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BRIDGE TO HOME SECURES $3 MILLION IN FUNDING
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SATURDAY, JULY 2, 2022
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CANYON COUNTRY | NEWHALL | SAUGUS | VALENCIA | STEVENSON RANCH | CASTAIC | VAL VERDE | AGUA DULCE
Fourth of July Special
Signal File Photo
Fourth of July Parade Returns to Newhall After Skipping for the First Time Since World War II By Leon Worden SCV Parade Committee Chair Special to The Signal
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ewhall’s Fourth of July Parade is a tradition that has brought together Santa Clarita Valley residents from all walks of life every year since 1932 – except for when it couldn’t. After four dark years of war, the parade came roaring back in 1946 with 75 official entries, some last-minute arrivals and an estimated crowd of 3,000 spectators. That was more than half the population of our valley. What would have been the 10th anniversary parade in 1942 came seven months after the attack on Pearl Harbor, and by early July, it looked like Hitler’s army would soon “grab Cairo, the Suez Canal and the oil fields of Iraq,” as Signal editor Fred Trueblood put it. (In fact, Rommel was stopped 150 miles outside of Cairo later in the month.) There were practical reasons for canceling the local festivities, as well. The sponsor was the American Legion, and “there simply were not
enough Legionnaires to swing it,” Trueblood reported. Many veterans of the First World War were tied up with the Second, either on active duty or civil service. Fireworks were completely forbidden — both personal fireworks and the official display that the Bermite Powder plant in Saugus normally supplied. Not only were the munitions needed for more important things, but the county fire warden also was concerned that fireworks “might be used by saboteurs or fifth columnists for signaling purposes.” Wartime rationing and a general sense of sacrifice for the greater good put the kibosh on the parade throughout the remainder of the war. But that didn’t stop the locals from celebrating their community’s biggest contribution to the war effort. Four thousand revelers packed Bonelli Stadium, later to become Saugus Speedway, in June 1943 when U.S. Navy officers presented Bermite chief Patrick Lizza with an award for his company’s wartime production. See PARADE, P14
Welcome Back!
What to do for the 4th
By Laurene Weste
From running to pancakes, residents have various options to choose
Santa Clarita Mayor
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By Rylee Holwager Signal Staff Writer
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he city of Santa Clarita has multiple events to entertain the community in celebration of the Fourth of July holiday. Events start early Monday morning and run throughout the day. The highlight is the return of the Fourth of July Parade after a two-year pandemic hiatus and culminates with the city’s fireworks show at the Westfield Valencia Town Center. Following are brief summaries of the day’s festivities:
Rotary Club of Santa Clarita’s 56th Annual July 4th Pancake Breakfast
Rotary Club of Santa Clarita’s 56th Annual July 4th Pancake Breakfast is scheduled to take place at 6 a.m. in the Roger Dunn Golf parking lot on Main Street between 5th and 6th streets. There, you can have a hearty breakfast to be ready for the day ahead. See EVENTS, P8
Signal file photo
Members of the Rotary Club of Santa Clarita serve up the traditional pancake breakfast Thursday morning prior to the 88th Santa Clarita Valley Fourth of July Parade in Newhall.
INDEX Parade Lineup ��������������������������������������������������� P2 Parade route map �������������������������������������������� P11 Main News. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A1
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t is my greatest pleasure to welcome you back to the hometown favorite Fourth of July Parade. I know how much this treasured event means to the Santa Clarita Community and how many of you missed seeing this glorious display of patriotism. After being forced to skip the past two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic, I am thrilled that the parade will once again take to the streets of Newhall. This year you are in for a treat. The parade is back bigger and better than ever with the theme “Celebrating America’s Independence and Honoring our Front-Line Personnel.” The parade will kick off on Main Street in Old Town Newhall at 9:00 a.m. and make its way to Lyons Avenue, where it will head west to Orchard Village Road, then north on Orchard Village Road to the end at Dalbey Drive. Make sure you find your spot along the parade route early! This year’s parade will feature our front-line workers — from our brave firefighters to the staff at Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital. You will also see a wide range of patriotic entries from local organizations, scout groups and even Magic Mountain and Disney! Let’s celebrate our patriotic best and be out together for the best Fourth of July ever. Please be safe, enjoy and I’ll see you at the parade.
Remember to celebrate safely Santa Clarita Valley