Sunday Signal March 15, 2020

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MARCH 15, 2020

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M A R C H 15, 2020

S U N D AYS I G N A L · 3

TABLE OF CONTENTS

NEWS FEATURES 4 How Santa Clarita keeps its busiest roads moving 5 A few of our favorite things (before entrees) 6 Gold and tragedy: famous March SCV history 7 Family-fun activities that won’t hurt your wallet LOCAL NEWS 8 Mayweather’s ex-girlfriend found dead Everybody counts: 2020 Census gets underway 10 Monumental tragedy: ‘The Water Way’ musical McGrath soft lockdown lifted 11 CDC offers tips on coronavirus outbreak State, county health officials suggest statewide ban 12 COC to suspend most in-person class for spring semester Sheriff ’s Station welcomes new captain TECHNOLOGY 13 Telecommuting tools to help you work remotely FROM THE MAYOR 14 Hike and bike your way through the city SPORTS 15 SCCS, Trinity wrap up solid basketball season FOOD 16 Fresh salads perfect for Spring DINING GUIDE CALENDAR ENTERTAINMENT 21 Nightlife & entertainment 22 Herman’s Hermits return to Canyon Santa Clarita SPRINGTIME 23 March into April family fun KIDS & FAMILY 24 How math can become your child’s favorite subject How to talk to your children about tough money matters 25 Donna’s Day: Discover the colors of the rainbow School menu FINANCE 27 Considerations when choosing a mortgage lender FASHION 28 Fashion week in Southern California THINGS TO DO 29 Discover your roots at the history fair GARDENING 30 Nobody’s perfect — Not even gardening ‘experts’ HOME IMPROVEMENT 31 Dealing with contractors and invasive water HEALTH 32 Important things learned about Alzheimer’s in 2019 SENIOR LIVING 33 Gettin’ up there: Seniors and COVID-19 TIME RANGER OPINION PUZZLES

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4 · S U N D AYS I G N A L

M A R C H 15, 2020

N E W S F E AT U R E S

How Santa Clarita keeps its busiest roads moving “As commuting and traffic in the community remain a top concern for residents, the city’s Traffic Safety Team, comprised of the city’s Traffic and Communications staff and local Sheriff ’s Station personnel, concentrate daily on the three E’s: Education, Engineering and Enforcement to combat traffic and promote safety in the community,” said Traffic Safety Team lead, Rebecca Widdison, in a statement.

“Since implementation of the Traffic Safety Team in 2016, there has been a 28.4% decrease in the collision rate, leading to the lowest collision rate on record. Our local deputies also have been busy with the highest citation numbers in 2019, a 58% increase since 2016. There has also been a 24% decrease in the injury rate since 2016.”

By Tammy Murga Signal Staff Writer

L

ike most L.A. suburbs, Santa Clarita is a community full of commuters.

From driving in and out of the valley for work to picking up the kids from school and dropping them off at little league, hundreds of thousands of vehicles use local roads daily.

Simply put: “We drive a lot,” said Cesar Romo, a city of Santa Clarita traffic signal system administrator.

Altogether, the Santa Clarita Valley is home to nearly 300,000 residents and growing significantly faster than other regions in California, with the city as the third-largest in the county, according to the SCV Economic Development Corp.

A quick dive into Santa Clarita’s five busiest intersections shows an average of about 438,000 vehicles pass through those roads every day, based on 2019 data from the city’s traffic operations center.

That’s more than having every single resident drive through every day, one person per car.

“Over the course of four years, the average volume for these intersections have increased 6%, or 1.5% per year,” said Mark Hunter, a city transportation planning analyst.

Newhall Ranch and Bouquet Canyon Road

The Newhall Ranch Road and Bouquet Canyon Road intersection is the busiest in Santa Clarita.

This area of the city sees about 105,000 cars travel daily.

Two of the five busiest intersections cross Newhall Ranch Road, marking it one of the busiest city roads, and access to freeways has a lot to do with its high volumes. “(These are) all major arterials in the city,” said Hunter. “For example, Newhall Ranch Road connects between Interstate 5 and State Route 14. It’s a road that transverses the whole valley.”

This intersection is home to a couple shopping centers with businesses that receive heavy foot traffic, such as Best Buy, Vons, Trader Joe’s, Starbucks, In-N-Out Burger and a Chevron gas station.

In February, Chick-fil-A withdrew its application to build Santa Clarita’s second fast-food drive-thru location at the intersection where the former Boston Market eatery once operated. The withdrawal came after the city’s temporary halt on new restaurant drive-thrus to help prevent traffic hazards and congestion caused by lone queuing lines.

Soledad Canyon Road and Bouquet Canyon Road

The second busiest intersection is Soledad Canyon Road and Bouquet Canyon Road, with 96,000 vehicle trips per day. As with all streets, the highest volumes are seen during rush hour.

Much like the previous intersection, this area has daily visits to several eateries, including Chi

Efforts to address traffic congestion

Bouquet Junction, a name for the intersection where Soledad Canyon Road meets Bouquet Canyon Road, is one of the three busiest in the city. Santa Clarita spends millions of dollars in tax revenue each year to maintain its roads through things like the slurry seal program for paving and median improvements to help ease traffic. PHOTO BY DAN WATSON / THE SIGNAL

Chi’s Pizza and McDonald’s, gas stations and other businesses.

The city has already implemented some changes to this intersection under its Circulation Improvement Program, which aims to “enhance roadway safety by analyzing collision patterns and implementing projects, improve the traffic signal system with adjustment of timing, secure transportation funding and plan for the future,” according to a city budget report.

In 2016, with a budget of $180,000, the intersection was enhanced with median modifications that extended the westbound left-turn pocket on Soledad Canyon Road.

Tied in third place

The remaining three intersections each average around 79,000 trips per day: Soledad Canyon Road and Whites Canyon Road; Newhall Ranch Road and McBean Parkway; and Soledad Canyon Road and Sierra Highway.

These three areas also connect drivers to several shopping stops, such as the Bridgeport Marketplace and the Canyon Country Shopping Center, and provide easy access to nearby freeways.

Traffic collision concerns

With high volumes of traffic comes a higher risk of traffic accidents at these five intersections but city officials said the creation of a team specific to addressing traffic safety has helped reduce collision rates across Santa Clarita.

The city’s traffic operations center has a central focus: make residents’ commutes run safe and smooth. But with a growing city, the task becomes a little challenging. To address the issue quicker and more effectively, the traffic team has turned to the latest, sophisticated technology, as well as set new project goals.

Besides the use of its state-of-the-art intelligent transportation system, which uses dozens of monitors, camera controls and fiber optic cables to manage traffic circulation, the team is also working on checking off a list of 25 projects under its circulation improvement program, which uses $130,000 to modify medians, striping and asphalt to improve the traffic flow across major streets, including Lyons Avenue, Bouquet Canyon road and Sierra Highway.

Romo said they are also working on deploying 118 new traffic controllers on city streets out of 201 signalized intersections to improve circulation management and the environment.

Another project which aims to reduce traffic congestion and enhance pedestrian safety is the “pedestrian scramble cycle,” which was implemented last year at Seco Canyon Road and Decoro Drive near Santa Clarita Elementary and Arroyo Seco Junior High schools. The traffic signal was modified to include a pedestrian scramble phase sequence that allows simultaneous foot traffic while all vehicular traffic is stopped.

The cycle, which is activated only during school’s morning drop-off and afternoon dismissal times, has received recognition from several agencies, including the League of California Cities and the American Public Works Association.

The city has also implemented the GiveMeGreen! app, which detects bicyclists that are approaching the stop bar, then alerts the traffic signal so that cyclists and pedestrians can cross the intersections quicker.

Google map link with intersections: https://drive. google.com/open?id=1FcdIxnfgAmaD7Q0i06BsYjAeyLy9P4ga&usp=sharing

M A R C H 15, 2020

S U N D AYS I G N A L · 5

N E W S F E AT U R E S

A few of our favorite things (before entrees)

By Vivianna Shields Signal Staff Writer

A

ppetizers set the tone for a meal.

These small portions meant to keep our hunger intact, while also providing customers with a sneak peek of what’s to come.

Providing a tasty appetizer is crucial in creating the best experience.

If customers receive a rather lackluster appetizer, this could leave them questioning whether this quality would be reflected in other parts of their meal. Similarly, great appetizers give customers something to be excited about, while slightly taming the hunger.

We talked to management at a few of the Santa Clarita Valley’s most popular restaurants to see what their fan favorites are when it comes time to sit down at the start of a meal.

The Old Town Junction: kalbi tacos

With a short rib braised for 24 hours, the kalbi tacos have quickly become an appetizer that is ordered frequently over an average meal time at The Old Town Junction.

After the rib is braised, it is topped with candy cashews, pickled chili, cilantro with a kimchi carrot slaw.

“The meat is shredded and we put a teriyaki-like sauce on it,” said Bree Iniguez, manager at Old Town Junction. “Then after we top the meat with all the toppings, and it is put on

corn tortillas.”

This appetizer has become an instant fan favorite and revered for its tasty meat and the soft homemade taco shell it is served in.

“We sell about 50 orders a day,” said Iniguez. “You won’t be disappointed if you ever try it.”

The Old Town Junction is located at 24275 Main Street in Newhall.

Newhall Press Room: Artichoke dip

When dining at Newhall Press Room, they offer not your typical artichoke dip.

In their artichoke dip, they include arugula, which is not present in most traditional dips.

“The creaminess of the dip and the added arugula give the dip its special flavor,” said Dan Zebrowski, co-owner of the Newhall Press Room.

In addition to artichoke and arugula, the dip includes parmesan, petite basque and cream cheese. The dip is paired with flatbread and crostini, which is toasted bread.

Different wine pairings go well with the dip, according to Zebrowski.

“It has never failed to satisfy,” said Zebrowski.

Newhall Press Room is located at 24257 Main Street in Newhall.

Salt Creek Grille: Stuffed Jumbo Shrimp

The gluten-free, stuffed jumbo shrimp at Salt Creek Grille provides customers with the satisfying crunch that they long for.

“Our bacon-wrapped jumbo shrimp is one of our most popular appetizers,” said Jennifer Chadwick, restaurant manager at Salt Creek Gluten-free bacon-wrapped jumbo shrimp is one of the most popular appetizers Salt Creek Grille offers. PHOTOS BY BOBBY BLOCK / THE SIGNAL

While The Old Town Junction’s kalbi tacos might be a top-seller, the restaurant’s charcuterie board is also one of its most popular draws at its Main Street location.

Grille. “We make the bacon on the outside really crispy.”

The shrimp are stuffed with horseradish and bread crumbs. It is served with chipotle honey sauce, which is a unique feature to the appetizer, according to Chadwick.

At Salt Creek Grille, this appetizer has quickly become a fan favorite and seems to disappear quickly from the plate. Customers have explained that the appetizer was so delicious they needed to buy a second batch, according to reviews online.

“We sell a lot,” said Chadwick. “I would say that every third or fourth table order it. It is just absolutely phenomenal.”

Salt Creek Grille is located at 24415 Town Center Drive #115 in Valencia.

Smokehouse on Main: Hoecake

A simple, yet delicious, Southern classic can be found in the heart of Santa Clarita.

The Smokehouse on Main sells and bakes its own version of Hoe Cake, a Southern minimalist cornbread cake topped with bacon bits and chives, that many customers order before they can even decide on their main dish.

“People order it ahead of time because it takes 20 minutes to make,”

said Kevin Bodeau, manager at Smokehouse on Main. “Our hoecake is a signature appetizer for us.”

The cake has a cornbread base that is brushed with homemade honey butter right out of the oven. It is all made from scratch, according to Bodeau.

Once the honey butter is spread, the cake is topped with sea salt, bacon and chives.

“It has the best sweet and salty taste that anybody would love,” said Bodeau.

Smokehouse on Main is located at 24255 Main Street in Newhall.

Newhall Refinery: Refiners Fries

At Newhall Refinery, no appetizer sells better than their own refiners fries.

“The fries are house-made with a mornay sauce and a beer-braised braised brisket,” said Aaron Wood, manager at Newhall Refinery.

After the fries are cooked and the sauce and brisket are laid, it’s topped with green onions to complete the appetizer.

“We sell a ton of them here,” said Wood. “It was created here and it is one of our best sellers.”

Newhall Refinery is located at 24258 Main Street in Newhall.

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M A R C H 15, 2020

N E W S F E AT U R E

Gold and tragedy: famous March SCV history

By Matt Fernandez Signal Staff Writer

S

anta Clarita might seem like a sleep L.A. County suburb, but it’s also chock full of historical and cultural landmarks, and the area’s history plays a significant role in the development of a lot more than many realize.

March is one of the most significant months in the history of the SCV. Here are just three that happened in the first half of the month with impacts that have spanned generations.

Golden roots

Jose Francisco de Gracia Lopez received a 40th birthday gift few could ever top.

Legend has it Lopez’ discovery of gold in Placerita Canyon happened by accident, when he noticed the shiny mineral stuck to the roots of wild onions, on March 9 — his birthday, according to Alan Pollack, president of the Santa Clarita Valley Historical Society.

“There are accounts of gold from the 1500s, but it’s the first documented discovery because a claim was put in with the government in Sacramento to mine it,” Pollack said.

Though this gold was discovered years before it was found at Sutter’s Mill, which kicked off the big gold rush in 1849.

“This was still part of Mexico and the Southwestern territory wasn’t part of the U.S. until 1848, so there wasn’t a lot of publicity on the East Coast and no big rush of people,” Pollack said. While the Oak of the Golden Dream is a staple of Santa Clarita

lore, it was never really recorded until 1930. Historians Arthur B. Perkins and Adolfo G. Rivera organized a commemorative ceremony for the 88th anniversary of Lopez’s discovery and had Francisca Lopez de Belderrain, Lopez’ great-grandniece, sign an affidavit that she had been shown by family the exact spot where Lopez discovered gold and in turn showed them.

Speculation remains to this day as to the exact site.

The Oak of the Golden Dream is located at 19152 Placerita Canyon Road, Newhall.

The dam tragedy

The evening of March 12, 1928 ended in one of the deadliest disasters in California history and the deaths of over 450 people. The St. Francis Dam broke and 12 billion gallons of water rushed towards the Pacific Ocean two minutes before midnight.

The story behind the dam dates back a bit earlier and involves the growing thirst of a burgeoning Los Angeles basin.

A political and even explosive battle ultimately played out, famously fictionalized in the Roman Polansky classic “Chinatown.” But ultimately, civil engineer and bureau Superintendent William Mulholland designed and built several dams, the last of which was St. Francis Dam in San Francisquito Canyon, which was finished in 1926.

“There was no oversight to building dams, so, Mulholland, a god to Los Angeles, had full authority,” said Pollack, also president of the St. Francis Dam Historical Society. “Brilliant as he was, he was only self-educated so he made some mistakes, like building the dam too high without widening its base.”

Five days before the dam broke, water finally filled to three inches below the dam’s spillway, saturating the already unstable ground and

Legend has it that the Oak of the Golden Dream is where Jose Francisco de Gracia Lopez made the first recorded gold strike in California, under this tree in Placerita Canyon. PHOTO COURTESY SCVNEWS.COM | PLACERITA CANYON NATURE CENTER ASSOCIATES

Seven miles up San Francisquito Canyon Road from today’s Copper Hill Drive, construction on the 700-foot-long, 205-foot-high St. Francis Dam started in August 1924. Less than four years later, on March 12, 1928, it collapsed, leaving hundreds of people dead in the wake of a giant wall of water. PHOTO COURTESY SCVHISTORY.COM

leading the dam’s collapse. For five hours and 27 minutes, the water travelled 54 miles, reaching as high as 120 feet, devastating Castaic, Fillmore, Piru, Santa Paula and Oxnard. It is the second biggest disaster in California history in terms of death toll, according to accounts recorded on SCVHistory.com.

Mulholland took responsibility and resigned from the bureau, but retained a status of reverence in Los Angeles. In the wake of the disaster, new laws were created to increase the oversight of dam building, Pollack said.

For more information on the next tour of the St. Francis Dam site, visit here: https://bit.ly/2vjUims

Bucking bronco

While horses are revered for their speed and grace, it’s easy to forget that they can also be dangerous animals due to their size alone, if you’re not careful. On March 13, 1882, Henry Mayo Newhall found that out the hard way when he died from injuries sustained after he was thrown from his horse.

Newhall, an auctioneer born in Saugus, Mass., came to California during the gold rush. He arrived six months later than anticipated, waylaid due to illness in Panama, and found all the good prospecting land

already claimed. Instead, he built his fortune through his own auctioneering and an import/export business, according to SCVHistory.com.

Over the years, Newhall invested his money in the great enterprises of his day: railroads, real estate and ranchos. In 1875, he purchased Rancho San Francisco, which included much of the Santa Clarita Valley.

As a board member of the Southern Pacific Railroad Company, Newhall granted them the right to establish the first railroad from San Francisco to Los Angeles through Santa Clarita, and named the railroad station and the town that were established Saugus and Newhall, respectively.

“What we now call Saugus was actually Newhall, but a couple of years after they started it, they realized there wasn’t enough water so they moved the town of Newhall to its current location,” Pollack said. “After he died, his family formed the Newhall Land and Farming Co., which fell on hard times and decided to subdivide the land to sell for real estate, which is what led to the creation of our city.

Henry Mayo Newhall was the last significant owner of the Santa Clarita Valley.”

To learn more about Santa Clarita history, visit scvhistory.com.

M A R C H 15, 2020

S U N D AYS I G N A L · 7

N E W S F E AT U R E S

Family-fun activities that won’t put a damper on your wallet

By Raychel Stewart Signal Staff Writer

A

s warm months approach and school lets out for the summer, some low- or no-cost activities can be a great money-saving alternative to taking a family vacation away from home.

From camping at Castaic Lake to painting ceramic animals, Santa Clarita is the home to many family-fun activities people of any age can enjoy.

Castaic Lake State Recreation Area

32132 Castaic Lake Dr., Castaic Whether you go for a day or stay for a weekend, Castaic Lake is a local area where families can appreciate the outdoors and partake in many activities.

While visiting, there are three access points to hiking and biking trails that also offer a chance to see the many species of wildlife which live around the lake.

Fishing can be done at multiple areas at the upper and lower portions of the lake. A 24 hour fish cleaning station is also available at the lower level of the lake. Throughout the summer, a special “moonlight fishing” event is held, which allows attendees to fish from sunset until 2 a.m.

“We have local swimming opportunities, fishing, camping, as well,” said Chris Mowry, recreational service supervisor at Castaic Lake. “We’re away from the city and there’s not really a lot of opportunities to get away but stay close.”

Aluminum boats are also offered for rental at the upper level, so fishing can be done in the lake.

Lake fees range from $11 for vehicles and $14 for recreational vehicles. Seniors can get a special discount of $5 on weekdays only. The lake has a designated area for tent and RV camping for $20 per day.

For more information, call the Castaic Lake main office at (661) 257-4050.

As You Wish! Pottery Painting Place

24201 Valencia Blvd #3412, Valencia Everyone in the family can tap into their creative side at As You Wish! At Westfield Valencia Town Center.

For a studio fee of $8 per painter, plus the cost of pottery — which ranges from $4 to $50, every-

Quigley Canyon Open Space. PHOTO COURTESY CITY OF SANTA CLARITA

Left: Celeste Craw paints a ceramic box at As You Wish pottery at Westfield Valencia Town Center. PHOTO BY BOBBY BLOCK / THE SIGNAL Right: Families visit the Newhall Aquarium, which is one of the fun and affordable options for things to do with small children. SIGNAL PHOTO

one can paint their own designs on plates, mugs, picture frames and jars to keep.

“Our mission is to bring people together,” said Mikaela McDow, manager of As You Wish! “We provide people with the opportunity to make something special and have a lasting memory.”

Paint, brushes and glazing are included in the price. After finishing, a worker will glaze the pottery, then place it in a kiln to add a nice finish.

After a few days the pottery will be ready to be picked up.

“The process doesn’t end when you’re done with painting,” McDow said. “You come back to pick it up after it’s been in the kiln, and watching people see the finished project is one of the best things.”

Studio fees are free for children under 2 years of age.

For more information, contact the studio at (661) 255-1177.

Mountasia Fun Center

21516 Golden Triangle Rd, Santa Clarita From a round of miniature golf, racing go karts, rising bumper boats or climbing rock walls, Mountasia Fun Center has a variety of activities to keep the family busy all day long.

Attendees can choose from one attraction or pay extra to do all four, play in the indoor arcade, a game of laser tag or take on the batting cages.

Prices vary from $9 for one attraction, or $29 for all four, a game of laser tag is $10 and the batting cages range from $8 to $22 based on amount of time.

The Boardwalk Grille is available for lunch, din-

ner and ice cream desserts.

For more information, call (661) 253-4386.

Newhall Aquarium

24631 Arch St, Newhall The nonprofit Newhall Aquarium offers families hands-on learning experiences with touch tanks and lessons on marine life.

Attendees can watch seahorses, sharks, eels and octopi be fed and also learn about coral reef fish and invertebrates, or fish that lack a backbone.

A list of what donations provide the aquarium is listed on their website, but the suggested donation is $5 per person.

The aquarium is open for walk-ins Saturday and Sunday from 3 to 5 p.m. Parties of 12 or more can call to request an appointment during the week.

For more information, contact the aquarium at )661) 220-5512.

Quigley Canyon Open Space

Fino Mountainway, Santa Clarita Behind the Newhall neighborhood sits 160 acres of hiking trails known as Quigley Canyon.

Families can spend the day outdoors hiking, or bicycle enthusiasts can ride the 4.1 miles of trails available while stopping at picnic areas to enjoy a meal.

Quigley Canyon is one of 13 hiking trails in the Santa Clarita Valley.

For more information and directions to Quigley Canyon, or other hiking locations, visit the Santa Clarita Hiking website at http://hikesantaclarita. com.

8 · S U N D AYS I G N A L

M A R C H 15, 2020

LOCALNEWS

Mayweather’s ex-girlfriend found dead

By Caleb Lunetta, Emily Alvarenga and Tammy Murga Signal Staff Writers

J

osie Harris, boxer Floyd Mayweather’s ex-girlfriend, was pronounced dead Tuesday night outside her home in Valencia, according to the Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner.

Homicide detectives responded to 40-year-old Harris’ home on the 25700 block of Oak Meadow Drive, after it was first reported to them shortly before 10 p.m.

Los Angeles County Fire Department officials responded to reports of a person unconscious just after 9:30 p.m., according to spokesman

Austin Bennett.

Once firefighters arrived on the scene, the call was changed to cardiac arrest and no patient was transported, Bennett added.

Harris, who has three children with Mayweather, was found in the driveway of her home and was pronounced dead at the scene at 10:10 p.m., according to coroner spokeswoman Sarah Ardalani.

Law enforcement vehicles, along with a multitude of news vehicles, were parked near the home until around noon Wednesday.

A TMZ report cited sheriff ’s officials as saying there appears to have been no foul play and it is being treated as a death investigation.

However, those details have not been

officially confirmed. The Sheriff ’s Department has placed a security hold on the case, Ardalani added.

“The woman was pronounced dead at the scene,” read a Los Angeles County Sheriff ’s Department Nixle released Wednesday morning.

“At 9:42 p.m. (Tuesday), deputies from the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff Station responded to the 25700 block of Oak Meadows Drive in the unincorporated area of Valencia regarding a medical rescue call.

Upon arriving, deputies discovered a woman … unresponsive.”

The Nixle continued: “Los Angeles County Fire Department personnel responded and pronounced the woman dead at the scene. It was learned the woman was discovered

inside a vehicle parked in a driveway of a residence where it is believed she lived.”

The cause of Harris’ death was not yet known and no additional information was available, the Nixle said.

Harris and Mayweather had a history of domestic violence and restraining orders, and the two were set to meet in court again in December of this year for a lawsuit Harris filed against Mayweather in 2015, suing him for $20 million for defaming her.

Anyone with information about this incident can contact the Los Angeles County Sheriff ’s Department Homicide Bureau at (323) 890-5500.

Everybody counts: 2020 Census gets underway

By Emily Alvarenga Signal Staff Writer

I

n the coming weeks, census takers across the country will take to the streets to count every single person who lives in the United States, as the 2020 census gets under way.

Since 1790, the U.S. Constitution has mandated a decennial census of the population, and this year will make the 24th time it has been done, according to Patricia Ramos, a media specialist at the U.S. Census Bureau.

Though it may seem a bit mundane, the data gathered by the census affects everyone.

“The count is what determines our representation in Washington, (as well as) something a lot of people can relate to: funding of federal services and programs,” Ramos said. “This includes school lunches, Medicaid, Medicare, Pell Grants, highways, transportation, emergency services, you name it. It really touches every demographic, every sector of the population, every day.”

Many Californians take advantage of a number of these services, which makes it that much more important, added Tracey Branch, recruitment manager at the Santa Clarita U.S. Census office.

That being said, this is the first year people will be able to respond online,

Each household in the U.S. is invited to respond to the 2020 Census, the outcome of which determines representation in Washington and federal funding. COURTESY PHOTO

which will make it that much more convenient, Ramos added.

“It’s one census questionnaire per household and everybody that lives under that household needs to be included,” she said, adding that it takes no more than 10 minutes to respond.

Respond by mail, phone, online

Forms are expected to be mailed out in the coming weeks, and people can then start responding either

online, by mail or by phone.

By Census Day on April 1, every home will have received an invitation to participate in the 2020 Census.

Responding to the questionnaire by the end of April can allow people to avoid a knock on their door.

“The most important thing to note is that the responses that we get are personal information, but what we put out on behalf of the U.S. Census Bureau is statistics — we just put out numbers, no personally identifiable information,” Ramos added.

Though it may seem like a daunting task to count everyone in the country, Branch said she considers it fun.

“I have to say that the Santa Clarita territory (has been) amazing to work with,” Branch added. “Not only have we achieved our goal, but exceed it in the number of individuals needed.”

Still, the Santa Clarita office is hiring enumerators, or census takers, who will go out into the community and follow up on those who have not responded to the census, as well as man mobile popups in areas that are identified to have low response rates in order to provide questionnaire assistance, according to Branch.

“After census day, we will send out popup teams, so that the community knows we’re there to help fill out the form, and we’ll keep going until everyone is counted,” Branch said.

Workers needed

Census positions provide the perfect opportunity to earn some extra income while helping your own community, Branch added.

These positions pay approximately $25 per hour, are flexible and include working opportunities on weekends and in the evenings.

“People who have a second language capability are also highly coveted,” Ramos added, as they want people to be comfortable responding in their native languages.

Those interested are instructed to apply online, and a clerk will then contact you to explain everything in detail, Branch said.

“If you’re interested, apply online and ask all questions of recruiters when they reach out,” Branch added.

“There’s still plenty of time for people to join, as we have lot of ground to cover.”

The census count is expected to last through the end of the year.

“We all have to work together to get the most accurate count as possible,” Ramos said. “A lot is at stake (and) these numbers matter in every which way.”

For more information, visit 2020census.gov, which is available in 59 different languages in addition to English.

M A R C H 15, 2020

S U N D AYS I G N A L · 9

Sushi 661: Sharing a chef’s passion

By Matt Fernandez Signal Staff Writer

Y

ou can always tell a sushi chef by their hands, according to David Song Cho. “A sushi chef ’s hands will always be red because we’re always touching water, cleaning our station, then cleaning your hands and drying them,” Cho said. “I try not to act like I’m a chef, but the veteran sushi chefs can always tell by looking at me.”

Cho, owner of Sushi 661, was, at one time, like many young adults, unsure of his calling in life, and joined the family business of distributing Nike shoes for two years, before he found his passion: training to become a sushi chef.

“I’m not good at making things and I’m not a handy guy, so I was very nervous about becoming a sushi chef,” he said. “I already really loved just eating sushi, but the more I learned, the more I got into it.”

Cho believes that the popularity of sushi comes, in part at least, from the perception that it’s upscale cuisine and feels luxurious to those who eat it. He also noticed that most sushi restaurants tended to skew more expensive. While most all-you-can-eat sushi places have hour and a half to two-hour time limits, Cho doesn’t impose a time limit on his guests, instead preferring that they take their time and experience a variety of fish at their leisure.

“A lot of people only order one thing even though I want them to try out different kinds of fish, and if I adopted a business model where I rushed people in and out, then it would only make that worse,” Cho said.

Cho’s busy restaurant, which opened in August 2015, shows that customers clearly agree and enjoy trying the many options — with customers routinely coming up from San Fernando, Northridge and even as far away as Chino Hills, for Sushi 661.

Quality control is a big factor in what Cho thinks makes a good piece of sushi, since he doesn’t want to serve his customers a single piece that he himself would not eat. Cho said that he’s the biggest purchaser of fish in Santa Clarita, buying about $50,000 in fish alone each month. He also places a great importance on the knowledge and craft of making sushi, doing research and taking trips to learn the proper techniques and find the best ingredients for a more delicious and authentic experience.

“Part of making good sushi is how much pride you have as a chef, because you can just cut any fish up, but that’ll be low quality,” he said. “I’ve worked in a

Restaurant staff in the sushi prep area.

Sushi 661 owner and head chef David Song Cho with his wife Chanya Cho. PHOTOS BY BOBBY BLOCK / THE SIGNAL lot of high-end sushi bars, and the fish that I use and the fish they use are the same quality. The effort you put into your preparation comes out in the flavor of your sushi. I get a lot of respect from the other chefs, but I’ve heard from one of them that a lot of sushi bars down here have meetings to figure out how they’re going to beat Sushi 661.”

One of Cho’s secrets to good sushi is his knife set, including a carbon steel knife that he has owned since he started making sushi 20 years ago, which runs about $1,200.

“A knife used to cut sashimi and sushi is called a yanagi. The one I have is a single blade, hand-forged, hammered knife, and this knife, unlike a double-bladed stainless steel knife, it can cut through a fish while it’s still alive,” he said. “Also unlike stainless steel, the carbon steel knife will rust, so you constantly have to clean it — but if you’re not willing to clean your knives, then you don’t care about the fish.”

As a self-described people person (during our interview, Cho stopped several times to engage with his customers), Cho’s biggest criteria for hiring his staff is whether the person understands quality service.

“I don’t care how much experience you have as a sushi chef, because all that can be learned later, and how I run the restaurant is different than other restaurants — what I care about is you are a people person,” Cho said. “I also make my chefs eat the sushi every day because if you don’t eat the sushi how can you make a good recommendation and represent my menu other than ‘everything takes good’?”

His latest travels have taken him to Hawaii to train and source his ingredients for an upcoming authentic poke and garlic shrimp restaurant.

“Authentic poke only uses tuna, and there’s a specific kind of seaweed that only grows in Hawaii that they use, which draws the moisture out of the tuna to make it more firm,” Cho said. “Unlike other sushi restaurants, my restaurant will use black rice.”

Whenever his guests leave, Cho likes to bid them goodby by saying, “Have a magical day.”

“They tell you to have a magical day at Disneyland, -Paid Advertisement-

David Song Cho slices fish for a sushi dish he is preparing using a high quality knife he purchased early in his career. Below are more of his highquality knives he uses.

but there it doesn’t really stand out,” he said. “But once when I was having a stressful day, two of my guests said it to me and it just really touched me. I like everyone no matter who they are and everyone deserves to have a magical day.”

Sushi 661 is located at 26850 Sierra Hwy, Ste. A10 Santa Clarita, CA 91321 (661)252-9831 Sushi661.com

10 · S U N D AYS I G N A L

M A R C H 15, 2020

LOCALNEWS

Monumental tragedy

‘The Water Way’ musical follows impact of 1928 collapse on the SCV

By Emily Alvarenga Signal Staff Writer

A

s local residents commemorate the 92nd anniversary of the St. Francis Dam disaster, two Santa Clarita residents are finding their own way to remember the historical moment with their musical, “The Water Way.” The musical, written by Braddon Mendelson and composed by Jerry Danielsen, follows the story of the transformation of Los Angeles with the deliverance of water, illustrating the collapse of the dam and its impact on the Santa Clarita Valley and surrounding areas.

Fascinated

When Mendelson moved to the SCV in 1999 and learned about the disaster, he said he was immediately fascinated and wanted to create a documentary.

“It never materialized, but I got all this stuff together,” he said, adding that he had already gathered quite a bit of research. “It just hit me …

I said, ‘You know what? I’m more interested in seeing this than putting together a documentary.’”

So, years later, when Mendelson wanted to get into musical theater, he thought there would be no better way to make the story of the dam come to life.

Similarly, Danielsen remembers learning about the dam when he

Jerry Danielsen, left, and Braddon Mendelson, producers of “The Water Way,” sing their original song “The Zanja Madre” as they work on their musical in their Canyon Country studio on Wednesday. PHOTO BY DAN WATSON / THE SIGNAL

moved to the SCV in junior high.

“People were talking about it like it was folklore of this area, (saying), ‘Way back in the day this dam burst,’” he said. “We drove up there when we got driver’s licenses and checked it out.”

Now, the pair are working together to produce the musical, which Mendelson said will be more than just the story of the disaster. “I really think this is a really good story for a musical, but I don’t just want to make

McGrath soft lockdown lifted; filming believed to be cause

By Emily Alvarenga and Vivianna Shields Signal Staff Writers

D

r. J. Michael McGrath Elementary School went on a brief soft lockdown Wednesday morning after reports of loud noise in the area.

The lockdown was lifted minutes later as officials confirmed the source of the noise that prompted

the lockdown was believed to be filming in the area, according to Superintendent Jeff Pelzel, who was coordinating with McGrath’s principal.

Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff ’s Station deputies still quickly responded to the school after “popping sounds” were heard in the area, according to Shirley Miller, spokeswoman for the SCV Sheriff ’s Station.

it about the dam. I want to make it about the rise of Los Angeles because of the delivery of water from the north.”

Fighting drought

The story begins in 1877 and follows William Mulholland as he arrives in L.A. when it was a city of only 9,000 residents.

Working as a ditch tender hired by Frederick Eaton, Mulholland begins clearing debris from the Zanja Madre, the original aqueduct that brought water to L.A. from the L.A. River and the title of one of 20 or so songs in the musical.

“We follow that trajectory, but along the way, there’s a drought,” Mendelson said. “The water would come and go. It was dirty and the population was growing.”

The story progresses as Mulholland’s career does, eventually leading to Eaton and Mulholland’s plan to fight the drought by building a 233mile aqueduct to bring water from the Owens Valley, along with the violence that follows as residents up north get angrier when their water source dries up.

“One of the reasons we had the St. Francis Dam is Mulholland knew that if we had a supply of water to last us at least a year, it would fend off drought and any further damage from these evil guys,” Mendelson added.

When the dam bursts on March 12, 1928, hundreds are killed. “It was the worst, manmade, civil engineering disaster in America in the 20th century.”

The remainder of the musical follows what happens to those who were killed along with those who survived, including Saugus residents and movie cowboys Harry Carey and William S. Hart, as well as the various theories surrounding why the dam burst.

“There were so many theories about what happened, even to this day,” Mendelson said. “It’s really interesting because it’s a way of giving exposition about what these theories are.”

Family-friendly adaptation

While not all events portrayed in the musical are 100% historically accurate, with the help of a board of advisers and thorough research, much remains true, according to Mendelson, who hopes this family-friendly adaptation of history can even be used for educational purposes.

“It’s a living, breathing thing, and they can take part in it,” he said, referring to students. “I think that everybody in this country is interested in this story, (especially) Californians.”

The musical is now in pre-production, as both the script and lyrics are done, while Danielsen continues to work on the music.

“I’m in music writing mode,” he said. “We’re going to use instruments that were used in those times to try to give it the spirit of the time period, so mandolins and guitars and some percussion. But then, as it goes through time … then there can be like, even jazzy elements maybe, and some drums.”

The pair hopes to premiere the musical locally either late this year or early next year.

For more information, visit thewaterwaymusical.com.

M A R C H 15, 2020

S U N D AYS I G N A L · 1 1

LOCALNEWS

CDC offers tips on coronavirus outbreak, how to be ‘household-ready’

By Vivianna Shields Signal Staff Writer

T

he Centers for Disease Control and Prevention provided guidelines on how to be “household-ready” in the case there is a COVID-19 outbreak in a community.

As of Tuesday, there have been no confirmed cases of the virus in the Santa Clarita Valley; however, there are 20 confirmed cases of the virus in Los Angeles County, according to Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer.

Of the 20 cases, one case has an unidentified source of exposure, which is the county’s first case of

The coronavirus. PHOTO COURTESY CDC

community transmission.

As confirmed cases of the virus rise, the CDC has recommended

communities make a household plan of action to prepare for the possibility of an outbreak.

Meet individuals’ needs in plan Members included in the household plan will all have different needs.

Communicating these is essential in creating an effective plan for everyone in the household.

For example, individuals with an underlying chronic medical condition may be at risk for more serious complications from the virus. Public health officials suggest higher-risk patients consult with their health care provider for more information on how to monitor their symptoms.

The CDC suggests families des-

ignate a room that could be used to separate sick members of the family from healthy members.

Plan for closures, telework If an outbreak does occur, the community could expect school closures and changes in the workplace.

These dismissals would be recommended to help slow the spread of illness, according to a county public health news release.

With this in mind, individuals should begin preparing for alternative child care if school is dismissed. Also, employees should begin discussing sick-leave policies and work-fromhome options with their employers.

State, county health officials suggest statewide ban

By Vivianna Shields Signal Staff Writer

S

tate and county public health experts have suggested that gatherings of 250 people or more be canceled or postponed for the coming weeks.

This suggestion is in effect until at least the end of March, but will likely be extended, Gov. Gavin Newsom said in a press conference on Thursday.

As of Thursday afternoon, there have been 32 confirmed cases of the virus in Los Angeles County, according to L.A. County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer.

“Changing our actions for a short period of time will save the life of one or more people you know,” Newsom said in a prepared statement.

“Not holding that concert or community event can have cascading effects, saving dozens of lives and preserving critical health care resources that your family may need a month from now. The people in our lives who are most at risk, seniors and those with underlying health conditions, are depending on all of us to make the right choice.”

This protocol does not apply to schools or workplaces, according to Ferrer.

The state’s updated policy defines a “gathering” as any event that brings individuals together into a single space. These spaces include: auditoriums, stadiums, arenas, large conference rooms, meeting halls, cafeterias

CREDIT COURTESY | CREATIVE COMMONS

or any other indoor or outdoor space.

“When you don’t have vaccinations, we have social distancing,” Ferrer said in a press conference Thursday. “That is the ability that we all have if we do this well to not congregate and be in spaces where we are able to expose large numbers of people to a novel virus.”

“If the event has less than 250 people, you need to be able to show that you in fact can implement significant social distancing, so much so that people are a general 6 feet apart from each other in enclosed spaces for long periods of time,” said Ferrer.

If the gathering is essential, and cannot be postponed, state officials suggest that it be done over video

chat or live stream so the gathering can still serve its purpose.

“I want to reiterate that these actions are not intended to create

panic or fear. Rather, this is about mitigation and containment,” county Supervisor Kathryn Barger said in a press conference Thursday. “These protective and cautious measures are being put into place to help us mitigate further the (spread of) the virus and contain the transmissions as much as possible.”

At this time, the National Basketball Association and National Hockey League have suspended their seasons and the National Collegiate Athletic Association has canceled its conference championship tournaments. The Big West Conference has also suspended all spring sports competitions, according to a Big West news release.

“That’s the choice before us,” Newsom added. “Each of us has extraordinary power to slow the spread of this disease.”

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12 · S U N D AYS I G N A L

M A R C H 15, 2020

LOCALNEWS

COC to suspend most in-person classes for spring semester

By Raychel Stewart Signal Staff Writer

C

ollege of the Canyons announced Thursday most classes will be moved to online formats for the duration of the spring semester amid coronavirus (COVID-19) precautions.

In a statement released on the college’s website, classes are to remain as usual until Monday, and instructors will contact their students with information on how to move forward.

“This effort is being made out of an abundance of caution in light of concerns about the potential spread of coronavirus. Protecting the health of students and employees remains the college’s top priority,” the statement said.

There have been no known cases of COVID-19 on the school’s campus as of Thursday, per the online statement.

Spring break at COC will be observed the week of April 6 to 12.

California Institute of the Arts and California State University, Northridge, announced Wednesday all in-person classes are being suspended, amid concerns about the coronavirus, or COVID-19.

Officials at both campuses released statements stating there were no known cases of COVID-19 on either campus, but as a precaution, all in-person classes, activities and performances at CalArts were to be suspended, while activities and operations at CSUN will continue.

CalArts will be canceling classes immediately until March 22, according to a statement released by Media Relations Manager Margaret Crane.

“CalArts will immediately begin the move to remote forms of instruction – including telephonic, online and web-based instruction — to begin Monday, March 23, 2020. Remote instruction will continue through April

PHOTO COURTESY COLLEGE OF THE CANYONS

13, unless the situation changes and it is necessary to amend this date,” the statement reads.

Spring recess at CalArts will be observed as usual the week of March 28 to April 5.

In-person classes at CSUN will be suspended from Thursday to March

15, and will be moved to “virtual and alternative modalities of learning following spring break, beginning on Monday, March 23, and continuing through April 19,” according to a statement released by CSUN President Dianne Harrison.

Sheriff’s Station welcomes the new captain

By Tammy Murga Signal Staff Writer

A

fter about two months since Cmdr. Robert Lewis’ final days as head of the station, the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff ’s Station welcomed one of its own, Justin Diez, as its newest captain.

Diez, a local resident who served at the SCV station for two years as an operations lieutenant before transferring to the Malibu/Lost Hills Sheriff ’s Station, was recently promoted and will be returning to the local station under his new title.

“I look forward to returning to the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff ’s Station and the opportunity to once again protect the community I call home,” Diez said in a city of Santa Clarita news release Monday. “I am certain that the knowledge, skills and abilities I have gained throughout my law enforcement career will allow me to continue to drive down crime in our city while ensuring our roads are safe for all who travel on them.”

The new captain started his career with the Los Angeles County Sher-

Diez iff ’s Department in 2002 as a deputy at the North County Correctional facility. In the past, Diez has worked in Transit Services, the Community Partnership Bureau, Operations Safe Streets Bureau, the Lancaster and

Malibu/Lost Hills stations and the Internal Affairs Bureau.

He lives in the SCV with his wife and children.

While the Los Angeles County Sheriff ’s Department has the final say on who is appointed captain, county Supervisor Kathryn Barger, whose district includes the SCV, and the city of Santa Clarita have provided recommendations in the past via interview panels that include the city manager and mayor.

On Sunday, Barger said, “The Santa Clarita Valley continues to be a very safe community because of the proactive policing policies and the hard work of deputies. We know that Capt.

Diez will bring the leadership and the support for our hardworking deputies to continue this successful trend.”

City Manager Ken Striplin, who has participated in about seven transitions since working with the city, said during a Feb. 11 City Council meeting that, as the manager, he has the ability to “pass on a recommendation to the (Los Angeles County Sheriff ’s Department) as to who we would like to be that captain.”

“Capt. Diez is going to come in and

continue to use the same policing procedures to keep Santa Clarita one of the safest cities in the area,” Striplin said Sunday. “I am excited to work with him to continue to keep Santa Clarita safe.”

Mayor Cameron Smyth, who was part of the interview panel, said Sunday, “We had a number of qualified candidates that we interviewed but I think that Justin’s connection to the Santa Clarita Valley station and being a local resident certainly helped set him above some of the other candidates. I think he’s going to be a great fit for the position; he understands the expectations that the residents of Santa Clarita have for our sheriff ’s captain.”

Diez starts under his new title following Lewis’ nearly three-year term as captain for the local station. Lewis was recently promoted to commander, much like his predecessor Roosevelt Johnson, and concluded his time as captain at the SCV station in late December.

The SCV Sheriff ’s Station has an estimated 170 deputies operating for a community of about 300,000 residents.

M A R C H 15, 2020

S U N D AYS I G N A L · 1 3

TECHNOLOGY

Telecommuting tools to help you work remotely

By Kim Komando Signal Contributing Writer

W

ith the growing number of people who work as independent contractors or otherwise on a freelance basis, and many seeking “telecommute” option to bring into their office into their own home, remote tools have become very popular.

With so many businesses planning for the unexpected, tech companies are keeping a close watch for opportunities to help. From a constellation of industry leaders, Google and Microsoft are some of the first to offer free work-from-home tools to keep businesses up and running.

Google, Microsoft offer free remote work tools

Working remotely is done best when the team is working cohesively in the cloud. Google’s G Suite is a business subscription version of Goo-

gle Drive that includes popular productivity software like Google Docs, Sheets and Slides.

User accounts are secure and administrators can set up features like 2FA to protect essential documents and data. Google recently called off its annual I/O conference due to virus concerns and began offering G Suite and G Suite for Education customers free access to their Hangouts Meet video-conferencing service.

Businesses and schools around the world can host larger remote meetings and live stream with up to 100,000 viewers within a domain.

Those features are typically only available in the Enterprise Edition but will be free until July 1.

Google’s big competitor in this space is Microsoft’s Office 365 that includes popular Office programs such as Word and Excel. Microsoft’s service also offers remote access, teleconferencing and live document collaboration.

Microsoft Teams, the new name for business Skype subscriptions, gives you access to larger group calls as well as live document collaboration.

The company is offering an upgrade to businesses and other partners with employees working remotely.

The free Teams app has limits on file storage and the ability to record meetings, but beginning on March 10, Microsoft will lift those restrictions through a free six-month trial of the premium version of the app.

Go here: komando.com/technology/google-microsoft-free-tools/ 709637 to find out more about the free work from home tools offered

by Google and Microsoft. You’ll also find instructions for requesting the services and setting them up.

More tools for collaboration

If Google and Microsoft’s business tools seem like overload, Zoom is one of the most popular virtual meeting apps on the web and includes video meetings, chat and screen-sharing

features. It also has the added bonus of split-screen video conferencing so you can see everyone at once, much like an in-person meeting.

Zoom’s basic package is free and can host up to 100 users.

A terrific side benefit to using Zoom is its feature that uses soft-focus to make your face Instagram-worthy. Called “Touch up my appearance.” You’re welcome.

Slack is an all-purpose chatting app that helps employees stay in touch with one another, but unlike email, you’re limited to the employee network only. This keeps conversations private, encrypted and secure.

Slack offers a free no-frills version good for light usage among small teams. For more storage and features, you can upgrade to the standard version for $6.67 per user per month.

For information on Kim Komando on today’s digital lifestyle, from smartphones and tablets to online privacy and data hacks, visit her at Komando.com.

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14 · S U N D AYS I G N A L

M A R C H 15, 2020

F R O M T H E M AY O R

Hike and bike your way through the City this spring!

By Mayor Cameron Smyth

W

hat is your favorite way to enjoy beautiful weather in the City? Maybe it’s a nice stroll along the paseos or enjoying the variety of shopping and dining opportunities we have in town. For me, I love to take in picturesque views of the City during hikes and bike rides on our safe and convenient trails and bike paths.

Did you know the League of American Bicyclists recently recognized the City of Santa Clarita with a silverlevel Bicycle-Friendly Community award? This is a huge accomplishment for our community, which is known for its miles of off-street trails and natural beauty. The league evaluated more than 850 applicants on their efforts to provide cycling-friendly conditions through investments in in-

frastructure, programming and bike events.

Applications were evaluated in five categories, including engineering, education, encouragement, enforcement and evaluation, and planning.

The award recognizes the City for its commitment to creating transportation and recreational resources that benefit residents of all ages and abilities while encouraging healthier and more sustainable transportation choices.

I am proud to say that out of hundreds of applicants, Santa Clarita is one of six cities in the nation that has moved up to a Silver-Level designation.

Rolling back into town this spring is Bike to Work Day! This year, Bike to Work Day will be held on Thursday, May 14. Local businesses are encouraged to register and visit a pit-stop on the way in to work. Prizes and giveaways will be available as organizations compete to see who can

garner the most participation among their staff!

Our bike paths are part of what makes Santa Clarita so special. Not only is bicycling a fun recreational activity, but it also improves the health of the environment! To learn more about Bike to Work Day, visit greensantaclarita.com.

In addition to excellent bike paths, Santa Clarita has a variety of wellmaintained trails and open spaces.

From Haskell Canyon Open Space to East Walker Ranch, you can breathe in the fresh air and admire scenic views all around the City.

A perfect opportunity for you to enjoy our trails and support a good cause, is the first-ever Santa Clarita Sister Cities Charity Hike on Sunday, March 15. Proceeds from the event will go toward educational efforts in Santa Clarita’s sister cities in Nicaragua and the Philippines. For more information, please visit santa-clarita. com/SisterCities.

The next time you’re out exploring our trails, make sure to snap a picture of your favorite view and submit it as part of the City’s photo contest!

This spring, the photo contest will celebrate our natural environment as the theme is “Trails and Open Spaces.” You’ll have the chance to show off your photography skills and compete to win a cash prize of $300, $150 or $50!

Visit santa-clarita.com/Photo Contest for more information.

Are you ready to enjoy the outdoors this spring? To plan your next bike ride or hiking adventure, visit BikeSantaClarita.com or HikeSanta Clarita.com. See you on the trails!

Mayor Cameron Smyth is a member of the Santa Clarita City Council and can be reached at csmyth@santa-clarita.com.

The views expressed in his column are those of the city and do not necessarily reflect those of The Signal.

M A R C H 15, 2020

S U N D AYS I G N A L · 1 5

SPORTS

SCCS and Trinity wrap up solid basketball seasons

By Diego Marquez Signal Staff Writer

T

wo Santa Clarita Valley private schools went the distance in the CIF-Southern Section basketball playoffs this season. Both Santa Clarita Christian School and Trinity Classical Academy each reached the CIF-SS championship game in their respective divisions, making for one of the most successful basketball postseasons in recent SCV history.

Santa Clarita Christian School

The Cardinals were victorious in the CIF-SS Division 2AA game, beating St. Francis, 61-39, at Azusa Pacific University on Feb. 29.

Reaching a CIF-SS title game is no easy task, and it’s something that SCCS coach James Mosley knows who to credit for both schools’ accomplishments.

“I think it’s a testament to the administration,” he said. “You have two private schools that really love athletics and the administration invests a lot and it takes a lot for a private school to put the right product on the court in terms of athletics.”

SCCS saw high-scoring performances from Josh O’Garro, who had 17 points against St. Francis, and Kaleb Lowery, who scored 13 points in the same game.

“Honestly, it’s not all me,” Lowery said after the CIF-SS championship.

“It’s on all my teammates. The way they shared the ball and being unselfish allowed me to score. Every game, different players show up. Obviously, today it was me through the help of these guys.”

Trinity Classical Academy’s John Cervantes-King (12) shoots against Sierra Vista defender William Pacis.

PHOTO BY DAN WATSON / THE SIGNAL SCCS’ Ty Harper scores two the easy way against Chaminade in the Cardinals’ CIF-SS playoff win against the Eagles.

PHOTO COURTESY DARCY BROWN

The Cardinals entered the playoffs as the top overall seed in Division 2AA after winning their final six games of the season to earn a 19-5 record. SCCS took down Maranatha by 16 points, La Habra by 21 and Fairmont Prep by 16 to start playoffs.

After that, SCCS faced a tough Chaminade team in the semifinals but won by eight points and moved on to the title game against St. Francis.

Trinity Classical Academy

The Knights reached the Division 5A championship, but fell, 48-43, to Banning at Godinez High School on Feb. 29.

Throughout the season, Trinity was led by players like Kyle Fields, who

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scored 21 points in the championship loss to Banning. In that game, he used his 3-point shooting abilities to score 12 of his team’s 18 points in the second half.

Before the title game, the Knights

advanced into the postseason 20-7 overall and in second place in the Heritage League with a 9-3 record.

Trinity cruised into the postseason and picked up double-digit wins in the first three rounds. In Division 5A, Trinity defeated Garden Street Academy by 58, Lake Arrowhead Christian by 39 and Rancho Alamitos by 19.

In the semifinals, the Knights were put to the test by Sierra Vista, but escaped with a 6-point victory before advancing to the title game.

Although the Cardinals and the Knights compete in different divisions, the desire to fulfill postseason goals was the same for both, as was their sense of team, win or lose.

“This team has stayed together and played together,” said Trinity coach Aaron Southwick after his team’s loss to Banning. “I don’t doubt that we’re going to stay together. We’ve done it all year. Whether we’ve won or lost, we stayed together as a team.”

16 · S U N D AYS I G N A L

M A R C H 15, 2020

FOOD

Fresh salads

Perfect for spring

T

he spring season brings to mind flowers blooming and plants springing back to life, making it the ideal time to enjoy fresh produce in meals throughout the day. Salads are of course one of the easiest ways to combine the flavors of your favorite fruits and veggies, but you can take your greens to the next level with refreshing recipe ideas.

Creating a cool, satisfying salad can be easy when you start with quality ingredients like Fresh Express salad blends, NatureSweet Cherubs Tomatoes and Litehouse dressings for versatile bases in a nearly endless array of options. For example, salads aren’t limited to lunch or appetizers - this Breakfast Salad Bowl makes for an energizing start to the day by combining classic salad ingredients with quinoa, bacon and avocado.

Perfect for those busy weeknights, heartier salad recipes can also provide quick, simple dinner options. As a more traditional mix to enjoy at the family table, this Salmon and Grains Salad Bowl brings together salmon, tomatoes and chickpeas on a bed of lettuce topped with ranch dressing.

Find more ways to create hearty salads this spring at litehousefoods.com/iheartsalad.

Breakfast Salad Bowl Servings: 2 10 ounces NatureSweet Cherubs Tomatoes 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided 2 ounces Fresh Express Baby Spinach 1 egg 2 bacon strips, halved 1 cup quinoa, cooked 1/2 avocado, sliced 2 tablespoons Litehouse Jalapeno Ranch Dressing

Salmon and Grains Salad Bowl Servings: 2 4 ounces salmon 2 tablespoons paprika, divided salt, to taste pepper, to taste 15 ounces chickpeas 2 tablespoons olive oil 2 ounces Fresh Express Sweet Butter Lettuce 1 cup red quinoa, cooked 6 ounces NatureSweet Cherubs Tomatoes 2 tablespoons Litehouse Homestyle Ranch Dressing

Heat oven to 400 F. Toss tomatoes in 1 tablespoon olive oil. Bake tomatoes on lined baking sheet 40 minutes.

In skillet, add remaining olive oil and cook baby spinach until wilted, stirring as necessary.

Cook egg as desired. Remove egg from skillet and set aside. Add bacon to skillet and cook until crispy, turning halfway through.

In bowl, layer quinoa, bacon, avocado, egg, spinach and tomatoes. Drizzle with jalapeno ranch dressing.

Heat oven to 350 F. Sprinkle salmon with 1 teaspoon paprika; season with salt and pepper, to taste. Bake on lined baking sheet 15 minutes, or until it reaches desired doneness.

In bowl, toss chickpeas in olive oil and remaining paprika; add salt and pepper, to taste. Add chickpeas to lined baking sheet. Bake at 400 F 30-40 minutes.

Add lettuce to plate or bowl. Top with quinoa, chickpeas, salmon and tomatoes. Drizzle with ranch dressing.

M A R C H 15, 2020

S U N D AYS I G N A L · 17

BBQ Dickeys Barbecue Pit 18742 Soledad Canyon Road, Santa Clarita (661) 251-0840 L&L Hawaiian BBQ 18727 Via Princessa, Canyon Country (661) 251-8333 Lucille’s Bar-B-Que 24201 West Valencia Blvd, Valencia (661) 255-1227 Q&Q Hawaiian BBQ 27530 Newhall Ranch Road #101, Santa Clarita (661) 383-9098

AMERICAN Backwoods Inn 17846 W. Sierra Highway, Canyon Country (661) 252-5522 The Backyard Grub n’ Brews 26509 Golden Valley Road, Santa Clarita (661) 286-1165 Bergie’s 16404 Delone Street, Canyon Country (661)251-3133 Black Angus 27007 McBean Parkway, Valencia (661) 288-2000 Black Bear Diner 23626 Valencia Blvd, Valencia (661) 799-4820

The Local Pub & Grill 26876 The Old Road Stevenson Ranch Ca 91381 661.495.9192 Mama’s Table 23340 Cinema Dr, Santa Clarita (661) 284-5988 Marston’s Restaurant 24011 Newhall Ranch Road, Valencia (661) 253-9910 Nealie’s Skillet 25858 Tournament Road, Valencia (661) 678-0031

Brooklyn Bar & Grill 25860 McBean Parkway, Valencia (661) 284-6057

Newhall Refinery 24258 Main St, Newhall (661) 388-4477 Oggi’s Pizza & Brewing Co 18810 Soledad Canyon Rd, Cyn Country (661) 252-7883

The Cheesecake Factory 24250 Town Center Dr #110, Valencia (661) 286-1232

Route 66 Classic Grill 18730 Soledad Canyon Rd, Cyn Country (661) 298-1494

Claim Jumper 25740 The Old Road, Valencia (661) 254-2628

Saddle Ranch Chop House 24201 Valencia Blvd., Valencia (661) 383-0173

Crazy Otto’s Diner 25373 Wayne Mills Place, Valencia (661) 291-1733 The Daily Harvest Cafe & Juicery 22722 Lyons Ave #6, Newhall (661) 383-9387 Eat Real Cafe 23414 Lyons Avenue, Newhall (661) 254-2237 27530 Newhall Ranch Road, Valencia (661) 254-2237 Grilled Cheese Factory 24201 Valencia Blvd, Valencia (661) 888-1508 Iconic Eats 23460 Cinema Dr, Valencia (661) 481-9404 Islands 24180 Valencia Blvd, Valencia (661) 284-5903 Lazy Dog Cafe 24201 Valencia Blvd., Valencia (661) 253-9996

Rattler’s BBQ 26495 Golden Valley Road, Canyon Country (661) 251-4195

Crazy Otto’s Diner 25373 Wayne Mills Place, Valencia (661) 291-1733 Egg Plantation 24415 Walnut Street, Newhall (661) 255-8222 Eggs N Things 27560 Newhall Ranch Road, Valencia (661) 702-8664 Halfway House 15564 W. Sierra Highway, Saugus (661) 251-0102 Mama’s Table 23340 Cinema Dr, Santa Clarita (661) 284-5988 Marston’s Restaurant 24011 Newhall Ranch Road, Valencia (661) 253-9910

Smokehouse on Main 24255 Main St, Old Town Newhall (661) 888-4585

Mimi’s Cafe 24201 Magic Mountain Parkway, Valencia (661) 255-5520

Wood Ranch Bar-B-Que & Grill 25580 The Old Road, Stevenson Ranch (661) 222-9494

The Old Town Junction 24257 Main Street, Newhall (661) 702-4888

BREAKFAST & BRUNCH Casa Canela 27647 Bouquet Canyon Road, Santa Clarita (661) 523-7282

Saugus Cafe 25861 Railroad Avenue, Saugus (661) 259-7886 Way Station Coffee Shop 24377 Main Street, Newhall (661) 255-0222 Continued next page

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18 · S U N D AYS I G N A L

M A R C H 15, 2020

DININGGUIDE Continued from previous page

BREWERIES BJ’s Restaurant 24320 Town Center Drive, Valencia (661) 288-1299 Oggi’s Pizza & Brewing Co. 18810 Soledad Canyon Road, Canyon Country (661) 252-7883 Pocock Brewing Company 24907 Avenue Tibbits, Valencia (661) 775-4899 Wolf Creek Restaurant & Brewing Co. 27746 N. McBean Parkway, Valencia (661) 263-9653

BURGERS/SANDWICHES Bricks 23820 Lyons Ave, Newhall (661) 286-1091 Brother’s Burgers 20655 Soledad Canyon (661) 299-9278

Cousins Burgers 19318 Soledad Cyn Rd, Canyon Country (661) 298-4200

Pita Pit 28253 Newhall Ranch Road (661) 702-9977

Everest Burgers 18645 Soledad Canyon Road Santa Clarita, CA 91351 (661) 252-3412

Red Robin 27063 McBean Parkway, Valencia (661) 260-2411

Final Score 23754 Lyons Ave, Santa Clarita (661) 254-6557 Firehouse Subs 23630 Valencia Blvd. Valencia (661) 255-3473 Five Guys 24201 W, Valencia Blvd #3672, Valencia (661) 255-0981 Italia Panetteria & Deli 27674 Newhall Ranch Road, Valencia (661) 294-9069 Jimmy Dean’s 22941 Lyons Ave, Newhall (661) 255-6315

Burgerim 23740 Lyons Ave, Santa Clarita (661) 670-8939

JJ’s Bar and Grill 25848 Tournament Road, Valencia (661) 799-7557

Corner Bakery 24290 Valencia Blvd, Valencia (661) 259-2813

Panini Palace 23120 Lyons Ave., Santa Clarita (661) 678-0552

Route 66 Classic Grill 18730 Soledad Canyon Rd, Cyn Country (661) 298-1494 Rustic Burger 24025 Newhall Ranch Road, Valencia (661) 254-1300 Rustic Eatery 25343 Wayne Mills Place, Valencia (661) 254-8100 Submarina California Subs 26517 Carl Boyer Drive, Canyon Country (661) 259-4782 The Habit 25948 N. McBean Parkway, Valencia (661) 291-1575 23120 Lyons Ave, Santa Clarita (661) 678-0552 Tiny’s Submarine Sandwiches 27251 Camp Plenty Rd, Canyon Country (661) 251-5885

CHINESE China Express 19417 Soledad Canyon Rd, Cyn Country (661) 251-8783 Genghis Khan 24506 W. Lyons Avenue, Newhall 661-254-0351 Golden Wok Restaurant 16668 Soledad Canyon Rd, Cyn Country (661) 424-0888 Grand Panda 23802 Lyons Avenue, Newhall (661) 253-1898 27924 Seco Canyon Road, Saugus (661) 297-9868 Mandarin Wong Chinese Restaurant 23758 Lyons Avenue, Newhall (661) 259-5823 Moon Wok 23460 Cinema Drive Suite H, Valencia (661) 288-1898 New Moon 28281 Newhall Ranch Road, Valencia (661) 257-4321 Pei Wei Asian Diner 24250 Valencia Boulevard, Valencia 661-600-0132 Pick Up Stix 25960 The Old Road, Stevenson Ranch (661) 288-2090 WaBa Grill 19120 Soledad Canyon Road, Canyon Country (661) 367-7297 31739 Castaic Road, Castaic (661) 295 9222

Wok’s Cookin’ Chinese Restaurant 31565 Castaic Road, Castaic (661) 257-2890

CUBAN Hidden Havana Cuban Cafe 23548 Lyons Avenue, Newhall (661) 254-4460

DELICATESSEN Bob’s Country Meats 19012 Soledad Cyn Rd, Canyon Country (661) 251-5995 Cathy’s Delicatessen 23120 W. Lyons Avenue, Newhall (661) 288-2217 Italia Panetteria & Deli 27674 Newhall Ranch Road, Valencia (661) 294-9069 Maria’s Italian-American Deli 22620 W. Lyons Avenue, Newhall (661) 259-6261 The Sandwich Shop 25530 W. Avenue Stanford, Valencia (661) 257-4811

FRENCH

Le Chene French Cuisine 12625 Sierra Highway, Agua Dulce (661) 251-4315

GREEK Gyromania 20655 Soledad Canyon Rd, Santa Clarita (661) 252-4976

INDIAN An Indian Affaire 23360 W. Valencia Blvd, Valencia (661) 288-1200 Karma Restaurant, Bar & Lounge 23460 Cinema Drive, Valencia (661) 288-0080 Royal Tandoor 26532 Bouquet Canyon Rd, Santa Clarita (661) 263-7100

ITALIAN Bella Cucina Ristorante Italiano 27911 Seco Canyon Rd, Saugus (661) 263-1414 Buca di Beppo 26940 Theater Drive, Valencia (661) 253-1900 Italia Panetteria & Deli 27674 Newhall Ranch Road, Valencia (661) 294-9069 Maria’s Italian-American Deli 22620 Lyons Ave, Newhall (661) 259-6261 Numero Uno Pizza 26111 Bouquet Canyon Road, Saugus (661) 259-3895

M A R C H 15, 2020

S U N D AYS I G N A L · 19

DININGGUIDE Olive Garden 27003 McBean Parkway, Valencia (661) 799-8161 Piccola Trattoria 18302 Sierra Highway, Canyon Country (661) 299-6952 Presto Pasta 24375 Magic Mountain Pkwy, Valencia (661) 284-7737

JAPANESE & SUSHI

ZingGa Grill 26910 Sierra Hwy, Santa Clarita (661) 250-7592

MEDITERRANEAN

Cafe O 20655 Soledad Canyon Rd, Cyn Country (661) 424-0401 Flame & Skewers 25870 McBean Parkway, Valencia (661) 799-7538

Achita Sushi 22913 Soledad Canyon Rd, Santa Clarita (661) 476-5522 Bonsai Garden 19358 Soledad Canyon Rd, Cyn Country (661) 251-9008

Grill Kabob 27653 Bouquet Canyon Road, Saugus (661) 263-7445

Gyu-Kaku Japanese BBQ Dining 27025 McBean Pkwy, Valencia (661) 254-2355

Manoushee Mediterranean Restaurant 27131 Sierra Hwy, Canyon Country (661) 251-6666

Hibiki Restaurant 27625 Shangri La Dr., Canyon Country (661) 298-0273

Olive Terrace Cafe 28261 Newhall Ranch Road, Valencia (661) 257-7860

I Love Sushi 26526 Bouquet Canyon Rd, Santa Clarita 661-673-5200

Sam’s Flaming Grill 24802 Orchard Village, Santa Clarita (661) 222-9060

My Hot Pot 26238 Bouquet Canyon Rd, Santa Clarita (661) 288-1998

Sam’s Flaming Grill 19433 Soledad Canyon Rd, Santa Clarita (661) 298-0115 25347 Wayne Mills Pl, Valencia (661) 254-2154 23874 Copper Hill Dr, Valencia (661) 294-1100

Shogun Sushi Japanese Restaurant 26807 Seco Canyon Rd, Santa Clarita (661) 513-0015 Sushi 661 26850 Sierra Hwy, Santa Clarita (661) 252-983 Kabuki 24045 Newhall Ranch Road, Valencia (661) 799-8655 Kisho Japanese Teppan Grill 23430 Valencia Blvd, Valencia (661) 284-3856

Kebab House 24201 Valencia Blvd, Valencia (661) 799-5844

Cabo Cabana Restaurant 25710 The Old Road, Stevenson Ranch (661) 222-7022

Lee’s Korean BBQ & Tofu House 23360 West Valencia Blvd, Valencia (661) 254-2307

Pieology Pizzeria 28295 Newhall Ranch Road, Valencia (661)678-0234

El Trocadero Mesquite Grill & Cantina 24274 Main Street, Newhall (661) 284-6615

Pizza Di Marco 27674 Newhall Ranch Rd, Valencia 661-295-8769

La Charrita Restaurant 24225 Main St, Newhall (661) 288-1204

Pizza Rev 24341 Magic Mountain Parkway, Valencia (661) 260-1257

Medrano’s Mexican Restaurant 19319 Soledad Canyon Rd, Santa Clarita (661) 367-4945 Rosarito Grill 19425 Soledad Canyon Rd, Cyn Country (661) 251-2732 Solita Tacos & Margaritas 24201 Valencia Blvd., Suite 3470, Santa Clarita (661) 291-1399

POLISH Pierogi Spot 26511 Golden Valley Road, Santa Clarita (661) 254-4850

THAI Original Thai BBQ Restaurant 27530 Newhall Ranch Road, Valencia (661) 257-6421

PIZZA

Italia Panetteria & Deli 27674 Newhall Ranch Road, Valencia (661) 294-9069 Mama Mia Pizza 25708 The Old Road, Stevenson Ranch (661) 286-9183

VIETNAMESE Pho Sure 23876 Copper Hill Drive, Valencia (661) 257-3888

MEXICAN

Sushi Song Japanese Restaurant 22896 Copper Hill Dr, Santa Clarita (661) 297-5659

Kogiya 2 Korean BBQ 23410 Lyons Ave, Santa Clarita (661) 678-0999

Dario’s Mexican Restaurant 24523 Newhall Avenue, Newhall (661) 255-6868

Azul Tequila 25387 Wayne Mills Place, Valencia (661) 254-5500 Betito’s Mexican 18902 Soledad Canyon Road, Canyon Country (661)251-0557

KOREAN & MONGOLIAN

Numero Uno Pizza 26111 Bouquet Canyon Road, Saugus (661) 259-3895

Zankou Chicken 24463 Magic Mountain Pkwy, Valencia (661) 705-7265

Masa Ramen 27051 McBean Pkwy, #101, Valencia (661) 254-4229

Charcoal Korean BBQ Restaurant 19158 Soledad Canyon Rd, Cyn Country (661) 251-9292 Genghis Khan 24506 W. Lyons Avenue, Newhall (661) 254-0351 Gogi House 26524 Bouquet Canyon Road, Saugus (661) 263-0048

Casa Pasilla 27674 Newhall Ranch Road, Valencia (661) 295-1989

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20 · S U N D AYS I G N A L

M A R C H 15, 2020

THIS WEEK’S CALENDAR

= Family Friendly Event

ONGOING Saturdays, 10:30-11:45 a.m.

Come and enjoy group drumming with your family at our Kids Rhythm Club.

Our 45-minute drumming session helps build self-confidence, self-esteem, expands the musical imagination and nurtures creative thinking. All ages and levels of ability are welcome. Drums and percussion instruments provided at no extra cost and reservations are not required. Adults $5, kids 12 and under free. Remo Music Center, 28101 Industry Drive, Valencia. Info: remo.com/ experience/post/kids-rhythm-clubremo-music-center-2 Saturdays, 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. California farmers and specialty food purveyors come together rain or shine, to bring you a farmers’ market with the finest in fresh and seasonal fruits and vegetables, including organic, baked goods, flowers, herbs, cheeses and prepared foods. Old Town Newhall, 24500 Main St., Newhall. Info: oldtownnewhall. com/old-town-newhall-farmers-market Sundays, 8:30 a.m. to noon The Santa Clarita Certified Farmers’ Market offers locals a breakfast prepared onsite from one of the market’s several food vendors, or you can try some of our wonderful artisan bakery products. Open yearround, rain or shine. College of the Canyons, Parking Lot 5, 26455 Rockwell Canyon Road, Santa Clarita. Info: vccfarmersmarkets.com/ santa-clarita Tuesdays, 8 p.m. to 1 a.m. Alchemy presents Salsa Night. Get your dance on. 24501 Town Center Drive, Suite 101, Santa Clarita.

Info: facebook.com/events/572176730203799.

Wednesdays, 8-10 p.m. Citadel Krav Maga is helping women in the Santa Clarita Valley empower and protect themselves by offering a evening course called “Women’s Wednesday.”“Women’s Wednesday” is a drop-ins service offered to all women, and does not require a monthly membership to the school to attend. $10. 17749 Sierra Hwy, Canyon Country. Info: citadelkravmaga.com Thursdays, 4-9 p.m. The Vegan Exchange SCV at Wolf Creek Brewery is a 100% vegan market featuring local food, beverage, apparel, cosmetics and lifestyle vendors. Pocock Brewing Company, 24907 Ave. Tibbitts, Suite B, Santa Clarita. Info: veganexchangeevents.com/vxscv

Main Street, Newhall. Info: facebook.com/ events/290288638347355/Third Thursday of the month, 7-10 p.m. The wildly popular SENSES Block Party, brings live music, food trucks, themed activities, and adult beverages to Main Street every 3rd Thursday from March to October. March’s theme is “the luck of the Irish.” While you are there, be sure to grab your favorite drink from the on street bar hosted

by The Junction. Main Street, Newhall. Info: facebook.com/events/290288638347355/

EVENTS BY DATE

Sunday, March 15, 2-3 p.m. The Placerita Canyon Nature Center will host a “Cooking with Non-Native Invasive Plants” workshop with Pascal Baudar, a writer, naturalist and a self-styled “culinary alchemist” based in Los Angeles. His passion Thursdays, 5:54-7 p.m. Join Runners is to study wild edibles and research new Lane Santa Clarita for a free 5K fun run/ culinary uses through ancient and traditional walk. You can go the entire distance or if methods of food preservation as well as you’re just starting out you can go by time. contemporary cooking techniques. He has Our goal is to get the community out served as a wild food consultant for several and moving whether your fast or slow TV shows including “MasterChef” and “Top or just in the middle. We encourage all Chef Duels.” The event is free! 19152 Placerita Canyon Rd, Santa Clarita. Info: facebook. levels to join us. Walkers too! 22959 Soledad Canyon Rd, Santa Clarita. Info: facebook.com/ com/events/1518294528335183/ events/956668621334188/?event_time_ Tuesday, March 17, 6-10 p.m. Come id=956673478000369 celebrate St. Patrick’s Day at the 8th annual SCV Charity Chili Cook-Off and taste 40 Third Thursday of the month, 7-10 p.m.

The wildly popular SENSES Block Party, brings amazing chilis while enjoying a full bar, live DJ, raffles, auctions and a casino room! live music, food trucks, themed activities, Proceeds will benefit feedSCV and the and adult beverages to Main Street every WiSH Education Foundation. $30, $65 VIP. 3rd Thursday from March to October. March’s Hyatt Regency Valencia, 24500 Town Center theme is “the luck of the Irish.” While you are there, be sure to grab your favorite drink from Dr, Valencia. Info: scvcharitychilicookoff.com the on street bar hosted by The Junction.

Thursday, Mar. 19, 6:30-9:30 p.m. Gather your trivia geek posse, and join Wolf Creek Brewery for a trivia night all about Harry Potter It is free to sign up and teams can have up IN to PRECISION 6 members. Themed dress will SPECIALIZING be awarded. TUNE-UPS, 25108 Rye Canyon Loop Santa CONGRATULATIONS to SONJA JONES for correctly ELECTRONIC identifying Academy Swim on page 28.

Clarita. triviainthetent.com FUELInfo: INJECTION, IGNITION, SMOG CHECK, Identify this advertiser and the page number in this week’s Friday, March 20, REPAIR 8-10 p.m. Out of This GENERAL AUTOMOTIVE issue, and you will be entered to win aFOREIGN $100 gift certificate & for DOMESTIC Galaxy Comedy Show, originally born inside a local restaurant. One game and one winner each week.

CHECK US OUT ON NEW TIRE PRICES! an Echo Park record shop, and now residing Mail your entry to TheA/C Signal – Contest SMOG CHECK BRAKE JOB in various SERVICE alleys across Southern OILbowling CHANGE 26330 Diamond Place | Santa Clarita, CA 91350 California. Hosted by Zach Miller and Sean Or email contest@signalscv.com McBride, the Cosmic Comedy Show MOST CARS & LIGHT TRUCKS + certificate Non Synthetic always features the hottest acts from +FREON Includes: Resurface Rotors Advertiser: _____________________________ Page # ______ Up to 5 Qts. Most Cars & Light Trucks 2000 or Newer Model or Drums. Pack Bearings LA and across the country. Tickets are free *Must have coupon* Most Cars No Extra Charge for *Must have coupon* Semi-Metallic Pads Exp. Exp. 3/29/20 3/29/20 Name: _____________________________________________ Exp. 3/29/20 but must beExp. reserved in advance. Valencia 3/29/20 Lanes, 23700 Lyons Ave, Santa Clarita. Info: Address: ___________________________________________ 24135 Railroad Ave. Newhall thecosmiccomedyshow.com (Newhall Ave. Across from William Hart Park)

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Saturday, March 21, 8 a.m. to noon The Michael Hoefflin Foundation Walk for Kids With Cancer is a celebration of the lives of

children and their families who have been affected by children’s cancer. This year, we are celebrating our 10th anniversary of the event! Individuals and teams will walk to raise funds to support the foundation and every participant gets a complimentary gift. College of the Canyons Cougar Stadium, 26455 Rockwell Canyon Road Santa Clarita. Info: classy.org/event/2020-mhfwalk-for-kids-with-cancer/e268154 Saturday, March 21, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Sponsored by Boston Scientific Neuromodulation, Valencia, the annual Women’s Conference returns! This year’s keynote speaker is Rena Callahan, MD from Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, whose specialty is Hematology, Oncology and Internal Medicine. Enjoy breakout sessions in areas of health, wellness and balance. Dianne G. Van Hook University Center, Rockwell Canyon Rd, Santa Clarita. Info: canyons.edu/WC Saturday, March 21, 9-10 a.m., 10-11 a.m. Bring your yoga mat and join Gilchrist Farm for goat yoga! What is goat yoga?

Exactly what it sounds like! Registration includes a one-hour yoga class, outside, at the farm — with the goats! While you relax and enjoy, the goats roam freely — often stopping by for a little encouragement and a scratch on the back. All levels are welcome. Bring your own mat. $20. 30116 Bouquet Canyon Road, Santa Clarita. Info: gilchristfarm.com/goat-yoga Saturday, March 21, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. As a part of the Natural History Museum’s Being L.A. initiative and in celebration of L.A. County’s Women’s History Month, the William S. Hart Museum is having an Open House devoted entirely to women in Old Hollywood. Celebrate some amazing women in early Hollywood history whose voices played a role in the suffrage movement. You will also see films made in support of the suffrage movement and others against it and get a better understanding of what public discourse was like at this time in history. 24151 Newhall Ave, Santa Clarita. Info: hartmuseum.org/calendar/open-house-day-woman Sunday, March 28, 5 a.m. Come to experience one of Southern California’s best trail races as you get ready to take on the 5th annual Valencia Trail Race. Choose to run 10k, Half Marathon, 50K Ultra distance in the hills of Valencia. 29889 San Francisquito Canyon Road. $110-160. Info: valenciatrail race.com.

M A R C H 15, 2020

S U N D AYS I G N A L · 2 1

E N T E R TA I N M E N T

By Michele E. Buttelman Signal Staff Writer

T

here is something special about “live” entertainment. The communal experience of enjoying a live performance in the company of strangers is uplifting and connects us with the larger world. With theater, music and comedy, there is a “live” performance that can appeal to everyone, of any age. Here are a few upcoming options in the Santa Clarita Valley.

Cosmic Comedy Show

March 20 8 p.m.

Valencia Lanes, 23700 Lyons Ave., Newhall Info www.facebook.com/events/ 573542766532545/ Out of this galaxy comedy show, originally born inside an Echo Park record shop, and now residing in bowling alleys across Southern California.

Hosted by Zach Miller and Sean McBride, the show features the hottest acts from LA and across the country. Free tickets, but you must reserve your seat on Eventbrite.

‘Suite Surrender’

March 27-April 26 Canyon Theatre Guild, 24242 Main St., Newhall www.canyontheatre.org/suitesurrender Tickets $20-$17 It’s 1942, and two of Hollywood’s biggest divas have descended upon the luxurious Palm Beach Royale Hotel, assistants, luggage and a legendary feud with one another in tow. Mistaken identities, overblown egos, double entendres in this love note to the classic farces of the 1930s and 40s.

The Santa Clarita Performing Arts Center at College of the Canyons offers a wide range of music, theatre, dance and cultural productions. SIGNAL PHOTO

‘The Secret in the Wings’

March 27-April 5, weekends Black Box Theater, Santa Clarita Performing Arts Center at College of the Canyons 26455 Rockwell Canyon Road, Valencia Info www.canyonspac.com Tickets $6-$12 Adapts a group of lesser-known fairy tales that sets dark mystery against wit and humor. It’s about a child and her frightening babysitter. As the babysitter recounts the tales, the characters materialize, with each story ending just at its bleakest moment before transitioning to the next.

Blazing Pianos

March 28, 7 p.m.

JR’s Comedy Club 24201 Magic Mountain Parkway, Valencia Info comedyinvalencia.com Tickets $20 The top “dueling” piano show in the United States. Over age 18.

‘Pride & Prejudice’

March 28-April 25 Canyon Theatre Guild, 24242 Main St., Newhall Info www.canyontheatre.org/prideandprejudice Tickets $17-$20 Finding a husband is hardly Elizabeth Bennet’s most urgent priority. But with four sisters, an overzealous match-making mother, and a string of unsuitable suitors, it’s difficult to escape the subject.

Scotland’s Red Hot Chilli Pipers

April 4 8 p.m.

Santa Clarita Performing Arts Center College of the Canyons 26455 Rockwell Canyon Road, Valencia

Info www.canyonspac.com Tickets $49-$59 Internationally renowned nine-piece ensemble consisting of pipers, guitarists, keyboards and drummers. They have been rocking the world with musicianship of the highest order and a passion for pipes that will leave you breathless. Their trademark sound includes traditional pipe tunes and contemporary anthems, such as Queen’s “We Will Rock You.”

Californio Fiesta de Rancho Camulos with Dave Stamey

April 17 11 a.m.

Rancho Camulos Museum, 5164 E Telegraph Road, Fillmore, 93015 Info: cowboyfestival.org/californio-fiesta-derancho-camulos-with-dave-stamey/ Tickets $50 Seven-time Western Music Association Entertainer of the Year Dave Stamey’s concert highlights an afternoon at Rancho Camulos National Historic Landmark, the site that inspired the novel “Ramona.” Enjoy a Southwest buffet, an intimate cowboy music performance and costumed docent-led tours. Lunch is included in the ticket price.

‘The Diaries of Adam and Eve’

April 17 - 19 The Main, 24266 Main St., Newhall Info http://atthemain.org Tickets $12 Mark Twain’s “The Diaries of Adam and Eve,” is a uniquely American theater piece, funny, beautiful and deeply moving.

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M A R C H 15, 2020

E N T E R TA I N M E N T

Herman’s Hermits return to Canyon Santa Clarita

By Perry Smith Sunday Signal Editor

H

erman’s Hermits have been enjoying their catalogue of hits with a global audience for more than five decades, and they’re no strangers to the Santa Clarita Valley.

Thanks to Canyon Santa Clarita, the band that’s been rocking since

The Beatles led the “British Invasion” can check them out April 4.

The band, which first burst onto the scene with their cover of EarlJean’s “I’m into Something Good,” landed a pair of hits at the top of the Billboard 100 list.

Fans who plan to come to see their classic songs won’t be disappointed, according to lead singer Peter Noone, who promises the band will

stay true to its original sound.

“Well, I always say, ‘It’s about the songs,’” Noone said, adding that the band knows a few hundred songs, so even after all these years, no two shows are the same.

If you’d like to check out the soundtrack to an era performed by the original voice that’s been doing it for decades, the Canyon’s upcoming Herman’s Hermits’ show is one you

won’t want to miss.

Find the Canyon Santa Clarita on the ground floor of the Westfield Valencia Town Center. Get tickets at the box office 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday-Saturday, by phone at (888) 645-5006, or via TicketMaster.com. For more info, visit WheremusicmeetstheSoul.com.

M A R C H 15, 2020

S U N D AYS I G N A L · 2 3

SPRINGTIME

By Michele E. Buttelman Signal Staff Writer

S

pring is in the air and it’s time to shake off the winter doldrum and enjoy the season with fun family time. March into April with these family-friendly events.

March Madness Selection Sunday

March 15, 3 p.m.

If you’re a sports-minded family, then the annual March Madness NCAA College Basketball Tournament is an event on your calendar. If your family likes to gather together and celebrate this special event with parties and a few games of “parents vs. kids” HORSE outside in the driveway here are the important dates.

Selection Sunday March 15, 3 p.m. CBS First Four March 17-18.

NCAA Tournament Round March 19-20.

NCAA Tournament Round 2 March 21- 22.

Sweet 16 March 26-27.

Elite March 28-29.

Final April 4 2020 NCAA championship game April 6.

Check your television listings for channels and time.

The Los Angeles County Air Show

March 21-22, 9 a.m.

William J. Fox Airfield 4725 William J. Barnes Ave., Lancaster Info lacountyairshow.com Tickets General Admission $20. Children under 16 are free. Seniors $10. Parking $10.

Gates open at 9 a.m. with performances from 11:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. each day of the two-day show.

Air show performances include: • The US Navy Blue Angels. This is the Blue Angels’ 74th anniversary and also marks the Blue Angels’ 34th year flying the Boeing F/A-18 Hornet.

• USAF F-22 Raptor Demo Team. The Air Combat Command F-22 Demonstration Team at Langley Air Force Base performs precision aerial maneuvers to demonstrate the unique capabilities of the fifth-generation fighter aircraft.

‘Baby Shark Live’

March 21, 2 p.m.

Fred Kavli Theater 2100 E. Thousand Oaks Blvd., Thousand Oaks Info bapacthousandoaks.com/show_detail. php?id=741 Meet Baby Shark and pals in this special live kids’ show … doo! Come and sing-a-long in this special live event with Baby Shark, Grandma Shark and their friend Pinkfong. Your little ones will learn about shapes, numbers and colors, and go on

various adventures in this special new production made especially for kids. There’ll be dancing in the aisles and lots of new friends to make. Tickets from $35.50.

The 23rd Celebration of the Whales

March 22, 11 a.m.-3 p.m.

Channel Islands Maritime Museum 3900 Bluefin Circle, Oxnard Info cimmvc.org/whats-on/celebration-whales/ The free event will include family-friendly activities, chalk art, arts and crafts, music, interactive educational booths and prize drawings that include whale-watching excursions for the entire family.

Flutterby Open Art Studio

April 4, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

ARTree Community Arts Center Studios One and Two, 22508 6th St., Newhall Info http://theartree.org Flutterby is a no-charge, open-art studio held on the first Saturday of each month for kids and their parents to come in and make art. All art materials are provided, no prior registration necessary.

Cherry Blossom Festival

April 5, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Columbia Park, 4045 190th St., Torrance Info www.torranceca.gov/our-city/ citywide-special-events/cherryblossom-festival The free Torrance Cherry Blossom Cultural Festival offers performances from artists representing cultures around the world, as well as children’s activities. The free festival includes a variety of multicultural performances and demonstrations, plus lively activities like learning to make origami and face painting. There will be food trucks, food booths and crafts for sale.

FAMILY FUN Festival of Colors

April 11, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Woodley Park, 6350 Woodley Ave., Van Nuys Info www.festivalofcolorsusa.com/festival-ofcolors/festival-of-colors-in-san-fernando-valley-ca/ Get a ticket that includes packets of brightly colored cornstarch to throw at each other during the Festival of Colors, which promises “interactive dance, live mantra bands, DJs, yoga teachers, cuisine, free hugs and lotsa love.”

Covina Chalk Festival

April 18 Heritage Plaza, 400 North Citrus Ave., Covina Info covinaca.gov/parksrec/page/chalk-art-festival Who remembers Bella Via, the SCV’s own chalk festival held in Valencia? Relive those glory years by attending the Covina Chalk Festival. Watch artists transform concrete into colorful, temporary art at the free Chalk Festival, with music and vendors in Heritage Plaza.

SCV Cowboy Festival

April 18-19 William S. Hart Park 24151 Newhall Ave., Newhall Info cowboyfestival.org Dust off your cowboy hat and get ready for the 27th annual Santa Clarita Cowboy Festival. This year’s Cowboy Festival returns to William S. Hart Park in Old Town Newhall for some rootin’-tootin’ fun. Mosey on down to enjoy a weekend of western music, entertainment, food, shopping and more.

General admission is free and tickets to special events are now available for purchase. All parking is at the shuttle site on 13th street. There is no parking at William S. Hart Park.

Watch artists transform concrete into colorful, temporary art at the free Covina Chalk Festival.

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M A R C H 15, 2020

K I D S & FA M I LY

How math can become your child’s favorite subject

A

calculator is needed, a good choice is the fx-CG50, which has a high-definition, three-dimensional display.

sk kids what their favorite school subject is and fewer and fewer will say “math” as they age. While 37 percent of 4th graders report that math is one of their favorite subjects, only 15 of 12th graders say the same, according to National Center for Education Statistics.

At a time when a strong math foundation is more important than ever before, you may be wondering how to keep the subject fun and interesting for kids, even as the workload grows more complex and challenging with each passing year.

Here are a few ideas for infusing fun into the equation: • Set a good example. Don’t make math out to be a subject you yourself don’t enjoy. Whether you’re talking about the batting average of your favorite player, working out your budget or watching a news report citing statistics, you can point out the many ways in which math is used to think about the world and spark a

• Check in. Many students stop loving math once it gets hard. Unfortunately, a lot of students don’t mention they are struggling until it’s too late to easily catch up, as most lessons build on previously taught material.

© ANTONIO_DIAZ / ISTOCK VIA GETTY IMAGES PLUS

numbers-fueled conversation.

• Embrace a love of technology. Your children are digital natives, so when it comes to mathematics, let them use the tech tools that feel most natural to them without limitations. You can feel particularly good about this decision when it comes to calculators.

Many calculators today are much more intuitive to use than their predecessors, allowing students to spend more time learning the joy of math rather than figuring out how to operate the device. For a high-quality scientific calculator, check out the fx-300ES from Casio, which has over 250 functions. Once a graphing

Periodically check in with your student to ensure they are keeping up with their classmates. Let them know there is no shame in getting an extra bit of help. Many teachers will meet with students before or after class to offer assistance and answer questions.

Study buddies, tutors and online tutorials can also help students grasp the material, achieve good grades and ultimately, continue to enjoy math.

There is no doubt about it, a love of math is a good thing. By making it approachable and offering the right tools, you can help your young mathematician continue to embrace the subject. (StatePoint)

How to talk to your children about tough money matters

H

as your family discussed money concerns?

Clinical psychologists note that when kids don’t have enough information about something, they may become anxious, make up their own explanations — which can include blaming themselves for a perceived problem — or seek information from other, potentially unreliable sources. They recommend talking to your children about financial concerns, keeping in mind that the level of detail shared should be based on your child’s age.

Preschool and elementary age

Experts suggest limiting financial discussion with very young children to the basics. If the economy is struggling, you might tell them that this can happen when businesses spend more money than they have and have to pay back what they borrowed, which means those businesses don’t have money to spend on other things, like employees. You might also explain that when money is tighter, they may need to wait a little longer to get certain

College kids

© CREATAS IMAGES / ISTOCK VIA GETTY IMAGES PLUS

items such as new toys. Psychologists emphasize the need to be honest, but reassuring, letting children know that tough financial times are only temporary and that you will always provide them with everything they need.

Tweens and teens

Children in this age group are old enough for you to explain what financial terms mean and why the economy doesn’t always perform well. You might also provide an overview of how credit works, introducing terms

such as interest, risk and liability.

You could also engage your kids in family budget decisions, particularly should you feel a financial pinch. If they want to go on a vacation or buy that new video game system, ask for their ideas on how to save up the money. If you can’t afford to eat out as often, let them pick a favorite restaurant for a special monthly or quarterly meal. You might also consider encouraging older children to get jobs so they can earn their own spending money.

Experts say that at this age, families should be open and straightforward when discussing finances. In addition to helping college-age kids understand a change in the economy or other financial development, explain what it could mean for your family’s financial situation and whether it could impact them. Tell them how you’ve been spending and saving, describe struggles you’ve faced, and outline the steps you’ll take to shore up finances. You can also help them build their own budgets and saving plans. Being honest about financial mistakes you’ve made can help your children avoid them in the future.

For more tips on teaching kids about money, visit letsmakeaplan.org.

Explaining your family’s financial situation will not only help your children make sense of what’s happening, it will provide them with confidence and a foundation of financial knowledge that will carry them into adulthood. (StatePoint)

M A R C H 15, 2020

S U N D AYS I G N A L · 2 5

K I D S & FA M I LY

Donna’s Day: Creative Family Fun

Discover the colors of the rainbow

By Donna Erickson Signal Contributing Writer

S

t. Patrick’s Day is just around the corner on Tuesday, March 17, and the first day of spring follows on the 19th. Both celebrations bring thoughts of colorful rainbows to mind.

While we might not see them often, when we do, we marvel at their beauty. Like the Irish, we ponder the thought of finding the legendary pot of gold at the end of one. Even if rain isn’t in the forecast, enjoy a rainbowfilled day with kids learning the rainbow spectrum.

Discover

Learn the sequence of colors in

the spectrum. My artist friends use the catchy name “Roy G Biv” to help children remember. The letters stand for Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Indigo and Violet. Then, discover the basic spectrum indoors on a sunny day. Pour water in a clear glass, tilt it sideways and move it slowly along the edge of the kitchen counter until you catch rays of sun shining through the water. A ribbon of rainbow colors will appear on a white floor or on a white sheet of paper placed on the floor.

Look closely to see that the colors of the spectrum are on a continuous gradient. They are distinct yet meld into one another.

Draw

Create rainbow place mats for springtime snacking. Line up washable markers in the order of the spectrum, then draw a rainbow with them on construction paper. Dip a paintbrush in water and swipe it over the rainbow to meld the distinct colors into one another, creating hues.

Make

Recycle clear plastic water bottles into artistic rainbow “Discovery Bottles,” each filled with items representing a conventional color of the spectrum. While I rarely purchase

CLIP N SAVE Elementary School Menus Menus courtesy of Santa Clarita Valley School Food Services which serves these school districts: Castaic USD • Newhall USD • Saugus USD • Sulphur Springs USD

(choice of one entree, seasonal fruit and milk)

BREAKFAST

LUNCH

Monday, March 16

Banana Muffin & String Cheese Breakfast Bun Cereal Chilled Fruit Fruit Juice

Rodeo Roundup Burger & Spicy Curly Fries Chicken Nuggets Cheesy Pillow Pull Aparts Smart Choice Pizza Seasonal Salad Bar

Tuesday, March 17

Cinnamon Toast Breakfast Bun Cereal Chilled Fruit Fresh Fruit Breakfast Bagel Breakfast Bun Cereal Chilled Fruit Fresh Fruit Fruit Juice

Sloppy Taco (turkey) Dippin’ Chicken Cheesy Bean Burrito Smart Choice Pizza Seasonal Salad Bar Luck O’ the Ice Cup BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwich Dippin’ Chicken PBJ Sandwich & String Cheese Smart Choice Pizza Seasonal Salad Bar Chocolate Chip Cookie

Skillet Omelet & Tortilla Breakfast Bun Cereal Potato Emojis Fresh Fruit

Orange Chicken w/ Rice Cheesy Stix & Marinara Corn Dog-chicken Smart Choice Pizza Seasonal Salad Bar

Strawberry Splash Mini Pancakes Breakfast Bun Cereal Chilled Fruit Fruit Juice

Toasty Grilled Cheese Sandwich Popcorn Chicken Smart Choice Pizza Manager’s Choice Seasonal Salad Bar

Wednesday, March 18 Thursday, March 19 Friday, March 20

water in plastic bottles anymore, I purchased a 6-pack of Voss artesian water for this eye-catching activity.

The labels peel off easily, and the lids are handsomely designed in gray.

I used the six bottles for the basic colors, combining blue and indigo.

Children over 4 years old will enjoy rooting through their craft supplies and toys for unbreakable items to drop and stuff into each bottle by color. We used pipe cleaners twisted in spirals, crayons, ribbon; tissue paper wadded into balls, buttons and wooden beads — which add the bonus of nice sound when shaking.

Sort items in six piles by color, then fill each bottle. Drizzle glue around the outside mouth of bottles and screw on caps tightly.

For play, name the colors, line them up in order of the spectrum, and describe contents by shape. Make up rainbow stories. Display your rainbow on a shelf.

Donna Erickson’s award-winning series “Donna’s Day” is airing on public television nationwide. To find more of her creative family recipes and activities, visit www.donnasday.com and link to the NEW Donna’s Day Facebook fan page. Her latest book is “Donna Erickson’s Fabulous Funstuff for Families.” © 2020 Donna Erickson Distributed by King Features Synd.

Monday, April 20th, 6:30pm

Thursday, April 30th, 8:30am

28310 Kelly Johnson Pkwy, Valencia, CA 91355 TrinityClassicalAcademy.com | (661)296-2601

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M A R C H 15, 2020

LiveWorkSCV.com

A new resource to connect SCV talent with SCV careers.

Ready to quit your commute? Looking to hire SCV talent? Visit LiveWorkSCV.com today! info@scvedc.org | 661.288.4400 | POWERED BY SCVEDC

M A R C H 15, 2020

S U N D AYS I G N A L · 2 7

FINANCE

Considerations when choosing a mortgage lender

A

home is the most significant purchase many people will ever make. Perhaps because of that, many buyers, particularly first time buyers, are understandably nervous about the home-buying process. The decision as to which home to buy warrants ample consideration, but so, too, does the buyer's choice of lender.

Mortgage lenders can be found all over the internet, and the sheer volume of lender options can make it hard for home buyers to find the right fit for them. Couple that with lending-related terminology, and it's easy to see why prospective homeowners can feel overwhelmed by it all.

When looking for a mortgage lender, prospective homeowners should never forget that the choice of lender is, in most cases, entirely theirs to make. When making that decision, a host of variables should be considered. The following are three such factors that, upon ample con-

sideration, may help buyers rest easy knowing they did their due diligence when looking for lenders.

1. Reputation/recommendation Just like other businesses, lenders have reputations, and oftentimes those reputations can be determined via some simple online research.

Peruse online reviews to determine what past buyers felt about a given lender. If possible, ask friends or colleagues who they worked with to secure a mortgage.

2. Fees Fees vary from lender to lender. Fees should not be mistaken for interest rates, which change daily and are typically dictated by the financial industry and prospective buyers' credit history and financial standing. When speaking with potential lenders, ask for a rundown of their fees, and the services those fees include, and closing cost estimates in writing, then compare and contrast fees and costs of various lenders before making a final

decision. Some lenders may charge considerably more in fees than others, so buyers should put in the effort necessary to comparison shop.

3. Personal interaction Buyers, especially those who have never before purchased a home, will likely have lots of questions. This is where personal interaction with a prospective lender should be noted. Securing financing for a home

purchase can sometimes seem like an impersonal process, but it doesn't have to be, and many lenders are happy to answer buyers' questions.

Lenders who answer questions quickly and clearly can make buyers more comfortable about the home buying process. Buyers may want to avoid lenders who seem evasive or unwilling to answer questions in writing.

(MC)

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28 · S U N D AYS I G N A L

M A R C H 15, 2020

FA S H I O N

Fashion week in Southern California

Fashion weeks in Los Angeles are offered during a variety of dates in March. PHOTO COURTESY WWW. FWLA.NET

By Michele E. Buttelman Signal Staff Writer

S

outhern California is emerging as a serious contender in the world of fashion. No longer does New York Fashion Week, or the runways of London, Milan and Paris dictate the future of fashion.

How can you celebrate your inner fashionista?

Attend one of the upcoming Southern California events that celebrate the latest in fashion.

Fashion Week El Paseo

March 20-28 The Gardens on El Paseo West Side, the Upper Level Parking Deck 73-545 El Paseo, Palm Desert Info www.fashionweekelpaseo.com Celebrate 15 years of style at the West coast’s largest consumer fashion show, Fashion Week El Paseo, held at The Gardens on El Paseo in Palm Desert.

This world-class event provides an inspiring, immersive fashion experience and features cocktail receptions, trunk shows, celebrity meet-and-greets and much more. This event highlights fashion trends and showcases a who’s-who of the country’s top-design talents.

Indulge your inner fashionista at this premier, state-of-the-art experience that celebrates the newest collections of the industry’s most prominent influencers, emerging designers and innovators.

The event also raises money for charity. In 2019, nine charities received nearly $60,000 in donations.

Signature events:

March 19, 6-9 p.m. Trina Turk 25th Anniversary Celebration March 20, 8 p.m. Trina Turk at 25 March 21, 8 p.m. Victoria Hayes: Past, Present and Future

Celebrate 15 years of style at the West Coast’s largest consumer fashion show, Fashion Week El Paseo, held at The Gardens on El Paseo in Palm Desert. In addition to magnificent runway events Fashion Week El Paseo offers trunk shows and parties. PHOTOS COURTESY FASHION WEEK EL PASEO

March 22, 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Victoria Hayes Trunk Show 6 p.m. Le Chien, Presented by Animal Samaritans March 23, 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Aneka Brown Trunk Show 8 p.m. Once Upon A Time… On El Paseo March 24, 10:30 a.m. to noon Meet and Greet with Michael Costello and “Project Runway”Designers 8 p.m. Michael Costello and Reality on the Runway March 25, 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Michael Costello and “Project Runway” Trunk Show 8 p.m. The Shops on El Paseo Presents Luxury Fashion Night March 26, 8 p.m. FIDM/Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising Debut March 27, 8 p.m. The Best of Saks Fifth Avenue

Milan, New York and Tokyo, Fashion Week in Los Angeles is not limited to just one week, it spans a variety of dates during the month.

This year’s events will showcase award-winning designers from all over the world to media, buyers, industry elite and affluent clientele at several locations, including the Petersen Automotive Museum and The Majestic in downtown Los Angeles.

The fashion weeks offered in Los Angeles are unlike any other fashion event on the international calendar as a host of competing organizations stage runway shows and red-carpet events featuring a wide variety of “looks,” including edgy streetwear and custom contemporary.

Some events are exclusive invite-only affairs, and others have tickets available to the public. If you can navigate the maze of competing shows, you can experience some of the most exciting and innovative fashion now produced in the country.

March 28, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. The Best of Saks Fifth Avenue Trunk Show 8 p.m. Edwin Oudshoorn Presents A Fashion Spectacular March 29, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Edwin Oudshoorn Trunk Show

Fashion weeks in Los Angeles

March 19-29 Info https://losangelesfashionweek.com Info https://lafw.net Info www.facebook.com/thesocietyfashionweek/ Now a permanent feature on the international fashion week circuit, alongside London, Paris,

PHOTO COURTESY FASHION WEEK EL PASEO

M A R C H 15, 2020

S U N D AYS I G N A L · 2 9

Discover your roots at the history fair

By Michele E. Buttelman Signal Staff Writer

W

ho are you? Who are your ancestors? Where do you come from?

When did your ancestors arrive in the United States? These are just some of the questions that can be answered when you research your family tree.

On March 21, you will have the chance to answer some of those questions, or, at least, find out how to answer those questions at the annual Family History and Genealogy Fair to be held from 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. The fair will be held at the Valencia Family History Genealogy Center, which was established in 1978. It is open to the public 45 hours each week.

The all-volunteer staff of research experts assist interested patrons in researching their family tree.

The center’s equipment includes computers with free access to premium websites, microfilm and microfiche readers with access to more than 2 million rolls of microfilm, printers, scanners and a book library.

Monthly or twice monthly classes are held at the center throughout the year on a variety of topics.

The Santa Clarita Valley Family History and Genealogy Fair is a free event hosted each year by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It is open to the public and all are welcome. The day is, however, limited to the exploration of genealogy and how to research and preserve your genealogy and family history.

Experts and professionals in family history will help participants discover tools and techniques for finding out more about your family tree and ancestors through live and video presentations.

THINGSTODO

Among the topics at the fair: • Discover how to find names to add to your family tree.

• Learn new techniques to preserve your family legacy.

• Find out how to share your discoveries with others.

Workshops

The day will consist of a number of workshops with the majority focused on family history research. The presenters have been recruited from the ranks of local research experts. Other classes will be by professional experts in family history and genealogy that come from Roots Tech 2019, the world’s largest family history event.

Whether you are a beginner and have never used the premier family history and genealogy tools or have more advanced experience, the fair will offer something for every level of genealogy exploration.

Among the workshop topics: • Finding female ancestors • Using Family Search to solve genealogy problems • Digitally organizing genealogy “stuff ” for next of kin • Writing a personal history and interviewing others • Connecting DNA matches, obituaries, death notices and funeral records • Family history in the palm of your hand • Finding ancestors, beginning genealogy • The silent language of stones. Reading gravestones through symbols and carvings

Box lunch available

Box lunches will be available for purchase so you can attend a full day of workshops. The lunches are $8 per person, payable the day of the event (cash

only). Reserve your lunch ahead of time when you register.

Family-friendly event

This community event is family-friendly and all youth ages 12-18 are invited to attend and develop their own skills learning family history research. It promises to be a day to build families.

Registration and tickets

Preregistration is not required, however if there is a class you wish to attend you will have priority admission if you preregister. Participants can fill out preferences, and reserve workshop admission, on the order page when you register. In addition, if you want a box lunch on the day of the event, preregister before March 20. It will ensure a lunch is available to you.

The Valencia Family History Genealogy Center is located at 24443 McBean Parkway, Valencia. For more information, visit www.scvfamhistfair.com To register, and see a complete list of workshops, visit www.eventbrite.com/e/scv-family-historyand-genealogy-fair-2020-tickets-92817631033.

Left: Valerie Lunt carries a reproduction dress and bonnet to be added to a display of historic items and costumes from 1847 to the 1860s as part of last year’s family history and genealogy fair. Right: Boy Scouts of America Merit Badge councilor June Perkins assists scouts at last year’s fair. PHOTOS BY DAN WATSON / THE SIGNAL

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M A R C H 15, 2020

GARDENING

Nobody’s perfect — Not even the gardening ‘experts’

By Jane Gates Signal Staff Writer

W

e like to believe that the garden experts (yeah, like me) who write the books we buy, direct us with what we should do on television or on the internet, and write knowledgeable articles will always give us the right information.

We forget that people are only human and can make mistakes, too.

So, what are some of the more common misconceptions or poor advice I’ve run into from experts I’ve worked with? Here are some that surprised me.

“What has grown well for the experts will grow well for you.” Or maybe not. I’ve spoken with a couple of top garden book writers who are positive which plants will grow well and which won’t — anywhere. Yet after gardening for many decades, I can say for certain that just because a plant flourishes in one area does NOT guarantee it will be happy even in an area that appears to be similar.

You can underline that for Santa Clarita!

One expert — with several top-selling garden books — assured me that a plant I know will not grow well here, MUST thrive because it does so well in the inland San Diego area.

This person is highly respected in professional gardening circles — and wrong! But then, she’s never lived and gardened in Santa Clarita.

“Famous landscape designers and architects don’t make big mistakes.”

Most of us who design gardens work hard not to make mistakes. A good designer or professional gardener will stand by his or her work and make right any errors. But things happen.

There are a few designers who are highly esteemed (and extremely well paid) who prefer to keep up the illusion they know everything. I have been called in to fix these mistakes all too many times. I do not know if they genuinely believe themselves to be perfect or that is part of their effort of branding themselves. Just don’t buy into the illusion. People with talent

Here’s an example of a happy accident. This Salvia canariensis self- seeded itself at the base of a fig tree. They now grow together making the plain green fig tree look showy with Salvia blooms. Nature follows her own rules. PHOTOS BY JANE GATES / THE SIGNAL

and a lot of experience will likely perform way better than those without.

But nobody’s perfect!

“Aphids have spindly legs and cannot climb back up stems once washed off with water.” I have been guilty of giving out this advice myself since it has been chanted by garden gurus forever. While washing off some aphids in my greenhouse a friend pointed out several of the little insects boldly trundling straight up her arm.

“Those legs seem to be climbing up just fine on me,” she observed. I had to agree.

“Ladybugs will solve all your aphid problems.” I was directly assured this by arguably the best known television garden celebrity some years ago.

Ladybugs (and their immature forms) are excellent control for eating pests like aphids. They have ravenous appetites for many insects and are great garden helpers. Still, not only do they tend to miss insects hidden in tight folds of leaves, but they often fly off to other feeding areas before finishing at yours. Enough pests can be left behind to spawn a new infestation all too soon. This is also true for other natural predators, too, like the praying mantis. Welcome nature’s helpers, but don’t expect magic!

Yellow aphids with “spindly legs” on milkweed plants

“My gardener can prune my trees.”

Trees are large and special organisms.

Proper treatment and pruning is a science. If you want yours to grow strong and healthy, lasting for many decades, spend the extra to hire a good arborist. There is a reason these people spend years in their specialty. It may look easy to just chop off limbs, but trees take a long time to mature and how they grow can impact their health and the safety of your house and family. Just because someone is willing to climb your tree with a saw does not make him or her into a tree expert.

“Nurseries know all about the plants available.” Most nurseries do know about the plants they stock, but they can’t know everything. A very fine tree grower recently assured me

that the ultra-dwarf fruit tree variety I have doesn’t exist. Happily ignorant of this misinformation, my fruit tree is thriving, fruiting and growing just fine as the tree it really is.

“If you follow the rules, your garden will always look great.”

First of all, rules are always changing. Secondly, all living things are always changing. Even plants need to take a rest every now and then when they don’t look their best. Nature makes her own rules and will always send the unexpected — and often uncontrollable — bit of weather, genetic weakness, pest attack or plain old serendipity to interrupt your plans.

Love your garden for the amazing, constantly-changing beauty it has to offer. Nature doesn’t do “perfect” either!

Speaking of “perfect” gardens, don’t be fooled by photos of all those fabulous gardens seen in print and online. I remember seeing a garden with awesome looking garden photos.

But on close examination you could see spring and autumn flowering plants blooming side by side in the same picture. And on further scrutiny, a shot of a gorgeous pond revealed plastic pond lilies growing in non-existing colors!

Horticultural photographers will take pictures of the best areas of landscapes and individual plants when they are in their prime. A properly maintained garden with good design will show well year round despite the fact that some areas may look better than others at times. Even glamorous public gardens with a full-time staff of gardeners occasionally must close off areas for renovation!

The moral of this story is you need to do your homework. Research your questions. Experts are people who have put much of their life into learning their trade. But they are not infallible. So get multiple answers when you have questions and accept that much of the fun of gardening is in the experimentation and the lessons you can learn from trial and error.

Use advice from others for guidance (most of it is very helpful), then focus on your own learning journey as a gardener. Experimentation can be fascinating. And fun!

M A R C H 15, 2020

S U N D AYS I G N A L · 3 1

HOMEIMPROVMENT

Dealing with contractors and invasive water

By Robert Lamoureux Signal Contributing Writer

Persistent deck leaking Hi Robert, I am on a Board of Directors at an HOA. We had our decks redone two years ago and we still suffer from persistent leaking to several of the units.

The contractor that redid the decks says that his work is sound and not the source of leaking, but we don’t have any other possible sources to look at and don’t know how to prove that this is the issue.

What can we do to ensure that we are getting 100% accurate information to fight with against this contractor?

It looks like we may have to start talking about the Contractor’s Board, but we for sure want to be well armed with accurate information before we officially complain against him.

— Richard H. Richard, While looking at the photos you provided me, what sticks out initially is that the decking material has been rolled up over the bottom of the stucco.

What that did, because the decking system is water proof, is it has encapsulated the water that has traveled through the stucco (remember stucco is porous, it’s the paper that keeps the water out) and down the paper, to underneath this waterproofing and onto the deck/into the units.

What should happen is that the waterproofing should go on, 10–12 inches of stucco should have been broken out at the bottom, there should have been wall-to-deck flashing installed.

A weep screed (a flashing detail) should then be installed so that it directs that water away from the building and onto the waterproofed deck, and eventually to a drain of some sort.

Any water intrusion that you’re experiencing, like what I see on the photos of the interior, is due to this improper installation of the decking system.

Unfortunately, we see this very often, it’s incredibly poor work and causes folks like you undue headaches and expenses.

I’d take this information to the contractor and try to work out a deal for repairs, noting that if it’s not made right then the Contractor’s Board will be contacted.

Normally, when you mention the Board, contractors will rise and do the right thing so I’d give this a try first and then move on to the next step if needed. Good luck.

Pool overflow with rains Dear Robert, I live in Stevenson Ranch and had a pool put in many years ago. Every time it rains, if I don’t stick a pump into my pool to drain it as it rains, it eventually makes its way into our family room.

We are beside ourselves with frustration and thankful that it doesn’t rain more, but we need a permanent fix. I went online and see that there is a way to put an overflow drain into a pool, but this is normally done when the pool is being built. Now that we are after the fact, I wonder if this is even remotely possible to have done, are you able to guide us?

— Jared N. Jared, It is attainable. If you are handy, you will have to first locate an area of the pool where there is a deck drain

nearby, because you’ll be tying into that deck drain. Remove the coping in this area, which is the stone along the edge of the pool, take about 8-12 inches wide.

You’ll have to purchase your overflow drain — this is a piece of PVC which is about 4-5 inches wide and stands probably about an inch high.

It’s flat and then turns into a regular piece of PVC drainpipe.

This regular end will be what you tie into the deck drain system.

Now comes the bigger part of the job, the saw cutting of the concrete.

The concrete will need to be saw cut from the decking edge of the pool to the drain, so that you can dig down to lay the pipe that you’ll tie into the drain.

You’ll saw cut the bond beam, which is the gunnite/plaster area, to fit this overflow drain.

Before you do this, plan it out so that the overflow pipe is about an inch above your water line, so that the water will find it’s way to this pipe and out to the area drain system.

Now, lay the overflow down and tie in all of the pipes together.

Compact the soil well and pour your new concrete, setting your coping back down.

Your coping tile inside the pool can be replaced if salvageable, if not then try to choose an area that is not as visible so if you need to choose a close tile then it isn’t such a big eyesore.

This is quite the project but doable if you take your time and are somewhat knowledgeable on these scopes.

Reach back out to me if you need additional information, and good luck to you.

Robert Lamoureux has 38 years of experience as a general contractor, with separate licenses in electrical and plumbing contracting. He owns IMS Construction Inc. in Valencia.

His opinions are his own, not necessarily those of The Signal. Opinions expressed in this column are not meant to replace the recommendations of a qualified contractor after that contractor has made a thorough visual inspection. Email questions to Robert at robert@imsconstruction.com.

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M A R C H 15, 2020

H E A LT H

Important things learned about Alzheimer’s in 2019

I

n 2019, researchers discovered meaningful insights into the causes, risk factors and treatment of Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias. Here are five of their important discoveries: 1. Lifestyle may play a major role in reducing risk.

We’re told that eating a healthy diet and exercising are good for overall health, but did you know that these habits may also reduce one’s risk for cognitive decline and dementia?

Research reported at this year’s Alzheimer’s Association International Conference suggested that making multiple healthy lifestyle choices — including eating a low-fat, high vegetable diet, not smoking, getting regular exercise and engaging in cognitive stimulation — may decrease dementia risk and may even offset increased risk caused by genes or exposure to air pollution.

This year, researchers also learned that intensive high blood pressure

treatment can significantly reduce the occurrence of mild cognitive impairment, which often leads to dementia.

2. A blood test is on the horizon.

Researchers are working at full speed to develop a simple blood test that can detect signs of Alzheimer’s early and accurately. Blood tests are cheaper, easier to administer, less invasive and more accessible than many advanced technologies currently available for Alzheimer’s research and diagnosis.

Once these tests become available in doctors’ offices, they may also play a role in early detection of dementia, giving individuals and families more time to plan for the future and get needed care and support services, and potentially increase their chances of participating in clinical trials.

3. Alzheimer’s is different in men and women.

Two-thirds of people living with Alzheimer’s disease in the U.S. are

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women, but scientists aren’t exactly sure why. This year, researchers learned about a number of differences in progression and risk between women and men, including newly identified sex-specific risk genes, sexbased differences in how Alzheimer’s may spread in the brain and cognitive benefits for women who participate in the paid workforce.

4. Vision and hearing loss may increase dementia risk.

Most older adults experience some form of vision and/or hearing loss later in life. New research suggests these sensory impairments may increase risk for cognitive decline and Alzheimer’s, especially if you experience both.

Sensory impairment screening may help identify older adults at higher risk of developing dementia, thereby encouraging early detection.

This new knowledge opens the possibility that preventing or correcting sensory impairments may reduce

dementia risk.

5. Researchers are looking at new drug targets.

Researchers are taking a fresh look at the possible causes for dementia and how drugs might be used to stop the disease in its tracks. More than 500 new candidate drug targets have been identified that address everything from reducing inflammation in the brain to protecting nerve cell health.

The Alzheimer’s Association’s Part the Cloud awards help fund this type of out-of-the-box research and move findings from the laboratory, through trials, into possible therapies for people.

Researchers are poised to uncover even more in 2020 and beyond.

Increased funding for research from the federal government and nonprofit organizations is driving the rapidly growing body of knowledge about Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.

(StatePoint)

M A R C H 15, 2020

GETTIN’ UP THERE

S U N D AYS I G N A L · 3 3

SENIORLIVING

Seniors and COVID-19

By Diana Sevanian Signal Staff Writer

W

e’ve spent our lives worrying about “macro” disasters — airline crashes, financial dumps, terrorists, even plummeting space junk.

Then a novel microorganism comes along and throws us a whole new curveball. I’m referring to COVID-19, the crown-like spiked coronavirus that arrived in late December with a lethal boom in China, and has spread to 100 countries, sickening more than 100,000 people and killing some 4,000.

The not yet well-understood microbe is now causing illness and death in our nation. And we are rightfully concerned.

It appears that most folks who get it won’t be seriously ill. But anyone carrying the virus — even those who have not yet developed symptoms — can potentially transmit it to others.

In worst cases, COVID-19 can cause lung lesions and overwhelming pneumonia that can lead to death.

People 60 and older, especially those with chronic illnesses (heart, lung, kidney disease, diabetes and other conditions affecting the immune system), are at highest risk.

The symptoms, which can take two-14 days to appear, include, fever, shortness of breath, dry cough, and fatigue. If you develop these signs, immediately contact your medical provider and preferably not go to an ER unannounced as precise infection control precautions must be in place for incoming patients.

The respiratory virus can easily spread person to person, mainly among those in close-proximity — within homes, offices, congregate gatherings and other confined spaces. These tiny pathogens can travel through air via respiratory droplets, released when an ill person sneezes, coughs, talks or just breathes.

They can also pass to us from surface/inanimate object contamination, like phones, keys, doorknobs, elevator buttons, etc.

An excellent “antiviral” weapon is frequent handwashing — minimum 20 seconds with soap and warm water, robustly scrubbing the entire hand.

If soap/water are unavailable use hand sanitizer, which is scarce right now but can be made with alcohol and aloe vera, or just alcohol if that’s all you have. Also, regularly disinfect surfaces, press elevator buttons with your elbow, cough/ sneeze into your elbow and keep hands away from your face.

The Centers for Disease Control reports that regular face masks are not recommended for healthy people as they don’t keep the wee Coronavirus particles from getting through.

The CDC also recommends that seniors, pregnant women and anyone with compromised immune systems use social distancing to help break the viral transmission chain.

Stay home. Avoid travel and enclosed places with large gatherings.

Don’t meal/drink share. Skip the handshakes, hugs and kisses — for now.

Get a 14-day food, water, and medication reserve in case you must self-quarantine during this outbreak. Speak with your doctor and loved ones about your concerns and needs.

We’re are all in this together, and we can help keep ourselves and others healthy by calmly applying these proactive measures.

For more information about COVID-19 info, visit: CDC www.cdc.gov/coronavirus World Health Organization www. who.int L.A. County of Public Health www. publichealth.lacounty.gov Diana Sevanian is a retired R.N. and longtime Signal columnist.

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34 · S U N D AYS I G N A L

M A R C H 15, 2020

TIMERANGER

Abraham Lincoln Shot Here in Newhall!

Sigh. Have to confess. I do, so, like the rain. If I were Emperor of the Santa Clair-reet, my first official act would be to make sure it rains thrice weekly. Nothing Old Testament. Just a pleasant shower to wash away dust, sins and problems.

We’ve a most interesting trek ahead, going back into the SCV of yesteryear. And, for you desert dogs, bonus? No rain…

and it’s pretty easy to remember: 1.

That’s it. Dial One. MARCH 15, 1950

WAY BACK WHEN & THEN SOME

• “Make it quick …” Outlaw Tiburcio Vasquez saw his last sunlight on March 19, 1875. He was hanged in San Jose, right after lunch, at 1:35 p.m., for murder. The legendary womanizing bandit, after whom Vasquez Rocks was named, uttered his last word before visiting the hereafter. It was, “Pronto.”

He was pronounced dead at 1:47 p.m. and cut down 25 minutes after that.

Interesting, Tibby was buried up north in a Catholic cemetery in Santa Clara.

Interestingly again, we used to be confused with the Northern California town, Santa Clara, what with us being called the Little Santa Clara River Valley back then.

MARCH 15, 1920

• Evidently, quarreling is nothing new Local cowboy Tom Mix released his latest flick, “The Feud” at the Cody Theatre in San Fernando. This was before Mix really established himself as a Western star and he played a hillbilly. Today, it costs $7-$9 to go to the flicks. Back in 1920, it was 18 cents for an adult admission, with a few pennies for the war tax.

Wonder what Tom would think if you told him you could take a family of four out to a movie and it could cost you a hundred bucks — or, back then, 20% of the cost of a new home.

MARCH 15, 1930

• A prime case of nobody thinking, including the horse Frank LaSalle was not exactly the hero of the town on this date. LaSalle said he had been bothered by trespassers of late and fired off a revolver to chase some riders off his land. Problem was, they were teen-aged girls and one of them, Edith Harris, was thrown when her horse spooked from the gunshot.

Edith suffered several broken ribs and a cracked skull. Lassalle owned a huge vineyard near where Calgrove

and the I-5 meet today. He used it as a movie ranch for years.

• And what don’t we understand about the phrase, “Check to see if it’s loaded?” The movie, “Abraham Lincoln” was shot in Hasley Canyon.

Someone should have inspected the guns because one of them carried a live round, wounding one of the extras in the groin. There’s a “Wish It Coulda Been Harvey Weinstein” joke in there, but we’ll be man enough to avoid it. Oh. Little trivia. The movie was directed by a local ranch owner — D.W. Griffith.

MARCH 15, 1940

• So who’s Clifton? The L.A. County Board of Supervisors voted to change the name of the Clifton Union School District back to its original title — Saugus. Saugus was called Clifton for about two years. In 1908, the Saugus Elementary School District was formed from bits of the Newhall and Castaic school districts. The original school (1910) sat close to the intersection of modern Bouquet, Valencia & Soledad. While the campus was spared from 12.5 billion gallons of water in the rupture of the St. Francis Dam on March 12, 1928, about half the student body died in the disaster, along with some of the staff. A 1935 bond measure that would cost locals an impossible $1,500 per person failed at the ballot box — 7 to 6. If any of you saddlepals know why the name “Clifton” was chosen, do let me know…

• Good work, deputies! Here is, perhaps, one of the most succinct police reports ever filed: “Dog examined by Deputies Keeler and McIntyre. Has worms. No further report.”

• Wait. Can you repeat that? Best telephone number in Newhall in 1940? Has to go to Newhall Lumber

• Nope. Not the ones from New Orleans On this date, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints held their first local service. It was in the Seventh Day Adventist Church. Don’t have first names for them, but Elders Blake and Bowles worked with the San Fernando Stake to set up an LDS congregation in the SCV and eventually build the first church. There were 61 local Mormons at that first meeting.

• Our most famous court case The decade-long trial for the estate of William S. Hart continued. His former secretary, Frances Nelson, said the aging actor was despondent in his later years that his son and exwife never came to visit, and, when they did, it was for money or favors.

Gossip columnist Hedda Hopper was the star witness at the little Newhall Courthouse on this date, testifying that Hart was of sound mind when she visited him in his later years.

They had talked about a barn dance they had held here in Newhall in 1916 with Douglas Fairbanks Sr. MARCH 15, 1960

• The brief pelican (get it?) The Newhall sheriff ’s substation had a rather unusual prisoner behind bars.

A large pelican had been walking up and down the tracks all morning, stopping trains, and local gendarmes were called to arrest the bird. They kept it in a holding cell until the L.A. Zoo arrived to claim it. I’m guessing Deputy DeBernardi tried to use that as an excuse to take the day off and go fishing so the bird would have something to eat …

MARCH 15, 1970

• I was in Fran Wrage’s living room when it happened Fred Aldrich was named head football coach at Canyon High. Fred earned local fame losing a bet on a televised UCLA basketball game in the 1970s. Aldrich didn’t know the game was TAPE DELAYED and lost $20 to Jerry Thon, who correctly predicted an upset Bruin loss.

• Technology gives, and technology taketh away We weren’t such a talky bunch as we are today with faxes, e-mails, cell phones and regular

phone calls. Pacific Bell upped their rates on this date for regular service from $5.85 to $6.60. I’d bet most people in the SCV sneak up on the $100 per month rate for all the various phone services. If anyone has any hard data, we’d sure like to peruse it...

• Even as a pretend mayor, he did better than many real mayors Stan Dyer was sworn in as the SCV’s first unofficial mayor on this date. The title was strictly honorary and given to the person who raised the most money for the Boys & Girls Club.

• Wish I had a framed and autographed copy A Signal photographer snapped a classic picture of then-Gov. Ronald Reagan giving some student protesters the, ahem, “bird,” during a Board of Regents meeting in Berkeley.

Because of the photo, attorney Robert Treuhaft subpoenaed Gov. Reagan in a separate case for his client, David Cronin. Cronin was arrested for giving the, ahem, “bird,” to police officers in Berkeley and lawyer Treuhaft wanted to use the governor to establish community decency standards.

• Pete used his famous “Hey! What’s that behind you?” Pitch Some skinny kid named Pete Calzia struck out 17 batters in Hart’s 2-2 called-ondarkness tie with Newbury Park. Had they let them play on, Pete would have struck out 300 — maybe 400 — batters …

MARCH 15, 1980

• Death and motorcycles Tragic week at Indian Dunes, the old motorcycle race park off Highway 126.

Local child actor Ronnie Densford was filming an episode of the hit TV show, “CHiPs” there. Same day, in an unrelated incident, a dirt bike racer died after crashing his bike at high speeds. Densford switched careers, becoming a gaffer.

Thanks for the company, dear saddlepals. You’re all good medicine. See you next week with another exciting Time Ranger history adventure. Until then —¡Vayan con Dios, amigos!

John Boston has been writing about SCV history for more than 40 years.

You can buy his books and novels on Amazon.com. Best you turn this into action and do so right jolly now …

M A R C H 15, 2020

S U N D AYS I G N A L · 3 5

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36 · S U N D AYS I G N A L

M A R C H 15, 2020

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MA R C H 15, 2020

Opinion

S U N D AY S I G N A L · 3 7

Unless otherwise stated, the views and opinions expressed are those of the respective authors and do not necessarily represent the views of The Signal.

OUR VIEW

E T H I C A L LY S P E A K I N G

Striking a Balance in Understanding and Living Paranoia vs. Foolishness with Our Expectations

By David Hegg

By The Signal Editorial Board

T

here’s paranoia. There’s panic.

And on the opposite end of the spectrum, there’s foolhardiness.

NBA player Rudy Gobert of the Utah Jazz was fulfilling his media obligation after a shootaround on Monday, and did so at a podium packed with microphones and recorders, because the NBA had already decided to keep media out of locker rooms due to the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus.

Gobert, attempting to demonstrate his view that people were being too paranoid about the virus, proceeded to touch every microphone and recorder on the podium as he exited the press conference. Two days later, he was diagnosed with COVID-19, and his diagnosis became a triggering event in what was probably already inevitable: the suspension of the NBA season and, in turn, the suspensions of virtually all major U.S. professional and college sports.

Somewhere between paranoia and foolhardiness is good sense.

We have been advocating from the start of the COVID-19 scare that people should not panic, should not over-react, but should not under-react, either. Yes, you should prepare for

the possibility that you might have to self-quarantine at home for a couple of weeks. Yes, you should practice all of the preventive hygiene, hand-washing and social distancing safety tips that are readily available to all.

But panic, no.

We are doing our level best to represent that correct measure of concern in our news coverage, without sensationalizing, spreading unconfirmed rumors, or stirring disproportionate fear. We strive to keep you apprised of all the latest developments, including cancellations of events, transitions of educational institutions to online learning, and the vital information emanating from the L.A. County Public Health Department, the city of Santa Clarita, the state and other government sources.

We pledge to continue doing so for the duration of the COVID-19 pandemic, in a measured, responsible way.

Meanwhile, we advocate for all: Don’t panic. Don’t be paranoid. But don’t be foolhardy, either.

O

ver my years counseling families, and especially married couples, I have found that most problems can be traced back to the area of expectations.

And I’ve boiled it down to this: unexpressed expectations are hardly ever met, and unmet expectations are hardly ever forgotten.

Expectations. We all have them, and we have them in almost every area of life. We walk into restaurants and shops with certain expectations of their products, service and staff.

We get into our cars with rock-solid expectations for our trip and especially for the attitudes and actions of the other drivers we’ll encounter.

We have a whole list of expectations for our employer or employees, our neighbors, our friends and our governing officials. I could go on and on to list the myriad areas where we have carefully crafted expectations, but defining the areas isn’t my goal.

My goal is to look specifically at the role expectations play in our interpersonal relationships. And I’ll

limit it to our relationships with our spouses, our kids and our workplace partners. These are the arenas where unmet expectations can cause the most harm in us all.

Have you ever found yourself sideways with someone you were close to, and couldn’t for the life of you understand why? It might have gone like this: For reasons unknown to you, there seems to be a cold war brewing between you.

Conversation has stopped, and the non-verbals are like darts and you’re the bull’s-eye. When you’ve had enough, you dare to confront only to be told some variant of, “If you don’t know, I’m sure not going to tell you!”

You persist in trying to figure out what’s wrong only to find — finally — that you failed to meet the other person’s expectation. It doesn’t matter just what it is. You just didn’t live up to an expected standard. And the situation only gets worse when, in response to your naive declaration that you didn’t know, the anger rocket’s second stage ignites amid a flurry of See HEGG, page 38

READERLETTERS

Don’t Read and Drive Interesting that people are worried about being around others for fear of the virus, but they don't seem to worry at all about driving the streets of Santa Clarita. With speed demons on McBean Race Way driving 55 or 60 mph and tailgating to boot, many on their cell phones, and those turning right on a red light without checking oncoming traffic, seem to me to be something to really be concerned about.

Last week, driving north on Interstate 5, a car passed me and I was shocked to see the driver had a

newspaper he was reading propped up on his steering wheel. I was so shocked I dropped my lipstick into my cup of coffee.

Karla H. Edwards Valencia Editor's note: We're conflicted. While we hope that motorist was reading a copy of The Signal, we do not advocate reading The Signal while driving.

An Arbitrary Number I have recently repeatedly heard about various

localities banning large groups during this crisis, but in the same sentence saying that no groups larger than 250 will be permitted. Good grief, 250 is a large group!

I’d like to suggest that, if it can’t be done with a group of 25 or less, whatever it is be postponed.

We are dealing with something that none of us has met before. We must take it extremely seriously.

Richard Myers Valencia Submit a Letter to the Editor

Include name, address & phone; Anonymous letters are not printed; Email: letters@signalscv.com.

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MA R C H 15, 2020

Opinion

Contact: Tim Whyte, Signal Editor Phone: 661-287-5591 | Email: letters@signalscv.com Mail: 26330 Diamond Place, Suite 100, Santa Clarita, CA 91350

BLACK&WHYTE

D R AW I N G C O N C LU S I O N S J E F F S TA H L E R

Big Wednesday and the Dominoes that Followed

By Tim Whyte Signal Editor

W

ednesday just felt like THE day.

I’m not trying to take credit for any special newsman’s instinct. But it was palpable. As Wednesday progressed, you could see the chain reaction happening before your eyes, email after email, broadcast after broadcast, sometimes just minutes apart.

After weeks of buildup and speculation, critical mass was reached, and the coronavirus’ impact on our daily lives made itself felt like it had not yet done.

The dominoes started falling late Wednesday morning.

In addition to my day job as editor of The Signal, I am a part-time faculty member in the Journalism Department at Cal State Northridge. This semester, I’m teaching a sports journalism class, and the faculty members and university have been swapping emails for the past couple of weeks about making the just-in-case plans to conduct classes online if it should become necessary.

It became necessary Wednesday morning.

Just the day before, I’d talked to the students in class and assured them we would adjust assignments and work together online to get through the semester should the switch happen.

It’s a sports class, so we were already anticipating that some of the events the students were assigned to cover might be played with no audience, or might be rescheduled, or canceled altogether.

My niece’s university in Orange County did the same thing CSUN did, switching to online instruction.

Moments after I found out about the CSUN cancellation of in-person classes at least until April 20, I found out my daughter’s school, Washington State University, pulled the same trigger.

Kids. You worry about them. You worry more when they are 1,100 miles away. There’s a helplessness about that.

So yes, I worry.

As of Wednesday my son’s university in Oklahoma hadn’t pulled that trigger. Because Oklahoma. They’re a rugged, obstinate bunch. But just up Interstate 35 in Oklahoma City, later that day, would be the epicenter of a shutdown that stopped the sports world in its tracks, as the NBA suspended its season, starting with a game that was to match the OKC Thunder with the Utah Jazz.

By Thursday, the University of Oklahoma pulled the trigger, too, switching to online classes. So now everyone in my family who is associated with a university — me, my daughter, my son, my niece and my nephew — is doing it online-only.

Here at home, it was one after the other, too. California Institute of the Arts announced on Big Wednesday that it also would go online. College of the Canyons followed suit a day later.

Then the business community, government and other organizations started announcing their own cancellations and closures. Chamber of Commerce events, fundraisers, sports, even Disneyland — you name it.

And there’s the upshot: Even if you never contract the coronavirus — and I dearly hope you don’t — it is going to impact your life in profound ways, from school to work to life in general.

What will the next weeks and months bring? Hopefully Big Wednesday was a good start toward mitigating this thing.

Meanwhile, I’m still looking for a stockpile of rubbing alcohol and aloe so I can finally make a batch of homemade hand sanitizer.

Tim Whyte is editor of The Signal. His column appears Sundays.

HEGG

Continued from page 37

“I can’t believe you could be so insensitive to my needs” or something like that. Now you’re mad, and the other person is madder still, and the situation heads downhill from there.

Here’s the problem. While we all have expectations — and let’s face it, we have way more than we admit or even realize — the vast majority of them never leave the comfortable security of our own minds.

People who are always expressing their expectations are labeled needy or worse, so we learn early on to keep our wants and expectations of others’ behavior to ourselves. But, that doesn’t stop us from feeling hurt, mad or both, when our private set of rules and regulations for life are broken by those around us.

But it doesn’t have to be this way. If unexpressed expectations are hardly ever met, and unmet expectations are hardly ever forgotten, then the solution is right in front of us. We need to be more communicative to those we love and live with, while at the same time recognizing that expressed expectations invite others to engage in a process that will, hopefully, produce the best, mutually agreed-upon expectation for all.

But there is one more side to the story. Certainly, increased communication among spouses, friends and co-workers can reduce the carnage of unmet expectations to a degree, but what is needed additionally is a strong ethic of patience and trust.

Patience is the willingness to wait before jumping to the most negative conclusion, while trust takes over and chooses to think the best rather than the worst until objective evidence to the contrary is clear and incontrovertible. In good relationships, communication takes care of most of the problems, while patience and trust deal decisively with the rest. The partnership between skilled behavior (communication) and strong values (patience and trust) is absolutely necessary for strong, productive interpersonal relationships.

It is time we start putting some greater expectations on our own area of expectations. It is time we choose to communicate clearly while growing in patience and trust just in case those around us don’t. I think that is what those around us are expecting, even if they don’t say so.

Local resident David Hegg is senior pastor of Grace Baptist Church. “Ethically Speaking” appears Sundays.

PUZZLES

SOLUTIONS

M A R C H 15, 2020

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