Local News Section
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Castaic Middle School offers spring musical Castaic Middle School is presenting "Once Upon a Mattress" as its spring musical today at 7:30 p.m. in its Multi-Purpose Room. Written in 1959, high schools traditionally have found the musical a popular choice. Adapted from Hans Christian Anderson's story "The Princess and the Pea," the musical tells of a somewhat masculine princess who must win the hand of a sensitive prince over the protests of an overbearing queen mother. The queen does not think the princess is sensitive enough for her son, so she devises the test of the matress and the pea. The queen sets a single pea ... |
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Back to court for Castro SAN FERNANDO - A Canyon Country woman accused of killing her husband will be tried a second time. Superior Court Judge Burt Pines ordered a new trial for Esperanza Castro Friday morning, three full weeks after her first trial ended in a hung jury. Castro, 45, was on trial for allegedly killing her husband in the bedroom of their home on March 22, 2006. A pre-trial hearing for her second trial on charges of murder and conspiracy to commit murder is set to begin May 28 at 9 a.m. Castro remained in custody after the Apr. 23 verdict, when the ... |
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Castaic parents: We want straight answers Castaic parents want the Hart district to stop flip-flopping their high school students between Valencia and West Ranch high schools and select a school for the students to call their own until a high school is built in Castaic. The parents voiced their concerns at a special meeting of the Castaic Area Town Council held Tuesday evening and attended by William S. Hart Union High School District Board Members Gloria Mercado-Fortine and Steve Sturgeon, Superintendent Jaime Castellanos and Chief Operations Officer Rob Gapper. Castaic students have attended various Hart district campuses over the years, but were sent to West Ranch ... |
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A 'tradition' continues With the sound of cheering parents, friends and alumni coming from the courtyard and balconies, nearly 400 students from the California Institute of the Arts received their degrees Friday evening during the 2008 graduation ceremony. Out of the 392 graduating students from the Valencia art institute, 194 received a Bachelor of Fine Arts, while 198 took home their Master of Fine Arts. With the drum beats from the African Storytellers and Dance Ensemble in the background, the art students walked to their seats, stopping to pose for photos, mingle with the audience and wave to the crowds of people. Even ... |
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Record triple-digit highs possible today in SCV Near-record triple digit temperatures are possible today in the Santa Clarita Valley. As of Friday evening, the National Weather Service predicted temperatures in the Santa Clarita Valley could reach 103 degrees today, which is 25 degrees above normal. A high of 98 is predicted for Sunday. Night time temperatures will likely not dip below 66 degrees. The sizzling temperatures are due to a moderate offshore flow caused by strong high pressure over the West Coast, according to the weather service. Although historical data for Santa Clarita was not available Friday, the record high for the San Fernando Valley on today's ... |
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City, county host pet vaccination The city of Santa Clarita, along with the county, is hosting the annual Pet Vaccination Clinic today from 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. at Santa Clarita Park. Low-cost vaccinations, license renewal and micro-chipping services will be available for dogs. Vaccinations include a $6 Rabies vaccine, the $14 six-in-one Distemper, Hepatitis, Leptospirosis, Parainfluenza and Parvovius, and the $11 Bordetella vaccine. Rabies vaccinations are required by state law for all dogs at least four months of age. Pet micro-chipping will be offered free of charge. Proof of spay or neuter is required for license renewal or to receive an initial license, so ... |
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Castro to be retried for husband's murder SAN FERNANDO - A Canyon Country woman accused of killing her husband will be tried a second time. Superior Court Judge Burt Pines ordered a new trial for Esperanza Castro Friday morning, three full weeks after her first trial ended in a hung jury. Castro, 45, was on trial for allegedly killing her husband in the bedroom of their home on March 22, 2006. A pre-trial hearing is set to begin May 28 at 9 a.m. On Apr. 23, after 20 hours of deliberation, the jury in her trial revealed to the judge that it was a hung jury. Castro ... |
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Pet vaccinations Saturday morning at Santa Clarita Park The city of Santa Clarita, along with the county, is hosting the annual Pet Vaccination Clinic Saturday morning at Santa Clarita Park. Low-cost vaccinations, license renewal and micro-chipping services will be available for dogs. Vaccinations include a $6 Rabies vaccine, the $14 six-in-one Distemper, Hepatitis, Leptospirosis, Parainfluenza and Parvovius, and the $11 Bordetella vaccine. Rabies vaccinations are required by state law for all dogs at least four months of age. Pet micro-chipping will be offered free of charge. Proof of spay or neuter is required for license renewal or to receive an initial license, so officials recommend bringing your pet's Certificate ... |
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Castaic Middle School stages 'Once Upon a Mattress' Castaic Middle School is presenting "Once Upon a Mattress" as its spring musical Friday and Saturday nights at 7:30 in its Multi-Purpose Room. Written in 1959, high schools traditionally have found the musical a popular choice. Adapted from Hans Christian Anderson's story "The Princess and the Pea," the musical tells of a somewhat masculine princess who must win the hand of a sensitive prince over the protests of an overbearing queen mother. The queen does not think the princess is sensitive enough for her son, so she devises the test of the matress and the pea. The queen sets a single pea ... |
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Employee bicycles to SCV from Palmdale More than 200 Santa Clarita residents pedaled into work Thursday as part of the city's Fifth annual Bike to Work day, with one city employee riding all the way from Palmdale. James Montgomery, a general maintenance worker for the city, said he left at 4 a.m. Thursday to make the two-hour trek to his job at Central Park. A few other city employees rode from the Sand Canyon area of Canyon Country to City Hall, said Travis Lange, environmental services manager for the city. "Using your bicycle and leaving your automobile at home for a 10-mile trip results in major ... |
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Choir reaches high note at competition If choir competitors could be judged the same as their peers in sports, then the Valencia High School Women's Choir just scored a touchdown, a home run and the last-second winning basket at a meet last weekend near San Francisco. The 40-strong Women's Chamber Ensemble competed in the Santa Clara Music In The Parks competition against two dozen choirs from other California schools, in front of an estimated 2,500 people, scoring an unprecedented 99 out of 100. Choir members dubbed themselves The Dona Bellas after their win. They won four top prizes including the coveted Esprit de Corps award for ... |
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Choir reaches high note at competition If choir competitors could be judged the same as their peers in sports, then the Valencia High School Women's Choir just scored a touchdown, a home run and the last-second winning basket at a meet last weekend near San Francisco. The 40-strong Women's Chamber Ensemble competed in the Santa Clara Music In The Parks competition against two dozen choirs from other California schools, in front of an estimated 2,500 people, scoring an unprecedented 99 out of 100. Choir members dubbed themselves The Dona Bellas after their win. They won four top prizes including the coveted Esprit de Corps award for ... |
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New war on water bubbling locally? The hydra, according to Greek mythology, is an ancient serpent-like water beast with many heads that guarded the entrance to the Underworld. So why does it appear on a sketch of the Castaic Lake Water Agency's strategic plan next to comments about water retailers? Joan Dunn, a former member of the Newhall County Water District, is livid about the agency's "strategic plan" vision and thinks she has the answer to the hydra reference. It took legendary hero, Hercules, to kill the monster hydra. Dunn suspects the agency sees itself as a hero intending to kill the water agencies. An agency ... |
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Same-sex ruling stirs SCV The California Supreme Court paved the way for gay marriages after it overturned a voter-approved ban on same-sex unions on Thursday. In a 4-3 ruling, the state's highest court concluded that domestic partnerships are not a sufficient substitute for marriage. "We were unexpectedly delighted," said David McEachern, president of the Santa Clarita chapter of Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays. "For all the gay and lesbian people and their families and friends, it's a great day." He said he knows many gay couples locally who have been waiting to have the same rights as other couples. "If (marriage) ... |
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Hart ponders zero-tolerance policy In an ongoing effort to revise and update board policies, the Hart district governing board discussed two key provisions - drug and alcohol abuse and the definition of "zero tolerance" - at its last meeting. The William S. Hart Union High School district policies are rigid on some points, such as an automatic transfer to another school for drug and alcohol offenses, while giving wide latitude to school administrators for other offenses. Hart district Superintendent Jaime Castellanos said that some people consider zero tolerance as "black and white," and for others there is some flexibility. "People define it differently," he ... |
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Speeding suspect caught - 18 months later In addition to a graphic memorializing a dead friend, Joseph Milhoan's motorcycle helmet was also emblazoned with a sticker reading: "Capable of evading high speed pursuit." That apparently wasn't the case Tuesday. Milhoan, 21, was arrested after allegedly evading peace officers on his motorcycle for the last 18 months, according to a Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff's report. The tide turned this week when a deputy reportedly recalled seeing a 2006 Honda CBR motorcycle matching the description parked on Begonias Lane in Canyon Country. The Canyon Country resident was booked on felony charges of reckless evading with willful disregard for public ... |
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New state budget plan ‘better' Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger submitted his revised 2008-09 budget plan to the legislature Wednesday, with the new proposal not suspending Proposition 98, but at the same time not providing education with all the funding needed. "It's better news than January, and we need to acknowledge that, but it's just the governor's proposal," said Newhall School District Superintendent Marc Winger. "We're still just caught in the middle waiting to find out what our assumptions should be." California Proposition 98 requires a minimum percentage of the state budget to be spent on K-14 education. Also called the Classroom Instructional Improvement and Accountability Act, ... |
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Cops catch up with biker -- 18 months later In addition to a graphic memorializing a dead friend, Joseph Milhoan's motorcycle helmet was also emblazoned with a sticker reading: "Capable of evading high speed pursuit." That apparently wasn't the case Tuesday. Milhoan, 21, was arrested after allegedly evading peace officers on his motorcycle for the last 18 months, according to a sheriff's report. Over the last year and a half, it was common practice for a motorcyclist to flee at high speeds when sheriff's deputies and California Highway Patrol Officers attempted a traffic stop. In each case the rider would race away on local surface streets at speeds of ... |
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Special Olympics seeks volunteers Special Olympics Santa Clarita Valley, hosting its seventh annual Spirit Games on Saturday, is seeking 100 volunteers to assist with the event. This year's theme is "The Spirit of Joy," and will include competitions at Hart High School, Newhall Park, the Newhall Boys and Girls Club and Placerita Junior High School. More than 700 athletes throughout Southern California will participate in the event, which included competitions in basketball, tennis and bocce. The opening ceremony, which will take place at 8:45 a.m. at the "Olympic Village" in Newhall Park, will feature parades and a torch run. The Olympic Village, where attendees ... |
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Update: No date for Castaic school During a special meeting of the Castaic Area Town Council, Hart District Superintendent Jaime Castellanos informed a room full of frustrated Castaic residents that there is no timeline to build a high school in Castaic. "There is no timeline," Castellanos said when asked by council member Scott Moon if the William S. Hart Union High School District had established a timeline to get the high school built. "We're trying to be as reflective and purposeful in our plans as possible." Castellanos, Hart district Chief Operations Officer Rob Gapper and district governing board members Gloria Mercado-Fortine and Steve Sturgeon attended the ... |
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Student's vehicle vandalized Whoever vandalized Saugus High School junior David Gandara's truck left behind a signature - a whole lot of handprints. Around 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, Gandara had a break in his schedule and decided to leave campus before his sixth period class, and walked to his truck, which was parked on nearby Scallion Drive. He found the 1999 Dodge Ram covered in derogatory statements and obscene pictures, written in green and orange paint. That included green handprints all over the vehicle. The graffiti, racial and sexual in nature and written with green and orange hand paint, was later washed off after a ... |
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Deputy honored for gang prevention For about four months, a handful of high school-aged youths - identified as "at-risk" - participate in a rigorous program designed to assist them in redirecting negative behavior into positive alternatives. A joint effort between the city of Santa Clarita and the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff's Station, the Vital Intervention and Directional Alternatives program, or VIDA, has been essential in guiding wayward youth in the local community. Aiming to prevent the exploration of gang affiliation or drug use, VIDA provides "at-risk" youth between the ages of 12 and 17 with counseling and guidance in a positive atmosphere. These "at-risk" youth, ... |
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Money for local perchlorate not likely Lobbyists hired by the Castaic Lake Water Agency foresee a tough time getting funds to clean up perchlorate in Santa Clarita groundwater as long as the Democratic nomination race dominates the political scene in Washington. A report filed Tuesday night by Harry Henderson of Anchor Consulting LLC, at a meeting of the agency's Government Relations and Outreach Committee, warns that any legislative action regarding requests for funding such things as perchlorate cleanup and water recycling won't likely happen until the fall. "Few, if any, legislative vehicles will be considered in the next few months," Henderson noted in his report. "Given ... |
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Drive Safe Golf Classic scheduled for Saturday The Frontier Toyota and Henry Mayo Newhall Memorial Hospital's "Drive Safe" Golf Classic is set for Saturday at the Valencia Country Club. Proceeds from the annual event, currently in its 35th year, will benefit emergency and trauma services at the Valencia hospital. Last year's efforts raised $280,000 for the cause. Attendees can purchase tickets for the $50,000 grand prize Helicopter Golf Ball Drop where a total of 1,800 golf balls will be dropped from the sky towards a target hole. If one of the 10 closest balls to land near the target hole matches a pre-selected winning number, the ticket ... |
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City Council approves Hasley Hills annexation The Santa Clarita City Council Tuesday night approved an ordinance to send an application to annex 1,400 acres of Castaic into the city of Santa Clarita. The application will be in the hands of the county Local Agency Formation Commission as early as June to annex an area that consists of the Hasley Hills, North Bluffs and Live Oak communities and the Valencia Commerce Center. The proposed annexed area includes 1,500 homes and 6 million square feet of commercial space. In other business, Newhall residents spoke of their concerns about plans for The Avenue at Santa Clarita, which would bring ... |
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City OKs ethics code amid rancor The Santa Clarita City Council adopted a code of ethics this week, but not without a nearly two-hour debate with members of the public about what a code of ethics is and whether the city really needs one. The code the council adopted at Tuesday's City Council meeting lists principles drawn from the city's existing set of philosophies, such as fairness, respect and integrity. Also included are highlights of regulations from the personnel guidelines as well as the major state and federal laws pertaining to city officials. Members of the public who have pushed for the development of a code ... |
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Teachers, students, parents rally against state budget cuts Parents and students joined teachers from six local school districts and College of the Canyons outside City Hall on Tuesday afternoon in response to a recent proposal by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger to slash $4.8 billion in education funding statewide. The approximately 500 people who attended the after-school rally were concerned about the impact of the proposed cuts on local schools. "We are here to let the California legislators know that the proposed budget cuts will not work," said Sabrina Utter, president of the Santa Clarita Valley Parent-Teacher Association. "Flunk the budget, not our kids." It is anticipated by members of ... |
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Six new fire stations slated for SCV The Santa Clarita Valley is adding to its stable of fire stations. The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors Tuesday approved a recommendation that would allow financing to build six new stations at a cost of $78.6 million. Specifically, the board approved a motion to allow Tax-Exempt Commercial Paper to provide interim financing of the construction and to enable the Department of Public Works to begin designing the stations. The new stations will enable local fire crews to jump on wildfires when they begin as brush fires. "These will greatly enhance our ability," said Deputy Fire Chief John Tripp, who ... |
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Homes proposed for contaminated site New houses could pop up for sale on the 996-acre Whittaker-Bermite property in as little as five years. SunCal Cos. submitted plans to the city Tuesday to eventually build nearly 3,500 homes, shops and office buildings on the site of the contaminated Whittaker-Bermite site in the center of the city. Local agencies have been working to clean up the site contaminated with perchlorate, a by-product of rocket fuel that serves as evidence of the site's history as a munitions plant for several decades. Groundwater cleanup on the site is expected to take about 20 years, said City Planning Manager Lisa Webber. ... |
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Protesters rally against TCU closing Just minutes after nearly 30 senior citizens and senior advocates marched in front of City Hall on Tuesday evening to protest the closure of Henry Mayo Newhall Memorial's transitional care unit, Councilwoman Laurene Weste announced that in the coming years, seniors will have another option. While Newhall Memorial plans to close its TCU by June 5, G and Healthcare Services is now in escrow in purchasing what was formerly the Hillside Community Hospital building in Saugus. The transitional care unit is typically occupied by mostly seniors and is meant for patients who have been discharged from the hospital but are ... |
