. Top 30 Plants for the SCV Not sure what plants to use in your landscape?

We’ve taken the guess work out by identifying the top 30 plants that look beautiful and grow well in the SCV. They’ll make a great addition to your landscape. Santa Clarita Valley Water Agency, 27234 Bouquet Canyon Road, Saugus 91350. Info: https://yourscvwater.com/index. php/event/top-30-plants-for-the-scv/ Friday, Sept. 7 ~ 5:30-7:30 p.m. Hiking and Snake Bite Prevention and Treatment. This is a free community event and will focus on hiking in and around the SCV. A naturalist from Placerita Canyon Nature Center will discuss snake prevalence, identification, and safety measures to take while in snake country. Live snakes will be on hand. An emergency room nurse from Henry Mayo will discuss venomous snake bite treatment. Limited seating. Registration is required. Henry Mayo Fitness and Health, 24525 Town Center Drive, Valencia, Community Education Center Room 2. Info: (661) 200-2300. 

! N! !

N I W WI WIN CONGRATULATIONS to Helen Pelland of Newhall — the winner of $100 for correctly identifying the artwork as being from The Canyon Santa Clarita advertisement on page 28 of our Aug. 12 issue.

Identify this piece of artwork and the page number that it is on in one of the advertisements in this week’s issue, and you will be entered to win $100. One game and one winner each week.

Mail your entry to: The Signal – Contest 26330 Diamond Place | Santa Clarita, CA 91350 Or email to: contest@signalscv.com Advertiser: Page # Name: Address:

Phone:

This week’s entries are due Wed. Sept. 5th.

Winner to be announced in 2 weeks.

24 · S U N D AYS I G N A L

AU G U S T 26, 2018

THINGSTO DO

Labor Day Getaways

By Michele E. Buttelman

L

abor Day, the official “end of summer” is nearly here. How did that happen? Wasn’t it just yesterday we were planning our summer fun escapes to the beach, the mountains and our official “summer family vacations?”

Here are a few ideas for your last-minute Labor Day Getaway.

Coronado

Coronado is just 10 minutes from downtown San Diego via the Coronado Bridge.

You don’t have to stay in Coronado to have a great time visiting Coronado.

Last minute vacation rentals should be easy to find, as long as you are not too particular about where you stay in the San Diego area.

A “must see” attraction is the historic Hotel del Coronado, known as “Hotel Del” to the locals.

Built in 1888 and designated a National Historic Landmark in 1977, the Hotel del Coronado was built by Elisha Babcock, Jr., and Hampton L. Story who dreamed of building a seaside resort that would be “the talk of the Western world.”

The resort has been visited by celebrities, dignitaries and U.S. presidents. Learn more about the hotel and its history by visiting the Est. 1888 store in the hotel lobby for history display cases.

Make your way to the downstairs history hallway to view large historic photographs.

Est. 1888 store at the Hotel Del Coronado, 1500 Orange Ave., Coronado, 92118.

No trip to Coronado would be complete without a visit to Coronado Beach, 919 Ocean Blvd., Coronado, 92118. Spot the famous Hotel Del and you’ve found the south end of the

1.5-mile long shore of Coronado Beach. Known for its gentle waves and pristine sand, Coronado Beach was named one of the top 10 beaches of 2017.

Free parking is available on nearby streets.

At the beach you’ll find bathrooms, showers, fire pits and a place for dogs to run at the North end.

Parking can be tricky on the weekends during tourist season, especially along Ocean Avenue near the beach. However, search the nearby neighborhoods for street parking and plan to walk a few blocks.

A fun way to explore Coronado Island is to rent bicycles.

Wheel Fun Rentals, 1500 Orange Ave., Coronado, 92118; (619) 342-7244, www.wheelfunrentals. com Ray's Rentals Coronado Island, 2000 2nd St., Coronado, 92118; (619) 655-1062, www.rays-rentals. com/locations/coronado-island For more information about Coronado visit http:// coronadovisitorcenter.com/ coronado-visitor-guide/

Big Bear

Affordable, relaxing accommodations may still be available to rent for Labor Day Weekend in Big Bear. Visit https://book.bigbear. com/search-brand.php for links to vacation rentals.

If you stay the weekend, or simply drive up for the day, pack a picnic to enjoy at one of the beautiful outdoor picnic spots in Big Bear Lake.

These spots are available yearround. The end of summer is a wonderful time to enjoy the lush shade trees and the gentle breezes off Big Bear Lake.

Picnic spots: Boulder Bay Park, 39148 Big Bear Blvd.

Lakefront city park with spectacular views of iconic Boulder Bay. Picnic tables, gazebo, fishing pier, lake access, public Auburn Courthouse in Gold Country

Coronado

Big Bear

restrooms and parking lot. Grassy area where you can spread out a blanket and relax. Kayak rentals and general store within walking distance.

Happy Hills Trail, 39707 Big Bear Blvd.

Shady forested picnic area. Tall pines dotted and historic cabins along a small creek.

Picnic tables, bear-proof trash cans and parking is on the west end of the Big Bear City Hall.

Aspen Glen Picnic Area, 40105 Mill Creek Road.

This shady, forested picnic area is a day use area only. There is a community fire ring, picnic tables, BBQs, parking and public restrooms. Requires a $5 Adventure Pass for parking. Adventure Passes are available at the Big Bear Visitors Center or the Discovery Center.

Rotary Pine Knot Park, 481 Bartlett Road.

Small lakefront park near the Village. Picnic tables, benches, grassy area to spread out a blanket for a picnic or just relaxing and enjoying the views. Small playground for

AU G U S T 26, 2018

S U N D AYS I G N A L · 25

THINGSTO DO

Big Sur

children and public restrooms on site. Park in the Bartlett Parking Lot in the Village and head towards the lake.

For more information about Big Bear and nearby visit www.bigbear. com.

San Simeon, as well as sea otters riding the surf, kids will love looking for wildlife along Highway 1. Starting from Andrew Molera State Park, the Ventana Wildlife Society conducts two-hour tours that scan the skies for California condors.

Highway 1 Road Trip

Gold Country

Scenic Highway 1 is back. Now you, too, can buy your own “I Survived Highway 1” bumper sticker for your car or RV. See redwood forests, towering cliffs and breathtaking coastal views.

Highway 1 ranks among the world’s most spectacular stretches of road.

While Highway 1 celebrates natural beauty, be sure to check out its landmark structures as you go. No Highway 1 trip is complete without a stop at Hearst Castle, (tours sell out, reserve your tour early). The Big Sur coast has always been a treacherous stretch for ships, and two historic lighthouses that have helped guide mariners are open for tours. Just minutes from Hearst Castle, Piedras Blancas Light Station dates to 1875.

Farther north, Point Sur Lighthouse commands a volcanic outcrop that offers one of the most amazing panoramas along this stretch of coast.

The “must see” attraction of Highway 1 is 15 miles from Carmel, pull over at one of the turnouts to grab a selfie at Bixby Bridge, the epic arched span, opened in 1932, that crosses over a 260-foot-deep chasm.

With hundreds of massive elephant seals barking at Piedras Blancas near

Tour the Sierra foothill Gold Country along Highway 49 and explore the Gold Rush towns of Angels Camp, Sutter Creek, Jackson and Nevada City, which is one of California’s best-preserved Victorian relics (the entire downtown is designated a National Historic Landmark).

No road in California combines history and scenery the way Highway 49 does. Begin in Old Town Auburn and head out toward Coloma south to Placerville, which is especially scenic, as is the portion from Angels Camp to Sonora.

If you need a place to stay while exploring Gold Country the area abounds with bed and breakfasts (www.bedandbreakfast.com/ gold-country-california.html). You can also look for lodgings in Sacramento and Grass Valley.

As you tour Gold Country make a stop at Malakoff Diggins State Historic Park. The park’s dramatically eroded landscape is a remnant of the world’s largest hydraulic mine, where water cannons were used to wash away whole mountainsides in the search for gold. Open daily; 26 miles See GETAWAYS, page 40

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THINGS TO DO

26 · S U N D AYS I G N A L

AU G U S T 26, 2018

When you wish upon a star…

The Local Group Astronomy Club of Santa Clarita Valley. PHOTO COURTESY OF DAVE FLYNN

Best places to gaze

By Michele E. Buttelman

W

Near the SCV

Dave Flynn, president of The e’ve all seen the Local Group Astronomy Club of stars on HolSanta Clarita Valley, said there are lywood Boule- many places fairly close to home vard, as well as where residents can get a good look the occasional celebrity or two at the stars. in the grocery store, Costco or “The hard part is that Sanat the Mall. ta Clarita is right next to a major However, to see real stars and metropolitan area and that always celestial objects in the night makes it difficult,” he said. sky you need Flynn advisto travel miles es if you want to away from the really see beauA SHORT light pollution tiful, dark night DRIVE UP SAN of city lights. skies head north F R A N C I S Q U I TO Think deon either the I-5 ROAD OR serted beachor state Route 14 es to the High BOUQUET (Antelope Valley Sierra, from Freeway).

C A N YO N R O A D mountaintop The Local CAN GIVE observatories Group AstronYO U G O O D to vast, darkomy Club of the S TA R G A Z I N G sky deserts, as Santa Clarita Valplaces you can ley hosts quarOPTIONS. contemplate terly stargazing the majesty and nights at Vasquez mystery of the universe.

Rocks Natural Area. The next For best stargazing opportunievent will be held Saturday, Oct. 6 ties check a calendar that shows at 6 p.m. The Vasquez Rocks Public the phases of the moon and try to Star Party will be held at 10700 W. Escondido Canyon Road, Agua find a night with the least moonlight. You can also find moon rise Dulce, 91350.

“We will have lots of telescopes and moon setting times, (www. set up viewing planets, nebulae, timeanddate.com/moon/usa/ star clusters and distant galaxies,” los-angeles) as well as sunset and sunrise times (www.timeanddate. he said. Sundown is at 6:30 p.m.

Guests should enter the com/sun/usa/los-angeles) online. park via the main gate, turn left at the ranger station and continue to the end of the road past the large rocks.

Flynn said this summer has been a good time for viewing Mars, Venus, Jupiter and Saturn.

Another tip Flynn offers up is to look for meteors, “shooting stars,” from midnight to 2 a.m.

Flynn said stargazing can be very rewarding from the ocean shore.

“However, there is

often a deep marine layer and you can’t see anything,” he said. “If it is a clear night look out to the West and you can often see some wonderful stars.”

A short drive up San Francisquito Road or Bouquet Canyon Road can also give you good stargazing options, said Flynn.

“Look for turnouts along the road that will give you a good view of the night sky,” he said.

“To see satellites and meteors you want to be looking straight up into the night sky.”

Flynn said the canyon walls in some locations help to block the surrounding low light.

He said the best time to see satellites is right after dusk when the objects still reflect light from the sun.

“You should see a couple of satellites within a couple of hours,” Flynn said.

Another common sight in the night sky is the International Space Station. You can be alerted by text to when the station will be overhead at your location by signing up for text alerts at Sport the Station (https://spotthestation.nasa.gov/)

Camping

If you want to go on a stargazing camping expedition Flynn recommends Red Rock Canyon State Park (www.parks.ca.gov/?page_ id=631). The park is 25 miles northeast of Mojave on Highway 14.

“There are camping areas east of Bishop that are fabulous,” he said.

“The White Mountains, the Sequoias and the Owens Valley will also give you beautiful views of the stars,” he said.

Table Mountain in the Angeles National Forest is another great

The desert and mountains are good places to view the stars. COURTESY PHOTO

camping location for stargazing.

Flynn said he used to take his telescope out to the area around California City, but night off-roaders would often kick up clouds of dust.

Other camping areas include Joshua Tree Natural Park (www. nps.gov/jotr/index.htm), if you can get a campsite.

“Head toward Barstow and Lake Havasu for wonderful stargazing,” he said. “You are far away from everything and there are spectacular views.”

Observatories and Planetariums

Sometimes the best stargazing takes place indoors, including at the one spot where Hollywood and astronomy do collide: Griffith Observatory (www.griffithobservatory.org). Recognizable from films such as “The Terminator” and “Rebel Without a Cause,” the iconic Art Deco facility features exhibits, lectures and films, as well as stunning city views.

The L.A. area has another observatory, the Mount Wilson Observatory (www.mtwilson.edu), sitting at an elevation of 5,700 feet above the

AU G U S T 26, 2018

S U N D AYS I G N A L · 27

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

Herman’s Hermits Starring Peter Noone Bring British Invasion to Canyon Santa Clarita Sept. 2

By Stephen K. Peeples

W

hen Herman’s Hermits starring singer-actor and TV-radio host Peter Noone land at the Canyon Santa Clarita Sunday, Sept. 2, it’ll be like the 1960s British Invasion all over again.

Noone was just a 15-year-old schoolkid in Manchester when he became the group’s lead singer in 1963, as original fans know (and younger fans discover by tuning in to Noone’s acclaimed “Something Good” show on Sirius-XM Channel 6 on Saturday afternoons).

Discovered by impresario Harvey Lisberg, Noone and the group connected with producer Mickie Most (The Animals, Lulu, Donovan) and scored their first U.K.-U.S. hit in autumn 1964 with “I’m Into Something Good.”

For the next four years, Herman’s Hermits scored hit after hit – “Can’t You Hear My Heartbeat,” “Silhouettes” (The Rays’ doo-wop classic), “Mrs. Brown You’ve Got a Lovely Daughter” (first U.S. No. 1), “Wonderful World” (a nod to Sam Cooke with Jimmy Page on guitar), “I’m Henry the VIII, I Am” (recorded

in one take and the second U.S. No. 1), “Just a Little Bit Better,” “A Must to Avoid,” “Listen, People,” “Leaning on the Lamp Post,” “Dandy,” “There’s a Kind of Hush” and “No Milk Today.”

Teenage girls went nuts over Noone and his boyish looks, crooked teeth and goofy facial expressions.

His toothy grin graced the covers of fanzines worldwide, and even Time Magazine on May 21, 1965.

The Hermits made their “Ed Sullivan Show” debut just two weeks later; by then, Beatlemaniacs were being out-screamed by younger “Noonatics.”

“We were the same age as the audience, which was different from The Beatles – they were already men, but we were still boys,” Noone said on a recent call from his home in the Santa Barbara area.

(In)famously out-selling The Fab Four in the U.S. in ’65, Herman’s Hermits eventually sold 60 million records, amassed 14 gold singles and seven gold albums, and earned Cashbox’s “Entertainer of the Year” accolade twice before Noone disbanded the group and went solo in 1971.

He has orbited in the music, film, TV and Broadway universe ever since (check out his website (https://peternoone.com/) and IMBD page (https://

Peter Noone

www.imdb.com/name/nm0634760/) for way too many credits to list here).

Noone reconstituted Herman’s Hermits in the ’80s, and they play around 200 gigs a year. The day after we spoke, he was off to Hyannis, Massachusetts to share a bill with Tommy James & The Shondells.

“It’s been the same guys for 20-something years,” he said. “Dave Ferrara (drums) has been in the longest, but he’s the youngest. Vance Breschia (guitar) wrote songs for The Monkees. Billy Sullivan (guitar)was with Gary Puckett & The Union Gap. And Rich Spina (keyboard) was with Mitch Ryder and The Raspberries. So, we’ve got good guys, we all like each other, and musically, we’re on the same page.

“We start with ‘I’m Into Something Good,’ then do ‘Wonderful World’ and all the hits,” Noone said.

“And I throw in ideas – songs by the Stones, The Monkees, The Beatles, Johnny Cash, Conway Twitty – even Tom Jones. We know 300 songs, so what we do just depends on how good the audience is. We have a fun show.”

At 70, Noone says he’s still living the dream. “I’m a fan of music, and I get to do it,” he said. “I get to play with Tommy James, hang out with Tom Jones. I

see the Stones when they’re around. For a musician, it doesn’t get much better.”

Local talent Savannah Burrows will be opening for Noone and Herman's Hermits. *****

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 TicketMaster.com. For more info, visit WheremusicmeetstheSoul.com.

Stephen K. Peeples is a Grammy-nominated record producer and award-winning radio producer and journalist based in the Santa Clarita Valley. He has covered the SCV music scene for local media since 2004. Contact him via stephenkpeeples.com. 

LABOR DAY 2018

city of Pasadena. It specializes in weekend solar viewings for the public.

In San Diego County, the Palomar Mountain Observatory (www.astro. caltech.edu/palomar) is operated by Caltech and is home to a 200-inch telescope, for decades the world’s largest. Guided and self-guided daytime tours are offered. There is also a nearby campground where you can stay.

San Diego’s Fleet Science Center (www.rhfleet.org) in Balboa Park has astronomer-led planetarium shows in its Giant Dome Theater the first Wednesday of the month.

SALE

California Desert

California’s deserts are a paradise for stargazers, providing some of the best views of heavenly bodies in the world. The International DarkSky Association has named three Golden State locales as International Dark Sky Parks: Joshua Tree National Park, Anza-Borrego Desert State Park and Death Valley National Park. All three parks, situated far from city light pollution, offer ranger-led and visitor-center astronomy programs (Joshua Tree holds its Night Sky Festival in November), as well as camping options.

The town of Borrego Springs, which is completely surrounded by Anza-Borrego state park (California’s largest), has long been a popular destination for sky watchers. In 2009, the Dark-Sky Association named Borrego Springs the second Dark Sky Community in the world; astronomy events take place here year-round. The Oasis at Death Valley (formerly known as the Furnace Creek Inn) is a historic property built in 1927 that’s also a popular landing spot for astronomy groups and star parties in the heart of Death Valley.

See STARGAZING, page 28

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28 · S U N D AYS I G N A L

STARGAZING

Continued from page 27

California Mountains

You can get a front-row seat to the cosmos at many high-elevation, dark-sky spots like Yosemite and Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park. Each park offers ranger-led astronomy programs and tours.

Just up I-5 the Santa Clarita Valley’s The Local Group Astronomy Club (www.lgscv.org) offers its monthly observing outing by Mt. Frazier.

The public is welcome to join the group and you do not need a telescope.

The next outing will be held on Saturday, Sept. 8 at 7 p.m. Sundown is at 7:09 p.m. The site is located up

the hill from the Chuchupate Ranger Station off Frazier Mountain Road, (34580 Lockwood Valley Road, Frazier Park, 93225).

“It’s a great location with a public parking lot,” said Flynn. “Get there before sunset and park with your headlights away from the telescopes.”

Flynn said guests should bring red flashlights only.

“Red flashlights don’t impact your night vision as much,” he said.

Many practiced stargazers consider wintertime the best season for Yosemite star watching and the famed Glacier Point overlook is the place to find the best views. In addition, the park’s Tenaya Lodge offers a Perseid Meteor Shower Package in mid-August (now is the time to plan for next year’s show) to coincide with the annual display of shooting stars. Sequoia and Kings Canyon offers a

AU G U S T 26, 2018

7,200-foot elevation for a Dark Sky Festival in September.

The Coast

If the weather is cooperating and the fog has cleared out, the coastal night skies shimmer with stars, particularly in areas far from population centers. Las Flores Ranch Park (www.cityofsantamaria.org/city-government/...parks/get.../los-flores-ranch-park), a 1,700-acre preserve south of Santa Maria in Santa Barbara County, schedules stargazing parties with a variety of astronomical societies. To really get away from pesky light pollution head out to sea for some camping on one of the five islands that comprise the Channel Islands National Park (www.nps.gov/chis/index.htm).

For more information on The Local Group Astronomy Club of SCV visit www.lgscv.org. 

AU G U S T 26, 2018

S U N D AYS I G N A L · 29

YOURHOME

Choosing the right window treatments

By Metro Connection

P

lantation shutters? Mini-blinds?

Cafe curtains? Formal draperies?

Homeowners' options in regard to window treatments for their homes are extensive, which can make outfitting home interiors challenging for novice decorators.

Some people do not pay a lot of attention to window treatments, failing to realize just how great an impact the right window treatments can have on a space. According to the design experts at Hunter Douglas, window treatments are often an afterthought because residents may not consider them necessities.

As a result, homeowners may install whatever is on hand or accept window treatments that came with a house or apartment. But ignoring window treatments, especially when they can fulfill certain needs, is a missed design opportunity.

One of the first steps to choosing window treatments is determining your end goal.

Is privacy your main goal? Are you seeking more natural light in a room? Is there too much light and you need to darken the room?

Window treatments can serve multiple functions, and some treatments may make better fits depending on homeowners' ultimate goals.

Semi-sheer window treatments

Semi-sheer window treatments are often fabric and can help brighten rooms with natural light but offer little privacy. They're usually appropriate for spaces where people gather, such as living rooms, dens or dining rooms. Semi-sheer curtains may be paired with another complementary window treatment so privacy can be customized as needed.

For example, sheer curtains let light into a bedroom, but shades can be drawn at night.

Do-able weekend home projects

Maximum privacy

Bedrooms, work spaces or bathrooms can benefit from extra privacy. While some people may think that privacy comes at the cost of light, that's not always the case.

Functional curtain panels can be drawn closed when privacy is desired and then opened to let in light.

The thickness of the fabric will also dictate the amount of privacy the panels create.

Tiers are hung on a short rod-pocket panel and usually cover the lower one-third of a window. They're popular choices to let light in from the top, but obscure views from the bottom portion of the window.

Cellular shades are another option that provide privacy but still let light in. Cellular shades come in hard and fabric varieties and their use depends on the room.

Many cellular shades are constructed with a honeycomb design, offers the design resource Houzz, so they can insulate as well as decorate windows.

Blackout shades/shutters

Perfect for rooms where babies nap, shift workers rest during daylight hours or external lights, such as that from a street lamp, need to be blocked out, blackout shades do just what their name implies. A dense fabric lining helps keep light out entirely.

Shutters also can block out light but add to the character of the room. They can be painted a bright color to make a statement or match wall colors to blend in seamlessly.

When selecting window treatments, shoppers can choose retail options or custom treatments. Many designers recommend custom window treatments because they are measured, manufacturered and installed specifically for homeowners' windows. However, there are many DIY options available at budget-friendly retailers. 

By Metro Connection

L

arge-scale renovations can greatly affect a home, but smaller projects can yield impressive results and be completed over the course of a single weekend.

If time is of the essence, these weekend or one-day projects may satisfy homeowners' desires to fix up their homes. · Create an accent wall. Painting a focal wall in a home can create a serious impact. The bonus is it will not take as long or require as many materials as painting an entire room. Accent walls frequently feature a bold color, so decide on placement and tackle this project in less than a day. · Install stair runners. Dress up hardwood stairs with decorative carpet runners. Runners come in elongated pieces of carpeting or individual pieces that can be placed on each step. If carpeting doesn't fit with the home's design, painting individual stair treads also can create visual appeal. · Dress up the entryway. An entryway is a guest's first impression of a home. Many entryways can use a minor overhaul, both inside and outside. Paint the front door a different color so it pops from the curb. Install a new mailbox or decorative house numbers. A new welcome mat can change the look as well. Inside, consider laying a new floor. Resilient vinyl tiles come in many different patterns and can mimic the look of wood, travertine or marble.

Installing a floor can take a day or two. · Install a new faucet. Instantly improve a kitchen or a bathroom with new fixtures. New faucets can provide aesthetic appeal and low-flow faucets can help conserve water. · Create a gallery on the staircase. Gather and arrange framed photos, artwork or wall accents so that they ascend the wall of a staircase. This creates a designer touch and can dress up an often barren area of wall space. · Install a fresh light fixture. Improve drab spaces with a little illumination. Better Homes & Gardens suggests replacing an existing fixture with something new and vibrant. If hanging a new fixture is not within one's skill set, free-standing table or floor lamps also can cast a new glow on a space. · Add molding. Molding can add instant aesthetic appeal to a room.

Molding is appropriate near the floor, at the top of walls where they meet the ceiling, or even mid-wall as a chair rail. Some homeowners like to create framed molding on walls in formal living spaces. · Update kitchen or bathroom hardware. Replacing hardware is a fast and easy project, but one that can have immediate impact.

Swap out tired or outdated hardware for newer brushed metals and more impactful shapes and designs.

Home renovations do not need to take weeks or months. Many projects can be completed over the course of a weekend. 

30 · S U N D AYS I G N A L

AU G U S T 26, 2018

SCVSCHOOLS

CLIP N SAVE

SCV school districts

Elementary School Menus (choice of one entree, seasonal fruit and milk)

Monday, Aug. 27 Tuesday, Aug. 28 Wednesday Aug. 29 Thursday, Aug. 30 Friday, Aug. 31

BREAKFAST

LUNCH

Breakfast Burrito Breakfast Bun Cereal Chilled Fruit Fruit Juice Egg and Sausage Wrap Breakfast Bun Cereal Chilled Fruit Fresh Fruit Apple Cinnamon Muffin Mini Waffles Breakfast Bun Cereal Chilled Fruit Fresh Fruit Strawberry Splash Mini Pancakes Breakfast Bun Cereal Chilled Fruit Fresh Fruit Cinnamon Roll Breakfast bun Cereal Chilled Fruit Fruit Juice

Hot Dog on a Bun Dippin’ Chicken & Sauce Smart Choice Pizza Seasonal Salad Bar

• Castaic USD Menus courtesy of Santa Clarita Valley School • Newhall USD Food Services which serves: • Saugus USD • Sulphur Springs USD

Turkey Taco Dippin’ Chicken & Sauce Smart Choice Pizza Seasonal Salad Bar BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwich Bean & Cheese Burrito Smart Choice Pizza Seasonal Salad Bar Celebration Cookie Meatballs & Marinara Sub Dippin’ Chicken & Sauce Smart Choice Pizza Seasonal Salad Bar Chicken Sandwich Spicy Chicken Sandwich PBJ Sandwich & String Cheese Smart Choice Pizza Manager’s Choice

Saugus district recognizes teacher

By Brennon Dixson

T

he Saugus Union School District honored its 2018 Teacher of the year during Tuesday’s meeting of the governing board with a certificate of recognition to commemorate his hard work and outstanding commitment to education.

Kyle Evans, a sixth-grade teacher at Cedarcreek Elementary School, has been responsible for the education of several Saugus scholars after serving multiple roles in the district during his 19 years of experience.

Evans was in attendance for the recognition event on Tuesday with Cedarcreek Principal Robin Payre, where he shared with the crowd of administrators, teachers and community members how his time in Saugus has impacted him.

This district has been phenomenal, Evans said.

“They challenge me,” he said. “They inspire me. I love the staff that we work with.”

Prior to Evans taking the podium, Payre described Evans as her right hand, before speaking on the genuine care he has for every student, staff member and parent, which is exemplified when he walks down the hallway greeting everybody he sees.

“He is a person that collaborates and truly works as a team,” said Isa De Armas, the district’s assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction.

Evans embodies each of the district’s core values, including respect, integrity, learning, teamwork and enthusiasm, board members added. His Teacher of the Year head shot will hang in the meeting room during the academic year to remind the community of his influence on students in the district. 

Kyle Evans is teacher of the year in the Saugus Union School District. PHOTO BY BRENNON DIXSON

AU G U S T 26, 2018

S U N D AYS I G N A L · 31

K I D S & FA M I LY

Donna's Day: Creative Family Fun

n o l e m r e t a W l o Co

By Donna Erickson

A

s summer wanes, I'm all for bringing on one more watermelon. It's such a convenient, "good for you" cooldown snack that quenches thirst and satisfies the sweet tooth, all in one.

Refreshing with a squeeze of lime, or kicked up with a dusting of ground chili pepper and salt, it's versatile and fun to eat.

Think "watermelon" as you plan Labor Day weekend get-togethers and after-school snacks for the kids. And be choosy. Before you and your child hoist one out of a bin at your market, take note. The best feel heavy for their size. Also, look for a field spot, a creamy yellow-colored splotch. Then, knock on it and listen for a deep, hollow (not dull) sound. When it passes the ripeness test, bring it home and get inspired. Here are some ideas:

CARVE IT

Don't wait until Halloween to display your creative carving skills.

Make an eye-catching melon basket for serving a fruit salad or fruit kebabs.

Slightly trim off one end of a washed melon so that it stands upright. Slice off the other end 1/4 of the way down, then scoop out the flesh with a melon baller.

Use pumpkin-carving tools or paring knife to carve patterns or words on the outside without cutting through the rind. Cut zigzags around the rim, if you wish. Refill cavity with fruit salad, and garnish with fresh mint for a spectacular presentation.

DRINK IT

Make a big pitcher of "Watermelon Citrus Cooler." Mix seedless watermelon chunks with 4 tablespoons frozen limeade concentrate, 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice and 1 1/2 cups crushed ice in a blender.

Let your child rub the rims of chilled, tall glasses with a lemon wedge. Swirl rims lightly in a plate of sugar for a tangy sip when you drink the cooler.

FREEZE IT

Cut 3 cups of watermelon flesh into chunks. Remove seeds and liquefy in a blender. Pour into icecube trays and freeze. Toss the cubes in a glass of juice or sparkling water with an after-school snack. Garnish with a whole strawberry or thin, triangular slice of watermelon with the pointed end slid onto the rim of the glass. *** 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." © 2018 Donna Erickson Distributed by King Features Synd. 

www.theopenbook.biz

USED & NEW Books at over 50% OFF the Cover price

20% OFF (Excludes premium and vintage titles.

Expires August 31, 2018).

Story Time Every Sunday 2:30-3:30

Children of all ages welcome Crafts & Snacks Mon-Thurs: 10am-8pm Fri-Sat: 10am-9pm Sun: 11am-7pm

19188 Soledad Canyon Rd., Canyon Country, 91351

(661) 255-1400

32 · S U N D AYS I G N A L

AU G U S T 26, 2018

FOODSTUFF

SCHOOL MORNINGS made easy

M

ost parents know the first few weeks of school season and new daily routines can be hectic. From stocking up on school supplies to finishing up homework, there’s few unused minutes in the day.

One thing that’s particularly easy to forget in the mad dash to catch the bus or make it to morning drop-off is a well-balanced, protein-packed breakfast. According to a No Kid Hungry study, when students have a balanced breakfast in the morning, they are more likely to attend school and perform better on standardized tests.

Start the school year off right by giving your kids a breakfast they’ll love that also provides the protein they need to kick-start their day. Recipes like Simple Ham and Waffle Breakfast Sandwiches or Baked Eggs in Avocado can be ready in minutes and provide fuel long past the first morning school bell.

As a simple time-saver, Smithfield offers pre-diced, cubed and sliced ham that can make breakfast a breeze any day of the week. Incorporate it into a simple breakfast sandwich for a protein boost you can enjoy on-the-go. Served crispy or chewy depending on your preference, Thick Cut

Simple Ham and Waffle Breakfast Sandwiches Cook time: 30 minutes Servings: 4 8 8

4 4

Bacon also puts a savory spin on nearly any breakfast plate, whether paired with eggs and avocado or a simple side of toast.

For more information and breakfast ideas, visit smithfield.com.

frozen prepared waffles, toasted ounces Smithfield Anytime Favorites Boneless Sliced Ham, any flavor large eggs slices cheddar or American cheese maple syrup (optional)

Prepare waffles according to package directions; keep warm.

In nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, cook ham slices until lightly browned, about 30 seconds per side; keep warm. In same skillet over medium heat, fry eggs until desired doneness.

Lay out four waffles and top each with sliced Continued next page

Sweet, simple after-school snacking

W

ith school back in full swing, the days will be full, packed with classes, homework and after-school sports, music and other extracurricular activities. To make the most of all these endeavors, it’s important to eat well to sustain the critical energy and focus required throughout the day.

Smart fueling includes keeping nourishing snacks such as hearthealthy grapes on-hand – whether at

home, in the car or coming off the field. Fresh California grapes – simple, convenient and nutritious – can make for a delicious snack on their own.

Available in three appealing colors – red, green and black – crisp, juicy grapes can add a tasty touch when hunger calls for an afternoon energy boost. Grapes also pair well with crackers, cheese and nuts for other snack combos.

Yet another way to enjoy fresh

grapes is to blend them with other fruits and vegetables to create smoothie bowls, a nutritious option to help ensure that a variety of healthy ingredients are part of a balanced day.

Smoothie bowls work well as a snack or even a quick breakfast, and also provide a way for parents to introduce their kids to new, healthier bites.

This Grape Smoothie Bowl is fresh, flavorful and full of sweet grape taste for a quick fix that can leave bodies fueled and ready to take on the rest of the day.

Find more information and snack ideas at GrapesfromCalifornia.com.

Grape Smoothie Bowl Prep time: 10 minutes Servings: 2 1/2 avocado 2 medium bananas, sliced and frozen 1 cup packed baby spinach

2 cups green California grapes, divided 1 cup unsweetened almond milk 1 piece fresh ginger

(1-inch length), peeled and sliced (optional) pinch of salt 1 tablespoon chia seeds 1 1/2 tablespoons toasted coconut chips In blender, combine avocado, bananas, spinach, Continued next page

AU G U S T 26, 2018

S U N D AYS I G N A L · 33

R E S TA U R A N T P R O F I L E

cheese, ham and fried egg, topping with remaining waffles to finish. Serve warm with maple syrup, if desired.

Tip: Try spreading fruit jam on your sandwich for a change of pace.

Fun, fresh, fabulous: PHO HA 888

By Michelle Sathe

G

ood things come to those who wait, but you won’t have to wait long for good things at Pho Ha 888.

Sure, the restaurant spends 16 hours boiling bones, meat, aromatics, and vegetables for the foundational aromatic broth that starts each order of its delicious pho, also known as the national dish of Vietnam.

But you’ll get that fantastic soup plus a massive tangle of perfectly cooked rice noodles and thinly sliced onions within 10 minutes of ordering. There’s also a plate of accoutrements to customize each big bowl of goodness: cilantro, basil, bean sprouts, jalapenos, and lime.

Add some of the spicy sidekick condiments

Baked Eggs in Avocado Cook time: 10 minutes Servings: 6 3 6 4

1 1/4

Nonstick cooking spray large avocados eggs strips Smithfield Thick Cut Bacon, diced and cooked until crispy cup blue cheese cup fresh cilantro

Heat oven to 450 F. Spray baking sheet or glass baking pan with cooking spray. Cut avocados in half. Scoop out 1-2 tablespoons of avocado to create well for eggs. Place avocados flesh-side up on prepared baking sheet or glass pan.

Gently crack one egg in each avocado well, making sure to keep yolk intact. Bake 10 minutes, or until eggs reach desired temperature. Remove.

Top with bacon pieces, blue cheese and cilantro.

– Family Time 

1 cup grapes, almond milk, ginger and salt; blend until smooth. Pour into two bowls. Halve remaining grapes and place on top of smoothie bowls along with chia seeds and coconut chips.

Nutritional information per serving: 370 calories; 5 g protein; 66 g carbohydrates; 13 g fat (32% calories from fat); 3.5 g saturated fat (9% calories from saturated fat); 200 mg sodium; 10 g fiber.

– Family Features 

[Above] Spring rolls are stuffed with organic produce from Jennifer Lee's garden, as well as plump shrimp, fried onion, and glass noodles.

[Below] Kolbi pho at Pho Ha 888 is topped with Korean-style sliced BBQ beef.

– Sriracha, sambal oelek – or the more sedate hoison sauce to truly make it your own. Then grab some chopsticks and dig in.

Oxtail pho ($11.99) comes with a separate dish of tender, shredded meat that you add to the mix for a pure beefy essence. Several pieces of Korean-BBQ style sliced beef ribs float atop the Kolbi pho ($12.99) and their delicious flavor permeates throughout the smoky broth. Either bowl is a real treat for meat lovers.

Pho Ha 888 co-owner Jennifer Lee shows Juan Guerrero how to use chopsticks. PHOTOS BY MICHELLE SATHE

caramelized until it turns golden brown, then simmered for hours to achieve maximum flavor. Rice noodles, broccoli, tofu, fried tofu, onion, and green onion complete the dish.

There are many more varieties to choose from: meatball, chicken, seafood, brisket, plain, and two combos, ranging from $7.99 to $10.99.

And don’t be shy about asking for a little more broth if it gets low. It’s the goal of owners Jeff Lee and his sister-in-law Jennifer Lee to make you happy and they’ve trained their staff, almost exclusively students and recent graduates from College of the Canyons, to do the same.

Jeff and Jennifer took over the former

Vegetarian dishes

If you’re a vegetarian, Pho Ha 888 has you covered. The broth for the vegetable pho ($9.99) starts with organic produce, slowly

See Pho Ha 888, page 42

34 · S U N D AYS I G N A L

AU G U S T 26, 2018

THEARTS

LORELLE MILLER: Artist goes public with her passion

By Patti Rasmussen “The purpose of art is washing the dust of daily life off our souls.” ~ Pablo Picasso

I

f you’ve ever watched a chalk artist at work you’ll know it is a back-breaking, in the heat of the day kind of existence. What they create with chalk, usually over the course of a weekend, on hot asphalt and concrete, are amazing masterpieces.

Local artist Lorelle Miller is just one of those kind of people. Although she was a working artist in the corporate world, Miller decided some 20 years ago to give street art a try and signed up for Bella Villa - a Newhall Land and Farming Company promotion designed to attract new clientele to its Valencia Town Center mall.

The experience was life changing, she said. all of his products,” Miller Growing up in Sherman Oaks, Miller said. was always dappling in art as a child.

After the birth of her third “I was pulled out of fourth grade for son, Miller left the corpospecial art classes,” Miller said. “It was a rate world and freelanced for life saver for me. As a new kid in school I Mann. got bullied a lot. Being in art class was a “I had a strong desire to good thing.” be more involved with my Her mother was very supportive of her passion and made sure she had private art kids,” she said. “It’s always a balance between family lessons. and your art. I “I have pictures of me chose family.” doing portraits of my dogs,” She was “A S A N E W Miller reminisced. “I like with the Santa figures quite a bit.”

KID IN Clarita ArtMiller attended CalSCHOOL I ist Associaifornia State University G OT B U L L I E D tion when she Northridge majoring in received that A LOT. sculpture, graphic arts and call for BelBEING IN illustration. After graduala Villa. Her first chalk art tion she took a job with Al ART CLASS was a rendering of a Renoir.

Mann in the art department WA S A G O O D Her work got her notice and of Pacesetter, a bio tech from that point on Miller T H I N G .” company he owned. Miller has attended more street art worked with a group of enfestivals than she cares to gineers and scientists who, remember. she said, all shared mutual admiration for “Street art keeps me very limber,” each other’s work.

Miller said.

“You have to move around “You were with these brilliant minds. It quite a bit.” was great to be on the ground floor with

[Top] Artist Lorelle Miller works in her home office, surrounded by paintings that are hanging at her one-artist show entitled “More Than Meets the Eye” at “The Main” in Newhall this month.

[Above] Miller measures the area of her cement canvas and two vertical boards standing behind her that will be part of her chalk creation entitled “Fairy Garden in a Tea Cup’ as she prepares for the Santa Clarita Chalk Festival to be held September 21-23 in Newhall. PHOTOS BY DAN WATSON

AU G U S T 26, 2018

S U N D AYS I G N A L · 35

THEARTS

[Right] Miller examines her oil painting entitled “The Three Graces” in her home studio where she also teaches art classes in Saugus. The painting hangs at her one-artist show entitled “More Than Meets the Eye” at “The Main” in Newhall this month. [Below] Miller’s ink wash portraits.

PHOTOS BY DAN WATSON.

She jokingly calls Warren, her husband of 38 years, a chalk artist widow. He is very supportive of her work and well as her three sons, Darren, 33, Ryan, 29 and Collin, 24.

For the last couple of years Miller has been involved with a grant to help teachers teach science to third and sixth graders using art concepts.

Some of the lessons involved creating a sculpture of the food chain or using a roll of paper hung on a wall that the students

could draw on while they danced to music. “They were using their energy to portray and describe potential energy,” Miller explained.

If that wasn’t enough, Miller also enjoys other forms of art that are currently on display at the MAIN in downtown Newhall.

“More Than Meets The Eye” is a collection of oil paintings and pastel portraits in the gallery beginning August 14 through September 14.

Pablo Cevallos, manager of the MAIN, said he had seen Miller’s work at a recent art walk. “I really loved her brush strokes,” Cevallos said. “I see her process with her strokes and a representation of portraits that are not photo realistic. I can see a human hand being involved.”

Sue Bird, chair of the Old Town Newhall Association and Chalk Festival, said Miller has been assisting her with the festival and has been a tremendous help. “Lorelle is a phenomenal artist. She just has these wonderful pieces and a amazing way of presenting them. I couldn’t have done (the festival) without her.”

Miller encourages everyone to come out and try their hand at chalk art. It’s a family friendly event, she said, and all levels of artists are welcome.

“Art is all about taking a risk,” Miller said. “David Bowie inspired me and as an artist you should do art where you are taking a risk. When it scares you, it kind of pushes you.”

Santa Clarita Chalk Festival: Wonder, Wit & Whimsy will be held in downtown Newhall on September 21, 22, 23. The event runs daily from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. 

36 · S U N D AYS I G N A L

AU G U S T 26, 2018

SENIORLIVING GETTIN’ UP THERE

Etta Martin: Support for seniors

By Diana Sevanian Signal Columnist

A later life bulletin: Attitude really IS latitude

B

ack in 1961 when I first heard Frank Sinatra sing Sammy Cahn and Jimmy Van Heusen’s hit song, “The Second Time Around,” two thoughts came to my peri-pubescent mind: One: The image of older people falling in love, be it once, twice, or three times – and possibly even “doing it” – was a foreign and disgusting notion. Two: When and if I ever fell in love one day, it would be like what the Letterman’s sameyear hit tune had concluded: “It will last forever.”

Shortly after that pithy momentary thought, I grabbed my hand ball, popped a couple sticks of Black Jack in my mouth, and proceeded outdoors to take on the cement side wall of our apartment’s building’s carport.

Fast forward to 1969. I was 17 and about to fly home to California from Milwaukee where I’d been visiting my aunt, uncle and cousins. Sitting in the “Billy Mitchell” airport lounge, my Uncle – a rather serious man who grew up having to hold his large, impoverished immigrant family together after their father dropped dead at 55 – decided to leave me with a cautionary message. “You’re getting older now, and you need to know this,” he said. “Anticipation is greater than realization.”

Huh? Over a Shirley Temple, heavy on the cherries, I thanked him for that tip. The true depth charges of its meaning did not hit me right away, but eventually, and unfortunately, it registered.

Alas, I considered his message

a bummer. After all, half of the fun in being alive is not knowing what’s ahead, right? I was still young enough to believe that, and so wanted to continue.

My mostly ebullient outlook (or naiveté) was somewhat dimmed again by my mother. A strong, opinionated, and easily riled woman, Mom was a loving force on most counts, but was often depressed and bitter. We’d had some extremely difficult family circumstances. Plus, she lived daily with still-open childhood wounds. Her mother, who didn’t want a third child in 1924, tried to abort her, and (somewhat comically) let it be known on many occasions in my mother’s presence. As a result, feelings of rejection and resentment became deeply ingrained in her being.

One day, on a fittingly dark winter afternoon, as I was describing some “really fun things” I wanted to do, she flatly told me, “It’s better not to count on things happening because most of them won’t.”

It was as if my soul heard screech marks.

Powerful message

Being a daughter who did not question her mother’s declarations or decisions, I just let that not-so-optimistic dispatch simmer…for years.

While I have ultimately outlived my mom’s time on earth, I never quite expunged her anti-climactic memo. I realize today that throughout much of my life, See ATTITUDE, page 40

By Martha Michael

W

e all know those idioms about finding the good in difficult circumstances – phrases like “making lemons into lemonade” and “finding a cloud’s silver lining.”

Oftentimes, we dismiss such platitudes, thinking they aren’t possible in the real world. And yet, we regularly enjoy lemonade without acknowledging the lemons that went into it, failing to notice the people in our midst who embody this principle.

Etta Martin spends three days a week at the Santa Clarita Valley Se-

Etta Martin facilitates support groups, counsels individuals and trains staff members at the SCV Senior Center. COURTESY PHOTO

nior Center, where she facilitates support groups, counsels individuals and trains staff members. The licensed clinical social worker has been in the mental health field since the year 2000 and has worked at the center for approximately three years.

Her specialty is geriatric social work, which she pursued largely because of her own experiences. Martin took care of her mother, who suffered from dementia and Parkinson’s Disease, for 8-1/2 years. She was an “only child” with no children of her own, and her father requested that she take care of her mother when he passed away.

A hair colorist in New York, Martin left her job and moved to California after he died, to become a caregiver to her 85-year-old mother. It was challenging and eye-opening, enduring her mother’s failing health and the burden of responsibility as a family caregiver.

It was the growth she experienced in this role that laid the groundwork for her second career. Beginning at Los Angeles Valley College, Martin spent more than six years in school, earning a bachelor’s degree at California State University, Northridge and a Master of Social Work from USC. “Taking care of my mom actually turned out to be the best experience of my life. I grew as a person in so many ways,” Martin explained. “We’re in a field where your own life experience and your own personality is what you bring to the table.”

Martin’s experience included employment at a mental health facility in Sherman Oaks and she worked for nine years at a residential facility for individuals with Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.

“After I retired I was asked to come to the Santa Clarita Senior Center and have been there ever since,” she said.

Her groups

She runs two groups on Tuesdays for emotional support and grief and loss, and Fridays she holds support groups and workshops for family caregivers.

“I’m really concerned about (caregivers). They need to take better care of themselves, so we talk a lot about self-care,” Martin said. “Caregivers are afraid to ask for help. Sometimes they think, ‘Nobody can do as good a job as me.’”

In regards to Santa Clarita, specifically, the social worker has noticed that local seniors have a lot of resilience, and she said the individuals who attend the groups take the groups seriously.

“It took a while to develop a core group of people,” Martin said. “They know they need it, they know it’s See SUPPORT, page 40

AU G U S T 26, 2018

S U N D AYS I G N A L · 37

PAW P R I N T S

Senior Pets and Cancer What to know and where to go if it happens

By Michelle Sathe

D

ianne Larson has walked her dog Tonka at a Valencia park near their home every morning for 5 years.

These days, those 20 minutes are a lot more precious to Larson.

That’s because Tonka, a sweet, handsome 12-year-old rescued Labrador Retriever, was recently diagnosed with cancer of the spleen during a routine veterinary exam.

“There were no signs, we don’t know how long the tumor has been there,” Larson said. “Tonka’s so low key and happy go lucky, you wouldn’t even know he was sick.”

This is a road Larson’s been down before. Her previous Labrador Retriever Lacey was 13 when she developed bone cancer after a small mass was misdiagnosed as benign. She passed away within 2 and a half months.

“It just seems like there’s a lot of cancer with pets nowadays. It used to be that an older pet would have their back end go out, but now, most of them get cancer,” Larson said.

Unfortunately, statistics bear this out. According to the American Veterinary Medical association, almost half of dogs over the age of 10 will develop cancer. The AVMA also found that dogs get cancer at roughly the same rate as humans.

“If you think about it most humans are diagnosed with cancer in their 60's and older, which

in our dog and cat population are those 9 years and older,” said Dr. Evelyn Vega, owner of Happy Pets Veterinary Center in Valencia.

In Vega’s practice, the most common cancers for dogs include mast cell, lymphoma, spleen, and oral. For cats, it’s lymphoma in the intestines or masses in the abdomen stemming from an internal organ or lymph node.

Unfortunately, like Tonka, cancer symptoms may not be noticeable until a tumor grows to a large size, though sudden weight loss can be a sign.

“Weight loss in an older pet is always a concern to me, especially if nothing has changed in their diet or activity level,” Vega said.

Dianne Larson of Valencia is spending Tumors related to the spleen can cause sudas much quality time as possible with den anemia and weakness, while intestinal tuher 12 year old rescue dog, Tonka, who mor can cause chronic vomiting or diarrhea in was recently diagnosed with spleen addition to weight loss. cancer. COURTESY PHOTOS X-rays, ultrasounds, and MRIs are the most common method to find a possible tumor, while “I’m a colon cancer survivor and I know what a biopsy is the only way to determine if that tutreatment does to a human. It took a huge toll mor is benign or malignant. on me and I don’t want to put Tonka through If cancer is determined, Vega recommends a that for maybe six more months of time with consultation with an oncologist. “This is their him. That’s not a good quality of life,” she said. expertise and they are For now, Tonka is on gabapentin to help with more knowledgeable pain and is comforted by the about the options that CANCE presence of his R PREV are available for a spe• To h younger sister ENTION elp preve cific type of cancer, the n Ruby, a five year t ma yo u r f e m ale pets mmar y cancer, h response rate and side old rescued Labhave mo s re than o payed before th ave effects of treatment, rador Retriever ey n e h e at c • For m ycle. and how long of a reales, neu mix. terin p r o s t a te mission to expect,” “It’s like she and test g helps prevent icular ca • Take she said. knows Tonka is n c e r s. yo u r For older pets with sick. Ruby doesn’t veterina adult pets for an r y e x a m. annual late stage cancer, engage him in play • Senio r pe t s sh hospice care is ceranymore, but just ould hav veterina e s tainly an option. e r m lays by his side and bloodwo y exams that inc i-annual “The goal lude rk and Xlets him put his head rays. would be to keep on her,” Larson said. them comfortable The Larsons created and pain free and measure their a bucket list for Tonka, quality of life,” Vega said. including a trip to the In those cases, Vega uses a common veteribeach and to In-N-Out for his first burger.

“It could be a month or three months, you nary “quality of life” scale for pets with cancer. just don’t know. We’re just loving him until he “You measure hurt, hunger, hydration, hygives us a sign that it’s time,” she said. giene, happiness, mobility, and whether there They’ve had Tonka since he was 7, adopting are more good days than bad days,” Vega said. the 106-pound dog after he was dumped in a Larson is choosing the hospice path. shelter missing fur on a third of his body from a serious case of demodex mange.

Tonka and his sister Ruby lounge at Larson's Valencia home. Ruby has “The last part of his life was way better been very gentle with Tonka since than his first, so that gives me some peace,” he was diagnosed with cancer.

Larson said. 

38 · S U N D AYS I G N A L

AU G U S T 26, 2018

TO YOUR GOOD HEALTH

By Keith Roach, M.D.

HEADING BALL PUTS YOUTHS AT RISK

DEAR DR. ROACH: Can "heading" the ball in soccer cause a concussion? I have grandchildren who play soccer, and I am concerned.

– G.W.H. ANSWER: The evidence is mounting that repeated trauma to the brain can contribute to a type of brain injury called chronic traumatic encephalopathy, which is seen frequently in boxers and football players. However, there is more and more evidence that soccer players also may get this injury, and it correlates to the number of headers players do.

Since younger brains may be more susceptible to injuries, and kids have relatively larger heads and weaker necks than adults, the Sports Legacy Institute recommends against heading the ball until the age of 14. *** DEAR DR. ROACH: I am a 75-year-old woman with a lot of hot flashes.

I heard that maca root is good for treating these. I have been taking it for two years, and feel like it has really helped me. Is this safe?

– J.F. ANSWER: Maca root, a dietary staple in Peru, has been touted as a treatment for both sexual performance and menopausal symptoms. One review found limited evidence for benefit in sexual function, but I could not find any study looking at its effectiveness in menopausal symptoms. Fortunately, it has few, if any, adverse effects and might be worth a try for those who haven't had benefit from

or can't take other treatments. I have to remind you again that you may not be getting what you think you are buying, as oversight on supplements is limited. *** DEAR DR. ROACH: I was diagnosed with peripheral artery disease in 1991. What kind of test is recommended for checking up on this? Can it be cured?

– J.C. ANSWER: "Peripheral artery disease" is the general term used for cholesterol plaques in the arteries, which can block blood flow. The most common symptom is pain with walking, usually after a specific exercise duration, which is relieved with rest. However, since these blockages can occur in any artery, PAD can cause many different symptoms, such as pain after eating (when the blockages are in the arteries to the gut). The disease most commonly is diagnosed by noninvasive studies, like a Doppler ultrasound of the arteries or using one blood pressure cuff on the thigh and another on the arm.

Sometimes, an angiogram is necessary.

Since it's really the same disease as coronary artery disease and cerebrovascular disease, people with PAD are at much higher risk for heart attack and stroke. Although we cannot, in general, cure PAD, we have many different kinds of treatments to reduce risk of catastrophic events and to improve symptoms.

Treatment starts with modifying existing risk factors, especially smoking, which is the most powerful modifiable risk. A proper diet that cuts down on excess unhealthy fats and simple sugars is important. A monitored exercise program, gradually increasing in duration and intensity, can have a dramatic effect on function. Most people will benefit from statin drugs and anti-platelet drugs, such as aspirin. *** Dr. Roach regrets that he is unable to answer individual letters, but will incorporate them in the column whenever possible. Readers may email questions to ToYourGoodHealth@med.cornell.edu. To view and order health pamphlets, visit www.rbmamall. com, or write to Good Health, 628 Virginia Drive, Orlando, FL 32803. © 2018 North America Synd., Inc.

H E A LT H & F I T N E S S

Health boosters you have at home

M

any people desire to be healthier, and sales of nutritional supplements reflect such desires. A report by Packaged Facts titled "Nutritional Supplements in the U.S," says supplement sales reached $11.5 billion in 2012 and have been climbing ever since.

In addition to an increase in supplement use, gym memberships also have increased. IBIS World's "Gym, Health & Fitness Clubs" market research report indicates the number of gym memberships have increased in the last several years as consumers have become more health-conscious.

While these avenues to health certainly can be beneficial, individuals also can turn to many health boosters in their own homes to help them achieve their goals of living healthier lifestyles. · Lemon water: Lemon water is now being touted as a beneficial addition to one's daily diet. Lemon water can help reduce acidity in the body, including removing uric acid, a main cause of inflammation. Lemons contain pectin fiber, which can aid in weight loss by helping to fight hunger pangs. Lemons also contain a load of vitamin C, which can give the immune system a boost. · Yogurt: Probiotic pills can help return healthy bacteria to the digestive system, but so can eating yogurt regularly. Look for yogurts that contain live and active cultures for optimal benefit. · Bicycle: Dust off that bicycle that has been hiding in your garage. Cycling is an excellent form of cardiovascular exercise, and riders can tailor their intensity levels to correlate to their ages and abilities. Many people

find cycling an enjoyable form of activity because it gets them outside and often doesn't feel like exercise. · Fruits and vegetables: Produce offers many of the vitamins and minerals people look to supplements to provide. Including diverse fruit and vegetable choices in one's diet can improve health in various ways, including providing a boost to the immune system. · Honey: Honey is a valuable superfood that can boost overall health. In addition to soothing sore throats, it can serve as an antibiotic and wound

You don’t have to go far in your home for foods that will lead to better health. METRO CREATIVE

healer, provide allergy protection, increase calcium absorption, and provide a source of energy without the insulin spike associated with other forms of sugar.

Being healthier is a goal for many people, and certain foods, beverages and products already in your home can help you get on a healthy track.

Metro Connection 

AU G U S T 26, 2018

S U N D AYS I G N A L · 39

LOVEGARDENING

Savor these beautiful (and edible) flowers

By Metro Connection

C

ultivating beautiful blooms is a popular pastime for gardeners near and far. While gazing at a yard full of vibrant colors or enjoying the aroma of freshly cut blooms is enough for many gardeners, others may want to embrace a long-enduring tradition - growing edible flowers.

Cooking with edible flowers is a trend that has endured for centuries. According to Fleurs Gourmandes, the first recorded history of edible flowers occurred in 140 BC. Use of calendula in salads dates back to the ancient Greeks and Romans. Victorian-era candied flowers and flower-encrusted sweets took edible flowers to new heights. Today, nothing may make a meal seem more gourmet than the inclusion of flower petals in the recipe.

Of course, before delving into the expanded world of cooking using edible blooms, some notes of caution should first be mentioned. Avoid flowers that may have been sprayed with fungicides, herbicides or insecticides.

To verify safety, only use edible flowers grown specifically for this purpose, not flowers picked from roadsides or from landscapes. Secondly, remember that not all flowers are edible. Some can be poisonous or cause severe gastrointestinal upset when consumed. That means all flowers should be carefully researched prior to experimenting with them in the kitchen.

To begin growing - and eating - edible flowers, refer to this list of varieties deemed safe and be careful to double-check against allergies and any interactions with medications prior to use. · Allium: These are blossoms from the allium family, which

include garlic, chives and leeks.

These flowers can be used to add flavor to foods.

· Basil blossoms:

It may be customary to pinch off the blossoms of basil, which come in colors from white to lavender in order to stimulate growth of the leaves of the plant. However, the blossoms, which are more mild than the leaves, can be tasty as well.

· Calendula: Sometimes known as "poor man's saffron," this yellow flower in the marigold family can taste like saffron when it's sautéed. Uncooked, calendula can have spicy notes that add variety to salads and garnishes. · Chamomile: This plant features small, daisy-type flowers that can be used in treats and teas. · Cilantro:

The flowers from the cilantro plant can be eaten, just as the leaves and the seeds that form the spice coriander.

· Fennel: Just like the plant itself, the flowers of fennel have a subtle licorice flavor. · Hibiscus: Hibiscus blooms are famously used in hibiscus tea, which is tart and cranberry-like.

· Lavender: The sweet, perfumed taste of lavender works in cocktails and desserts. · Marigolds: These tiny flowers may be used in vegetable gardens to repel animal and insect pests.

Blossoms have a fresh citrus taste that can be used in cooking. · Pansies: These vibrant early bloomers can take on a wintergreen flavor and look beautiful when glazed on cakes and other desserts.

Marigolds are just one of the many flowers that can be consumed. METRO CREATIVE

· Roses:

Beautiful to behold, rose petals can lend a subtle, fruity flavor to many different foods as well.

· Zucchini: The blossoms from

this squash, which have a slightly sweet taste, can be enjoyed in many different ways. Some people batter and fry the blossoms, while others may stuff them with herbs and cheeses. 

40 · S U N D AYS I G N A L

SUPPORT

Continued from page 36

going to benefit them, and they’re willing to do the work. You can’t just show up and not really process what you’re going through, your feelings.”

Over the years, Martin has been able to see how seniors handle their vulnerability. In many cases, it’s foreign to them.

“I tell them it’s a sacred place where their feelings are validated,” she explained. “A lot of people don’t understand and are afraid of emotion.

For older folks – their feelings have been devalued, the importance of really connecting to your emotion.”

Developing a bond

Core members of support groups at the Senior Center tend to develop a bond.

“I think the people that come do form relationships,” she said. “They genuinely care about each other and they feel they’re not alone.”

The emotional support and grief groups have approximately eight members currently. And the caregiver support groups and workshops each draw about 6 to 10 individuals.

“You don’t want more than 12,” Martin said. “I don’t want to be the (only) one that talks. It’s okay if you want to listen most of the time, but from my experience, if you don’t say anything you’re going to feel shortchanged when you leave, and you’ll feel regret.”

It’s important for members of the groups to speak up at their own pace, however.

“Why I’ve been here (in the mental health field) for 30 years is that people never cease to amaze me – I’ve never been bored,” she said. “Seniors have developed some amazing coping skills.”

The admiration goes both ways.

“Etta is amazing,” said SuzAnn Nelsen, director of support services at the Senior Center. “She’s a senior herself, she’s totally enthusiastic.

And not only does she run the support groups, but she also supervises interns.”

Personal experience

Like Martin, Nelsen is a former caregiver who was inspired by the challenge of her own experience handling the difficulty of her late husband’s illness.

“I personally experienced it,” Nelsen said. “But I had this wonderful support around me and it was great.”

The Senior Center’s Tuesday support group began in 1994, after the Northridge earthquake, according to Nelsen. “People were terrified.

They had a lot of emotions,” she said. “A lot of them lived alone.”

The group evolved into support for people who had illnesses or personal problems, and a need to be with others. “There’s always been a steady need for the support groups that we have, to know there’s somebody else experiencing something similar,” Nelsen said.

Which is why Etta Martin is such a valuable part of the Senior Center’s work.

“I went through it with my own mom,” Martin said. “Especially caregivers, when working with people who have dementia, the families who are so terrified and go the opposite direction really miss out on it all.

That’s the journey, and if that’s the journey, treasure every moment.”

The SCV Senior Center is hosting an annual Caregiver Resource Day called “Knowledge is Power: Aging with Dignity” on Saturday, Sept.

15 in the Henry Mayo Newhall Memorial Hospital education building from 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m. For information, call Ricki Sawyer at 661-2599444. 

AU G U S T 26, 2018

GETAWAYS

Continued from page 25

northeast of Nevada City via Highway 49, Tyler Foote and North Broomfield roads. (530) 265-2740; http://malakoffdigginsstatepark.org.

Nevada City is one of the most attractive and interesting of Gold Country towns, with good shopping along Main and Commercial streets.

Info: www.nevadacitychamber.com Visit Empire Mine State Historic Park to visit the site of what was once one of the largest, deepest, longest and richest gold mines in California. The park contains mining buildings, the mine owner’s home, gardens and 8 miles of trails. Open daily; 10791 E. Empire St., Grass Valley; (530) 273-8522; www.parks. ca.gov/?page_id=499 To see one of the best-preserved

Gold Rush towns in California visit Columbia State Historic Park. It is both a historic park and a thriving small town. Admire the 19th century architecture, grab a cone at the Fallon Ice Cream Parlor. Open daily; 11255 Jackson St. Columbia; (209) 588-9128; www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=552 It you have a train fanatic in your family a stop at Railtown 1897 State Historic Park is also in order. Climb aboard a late 19th century steam train for a ride through the foothills.

Park open for tours daily; trains operate weekends April-October. 10501 Reservoir Road, Jamestown; (209) 984-3953; www.railtown1897.org.

Amador Wine Country, with its 40plus wineries, is another highlight in the area. 

ATTITUDE

Continued from page 36

I have often reinfused those two familial messages into some of my thinking, relationships, and ultimately, my impact on those around me.

It took me decades, with some serious letdowns, mistakes, and a few loves that didn’t last forever, to comprehend the impact of my own psyche…on me.

Through mature, finally-ready introspection, the wisdom of a good therapist, and even studying how others have positively traversed their own course and losses, I’ve come to a later life conclusion: My uncle and mom never meant to hurt me, but they did influence my thinking. People who are sad or angry can all too easily say things that diminish another person’s amazement of life.

Without a positive, proactive attitude, life is more about rash adaptation to circumstances, than creating them in the vision we wish to see.

Having an upbeat outlook, and making plans and decisions built on that mindset can make a tremendous difference in how you live your years.

A legacy

Another bonus: It’s a legacy phenomenon. Every day that I am with my grandchild, I try to impart “wonderful

thinking.” I tell her about the many fine qualities I see in her and describe the exciting and beautiful experiences she’ll have ahead. I want her to look forward to the future and navigate her course with blueprints based on great expectations. Of course, things don’t always work out as wanted. But I’d rather she have an occasional letdown to deal with, than think that the deck is pre-stacked against her. With the latter thinking, we accrue more regrets than adventures and celebrations.

“The Second Time Around,” that love song about starting over with a renewed and rosier passion, applies to more than relationships. In an abstract sense, it is a musical ode to all new beginnings.

Anticipation may at times be greater than realization, and plans may go awry, but life is filled with far more joy than disappointment. When we steer ourselves with that set point on our compass, no matter how old we are, all sorts of grand things are possible.

Diana Sevanian is a Valencia resident, longtime Signal journalist and contributor, as well as a retired R.N., adoring mother, grandmother, and dog-mother. 

AU G U S T 26, 2018

Give your mind a workout with these brainy exercises!

BRAINGAMES

Relax

S U N D AYS I G N A L · 41

42 · S U N D AYS I G N A L

AU G U S T 26, 2018

CROSSWORD TIME Answer to Sunday 8/19 Crossword

PHO HA 888

The message board.

Continued from page 33

Valencia Pho space 3 years ago, adding new rice and vermicelli dishes to the menu, as well as dozens of teas, bobas, and fresh fruit juices that are a perfect match for Pho Ha 888’s food.

Originally from Korea, Jennifer was inspired to learn about Vietnamese food many years ago after attending a friend’s potluck. She mastered the classics and added her own touches to the menu here.

Health benefits

Jeff is a food scientist who is proud to point out the health benefits of eating at his restaurant.

“There are no cans or powders here, we make everything from scratch every day. Our meats are the highest quality and our produce is organic. This is our food, our house, and we make only the best to share with our customers,” he said.

Jennifer grows much of the restaurant’s produce in her bountiful garden, including the Japanese plums used as a base for a dusty pink, lightly sweet, incredibly refreshing iced drink.

That garden-fresh touch is very evident in the spring rolls ($6.99), basically little hand-held salads wrapped in rice paper, bursting with greens and herbs and rounded out with plump shrimp, dried onion, and glass noodles.

Two dipping sauces add a welcome

salty or sweet note.

The Banh Mi ($6.99) comes loaded with cucumbers, carrots, radish, and jalapeno, then topped with your choice of pork, chicken, beef or tofu and stuffed in a crusty, chewy roll. It’s an exotic sub sandwich with crunch from the veggies, a kick from the jalapeno, and heft from the savory protein tossed in a tangy, bright red sauce.

Pho Ha 888 provides a fun space to enjoy whatever you choose, with neon touches on the yellow, green, and orange chairs, a festive specials board, and upbeat pop videos playing above the cash register.

The compact space has 10 tables, usually filled with regulars, happily slurping their way through a bowl of pho.

This is true even in the summer, which may sound odd considering the triple digit heat wave Santa Clarita has been experiencing.

But sometimes, weather be damned, you just need a comforting bowl of soup and no one does that better around here than Pho Ha 888.

Pho Ha 888, 23360 West Valencia Boulevard, Valencia. Open Sunday through Thursday, 11 am to 9 pm, and Friday and Saturday, 11 am to 10 pm.

For more info, call (661) 254-2134 or visit phovalencia.com. 

AU G U S T 26, 2018

S U N D AYS I G N A L · 43

L

E L A AY S

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Thank you Santa Clarita Valley for your continued support!

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