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NEWS FEATURES 5 Lessons from lives filled with lots of laughs 6 Remember the rules of the road for driving & walking 7 The secret to finding that great margarita 8 Trends making a comeback in 2020 LOCAL NEWS 9 The Santa Clarita Crime Prevention Unit 10 Local teen’s Eagle project adds fencing at school Hart District OKs contract for new superintendent 11 CHP officer pulls crash victim from burning car Detectives seek victims of alleged contractor fraud 12 20 years later … Remembering 2000 fatal crash TECHNOLOGY 13 Kim’s Q-and-A: pay apps, mobile signature, credit checks CITY MANAGER 14 Striving to keep crime down and roads safe THINGS TO DO 15 Leap Year Day fun SPORTS 16 Campos ready to swing big at Augusta FOOD 17 Beef up your menu with a trendy twist on sushi DINING GUIDE ENTERTAINMENT 20 The Dickies coming to Canyon Santa Clarita TRAVEL 21 How to find time to travel this year CALENDAR PETS 23 Some pros and cons to the use of pet doors KIDS & FAMILY 24 Spring break college tours are around the corner 25 Donna’s Day: ‘Ice’ candles for every climate School menu HEALTH & FITNESS 26 Incorporate more heart-healthy foods into your diet 27 Start exercising at home 30 Great activities to embrace this spring SENIOR LIVING 28 A Second Wind: It’s about time BEAUTY 31 Get your glow on: 6 tips to make your skin, hair shine TIME RANGER HOME IMPROVEMENT 33 Proper waterproofing paint, mold from rains GARDENING 34 Garden trends for 2020 are about sustainability BUSINESS 36 Potential passive income streams to make ends meet OPINION

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F E B R UA RY 23, 2020

S U N D AYS I G N A L · 5

N E W S F E AT U R E S

Lessons from lives filled with lots of laughs

By Perry Smith Sunday Signal Editor

T

here’s only one way to know for sure if you have what it takes to do standup: Can you get up in front of a room full of strangers and make them laugh?

While the pros might make that look easy, the polished performances you see on HBO, YouTube, an L.A. venue or at J.R.’s Comedy Club in Valencia on Saturday nights, come from years of performances, trial and error and, usually, more than a few risks taken along the way.

Netflix and numerous social media outlets provide us more access to standup comedy than we’ve ever had before, and the art itself largely remains unchanged — a performer has to engage an audience and bring the funny. There’s no instruction manual, how-to guide or way to know if you can do it until you try.

Talking to a handful of comedians, and even a comedy professor, there’s no clear-cut path for making people laugh, but they all had insights and stories to share from their respective journeys into the world of comedy.

Don’t be afraid

Jeff Johnson, a Santa Clarita Valley resident who owns a film-production company, said comedy was one of a few leaps he just decided it was time to take about eight years ago, when he first decided to do standup.

For most of his life, Johnson, 45, listened to the voices that told him being a standup comedian wasn’t a “responsible” goal to pursue.

“I wanted to do it ever since I was in high school, and (standup was) something I always wanted to do that I just never did,” Johnson said.

“Finally, I have this sort of big blowup moment where I left my job. I started a new company, I started making a documentary and I started comedy all the same time. I was like, ‘I’m doing all the stuff that I want to do that I’ve never done.’”

He began by taking a comedy class, and says a turning point for him was about six months after that, when he began hosting a weekly comedy show for J.R.’s Comedy Club, which was at Marie Callender’s, and is now hosted at Mimi’s Bistro + Bakery.

Practicing every Saturday gave him confidence and experience, which are critical to developing as a standup — along with being funny, of course.

Johnson is on Twitter and Instagram as @Jeff MakesJokes.

From the class to the stage

While it’s not always easy to tell if you have what it takes to do standup, there are usually some signs.

Paul Moomjean, the current host of J.R.’s Comedy Club, who produces the show with its founder Randy Lubas, and teaches at comedy school — Flappers University in Burbank — said he was

Clockwise, from top left, standup comedians Paul Moomjean, Easton Gage, John Wynn, Jeff Johnson and Julia Loken all had different experiences and routes into comedy, but for all of them, they began with just a love of jokes. COURTESY PHOTOS

always known as “the funny guy at work.”

Moomjean also had a longtime desire to do comedy, but like Johnson, the steady career, aka “the day job,” whether it was coaching, teaching or reporting, kept him preoccupied.

“As I got older, I decided as a bucket list to try comedy,” said Moomjean, 38, who lists the a few of the 90s luminaries, Jerry Seindfeld, Drew Carey and their subsequent TV sitcom success, as influences on his style.

Like Johnson, he used the opportunity to host for J.R.’s to hone his timing and delivery — critical elements for every joke-teller.

“What I learned the most, when I started out, was when I was a teacher making jokes, I had an hour, hour and a half to be able to explain myself.

But as a comedian, I needed to have a punchline every 20 seconds for it to work,” he said. “So I had to learn how to have a punchline.”

After he started to figure that out, he credits his ability to get on stage to his approach.

“People just kept booking me because I was funny, supportive and professional,” added Moomjean, who now, after about a half-dozen years of experience, also teaches comedy to aspiring comedians at Flapper’s. “And that’s become kind of the mantra.”

For information on J.R’s comedy club, visit ComedyinValencia.com. Moomjean is on Instagram as @ themoomabides.

Write what you know

“I’m definitely more of a short-joke structure kind of guy,” said John Wynn, “but I do try to base it, some of it, on my life — maybe … an exaggerated view or, you know, a skewed perspective of my life.”

For Wynn, 41, who lives with his family in Santa Clarita, standup is about “having a perspective or an opinion or a voice … on a topic and trying to make it funny, that’s palatable … to whatever audience you want it to be,” he said, mentioning a few different types of comedians.

But he also acknowledged that’s something performers struggle with: “Do you cater to an audience or do you kind of do it for yourself … it’s always so challenging.”

At the end of the day, several comedians agreed that authenticity and relatability come through in great performers.

“I think you have to be honest to your perspective. Hopefully, the audience will find you, the fans at least, and … you can’t please everybody,” Wynn said. “I mean, that’s just kind of a futile endeavor.”

If you’re honest from your own perspective, you’ll also avoid another absolute no-no in the world of comedy: “One of the first things you learn that you should never do — don’t steal jokes,” Wynn said, adding it’s been more of a problem of See STANDUP, page 35

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F E B R UA RY 23, 2020

N E W S F E AT U R E S

Remember the rules of the road for driving & walking

By Caleb Lunetta Signal Staff Writer

S

afety on the roads is not something only those behind the wheel have to be concerned about, but pedestrians, as well.

In the Santa Clarita Valley alone, there have been over a dozen pedestrian-vs.-vehicle collisions involving everyone from children to adults, bikers to walkers, residents to out-oftowners.

But is Santa Clarita unique? Or is this a trend being seen in other places?

According to a study released through data compiled by the California Highway Patrol’s Statewide Integrated Traffic Records system, the rate of pedestrian injuries and deaths increased in Los Angeles County by more than 70% in 2018.

And, unsurprisingly, these types of collisions occur at the highest amount during when the most cars are on the road: rush hour, according to data compiled by the law firm Pollard and Bailey.

The largest number of collisions happened during the morning hours between 4-7 a.m., and then once again in the evening, when visibility diminishes, from 8-10 p.m..

In Santa Clarita for 2018, the year with the most recent data available for, there was a total of 709 vehicle-involved collisions counted, according to their study. This number includes 26 pedestrian crashes, 25 of which involved injury.

In Stevenson Ranch, there were 10 crashes, one of which involved an injury to a pedestrian. In Castaic, there were a total of 15 crashes, two pedestrian crashes and three injuries.

Santa Clarita’s numbers in the study remained relatively low compared to the numbers seen in the more densely populated portions of Los Angeles County.

For instance in Venice, there were 257 crashes, 54 pedestrian-involved crashes with one pedestrian killed and 52 injured. Of all vehicle-involved collisions in Santa Monica, 21% involved pedestrians.

A similar story is found in Westlake, where of 533 crashes, 114 involved pedestrians. A total of four

One person was taken to hospital following a traffic collision involving a pedestrian in Granary Square earlier this month.

Deputies have asked drivers and pedestrians to try and stay more alert. PHOTO BY BOBBY BLOCK / THE SIGNAL

pedestrians were killed, 112 were injured, and 21% of all crashes involved pedestrians being struck, injured or killed.

And, according to Sgt. Scott Shoemaker, the head of the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff ’s Station Traffic Unit, the reason for the Santa Clarita Valley’s relatively low number of pedestrian-involved collisions is in part due to their being a focus on roadway safety from both the law enforcement end and City Hall’s end.

Shoemaker also said there was an uptick in tickets given to those on the roadway between 2018 and 2019.

And while special operations funded by a grant from the Office of Traffic Safety, did lead to deputies being out there on the road on particular days in larger forces, these specialized operations’ ticket yields paled in comparison to what deputies do day-in-day-out.

In 2019, deputies issued 19,000 citations to those using public roadways within the SCV Station’s juris-

diction, a slight increase from 2018 in which deputies issued 18,7000 tickets — or roughly 50 tickets per day.

“It’s approximately 40 extra citations that we normally wouldn’t have on top of a week,” said Shoemaker in reference to the Jan. 6. “On average, it’s about 300 or 350 citations a week.”

Shoemaker said the goal of these operations, and the particular emphasis on traffic safety, is not specifically to write tickets, put rather to improve safety.

“Writing citations is one issue, but just the presence of a radio car or a motorcycle if they’re within a block of a school … it’s that reminder that there’s deputies here,” said Shomemaker. “(Drivers) see the flashing lights and it gets that reminder of, ‘Hey, these guys are here. I need to have a little bit more extra awareness of what I’m doing, making sure I’m doing it safely.’”

In terms of specifically addressing the issue of pedestrian-involved collisions, Shoemaker said that his

deputies, with the help of city officials, have determined that both pedestrians and vehicles need to be more careful when using local roadways and sidewalks.

“The last time we looked at this with the city, it was pretty evenly split between the pedestrians’ fault and the vehicle drivers being at fault,” said Shoemaker. “So there’s awareness that needs to be on both sides of the coin.”

“They need to be abiding by the speed limit and have their head completely outside the windows looking around, looking between cars, looking in the intersections, things like that — to make sure that you don’t have a young kid that’s not paying attention, not aware of the rules completely, and just darts in front of them.”

“If our guys can go out and work an operation and write zero tickets because they saw zero violations, that’s kind of a perfect day,” Shoemaker said. “Unfortunately, that’s not what happens.”

F E B R UA RY 23, 2020

S U N D AYS I G N A L · 7

N E W S F E AT U R E S

The secret to finding that great margarita

By Vivianna Shields Signal Staff Writer

E

ver since the first classic margarita was poured with tequila, orange liqueur and lime juice on the rocks, different variations of the drink to include more sweet or spicy elements have been introduced.

The beloved tequila-based cocktail is so popular, a day was dedicated to them. Of all the holidays in America, Margarita Day is one of the easier ones to figure out how to celebrate.

Feb. 22 is National Margarita Day, a day dedicated to celebrating the popular beverage. Of course, the celebration can continue even when it’s not Margarita Day. Each year, Americans spend a total of $2.9 billion on margaritas, accounting for about 14% of overall cocktail sales, according to a study conducted by Bloomberg.

Several local bartenders shared their own unique takes on this classic.

Fresh ingredients

Taking time to freshly squeeze ingredients into your cocktail will take your margarita to the next level.

At Newhall Refinery, they freshly squeeze fruits to create their own in-house sweet and sour mix to use in their cocktails. By avoiding a storebought mix, they ensure their customers the freshest flavors possible.

“We freshly squeeze our lemons, limes and oranges for a fresh taste,” said Dylan Breen, bar manager at Newhall Refinery. “Sweet and sour is

Cadillac Margarita at The Alamo Rotisserie in Valencia. PHOTO BY DAN WATSON / THE SIGNAL

where all the flavor comes from.”

Sweet and sour mix is a staple ingredient in cocktails. Additionally, the restaurant also creates its own simple syrup to sweeten its cocktails, Breen says.

During the restaurant’s winter months, their Pear Margarita is a fan favorite.

“It is made from pear puree and pear liqueur,” said Breen. “We top it off with a rim of Tajin for some spice.”

Newhall Refinery is located at 24258 Main St., Newhall.

Crisp and clean tasting liquor

In addition to creating their own house mix, Solita Tacos and Margaritas also ensure customers they are getting the finest tequila on the market in their margaritas.

According to Neil Davaro, manager at Solita Tacos and Margaritas, there’s a significant difference in taste between cheap and expensive tequila.

“We have the finest tequila,” said Davaro. “Other tequilas are not as crisp, and not as true as distilled should taste.”

Since expensive liquor is distilled more times than cheaper liquor, there are more impurities that can actually worsen hangovers.

Solita Tacos and Margaritas use 100% blue agave tequila blanco in their margaritas, as well as fresh ingredients, he said.

At this establishment, Davaro prides themselves on their variety of margaritas.

“Our bartenders are knowledgeable and can get a feel of the guests and what they are looking for,” siad Davaro.

Solita Tacos and Margaritas have frozen, fruity, spicy, classic and skinny margaritas, just to name a few.

Solita is located at 24201 Valencia Blvd., Suite no. 3470, Valencia.

Twist on the classic margarita

When tequila is made, it is distilled from a blue agave plant that creates the clear liquor famously used in margaritas.

At Micheladas Mexican Grill, they use this plant in a different way for their margaritas.

“Our margaritas are wine-based,” said Homer Paredes, manager at Micheladas Mexican Grill. “We use the same plant tequila is made from, except this one goes through the fermentation process.”

Since it went through the fermentation process, the liquor is considered a wine; however, it is not your average wine, according to Paredes.

The wine margarita is an alternative to using tequila because it offers a softer taste and lower alcohol level.

This is also a great option for those who have had bad experiences with tequila in the past.

Since it has such a low alcohol proof, many establishments with beer and wine licenses are able to use it in their margaritas to replace traditional tequila.

“It tastes similar to tequila, but not as strong,” said Paredes. “It is 24-proof, but you can always add more to your liking.”

At Micheladas Mexican Grill, their mango, watermelon and other fruitbased wine margaritas are their most popular.

Micheladas is located at 18236 Soledad Canyon Road, Santa Clarita.

Sticking to the basics

La Cocina is a family-run Mexican restaurant in the Santa Clarita Valley, that sticks to traditional recipes dating back to the 1970s.

In Santa Clarita, La Cocina is a staple restaurant in the valley that has three locations throughout the city.

Newhall Refinery bar manager Dylan Breen prepares an Invierno margarita — a seasonal drink that adds the restaurant’s own spin on the classic cocktail with a touch of mint, pear and Tajin seasoning. PHOTO BY BOBBY BLOCK / THE SIGNAL

Each restaurant is owned by a member of the Lopez family.

“We have margarita recipes from the ’70s, when my father opened his first restaurant,” said Edgar Lopez, owner of the La Cocina on Bouquet Canyon. “Authentic and original recipes always remain classic.”

Over the years, they have explored other margaritas but have continued to sell their traditional margaritas.

Their popular margaritas, the Cadillac and House, remain top sellers no matter how long they’ve been around, according to Lopez.

“Our margaritas taste best with our chips and salsa,” said Lopez.

The family atmosphere is clear to customers who dine at any of the La Cocina locations. When customers come in, employees, some who have been there since day one, will welcome you in as if you are family, too, Lopez said.

“I grew up in La Cocina and it is a tight family-run business,” said Lopez.

“Fads come and go, but original drinks are always going to be original.”

La Cocina has three locations in the SCV: one at 28022 Seco Canyon Road; one at 19915 Golden Valley Road; and one at 28076 Bouquet Canyon Road.

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F E B R UA RY 23, 2020

N E W S F E AT U R E S

Trends making a comeback in 2020

By Vivianna Shields Signal Staff Writer

I

f you wait long enough, any trend is bound to make a return.

This cycle takes about 12 to 40 years to kick into effect, which is true in many trends returning in the new decade. The fashion trend cycle that cycles every few decades has been coined as “the cycle of nostalgia,” according to Adam Gopnik, who writes on the topic for the New Yorker.

And sometimes trends return with a new name, slightly adapted to the times; however, they always ensure to encapsulate the original appeal from the trends that made them worth bringing back in the first place.

Mainstream fashion allures a more timeless feeling that echoes eras from the past with the re-introduction of old trends to coincide with today’s fashion.

After talking to residents in the community, they explain the appeal of recycled trends and why they themselves participate in them.

Disposable and film cameras

In a world where iPhones have the ability to take 10 photos per second, many people are opting for a more lengthy option by capturing and developing photos on disposable and film cameras.

Since the disposable camera’s invention in 1986, they have fallen in and out of popularity. For many who lived during the camera’s first run of popularity, their comeback would come as a surprise in light of the advanced technology available today.

Today, people are utilizing these cameras to capture different parts of their lives. There are even phone apps that mirror the hazy, pink hue and nostalgic look from film cameras on photos taken with their phone.

“I like film cameras because it makes you more careful and thoughtful about the photo you’re going to take,” said Bellet Sarhad, of Canyon Country.

Instead of taking a few hundred photos, you have limited chances to get the shot you want which forces the photographer to get creative with their shot, Sarhad said.

“It’s also more fun to wait for the

Fans of vinyl records often talk about the unique sounds the records make in playback that are unique to the medium. PHOTO

BY DAN WATSON / THE SIGNAL

photos to get developed because you never know how they turn out,” said Sarhad.

Bold eye looks

With the rise of makeup tutorials and affordable makeup, people are exploring their creativity through intricate makeup looks again.

Brights eyeshadows, eyeliners, glitters and jewels are back, as many are creating makeup looks that resemble looks from the past.

At the end of the ’90s, Gwen Stafani famously began wearing small jewels around her eyes on red carpets. A decade later, the jewels are back.

Instead of opting for simple mascara and neutral eyeshadow, people are exploring their creativity by attempting more intricate styles.

Canyon High School junior, Kira Totten, often wears jewels under her eyebrow creating a halo effect. Each morning, she meticulously glues tiny jewels on her eyes to achieve this look.

“I love how much they stand out and how pretty they make me feel,” said Totten. “My favorite part is the application process because once I’m done, I feel proud.”

Mom jeans

At virtually any store that targets a young adult demographic, mom jeans will be plentiful.

Mom jeans’ are high-waisted,

straight-legged jeans that were commonly sported by moms throughout the ’80s and ’90s. With the start of a new millennium, low-waisted, widelegged jeans were in and mom jeans were out.

Only about two decades later, this denim made its full comeback into mainstream fashion. Since 2014, these jeans have steadily made their way back to redemption.

The cinched waist and free-flowing pant creates a comfortable pant that’s also fashionable. However, comfortability is not always the main factor in wanting to wear these pants.

“I like the way they look and the aesthetic they give off compared to other pants,” said Alexis Velazquez, a College of the Canyons student. “I don’t necessarily wear them for the fit or how they feel, but I wear them solely for the fashion of it.”

From February 2018-19, about 364 million pairs of women’s pants were sold, a 22-million unit increase from the previous year, NPD reported in a news release.

Marshal Cohen, NPD’s chief industry adviser, told TODAY Style that this rise could partially be attributed to the popularity of mom jeans.

“Women don’t need more super-skinny, low-rise jeans,” Cohen said, “but now it’s easier to find more stretch options that are comfortable

enough to start to rebuild their denim wardrobe.”

Vinyl records

For the past 13 years, vinyl album sales have continued to grow in sales, according to a Nielsen’s report.

In 1989, Sony discontinued the production of vinyl records, which many thought would be the end of the medium. Not until 2007, did the once obsolete medium receive a revival.

Records have become a popular collectible that all music enthusiasts have in their collection, new or old.

The combination of nostalgia, sound quality and the potential resale value, are all explanations for the continued soar in sales of vinyl records into the new decade.

Today, vinyl records are still being pressed today for nearly any studio album that is released.

Vinyl records are becoming bigger than what many initially thought, as millions are being sold at stores nationwide and on online markets.

And, sales do not look to be slowing anytime soon.

Boho Vinyl is located at 24827 Railroad Ave., Newhall. Voodoo Vinyl is located at 24269 Main St., Newhall.

Both are two local options for records.

F E B R UA RY 23, 2020

S U N D AYS I G N A L · 9

The Santa Clarita Crime Prevention Unit

LOCALNEWS

By Caleb Lunetta Signal Staff Writer

R

ecognizing the Santa Clarita Valley is comprised of several unique communities with slightly different needs from law enforcement, a unique team equipped to specialize and respond to even the smallest of issues is critical for public safety.

This philosophy is held by the men and women of the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff ’s Station Crime Prevention Unit, they said Wednesday.

“The easiest way to explain it is, you’re the face, and the name and the email for that zone,” said Deputy Brian Rooney, who covers the Castaic/Val Verde district, or Zone 2. “Whether it’s a quality of life issue or anything, they have someone that they can contact directly at the station to handle the problem.”

Rooney has served on the Crime Prevention Unit since its inception a decade ago, and is therefore its longest-tenured member. In addition to Rooney, there are five other deputies who cover a total of eight zones in Santa Clarita.

There names are: Deputy Steven Snover, who oversees Gorman, or Zone 1; Deputy Kevin Duxbury for Stevenson Ranch, or Zone 3; Deputy Karina Cervantes for Saugus and Valencia, or Zone 4 and Zone 5; Deputy Betsy Shackelford for Newhall, or Zone 6; and Deputy Andy Stowers for Canyon Country, or Zone 7 and Zone 8.

Sgt. Dan Dantice is in charge of the CPU, and Lt. Joseph Fender serves as the operations lieutenant.

On any given day, according to Cervantes, the members of CPU carry out their operations that are usually specific to their certain regions. According to the deputies, each region has its own issues, people and contacts that they need to familiarize themselves with.

Through their niched knowledge of that area they can provide support in addition to the original 9-1-1 call.

“By having a single deputy inside of that area, it gives those people the opportunity to have a single person that they can keep going back to,” said Dantice. “We have time to look into neighborhood disputes, code enforce-

The zone leaders for the SCV Sheriff’s Station’s Crime Prevention Unit display the maps representing geographic areas — zones — they administer. From left are Deputy Brian Rooney, Deputy Karina Cervantes, Lt. Joseph Fender, Deputy Betsy Shackelford, Sgt. Dan Dantice and Deputy Andy Stowers. PHOTOS BY BOBBY BLOCK / THE SIGNAL

ment, we work a lot with the city.”

While their job is first and foremost to protect and serve the community, the deputies have mentioned they’ve helped residents with their neighbors keeping their trash cans curbside too long, or that there’s a strange vehicle parked on the street they don’t recognize.

Shackleford, who handles Newhall, says her area, much like the others, does have a homeless population she regularly interacts with and attempts to help, whether by transporting them to public services or simply building a relationship with them.

“We really want to affect a change, and help the people in the community that are homeless,” said Shackleford, adding that she works closely with the city, Bridge to Home and the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority, or LAHSA. “We bring outreach to people who we think that want it or have asked for it.”

Two of the newest additions to the team, Cervantes and Stowers, said while they’ve only recently been given their CPU assignment, they already know or are learning their turf better than most.

“I worked for four years out in the

field and responded to these calls and I know what’s going on … I like to think that I know the city pretty well,” said Stowers. “We all know our frequent troublemakers in the neighborhood ... my main thing is just that the community knows that, ‘Hey I’ve been out there I’ve done it, I know the city.’”

“I want them to know that there’s someone behind every crime that happens,” said Cervantes, in reference to her work on responding to even the most minor of infractions.

Cervantes referenced how a woman had called her saying that her house was placed up against a golf course.

The woman had not realized it, but Cervantes had been regularly visiting the golf course knowing there were burglaries there in the past.

“I want (residents) to know that we are proactive, we are trying to get out there and be proactive and ... we are trying to get ahead of it,” Cervantes said.

The team does not work solely in their districts, but, they say, since crime and homelessness know no boundaries, they also regularly assist one another and communicate frequently to ensure a continuity in the CPU’s community.

Stowers listens as Fender discusses the ways the CPU builds relationships with community members to help reduce crime.

“We’re tracking 24 hours a day, every day and putting all that information together then sharing it with all the other eight zones,” said Dantice.

“We’re trying to be more proactive and go out there and get on the front end and trying to prevent crime before it happens,” said Fender.

Each member of the CPU team asked on Wednesday for more community involvement, for more people to reach out, to come up to them if they see them in the community and speak with them and get to know them.

Those looking for more information on how to contact their zone leader can visit the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff ’s Station website at http:// scvsheriff.com/zone-leaders/.

10 · S U N D AYS I G N A L

F E B R UA RY 23, 2020

LOCALNEWS

Local teen’s Eagle project adds fencing at school

By Raychel Stewart Signal Staff Writer

J

ust a little over a month before his 18th birthday, Ryan Everett, of Castaic, is taking on his Eagle Scout project with the Boy Scout Troop 888 by giving a local elementary school an extra layer of protection.

When Everett was searching for a project that would meet the requirements to become an Eagle Scout, the highest rank in Boy Scouts, he learned of an issue Northlake Hills Elementary School had with rattlesnakes coming onto campus through the fencing.

“We’re putting up 680 feet of snake fencing around the school and, on top of that, we’re also going to paint the circles on the blacktop where kids line up before school or during emergencies,” said Everett.

During the warmer months, snakes come out of hibernation to look for food, and on the hottest days, snakes look for shade, said John Lauermann, a Castaic resident snake expert. He added that they can wander onto the campus looking for food or shelter.

Vivian Fiss, principal of Northlake Elementary School, said she can’t recall a situation when a child was bitten, but students have come across snakes in the play area. She added that snakes have even made their way into classrooms.

“We have all this lush landscape surrounding us,” said Fiss. “With

Left: Members of Boy Scout Troop 888 reinforce sections of fencing at the school. Right: Ryan Everett uses a fire hose to clean off part of a blacktop at Northlake Hills Elementary School Friday as part of his Eagle Scout Community Service Project.

PHOTOS BY BOBBY BLOCK / THE SIGNAL

that comes critters who wander onto campus. It’s not just snakes, we see bunnies, which the kids love, and lizards, too.”

She said she is grateful for Everett’s project because it will help ensure the safety of the students while they’re on campus.

To put this project together, Everett said he had 680 feet of welded wire fencing donated from two Lowe’s locations in the Santa Clarita Valley, white paint donated from Dunn Edwards and painting supplies donated from Sherman Williams.

To prepare the blacktop for painting, Everett had help from firefighters of Fire Station 149 in Castaic to power wash the ground, so it would be free from any loose gravel and dirt.

Everett, along with his father and other Scouts from his troop, spent the weekend putting up the fencing and painting the blacktop.

“I’m a ‘heart attack Eagle,’ so I have to motor through this,” Everett said, which means he only has a short period of time to get the project and other requirements completed before his 18th birthday. After he turns 18,

he won’t be eligible for the Eagle Scout honor.

Everett joined Cub Scouts when he was in third grade after his friends convinced him to join. From there, he entered Boy Scouts in fifth grade and continued until today.

“After I graduate I still want to come help Scouts’ projects, but I’m happy to be ‘Eagling out,’” he said.

“It’s a nostalgic feeling because I started really young, and I’m happy to be able to go this far.”

Hart District OKs contract for new superintendent

By Raychel Stewart Signal Staff Writer

W

illiam S. Hart Union High School District board members unanimously approved the employment contract for the new superintendent of the district during Wednesday’s board meeting.

The school district voted 5-0 to approve Mike Kulhman’s employment contract, as he is to succeed Vicki Engbrecht as superintendent of the district after her retirement takes effect March 1.

“I aim to continue and progress

expected to continue until within the district,” KuhlJune 2023. The contract is man said. “Vicki has been to be reassessed when the an outstanding superintenend of his contract term dent in my opinion and her nears. history in the district has Kuhlman will be making brought a number of gains a base salary of $238,000 for in many areas.” the first year of his contract Board members Robert Kuhlman and an increase of $1,000 Jensen and Steven Stureach year following, the district said. geon were appointed by the board As stated in the contract, a disduring the Feb. 5 meeting to write trict-owned or leased vehicle will be the contract to be considered during provided to Kuhlman, along with Wednesday’s meeting. a credit card for gasoline and other Kuhlman’s contract will begin vehicle maintenance expenses. Once one day after Engbrecht’s last day of employment, and the contract term is the contract expires, the vehicle and

credit card are to be returned to the district.

Also included are health benefits and a life insurance policy.

Kuhlman is currently the deputy superintendent for the district and was named the superintendent-elect during the district board meeting Aug. 21.

“The main focus is the recovery from Saugus and I intend to hopefully uphold Vicki’s reputation and move the district forward,” said Kuhlman.

A public copy of Kuhlman’s contract is available at http://bit.ly/HartKuhlman

F E B R UA RY 23, 2020

S U N D AYS I G N A L · 1 1

LOCALNEWS

CHP officer pulls crash victim from burning car

By Caleb Lunetta Signal Staff Writer

A

California Highway Patrol officer pulled a traffic collision victim out of a burning vehicle on Interstate 5 Wednesday night, according to Los Angeles County Fire Department officials.

“We got a report of a car that crashed and was on fire and a CHP officer actually pulled someone out of a burning car,” according to Fire Department Supervisor Ed Pickett.

The call came out at 6:32 p.m.

Officials believe there was at least one car involved in the traffic collision, according to Officer Elizabeth Kravig of the CHP Traffic Management Control Office.

All lanes were shut down as a result of the incident on the northbound side of Interstate 5, and a SigAlert was issued shortly after 6:30 p.m.

Traffic on the northbound side of the I-5 from Interstate 210 to Calgrove Boulevard was brought to a near crawl as first responders continued to arrive on the scene.

The vehicle fire was put out by 6:50 p.m, according to Fire Department Supervisor Michael Pittman.

The patient was transported to a local hospital.

While CHP officials said shortly before 8:30 p.m. the two left lanes, the carpool and No. 1 lane, had been opened, the SigAlert remained in effect into Wednesday night as first responders continued to investigate and clear the scene.

Traffic in the northbound lanes of Interstate 5 came to halt Wednesday night following a car fire on the freeway near Calgrove Boulevard. PHOTO BY GILBERT BERNAL / THE SIGNAL

Detectives seek victims of alleged contractor fraud

By Caleb Lunetta Signal Staff Writer

D

etectives are looking for victims of a suspected unlicensed contractor who is believed to have been conning people in the Santa Clarita Valley.

The suspect, Richard Bannister, 52, was arrested Jan. 13 on suspicion of grand theft, said Shirley Miller, a spokeswoman for the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff ’s Station, in a phone interview Tuesday.

Detectives now believe Bannister has more victims out in the public and they are distributing his picture in hopes of finding them.

“He’s been charged with five felo-

return to complete the nies and two misdejob despite multiple meanors,” said Miller. messages, emails and According to the phone calls from frusdetectives on the case, trated clients.”

Bannister is believed Miller said Bannisto be the ex-employee ter at least once stole of a licensed confrom a senior citizen struction company. who paid him more Without a license, he than $30,000 for work is believed to have he never finished. approached alleged Bannister reportedly victims, leaning on Bannister has another victim the credibility of his who paid him up previous employer.

“The investigation alleges Bannister front for work that was never completed. She was refunded some of her collected a majority of the total cost money, but the check given to her by of each project prior to beginning work,” said a sheriff ’s news release on Bannister reportedly bounced.

“Not only was Bannister allegedTuesday. “Bannister would then never

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ly taking payment for construction work that was never completed, but he also stands accused of selling appliances for a discounted price, and never delivering the product,” said the sheriff ’s press release. “Bannister offered to sell a refrigerator retailing for $7,000 at a discounted rate of $4,500.

The victim wrote him a check. However, the appliance never arrived.”

Bannister is described as a white man, 52 years old, 5 feet, 10 inches tall, and approximately 250 pounds.

He is believed to possibly have victims in both the SCV and San Fernando Valley, Miller said.

Potential victims or witnesses can call the SCV Sheriff ’s Station at 661255-1121.

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12 · S U N D AYS I G N A L

LOCALNEWS

F E B R UA RY 23, 2020

20 years later …

Saugus school shooting triggers memories of tragedy for SCV couple, who lost two of their three sons in fatal 2000 crash

By Tammy Murga Signal Staff Writer

T

he morning of Thursday, Nov. 14, 2019, triggered dark uncertainty for Canyon Country residents Alice and Tom Renolds.

Just before their daily morning walk, the couple heard over the television what Santa Clarita Valley families never wanted to hear: There was a fatal shooting at Saugus High School.

On campus was their granddaughter Lexi, 15. As some families received a call or text message from their children that they were safe, others did not, including the Renolds family.

Eventually, Alice and Tom saw live news coverage of their granddaughter leaving the school building and communicated with their son Scott, Lexi’s father, about his daughter’s whereabouts. But those moments of not hearing from her at the time revived their worst nightmare.

“It was almost reliving that whole thing again of like us at night not knowing where our sons were and I’m thinking, ‘Oh my gosh, my son’s going through that whole feeling of not knowing where his daughter is and I’m going through that feeling of not knowing where my granddaughter is. Then, all those Saugus High parents having the same feeling we had that night,” said Alice.

That night

That night was 20 years ago on Monday, when Tom and Alice Renolds lost two of their three children, Timothy, 18, and Daniel, 15, in a car crash on Soledad Canyon Road. The high-speed collision killed the brothers and their friend Nicki Ianozzi.

Rodney Adams, 45, also died after the vehicle the teens were in struck his car and went airborne.

Canyon High School student Marcus Lellan, who was the then-18-yearold driver, pleaded guilty to four felony counts of vehicular manslaughter and was sentenced to eight years in state prison. He went on to serve half of his sentence and was deported to Denmark, as he was a Danish citizen.

Alice and Tom Renolds, Santa Clarita safe driving advocates, discuss their motivation in sharing their experiences to help curb reckless driving Monday. The couple lost two of their three children — Daniel, top left, and Timothy, left — in a Feb. 17, 2000, crash. Also killed in the crash were a friend of the brothers, Nicki Ianozzi, and a 45-year-old man, Rodney Adams. PHOTOS BY GILBERT BERNAL / THE SIGNAL

The Renoldses, who said they have not spoken with Lellan, believe he eventually returned to the SCV. On Feb. 17, 2000, Alice remembers that empty, heart-wrenching feeling standing near the crash site as she waited to hear confirmation from law enforcement on whether the passengers in the vehicle were her two sons.

“I just fell down and started screaming that both of our sons were dead,” she said, describing what she did after hearing confirmation.

Years after the tragedy, Alice was unable to revisit family vacation locations where they would travel with Tim and Danny, while Tom preferred to stop by those places. The grieving process for each was different and that’s one message the Renoldses have and continue to share with other families who have experienced loss: There’s no one-size-fits-all to grieving.

“There’s not a rule book,” said Tom. “You can’t tell people how to grieve.

For us, it was a long journey, like changing their rooms but keeping all of their trophies.”

‘The pain will ease’

Even after 20 years, as parents, that

empty feeling still comes and goes, but their efforts to help others get to a point where “the pain will ease” continues.

“I used to walk in those (support group) meetings and see all these parents laughing and smiling and I thought, ‘I’m never going to get to that point. I lost two children,’” said Alice. “And I now see other parents walk into our meetings and they say the same thing. And now I tell them that they will see a point down the road where it will ease and you just have to be patient and know that you will get there.”

Their unity and strength to continue after losing two children has inspired many, including their close friend Kathleen Brown.

“I’m a bigger person for knowing both of them,” Brown said. “As a friend, it was hard for me to mention that my kids graduated or got married, but Alice is a friend that celebrates my children’s success and wants her children to be remembered, even though they didn’t have their graduations and weddings. It’s important for her to share our lives

with her and not leave her out of it.”

Alice and Tom Renolds have also inspired many SCV youths, including their two teen granddaughters who will eventually become drivers, as they continue their decades-long advocacy of safe driving. They helped form the city’s Blue Ribbon Task Force, which helped establish the Santa Clarita Youth Grove, and have impacted future motorists with their story at local high schools for “Every 15 Minutes” programs.

Today, the retired couple, who remain active in the community and travel often, said they are happy to know that traffic-related deaths in the SCV involving minors have decreased over the years — but speeding remains an issue.

Alice, speaking in 2019 at the 14th annual Evening of Remembrance at Central Park, an annual event held to remember local youth who died in traffic-related incidents, implored local drivers: “Please, Santa Clarita teens and adults, slow down.”

F E B R UA RY 23, 2020

S U N D AYS I G N A L · 1 3

TECHNOLOGY

Kim’s Q-and-A: pay apps, mobile signature, credit checks

By Kim Komando Signal Contributing Writer

E

ach week, I receive tons of questions from my listeners about tech concerns, new products, and all things digital.

Sometimes, choosing the most interesting questions to highlight is the best part of my job. This week, I received questions about payment apps, free credit reports and more.

Payment app lowdown

31-year-old unemployed Q My worthless brother wants me to

send him money using Venmo. Is this a safe way to give someone money?

I definitely don’t want him to have my credit card number or checking account number.

A Argh, that sounds like an annoying situation. Venmo is considered

It’s hard to believe how difficult it used to be to check your credit.

Until recently, the very act of checking your credit score was said to damage it. Today, many different services let you check your credit for free. the go-to service for “peer-to-peer” transactions, and millions of people use it every day without incident. A big problem with the service is how public your transactions can be; by default, you can watch transactions take place between friends and relations, thanks to Venmo’s chummy relationship with Facebook.

I recommend changing these settings as soon as possible, as there is no sensible reason to carry out these transactions publicly. There are many similar services to Venmo available, including Apple Pay with compatible devices.

Change mobile signature

Q

Every time I send a message, at the bottom, it says, “Sent from my iPhone.” It annoys the heck out of me. Can I change that message?

A Putting that message in all iPhone messages by default is real genius marketing. Whoever thought of it should have gotten a huge bonus from Apple. You’re not alone being aggravated by it. Many people have no idea that they can change this signature line, or even that it is, technically, a signature line.

You may have noticed that certain email platforms allow you to use a signature in their desktop version, but that signature doesn’t carry over to the mobile version. This can be frustrating, but it’s a pretty quick fix.

Kim created an easy how-to online: https://bit.ly/39Faddl.

Free credit report

that I better credit than Q Imyknow future wife, who buys

whatever she sees in Instagram ads.

What’s the best way to get both of our credit scores before we go condo shopping?

A It’s hard to believe how difficult it used to be to check your credit. Until recently, the very act of checking your credit score was said to damage it. Today, many different services let you check your credit for free. You can check both your credit and your future wife’s, and you can see itemized lists of all credit cards, loans, car leases, and so on.

You will probably have to consult your realtor and financial representative for the best way to handle the uneven scores; sometimes it’s a matter of putting one name on the mortgage and adding your wife after the closing.

For information on Kim Komando on today’s digital lifestyle, from smartphones and tablets to online privacy and data hacks, visit her at Komando. com.

14 · S U N D AYS I G N A L

F E B R UA RY 23, 2020

FROM THE CITY MANAGER

Striving to keep crime down and roads safe

By City Manager Ken Striplin

W

hen I meet with officials from other cities, I am proud to represent the City of Santa Clarita because I know our community offers an enviable quality of life.

When looking at both public safety and traffic safety in Santa Clarita, I am thankful for the work put in by the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff ’s Department and the City’s Traffic Safety Team to ensure our crime rate and vehicle collision numbers continue to decline.

The City of Santa Clarita’s Traffic Safety Team, which was formed in 2016 and includes members of the Sheriff ’s Department and City staff in engineering and communications, has made great progress in reducing collisions and injuries. Since the implementation of the Traffic Safety

Plan in 2016, the Sheriff ’s deputies have stepped up enforcement of traffic violations, which resulted in nearly 62% more citations.

At the same time, the number of collisions has sharply declined. When compared to 2016, traffic collisions were down more than 28% last year and down 5.5% from 2018 to 2019. These figures show that as the Sheriff ’s Department continues its aggressive approach toward traffic enforcement, motorists are getting in fewer accidents. In fact, Santa Clarita’s 2019 collision rate — the number of collisions per 100,000 population — was the lowest it has been since the City began tracking the statistic in 2001. However, while the City has been successful over the last three years in reducing collisions and injuries sustained in traffic incidents, there were still eight fatal collisions in Santa Clarita in 2019.

In 2020, the Traffic Safety Team will continue to focus on data-driven

actions to maintain our low collision rate, reduce pedestrian and cyclist collisions and address the number of DUI incidents through enforcement, engineering and education. To learn more, please visit santa-clarita.com/ HeadsUp. A collaborative approach between our Sheriff ’s Department, City and vigilant community has resulted in the lowest crime rate on record. Statistics through November 2019 show that incidents of Part I crimes continue to drop in Santa Clarita. This time last year, the City announced that the crime rate was the lowest on record, I am proud to say crime has dropped even further and was down 18.5% through the first 11 months of last year.

Part I crimes are violent offenses that include homicide, rape, robbery, assault and grand theft auto, among others. The proactive approach taken by the Sheriff ’s Department, including targeted operations by the Career

Offenders, Burglary, Robbery Apprehension Unit and Juvenile Intervention Team, helps to stay a step ahead of gang activity and juvenile crime.

I want to again thank former Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff ’s Station Captain Robert Lewis, now Commander Lewis, for his leadership and service in our community. As the City and County take the next steps in selecting the new captain for our station, I am confident that person will build upon the strong foundation in place.

We also look forward to the completion of the new Sheriff ’s Station on Golden Valley Road, which will further enhance service and response times. For more information on the new Sheriff ’s Station, please visit santa-clarita.com.

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

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F E B R UA RY 23, 2020

S U N D AYS I G N A L · 1 5

THINGSTODO

F

By Michele E. Buttelman Signal Staff Writer

ebruary is full of special days. Groundhog Day, Valentine’s Day, Presidents Day. Add in Fat Tuesday (Feb. 25) and Ash Wednesday (Feb. 26), and the month fills up pretty fast. This year add in Leap Day. Leap Day only comes once every four years. This year Leap Day will be celebrated on a Saturday.

With kids out of school, why not plan something fun to celebrate this unique day?

Create a mini time capsule Collect items to put in small plastic bin to be opened by your children on the next day, which is Leap Day, Feb. 29, 2024. Have your children write letters to themselves that they can open then.

Put a copy of The Signal newspaper from this year’s Leap Day into the bin, as well as favorite magazines, including this magazine. Add a list of your current favorite books, television shows, films and music.

Write a note that explains what you do on a regular day. This can include what time you get to school, your favorite subject, the name of your teacher, the names of your friends and more about your day.

Take a photo of you and your family and friends on Leap Day, and put that in the capsule. Lastly, write a list of 10 goals you want to accomplish in the next four years. They can be small accomplishments, such as promising to make your bed every day or feeding the family dog daily. Seal up the bin with mailing tape and write “Do Not Open Until Feb. 29, 2024” on the top of the bin. Store the bin in a closet for four years.

Play leap frog Keep the kids busy and have them burn off excess energy by playing Leap Frog. To keep it interesting have the kids compete to see who can “leap” the longest in time and distance.

Frog’s Eye Salad A favorite dessert salad in Utah, this peculiarly named salad celebrates the “frog” theme of “Leap Day.” 1-1/2 cups dried acini de pepe pasta, (you can substitute orzo, any small soup pasta or Israeli-style cous-cous).

1 (20 oz.) can of pineapple chunks in juice 3 Tbsp. corn starch 1/4 tsp. salt 1/4 cup sugar 2 cups whole milk 1/4 cup plus 3 Tbsp. sweetened condensed milk 1/2 Tbsp. vanilla extract 1 11 oz. can mandarin oranges 2 cups mini marshmallows Cook pasta according to directions, drain and rinse in cold water. Strain pineapple juice over pasta and mix. Set pineapple aside.

Combine cornstarch, salt and sugar in a saucepan.

Slowly add milk over medium heat, stir constantly to dissolve sugar. Then, whisk in sweetened condensed milk and vanilla.

Stir constantly until mixture forms a thick pudding. Remove from heat and place in refrigerator to cool for about an hour. (If pressed for time substitute instant vanilla pudding instead of making your own.)

Pour cooled pudding into bowl with pasta mixture, stir well. Just before serving mix in pineapple chunks, mandarin oranges and marshmallows.

Serve chilled.

Plant a Leap Year tree Go to a nursery and purchase a bare root or container tree to plant this Leap Year. Not only will it be easy to remember how old your “special” tree is, this is a good time of year for tree planting. You can choose from any number of available trees. Consider purchasing a fruit tree.

Showing children where food comes from and encouraging them to eat the fruit from the tree, gives a child a personal connection to “good” food. Encourage your children to take care of the tree. Learn about how much water and fertilizer it needs. Give your children “ownership” of the tree.

Each year, take a photo of the children with the tree to create a special memory.

Leap Day facts People born on Leap Day are called “Leapers” or “Leaplings” and can celebrate their birthdays on Feb. 28 or March 1, during non-Leap Day years.

The twin cities of Anthony, Texas, and Anthony, New Mexico, are the self-proclaimed Leap Year Capital of the World.

Famous Leap Year (not Leap Day) events: George Armstrong Custer fought the Battle of the Little Bighorn (1876), the Titanic sank (1912), Benjamin Franklin proved that lightning is electricity (1752) and gold was discovered in California (1848).

In the Chinese calendar, a leap year has 13 months. Every three years or so, a leap month is added, and its name is the same as the previous lunar month.

The Jewish calendar also has 13 months in a leap year, which has 383, 384 or 385 days. In the Jewish leap year, the extra month called Adar I is believed to be a lucky month.

16 · S U N D AYS I G N A L

F E B R UA RY 23, 2020

SPORTS

Campos ready to swing big at Augusta Campos hits her second shot at the 16th hole during the 2018 U.S. Girls’ Junior at Poppy Hills Golf Course.

She’s committed to play golf at UCLA. PHOTO COURTESY USGA/JD CUBAN

By Haley Sawyer Signal Sports Editor

Y

ears ago, golf instructor Ken Lewis got a phone call from the father of an 8-year-old girl.

“So, I hear you’re the person to bring talent to,” said the father to Lewis, who was working at Vista Valencia Golf Course at the time.

“I have a really talented young lady,” the father continued.

Lewis was used to parents “overselling their kids,” as he calls it. And 8 years old was younger than his preferred age to coach. Nevertheless, Lewis invited the Zoe Campos out to the course to evaluate her.

“She had been playing a month, so I expect this girl to have no golf talent,” Lewis said. “She’s a tiny, tiny little girl and she pulls out this big driver.”

Three swings later, Lewis was sold.

“She was that talented in her swing already that I knew she had a special talent,” he said.

Now, Campos is a junior in high school and received her second invite to the Augusta National Women’s Amateur in late January.

At last year’s inaugural Augusta National Women’s Amateur, Campos, one of the youngest golfers in the field, was tied for first place after the first round and ultimately tied for fifth.

“Since I’m one of the few players to go back again, I do expect myself to play better,” Campos said. “I guess there is a little more pressure on me but I’m going to try to, like, just have

fun and just be out there with my dad.”

Lewis will be at Augusta, as well.

Campos has taken many more swings with him and even though he moved to New Jersey three years ago, the pair still works together. They talk on the phone often and Campos sends videos of her swings to Lewis for critique.

Working with Lewis has only led to success for Campos. She won the CIF Girls State Golf Championship title in her freshman year at West Ranch — her only year of prep golf — in 2017.

More recently, Campos came in first at the Major Champions Invitational in Phoenix, which ran from Jan. 27-29.

“He’s really shaped my game and he’s the one that was there from the start,” Campos said. “I didn’t want to change someone that helped me from the start. Even though he’s moved, it has been harder but at the same time it’s been really helpful because I learned to figure things out on my own with him being there if I really need him.”

Campos, who is committed to play on the women’s golf team at UCLA, is completely focused on her sport. She’s switched to online schooling to make more time for practice and tournaments around the country.

Two things that won’t change are the people she surrounds herself with and the original talent that Lewis first saw years ago.

“I think she’s probably one of the top- five talents in the world right now,” Lewis said. “Her development and maturity, that’s going to determine how far she wants to go.”

F E B R UA RY 23, 2020

S U N D AYS I G N A L · 1 7

FOOD

Beef up your menu with a trendy twist on sushi

T

antalizing taste buds with the latest in trendy foods can be a fun way to bring the whole family to the table for meals together. Combining familiar flavors with a new preparation method, for example, is one way to add flair to dinners at home.

An innovative sushi-style concept, “beefshi” features convenient beef products like pastrami, roast beef, summer sausage, hot dogs, corned beef or bologna prepared in rolls with rice and vegetables. Because recipes like the Reuben Roll and Taco Maki can be enjoyed individually as appetizers or grouped together for a full meal, these dishes can provide a variety of solutions from entertaining a crowd to simply feeding your family.

Find more information and recipes at beefshi.com.

(Family Features)

Reuben Roll

Recipe courtesy of the North American Meat Institute on behalf of the Beef Checkoff Yield: 2 rolls (16 pieces)

Hand Vinegar

1 cup water 1/4 cup rice vinegar

Rolls 12 3 1 2 4 1-1/4

thin slices pastrami cups sushi rice teaspoon caraway seeds sheets nori thin slices Swiss cheese, cut into slivers cups sauerkraut, rinsed, drained and squeezed dry Russian dressing

To make hand vinegar: In small bowl, stir water and rice vinegar.

To make rolls: Lay sushi mat on clean surface and cover with plastic wrap. Lay six slices pastrami on mat lengthwise. Moisten hands with hand vinegar and shake off excess. Spread 1-1/2 cups rice across pastrami, leaving 1 inch empty at farthest end.

Sprinkle rice with caraway seeds. Turn nori over so rice side is down.

Taco Maki

Taco Maki

Recipe courtesy of the North American Meat Institute on behalf of the Beef Checkoff Yield: 2 rolls (16 pieces)

Hand Vinegar

1 cup water 1/4 cup rice vinegar

Maki 2 4 4 16 1/2 64

sheets nori cups sushi rice ounces finely shredded spicy beef jerky cilantro sprigs cup slivered radishes tortilla strips queso fresco crumbles pico de gallo

To make hand vinegar: In small bowl, stir water and rice vinegar.

To make maki: Lay sushi mat on clean surface.

Moisten hands with hand vinegar and shake off excess. Place one nori sheet on mat, shiny-side down.

Spread 2 cups rice across nori, leaving 1 inch empty at farthest end.

Lay 2 ounces jerky, 8 cilantro sprigs and 1/4 cup radishes crosswise along rice, covering half the surface closest to you.

Securing jerky, cilantro and radishes with fingers, use thumbs to push end of mat up and over filling until edge of nori meets rice on opposite side. Press firmly on roll.

Lift top of mat and roll firmly until tight and round. Squeeze gently to shape roll. Press ends in carefully to secure loose rice. Remove mat and set roll aside.

Repeat to make second roll.

Use thin, sharp knife to cut each roll into eight slices. Arrange on sushi platter.

Stand four tortilla strips upright in center of each roll then sprinkle with queso fresco. Serve with pico de gallo.

Cover half the pastrami crosswise with two slices cheese and half the sauerkraut.

Securing meat and cheese with fingers, use thumbs to push end of mat up and over filling until edge of nori meets rice on opposite side. Press firmly on roll.

Lift top of mat and roll firmly until tight and round. Squeeze gently to shape. Press ends in carefully to secure loose rice. Remove mat and set roll aside.

Repeat to make second roll.

Use thin, sharp knife to cut each roll into eight slices. Arrange on sushi platter and serve with Russian dressing.

Reuben Roll

18 · S U N D AYS I G N A L

F E B R UA RY 23, 2020

BBQ

BJ’s Restaurant 24320 Town Center Drive, Valencia (661) 288-1299

L&L Hawaiian BBQ 18727 Via Princessa, Canyon Country (661) 251-8333

Oggi’s Pizza & Brewing Co. 18810 Soledad Canyon Road, Canyon Country (661) 252-7883

Lucille’s Bar-B-Que 24201 West Valencia Blvd, Valencia (661) 255-1227

AMERICAN

Backwoods Inn 17846 W. Sierra Highway, Canyon Country (661) 252-5522 The Backyard Grub n’ Brews 26509 Golden Valley Road, Santa Clarita (661) 286-1165 Bergie’s 16404 Delone Street, Canyon Country (661)251-3133 Black Angus 27007 McBean Parkway, Valencia (661) 288-2000 Black Bear Diner 23626 Valencia Blvd, Valencia (661) 799-4820

Q&Q Hawaiian BBQ 27530 Newhall Ranch Road #101, Santa Clarita (661) 383-9098 661.495.9192 Mama’s Table 23340 Cinema Dr, Santa Clarita (661) 284-5988 Marston’s Restaurant 24011 Newhall Ranch Road, Valencia (661) 253-9910 Nealie’s Skillet 25858 Tournament Road, Valencia (661) 678-0031 Newhall Refinery 24258 Main St, Newhall (661) 388-4477

Rattler’s BBQ 26495 Golden Valley Road, Canyon Country (661) 251-4195 Smokehouse on Main 24255 Main St, Old Town Newhall (661) 888-4585 Wood Ranch Bar-B-Que & Grill 25580 The Old Road, Stevenson Ranch (661) 222-9494

BREAKFAST & BRUNCH Casa Canela 27647 Bouquet Canyon Road, Santa Clarita (661) 523-7282

Brooklyn Bar & Grill 25860 McBean Parkway, Valencia (661) 284-6057

Oggi’s Pizza & Brewing Co 18810 Soledad Canyon Rd, Cyn Country (661) 252-7883

The Cheesecake Factory 24250 Town Center Dr #110, Valencia (661) 286-1232

Route 66 Classic Grill 18730 Soledad Canyon Rd, Cyn Country (661) 298-1494

Egg Plantation 24415 Walnut Street, Newhall (661) 255-8222

Saddle Ranch Chop House 24201 Valencia Blvd., Valencia (661) 383-0173

Eggs N Things 27560 Newhall Ranch Road, Valencia (661) 702-8664

Salt Creek Grille 24415 Town Center Drive, Valencia (661) 222-9999

Halfway House 15564 W. Sierra Highway, Saugus (661) 251-0102

Souplantation 24303 Town Center Drive, Valencia (661) 286-1260

Mama’s Table 23340 Cinema Dr, Santa Clarita (661) 284-5988

Claim Jumper 25740 The Old Road, Valencia (661) 254-2628 Crazy Otto’s Diner 25373 Wayne Mills Place, Valencia (661) 291-1733 The Daily Harvest Cafe & Juicery 22722 Lyons Ave #6, Newhall (661) 383-9387 Eat Real Cafe 23414 Lyons Avenue, Newhall (661) 254-2237 27530 Newhall Ranch Road, Valencia (661) 254-2237 Grilled Cheese Factory 24201 Valencia Blvd, Valencia (661) 888-1508 Iconic Eats 23460 Cinema Dr, Valencia (661) 481-9404 Islands 24180 Valencia Blvd, Valencia (661) 284-5903 Lazy Dog Cafe 24201 Valencia Blvd., Valencia (661) 253-9996 The Local Pub & Grill 26876 The Old Road Stevenson Ranch Ca 91381

Stonefire Grill 23300 Cinema Drive, Valencia (661)799-8282 The Old Town Junction 24275 Main Street, Newhall (661) 702-4888 The Social 23329 Lyons Ave, Ste A, Valencia (661) 799-9155

BREWERIES

Dickeys Barbecue Pit 18742 Soledad Canyon Road, Santa Clarita (661) 251-0840

Crazy Otto’s Diner 25373 Wayne Mills Place, Valencia (661) 291-1733

Marston’s Restaurant 24011 Newhall Ranch Road, Valencia (661) 253-9910 Mimi’s Cafe 24201 Magic Mountain Parkway, Valencia (661) 255-5520 The Old Town Junction 24257 Main Street, Newhall (661) 702-4888

Thelma’s Cafe 22876 Copperhill Drive, Saugus (661) 263-8283

Saugus Cafe 25861 Railroad Avenue, Saugus (661) 259-7886

Wing Stop 18547 Soledad Canyon Rd, Cyn Country (661) 251-9700

Way Station Coffee Shop 24377 Main Street, Newhall (661) 255-0222

Pocock Brewing Company 24907 Avenue Tibbits, Valencia (661) 775-4899 Wolf Creek Restaurant & Brewing Co. 27746 N. McBean Parkway, Valencia (661) 263-9653

BURGERS/SANDWICHES Bricks 23820 Lyons Ave, Newhall (661) 286-1091 Corner Bakery 24290 Valencia Blvd, Valencia (661) 259-2813 Cousins Burgers 19318 Soledad Cyn Rd, Canyon Country (661) 298-4200 Everest Burgers 18645 Soledad Canyon Road Santa Clarita, CA 91351 (661) 252-3412 Final Score 23754 Lyons Ave, Santa Clarita (661) 254-6557 Italia Panetteria & Deli 27674 Newhall Ranch Road, Valencia (661) 294-9069 Jimmy Dean’s 22941 Lyons Ave, Newhall (661) 255-6315 JJ’s Bar and Grill 25848 Tournament Road, Valencia (661) 799-7557 Panini Palace 23120 Lyons Ave., Santa Clarita (661) 678-0552 Pita Pit 28253 Newhall Ranch Road (661) 702-9977 Red Robin 27063 McBean Parkway, Valencia (661) 260-2411 Route 66 Classic Grill 18730 Soledad Canyon Rd, Cyn Country (661) 298-1494 Rustic Burger 24025 Newhall Ranch Road, Valencia (661) 254-1300 Rustic Eatery 25343 Wayne Mills Place, Valencia (661) 254-8100 Submarina California Subs 26517 Carl Boyer Drive, Canyon Country (661) 259-4782 The Habit 25948 N. McBean Parkway, Valencia (661) 291-1575

F E B R UA RY 23, 2020

23120 Lyons Ave, Santa Clarita (661) 678-0552 Tiny’s Submarine Sandwiches 27251 Camp Plenty Rd, Canyon Country (661) 251-5885

CHINESE

China Express 19417 Soledad Canyon Rd, Cyn Country (661) 251-8783 Genghis Khan 24506 W. Lyons Avenue, Newhall 661-254-0351 Golden Wok Restaurant 16668 Soledad Canyon Rd, Cyn Country (661) 424-0888 Grand Panda 23802 Lyons Avenue, Newhall (661) 253-1898 27924 Seco Canyon Road, Saugus (661) 297-9868 Mandarin Wong Chinese Restaurant 23758 Lyons Avenue, Newhall (661) 259-5823 Moon Wok 23460 Cinema Drive Suite H, Valencia (661) 288-1898 New Moon 28281 Newhall Ranch Road, Valencia (661) 257-4321 Wok’s Cookin’ Chinese Restaurant 31565 Castaic Road, Castaic (661) 257-2890

CUBAN Hidden Havana Cuban Cafe 23548 Lyons Avenue, Newhall (661) 254-4460

DELICATESSEN Bob’s Country Meats 19012 Soledad Cyn Rd, Canyon Country (661) 251-5995 Cathy’s Delicatessen 23120 W. Lyons Avenue, Newhall (661) 288-2217 Italia Panetteria & Deli 27674 Newhall Ranch Road, Valencia (661) 294-9069 Maria’s Italian-American Deli 22620 W. Lyons Avenue, Newhall (661) 259-6261

S U N D AYS I G N A L · 19

INDIAN An Indian Affaire 23360 W. Valencia Blvd, Valencia (661) 288-1200 Karma Restaurant, Bar & Lounge 23460 Cinema Drive, Valencia (661) 288-0080 Royal Tandoor 26532 Bouquet Canyon Rd, Santa Clarita (661) 263-7100

ITALIAN

Bella Cucina Ristorante Italiano 27911 Seco Canyon Rd, Saugus (661) 263-1414 Buca di Beppo 26940 Theater Drive, Valencia (661) 253-1900 Italia Panetteria & Deli 27674 Newhall Ranch Road, Valencia (661) 294-9069

KOREAN & MONGOLIAN Charcoal Korean BBQ Restaurant 19158 Soledad Canyon Rd, Cyn Country (661) 251-9292 Genghis Khan 24506 W. Lyons Avenue, Newhall (661) 254-0351 Gogi House 26524 Bouquet Canyon Road, Saugus (661) 263-0048 Kogiya 2 Korean BBQ 23410 Lyons Ave, Santa Clarita (661) 678-0999

Numero Uno Pizza 26111 Bouquet Canyon Road, Saugus (661) 259-3895

Flame & Skewers 25870 McBean Parkway, Valencia (661) 799-7538

Presto Pasta 24375 Magic Mountain Pkwy, Valencia (661) 284-7737

Grill Kabob 27653 Bouquet Canyon Road, Saugus (661) 263-7445

I Love Sushi 26526 Bouquet Canyon Rd, Santa Clarita 661-673-5200 Kabuki 24045 Newhall Ranch Road, Valencia (661) 799-8655 Kisho Japanese Teppan Grill & Revolving Sushi Bar 23430 Valencia Blvd, Valencia (661) 284-3856 Sushi Song Japanese Restaurant 22896 Copper Hill Dr, Santa Clarita (661) 297-5659

Manoushee Mediterranean Restaurant 27131 Sierra Hwy, Canyon Country (661) 251-6666 Zankou Chicken 24463 Magic Mountain Pkwy, Valencia (661) 705-7265

MEXICAN Azul Tequila 25387 Wayne Mills Place, Valencia (661) 254-5500 Betito’s Mexican 18902 Soledad Canyon Road, Canyon Country (661)251-0557

Italia Panetteria & Deli 27674 Newhall Ranch Road, Valencia (661) 294-9069 Mama Mia Pizza 25708 The Old Road, Stevenson Ranch (661) 286-9183 Numero Uno Pizza 26111 Bouquet Canyon Road, Saugus (661) 259-3895 Pizza Di Marco 27674 Newhall Ranch Rd, Valencia 661-295-8769

POLISH

Pierogi Spot 26511 Golden Valley Road, Santa Clarita (661) 254-4850

THAI

Original Thai BBQ Restaurant 27530 Newhall Ranch Road, Valencia (661) 257-6421

VIETNAMESE

Pho Sure 23876 Copper Hill Drive, Valencia (661) 257-3888

CATERING for any occasion

The Sandwich Shop 25530 W. Avenue Stanford, Valencia (661) 257-4811

delivery or pickup!

FRENCH

Pierogi, Sausages, Stuffed Cabbage Rolls, Chicken, Beef Stew, Hunter Stew and more!

Le Chene French Cuisine 12625 Sierra Highway, Agua Dulce (661) 251-4315

Hours: Mon - Closed Tues - Fri: 11-3; 5-9 Sat - Sun: 11-9

BuyOne-GetOne

GREEK

Gyromania 20655 Soledad Canyon Rd, Santa Clarita (661) 252-4976

El Trocadero Mesquite Grill & Cantina 24274 Main Street, Newhall (661) 284-6615

PIZZA

MEDITERRANEAN Cafe O 20655 Soledad Canyon Rd, Cyn Country (661) 424-0401

JAPANESE & SUSHI

Dario’s Mexican Restaurant 24523 Newhall Avenue, Newhall (661) 255-6868

Medrano’s Mexican Restaurant 19319 Soledad Canyon Rd, Santa Clarita (661) 367-4945

ZingGa Grill 26910 Sierra Hwy, Santa Clarita (661) 250-7592

Maria’s Italian-American Deli 22620 Lyons Ave, Newhall (661) 259-6261

Achita Sushi 22913 Soledad Canyon Rd, Santa Clarita (661) 476-5522

Casa Pasilla 27674 Newhall Ranch Road, Valencia (661) 295-1989

Las Rocas Mexican Grill 27923 Sloan Canyon Road Castaic (661) 257-6905

Lee’s Korean BBQ & Tofu House 23360 West Valencia Blvd, Valencia (661) 254-2307

Kebab House 24201 Valencia Blvd, Valencia (661) 799-5844

Cabo Cabana Restaurant 25710 The Old Road, Stevenson Ranch (661) 222-7022

27674 Newhall Ranch Rd #55 Valencia CA 91355

661-294-9069 italiavalencia.com

50%

off

with this coupon Expires 3/31/20

26511 Golden Valley Rd, Santa Clarita 91350 661.254.4850 • pierogispot.com

20 · S U N D AYS I G N A L

F E B R UA RY 23, 2020

E N T E R TA I N M E N T

The Dickies coming to Canyon Santa Clarita

By Perry Smith Sunday Signal Editor

C

onsidered by many to be pioneers of the second wave of punk music, The Dickies are bringing their iconic, celebrated sound to Canyon Santa Clarita next month.

The Dickies are considered important for a number of reasons, among

them being the band’s influence and longevity.

“Their uplifting, (some would say zany) pure punk, melodic-pop style has remained in tact for over twenty years,” according to the Canyon’s website. “Ever since the breakup of the Ramones, the Dickies hold the title of being the oldest active punk band in the land.”

An intimate venue like the one at

Westfield Valencia Town Center is a perfect setting for the band, and their “zany” antics, at the March 13 show.

Now touting its “hardest hitting and most cohesive lineup ever,” the band tours with: Casey Royer on vocals; brothers Eddie and Joey Tatar as the rhythm unit of bass and drums; and lead guitarist Clinton Calton.

Come celebrate the band that came on the scene with The Adolescents,

Social Distortion and Agent Orange when The Dickies come to town Find the Canyon Santa Clarita on the ground floor of the Westfield Valencia Town Center. Get tickets at the box office 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday-Saturday, by phone at (888) 645-5006, or via TicketMaster.com. For more info, visit WheremusicmeetstheSoul.com.

F E B R UA RY 23, 2020

S U N D AYS I G N A L · 2 1

How to find time to travel this year

T

ravel is a popular pastime that many people plan to embrace upon retiring.

However, adults need not wait for their golden years to arrive to take to the friendly skies or answer the call of the nearest highway.

Would-be travelers who feel that traveling is a luxury they can’t afford may be surprised to learn just how many people travel each year. According to the United Nations World Tourism Organization, there were 1.4 billion international tourist arrivals across the globe in 2018.

Many of those 1.4 billion people no doubt had professional and personal obligations that could have prevented them from traveling, but they still found a way to head off for parts unknown.

A lack of time to travel is something people often cite when lamenting their inability to get out and see the world. In many instances, that perceived lack of time can be overcome, paving the way for potentially life-changing trips.

Use your vacation days to go on vacation

A recent report from researchers with the U.S. Travel Association, Oxford Economics and Ipsos found that Americans failed to use 768 million vacation days in 2018. And that’s just American workers.

A recent study from the travel site Expedia.ca found that Canadians allow tens of millions of vacation days to go unused each year.

Studies have shown that using vacation time can make employees feel better about their jobs and even contribute positively to their productivity.

Unused vacation days are days that could be spent traveling, and all professionals have to do is take the days off, which many professionals have in abundance.

In fact, the Bureau of Labor Statistics notes that the average American worker with five years of experience at a company was given 15 days of paid vacation per year, while those with 20 years of experience were given 20 paid vacation days. In

Canada, the Expedia.ca study found that the average Canadian receives roughly 17 days off per year.

Make better use of weekends

Professionals who work traditional Monday through Friday schedules have nearly one-third of the year off already. Weekends add up to 104 days per year, and that’s 104 days people could be traveling.

Even if you’re limited to local traveling on weekends, those 104 built-in off days provide substantial time to get out and see some sights.

Turn traditional weekends into three-day weekends

Speaking of weekends, professionals who feel they have more vacation and personal time than they could possibly use, should consider turning more traditional weekends into three-day weekends. You likely won’t fall far behind at work by taking a few random Mondays off per year, but that extra day can provide ample time to travel.

In addition, Monday flights tend to be less expensive than Sunday flights, making travel more affordable.

Work remotely, even if it’s just for one or two weeks per year

Technology has made it easier than ever to work outside of a traditional office setting. Professionals who want to travel more should inquire about working remotely for one or two weeks per year.

Doing so can afford more time to travel as professionals can simply take their work with them on the road.

However, do your homework before making such arrangements for overseas travel, as some countries may forbid foreign workers from working within their borders without first obtaining work visas, which can be difficult if not impossible to get.

Traveling takes time, but many professionals have more time on their hands than they might think.

(MC)

Tips for senior travelers

F

ew demographics have the free time and the financial capacity to travel as much as retirees. Now that children have flown the coop and retirement papers have been filed, the world is many seniors’ oyster.

According to a 2017 survey from AARP, travel is a top goal for more than 80% of baby boomers.

These tips can make travel easier for any senior ready to see the world.

Seek the most direct route. Traveling may be a bit easier to endure when the route is as short and direct as possible. It may cost a little more to book nonstop flights or travel during peak hours, but that investment may be worth it.

T R AV E L

Choose senior-friendly travel services. Working with a trusted travel advisor is often easier than booking your travel yourself. Travel agents often have inside information and may be privy to perks and discounts. Plus they can streamline the process, ensuring all you need to do is go along for the fun.

Inquire about accessibility. If mobility is an issue or if there are any disabilities, contact your carrier and hotel or tour company and be sure that there will be accessibility arrangements, such as wheelchair access or ground-level accommodations.

Pack light. Don’t get bogged down by excess luggage. Pack only what you need, including medications, in a carry-on bag.

Consider a cruise. Cruises combine food, entertainment and comfortable rooms in one convenient package.

Manage medications. If prescription medications are needed, be sure to consult with the doctor and pharmacy about getting a supply that will last the course of the trip.

Bring along a companion. You may feel more comfortable bringing along one of your children, another young relative or a close friend, especially if you are traveling internationally. This extra person can help navigate and ensure all your needs are met.

Seniors have the opportunity to travel more and can make such travel easier in many ways. (MC)

22 · S U N D AYS I G N A L

F E B R UA RY 23, 2020

THIS WEEK’S CALENDAR

= Family Friendly Event

ONGOING Saturdays, 10:30-11:45 a.m.

Come and enjoy group drumming with your family at our Kids Rhythm Club.

Our 45-minute drumming session helps build self-confidence, self-esteem, expands the musical imagination and nurtures creative thinking. All ages and levels of ability are welcome. Drums and percussion instruments provided at no extra cost and reservations are not required. Adults $5, kids 12 and under free. Remo Music Center, 28101 Industry Drive, Valencia. Info: remo.com/ experience/post/kids-rhythm-clubremo-music-center-2 Saturdays, 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. California farmers and specialty food purveyors come together rain or shine, to bring you a farmers’ market with the finest in fresh and seasonal fruits and vegetables, including organic, baked goods, flowers, herbs, cheeses and prepared foods. Old Town Newhall, 24500 Main St., Newhall. Info: oldtownnewhall. com/old-town-newhall-farmers-market Sundays, 8:30 a.m. to noon The Santa Clarita Certified Farmers’ Market offers locals a breakfast prepared onsite from one of the market’s several food vendors, or you can try some of our wonderful artisan bakery products. Open yearround, rain or shine. College of the Canyons, Parking Lot 5, 26455 Rockwell Canyon Road, Santa Clarita. Info: vccfarmersmarkets.com/ santa-clarita Tuesdays, 8 p.m. to 1 a.m. Alchemy presents Salsa Night. Get your dance on. 24501 Town Center Drive, Suite 101, Santa Clarita.

Info: facebook.com/events/572176730203799.

!

WIN

Wednesdays, 8-10 p.m. Citadel Krav Maga is helping women in the Santa Clarita Valley empower and protect themselves by offering a evening course called “Women’s Wednesday.”“Women’s Wednesday” is a drop-ins service offered to all women, and does not require a monthly membership to the school to attend. $10. 17749 Sierra Hwy, Canyon Country. Info: citadelkravmaga.com Thursdays, 4-9 p.m. The Vegan Exchange SCV at Wolf Creek Brewery is a 100% vegan market featuring local food, beverage, apparel, cosmetics and lifestyle vendors. Pocock Brewing Company, 24907 Ave. Tibbitts, Suite B, Santa Clarita. Info: veganexchangeevents.com/vxscv Thursdays, 5:54-7 p.m. Join Runners Lane Santa Clarita for a free 5K fun run/ walk. You can go the entire distance or if you’re just starting out you can go by time.

Our goal is to get the community out and moving whether your fast or slow or just in the middle. We encourage all levels to join us. Walkers too! 22959 Soledad Canyon Rd, Santa Clarita. Info: facebook.com/ events/956668621334188/?event_time_ id=956673478000369 First Thursday of the Month, 7-9 p.m. 10 by 10 is a variety night giving 10 selected entertainers the chance to take the stage for a 10-minute performance of their choosing.

Audience members will enjoy storytelling, magic, comedy, improv, music and other forms of entertainment at this ever changing event. Admission is free. The MAIN, 24266 Main Street, Santa Clarita. Info: thursdaysatnewhall.com/10by10

!

WIN

!

WIN

CONGRATULATIONS to TERESITA NOLASCO for correctly identifying PIEROGI SPOT on page 19 Identify this advertiser and the page number in this week’s issue, and you will be entered to win a $100 gift certificate for a local restaurant. One game and one winner each week.

Mail your entry to The Signal – Contest 26330 Diamond Place | Santa Clarita, CA 91350 Or email contest@signalscv.com Advertiser: _____________________________ Page # ______ Name: _____________________________________________ Address: ___________________________________________ Phone: _____________________________________________ This week’s entries are due Wed. March 4 Winner to be announced in 2 weeks.

Fourth Thursday of the month, 7-9 p.m. You’re the Best is an outrageous and ridiculous evening of entertainment, fun, and mayhem. The competition is open to all levels of experience and all ages. Finding inspiration from old school television variety shows, such as “The Gong Show,” performances will include comedians, dance groups, magicians, animal acts, singers and more! Winners from each month will have the chance to win $500 in the grand finale. The MAIN, 24266 Main Street., Newhall. Info: atthemain.org/ youre-the-best/

EVENTS BY DATE Sunday, Feb. 23, 8-11 a.m. Come to the the 10th annual Mardi Gras Madness 5K/10K! This race will benefit SOAR of Santa Clarita. Mardi Gras Madness is a fun, themed USATF certified 5K / 10K walk/ run for the whole family! K-9s and strollers welcome, too! Westfield Town Center, 24201 West Valencia Blvd, Santa Clarita. Info: facebook.com/events/2385626178375322/ Friday, Feb. 28, 6:30- 8 p.m. Slime is back at As You Wish!

Join us to create a silly slime jar. At this event, your kiddo will be led step-by-step through the painting process and helped all along the way! After painting, attendees will make some slime of their own! $15.

24201 Valencia Blvd #3412, Valencia, Santa Clarita. Info: asyouwishpottery.com/product/02-28-kids-special-event-silly-slimejar-slime Saturday, Feb. 29, 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Join The Sparkle of Tinney for our first FUNdraiser and community event so we can spread the sparkle to as many kiddos/families impacted by childhood cancer (as well as other life-threatening illnesses) as possible! Enjoy cornhole tournaments, a photo booth, food trucks and more! Wolf Creek Brewery, 25108 Rye Canyon Loop, Santa Clarita. Info: facebook. com/events/601671080623692/ Friday, Feb 28. 7:30-9:30 p.m. The Master’s Chorale, conducted by Dr. Paul T. Plew, will perform their annual on-campus concert, featuring various choral works of numerous styles. Tickets available at the door. $8 general, $5 alumni, free with valid TMU student/faculty ID or for children under 12. The Master’s University, 21726 Placerita Canyon Road, Santa Clarita. Info: masters. edu/performingarts/music Saturday, Feb. 29, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The

Welsh Baker Team proudly welcomes you to come visit the largest Welsh Cake manufacturing facility in America! Only a few times each year do we open our beautiful, shiny commercial kitchen to the general public for tours and free sampling. See how we make our yummies, meet the makers, sample our goodies and take some home with you too. Free but reservation required.

27820 Fremont Court, no. 4, Valencia. Info: welshbaker.ticketleap.com/leapdayopenhouse Saturday, Feb. 29, noon to 1 a.m. Come out to Drifters Cocktails’ third art crawl!

Get ready for more artists, more vendors, more musicians and more food!

Three times the art crawl, three times the excitement. 18240 Soledad Canyon Rd, Santa Clarita. Info: facebook.com/ events/3173279456033671/ Saturday, Feb. 29, 5 p.m. The annual Celebrity Waiter Dinner will be held in The Grand Ballroom at Bella Vida senior center.

This event is a great opportunity for you and your guests to have a night out, while supporting the important programs and services of the Santa Clarita Valley Senior Center. 27180 Golden Valley Rd, Santa Clarita. Info: myscvcoa.org/events/aknight-of-royals; (661) 259-9444 ext. 133 Saturday, Feb. 29, 5-10 p.m. The Santa Clarita Master Chorale invites you to “leap” into a delightful evening of food, wine, and song at our annual benefit event.

Ticket includes appetizers, live music, and no-host bar during a silent auction, followed by a meal and dessert served to your table and cabernet. $125. Hyatt Regency Valencia, 24500 Town Center Drive, Valencia Info: facebook.com/events/885573261912640/ Saturday, Feb. 29, 7-10 p.m. Come experience “Hesu Kristo,” a Senakulo (Philippine passion play) in drama-dance.

The play promotes Filipino culture and traditions. $30. Santa Clarita Performing Arts Center, 26455 Rockwell Canyon Rd, Santa Clarita. Info: facebook.com/ events/1527381127430891, (707)334-4078

F E B R UA RY 23, 2020

S U N D AYS I G N A L · 2 3

Some pros and cons to the use of pet doors

P

ets quickly take up residence in their owners’ homes and hearts. Many pet parents treat their pets as fullfledged members of the family, with the same privileges and attention they devote to other family members.

A 2016 Harris Poll found 95% of Americans consider their pets to be part of the family, and there is not much they won’t do for their companion animals.

One area where pet owners may focus their attention is giving their pets more freedom to explore the outdoors. This can be achieved with the installation of a pet door.

With busy schedules taking many pet parents away from home, pets may spend many hours home alone.

An outdoor retreat could be just what the veterinarian ordered for pets who need more fresh air.

Before pet owners install doors for their four-legged friends, it may behoove them to consider the advantages and disadvantages to doing so.

Pros

Pet doors can be very convenient for pet owners and pets. Unencumbered bathroom breaks is one of the prime reasons to get a pet door.

Not having to wake up early in the morning or rush home from work to let out a pup can give pet owners more freedom.

Cat owners may choose to have their cats soil outdoors, removing the hassle and odor of indoor litter boxes.

L

arge breed dogs take longer to mature physically into their adult size, which is a boon to anyone who loves the puppy years.

As they grow, dogs may experience clumsy movements and struggle to adjust to their bodies as quickly as they would like, says the pet food company Canidae. It’s comparable to the awkward teenage years that humans go through.

Pet doors can provide convenience and extra freedom to pets and owners.

A pet door provides a way for pets to regulate when they need to go and not be at the mercy of their human companions. This is handy when training a puppy who cannot hold his bladder for more than a few hours. Avoiding indoor accidents can be a great reason to install a pet door.

Pets need exercise and stimulation to alleviate boredom and avoid destructive behaviors. Access to the outdoors promotes physical activity and mental stimulation.

Cats may chase bugs or small animals. Dogs may run around the yard and play with a ball or stick. Easy access to outdoor play can take some of the burden off of busy pet owners.

Large breeds may not understand how big they are. As a result, they may try to sit on your lap or fit on a dog bed they have outgrown.

Large breed adolescent dogs also may step on your feet and/or fail to understand their own strength as they jump up to offer kisses.

Over time, large pups will reach physical and emotional maturity and have a better sense of self.

(MC)

Cons

As convenient as pet doors can be, they may disconnect pet owners from their pets. People may feel they don’t need to spend the time in

PETS

the yard or walking the animal, and that can adversely affect the bonds between pet owner and pet.

Another potential disadvantage concerns alpha-driven pets. Giving pets control over their comings and goings may reinforce ego and potentially cause the animal to be less responsive to his owner’s commands.

Safety is another concern. Although there are smart doors that can only open when triggered by a chip on the pet’s collar, one never knows what pets may bring indoors.

Cats may present dead rodents and dogs may dirty the house with muddy paws.

Weather is another concern. In colder climates, pet doors may be another source of drafts, contributing to inefficient heating and cooling situations.

Dogs or cats who are prone to roaming could get into trouble if left to their own devices outside.

(MC)

24 · S U N D AYS I G N A L

F E B R UA RY 23, 2020

K I D S & FA M I LY

Spring break college tours are around the corner

By Michele E. Buttelman Signal Staff Writer

S

pring break is fast approaching (April 6-10) for the William S. Hart Union High School District. For high school juniors, seniors and their parents, it is an important (and exciting) time to check out potential college landing spots. Here’s a few tips to make your college tour trips as productive, and stress-free, as possible.

Plan early

The window is rapidly closing on budget airline and hotel reservations for your college spring break campus tours. Hotels fill up fast near college campuses at this time of year. Budget your time wisely, make sure you take the time to see everything on campus you feel you need to make a well-informed decision.

Take a virtual tour

Many colleges offer online “virtual” campus tours. Check out the schools you’re interested in. Weed out the campuses that don’t leave a good first impression online. It will save you time and money.

Do your research

Is your student’s preferred college known as a “party” school? Does it have a reputation as a diploma mill?

Does the school have a highly ranked department in the area of your student’s major course of study?

What are the safety statistics of the campus? Is there enough available housing? What is the weather like?

Many a Santa Clarita Valley student has relocated to the snowy Midwest or humid South only to discover that they can’t tolerate, or are unprepared for the weather.

Talk to current students

While campus tour guides may be able to answer many of your academic questions, it is also true they are paid to show their school in a positive light. Talk to a random cross-section of students on campus to get a clearer picture of a school’s culture.

Make sure to ask enough ques-

Before leaving on your trip, see if you can arrange to attend a class. Nothing will give you a better idea of what it is like to be a student at a specific university or college than attending an actual class.

tions. Do you feel safe on campus at night? What activities are available for students? How do you feel about the surrounding community? Are the professors accessible and approachable? Do you feel you are getting an education worth the money you are spending? Are dorms and dining halls clean and safe?

Visit dorms, dining halls, student centers

You can’t really get a feel for the college until you’ve visited dorms, dining halls and the student union.

Find a variety of off-campus locations where students gather, and check out the atmosphere.

Don’t forget to check out student parking costs and accessibility. These experiences will give you a sense of what it would be like to be a student at that institution.

Explore housing costs

Dorms or apartments? Are there options to rent a room in a private house? Many housing options are limited by the community surrounding the college. Is it located a large metropolitan city, or a small college-town, or somewhere in between?

Before finalizing a college visit, do

online research to discover how easy, or difficult, it is to obtain affordable housing for the college of your choice.

It may be the perfect college for you, but the realities of the current housing crises in many communities can severely impact your choice, much more than in years past.

Know your options, more than one student has been left in an expensive lurch when their high school “buddy” changes plans, or leaves school after only a month.

Some schools require freshmen to live on campus. Find out the restrictions of the college you’re looking at.

Take notes

If you are visiting several schools make sure you take detailed notes of your impressions and observations.

You think you’ll remember every moment of your trip, but visiting multiple locations can result in “trip fatigue” where everything ends up “running together.”

If you take photos, remember to be polite and don’t take photos in private, or inappropriate areas.

Above all, if you take extensive notes, you will give yourself a better chance of more accurately remembering the impressions, good and

bad, you had along the way.

Take a class

Before leaving on your trip, see if you can arrange to attend a class.

Nothing will give you a better idea of what it is like to be a student at a specific university or college than attending an actual class.

Explore the city

Don’t limit yourself just to the campus. See the town. Find a grocery store, a pharmacy, medical facilities, historic, cultural and entertainment locations. Read up on the town’s history. What transportation options are located convenient to the campus?

Learn about special festivals and fairs specific to your student’s new potential “home.”

Setting up for success

This will be a special time in your young adult’s life, it is important your student feels comfortable and excited about this new adventure.

Attending college or university is not just about getting a good education, it is about learning life skills and becoming part of a network of associates that contribute to a pathway of success.

F E B R UA RY 23, 2020

S U N D AYS I G N A L · 2 5

K I D S & FA M I LY

Donna’s Day: Creative Family Fun

Make ‘ice’ candles for every climate

By Donna Erickson Signal Contributing Writer

L

et’s make fire with ice!

Impossible, you say? Well, it just depends on how you look at it. Follow this DIY process using candle wax and ice to create these super “cool” chunky candles.

To make several medium-sized candles, you’ll need: • 1 saucepan and a tin can with label removed, such as a stewed tomato can • candle wax from a craft store (leftover candle stubs in similar color may also be added) • candle coloring from a craft store

• empty and clean pint or quart-size cardboard milk cartons with the tops cut off (the shape of the carton will be the shape of the candle) • a white or colored taper candle for each ice candle, 1 inch shorter than the cut carton; trim the candle from the bottom, if necessary • ice cubes crushed into medium-sized chunks 1. An adult should fill the bottom of the saucepan with a few inches of water and place the tin can in the center.

Put pieces of candle wax inside the can, along with any extra candle stubs. Stir occasionally on low heat as wax melts, keeping a constant eye on it, since it is flammable. Add coloring, if you wish.

2. Just before the wax is completely melted, your school-age child may place a taper candle in the middle of a milk carton and pack ice around the candle. Be sure it is centered.

Leave top portion and wick of candle exposed.

3. When the wax is melted, an adult should use a potholder to lift the can out of the saucepan and pour the melted wax directly into the milk carton over the ice and around the taper candle. Be sure not to cover the taper candle wick. As the wax melts the ice, you’ll hear cracking and popping!

4. When the wax is almost hard, drain off the water a time or two as it melts.

Let wax harden completely.

5. Peel the carton away from the

CLIP N SAVE Elementary School Menus Menus courtesy of Santa Clarita Valley School Food Services which serves these school districts: Castaic USD • Newhall USD • Saugus USD • Sulphur Springs USD

(choice of one entree, seasonal fruit and milk)

Monday, Feb. 24 Tuesday, Feb. 25 Wednesday, Feb. 26 Thursday, Feb. 27 Friday, Feb. 28

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Buttermilk Bar Breakfast Bun Cereal Chilled Fruit Fruit Juice

Chicken Enchilada Cheesy Pillow Pull Aparts Chicken Sandwich Spicy Chicken Sandwich Smart Choice Pizza Seasonal Salad Bar

Scrambled Slider Breakfast Bun Cereal Chilled Fruit Fresh Fruit

Pork Carnitas Taco Chicken Nuggets PBJ Sandwich & String Cheese Smart Choice Pizza Seasonal Salad Bar

Maple Burst’n Mini Pancakes Breakfast Bun Cereal Chilled Fruit Fresh Fruit Fruit Juice

Meatloaf & Mashed Potatoes Cheeseburger Corn Dog-chicken Smart Choice Pizza Seasonal Salad Bar Celebration Cookie

Breakfast Pizza Breakfast Bun Cereal Chilled Fruit Fresh Fruit

Beef Meatball Sub Dippin’ Chicken Cheesy Stix & Marinara Smart Choice Pizza Seasonal Salad Bar Brownie Cup Macaroni & Cheese Chicken Nuggets Smart Choice Pizza Manager’s Choice Seasonal Salad Bar

Cherry Muffin & String Cheese Breakfast Bun Cereal Chilled Fruit Fruit Juice

candle and enjoy the surprise of your work of art! The ice will have formed interesting pockets, like a chunk of Swiss cheese. Let set a day before using.

To use, set candle on a plate and surround it with marbles. When you light the candle, give your preschooler the job of saying “Ta-da!” as you stand around proudly watching the creation flicker on a dark, winter’s night.

Note An adult should always be present when burning candles.

Donna Erickson’s award-winning series “Donna’s Day” is airing on public television nationwide. To find more of her creative family recipes and activities, visit www.donnasday.com and link to the NEW Donna’s Day Facebook fan page. Her latest book is “Donna Erickson’s Fabulous Funstuff for Families.” © 2020 Donna Erickson Distributed by King Features Synd.

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F E B R UA RY 23, 2020

Incorporate more heart-healthy foods into your diet

D

iet and heart health go hand in hand. The American Heart Association notes that a healthy diet and lifestyle are the best weapons to fight cardiovascular diseases, which the World Health Organization says kill more people across the globe each year than any other disease.

Men and women do not need degrees in nutrition science to create heart-healthy diets for themselves and their families. In fact, the familiar calls to “eat your fruits and vegetables” many adults recall from childhood lessons or nights around the family dinner table still bear weight today.

A diet that is rich in fruits and vegetables is a hallmark of a healthy lifestyle. And supplementing such a diet with other heart-healthy foods is a great way to reduce one’s risk for cardiovascular disease.

Fruits and vegetables

The U.S. Department of Health and

Human Services notes that fruits and vegetables are healthy whether they’re fresh, frozen, canned, and/or dried.

The AHA advises eating fruits and vegetables with every meal and snack, and that may require a little creativity as you sneak them into favorite dishes.

For example, the AHA suggests replacing half the ground meat in recipes for burgers, meatloaf or meatballs with cooked chopped mushrooms. The mushrooms can be finely chopped with a knife or food processor, and then sautéed in some olive oil until they’re soft.

At the breakfast table, add fruit to a bowl of cereal to make for a more flavorful morning meal.

Dairy products

When purchasing dairy products, the DHHS recommends sticking to fat-free or low-fat options. Replace whole milk with fat-free or one percent and buy fat-free or low-fat cheese.

When snacking, reach for fat-free

or low-fat plain yogurt or cottage cheese. You can even add fruit or vegetables to such snacks to make snack time even more heart-healthy.

Proteins

Healthy proteins are another way people can promote heart health with their daily diets. When choosing proteins at the grocery store, the AHA recommends choosing chicken and fish over red meats. That’s because red meats, which include beef and lamb, have more saturated fat than chicken and fish.

Saturated fats increase blood cholesterol levels and can worsen heart disease, while the unsaturated fats in fish like salmon can actually reduce the risk for cardiovascular issues like heart failure and ischemic stroke.

When preparing poultry, remove the skin, as most of the saturated fat in poultry is found just beneath the skin.

Grains

When buying grains, the DHHS

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Make sure whole wheat or another whole grain is the first item listed in the ingredients list, and choose only those products that say 100% whole grain. Instead of preparing white rice as a side dish, serve brown or wild rice, quinoa or oats.

A heart-healthy diet is easy to design and just as flavorful as less healthy alternatives. (MC)

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S U N D AYS I G N A L · 2 7

Start exercising at home

A

healthy diet and an active lifestyle are great ways to achieve a healthy weight and good overall health.

Many people associate exercise with fitness centers and gym memberships. While gyms certainly are effective places to break a sweat, exercising at home can be an effective way to get fit as well.

Here are some tips for exercising at home.

Body weight exercises

Body weight exercises include push-ups, planks, squats, and lunges.

Alternating incline and positioning of the body when performing some of these exercises is a great way to work various muscle groups. Body weight exercises do not necessarily require equipment.

Get outdoors for cardio

A mix of cardiovascular activity, which puts a strain on the heart and lungs to build up stamina, can help shave off the pounds when paired with strength-training exercises. Take

to the great outdoors near home to get in a good cardio workout.

Rally Health, a digital, data-based health advisory company, says that walking can constitute a cardio workout if one goes at a brisk pace of around three miles per hour. Walking on an incline also can constitute vigorous exercise that’s on par with running or biking, particularly when it’s a steep hill.

Set up a home gym

With a few barbells, dumbells and a weight bench, it’s easy to create a home gym in a basement or garage. Extra equipment, such as TRX resistance training equipment or an elliptical machine, can be added to make the gym more complete.

Many people find that they can effectively workout at home with little to no equipment necessary. With such convenience, individuals may find they make more time for exercise, which is an important component of a healthy lifestyle. (MC)

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F E B R UA RY 23, 2020

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It’s about time

By Mary Petersen Signal Staff Writer

I

read in an article the other day that gardening could be the hobby that helps you live to 100. Something about vitamin D, fresh air and moderate physical activity as stress relief. But that isn’t why I have been gardening lately.

I’m not sure I want to live to 100.

I have been gardening to reclaim my backyard slope from the unruly jungle that has overtaken it. Armed with heavy gloves and shears, I have been hacking away at bushes until they reached a manageable size, all the while saying I’ll never let it get this overgrown again.

I’ll take time each week to garden. But that simple task has proven difficult. Although I love gardening, I never seem to have enough time.

I thought that after I retired I would have plenty of discretionary time for leisurely pursuits. I would read books in the middle of the day, attend lectures at the college, have museum dates with friends, maybe even have time to get bored. But three years into retirement, time still proves to be elusive and I never feel I have enough of it.

Research, however, does not validate my experience. According to the consulting and research firm AgeWave, Americans 65 and over are the most “time affluent,” with an average of 7.5 hours of free time per day.

I’m in the most time-affluent stage of life, yet I feel time-impoverished.

This is the heart of the problem— feeling that there is a lack of time.

Feelings are subjective and not necessarily based on reality. Mind time and

clock time are totally different.

Our perception of time can influence how we experience our lives.

Feeling that we don’t have the time to pursue our passions — travel, cook or run marathons — narrows our life experience and restricts our joy. We miss out on the fulfilling things that make life meaningful. We feel trapped and battered about by the clock.

What if feeling victimized by time is a choice?

In one study of more than 7,000 working Australians (ok they’re not retired), researchers concluded that those who feel they have the least free time generally impose that feeling upon themselves. They determined that being pressured by time is largely an “illusion.” Changing this mindset can actually free up time.

The great paradox as we age is that there is so much time and yet so little of it. Time goes by quickly in this last trimester of life, but we have more discretionary time than we think.

Maybe changing one’s perspective is as simple as putting the big rocks of life in the jar first. Remember that story?

If you don’t put the big rocks in first, you’ll never get them in at all.

We may feel pressured by lack of time in our busy schedules, but if we commit to the passions that edify us, the time to pursue them will emerge.

Years ago my friend gave me an ornamental garden stone, now graying and faded that says “as the garden grows, so shall the gardener.” It has never been more timely than now.

Mary Petersen is a retired COC English instructor, 30-year SCV resident and two-time breast cancer survivor.

F E B R UA RY 23, 2020

S U N D AYS I G N A L · 2 9

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F E B R UA RY 23, 2020

Great activities to embrace this spring

S

a week or two during the spring, prompting otherwise busy families to get away for some R&R. Book early to score the best deals on hotel rooms and flights.

pring arrives in the Northern Hemisphere on March 19, bringing with it visions of more hours of sunshine, warmer temperatures and ample opportunities to embrace the great outdoors.

Come mid-March, people who live in climates marked by cold winters have no doubt been anticipating spring fun in the sun for some time.

Once spring arrives, the following make for some great activities.

Prepare gardening equipment

Before long, the grass will need mowing and the shrubbery will have to be pruned. Ensure that lawn and garden tools and equipment are in top form before they are called into action. Stock up on fuel for gas mowers and sharpen those pruning shears.

Sports

Come spring, various sports fill up afternoon and weekend schedules.

Whether these are professional sports or youth sports leagues, the games can be a great way to spend time outdoors in the fresh, suddenly warmer air.

Visit an orchard

Spring is a season when many berries, such as strawberries, blackberries, and blueberries, begin to ripen. Find your local pick-

Visit a local garden

From pick-your-own berries to biking in the sun, spring is the time to start getting outside before the summer heat sets in.

your-own establishment to spend a day having fun (and getting a little messy) grabbing sweet berries for salads, jams and pies.

Hit the links

It’s time to dust off the clubs and play the greens at any of the thousands of golf courses in North America. The National Golf Federation says the United States is home to around 15,000 courses. The warmer temperatures are ideal for practicing your short game on the putting green or for playing all 18 holes.

Get the patio ready for entertaining

Clean off the patio furniture or start shopping for new items. This is just the start of the outdoor entertaining season, and it pays to refresh the deck or patio and invest in some quality furniture to keep guests comfortable.

Plan a vacation

Many schools go on a hiatus for

Enjoy the sights at a garden when the first spring blooms start to peek out of the soil. Spring is known for tulips, daffodils, crocuses, and snowdrops.

Give your bike a tune-up

Take your bike out of storage and give it a once-over. Now is the time to put air in the tires, grease the chain and make sure that the brakes and other equipment are working properly. Most bike helmet manufacturers recommend replacing helmets every three years, even if you haven’t been in a crash. That’s because the polystyrene foam can degrade over time from environmental exposure.

Visit a farm

Many farm animals give birth in the spring. Children may be excited to see piglets, foals, kids, and all the other adorable young animals draw their first breaths.

Spring’s arrival presents the perfect opportunity to reacquaint oneself with the great outdoors. (MC)

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F E B R UA RY 23, 2020

S U N D AYS I G N A L · 3 1

BEAUTY

Get your glow on: 6 tips to make your skin, hair shine

F

ace it, winter is brutal for your skin and hair. Between the harsh, cold wind outside and the dry, overheated air inside, it’s hard to look your best all winter long. On top of that, everyone tends to overindulge in unhealthy food and drinks during the winter months. Fortunately, there are strategies you can use to enhance your looks while boosting your body’s natural ability to fight off the ill effects of winter.

Here are some tips to look your best — even when the weather does its worst.

Treat your skin with TLC

Gently cleanse, exfoliate and moisturize your skin every day. Find products best suited for your skin type and be consistent about using them.

Thoroughly remove makeup before bed and use extra moisturizer overnight so you’ll wake up with a brighter, clearer complexion each morning.

Deep condition your hair

Just as you use a good moisturizer to help replenish and protect your skin every day, find hair conditioners or deep conditioning oils that can prevent your hair from drying out, frizzing or turning brittle. Look for products using natural ingredients, and that are designed for your hair type.

Hydrate well — from the inside out

If you want hair and skin that aren’t overly dried out, it’s not enough to just condition or moisturize them from the outside.

Staying well hydrated, by drinking at least eight glasses of water each day, will help your body maintain healthier, more beautiful skin and hair. You’ll also feel better, inside and out.

Lastly, avoid drinking too many beverages that are dehydrating — like tea and coffee, soda and alcoholic drinks.

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Boost your vitamin intake

Many vitamins help keep your skin,

hair and nails healthy and beautiful: Vitamins A, B, Biotin (B7), C and K, plus fish oil. These vitamins are found in a variety of foods such as fruits and veggies (especially dark leafy greens), fish, nuts and seeds. To be sure you’re getting enough of all these vitamins, you can also take vitamin supplements.

Protect your skin and hair from the elements

If you spend time outdoors, especially doing winter sports, keep your skin and hair covered. Exposing them to harsh wind, cold temps and winter glare can be damaging. Wear sunscreen to protect your skin from UV damage — yes, even in the winter!

Snow and ice reflect UV rays, making them even more damaging than being at the beach in the summer.

Taking care of your health and your beauty are really one and the same.

Steps like these will make you feel good and look good, too. (BPT)

32 · S U N D AYS I G N A L

F E B R UA RY 23, 2020

TIMERANGER

Pinochle, Potatoes, Prose & a Barber’s Pole So terribly sorry. You certainly may bring your cell phones. You can even take pictures. Alas, for some reason, the images don’t survive the trip back so you’ll have to just keep all the things you see on this morning’s trail ride through SCV history in the confines of your heart…

WAY BACK WHEN & THEN SOME

• History is circular On Feb. 23, 3001 B.C., an ancient SCV Anasazi probably stretched and noted: “Geez.

This place sure has a great climate for the end of February …”

• Murders No. 1 & No. 2 A forgotten footnote, Castaic had the biggest range war in American history. Between 27 and 40 people were killed, including Dolores Cook and George Walton, by William Chormicle and his ranch hand, W.A. Gardner. They later were found innocent in a Los Angeles trial.

FEB. 23, 1920

• And a don’t forget to brush your teeth club? The Mighty Signal called for the formation of a Clean-Up Club for Downtown Newhall. This newspaper noted unsightly and rat-attracting piles of trash and garbage were being dumped in the many vacant lots of our main business district. Civic laziness being a gene, no one volunteered to serve …

• Preaching to the choir The Signal also penned a reminder for local farmers to get their fields ready for upcoming potato season. Many potato caballeros were wondering why they needed a reminder to weed.

FEB. 23, 1930

• The haunted weapon Two strongarm bandits ordered dinner at Bob’s Place up Mint Canyon, then robbed the owner (Bob) of $7. They also forced him to drive them in his car to the other side of the valley. Bob’s wife called the cops and two constables were waiting at the Bouquet Bridge for the bandits. Turned out one of them had stolen a pistol from another Saugus lawman, Johnny Seltzer. Turns out it was the same pistol that killed nationally renowned crime fighter Jack Pilcher. On his first days on the job, Seltzer had joined Pilcher to investigate a cabin break-in. They saw a large lizard scamper under the bed.

Both men, on opposite sides of the

bunk, bent over to look. That’s when rookie Seltzer’s pistol fell out of his shirt pocket, hit the floor, discharged and sent a fatal bullet right between the eyes of Pilcher.

• Something we don’t do here much anymore and that’s watch the weather. The SCV was predominantly a farming and ranching community in the 1930s. We had a nice and steady rain that left about an inch. Coupled with pleasant warm weather, it advanced the alfalfa season clippings to the earliest in memory. Fruit trees were blooming early, too.

• Rained out Our semi-pro baseball team was playing an all-African-American team from Los Angeles. The game was in the books and we were losing 3-1 to the Giants, who billed themselves as a “colored aggravation.” Folks and SCV ball players loaned the visiting team coats and blankets to keep warm and dry when the showers hit.

FEB. 23, 1940

• Heavens. Even I learn something new every day On this date, Newhall barber Jerry Blowers got a new-fangled invention and plugged it in. It was an electric barber’s pole. For years, Blowers had to go outside several times a day and hand-crank his red, white and blue barber’s pole so it would hypnotically spin. Never knew they used to hand-crank them…

• Used to play this with my dad The Newhall-Saugus Pinochle Club met, played cards, ate cherry tarts and drank coffee on this date in history.

FEB. 23, 1950

• Didn’t move. Lack of interest.

Despite inquiries from various Los Angeles and Ventura county muckymucks, the measure to nudge the SCV a few feet west to Ventura Coun-

ty was dropped. Lots of speeches were made, but no formal legislation at the state level went forward. Ventura, Los Angeles and the SCV all thought it would be a great idea if we, agricultural as we were then, were represented by Ventura County.

• A high school first The very first major high school theatrical presentation of the brand-new Hart High occurred 70 years ago. It was Thornton Wilder’s “Our Town.” The renowned writer had three Pulitzers and was fascinated by twins. His own twin brother was stillborn.

FEB. 23, 1960

• From the what the heck were you thinking department The normally heroic and staid Newhall Sheriff ’s Department took a PR chop to the chin. A small group of local Explorer Scouts were fundraising in Downtown Newhall. A local deputy called for backup to arrest the group and haul the cookie sellers down to the station. Why? No rudeness. No disturbance. No complaints. He wanted to verify their business licenses under office light. Nice crime fighting.

• On the other end of the spectrum CHP officer Richard Duvall was murdered by a car thief on Highway 99. The suspect wasn’t hard to spot. He was wearing an all-light-blue suit, blue shoes, blue hat and had a thick Southern drawl. The assassin shot Duvall from the dark as he approached the vehicle.

• On this basis, why we have an electoral college An angry Signal editorial demanded that people not sign petitions to have California’s legislative districts reapportioned. Seems this paper felt the few big cities would have a powerful sway over the smaller populated rural areas (like us).

FEB. 23, 1970

• Mystery government, Part I Our county Board of Supervisors voted to OK the formation of a new water district to serve a half-billion-dollar new development called — Golden Valley. Nope. Not OUR Golden Valley. There were 24 registered voters in this Gorman district. Not one showed up for any of the meetings.

• Mystery government, Part II There were 11 candidates running for a local judgeship. For weeks, The

Signal and other locals were trying to figure out who the heck “Oliver Pfeifer” was. He wasn’t listed on any bar associations in the state. Turns out Ollie was an L.A. district attorney and the registrar had misspelled his real name (Feifer) on the ballot. Ollie lived in the San Fernando Valley but, legally, could run up here.

FEB. 23, 1980

• Another great Signal editorial Signal Publisher Scott Newhall penned a front-page opinion piece, asking why there was such leniency in the sentencing of murderers. Our infamous cannibal killer, Ronald Doyle Wilburn, who partially ate a hitchhiker, was given life in prison with the possibility of parole in seven years. Michael Jernigan, in cold blood, shot a store clerk on his knees and begging for mercy. The clerk was paralyzed for life. Jernigan was out on parole within a year and murdered a Val Verde man in cold blood.

Jernigan was given nine years, up for parole in two.

• Mystery of the dead body A San Francisco nurse alerted local gendarmes that a “crazed man” approached her in a local parking lot and asked her what he should do with the dead body in the back of his Ford Ranchero. After some old-fashioned police work, our local finest traced the vehicle to a Fred Jenner of Sonoma. Turns out he kept a mannequin in a sleeping bag in the back of his car/ truck to deter hobos from stealing 40 winks in the open bed. Jenner was also a bit of a kidder…

Darn if I don’t appreciate all you saddlepals and saddlepal-ettes.

Thanks for the company. You’re all good medicine. Well. We’re here, where we started. Looking forward to seeing you all next week with another exciting Time Ranger history adventure. Until then —¡Vayan con Dios, amigos!

John Boston has been writing about SCV history for more than 40 years.

You can buy his books and novels on Amazon.com. Best you turn this into action and do so right jolly now…

F E B R UA RY 23, 2020

S U N D AYS I G N A L · 3 3

HOMEIMPROVEMENT

Proper waterproofing paint, mold from rains

By Robert Lamoureux Signal Contributing Writer

Proper waterproofing paint Robert, My name is Isaac M. I live in Santa Clarita in an HOA, but am not on the Board of Directors.

Our association is having a top coat put onto the decks of our balconies and it is my understanding that you need to use a proper waterproofing paint designed for this application.

They are actually using a product directly from Home Depot, its Behr patio paint.

I researched online and found that this is incorrect and when I challenged the handy man that is doing this work, he assured me that he knows what he is doing and that this is acceptable.

I tried to talk to the board and was essentially told to mind my own business. I feel that this is my business, though the HOA owns and is responsible for the patio, it is at my unit and ultimately the quality of work done on it will affect me and the value of my home.

What are your thoughts on this?

Isaac, Issac, You are spot on. Though the application of this paint won’t in itself cause leaking, you are sure to see flaking within about six months, sooner depending on the amount of traffic and weather this area has to endure. It will be just like dandruff, and any winds that come up you’ll see this paint fly everywhere.

The correct thing to do for top coating any decking system, is to first know what system has been put down to begin with.

Each type of system has its own topcoat that is designed to go with the decking and there are methods to applying it so that it is a successful application.

If it is not documented in the HOA’s records, it will need an experienced set of eyes to determine the exact system such as Fibercrete, urethane, or acrylic, and then have the appropriate preparation done in order for the system to receive the

new top coat.

Some require primers and others don’t, but they all need to be pressure washed and have the correct solvents used to prep properly.

There are specific drying times and, then, depending on the amount of times it’s already been top-coated you may have to add additional product such as abrasives, in order to prevent slips and falls.

Your HOA likely chose the less expensive route, but I can guarantee that when these decks start peeling that handy man will not be standing behind his work and redoing it at no charge.

It’s always better to spend a little more to do it right, and have the guarantee that your single biggest investment (home/property) is well protected.

Mold from rains Hi Robert, I own a home here in Valencia that since the rains I have discovered that

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I have mold in it.

My wife has respiratory problems and I need to know the best way to handle this, mostly due to my wife’s health.

Do I need to hire a mold testing company, then a mold remediation company?

I’ve attached pictures for you and I really need your sound advice.

I know that there is a lot of newness to this mold thing and not sure if it’s as big of a deal as it’s made out to be or if I can safely handle my situation in my home, and still do the right thing and solve the mold problem all the while keeping our health?

— Bill G. Bill, You and many others are experiencing this same issue since the rains.

It only takes 72 hours under the right conditions for mold spores to grow, and especially if the area is not somewhere easily visible, it can become a bit bigger until it’s noticed.

My sound advice to you is to not risk your and your wife’s health, and to leave this abatement to the professionals.

I don’t believe that there is a need, especially if what you’re seeing is identifiable as mold, for you to test prior to abatement, it would be futile.

Either way this will be treated as mold and by not doing the testing prior, you’ll save about $600.00 or so.

I would absolutely recommend to you though, that you let the pros do the abatement for you, as they have a protocol and techniques to follow that will not only protect the surrounding areas from becoming contaminated, but the transport and

disposal of the abated materials must be done per protocol as well.

They set up a containment area to contain the affected area and then they proceed to remove all affected materials and to clean/disinfect the areas as needed to remove all traces of mold.

Once this is done, and this is a very important part: they leave this containment up and it cannot be passed until a certified mold testing company comes in to take samples of the area inside the containment as well as outside of the containment.

Usually, within 48 hours, you’ll receive your results and if you find that the results are clear (they rarely have to return for additional abatement).

The abatement company can then return to tear down their containment.

It is a process, but one that is vital to keep the environment and people safe during the process of removing the mold.

Once all of this is complete, you’ll need to follow up with your repairs.

As I always do, I’d like to remind you to ask for insurance information and licensing from whomever you hire.

Robert Lamoureux has 38 years of experience as a general contractor, with separate licenses in electrical and plumbing contracting. He owns IMS Construction Inc. in Valencia. His opinions are his own, not necessarily those of The Signal. Opinions expressed in this column are not meant to replace the recommendations of a qualified contractor after that contractor has made a thorough visual inspection. Email questions to Robert at robert@imsconstruction.com.

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34 · S U N D AYS I G N A L

F E B R UA RY 23, 2020

GARDENING

Garden trends for 2020 are about sustainability tal grass or high-resin plants — junipers, conifers or evergreens — close to your house, choose low-growing plants with a high moisture content that makes them less flammable.

By Michele E. Buttelman Signal Staff Writer

A

plant trends study by horticulturalists with the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences revealed gardeners nationwide, as well as the Santa Clarita Valley, will be looking for new and unconventional plant varieties, as well as a new found emphasis on sustainability in 2020.

Attract butterflies and bees Butterfly gardens have been a “thing” for a while. Now bee gardens are getting a lot of buzz. To attract butterflies and bees plant bee balm, cosmos, echinacea, snapdragons foxglove, hosta, zinnias, sedum, asters, witch hazel and goldenrod.

Among the hottest trends Dwarf hybrids Dwarf hybrids require less pruning and less space. Popular dwarf hybrids include varieties of peaches, apples, plums, apricots and cherries. However, it is important to choose varieties that do well in our relatively mild winters. Purchase your dwarf hybrids locally for the best results. Local garden centers are familiar with which plants grow most successfully in the SCV’s unique microclimate.

There is only one true dwarf variety of avocado tree. It is known as Wurtz or by the nickname “Little Cado,” and is a hybrid of Guatemalan and Mexican varieties.

Edible gardens Consider adding fruit-bearing plants, ornamental vegetables and edible flowers to your landscape. In addition, not all edibles need be for humans, for example plants with berries can attract birds.

Edible flowers include pansies, carnations, chrysanthemums, sunflowers, roses and marigolds.

Everyone can grow food of some kind, you don’t need a sprawling back yard or acreage to grow fresh food.

Container gardens of tomatoes and greens on a balcony can be a good way to unleash your inner “farmer.”

The easiest vegetables to grow in the SCV are tomatoes, eggplant, peppers, green onions, radishes and beans.

Another option to consider is straw-bale gardening. This garden option is gaining in popularity. As the straw begins to break down, it turns into a rich, compostable planter that’s ideal for growing vegetables, much easier than trying to coax veggies from the SCV’s heavy clay soil.

With California now officially experiencing another drought, water-wise gardening is more important than ever before. PHOTO COURTESY VISIT CALIFORNIA

Dark foliage Many gardeners want to stand out with unique and different plants to replace cookie-cutter suburban home gardens. One trend is the idea of including plants with red, purple or black leaves. These striking plants can include purple cultivars of basil (Ocimum basilicum) and ornamental pepper (Capsicum annuum). Dark plants are most noticeable in full sun, so plant them accordingly.

Unusual succulents Water-wise gardening is continuing to gain in popularity, especially throughout the southwest. However, gardeners are increasingly looking for lesser-known succulents that offer interesting shapes, textures and growth habits. Succulents are also perfect for small-space gardening, on a balcony, patio or that unused “side” yard.

With California now officially experiencing another drought, water-wise gardening is more important than ever before.

One suggestion is Aeonium tabuliforme, or dinner plate aeonium, which grows round and flat and makes a wonderful container plant.

Bishop’s cap (Astrophytum myriostigma) is perfect for walkways because it has no thorns and Copiapoa tenuissima is a beautiful succulent, suitable for any garden.

For more information on succulents visit OASIS Water Efficient Gardens in Escondido, www.oasis-plants.com.

Landscape for a changing climate In Southern California fire-proof landscape education has taken on new

importance with the recent spate of wildfires. If you haven’t taken down that huge Mexican palm tree growing next to your home, the one that turns into a blazing roman candle during a brushfire, now is the time. If you won’t cut it down, at least keep it trimmed.

Other tips: Don’t plant ornamen-

Wilder gardens Highly manicured lawns and gardens are a thing of the past. Longer lawns and wilder, more natural-looking gardens are gaining in popularity.

Experts suggest these changes will encourage beneficial insects and improve the health of your garden.

Instead of trimming or pruning shrubs, allow them to grow to their natural shapes. In addition, allowing a few weeds to flower is no longer a gardening taboo.

F E B R UA RY 23, 2020

S U N D AYS I G N A L · 3 5

LOCALNEWS

Women’s Conference returns to Santa Clarita

By Vivianna Shields Signal Staff Writer

C

ollege of the Canyons has announced the return of its annual Women’s Conference to take place on March 21 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Dr. Dianne G. Van Hook University Center.

“This year’s conference will bring together exciting and diverse ses-

sions for our attendees,” Rian Medlin, director of human resources, higher education at COC, said in a news release.

Rene Callahan, from the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, is this year’s keynote speaker. She specializes in hematology, oncology and internal medicine, according to the release.

The presenters and breakout sessions will encapsulate the conference’s theme “Empowered Women: Health,

Wellness, and Balance.”

According to the COC news release, workshops throughout the conference will discuss a wide range of topics including: before and after marriage: the legal side of things; caring for aging family members; self-defense; healthy eating on a budget and more.

At the conference, local women-owned businesses will be present selling jewelry and self-defense items.

Gyromania will cater the conference.

Tickets are $35 to the public and $20 for students and COC staff. Tickets include access to all the activities at the event, breakfast and a raffle ticket, the release said.

Seating is limited, so registering in advance is recommended.

For more information and to register, visit the event’s web page or contact the Women’s Conference event desk at 661-362-3426.

STANDUP

Continued from page 5

late with all of the access that’s out there to the material.

“When you’re writing your own material, you take pride in it, you know? And so that’s why that’s one of the rules. Don’t steal when you’re doing comedy because you should take pride in your work, I think.”

Wynn is on Twitter as @TheFunny Asian and Instagram as @JohnWynn Comedy.

Learning what’s funny

Julia Loken, who grew up in Santa Clarita, performs standup and cohosts a podcast — a legal requirement for doing comedy in L.A., she jokes — called “What’s Your Sign?” which combines two of her interests, astrology and humor.

Loken, who started doing comedy at age 24, said the first thing anyone who wants to do standup needs to learn is the mechanics of telling a joke, and being comfortable on stage with a mic.

After performing on stage for nearly eight years, she still sees herself as defining her voice, but you also learn a lot of lessons pretty quickly once you start getting on stage, she added.

“You find out what you think is funny about you isn’t necessarily what other people think is funny about you,” Loken said.

“I think there is a certain amount of decision to it,” she said, in terms of how a comedian can find their subject matter: “What do I want to talk about?

What do I have opinions about? What are things that bother me?”

Paul Moomjean performs in to a packed house at J.R.’s Comedy Club in Valencia on Valentine’s Day. PHOTO BY DAN WATSON / THE SIGNAL

And then it’s a matter of getting on stage and practicing the timing until you get it right. You might not always feel like the person in power when you’re on stage, but Loken’s attitude is: Everyone’s “on the same team, and you just want to have fun.”

Loken’s podcast can be found at whatsyoursignpod.libsyn.com, and also on Instagram @julialoken, @ whatsyoursignpodcast.

Roll with the punches

An enjoyment of being on stage is definitely an important trait for most standups, but just as important, said Easton Gage, a 26-year-old SCV native, is being able to roll with the punches.

“If you screw up with a joke you’ve been working on or a line, don’t stop it, try and retell the joke,” said

Gage, a standup comedian who also writes for the animated series “The Tom and Jerry Show.” “You know, acknowledge it in your head, and say, ‘OK, we can find the funny in this. I butchered it, but we’ll find the funny.’”

In Gage’s opinion, even if someone who wants to try comedy gets up on stage, that’s basically half the battle won already. As far as joke-telling, there are no rules, but he did offer one bit of advice on things to avoid: Don’t use racial slurs.

“If you can’t say the racial slur, do not say the racial slur,” he cautioned.

While it might seem obvious, it’s a scenario Gage had to deal with, indirectly.

“I did a show in Lancaster with a white comic who used the N-word,” Gage said, adding there were death

threats from the audience before the comic finished his set.

“And then the host came up to me and he said, ‘Hey, you’re next,’ and I went, ‘Oh, no — no, I’m not.’ I said, ‘I think I’ll just watch this one. I can’t … I can’t be a part of this.’ He said, ‘No, win ’em back.’ I said I don’t know if you’re looking at me. …

“I won ’em back,” said the brownhaired, blue-eyed caucasian former model, “by saying, ‘Man, I hate white people.’”

Easton Gage is on Instagram as @ EastonGage.

J.R.’s Comedy Club in Mimi’s at 24201 Magic Mountain Parkway is hosting one of the many stages for The World Series of Comedy, an annual competition, from Feb. 26-29.

36 · S U N D AYS I G N A L

F E B R UA RY 23, 2020

BUSINESS

Potential passive income streams to make ends meet

J

obs may be how many people earn their money, but there are other ways to generate income that may not require the level of effort of a nine-to-five gig.

Passive income streams can be a great way to earn substantial amounts of money. Passive income can be earned through investing in stocks, money market funds, real estate, livestock, or savings bonds. Lending money also can provide passive income. Though such income streams

are described as "passive," they require an investment of time and/or money to get started.

Passive income streams enable the average person to make some extra money without taking on a full-time job. Unlike active income, where the more you work the more you earn, passive income often generates a flat level of return over time without the same level of commitment.

Passive revenue streams are continually evolving. Modern passive in-

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vestments are varied, and can include the following ideas.

Home-rental service

Popular sites like Vacation Rental

By Owner (Vrbo®) and Airbnb put interested parties in touch with potential landlords. Vacation property owners or people who do not spend a lot of time at a primary residence may find this is a lucrative way to earn some extra money. Properties located in popular tourist areas may garner considerable income.

Digital products

Digital items, such as expert advice guides, books, informational articles, digital photography, digital artwork, and more can be sold online. The product only needs to be created once, and then it can be sold infinite more times to generate an ongoing revenue stream.

Peer-to-peer lending

According to the financial wellness site MyMoneyWizard.com, peer-topeer lending (P2P) is the practice of lending money to borrowers who

Real estate investment trusts, or REITs, offer the benefits of being a landlord without the hassle of dealing with fixing broken pipes or handling rowdy tenants. REITs are like stocks in real estate market. You purchase a share in a company that owns, manages or invests in various real estate properties. The higher the dividend rates the higher the risk, so investors must weigh REIT considerations carefully.

Passive income streams are another way to earn extra money and can be lucrative for those who take time to invest. (MC)

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P2P is a growing market that removes large financial institutions from the lending process. Lenders serve as the "bank," and the consumer pays interest on the principal. The loans can be handled through an intermediary like The Lending Club, which is regulated by the Securities and Exchange Commission.

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F E B R UA RY 23, 2020

S U N D AYS I G N A L · 3 7 Beautiful Updated Estrella Vista home with solar! 4 bedrooms,3 bathrooms and a separate air conditioned Casita! Many upgrades. Entry with Custom Tile. Wrought iron staircase leads you upstairs to a huge loft. Formal living room and dining room. Kitchen updated with granite and stainless steel appliances. Downstairs bedroom and full bathroom. Beautiful views of the mountains.

Wonderful back yard with a spa included.

This charming unit features upgraded kitchen and baths. There is Pergo style flooring thru-out and plantation shutters as well as dual paned windows. The delightful entertainers patio is accessed by dual opening sliders and the setting for summer parties is exceptional. Lush landscaping gives added ambiance.

This Senior guard gated community is patrolled 24/7 and has all the usual country club amenities including two golf courses. There are clubs galore and a little theater group, a City of Hope chapter is a great way to get involved in the community as is the community church. Senior lunch program at the church is an added plus. Come join the fun! You can be as active as you wish or just enjoy the quiet life style....$475,000

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3 8 · S U N D AY S I G N A L

Opinion

F E B R UA RY 23, 2020

Unless otherwise stated, the views and opinions expressed are those of the respective authors and do not necessarily represent the views of The Signal.

OUR VIEW

E T H I C A L LY S P E A K I N G

Election Is Under Way, So In Search of Beauty, and Don’t Miss Your Chance Its Meaning for Us All

By David Hegg

By The Signal Editorial Board

T

he race is officially on.

Thanks to Los Angeles County’s new system of voting, it’s more convenient than ever to cast your vote in the March 3 primary and the special election for the 25th Congressional District.

That’s because the election isn’t only happening on March 3. That’s right: Even if you aren’t one of those who prefers to vote by mail, and you’d rather opt for the interactive experience of casting your vote in person, you can vote now — and you don’t have to hunt down one particular location to cast your vote.

Gone are the precinct-specific polling places, with their limited hours and ultra-specific geographic availability. Now, you can vote at any one of a

number of voting centers countywide, on any day within the 11-day window leading up to March 3. To find those centers and their hours, visit lavote.net — and get out there and vote.

For your consideration, below we offer a reminder of The Signal’s endorsements for the primary and special election. Our endorsement editorial, elaborating on some of these recommendations, appeared in last Sunday’s edition.

Now go out there and be good Americans, and make your voice heard — wherever and whenever it’s most convenient.

OUR ENDORSEMENTS The following are The Signal Editorial Board's recommendations on the March 3 Primary Election ballot. We are recommending both Republican and Democratic candidates in some partisan races.

Republicans • U.S. Representative, 25th District (Primary and Unexpired Term): Mike Garcia • State Senate, 21st District: Scott Wilk • State Assembly, 36th District: Tom Lackey • State Assembly, 38th District: Suzette Martinez Valladares

Democrats • U.S. Representative, 25th District (Primary and Unexpired Term): Christy Smith • State Senate, 27th District: Henry Stern • State Assembly, 38th District: Annie E. Cho, Kelvin Driscoll

Non-Partisan Races • Los Angeles County Supervisor, 5th District: Kathryn Barger • Los Angeles County District Attorney: Jackie Lacey • Judge of the Superior Court No. 76: Emily Cole • Judge of the Superior Court No. 162: Scott Andrew Yang

Ballot Measures • California Proposition 13, School and College Facilities Bond: No

I

n the academic arena, the study of philosophy is usually broken down into the areas of metaphysics, ethics and aesthetics.

The last of these seeks to understand the area of beauty, its nature and its benefits. We all understand at some level the need for ethics in order for society to move along in some ordered and managed fashion.

Ethics are the norms we share, to which we submit, in order to live together in a way that benefits us all.

Of course, some engage in unethical behavior and so the need arises for laws and those who enforce them.

But if ethics allow for the ordering of community life, it is beauty that makes life enjoyable.

Beauty is to life what taste is to food, and color is to art. Beauty infuses gladness into the passage of time and reminds the heart that life was certainly intended to be more than mere existence.

When we think of beauty, we most often consider something pleasing to the eye. And certainly that which is visually pleasing can be beautiful.

But here is where we run into the dilemma around which the study of aesthetics often winds itself. Just what constitutes beauty?

And once we determine this, what other areas of perception are capable of assessing and perceiving beauty?

Certainly the ear and the nose and the tongue can find the notes, aromas, and tastes of life beautiful.

And isn’t it also true that our minds and hearts can be the recipients of beauty in the form of thoughts and nuances that even those deprived of physical senses could know?

It is not my intention here to take us all down the deep, dark hole of aesthetical theory. But I can suggest that, if we did, we would find that beauty is, indeed, “in the eye of the beholder.” That is, each of us assess beauty and benefit from it in our own way, according to our own standards, motivated by our own unique set of life experiences.

Simply put, what I think is beautiful may not be so to you. And a trip together to a modern art gallery would probably be all the proof either of us would need!

Of course, the pervasive cultural norms of a society will in some measure set standards for what may be considered beautiful.

An example is the way the feminine form has been portrayed down through the history of fine art. What was beautiful to Reubens is a far cry from the models in the latest fashion magazine. And something as simple as dress styles demonstrates that the broad conception of beauty changes year by year.

What looked great at the party three years ago would be mocked today. But, hold on to it because in 15 years or so your kids will think it's rockin’ retro.

Given that beauty is, to a large extent, determined by the beholder in concert with some of the trends of the day, what can we say about the very nature of beauty? Does it exist?

And if so, what is the connection between beauty and the enjoyment of life, if any?

My view is that beauty does exist, but it is not to be found in the object considered beautiful. While we think that snow-capped mounSee HEGG, page 39

F E B R UA RY 23, 2020

S U N D AY S I G N A L · 3 9

Opinion

Contact: Tim Whyte, Signal Editor Phone: 661-287-5591 | Email: letters@signalscv.com Mail: 26330 Diamond Place, Suite 100, Santa Clarita, CA 91350

BLACK&WHYTE

D R AW I N G C O N C LU S I O N S J E F F S TA H L E R

A Tale of 2 Men, 2 Guns, and 2 GoFundMe Pages

By Tim Whyte Signal Editor

T

he men started their days differently on Feb. 2. Nick Durghalli went to work at his small business. He didn’t plan on that day changing his life.

Brandon Burris, 25, started his day with a different intent.

He was going to rob a liquor store — the one owned by Nick Durghalli.

Burris entered the Golden Stop, at Sierra Highway and Golden Valley Road, armed with a handgun. But things didn’t go as planned for Burris, because Durghalli had a gun, too.

What ensued was a shootout that wounded the store owner and left the robber dead, shot six times.

When deputies arrived, they found Durghalli, bleeding, trying to crawl out of his store. A deputy dragged him to safety, not immediately knowing whether a shooter was still inside.

Sheriff ’s officials say the store owner acted in self-defense. When I first read our news story, my gut reaction was: “Good for him. This was a proper exercise of his Second Amendment rights.”

As has become de rigueur after a fatality, GoFundMe pages went up. As you might expect, there was one for the store owner, who suffered injuries and, I’m sure, some business losses, too.

The page for Durghalli set a goal of $10,000, and the intro reads: “Let’s rally around our friend Nick... He had a gun pulled on him and someone attempted to rob him not only of his livelihood, but of his life! Thank God my friend exercised his Second Amendment rights and was able to save his customer and his own life! Let’s wrap our arms around Nick, and let him know Santa Clarita supports him and he is a true hero!” The page has raised $1,610.

That’s $5,596 less than what’s been raised on the GoFundMe page for

the family of Burris, the robber. The intro to that page reads: “As this was very sudden to our family, we are asking for any help that can be provided to us in this devastating time. Brandon leaves behind his parents, a praying great-grandmother and grandmother, a son Elijah Burris, a host of brothers and sisters, as well as many family members! Due to Brandon’s untimely death, the family is struggling to provide him with the proper burial. Please assist us as we lay Brandon to rest at his final destination. Rest in heaven as well as peacefully, Brandon ‘G Monk’ Burris!

We love you unconditionally.”

When I saw the totals, I was taken aback: $7,206 for the robber, and $1,610 for the man he tried to rob.

There’s an incongruity to that.

I don’t begrudge anyone for helping Burris’ family. I don’t know what demons he battled, or what led to his fateful decision. None of those answers would make his loss any less devastating for his family. The people who loved him, unconditionally, are hurting, dealing with unexpected loss.

I get it. It’s similar to how I felt about the GoFundMe for the family of the shooter who killed two classmates at Saugus High on Nov. 14 before killing himself. He wasn’t the victim, he was the shooter. But he had family members who loved him and were grieving.

And yet... while I hate to reduce such things to something as cold as numbers... $7,206 for the shooter’s family, and $1,610 for the man he tried to rob, who suffered physical and financial wounds, and will live the rest of his life knowing that, even though it was justified, he took a life.

There’s just something “off ” about that.

Tim Whyte is editor of The Signal.

HEGG

Continued from page 38

tain is beautiful, it is so because of the way it excites our vision, stirs our passion, and brings a sense of wellbeing.

Simply put, beauty is what exists when I respond positively to something that plays on my senses, my emotions, or my memory. It is my response that creates the sensation we call beauty, and further, it is this sensation that is vital to the enjoyment of life.

The search for this sensation is a driving force in our lives. That trip to the mall, or an evening at the symphony, and any other kind of leisure activity in between all may be seen as a determined, intentional search for beauty.

Whether it is found in that new sweater, or the magnificent interplay between the sounds and timbre of the orchestral instruments, we know beauty when we find it. And when we find it, we feel it. And that feeling reminds us that life is to be enjoyed, and not just lived.

It is also my belief that, fundamentally, we are addicted to beauty.

I mean this in the sense that lives that are deprived of beauty become narrower and shallower and lose

that vibrancy that is essential to what we might call a full life. This also means that we are incomplete in ourselves, for we cannot provide the very things we need for life. Like food, water, and air, beauty has to be supplied to us from outside of ourselves.

Turns out we are not independent, but very much dependent on an outside source for all of these essentials.

I suppose that God could have created a universe much different than this one. He could have left us with only two flavors, or only six colors, and maybe only five notes and one octave.

He could have done this, and we would never have known.

But, graciously, He has lavished on us myriad colors and sounds and combinations of flavors. And beyond this gracious display, He has also granted us the privilege of relationship with one another, which is the greatest beauty, and the promise of eternal beauty in relationship to Him through Jesus Christ.

Now that’s a beautiful life.

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

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