Sunday Signal Nov. 25, 2018

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NOVEMBER 25, 2018

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S U N D AYS I G N A L · 3

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4 · S U N D AYS I G N A L

N O V E M B E R 25, 2018

TABLE OF CONTENTS NEWS FEATURES

5

NEWS OF THE WEEK

9

CITY MANAGER

12

REAL ESTATE

14

SPORTS

16

Family shares about ‘recovering’ from autism • Animal Tracks Inc. offers respite for animals, visitors in need City rings in holiday cheer • Giving season • For Hart High the beat goes on • Jury convicts in less than an hour Fires offer tragic reminder of need for disater prep This week in real estate

Happy Holidays from our Families to Yours

15829 Toscana Court $1,499,500 Canyon Country, CA 91387 • Active Listing MLS# SR18133234 Single Family Residence 4beds 4baths Sq. ft.: 3,608 lot size: 42,561 sqft Garage: 3/ attached Built in 2012

ABOUT THIS PROPERTY Here is your chance to live in this beautiful turnkey home in a gated community. This single story pool home is in the Preserve in Sand Canyon. You will be immediately impressed with the well maintained yard and walkways leading to the front door. Inside you will find a very open floor plan featuring travertine flooring large fireplace, and custom leaded windows. The chefs delight kitchen has granite counter tops, SS Appliances, double ovens, a large island and breakfast bar, walk-in pantry and so much more.

The large dining room is perfect for entertaining. Going into the master bedroom you will find walk-in closets and opens to a beautiful master bath with large sunken tub with leaded glass windows and many amenities. All bedrooms Kellar Davis has over are tastefully decorated. The oversize laundry is complete yearscabinets, of experience with 18 sink, and folding area. Perhaps the most CANYON COUNTRY and specializes impressive aspect in of the this home is the back yard. ItOFFICE features 16670 Soledad Canyon Rd. Santa Clarita, CA a large pool and spa, fire pit with seating area, and so many Santa Clarita market.

661.299.5570 beautiful plants and trees. Interior/exterior recently painted.

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SCV youth teams win big at Superbowl XIV in Valencia • Experts share a few safety tips for young athletes • Strategies to get kids to exercise

CALENDAR 17 18 OPINION Our View • David Hegg • Tim Whyte

HOME IMPROVEMENT 21 TIME RANGER 22 KIDS & FAMILY 23 SCHOOL 25 How families can start volunteering together

HEALTH & FITNESS

26

ENTERTAINMENT FOOD

28 30

ART

32

BEAUTY

33

To your good health • A cold dose of healing

Take a seat at Mama’s table • The roots of Hanukkah food traditions Enjoy the SCV arts scene over the holidays Feeling Soapish in Santa Clarita

GARDENING

Defining hardscape and how to use it • Autumn is prime time for

34

tending to the garden

SENIORS

35

PROFILE GIFT GUIDE BRAIN GAMES

36 39 41

How to stay flexible as you age

Games • Crossword • Village Idiot

SUNDAY SIGNAL SignalSCV.com Richard Budman Perry Smith Tim Whyte Brad Lanfranco Doña Uhrig Karen Bennett • Matt Boyle • Abner Gutierrez

Publisher Sunday Signal Editor Signal Editor Advertising Director Production Manager Graphic Designers

26330 Diamond Place, Suite 100 | Santa Clarita, CA 91350

661-259-1234 On the cover: PHOTO BY DAN WATSON / THE SIGNAL

N O V E M B E R 25, 2018

S U N D AYS I G N A L · 5

S C V F E AT U R E

Family shares about ‘recovering’ from autism “Once, we got him standing up on two feet in terms of his immune system, he started doing a lot better,” n her book and on her websaid Marcia. site, autism-and-treatment.

In addition to putting Ryan on a com, Marcia Hinds and her strict diet, they also had enrolled him 30-year-old son Ryan Hinds in a number of behavioral and educahave openly talked about how he has tional programs. “recovered” from “He still took his autism.

NOW, MORE THAN his medication, While completing because someone, 20-YEARS-LATER, their undergraduate say, with diabetes RYAN IS NOW AN studies at UCLA, needs insulin,” said Marcia and Frank AEROSPACE ENMarcia. “But we Hinds participated didn’t agree with GINEER, AN AVID in a program that the doctors that just SURFER AND HAS attempted to help said it’s a developautistic children.

TRAVELED ACROSS mental disorder.”

However, even Now, more than THE GLOBE. experience and 20-years-later, Ryan a background in is now an aerospace behavioral studies engineer, an avid didn’t stop Marcia surfer and has traveled across the from slipping into denial while Ryan globe. was growing up, she said.

And while successes in his life may “The issue was always trying to find lead some of those around him to the right doctor that could help,” said believe that he was “cured” from his Marcia. “He would do things that autism, Ryan has said that he has only would worry us, but doctor’s kept “recovered” with treatment. saying that it was something behav“This is not a simple fix,” said Marioral.” cia. “But we say now that Ryan has At the age of 4, Ryan was diagnosed ‘recovered’ from his autism because with autism by an expert in Minnehe no longer has any of the traits a apolis — where the family lived at the person with autism has.” time, and his parents were advised to Ryan’s story is made up of a series institutionalize him. of options chosen by his parents; op“I was told that he needed to be tions driven by information accessible institutionalized, and that he would to not only Hinds, but also to parents never get better,” said Marcia. “Bathroughout the Santa Clarita Valley. sically, they told me, ‘Go home, love For instance, the North Los Angeles your kid and make him the best autis- County Regional Center Santa Clarita tic little boy he can be.’”

Valley offers informational meetDeciding to ignore the Minnesota ings, access to resources and support doctor’s advice, Ryan’s parents decidgroups for families with an autistic ed to keep searching for different op- child. tions, scheduling appointments with “We would not promote, or say doctor after doctor. It was not until ‘no’ to, certain types of things, such they read about the story in an autism as a strict diet,” said Kathleen Secchi, newsletter about a doctor in Simi coordinator for the Family Focus ReValley that the couple then decided to source Center in Santa Clarita. “What move back to Southern California. we do is provide information on a “We took an approach that was number of things that can contribute medical, educational and behavioral,” to growth and success.” said Marcia. “One of the things we Officials at the Family Resource realized was that autism causes issues Center have said that they can help for his immune system.” parents navigate programs that are Marcia went on to say that they both “early start” — for children age put Ryan on a low-sugar, no-dairy 3 or younger — or services for older diet in order to help his digestive and children and young adults that are 3 immune systems. to 22 years of age.

By Caleb Lunetta Signal Staff Writer

I

COURTESY PHOTOS

“When it comes to autism, the earlier the better” said Secchi. “If they can get those services before kindergarten, that’s a big thing.”

Secchi said that there are also a number of community partners and school districts with special education programs that the Family Resource Center works alongside with.

“There’s not one simple answer, but there’s a lot of resources available,” said Secchi.

For more information on the Hinds’ story and to purchase the book, visit autism-and-treatment.com. For more information about the Family Resource Center visit their website at www. nlacrc.org. 

6 · S U N D AYS I G N A L

N O V E M B E R 25, 2018

S C V F E AT U R E

A refuge from the flames in Agua Dulce —

Animal Tracks Inc. offers respite for

By Caleb Lunetta Signal Staff Writer

A

s the Woolsey Fire burned its way through parts of Los Angeles County, Animal Tracks in Agua Dulce once again offered up its nonprofit facility as a sanctuary for exotic animals in harm’s way.

“If we take animals, we take them responsibly,” said Stacey Gunderson, the director of Animal Tracks Inc., as she pointed to two parrots that had been sent to the sanctuary after the brush fire threatened their owners’ home in Calabasas.

Taken over by Gunderson and her husband, Troy, in 2008, after decades of work between the two of them in the animal training-side of the movie industry, the Animal Tracks Inc. facility has grown to house dozens of species of animals — whether they be given refuge due to a wildfire, or because of negligent owners.

“The wild lemur now only has a tiny portion of its population left in Madagascar, and they will likely be extinct by the end of my lifetime,” said Gunderson. “We can only help

so many animals here, but when we heard about Telo, a lemur who had gotten bitten by another lemur and who’s muscles had atrophied in her back two legs, we just had to help.”

Telo’s home was crafted to ensure that the public can interact with her, but also so that she’s always within the confines of a healthy environment for the creature, according to Gunderson.

“What we’re about is come here if you want to play with alligators, but don’t put an alligator in your bathtub; come here if you want to play with monkeys, but don’t put a monkey in your house,” said Gunderson. “It’s all about safety for us here: safety for you and safety for our animals.”

Guests who visit Animal Tracks are given the first taste of their hands on educational experience when Pincher, an Asian forest scorpion about the size of an average adult human’s hand, or The Erminator, a 14-foot albino Burmese python, are brought out during the visitor sign-in process.

Guests then head to the barn area, where staff members are crafting the day’s food for over 23 species of animals.

Hundreds of dollars worth of fruit, vegetables and meat are chopped daily, and many of the toys and apparatus used for the animals are handcrafted by the staff in the barn, according to Gunderson. For instance, Telo, who’s back leg muscles are just know growing back after being at the the sanctuary for three months, has her own custom wheelchair made by a local firefighter.

Once through the gate and inside the main area

Top: Dobby the Fennec fox.

Center: Shemu the emu.

Bottom: Monzo the serval.

Télo the lemur. PHOTOS BY AUSTIN DAVE / THE SIGNAL

PHOTOS BY AUSTIN DAVE / THE SIGNAL

N O V E M B E R 25, 2018

S U N D AYS I G N A L · 7

S C V F E AT U R E

animals, visitors in need

of the sanctuary, which is lined with various-sized cages and pens, guests are given the opportunity to have eye-to-eye, hand-to-fur moments with over 60 animals ranging from ferrets, to alligators to wolf-hybrids.

A Fennec fox named Dobby is brought out of its pen as Cavies, who resembles a smaller version of a capybaras — the world’s largest rodent species — nibble upon guests’ shoelaces. Tucked away in the corner of the lot is Monzo, a Serval big cat, who suffers from a multitude medical conditions brought on by age and a former owners’ negligence, but still comes to “rub up on” visitors.

“A lot of these guys were bought illegally by their original owners and they think that they can be kept as pets in their homes. But they can’t,” said Gunderson. “I always compare it to Harry Potter: ‘They’re similar enough to intrigue, but they’re different enough to offend.’”

Some guests are even given the opportunity to have Capuchin monkeys, named Maci and Marley, and a baboon, named Chrissy, crawl onto their backs, as Gunderson informs you about their behaviors and why they do what they do.

“These are very personal experiences,” said Gunderson. “Just by you sitting here, (Maci and Marley) are touching you and they’re getting comfortable with you, and once they are, they’ll climb on you all day.”

It’s that connection established between her and the animals, and the connection her animals establish with the guests, that makes Gunderson and people come back to the sanctuary everyday. And why people in a crisis trust her with their animals.

“This works with kids with autism, people with depression... we had a family who just lost someone and wanted to come feel better with the monkeys,” said Gunderson. “Everyday, I still feel warm and fuzzy being here.”

Those wishing to make a reservation with the Animal Tracks Inc. sanctuary, or learn more on how to donate to the nonprofit, can visit their website at animaltracksinc.org.  Right center: Ranch director Stacy Gunderson removes Jake the cockatoo from his enclosure at the Agua Dulcebased animal sanctuary Animal Tracks Inc. Right bottom: Pincher the Asian Forest Scorpion.

8 · S U N D AYS I G N A L

N O V E M B E R 25, 2018

DECEMBER 8TH AND 9TH

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S i n g e r/s o n g w r i t e r R a c h e l C o l e

SANTA CLARITA PERFORMING ARTS CENTER AT THE COLLEGE OF THE CANYONS Celebrate the season with many of your favorite holiday melodies as well as a few original selections by singer/songwriter Rachel Cole from her latest CD. The concert will conclude with a sing-along of the “Hallelujah Chorus” from Handel’s “Messiah.”

WWW.SCPHILHARMONIC.ORG

N O V E M B E R 25, 2018

S U N D AYS I G N A L · 9

Holiday

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Malani Maynard, 2, tells Santa Claus what’s on her wish list at the Light Up Main Street event. PHOTO BY DAN WATSON / THE SIGNAL

By Ryan Mancini Signal Staff Writer

S

anta Clarita marked the coming of the holiday season with its annual Light Up Main Street event in Old Town Newhall on Saturday.

Hundreds of residents and guests from outside Santa Clarita gathered from one end of Main Street to the other, with the event culminating outside the Newhall Library with a tree-lighting ceremony.

Walking up and down Main Street, families visited local businesses and restaurants. Lines of people zigzagged for face painting, sitting for a picture with Santa Claus or the Grinch and waiting for food at one of the 10 food trucks beside the library, opposite the stage and the tree.

“I was commenting as we were walking up Main Street here, how awesome it is to see a lot more businesses having booths set up,” said Daniel Dod, a Santa Clarita resident with his wife, Heather, and their two children.

The Sustins were another family in

attendance. This year’s Light Up Main Street was their first.

“It feels like we’re in a Hallmark movie,” said Eden Sustin. “One of the Christmas Hallmark movies. So that’s what really made us girls want to come, because (of) the fantasy of it.”

In the time before the tree lit up, the Canyon Theatre Guild sang multiple Christmas songs. Led by executive and artistic director TimBen Boydston, songs included “We Wish You a Merry Christmas,” “Jingle Bells” and “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.”

All of the City Council members gathered onstage and, following a countdown, the tree’s lights illuminated. With the audience cheering the lit-up tree, Mayor Laurene Weste wished everyone a safe and happy holiday season.

Mayor Pro Tem Marsha McLean said she was proud to see so many residents come together and start to celebrate Christmas ahead of Dec. 1.

“As you can tell by the crowd here,” she said, “no one seems to mind that it’s a week before Thanksgiving.” 

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N O V E M B E R 25, 2018

LOCALNEWS

The giving season—

Senior Center’s capital campaign gets big boost from supervisor’s office

By Crystal Duan Signal Staff Writer

T

he new Santa Clarita Valley Senior Center building on Golden Valley Road, slated to be completed in spring 2019, got an unexpected half-million-dollar contribution to its capital campaign on Monday, delivered personally by county Supervisor Kathryn Barger.

Executive Director Kevin MacDonald and Senior Center Board President Peggy Rasmussen welcomed Barger and her justice deputy, Stephanie English, to the new center’s construction site for what MacDonald and Rasmussen initially assumed was a tour.

The group walked through the future location of the two-story, 30,000-square-foot building on Golden Valley Road, as MacDonald and

Rasmussen explained the placements and purposes of all the rooms.

MacDonald noted the senior population had been growing, and now they were in need of more services such as a health and wellness center in partnership with Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital, a second-career center, a technology center, an education center in partnership with College of the Canyons, a financial information center in partnership with AARP and a center for senior rights.

At the end of the tour, Barger — who represents the county’s 5th District, which includes the SCV — unveiled the real reason she had come: to present MacDonald, Rasmussen and the senior center with $500,000 from the county to help with their campaign to raise enough funds to complete the new facility’s construction.

“It’s a surprise, and it was absolutely

From left, Kevin MacDonald, SCV Senior Center executive director, and Peggy Rasmussen, chair of the center’s board of directors, receive a check for $500,000 from county 5th District Supervisor Kathryn Barger on Monday. PHOTO BY DAN WATSON / THE SIGNAL

out of the blue,” Rasmussen said. “But it was a delight.”

“We found out that we had the ability to put aside money for this senior center. Rather than doing a phone call it’s nice to surprise somebody,” Barger

said. “We’re going to be doing fundraising down the line, so this is a nice jump start to getting more money going.”

MacDonald said the contribution would help significantly in closing the gap in the campaign.

“We’re thrilled with this additional support from the county,” he said.

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N O V E M B E R 25, 2018

S U N D AYS I G N A L · 11

LOCALNEWS

For Hart High, the beat goes on

By Matt Fernandez Signal Staff Writer

T

he Hart Regiment Band and Show Choir once again earned an annual recognition, winning first place for an unprecedented 14th year at Saturday’s 2018 Southern California School Band and Orchestra Association, or SCSBOA, Marching Band Championship at Downey High School.

California is such a large state that it needed to be divided in half for band competition adjudication, according to Hart Band Director Anthony Bailey.

Saturday’s competition was the “state championship” for Southern California, and fielded the top 12 bands from each division, divided by size. Hart took gold in the 4A division.

“This win shows the consistency we have and how it’s rewarded us over the years,” Bailey said. “But what’s more important to me is the quality music education. I want them to be good at their instruments and enjoy the arts. I don’t expect them to all go on to be professional musicians, but what I want them to walk away with is dedication, camaraderie and everything else that goes along with being in band. Music for music’s sake is also OK.” This year’s show, “Connected,” was inspired by the idea of coming together.

“In the time that we live in, the kids are so connected to their devices, so we wanted to show them that a band is about coming together,” Bailey said.

“It’s about learning to play together and communicate as performers. It takes a group to do what we do and that’s what the arts are all about, interacting with one another and communicating art.”

Bailey said that this was a unique year for the band and presented unusual challenges. “Connected” was not the original show that the band was supposed to play this year and after a few tries, Bailey decided that

the other show was not a proper fit for the band.

“As we sat with the first show, it didn’t feel like Hart, in that it wasn’t contemporary, didn’t seem to be pushing the activity and that it felt like it had already been done,” Bailey said. “We take pride in our creativity and try to present innovative ideas to the audience... With ‘Connected,’ we were able to present things that were more visually unique Additionally, this year’s band was comprised largely of freshmen, some of whom only learned how to play an instrument the year before. This meant a slower pace for Bailey, who had to spend more time teaching marching fundamentals, on top of the over 100 pages of music and choreography for this year’s show.

The biggest challenge was getting his band acclimated to the rigors of the sport, from balancing life with the long practice hours to playing in blazing heat or bitter cold, Bailey said.

On a more personal note, this was also the first year that Bailey’s son was in the band.

“It’s been great experiencing everything through his eyes and seeing him learn the activity for the first time,” the proud father said. “He’s been following me and this band around for his entire life, but to finally see him earn his own medal for the first time made me proud as the band director but also as his dad.”

Though the competitive season may be over, the band is not yet done performing, and after a day of rest on Monday, the band will go right back to practice Tuesday. On Nov. 30, the band will perform at Disneyland for a community arts program. Then the band will prepare for its spring semester performances.

“As a musician you want to develop a unique sound so all year long we focus on making sure the kids are proud of their sound,” Bailey said.

“Marching bands have a variety of talent and it’s not like a sports team where you start with your best players and sub people in. There’s a place for everyone on the field.” 

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12 · S U N D AYS I G N A L

N O V E M B E R 25, 2018

FROM THE CITY MANAGER

Fires offer tragic reminder of need for disaster prep

By Ken Striplin City Manager

T

he numbers are astounding.

Wildfires this year in our state have burned an area of 1,667,855 acres, claiming lives, destroying homes and causing $2.975 billion in damages. All this adds up to 2018 being the most destructive year of wildfires on record.

Let these daunting statistics remind you to get prepared. There are many actions you can take now to lessen the impact of a wildfire.

First, make sure that your home has adequate brush clearance around it. Make sure that all dead and dying trees and shrubs are removed and those that are healthy are pruned.

Clear your roof, gutters and eaves of debris that could catch fire, and trim tree branches so they do not reach over your roof.

Inside your home, make sure you have the recommended number of working smoke detectors. The National Fire Protection Association recommends homes should have smoke alarms installed inside every bedroom, outside each sleeping area and on every level of the home. Also, make sure you have a fire extinguisher and know how to use it.

Every household should create a family emergency plan. Identify escape routes from your home and designate a meeting space so family members know where to reunite should they become separated. You also should identify the various routes you can take to get out of your neighborhood to safety.

Families should prepare an emergency kit and have it at the ready in case they need to quickly evacuate.

The kit should include first aid supplies, basic tools, a flashlight, clothing, medicine, important documents and insurance policies, among other necessities.

I would also encourage you to get to know your neighbors. They may need your help, or you may need theirs in the event of an emergency.

Consider asking your homeowners association to host emergency preparedness meetings to share concerns and identify elderly or disabled neighbors who made need extra help.

Our firefighters and sheriff ’s deputies are often stretched thin during these massive emergency situations.

By taking part in Community Emergency Response Training, also known as CERT, you can learn how to respond in a disaster situation. CERT participants learn how to recognize the potential hazards associated with a particular type of emergency and take the appropriate action, identify, organize and utilize available resources and people, and treat for life-threatening conditions through Simple Triage and Rapid Treatment, or START. Through preparation, coming together as a community and know-

SIGNAL FILE PHOTO

ing how to respond, we can lessen the impact a wildfire would have on our city. I want to take this opportunity to thank our Los Angeles County Fire Department and the firefighters across our state, and across the country, who have spent days at a time on the fire lines protecting homes and lives. Thank you for all you do.

The winter session of CERT begins on Jan. 17. To sign-up or get more information, please visit the city’s website at santa-clarita.com.

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N O V E M B E R 25, 2018

S U N D AYS I G N A L · 13

LOCALNEWS

Jury convicts in less than an hour

By Georgia Rios Signal Contributor

A

jury Monday in a San Fernando courtroom found Nicholas Colletta, 21, of Saugus, guilty of first-degree murder in the July 2017 shooting death of Ivan Solis.

Colletta was found guilty of first-degree murder in personally and intentionally discharging a loaded weapon for the benefit, association and by the direction of a street gang, after the prosecution shared testimony from his girlfriend at the time, Jaqueline Arreola, and evidence from the scene, both tying Colletta to the shooting at Begonias Lane Park in Canyon Country.

Colletta shot Solis seven times, once in the head, twice in the upper abdomen and twice in the lower abdomen, according to evidence presented during the trial last week.

Both sides made closing arguments and rested Friday, and Judge Cynthia Ulfig then released the jurors to deliberate on Colletta’s fate. They spent less than an hour before returning a verdict that was sealed Friday, due to public defender Jerome Bradford’s unexplained absence.

Colletta faces a maximum potential sentence of 50 years to life in prison when he’s sentenced next year.

Colletta is due back in court Jan. 18.

According to testimony presented in court last week, on Colletta’s first pull of the trigger, the gun jammed, forcing him to have to clear the

GIVING

Continued from page 10

Barger said of seeing the site.

“I’m excited,” she said. “To feel the depth of all the services they’re going to have, it’s really something that the city’s been committed to, and it’s going to be holistic. They’re going to be always looking to reinvent themselves to address the needs of the seniors.”

The capital campaign has $500,000 more to raise through the fall, and the estimated completion date for

chamber of the live round, according to the prosecution. After clearing the firearm, he then proceeded to shoot Solis seven times: twice in the head, twice in the upper torso, twice in the lower torso and once in the right forearm.

Deputy District Attorney Adan Montalban laid out evidence that he said demonstrated that the bullet casings from a shooting a few days before the Begonias Lane Park incident — which detectives reportedly traced back to Colletta — matched the shell casings of the bullets used by the man who shot Solis to death. Montalban said detectives also found cellphone records showing Colletta’s phone was in the park at the approximate time of the murder.

However, the most damning evidence, Montalban said, came from the calls placed by Colletta while he was knowingly being recorded in prison.

On the taped phone calls, Colletta can be heard saying, before the prosecution’s evidence was presented earlier this year, that he knew that the only witnesses were “drug-addicted witnesses,” to which Montalban asked the jury, “How did he know who were witnesses?”

“This is not ‘circumstantial’ evidence… this is called ‘overwhelming’ evidence,” said Montalban at the end of his concluding argument.

“This evidence proves that the defendant is guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.”  construction is February. The programs will move to the new facility in March or April, and the center will be officially open by spring, MacDonald said.

L.A. County has now donated $3.5 million, which matches the city of Santa Clarita’s contribution. Additional funds have been raised from community fundraising and private party donations.

The $11.4 million building will replace the existing senior center on Market Street in Newhall. 

14 · S U N D AYS I G N A L

N O V E M B E R 25, 2018

R E A L E S TAT E

The market is shifting, locally and nationally

By Ray Kutylo Signal Contributing Writer

P

eople often ask me, “How is the market?”

Is it a buyer’s market? Is it a seller’s market?

Since mid-summer, we have seen a more balanced market, where neither seller nor buyer has the upper hand in position or negotiations.

Price appreciation has leveled off in a trend

that preceded normal seasonal expectations, and interest rate increases have dampened demand somewhat.

Locally, infill construction and sales have remained steady, but like the resale market, weakened affordability and decelerated job growth is cooling demand after a sustained run-up. Comparing market segments, sales have significantly cooled at the higher price points, but the entry segment is still going strong.

Looking forward — and with the disclaimer that, if I had perfect predictive properties, my

life would be very different — many of my real estate colleagues and I do not see much if any housing price appreciation going into the traditional spring selling season.

Locally, we have seen a great deal of home value appreciation over the last few years, which has brought us back to or above the low levels we saw less than a decade ago. There are, of course, many larger economic forces that impact our local housing market, including interest rate changes and job creation or losses.

Absent any sudden and drastic change, price

moderation and a balanced buyer/seller market is where we are. Locally, there will continue to be steady demand, largely due to out-migration from Los Angeles, since people will want better schools for their children, less congestion and crime — and more home for their money.  Ray the Realtor® Kutylo has been a licensed Realtor since 1986, and he’s also a member of the SCV Home Team at Keller Williams VIP Properties.

You can reach Ray the Realtor at (661) 312-9461 or Ray@SCVhometeam.com.

CA DRE# 00918855

SANTA CLARITA VALLEY CLOSED SALES 11/09/18 TO 11/16/18 AREA/St#

St Name

ACTON/AGUA DULCE 33105 Santiago RD #123 33541 Overland

Sold Price

Br/Ba

Sqft/Source

Price/SqFt

$325,000 $700,000

3/2, 3/2,

1248/A 1751/A

$260.42 $399.77

CANYON COUNTRY Fanchon LN #127 Claudette ST #108 Oak Spring Cyn RD #12 Stillmore ST Dolton DR Kevin WAY Gary DR Poppy Meadow ST Olympian CT Canvas ST Lotusgarden DR Cardinal CT Mount Stephen AVE River Birch CT Vasquez Canyon RD

$302,000 $344,900 $420,000 $432,000 $465,000 $495,000 $510,000 $513,000 $520,000 $537,000 $550,000 $595,000 $634,950 $690,000 $710,000

2/2, 2/2, 3/3, 3/1, 3/1,1, 4/3, 4/3, 3/2, 3/3, 3/2, 3/2, 4/3, 3/2, 4/4, 4/2,

964/A 964/A 1605/A 920/A 1300/A 1839/A 1911/A 1198/A 2015/A 1446/A 1572/A 2477/T 2036/A 3195/A 2078/A

$313.28 $357.78 $261.68 $469.57 $357.69 $269.17 $266.88 $428.21 $258.06 $371.37 $349.87 $240.21 $311.86 $215.96 $341.67

31929 32015 28003 28223 27704 27838 30007 30457

CASTAIC / VAL VERDE Emerald LN Quartz LN Banjo CIR Alton WAY Wilderness PL Pine Crest PL Penrose LN Mallorca PL

$404,000 $435,000 $486,900 $574,000 $590,000 $695,000 $740,000 $775,000

3/2, 3/2, 3/2, 3/3, 5/3, 6/3,1, 4/3, 5/3,

1392/A 1536/A 1385/A 2052/A 2253/A 3205/A 3312/A 3152/P

$290.23 $283.20 $351.55 $279.73 $261.87 $216.85 $223.43 $245.88

NEWHALL 19211 Avenue Of The Oaks #B 26066 Redhawk PL 24944 Newhall AVE 23876 Wildwood Canyon RD 21550 Cleardale ST

$275,000 $502,000 $507,500 $550,000 $1.650 M

2/1,0,1, 3/3, 3/2, 4/3, 4/4,

864/A 1504/A 1326/A 2413/A 4362/AP

$318.29 $333.78 $382.73 $227.93 $378.27

SAUGUS 20000 Plum Canyon #1814 28108 Bobwhite CIR #14 22603 Guadilamar DR 28724 Magnolia WAY 28478 Old Spanish TRL 22583 Pamplico DR 27419 Catala AVE 28040 Linda LN 21033 Susan Carole DR 20514 Chaz CT

$375,000 3/3, $400,000 2/1,0,0,1 $490,000 3/2, $515,000 3/3, $525,000 3/3, $535,000 3/2,0,1, $560,000 4/2, $600,000 4/3, $625,000 4/3, $655,000 4/3,

1370/ 1117/A 1230/A 1450/A 1680/A 1680/A 1260/A 2515/A 2566/A 2702/A

$273.72 $358.10 $398.37 $355.17 $312.50 $318.45 $444.44 $238.57 $243.57 $242.41

20342 26875 28971 19026 27425 29504 29314 29275 18543 16922 29216 27458 17326 17020 16301

AREA/St#

St Name

SAUGUS (continued) 20516 Charlie CT STEVENSON RANCH 25730 Perlman PL #D 25748 Perlman PL #C 25703 Holiday CIR #B 25842 Flemming PL VALENCIA 23947 Del Monte DR #11 26939 Hillsborough #23 24764 Masters Cup WAY 24216 Lema DR 27477 Coldwater DR 25636 Ramada DR 27017 Pebble Beach DR 25607 Ramada DR 23940 Avenida Entrana 23136 Frisca DR 23141 Frisca DR 23953 Via Rosa Linda 24314 Allori WAY 25426 Via Labrada 27502 Sycamore Creek DR 23529 Via Amado 28368 Lobelia LN 27102 Colebrook PL 29368 Calle Primavera 23242 Beaumont ST 29137 N West Hills DR 24307 Calle Terraza

Sold Price

Br/Ba

Sqft/Source

Price/SqFt

$735,000

5/4,

4003/A

$183.61

$445,000 $445,000 $450,000 $1.095 M

4/3, 3/2,0,1, 3/2, 5/3,0,1,

1348/A 1614/A 1488/A 3842/AP

$330.12 $275.71 $302.42 $285.01

$317,500 $387,000 $425,500 $430,000 $445,000 $448,000 $460,000 $512,000 $530,000 $535,000 $538,000 $550,000 $550,000 $575,000 $575,000 $625,000 $658,000 $719,000 $720,000 $769,500 $772,000 $890,000

1/1, 2/2, 3/3, 3/3, 2/2, 2/2, 2/2, 3/2, 3/2, 4/2, 3/2, 2/2, 3/3, 4/2, 4/2, 5/3, 3/3, 4/3, 4/3, 4/3, 4/3,0,1, 4/3,

710/A 863/A 1217/A 1226/A 1352/A 864/A 1573/A 1128/A 1429/A 1747/A 1529/A 1374/A 1936/A 1596/A 1624/A 2336/A 2197/A 2149/A 2655/A 2574/O 3159/A 3427/A

$447.18 $448.44 $349.63 $350.73 $329.14 $518.52 $292.43 $453.90 $370.89 $306.24 $351.86 $400.29 $284.09 $360.28 $354.06 $267.55 $299.50 $334.57 $271.19 $298.95 $244.38 $259.70

Based on information from the Southland Regional Association of REALTORS®/Multiple Listing Service for the week ending on 11/16/18. All data, including all measurements and calculations of area, is obtained from various sources and has not been, and will not be, verified by broker or MLS. All information should be independently reviewed and verified for accuracy.

Properties may or may not be listed by the office/agent presenting the information.

N O V E M B E R 25, 2018

S U N D AYS I G N A L · 15

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16 · S U N D AYS I G N A L

N O V E M B E R 25, 2018

SPORTS

SCV youth teams win big at Superbowl XIV in Valencia

By Dan Lovi Signal Staff Writer

T

he Santa Clarita Valley takes its football seriously, as evidenced by the city’s participation at local high school games on Friday nights and at College of the Canyons games on Saturday evenings.

If you want more proof past the large crowds in the bleachers, look no further than the Gold Coast Youth Football League, or GCYFL, which houses three local youth football teams: the Santa Clarita Wildcats (a feeder program for Hart, Valencia and West Ranch high schools), the Santa Clarita Grizzlies (Canyon and Golden Valley) and the Saugus Spartans.

The GCYFL has six divisions ranging from the Mighty Mites, for players age 6-8, to the Seniors, ages 12-14. (The divisions also take into account a player’s size.)

At this year’s 14th annual Super-

bowl, which took place Saturday, Nov. 10 at Valencia High School, three of the six division titles were claimed by SCV teams.

The Santa Clarita Wildcats won the Mighty Mites division, beating the Fillmore Raiders 8-0 in the title game.

The Saugus Spartans won the Bantam division, for ages 8-10, by a final score of 34-0 over the Santa Clarita Grizzlies.

In the Junior division, the Santa Clarita Wildcats claimed another title, defeating the LA City Ducks Green 28-20. The Junior Wildcats have won four out of the last five championships.

“We have great coaches and great kids that go out there and do what they are asked to do every week and that’s what the makes the program so strong,” said Darren Wyre, Wildcats coach and president of the Santa Clarita Youth Sports Association, or SCYSA. “We all stand behind each other. From the Mighty Mites

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Santa Clarita Golden Valley Grizzlies players (from left, in white) Zach Davis (2) and Niles Davis (20) go after a loose ball during the freshman game against the Grace Brethren Lancers during the Gold Coast League Superbowl games held at Valencia High School. PHOTO BY DAN WATSON / THE SIGNAL

to the Seniors, we all support each other. All the coaches talk. Whatever we can do to help every other

team win is what we try to do.”

See SUPERBOWL, page 38

Experts share a few safety tips for young athletes Sports are a great tool to teach young people various lessons. Sports can instill a sense of teamwork and responsibility in youngsters while promoting a physically active lifestyle that can benefit kids into adulthood.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that roughly 30 million children participate in youth sports in the United States each year.

Unfortunately, many of those young athletes suffer injuries while participating in sports. Injuries might be seen as an almost inevitable byproduct of participating in sports, but the CDC notes that more than half of all sports injuries in children are preventable. Parents and children can work together to prevent injuries.

• Speak with your young athlete about pain. Johns Hopkins Medicine recommends parents discuss pain with their young athletes, encouraging them to speak up and seek help if they feel pain or if any part of their bodies does not feel right after playing sports.

• Emphasize safety during practice.

It’s easy to overlook sports practices when considering sports-related injuries, but Safe Kids USA notes that 62 percent of organized sports-related injuries occur during practice. In spite of that, Safe Kids reports that one-third of parents do not have their children take the same safety precautions during practice that they would during a game. Parents and coaches can emphasize to children that sports safety should be a priority during both practice and games.

• Get a sports physical. Preseason physicals are typically required for scholastic athletes, but that might not be so for recreational athletes.

Even if leagues don’t require sports physicals, Johns Hopkins advises parents to schedule such exams anyway. Such examinations can determine if kids are fit to play and may uncover injuries or conditions that may make kids vulnerable to injury.

See SAFETY, page 38

N O V E M B E R 25, 2018 2018

S U N D AYS I G N A L · 117 7

= Family Friendly Event

THIS WEEK’S CALENDAR

ONGOING

Santa Clarita City Council Meetings second and fourth Tuesday of every month 6 p.m.

Council meetings are also broadcast live on SCV TV channel 20 and on the city’s website. Santa Clarita City Hall, City Council Chambers, 23920 Valencia Blvd., Santa Clarita. Info: City Clerk’s Office: (661) 255-4391.

Sundays, 7:30 a.m. Dragon Boat Paddling.

Experience a long Dragon boat with the Castaic Lake Dragon Boat team and a two-hour physical workout. Free, no experience necessary. Paddle and PFD personal flotation device provided.

Info: teamdragoneyes.my-free.website (213) 447-5707.

Saturdays and Sundays, 1-4 p.m. The Santa Clarita Valley Historical Society invites guests to visit Heritage Junction Historic Park inside William S. Hart Park in Newhall. Tours are held every Saturday and Sunday, 1-4 p.m. 24101 Newhall Ave, Newhall. Info: scvhs.org.

Tuesdays, 7:30-8:30 p.m. Remo Community Drumming Experience is an hour of fun entry-level experiential music making with drums and percussion that is accessible to everyone. Family-friendly environment with facilitator. All ages and levels of ability are welcome and no prior musical experience is necessary. Drums and percussion instruments provided at no cost. Free. Info: santaclaritaarts.com.

Saturdays thru Dec. 8, 8 a.m. to noon. Trails & Open Space Beautification Projects. Join a group of dedicated volunteers and help clean up and maintain city trails. Interested volunteers must pre-register at SantaClaritaVolunteers.com.

Saturdays, 11 a.m. Family Nature Walk and a Native Live Animal Presentation at 1 p.m. Free. Placerita Nature Center, 19152 Placerita Canyon Road, Newhall.

Info: placerita.org.

Second Saturday of the month, 8 a.m. A docent-led bird walk for beginning to advanced birders. Bring binoculars, a field guide, and water. 19152 Placerita Canyon Road, Newhall. Info: placerita. org.

First, second and third Thursdays of each month, 6-9 p.m. ARTree Figure Drawing. Visit ARTree Community Arts Center for a chance to really explore your creative potential using a live model.

Just drop in and bring a pencil and paper. $10 donation. ARTree Community Arts Center, 22508 6th St., Newhall. Info: theartree.org Saturdays and Sundays (except rainy days

and holidays) 9:30 a.m. to noon. The Gibbon Conservation Center is open to the public. A tour is given at 10 a.m. and self-guided tours are available at all times. Admission: $15 (adults); $12 (teens and students); $10 (seniors); $5 (children 6-12); $0 (Children under 5). Gibbon Conservation Center, 19100 Esguerra Road Saugus.

Info: gibboncenter.org

EVENTS BY DATE

Wednesday, Nov. 28, 7 p.m. Electronica Musique. Performing under the direction of composer Bernardo Feldman, 12 up-and-coming composers, DJs and producers from College of the Canyons present a variety of music, dance and lights of exquisite beauty and boundless energy that will expand and challenge your expectations. Santa Clarita Performing Arts Center at College of the Canyons 26455 Rockwell Canyon Road, Santa Clarita.

Info: www.canyons.edu/Offices/PIO/CanyonsPAC/ electronica2018.

Thursday, Nov. 29, 5-9 p.m. Valencia Marketplace Annual Community Tree Lighting Ceremony. Tree Lighting, entertainment, Santa Claus. Valencia Marketplace, Amphitheater 25900 The Old Road, Valencia. 91355.

Info: www.valenciamarketplace.com.

Friday, Nov. 30, Friday Night Movies at College of the Canyons. See unique films you might have missed. Host and moderator Gary Peterson will discuss details of the films. All films are free and open to the public. Friday, Nov. 30, 6 p.m., “Film Stars Don’t Die in Liverpool”; 8 p.m., “Bombshell: The Hedy Lamarr Story”; Friday, Dec. 14, 6 p.m., “Three Identical Strangers”; 8 p.m., “Disobedience”; College of the Canyons, Hasley Hall, Room 101, 26455 Rockwell Canyon Road, Valencia NEW Friday, Nov. 30, 5:30-10:30 p.m. Wakefield Winter Wonderland is returning. The double cul-de-sac is filled with an impressive display of hundreds of thousands of lights. The display will take place until Friday, Dec. 28.

Saturday, Dec. 1, 8:30-11 a.m. The Old West Chapter is hosting ‘Breakfast with Santa’ at Old West Chapter No. 642. A home-style breakfast of scrambled eggs, sausage, pancakes and biscuits with or without gravy, juice, milk and coffee will be served. The children’s ticket price includes a plush animal and a picture with Santa. Mrs. Santa will offer homemade candies and other goodies made by her elves and helpers. The Old West Masonic Center is located at 19310 Avenue of the Oaks, Santa Clarita. Email reservations to orchidanni@aol.com.

Saturday, Dec. 1, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The Placerita Canyon Nature Center Craft Fair is a chance to make holiday wreaths, yule logs and other kid-friendly holiday crafts out of fresh-cut greenery and pine cones, while supporting the center. Cash and checks are accepted for craft supplies. The Placerita Canyon Nature Center is located at 19152 Placerita Canyon Road, Newhall. There’s no cost to attend. Email Linda Koopatz at lindabill.koopatz@gmail.com or call (661) 373-1052 for more information.

a selection of landscape, still life and floral paintings by Morgan with mediums in pastels and watercolor, acrylic and oils. Local artist since 1988, Morgan is member and past-president of Santa Clarita Artist Association and current actress and director at the Canyon Theatre Guild.

The event is located at Canyon Theatre Guild, 24242 Main St., Newhall. Info: Olga Kaczmar (661) 254-5267 Saturday, Dec. 8, 6:30 p.m. International Friendship Center’s annual Christmas Banquet.

Saturday, Dec. 8, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The Join us for a merry time with guest speaker seventh annual Hart Holiday Boutique is taking Marsha McLean with special holiday music place over both Dec. 7-8. As much about charm and a special Christmas message. Dinner and as it is about shopping, with local artisan and fellowship following the meeting. RSVP by Devendors offering handmade crafts, fashion accescember 8. The event is held at the International sories, jewelry and gift baskets, along with fall Friendship Center, 22421 Market St., Newhall and holiday gift items. The event is located at WilInfo: (661) 645-2985 liam S. Hart Park — Hart Hall, 24151 Newhall Ave., Newhall. The event is free to attend. Contact Sunday, Dec. 9, 5 p.m. The SCV Blues Society Eric Reifman or Al Ewing at (661) 259-1750, for hosts a monthly Blues Jam with a featured host more information. band and guest artists. Some of the best musicians around often join in on the jam. The event Saturday, Dec. 8, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Laurie Morgan presents a one-woman show at Canyon is held at the American Legion Post 507, 24527 Spruce St, Newhall. Tickets cost $5. Guests under Theatre Guild with an artist reception. The exhibit, “Seasons Around the World,” will include 21 are free. Info: http://www.scvblues.com

N!IN! IN! WIW W CONGRATULATIONS to Anna Marie Salvador — the winner of $100 for correctly identifying the artwork as being from Team Bjorkman Real Estate EXP Realty advertisement on page 17 of our Nov. 18 issue.

Identify this piece of artwork and the page number that it is on in one of the advertisements in this week’s issue, and you will be entered to win $100. One game and one winner each week.

Mail your entry to: The Signal – Contest 26330 Diamond Place | Santa Clarita, CA 91350 Or email to: contest@signalscv.com Advertiser: Page # Name: Address:

Phone:

This week’s entries are due Wed. Dec. 05.

Winner to be announced in 2 weeks.

1 8 · S U N D AY S I G N A L

Opinion

N O V E M B E R 25, 2018

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

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

OURVIEW

Barger Delivers Welcome The Paradoxical Nature of Surprise for Senior Center Joy in the Holiday Season

By The Signal Editorial Board

F

orgive us for still feeling a little Thanksgiving afterglow, but today we’re especially thankful for a current example of the power of teamwork.

And in this case, it’s a brand of teamwork that is going to make a huge difference in the quality of life for our community’s growing senior population, with the construction of a brand new Santa Clarita Valley Senior Center expected to be completed next year.

On Monday, L.A. County Supervisor Kathryn Barger arranged to meet Senior Center Executive Director Kevin MacDonald and Senior Center Board President Peggy Rasmussen so they could give the supervisor a guided tour of the construction site of the new center.

But the “tour” was a ruse for a very special surprise.

Barger, whose 5th Supervisorial District includes the SCV, brought with her an additional $500,000 in county funding — a much-needed contribution that pushes the new Senior Center ever so close to the finish line on its capital improvement fundraising drive to complete the project.

She didn’t tell MacDonald and Ras-

By David Hegg

mussen she would be arriving with a check in hand.

“It’s a surprise, and it’s absolutely out of the blue,” Rasmussen said. “But it was a delight.”

We’re glad to see Barger was able to have a little fun with the presentation of the check by turning it into a surprise — and we’re all the more glad to see this important project edging closer to full funding and completion.

It truly has been a team effort. With the contribution delivered by Barger on Monday, the county has now contributed $3.5 million toward the $11.4 million cost of the project.

That matches the contributions made by the city of Santa Clarita, which has made improving services for seniors one of its top priorities.

Between the county and the city, our local governments have ponied up $7 million to create something truly special for our senior community.

Once you add in all of the contriSee OUR VIEW, page 20

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f nominations were taken to determine the primary underlying ethos of modern America, some might rightly suggest consumerism. We are a people who often equate well-being with buying something, even if we don't need it. And if so, then we are about to enter that season when our collective purchasing passion is most on display.

Think about it. Do you ever go shopping in order to feel better? Does bringing a new “something” home make you feel happy? I know the feeling. But I also know that it is very short-lived. And you can chalk that up to the paradoxical nature of joy.

Life, as it really is, most often comes wrapped in paradox. Its basic elements are often counter-intuitive. Jesus was famous for his paradoxical statements: If you would be first, you must be last.

He who would lead must be servant of all. To find your life you first must lose it. If you think about it, all these have been proven true, and you'll find fancy explanations of them in most modern books on leadership and management.

The best leaders are those that care for — and serve — their people.

One of the greatest paradoxes is the fact that personal joy and a feeling of satisfaction are seldom the result of self-directed action. That is, if you focus on yourself, you'll seldom feel satisfied. And if you do, it will be neither deep nor lasting. In fact, self-focused people are usually the least joyful. The more they peer inward, the more they find to fuel their discouragement with themselves and their world. You know people like this. They just can't seem to live beyond themselves, and the more they try to buoy their lives with new stuff and the latest self-improvement strategies, the worse it seems to get. Ultimately, their only hope is to recognize that joy is a by-product of “others-centered” living. Joy is the bounce-back of love and compassion directed at those who share this world with us.

Ask any parent and you’ll hear the same story. As the kids grow up, Christmas takes on a whole new dress.

No longer is it really about what we See HEGG, page 20

READERLETTERS

Letter Unfair to Trump Re: Lois Eisenberg letter, Nov. 17: Please cite one example of President Trump’s rhetoric that promotes racism?

As for insulting reporters, if you are talking about Jim Acosta of CNN, I think the president was absolutely right about pulling his press pass.

Nobody should talk to dignitaries like that! It used to be the norm for reporters to ask one question and then relinquish the mic to another.

The president has praised Kim Jong Un for

meeting with him and improving relations.

What other despot has he praised? What ladies has he demeaned? When has he sided with white supremacists? Or, how is his agenda hateful?

Well?

Bob Comer, Valencia

Putting Party Before District Since the end of this most recent election there have been a number of letters bemoaning the

loss of Steve Knight, most of them commenting on what a good man he was. And I have no doubt that Congressman Knight is a good and decent man, who loves his family and is a man of honor and integrity.

Having said that, Knight committed the cardinal sin of putting party before district. For all his efforts to commemorate the St. Francis Dam and money for the Interstate 5, what he will be known for most are his repeated votes to abolish the Affordable Care Act, and his vote for the tax See LETTERS, page 19

N O V E M B E R 25, 2018

S U N D AY S I G N A L · 1 9

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 CO N C LU S I O N S:D R E W L I T TO N

Revisiting Youth Hockey, Memories and Poutine

By Tim Whyte Signal Editor Part 1: The Boy

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used to write about a lot of “firsts” when I was on my first goround with The Mighty Signal. Here and there, instead of writing about politics and government malfeasance, I’d switch gears and write about a slice of life.

You know. Baby’s first steps. Baby’s first birthday. First time we went ice skating together. First hockey game.

It started with our boy, Luc, born in 1995. And it continued with our girl, Brooke, born in 2001. I got a lot of mileage out of “dad” anecdotes, and it all came to a screeching halt when I left the paper in 2007.

Luc was 11. Brooke was 5.

Suddenly, for the first time in more than a dozen years, I didn’t have a column anymore.

Those little stories of “firsts" and slice-of-life experiences continued. I just wasn’t writing about them. The kids grew to appreciate the fact that I was no longer writing a column. In fact, when I told them I was returning to The Signal this past June, I picked up a distinct vibe from both kids, now 23 and 17 years old: “Dude. You’re not going to go back to writing columns about us, are you?”

I guess, as kids get older, they get a little more aware of how embarrassing Dad can be, especially if he tells stories about them in print.

Like this one: In 2008, the year after I left the paper, we took a big trip to Quebec City, in the middle of February, when the city was socked in with snow and celebrating its annual winter festival.

Luc was playing youth hockey with the L.A. Jr. Kings at the time, and the team went to Quebec for the world’s

biggest tournament of 12-year-old hockey players: The Quebec International Peewee Hockey Tournament.

It wasn’t so much just a hockey tournament. It was a life experience, for kids and parents alike.

The tournament, in hockey-mad Quebec, features over 100 teams from around the world. Each team played at least one game in Le Colisée, the former home of the NHL’s Quebec Nordiques (now the Colorado Avalanche). For the game featuring Luc’s team at Le Colisée, about 10,000 attended.

The Quebecois, they love their hockey. Even peewee hockey.

Luc’s team was coached by Nick Vachon, son of the legendary L.A. Kings hall-of-fame goalie Rogie Vachon. For the Quebec trip, Rogie — who’s revered with god-like status in Quebec — came along as a special guest coach.

Over the course of the tournament, our kids played 12 games in 10 days. They stayed not in a hotel with their moms and dads, but with local French-speaking “billet families” who fed the young hockey players, housed them and made sure they made it to the various rinks in time for their games, playing against opponents from all over the U.S., Canada, Russia and Europe.

Luc’s team played several Canadian teams, a Russian team, a Swiss team, U.S. powerhouses like Detroit Honeybaked, and the New York Jr. Rangers, who were coached by none other than Mark Messier.

The parents stayed in a fancy old hotel inside the walled city of Quebec — it’s the only fortressed city in North America, and the closest thing you’ll find to a European vibe on this See WHYTE, page 20

LETTERS

Continued from page 18

package that severely harms his constituents. A congressman is there to represent his district. The bill, whatever its merits, was clearly bad for many of the taxpayers of this state, a recognition that will be even more apparent when we file next year.

California’s Republican representatives provided the critical votes for this law’s passage, including Knight’s. It is therefore fitting and proper that this vote was significant in his electoral defeat, as it was for the other Republicans who lost their re-election bids. Knight lost sight of whom he represents, and now he will be a private citizen. This is what democracy looks like.

Lynn Wright, Valencia

A Time to Unite The 100th anniversary of the signing of the armistice is a time to unite and recognize the bravery and reality of warfare as a step to preventing any further such events. As part of the remembrance many of the world’s leaders took a symbolic walk in the rain down the Champs-Elysees in

Paris, but there were two missing: Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin. The concern is that, despite ‘playing nice’ at the moment, these are two of the countries most likely to start fighting.

The White House press secretary Sarah Sanders said this was ‘due to security protocols’ although it may have been due to the rain affecting Trump’s hairdo. Such a flippant suggestion is obviously inappropriate but so too is not remembering the fallen and the injured. Yes, there are people who may attack them but what of the other world leaders — are they not important enough to be worried?

Symbolism is important and unless Trump and Putin are willing to be leaders, not only of their own countries, but also of this walk and the search for peace, then they should recognize their failings and resign.

Remember the fallen and broken, not just in walks but in making strides to prevent any further battles.

Dennis Fitzgerald, Melbourne Australia Submit a Letter to the Editor

Include name, address & phone number; Anonymous letters are not printed; Email: letters@signalscv.com; Mail to: Letters to the Editor, The Signal, 26330 Diamond Place, Ste. 100, Santa Clarita, CA 91350.

2 0 · S U N D AY S I G N A L

N O V E M B E R 25, 2018

Opinion

OUR VIEW

Continued from page 18

butions from local individuals and businesses, the project has closed the funding gap to $500,000.

The new facility will be a welcome change for the thousands of local seniors who rely on the SCV Senior Center for a wide variety of programs, including social events, trips, transportation, meal gatherings, live entertainment, home-delivered meals for homebound seniors, wellness programs, and adult respite day care that allows caregivers to take a break from the rigors of caring for seniors affected by memory loss and other illnesses.

The existing Senior Center, on Market Street in Newhall, has served the SCV well since 1983, but the facility itself is aging and doesn’t include the space, modern technology and amenities that our growing and energetic senior population needs.

The new 30,000-square-foot facility, under construction on Golden Valley Road, is closer to the center of our valley and will provide not only a home for the center’s existing programs and services, but also new ones designed to meet local seniors’ changing needs.

WHYTE

Continued from page 19

continent. In between hockey games we ate great food, seized the opportunity to play a little outdoor pond hockey, drank good wine, and generally soaked up the local culture.

Part of that local culture is a dish called poutine. It’s simple, and really, really bad for you. Poutine consists of french fries, smothered in gravy, and topped with fresh white cheese curds.

Don’t knock it until you’ve tried it.

After each game, we would meet Luc in the lobby of the rink to catch up, see how he was doing, tell him “good game,” and so forth, before he would hop in the billet family’s minivan and we would go our separate ways, with Luc resting up for the next game and us looking for the next great restaurant or bar within walking distance of the hotel.

After about the fifth or sixth game,

Among them: a health and wellness center in partnership with Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital, a second-career center, a technology center, an education center in partnership with College of the Canyons, a financial information center in partnership with AARP and a center for senior rights.

Also included will be modern upgrades like a banquet hall with a capacity of 250, a fireplace lounge and library, multipurpose rooms, a fitness center and dance studio, and an outdoor cabana with concert seating.

Who will use the facility and benefit from its services? Potentially any of us.

If you plan on spending your golden years in Santa Clarita, this new center will be a valuable resource and a cherished place to gather with your peers.

It’s truly been the result of teamwork among the city of Santa Clarita, L.A. County, the Senior Center’s management, board and staff, and community members. (And, you can still contribute at newseniorcenter.com.)

On this Thanksgiving weekend, we thank everyone who has made it possible — from those who made the donations that kick-started it, to the special “surprise” Barger delivered on Monday, and every contribution in between.  we noticed Luc smelled... well, RIPE. “Dude,” I said, “You stink.”

My wife asked him if he had been showering at the billet family’s house.

His response — and I swear I am not making this up — was, “They didn’t tell me where the shower is.”

The boy, in his 12-year-old wisdom, apparently didn’t think to ask — or, even, to try to pantomime his question since his French was not so bien.

We later heard from his teammate who was staying at the same billet house (they paired the boys up) that Luc also had not been able to find his spare socks in his luggage, so, you know. Recycle.

“You’re coming back to the hotel with us and having a shower,” his mother told him.

We made arrangements to reunite him with the billets later, and took him to the fancy hotel. I swear the bellhop fainted when we walked by with Luc. We got him up to the room and threw him into the bathroom to take

HEGG

Continued from page 18

get. The real joy is watching the faces of our children as they grow in their anticipation and enjoyment of the little traditions and treats of Christmas. That rocky road fudge, or the peppermint bark; the picking out and dressing of the Christmas tree, or whatever things you do in your home to bring the smiles and squeals of the season. And the culmination usually happens on Christmas morning. Every parent who takes the raising of children seriously will agree: We are much more excited about what we have bought and wrapped for our kids than we are about what lies under the tree for us. It is in the giving that we receive the most. Our joy is the bounce-back of the loving focus we’ve put on making the season the best it can be for our kids.

And I would suggest that the joy of Christmas is all the more full as we broaden the sphere of our giving. This year make it a point to be generous to as many as you can. Support a local charity or participate more fully in the Christmas offerings or projects at your church or civic organization. Bake cookies with your kids and take them a shower. About a half a minute later, he opened the door, stuck his head out and said: “Hey, you guys are right. I DO stink.

I smell like that cheese they put on poutine.”

Luc is basically grown up now. That 12-year-old who smelled like the cheese they put on poutine is now a junior at the University of Oklahoma, where he plays hockey for the Sooners (team motto: “Yes, OU has a hockey team!”) and double majors in criminology and psychology. Yeah, I’m proud.

There have been many more “firsts” and anecdotes that came between the poutine incident and now, and I suspect at some point I will resurrect a story or two from my boy’s past when the time feels right.

But, it occurs to me that I am now just as likely to be writing about “lasts” as I am “firsts.”

Sometime in the not so distant future, I’ll see my son play competitive hockey for the last time.

to the neighbors. Organize a foray to a local care facility and bring flowers, goodies and music to the folks whose lives have become so narrowed by disease and physical brokenness. Find the joy that bounces back to you from love that is directed away from self and onto those whose lives can be enriched with so little effort.

It is no wonder that joy — real satisfying lasting joy — at Christmas comes in the largest packages when we first consider the welfare of others.

This is exactly what was behind the first Christmas. The God of all creation, looking down at a world broken by evil, certainly could have turned his heart away and left us to ourselves. But he didn’t. Instead, he entered our world, dressed in flesh as a baby, in order to live among us, and die for us, that we might have the joy of eternal life. His love reached out, and you and I will only find joy this season as we follow his example.

This year, try living beyond yourself, and then see what bounces back.

David Hegg is senior pastor of Grace Baptist Church and a Santa Clarita resident.“Ethically Speaking” appears Sundays.  After all those years of youth hockey, all those miles of travel experiences, three years of highly competitive junior hockey, and now college hockey, and with all the injuries that came with it — concussions, broken collarbone, surgery for a torn hip labrum, surgery for a torn shoulder labrum, and most recently, a high ankle sprain — the time will come for the boy, with a university diploma in hand, to call it a day, retire to the beer league and move on to What’s Next.

It’ll be bittersweet, the end of that parental adventure of watching one’s child compete at the highest level he can reach. But I’m also looking forward to what the kid’s next adventures will hold, too.

At least now, he doesn’t forget to shower.

Next Week — Part 2: The Girl.

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

N O V E M B E R 25, 2018

S U N D AYS I G N A L · 21

HOMEIMPROVEMENT

Speed bumps, painting in the rain

By Robert Lamoureux Signal Contributing Writer

Speed bumps Robert, Thank you for all of your insight.

I’m on the board of directors for a gated community in the Santa Clarita Valley, and lately the high-speed traffic in our community has gotten out of hand.

We recently had a child injured due to this speed, and we are looking to put in speed bumps now.

Are we supposed to follow the same rules as the city when installing them or because we are a private gated community, can we design and designate the placement and type of speed bumps that we feel best for our community?

We need to do this as soon as possible, we want the children and families safe and to get this speeding under control. What are the requirements for us?

Alvin M. Alvin, You are inviting both residents and others in the community to your association, so you will definitely be required to install signage noting the speed bumps, and all caution signs associated with them.

The Los Angeles County Fire Department will need to be your first contact, you’ll have to get them approved by the Fire Department first, due to emergency services and their vehicles, plus speed limitations they’d also be restricted to for safety.

Once you have Fire Department approval, you can move forward, but noting the above about signage, as well as painting of the speed bumps, so they are identifiable.

You’ll want to reduce your homeowners association liability for damages as much as possible, and this will include you notifying all residents and visitors at least 30 days prior to install, that there will be traffic changes and that speed bumps will be installed. This gives everyone adequate opportunity to be forewarned of the upcoming changes,

and with the signage that should go up ahead of the bumps, they are then fairly warned and cannot hold the HOA responsible for their vehicle damage.

Be sure to note the effective date on the signs, and send this via email to all owners, too. Photograph the before and after areas and keep all progress documented, especially the notifications. You want to be able to show that you gave adequate notifications, so you’ve done the right thing.

THE LOS ANGELES COUNTY FIRE DEPARTMENT WILL NEED TO BE YOUR FIRST CONTACT, YOU’LL HAVE TO GET THEM APPROVED BY THE FIRE DEPARTMENT FIRST, DUE TO EMERGENCY SERVICES AND THEIR VEHICLES, PLUS SPEED LIMITATIONS THEY’D ALSO BE RESTRICTED TO FOR SAFETY. Sign height is important so be sure to do all of your homework for each aspect prior to committing, and then you’ll have a safer neighborhood. You can always put a call or visit in to the city of Santa Clarita’s Building and Safety Department, staff there can also guide you on the steps to take.

Good luck, Robert HOA Building Painting Robert, I’m part of a homeowners association here in Santa Clarita, and we want to start painting our buildings, but it’s getting a little late in the year with the possibility of the rains coming. I’m told that it’s not a big deal to paint during the rains because the

Painting during the rainy season can lead to unsightly residues and lead to paying double the cost. COURTESY PHOTO

paint used will be water-soluble.

I trust your judgement, what are your thoughts on this?

Mike Mike, I disagree. If you were to paint and rains soon followed, there is a condition called surfactant leaching.

This condition is a concentration of water-soluble paint ingredients on the surface of latex paint. It can show up as tan, brown or clear spots or areas, and can sometimes be glossy, soapy, oily or sticky. The moisture in the air retards the curing process, and allows the surfactants to separate and rise to the surface. The rain that could accumulate on the surface of the freshly painted building, and when it evaporates, the residue is left behind and ends up being unsightly.

You could immediately wash the areas if this happened, but it would not be a guaranteed fix; it would possibly need repainting. Any good quality paint job on a building is going to cost a decent amount of money, and you certainly don’t want to pay this twice so it would be my best recommendation to not paint unless you have sufficient good weather to allow a proper cure.

Check with your licensed and insured painting contractor, they’ll best be able to advise you on the appropriate timing.

Here in the Santa Clarita Valley our window of opportunity is much lon-

ANY GOOD QUALITY PAINT JOB ON A BUILDING IS GOING TO COST A DECENT AMOUNT OF MONEY, AND YOU CERTAINLY DON’T WANT TO PAY THIS TWICE. ger than many other states, or even areas of California, as the weather holds steady for so long.

You could likely get away with doing in in the next week or two if the weather outlook is good, but aside from that I’d personally play it safe and wait until the official “rainy season” of California is over.

Good luck on this project, Robert 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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N O V E M B E R 25, 2018

Mayhem, Movie Stars & Hubbie Heinie Burning

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hat an absolute splendiferous day for a trailride. And I can think of no better place than the scenic canyons of a Santa Clarita from yesteryear.

C’mon. I’ve saddled up tens of thousands of steeds, with one just right for you.

Ahead we have … Well heavens.

Get on the darn horse, give it a kick and come see for yourselves …

WAY BACK WHEN & THEN SOME

• Cleovaro Chavez was a powerful outlaw and right-hand man to Tiburcio Vasquez. When his boss was captured and later hanged in 1875, Chavez vowed to kill every white man in California. Perhaps a procrastinator, Cleo moved to Arizona instead. A wanted man himself, he was breaking horses in a corral when two bounty hunters walked up to him at gunpoint, held up a wanted poster with his likeness then blew him nearly into two units at short range with shot guns. Cleo was wanted, dead or alive, one piece or two.

• With all that’s going on currently in America, California and Santa Clarita, this will at least be fodder for one-liners. On Dec. 30, 1853, the border dividing Mexico and the U.S. was established. Well. In theory. It was called the Gadsden Purchase, after our Minister to Mexico, James Gadsden. That’s also when Mexican holdings later known as Arizona and New Mexico were sold to the U.S. for $10 million.

NOV. 25, 1928

• C.S. Urquhart is an important but forgotten name in our lore. Whenever you check a relief map or the height of a local map, thank C.S. He finished mapping the entire SCV on this date for the U.S. Geodetic Survey.

• Poor Farmer Maddox. Couldn’t have been worse timing. Someone snuck onto his ranch and rustled 75 of his best turkeys, two days before Thanksgiving.

• A new-fangled invention was installed in the Newhall Sheriff ’s station. It was called a “Telle-Type Machine” (sic).

NOV. 25, 1938

• Some of that Roosevelt New Deal

money found its way to the SCV. Work started on the $100,000 project that eventually built Val Verde Park, swimming pool, bath house and community center.

• I hope there comes a day when people have no concept of a drunk driver. On Thanksgiving Day, the Parks family were hit by a speeding drunk. They fell into unconsciousness before doctors could tell them that their 17-month-old daughter had been killed in the wreck.

• R.H. Christman issued 2.5 million shares for a new mining company to pull copper ore out of Texas Canyon.

burst into the home, pushing his ex-wife into a wall. The wife’s friend, who was ironing, took said iron and pressed it long and hard on the hubby’s rear end, causing him to let a fearful yowl. That’s gotta leave an interesting mark …

NOV. 25, 1948

• Night owl I am, I miss that the Saugus Café isn’t open 24 hours any more. On this date, Bill Rolls and Red Andrews bought the Saugus Cafe plus some surrounding lots. around the coffee shop. The new hotel they planned to construct never got built.

• Two Newhall ladies were ironing when the drunk ex-hubbie of one

A weekly trailride through Santa Clarita Valley History

• Oil derricks are slippery and Lewis Winford found out the hard way. He fell from a Placerita Canyon rig and might have lived had he not impaled himself on the cold, metal lever below.

• In two separate accidents, on the very same day, two small children fell out of moving cars. Both children opened the passenger side doors while going around a corner.

The boy, 5, had a concussion. The girl, 4, just had scrapes.

NOV. 25, 1958

On this day in November 1938, two local cowboys, my old pal Andy Jauregui and Jackie Cooper (no relation to the actor) were enshrined on the 1938 list of America’s top rodeo performers. That handsome chap above is Andy. One of my favorite Andy stories was when he was “secretly” giving cowboy lessons to Clark Gable at Andy’s Placerita ranch. Clark’s squeeze, Carole Lombard, was sitting on the arena fence, shouting encouragement. Word got out and within an hour, about 500 “neighbors,” many bearing pies and cookies, “dropped by” and acted surprised that Andy had two of the most famous celebs in the world for company.

The Time Ranger

• My old pal Clem Cox used to quip: “For the last 60 years, I’ve lived in seven different towns and never once moved.” Back in 1958, Canyon Country was called Mint Canyon. It got its first post office on Dec. 1. Locals were happy not having to drive all the way into Newhall for their rewarding postal experience.

• It wasn’t a very good weekend for rabbit hunters four decades back.

Alfredo Flores drove back home after a day of plugging bunnies. He pulled his .22 rifle out of the back seat BARREL FIRST. The gun went off, sending a fatal slug through Flores’ neck. Same day, rabbit hunter Albert Filger was sprayed in the back of the head by birdshot when his partner tripped over a log and his shotgun discharged.

• It wasn’t a good day for young soldiers, either. Students from the Northridge Military Academy were in Saugus for weekend maneuvers.

While their real rifles had just paper charges, the blanks were enough to injure the two Zimmerman brothers, who were shooting at one another.

Another Northridge boy sprained an ankle badly in the rough terrain.

NOV. 25, 1968

• Running back Duane Smith put the brand new Canyon High on the map its first year. Smith led the entire Northern CIF by running for 1,212 yards in one season.

by John Boston • Of all places to hit, some thief broke into four cars parked at Los Angeles Baptist College (The Master’s College today). He made off with $3.80 in cash, two Bibles, two Christmas presents and a bag of potato chips. Don’t blame my favorite Christian, Eric Harnish. He wasn’t born yet.

• Having gone to Hart in the 1960s, I can assure you. The vending machine hamburgers were at best, alleged. The Mighty Signal got the poor campus in its editorial sights, calling the food, “…swill, one step away from dog food.”

NOV. 25, 1978

• How. About. Those. Centurions!?

Saugus High made history. First, the Cent girls’ cross country team became the FIRST athletic squad from ANY local school to win a CIF championship. Sophomore phenom Shelly Hazlett crossed the line first.

Same weekend, Saugus also beat Beverly Hills, 48-35 in their CIF football opener.

• A century earlier, they would have lynched the perps. Two local young t­hugs held up an 81-year-old man at the old Newhall bus station. They beat him with boards and robbed him of $7. He suffered a massive heart attack.

• Life’s funny. For the first half of the 20th century, the citizens of Newhall tried to get their high schoolaged kids to stop being bussed into San Fernando and Palmdale.

See TIMERANGER, page 40

N O V E M B E R 25, 2018

S U N D AYS I G N A L · 23

K I D S & FA M I LY

Celebrating Hanukkah in the Santa Clarita Valley

By Perry Smith Signal Managing Editor

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n Sunday, Dec. 2, Santa Clarita Valley Jews and gentiles alike are invited to join in the annual celebration at Westfield Valencia Town Center that marks the beginning of Hanukkah at 5 p.m.

Hanukkah, also known as the Festival of Lights, runs for eight days and nights and marks the rededication of the temple in Jerusalem after the successful revolt of the Maccabees more than 2,000 ago.

According to Jewish tradition, oil was needed to keep lights burning in the temple, but there was only enough oil to last for a day. Miraculously, the one day’s worth of oil burned for eight days, an event celebrated with the eight days of Hanukkah and the tradition of lighting the menorah.

Last year, Congregation Beth Shalom’s youth chorus performed before the menorah lighting at the Westfield Valencia Town Center mall,

singing classics as well as original songs, including “Would You Like to Build a Dreidel,” a creative take on the classic “Would You Like to Build a Snowman,” from the Disney classic “Frozen.”

At last year’s celebration, Rabbi Ron Hauss of Congregation Beth Shalom described the event as an annual unifying experience for the SCV community.

“We come together, the three major Jewish organizations in the Santa Clarita Valley — Congregation Beth Shalom, Beth Ami and Chabad of SCV — to have a joint Hanukkah celebration,” said Rabbi Ron Hauss of Beth Shalom. “It primarily consists of the lighting of the menorah, the setting up of the tables and bringing the jewish community for its public celebration.”

In addition to its regular community worship schedule, Temple Beth Ami is offering “Hanukkah Music with Wendee,” which is a chance to learn holiday songs for kids, at the

Rabbi Choni Marozov lights the menorah at the celebration outside Valencia Town Center on Sunday evening last December at the start of Hanukkah. SIGNAL FILE PHOTO

Old Town Newhall Library. The sessions start on Dec. 3, but there are several listed throughout the holiday.

There’s also a Hanukkah Shabbat dinner planned at Chabad of SCV on Dec. 7 at 6 p.m., and then a Hanukkah on Ice event planned for Valencia Ice Station on Sunday, Dec. 9.

To find out more information about

events taking place around the holiday at our local synagogues, you can visit one of the following three websites: Chabad of SCV, ChabadSCV.com; Congregation Beth Shalom, at Cbs-scv. org; and Temple Beth Ami, at TempleBethAmi.org.

The Westfield Valencia Town Center is located at 24201 Valencia Blvd. 

Creative ways to celebrate Hanukkah

M

any jokes have been shared about the complexity of growing up Jewish surrounded

by Christian friends and the overwhelming influence of Christmas come the month of December.

Seemingly everywhere you look buildings, stores and homes are decked out in lights and decorations.

But Christmas celebrants are not the only ones with reason to be festive this time of year, when Hanukkah is also cause for celebration.

Perhaps due to its proximity to Thanksgiving and Christmas, Hanukkah tends to be the most widely celebrated Jewish holiday in America.

And because the basis of Hanukkah is rededication to the faith, it very well may be an instrumental celebration for families who may need to find their way back to the roots of their beliefs.

Hanukkah celebrations may not feature lavishly decorated trees or scores of celebrants belting out carols, but it bears significance for the millions of people who celebrate the

holiday each year. While Hanukkah is steeped in tradition, the following are a handful of ways you can add a creative spin to your family’s festivities this year.

Light One of the major tenets of Hanukkah is how light can shine and lead a person through dark periods.

This is typically exemplified by the lighting of the menorah, which is prominently placed in windows or other visible areas of celebrants’ homes.

This Hanukkah, spend time with someone who may be dealing with an illness or the loss of a loved one. You may be the light that inspires this person each day. Give candles to friends and family members to symbolize the light that will shine in the future.

Oil Another component of Hanukkah celebrations is the focus on how a one-day supply of oil somehow lasted eight days during the rededication of the temple’s menorah. Many ways to include oil in celebrations exist. Some people like to get creative in the kitchen, serving fried foods and desserts.

Think about giving gifts of oil, such as

fragrant essential oils that can be used in potpourri or in the bath or shower. Working alongside their parents, children can see how a wick drenched in oil can serve as an efficient lighting source and decorate the home with these homemade oil lamps.

Twenty-five Bring attention to the number 25, which is significant when celebrating Hanukkah. The word Hanukkah can be divided into two: Chanu, meaning “they rested,” and Kah, which is the numerical value of 25. On the 25th day of the Hebrew month of Kislev, the Maccabees rested from their battle with the Greeks and triumphantly marched into the Holy Temple in Jerusalem.

Make 25 a part of celebrations by inviting 25 people to celebrate with you or ask children to make murals with 25 different adornments.

Charitable giving Gift-giving is now a component of Hanukkah celebrations, but it wasn’t always. Greater importance was once placed on the lighting of candles to publicize the miracle and evangelize the faith.

Some poor people could not afford candles, and these people would go door-to-door for candle funds, or “gelt,” to be able to purchase candles and kiddush wine. Some Jewish families prefer to give money rather than gifts on Hanukkah to keep with the tradition of Hanukkah gelt. However, families also can incorporate charitable giving in their celebrations as a way to reinforce the customs of giving to the poor.  — Metro Connection

24 · S U N D AYS I G N A L

N O V E M B E R 25, 2018

K I D S & FA M I LY

A learning opportunity in the ‘Button Challenge’

By Brendie Heter Signal Contributing Writer

I

’m giving you a challenge. However for full disclosure, I tried myself but failed.

The “Button Challenge” isn’t easy, and will force you to pay attention to your surroundings.

I previously wrote on my blog about the identity crisis and confusing questions I’ve been asking myself lately.

I’ve been seeking to streamline areas of my life I’ve neglected. “To do” lists were cluttering my head. I found myself snapping at my kids and feeling sorry for myself. The phrase, “I have so much to do” kept running through my head.

And then I pressed a button.

In an instant, cold, refreshing, filtered, clean water came out of a giant silver box. I didn’t have to bend down or exert any effort. Water … just came out. I instantly felt guilty. Aggravated with myself I thought, “Do I really have that much to do? I didn’t have to walk to a local water source,

collect water in buckets and then bring it back to my home.”

I loaded my boys into the van hurrying them … because again … we had so much to do.

And then I pressed another button.

Buttoning up With one finger, a giant automobile powered on. It would safely take me and my children eight miles across town. We needed fresh groceries from a giant, air-conditioned store.

The voice in my head grew louder.

“Another button to start my car. My word. I didn’t even have to turn my wrist like the olden days (1997).”

“Clearly, my life is so hard,” the voice continued sarcastically. Out of curiosity, I picked up my phone and looked up how long it would take me to get to my destination by walking.

Answer: 5 hours, 15 minutes.

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It would take me 12 minutes driving.

That’s perspective for you.

As I’m processing this convenience and perspective: “Whoops. Need to adjust my mirrors. Let me press this button right here. Done. Adjust the temperature in the van... click. My goodness, I’m still pressing buttons.”

Stunned, I just sat there looking at buttons — everywhere.

Close the garage door. Lock the van. Listen to music.

Button. Button. Button.

My life of buttons I sat in my driveway and counted buttons just in my van. I started to process … about how accustomed I’ve become to pressing buttons to make my life easier. Buttons have become a source of comfort.

Still sitting in my driveway I wondered, “How many buttons do I press every day?” Out of genuine curiosity, I tried to keep track starting then. To be honest?

I couldn’t. It was easily hundreds and I lost count.

Some of the buttons aren’t even real buttons anymore. They are fancier digital buttons. You don’t have to even press hard. And this doesn’t take into account how many buttons I don’t press because I use Alexa so frequently.

My laptop unlocks with a fingerprint button.

Later, the coffee got cold and I pressed a few more buttons warming the same cup repeatedly (no less than 24 times) #momlife.

Preparing dinner was another set of buttons.

That’s when I lost count for the day.

A buttoned-down perspective Now, please hear me. I do not support the increasing pressure to feel

guilty for living in the West, having access to technology and “firstworld probBrendie Heter lems.” This is where I was predestined to live and serve. I love technology, and will always seek ways making it work better for my family.

However, my new button perspective has helped me quiet the inner voice that’s constantly yapping about “to-do lists.” (She’s super irritating.)

We all do have genuinely hard days regardless of buttons. Whatever trial or discomfort you’re facing shouldn’t be discounted. I simply want to remind myself that I live in a soft, comfortable and convenient world.

As we wrap up Thanksgiving week and prepare for the rest of the holiday season, let’s keep the button perspective in mind OK, neighbor? We all have a lot going on. The season brings stress, self-inflicted chaos and endless errands.

Just take a deep breath, quiet that voice in your head and be thankful.

You’re doing fine. The laundry will get done. You have SO much to be thankful for but it takes effort to foster a grateful spirit. Let’s be thankful we aren’t washing clothes in the river?

And be thankful we have access to instant clean and cold water.

Can you do it?

I’d challenge you to physically count and acknowledge the impact buttons have on your life. It’s astounding. Any time you felt uncomfortable, did you seek out a button to relieve the issue?

Are you up for the “Button Challenge?”

You will probably lose count, but are you willing to try?

Brendie Heter, of www.BrendieHeter. com, is a resident in Castaic and has lived in the Santa Clarita Valley for 18 years. She’s a community activist, public speaker, and certified financial coach.

PHOTOS BY BRENDIE HETER / THE SIGNAL

N O V E M B E R 25, 2018

S U N D AYS I G N A L · 25

SCHOOLS

How families can start volunteering together

V

olunteering is a great way to give back to your community. Volunteers play an integral and invaluable role in helping charities achieve their goals. Without volunteers, many charities wouldn’t be able to meet their missions, and some might even cease to exist.

Volunteers often note that helping others is its own reward, and research backs that up. Researchers at the London School of Economics found that the more people volunteered, the happier they were. Published in the journal Social Science and Medicine, the study found that the odds of being “very happy” rose by 12 percent

among people who volunteered every two to four weeks, compared to people who did not volunteer.

With such benefits, it’s no wonder many families look to volunteer together. Those who want to do so but may be uncertain about where to start can consider the following tips.

• Find a fun activity. Kids like to mimic their parents, so parents who already volunteer may find their children are excited about following Mom and Dad’s lead. That excitement level will only increase if parents find an activity their kids are interested in. For example, many kids love animals so volunteering with a local animal shelter can be

a great opportunity for families to give back together.

• Speak with your child’s school.

Teachers and school administrators can be great resources, sharing information about local volunteering opportunities or making age-appropriate suggestions.

• Parents shouldn’t hesitate to ask for recommendations from teachers, who may be in the best position to suggest opportunities that children can handle and enjoy.

• Start slow. When starting out, families may be best served by choosing activities that do not require lengthy time commitments. Children may

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)

Monday, Nov. 26 Tuesday, Nov. 27 Wednesday, Nov. 28 Thursday, Nov. 29 Friday, Nov. 30

BREAKFAST Triple Berry Blast Mini French Toast Breakfast Bun Cereal Chilled Fruit Fruit Juice Breakfast Pizza* Breakfast Bun Cereal Chilled Fruit Fresh Fruit Scrambled Slider Breakfast Bun Cereal Chilled Fruit Fresh Fruit Cinnamon Roll Breakfast Bun Cereal Chilled Fruit Fresh Fruit Buttermilk Bar Breakfast Bun Cereal Chilled Fruit Fruit Juice

LUNCH Kickin’ Chicken Drumstick & Mashed Potatoes Cheeseburger Smart Choice Pizza Seasonal Salad Bar Frozen Strawberry Cup Turkey Taco Chicken Nuggets PBJ Sandwich & String Cheese Smart Choice Pizza Seasonal Salad Bar Maple Burst’n Mini Pancakes & Sausage Patties Popcorn Chicken Smart Choice Pizza Seasonal Salad Bar Celebration Cookie Cheeseburger Sliders Mini Corn Dogs Smart Choice Pizza Seasonal Salad Bar Cheesy Quesadilla Carnitas Quesadilla Chicken Nuggets Deli Sandwich Smart Choice Pizza Manager’s Choice Seasonal Salad Bar

There are numerous benefits to getting your family involved in giving, including a recent study showing those who do are, on average, happier people.

not be ready to volunteer for hours on end, so start with something simple. As kids acclimate to volunteering and their attention spans grow, parents can commit to volunteering more of their family time.

• Think outside the box. Parents of toddlers or grade school-aged children may be surprised to learn that some volunteering opportunities have minimum age requirements.

If such requirements are making it difficult to volunteer together as a family, parents and children can work together to come up with their own opportunities. Kids can organize a book drive to supply books to schools with depleted libraries or organize a fundraiser for a local animal shelter.

The opportunities to volunteer are endless, and families should not be discouraged by age restrictions.

Volunteering together can benefit families in myriad ways.  —Metro Connection

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26 · S U N D AYS I G N A L

N O V E M B E R 25, 2018

The McKean Team Real Estate System

Move up to any one of my listings and I’ll buy your home* For information on this exclusive Guaranteed Sales Program, order a FREE report by visiting www.SCVSoldGuaranteed.com or

call Dave direct at 661-702-1940 for a Guaranteed Sale on Your Home. *Seller and Dave McKean must agree on guaranteed price and closing date at time of listing.

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H E A LT H & F I T N E S S

To Your Good Health

By Keith Roach, M.D. Signal Contributing Editor

Does Hole on Heart Increase Stroke Risk?

Tres Robles TWNHS

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Dear Dr. Roach Articles on strokes or TIAs rarely mention that they can be caused by a congenital heart defect.

I had a family member with a patent foramen ovale, found at age 54, after he’d had several strokes. He had surgery to repair it and has been well ever since. I would like to know why a PFO isn’t often mentioned or considered.

When I see an obituary for a young person who died suddenly, I wonder if there was an undiagnosed hole in the person’s heart. One in 6 people has a hole in the heart; that is a high percentage. I think the public should be educated and made aware of this congenital condition.

— J.R.

Danielle Powell & Dave McKean CalBRE # 01408455

To Discuss the Sale or Purchase of Your Home Call Dave at 661-702-1940

www.ReferralsThatMakeADifference.com We are on a mission to raise $10,000 for Bangalore Children’s Home by donating a portion of our income from home sales to them. This ministry is very close to my heart as they work hard to help give these children by providing a warm bed, clothes, and food. And as you probably know they need sponsorships and donations to continue their care. We are committed to donating a portion of our income from home sales to this very worthy cause.

So, YOUR REFERRALS REALLY DO HELP THE KIDS… Who do you know that is looking to make a move this year that you can refer to The McKean Team?

ANSWER: A patent foramen ovale (which literally means “open oval-shaped window”) is a remnant of our embryology. The foramen ovale is a small open flap that is necessary to send oxygenated blood from the placenta to the body of the developing fetus. In about 25 percent of people (that’s 1 in 4, even higher than you thought), the “hole” doesn’t completely close. PFO is the most common of the “holes” in the heart (ventricular septal defect and atrial septal defects are the other common ones). A stroke is caused by the death of brain cells. PFOs are certainly implicated in strokes. In general,

the younger and healthier the person, the more likely it is that a “cryptogenic” stroke (one with no obvious cause) may be due to a PFO. What is likely is that a blood clot can pass through the foramen ovale and go to the brain’s blood vessel, blocking off blood supply to an area of the brain, causing a stroke. The absolute increase in stroke risk is hard to quantify.

For people who have never had a stroke, it is generally not recommended to close the PFO. This surgery has risks, and these risks probably outweigh the small potential benefit. For people who have had a stroke, the risk of recurrent stroke from PFO is higher. One group has created a model (the RoPE score) to help predict the likelihood of recurrent stroke. This can help the clinician examine the benefits of surgical repair of the PFO. Surgery is most likely to benefit younger people without traditional risk factors for stroke Dear Dr. Roach I heard that letting vinegar touch your skin causes arthritis. Is there any danger in using vinegar as a cleaning agent?

— N.J.A.

ANSWER: I often get asked whether apple cider vinegar cures arthritis (it doesn’t) or can help relieve symptoms (it might, but there is no good evidence that it does), but I have never heard anyone ask about vinegar touching the skin causing internal problems. Vinegar is a mild acid (most are about 5 percent acetic acid), which normally isn’t particularly irritating to the skin, and shouldn’t be absorbed. Even if it were, acetic acid is found in the body (it’s an important molecule in several metabolic pathways), and your body can use it as an energy source. There is no reason to be concerned about being exposed to household vinegar.

Dr. Roach regrets that he is unable to answer individual letters, but will incorporate them in the column whenever possible.

Readers may email questions to ToYourGoodHealth@med.cornell.edu. To view and order health pamphlets, visit www.rbmamall.com, or write to Good Health, 628 Virginia Drive, Orlando, FL 32803.  ©2018 North America Synd., Inc.

N O V E M B E R 25, 2018

S U N D AYS I G N A L · 27

H E A LT H & F I T N E S S

A cold dose of healing

By Taylor Villanueva Signal Staff Writer

N

ormally, a temperature of 230 degrees below 0 isn’t associated with pain treatment, it’s hypother-

mia.

However a growing trend that’s available in Santa Clarita has more and more people willingly walking into such a chamber with that climate for three minutes, with nothing on their bodies but socks and gloves.

It’s not a death wish — it’s cryotherapy, which uses extremely low temperatures to treat pain, lesions and other medical issues.

There are at least two options in the in the Santa Clarita Valley — Ice Recovery and Wellness and MEND Cryotherapy, and several more just south of the Newhall Pass.

“Cryotherapy has been around for 40 years now, everywhere in the world but the U.S.,” said Matt Browning, co-owner of MEND Cryotherapy.

“It was invented for rheumatoid arthritis,” he said, “but now it’s good for all forms of pain management.”

Cryotherapy can also be beneficial for autoimmune deficiencies and for workout recovery, as well, he added.

“It’s also great for your skin,” Browning said.

“We definitely get a lot of referrals from orthopedics,” Browning said.

“But a large group comes in because they have already tried everything else. Once they hit the last straw, they look for other methods and come to us.”

The process is said to be nerve-wracking for some because of the fight or flight instinct, and the knowledge that people traditionally can’t survive at temperatures that low.

But because there is no moisture in the chamber, clients don’t get frostbite.

“It doesn’t feel anywhere as bad as you would imagine,” Browning says.

“Your brain knows it’s too cold to survive. It triggers a shock response.”

Cryotherapy attracts a lot of people, from patients with joint pain to clients with skin conditions.

“Typically, we have a lot of people dealing with chronic pain to start off their day,” Browning says.

“It gets them through the day.”

Troy Yudin of ICE Recovery & Wellness said when his sister was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis, he came to discover the benefits of alternative practices.

“She was young, otherwise healthy and in a lot of pain,” Yudin said.

“When I heard that cryotherapy saunas were being used for RA and other autoimmune and arthritic disorders, I knew I wanted to help connect more people to this amazing treatment. It turns out, only about 40 percent of our clients are here because of athletic recovery.”

Cryotherapy starts off with the client changing into a robe, socks and gloves. Once the client gets into the room, he or she puts on a pair of slide-on shoes. The client will then get into the chamber, making sure to go through all the safety precautions, such as not applying lotion or deodorant to the body 30 minutes before cryotherapy.

Once in the chamber, the client will experience dropping temperatures and short bursts of nitrogen. Some may experience the feeling of ice forming on their legs the longer they are in the cryo-sauna.

But the end result is a feeling of relief and endorphins flowing through the body.

“If you give it a chance to work, it works,” Yudin said.

“And feeling better is priceless,” he added. “Our clients wouldn’t trade their new-found energy … for anything.”

And for those who think the freezing cold would get to them, the time goes by fairly quickly with a technician in the room.

“The three minutes go by fast with the technician,” says Browning.

The temperatures start off at around negative 100 degrees Fahrenheit. As the three minutes progress, the temperature drops until it reaches between -220 to -230 degrees.

Some clients experience the feeling of ice forming on their legs as they move around the cryo-chamber.

When the session is over, most of the body warms up fairly quickly, except for the legs, which take a little longer to adjust.

And even though cryotherapy has

Top: The temperature reads minus 222 as Joseph Jones reacts to his first cryotherapy treatment at ICE Recovery & Wellness in Valencia. Bottom: The temperature begins to drop to minus 193 degrees F as Jennifer Walker demonstrates a cryotherapy treatment with Chris Browning, co-owner of MEND Cryotherapy in Valencia. PHOTOS BY DAN WATSON / THE SIGNAL

been a recent treatment for anything from joint pain to skin problems, it won’t necessarily solve all issues.

“It’s not a silver bullet,” Yudin said.

“If you have a significant injury, an autoimmune disorder, a lot of weight to lose, nerve pain — it took you awhile to get to that place. You’re not going to have 100 percent recovery

with cryo overnight.”

But the cold therapy should help to reduce some pain.

“Sometimes, people book three sessions in a week, and they feel a lot better, but then stop coming,” Yudin said. “Just like healthy eating or exercise, you have to incorporate maintenance into your recovery plan.” 

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N O V E M B E R 25, 2018

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

‘Take Me Back to Chicago’ Tour coming to Canyon

By Stephen K. Peeples Signal Staff Writer

D

rummer Danny Seraphine, co-founder of Chicago Transit Authority in 1967 and a Rock ’n’ Roll Hall of Fame inductee in 2016, will bring today’s powerhouse horn-driven CTA lineup, featuring Grammy-winner and longtime Chicago member Bill Champlin, to the

Canyon Santa Clarita on Saturday, Dec. 1.

A pioneering jazz-rock drummer, Seraphine played on and helped produce 18 gold and 13 platinum albums with Chicago Transit Authority, and then just Chicago between 19671990, including all the hits.

After his departure from Chicago (detailed in his 2010 memoir, “Street Player: My Chicago Story”),

Seraphine founded California Transit Authority and has toured under the CTA banner ever since.

Champlin, who fronted the celebrated San Francisco rock ’n’ soul horn band The Sons of Champlin in the 1960s and ’70s, was a key vocalist-keyboard player-guitarist with Chicago for three decades (19822010) and sang many of the band’s later hits.

Between gigs with his own outfit, WunderGround, Champlin has joined the CTA crew — also featuring Marc Bonilla (guitar), Ed Roth (keyboards), Travis Davis (bass) and Tony Grant (vocals) — for their current “Take Me Back to Chicago” tour.

“Fans can expect to see and hear most all of their favorite Chicago hits performed by two former members, See CHICAGO, page 40

N O V E M B E R 25, 2018

S U N D AYS I G N A L · 29

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE HONOREES

SANTA CLARITA VALLEY

TOP BUSINESSES COMPANY OF THE YEAR Five Point Holdings, LLC Landscape Development, Inc

AD CAMPAIGN OF THE YEAR “Stolen” City of Santa Clarita “SCV Points Of Interest” Valencia Acura

BEST COMMUNITY IMPACT College of the Canyons Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital

BUSINESS LEADERS OF THE YEAR Holly Schroeder John Shaffery

GROWTH LEADER Economic Development Corporation

INNOVATION OF THE YEAR Kaiser Permanente Advanced Bionics

NEW BUSINESS OF THE YEAR Sand Canyon Country Club

EMPLOYER OF THE YEAR Scorpion

PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARD Valencia Acura

Please join us at Valencia Country Club for the Top Business Awards Event Thursday, December 6th 5:30 – 7:30pm Please go to https://signalscv.com/businessawards to reserve your individual seats or a table of 10 by November 30th. For more information, email jhilton@signalscv.com or call 661-287-5564 Cost is $50 per person and includes light meal & coffee. A no-host bar will be available.

PRESENTING SPONSOR

30 · S U N D AYS I G N A L

N O V E M B E R 25, 2018

FOOD

Take a seat at Mama’s Table

By Michelle Sathe Signal Staff Writer

M

iss your mom’s home cooking? Try Mama’s Table in Valencia, which serves delicious comfort food made with a lot of love.

And like home, you can get breakfast served all day.

That means everything from hearty chicken fried chicken or steak ($10.95) to biscuits and gravy ($5.95) to pancakes, waffles, and French toast ($3.25 to $9.95). The fresh corned beef hash ($9.95) features a generous amount of savory meat mingling with crisp potatoes and succulent bits of onion and peppers. Get it topped with sunny side up eggs, cut it all up together to add a layer lusciousness from the yolks.

Whatever toast you choose to go with your breakfast, make sure to stop at the jelly/jam bar, which features a bright blueberry, a tangy orange marmalade, and a stellar

strawberry, all made in-house.

It’s those small but special touches that makes Mama’s Table a regular destination for customers like Rachel Salinas and Judy DeBartolo, of Valencia, who’ve come at least twice a week since it opened in April 2017.

“It’s good food, like home,” Salinas said.

“I like that you can get things how you want it,” DeBartolo said. “(Owner David Cho) tries to accommodate everyone. I asked for sesame bagels, because they’re more favorite, and he has them now.”

“It’s all about making friends. I like the connection,” said Cho, who can also be seen serving customers at his latest venture.

Cho has been in the restaurant game for about a decade since relocating with his family to the United States from Korea, where he was managing director of a multibillion-dollar business. He became fond of diner culture during frequent

The chef’s salad at Mama’s Table features loads of chicken, avocado, olives and more atop fresh romaine and iceberg lettuce. Top it off with a creamy, homemade dressing. PHOTOS BY MICHELLE SATHE / THE SIGNAL

business trips to the US, which motivated him to change careers.

“I wanted to know about the people here, so I thought having an American restaurant would help me get involved in the community,” Cho said.

Initially, that community was in the state of Washington, where Cho ran JD Diner, taking it from bankruptcy and 2-star rating on Yelp to a successful restaurant with a 4.5-star Yelp rating in eight years.

The Cho family moved to Santa Clarita in 2016, and immediately began looking for a space to continue

their vision. They found the former FreshWorks spot, transforming the restaurant into a clean, yet warm space with burnt orange leather booths lining the perimeter and deep wood tables in the center. Like any good diner, it’s a comfortable place where prices are reasonable, portions are huge, and service comes with a smile.

Mama’s Table’s menu offers something for everyone. In addition to breakfast, there’s a wide range of burgers ($8.95 to $11.95), Philly See MAMA, next page

Fresh corned beef hash features succulent cubes of corned beef with crisp potatoes and peppers.

N O V E M B E R 25, 2018

S U N D AYS I G N A L · 31

The roots of Hanukkah food traditions

FOOD

By Lucie Winborne Signal Contributing Writer

A

vital part of holiday celebrations is, of course, the variety of delicious food associated with them. Hanukkah, which means “dedication” in Hebrew and celebrates the rededication of the Temple in Jerusalem by the Maccabees in 165 BC, is no exception.

Until the 14th century, however, there were no records of the traditional foods we now associate with the day. Then two types emerged — fried and dairy. And as with other holidays, seasonal fare became traditional Hanukkah food.

For example, geese were the primary fowl of western Ashkenazi families, with the flesh typically eaten only on special occasions. In Eastern Europe, cattle took their place on the table, but since pretty much all but

PHOTO BY Depositphotos.

brisket was unaffordable for most Ashkenazis, that became the traditional Sabbath Hanukkah food. Later, Americans put their own spin on brisket with variations that included pineapple, cranberries, onion soup mix and even cola.

Latkes (fried potato pancakes) are probably the best-known example of Hanukkah cuisine. Yet they didn’t always consist of potatoes. For that we can thank mid-19th century crop failures in Ukraine and Poland that resulted in large potato harvests.

MAMA

Continued from previous page

cheese steak and Reuben sandwiches ($8.95 to $11.50), fish and chips and hot wings ($10.95), as well as comfort food classics like stellar pot roast and turkey plates complete with mashed potatoes and gravy ($13.95 and $14.95, respectively).

There are also four homemade soups to choose from every day, including a tortilla soup that’s a cross between vegetable soup and chili, with lots of savory Angus beef in a slightly spicy, brownish red broth stocked with bits of corn and topped with crispy tortilla strips and melted cheese. The baked potato is silky smooth and satisfying, with succulent cubes of potato and carrot.

Salads (chicken, shrimp, or tuna, $9.95 half or $11.95 whole) are substantial here, with lots of good stuff packed on top of a fresh bed of mixed iceberg, romaine, purple cabbage, and carrots. The Chef ’s Salad ($12.95) bursts with color, from the vibrant red strawberries to the rich green avocado and sunny yolk of the hardboiled egg, all nestled within a huge

Take a trip to the homemade jelly/jam bar to deliciously top off your choice of toast.

golden-brown tortilla shell bowl. Bonus: the salad dressings, like creamy, flavorful blue cheese, are made on the premises.

There’s even a half page of Italian specialties to choose from. The cappelini alla checa ($11.95) was legit, like Italian restaurant authentic: al dente pasta cloaked with just the right amount of olive oil, a bit of tang from the tomato, a bit of brightness from the basil, and lots of fragrant garlic.

It’s served with two big triangles of garlic toast, too. Yum. If you have room left over, try a

slice of homemade apple, peach, cherry, coconut cream, or chocolate cream pie or strawberry cheesecake ($3.95) or a thick milkshake (vanilla, strawberry, or chocolate $4.50).

As for substitutions and special orders, Cho is all for it.

“If possible, I always say yes to my customers,” he said.

Mama’s Table, 23340 Cinema Drive, Valencia. Open 7 am to 9 pm daily.

Beer and wine available. For more information, call (661) 284-5988 or visit www.himamastable.com. 

Spuds were cheaper than the wheat flour and cheese previously used to prepare latkes, and eventually this modified version made its way to the U.S. with German immigrants.

Then there are the jelly doughnuts known as sufganiyot. An old Israeli folktale has it that God tried to cheer Adam and Eve after their expulsion from the Garden of Eden by giving them this sweet treat, but most scholars are pretty sure the actual origins are more prosaic! Variations around the world include debla, dough rolled to resemble a rose then deep-fried and dipped in sugar or honey, which is popular in Algeria and Tunisia, and gulab jamun, a milk-based fried pastry from India. Oil used to fry food during the holiday represents that used to light the menorah.

And what child (or adult, for that matter) doesn’t enjoy shiny foil-wrapped chocolate coins? The tradition of gelt may have sprung from a number of sources, including an 18th-century Eastern European tradition in which rabbis went to villages giving Hebrew school-style lessons, for which they were gifted with things such as whiskey, grain, vegetables or honey. Additionally, in Yemen, Jewish moms gave their kids small coins on each day of Hanukkah, with which they could purchase sugar powder and red coloring for mixing into “Hanukkah wine.”

What treats and traditions will your household enjoy this season?  © 2018 King Features Syndicate, Inc.

32 · S U N D AYS I G N A L

N O V E M B E R 25, 2018

ART

Enjoy the SCV arts scene over the holidays

By Patti Rasmussen Signal Staff Writer

W

hile there’s no single art museum in the Santa Clarita Valley yet, there are eight city-sponsored art galleries located around town for your enjoyment.

Santa Clarita Arts Supervisor Jeff Barber is responsible for many of the city-sponsored exhibits, but the valley is fortunate to have a vibrant artist community and several locations in town to present art in all manner of exhibits.

Barber said he loves to share the creativity of artists and hopes the residents of Santa Clarita take a moment to see what’s around town.

Beginning this month, art lovers can make the rounds at several exhibits now underway. Check out the gallery times and just pop in and see what wonderful art there is to see in the SCV. For more information on upcoming art events and gallery openings, log on to www.santaclaritaarts.com

Forest Spirit Town Center Art Space (Available through Feb. 19) Artist Kevin Hallagan uses a variety of techniques and mediums with each piece influencing the next. Hallagan grew up in the forests of Pennsylvania, and is now living in Los Angeles.

Hallagan said nature has greatly influenced his creativity with the reaching branches of trees, the playful current of streams, the gentle clatter of leaves in the breeze and the deer, patient and strolling.

Santa Clarita Artists Association’s new show, Holiday Sparkle, opened Nov. 9, and will remain available to the public until the end of the year at the SCAA’s gallery on Main Street. COURTESY PHOTO

The First Floor Gallery at City Hall Reception: Wednesday, December 5, 2018 | 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm (Available through Feb. 28) The Art Classic is an annual awards show and gala fundraiser presented by the Santa Clarita Artists’ Association.

This year’s event, held in September, featured over 100 pieces of art in a variety of mediums including sculpture, oils, photography, graphics, watercolor and acrylic. Work that received first place awards at the show are being featured in the exhibit. For more information, please visit SantaClaritaArtists.org.

‘Dressing Up Is Fun,’ Newhall Community Center (Available through Feb. 14) Artist Georgette Arison said she likes to use many different and unique materials in unconventional ways. She likes to stretch her boundaries and abilities as an artist and is passionate about using accessories and embellishments.

Currently a costume design student, she enjoys working with leather and painting on silk.

‘Dream Seeds,’ Valencia Public Library

Kim Adam’s exhibit, “Feminine Figure” is currently on display at the Canyon Country Library.

COURTESY PHOTO (Available through Feb. 16)

Artist Audrey Jackson has created a series of work over the past two years as an expression of her own struggles, passions and dreams. The painting acts as a seed, slowly growing and blossoming into her dreams and goals.

Jackson is a CalArts student pursuing an art career. Her talent has already been commissioned by a national wine company, various musicians and several local pop-up art and gallery shows.

‘The Feminine Figure: Strength, Resilience and Insights,’ Canyon Country Library (Available through Feb. 9) Artist and educator Kim Adam has been using her artistic talents for the past 25 years as a therapeutic tool.

She said her art and its process assist her in staying grounded and working through issues in life.

For the last 10 years, Kim has shared her gift with others through education. This exhibit is full of images that are personal and serve as a reflection of her own strength and resilience, Kim said. The images focus on the feminine figure’s strength and beauty.

‘MEMORY | MYTHOLOGY’ The MAIN (Available through Dec. 7) “Memory | Mythology” is an exhibition of work by Los Angeles artist Theresa Knopf that ranges from ink

“I’m so Glad” by local artist Laurie Morgan is one of several pieces on display for the exhibit titled “Seasons Around the World” at the Canyon Theatre Guild on Main Street. COURTESY PHOTO

drawings, collages and fiber installations.

Her work explores the fluidity of memory and its ability to rewrite itself over time to create variations in personal narratives.

Non-city sponsored galleries ‘Holiday Sparkle,’ Santa Clarita Artists’ Association Gallery (Available through Dec. 30) Artist Tony Hanna uses mixed media including digital photo retouching. He has always been inspired by Thomas Kinkade and saw a match in the Piru Mansion when he added some snow and lights in the windows, Other pieces include an oil painting of his dog and a photo of his family.

‘Seasons Around the World,’ Canyon Theatre Guild (Available through Jan. 17) Artist Laurie Morgan’s one-woman show will include a selection of landscape, still life and floral life. Morgan said she’s intrigued by historical architecture and you will find parts of a house, castle, cabin, barns or other structures in her work. Also look for windows, doors and arches.

Morgan’s work has been exhibited at the Gallery of Santa Clarita, La Galeria Gitana in San Fernando, Santa Paula Arts Association Gallery and several more. Her complete collection can be viewed at www.lauriemorgan. biz. 

N O V E M B E R 25, 2018

S U N D AYS I G N A L · 33

BEAUTY

Feeling Soapish in Santa Clarita

Above: Various scented soaps and round “bath bombs” available at Soapish Hand crafted Bath & Beauty.

Left: Owner, Tania Vivian cuts a holly & berries soap loaf into bars at Soapish Hand crafted Bath & Beauty in Newhall.

PHOTOS BY DAN WATSON / THE SIGNAL

By Michelle Sathe Signal Staff Writer

W

alking into Soapish is like stumbling upon a gallery devoted to all things bath and

beauty.

There are the tall, narrow cakes of soap layered in vibrant colors, embedded with jewel toned bits, the tops are layered like frosting, sparkling with flecks of gold and silver.

“I like to think of my soaps as little pieces of art,” said owner Tania Vivian, who opened Soapish just three months ago. “That’s what makes them stand out.”

In addition to the soaps, bath bombs beckon in pastels of every shade, while luxuriant lotions, oils, lip balms and shampoo bars are offered in clean white or clear packaging with the bare, modern font.

Then there’s the fragrances, from the ultra-fresh “Clean Laundry” to the exotic “Chai Tea” to the deliciously refreshing “Lemon Cake.”

“I like to match scents to designs and colors,” Vivian said.

A former baker and cake decorator, Vivian has been making soap at her Valencia home for the last four years.

Inspired by her love of nature, design and the environment, she learned the basics on YouTube, creating a recipe

that acts as the foundation for each soap.

“It’s a base of olive oil, coconut, oil and cocoa butter, which replicates palm oil,” Vivian said. “But I won’t use palm oil, because it creates deforestation that harms wildlife.”

All Soapish products are cruelty-free and many are vegan. “The only non-vegan ingredient I use is beeswax,” she said.

Over time, Vivian perfected her craft and began selling her wares at local stores, such as Barn and Charm, and on soapish.net, while her Instagram and YouTube accounts quickly gained a large following (currently 50,000 and counting on Instagram).

“It really blew up on social, which gave me courage to open a store,” she said.

Soapish is a family affair. Vivian’s husband, Ryan, built much of the shelving throughout the store, as well as a huge marble countertop and sitting area in the middle of the store.

“I love having a big workspace. It’s so much fun,” she said.

Her 19-year-old daughter Emma created all the labeling and package designs.

“I’m not technical at all and Emma just has a really beautiful, youthful perspective,” Vivian said.

Prices for the soaps are $8 each or 3 for $22; while “bath bombs” are $6;

bubble baths are $10; sugar scrubs are $16; oils are $17; and lotions are $20.

Custom orders for events like baby or bridal showers are available, as are custom gift boxes.

So far, the response has been very positive, according to Vivian.

“Right now, people are seeing value in small businesses with artisan products,” she said. “They want something handmade, rather than mass-produced. It goes along with the way people are eating and drinking artisan foods and craft beers. They want to feel what they’re putting on their body is special, too.”

Since the products are so gentle and chemical free, Soapish has also attracted a clientele that find storebought bath items to be too harsh for their skin.

“There’s no itching, burning, or allergy-producing ingredients,” Vivian said. “It’s like music to my ears when someone who has eczema or psoriasis tells me they can use my products just fine.”

It’s also a thrill when online customers come into the store, she said.

“I love it when I get to talk to someone who’s been using my products for years, but we’d never met before.

Some of them have been using Soapish from the beginning,” she said.

In 2019, Vivian plans to host classes at Soapish on making everything

from soap to lip balms.

“I love teaching,” she said. “Having a group here would be as fun for me as it much as it would be for them.”

While being a new business owner can be challenging, with long hours and endless things to do, Vivian is enjoying the journey rather than being focused on the destination.

“I’m just taking it all a day at a time,” she added. “I had a dream, I’m watching it grow and living in the moment.”

Soapish 24353 Main Street, Newhall. Open Tuesday to Saturday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information, call (661) 753-3540 or visit www.soapish.net. 

NOW OPEN BARBERS WANTED

34 · S U N D AYS I G N A L

N O V E M B E R 25, 2018

GARDENING

Defining hardscape and how to use it

C

urb appeal is beneficial in various ways. Curb appeal can make a home more attractive to prospective buyers and give existing homeowners a place they want to come home to. In its study of the worth of outdoor remodeling projects, the National Association of Realtors found standard lawn care and overall landscape upgrades were most appealing to buyers, as well as the most likely to add value to a home.

Although plants, grass and other items can improve curb appeal, homeowners should not overlook hardscaping.

Hardscaping is an industry term that refers to the non-living features of a landscape. These features can include everything from decks to walkways to ornamental boulders. Introducing paths or paver walls to a property helps develop that home’s hardscape.

Hardscape and soft elements often work in concert to create inspiring landscape designs.

DIY landscape designers can heed

certain tips to make the most of hardscape features on their properties.

Choose materials

As with many landscaping projects, homeowners must first determine what types of additions they would like on their properties. Common hardscape features include patios, decks, walkways of pavers or bricks, and retaining walls. Hardscape elements can be functional or simply decorative features that add whimsy to the yard.

Choose a theme

The right style allows hardscaping and softscaping materials to work together. For example, homeowners may want to give their yards an eastern feel, complete with a koi pond and decorative bridge or trellis.

A formal English garden, however, may include manicured paths with stepping stones and ornate topiaries.

Mixing too many styles together can take away from the overall appeal.

The pros suggest looking at the overall plan of the design, even if all of the work can’t be completed at once. This way the eventual finished project will be cohesive.

Think about the purpose

Hardscaping can look good but also serve key purposes. Pebbles or gravel can mitigate trouble areas that don’t grow grass or plant life well. Retaining walls hold back soil in yards with sharply inclined hills. Mulch can set perimeters around trees and shrubs, as well as planting beds. Fencing, another form of hardscaping, is essential for establishing property boundaries and adding privacy.

Consult a professional

While many hardscaping additions can be handled by novices, largescale projects, such as patios and decking, can change the grading of the yard. Professionals can map out

Hardscaping refers to the elements in a landscape that aren’t living, such as paths, walls and fences.

COURTESY PHOTO

how to handle drainage issues and meet building codes. In addition, professional installation can ensure hardscaping features last for years to come.

Hardscaping should blend with the nature around it and take its cues from the surrounding environment.

This can help softscaping and hardscaping work as one.  —Metro Connection

Autumn is prime time for tending to the garden

A

utumn is gardening season. That statement may not seem right to those who think of the spring as the peak time to care for lawns and gardens. However, autumn is an ideal time to get into the garden and ensure that flowers, trees and garden beds will over-winter successfully.

A number of things make autumn a prime gardening season.

The cooler days of fall enable gardeners to spend ample time outdoors without the threat of blazing heat. In addition, soil harbors a lot of residual warmth in autumn. Also, the colder temperatures haven’t yet arrived in autumn, nor have the leaves completely fallen, making fall a prime time to assess what’s already in the landscape, what needs pruning back and where to address planting for next year.

Gardening enthusiasts can focus their attention on these areas this fall.

• Pamper perennials. As annuals and perennials start to fall back, mark the spots where perennials are located so they can be easily identified later on.

This way, when planning spots for

Otherwise, strip all leaves and freeze for storage during winter.

• Consider mums. Chrysanthemum plants are perennials. While they look beautiful in pots, if planted, maintained and winterized, they can bloom every fall.

• Fertilize the lawn. Fertilizing in autumn helps ensure grass will stay healthy throughout the winter.

Mums are perennials, and when properly planted and cared for, they can bloom every autumn. COURTESY PHOTO

spring bulbs or other spring layouts for next year, perennials won’t be overlooked or covered over.

• Prune shrubs. Look at shrubs and trees and cut out dead or diseased wood.

• Clean up borders. Weed and tidy up borders and lawn edging.

• Install pavers or rock wall. Embrace the cooler temperatures to work on labor-intensive projects, such as putting in a garden bed, retaining wall or walkway.

• Remove spent summer veggies.

Take out vegetable garden plants that have already bloomed and borne fruit. Tidy up vegetable gardens and start to sow cooler weather plants, such as onions, garlic, beans, and sweet peas.

• Rake and compost. Rake the leaves and gather grass clippings to add to the compost pile.

• Plant spring bulbs. Get tulips and other spring bulbs ready for planting so they’ll burst with color next year.

• Dig up herbs. Relocate herbs like parsley or basil to indoor gardens.

• Add mulch and compost to the garden. Replenish spent soil with mulch and compost so garden beds will be revitalized for spring planting.

• Prune hedges. Tidy up hedges, as they won’t be growing much more this year.

• Clean and store equipment. Clean, sharpen and oil all equipment, storing lawn and garden tools properly so they are ready for spring and not lying out all winter.

Autumn may not seem like gardening season, but there are plenty of lawn and garden tasks to tend to during this time of year.  —Metro Connection

N O V E M B E R 25, 2018

S U N D AYS I G N A L · 35

SENIORS

How to stay flexible as you age Men and women may begin to feel less flexible as they get older. That loss of flexibility is because muscles lose both strength and elasticity as the body ages, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center.

A lack of flexibility can make men and women more vulnerable to certain types of injuries, including muscle strains and tears. While people might not be able to maintain the flexibility they enjoyed in their twenties, there are ways for them to combat age-related loss of flexibility.

Stretch frequently Stretching is a great way to combat age-related loss of flexibility. Stretch major muscle groups, such as hamstrings and shoulder muscles, several times per week.

When practicing static stretching, the goal is to gradually elongate the muscle being stretched before holding the elongated position, and ultimately allowing the muscle to return to resting position.

As flexibility improves, elongated stretches can be held for 30 seconds.

Avoid stretching muscles that are sore or injured, and discontinue a stretch if you feel pain or discomfort.

Include yoga in your exercise regimen Practitioners of yoga typically love how this unique discipline that exercises the body while relaxing the mind improves their flexibility. Many yoga

poses are designed to improve the strength and flexibility of muscles, and some physicians may even recommend yoga to aging patients.

Yoga DVDs or streaming sessions can be great, but beginners may want to visit yoga studios or sign up for classes at their gyms so instructors can personally ensure they are doing each pose correctly. As their flexibility improves, men and women can try more difficult poses and classes if they so desire.

Get in the pool Swimming is another activity that can help aging men and women improve their flexibility. Strength-training exercises are an important component of a well-balanced exercise regimen, but such workouts tend to focus on one or two muscle groups at a time. That means other muscle groups may be inactive and tighten up as a result.

Swimming works the entire body, which helps all muscle groups stay loose and flexible. One or two swimming sessions per week can contribute to great gains in overall flexibility, especially for men and women who remember to stretch when they get out of the pool.

Flexibility may decrease as men and women age, but there are various ways to combat the natural loss of flexibility.

—Metro Connection

FOR THE

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Valencia, CA 91355 | Call Today (661) 200-0977 For more information on ouradditional services, please go to While it may be increasingly difficult to stay as flexible as we were in our 20s, there are ways to combat the age-related loss of flexibility. COURTESY PHOTO

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36 · S U N D AYS I G N A L

N O V E M B E R 25, 2018

PROFILE

Building community pride, One Piece at a Time

By Taylor Villanueva Signal Staff Writer

W

hat started as a day geocaching around his community — an outdoor activity involving searching for hide-andseek containers hid by others from around the world — turned into the realization that trash littered his neighborhood.

Castaic resident Mike Richter went outside to spend his leisure time searching for geocaches, but found more trash than the hidden objects he sought.

“I noticed the common factor — the litter all along the roads in different areas,” Richter said. “I do geocaching around the roads and trails. I noticed (the trash) was surrounding me there.”

Richter’s first step was to alert the local officials.

“I went to (Castaic Area) Town Council meetings. I called as many politicians and local government officials as I could.”

Officials listened to what he had to say, Richter said, but he got limited responses each time.

He was upset at first, but says he understood why he got the same reaction.

“I realized the government didn’t put the litter there, people did,” he said.

“Maybe people can clean it up or stop littering.”

That’s when he took action.

“I decided to clean up the litter myself,” he said.

With the help of his wife, Anne, Rich-

ter started out by picking up the trash he saw around his neighborhood.

He said at first, it felt “weird” walking down the road picking up trash.

“But by the time the first trash bag was full, I felt fine.”

Although Mike and Anne were making a difference, they knew the littering wasn’t stopping.

“It’s a mess. I thought, ‘Wow, I’m living in a dumpster here.’ Somehow, I grew an obsession with the litter that surrounded me everywhere I went.”

But there was too much.

When he would take his dog out for walks, all he could see was how much trash there was lining the streets and the freeway on ramps.

“I was hoping someone would notice and people would get on board and I would end up with a group.”

But it seemed no matter how much litter he picked up, there would always be more.

“You do this by yourself for many, many hours,” he said of his mission, “you ask for help and get limited help.”

When Richter realized there was too much litter for his wife and him to clean up on their own, he took it one step further.

He posted in local Facebook groups alerting his neighbors of all the trash.

“That attracted some people,” Richter said, but it wasn’t enough for all the litter that was piling up around Castaic.

So he created One Piece at a Time, a group that comes together whenever they can to clean up the litter they see around the neighborhood. The mem-

Mike Richter, demonstrates his jome made poly-duster, trash vacume, made from a recycled baby stroller, a cardboard box and a leaf-blower at this home in Castaic.

Mike Richter picks up trash near a home in Castaic. PHOTOS BY DAN WATSON / THE SIGNAL

bers of One Piece at a Time are “just trying to remove some litter from Castaic,” according to the group’s Facebook description.

The group formed in 2017, and locals have been unofficially meeting sporadically since then.

“We met on Veterans Day,” Richter said.

The group took time on their day off to clean up what they could, but Richter says it would be nice to have other people volunteer their time to join the effort.

Since One Piece at a Time formed, there have been several improvements in the litter cleanup effort.

“I have contacts with Caltrans,” Richter mentioned, and this comes in handy when he announces certain cleanup efforts.

At one of his recent events, Caltrans employees cleaned up before he even arrived.

Although Richter knows he can’t do it all alone, there are certain moments that keep him going.

“I did an event a while back where we

worked with the city of Santa Clarita,” he recounts.

“In nine hours, we filled up a trailer the city brought. The feeling was just fantastic.”

He talks about the sense of community he gets when others join his cleanup efforts.

“Having strangers come out with with like minds was absolutely what keeps me going.”

At the end of the day, Richter is realistic about his goals, yet urges SCV residents to do their part to make the city look better.

“It’s just about having a cleaner environment,” he says.

“Not everyone is willing to stand up and go out and pick up [the trash].

But maybe some people will clean it up or stop littering. I’m never going to stop litter, but maybe I can remove a little litter from Castaic.”

To learn more about One Piece at a Time or to see how you can help clean up litter, visit the group’s Facebook page. 

N O V E M B E R 25, 2018

S U N D AYS I G N A L · 37

PROFILE

Empowering HeArts honoree seeks to help with artwork

By Michele Lutes Signal Staff Writer

S

anta Clarita resident Holly Feneht said her goal is to live her life with integrity, as one of six honorees for the 2019 Single Mothers Outreach Empowering HeArts Gala.

“Living with integrity means it’s something I don’t have to consciously consider and think about. If you’re working towards the common good, you can’t go wrong,” Feneht said, “seeing people as individuals, not lumping people into categories and making assumptions. Everyone has a different story.”

Feneht has a unique story of her own.

Fenet went to Valencia High School and loves Santa Clarita, she said. She and her husband of 12 years, Chris Schantz, bought their home in 2009, and have been working to better the community ever since. One of her passion projects has been Hope’s Haven, a partnership she co-founded with Circle of Hope, she said.

Circle of Hope has been supporting cancer patients and survivors in Santa Clarita for over 14 years, and officially opened Hope’s Haven in February 2018.

After co-founding the nonprofit, she’s currently serving her first year on Circle of Hope’s Board of Directors.

“I’ve had really close family go through cancer and it has had an impact on my life,” Feneht said.

Hope’s Haven, a cancer wellness center located on Lyons Avenue, is helping cancer patients and survivors adjust to their “new normal,” by offering services and workshops to relieve stress.

“Building that community, find it very rewarding,” Feneht said. “It’s good for everyone’s soul.”

Feneht also helps women and men with scarring from surgeries and domestic violence.

She owns her own business, Gilded Lily, the first clinic dedicated to paramedical body art in Santa Clarita.

She started with traditional tattooing, but one day a customer came in with a scar terribly covered up by a tattoo.

From that day, she made it her mission to provide quality options, she said. “We conect as women and they deserve the best.”

Feneht believes she was guided to her profession, she said. “I can help cover up some of those negative memories and help provide closure in that part of their life.”

Feneht heard about the gala years ago, from a neighbor who was a selected artist one year.

“It’s a wonderful program,” she said. Although she has not used the resources Single Mothers Outreach

Empowering HeArts honoree Holly Feneht stands outside the Circle of Hope on Lyons Avenue in Newhall. PHOTO BY CORY RUBIN / THE SIGNAL

offers, she has seen friends and community members have great success and great experiences through their programs.

“It’s encouraging me to get involved,” Feneht said. “Build alliances and poor some of our assets together and build something greater and together to support the community.”

At the gala, artist Aazam Irilian, will unveil an original piece of art

that tells Feneht’s story.

Irilian is one of the six artists chosen to carry out the tasks of telling the honoree’s story through art.

She is also taking her time to learn Feneht’s story by volunteering at Hope’s Haven.

“She does ‘intuitive art,’ Feneht said, “I’m really open with it,” Feneht said.

“I can’t wait to see how she interprets me.” 

A few office ideas to create more family time

B

alancing work and family is a juggling act faced by many working parents. Responsibilities to work and family often overlap, and that can make solving the riddle of balancing work and family that much more difficult.

Single-income households have decreased dramatically over the last several decades, as escalating costs of living have made it difficult for many families to get by on just one income.

But working parents can employ several strategies, both at the office and at home, as they attempt to make the job of juggling commitments to work and family a little less difficult.

Around the office

A major concern many parents have as they attempt to balance work and family is that they are not spending enough time at home with their children or not paying enough attention to their kids or even their spouses when they are home.

One way to find more time at home is to inquire about the possibility of working remotely.

Advancements in technology that have made it easier to remotely communicate with clients and coworkers has led to an influx of work-fromhome employees. While working from home does not mean workloads will diminish, it does save men and

women the time they would spend commuting to and from work, and that translates to more time at home with the family. If working remotely full-time is not a possibility, men and women can ask if it’s possible to do so one or two days a week, as such a schedule will still provide more time at home.

Another avenue men and women can explore as they attempt to achieve a better balance between work and family concerns how efficiently they do their jobs.

Chatting with coworkers about issues that do not pertain to work can be a great way to reduce work-related stress, but professionals who feel as if they never have enough time to get

their jobs done in a typical work day should determine if they are working as efficiently as possible. Avoid too much water cooler chit-chat and resist the temptation to check personal emails or text messages while at work.

Men and women working to achieve a greater balance between work and family also can examine how willing they are to take on additional work.

While co-workers love a team player willing to pitch in, routinely accepting extra work can drastically cut into the time men and women have to do their own jobs as well as the time they have to spend with their families.

38 · S U N D AYS I G N A L

N O V E M B E R 25, 2018

SPORTS

Strategies to get kids to exercise

P

arents can try various strategies to get kids off the couch and exercising.

• Set a positive example.

Kids, especially young children, often try to emulate their parents.

Parents can capitalize on kids’ desire to be like mom and dad by exercising in front of their children.

Young children may not be ready to lift weights or run on the treadmill, but parents can embrace kid-friendly exercises, such as walking and cycling. Invite kids along for daily bike rides or go for family walks around the neighborhood after dinner.

• Park the car. Kids don’t need to know they’re exercising in order to be more physically active. In lieu of driving to the bank or pharmacy,

SUPERBOWL

Continued from page 16

In addition to winning the division championships, all three local youth teams finished the season with an undefeated record.

The Saugus Spartans Bantam team in particular was a force to be reckoned with, even going back to last season.

“This team is very special. We’re on an 18-game winning streak dating back to last year,” said Saugus Spartans coach Jeremy Perkins, who also serves as an athletic director for Golden Valley High School. “We’re back-to-back Superbowl champions, and this team only allowed five touchdowns all year. They are just a really great group of kids.”

The Santa Clarita teams competed in all six divisions of the annual tournament, with the Grizzlies reaching the championship game in the Freshman (ages 9-11) bracket and the Spartans reaching the title game in both the Sophomore (ages 10-12) and Senior divisions.

While one of the main goals of the youth football programs is to teach kids all aspects of the game and help them progress as athletes, more important is the mission to teach kids lessons off the field.

parents can leave the car at home and ride their bikes alongside their children when running errands. If possible, parents can walk youngsters to and from school rather than driving them.

• Choose friend-friendly activities.

Adults employ the buddy system as a means to motivate themselves to keep exercising, and that same principle can apply to children, who might be more excited about physical activity if their friends are joining them.

Team sports provide chances to exercise with friends, as do organizations like the Boy Scouts of America and the Girl Scouts of America. But even inviting a child’s friend along on a family hike or bike ride may make “That’s a huge part of my philosophy in coaching,” Perkins said. “To teach kids how to compete everyday and teach them the characteristics that are going to help out their academic life, their family life and professional life down the road. They present all the characteristics that are going to ensure success through all aspects of life. These kids are selfless, hardworking and dedicated.”

This year’s Superbowl was scheduled to be played at Royal High School in Simi Valley, but due to the Woolsey Fire, the venue had to be changed at the last-minute.

Wyre quickly got on the phone with Valencia High Principal Stephen Ford, who graciously offered his high school’s field for the youth games.

“He’s been great. He’s helped us secure fields for our playoff games and regular season games, which we’ve never had before,” Wyre said of Ford. “I made the call to Steve (on) Friday morning, and within an hour, he got back to me. He said, ‘The field is secure and it’s all yours, do what you got to do.’ He’s made it very easy for us.”

With the season over for now, the kids will focus on other sports like baseball, soccer or rugby until the new season starts up again in July.

Most kids join the organization through referral, according to Wyre,

such activities more fun for kids.

• Give gifts that encourage physical activity. Kids might want the latest device or video game for their birthdays, but parents also can give gifts that encourage youngsters

SAFETY

Continued from page 16

• Encourage adequate rest. Johns Hopkins notes that the most common injuries among young athletes are overuse injuries that involve soft tissue. These injuries affect bone, muscle, ligaments, and/or tendons.

Overuse injuries can lead to stress fractures characterized by a lack of swelling and feelings of pain

to be physically active. Bicycles, rollerblades, ice skates, and sports equipment are just a handful of potential gifts that may compel kids to exercise more.  —Metro Connection

and tenderness during movement.

Encourage rest between practices, games and events, and make sure to schedule an offseason for young athletes so their bodies have time to recuperate before the next season.

Young athletes’ injuries are often preventable, especially when parents and children work together and communicate about any aches or pains kids might be feeling.  —Metro Connection

Santa Clarita Golden Valley Grizzlies player Camron Willcot (5) runs for extra yardage as the freshman plays against the Grace Brethren Lancers during the Gold Coast League Superbowl games held at Valencia High School. PHOTOS BY DAN WATSON / THE SIGNAL

but he encourages prospective athletes to keep up-to-date with the team’s website and fill out an online interest form.

While this past season’s success on the field is a great reward for the young athletes in the programs, their coaches haven’t lost sight of what’s really important.

“Most importantly, it’s about building the kids,” Wyre said, “have good

quality character kids so when they leave the program they are ready for high school.”

Interested parties can visit the Santa Clarita Wildcats team page at SCWildcats.info. For those looking to join the Saugus youth program, visit SaugusSpartans.com. The Santa Clarita Grizzlies team page can be found at SCGrizzlies.com. 

N O V E M B E R 25, 2018

S U N D AYS I G N A L · 39

Happy Holidays!

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40 · S U N D AYS I G N A L

N O V E M B E R 25, 2018

CHICAGO

TIMERANGER

Continued from page 28

Bill Champlin and me,” Seraphine said a few days before the Santa Clarita show. Among them were classic early hits like “25 or 6 to 4,” “Feeling Stronger” and “Saturday in the Park” plus hits from Chicago’s ballad era including “Hard Habit to Break,” “You’re the Inspiration” and “Look Away.”

Fifty years ago, Seraphine and his bandmates from the Windy City had a gig as the house band at The Whisky on Sunset, opening for Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin and many others.

The Big Thing, as they were known then, blew audiences and fellow musicians away with their then-revolutionary mashup of big-band jazz horn arrangements and wailing rock guitar solos.

Meanwhile, the band was prepping original material. They landed a deal with Columbia late in ’68, changed their name to Chicago Transit Authority, recorded in New York, and dropped their epic, eponymous,

Continued from page 22

ground-breaking double-LP debut in April ’69.

Singles like “Beginnings,” “Questions 67 and 68” and “Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is?” were all over Top 40 radio, while jams like “I’m a Man,” “Introduction” and the psychedelic “California Purples” rocked the nascent album-oriented format on FM stations.

Today, some 130 Chicago albums sold worldwide later, Seraphine and CTA — dubbed “Chicago on steroids” by fans — are consummate musicians who love performing Chicago’s classics in more intimate club settings, where anything can happen, and often does.

“In the past, legendary performers who’ve joined us have included Robby Krieger, Tommy Thayer and Chicago’s former lead singer Jason Scheff,” Seraphine said. “So you just never know who’s going to show up in Santa Clarita.” 

On this date, Harvard sociologist Tom Pettigrew drew up a 1,000-page report, suggesting that the Hart district bus some of their kids into the San Fernando Valley to promote racial balance in both communities.

The plan, which would have caused students to be on a bus between two and four hours a day, was never adopted.

I surely hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving with friends and loved ones, dear saddlepals. Always a treat to explore our Santa Clarita roots together. I’ll see you back here at The Mighty Signal in a week with another exciting Time Ranger adventure.

Until then Estar bien y seguro durante las vacaciones y vayan con Dios!

John Boston, aka, Mr. Santa Clarita Valley, has been writing about and teaching the history of the SCV for more than 40 years. Read his historical tome, “Images of America: The Santa Clarita Valley.” It’s available on Amazon.com. 

Nov. 30, 1882, wasn’t a great day for pioneer Sanford Lyon. He died. Sanford was one of the most influential early residents, his hand felt in so many enterprises from oil, building schools, stage depots, running the early version of pre-Newhall and mercantile. His twin was Cyrus, the legendary local gunfighter and lawman. Funny. All these years of investigating history, I still don’t know if Cyrus and Sanford were fraternal or identical twins.

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N O V E M B E R 25, 2018

Give your mind a workout with these brainy exercises!

BRAINGAMES

Relax

S U N D AYS I G N A L · 41

42 · S U N D AYS I G N A L

CROSSWORD TIME

N O V E M B E R 25, 2018

THE VILLAGE IDIOT

Hey, it’s your lucky day

By Jim Mullen Signal Contributing Writer

T

here was a long line to buy lottery tickets the other day at the Gas ‘n’ Go Away. The jackpot was over a billion dollars.

Last week, the prize was “only” a few hundred million. There was no line to buy tickets then. You could have walked right in and bought as many as you wanted. It seems gas station gamblers don’t have much use for $500 million. A billion, though — that might come in handy.

“Five-hundred million? Chump change,” says the guy in line in front of me. “If you think I’m going to stand in line for 10 minutes for a lousy $500 million, you got another think coming. You couldn’t even quit your job with that kind of money.

When you split it up between me, the first and second wife and the seven kids — it hardly comes to anything!”

Me, I was just trying to buy a quart of one-percent milk. There are only a hundred or so people in front of me, and the line is moving pretty quickly. Talk about luck — I’ll be able to get out of here in half an hour or so.

Meanwhile, my line partner fills me in (and everyone near us) on the finer points of the lottery.

“Now, I’m taking a big risk buying $200 worth of tickets. What if I have to split it with someone? That would make me crazy. When I think of the time I’ve spent coming up with these numbers, just to share the prize with somebody who just reached up and pulled the numbers out of thin air? I don’t think I could handle it. Having to split the pot with an amateur? That would practically kill me.

“And then there are the taxes. That’s the government for you. Always sticking their hand in your back pocket. I do all the work — picking

the numbers, standing in line and buying the tickets -- and then they want to take half my money. It ain’t fair. So between the taxes and the bum I have to share the prize with, I’m down to 150 million.

“A hundred and fifty million. Is that supposed to make up for all those years I did without? Well, I didn’t do without, so much, but the wife and kids sure did. I’d hate to think they went without shoes and food for so long for nothing.”

My milk is now room-temperature.

It’s turned into some kind of gooey liquid cheese. I should go back and get a fresh quart, but the line has gotten longer. Just since I’ve been standing here, the jackpot has gone up another hundred million dollars.

What happened to the fast, friendly service that the Gas ‘n’ Go Away is known for? You used to be able to come here and get some overpriced gas and some overpriced milk and get shoved right out. This is taking forever. My linemates are starting to quarrel over the best way to spend their winnings.

“Do I take it as a lump sum or spread it out over 20 years? Sure, the lump sum is a lot less cash, but then I can invest it myself instead of the state.”

“What do you know about investing?” the guy behind me sneers. “If you know so much about the stock market, why are you in line with the rest of us? Take the yearly payments.

That way you’ll never have to worry about money again.”

“Either way will be fine with me,” chimes in another guy, “as long as you don’t tell my wife I won.”

It turned out that all of them can stop worrying about how to spend the money. The winning ticket was sold a thousand miles away, to a man who bought his first and only lottery ticket on a dare from a friend.  Contact Jim Mullen at mullen.jim@ gmail.com

N O V E M B E R 25, 2018

S U N D AYS I G N A L · 43

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