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S E P T E M B E R 9, 2018

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S E P T E M B E R 9, 2018

S U N D AYS I G N A L · 3

y a d Sun [4]

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SEPTEMBER 9, 2018

TABLE OF CONTENTS

NEWS FEATURES

[4] Homebuying and millennials [6] Reunions: A mixture of fun, apprehension

NEWS OF THE WEEK

Officials celebrate arrival of Super Scoopers; 15-year-old boy found dead; City launches permit website; Libraries ready for story time; Wilk bills focus on film, sex offenders; Grace Baptist Church to host suicide prevention training; Changes in school start times passes; City rule waits for homeless shelter; Local man hikes Mexico to Canada trail; Water usage up.

Breaking down the phases of construction projects

[15] [16] [17] [18] [20] [23] [24]

BUSINESS Second-hand luxury REAL ESTATE Home sales SPORTS Country club’s student golf mentor HISTORY: John Boston’s Time Ranger OPINION Our View, David Hegg, Tim Whyte SCV CALENDAR THINGS TO DO

Take a drive to the Hollywood sign

[26]

ENTERTAINMENT Fun SCV patios;

[29]

YOUR HOME

What’s the difference between a home theater and media room?

Tis the season for horror films

Creating more space in your home; Rooms can serve double duty

[30] [31]

KIDS & FAMILY SCHOOLS

School menus; Is less homework better?

[32]

FOOD

[35]

SENIORS

[36] [38]

LONG DISTANCE HIKER

CITY MANAGER COLUMN

12 15

SECOND HAND LUXURY

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LATEST FOOD TRENDS

Donna's Day

Current food trends; Restaurant Profile: Daily Harvest Cafe & Juicery

Gettin Up There: Diana Sevanian; SCV Senior Center Volunteer Spotlight: Ruby and Ray Mitchell

ARTIST PROFILE

Naomi Young

HEALTH & FITNESS

Dr. Roach;

Strategies for boosting energy levels

[39] [41]

GARDENING Jane Gates: Making your landscape fire-wise BRAIN GAMES Games, Crossword, Puzzles

On the cover: Artist Naomi Young. PHOTO BY DAN WATSON

SUNDAY SIGNAL STAFF

SignalSCV.com Richard Budman Jason Schaff Tim Whyte Perry Smith Brad Lanfranco Doña Uhrig Trish Galloway

Publisher Sunday Signal Editor Signal Editor Deputy Managing Editor Advertising Director Production Manager Graphic Designer

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S E P T E M B E R 9, 2018

S C V F E AT U R E

G N I T F I SH T TLING SE Generational changes in employment and culture transform millenial perspectives on real estate market

By Crystal Duan Signal Staff Writer

A

housing shortage throughout Los Angeles County, as well as a changing job market, has its effects on millennials who aspire to buy homes throughout the Santa Clarita Valley, Realtors in the SCV said.

Disparities in supply and demand have driven up prices, as have cultural demands and a shifting workforce.

“A lot of jobs don’t require you to be present at a certain place or time, like online retail marketing,” said Bob Khalsa, a Santa Clarita Realtor on the board of directors of the Southland Regional Association of Realtors. “This makes a lot of people, especially young ones, mobile, and this has changed the scenario that they would need to settle down somewhere like Santa Clarita.”

In the past, Khalsa said, people had different housing-location needs with more traditional employment structures. Now anyone who works in Santa Clarita can avoid the high costs of housing by living elsewhere.

“A lot of people who come to me to buy homes, they’re married couples who are working who have more than one job — because they’re trying to meet the biggest expense in their life,” he said.

Mike Bjorkman, a broker for

HomeSmart NCG and California Leasing, said there hasn’t been a shortage of buyers in Santa Clarita, especially millennials, but the qualification criteria was stricter after the 2008 recession caused by a housing market crash.

“There are some people who come from outside and they look at our prices,” he said. “But most people are aware of the high cost, so if their income levels are lower to qualify, they Bjorkman do resort to co-signing or sharing with someone else, or even going somewhere else.”

One issue tends to be interest rates, which are currently around 4.5 percent.

Khalsa Interest rates will repel people, even if housing prices haven’t gone up, Bjorkman said.

“A 1,000- to 1,300-square-foot home is about $490,000 to $570,000 for three bedrooms and two bathrooms,” he said. “On the other side, some of the richer homes like Sand Canyon and Valencia Westridge are $700,000-$800,000 to a million for 3,000 square feet or more.”

As many jobs lift anchor from offices, workers are less likely to live near their places of employment, says one Santa Clarita Valley Realtor. SIGNAL FILE PHOTO

S E P T E M B E R 9, 2018

S U N D AYS I G N A L · 5

S C V F E AT U R E

“Not too many millennials think of a safe environment when they’re buying a place. says broker Mike Bjorkman. “They think of an active environment.” SIGNAL FILE PHOTO

Khalsa said for millennials in their late 20s, a changing job market means they aren’t necessarily buying in Santa Clarita. If millennials have less location-specific demands, they’re more comfortable with moving where the cost of housing is less, he said.

“I don’t see too many millennials coming to Santa Clarita because of that,” he said. “We’re a bedroom community where people can come to retire. Secondly, the kind of jobs we offer are more traditional, not flashy and innovative like in Los Angeles. What I’ve seen in my 16 years in real estate is people come here for the schools and are usually in their 30s. The No. 1 attraction here is schools, and quality of life, a safe environment. … But if you don’t value those things yet, you probably won’t even be thinking about a house, much less in Santa Clarita.”

“The advantage in Santa Clarita is you have schools offering fantastic programs, and with those skill levels they have an ability to move anywhere else and want to.”

Mike Bjorkman, a broker for HomeSmart NCG and California Leasing “Not too many millennials think of a safe environment when they’re buying a place,” Bjorkman said.

“They think of an active environment, with more options available.

From my experience, a lot of millennials move out of Santa Clarita because the job opportunities are more plentiful.”

Moving somewhere else is not much of a problem for Santa Clarita homegrown adults, because of the schools, Khalsa said.

“The advantage in Santa Clarita is you have schools offering fantastic

programs, and with those skill levels they have an ability to move anywhere else and want to,” he said.

“And because of the internet, they are exposed to the entire country compared to older generations.”

“Within that, people aren’t thinking about buying a home if they can barely afford the rent,” he said.

Bjorkman said inventory in the Santa Clarita Valley has almost doubled from this time last year to this year, while resale prices continue to rise.

This summer, prices dropped in July by greater percentages than they

did in the previous three months.

Realtors also helped close escrow on 103 condominiums, according to a recent SRAR report. That number is down 13.4 percent from June 2017 and off 1.9 percent from May. Khalsa said that millennials buying from him who grew up in Santa Clarita tend to have strong family or community ties.

“The only bad thing in SCV as far as the housing market is concerned is land costs are high, and if you don’t have financial support, that’s hard,” he said. “The land is not as economically feasible.”

Khalsa added: “Right now, the rental market has gone up, but rents are sky high because of an acute shortage of housing. People can’t afford rents, and so they’re spending money and have very little left over for their daily needs to even have a reasonable quality of life.” 

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S E P T E M B E R 9, 2018

S C V F E AT U R E

‘Like going to see a feel-good movie’ Reunions can be a stressful time, but they can end up being a wonderful reconnection of friendships and treasure trove of memories

By Brennon Dixson Signal Staff Writer

L

ike anything that’s related to high school, class reunions can be a stressful time for everybody involved.

Organizers are pressured to find the hundreds of alumni scattered across the country, graduates become tense as they think about reuniting with their classmates, and schools are busy planning activities that will interest their students of yesterday.

As the 1968 graduating class of William S. Hart High School prepares to celebrate its 50-year reunion, the inaugural graduating class of Saugus High School reunited in June, and one member still gets emotional when she recalls the moments of that special weekend.

After working on the reunion for a year and a half, the anticipation had been building, said Tina Landrum, a member of the Class of 1978 who helped organize the event.

Landrum and the reunion’s

organizing committee were tasked with planning the multiple meetups that occurred over the weekend, convincing fellow Centurions to attend the reunion after the death of one of their classmates and — in Danielle Cook Bryant’s case — flying 3,000 miles across the country.

In the end, “I felt like everything we had been working on had fallen in place,” Landrum said. “I get emotional right now just thinking about it. We were so busy getting ready for it that I hadn't counted on the emotion — the tears, the screaming, the running and hugging each other.”

Cook Bryant said she was sick to her stomach when she returned home.

In fact, she had so much fun that she bought a plane ticket immediately after returning to Virginia to attend Saugus High’s homecoming Friday.

“It's a testament to how much fun everybody had and how special these people are to me, and what the reunion meant to me,” she said.

“Even if you don't feel like you had

anything in common with anybody in high school,” Landrum said, “We shared a time together that was really important in creating who we are now.

Whether or not we traveled in the same cliques, there were many things we had in common.”

Everybody was at the dances together, whether that was up against the wall or out on the floor going crazy, she said. “We tried our best to be as hip as possible,” and shared the teachers who were infuriating along with the ones who were inspiring.

“That makes us part of a tribe. No matter where we were or ended up,” Landrum said. “The great thing is all these years later, we’d grown into somebody else and I was excited to meet those people.”

Landrum said the weekend was awesome, “but the tour is what tugged at the heart strings. I recommend that for anybody planning a reunion.”

The school had blossomed into a paradise, Landrum said, “and we went into a time machine to be able to see it.”

Meeting the students at the tour had a big impact on the group, participants of the tour said. There’s talk among the committee members about wanting to get involved with the Parent Teachers Association of Saugus High.

“Some have mentioned raising funds for books, sports or other equipment that would help,” Landrum said. “We want to keep morale going, we want to keep engaging with each other. The students were wonderful so hopefully it rolls into other things.”

People should attend their reunions because of the nostalgia and to rekindle the physical connection with friends, Cook Bryant said. “It brings all of your memories to life. It's like going to see a feel-good movie and bringing all of those emotions to reality.”

Cook Bryant set up the extracurriculars, including the tour, coffee and Friday night mixer, from across the country, Landrum said, which goes to show that you don't have to be there physically to be part of organizing a reunion “We rekindled or, in some cases, discovered friendship with each other for the first time,” she added. “We became such good friends and our friendship had deepened.” 

Saugus High's Class of 1978 gathers for a photo during a tour of the campus in June.

PHOTO BY BRENNON DIXSON

S E P T E M B E R 9, 2018

S U N D AYS I G N A L · 7

LOCALNEWS

Muscle for fire County officials celebrate arrival of Super Scoopers to battle blazes

A group walks past a Canadair CL-415 Super Scooper at the Van Nuys Tanker Base on Wednesday. PHOTOS BY AUSTIN DAVE

By Michele Lutes Signal Staff Writer

For the 25th year, Super Scoopers from Quebec, Canada, have arrived in Los Angeles County to assist firefighters as fire season approaches.

“With increasingly dangerous and deadly fires in our communities, we need all the resources we can get,” said Kathryn Barger, Los Angeles County 5th District supervisor, in a live video of the news conference.

The county’s fleet includes Erickson Air-Cranes, Bell 412s, Sikorsky Firehawks and the Canadair Super Scoopers. When needed, L.A. City Fire Department helicopters also partner with the department.

The Super Scoopers “will bring the extra muscles we need to fight fires,” Barger said during the news conference.

“Last year, we had the largest fire in history of the state of California, the Thomas Fire,” said County Fire Chief Daryl L. Osby, “just to be exceeded this year by a fire in Montecito County that burned over 450,000 acres.”

Due to high temperatures and gusty winds, fire season is not restricted to a few months anymore, Barger said.

When the fire season is less active in Quebec, the Super Scoopers arrive in Los Angeles County.

“Since 1994, over 150 men and women have taken part in this program,” said Elizabeth MacKay, delegate for the government of Quebec. This program gives the departments the opportunity to learn from each other when fighting

fires in various terrains, said MacKay. The Super Scoopers are operated by two pilots, can hold a maximum of 1,600 gallons of water and normally drop from an altitude of 150 feet. They load up with water by skimming along the surface of a body of water, often Castaic Lake, and

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Los Angeles County 5th District Supervisor Kathryn Barger speaks at a media conference about Super Scooper aircraft leased from Quebec, Canada.

“scooping” the water into their tanks.

“We lead the nation in the ability to manage wildfires,” Barger said. “These first responders are the best of the best.”

During the news conference Wednesday, Barger and Osby also reminded the community to have an emergency plan in place and to evacuate when instructed.

“Please do not wait, evacuate,” Barger said.

The L.A. County Fire Department’s current contract with Quebec will have the Super Scoopers in the county until spring 2019, according the the department’s public information office. 

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S E P T E M B E R 9, 2018

LOCALNEWS

15-year-old boy found dead in Valencia home

By Jim Holt Signal Senior Staff Writer

Homicide detectives are investigating the death of a 15-year-old boy who was found unresponsive Wednesday morning inside a Valencia home, near Rio Norte Junior High School.

A spokeswoman for the Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner identified the boy as Christian Nsubuga, who would have turned 16 in November.

The boy, whose body was found inside a home on the 28600 block of North Pietro Drive, south of Copper Hill Drive, was pronounced dead at 7:32 a.m., coroner spokeswoman Sarah Ardalani said.

“It was reported that he was found unresponsive,” she said, noting the cause of the boy’s death is listed as undetermined.

Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station officials received the call regarding

the report at approximately 7:20 a.m., Lt. Leo Bauer said, noting the call was quickly transferred to the department’s Homicide Bureau.

At the same time, paramedics with the Los Angeles County Fire Department responded to reports of a cardiac arrest, Fire Department spokesman Marvin Lim said.

They arrived at the scene at 7:26 a.m., he said.

Homicide detectives were on the scene to investigate a report of a decedent, but it’s unknown at this time if there was any foul play involved.

Homicide officials would make that determination at the end of their investigation.

Fire officials confirmed they responded to a call of a cardiac arrest at around 7:20 a.m., but no one was transported from the scene.

Sheriff’s Department and coroner officials were still on the scene investigating as of 1 p.m. Wednesday. 

Homicide detectives with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department stand outside the scene on the 28600 block of Pietro Drive in North Valencia where a 15-year-old was found dead. PHOTO BY CORY RUBIN

Libraries ready for story time

By Signal Staff

Children and their families will have a chance to participate in free, interactive story time sessions at all Santa Clarita public libraries starting next week, the city announced Wednesday.

“We offer story time in sessions and we welcome families with multiple children of different age groups to come and socialize with others,” said Gina Roberson, library administrator for the Old Town Newhall Library. “Story time offers these different age groups (the opportunity) to create a bond with their parents.”

There are four sessions offered: Baby and toddler story time: Designed to build early language and literacy foundations for children 6 months to 3 years old. Attendees will have a chance to sing, dance, read and rhyme.

Canyon Country Library: Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays at 9:30 a.m.

▪

▪ Newhall Library: Tuesdays and Wednesdays at 10 a.m.

▪ Valencia Library: Mondays,

Wednesdays and Thursdays at 10 a.m., Tuesdays at 11 a.m.

Twos and threes story time: Stories, songs and parent-interaction projects offered with the developmental tasks of toddlers in mind.

Canyon Country Library: Mondays and Tuesdays at 11 a.m., Wednesdays at 9:30 a.m.

Newhall Library: Mondays and Thursdays at 10 a.m., Wednesdays at 11 a.m.

Valencia Library: Tuesdays at 10 a.m., Wednesdays and Thursdays at 11 a.m.

School readiness story time: For 3- to 5-year-olds, children can build literacy, listening and group participation skills required for school.

Canyon Country Library: Wednesdays at 11 a.m.

Newhall Library: Tuesdays at 11 a.m.

▪ ▪ ▪

▪ ▪

Santa Clarita Public Library branches will host free storytimes for various age groups, starting Monday. PHOTO BY AUSTIN DAVE

▪ Valencia Library: Mondays at

11 a.m.

Bilingual story time: Traditional rhymes, songs and stories offered in both Spanish and English.

▪ Canyon Country Library: Thursdays at 11 a.m.

▪ Newhall Library: Mondays and See LIBRARIES, page 19

S E P T E M B E R 9, 2018

S U N D AYS I G N A L · 9

LOCALNEWS

City launches website for residents seeking permits

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By Tammy Murga Signal Staff Writer

To ease the process of obtaining a building permit, the city of Santa Clarita has launched a new, user-friendly website for residents and it’s the first city in the nation to offer the service, according to city officials.

Under the city’s Permit Center webpage, users now have the option to click on a link titled, “Permit Guide,” which went live last month, according to city building official John Caprarelli.

The software, created by Camino Technologies for governments, is designed to guide those planning a construction project through the entire permit process — from the preparation stages to scheduling the last inspection.

“When we built this, we wanted to make the building permit process as easy as buying something on Amazon or ordering a Lyft,” said Nate Levine, Camino Technologies’ co-founder and chief strategy officer. “We wanted to bring user-friendly technology to a historically complex process, which is going to be seen in the design.”

Santa Clarita is the first city in the United States to launch with Camino, Levine said.

The city only offers the service for residential projects but plans are in the works to include commercial projects,

Santa Clarita recently released a website to obtain residential building permits. Help is also available at the city’s Permit Center. COURTESY PHOTO

Caprarelli said.

The website is a win-win for users and city staff.

Caprarelli said, “The No. 1 reason we now have this is to save us all time.

If there’s one thing that slows down the process is when customers find out something too late in the process.”

He said, for example, if someone wants to take on a small project, like build a garden wall, the software will let a user know if a permit is needed or not.

“The software asks whether a wall will See WEBSITE, page 19

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S E P T E M B E R 9, 2018

LOCALNEWS

Wilk legislation focuses on film, sex offenders

Changes proposed in school start times

State senator reflects on recent session

By Crystal Duan Signal Staff Writer

Sen. Scott Wilk, R-Santa Clarita, said he’s proud of his two major legislative accomplishments this session, which helped bring tax relief for film studios and took sex offenders out of specifically rural areas.

One of the two bills, Senate Bill 951, authored by Wilk and signed

by Gov. Jerry Brown, gave the California Film and Television Wilk Tax Credit Program an extra five additional fiscal years. The other, SB 1199, looks to stem the disproportionate release of sex offenders to rural areas.

“Getting an extension of the film tax credit is a big win for Santa Clarita,” he said. “We are known as ‘Hollywood North,’ and we were able to do it through the budget process and this bill ultimately has a positive impact on Santa Clarita.”

SB 1199 was originally authored in response to the way Jessica’s Law — which requires convicted sex offenders to live at least 2,000 feet from churches and schools — distributed the offenders due to building density, he said. “(The law) requires sex offenders go back to their community where they have family and support,” Wilk said, “What they have been doing is dump them in our Senate district, so we’ve had an unfair share.”

Meanwhile, the senator is still looking at two more bills awaiting their fate in the governor’s hands. Both SB 1409 and SB 1036, he said, matter directly to the citizens of his district.

SB 1036 would prohibit releasing the personal contact information of a student or parent in the meeting minutes of a governing body.

The issues stemmed from a Saugus Union School District board meeting, when a student’s grandmother who

spoke during the public comment portion of a meeting learned that her residential address had been published as part of the official record of the meeting’s minutes, he said.

SB 1409 helps the California economy through streamlining hemp production statewide, allowing California farmers to grow and produce it, which would particularly benefit the Antelope Valley. The bill has until Sept. 30 to be signed by Brown.

“There are (farming) manufacturers who told me they’d relocate to the district if this bill passes,” he said.

Wilk said he plans to reintroduce his domestic violence-animal abuse bill next year.

The Animal Cruelty & Violence Intervention Act of 2018 would require offenders convicted of animal abuse crimes to undergo mandatory men-

“WE ARE KNOWN AS ‘HOLLY WOOD NORTH,’ AND WE WERE ABLE TO DO IT THROUGH THE BUDGET PROCESS AND THIS BILL ULTIMATELY HAS A POSITIVE IMPACT ON SANTA CLARITA.” SEN. SCOTT WILK, R-SANTA CLARITA

tal health assessments and, if deemed beneficial by the assessing mental health professional, to seek ongoing counseling. It failed in the Assembly Appropriations Committee.

Wilk had previously cited statistics that show in some cases, 71 percent of domestic violence offenders also abused animals at some point, and that 70 percent of the most violent prisoners in a study of federal prisons had serious animal abuse in their histories. 

Bridgeport Elementary School students enter the campus at 7:50 a.m. on the first day back to school in August 2017.

By Brennon Dixson Signal Staff Writer

California teens may soon be able to snooze their alarms an extra time or two after state lawmakers have approved a bill that aims to regulate school start times.

Senate Bill 328, which Gov. Jerry Brown has yet to sign, would restrict school districts from starting middle and high school classes any earlier than 8:30 a.m.

Existing law allows the governing board of each school district to set the length of the day for its school sites, but if the new bill is signed, public and chartered schools will have until 2021 to adjust their instruction times.

More than three-quarters of California’s middle and high schools start classes before 8:30 a.m., according to a legislative analysis, which means nearly 2,000 schools across the state would have to change their start times.

Proponents of SB 328 say the new time limits would prevent sleep deprivation and the harmful effects that it can have on young students, but state Sen. Scott Wilk, who voted against the bill four times, said the decision on school start times should remain in the hands of the school boards.

“Too often Sacramento sends down edicts and makes requirements that may

or may not work in the best interests of the community,” Wilk said. “The fact of the matter is we have local school districts with locally elected school boards that are there to make the decisions on the best interests of the students.”

Wilk said a “one-size-fits-all program” might be more harmful to the students than beneficial, which matches the concerns of the California School Boards Association.

When SB 328 failed to pass the state assembly in 2017, CSBA officials said the bill would affect working families and the schools that purposely stagger start times to meet student demand for bus transportation.

“I had a school district in the Antelope Valley try this a couple years ago and it didn’t work,” Wilk said, which is why he believes the state should show the sleep deprivation study results to the local districts and leave it to the community to decide what’s in the best interest of students.

Research detailing the effects of sleep deprivation and the benefits of a later school start time is expected to be posted on the State Department of Education’s website if the new legislation is signed by Gov. Brown, according to the bill’s text.

It is currently unknown if or when the governor plans to sign or veto the prospective legislation. 

S E P T E M B E R 9, 2018

S U N D AYS I G N A L · 11

LOCALNEWS

Grace Baptist Church to host suicide prevention training

By Michele Lutes Signal Staff Writer

A local church is urging the community to get involved and learn the warning signs of mental health issues.

“The main goal is to get church staff in SCV to come to a training,” said Rudy Hawkins, care ministry volunteer for Grace Baptist Church.

“The objective is to have them be more assertive and comfortable talking about suicide and domestic violence in the church.”

The free event will take place Nov. 13 at Valencia Hills Church from 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.

“The whole program is going to be great,” said Larry Schallert, assistant director of the student health and wellness/mental health program at

College of the Canyons.

Church doesn’t always seem to be a place to talk about these issues, Hawkins said. They are trying to change that.

“We know that if members of the clergy, employees or volunteers with faith-based organizations are aware of warning signs — we can really do a lot on the front end with mental health issues,” Schallert said.

The training will be presented by Dan Broyles, marriage and care pastor with Grace Baptist Church, and Dr. Patricia Patton, a marriage and family therapist.

“The trainers they have are very experienced,” Schallert said.

Local churches are trying to make people feel comfortable and safe, Hawkins said. “It is OK to talk. Don’t keep it bottled up.” 

Members of Grace Baptist Church gather to celebrate “50 years of Grace” in Santa Clarita. The church will be hosting a suicide prevention training to help the community learn the warning signs of mental health issues. SIGNAL FILE PHOTO

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S E P T E M B E R 9, 2018

LOCALNEWS

Through the trail: Canyon High graduate, 23, hikes path from Mexico to Canada

By Michele Lutes Signal Staff Writer

A culmination of factors started Zach Wims on his journey across the West Coast of North America.

It seems like it was part of a search for a greater direction in life for the Canyon High graduate, who left the SCV to attend Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, then moved back before starting his journey on the Pacific Crest Trail.

“I just did it,” said Wims, 23, a Santa Clarita resident. Wims took his first step on the Pacific Crest Trail on May 2, carrying a backpack of gear weighing about 7.8 pounds as he hiked from Mexico to Canada.

“I wanted to enjoy some of the

beautiful world, the created land that’s all so perfect and all flows so well together,” Wims said. “The less significant answer is I really didn’t know what I want to do with my life.

I thought, if I don’t do this now, I never will.”

For 113 days, he hiked through California, Oregon and Washington, averaging 26.5 miles a day.

“I would consider it a full day of hiking if I did at least 25 miles,” Wims said. “My longest day on trail was a 60-mile day.”

Wims walked all day before lying down to sleep for the night.

“For three-quarters of the time, I just cowboy camped on the ground, See HIKER, page 19

Zach Wims, of Santa Clarita, took 113 days to hike the Pacific Crest Trail, starting on May 2. PHOTO BY CORY RUBIN

City rule waits for homeless shelter

In meantime, violators will be warned; federal court deems Idaho law unconstitutional

By Crystal Duan Signal Staff Writer

Santa Clarita city officials emphasized they don’t plan to cite the homeless for sleeping on sidewalks before a year-round shelter is built, after a federal court ruled Tuesday that it’s unlawful to prosecute the homeless for sleeping on public property.

The U.S. 9th Circuit Court of

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INFORMATION MEETING Thursday Monday

Appeals unanimously overturned a district court decision in favor of the city of Boise, Idaho, in a case in which homeless people challenged city ordinances that barred them from staying overnight on public property.

In June, the Santa Clarita City Council approved a municipal code amendment that was geared toward preventing people from “living” in public places, raising objections from several residents who argued that the amendment would negatively impact the homeless.

“The ruling of the 9th Circuit Court doesn’t have any material impact on the city because while the ordinance is technically in place, we had directed city staff not to enforce it until we have a year-round shelter,” City Councilman Cameron Smyth said Wednesday.

The amendment to the city ordinance expanded the definition of “public places” and allowed city officials to address any encampment or dwelling that may arise at new

municipal facilities.

The intent of the amendment, Smyth said, was to use the time between passage of the ordinance and the opening of the city’s seasonal homeless shelter, operated by nonprofit Bridge to Home, to educate the community about the ordinance “so that when the time comes, there would be an increased level of awareness of resources.”

“We obviously don’t want people sleeping on the sidewalks, but we also want to make sure there is a place for them to go,” said Smyth, who is also head of the city’s Homeless Ad Hoc Committee.

Plans to open a year-round shelter have not been finalized, but last year the city approved purchase of a $1 million site for the new shelter on Drayton Street, to be donated to Bridge to Home.

The current shelter is open from November to March and has 60 beds, according to Bridge to Home Executive Director Peggy Edwards.

The ordinance amendment

language does not formally state the city will wait on enforcement, Smyth said.

“But it’s been communicated to Code Enforcement and the Community Preservation Division to educate people, so if we run into someone technically in violation, instead of citing someone, the staff can inform them it’s in place, and will be enforced soon,” he said.

Since the passing of the amendment in June, he has not heard of any homeless individuals found in violation of the ordinance and that if they were found in violation, city staff would not prosecute them, Smyth said.

He said per the ruling, even if they were found in violation now, they cannot be cited if a shelter isn’t available.

“The city staff had made the decision prior to the ruling of the 9th Circuit, so it doesn’t necessarily have any material impact on the city since we were waiting to enforce it,” he said. 

S E P T E M B E R 9, 2018

S U N D AYS I G N A L · 13

LOCALNEWS

SCV Water says usage is trending up over 2017

By Jim Holt Signal Staff Writer

Santa Clarita Valley ratepayers who were commended by water officials for their diligence in conserving water are beginning to use as much water as they did before the latest drought.

A report on the supply and demand of water in the SCV was presented Tuesday to the members of the SCV Water Agency board.

It shows water production in July exceeded the amount SCV ratepayers required a year ago, and approached what we used in 2013, before the recent drought.

Despite the usage trend, however, SCV ratepayers are still to be commended for conservation habits honed during three years of drought.

“Our customers are still using less water than in 2013,” said Matt Dickens, SCV Water resource conservation manager. “But we are seeing a rebound; some of which is expected, while some can be attributed to inefficiencies such as irrigation runoff.

“We can still strive for water efficiency even as hotter weather and

a rebounding economy have led to increased water usage. Eliminating irrigation run-off and checking for leaky toilets are two easy fixes,” Dickens said, pointing to tips and resources spelled out on the agency’s website: conserve.yourSCVwater.com.

The amount of water used by people in California in 2013 — before the drought — became the standard by which Governor Jerry Brown set his conservation goals, demanding communities across the state use 20 percent — and then 25 percent — less water than they did at that time.

And while the monthly conservation goals set during the drought have since been lifted, the long-term goal of reducing water usage across the state by 20 percent in the next two years remains in place.

“Twenty percent by 2020 is the first mile marker we need to reach,” Dickens said Tuesday.

“But the state Legislature, through SB 606 and AB 1668, set a specific goal of 55 gallons per day per person for indoor residential water use, starting in 2022,” he said. “Conservation will always be a necessary way of life in the Santa Clarita Valley and in the state of California.” 

24th Annual

2018 River Cleanup and Environmental Expo

Saturday, September 22, 2018 8:00 - 11:00 a.m.

Wiley Canyon Road - Off the Via Princessa Bridge (East of Orchard Village Road)

We will provide the gloves and trash bags, you just show up to help maintain a portion of the Santa Clara River - one of the last natural rivers in Southern California!

River Rally is an excellent volunteer opportunity for clubs, students, scout troops, non-profit organizations and people of all ages.

Don’t forget to ride your bike to River Rally. There will be free bike valet service courtesy of the City of Santa Clarita and Performance Cyclery. Also, bring a reusable water bottle to help usreduce waste.

Be sure to visit the Environmental Expo and learn about recycling, air quality, wildlife conservation, pollution prevention and more!

BUSINESS PARTNERS

For more information or to register visit GreenSantaClarita.com or call the River Rally hotline at (661) 284-1415.

Please remember, NO PETS ALLOWED and participants must wear CLOSED-TOED SHOES. Pre-registration is required for all volunteers.

14 · S U N D AYS I G N A L

S E P T E M B E R 9, 2018

FROM THE CITY MANAGER

Breaking down construction phases

By Ken Striplin

W

e are fortunate to have amazingly talented and knowledgeable architects and engineers on city staff. These men and women are the brains behind the beautiful facilities, amenities and infrastructure projects that are taking place throughout our city.

However, if you are ever speaking to one of them you may find yourself baffled by the terms they use to describe the construction process.

Grading? Going vertical? FF&E? To make things easier to understand, here is a break down of the common phases of construction.

Please note that each project is unique and may require some, all or more of the phases listed below. In some cases, phases may also overlap.

Demolition — It’s best to start

with a clean slate, and that is the point of the demolition or the “demo” phase. During demo, the site is cleared and prepped for the new project. This can involve the removal of buildings, old street sections, curbs, trees, fencing, etc. An example of this would be the buildings and billboards that have been removed on the city-owned property at the northeast corner of Soledad Canyon Road and Sierra Highway to make way for the future Canyon Country Community Center.

Grading/Earth Work — During grading or earth work, the ground is being prepped for future work. This typically includes leveling the building area or roadways, eliminating settlements that could interfere with the future project design, removing landslides and compacting soil for building foundations and road ways. An example of a project that

is currently in grading phase is the future Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station, located on Golden Valley Road.

Utility Work — Utility work involves installing, relocating and upgrading all underground utilities.

Coordination is required with utility companies and agencies such as Los Angeles County and Caltrans.

Utilities that are typically encountered and need work include: sewers, storm drains, and lines from Southern California Gas Company, Edison, cable (TV) providers, phone companies and water companies. Staff is currently digging at the future site of the Canyon Country Community Center to determine the exact locations of underground utilities, for both construction and design purposes.

Vertical Work/Horizontal Work — After utility work is complete, visible construction is seen on the surface. This can be horizontal or vertical work. Vertical work usually refers to construction that is being completed from the ground up, such as buildings and pedestrian bridges. At this point, the foundation for the project has already been poured and substructure work has begun. Certain steps in the project may require additional time to progress, such as concrete curing. An example of vertical work you may have seen is the progress being made to the Sierra Highway Pedestrian Bridge, as retaining walls are being constructed along with abutments for the bridge.

Horizontal work typically refers to the construction done on roadways and road bridges that have no vertical element. Examples of horizontal work are annual projects like Road Rehab, which resurfaces our streets with overlay or slurry seal treatment, as well as sidewalk and concrete rehabilitation projects. The Newhall Ranch Road Bridge Widening Project is also currently in this phase with improvements being made to the median and trail undercrossing.

Ken Striplin City Manager Final Site Work/Hardscape/ Landscape — For projects that include a building, once the basic shell is complete, final site work begins on the surrounding area. This could include work on hardscapes such as curbs and gutters, walkways, patios and fixing access roads. At this stage, landscape work is also conducted to include the installation of sprinkler lines and trees.

Furniture, Fixtures and Equipment (FF&E) — After the building is complete, time is needed for installation of furniture, fixtures and equipment (FF&E), building commissioning and other testing of the mechanical systems. This is why sometimes you may see a new building that looks complete, but is not open to the public yet. We need to make sure the building is working and safe to enter before opening its doors.

Although we do everything we can in our power to prepare and plan, delays can happen in many areas along a project. Weather can also play a big role in determining the timing of a project. There are seasons during which work cannot be performed for reasons such as bird nesting, cold temperatures, rain, wind, fires or other disasters that take resources away and make it difficult to work in certain areas, such as rivers or drainage ways.

The next time you are driving around the city and notice a construction site, perhaps you will be able to think back on this article and be able to identify which phase it’s in.

Ken Striplin is the Santa Clarita city manager and can be reached at kstriplin@santa-clarita.com. 

S E P T E M B E R 9, 2018

S U N D AYS I G N A L · 15

SCVBUSINESS

Second-hand luxury SCV fashionistas join resale trend

By Martha Garcia Signal Staff Writer

I

love fashion. I am a crazy fashionista and love luxury brands,” explained Janna Baker, Valencia resident who uses online sites and luxury consignment stores to find brand name fashion pieces.

Admittedly, Baker doesn’t let her love for top quality fashion overshadow her knack for finding a good deal.

Baker, like many high fashion aficionados, opts for second-hand luxury items instead of brand new, a trend which has made high fashion and other name brands more affordable.

Baker often turns to Beverly Hills luxury consignment retailer The Real Real to buy clothing. She’s also used sites like ThreadUp and Tradesy to find her favorite designer items, from Chanel, Dior, and Dolce & Gabbana.

These days, shopping in thrift stores is hip. Macklemore spread the word in his song and what was once a subculture has gone mainstream. Yet, the culture has transformed from inexpensive, unique, and potentially questionable clothing to high-quality, Runway Fashion Exchange in Valencia sells gently used name brands items at a deep discount. Brands include Coach, Tory Burch, 7 for all Mankind, Guess and Calvin Klein. PHOTOS

BY MARTHA GARCIA

nearly new, brand names. The preference for second-hand luxury items is growing. Nowadays, vintage Versace is just as popular as this season’s second-hand Prada.

Baker reported finding a Chanel jacket for $1,000, that once retailed for $6,000. She prefers luxury brands because they are made from high quality materials that will last many years, compared to brands that last one or two seasons.

“That’s why people still love Chanel and Dior after all these years,” Baker explained.

Sara Frobisher Ward has lived in Castaic since 2000 and uses Poshmark to score deals on top brands too. While she loves the deals, she focuses on finding vintage styles and items that can’t be bought in a regular store.

“You can get things that are no longer around,” said Ward. “I bought a purse that has been out of stores for years.”

Kassidy Berggren, the Valencia store manager of Runway Fashion Exchange, explained that store has seen an increase in the demand for second-hand fashion resale.

While the store doesn’t carry luxury brands like Gucci or Prada, they do focus on name brand items that are in great shape, like Kate Spade and Michael Kors.

“We’ve seen a 25% increase in sales since February,” Berggen said.

Buyer beware

But the hunt for second-hand luxury isn’t solely about buying top designer brands, it’s also a way to find quality fashion items for a fraction of the cost. This is often when things can get sketchy. Searching for discounted Gucci can lead many to counterfeit items.

Samantha, 22-year-old resident of Santa Clarita, began using Poshmark about five years ago while she was in college.

“I hoped to find trendy pieces at an affordable price,” she said.

Most times, Samantha found great deals on purses and clothing; but realized some sellers were trying to scam customers. Recently she bought a pair of Converse high tops which were described as lightly used, but she never received the shoes.

She filed a report and Poshmark advised her to take it up with the seller.

“Since then I’ve felt incredibly nervous to give my business to Poshmark for fear of fraud,” she said.

Santa Clarita mother of two,

Janna Baker poses in a Dolce & Gabbana dress at the Beverly Hills Four Seasons. She found the nearly brand new designer dress at The Real Real.

PHOTO COURTESY OF JANNA BAKER

Heather Economou, frequents thrift stores and uses sites like Mercari, Swap, even eBay, to buy and sell quality second-hand items. While she mostly purchases items like clothing or makeup, she sells a wide range of goods from video games to children’s toys.

Economou experienced both the good and bad of second-hand resale.

She’s found items at inexpensive prices, but has also unknowingly purchased counterfeits.

“If you are smart about it, it’s easy to do,” she explained. She reads reviews and looks for words like “genuine,” “OEM,” and “fits like,” to ensure she finds quality items.

Each time she’s encountered a fake, she’s had no problem returning it and getting a refund using buyer’s protections. She recommends other buyers focus on reviews and report problems immediately.

“I think reviews are a big deal,” Economou advised. “You need to read what others are saying about the seller or the product. That is one of the most important parts about buying online.” 

16 · S U N D AYS I G N A L

S E P T E M B E R 9, 2018

The Week in Real Estate

T

his past week I had a coffee meeting with my editor Jason, and we had a great conversation about the housing market in general, the metrics we are using to inform the SCV residents about the local market, space limitations with this weekly column, and what other information I might be able to include in an occasional longer column. What would you like to see? An ‘Ask the Realtor’ column? Interviews with local real estate experts? Or something else? Please let me know by commenting on the pinned post on my ‘Ray the Realtor’ Facebook page @CallMeRayTheRealtor.

Whether the summer for you ended when the kids went back

to school, when Labor Day weekend came and went, or when Fall officially arrives on September 22nd, we still have a great housing market for both buyers and sellers.

BTW, this week’s Market Watch has a bump-up in Closed Sales over the previous week. This is normal for the end-of-the-month closed sales reporting. Listing totals, new listings, and new pendings all were the same as the previous week.

The ‘SCV’ in the SCV Home Team stands for Service, Commitment, and Value, and these are the qualities my team of professionals and I bring to every real estate transaction. Contact me at 661-312-9461 or Ray@SCVhometeam.com My Facebook pages

‘Ray the Realtor’ and ‘SCV Home Team at Keller Williams VIP Properties’ have regular commentary on the real estate market. Please join me on Facebook!

Ray the Realtor Kutylo grew up in the Santa Clarita Valley and was first licensed for real estate practice in 1986. 

California DRE# 00918855

SANTA CLARITA VALLEY CLOSED SALES 8/24/18 to 8/31/18 AREA/St#

St Name

ACTON/AGUA DULCE 35433 32908 32237

Trenmar DR Acklins AVE Agua Dulce Canyon RD

CANYON COUNTRY 20047 18209 18724 18125 18006 27072 20307 17942 27951 17981 18130 27242 17909 15829 19848 19713 28123 17443 29345 17381 28676 17827

Northcliff Sierra HWY #127 Mandan ST #1211 American Beauty DR #174 Saratoga WAY #502 Hidaway AVE #7 Rue Crevier #577 River CIR #3 Avalon DR Lost Canyon RD #110 Flynn DR #61405 Crossglade AVE Wellhaven ST Ada ST Pandy CT Terri DR Eagle Peak AVE SmokeTree LN MeliaWAY Blue Aspen LN Lakecrest AVE Wren DR

CASTAIC & VAL VERDE 31355 29127 29817 31322 28735 28316 31668 29867 29732 29860

The Old RD #D Eveningside DR San Martinez RD Quail Valley RD Forest Meadow PL Royal RD Hipshot DR Muledeer LN Castlebury PL Cashmere PL

NEWHALL 25003 19230 25023 21358 18854 24365 19878 25084 22834

Peachland AVE #114 Avenue Of The Oaks #A Peachland AVE #253 Nandina LN #202 Vista Del Canon #B La Glorita CIR #61 Via Kalban Vermont DR 15th ST

SAUGUS 34256 28039 20811 27646 20000 22914 28113 22320 25411 25401 28725 27550 22709 22813 20308 20842

Bouquet Canyon RD #67 Robin AVE Plum Canyon RD #202 Susan Beth WAY #C Plum Canyon RD #1425 Banyan PL #197 Seco Canyon RD #79 Barbacoa DR Calcutta Pass LN Quail Creek CT Raintree LN Hyssop LN Paragon DR Aspen CT Amorette CT Benz RD

Sold Price

Br/Ba

Sqft/Source

Price/SqFt

$560,000 $599,000 $1.281 M

3/2, 4/2, 5/6,

2010/A 2350/S 5734/A

$278.61 $254.89 $223.40

$174,000 $265,000 $281,200 $289,000 $323,500 $325,000 $340,000 $355,000 $365,000 $387,500 $391,000 $450,000 $470,000 $475,000 $527,000 $532,500 $583,575 $590,000 $595,000 $625,000 $655,000 $730,000

3/2, 2/2, 3/2, 2/2, 3/1,1, 2/1,0,1, 3/2, 3/1,1,1, 2/2, 2/2, 2/2, 3/1,0,1, 3/2, 4/3, 4/2,0,1, 3/3, 3/2, 4/2,0,1, 4/2,1, 4/3, 5/1,2, 5/2,1,

1433/SEE 795/A 1031/A 844/A 934/A 1094/A 994/A 1225/A 1106/A 1216/A 1225/A 982/A 1340/A 2103/A 1882/A 1733/A 1765/A 2252/AP 2249/A 2536/A 2759/A 3313/A

$121.42 $333.33 $272.74 $342.42 $346.36 $297.07 $342.05 $289.80 $330.02 $318.67 $319.18 $458.25 $350.75 $225.87 $280.02 $307.27 $330.64 $261.99 $264.56 $246.45 $237.40 $220.34

$340,000 $415,000 $425,000 $464,900 $505,000 $529,900 $533,500 $564,000 $600,000 $630,000

2/3, 3/3, 4/3, 2/2, 3/2, 3/2,0,1, 3/2, 4/2,0,1, 4/3, 3/3,

1264/A 1389/A 1636/S 1183/A 1402/A 1467/A 1385/A 1736/A 2366/A 2052/A

$268.99 $298.78 $259.78 $392.98 $360.20 $361.21 $385.20 $324.88 $253.59 $307.02

$220,000 $229,000 $230,000 $295,000 $375,000 $410,000 $522,500 $603,000 $700,000

1/1, 2/1,1, 1/1, 2/2, 3/3, 3/2,0,1, 3/3, 4/3, 6/3,

656/A 864/A 635/A 883/A 1132/A 1406/A 2271/A 2606/OTH 2630/A

$335.37 $265.05 $362.20 $334.09 $331.27 $291.61 $230.07 $231.39 $266.16

$140,000 $280,000 $285,000 $309,000 $349,000 $397,000 $415,000 $422,500 $435,000 $449,000 $505,000 $515,000 $555,000 $590,000 $605,000 $610,000

3/1, 2/1, 2/1, 2/1, 2/2, 2/2, 3/3, 4/2,0,1, 3/2,0,1, 4/3, 3/2,0,0,1 4/1,1,1, 3/2, 3/3, 3/2, 4/2,0,1,

1400/S 799/A 834/A 939/A 1001/A 850/A 1195/A 2072/A 1684/A 1790/A 1450/A 1776/A 1279/A 1592/P 1924/A 2322/A

$100.00 $350.44 $341.73 $329.07 $348.65 $467.06 $347.28 $203.91 $258.31 $250.84 $348.28 $289.98 $433.93 $370.60 $314.45 $262.70

AREA/St#

21215 20146 20222 28348 19738 28740 28416 28501 22136 28327 29133

St Name

Sold Price

Br/Ba

Georgetown DR Patricia PL Adriene WAY Rodgers DR Castille LN Darrow AVE Connick PL Rock Canyon DR Crestline Hidden Hills DR Valley Oak PL

$625,000 $625,000 $625,000 $635,000 $641,000 $664,000 $670,000 $699,000 $759,000 $859,000 $870,000

4/3, 4/3, 4/3, 4/3, 4/4, 4/3, 4/3, 2/2, 4/2,1, 5/3, 4/3,0,1,

STEVENSON RANCH 25148 25851 25729 25626 25530 25309 26070 25927

Steinbeck AVE #B Webster PL Thurber WAY Christie CT Wilde AVE Keats LN Bates PL Voltaire PL

VALENCIA 23709 24128 26121 24238 23703 23632 25925 25839 27465 22959 22739 23242 28164 24122 28404 25218 26803 27603 24403 27010 23216 23845 26803 28633 24609 28420

Del Monte DR #231 Victoria LN #39 McBean PKWY #21 Lema DR Stagecoach WAY Big Horn Walk #42 Pueblo DR Turquesa DR Coldwater DR Magnolia Glen DR Garzota DR Redbud Ridge CIR Cabrillo LN View Pointe LN Vista Del Rio DR Via Valentina Lugar De Oro DR Maple Ridge CIR Firenze PL Carmelita DR Sorrel CT Rio Ranch WAY Seurat LN Farrier DR Garland DR Steel LN

Sqft/Source

Price/SqFt

2372/A 1857/A 1824/A 2130/A 3058/A 2497/A 2145/P 2084/A 3170/A 3689/A 3526/A

$263.49 $336.56 $342.65 $298.12 $209.61 $265.92 $312.35 $335.41 $239.43 $232.85 $246.74

$455,000 $650,000 $737,000 $740,000 $760,000 $769,000 $879,000 $910,000

3/2,0,1, 3/2, 4/3, 4/3, 5/3, 4/3, 5/3, 5/3,

1395/A 1589/A 2670/A 2043/A 2661/A 2591/A 2895/A 3292/A

$326.16 $409.06 $276.03 $362.21 $285.61 $296.80 $303.63 $276.43

$380,000 $385,000 $395,000 $423,000 $435,000 $440,000 $486,000 $502,000 $507,500 $529,000 $530,000 $545,000 $572,500 $605,000 $607,000 $615,000 $620,000 $635,000 $645,000 $675,000 $740,000 $740,000 $750,000 $792,000 $967,500 $996,500

2/2, 2/2, 2/2, 3/2,0,1, 4/3, 2/3, 2/2, 3/2, 3/3, 3/2, 4/3, 3/2, 3/2,0,1, 3/3, 4/3, 4/2, 5/3, 4/3,0,1, 3/2, 3/3, 4/3, 5/3, 2/3, 5/4, 4/4, 5/5,

940/A 1046/ 836/A 1226/A 1934/A 1106/A 896/A 1128/A 1761/A 1263/A 2014/A 1245/A 1401/A 1855/A 2134/A 1808/P 2162/A 3397/A 1571/A 2074/A 2979/A 3002/A 2093/A 3747/A 3361/A 3822/B

$404.26 $368.07 $472.49 $345.02 $224.92 $397.83 $542.41 $445.04 $288.19 $418.84 $263.16 $437.75 $408.64 $326.15 $284.44 $340.15 $286.77 $186.93 $410.57 $325.46 $248.41 $246.50 $358.34 $211.37 $287.86 $260.73

Based on information from the Southland Regional Association of REALTORS®/Multiple Listing Service for the week ending on 8/31/18. All data, including all measurements and calculations of area, is obtained from various sources and has not been, and will not be, verified by broker or MLS. All information should be independently reviewed and verified for accuracy. Properties may or may not be listed by the office/agent presenting the information.

S E P T E M B E R 9, 2018

S U N D AYS I G N A L · 17

SPORTSCORNER

Country Club golf director is mentor to students school, he spent many days at the course picking the brains of pros that were there. week prior to the first Now, he’s returning the favor.

Foothill League meet of “When he does a lesson, he gets so the season, the Saugus fired up,” Linam said. “Every time. girls golfers were strugHis energy level is here. Puts you on gling with judging the distance on camera, compares your hips to Tiger their putts.

Woods, all that stuff.”

Cents coach Cal Linam didn’t fret.

Linam and Saugus golf began He simply called in backup, which in practicing at Sand Canyon nearly this case is Mark Kagaoan, the direcone year ago, shortly after Canyon tor of golf at Sand and Golden Valley Canyon Country made the move Club. due to overcrowdWORKING WITH “I’m going to ing at their previgive them a few THE PREP GOLF ous home course, tips on how to conVista Valencia. AcTEAMS THAT trol the distance cording to Linam, of their putts and PRACTICE AT Kagaoan was also help them out,” a major reason his SAND CANYON Kagaoan said. “I team switched. don’t charge them IS ONE OF “If there’s ever anything. It’s kind HIS FAVORITE of more like giving an issue with chipback I guess.” ping and putting THINGS TO DO. As the director or practicing, he of golf, Kagaoan always figures handles pretty something out for much anything to do with golf operus,” Linam said. “He always has a ations at Sand Canyon. He managbackup plan. It’s never, ‘No, you’re es the tee sheet, makes sure member out of luck.’” needs are tended to, handles merIn addition to dispensing adchandizing duties and gives lessons. vice to young golfers, Kagaoan and Working with the prep golf teams Sand Canyon developed the “Canthat practice at Sand Canyon is one yon Club,” in which student memof his favorite things to do. He’ll walk bers pay $29 per month and receive a the range Monday through Thursday large bucket of balls every day. as Canyon, Golden Valley and SauHe’s also developed different lesgus practice, always at the ready if son packages that address a range of any of the golfers need some tips. topics from mental game to physi“With the kids, especially these, cal fitness to on-course instruction they’re more of an open book. I that revolve around his “ABC Effect” can mold them into something,” teaching style.

Kagaoan said. “These (kids) are “Doing the things that we do here, brand new, so by getting them the it’s just helping out the community,” fundamentals right away and getting and working on their technique, they Kagaoan said. “What it is, is giving back to the community. I have three don’t develop as many bad habits.” kids of my own and a wife that grew Kagaoan can relate to the prep up out here and this is our home. golfers he works with. He grew up golfing and when he reached high And I love this place.” 

By Haley Sawyer Signal Staff Writer

A

Mark Kagaoan, the director of golf at Sand Canyon Country Club, gives tips to students. PHOTO BY EDDY MARTINEZ

18 · S U N D AYS I G N A L

S E P T E M B E R 9, 2018

Quakes, Cannibals & the Hart High Buckaroos?

H

ow quickly the time passes. In a blink, we were celebrating January and now, fall’s around the corner. We’ve a most interesting trail ride ahead, dear saddlepals. I’ve got a special mount for you, each chosen to match your ability and disposition. Ahead there’s maniacs and murderers, humor and mischief and lots of gee whiz information you never knew about your hometown.

C’mon. We’re burning daylight. Into the mystic we go…

The Time Ranger A weekly trailride through Santa Clarita Valley History

by John Boston WAY BACK WHEN & THEN SOME

• Who would get to host a bona fide California mission: San Fernando Valley or Santa Clarita? On Sept. 3, 1795, Father Vincente de Santa Maria, head padre over at the Mission Santa Buenaventura, recommended the SFV over the SCV. We became the assistencia, or addendum mission to Mission San Fernando over the hill.

Antonio del Valle would become the general manager of the sprawling holdings that covered both valleys. In lieu of back wages, del Valle was given the Santa Clarita Valley in 1839. All of it.

For years, the chapel and grounds were called “The Missing California Mission.” The last adobe wall was destroyed to make way for a feed bin

by Newhall Land & Farming Co. in the 1930s.

SEPT. 9, 1928

• Roby Dill, son of the local school bus driver, picked the wrong horse to ride. On a dare, Roby climbed aboard a neighbor’s horse, who happened to be a national champion rodeo legend and the oatbag bucked Roby nearly to Fillmore.

Roby broke a bunch of stuff, scarred his face and suffered a concussion.

SEPT. 9, 1938

• I so love the long-forgotten characters of the SCV. Perhaps they remind me of me. One eclectic soul was L. Warren Jeffries, who folks called Seldom Seen Slim. Jeffries had suffered terribly from World War I poison gas attacks. It took the prospector years to gain back his weight, which had dropped to under 90 pounds. He wandered the region with three mules, Heebie, Geebie and Jeff. The foursome only traveled about 15 miles a

day, which didn’t matter to Jeffries because, as he said: “… (we) weren’t going anywhere anyway.”

• You couldn’t run this advertisement in 2018.

This Signal ad appeared in huge letters: “DON’T KILL YOUR WIFE! LET US DO THE DIRTY WORK!” It was a laundry in San Fernando.

• Cal Nixon’s dad, Carl, welcomed the kids to Castaic School where he was principal. Cal would become infamous a decade later when, as a freshman, he ran for and nearly won, the Miss USC beauty pageant. Cal had used a movie makeup artist and a Veronica Lake-style blonde wig and changed himself from a bull to a heifer. He was ahead on votes when a friend ratted him out.

SEPT. 10, 1945

• This was the first day of a local high school class — ever. Some 73 ninth graders attended the very first high school classes, held at old army barracks left over from World War II. Sgt. Russell Johnson was given special dispensation to leave the Army early. Still in uniform, he rushed up from San Diego to teach the first classes and act as vice principal. The other two original teachers were Helen Pfister of Salem, Oregon, And a Mrs. Phillips from L.A. Approximately another 100 SCV students, grades 10-12, attended San Fernando and Palmdale highs.

epic strikes in the SCV. A judge ruled on this date that he had scammed the Espinosa family in Castaic out of their ranch in 1940, paying just $2,500 and not telling them of the epic petroleum reserves on the property. The Espinosas received an additional $100,000 — big money in 1948. Still. Barnes made out like a bandit. He raked in $12,000 a MONTH in revenues.

SEPT. 9, 1958

• Not only did we have an infestation of mice and rats, worse, we had tall tales.

Henry Dreehers complained he had laid out poisoned pellets under his house and in the garage. When he woke the next morn, the mice, he claimed, had stacked the pellets neatly in the kitchen. CHP officer Ziegler called in to say he couldn’t make it to work because mice had stolen his car keys.

SEPT. 9, 1968

Happy birthday to us. Sept. 9, 1850, California was admitted as America’s 31st state. Speaking of Indians, Cal’s first governor, the jackass Pete Burnett, Democrat, resigned about a year into office. Why? He was miffed the U.S. wouldn’t send troops to eradicate every last Native American in California.

SEPT. 8, 1946

• The valley’s first high school, William S. Hart High, was dedicated. But, the first classes were for 9th-graders only and were held at Newhall Elementary the first year while the high school campus down the street began construction. Local mucky mucks visited a dying Bill Hart and begged for his permission to name the school after him. Hart had wanted the school to be named after John Fremont, but relented.

Also? By a narrow vote (of 2) the Indian was named the mascot over the Buckaroo SEPT. 9, 1948

• Bill Barnes was a famous oilman who had

Billy Lamoreaux broke his arm this week in 1928 and that was B.I.G. news. This Newhall Elementary lad was also known as Buzz Barton, the most famous child movie star in the world. Billy/Buzz fell 20 feet from a scaffolding on a shoot in Hollywood. Filming was delayed six weeks. Interesting darn life. Billy’s parents spent all his money and he ended his days a penniless cowboy working on a local ranch.

• An earthquake in Iran had just killed more than 12,000.

CalTech geologist Jim Brune was lecturing at a local luncheon, warning that an even bigger quake was due in the SCV within the next 10 years. Brune was spot on. Less than three years later, we were hit by a 6.5 quake that claimed about 60 lives.

Well. That swirling time vortex ahead tells us one thing: we’re back to the Here-&-Now. Thanks for the company, saddlepals. I’ll see you in next Sunday’s Signal with another exciting Time Ranger adventure. Until then, vayan con Dios, amigos…

John Boston, aka, Mr. Santa Clarita Valley, has been writing about and teaching the history of the SCV for more than 40 years. Recipient of The Will Rogers Lifetime Achievement Award and 119 major journalism honors, he is also author of the historical tome, “Images of America: The Santa Clarita Valley.” 

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LOCALNEWS

LIBRARIES

WEBSITE

Continued from page 8

Continued from page 9

Thursdays at 11 a.m.

Story times are scheduled to take place from Monday, Sept. 10, through Thursday, Nov. 15.

The Valencia Library is located at 23743 Valencia Blvd. The Canyon Country Jo Anne Darcy Library is located at 18601 Soledad Canyon Road and the Old Town Newhall Library is located at 24500 Main St. For more information, visit santaclaritalibrary.com or call (661) 2590750. 

be more than 4 feet high and if it isn’t, then it’ll let you know that you don’t need one. We get calls for this, so this saves customers and staff time.”

HIKER

Continued from page 12

right under the stars,” he said. “The rest of the time I was forced to sleep in a tent, because of the rain and bugs.”

Along the trail, Zach’s friends and family met up with him for support.

“My fiancee (Mimi Tate) hiked with me for a few days,” he said. “Her family, they were what we call ‘trail angels’ — they followed me sometimes and gave me food and brought me packages.”

“He never ceases to amaze me,” Tate typed in a Facebook post. “I climbed 33 miles with this man who has now finished 411 miles of the Pacific Crest Trail. What a blast!”

Two friends from Santa Clarita, Adam Driedger and Timmy Kahovec, also joined Wims on parts of the trail.

“All these people wanted to come out,” Wims said. “I was grateful and thankful.”

Some wildlife even joined him along the way, he said, citing encounters with bears, deer, elk, mountain lions, birds, snakes and mice throughout the trail.

“You have to deal with the nuisance of mice crawling on you trying to steal your food,” he said.

Wims had been eating almost the same thing every day, never cooking his food. His diet consisted of some kind of oatmeal for breakfast, snacks throughout the day, and dehydrated black beans and rice for dinner.

“Around Mile 310, the trail passes within 0.1 miles of McDonalds,” Wims said. “I can remember running to the McDonalds the last two miles, because I was so hungry. I had

planned out exactly what I was going to eat at the McDonalds.”

The McDonalds located of Highway 15, near the Cajon Pass, has separate sections for the hikers and the bypassers, said Wims.

Hikers along the trail have given nicknames to each other, and Whims earned the nickname of “Fievel,” a mouse from the 1980s Disney movie “An American Tail.”

“They named me that for a few reasons,” Wims said.

One because of his run-in with a mouse, and because of his happy-golucky and optimistic personality, he said.

Throughout the 113 days, Wims was on the trail, he documented his adventure through a series of Youtube videos and his Instagram, sharing his journey with friends and family back home.

“It was kind of a way for me to cope with how mentally hard it was at the beginning,” Wims said.

He went in and out of cell service throughout the trail, filming when he could and scheduling posts, he said.

“At the end of the day, I really just posted these to look back at them, you know, soak it in,” Wims said.

Wims finished his journey Aug. 22, arriving back in Santa Clarita on Aug. 28.

“Don’t be afraid,” Wims said, sharing advice for others who might think about a bit of exploring. “Don’t let fear be the reason why you don’t get out there and soak in the beauty of the world.” 

How it works

As described by Camino Technologies, there are three steps: Enter the project address and the type of work planned, answer questions about the details of the project, and finish the process through sections like “Investigation and Preliminary Plan,” “Inspections” and “Construction Phase.”

Users can choose from more than 100 residential projects, including interior or exterior alterations, electrical, addition to a structure and even changing the use of a building.

Caprarelli said that while the bulk of the work is completed online, there are some steps, such as certain fees and approvals needed, that could extend the process, depending

on the project.

Where to learn more: To access the Permit Guide, visit the Permit Center at City Hall, where one can obtain development permits and receive help with building and safety, engineering and planning.

The online version is accessible via santa-clarita.com/permitcenter.

A Permit Center Open House is also scheduled 4-5:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Permit Center, 23920 Valencia Blvd., Suite 140.

The City Council is expected to highlight the services offered at the Permit Center, followed by staff showcasing the Permit Guide software. Representatives from the city’s Building and Safety, Engineering and Planning divisions are scheduled to answer any questions.

For more information about the event contact Caprarelli at jcaprarelli@santa-clarita.com or at 661-255-4396. 

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Opinion

MBBEERR 9, 9, 2018 2018 SSEEPPTTEEM

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

OURVIEW

TMU Has a Mountain to ‘The Rest of the Story’ Can Climb in Restoring Faith Be a Very Important Part

By The Signal Editorial Board

T

here’s a lot to like about The Master’s University. Nestled in the quiet, rural atmosphere of Placerita Canyon, the campus provides a tranquil learning environment that belies the hustle and bustle of the city that closely surrounds it.

Within that bucolic setting, TMU offers the epitome of a small-school experience, with a low, 12-1 student-professor ratio, an undergraduate population of just 1,000 or so students, competitive university athletic programs and close proximity to all of the amenities of the Southland that help make Santa Clarita a great place to live.

And, for students who value a faithbased education, TMU provides that, with an education centered around Christian values and beliefs.

All of it is in jeopardy.

The Western Association of Schools and Colleges, through its Senior College and University Commission, has placed TMU’s accreditation on probation — and the university has two years to address a laundry list of issues raised in the aftermath of a WASC visit to TMU in March.

We hope the university’s leadership

By David Hegg

is taking the complaints seriously, but there are hints surfacing that indicate those at the top are playing the role of victim. For example, TMU President John MacArthur, reportedly speaking before a group of Master’s Seminary students last weekend, portrayed the sanctions as an attack on the university and on him personally.

“These are the best of times for us, and we know that because the enemy is working so hard,” he told the group, according to a recording posted online. In the recording, the speaker characterizes it as “a rather orchestrated attack, if not by any human source, then certainly by Satan himself. There was an attack directly on me. And it came in all kinds of forms.”

A TMU source contacted by The Signal listened to the recording and confirmed it was MacArthur who was speaking.

The blog that posted the recording, See OUR VIEW, page 22

F

or many of us, Paul Harvey will always hold a special place in our memories. I especially appreciated the segments this outstanding newsman called "The Rest of the Story."

He would take the time to give the unknown but significant details of a popular life or event, and at the end finish with, “and now you know the rest of the story.” For me those were often “aha” moments.

It has often been the case in my life that I have made assumptions and jumped to false conclusions simply because I failed to find out “the rest of the story.” And I'm not the only one. I am amazed at how quickly people will jump to criticize based on shreds of conversations, or personal interpretations of the actions of others.

Have you ever gotten mad at someone only to find out to your embarrassment that you lacked that key piece of evidence that changed everything?

A story is told of a conference speaker who had brought his wife and young children to the conference center

where he was to speak for several days. The campus was beautiful, especially the carefully landscaped slope in front of the executive dining hall. As the conference began, the campus director specifically asked the attendees to keep their children off of the slope as it had just been planted with hundreds of colorful flowers. The speaker carefully asked his children to obey the rule, and stay off of the slope.

A couple days later, as they awaited the lunch bell, the speaker suddenly saw his 4-year-old son joyfully scrambling up the inviting slope, flowers being kicked and thrown aside in his wake. His father began shouting and running to his son, his temper fueled by the embarrassment of having the whole conference see his son ruining the landscape.

“Get off the slope! Get off the slope!” he yelled, coming up roughly behind his son to swoop him up in great indignation.

He quickly took the boy aside to See HEGG, page 21

READERLETTERS

Hear Our Voices on Homeless Re: A look at the task force on homelessness, news, Aug. 30.

The Santa Clarita City Council is undertaking a worthy yet difficult task when it comes to the homeless population, and they should be applauded for their efforts.

Certainly, the initial creation of an ad hoc committee of invited “shareholders” was wise, but left out were the obvious voices of the vulnerable elder senior population.

Many of them face increasing living costs,

including rents and medical care, that put them on the precipice of homelessness.

The City Council has voted to move their plan forward, but some of the questions and components of inclusion are clearly missing.

Versatility to correct these omissions is a valued part of government and should be re-examined as this challenge is undertaken.

Solving the homelessness crisis will not be easy, but hearing the voices of elder seniors and their advocates must be a part of this discussion.

Gene Uzawa Dorio, M.D., Saugus

Shoes with Style and More “Believe In Something, Even If It Means Sacrificing Everything.”

Nike, you got that right!

Dick Ramirez, Valencia 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.

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S E P T E M B E R 9, 2018 S U N D AYS I G N A L · 21

Opinion

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

BLACK&WHYTE

D R AW I N G CO N C LU S I O N S D R E W L I T TO N

I’m Boycotting Boycotts, from the Left and Right

By Tim Whyte Signal Editor

I

’m not boycotting anything. Not. One. Damn. Thing.

Except boycotts. Those, I’m boycotting.

It’s the latest in many recent signs of the Apocalypse: Last week the head of the California Democratic Party found out In-N-Out Burger contributed tens of thousands of dollars to the California Republican Party.

Boom. The liberals were boycotting Double Doubles.

Then this, from the right: Nike put scorned quarterback Colin Kaepernick on its 30th anniversary ad campaign. Apparently, it’s not the media, but Kaepernick who is the real Enemy of The People, because many conservatives are boycotting Nike and, in some cases, literally burning otherwise perfectly good sportswear.

People.

You’ve all gone mad.

Do I think burger joints are wise to be perceived as overly political? It has its risks, that’s for sure. Fast food joints need to appeal to the masses. Imagine how much more popular Chick Fil-A would be if it didn’t have a history of donating to groups opposing gay marriage.

Although, let’s not kid ourselves: Most of the people boycotting In-NOut for supporting Republicans are probably vegan anyway.

So, no big sacrifice there.

(Note to all my Democrat and vegan friends: That was a JOKE. Remember, it’s all about the laughs...)

Do I disagree with Kaepernick’s approach to advocating for social justice? Yes. But not because I don’t think he has a right to protest, or to disrespect the flag. I would defend his or anyone else’s right to protest, even by disrespecting the flag, although I’d

rather they didn’t. That’s just a straight-up First Amendment question.

Free speech means tolerating others’ free speech.

And, I understand the point he was trying to make about the frequency of police shootings involving people of color.

Not all of the shootings have been unjustified, but a significant percentage of them were unjustified, the issue is real, and raising awareness about it is a worthy goal. (Of course, he shot himself not in the foot, but in the head, when he started doing things like wearing a Fidel Castro T-shirt and socks depicting police officers as pigs. That’ll damage your credibility as a level-headed messenger of justice.)

Back to the taking-a-knee thing: The problem, in my opinion, is that he wanted to do it while he was on his employer’s dime. If his employer says it’s OK to protest while on the job, then it’s OK. If not, then it’s not. You can protest all you want during your non-work hours.

Suppose you’re bagging groceries at the Piggly Wiggly on a Sunday afternoon. And you decide THAT is the time to stage a protest against police brutality — or anything else. You’d be fired before you could finish asking, “Paper or plastic?”

Further: I believe Kaepernick isn’t playing football right now because his skills no longer outweigh what a pain in the ass it would be to have him on your team. And if you think he’s the only one ever treated that way, look up Tim Tebow, the devout Christian and darling of conservative football fans everywhere. By the time his football career ended, the word was out: His skills as a quarterback didn’t outweigh what a hassle it was to turn your team See WHYTE, page 22

HEGG

Continued from page 20

the privacy of their cabin, and as he prepared to administer some well-deserved punishment, he heard his young son ask, “Daddy, what's a slope?”

We can all identify with the father’s anger, but I’m sure we can also identify with his shame as he realized that his son wasn’t rebellious, but only unknowing. Knowing the rest of the story changed everything.

In our world today it is too often the case that we jump to conclusions. We hear a comment, read a sentence or hear some gossip, and we start down a road that ends with hurt feelings, anger, and unwarranted criticism. So, I’ve come up with a suggestion. Next time you’re tempted to believe something bad about someone, go to them and offer them the chance to explain.

And start with these words: “Help me understand.”

Do you think someone has acted in a hurtful way, or said something that seems out of character? Before you jump to conclusions, go ask them, “Help me understand how you’re feeling, why you’re acting this way.”

As a pastor, I have people come to me all the time with stories of how someone has hurt them, or not supported them, or acted in a way that they believe demands my correction.

We hear a comment, read a sentence or hear some gossip, and we start down a road that ends with hurt feelings, anger, and unwarranted criticism.

And too many times I have believed the first report only to find out later the rest of the story that changed everything. So now I usually suspend judgment until I have the chance to ask the other party, “Help me understand” what is going on, how you’re involved, and how you perceive the situation.

Actually, the problem of jumping to conclusions, and advice on how to avoid these situations, can be traced back to the ancients. A wise scholar once wrote, “The first to plead his case seems right, until another comes and examines him.” (Proverbs 18:17).

Remember, it is a thing of great value and virtue to make sure you get the rest of the story before coming to a conclusion. Not only will you be in a better position to solve a potential problem, but also you’ll save yourself both embarrassment and pain.

David Hegg is senior pastor of Grace Baptist Church and a Santa Clarita resident.“Ethically Speaking” appears Sundays. 

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Opinion

OUR VIEW

Continued from page 20

“The Wartburg Watch,” states that its purpose is “to shine a light into the darkness, exposing hypocrisy, heresy and arrogance while also examining trends that affect the faith in the public square. Truth and transparency are of utmost importance to us.”

We hope truth and transparency are not getting lost in the shuffle at TMU. Obviously, the university is a private institution so its operations do not receive the same level of public scrutiny that a public university would. However, the accrediting organization, WASC, wields a great degree of power over the future of the university. TMU has been told to get its house in order within a period not to exceed two years.

If it fails, its accreditation will be withdrawn.

Imagine you’re a parent of a TMU student. You’re paying more than $24,000 a year just in tuition and fees, plus room and board. If TMU loses its accreditation, the value of that education will diminish greatly.

We suggest a little more introspection at the top,

WHYTE

Continued from page 21

into the Weekly Tim Tebow Media Circus.

Oddly, the Tebow and Kaepernick situations are similar, though they are dramatically different personalities.

Football executives are pragmatic that way. If Kaepernick or Tebow were the second coming of Russell Wilson, Tom Brady or Aaron Rodgers, I believe they’d both be playing today.

I digress. I’m not boycotting Nike any more than I am boycotting In-N-Out. It’s silly. Especially those who took to actually burning Nike products they had previously bought with their own presumably hard-earned cash. Don’t like Kaepernick? Ignore the Nike ads.

I’ve got a pair of Nike shoes at home and I’ll probably wear them this weekend just like I would on any other weekend.

All this boycotting because this business or that one disagrees with us politically — it’s over the top. Yes, I understand people have a right to vote with their feet, and their wallets. In fact, I would defend your right to boycott.

But really? You’re going to give up animal-style fries because In-N-Out made a political contribution to the “other” party?

We hope truth and transparency are not getting lost in the shuffle at TMU. starting with MacArthur, regarding the WASC accusations of wrongdoing or inadequacy, including the following: 1) Board Independence: “The institution does not meet the WSCUC requirement for governing board independence since many members of the board are employed by the institution or another organization for which the president has authority.”

2) Personnel and Management Practices: “..the visiting team observed and received reports of a climate of fear, intimidation, bullying and uncertainty among significant numbers of faculty and staff.”

3) Operational Integrity: “The institution’s 2017 financial audit contains a specific finding on appearance of conflicts of interest with the president’s sonin-law supervising a contract from which he benefits,

How dare they.

Never mind that In-N-Out also supports pro-business Democrats.

The boycotters are so blinded by their hatred of Trump And All Others Who Dare Disagree that they are blinded to the deliciousness of a wholesome regional burger chain that has developed an almost cult-like following. (Point of fact: I don’t eat at In-N-Out much, but only because I’m trying to steer clear of fast food. That’s not political.)

And on the other side, the conservative boycotters are so blinded by their fury over Kaepernick taking a knee that they are willing to forgo comfy athletic footwear and stylish golf shirts.

Heck. Many of them have even stopped watching the NFL — not because the game is unwatchable (I do enjoy the college game more these days) but because they’re protesting against the Kaepernick-inspired protesters.

Really? You’re giving up on the nation’s most popular professional sport because a few guys took a knee during the national anthem? Are we that sensitive? Do we consider the republic that fragile?

Ugh. We’ve lost our ability to disagree agreeably. We’ve lost the recognition that there can be differing political opinions and perspectives without one side or the other being “evil.”

as well as institutional aid that exceeds typical aid awards being awarded to friends and relatives.”

4) Leadership: “Some institutional leaders lack higher education experience, preparation and knowledge of key higher education regulatory expectations and professional standards for institutions of higher education. For example, when asked by the visiting team, the (chief operating officer) was unaware of the Clery Act, (the Violence Against Women Act) and the Family Education Right to Privacy Act (FERPA).”

These are not minor issues — and while it may be uncomfortable for the TMU administration, it’s very reasonable to expect that those who are paying the students’ tuition would believe they are owed transparency and real action.

It’s going to take some major changes to restore faith in TMU and its leadership. Hopefully the right people are willing to look in the mirror and see that TMU’s problems are not the work of the devil, but of human beings.

The WASC letter to TMU can be downloaded at: www.wscuc.org/institutions/ masters-university-and-seminary 

Many blame President Trump.

And, while he owns a hefty serving of the blame for the degradation of our national conversation, he hasn’t acted alone. He’s still not acting alone.

Further, not every Republican shares Trump’s negative qualities. It’s possible for a Republican to agree with Trump’s approaches to things like the economy and the U.S. relationship with NATO, while still recognizing that the man, as far as being a human being goes, leaves a whole helluva lot to be desired.

It’s also unfair to paint everyone who registers Republican as a racist, a homophobe, a xenophobe and whatever other kind of phobe they’re using as a scarlet letter this week.

Other side of the coin: It pains me to see reasonable-minded conservatives suffer guilt by association with the most despicable elements of the far right. It turns my stomach when I see far-right racists staging white nationalist protests, or when I hear the far right use phrases like “libtards,” as if anyone who is on the liberal side of the spectrum is incapable of rational thought.

I’ll admit, some of my most liberal friends do seem a little less tolerant of opposing views than they used to be.

There’s a lot of anger and name-calling, and some of them — in fairness, not all of them — seem to only advocate free speech when the speaker agrees

with them.

Regardless, liberals in general are not “evil” or incapable of rational thought any more or less than those on the conservative side of the fence.

Meanwhile, it’s only a matter of time before the next boycott bombshell hits — is it coming from the right or the left? — and we’ll find out which business will have its head posted on a stick after Nike, the NFL and In-N-Out. By the end of this week, it had been pointed out to California Democratic Party leadership that In-N-Out has also contributed to organizations supporting Democrats, and the “boycott” was called off.

Still, I’m thinking there’s gotta be a boycott hangover, as the most hardcore boycotters stick to their guns.

(Well, they’re anti-gun, but you know what I mean.)

Maybe the drive-through lines are shorter now. Maybe this weekend, after I catch an NFL game on the tube, I'll head on out to the nearest Nike outlet store — I bet they’re having a helluva sale — and I’ll stop to treat myself to a Double-Double on the way home.

Animal style, of course.

Tim Whyte is editor of The Signal.

His column appears Sundays. Email: twhyte@signalscv.com. Twitter: @TimWhyte. 

S E P T E M B E R 9, 2018

S U N D AYS I G N A L · 23

THIS WEEK’S CALENDAR

ONGOING Santa Clarita City Council Meetings second and fourth Tuesday of every month 6 p.m.

Council meetings are also broadcast live on SCV TV channel 20 and on the city's website. Santa Clarita City Hall, City Council Chambers, 23920 Valencia Blvd., Santa Clarita. Info: City Clerk’s office Clerk’s office: (661) 255-4391.

Sundays 7:30 a.m. Dragon Boat Paddling.

Experience a long Dragon boat with the Castaic Lake Dragon Boat team and a two-hour physical workout. Free, no experience necessary. Paddle and PFD personal flotation device provided.

Info: teamdragoneyes.my-free.website (213) 447-5707.

Saturdays and Sundays 1-4 p.m. The Santa Clarita Valley Historical Society invites guests to visit Heritage Junction Historic Park inside William S. Hart Park in Newhall. Tours are held every Saturday and Sunday, 1-4 p.m. 24101 Newhall Ave, Newhall. Info: https://scvhs.org.

Tuesdays 7:30-8:30 p.m. Remo Community Drumming Experience is an hour of fun entry-level experiential music making with drums and percussion that is accessible to everyone. Family-friendly environment with facilitator. All ages and levels of ability are welcome and no prior musical experience is necessary. Drums and percussion instruments provided at no cost.

Free. Info: santaclaritaarts.com.

Saturdays thru Dec. 8 – 8 a.m.-noon. Trails & Open Space Beautification Projects. Join a group of dedicated volunteers and help clean up and maintain City trails. Interested volunteers must pre-register at SantaClaritaVolunteers.com.

Saturdays 11 a.m. Family Nature Walk and a Native Live Animal Presentation at 1 p.m. Free. Placerita Nature Center, 19152 Placerita Canyon Road, Newhall. Info: www.placerita.org.

Second Saturday of the month 8 a.m. a docent led Bird Walk for beginning to advanced birders. Bring binoculars, a field guide, and water. 19152 Placerita Canyon Road, Newhall.

Info: www.placerita.org.

First, second and third Thursdays of each month 6-9 p.m. ARTree Figure Drawing. Visit ARTree Community Arts Center for a chance to really explore your creative potential using a live model. Just drop in and bring a pencil and paper. $10 donation. ARTree Community Arts

Center, 22508 6th St., Newhall. Info: http:// theartree.org.

Saturdays and Sundays (except rainy days and holidays) 9:30 a.m.-noon. The Gibbon Conservation Center is open to the public. A tour is given at 10 a.m. and self-guided tours are available at all times. Admission: $15 (adults); $12 (teens and students); $10 (seniors); $5 (children 6-12); $0 (Children under 5). Gibbon Conservation Center, 19100 Esguerra Road Saugus. Info: http://www. gibboncenter.org Now thru Oct. 1. “Pettable Paintings,” is animal-themed artwork

by Santa Clarita artist, Janine Cooper Ayres where guests are encouraged to touch the artwork. Newhall Community Center, 22421 Market St., Newhall. Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Info: jbarber@santa-clarita.com or www.SantaClaritaArts.com.

EVENTS BY DATE Sunday, Sept. 9 – 5 p.m. SCV Blues Society Monthly Blues Jam. Food and a full bar are available. All ages are welcome. $5 entry fee, under 21 free. Young Blues musicians are encouraged to join in. Host band lineup: Sept. 9 Andy Roth and Stunt Road; Oct. 14 Mad Dog and the Bad Dogs; Nov. 11 Rick Berthod and Friends; Dec. 9 Wumblooso.

American Legion Post 507 24527 Spruce St., Newhall. Info: www.scvblues.com.

Sunday, Sept. 9 – 5:30-10:30 pm. Motown in Town 3 to benefit the Santa Clarita Valley Senior Center. Features the leading Motown Band Stone Soul. Dinner, concert, dancing, silent auction, art show. Hyatt Regency Ballroom, 24500 Town Center Drive, Valencia. Dinner tickets $65; Show tickets $40. Info: intownscv.com or (661) 312-3422.

Monday, Sept. 10 – 6:30-8 p.m. Science Fiction Book Club Valencia Library VA Meeting Room, 23743 W. Valencia Blvd., Santa Clarita.

Monthly meeting of Science Fiction Book Club adult members to discuss specific books. Open to the public, free, no registration required. Mike Wolfe (661) 799-6127, mwolfe@santaclarita library.com.

Tuesday, Sept. 11 – 7 a.m. Toastmasters Meeting for Newcomers. Learn public speaking skills.

College of the Canyons, University Center Room 315, 26455 Rockwell Canyon Road, Valencia. Info: email vpm-9641@toastmastersclubs.org.

= Family Friendly Event Tuesday, Sept. 11 – 6:30-8:30 p.m. Big Questions for Young Minds. Children are curious beings. They want to know about everything they see and hear. This workshop will help participants find opportunities to ask questions that create higher level thinking. The Focus will be on how adults can integrate high-level questions to support children's learning. College of the Canyons Location: University Center, Room 222, 26455 Rockwell Canyon Road, Santa Clarita, 91355. Info: www.canyons.edu/Departments/ ECE/Pages/Foster-and-Kinship-Care.aspx Tuesday, Sept 11 – 7 a.m.-midnight. 9/11 Day of Service and Remembrance. In the days and weeks that followed September 11th 2001, our nation came together in an unprecedented spirit of community and volunteerism. By participating in Fifth Annual HandsOn Santa Clarita’s 9/11 Day of Service and Remembrance individuals can forever remember and pay tribute to the victims of Sept. 11 and honor those that rose in service in response to the attacks. Info: office@ handsonscv.org.

Tuesday, Sept. 11 – 5-6 p.m. Keeping Your Brain Healthy. Did you know that your brain is an organ too? Learn about things you can do to help your memory and brain stay strong as you

age. Second Tuesday of each month. Henry Mayo Fitness and Health, Room 1 24525 Town Center Drive, Valencia, 91355. Register/info: Adrianna Guadarrama, (818) 830-4738, aguadarrama@ alzgla.org.

Wednesday, Sept. 12 – 10 a.m. SCV Senior Center Scholar Series: Robert Kennedy. Join Professor Lissa Brassfield for a presentation about Robert Kennedy, brother of President John F. Kennedy and an American politician and lawyer who appealed especially to poor, African American, Hispanic, Catholic and young voters. SCV Senior Center, Rooms A1 and A2, 22900 Market St., Newhall, 91321 Info: email Robin Clough rclough@scv-seniorcenter.org. (661) 259-9444.

Wednesday, Sept. 12 – 2 p.m. Two Faces, One Die Discussion with the Artist Pearl C. Hsiung. The College of the Canyons Art Gallery presents the painting and video works of Los Angeles artist Pearl C. Hsiung in the exhibition “Two Faces, One Die,” which opened Monday, Aug. 13. The exhibition runs through Saturday, Sept. 29. The Art Gallery is open 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays. College of the Canyons Art Gallery, Art Gallery 26455 Rockwell Canyon Road, Valencia, 91355. Info: www.canyons.edu/offices/ArtGallery 

N!IN! IN! WIW W CONGRATULATIONS to Kathleen Gartner of Newhall — the winner of $100 for correctly identifying the artwork as being from The Enclave advertisement on page 11 of our Aug. 26 issue.

Identify this piece of artwork and the page number that it is on in one of the advertisements in this week’s issue, and you will be entered to win $100. One game and one winner each week.

Mail your entry to: The Signal – Contest 26330 Diamond Place | Santa Clarita, CA 91350 Or email to: contest@signalscv.com Advertiser: Page # Name: Address:

Phone:

This week’s entries are due Wed. Sept. 19th.

Winner to be announced in 2 weeks.

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S E P T E M B E R 9, 2018

THINGSTO DO

Take a Drive:

By Michele E. Buttelman Signal Staff Writer

I

t’s such an iconic sight as well as a thrill for firsttime tourists and visitors to Los Angeles: The Hollywood Sign.

As “locals” we barely notice the famous Hollywood Sign as we rush past on the Hollywood Freeway.

If you want to impress your outof-town friends and family take them along for a spectacular view of the Hollywood Sign located on Mt. Lee in the Hollywood Hills.

Clear winter days are the best, with no wildfire smoke or haze.

The sign, dedicated in 1923, was originally built as “Hollywoodland” to promote a nearby real estate development.

In 1949 the sign was rebuilt as “Hollywood.” By the 1970s the sign was in serious danger of collapse from neglect and vandalism.

In 1978 Hugh Hefner hosted a fundraiser at the Playboy Mansion to save the Hollywood Sign.

THE

Individual letters were auctioned off to the famous guests.

Rock star Alice Cooper sponsored an “O” (in honor of Groucho Marx), the "singing cowboy" Gene Autry sponsored an “L,” and Andy Williams the “W.” The 45-foot-tall, 350-foot-long sign is now protected with ongoing preservation efforts provided by the Hollywood Sign Trust.

Many are surprised to learn that it's illegal to get close to the sign, which is set behind restricting gates and protected by security cameras and park rangers. A Los Angeles Police Department officer is also stationed at the Sign 24/7.

It is not surprising that the sign is now so well-protected. The history of the sign includes several suicides and efforts of sign-changing pranksters.

Artists have altered the Hollywood sign on a number of occasions, changing it to Holywood for Easter 1976; to Ollywood to protest Marine Lt Col Oliver North amid the Iran-Contra hearings in 1987

SIGN and to Oil War during the Persian Gulf War in 1990.

Perhaps the most famous alteration of the sign occurred on Jan. 1 1976, when the sign was changed to read Hollyweed.

The sign was draped in material by California State University, Northridge student Danny Finegood to mark the day relaxed marijuana laws came into effect in California.

Finegood was encouraged by his parents, who were “very proud” of their son’s idea. The stunt earned him an A grade in his class assignment.

The best views of the Hollywood Sign are not always the closest.

Also, the Sign can be safely approached from behind by several nearby accessible trails.

T he B est V iews

Get good views of the sign along Mulholland Highway as it snakes through the Hollywood Hills, as well as from the Griffith Observatory and Lake Hollywood Park. The

mall at Hollywood and Highland offers several great viewpoints and for a secret “insider” view of the sign visit the Deronda gate.

Try these options for spectacular sign viewing: 1. Tick off multiple tourist “must sees” by visiting the Hollywood & Highland mall and Hollywood Boulevard at the same time. If you are looking for a “locals” experience, this is not it, this is full blown “Hollywood Tourist Trap.”

There’s Spiderman, Batman and Superman waiting to take photos with you (for a tip) outside the front of the mall and inside there are restaurants and dozens of shops.

In addition, according to the Hollywood Sign Trust, the nonprofit that preserves and protects the sign, this is the best place to view the sign. Take selfies on the fourth-floor viewing deck at the Hollywood & Highland mall. The view is unobstructed, if somewhat distant. You can drive to Hollywood (exit Highland Avenue off ramp) and park (only $2 with validation) at Hollywood & Highland, 6801 Hollywood Blvd., Los Angeles, 90028 or drive to the North Hollywood Metro Red Line Station (parking is $3 a day at the Lankershim Blvd. & Chandler Blvd. lot) and take the train to the Hollywood/Highland stop, just steps away from the mall.

If the fourth-floor deck is too crowded try the third-floor deck.

On level 2 have lunch at the California Pizza Kitchen restaurant which has outside seating and a good view of the Hollywood Sign.

Also, on level 2 is a patio with a bench where you can sit and have the Hollywood Sign in the background.

As a bonus you can visit the Dolby Theatre next door (home of the Oscars), the El Capitan Theatre across the street and Grauman’s Chinese Theater down the block.

2. Get good views of the sign Take in the sights of Hollywood. GETTY IMAGES

S E P T E M B E R 9, 2018

S U N D AYS I G N A L · 25

32204 Castaic Road, Castaic, CA 91384 (661) 230-6993 • AllLockedUpStorage.com • BRAND NEW, county-approved facility • Large rigs welcome, up to 45 feet • Concrete parking surface along Mulholland Drive as it snakes through the Hollywood Hills. Mulholland Drive has a viewpoint named the Jerome C. Daniel Overlook above the Hollywood Bowl, 7036 Mulholland Drive, Los Angeles, (or simply the Hollywood Bowl Overlook) that offers a perfect view of the Hollywood Sign complete with a historical placard.

The overlook offers a great view of the Hollywood Bowl Amphitheater, downtown Los Angeles, and, on a clear day, the ocean and Catalina Island. To the east, the Hollywood Sign and Griffith Park Observatory are clearly visible, and to the north the San Fernando Valley.

From Santa Clarita head over to the Hollywood Freeway, take the Lankershim exit and turn left. Travel Cahuenga Boulevard and make a right onto Mulholland Drive. As a bonus you’ll find that driving Mulholland Drive is a Los Angeles experience in itself.

3. Lake Hollywood Park, 3200 Canyon Lake Drive, Los Angeles, 90068. It is most important to get there early in the day and to try and avoid weekends.

By noon all the parking is gone. Parking is free, but limited, unless you want to walk. The parking is on the street next to the park. To get a closer look at the Hollywood Sign follow the trails up the hill.

4. Another “two-fer” for your tourists is a visit to Griffith Observatory (2800 East Observatory Road, Los Angeles, 90027) and a view of the Hollywood sign at the same time. This is the city’s “preferred” viewing area, a grassy lawn outside Griffith Observatory. The easiest way to get there is to take the DASH bus that runs to the Observatory from the Vermont/Sunset Metro Red Line station every 20 minutes, from noon to 10 p.m. weekdays and 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on weekends. (Park at the North Hollywood Metro Station).

Griffith Park Observatory.

GETTY IMAGES

• Complimentary ON-SITE WASTE TANK dump station • Fully lit facility • Video surveillance

You can drive and pay to park at the Observatory, but public parking is very limited. There is a pay lot near the Observatory and free parking at the Greek Theatre (with a one mile hike up to the Observatory).

5. Show your guests you are a true Hollywood Sign insider by taking them to the Deronda Gate viewpoint.

This is a “drive and hike” option for sign viewing. This is an easy hike that takes you close to the sign. Make sure you park legally and don't block a driveway. Choose 3390 Deronda Drive, Los Angeles as your destination. Follow N Beachwood Drive uphill past the Beachwood Market. Ignore signs that say there's no Hollywood Sign access.

Also, ignore signs saying the road is closed (it IS a dead end). Turn left onto Ledgewood Drive. When you reach a T-junction at Rodgerton Drive, turn right. Almost immediately, turn left onto Deronda Drive. When Deronda reaches a dead end, you'll see a metal gate on the right. Look for an arched opening in the wall near the gate and go through the opening. Walk a short distance uphill to two very nice spots for viewing the sign.

Tips: Don’t plan to park here on the weekends: Parking is permit-restricted on Saturday, Sunday, and holidays.

When you get to the Deronda gate, don’t be deterred by the signs saying there’s no access. There’s a keypad on the door, but it has a timed lock that automatically opens from sunrise to sunset. Take photos just inside the park by the Tyrolian Tank, a water tank that offers excellent views, or keep hiking to the top of Mt. Lee. Info: https://hollywoodsign.org/ best-viewpoints. 

• Secure electronic access • MANAGER ON SITE & 8-foot-tall secure walls • Freeway-close at Lake Hughes Road and I-5 • Adjacent to fuel stations and restaurants • Licensed and insured

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ENTERTAINMENT

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s o i t a p V C S l o Co

S E P T E M B E R 9, 2018

FOR HAN GIN G OU T

By Michelle Sathe Signal Staff Writer

O

ne of the blessings of living in the Santa Clarita Valley is that it’s almost always a good time to dine outside.

Sure, it’s hot during the day right now, but those cool summer mornings and nights are perfect for enjoying a drink, an appetizer or a meal with friends on the patio of a local restaurant. Of course, fall and spring make al fresco dining amazing just about any time.

There are so many great restaurant patios to choose from, but we’ve narrowed it down to six, each with its own unique charm.

Bricks

23820 Lyons Avenue, Newhall Dog friendly? Yes Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner

Tucked away behind a wall of long, towering plants, the patio at Bricks has an intimate feel that makes it a great date spot.

The high-back booths with leather seats and rough-hewn wooden tables are another bonus. They’re super comfortable and make it easy to linger over your meal, which despite Brick’s fun, casual vibe, will have some serious gourmet touches.

Lazy Dog Restaurant & Bar

24201 Valencia Boulevard, Valencia Dog Friendly? Yes Open for lunch, dinner, and Sunday brunch

As the name implies, this is probably the most dog-friendly patio in town, with a pooch-specific menu and cool bowls of water provided by request. It’s also a prime spot to watch the endless masses of people weave in and out of Westfield Town Center as you nosh on Americanized bistro classics and innovative cocktails from tables that wind around the restaurant or lounge-worthy Adirondack chairs placed next to the fire pit.

Le Chene

12625 Sierra Highway, Agua Dulce Dog friendly? Yes Open for dinner and Sunday brunch

Coming here is a true getaway, if even for just a few hours. You’ll feel like you’re in the French countryside, enjoying duck ala orange and a glass of champagne amidst lush, park-like grounds complete with a charming little bridge and a working water wheel churning through a small pond. The patio is naturally shaded by the mature trees surrounding the property, which is ideal during brunch, while heat lamps are at the ready when things get chilly.

Sabor Cocina Mexicana 23953 Newhall Ranch Avenue, Valencia Dog friendly? Yes Open for lunch and dinner

This is a festive little oasis in the middle of a shopping center. First, enter the large, wrought-iron oval festooned with terra cotta pots of succulent plants and settle into one of

Ally and Jordan Galloway enjoy their dinner at Bricks patio as cars pass by on Lyons Avenue in Newhall. PHOTOS BY DAN WATSON

the heavy wood or marble tables. Second, order a specialty margarita and some of Sabor’s deliciously inventive Mexican food. Third, dig in and feel a world away from your daily worries.

Salt Creek Grille

24415 Town Center Drive, Valencia Dog friendly? No Open for lunch, dinner, and Sunday brunch

There’s a lot going n at this outdoor hotspot, which boasts modern American fare and prime people watching in the heart of Westfield Town Center. On weekends, there’s live music within the covered patio, which packs up quickly with an enthusiastic crowd enjoying appetizer and cocktail specials. At night, guests jostle for a spot near the hypnotic firepit. Though it’s surrounded by four large benches, those fill up quickly, so get there early to secure a place.

Continued next page

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The Oaks Grille at The Oaks Club at Valencia 26550 Heritage View Drive, Valencia Dog Friendly? No Open for lunch, dinner, and Sunday brunch

If you long for a country club experience, but can’t afford a membership, The Oaks Club has you covered. Its restaurant, the Oaks Grille, is open to the public, including an expansive patio that overlooks the Santa Clarita Valley and the club’s beautiful golf course.

By day, there’s a luxe, yet languid feel as you enjoy your meal. By night, the starry sky and twinkly lights across the horizon make the experience downright wondrous. 

[ Above left] Sabor Cocina Mexicana’s patio in Valencia. [ Above ] Salt Creek Grille's patio in Valencia. PHOTOS BY DAN WATSON

Media rooms now edge out home theaters

Horror film season begins

N

ot so long ago many homeowners Specialists. Media rooms frequently feature were racing to outfit their homes comfortable, customizable seating, rather than with home theater spaces. If spacrows of seats facing the screen that are standard es allowed, homeowners would in home theaters. Guests can converse in media transform rooms into dark, theater-like retreats, rooms while enjoying a show, streaming music complete with large screens, surround sound or gaming. Various design layouts are possible, and reclined seating. Interest in such spaces has including furniture that conceals electronics so waned in recent years, the media room can with many homeownbe an entertainment ers opting for media lounge one minute and rooms instead. So what a theater the next. is the difference beBecause media tween these spaces? rooms are not as isoAccording to HGTV, lated as home theaters, a home theater is a the acoustics in such room designed to reprooms may be comprolicate the experience of mised. That's a disadthe cinema. A media vantage for homeownroom is a multipurpose ers who have invested space where people heavily in sound sysWhat’s the difference between can gather to enjoy any tems for their media a media room and a home theater? type of media, from devices. Sound from TV to music to gaming media rooms also may systems. Home theaters filter out and disturb tend to limit activity to watching movies. How- others in different rooms of the house. Howevever, homeowners interested in more versatile er, fluffy sofas, drapery and carpeting can abpaces may find media rooms are much more sorb sound and keep it in the room. practical.

Homeowners who like to entertain while A media room is an option for families who watching or listening to media may prefer the want a theater experience in common areas flexibility of media rooms, which make it easy to stream movies and music and play games. or open-concept living spaces, says Digitech – Metro Connection  Custom Audio and Video System Integration

H

alloween and the weeks leading up to it is an exciting time of the year, particularly for horror fans who embrace the ghoulish and ghastly. Halloween hijinks and costumes may be one way to keep things scary. The array of horror films currently out there or slated for release also can raise hackles and ensure sleepless nights to come. Here are a few sneak peeks at some of the latest entries into the horror film genre. · "Along Came the Devil": The soul of a girl named Sweeney provides easy access for the Devil when she accidentally invites demonic forces into her life. Her loved ones are called upon to help save her soul. · "Elizabeth Harvest": Elizabeth moves into the home of her wealthy new husband Henry. She has freedom to move throughout the entire house, with the exception of one locked room. Elizabeth snoops around when Henry is away on business and enters the See HORROR, page 28

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HORROR

Continued from page 27

forbidden room, with notable consequences. · "The Little Stranger": A country doctor is called to a dilapidated home to help one of the children living there. But the doctor's own secrets and past are soon revealed, and the haunting begins. · "Mandy": A happy couple living in a remote location finds their situation turns on its head when the wife is abducted by a crazy cult. Nicolas Cage stars and must rage to get his kidnapped wife home safely. · "Apostle": A man infiltrates a religious cult in 1905 to rescue his sister. The cult's charismatic leader suspects a traitor, and dark and

evil secrets are revealed. · "Halloween": This movie serves as the direct sequel to the original movie made 40 years ago. Michael Myers has been in jail since his killing spree, and adversary Laurie Strode is still coping with the trauma Michael caused. Michael returns to Haddonfield and new horrors ensue. · "The Clovehitch Killer". A teenage boy suspects that his own father is a serial killer terrorizing their small town. What will become of his discovery?

– Metro Connection 

S E P T E M B E R 9, 2018

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YOURHOME

Rooms can serve double duty Small homes still can be fully functional

Renovation tips to create more space in your home

A

M

A trundle sofa bed enables overnight guests to sleep comfortably right in the living room or den. METRO CREATIVE

any homes do not have space for guest rooms, kids' play areas and home theater lounges that are possible in homes with substantial square footage. But they may not be missing out at all.

While large homes remain popular, many people are embracing the benefits of smaller residences. Small homes help homeowners save money, require less maintenance, have smaller environmental impact and reduce the temptation to accumulate "stuff."

Owners of small homes or apartments can still enjoy the benefits of larger spaces, they just need to equip rooms to perform double duty.

young adults, their list of must-have items — from video gaming systems to other electronics — grows along with them. Storage can make a room functional for both adults and children. Devote an entire wall to a closet or drawer system where toys can be stored out of sight when necessary. Storage ottomans can be used for extra seating while also providing somewhere for homeowners to stash stuffed animals or games for easy access. When choosing furniture, look for fabrics that are resistant to stains and modular pieces that can be moved around as necessary to create room for playing or entertaining.

Living Room/Guest Room

Bedroom/home office

Entertaining guests is easier when there's a dedicated space where visitors can feel at home. When furnishing a living room, keep the guest room in mind. A sofa that opens up to a bed or a convertible sectional can be a comfortable place for guests to lay their heads.

Side tables provide guests with places to store their belongings, and an empty storage chest can house bed linens or guests' clothing.

Den/Playroom

Children tend to accumulate toys and games. And as kids grow from children to

In 2015, 24 percent of employed people in the United States did some or all of their work at home, says the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Bringing work home means men and women will need a space to work. In tight quarters, bedrooms may be the only available area. An armoire-style desk will blend in with the decor and can hide paperwork and electronics behind doors. Otherwise, a makeup vanity can serve the dual purpose of providing a place to get ready for a night out and a ready space to house a laptop during the day.

– Metro Connection 

s real estate prices continue to climb, the cost to trade up to a larger home is on the upswing across the country, especially as markets remain hampered by tight inventory levels. As a result, more and more Americans are choosing to renovate their current homes instead of relocating. While the hunt for more square footage can be challenging, homeowners shouldn't feel like a costly second story or complete addition are the only options.

Here are great ways to create or optimize space in your existing home.

1. Create a more open-concept feel with light and color. If your home wasn't blessed with towering windows, installing French doors and pot lights can encourage light to travel more freely, creating the illusion of space. Likewise, choosing a paint color for walls, trim and moldings that is lighter and cooler in tone (think soft grays or blues) will help to reflect light and give the room a more open feel.

2. Remove non-load-bearing walls. Homeowners have the opportunity to rethink the layout of their home by removing nonload-bearing walls. Removing structurally unnecessary walls can make your whole home feel larger, improve flow, lighting and the function of your home.

3. Convert your garage into usable living or work space. For many homeowners, the garage becomes an overflow room for storage — and is often a walk-in headache. Convert your garage (or a portion of it) into another living space, guest bedroom or home office. Install carpet and quality thermal insulation such as Roxul Comfortbatt to block outdoor noise and keep in warmth.

4. Choose furniture and accessories carefully. Adopt a minimalist's eye. Begin looking around your home for furniture or accessories that overwhelm the space. Interior designers recommend choosing low-profile or small-scale furniture for rooms with less square footage. Dual-purpose items, such as ottomans with storage chests inside, are a budget-friendly way to save on space while staying organized.

– Metro Connection 

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S E P T E M B E R 9, 2018

K I D S & FA M I LY

Donna's Day: Creative Family Fun

Keeping fit with grandchildren

S

coot and run. Scoot and run.

The energetic 6-year-old balancing on her scooter set the pace for her grandmother running alongside — or maybe it was the other way around.

They passed me when I stopped to let our family dog, Cali, do some sniffing on the wild grassy shoreline of our city lake.

Resuming my run, I caught up behind the duo and eavesdropped on their breathless chatter that sounded like a clever made-up game of “Scoot

and Run ABC’s.”

Airplanes and Anglers — someone caught a fish!

Bikers in bright colors.

Coffee-sipping gossipers.

Dawdlers and Dog walkers. "On your left!"

Elms turning colors, but where is an F. (I restrained myself from shouting "Fountain" when I stopped for a water break as they carried on.)

Scoot and run.

Lic. #462231

A healthy grandparentgrandchild workout made memories and connections through movement, an alphabet game and conversation.

Mary Clapp, fitness coach for 20 years and mom of two, says it's important to set aside designated times to exercise with kids. But doing it takes discipline, so put the workout schedule on the calendar and stick to it.

“As kids grow, you'll find that if you make workout time together a priority (with a dose of fun), you'll continue to share similar interests around physical activity that can last a lifetime,” she says.

Like 75-year-old Paula Larsen, who attends Mary's hydro-fit classes. When 12-year-old granddaughter Isabel, an active swimmer on a community team, visited the class, they enjoyed every splash. “Through the treading water, intervals and bright smiles, they were building a bond and respect for one another,” says Mary.

“Wow!” exclaimed Isabel after a challenging core-strengthening

routine, “that was a hard one — you are really strong, Grandma!”

“Exercising together, whether it's dog walking, jumping on bikes or taking laps in a pool, it's part education, part fun and part family-oriented — how can you go wrong?” says Mary.

If you're a physically active grandparent, be a role model. Put on your sneakers, grab a grandkid, and get moving ... together.

Note: Grandparents Day, Sept. 9, was created to appreciate the millions of much-loved grandparents.

Give them a hug and an extra thank you to express what a difference they make in kids' lives.

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.”

© 2018 Donna Erickson Distributed by King Features Synd.

S E P T E M B E R 9, 2018

S U N D AYS I G N A L · 31

SCVSCHOOLS

CLIP N SAVE

SCV school districts

Elementary School Menus (choice of one entree, seasonal fruit and milk)

Monday, Sept. 10 Tuesday, Sept. 11 Wednesday, Sept. 12 Thursday, Sept. 13 Friday, Sept. 14

BREAKFAST

LUNCH

Blueberry Bash Mini Waffles Breakfast Bun Cereal Chilled Fruit Fruit Juice Super Star Corn Muffin Breakfast Bun Cereal Chilled Fruit Fresh Fruit Breakfast Burrito Breakfast Bun Cereal Chilled Fruit Fresh Fruit Sausage Biscuit Breakfast Bun Cereal Chilled Fruit Fresh Fruit Pancake Sausage Stick Breakfast Bun Cereal Chilled Fruit Fruit Juice

Mini Corn Dogs Chicken Sandwich Spicy Chicken Sandwich Smart Choice Pizza Seasonal Salad Bar Baja Fish Taco Dippin' Chicken & Sauce PBJ Sandwich & String Cheese Smart Choice Pizza Seasonal Salad Bar Orange Chicken w/ Rice Cheeseburger Smart Choice Pizza Seasonal Salad Bar Chocolate Chip Cookie BBQ Meatballs & Mashed Potatoes Chicken Sandwich Spicy Chicken Sandwich Smart Choice Pizza Seasonal Salad Bar Brownie Cup Toasty Grilled Cheese Sandwich Popcorn Chicken Smart Choice Pizza Manager's Choice Seasonal Salad Bar

• Castaic USD Menus courtesy of Santa Clarita Valley School • Newhall USD Food Services which serves: • Saugus USD • Sulphur Springs USD

Parents voice opinions on homework policies

By Brennon Dixson Signal Staff Writer

S

ome Santa Clarita Valley parents have noticed their children’s reduced homework load this year, which prompted an online discussion among local parents that garnered hundreds of comments on the benefits and drawbacks of homework.

Some campuses, like Leona Cox Community School, have opted for a more lax homework policy that seeks to support family interaction and the balanced life of the whole child, after the Sulphur Springs Union School District changed the homework policy in May, school officials said.

“I think (the new policy) is amazing and I hope that other schools follow,” said parent Adrianne Hass, whose children attend Leona Cox. “The district wanted to reinforce the student learning aspect of homework rather than dedicate a specific

amount of time that’s required every night,” Sulphur Springs board President Ken Chase said about the updated policy. “Homework has to have a purpose. We don’t want to give homework for the sake of giving homework.”

During the online discussion, local parents debated how much homework is too much and what forms are considered meaningful.

One parent with children who attended Leona Cox for kindergarten through sixth grade said the school gave her children homework that was pointless, before adding that she is a teacher who agrees with a less-homework stance.

Lisa Ely and her children discussed the Facebook post at their dinner table Wednesday night, she said and both children said they endorsed the concept of homework.

“Like vitamins, the right amount (of homework) can help, but too much can actually hurt you or start working against you,” Ely said. 

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FOOD

CURING A CRAVING Charcuterie, farm-to-table and pickling are among the latest trends in cuisine

By Michele E. Buttelman Signal Staff Writer

T

" Charcuterie, which is cured proteins, is really big right now. It can include smoked meats, pates, fish, duck, any kind of protein." said Tamra Levine, director of catering, wine consultant and event stylist of Salt Creek Grille Valencia.

METRO CREATIVE

he food world is always on the hunt for the latest “in” food or dining experience.

We’ve all heard the terms “fusion,” “sustainable seafood,” “small plates,” “farm-to-table,” “nose to tail” and “locally sourced.” We know about “wine pairing” and the latest craze in “beer pairing.”

When wine tastings became hohum, suddenly scotch tastings, sake tastings and tequila tastings became all the rage.

Foodies flock to “pop-up restaurants,” where innovative and cutting-edge menus are often served “one night only.”

“Dining in the dark” restaurant experiences have expanded to major metropolitan areas. Food trucks can now be found on nearly every corner serving up gourmet grilled cheese or bahn mi sandwiches.

The Food Network and the Cooking Channel have expanded the horizons not only of the home cook, but of the average food consumer, as well.

The Travel Channel has exposed millions of viewers to new and exotic food choices.

“Artisanal,” “experimental,” “hand-crafted” are the foodie buzzwords. A simple crudité platter (cut up vegetables, often with a ranch dressing dipping sauce) is now considered the height of unsophisticated entertaining.

The list of food trends from the past two decades includes many trends that are still with us, like gourmet pizza and molten chocolate cake, and some that have seen better days, like foams and Sriracha-infused everything. Sriracha is still extremely popular but is no longer on nearly every drive-through menu.

“You don’t see mashed potato bars anymore,” said Tamra Levine, director of catering, wine consultant and event stylist of Salt Creek Grille

Valencia. “No one requests them anymore.”

Chef Daniel Otto, full-time culinary associate professor at the College of the Canyons iCUE (Institute for Culinary Education), said 2018 food trends include “gut-friendly food” and nonalcoholic craft cocktails.

“There is a lot of preserving of food, a lot of fermenting of food going on now,” he said. “Fermentation is basically turning bad bacteria and starches into good bacteria, probiotics. Good bacteria are important for good digestion.”

“

There is a lot of preserving of food, a lot of fermenting of food going on now.”

Chef Daniel Otto,

full time culinary associate professor at the College of the Canyons iCUE (Institute for Culinary Education)

Pickled, fermented

Otto said pickled and fermented foods help with digestion.

“You don’t want to eat a lot but adding some to your diet is good for digestion,” he said.

Other foods trending are probiotics like kimchi, miso and kefir and prebiotics such as onions, garlic and other alliums.

Levine, a graduate of Southern California School of Culinary Arts, said fusion cuisine is still expanding throughout the food universe.

“There’s a lot of cross-cultural, fusion influences now,” she said. “For example, I do an ahi chorizo taco with mango slaw. You have influences from Japan, or Pacific Rim, mixed with Mexico and Spain and Hawaii.

Other trends very big right now include Korean, Vietnamese and Indian cuisine as well as food from the

S E P T E M B E R 9, 2018

“

S U N D AYS I G N A L · 33

FOOD

People are becoming more concerned with fresh products instead of relying so much on prepared foods.”

Middle East and the Pacific Rim.” Levine said the increased availability of international food products allow chefs to create more diverse menus.

“We can buy products now that we never had access to before,” she said.

Customer expectations are also higher than they have ever been.

“The Food Network and Cooking Channel have produced much more savvy customers. They see what is going on in the food world on television, and they ask more questions.

They are more educated,” she said.

A trend that Levine said is perfect for home entertaining is charcuterie plates.

“Charcuterie, which is cured proteins, is really big right now. It can include smoked meats, patés, fish, duck, any kind of protein,” she said.

Levine suggested home cooks design special meal events around themes that can include National Watermelon Day or National Zucchini Day. Otto said he sees restaurant trends emerging in craft butters, flavored waters and artisanal cheeses.

“Specialty restaurants are making their own craft butter,” he said.

“They are hand making butter and adding different flavors to the butter, as well as experimenting with different fat contents and using different sources for milk and cream.”

Cooking from scratch

Cooking from scratch is also making a comeback, at home and in restaurants, said Otto.

“I think a lot more people are going to be making more foods from scratch including making your own ketchup, making your own mayonnaise, making your own mustard,” he said. “People are becoming more concerned with fresh products instead of relying so much on prepared foods.”

Mushrooms with healing properties including chaga, reishi and lion’s

Chef Otto

Indian cuisine. METRO CREATIVE

mane are being added to foods for their rich flavors and including anti-stress, anti-inflammatory and detoxifying medicinal benefits.

Farm-to-table and locally sourced food will remain popular trends according to both Otto and Levine.

“I don’t think farm-to-table is ever going to go away. In California in particular chefs are always going to want to get local product at the peak season,” Otto said.

For home cooks, Otto said, cooking has reached a new level for many people.

“Especially on weekends when people have time,” he said. “More people are taking on that extra labor of love and wanting to make the food they see on TV.” Otto said the recent food kit trend is also an option for some people if the price point is right and people realize that food kits require you to follow a recipe and take more time than instant dinners or carryout.

“Cooking is a great creative outlet and an important social skill. The kitchen is still the heart of the home,” he said. 

WHAT TO PICKLE? Nearly anything can be pickled including cucumbers, tomatillos, carrots, okra, peppers, turnips, avocado, asparagus, beets, bell peppers, blueberries, cauliflower, carrots, cherries, fennel, ginger, grapes, green beans, mushrooms, onions, parsnips, peaches, peppers, radishes, ramps, rhubarb, strawberries, squash, tomatoes, turnips and watermelon.

Pickling brine can be made by adding equal parts water and vinegar, and a quarter the salt to sugar.

For those mathematically challenged, a simple pickling recipe could be: 1 cup vinegar, such as white, apple cider, or rice, 1 cup water, 1 tablespoon granulated sugar and 2 teaspoons salt.

Any basic vinegar, white vinegar, apple cider, white wine and rice vinegar will work. Avoid aged or concentrated vinegars like balsamic or malt vinegar for pickling.

Experiment with different spices and flavors to influence the flavors of your pickled foods. Among the flavors you can add to your brine are: garlic, dill seed, red pepper flakes, coriander, ginger, turmeric, thyme, black peppercorns, oregano, rosemary, marjoram, mustard seed or smoked paprika.

A chilled side dish you can make with your new pickling skills would include blanching a few mixed vegetables like baby carrots, cauliflower florets, green beans, garbanzo beans and pearl onions for 2 minutes.

Cool in ice water. Add a sliced red onion and cucumber. Make a brine by boiling 2 cups white vinegar, 2 cups water, 1/4 cup kosher salt, 3/4 cup sugar, zest and juice of a medium lemon, and 1 teaspoon each peppercorns and coriander seeds; pour over the vegetables.

Chill at least 4 hours. 

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34 · S U N D AYS I G N A L

S E P T E M B E R 9, 2018

FOOD

THE HUES OF HEALTH

Canyon Country resident’s Daily Harvest Café & Juicery packs healthy punch

By Michelle Sathe Signal Staff Writer

N

ormally, I’m not one to wax poetic about salad nor am I a fan of quinoa, no matter how many times I’ve been told that both are good for me.

Chef Andres Moya has me singing a different tune after trying the quinoa veggie bowl ($11) at the Daily Harvest Café & Juicery in Newhall.

This is a Technicolor musical of a salad, with eye-popping hues of purple, red, orange and green. While it’s almost too pretty to eat, go ahead and toss the bitter arugula, perfectly ripe tomatoes, earthy quinoa, crunchy carrots, cucumbers and cabbage, creamy hummus and chunky avocado mash together. You’ll get a full symphony of flavor and texture that will leave you not only satisfied, but energized.

Culinary harmony is a skill the Colombian-born Moya has honed after creating ambitious menus for some of Hollywood’s most glamorous events and launching popular restaurants across Southern California for 37 years.

Moya, a Canyon Country resident, opened The Daily Harvest Café & Juicery in 2015 with his wife, Maria, and four children, who wanted to share their love of fresh, healthy eating with their community. Daughter Nathalie designed the sleek yet welcoming space that would be right at home in Silverlake or downtown L.A., while son

The juice flight

Giovanni helps run the business.

The menu contains many family recipes, like the nourishing chicken vegetable and lentil soups handed down over generations. Ingredients are locally sourced and organic whenever possible.

“Our goal is to make the freshest, cleanest and most unique food possible,” Moya said. “It’s better for your health and you’ll feel better, too.”

Whether it’s breakfast or lunch, both of which are served all day, Moya manages to pack a healthy punch into the most delicious delivery systems possible.

Take the organic, cold-pressed juices ($8.50 to $11.50). There are almost a dozen to choose from, including a creamy, dreamy almond milk that will ruin you for store-bought brands forever. Can’t decide? Order the juice flight ($10), featuring eight 2-ounce shot glasses of jewel-toned delights, from the vegetal, herbaceous Straight Greens (kale, spinach, romaine, parsley, cucumber and celery) to the sweet and spicy Liquid Gold (apple, carrot, turmeric, and ginger). Juices are also available to go in nifty glass bottles.

Baked goods ($3.50 to $5) include an irresistibly moist, gluten-free zucchini bread with notes of cinnamon or a hearty yet tender vegan Chia seed muffin loaded with banana essence, chewy seeds, and toasted walnuts. The lemon ricotta cake is a bit of heaven on earth with a dense yet pillowy soft, citrus-infused interior that melts in your mouth.

Chef Andres Moya, right, and his son Giovanni Moya. PHOTOS BY MICHELLE SATHE

On the egg side, there are breakfast burritos, pizzas and bowls ($10 to $12), as well as a fluffy, souffle-like frittata of the day ($7.25) served with a hefty mound of lightly dressed arugula.

Craving something sweet? Go for the gluten-free, vegan stack served with bananas, walnuts and maple syrup ($10) or the pumpkin spice oats ($7) served with that fabulous homemade almond milk, plus honey, walnuts and raisins.

(All breakfast items can be made gluten-free upon request).

Morning or afternoon, the avocado toast ($6) is a must-have. A thick slab of hearty, crusty wheat bread is toasted to the ideal crispness and spread with a generous layer of smooth avocado, then topped with juicy cherry tomatoes.

A quinoa bowl

Add a sunny side egg ($2) or a large, decadent mound of silky, luscious wildcaught Steelhead salmon ($4.50) to turn the toast into a meal.

There are many vegetarian flatbreads and sandwiches to choose from, while carnivores have their options, too.

One of the restaurant’s most popular dishes is the grilled chicken sandwich ($13) and with good reason. The rosemary-seasoned, succulent breast sits atop a fluffy ciabatta roll, surrounded by fresh avocado, romaine and tomato.

A little salty flair from the feta ties it all together beautifully.

While he’s been in the restaurant game for almost four decades, Moya is still passionate about creating new dishes at The Daily Harvest Café & Juicery, inspired by the season or tastes sampled abroad during family vacations.

He also loves catering, whether it’s a small intimate celebration or a more elaborate affair.

“There’s nothing I enjoy more than sitting down with a client and coming up with an amazing menu together that reflects their personality,” Moya said.

“Even after all these years, I still get excited. It’s different every time.”

The Daily Harvest Café & Juicery, 22722 Lyons Ave., Suite 6, Newhall.

Open Tuesday to Saturday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Closed Tuesdays. Catering and juice parties available. For more information, call (661) 383-9387 or visit www. thedailyharvestcafe.com. 

S E P T E M B E R 9, 2018

S U N D AYS I G N A L · 35

GETTIN’ UP THERE

SENIORLIVING

Love in the age of bunions

By Diana Sevanian Signal Staff Writer

I

have the greatest admiration, respect, and maybe just a smidgen of benign envy, for couples that have been together F-O-R-E-VE-R. I'm talking about the twosomes that got it right the first time out of the gate. They intentionally stayed put in their original marriages/partnerships through all the ups, downs, and ofttimes humdrum and itchy times in between. They took, and more important, meant, vows that were binding human agreements, signed with visceral love and shatter-resistant commitment.

It’s a rare phenomenon. Given that at least half of all first marriages end in divorce, you are one lucky mortal if

the mate you said "I do" to back in your youth is still playing footsies with you as you're both filling out Medicare forms.

Depending on whether you're betrothed 30, 40, or 50 years, you’ve been far more successful at the mating game than 65-94 percent of everyone who ever tied the knot in their heyday. You have each created and beautifully illustrated one another’s book of life history.

In the least chattel-like, most precious sense, you belong to one another.

One of the bonus sweeteners of being with someone F-O-R-E-V-E-R, is that when you look at each other’s current older visage, your brain still registers the intimate sight and narrative of their

Senior Center Volunteer Spotlight: Ruby and Ray Mitchell

By Robin Clough Signal Contributing Writer

B

ingo – we have a winner!

The SCV Senior Center is a winner and so are all the happy participants because of bingo volunteer chairpersons Ruby and Ray Mitchell. Originally agreeing to train those on the newly formed Bingo committee for the first month, fortunately Ruby and Ray decided to stay on to oversee the popular activity.

Ruby and Ray Mitchell The Mitchells work hard to ensure Bingo’s incredible success which includes equipment upkeep, verifying games, working with financials, supplying refreshments and door prizes, and most importantly making sure it is a fun experience for everyone. They are so committed that they even schedule their vacations around bingo dates!

Ruby and Ray have extensive experience as bingo volunteers. Ruby’s parents were huge bingo players, so they offered to call at their parents’ senior-living apartment building. Seeing the joy that it brought, they extended their help to senior complexes throughout the community.

“We are like a big family here,” Ruby shares. When Ray was ill, bingo participants gave him emotional support and the Senior Center ensured he was taken care of.

“They are all such wonderful people,” Ray says.

Ruby and Ray are excited the the Bingo Committee has raised nearly $23,000 for the Senior Center.

The SCV Senior Center is grateful for the wonderful volunteerism of Ruby and Ray Mitchell. 

younger, adorable, irreplaceable self.

You still love what you see.

The body wrinkles, but a true heart and grateful eye, never.

Being each other’s favorite human Through decades of familiarity and devotion (and learning which battles are worth having or avoiding), you’ve meaningfully memorized one another’s touchy spots and desires. You’ve likely birthed and raised the same children, experienced the same griefs and disappointments, and celebrated the same joys. You have shared lust, laughter, pillow talk, and anti-snoring kicks within the same bed. You’ve co-mingled mortgages, meals, and remembrances.

Together, you’ve toughed it out through fears and fumbles. You’ve forgiven one another many times over, because despite any differences there is no one else you’d rather disagree with. You’ve been further blessed if you have grandchildren and great-grands to re-feather your nest – the family home that has long been your safe, memory-laden haven.

As my favorite 70’s-era chanteuse-lyric guru Carly Simon once said: “It’s the stuff that dreams are made of.”

If the above descriptions fit you and your other half, I will gladly kiss your rings and sincerely wish you many more cherished years of “we-dom.” Far beyond any “benign envy,” I am in absolute awe of your select choices and unwavering loyalty.

I am also convinced that couples like you give us older solo pilots some hope and inspiration.

Many of us aging Boomers cannot claim membership to that wedded winner’s circle. Owing to death, divorce, or perhaps never even finding the one spectacularly special someone to jump the broom with, millions are single in their later years. While some prefer that quieter or “less entangled” way of living, most do not. Through Internet dating sites, personal introductions, and that rare, random kismet moment in the antacid aisle at Ralphs, unattached seniors are reaching out from their spheres of solitude and discovering new significant others.

As the Jefferson Airplane asked of us back in 1967: “(Don’t You Want) Somebody to Love?” – the answer to that question, possibly more than ever, is a resounding “Yes!” There may be snow on the mountain, but there’s still fire in that oven.

Shared joy is the best preservative The benefits of having a loving partner later in life are abundant. Among them: Trusted and treasured companionship; increased happiness; better health and longer-range mental acuity; decreased depression and/or isolation; improved odds that you’ll live longer; enhanced personal security, and last but not least, the profound physical and emotional intimacy that only occurs with someone who genuinely, passionately, and exclusively, has your (aged) back – as well as your top, bottom, sides, lips, and even those bunioned feet.

A positive step toward finding love as a senior begins with making peace with the pieces of your life that didn’t work out. Let it go, dear unattached elder peers. Like a polished gem stone, you shine with more gratitude and mindfulness than ever before.

By now you know what you want and what you don’t want. You have finally and fully embraced who you are at your core – your strengths, lovability, imperfections, past mistakes, lessons learned, and gifts to offer. You’re as ready as you’re ever going to be.

True love can bloom at any age, so don’t give up on it. And what’s even more cool now is you don’t need your parent’s approval or birth control.

Reach for that piece of rich, layered, made-for-each-other cake, and it could very well wind up on your plate. Whether Father Time grants you a small slice or a long, delicious slab, you will savor it, nurture it, and thank the heavens that you never gave up on its existence. 

36 · S U N D AYS I G N A L

S E P T E M B E R 9, 2018

ARTISTPROFILE

Art becomes family tradition

By Patti Rasmussen Signal Staff Writer

B

orn and raised in Jerusalem, artist Naomi Young said she found an interest in art at the young age of seven when a teacher gave her a yellow crayon for a job well done.

For a young girl with no toys, this was quite a gift.

But her adventure really began after a stint in the Israeli Army (a requirement for all young adults) when her friends encouraged her to travel to America.

“Go to America, they said. Some guy for sure will catch you,” Young recalls.

With her parents’ support and a $350 TWA ticket, Young took a sixweek tour of the United States.

“I had no idea how big the United States was,” Young said. “But there was no way I was staying any longer than the six weeks.”

That all changed on a rainy day at the Farmers Market in Los Angeles.

“I ran into a store to get out of the rain and started talking to a man who said he had a guy he wanted me to meet,” Young said.

After some resistance, Young finally gave out her phone number and the next thing she knew she had a blind date. Six weeks

later, Naomi and Dennis were married.

They just celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary.

Her husband and four sons have been very supportive of Young’s artistic

endeavors. The boys are all involved in some avenue of art and are very creative, she said.

Israel still remains an important part of Young’s life and she has made several trips back home often drawing inspiration from the beauty and soul of her hometown.

While she loves to work in a variety of mediums such as oil, acrylics, pastels and watercolors, she will be out in downtown Newhall at the Santa Clarita Chalk Festival.

When asked if it will be hard on her to create on the sidewalk in the heat, she smiled.

“Talk to me afterwards,” she said. “I’m sure I’ll need a vacation and a massage.”

[ Above ] Artist Naomi Young with her work in various media displayed on the stairway in her living room. [ Left ] Young shows off her work in her studio. PHOTOS BY DAN WATSON

S E P T E M B E R 9, 2018

S U N D AYS I G N A L · 37

ARTISTPROFILE Young has an usual fascination with old doors. She said they intrigue her and she’s drawn to the mystery and potential of what may lie behind them. It’s easy to correlate Young’s fascination with old doors and the life she has led.

“You never know what’s behind the corner and what’s waiting for you,” said the woman who bought a ticket to America and had the adventure of a lifetime. 

l 2018 a v i t s e F k l a Ch -23 1 2 . t p e S r o Set f Newhall in downtown

king place ent will be ta A colorful ev 20 d more than , there will be ional artists an l ss this month. al fe h ro p ew N For the timid 10 n , y. d w tr a an To t h ld ar in O k k e al al th With ch d give ch . the streets as come out an be p. s will take to k Festival 2018 al h C ta d to offer hel k Festival will ri la C h organization artist on an ts at the Chal ring out the Santa b an at en ts n ld n ev u o l se o o u re rf sh rn p lo te n at th st co ay af Associatio Town sy” is a theme ne of the mo lace on Sund O ld p im O h f ke W o ta r & ill ai it w W ch , , at d hing th “Wonder t, said Sue Bir the street was . g pieces of ar of the festival n o s some amazin si conclu any of u e .

“M th . n id io at sa ci d o ir B ss Newhall A ndly event,” ood to bring mmunity frie and it feels g “It’s a very co ks al ew d si n o g chalk grew up usin d .” hood memory September 21 at 10 a.m. an ild ch , back that ay e will Presents egins on Frid n Sunday ther l Association O al . h d n ew ke N The Festival b n ee tw w e crea L 2018 The Old To throughout th ancers using an art piece ALK FESTIVA H C A IT R A will continue d L l SANTA C ” ances by loca it & Whimsy Lisa Ashley. n be live perform w d to an n er w “Wonder, W o ill d M e , lle ak ay re m d Lo n to s t Su st h mmitmen ed by arti the Friday throug a.m. rew out of a co ood and show eginning at 10 rh b o b 23 h g The Festival g ei 22 n . t id en 21 sa Ev er d b d ir B m an , te ing Roundabout Sep e Arts ewhall is grow h Street & the N to Newhall a tru 6t n d n w ee ee To n w le ld et p O b f eo et p uch o On Main Stre d shops that public how m restaurants an f o t lo ces on Sunday a e av “We h . s ve performan ed er Li d te n ad lu e 30 p.m. sh vo ” s, y, enjo 12:30 p.m./2: new store ./ e m es a. th 0 f :3 o come see and lo y 10 f o at troduce man s with names Valencia As a way to in out passport s, Center Stage g te m in si o d e fr an es ce h th e t an b si vi will form Dance. e has to do is at the Festival Interactive per Pan OST-Fairy for a chance nesses. All on r si in te u rt b Pe o n d sp w an as to p n cal dow d turn the r signature an ay at 4 p.m.  get a stamp o own on Sund d e h id as as w t se et t . re al St h prize es on the asp to win a $100 ction of squar urages all to se co a e en b er ill ill w M e Ther eative and unity to be cr for the comm

Festival Details

38 · S U N D AYS I G N A L

S E P T E M B E R 9, 2018

H E A LT H & F I T N E S S

To Your Good Health

By Keith Roach, M.D. Signal Contributing Editor

TRY BAKING SODA FOR UNDERARM ODOR

DEAR DR. ROACH: I am a 77-year-old female. I had a left-breast lumpectomy (with some lymph nodes removed) about 15 years ago, leaving me with a much heavier right breast. I don't know whether this plays an important role with my problem.

Since the surgery, I have had a problem controlling underarm odor. I do not use any aluminum-based products. I have tried vinegar, milk of magnesia and a deodorant made from milk of magnesia. Within a matter of just a few hours, I notice quite an odor, particularly in my right armpit, which gets worse as the day goes on. I do not perspire profusely, but do develop some underarm moisture.

Can you think of any reason this is happening, or any remedy that might work for me? I would appreciate your comments.

– D.M.M. ANSWER: I would start by trying a non-antiperspirant deodorant. These are not aluminum-based and work well for most people.

If the deodorant doesn't work, you should consider another old-fashioned remedy that you haven't tried: baking soda. It changes the pH of the armpit and helps to keep it dry, and both of those things help get rid of odor.

Underarm odor is caused by bacteria that live on our skin; the sweat itself is odorless.

Thus, if you get rid of the bacteria, you can get rid of the odor. I have prescribed topical

antibiotics on occasion. Some people have told me that an alcohol-based hand-sanitizing gel helps. It might be that it dries out the skin and also kills bacteria. I would be cautious about overusing this as a solution.

The underarm is a sensitive area that can get irritated.

I'd be happy to hear from readers about other solutions for this common problem, and I will report back on the most successful methods. *** DEAR DR. ROACH: I have severe halitosis. I have had my sinuses, teeth and gums checked to see if they are the cause of the odor, but the dentist and ENT found nothing. I was referred by my primary doctor to a G.I. specialist, who found I had a sliding hiatal hernia, which was causing acid reflux.

He recommended surgery to push the stomach back into its normal position below the diaphragm. I decided to pass on the surgery. He recommended taking over-the-counter medications such as Nexium, but after several days my lower back started to hurt, so I stopped taking them. I am reconsidering the surgery and was wondering if this is a good idea. Is it possible that the hernia has nothing to do with the halitosis?

– E.H. ANSWER: Experts believe that 90 percent of the time, halitosis comes from the mouth. What your gastroenterologist is suggesting as the cause of the halitosis is plausible. I found several anecdotal cases where surgery cured the halitosis.

However, it's not only possible that the hiatal hernia has nothing to do with the halitosis, I think it is unlikely that it does.

Since surgery would not otherwise be recommended for a sliding hiatal hernia, I can't recommend surgery. *** Dr. Roach regrets that he is unable to answer individual letters, but will incorporate them in the column whenever possible. Readers may email questions to ToYourGoodHealth@med.cornell.edu. To view and order health pamphlets, visit www.rbmamall. com, or write to Good Health, 628 Virginia Drive, Orlando, FL 32803. © 2018 North America Synd., Inc.

You are how you eat Strategies for boosting energy levels

T

he connection between energy and eating is significant. A healthy diet and approach to eating can vastly improve energy levels, while a poorly planned diet that lacks nutrition can contribute to feelings of fatigue and increase a person's risk for various ailments.

The Harvard Medical School notes that different kinds of foods are converted to energy at different rates.

That's why some foods, such as candy, provide quick boosts of energy while foods such as whole grains tend to supply the body with energy reserves that it can draw on throughout the day.

It's not just what people eat but how they eat that can affect their energy levels. In addition to choosing the right foods, men and women can try the following strategies as they look to eat to boost their energy levels. · Eat smaller, more frequent meals.

Avoiding the traditional three-mealsper-day approach may help improve energy levels, especially for people who tend to eat sizable meals once, twice or even three times every day. According to the Cleveland Clinic, the metabolisms of people who do not eat regularly will slow down, as the body absorbs and stores more of the food it eats.

Those stores include cholesterol and fat, which can be unhealthy and contribute to weight gain. However, by eating small meals more frequently, one's metabolism speeds up and more calories are burned. The body recognizes more food is soon on the way and, as a result, it does not need to store as much cholesterol and fat as it would if meals were eaten less frequently. · Avoid a big lunch. The Harvard Medical School notes that, while the reasons are unclear, research has indicated that the circadian rhythms of people who eat big lunches indicate a more significant drop in afternoon energy levels than the rhythms of people who eat smaller midday meals. Men and women who eat big lunches and find their energy levels waning later in the workday can try to eat smaller midday meals to boost their energy.

The right snacks can provide an energy boost that lasts until meal time comes around again.

METRO CREATIVE

· Be careful with caffeine. The foods people eat are not the only components of their diet that can affect their energy levels. Caffeinated beverages can provide a temporary boost of energy as well. However, men and women who drink coffee or other caffeinated beverages to boost their energy levels should avoid doing so in large amounts after 2 p.m. That's because caffeine can cause insomnia, and insufficient sleep can dramatically affect energy levels. · Choose the right snacks. Eating smaller, more frequent meals may compel some people to snack. The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics notes that snacks are important as long as they're the right snacks. Avoid snacks that are just empty calories in favor of foods that contain protein and fiber-rich carbohydrates. Such snacks, which may include fruits such as apples and fresh berries or protein sources like nuts and Greek yogurt, can provide lasting energy. It's also important that men and women not snack to fill themselves up, but rather to quell any hunger pangs and get an energy boost between meals.

– Metro Connection

S E P T E M B E R 9, 2018

S U N D AYS I G N A L · 39

GARDENING

Seriously, you do want your landscape fire-wise!

By Jane Gates Signal Staff Writer

O

nce upon a time (only a decade or so ago), wildfire season used to be confined to a predictable one to two month Santa Ana windy period in the late autumn when hillsides were at their driest. Ah, but life — and weather can change! Now constant headlines keep us thinking about our vulnerability to wildfires much of the year. Santa Clarita has had her share of those headlines, too.

Even when we have a reasonably rainy winter, we’re not likely to be saved from the threat of fire. Instead, we only find ourselves with new, flammable fodder as the additional green stuff dries out. So, rather than hoping for rain, praying your property won’t be anyFires can happen year-round in the Santa Clarita Valley. where near a hot spot, or trying to convince COURTESY PHOTOS yourself that maybe since you live in a builtup area you might not be vulnerable, why not surround your home with a gorgeous but firewise landscape designed to protect your home and family? Then you'll be prepared should a firestorm or a shower of glowing hot cinders decide to invade your property — a real possibility for anywhere in Santa Clarita?

There are things you can do to not just make your landscape water wise, but make it fire-wise, too. It all starts with developing a wildfire resistant garden plan. This includes maintaining surrounding areas as well as keeping defensible spaces designed within your property.

Sorry, overgrown brush is not welcome!

The old mantra of “keep brush cleaned from around your property” is still tried and true. If brush builds up on or near your property, it can be an irresistible invitation for a hungry fire. Start cleaning early in the season One way to make your garden if you can. (My definition of fire resistant is to group plants “season” is as soon as the first rain drops hit together and surround them the soil.) with areas with no fire fuel.

Small, germinating weeds are easier to remove than the deeper rooted stuff. Many of our weeds will germinate at the first hint of moisture. Keep all unwanted seedlings pulled year round. But any time is a good time to pull or cut back any of these tough-growing intruders. Even right now.

Keep gutters clear of dried leaves, pine needles and other wind-borne

tinder that could easily catch on fire from blowing cinders. Hot cinders can travel surprisingly fast and far.

Create safety layers in your design When designing your garden, keep larger, flammable plants further away from the house. The pine tree is a perfect example of a beloved shade tree that is so full of resin it will actually explode if ignited. This is not a good tree for anywhere near your home! Also, with the water Choose smaller and/or shortage, think smart. Put water-retaining plants for your lower-growing, water-loving plants closgardens close to the house. est to the house so you can not only have the showiest plants where they are easily admired (and watered), but where the additional moisture in air, soil and rich green leaves will make these plants slower to ignite.

Some plants can help defend your home Choose fire resistant plants for your garden. As a general guide, look for plants that are low-growing because they offer smaller profiles and less material to burn. Plants that hold more water, like cacti and other succulents are also slower to catch fire. Lush green foliage burns slower than drier leaves, but this must be balanced with concerns for being water wise. Sometimes you will find conflicts in list of preferred plants.

One example is rosemary. It is ‘recommended’ for fire resistance due to its low growth habit yet ‘not recommended’ because the strong oil content of the leaves make them flammable. Balance your plant buying decisions with water use, appearance, fire resistance and the location where you are planting — all kept in mind.

Add non-living materials to your garden layout If you are installing a new design or renovating your landscape, build in roads, paths and open areas that will work for access, passage, outdoor living spaces as well as natural firebreaks.

You can even do this in small gardens, just use a smaller scale. Surface these open areas with gravel, stone, brick or other materials that can be designed to See GARDENING, page 40

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GARDENING

Continued from page 39

Fires love dry grass and dead wood.

COURTESY PHOTO

be decorative, functional and will not burn or conduct fire. (Wood chips and shredded rubber mulch are both flammable.) Another advantage of designing your yard with non-living spaces is that they require no irrigation. And that offers lower water bills and easier maintenance.

Dead stuff burns!

Too many people have abandoned gardening with the escalating cost of water. Dead lawns, overgrown crispy weeds, and the dried skeletons of deceased trees are not only ugly, but extremely vulnerable to fire. Replace them with drought tolerant gardens, outdoor activity spaces, or vegetable gardens that pay you back with healthy, fresh food.

Protect your house Trim tree branches that overhang or touch any part of your house. As we enter autumn, we are also entering a good time of year for pruning, shaping and cutting back woody trees and shrubs. Leave a safety gap between wood fuel (branches) and any structure on your property while improving the look and health of

your largest plants.

Take the time to screen over any entry points on your roof like chimneys and vents, as well as protecting overhangs and eaves on your house.

It will make it hard for embers to get a foothold should a wildfire pass your way this year ­— or anytime in the future.

You might also want to consider adding sprinklers on a separate valve that can wet down your house or other valuable items. These need to be relegated to a line that will function apart from your regular irrigation system to be used only for emergencies. It needs to be plumbed with metal pipe rather than PVC to avoid melting in high heat.

Making the effort to prepare for a wildfire now will save stress and worry later. As the autumn begins, take advantage any cooler weather to make your home and property more fire-resistant while increasing your landscape's beauty. After all, we know there will be more fires sooner or later in this area. We’ve already experienced several this year. It is the price we pay for living in the lovely, natural, chaparral canyons known as Santa Clarita. 

S E P T E M B E R 9, 2018

Give your mind a workout with these brainy exercises!

BRAINGAMES

Relax

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CROSSWORD TIME Answer to Sunday 9/2 Crossword

Edison brings more wildfire monitors to SCV

By Jim Holt Signal Staff Writer

Southern California Edison stepped up its plan to better detect wildfires this summer, doubling the number of high-tech weather monitors and cameras it installed in fields, valleys and hilltops across the Santa Clarita Valley.

The SCV is now dotted Edison’s Emergency Operations Center. PHOTO with eight weather-moniCOURTESY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA EDISON toring devices in “high fire risk areas,” enabling fire re“These preventative measures are besponders to issue red flag warnings with ing implemented to protect customers finer acuity. and communities against the increasing In the past, Edison’s meteorologists threat of wildfires,” Kumar said. and fire officials used weather-moniIn June, Edison began using enhanced toring technology that allowed them to weather-monitoring technology, which identify risk conditions for a 2-mile area. enables them to identify the same risk The technology is hoped to give fireconditions down to one-third of a mile. fighters an edge in jumping on brush They do this by exploiting “real time” fires faster through earlier detection. information culled from solar-powered “We now have eight weather stations weather station monitors attached to exinstalled and operating near Santa Clariisting utility poles. ta and there are some in Fillmore as well,” “Our goal is to have 125 in place in L.A. Reggie Kumar said in an email. and Orange counties,” Don Daigler, Edi“We’re in the process of also installing composite poles, covered conductors and son’s director of business resiliency, said more fire-monitoring cameras in high at the beginning of the summer.

Fire officials issue red flag warnings fire risk areas,” he said. when critical fire weather conditions are The monitors are kind of like the popular doorstep surveillance technology occurring – or are about to occur – that involve high winds, low humidity and systems but for SCV’s wilderness areas. warm temperatures.

Monitors were installed: Edison’s solar-powered pole-mount– near Golden Valley Road and Sierra ed weather sensors and high-resolution Highway. cameras promise to reveal red flag situa– Lost Canyon Road and Oak Springs tions faster and more accurately.

Canyon Road.

Edison meteorologists receive vital red – Burlwood Drive and Hasley Canyon flag information every 10 minutes from Road.

– Texas Canyon Road and Bouquet the devices they placed strategically in the wilderness including data on wind Canyon Road.

– Vasquez Canyon Road and Mead- speed, wind gusts, temperature, humidity and solar radiation. stone Road.

The comprehensive “real time” – Lake Hughes Road and Baal Point high-resolution monitoring of weather in Road. the wild world around us does not stop - Knoll Court and Park Vista Drive. there.

– Highway 126 and Camino Del Rio High-resolution cameras set up in “Some of the weather stations are located in isolated and rugged areas — due fields, valleys and hilltops are expected to to safety concerns we highly discourage pepper all of Southern California — inpeople from going to those areas,” Ku- cluding the SCV. The live feed of wilderness will be acmar said.

A total of 125 are being installed across cessible online.

“The cameras can pinpoint a fire alSCE’s service territory this year, with most immediately,” Daigler said.  more expected to be installed in 2019.

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Who Will They Be?