SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA SPINE AND PAIN INSTITUTE “Service with compassion”
THUONG D. VO, M.D.
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Director of Pain Services, Palmdale Regional Medical Center Associate Medical Director, ProCare Hospice Director of Surgery Department Tehachapi Hospital Accepting new patients Works with most insurances Workman’s comp Personal Injury
Main office 18500 Via Princessa, Suite 3 Canyon Country, CA 91387 Across from Costco
Main 661 . 726 . 6265 Fax 661 . 949 . 5876 www.drtvo.com email: info@drtvo.com
Latino Profiles PGE 18 Latina with Attitude! PAGE 16
MOVERS PAGE 8
INDEX Our Wall, OUR HEROES PAGE 10
SCV Latino Chamber GALA PAGE 24
Money Matters ------------------page 12 Making the holidays ------------page 13 Our Community -----------------page 14 When you wish upon a star!----page 15 The 24 day challenge! ----------page 20 Entertain, Enlighten, Enrich-----page 22 Out and About with -------------page 23 Divorced or widowed?----------page 27 The Youth Hormone ------------page 29
OUR VALLEY CREDITS
Editorial W
e are back from a short hiatus to make our magazine bigger, brighter and better than ever. We worked with a top consulting firm and a team of experts to make positive changes in our company and our magazine. We hope you like what we have done. Please know that we will continue to improve in all we do to better serve our readers and our clients. So what have we done? First, we refocused our marketing efforts and geared them toward middle income families in the Santa Clarita Valley who have an interest in learning about our fastest growing demographic: Latinos. Our content will be rich, sometimes biting and always relevant and engaging to our readers. To allow for more content we had to discontinue writing our articles in two languages. Our research showed that the great majority of our readers preferred more content to duplicity of language. Next, believing that pictures are worth thousands of words, we expanded the size and improved the page quality of the magazine. If we are going to provide rich content we felt we had to provide rich images. When you are going to have Setareh Khatibi on your
cover it had better be big and bright. You may notice a little change to our name too. Our Valleys has become Our Valley Santa Clarita. We want to embrace diversity in our own Santa Clarita and the richness it brings to us all. This month’s issue brings readers Latina with Attitude, Profiles in Latino Courage, the SCV Latino Chamber of Commerce Gala, and other stories that have an impact on our Latino community. We want to bring you these stories not just telling you the who, what, when and where … but the WHY. We renamed our company to Our Valley Group, Inc. and we are more than just a magazine. We are a multicultural marketing solutions company that focuses on creating success for our clients. You will find us at www.ourvalleygroup.com. Finally, we are going to produce Our Valley Santa Clarita monthly. We feel we have an abundance of stories to tell about the good people and the good things in and around Santa Clarita so we are going to tell as many as we can. With your help and your support we will be able to do so. – Bill Miranda
Editor in Chief Bill Miranda Art Design
Patsy Ayala Ricardo Paredes Orozco Estefanía Islas Blanca De La Torre Production
Julio Del Rio
Copy Editor
Virginia Miranda Contributors
Scott Wilk Bob Kellar John Evarts, Dave Caldwell Laurie Morgan David Hegg, Gloria Locke Amy Daniels Eve Bushman Advertising Director Patsy Ayala
Account Executive Francisco Del Rio Lisa Gallante Technology
Julio Del Rio Ryan Kuhn Publisher
Our Valley Group Patsy Ayala, CEO
Maximizing Your Ability to Create Wealth and a Legacy
Your family is very important to you. It takes money to provide for them in the manner you would like to do so. Most people work for their money and that is fine. Some people have their money work for them and that is better. If you want to learn how your money can work for you make an appointment to meet with Byron Alvarado. Do it today.
Byron P. Alvarado, MBA
Wealth Cornerstone & The Strategy Partners Insurance and Financial Solutions Financial Strategist/Consultant Investment Advisor Representative Business & Personal Strategic Planning: Life | Disability | Long Term Care | Investments 25350 Magic Mountain Parkway Suite 300 Valencia CA 91355 661.368.5296 Office 818.530.4810 Office
Get your DVD/Blue Ray/Digital Copy combo on
December 10th!
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Movers & Shakers: Paul Nelson De La Cerda. Governing Board Member, Saugus Union School District.
P
aul is a powerful advocate for education, business and entrepreneurship and a role model for young people in both his professional and personal life. At the age of 29, Paul was elected to the Saugus Union School Board of Trustees in 2005. His offices on the Board have included Clerk in 2008 & 2013 and President in 2010. He is a graduate of the Hart District and holds a Bachelor of Science in Civil & Environmental Engineering and Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Oklahoma State University (where he was an All-American and NCAA Champion athlete). He also possesses an Executive Management Degree from University of Virginia’s Darden Graduate School of Business Administration and the National Hispanic Leadership Institute. Paul has served on numerous local boards and volunteer committees for many non-profit organizations including the YMCA, Child & Family Center, SCV Senior Center and City of Santa Clarita. Paul is an SFV and SCV Business Journal 40-under-40 award winner and was selected as one of the 51 most influential people in Santa Clarita Valley. Paul is one of the founders and creators of the SCV Business Journal and 40 Under Forty Awards and alumni of “Leadership SCV”. Currently, he serves as a Dean of Academic Affairs for the Los Angeles Community College District at the East Campus. His wife, Andrea, a local business owner (www.thecloveragency.com) and he live in Valencia where together they are raising eighth-grade twin daughters and two sons who are in the first and fourth-grade. They are both members of the PTA and volunteer at their local church. Paul has been a resident of the Santa Clarita Valley for over 28 years.
For more information about Paul go to www.PaulDeLaCerda.com.
Frank oviedo. Assistant city manager.
I
am one of 3 children raised in a Catholic home in Sanger, CA, one of the richest farming regions in the world. Both my parents were born in Mexico. Both lived in Texas, but later came to Fresno County like so many families to work in the agricultural fields. My father, who has an 8th grade education, started a fiberglass manufacturing business with little to no training or support other than determination and hard work. I will tell you that he will turn 70 next year and has been in business for 42 years, working 60 hours a week, yet he managed to put three kids through college. Education was always stressed in our household. There was never any question that I would go to college. While my dad may only have an 8th grade education, he turned out to be the smartest man I know. He knew exactly where he was headed in life, business and with his family. My brother went to law school and is now founder of his own law firm in the Fresno area. My older sister was a local government executive. She put her career on hold to take on the very difficult job of staying home to raise children. Each of us is following our parents’ example of valuing education. As an aside, my sister’s oldest son started his freshman year of college at Duke University this Fall. My parents
couldn’t have been any happier. My life’s journey took me to Fresno State University where I earned a bachelor’s degree in Sociology graduating with honors. I went on to earn a Masters in Public Administration from Arizona State University. My journey led me to work as a management analyst in the City of Santa Clarita. I left to become assistant City Manager for the City of Elk Grove and later the first City Manger of Wildomar, CA. Now I am back as your Assistant City Manager. Why would I, after being a City Manager, go back to being an Assistant City Manager? Because it’s Santa Clarita! I am married to my lovely wife Erin, who grew up in Santa Clarita. We have two wonderful children: Nina 7 and Emilio 5.
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Isa de armas. principal, tesoro del valle school.
M
y parents were Cuban immigrants who instilled in me the value of education, a strong work ethic, and an appreciation for our freedoms in the United States of America. I grew up listening to stories about life in Cuba and the struggles my family endured to bring my sister and me to this land of opportunity. My Cuban grandparents told me to always appreciate those opportunities and that in this country I could achieve anything. We spoke Spanish in our home in Santa Monica, California. I lived in a 900 square foot house with my parents and sister. My grandparents lived next door and never let me forget Cuba, the island that they loved so deeply. They never wanted me to forget our heritage, language, or culture, but they definitely wanted us to embrace America and take advantage of opportunities we had here in a country that values freedom and hard work. I listened to my grandparents’ advice and worked hard with a passion that has consumed my life since the age of five, teaching. As a child, I would gather my sister and our friends and pretend I was their teacher in a makeshift classroom in our garage. I was determined to be the first in my family to earn a college degree and become a teacher. And then I made it happen. I graduated from Mount St. Mary’s College with a degree and a teaching credential. I began as a first grade teacher and taught various grade levels before I was given leadership opportunities in my district. I went on to earn a Master’s Degree in School Administration and I have spent the past thirteen years as an administrator, continuing my passion and love for education. I love attending school each day, walking through classrooms and seeing the hard work of teachers, students, and parents. I am inspired by the commitment and continued support of dedicated professionals to instill a love for learning. As a lifelong learner, I am continuing on my journey to fulfill my passion as I begin my second year in a doctoral program. Today I am privileged to be the Principal of Tesoro del Valle School. I am blessed to be married to my Cuban husband for more than thirty years, building a life of happiness and love with our two daughters. I continue to honor our family’s Cuban heritage by passing down my grandparents’ wisdom to my children. My oldest daughter is a teacher and my youngest daughter is in her third year at California Polytechnic University, San Luis Obispo. I am proud of my family’s accomplishments and I know I can attribute the passion for education and success to the values and standards inspired by my Cuban family.
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Our Wall,
Our Heroes F
or the first time in history, the largest traveling replica of the iconic Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall in Washington D.C. was on display in Santa Clarita to honor those, both living and dead, who served in the Vietnam War. The Traveling Vietnam Memorial Wall was here from September 26th to 29th. This replica is sized at 80% of the original, which was built in 1982. The original memorial consists of three parts: the Three Soldiers Statue, the Vietnam Women's Memorial, and the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall, which is the best-known part of the memorial. The Traveling wall that visited Santa Clarita stands almost 300 feet long and 8 feet tall at the center. Bringing it to Santa Clarita was the idea and labor of love of Korean War veteran, Chuck Morris. He is a very humble man who doesn’t like to take credit for doing anything out of the ordinary. He said, “I remember seeing those Vietnam veterans come home to be spat upon and otherwise abused. It was a terrible time in America one that I will never forget. So when I had the chance to do something for them. I did.” He added, “This was the first time all 58,000 names on the wall were read out loud. It’s never been done before.” This memorable event was made possible by too many people to name here, but the Friendly Valley Veterans Club with the help of Arif Halaby and Total Financial Solutions, Jeri and Carl Goldman and their radio station KHTS, as well as Westfield Valencia Town Center were some of the supporters that come to mind. Located in the Westfield Mall in Valencia,
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the Traveling wall had a profound impact on the many visitors who came to see it. Everyone who approached it, weather looking for a familiar name or just reading the massive list of names engraved on the black stone, could see their reflection simultaneously with those names, bringing the past and present together. For three very hot days and cold nights visitors flocked to the memorial to read the names of those who made the ultimate sacrifice for their country. Men could be seen reflecting, sometimes even crying as they found names of loved ones. One veteran said, “Neither my eyes nor my heart are strong enough anymore to find the names of people with which I served. However, I can still see their faces and feel them in my heart.”
Some veterans, with teary eyes, just stood in front of the wall in reflection. Others more didn’t even want to get close for fear they might lose it and cry out loud. Parents and children respected the serenity of the event as they toured the many exhibitor booths there to provide information to visitors. One booth, manned by KHTS owners Jeri Seratti-Goldman and Carl Goldman, had information on our local Habitat for Humanity. They are building 80 homes for veterans here in Santa Clarita. When at the start of the closing ceremony late Sunday afternoon it was determined there was no flag to salute on the stage, Santa Clarita Mayor Bob Kellar, himself a veteran, quickly saw one in the distance, jumped off the stage to get it and ran back onstage with flag in hand. Santa Clarita is home to thousands of veterans. We try to honor our veterans as often and as fully as we can. November is the month in which we officially honor veterans with a Veterans Day, but in Santa Clarita thanks to so many supporters ‌ everyday is Veterans Day.
Money Matters I
n these tough economic times we need a robust and successful plan in order to survive financially. What determines a robust and successful financial plan? That is the key question. Having attempted to weather the recent financial downturn and the uncertainty of the future, one needs to understand the options available to protect, save and grow assets. By thinking broadly and taking a macro financial view of finances one can better create and implement strategies that fight the seven sins of money erosion: increased taxes, inflation, market risk, lawsuits, accidents, disability and death. Until you address these natural eroding factors your plan may be doomed to failure or, at best, less effective than it could be. Let’s focus, briefly, on the three macro areas that encompass a robust and successful financial plan.
Protection
Growth
Protect your assets, income and life. If something goes wrong and threatens them you will want to have protection to diminish the loss. Now, I always say, you only have one chance to set up your plan correctly or it could cost you hundreds of thousands of dollars. I call it the “oops” loss of wealth. So why are most people not set up the way they would want if an event happens? They don’t want to pay the cost. There are ways to minimize costs and get protected. Make sure you learn about them and make good choices.
This is the “sexy” area where people focus on building wealth via stocks, bonds, real estate, etc. I agree we need to invest in these areas, but understanding the appropriate risks and potential loss of principle is key to understanding potential outcomes. A well balanced portfolio that meets your particular situation is what is needed.
A robust and successful financial plan coordinates and integrates ALL of your financial decisions. By coordinating and integrating the above three areas, you will minimize the financial Savings effects of eroding factors and build your This is not very “sexy,” but a robust plan assetsandwealthexponentially.Thenyou needs to have money in savings vehicles can enjoy more wealth then you thought was possible. withoutputtingyourprincipleatrisk.Why? We need to count on these funds in case of an emergency or a opportunities to grow financially. If you have savings you are not likely to be forced to make bad financial decisions.
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Byron Alvarado, Financial Strategist
making
the holidays meaningful By David W. Hegg, Senior Pastor at Grace Baptist Church
F
or too many, the holiday rush eventually dampens the holiday spirit. It doesn’t have to be this way.
The origin of the word “holiday” dates back to when society set aside time to appreciate the gifts of the “holy” God. They were “holy days”, enjoyed away from the normal tasks of life, and celebrated with family and friends. Perhaps the reason we feel run down and run over during the holiday season is that we’re so busy exhaling the stuff of obligation we fail to inhale the stuff of blessing and thankfulness. I am amazed how wonderful we feel singing Christmas carols. Words and rhythms we’d never hear in our favorite modern music now wind themselves around our hearts, bringing a joy that seems real and fresh. Memories flood our minds, and we can’t help telling our kids about the good ole’ days. For me the joy of the season flows from understanding God’s great love, demonstrated in the giving of our Lord Jesus on that first Christmas. And while the idea of God is passé to an increasing number in our world, the fact remains there is something in all of us that longs for connection to our Maker. When tragedy strikes, we all pray or ask someone to pray for us. As well, the holiday season always takes us back to that place in us where God was meant to dwell. Augustine, the 4th century churchman, said it well, speaking of God: “You have made us for yourself, and our hearts are restless until we find our rest in Thee.” Perhaps as never before our society is wandering, trying to find closure, security, meaning, and purpose in life. We wander down various corridors trying desperately to capture some wholeness, peace, and answers to basic questions. And at this time of year, we particularly wonder if there is more to life than the stuff of career and leisure, accomplishment and financial freedom. This season, take the time to connect with your God. Find a Christmas concert at your local church, sing some carols with your family, turn to the biblical Gospel of Luke, chapter 2 and read the story of the birth of Jesus. And most of all, take time with those you love to be thankful for all God has allowed you to enjoy. Inhale the fresh air of spiritual reflection and see if it doesn’t increase your ability to exhale the tasks of the season with a glad heart.
Our Community: Bob kellar
mayor, city of santa clarita
I
t’s November and as our thoughts turn to the upcoming holiday season, I am very excited to tell you about a special holiday program the City will undertake this year in Old Town Newhall. For the first time, we will be decorating Main Street for the holidays. Each of the 90-plus trees along the street will be decorated with twinkle lights. Two skylines over the street featuring Santa and his reindeer plus a “Season’s Greetings” message, and what holiday décor would be complete without a Christmas tree! We will be erecting a 23-foot tall, fully decorated tree in front of the Old Town Newhall library (Special thanks to our partners, Henry Mayo Newhall Memorial Hospital and the Santa Clarita Valley Auto Dealers for their contribution to this effort). We will “flip the switch” and begin the holiday décor program on November 9th. Please plan to take a trip down to Main Street in Old Town Newhall after November 9 (through December 31) in the evening to enjoy the lights and décor. And don’t forget to do a little shopping on Main Street while you are there! There are so many great programs and events happening in our City. I would like to encourage you to check them out on our community calendar available on the City’s website at santa-clarita.com.
Thank you for your participation in our City. I can be reached at bkellar@santa-clarita.com.
scott wilk
A
california state assemblyman.
s a father of two, it’s not surprising that education is a priority for me. When I look at education policy I ask myself three questions: Does it improve the quality of education for the student? Does it provide greater access to students? Are we delivering it as effectively and efficiently as possible? This year Governor Jerry Brown and the Legislature tackled a couple of major educational challenges: funding K-12 schools and providing accessibility to our state’s colleges and universities. I’ve been critical of the K-12 system because, in my view, they have not been effective in teaching our children, particularly as it relates to minority and under-served communities. Historically schools have received a certain amount per child and then layered upon that were many categorical programs, but the money could only be spent as instructed by Sacramento. The new education formula is called the Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF) and has been designed to do two things: give local school boards greater flexibility on how they spend their money; and provide additional resources to school districts that have large populations of students who are English as Second Language (ESL)
learners or on the federal lunch program. Clearly, those schools require greater resources to deliver the needed services to equip those children. It’s my hope we can begin narrowing the education achievement gap between white students and minority students. Another issue we tackled was establishing The Middle Class Scholarship Program. During the “Great Recession,” college tuition sky-rocketed for California State University (CSU) and University of California (UC) students. These increases priced many California families out of being able to send their children to college. This year, with bi-partisan support, we passed the Middle Class Scholarship program which is geared toward assisting families that make too much to qualify for a Cal Grant, but make less than $150,000 per year. The scholarship is based on family income and students can receive a scholarship up to 40 percent of their school’s tuition. Studies show that a person who obtains a bachelor’s degree over their lifetime will earn $1.2 million more than a person who doesn’t. We must do all we can to provide access to higher education. I believe every child is a gift from God and collectively we must work together to provide our students the best education possible so they can compete in an increasingly competitive global market place.
when you wish upon a star! By Amy Daniels
The William S. Hart Union High School District had a wish: money to bridge the gap between pre-2008 funding levels for students and the recent budget cuts to our schools. So in 2011, thanks to the efforts and generosity of many supporters, including the Santa Clarita Facilities Foundation who donated $100,000, the WiSH Education Foundation was born! As the fundraising arm for the district, WiSH is charged with the task of raising much needed capital to support 23,000 students. To do that, WiSH holds a number of fundraising events including run/walks for kids and parents, a beautiful wine event held at the Old Town Newhall Library, which was hosted by our Vice Chair, Marlee Lauffer, and the upcoming Starry, Starry Night. WiSH is proud to have disbursed nearly $50,000 to schools for science equipment last year. Through funding partnerships with local companies such as Jersey Mike’s,
Cobblestone Cottage, The Signal and district employee contributions, WiSH also provided funding to athletics, performing arts and special education. Future goals include helping to provide computer tablets to every child in the district.
Starry, Starry Night, which brings your favorite dancers from television (So You Think You Can Dance, Dancing with the Stars), is a benefit performance to be held at the West Ranch Theatre on Saturday, February 1, 2014. Tickets go on sale in November at www. WiSHscv.org. Invest in your future employees! And ‌
WiSH upon a star! For information contact: Executive Director Amy Daniels at WiSH@hartdistrict.org.
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Latina with Attitude! “Don’t tell me the sky’s the limit when there are footprints on the moon,” the beautiful Setareh Khatibi told me recently. She is part of a new generation of Latina women who have looks, talent and attitude. These are not your Mama’s babies. These women have overcome tremendous challenges and are on their way to great things in their lives. Latinas … and for that matter Latinos … will never be the same. Latinas will never be the same because they won’t feel subservient to their men and handcuffed in their aspirations by family, friends and society. “I don’t limit my thinking by
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what others think,” says Setareh, “I live as though I already have what I want.” Setareh is the daughter of a Mexican mother and Persian father. She’s 27 years old and grew up in Santa Clarita. At only 3 years of age at the insistence of her mother she entered her first beauty pageant, in Mexico. At age 11, she performed in a variety show at Wiley Canyon Elementary school singing, “My Heart Will Go On” and fell in love with being on stage. A few years later she competed for Miss Teen Santa Clarita (as Miss Valencia) and finished as the 1st Runner Up. But all was not well in Setareh’s life. Setareh’s mother, who has always been the incredible love in her life, was a victim of domestic violence. “We had to flee our home many times to get away from the hurt. I always kept my backpack at the ready with my overnight things,” she said. “Mom, my little sister, little brother and I sometimes found a home to stay overnight or longer, but many times
we ended up spending a night in a car on the side of a highway.” By the time she graduated high school, she had lived in over 25 different homes and spent countless nights secretly living in a clinic where her mother worked. As if the psychological effects of that were not enough, Setareh became a victim of bullying. Persian! Latina! Homeless! Those were the nicer things she heard. It was very hurtful to Setareh, but now she says, “I’ve been there. I was embarrassed. Now, having been through all of that and having become who I am … I am proud to have survived all those things.” And survive she did! She wanted to continue her performing and modeling in spite of her father’s disapproval. For Setareh to continue, she had to do well in school and earn her own money to pay the costs. Not one to be denied easily, Setareh worked hard to get good grades, do volunteer work and earn money all while auditioning and maintaining her creativity.
She worked from singing on busses, teaching kids comedy to making and selling jewelry. “I donated 20% of what I made to aid domestic violence survivors. I wanted to know that I did everything in my power to manifest my dreams” With good grades, citizenship and faith, Setareh was ready to charge ahead. She entered the Miss California contest and competing with 300 other gorgeous women, won the “best in swimsuit” competition. Then, entered the Nuestra Bellaza Latina pageant where she was the first to be eliminated, but that didn’t stop her. After being rejected the first time, she re-entered into the 8 million viewer reality show and proved that perseverance is key. “You really have to have juice to become a finalist,” she says. That “juice” was felt by the world renowned Don Francisco, longtime host of one of the highest rated and longest running programs on TV, Sabado Gigante. Based on her performance on Nuestra Belleza, he invited Setareh to be a regular on his show. She accepted and did it for a year in Miami, Florida then returned to Santa Clarita still appearing on the show live from Los Angeles. Her career is going very well, but how is her family life? “Love is never an excuse for disrespect when it comes to domestic violence. My parents finally divorced and I have made peace with my father through forgiveness. I love them both.” she says. And speaking of love, Setareh is in a long time committed relationship with her William S. Hart High School sweetheart, Ryan Bayer. “I am truly blessed to have Ryan in my life,” she says, “he is my rock, my hero.” And what does the future hold for Setareh? “On Sabador Gigante I am fortunate to be able to do comedy. It’s not common for beautiful women to do comedy and that gives me an edge there. I like doing comedy and I want
to expand my routines and put them on stage. Also, I am becoming a yoga instructor to maintain physical and mental wellness. And, I’m very excited to be competing in the Miss Mexico U.S.A. competition, as Miss Sinaloa, on December 22 in Las Vegas. Maybe readers can help me by liking me on Facebook, www.facebook.com/ SetarehKhatib and www.facebook. com/SenoritaSinaloaUs.“ “Before, some people used to tease me mercilessly because I moved so much. The word Gypsy hurt. But all those moves only made me stronger and now I am proud to have found beauty in the word Gypsy.” She continues to speak out against domestic violence and support the victims as much as she can. A College of the Canyons graduate, Setareh Khatibi has beauty, talent and lots of attitude!”
For more on Setareh Khatibi visit her website www.setarehk.com
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Profiles in Latino Courage:
Debbie Rocha “Hello? Is this Ms. Deborah Rocha?” said the voice on the other end of the phone. “Yes, it is,” she replied. “This is the Highway Patrol, Ma’am. I’m very sorry to tell you this. Your daughter, Samantha, was in an accident. She was hit by a car and has expired,” the voice continued. “That can’t be,” a now anxious Deborah said. “My daughter is in her room sleeping.” Hearing that, Deborah’s mom rushed to her granddaughter’s room, opened the door and failing to see Samantha in bed let out a shriek. “NO!!!” Fifteen year old Samantha Rocha Dyer had secretly left her house, walked to the freeway and jumped in front of a passing car. This was shocking to those who knew her. She was a “model student who stayed out of
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trouble.” Why would a lovely, young lady, getting ready to enter the prime of her life, who enjoyed her family, friends and horses, commit suicide? A distraught Deborah, long-time teacher in the Saugus school district and mother of three other children, had to cope with a parent’s worst nightmare: the loss of a child. “From the time Samantha was in the second grade she loved horses. Her grandmother lived in Pine Mountain near Frazier Park and owned horses. Samantha would ride there every chance she got,” Deborah told me recently. “So when she was in the fifth grade, we moved to Acton where eventually we got horses of our own. Samantha loved them.” It was a combination of needing to cope with her loss, and wanting to honor Samantha, that led to Deborah’s founding of SRD Straightening Reins. Deborah and her children Salvador, Diana and Joseph agreed that having a ranch to provide emotional growth for children was a good way to honor Samantha. So with no money, no ranch and no horses they went about building SRD~Straightening Reins. The name came from Joseph who said, “Straightening the reins is how you go on a straight and narrow path.” Starting with nada and creating something important is nothing new to Deborah. She was raised in a tough Los Angeles neighborhood the daughter of an Irish/Italian mother and a Mexican/Apache father. She had two younger brothers, one of which was in and out of gangs and eventually
was shot and killed, and the other left school to do his own thing. That inner city gang life was not for her. She had a vision of a better life and, some way, some how, she was going to create it for herself. She paid her own way to private school by working in a burger store and a donut shop and saving every penny she could. She went on to Mount Saint Mary’s College on scholarship due to her good grades and community service activities. She graduated and spent five years teaching in Los Angeles before she and her family moved to Santa Clarita where she began teaching in the Saugus Schools. So yes, creating something from nada is not new to Deborah.
Getting started meant having a mission and a vision for the ranch: to transform the lives of at-risk youth and their families, by providing the building blocks to deal with life on life’s terms. “We want our kids to have a chance to be leaders and to make good choices, because the choices they make can affect the rest of their lives,” says Deborah. Next the family formed a public, nonprofit foundation, SRD~Straightening Reins, specializing in equine-assisted learning and interactive therapies, focused on at-risk youth and their families. That allowed them to raise funds for their ranch. The first funds raised were from Deborah’s own pocket. Once she put the word out, things happened. She found a ranch in San Francisquito Canyon and leased it. She bought, borrowed and inherited animals to stock the ranch and she solicited the help of her high school classmates, Anna and Tim, as well as the help of a host of others willing to help. It has taken a lot of courage to accomplish her mission, but Deborah has succeeded. The result is a lovely ranch nestled in the foothills of the Santa Clarita Valley among pepper trees, that provide
For information on SRD~Straightening Reins please visit
www.srdstraighteningreins.org
shade for all of the animals. Not only horses, but goats, sheep and chickens also are residents, and, when you visit you’ll be greeted by Zeus and Sophie, two big dogs, who will quickly become your BFF’s. But best of all, you’ll be greeted by a person who is caring, loving and committed to helping atrisk children straighten their reins: Deborah Rocha.
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the 24 day challenge! By dave caldwell
T
housands have tried... and succeeded. Weight loss is a multi-billion dollar a year industry, and the one company that consistently succeeds is Advocare and its 24-Day Challenge. ABC7 sportscaster, Curt Sandoval, used to drink a pot-and-a-half of coffee a day. After starting the challenge, Curt not only stopped drinking coffee, but he has lost 21 pounds! Scott Schauer, owner of the Santa Clarita Soccer Center, lost 36 pounds in two months after starting the challenge. The stories are true and AdvoCare is working in Santa Clarita. As cohosts of “SCV Today,” a one-hour morning show on SCVTV that focuses on everything Santa Clarita, Tami Edwards and I wanted to find a nutrition plan that would work for the show’s thousands of viewers. They heard about Real Andrews, an actor and star of “All My Children” and “General Hospital,” who changed his life with the 24-Day Challenge from AdvoCare. So we decided to take on the challenge. In those 24 days I did NOT exercise and I did NOT change my eating habits. It had to be a TRUE test if I was going to recommend it to my viewers. Tami and I each lost eight pounds! AdvoCare works! I highly recommend the 24-Day Challenge to anyone looking to lose weight and feel great. Tami’s husband, Jason, lost 35 pounds on the 24-Day Challenge. And the list of others losing weight in Santa Clarita is growing. The 24-Day Challenge™ is
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a comprehensive supplementation and nutrition program. Give your body the jumpstart it needs to help you reach your goals. There’s something for everyone: weight management, energy, overall body composition or overall wellness. Thousands of people have experienced success on the 24-Day Challenge™ – you could be next!
To view our “24 Day Challenge” show please visit: http://www. scvtv.com/today/?p=2186. For more information go to
https://www.advocare.com
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Entertain, Enlighten, Enrich
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The Arts in My Opinion by Laurie Morgan
’ve been called an “artist”. I’ve been called an artist by other artists. I started believing it. Now I call myself an artist. What is an artist? In my opinion, an artist entertains, enlightens and/or enriches others. For those who don’t know me, here’s a (very) brief background. I’m a singer, musician, actor, writer and visual artist. On occasion I’ve been a dancer, producer, director. I’m “in the Arts”. And since I’ve been paid for doing all of the above (at one time or another), the dictionary says I’m a professional. So, is that the difference between a professional and an “amateur”; getting paid? One definition states: Persons who devote a major portion of their time to creating, practicing, performing or teaching any of the arts can be considered a professional. There doesn’t need to be an “official” definition of a professional artist, most would agree that to be considered a professional, one would have to have, at least, a significant portion of his or her income coming from the sale of artistic products or services. That means that the struggling artist/actor/ musician, who still has to hold down a “day job,” to make ends meet might still be called professional. But what about the hobbyist or amateur; are they never considered professionals? Someone who paints or sculpts as a hobby but enters art shows, exhibits, etc. may still be called a
professional even if it is not their main source of income. It’s the same with the amateur actor or musician. The word amateur means “somebody who does something for pleasure rather than payment”. We could go back and forth on this all day. My whole point in discussing pro versus amateur is to give you, the base of my future articles. I will be opining on the arts in Santa Clarita – and there is a mix of pro and hobbyist in all areas. We have the Santa Clarita Artists’ Association, The Repertory East Playhouse, The Canyon Theatre Guild, The ArTree, and others. In the months to come, I will be talking about these and other Arts in the Valley. I will see shows, view art, and hear music. I will be looking to be entertained, enlightened and/or enriched in some way. I will tell you about my experience and… It will be my opinion!
Food or Entertainment? By Bill Miranda How About Both?
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ometimes I like to take my wife out for a good meal and sometimes to shake our booties on the dance floor. Good food? There are many choices in Santa Clarita. Shake our booties? Not too many. But what are the chances of finding good food and good bootie shaking all in one place? Not great … except in Santa Clarita. I’m of Puerto Rican descent so when I was introduced to Cheers @ All Corked Up I thought I died and went to heaven. Fellow Puerto Ricans, Teresa Rivera and Al Robles, own this terrific hidden gem tucked away in the Center Pointe area over on Diamond Place not too far from Sam’s Club. Let’s start with the food. Fellow Puerto Rican Nadine posted on Yelp. “I had the Mofongo Relleno de Camarones, which is absolutely divine. The flavors are perfect, exactly what I would expect, better even than the mofongos I’ve had in Puerto Rico. The pasteles are equally delicious supposing you know anything about pasteles. Absolute perfection! I also had the Churrasco, which is one of the best steaks I have had in quite some time, years even. I can still imagine the wonderful taste in
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my mouth and that was almost a week ago. I have been craving it ever since.” If you love Caribbean food you’ll love the empanadillas, cerviche and bacalaitos. If you prefer traditional food go for the lemon pork chops, tilapia with lemon capers, or the chicken roulade. Enjoy your meal with a glass of wine from a selection of hundreds available. Now let’s get to the shake your bootie part. There is live music every Friday and Saturday night. Every month they feature a wide array of local bands from a variety of musical genres including: Latin American, Classic Rock, Jazz, and much more. My personal favorites? Two Dogs, Generation Three, and the great Bobby Cuba band. If you are looking for a great time New Year’s Eve go enjoy Bobby Cuba and eat and dance the night away. If you’re my age … take an oxygen mask. Bobby Cuba rocks! chévere!
www.cheersatallcorkedup.com
Out and About with
Gloria Locke
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he SCV Latino Chamber of Commerce held its third annual awards gala at the Valencia Hyatt to celebrate diversity during Hispanic Heritage Month (Sept 15 - Oct 15). The gala was an opportunity to wine and dine, dance and witness the increasing growth and achievement of local Latino leaders and entrepreneurs. Hosted by Bill Miranda, CEO of the SCV Latino Chamber of Commerce, the Gala included greetings and acknowledgments by Los Angeles Supervisor, Michael D. Antonovich and an inspiring speech by keynote speaker, Frank Oviedo, Assistant City manager of the City of Santa Clarita. “You may be wondering why I would take the job of an assistant city manager when I’d already been serving as a City Manager. The answer is very simple, it’s Santa Clarita,” says Oviedo. SCV Latino Chamber President and founder, Bob Pacheco, detailed the day his vision of successful Latino business leadership was sparked. “When I walked into the Century Plaza Hotel in 1982 and saw one thousand Latino entrepreneurs millionaires - it completely changed my life. It opened up the possibility that I, too, could open my own business someday. And that is the dream we’ve created here tonight,” he said. During the event, the City of Santa Clarita also recognized the importance of the SCV Latino Chamber and businesses for revenue assisting
in the development of local amenities. “We are so proud of the business people who are members of the Latino Chamber. We as a Council support our businesses because actually they are the life-blood of our city. They create the sales tax for all the wonderful things we do here in Santa Clarita,” says Marsha McLean. Other government representatives in attendance included, Patricia McKeon and Morris Thomas representing Congressman Howard “Buck” McKeon’s office, Isaac Barcelona, District Director of the office of Senator Steve Knight, Andre Hollings from Assemblyman Scott Wilk’s office, and the City of Santa Clarita Council members, Marsha McLean, TimBen Boydston, and Mayor Bob Kellar. The SCV Latino Chamber presented the following awards during the gala: ·Sponsorship Award: Chiquita Canyon and the Valencia Auto Dealers Association ·Community Leader: Gloria Mercado-Fortine ·Business: Sam’s Club ·Entrepreneur: Augustin Prieto Castillo (California Bakery and Café) ·CEO Above & Beyond: Marlon Roa (Farmers Insurance) As Santa Clarita embraces the diverse and the rich cultures of its residents, it continues to grow and thrive with vision and purpose for future generations. This was clearly illuminated throughout the evening. “It’s a wonderful gathering of diverse people,” says guest Bob Locke, and described by the guests interviewed. To wrap the event and National Hispanic and Latino Heritage month, “Celebrate diversity. We’re here to help,” says Bill Miranda.
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he Santa Clarita Valley Latino Chamber of Commerce held its 3rd Annual Recognition Gala on Friday, September 27th in the Grand Ballroom of the Hyatt Regency Valencia. The theme of the event was Celebrating Diversity. Over the years Santa Clarita has witnessed a number of black tie events and this one is rapidly becoming one of the best. It is building a tradition of excellence in organization, entertainment and VIP guests. When the Gala was first planned three years ago the chamber board of directors agreed on four things: be creative; make it inclusive; honor the most deserving members; and make it entertaining. The result is one fantastic night of elegance, entertainment and excitement. This year’s co-chairs were Gloria Mercado-Fortine and Henry Rodriguez. Attendees included a virtual “who’s who” in the Latino community. VIP’s included LA County Supervisor Mike Antonovich, Santa Clarita Mayor Bob Kellar, City Manager Ken Striplin, College of the Canyons Trustee Bruce Fortine, SCV Chamber of Commerce President Fred Arnold and VIA Director Kathy Norris. Representatives of Buck McKeon, Steve Knight, Steve Fox and Scott Wilk, all strong supporters of the Latino community, were present. The guests, arriving in their beautiful evening gowns and tuxedos, were greeted by Santa Clarita’s Ruben Cardenas’ mariachis. Elegance and beauty filled the lobby as the 250 guests marveled at one another, posed for photos and enjoyed an open bar. At the appointed time, the mariachis led everyone into the Grand Ballroom. The room was beautifully decorated and included a stage, two giant screens and very creative centerpieces made and donated by Martha Aguilera of Kokolita’s Cakes. The screens displayed a circle of flags of Latin American countries and on top was the flag that unifies us in this great country: the American Flag.
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The Gala proceeded with the soothing dinner music of Santa Clarita’s own “Frank Sinatra,” Jimmy Carnelli. After dinner Los Angeles County Supervisor Michael Antonovich spoke about the need to embrace diversity and thanked the Chamber for its outstanding achievements. He was followed by Keynote Speaker, Frank Oviedo, Santa Clarita’s Assistant City Manager who stated, “In this 21st century world where jobs can be shipped wherever there is an internet connection and where our children are competing with other children from across the globe, your best job qualification is not what you do, but what you know. Education is absolutely a prerequisite for success.” He went on to applaud the Latino Chamber for providing scholarships for needy students. The recognition awards winners were: Agustin Prieto, of California Bakery and Café, Entrepreneur of the Year; Gloria Mercado Fortine Governing Board member of the William S. Hart Union High School District, Community Leader of the Year; Chiquita Canyon and the Valencia Auto Dealers Association, the Sponsors of the Year; Sam’s Club, Business of the Year; and Marlon Roa of Farmers Insurance, CEO’s Above and Beyond Award. In accepting his award, Agustin Prieto gave a moving speech saying how impressed his Mother was that her son was nominated for “such a prestigious award.” “I grew up a simple man trying to do the right things to earn a living and be a good citizen,” said Augustin. “My mother told me, ‘Mijo, dress nicely, be humble and don’t speak too long.’ I told her I if I won I was just going to tell everyone how fortunate we are to live in this great country and this beautiful city.” The evening concluded with salsa dancing to the sounds of the Sangre Nueva orchestra. Visit www.ourvalley.com for more pictures of this extraordinary event.
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divorced or widowed? What does a person do next?
Often we think our lives are planned out and everything is in order. Then something beyond our control occurs and changes everything. When a divorce or death occurs, it is both emotionally and financially difficult. When it comes to your finances, during the first twelve months the same initial few steps should be taken in the event of a divorce or a death. Step one: Gather all the financial data, including insurance policies, bank statements, and retirement accounts. Step two: Find the last 1-2 years of payments to either retirement accounts or insurance policies. Paycheck stubs can tell you a lot. There may be group life insurance policies that were purchased at work that have been forgotten. Check the beneficiaries of life insurance policies, company retirement accounts, and individual retirement accounts. Step three: Download your credit report. It can tell you if there are any accounts that are open in your name that you did not know about. Finally, you should have all of this information BEFORE an event like divorce or death. It not, you should obtain it as soon as possible.
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The Youth Hormone
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