Canyon Country Magazine February 2024

B E C O M E A

P H L E B O T O M I S T

G O L D E N O A K A D U L T S C H O O L I S E X C I T E D T O A N N O U N C E I T S

P A R T N E R S H I P W I T H T H E U N I V E R S I T Y O F C A L I F O R N I A , L O S

A N G E L E S ( U C L A ) T O O F F E R A C O M P R E H E N S I V E C E R T I F I E D

P H L E B O T O M Y T E C H N I C I A N C O U R S E T H I S S I X - W E E K

P R O G R A M I S D E S I G N E D T O M E E T A L L C A L I F O R N I A

R E Q U I R E M E N T S , E N A B L I N G S T U D E N T S T O B E C O M E

L I C E N S E D P H L E B O T O M I S T S ( C P T 1 ) .

T H E C O U R S E A I M S T O I N T R O D U C E S T U D E N T S T O T H E D Y N A M I C F I E L D O F P H L E B O T O M Y , P R O V I D I N G T H E M W I T H B O T H B A S I C A N D A D V A N C E D S K I L L S T H R O U G H A C O M B I N A T I O N O F T H E O R E T I C A L K N O W L E D G E A N D H A N D S - O N C L I N I C A L P R A C T I C E U P O N C O M P L E T I O N O F

T H E P R O G R A M , S T U D E N T S W I L L B E W E L L - P R E P A R E D T O T A K E T H E N A T I O N A L C E R T I F I C A T I O N E X A M T H I S P R O G R A M I S T A I L O R E D F O

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6 GV BOYS SOCCER WINS ON SENIOR

City OKs Taking Over Vista Canyon Bridge Design

By Perry Smith Signal Senior Staff Writer

Santa Clarita City Council members unanimously approved a staff recommendation to assume the design of a bridge for Vista Canyon, a mixed-use transit-friendly development on the east side of town.

During the discussion Tuesday before the City Council, City Manager Ken Striplin, who’s been with the city since 1996, acknowledged he couldn’t recall a precedent for such a move, but he said it was necessary to protect the city’s interests in the project.

The staff’s recommendation called on the City Council to approve the city loaning itself up to $1.1 million from its general fund so it could assume the completion of the design of a bridge that will connect the intersection of Soledad Canyon Road and Lost Canyon Road to the Vista Canyon development, including the recently completed Vista Canyon Multi-Modal Transit Center.

“The loan will be repaid with future bridge & thoroughfare fees generated by the Vista Canyon development project,” according to the city’s agenda.

The bridge was initially in the project’s conditions of approval, but the city is stepping in due to hardships the developer is facing.

However, if the city doesn’t step in, statements from the city and developer JSB Development, indicate both sides had questions over whether the funding would be there to complete the project by July 2026.

“To start out with, this is a very unique situation,” Striplin said. “In my time here, I don’t think we’ve been before the council, asking the council to relieve the developer of an obligation within the conditions such as this.”

While the city supports the developer’s efforts to seek funding sources for the project, which have included a contract the city entered into recently to take over a water-reclamation plant that can produce up to 315 acre-feet of recycled water annually, Striplin said there was a bigger concern for Santa Clarita.

“The city has to look out for the city, and so as we looked at what is left in terms of the city’s obligations,” he said, a number of priorities have to be balanced.

One of the bigger ones — more than $20 million comes off the table if the project doesn’t meet a 2026 deadline for the bridge’s construction.

“On Oct. 25, 2018, the city of Santa Clarita was allocated $20 million in Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority Measure R funds for construction of the Vista Canyon Road Bridge,” according to the meeting agenda. That funding goes away June 30, 2026, if the project is not completed.

In a recent interview, JSB President Jim Backer acknowledged the challenges he’s had in financing the project — which has completed more than

The city would loan itself up to $1.1 million from the general fund and replay the loan with future bridge and thoroughfare fees generated by the Vista Canyon project.

700 of its 1,100 residential units and built 60,000 of 950,000 square feet of planned commercial development.

A number of reports have referred to the project’s plan as state of the art because it combines a transit-friendly design with a net-zero water footprint, thanks to the water-recycling plant.

But market uncertainty is part of why financiers

are hesitant, which is creating a very difficult situation for the project.

“In the office market and retail market right now,” Backer said in a previous interview before the meeting, “even the things that everyone thinks we should be doing are having a tough time in the financial world because of the higher rates and the inflation.” 

VITA Offers Free Tax Prep Services

The Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program at College of the Canyons will be offering free tax preparation services to individuals who made less than $67,000 in 2023, persons with disabilities, and limited English-speaking skills. The service is available to qualified individuals and families Saturdays from February 10 through April 13.

“Our community members’ financial well-being is important to us, and we are committed to providing support to qualified individuals and families,” said Ali Naddafpour, a business and accounting instructor at the college.

The COC-VITA volunteer program is sponsored by the IRS and designed to help low to moderate-income households. COC-VITA volunteers include COC students from a wide range

of academic disciplines and community members. Volunteers work under the supervision of experienced tax practitioners to assist with quality review.

The COC-VITA clinic will be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the main campus in Hasley Hall (Rooms 233 and 234). The last available time slot for appointments or walk-ins is 3 p.m.

Individual sessions may run up to two-and-ahalf hours in length. While walk-ins are welcome, appointments are strongly recommended. Parking will be free in all student lots during VITA’s hours of operation. Parking Lot 5 is the closest parking lot to Hasley Hall.

For more information, visit www.canyons.edu/ academics/schools/business/vita/index.php.

Vista Canyon Metrolink Station shown here under construction in May 2022. PHOTO BY DAN WATSON / THE SIGNAL

Canyon Girls Soccer Advanced Out of the Wildcard

By Justin Vigil-Zuniga Signal Sports Writer

The Cowboys went through two scoreless halves and a pair of overtime periods before heading to penalty kicks with the hosting Valley View Eagles. Canyon coach Leonardo Neveleff knew his team could prevail if it reached PKs, and the Cowboys came through.

“We held back and the girls played their hearts out,” Neveleff told The Signal. “I knew that if we were gonna go to PKs, we were gonna win that game.”

Canyon forward Isabella Aguilar drilled the game-winning shot to win in PKs, 4-3.

Aguilar, Jiliana DiDomenico, Siena Salas and senior Bailey Williamson all drilled shots in the shootout to win. Cowboys goalkeeper Makayla Charles also came up huge in PKs, where she made two stops.

“Makayla is super on top of everything and she had quite a few saves in the first half,” Neveleff said. “She had an amazing game and those two saves in the PKs, I think that was the cherry on top of the cake.”

Regulation was a tale of two halves for Canyon (9-6-2). The Cowboys came out flat, struggled to connect and had some tension built up between teammates.

“We started off really bad,” Neveleff said. “There were no connections between the lines … We couldn’t find a solution to counterattack. They had a really good team with a good offense and some talented players and we couldn’t figure it out.”

Neveleff and the team spoke about the game plan at halftime but they mainly focused on regrouping for one another.

“We just got together in the locker room and we talked not just about tactics but more about why are we here? What are we here for?” Neveleff said. “All the sacrifices that players made to make it this far and to just give up. There is never a good day to give up. It was a heart-to-heart conversation we had and it seemed like it had an impact because we went in and had a really good second half.”

Canyon controlled the second half better but still couldn’t find any goals. Charles had much less pressure on her and had a less stressful half than the first, where she came up with a handful of key saves.

As the game progressed, the Cowboys grew more and more tired and wound up playing around two hours of soccer. However, Neveleff still knew if they could get to the final whistle still in a scoreless draw, his team could prevail in PKs.

Neveleff preaches defense to his Canyon team and isn’t planning on changing anything when it wins games like this one.

“A lot of people say, ‘You play defensively,’” Neveleff said. “You don’t have to play fancy to win games. You play the way that’s best for your team.

That’s our identity. When we step on the field, this is the way we play, we’re not going to change and luckily it’s given us results.”

Canyon was hoping for another positive result in the Division 3 playoffs against Apple Valley. Unfortunately, they fell short. Apple Valley finished 17-31, according to MaxPreps, while Canyon finished 8-7-3.

The Sun Devils are led by freshman Jadyn Bechtel, who leads the team with 28 goals. Upperclass-

men Sarah Fort and Alia Collins have also scored at least 10 goals this season and will be part of an early big test for the Cowboys.

“Just for us to bring the passion, the attitude and our personality on the field, and that’s all I’m asking for,” Neveleff said. “And then, play the game and try to have fun. Don’t forget this is just a game. We all want to win but we have to have fun at the same time.” 

Golden Valley Boys’ Soccer Beats Valencia On Senior Night

Golden Valley Grizzlies’ boys soccer had a senior night to remember. The Grizzlies pressured well and played intense defense to notch the 2-1 home win over the Valencia Vikings.

Golden Valley senior Alex Risdon netted both goals for the Grizzlies in potentially his final home game in a black and gold uniform.

“I love winning it for this school,” Risdon said. “I’ve been on varsity four years and I felt like I really had to try to win this one for the boys.”

Risdon scored a pair of go-ahead goals to break a scoreless tie and then a 1-1 tie.

A chaotic play, in which Valencia’s defense and

goalkeeper were trying to clear out a ball outside of the box, led to an easy goal for Risdon.

The senior then scored the game-winner in the 56th minute after he created some space and fired the ball perfectly into the bottom left corner of the net.

Risdon is Grizzlies head coach Stephen Evison’s only four-year varsity player. Risdon entered high school in Evison’s first year as head coach and now the two share one more memorable win together.

Golden Valley’s win clinches a top-three finish in the Foothill League for the Grizzlies. 

Canyon’s Bailey Williamson (right), shown here attempting to steal the ball from Saugus’ Anessa Bolanos during their game at Saugus High School in late November. PHOTO BY HABEBA MOSTAFA / THE SIGNAL

Sulphur Springs District ‘Remains Committed’ to Skyline Ranch School Site

By Tyler Wainfeld Signal Staff Writer

The Sulphur Springs Union School District wants a new school built in Skyline Ranch and is completing all of the necessary paperwork to do so, but the land has yet to be transferred to the district, according to district Superintendent Catherine Kawaguchi.

The district first discussed the new school site, meant to be built along with the Skyline Ranch development, located between Sierra Highway and Whites Canyon Road in Canyon Country, in

May 2020. At the time, the development, under the control of Tri Pointe Homes, was slated to include about 1,200 homes, an 11-acre park and an elementary school.

“The district remains committed to building a new school at the Skyline Ranch development and is moving forward with all items under its control including completing environmental assessments and obtaining regulatory approvals,” Kawaguchi sad in a statement sent to The Signal. “Unfortunately, at this time, Tri Pointe Homes, the developer, has delayed in transferring the school site to the district.”

Kawaguchi added that the school site being built was part of the development agreement.

ment.

The developer touts the Skyline Ranch community as a place “to do it all.”

“Where else can you experience forever views and starry nights just far enough from the city lights, and still be close enough to everything you need?” is a question posed on the Tri Pointe Homes website.

Its website shows four different styles of model homes for sale, with the smallest being anywhere from 2,100 to 2,950 square feet and costing about $900,000, while the most expensive homes can be anywhere from 3,300 to 4,300 square feet and cost a minimum of $1.3 million.

The development also has a community area with a pool, spa, playground and clubhouse.

The current schools listed in close proximity to the community are: Skyblue Mesa Elementary School in the Saugus Union School District; Leona H. Cox Community Elementary School in the Sulphur Springs district; and Sierra Vista Junior High and Canyon High schools in the William S. Hart Union High School District.

Marc Leoj Cartagena

A representative from Tri Pointe Homes did not return multiple calls and messages seeking com-

“The district remains committed to acquiring the site and looks forward to working with Tri Pointe Homes to complete the process in the very near future,” Kawaguchi said in the statement. 

By Habeba Mostafa Signal Staff Writer

Between classical hits and colorful ensembles, the Winter Guard Association of Southern California was back at Valencia High School for its debut and classification show on Saturday.

With sassy moves and attitude, local color guard teams participating in the competition performed the following titles with corresponding tracks:

• Castaic High School performed “When You Believe” to Stevie Wonder’s “Superstition.”

• Canyon High School performed “A manic workout” to Michael Sembello’s “Flashdance” hit “Maniac.”

• Golden Valley High School performed “9 to 5” to a “Beat It” by Michael Jackson and “Jailhouse Rock” by Elvis Presley medley.

• Valencia High School performed “Groove is in the Heart” to the song of the same name

• Saugus High School performed “Descend” to Ludwig van Beethoven’s “Für Elise.”

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The full day of competitive fun resulted in the following scores for Santa Clarita Valley high schools: Valencia placed first in Scholastic AAA, Saugus placed first in Scholastic Open, while Castaic placed first, Canyon placed fifth and Golden Valley placed seventh in the High School Classification.

Lorraine Kohagen, Valencia color guard advisor, said the competition is part of Valencia’s continued tradition in color guard.

“We’re actually hosting the first show of the season and we’re pretty excited. This is probably about the fifth or sixth time we’ve hosted. We’ve got 30 schools here, and everybody’s debuting their show today,” Kohagen said. “It’s really exciting for not just the judges, but for the spectators to see what everybody’s coming up with this season.”

Most of the groups put together their shows in December, but others began assembling their set, according to Kohagen, when school started back up again in mid-January.

“Color guard is the most amazing thing: It’s a sport. It’s an art. They make lifelong friendships,” Kohagen said. “They’re learning skills, not just in dance and equipment, but they’re learning time management, how to deal with people. They’re learning how to overcome obstacles and work

past things.”

Senior Caitlin Williams, 17, is one of four captains for Valencia this year, and has been in a position of leadership since her junior year.

“I’ve been in color guard for four years. I started my freshman year, and I had a figure skating background of 10 years,” Williams said. “I wanted to be involved in something at school, and I felt that color guard was a good mix of the team aspect and the creative aspect. It’s an effective sport, and I didn’t expect to love it as much as I do. It’s become such an important aspect of my life, and I’ve made these amazing memories with people.”

Williams’ favorite memory includes performing with her color guard team at SoFi Stadium, while recognizing the growth she endured from the more difficult moments of her experience.

“At least for me, it’s the moments coming back from injuries and of doubting myself where I’m like, ‘Oh my God, am I going to be able to do this and not get hurt?’ That’s part of the process,” Williams said.

Terry Collier, booster president for the Valencia High School band and color guard, discussed the tournament and the work that the participants and organizers, such as Saturday’s event organizer, Jennifer Stohl, put in.

“This is an amazing tournament … they’re all just performing with usually popular music, and it’s so exciting because of the creativity that comes along with these groups. Their flag, the visual, the choreography, it’s just incredible,” Collier said. “I really encourage a lot of people to come out and see what this is about. I call it poetry in motion because what these students are doing is incredible.”

For winter color guard, the floors are an essential aspect of the show, often having various colors in coordination with the theme of the performance, as well as going up to 60 by 90 feet. Folding the floor for each school can take minutes, often needing a whole group effort.

“They have these floors that are a part of the props — the strategy of bringing these floors that are so heavy and bringing them in and taking them out again, there’s a strategy for that,” Collier said.

As a parent volunteer herself, Col-

Canyon color guard performed “A Manic Workout” from the “Flashdance” classic “Maniac” by Michael Sembello during the Winter Guard Association of Southern California Debut and Classification show. PHOTO BY HABEBA MOSTAFA / THE SIGNAL

BY HABEBA MOSTAFA / THE SIGNAL

lier thanks the parents who took the time to put on yet again a successful color guard event at Valencia.

“I want to give a shoutout to all of the parent volunteers that are giving their time supporting

their children emotionally, physically, donating food, are here early, are the last ones to leave,” Collier said. “The parents that come out and volunteer are a special breed because they’re giving

their time — they have full-time jobs and move their schedules around just so that they can be here to help the program thrive. They’re special individuals.” 

ABOVE: Saugus color guard performed “Descend” to “Für Elise” during the Winter Guard Association of Southern California Debut and Classification show. PHOTO COURTESY Barbara Karpp. RIGHT: Golden Valley color guard performed “9 to 5” to a “Beat It” by Michael Jackson and “Jailhouse Rock” by Elvis Presley medley. PHOTO

CHS Teacher Becomes Laker of the Day After Life-Saving Surgery

By Habeba Mostafa Signal Staff Writer

Wearing a Lakers jersey on Sunday that was given to her by her cardiologist, Dr. James Lee, and kidney transplant doctor, Dr. Jeffrey Veale, medical marvel and Laker of the Day Kelly Seidenkranz only cared to have it signed by her heroes.

Diagnosed with spontaneous coronary artery dissection in 2020, and spending nearly the whole year recovering from a collapsed artery, a heart and kidney transplant and months of physical therapy, Seidenkranz, a Spanish teacher at Canyon High School, is one of four other cases documented on SCAD in the left, main coronary artery as severe as hers in the world.

The condition is still relatively unknown, with doctors researching it for nearly 10 years, according to Seidenkranz. SCAD affects women in their 40s with no or few cardiovascular risk factors.

“The left, main coronary artery leads to the aorta, and that is essential for survival. When I got to the hospital, I had a STEMI heart attack, which is the widowmaker heart attack. So I went into cardiac arrest, they had to revive me twice,” Seidenkranz said. “I thought I was stressed initially. I had no family history of anybody with heart problems in my family. I was really healthy — the doctors even say that’s part of why I survived. I never would have thought I’m having a heart problem because I didn’t know what a heart problem feels like.”

With no physical symptoms during the height of COVID-19, Seidenkranz woke up to experience a slight discomfort in her chest and a heartburn-like feeling on June 29, 2020, before collapsing on the floor later that day.

As she was rushed to the hospital by her husband, little did Seidenkranz know that she would be hospital-bound for the entire summer, spending a couple of days in Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital before transferring to Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center.

With 77 days in the hospital, followed by 15 days in rehab, one month of cardiac therapy and months of physical therapy to relearn how to walk, Seidenkranz beat the odds to survive. Now she makes sure to live her life fully.

Seidenkranz described the moment her doctors, who she credits with saving her life, and Canyon staff unexpectedly walked into her classroom on Jan. 18 to surprise her days before her Lakers game appearance.

“The principal, a couple of assistant principals, all of my world language department, and just a few other teacher friends on campus came with ‘We love Kelly’ signs,” Seidenkranz said. “The students are like, ‘What’s going on?’ I just couldn’t believe what was happening. They presented me

with a jersey with ‘Seidenkranz’ on the back of the jersey.”

The Lakers program, in partnership with UCLA Health, “recognizes UCLA Health patients who face serious illnesses with courage, strength and determination,” according to UCLA Health.

With a small group of family and friends who supported her through her journey, Seidenkranz was celebrated for her miraculous recovery by the Lakers with a suite for her and loved ones, a montage of her journey on all the Crypto.com Arena screens and a chance to stand on the court for fans to salute her with applause.

“I was so excited, just absolutely honored, privileged and thrilled. It was the most wonderful thing to have that kind of support. They brought my family down for pictures, then we had a little tour,” Seidenkranz said.

The real celebrities to Seidenkranz — her doctors — came and celebrated with her family, including her husband and kids Joshua, 21, and Kaylyn, 14, and friends.

“I would have rather had their autographs on my jersey than any of the Lakers players any day, and I’m a fan of the Lakers. My whole family likes the Lakers,” Seidenkranz said. “I couldn’t stop smiling the whole night. I felt so supported and so loved and so honored.”

Since her heart transplant on Aug. 5 and kidney transplant on Aug. 6, 2020, she has maximized her opportunities with a new start at life.

“My life changed in that I don’t want to wait to do all the things that I want to do. You never know what the future holds,” Seidenkranz said. “Now I participate in the Transplant Games of America. Every two years, it’s kind of an Olympics for transplant recipients and donors, too. I did it in 2022 and I got gold in cycling and tennis.”

While having strong faith before the day that changed her entire life, her faith strengthened as she was teetering between life and death.

“The real hero and who I know to be the real hero is God. Dr. Lee knows that: He presented it as a miraculous story, because it is. I should not have survived. It’s amazing,” Seidenkranz said. “Everything had to go exactly right. Any little mistake, I could have been dead in a second. And it all did — everything from getting to the hospital right before I went into cardiac arrest to every step along the way, every procedure — everything.”

According to Seidenkranz, Lee says that most doctors have never seen a case like Seidenkranz’s because of how rare her condition is; most patients never make it to the hospital. Nurses at Henry Mayo even apologized to her later on, since they watched her eyes dilate that fateful night and mistook her for dead.

Despite the opinions of medical professionals, Seidenkranz’s perseverance and faith, not only in

God, but also in herself, never wavered.

“I knew that I was [in the hospital] to get better — I actually knew I was going to be OK. I never was afraid of death. And this is where my faith comes in; people have near-death experiences,” Seidenkranz said. “I didn’t experience a white light or anything like that, but I just knew God had told me that I’m going to be fine. So I was telling my doctors don’t worry about me, I’m going to be fine.”

Cultivating a community and running into strangers who recognized and prayed for her, including a group of nuns, Seidenkranz appreciates the support of people who were confident in her strength to come back stronger.

“My story is a shared story of a community coming together and rallying around me in support in every way possible. Our church family brought my family meals for weeks and helped with maintenance around the house, and Canyon High School helped raise money to support my family and to help pay for the medical bills,” Seidenkranz said. “Then when I finally came home, I had many of my neighbors out on the street welcoming me home with cheering and posters. Support has been incredible from the very beginning.”

While she may not have seen a white light, Seidenkranz believes in a light at the end of the tunnel.

“With all the little things that we worry about day to day, that was the first thing that changed in my life when I was in the hospital,” Seidenkranz said. “There’s always hope — with God nothing is impossible. It is important to never lose hope. Never give up.” 

Kelly Seidenkranz with Dr. James Lee (left) and Dr. Jeffrey Veale during the Lakers game. PHOTO COURTESY KELLY SEIDENKRANZ.

St. Clare Gears Up For 46th Annual Lenten Fish Fry

By Habeba Mostafa Signal Staff Writer

St. Clare Catholic Church is holding its 46th Annual Lenten Fish Fries on Fridays throughout the months of February and March.

The fundraisers are to be held 4:30 to 8 p.m. Feb. 16 and 23, and March 1, 8, 15 and 22, at the church, 19606 Calla Way in Canyon Country.

Proceeds will benefit local charities and families in need, according to a release provided by St. Clare.

The menu options are:

• Two or three beer battered cod, one choice of a side (fries, rice or beans), coleslaw, a dinner roll and tartar sauce, ketchup and malt vinegar.

• Two fish tacos, rice and beans and salsa.

The cost for a two-piece cod meal or tacos is $15, while a three-piece cod meal is $16.

Families are encouraged to purchase a family pack for $55, which will include 10 pieces of fish, coleslaw, two sides, dinner rolls and con-

diments.

Desserts and beverages are also available for purchase. Cash, checks

and credit cards are accepted. Indoor and outdoor seating is available, as well as takeout.

For more information, call (661) 252-2252 or visit www.st-clare. org. 

Margaretta Delgado (left) purchases deserts from Karen Blazek and Luis Gutierrez cooks up fish at last year’s Lenten Fish Fry. PHOTOS BY DAN WATSON / THE SIGNAL

Residents Attend Homeowners’ Resource Fair

By Habeba Mostafa Signal Staff Writer

Homeowners and prospective buyers in the Santa Clarita Valley attended the Assessor’s Homeowners’ Resource Fair led by Los Angeles County Assessor Jeff Prang at the Canyon Country Community Center.

Attendees learned from expert speakers about topics such as new construction and assessments, Proposition 19, property tax savings programs, death of a property owner, and misfortune and calamity/fire safety.

“What we’re doing here is we have a collaborative effort with all county departments. We have private businesses, we have Supervisor (Kathryn) Barger, we have elected officials here to show the people exactly what’s available to them at no cost,” said Steve Whitmore, public information officer at the L.A. County Office of the Assessor. “Today, a lot of the things we’re going to be talking about are how they can save money on their property taxes.”

According to Whitmore, Prang, who was elected in 2014, believes in taking the county to the people, rather than having the people come to the county. To make this initiative plausible, the fair is held

that there are savings if you own a home, there are savings available to you,” Whitmore said. “[People] are coming to get certain things solved, and that certainly happens here. They come with an open mind.”

The speakers included Assessor Jeff Prang, Supervisor Kathryn Barger, Chairman Antonio Vazquez of the state Board of Equalization, and Assemblywoman Pilar Schiavo, D-Chatsworth.

Prang began his remarks to the crowd of hundreds by clarifying what it is he and his team do not do.

“We have brought together a tremendous amount of resources to help you answer virtually any question you might have about things dealing with property ownership in Los Angeles County,” Prang said. “I’m going to start by telling you something about our office that we do not do. We are not the people who collect taxes. The United States [does not] have a position of a tax assessor. We’re real estate appraisers.”

Prang continued to clarify to anyone still confused in the audience that the person who collects taxes is called a tax collector.

“However, we are responsible for managing a whole bunch of programs to help you save money on your property taxes — programs for veterans, seniors, disabled, for religious institutions, for nonprofits,” Prang said.

Those who owned a home in the audience — nearly the whole room raised their hands when

asked by Schiavo later on — learned about the homeowner’s exemption from Prang.

“Anybody who owns a home, and lives there, qualifies for something called the Homeowner’s Exemption. It’s a tax savings program that doesn’t save you a lot, but it will allow us to reduce your assessed value by $7,000, which will save you about 70 bucks on your property taxes,” Prang said. “And I mention this because in L.A. County, about one in three homeowners who qualify for homeowners exemption, don’t apply. And they don’t apply simply because they don’t know about it.”

Barger hoped those in attendance would benefit from the information provided during the fair, but in also taking the steps to be prepared for natural disasters — especially for the infamous wildfire season.

“As your county supervisor, I want to make sure that you benefit from every resource available to you, which includes having the information you need to navigate homeownership property transfers, understanding changes in state and county laws and protecting against natural disasters, something up here in Santa Clarita we know all too well,” Barger said. “The many wildfires that you’ve lived through have impacted this area, and we have a team of experts to respond and help you recover.”

Schiavo shared an anecdote about buying her first home and utilizing the resources provided,

I want to share my experience with the Santa Clarita School of Performing Arts. My daughter, Michela, is 12 years old. She found an announcement for the Santa Clarita School of Performing Arts Fashion Show at Macy’s and begged me to apply. We live in Washington, DC, so I thought she was joking at first. Flying out to California for a fashion show? Then I got a call from the owner of SCSOPA, Mike. His enthusiasm and passion for his school was so evident that he inspired us to take the plunge and book a flight. Mike allowed Michela to take several free classes when we visited. From learning how to walk in a fashion show from a real pageant winner, to Improv and Acting classes, she threw herself in and everyone made her feel at home. It is clear that the Santa Clarita School of Performing Arts is a family with everyone rooting for each other. It is a true melting pot with actors of all shapes, sizes, ages, ethnicities, colors and creeds. We signed up for their unlimited package so she can take as many classes as she wants. Best of all, whenever she has an audition, we are able to work with the school and arrange for a fantastic acting coach to run lines with her and give her feedback. The very first audition we worked on, she booked! The staff is super responsive, professional and a joy to work with. Thank you, Mike and SCSOPA, for helping launch Michela’s career!

105, Santa Clarita,

PARKER BOLEK ALEXA ARCHER

while empathizing with the crowd about recent inflation.

“For me personally, I was only able to get into my first home because I had a down payment assistance. I had something that lowered my interest rate and made it all more affordable for me. It would have been out of reach for me,” Schiavo said. “I know that home ownership is out of reach for a lot of people and continuing to be able to afford your home along with the other cost of living that is really hurting people right now and is more and more difficult every year.”

Schiavo said that although Santa Clarita’s market is no longer as affordable, especially for families who moved for the schools and raised children who can now no longer live in the same commu-

nities on their own, there is a strong incentive to assist.

“There are still opportunities for people to get that support and those services — the Dream for All Program has just reopened. It’s a lottery to help first-time homebuyers, and we’ll cover up to $150,000 or for a purchase price of $150,000 and 20% of that down payment.

Knowing that a home in Santa Clarita would not be purchased for that amount alone, the program is geared to reduce a significant chunk of a down payment to purchase a home.

“At the state level, we are really focused on this issue, that housing crisis is a huge, huge focus, and also the issues of just helping folks be able to make ends meet and pay the bills,” Schiavo said. 

Villa Metro Residents Question Chick-fil-A’s

By Perry Smith Signal Senior Staff Writer

The Chick-fil-A outreach is under way for plans involving a location next to Villa Metro, which has brought traffic concerns among residents who fear the long lineups, while the property owner says the concept is intended to keep the line moving better than at the mall’s location.

The new location is proposed for 21613 Soledad Canyon Road, according to a Chick-fil-A flier distributed recently in the community. The plans are for a 1-acre plot adjacent to Santa Clarita Lanes, which is in between the bowling alley and the residential community.

Villa Metro resident Cindy Dorfmann, during a community meeting of her homeowners association near the end of last year, said the group was introduced to a representative from Chick-fil-A, who was there to talk about the project and answer questions.

“They were kind of surprised we were not happy,” Dorfmann said, adding the presentation was to about 20 or so residents, some who gathered in person and some who attended virtually. Most of the concern involved the traffic impacts, she said, adding that’s why she started a petition using Change.org. She’s received support from the neighboring Greenbrier Estates, too, she said, with the petition gaining 360 signatures of its 500-person goal since it started Nov. 29.

“It’s crazy already as it is with the traffic over here,” she said, referring to challenges getting around Villa Metro. “It’s going to be a mess.”

Tom Cristi, the owner of the bowling alley and the proposed Chick-fil-A site, said he was aware of how popular the mall location is, and that’s why the plans are trying to take every precaution to mitigate the impacts for neighbors.

“We’re going to have a Chick-fil-A with no walkin seating, it’s a drive-in only, that will handle up to 60 cars at a time,” Cristi said.

He said there will be much more of a potential for queuing on the property, with space for up to 60 vehicles in two lanes — while the location at Valencia Town Center typically looks like it has a very

long line when it has about 30 cars because there’s only one lane for the queue. Cristi added the plans called for him to lease the property to Chick-fil-A.

“This is a well-planned, well-orchestrated deal between us and Chick-fil-A to eliminate those kinds of complaints that are always being heard at the mall,” he said.

There will be seats out front for a walk-up window, which also will accommodate customers who want to pick up their online orders.

Dorfmann said nearby Bowman High School offers a population of students who will want to hang around the parking lot and area surrounding such a popular fast-food chain, which operates from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. Monday to Saturday.

Cristi said that some of these concerns are inherent in any new development, but he said the plans will be nothing like the noise level provided by the former soccer center on the site, which pre-dated the construction of Villa Metro and ultimately moved away from the location after its new Villa Metro neighbors complained to the city.

“We’ve been working on it for quite some time now,” Cristi said, adding the plan would give the now-unused property a chance to create jobs and tax revenue. “It’s a nice deal for us, it’s a nice deal

for Chick-fil-A and it gives that property a more permanent use.”

The city of Santa Clarita’s Planning Commission would need to sign off on any such changes, as the property is located in the city’s Planned Development Overlay Zone.

That designation is for areas that are “highly visible or major intersections or thoroughfares,” according to city Planning Manager Patrick Leclair, in a previous interview after the plans were first announced.

City officials confirmed Tuesday there’s been no date set for the consideration of the project.

The initial notice of preparation to the city looked at “a new 2,771-square-foot drive-through restaurant” that has “a drive-through stack with a 46-car capacity and 17 on-site parking stalls.”

The city’s first Chick-fil-A, which is located at the Valencia mall, opened July 29, 2010.

Chick-fil-A also confirmed in August its interest in an additional location, also in Valencia, at 27430 The Old Road. No further information has been made available on that effort, which is being sought through the Los Angeles County Department of Regional Planning.

Villa Metro residents are concerned about the increased traffic at a proposed location in Canyon Country after noting the long-lines at the mall location. SIGNAL FILE PHOTO

Canyon Country Community Center 18410 Sierra Highway, Santa Clarita 91350 (661) 290-2266

CANYON

REGISTRATION FOR SPRING PROGRAMS OPENS MARCH 5

https://santaclarita.gov/seasons/

CCCC New Website

https://santaclarita.gov/canyon-country-community-center

A dult and Senior Activities

Every Wednesday, Year-round 4 p.m. – 8 p.m.

S.C.O.R.E. Scholarship Program

For youth who do not have the financial means to participate in fee-based recreational programs and activities.

Call (661) 250-3700

Community Center After School Fun

AGES - 5 - 12

Monday - Friday • 2:30 - 6:00 p.m.

Homework assistance, enrichment activities, arts and crafts, games and more!

TEEN PROGRAM

Ages 13 - 17 • Monday - Friday 3 - 6 p.m.

Canyon Country Community Center Hours of Operation

Monday – Friday: 8:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.

Saturday: 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Sundays: CLOSED

Senior Walking Club (55+)

A moderate to fast-paced walking group, which meets each week and walks the around the exterior of the facility.

Bunco (55+)

Come out and play this classic dice game that’s sure to keep the competition rolling!

Mahjong (55+)

An opportunity to socialize, play Mahjong, and meet new friends! Bring your own Mahjong card.

Feb. 27

3:30 p.m. Lego® Block Party

Feb. 29

9:30 a.m. Storytime

Mar. 1

4:30 p.m. Teen Advisory Board

Mar. 4

6 p.m. One Story, One City. Silk Scarf Painting

Mar. 7

6:30 p.m. Club de Mujeres Latinas en Literatura

Mar. 11

6 P.M. Worlds of Whimsy: A Science Fiction & Fantasy Book Club

Mar. 13

6 p.m. One Story, One City. Reverse Negative Watercolors

Mar. 18

1 p.m. Little Explorers

6 p.m. One Story, One City. Sealing Stamp Craft

Senior Makers Club (50+)

Senior Makers Club is a monthly DIY project class that’s sure to inspire creativity and fun!

Low Impact Outdoor Games (18+)

Have some fun in the sun while having friendly competition with these outdoor games!

Line Dancing (18+)

This choreographed line dancing class is a great way to meet new friends and get your groove on!

Mar. 19

9:30 a.m. Storytime

3:30 p.m. Lego® Block Party

Mar. 20

9:30 a.m. Cuenta Cuentos

3:30 Teen Library Eats: Tiktok Hot or Not –Pancake Spaghetti

Mar. 21

9:30 a.m. Storytime

noon Homeschool Resource Support Room

3:30 Teen Crafts and Stuff: Origami Series

4 p.m. Artist Spotlight: Marisa Merz

Mar. 23

10 a.m. Sit and Stitch

Mar. 25

1 p.m. Little Explorers

Mar. 26

3:30 Crafternoon

Mar. 27

9:30 a.m. Cuenta Cuentos

6 p.m. One Story, One City. Secret Book safe