Sunday Signal April 5, 2020

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APRIL 5, 2020

Myths, Rumors & Facts on COVID-19 Page 4

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A P R I L 5, 2020

S U N D AYS I G N A L · 3

TABLE OF CONTENTS

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NEWS FEATURES 4 4 Health organizations dispel COVID-19 myths, rumors 5 Santa Clarita residents helping each other out 6 Family-fun video games to enjoy during quarantine 7 Congregations to gather online for Easter, Passover LOCAL NEWS 8 8 Brothers produce hand sanitizer at distillery Big rig collision spurs hazmat closure of I-5 9 A good deed at the grocery store The Signal helping local businesses 10 City sets eviction moratorium for residential, businesses SCV transit driver dies after testing positive for COVID-19 11 Newhall resident uses 3D printer to make masks FROM THE CITY MANAGER 12 12 Add ‘recycling right’ to your daily lessons HEALTH 13 13 Allergy season: A risky time of year for asthma patients KIDS & FAMILY 14 14 Donna’s Day: Easter egg-y ideas The value of reading to kids is now visible Junior Whirl puzzles for kids 15 Great ways to bond with your new infant FOOD 16 16 Glazed-baked ham is so easy and delicious TECHNOLOGY 17 17 Sanitizing Amazon and freebies in a pandemic PETS 19 19 Welcome a 4-legged family member with care GARDENING 20 20 Tips for container gardening SENIOR LIVING 21 21 Five ways to improve your heart health TIME RANGER 22 HOLIDAY 23 23 The celebration of Passover during a trying time Did you know the similarities between Passover, Easter OPINION 24 PUZZLES 25

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A P R I L 5, 2020

N E W S F E AT U R E S

Health organizations dispel COVID-19 myths, rumors

By Tammy Murga Signal Staff Writer

A

s the novel coronavirus continues to spread across the world, including within the Santa Clarita Valley, health experts scramble to find a cure. There’s still no known solution as of yet, but that has not stopped a slew of myths and misconceptions about COVID-19 from circulating.

To date, the virus has been responsible for more than 786,000 confirmed cases across the world and claimed the lives of about 37,800 people, according to John Hopkins’ coronavirus resource center.

On March 11, when the total number of cases was far lower, the World Health Organization officially classified the public health emergency to a pandemic.

When the term “pandemic” appears more frequently, fear can easily become the driver behind health advice that can range from harmless to downright dangerous to our wellness, if we don’t check our information, or make sure it comes from reputable sources.

Now more than ever, it’s important to educate oneself and dispel the rumors that often circulate on social media, according to John Hopkins Medicine’s webpage dedicated to coronavirus information.

John Hopkins Medicine offers three simple guidelines to follow to help

one spot a rumor: • Use trusted sources, such as official government or health care websites and social media channels.

• Evaluate other information from the source, including links and sources, to see if it appears reliable.

• Search other credible resources to see if they are sharing similar information.

Keeping these guidelines in mind, health experts advise identifying fact from misconception. From taking a hot bath to drinking alcohol, here are some myth busters, highlighted by health agencies such as the World Health Organization, that you might have missed:

Consuming or spraying alcohol to kill COVID-19

Among the most dangerous myths is the belief that drinking alcohol or spraying it and other chemical elements such as chlorine onto one’s body can eliminate the virus.

More than 60 people have died of alcohol poisoning in Iran’s Fars province, while 13 had died of the coronavirus, according to a recent Iranian media report.

Consuming or spraying industrial-strength alcohol directly onto one’s body could be harmful, according to the WHO. “Spraying such substances can be harmful to clothes or mucous membranes (such as eyes and mouth),” the WHO said on its website. “Be aware that both alcohol and chlorine can be useful to disinfect surfaces, but they need to be used under appropriate recommendations.”

COVID-19 only affects older adults

Using hand sanitizer to keep your hands clean is one of the more effective ways to help fight the spread of coronavirus.

Older adults and individuals with pre-existing medical conditions, such as diabetes or heart disease, have shown to be more vulnerable to becoming ill with the novel coronavirus but as the spread continues to grow across the world, the tallies have shown that people of all ages can become infected.

In Los Angeles County alone, where the total number of confirmed cases reached 2,474 on March 30, an estimated 80% of all positive cases occurred in people between the ages

Garlic is known to have some antimicrobial properties and while consuming the herb via natural remedies is not harmful, “there is no evidence” it helps with coronavirus, per World Health Organization officials. PHOTOS BY BENJAMIN MURGA / FOR THE SIGNAL

of 18 and 65, while 46% of cases involved those over the age of 65, according to the county’s Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer.

“COVID-19 does not discriminate by age, race or income level,” she said in a prepared statement.

Eating garlic to prevent infection

Generally, consuming fruits and vegetables is good for one’s own health but there is currently no evidence to support that specific food can fight off COVID-19, including garlic.

Garlic is known to have some antimicrobial properties and while consuming the herb via natural remedies is not harmful, “there is no evidence from the current outbreak that eating garlic has protected people from the new coronavirus,” said the WHO.

Transmission through mosquito bites

Among the myriad amount of misconceptions surrounding the novel coronavirus is that it can be transmitted by mosquitoes.

The WHO quickly dispels that information, deeming it false because coronavirus “is a respiratory virus, which spreads primarily through droplets generated when an infected person coughs or sneezes, or through droplets of saliva or discharge from the nose.”

To better protect oneself from contracting the virus, health officials recommend washing one’s hands frequently with alcohol-based hand

rub or with soap and water. Avoiding close contact with anyone who coughs or sneezes is also vital.

Hot baths can prevent COVID-19

The belief is that taking hot baths can help prevent one from catching the novel coronavirus, as drinking warm or hot beverages can soothe the throat if it is sore and help reduce one’s chances of picking up a virus.

But when it comes to COVID-19, that is not the case, according to the WHO. “Your normal body temperature remains around 36.5°C to 37°C, regardless of the temperature of your bath or shower,” the WHO said. “Actually, taking a hot bath with extremely hot water can be harmful, as it can burn you.”

There are several other ways one can effectively protect oneself however, said Dr. Bud Lawrence, the medical director at Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital’s Emergency Department, in a statement.

You can wash your hands and use hand sanitizer; avoid touching your face as the virus tends to enter mucous membranes like the eyes, nose and mouth; clean and disinfect frequently-touched surfaces; cover your nose and mouth when coughing or sneezing; and practice social distancing, such as keeping more than six feet away from others and staying at home as much as possible, he said.

A P R I L 5, 2020

S U N D AYS I G N A L · 5

N E W S F E AT U R E S

Santa Clarita residents helping each other out

By Emily Alvarenga Signal Staff Writer

W

hen 62-year-old Janine Mai posted on Facebook, asking for suggestions because her usual home-delivery grocery service was completely booked, she had no idea she’d be overwhelmed by the replies.

“What I really found is that my neighbors are just incredible people,” the Castaic resident said. “Because I got so many people who answered me in terms of how to sort of work the delivery system, I was able today to schedule another home delivery.”

As a cancer patient undergoing chemotherapy, Mai has to be really careful about her germ exposure on a normal day. “With something like this, who knows, but I think if I catch this, it will kill me because I just don’t have the ability to fight back.”

So, Mai has been extra cautious, even going as far as to wear gloves to wash every single grocery item that was delivered with a bleach and water solution.

And, she’s not the only one — there are hundreds of Santa Clarita Valley residents who are considered part of the high-risk population and being told to avoid leaving their homes at all costs.

Social groceries

That’s why dozens more are offering to help in whatever way they can, such as Valencia resident Larry Fleischman, who put out a video on social media, offering to deliver groceries to anyone in the SCV, free of charge.

“I thought, ‘I’m able-bodied and can go to the market, so if I can help anybody, then wonderful,’” he said.

Though no one reached out asking for help, Fleischman got a ton of replies from others who volunteered to help him, giving him the idea to instead switch gears. So, he reached out to local advocacy groups in need of donations, then he put out the call for help.

“I got a great response for that,” he said. “I ended up driving around and picking up a number of supplies (from) people’s homes, and they just left their donations on the doorstep.”

He then took the donations he col-

Left: Valencia High School students Kate Hill, 18, left, and Gabe Macias, 17, put on their gloves and masks as they wait in line to shop for clients of the student-run Six Feet Supplies on Wednesday. PHOTO

BY DAN WATSON / THE SIGNAL Right: Christine Riel and Kenneth Sohn, right to left, pick up groceries to be delivered. COURTESY PHOTO

lected, along with some of his own, to Bridge to Home.

Student-powered help

When high school juniors Eric Luo and Zoe Monterola began seeing stories like Mai’s of residents scared to go grocery shopping, it didn’t take long for them to get inspired.

With the help of other students in their Global Prep Academy class, the co-founders created Six Feet Supplies, a student-run organization that delivers groceries free of charge.

“We take orders from those who don’t feel confident enough to go shopping for essentials and personally shop and deliver groceries to them … reducing the risk of transmission for these people,” Luo said.

That being said, safety and sanitation are a priority, and those who come in contact with any delivery are trained in the organization’s safety procedures.

“Our biggest thing is wanting to limit item-to-item contact or person-to-person contact for our safety and their safety,” Monterola added.

“We’ve tried to cover every single basis (in terms of safety) … I think that’s a very important part because the biggest thing is that we need their trust, and that can be a little bit diffi-

cult, especially with the times now.”

Once an order is placed on their website, it doesn’t take long for it to show up on your doorstep, as Newhall resident and retired Saugus High School teacher Patty Stephenson can attest.

“I am a senior with serious health issues, so I’m inside for the duration,” she said, adding that her husband, who usually does the shopping, is away taking care of his sister.

Like many others, Stephenson attempted to order groceries online to no avail. That is until she discovered Six Feet Supplies.

“I thought, ‘Well, what can it hurt,’ so I went to the website and filled (the order form) out, hoping (to get a reply) the next day or so, but within a couple of hours, I heard from Brenda (Kim),” she said. “I mostly needed lots of romaine because my husband has this giant tortoise and I haven’t been able to feed him because I can’t go to the store.”

A short while later, Kim showed up with Stephenson’s order. “She had on a mask and gloves, her mom was out in the car and she put (my bags) on my porch. That was it — I had my groceries.”

Though Stephenson doesn’t usually

post on Facebook, she had to share the organization with her friends.

“I just think it’s so amazing that these kids are doing this, and it’s probably for some of them out of their comfort zone, (as) most of our teenagers do not go grocery shopping, but the fact that kids are doing this is great,” she said, later adding, “I think people are recognizing that we need to help each other.”

In just a week, Six Feet Supplies has made approximately 40 deliveries and purchased more than $3,000 worth of groceries.

“In the wake of what’s happening, we wanted to develop a system so people know that there’s help … because nobody should feel as if they’re alone or if they have no help,” Monterola said.

It’s exactly that idea that Mai doesn’t have to do it alone that is what’s stuck with her. “That’s been really touching.”

To contact Larry Fleischman, email larry@teambjorkman.com. For more information on Six Feet Supplies, visit sixfeetsupplies.com, email 6feetsupplies@ gmail.com or call (973) 668-7576.

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A P R I L 5, 2020

N E W S F E AT U R E S

Family-fun video games to enjoy during quarantine

By Caleb Lunetta Signal Staff Writer

V

ideo games are not normally thought of as something that the whole family can enjoy. Sure, games can get competitive, and tempers can flare, but now’s also a time to look at how these digital distractions can also bring us together.

There are a number of games out there that can be bridge-builders that bring the family unit together, or can give friends far away a sense of community through online play. A genre of video game that is not only needed during normal times, but especially during a period in which the whole family is trapped inside the house.

Interestingly enough, a 2018 study published out of University of California, Davis showed that the more often family members play video games together, the better family satisfaction and family closeness they have.

“Families with poor family communication benefit more from co-playing than those with effective family communication,” the study said. “Family satisfaction mediated the relationship between video game co-playing and family closeness (and) game features that facilitate family relationships were discovered through open-ended questions.”

Whether you enjoy a joystick, the keyboard or the Wii, like Ruby is using to bowl, video games are a fun way friends and family can get together even while apart.

PHOTO BY EMILY ALVARENGA / THE SIGNAL

“Participants typically enjoyed playing video games with family members,” the authors of study added, “and social benefits are the most salient in family settings.”

So, while most families think of “family game” night as a slew of board and card games, consider adding these virtual experiences to your repertoire.

Jackbox Games

Available on every single platform from PC to Playstation to XBOX to even apps that can be downloaded

directly onto your smart TV, such as Apple TV and Amazon Fire, Jackbox games is a smorgasbord of games to play with the whole family.

You can play these games from house to house, city to city, state to state, connecting friends and family all through the use of mobile phones.

Each game used on Jackbox is displayed on whatever system or apparatus that is in front of you, and without a single download onto your phone, everyone can play along together.

The games vary in style and complexity, but the mainstays of the party pack include “You Don’t Know Jack,” “Fibbage XL,” “Drawful,” “Word Spud,” and “Lie Swatter.” Each one can either test your trivia knowledge, your bluffing abilities or your artistic talents within a 5- to 10-minute span.

Each one of these games is multiplayer, has family-friendly options in the settings, and can be played through the use of phones, tablets and/or computers with no extra controllers needed.

For more information about JackBox games and the costs of each party pack, visit https://jackboxgames. com/.

Skribbl.io

Our smart phones and tablets also offer a number of ways to connect and play while connecting with others. PHOTO BY CALEB LUNETTA / THE SIGNAL

Skribbl.io is a video game that asks participants to combine their art skills with their video game and critical thinking skills.

Free and available to everyone through their web browser, Skribbl.

io allows you to create a private lobby for you, your family and/or your friends to join.

In essence, the game works similarly to Pictionary, but electronically.

One person in the lobby chooses from a word bank and then is given a certain alotted time to draw it for everyone to see on their screens.

The people who are not drawing are given the number of letters in the word and have to type their answer into the word box as the timer ticks.

You have an unlimited number of guesses, but the faster you answer, the more points that are allotted to you.

The game is fun for the whole family, and if you don’t want to take the words that are pre-generated, you can input your own words that are specialized for you and your friends.

For more information on how to play Skribbl, visit https://skribbl.io/.

Puzzle mobile games

Two games that are not only fun and accessible to play, but keep your wits sharp and about you are two classics that have been around for quite some time: “Words with Friends 2,” “Best Fiends STARS” and “Trivia Crack.”

Words with Friends is Scrabble and you can rally together your whole family to take each other on in a battle of words. Whoever gets the most points technically wins, but everyone gets to walk away with a little larger vocabulary and an experience together.

“Trivia Crack” involves challenging families, as well, the game tests everything from your history, to science to pop culture knowledge. Boosts and in-game help are available to extend the clock or give you a second chance.

And lastly, “Best Fiends STARS” is a puzzle game that you “match and blast your way” through with “explosive puzzles and characters that you can collect. You can race your friends and family to collect treasures and stars before you get snagged by the slimy slugs.

All these games are free to play and available on both the Apple store and Google Play.

A P R I L 5, 2020

S U N D AYS I G N A L · 7

N E W S F E AT U R E S

Congregations to gather online for Easter, Passover

By Perry Smith Sunday Signal Editor

T

his April, Easter and Passover, two holidays that encourage family, togetherness and community, are posing unique challenges for congregations everywhere.

Both the Christian and Jewish faiths use these occasions to come together en masse and celebrate their beliefs, as well as being with each other. “(Passover) really is a holiday that’s meant to be shared with people,” said Rabbi Mark Blazer of Temple Beth Ami. In fact, in the past, the Santa Clarita United Methodist Church shared its facility on Bouquet Canyon Road with Temple Beth Ami to accommodate the crowd the temple sees for the holiday, Blazer said.

“It’s really a testament to the cooperation of the interfaith relationships in our community,” Blazer said.

But this year, things will be a little different for congregations throughout the Santa Clarita Valley.

County, state and national restrictions have placed limits on crowd sizes that must be fewer than 10 people.

Going online

The good news is, whether you’re celebrating Passover, Easter or with a different community altogether, there are a growing number of options for online worship.

“What we need are two simple things,” according to Pastor David Hegg, senior pastor of Grace Baptist Church, in his recent Signal column.

“First, our response to the reality of COVID-19 should be informed, thoughtful, measured and consistent.

Second, we need to love our neighbors and look out for each other.”

With the inability to physically congregate, churches and temples have created online services and venues that utilize live-streaming software on church websites and through Facebook Live and Zoom.

“We’ve been holding our masses online at 9 a.m. through our website,” said Nancy Fishwick, facilities manager for St. Clare of Assisi Parish.

“We’re pretty pleased with how it’s been building,” Fishwick said of the

Left: Rabbi Mark Blazer speak to a crowd during last year’s Passover service for Temple Beth Ami, while Vasquez Rocks traditionally hosts a large Easter service — however, this year both Jewish and Christian congregations are seeking alternatives to comply with quarantine restrictions. (Left) PHOTO BY DAN WATSON / THE SIGNAL (Right) PHOTO COURTESY TEMPLE BETH AMI

online audience, noting that while it’s a pretty new effort, parishioners have been steadily increasing.

For Holy Week, the congregation will be putting its services available to view online through a Facebook Live.

There will also be a Spanish-language version, as well, she added.

“It’s going to be interesting,” Fishwick said, of the church’s Holy Week celebrations. “Adaptability is the key here. We all have to adapt.”

Celebrating faith under precautions

Along those lines, churches and temples are using not only social media, but also their creativity to come up with fixes for the challenges posed by quarantine.

For Palm Sunday, for example, Fishwick said parishioners will still be able to receive their palm fronds, an important part of the holiday’s symbolism in the Catholic faith, from their local church.

“People will be able to do drive-thru pick-up,” she said.

The tradition and celebration around Passover during a pandemic poses unique problems for Jewish community, as well, Blazer explained.

“It’s the food itself that is part of the way we tell the story,” Blazer said.

“So you have to have the ability to serve food while you’re together for the meal. To have a Passover Seder by yourself is almost impossible — because to be with people for the service is so important.”

As a way to continue the tradition with food and community, Blazer

Holy Week in the Christian faith is recognized as the last week of Lent, which leads up to Easter (April 12), from Palm Sunday (April 5) to Holy Saturday.

Passover will begin in the evening of Wednesday, April 8 and end in the evening of Thursday, April 16. Check your local congregation’s website for information about online service times. created a seder meal program that families can take part in for $15 per person.

“It’s a mixture of prayers and the meal together, because the seder meal tells the story of liberation,” Blazer said.

“We also want to make sure that it’s affordable, because we want no one to be left out,” he said, noting all of the items would be kosher. “So this year, we’re providing the Passover meal with the Seder meal items.”

His temple has also had success moving her service online, he said, which has even expanded the temple’s ability to reach people across the country. In addition to drawing an audience from across the country, he said viewership numbers indicated approximately 2,200 tuned into a recent service — a crowd size that few SCV facilities could accommodate.

Finding a silver lining

In addition to a wider potential audience, Blazer noted the pandemic

and its restrictions have prompted the creation of more online content that allows people to share with their community, and also create resources that last online.

The potential technical challenges were once something that might previously have been a reason not to try an online service, while necessity relegated those potential challenges to something that might need to be addressed and overcome.

“One of your objectives (with an event) from the very beginning is to create community, to create a sense of togetherness,” Blazer said. “And when (congregants) agree to be somewhere together, in one place, that’s really something special.”

Part of making the most of a virtual service is recognizing that the experience will be inherently a little different, because that’s not possible now.

“We recognize that that’s a limitation right off the bat — that great sense of community is not going to be the same way it’s been before,” he said.

In light of understanding this, Blazer said he’s making sure the message going out is positive, and cognizant of the fact that so many are facing a myriad of unprecedented challenges at the moment.

“We have enough sadness right now,” he said, “so we really are focusing on the more positive and uplifting things because we need that.”

8 · S U N D AYS I G N A L

A P R I L 5, 2020

LOCALNEWS

Brothers produce hand sanitizer at distillery, distribute cases in the SCV

By Emily Alvarenga Signal Staff Writer

M

any of the supplies needed by the nation’s health care workers during the coronavirus pandemic are in short supply, including hand sanitizer.

As it turns out, it can be produced quite easily — easy enough that many distillers who would normally be producing alcohol are beginning to switch gears, doing what they can to help meet the demand, including brothers David and Billy Vondrasek.

“When you see these things happening, you go, ‘Why isn’t somebody doing something?’” said Billy, a winemaker with Wine Cowboys. “We just looked at each other (and said), ‘Well, wait a minute, we can do something.’

So, we did.”

Since the increase in demand, the Tax and Trade Bureau and Food and Drug Administration — which both oversee any kind of alcoholic beverage production — have started to allow permitted distilleries to go from producing alcohol for beverages to producing alcohol for hand sanitizer.

“It says a lot for a government agency to move that quick, and so, here we go — we’re doing it,” said David, a distiller at Azeo Distillery in Paso Robles.

Billy and David set to work getting

Billy Vondrasek loads bottles of hand sanitizer produced and donated to Henry Mayo Hospital by Azeo Distillery Monday afternoon. PHOTO BY BOBBY BLOCK / THE SIGNAL

the approvals needed, and soon, the distillery began producing sanitizer, made primarily from wine grapes.

“I already started the wheels in motion before I let my boss know what I was doing, so shout-out to our

president, Ryan Horn, for saying, ‘I like it,’ because we’re doing strictly donation,” David added.

The first batch of sanitizer totaled more than enough to fill a 50-gallon trash can, or about 2,000 portions,

which, after the required three-day quarantine period, the Vondrasek brothers immediately set out to distribute to smaller hospitals and first responders on the front lines.

Upon making the final donation at their last stops here in the Santa Clarita Valley at Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital, then at the SCV Sheriff ’s Station, there were smiling faces all around.

“I always worry about what could go wrong, even on the drive out, and you know what, this was our last stop of the day, (and) everything’s been great,” Billy said.

They were met by Romelle Kaine and William Brandon of the Deja Vu Foundation, who will be taking the product out to the Antelope Valley Hospital as well as first responders.

Just 10 days ago, the Vondrasek brothers set out with a goal, and with the help of numerous people, they were able to complete it.

“We’re just thankful for all the people (who have helped out) … everybody (who) jumped aboard and (has been) helping out,” Billy said. “It’s absolutely fantastic.”

Still, they said it’s just the start.

“I’m going to go back home, I’m gonna start running the still,” David said, “and (make) another batch.”

Big-rig collision spurs hazmat closure of I-5

By Tammy Murga Signal Staff Writer

C A California Highway Patrol officer removes barriers, reopening the on-ramp to northbound Interstate 5.

PHOTO BY DAN WATSON / THE SIGNAL

alifornia Highway Patrol officers closed Interstate 5 from Castaic to Kern County after receiving reports of a big-rig crash involving a chemical spill on Wednesday morning.

The collision involved a tanker truck and a big rig with a hazardous spill of liquid chlorine on the northbound lanes, according to the California Department of Transpor-

tation’s District 6.

The crash caused an hours-long closure of the 5 freeway between Lebec Road in Frazier Park and Parker Road in Castaic “due to a hazmat collision,” the California Highway Patrol Newhall office said in a Tweet.

A SigAlert was issued just before 8:30 a.m. and lasted until approximately 1:30 p.m., when the CHP announced that all lanes opened.

“We do have Kern County Fire and a Hazmat team responding to the crash,” said Andrew Freeborn, spokesman for the Kern County

Fire Department, at the start of the response.

By 9 a.m., CHP officers reopened the Lake Hughes onramp to the northbound lanes of the 5 freeway and reopened all southbound lanes by noon. Northbound traffic was being diverted to Lebec Road “to bypass the spill. We are holding southbound traffic for now,” CHP Fort Tejon said.

Drivers were advised to detour via southbound State Route 14 to State Route 58 or via State Route 126 to Highway 101.

A P R I L 5, 2020

S U N D AYS I G N A L · 9

A good deed at the grocery store

By Emily Alvarenga Signal Staff Writer

A

s the news of the coronavirus continues to dominate headlines, it’s always nice to hear a story that makes you smile once and awhile. During these tough times, The Signal has heard countless stories of residents across the Santa Clarita Valley pulling together to support each other with kindness.

With that in mind, this is the first in a new weekly “Act of Kindness” feature that will appear in Thursday editions.

Covering a family’s need Stevenson Ranch resident Annie Julian Sherinian had what she calls a “truly amazing act of kindness” just last week.

She’s a disabled, single mom of a 10-year-old boy, who says she has fallen on hard times after her ex-husband stopped paying child support, which was their only income.

“Unfortunately, we got evicted from our apartment,” she said.

“Everything bad that could have happened, happened to us, and we are now homeless.”

They have been living at the Extended Stay America Hotel for a couple of months. “I never in a million years would have thought we’d be in this situation, but we’re working on trying to figure something out.”

Last Friday, Sherinian went grocery shopping at Ralphs in Stevenson Ranch, and it wasn’t until she made it to the register and was having a nice conversation with the cashier that she realized she didn’t have enough money left on her EBT card, nor enough cash, to cover the entire purchase.

In a perfect storm of events, she had also just recently canceled her debit card, which had received fraudulent charges, and had yet to receive her new one.

ACT OF KINDNESS “While trying to figure out what I needed to put back, Charlie, the cashier, pulled out his credit card and paid the remainder of my bill in the amount of $32.35,” Sherinian said.

Though she objected, even offering to pay him back, Charlie insisted, telling Sherinian it was his pleasure, she said. “(He said), ‘It makes me feel good knowing I was able to help and do something nice for someone,’” she added. “I was in tears and just blown away … I didn’t know what to say. All I could do was to thank him over and over again.”

Upon leaving the store with all her groceries, she immediately called Ralphs to speak with Charlie’s manager and share his good deed, hoping he’d receive a promotion or “much-deserved raise.”

“When somebody does something like that, it’s just so tremendous,” she added. “It’s the human thing to do, (but) I never expected it to happen for me, and I never thought I would need it, to be honest.”

Sherinian was especially grateful for his generous donation due to the high amount. “It wasn’t just like $5 or $8, it was $32.35, and that’s a huge deal — it’s a lot of money.”

“It’s amazing, how a stranger would do such an incredible thing, especially this day and age, which is so rare,” Sherinian added. “I just want Charlie to be recognized for his incredibly amazing act of kindness and generosity.”

Has someone been kind to you recently? If you have a story you’d like to share, please send your stories to citydesk@signalscv.com.

LOCALNEWS

Helping local businesses The Signal is offering free help to local businesses that are open during the COVID -19 Pandemic. They have created two web pages as a service to the community: • Businesses that are open, contact info, hours and a few lines of specials.

• Businesses that are seeking employees may advertise for people.

Free help for open businesses and job seekers: To post your business’ information and job listings, you can find the forms here: • Job openings form: https://signalscv.com/covid19-jobsform/ • Businesses open form: https://signalscv.com/covid19businesses-form/ To view current postings at any given time, visit these pages: • Job openings page: https://signalscv.com/covid19-jobs/ • Businesses open page: https://signalscv.com/covid19businesses/

10 · S U N D AYS I G N A L

A P R I L 5, 2020

LOCALNEWS

City establishes eviction moratorium for residential and commercial tenants

By Tammy Murga Signal Staff Writer

T

he City Council voted Tuesday to establish an ordinance that protects residential and commercial tenants citywide from evictions through the end of May. Under the eviction moratorium, landlords cannot evict tenants for nonpayment of rent through at least May 31. Renters will have to demonstrate that they are unable to pay due to financial impacts related to the COVID-19 outbreak and must communicate that in writing — or via email or text — to their landlords at the earliest opportunity.

Tenants will still have to pay for missed payments but without the implementation of any late fees.

After the May 31 mark, or later should Gov. Gavin Newsom extend the statewide order, renters will have six months to pay the delinquent amount of rent on top of any then-current due amount, according

to the City Attorney Joseph Montes.

The ordinance itself does not include language for enforcement by the city “given concerns as to the unknown scope of potential impacts on code enforcement and legal resources,” said Montes.

The moratorium comes as many tenants have experienced sudden income losses and have become vulnerable to eviction, due to a statewide directive for people to stay home and for most workplaces to temporarily shut down as health and government officials reiterate the importance of preventing the spread of the virus.

“By passing this resolution we help alleviate some of the stress that our residents are feeling,” Santa Clarita Mayor Cameron Smyth said, adding that those still able to pay their rent should continue to pay “because that’s important to keep the economy going.”

Santa Clarita’s directive follows Newsom’s March 27 order on protections against evictions created

for residential tenants only, and Los Angeles County’s own ban, issued March 19, that covers both residential and commercial tenants but only in the unincorporated portions of the county. In the Santa Clarita Valley, the county’s eviction moratorium would only cover places such as Stevenson Ranch and Castaic.

Rent due is around the corner on April 1 for many across the Santa Clarita Valley, including most “nonessential” businesses faced with having to close their doors. With that in mind, the SCV Chamber of Commerce issued a letter of support for the ordinance, urging the city to establish the order so businesses “don’t lose eligibility for disaster relief loans to survive the crisis,” as an eviction on their credit reports could cause them to lose eligibility.

The council agreed to include language in the order clarifying that renters of manufactured homes also fall within the order, following comments raised from a resident.

While the city’s order covers

renters, Smyth has highlighted that Newsom established a 90-day grace period on residential mortgages and foreclosures for those impacted by the coronavirus. Property taxes are still due on April 10 across California, while the federal and state income tax deadline has extended to July 15.

The council’s unanimous vote came Tuesday at City Hall during a teleconferenced-special meeting that was live-streamed for the public to tune in and participate virtually due to social distancing guidelines amid the COVID-19 outbreak.

No comments were made during the meeting about the bus driver who died Tuesday morning or two other city transit drivers who tested positive for COVID-19. After learning about the death, the city said in a prepared statement that it “sends heartfelt condolences” and that it was working on enhancing the deep-cleaning of vehicles.

Santa Clarita Transit driver dies after testing positive for COVID-19

By Emily Alvarenga Signal Staff Writer

C

ity of Santa Clarita officials confirmed a Santa Clarita Transit driver has died after testing positive for coronavirus, and two others have also tested positive.

“Sadly, one of the drivers passed away this morning,” a Tuesday release from city spokeswoman Carrie Lujan read. “The city sends heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of the deceased.”

That driver last worked Friday, when driving commuter trips to North Hollywood and Warner Center, according to a news release issued by Jeff Womack, chief marketing officer at MV Transportation, the independent contractor for the city’s transit services. The driver

became ill on Saturday and subsequently was hospitalized.

The second driver also last worked Friday, and also drove commuter trips to North Hollywood and Warner Center.

The third driver, who is also a commuter operator supporting Santa Clarita, had received a positive test for COVID-19, as well, according to Womack. This employee had not driven a city bus since March 17.

In an email sent to Santa Clarita Transit employees on Monday

by MV Transportation, they were notified that a fellow employee had tested positive for COVID-19.

“This employee self-identified as being ill, and has been home for self-isolation since March 18,” the statement read.

Individuals who had been in

close contact with the employees have been notified and asked to self-quarantine for 14 days, while all vehicles, workspaces and other areas of the operation that the employees came in contact with have received a deep cleaning, per the release.

“The safety and well-being of passengers and employees is the foremost consideration of both MV and Santa Clarita Transit,” Womack said in the prepared statement.

“To that end, we have implemented enhanced cleaning protocols to include daily cleaning of vehicles with an extra-strength, hospital-grade disinfectant that has been proven to be effective against COVID-19.”

This includes surfaces that customers and staff come into contact with, including but not limited to seats, seatbelts, seat frames, stanchions, doors, bus interiors,

wheelchair lifts and controls, floors and the driver’s area are regularly cleaned, as well as areas within transit facilities.

“We are not sharing personally identifiable information out of respect for our colleague’s privacy and in keeping with HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) protections,” Womack added. “We will not announce every new illness or positive employee diagnosis since that could lead to individuals being identified and could cause other spaces to be mistakenly seen as being without risk.

Additionally, if employees fear their privacy will be compromised, they may not seek needed medical care, which hinders the ability of public health officials to respond.”

A P R I L 5, 2020

S U N D AYS I G N A L · 1 1

LOCALNEWS

Newhall resident uses 3D printer to make masks for first responders

By Caleb Lunetta Signal Staff Writer

W

hile some have taken to the traditional needle and thread to contribute to the Million Masks challenge, Santa Clarita resident A.J. Apone and his father, Allan, have decided to make technology work for them.

Working out of his New-hall home and using two 3D printers, Apone has been able to quite literally create from scratch his own, hospital-grade masks that he is then turning around and donating to first responders.

“I want to help,” said Apone, who owns a special effects make-up company. “What sent me forward was when I figured out how to create a filter — the filter was really what made the difference.”

Apone said when he figured out how to 3D print the HEPA-grade filter, or a hospital-grade filter, he figured he could make a couple with some donations helping him out. After a social media post, a few thousand dollars rolled into his fund, and he began to run his two 3D printers 24/7.

Apone said, at $2 each, the masks currently take a few hours for his two printers to make, and, as of Tuesday, he can complete 11 a day.

“The printers are running literally all through the night,” said Apone.

“It takes three-and-a-half hours to print one, so I wake up at 3 or 4 in the morning to reset the machine.”

But because of donations and people recognizing his project, The Mask

A.J. Apone, left and his father, Allan, work with their 3D printer as they create the plastic portion of masks at their home in Nehwall on Tuesday. They are using two 3D printers to create hospital-grade masks from scratch. PHOTO BY DAN WATSON / THE SIGNAL

Initiative, online, he hopes to get 12 machines running at the same time, creating 70-80 masks a day.

“I’ve been talking to people in New York and I’ve been talking to people in Pennsylvania,” said Apone. “(Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s) office told me that they would help me with materials and they would send me another 3D printer.”

Apone said his plan has been, and he continues to keep moving forward with it, to give the masks to first responders.

“I’ve gotten a lot of support from friends in the community, whether it be friends that have access to the

machines … or do outreach to the hospitals and nurses like that,” said Apone. “It’s pretty remarkable how much it’s really gained traction in the last four or five days.”

On Tuesday, Apone drove a number of masks over from his home/ workshop in Newhall to Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital.

He also said that first responders who are looking to receive the masks can reach out to him and he would be willing to meet up with them or leave the masks on the front porch so as to maintain social distancing.

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A P R I L 5, 2020

FROM THE CITY MANAGER

Add ‘recycling right’ to your daily lessons

By City Manager Ken Striplin

W

e are in uncharted territory.

The coronavirus pandemic has impacted almost every aspect of our daily lives.

Many parents now find themselves filling the role of teacher and navigating the challenges of figuring out how to teach common core math.

Something not so challenging — is teaching your children how to recycle right.

With the Stay at Home and Safer at Home orders we are currently under here in Santa Clarita, people are spending all day at home, which has led to an increase in residential trash and recycling volume. Use this time to include your family in the goal of recycling right.

The City’s Recycle Hero cam-

paign is the newest public awareness campaign designed to break down recycling myths while encouraging residents to dispose of their waste properly.

In California, the average family home produces as much as 8,700 pounds of trash per year; however, approximately 40% of that waste is not recycled correctly.

We can do better by placing recyclable materials in the recycle bin and leaving items out that don’t belong there.

Basic items like clean paper and cardboard, empty plastic and glass bottles and jars and aluminum and tin cans can easily be recycled and kept out of the landfill.

However, when placing items like batteries, broken furniture, greasy cardboard, extension cords and even plastic bags in the recycle bin, it can wreak havoc on sorting machines and halt the productivity of

Santa Clarita’s hard-working waste haulers.

Additional labor and costs are required to place non-recyclable items back on waste trucks for proper disposal. Since this may be a great time for your family to clean and organize, this is also a great time for your family to get involved and become part of the team of Santa Clarita Recycle Heroes!

Whether it’s placing a dedicated bin in the kitchen or sitting the kids down for a quick lesson on bottles and cans, there has never been a better time to learn how to recycle right.

You can even get creative and put a basketball hoop over a dedicated recycling bin and hone your shooting skills while protecting our environment.

We want to see how you are taking part in the City’s fight to

recycle right!

Use the hashtag #RecycleHero SC on social media to show the City how you recycle for a chance to win an opportunity to be featured in a future Recycle Hero ad!

A hero remains strong and brave, even in the face of danger, and with the support of your friends and family, social distancing will not be able to stop you from being a Recycle Hero in Santa Clarita!

To learn more about the Recycle Hero campaign and ways to recycle at home, visit GreenSantaClarita. com. Also, visit our GreenSanta Clarita Facebook page and send us a direct message if you have any questions.

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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A P R I L 5, 2020

S U N D AYS I G N A L · 1 3

H E A LT H

Allergy season: A risky time of year for asthma patients

A

llergies can mean discomfort for asthma sufferers, both during seasonal allergy season and whenever allergens are encountered. For people who already have complications due to asthma, allergies can be especially problematic — even triggering asthmatic episodes.

Allergies and asthma happen to share a lot of traits. Unfortunately, they also happen to occur together frequently, says the Mayo Clinic. The same substances that cause allergies, such as pollen, dust mites and pet dander, also may cause asthma to rear it’s dangerous head.

The American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology says people who have allergies also often have asthma. People who seemingly think that wheezing is a product of pollen may actually have asthma and are advised to see an allergist to get to the root of the problem.

Allergic asthma, where allergies

gies, states ACAAI.

trigger asthma symptoms, is the most common type of asthma, advises ACAAI. Children who have allergies and also have asthma make up 80% of those affected. The rates are 75% of young adults (age 20-40) and 65% of those aged 55 and older who have at least one allergy and asthma.

Allergy season can be particularly scary for those with asthma because the chances of having an attack can be ramped up and may be more severe. Therefore, anyone who is experiencing allergic reactions and/ or asthma symptoms should heed this advice.

Speak with an allergist. He or she can check out symptoms and prescribe the right treatments.

Drugs such as montelukast, which is a leukotriene modifier, can help control immune system chemicals released during an allergic reaction. It also may help alleviate asthma symptoms.

Consider immunotherapy. Im-

Avoid allergy triggers. Knowing pollen counts, cleaning a home and preventing dust mites and pet dander from accumulating, and avoiding going outside or having the windows open when counts are high can help.

Showering and laundering clothing after being outside can limit allergens brought into the house.

munotherapy involves allergy shots that can reduce sensitivity to the allergens over time. It might even help prevent the development of asthma in some people with seasonal aller-

Try anti-immunoglobulin E (IgE) therapy. The Mayo Clinic says with an allergy, the body’s immune system mistakenly identifies a specific substance as something harmful and releases IgE antibodies to fight the allergen. The next time the IgE antibodies sense an allergen they will release a chemical called histamine into the bloodstream. IgE-targeted medications block these reactions and interfere with IgE. Allergies and asthma often go hand-in-hand. Treating symptoms and avoiding triggers can help immensely. (MC)

14 · S U N D AYS I G N A L

A P R I L 5, 2020

K I D S & FA M I LY

Donna’s day: creative family fun

Easter egg-y ideas can be real kid-pleasers empty them, plus two ideas for decorating once they have been blown.

Poke a small hole with a large safety pin at each end of a washed raw egg.

Carefully wiggle the pin or a toothpick into one of the holes to break the yolk.

Place a drinking straw over the hole on top, and blow through the straw, collecting the contents of the egg in a small dish. Rinse out the empty shell and let dry completely before decorating.

By Donna Erickson Signal Contributing Writer

H

op to it! Easter is on its way. Put your busy schedule on hold for an evening or Saturday afternoon and make the traditional craft of egg decorating a family affair. How about sharing the fun with friends who will no doubt contribute to and enliven the memory making creativity?

Here are some Easter egg-y ideas that are real kid-pleasers. For the first three, all you need are hard-cooked white eggs, prepared decorating dyes in small bowls and a variety of household items.

Shake and decorate

Rubber-band tie-dye

Tape and draw

Sticker designs

How to blow out an egg

Wind two or three rubber bands of various widths snuggly around egg.

Dye the egg and let dry. Remove the rubber bands to reveal the designs.

Stick peel-off stars, dots or other shapes randomly on an egg. Be sure the stickers adhere completely to the egg before dipping in the dye. Let dry, then peel off stickers while they are still damp to reveal the designs.

Wrap a piece of masking tape around an egg. Dye. Gently remove tape and add your own designs on the white space with markers.

If you prefer decorating eggs in which the raw contents have been blown out — so that you can hang them from branches for an egg tree or display in a basket and save them year to year — here is a simple process to

Squeeze household glue from a plastic bottle in a simple design such as zigzags or an alphabet letter on a shell that is still white or dyed in a light color.

Carefully set the egg in a plastic bag with colored sand or glitter and close it lightly in your fist, keeping locked air inside. Gently shake to coat the glue to reveal the design.

Remove the egg, and slip onto a skewer through one of the holes and poke into a soft object like an egg carton to dry.

Shredded paper

Brush household glue on eggshell,

then press shredded paper randomly around it for a contemporary look.

Let dry.

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.

The value of reading to kids is now visible

R

ecent studies from the Reading & Literacy Discovery Center of Cincinnati’s Children’s Hospital were the first provide neurobiological evidence of the potential benefits of reading to children age five and younger and the potential detriments of screen time on the development of such youngsters’ brains.

Images released with the study indicated substantial growth in organized white matter in the language and literacy areas of the brains of children who were read to during the highly formative first five years of their lives.

That’s important, as the study noted that white matter is comprised of fibers that form connections between brain cells and the nervous system.

Increasing and organizing that white matter, which reading to youngsters facilitates, increases the brain’s functionality and ability to learn. While the study noted the value of reading to children age five and younger, it also showed how children who spent an average of two hours a day playing on screens were adversely affected by that behavior.

In images of such children’s brains, white matter was considerably underdeveloped and disorganized, which can contribute to slow processing and learning difficulties.

A P R I L 5, 2020

S U N D AYS I G N A L · 1 5

Great ways to bond with your new infant

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parent’s job begins the moment a woman learns she is pregnant. Upon receiving such news, women typically make important changes to ensure the well-being of the fetuses growing inside them.

Once a child is born, the first few weeks with baby certainly can be a whirlwind. During this period, pediatricians note how important bonding with parents is for a baby’s development. Parents may be unaware that the touches, cuddles and feelings of safety and security provided by them help set a foundation for emotional well-being, which can last throughout their child’s life.

According to Jeff Simpson, Ph.D., adjunct professor of psychology at the University of Minnesota and an author of a study about childhood attachment, babies who were securely attached to their mothers by 12 months old (turning to her for comfort when exploring an unfamiliar place) were more likely to come out of an argument in their early 20s still feeling connected to their partners.

Simpson surmises that the ability to trust, love and resolve conflict develops in part from how people are treated as infants.

The Australian parenting website Raising Children Network says repeated human contact like singing, cuddling, talking, touching, and gazing into each other’s eyes enables a newborn’s brain to release hormones that help his or her brain to grow.

This, in turn, helps to develop memory, thought and language.

New parents may wonder what they can do to foster strong bonds with their babies. The following are some strategies to build those bonds.

Breastfeed baby. Breastfeeding provides more than nutrition. The close contact during nursing helps the child to hear Mom’s heartbeat and gets skin-to-skin contact.

Make eye contact. Parents should keep eye contact with baby when engaging in feedings and other care.

This helps the baby remember who their parents are and reassures them that their parents can be trusted.

Read baby’s messages. A child who wants to engage will make little noises, such as cooing or laughing sounds. He or she also may look relaxed and interested, while some may seek out their parents. React to these messages promptly.

Respond to cries. Parents can do their best to always respond to cries for attention as it helps the baby to feel safe. This is key during the first three months of the baby’s life. As the baby ages and has already developed a bond, parents can encourage more self-soothing.

Bonding is important for babies and parents. Developing a connection early on can provide a safe and nurturing environment that can set the course for the child to feel loved and supported throughout his or her lifetime. (MC)

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A P R I L 5, 2020

FOOD

Glazed-baked ham is so easy and so delicious

By Elise Bauer Signal Contributing Writer

C

hoose between two different glazes, both with honey, for this glazed baked ham for Easter.

Most hams you buy at the grocery store are already fully cooked. If your ham is a partially cooked ham or an uncooked ham, it will say so on the package. Follow the cooking directions on the package to cook. The directions in this recipe are for a regular, fully-cooked ham.

Most baked ham recipes call for heating the ham to an internal temp of 140 F. But you can heat it to a lower temp, you just want it to be warm enough to eat. The higher the internal temp, the more risk there is of drying out the ham. So the guideline is 110 - 120 F, but heat it to a higher temp if you want.

Half hams are either cut from the shank end or from the butt end. The butt end may have more meat, but because of the shape of the bone at that end, is more difficult to cut. The ham pictured here is from the shank end.

Prep time: 30 minutes Cook time: 1 hour, 30 minutes Yield: Easily serves a dozen, with leftovers

Ingredients For the ham: 1/2 Ready-to-eat, cooked ham, bone-in, shank end or butt end, about 9 to 11 pounds For the Sweet Hot Honey Mustard Glaze: 3 tablespoons sweet hot honey mustard (or brown mustard with honey) 2 tablespoons brown sugar About 50 cloves For the Honey Thyme Glaze: 3 tablespoons melted butter 2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme (or 2 teaspoons dry) 1/4 cup cider vinegar 1/4 cup honey 1 tablespoon brown sugar 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

Method 1. Let ham come close to room temp. Remove the ham from the refrigerator (still wrapped) a couple of hours before you intend to cook it so that it can get closer to room temperature. This will help it warm more evenly.

2. Score skin and fat (if using an unsliced ham).

Place the ham, fattier side up, in a foil-lined roasting pan.

Score a diamond pattern in the fat with a sharp knife, about 1/4-inch to 1/2-inch deep, and the parallel lines about 1 1/2-inches apart. (You won’t need to do this if you’re using a spiral cut ham.)

Do not score the meat itself, just the fat and any skin. You can score the fat as deeply as to where

the fat meets the meat. If you want, you can first cut off any skin that might still be on the ham, but it isn’t necessary.

3. If using cloves (with the Sweet Honey Mustard Glaze), you can either put them in before applying the glaze or after. They look better if applied after, but it is easier to see the lines in the ham as a guide for placement if you put them in first.

Place the cloves in the center of the diamonds to form a nice pattern around the top and sides of the ham (or along the edges of some of the precut slices if using spiral cut). Some people put the cloves in the intersection points of the scores. Do as you wish. You just want a nice pattern.

4. Preheat oven to 325 F. 5. Prepare glaze: If using the sweet honey mustard glaze: Mix the mustard with the brown sugar in a small bowl.

If using the honey thyme glaze: Mix thyme in with the hot melted butter and let sit for a few minutes. In a small saucepan on high heat, let the cider vinegar reduce down from 1/4 cup to 1 tablespoon, and remove from heat. Whisk in the butter and thyme. Add the honey, brown sugar and Worcestershire sauce.

6. Using a pastry brush, brush whichever glaze you are using over the ham. Only use about third of it (reserve the rest for later in cooking). Try to work the glaze into the scored lines.

7. Place ham in oven. If using a spiral cut ham, first wrap tightly in aluminum foil so that the ham doesn’t dry out while cooking.

Cook for 1 to 1 1/2 hours (check after 1 hour, will take longer if the ham is not at room temp to begin with), or about 10 minutes per pound, until the internal temperature of the ham is 110 - 120 F with a meat thermometer. (Note that the ham is already cooked when you buy it, all you are trying to do is heat it up for eating.)

If using a non-spiral cut ham, baste the ham with the glaze a couple of times during the cooking. If you check on the ham and think that the glaze is at risk of getting too browned, you can cover with a piece of foil.

8. When the ham has reached the desired temperature, baste again. (If using a spiral cut ham, open up the foil to expose the ham before basting.)

Regardless of which ham you’re using, place it under the broiler for few minutes to get some nice browning on the top. Take the pan out of the oven and brush the ham all over with pan juices. Cover with aluminum foil and let rest for 15 minutes before serving.

9. To slice a bone-in ham, cut around the bone first. Then use a long, sharp knife to slice off pieces around the bone.

Another way to slice the ham is to make first a slice on wide end to get a flat lying surface.

Then stand the ham upright on the wide end and make slices down the side, working around the bone.

Remember to save the ham bone for soup! (Simply Recipes)

A P R I L 5, 2020

S U N D AYS I G N A L · 1 7

TECHNOLOGY

Sanitizing Amazon and freebies in a pandemic

By Kim Komando Signal Contributing Writer

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uddenly without much preparation, Americans were told to stay home to stop the spread of COVID-19. Remote working was no longer an option just for adventurous millennials.

And parents were also asked to be full-time teachers.

Unemployment rates skyrocketed as many small businesses closed. But at the same time, I did the research and found a silver lining.

Since my 20-plus-year career on national network radio and as a tech columnist focuses strictly on living the best digital life, I see other changes that may not be readily apparent.

What the internet and technologies have driven in terms of convenience must now be approached with caution. Let me explain how.

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Opening your Amazon boxes and other online orders

One week before the news broke that at least 10 Amazon warehouse facilities had workers infected with the coronavirus, I warned my audience not to simply pull out a box-cutter and grab their orders out of a box.

You can’t do that anymore. Lots of people touch your online orders.

Think about it. There are the people who packed the order, the ones who load the trucks and the final deliverer to your home.

Technically, the virus could last for up to 24 hours on cardboard. Only open your Amazon boxes, or other online orders, outside and immediately throw the box away. If you have latex gloves, use them. Clean the wrapping off the items you ordered and the item itself with disinfectant wipes. Make sure you’re using chemicals that are known to kill the coronavirus.

Remove the gloves and rely on the CDC’s top recommendation. Wash your hands for at least 20 seconds in hot soapy water.

Here are a few notable names on the list of agents effective in eliminating SARS-CoV-2, the cause of COVID-19, include the following widely available cleaning products, according to the Environmental Protection Agency:

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If your hands are clean and you can avoid touching your face, you’re far less likely to let the virus into your body. It’s also worth disinfecting surfaces you frequently touch. Items like your phone come into contact with your hands, which come into contact with your environment.

In the wake of COVID-19, many companies are offering special freebies and deals. From free software from Google and Microsoft to buy one and get one free at Olive Garden, companies are trying to help. We did the research and put together a very comprehensive list you’ll find on my site.

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A P R I L 5, 2020

Los Angeles Sheriff ’s Department First Responders Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital Kaiser Permanente Providence Hospital Physicians and Nurses Healthcare Professionals Restaurants Grocery and Convenience stores Financial Institutions Transit and Utility workers Pharmaceutical Researchers News and Media outlets To all of the above companies and industries providing essential services and helping our world continue during the COVID-19 crisis

Thank you Richard Budman, publisher/owner, and the entire Signal Family

A P R I L 5, 2020

S U N D AYS I G N A L · 1 9

Welcome a 4-legged family member with care

B

ringing home a new pet can be exciting and heartwarming. Before you get caught up in the excitement of adopting a pet, however, it’s important to do a bit of homework and have conversations to ensure you’re choosing a lifelong fit for your family.

When considering adopting, keep in mind that pets can provide as many benefits to you as you do them, such as helping to reduce stress, providing companionship, getting the daily recommended amount of physical activity and more.

As you take your options into account, remember these guidelines from the experts at PetSmart Charities to prepare for a successful homecoming for your newest family member.

Life stages

If you prefer a lower-energy pet, seek a senior (age 7 or above) who may move a little slower. For higher energy, look for young puppies and kittens or active breeds, such as Lab-

radors, hounds, American terriers and mixed breeds.

For first-time pet owners, a healthy adult dog or cat can help teach new pet parents the joys of having a pet and may not require as much attention as a puppy or kitten.

Families with young children might consider a family-friendly breed or mixed breed, such as a hound. Older kids may benefit from additional responsibilities, such as walking the dog or cleaning the litter box.

Living environment

In addition to the type and age of pet you adopt, you’ll need to consider the space you have available to welcome your furry friend.

If you live in a home, consider fencing your yard for more relaxed playtime. If you live in an apartment, discuss any restrictions with your landlord and find out where the closest dog parks are to ensure your dog gets plenty of exercise.

Dogs need a place to call their own

PETS

vaccine records reviewed and ensure you know the best options for food, exercise and preventative care.

You can prevent many common diseases by keeping your pet at a healthy weight, current on flea, tick and heartworm prevention, fully vaccinated and on a high-quality diet. Preventing diseases costs less money than treating them, so discuss any concerns you have with your veterinarian. where they’re contained overnight and while you’re not home until they can be safely left to roam. Get a crate so your new pet can have an ‘apartment’ within your home.

You should always have more litter boxes than you do cats; for example, if you have one cat make sure you have at least two litter boxes. Litter boxes need to be scooped daily and completely changed weekly.

Financial considerations

Veterinary care

Find more tips for a successful pet adoption and upcoming adoption events at petsmartcharities.org.

(Family Features)

Most adoptions come with a free veterinary check-up within the first week.

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20 · S U N D AYS I G N A L

A P R I L 5, 2020

Tips for container gardening issues, container gardening can be an ideal way to grow everything from flowers to vegetables. Better Homes & Gardens says most plants are not fussy about the containers in which they grow so long as some of their basic needs are met. This means watering correctly for the type of plant, and ensuring sufficient drainage.

The following are some other ways container gardening efforts can prove successful.

G

ardening is beneficial in various ways.

The AARP states that some of the health perks associated with gardening include improved mood, increased vitamin D levels (which benefits bones and immune system) and reduced risk of dementia. In addition, if gardening efforts include growing herbs, fruits and vegetables, it can be a cost-effective way to eat healthy.

For gardeners without sufficient space or for those with mobility

Watch water

Planet Natural Research Center says plants with thin leaves typically need ample water, and plants with thick leaves need less. Use this as a guideline to gauge water needs.

Size correctly

Plants should be sized to the container. Consider dwarf varieties of certain plants if your containers are small.

Choose the right soil

Fill containers with a commercial potting soil rather than soil from the garden. Garden soil can dry into a solid mass, while commercial mixtures have amendments like peat moss, vermiculite, compost, and other ingredients to help with soil texture and moisture retention.

Mix it up

When planting containers of flowers and other greenery, Good Housekeeping says to include “a thriller, a spiller and a filler” as a good rule of thumb.

The thriller is the focal point, the spiller a trailing plant, and a filler has smaller leaves or flowers to add bulk and color.

Poke holes

Drainage holes are essential so that soil will not become waterlogged. Holes don’t need to be large, but there should be enough of them so that excess water can drain out readily.

Select the right container material

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Container gardening is a healthy and enjoyable activity that can pay dividends in various ways.

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S U N D AYS I G N A L · 2 1

SENIORLIVING

Five ways to improve heart health

WE LOVE TO

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I

f you worry that you or someone you love will get heart disease or even have a heart attack, it’s understandable.

Heart disease is the leading cause of death for men and women in the U.S., according to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.

Research shows you can lower your risk, particularly if you team up with family, friends or coworkers. This kind of social support may be the key to your success.

“Studies show that having positive, close relationships and feeling connected to others benefits overall health, blood pressure, weight and more,” said NHLBI’s Dr. David Goff, director of cardiovascular sciences.

Consider these five tips that can help lower your risk of heart disease: Risk Inactivity Solution Move more throughout your day. Aim for at least 150 minutes each week of physical activity. Build up to activity that gets your heart beating faster and leaves you a little breathless.

If you’re busy, try breaking your daily activity into 10-minute chunks.

Stay motivated Make walking dates.

Join a pickup soccer or basketball game. Join a fitness class with your neighbor. Grab a loved one and dance in your kitchen.

Risk An unhealthy diet Solution Consider an option like NHLBI’s Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) eating plan, which is free and scientifically proven to lower high blood pressure and improve cholesterol levels.

Stay motivated Invite friends to cook up heart healthy recipes together. Start a lunch club and trade recipe ideas.

PHOTO COURTESY GETTY IMAGES

Risk Smoking, even occasionally Solution Quitting can be beneficial to your overall health, even if you’ve smoked for years. Set a quit date and let those close to you know. If you’ve tried quitting in the past, consider what helped and what made it harder.

Stay motivated Ask your family and friends for support or join a support group. Find resources and connect with a trained counselor at 1-800-QUIT-NOW or smokefree.gov.

Risk Inadequate or poor-quality sleep Solution Sleeping 7-8 hours each night helps improve heart health.

Try going to bed and waking up at the same time each day. Getting a 30-minute daily dose of sunlight may also improve sleep.

Stay motivated Resist that late afternoon nap. Turn off all screens at a set time nightly. Relax by listening to music, reading or taking a bath.

Risk Uncontrolled stress Solution To help manage stress, try relaxation therapy and increase physical activity. Talk to a qualified mental health provider or someone you trust. De-stressing may also help improve sleep.

Stay motivated Join a friend or family member in a relaxing activity like walking, yoga or meditation every day.

Learn about heart health and heart healthy activities in your community at nhlbi.nih.gov/ourhearts.

Use #OurHearts on social media to share how you and your friends, colleagues or family members are being heart healthy together. (Family Features)

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22 · S U N D AYS I G N A L

A P R I L 5, 2020

TIMERANGER

50 Years Ago: The Darkest Day in CHP History I trust you folks are doing well and are finding the blessings and gifts tucked between the hardships. I know I am. Getting time to work on that novel finally. Taking walks. Chatting with loved ones via the miracle of technology.

Speaking of miracles.

We’ve the gift of time traveling. I only have the proper paperwork to dash back and forth through the time portals of Santa Clarita time, but there’s nothing wrong with that. We’re the most interesting people ever to walk the Earth, aren’t we?

C’mon. Many things ahead, from the tragic to the sublime …

WAY BACK WHEN & THEN SOME

• The latest buzz Was reading the most interesting story in the 1873 book, “Homes of Los Angeles.” It told of these giant bee caves in Towsley Canyon that housed centuries of honey with hives weighing in the hundreds of tons. It described an almost impossible-to-get-to cave entrance, 30 feet tall and more than 130 feet deep — all filled with honey. Back then, the Bill Brophy family lived on the original LaSalle cabin on the Towsley property. Other stories over the years noted that three men lost their lives trying to harvest the bees’ treasure.

All three were stung to death.

• And it wasn’t because of texts and emails, either The Castaic Post Office reopened on April 3, 1917, in Sam Parson’s general store. It had been closed for about 20 years because nobody was sending letters to Castaic and nobody was getting any.

• Funny where you end up April 6, 1820, was the birthday of William Lewis Manley. Born in Albans, Vermont, a quarter-century later he’d walk some 220 miles for help for the famous Bennett-Arcane wagon train stranded in what would later be called “Death Valley.” Manley and his partner, Rogers, were so lost after the hike, they thought they had made it to San Francisco. And, they did — Rancho San Francisco, the name of the SCV then.

• Happy birthday to you! On his 40th birthday on March 9, 1842, Don Francisco Lopez discovered gold in Placerita Canyon. About a month later, April 4, he received the first gold

fast as they could put it in. Sometimes faster …

• Don’t forget to say ‘¡hola!’ Here’s a first for us. On this date, 90 years back, our local telephone company was able to place calls to South America. Don’t think that service was used much here. Know how much it cost to make a call to Buenos Aires from Newhall? Just 48 bucks for three minutes, extra afterward.

APRIL 3, 1940

claim from California’s Gov. Juan Alvarado. It was one of the last official things Alvarado did as governor.

Barely 30, he was involved in all manner of political and armed intrigue.

APRIL 3, 1920

• And really. Is there anything else in life? In our lead story a century ago, Signal Editor Blanche Brown noted that the Presbyterians would be hosting renowned speaker, Dr. M. Laidrith. Wrote Mrs. B: “Dr. Laidrith is a brilliant orator, no question about it. His addresses are glittered with smart sayings and are rich in metaphor, simile and wise sayings.”

• Well. Best we go home for a nap after that one. There was only one case in front of our local Judge John Powell this week 100 years ago. Leonard de la Moth (yes; that’s his name) was charged with cruelty to animals.

A jury of seven peers felt not.

APRIL 3, 1930

• Taxing, isn’t it? C.L. Carson began his laborious chore of beginning the U.S. Census in Chatsworth, Palmdale and the Santa Clarita Valley. Carson went door to door, not only asking how many folks were around, but their color and “SIZE!” Yup. That was one of the questions on the local census. Carson also estimated how much people’s property was worth and inspected to see if they had such necessities as carpets or a piano.

• Must destroy to build Huge 16-wheel trucks were ripping up Weldon Canyon (the future Highway 99 or The Old Road today). They dug up the oiled dirt road so they could lay new asphalt for the upcoming superhighway (it would come with a newfangled invention, the double-yellow line). Small problem. The behemoth vehicles were ruining the new road as

• Is there more than just one of you in there? It took just one census taker in 1920 to figure how many folks were about. Twenty years later, in the SCV alone, there were 23 federal people counters. There were 34 questions on the form.

APRIL 3, 1950

• When lions attack We had three cougar attacks on local livestock on distant parts of the valley. One big male cat was shot up Oat Mountain after attacking cattle. Another was shot at in Tick Canyon after killing10 goats and a third was driven off for attacking prize horses in Hasley Canyon. More tracks were found near Sand Canyon ranches.

APRIL 3, 1960

• We salute you. Hard to believe, but the SCV had a very active chapter of the Veterans of World War I. About a dozen members, plus the Ladies Auxiliary, held their April meeting.

• Times they are a-changing We were getting ready for the 34th annual Newhall-Saugus Rodeo at the end of April. The chairman was Lyle Greenman. He entered cars in the Indianapolis 500 every year.

• Cake? Eat it too? On the accident blotter was an apparently horrific traffic accident involving an overturned truck up Bouquet Canyon. A deputy pulled the driver from the vehicle with minor injuries, but then was horrified when his passenger stumbled from around the front, thick, red blood gushing from his head and neck.

Turns out the passenger was OK, too.

They were carrying a mid-size truck hauling Red Dye No. 2 frosting color.

APRIL 3, 1970

• One of the most horrendous days in our history Four Highway Patrol officers were gunned down April

5, 1970, in that department’s worst tragedy. Dubbed The Newhall Massacre or Newhall Incident, the events started earlier near Gorman after two men were reported waving guns and threatening motorists. It ended up with officers Walter Frago, Roger Gore, James Pence and George Alleyn losing their lives within five minutes in the shootout across the street from where Wendy’s is today on The Old Road near Magic Mountain Parkway. It was the deadliest incident in CHP history.

• CHP, Part II One of the murderers took a hostage in a home above Denny’s on Pico Canyon. Surrounded by law enforcement, he finally took his own life the next morning.

The other killer was taken prisoner, tried, convicted and sentenced to life in prison. He committed suicide in 2009 in Kern Valley State Prison. The event resulted in all manner of safety changes for law enforcement and CHP afterward.

• Maybe they could get full-time jobs? CalArts was getting set to open in the fall and everything looked ducky, except for one problem. There was no place to house their students with the high tuition.

APRIL 3, 1980

• Best laid plans of mice and mann The County Supes released plans for the Mann Theaters to bring a 10-screen cineplex here. The Newhall Land & Farming Co. happily complied, having named a street Cinema Drive. They built the complex eventually, then, years later, it failed. Today, there’s no cinema on Cinema Drive.

Well. Here we are. Back home. If you’re not quite ready to go back inside and quarantine, just reread.

Make sure you’re back by sundown or we’ll have to go out looking for you and might be forced to stay extra long while they were celebrating the repeal of Prohibition or something. See you next week with another exciting Time Ranger history adventure here in your Mighty Signal. Until then —¡Vayan con Dios, amigos!

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

Got some down time? You can buy Boston’s “Melancholy Samurai,” “Naked Came the Sasquatch” and other books on Amazon.com.

A P R I L 5, 2020

S U N D AYS I G N A L · 2 3

H O L I D AY

The celebration of Passover during a trying time

By Rabbi Mark Blazer Special to The Signal

M

any are familiar with the story of Passover, the Exodus from Egypt. Each year we recount how our ancestors were liberated at this time of year. In Hebrew Egypt is called Mitzrayim, the “Narrow Place.”

As we all know, this Passover will be unlike any holiday season most of us have ever experienced. This year, we are most definitely constrained, we don’t have to imagine it as much as usual. In a sense, the holiday speaks to us exactly where we are now, in a time and place of constriction and restriction.

For people around the world, the spring season is a time to contemplate the days ahead. For our ancestors, this early harvest season was the heart of an economic system where financial security and a family’s very survival depended on what happened

in these crucial weeks. For many of us, this Passover, we feel a sense of uncertainty like no other time before.

Every year we place an egg on our Seder plate as a symbol of potential.

It is a subtle, yet powerful remind-

The similarities between Passover and Easter

T

o the casual observer, Passover and Easter may not to seem to have much in common. While the two holidays are celebrated by people of different faiths, they share certain similarities.

Both Passover and Easter celebrate fundamental tenets of their respective faiths.

For Christians, Easter commemorates the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, a moment that has shaped the lives of faithful Christians ever since.

During Passover, Jews honor a moment in history that helped free slaves from captivity and shape them into the people of Israel.

In addition, historians believe that the Passion of Christ, which is the short final period of Jesus’ life, occurred during the observance of Pesach, or Passover.

During this time, Jesus went to Jerusalem in response to a mandate to appear at the Temple. It also is believed that the Last Supper described in all four Gospels was likely a Passover seder. Liberation and rebirth also are at the heart of both holidays.

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er that Passover is a celebration of rebirth. The holiday teaches us to have faith that no matter how terrible our situation, we must not lose hope.

Remember, while the story of Passover begins with people enslaved, it

concludes with songs of freedom.

Toward the end of Passover Seder meals around the world, we take a moment to open our doors and welcome the prophet Elijah. In our tradition, the prophet is the messenger of the Messianic Era, and it is his honor to announce the arrival of a time of peace, health and security for all. Some holidays it seems so far off.

Yet, the next words we say are: “Ani ma’amin b’emunah shelyamah ... ” I believe in a perfect faith in the coming of the Messiah, and although he may tarry, nevertheless, I wait every day for that day to come.

I believe in a perfect faith that, while this battle we are in right now makes it seem distant, the day will come when each person, everywhere, will live without illness, free from fear, in a world at peace. I believe.

Rabbi Mark Blazer is the rabbi of Temple Beth Ami in Santa Clarita.

2 4 · S U N D AY S I G N A L

Opinion

A P R I L 5, 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

Virus Hits Home, Poses Challenges

I’m Mature. I Am! I Am! I Am!

By The Signal Editorial Board

T

he COVID-19 pandemic got very real for the Santa Clarita Valley this week. As of this writing, there are at least 66 confirmed cases of the virus in the SCV, and we learned of the first local death apparently related to the coronavirus: a Santa Clarita Transit driver who succumbed to illness on Tuesday.

Not much information is publicly available about the driver, other than the facts that the driver operated on commuter routes on Friday, March 27, then fell ill the next day, tested positive for COVID-19, and died just a few days later.

Our hearts go out to the friends, family and coworkers of the driver.

The rapidity with which the driver’s condition deteriorated was downright chilling. And we are nowhere near out of the woods yet, with at least three successive days this week in which more than 500 new cases were confirmed throughout L.A. County, bringing the total to more than 4,000, and more than 75 deaths.

It’s not to be taken lightly. We certainly hope and urge everyone to take this seriously, stay safe and stay at home — especially our seniors and those who have underlying medical conditions.

By staying home, you are not only protecting yourself. You are also helping to keep the virus from spreading and helping to “flatten the curve.” Stay-at-home orders nationwide have already reduced the anticipated deaths from COVID-19 by more than a million.

We know this is inconvenient for everyone and it has certainly changed everyone’s life, but we must all do our part to keep ourselves and our neighbors safe. At The Signal, we are doing our part, with the vast majority of our staff working from home, and our photojournalists in the field following strict social distancing guidelines. Telephoto lenses are proving their worth more now than ever.

We would also like to give a heartfelt thank you to all the hospitals, physicians, nurses, health care workers, first responders, government officials, restaurants, grocery and convenience store workers, financial institutions, pharmaceutical researchers, transit and utility workers, and other news and media outlets who are on the front lines of the crisis.

Thank you all, for continuing to do your important jobs, and we hope all are able to take the necessary steps to reduce their risk of infection.

To all residents: Please help your neighbor, particularly those most vulnerable, if you see something they need in this time of crisis. We can, and will, defeat this virus, and we will all get through it together. This will make us stronger, and it might even bring us closer together as a community and as a nation.

By David Hegg

S

omewhere, someone snuck into our social dictionary and changed the meaning of “maturity.” The consequence of this is a growing sense that those character qualities and ethical missteps once allowed during adolescence are now not only accepted but also championed in those pretending to be mature adults.

I remember back in the days of youth being told by my parents that I could not do certain things because I was too young. “When you’re older you can do those things, dear.” It was natural to equate getting older with having more opportunities. I also remember being told often that with increased opportunity came increased responsibility. This was considered the normal ethic of maturity. When you gained the ability to be responsible, you also gained certain freedoms.

Today the ethic of maturity has changed radically. The change comes in an abandonment of the second half, the “responsibility” half. It is clear that maturity has now taken on the idea of freedom. Being mature now means no longer being subject to the restraints of youth. To quote the old song “You’ve gotta … go where you wanna go, do what you wanna do, with whoever you wanna do it.” The Mamas & the Papas sang that lyric and it has now become the fabric of what it means to be mature. Maturity now defines that stage of life where no one has the right to tell you what you can’t do.

It was once the case that the essence of maturity was the ability to take on the circumstances of life in a way that transcended self-interest and looked to the welfare of family and community. It included leaving childhood behind, finding a job, paying your way, and providing a solid model for the next generation. Maturity was built on perseverance through trial, a refusal to accept the easy way if it were the wrong way, and an honest appraisal of what was demanded if long-term success were to be gained.

Maturity was displayed in prizing commitment over impulse, excellence over expediency, accomplishment over leisure, and others over self. It was moral muscle, ethical integrity, and the stuff of which the generations were made who built America’s manufacturing economy,

chased down Hitler and Stalin, refused to allow racial division, and continue to fight for the freedoms of speech and religious devotion that make the American experiment uniquely moral.

But maturity today is in a precarious position. Today’s sense of pure freedom simply isn’t honest. The truth is you and I cannot go where we want to go, do what we want to do, with whoever we want to do it. Such an unrestrained view of maturity produces a reckless and wanton foundation too brittle to uphold an ordered and moral society. The current sexual mess being played out by the Hollywood elite is evidence enough.

Such unrestrained sexual activity has already produced a second generation that is truly deficient in discernment and, seemingly, doesn’t care. Heaps of other evidence could be thrown on the table of argument if needed. But anyone playing with an open mind will see the reality.

The opportunities of freedom demand the responsibility of individual restraint of those selfish desires, which, if given freedom, bring ruin.

What is needed is a return to the belief that maturity rests first not on what I am allowed to do, but on who I am. Maturity begins in the heart and mind as we recognize that character always precedes success, integrity is essential to greatness, and the humility necessary to put others before self is always going to be the fuel that drives a nation to prosperity.

It used to be that age presupposed wisdom.

Increasingly this is not the case today. We have allowed the indiscretions of adolescence to become the freedoms of adulthood while banishing thoughts of self-discipline to the margins of our societal lives and conversations.

It is time to rescue the idea of maturity from the hands of those adults who want to stay in their childish ways. Let’s return it, and our society, to a belief that maturity is best measured by a willingness to curtail rather than exploit the selfish promotion of personal desires.

Local resident David Hegg is senior pastor of Grace Baptist Church. “Ethically Speaking” appears Sundays. Signal Editor Tim Whyte’s column appeared Saturday.

BRAINGAMES

A P R I L 5, 2020

S U N D AYS I G N A L · 2 5

Relax Give your mind a workout with these brainy exercises!

This is a simple substitution cipher in which each letter used stands for another.

If you think that X equals O, it will equal O throughout the puzzle.

The solution is accomplished by trial and error.

Clue: H equals R

26 · S U N D AYS I G N A L

A P R I L 5, 2020

CROSSWORD TIME

ANSWERS

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