THE SMELL OF VINYL EVOKES NOSTALGIA
TABLE OF CONTENTS
4 County Looking at Some 500 Homes with Spring Canyon Project
5 Movement on Affordable Housing Plans North of Flying Tiger Drive
6 Generational Gang Case Work in Progress
7 Inert Device in Canyon Country
7 Firefighters Extinguish Commercial Fire
8 The Power of Grayskull
9 Celebrate: Colombia
10 Plans for the East Side
11 Hart District Announces New Names in Leadership
12 CC Standoff Suspect Held to Answer
13 Canyon’s First-Ever ‘Rings and Banners Night’
15 Calendar — Canyon Country Community Center and Library Events
County Looking at Almost 500 Homes East of Canyon Country
Board to consider second appeal of ‘Spring Canyon Project’ planned for north of State Route 14, Soledad Canyon
By Perry Smith Signal Senior Staff Writer
The L.A. County Board of Supervisors today is expected to consider a second appeal of the “Spring Canyon Project,” a decades-old name for nearly 500 single-family homes, duplexes and triplexes being planned for north of State Route 14 and Soledad Canyon Road, between Shadow Pines Boulevard and Agua Dulce Canyon Road.
The Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority originally appealed the project, and the appeal was denied by the Regional Planning Commission on Feb. 12.
Local environmentalist group, Santa Clarita Organization for Planning and the Environment, filed an appeal of that decision nine days later, citing a handful of problems with the county’s decision to let the project move forward.
County planners who are recommending the project are calling on the Board of Supervisors to deny SCOPE’s appeal, because the project would “would help the county meet the demand for homeownership opportunities, ease pressure on the rental market by freeing up units and stabilize rents, which tend to rise with increased rental demand,” according to a July 22 letter from the Regional Planning Commission.
Calls to numbers listed for the LLC tied to ownership of the property, a New York-based investor named Jonathan Shumaker, and the applicant’s representative, were not immediately returned Monday.
County planning officials did not immediately respond to a request for comment Monday.
Project Appeal
The Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority first filed an appeal in October, claiming the project threatened several problems.
Among the concerns: potential lead exposure during grading; an inadequate wildlife crossing; infeasible native landscaping plans; questions about its 277 acres of open space; and substantial impacts to the California mountain lion.
Less than 10 days after county planning overruled the objections, local environmentalists appealed to
The L.A. County Board of Supervisors is set today to discuss a potential second appeal of the “Spring Canyon Project,” a proposed development featuring nearly 500 single-family homes and other residences planned for north of State Route 14 and Soledad Canyon Road. PHOTO COURTESY OF SANTA
ORGANIZATION FOR PLANNING AND THE ENVIRONMENT
the board for the $1,142 fee, according to a copy provided to The Signal.
The project creates a potential bottleneck in the canyon, doesn’t require enough fire protection and uses outdated tract maps that ignore protections for an endangered species, according to SCOPE President Lynne Plambeck.
Specifically, Plambeck said the circulation plan isn’t safe based on the number of units that can be built prior to construction of a secondary means of access, especially if there’s an emergency evacuation. She also mentioned state legislation pertaining to wildlife connectivity actions and climate change, which became effective following approval of the original project.
L.A. County staff states in its recommendation that county planning’s decision should be final due to the county’s codes and regulations, on all matters except for the endangered species, which is subject to appeal.
In the project’s recommended approval, county staff acknowledged the Southern California mountain lion was added as a candidate California
Endangered Species Act species by state fish and wildlife officials in 2020, 16 years after the project’s original approval. “However, the listing did not increase or introduce additional environmental impacts to the project because the (environmental impact) analysis, findings of fact, and prior addenda took wildlife movement, including mountain lions, into account and determined the impact to be significant and unavoidable with the incorporation of feasible mitigation.”
Critics of the project raised the concern over the lack of a second access point until after 300 homes are built.
Addressing the fact that the project is in a very high fire hazard severity zone, county staffers cited a 6-year-old finding on the project: “In 2019, the board also found the construction of a fire station and transfer of said facility lot to the county would allow the county to address fire and hazard concerns within the proposed subdivision and surroundings (ATM4 Finding Nos. 34 and 35), thus allowing the applicant to construct 300 homes before constructing the project’s second means of access.”
CLARITA
Movement on Affordable Housing Plans For East Side
By Perry Smith Senior Staff Writer
Plans for 128 units of affordable-housing project just north of Flying Tiger Drive in Canyon Country appear to be moving ahead, based on documents recently submitted to Santa Clarita City Hall.
Creekside Commons at 27200 Sierra Highway is to offer rent-only apartment units and 100% of them will be below 80% adjusted median income, with the final income mix dependent on funding availability and requirements, according to records obtained by The Signal. The lot is currently vacant and abuts Metrolink railroad tracks on its northern border.
Developer CRP Affordable Housing and Community Development based out of New York, is asking for a number of concessions on the project, as well as taking density bonuses that are allowed by state law because the project includes affordable housing.
In June, the developer submitted a justification statement, a project description and a drainage report on the plans.
“Since we are proposing a 100% affordable project with units designated as stated above, we are allowed a density bonus of 80%,” Bascom wrote in the application. “The CC zone allows for a maximum of 18 units per acre. The site is 3.96 acres, thusly allowing 71 units. A density bonus of 80% allows an additional 56.8 units rounded to 57 units totaling 128 units.”
The building would be a maximum of 45 feet tall, according to the plan.
The city’s Development Committee discussed the project in June 2023 prior to its approval that year, with committee members at the time — then-Mayor Jason Gibbs and Councilwoman Laurene Weste — with city staff noting there was little oversight council members had.
Senior Planner Dave Peterson said during the committee meeting at City Hall that subjecting affordable housing plans to a commission review would violate state law.
“So there’s no storage for any of the apartments and there’s no place for the children to play,” Weste
said at the meeting to the plans offering about onethird less space than the city usually requires.
The concessions the developer was asking for primarily would remove amenities the city requires on behalf of residents, including: the communal swimming pool; 250 cubic feet of lockable enclosed storage space; private outdoor space; and a 6-foot tall masonry wall — which is proposed to be replaced by a 6-foot tall tube steel fence. The common open space requirement would be reduced to 6,500 square feet.
There’s also a slight parking reduction being asked for — the developer is asking to provide 88 stalls, which would be 0.69 spots per unit.
The original plan in June 2023 called for 20% of its units to be very-low income, which is defined as people making 15% to 50% of the average median income, and 80%, or 102 units, for those making 50% to 80% of the AMI.
The 2023 American Community Survey indicated the city’s median income that year, the most recent available, was $118,489.
Case Work on ‘Generational Gang’ Currently in Progress
By Perry Smith Signal Senior Staff Writer
Gang detectives sought 14 suspects in April as part of a series of raids targeting what they referred to as a “generational gang” that deputies say has terrorized the area for decades.
Investigators often stay silent on evidence until they’re in court, and this case was no exception.
Despite more than a half-dozen arrests, only one case has come from the warrants so far, according to L.A. County Superior Court records.
But a detective did say Thursday he’s still waiting for a lot of evidence from the crime lab, and it sounds like more cases could be coming.
Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station Juvenile and Gangs Detective James Van Horn said a wait of six months for the processing of evidence isn’t uncommon, even on priority cases.
“There was evidence collected that may or may not be related to other cases, and that evidence is still being processed,” Van Horn said, confirming the arrests did result in the filing of a drug-possession charge so far.
A drug-possession charge appears to be the only case presented to the District Attorney’s Office that’s made it to L.A. County Superior Court from the April search warrants so far.
But that’s among the lesser crimes alleged against the gang.
“In the past two years, Newhall 13 has been identified and involved in numerous violent crimes in which firearms were utilized, and in one incident striking an innocent victim in the midst of a gun battle,” according to an affidavit seeking to search more than a dozen homes.
The warrant also accuses the group of facilitating the sale of narcotics to minors.
Detectives’ statements that have to indicate probable cause for a search alleged the suspects posted photos of themselves flashing gang signs and brandishing firearms that detectives sought to collect and are now testing for links to possible crimes.
The addresses raided focused primarily around Newhall Avenue and Walnut Street in Newhall, as well as a couple of addresses in Canyon Country and one on Hasley Canyon Road in Castaic.
To show probable cause for their search warrants,
detectives started by gathering social media posts showing the suspects flashing gang signs and weapons on a variety of Instagram accounts they linked to gang members with identifying details from their posts.
The posts date back to March 2023, after a double murder on Valle Del Oro left two dead from gunfire that happened on a Saturday morning at a community pool in front of children. A preliminary hearing in that case is scheduled for next month, if the witnesses can be located.
Cases, suspects
Court records indicated what Van Horn was alluding to: the seizure of BB guns, New York Yankees gear the gang wears for its “N,” DNA samples, graffiti samples, smartphones, drugs and weapons could all indicate there are more cases coming.
Deputies also reported seizing two 10-gram bags of what they suspected to be cocaine, as well as a bag suspected to contain methamphetamine.
Following the raids, two suspects ended up in court, although one already had an active case.
Alejandro Trujillo, 18, of Newhall, was arrested on
suspicion of an assault of another student on Hart High’s campus in January.
Court records in the search warrant indicate he assaulted another student who he felt disrespected him and he forced the student to apologize, in an incident that was recorded on phone cameras.
He pleaded no contest to one count of misdemeanor battery on school grounds.
Trujillo was offered diversion, providing he graduated high school and submitted a written apology. Trujillo’s Bowman High School diploma and mea culpa letter were in his file.
Deseree Anette Martinez, 22, of Newhall, was arrested in the April 17 raid and is identified as the wife of a “shot-caller” for the gang.
L.A. County Superior Court records indicated Martinez was facing one misdemeanor charge.
The oldest suspect in a group of 14 targeted by the raid was 28 years old, and the youngest was a pair of 15-year-olds identified also by their monikers, “Avenues” and “Baby Gangster.” Five suspects were under the age of 18.
L.A. County Sheriff’s Department teams take part in a series of raids of known suspected gang members’ addresses. SIGNAL FILE PHOTO
Inert Device Found in Canyon Country
By Katherine Quezada Signal Staff Writer
Asuspicious device reported in Canyon Country prompted the response of the Los Angeles Police Department’s bomb squad on Saturday, July 19, morning, according to a Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station official.
Deputies were notified at 10:27 a.m. about a suspicious device on the 27900 block of Lost Springs Road, near Soledad Canyon Road and State Route 14, Sgt. Guillermo Martinez, a spokesman with the station confirmed.
The LAPD bomb squad was called to assist with the incident, but could not provide any information if the nearby area was on lockdown.
Officials were able to recover the item, which Guillermo said was inert, and there was no threat to the public.
Firefighters Extinguish Commercial Fire
By Lucas Nava Signal Staff Writer
L.A. County firefighters responded to a commercial fire near the intersection of Sierra Highway and Soledad Canyon Road on Wednesday, July 30, according to the L.A. County Fire Department.
According to Public Information Officer Fred Fielding, firefighters were initially dispatched to the blaze at 8:37 p.m. and arrived on the scene four minutes later. Fielding added that no injuries or medical transports had been reported. Knockdown was reported at 9:20 p.m., according to radio dispatch traffic.
No additional information is available as of the time of this publication.
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FThe Power of Grayskull
Music lover driven by community support to open shop.
or Canyon Country resident Victor Torres Jr., vinyl records take him back to an affectionate past. It’s the smell of the vinyl and of the cardboard cover, and the cracking and popping sounds of the needle on the record — even the record skips here and there — that do it for him.
Torres Jr.’s obsession with vinyl records goes back to his dad.
“This is my childhood,” he said, referring to all the records surrounding him at the Grayskull Vinyl record store in Canyon Country. “I grew up using records. For me, it has a nostalgic feeling to listen to it. It’s hearing it, it’s the visual aspect of the record, how big it is, the details. And then, being in the music industry, once you learn how the music was recorded, you have more appreciation toward the making of a record.”
Torres Jr., 45, owns and operates Grayskull Vinyl. The store grew out of the record booth that he and his family used to operate regularly on weekends at the former Santa Clarita Swap Meet. In an interview on Oct. 27, 2024, which was the last day of the swap meet, Torres Jr. talked about his beginnings.
“We’ve been at the swap meet for 14 years now,” he said. “This is what helped us to start the record store. We started here at the swap meet with three little boxes. And then throughout the years, we just started getting more and more records.”
The popularity of the booth led to Torres Jr. opening his store on April 1, 2021.
“People thought it was an April Fool’s joke,” he said. “But I was serious. I was like, ‘Here’s our store.’ But it was empty.”
Prior to opening Grayskull, Torres Jr. set up and broke down concert stages for various bands. He also worked in the music industry in other capacities, and at one point he saw what it was like for bands to record on vinyl.
He explained that the process is very different compared to how music is recorded digitally today.
“The band had to be in one room at the same time and record the music literally onto a record,” he said. “Nowadays, you really don’t have to be in one room.
That whole process before — I appreciate it more. It was part of the art.”
Torres Jr. was born in South Los Angeles. It was his dad, Victor Torres Sr., who got him into music.
“My dad,” he said, “showed me what a record was, how it was played, how not to do it, what it means, who this person is, what band this is.”
Torres Sr., who was working in the back of the store, recalled his son’s love for music as a kid.
“When he was little, he was playing records all of the time,” he said. “He grew up with music. That’s why he knows a lot.”
According to Torres Jr., he’d borrow his dad’s records quite frequently.
With a laugh, he said that sometimes he wouldn’t give them back.
“He liked the same music I like,” Torres Sr. said. “Black Sabbath, Ozzy Osbourne, Creedence Clearwater Revival, classic rock — everything.”
In 1991, Torres Sr. brought home an audio cabinet that housed an impressive stereo system. Torres
Jr. was blown away by the size of it, its functionality, the sound quality and all the lights on it.
“That thing was a beast,” Torres Jr. said. “It was a Fisher. It had the equalizers, it had the cassette deck, it had the radio, it had the record player on top, and then it had a CD player, too. That was my first introduction to CD.”
Torres Jr. remembers the first CD to come into the house. It was a Lionel Richie album. And he remembers his first concert, too. In 1996, his dad took him to see White Zombie perform at the Irvine Meadows Amphitheatre in Orange County.
And while Torres Sr. listened to rock and roll, Torres Jr. knew there was still some music his dad wouldn’t like. The younger Torres shared how, as a kid, he got into “really heavy” heavy metal but felt he couldn’t bring those records home. Instead, he’d take an old cassette, cover the write-protect holes with tape to enable recording, and secretly record the music onto it.
See GRAYSKULL, page 14
Victor Torres Jr. shows off an autographed CD at Grayskull Vinyl in Canyon Country. PHOTOS BY MICHAEL PICARELLA / THE SIGNAL
City Highlights Colombia at ‘Celebrate’
Children participate in arts and crafts indicative of Colombia culture.
The Milanes Brothers Latin Band performs a series of Spanish covers during the Celebrate series event on July 11, 2025, which celebrated the culture of Columbia. PHOTOS BY KATHERINE QUEZADA / THE SIGNAL
Attendees dance to the sounds of the Milanes Brothers Latin Band.
New Plans for the East Side of Santa Clarita
By Perry Smith Signal Senior Staff Writer
While local Realtors are reporting a 13-year high for supply based on the most recent data from the local housing market, a pair of projects on the city’s horizon could add almost 800 homes to the east side of the Santa Clarita Valley.
New Urban West — which is also involved in the Sunridge project closer to the center of town — is looking to put 341 single-family senior homes on 193 acres east of Sand Canyon and Lost Canyon roads, north of Sand Canyon Country Club.
Adam Browning, president of New Urban West, said in a previous statement that the goal is to build “a vibrant, wellness-centered community for Santa Clarita’s seniors.”
“We’re using our highly sought-after, award-winning Belcaro Valencia community as the inspiration for this new, age-restricted community which prioritizes preserving over half of the land as open space and creating 4.4 miles of trails,” he wrote in March. “We believe Belcaro Sand Canyon will be a place where 55-plus Sand Canyon residents can downsize within the canyon they love, or families in the canyon can move their parents and grandparents to be close to them.”
The plan also extends Lost Canyon Road from its current terminus at Oak Springs Canyon Road to the project, requiring a bridge, according to Jason Crawford, the city’s director of community development. He also said plans are still being worked on in terms of what would be the responsibility for the developer.
New Urban West’s plans for the gated community qualify as a housing development, which means the developer can apply for a “density bonus.” Under state law, a density bonus allows a developer to put up more units than the original zoning calls for, which pushed the requested number of units from 284 to a possible 341, according to city records. Crawford said the project does not yet have a date for when it might be in front of the Planning Commission.
Golden Valley/Sierra Highway
Closer to the center of the Santa Clarita Valley, not too far from where the city is considering a massive, 6,500-home development being billed as Sunridge,
a different home builder is hoping to create a 60-lot subdivision on just over 100 acres at the southerly intersection of Golden Valley Road and Sierra Highway, adjacent to State Route 14.
Plans for the area were submitted in June for a preliminary review at City Hall.
The proposed subdivision would consist of: 42 single-family residential lots, with a minimum of 5,000 square feet, totaling 7.14 acres; three multifamily apartment/condominium lots consisting of 336 units, totaling 13.41 acres; four town home lots consisting of 76 units, totaling 9.77 acres; two city park lots, totaling 17.29 acres; five private homeowner association lots, totaling 20.63 acres; one private street lot, totaling 0.81 acres; three open space lots, totaling 25.75 acres; and 8.58 acres of public street. There would also be the addition of less than an acre of private roads, according to the plans submitted for an entitlement application.
June. The SRAR represents approximately 10,000 Realtors and claims the region’s largest number of listings for its data.
It could mean that sellers have to adjust expectations somewhat, said Anthony Bedgood, president of the SRAR in the SCV, in a July 17 statement with the organization’s monthly report.
“The existing site is zoned Urban Residential 2 (UR2),” according to plans obtained by The Signal at Santa Clarita City Hall. “As part of the entitlement process, the project is requesting a General Plan Amendment and zone change of the northerly half of the site from UR2 … to UR4 (Urban Residential 4), for the allowance of density increase from 1.24 units per acre to 7.37 units per acre in order to accommodate the multifamily portion of the proposed development lots and units.”
Rae Price and Steve Letwinch, two of the applicants listed for the project, were not immediately available for comment at the time on the plans.
Real Estate Figures
The numbers show a relative glut in the Santa Clarita Valley’s real estate market, with the SCV office of the Southland Regional Association of Realtors reporting June had 949 active listings, which was more than 50% higher than last year’s figure for
“It’s not like 2006, yet there’s no doubt the Santa Clarita market is changing, shifting, with more choices and opportunities for buyers and more challenges for sellers,” he said. “It’s taking longer to match buyers and sellers today, yet the changes washing over local residential real estate can be managed to the advantage of both parties if they have expert guidance and understand that what worked a year ago may not trigger a sale today.”
The median household income in the SCV, based on the SCV’s 2024 data, was $121,000, compared to $84,478 in the county and $92,190 for the state.
The market data indicates affordability for single-family homes still represents a challenge for most residents. The organization’s income-to-loan guide for June found an income of $233,024 was needed to qualify for an 80% loan of $720,000 on a Santa Clarita Valley median-priced single-family home of $900,000.
Hart District Announces New Names in Leadership
News release
The William S. Hart Union High School District has announced the appointment of a new principal, two assistant principals and a director of communications and community engagement. Among those appointments include a new principal at Golden Valley and a new assistant principal Canyon High.
“We are pleased to welcome these talented and dedicated individuals to key leadership roles within our district,” Superintendent Michael Vierra said in a news release. “Their diverse experiences and proven track records will be invaluable as we continue to foster a supportive and enriching environment for our students, staff and families.”
New Principal Appointed at Golden Valley
Jennifer Ambrose has been named principal of Golden Valley High School. She brings 21 years of experience in education, most recently serving as assistant principal at Golden Valley High School.
Ambrose has provided steady leadership to the staff and students of the Hart district, with a focus on assisting teachers to examine and improve their craft in the classroom, the release said. She holds a bachelor’s degree in science from California State University, Long Beach, a master’s degree in cross cultural education from National University, and a master’s degree in educational administration from California State University, Northridge.
New Assistant Principal
The district also announced the appointment of Anna Konopliv as an assistant principal.
Konopliv will serve as assistant principal at Canyon High School. She previously served as a mathematics teacher and administrative intern at Castaic High School, where she was instrumental in leading her colleagues through using student data to improve practice, the release said. She holds a bachelor’s degree in mathematics and a master’s degree in education from UCLA, and she earned her administrative credential from the University of La Verne.
Exploring where and how we live and celebrating the people and fabric of the Santa Clarita Valley.
Jennifer Ambrose
Anna Konopliv
CC Standoff Suspect Held to Answer
Canyon Country man facing possible felony charges tied to February 2024 incident.
By Perry Smith Signal Senior Staff Writer
Deputy Richard Wyatt testified that he remembered hearing his partner telling somebody to drop a knife, before he saw Carl Wayne Pruett emerge from behind some bushes swinging a large blade.
As Wyatt scuttled backward and readied his Taser, he said he thought to put a barrier between himself and Pruett while he confronted the suspect near Canyon Springs Community Elementary School.
“I was in fear,” Wyatt said on the stand, according to the July 30 minute order for Pruett’s preliminary hearing in San Fernando at the L.A. County Superior Court’s Department E. “He was going to cut me with a machete.”
Judge Pamela Usher held Pruett to answer to two counts out of three possible felony charges at his hearing.
Both of the allegations stemmed from the Feb. 1, 2024, afternoon confrontation Wyatt described in his testimony, which precipitated an hourslong standoff at Pruett’s Plumwood Avenue home in Canyon Country.
Two deputies initially were flagged down by nearby residents who saw Pruett walking down the street with what was described as “a sword,” in a search warrant associated with the investigation. Pruett exited the property and walked toward deputies while “screaming incoherently and waving the machete at deputies while ignoring orders to stop,” according to court records.
Wyatt described seeing the black, foot-long blade raised by the defendant, who got within about 12 feet of Wyatt, before the deputy deployed his Taser. His use of the Taser coordinated with his partner as he approached the call, he said. He would handle the less-lethal approach and the other deputy would be prepared if needed with lethal force.
Ultimately, Wyatt’s Taser was ineffective against Pruett, who removed the two projectiles from the Taser and then went back inside his house, saying he has guns, according to statements made by officials in support of a request to search his home.
Pruett refused to comply with the deputies’ orders for Pruett to leave, so the L.A. County Sheriff’s Department Special Enforcement Bureau was called
Santa Clarita Valley sheriff’s deputies respond to a barricaded suspect reported to be seen carrying a machete near Canyon Springs Elementary School on Feb. 1, 2024. The suspect, Carl Wayne Pruett, was held to answer to two counts out of three possible felony charges during his recent hearing. SIGNAL FILE PHOTO
to the scene. Those deputies took him into custody sometime before 8:30 p.m. Feb. 1.
Usher dismissed the third count against Pruett, which was related to an accusation that Pruett reached over the counter at the Vision Eye Center in Canyon Country and stole a woman’s phone while she was working there, on Oct. 25, 2023.
The charge was based on the victim’s description, which was not followed up with a positive identification of Pruett. The investigator was shown security footage that showed a man matching Pruett’s description, but the judge agreed that fell short of a positive identification by the officer, and there was no subsequent suspect lineup. The attorney also claimed investigators failed to prove the value of the iPhone 14 Pro constituted grand theft.
Pruett remains in custody and is due back in court to file a plea to both charges on Aug. 18.
Since his arrest, the city of Santa Clarita has moved to put his Plumwood home, which is next to the elementary school, in a receivership, due to an ongoing code enforcement case.
The property was littered with trash and other miscellaneous items during the standoff. The city and Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station deputies have reported numerous problems at the property. In the aftermath of the standoff, neighbors said Pruett was a widower, describing him as somewhat of a recluse. The yard at the Plumwood home was lined with shopping carts at the time.
Pruett has had several run-ins with local law enforcement in recent years, including a 2016 standoff at the home, according to Sheriff’s Department records available online.
Canyon Holds First-Ever ‘Rings and Banners Night’
By Habeba Mostafa Signal Staff Writer
Celebrating their first ever CIF Southern Section title this past season in the 2A Division, the Canyon High School basketball players received their customized championship rings while unveiling the CIF banners at the Canyon Performing Arts Center on a recent Tuesday.
The “Rings and Banners Night” was led by head boys’ basketball coach Ali Monfared, who recognized the efforts of the dedicated staff and students.
“We’re even more proud of the young men and women that this school has produced that make countless and endless impacts as amazing individuals, whether in the community or with their own families. Canyon truly is a special place. As we move forward, we want to continue to do our best to highlight all of the achievements at our school,” Monfared said.
According to Monfared, the banners included: all sports teams’ male and female Athletes of the Year, league champions and all-CIF teams.
“We also want to congratulate girls’ track, who won CIF in Division 2, and for girls’ volleyball for making the final as well. This next message is for any of the kids that are here: Hopeful-
MOSTAFA
ly the hard work that these players and teams [have encountered] can inspire you to strive to achieve your dreams and be the best version of yourselves,” Monfared said.
Attendees were able to participate in a raffle, before Monfared disclosed that he learned about the process of receiving the rings, which were bedazzled in green with the Canyon emblem.
“A huge thank you to all of the individuals who donated these rings. We’ve never won a CIF title before, so I just thought that CIF passes them out. That’s not how that works,” Monfared said. “If you look around, you will likely see several alumni from var-
ious years here tonight because they were proud to be a Cowboy. The term, “Once a Cowboy, always a Cowboy is such a true statement … We have a community, and you can’t really beat that.”
Monfared recognized that this feat did not happen overnight, focusing on the hard work each player dedicated throughout not only the season, but also their high school careers, as well.
“Thanks to all of our players who dedicated so much time. This didn’t just happen overnight. A lot of kids went to this school who were supposed to go to this school, and showed everyone that it’s perfectly fine to live in Canyon Country — to be special
and legendary,” Monfared said. “But what I’m really proud of is that none of these guys ran away from adversity. The result you see now is behind days, weeks and months of early mornings, late nights, tough practices, resiliency [and] teamwork.”
Success is not defined by winning or losing, according to Monfared. True success lies in the dedication and sacrifices that the students continually made, while developing “and maturing on and off the court.”
“This group truly believes in the process mattering more than the result. Being a part of your guys’ journey has been truly special,” Monfared said.
GRAYSKULL
Continued from page 8
Even as he found creative ways to hide his music, other forces were shaping his life more dramatically. In 1997, drive-by shootings in the South Los Angeles community pushed the family to move to Canyon Country. Torres Jr. spoke about a number of memories from the time, often revealing something in his store from the experience.
While telling one particular tale, he played a rock music video on the store’s front TV and pointed out some stage work he’d done — specifically the tinsel foil fringe used in the set design. Then, he motioned to the entrance of the store, where he had kept a piece of that same fringe as a memento.
He also pointed out his cameo role in the video.
“That was us on the tour bus,” he said. “That’s me right there. I was leading them out, but they cut me off at that part. Then you’re going to see me here for half a second. Right there.”
Torres Jr. also talked about when he used to play records for a brewery, adding that he just always wanted to be involved with music.
Step into his store, and it’s instantly clear he’s a true music lover. The walls are covered with photos, posters, signs, guitars and classic album covers — some of them autographed. Throughout the shop, you’ll also find vintage turntables, tape players and stereo systems. Most of the stuff is for sale.
“If it doesn’t have a price, though,” Torres Jr. said, “I’m going to be buried with it when I pass away.”
One of those items was what he considers to be among the greatest records of all time. He had it there in the store — Black Sabbath’s “Live Evil” album from 1983.
“This record,” he said, holding it with pride, “is going to go to my personal collection. At the end of the day, I’m still a collector.”
As it turns out, Torres Jr. wasn’t always so interested in selling records. He learned about that when, in the early 2010s, his parents discovered the Santa Clarita Swap Meet.
“My parents and my little brother went, and they started selling stuff they had around their house,” he said. “And then my dad asked me, ‘Hey, I want to sell my records.’ I was like, ‘Do you really want to do that?’ And he’s like, ‘Yeah, I want to sell my records.’ So, he took a few, and in the same day, he sold them all.”
Torres Jr. learned from his dad that one guy bought him out. He also found out that his dad had
sold the records for a low price and that he was going to return the following weekend to sell more.
This time, however, Torres Jr. helped his dad with the pricing. He knew they could earn more money. But even with higher prices, everything sold out. His dad returned each weekend until he sold his entire record collection.
Torres Jr. would eventually get more involved with helping his dad sell records at the swap meet. He made connections with a record distributor and began buying collections so that they could sell them there.
Come rain or shine, they were at the swap meet.
“When it was windy or rainy,” Torres Jr. said, “that was when I’d lose time off of my life — I was so stressed about stuff getting wet and our tarp flying away.”
Their spot at the swap meet remained popular with shoppers. As business continued to grow, Torres Jr. picked up more records from his distributor. He’d get collections. And he’d get original press records and repress records, too.
Then the time came when their spot at the swap meet was just not big enough for what they were doing.
“One day,” Torres Jr. said, “I talked to my dad like: ‘Hey, Dad, why don’t we see if we could get a bigger size? Because they have 10 by 15 spots, and it’s on the main path.’ My dad doesn’t like change. He says, ‘If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.’”
It took some work, but Torres Jr. was able to convince his dad to take a chance. They made the move to the larger space, and sure enough, business picked up.
Over the years, their swap meet operation became increasingly popular, and shoppers would ask why they didn’t have a permanent store.
That idea ate at Torres Jr. He started looking into the possibility of opening a store, but the COVID-19 pandemic shut that down. However, the urge to open something permanent grew in his mind.
Once pandemic lockdowns ended, Torres Jr. looked at places in both the San Fernando and the Santa Clarita valleys. Ultimately, he found what he thought was the perfect place on Soledad Canyon Road in Canyon Country.
His dad, who recently retired, helps out in the store. He has his own space in the back room where he organizes and tests record albums, and he cleans up and repairs records, record covers, old turntables, tape decks and stereo systems.
Torres Sr. said he misses the swap meet, adding
that when it ended in October, it took a while for the store to recuperate sales they got at the meet. So many people, he said, would buy records from them there, but they wouldn’t come to the store.
“But, every day,” he said, “there is new people here.”
Both Torres Jr. and his dad love what they do. People come in to not only buy vinyl records, but also to talk music.
Torres Jr. said it’s a similar vibe to what you might experience at a comic book store, where fans come in to talk about shared interests, new and old products, artists and the subculture.
“We have regulars,” he said, “and we talk about their first album, what takes them back, the latest concert — anything related to music.”
People have told him that the record store is better for conversation than the bar or the barbershop. He loves that.
Sometimes, the right person might even get Torres Jr. to relinquish something from his own collection.
“I’m OK with letting it go for someone,” he said. “I’ve done it before.”
Asked if such a person has to name the right price for that to happen, Torres Jr. answered no, that it’s not about the right price, rather it’s about the right customer. He’d sell a cherished album to someone who really appreciated it the way he does.
Some time ago, he was talking with a customer who happened to collect motion picture soundtracks. One of the guy’s favorite film scores was Tangerine Dream’s “Legend” from the 1985 film of the same name. The two got to talking about the music and the film and the way that the music accompanied various scenes in the film.
It just so happened that Torres Jr. had the “Legend” score on vinyl, but it wasn’t for sale.
“I was like, ‘I do have a copy in the back,’” Torres Jr. said. “He’s like, ‘How much?’ I said, ‘A million bucks.’”
He was only kidding about the price, of course, but he sold the record to the guy anyway.
“It was about the passion,” he said. “It was more having passion for what you’re doing. And at the end of the day, that’s really what this thing is all about.”
Know any unsung heroes or people in the SCV with an interesting life story to tell? Email share@ signalscv.com.
CALENDAR
Canyon Country Community Center
September 12 6-9 p.m.
Celebrate highlights cultures, customs and culinary wonders featuring music, dance, food, art and more.
Canyon Country Community Center
18410 Sierra Highway 91351 (661) 290-2266
Canyon Country Community Center
Open Gym Schedule
Open gym activities are available to people of all skill levels.
Monday – Friday
8 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Saturday
9 a.m. – 2 p.m. Sunday CLOSED
Table Tennis (18+)
Wednesdays 9 a.m. - noon
Please bring your own paddle. Pickleball (18+)
Fridays 9 a.m. - noon
Please bring your own paddle.
Regular Gym Hours will Resume on August 8.
August 18
18410 Sierra Highway, Canyon Country 91351 4 p.m. - 6 p.m.
CANYON COUNTRY LIBRARY PROGRAMS
5:30 p.m. Monday Night Magic: The Gathering
August 23
10 a.m. Sit and Stitch
September 1 CLOSED LABOR DAY
September 3
4:30 p.m. Canyon Country TAB
6 p.m. Thrilled to Read a Book Club
September 4
6:30 p.m. Club de Mujeres Latinas en Literatura
September 13
10 a.m. Sit and Stitch
September 14
1:30 p.m. Sunday Sensory Storytime
September 15
1 p.m. Little Explorers
September 16
9:30 a.m. Storytime
11 a.m. Fall Sensory Room
3:30 p.m. Science Explorers: The Science of Sun Prints
September 17
9:30 a.m. Storytime
3:30 p.m. LEGO® Block Party
September 18
9:30 a.m. Cuenta Cuentos
4 p.m. Teen Library Eats: Cheeseburger Mac
September 20
1:30 p.m. Puzzlepalooza
September 22
1 p.m. Little Explorers
September 23
9:30 a.m. Storytime
3:30 p.m. Crafternoon: Paper Plate Tambourine
September 24
9:30 a.m. Storytime
5:30 p.m. Watercolor and Write Letters for Operation Gratitude
