Month in Review – Snapshots of January’s most significant news and developments

by | Feb 1, 2016 | Community

Christy Smith Announces Candidacy for Assembly
Christy Smith, a member of the Newhall School District Board of Directors, announced her candidacy for the 38th Assembly District seat in 2016, according to a news release from the candidate.  Smith, a Democrat, sees this year as an ideal time to run.
“The 38th Assembly District needs a representative who reflects the political diversity of the community,” Smith said.  “Currently, over 60 percent of voters in this district are not registered Republicans.  They deserve a voice in Sacramento.”
Smith’s legislative priorities include: expanding economic growth in both the industrial and small business sectors, charting a course to make California’s school funding nationally competitive, addressing the impending teacher and nursing shortages by immediately expanding capacity in state training programs, and reducing health care costs statewide by expanding access to providers.
“The state faces many challenges. We have a lot to do to expand the middle class, pull people out of poverty and provide opportunity for success,” Smith said.  “A top priority is pushing for real movement on infrastructure improvement in both water and transportation.”

Knight Introduces Two Bills
Representative Steve Knight (CA-25) introduced a bill that would help some small businesses compete for federal contracts by making it easier for them to receive mentoring from larger, more experienced firms, according to a press release from his office.
H.R. 4322, the DOD Mentor-Protégé Cooperation Reform Act, would simplify the qualification process for small businesses that are eligible to participate in the Department of Defense’s Mentor-Protégé program. This program, which has existed since 1991, helps certain small businesses (protégés) compete for federal contracts by partnering them with large companies (mentors) that can provide them with technical assistance and business development services.  H.R. 4322 is expected to be heard by the House Small Business Committee in early February.
“Our communities are in the unique position of having a huge presence of defense contracting companies as well as a large number of small businesses that are seeking government contacts,” said Rep. Knight. “The DOD Mentor-Protégé Cooperation Reform Act would help bridge the gap between those two groups so that our region’s economy can thrive.”
Knight also introduced a bipartisan resolution that would raise awareness and support research for a common but little-understood form of pediatric cancer called Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma, or DIPG.
H. Res. 586 would establish a national DIPG Awareness Week and support expanded research for treatments and care.  Janet Demeter, an Agua Dulce resident who lost her son Jack to DIPG in 2011, first suggested the resolution to Knight.
“DIPG exemplifies the experience of childhood cancer in its deadly prognosis and lack of solutions, and the tragic but commonly heard excuse that ‘the numbers aren’t great enough for investors,’” Demeter said.  “This resolution … finally brings public light to one of the darkest experiences a child can have.”
One of the more common pediatric brain tumors, DIPG is responsible for the most pediatric brain tumor deaths each year and has maintained one of the lowest survival rates; the median survival time is only nine months, according to a press release from Knight’s office.  Despite its prevalence, the cancer has not garnered significant attention from the media, government agencies or research investors, and as a result, parents are regularly told there is nothing they can do for their children, outside of palliative care.

Lion at Shambala Preserve Dies from Cancer
Zeus the lion, a longtime favorite at The Shambala Preserve, died of cancer at 16 years old.
“His life had been taken too soon, ravaged by a cancer that could not be controlled by us mortals,” writes Tippi Hedren, president of The Roar Foundation, in a newsletter.  “Zeus will be greatly missed by all of us: the Shambala staff, his wild parents, our safari guests and the members of The Roar Foundation, who have joined our ‘pride.’  We will all miss the sight of him, as well as his magnificent roar, from which I would awaken during the night with a very special feeling of joy to realize how fortunate I have been to know the beings on the Shambala Preserve, and to be able to recognize the roar of Zeus.”
Zeus arrived at preserve on July 6, 2002, from a family in Huntsville, Texas who felt Zeus should be living in a place with more room and surrounded by his own kind.

Metrolink to Reduce Fares
Metrolink is lowering one-way, short-distance fares to as little as $3 on all lines.  The reduction builds on a successful pilot program, which incentivized short distance travel on the Antelope Valley Line, initiated by Los Angeles County Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich.
“By reducing fares on station-to-station trips, we can enhance ridership by making Metrolink a viable transportation alternative – not just for long distances across the region,” said Antonovich, a Metrolink director.
The fare reduction is a 45 percent discount to the current average fare of $5.50 for a one-way ticket between stations and a 25 percent discount in student and youth fares.  The Metrolink Board of Directors approved the reductions at a meeting on October 9.  For additional information on Metrolink, please visit metrolinktrains.com.

Homeless Man Reunited with Backpack
A 55-year-old homeless man who lost his backpack at the Walmart in Stevenson Ranch is counting his blessings after being reunited with his possessions, according to a news release from the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station.  A backpack was discovered by Walmart employees and turned over to authorities.  Most likely containing the individual’s livelihood, the backpack held a wallet containing his identification and important papers.
As part of normal station procedure, a Found Property report was completed, and the case was assigned to Detective Brad Thompson, who handles all of the station’s Found/Lost Property reports.  Through his investigation, Detective Thompson determined that the backpack belonged to a local homeless man.
A “be on the lookout” flyer was designed with the man’s picture and distributed to all station personnel.  Detective Brandon Painter, of the Santa Clarita Sheriff’s Station Robbery Team, set out on a mission to find the man and return his property.  After several stops, Detective Painter caught a glimpse a gray-bearded man, wearing a hat with black sunglasses, rounding a nearby corner on a bicycle.
Detective Painter immediately turned on his lights, and eventually his siren, to alert the man.  Undoubtedly puzzled, the man stopped on his bicycle.
The detective proceeded to tell him about how an honest store employee turned his backpack into the SCV Sheriff’s Station and that the backpack was there waiting for him to go pick it.
Despite the rainy weather that day the sun was figuratively shining that day in Santa Clarita.  The “day was made brighter for someone else” thanks to the combination of honest store employees coupled with the teamwork of diligent detectives.

Body Found at Rowher Flats
On December 26, 2015, at approximately 4:30 p.m., a man’s body was discovered in the 10,000-acre Rowher Flat Off-Highway Vehicle Recreation Area,  according to the Public Information Officier Shirley Miller. At the request of the U.S. Forestry Service, the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Search and Rescue Team and the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department Aero Bureau responded to the location to search for an overdue camper. There was concern that the camper, whose truck had been at the location for the week, was in possible distress in the recreational area. In the course of their search, a man’s body was found near an overturned all-terrain vehicle.  The California Highway Patrol is investigating this as a single-vehicle traffic fatality.  The body was later determined to be that of Michael Skelton, age 61, of Valencia.  Skelton’s cause of death is still under investigation.

Bouquet Canyon to Undergo Safety Investigation
Under the direction of Los Angeles County Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich, three agencies will partner up to investigate the safety of Bouquet Canyon Road, according to a press release from the supervisor’s office.
The Board of Supervisors will direct the Department of Public Works, United States Forest Service and California Highway Patrol as they compile a plan to improve traffic safety within 30 days.
On January 4, a 19-year-old woman from Leona Valley was killed when her car hit an oak tree and plunged 20 feet down a ravine off Bouquet Canyon Road in Saugus.  About 10 feet from the oak tree is a memorial marking the spot where a 16-year-old from Palmdale died after his car also hit a tree on August 22, 2015.
This stretch of road is owned by the United States Forest Service and is maintained by the county via permit.

Lives Lost in Several Major Crashes
by Tyler Peckham

Torrential rain and holiday crowds have taken a toll on Santa Clarita drivers, causing many accidents, large and small, according to the Public Information Officier Shirley Miller.
About 1:30 p.m. on New Year’s Eve, a four-car crash occurred at the intersection of Plum Canyon and Golden Valley roads.  A Ford Focus containing five people hit an Acura sedan, which spun out and hit an Infiniti SUV.  The Focus also spun out and hit an Infiniti sedan.  Seven people were injured in the accident and transported to Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital. One of the passengers, an eight year-old child, was airlifted to a trauma center.  Another passenger, Teresa Rodriguez-Reyna, was pronounced dead at the scene.
In the early morning hours of January 4, 2016, a 19-year-old student, Elena L. Kramer, lost control of her Ford Mustang off of Bouquet Canyon Road and hit an oak tree after plunging down into a ravine, dying on impact. Christopher James Rodriguez, 16, also died at this same location on August 22, 2015.  Some believe a guardrail could have saved both their lives.
On January 5, 2016, a black Sonata t-boned a big rig, which was turning left onto Valencia Boulevard off of the I-5.  The Sonata became wedged underneath the big rig, and the driver was transported to an area trauma center but had no life-threatening injuries.

Wilk Introduces Bills for Accountability and Transparency
Assemblyman Scott Wilk, R-Santa Clarita, introduced Assembly Bill 1648, which will allow taxpayers to more easily access and share public records, on January 12, according to a press release from his office.
“Citizens deserve full and unfettered access to public records,” Wilk said. “Currently the state contracts with a private party that charges for its services and enforces copyright laws when public records are shared.  If Californians are expected to follow the law, they should be able to know what those laws and regulations are.”
State law requires that public records are never held by a private entity in a way that would prevent a state or local agency from being able to directly provide that public record.  AB 1648 would expand that right to members of the public.
Currently the Code of Regulations is being published by a private company, and taxpayers are prevented from legally distributing the information.  AB 1648 will give citizens the same access to public records afforded to state or local government agencies.
On January 4, Wilk introduced Assembly Bill 1566, which will help improve the accountability of state agencies, specifically surrounding the recent actions of the California High-Speed Rail Authority, according to a press release from his office.
This past October, the Los Angeles Times published an article claiming the Rail Authority withheld specific documents in a 2014 report presented to the Legislature.  AB 1566 will require a written report submitted to the Legislature, by any state agency or department, to include a signed statement by the head of the agency or department.  This statement will declare the factual contents of the written report are true, accurate and complete to the best of his or her knowledge.  In addition, any person who presents false material is eligible to a civil penalty of up to $20,000.
“The Rail Authority’s actions not only violate the public trust, but it loosens the balance of power written into our constitution by denying the Legislature’s ability to provide proper oversight of the executive branch,” Wilk said.  “The truth is this situation should have never arisen and a state agency should never knowingly deceive the Legislature.  AB 1566 will solidify the head of any state agency or department is held to an expectation of honesty.”

[bsa_pro_ad_space id=3]

ADVERTISE WITH US

ABOUT THE MAGAZINE

Santa Clarita Magazine has set a high standard for excellence in advertising for over 34 years. A family owned and operated business, Santa Clarita Magazine has grown with the Santa Clarita Valley since 1990 and become the #1 place to advertise locally.

SANTA CLARITA MAGAZINE

PO Box 801570
Valencia Ca 91380

For Advertising information
Call or Text:
1 (661) 294-4444

Santa Clarita Magazine

Santa Clarita Magazine