Sunday Signal Oct. 14, 2018 by Signal

OCTOBER 14, 2018

$1.25

Have pets, will travel Bring your friends along for the ride Page 29

Your News, Entertainment & Lifestyle Source

BEST INTENTIONS: LOOKING INTO GIVING

SAFE AND FUN TRICK-ORTREATING

COOKES FROM OUR COUNCILMAN

37436_2.indd 1

10/10/2018 12:21:55 PM

O C TO B E R 14, 2018

S U N D AYS I G N A L · 3

Overwhelmed by all the RV’s at Pomona? Let us show you just how relaxing buying an RV from All Valley RV Center can be!

2019 Jayco Jay Flight

2019 Jayco Redhawk 25R WAS: $

264BHW WAS: $

28,288

105,881

NOW:

+ Tax and License Fees Vin# C00656

+ Tax and License Fees Stock# 3513 Vin# 5V0062

($498/mo $8,000 DOWN x 240 mos x 5.99% APR o.a.c.)

($215/mo ZERO DOWN x 144mos x 7.99% APR o.a.c.)

17,998

69,995

We will BEAT any purchase agreement made at Pomona with a comparable make and model Sales•Service•Parts 1525 Sierra Hwy. • Acton

661-269-4800

250 Voucher

Rentals•Service•Parts $ 42207 3rd St. East. • Lancaster

661-949-0555

Valid in our Parts & Accessories Store For all who bring it in and purchase an RV from us in the month of October

Free Roadside for a year & Free Thousand Trails for a year.

www.AllValleyRVCenter.com

4 · S U N D AYS I G N A L

O C TO B E R 14, 2018

TABLE OF CONTENTS NEWS FEATURES

NEWS OF THE WEEK

Looking into charities • What’s happening in your favorite eateries • Is housing impacting other industries A last goodbye for Elliot • Birthday surprise • High school gets colors, mascot • Acosta, Smith debate for 38th • Sheriff ’s department subject of two probes

CITY MANAGER

Santa Clarita honors its heroes

SPORTS 15 15829 Toscana Court $1,499,500 Canyon Country, CA 91387 • Active Listing MLS# SR18133234 Single Family Residence 4beds 4baths Sq. ft.: 3,608 lot size: 42,561 sqft Garage: 3/ attached Built in 2012

D L

ABOUT THIS PROPERTY Here is your chance to live in this beautiful turnkey home in a gated community. This single story pool home is in the Preserve in Sand Canyon. You will be immediately impressed with the well maintained yard and walkways leading to the front door. Inside you will find a very open floor plan featuring travertine flooring large fireplace, and custom leaded windows. The chefs delight kitchen has granite counter tops, SS Appliances, double ovens, a large island and breakfast bar, walk-in pantry and so much more. The large dining room is perfect for entertaining. Going into the master bedroom you will find walk-in closets and opens to a beautiful master bath with large sunken tub with leaded glass windows and many amenities. All bedrooms are tastefully decorated. The oversize laundry is complete with sink, cabinets, and folding area. Perhaps the most impressive aspect of this home is the back yard. It features a large pool and spa, fire pit with seating area, and so many beautiful plants and trees. Interior/exterior recently painted. For the golfer you will enjoy your own putting green. The solar is system is all paid for. You will be glad you saw this home.

Revisiting SCV alum playing Saturday

REAL ESTATE

This week in real estate listings • Your HOA: Who let the dogs out? • Time for an energy audit

OPINION

Our View, David Hegg, Tim Whyte

SCV CALENDAR TIME RANGER KIDS & FAMILY

23 24 25

Safe trick-or-treating this Halloween • Building quality time with the kids

ARTS 27 Santa Clarita’s Arts Classic Gala

PETS 29 Traveling with your best friend? • Shelter Hope helps pets and people connect

SCHOOLS

School menu • Improving your child’s concentration

FOOD

Beyond the bell • The Whole 30 • Cookie recipe from our councilman • A visit to Lee’s Tofu House

GARDENING 38 Make your garden spooky for Halloween • Check out the ‘Carousel of Roses’

SENIORS

Causes of hearing loss

PEOPLE

HOME

Scott Sivley welcomes SCV to ‘Beyond the Dark Realm’ Tips on cooking for a crowd • Taking care of your linens

SUNDAY SIGNAL SignalSCV.com

Bob Kellar 661.510.0987 16670 Soledad Cyn Rd kellar@earthlink.net CalBRE#01030351

Richard Budman Perry Smith Tim Whyte Brad Lanfranco Doña Uhrig Joel Z. Rosario Abner Gutierrez

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

26330 Diamond Place, Suite 100 | Santa Clarita, CA 91350

661-259-1234 On the cover: PHOTO BY DAN WATSON / THE SIGNAL

O C TO B E R 14, 2018

S U N D AYS I G N A L · 5

Plenty of too ls a to ensure the llow donors y’r best bang for e getting the their bucks

AT UR

CHECK

BEFORE

If you know you want to donate, but you don’t know where to start, try using one of the top charity research watchdogs: GuideStar, BBB Wise Giving Alliance and Charity Navigator. Whether you want to give back to a Santa Clarita Valley charity or one located across the country, these services allow you to search by name and learn about a charity’s mission and its operations. The online services, some with plenty of free tools, contain data on over 1.8 million organizations, including over 300 from the SCV. While GuideStar does not provide evaluations, BBB Wise Giving Alliance offers a review on whether a charity meets accountability standards and Charity Navigator displays ratings on financial health, accountability and transparency. Finding out an organization’s legitimacy is part of the research process. The Federal Trade Commission recommends these services to check the status of each charity. Donors are advised to ask for detailed information, such as the address and telephone number to avoid fraudsters. For

CO N

ith charitable giving at an all-time high, American individuals are donating more every year, according to the Giving USA 2018 report. Yet, with numerous awareness campaigns, intricate cause-related marketing and even the ever-present fraudsters, choosing the charity to receive your donations has turned into a challenging decision-making process. Today, more giving people are looking toward a set of guidelines to identify the most effective charity. “Donors and funders are becoming ever more sophisticated in their approaches to making gifts as they draw on the increasing availability of new data, new technology and new ideas,” said Rachel Hutchisson, chair of The Giving Institute, in a statement following the release of the Giving USA report. Knowing how to vet charities can help identify whether donations are going toward a charity’s mission or to secondary agendas. While these are not the easiest to measure, there are tools and steps one can take.

Research before giving

By Tammy Murga Signal Staff Writer

NE CT

ION

CHARIT Y

ET M

security and tax purposes, credit card or checks payable to the charity are best, rather than sending cash donations. The important part, said Sara Nason, head of Consumer Innovation and Engagement for Charity Navigator, is to begin the process by researching the list of charities whose mission best matches your philanthropic priorities.

“Donors and funders are becoming ever more sophisticated in their approaches to making gifts as they draw on the increasing availability of new data, new technology and new ideas.” — Rachel Hutchisson, chair of The Giving Institute

Financial impacts Once you have learned about one or more charities, dig deeper to examine the charity’s finances and find out if the organization is accountable and transparent. For starters, “make sure the organization is a bona fide, tax-exempt 501(c)(3) public charity,” said Nason. If you aren’t sure, you can ask for the organization’s employer identification number and check its status using services like Charity Navigator. Holly Schroeder, president and CEO of the SCV Economic Development Corp., who has worked with nonprofits, said one way to track down an organization’s finances is to review its Form 990, a nonprofit’s filing document with the Internal Revenue Service. “Forms 990, which are equivalent to a tax return for nonprofits, gives donors information about the financial health of an organization See CHARITY, page 8

6 · S U N D AYS I G N A L

O C TO B E R 14, 2018

S C V F E AT U R E

Brewery Draconum makes efforts to be environmentally friendly and keep its in-house food fresh. PHOTO BY EDDY MARTINEZ / THE SIGNAL

A taste for health and environment By Crystal Duan Signal Staff Writer

ining out is now a regular pastime for many people, especially as the food industry has birthed more options to suit different diets. People who regularly eat out may have noticed some of the growing trends that have emerged in recent years that are helping to shape dining experiences, especially in Santa Clarita. One major innovation is restaurants and cafes are offering “gut-friendly foods,” experimenting with preparing and offering foods that are healthier and made with only the best sorts of probiotic ingredients. They’re also cutting down on waste. In Santa Clarita, Eat Real Cafe fits the bill for eating healthy. The sandwiches, wraps, salads and juices that the cafe offers are all made with the

Eat Real Cafe aims to make many of its offerings with the most organic ingredients. PHOTO BY CORY RUBIN / THE SIGNAL

most organic ingredients, said owner Mike Meguerditchian. With locations on Lyons Avenue and Newhall Ranch Road, the cafe is now expanding to a third location in

the San Fernando Valley due to popular demand, Meguerditchian said. Its origin story began when people wanted more tasty, fresh options. “This was a pop-up store about four

to five years ago,” Meguerditchian said. “A lot of people were asking for healthier options, so we opened this with the idea of a fresher look to the dining industry.” The cafe refrains from using certain ingredients in its foods. Thus their chicken sandwiches or turkey wraps won’t have hydrogenated cooking oils or corn syrup, and all of their pastries, like scones and breads, are baked fresh every day in-house. Salad dressings also won’t see any artificial ingredients, and their juices have no sugar. “We’re all about understanding what is going into our bodies, and being able to pronounce all of the ingredients in our foods is a big part of our mission statement,” said Meguerditchian, who sources his ingredients specifically from organic distributor Better Life Organics, which uses only reputable local farms in California. Meanwhile, at Brewery Draconum,

O C TO B E R 14, 2018

S U N D AYS I G N A L · 7

S C V F E AT U R E the brew pub also makes efforts to be environmentally friendly and keep its in-house food fresh. Owner Ben Law said new items are added to the brew pub’s small menu by remixing what it already has. “So, for example, we have a new chicken chipotle sandwich,” he said. “And when we were making that, we already had bacon from making our burgers, chicken for salads, bread for our pudding … so we take what we have and make something new out of everything.” The brew pub makes sure to only bring in six different proteins, Law said, which include chicken, salmon, lamb and other meats used for chili and shepherd’s pie. Law said for a smaller business — Brewery Draconum is owned by him, his mother and his sister — that isn’t striving to be a large, gourmet restaurant, keeping waste to a minimum can be a priority. “For us, waste is huge,” he said. “We don’t want to bring in 25 different dishes, as we literally have less than 20 things on the menu. So when we try to add more dishes, we reinvent

“WE LIKE OUR CUSTOMERS TO KNOW IT’S NOT JUST COMING FROZEN IN A WAREHOUSE SOMEWHERE.” — EAT REAL CAFE OWNER MIKE MEGUERDITCHIAN

Mike Meguerditchian, who owns Eat Real Cafe, says the restaurant has seen growth from customers being more aware of what they’re eating. PHOTO BY CORY RUBIN / THE SIGNAL

the stuff we have.” Everything is made in-house and can be used for multiple items, he said. Classic staples for the brew pub include chuck and tri-tip that can be ground up for chili and shepherd’s pie, chicken for chicken burgers and the beer batter for fish and chips. At Eat Real Cafe, a priority for the

eat-fresh-mentality is always knowing there are real people making food in the back, Meguerditchian said. “We like our customers to know it’s not just coming frozen in a warehouse somewhere,” he said. “If you’re going to be drinking these smoothies, why not get the freshest produce possible? People ask why we don’t

have hazelnut or Nutella. Well, that’s because those things have palm oil and can be really nasty for your body. “I believe what we put in our bodies is either killing us or helping us,” he said. “We have people with health issues who come here and are looking for gluten-free, vegan ideas, and that’s increased over the years. Since we opened in 2013, there’s been a surge in our customers over the last couple of years. People are becoming more aware of what they’re putting in their bodies in the restaurant industry, so customers are all taking more interest in what restaurants are making in their kitchens, how they’re making those things, too.” 

Held Over Columbus Day Sale!

CONSUMERS FURNITURE Major Brands

G A L L E R Y

consumersfurniture.com

Discount Prices

Largest Serta/Simmons Beauty Rest dealer in Santa Clarita Bring in this ad for

25% OFF

your entire order Does not apply to previous orders. One offer per family. Expires 10-21-18

in the SCV for 17 years

21048 W. Golden Triangle Road • Mon-Fri 10am to 8pm • Sat - Sun 11am to 7pm consumersfurniture.com • (661) 259-9609

8 · S U N D AYS I G N A L

O C TO B E R 14, 2018

S C V F E AT U R E

CHARITY

Continued from page 5

and it answers questions on not just about the income and expenses but also if it has a good policy in place, like a conflict-of-interest policy,” she said.

“Such conversations will give you insight into how well the charity knows where it stands and where it plans to go,” step three reads. “Charities unwilling or unable to have this conversation may not deserve your support.”

Follow your investment

In its final step, Charity Navigator recommends to follow up with the charity in six months to a year to You’ve done your research and track how your donation has have settled on your top been utilized. organizations, but is How the organizathat enough? Hands-on tion communicates Hands-on back in providing involvement and involvement and a progress report frequent confrequent conversation can demonstrate versation with with the charity of your their efforts with the charity of choice can help you yours and others’ your choice can better understand the donations. help you better organization’s goals “Once you are understand the and challenges. assured that the organization’s charity is making an goals and challengimpact, make a comes. mitment to support their Charity Navigator’s “5 work for the long haul,” said ChariSteps to Informed Giving” suggests that donors have these conversations. ty Navigator. 

Volunteer

Our #1 Choice for Santa Clarita

EXPERIENCE | DEDICATION | LEADERSHIP PROVIDING SOLUTIONS:

• • • •

Providing for Seniors & Youth Preparing for the Future Protecting Our Neighborhoods Honoring Our Veterans

• • •

Saving Tax Payers Money & Creating Jobs Providing Funds for New & Improved Roads A Leader We Know & Trust

ENDORSED BY OUR COMMUNITY LEADERS

• • •

Congressmen Steve Knight Senator Scott Wilk Assemblyman Dante Acosta

ENDORSED BY PUBLIC SAFETY

harity comes in many forms, including fundraising. Organizations and individuals alike raise money for important causes every day. The money raised during successful fundraising campaigns can be used to help charities meet their missions, assist the sick in paying their medical bills and help vulnerable communities become safe places for people to live. Organizing fundraisers is hard work, but it also can be fun. The following are five fun ways to raise funds for a good cause.

1. Fun run Fun runs can be great ways to raise money because they provide something enjoyable for people to do as they promote a worthy cause. A fun run typically asks participants, who may run, walk or cycle a predetermined distance in support of a charity, to seek donations from friends, family, neighbors, or acquaintances. Participants often set goals to raise “X” amount of dollars, and many people do the run in groups, giving them a great chance to get together with family and like-minded do-gooders.

2. Bowling night

www.reelectmarshamclean.com Paid for by Marsha McLean For City Council 2018 ID# 1373874

A bowling night is another fun way to raise funds. Participants will ask donors to pledge a certain amount per pin they knock down. Organizers can contact a local bowling alley to see if they can get a discounted rate on lanes and shoe rentals. Many bowling alleys welcome such events, and participants tend to enjoy bowling for a worthy cause.

FUN WAYS TO RAISE FUNDS 3. Garage sale A garage sale can be a great way to raise funds. Organizers can encourage members of their community to bring some unused items from their homes to a central location, such as a church or school parking lot, where the items will be arranged on tables and sold. Donors might welcome the chance to clear their homes of some clutter, and buyers may enjoy bartering for knickknacks. If possible, arrange for a barbecue the day of the garage sale so community members are encouraged to come out and stick around to have a good time and a bite to eat.

4. Casino night A community casino night can entice card players and people who enjoy games of chance to come out and support a good cause. Host games like roulette and poker, providing participants with chips in exchange for donations to your cause. At the end of the night, allow players to cash in their chips for prizes donated by local vendors.

5. Bar crawl This one is obviously exclusive to adults who are of legal drinking age, but it can be a great way to support a good cause and promote local businesses at the same time. In this type of fundraiser, local bars and restaurants that sponsor the bar crawl may offer discounted beverages to participants who receive bracelets in exchange for charitable donations. Some establishments may even split the night’s participant proceeds with the charity the event is designed to support. 

O C TO B E R 14, 2018

S U N D AYS I G N A L · 9

LOCALNEWS

A last goodbye for Elliot 2-year-old remembered as the ‘strongest boy’ who defied odds By Michele Lutes Signal Staff Writer

ixty-eight days ago, Elliot Andrew Newcomb, at 2 years and 6 months, was welcomed into his Saugus home by his family for the first time in his young life. He defied the odds his entire life. “It was very sudden and very traumatic. We were devastated,” said his mother Sara Newcomb. “He’ll always be the strongest boy in the world who defied every odd he faced.” Elliot died Monday when he was being transported from Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital to Kaiser Permanente in Los Angeles. “Our kids (Violet and August) said goodbye (Tuesday), and friends and family came down. Now we’re back at home without him,” Newcomb said.

During his life, Elliot spent 895 days in an intensive care unit for a developed chronic lung disease known as bronchopulmonary dysplasia, or BPD. He spent time in the Kaiser Permanente Panorama City Medical Center’s neonatal intensive care unit and the Kaiser Center in Los Angeles’ pediatric intensive care unit. His condition left him reliant on supplemental oxygen 24 hours a day and with a tracheostomy tube as an alternative airway for breathing. During his time at home, he accompanied his sister Violet to her back to school night, attended his brother August’s milk and cookies day at preschool, went on multiple family outings and smiled as he watched his family share their love for him. Elliot is no longer living attached to any machines, he is in heaven, his mother said. “He has become our forever guardian angel.” “Sorrow like this is crushing beyond belief, but we’re grateful to have been given the opportunity to witness him

Elliot Newcomb smiles for the camera. Elliot’s mother, Sara Newcomb, remembered her son as a strong boy who defied every odd he faced. COURTESY PHOTO

live outside hospital walls,” Newcomb said in a Tuesday Facebook post. “(He’s) in our hearts forever. We look forward to one day being together again.” The Newcomb family plans to have a celebration of life after Elliot is cremated. “I don’t want him or his journey to be forgotten,” Newcomb said. “This is not the last of Elliot Newcomb and #love4elliot. I want to do something in his memory.”

#Love4elliot was not only about him, his mother said. “I think it’s about finding light in a very dark place, which we did as a family.” A GoFundMe page originally created for Elliot’s medical needs will now be used for his cremation and celebration of life costs. “He only had a little over two and a half years with us,” his mother said. “He definitely had an impact on people — more than some people do in a whole lifetime.” 

10 · S U N D AYS I G N A L

O C TO B E R 14, 2018

LOCALNEWS

Birthday surprise Community gathers to celebrate 12-year-old diagnosed with cancer By Michele Lutes Signal Staff Writer

appy birthday cheers seemingly could be heard for miles as dozens of community members gathered at the Donegan family’s Santa Clarita home Wednesday to give a special birthday surprise to 12-year-old Sarah Donegan. “It has just been so special today,” Sarah Donegan said, speechless as she was completely surprised by friends and neighbors who turned out to wish her happy birthday and support her in her battle against cancer. “It’s just been amazing that I have been able to get through all this.” The front door opened as Sarah walked out with her family following. Tears streamed down her face as she smiled in surprise at the dozens

of people, some wearing Sarah Smiles shirts, who showed up to her house to show how much they love her. “This birthday party is amazing,” said Sarah’s mother Kathleen Donegan. “I had no idea it was going to be as big as it turned out to be.” Balloons, cards, hugs and roses were given to Sarah during her birthday surprise. Twelve roses, pink, purple and yellow, were given to Sarah as she celebrated turning 12, and 12 candles were lit as the crowd sang again so she could make a birthday wish. “We love her dearly,” said Kathy O’Connor, a family friend who organized the surprise. “All of us that you see here have been touched by her life. We want to support her and encourage her through her battle with cancer.” Sarah wanted to do the same for anyone going through any battle in their life. “I want everyone to always know they are loved and they are never

Vote TimBen Boydston for City Council Will serve with Independence, Intelligence, & Integrity ✔ Fix the traffic ✔ ✓Increase law enforcement funding ✔ ✓Increase clean water supply ✔ ✓Keep Santa Clarita family friendly ✔ ✓Address the homeless issue ✔ ✓Support our seniors ✔ ✓Fight the opioid epidemic ✔ ✓And LISTEN TO THE PEOPLE! While on the Council, he: ✔ ✓Got rid of red-light cameras ✔ ✓Stopped digital billboards in open space ✔ ✓Revitalized downtown Newhall ✔ ✓Created new bridges and additional traffic lanes ✔ ✓Approved the new Sheriff’s Station, Senior Center, & Canyon Country Community Center ✔ ✓Fought against high-speed rail, deep well injection, & Cemex mine For more information, visit timbenboydston.com *Paid for by Committee to Elect TimBen Boydston to City Council 2018 ID#1343994

Sarah Donegan, front, and her family greet members of the community who went to wish her a happy birthday. CORY RUBIN/THE SIGNAL

alone when they are going through anything,” she said. “It’s been really hard. We wouldn’t be able to do this without the help of God.” Sarah’s mother Kathleen and father Sean Donegan also believe someone is watching over them and their faith has helped them through her battle, they said. “She is going to make the best of this life, and she is going to persevere no matter what,” Sean Donegan said. “We are proud of her and everything she does.”

Sarah is writing a book about her battle so she can share her story and hopefully inspire others. “It’s about everything that I am going through and how God gave me the power to do it,” she said. “It’s been really hard,” Sarah said with tears in her eyes. “We have had a lot of people that have come and help us along the way. I would never be able to get through it, because without everybody’s prayers and everything they’ve done for us, it would be so hard to do this alone.” 

High school gets colors, mascot By Brennon Dixson Signal Staff Writer

eaders of the William S. Hart Union High School District unveiled the colors and mascot that will adorn Castaic High School uniforms and apparel for years to come. Castaic High principal Melanie Hagman joined governing board members during Wednesday’s district meeting to offer a progress report on the district’s newest high school, which is expected to open in the fall of 2019. “We are right on schedule for opening Castaic High School,” said Hagman, as she shared a video with board members during her presentation. “It is a beautiful campus.” After speaking about the school’s

open enrollment format, academics, future collaboration with College of the Canyons and the other unique programs that will soon be available, Hagman shared that the future students of the Santa Clarita Valley’s newest high school will be known as the Coyotes, and they will wear the spirited colors of charcoal gray, white and burnt orange. Hagman said she spent many hours working with community members, parents, office personnel and students from Castaic Middle School to determine the mascot. “We’re really excited for the potential we have — not only for academics, but also for athletics,” the principal said. “Ultimately, I feel that this school is going to yield really wonderful students that are ready for their next journey in life.” 

O C TO B E R 14, 2018

S U N D AYS I G N A L · 11

He’s no ordinary Joe! www.Joe4Hart.com

I will continue to: • Strengthen and Expand Career Technical Education. • Keep schools safe, clean and modernized. • Be a fiscal watchdog over your taxpayer dollars. • Grow the HART to HOME program for students who can1t attend a regular High School. While on the board: • Procured over $200,000 for Career Technical Education Equipment. • 81% of our Students meet or exceed state literacy standards. • District Ranked top 10% in the nation. {US World News). • Graduation rates increased to 97%. • We now have almost 30 career pathways. Endorsed By: Congressman Steve Knight State Senator Scott Wilk State Assemblyman Dante Acosta LA County Supervisor- Katherine Barger ALL Current City Council members COC Trustees, Mike Berger, Joan MacGregor, and Michell Jenkins ALL current Hart Board Trustees Newhall School Board-Phil Ellis Hart Teachers Association

Join Community Leaders in supporting Joe: City Councilman Cameron Smyth .. “As a graduate and parent of students in the Hart District, I am proud to see our local schools continually rank among the best in the State. Joe Messina is committed to ensuring our teachers and students have the resources necessary to continue that level of success and he is by far the most qualified candidate for the School Board. Dr Cherise Moore ... Board Member .. “As the newest board member with no previous experience working with of any of the current board members, I had the unique opportunity to observe and learn about the dedication and focus of each board member. Joe Messina is committed to ensuring our students are workforce ready by having access to career technical education and to ensuring that tax payer money is used appropriately on facilities.” Doug Brice-Former SUSD board member- I spent many years working with Joe when I was on the Saugus school board. Joe is genuinely looking out for all kids in the district. Steve Sturgeon ... Hart Board Member Joe worpks hard for the benefeit of ALL students across the district. He has become a champion of Carreer Technical Education so students can gain life skills to gain employment in many industries.

Paid for by Committee to Re-Elect Joe Messina for Wm. S. Hart School District 26893 Bouquet Cyn. Rd. Suite c336 Santa Clarita, CA 91350

12 · S U N D AYS I G N A L

O C TO B E R 14, 2018

LOCALNEWS

Acosta, Smith debate for 38th Transportation, economy and bipartisanship among the topics discussed in hour-long talk By Crystal Duan Signal Staff Writer

uring a debate held at College of the Canyons on Monday night, Assemblyman Dante Acosta, R-Santa Clarita, and his 38th Assembly District challenger Christy Smith differed on their priorities but also found some common ground on the issues facing the district. Themes of the one-hour debate emerged as Smith continuously favored growing the state economy sustainably through investing in initiatives like education and allocating dollars to different causes. Acosta touted his support for law enforcement and fixing transportation without raising taxes significantly. Both candidates voiced their passion for bringing bipartisanship to the Legislature. Acosta cited his work on bills, two-thirds of which were co-authored by Democrats, while Smith, a member of the Newhall School District board of trustees, talked about how working on a bipartisan school board gave her the opportunity to have conversations and work out issues. Acosta and Smith both have backgrounds leading on the local level, which they cited when explaining their experience. “Local government is the place where your tax dollars are spent,” Smith said. “So while serving on the

school board, we know what it’s like when a recession occurs. We know what it’s like to lobby at the state level and have effective, transparent service at the local level.” Acosta said: “You need to be able to be out there and communicating with your constituents. I spent time, when I was elected to (the Santa Clarita) City Council, in every part of the city, and in the (Legislature), I’ve made a lot of good strides toward public safety, traffic enforcement and economic development.” Acosta is a member of the minority party in the Legislature, which Smith said could be a disadvantage — but that he still voted with his party very often. Acosta countered Smith by saying he had often signed onto bills originally authored by Democrats. Acosta said the state implemented many common-sense gun laws he supported, and he was concerned recent measures weren’t doing that job, such as Proposition 47, which reduced certain nonviolent felonies to misdemeanors; Proposition 57, which hastened the release of some nonviolent offenders from prisons; and Assembly Bill 109, concerning prison realignment. He supported “pragmatic” solutions to issues of crime, he said. Smith supported gun control, too, but said she wanted to make sure elected officials were listening to law enforcement officers who supported those bills.

Christy Smith, left, and Assemblyman Dante Acosta, R-Santa Clarita, who face each other for the 38th Assembly District seat, debate Monday. SCREENSHOT FROM FACEBOOK.COM/SIGNALSCV

Both candidates also addressed the Porter Ranch Aliso Canyon settlement in the aftermath of the gas leak in 2015. Smith opposed the settlement and said it needs more work to compensate affected residents accordingly. Acosta said he worked with officials in wanting the money to stay locally, but that the money in the settlement was going toward methane reduction. Acosta said he was working on transportation issues but opposed the high-speed rail as a solution, citing that it was too expensive to build through the SCV. Smith said she hated seeing taxpayer dollars wasted on what had already been done. If there was a “meaningful and useful way” for the project to be completed with cost efficiency

0% APR FOR 72 MONTHS

considered, she said she was open to it. Both candidates agreed that in terms of the rail, the 38th Assembly District at this point in construction would be only getting the downside, and not any of the good. The candidates also differed on Proposition 10, which would enable local governments to enact rent control. Smith said more local control was needed, and giving landlords knowledgeable about local workings the ability to control rent was essential. Acosta argued that the market was often interrupted by tax decisions homeowners had to make, and that the housing supply issue throughout California had to be addressed instead of focusing on rent control. The livestream of the debate can be found at SignalSCV.com.  OR

NO CREDIT NEEDED

NOW OPEN BARBERS WANTED Twin $139

King $299

SANTA CLARITA 91350

26537 Bouquet Cyn Rd. #G (Next to Trader Joe’s and Best Buy)

(661) 430-8660

O C TO B E R 14, 2018

S U N D AYS I G N A L · 13

S C V F E AT U R E

INDUSTRIES YIELD FOR HOUSING Study CRISIS says rising sectors hurt by poor home affordability By Tammy Murga Signal Staff Writer

A recent report examining the affordable-housing crisis in Los Angeles reveals that high housing costs are threatening the area’s fastest-growing industries. Local business leaders say the issue extends into the Santa Clarita Valley and farther north, but there is hope.

The study The report “The Affordable Housing Crisis in Los Angeles: Impacts to L.A.’s Fastest Growing Companies” was released by the University of Southern California and the Los Angeles Business Council Institute. The report identified these as the top three fastest-growing industries: health care and social assistance, accommodation and food services, and professional, scientific and technical services. “Housing affordability is a significant concern for the Los Angeles workforce,” Gary Painter, director of the USC Sol Price Center for Social Innovation and the Homelessness Policy Research Institute, said in a

prepared statement. “Commute times are increasing for homeowners who are unable to afford housing in the L.A. region, and housing costs are outpacing wage growth for renters.” For example, the report found that L.A.’s tourism industry now accounts for more than 525,000 local jobs, but 69 percent of them earn less than $25,000 a year. Figures are similar in the area of home health aides, “forcing a large portion of these workers to live in poverty.” The 74-page report also found that most firms have not implemented programs to help reduce the financial burdens of their employees and offered recommendations on housing-assistance resources.

BATHROOMS

How this affects areas like the SCV While the report focuses in Los Angeles, where the issue “is especially dire,” residents of the SCV and other surrounding areas fall into affected areas. The report found that in the downtown cluster, a substantial number of workers commute from suburbs like the SCV, Palmdale, Lancaster and anywhere from the east side to northeast L.A. “This trend is extremely worrisome

KITCHENS

See HOUSING, page 19

CUSTOM CABINETS

CONTACT: Brandon Loveless: 661-583-3020 brandon@scvremodelingpros.com A report by USC and the L.A. Businss Council Institute finds workers must choose between high rents, substandard conditions and long commutes. SIGNAL FILE PHOTO

LIC# 1025140

14 · S U N D AYS I G N A L

O C TO B E R 14, 2018

FROM THE CITY MANAGER

When Santa Clarita celebrates our heroes By Ken Striplin City Manager

eople notice the changing seasons and mark the holidays in many different ways depending on where they live. Back East, fall is marked by colorful leaves carpeting the ground. Up in the Rockies, winter kicks off with a blanket of crisp, white snow. Here in Santa Clarita, we mark important calendar dates with red, white and blue. Several times a year, our city staff adorns streetlights along main thoroughfares throughout the city with American Flags. This patriotic display is quickly joined with faces of local residents. They may be your neighbor, son, daughter, brother or sister — but they are heroes to us all. The Hometown Hero Banner

Program was launched in 2016 as a way to recognize and pay tribute to currently serving, active duty personnel in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines and Coast Guard who are either Santa Clarita residents or immediate family members of current residents. The banners are hung on street poles in Canyon Country, Newhall, Saugus and Valencia, and our Gold Star Military Banners are displayed on the Fallen Warrior Memorial Bridge. They go up three times a year — before Memorial Day, the Fourth of July and Veteran’s Day. Our goal is that every hero is recognized, and to accomplish this, banner sponsorships are available. We encourage you to make sure your Hometown Hero is featured on a banner when they are hung up in a few short weeks for Veteran’s Day. In addition, new this year, we are offering an option to honor an active military member with a free digital banner on the Hometown Heroes website.

RE-ELECT

PROTECT TAXPAYERS & GROW OUR ECONOMY

• No new City taxes • Reformed Pensions • Expanded Economic Development

TOP: A city of Santa Clarita employee hangs a Hometown Heroes banner for local veteran Christopher Fields. RIGHT: Nick Randolph’s banner. COURTESY PHOTOS

I encourage you to take advantage of this wonderful opportunity to honor a family member or friend. To learn more about the program, including fees and deadlines, please visit santa-clarita.com/Heroes.

We are so thankful for the freedoms we enjoy in our country, and even more thankful to the men and women who serve and protect those freedoms. 

NEW RV/BOAT STORAGE Freeway Close in SCV Full Lighting and Video Security Concrete Paving, 8’ Walls Free Holding Tank Dump

PRESERVE OUR OPEN SPACE & ENVIRONMENT

• Formed Open Space Districts • Planned our 85-mile trail system • Fighting against the Cemex Mine SUPPORT PUBLIC SAFETY & ENHANCE OUR COMMUNITY

• Continue to be one of the safest cities in America • Created Veterans Historic Plaza • Completed the Cross Valley Connector

www.westeforcouncil2018.com Paid for by Weste for City Council 2018 ID# 1406208

(661) 230-6993 32204 Castaic Road, Castaic, CA 91384

AllLockedUpStorage.com

O C TO B E R 14, 2018

S U N D AYS I G N A L · 15

SPORTS

Visiting SCV alumn playing Saturday, part II By Haley Sawyer Signal Sports Editor

Cole Edwards, Cal Lutheran, Valencia The freshman has seen playing time in three games for the Kingsmen this season. Davis Koppenhaver, Duke, Hart Koppenhaver, now a senior, has been a starter for Duke since his sophomore year. At tight end, he’s had six receptions for 48 yards and three touchdowns. RB Marlow III, Bowling Green (Ohio), COC After spending two years at College of the Canyons, Marlow III has seen action in five games. He’s caught 19 passes for a total of 166 yards and one touchdown, which was scored on Sept. 22 against Miami (Ohio). Nick Moore, Oregon State, Hart The quarterback transferred to Oregon State after spending his freshman year at Eastern Washington. Jesus Mota, Central Missouri, COC Mota has played in three games this season on the offensive line against Missouri Western, Missouri Southern and Northeastern State. Jared Pane, Linfield College, Saugus The former Centurion has seen action in one game this season on Sept. 15 against Redlands in which he logged two tackles.

Move up to any one of my listings and I’ll buy your home* For information on this exclusive Guaranteed Sales Program, order a FREE report by visiting www.SCVSoldGuaranteed.com or

call Dave direct at 661-702-1940 for a Guaranteed Sale on Your Home. *Seller and Dave McKean must agree on guaranteed price and closing date at time of listing.

he college football ranks are filled with Santa Clarita Valley products. Former SCV players are making a name for themselves across the country. Here’s a list of players who have seen playing time thus far in the season. For more SCV alumni in college ball, check out last Sunday’s edition of The Signal online at SignalSCV.com. Nate Bradder, Occidental, Hart Bradder has played every down of offense for the Tigers at right tackle in his freshman year at Occidental.

The McKean Team Real Estate System

Pacific Summit Stevenson Ranch Formal Dining Rm • 2 Master Suites Private Backyard & Fire pit 3 Car Gar • Great Neighborhood FOR FREE RECORDED INFO 1-844-856-3105 ID: 9014

Mountain View Cottages Vaulted Ceilings • Cozy Living RM Private Backyard • No HOA 2 Car Gar • Great Neighborhood FOR FREE RECORDED INFO 1-844-856-3105 ID: 9018

HOMES WITH POOLS Free list w/ pics of homes for sale with in ground pools FREE recoded message 1-844-856-3105 ID # 4046

Single Story • Living Rm w/Fireplace 2 Car Gar • Private Backyard Great Neighborhood • Great Schools FOR FREE RECORDED INFO 1-844-856-3105 ID: 9012

Redshirt freshman Colby Pursell from Hart. COURTESY PHOTO

Colby Pursell, University of Colorado, Hart This season, as a redshirt freshman, Pursell has played in five games for the Buffalos against Colorado State, New Hampshire, UCLA and Nebraska. Prior to the start of the season, Pursell was given the John Wooten Award, which honors one particular player that demonstrates outstanding work ethic. Travis Reiner, Indiana State, Canyon/COC Reiner has amassed 949 yards on 24 punts this season for the Sycamores, with a game-high eight punts against Louisville for a total of 308 yards. He also logged his season-long in that game on a 58-yard punt. Ben Rosen, Pacific University, Hart Rosen scored his first collegiate touchdown against University of Dubuque on Sept. 8. In total, the running back has rushed for 18 yards on 12 carries and caught four passes for 38 yards and one touchdown. Jake Sammut, University of Texas at El Paso, COC The long snapper has played in one game this season for UTEP against See COLLEGE, page 18

FIND OUT WHAT YOUR HOME IS WORTH Before You Hire Anyone, Find Out What Your Home Is Worth. online free computerized valuation

www.FreeValenciaHomeValue.com

Northbridge Valencia

“Dave helped us short sale our first home without charging us a dime. He was even able to help us purchase this home when we thought we could not buy again. Dave's compassion was there and his skill was there and that is remembered. So when it came time to sell this home we wouldn't have called anyone else. Dave saved us money on the repairs and got us more then we thought for our home. Would definitely recommend The McKean Team to anyone. Dr. Dennis Englin”

Danielle Powell & Dave McKean CalBRE # 01408455

To Discuss the Sale or Purchase of Your Home Call Dave at 661-702-1940

www.ReferralsThatMakeADifference.com We are on a mission to raise $10,000 for Bangalore Children’s Home by donating a portion of our income from home sales to them. This ministry is very close to my heart as they work hard to help give these children a warm bed to sleep on, clothes and food. And as you probably know they need sponsorships and donations to continue their care and to start building on their own land. We are committed to donating a portion of our income from home sales to this very worthy cause. So, YOUR REFERRALS REALLY DO HELP THE KIDS… Who do you know that is looking to make a move this year that you can refer to The McKean Team?



16 · S U N D AYS I G N A L

O C TO B E R 14, 2018

SANTA CLARITA VALLEY CLOSED SALES 9/28/18 to 10/5/18 AREA/St#

St Name

Sold Price

Br/Ba

Sqft/Source

Price/SqFt

CANYON COUNTRY 18820 Mandan ST #410 27949 Tyler LN #351 27948 Tyler LN #435 26948 Flo LN #368 20362 Rue Crevier #608 27960 Avalon DR 27959 Avalon DR 27007 Karns CT #2402 16738 Highfalls ST 19636 Lonerock ST 19347 Four Oaks ST 19115 Stillmore ST 28963 Rue Daniel 18718 Delight ST 29320 Florabunda RD 26727 Cynthia CT 28207 Foxlane DR 30443 Sunrose PL 28171 Bakerton AVE 30114 Abelia RD 20022 Kent LN 17204 Mount Stephen AVE 14310 Platt CT 14410 Grandifloras RD 28258 Bakerton AVE 29428 Mammoth LN 15362 Rhododendron DR 29755 Shenandoah LN 29584 Mammoth LN 14360 Cascade CT 26860 Canyon End RD

$250,000 $287,500 $289,000 $326,000 $339,900 $365,000 $370,000 $395,000 $445,000 $450,000 $455,000 $465,000 $465,000 $466,500 $467,500 $480,000 $490,000 $505,000 $535,000 $535,000 $550,000 $555,000 $575,000 $599,900 $610,000 $615,000 $615,000 $665,000 $675,000 $675,000 $1.080 M

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

635/A 843/A 843/P 964/S 1170/A 1160/A 1120/A 1419/A 1693/A 1040/A 1388/A 1144/A 1610/A 1260/A 1040/A 1337/A 1400/A 1437/ 1400/A 1362/A 1709/A 1410/A 2022/A 2363/A 2490/A 1918/A 2230/A 2522/A 2682/A 2928/A 4304/A

$393.70 $341.04 $342.82 $338.17 $290.51 $314.66 $330.36 $278.37 $262.85 $432.69 $327.81 $406.47 $288.82 $370.24 $449.52 $359.01 $350.00 $351.43 $382.14 $392.80 $321.83 $393.62 $284.37 $253.87 $244.98 $320.65 $275.78 $263.68 $251.68 $230.53 $250.93

NEWHALL 26714 Oak Crossing RD #D 19226 Avenue Of The Oaks #A 19144 Avenue Of The Oaks #A 26745 Oak Crossing RD #A 25035 Peachland AVE #173 24410 Valle Del Oro #205 25264 Avenida Dorena #17 25916 San Clemente DR 23565 Neargate DR

$225,000 $225,000 $228,000 $249,000 $284,000 $310,000 $346,000 $605,000 $750,000

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

806/A 806/A 806/A 806/A 1023/A 819/A 827/A 2405/O 2366/A

$279.16 $279.16 $282.88 $308.93 $277.61 $378.51 $418.38 $251.56 $316.99

SAUGUS 22931 Banyan PL #269 19502 Laroda LN 21952 Moveo DR 21238 Alaminos DR 22425 Claremont DR 21210 Georgetown DR 19403 Maldonado CT 19761 Edmonds PL 22568 Lamplight PL 22101 Alaya DR 22564 Lamplight PL 20554 Cheryl LN 29026 Discovery Ridge DR 20345 Tamara PL 29133 Singing Wood DR 25323 Clear View CT 26473 Woodstone PL 28817 Silkwood CT 22431 Circle J Ranch RD

$425,000 $460,000 $489,000 $524,000 $581,000 $630,000 $638,990 $659,900 $680,000 $703,700 $720,000 $725,000 $733,000 $761,000 $790,000 $841,150 $950,000 $1.250 M $3.100 M

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

1040/A 1850/ 1544/A 1566/A 1608/P 2372/A 1925/B 1887/A 2806/A 2251/A 3107/A 3765/A 2829/A 2467/A 3374/A 3593/A 3820/A 3810/A 7000/B

$408.65 $248.65 $316.71 $334.61 $361.32 $265.60 $331.94 $349.71 $242.34 $312.62 $231.73 $192.56 $259.10 $308.47 $234.14 $234.11 $248.69 $328.08 $442.86

Thinking of selling your home now or within the next year? Please give Ray the Realtor and the SCV Home Team a call now at (661) 312-9461 and let’s get started. Whether I’m representing either Buyer or Seller (or Both!), you can count on Service, Commitment, and Value for you! CA DRE# 00918855. Based on information from the Southland Regional Association of REALTORS®/Multiple Listing Service for the week ending on 10/5/18. 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. All information should be independently reviewed and verified for accuracy. Properties may or may not be listed by the office/agent presenting the information. AREA/St#

St Name

VALENCIA 23515 Lyons AVE #154 24545 Town Center DR #5210 24431 Trevino DR #V10 23418 Gaucho CT 23731 Del Monte DR #176 26103 Mcbean #129 29209 Hatari WAY #76 28337 Mayfair DR 24024 Cottage Circle DR 25653 Almendra DR 23542 Chatfield WAY 27472 Sycamore Creek DR 25688 Velan DR 25373 Via Dona Christa 23650 Bajada DR 23801 Woodpark CT 23551 Avenida Rotella 23536 Via Boscana 23010 Vista Delgado DR 29020 Via Patina 23427 Berwick PL 23856 Chadsford DR 23249 Sorrel CT 26422 Marsala DR 28066 Liana LN 25669 Estoril ST 27902 Balsam CT 27163 Cedar Ridge PL 23418 Gaucho CT 23731 Del Monte DR #176 26103 Mcbean #129 29209 Hatari WAY #76 28337 Mayfair DR 24024 Cottage Circle DR 25653 Almendra DR 23542 Chatfield WAY 27472 Sycamore Creek DR 25688 Velan DR 25373 Via Dona Christa 23650 Bajada DR 23801 Woodpark CT 23551 Avenida Rotella 23536 Via Boscana 23010 Vista Delgado DR 29020 Via Patina 23427 Berwick PL 23856 Chadsford DR 23249 Sorrel CT 26422 Marsala DR 28066 Liana LN 25669 Estoril ST 27902 Balsam CT 27163 Cedar Ridge PL

Sold Price

$275,000 $339,000 $370,000 $378,000 $390,000 $435,000 $469,999 $470,000 $520,000 $522,990 $535,000 $541,000 $565,000 $575,000 $578,000 $600,000 $613,000 $621,800 $630,000 $642,000 $675,000 $675,000 $698,800 $705,000 $711,000 $718,900 $739,000 $862,500 $378,000 $390,000 $435,000 $469,999 $470,000 $520,000 $522,990 $535,000 $541,000 $565,000 $575,000 $578,000 $600,000 $613,000 $621,800 $630,000 $642,000 $675,000 $675,000 $698,800 $705,000 $711,000 $718,900 $739,000 $862,500

Br/Ba

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

Sqft/Source

987/A 730/A 1263/A 896/A 940/A 1154/A 1798/A 1234/A 1761/A 1128/A 982/A 1245/A 1938/A 1618/A 1330/A 1815/A 2114/A 1743/A 2322/A 2293/B 2064/S 2071/A 2573/A 1678/A 2811/A 2526/A 2380/O 2725/A 896/A 940/A 1154/A 1798/A 1234/A 1761/A 1128/A 982/A 1245/A 1938/A 1618/A 1330/A 1815/A 2114/A 1743/A 2322/A 2293/B 2064/S 2071/A 2573/A 1678/A 2811/A 2526/A 2380/O 2725/A

Price/SqFt

$278.62 $464.38 $292.95 $421.88 $414.89 $376.95 $261.40 $380.88 $295.29 $463.64 $544.81 $434.54 $291.54 $355.38 $434.59 $330.58 $289.97 $356.74 $271.32 $279.98 $327.03 $325.93 $271.59 $420.14 $252.93 $284.60 $310.50 $316.51 $421.88 $414.89 $376.95 $261.40 $380.88 $295.29 $463.64 $544.81 $434.54 $291.54 $355.38 $434.59 $330.58 $289.97 $356.74 $271.32 $279.98 $327.03 $325.93 $271.59 $420.14 $252.93 $284.60 $310.50 $316.51

S U N D AYS I G N A L · 17

LOCALNEWS

SM IR TA'

OST INFL

AL 20 NTI

HAVE YOUR MESSAGE SEEN BY THE 51 MOST INFLUENTIAL PEOPLE...

SANTA C LA

O C TO B E R 14, 2018

AND THE REST OF SANTA CLARITA ALSO

During a traffic stop, deputies discovered drugs hidden in tubs of kitty litter. COURTESY PHOTO

Sheriff’s Department subject of two probes Inspector general investigates allegations of racial profiling of Latino drivers on I-5 By Jim Holt Signal Senior Staff Writer

Whether Latino motorists are victims of racial profiling, singled out allegedly by members of a specialty highway enforcement squad of the Los Angeles County Sheriff ’s Department, is now the subject of two independent probes overseen by the county inspector general. The probes were requested following recent media reports that almost 70 percent of motorists stopped between 2012 and last year were found to be Latino, two-thirds of whom had their vehicles searched — an incident rate much higher than motorists from other racial and ethnic groups. Responding to a Los Angeles Times article, L.A. County 1st District Supervisor Hilda L. Solis called on complaint investigators of both the Office of the Inspector General and the Civilian Oversight Commission

to look into the suspicion of racial profiling. In a prepared written statement, Solis said: “I have fought my entire life to end disparate impacts such as racial profiling on people of color, including Latinos.”

Racial profiling “Racial profiling is a civil rights violation,” she said. “It’s deeply concerning that racial profiling could have been used on Latino drivers in L.A. County. The Civilian Oversight Commission and the OIG exist for this very reason, and I fully support their efforts during this review,” she said. “It’s a positive step that the sheriff concurs, and that his department will work with the COC and the OIG during this process.” The LASD team at the heart of See SHERIFF’S, page 40

The Signal’s 14th annual tribute to the valley’s most influential people will be seen by over 180,000 print and online readers. Don’t miss this opportunity to be a part of this annual tribute publication.

You’ll be in great company! Ad space deadline is Wednesday, October 17, 2018. Contact The Signal’s Advertising Department.

SignalSCV. com

(661) 259-1234

18 · S U N D AYS I G N A L

O C TO B E R 14, 2018

LET US GIVE YOU MONEY TO BUY A HOUSE! CALL RICH TODAY 661-714-1400 We can give you money to help you buy your own home!! We know that a lot of potential home buyers are kept from their dream of home ownership because they do not have enough money. By giving our clients money to help buy a home we sell more homes!! It’s just that simple!!

COLLEGE

Continued from page 15

At Bowling Green (Ohio), Marlow III has seen action in five games including a touchdown against Miami. COURTESY PHOTO.

New Mexico State. He’s following up a junior season in which he played in all 12 contests and had four tackles.

six games for the Tigers. The redshirt junior currently is 108-of-156 passing for 1,549 yards and 15 touchdowns.

AJ Stanley, Southern Utah University, Hart Stanley, a redshirt freshman, has 23 tackles in five games so far this season. His best performance came against Oregon State, where he chipped in eight tackles and forced one fumble.

Jay Jay Wilson, Arizona State, Valencia Wilson has played primarily at the linebacker position for the Sun Devils, picking up nine tackles, one forced fumble and one pass breakup in three games this season.

Brady White, University of Memphis, Hart After transferring from Arizona State in January, White has played in

Connor Wingenroth, Colgate, Hart In his senior year, Wingenroth has caught two passes for 37 yards after being sidelined for last season due to injury. 

The money comes from a combination of the Realtor and the lender who both agree to give up some of their commission to help the buyer(s). Our goal is to make it as easy and as cost effective as possible for our clients to buy their homes. We are reinforcing the dream of homeownership and we are very proud to do so.

RICHSZERMAN@GMAIL.COM RICHARD SZERMAN BRE LIC #01179940 ALTA REALTY GROUP, CA CORP BRE LIC #02025297

Hart’s Ben Rosen (10) pushes off teammate Nathan Bradder (65) to escape Downey’s defense during a game while playing for Hart. Rosen now plays for Pacific University. SIGNAL FILE PHOTO.

O C TO B E R 14, 2018

S U N D AYS I G N A L · 19

S C V F E AT U R E

HOUSING

Continued from page 13

because there will be a breaking point for employees forced to choose between sky-high rents, substandard conditions or long commutes — and they are likely to pick getting out of L.A.,” Mary Leslie, president of the L.A. Business Council Institute, said in a statement. Today, more workers are considering a “trade-off ” when buying a home, according to Painter. “When buying a home, they buy the one with the greater commute,” he said. “They choose to trade off amenities, and they have to do so farther away than renters. First-time homeowners are living farther away.” Between 2005 and 2015, the report found, the number of workers traveling long distances to work in the downtown area increased between two and six minutes per day, a 7 percent rise in daily commute times. With more people on the road longer and farther away, traffic on the

roads in and around the Los Angeles area is worsening. “People in the Santa Clarita Valley are driving 60 miles plus to work every day,” said Dean Vincent, chairman of the Santa Clarita Valley Division of the Southland Regional Association of Realtors. “We are seeing a lot of people from here, and even the Antelope Valley, come to L.A. That’s the congestion on the freeways.” Homeowners in health care and social assistance, and in professional, scientific and technical service industries, face longer commute times than renters in the same field. Results were backward for those in accommodation and food services, as homeowners in these industries had a shorter commute than renters. This may be due to the industries having a much larger share of lower-income workers, who may have fewer options of where to live as a result of rising housing costs. “The burden is greatest for low-income employees, who face longer commutes and increasing housing

costs, factors that can significantly impact one’s quality of life,” the report said.

Offering a solution Simply put, the solution comes down to supply and demand, Vincent said. “If we were to have 100,000 more homes today, it would dynamically change things,” he said. ”There would be more homes, but because we don’t have them, prices go up.” Holly Schroeder, president and CEO of the SCV Economic Development Corp., said the lack of housing, particularly affordable housing, is not just in Los Angeles. “Here in the Santa Clarita Valley, we have not been producing new housing at a rate needed to keep up with the population growth,” she said. “That is true across L.A. County. The rising cost is a challenge for our companies and our employers.” The light at the end of the tunnel, Schroeder added, is that several new housing projects are underway to

“People in the Santa Clarita Valley are driving 60 miles plus to work every day,” said Dean Vincent, chairman of the SCV Division of the Southland Regional Association of Realtors. SIGNAL FILE PHOTO

keep up with the demand of the population growth. To help employers recruit and retain workers, the study recommends that a business offer housing-related assistance such as homebuyer education, relocation reimbursements and mortgage assistance. Public agencies could use tax abatement programs or discounted ground leases to reduce construction and maintenance costs in affordable units. To view the full report, visit labusinesscouncil.org. 

2 0 · S U N D AY S I G N A L

Opinion

O C TO B E R 14, 2018

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

OURVIEW

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

Civility and Criticism: It Our Endorsements: 2 Incumbents, 1 Newcomer Can Start With Each of Us By The Signal Editorial Board

hen you ask local residents what their biggest complaint is about living in Santa Clarita, odds are the response will consist of one word: Traffic. In fact, when we listened to the City Council candidates speak at the forum we hosted a couple of weeks ago, it was evident that they hear it, too. Yes, there are other issues this campaign season: Affordable housing, the question of how to meet the needs of a growing homeless population, public safety, arts programs, the needs of seniors, community beautification — they’re all among the issues that have captured some of the candidates’ bandwidth. But the one that keeps popping up, now as it has for the past quarter-century, is traffic. That’s our worst problem. Think of other cities and the problems they deal with. Move to Chicago, and suddenly your fear of getting shot will rise tenfold. Move to Michigan and there’s a distinct chance your tap water will be brown. Move to downtown L.A., and you’ll see what a real homelessness crisis looks like. If traffic is our worst problem, then

By David Hegg

that’s what you’d call a “First World” problem to have. The point is, all in all, we’ve got it pretty darn good here in Santa Clarita. The credit for that belongs, in some part, to all of us who comprise the community — and it also goes to our local elected leaders. In short, the Santa Clarita City Council and the city staff have done a phenomenal job of addressing local needs and making Santa Clarita a highly desirable place to live, work, play and raise a family. Each of the three City Council incumbents seeking re-election on Nov. 6 have played a role in that, and they each deserve our praise and thanks for a job well done. Mayor Laurene Weste, Mayor Pro Tem Marsha McLean and Councilman Bill Miranda have provided our city strong leadership and all three have served with passion for the job. With that being said, as we head to the polls, we’ve also concluded that, as See OUR VIEW, page 22

iven that critique has become one of our most enjoyed national pastimes, I’m offering some thoughts on how to shape our criticisms in ways that can spur understanding, progress and acceptable change rather than incite anger, division and retaliation. Whether you take the high road and bring your complaints face-to-face or wimp out and do it from behind a keyboard, the following suggestions can help your comments and criticisms bring benefit rather than further acrimony. Before going on, I must confess my own bias in this area. Every leader becomes the target of criticism, and I am no exception. So, taking full advantage of my years of experience as an emotional punching bag, I offer these suggestions to those of you who find yourselves displeased with the actions of others in your lives. First, get your facts straight. Regardless of how you see things, you almost never have all the facts, especially if you’ve “heard” about the problem rather than been a principal in it. I can tell

you from experience that the retelling of stories, even by good and trusted friends, often comes with bias and prejudice baked in. So, before you embarrass yourself with an ignorant foray into a harsh confrontation, make sure you have at least 90 percent of the truth. Second, set your expectations. As you prepare to confront a leader, or someone you believe has acted wrongly, ask yourself what you hope to accomplish. Are you simply mad and just want to rant? Are you willing to listen first? Are you expecting a complete change of mind and action on the part of the one you’re confronting? Are you willing to start an ongoing discussion that will mean future times together? And most important, if you’ve spotted a problem, are you willing to be part of the solution? Third, lose the emotion. If all you want is to hurt the other person, then just rush in and say things you’ll later regret. But if you want to understand, dialogue and see progress, realize emotional outbursts, generalizations, See HEGG, page 22

READERLETTERS

Councilman Kellar Offers Endorsements for Nov. 6 It is not often that I write a letter to the editor in our local paper. I do so now as I feel it very important to express my concerns for the upcoming election. Make no mistake about it, who we put in office at various levels of government is extremely important to all of us living here. All one has to do is look back to early 2017 when the minimum wage was increased, only to be followed by a 12cent tax increase on gasoline. That tax nullified any

benefit to those who received the wage increase. Truth is, it was nothing more than just another tax scheme coming out of Sacramento. You may rest assured, however, our state Assembly representatives Dante Acosta and Tom Lackey fought for us in Sacramento and opposed that tax. They both have been outstanding representatives and we must keep them in office, working for us. Rep. Steve Knight has done great work for us in Washington, D.C. I knew his father Pete Knight, who was our state senator. No wonder Congressman Knight has been so good, as he comes from fine stock. He has been effective in the battle

against CEMEX (the proposed mega gravel mine) by working across the aisle with legislation that was passed. He has been a true champion of this community by obtaining badly needed money ($47 million) for the Interstate 5 corridor improvements as well as the St. Francis Dam monument. Finally, I want to encourage support for a newcomer in our local political scene, and that is Jason Gibbs. He is running for a seat on our City Council and, frankly, we need new people on occasion. Jason, his wife Chandra and two children live in See LETTERS, page 21

2 1 · S U N D AY S I G N A L

O C TO B E R 14, 2018

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 R I C K M C K E E

Affordable Housing Is Our Field of Dreams By Tim Whyte Signal Editor

here’s a bit of a contradiction circulating among candidates for local and regional office, and it goes something like this: We have a housing crisis. There’s not enough affordable housing! We need to build more affordable housing! And this traffic is insane! We have to do something about the traffic. There’s too much growth going on! Huh? To recap: It seems a lot of our candidates are saying, all at once, that we need to build more affordable housing, we have a housing shortage, and we have too much growth and traffic. Yeah. That math doesn’t add up. First things first: I agree that we need more affordable housing in our neck of the woods. I’ve got one kid in college (our boy Luc is a junior and playing hockey for the University of Oklahoma. Boomer Sooner!) and our daughter Brooke is a senior at Saugus High School and just this week committed to Washington State University. Go Wazoo! #FutureCoug That mini-brag aside, like many other parents, I would love it if my kids could afford to come back “home” to Santa Clarita — and have homes of their own here. But looking around at rents and real estate values, I’m coming to the same conclusion many before me have reached: Who can afford it? Especially if you’re young, just out of college or even a couple years removed from graduation. Finding an affordable place can be an equally daunting task for young singles, married DINKs (dual income, no kids) or, even tougher, young families. So, I think we can all agree, we’d like to see more affordable housing in

northern Los Angeles County. Who’s going to build it? The obvious answer would be, as my dad jokingly calls them, “Those damn developers.” (It’s OK. My dad is allowed — he’s retired but his career was spent as an engineer in the development

industry.) So, let’s say we want the developers to build affordable housing so our young people and our seniors can have places to live. Now factor in all the fees, environmental requirements, flaming governmental hoops to jump through and the legal hostility that seems to crop up from the environmentalists whenever anyone proposes to build anything more ambitious than a single log cabin with no running water. Building homes is expensive enough. California makes it insane. So, we want to get the developers to build “affordable” housing, which, by the way, has its own legal definition tied into a buyer or renter’s income level. The formulas can be complicated, kind of like keeping score in bowling. The developers’ margins on “affordable” units are paper-thin. They need to make that up somewhere because, after all, being a damn developer is a business and they’ve got fancy cars and mistresses to pay for. So, up go the “non-affordable” units that bring in the revenue to make a project profitable and allow the “affordable” part of a project to basically serve as a loss leader. All of this equates to growth and, if you’ll follow the daisy chain of actions and consequences, will generate more traffic. Obviously, there are measures that can be taken to reduce the traffic impacts of a development, and if you See WHYTE, page 22

LETTERS

Continued from page 20

Saugus. Jason has a master’s degree in mechanical engineering and is deputy director of West Coast operations for GP Strategies Corp. His wife Chandra also has her master’s degree in biomedical engineering and works at Boston Scientific. Having the opportunity of getting to know this man has made me a big fan of him. He is not running a campaign trying to be critical of this city, but rather of how he can be part of its continued success. He clearly understands the many issues we are all confronted with such as public safety, roads, opioids and homelessness, to name a few. Jason sits on the bond oversight committee for the Saugus Union School District Measure EE, and has proven his ability to work with others effectively. He has already articulated a plan to assist with public safety through the creation of a public safety commission, something that makes a lot of sense that can work on so many issues through improved communication, strategizing and implementation. Nov. 6 is rapidly coming. Please do not forget to vote and I hope you will support candidates Dante Acos-

ta and Tom Lackey for state Assembly, Steve Knight for Congress and Jason Gibbs for City Council. Councilman Bob Kellar Santa Clarita

Beware Deceptive Ads In response to Jonathan Kraut’s (Oct. 9) opinion article, “Misleading ads and the truth on state props,” he states, “I am used to TV radio ads directing me to vote because of untrue sweeping statements.” He continues with, “Not trusting what these ads portray, I actually like to read the fine print.” With these statements Mr. Kraut hits the actual matter on the head. It’s not just these ads with their deceptive rhetoric but it is also candidates. There are so many lies on both sides that people just say, “The hell with it!” Like Mr. Kraut, I too research all the specifics as I hope others do, because this is a must to rightly vote for what you feel is right for your betterment, our city our state and our country. Ken Dean, Canyon Country 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.

2 2 · S U N D AY S I G N A L

O C TO B E R 14, 2018

Opinion

OUR VIEW

Continued from page 20

with all bodies of leadership, a time comes for transition and change. Santa Clarita, now and in the next few years, is at such a crossroads. It’s time for some new blood, new ideas and fresh perspectives. But it also should be a smooth transition rather than a wholesale upheaval. With that balance in mind, in the City Council election of 2018 we have chosen to endorse Mayor Laurene Weste for re-election, along with the relative newcomer, incumbent Bill Miranda, and one challenger: Jason Gibbs. Weste, for her part, has earned one more term as she has helped lead Santa Clarita through a period of exciting change, with new trails and open space being added — a passion of hers — the revitalization of Old Town Newhall, and new sheriff ’s and fire stations under construction. She remains committed to elevating the quality of life for Santa Clarita residents and brings a great deal of energy to the job of a City Council member. With that being said, she has been on the council for 20 years and, in four years when her next term expires, she may want to consider passing the torch. Miranda was appointed to the council just last year, to fill the remainder of Dante Acosta’s council term after Acosta was elected to the state Assembly. So, even though he’s an incumbent, Miranda is still a relative newcomer to City Hall and has made a good impression in his first year and a half on the job. We believe he has earned a full four-year term. He’s an Air Force veteran and,

It’s time for some new blood, new ideas and fresh perspectives. But it also should be a smooth transition rather than a wholesale upheaval.

here five years ago. “I’m in! Pull up the drawbridge!” The point: Yes, we have real issues to solve when it comes to affordable housing, traffic and growth. But the cold, hard fact remains: If we’re going to have the first thing, we’ll have the second and third things, too. Affordable housing: If you build it, growth and traffic will come. My 2 cents? I think it’ll be worth it, if we manage it well.

hurtful statements, and above all, threats will never add up to being heard, understood and valued. Fourth, scan your own position carefully. Are your arguments sound? Will your past behavior or the allowances you’ve made paint you as a hypocrite? Have you distinguished yourself as someone who is always upset about something? Or have you shown you are a level-headed, reasonable person whose insights will be received as valuable? Fifth, when you finally begin a conversation with the one you intend to criticize, start with these three words: “Help me understand …” Almost certainly, despite your efforts to know everything, there are things you don’t know, or don’t understand. When you seek first to understand, and only then to inform, you start off with a much higher chance of bringing about mutual understanding and agreement. Lastly, timing is everything. Don’t ambush the other person. Set up a time to talk and prepare your heart and mind to come away satisfied that you have acted and spoken in a mature, respectful and helpful way, regardless of the outcome. Demand the best of yourself and treat the other person the way you want them to treat you. In our world conflict is inevitable. Even worse, since the advent of social media, the possibility of error being taken as fact has grown exponentially. And to top it off, we’ve become a society that no longer holds to basic rules of interpersonal civility. What is most astounding is the great paradox in which the right to offend, and the right to never be offended, have both become “unalienable rights” in a society that considers it proper to be greatly offensive to those they deem offensive. In the end, all I’m campaigning for is a return to mature adulthood on the part of those purporting to be mature adults. Sadly, we have enough models of childish behavior. If we’re ever to regain a level of real civility it will have to start with us, the common folk, who still remember when polite conversation, even in times of conflict, left us all feeling better for it.

Tim Whyte is editor of The Signal. His column appears Sundays. Email: twhyte@signalscv.com. Twitter: @TimWhyte. 

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

as former CEO of the SCV Latino Chamber of Commerce, he brings a welcome pro-business attitude to his role on the council. That brings us to the challenger, Jason Gibbs. He has drawn the endorsement of Councilman Bob Kellar, who isn’t up for re-election this year but has cast an eye toward the future in endorsing Gibbs in June rather than endorsing all three of his council colleagues. Kellar said at the time: “I’m impressed with this man. We keep talking in this city about how we need to get new blood involved with our community. We need young people, and we’ve got a great opportunity in this young man.” Of the need for transition in the city’s leadership, Kellar said: “I think we’ve been a good team, working together… But that doesn’t take away from the fact that — what are we gonna do? Die at 90 with the same people on City Council? That’s not a good plan. We need some young people to work with the community as we continue to move forward in this city.” We agree. That’s not to take anything away from the veteran leadership, but it’s inevitable that the time comes for fresh perspectives and new leaders to build upon what their predecessors have created. Gibbs, one of a dozen challengers seeking to unseat council incumbents, emerges from a large field of contenders, about a half-dozen

WHYTE

Continued from page 21

look around Santa Clarita's road network today and compare it to what we had 30 years ago, it’s like night and day. Yes, we still have traffic. But we have traffic on a lot more roads now! It’s quite the conundrum. Now, as we always have, we have a crop of “new” residents, all of whom want to be the last ones in. It always cracks me up when you talk to someone who says, “I can’t believe they’re allowing all this new growth,” and then you find out they moved

HEGG

Continued from page 20

of whom would be solid choices to assume local leadership roles. Gibbs stood out to us, though, for his level-headed approach to the issues and his balance of both maturity and relative youth. At 37, Gibbs is a young professional who works as deputy director of West Coast operations for GP Strategies Corp., which is a global provider of technical training and other services for businesses. He’s a decade younger than anyone else on the City Council, and he and his wife are raising their family here in Santa Clarita. He recognizes that Santa Clarita has done a great job of building a desirable community, so this isn’t a tear-down-and-rebuild project. As he put it in a recent letter to the editor: “The problems of tomorrow cannot be solved with the thinking of yesterday alone. My fresh perspective on the struggles of young families is what our community desires and deserves at City Hall, while ensuring that our founding principles are never sacrificed for political ideology.” That’s a common-sense approach. With Gibbs joining Weste, Miranda, Kellar and Cameron Smyth on the council, we’re confident that Santa Clarita will have the right mix of experienced leadership and new blood. As our City Council moves through this period of transition, we can’t wait to see what’s next for Santa Clarita. 

O C TO B E R 14, 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. Baby and Toddler Storytime is designed to build early language and literacy foundations for children six months to three years old. Sing and bounce, read and rhyme. Sept. 10 to Nov. 15 • Canyon Country Library: Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays 9:30 a.m. • Newhall Library: Tuesdays and Wednesdays 10 a.m. • Valencia Library: Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays 10 a.m. and Tuesdays 11 a.m. Twos and Threes Storytime • Canyon Country Library: Mondays and Tuesdays 11 a.m., Wednesdays 9:30 a.m. • Newhall Library: Mondays and Thursdays 10 a.m. Wednesdays 11 a.m. • Valencia Library: Tuesdays at 10 a.m. Wednesdays and Thursdays at 11 a.m. School Readiness Storytime, 3- to 5-year olds. • Canyon Country Library: Wednesdays at 11 a.m. • Newhall Library: Tuesdays at 11 a.m. • Valencia Library: Mondays at 11 a.m. Valencia Library, 23743 Valencia Blvd. Canyon Country Jo Anne Darcy Library, 18601 Soledad Canyon Road. Old Town Newhall Library, 24500 Main St. Info: SantaClaritaLibrary.com or (661) 259-0750. Sundays, 7:30 a.m. Dragon Boat Paddling. Experience a long Dragon boat with the Castaic Lake Dragon Boat team and a twohour physical workout. Free, no experience necessary. Paddle and PFD personal flotation device provided. Info: https://teamdragon eyes.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. to 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 SantaClarita Volunteers.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. to 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

EVENTS BY DATE Sunday, Oct. 14, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. 18th annual Bow-Wows & Meows Pet Fair. Free, family-friendly festival at William S. Hart Park, 24151 Newhall Ave., Newhall 91321. Explore more than 70 pet-related vendors, low cost vaccines will be available on site, pet photographer, pet psychic and more. Famous Fun Dog Show and entertainment. Food trucks, raffles

= Family Friendly Event and more than 200 dogs, cats, puppies and kittens will be present and available for adoption. Info: www.BowWowsAndMeows.org Sunday, Oct. 14, 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: \ 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, Oct. 14, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Halloween at The Gentle Barn, the annual Gentle Halloween. Activities include: 18th birthday party for Truffles the Pig, costume contests, a Gentle 12 sponsor and feeding pumpkins to the animals. Tickets should be reserved at www. gentlebarn.org. Thursday, Oct. 18, 6:30-8:30 p.m. Cookies & Conversation: Ballot Measure Discussion. This free event is an opportunity to engage in a civil, non-partisan dialogue regarding measures on the upcoming November ballot while

indulging your sweet tooth. It is sponsored by the SCV League of Women Voters and College of the Canyons Center for Civic Engagement and Associated Student Government. College of the Canyons University Center, Foyer 26455 Rockwell Canyon Road, Santa Clarita, 91355. Info: Email: robinec16@aol.com Thursday, Oct. 18, 7-10 p.m. SENSES Block Party – Monster Mash. Live music, food trucks, themed activities and adult beverages to Main Street every Third Thursday from March to October. Snap a photo at the lounge, grab a drink from the on-street bar, dance the night away to high energy performers, and order a bite from the food trucks or local restaurants. Main Street and Market Street, Newhall. Info: http://thursdaysatnewhall. com/senses/ Thursday, Oct. 18 Women in Touch members meeting 9-10:30 a.m. Women in Touch is a group of women supporting women personally and professionally. Meet with local female business owners in a mastermind type meeting with accountability for goal setting. Mimi’s Cafe, back room 24201 Magic Mountain Pkwy, Valencia, 91355. Info: www. WomenInTouchSCV.com.

NEW RV/BOAT STORA

Freeway ! N! ! Close in SCV N I W WI WIN Full Lighting and Video Secu CONGRATULATIONS to VERONICA (BONNIE) VALVO of VALENCIA — the winner of $100 for correctly Concrete Paving, 8’ Wall identifying the artwork as being from Facey Medical Group advertisement on page 3 of our Sept. 30 issue. Free Holding Tank Dump 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.

(661) 230-6993

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

32204 Castaic Road, Castaic, CA 91384

AllLockedUpStorage.com Advertiser: Page # Name: Address:

Phone:

This week’s entries are due Wed. Oct. 24. Winner to be announced in 2 weeks.

24 · S U N D AYS I G N A L

O C TO B E R 14, 2018

Corpses, Critters & Sons o’ Movie Stars

fine Sunday morn to y’all and all y’all. We’ve a most interesting trek ahead. We’ll visit gunfighters and movie star children. We’ll see a Signal editor involved in the strangest of karma. There’s war games and strange range wars, fires, Indian graves and the always hard to top: End of the World. What say? Shall we mosey into the mystic?

WAY BACK WHEN & THEN SOME

• In October 1834, the diminutive Mexican lieutenant, Antonio del Valle, arrived at the neighboring Mission San Fernando to dismantle the Catholic Church’s holdings and turn the land over to the Indians. Which was a ruse. Mexico’s purpose was cosmetic. Wealthy and powerful landowners quickly took the land from the Native Americans. Del Valle soon became one of them. In lieu of back wages, the governor of Mexican-run California handed over the entire Santa Clarita Valley to Tony. • Oct. 12, 1833, one of the Wild West’s most notorious and eclectic characters, William “Wurt” Jenkins, was born in Circleville, Ohio. He would become known as “The Baron of Alcatraz” for trying to homestead the San Francisco island. He was also one of the patriarchs in the deadliest range war in American history, right here in the SCV. It lasted nearly 40 years and somewhere between 27 and 40 men were killed in what started as a ranch border dispute in Castaic.

OCT. 14, 1928

• I can’t even imagine this getting on the libertine California ballot today. But 90 years back, voters put up a measure called The Anti-Rodeo Initiative to outlaw not only rodeo, but also all accoutrements associated with riding — stirrups, spurs, saddles, whips, chaps. Sounds like the décor of a West Hollywood nightclub. Or so Tom Frew tells us. • Locally, the SCV had 480 registered voters. I’m guessing not one voted No Rodeo. • Ah, The Mighty Signal. Always able to predict the future, sez we. Editor A.B. “Dad” Thatcher penned an editorial, both condemning boxing and predicting it would be extinct by 1929. • Green farming is not exactly new.

Several local ranchers attended a ed piece without a title. Trueblood held a contest, asking readers to subsymposium on how to recycle such mit a final name for his think piece. things as cottonseed, peanut husks, Local muckycornstalks muck Lloyd and sugar Houghton cane bawas the gasse. That’s winner. Then, A weekly trailride through the fibrous Trueblood material left Santa Clarita Valley History had to quickfrom the ly apolocane and can gize. Seems by John Boston be used for George Bjorseverything tad owned a from buildgas station ing material to fuel. in town called The Signal Service • Today, many of us are glued to Station with a logo suspiciously like our sets, watching Major League Trueblood’s blinking stop light. Baseball playoffs. Ninety years back, OCT. 14, 1948 locals were leaning forward, catching • Here’s an unusual range war for the 1928 World Series. For the first you: Beekeepers vs. Sheep Herders. time ever, a team swept the series in The apiarists complained Basque four. Some guy named Babe Ruth hit sheepmen were setting fires to clear three home runs in the final game out brush and encourage grass over St. Louis. growth. This drove away bees. Also, the sagebrush tended to pull the wool OCT. 14, 1938 not over shepherds’ eyes, but off their • All things change. For nearly a flocks. quarter-century, Signal owner Fred • Ah, the media. A Los Angeles Trueblood ran his front-page opinion newspaper wrote that California was column, The Signal Tower. For the running out of food. Here in the SCV, first few weeks, Trueblood ran his op/ farmers were letting crops rot in the field because the markets were gutted. • Jay Silverheels was the master of ceremonies at the annual Melody Ranch picnic. Jay would later become famous as The Lone Ranger’s sidekick, Tonto. About 1,000 attended. On average, they filmed three movies a week at the Placerita movie ranch. Sure miss those days when we had the Cowboy Fest there. It’s just not the same. • This week in 1948, Hart High was just three years old and had no seniors. They lost to the posh Hollywood rival, the Black Foxe Hills Military Institute, 32-nada. Foxe Hills was a strict domicile for the boys of Hollywood’s rich and famous, like Bobby and Jimmy Keaton (above), Spencer Turner discovered something rare near sons of the famed comic, Buster. Antelope Valley — antelopes. While our neighThe school lasted until 1968, when bors to the northeast named the valley after it couldn’t make ends meet and was the bouncy deer, they pretty much disappeared swallowed up by the neighboring by the 20th century, victims of bad weather and Wilshire Country Club. My pal, Tom over-hunting. An unofficial count estimated Gibson, was the starting quarterback there were 7,000 Antilocapra americana in AV. for Hart in that 1948 game. First Supposedly, the last one was spotted 20 years earlier. Forest ranger Turner reported stumbling person to throw a high school touchdown in the SCV, back in 1945. Miss upon a real, live antelope and her fawn up in the southern foothills by Acton in October 1938. that darn guy …

The Time Ranger

OCT. 14, 1958

• It was speculated that a careless cigarette started a brush fire that erupted into a 1,000-acre blaze near Beale’s Cut (off Sierra Highway, near the San Fernando Valley). Hopi Indian, World War II vet and fireman Leland Dennis was cremated alive, fighting the inferno. Dennis and another fireman were found in the usual “Boxer” position in which many flame victims are discovered. The knees are bent and the elbows flexed like a fighter in a crouch, waiting for an opening. The reason, of course, is that the intense heat causes the muscles and tendons to shrink and draw up.

OCT. 14, 1968

• Local Jehovah’s Witness minister Clyde Novak was handing out literature at College of the Canyons, predicting the world would end in the fall of 1975. I must have slept through that particular event. • Teachers at COC, by the way, started out at $7,900 a month and capped out at $15,200. • John Landis, no relation to the director, died in a motorcycle accident here. He was 20. Odd happenstance? In 1958, Signal editor Fred Trueblood II was at Melody Ranch when he heard cries for help. A 10-year-old boy had fallen into a well and was drowning. Trueblood jumped in and saved his life. The boy was John Landis. • A local construction worker unearthed an Indian burial ground at a future Hydraulic Research parking lot site. At first, forensics experts thought the bones were just a century or two old and belonged to local mission Indians. Further tests indicated they were more than 600 years old. Much of the Valencia Industrial Center was the site of various Indian villages, including the Tataviam capital of Chaguayabit. 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”and other books. Go to Amazon.com. Look up John Boston and go buy some. 

O C TO B E R 14, 2018

S U N D AYS I G N A L · 25

K I D S & FA M I LY

Tips for fun and safe trick-or-treating trips By Brennon Dixson Signal Staff Writer

his Halloween season, children in the Santa Clarita Valley will focus their attention towards costumes and candy, and according to Sheriff ’s Department officials, parents should, as well. On Halloween, it’s important to

practice basic, common-sense safety, said Deputy Kevin Duxbury of the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff ’s Station. “I think the most important thing for parents to do is to keep an eye on the candy while their children go doorto-door.” Kids shouldn’t eat any candy until they’re home where parents can inspect each piece, “and anything that isn’t vacuum sealed should be thrown

Easy steps for a DIY vampire look By Jon Stein Signal contributing writer

away,” Duxbury said. “That includes fruits and baked goods,” because these are the most common methods used to harm children during Halloween. “If you have younger children, you should go with them door-to-door,” the deputy said. “If you have older kids, then I advise parents give them a specific route and length of time to

ith Halloween right around the corner, it’s time to start thinking about what to wear for Oct. 31. While you’re sure to see plenty of “Black Panther” and “Incredibles” costumes while trick-or-treating this year, why not think a bit outside the costume bag? Each week, we’ll showcase a simple-to-accomplish look that is sure to be a big hit at your Halloween party. This week, we’re going retro to showcase a modern twist on a classic monster: Wear your favorite black dress and transform yourself into a sultry vampire in just four simple steps. Head over to your favorite local Halloween store and pick up the following: a makeup sponge; makeup in pale, bruised red and purple; a makeup brush; fake vampire teeth. With any makeup, please read the instructions thoroughly to ensure it is safe for use around the eyes and/or mouth. We recommend using a Water Activated makeup formula, but use whatever you are most comfortable with. Now, follow along. First using the sponge, apply the pale makeup to your entire face and neck. If desired, you may also apply to arms and shoulders. Using a clean side of the sponge, apply purple makeup to your eyelids and lower lash line for your eyeshadow. Still using the sponge

applicator, apply black makeup over the purple and blend to create a smokey eye effect. With a liner brush, use the black makeup as eyeliner. If desired, wet the brush side of the dual tip applicator and use the black makeup to darken your eyebrows. With a clean sponge, apply the bruised red makeup as a lipstick. Thoroughly rinse the liner brush and, using just the very tip of your liner brush, carefully apply the bruised red makeup in delicate lines coming down from the eyes and neck to create veins. Thoroughly rinse the liner brush and use it with water to thin down some of the red makeup. Apply the red makeup under your eyes, allowing it to drip down like blood. And, voila! You’ve created the ultimate vampire makeup in just minutes. Throw in some optional fake vampire teeth for added effect. For additional Makeup ideas, visit www.woochie.com/inspiration, where you can also purchase this look as an all-in-one kit.

Children gather at the SCV Sheriff’s station for last year’s Haunted Jailhouse. SIGNAL FILE PHOTO.

be gone. That way, if they are gone for an extended amount of time, then (parents) know where to look for them.” Various school sites in the local dis See Halloween, page 28

www.achorusline.net

26 · S U N D AYS I G N A L

O C TO B E R 14, 2018

K I D S & FA M I LY

Donna’s Day: Creative Family Fun

Everyday moments help build bonds By Donna Erickson Signal Contributing Writer

et’s face it. As parents, no matter our ages, amid all the busyness and to-dos of family life, there is one unshakeable truth: Kids are our priority, our most important responsibility and our greatest joy. They are what we care about most. And it’s the little things that parents do that really count: a hug on the way to school, a vote of confidence before a big test, an “I’m so happy to see you” when they walk in the door. These gestures help build a home on rock-solid ground. No matter what the day is like, you and your children can find time to enjoy yourselves while building a stronger relationship. Look for opportunities to connect. It can be in the car while driving to fall games or when you’re simply tossing the salad for dinner. Maybe it’s in the morning when you’re scurrying around, you might say, “Honey, let’s make breakfast,” while extending the marmalade jar, a little spoon and a piece of toast. Move through your day with an eye toward sharing the everyday moments. Eavesdropping over my backyard fence, I observed just that. Scott, a dad of two, was engaged with daughter Sylvia, staining the wood of an old backyard playset to protect it for the coming snowy winter. Instead of doing

it himself, he shared the job with her. Among her many questions, Sylvia asked why the bees flying by might sting her. He gently calmed her fears and then talked about the wonderful things bees do for our environment. Shoulder to shoulder, leaning over the top deck of the playset, dad and daughter connected with each brushstroke and dip in the paint can. Are you planning a yummy apple dessert recipe you’re inspired to prepare this weekend, sorting through closets to downsize or pondering a new way to carve a pumpkin? Include your kids, and think about the shared activities as ways to set the stage for building communication and for providing a great arena for your kids to experience success, feel their own strengths as participants and sharpen all kinds of skills. Yes, your kids will remember the big summer trips, but it’s also the small day-to-day moments of family life this fall and winter that create a sense of being loved and belonging. That’s what counts!  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.

Scott, father of two, shares the job of staining the backyard playset with his daughter Sylvia.

3 tips to manage kids’ party guest lists

rafting guest lists for children’s parties is no small task. Parents may hope to include all the kids in their child’s class, only to be met with some difficult decisions due to budgets and space. Parents planning their kids’ birthday parties can keep these three tips in mind as they work toward finalizing a guest list. 1. Pick the venue first. The size and scope of the party venue can help parents determine just how many children they can invite to the party. An intimate party at home

may mean fewer children, while a big party center can comfortably and safely accommodate lots of kids. 2. Consider the budget. Determining how much you want to spend on the party can help you decide on the guest list. Children’s party centers may charge anywhere from $10 to $25 per head. BabyCenter.com found that roughly one-quarter of parents surveyed spend more than $500 for a child’s first birthday, and the U.K. firm Vouchercloudfound the average kid’s party runs $400 before presents.

Much like with weddings, one of the easiest ways to cut birthday party costs is to trim the guest list. 3. Focus on the child. Rather than the party being a who’s who of guests, let the guest of honor create the guest list. This way the guest lists reflects the child’s preferences. If you’re concerned kids might add too many names to the guest list, explain in advance that you do not have a limitless budget, so some names may need to be trimmed to accommodate the money available for the party.

The guest list for kids’ parties can sometimes be tricky to negotiate. But three simple strategies can make the task that much simpler.  — Metro Connection

O C TO B E R 14, 2018

S U N D AYS I G N A L · 27

SCAA celebrates artists with Arts Classic Gala tunity to talk about their pieces, she said. The awards are granted by judges all is here, and for the Santa who are well-known artists invited Clarita Artists Association, from throughout the community, that means it’s time for its Gordon said, noting the signatures of annual Arts Classic Gala, the artists are covered up. a fundraiser that invites the whole At the end of the day the event, community for an appreciation of and the SCAA, are local efforts. all about support“THE SANTA Santa Clarita Valing local arts and ley artists are recogCLARITA VALLEY IS artists, Gordon said, nized and awarded noting any proceeds BEAUTIFUL AND I in nine categories at from the event goes the annual celebraTHINK THE ARTISTS toward supporting tion, which is held ARE VERY LUCKY TO the organization and each year in October BE SURROUNDED BY scholarships that are or November, said given to local high SCAA President THE VERY INSPIRING school seniors each Zony Gordon. year. NATURE...” “We raise funds “Again this year, for the (local youth) we will grant three clubs, scholarships scholarships to local and, also, to judge for our annual high school seniors who are majorcompetition,” Gordon said, explaining in art,” said Dody Rogers, event ing the idea behind the Sept. 29 coordinator. showcase at Hart Hall, inside Hart That support for her fellow artists, Park. as well as the beauty surrounding Categories for the artists include the Santa Clarita Valley, are some of media such as acrylics, oils, watercol- the things that inspire Gordon as an ors, dry media, collage, photography, artist, she said. as well as a “Best in Show” and the “There’s a lot of local color; there’s City of Excellence award, which is a lot of inspiration,” Gordon said, chosen by city arts officials. referring to the elements of nature One of the highlights for Gordon, throughout the SCV. “The Santa who was recognized for her waterClarita Valley is beautiful and I think color painting, is the general meeting the artists are very lucky to be surthat follows the SCAA. rounded by the very inspiring nature This month, the regular meeting, surrounding us.” which is held at Barnes & Noble in The judges, Frank Lennartz and Valencia at 6:30 p.m. Monday, Oct. David Deyell, reviewed 110 pieces of art in all categories. Second place and 15, recognizes the award-winners by merit winners were also awarded.  giving each a 2- to 3-minute oppor-

By Perry Smith Signal Managing Editor

Oil: Nickalena Miller for “Barnyard Royalty”. COURTESY PHOTO

2018 Classic Award Winners Best of Show: Gary Friedman for watercolor,“Take Me Home, Skippy” 1st place (Gold) was awarded to the following categories: Oil: Nickalena Miller for “Barnyard Royalty” Acrylics: Christine Dickerson for “The Observatory” Watercolor: Ron Soto for “Watermelon Eating Contest” Dry Media: Mike Farrell for “Away” Sculpture: Bill Duquette for “The Secret Spot” Mixed media: Bonny Butler for “Passionate Joy” Masters: Jane Mick for “Reverie” Photography: Joseph Jasik-Drdol for “9th Street” City Award of Excellence: Christopher Darga for oil painting “Red” Service Award: Jane Mick

TOP: Best of Show winner Gary Friedman for his watercolor, “Take Me Home, Skippy.” BOTTOM: Service Award winner Jane Mick. COURTESY PHOTOS.

Monday

Oct. 22 6:30pm

Thursday

Nov. 8 8:30am

www.TrinityClassicalAcademy.com | (661) 296-2601

28 · S U N D AYS I G N A L

HALLOWEEN Continued from page 25

tricts will hold “fall festivals,” which are hosted by the Parent Teacher Associations and act as fundraisers or safe spaces, said Ken Chase, board president of the Sulphur Springs Union School District. Check district websites or contact local PTAs to learn more. “At the station, we have our Hal-

O C TO B E R 14, 2018

loween Carnival,” Duxbury said, “and most of the local churches do Trunk or Treat, where people decorate their cars and kids go trunk-to-trunk as opposed to house-to-house to get candy.” Many kids are so enthusiastic about Halloween that they know which costumes they hope to wear long before the big day, but parents should begin discussing costumes well in advance, according to the sheriff ’s department. Doing so gives parents a chance to

encourage kids to choose bright costumes that are light or reflective and make them more visible to drivers on the road. Parents can also encourage youngsters to decorate their bags and buckets with reflective tape that will make them more visible to drivers, Duxbury said. At the very least, make your child hold a flashlight or glow stick. Another useful safety trick for the spooky season is to avoid trick-or-

treating alone and walk in groups, according to the department. It’s also been noted by local parents that a teal pumpkin outside of a house signals that candy or treats are available for children who have food allergies, so be on the lookout for those as well. “Have fun, be safe,” SCV Sheriff ’s Station officials wrote in a recent release. “Always remain aware of your surroundings, (and) if you see something, say something.” 

O C TO B E R 14, 2018

S U N D AYS I G N A L · 29

PETS

Have By Michelle Sathe Signal Staff Writer

, will

oad trip are two of my favorite words on the planet. For me, it’s exciting to hit the open road, armed with a sense of adventure, great music and preferably, one or two of my fourlegged companions. I’ve driven through just about every state in the contiguous U.S. with a dog as my co-pilot. I took two homeless dogs, Loren and Kara, across country to write “Pit Stops” and “Pit Stops 2” about our journeys. My current dogs, Melvin and Louie, have been to Utah with me several times, as well as all over Southern and Central California. Over those many miles, I’ve come to believe that dogs really make the coolest travel buddies. Here are just a few reasons why: Dogs never ask, “Are we there yet?” They won’t complain about that a hotel room is too small or the sheets are too rough. They won’t ask to change the radio station. And perhaps best of all, they’re always excited to do something new with you, whether it’s a quick walk at a rest stop or watching a beautiful sunset at a national park. Luckily, fall is a fabulous time to hit the road, with cooler temperatures that make it particularly suitable to traveling with your dog. So, if you’re ready to embark (pun intended) on an exciting expedition of your own, here are some tips to make it as safe and comfortable for you and your best friend.

Take a Test Drive For some dogs, being in a car is a source of stress and anxiety, while others absolutely love it. If you’re not sure how your dog will react, take a series of test drives. Try a 15-minute drive first and note your dogs’ behavior. Panting, shaking, whining and lip licking are signs of distress, though those may ease over time and repeated experiences with being in the car. Continue to drive for 15-30 minutes a day or several times a week until your dog grows comfortable with it.

Placing a blanket or dog bed for your dog to lay on can help, especially if it’s one that smells like home. Playing soft music or providing a food puzzle or toy can also be soothing.

Stay Safe Once your dog is comfortable in the car, purchase a seatbelt tether, which can range from $9 to $30. Basically, it’s a short clip leash that snaps into the seat belt in your back seat, which you can then affix to a harness. This is recommended to keep your dog safe during a fast stop or accident.

Do Your Research It’s important to find pet-friendly lodging, before you depart to avoid being stuck without a place to stay at the end of the day. Many chain hotels allow for pets. La Quinta and Motel 6 do not charge any extra fees, while others such as Super 8 and Red Roof Inn charge $10 or more per evening. Boutique hotels often offer pet-friendly packages that include the pet fee and perks like a dog bowl or bed, as well as treats upon arrival. Just make sure to the check the pet policy on the property’s website for details, as some have weight and breed restrictions in addition to fees. Short-term vacation rental websites like AirBNB and Homeaway.com also offer pet-friendly rooms, condos, apartments, and houses. Each host has a different policy, so make sure to check the page for details on fees and size limits or contact the host directly prior to booking. For a wide selection of lodging options, including campgrounds, check out www.gopetfriendly.com or www.bringfido.com. You’ll also find activities such as dog parks and dog-friendly beaches and hiking trails there. If your dog likes to dine al fresco, find pet-friendly restaurants with patios along your route. Yelp is a great resource. Simply type in “dog-friendly restaurants” along with the name of your destination city.

Things to Bring Just because you may like to eat

Melvin and Louie relax on a bed at the San Simeon Lodge. The blanket was brought from home to help prevent pet hair from getting into the hotel bedding. PHOTOS BY MICHELLE SATHE / THE SIGNAL.

new things on the road, doesn’t mean you should allow your dog to do the same. Keeping your dog on the usual diet

is crucial to avoid potential tummy aches and diarrhea. Pack enough pet food and treats to last the duration of See TRAVEL, next page.

30 · S U N D AYS I G N A L

TRAVEL

O C TO B E R 14, 2018

Continued from previous page

Keep It Cool

your trip, plus maybe an extra day’s supply (just in case). Here are the other items that are a must have on the road: • any medications or supplements your dog takes on a regular basis • vaccination records • dog bowls for food and water • collar with current ID tag • leash • drinking water • poop bags

If it’s going to be hot while you’re driving, purchase a roll-down window screen to protect your dog from the sun’s intense rays. While stopping for restroom breaks, park your car in the shade. If you have a human partner along for the ride, take turns waiting in the car with the air conditioning on or take turns walking the dogs while the other person uses restroom. If it’s just you, crack the windows a few inches

down, leave your dog some water, and go as fast as you can (no more than a few minutes), then take the dogs for a walk so they can do their business, too. Check the asphalt with your hands. If it’s hot to the touch, avoid it and find some cooler grounds to take your dogs for a walk to avoid burning their paw pads. You could also invest in some dog booties to protect their feet. Before you hit the road again, offer See TRAVEL, page 36.

The author and her dogs, Melvin (L) and Louie (R), enjoy a hike in Kanab, Utah.

O C TO B E R 14, 2018

S U N D AYS I G N A L · 31

3 techniques to help kids concentrate

lassrooms are now vastly different from the ones today’s parents were accustomed to when they were children. Technology has changed the face of classrooms, and while digital classrooms have revolutionized the ways kids learn, they also can make it more difficult for students to concentrate. Computers, tablets and smartphones can be invaluable resources for teachers and students. But when such devices compromise student’s ability to concentrate, parents may need to embrace various techniques aimed at improving kids’ ability to concentrate.

1.the classroom.

Discourage personal devices in

Computers and tablets can expand learning opportunities in the classroom, but parents who want their kids to focus on lessons can discourage the use of personal devices, such as smartphones or personal tablets, in the classroom. As noted by the Child Mind Institute, apps and web content are designed to be user-friendly and addictive. In addition, modern youngsters socialize through their smartphones. Alerts or messages from social media apps or friends can distract kids from their lessons, which may adversely affect their academic performance. Unless teachers ask students to bring their personal devices to class, parents can discourage, if not restrict, their children to bring their smartphones or tablets with them to class.

2.multitasking. Limit

A 2009 study from researchers at Stanford University found that heavy media multitaskers were more susceptible to interference from irrelevant environmental stimuli and from irrelevant representations in memory than light media multitaskers. Students who try to do too much at once may think they’re getting a lot done, but dividing their attention among several subjects may make it harder for them to fully understand or learn their class lessons. When studying, students who concentrate on one subject or task may understand materials more fluently than those who divide their attention among subjects or those who focus

SCVSCHOOLS

on studying while also performing other tasks.

3.breaks.

Encourage strategic

The Academic Success Center at Oregon State University notes that taking breaks can improve concentration and make studying more efficient and effective. When taking study breaks, students should set time limits on their breaks and change their scenery. Walking away from a book, device or computer screen for 10 minutes can help students avoid fatigue that can develop when they study for too long without a break. That fatigue can affect students’ ability to absorb the lessons they’re trying to learn, so parents can encourage students to take strategic breaks. Once per hour might be enough,

COURTESY PHOTO

but some students may benefit from more frequent breaks.  — Metro Connection

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

(choice of one entree, seasonal fruit and milk)

Monday, Oct. 15

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

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

Thursday, Oct. 18

Sausage Biscuit Breakfast Bun Cereal Chilled Fruit Fresh Fruit

Friday, Oct. 19

Pancake Sausage Stick Breakfast Bun Cereal Chilled Fruit Fruit Juice

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

Tuesday, Oct. 16 Wednesday, Oct. 17

32 · S U N D AYS I G N A L

O C TO B E R 14, 2018

FOOD

La Cocina’s Cadillac margaritas and micheladas are so popular they come in custom labeled glasses. SIGNAL FILE PHOTO

BEYOND THE BELL The Santa Clarita Valley doesn’t need to listen to a national poll to explore Mexican cuisine

By Todd Wilson Signal Contributing Writer

ell, if you ask the Harris Poll, which recently named Taco Bell as “America’s Favorite Mexican Restaurant,” they’d probably agree. “The Bell” surpassed Chipotle and Moe’s Southwest Grill (which I’ve never even heard of) to claim the 2018 crown. The poll looked at a national audience and asked them to rate brands based on familiarity, quality and the likelihood of a customer returning. Now, don’t get me wrong, those nacho fries that Taco Bell rolled out last year are pretty tasty. That nacho cheese sauce, when you just have a craving, really hits the spot, paired with well-seasoned French fries? Come on… However, it’s a good thing that we’re actually close enough to the Mexican border to enjoy a less homogeneous style of cuisine than the Burrito Su-

preme and the crunchwrap. There’s a hole in the wall that’s off the beaten path in Santa Clarita that pairs traditional cooking with a family’s love and energy to make the absolute best Mexican dining experience in the Santa Clarita Valley. Secluded off Via Princessa in a shopping center across from Costco, you’ll find Maggie and Albert and Ay Caramba. Their location makes it difficult to find if you’re not looking for it, but the effort of getting there is well-rewarded. The menu is loaded with many dishes that may be unfamiliar. Items like the cochinita pibil and carne adobada estilo Abuela Elia will expose you to the authenticity of Maggie’s recipes (the latter literally being “in the style of Grandma Elia.” The pipian, mole poblano and chile en nogada are likely to expose you to flavors you didn’t even know existed in Mexican cuisine. Some standard dishes that you might find at your standard “red leather booth” restaurants are there as well, but it’ll be worth the effort to branch out and try those along with a cup of

Ay Caramba. COURTESY PHOTO

albondiga soup, or even the quesadilla con rajas, which is fried and filled with peppers and cheese. Sometimes, you just want what some refer to as “Americanized” Mexican food: burritos, taco combo plates with rice and beans, usually with a margarita or a cold beer. For that, you have to love La Cocina. It’s a favorite in the SCV, and you’ll know that because it’s consistently packed at the dinner hour. Well-known for a great bar, La Cocina is definitely a spot for running into friends and being familiar with the

staff. Their Cadillac margaritas and micheladas are so popular that they come served in custom labeled glasses. The variety of the menu is not to be overlooked with over 20 combination plates and a full page of specialties, including their classic Carne Al Obrero. Dozens of other Mexican restaurants are found all throughout the Santa Clarita Valley, each with their own distinct style. For many, places like Dario’s and Don Cuco’s are like their local watering hole, and you’ll find them there once a week. Smaller, more casual places like Las Delicias have some incredible value on food that you can easily take to go and feed a small army, and El Taco Padre’s al pastor is outstanding. We’re truly lucky to have so many choices, even if they’re not “America’s favorite.”  Todd Wilson is one of the co-founders of FeedSCV, an organization that’s mission is encouraging health nutrition and culinary education in the Santa Clarita Valley.

O C TO B E R 14, 2018

S U N D AYS I G N A L · 33

FOOD

Councilman shares recipe through generations By Perry Smith Signal Managing Editor

Cameron Smyth takes a whiff of ranger cookies as his mother, Sue Smyth, pulls them from the oven at Cameron’s home in Newhall. PHOTOS BY DAN WATSON / THE SIGNAL

anta Clarita City Councilman Cameron Smyth said his family’s connection to the Ranger cookies recipe goes back decades — his mother, Sue Smyth, picked it up from the Los Angeles Unified School District cookbook in the ’60s, he said. “My mom was a teacher at the time,” Smyth recalled, and then, considering the source of the recipe a sign of the times, added “which again, if you think back, it’s a reminder of how different things were 60 years ago.” And for the Smyths: “It’s been a staple ever since.” The recipe is a fairly easy-to-learn one, he said, and part of the fun has been watching his 8-year-old daughter learn it with his grandmother. “It’s fun to see my kids and my nephews have the same connection

Kenley, 8 , left, pours in the Rice Krispies as Cameron stirs the dough.

to those cookies that my brother and I did growing up,” he said, “So we know that that recipe will carry on for a couple more generations.” 

Ranger cookies 1 cup margarine 1 cup sugar 1 cup brown sugar 2 eggs 1 tsp. vanilla 2 cups flour 1 tsp. baking powder 1 tsp. baking soda 1/2 tsp. salt 2 cups oatmeal 1 cup coconut 2 cups Rice Krispies

The Smyth family, from left — grandmother Sue; Rowan, 12; Gavin, 14; dad, Cameron; Kenley, 8; and mom, Lena — pour sugar into the mixing bowl.

Cream margarine with the sugars. Add eggs and vanilla. Sift flour, baking powder and baking soda (salt optional), and add to sugar mixture. Add oatmeal and coconut and lastly, the Rice Krispies. You can add 2-3 tbsp. of milk for a moister cookie. Bake at 350 degrees Kenley watches as Gavin scoops the dough onto a sheet. for 10-13 minutes.

Best in the SCV 2018 Winner! 7 years in a row! Heating Service Special $79.95 Includes Free Common Size Pleated 1" Filter Add An Ecobee 3 Lite Installed At Time Of Service $199.00 661-297-8058 • www.NicAire.com

AIR CONDITIONING AND HEATING Lic. #462231

34 · S U N D AYS I G N A L

O C TO B E R 14, 2018

COLLEGE OF THE CANYONS

In Partnership With

(PS OR\H %RRW UV VSDF K H DYDLO VWLOO DEOH

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2018

9 a.m. - noon Valencia Campus – West Gym (WPEK) • Meet dozens of employers • Hand out your resume • Attend workshops • Apply for additional jobs via the KHTS Virtual Job Fair booth Free parking in student lots until 2 p.m. during the event

Event Information: WWW.COCJOBFAIR.COM

MARINES

O C TO B E R 14, 2018

S U N D AYS I G N A L · 35

R E S TA U R A N T P R O F I L E

Korean cuisine beams with tradition and flavor Lee’s Korean BBQ & Tofu House in Valencia strives to use fresh ingredients By Michelle Sathe Signal Staff Writer

hough I love Asian food, Korean cuisine isn’t usually on my go-to list. That’s changing after a recent visit to Lee’s Korean BBQ & Tofu House in Valencia. Americans may claim to be grill masters, but I don’t know if there’s any more delicious beef than kalbi ($14.99 lunch, $20.99 dinner). The sliced Angus short ribs here are huge on flavor — garlic- and soy-infused, melt-in-your-mouth meat seared with the perfect amount of char. Each bite is a savory sensory delight and lovely to pair with thin slivers of onions served alongside. It’s just one of the many legit, big-flavor dishes the small kitchen turns out based on recipes that originate from owner Jennifer Lee. Born in South Korea, Lee’s parents and grandparents ran a restaurant where she worked as a youngster. She continued to hone those skills as the oldest daughter of six children, cooking for her family until she married and came to America almost four decades ago. Lee eventually became a pediatric nurse, but still made time for her culinary passions, bringing elaborate Korean feasts to her church. People would often comment that her food was so good she could have her own restaurant, which is exactly what Lee did upon retiring 10 years ago, opening Fresh Korean BBQ in Lake Balboa in 2008, and Lee’s Korean BBQ & Tofu House in 2015. Her secrets are simple: “I make food like I was taught, in the traditional way,” Lee said. “You have to use fresh ingredients and not rush it.” Many of the vegetables and herbs used at the restaurant come from Lee’s own organic garden. The kimchi, or fermented cabbage, is made from scratch and has just the right amount of piquant punch. It’s just one of six banchan, or small side dishes, served with your entrée. When I tried it, it was sliced fish cake, roasted chilis with anchovy, bean sprouts, a salad of radish, sea-

Jennifer Lee, owner of Lee’s Korean BBQ & Tofu House, is surrounded by banchan and bimbimbap. PHOTOS BY MICHELLE SATHE / THE SIGNAL.

LEFT: Chilis provide the base for the broth in the spicy pork neck stew. Right: The kalbi, or angus beef short ribs, are a popular item.

weed, and carrot, and a potato salad dotted with peas. These are unique little bites, some sweet, some sour, some vinegary, some kind of pungent, each meant to provide a contrast to the flavors of the main course. Whatever entrée you order, just be prepared to share family-style or take some home. These are huge portions. The bimbimbap ($15.99 and fun to sing in the tune of The Ramones’

“Blitzkrieg Bop”) comes to the table sizzling in a massive, hot stone bowl filled with 10 colorful vegetables, sliced beef (or chicken or tofu), and a raw egg atop copious amounts of fluffy, white rice. The ingredients sit for a few minutes, allowing the rice to crisp up, the egg to cook into soft, pliant threads and the carrots, zucchini, enoki mushrooms and carrot to get tender,

before you toss it all together with a savory wild sesame paste into one delicious jumble. (If you’re intimated, the server is happy to help you.) For extra yum points, add some homemade gochujang, a Korean pepper paste with sweet and spicy notes. Served in a bubbling cauldron, the deluxe spicy pork neck stew ($15.99) boasts a bright red, chili-laced broth that wafts up and tickles your nose before your tastebuds. It looks fiery, but is more on the medium side, the spice somewhat mellowed by the fork-tender pork, perfectly cooked potato chunks, and herbaceous notes from sesame leaf and green onions. The extensive menu also offers items like 10 tofu soup options ($10.99 to $11.99, you pick the spice level) and traditional dishes like kimchi fried rice ($12.99), galbitang ($14.99) and fried spicy squid ($17.99). If you’re a vegetarian or have any dietary restrictions, ask your server for the best choices. Even if it’s not on the menu, the kitchen will do its best to accommodate you. For drinks, bokbunja (raspberry wine), Chamisul soju (clear spirits) and Hite (beer) are available, as are sodas and Snapple. Boricha, a roasted oat and barley tea with a pleasant nutty flavor, can be served hot or cold and is complimentary with your meal. Weekends are a popular time to eat at Lee’s Tofu House BBQ, filling up the modest space of about a dozen tables with marble tops and sherbet-colored plastic chairs that are surprisingly comfortable. It’s a casual vibe where large families, couples and friends talk animatedly as they pull noodles, scoop rice, and ladle soup into one another’s dishes. The scene makes all the hard work of owning a restaurant worth it for Lee. “I enjoy seeing my customers happy,” she said with a smile. Lee’s Korean BBQ & Tofu House, 23360 W. Valencia Blvd., Valencia. Open Monday through Saturday, 11 am to 9 pm and Sunday noon to 9 pm. For more information, call (661) 2542307 or visit www.tofuhousevalencia. com. 

36 · S U N D AYS I G N A L

O C TO B E R 14, 2018

Shelter Hope connects people and pets By Marina Anderson Signal Contributing Writer

“

We got a runner!” And the chase is on at the Shelter Hope Pet Shop, with rescue workers and visitors scrambling after Marley, an adorable black poodle who managed to hike his way over a barricade and out the front entry. “Stop that dog!” shouts someone from the shopping mall corridor. There’s now a line of people in front of the escalator blocking Marley from scampering downstairs where he’s scooped up in the arms of one of the rescue volunteers. That was within the first few minutes of my interview with Dani Caouette, who heads up Shelter Hope at the Westfield Valencia Town Center mall. It’s a lot for any pet to take in emotionally, when they’ve been lost or abandoned, then saved from being euthanized and transported to another strange location and people. Sometimes, the animal’s “fight or flight” reflex takes over. Marley’s story has a happy ending though — he was adopted that day. Once stepping inside the Shelter Hope storefront, there are lots of “oooh” and “awww” moments from visitors, along with barking dogs and cats meowing vying for attention. All of the animals will tug at your heartstrings. Shelter Hope staff fretted that Linus might have been hit by a car and left untreated before he was rescued, but he doesn’t his limp slow him down. This affectionate pooch is faster than some of his neighbors, and will be your best friend if you give him a chance. It’s a 24-7 endeavor to keep Shelter Hope running, and staying in one place has been a challenge, Caouette said. They’ve had to move a few times to different locations within the mall due to increased retail situations, forcing the store to set up shop all over again with extra expenses. (Its current location calls for visitors to park at the Canyon entrance of the mall, off Citrus Street, and head to the second floor.) Caouette mentioned they don’t

Teager Tysver, 6, reads a book to chihuahua mix puppies at the Shelter Hope Pet Shop in the Westfield Valencia Town Center Mall in Valencia . PHOTO BY DAN WATSON / THE SIGNAL

have an “official” front door to open/ shut when customers enter or leave the store — just a drop-down gate to close at the end of the day. Because cost is a daily concern and every penny goes to rescue, feeding, sheltering, utilities, rent and taking care of the animals’ other needs, Caouette is hoping someone will volunteer their time and/or supplies to build a temporary (sliding) door or fence of sorts for the entry. Monetary and pet supply donations are always welcome, such as kitty litter, towels, beds and fleece blankets. One of the things that sets Shelter Hope apart is its “return guarantee.” If, after adoption, it doesn’t work out, the shelter will take the pet back. There’s also an application process and a thorough home check before any adoption is final. You can also “foster-only” or take advantage of the “foster-to-adopt” option — which is when someone fosters an animal to see if the fit is right for adoption. This helps to ensure less emotional trauma for the pet and that they’ve found their “fur-ever” home. Shelter Hope also offers several additional perks for its adopters. All adopters get a free photo taken on “the throne” with their new pet, as well as a comprehensive package. For dogs, that includes spay/neuter, microchip, in-home training, all their

vaccines, leash, collar, food toys, vet visit and grooming. And for cats, the package includes spay/neuter, vaccines, litter box and litter, toys, food and vet visit. For any new “parent,” Santa Clarita School Of Performing Arts will donate three free classes of your choice at the school. If you

TRAVEL

Continued from page 30

PETS

adopt a kitten, SCSOPA is donating a month of twice-weekly classes. Shelter Hope also offers not only student school credit for volunteered hours, but there are ongoing animal educational classes, workshops and weekly orientation training for fosters and new adoptees. Once a month, you and your family can attend “Kid’s Night Out,” where children (ages pre-school on up) are taught pet safety and care, participate in games, crafts and other fun activities. In the hub of the store, you’ll find a “read-to-the-pets” area to choose a book and read to the dogs and cats up close and personal. This provides an interactive, bonding experience and atmosphere for the public and potential adopters and pets to get to know each other better. To make your upcoming holiday shopping a breeze, you’ll also find unique pet merchandise like custom rhinestone collars in their retail section. For more information about the shelter and its animals available for adoption, visit www.ShelterHopePet Shop.org. There are also Shelter Hope locations in Thousand Oaks and Sacramento. 

•

your dog some water and drink some yourself. Staying hydrated is important for everyone.

•

Travel Etiquette

•

It may seem hard to believe, but not everyone loves dogs, so be considerate while traveling. That means: • picking up poop at every stop and disposing it in a trash can; • keeping your dog on a 4- to 6-foot leash at all times. A retractable leash is not recommended as your dog can be hard to control on one and they can break much easier than traditional nylon leashes; • only bring your dog to off-leash parks and beaches if you’ve had positive experiences with them in such settings before;

•

don’t let your dog jump up on people; if your dog doesn’t like other dogs, avoid public patios or tight spaces where trouble can arise. check your hotel policy about leaving dogs in rooms unattended. Some hotels forbid it, while others allow for crated pets. Some hotels will kick you out if your dog is a nuisance (aka barks a lot), so it’s best to keep your dog with you at all times unless they have proven to be quiet and crate-trained; bring a blanket from home to cover up the bed if you sleep with your dogs. This helps prevent pet hair getting on the bedding; and if your dog has extra energy or seems agitated, go for a long walk. A tired dog is a happy dog, and you’ll have happy neighbors, as well. 

O C TO B E R 14, 2018

S U N D AYS I G N A L · 37

HOALIVING

Who let the dogs out? By Gary Choppé Signal Contributing Writer

he other day I received an email: “Hello, I hear several dogs barking a lot in the association. “Can we please make a rule against dogs? People can have cats but not dogs. I would prefer it if it’s a nice quiet neighborhood after all I pay my dues on time, unlike most of those dog owners.” Did I say that message was from “Anonymous”? OK, here we go with the questions: What type of pets do we outlaw, do we tell residents that they can have two dogs, a cat, five goldfish and a talking parrot? Some associations say that weight matters, and now that your baby Labrador is 100 pounds, it’s time to put it out to pasteur; or do you put shock collars on those two yapping Chihuahuas? Wow, did I open-up a can of dog food for all those pet-loving people who moved into that beautiful association on the hill. One of the top complaints that I get as a manager is about pets — barking, biting, off the leash and one homeowner calling on an emergency line saying she wanted me to come out immediately and stop a dog from peeing on her (common area) lawn. When living in a community that follows rules and regulations, you’ll probably find that pets fill up a large part of the document and the following is a brief overview of some of these: “All pets must be on a leash at all times when outside in the common areas; barking must be kept to a minimum especially at night; no animals should be left on patios or in garages; and the big one — residents must pick up the poop left behind.”

You will see signs in key areas of pet traffic, relating to these rules, but many times residents will travel out and make “midnight runs” without carrying those green or black poop bags. My job is challenging as I do need some type of proof to make identification, maybe a picture, video or DNA test. Yes, it’s true — they offer those kits.

Other situations include people who let their dogs off the leash and wander around the community. I don’t mind chasing dogs that accidently escape, but I almost landed a bite when a German Shepard chased me on my golf cart, we finally had to call Animal Care and Control to the property. They caught him, but with no tag they had to hull him away to doggy jail. And then we have that neverending barking all-night long or all-day long, when pets are kept in the garage or on the porch. I met with an elderly lady who was in tears. “My little dog Scruffy just can’t stop barking when she hears a noise. I have done everything from

locking her in the bathroom to putting on a shock collar and now my neighbors are on the warpath. They are spearheading a group to get me kicked out of my house.” I looked at her with compassion as she told me Scruffy was her lifelong companion, and she would die if they took her away. Finally, the calls come in about that “smell” drifting in from the next-door neighbor who never cleans off the patio. Mounds of old poop piled up, and the flies are buzzing around. So, what do you do as a resident or manager? In most cases, people are courteous and carry “pick-up” bags with them and are responsible, but “crap” does happen, and I usually tell residents

that have a complaint to do the following: Make a report in writing and possibly take a picture or video to prove who did the violation. That helps me when I have to issue a violation and make contact with little nipper’s family. Ultimately, as a homeowner, having a pet in a homeowners association comes with responsibility and the consideration of others. Well, back to watching hours of video footage for one of my homeowners who insist a dog is squatting in front of her house. So far, I have only seen her gigantic Labrador come out of her door with no leash and smiles at the camera as he does his duty. Guess it’s a dog’s life at the HOA. Please email me your questions, comments or suggestions for future stories to Gary Choppe, of HOA Management of Santa Clarita, Hoamanagementsc@yahoo.com. 

Considering an energy audit? Get informed

verconsumption of energy is a problem that plagues many homeowners. Wasting energy can hurt homeowners’ bottom lines and the planet. But many homeowners aren’t aware just how much energy their homes are consuming and even wasting. That’s why a home energy audit can be so important. A home-energy audit or assessment investigates just how much energy a home consumes so homeowners can make their homes more energy efficient. Audits identify where energy is being wasted and can offer suggestions to fix the problem. The U.S. Department of Energy advises that the average U.S. household consumes around 90 million btus in a year. Of the energy used in homes, nearly 50 percent goes to heating and cooling. Water heating, appliances, electronics, and lighting account for the remaining consumption. Consumers can save between 5 and 30 percent on home energy bills by getting a home energy audit and making the adjust-

ments advised by auditors. There are two types of energy audits: professional and do-it-yourself. Professional auditors will go room-to-room to assess a home’s energy use. Typical testing includes thermographic scans and infrared cameras to determine air leakage and insulation; a blower door test, which depressurizes the home and simulates the effect of a 20 mph wind to find air leaks; and watt meter measurements to test energy usage by various devices throughout the house. Before an auditor comes to the house, homeowners can make a list of any problems or concerns they want to discuss with the auditor. The auditor also may interview the homeowner to learn about how the home normally runs and can analyze energy bills to determine typical energy consumption. Windows, doors, HVAC systems, insulation, fireplaces, and lighting fixtures all may be assessed during a professional audit. Even though a professional audit is usually the best way to determine where a home is losing energy,

homeowners can conduct their own audits to detect and fix problems. Locating and sealing air leaks, addressing inadequate ventilation, checking that insulation levels and vapor barriers are at recommended levels, and inspecting HVAC systems should be part of any DIY audit. If a heating/cooling unit is more than 15 years old, the DOE suggests having it replaced with a newer, energy-efficient unit. An energy audit can identify areas around a home where improvements can be made to reduce energy consumption and waste. Upgrading to new appliances, replacing light bulbs, sealing drafts, improving insulation, and addressing moisture and water leaks can be good for the environment and help homeowners save money.  — Metro Connection

38 · S U N D AYS I G N A L

O C TO B E R 14, 2018

GARDENING

Have as much fun as the kids —

Dress up the garden for By Jane Gates Signal Contributing Writer

ecorating your landscape for Halloween is a great way to start the long holiday season. It offers an opportunity to have fun in your garden that has nothing to do with the usual outdoor chores. You can share the adventure with your family or friends or take on the project for yourself. This is a perfect excuse to let loose the artistic child inside and dress up the exterior of your house. Let your imagination go by transforming your house into a haunted mansion

patrolled by witches, ghosts, zombies or ghouls. Interesting Halloween décor comes in all different forms. You can buy fabrics, wigs and building materials to create your own structures from scratch. Or you can purchase readymade creatures, characters, inflatables, skeletons or other décor and assemble a 3-D scene of your own.

Go natural and recycle Dress up the garden for Halloween using natural materials like fallen autumn leaves, bales of hay, pinecones, dead tree branches, bundles of corn stalks, and pumpkins. Mix these with whatever structures, characters or other materials you want to add to your scene. You can add accents of gourds, squashes, colorful dried Indian corn, or drape

We are Land Specialists! ACTON 54± Acres

MAKE AN OFFER!

On Valley Sage Road. Flat to rolling topography with expansive views and forested with junipers. Potential large lot subdivision, gentlemen’s ranch, country estate, vineyard or investment opportunity. Asking $700,000.

ACTON 155± Acres

REDUCED PRICING!

Very private & peaceful setting with commanding views over the valley & Angeles National Forest. An older home, outbuildings, hay barn, water well, pump house & 2 water tanks. REDUCED TO $875,000!

CANYON COUNTRY 37.6± Acres

DEVELOPMENT SITE!

Development opportunity in the heart of Canyon Country (City of Santa Clarita). Zoned UR1 (2 units per gross acre). Walking distance to local K thru 12 schools, and adjacent to Pardee Homes’ Skyline Ranch project. Asking $1,250,000.

CASTAIC 69± Acres

AVAILABLE

Off of Ridge Route Road, approximately 6 miles north of the town of Castaic, adjacent to the Northlake Specific Plan. Potential gentlemen’s ranch, ranchettes, retreat or investment opportunity. Asking $450,000

SANTA CLARITA 3 Semi Finished Lots

VIEW LOTS!

Located at the end of a cul-de-sac above the neighboring homes providing an incredible 180º view and privacy! Lots are 1 to 2 acres in size and are located in the Sand Canyon area. Asking $1,150,000.

SANTA CLARITA 25± Acres

NEW LISTING!

South end of Sand Canyon Road. Zoned NU5 (1 unit per acre). Potential large lot subdivision or incredible 25-acre estate/ranch! Varying topography with beautiful territorial views. Asking $750,000

Visit www.korekland.com for full list of available land. 37488_2.indd 1

10/10/2018 10:46:05 AM

A clever bit of décor can be incredibly easy and inexpensive. COURTESY PHOTOS

crepe paper, textural fabrics, tattered netting, or string up fake spider webs. One advantage to using Mother Nature’s materials is that your decorations are not limited to Halloween and will remain in style right through Thanksgiving. Add another dimension to your Halloween scene by dangling sound-producing devices or broadcast haunting music or sound effects on outdoor speakers. (Make sure you’re considerate of your neighbors with your volume and hours of broadcast!)

colors. Blues make a scene feel cold. Reds, oranges and yellows are warm, but can also suggest fire and heat. Also, take yourself on a shopping tour of some of the spectral wall-projected scenes and strobe lighting effects that can dress up your work of art. You can find smaller, residential versions of digital decorations that were once viewable only at Disneyland or Universal Studios — now at reasonable prices for your own home.

Night mood lighting

In the last half-dozen years, impressive decorations — automated, lifesized monsters, skeletons of humans and diverse animals, wall-projected scenes, holograms and strobe effects and humorous or gory full-scale illusions — have shown up in all kinds of stores, selling for more than the materials to build them would cost. Some of these would have sold for hundreds or even thousands of dollars (if you could even find them) in the past. Now, thanks to technology like LEDs, microchips and various apps, you can buy ready-made stars for your Halloween show to provide scenes of horror, laughter, science fiction, fantasy or any other theme, all available with a limited budget.

Light up your Halloween scene at night. Back-lighting will form a silhouette out of whatever stands in front and can be best achieved by hiding a light behind the object you want to silhouette. Frontal lighting not only spotlights the chosen subject, but it will cast a shadow behind whatever is being lit, so keep that in mind as another effect you can use in your lighting design. You can also get interesting effects by shining lights upward, downward, at different angles, or using colored lights. Black lights will punch out whites and make any fluorescent colors glow. To create a ghoulish glow, try green

Technology offers affordable effects

See DECOR, next page

O C TO B E R 14, 2018

S U N D AYS I G N A L · 39

GARDENING

Santa Clarita Valley Rose Society celebrates ‘Carousel of Roses’-themed 25th anniversary Rose Show By Kitty Belendez Signal Contributing Writer

hile all are welcome to be a part of the Santa Clarita Rose Society and its showcase event, the annual Rose Show is also a chance to catch some of the Santa Clarita Valley’s finest roses on display. If you’re a rose aficionado, plan for plenty of time at William S. Hart Park next month during the display, as there are a multitude of different sights and smells to enjoy at the event. Many rose growers from Santa Clarita and throughout Southern California will exhibit hundreds of superb roses grown in their own gardens. There will be 45 tables full of rose specimens on display in vases, as well as artistic arrangements, the colorful Artist’s Palette of five different roses, blooms floating in silver bowls, and roses presented in picture frames. Antique roses from the 1800s, David Austin English roses, a special section called “Rose in a Wine Bottle” and a table celebrating “Most Fragrant Roses” will also be featured. Everyone is welcome to exhibit their own homegrown roses at the rose

DECOR

Continued from previous page.

To create a successful Halloween garden scene, keep in mind it is just like creating a successful stage set, painting or landscape design: all the parts need to work together to create a whole picture. Try to have one single focal point to catch the eye. Draw the eye to that focal point by leading up to in with supporting items and effects. Try to stick to one theme and make all the parts blend. Don’t overdo your décor. Too many things going on at once will take away from the overall picture. One last suggestion: Keep safety in mind!

show, including novices and children. And you don’t have to be a member of the rose society to exhibit, and there’s nothing to lose — entry is free. Bring your roses in a container of water, and the Santa Clarita Rose Society will furnish the vases and the entry tags to be used at the show. The name of each rose, and the exhibitor’s name, must be included on the entry tags. There will be over 75 cash prizes awarded to many types of blue ribbon roses. Some of the categories are Hybrid Tea, Miniature, Miniflora, Floribunda, Shrub, Climber and Best Antique Rose. And two novices can win a $25 gift card sponsored by Green Thumb Nursery in Newhall. And of course, the event is also an opportunity for anyone interested to join the Santa Clarita Rose Society. A free bouquet of roses will be given to new members who join the Rose Society at the Rose Show. Annual membership dues are $20 per household, which includes advice from our rose consultants, nine emailed issues of our award-winning 20-page, full-color newsletter “Rose Ecstasy,” monthly meetings featuring presentations on rose care, door prizes & raffles, annual rose care sem-

Make sure all wires are carefully hidden so no one accidently trips on them, and fasten down your décor. October usually ushers in the first of the big Santa winds. A single, strong gust can make shambles of an unsecured, vulnerable Halloween scene. Also, only use electric cords made for outdoor use. Decorating for Halloween can be fun for friends and family. Although you can create your own piece of Halloween art, you can also join together with others to make it into a fun project. Invite friends over for a decorating party or get the children involved for a family project. Yes, decorating the garden for Halloween can be as much fun for the adults as for the kids! 

Top: The “Ring of Fire,” the top award rose bouquet at the SCV Rose Society’s Wild West Rose Show last December. SIGNAL FILE PHOTO. Right: Some of last year’s winners. PHOTO BY WAYNE KLEIN / THE SIGNAL.

inar, garden tours, and a 10 percent discount card good all year at Green Thumb Nursery. The Santa Clarita Valley Rose Society is hosting its 25th anniversary Rose Show, themed “Carousel of Roses,” on Saturday, Nov. 3, at William S. Hart, 24151 Newhall Ave., Newhall. The Rose Show will be located in Hart Hall, and is co-sponsored by the county’s Department of Parks and Recreation. For a complete show schedule, ex-

hibit rules, and extensive information about roses, visit the Santa Clarita Valley Rose Society website at www. santaclaritarose.org/RoseShow.html. For additional information, contact Kitty Belendez at rosextckb@aol.com. 

Burial & Cremation Service FD-1952 ▫ BEST in providing services. ▫ BEST in meeting needs & requests of families. ▫ BEST in price comparison to other full service mortuaries. ▫ BEST in prearrangement services.

Over 90 years End of Life service history 16653 Sierra Highway, Santa Clarita, CA 91351

661-250-1435

Learn more about Crippen at www.crippenmortuary.com

40 · S U N D AYS I G N A L

O C TO B E R 14, 2018

LOCALNEWS

SHERIFF’S

Continued from page 40

the probes is the Domestic Highway Enforcement Team created in 2012 to help take drugs off county streets. Sheriff Jim McDonnell said he welcomes the scrutiny. “I am proud of the critically important work being done by our Domestic Highway Enforcement Team,” he said a written statement.

Drug seizures

“Since the team’s inception in 2012, they have taken more than 3,500 pounds of methamphetamine, heroin, cocaine and Fentanyl off the streets of L.A. County, and rescued six human trafficking victims. “Having said that, as someone who has dedicated my career to protecting the civil rights of all people, I am personally concerned about any allegation of racial and ethnic profiling and take very seriously questions about race and police procedures,”

McDonnell said. “I look forward to working closely with the inspector general to examine any issues of concern.” Similar sentiments were voiced by the county supervisor representing the Santa Clarita Valley. “The sheriff ’s enforcement team works to curtail the trafficking of opioids, methamphetamine and other drugs, which have had a devastating impact on my district, particularly the Santa Clarita and Antelope valleys,” county 5th District Supervisor Kathryn Barger said. “It also targets illegal guns and human trafficking — recently rescuing a kidnapped 16 year-old girl,” she said. “However, no innocent individuals should be subjected to unreasonable targeting or unconstitutional search and seizure, and the data cited by the Times is already under review by the OIG.”

SCV unit As OIG investigators begin scrutinizing the Domestic Highway En-

forcement Team they’re sure to find drug-seizing patrols carried out in the Santa Clarita Valley. This past summer, the SCV Sheriff ’s Station’s Domestic Highway Enforcement Team began leading the nation for the largest amount of heroin seized roadside this year, according to SCV Sheriff ’s Station officials interviewed at the time. As of June, the team had taken a street value of more than $80 million worth of drugs off the streets, according to Sgt. Dan Peacock at that time. Peacock, who leads the local unit, revealed the team took 11 pounds of fentanyl off the street in a single haul in 2017, the largest roadside seizure in the nation last year, during a traffic stop on a typical patrol. The Office of Inspector General was created by ordinance in 2014, to provide independent and comprehensive oversight and monitoring of the LASD and its jails. Inspector General Max Huntsman reports directly to the Board of Supervisors and makes regular reports to the board on the Sheriff ’s Depart-

ment’s operations. As a deputy district attorney, Huntsman was known for his anti-corruption efforts, having conducted investigations and prosecutions of numerous local county and city officials.

New commission The Civilian Oversight Commission is less than 2 years old and falls under the auspices of the OIG, according to the inspector general’s website. It was set up by Solis and District 2 Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas to boost transparency and increase trust between communities and the LASD. The L.A. County Board of Supervisors appointed nine commissioners to serve on its panel and approved the hiring of its executive director, attorney Brian K. Williams. The new commissioners include community and faith leaders, a retired sheriff ’s lieutenant and attorneys with a broad range of experience — from former prosecutors and public defenders to professors and executives from nonprofit legal organizations. 

FREE!!

Sunday, October 21 11am-3pm

Golden Valley High 27051 Robert C. Lee Pkwy

Tradeshow for families to benefit Child & Family Center Features exhibitors showcasing products & services for kids Food, Fun, Arts & Crafts And More!