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S2 · THURSDAY, DECEMBER 31, 2020 · THE SIGNAL

2020: The year of one story

W

hen Signal Owner/Publisher Richard Budman and I started talking about the “Top 10” stories that shaped the year 2020, my first response was only half-joking: “COVID-19. COVID-19. COVID-19.

COVID-19, COVID-19…”

Indeed, the coronavirus and the disease it causes dominated headlines, and every facet of life, more so than just about any story in memory. COVID-19, hands down, was THE story of the past year. It touched every aspect of the news, from politics, to business, to sports, to

education, to social unrest.

In this special section, we are taking a look back at 10 stories that shaped 2020. It’s not a ranking, per se — but somehow COVID-19 intersects with all of them. Heck, there’s even a COVID-19 tie-in to the long-running dispute over the proposed CEMEX sand and gravel mine in Soledad Canyon.

It’s been a difficult year, to say the least.

Through it all, we’ve seen the tragedy of the impacts of COVID-19 on individuals, families and businesses. We’ve seen loss of life — tragically,

more than 100 members of our community have succumbed to COVID-19 — and we’ve also seen that familiar Santa Clarita Valley resilience.

Some of my favorite stories from this past year were about neighbor helping neighbor, as we all struggled to get through one of the most difficult time periods we’ve ever encountered.

In the pages that follow, we invite you to look back with us on 2020, a year like no other, and we wish all Signal readers a Happy New Year and a safe, happy, healthy and prosperous 2021.

— Tim Whyte, Editor, The Signal

Global COVID-19 pandemic hits home

By Signal Staff

I

t happened in 1820, it happened in 1920, and now it has happened in 2020: A pandemic has rocked the world, and the Santa Clarita Valley with it, to its core.

But, while the previous two, and the many other disease outbreaks between them, might have afflicted only a few rancheros or agricultural workers, the COVID-19 pandemic has shuttered hundreds of businesses around the SCV and put tens of thousands of people out of work.

Multiple times during this novel pandemonium, small-restaurant owners would be called up to see if they offered delivery or curbside pickup, but the caller would only be met with tears and an explanation from said owner that that afternoon he had to lay off most of his staff due to recent health code orders.

Other calls made to places of work, children’s schools or day care centers were greeted with the news that doors would be indefinitely closed.

In the months at the beginning of the year, headlines in newspapers and news programs were dominated with talk of impeachment, while COVID-19 was regularly saved for below the fold or in the “C Block.” However, when one of the Santa Clarita Valley’s own, Carl Goldman, owner of KHTS Radio, was diagnosed with the virus while on a February cruise in Japan, the disease that seemed to be thousands of miles away became a not-sodistant reality.

The first case of COVID-19 was reported in Santa Clarita on March 13 at Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital. Six days later, local residents, as well as the surrounding communities, heard the words “stay-at-home order” for the first time.

Over the course of the next few days, parents would receive word that their students would be participating in distance learning for the remainder of the year as school officials scrambled to figure out the best system moving forward.

Businesses that were deemed “non-essential” were ordered to shut their doors and figure out how to ensure that their employees could work from home, while others who couldn’t were furloughed or fired.

By April 7, cases had grown from just the one a month earlier, to 139 in the Santa Clarita Valley and 6,910 cases countywide. In total, 169 people countywide had died as a result of the virus by the end of the first week of April, and it was becoming increasingly clear that this would only be the tip

Signal file photos

(Above) Caution tape encircles the play equipment at the Castaic Sports Complex in Castaic in April. (Below) Pharmacist Courtney Mattley holds a vial of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine before administering the first dose at Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital in mid-December.

of the iceberg.

In the early weeks of May, The Signal reported that the high number of cases being recorded within the small community of Val Verde actually belonged to the prisoners of Pitchess Detention Center. After speaking with a handful of inmates, it was revealed that even if they could not access the outside world, the problems “out there” could access them, with hundreds of inmates reportedly falling ill.

After months of strict orders to hunker down at home, many felt hope as L.A. County indicated restrictions would loosen up on the Fourth of July. Many annual patriotic shows were canceled to avoid residents gathering in large numbers, but that didn’t stop people from lighting their own fireworks from home amid California’s most dangerous fire season to date.

Data would soon show the highest surge in COVID-19 figures after the

July 4 holiday. Uncertainty loomed amid what would be monthslong ever-changing

county and state restrictions.

Following an end-of-summer lull, during which Barbara Ferrer, the L.A. County director of Public Health, said the actions being taken were “slowing the spread” of the virus, the fall and colder months arrived.

Heading into Halloween, Public Health officials urged residents and families to avoid trick-or-treating, saying the activity would be a perfect scenario for the virus to spread from household to household.

Then-Mayor Cameron Smyth, however, welcomed residents who wished to practice traditional Halloween activities to do so safely. The city was not in violation, however, as county guidelines were only recommendations.

In the weeks to follow — as a result of Halloween, as well

Signal file photo

Because Public Health orders prohibited large gatherings, high schools adapted, hosting drive-thru graduations. Supporters cheer for a graduating senior during the Canyon High School ceremony at Central Park in Saugus.

as a Dodgers World Series win on Oct. 27 and a Los Angeles Lakers NBA Finals win on Oct. 11 — the numbers around L.A. County and Santa Clarita began to skyrocket.

By the weekend before Thanksgiving, Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital officials announced they were bracing for the impact of what they classified as a holiday surge, the result of people having gone to friends’ and families’ homes over the holiday.

On Dec. 6, much like health officials had predicted, the surge in cases — growing from 309,190 cases on Nov. 1 to 439,408 cases on Dec. 5 — and the decreased level of hospital beds being available to patients in L.A. County, another stay-at-home order went into effect for Los Angeles County.

The new order would target restaurants, forcing them again to close their doors for in-person dining. This time, businesses, organizations and even the city would not stand behind the county’s reasoning, without presenting evidence, that outdoor dining increased transmission of the virus. A number of lawsuits ensued, producing a recent court ruling that deemed county officials acted “arbitrarily” on the dining ban. Still, eateries cannot reopen as the current Southern California regional at-home order remains in place.

Heading into the new year, after a steady stream of foreboding news conferences, regardless of the calendar day or month, a bit of hope appeared on the horizon.

On Dec. 17, Henry Mayo administered its first batch of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine to the hospital’s frontline workers.

These workers, along with their colleagues who would receive their own vaccines in the days to come, would be a part of what public health officials described as Phase 1A, a frontline blitz to get the Pfizer vaccine and eventual Moderna vaccine, to health care workers and those living in assisted living facilities.

On Dec. 23, Santa Clarita reported the highest number of new daily cases within the city with 383, while Los Angeles County reported 145 new deaths — a new daily record total.

The year would close out shrouded in a heated race between the distribution of the vaccine, which was set to be made available to the general public in the late spring to early summer, and the recordbreaking COVID-19 numbers that were rocking both the SCV community, and the nation at large.

Signal file photos

Once the COVID-19 pandemic struck, bringing with it stay-at-home orders and other Public Health directives, everyone suddenly needed masks. Many SCV residents answered the call for personal protective equipment. (Left) Allan Apone places the plastic pieces of masks created on a 3D printer into a UVC sterilizer at his Nehwall home in March. (Right) Hart Dance Team Capt. Diana Boggs, right, sews masks with team members in Stevenson Ranch in June.

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S4 · THURSDAY, DECEMBER 31, 2020 · THE SIGNAL

Challenging year can’t stop SCV’s good deeds Stepbrother donates kidney

By Raychel Stewart Signal Staff Writer

A

lthough the year will be defined by the COVID-19 pandemic and civil unrest, 2020 was also marked by how much community members in Santa Clarita Valley did what they could to help others during a difficult time.

Below are just a few of the many acts of kindness that exemplified the community’s helping spirit in 2020:

Night to Shine

Santa Clarita Valley teenagers were invited to the Night to Shine event hosted by Real Life Church in February, partnered with the Tim Tebow Foundation, to give teens with special needs a chance to dress up, dance and be crowned prom king or queen.

Party buses lined up to drop off the honored guests and their dates, who were then individually introduced by name to walk down the red carpet and onto the dance floor. “Paparazzi” lined up on both sides of the carpet waving pompoms, cheering and holding signs that read “You’re beautiful!” and “Have fun at prom!”

This was the first year the church has partnered with the Tim Tebow Foundation to put on this event, and organizers said there’s already been discussion about future events at other Real Life Church campuses.

Signal file photo

(Above) Server Janet Ponce works in the empty Original Saugus Cafe earlier this month. The diner, which has been a staple in Santa Clarita for 133 years, faced heightened challenges this year because of the pandemic. A GoFundMe effort has raised almost $12,500 to save the landmark. (Below) Real Life Church hosted a Night To Shine event in February, providing teens with special needs a chance to dress up, dance and crown a prom king and queen.

Save Saugus Cafe campaign

Cars cruise through Valencia

To spread joy in a time of uncertainty, a group of parents organized a 13car parade that cruised through Valencia neighborhoods shortly after school campuses closed and distance learning began.

Kelly Berry, Valencia Valley Elementary School PTA president, discovered the perfect way to reunite students while also adhering to socialdistancing regulations after parents expressed that their children missed their friends.

The “Quarantine Cruisers,” as Berry called them, went down a specific route in Valencia, which passed students’, librarians’ and teachers’ homes. From cars, students were waving, laughing and giving air hugs to their school community.

Parades became a popular way to celebrate birthday parties, graduations and other events to maintain social distancing guidelines.

Saugus resident Wyatt Leiby, 19, and his family have known since the day he was born that one day he’d need a kidney transplant due to complications during birth.

It wasn’t until last year, when Leiby entered stage 4 kidney failure, saying only 30% of his kidney was functioning, and doctors decided it was finally time to start looking for a donor. Little did they know that Leiby’s stepbrother, 20-year-old Nick Clericuzio, would be a nearly full kidney match.

When Leiby started looking for kidney donors about six months prior, family members stepped up, though unsuccessfully. Leiby was put on a transplant list, but the COVID-19 pandemic made the ability to receive a kidney difficult.

That’s when Nick stepped in, even though he wasn’t technically old enough to be a donor. After doing research at Palmdale Regional Medical Center, where he works as an EMT, Nick convinced doctors to test him.

That’s when they found Nick to be a 98% match.

For Nick, it was never a question, and he was confident going into the surgery.

Now Nick and Leiby recover at home after the successful surgery, which was performed in late November.

West Ranch students create ‘safe haven’ for teens

In an effort to create a safe haven for teens that focuses on mental wellness, West Ranch High School seniors and tennis team co-captains Brooke Johnston and Shaira Busnawi decided to create a blog.

The idea came to the two in February, but with school in session and tennis their main priority, the idea took a backseat, only re-emerging through the quarantine, when both girls had more time

on their hands and a revived inspiration.

The blog, named “Hiraeth,” which Johnston said means feeling homesick for a home that can’t be returned to or that doesn’t exist, aimed to be a welcoming, community-based platform that allowed them to explore every part of teenage life.

The girls hope to continue to grow the blog and its community, with plans to feature others’ stories about how they’ve been staying busy and keeping mentally healthy during the quarantine.

While The Original Saugus Cafe has survived some of the Santa Clarita Valley’s worst disasters in its 133 years — including the 1928 St. Francis Dam collapse, the January 1994 earthquake and numerous fires — it’s the COVID-19 pandemic that might bring its demise.

Like many others, the local restaurant has been struggling to make ends meet in the face of numerous shutdowns, as they worked to adjust to the constantly evolving guidelines.

It was only after a customer found out how slow things were and posted on social media, calling on the SCV community to support the local eatery, that things began to turn around.

The restaurant went from having few takeout orders per day, to being overwhelmed after many residents called for takeout in an effort to keep the restaurant open.

Jessie Mercado, the cafe’s manager and owner’s daughter, also began a GoFundMe campaign, which was wellreceived by the community and has surpassed the $10,000 goal, bringing in almost $12,500 as of earlier this week.

Signal file photo

(Left) West Ranch High School seniors and tennis team co-captains Brooke Johnston, left, and Shaira Busnawi look at the Hiraeth blog they created, with a focus on mental wellness. (Center) After schools were closed, a group of parents organized a 13-vehicle parade that cruised through Valencia neighborhoods in March to spread cheer in a time of uncertainty. Students and their families lined up in appreciation. (Right) Nick Clericuzio, 20, right, donated a kidney to his stepbrother Wyatt Leiby, 19, left, in late November.

Signal file photo

(Above) Graduating senior Melissa Duncan heads to her car full of supporters at the Canyon High School graduation ceremony at Central Park in June. (Right) Golden Valley High School teacher Beth Flynn works from her dining room table at her home in Valencia in August.

Students, teachers adapt to unique school year

By Raychel Stewart Signal Staff Writer

S

tudents in all grades and college levels started the year just as any other, spending mornings getting ready to go to class, participate in extracurricular activities and socialize with classmates.

It wasn’t far into the year when the definition of “going to school” changed drastically due to the COVID-19

pandemic, which has kept a majority of students in the Santa Clarita Valley home, and distance learning began back in March.

School district officials were kept on their toes as they waited for guidance from the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, which constantly changed from keeping students in school, pausing all extracurricular activities and eventually leading to the complete closure of school

campuses.

It began with the Student Network Television Conference in the beginning of March, which students from the Castaic Union School District and the William S. Hart Union High School District were planning to attend, as they did every year, to compete in video competitions.

After guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended gatherings of 1,000 people or more

be canceled, the STN moved from an in-person conference to a remote one, where students from CUSD and Hart District were able to participate in competitions from their school sites.

Shortly after the CDC’s guidance on large gatherings was released, the county’s Public Health Department guidance prompted the need for distance learning, causing all SCV school districts to make the swift decision to close

campuses in mid-March.

School officials responded to campus closures by implementing distance learning techniques, through which each district’s goal was to ensure students remained engaged and up to state standards as they began to learn from home.

College of the Canyons, California Institute of the Arts and California State University, Northridge, followed by See EDUCATION, S19

THE SIGNAL · THURSDAY, DECEMBER 31, 2020 · S5

S6 · THURSDAY, DECEMBER 31, 2020 · THE SIGNAL

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Check our websites for updates on learning options during COVID-19

THE SIGNAL · THURSDAY, DECEMBER 31, 2020 · S7

S8 · THURSDAY, DECEMBER 31, 2020 · THE SIGNAL

SCV businesses face unprecedented challenges

By Emily Alvarenga Signal Staff Writer

F

or Santa Clarita Valley businesses, 2020 has been anything but easy.

With COVID-19 continuing to rear its ugly head as the year winds down, many local businesses are struggling to stay afloat, while others have thrown in the towel.

The first wave of shutdowns hit a number of businesses hard, including Ice Station Valencia, which announced on March 25, just a week after the stay-at-home order went into effect, it would be closing its doors permanently after 20 years in business due to the uncertainty of a reopening date, along with the loss of income.

Even so, it didn’t take long for the SCV community to come together, with dozens of cars decorated in team colors, with banners, streamers and “Save the Rink” car decals, lining up down Smyth Drive for more than a mile in a car parade to show their love and support for the rink.

Since then, the Santa Clarita City Council changed the rink’s fate after voting in favor of acquiring the 93,000-squarefoot facility for $14.2 million.

It is set to continue operating as “a hub for ice skating, hockey and recreational skating,” as well as an event venue for local businesses and nonprofits, once allowed to reopen.

Other local family-entertainment venues that have been shuttered since March haven’t been as lucky, including Valencia Laser Blast, which closed permanently in August, and Mountasia Family Fun Center, which has been searching for its own way to survive the pandemic.

“One of our options at this point is to try to find a buyer, but barring a Hail Mary at this point, we won’t be able to reopen,” Michael Fleming, general managing partner at Mountasia, said in August as the center celebrated 25 years in business.

Signal file photo

(Above) After 20 years in business, Ice Station Valencia announced its closure in March.

The community rallied to save the ice rink, and Santa Clarita City Council members voted to acquire the facility. Other businesses were not as fortunate. (Right) Pizza Rev, on Magic Mountain Parkway in Valencia, is one of several SCV businesses that shuttered permanently following prolonged closures due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The center did everything it could to hang on as long as possible, applying for grants and other funding opportunities, even dipping into Fleming’s personal funds, but Fleming said he just can’t go anymore.

Stores begin reopening

Once given the green light to reopen in early June, Westfield Valencia Town Center chose to delay its reopening as a precaution due to local protests following the death of George

Floyd in Minneapolis.

A number of stores also took their own precautions, boarding their windows and even halting curbside orders because the stores were inaccessible.

Protests remained peaceful and a week later, those same stores were finally back in business.

“I’m looking outside — the parking lot is full — we’ve missed seeing the parking lot full like this,” Hurat Nazarian, co-owner of Manya Jewelers, said in June. “I think it’s way

Signal file photo

(Above left) Stylists Jared Smith, center, and Emily Clemmons wear masks, face shields and gloves and are separated by a vinyl curtain as they work on customers wearing masks at N’ Style Salon in Santa Clarita in June. (Above right) Maintenance crew member Berta Ortiz sanitizes the door handles as the employees prepare for customers at Frontier Toyota in Valencia in May. (Below) Like many restaurants in the SCV that have been buffeted by changing Public Health orders, Crazy Otto’s Diner in Valencia spent money to accommodate outdoor dining, only to have the county again ban the service.

overdue. We’ve been ready forever to come back to work because our payments didn’t stop.”

Likewise, TyCam Marketplace owner Felicia Smith said the reopening was akin to stepping out of uncertainty for the first time in months.

“But of course, I’m not gonna be light-hearted about it; financially, it’s been challenging for all of us,” Smith added.

“I had about 20 different artists from across the U.S. and, of course, it impacted us tremendously. But we’re looking forward to the reopening, and hopefully we can recover.”

Some businesses, like those at Westfield, along with the nearby car dealerships in the Valencia Auto Center, have been able to rebound after implementing sanitization protocols and being allowed to remain open. Others, like hair salons and barbershops, have been among those who’ve been presented with a whirlwind of changes, as Public Health guidelines began evolving as the pandemic progressed.

Open, closed, open ...

Salons were first allowed to reopen in June, only to close again weeks later, then given the chance to create outdoor setups, eventually allowed back inside again. Now, they’ve been shuttered again with the most recent stay-athome order.

“I’ve always been an advocate for the single mom, and I have five of them in my salon,” N’ Style Salon Owner Tiffany Friedman said. “And it’s just killing me to see the worry … when you want to be able to help and do everything possible. It’s been such frustration.”

The Great American Barbershop Manager Shannon Amary agreed, adding, “We were finally starting to make some headway, and then all this happened again. … It has been by far the craziest thing I’ve ever dealt with, ever.”

At C’est L’amour Nail, following all the required Public Health protocols, including

adding barriers between each client and having employees wear all the necessary personal protective equipment, was the easy part, according to owner Van Ngo. It was limiting the salon’s capacity that was most difficult.

“We’re taking appointments only right now, and we’ve been very busy, so yes, we’re reopened, but it’s still been difficult due to the capacity, and I don’t know when it will go back to normal,” Ngo said back in June, when personal care services were allowed to be open.

Since then, they, too, have been forced to shutter once again.

Similarly, restaurants have been faced with ever-changing restrictions, with some choosing to defy the Public Health orders during earlier shutdowns, allowing dine-in despite stay-at-home restrictions.

“We were packaging every single order to go, and the next thing you know, we had people sitting at our tables,” said Jonathan Carrillo, co-owner of Crazy Otto’s Diner in Valencia. “Little by little, customers just kept sitting down (to eat), and it kind of just spiraled out of control.”

With the pandemic drastically affecting their income, and the co-owners fearing losing their business, they decided to allow it, only to be shut down

by Public Health for seven days.

Following the closure, Carrillo said the restaurant would try to get creative in finding ways to generate business while continuing to follow Public Health guidelines.

“We have got to start thinking outside the box now because right now, there’s no end in sight.”

Main Street Newhall was closed to vehicle traffic for a time, as restaurants’ patio setups filled parking spaces. But now, those tables and chairs sit empty, as even outdoor dining is prohibited, many having invested money in COVID19-related setups they can no longer use.

It’s these kinds of hidden expenses, such as the Christmas decorations or the outdoor heaters restaurants just purchased or even the tents, tables and chairs that they’ve been renting, that have been adding up.

“We have spent so far $27,000 on COVID-related (supplies), and that’s still only getting 60% to 70% of normal sales,” Salt Creek Grille owner Greg Amsler said.

As many restaurant owners agree, profit margins for the industry were small before the pandemic, only leaving more in need of dire support now, which even includes L.A. County’s oldest restaurant, The Original Saugus Cafe. Supporters created a GoFundMe to save the cafe, which has garnered “overwhelming” community support, raising almost $12,500 to date.

“We appreciate the entire community coming together,” said Jessie Mercado, the cafe’s manager and owner’s daughter.

“We knew Santa Clarita was such a great city, but they’ve shown it to us a million times over. It feels like the entire city has come to the restaurant.”

The latest shutdown hit restaurants right before the holidays, a six-week period during which most of their profit is made.

“It’s just wrong,” said Cherie McGraham, owner of Smokehouse on Main. “Society needs to be able to be responsible for themselves at this point. You can’t keep shutting down the world — you just can’t, and I’m so angry about it.”

Signal file photo

(Left) Servers Molli Fay, left, and Kyra Andersen carry orders to cars waiting curbside at Stonefire Grill in Santa Clarita. SCV restaurants adapted to ever-changing directives by offering delivery and takeout service. (Center) Trainer Terry Telphy, right, encourages attendees as they work under tents in the parking lot at Hardcore Fitness Bootcamp in Santa Clarita. (Right) Maintenance worker Rene Martinez sprays BioPledge Antimicrobial Protection spray on the interior of a car at Valencia Acura in May.

THE SIGNAL · THURSDAY, DECEMBER 31, 2020 · S9

Social unrest seen across U.S. rises up in SCV

By Caleb Lunetta Signal Staff Writer

T

he social unrest that swept the nation after the killing of George Floyd impacted nearly every community, and the Santa Clarita Valley was no exception.

Protests were sparked by the death of George Floyd, a black man killed by a police officer in Minneapolis on Memorial Day, and they continued for days, and sometimes weeks on end once the video of his killing went viral.

On May 30, only a few days after the death of Floyd, hundreds of protesters gathered on the corner of McBean Parkway and Valencia Boulevard to protest what they saw as systemic racism and killing of black men and people of color by police departments around the country.

Protesters carried signs that read “Stop Police Brutality,” “Black Lives Matter” and “Those who commit the murders write the reports.”

“It’s time for us to listen.

At least let’s hear them out; if you’re not going to change your opinion at least listen to what they’re experiencing,” said Sebastian Cazares, one of the demonstrators who identified himself as a Latino who stood in solidarity with other people of color. “Even in this town we still need to show solidarity with Black lives,” said Cazares. “Not everyone is going to agree, but we’re still going to come out here.”

On the day of the first major protest, Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station officials were called out to the intersection after the protesters took to sitting in the middle of the busy intersection, halting traffic altogether.

SCV Sheriff’s Station deputies, with both a helicopter overhead and sheriff’s vehicle pulling up, declared the protest an “unlawful assembly” due to the demonstration having blocked through traffic.

As the deputies began to move their police line forward — a coalition of deputies from stations throughout Southern California clad in riot gear — the protest dissolved peacefully, with no reports of arrests or property damage, according to Capt. Justin Diez.

“We want to respect people’s right to assemble peacefully and protest the government, to seek redress when they’re wronged,” L.A. County Sheriff Alex Villanueva said. “There is a system that’s already wellestablished for that. It’s not going to be substituted by a system based on violence, intimidation, looting, robbing people, assaulting people (and)

Signal file photos

The late-May death of George Floyd in Minnesota sparked protests across the country — including in the Santa Clarita Valley.

(Above) Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station motor deputies keep protesters on the sidewalk along McBean Parkway during a June 4 demonstration. (Below) Hundreds of Black Lives Matter demonstrators display signs and chant during a May 30 protest at McBean Parkway and Valencia Boulevard in Santa Clarita. destroying property.”

However, the protests would not end with the May 30 demonstration, but would in fact continue for a number of weeks, both around the nation and here in the SCV. During the following week, amid persistent internet chatter about a major protest being planned for the SCV, the Santa Clarita City Council asked the National Guard to come in to support the city in maintaining order, a local emergency was called for, and a curfew was implemented to ensure no damage was caused as a result of the protests.

“I want to make it clear that whoever wishes to come to Santa Clarita, those who live in our community that wishes to peacefully assemble and make their voices heard and are exercising their First Amendment right, you are more than welcome to do that here in our community,” said Mayor Cameron Smyth at the time of the protests. “However, those who wish to take advantage of these peaceful protests and use that as an opportunity to either loot or riot, that will not be tolerated.”

On June 4, the largest of the SCV protests occurred, with hundreds of demonstrators, from young to old, student to parent, arrived at the corners of Valencia and McBean. They then did what they had done in

days previous and in the days to follow, and marched on City Hall and then eventually the SCV Sheriff’s Station.

Even though a few shouting matches between passersby was recorded, throughout the entirety of the summer’s social unrest, no arrests or property damage was recorded locally.

Counterprotests formed as well, with those in attendance wearing “Make America Great Again” hats and chanting “Blue Lives Matter.” But again, no

arrests were made or property damage recorded.

On Aug. 7, SCV Sheriff’s Station deputies were recorded responding to an assault report and felony stop in Canyon Country and then subsequently detaining three teenagers at gunpoint.

“I would like to update you on an incident that occurred last week on Aug. 7,” said Sheriff Alex Villanueva, referring to the Canyon Country occurrence.

“As a result of that interaction, Sheriff Villanueva has directed a thorough review of our policy as it pertains to the deployment of the AR-15 rifle, as seen in the video. We will thoroughly review our actions related to this incident and take appropriate action as necessary,” said a statement from the Sheriff’s Department.

One of the deputies involved in the incident was removed from the field, according to Villanueva.

Signal file photo

Though SCV’s Black Lives Matter protests had been peaceful, precautions were taken ahead of a large demonstration set for June 4. (Left) Members of the National Guard stand by as hundreds of protesters walk down Valencia Boulevard. (Above) Ron Barber, left, and Chuck Ojala board up the windows at Mac’s Pool & Spa Supply in Newhall, in anticipation of the protest.

Signal file photos

(Left) Protesters listen to speeches on the lawn of the Santa Clarita Courthouse during a June 4 Black Lives Matter demonstration. (Right) Chana Keefer hands out flowers on Valencia Boulevard during the demonstration.

S10 · THURSDAY, DECEMBER 31, 2020 · THE SIGNAL

2020 in Pictures From pre-pandemic life to present

All through 2020, Signal photographers Dan Watson and Bobby Block captured images of a year like no other.

Presented here are a few samples of their best photos from 2020: Above: A group of girls paddle as L.A. County Fire Helicopter 19 snorkels up a load of water from the Castaic lagoon below Castaic Lake on May 28 (Dan Watson). Left column, from top: Mask-wearing became the norm during 2020 (Dan Watson). Saugus’ Monique Febles (1) and Canyon’s Jwamee Advincula (20) fight for a loose ball at Canyon (Dan Watson). West Ranch’s Max Morales (23) and Klye Santiago (3) of Saugus chase a loose ball at West Ranch (Dan Watson). Valencia’s Alexei DeVita (4) and Nicholas Woll (11) of Hart fight for a pass near the goal at Hart (Dan Watson). Search and Rescue crews are deployed via L.A. County Fire Department Helicopter 16 to Rice Canyon as part of an operation to rescue hikers who were stuck in a tree Nov. 8 (Bobby Block). SCV Sheriff’s Station deputies investigate after a gunshot victim was rushed to the hospital from a Canyon Country residence Nov. 30 (Bobby Block). Super Scooper aircraft on loan from Quebec assist firefighters battling the South Fire in Castaic Sept. 7 (Bobby Block) The city of Santa Clarita unveiled a new inclusive play area at a local park (Bobby Block). Below, clockwise from left: Former 38th District State Assemblyman Dante Acosta places a flag at the graveside of his deceased son as service members watch behind him on May 25 (Bobby Block). Supporters of graduating senior Keila Okubo pop out of the sunroof for photos during the Valencia High School graduation ceremony at Central Park June 10 (Dan Watson). An L.A. County Firehawk water-dropping helicopter makes a drop on a fire at Castaic Lake Aug. 1 (Dan Watson). Graduating seniors from Hart High School’s Class of 2020 participate in a drive-thru graduation ceremony at Central Park June 2 (Bobby Block). Bottom right: National Guard trucks and soldiers stand watch at the Westfield Valencia Town Center on June 5 (Dan Watson). Intensive Care Unit nurse Kathy Brady looks on as pharmacist Courtney Mattley, left, draws the first dose of Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine before administering it to Brady at Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital Dec. 17 (Dan Watson).

THE SIGNAL · THURSDAY, DECEMBER 31, 2020 · S11

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S12 · THURSDAY, DECEMBER 31, 2020 · THE SIGNAL

Tug of war between Villanueva and the Supes

By Tammy Murga Signal Staff Writer

T

here were jail COVID-19 outbreaks, the nationwide civil unrest that rattled Los Angeles County streets for months and investigations over fatal shootings, body-worn cameras and funding.

The list goes on in what turned out to be a yearlong kerfuffle between L.A. County Sheriff Alex Villanueva and the county Board of Supervisors and the Civilian Oversight Commission, one that reached a point where supervisors and commissioners considered options to remove the sheriff.

In mid-November, the county board members approved a series of motions that looked to limit the sheriff’s power and ultimately push him out of office.

The move came after the passage of AssemVillanueva bly Bill 1185, which allows counties to establish an oversight board or an office of inspector general, giving them true investigatory powers and the ability to issue subpoenas.

In L.A. County, the Civilian Oversight Commission, an independent advisory oversight commission created by the board in 2014 to oversee operations of the L.A. County Sheriff’s Department, and an inspector general’s office already exist. AB 1185 is set to strengthen their authority.

Supervisors supported the bill, which is set to take effect Jan. 1 and further establish a procedure for the issuance and enforcement of subpoenas under the new legislation. They also passed a motion aimed at looking into legislative changes that could allow the board to authorize an appointed sheriff, remove certain existing responsibilities of the role and “curtail the sheriff’s resistance to transparency, accountability and the faithful performance of duties.”

Despite past disagreements between him and the supervisors, Villanueva said after the approved motions that he was committed to working with them to serve L.A. County residents.

“I have an open-door policy, (and) I’d like to meet with each and every one of you personally,” Villanueva said

Signal file photo

Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva, top center, addresses the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors. The sheriff and the supervisors have been at odds all year, with the board even considering options to have him removed from office. then. “I want to encourage everyone to remember what (Joe) Biden said, ‘Let’s stop demonizing people. Let’s start working together. Let’s find solutions together.”

The motions followed a fiery call in October from the sheriff’s Civilian Oversight Commission for Villanueva to step down because commissioners had “lost confidence in Sheriff Villanueva’s ability to effectively govern the Sheriff’s Department,” according to the resolution they unanimously passed.

Villanueva, who had not made himself present during the meetings even after being subpoenaed, fired back, saying there are better ways to communicate respectfully than to call for his resignation.

“The resolution says, ‘He should

resign immediately,’ but then right underneath it, they say ‘nevertheless,’ they want ‘to have a productive relationship’ with the sheriff while they ask for my resignation,” he said in late October.

“I’m not sure how we can do that.”

The back-and-forth between the sheriff and the two boards came on the heels of other tense moments throughout the year, including Villanueva accusing the county of underfunding the Sheriff’s Department by $400 million and calling the board’s vote that replaced him with former county CEO Sachi Hamai as the chief of emergency operations a “power grab.” Villanueva has also been subpoenaed by the commission to testify about his handling of the COVID-19 outbreak in county jails.

Los Angeles County Supervisor

Kathyrn Barger, whose 5th District includes the SCV, and Inspector General Max Huntsman have also been critical of Villanueva and have repeated calls for more transparency and oversight of the sheriff over investigations into multiple incidents, such as the fatal shootings of Andres Guardado, Dijon Kizzee, the arrest of a reporter who covered a protest in Lynwood after the shootings of two deputies in Compton and a 911 call involving a high-profile Santa Clarita Valley incident Aug. 7, in which the department was questioned over guns being drawn on several teenagers.

The sheriff’s position is elected, meaning he can only be removed from office via a recall effort or to vote him out in a regular election. Villanueva’s term ends in 2022.

Amid busy year, Cemex action was in the courts

By Tammy Murga Signal Staff Writer

S

anta Clarita officials and environmentalists opposing a proposed Cemex mega-mine in Soledad Canyon have declared the decades-long battle “over,” but the multimillion-dollar legal battle over contracts that generated no revenue will trek into next year after an eventful 2020.

A brief recap leading up to 2020

In 1990, Cemex, one of the world’s largest building material companies, was issued two 10-year contracts to mine 56 million tons of sand and gravel just outside Santa Clarita’s eastern border in Soledad Canyon. Since that time, the city has fought to prevent the work, spending at least $12.5 million to prevent what they say would be about 1,164 truck trips per day on local roads and freeways. The city and local mine opponents argue the mine would cause air quality issues, as well as potential harm to wildlife.

The Bureau of Land Management canceled in 2015 the mining contracts for the area and Cemex appealed the ruling to the Interior Board of Land Appeals just a month after. Four years later in March 2019, the federal review board revealed that Cemex’s mining rights would expire in July 2020, and that the company may still appeal in federal court.

From there the countdown to July began. City officials even highlighted that with only 16 months left, the contract “is essentially worthless,” Councilwoman Laurene Weste said in March 2019.

By December of last year, Cemex was handed a bill of more than $25 million in missed annual payments over the past two decades as both

Signal file photo

The battle over the Cemex mega-mine in Soledad Canyon has been raging since 1990, and while opponents have declared the legal debate over, a year’s worth of back and forth in court has extended into next year. A December hearing was moved to the new year due to the holidays and after an attorney representing Cemex tested positive for COVID-19. contracts laid out that the mining company either produce mineral material or make annual payments in lieu of production. Cemex had three options: pay the bill, ask for more time to pay or show why the federal government should not cancel the contracts.

Back-and-forth in the courts unravel in 2020

Cemex went with none of the three options.

The international mining company filed a petition in early 2020 in an effort to have its contractual mining challenge settled with litigation after receiving a partial win following its request in January to have the appeals board overturn the $25 million bill.

The IBLA, which reviewed the appeal, sided with Cemex when it argued that the BLM lacked authority to demand

nearly $19 million in missed annual payments, but also partially denied its appeal in that the mining company did not show that BLM’s decisions lack a rational basis.

By late April, the BLM issued a notice to Cemex regarding an amount due of $7 million, or $6.3 million for its first 10-year contract that expired in July 2010 and a $700,000 bid deposit made by Cemex as forfeiture — and demanded that the mining company pay within 30 days from the receipt.

Cemex followed with a request to have its second contract extended for another year as the deadline approached on July 31. BLM denied the extension and the mining company indicated a plan to appeal the ruling in the courts.

“Cemex has been successful in defeating prior legal challenges to the project. Cemex

believes the process in federal court will also be successful, which will allow the development of the Soledad Canyon Project as has been approved by numerous environmental reviews,” read a statement Cemex officials issued July 28.

City officials once again called the yearslong battle “over” just days before the contract expiration date and a denied extension.

“As of that date, time will be up and there will no longer be active mining contracts for Soledad Canyon,” Bob Kellar, former councilman and Cemex City Council Ad Hoc Committee member, said in a previous statement.

With only three months in office after winning the May 12 special election for California’s 25th Congressional District, Rep. Mike Garcia, R-Santa Clarita, jumped in on

the matter and said his office had asked the BLM to provide monthly updates.

“It’s looking very favorable that the Cemex deal will be closed, but we’ve got to keep an eye on it (and) make sure that this thing doesn’t happen after the appeals process,” he said in a virtual August event with the Valley Industry Association.

Since then, it has been unclear whether Cemex is fighting the denied extension of the second contract or if the company’s focus is strictly on the financial impacts of the contract dispute rather than actually continuing to pursue the mine.

Fast forward to December 2020, following a year’s worth of COVID-19 developments, the court battle has hit pause and is expected to continue into 2021.

An attorney representing Cemex tested positive for COVID-19 — and due to the holidays, a California district court judge granted the mining company an extension Dec. 8 to better enable the company to prepare its reply to a new question on the court’s subjectmatter jurisdiction raised by the defendants: the U.S. Department of the Interior, Interior Board of Land Appeals and the Bureau of Land Management.

There has been no activity from the mining company in Soledad Canyon to date but the city will continue to closely monitor the case, according to city Administrative Analyst Masis Hagobian.

Andy Fried, president of the local nonprofit Safe Action For the Environment, which has opposed the mine, said that, “from the city’s perspective, (the battle) is over.”

“I think the city is fiscally conservative and very smart to try and protect its constituency about being penalized over something they weren’t a part of,” he said.

THE SIGNAL · THURSDAY, DECEMBER 31, 2020 · S13

Shooting brings Santa Clarita together

By Caleb Lunetta Signal Staff Writer

T

he Santa Clarita Valley needed to be, and became, #SaugusStrong, after the deaths of Gracie Muehlberger, 15, and Dominic Blackwell, 14, during the Saugus School Shooting on Nov. 14, 2019.

On that fateful day, parents either scanned the backfield of Central Park, searching for their Centurions, waited nervously at Grace Baptist Church while their students received psychological and emotional support, or were counseled by law enforcement officials after they had been informed their child would not be coming home that day.

“Between the moment I found out and heard from (my granddaughter, a Saugus High student), it was absolutely frightening,” said Santa Clarita Councilwoman Marsha McLean, who reflected on the morning of Nov. 14, when she was mayor.

The Santa Clarita Valley, in the days that followed, would need to come together in order to support the students, staff and families of Saugus HIgh School, and they did.

“That’s something that’s special about Santa Clarita,” 2020 Mayor Cameron Smyth said in November, as the community marked the one-year anniversary of the tragedy. “We know how to put arms around one another, support one another and you’ve seen a lot of instances of that over the last 12 months.”

Around the Santa Clarita Valley in the days and weeks that followed, and going well into 2020, the community showed unity in the face of adversity: the phrase #SaugusStrong or an image of a Centurion was plastered on every city bus, in every local business, and even on the surrounding street signs in the community.

On Jan. 24, the now-crowned World Series Champions Los Angeles Dodgers

Signal file photo

Santa Clarita’s Central Park, where students and parents reconnected following the fatal Nov. 19, 2019, shooting at Saugus High School, and where thousands of residents gathered for a vigil, will be renamed. The names of the two students who were killed that day — Gracie Muehlberger and Dominic Blackwell — will be appended to the name of the park. came and visited the students of Saugus High School, signing autographs and playing competitive games with them as a showing of support.

On the anniversary of the shooting, The Signal ran a series of stories about what had occurred around the community in the past year with respect to the aftermath of the shooting, many of which were narratives that were being shared for the first time.

In that anniversary issue of the paper, the law enforcement officials and Los Angeles County Fire Department personnel first on the scene shared what they had encountered that day.

In the months following the shooting, William S. Hart Union High School District officials commissioned a security report to review the different facets of school security and mental wellness on school campuses.

In November of this year, officials with the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office released the charge evaluation worksheet from two misdemeanor charges considered to be filed against the mother of the shooter. The D.A.’s Office eventually decided not to file charges.

What eventually occurred, by the end of 2020, was a step toward healing, when the Santa Clarita Valley Water Agency board members voted on Dec. 15 to approve appending Central Park’s name in honoring the victims shooting,

following heated commentary from residents who urged them to pass the designation.

The approved move in an 9-3 vote was to add “Central Park — In Memoriam of Gracie Muehlberger and Dominic Blackwell” onto the base of the west monument sign located at the entrance of the park, which currently has signage of the city and the water agency, along Bouquet Canyon Road.

“Tragedy of a specific event, you do these things based upon the impact they’ve had on society and/or the impact it made on a community. In this case, these two young children have had a greater impact on this community than anything that is coming for them,” said Bryan Muehlberger, Gracie’s father.

“This Central Park project will be an incredible step and continue to provide community members a place to acknowledge, to understand, to grieve and to heal,” said Frank Blackwell, father of Dominic.

Signal file photos

(Left) Gracie Muehlberger jumps so it appears the mural in downtown L.A. has given her wings.

(Below) Gracie’s father, Bryan Muehlberger, discusses a wing mural at Saugus High School with the artist, Colette Miller. The mural will include a poem by Gracie, “One Life to Live.”

Signal file photos

(Above) Infielder Gavin Lux hugs a student at a rally at Saugus High School, where the nowWorld Series-winning Los Angeles Dodgers visited in January. They attended the event to show support for victims of the shooting that occurred at the school in November 2019.

(Right) A student at Saugus High teams up with Dodgers player Justin Turner during a pep rally at the school.

It was an eventful year in politics for the SCV

By Tammy Murga Signal Staff Writer

F

Signal file photo

A voter prepares to drop her ballot into an official drop box, which became a familiar sight throughout L.A. County.

rom the primaries to a special congressional election and the November election, it was an eventful year in politics and one in which the presidential election found its way to the streets of Santa Clarita Valley in the form of demonstrations and car parades.

The new year hit the ground running with a large pool of candidates eyeing a seat for the 25th Congressional District after the sudden resignation of former Democratic Rep. Katie Hill, which initiated a special election in addition to the regular primary. The more than 10 candidates included former GOP Rep. Steve Knight, Cenk Uygur, founder of the progressive news and opinion outlet “The Young Turks,” and former

Donald Trump advisor George Papadopoulos.

But it was California’s former 38th District Assemblywoman Christy Smith, D-Santa Clarita, and Rep. Mike Garcia, R-Santa Clarita, who would persevere against them all.

Smith led the March 3 primary with 36.2% of the vote, while Garcia received 25.4%, according to state tallies. Garcia picked up momentum and won the May 12 special election, which determined that he would complete the remaining seven months of the vacant congressional term.

After several months of COVID-19 lockdowns and everchanging restrictions, the two campaigned strong leading up to November, voicing how they would help their district and the nation recover from the pandemic.

At the same time, county

elections officials prepared across the nation for what would be a year where registered voters were encouraged to vote by mail in an effort to prevent people from gathering at the polls and help reduce the spread of COVID-19, although there were in-person voting centers with safety guidelines that welcomed voters. Some preferred to personally submit their ballots while others questioned the authenticity of reportedly unauthorized ballot drop boxes.

Months and even days before the presidential election, people all over the country gathered in the streets — despite health officer orders recommending physical distancing — in support of President Donald Trump and now-President-elect Joe Biden. Dozens of vehicles and motorcycles paraded in Valencia with supporters of the See ELECTION, S19

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Naya Rivera honored, remembered after death

By Emily Alvarenga Signal Staff Writer

S

ince Valencia native and “Glee” actress Naya Rivera’s death in July, friends, families and colleagues have paid tribute to her memory.

A dayslong search ensued after Rivera’s 4-year-old son, Josey, was found asleep in a rented boat on Lake Piru July 8, wearing a life vest and wrapped in a towel.

Investigators believe that Rivera and her son may have been caught in a strong current while swimming in the lake, with Ventura County Sheriff Bill Ayub saying in a news conference, “She mustered enough energy to get her son back onto the boat, but not enough to save herself.”

Hundreds of personnel from multiple agencies used a mixture of dive teams, sonar technology, boats and aircraft to scour the lake before the 33-year-old’s body was discovered five days later.

Once the news of her death was official, Hollywood figures took to social media to pay tribute to the actress, including “Glee” creators, who said in a statement they’re “heartbroken” over Rivera’s death, remembering her as “one of the most talented, special stars” they’ve worked with, while announcing they’d be setting up a college fund for her son.

Ryan Dorsey, Josey’s father and Rivera’s ex-husband, wrote a tribute to his late wife on

Instagram that read: “There’s not enough words to express the hole left in everyone’s hearts. … I’m thankful for our times and our journey that brought us together and gave us the sweetest and kindest smart little boy we could ever hope for.”

Rivera’s sister Nickayla also posted on social media, calling Rivera the yin to her yang.

“We were complete opposites, yet simultaneously the same. … I never knew that by losing you, I would find so much of you in myself.”

Though difficult to put into words, Rivera’s mother, Yolanda, said she wants everyone to know that the grief and support that they shared is felt.

“As much as I know everyone is suffering right now, if there’s anything that I could say to heal, or make someone’s day a little brighter, just know that God is God, and be blessed this holiday season.”

This holiday season has been tough on the family, as Christmas was Rivera’s favorite holiday.

“What I’ve done is I’ve put all three of her Christmas trees up, and I am vowing that I will have a gift under the tree for Josey as long as I have breath in my body,” Rivera’s mother added.

Friends and family started a fundraiser in Rivera’s honor this Christmas, raising funds for her favorite charity, Alexandria House, a nonprofit that provides transitional housing for women and women with children.

Calling it “Snixxmas,” which

Signal file photo

Naya Rivera, left, a Valencia native and star of the hit TV show “Glee,” went missing July 8 on Lake Piru, prompting a dayslong search by Ventura County first responders. Her body was discovered in the lake five days later, drawing tributes from far and near.

was what Rivera called her annual Christmas party, the first annual Snixxmas Charity Drive raised nearly $118,000 on GoFundMe, with further

donations being collected directly by the nonprofit.

The fundraiser included a statement from Rivera’s family, which read: “Naya loved Christmas and we are pleased to know that her Christmas parties left a lasting impression on all of our lives. This fundraiser is an extension of Naya’s love for families, children and holidays. To honor

her in this manner is evidence that her love for others is endlessly alive. … We appreciate all who continue to shine Naya’s love and light.”

Rivera, who graduated from Valencia High School in 2005 and attended College of the Canyons, is survived by her son Josey, parents Yolanda and George, brother Mychal and sister Nickayla.

Signal file photo

(Left) Teacher Nicholas Patey teaches calculus in an empty classroom at Golden Valley High School on Aug. 27. (Right) Graduating Senior Owen Derry waves to Saugus High School faculty after posing with his diploma the Saugus High School graduation ceremony at Central Park in Saugus on June 5.

EDUCATION

Continued from S4 moving all lectures online until further notice.

Students and teachers adapted to the new way of attending school by using online platforms like Zoom, which allowed teachers to engage with students via webcams, and using work packets, which became the new normal way to attend school.

As the school year continued and usual events, such as prom, grad night and other activities for high school students were canceled, Public Health and school district officials found a way to celebrate graduation for seniors while avoiding large crowds in ceremonies.

Thousands of high school seniors across the SCV were able to celebrate their milestone with drive-thru graduations, where they received their diplomas while family watched from cars.

Photo opportunities were available outdoors for families to gather and capture the unique memory.

Other schools, such as COC and CalArts, held virtual graduations to celebrate the graduating class while CSUN made the decision to postpone its ceremony to December, but it was later changed again to a virtual ceremony that would take place in spring 2021.

As a majority of students will continue distance learning in 2021, Public

Health began accepting in-person instruction waivers for TK-2 grade students in October, along with small cohorts of students who require additional support online schooling is unable to provide.

As of the end of 2020, CUSD, Sulphur Springs Union School District and Newhall School District were granted waivers and students in these grade levels are expected to return to school for half-days in January.

ELECTION Continued from S13

standing president who also voiced support for recalling Gov. Gavin Newsom. There were also demonstrations, sometimes on the same day and across the street from opposing groups, to celebrate Joe Biden and Kamala Harris’ then-projected win in the 2020 election.

Then the night of Nov. 3 arrived and people anxiously waited for results in not only the presidential election but also their local elections. But official results did not arrive as an unprecedented number of ballots had yet to be counted, including in the Santa Clarita Valley.

Many races would take days and even weeks to be decided, but the results were quite clear by the end of election night in one of the most-watched elections for Santa Clarita: the City Council race where the top two of nine candidates would win.

Cameron Smyth set a new record for earning the most votes by a local council candidate, garnering more than 31% of the vote after a challenging year throughout the pandemic and civil unrest. Jason Gibbs and Kelvin Driscoll raced for the second seat, which longtime Councilman Bob Kellar held. Kellar had been called to resign by several local Black Lives Matter and civil rights

Signal file photo

(Above) Voters wait in a long line that snakes around the corner of the Stevenson Ranch library building with less than an hour left to vote on March 3, primary election night. Countywide complaints about the new voting system prompted changes in time for the Nov. 3 general election. (Right) Voters mark their ballots at the Castaic Sports Complex in November. activists and voiced their support for Driscoll over Gibbs, who Kellar had endorsed early on. Voters chose Gibbs in the

end, as he received more than 16% of the vote.

In the state legislative races, incumbents Sen. Scott Wilk,

R-Santa Clarita; Sen. Henry Stern, D-Calabasas; and Assemblyman Tom Lackey, RPalmdal, returned for another

term. Newly elected Assemblywoman Suzette Valladares, RSanta Clarita, won her election in the 38th District, flipping the legislative seat back to red after Smith’s term.

Meanwhile, Smith kept a close eye on her election against Garcia, which had teeter-tottered with the candidates only separated by a couple hundred votes. In the end, Garcia pulled in 169,638 votes, or 50.05%, and Smith had received 169,305 (49.95%).

“With final votes counted in this race, it’s clear we will not be able to close the 339-vote gap,” said Smith when she conceded on Nov. 30. “This is not the end result we fought for, but I am proud of the strong, grassroots campaign we ran.”

“I am once again honored to represent CA-25 during this pivotal time in our country’s history,” said Garcia in response. “I remain committed to protecting the Constitution, fighting for the longevity of our nation and ensuring we invest in our public’s safety and our collective national security.”

Despite their differences, the candidates had shifted gears during their campaign trails in 2020 to address concerns over the COVID-19, holding virtual informative town halls with resources for communities, helping out at testing sites and food drives, and advocating for some of the sectors most affected by the pandemic.

S20 · THURSDAY, DECEMBER 31, 2020 · THE SIGNAL

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