Sunday Signal July 28, 2019

Valencia | Saugus | Newhall | Canyon Country | Stevenson Ranch | Westridge | Castaic | Val Verde

JULY 28, 2019

Looking for a summer miracle Page 4 Your News, Entertainment & Lifestyle Source

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SAN DIEGO FUN FOR KIDS

15

FAMILY SUPPORTS IN SPORTS

30

PARKS, COMMUNITY & CARING

PLUS : CITY NEWS | OPINION | SCHOOL | ENTERTAINMENT | CALENDAR | HEALTH & FITNESS

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J U LY 28, 2019

S U N D AYS I G N A L · 3

TABLE OF CONTENTS

NEWS FEATURES

4

TRAVEL

7

BUSINESS

8

LOCAL NEWS

8

TECHNOLOGY

13

FROM THE CITY MANAGER

14

SPORTS

15

THINGS TO DO

16

FROM THE CITY MAYOR

18

DINING GUIDE ENTERTAINMENT

19 22

KIDS & FAMILY

24

4 Looking for a summer miracle and a lovely home 5 Local ocean lifeguard specialist receives Medal of Valor 6 Family stories from Cinema Drive 7 San Diego offers family fun beyond the usual fare 8 Video Depot: The last action heroes in Newhall

10 Assemblywoman, senator host wildfire town halls 11 Man, dog involved in crash prep for surgery Family has generator stolen from home 12 Newhall crash victim ID’d as Valencia man Prelim set for woman accused of stealing from Girl Scouts 13 Affordable smartphones, sending texts, getting faster 14 A year in review with the Santa Clarita Public Library 15 Life lessons from the field 16 California adventures up high and down low 18 Be a ‘Heads-Up’ citizen — never drink and drive 22 Quiet Riot to play at the Canyon Santa Clarita 23 The ‘live-action’ Lion King, ‘ The Art of Self-Defense’ 24 Make the transition to high school easier Tips for grabbing the best deals on school clothes 25 Donna’s Day: Make a family-style salade nicoise How often do kids need eye exams

CALENDAR HOME IMPROVEMENT

26 27

SENIOR LIVING

29

PROFILE

30

FOOD

32

HOME & DESIGN

33

TIME RANGER GARDENING

34 35

OPINION

39

PUZZLES VILLAGE IDIOT

41 42

27 Proper prep can save lots of money, sham contractors 29 Improving women’s lives through senior-shared living 30 Kieran Wong — Santa Clarita parks commissioner 32 Skewered chicken goes great on the backyard grill Chickpea salad keeps your vegan guests in mind 33 Secrets to making your home look like you hired a design pro Expand your living space outdoors with some clever ideas 35 Expert lawn-care tips for a weed-free yard 39 Our View • David Hegg

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Richard Budman Perry Smith Tim Whyte Brad Lanfranco Doña Uhrig Karen Bennett • Abner Gutierrez

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4 · S U N D AYS I G N A L

J U LY 28, 2019

N E W S F E AT U R E S

Looking for a summer miracle and a lovely home

By Emily Alvarenga Signal Staff Writer

E

leven-year-old Mary traveled to Valencia from Colombia for five weeks this summer. She, like many other 11-year-olds, loves to play outside, write and dance, yet Mary is missing something many kids her age have — a family.

Mary doesn’t have a family of her own, and she traveled to California through Summer Miracles, a Kidsave, an outreach program for the nonprofit that’s dedicated to helping older kids in need of families find forever homes.

Younger foster children have a better chance at finding a permanent family, and many social workers say that people looking to adopt children are less likely to consider adopting an older child.

“From my experience, a lot of our families would like (to adopt) little children,” said Makeda Ekakitie, foster and adoptions social worker at Children’s Bureau, a nonprofit leader in the prevention and treatment of child abuse and neglect in Southern California.

“They feel like older kids have a backstory that they’ve been through,” she added. “They usually come with more emotional challenges and require a higher level of emotional care.”

Many times, older children remember more, which means they not only

Kidsave host Linda Tyler, left, listens as 11-year-old Mary from Columbia discusses her experiences on Friday while staying with Tyler in Valencia. PHOTO BY DAN WATSON / THE SIGNAL

remember their birth parents, but also the trauma they’ve experienced, according to Ekakitie.

“They ultimately want to go back with their birth parents, no matter how dysfunctional that situation may be, because it’s their comfort level,” Ekakitie added. “Many feel guilty for having a nice home or school. They have to do a lot of work with therapy just to alter that mindset and realize that it’s okay to live their best life.”

It’s still important to remember that no matter what these children are

Mary has enjoyed a number of summer activities during her visit here, including a trip to Disneyland. COURTESY PHOTO

doing, they’re still children, and most haven’t gone through the normal stages of childhood, Ekakitie said.

“Mary is just such a joy to be with,” said Linda Taylor, Mary’s host family.

“She’s very responsible, always happy and never complains. She’s just so much fun to be with.”

Mary describes herself as a happy girl who likes to play with her friends and write stories. She’s liking California so far, and said she’s enjoyed traveling to new places, like Disneyland, summer camp and the beach, and is even learning how to swim.

Mary said she hopes to have a family someday, fulfill her dreams and wants to become a history teacher when she grows up, “because I love to spend time with kids, and little kids really like me. And I like history because of all the stories (you learn).”

“The kids really do love her,” Taylor added. “All the kids, they swarm her when she arrives, like she’s famous or something. She is a leader among her peers.”

Mary is part of a group of 45 Colombian kids, ages 7 through 14, who are looking for forever homes during their visit as they have little to no chance of finding adoptive parents in their own country, according to Kidsave.

“Every weekend, we have an event where visiting families can come and

meet the kids,” Taylor said.

These events are exactly what Ekakitie said Children’s Bureau recommends as advocating for community involvement can help children feel that sense of belonging and acclimate their lives to their new environment.

Though Mary is Colombian, the need for loving families is local, too.

Of the 64,000 children in foster care in California, Los Angeles County’s foster care population exceeds 21,000 children, with 200 foster children waiting to be connected to a family to be adopted, according to Children’s Bureau.

“There are thousands of children that don’t have homes,” said Alison Nistal, foster care and adoption social worker at Children’s Bureau. “There are way more children that need homes than there are families, for all ages.”

Nistal recommends that those who are interested in becoming a foster parent or fostering to adopt, come to one of Children’s Bureau’s monthly information meetings, which is the first step.

“Regardless of what the intention is, if they can’t have children of their own, their children have aged out, or whatever it may be, I would definitely encourage to come to an information meeting to see if they are willing and able to take that next step,” Nistal added.

The information meeting is expected to help families understand if they have the ability and resources to help a child in need with the next meeting scheduled for 10 a.m. on Saturday, Aug. 17 at Children’s Bureau, located at 27200 Tourney Road, Suite 175, in Valencia.

Mary returns to Colombia on Aug. 1, and Taylor said she hopes Mary will meet a family that will love and take care of her.

“Mary is a special kid who deserves to be in a loving family that can support her in every step of life,” Taylor said.

For more information about Mary and the Summer Miracles program, visit kidsave.org/summer-miracles.

Those interested in Children’s Bureau can request an information packet or application via the website at all4kids. org/program/foster-care.

J U LY 28, 2019

S U N D AYS I G N A L · 5

N E W S F E AT U R E S

Local ocean lifeguard specialist receives Medal of Valor

By Emily Alvarenga Signal Staff Writer

N

ewhall resident Jon Van Duinwyk has always known he wanted to be a lifeguard and make a career out of it, yet he didn’t know he would one day be honored for his actions.

Now, he’s set to receive the Medal of Valor at the 57th annual International Surf Festival’s Lifeguard Valor Awards dinner July 31, when five Los Angeles County Fire Department Ocean Lifeguards will be honored for “demonstrating extraordinary and exemplary bravery in the line of duty” for a wreck Van Duinwyk calls a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

“It is our honor to recognize these individuals who demonstrated bravery and a selfless commitment to the safety of beachgoers of Los Angeles County,” said Rob McGowan, president of the ISF, in a prepared statement. “They rose to the challenge, and their heroism is inspirational and worthy of recognition.”

His rescue of a 70-year-old man nearly lost at sea won him the Medal of Valor, and Van Duinwyk said he didn’t even know he was being considered for it.

“I didn’t think I was going to win the award,” he said. “I got this phone call, and I was so surprised.”

Bravery in the storm

On the stormy morning of Nov. 29, 2018, Van Duinwyk said he witnessed the most violent boat destruction he’s ever seen in his career.

“It was a terrible storm, the first rain of the season, so the ocean was just as dirty as dirty could be,” he said.

It was at the mouth of a storm drain, so there was trash flowing through the dark-black colored water from all of the city’s runoff, Van Duinwyk said.

“The last thing I wanted to have to do was have to get in the water and swim in that stuff,” he said.

It was too dangerous to save the boats that were left at anchor out there in the storm off Dockweiler Beach at Tower 42, so he was told to steer clear if they broke loose and just let them come up on the beach. No one was out that day, and the boats

were supposed to be cleared of people, but that wasn’t the case.

“I was under the impression that there was no one on the boat, and at the last second, a man got out from the cabin and stood up and looked at me — I about lost it … because I was so relaxed, like, ‘Oh I’m just going to watch this boat get ruined,’ then the wave overtook him and the boat broke into 15 pieces all in an instant,” he said.

“That’s why we’re there, even on those days, because you just don’t know.”

Van Duinwyk was convinced he had watched the man die as the waves had absolutely annihilated the 25’ trimaran sailboat, but he continued to look for the man on the surface amongst the debris field, he said.

The main body of the boat had capsized, and he didn’t realize that at the man had dove back into his boat right before the wave hit.

The only place he could think to look next was inside the boat, but he knew that would get him killed, he said. He was circling the boat, trying to figure out how to get in, when the back of the boat rose enough for him to get a look inside.

“I got this peephole view down into the boat and there he was looking at me, yelling for help,” he said.

Van Duinwyk risked his life to enter the vessel and extricate the man just as the boat was breaking apart in the 8’ waves.

“I pulled him out just as a wave hit the boat and forced a whole bunch of water into my mouth,” he added.

Van Duinwyk helped the man back to his lifeguard truck.

“He was relatively unscathed, miraculously,” he said. “But I couldn’t help him any more because I was becoming violently sick instantly.”

More trucks came and took care of the man, who was treated for only minor injuries.

“I’m very happy that the gentleman lived and was fine,” Van Duinwyk said, adding that he had “witnessed a little miracle.”

“I’ve seen a few of those in my career where I can’t believe my eyes,” he said. “But I’ve been on the lucky end more than the bad end of these situations where these people live.”

A longtime lifeguard

“I was a junior lifeguard from 9

L.A. County lifeguard Jon Van Duinwyk said he was excited to bring his wife, Kelly, and two children, Jake, 6, and Nina, 8, with him to the 57th annual International Surf Festival’s Lifeguard Valor Awards dinner at the end of the month. Van Duinwyk is being recognized for a courageous rescue at sea. PHOTO BY DAN WATSON / THE SIGNAL

years old to 17 years old, and I was kind of one-track-minded since I was young to do what I am doing,” Van Duinwyk said.

Van Duinwyk began as a seasonal lifeguard in 1995, and became an Ocean Lifeguard Specialist (OLS) in 2001, which he said is a very rewarding job.

“It has its exciting moments, and its boring moments for sure,” he said. “But I save countless people’s lives — it’s just been unbelievable. I pinch myself all the time, I can’t even believe it.”

Van Duinwyk has saved the lives of numerous children, adults and even whole families. After 25 years of lifeguarding, he has saved just shy of 1,000 people and been a part of many more rescues.

“As a department as a whole, we’re rescuing people on a daily basis,” he added.

Van Duinwyk did 15 years of beach lifeguarding from the lifeguard tower before he moved to the rescue boats for a change of pace in 2012. He is now stationed out of King Harbor Marina in Redondo Beach on the Baywatch Redondo.

“We make a lot of different kinds of rescues from the boats,” he said.

There are just two people on the boat, an operator and a deckhand, who is also the rescuer, diver and emergency medical technician.

The boat not only deals with other boats that are sinking, on fire or run aground, for example, but also as backup to beach rescues.

“As the rescue boat, we’re listening on the radio and we respond as the backup to these rescues, so we’re the ‘out to sea’ aspect of protection,” he added. “We support lifeguards in the lifeguard towers and make their life easier when they have to have a rescue in a rip current.”

Instead of lifeguards who are swimming out to make a rescue having to battle the rip currents with their victim to make it back to shore, the lifeguards will instead swim to the boat.

The boat is also equipped with all the medical supplies needed to deliver fast and effective treatment for drownings or near-drownings, Van Duinwyk said.

Not every rescue is the same, and See HERO, page 28

6 · S U N D AYS I G N A L

J U LY 28, 2019

N E W S F E AT U R E S

Family stories from Cinema Drive

By Caleb Lunetta Signal Staff Writer

M

om-and-pop shops have always seemed to have a welcome home in the Santa Clarita

Valley.

“Family-owned businesses have always been a part of the Santa Clarita economic landscape, and if you go back in time, there are many family-owned businesses that go back generations,” said Catherine Grooms, director of the Small Business Development Center hosted at COC. And while we might be in the age of the big-box store and the massive internet retailer, local family-owned storefronts still are increasing in the SCV, while second- and third-generation business ventures are also thriving.

“You have some people that reside in Santa Clarita that are getting close to transitioning to retirement,” said Grooms, adding that these people start building their own businesses while working as an extra source of income, and once they retire, make their business their full-time job.

Sometimes, she said, a family member can leave the Santa Clarita Valley, learn new skills or attributes, and oftentimes return to improve upon a business — and help it grow.

There’s also always a new generation of entrepreneurs in the SCV, opening franchises and their own businesses with that family feel.

One example, Mega Hot Chicken, opened earlier this month on Cinema Drive, run by the Meguerditchian brothers.

Growing up in Santa Clarita with a background in restaurant ownership (Their family owned The Tea Gardens for a decade, and now owns two Eat Real Cafes in Valencia and Newhall.), Mike and Alex Meguerditchian are using what they know about cooking and their experience in the restaurant business to serve their hometown.

“We took a trip to Nashville and fell in love with spicy chicken, and noticed a lot of people in California like it, too,” said Alex. He and his brother then spent the next 10 months to a year in order to find what they

From left, Owners, Danny, Amanda and Robbi, 7, Csiszar at RUN Treadmill Studio in Valencia. PHOTO BY DAN WATSON / THE SIGNAL

believe is the perfect fried chicken recipe that they could then form a business around here in their hometown. “I’m fried chicken-ed out,” Alex added.

And two weeks ago on Cinema Drive, down the block from their mom’s former business and only a couple miles from where they both graduated from high school, the Meguerditchians opened their spicy chicken shop. And they said the location, and the feelings they have for the community, is what makes their food so special.

“It keeps the quality and the overall sense of community alive,” said Alex.

“I’m just sick of eating fast food or the big brand names. We want mom-andpop shops to go a long way.”

Meguerditchian said the fact that he and his brother work the grill, the recipes and the menu every day, helps bring in customers and improves their business with opportunities that aren’t always there in a major market.

Alex added that the first part of their

business’ name, “Mega,” comes from the fact that will growing up, their Saugus neighborhood friends could not pronounce the brothers’ last name, and therefore just simply called them the “Megas.”

“I hate leaving Santa Clarita, and I don’t want that Los Angeles vibe,” said Alex. “I want that ‘small-town feel’ … I’ve had neighbors come in that have been my neighbors for years.”

But probably the most important aspect that leads to the spicy chicken — a dry rubbed/wet sauce combination coating served as either stand alone tenders or on a brioche bun with coleslaw, pickles and fries on the side — is that it was made by a family.

“Sure, he’s my brother, I love him, and there’s that brotherly instinct and you want to kill him — but he’s also a great mentor and partner,” said Alex.

“It’s family-owned and it’s run by a family from out here.”

Grooms said that Santa Clarita family businesses can either enlist the

help of those who have garnered experience in an industry and returned home to run it as partners, or can also be interested in having a generational tradition; something that can be handed down from family member to family member through the years.

“Yes, the new family-owned businesses are increasing in the Santa Clarita Valley,” said Grooms. She went on to say that many businesses are formed with the children of the founders, with their children in mind, as the successor to the business.

“The important thing is that they’re then able to continue that business with another generation of the family,” she said.

One such business that has already woven in the parents as founders and their children as regular attendees to their daily operations is Run, a treadmill studio also located on Cinema Drive.

Run founders and husband-andwife duo, Dany and Amanda Csiszar, met at La Mesa Jr. High School and have been together ever since. They said the journey to opening up Run required the help of their community and Santa Clarita family. And now that they have opened up and seen success in their membership numbers, they’re all about giving back to those who have supported them their whole lives.

“I’ve been personal training for about eight years, and we couldn’t find anything to open up ... and Run was our idea for a niche,” said Dany.

“We enjoyed running, fitness and health, and I was driving home on the freeway one day and thought, ‘Why is no one doing this?’”

Amanda said that the journey to Run had begun after the two had had their first child, Robbi, seven years ago.

“I had gained a lot of weight during my first pregnancy,” Amanda said, adding that she had ridden horses her whole life, and after the pregnancy she and her husband decided to do more fitness related activities. “It kind of spiraled into doing this race and that race, training for this and for that ... and I became our family lifestyle.”

“Our members are our family,” said Dany. “People enjoy each other, it’s See FAMILY, page 28

J U LY 28, 2019

S U N D AYS I G N A L · 7

T R AV E L

San Diego offers family fun beyond the usual fare

interactive activities. This is a great place to visit with young children as it offers an up-close view of tanks filled with glowing moon jellies, beautiful lion fish, silvery sardines, sharks and other sea creatures. Children can also gently pet sandpapery sea stars and slimy sea cucumbers at the outdoor Tide Pool Plaza.

By Michele E. Buttelman Signal Staff Writer

S

an Diego, just a few hours away by car or Amtrak Pacific Surfliner from Union Station in Downtown L.A., is wellknown for its zoo, beaches and Sea World. However, family fun can also be found throughout San Diego.

Relax on the Surfliner and take in the incredible views along the way.

First, take Metrolink from any of the three Santa Clarita Valley stations — Via Princessa, Santa Clarita or Newhall — and connect at Union Station with any of more than a half dozen Surfliner trains to one of two stations in San Diego: Old Town Transportation Center or Santa Fe Depot.

Info www.amtrak.com/pacificsurfliner-train.

San Diego offers fun family adventures, as well as world class events and festivals.

Upcoming events Aug. 10 Surf Dog Competition Elder Avenue, Imperial Beach Info https://surfdogevents.com/ imperial-beach Dozens of dogs take to the waves during the annual Surf Dog Competition in Imperial Beach. Visitors can take in the fun as more than 60 dogs compete in surfing and paddle board-

Above: Balboa Park is the location of the first-ever World’s Fair. The Botanical Building with the Lily Pond was built for the 1915-16 exposition. Right: La Casa de Estudillo Museum is a national landmark and one example of a typical large Spanish-Mexican townhome.

Apollo 9 is one of only two Apollo command modules flown in space that is on display west of the Rocky Mountains. PHOTOS COURTESY VISIT CALIFORNIA

ing challenges. The family-friendly event raises funds for the San Diego Humane Society.

Aug. 31-Sept. 2 U.S. Sand Sculpting Challenge and 3D Art Exposition Info https://ussandsculpting.com Broadway Pier and Pavilion, 1000 North Harbor Drive, San Diego More than 300 tons of sand will be carved and molded into beautiful sculptures during the annual U.S. Sand Sculpting Challenge and 3D Art Exposition. Held at the Broadway Pier and Pavilion on San Diego Bay, the event features live entertainment, food trucks and fun kids’ activities.

Around town Old Town San Diego 4002 Wallace St., San Diego Info http://www.oldtownsandiego.org Old Town is the historic heart of San Diego. Created in 1769, Old Town San Diego was California’s first settlement with only a mission and a fort.

Take a tour of Whaley House, which was featured on the Travel Channel’s America’s Most Haunted.

This was San Diego’s first house made from bricks and has been used as a courthouse, theater, billiard hall and school.

La Casa de Estudillo Museum 4000 Mason St., San Diego This national landmark, built between 1827 and 1829, is one of the oldest surviving examples of a typical large Spanish-Mexican one-story townhouse in California.

La Jolla Cove 1100 Coast Blvd., La Jolla Info www.lajolla.com/guides/lajolla-cove/ Visit Ellen Scripps Park to fly kites, enjoy picnics and walk to the Children’s Pool. This arena was created with children and their safety in mind. Local philanthropist Ellen Browning Scripps donated funds in 1931 to form the seawall which helps creates an open ocean pool with safe, serene waters.

Swim, snorkel, build sand castles and see the seals that often fill the entire beach. The cove is also a great place for young children to explore tide pools.

Birch Aquarium at Scripps Institution of Oceanography 2300 Expedition Way, La Jolla Info https://aquarium.ucsd.edu See more than 5,000 fish in 60-plus habitats plus a museum featuring cutting edge research from Scripps Institution of Oceanography, UC San Diego. Take in spectacular panoramic ocean views and get hands on with

Balboa Park 1549 El Prado, San Diego Info www.balboapark.org The location of the first-ever World’s Fair, Balboa Park offers 17 museums, a multitude of gardens, five playgrounds, a carousel, a train for children, the famous Old Globe Theatre and more.

The view of the Botanical Building with the Lily Pond is one of the most photographed scenes in Balboa Park and a “must-see” destination in San Diego. Built for the 1915-16 Exposition, the historic building is one of the largest lath structures in the world. The Botanical Building plantings include more than 2,100 permanent plants.

Visit the California Tower, another “must-see” Balboa Park attraction.

Often used as a symbol of Balboa Park and the city of San Diego, the Tower recently re-opened for tours that offer panoramic views of San Diego.

Take a stroll through Alcazar Garden, in the shadow of the California Tower. It is one of the most photogenic spots in the park.

Apollo 9 is one of only two Apollo command modules flown in space on display west of the Rocky Mountains.

Found at the San Diego Air & Space Museum Apollo 9’s 10-day mission launched on March 3, 1969. The crew accomplished the first tests of the lunar module, or LM, that would take a crew to the surface of the Moon on July 20, 1969. See this important piece of history now, during the 50th anniversary of the moon landing.

While at the museum visit the Kid’s Aviation Action Hangar, a special play area for kids.

A hit with preschoolers, the San Diego Model Railroad Museum houses one of the largest indoor model train displays in the world. Bigger kids will enjoy the Reuben H. Fleet Science Center.

8 · S U N D AYS I G N A L

J U LY 28, 2019

BUSINESS

Video Depot: The last action heroes in Newhall

By Tammy Murga Signal Staff Writer

E

ven with movie rental stores on almost every corner of the Santa Clarita Valley many moons ago, John and Gina Lee remember how a line of film lovers would snake through the aisles and out to the storefront of their Video Depot in Newhall.

That’s not quite the case today.

“Fridays and Saturdays were the busiest days,” said John. “There were long lines that would go out the door.

Those days are gone now. Weekends are still a little better than weekdays but it’s different these days.”

While Video Depot no longer has the customer volume it once strongly held, its endurance to remain open amid a movie streaming dominated industry is stronger. The store even publicizes itself on social media as “(t)he last DVD and Blu-Ray rental store in Santa Clarita (and) possibly the world.”

With a multitude of options to

watch movies these days, from Netflix to Redbox, video stores have found it more challenging than ever to convince consumers to leave their homes and make the drive.

“It’s been pretty hard to keep up with the times, but we’re making it happen. We just don’t know for how long,” said John, who is a longtime real estate agent and owner of Video Depot’s next-door neighbor Best Mail and Ship Center.

The Lees jumped into the video rental business in 1986, joining about 30,000 other stores across the nation at the time. They owned three other locations — two in Saugus and one in Canyon Country— before selling them off. They’re now down to their last one, but plans to get rid of it are nonexistent, the couple said.

“I love movies; watching them is my hobby,” said John, who loves classics. Video Depot grew from humble beginnings, with the owner handpicking a collection of movies on VHS from visits to more than 40 different shops to now having about

For more than 30 years, John and Gina Lee have run Video Depot in the Santa Clarita Valley. They’ve sold off two of their locations, but the mom and pop have no plans to close their store on Lyons Avenue any time soon. PHOTO BY CORY RUBIN / THE SIGNAL

10,000 titles on DVDs. Change is something the business has hurdled successfully over the decades, starting with Betamax and VHS rentals, to laserdiscs and later switching to DVDs and Blu-Ray. “It’s just part of the changes,” John said with a shrug. And while transitioning from one form to the other to stay in business were big investments, the Lees have not had to make significant adjustments since online streaming took over, they said.

Some video stores have repurposed themselves as libraries, others have changed their selections mostly cater to collectors and some have only created social media accounts — that’s about the biggest adaption Video Depot has made in most recent times, according to Liam Miller, the store manager and a local film student.

“I feel like you kind of have to have some sort of presence on social media to stay relevant,” said Miller, who runs the business’ Facebook and other outlets. “We put out all the new releases and people can see what new movies we got in. But also, so many people have found the store through social media. Some people have made Youtube videos documenting the store because it is one of the last ones around. They’ll then link our social media and people will say, ‘Oh, we found you through social media.’”

An online appearance has helped Video Depot receive some foot traffic, but perhaps a large part of why

people keep returning is their physical presence in the community.

“I remember everyone’s faces,” said Gina, who runs day-to-day operations. “There’s three boys, like 5 or 6 years old, that would come with Power Ranger toys. Now they’re 30 years old and live in Thousand Oaks and come by for a car wash or here and say, ‘Hi, Ms. Lee.’ We have very loyal customers. I think it’s because we don’t see them as customers, we see them as family.”

Some people still love the physical aspect of walking through the aisles and hand-selecting a movie, but that’s just the bonus, said Miller. The real treat is catching up with Gina, a friend of the community.

“Gina and her relationship with customers, that’s really the main draw,” he said. “It’s not that people are coming here because they can’t get the releases at other places, they come here because they want to support a local business and want to see Gina and have that face time.”

Video Depot’s future is uncertain, said John, but the desire to remain in business and continue bonding with members of the community is assured.

Video Depot is located at 23636 Lyons Ave. in Newhall, just west of Peachland Avenue. It’s open Monday to Thursday, 10:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 10:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m.; and Sunday, 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.

J U LY 28, 2019

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10 · S U N D AYS I G N A L

J U LY 28, 2019

LOCALNEWS

Assemblywoman, senator host wildfire town halls

Smith, emergency officials emphasize evacuation

By Caleb Lunetta Signal Staff Writer

By Jim Holt Signal Senior Staff Writer

A

ssemblywoman Christy Smith, D-Santa Clarita, Los Angeles County first responders and emergency preparedness professionals hosted a Wildfire Preparedness Town Hall Saturday.

“This is an opportunity for us to invite our first responder community to be present with the community to give really important reminders about what to do in the event of an emergency, whether that’s wildfire or an earthquake,” said Smith. “We really want to continue to have that focus, just on the awareness, not only to keep our community and residents safe, but to empower our first responders to do their jobs in the times of these emergencies.”

During the 2-hour seminar, held in the multipurpose room of Wiley Canyon Elementary, approximately 50 residents heard from Smith, who sits on the Joint Legislative Committee on Emergency Management in Sacramento, Los Angeles County Fire Department’s Assistant Chief Anderson Mackey Jr. and Los Angeles County Sheriff ’s Department’s Lt. Leo Bauer, as well as spokespeople from the California Department of Insurance.

Residents heard information on topics such as brush abatement, evacuations and how to prepare their families to quickly leave their homes in an emergency.

“People think they can protect themselves in the case of fires; we’ve had that so many times where they want to stay back, use their garden hoses, hose down the houses,” said Bauer, in response to a question about the biggest myths emergency personnel wish to dispel about emergencies.

“Sometimes, it can work ... but when they tap into the fire hydrant system to protect and use that water, it reduces water pressure to that house.”

Bauer also said something they remind residents of is that during an evacuation, when LASD personnel

Wilk, first responders say being prepared is key

S Assemblywoman Christy Smith, D-Santa Clarita, speaks during a Wildfire Preparedness Town Hall meeting, which was held at Wiley Canyon Elementary School in Newhall. PHOTO BY DAN WATSON / THE SIGNAL.

come to the front door of a house, they don’t have time to revisit you in case you decide to delay your departure.

“Once we pass you to go to the next house, next street, next area, you’re behind us,” said Bauer. “If you stay, we don’t have time to come back and save you.” He added that a fire has trapped people, as well as firefighters and law enforcement, and cost them their lives because they did not evacuate when they were told to.

And while LASD officials have the responsibility of educating residents about the critical nature of evacuations, Fire Department officials touched on evacuations, but also the importance of preparing your family.

“Some of the programs we have are the ‘Ready! Set! Go!’ program, that’s the biggest thing,” Mackey said.

“Anytime there’s a wildfire approaching and we ask you to evacuate, just evacuate. The best thing for you to do is to leave and leave early.”

The “Ready! Set! Go!” program, which was being emphasized both in speeches and brochures being handed out at the town hall, provides families with critical information on creating defensible space around your home, retrofitting your home with fire-resistant materials and preparing you to safely evacuate well ahead of a wildfire, according to officials.

See EVACUATION, page 12

ensing a need for public discussion on the changing face of wildfires in Southern California, a panel of elected officials and first responders discussed their plans to address those changes, as well as fire-prevention tips, to a room full of local residents Monday.

The Wildfire Town Hall at the Santa Clarita Sports Complex was called an effort to update homeowners about the “best practices” for keeping their home safe as the fire season deepens.

Citing the Sand Fire of July 2016, which burned 41,432 acres, state Sen. Scott Wilk, R-Santa Clarita described fire preparedness “as a very serious issue,” saying the panel of town hall experts were there to “help guide us in making sure we make the proper choices.”

Lackey, in turn, framed his comments around the town-destroying Camp Fire of 2018 which destroyed the entire community of Paradise, burning 153,336 acres and leaving 85 dead.

“We must have plans in place so that we don’t become victims,” he said. “The one thing you need to remember is that seconds matter.”

County Supervisor for the 5th District Kathryn Barger stressed the need for stepped up collaboration among agencies and pointed to the Woolsey Fire of 2018, which burned close to 97,000 acres, as an example of the changing nature of wildfires in California.

“After the Woolsey Fire, we learned that fires are no longer seasonal,” Barger said. “We didn’t have aid coming down from upstate because they were fighting fires up north.

“The Woolsey Fire was a wake-up call,” she said. “What it told me is that we cannot do it alone. It is important for us to collaborate.”

Echoing the call for collaboration, Santa Clarita Mayor Marsha McLean noted how staffers at the city’s Emer-

State Sen. Scott Wilk, R-Santa Clarita, addresses the crowd at a Wildfire Town Hall meeting, which as held at The Centre in Canyon Country. PHOTO BY CORY RUBIN / THE SIGNAL.

gency Operations Center “immediately get in contact with all other agencies.”

Being prepared is key, she said, adding: “It’s really important, when incidents happen, that you know what to do.”

Once the elected officials spoke, first responders shared concrete steps to be taken in the event of a wildfire.

Los Angeles County Fire Chief Daryl L. Osby told attendees that the Santa Clarita Valley is known by firefighters across the state as the “ring of fire,” noting that in the SCV “fires come from all different directions.”

“I cannot emphasize brush clearance enough,” Osby said.

Citing the Woolsey Fire as an example, he urged attendees to “get ready prior to a fire.

“If you have to evacuate, have your medicine ready, your insurance ready and your pets ready,” he said.

On the subject of evacuations, Captain Robert Lewis of the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff ’s Station said: “We’re going to evacuate, and we’re going to ask you to evacuate.” He noted later in the session that once you obey the evacuation order, you will not be allowed back inside the vacated residence.

Capt. Edward Krusey, of the California Highway Patrol, which oversees road closures and traffic control in the event of a wildfire — among See FIRES, page 12

J U LY 28, 2019

S U N D AYS I G N A L · 11

Man, dog involved in crash prep for surgery

By Emily Alvarenga Signal Staff Writer

T

he man and dog involved in a rollover crash Thursday evening in front of Fire Station 128 in Saugus are both preparing for surgery on similar injuries, according to family members.

Tarlena Owens’ son Ryan was driving home from the dog park with his Australian shepherd Genie Rez when the accident occurred, she said.

“He loves that dog,” Owners said.

“They are inseparable, they go to the dog park every day. It’s kind of ironic that they both have the same injuries — broken leg, internal bleeding, very bruised. They’re both in a lot of pain.”

Ryan was trapped in the vehicle for a little less than an hour as Los Angeles County Fire Department officials worked to extricate him. During that time, Owens was at home just threeblocks from the accident, she said.

“My son and I come home every night and we talk, then he takes the dog to the doggy park — this is a ritual every night,” she added. “He’s

usually gone about an hour ... All of a sudden it’s starting to get dark, he’s about 10, 15 minutes late, and I started to hear a helicopter.”

Owens was watching the news when all of a sudden she recognizes the car.

“I was blank; I didn’t know what to do,” she said. Her eyes welled with tears as one rolled down her cheek.

Both Ryan and Genie Rez were transported from the scene of the accident in separate ambulances. Ryan was taken to Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital in critical condition with a broken femur and many broken ribs, while Genie Rez went to Valencia Veterinary Center, with two broken legs and possible internal bleeding.

“We did not know if they were going to make it through the night, either one, so we’re a little better off now, but it’s just going to be a hard road of recovery,” Owens said. “(Ryan) is going to be having surgery Monday on his femur, he’s already had two surgeries, so we’ll know more from there.”

Valencia Veterinary Center worked to stabilize Genie Rez, and on Saturday, she was transported to another

Genie Rez gets carried into a car. The dog suffered two broken legs, internal bleeding and bruising, which are similar injuries the owner received after a rollover crash Thursday evening. PHOTO BY EMILY ALVARENGA / THE SIGNAL

veterinarian, specializing in orthopedic surgery, in Woodland Hills to have surgery.

“She’s going to have surgery tonight,” Owens said. “I hope that I can get her home next week and then Ryan shortly afterwards. That’s the goal.”

Owens wanted to thank everybody for the support, and was even able to thank Michael Toepfer, the Los Angeles County Firefighter and K9 handler

Family has generator stolen from home

By Gilbert Bernal Signal Staff Writer

A

Castaic family returned home from a camping trip to find a nearly $1,000 purchase had been taken from their walkway.

Alison R., who lives with her family on Countryside Lane, has footage of a pair of thieves entering her home through an upstairs bedroom window.

“It happened on Saturday,” said Alison, who asked that we not publish her last name. “At 5:57 p.m., they pulled in our driveway. We saw the video of them taking the package.”

The homeowner watched the video of the thieves loading up the generator and pulling away, and then reversing and deciding to go back and steal more of her and her family’s property.

“It was very obvious that nobody was home,” said Alison. “They jumped on a side shed and they

entered through a window, went into the master bedroom. They were inside for a few minutes, grabbed what they could and then left through the window again.”

Videos captured from Ring cameras reveal the pair of thieves pulling up to the driveway and sneaking into the backyard through a side gate.

In the video, two Hispanic men in their mid-20s, around 170-200 pounds pull into the driveway in a black BMW sedan without front plates and dealer temporary plates in

LOCALNEWS

the back.

The residents were expecting the nearly $1,000 generator to be delivered by Amazon the day after they returned from their camping trip, Alison said.

“Amazon deliver the generator a day early,” she said, “They decide to leave it in the middle (of the driveway) — if they had rung the doorbell, we would have been notified.

The two prowlers entered the backyard through a side gate, climbed on top of a shed and made their way in through a bedroom window.

The thieves stole jewelry, a backpack with work items and some cash while inside the premises, after they loaded the generator into the black BMW, according to the homeowners.

Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff ’s Station deputies are investigating the theft, and anyone with information can call 661-255-1121.

who stabilized Genie Rez and worked to keep her calm during the accident.

“I’m just doing what I can,” Toepfer said in response to Owens thanks.

“It’s unfortunate that these things happen, but I’m glad that everyone’s okay and on the path to recovery.”

“I would like to say a big thank you to all the Santa Clarita community, the people at the Golden Valley dog park, who have reached out to many people, for any of the donations that I have heard have come into this veterinary hospital — thank you, thank you, thank you,” Owens added.

Unfortunately, the veterinary bills are already starting to stack up for Owens.

“I’ve got to be honest, I never thought of having emergency insurance on my dog, but my dog is one special dog and I guess I should have, but you don’t anticipate or expect anything like this to happen,” Owens said. “The dog is my family … whatever the cost, I’m going to have to figure it out, right? So here we are … and I need help.”

Family members have created a GoFundMe page for Genie Rez, and a number of donations have already come into the vet.

“The community here, Santa Clarita, it’s unbelievable how they’ve stepped up,” Owens said. “I expect to give back when I am able to, because this community is amazing and I’ve needed it. Anybody who is willing and able to help, I’m genuinely very grateful.”

To learn more or donate, visit gofundme.com/f/genierez-super-dog.

12 · S U N D AYS I G N A L

J U LY 28, 2019

LOCALNEWS

Newhall crash victim ID’d as Valencia man Prelim set

for woman accused of stealing from Girl Scouts

By Caleb Lunetta and Jim Holt Signal Staff Writers

C

oroner’s officials have identified the man killed Wednesday morning in a single-vehicle crash in Newhall as Yervand Darabedyan, 61, of Valencia.

Lt. Anthony Lopez, of the Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner, said no official cause of death has been determined.

Reports of the traffic collision came in at 7:29 a.m. at the corner of Oak Ridge Drive and Railroad Avenue in Newhall.

“It was a single-occupant, single-vehicle (crash), and (the driver) was DOA (dead on arrival),” said Marvin Lim, a representative for the Los Angeles County Fire Department.

“He didn’t hit any other cars.”

The call came in at 7:29 a.m. at the corner at Oak Ridge Drive and Railroad Avenue in Newhall.

“We didn’t actually confirm what he hit, but when the call came in, it was a power pole,” said Lim. A Valencia resident, who was walking his dog near the South Fork Creek trail, heard the crash.

“There was no sound of an accident, no sound of brakes, just a

EVACUATION

Continued from page 10

Kathye Armitage, a resident in attendance whose husband is a fire chief with Los Angeles City Fire, said she believes even her family could be more prepared after she sat through the town hall. The conversation about the importance of insurance at the end of the meeting, calling it information she was prepared to take home and act upon.

“I’d like to think we’re more prepared, but in actuality we really aren’t,” Kathye Armitage said. “So, this was a good reminder for me to put plans in motion.”

For more information about “Ready! Set! Go!” or other earthquake or wildfire preparedness, visit www.fire.lacounty.gov/rsg.

By Jim Holt Signal Senior Staff Writer

A

A man was pronounced dead after a single-vehicle collision in Newhall. The collision took place at the corner of Oak Ridge Drive and Railroad Avenue. PHOTOS

BY GILBERT BERNAL / THE SIGNAL

crash,” he said. “It sounded like a billboard coming down.”

As of 8:20 a.m., all northbound lanes of Railroad Avenue were shut down as investigators on the scene worked to clear debris and search

FIRES

Continued from page 10

other responsibilities, told attendees to have an alternate route planned out in advance for getting out of an area threatened by fire.

“Make sure you know your alternate route,” he said.

Preparedness also means keeping your home insurance up to date.

“You need to document everything you own,” Sally Kim Westlake, spokeswoman for the California Department of Insurance, said.

for the cause of the collision.

As of 8:30 a.m., the identification of the driver has not yet been released, and the cause of the collision was not made known by investigators.

She urged people to contact their insurance representative and ask if their insurance is enough to rebuild their home.

Last to speak of the panel was Phil Herrington, senior vice president of transmission and distribution, for Southern California Edison.

He warned of strategic blackouts — 24 to 36 hours at a time — initiated by the utility, if the threat of wildfire warrants it.

“In the name of public safety, we will have preemptive shut off or our circuits,” he said.

preliminary hearing was set Wednesday for a Saugus woman arrested on suspicion of grand theft and accused of stealing more than $88,000 from nonprofit groups, including the local Girl Scouts.

Patricia Cascione, 52, appeared in Los Angeles Superior Court Wednesday.

She was arrested in September 2018 by detectives with the Los Angeles County Sheriff ’s Department Fraud and Cyber Crimes Bureau, on suspicion of grand theft and theft by false pretense of over $88,000 in funds allegedly stolen from nonprofit organizations.

A preliminary hearing was set to begin Aug. 23, Ricardo Santiago, spokesman for the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s office said Wednesday.

After she was arrested, detectives served a search warrant at the Cascione home where they recovered additional evidence, LASD Deputy Marvin Crowder wrote in a news release issued in September.

Over the past 20 years, Cascione was entrusted as the treasurer for multiple Girl Scouts of the USA Troops in addition to a local Girl Scouts service unit in Santa Clarita, Crowder wrote at the time.

Fraud and Cyber Crimes Bureau detectives became aware of potential fraudulent activity and initiated a criminal investigation.

It is alleged that during the past five years, Cascione embezzled over $58,000 from several Girl Scout troops and service unit bank accounts over which she had control.

After their investigation, detectives also suspected Cascione, while chief financial officer of the Beverly Hills Cancer Center, was alleged to have committed theft by false pretense of over $30,000.

J U LY 28, 2019

S U N D AYS I G N A L · 13

TECHNOLOGY

Affordable smartphones, sending texts, getting faster

By Kim Komando Signal Contributing Writer

Cheaper smartphones Q: I don’t have $1,000 to spend on a new phone. What can I get for around $300 to $500?

A: Phones are a lot like bottles of wine. You don’t have to sacrifice your budget to get a good one. A $1,000 iPhone or an $800 Pixel 3 may be glamorous, but you can fall in love with a smartphone that costs a whole lot less.

I researched some budget beauties that come in under $400. These hard-working gadgets still deliver pleasing photos, eye-catching displays, and excellent performance, but they won’t stress out your wallet. The Google Pixel 3a, Motorola Moto G7, Samsung Galaxy S8 and the Apple iPhone 7 are just a few of the more affordable alternatives to a brand new phone discussed at Komando.com.

Text from a PC or Mac Q: So many of my friends use texting to communicate that I can’t keep up. Is there an easier way to send text messages from my desktop?

A: If you own an iPhone, you may not even realize the full power of iMessage: You can instantly send a message — along with photos, video, and web links — to any other phone, anywhere in the world — from your desktop or laptop.

You could also use an app like Google Hangouts or WhatsApp, which operates through Facebook. Another option is a service like Pushbullet, and, even wilder, some phone carriers let you send text messages through their websites.

Making ringtones Q: Is it possible to make your own ringtone? I want to know it’s my phone ringing and not a co-worker’s phone.

A: The short answer is yes, you can make a custom ringtone. This makes perfect sense, since the ringtone file is so small, and sound manipulation is straightforward in a digital setting.

But most of us don’t customize our own; maybe it’s because many people don’t use ringtones, preferring to let the phone vibrate to announce an incoming call. Still, making your own ringtone is a really fun and creative idea, and you’re right about distinguishing your phone from all others.

There’s a free program available at: komando.com/downloads/570484/ create-custom-ringtones-with-thisfree-program

Pair Bluetooth Q: Sometimes my phone pairs but frequently not. How can I fix the Bluetooth, so it always works?

A: Bluetooth is definitely its own animal. Unlike Wi-Fi and cell phone data, Bluetooth has a comparatively weak signal, and its connectivity can be a little unpredictable. Don’t get me wrong, Bluetooth is very effective, and most compatible devices will work on the first try.

But there are a lot of things that could go wrong: You may forget to activate Bluetooth on both devices, or you may not have updated to the latest software. Incredibly, something as simple as a garage door opener could interfere with your Bluetooth signal.

To troubleshoot your Bluetooth problems, there are many helpful techniques.

Here’s a few from Komando.com:

1. Make sure your devices are Bluetooth compatible with each other; 2. Check the manufacturer websites for potential patches; 3. Make sure both devices have a good charge; 4. Get away from potential sources of interference; 5. Check for updated drivers and firmware; 6. Make sure both devices are close together; 7. Get away from other sources of interference, like USB ports; 8. Clear stored settings on your device(s); 9. Delete the device you’re trying to pair and restart discovery.

Accelerate Windows Q: My Windows PC is so slow. I cannot afford a new one. How can I speed the old gray mare up?

A: Windows-based computers have always been versatile, but they are also infamous for slowing down over time. Usually, this is due to cluttered files and forgotten background tasks that eat up your memory.

You can probably dig into your hard drive and manually remove programs that you know you’ll never use.

But you also run the risk of illuminating files that seem useless but are required for your computer to run.

What you need is a separate program, preferably free, that can analyze your computer and recommend files and programs that are ripe for deletion.

Luckily, it exists, and its name is UninstallView. And it doesn’t cost you anything.

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.

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14 · S U N D AYS I G N A L

J U LY 28, 2019

FROM THE CITY MANAGER

A year in review with the Santa Clarita Public Library

By Ken Striplin City Manager

T

he Santa Clarita Public Library has what you need for your next adventure — whether that’s exploring a universe of stories, brushing up on your technology skills or researching Santa Clarita’s local history. It has always been the mission of our Santa Clarita Public Library to bring people, information and ideas together to educate, inspire and enrich the quality of life in our diverse community. In July of last year, a new chapter began for the Santa Clarita Public Library that would allow us to better deliver on our mission. We transitioned from outsourced staffing by a private contractor to in-house staffing with City-hired employees.

Although on the surface the change may not have appeared drastic, this transition benefited the community

in many ways. Now looking back over the past 12 months, here are some exciting updates that have taken place since the official transition.

Since every Santa Clarita Public Library staff member is now a City employee, we can expect longer retention, which translates to an investment in the work they do and a willingness to uphold the City’s philosophy statement of providing excellent customer service with a humanistic approach.

We also hired a new City librarian and three library administrators to guide staff in providing the best public library services for the community.

In October of last year, the library opened its first-ever Passport Acceptance Facility. Located on the second floor of the Old Town Newhall Library, the new facility offers passport services to library customers by appointment including first-time passports, passport renewals, replacements and photos. I’m excited to share that a second Passport Acceptance Facility recently opened at our Valencia library branch.

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branches lately, you may have noticed our brand new, modern and convenient self-checkout stations. The new touch-enabled screen machines offer new features, such as the ability to securely pay fines and printing fees with a chip-enabled credit card. Each branch also has a station that is ADA compliant, so the service is accessible to all library patrons.

We have also vastly improved the speed of the library’s internet connection. Earlier this year, we connected to the California Research and Education Network (CalREN), a high-capacity 3,800-mile fiber-optic network operated by CENIC. The high-speed broadband connection has increased our library’s internet speed tenfold, from 100 megabits per second to 1,000 Mbps (1 gigabit), allowing you to get your work done efficiently. This connection services public computers at all branches, including personal computer devices used by customers.

Transitioning in-house has also allowed us more control over behindthe-scenes operations, such as the

selection of books and materials to be added to our library circulation. I’m pleased to share that you can expect to see more on our bookshelves as the city council recently approved an increase of $200,000 to the Library’s materials budget, totaling $1 million annually — the highest we’ve had since the library was established in 2011. We are excited to be able to provide more for our community of readers, be it children’s books or electronic resources such as audiobooks.

It’s an exciting time for our Santa Clarita Public Library, and we’ve had a wonderful year full of enriching educational programs and newly added services. To learn more about the Santa Clarita Public Library and what’s to come, please visit SantaClaritaLibrary. com, or call (661) 259-0750.

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.

15 · S U N D AYS I G N A L

J U LY 28, 2019

SPORTS

Life lessons from the field

By Diego Marquez Signal Staff Writer

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est Ranch baseball’s Trey Topping enjoys few things more than baseball, school and spending time with his family.

Growing up as the older sibling to twin brothers, Liam and Miles, age 12, Trey has embraced the role of big brother serving as the ultimate example of what a role model should encompass.

Over the years, Trey has developed a strong relationship with Liam, especially. In 2010, he and the “Topping Clan,” as Trey referred to his family, learned that Liam had been diagnosed with autism.

“When he was 3, he wasn’t talking yet, and mom took him to a doctor and found out that he had autism,” Trey said. “I love my life. I’m really thankful for my parents and my grandmother, Nana, and it comes with its challenges, but it’s OK. He’s a really happy kid, and if you ask anyone who has spent time with him or been around him, they would say he’s a really happy guy.”

They share the same taste in music, evidenced at West Ranch baseball games before Trey is due up to bat.

“We love Taylor Swift,” Trey said.

“It’s actually my walk-up song because Liam sings along to it whenever I come up to bat, so that’s kind of for him. I think this year it will be, ‘I Knew You Were Trouble.’ We also like Bruce Springsteen. We have

a little speaker in my room that he jumps on the bed and asks me to play ‘Shake It Off ’ next or ‘We Take Care of Our Own,’ so that’s kind of something that we share.”

In 2011, with the help of their parents and grandmother, Trey and his brothers decided to raise awareness for autism by creating the Topping Brothers Invitational Golf Tournament.

Entering its ninth year, the annual Topping Brothers Invitational’s main goal is supporting Autism Speaks, the leading 501c3 non-profit advocating for research and treatment for those diagnosed with autism, but has plans to expand the foundation by providing scholarships for families that cannot afford therapies.

The event is held at The Oaks Club in Valencia on Nov. 18 and features a round of golf, breakfast and prizes.

Since its inception in 2011, the Topping Brothers Invitational has raised over $200,000.

The Toppings are just like any regular family. Trey urges people to treat those with autism just like he does his brother.

“Don’t look at people with autism as different than you because they’re really not,” Trey said. “They all have personalities. Like, Liam is goofy, he is kind of a prankster and he’s just a person like me and you and everybody else. Just try and treat them regularly, I don’t like to say ‘normal’ because I think he is normal. He’s Liam.”

Trey Topping (left) and his younger brother Liam at West Ranch High School. The Topping family created a golf fundraiser to support autism awareness. PHOTO BY CORY RUBIN / THE SIGNAL

16 · S U N D AYS I G N A L

J U LY 28, 2019

THINGSTODO

California adventures up high and down low

By Michele E. Buttelman Signal Staff Writer

C

alifornia offers a host of fun places to go and things to see for families with children. California is also a place for dreaming big dreams, for seeking and finding adventure.

Summer is a great time to experience a true family adventure.

Here are two ways to make family time, adventure time, either up in the air or down to earth.

Up, up and away

If you’ve ever dreamed of flying up, up and away, a hot-air ballooning adventure may be what you’ve been seeking.

Magical Adventure Balloon Rides Balloon Port: South Coast Winery Resort and Spa event parking lot 34843 Rancho California Road, Temecula Info www.hotairfun.com/temecula Snow-capped mountains to the east, the Pacific Coast to the west, a landscape of lush rolling hills and a climate of ocean swept air, this is Temecula, Southern California’s wine country. The experience includes a post-flight celebration with a champagne, juice or mimosa toast, an assortment of individually wrapped breakfast items, a private tour of the Hug A Duck exotic petting zoo, free chocolate samples from Sugarplum Chocolates, a commemorative flight certificate, free digital souvenir pictures and complimentary celebratory banners.

A Grape Escape Hot Air Balloon Adventure Balloon Port: Europa Village Winery, 33475 La Serena Way, Temecula Info hotairtours.com/grape-escape Temecula is the perfect location for hot-air ballooning, it is easy to relax as you float over the countryside.

The cool morning breezes, consistent weather and open land provide guests the best conditions for hot air balloon rides.

Strike it rich

Sadly, there are no places where you can dig up dinosaur bones in California, but you can visit fee dig-

Up, up and away. California offers several places for that ultimate summer adventure of hot-air ballooning. Magical Adventure Balloon Rides and A Grape Escape Hot Air Balloon Adventure, both in Temecula, are highlighted here. PHOTOS COURTESY VISIT CALIFORNIA.

ging sites to find gold and gems.

For a complete nationwide list of fee digging sites, which include areas where you can dig up dinosaur fossils, visit https://rocktumbler.com/ blog/fee-mining-and-digging-sites.

Here’s a few places you might strike it rich.

California State Gem Mine The Historic Old Road Camp 48242 Los Gatos Road, Coalinga Pricing $70 per person, kids 12 and younger, $20.

Info www.calstategemmine.com Did you know that California has a state gem? It does, and the gem is

called Benitoite. Benitoite is one of the rarest gemstones in the world.

Gem-quality stones and other mineral specimens can only be found one place on earth, a small 40-acre parcel of land in the Diablo Mountain Range of San Benito County (three hours from the Santa Clarita Valley).

Benitoite was first discovered at the California State Gem Mine in 1907. It was first thought to be a sapphire or a blue diamond because of the deep blue color and beautiful internal fire.

After samples were sent to the University of California for examination in the early 1900s, it was discovered

to be a new mineral.

Gem-quality Benitoite can be worth more than a diamond.

The mine has been featured on Travel Channel’s television show “Finding Cash and Treasures,” as well as other television programs.

Visits are by reservation only. Make reservation 2-3 days in advance at (559) 287-4096.

For your admission fee you are allowed to take home one quart-sized baggie of finds per person.

The mine provides screens, shovels, washing tables, quart sized bags, UV blacklight room to look through your

J U LY 28, 2019

S U N D AYS I G N A L · 17

THINGSTODO

California is famous for the gold rush and here is your opportunity to pan for gold and other gemstones. You can pan for the California state gem, Benitoite, at California State Gem Mine in Coalinga, or prospect for gold a several locations in Jamestown, Santa Ysabel or Pine Grove. PHOTO TOP RIGHT COURTESY VISIT CALIFORNIA.

material and employees to demonstrate, assist and identify your finds.

You will need to bring clear safety glasses for the blacklight room, lunches, drinks and lawn chairs. A pop-up shade is recommended for summer and gloves are recommended for winter.

Gold Prospecting Adventures 18170 Main St., Jamestown Pricing Adult $75, youth 13-15 $37.50, children 12 and under are free with a paying adult. Additional children $20 each. Discounts: Senior and active military rate $60.

Info https://goldprospecting.com This great family outing guarantees you will find gold on every trip of two hours or more and you keep all the gold you find. The guides, dressed in period costume, offer everyone a genuine and comprehensive gold rush experience. Pan for gold at a

real gold mining camp located on a shady, gold bearing creek in the heart of the motherlode. Gold Prospecting Adventures has a variety of gold discovery options.

Himalaya Tourmaline Mine Lake Henshaw 26439 Hwy 76, Santa Ysabel Info http://www.highdesertgems andminerals.com Seen on the Travel Channel’s “Finding Cash and Treasures,” this mine is open year-round, Thursday-Sunday, with no reservations necessary. Located near Santa Ysabel, this is a fun gem and crystal dig.

Many minerals can be found at the mine including pink and green tourmaline, black tourmaline, quartz crystals, spessartine garnet, lepidolite and a variety of others. Keep everything you find.

Bring sun hat or rain gear, muddy

shoes, rubber gloves, tooth brush, baggie for your crystals and a small bucket, or bin, for specimens. Tissue paper for wrapping your crystals and specimens.

Roaring Camp Mining Company 13010 Tabeau Road, Pine Grove Info https://roaringcampgold.com In the heart of the California mother lode country, is the Roaring Camp Mining Company, once a camp for Forty Niners, but since it was so inaccessible, most of the gold still remains. Visitors can see an oper-

ating gold mine and can mine their own gold by panning, sluicing, metal detecting and dry washing.

An all-day guided gold panning tour is $40 per person. All Day Guided Gold Panning Tour. Pan for gold, collect rocks, fish, hike and enjoy river swimming in nature’s most beautiful swimming hole. Enjoy lunch at the Trading Post or bring a picnic lunch. A great place to spend a day on the river with your family.

Tours are Sunday-Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

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J U LY 28, 2019

F R O M T H E C I T Y M AY O R

Be a ‘Heads-Up’ citizen — never drink and drive

By Mayor Marsha McLean

T

he summer months — especially in Santa Clarita — bring beautiful weather and a wide range of opportunities for residents.

From backyard barbecues and block parties to wonderful events and nights out with friends, there is no shortage of places to go and things to do in our City.

It is important to remember, no matter what you do, to be a “HeadsUp” citizen. Whether you are driving your car, walking on the sidewalk or riding your bicycle, be aware of your surroundings and always exhibit safe behavior.

One thing that you should never do is get behind the wheel after drinking or being impaired by drugs of any kind. There is never a situation where putting your life and the lives of others in danger is worth the risk.

This is why I want to emphasize the importance of knowing your options for alternate transportation in Santa Clarita. Having a plan set ahead of time will not only make things easier on you, but it will also ensure that you, and others you would put in harm’s way by driving under the influence, arrive at your destinations safely.

For those traveling throughout Santa Clarita to our many restaurants, entertainment venues and other event spaces, Santa Clarita Transit offers local bus service daily for as little as $1 each way. Those leaving the Santa Clarita Valley can also plan their trip with Metrolink to get to and from popular destinations in the region.

Additionally, any time of day or night, several rideshare services are available, which offer users safe, convenient transportation in the City. It’s as easy as tapping an app to get home safely.

Over the last few years, the number of traffic collisions in Santa Clarita, as well as the number of injuries that result from those collisions, has decreased. However, it is the City’s and Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff ’s Station’s goal to further reduce these statistics — particularly the number of incidences when someone has been driving under the influence.

Each year, the City of Santa Clarita holds an Evening of Remembrance at the Youth Grove in Central Park to honor 107 Santa Clarita youth who have lost their lives in traffic-related incidents. This year’s Evening of Remembrance will be held on Tuesday, September 17.

While the community will gather at this memorial to raise awareness about the importance of safe driving and the dangers of distracted and reckless driving, it is also critical that we take steps now to eliminate instances of driving under the influence.

The City of Santa Clarita is consistently recognized as one of the best places to live in California and the United States. Let’s all do our part to ensure it is also the safest by taking advantage of alternate transportation and never drinking and driving.

Mayor Marsha McLean is a member of the Santa Clarita City Council and can be reached at mmclean@santaclarita.com. The views expressed in her column are those of the city and do not necessarily reflect those of The Signal.

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J U LY 28, 2019

S U N D AYS I G N A L · 19

Home Made Flavor, Home Made Desserts

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 The Cheesecake Factory 24250 Town Center Dr #110, Valencia, CA 91355 (661) 286-1232 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 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 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

Oggi’s Pizza & Brewing Co 18810 Soledad Canyon Rd, Canyon Country (661) 252-7883 Red Robin 27063 McBean Parkway, Valencia (661) 260-2411 Route 66 Classic Grill 18730 Soledad Canyon Rd, Canyon Country (661) 298-1494

Weekend Breakfast Special Fri, Sat + Sun

8 oz. New York Steak and Eggs $14.99 8 oz. Rib Eye Steak and Eggs $17.99

Homemade Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Made with Mama’s Love!

Saddle Ranch Chop House 24201 Valencia Blvd., Valencia (661) 383-0173 Salt Creek Grille 24415 Town Center Drive, Valencia (661) 222-9999 Souplantation 24303 Town Center Drive, Valencia (661) 286-1260

Homemade Cooking!

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 Thelma’s Cafe 22876 Copperhill Drive, Saugus (661) 263-8283 Wing Stop 18547 Soledad Canyon Road, Canyon Country (661) 251-9700 Wood Ranch Bar-B-Que & Grill 25580 The Old Road, Stevenson Ranch (661) 222-9494

4 Homemade Soups Served Daily Chicken & Rice, Navy Bean w/Ham Clam Chowder, Taco Tortilla

nior Spec Homemade 15e% ial O FF Jelly Bar! S

Mond W/Cou ay- F pon M rida ust Beve y, 7am- be over rages 9 5 not inpm exp 5 clude 8/09 d

/19

BBQ Black Bear Diner 23626 Valencia Blvd, Valencia (661) 799-4820 Dickeys Barbecue Pit 18742 Soledad Canyon Road, Santa Clarita (661) 251-0840 L&L Hawaiian BBQ 18727 Via Princessa, Canyon Country (661) 251-8333 See DINING GUIDE, next page

Strawberry, Blueberry, Orange Marmalade, Green Tomato

661.284.5988

23340 Cinema Dr Valencia CA 91355 www.himamastable.com

online order by Postmates • DoorDash • Uber Eats

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J U LY 28, 2019

DININGGUIDE

DINING GUIDE

Continued from previous page

BBQ Lucille’s Bar-B-Que 24201 West Valencia Blvd, Valencia (661) 255-1227 Q&Q Hawaiian BBQ 27530 Newhall Ranch Road #101, Santa Clarita (661) 383-9098 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 Crazy Otto’s Diner 25373 Wayne Mills Place, Valencia (661) 291-1733 Egg Plantation 24415 Walnut Street, Newhall (661) 255-8222 Eggs N Things 27560 Newhall Ranch Road, Valencia (661) 702-8664 Halfway House 15564 W. Sierra Highway, Saugus (661) 251-0102 Mama’s Table 23340 Cinema Dr, Santa Clarita (661) 284-5988 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 Saugus Cafe 25861 Railroad Avenue, Saugus (661) 259-7886 Way Station Coffee Shop 24377 Main Street, Newhall (661) 255-0222

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

Oggi’s Pizza & Brewing Co. 18810 Soledad Canyon Road, Canyon Country (661) 252-7883 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 Brother’s Burgers 20655 Soledad Canyon (661) 299-9278 Burgerim 23740 Lyons Ave, Santa Clarita (661) 670-8939 Corner Bakery 24290 Valencia Blvd, Valencia (661) 259-2813 Cousins Burgers 19318 Soledad Canyon Road, 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 Firehouse Subs 23630 Valencia Blvd. Valencia (661) 255-3473 Five Guys 24201 W, Valencia Blvd #3672, Valencia (661) 255-0981 The Habit 25948 N. McBean Parkway, Valencia (661) 291-1575 Italia Panetteria & Deli 27674 Newhall Ranch Road, Valencia (661) 294-9069 Jimmy Dean’s 22941 Lyons Ave, Newhall (661) 255-6315

Rustic Eatery 25343 Wayne Mills Place, Valencia (661) 254-8100 Submarina California Subs 26517 Carl Boyer Drive, Canyon Country (661) 259-4782 Tiny’s Submarine Sandwiches 27251 Camp Plenty Rd, Canyon Country (661) 251-5885

CHINESE China Express 19417 Soledad Canyon Road, Canyon Country (661) 251-8783 Golden Wok Restaurant 16668 Soledad Canyon Road, Canyon 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 Pick Up Stix 25960 The Old Road, Stevenson Ranch (661) 288-2090 WaBa Grill 19120 Soledad Canyon Road, Canyon Country (661) 367-7297 31739 Castaic Road, Castaic (661) 295 9222 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

JJ’s Bar and Grill 25848 Tournament Road, Valencia (661) 799-7557

Bob’s Country Meats 19012 Soledad Canyon Road, Canyon Country (661) 251-5995

Panini Palace 23120 Lyons Ave, Santa Clarita (661) 678-0552

Cathy’s Delicatessen 23120 W. Lyons Avenue, Newhall (661) 288-2217

Pita Pit 28253 Newhall Ranch Road (661) 702-9977

Italia Panetteria & Deli 27674 Newhall Ranch Road, Valencia (661) 294-9069

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

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

Rustic Burger 24025 Newhall Ranch Road, Valencia (661) 254-1300

Mariciano’s Chicago Style Deli 18635 Soledad Canyon Road (661) 299-1100

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

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

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

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 Road, Santa Clarita (661) 263-7100

ITALIAN Ameci Pizza & Pasta 28013 Seco Canyon, Santa Clarita (661) 296-6131 Bella Cucina Ristorante Italiano 27911 Seco Canyon Rd, Saugus (661) 263-1414 Buca di Beppo 26940 Theater Drive, Valencia (661) 253-1900 Chi Chi’s Pizza 27117 Sierra Highway, Canyon Country (661) 252-4405 23043 Soledad Canyon Road, Saugus (661) 259-4040 Italia Panetteria & Deli 27674 Newhall Ranch Road, Valencia (661) 294-9069 Magic Pizza SCV 26870 The Old Road, Stevenson Ranch (661) 291-1921 Mama Mia Pizza 25708 The Old Road, Stevenson Ranch (661) 286-9183 Maria’s Italian-American Deli 22620 Lyons Ave, Newhall (661) 259-6261 Numero Uno Pizza 26111 Bouquet Canyon Road, Santa Clarita (661) 252-5011 Olive Garden 27003 McBean Parkway, Valencia (661) 799-8161 Piccola Trattoria 18302 Sierra Highway, Canyon Country (661) 299-6952 Presto Pasta 24375 Magic Mountain Pkwy, Valencia (661) 284-7737

J U LY 28, 2019

S U N D AYS I G N A L · 21

DININGGUIDE Spumoni Restaurant 24917 W. Pico Canyon Road, Stevenson Ranch (661) 799-0360

JAPANESE & SUSHI Achita Sushi 22913 Soledad Canyon Road, Santa Clarita (661) 476-5522 Asako Sushi 27540 Sierra Hwy, Canyon Country (661) 251-6010 Bonsai Garden 19358 Soledad Canyon Road, Canyon Country (661) 251-9008 Gyu-Kaku Japanese BBQ Dining 27025 McBean Pkwy, Valencia (661) 254-2355 Hibiki Restaurant 27625 Shangri La Dr., Canyon Country (661) 298-0273 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 Masa Ramen 27051 McBean Pkwy, #101, Valencia (661) 254-4229 My Hot Pot 26238 Bouquet Canyon Road, Santa Clarita (661) 288-1998 Shogun Sushi Japanese Restaurant 26807 Seco Canyon Rd, Santa Clarita (661) 513-0015 Sushi 661 26850 Sierra Hwy, Santa Clarita (661) 252-9831 Sushi Song Japanese Restaurant 22896 Copper Hill Dr, Santa Clarita (661) 297-5659 Xevichez Sushi Bar 24250 Town Center Dr #180, Santa Clarita (661) 288-1477

Gogi House 26524 Bouquet Canyon Road, Saugus (661) 263-0048

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

Kogiya 2 Korean BBQ 23410 Lyons Ave, Santa Clarita (661) 678-0999

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

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

La Cocina Bar & Grill 28022 Seco Canyon Road, Saugus (661) 297-4546

Sam’s Flaming Grill 24802 Orchard Village, Santa Clarita (661) 222-9060 19433 Soledad Canyon Rd, Santa Clarita (661) 298-0115 25347 Wayne Mills Pl, Valencia (661) 254-2154 23874 Copper Hill Dr, Valencia (661) 294-1100

La Charrita Restaurant 24225 Main St, Newhall (661) 288-1204

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

MEDITERRANEAN Cafe O 20655 Soledad Canyon Rd, Cyn Country (661) 424-0401 Flame & Skewers 25870 McBean Parkway, Valencia (661) 799-7538

Medrano’s Mexican Restaurant 19319 Soledad Canyon Road, Santa Clarita (661) 367-4945 Rosarito Grill 19425 Soledad Canyon Road, Canyon Country (661) 251-2732

PERSIAN Persia Lounge & Restaurant 24328 Main Street, Newhall (661) 259-4100

Grill Kabob 27653 Bouquet Canyon Road, Saugus (661) 263-7445 Kebab House 24201 Valencia Blvd, Valencia (661) 799-5844 Manoushee Mediterranean Restaurant 27131 Sierra Hwy, Canyon Country (661) 251-6666 Olive Terrace Cafe 28261 Newhall Ranch Road, Valencia (661) 257-7860 Zankou Chicken 24463 Magic Mountain Pkwy, Valencia (661) 705-7265

MEXICAN Azul Tequila 25387 Wayne Mills Place, Valencia (661) 254-5500

Yamato Restaurant 24947 Pico Canyon Road, Stevenson Ranch (661) 799-0707

Tomato Joes Pizza & Taps 19167 Golden Valley Road, Santa Clarita (661) 250-7550 Tomato Joes Pizza Express 27732 McBean Pkwy. Valencia (661) 263-8646 Toppers Pizza 23710 Valencia Blvd, Santa Clarita (805) 385-4444

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

THAI Life Thai Fusion 22911 Soledad Canyon Road, Canyon Country (661) 259-9226 Mom Can Cook Thai Kitchen 18358 Soledad Canyon Rd, Cyn Country (661) 251-8103 Original Thai BBQ Restaurant 27530 Newhall Ranch Road, Valencia (661) 257-6421

A huge thank you to the Santa Clarita community for voting The Old Town Junction “Best New Restaurant” of 2019 and also, voting Chef Otto “Best Chef” for the 2nd year in a row!

Happy Hour

KOREAN & MONGOLIAN

Mon-Fri 3:30-5:30

Brunch

Charcoal Korean BBQ Restaurant 19158 Soledad Canyon Road, Canyon Country (661) 251-9292 Genghis Khan 24506 W. Lyons Avenue, Newhall (661) 254-0351

Las Rocas Mexican Grill 27923 Sloan Canyon Road Castaic, CA 91384 (661) 257-6905

PIZZA Pizza Di Marco 27674 Newhall Ranch Rd, Valencia 661-295-8769

8am-2pm Every Sat and Sun Lunch Menu starts at 11am

the OLD TOWN

27674 Newhall Ranch Rd #55 Valencia CA 91355

661-294-9069 italiavalencia.com

JUNCTION 24275 Main St. Santa Clarita

661-702-4888

theoldtownjunction.com

Featuring:

Chef Daniel Otto

Santa Clarita’s BEST CHEF of 2018 & 2019

22 · S U N D AYS I G N A L

J U LY 28, 2019

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

Quiet Riot to play at the Canyon Santa Clarita

By Perry Smith Sunday Signal Editor

I

t’s not everyday that the Santa Clarita Valley gets a chance to host the pioneers of a genre, but when Quiet Riot comes to town Saturday, Aug. 3, heavy metal fans will have a chance to hear one of the most famous rock bands in the world.

Touring with original member Frankie Banali, who carries the distinction of being the only member of the band to appear on every Quiet Riot release since the 1983 breakthrough album, “Metal Health,” the band stays true to the sound that led to millions of albums flying off the shelves.

For more than 30 years the band has epitomized rock ’n’ roll, and Banali has made sure the band remains true

to form, touring with bassist Chuck Wright, guitarist Alex Grossi and vocalist James Durbin with the blessings and support from the family of Kevin DuBrow’s family. DuBrow, the group’s original vocalist, died in 2007.

For fans who wants to come down and “feel the noise” at Canyon Santa Clarita next month, make sure you have your tickets before the show sells out.

The opening sets are scheduled to be played by rock bands We are Wasted and Black List 9.

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 Wheremusicmeets theSoul.com.

J U LY 28, 2019

S U N D AYS I G N A L · 23

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

The ‘live-action’ Lion King, ‘The Art of Self-Defense’

By Dianne White Crawford Signal Contributing Writer

“The Lion King”

General Released If you have come here to read yet another take on how this next-gen remake of a beloved film doesn’t bring anything new to the story, you’ve come to the wrong place.

I love cinema as an art form, and when analyzing a movie, I typically look for the good and enjoyable, rather than focusing on every element I might be able to criticize … never forgetting that the on screen presentation is the culmination of work performed by many dedicated people so that I might sit back in a comfy seat within the confines of an air-conditioned theatre and be entertained for a couple of hours. And entertained I was.

It only takes a few moments for the awe to set in. The look is, at times, so realistic that kids may actually believe animals can talk. More than once the fur of an animal or the splash of the river reminded me of my recent two weeks in Africa with its ultra-high definition photography.

So let’s clear up something right now. This has been labeled as a “live-action” remake of the animated classic from 1994. You should know, even if your eyes tell you otherwise, that there is nothing “live” in the film.

Instead, everything you see on screen is computer-generated. No, the lions and elephants aren’t real and neither are the trees or distant mountains.

Of course, neo-realism can be admired only as a technical achievement when we are discussing a movie in which lions talk and warthogs sing.

So while we marvel at the technical achievement, let’s not lose sight of the story … what made the original so popular and beloved 25 years ago.

Although it’s approximately a half-hour longer than the original, this one is exceedingly close to a scene-for-scene remake. Only minor tweaks will be noticed, mostly in the demeanor of Scar and the banter between Pumbaa and Timon — each actually improving on the first film.

What remains is the coming-of-age story that will now touch many new hearts and minds.

Kids will be immediately entranced

Young Simba (JD McCrary), Pumbaa the warthog (Seth Rogen) and Timon the meerkat (Billy Eichner) on an adventure in “The Lion King.” PHOTO COURTESY IMDB

with the cubs, Simba and Nala, voiced

by JD McCrary and Shahadi Wright Joseph (the daughter in Jordan Peele’s “US”), and with Zazu (voiced by John Oliver), the goofy and comical bird tasked with keeping an eye on the two adventurous youngsters as they get themselves into trouble.

James Earl Jones (now 88 years old) reprises his iconic voice role as the wise Mufasa, and Alfre Woodward voices Sarabi, the pride’s leading female. Chiwetel Ejiofor is excellent as the bitter Shakespearian villain Scar, but I couldn’t help but wish Jeremy Irons had returned for this interpretation of the jealous and power-hungry brother of Mufasa.

The energy level jumps once Simba meets Pumbaa and Timba. Seth Rogen and Billy Eichner take the comedy routine to a new place, and we can only assume much of their banter is off-script. Kids may not get every joke, but they are sure to respond to this odd couple.

Donald Glover and Beyonce voice the grown Simba and Nala, and both are outstanding — especially with their singing (no surprise there).

Nala’s role is expanded a bit … as expected when you cast Queen Bey. Her original song “Spirit” is included but it’s her duet with Glover on “Can You Feel the Love Tonight?” that is a real musical standout.

Director Jon Favreau has been in the chair for such hits as “Iron Man 2” (2010), “Iron Man” (2008) and “Elf ” (2003), and he was also behind Disney’s live-action remake of “The Jungle Book” (2016). The writing

credits belong to Jeff Nathansan (“Catch Me If You Can”, 2002) for the screenplay, Oscar winner Brenda Chapman (“Brave”, 2012) for the story, and Irene Mecchi, Jonathan Roberts and Linda Woolverton for the characters. The latter three were among the 28 writers credited for the 1994 version.

Also back is composer Hans Zimmer, who won an Oscar for his 1994 score, and songwriters Elton John and Tim Rice, also Oscar winners for their 1994 song, “Can You Feel the Love Tonight?”

This more realistic version is rightly rated PG rather than G, as some of the scenes are likely to be a bit intense for younger viewers. And it’s important to remember that this version is meant to bring Simba’s story to a whole new generation — it’s not meant to replace the 1994 version for those who were kids when it came out so many years ago.

“The Art of Self-Defense”

General Release Casey Davies (Jesse Eisenberg) is a corporate accountant. He’s a meek guy. He is an outsider at work, and has no social life beyond his TV and devoted dachshund (because a poodle would be too obvious). To put it bluntly, he’s a lonely guy.

One evening, while walking back from the grocery store to buy dog food, Casey is mugged and brutally attacked by a motorcycle gang. This leaves Casey not only alone and battered, but also afraid. His decision to buy a gun gets sidetracked when a local dojo catches his eye. He’s drawn

to the whispered guidance of the Sensei (Alessandro Nivola), and the confidence and power derived from the self-defense skills being taught.

Filmmaker Riley Stearns takes on toxic masculinity in a subversive and satirical manner. His dark comedy is played straight by the participants, putting viewers in a state of awkward laughter and uncertain reactions to what we are witnessing. It’s both exaggerated and nuanced, as there are informative subtleties in both the dialogue and mannerisms of the characters.

Imogen Poots plays Anna, perhaps the most interesting character in the film. She’s a talented brown belt frustrated by her Sensei’s unwillingness to award her with a much-deserved black belt. Instead, she is relegated to teaching kids’ classes, and only gets to shine in the mysterious night classes.

Ah yes, the night classes. Participants must be personally invited

by Sensei, and it’s here where Casey finally begins to understand the dark forces at work. Henry, played by David Zellner (co-producer with his brother Nathan) is so desperate for Sensei’s stamp-of-approval that he makes the tragic mistake of attending night class without being invited. The violence in the film elevates quickly.

We witness the changes in Casey as he gains confidence, and the many transitions in his life take the form of shifting colors, foreign language and music. The insecurities that accompany the male ego are contrasted with the extra hurdles women must clear to be accepted as equals.

These people could possibly be caricatures, but possibly not. There is much confusion over how to be a man in today’s world — what it means, how to act, how to control sparks of aggression, how to prevent the misuse of power. We watch as Casey becomes so similar to those he so despised.

We also learn that the Alpha male may not be male after all. These are some serious topics buried within the lesson of “kick with your hands and punch with your feet.” It’s an offbeat film presented in a way that makes us sit up and take note.

24 · S U N D AYS I G N A L

J U LY 28, 2019

K I D S & FA M I LY

Make the transition to high school easier

O

ver the course of an academic career, the average student switches schools three to four times.

Elementary school gives way to middle school or junior high. From there, students will transition to high school. If a student chooses to keep their academic journey going after high school, college or trade school awaits.

Adolescence is a transitional period when many students may be learning how to make decisions and taking their first significant steps toward becoming independent adults. That can make the transition from middle school to high school more complicated than previous transitional periods young people experienced.

Several changes take place in high school that can impact students’ anxiety levels.

• A new school may mean students are funneling in from different feeder schools. Long-time friends may be separated depending on where they ultimately choose to go to high school.

A 2016 survey from the Pew Research Center found that 70 percent of teens say anxiety and depression are a “major problem” among their peers.

To help make high school a positive experience and less likely to induce anxiety, students and their parents can employ these tips.

Establish a consistent routine The transition to high school can be more difficult than previous transitional periods in a student’s life.

• Students go from being the oldest in middle school to the youngest in high school.

• Curriculum becomes more demanding than it was in middle school.

• The student body population typically increases dramatically.

• School hours change, often requiring students to wake up earlier.

The education resource College Vine advises students to build good study habits, create a calm and organized homework environment and focus on studies while keeping distractions at bay.

Encourage extracurricular activities

Activities outside of the classroom are a great way for students to make friends and involve themselves socially with their peers. Such extracur-

ricular activities can lead to strong friendships that flourish throughout high school and beyond.

Buddy up

Just as they might have done upon entering kindergarten, students on the cusp of starting high school can find someone who will be attending the same school and go over schedules and potential meet-up times.

They can make plans to sit together at lunch as they both get acclimated to their new environments.

Attend open houses

Families can tour the campus to get a feel for the layout of their children’s school. Ask for a map of the school grounds so students can get an idea of where their schedules will require them to be throughout the course of the day.

The transition to high school is a significant one in the life of a teenager. Families can employ various strategies to make that transition go smoothly. (MC)

Tips for grabbing the best deals on school clothes

C

hildren and parents often look forward to the dawn of a new school year. But before the first homeroom session can take place, parents may need to take their students clothes shopping.

According to a 2018 survey by Deloitte, parents spend an average of $510 per household on apparel, school supplies, electronic gadgets and other items for their kids’ return to school. The back-to-school season runs from July through September, during which American households alone spend $27.6 billion, which is second only to the holiday season in regard to the most lucrative times for retailers.

Apparel is a large part of back-toschool shopping. Many parents find they need to outfit their kids with a new wardrobe each year. Jeans and leggings that fit like a glove in June may only reach mid-calf by Labor Day. To make the shopping process less harried and more productive,

parents can employ these strategies.

Take inventory

Go through kids’ wardrobes and see what can be salvaged and what might need to go. This is the perfect opportunity to put aside gently used, outgrown items that may be passed on to someone else who can use them.

Be sure to make a list of any items that the school requires, particularly in regard to uniforms or dress codes.

By knowing what’s in stock in the closet, you’ll have a clear idea of what you need to buy.

Check for tax-free discounts

Some states or cities offer tax-free or discount shopping incentives, which can add up to considerable savings. It may be well worth the effort to stock up on necessities during these times.

Get enough to get by

While certain clothing sales happen between July and August, oftentimes the real savings begin in October, according to the budgeting resource

Money Crashers. Wait until that time to buy the bulk of kids’ school clothes. After all, the first weeks of school are usually warm, and summer clothing will still suffice with a few new items thrown in to freshen up wardrobes.

Invest in quality shoes

Sneakers and other shoes can be expensive. However, investing in quality

Did you know?

Loss leaders

Many stores employ “loss leaders” during the back-to-school shopping rush. Essentially, loss leaders are products sold at a loss to attract customers into the store. Retailers hope shoppers will be tempted by a “penny deal” or another steep discount and then stick around, ultimately purchasing full-price items.

Shoppers can use loss leaders to their advantage. Those looking

brands can help you avoid having to buy shoes frequently. Watch for shoe sales and stock up on coupons.

Many stores offer “buy-one, get-one half off ” during the back-to-school season.

In addition to these tips, save more by shopping overstock stores or warehouse clubs for name-brand items at lower prices. (MC) to save on school supplies should watch the circulars and commercials for these barely break-even deals and stock up on loss leaders, according to the savvy shoppers at The Krazy Coupon Lady.

This may require shopping for supplies over the course of a few days, as stores may feature different loss leaders during the week. By doing so, at the end of the week, shoppers may end up with much of their school supplies at quite the discount. (MC)

J U LY 28, 2019

S U N D AYS I G N A L · 25

K I D S & FA M I LY

Donna’s Day: Creative Family Fun

Make a family-style salade nicoise

By Donna Erickson Signal Contributing Writer

I

t’s market time! On weekend mornings, I like to saunter through our neighborhood farmers market amid the crowds of people in shorts and sandals who, like me, are attracted to the “picked-at-their-peak” vegetables, flowers, eggs, honey and jams in colorful stalls. Adults and kids alike visit with vendors, while friends happily bump into one another for a chat.

Since produce is overflowing at markets and grocery stores, there’s no better time to make a fresh, easy-toprepare dish the whole family will love.

I recently was inspired by my friend, Ann Francois, to make a big salade nicoise for the centerpiece of her dining table at a recent gathering of our friends. While I have vivid memories of traveling in southern France and feasting on this country salad typically composed of toma-

toes, tuna, hard-boiled-egg halves and anchovies on a bed of lettuce and dressed with a vinaigrette, Ann’s version featured the addition of locally sourced new potatoes and mounds of green beans. Each ingredient was artfully arranged on a platter and served with crusty French bread.

Make this healthy salad with your kids for a light and simple-to-prepare summer main course. What makes it so family-friendly is that you can tweak it to suit tastes. Add artichoke hearts, capers or grilled red peppers.

Don’t like anchovies? Skip them.

Salad Nicoise 1/2 2 1 1 1 1/2

cup extra-virgin olive oil tablespoons red wine vinegar tablespoon fresh lemon juice teaspoon Dijon mustard clove garlic, minced teaspoon salt Freshly ground black pepper 1 head Boston lettuce, separated into leaves, washed and dried 1 pound firm green beans, preferably

1 2-3

3 3 1 1

French string beans (haricot verts), cooked just beyond tender-crisp stage and chilled pound new potatoes, cooked and halved (5 or 6 ounce) cans albacore solid white tuna, drained and flaked, or grilled fresh tuna, cut into chunks large vine-ripe tomatoes, sliced into wedges hard-boiled eggs, halved lengthwise cup pitted black olives (2 ounce) can anchovy fillets rinsed and patted dry (optional)

Make the vinaigrette

In a jar, let kids measure and shake vigorously to combine the oil, vinegar, lemon juice, mustard, garlic, salt and pepper. Set aside.

Assemble salad

Working together with your kids, arrange the lettuce over a large serving platter. Top with mounds of the green beans, potatoes, tuna, tomatoes, eggs and olives. Drape the anchovy fillets (if using) over potatoes.

Drizzle vinaigrette over the salad and serve. Serves 6.

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.” © 2019 Donna Erickson Distributed by King Features Synd.

How often do kids need eye exams?

M

any people expect their vision to fade as they grow older.

Such expectations are not unfounded, as the National Eye Institute notes that certain vision changes, including diminished vision and difficulty distinguishing colors, are a normal part of aging.

But even children can experience changing vision, which only highlights the importance of kids receiving routine eye exams.

Eye examination frequency depends on the age of the child and the condition of his or her eyesight at the time of each exam. The American Optometric Association has established these guidelines for pediatric eye examination frequency to help parents know when to get their youngsters’ vision checked.

Birth to 2 years

Children in this age group whose physicians have deemed them asymptomatic of potential eye conditions or

at low risk of developing eye conditions should have their eyes examined sometime between 6 and 12 months of age.

Kids who may be at risk should adhere to the same schedule, though the AOA notes that exams for at-risk children may need to be conducted more frequently, even in this age group, than kids who are symptomfree. Eye doctors will speak with parents and recommend an eye exam schedule based on their initial examination.

3 through 5 years

Children between the ages of 3 and 5 years who are at low risk of developing eye conditions should have their eyes examined at least once between their third and fifth birthdays.

The same goes for kids who are at risk, though doctors may recommend more frequent examinations for such youngsters.

6 through 18 years

Whether they are at risk of eye

The American Optometric Association recommends children receiving routine eye exams. Eye exam frequency depends on the age of the child and the condition of their eyesight at the time of each exam.

conditions or not, children between the ages of 6 and 18 should have their eyes examined before first grade and annually thereafter. Youngsters who are at risk may need more frequent examinations as they get older.

Eye examinations are an important

component of child healthcare. By adhering to AOA eye examination guidelines, parents can ensure any vision problems their children develop are quickly caught and can be treated before they adversely affect youngsters’ lives. (MC)

26 · S U N D AYS I G N A L

J U LY 28, 2019

THIS WEEK’S CALENDAR

= Family Friendly Event

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/ Fridays, 7:30-9:30 p.m. The Valencia Jazz & Blues Concert Series returns for its 20th year, featuring regional, national and international entertainers in a family-friendly, street party setting, offering activities for adults and children. No pets or outside food or beverages are allowed. Admission is free. Downtown Valencia on Town Center Drive, outside the Westfield Valencia Town Center. Info: For the lineup of performers, visit valenciajazzandblues.com/line-up/

ONGOING

When we say “wicked” we don’t just mean evil.

Riding the waning comet-tail of A Very Potter Mondays, 11-11:45 a.m. House Celebration, we will be having a mini encore of Bounce is offering Princess for wizards in all lore and stories, not just the Storytime. Foster a lifelong love of reading ones who attend a wizarding school! The event as your child joins a live character guest for is free and snacks and crafts are provided. stories, bubbles, dancing and crafts.

19188 Soledad Canyon Road, Santa Clarita. Info: Westfield Valencia Town Center Suite no. facebook.com/events/350306118982081/ 2312, Valencia. Info: houseofbouncevalencia.

Sunday, July 28, 9 p.m. Multi-platinum com/events/month rock band Hinder will perform at The Canyon Every Tuesday, 7:30-8:30 with openers Raising Flames and Bravo p.m. The Community DrumDelta. Since 2005, Hinder has sold over 4 ming Experience is an hour of fun enmillion albums and 10 million singles, try-level experiential music making garnered north of 150 million video views, and with drums and percussion that is passed the 100 million streams mark. Tickets accessible to anyone who wants to particistart at $24. Info: The Canyon Santa Clarita, pate. It is designed to be a family-friendly 24201 Valencia Blvd, Suite 1351 Santa Clarita. environment in which a facilitator creates Info: wheremusicmeetsthesoul.com/events/ fun and exciting rhythmic interplay behinder-santa-clarita/ tween participants. All levels of ability are Tuesday, July 30, 2:30-4 p.m. The Santa welcome and no prior musical experience Clarita Valley Chamber of Commerce is EVENTS BY DATE is necessary. Drums and percussion proud to announce a Current Affairs Forum with instruments provided at no cost. Remo Sunday, July 28, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. special guest, Rep. Katie Hill. The ConMusic Center, 28101 Industry Drive, VaChabad of SCV and Parkinsons gresswoman will lead a conversation with our lencia, Santa Clarita. Info: facebook.com/ Awareness Through Magic will Chamber business members about important events/302675810411528/?event_time_ host an expo and performance.This family issues facing the business community. id=302675867078189 friendly event will feature free closeup magic, This is a Chamber Member Exclusive event. No food, drinks and stage magicians. $20. 23120 Fridays, 4 p.m. Hurricane cost to attend. Limited capacity. Attendees Lyons Ave Ste 19, Santa Clarita. Info: facebook.

Harbor’s “Dive-In Movies.” Cool must register in advance. Institute of Culinary off in the Forgotten Sea Wave Pool while a com/events/2334692999940658/ Education, 26455 Rockwell Canyon Rd, Santa popular movie plays on a large screen above Sunday, July 28, 2-5 p.m. Come to the Agua Clarita. Info: hello@scvchamber.com you. Dive-In Movies give you the unique Dulce Winery for Bring Your Own Board Tuesday, July 30, 6:30-9 Game Day. Roll the dice, make new friends opportunity to float in the water while p.m. Come join SCV Education and enjoy great wine!. 9640 Sierra Hwy, Santa you watch. Screenings are free with park Foundation as we recreate Wolf admission. Check the website for lineup and Clarita. Info: aguadulcewinery.com/wp/event/ Creek’s Pint Nights into Game Nights! Come details. Info: sixflags.com/hurricaneharborla/ summer-sunday-bringyourownboardgame/ enjoy a nice beer (or root beer) and challenge special-events/dive-movies Sunday, July 28, 2:30 -3:30 your friends to a game. Come to our Superp.m. Join The Open Book for a First Thursday of the Month, hero Trivia Night and test your knowledge “Wicked Wizards” storytime.

7-9 p.m. 10 by 10 is a variety on superheroes of all origins! Please remember that although this is at a brewery, its kid-friendly Wolf Creek Brewery, 25108 Rye Canyon Loop, Valencia, Santa Clarita. Info: scveducationfoundation.org/summer_game_nights CONGRATULATIONS to Krystal Briscoe for Tuesday, July 30, 7-9 p.m. Art Tank is a series correctly identifying Carousel Ranch on page 28. of informal discussions by creative community Identify this advertiser and the page number in this week’s members that are designed to assist artists and issue, and you will be entered to win a $100 gift certificate for performers with expanding their knowledge, a local restaurant. and solving challenges about a variety of topics.

One game and one winner each week.

27674 Newhall Ranch Rd #55 The topic is “Making/Finding Time to CreValencia CA 91355 Mail your entry to The Signal – Contest ate Art,” so come to this informal discussion 661-294-9069 26330 Diamond Place | Santa Clarita, CA 91350 and bring us your tips and tricks on how you italiavalencia.com Or email contest@signalscv.com use your time more effectively to create greater Advertiser: _____________________________ Page # ______ results.The MAIN, 24266 Main Street, Santa Name: _____________________________________________ Clarita. Info: santaclaritaarts.com Address: ___________________________________________ Wednesday, July 31, 7-9 p.m. It is time once again for Geek Girls Forever’s annual Phone: _____________________________________________ celebration of J.K. Rowling and Harry This week’s entries are due Wed. July 31 Potter’s birthday. This year we’ll be creating Winner to be announced in 2 weeks. unique artwork using a splatter tech-

!

WIN

!

WIN

!

WIN

nique. Regardless of your crafting ability, this is a relatively easy craft (albeit a messy one).

We’ll provide several image suggestions and the know how on creating your own masterpiece!

Members pay $10 materials fee, nonmembers pay $10 plus the materials fee but you can come to your very first meeting for free and just pay the materials fee. Info: geekgirlsforever.com Thursday, August 1, 7-10 p.m. To conclude OLPH’s Summer Moviefest series, we will watch the classic film “Going My Way” directed

by Leo McCarey and starring Bing Crosby and Barry Fitzgerald. Join us in the Serra Room of the Pastoral Center. 23233 Lyons Avenue, Santa Clarita. Info: olphscv.org Saturday, August 3, 4-7 p.m. Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station, in conjunction with the City of Santa Clarita, is kicking off “National Night Out” Against Crime. National Night Out will run in conjunction with the City’s Concerts in the Park event. Mirage, a Fleetwood Mac tribute band, will be taking the stage and entertaining the crowd. Info: Deputy Natalie Hidalgo (661) 255-1121 x 5160.

Sunday, August 4, 6:30-8:30 p.m.

Artist Naomi Young will be on hand to discuss “Portals,” her latest exhibition of original art in pastel, watercolor, acrylics and oil. Wine and refreshments will be served and there will be a live musical performance by Maanak.

Canyon Theatre Guild, 24242 Main St, Newhall.

Info: calendar.santa-clarita.com/event/artist_reception_-_portals#.XTTXxy2ZM1I Tuesday, August 6, 7-8 p.m. Parents of college bound students are invited to a free College Financial Planning Workshop.

This will be a valuable class for all parents with college bound students. The class will focus on high school sophomores and juniors, but all grade levels are welcome. The class will teach topics like the FAFSA, how to choose which colleges to apply to and how to maximize potential college grants and aid. College of the Canyons Dianne G Van Hook University Center, Room 206, 26455 Rockwell Canyon Road Dr, Santa Clarita. Info: https:// www.kettermancollegefunding.com/workshops.html Saturday, August 10, 6-10 p.m. Join the Friends of Hart Park and Museum and enjoy a silent William S. Hart movie “Under the Stars” outside at the actor’s property! There’ll be a silent auction, BBQ dinner with all the fixin’s, music and fun! $50. 24151 Newhall Ave, Santa Clarita. Info: friendsofhartpark.com

J U LY 28, 2019

S U N D AYS I G N A L · 27

HOMEIMPROVEMENT

Proper prep can save lots of money, sham contractors Your advice on looking further into these documents is the reason we are going to be OK on this.

I really want to thank you for your help and patience with the back-andforth questions via email, you’ve done a great service and it is very kind of you.

— Richard D.

By Robert Lamoureux Signal Contributing Writer

Standing Tests Hi Robert, I have a question: We have a P-trap that is leaking under a newly tiled shower.

Every day, we fill it with water and, within 24 hours, it is bone dry. We have a cement foundation.

Is there a trenchless/epoxy option to fix this? Or is my only option to rip out the tile and dig out and replace the P-trap?

Thank you in advance for your help.

— Suzanne Suzanne, Thank you for writing in.

Unfortunately not, with regard to the epoxy part of your question.

However, if the tile man you used to do the install is good at his craft, he can open up the area and allow you to do the repair, then waterproof the pan and reset the tile.

This is one of those situations where the plumbing was installed and not tested before the pan was set.

Any time you do any type of plumbing it should always have a standing test done before you replace the surface whether it’s tile or drywall.

This will eliminate this type of situation. I’m sorry you’re going through this. Best of luck to you. If you need a referral for a quality tile contractor, let me know.

— Robert

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Sham Contractors I live in Canyon Country, and want to thank you for the repeated answers via email and getting involved with helping me try to figure out the legitimacy of the contractor who I was looking at.

In the end, you were right and really saved the day. It was not only not his license, but the insurance was bogus, also.

Everything about him looked true and factual until I looked in to whether his documents were legitimate. In the end, I think you saved me thousands of dollars by figuring out that this guy was nothing but a sham, using someone else’s license with a nearly identical name, and providing falsified insurance documents.

(His workers’ compensation insurance) wasn’t even his. Please tell your readers about this, I was ready to write a check for nearly $40,000 to start the work, but my instinct and your advice had me questioning things.

Richard, You’re very welcome, and I’m happy that the advice of verifying documents provided, helped you pick this disaster of a contractor out of the woodwork.

Unfortunately, there are many of these guys out there that are around just to take people’s money. They know enough to pull the wool over people’s eyes but so often their work is poor and safety can very often become an issue. They’ll often convince people to pay the majority of the bill prior to the work being done and then ultimately walk before completion, leaving the poor unsuspecting people without a contractor, without their money, and unfortunately sometimes having to redo some or all of the work. I’m glad that you listened to your instincts and reached out for advice, and ultimately that you didn’t sweep it under the rug. It really is you: You did the work and investigating.

One other piece of advice that I have for you, and everyone out there hiring a contractor: Take photos.

This is something that we’ve learned over the years that is incredibly important in our record keeping.

A picture is worth a thousand words, and in our business it can also be worth thousands of dollars.

Take before photos of the areas to be worked on, and as your projects progress, continue to document what is being done. In today’s times, many contractors are also doing the same, and it really helps when questions arise later.

This is especially helpful for what can’t be seen any longer, once construction is complete and things are closed up. Knowing how something was built or installed can be extremely helpful in the future.

Good job on investigating, and good luck with your project.

— Robert Robert Lamoureux has 38 years of experience as a general contractor, with 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@ imsconstruction.com.

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28 · S U N D AYS I G N A L

J U LY 28, 2019

N E W S F E AT U R E S

FAMILY

Continued from page 6

never ‘clique-y,’ and there’s never, ‘Oh those are the cool kids and this is the other side.’ Everyone knows each other, they hang out and we almost have to kick them out between classes.”

And above all, for the business owners who created a gym that is the only treadmill studio in Santa Clarita that offers this type of running classes, hiit classes with kettlebells, sandbags and body weight and a strength training program, they hope what they’re doing becomes an example for their children.

“Our big thing is showing our kids that we could do it,” said Dany, with Robbi sitting next to him as she comes into the gym with her parents when she’s on summer break. “Being younger parents, that we could put 100% of our energy and effort in, we’re up from 4 a.m. to 10 p.m., that we can work our butts off everyday.”

There’s also a family-run company on Cinema Drive that’s part of a family name woven in the fabric of the Santa Clarita Valley’s history, which is now on its second generation of management.

Reena Newhall, a former professional dancer, opened A Chorus Line in the late 1970s, after the dance teachers she was working with at the time complained about having to go to Hollywood to buy dance shoes.

Recently featured in the Sunday Signal for her community contributions, Reena Newhall’s business is now run by her daughters, Beth and Jana, who also enjoy working in the community they grew up around.

“It’s actually an honor to be given a business that has such longevity and a high expectation,” said Beth Culhane, sales manager for A Chorus Line.

Left: Patrons line up inside the recently opened Mega Hot Chicken restaurant in Valencia. Above: Mega Hot Chicken features a combination of a dry rub and a wet sauce with varying degrees of spiciness. PHOTOS BY CORY RUBIN / THE SIGNAL

“Really, sometimes, it feels hard to fill those shoes.”

And there’s also a familiarity and fondness that comes with taking the reins of a family business that she loves, she added.

“That working knowledge of the product and really living in the community,” she said, “seeing my customers at the mall, at the market, at school — it’s actually really cool.”

One of the recurring themes for successful family businesses, whether it’s outfits, a workout or a meal, Grooms said, is to do what these families did: learn about your market.

If you have an idea for starting a business, there is no harm in testing out the concept, but it’s important that you do your homework before investing a lot of time and money, Grooms said. “You want to make sure that the market is how you thought it is.”

For more information about Run Treadmill Studio, check out their website at runtreadmillstudio.com or visit them at 23300 Cinema Drive, Suite No. 104.

For more information about the Small Business Development Center at COC, visit their wesbite at cocsbdc.org.

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HERO

Continued from page 5

Van Duinwyk has seen many different things, including light aircraft crashes at sea.

“I’ve gone 20 miles out on a commercial fishing boat where a man is having a heart attack, and I did CPR going 30 knots back to Marina del Rey and the guy lived,” he said.

He is also on a dive recovery team, where a team assembles with scuba gear to look for those who have drown.

“I’ve dealt with death, as well, and pulled out several people who didn’t make it,” he added. “If someone had to do it, it might as well be me. It’s better to find them than not — there’s been times where they never come back.”

Family matters

He’s excited to bring his children to the Lifeguard Valor Awards ceremony, including Jake, 6, and Nina, 8, who both said they’re very proud of their dad.

Though Jake wants to be an all-star

basketball player when he grows up, he still loves to swim and got first place in freestyle and backstroke, he said.

“At home to practice I do 20 laps of each stroke, even butterfly,” Jake said.

“He’s a very good swimmer,” Van Duinwyk said. “I made sure all the homes we’ve lived in had pools, so they’ve been in the water since the womb.”

Nina has followed in her father’s footsteps and is in junior lifeguards at the aquatic center.

“This is her first year as this is the youngest age group,” Van Duinwyk said. “She’ll be old enough next year to become a beach junior lifeguard.

It’s very cool that the Santa Clarita Aquatic Center has a junior lifeguard program, and it’s a very good program, so I’m very stoked that she got (to start) a year early.”

Nina said that junior lifeguards is fun and can’t wait to start beach junior lifeguards.

“I want to work side by side with (my dad) when I grow up,” Nina said.

Join Us, Saturday, July 13, for the Aquarium of the Pacific's "Aquarium on Wheels" Events and Displays 12:00 noon-3:00 PM Join Your neighbors and Friends for Valencia Marketplace's Summer Sunset Concerts 2019 ALL CONCERTS ARE FRIDAY EVENINGS 6:00-8:00 PM

JULY 12 - THE RED ELVISES - Rock with a Russian Twist JULY 19- THE HODADS- Favorite SoCal Summer Sounds JULY 26- THE YACHT GROOVE- Hits of the 70s and 80s AUGUST 2 - SGT. PEPPER - A Tribute to the Beatles AUGUST 9 - FORT WORTH WEST - Countery Classics AUGUST 16 - RIDE THE TIDE - Pop and Rock Favorites WWW.VALENCIAMARKETPLACE.COM • LIKE US ON FACEBOOK ON THE OLD ROAD BETWEEN PICO/LYONS AND MCBEAN PARKWAY Valencia Marketplace invites you to visit their wide variety of shops and restaurants.

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J U LY 28, 2019

GETTIN’ UP THERE

S U N D AYS I G N A L · 29

SENIORLIVING

Improving women’s lives through senior-shared living

By Diana Sevanian Signal Staff Writer

F

or many women, getting older and living alone in their home, or facing the nightmare of not being able to afford a roof over their head, are situations that call for sensible and compassionate action. Recognizing this need, community leaders have created a Senior Shared Living program. Soon available through the SCV Senior Center’s (SCVSC)Advocacy program, this will be no-cost housing referral service that will help connect senior women age 55 and over with other female adults. A self-selecting service where women with room (to rent) in their homes can be matched with women who need housing, the program promises to be a nurturing antidote to solitude and homelessness.

At the program’s helm is its advisory board and founders, each of whom began this mission with a desire to address the affordable housing crises, particularly as it affects senior women. They are: Robin Clough, SCVSC advocacy and volunteer coordinator; Peggy Edwards, Bridge to Home board of directors president; Mary Jane Houlihan Hartman, SCV Committee on Aging member; Diane Trautman, community and senior advocate and former city planning commissioner; Linda Davies, SCVSC supportive services program specialist, former executive director of the Domestic Violence Center and Shared Living program initiator; and Gigi Alexander, ardent activist who came up with the project’s idea, first coined “Sisters In Time.”

“I am very passionate about this program and know it will make an enormous difference,” stated Clough.

“Older women are in need of shared housing, as many experience financial struggles, fear of isolation, lack of family support, and potential homelessness. One out of every four people

experiencing homelessness are women, and this number will increase as housing costs rise.”

Senior Shared Living will provide supportive affordable housing resources while addressing the critical issue of loneliness by offering companionship of a housemate and raising awareness of SCVSC programs, Clough noted.

Shared living members will examine roommate-matching components and preferences, and provide referrals. Then, actual roommate selections will be made by individuals.

“All home sharers receive their own bedroom plus shared use of the common areas, such as the kitchen, bathroom, and yard. What they offer in exchange varies and is determined in advance by a written agreement,” Clough further explained.

She also suggests certain workable situations that could be arranged if both parties desire: A reduced rent in exchange for help with household tasks or other types of assistance, such as transportation, driving, meal preparation and companionship. Or for a no-rent situation, a reasonable service exchange would be a maximum of 10 to 12 hours per week.

Clough cautions that for senior women to thrive in our community and avoid isolation there is an urgent need to link clients and encourage use of the Senior Center’s resources and activities.

“Housing is increasingly expensive, and many women suffer from the anxiety of not knowing how they can afford to remain in their homes.

Many are on the verge of homelessness or have no choice but to leave our community and the vital ties they have here. The Senior Home Share program will be an option to address and mitigate this crisis,” she stated.

For information, contact Clough at rclough@scv-seniorcenter.org, call (661) 259-9444 ext.110 or visit www. myscvcoa.org.

Diana Sevanian is a retired registered nurse and longtime Signal features writer and columnist.

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30 · S U N D AYS I G N A L

J U LY 28, 2019

PROFILE

Kieran Wong — Santa Clarita parks commissioner

By Michele E. Buttelman Signal Staff Writer

K

ieran Wong, appointed to the City of Santa Clarita Parks, Recreation and Community Services Commission in 2016, has been an active member of the Santa Clarita Valley since he relocated here in 2000. He has served as president of the SCV Jaycees, is the founder of the Brenda Mehling Cancer Fund and a recipient of the Outstanding Young Californian Award in 2003.

He works as a financial professional at Infinity Wealth Management in Valencia.

Born in Berkeley

Wong was born in Berkeley to a Chinese-Canadian father and a mother born of Swiss immigrants. He is the seventh of eight children, five boys and three girls.

His father, born in Vancouver, Canada to Chinese immigrants, was drafted into the Canadian army at age 20 during World War II. He was assigned, with other Chinese-Canadians soldiers, to what was considered a “suicide mission” behind enemy Japanese lines.

“My father survived the war and immigrated to the Bay Area in the United States and became a U.S. citizen,” said Wong. “Two of his sisters had immigrated to the Oakland shipyards during the war to work as ‘Rosie the Riveters.’”

Wong’s mother was born in Pasadena. Then, in December of 1939, her parents decided to visit Switzerland for the holidays.

“Why anyone would go to Switzerland in December of 1939 on a boat, I don’t know, but they did,” said Wong.

“I have a copy of the ship’s menu of the Christmas dinner they served.”

As WWII, which had begun only months before their trip, intensified, the young family found themselves stuck in Switzerland with no way to return.

“My mom was raised in Switzerland during WWII,” said Wong. “After the war, in 1947, they immigrated back to the United States. They ended up in Berkeley, living next door to my father.”

Accomplished parents

After Wong’s parents were married, they both quit college. His father found work as a house painter.

“In 1963, when my youngest sister

The Wong Family. From left: Kieran; Teah; Reece; Kylie; mom, Stacey; and Isla (below).

Kieran Wong at home with his family. PHOTOS BY DAN WATSON / THE SIGNAL

was born, my father got a job as a painter at the University of California, Berkeley where he spent the next 30 years running the painting crews,” Wong said.

In the midst of raising eight children, Wong’s mother returned to college and earned both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in early childhood education.

“She also obtained a teaching credential,” said Wong. “She started teaching grade school. Then, while still raising children, she got her doctorate.”

Wong’s mother finished her teaching career in East Oakland schools by teaching children with learning disabilities.

“I don’t know how my parents did it while raising eight children,” Wong said. “I was there, I lived it, but I don’t know how.”

Wong said that his mother in the midst of earning her doctorate, and raising a family, decided to learn the art of making stained glass.

“Now the entire house is full of stained glass,” he said. “There isn’t one piece of plain glass. It’s wonderful, it’s like a cathedral.”

His father died three years ago at

age 94, but his mother, (who turns 90 in the fall), is still active and in good health. She still lives in the same house the couple purchased in Berkeley in 1959.

“My father was an amazing and dedicated man to his family and his community. Everybody loved him,” said Wong.

Wong praised his parents for their sacrifices and the values they instilled in their children.

“Their primary priorities were to give us, my siblings and I, a safe home, high-quality meals and an education,” he said. “They were of the generation that sacrificed so their children could have a better life than they had. To this day, I have seven siblings who are wonderful, productive, generous human beings.”

Wong lost his younger sister last year to cancer.

Eagle Scout

Wong earned the rank of Eagle Scout shortly before his 14th birthday, making him (at that time) one of the youngest Eagle Scouts recognized by the Boy Scouts of America.

“When I was 11, my brother and I joined the Boy Scouts and I decided

J U LY 28, 2019

S U N D AYS I G N A L · 31

PROFILE I wanted to become an Eagle Scout,” Wong said. “In a little over 2 ½ years, I earned my Eagle Scout award. I went at it with an intensity that I don’t know where it came from.” Wong also earned four Eagle palms.

Once he becomes an Eagle, a Scout can earn one Eagle palm for every five extra merit badges he earns.

“I had a whole litany of merit badges and to this day my learning experiences through those merit badges, and Scouting in general have directed me and instructed me in life,” he said.

“I am a big supporter of scouting. It teaches life skills, leadership, teamwork and learning how to grow to be an adult.”

Moving to the SCV

Wong attended U.C. Berkeley and studied architecture. He earned his bachelor’s degree in interior architecture design at the California College of Arts.

Wong was working in that field when he moved to Los Angeles in 1995.

In 2000, a friend suggested to Wong that he move to Santa Clarita.

In

Wong met Brenda Mehling when they both attended their first SCV Jaycees meeting. They began dating shortly after they met.

Mehling, a breast cancer survivor, was in remission until 2002.

“Things were going well then she was diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer, the cancer had spread throughout her body and into her bones,” he said.

Wong enlisted the aid of other Jaycees to begin a fund to help Mehling with medical expenses.

“She was young, only 30, and we wanted to support her,” he said. “But in typical Brenda fashion she said, ‘I appreciate the support, but I would really like to support others who are in the same situation I am.’ We started the Brenda Mehling Cancer Fund in 2002.”

Mehling late in 2003.

Mehling was soon hospitalized at Cedars Sinai Hospital in West Los Angeles. Then, one morning in January 2004, Mehling suffered such an intense pain event she felt she was dying. She called her family and said her goodbyes. The hospital managed to sedate her to ease her suffering.

“While she was sleeping, I thought, ‘Maybe we should just get married today.’ I got her best friends together, we got a pastor, a notary, some flowers, cake and a gown of sorts and at about 2 p.m. we woke her up,” said Wong. “She smiled and said, ‘I am getting married today.’ We were married bedside. Then, three weeks later, she passed.”

Mehling never left the hospital after her wedding.

Brenda Mehling

In 2005, Wong remarried. His wife, Stacey, and Wong have four daughters, Kylie, 10; Isla, 8; Teah, 5; and Reece, 1. They live in Valencia.

“Santa Clarita is truly is a great place to raise a family,” he said.

Wong has participated in numer-

In 2003, Mehling’s health deteriorated rapidly. The cancer spread to her brain. She lost the use of her legs and her eyesight.

“I decided I had waited long enough,” Wong said. He proposed to

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Father of four

ous triathlons over the years and he, and his family, live an active, sporty lifestyle.

Wong’s wife, Stacey, played on the University of California, Los Angeles championship volleyball team in college. Her brother was a professional beach volleyball player.

Now the couple’s daughters are taking up the sport.

Parks commission

In 2016, Wong was appointed to the Parks, Recreation and Community Services Commission after he was nominated by City Councilman Cameron Smyth.

“Being a Boy Scout, an avid cyclist, mountain biker and hiker, I love the direction and leadership from the City of Santa Clarita that has produced such wonderful amenities for the residents,” Wong said. “There are 34 parks, miles and miles of off-road paseos and 11,000 acres of open space preserved by the city. This is why I wanted to be part of the Parks Commission, to continue to improve these amenities throughout the community.”

32 · S U N D AYS I G N A L

J U LY 28, 2019

FOOD

Skewered chicken goes great on the backyard grill

G

rilling chicken is an easy way to transform this versatile food into something even more delicious. Various cultures serve chicken in kebab form after grilling it over an open flame, and taste is a big reason this particular method of cooking chicken is so beloved.

While you might not expect to see kebabs on the menu at your favorite Italian restaurant, “spiedini” is Italian for “little skewers,” proving that Italian chefs recognize how delicious chicken can be when served in kebab form.

In this recipe for “Spiedini of Chicken and Zucchini with Almond Salsa Verde” from “Cooking Light: Dinner’s Ready” (Oxmoor House) by The Cooking Light Editors, skewers are paired with a zesty salsa full of nuts, herbs and citrus, which makes for the perfect complement to the smoky grilled flavor.

Spiedini of Chicken and Zucchini with Almond Salsa Verde Makes 6 servings

Salsa 1 2 2 3 1/2 3 1 1/2

cup chopped flat parsley tablespoons chopped almonds, toasted tablespoons chopped fresh chives tablespoons capers, chopped teaspoon grated lemon rind tablespoons fresh lemon juice tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil teaspoon chopped fresh thyme

In this recipe for “Spiedini of Chicken and Zucchini with Almond Salsa Verde,” skewers are paired with a zesty salsa full of nuts, herbs and citrus.

1/2 1/4 1/8 1

teaspoon chopped fresh oregano teaspoon kosher salt teaspoon freshly ground black pepper garlic clove, minced

Spiedini

1-1/2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch pieces 6 small zucchini, cut into 1-inch slices (about 11/4 pounds) Cooking spray 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Soak 12 (10-inch) wooden skewers in water for

30 minutes to prevent burning. Bring the grill to medium-high heat.

To prepare the salsa, combine the first 12 ingredients; set aside. To prepare the spiedini, thread the chicken and zucchini alternately on each of the 12 skewers.

Coat the spiedini with cooking spray; sprinkle evenly with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper.

Place on a grill rack; grill 6 minutes or until done, turning once. Serve with salsa.

Tip Prepare the salsa up to a day ahead, and assemble the skewers earlier in the day. Coat with the seasonings just before grilling. (MC)

Chickpea salad keeps your vegan guests in mind

F

Chickpea Salad can be served on its own or as an accompaniment to grilled fare.

rom food allergies to dietary restrictions to conscious decisions to avoid certain foods for ethical reasons, peoples’ diets tend to be as unique as they are. That can make it tricky when hosting a crowd and preparing a menu.

Variety is the spice to life, and having a go-to selection of recipes at the ready can make everything from sit-down dinners to impromptu backyard barbecues that much easier.

Vegans eschew all animal products such as dairy, eggs and meats. Vegans must carefully read the labels of foods that seemingly are animal-free, as even certain dairy-free cheeses may contain casein or other animal-derived products.

When grilling for family and friends, mushroom and tofu burgers can be prepared specifically for vegan guests, but a versatile salad can be enjoyed by all and make for a delicious side dish. This recipe for “Chickpea Salad” from “Vegan Cooking for Beginners” (Publications International) by the Editors of Publications International is sure to please vegans and non-vegans alike.

Chickpea Salad Makes 4 servings 1 can (15 ounces) chickpeas, rinsed and drained 1 stalk celery, chopped 1 dill pickle, chopped (about 1/2 cup) 1/4 cup finely chopped red or yellow onion 1/3 cup vegan mayonnaise 1 teaspoon lemon juice 1/4 teaspoon salt Black pepper Whole grain bread Lettuce and tomato slices Place chickpeas in a medium bowl. Coarsely mash with a potato masher, leaving some beans whole.

Add celery, pickle and onion; stir to mix. Add mayonnaise and lemon juice; mix well.

Taste and add 1/4 teaspoon salt or more, if desired.

Sprinkle with pepper, if desired; mix well.

Serve on bread with lettuce and tomato, if desired.

(MC)

J U LY 28, 2019

S U N D AYS I G N A L · 33

HOME&DESIGN

Secrets to making your home look like you hired a design pro

P

hoto spreads in home design magazines can be awe-inspiring. Quite often homeowners wish they could lift the looks right off the pages of magazines and transform their own homes into picture-perfect retreats.

It takes an eye for design to pull a room together — even with inspiration — and make it both functional and attractive. While hiring an interior designer is one way to go, homeowners can use some of the tricks and techniques the designers employ to do a remarkably good job of improving the interiors of their homes without such help.

such as flowers, pillows and collectibles. These can be any colors, but the most muted tends to be the more abundant shade.

Add a bit of bling

Glittery items and metallics can add a touch of luxury feel to any space. A shiny table lamp, mirrors, a sparkling chandelier, and the like are easy ways to produce a high-end feel. Reflective surfaces also will cast light around the room, giving the illusion of a larger space.

Choose a big statement piece

Many homeowners make the mistake of filling a room with several small pieces of furniture that only contribute to clutter. Instead, look for a statement piece, which can be a cabinet, armoire or chaise. Mix and match large and small elements for a sense of balance.

Embrace texture

The colors used in a home can add impact, but designers often utilize various textures to create aesthetic appeal. A single-color scheme can be enhanced by various fabrics. Consider a leather sofa made more cozy with chenille pillows next to a rustic side table. Figure out ways to incorporate a few different textures to add depth to the room.

Accessorize

Be careful with color

Many high-end homes showcase neutral shades that are enhanced by pops of color. If you like a rich, royal purple, leave room for other colors as well. Add touches of purple in vases, throw pillows and other accessories.

Also, many designers work in shades of three for room colors.

Quite often homeowners wish they could lift the looks right off the pages of magazines and transform their own homes into picture-perfect retreats.

There may be one main color for walls, another color for larger accents,

such as couches and chairs, and then a third color that pops in accessories

Finish the room with accessories and flowers. When placing and hanging knickknacks and wall art, odd-numbered groupings often look the most cohesive and interesting.

Experiment with different scales and heights for even more dimension.

When inspiration hits, take some cues from interior design pros to make spaces look like they belong on the pages of your favorite magazines.

(MC) — Metro Connection

Expand your living space outdoors with some clever ideas

H

omeowners looking to add more space to their homes do not necessarily need to make major renovations. They simply have to see the possibilities in outdoor living spaces.

Outdoor living spaces are coveted niches in a home. The American Home Furnishings Alliance says more than 70% of American households have outdoor living spaces, and nearly 70% of people use these spaces at least once per week in-season. Furthermore, homeowners are increasingly interested in enhancing these spaces to make them more usable and comfortable.

A recent survey from the online home design and remodeling resource Houzz found that more than 4,500 users were planning a landscape update. In addition, 56 of homeowners surveyed were making updates to improve their yards for entertaining.

While the creation of outdoor living spaces can cost thousands of dollars depending on the renovation, homeowners have more budgetfriendly options at their disposal as well. The following are some ways to create inviting spaces no matter how much square-footage is present.

Revamp a garage or shed

Rather than turning a storage area into a catch-all for items time forgot,

clean out the space and put it to better use. For instance, kids may appreciate their own clubhouse away from the main living area. These spaces also can be handy bonus rooms for when Mother Nature doesn’t cooperate and backyard guests need to seek shelter. Wall art, curtains, a pendant light, and some comfortable outdoor-compatible furniture can quickly transform a space.

Create a relaxing nook

Whether there’s a ledge, overhang, small terrace, or porch off the house, turn it into a relaxing area for reading a book or sipping a beverage. Use a few outdoor pillows, pull up a small folding table and dress the area with

hanging lights and potted plants for a quiet retreat.

Add privacy to a porch

If it’s privacy you covet, install curtain rods and hang lightweight mesh or another translucent material that obscures neighbors’ views without blocking out natural light. Invest in outdoor sofas and chaises to create an outdoor living room right on the porch. If your budget allows, consider closing in the porch as a true three-season room so it can be used throughout fall, spring and summer. Outdoor living spaces are booming and highly achieveable, and many such spaces need not be expensive. (MC)

34 · S U N D AYS I G N A L

J U LY 28, 2019

TIMERANGER

Boxers, Bad Honeymoons & NEN Gridders billies Heavyweight champ of the world Max Baer (and later, dad to Jethro on “The Beverly Hillbillies”) was in town. He refereed seven bouts of boxing at Baron’s Athletic Club on Highway 99. Here’s a great name for you. The ring announcer for Baron’s was a guy called Heavy Bezzo.

It’s not entirely too bad for a late July in Santa Clarita. C’mon. Hop up on one of the noble steeds that I’ve talked into giving you a ride. Bring a slicker because we’ve got some monumental summer rainstorms to inspect.

And, there’s mountain lions, hippies, beatniks, crooks and ill-fated lovers waiting ahead.

Shall we wander back into non-cemented and not-so-ancient times?

JULY 28, 1949

WAY BACK WHEN & THEN SOME

• Guessing they probably left unsightly drip marks Back on Aug 1, 1876, the Pioneer Oil Refinery moved lock, stock and oil barrel from the old Lyons stage coach station near where Eternal Valley is today to its present Pine Street location today. It’s a state monument as California’s first successful commercial oil refinery.

• When Surrey was Saugus On Aug. 5, 1891, Saugus went through a short name change. It was called Surrey and a post office opened there on this date. The community was briefly called Surrey, but then went back to Saugus, after the boyhood home of Henry Mayo Newhall.

JULY 28, 1919

• Nice chunk of change for 1919 J.P. Rivera earned $7,000 for his 160 acres of alfalfa harvest then got a nice check from the American Beet Sugar Co. for putting up 4 miles of fence.

• Guinness material The largest apricot tree in the world was right here in Newhall 100 years back. It rested on John Gifford’s yard and was planted in 1883. It grew to 26 feet in height and had a circumference of 63 inches. That’s a lot of apricots.

• A sight to see Some fearless sky pilot silently coasted over the SCV in a large hot air balloon.

• And we still do it today Locals — at least the ones with cars — were getting used to all sorts of brand new motor vehicle laws. It was the summer of 1919 when the law required folks to use hand signals or a “signaling device” to note when they were stopped or turning. Top speed on the highways was a dizzying 35 mph and 15 mph in town.

• Big cats Government trapper “Jerky” Johnson trapped six mountain lions this month, the largest being 9 feet from nose to tail.

JULY 28, 1929

• Newfangled device catches on Newhall Village, as we called ourselves then, had but 124 homes and businesses with teles. A year later, there were 146 phones. That’s a growth of 133 phones in 10 years. We had just 13 phones in 1919.

JULY 28, 1939

• World War II comes to the SCV We were preparing for invasion. Five mock air raids were conducted by different branches of government. The scenario was that foreign bombers and fighters were flying up along the Santa Clara River to take out the train depot. Actual military planes were used and some 500 locals participated.

• Not that much faster in 2019 Locals were up in arms over the glacially slow driver’s license renewal program. Folks from the SCV had to drive into the San Fernando CHP office. One local motored over the hill to find himself just one of 200 applicants. There were just two clerks and the process included then an eye exam, a written and driver’s test.

Applicants rolled through the process at a rate of one every half hour. Doing the math, 184 folks who got there at 9 a.m. left at 4 without a license.

• Climate change or summer showers? We sent out July and welcomed August with torrential downpours in some of the canyons and light rain in Newhall.

• Without him, no Beverly Hill-

• Not a great Honeymoon Guy Smith’s marriage didn’t last very long — a month, to be exact. He drowned in front of his bride while swimming in Elizabeth Lake. Despite several attempts to pull him into the rowboat, Smith sunk to the murky depths of the duck refuge.

• Hart H20 Hart High helped save Newhall from the heat a half-century back. The Newhall Water Co. supplied most of the H20 for the village, but during peak heat periods, water use shot up and pressure went down. Hart had its own huge underground well and “lent” NWC a few hundred thousand gallons by simply opening a valve, allowing them to cut into the school’s sprinkler system.

• Help Wanted: Football players.

No experience necessary. We were such a small valley back then, the only local high school, Hart, had to advertise to fill their team. This little spot appeared on the front page of The Mighty Signal: “Attention, Football Candidates, Hart High School. All men interested in playing football for the 1949 season are requested to report, as soon as possible, to Coach Gartiser at the Newhall Swimming Pool.” That’s back when they wore cave bear fur helmets, too.

JULY 28, 1959

• Try getting a concealed weapon permit for this one A quad of teens motored down to a North Hollywood pawn shop and came back with a huge, giant, humongous World War II Nazi anti-tank gun.

The lads paid $189 for it, took it up to a Bouquet Canyon campground and immediately started a brush fire with the first tracer round. The gun was over 7 feet long and fired a .20 caliber shot.

• Not one mention of bongo drums The headline read: “Two Beatnik Type Bandits Rob, Kidnap Young Navy Man & Wife at Frenchman’s Flat.” Sailor Graham Henning and his “pretty wife” Janet were taken by knifepoint a few miles down the Ridge Route and tied to a water tank, then all their possessions were taken. They described their captors as “Mutt & Jeff types” with both wearing “skin-tight black jeans, loud T-shirts and goatees.” They’re still both missing, so if any of you saddlepals see two beatniks wandering around the valley ...

JULY 28, 1969

• From beatniks to hippies CHP officers arrested a long-haired young man for driving 55 mph on the Golden State Freeway — and using his feet instead of his hands on the handlebars. Should have fined him an extra 20 bucks for showing off.

• But we were more prepared than Fillmore A story by a crack Signal investigative team discovered that the SCV was totally unprepared in the event of a major nuclear war.

JULY 28, 1979

• And, Mr. Labato, If you still live in town, sorry … Dale LaBato picked the wrong time to crawl into the back seat of a fast-moving Mercedes and pull his britches down. The teen was sticking his bare heinie out the rear passenger window, mooning cars and pedestrians on Lyons Avenue.

Not great timing. LaBato’s car had been followed for about a mile during his parade by a sheriff ’s patrol car and they arrested him for indecent exposure.

See you saddlepals in seven with another exciting Time Ranger adventure. Until then — vayan con Dios, amigos!

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

Read his historical tome, “Images of America: The Santa Clarita Valley” on Amazon.com. Check out his History of The Mighty Signal series on Saturdays on A1.

J U LY 28, 2019

S U N D AYS I G N A L · 35

Expert lawn-care tips for a weed-free yard

W

down to the roots.

The weeds it treats should begin to shrivel and die over the next week or two. For seriously weedy lawns, reapply in 30 days, if needed.

hether it’s splotched, patchy or completely covered, a lawn choked with weeds can be a homeowner’s worst nightmare. Fortunately, there are steps you can take to transform an awful lawn into your dream lawn — thick, green and weed-free.

Follow up with a smart lawn-care routine

What is a weed?

Any plant that is unwanted is considered a weed. Many plants earn their weedy reputation because of their aggressive reproduction systems.

Some of the worst weeds proliferate so quickly that they can overtake a lawn in just a season or two.

Whatever the weeds are — dandelions, chickweed, thistle, knotweed, plantain, henbit, spurge or another — you want them gone as quickly and easily as possible.

Here are some top ways to take control of a seriously weedy lawn from the experts at Preen:

Mow strategically

The first step in reclaiming a lawn is mowing, because it strengthens the grass by forcing it to grow more vigorously to get the water and energy it needs. This helps the grass grow strong so it can push back against invading weeds.

Before mowing, set your mower to a higher cut height. Leaving grass longer allows it to retain more water, plus the height of the grass blades helps shade the ground underneath to protect roots, limit evaporation and stop weed seeds from reaching the soil.

How high to leave the grass varies according to grass type, but always follow the rule of thirds: Never cut

GARDENING

There are several steps you can take to transform a lawn choked with weeks into a dream lawn that is thick, green and weed-free.

more than one-third of the blade height off per mowing. Mowing sets the stage for attacking the weeds directly.

Water regularly

One of the best ways to encourage vigorous grass growth is to water regularly. Try to water early in the day because this helps ensure water doesn’t evaporate and gives grass adequate time to soak up the H2O before peak sun periods.

Strive to water deeply, penetrating the ground 6 to 8 inches, to build strong, drought-tolerant roots. Keep in mind, a healthy lawn needs about an inch of water per week to stay strong.

not the grass. Unlike a weed and feed, it doesn’t contain fertilizer, so you can use it any time weeds are growing without worrying about burning your lawn, even if you’ve just fertilized.

Treat the whole lawn or just spot treat the weedy patches. Apply it when the grass is wet, so the granules stick to the weed leaves, which absorb the active ingredient and send it

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Attack weeds directly

Use a selective weed killer to knock out the weeds that are choking your lawn. Preen Lawn Weed Control kills more than 200 types of tough lawn weeds down to the roots.

This product kills just the weeds, Mountains, trees and nature all around.

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No expense spared when doing the many upgrades…scraped and textured ceilings, crown and shoe moldings, laminate wood flooring, ceiling fans with lighting, new bath fixtures, Anderson entry door with storm door, tile flooring, quartz counter tops, new kitchen sink and fixtures, 2 carports with ample storage, lovely outdoor living room, washer & dryer, electric fireplace & more! Friendly Valley is a SENIOR community/ guard gated and patrolled 24/7. Country club amenities including two golf courses. $369,500

26330 Oak Highland Dr #C Newhall, CA 91321

ELLIE LACY

REALTOR®

ManyaSCV@aol.com Kellar-Davis, Inc.

After weeds have been knocked out, it’s time to build up your lawn so it can take care of itself. Continue your mowing and watering regimen and begin a feeding program. Lawns recovering from weed problems are stressed out, so avoid high-nitrogen lawn fertilizers at first and instead use a balanced formula designed to help recovering lawns such as Turf Nurture. This routine will help the grass spread to bare spots left by dead weeds and begin to build a beautiful lawn.

Don’t settle for an awful weed-covered lawn all season long. With a few simple steps you can win the war on weeds and get the strong, lush lawn you want. (BPT)

CalBRE # 0040871

Office (661) 252-9000 Fax (661) 252-9003 19310 Ave. of the Oaks, Newhall, Ca 91321

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EllieCLacy@yahoo.com

36 · S U N D AYS I G N A L

J U LY 28, 2019

STETSON RANCH VIEW HOME! Beat Out Other Buyers To HOT NEW LISTINGS! www.scvhomedeals.com

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Friendly Valley Senior Community

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Broker Associate, Realty Executives SCV – CalBRE #01059833

www.gailkopp.com gail@gailkopp.com

28657 Farrier Dr. Valencia, 91354

Gail Kopp

Broker Associate, DRE #01059833

661-313-4062 Michelle Munera

REALTOR® Lic. 01484482 Realty Executives Agua Dulce www.MarilynMerlotinscv.com

661-644-6120

Single Family Residence approximately 1400 square feet, 3 Bedrooms 2 Baths, The Master Bath Addition has a shower, a large walk in closet all done with permits.

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Marilyn Garner

$669,000

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Single story, 3+2+office 2,363 SF, well designed and well-built home sits on the NW corner knoll of the property to take advantage of the sweeping views. Horse facilities include a workshop attached to a 3 stall stable with turn-outs. 2 additional stalls, several fenced areas designed for dogs/goats/sheep, a chicken “condo”, 2 arenas, 2 covered carports and several out buildings. Landscaped with mature trees that provide beauty, shade and privacy.

Excellent Well at 6.7 GPM, that works out to 9,648 gallons a day!

33716 Hubbard Rd, Acton 93510

16670 Soledad Cyn Rd kellar@earthlink.net

Dean Cox

CLASSIC CALIFORNIA EQUESTRIAN RANCH

661-904-1323

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4+5 – 2942 sq ft, Gorgeous executive home behind the gates in West Hills. Loft room with private bath could be 5th bedroom.

Downstairs bed and bath with private entrance. $759,000

Gail Kopp 19162 Avenue of the Oaks Unit A, Santa Clarita, CA 91321

Kim@RealtyPros1.com DRE#02014473

Gorgeous Executive Home

Private fenced yard, 2 beds, 2 baths, 864 sqft-End Unit. Remodeled Master Bath, Newer Roof, Newer A/C Unit.

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Amenities include Multipurpose buildings, heated Olympic size pool, 9 hole executive golf course, barbecue / picnic areas and more.

(Ofc) 661-250-8677 (Cell) 661-313-4062

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Bob Kellar

HOME SELLING TEAM

(661) 313-4284

REALTOR®

4 Beds 3 baths 3275 sq ft. custom Placerita Cyn home on 2.5 acres.

Formal dining&sitting room w/ fireplace. Large kitchen, granite counters, Viking stove, walk-in pantry.

Master with walk-in closet, Jacuzzi tub, fireplace and balcony. Big back yard w/covered patio, BBQ, pool & spa.

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$5,000 Home Purchase 15 MINUTES From Canyon Country Virtual Tour: www.32895chantadaave.com Savings Guarantee! www.saveme5000.com • 1.35 Acres

K

Placerita Canyon Estate Home Unique Property With A Full Sized Finished Basement! ~ 7 Bedrooms, 5 1/2 Baths, 6215 Sq. Feet ~ 3 Separate Living Spaces ~ 3791 Square Foot Single Story Main House ~ Guest House With Front And Backyard ~ 1600 Square Foot Finished Basement with Full Kitchen ~ Regulation Size Tennis Court ~ Oversized Pool And Spa ~ 4 Car Garage with Porte Coch ~ Skate Park ~ Multiple Rv Parking ~ 1.2 Flat, Usable Acres MLS#SR19071368 $2,295,000

VIRTUAL TOUR: www.15622nahin.info • 5 Bedrooms + Loft, 4 Bath 3,619 sqft • Downstairs bedroom • 3 Car Garage • Built-in BBQ Island and Fire Pit • Granite Kitchen • Stainless Appliances

K NO MELLO ROOS! No Rear Neighbors!

21751 Placeritos Blvd. Newhall Ca. 91321

Realtor, DRE# 01328342

27311 Altamere Ave, Canyon Country, CA 91351

626-390-4724

Realty Executives SCV

J U LY 28, 2019

S U N D AYS I G N A L · 37

SINGLE STORY POOL HOME! $525,000 Instant Access To All POOL HOMES IN SCV!

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• Updated Kitchen w/Recessed Lighting!

• Premium Lot / Entertainment Yard • Master Bedroom off back!

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• No HOA or Mello Roos!

www.scvprivatepoolhomes.com

K

Manufactured Home Affordable 3 bedroom 2 bath manufactured home in gate guarded Community. Open Floor plan, updated kitchen with large living area. Common Area amenities include pool, spa, tennis court, play area, clubhouse.

Financing is available -$181,500 20087 Northcliff Drive Santa Clarita, CA

BRANDON KING HOME SELLING TEAM

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Beautiful Property ~ Beautiful Home

Just minutes from SCV. Enjoy all 4 seasons on this 20+ acre ranch Home is 6247 sq. ft. with incredible VIEWS

Country Estate on easily one of the most beautiful pieces of property in all of Agua Dulce! Single story, Hacienda style ranch house, 4,080 sf, 5 Bedrooms/4 bathrooms.

Spacious kitchen with Center Island.

Formal Dining room. Family-room with raised hearth fireplace and wet bar. The Master suite has a fireplace & giant walk-in closet. Absolutely stunning park like 7.2 flat and usable acres is completely fenced and private. 3 car garage. Incredible views from everywhere on the property. This property will not disappoint.

$1,550,000 8072 Cuddy Valley Road in Frazier Park

Marilyn Garner State Lic: 01484482

$1,099,000

35356 Sierra Vista Dr, Agua Dulce 91390

Office: 661-904-1323

www.MarilynMerlotinSCV.com MarilynMerlot@sbcglobal.net

25711 Shady Oak Ln is a true masterpiece in the most prestigious guarded & gated community in Valencia, Westridge Estates.

Custom built home was meticulously designed with comfort and luxury in mind. Massive 12car underground garage and entertainment space, gourmet kitchen is equip with top grade appliances, open breakfast and living area.

Large patio with outdoor kitchen and amazing views of private pool and city lights.

This is truly a one-of-a-kind home

STARR JAMES DRE #02082408

(818) 517-3318 (661) 705-3200

starrjamesrealtor@gmail.com

Ask about a CASH BACK REBATE!

PINNACLE

Let’s Make A Deal 4 beds 3 full baths~ 3,194 sqft ~11,217 sqft lot. Built in 1987 Single Family Residence.

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Exquisite detail from the moment you enter...

Suzie Wing Wood

DRE# 01826800

661-609-6666

20501 Blairmoore St., Chatsworth, CA 91311

Gary Wat

ESTATE PROPERTIES INC

6 beds 5 baths 3,674 sq ft 4 car garage Beautifully upgraded Hasley Canyon Estate. Travertine flooring, crown moldings, plantation shutters, mirrored closets, surround sound and recessed lighting!

Tons of upgrades throughout this spacious open floor plan. Beautiful views looking down on the valley from every room. Private serene country setting with perfect backyard for entertaining. $1,250,000

csjwood@aol.com

THEAGENCY

Cell: 626.236.2709 www.25711Shadyoak.com - $3,999,000

gary.wat@theagencyre.com CalBRE##01968039

GOLF...GATED...VIEW...

This Newhall Friendly Valley 2 bd/2 bath +Den ~ Stand-alone home has approx. 1561 sq. ft. Incredible view, great floor plan, 2 golf courses, gated/guard community,many activities, pool, much more! Come Home Today $565,000

SARA P. SEELEY CalBRE # 01241142

(661) 609-6200

Sara@SaraSeeley.com 23914 Summerhill Lane, Valencia, CA 91354

Each office independently owned and operated.

38 · S U N D AYS I G N A L

J U LY 28, 2019

ANOTHER HOT NEW LISTING www.29401abelia.info

Build Your Custom Dream Home

• Remodeled 4+2 Home OFFERED AT: • Solar is Owned!

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6 lots on 40 acres. Most development fees already paid. Ready to build.

Lots are reasonably priced.

$598,000!

Oak Creek Ranch.

BRANDON KING

Bob Kellar

(661) 313-4284

16670 Soledad Cyn Rd kellar@earthlink.net

HOME SELLING TEAM

661.510.0987 CalBRE#01030351

DRE 01819459

YOURHOMESOLD

Happy Valley Single Story Home 5+3 – 2,950 sq ft, single story, classic California ranch style pool home in Happy Valley. Lot is 11,822 sq ft and there is tons of RV/Boat/Toy parking. $850,000

GUARANTEED, OR I’LL BUY IT!*

www.SOLDBYBRANDONKING.com FIND OUT WHAT YOUR HOME IS WORTH!

www.SCVHOMEESTIMATE.com Dean Cox

BRANDON KING HOME SELLING TEAM

661-313-4284

23322 Maple St., Newhall, 91321

*Seller & Brandon must agree on price and terms. DRE 01819459

Sierra Bonita 80 acre ranch

MOVE-IN READY 4 bedroom 3 bath in heart of Valencia~ spacious living areas with custom crown molding and original hardwood floors. The Kitchen opens to the family room. Master Suite offers large walk-in closet and balcony.

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No Mello Roos!!!

$829,900

Marilyn Garner

Anthony Bedgood

REALTOR® Lic. 01484482 Realty Executives Agua Dulce 661-904-1323

Located in Agua Dulce - $13,500,000

www.MarilynMerlotinscv.com

Newer 3 bedroom, 2.5 bathroom home in gated community, Villa Metro. Beautiful wood laminate floors, high ceilings and recessed lighting. Large kitchen with granite counters, center island, stainless steel sink and appliances. Large master bedroom with walk in closet. Master bath with dual sinks & separate water closet. Stackable laundry upstairs. Nice size secondary bedrooms, one has a “Romeo and Juliet” balcony! Very sweet back yard/courtyard. Large 2 car attached garage. Community boasts resort style pool, clubhouse, playground, barbeque and garden to grow your own vegetables or flowers!! $489,000 21860 Moveo Dr , Saugus 91350

DRE# 02006273

661-523-2564

23929 Windward Lane, Valencia

Beautiful turn key mobile home in senior park, lowest rent space in Santa Clarita, 3 bedroom +2 bathroom, 1120 sqft. Double wide built in 2016, open floor plan, high ceilings, dual pane windows, ceiling fans in all rooms upgraded appliances, backyard pavers and gravel with separate grass area automatic sprinklers, completely fenced refrigerator/washer/dryer are included all this and more for $ 174,999

JUDY JENSEN

“You deserve to be treated like Royalty!”

bobandcarlotta@sbcglobal.net Dre# 01311715

Anthonybedgood@gmail.com

Making Dreams Come True!

CARLOTTA LEVY Phone:(661)714-3559

661-644-6120

SPECTACULAR BRIDGEPORT HOME!!

Located just 40 miles north of Los Angeles.

5 houses built on a high plateau with 360 degree unobstructed views of the Sierra Pelona Mountains and beyond. Built in 2009 the single story main house is 3+3, and is 2,908 sf of understated elegance. The other 4, more rustic, houses range in size from 822 to 1,204 sf and are ideal for the ultimate family compound or corporate retreat. A huge resort style patio with pool & spa, Tennis Court, helicopter garage, airplane hangar, pond, mature trees and 3 wells are also included on the property.

SierraBonitaRanch.com

RE/MAX of Valencia CalBRE #01331788

Realtor DRE #01008448

(661)713-0554

Santa Clarita Valley

Judyleejensen@yahoo.com

3 9 · S U N D AY S I G N A L

Opinion

J U LY 28, 2019

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

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

OURVIEWS

Is the GOP Writing Off the Imperatives: If This Is 25th Congressional Seat? True, Then You Ought to...

By David Hegg

By The Signal Editorial Board

I

f the early fundraising totals are any indication, it’s not a stretch to conclude that the Republican Party has already written off the 25th Congressional District and Rep. Katie Hill can start drafting her 2020 re-election speech.

What else can you conclude when Hill raised $1.34 million so far this election cycle, while her nearest challenger — Mike Garcia — raised just $250,000?

And of that $250,000, half of it came from a personal loan he made to his own campaign.

That’s not to say there’s no chance a Republican challenger could unseat Hill. But if the money sends a message, the message the Republicans are sending is one of concession.

Flash back to 2018. Hill, who was largely unknown to voters prior to her congressional run, mustered nationwide Democratic support to unseat Republican Steve Knight from what had been historically viewed as a “safe” district for the GOP. To their credit, the Democrats recognized the demographics of the district were changing and it was ripe for the flipping, with the right candi-

date and the right support.

They found the right candidate, a young woman who brought new energy to the race, and threw a full-court press behind the effort to elevate Hill’s profile, and $7.3 million later — not even counting PAC money — the district flipped.

You can talk all you want about taking “big money” out of politics, and Hill does just that with no apparent sense of irony despite the fact that her campaign benefited from organized national fundraising and multiple millions in PAC money. This includes outside sources like Michael Bloomberg, who spent $4.5 million to elect Hill and, as far as we know, has never visited the Santa Clarita Valley and almost assuredly couldn’t pick it out on a map.

But the fact remains, the money matters — especially when the disparity is as wide as it is right now in the changing 25th District.

Now, the district is widely considSee OUR VIEW, page 40

I

f you can remember all the way back to grammar school, you’ll also remember having run into some actual grammar. And while this column is really not all that interested in fighting the grammar wars, I would like to take a page from the English books to illustrate a necessary part of ethical living.

Grammatically speaking, the indicative mood in the English language describes facts as they are. We use the indicative to say, “It is raining outside” and other facts that are presented as true.

The imperative mood, on the other hand, usually speaks about a consequential obligation that arises out of the facts, like, “It is raining outside so take your umbrella.”

And while the English teachers in my reading audience may consider this much too simplistic, it nevertheless does illustrate a point that I intend to make and then unpack in this column: Certain facts give rise to certain obligations in an ethical society.

The indicatives create the necessity

for the imperatives, and the imperatives most naturally flow out of the indicatives. And if we want to get even more simplistic for the sake of clarity, it can be said that the whole field of ethics – that soft science given over to the determination of the most valuable individual and societal norms – is all about determining the essential “oughts” that arise from foundational truths.

Today many of the “imperatives” that so long had been accepted as common ethical norms have been eroded or washed away altogether.

Here’s one: Indicative: “That man is an adult.”

Imperative: “Treat him with respect.”

It used to be that age had at least some privileges, including the courtesy to be treated respectfully by children.

Today that has pretty much vanished except in households that are intentional about teaching it. Just ask any elementary school teacher and you’ll hear that, by and large, there is little sense of generational respect and honor in our society. Our national sense of See HEGG, page 40

READERLETTERS

Notice Increased Air Traffic?

Is it only me or has anyone else noticed there are more commercial airplane flights flying low over our valley in the last few months? Did you know that due to noise complaints in the San Fernando Valley the Burbank Airport has changed the flight patterns in and out of the airport?

I know that many airplanes fly over the Santa Clarita Valley, usually on a north/south path, but those aircraft usually are well over 10,000 feet high and pose no threat for sound pol-

lution. However, I did a quick search on the Webtrak.com website and found that many of the flights now coming from the Midwest and East Coast arriving at Burbank airport are flying over our valley well under 6,000 feet.

If they are too low and loud you can report them directly on the Webtrak website.

This past Saturday (July 20) I counted six flights in the noon hour flying low. I do not think that Santa Clarita should have large commercial planes flying below 6,000 feet over our valley at all hours of the day and night when the airport they are landing at is more than 25 miles

away. If we do not complain about the current airplane noise pollution situation, it will only get worse and will certainly lead to a diminished quality of life and likely a reduction in all our home values.

If you are as uncomfortable as I am with the increased number of low-flying commercial jet airplane flyovers and the noise pollution they are creating here in the Santa Clarita Valley, I urge all residents to please write an email to the FAA (9-awa-noiseombudsman@faa.gov) or call them at 202-267-3521, or please call the BurSee LETTERS, page 40

J U LY 28, 2019

S U N D AY S I G N A L · 4 0

Opinion

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

OUR VIEW

Continued from page 39

ered “purple” — not quite solid red, not quite solid blue. Depending on the candidates — and, in a given election, the money — the district could go either way.

With the benefit of incumbency and a high national profile as a leader of the Democratic freshman class, Hill must go into 2020 as more than a prohibitive favorite who could only be unseated by an equally charismatic and savvy candidate — with the right financial support.

And her challenger who’s raised the most money so far has loaned his campaign half the funding it’s raised.

Not a good early sign for Republicans.

Mike Garcia, the former fighter pilot, so far is vastly outmatched financially, and the other Republican challengers are trailing by even wider margins. It’s like going into a dogfight

against the latest stealth aircraft and you're flying something with propellers.

There’s a long time to go before November 2020. But at this point, it’s hard to escape the conclusion that the Republicans are mailing this one in — or, at least, being outplayed by a Democratic Party that’s playing the campaign finance game better and harnessing the power of online fundraising to garner national “grass roots” support for a candidate in a flippable district.

Now, the Democrats are playing defense and it looks like their defense is equally as formidable as their offense was in 2018.

If the local GOP wants to see a fair fight for the 25th Congressional District seat in 2020, much work remains, and support from beyond the district is a must, at least under the current rules of the game.

Otherwise, November 2020 will be a cake walk for Katie Hill.

LETTERS

Continued from page 39

bank Airport 24-hour hotline at 800-441-0409 to complain.

Only through a broad community action can we hope to have any chance affecting change.

Scott Ponegalek, Valencia

Time Ranger Brings Back SCV Memories Dear Time Ranger (John Boston): This is just a note to say how much we enjoy your weekly column.

My name is Vernalyn Schofield and I have lived here since 1956. Almost every week I find items in your column that bring back a memory of what it was like living here years ago. Last week you talked about Clarence the cross-eyed lion. My family owned Cottonwood Grove, a park on Soledad Canyon Road that we were preparing to open as a day use campground when an escapee from Camp 11 or 13 (I don't remember) shot and killed my uncle to steal his truck. My family wanted no part of the property after that and sold it to Ralph Helpher, who made it into the animal park.

This week I read of Jean Joseph Reynier, who would later be associated with the Walkers of Placerita. My cousin was a nanny for Tommy Walker’s two children about 60 years ago.

Thank you for all the time you take to keep these memories alive.

Vernalyn Schofield, Santa Clarita Submit a Letter to the Editor

Include name, address & phone number; Anonymous letters are not printed; Email: letters@signalscv.com; Mail to: Letters to the Editor, The Signal, 26330 Diamond Place, Ste. 100, Santa Clarita, CA 91350.

D R AW I N G CO N C LU S I O N S R O B E R T A R I A I L

HEGG

ethical norms really come from. Who decides if civil obligations like courtesy, respect, honesty, hard work and Continued from page 39 responsibility should be passed along “rights” has leveled the hierarchy of age from generation to generation? What to the place where a 9-year-old views is the baseline for ethical behavior? Or his teacher as an equal, and treats her is there no standard, and each generas such. ation is free to forge its own system of But this is just an example. The real- indicatives and imperatives? ity is that the whole subject of imperaHistory has shown that the most tives has been turned on its head. The successful societies have grounded virus of entitlement their ethical norms has so found its way in something higher into the operating History has shown than the whims of system of our society successive generations. that the most that the idea of “obAgainst the ever-shiftligation” is quickly successful societies ing desires of the being drained of any human heart the best substantive meaning. have grounded their defense is to tie our No one is obliethical norms in ethics to the rock of gated anymore, but everyone is entitled. something higher God’s truth as detailed How does that and explained in his work? It doesn’t; than the whims word, the Bible. For what it does is create many years this was of successive a society that is true of our country, constantly bickering generations. and never has a return and critiquing and to this sure foundation dividing. been more necessary What is necessary than today. is for us to regain our hold on the vital At stake is far more than our nationconnection between the truths we al sense of courtesy and public decobelieve and the moral, ethical obligarum.

We’re really fighting to maintain tions that naturally arise from them. the integrity of our national soul.

A healthy society is a well-ordered society. And a well-ordered society is not only a society of laws, but also of ethical norms that form the glue to hold civilized people together.

But ultimately, we have to ask where

David Hegg is senior pastor of Grace Baptist Church and a Santa Clarita resident.“Ethically Speaking” appears Sundays.

J U LY 28, 2019

Give your mind a workout with these brainy exercises!

BRAINGAMES

Relax

S U N D AYS I G N A L · 41

42 · S U N D AYS I G N A L

CROSSWORD TIME

J U LY 28, 2019

THE VILLAGE IDIOT

If Amazon fixed potholes

By Jim Mullen Signal Contributing Writer

I

just bought a new printer for $29 on Amazon. I ordered it yesterday afternoon, and it arrived before noon today.

First, how can they sell a wireless printer and copier for only $29? And second, how can they get it to my home in less than 24 hours?

In the 1970s, the company I worked for bought its first dot-matrix printer. It cost well over $5,000 and took up the better part of a room. It was so noisy they had to spend another chunk of change building a container around it to soundproof it so people could actually do some work.

It used up entire forests’ worth of scrolling paper with little sprocket holes on the side. It broke down constantly. The paper would jam, the ink nozzles would clog, the printer wouldn’t talk to the computer, it was Tuesday, someone sneezed. Finally, they hired a guy full-time just to keep it running.

I never did figure out what they were printing.

My little $29 printer can’t print thousands of pages, but for the 10 times a year I do need a hard copy, it’s fine. Most forms you can fill out online now. Every time I receive a bill that asks if I want to “go paperless,” I say yes. Even at the low, low price of $29, it won’t be long before home printers go the way of buckled shoes and camera film that you have to drop off to be developed.

The only snail mail I get now is spam. Thank goodness the post office gives spam mailers a price break on postage, or I’d never know I could get lower rates on my mortgage, my credit card, my electricity, my life insurance, my health insurance and my medicine. All I have to do is jump through a few of their hoops and somehow I’ll end up paying exactly the same. Or more.

But really: How did Amazon get a printer to me in less than 24 hours?

Even a drone can’t do that. Yet. I didn’t see who delivered my package,

but I’m pretty sure it wasn’t a robot. Yet. How is it that when I send someone a postcard, they’ll get it in a few weeks, but Amazon and a few other companies can get me a big package in 18 hours? And I live far out of town: It’s a 35-minute drive to the nearest grocery store. It’s an hour and a half to the nearest big box store -- round-trip, that would be three hours. And I’ve never seen a printer there for less than a hundred bucks. There is some magic going on here that I can’t suss out.

Here’s the thing: If you bake cookies this Christmas and want to send some to a friend, you’ll have to put them in a box, go to the post office, wait in line for half an hour and then listen to them ask you if you’re sending anything flammable, breakable, plaid, or a thousand other things. Then they’ll tell you it’s $9 to send it to the other side of town, and that the sendee should recieve it in a few weeks. By the way, do you want insurance on that?

Or, you could order cookies from Amazon, tell them it’s a gift and they’ll get it to your friends 49 states away. Tomorrow. For free.

“Well,” people will say, “Amazon can do it because it’s a loss leader.

They don’t make any money on it, it’s just to get you into the store to buy stuff they do make money on.”

That would be right, except Amazon doesn’t have any stores to get me into (though they are experimenting with some). It sounds as if I’m shilling for Amazon, but they have fundamentally changed the way we shop. That doesn’t mean they are problem-free, but think about it: Has your bank fundamentally changed banking?

Has your hospital fundamentally changed health care? Has your local education board made schools fundamentally better?

Are we fixing potholes faster?

When people say, “We should run the government like a business,” Amazon is the business they should be looking at. Not Enron.

Contact Jim Mullen at mullen.jim@ gmail.com.

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PARADE ROUTE

daughter’ s book-sign ing By Jim Holt

Signal Senio

r Staff Writer

When firef steep emb ighters rappelled David A8 was foun La Vau who in had gone ankment to rescu down the side of d vine six daysin a 200-foot-deep2011 SUBSCRIBE TODAY last week over a precipice one a driver whose a car , they learn Sand Cany raoff of Lake after crashing 2018 cupants had, JULYon3,Road TUESDAY, ed that his car75¢ Tuesday - Friday people just Hughes Road show named Bell until now, eludone of the car’s ochow happ a. ed them ed be alive The dog $1 Weekender — a pup y he Satu up for a copy rday as peoplewas to of the Ang was plucked from lined of the book ordeal. ple trained eles National Fore the wild environs about his st in helping His daug Heather animals. by the very peowrote a bookhter, Lisa A. Way Stati Graham, an empToday’s Forecast called, “But Kerr, day: The which windon on Little Tuju loyee of Wildlife 661-259-1234 com Not chronicli story of David La Toarating the s its way through nga Canyon Road ng experienc her father’s near Vau,” spotted the Santa Clarita Vallthe mountains sep-, DULCE e, the |fami AGUADULCE deat| | AGUA VERDE VALVERDE | VAL CASTAIC | CASTAIC RANCH ate|searc STEVENSONRANCH This after puppy by itself ey from Sunland, VALENCIA || STEVENSON ly’s desp h SAUGUS || VALENCIA NEWHALL || SAUGUS COUNTRY || NEWHALL h CANYON COUNTRY in the roug CANYON road to recoto find him and the erthe 3-mo a frantic weekendh nth-o long very. long effor terrain.

On Saturday “Heather ld dog. t to find , she and held a book Sand Cany was on her way her Book store -signing at The father Deanna Armon Road, when to work, driving on Open she foun Road at Whi on Soledad Cany Station, said bruster, spokeswo d (Bella),” man for the “My dad tes Canyon Road on “She follo Monday.

Way said Mon is very humble,” . found a safe wed the dog and to see peopday. “He was so Kerr road,” she place to pull over waited until she exci le ran off a said. “She jump to the side of “People at the book sign ted the bit. But, ed out and ‘Can I get just kept askin ing. she was able la) down the dog And, he my picture with g him brought herand put her in the to calm her (Bel car. And same ‘Thasigned each bookyou?’ By Jim Holt , then she The dog, here.”

Kerr said. nks for the supp the Signal Senior Staff Writer was desc found within 24 ribed as dehy ort,’” hours of was brou She the drate crash said d and hung ght David La Vau who in 2011 “I was very of the book-sign ry when it, Rescuers to safety. was found in a 200-foot-deep ratraffic com excited that there ing: owner on at the Way Stati vine six days after crashing his car there was) ing in and out and was pick up thesocial media and on found the dog’ arranged dog. off of Lake Hughes Road showed This book a buzz about our (that for them s book to has touc people just how happy he was to lives. hed a lot .

By Jim Holt be alive Saturday as people lined of “My main Signal Senior Staff Writer up for a copy of the book about his purpose ways been A tow truc has k operator alordeal.

See FOUN When firefighters to forgive to share with the side of a down ter beingrappelled watc D, A6 peop hes ascara His daughter, Lisa A. Kerr, and, mos and also be forg le, d abou a driver Toyota rescue to lifte Castaic on steep embankment t 200whose t wrote a book called, “But Not TofeetRoad Septon. 30, by a crane Corolla reaches theSignal file photo yourself.” of all, learn to forgiven Canyon Sand2011 had gone over a precipice on ive day: The story of David La Vau,” surfa . DavidocLa Vau surv to Lake Hughes Road ce aflast week, they learned that one of the car’s chronicling her father’s near death ived the cras north of cupants had, until now, eluded them — a pup h. experience, the family’s despernamed Bella. ate search to find him and the long

By Crystal The dog was plucked from the wild environs See to recovery. road Duan LA VAU, A6 Signal Staff of the Angeles National Forest by the very peoWriter On Saturday, she and her father Santa Clarple trained in helping animals. held a book-signing at The Open ita’s rate the state employee of Wildlife Graham, A natio eclip aver Heather ses an Book store on Soledad Canyon twoofStation as well as age Canyon Road, 2.1 percon week indicnal study released Tujunga bedroom ent,Little theWay Road at Whites Canyon Road. in Santasepnational is $2,564, mountains theand growth rateates Santa Clarita’s this of 1.4 percent, which way through Clarita winds averits age dad is very humble,” Kerr “My but has decr a 0.2 is oneSunland, perc $1,9 from now at 4.1 from year to yearrent compared to arating Valley bedroom Santa ent, dow the ease 95. This d Clarita said Monday. “He was so excited markterrain. crea month, s a $4 in- cent, according n by 0.04 perin the rough se for from last percent, a slight decli is renting platf last itself puppy theonlin month’s 4.9 ormspotted e by to see people at the book signing.

Salviati, bedroom ne revealed $3 increasetwo-effort Apartme a frantic Only 21 of to the site. to sfind percent. an Apa and nt List weekend-long Mon This after “People just kept asking him housing econ rtment from June for a one-bedr a ies in Ame the 100 largest The July day.

List 3-month-old dog. citoom fall rica . medthe ‘Can I get my picture with you?’

Much of omist. ian Santway to over the have seen rents work, driving on rate forwas on her “Heather Clar the SCV past year a month a she ita’s mon And, he signed each book the an additiona ’s rent , though growth can be when rent chanfound (Bella),” th-to Sand Canyon Road, l - gain attributed 24 saw same ‘Thanks for the support,’” gene ge forthe JulyWay to a Deanna Armbruster, spokeswoman for is at such s of less than 1.0 modest in theral growth in popu Kerr said. as Santa Los Ang percent, Station, said Monday.

Clarita, said eles metr lation She said of the book-signing: o area.

Chris “She followed the dog and waited until she “I was very excited that there was found a safe place to pull over to the side of the traffic coming in and out and (that See RENT , A6 road,” she said. “She jumped out and the dog there was) a buzz about our book. ran off a bit. But, she was able to calm her (BelThis book has touched a lot of la) down and put her in the car. And, then she lives. brought her here.”

“My main purpose has alThe dog, found within 24 hours of the crash, ways been to share with people, was described as dehydrated and hungry when it to forgive and also be forgiven was brought to safety. and, most of all, learn to forgive

By Brennon Rescuers at the Way Station found the dog’s yourself.”

Dixson Signal Staff owner on social media and arranged for them to Signal file photo Writer pick up the dog. afsurface the reaches Corolla Toyota a as watches operator truck tow A After hear ing abou lifted about 200 feet by a crane on to Lake Hughes Road north of ter being See LA VAU, A6 his fight

By Danielle with Sanf t Carter Sarkar, 2011. David La Vau survived the crash.

See FOUND, A6 30,heny Sept.

Korz and the recen Castaic ilipp For Theon ak Signal t million-do syndrome ment to ollar fund Hyatt Rege his clinical moveThe crow trial, the ncy Vale nounced returns to d-pleasing Con that it will ncia has andollar from donate ever starting thisSanta Clarita for certs in the Park its upco serie y a viewing even ming Concerts weekend at Cent music-filled sum s t to the youn fireworks mer, Castaic. on by the in the Park are ral Park. g boy from Apartment List “Our entir publicClarita Santa Clar free from July city of Santa even 0.2 percent, down by 0.04 per- Salviati, an eclipses itainever 7 untiltwo-bedroom moved by e staff was Santa Clarita’s rate housing economist. y Saturday ts put

By Crystal Duan Getpercent, according to the site. . 25. The a one-bedroom and show ready to isAug 2.1 Austin nighcent, paper rega the article in Satudeeply In this May the state average ofkets, t Only 21 of the 100 largest citbrea$2,564, Much of the SCV’s rent s start Staff Writer Signal k out your /The a $4at ingrab marks Thislawn 2017 phot Dave is $1,995.

7 average some tasty the fight to rding Carter Sark rday’s on Pond as well as the national o, Jennifer Signal (See additional chairs and ap.m.ies in America have seen rents growth can be attributed to a site and forkstwo-bedrooms creasesnac listen to som photo Sarkar carri has decreased blan from syndrome save him from Sanfar and a clini erosa Street in of 1.4 percent, butband s at signa this study national l vendors -fall over the past year, though general growth in population Castaic.AThe e of yourfor aloca es released lscv.com) s com one-bedroom cal trial that her increase $3 online month, ing son last to sales coor,” said Natasha Zam ilippo onfavo compared to Cart rent Sark Clarita’s might helpweek indicatesarSanta er to a hom Here’s a List the Saugus park rite genre tribu an additional 24 saw modest in the Los Angeles metro area. family Apartment brea from June.

Carter’srate Valencia. dinator at Hyatt brano, develop renting platform e te gains of less than 1.0 percent, . is 8,46 to year d $97 year raise from Con growth fight Rege n of each certs in the kdowSanta month-toClarita’s muscle pain agai 7 to Monday. nst to contribut“We at Hyatt wou ncy seizu revealed get band perfo is at such as Santa Clarita, said Chris See RENT, A6 Sanf Park: decline now at 4.1 percent, a slight s, experienc ilippo synd res and then July rming at month rent change for our parking e to this fight by ld like their The romeJuly , ultim . median rate for a month’s 4.9 percent. fromelastwou midJuly 7 nity to watc structure to the offering Sarkar, to late-teens, ately, die in give ld fund a clinical said Jenn trial that Carter a Cart ifer ing Fourth h fireworks this commuWanted, As a resuler’s mother.

“Over the chance at life. could upcomof lineup of a Bon Jovi tribu Children July.” draiser in t, the family held been a gath years the struc te band, is the past a funture has geles, the Concerts in the Park Sanfilipp who are diagnose ering first up in o syndrome band d with goal to donate a month with the unobstructed view place to have .

The rock is made up of Based out of Los the an milli the 501( will likel (and of y Cure c)(3) nonprofit on dollars to Zam fireworks) from the festivities playing to ’n’ roll group professional mus Anorga icians.

Sanfilipp brano said.

Six Flag views. Wansold out venues had immense succ o Foundatio nization s,” and garn ted was ess, n, which requests from agen finally created ering rave rewith the Weather band on othets and promotersafter numerous See CARTER, .......

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84°/59°

A tale of two rescues

7 years later, crash survivor glad to be alive at daughter’s book-signing

Missing puppy found after having run away from scene of crash; animal was hungry, dehydrated when saved

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Today’s For ecast

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City’s rent growth rate above state average

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tribute Hyatt joins Carter’s fight SCV’s to the greats

Opinion

Hotel plans to donate event proceeds to child’s battle against Sanfilippo syndrome

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Concerts in the Park series set to return to Central Park

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By Brennon Dixson Louis Gar iber Signal Staff Writer of Canyon asi Country After hearing about Carter Sarkar, his fight with Sanfilippo syndrome and the recent million-dollar movement to fund his clinical trial, the Hyatt Regency Valencia has announced that it will donate every dollar from its upcoming fireworks viewing event to the young boy from Castaic.

“Our entire staff was deeply moved by the article in Saturday’s paper regarding Carter Sarkar and the fight to save him from Sanfilippo syndrome,” said Natasha Zambrano, sales coordinator at Hyatt Regency Valencia. “We at Hyatt would like to contribute to this fight by offering our parking structure to the community to watch fireworks this upcoming Fourth of July.”

Children who are diagnosed with Sanfilippo syndrome will likely

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For The Signal

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Austin Dave/The Signal (See additional photos at signalscv.com)

home In this May 2017 photo, Jennifer Sarkar carries her son Carter to a to get on Ponderosa Street in Castaic. The Sarkar family raised $978,467 a clinical trial that might help Carter’s fight against Sanfilippo syndrome.

that could develop muscle pains, experience would fund a clinical trial seizures and then, ultimately, die in give Carter a chance at life.

“Over the years the structure has their mid-to late-teens, said Jennifer been a gathering place to have an Sarkar, Carter’s mother. festivities As a result, the family held a fun- unobstructed view of the Six Flags,” draiser in the past month with the (and fireworks) from goal to donate a million dollars to Zambrano said. the 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization See CARTER, A6 Cure Sanfilippo Foundation, which

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By Danielle Korzhenyak The crowd-pleasing Concerts in the Park series returns to Santa Clarita for a music-filled summer, starting this weekend at Central Park.

Concerts in the Park are free public events put on by the city of Santa Clarita every Saturday night from July 7 until Aug. 25. The shows start at 7 p.m.

Get ready to break out your lawn chairs and blankets, grab some tasty snacks from local vendors onsite and listen to some of your favorite genre tribute bands coming to the Saugus park.

Here’s a breakdown of each band performing at Concerts in the Park:

July 7

Wanted, a Bon Jovi tribute band, is first up in the lineup of Concerts in the Park. Based out of Los Angeles, the band is made up of professional musicians.

The rock ’n’ roll group had immense success, playing to sold out venues and garnering rave reviews. Wanted was finally created after numerous requests from agents and promoters who worked with the band on other projects.

See CONCERTS, A8

Good morning to Signal subscriber Louis Garasi of Canyon Country

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Summer Scorchers

Don’t let this summer’s offers slip away.

Check out the Mercedes-Benz Summer Event, going on now.