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to Signal subscribers David LaChance Kyla Myers Jeffrey Globerman

A2 · SATURDAY, DECEMBER 30, 2023 · THE SIGNAL

The Top 10 Stories of 2023 As we look back on 2023, the following pages present recaps of the top 10 news stories, as determined by The Signal’s editorial board. The stories are presented in no particular order. In addition, this special year in review section includes select photos from the past year taken by The Signal’s photo staff.

City approves move to district-based elections after lawsuit

By Perry Smith

Signal Senior Staff Writer

After years of trying to find another way, the city ultimately approved a massive change to its electoral system in May that will undoubtedly shape the Santa Clarita City Council’s elections for at least the next six years.

The city of Santa Clarita approved a district-based electoral map for the next City Council election, putting the remedial district and a district where Councilman Jason Gibbs lives in Saugus on the next ballot in November 2024.

The city certainly didn’t take up the decision on a whim.

It was part of a yearslong, multimillion-dollar legal battle involving a pair of legal fights over separate allegations of California Voting Rights Act violations by the city.

The city has never admitted the violations, but this year it settled the suits in a move that it hopes will resolve the matter at least until the end of the decade.

The lawsuits

The city was first dealt a lawsuit alleging a CVRA violation in 2014.

The CVRA violation essentially accused the city of disenfranchising Latino voters by employing an at-large electoral system, which did not allow them to elect their candidate of choice, the lawsuit claimed, looking at past patterns of voting in recent elections.

In response, the city paid out legal fees and moved its City Council elections from April to November to line up with the general election starting in 2016.

In the city’s April 2014 election, there were 15,871 ballots cast. In the November 2016 election, which was also a presidential election that saw a very high turnout, nearly 91,000 ballots were cast.

The city was sued again in 2020. The second lawsuit, filed

by Scott Rafferty on behalf of Michael Cruz, Sebastian Cazares and Neighborhood Elections Now, an organization run by Rafferty out of Walnut Creek, asked for injunctive relief on the basis of the California Voting Rights Act of 2001.

Due to delays the city attributed to the need to respond to the pandemic as well as its own legal response, the city began discussing the lawsuit in January 2021 and, by 2023, it had again come to the conclusion that because no CVRA lawsuit had ever been successfully fought, it should settle.

“By electing its council atlarge, the city of Santa Clarita dilutes the votes of Latino citizens, suppresses the ability of their communities to recruit and support candidates for public office, and prevents them from aggregating their votes to elect those candidates in single-member districts,” read the lawsuit. “In recent elections, Latinos, Blacks and Asians have voted in coalition.”

This time, the terms that were on the table called for a move to a district-based election. Each City Council member said they

(Above) Courtesy graphic; (right) Signal file photo

(Above) A map proposed by attorney Scott Rafferty that was used as a base for the city of Santa Clarita’s five voting districts for City Council elections. The city agreed to move to district-based elections in 2022 after being hit with a California Voting Rights Act lawsuit. (Below) Douglas Johnson (left), the city’s demographer with the National Demographic Corp., gives an overview of the proposed joint map as councilmembers Jason Gibbs and Laurene Weste watch on. were only approving of the move because they saw no other recourse for the city — except Councilwoman Marsha McLean, who recognized the city had no option and still cast the lone no vote.

The settlement

The city of Santa Clarita began a series of public meetings in February to decide on a district-based electoral map to settle the lawsuit.

The agreed-upon settlement terms, which were announced in April 2022, called for the city to adopt district-based elections until at least 2030, starting in 2024, and for one of those districts to have a Latino plurality, and that the district be on the ballot in the next election.

That last provision created a potential for tension throughout the meetings in the local community center and then at Council Chambers, because neither of the two candidates eligible for reelection in November 2024 lived in the so-called “remedial” district.

There were about a dozen attendees throughout the city’s meetings, as well as a handful of requests to speak virtually.

The Santa Clarita City Council approved an ordinance with the changes for a first reading in a 4-1 vote in May, with a second reading to formally codify the changes at the city’s meeting June 13.

The electoral map, which the city detailed on a website set up to explain the electoral changes, is largely aimed at unifying neighborhoods that were inadvertently split in attempts to balance the districts.

Each district had to have approximately 46,600 residents in order to remain balanced for the city’s population, and the smallest district couldn’t have a population with a more than 10% variance of the largest population.

The map splits Valencia

between district Nos. 2 and 3, with No. 2 on the west side of that; whereas Saugus is somewhat split between district Nos. 3 and 4. District No. 5 is largely Canyon Country, with the exception of a carveout of several neighborhoods that were added to District No. 1 to make the Latino-majority district with Newhall.

Mayor Cameron Smyth took the initiative to propose the motion for the ordinance as one of the two council members most impacted by the hearing.

In terms of his next office, Smyth said the move makes him ineligible to run as things stand now in 2024, but the veteran politician, who’s also served in Sacramento, avoided any guarantees from the dais on the night the changes were approved.

“I’ve been doing this a long time, in that I’ve learned never speak in absolutes,” he said, “and 2026 isn’t that far away.”

The latest chapter

Signal file photo

Approximately 30 people attended the first public hearing regarding the proposed district-based voting map held in March at the Newhall Community Center. (Right)

Several commenters during the city’s hearing process also said since Santa Monica still has a fight going on, the city of Santa Clarita should fight, also.

The case, filed by the Pico Neighborhood Association and others in 2016, claims Santa Monica’s at-large voting system for its city council elections violates the CVRA by diluting the voting power of the Latino community, which at the time made up 14% of its voting-age population.

Instead of council members being elected citywide, the plaintiffs want the city divided into districts, and voters in each one to pick their representative.

In February 2019, a trial court ruled in the association’s favor and ordered the city to switch to district-based voting. But in July 2020, a state appeals court reversed that decision.

In August 2023, California’s high court unanimously ruled that was a mistake — that the appeals court had “misconstrued” the California Voting Rights Act. Justice Kelli Evans,

writing for the six other justices, said the plaintiffs only have to prove racially polarized voting in an at-large system — not that minority voters would make up a majority or near-majority of a hypothetical district.

The case now goes back to the appeals court for further consideration, according to officials, which is where it sits now.

The city of Santa Monica said it was “reviewing the Supreme Court’s opinion and working to assess the path forward” in a statement in response to the ruling.

The neighborhood association suing Santa Monica urged city officials to “settle the case quickly” and not spend taxpayer money on more litigation that “would be much better spent addressing the city’s many public safety and community services needs.”

Rafferty said he felt Santa Clarita was actually the stronger of the two cases, saying the cluster of City Council members living within a couple miles of each other in Santa Clarita was obvious evidence that representation was not citywide.

Kevin Shenkman, the attorney in the Santa Monica case who also was the attorney in the first CVRA lawsuit against the city of Santa Clarita, said after the most recent ruling that the legal fees for each side by the end of the Santa Monica case were expected to be in the tens of millions of dollars — which was a repeated argument cited by the city of Santa Clarita as justification for its settlement.

Of note for the city of Santa Clarita, particularly the opponents of the settlement who want the city to fight the move to districts, is the fact that there’s a sunset clause on the city’s move.

Under the terms of the CVRA lawsuit settlement announced last year, city officials are able to once again look at the electoral system after the 2030 election.

The city’s website for the elections is santaclarita.gov/district-elections.

THE SIGNAL · SATURDAY, DECEMBER 30, 2023 · A3

A4 · SATURDAY, DECEMBER 30, 2023 · THE SIGNAL

Rain, storms and snow: SCV’s eventful year of weather

By Habeba Mostafa Signal Staff Writer

Santa Clarita’s weather watch in 2023 was on high alert as an influx of storms took precedence in the Greater Los Angeles area throughout the year after several years of severe drought.

Ringing in the New Year, Santa Clarita endured storms due to the back-to-back atmospheric rivers from the end of December into January.

According to Kristen Stewart, a meteorologist for the National Weather Service, the reasoning for the start of the downpour was due to a low-pressure system, stating that rain totals received at higher altitudes could be as much as 8 inches.

“We have this really strong low-pressure system that’s just spinning off the Northern California coast right now and it’s trailing a bunch of moisture from Hawaii,” Stewart said at the time.

Caltrans, the L.A. County Public Works Department and county officials were cautious and monitored the conditions of more rural areas, urging residents to avoid travel plans if possible.

Areas such as Lakes Hughes Road, which is susceptible to mud and debris, were closely watched and at times closed due to the impact of the Lake Fire, which took place in 2020 and left the area susceptible to mudslides.

Public Works Public Information Officer Steven Frasher discussed the issues with drainage structures in closed roads, reiterating that there was “an all-hands-on-deck response out there to clear the drains to make sure as many of them work as well as they can.”

As the winter progressed, it welcomed snow in yet another massive storm in February, where snowfall on the Grapevine prompted the closure of Interstate 5 on Feb. 24.

Santa Clarita issued an alert the same day asking residents to avoid Sand Canyon Road and Placerita Canyon Road, where the fast-moving water and possibility for flooding were inevitable due to the ongoing storm from Feb. 22 to Feb. 25.

Expecting between 4 to 6 inches of rain, Santa Clarita residents were delighted to make the most out of the weather and enjoy the rare snowfall in the city from the cold front the previous night.

In contrast, while there was some calm during the storm, residents on the west side of town, in the Valencia Travel Village RV Resort, were left without water and power due to the Santa Clara River surge affecting the park and undermining the slope at its southern end.

As a result, two RVs, two septic tanks, a dumpster and transformer were pulled into the river in the early hours of Feb. 25.

Two helicopters were called to rescue those potentially stuck inside the RVs; luckily, no one was trapped inside.

Not even a quarter into the year, storms and heavy rain seemed to be the norm in Santa Clarita. As spring was approaching, it was welcomed with yet another storm, leading to flooding and a clogged drain, which resulted in temporary lane closures on the

Dan Watson/The Signal

After snow fell on Feb. 23, the Santa Clarita Valley was hit hard by rain the next day, causing severe flooding across the valley. Multiple RVs were damaged (right) at the Travel Village RV Resort in Valencia after heavy rain caused the Santa Clara River to surge.

Signal file photos

Snow hit the northern areas of the Santa Clarita Valley on Feb. 23, though people in parts of Valencia, Saugus and Canyon Country reported snow falling there as well. northbound lanes of Highway 14.

By March 16, Santa Clarita and its surrounding areas had experienced nearly 11 atmospheric rivers that impacted the area in the rain season, which typically begins Oct. 1. MidMarch saw an astounding 30 inches of rain total, compared to the area average of nearly 17 inches — resulting in nearly double the annual amount.

Yet, the first day of spring, March 21, stayed committed to bringing showers, squeezing in one last major storm before the end of the typical rain season, which extends into the end of March.

The forecast expected around 2 to 2.5 inches of rain, and was accompanied by a high wind watch that went into effect through March 21.

While the rest of spring was relatively dry, with bouts of wind advisories, residents could visit local poppies that bloomed as a result of the unusually wet winter.

As summer rolled around, residents were not in the clear just yet to enjoy dry weather and indulge in car washes.

By mid-August, weather officials considered the slight precipitation and moisture in the air as “astronomically rare,” as the summer weather was not just typically dry, but muggy.

Nearly a week later, August also experienced California’s biggest storm event, not only in the year, but within the past 25 years: Tropical Storm Hilary.

On Aug. 20, residents experienced an astronomical downpour, in an event for which Gov. Gavin Newson proclaimed a state of emergency, prior to its arrival.

Heavy winds were reported

the day before, on Saturday, Aug. 19. Residents took precautionary measures and braced for impact, as they were encouraged to stay home, pack sand bags and food, have an emergency supply kit and utilize all resources available.

In addition, the Federal Emergency Management Agency advised people to avoid flood waters and downed power lines, stay off roads and to evacuate immediately if told so by officials.

The city of Santa Clarita issued a statement through an Instagram post, urging residents to “double check emergency kits, secure one’s property, prepare property as needed and ensure essentials are in possession such as water, food, medicine and batteries.”

Bridge to Home ensured that extra beds were available for the homeless population, while outreach workers went into the Santa Clara River to look for those needing possible relocation, given that it was expected for the river to accumulate substantial amounts of water and flow.

Residents also felt a 5.1-magnitude earthquake centered

4 miles southeast of Ojai at 2:45 p.m., and the jolts accompanied the tropical storm simultaneously.

The apex of the storm passed over Sunday afternoon. Early Sunday afternoon, at approximately 1 p.m., an estimated 2 inches of rain had fallen in the Newhall Pass. By 3 p.m., Tropical Storm Hilary was within 100 miles of San Diego, and resulted in a total of nearly 2.5 inches of rain within 24 hours.

The NWS issued and extended a flash food warning until 3 a.m. Monday morning, Aug. 21.

All school districts in the Santa Clarita Valley were closed the following Monday as a precaution, but reopened the following day.

Over 5.7 inches of rain were dropped as a result of Tropical Storm Hilary, according to the NWS. According to Carrie Lujan, spokeswoman for the city of Santa Clarita, there were a lot of preventative measures taken, and that the only reported damage as a direct aftermath of the storm was on Sand Canyon Road.

Erosion on Sand Canyon

Road, between Soledad Canyon Road and Silver Saddle Circle, resulted in its closure due to the damaged infrastructure underneath the pavement.

While flooding was prevalent, there was no significant damage to any property.

A total of 40 traffic collisions were reported through PulsePoint, a 9-1-1 dispatch alert app.

Luckily, no deaths had been reported at the time of the storm.

After the unexpected tropical storm, light rain during Labor Day weekend was not out of the ordinary.

“We have a lot of subtropical moisture coming up from the south,” said Carol Smith, a meteorologist for the NWS. “What’s happening is that there’s a really big, closed, lowpressure system and upper-level low that’s parked over Northern California, right over the coast and that’s helping to kick off this southern flow at the surface. So it’s just drawing up this really moisture-laden air, the subtropical moisture.”

Labor Day weekend, and the rest of the year, ended up being quite mellow compared to the eventful first half of 2023.

(Above) Dan Watson/The Signal; (left) Chris Torres/The Signal

(Above) The new year started wth a torrential downpour on Jan. 5, the first of many storms that ended with officals reporting 44.69 inches of water at the Newhall Pass from Oct. 1, 2022, to Sept. 30 of this year.

(Left) Cars were dusted with snow in Gorman on Feb. 23.

THE SIGNAL · SATURDAY, DECEMBER 30, 2023 · A5

This year showed the power of collaboration

Boys & Girls Club Breakfast

Youth Baseball Opening Day

to serve youth

NEVHC Dental Clinic

Carousel Ranch Presentation

to invest in residents’ well-being

Fentanyl Town Hall

Bridge to Home Construction

to tackle our most pressing issues

4th of July Parade

State of the County Address

& to celebrate all we’ve accomplished!

Cheers to all that’s in store for 2024!

@SupervisorBarger @SupervisorKathrynBarger

@KathrynBarger KathrynBarger.LACounty.gov

A6 · SATURDAY, DECEMBER 30, 2023 · THE SIGNAL

Death of a deputy

Santa Clarita, L.A. County honor the life of Palmdale Deputy Ryan Clinkunbroomer, SCV resident who was murdered while on duty in September

By Tyler Wainfeld Signal Staff Writer

The Santa Clarita Valley and Antelope Valley communities were in shock the morning of Sept. 17 after learning of the murder of Palmdale Deputy Ryan Clinkunbroomer the night before.

A Stevenson Ranch native and a West Ranch High School alumnus, Clinkunbroomer was shot in the head while sitting in his patrol vehicle near the intersection of Sierra Highway and Avenue Q, in front of the Palmdale Sheriff’s Station.

After being rushed to a nearby hospital in Palmdale, Clinkunbroomer was pronounced dead that night at the age of 30.

“Despite the medical staff’s best efforts to save our deputy’s life, regrettably, he succumbed to his injuries,” Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna said in a late-night news conference on Sept. 16. “Our deputy left his family tonight to serve our community … laid it all on the line to serve us. He didn’t deserve this.”

On Sunday, Sept. 17, Palmdale community members gathered at the Palmdale Sheriff’s Station to pay their respects to the fourth-generation sheriff’s deputy. Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger, who represents the Fifth District, which includes Palmdale and Santa Clarita, was one of the many local and county dignitaries to make an appearance.

“To Ryan’s family, and to the men and women who put on the uniform every day to protect us. Our hearts are with you. This has probably been one of the hardest days of my job. Hard, but yet when I come up here and I look at this community, you have a community that’s uplifting you,” Barger said.

The suspect, Kevin Cataneo Salazar, a 29-year-old Palmdale resident, was arrested on Sept. 18 after an hourslong standoff at his home in Palmdale. Salazar was charged with murder two days later. He pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity.

L.A. County District Attorney George Gascón said during a press conference on Sept. 20 that he would not be pursuing the death penalty for Salazar.

The maximum sentences for the charges that were presented are life without the possibility of parole, or the death penalty, according to the state’s penal code.

The next court date for Salazar is a scheduled Jan. 25 preliminary hearing, when all evidence is presented and a judge decides whether to move to a trial.

The shooting prompted an outpouring of support from both local and county levels, as well as a shoutout from Florida.

On Sept. 22, the SCV held

its vigil to honor the fallen community member. The West Ranch marching band played as people filed into Marketplace Park, then the band played the national anthem, while two L.A. County Fire Department ladder trucks were positioned in such a way that a large American flag could be suspended between them.

City officials said that more than 450 electric candles were prepared for the event, with all being used. In attendance were Luna, Barger, Rep. Mike Garcia, R-Santa Clarita, Santa Clarita Mayor Jason Gibbs and SCV Sheriff’s Station Capt. Justin Diez.

“We must rise above this and we must do better as a community,” said Garcia. “That juxtaposition of someone who was willing to make the ultimate demonstration of love by protecting us and laying down his life … with someone who was willing to take that individual’s life, is a powerful one to learn from and we must be compelled to do better as a country and as a society.”

Garcia said during his speech that the House Judiciary Committee gave him a commitment to take up his Defending Our Defenders Act, a bill that would see those who murder a state or local law enforcement officer be charged with a federal crime punishable by life imprisonment or the death penalty, according to a news release from Garcia’s office.

Gibbs spoke of the love that those who knew Clinkunbroomer had for him.

“I personally never had the honor of meeting Deputy Clinkunbroomer, but in the days since his death, I have heard from many people in this

Ashley Landis/AP, Pool

A picture of slain Palmdale Deputy Ryan Clinkunbroomer was displayed in front of his casket at the funeral Mass held for him on Oct. 5 at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels in Los Angeles.

Clinkunbroomer was shot in the head while sitting in his patrol vehicle in front of the Palmdale Sheriff’s Station on Sept. 16 and was pronounced dead that night. community who have known him well,” said Gibbs. “The words that keep coming to describe him are kind, dedicated, loyal with a deep love for his family, his community and his brothers and sisters.”

Local high schools honored Clinkunbroomer throughout the month of September. Moments of silence were held at football games in the weeks following his death, while Golden Valley cross country head coach Steve Lowe spoke prior to the first Foothill League meet of the season on Sept. 24.

Lowe coached Clinkunbroomer when they were both at West Ranch. West Ranch runners also carried a Palmdale flag prior to the races.

The NFL’s Miami Dolphins, Clinkunbroomer’s favorite team, honored the fallen deputy with a Dolphins jersey with his name on the back that was hung in the team’s

locker room before their Sept.

24 game against the Denver Broncos.

Clinkunbroomer’s funeral was held on Oct. 5 at Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels in downtown Los Angeles. Hundreds of deputies were in attendance, including some who knew him the best. One of those was Capt. Josh Bardon of the Palmdale Sheriff’s Station, who affectionately referred to Clinkunbroomer as “Clink.”

“Ryan was not just a coworker or colleague to many of us, he was a friend and in many ways a family member,” said Bardon. “He always had a smile on his face and loved a good laugh.

Nothing seemed to ever get to him or ever get him down.

When you work in this job long enough, you become part of another family and the Palmdale station family undoubtedly lost one of its best and brightest in Ryan.”

Oscar Sol/For The Signal

Law enforcement personnel and first responders salute a caravan carrying the body of slain Deputy Ryan Clinkunbroomer from Palmdale to the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner-Coroner’s office in Los Angeles after he was killed the night of Sept. 16.

Photos by Katherine Quezada/The Signal

Community members gathered at Marketplace Park on Sept. 24 to pay their respects to slain Deputy Ryan Clinkunbroomer. Two Fire Department ladder trucks were positioned to suspend a large American flag (above).

Brittany Lindsey, Clinkunbroomer’s fiancée, spoke of the plans the two of them were making after getting engaged just days prior to his death.

“We were both so excited as we talked about our future,” said Lindsey. “We talked about buying a bigger house, a boat, how many kids we wanted, baby names — all the things we will now no longer get to experience.”

Clinkunbroomer’s mother, Kim, and Lindsey appeared on “Good Morning America” the week before the funeral to denounce Gascón’s decision not to pursue the death penalty for Salazar. Kim expressed anger that Salazar could serve a life sentence in prison after choosing to end her son’s life.

“We were in a kind of a state of shock that it was not the death penalty,” Kim Clinkunbroomer said in the ABC News interview, which aired on “Good Morning America.”

“Life in prison, I’m still paying for that then, as a parent, as a taxpayer. It just seems that the district attorney wants to spare a life, when (the shooter) didn’t spare my son’s life. He executed my son. He assassinated my son … (T)o me we shouldn’t even be going to court.”

Support continued to be shown throughout the latter months of 2023. Pocock Brewing Co. held a fundraiser at its Valencia brewhouse at the end of October that saw more than 1,000 people show up throughout the day. The SCV Sheriff’s Foundation used its annual poker tournament in November to deal half of the proceeds to the Clinkunbroomer estate.

“This is very near and dear to our hearts. Deputy Clinkunbroomer was a very big part of this department as you know,” said Diez. “This is a wonderful event to support his family and his memories. Please look around. There’s pictures of Deputy Clinkunbroomer and his family all around. Take a look at each one of them.

They’re very special and were chosen because of that.”

THE SIGNAL · SATURDAY, DECEMBER 30, 2023 · A7

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A8 · SATURDAY, DECEMBER 30, 2023 · THE SIGNAL

To change or not to change?

Hart district looking at existing notification policies; community members take stances on rights of parents vs. students

By Tyler Wainfeld Signal Staff Writer

The William S. Hart Union High School District is undergoing a review of its notification policies, with governing board members Joe Messina and Cherise Moore heading that review.

That was announced at the district’s Dec. 6 governing board meeting. The purpose, according to Bob Jensen, then-president of the board, is to “further look into matters of parental engagement and parental involvement within the Hart district.”

It’s an issue that some school districts across the state tackled earlier in the year, with the Hart district waiting until November to bring it up. Messina first called for a discussion on the topic at the end of the board’s Oct. 18 meeting, citing multiple requests from parents.

The item did not appear on the agenda for the next board meeting on Nov. 1, though a large group attended that meeting seeking to comment on a possible notification policy. Many of the speakers were current or former students within the Hart district.

Jensen said at the meeting that the item was withheld from the agenda due to “safety concerns” after hearing of a large group that was planning to attend the meeting. Jensen said that additional law enforcement was requested but could not be acquired in time for the meeting.

Messina used his board report to address the issue, saying the idea that a potential policy would be a “forced-outing policy” was not the case.

“The policy as laid out, as I understand, or as other districts have, goes much further than that. It covers bullying, grades, mental health,” Messina said. “It should be about full transparency. Parents need to know about the rapid mood swings, suicidality, physical injury. If staff perceive a child to be bullied, if their schoolwork changes for the worse, if you’re hanging around with the wrong people, these are all things that parents need to know about so they can help.”

More than 40 people spoke during public comments at that meeting, which was a fraction of the number of people who spoke at the board’s next meeting on Nov. 15, held in the Hart High School auditorium. That meeting saw a public comments session that lasted for three hours on the topic of a potential notification policy, before which a presentation on what other districts have adopted as notification policies was delivered.

The presentation was made by Wendy Wiles, an attorney with Atkinson, Anderson, Loya, Ruud & Romo. She went over how the Chino Hills Unified School District and the Orange Unified

Photos by Dan Watson/The Signal

(Above) William S. Hart Union High School District governing board members and district officials llisten as community members comment on a potential parent notification policy at the district’s Nov. 15 meeting held in the Hart High School auditorum.

(Right) Andrew Taban points to members of the audience as he speaks against a potential notification policy.

School District, among others, had adopted notification policies that were met with lawsuits.

California Attorney General Rob Bonta filed a lawsuit against the Chino Valley district that has seen an injunction placed on the district’s policy due to the transgender portion being viewed as discriminatory, according to Wiles. She added that the student records portion — essentially giving parents the right to know when a student requests a change to permanent records — was allowed to be implemented.

“The Chino case is not binding on anything that would occur in Los Angeles County, but it certainly is helpful in understanding what the courts were saying and thinking and looking at for purposes of considering any potential future policy,” Wiles said.

After the presentation, speakers voiced their opinions on a potential policy, with at least two-thirds of the speakers being opposed. Many of those opposed to a potential policy were waving small LGBTQ Pride flags or wearing something in support of the LGBTQ community.

One student, a high school senior in the Hart district who did not provide a name, recalled being in sixth grade when her mother questioned her about her sexuality.

“I remember when she came into my bedroom to ask if I was bi,” the student said. “Elevenyear-old me denied it, terrified of how she’d react. I knew she was supportive, but there is an

inherent fear in coming out because one can never be sure.”

The student said that she eventually came out to her mom two years later, calling the experience of coming out on her own terms “liberating.”

Speakers who were in favor of a potential policy focused on parents’ rights to know about their children. One speaker said it would “hurt as a parent” to not be told what is happening to their child while at school.

Manu Gregorian, who said he is a parent of four children, agreed with that point but also with parents who supported the students who did not want to see a policy be adopted.

“For me to have four beautiful daughters attending a school which could keep secrets from me is dangerous,” Gregorian said while holding a large American flag across his back.

“All these parents here, whether it’s the parents’ side or the LGBTQ side, they’re all here because they love their children.”

Another argument presented by those who want a policy was

Photos by Dan Watson/The Signal

(Above) Academy of the Canyons student Andy McCleary, 15, is applauded after speaking against a potential parent notification policy at the Hart district’s Nov. 15 meeting. (Right) Attorney Wendy Wiles explains how other school districts have adopted notification policies at the meeting.

that parents had heard of other school districts assisting students with transitioning genders or administering hormone therapy drugs to students without parental consent.

District officials have said hormone therapy drugs are not being — and have not been — administered at school sites.

As for the policy being a “forced-outing policy,” Kathy Hunter, the district’s assistant superintendent of student services, safety and wellness, said at the board’s Dec. 6 meeting that “there’s no practice about anything to do with outing a student who is gay.”

“The counselors are all protected,” Hunter said. “So, any student goes to a counselor, that conversation with that counselor is still protected communication.

They would never be picking up a phone and calling a parent regarding that conversation.”

It remains to be seen if the committee decides that further policy needs to be implemented. A timeline has yet to be given for the review of current policies to be completed.

Dawn Walker, a parent of four Hart district graduates and the president of PFLAG SCV, spoke at the Dec. 6 meeting in favor of keeping the policies the way they are. She said that she has reviewed Regulation 5145.3 in

the policy manual, which states that the district shall “annually notify all students and families/ guardians of the district’s nondiscrimination policy, including its responsibility to provide a safe, nondiscriminatory school environment for all students, including transgender and gendernonconforming students. The notice shall inform students and families/guardians that they may request to meet with the compliance officer to determine how best to accommodate or resolve concerns that may arise from the district’s implementation of its nondiscrimination policies.

The notice shall also inform all students and families/guardians that, to the extent possible, the district will address any individual student’s interests and concerns in private.”

Walker, who said that her son was the first person in the Hart district to change pronouns, said that this regulation should suffice to protect students.

“This policy is beautiful as it stands and I commend the Hart district for protecting queer youth,” Walker said. “Please consider keeping this policy as it is. It is extensive, current, relevant, enforceable and protective of this vulnerable group.”

The next Hart district governing board meeting is set for Jan. 17.

THE SIGNAL · SATURDAY, DECEMBER 30, 2023 · A9

Bus drivers’ strike impacts local transit for two months

By Habeba Mostafa Signal Staff Writer

2023 was a year of advocacy in various industries, where actors, health professionals and educators picketing for months seemingly became the norm.

Santa Clarita experienced this phenomenon firsthand, as city bus workers were on strike for nearly two months.

MV Transportation, which is a Dallas-based public transportation company, originally partnered with the city of Santa Clarita in 2008, providing commuter services within the city, and to neighboring cities such as Century City, Westwood and North Hollywood.

After nearly a year of negotiations between Labor Union Teamsters Local 572 and MV Transportation, which began in October 2022, it was announced on Sept. 15 that the drivers had authorized a strike.

According to Lea Campos, communications manager for MV Transportation, there had been several rounds of negotiations prior to the union’s decision, including “comprehensive proposals … including annual wage increases, benefit cost sharing and improved scheduling of hours.”

In contrast, bus drivers felt that their demands had not

Dan Watson/The Signal

MV Transportation and Teamsters Local 572, which represents Santa Clarita Transit bus drivers, struck a deal on Dec. 3 to end a strike that lasted for two months. been met, and began striking on Oct. 9. That Monday morning was met with approximately 200 bus drivers, dispatchers,

customer service representatives and union officials forming picket lines at both entrances of the Santa Clarita

Transit Maintenance Facility in Valencia.

Lourdes Garcia, president of Local 572, reflected on the

attempts of reconciliation conducted by MV Transportation, and said the union needed better after a year of negotiations.

“It’s just, enough was enough.

We tried everything with MV and they just weren’t giving us anything that we could remotely consider as acceptable. So, that was it. We were forced to be out here and that’s why we’re here,” Garcia said.

The offer presented by MV Transportation entailed a starting wage of $19.75, with a $0.25 increase after a year, a $0.10 increase for both the second and third year, a $0.15 increase after four years and $0.75 after over five years of the driver’s tenure.

Garcia said that the union was looking for a 9% increase to make up for 2022, an 8% increase in 2023 and a 9% increase for 2024. In addition, she contended that the city of Santa Clarita was not supplying enough funding to meet the demands of the workers. City officials remained quiet through most of the strike, saying the negotiations were between the union and MV. “We have a contract with MV Transportation to provide transit services. That contract was negotiated and agreed to by See TRANSIT, A13

Photos by Katherine Quezada/The Signal

Santa Clarita Transit employees began their strike on Oct. 3, halting services for Santa Clarita Valley residents as well as students at local school districts.

Trash changes for the city

By Katherine Quezada Signal Staff Writer

The city of Santa Clarita entered a new contract with Burrtec Waste Industries Inc. in 2023 that created a series of major changes in how residents and business owners would sort their trash.

A new contract and implementation of statewide legislation regarding the recycling of organics came into effect on July 1, 2023, and a total of 165,000 Waste Management trash containers were replaced in the span of eight weeks with new colored bins provided by Burrtec, the new solid waste service provider for the city.

In compliance with the new state law, the city put the two hauling contracts that expired on June 30 out to bid in an open bidding process — and with a new requirement for organic waste recycling. Previously, Waste Management handled residential solid waste hauling and Burrtec Industries Inc. handled commercial. The three parties involved in the bidding process were Waste Management, Burrtec and Athens Services.

Burrtec offered a cheaper service charge which was the determining factor for the company to be selected as the new solid waste service for both commercial and residential.

Senate Bill 1383, a climate pollutant bill designed to reduce harmful methane emissions from organic waste, required a new sorting system for all residents to participate in food waste recycling.

The bill discussed the short climate pollutants, methane emissions, dairy, livestock, organic waste and landfills. The bill required the California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery to approve and incorporate a strategy to reduce emissions of short-lived climate pollutants to achieve a reduction in methane by 40%,

hydrofluorocarbon gases by 40% and anthropogenic black carbon by 50%.

Customers were given an organics container provided by Burrtec to comply with the bill and the requirement of residents to participate in food recycling and simplify the process. The pail was instructed to be kept in the kitchen of each household to be used for throwing out any food scraps such as meats, seafood, vegetables, fruits, dairy, etc. The sorting system also required residents to remove food waste from its original packaging to dump it in the organics container.

Burrtec also provided new trash containers that came with a new look and color change.

Black for garbage, blue for recycling, and green for organics required under the new state law to provide consistency across the city and industry, said Santa Clarita Councilwoman Laurene Weste in the city’s column titled “The Trash Transition,” in early June.

With major changes to trash sorting came an increase in service prices. Burrtec’s proposed rate for residential waste collection was $28.92 and a commercial rate of $179.07. The two rates were higher than the previous amount paid by Santa Clarita residents, but they both were still lower than the regional average by 5.3% and 23.9%, respectively.

Due to the high volume of concern expressed by local residents, the Valley Industry Association hosted an in-depth discussion about the city’s new waste system with a panel of experts to educate the community about the changes.

Curtis Williams a solid waste administrator for the city of Santa Clarita, Denis Verner a general manager for Burrtec, and Steve Youlis. an owner of nine Jersey Mikes stores, spoke to a group of Santa Clarita community members about the topic in early April at the panel.

Dan Watson/The Signal

Burrtec Waste Industries Inc. took over the city of Santa Clarita’s waste management on July 1, though the new contract came with some changes to how residents get rid of their trash.

“It’s a requirement now that organic waste no longer goes in the trash and goes to the landfill,” said Williams at the VIA panel discussion. “It now has to go into a separate container and that container then, with green waste and the food waste, now ends up being recycled, either gets composted and becomes mulch or gets gasified, and then we can take materials from that and create fuel.”

“The thought at the time was when you have food products and other organic products rotting in a landfill, it creates methane,” said Verner at the same panel discussion. “Methane was then considered obviously something that is part of the climate change awareness was not something they wanted just going up into the atmosphere, and so that’s one of the key points of this bill.”

Verner described organics as anything that came from the Earth. Some items included were landscape waste, organic textiles, lumber, paper products, food scraps, etc.

The biggest concern for

community members at the panel discussion was the increase in price for the service and why.

“We have to take into consideration how much did the trucks cost? When should they last? How much fuel did they use? How much is it per ton at the landfill today and how much will it be in the landfill?

You know, coming up in the future, (Consumer Price Index) increases, we have labor costs, workers’ comp, all those types of things, and you come out with the price and you divide it by the amount of households, you end up with the number … and on the commercial side, it is a little bit more complicated because everybody has different service levels,” said Verner.

Lisa Burke, a local business owner, said that at her business, 90% of her trash was recyclable. Burke’s bill went up from $135 a month to over $2,000 a month, a 950% increase.

Although there were many concerned residents, Verner was committed to helping them with price changes.

With the new changes also came a non-compliance protocol that Burrtec was obligated to enforce when residents did not follow the instructed procedures when throwing out their waste.

“We really don’t want to be out giving fines … but it is a provision of SB 1383, and it is in our contract, and the trucks that we have ordered to handle this contract have cameras in them, and there’ll be GPS to each house. If your trash can is blocked by a car, or it’s not out, or when we go to dump and there is stuff falling out, like sometimes people put paint cans in there and then the paint cans break open and then it leaks out of the truck and gets over the street, those types of things. It also, it videotapes, everything that’s being dumped into the trucks, and we’ll be able to see what’s going in there.”

The city also created “Trash Talks,” a video series that informed residents of the changes, as well as critical information regarding residential waste programs.

A10 · SATURDAY, DECEMBER 30, 2023 · THE SIGNAL

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THE SIGNAL · SATURDAY, DECEMBER 30, 2023 · A11

A12 · SATURDAY, DECEMBER 30, 2023 · THE SIGNAL

Crime makes headlines in SCV for number of reasons

By Perry Smith

Signal Senior Staff Writer

The Los Angeles County Sheriff Department’s daily releases of Part-I crime data — the data on rapes, robberies and murders that’s used by the FBI when it determines the crime rate for an area — indicate the numbers are up significantly since 2020.

Santa Clarita’s leaders have repeatedly expressed frustration over the situation as the local law enforcement agency, the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station, like most around the state at the moment, continues to deal with challenges in its staffing levels.

The numbers have frustrated residents in the past few years, with headlines in 2023 including some unusual occurrences not commonly seen in the Santa Clarita Valley: a grassroots effort to recall the district attorney; a series of gang-related shootings involving juveniles; and a legal fight by cities that are suing to try to restore bail for most crimes in L.A. County.

Those arguing on behalf of the cities contend the elimination of cash bail represents a threat to public safety, as

Signal file photo

A double homicide in March was one instance of crime in the Santa Clarita Valley being on the rise since 2020. suspects are now being arrested and then committing multiple crimes and being rearrested numerous times before they’re ever being held to account for their initial crimes.

Information on the Sheriff’s Department’s Transparency Promise website that reports crime data indicates that there has been a 12.3% increase in overall Part-I crimes reported in 2022 versus 2021. There were double-digit percentage increases for violent and property

crimes based on LASD data.

Those opposed to bail have said it only allows pretrial justice for those who can afford it, without considering the potential risk in releasing someone.

Embattled DA

District Attorney George Gascón came to office in December 2020 hailing a series of sweeping new reforms.

As the numbers for repeat offenders continued to rise and law enforcement officials

repeatedly argued that the lenient prosecutorial policies were part of the problem — leaving them the ones handcuffed from doing anything — calls to challenge Gascón grew from inside and outside his office.

By February 2022, his own union was holding a series of town halls to debate whether it would endorse a second recall effort against him, while more than a dozen of his own prosecutors would file lawsuits over their working conditions and/or

claims of retaliation for speaking out against Gascón’s policies.

The latest recall effort wound up in the courts, where it has remained throughout 2023.’

Gascón’s detractors hoped they’d have a special election sometime after they handed in what they’ve said is a significant number of petition signatures.

L.A. County Registrar-Recorder Dean Logan disqualified a number of the signatures, See CRIME, A15

Castaic residents deal with growing smell from Chiquita Canyon

By Perry Smith

Signal Senior Staff Writer

One of the Santa Clarita Valley’s biggest stories in 2023 lacks an ending and also will certainly be a topic of discussion in 2024: The stench emanating from the Chiquita Canyon Landfill.

There’s no quick and easy explanation for the problem or the solution. The latest word in December from landfill officials is that the problem — a stench coming from a reaction inside the landfill that’s been the subject of at least two task forces now — is likely to get worse in the short term before it gets better in the long term.

In the meantime, residents are left with a number of concerns about the possible health impacts.

The problem

The landfill’s odors started to gain widespread attention in July after the landfill sustained 22 complaints for the month.

By August, there were monthly meetings of the Chiquita Canyon Landfill Advisory Committee to discuss a growing list of mitigation measures for an ever-lengthening list of agencies to address a growing list of problems.

But the problems didn’t start this year, according to a report issued by CalRecycle, the state agency that oversees waste management.

In a letter sent Oct. 16, the agency issued a report calling the smell the result of a smoldering subsurface reaction at the 639-acre landfill that’s creating a foul smell because it’s occurring at a rate that’s overwhelming the landfill’s systems.

The reaction produces leachate, which is a liquid produced by the chemical reaction from water that filters through the waste, and dimethyl sulfide, an odorous landfill gas, or LFG. However, a couple of reports have noted compounding problems the landfill is working on that have made the issues worse for residents: There was an older section of the landfill where the waste was not properly handled by the landfill’s previous operators; and the area saw a nearrecord amount of rainfall, which made the leachate and gas production occur at much higher than normal levels.

In November, the landfill was issued additional violations from the South Coast Air Quality Management District, after an inspector discovered the leachate seepage and later learned from the landfill that the facility had known about it since April.

The mitigation

The landfill has been ordered to undertake a number of mitigation measures listed on the facility’s website, along with its violations and any reports that the landfill is ordered to create.

The landfill issued a statement on its website that challenges the state’s contention that the landfill has a fire underneath its surface:

Dan Watson/The Signal

(Above) Chiquita Canyon Landfill Community Advisory Committee Chairman Bob Lewis (left) talks with Raymond Huff (center), vice president of SCS Engineers, and Steve Cassulo, district manager at Waste Connections Inc., prior to a meeting held at the Castaic Library in August. (Below) A construction vehicle sits in the middle of the Chiquita Canyon Landfill in this Signal file photo.

“The source of any odors coming from the Chiquita Canyon Landfill is an increase in the production of landfill gas (LFG) and liquids at the Landfill. This increase in LFG and liquids production is due to an abnormal biotic or abiotic process (also known as a landfill reaction) taking place within a portion of the landfill waste mass.

This reaction is not the result of a fire or subsurface oxidation event within the waste mass,” according to its statement.

A landfill official said the facility’s leachate problems have not left the landfill, but during a recent community meeting, upset residents asked the landfill to expand its testing to make sure that’s the case.

The landfill’s website explains how the facility responded to the concerns about the waste and leachate seeping into its stormwater: “Because some of the leachate reached the landfill’s concrete-lined stormwater channels, Chiquita initially installed

several check dams in the channels to contain the leachate once it reached the channels.

Now, Chiquita has cleaned the stormwater channels by removing solids, debris, and liquids impacted by leachate, pressure washing, and removing the check dams. To prevent leachate and stormwater from mixing in the future, Chiquita has also raised the perimeter road by 3 feet in the new sump area.”

The lawsuit

The landfill has drawn more than 6,000 complaints and 100 violations over the smell, but one of the big lingering questions for the residents who are being affected by the situation at Chiquita Canyon is what exactly are the health impacts associated with the problems they are dealing with.

More than 200 residents who live near the landfill have filed a class-action lawsuit against Chiquita Canyon and L.A. County to try to shut the landfill down.

The lawsuit is also seeking damages from the landfill that residents say are tied to the health effects they’re experiencing from the landfill’s pollution, impacts that include headaches, dizziness, runny noses, nose bleeds and nausea, among others.

In court filings, the landfill sought to move the case to federal court, arguing that the number of claimants and potential damages that could exceed $5 million make such a move appropriate.

The residents are being represented by Oshea Orchid, a lawyer and Val Verde resident who also recently joined the Castaic Area Town Council as one of two representatives of that area.

Next steps

The latest development has been the addition of a task force with federal representatives, including the Environmental Protection Agency, and state water officials, who are stepping in to take another

look at mitigation efforts that have been in the works for months but to date have been largely ineffectual in stemming the stench.

“On Nov. 30, local, state and federal agencies formed a multi-agency task force to address concerns raised about the operations and overall state of the landfill at Chiquita Canyon. U.S. EPA is helping lead the task force,” according to an email from Michael Brogan, press officer for the EPA. Part of the recent problems the landfill is currently having stems from the heavy rains the area received last year, according to the water board.

“The increase could be attributed to the abnormally high rain precipitation in the 2022- 23 rainy season as well as chemical reactions within the municipal waste mass, which can increase the rate of leachate production,” according to an email shared by Ailene Voisin, information officer for the State Water Board, which was attributed to L.A. Regional Board staff.

Reports obtained by The Signal from Chiquita indicated the landfill’s leachate production exceeded 1 million gallons per week in October, and a representative for Chiquita said he hoped the production was nearing its peak. The level of production has been steadily worsening since April.

Fifth District L.A. County Supervisor Kathryn Barger, who represents the Santa Clarita Valley and previously convened a county task force on the landfill, issued a statement saying she welcomed the support from the federal government.

“They are stepping up to the task of helping identify solutions and bringing resources to the table for an incident that has gone on for far too long,” according to a statement emailed on behalf of the supervisor by Helen Chavez, her director of communications. “I appreciate their efforts to help expedite approval of the recently installed flares, one of the many critical mitigation measures needed to eliminate the odors impacting the community. I also welcome the added coordination support — there are more than six state agencies, as well as the South Coast Air Quality Management District, working in coordination on a State Task Force for this incident. I will continue stressing the need for urgent action and will look to the U.S. EPA to do the same.”

Legal counsel for the landfill said in November that the company has no evidence that the leachate seepage that’s overwhelmed its collection system — similarly to how the landfill gas dimethyl sulfide has overwhelmed the flares meant to capture the sulphury stench that’s troubling residents — has impacted the local water supply.

However, one of the announcements from the last meeting in 2023 for the landfill’s advisory committee was a call for testing the Santa Clara River for any potential impacts.

THE SIGNAL · SATURDAY, DECEMBER 30, 2023 · A13

Residents’ fight againt Cemex grinds on in 2023

to weigh in on the controversial project.

In his veto message, Newsom recognized the bill had been rendered “unnecessary” by the State Water Board’s decision to re-notice the Cemex application, which would have been the only project impacted by the legislation.

Cemex has yet to respond to several requests for comment regarding the project.

Newsom also noted the project has been “long delayed” in his veto message.

One of the biggest concerns for those opposed to the project is a well-known need for aggregate the mine would produce, which has been cited as a way to address the state’s need for more housing and infrastructure to accommodate it.

By Perry Smith

Signal Senior Staff Writer

Cemex’s efforts to put the largest sand-and-gravel mine in North America just outside Santa Clarita city limits could have an impact on the entire region for decades.

The talk of a megamine on the east side of town has been a seemingly never-ending news cycle for the Santa Clarita Valley since about 2000.

A company known as Southdown at the time originally secured the contracts for the rights to mine more than 50 million tons of aggregate from Soledad Canyon in 1991.

Southdown was acquired by Cemex in June 2000.

And mining talk has been a fixture in the pages of The Signal pretty much ever since.

Recently, a federal court ruling in favor of the international mining conglomerate — which has been engaged in years of litigation with community stakeholders who have been trying to stop the mine — prompted the company to notify the State Water Resources Control Board that it plans to pursue a nearly 30-year-old application.

There are a few reasons why there’s been such community concern and a number of legislative efforts that were a significant part of the ongoing conversation around Cemex.

Next steps

Signal file photos

A recent federal court ruling was in favor of Cemex, an international mining congolomerate based out of Mexico, which prompted the company to notify the State Water Resources Control Board that it is planning to pursue a nearly 30-year-old application. The State Water Board has not given a timeline for when a public notice might occur for a water permit application that could fundamentally change the Santa Clarita Valley.

Federal ruling

The SCV’s concerns around Cemex began anew in May 2022, when a federal court reinstated the mining company’s decades-old mining rights, which Santa Clarita City Council members referred to as an “egregious precedent,” according to reports from the time.

That U.S. District Court ruling vacated both an Interior Board of Land Appeals decision made in 2019 and a Bureau of Land Management decision made in 2015, meaning the BLM, which had previously ruled in the SCV’s favor, no longer had standing to say the mining contracts are expired or terminated.

In a statement in response, then-Santa Clarita Mayor Laurene Weste said: “This week’s decision by the U.S. District Court is irresponsible and sets an egregious precedent on federal mineral contracts,” said Weste, who also was serving on the City Council’s ad hoc committee on Cemex. “These contracts were canceled by the Bureau of Land Management, and that decision was subsequently reaffirmed by the Interior Board of Land Appeals.”

In addition to the numerous environmental concerns, including water usage and potential pollution, city officials reported a mining operation of that size could lead to more than 1,100 trucks each day traversing Highway 14.

Fearing defeat after denial from the federal government, the stakeholders then had to hope their state legislators might be able to come through for them.

In 2023, the results have been

TRANSIT Continued from A9 MV Transportation,” said Carrie Lujan, spokeswoman for the city.

A renewed contract in 2018 between the city and MV Transportation was approved for roughly $87.6 million for four years, with three two-year options The city confirmed in October that it was in the first year of a two-year option in its contract that would end in July 2024.

The union released a statement, arguing that the city had more power in advocating for their rights as employees than the city claimed to.

“The workers, who provide vital transportation services to the region’s students, commuters and seniors, yet are paid as little as half of what the city’s own maintenance workers and gardeners earn, have been negotiating with MV Transit for more than a year with little progress,” according to the statement. “Further, even though the city of Santa

mixed so far, but optimism remains.

After awaiting Gov. Gavin Newsom’s signature for more than two weeks, Assembly Bill 1631, an effort co-authored by Assemblywoman Pilar Schiavo and Sen. Scott Wilk, failed to get signed into law.

But, the legislators said the bill accomplished its goal anyway.

Schiavo, D-Chatsworth, and Wilk, R-Santa Clarita, both took victory laps after the Assembly bill’s passage in the Senate on Sept. 7, with the senator calling it a major win and Schiavo adding that she would “look forward to seeing the governor sign AB 1631.”

Both said the bill, which also was part of a yearslong fight first authored by Wilk and then by Schiavo, ultimately had accomplished its goal by that point.

The latest information from

the State Water Resources Control Board in September confirmed that a decision was made to re-notice the application. The decision to re-notice will not be reconsidered, despite a request for an appeal over the summer from Cemex.

The bill would have required projects seeking a water permit with an application more than 30 years old be subject to a renoticing.

Both legislators issued statements that indicated how important they thought the bill was to the SCV. “Finally after 30 years, this is a major victory for the Santa Clarita Valley,” Wilk said in a statement. “The proposed mega-mine is a threat to our water supply, and would wreak havoc on our roads and air quality. The governor’s message ensures residents will get the opportunity they deserve to publicly voice their

concerns against this disastrous project.”

Schiavo echoed the concern.

“A lot has changed in 30 years, and this legislation is about transparency, public engagement, and ensuring that our community has a voice in such an important resource — water,” she said, adding, “I know the governor shares our community’s concerns about the ability to have our voices heard on a decades-old project. His message acknowledging that what this bill sought to do is in motion.”

Cemex’s application seeks a beneficial water use of the Santa Clara River, which it needs as part of its plan to open the site in Soledad Canyon just outside Santa Clarita city limits.

The legislative pressure compelled the State Water Board to publicly notice the meeting, which would likely, but not necessarily give residents a chance

Clarita received tens of millions of dollars in COVID-relief funding for transit operations (including salaries), the city failed to appropriate these funds to their contractor, MV Transit, so Santa Clarita drivers could receive standard ‘hero pay.’”

For a while, local riders said goodbye to the trademark green and blue Santa Clarita Transit buses, while nondescript white buses from a temporary contractor took over some local routes.

The new temporary deal with the city and Sun Valley-based bus service Transit Systems Unlimited began on Oct. 9. The charter bus company has been servicing Los Angeles County since 1991.

According to the contract obtained by The Signal on Oct. 17, the city was paying Transit Systems on Oct. 11 approximately $18,500 for the following services: “Limited routes for Nos. 5, 6 and 12 — no schedule, and the wait times are approximately 60 to 90 minutes; limited schooltrippers, route Nos. 627, 623, 634, 626, 621 and 640; and

limited Dial-A-Ride services, urgent medical appointments only. There is no commuter service.”

However, there seemed to be no signs of stopping the strike, as drivers considered MV’s offers to be insulting. In a statement, Garcia stated that the “local economy is clearly robust as evidenced by the fact that tax revenues are up more than 50% since the MV Transit contract was negotiated. City leaders need to either amend the MV contract to reflect the high inflation rates or let MV out of the contract to allow it to be re-bid.”

With inflation being a concern, especially after COVID-19, drivers were left perplexed, wondering where the additional COVID-19 funding went.

Lujan responded, in an email, that the entirety of the funding was used to “offset revenue losses resulting from decreased ridership and not collecting fares during the pandemic. The city also used federal and local funding to install driver barriers and UV sanitation systems to our entire bus fleet for the safety of

drivers.”

At the Oct. 24 City Council meeting, City Manager Ken Striplin addressed the concerns, stating that the city understood “the issues revolving the labor negotiations between the workers and MV Transportation [and had] been in communication with MV Transportation … to encourage resolution to the issues.”

As November rolled around and the strike entered its fourth week, picketers were found striking down the road on the corner of Valencia Boulevard and McBean Parkway, in close proximity and down the street from Santa Clarita City Hall.

A month in, on Nov. 14, Striplin stated that the city had met with MV Transportation to coordinate an agreement to ensure all involved are comfortable.

“My understanding, after talking with MV today, is that they have reached out to the union, and will be submitting additional contract-negotiation-type stuff, and hopefully we’re on a path to get the drivers back to work,” Striplin said.

After eight weeks, the union

The latest legislative effort

The State Water Board has been largely quiet on the matter due to its own policy that disallows what it refers to as “ex parte communication,” or discussion of pending applications in front of the agency outside of its board room.

And while there’s no guarantee there will be a public hearing yet, those potentially affected by the project will have a chance to file protests, according to Ailene Voisin, a spokeswoman for the State Water Board.

“The State Water Board has not determined whether to hold a hearing regarding the Cemex water right permit application,” Voisin wrote in an email Sept. 1. “The next step in processing the application is to re-notice the application.

The noticing period, once commenced, will be a 40-day period where the public has an opportunity to file protests against the application. While the date of re-notice has not yet been determined, it will likely occur in the next several months.”

Over the winter, the State Water Board said there’s been no timeline yet for when the public notice might occur for a water permit application that could fundamentally change the SCV. “Hearings on water right permit applications generally occur as a final step in processing of an application,” according to an email attributed to Division of Water Rights staff. “The processing time for water right permit applications is highly variable depending on a number of factors. Since each water right permit application is unique, we cannot provide an average length of time for an approval process.”

The city is working on the situation while waiting for word from the State Water Board, according to Masis Hagobian, intergovernmental relations officer for the city of Santa Clarita.

“We’re already working on a protest,” said Hagobian in November. “But we obviously can’t submit anything until the agency notices the timeline.”

Those wanting updates about the potential hearing dates can sign up for them at www.waterboards.ca.gov/resources/ email_subscriptions. agreed to the terms provided

by MV Transportation on Dec. 3. The offer was presented on Dec. 1.

The agreement entailed significant raises, with the drivers’ wages comparable to those of drivers in the cities of Sylmar and Palmdale. The drivers will not be receiving pensions, but with the added wages, have the possibility to invest in a 401k.

After nearly 60 days of protests, the Santa Clarita City Council is expected to increase funding by $1.22 million for the 2023-24 fiscal year.

In an email, MV Transportation released a statement acknowledging the progress between the company and its Santa Clarita employees.

“We are pleased that, despite a difficult period over the last several weeks, we were ultimately able to arrive at a mutual resolution with our employees, the Teamsters and the city of Santa Clarita,” said Campos.

“We are excited to return, together, to the very important work of serving the people of Santa Clarita, as we have done successfully since 2008.”

A14 · SATURDAY, DECEMBER 30, 2023 · THE SIGNAL

Photos of 2023: Scenes from events throughout the Santa Clarita Valley

Dan Watson/The Signal

(Left) John Quigly recreated his protest of the cutting down of “Old Glory” at Pico Canyon Park in March after first doing so 20 years ago. (Above) The Hart of the West Pow Wow returned to William S. Hart Park in September for the first time since before the COVID-19 pandemic.

Signal file photos

The Valencia High School boys’ basketball team won its first CIF Southern Section title in February before going on to win its first state title in March.

Signal file photos

The Hart High girls’ soccer team took down Harvard-Westlake in a torrential downpour at College of the Canyons to take home the 2023 CIF Southern Section Division 2 title. The Indians went on to win the CIF Southern California Regional Division 2 title in March.

Signal file photos

The Castaic High baseball team captured the CIF Southern California Regional Division 5 title in June, led by head coach Darrell Davis (right), in the program’s second year of existence.

Signal file photos

The Santa Clarita Valley was not hit by too many large fires in 2023, though Castaic saw a couple of fires break out near Castaic Lake on July 11 that required a heavy response by the Los Angeles County Fire Department.

THE SIGNAL · SATURDAY, DECEMBER 30, 2023 · A15

Photos of 2023: Scenes from events throughout the Santa Clarita Valley

Dan Watson/The Signal

Santa Clarita Valley residents, as well as those from outside the valley, descended upon Central Park in June for the Boots & Brews country music festival, headlined by Lee Brice.

CRIME

Continued from A12 claiming they were invalid, which prompted the supporters of the recall effort to sue to have them reconsidered.

The plaintiffs in that lawsuit have described the efforts by the opposition, namely attorneys for Gascón and the clerk’s office, as stall tactics as the regular district attorney election looms in 2024, with Gascón on the ballot seeking re-election.

“Overall, this is another win, in that the (registrar) tried to argue they should have no accountability or oversight whatsoever on these issues and lost,” according to an email from Tim Lineberger, spokesman for the recall effort.

“The unfortunate part is that all of this litigation and obvious stonewalling and delay tactics are meant to prevent an appropriate remedy.”

The representative of the clerk’s office said the clerk was following the law.

“As with the other claims made by the recall proponents, we will respond in accordance with the legal framework without regard to the political narrative,” said Mike Sanchez, a spokesman for Logan.

Gang shootings

In March, the city of Santa Clarita saw a crime that’s not by any means a regular appearance in Santa Clarita headlines: a brazen broad daylight gang-related double murder at an apartment complex in Newhall.

Since then, The Signal has reported on a series of shootings in Canyon Country and Newhall, where two gangs have been battling over turf for years in a conflict that’s escalated.

The Sheriff’s Department has a High Tech Task Force that has provided crucial bits of evidence for investigators, some of which can be seen on social media posts on Instagram in the months leading up to the local shootings.

In a number of instances, detective work from station officials led to arrests within days of the incidents.

The shooting incidents that involved victims who were shot by teens included: the March 18 incident, in which Brian

Signal file photos

Part-I crimes — which include rapes, robberies and murders, among others — have been on the rise since 2020, with the Sheriff’s Department’s Transparency Promise website reporting a 12.3% increase from 2021 to 2022.

Chevez, 25, and Cameron Stokes, 16 were killed at The Villages Apartment by a suspect who was 18 and a 15-year-old accomplice, according to investigators.

The suspects in the Chevez and Stokes’ murder include Anthony Ernesto Martinez Ortiz, who’s facing two counts of murder and due back in court Jan. 8, and Steven Rosas, who’s facing a hearing in the juvenile court Jan. 12. The DA’s office declined to identify the charges against Rosas.

Prosecutors also have alleged that in a Sept.

30 incident in the 24900 block of Newhall Avenue, a 15-year-old suspected gang member walked up to a group outside an apartment complex around 11:42 p.m. and, after exchanging words, fired shots at the gathering, striking a man twice.

The suspect in that case has yet to be charged.

Municipal lawsuit

Another recent but impactful change to the L.A. County criminal justice system in 2023 was the widespread reduction of bail.

L.A. County Superior Court Presiding Judge Samantha Jessner issued a ruling that instituted nocash bail in July, spurring the cities’ lawsuit. The ruling was issued as the result of a separate lawsuit by a handful of defendants who claimed they were jailed for multiple days solely because they didn’t have the resources to pay cash bail.

Jessner’s order essentially eliminated cashbail requirements for

allegations that, under the previous schedule, would have required bail of $50,000 or less.

The city of Whittier initially filed suit, and then it was joined by dozens of other cities, which successfully sought to have the case heard in Orange County by arguing that an L.A. County judge would have an inherent bias to support Jessner’s ruling.

Ultimately, an Orange County judge upheld Jessner’s ruling in December by not granting the cities’ request for a preliminary injunction, to the dismay of Santa Clarita officials, who also authorized the city to join the lawsuit in October.

“Although the court’s decision to deny a preliminary injunction to the no-cash bail schedule is disheartening, it is imperative that we continue to work with the other 28 cities involved in this lawsuit to ultimately re-establish a bail schedule and restore a higher level of public safety,” according to thenMayor Jason Gibbs. “The City Council joined this lawsuit because we recognize that our No. 1 responsibility as a City Council is to keep our residents safe.

The adopted no-cash bail schedule undermines public safety and completely disregards a victim’s rights and safety of the general public. We must restore accountability and justice within our criminal justice system and I look forward to continuing to work with the coalition of cities to reinstate a bail schedule.”

The Vera Institute, which also works for criminal justice reform, called the cities’ efforts

Signal file photo

A judge ruled that a no-cash bail system could be implemented in July, which officials said can lead to an increase in crime.

“fear-mongering.”

“We have long known that money bail does not keep us safe. It undermines fairness and justice, disproportionately harms Black, Latino and poor people, and exacerbates cycles of poverty,” according to a statement from Michelle Parris, director of Vera California, a local

initiative of the Vera Institute of Justice. “On any given day, there are more than 6,000 people in our jails — not because they are a danger to the community, but largely because of an inability to pay bail. We can see across this county that this system has not worked for the people of Los Angeles and that

our communities deserve a better approach to public safety.”

Both sides are now expected to meet March 8 in Orange County for a case management hearing to review evidence from the cities to back their claim that the bail policy represents a public safety threat.

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THE SIGNAL · SATURDAY, DECEMBER 30, 2023 · A19

Fight against fentanyl shifts gears

Legislators, federal officials working to ensure dealers get maximum punishment for dealing deadly drug

By Tyler Wainfeld Signal Staff Writer

The fentanyl crisis in the Santa Clarita Valley is not a new topic in 2023. But after seeing over 80 fentanyl-related deaths in his district in 2022, Rep. Mike Garcia, R-Santa Clarita, is now taking the fight to the dealers in the hopes of deterring the deadly drug from knowingly being dealt.

Garcia announced in a news release earlier this month that he is cosponsoring House Resolution 6671, otherwise known as Alexandra’s Law. The legislation would require convicted fentanyl dealers to sign a sworn statement acknowledging that fentanyl is fatal and they could face murder charges if they deal again and it results in a death. The bill would also make that sworn statement admissible as evidence in both state and federal court.

“Last year, there were over 80 fentanyl-related deaths in the Santa Clarita, Lancaster, and Palmdale areas – the most in all of L.A. County,” Garcia said in the release. “And every year, the flow of fentanyl through our southern border kills more than 100,000 Americans nationwide. This national suffering must be put to an end, and I’m committed to doing everything in my power to fight this epidemic. That fight starts with giving our law enforcement and prosecutors the necessary tools to hold fentanyl dealers accountable, and that’s precisely what this legislation works to do.

We have a long road ahead, but I’m proud to play a part in this crucial step in the right direction.”

The fight against fentanyl in the SCV in 2023 began with The Signal’s Fentanyl Town Hall in January. On the heels of more than 30 people dying from overdoses involving the deadly drug in 2022, about 150 people attended the event that saw speakers from Los Angeles County, the city of Santa Clarita, the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station, the William S. Hart Union High School District and multiple community partners.

There, attendees were instructed on how to use naloxone, more commonly known by the brand name Narcan, as well as just how dangerous fentanyl can be. According to Capt. Brandon Dean with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department’s Narcotics Bureau, as little as 0.02 milligrams is all that is needed for a fatal dose of fentanyl.

Capt. Justin Diez with the SCV Sheriff’s Station said at the event that the timeframe for saving

Photos by Dan Watson/The Signal

The Signal’s Fentanyl Town Hall in January featured speakers from the city of Santa Clarita and Los Angeles County as officials informed the public on the dangers of fentanyl and, if necessary, how to stop an overdose. Speakers included Dr. Saddarth Puri (below left), associate medical director of L.A. County, and L.A. County 5th District Supervisor Kathryn Barger (below right).

someone who is overdosing on fentanyl could be minutes.

Los Angeles County Fifth District Supervisor Kathryn Barger attended the event and called fentanyl overdoses “poisoning deaths.” According to Barger, 1,500 people died in the county from fentanyl overdoses in 2022 after that number was just 462 in 2019.

“We can only expect these numbers to continue to grow,” Barger said, “unless the local, county, state and federal — because it’s coming across the borders right now — partners address this with the urgency and collaboration that it requires.”

According to a June news release from the county Department of Public Health, prescription drugs from pharmacies in Mexico were found to be laced with fentanyl, despite the pills being purchased from legitimate pharmacies.

Awareness of how deadly fentanyl can be was how the issue

was tackled to begin the year. As legislators, law enforcement and federal officials began to take a closer look, the focus turned to stamping out the drug dealers putting it onto the streets.

Garcia cosponsoring Alexandra’s Law isn’t the first time he’s supported or drafted legislation involving fentanyl. He also introduced two bills to work in tandem, the “Resolution Condemning China for their Role in the Fentanyl Crisis” and the Combatting Fentanyl Poisonings Act, according to a Nov. 1 news release. The former condemns the Chinese Communist Party for its role in fueling America’s fentanyl crisis and calls on the White House to hold the CCP accountable.

The latter establishes two separate grant programs to assist law enforcement and educate youth. One program authorizes $10 million to go to state and local law enforcement agencies to better target illegal fentanyl

dealers and train school personnel, clinicians and the general public on how to prevent poisonings while the other authorizes $2 million to go to nonprofits focused on educating children about the dangers of fentanyl.

State Sen. Scott Wilk, R-Santa Clarita, and Assemblywoman Pilar Schiavo, D-Chatsworth, have also been working to pass legislation involving fentanyl in California.

Wilk co-authored two bills, one to hold fentanyl dealers more accountable and one to increase penalties for any person possessing, distributing or trafficking the drug, that were shut down in committee in April. Schiavo coauthored Assembly Bill 19, which would ensure that Narcan is available in all schools, and joined a legislative press conference on National Fentanyl Awareness Day to offer her support for bipartisan solutions to tackle the fentanyl crisis.

At a more local level, the city of

Santa Clarita has been recognizing the lives that have been lost due to fentanyl, including at its first City Council meeting after the summer recess in August when the city acknowledged that Tuesday as the second annual National Fentanyl Awareness and Prevention Day. The city also made fentanyl its focus at its annual parent symposium in September.

Jason Gibbs, then the mayor of Santa Clarita before recently passing the gavel to Cameron Smyth, moderated the panel discussion for “Fake and Fatal, The Truth About Fentanyl.” He spoke on how dangerous fentanyl can be for kids who may be told what pill they are taking but do not know exactly what the pills have been cut with.

“Knowing that an innocent act can end a life,” Gibbs said, “and kids don’t know that they’re doing something and it can end up being the worst thing that they’ve ever done. As a parent, you’re always terrified about that.”

Saugus High School student Kaysen Markoff also spoke at the symposium and told the story of his friend, Isaac Boston, who died just after turning 16 in August 2021. According to Markoff, Boston thought that he was taking a Xanax pill, but the L.A. County Coroner’s Office listed his cause of death as “probable fentanyl toxicity.”

Things are beginning to move along in the court system as well. The first federal prosecutions against SCV-based fentanyl dealers were announced in May when Dominick Alvarado, a 22-year-old Tarzana man, was arrested on suspicion of distributing fentanyl in the form of fake Percocet pills. He was suspected of dealing the drugs to two teenagers in the SCV who later died from fentanyl overdoses.

That was just one case presented due to the efforts of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department’s Overdose Response Task Force, which was created to respond to the increasing number of fentanyl overdoses in the county. Instead of treating those deaths as regular overdoses, investigators began to treat them like murders, allowing for special enhancements to be attached to federal charges against fentanyl dealers.

Alvarado took a plea deal in November that will see prosecutors seek no more than 12 years in prison despite him facing up to 20 years in prison for each count, totaling 40 years, if he had been convicted. He has a sentencing date for Jan. 29 in federal court in downtown Los Angeles.

Dan Watson/The Signal

(Left) Attendees of The Signal’s Fentanyl Town Hall were provided with free Narcan, an overdose-preventing drug. (Right) Los Angeles County Assistant Fire Chief Pat Sprengel (left) talks with Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station Capt. Justin Diez (center) and Capt. Brandon Dean at the event.

Photos of 2023: Scenes from events throughout the Santa Clarita Valley

Photos by Habeba Mostafa/The Signal

(Left) The Cube held its annual Holiday Ice Show in December, an adaptation of the Christmas classic, “A Nightmare Before Christmas. (Right) The Santa Clarita Ballet Company presented “The Nutcracker” in December at the College of the Canyons Performing Arts Center, with accompanying music by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky.

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