Canyon Country Magazine March 2024

STUDENTS SHINE AT THEATER FEST

B E C O M E A

P H L E B O T O M I S T

G O L D E N O A K A D U L T S C H O O L I S E X C I T E D T O A N N O U N C E I T S

P A R T N E R S H I P W I T H T H E U N I V E R S I T Y O F C A L I F O R N I A , L O S

A N G E L E S ( U C L A ) T O O F F E R A C O M P R E H E N S I V E C E R T I F I E D

P H L E B O T O M Y T E C H N I C I A N C O U R S E T H I S S I X - W E E K

P R O G R A M I S D E S I G N E D T O M E E T A L L C A L I F O R N I A

R E Q U I R E M E N T S , E N A B L I N G S T U D E N T S T O B E C O M E

L I C E N S E D P H L E B O T O M I S T S ( C P T 1 ) .

T H E C O U R S E A I M S T O I N T R O D U C E S T U D E N T S T O T H E D Y N A M I C F I E L D O F P H L E B O T O M Y , P R O V I D I N G T H E M W I T H B O T H B A S I C A N D A D V A N C E D S K I L L S T H R O U G H A C O M B I N A T I O N O F T H E O R E T I C A L K N O W L E D G E A N D H A N D S - O N C L I N I C A L P R A C T I C E U P O N C O M P L E T I O N O F

T H E P R O G R A M , S T U D E N T S W I L L B E W E L L - P R E P A R E D T O T A K E T H E N A T I O N A L C E R T I F I C A T I O N E X A M T H I S P R O G R A M I S T A I L O R E D F O

4 Hart District and Teachers Strike Tentative Agreement

6 Former Whittaker-Bermite Site Eyed for Homes and Park Space

8 Jessica Mikayla: Childhood Inspiration to NAACP Image Award Nominee

8 Collegiate Honor Roll

10 Car Hits Commercial Building

11 Arts Commission to Discuss Roller Rink Piece

12 Solar Panels to Shade Hillside at Least Until Summer

12 Canyon and Golden Valley Shine at Hart District Theater Fest

13 City Council Members to Get Slight Pay Raise

14 Canyon High Thrills at Redondo Nike Track Invitational

15 Calendar — Canyon Country Community Center and Library Events

Hart District, Teachers Strike Tentative Agreement

By Tyler Wainfeld Signal Staff Writer

Amonthslong negotiation between the Hart District Teachers Association and the William S. Hart Union High School District may finally be over after the two sides reached a tentative agreement on Thursday, March 14.

The tentative agreement is now set to be sent to the Los Angeles County Office of Education, the HDTA membership and the Hart district governing board for ratification. Details of the tentative agreement were not immediately available.

“The district and HDTA negotiating teams have reached a tentative agreement to conclude contract negotiations for the 2023-24 school year,” reads a memo from Collyn Nielsen, assistant superintendent of human resources, and Michael Copenhaver, HDTA chief negotiator, to district staff.

The HDTA and the district have been negotiating since May 2023, with the HDTA contract expiring at the end of June. Teachers have been operating without a contract since then.

In a statement sent to The Signal, Superintendent Mike Kuhlman said that this is a “good day” for the district.

“Today was a good day,” Kuhlman said. “Both HDTA and the Hart district negotiating teams came to the table and secured a tentative agreement on a number of contract issues, including increased compensation. Our incredible teachers are united and have made persuasive arguments about our need to continue striving to recognize their outstanding work. The board and district staff have also done their part to reduce expenditures in our budget to make this tentative agreement possible.

“We respect (that) the (HDTA) still needs to bring this to their membership,” Kuhlman continued. “Nevertheless, we look forward to a fresh start with our united focus on ensuring every one of our students graduates opportunity-ready.”

On Wednesday, March 13, more than 800 HDTA personnel rallied outside the district’s administrative office prior to and during the governing board’s meeting to voice their displeasure over the district seemingly refusing to negotiate on higher salaries for teachers and other certified employees.

Board member Bob Jensen, representative of Trustee Area No. 2, said in a phone interview that he was pleased to see all of the teachers united.

“I always like when they come and I enjoyed seeing so many people there last night because, truly, you can’t have a great district unless you all work together,” Jensen said. “And you’ve got to have wonderful teachers and fantastic classified personnel. It’s really a team effort that makes the district be what it is.”

Jensen added that, while he was not speaking for the whole board, he expects the tentative agreement to be ratified.

“I think that the negotiators for the bargaining

units do a great job and they’re hard-working,” Jensen said. “They put a lot of time and effort into it and I would think that if they feel good about it then others are gonna feel good about it.”

The district has been working to get its finances under control over the past few months, with LACOE directing the district to develop a fiscal stabilization plan to correct some of the reserve spending that officials have said would be necessary to satisfy all of the expected expenditures over the next three years.

That plan was approved in January and has the district spending $43 million less over the next three and a half years, allowing the district to certify its second interim financial report on Wednes-

day with reserves of at least double the state-mandated 3% of expenditures for this year and the next two school years.

The fiscal stabilization plan also includes layoffs for 61 certified positions and 29.14 full-time equivalent classified positions. District staff has said previously that the hope is to address this through retirements and other means of voluntary leave.

The district is expected to have about $92.3 million in its reserve after this school year, according to the financial report presented on Wednesday, just under $25 million less than what the district had in its reserve at the end of the last school year.

An HDTA representative was not immediately available for comment Thursday evening. 

More than 800 Santa Clarita Valley teachers and Hart District Teachers Association members gather to demonstrate against the William S. Hart Union High School District governing board during their meeting on Wednesday.

PHOTO BY HABEBA MOSTAFA / THE SIGNAL

In-House Diagnostics

Endoscopy

Ultra Sound

Digital Imaging

PRP Post Surgery Injections and Laser Therapy

(To Speed the Healing Process)

Water Treadmill Therapy for Orthopedic Rehabilitation

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18597 Soledad Canyon Road Santa Clarita 91351 (On the Corner of Shangri La Street in the Vallarta Shopping Center)

Former Whittaker-Bermite Site Being Eyed for Thousands of Homes, Hundreds of Acres Of Park Space

By Perry Smith Signal Senior Staff Writer

The developer trying to build up about 1,000 acres in the middle of Santa Clarita is asking the City Council to consider a term sheet and a bit of a commitment on the project’s scope for its multimillion-dollar investment in a property that’s been the subject of a decades-long cleanup.

New Urban West is the developer for the site formerly known as Whittaker-Bermite, which is now being proposed for more than 6,500 homes and hundreds of acres of park space as a new community project called Sunridge.

The Santa Monica-based developer presented a concept outline on Wednesday (March 6), during an informal study session, for the project. It will eventually go through the city’s planning process, including a Planning Commission and City Council review, city officials said.

On Wednesday the discussion was the first part of an attempt by New Urban West to get the city to review to an initial “programmatic” environmental impact report for the project. The impact report is similar to the “high-level” plan the city is putting together for Centennial with its recently acquired Valencia mall property. It also calls for the start of negotiations for broad commitments the city might agree to with the developer prior to its planning process.

The property is located south of Soledad Canyon Road, east of Railroad Avenue and west of Golden Valley Road, and it’s important to the city not just because of its location, but also its size and significance to the communities that have sprung up around the land.

It was locally known for years as the doughnut hole due to its soil contamination by perchlorate and depleted uranium that made it an untouchable plot in the middle of town until the state gave its all-clear.

“Based on the size and the scope and the significance of this development project, the council is being asked to come together collectively in order to provide a little bit of direction,” City Manager Ken Striplin said. “Hopefully (this will) develop some sort of a creative vision for the project that will help the applicant as they move forward with their process.”

Striplin opened the discussion by sharing about the property’s past, before the applicant talked about its potential for the future, since being cleared by the state for development in 2021.

The Property’s History

Located near the center of the city, from the 1930s to the 1980s, the property was used for the testing of explosives, activity that ceased in 1987, Striplin said.

According to The Signal’s archives, the Los Ange-

les Powder Co. made dynamite there from 1934 to 1936, while Halifax Explosives made fireworks on the same property until 1942.

E.P. Halliburton Inc. made oilfield explosives there for a short time, and then the Bermite Powder Co. moved in during the war effort to make flares and explosives throughout the Korean War.

The Whittaker Corp. used the property from 1967 to 1987 to make gas generators, rockets and Sidewinder missiles.

Shortly after the site closed, the state’s Department of Toxic Substances Control issued a cleanup order for the property. The agency’s website details the subsequent decades-long cleanup.

In 1995, the Santa Clarita City Council approved the Porta Bella Specific Plan and the following year approved a development agreement for the project that stated nothing could be built until the property was clean. However, the development agreement expired prior to the project’s clearance from the toxic substances control department.

Prior to the Sunridge proposal, the developers behind Porta Bella pitched 2,911 residential units and 2.5-million-square feet of commercial space, 406 acres of parks and recreational space and a school site. Extensions of Magic Mountain Parkway, Santa Clarita Parkway and Via Princessa are also supposed to be extended according to the city’s general plan.

New Plans

In July 2023, New Urban West submitted a preliminary design concept for the same land, which called for 6,550-residential units, the majority of

which are multifamily or apartment units, 3.1-million-square feet of commercial space, 430 acres of parks and recreational space and an extension of Via Princessa, Striplin said.

The preliminary plan also mentioned a wave park and an amphitheater, he said.

“Notably the Sunridge project would represent a new specific plan, not an amendment to the Porta Bella plan,” Striplin said. There was no mention of Magic Mountain and Santa Clarita parkways’ extension by the developer.

Jonathan Frankel, representing New Urban West in front of the council, mentioned the developer has history in the area as the builder of the Belcaro senior community in Valencia and is behind the coming MetroWalk project across town. The Trails at Lyons Canyon is a separate project that’s being looked at for an unincorporated area of the west side of the Santa Clarita Valley.

Frankel said the focus was on the project’s setting and surroundings, highlighting its proximity to existing assets such as public transportation resources.

The plans for the area now call for six villages, expected to be built in six phases from east to west, with a blend of housing, commercial and recreational uses.

Part of the outreach New Urban West is doing now is working with the brokerage community to see if there’s a large-scale business operation that could be drawn as a build-to-suit opportunity. The business park portion is proposed to be adjacent to Golden Valley Road, he said, adding it would be

An overview of different sections of the proposed Sunridge Project. COURTESY IMAGE

hidden somewhat behind a ridgeline there, north of the planned extension of Via Princessa.

A “village center” to accommodate residents’ needs with a grocery store, restaurants and other retail would be somewhat central in the project. An internal circulation portion, such as the paseos that surround the Valencia mall, would be an integral part of the design, Frankel added.

There will be three largely residential “villages” he labeled south village, central village and north village, which will be a mix of for-sale and for-rent housing, which Frankel described as “probably a majority forsale,” referring to condominiums.

He said three-story townhome units are being seen as the new firsttime homebuyer opportunity for most people in California. The project will include “some single-family homes” as well, but they would be placed strategically near neighboring single-family home communities for the project like Circle J Ranch.

There will also be a “transit-oriented development” district in the southeastern portion of the property, which will be “where we expect a little bit higher-density apartment product to be located,” Frankel said, as a mixed-use component with “neighborhood-serving resources” like retail locations.

Throughout the project included in the “open space” plans are designated natural open space as well as seven “pocket parks and private recreational amenities.”

The goal, he said, was to put everyone within a 15-minute walk of a park amenity.

Study Session Purpose

The idea behind the presentation was for New Urban West to pitch its

outline, get the city’s feedback and then come back with a more specific proposal the City Council would agree to as a sort of “terms sheet,” according to the developer’s terminology.

Jason Crawford, director of community development for the city of Santa Clarita, said it’s not something the city has done previously.

“This is an ask for something that the developer had done with other cities, but we have not done,” Crawford said.

The developer said the terms sheet and a programmatic EIR, similar to the scope and level of review the city recently released with its Town Center Specific Plan, are important to the project being able to keep its timeline for development in line with the goals for the plan.

“And we do think that that would be helpful in terms of next steps to bring back before you, relatively quickly, a more refined project description and what we envision as some sort of term sheet, memorandum of understanding, that you can look on, and based on your feedback, we’re going to incorporate that,” Frankel said, acknowledging that Wednesday is the very first step on a long planning process. “Because again, the last thing that we want to do is haul off and start, spend hundreds of thousands or millions of dollars likely on this project, and then the project description continues to morph and change over time.”

City Attorney Joe Montes described the concepts to the City Council prior to Mayor Cameron Smyth giving direction to staff.

“In terms of the term sheet,” Montes said, it would be an agreement

Jessica Mikayla: From Childhood Inspiration to Award Nominee

By Katherine Quezada Signal Staff Writer

Jessica Mikayla’s journey from being a young admirer of television shows to a thriving actress has earned her a nomination in the NAACP’s Image Awards for her work on “Disney Launchpad” season two.

The local actor was nominated in the Outstanding Performance in a Short Form Series category.

Mikayla knew she wanted to pursue acting after watching an episode of the hit 1990s sitcom “Full House.”

D.J. Tanner, played by a young Candace Cameron Bure, stood out to Mikayla the most out of the three young protagonists. At 6 years old, Mikayla knew she wanted to be on television and in film.

“I’m hooked, I’m not going anywhere,” Mikayla said, reminiscing on her initial thoughts after taking her very first acting class. “I was young but I knew what I wanted and I’m very stubborn.”

Mikayla has slowly made her dream a reality. She has booked acting opportunities on and off the screen, also lending her voice for characters in projects such as “Mindhunter,” “Diary of a Wimpy Kid” and the Oscar-winning animated feature film “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.”

Her workdays can seem different depending on her duties, she said. If she is voice acting, her days are a bit more relaxed and look like a traditional 9-to-5 job. If she’s scheduled to work in live action, she’s up before the sun rises ready to look and perform her best for the camera.

“It’s just been fun. It’s doing what I love as a

career,” said Mikayla. “It’s been a long journey. I wouldn’t say it’s too difficult. Maybe just a tiny bit. But I’m having a blast.”

As a young Black actress, Mikayla’s journey has had small challenges but nothing that has discouraged her from giving up on her dream. During her time growing up and being a child actor, she said that the entertainment industry wasn’t using kids anymore and it wasn’t as diverse.

COLLEGIATE HONOR ROLL

Congratulations to the Following Canyon Country Students

Albion College Dean’s List

Maria Felix

Biola University Dean’s List

Summer Bhola

Tessa Bhola

Benjamin Bruyninckx

Karilynn Cole

Ryan Ko

Keller Manthei

Seanna Sadie Sta Ana

Kevin Stone

Southern New Hampshire President’s List

Tosha Kocka

Francisca Luallen

Kalia Javan

“Some roles you didn’t get because of the color of your skin, which was not fun,” she said.

Nonetheless, Mikayla has grown up to be an actress who has become a part of shows in some of the biggest streaming apps to date. Some of the works she has been in are streamed on Disney+, Netflix, Showtime, Apple TV, Amazon Prime and many more.

Mikayla likes to enjoy her free time taking private ice-skating lessons at the Cube and going to Six Flags Magic Mountain. Originally from Compton, Mikayla’s family moved to Santa Clarita in 2017 and she has since graduated from Santa Clarita Valley International Charter School in Castaic. She also volunteers at her church as a children’s church leader, overseeing 2- to 5-year-old children.

“I wanted to start helping more with the younger kids,” said Mikayla. At first, it was something she began doing during quarantine. Now she creates lesson plans and has a leadership role, she said.

Her years of hard work have paid off with the Image Awards nomination. The 55th NACCP Image Awards aims at “celebrating the outstanding achievements and performances of people of color across more than 80 competitive categories spanning film, television, streaming, music, literature and podcasts,” stated the official website.

“Being nominated is such a huge honor already,” she said happily. “Knock on wood that I win but I’m just happy to be there.”

Mikayla currently attends college and continues to pursue her acting career simultaneously. She hopes to continue both voice and live acting in the future, she said.

“I would love to do both for the rest of my life.” 

Local actress Jessica Mikayla, whose work has been featured on streaming services such as Disney+, Netflix and Apple TV, was nominated for an NAACP Image Award in the “Outstanding Performance in a Short Form Series” category for her work on “Disney Launchpad.” (Left) PHOTO COURTESY IMDB. (Right) COURTESY PHOTO

that indicates how the applicant will proceed through the entitlement processing, what the public outreach will be and what the hearings will be in front of the council. He added, “It’s not something we’ve done here before.”

“I think it’s something they’re desirous of just so they understand the path to get through the process and I think that would be entirely in your discretion,” Montes added. “And I think staff will have to take a look at whatever the deal points are that they’re recommending in the (agreement) to determine whether or not staff feels comfortable recommending it to you.”

He described a program EIR as a 20,000-foot level look at a plan.

“So you’re looking at the different areas, generally what could be put in those areas, you’re looking at a max development envelope, sort of the worstcase scenarios in terms of impacts, but — what exactly is going to be in there, how many building in the business park, what all of the interior roads are within the business park, the hours of delivery, stuff like that, you may not get into that level at the program-level EIR,” he said. “And then when the applicant comes forward with the phase to deal with the business park, if there are, with particularity, in the refined plan, if there are impacts that

haven’t been studied or haven’t been studied efficiently, you do a supplement to the program EIR and you supplement those areas that haven’t been studied.”

Council Discussion

After the council members asked a number of questions and shared their concerns about the plans, Smyth ultimately agreed to direct staff to discuss what terms might look like.

“It makes sense to explore the discussion of what that would be, whatever the semantics are, but obviously tread deliberately, because I think we all concur that we don’t want to be committed to something before it’s gone through the whole process,” Smyth said.

Crawford said Thursday that such an agreement couldn’t obligate the Planning Commission or City Council to refrain from undergoing its review process for a project.

Frankel said the developer was committed to community engagement and outreach, which is a “core part of the DNA” of New Urban West.

“What they’re seeking is certainty, on the path and then as you mentioned with the description, trying to create the description of a project that’s not going to change dramatically over time,”

Striplin added, acknowledging staff already has received some feedback from council members.

“I would be concerned, knowing the council’s prerogative on process and development and being very hands-on with a project coming in in one shape or form, and it goes through the public process, through the council process, and it’s very different at the end,” Striplin said, discussing possible concerns with such terms. “I know council member (Laurene) Weste was very specific about some of those things.”

Weste later said that, being frank, she was just as worried at what staff might do with the terms as she was with the developer, because the project is too important not to get right and be studied by everyone.

“I want to know. I’m sure everyone up here wants to know, because these are important things,” Weste said of the details and the process.

“Can’t make mistakes on this one,” she added. “This is what Bill (Miranda) called that hole in the doughnut, and we are filling up the hole now. So I want to do it right.” 

Car Hits Commercial Building in Canyon Country

By Habeba Mostafa Signal Staff Writer

Avehicle slightly struck a commercial building at 19366 Soledad Canyon Road early afternoon on Wednesday, March 13, according to Deputy Robert Jensen, a spokesman for the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station.

The small BMW SUV came to rest just outside Smile Dental Group near Whites Canyon Road.

Deputies responded to the call at approximately 12:55 p.m., according to Jensen.

Firefighters were on the scene at 1:01 p.m., according to Kaitlyn Aldana, a spokeswoman with the Los Angeles County Fire Department.

“A vehicle was in a private parking lot and went into a building. Very minor, not all the way in the building, but just bumped up against the building,” Jensen said.

According to Jensen, the driver was awake and conscious. No injuries were reported, according to Aldana.

I want to share my experience with the Santa Clarita School of Performing Arts. My daughter, Michela, is 12 years old. She found an announcement for the Santa Clarita School of Performing Arts Fashion Show at Macy’s and begged me to apply. We live in Washington, DC, so I thought she was joking at first. Flying out to California for a fashion show? Then I got a call from the owner of SCSOPA, Mike. His enthusiasm and passion for his school was so evident that he inspired us to take the plunge and book a flight. Mike allowed Michela to take several free classes when we visited. From learning how to walk in a fashion show from a real pageant winner, to Improv and Acting classes, she threw herself in and everyone made her feel at home. It is clear that the Santa Clarita School of Performing Arts is a family with everyone rooting for each other. It is a true melting pot with actors of all shapes, sizes, ages, ethnicities, colors and creeds. We signed up for their unlimited package so she can take as many classes as she wants. Best of all, whenever she has an audition, we are able to work with the school and arrange for a fantastic acting coach to run lines with her and give her feedback. The very first audition we worked on, she booked! The staff is super responsive, professional and a joy to work with. Thank you, Mike and SCSOPA, for helping launch Michela’s career! – SCSOPA 23502 Lyons Ave Suite 105, Santa Clarita, CA 91321 (661) 222-7910

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A vehicle had a minor collision with a commercial building on Soledad Canyon Road on Wednesday, March 13. COURTESY PHOTO

Arts Commission to Discuss Roller Rink Art Piece

By Tyler Wainfeld Signal Staff Writer

The Santa Clarita Arts Commission is expected to approve a design for the artwork set to be on display at the future site of the roller rink that will be built at the Santa Clarita Sports Complex.

The artwork up for approval is titled “The Kaleidoscope Sound Hallway” and was submitted by Annette Coleman.

“The artwork features colorful kaleidoscope-inspired circles and forms, spinning mosaic circles, and hand drums,” the agenda reads.

A total of 101 applications were submitted to the artist selection committee, which began seeking applications in September 2023. Three finalists were interviewed by the committee in January before Coleman’s work was selected.

The roller rink will be the first of its kind in Santa Clarita and is anticipated to be a fully enclosed, multiuse facility. The roller rink project is also expected to include a basketball court, pickleball courts, a volleyball court, spectator seating, and an audio/disc jockey booth with a sound and light system. A special events area has also been designated as part of the project.

The original plans for the rink were approved by the Santa Clarita City Council for $356,180 in April 2022 before those plans were expanded in November 2023, bringing the total cost of the project to around $1.66 million. The plans were designed by Anil Verma Asso-

ciates Inc.

According to the city’s Civic Art Policy, the roller rink project qualifies as a capital improvement project, which requires 1% of the eligible project cost to be allocated for a civic art piece. 

Solar Panels to Shade Hillside at Least Until Summer

By Perry Smith Signal Senior Staff Writer

The city is going to have to wait a few months longer to find out what’s going to happen with a “solar farm” covering a Canyon Country hillside.

Attorneys for the Seidenglanz family, who are listed as the persons of interest for the hillside property facing Soledad Canyon Road, just west of Whites Canyon Road, have until April 15 for their final reply in court, according to the Second Appellate District’s records available online.

Once that response is filed, the court is expected to set a hearing date for oral arguments over the briefs, which could be any time in the months following the filing, based on the scheduling availability of the court, a city official said Wednesday.

The city of Santa Clarita had the lawsuit on its closed-session agenda for discussion prior to Tuesday’s Santa Clarita City Council meeting. There was no report out of closed session on the item and the city does not comment on pending litigation.

But there have been hundreds of pages of documents and claims filed to date over the process that brought more 6,500 ground-mounted solar panels to the hillside.

The developer argued the city referred Canyon View Estates to the state a land-use permit, which, as a permitted mobile home park, would fall under the purview of the state’s Department of Housing and Community Development.

The developer got permission from the state, and then the city then did an “about-face” when it saw the project, according to the filing. A trial court judge ruled that since the panels were put up legally, the city must compensate the park for them.

The city is arguing it shouldn’t have to pay that

$5 million judgment to Canyon View for the cost of the park’s contract with panel installer California Solar because the panels violate the park’s conditional use permit with the county. (The owners of the property entitled its land usage prior to the city’s formation.)

Under the L.A. County CUP, the park must keep a percentage of its land as open space, and the city is arguing that the panels violate that agreement; the park has argued that the trial court’s ruling negates any city claims against its land use.

Santa Clarita City Council members have called the project an eyesore, and over the last half-dozen

years, officials had spent $1.1 million in legal fees as of April 2023, according to the city’s communications office.

When asked if a $5 million price tag would be worth removing the panels, if that’s ultimately what the city has to pay, Santa Clarita Mayor Cameron Smyth acknowledged the panels have been part of a yearslong battle for the city but that all the information wasn’t available yet.

“We have been fighting to remove the solar panels since I came back to the council in 2017,” he said, “but I will have to weigh all the options before making any decisions.” 

Canyon, Golden Valley Shine at Hart District Theater Fest

By Katherine Quezada Signal Staff Writer

The annual Hart District Theatre Festival had 200 students competing in theatrical performances in seven categories at the Saugus Performing Arts Center.

Seven William S. Hart Union High School District theater programs gathered at the center to celebrate theater arts.

The students competed in audition monologues, contemporary ensemble, Shakespeare ensemble, musical ensemble, small group contemporary, small group Shakespeare, small group musical, judges’ awards and best supporting and lead actor.

Although it was a competition, Gina Painter, emcee for the festival and theater teacher for Saugus High

School, described it as a celebration.

The highlight for her about the theater festival was witnessing all the stu-

dents across the valley come together under one roof and supporting each

SIGNAL FILE

PHOTO

Canyon High School performs “American Idiot/ Holiday” during the Hart District Theater Festival held at Saugus High School.

PHOTO BY DAN WATSON / THE SIGNAL

City Council Members to Get Slight Pay Raises

By Tyler Wainfeld Signal Staff Writer

The Santa Clarita City Council approved at Tuesday’s (March 12) meeting an amended motion to give council members a 2.5% pay raise starting in 2025.

The amendment from Councilmember Marsha McLean came after the council voted against 10% pay raises, due to a technicality. McLean and Mayor Pro Tem Bill Miranda voted for the larger raise, with Councilmember Laurene Weste voting against it and Councilmember Jason Gibbs abstaining.

That 2-1 split vote — Mayor Cameron Smyth was not in attendance on Tuesday as he was out of town for business, according to Carrie Lujan, communications manager for the city — would normally be treated as a 3-1 split vote with Gibbs’ abstention, not due to a conflict of interest, being treated as a “yes” vote, according to Joseph Montes, city attorney. However, because the motion would amend a city ordinance, three affirmative votes would have been needed for it to pass.

Smyth would not be affected by the pay increase as he has already said he is not running for reelection after redistricting meant his neighborhood wouldn’t be on the ballot in 2024.

McLean then proposed the 2.5% pay increase, the same as what was approved previously and went into effect on Jan. 1, 2023. That motion was approved 3-1, with Weste voting against it, calling it a “protest vote” due to the situation that many Americans find themselves in with rising inflation.

In defense of the pay raise, McLean said with the city now at more than 220,000 residents, and her not hearing most of them clamoring for the city to

do a better job, that a raise is due.

“I don’t make a ton of money out there,” McLean said, “and I spend a bunch of my own money and my time, and so I think that compensation is deserved.”

Multiple members of the public spoke of the rising costs of necessities and how the council members giving themselves a raise while other residents are struggling to feed their families or afford gas goes against common sense. Diane Zimmerman said the council should look at the recent bus drivers’ strike as an example of how residents are forced to drastic measures to get a fair wage.

“You need every penny you can get to help these people out,” Zimmerman said. “No raises for anyone elected or appointed at this time.”

Prior to the first vote, Gibbs said he is aware of how hard each of the council members works and that compensation is deserved, even if he doesn’t necessarily want it.

“I know how hard each and every one of you work, and I mean that very seriously,” Gibbs said, adding that he had no idea what council members made before he was elected in 2020. “Whether you’re doing the regional things and you’re up first thing in the morning, whether it’s weekends, whether it’s Sundays, supporting nonprofits, putting your time and your effort out there — we all give everything to this position. We really do. The pay piece for me, honestly, I mean that very sincerely, I’m indifferent to it. But I think every amount we get is earned.”

The 2.5% pay hike represents a roughly $58.21 increase to the monthly salary of council members, bringing the new salary to $2,386 per

month. That equates to $28,632 per year, well under a $15 minimum-wage salary, which would be $31,200 per year.

The initial proposal of a 10% pay hike would have seen council members receive raises of $232.82 each, which equates to a $2,561.11 monthly salary and just over $30,700 annually.

The 10% pay hike would have been in line with the maximum allowed under Senate Bill 329, a law authored by state Sen. Bill Dodd, D-San Francisco, who reasoned that because the compensation schedule for general law cities has not been adjusted since 1984 or kept pace with inflation, a pay hike would help councils’ diversity.

“Because increased compensation can help individuals from across different income levels receive sufficient income from their service to help ensure that they can continue to serve the public and support their families,” according to the text of the law signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom in June 2023.

Weste said she understands why people may be upset with the council getting pay increases during a time in which many people are struggling, which is why she ultimately voted against the raises.

“I hear a lot of frustration every day, and I don’t know how most people are coping because the last few years have been pretty stressful for everybody,” Weste said. “Food’s become outrageous. Gas is intolerable. Medical costs are most expensive anywhere around the world. And utilities just continue to go up and up. And it’s really easy to understand the pressure that people are having. It’s really easy to understand.” 

THEATRE

Continued from page 12

other for the common appreciating of theater performances, she said.

“They cheer for each other, they exchange phone numbers and social media, they make plans to go see other shows, so instead of it being highly competitive, it turns into a celebration,” said Painter.

Approximately 300 people were in attendance, said Painter. Families came to support their children competing, and all seven theater teachers from the Hart district witnessed their students perform as well as other local students.

Every year the high schools rotate to host the event on their campus, said Painter. Last year the Hart District Film Festival was held at Canyon High School.

The Hart District Theatre Festival 2024 award recipients were:

Audition Monologues

1. Kate Eng – Saugus

2. Charlie Molerio – Hart

3. Bailey Bond – Canyon

Contemporary Ensemble

1. Saugus

2. West Ranch

3. Valencia

Best Supporting Actor Hailey Frame - West Ranch.

Best Lead Actor Levi Green – Canyon.

Shakespeare Ensemble

1. Valencia

2. Saugus

3. Canyon

Best Supporting Actor Casey Smith – Hart.

Best Lead Actor Holly Van Puyvelde – Saugus.

Musical Ensemble

1. Saugus

2. Hart

3. Canyon.

Best Supporting Actor Nina Nathan – Saugus.

Best Lead Actor Joshua NavaltaGolden Valley.

Small Group Contemporary

1. Valencia

2. Saugus

3. Canyon

Small Group Shakespeare

1. Valencia

2. Saugus

3. West Ranch

Small Group Musical

1. Saugus

2. Golden Valley

3. Valencia

Judges’ awards

Charlie Molerio

Samuel Kort

Cora Howard

Kate Eng

Landon Blankenship 

Canyon High Thrills at Redondo Nike Track Invitational

By Justin Vigil-Zuniga Signal Sports Writer

Foothill League track and field athletes got well-acquainted with the podium over the weekend at the Redondo Nike Track Invitational.

School, meet and personal records were shattered as Santa Clarita’s standouts did just that.

From Canyon, senior sprinter Mikaela Warr set a new personal and meet record in the girls’ 100-meter dash with a first-place finish of 11.56 seconds.

Warr smashed her previous PR by over 0.2 seconds, stunning Canyon coach Chris Jackson.

“We knew (Warr) was ready to break her PR of 11.8 but dropping into a 11.56 at this point in the season, when she’s not being trained to peak yet, is a very encouraging sign,” Jackson said in a phone interview. “It was delightful to watch her improve by that much. She just ran away from a very talented field.”

Cowboys junior Jordehn Gammage earned a spot on the podium in both hurdle races, while also finishing fifth in the boys’ 4x100-meter relay. Gammage beat the previous meet record in the 110-meter hurdles race with a 14.34-second PR while finishing third in 300-meter hurdles with a mark of 38.9 seconds.

In discus, Golden Valley junior Kiera Donovan took home a gold medal in girls’ discus after

her throw of 133 feet and 5 inches cleared her PR and the competition by over 12 feet. Donovan also earned a third-place finish in shot put after a 37foot, 7.25-inch mark.

The day mostly belonged to the Cowboys, who boasted several records. Senior Saul Jimenez finished bronze in the boys’ 800-meter run with his new PR mark of 1:56.20.

Jimenez also finished third as part of the boys 4x800-meter team, which set a new school record with its 7-minute, 58.75-second finish. Jackson believes his team of Adrian Rodriguez, Erick Leal, Anthony Alarcon and Jimenez can all still improve

on their time, but nonetheless their names will be up on Canyon’s wall of record holders of the newer event.

Canyon throws standout George Stansell finished fourth in discus after a heave of 155 feet and 8.5 inches, and finished seventh in shot put after a throw of 51 feet and 4.75 inches.

Foothill League cross country champion Cynthia Herrera finished sixth overall in the girls’ 3200-meter run with her finish of 11:03.76 for the Cowboys.

Canyon freshman Alaya Graves-Hogains was also a pleasant surprise in the girls’ 400-meter dash after her sixth-place, 57.54-second finish. The freshman was just off from her PR, which ranked her sixth in CIF earlier this season despite primarily being an 800-meter runner.

Canyon is riding high but is locking back in for league competition this week.

“It’s very exciting,” Jackson said. “We’re getting some great marks that are gonna get us into some big invitationals, but tomorrow is Castaic. They have Meagan Humphries, who arguably could be called the best athlete in California track right now. They’ve got Regan Thompson, Mallory Palm and Lauren Lazzarato. They’ve got all these kids and girls so we can’t enjoy this too much because it’s back to work trying to prepare for our next meet.”

Joshua Navalta and Golden Valley High School perform “Nicest Kids in Town” during the Hart District Theater Festival. PHOTO BY DAN WATSON / THE SIGNAL

Canyon’s Mikaela Warr set a PR and meet record in the 100-meter dash..PHOTO BY DAN WATSON / THE SIGNAL

CALENDAR

Celebrate Season

Kicks Off with Celebrate “Brazil”

Canyon Country Community Center

Friday, April 12 • 6-9 p.m.

Celebrate highlights different cultures, customs and culinary wonders featuring music, dance, food, art and educational experiences.

Canyon Country Community Center 18410 Sierra Highway, Santa Clarita 91350 (661) 290-2266

CANYON COUNTRY COMMUNITY CENTER

REGISTRATION FOR SPRING PROGRAMS NOW OPEN

https://santaclarita.gov/seasons/

Every Wednesday, Year-round 4 p.m. – 8 p.m.

S.C.O.R.E.

Scholarship Program

For youth who do not have the financial means to participate in fee-based recreational programs and activities.

Call (661) 250-3700

Community Center After School Fun

AGES - 5 - 12

Monday - Friday • 2:30 - 6:00 p.m.

Homework assistance, enrichment activities, arts and crafts, games and more!

TEEN PROGRAM

Ages 13 - 17 • Monday - Friday 3 - 6 p.m.

Canyon Country Community Center Hours of Operation

Monday – Friday: 8:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.

Saturday: 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Sundays: CLOSED

CCCC New Website

https://santaclarita.gov/canyon-country-community-center

A dult and Senior Activities

Senior Walking Club (55+)

A moderate to fast-paced walking group, which meets each week and walks the around the exterior of the facility.

Bunco (55+)

Senior Makers Club (50+)

Senior Makers Club is a monthly DIY project class that’s sure to inspire creativity and fun!

Low Impact Outdoor Games (18+)

Come out and play this classic dice game that’s sure to keep the competition rolling!

Mahjong (55+)

An opportunity to socialize, play Mahjong, and meet new friends! Bring your own Mahjong card.

March 23

Have some fun in the sun while having friendly competition with these outdoor games!

Line Dancing (18+)

This choreographed line dancing class is a great way to meet new friends and get your groove on!

CANYON COUNTRY LIBRARY PROGRAMS

10 a.m. Sit and Stitch

March 25

1 p.m. Little Explorers

March 26

3:30 Crafternoon

March 27

9:30 a.m. Cuenta Cuentos

6 p.m. One Story, One City. Secret Book safe

March 28

9:30 a.m. Storytime

3:30 p.m. Teen Crafts and Stuff: Origama Series

4 p.m. Read to a Dog

March 31

Closed for Easter

April 1

1 p.m. Little Explorers

April 2

9:30 a.m. Storytime

3:30 p.m. STEM Science Explorers

April 3

9:30 a.m. Cuenta Cuentos

3:30 Teen Library Eats: TikTok Hot or NotPancake Ramen Steamed Egg

April 4

9:30 a.m. Storytime

noon Homeschool Resource Support Room

3:30 p.m. Teen Crafts and Stuff: Amigurumi Series

6:30 p.m. Club de Mujeres Latinas en Literatura

April 5

10:15 a.m. Yoga Together

4:30 p.m. Canyon Teen Advisory Board

April 8

1 p.m. Little Explorers

6 p.m. Worlds of Whimsy

April 9

9:30 a.m. Storytime

3:30 p.m. LEGO® Block Party

April 10

9:30 a.m. Cuenta Cuentos

1 p.m. Home at the Library