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By Michael Picarella Signal Staff Writer
Santa Clarita residents James Morales and Eddie Salas were talking together about the importance of culture, tradition, and keeping their heritage alive.
They were spending a Sunday afternoon at the 30th Annual Hart of the West Pow Wow at William S. Hart Park with their families. The celebration of Native American culture through traditional dance, music, storytelling, food and craft vendors got them really taking stock in where and who they come from.
“It’s about keeping the heritage going,” said Morales, who can trace his roots back to the Fernandeño Tataviam Band of Mission Indians. “It’s important,” he continued, “for us to teach our young ones, to keep them involved.”
What pleased him most about the Pow Wow over the weekend, he said, was that it wasn’t just his tribe at the event, but others, as well.
“We’re the main tribe here — this is our valley — but there are multiple tribes from all around that came to support us here,” he said. “That’s the big thing. There are tribes out from San Bernardino, from Santa Barbara.”
He also spoke about the importance of the land
By Katherine Quezada Signal Staff Writer
Juanita Rojas has had a common goal with all her students throughout her three-decade teaching career. She wants to help her students form a “sense of belonging,” she said.
“Sometimes some of these kids come to school, day in and day out, and they still don’t feel connected,” she added.
On a Thursday morning, more than 20 Golden Valley High School students made up of diverse backgrounds, ranging from freshmen to seniors, began to tap their feet in unison onto the polished wooden floor while Mexican music played in the background. The students were dancing ballet folklorico, a cultural dance that originated in Mexico.
The students were shy, but a few smiles formed when they realized they fully memorized the choreography. Rojas, along with her righthand man Octavio Barba, a folklorico dance instructor, was there to help clarify the technicalities such as how to correctly place their arms or stomp their feet.
The Golden Valley Ballet Folklorico De Oro program was started a year ago as a club with only a few members. Due to the high number of students interested, Rojas advocated that the club be turned into a physical education class.
The students now earn credits, but the experience is much more than that. In the program many of the students take the time to learn more about themselves and their culture,
build a community based on similar interests, and learn to overcome unique challenges through the art of dance.
Senior Brian Mazon migrated to the United States some five months ago from Guerrero, Mexico.
“[In Mexico] the dance is practiced a lot,” he said in Spanish. When asked about why he joined the program this fall he responded, “It’s a beautiful dance … I’ve been dancing this at school [in Mexico], and I heard GVHS had the program, and I joined.”
Freshman student Allisson Cedillo added in Spanish: “I wanted to be surrounded by people that come from different experiences of life, like [Mazon] who came to the United States, and [others] to just learn, [and] learn more about the dance that is practiced in various parts of Latin America.”
Mazon and Cedillo said they love to hear the roaring applause and the excitement from the audience after each performance. It’s important for them to witness how people who may not know about ballet folklorico and its culture leave their performances with a positive outlook.
Sophomore Kaylani Jones wanted to create a better connection to her mother’s side of the family and the vibrant colorful dresses worn by the dancers during a performance at La Mesa Junior High School caught her attention.
“I really liked the pretty dresses ... Everyone likes really pretty dresses,” she said as she giggled.
But within her personal experience she’s learned to overcome her stage
fright, and it has helped her become more sure of herself.
“It really helped me get over my fear like, being in front of people and performing, which I think is very helpful,” adding that soon she’s required to have a presentation in front of people for a scholarship and she’s overcome the challenge with the help of the program.
“The people here are really welcoming. It was really easy to make friends and the [current] group we have right now feels like a family. We all talk, we all get along really well,” Jones added.
But for some, the program serves as a completely new experience with no correlation to family cultural ties.
“For me, this is a completely different culture,” said sophomore Rafael Zabala, who is of Philippine descent. “Dance in the Philippines doesn’t have much emphasis on footsteps so it’s like a completely different experience,” but he’s come to learn and appreciate something new that he didn’t think he would be exposed to.
Every Friday during their regular class time, Rojas takes the time to also educate her students about the historical significance of the dance and how it changes within the different regions of Mexico.
“We talk about the songs, what it means, the different style of footwork, the culture in the region,” she said. They also learn appropriate vocabulary and the significance of the attire.
Rojas wants her Golden Valley
Ballet Folklorico De Oro students to gain skills that they could apply in different areas of their academic and personal lives while simultaneously forming new connections within their community and beyond.
“It just means so much for me to have them have a sense of belonging,” she said. Although she’s taken the unpaved road and created something new at the school, the students having a positive experience makes it all worthwhile for the passionate teacher. Even when she stumbles on a few challenges, she’s unafraid to tackle them.
The dance program may be in its early stages, but Rojas has big plans for her students before she is set to retire in five years, she said. “It’s been quite the ride.”
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By Signal Staff
The Justice Department has sued Irvine-based Fitness International LLC, which does business as LA Fitness, for discriminating against people with disabilities at its gym and fitness clubs, according to a DOJ news release Tuesday, Oct. 1.
LA Fitness is the largest chain of owner-operated gym and fitness clubs in the United States, with nearly 700 locations across the country, and three in the Santa Clarita Valley, Canyon Country, Stevenson Ranch and Valencia.
The lawsuit alleges LA Fitness violated the Americans with Disabilities Act, which prohibits public accommodations, including gym and fitness clubs, from discriminating against people with disabilities.
Through the lawsuit, the United States asks the court to stop LA Fitness from discriminating against people with disabilities, including by requiring LA Fitness to make its facilities and equipment accessible.
The lawsuit also seeks money damages for people harmed by LA Fitness’ discrimination. This includes people who were directly harmed by LA Fitness’ barriers to access and broken equipment, as well people who need help to use LA Fitness’ clubs and were charged extra fees to have a friend, nurse or personal assistant help them use LA fitness facilities.
The ADA requires LA Fitness to give people with disabilities equal access to LA Fitness’ services and facilities, remove architectural barriers to make its facilities accessible to people
with disabilities and maintain accessible features. The ADA also prohibits LA Fitness from charging extra fees to people with disabilities, the release said.
“Ensuring accessibility is key to safeguarding civil rights for all Americans,” U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada said in the release. “Our office is committed to ensuring that people with disabilities have access to public accommodations by enforcing the protections afforded by the Americans with Disabilities Act. When we support those with disabilities, our entire community benefits.”
The company’s website says its policies are ADA-compliant.
“[LA Fitness] complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act and related state and provincial laws,” says the page labeled “Accessibility Compliance” on lafitness.com. “Accordingly, we do not discriminate against individuals with disabilities and will take all steps necessary to provide our members with disabilities full and equal enjoyment of our facilities and services, in accordance with applicable laws.”
The site adds, “If you have a disability that requires an accommodation or modification of policies, practices or procedures to achieve full and equal enjoyment of our facilities, please notify our staff so that we may assist you.”
Anyone who had trouble accessing an LA Fitness gym or fitness club because of a disability, including due to a broken pool lift or elevator, or charged an extra fee to access LA Fitness’s equipment, can call 1-888392-5417 (toll-free), or email Claims. LAFitness@usdoj.gov to report.
For more information on the ADA, call the Justice Department’s toll-free ADA Information Line at 1-800-5140301 (TDD 800-514-0383) or visit www.ada.gov.
By Maya Morales Signal Staff Writer
he Sand Canyon Country Club welcomed many furry friends at the Titania K9 Fund’s 8th annual fundraiser with the theme of “Wanted: Wild West Gala” to raise funds for the Children’s Hospital Los Angeles dog therapy program.
Titania K9 Fund committee member, Denise Kane, said her daughter, Tory Kane, was a CHLA patient when she created an anime superhero figurine named Titania. Titania has a sidekick dog named K9, who battled illness and injury with her superpowers of love, hope and courage.
Her daughter is the inspiration for the fund’s name and its mission.
Denise Kane said that having a dog therapy program at CHLA is important because it can make a patient’s day when they are going through treatment.
By Perry Smith Signal Senior Staff Writer
Looking to address years of northbound and southbound commuter traffic at a standstill at times on Highway 14, transportation officials are expected to hold meetings in the coming months to hear how the public would like to address the gridlock.
The problem — congestion — is not up for debate.
But with dozens of off-ramps on the road officially known as State Route 14 between Interstate 5 and State Route 138, or Pearblossom Highway, there are lots of opportunities for improvement.
A “Request Approval of Project to Proceed to the Project Approval and Environmental Document Phase” for Highway 14 authorized by Tony Tavares, who was a district director for Caltrans in August 2021 and later named director of the state’s Department of Transportation the following June, looks at three possibilities.
Two would have a direct impact for southbound drivers, who face worse congestion based on Caltrans data, and one would be for the northbound side.
The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority is working with Caltrans on improvements to Highway 14, which is important to national strategic defense and emergency capabilities as part of the Strategic Highway Corridor Network, according to Caltrans — as well as being vital to east-side commuters in the Antelope and Santa Clarita valleys.
The outreach for the plan, which hit an unexpected snag last month, causing it to be postponed until further notice, appears to be centered around three suggestions deemed as priorities, based on documents obtained by The Signal.
The idea is to eliminate bottleneck locations and improve safety, according to Patrick Chandler, speaking on behalf of Metro, referring to the project’s goal. He wrote that 12 of the 17 segments studied for the SR-14 North Los Angeles County Safety & Mobility Improvements Project had higher-than-average collision rates.
Councilwoman Marsha McLean, who was disappointed the outreach scheduled last month for the much-needed work was delayed, said she was looking forward to hearing what residents had to say about the road, as well as what could be done.
“I would like to see the State Route 14 freeway be brought up to public safety standards, and if that means adding an extra lane, which could be a truck lane, or any other necessary lane to ensure the safety of the commuters that use that freeway every single day,” she said Tuesday in a phone interview.
Transportation agencies have been studying the issue for years, with the first reports in 2019 hinting at congestion problems, and recent studies
Proposed Northbound SR-014 Improvement Locations Proposed Southbound SR-014
The 2021 report looked at three projects for a build-out scenario on Highway 14.
On the southbound side, Caltrans is proposing to add a lane on (Highway 14) from “Newhall Avenue Undercrossing” to the “Via Princessa Undercrossing),” which would be nearly 4 miles; and from Sand Canyon Road to Agua Dulce Canyon Road, which would be a little over 6.5 miles.
The north side, from the “Newhall Avenue Undercrossing” to Golden Valley Road, would receive a lane, a distance of about 2.675 miles, according to the preliminary plans.
The congestion data released by Caltrans in conjunction with the study demonstrates why southbound commuters are getting two lane additions while those heading north get one: The existing level of service for the northbound traffic near Via Princessa was reported at 53 mph; while the southbound traffic in the same area is moving at 24 mph. There are three lanes for both segments but
There were two alternatives looked at: a no-build and a build. And without the build, the situation looks grim for the commute.
“Several segments of this roadway are currently operating at near or over-capacity with a Level of Service ‘E’ or ‘F’ during peak periods,” according to planning documents, with F representing the lowest level, which would essentially be gridlock.
Without the build, the southbound traffic would essentially be at gridlock at almost every exit in a little over a dozen years, according to the study.
“With the expected increase in traffic demand due to ambient growth and/or planned developments within the neighboring communities and beyond, the no-build alternative would render large segments of the route to operate at an unacceptable level of service by the 2040 design year; further, through diversion, poor operational per-
By Perry Smith Signal Senior Staff Writer
The Santa Clarita Swap Meet at the Saugus Speedway is closing down Oct. 27, according to the owner of the land, Doug Bonelli.
Bonelli said he’s been trying to close the swap meet for years, and mentioned it was happening soon regardless of the pending development plans for his property, during a recent discussion at City Hall.
During the last market there, he’s planning to welcome vendors and visitors to wear costumes, he said Monday, adding that face-painting would be available and some other things his staff was working on.
Bonelli said he was looking forward to moving on from the twice-weekly market when he addressed the Santa Clarita Planning Commission during a recent meeting to discuss a housing plan that’s being proposed for his property.
He’s been trying to sell the land for months, with the pending approvals for the Riverview Project presumably a previous obstacle.
Bonelli didn’t mention any changes to the ownership status yet; however, there’s reason for optimism over the project’s future after Santa Clarita City Councilwoman Laurene Weste appealed the
Planning Commission’s rejection of the project last month.
Integral Communities is looking to put nearly 320 homes on a 40-acre lot where the market currently is hosted on Tuesdays and Sundays.
The plans were rejected by the Planning Commission because the developer refused to amend
The
of Santa Clarita City Council at its Oct. 22 meeting.
Continued from page 9
“Some of those kids are in the hospital for a long time, so when the dog comes into the room, it lights up their day. They can be themselves. It’s unconditional love,” said Kane.
Attendee Olivia Jarquin said this fundraiser was very important to her and her family after seeing how much the dog therapy program helped her daughter when she was a patient at CHLA.
“As soon as those dogs came into the room, she would turn into a different person,” said Jarquin.
Jarquin said that when a dog would come to her daughter’s room and visit it would change her whole demeanor. Her daughter would become much more attentive, and they appreciated there was something to make her happy while they were at the hospital for long periods of time.
Even after her daughter died, Jarquin wanted to keep on supporting the program through the fundraiser.
“A lot of the times, just having a doctor or a nurse or even a parent asking them so many things like, ‘OK, what can I do?’ It can get overwhelming for them,” said Jarquin. “But these dogs don’t ask anything. They just love them. So for me, I would say request the dogs as soon as you can.”
Kate Buhrmaster, head of the Ammerman Family
the CHLA. The dogs go floor by floor visiting patients for about 10 to 15 minutes to offer them emotional and physical support.
There were eight certified therapy dogs at the gala. Throughout the event the dogs’ handlers were walking them around letting the guests come and greet them. Several kids would approach the dogs to pet them and get to know fun facts about them. The handlers would give them a picture card of dog with their information and other facts on the back.
Charlene Lafontant held her therapy dog, Mochi, for attendees to come and pet or hold themselves.
She said that she has recognized that children and dogs have a natural connection. The dogs not only cheer up patients and doctors through the tough days, but also they can help them keep their blood pressure and heart rates down.
The doctors and nurses “love seeing the dogs as well, because they have a very stressful job, and we’re happy to help them destress so that they can help the patients as well,” said Lafontant.
To her the moments that make the dog therapy
program so important and special are when they help the patients, whether they be there for a short time or long time.
“We’ll go into a room and some patients are there just a few days. Some are there very long term,” said Lafontant. “One time, the nurse came up to me afterwards and said that they hadn’t seen that patient smile in months. So to have Mochi there really kind of inspired that moment for that child. It just touches your heart, that you’re able to do that.”
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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Continued from page 5
he was standing on, land that his ancestors occupied for centuries.
According to the website of the Fernandeño Tataviam Band of Mission Indians, the citizens of their tribal community originally inhabited villages in what is now the Simi, San Fernando, Antelope and Santa Clarita valleys.
“After thousands of years,” the website read, “foreign powers began colonization in the late 1770s with the arrival of the Spanish, followed by the establishment of Mexico and the United States. Despite settler colonization, the tribe continues to operate as a tribal community.”
According to Salas, who can also trace his roots back to the Tataviam people, without events like the Pow Wow, the culture might otherwise not survive.
“We still live here,” he said, “but how easy it is to lose your culture.”
Event organizers said that more than 10,000 people came through Hart Park over the weekend during the two-day event. Rudy Ortega, trib-
al president of the Fernandeño Tataviam Band of Mission Indians, said he felt there were more guests this year than last. He seemed very proud with those who participated in what he was already calling a success, before the event was even over.
“We’ve got vendors that came from as far as Nevada and Arizona,” he said. “And we’ve got dancers — the same thing, some coming from up north.”
He added that about 60 different tribal affiliations showed up for the Pow Wow to take part in the festivities, ultimately creating an important awareness about his people and the land.
“It’s about sharing culture, exhibiting the different dance styles, sharing songs,” Ortega said. “It’s communal. It’s really bringing people together and sharing and celebrating. That’s the key focus of it.”
Along with those guests who came to the Pow Wow to celebrate who they are and keep it alive, there were those who came simply for a fun weekend activity. And then there
were those who hoped to rediscover their Native American roots.
Viky and Jim Thomas from Acton were at the Pow Wow for the first time. They were watching the dances on that Sunday afternoon.
“I made him come,” Viky Thomas said, “because my grandfather was Chickasaw from Oklahoma and I’ve never been to one of these. He (her husband) is part Chippewa from Montana and he’s never been to one
either.”
Jim Thomas was glad to have gone, saying that he and his wife had been there for about four hours, despite the 90-plus-degree temperatures.
“It’s quite a display,” he said.
His wife added, “You can feel it. You can feel the energy in your heart.”
For more information about the Fernandeño Tataviam Band of Mission Indians, visit Tataviam-nsn. us.
By Michael Picarella Signal Staff Writer
Skip Spiro hadn’t played music in over 10 years. He was busy raising a family and writing and directing movie trailers and TV ads.
However, when he moved to the Santa Clarita Valley in 1984, he came across a newspaper article that made him want to pick up the trumpet again.
“There was a story about a bandleader who lived in Canyon Country,” Spiro said in an interview. “It read, ‘The big-band era is alive again,’ or whatever it was, and it had a picture of a middle-aged guy with a trumpet. I kind of felt like, ‘I’d love to start playing again.’ But I hadn’t been playing, so, I had no chops. In order to play the trumpet, you’ve got to practice.”
So, Spiro got a hold of this Canyon Country bandleader. Over the phone he told the guy he’d read about him, adding that if he ever needed a sub, let him know. Before Spiro could say anything more, the bandleader asked what he was doing the following night.
Spiro got the gig. And while he said he was a little rusty during that first performance, he got through it and would continue playing with the band regularly, getting better and better each time around.
Then he met some guys playing under the late College of the Canyons jazz band director Dirk Fischer.
“I played with Dirk’s band for years and years and years,” Spiro said. “And the beauty of playing with his band was that he was a writer, so it was all original material. What I learned from that, I applied to my band. I loved the uniqueness of his band because it’s all material written specifically for his band.
Spiro has since formed Skip Spiro’s 10-Piece Jazz/Blues Project, and they’ll be performing from 7 to 9 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 24, at Pocock Brewing Company on Avenue Tibbitts in Valencia. This will be the first public show they’ve played in the SCV since before the pandemic, when the band used to perform consistently at Vincenzo’s Pizza in Newhall. After the pandemic, the band has played in Ventura and the San Fernando Valley,
Continued from page 10
formance of this route would also negatively influence other roadway segments that are parallel and outside the project limits.”
There’s been talk of additional plans to address the traffic congestion, but it doesn’t appear to be in the budget for this round of project funding, according to the 2021 project study report for the work.
Santa Clarita Valley resident Skip Spiro, leader of Skip Spiro’s 10-Piece Jazz/Blues Project, is set to perform at Pocock Brewing Company on Oct. 24. PHOTO COURTESY CATHY FRONTIERO
but nothing here until now.
Spiro, 77 years old, began playing music when he was 14. This, he said, was well before there was any kind of jazz music education in school like there is now. He added that he came from a long line of musicians in his family. Of that group of people was one of his grandmothers who was a piano teacher in Brooklyn, New York. And then there was Spiro’s dad, who played the clarinet and saxophone in big bands during college.
“He worked his way through dental school, playing with all these bands,” Spiro said. “And then, like all of us who decided to have families, he kind of put it aside. After he retired from dentistry, he moved to Florida and formed another band — a swing band — and he started booking the band on cruises through the Caribbean. Every so often, he called me. He says, ‘Skip you want to fly out to Florida and do a cruise with us?’ Talk about a gift.”
But growing up on the East Coast and with a father in the big-band scene, Spiro got to see many legendary jazz musicians perform.
“One of the famous jazz clubs in New York City was Birdland,” Spiro said. “He (his dad) used to take me down there when I was 11 or 12 years old. I saw Miles Davis, John Coltrane and Count Basie. I kind of got the very tail end of that golden era of music.”
When he was 13, Spiro became the youngest musician admitted into the Stan Kenton Band Clinics
Chandler indicated in a previous statement that the current status of the project is funded through the environmental study portion, which is part of the normal process.
“The North County Subregion has identified Measure R and M funds from their subregional funds for the environmental phase,” he wrote in an email earlier last month.
“The purpose of this public scoping is to listen to and capture input
at the University of Connecticut. There he played lead trumpet with the Herb Pomeroy Orchestra. At 14, Spiro assembled his first band, which was a 15-piece jazz ensemble. Skip Spiro and the Rhythm Kings Orchestra would even appear on television. One show he said they did was NBC’s “The Merv Griffin Show.”
Throughout high school, Spiro and his band played weddings, jazz clubs, high school proms and local beach clubs, appearing several times with Canadian jazz trumpeter Maynard Ferguson.
Spiro would go on to attend the University of Massachusetts and continue to play with a jazz ensemble that, he said, was in high demand, touring the New England area. Over the years, Spiro would play music with Spiral Staircase, Bill Medley of The Righteous Brothers and Tina Turner.
But the jazz musician would ultimately find work in the film business. He’d attended film school at the University of California, Los Angeles, and when he got out, he began writing and producing promotional materials for film and television.
Later in life, when he got back into music, Spiro recalled how much it rejuvenated his spirit. And he’s been enjoying it since. He said he’s even noticed a recent revival of big band-era music, a surprise that’s worked out well for him.
“There are a lot more dance events using live music lately, which is encouraging,” he said. “And Los Angeles — I mean, it’s an embarrassment of riches in terms of musical talent. There are so many talented musicians out here. It’s great.”
Spiro’s band plays an eclectic mix of the traditional big band-era hits of the ’30s and ’40s from the likes of Count Basie, Glenn Miller, Tommy Dorsey and Duke Ellington; the New York bebop scene of the ’50s and ’60s; the rock/funk/Latin fusion scene that came to follow; and what he called “our unique original material from our concert book, designed to feature the exciting soloists in the band — all at very danceable tempos.”
There is no charge to see Skip Spiro’s 10-Piece Jazz/Blues Project on Oct. 24 at Pocock. The doors open at 6 p.m. For more information about the band, go to bit.ly/3ZYtYdc.
and feedback from public and stakeholders regarding potential social, economic and environmental issues related to the project,” Chandler said. “Public scoping is an important step in the preparation of the draft environmental document. Metro and Caltrans look forward to public input and feedback.”
Another alternative that was cut from the southbound side due to budget priorities was adding a lane
on the southbound side from Pearblossom Highway to the Escondido Canyon Road overcrossing.
On the northbound side, planners decided to not study a proposal that would have added a lane from the Sand Canyon Road overcrossing to Soledad Canyon Road and another one from Puritan Mine Road undercrossing to the Sierra Highway overcrossing in the AV.
By Maya Morales Signal Staff Writer
Deputies with the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station and L.A. County Fire Department personnel were dispatched to a three-vehicle collision in which a truck slammed into the Chi-Chi’s Pizza location on the northbound side of Sierra Highway on Monday, Sept. 16.
According to Howard Tieu, spokesman for the Fire Department, personnel were dispatched at 3:16 p.m. and arrived on the scene at 3:19 p.m.
A commercial truck was exiting the State Route 14 freeway when the driver began to apply his brakes and realized they were not working, according to Deputy Whitaker, who was assisting on the scene.
The driver then engaged his emergency brake, Whitaker said, adding that the commercial truck ended up crashing into two traffic signs before it
By Perry Smith Signal Senior Staff Writer
Ahousing development proposed for Soledad Canyon Road would add 150 homes and some new commercial devel-
opment to a vacant lot in Canyon Country, according to plans submitted in August to Santa Clarita.
The Riverwalk project, which is being proposed by Chandler Partners, calls for 150 two-story townho-
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mes, 8,500-square feet of commercial space and 2,500 square feet of recreational space, including a pool and community building, just east of Solamint Road.
Chandler Partners is a Burbankbased developer that lists Studio 77 in North Hollywood and The Montecito in Woodland Hills as some of its more recent projects on its website.
The project was listed on a onestop, which city planning officials consider a preliminary application that checks on the feasibility of certain aspects of a project but does not lead to any approvals.
Bill Hiestand, executive vice president of Chandler Partners, declined to comment Monday when reached by phone for comment.
Hiestand’s bio on Chandler’s website lists experience with multiple de-
velopers who are familiar to the area, including Paragon Communities, KB Homes and GH Palmer Associates.
The current one-stop is actually a reduction of the plans studied previously for the lot, according to city officials.
Previous versions of the plans contemplated more housing units and commercial space, including one version that called for 236 units and 15,024-square feet of commercial space, according to aSept. 6 letter from a consultant for the project explaining its traffic study.
The revised project was not expected to have a significant impact on the area’s level of service with respect to traffic, per the letter, since the projected impacts were expected to be lower than the project previously approved.
By Trisha Anas Signal Staff Writer
Alarge group of students excitedly gathered around, as a demonstrator held up a control pad and gave a command to “jump.” Shortly after, a dog wearing a bright, pink vest leapt a few feet off the ground, as the students cheered. But this was not an average dog — it was made of metal.
College of the Canyons hosted its second annual “Manufacturing Day” event for high school students in the William S. Hart Union High School District.
The event was held at the college’s Interim Advanced Technology Center to give students an opportunity to interact with local companies and become more familiar with the manufacturing industry.
The demonstrations included the opportunity to observe a robot dog and other automated machinery, as well as interact with virtual reality technology.
Harriet Happel, dean of Career Education, Integrated Learning and the Employment Center at College of the Canyons, said that she enjoys seeing the students interact with the school’s equipment and show interest in the industry.
“I get very excited because I come from a manufacturing family, so I know the possibilities for a career that one has in the manufacturing industry, and I think for these students, it’s a way that we give hope,” Happel said. Companies present at the event included Northrop Grumman, Klein
Educational Systems and Lockheed Martin.
The interim building has a handful of classrooms, as well as a production and automation lab, where the students saw the robot dog demonstration. There were also machines called “co-bots” that are meant for more human involvement, Happel said.
She said that this particular tech is meant to cut down on the physical aspect of some manufacturing jobs so humans can focus on duties that better suit their skill sets.
“There are co-bots, where we have more human interaction in terms of the manipulation of the arms when they’re doing a particular operation,” Happel said. “Those robotic arms typically simulate the repetition away from the humans, so the humans can actually do what they’re better meant to do, and that’s the programming; using your brain instead of using your wrist until you can’t move it anymore.”
Happel said that there are other events the school does for student outreach, aside from “Manufacturing Day.” The ATC also hosts open houses and community nights.
Happel said she felt it was important to get more students interested in the manufacturing industry for the good of the country.
“These are solid American jobs,” Happel said. “We’re bringing manufacturing back to America. It’s important for our economy, and I think we can all take pride that most of this technology that’s represented here is
ingenuity.”
By Michael Picarella
Signal Staff Writer
Over 1,100 volunteers came out for the 29th Annual River Rally Cleanup and Environmental Expo at the William S. Hart Pony Baseball and Softball Complex in Valencia. Their goal was to remove trash from the Santa Clara River between the Bouquet Canyon and McBean Parkway bridges.
According to Santa Clarita Mayor Cameron Smyth in his opening remarks before everyone got to work, volunteers just like those before him had collected almost 500,000 pounds of trash at River Rally events since the first one in 1994.
“Obviously I’m supposed to brag about Santa Clarita, but it’s easy to do,” Smyth said. “I don’t know how many other communities have over 1,000 volunteers showing up at 8 o’clock on a Saturday morning to take the time to clean up their community. So, thank you all for making Santa Clarita the wonderful place it is.”
Among those volunteering were many groups, including Saugus High School cheerleaders, Young Marines, numerous local Boy Scout troops and even one troop from Lancaster. Dillon Jones from Troop 86 said this was his second year participating in the River Rally Cleanup.
“Where we’re from, they don’t do a lot of things like this,” he said. “We’re helping out a community. So, it’s really refreshing. You get to meet new people and you get to do a nice service.”
Jones added that last year, he was part of a group that found a car in the river and had dug it out with anything they could find, including tent poles. Jessica Wingo from the group still had the picture of the car on her phone.
Newhall resident Lauren Stuart and her husband, Brandon, were picking up trash in the river with their 8-year-old twins, Elodie and Owen. Stuart said this was the family’s first time participating in
The annual event drew individual people and groups, such as the Boys and Girls Club, Young Marines and Scouts, among others. According to Mayor Cameron Smyth, almost 500,000 pounds of trash has been collected since the first River Rally in 1994. PHOTOS BY
the cleanup and that they were there with the Trail Life USA organization. She added that she and her husband were trying to teach their kids to be service-oriented.
Right as they got into the riverbed, they found a shopping cart that had been buried in the soil.
“They (the kids), of course, wanted to see the tractor,” Stuart said. “They put the chains on it and then lifted the cart out.”
Another group at the cleanup — one that was there for the fifth year in a row — was the Boys and Girls Club of Santa Clarita Valley. Matt Carpenter, a board member of the club and also senior vice president of environmental resources for FivePoint, which was one of the sponsors of the event, said he grew up in the Santa Clarita Valley and even played baseball at the Hart Pony Baseball and Softball Complex.
“I used to go out with a couple of friends and walk out into the river, and we would find lizards, the stream might be flowing, it might not,” he said. “That was when I first got my boots on the ground.”
In his professional life, Carpenter has been an environmental practitioner, working in the Santa Clara River watershed for almost 30 years. FivePoint, he said, became a sponsor of the River Rally in 2017, though the landowner/developer, previously known as The Newhall Land and Farming Co., has owned most of the land in Santa Clarita and has worked with the city over the years to provide space for these events to take place.
“That was actually why we got more involved,” Carpenter said. “It was like, ‘We keep doing these agreements with the city to allow them to park a bunch of cars and do all this stuff. Why aren’t we doing this?’”
He added, “We’re doing what we’re supposed to be doing in the community. We’ve got a huge investment in environmental stewardship, and we have for a century.”
Carpenter also spoke about the relationship FivePoint has with the Boys and Girls Club, their history together dating back to 1968. The first year the two organizations teamed up to do the River Rally Cleanup was in 2019. Every year since, excluding 2020 during the pandemic, he’s tried to instill in the youth the importance of what they’re doing, telling them how they’re giving back to the community that so supports them and the programs they value so much.
Overall, those in the Santa Clara River picking up trash seemed more than enthusiastic to play a part in keeping the community clean. School groups, friends and families — even those with babies, making the rally a true family event — all came together for this one purpose, which was to help preserve the natural beauty of and protect the habitat for various wildlife in the last natural, free-flowing river system in Southern California.
Lindsay Schmandt, project technician for the city of Santa Clarita and organizer of the River Rally event, said she was gauging the success of the cleanup by the number of people in attendance. Just before 8 a.m., as the event was about to begin, vehicles were backed up on Valencia Boulevard as they made their way into the baseball complex. And the parking lots were packed full. But Schmandt said she was curious to find out how much trash is collected.
“All of that trash is weighed at the end of this event, and we can actually have a numeric value for the amount of trash we collected,” she said. “Sometime next week, I’ll likely have that number. It just needs to be taken to a weigh station.”
Last year, Schmandt said the event removed around 12,700 pounds of trash. Regardless of whether volunteers beat that number this year, she said that, based on what she’d seen with all the volunteers and community support, the event was already a success.
By Perry Smith Signal Senior Staff Writer
ACanyon Country woman was named in a more-than 250-page federal indictment linking a San Fernando Valley-based white supremacy group to numerous financial crimes, weapons charges and drug trafficking, according to federal documents unsealed Wednesday, Oct. 2.
Maria Anna James, 30, of Canyon Country, was one of more than 60 defendants accused of financial crimes in the 76-count federal grand jury indictment alleging a yearslong pattern of racketeering activity that included trafficking of drugs — including fentanyl — illegal firearms possession, and COVID-19 benefits and loan fraud, according to the Justice Department.
More than 40 members and associates of the SFV Peckerwoods, a San Fernando Valley-based white supremacist street gang, were arrested Oct. 2 as part of federal authorities’ moves.
The indictment charges a total of 68 defendants with a score of federal crimes, including conspiracy to violate the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, distribution of controlled substances, bank fraud, conspiracy to commit bank fraud, aggravated identity theft, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a felon and possession of 15 or more unauthorized access devices.
The 29 defendants who were arrested are expected to be arraigned in United States District Court in downtown Los Angeles.
More than a dozen suspects were already in custody prior to Wednesday’s raids, according to federal officials, who reported seizing large quantities of illegal firearms, as well as dozens of pounds of fentanyl, methamphetamine and heroin, according to the indictment.
“The Justice Department has dealt a decisive blow to the San Fernando Valley Peckerwoods, a violent white
A multi-departmental law enforcement team raided a home in Sand Canyon on suspicion of an organized crime tourism group on Wednesday, Aug. 28.
and images of Nazi aircraft,” according to the news release announcing the indictment.
supremacist gang that we charge is responsible for trafficking deadly fentanyl and other drugs, committing robberies, and perpetrating financial fraud to fund both their criminal enterprise and that of the Aryan Brotherhood,” Attorney General Merrick B. Garland said in a news release. “With today’s charges and arrests, the Justice Department, together with our state, local, and federal partners has targeted the heart of this gang’s operations, and we will continue to zero in on the criminal enterprises that endanger our communities.”
According to the indictment that a grand jury returned on Sept. 26, the Peckerwoods is a street gang based in communities in the San Fernando Valley. Their members engage in a wide variety of criminal activity, including drug trafficking, violent crime and fraud.
As a white supremacist gang, the Peckerwoods at times takes orders from the Aryan Brotherhood, California’s dominant prison-based white supremacist gang. They also maintain an alliance with the Mexican Mafia prison gang, which controls most Latino street gangs in California, according to a statement from federal officials.
Justice Department officials said Peckerwoods use Nazi tattoos, graffiti and iconography to indicate their violent white supremacy extremist ideology. “These tattoos and iconography include swastikas, the symbol ‘88,’ used by violent white supremacy extremists as code for ‘Heil Hitler,’
Justice officials described a digital record of the alleged criminal conspiracy that was found on social media, which the gang used to share information with each other about their criminal activities and gang rules, to identify gang members in good standing and to target people who broke the gang’s rules, per the release. The social media use included a members-only Facebook group and private, direct messages between the gang’s members and associates.
Canyon Country resident James was identified as part of the gang’s financial fraud crimes.
“For example, from at least March 2021 to July 2023, defendants Sean Craig Gluckman, 35, of Encino, Maria Anna James, 30, of Canyon Country, and others submitted false and fraudulent applications for the Paycheck Protection Program, which was designed to aid businesses harmed by the economic fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic,” according to the federal release.
“The defendants — posing as sole proprietors – signed fraudulent PPP loan applications on behalf of individuals incarcerated in California state prisons and collected a portion of the fraudulently obtained proceeds from co-conspirators as payment for their assistance.”
James’ next court date was not immediately available.
November 3
Every Wednesday, Year-round
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
Canyon Country Community Center Open Gym Schedule
Open gym activities are available to people of all skill levels.
Gym Fees Day Use
Juniors (12-17) Free
Adult $3
Senior $2
15 Visit Pass
Adult $34
Senior $12 Basketball
Tuesday and Thursday, 9 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Bring your own ball or check one out with a student I.D./Government issued I.D.
Pickleball
Friday, 9:45 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Bring your own paddles
Table Tennis
Monday and Wednesday, 9:45 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Bring your own paddles
Parent attendance required. $6
Adventures with Food Food assembling activities that integrate reading, math, science and healthy living. Parent attendance required. (3-5 yrs) Mondays 10:30-11:15 a.m.
Foodie Tales This unique class combines the joy of storytelling with the excitement of hands-on culinary exploration, creating an unforgettable experience for participants. Parent attendance required. Tuesdays 10:30-11:30 a.m. (2-4 yrs)
Preschool Fitness Fun Participants will enjoy fun fitness activities that increase their spatial awareness, gross motor skills and coordination. Wednesdays 11:15 a.m.-12:00 p.m. (3-5 yrs)
October 21
Mini Monster Mingle Event Free event with craft, sensory activities and food assembly for participants. Advanced registration required at City.sc/ CCCCactivities. (0-5 yrs)
Parent participation and advanced registration required.
2:30–3:20 p.m. Kids’ Choice (Gym) 3:20–3:30 p.m. Opening Circle & Rules
3:35–4:10 p.m. Organized Games
4:15–4:35 p.m. Snack
4:35–5:15 p.m. Scheduled Activity
5:15 – 6 p.m. Organized Game & Closing Circle
For specific activity information, visit bit. ly/3Ns4nlv
1 p.m. Little Explorers
October 22
9:30 a.m. Storytime
11 a.m. Home at the Library
noon Musical Instrument Petting Zoo
3:30 p.m. Science Explorers STEM
October 23
9:30 a.m. Cuenta Cuentos
5:30 p.m. Book Pumpkins (Adults and Seniors)
October 24
9:30 a.m. Storytime
3:30 p.m. Teen Library Eats: Caramel Apple Bar
4 p.m. Read to a Dog
October 26
10 a.m. Sit and Stitch
October 28
1 p.m. Little Explorers
3:30 p.m. Teen Game Day: Ultimate Werewolf
October 29
9:30 p.m. Storytime
October 30
9:30 a.m. Cuenta Cuentos
October 31
9:30 a.m. Storytime
3:30 p.m. Halloween Parade and Scavenger Hunt
3:30 p.m. Teen Library Eats: Halloween Candy
November 4
1 p.m. Little Explorers
November 5
9:30 a.m. Storytime
3:30 p.m. LEGO Block Party
November 6
9:30 a.m. Cuenta Cuentos
4:30 p.m. Canyon Country Teen Advisory Board
6 p.m. Thrilled to Read Book Club
November 7
9:30 a.m. Storytime
3:30 p.m. Teen Crafts and Stuff: Friendship Bracelets
6:30 p.m. Club de Mujeres Latinas en Literatura
November 10-11 Closed Veterans Day
November 12
9:30 a.m. Storytime
11 a.m. Fall Sensory Room
3:30 p.m. Crafternoon
¡La
Ciudad de Santa Clarita ha lanzado nuevas páginas de redes sociales totalmente en español! Síguenos en Instagram y Facebook en las páginas de @CiudadDeSantaClarita SantaClarita.gov/Social
Presentado por el alcalde Cameron Smyth, el alcalde pro tempore Bill Miranda, el concejal