Sunday Signal 031223

Strong, Stylish Spring Home Upgrades

Projects where brick takes center stage

Springtime is a perfect opportunity for homeowners to begin planning renovations to enhance the interior and exterior of their living space. Because of its strong performance capabilities, low maintenance and design flexibility, brick is a popular building material choice when looking to improve or refresh your home in time for warm-weather hosting season.

Often selected for its functional benefits, brick is available in a wide array of colors, textures and sizes that can match varying design styles, from modern to traditional and almost everything between. If you’re considering adding brick to your home’s aesthetic, consider these five projects to tackle this spring from the experts at Glen-Gery, one of the largest brick and stone manufacturers in North America.

Basement or Patio Bar As homeowners spend more time at home, they often look to maximize livable space. One way to take advantage of unused living space is building a basement or patio bar, which provides an area for entertaining. Using an exposed brick wall can help desig-

nate the bar area and separate it from the rest of the basement, or lining a bar counter with brick can create a rustic contrast against the bar’s seating.

Fireplace To change the look and feel of a room almost instantly, you can use brick to give a fireplace a

facelift or make it a focal point of your home. Available in a variety of colors and textures, Glen-Gery’s diverse, premium portfolio of more than 600 brick and stone products can elevate your living room’s style in a big way and create a more inviting area to share with family and friends. An outdoor fireplace is another option for extending livable space in a cozy way that can be used throughout the year.

Accent wall Create a statement in or outside your home with a brick accent wall. Accent walls can help bring color, texture and beauty to homes by breaking up the monotony of monochromatic color or decor, creating visual interest and dimension. While brick in a running bond pattern is expected, you can spice up rooms with an unexpected bond pattern like a stacked bond for modern appeal or herringbone for a rustic look.

Kitchen backsplash One of the most overlooked areas of kitchen design is the backsplash. While its job is to protect your kitchen walls from the never-ending assault of kitchen splatters, there’s no reason it can’t look good, too. Brick backsplashes can accommodate most home de-

signs and styles thanks to the versatility of shapes, colors, finishes and sizes available.

Black or white glazed brick works well with more modern kitchens while irregular brick containing an abundance of texture and a messy mortar application can complete rustic farmhouse kitchens. An option like Glen-Gery’s virtual design tool, Picture Perfect, can help you visualize projects in your home to see what fits your style and needs.

Brick skirt For added curb appeal, consider adding a brick skirt around the foundation of your home. Given its resilient, durable and energy-efficient qualities, brick can help provide better insulation and protection while also adding visual appeal to the exterior of your home through texture, color and contrast. The skirting can also continue through to the front porch floor and steps, helping balance out the elevation of your home.

For more inspiration for your next home renovation project, visit glengery. com. (Family Features) 

Experience the Butterflies

By Michele E. Buttelman Signal Staff Writer

Butterflies are magical. But in addition to their beauty, these delicate insects are an important part of the food chain. Butterflies, like bees, are important pollinators.

It’s unlikely the Santa Clarita Valley will soon experience another butterfly experience like we had in 2019, when millions of butterflies migrated through Southern California, captivating onlookers with the colorful spectacle of clouds of butterflies. The orange butterflies, called Painted Ladies, which travel annually from the deserts of Southern California to the Pacific Northwest.

However, you can still get your “butterfly fix,” if you know where to look.

Attracting butterflies

The Santa Clarita Valley has a good climate for attracting butterflies. Plant butterfly-friendly plants and provide a shallow water source, such as a bird bath, to attract butterflies to your garden.

Butterflies such as Asters, phlox, goldenrod, milkweed, pineapple sage, purple coneflower, verbena, coreopsis, dianthus, nasturtium, French marigolds, Heliotrope, impatiens, cosmos and zinnias. Nectar-rich shrubs include: Azalea, butterfly bush, glossy abelia and trailing Lantana.

Where are the butterflies?

If you want to see large numbers of butterflies, visit one of these seasonal butterfly exhibits, or butterfly gardens, in California.

Butterfly Pavilion

March 5 through August 13

900 Exposition Blvd., Los Angeles 90007

Info bit.ly/3ZpP0hM

The butterflies are again taking flight at the Natural History Museum’s Butterfly Pavilion, where guests will be able to stroll through the Nature Gardens on the way to the pavilion. Tickets are $8 for non-members and are for 30 minute time slots.

This springtime exhibition features hundreds of butterflies, colorful native plants and plenty of natural light to help you see these creatures shimmer. With lots of flight space and a variety of resting spots, this one of the best views in California of these amazing insects.

This exhibit offers 30 different species, including California natives like the Western tiger swallowtail and Common buckeye. Discover caterpillars munching on milkweed, chrysalises dangling beneath

shrubs and witness adult butterflies performing important pollination as they feed on blooming flowers. You’ll learn about different species of butterflies, including White Peacocks and Painted Ladies.

San Diego Zoo Safari Park Butterfly Jungle

March 18 through May 14

15500 San Pasqual Valley Road, Escondido 92027

Info: sdzsafaripark.org/butterfly jungle

This exhibit requires a separate ticket in addition to the zoo admission fee. Exhibit tickets are $15 per person. Zoo tickets run $57-$69 for single-day passes.

Here you will learn about the butterfly life cycle and become immersed in the wonder of butterflies in the Hidden Jungle. Each experience lasts approximately 30 minutes from check-in until exit. The Safari Park’s Hidden Jungle is home to the zoo’s butterflies, and inside the rain forest greenhouse, you’ll see thousands of butterflies above and around you as they sip nectar from flowers and feeders.

Both the zoo and the park are open, so make a day of it and enjoy all the sights to see. However, reservations are required in order to regulate the number of visitors.

Hallberg Butterfly Gardens

8687 Oak Grove Ave, Sebastopol 95472

Info bit.ly/3ZLIYrx

The Hallberg Butterfly Gardens are a wildlife sanctuary and an open habitat with dirt trails. It’s nestled among the apple orchards of Western Sonoma County and covers nine acres of overgrown vines and thickets, flowering pathways and meadows. The self-guided tours are by appointment only. While the gardens are open April until October, the best time to see the butterflies is from April to June. This is when the most abundant populations of the large Swallowtail butterflies can be observed. To date, it is estimated that more than 54 varieties of butterflies have visited the gardens. 

PHOTOS COURTESY LOS ANGELES NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM

Everyone is Irish on St. Patrick’s Day

By Doña Uhrig Sundy Signal Editor

Celebrations around Town

Egg Plantation’s St. Patrick’s Party

24415 Walnut St, Newhall 91321

Info www.eggplantation.com

4:30-8:30 p.m. Live Irish Music, Irish food, drinks & Irish dancers. Families welcome. No cover.

Maginns Irish Pub 1st St. Patrick’s Day Celebration

24480 Main Street Suite 140, Newhall 91321

Info maginnspub.com

Thursday 3/16 will have live music for the preSt. Patrick’s Day festivities. Friday 3/17 will have seating outdoors by reservation only. Four times: 3 p.m., 5 p.m., 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. There is a $50 minimum. After 11 p.m. there will be open seating indoors. Live music.

Old Town Newhall SENSES Block Party St.

Paddy’s Eve

Let the shenanigans begin a day early at St. Paddy’s Eve SENSES Block Party on Main Street from 7-10 p.m. Watch dancers from the Fisher-McLeod School of Irish Dance, play our favorite pub-style game and sip on an Irish whiskey from the on-street bar provided by The Old Town Junction while listening to the music of Craic in the Stone.

Pocock Brewing’s Irish Fest Sat. March 18

24907 Avenue Tibbitts, Suite B, Santa Clarita, 91355

Info www.pocockbrewing.com/

The noon to 10 p.m. free event will feature live music from The Fenians, The Darryls and The Griswolds, Irish Food specials and Irish beer releases. 

March 17 is celebrated not only in Ireland, but also throughout the world by Irish and non-Irish alike. St. Paddy’s Day is known for parades, ancestry, traditions, shamrocks, leprechauns and the “wearin’ o’ the green.”

Interestingly enough, many of the modern Saint Patrick’s Day traditions were invented by the Irish in America.

In the United States, St. Patrick’s Day celebrations can include imbibing green beer, eating corned beef and cabbage or Irish stew or dancing an Irish jig.

It’s hard to miss the signs of St. Patrick’s Day with shamrocks, leprechauns, green cookies, green cupcakes and green milkshakes nearly everywhere you look.

Everyone’s Irish …

There is little agreement on the origins of the idiom “Everyone’s Irish on St. Patrick’s Day,” but what is known is that as many as 4.5 million Irish arrived in America between 1820 and 1930. Between 1820 and 1860, the Irish constituted more than onethird of all immigrants to the United States. In the 1840s, they comprised nearly half of all immigrants to this nation.

The first person to pass through the doors at Ellis Island was teenager Annie Moore of Ireland, whose story is somewhat told in the song Isle of Hope, Isle of Tears by Gaelic Storm.

Who was St. Patrick?

Much of what is shared about St. Patrick is based on folklore and exaggerated storytelling, according to historians. Snakes famously banished from Ireland? Snakes have never existed on the island to even be banished! Getting to the truth of St. Patrick the man takes a little digging through the fanciful tales.

Ironically, St. Patrick wasn’t Irish. St. Patrick was born to a wealthy family in modern-day Great Britain near the end of the fourth century. There is

no evidence that Patrick came from a particularly religious family, and History.com says it was likely Patrick’s father became a Christian deacon because of tax incentives and not religious devotion.

Patrick only arrived in Ireland after being taken prisoner by a group of Irish raiders who attacked his family’s estate. He spent ages 16 to 22 in captivity and was likely held in County Mayo.

Much of what is known about St. Patrick comes from two works that he wrote about his life, known as “Confessio” and “Epistola.” In “Confessio,” Patrick responds to the fact that he was on trial for mysterious reasons, although he never names the crimes for which he was accused. Historians surmise that he took bribes because Patrick mentions returning or paying for gifts given to him.

While he played a role in spreading Christianity to Ireland, he did not introduce it there.

He did, however, help make the shamrock become a symbol of Irish nationalism. According to legend, he used the shamrock, also known as a three-leaf clover, as a visual guide to explain the Holy Trinity of Christianity. By the 17th century, the shamrock had become a symbol of emerging Irish nationalism, according to History.com.

PHOTOS from 2022 SENSE Block Party: Top left: Craic in the Stone. Top right: Douglas Rankin, 16 months, and father Bryce in their kilts. Bottom right: Members of the Fisher-McLeod Irish School of Dance. PHOTOS BY DAN WATSON / THE SIGNAL

L.A. County’s Most Historic Locations Turn 100

By Michele E. Buttelman Signal Staff Writer

Turning 100 years old is a milestone for people, places and things. This year Los Angeles will see several historic locations reach centennial status.

Hollywood Sign

Info www.hollywoodsign.org

The iconic Hollywood sign turns 100 with birthday events to be held throughout the year. To kick things off, the 45-foot-high letters of the sign were painted “Hollywood Sign Centennial White” by Sherwin-Williams in November.

Plus, the Hollywood Sign Trust, which was formed in 1978 to preserve and maintain the sign, has announced plans to spearhead a Visitor Center.

The sign is currently inaccessible to visitors who want to get up close and personal. A fence and high-tech security system keep visitors at a distance. Trespassers will be arrested and fined.

Ushering in the fundraising campaign, the Trust will seek donations and sponsorships. The campaign will also include concept designs and location contests that give residents and others the opportunity to share their ideas for the Visitor Center. To get involved with the Visitor Center project, contact betsy@hollywoodsign.org.

The Hollywoodland sign was first erected in 1923 as a billboard for an upscale real estate development in the hills above the Hollywood district of Los Angeles.

The sign was intended to last just 18 months however, it has endured as a celebrity in its own right. The word “land” was removed from the sign in September 1949.

Appearing in hundreds of films, TV shows and music videos the sign has rallied movie stars, rock stars, directors, producers and philanthropists to

help keep it intact, including the 1978 restoration when Hugh Hefner, Andy Williams, Alice Cooper, Gene Autry and others pledged funds to help the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce rebuild the famous monument.

Another birthday event includes the opening of the Academy Museum’s “Hollywoodland” exhibit, however the date of the exhibit has yet to be announced. Visit the museum’s website to learn when the exhibit will open at www.academymuseum.org/ en/exhibitions.

Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum

3911 S. Figueroa St., Los Angeles 90037 Info www.lacoliseum.com

The L.A. Memorial Coliseum is the only facility in the world to host two Olympiads (1932, 1984), two Super Bowls (I and VII) and the 1959 World Series. However, in 2028, the Summer Olympics return to Los Angeles and the L.A. Memorial Coliseum will host it’s unprecedented third Olympic Games.

It was commissioned in 1921 as a memorial to L.A. Veterans of World War I and was rededicated to all veterans in 1968.

After a groundbreaking held Dec. 21, 1921, work was completed May 1, 1923. It opened to the public in June 1923.

The first varsity college football game at the Coliseum attracted 20,000 fans to watch the University of Southern California play Pomona Pitzer. The Trojans won, 23-7.

The game was a double header, opened by USC’s freshman team, known as the “peagreeners” vs.

Santa Ana High School.

It was also home to the Los Angeles Dodgers baseball team from 1958-1961.

Biltmore Hotel

506 S Grand Ave., Los Angeles 90071

Info bit.ly/3YojNdQ

The Los Angeles Biltmore Hotel opened in 1923 across from Pershing Square in downtown L.A. At the time the Biltmore was the largest hotel west of Chicago. Now known as the Millennium Biltmore, the hotel has appeared in numerous movies and TV series, including “Chinatown,” “Ghostbusters,” “Beverly Hills Cop” and “Mad Men.”

With exquisite Beau Arts architecture, its rich history is most noted for its connection with the Oscars.

The founding banquet for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences was held in the Crystal Ballroom in 1927, where the original Oscar statuette was sketched on a Biltmore napkin. Italian Giovanni Smeraldi led a team of artists who hand painted the Greek myth-inspired frescoes that cover the ballroom ceiling. It took them seven months in 1922 to complete the job.

PHOTOS COURTESY HOLLYWOOD SIGN TRUST.

PHOTOS COURTESY LOS ANGELES MEMORIAL COLISEUM.

Drug Education and Awareness in Santa Clarita

By Ken Striplin Santa Clarita City Manager

Did you know that as little as two milligrams of Fentanyl, about the size of five grains of salt, can cause negative health effects including trouble breathing, dizziness, possible overdose and even death? With the recent uptick in Fentanyl deaths, especially among teenagers, we must work together as a community to eliminate drug abuse and educate our parents, teachers, caregivers and students on the dangers of taking drugs.

The City continues to do this through the partnership with our local school districts as part of the Drug Free Youth in Santa Clarita Valley program, better known as DFYinSCV.

This school-based drug prevention program is held at the elementary, junior high and high schools throughout Santa Clarita. The program’s three-prong approach to drug prevention includes education, prevention and wellness. Our dedicated team members provide a variety of school presentations, facilitate student-led club meetings,

monthly activities and more. The DFYinSCV staff members spend time creating a fun and welcoming environment to encourage living a drug-free lifestyle and provide students with resources to make good choices.

Just last month, DFYinSCV completed 12 Lifeline Assemblies which were attended by over 3,000 sixth-grade students from the four local elementary school districts.

The Lifeline Assemblies prepare students for middle school by informing them of the dangers and harmful effects of drugs, provide strategies to help them make positive choices and introduce them to the DFYinSCV program so they can participate in the club when they enter junior high school.

After the assemblies concluded, each student received an information and activity booklet that reinforced the presentation points. This includes the harmful effects of drugs and alcohol, providing lifelong skills to combat negative peer pressure and easy-to-remember strategies to say no to drugs.

In addition to the Lifeline Assemblies, DFYinSCV also partners with the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station to provide support and resources to the community through the implementation

of the Juvenile Intervention Team (J-Team). This team was designed to address drug-related crime and its impact on youth. This team is comprised of seven resource deputies who actively work with City staff and school administration at each of the junior high and high school locations.

The goal of the program is to reduce the availability and use of drugs in the community by proactively identifying at-risk youth who may become a crime statistic without intervention. Since the launch of the J-Team, the Santa Clarita Valley has experienced a significant reduction in drug-related crimes among youth, including a 49 percent decrease from 2016 through 2020.

I am proud that our City continues to impress upon our students the importance of living a drugfree lifestyle. Whether you are a parent, teacher or caregiver, these resources are critical in keeping your students safe from the dangers of drug abuse. If you would like to learn more about the DFYinSCV program, please visit dfyinscv.com.

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

Meatless Meals Made Easy

Regardless of your motivation, opting for meatless meals regularly provides plenty of benefits that extend from the health of you and your loved ones to your wallet and the environment.

Whether you’re a vegetarian, vegan, considering making some lifestyle changes or just want to give an on-trend meal prep strategy a try, going meatless can help reduce your intake of red and processed meats, decrease greenhouse gas emissions that cause climate change and save money on substitute ingredients like grains, vegetables, fruits and legumes that are often cheaper than meat.

For example, starting with a versatile pantry staple like Success Brown Rice can make mealtimes quick and easy. Ready in just 10 minutes without measuring or the mess, the fluffy, nutty, non-GMO rice is free of MSG and preservatives, lending itself perfectly to satisfying and hearty meals like these Baked Vegetarian Taquitos. Or for a twist on a classic dish, Tri-Color Quinoa can be layered with traditional flavors in this Mushroom Spinach “Lasagna.” Packed with protein and all nine essential amino acids, the quinoa is a good source of fiber.

To find more meatless meal inspiration, visit SuccessRice.com. (Family Features) 

Baked Vegetarian Taquitos

Prep time 15 minutes

Cook time 20 minutes

Servings 4

1 bag Success Brown Rice

1 cup shredded collard greens, packed

1/4 cup frozen corn

1 cup canned black beans, drained and rinsed

2/3 cup canned pumpkin puree

1 1/2 tablespoons taco seasoning

8 flour tortillas (6 inches each)

1 cup Monterey Jack cheese, shredded

2 tablespoons olive oil sour cream, for dipping salsa, for dipping guacamole, for dipping fresh cilantro, for garnish

Prepare rice according to package directions; add collard greens and corn to water during last 5 minutes.

Preheat oven to 450 F. Drain rice and vegetables; transfer to saucepan. Stir in black beans, pumpkin

Mushroom Spinach

“Lasagna”

Prep time 10 minutes

Cook time 30 minutes

Servings 6

2 bags Success Tri-Color Quinoa

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 garlic cloves, chopped

1/2 cup onion, chopped

1 cup mushrooms, sliced

4 cups baby spinach leaves

3 cups tomato sauce

2 cups ricotta cheese

1 egg, lightly beaten

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese,

divided

puree and taco seasoning. Spoon 1/3 cup rice mixture into center of one tortilla; sprinkle with 2 tablespoons Monterey Jack cheese. Roll up tightly. Place seam side down on parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Repeat with remaining tortillas, filling and cheese. Brush taquitos with olive oil; sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake 10-15 minutes, or until tortillas are crisp and cheese is melted.

Serve taquitos with sour cream, salsa and guacamole for dipping. Garnish with fresh cilantro. 

keep warm.

1 tablespoon Italian seasoning

1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided

Prepare quinoa according to package directions.

Preheat oven to 375 F.

In large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add garlic and onions; saute 1 minute. Add mushrooms and cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add spinach and stir until wilted, about 2 minutes. Stir in tomato sauce and

In medium bowl, combine ricotta, egg, 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese and Italian seasoning.

Place 1 cup sauce in bottom of 2-quart baking dish. Spread half of quinoa evenly over sauce. Top with half of ricotta mixture. Top with 1 cup sauce. Sprinkle with 1 cup mozzarella. Repeat layers, finishing with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. Bake uncovered 30 minutes. Serve warm.

Roeper’s 2023 Oscar Award Predictions

By Richard Roeper Signal Contributing Writer

When last year’s best actress Academy Award winner Jessica Chastain was in Chicago recently, I asked the “Eyes of Tammy Faye” star if she would be presenting the best actor honors at this year’s Oscars, per tradition, and she confirmed it was so. We’ve also learned best supporting actor winner Troy Kotsur will present supporting actress on March 12, while best supporting actress Ariana DeBose has signed on to hand out the best supporting actor gold.

Which leaves us with the question: Who will be handing out the best actress Oscar? Normally, it would be last year’s winner, Will Smith, but as you might recall, there was a bit of a dust-up at last year’s ceremony, resulting in Smith being banned from attending all Academy events for the next 10 years. As of this writing, no

word from the Academy about who will step in for Smith, but might I suggest a group of previous best actor winners? There are more than 30 still with us. Maybe have winners from each of the last five decades come out to present, e.g., Richard Dreyfuss. Ben Kingsley, Tom Hanks, Denzel Washington and Matthew McConaughey. That’d be fun!

Let’s take a look at my picks in the major categories. Remember, these are my predictions, not necessarily my preferences.

Best picture ‘Everything Everywhere All at Once’

As much as I enjoyed “Top Gun: Maverick,” it would be one of the least substantial movies of all time to win best picture — and yet there’s still a little buzz out there saying this could be the upset winner, at approximately 10-1 odds. (You can actually bet on the Academy Awards via apps and in some cases at physical locations, not just abroad but in a few select states,

including Indiana and Michigan.) All signs point to “Everything Everywhere All at Once,” the blazingly original, widely acclaimed, surprise worldwide box-office sensation, taking home the gold. If you’re looking for an upset, go with “All Quiet on the Western Front” or “The Banshees of Inisherin.” Still, with Saturday night’s win at the Producers Guild Awards, which has a preferential voting system that mirrors the Academy’s, “Everything …” becomes an even bigger favorite.

Best director Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert, ‘Everything Everywhere All at Once’

A few weeks ago, I would have predicted Steven Spielberg for “The Fabelmans,” and there’s still a chance the great one will win on the strength of votes from old-school Hollywooders (even with the laudable expansion of the voting membership, the Academy still has a voting base that is 66% male and 81% white). But with “The Daniels” winning the Directors Guild of America honors, they have to be considered the favorites.

Best actor Brendan Fraser, ‘The Whale’

ABC 5 p.m.

Sunday, March 12, 2023

delivers maybe her best work ever in the kind of grand, artsy, wildly inventive prestige project that might as well have come wrapped in paper labeled “Oscar Bait.” The only contender with a chance is the beloved Michelle Yeoh for “Everything Everywhere All at Once,” but in the Big Six categories, the only bigger favorite than Blanchett is ...

former minor-league basketball coach, after a ser es of missteps, is ordered by the cour t to manage a team of players with intellec tual disabi ities He realizes that despite his doubts, together, this team can go fur ther than they ever imagined

s C r e a m V i E 1:10 4:10 7:10

Following the latest Ghostface killings, the four sur vivors leave Woodsboro behind and star t a fresh chapter

C r e e d i i

i C 1:20 4:20 7:10

Adonis Creed has been thriving When a childhood friend and former boxing prodigy, Damian, resur faces after ser ving a long sentence in prison, Adonis must put h s future on the line to battle a fighter who has nothing to lose

o p e r at i o n F o r t u n e: r u s e d e G u e r r

e E 1:20 4:20 7:20

Super spy Orson For tune and a team of top operatives must track down and stop the sale of a deadly new weapons technology w elded by billionaire arms broker Greg Simmonds

Co C a i n e B e a r

E 1:30

All five nominees are first-timers, the first time that has happened since … holy cow, 1935! (There were just three best actor nominees that year: Clark Gable, who won for “It Happened One Night,” Frank Morgan for “The Affairs of Cellini” and William Powell for “The Thin Man.”) This year’s contest boils down to a twoman race between Austin Butler for “Elvis” and Brendan Fraser for “The Whale.” I’m going with Fraser because Hollywood loves a comeback story, Fraser has been an enormously charming presence on the interview circuit over the last many months, and he’s absolutely transcendent in the film.

Butler is also a likable presence offscreen, and awards voters do love lead performances in musical biopics, e.g., “Ray” and “Walk the Line” and “Bohemian Rhapsody” and “Judy,” so it will hardly be a surprise if his name is called.

Best Actress Cate Blanchett, ‘TAR’

One of the best actors of our time

Best supporting actor Ke Huy Quan, ‘Everything Everywhere All at Once’

As we were saying, Hollywood loves a comeback story, and arguably the most inspirational and delightful story of the awards season has been the celebration of an enormously likable and talented artist who had largely disappeared from the scene until he delivered a brilliant performance in the best picture favorite.

Best supporting actress Angela Bassett, ‘Wakanda Forever’

There’s a chance longtime Hollywood favorite Jamie Lee Curtis could pull off the upset — and her win Sunday at the SAG Awards certainly bolstered her chances — and Kerry Condon’s marvelous work in “The Banshees of Inisherin” is a contender, but I still believe the magnificent Bassett, the first actor ever nominated from an MCU film, will take home the gold. 

Copyright 2022 Chicago Sun-Times

After a catastroph c crash on an unknown planet pilot Mills quickly discovers he’s ac tual y stranded on Ear th 65 mill on years ago

Mills and Koa, must make their way across an unknown terrain riddled with dangerous prehistoric creatures in an epic fight to sur vive

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This w ld thriller finds an oddball group of cops, criminals, tourists and teens converging n a Georgia forest where a 500-pound apex predator has ingested a staggering amount of cocaine and gone on a coke -fueled rampage for more blow and blood

Super-Hero par tners Scott Lang and Hope Van Dyne return to continue their adventures as Ant-Man and the Wasp Together, w th Hope’s parents Hank Pym and Janet Van Dyne, the family finds themselves exploring the Quantum Rea m

THE 95TH ACADEMY AWARDS

Honoring movies released in 2022

Spring Cleaning? Wait! That ‘Junk,’ It May Be Valuable! HOME

It’s time to hit the garage, basement, attic and closets for that age-old task of spring cleaning! Before hauling unwanted possessions to the curb, you may be surprised to learn they might be valuable — especially if you have sports cards and memorabilia gathering dust.

“Older sports cards and memorabilia aren’t just highly collectible; they can be worth lots of money. Recent sales of scarce vintage cards have topped anywhere from thousands of dollars to tens of thousands, even hundreds of thousands. And really rare cards can go higher,” says Al Crisafulli, auction director at Love of the Game Auctions, an internet sports auction house that helps families identify and sell valuable items.

Crisafulli has helped people in selling such keepsakes for tens of thousands of dollars. In one life-changing event, he helped a family determine that a baseball bat that spent decades

protecting their home was used by Hall of Famer Lou Gehrig — and Love of the Game Auctions sold it for almost half a million dollars. Today, that bat could bring more than a million dollars.

Older is Usually Pricier

Cards from the 1960s and earlier are collectible, and those from before the 1940s can be worth a lot of money, especially those depicting stars, such

as Mickey Mantle, Babe Ruth, Honus Wagner or Ty Cobb.

If you have very old cards from the 1880s through the 1930s, look for tobacco, gum and candy brands, such as Old Judge, Piedmont, Sweet Caporal, Goudey or American Caramel.

If you want to sell sports items for the most money, consider a specialty auction, such as Love of the Game, which has the expertise to properly research sports ephemera and maintains

bidder lists of collectors specializing in sports. More information is available at loveofthegameauctions.com.

Memorabilia

Set aside old advertising posters depicting sports stars and food, tobacco or sporting goods brands. Ads from magazines aren’t valuable, but those used as store displays and for other marketing purposes can be pricey. Tin signs from the 1960 and earlier can be highly prized, but reproductions aren’t.

Pre-1950s uniforms and catcher’s masks, helmets and other equipment are highly collected, especially when endorsed by star players. Top condition brings the highest prices, but even used equipment can be valuable.

“The golden rule is the older the sports card or item, the more valuable it usually is. Pre-1975 pieces start to get interesting and are worth researching,” says Crisafulli.

Don’t just clean out your “junk” this spring, examine it closely to potentialy maximize its value. (SPT) 

SENIOR LIVING

Tax Breaks for Seniors

We Love to Help You Hear

Growing older comes with many perks for those who are open to exploring the benefits. In addition to senior discounts on movies, meals and more, moving into one’s golden years could offer some breaks when it comes to taxes and finances.

It is always best to go over tax- and finance-related plans with an accountant or certified financial planner to figure out what is in your best interest. However, generally speaking, here are some potential age-related tax perks.

Increase Retirement Savings

Older individuals can contribute more to employer-sponsored retirement accounts and Roth or traditional individual retirement accounts, according to AARP. For 2023, the contribution limit for employees who participate in 401(k) and 403(b) programs, most 457 retirement savings plans and Thrift Savings Plan through the U.S. government can increase their contributions to $22,500 — a jump of $2,000 from last year. Those over age 50 can maximize contributions even more, up to a total of $30,000.

Larger Standard Deduction

The Balance Money says for tax year 2022, people age 65 or older can add an extra $1,750 to the standard deduction they’re eligible for if they are unmarried and not a surviving spouse. Those who are married and file joint returns can add $1,400. For tax year 2023, those amounts go up to $1,850 and $1,500.

In addition, the standard eligible deductions increased. Most older taxpayers feel the bigger standard deduction plus the extra standard deduction is more than any itemized deductions they can claim and choose this option when filing their returns.

Reduce Taxable Income

The ability to contribute more to tax-defered retirement accounts enables older adults to reduce their taxable incomes. This, in turn, reduces the amount that needs to be spent on income taxes.

Changes in Filing Threshold

According to The Arbor Company, which oversees senior living communities, the filing threshold is the income that must be made before being required to file a tax return. Typical taxpayers who are either employees or retired and drawing pensions or Social Security find the threshold increases over age 65. Single filers over age 65 do not need to file returns if their incomes are $14,050 or under. Married filers over age 65 have a threshold of $27,400. If primary or sole income comes from Social Security or a pension, those over age 65 may not have to file returns at all.

Elderly; Disabled Tax Credit

Differing from deductions, a credit for taxpayers is available to people age 65 or older or retired persons on permanent and total disability who receive taxable disability income for the tax year, according to the IRS. In addition, this credit is for those who have an adjusted gross income or the total of nontaxable Social Security, pensions, annuities, or disability income under specific limits. The eligibility levels change from year to year. Credits range from $3,750 to $7,500. These are some of the tax breaks American seniors can expect when filing their income tax returns. Speak with an accountant and financial planner about other perks that come with aging. Individuals also can visit www.irs.gov for further information. (MC) 

The Basics of Fertilizing a Lawn

Spring marks the return of lawn and garden season. Lawns often bear the brunt of winter’s wrath, so spring is a great time to nurse them back to health, and fertilizing can be an essential component of that process.

Fertilizing a lawn can be intimidating. An array of fertilizers, with each seemingly designed to address a different issue, can make homeowners’ heads spin when visiting their local lawn and garden center. However, fertilizing is a very simple task that any homeowner can tackle. In fact, fears about fertilizing are often unfounded and can be overcome with some basic knowledge of the process.

• Identify which type of grass is in the yard. The home improvement experts at HGTV note that turfgrass is divided into two categories: cool-season grass and warm-season grass. A local lawn and garden center can help homeowners identify which type of grass is in the yard, and this often depends on location. Fescue, bluegrass and perennial ryegrass are some examples of cool-season grasses, while Bermuda, bahia, St. Augustine, and zoysia are considered warm-season grasses. Identifying which type of grass is in the lawn is important because that will indicate when to fertilize. Cool-season grasses are typically best fertilized in early spring, while warm-season lawns can benefit from an application just before especially warm temperatures arrive.

• Survey the lawn to identify which spreader to use. A small yard or a thriving lawn with only a few bald

or unsightly patches may not need a full application of fertilizer. In such instances, a hand spreader can suffice. For larger lawns and areas, a broadcast spreader is the ideal option. Spreaders have multiple settings, and the fertilizer package will indicate which setting to utilize when using the product.

• Test the soil prior to purchasing fertilizer. The lawn experts at Pennington note that a simple soil test can reveal soil pH and phosphorous and potassium levels. Soil tests can be purchased at most home improvement stores and lawn and garden centers, and they can help homeowners determine which fertilizer will most benefit their lawns.

• Water the lawn prior to fertilizing. The experts at Scotts recommend a good watering a few days prior to fertilizing a lawn. Such an approach ensures the soil is ready to accept the fertilizer once it’s applied.

• Follow the instructions carefully. Detailed instructions are typi cally provided on fertilizer prod uct packaging. Once homeowners have identified and purchased the product they need, they can simply follow the instructions on the pack aging, including how and when to water after application, which can make fertilizing less intimidating.

Fertilizing in spring can help a lawn recover from the previous summer and winter, ensuring it’s lush and green when summer entertaining sea son arrives. (MC)

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FINANCE

Maximize the Value and Timeliness of Your Tax Return

Research shows that if you’re dreading tax season, you’re not alone.

According to the Pew Research Center, 47% of Americans say they are bothered a lot by the complexity of the federal tax system. Other taxpayers stress out over getting the details right.

In a Credello survey, 22% of respondents say not maximizing their refund is their biggest fear around doing taxes, while another 22% said their biggest fear is making a mistake.

“Many Americans rely on their tax refund to make ends meet. Accessing those funds should be fast and easy,” says Chad Prashad, president and CEO of World Finance.

To help you get a handle on your taxes, World Finance is drawing on its 26 years of filing expertise to offer these timely tips:

Get ready early As soon as your employer provides your W2, you can file your taxes. Having all other doc-

umentation and receipts ready to go will help expedite the process, which means you will get your tax return faster, too. Collect the necessary materials in one place before filing. Consider significant life changes Did you move in 2022? Have a baby? Get married? Change jobs? Each of these monumental life events can have an impact on your taxes, so be sure to disclose these factors when filing or to the professional filing on your behalf.

Know what’s new Visit IRS.gov to learn about any changes to tax filings that are applicable to you. A tax services professional can also help you identify relevant updates. World Finance tax pros have year-round training to stay on top of the latest tax filing requirements and are ready to tailor tax services to each tax customer’s financial situation.

Review and adjust Once you know what your return is going to be this year, make any necessary adjustments

to your W2 to make sure you’re withholding enough during the year. If this is your first year working with a professional tax service, have them review your previous years’ filings as well. You may be able to recover additional refunds if anything was missed. World Finance offers this service for no additional charge.

Consider a tax refund loan After filing, you can potentially take out a loan for the amount of your expected

refund. This is known as a tax refund loan and an option to consider if you need your refund as soon as possible.

Work with a professional Filing your taxes with a software program is a low-cost option, but only if you have time to dedicate to the task, and the know-how to get your biggest possible tax return. Working with a reliable, trusted tax preparation service can help ensure your taxes are filed correctly, and your return is as substantial as it can be. Look for a service that offers transparent pricing, flexible filing options and same-day Tax Advance Loans, such as World Finance. For more information, visit loansbyworld.com/taxes.

Tax season doesn’t need to create headaches, fears, or anxieties. By gathering important tax documents in advance and understanding your filing and refund options, you can have confidence that you’ve maximized the value and timeliness of your tax return. (SPT) 

Make the Most of Snacking for Healthy Kids

Kids love snacks, and often come home from school hungry and looking for something to eat. However, it can be a struggle to find snacks that kids enjoy and parents approve.

The snack experts at Kemps along with registered dietitian and nutrition expert Frances Largeman-Roth know the importance of finding fun and tasty ways to give hungry, growing kids the nutrient-rich foods they need. These tips can help you make the most of snack time.

Look for Real Fruit Ingredients

While quick and easy, many packaged snacks use sugar instead of real fruit. Make sure to read labels carefully to understand what is in kids’ snacks. Look for real fruit and key vitamins and nutrients like calcium while skipping out on artificial flavors, preservatives, colors and high-fructose corn syrup.

Stock Up on Kid-Friendly Options

One way to help make the most of snack time is choosing an option like Kemps Smooth Cottage Cheese. This first-of-its-kind whole milk cottage cheese is blended with real fruit to create a creamy taste and texture without curds that kids are sure to love. A quick and easy solution, it also allows kids to be independent with what they eat to make

snack time more rewarding.

Start the Day Off Right

It’s not always easy to squeeze a nutritious breakfast into busy mornings, but it’s an important way to start each day. Multiple studies show kids who eat a nutritious breakfast perform better academically and focus better throughout the day. Plus, starting the day off right helps kick unhealthy cravings while keeping kids full and energized. Once snack time rolls around, they’ll be ready for something healthy and delicious.

Pack In the Protein

To make sure your kids are staying full between meals and getting the nutrients they need, stock

up on snacks that are high in protein. According to Largeman-Roth, dairy is a great way to accomplish this while also giving kids a tasty snack. Snacks like Kemps Smooth Cottage Cheese pack a protein punch with almost twice as much protein per ounce as most yogurts made for kids, plus it contains probiotics, another key ingredient to support gut health.

Model Healthy Habits

Kids learn by example in countless ways, and the way you take care of your own health and well-being is no exception. When kids see grownups they admire making smart choices about nutrition, they’re more likely to adopt those behaviors themselves. Join in the fun at snack time and create meaningful family moments by preparing or enjoying a nutritious snack together.

Make Snack Time Fun

There’s few things kids love more than fun flavors or seeing characters they cherish on their favorite foods. To make snack time extra exciting, get snacks featuring characters they love or with favorite flavors, like strawberry or mixed berry, which are popular among kids.

To learn more and find fun recipes, visit kemps. com. (Family Features) 

PHOTO CREDIT GETTY IMAGES

PETS

Six Ways to Keep Your Pets Happy and Healthy

Warmer weather means it’s time to spring clean, get grooming and prepare your pets’ diets to support them through the season.

Keep your furry friends happy and healthy this spring with these six tips from the experts at Zesty Paws, an award-winning pet supplement brand:

Give Skin, Coats Some TLC

Many pets form winter coats during the colder months to help them stay warm and comfortable then shed the coats in the spring to prepare for warmer temperatures. Some pets may need extra help maintaining their shiny, healthy coats, especially if mats have formed in their fur or if they are breeds that develop a thick undercoat.

Professional grooming, at-home brushing and regular bathing can all be helpful ways to speed up the process to remove some of the extra fur

and decrease the prevalence of dander, dust and pollen that can attach to fur and skin through the season.

Add Seasonal Allergy Support with Supplements

Just like humans, furry friends can

develop and experience seasonal allergies, too. Giving your pets’ immune systems some extra support can help ease some common allergy symptoms. Supplements like Zesty Paws Aller-Immune Bites for Cats and Aller-Immune Bites for Dogs are chewables that provide seasonal allergy support by aiding normal immune functions, skin health and gut flora, and may also help maintain normal histamine levels.

Ease Back into Exercise

The change in weather means more time for outdoor adventures with your pets, but don’t forget to cool down and warm up as you and your pets ease back into the season.

Planning for short, leashed walks and timed play sessions can help your pets gradually prepare their hips and joints for fun, warm weather activities.

Watch Out for Pet Pests

Once temperatures start to rise, the tiny, creepy critters start crawling. Fleas, ticks and other pests can cause serious health concerns for pets. This spring, make sure your pest control programs are primed and ready for added protection. Talk to your veterinarian about the best routine and products for your pets.

Freshen Up Bedding and Bowls

It’s important to keep a clean environment by scrubbing, sweeping and vacuuming regularly to decrease allergens in the home. When you’re tackling this year’s spring cleaning, remember to put your pets’ bedding and bowls on the list, too. Updating or disinfecting your pets’ blankets, litter boxes, toys and other supplies is a good way to keep them feeling safe and comfortable in the home.

Schedule an Annual Vet Visit

Spring is a good time to schedule your pets’ annual vet visits. Make sure they’re up to date on all vaccinations, get their dental health checkups and re-evaluate nutrition plans.

Find more advice for keeping your pet healthy and happy at zestypaws. com. (Family Features) 

LANDMARKS

Continued from page 7

Eight Academy Awards banquets were held in the Biltmore Bowl during the 1930s and 1940s.

The hotel also was previously a prohibition-era nightclub.

In 1969 the Biltmore Hotel was designated an L.A. Historic-Cultural Monument.

Book a night at the hotel and visit the Gallery Bar and Cognac Room, a nostalgic watering-hole rumored to be the last place the Black Dahlia was seen alive before her still unsolved murder in 1947.

Angelus Temple

1100 Glendale Blvd., Los Angeles 90026

Info www.foursquare.org/about/ history

Charismatic preacher Aimee Semple McPherson opened the Angelus Temple, seating 5,000, in L.A.’s Echo Park district in 1923.

McPherson’s new Pentecostal denomination came to be called the In-

ternational Church of the Foursquare Gospel.

In 1926 McPherson “vanished” from a Venice beach only to “reappear” five weeks later in the desert in Sonora, Mexico. It was the scandal of the decade when she claimed to have been kidnapped for ransom, only to have many speculate she had absconded with a lover. The real story may never be known.

The historic Angelus Temple is currently the home of the Angelus Temple Hispanic Church.

Historic 1922

Here are a few historic milestones we missed in 1922.

The Rose Bowl

1001 Rose Bowl Drive, Pasadena, 91103

Info www.rosebowlstadium.com/

On Oct. 28, 2022 the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, home to the college football classic annual Rose Bowl Game, celebrated its 100th birthday.

The Rose Bowl Stadium has played host to five NFL Super Bowls, two Olympic Games and the men’s and

women’s FIFA World Cups.

The stadium has hosted superstar concerts, a Papal Mass and visits by three U.S. Presidents: John F. Kennedy, Richard Nixon and Ronald Reagan. Also in 1922:

• Los Angeles’ first radio stations, KFI, KHJ and KNX, went on the air.

• The first concerts are held at the Hollywood Bowl amphitheater, now the summer home of the Los Angeles Philharmonic.

• The Tam O’Shanter restaurant opened by Lawrence Frank and Walter Van de Kamp, they later founded Lawry’s Prime Rib. Walt Disney and his animators were regulars, his favorite table was #31,

right by the fireplace and commemorated by a plaque.

• The first L.A. County Fair was held in Pomona. 

TOP PHOTO COURTESY DISCOVER LOS ANGELES. INSET PHOTO COURTESY MILLENNIUM BILTMORE

TOP PHOTO COURTESY THE ROSE BOWL. INSET PHOTO COURTESY NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES

PHOTO COURTESY ANGELUS TEMPLE

SOLUTIONS

READER LETTERS

Time to Break Up

L.A. County is now attempting studies to better represent its 10 million constituents and the related $44 billion budget by possibly expanding the number of supervisors. What they likely won’t explore is the creation of a new county that would include the Santa Clarita Valley and the Antelope Valley. These north L.A. County communities have very different interests and needs than the other L.A. County areas. Unfortunately, they will likely gerrymander and create new districts that will only result in higher taxes. It’s time to split.

A case in point: As visitors approach Santa Clarita from the east, they will get a warm “Welcome to Santa Clarita” with a hideous view of 1,000-plus junk yard cars in the riverbed. Ironically, most of our local state, county and city elected officials made numerous election pledges to fight the Cemex mining operation in that same area and then almost overnight we got a huge junkyard that flew stealth under their radar. Meanwhile, the junk yard cars keep flowing in. Maybe they will control east side growth.

Aren’t Babies Human?

ETHICALLY SPEAKING

Fortifying Fortitude, the Virtue

By David Hegg

The third of the foundational Greek virtues, following Prudence and Justice, is Fortitude. Once again, this is not a word we hear often these days, and we are worse off for it. Fortitude is the virtue of forbearance when circumstances are burdensome, strength when the going is hard, and perseverance when opposition is heavily stacked against us. Fortitude is what the coach is calling for when he exclaims, “When the going gets tough, the tough get going!”

Fortitude is the virtue by which we remain undaunted in the face of obstacles that seem too large to overcome. It is often defined as the courage to press on when you are in the right regardless of the consequences.

John Dennis Santa Clarita

Why are babies considered non-human beings? We, the people on Earth are all human beings, aren’t we? It doesn’t matter what the color of our skin is, whether we’re straight or gay, whether we’re Democrat or Republican, liberal or conservative, we are all human beings.

Biologically we all had the same start: A male sperm entered a female egg; a baby human being is formed. Oh, you say, it’s a fetus, a mass of cells. Hmm, a mass of cells that contain the parents’ DNA, blue or brown eyes, short or tall, color of skin, etc. This mass was formed by human beings so doesn’t that make it a baby human being? So, why is it OK to kill a baby human by abortion? Abortion clinics can kill baby humans up to the time they are full term. World history has shown that African slaves were once considered non-human beings. They were a commodity to be bought and sold or traded. Thank God, we realize Africans and all the descendants of Africans are human beings just as we all are. The Nazis considered Jews to be non-human beings and sought to exterminate them, and the world came to their rescue.

So, tell me, why is it OK to kill a baby, a baby human being, in or out of a woman’s womb?

Mildred

Submit a Letter to the Editor

(Millie) Hubert

Santa Clarita

Include name, address & phone; Anonymous letters aren’t printed; email: letters@signalscv.com.

Aristotle defined fortitude as that determination to continue on the right course and stick to it because it is the noble thing to do and would be a disgraceful thing not to do. Yet, fortitude is often ridiculed in our day. I am reminded of the little boy who found hundreds of starfish washed up on the shore. Knowing they would die before the tide found them again, he began picking them up, one by one, and throwing them back into the ocean.

An old man walking by tried to help the boy see the hopelessness of his venture and shouted, “You’ll never save them all, son!” The lad, undaunted by the old man’s pessimism, stooped down, grabbed a starfish, and flung it into the water. “Maybe … but I saved that one!”

The young boy showed fortitude. Doing the right thing even when it is the hard thing simply because it is the noble thing, and not to do so would be a disgraceful thing.

In some places, fortitude is known as grit. It is the stuff of those who simply will not be vanquished, and will struggle onward despite the odds if their purpose is wise and just.

It is important to realize none of these virtues exist in a solitary sense. In fact, they are interdependent. It is of no value to have fortitude without prudence as that would result in courage to pursue a course that was not wise or beneficial. And fortitude in a cause that is not just is at best misguided and, at worst, destructive, which is certainly not prudent. Prudence, Justice, and Fortitude must ride together or none of them can stand.

So, consider the convergence of prudence, justice, and fortitude in relation to something as common as debt. To make it interesting, consider the current consideration on the part of some of our govern-

mental leaders to use their power to forgive the student loans provided by the government for college education.

First, we could ask, it this prudent? Is it the wisest course of action to use tax money to forgive loans to certain citizens when inflation and the national debt are in the danger zone? We might also suggest that those who took out the loans theoretically considered it prudent to borrow the money, and did so understanding that repayment was expected.

Second, we could ask if it is just to take money from those who do not owe the debt, without their consent, in order to pay off the loans of others. Further, it would seem just to consider that those whose money is now paying off the debt should gain some of the benefit of what was originally purchased. Perhaps the degrees earned could now be conferred on those whose money actually will have paid for them.

Of course, this is sheer silliness, but then again, so is the perversion of both prudence and justice should the loan forgiveness plan be implemented.

Lastly, what of fortitude? It would seem those with the virtue of fortitude would stand up and say, “I will pay my own debts, thank you! What kind of nobility is it to take a loan and then happily agree to have the government use other people’s money to pay it back? Why, that would be disgraceful, and show a cowardly lack of fortitude!”

My point is simple. The erosion of our society is not due to a lack of governmental programs funded by inflationary spending (we’ve had more than enough of those!) but to an overall erosion of basic virtue in us as a nation.

Too often we are not prudent, and not just. And we have largely stopped appreciating fortitude. We’d rather be victims. We’d rather gain power purely on the basis of our identity. We’d rather define justice in ways that play to our selfishness-driven ideology.

On the other hand, virtue has the good of the community in mind. We want to be good people to be a good family, a good village, a good society.

So let us chart a better course. Let us reinvigorate the beauty of virtue. Let us strive to be morally prudent, uncompromisingly just without bias, and more than ever fortified in our fortitude so that right will always overcome evil with good. Prudence, justice and fortitude are more than words. They are the very stuff of noble living.

Local resident David Hegg is senior pastor of Grace Baptist Church. “Ethically Speaking” appears Sundays. 