SCV Reader March 2016

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10 • THE Reader weSt ranCh town CounCil Freeway beautification talks continue By Josh Premako Staff Writer The West Ranch Town Council continued discussion last month of proposed changes to the area’s landscape maintenance districts and beautification work near Interstate 5 — a project that has been in the works for several years. County officials discussed the planned beautification work around the Pico Canyon Road/Lyons Avenue off-ramp on the west side of I-5. In late 2011, the city of Santa Clarita — along with county officials and members of the Town Council — broke ground on a similar project that was carried out on the east side of the freeway. The roughly 3-acre freeway work site is in the California Department of Transportation’s right of way, and Caltrans has yet to give full approval to the project, said Lisa Woung with the county Public Works Department, and program manager for the design of the project. County officials expect the project to cost approximately $250,000, funded by the county budget with maintenance handled by local landscape maintenance district (LMD) fees. To ensure funding is sufficient, the county is eyeing increases to the Stevenson Ranch area’s landscape maintenance district (LMD) assessments. For example, while the current assessment for District 1 is approximately $24 per parcel, it could increase to a maximum possible rate of $44 per parcel. That would, however, be a decrease from the existing approved maximum rate of $47. “You’re going to have to make your best case that it benefits (the community),” council member Rick Ryan told county officials. In addition to ensuring any landscaping done does not use excessive water, Caltrans wants assurances that the budget allows for the project completion and any future maintenance, Woung said. “The first thing we want to do is beautify the area,” she said during the meeting. “To give it a signature look that says, ‘You’re in Stevenson Ranch.’” The project could potentially take shape in the form of gravel mulch, decorative concrete elements and drought-tolerant trees massed together to minimize water use. Woung said Caltrans has requested a thorough review process for the project including assurances that LMD funds will be sufficient. As part of the process, public meetings will be held. In a best-case scenario, she said, construction could start by late 2018. Also during the February meeting, the council received local crime updates from Sheriff’s Deputy Kevin Duxbury and California Highway Patrol Officer Christopher Crocker. Duxbury urged residents to not leave valuables in unattended vehicles, as burglaries persist. Crocker noted that while CHP officials have seen a decrease in law enforcement-related stops, they have seen increases in service stops such as helping stranded or lost motorists. R The West Ranch Town Council meets the first Wednesday of the month at 6:30 p.m. at the Stevenson Ranch Library, located at 25950 The Old Road in Stevenson Ranch. For more information visit www.westranchtown council.com Help us Build a Great Community News Magazine The Reader is looking for Reporters & Sales Account Executives Email Richard@WestsideReader.com By Pearl obispo Staff Writer Don’t let the title of the book fool you. “The Baby Boomer’s Motivational Guide to Losing Weight” is not your typical diet book. It’s not only for Baby Boomers and you definitely won’t find recipes. But what you will find are tips and ideas for weight loss that, co-authors and siblings Scott “Q” Marcus and Cindy Marcus said, can be used by anyone wanting to lose weight — no matter what generation you’re from. “References are baby boomer references,” Scott said. “Anything from the late ’60s to early ’70s — songs, television, movies, music, March 2016 Co-authors Scott "Q" Marcus and Cindy Marcus greet attendees at the book signing of, "The Baby Boomer's Motivational Guide to Weight Loss." PhoTo By PeARL oBiSPo Don’t Judge a Book by its Cover…or Title clothing. But the knowledge, information and insights, are relatable to anybody who’s ever battled weight.” The brother and sister team recently unveiled the guide at a book signing in Santa Clarita. The pair said they've struggled with weight loss their whole lives, but now have it under control and wanted to share their journey to motivate and empower others. “There is so much misinformation about weight loss,” Scott said. “I have a different approach. I look at eating as the symptom. Not the problem.” Scott, who is a professional speaker by trade, said he wanted a book that focused on what you say to yourself, what you do with yourself, as opposed to what you eat. “What you say and do to yourself affects what you weigh,” Scott said. “If you change that, problem solved.” The book also discusses the challenges that occur once people hit their goal weight — challenges that Cindy Marcus says many weight loss programs rarely tackle. “Weight loss programs are great at helping someone take the weight off,” Cindy said. “But diets aren’t helping once someone reaches their goal. There’s a struggle in losing the weight. But once it’s gone, now what? And I feel like the book really addresses that.” Cindy, who runs Showdown Theater, a local theater program to empower teens, said the most important thing to remember for anyone wanting to lose weight is to have fun. “Enjoy the journey,” said Cindy, who, since hitting her goal weight, has gained only 4 pounds in the last 18 years. “Stop beating yourself up and have fun. You won’t do it if you don’t have fun.” And that’s exactly why one of the attendees at the book signing decided to give the book a try. Ann Harris drove out from Pasadena because she said she was looking for something different in a diet book. “I won’t diet,” Harris said. “I refuse to diet because diets don’t stick. But I like what the book has to offer. It’s different and judging by the (weight loss) success of the authors, might just work.”R
March 2016 THE Reader • 11 Chiquita Canyon parent seeks merger By Brandon Lowrey Staff Writer The Texas-based company that owns the Chiquita Canyon Landfill is seeking Canadian citizenship. Waste Connections Inc. is asking for shareholder and governmental approval to merge with Canadian waste hauler Progressive Waste Solutions Ltd. in an all-stock deal that would leave Waste Connections shareholders with 70 percent of the combined company, and five of seven seats on the board. The proposed deal is structured as a reverse merger. This means that on paper, Progressive Waste is acquiring Waste Connections. But Waste Connections shareholders and executives will be in charge of the combined company (which will, of course, be named “Waste Connections Inc.”) The move would grow Waste Connections in a big way, allowing it to take over Progressive Waste’s operations in 14 states and six Canadian provinces. The combined company would have projected revenue of $4.1 billion and maintain its U.S. headquarters in The Woodlands, Texas, and its Canadian headquarters in Ontario, Canada, according to forms filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. “Under our leadership, we believe we can instill the corporate culture, safety focus, operational excellence and accountability that have served us so well and which we believe are necessary for long-term success within Progressive Waste's complementary markets. These improvements, together with expected immediate synergies and other cash flow benefits, should accelerate value creation for both companies' shareholders,” Waste Connections CEO Ronald J. Mittelstaedt said in a prepared statement about the proposed merger. “Put simply, we believe this combination creates a company uniquely positioned with industry-leading operating and free cash flow margins, together with the balance sheet strength, to drive further growth and increase the return of capital to our shareholders." Its service area is not the only thing that Waste Connections wants to expand. The company has been fighting to keep the Chiquita Canyon Landfill operating until 2037, which would grow it out significantly and double the amount of trash it can take in, much to the chagrin of local environmental groups. Those groups, including Santa Clarita Organization for Planning and the Environment, Citizens for Chiquita Canyon Landfill Compliance and other Val Verde residents lodged a complaint with the county in June, alleging that the county deprived Spanishspeaking residents of a chance to participate in the approval process by withholding Spanish translations of documents related to the proposed expansion project. County officials and the landfill owners denied those allegations. The groups want the 639-acre landfill to close by 2019 or when it reaches 23 million tons of trash, under a 1997 agreement between the unincorporated community of Val Verde and the landfill's previous owner, The Newhall Land and Farming Co. The ink dried on that deal long before Waste Connections bought the landfill in 2009, and the groups argue that the agreement is still binding. Waste Connections now wants to expand the landfill’s footprint from 257 acres to 400, and double its trash intake to 12,000 tons per day. Chiquita Canyon had previously been expanded in the late 1990s. Waste Connections won an expansion and 30-year extension for its Lancaster landfill in December 2011. The merger would not affect the company’s plans for the landfill, said Chiquita Canyon District Manager Steve Cassulo. “It is business as usual,” he said. R Hilton to build hotel in Santa Clarita hilton hotels corporation will build a 107 room hotel under its brand of extended-stay homewood Suites hotels in Santa Clarita The hotel will be built between West Rye Canyon Road and Vanderbilt Way at the edge of the Valencia industrial Center next to embassy Suites and The Courtyard. Construction is expected to start next month with a completion date in July 2017.
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