Sunday Signal 100922

By Michele E. Buttelman Signal Staff Writer

When one thinks of traveling to see the autumn leaves, places like New England or maybe Colorado come to mind.

However, the glorious splash of fall color from trees shedding their summer green can be found in many parts of the Golden State.

From Oak Glen, just outside Los Angeles, to the Napa Valley wine country, the reds, yellows and orang es of autumn are just a car trip away. Mammoth Lakes

Info visitmammoth.com/fall-colors

On the eastern side of the Sierra mountains you’ll find showy autumn finery from mid-September until the last leaf falls from quaking aspens and willows.

Drive any road heading west off U.S. 395 near June Lake and Mam moth Lakes to find groves of autum nal color.

Mammoth Lakes offers a treasure trove of fall beauty. Near downtown, walk or drive past Sherwin Creek Campground where aspen groves will delight with a heady mix of leaves in reds, oranges, yellows and lime greens. Head south of town to drive aspen-lined McGee Creek Road or Rock Creek Road.

The timing of the fall colors de pends on the weather, but a good time to count on it is from September into October.

Oak Glen Info www.oakglen.net

Oak Glen is known for its apples,

but with an elevation that’s nearly a mile high, and only 80 miles east of Los Angeles, it offers beautiful colors in addition to the oak groves, apple farms, berry ranches and plenty of old-fashioned fun.

An autumn trip to this quaint countryside will give visitors a chance to stop and view the brilliant oaks dotting the hillsides. If you visit Oak Glen’s historic schoolhouse muse um at just the right time you’ll find it surrounded by bright red maple trees. For more fall color take a hike at the Wildlands Conservancy’s Oak Glen Preserve. A 2.4-mile family-friendly loop leads from the preserve head quarters downhill through the apple orchards and into Oak Knoll Park.

Lake Tahoe Info laketahoe.com/top-10-placesto-enjoy-fall-foliage-in-lake-tahoe

Willows and aspens light up both sides of this high-country lake when fall takes center stage.

The hillsides and meadows around Lake Tahoe’s meadows and hillsides you’ll see willows are the first to turn, followed by aspens. Shades of gold, yellow, amber mixed with touches of ruby and scarlet can take your breath away when nature and timing work together.

Hike 1.5 miles north on the Tahoe Rim Trail from Ward Creek Boule vard to see a beautiful autumn vista on the lake’s northwest shore at Page Meadows. You’ll also see Twin Peaks, Grouse Rock and Ward Peak soar above the trees.

In South Lake Tahoe, drive the Fallen Leaf Lake Road to Fredrick’s Meadow, a short distance from Fall

en Leaf Lake Campground, where the view of Mount Tallac is perfectly framed by a foreground of quaking aspens. For more leafy color, contin ue along the road to the Glen Alpine trailhead and walk a colorful mile along the cobbled trail to Glen Alpine Springs.

Napa Valley

Info bit.ly/3UWm2V9

Wine country might not be your first go-to thought of autumn splen dor, but starting in mid- to late-Oc tober, the grape harvest crush winds down and a pageant of vineyard leaf color begins. Fall color in the Napa Valley isn’t limited to trees as grape leaves transform into colorful fall fo liage in vivid coppers and ruby reds.

For a stunning fall trip drive the Silverado Trail from Napa to Calis toga. Take your pick from dozens of wineries, including Frog’s Leap, Rom bauer Vineyards, and Reynolds Fam ily Winery, all worth a stop for fall scenery and wine tasting.

So, California State Parks Cuyamaca Rancho State Park Info bit.ly/3M0jCkl

Cuyamaca is northeast of San Di

ego on located on Highway 79. Here autumn enthralls with the beautiful golden yellow leaves of the black oak. Camp amongst the colorful splendor of this woodland oak forest.

Mount San Jacinto State Park Info www.parks.ca.gov/?page_ id=636

In Idyllwild, San Jacinto offers spectacular fall foliage mixed with high altitude wilderness.

Palomar Mountain State Park Info www.parks.ca.gov/?page_ id=637

Palomar Mountain park features something different, a fall vista of bracken fern in the meadows turning a rich golden brown against the dark green of adjacent forests. Silverwood Lake Info www.parks.ca.gov/?page_ id=650

Silverwood Lake State Recreation Area in San Bernardino County fea tures an autumn vista of black oaks nestled in pines.

Family Fun Around Santa Clarita

By Michele E. Buttelman Signal Staff Writer

It’s October and everyone is comfortably settled back into their routines of school and work. However, don’t forget to play, as a family. One of the best reasons to live in the Santa Clari ta Valley is the variety of activities available for family fun. Hanging out with other families is a nice bonus. Placerita Nature Center 19152 Placerita Canyon Rd. Newhall 91321 Info placerita.org; (661) 259-7721

If there is one place in the SCV that is perfect for family fun it is the Placerita Nature Center. The center features year-round family fun. The Nature Center offers a variety of trails to hike and explore suitable for all ages and all abilities. Other highlights include:

• The historic “Oak of the Golden Dream,” the site of California’s orig inal gold discovery in 1842.

• The landmark Walker Cabin, built by Frank Walker in 1920 for his family. The property that is now Placerita Canyon Park was owned by the

• Walker family of Newhall before it was purchased by the California State Parks Department in 1949.

• Join the Family Walk on Saturdays at 11 a.m. The easy hour walk ex plores the area’s natural and cultur al history. Other Saturday activities may include a Bird Walk, Animal Show, Botany Walk and Wildflow er Walk.

Santa Clarita Trek Bike Park 20870 Centre Pointe Parkway,

Santa Clarita, CA 91350

Info https://bit.ly/3ry2ngJ; (661) 250-3754

Are you looking for a way to get your kids moving? The city of Santa Clarita Trek Bike Park is free to visit seven days a week and is open from dawn till dusk.

The Bike Park offers riders seven acres to ride, practice jumps and de velop skills for both BMX and moun tain biking.

The park was designed with riders of all ages and skill levels in mind and consists of several single-track mountain bike trails that range from easy to moderate difficulty. There are also more than 800 yards of pump and BMX track featuring combina tion jumps, including step-ups, stepdowns, rollers and tabletops.

Castaic Lake State Recreation Area

32132 Castaic Lake Drive, Castaic, 91384

Info https://bit.ly/3ry2ngJ; (661) 257-4050

Castaic Lake is one of the larg est and most spectacular state water reservoirs in California. This 12,658acre facility is also a great local rec reational escape for the entire fami ly and features two lakes: the Upper Lake which offers two launch ramps for boating with various waterways and coves for exploring and the Low er Lake that includes picnic areas, launch areas for kayaks, float tubes and other non-gasoline boating and a swim beach. World class fishing, hik ing, horseback riding, paddleboard ing, wake boarding and jet skiing.

Castaic Lake is stocked with trout and fishing is permitted in designat ed areas on the dam and at the lower lake. Children under 16 can fish with

out a license. Boat rentals available.

Santa Clarita’s Open Spaces Info hikesantaclarita.com

Since Santa Clarita was incorporat ed as a city in 1987, it has made a sig nificant effort to preserve the green belt and undeveloped land within and outside the city. Currently more than 4,000 acres of publicly owned open space greenbelt surrounds the city.

Visit the HikeSantaClarita.com for downloadable maps. Don’t forget water, hats and sunscreen. Watch for wildlife and snakes.

Agents of Discovery Info www.santa-clarita.com/Agents ofDiscovery

There is still time to play the aug mented reality mobile game, Agents of Discovery at Canyon Country Park. The event runs now through Nov. 19.

This is a free fun family activity that encourages residents and their families to get outdoors and learn about Santa Clarita history and en vironmental conservation through a fun geo-triggered experience.

The game tests players’ knowledge about city history, environmental awareness and pop culture trivia.

Users can play by downloading the missions titled city of Santa Clarita to their mission library. Users begin their journey by following the on-screen prompts from the app’s friendly tourguide: Agent Red Hawk. Users are en couraged to create their own account to earn special in-game rewards.

Discover the world around you. Unlock hidden geo-located challeng es that can only be solved through exploration and discovery.

Family-Friendly Fundraisers

Attend a family-friendly fundrais

ing event. In the next few months there are several fun activities that contribute to the community, as well as provide family fun memories.

Oct. 28 10th Annual SCV Charity Chili Cook-off Info scvcharitychilicookoff.com/

A family-friendly fundraiser to benefit Fix’n Fidos, a nonprofit creat ed to raise money to pay for spay and neuter pet surgeries for low-income residents.

Taste chili and enjoy all the games and attractions at MB2 Entertain ment in Santa Clarita including bowl ing, VR headset games, arcade, laser tag, axe throwing, golf simulator, mini golf and go-karts.

Nov. 5 Santa Clarita Valley Educa tion Foundation Touch a Truck Info www.scveducationfoundation. org/touchatruck

There will be fire trucks, police cars, dump trucks and a wide vari ety of large and unique vehicles to discover. The whole family will have fun at the activity booths, giant slide and the popular “Beach Ball Drop” when a dump truck pours hundreds of beach balls onto the field and the race is on to get yours. Benefits all SCV school districts with teacher in novation grants, student scholarships, reading programs and more.

Nov. 18-20 Festival of Trees Info https://scvbgc.org/festivalof-trees-santa-clarita

Benefits the Boys & Girls Club of Santa Clarita Valley. Kick off the holi day season with a family visit to Festi val of Trees at Valencia Town Center. See large, elaborately decorated trees, tabletop trees, gingerbread houses and more. Entertainment, kid’s activi ty corner and more.

What to Consider When Installing Above-Floor Plumbing

Home renovation can be tricky, especially if you want to add a bathroom or kitchen to a part of a home where plumbing doesn’t exist. Adding on to basements, attics, ga rages and unfinished spaces usually requires breaking through concrete or doing a major structural renova tion that can compromise a home’s structural integrity. However, abovefloor plumbing like macerating toilets and drain pumps simplifies home-improvement projects.

There are many above-floor toilets and other macerating-technology products on the market today. But not all macerating systems are created equal.

If you’re planning to add an abovefloor plumbing system to your home, here are six things to look for when purchasing a macerating pump sys tem for either a new addition or to re place an existing one.

1. Quality

Home renovations can be expen sive. It may be tempting to opt for cheaper options, but they might cost you more if they break or cause dam age to your home.

This same principle applies when buying above-floor plumbing sys tems. While there are cheaper op tions out there, you’ll want to do your research and pick a product that is known for quality.

2. Manufacturing

Where a product is made can sig nificantly impact its quality. In-house manufacturing means that a company can ensure the highest quality control possible, which isn’t guaranteed or

easy to verify when manufacturing is outsourced.

Why does this matter? Knowing where your macerating pump comes from can tell you about the quality and reliability of the product.

For example, a recognized brand of macerators such as Saniflo is made and assembled entirely in-house in France. These products are shipped to be distributed to the company’s headquarters in North America and then sold to professional installers through Saniflo’s nationwide distribu tion partners.

You can rest easy knowing that your macerating toilet or other prod ucts have been tightly controlled

throughout the production and dis tribution process.

3. In-Country Customer Service

Opting for cheaper above-floor plumbing solutions could lead to dealing with a defective product down the line. Your next step would likely be to call the manufacturer’s toll-free number to try to sort it out. But what if you’re met with customer service based in another country, one that is unhelpful, unreliable or just plain hard to communicate with?

In contrast, communicating with U.S. or Canadian-based customer service agents should ensure quick er responses, more reliable prob lem-solving and more effective communication. Purchasing from a manufacturer with a North Ameri can-based salesforce will also ensure faster, more efficient customer care.

4. Compliance

It’s essential to find out if any plumbing product is made according to U.S. codes and standards, espe cially when it comes to above-floor plumbing.

A reputable company invests in testing its products to be in compli ance with major plumbing codes. This way, the product will be ap proved to be installed anywhere in

the country while safeguarding the customer from any potential issues.

Macerating technology uses a pump powered by electricity, and any electrical product that contacts water is potentially hazardous. You’ll want to ensure the product is compliant with safety standards. Otherwise, you could be waiting for an accident to happen.

5. Warranty

Many above-floor plumbing sys tems have a product warranty of up to one year only. This can be a prob lem if the product breaks down or fails down the line, resulting in costly repairs or replacement.

A major brand such as Saniflo of fers customers a standard three-year warranty for their macerating pump products. Also, they have offices and multiple warehouses throughout the United States and Canada, ensuring optimal availability and distribution, especially during global supply short age challenges.

6. Insurance

As mentioned above, issues can oc cur with electrical products that come in contact with water. It’s crucial that you can insure these products should something occur. Not all brands of macerating pump products can ob tain or offer insurance.

To be specific, products should carry some type of third-party cer tification to vouch for their reliabil ity in protecting property as well as the health and safety of those who use them. Examples of independent laboratories that test for compliance would be “CSA” and “IAPMO.”

These nationally recognized labora tories test products to conform with the American Society of Mechanical Engineers standards for code compli ance in the United States and Canada. Without such certifications, products could likely be deemed unreliable or even unsafe by insurance carriers.

Using these six tips, you can choose the right above-floor macerating pump system that will last for years to come. To learn more about mac erating technology and how it can help you with your home renova tion dreams, visit Go.Saniflo.com. (BPT)

A Dream Come True With Help From Steve Harvey

By Rylee Holwager Signal Staff Writer

Canyon Country resident Andre Tulloch had worked from the ground up for a beverage company for 13 years. Five months after receiving a promotion that he called a “dream job” for him, he was laid off.

Tulloch was shocked and fell into a state of sadness. As an act to cheer him up, his wife got two tickets for them to go see someone Tulloch looks up to — Steve Harvey.

The two arrived early to get the best seat in the house for the taping of Harvey’s TV show, but ended up in the very back. This ended up being a blessing in disguise.

During one of the commercial breaks, Harvey walked all the way to the back of the audience and sat down right next to Tulloch. Tulloch took this as an opportunity to ask Harvey how to stay motivated in the job application process after being laid off from a job you had for 13 years.

Harvey’s answer centralized around the belief that since Tulloch got laid off from that job, that was not what he was meant to do. What he was meant to do was something he was good at.

“What’s your gift?” Harvey asked Tulloch.

Tulloch answered, “I’m pretty good in the kitchen.”

At 40 years old, Tulloch was given a second chance because Harvey called the Institute of Culinary Education and agreed to pay for Tulloch’s first semester of culinary school. Depend ing on his grades, Harvey also prom ised to pay for the second semester.

“I can’t believe this is actually hap

pening, this is not how I planned my day to go,” thought Tulloch.

Tulloch accepted Harvey’s offer with zero hesitation. He had no idea just how life-changing this second chance would be.

“Once everything happened with the layoff, and once the opportunity came that I was able to go to culinary school, was when I actually discov ered myself,” said Tulloch. “I had no idea the love that I had for cooking and being in the kitchen until I actu ally started going to culinary school.”

At ICE, Tulloch gave it nothing less than his all.

“I’ve always been driven in every job that I’ve ever had,” said Tulloch. “I’ve always tried to be the best at it that I could be and try to learn and immerse myself in every opportunity just so I can excel.”

Tulloch’s dedication and persever ance earned him his second semester at ICE to be paid for.

He graduated from ICE in May 2020. School was out of the way and he finally had the time to work to ward his culinary dream — owning and operating a Jamaican cuisine food truck.

The name for his Jamaican cui sine business came to him in a literal dream while he was at ICE.

He saw himself designing the logo, with the name “Jamroq.” Immediately he jumped out of bed, grabbed a pen and paper and recreated the logo ex actly as he saw it in his dream.

“I did it in one take,” said Tulloch.

All aspects of the logo pay tribute to Tulloch’s Jamaican heritage.

Tulloch immigrated from Jamaica to the United States when he was 21 years old. He grew up with his grand ma, who had owned her own restau rant with Tulloch’s grandfather.

He hopes to honor her through his cuisine.

“She’s always pushed me to be the best version of myself,” said Tulloch. “It’s always pushed me to do better.”

Jamroq Kitchen started, and cur rently stands, as Jamaican cuisine prepared by Tulloch, out of his own kitchen, available for pickup.

Tulloch slowly gained success from

this, but Jamroq Kitchen was imme diately halted when Tulloch was in volved in a car crash.

Tulloch’s injuries forced him into back and neck surgery, leaving him temporarily unable to walk.

“I was scared to stand on my feet for too long,” said Tulloch.

Since then, Tulloch has recovered, but Jamroq Kitchen has remained closed.

However, he has plans to open up the kitchen within the next few weeks.

Every day is another day Tulloch is working toward turning Jamroq Kitchen into a food truck business.

“That’s been my dream since day one, and I’m still pursuing that 100%, full speed ahead,” said Tulloch.

Those wishing to learn more and place an order can do so through Tulloch’s Instagram, @jamroq1.

Andre Tulloch cooks up some Jamaican fare. PHOTOS BY CHRIS TORRES / THE SIGNAL

Further Your Creativity, Explore Your Passion This ARTober

By Ken Striplin Santa Clarita City Manager

October is National Arts and Human ities Month and in the City of Santa Clarita, that means a month of programs and workshops that en able you to tap into your inner art ist. Each year, the City’s Arts team turns October into ARTober — de livering unique and enriching art events that benefit everyone, from those discov ering art for the first time to the career artist pre paring for their next gallery opening.

Anyone can participate in ARTober, starting with this year’s Daily Art Challenge. The Arts team has released art prompts to follow each day in October at SantaClaritaArts.com.

The challenge is simple — follow the prompt and post your submission to social media. Once you upload, be sure to tag the Santa Clarita Arts social media account (ArtsInSCV) and use #SCVART ober2022 in your caption. This is a great way to share your art with others in the community and the three artists who complete the most prompts in ARTober, will receive a special prize.

In addition to the Daily Art Challenge, the City will offer a free Haunted Mansion artist workshop at the Santa Clarita Public Library Old Town Ne whall Branch (24500 Main Street) on October 15, from 1:00 – 3:00 p.m. This workshop will be lead by artist Sylvia Schorn, who will demonstrate how to construct a fun and spooky mansion. Space is limited for this workshop so please visit the Santa Clarita Arts website to learn how you can get in volved.

If you are looking to take the next step in your artistic career, you will want to be sure to register for the Business for Artists Conference, which will take place October 21 and 22 at The Centre (20880 Centre Pointe Parkway).

Each day will offer a full slate of workshops suit ed for all creative professionals, from those just starting out in the field, to those wanting to hone the marketing and outreach skills they’ve devel oped over the years.

The first day of the conference is for profes sionals in the non-profit sector and will focus on non-profit marketing, budgeting, programming and fundraising.

The second day is for artists working in visual arts, music or film, and will give attendees an op portunity to learn new business development tools.

I want to thank our speakers in advance from Cali fornia Institute of the Arts, College of the Canyons, The Master’s University and accomplished artists from the Los Angeles region for developing and contributing to this conference. It promises to be a valuable way for local artists and creative entre preneurs to expand their network and grow their business.

These are just some of the ways the City of Santa Clarita is celebrating ARTober in 2022. To learn more about all of the programs and events on the schedule, please visit SantaClaritaArts.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.

By Lena Abraham Delish.com

During fall, all we want to do is cozy up to something warm in our favorite sweaters. Here at Delish, we can’t think of a better way to do that than with a warming cup of soup — it’s just right. When the

Ingredients

1 medium lemon, halved crosswise

2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

1 medium fennel bulb, chopped 1/2 yellow onion, chopped Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper cloves garlic, minced tsp. dried oregano tsp. red pepper flakes low-sodium chicken broth

lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts

(15.5-oz can) white beans, drained and rinsed c. greens (such as kale, spinach, or Swiss chard) torn into bite-size pieces

Freshly grated Parmesan, for serving Lemon wedges, for serving

Heat a large pot over medium heat. Add lemon halves cut side down and let cook undisturbed until lightly golden, about 4 minutes. Carefully remove and set aside to cool.

Ingredients

1 tbsp. butter

1/2 medium onion, diced

4 cloves garlic, minced

3 tsp. Italian seasoning

1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes

3 tbsp. all-pur pose flour

nience, but homemade chicken broth is always superior when it comes to flavor. Either works, as do bouillon cubes prepared according to the pack aging, or vegetable broth, or even water. You’ll just have to season a bit more aggressively.

The Veggies

Fennel and onions are a nice combo, but many hearty root vegetables (like parsnips, carrots, or sweet potatoes) are perfect substitutes. Feel free to mix and match. As for leafy greens, any variety that wilts quickly in hot liquid will do: think kale, chard, or spinach. Frozen green peas would also work well.

The Chicken

Pretty much any cut of chicken will do here, with some adjustments to the cook time. Pieces of dark meat and pieces with bones require a longer cook time, but add extra flavor.

The Pasta

It wouldn’t be an orzo soup without orzo, but if you’re looking to use up another small pasta like ditalini or orecchiette, we certainly won’t stop you. In fact… you didn’t hear it from us, but pretty much any pasta would do the trick. Just know that cook times will vary from shape to shape.

Yields

Immediately add oil, fennel and onion and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are beginning to turn golden at the edges, around 12 minutes.

Add garlic, oregano, and red pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Add broth and water and use a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of your pan.

Add chicken and bring mixture to a simmer. Simmer until chicken is cooked through, about 10 minutes. Transfer chicken to a plate or cutting board to cool slightly.

Bring soup to a boil and add orzo and beans. Boil until orzo is tender, 8 to 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, shred chicken using clean hands or 2 forks. When orzo is finished cooking, return shred ded chicken to pot and turn off heat. Fold in greens until wilted and squeeze lemon halves into soup (being careful to remove any seeds first). Season to taste with salt and pepper.

To serve, ladle soup into bowls and top with Par mesan.

Creamy Parm Tomato Soup

This easy tomato soup is perfect for those chilly fall and winter evenings. If you prefer a heartier greens, kale or broccoli rabe can be added 5 min utes after the tortellini!

Yields 6 servings

3 tbsp. tomato paste

3 c. low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth

1 (28-oz.) can diced tomatoes

4 c. cheese tortellini

1/3 c. heavy cream

1/2 c. freshly grated Parmesan

3 c. spinach, packed Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

2 tbsp. thinly sliced basil, for garnish

Directions

In a large pot over medium heat, melt butter. Add onion and cook until soft and translucent, about 4 to 6 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute more. Add Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, and flour, whisk to combine, and cook 1 minute more.

Add tomato paste and cook until darkened slightly, 2 to 3 minutes. Add broth and tomatoes and bring to a boil. Lower to a simmer and cook until tortelli ni is tender and cooked through, about 10 minutes. Add the cream and Parmesan and stir to combine, then add spinach and let wilt. Season to taste with salt and pepper, garnish with basil, and serve.

For more recipes, visit Delish.com.

Dead Man’s Halloween Party — Oingo Boingo Former Members

Former members of the leg endary new wave group Oin go Boingo, performing hits “Dead Man’s Party,” “Weird Science,” “We Close Our Eyes,” “Only a Lad,” “Just Another Day,” “Stay,” “Out Of Control,” “Who Do You Want To Be,” “Gratitude,” Pri vate Life,” and many more.

Original ‘80s and ‘90s era Oin go Boingo members Johnny “Vatos”

Hernandez, Sam “Sluggo” Phipps, Carl Graves, and on occasion Steve Bartek, John Avila and Doug Lega cy are joined by Brendan McCreary (vocals), Mike Glendinning (gui tar), Freddy Hernandez (bass), Brian Swartz (trumpet) and Felice Hernan dez (backing vocals) to form Oin go Boingo Former Members. This powerhouse group has been perform ing and selling out venues in Califor

nia since 2005, including the iconic Greek Theater.

With a loyal West Coast following, Oingo Boingo was even honored by the city of Los Angeles when the City Council designated April 20, 2016 as official “Oingo Boingo Day” in Los Angeles. If you want to dance, if you want to live in nostalgia, if you want some high energy music that will keep your feet moving, we’ll see you

at the next Oingo Boingo Former Members concert!

You can see Oingo Boingo Former Members live at The Canyon Santa Clarita on October 28th. Tickets are available online through AXS, over the phone at (888) 645-5006, and in person at the Canyon Santa Clari ta box office. For more information, visit www.wheremusicmeetsthesoul. com. 

Millennial and Gen Z Rom-Com Hits the Mark

By Richard Roeper Signal Contributing Writer ‘Entergalactic’  1/2 (out of four)

Netflix presents a film directed by Fletcher Moules and written by Ian Edelman and Maurice Williams. No MPAA rating. Available on Netflix.

Here is proof you can take something quite familiar and make it sing in ways that feel fresh, funny, warm and exhilarating.

The animated feature film “Enter galactic” on Netflix has a storyline straight out of the Rom-Com Play book — I mean, our hero falls in love with a girl who literally lives next door. But the story is told with some of the most strikingly beautiful and memorably trippy visuals I’ve seen in a long time, augmented by a steady diet of infectious music by the film’s co-creator and star, Kid Cudi, with a finger directly on the pulse of millen nial and Gen Z culture as experienced by young Black professionals.

This is a blazingly original piece of work, created by Scott “Kid Cudi” Mescudi and Kenya Barris, directed with great style by Fletcher Moules and essentially serving as a long-form video for Kid Cudi’s upcoming al bum, also titled “Entergalactic.” The fusion of music and narrative works wonderfully as we follow a group of well-drawn (in more ways than one), hilarious, likable and empathetic characters.

Set in a New York brimming with neon-rich shades of purple, maroon, yellow and orange (the style is rem iniscent of “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse”), “Entergalactic” stars Kid Cudi as Jabari, a street artist who has recently landed a major deal to turn his graffiti creation “Mr. Rager” into a series of comic books. Shortly after moving into his new, spacious loft apartment in Manhattan, Jabari runs into his ex-girlfriend, Carmen. (In one of the film’s many clever visu al touches, the logo on a FedEx truck morphs into a graphic telling us Car men is the “Ex.”)

Upon hearing about Jabari’s new comic book deal, Carmen’s eyes light up and she suggests they get a drink, soon. Sure enough, Jabari hooks up

with Carmen — but in the morning, he makes it clear they should just be friends. It’s time for the next chapter in Jabari’s life.

With Kid Cudi tunes such as “By Design” (with Andre Benjamin), “Do What I Want” and “Willing to Trust” (with Ty Dolla $ign) providing the musical cues, we follow Jabari’s ad ventures as he gets high with his bud dies (as visuals show him riding his bicycle up and away and into the pink skies), working on “Mr. Rager” — and striking up a relationship with a beautiful photographer named Mead ow (Jessica Williams) who lives right next door to him. (Upon learning Jabari is considering a romance with a neighbor, his friend tells a fall-down funny story about hooking up with a woman in the laundry room in his building. That sequence alone would earn the film a hard R rating were it a theatrical release.)

Even as “Entergalactic” continues to dazzle us with creative visuals, of ten involving the countless ways in which light can refract when bounc ing off and through windows, a glass of wine, the streets of Chinatown, you name it, the storyline follows that rom-com blueprint. We get the oblig atory romantic interlude, walks in the rain, a sex montage and, of course, a Big Misunderstanding that could easily be cleared up with one simple conversation.

One of the things I loved about “Entergalactic” is how the main char

acters look like their voice actors, to one degree or another. (Weed dealer Jimmy sort of resembles Timothee Chalamet; Carmen is an exact double for Laura Harrier.) It somehow makes them come across as more “real,”

more endearing, more wonderful. This is one of my favorite animated movies of the year.

2022 Chicago Sun-Times

Whether it’s breast cancer research or helping patients get to treatment, our fundraising makes a real difference in the fight against breast cancer and in our community.

If you or a loved one needs help with their hearing, October is the best time visit Advanced Audiology. At the same time you’re helping yourself you’re also donating and helping your community.

Advanced Audiology is donating a portion of all its hearing aid proceeds to breast cancer research, and Circle of Hope. Raising awareness among patients, and local communities about breast cancer which affects 1 in 8 women in the U.S. Nola Aronson is a 20 year breast cancer survivor herself, so this cause is personal and close to her heart.

Regular Immunizations for Heart Health

While most parents are good at keeping track of vaccines their kids need to stay healthy, many adults don’t realize there are immunizations important for keep ing themselves heart-healthy, as well.

Adults, especially those with a his tory of heart disease or stroke, should take steps to stay up-to-date on pre ventive vaccines, particularly for the flu and COVID-19.

Influenza While many experience just a few days of aches and chills, the flu can be deadly for some, includ ing young children, the elderly and those with chronic conditions like heart disease, stroke and diabetes. There has also been research linking flu infection to cardiovascular disease (CVD). Getting a flu shot can not only prevent the flu, it may also re duce the risk of having a heart attack or stroke.

In fact, a study published in Stroke found that, among a group of peo ple hospitalized for various reasons, those who experienced a flu-like ill ness within a month of their hospital ization were 38% more likely to have a stroke. Receiving the flu vaccine within a year prior to hospitalization lowered a person’s stroke risk to 11%.

“Getting an annual flu shot should be part of routine health care for all individuals, especially for people who are already living with chronic health conditions that put them at high er risk for heart attacks or strokes,” said Eduardo Sanchez, M.D., M.P.H., FAHA, American Heart Association chief medical officer for prevention. “The potentially serious complica tions of the flu are far greater for those with chronic diseases. This is true not just for older people but even those age 50 and younger who have a history of high blood pressure, heart disease or diabetes.”

people experience heart and vascular disease after getting COVID-19.

A study from the registry published in Circulation: Arrhythmia and Elec trophysiology found new-onset atri al fibrillation in one in 20 patients hospitalized with COVID-19. Addi tionally, research also found people hospitalized with COVID-19 had a higher risk of stroke compared with people who had similar infectious conditions such as influenza or sepsis.

“We can’t stress enough the con nections between COVID-19 and cardiovascular disease,” Sanchez said.

“There is clear evidence that people who have heart and vascular disease and even those with CVD risk factors are more likely to get COVID and to have more severe complications from the virus.”

Other Immunizations While flu and COVID-19 vaccines are of the utmost importance, there are a number of other immunizations that can help keep people heart-healthy.

• The pneumococcal vaccination protects against a common cause of severe pneumonia and is especially important for people 65 and older, and others with certain underlying medical conditions. This type of pneumonia can be deadly, especial ly for people already at high risk for health complications, includ ing CVD. One shot is usually good for several years, although you may need a second one later depending on your age at your first shot.

COVID-19

At the onset of the pan demic, the American Heart Associa tion established the COVID-19 Car diovascular Disease Registry, which found people with or at risk for CVD were more likely to become infected with and die from COVID-19. Ad ditionally, the research found many

• Shingles, a viral infection caused by the chickenpox virus, has been linked to an increased risk of stroke. More than 99% of people age 40 or older in the United States may carry the dormant chickenpox virus, also known as the varicellazoster virus, and not even realize it.

Learn more about important im munizations and find other preven tive health tips at heart.org. (Family Features)

Focal Points for Designing an Entertainment Room

It might not take a home theater to enjoy the big game with friends or to fire up family movie night, but a spacious entertainment room can certainly help when homeown ers give considerable thought to designing enter tainment rooms. Film buffs and sports fans may have different notions of the ideal entertainment room, but the following are three design features that merit consideration by all looking to upgrade their entertainment spaces.

1. Screen

It’s easy to be overwhelmed by the sheer abun dance of options when choosing a screen for an en tertainment room. Televisions have long been a goto choice, but projector screens merit consideration as well. If the room will be devoted exclusively to entertainment, then a television or a fixed projector screen might be homeowners’ best bets.

Fixed projector screens are installed on the wall and projectors are typically hung from the ceil ing. Semi-fixed projector screens provide a similar viewing experience but can be pulled down or re tracted when residents are not watching a movie.

Projectors often provide much bigger screens for a fraction of the cost of equally sized televisions. However, sports fans may prefer televisions, as live

streaming sports has not yet caught up to stream ing movies and TV shows in terms of reliability or even availability.

2. Sound

Though televisions and projectors tend to come with built-in audio, the quality of that sound often leaves much to be desired. So homeowners will want to choose a sound system that provides theaterquality sound. If the room is being renovated from scratch, installing speakers in the ceiling can create a genuine theater experience.

Ceiling speakers also can be installed in existing rooms, though that will likely cost more and extend the time it takes to complete the project. Surround sound is a must in any entertainment room. Home owners worried about wires need not fret, as mod ern wireless surround sound systems are available at many different price points.

3. Seating

Whether you’re using the space to watch the big game or the latest blockbuster (or both), chances are you’re going to be spending considerable time sitting in your new entertainment room.

A modular sofa might be ideal, as it can be re configured depending on what you’re watching and how many people are watching along with you. Comfort is indeed important, but you’ll also want seating that provides ample support so you aren’t battling any aches and pains once you leave the room. That support also can keep residents and guests from dozing off.

Everyone has their own ideas on what makes the ideal entertainment space. But sports fans, mov ie buffs and others can all agree that an entertain ment room worthy of the big game or the latest blockbuster has a sizable screen, pristine sound and comfortable seats. (MC)

The Link Between Diet and Breast Cancer

Cancer is an insidious disease that affects just about every part of the body, in cluding the breasts. The World Cancer Research Fund International indicates there were more than 2.26 million new cases of breast cancer in women in 2020.

Women understandably want to learn what they can do to reduce their risk of developing breast cancer. One of the first considerations may be ana lyzing diet and determining if it is affecting breast cancer risk.

A variety of factors affect a woman’s risk for de veloping breast cancer, and certain lifestyle choices, including diet, can play a role. However, according to Healthline, the risk factors with the biggest im pact include sex, age and genetics.

Lifestyle can influence breast cancer risk but not at the same levels as genetic markers, family histo ry, gender, or age. However, women interested in doing all they can to stay healthy may want to take a closer look at the foods and beverages that can adversely affect breast cancer risk.

Healthy Diet

Healthy food choices are linked to lower inci dences of cancer and other conditions. Susan G. Komen states that eating plenty of fruits and veg

etables may be linked to a lower risk of develop ing breast cancer. A pooled analysis of data from 20 studies found women who ate the most vegeta bles had a lower risk of estrogen receptor-negative breast cancer (but not estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer) compared to women who ate the least vegetables, according to a 2013 report pub lished in the Journal of the National Cancer Insti tute.

And, it doesn’t really matter if produce is organic or not. According to the American Cancer Soci ety, the benefits of eating fresh fruits and vegeta bles outweigh any health risks linked to pesticide residue.

Fat, Sugar and Cancer

Though a single food will not lead to higher breast cancer risk, overeating and putting on excess weight can increase risk. That is why it is essential to get plenty of exercise each week and monitor calorie consumption.

While women who are in their reproductive years may not see as much breast cancer risk from being overweight or obese, after menopause that risk increases, says Susan G. Komen.

The risk is not directly related to fatty foods, however. The American Cancer Society says an ex

amination of the amount of fat eaten by women in the United States found no link between fat and breast cancer risk.

In addition, while consuming too much sug ar may not be healthy in the long run, it’s a myth that “sugar feeds cancer.” Eating sugar may lead to weight gain, which may increase the risk of breast cancer, says the ACS.

Alcohol Consumption

One component of diet that has been studied extensively is the effects of alcoholic beverages on breast cancer risk. Susan G. Komen reports that a pooled analysis of data from 53 studies found women who had two to three alcoholic drinks per day had a 20% higher risk of breast cancer com pared to those who didn’t drink alcohol. Alcohol should be limited to one drink per day for the aver age woman, or none at all, if possible.

Diet is only one factor in the risk for develop ing breast cancer. While important, there are other components that increase risk by a more significant margin. (MC)

Caring. Compassionate.

By Jane Gates Signal Staff Writer

You can make do-it-your self yard art with a lit tle of your own creativity. Yard art is anything that will decorate your landscape. You can use it anyway you want. And if you want to do it yourself, you can make exactly what you want without im pacting your landscaping budget.

Decorate your gates, fences, walls or doorways. Add a focal point or point-of-interest into your garden area. Create some whimsy with some humorous signage, or an unexpected creature peaking out of a pond.

Think about places in your yard that can be improved by adding

in the GARDEN

something artistic. Yard art can be in the form of a large or eye-catching event, or it can be subtle like items of décor. Examples of DYI art that cre ate interesting focal points would be sculptures, archways or fountains.

You can build your own fountain by simply adapting a pot or a few well-placed rocks with a submersible pump that recycles water from a tub, up through piping to tumble back over the rocks or out the top of a peb ble-filled pot to spill back into the tub.

Recycle old glass bottles as hanging sculptures or turn them upside-down to water potted plants. You can even plant small cactus plants into an old worn-out pair of boots filled with sand and soil.

Stepping stones are ideal for mak ing do-it-yourself yard art. There are acrylic paints now fabricated to last outdoors, and you can paint plain ce

Use a mosaic step stone or piece of quartz positioned among garden stones.

ment squares or rounds with clever sayings, designs or your own illus trations. Consider getting the kids together with friends and have them all paint their own stepping stone cre ations, then lay the results into a deco rative path in your landscape. You can cast your own stepping stones with cement or plaster and make them or namental by pressing stained glass, sea shells or colored stones into the surface before the stone mixture sets.

There are many ways you can make do-it-yourself yard art. Before throw

ing out items from your home or garage think about how you could re cycle them into something decorative for your garden.

Art and décor can take so many different forms. Trash can become precious when repurposed into art. Why waste it? Personalize your land scape to your own tastes. And do it yourself. For free!

For more information about garden ing in the Santa Clarita Valley, visit Jane Gates on YouTube at youtube. com/user/Janieg8s.

Halloween Craft Ideas For Kids

Halloween is an enjoy able holiday for all, but particularly for children. Kids enjoy the oppor tunity to channel their whimsy and imagination, whether that involves choosing a clever costume or helping design the theme and scope of home decorations.

Parents, guardians and educators can channel the creativity inspired by Halloween into various craft projects. Crafts can not only keep children busy when the “I’m bored” lamen tations inevitably turn up, but crafts also are a way to keep children off of screens. Plus, the items that children create can be used to decorate rooms in the house — helping to curb added expenses on commercial decor.

The following are some Hallow een crafts children can make alone or with the help of older siblings and parents.

Jack’s slime

The toothy grins of jack-o’-lanterns

can be seen just about everywhere come Halloween, and the bright or ange color of pumpkins heralds the start of fall. What better way to say “Halloween is here” than with a craft that can be displayed and also played with? Slime is something that’s always a big hit with kids.

Here’s a recipe for slime, courtesy of The Best Ideas for Kids.

‰ 6 ounces of Elmer’s glue (substi tuting with another brand of glue

soda if you desire a stretchier slime

‰ Black felt or black construction paper, cut into the eyes and mouth of a jack-o’-lantern

‰ Small mason jar with lid Decorate the mason jar using a bit of glue to stick the black paper or felt face pieces to the outside of the jar. Mix all the ingredients of the slime in a small bowl and pour into the deco rated jar.

Paper Roll Treat Holders

Rather than discarding the tubes inside of paper towel or toilet paper rolls, let kids transform them into monster craft treat holders. They’ll be perfect for party favors or even to give out to neighborhood trickor-treaters. Cover the bottoms of the rolls with masking tape so treats won’t fall out. Paint the outside of the cardboard rolls and let dry. An alter native is to cover the rolls in colored paper for less messy fun. Then use markers or paper cut-outs to form faces of the monsters. Fill the rolls with treats, then stuff a piece of tissue paper in each top to add even more personality to the creations and hide the treats inside.

Ghostly leaves

Make a truly eco-friendly craft on Halloween, with ghosts made out of leaves, eliminating the need to use extra paper. Paint large leaves with white paint. On the narrow-most point on top of the leaves, paint black eyes and mouths. When completely dry, scatter on a table or sideboard for some scary fun, or use double-sided tape to stick to windows and doors.

PUZZLES

CROSSWORD

Opinion

READER LETTERS

Garcia Team Gets It

I remember a commercial that aired on television in the 1970s. An American Indian rows up to shore in a canoe and steps over garbage thrown there. He wanders a bit and ends up next to a highway. While standing there, a half-eaten fastfood meal is tossed from a passing car at his feet. He turns to the camera and a tear falls from his eye. The message is aimed at the person in the car. If you want a beautiful country, take responsibility. The commercial was from a private nonprofit called Keep America Beautiful. The message was “every little bit helps.” To solve a problem, you start with you.

This time of year, you see commercials for all the great things a candidate will do in Washington and all the horrible things their opponent will do. The 27th Congressional District has problems like homelessness, families struggling to feed their children and provide them school supplies, soldiers overseas away from family, families struggling to take care of their elder ly, children in foster care, public parks full of litter and graffiti, and even litter on the sides of our roads.

I follow Mike Garcia’s campaign on Facebook. Weekly, I see posts, not about politics, but about Team Garcia’s “Saturdays of Service.” On the weekend when we all were thinking back to 9/11, Mike’s people organized a blood drive and volunteers do nated 50 pints of blood. That is enough to save up to 150 lives. I also found out that a recent food drive by the campaign yielded 3 tons of food for local families in need. Mike’s supporters and volunteers also did the following:

• They put together 120 backpacks with school supplies for underprivileged school children.

• Collected 450 pounds of food for our local sheriff’s stations.

• Put in 100 hours at local animal shelters.

• Collected $500 in donations for the Brittany Foundation, which rescues, rehabilitates, cares for, and places homeless dogs with families.

• They raised $1,300 in donations for the Alzheimer's Founda tion.

• Provided 185 children in foster care with gifts.

And, a group spent Martin Luther King, Jr. Day beautifying a neglected park in the Antelope Valley.

Team Garcia gets it. Having a great country, state, district or city starts with us. Like Iron Eyes Cody’s character in the old commercial, I get sad when I see things broken. I also understand what the ad was saying. Don’t wait for the guys in Washington to fix things. Mike understands this very well. To solve a problem, he starts at home in our district.

Oh, and I think the American Indian character in the com mercial would smile, instead of crying, if he knew that Mike and his supporters also collected 70 bags of trash from road sides and parks on three separate occasions.

Paul Oberlander Castaic

Things I Know for Sure

Isanyone else finding it hard to know what we can know for sure? Perhaps it is the ex plosion of ways to gain informa tion that is making certainty un certain. Who’s telling the truth? Who actually has the truth to tell? And who can be trusted not to shave the unlikeable edges off the truth?

Or maybe it is the vast num ber of broken promises and failed assessments that make it hard to trust the myriad asser tions being thrown around today. As I see it, things aren’t going well in too many areas of life. But, apparently there is no agreement on the why, how, or who we should look to for getting them back on track.

Or maybe we’re just suffering from a na tional malaise that is really the stuff of “long COVID” given the fact that almost all of what was proclaimed as certain during the pan demic has turned out to be anything but.

If you’re like me, you’d just like to have a good dose of reality, or certainty. You know, a simple list of what you can know and count on for sure. So, as your humble servant columnist, I am here to rescue you from the puddle of muddle by stating things we all can know for sure.

First, I am sure the sun will come up tomor row, and it isn’t just because a cute little girl named Annie sang it so. I have history on my side. What I mean is that, regardless of what ups and downs come our way – and right now it seems the downs are downright winning! – I know tomorrow will come with a set of new challenges and chances. This also means that each day is a gift, wrapped in a unique set of 24 hours that we will never encounter in exactly the same way again. We simply must take tomorrow by the lapels and make it useful, beneficial and excellent. So when tomorrow gets here, remember, as someone somewhere once said, “Yesterday was a can celed check, and tomorrow is a promissory note. Today is cash … spend it wisely.”

represented in our genetic code. The desire – in fact the need – to be loved can’t be accounted for by purely naturalistic, chemical processes but it is real and vital just the same.

But just as necessary is the need to love. History proves it in every generation. A key compo nent in being human is the desire to pour out our love on someone else. We long for it, and are capable of loving with consistency and intensity even if that love is unrequited. Amazing. Just as certain as is sunrise tomorrow is the unquenchable need we have to love and be loved.

Third, I am sure when the sun comes up tomorrow, we’ll all be a day older. That’s just another way of saying I am sure time will keep going, keep marching on, with all the con sequences its march will bring. And you can count on time bringing change, and change bringing new challenges, successes, disap pointments, and tragedies.

Lastly, I am also sure that, despite my best intentions, I too often fail to live up to my own best standards, let alone the standards of the God who has created me, loves me, and has provided me with so much in this life. And, for me, that means I feel a daily accountability to be better, take advantage of both what is left of today, and what can be done with tomor row. It means as well that I have a model of what it means to love, because God has always been demonstrated in great sacrifice. It also means I know how wonderful it is to be loved, as his love for me is mediated through my wonderful wife, family and friends. So, as the grains of my life’s hourglass continue to fall, I know this for sure. With all the sadness, bro kenness, uncertainty and tragedy this world continues to produce, I’m actually wonderful ly blessed, and I intend to live like it!

Submit a Letter to the Editor

Include name, address & phone; Anonymous letters aren’t printed; email: letters@signalscv.com. Mail to: Letters to the Editor, The Sig nal, 25060 Avenue Stanford, Suite 141, Santa Clarita, CA 91355.

Second, I am sure that the greatest things in life are loving and being loved. Yep, you can take that to the bank, or to dinner. Your choice. At the foundation of every life is a de sire to be loved, to be recognized, to be valued and cared for, and provided for and protected. To be loved is the most essential need we have as humans and yet, you won’t find it

What I know for sure makes me remember that my life is good despite the world around me. I only hope what you know for sure brings you life and peace, certainty and glad ness, both love and satisfaction, and most of all, the hope-driven energy to make the most of today, and – should God provide it – all that makes up tomorrow.

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