SCV Reader April 2016

s the push is underway to gain support
for a multimillion-dollar bond for campus
improvements on the June primary
ballot, the state of Santa Clarita Valley’s
community college is healthy and has a
bright future, according to the school’s
Hometown Heroes
Banners unveiled
BY JOSH PREMAKO • STAFF WRITER
president.
During the March 16 Valley Industry Association
luncheon, Dr. Dianne Van Hook,
chancellor of College of the Canyons, presented
a “state of the college” overview focusing
on the college’s various programs,
Celebrate
Spring!
capping it with a discussion of the $230
million bond.
Looking to the future, Van Hook said
the college is focusing on the next
See COC Bond Measure, page 12
Spring Vegetable
Planting Time
is Here
11
24 26
Plus . . . City Council coverage • Opinion • Schools • Columnists • Community Calendar • Features . . . and much more!

4 • THE Reader
April 2016
Table of Contents
29370 Gary Drive $614,000
Brand new, turnkey Canyon Country listing located
in the quiet, peaceful community of Stetson
Ranch with 4 large BD and 4 bath, including one
guest suite with full bath on main floor. The main
floor also includes a formal sitting room with
French doors leading out to the front yard, a formal dining room great for entertaining
family and friends, an open kitchen with beautiful granite counter
tops, dark cabinets, stainless steel appliances, and a large center island. Second
floor loft central to all bedrooms can be used as office or upstairs family
room. Huge master suite with a large master bath complete with dual sinks,
large soaking tub, separate shower, a walk in closet, and access to a cute
little balcony located on the front of the house. Plantation shutters on every
window keep the home well insulated. Spacious backyard with no rear neighbors,
an amazing built-in BBQ, and gorgeous, serene views.
Contact Jake Dennis for information 661-607-3397
Rare Valencia townhome - two masters, upstairs
and downstairs, The Arbor Park complex
features gated access from McBean & Arbor
Park, lush landscaping, many trees making it a
park like area in which to live. Easy access to
area shopping and freeways. 3 patio/garden areas, one at the entry, one
off the downstairs master, and one off the upstairs master which is an ideal
area for outside dining. The upstairs includes a master suite and loft/bonus
room. The kitchen has black granite counter tops, stainless steel appliances,
tile flooring. The living room has high ceilings, gas fireplace, and access
to a guest powder room.
Contact Jim Frank for information 661 -713-5761
10430 Zelzah, Northridge $479,000
FANTASTIC CONDO. Sonoma Style Decor with custom oversized tile floor
downstairs, and into courtyard/outdoor living space. Lush atrium. Sonoma
Style kitchen has stainless steel built-ins, upgraded pantry, wine and
cheese nook. Built-in computer and home command center with TV niche.
Sonoma Style hand finished walls and ceilings with upgraded molding and
door casings. High ceilings. Upgraded fireplace, gas log, tiled wood framed window ledges,
solid wood 6-panel doors. Attached/ 2-car garage with built-in shelves, cabinets, drawers.
Large balcony. Huge Master Suite, double door entry, cathedral ceilings, walk-in closet, sitting
room, and master bath with dual vanity and hand painted vessel sinks.
Contact Debbie Arms for information 881 -298-4593
16670 Soledad
Canyon Road
Canyon Country, 91387
661-299-5570
26103 McBean Parkway $435,000
CalBRE #01290507
26364 Sierra Highway
Suite C
Newhall, 91321
661-252-3942
19319 Avenue of The
Oaks, Suite C
Friendly Valley, 91321
661-252.9000
Call Kellar-Davis at any of
the numbers above
Or visit: www.kellardavis.com
COC Plans for the future Cover
Newhall auditorium opens 6
Old Town Newhall receives clock from the Rotary Club 6
Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital Submits Entitlement Application 6
Voters will see musical chairs on their ballot 7
Assemblyman Scott Wilk announces bid for Senate 7
Cameron Smyth looks into Santa Clarita Council bid 7
Meaning of river ruling in the eye of the beholder 8
Dodging the bullet: High speed train skirts Santa Clarita 9
Wilk introduces bill to allow voters to kill bullet train 9
Long awaited performing arts center opens 9
Castaic charity splash run May 1 10
Water connection is set for Castaic High 10
Sheriff’s Department looking for public’s help to identify gunmen 10
Hometown Heroes banners unveiled 11
City and Sheriff to launch “ Drive. Focus. Live” campaign 11
COC looks to bond for campus improvements 12
The many adventures of Henry Mayo Newhall 14
Contracts awarded for parking structure in Old Town Newhall 15
Homeless needs lead to a survey of SC concerns 15
New Netflix television show to be set and filmed in Santa Clarita 15
Mr. SCV: Captain Roosevelt? Nice coffee. But where’s the donuts? 16
Nextdoor App allows residents to create their own Neighborhood Watches 16
Whyte’s World: How Ruby became a coyote bait and got saved by
Blue and a cookie 17
Take one minute to protect your health by taking the
Type 2 Diabetes risk test 17
Reader Education: Hart Games seventh annual event held at Valencia High 18
Hart District students win national awards at STN 18
Sierra Vista celebrates Golden Jubilee 18
Reader Sports: Valencia High Baseball 19
Reader Opinion: Andy Fried
Legislators take aim at Cemex mine 20
Reader Opinion: Dave Bossert
Another Henry Mayo Newhall Memorial Hospital Horror Story 20
Reader Opinion: Cameron Smyth
The political landscape continues to change 21
Reader Opinion: Assemblyman Scott Wilk
Time to derail the bullet train 21
Steve Knight: A Day in the life 22
Ray the Realtor: They never learn 22
Restaurant Review: Olive terrace Bar & grill 23
Celebrate Spring! Now is the time to refresh, renew and declutter 24
Spring vegetable planting time is here 26
Spring’s freshest looks 29
Reader People: Jennifer Gerard 30
Michele Buttelman: Out & About in the SCV 32
Garden Gates: Basic landscape design elements 33
What A Pair!: Hurrah for international Sauvignon Blanc Day 34

April 2016 THE Reader • 5

6 • THE Reader
newhall
Newhall Auditorium opens
By Pearl obispo
Staff Writer
Newhall Elementary School is generally
known as the first school in the
Newhall School District and the second
school in the Santa Clarita Valley — but
its auditorium may be the school's best-kept
historical secret.
Home to community events and school
plays, the auditorium was also part of President
Franklin D. Roosevelt’s Works Progress
Administration, a program designed to employ
millions of unemployed people to carry
out public works projects during the Great
Depression.
For the past four decades, the auditorium,
built in the 1930s, has remained silent —
being nothing more than a home to papers,
books and school supplies. But now the auditorium
is undergoing a major renovation
project, thanks in large part to NSD board
members and voters who approved Measure
E, a bond that ensures building upgrades
throughout the school district.
Recently, NSD board members broke
ground on the nearly $5 million renovation
The Newhall Elementary Auditorium was once a warehouse to store
school supplies. PHoTo By PATTi RASmuSSEN
project, which is scheduled to be complete by
December of this year.
Dr. Mark Winger, former NSD superintendent,
said this project was a long time in the
making. Winger began the project when he
was still superintendent in 1998. He said it
took two voter-approved bond measures to
get to where they’re at now. Under the first
measure, efforts were made to clear out the
auditorium and buy a building formerly
owned by the Gas Company to store all the
school supplies. A second bond was needed
to focus on the actual renovation of the auditorium.
“The folks at Theater Arts for Children really
pushed hard for (a new warehouse),”
Winger said. “When we came up to the second
bond, we expressly made that a piece of
the bond that we were going to commit
money in doing this theater.”
Upon its completion, the auditorium,
which replaced a former structure destroyed
in a 1939 fire and survived the 1994 Northridge
earthquake, will be transformed into a
21st century, state-of-the-art venue that will
house an improved sound and lighting system,
stadium-style seating for 529 people and
expanded stage, while retaining
its Art Deco style. It will be
known as the Newhall Family
Theater for the Performing
Arts.
NSD Superintendent Paul
Cordeiro said the auditorium
would not only blend nicely
with what is currently going
on in Newhall, but will also be
a space for all the community
to enjoy.
“This is a total transformation
into a professional performing
venue,” Cordeiro said.
“It complements all the efforts
to bring a renaissance to
Downtown Newhall. The
Old Town Newhall receives clock from the Rotary Club
By Beau Harper
Staff Writer
The Santa Clarita Rotary club donated
a two faced clock to the
City of Santa Clarita that has been
installed in Downtown Newhall.
Lou Esbin, President of the Santa
Clarita rotary club said the clock was
donated to commemorate the 55th anniversary
of the Rotary club in Santa
Clarita The clock is a two-faced and
two-sided clock with a measuring about
30-inch-wide and a total height of about
12 feet.
“It’s tied into the atomic clock in Colorado
through a GPS tracking device.”
Esbin said. The clock features Victorian
numerals and brass counter-balanced
hands.
“The face of the clock is LED-backlit
and goes on at dusk by itself and shuts
off at sunrise.’ According to Esbin
The Santa Clarita city council presented
the Rotary Club with a certificate
of appreciation on behalf of the
City.
The clock was placed in front of
Newhall Refinery on Main street in Old
Town Newhall. R
users will be first and foremost
the kids at Newhall Elementary.
But other schools, as
well as performing youth
groups throughout the community,
will be invited to use
it.”
Christy Smith, NSD governing
board member, said efforts
were made to ensure the renovations
honored the auditorium’s
historical significance
within the community.
“We are so proud as
Newhall Elementary staff, family, board
members to be able to preserve this beautiful
piece of history,” Smith said at the recent
April 2016
officials and governing board of the Newhall District School District broke ground on the nearly $5 million dollar
renovation project for the Newhall Elementary Auditorium. The auditorium will now be known as the
Newhall Family Theater for the Performing Arts. PHoTo By PEARl oBiSPo
Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital has submitted
to the City of Santa Clarita an
entitlement application for modifications
to its previously approved development
agreement and master plan. The revisions
are to ensure that the hospital’s new inpatient
building will meet current building
codes as well as local healthcare needs and
proposes no changes to the building height
or number of patient rooms. The Planning
Commission is expected to review the application
in May 2016.
The hospital’s master plan, prepared in
2008, proposed a campus square footage of
667,434 based on the architect’s best estimate
of future square footage. As the inpatient
building and new central plant
underwent final design, the actual square
footage changed because state building codes
required several modifications. State mandates
include eight-foot-wide corridors in all
public and patient areas, a new dedicated
corridor between the food storage and
preparation areas, upgrades to storage facilities,
and a larger loading dock with two separate
elevators. Additionally, the master plan
originally accounted for one surgical suite as
part of the expanded women’s unit. Since
A rendering of the Newhall Family Theater for the Performing Arts.
groundbreaking, "to renew its purpose and
to hand it back to City of Santa Clarita as a
benefit for all of us to share.” R
Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital
submits entitlement application
then, demand has developed for an additional
surgical suite. Total square footage requested
under the new application for the campus is
698,000, an increase of 30,566 square feet
(5%). The majority of the square footage increases
would occur within the basement,
first, and second floors, with minimal increase
on the top three floors.
The application also proposes a relocation
of the rooftop helipad to allow direct elevator
access to the hospital’s emergency department
and requests a zone change from
Public Institution (PI) to Specific Plan (SP),
consistent with city guidelines.
“Our initial proposal, developed more than
ten years ago, was our best estimate of space
required,” said Roger Seaver, President and
CEO of Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital. “As the
design was fine-tuned to meet the new state
requirements intended to reduce cross contamination
potential, it became evident that
the approved square footage was inadequate.
We also recognized the efficiency of adding a
needed surgical room before construction
commenced. We are now requesting the appropriate
final square footage to fulfill our
See Hospital, page 15

April 2016 THE Reader • 7
June Primary election
Voters will see musical chairs on their ballot
By Robb Fulcher
Staff Writer
Voters in the Santa Clarita Valley will see
a musical-chairs ballot in the June 7
primary election, with a number of established
politicians retiring their posts, either
to leave the arena or to seek new
positions.
In the 21st state Senate District, which covers
most of the valley, incumbent Republican
Sharon Runner has declined to run for reelection,
citing ongoing health concerns.
State Assemblyman Scott Wilk, a fellow Republican,
is moving up to seek Runner’s open
seat. Santa Clarita City Council member
Dante Acosta is moving up to run for the Assembly
seat left open by Wilk.
Runner said she is leaving the Senate on
the advice of physicians who advised that she
must “slow down.”
“This was a difficult decision that was
made after a great deal of prayer, thought and
discussions with my family and doctors,”
Runner said in a prepared statement.
The race for the 25th state Senate District,
which lies south of the 21st, features Los Angeles
County Supervisor Michael D.
Antonovich, who is forced by term limits to
end 36 years at his north county supervisor’s
post.
In turn, eight candidates are lining up to replace
Antonovich on the Board of Supervisors.
The Senate run marks a return to
statewide politics for Antonovich, who
served three terms in the state Assembly before
becoming a county supervisor in 1980.
State Senate District 27, which includes
Stevenson Ranch and a western portion of
Santa Clarita, will also feature a race with no
incumbent.
In that race, Republican Steve Fazio, a businessman,
squares off against Democrats
Shawn Bayliss, chief legislative deputy to Los
Angeles City Council member Paul Koretz,
non-profit director Janice Kamenir-Reznik,
Richard Matthews, educator and environmental
attorney Henry Stern, and Van Nuys
neighborhood council president George
Christopher Thomas.
In the various races for state Senate and
Assembly, and county supervisor, the top two
vote getters, despite party affiliation, will go
on to the November election.
In the battle for Wilk’s 38th District Assembly
seat, Acosta will face fellow Republicans
Chris Garcia of Santa Clarita and Tyler
Izen of Granada Hills, and Newhall School
District board member Christy Smith, a Democrat.
In the race for Runner’s Senate seat, Wilk is
running against fellow Republican Star Moffatt
and Democrats Johnathon Levar Ervin
and Steve Hill. Robert A. Parris is running for
the Senate seat without a party affiliation.
Eight candidates are lining up to replace
Antonovich as county supervisor: Kathryn
Barger, chief of staff to Antonovich, Elan Carr,
a gang prosecutor in the Los Angeles County
District Attorney’s Office, Los Angeles City
Council member Mitchell Englander, Republican
state Sen. Bob Huff of San Dimas, Glendale
Mayor Ara James Najarian, Altadena
Town Council member Billy Malone, Rajpal
Kahlon, a real estate investor, and Darrell
Park, an educator and budget analyst.
In the 25th state Senate district, lone Republican
Antonovich will face off against Democrats
Anthony J. Portantino, a former state
Assembly member who sits on the California
Film Commission, business owner Chris
Chahinian, businessman and healthcare educator
Teddy Choi, educator and business
owner Katherine Perez-Estolano, and criminal
justice educator Phlunte Riddle.
The race for the area’s seat in the House of
Representatives pits incumbent Stephen
Knight against fellow Republican and federal
law attorney Jeffrey Moffatt of Lancaster, and
Democrats consumer rights attorney Bryan
Caforio of Valencia, and Agua Dulce Town
Council member and LAPD lieutenant Lou
Vince.
In the U.S. Senate, Democrat Barbara Boxer
is retiring her post after 24 years.
California Attorney General Kamala Harris
will vie to replace Boxer along with fellow
Democrats mathematics professor Akinyemi
Olabode Agbebe, civil environmental engineer
Massie Munroe, property manager
Emory Peretz Rodgers, business owner Steve
Stokes, Herbert G. Peters and Douglas
Howard Pierce.
Republicans in the race are teacher Von
Hougo, Tom Palzer, educator Karen Roseberry,
Ron Williams and health care lawyer
Jarrell Williamson.
They are joined by Libertarians Juan
“Dollhouse Dude” Alcala, community organizer
Mark Matthew Herd, Michael Hunt and
retired registered nurse Gail K. Lightfoot,
Peace and Freedom candidate John Thompson
Parker, a neighborhood council member,
and unaffiliated candidates Eleanor Garcia,
an aerospace factory worker, author Ling
Ling Shi and entrepreneur Scott A. Vineberg.
R
Cameron Smyth looks into Santa Clarita Council bid
“At the encouragement of friends and
community leaders throughout Santa
Clarita, I have decided to take the initial
steps to explore a run for city council. Because
I believe in doing things the right way,
I submitted necessary paperwork to the
City Clerk, which allows me to more formally
look at running in an open and transparent
manner.
I plan to spend the next 4-6 weeks further
connecting with every corner of our
community and make a determination
based on the outcome of those interactions.
Decisions made over the next several
years are critical
to the long term
future of our
city and with 3
kids in elementary
school, I
want to be certain
Santa
Clarita is a place
they can feel
safe and want to
call home-much as my parents did for me.
So whether I ultimately decide to seek office,
I plan to be involved in our community
for years to come."
Assemblyman Scott Wilk announces bid for State Senate
As s e m b l y m a n
Scott Wilk has announced
that he
is running to fill the open
Senate seat being vacated
by Sharon Runner.
Recently, Runner announced
she would not
run for re-election.
“The California of
today is not the Land of
Promise that I was born
and raised in. Our present
state of affairs appears
daunting —
increasing crime, misguided
state spending
like the Bullet Train and
public schools that can
be better. That’s why today I declare myself a
candidate for the 21st Senate District,” stated
Wilk.
In the Assembly, Wilk has earned a reputation
as an effective representative who has
successfully worked across party lines to create
jobs, better manage our water supply,
make our neighborhoods safer and improve
the quality of our schools.
Among Wilk’s accomplishments are:
• Principal co-author of the Aerospace Tax
Credit which will allow California to complete
for the federal government’s new long-range
bomber. The $420 million tax incentive is expected
to create 6,500 jobs in the high desert
region.
• Principal co-author of the Film & Television
Tax Credit which is a 5-year, $1.3 billion
tax incentive. The competitive grant program
has kept thousands of good-paying film and
TV jobs in our district
and prevented other
states from stealing
those jobs.
• Coauthored, SB 866
(Proposition 1), which
funded new water storage
and conveyance systems
that will help solve
California’s water problems
and ensure we have
sufficient water for our
families and businesses.
Wilk also worked
across party lines to increase
funding for education
and backed reforms
that provide safer learning
environments and expand vocational education.
As a former PTA dad, school site council
member and a college board of trustee, Wilk
remains concerned that “Sacramento is still
under-funding public education and the state
won’t be able to produce enough students
with the skills necessary to compete in a 21st
Century global economy.”
In the last few days Wilk has garnered an
impressive array of endorsements that include:
Senator Runner; Congressman Steve
Knight, Board of Equalization Member
George Runner, and Assembly members Tom
Lackey and Jay Obernolte. The campaign will
be unveiling local endorsements in the coming
weeks.
Wilk concluded, “California is more than a
place, it is an ideal. Working together we can
once again make California the Land of Promise.”

8 • THE Reader
chloride battle
Meaning of river ruling in the
eye of the beholder
By Robb Fulcher
Staff Writer
Acourt ruling either (a) gives the green
light for a plan to reduce chloride levels
in the Santa Clara River, or (b)
shuts down the plan entirely, depending on
who you ask.
Both sides in the court battle — sanitation
officials who want to launch the plan, and attorneys
for an opposing activist group —
claimed substantial victory in the ruling.
At issue is a plan by the Santa Clarita Valley
Sanitation District to reduce chloride, a type
of salt, in the river. The plan was developed
to meet a state deadline to reduce chloride,
in order to protect salt-sensitive avocado and
strawberry crops downriver in Ventura
County.
Sanitation officials plan to filter and treat
river water at their Valencia Water Reclamation
Plant, resulting in a briny sludge that can
be trucked out of the area for further treatment.
The Affordable Clean Water Alliance sued
to stop the project. The lawsuit alleged that
the project did not comply with environmental
laws, the sanitation district did not adequately
fight the state’s chloride-level
mandate, and the initial chloride levels in the
river were never accurately measured in the
first place.
The lawsuit called the project a “multimillion-dollar
boondoggle of catastrophic pro-
portions.”
Sanitation officials have vigorously denied
the lawsuit’s allegations.
The ruling
The ruling in the lawsuit came in late February.
Superior Court Judge James Chalfant
struck down an environmental impact report
supporting the project, and he ordered sanitation
officials to “refrain from any steps to
carry out the project” until they can bring it
into compliance with environmental laws.
Specifically, the judge ruled that the project’s
2013 environmental impact report fails
to address the brine disposal portion of the
chloride plan, which was adopted after the
report was prepared.
The judge also halted a portion of the chloride
plan calling for some river water to be
diverted for “purple pipe” reuse by local communities.
The judge ruled that the diversion
plan did not adequately protect a small, endangered
fish called the unarmored threespine
stickleback.
“The court felt we did not have enough evidence
to support our conclusion” that a reduced
river flow would not harm the fish,
said Bryan Langpap, a supervising engineer
for the Sanitation Districts of Los Angeles
County.
Anatomy of a ruling
Sanitation district officials said the “narrow”
ruling allows them to go ahead with
April 2016
Diagram shows the proposed chloride reduction project. The Affordable Clean Water Alliance sued to stop the
project. The lawsuit alleged that the project did not comply with environmental laws, the sanitation district did
not adequately fight the state’s chloride-level mandate, and the initial chloride levels in the river were never
accurately measured in the first place.
their overall chloride reduction project, with meet the state’s 2019 deadline to reduce
some significant modifications.
chloride in the river.
In late March the Santa Clarita Valley Sanitation
District board formally affirmed that Langpap said.
“We’re sticking to the schedule we have,”
view.
Attorneys for the sanitation district must
The board voted to cut the purple pipe diversion
from the rest of the plan, and revisit Chalfant that they are complying with his rul-
return to court in April to demonstrate to
it later with fresh environmental studies and ing.
another round of public review. The board Susan Durbin, an attorney for the Affordable
Clean Water Alliance, said that the sani-
also certified a supplemental environmental
impact report that addresses the new brine tation district board failed to comply with the
disposal plan.
judge’s ruling when it decided to go ahead
“The court found no fault with any of the with the chloride project. She said her firm
chloride compliance components of the project,”
said the Sanitation Districts of Los An-
next.
had not determined what steps it might take
geles County, in a prepared statement Affordable Clean Water Alliance member
following the ruling.
Langpap said officials remain on track to See Chloride, page 16

April 2016 THE Reader • 9
Wilk introduces bill to
allow voters to kill Bullet
Train, fund water projects
Assemblyman Scott Wilk, R-Santa Clarita,
has introduced Assembly Bill 1866 that
would allow voters to cancel the High Speed
Rail Project and redirect those funds to vital
water projects by such as storage and conveyance,
as well as desalination.
“The $68 billion Bullet Train is the largest
public works project in the history of man
and if allowed to be completed will be a
boondoggle of epic portions,” stated Wilk.
If passed, AB 1866 would give voters the
chance in November of 2016 to terminate the
Bullet Train and repurpose up to $8 billion to
water programs. These water projects include
the construction of desalination facilities,
wastewater treatments and recycling
facilities, reservoirs, water conveyance infrastructure,
and aquifer recharge.
“To enhance economic growth and improve
Californians’ quality of life we need to
have a robust water storage system and an
‘all of the above’ approach to water management,”
said Wilk. “It’s time to derail the Bullet
Train and commit resources to preserve our
most precious natural resource, water.”
canyon high School
Long-awaited
performing arts
center opens
By Pearl obispo
Staff Writer
Band members, the choir and performing
arts students from Canyon High
School finally have a place to call
home.
After years of “schlepping” from one venue
to the next, students can now enjoy their very
own Performing Arts Center.
The 452-seat, state-of-the-art facility took
years in the making and was built at a cost of
more than $13 million. Funding for the venue
came in large part from the voter-approved
Measure SA funds.
Principal Jason d’Autremont said the PAC
brings a tremendous amount of pride for the
students and staff members.
“This is a center that will house various
programs from our school,” said d’Autremont.
“We will make every performance and event
worthwhile for our families and communities.”
Mary Purdy, long-time choir director, said
she was still in disbelief at the completion of
the new venue.
“To say that I’m grateful to be standing
here is a gross understatement,” Purdy said
at the recent ribbon cutting. “I see it. I can
touch it. I can feel it. But it still doesn’t feel
real and I can’t wait for that moment when
it’s finally going to kick in.”
Purdy said there have been many obstacles
in the school’s 15-year journey toward its
own venue. But she said there is one thing
she is most looking forward to.
“My favorite snapshot is gonna be leaving
right after jazz pop without having to take
down the set,” she said.
In the past, students at the school have typically
performed at Golden Valley and other
See Canyon HS PAC, page 16
canyon country
Dodging the bullet: High-speed
train to skirt Santa Clarita
By Robb Fulcher
Staff Writer
Santa Clarita officials hailed news that
the state’s high-speed rail is now set to
run mostly wide of the city.
That news came when the California
High-Speed Rail Authority announced revised
versions of three potential routes to
get the high-speed trains from Palmdale to
Burbank.
The three routes, as revised, would tunnel
underground for long stretches. Two of the
routes would steer well east of Santa Clarita,
although a third one could run underneath a
portion of Sand Canyon.
That route, called “State Route 14,” would
surface aboveground near the Vulcan Materials
mine at Lang Station Road, south of
Highway 14 and the Santa Clara River.
Authority spokesperson Adeline Yee said
officials plan to dig their train tunnels deep
enough underground that no vibration can
be detected by people aboveground.
The Authority will continue to study the
potential rail routes, and perhaps revise them
further, through next year.
Santa Clarita City Council member Marsha
McLean expressed relief that the three routes
generally bypass Santa Clarita to the east. But
she expressed concern that State Route 14,
the westernmost of the three, could affect
Sand Canyon.
She said she is concerned about vibrations
from underground trains, and about how the
underground tunnels would be vented.
“We don’t know what the environmental
impacts would be,” she said.
The long view
Over the years, McLean’s attention to regional
transportation has included bringing
the Authority’s executive director and staff
members to the Santa Clarita area for a firsthand
look.
“We took him on a tour and he saw our
homes, saw our schools, saw our churches,
and we told them it’s unacceptable to have
[the train] coming through our community,”
she said.
McLean also spearheaded formation of
the North Counties Protection Coalition —
including San Fernando, Acton, Agua Dulce,
Sunland-Tujunga and Shadow Hills — which
rallied to fight local impacts from the planned
high-speed rail.
She said the rail planners have moved to
protect San Fernando and Pacoima, and must
also protect communities such as Shadow
Hills, Acton and Agua Dulce.
“We need to work very hard, continuously,
to make them understand that if this project
is going to happen, it must not impact our
communities,” McLean said.
Council member TimBen Boydston, who
sits with McLean on the council’s high-speed
transportation subcommittee, said he was
“very, very pleased” that the Authority does
not plan to run the train overground through
Santa Clarita.
“It is unfortunate that some of our neighbors
a little further up freeway, in the Acton
area, might still be impacted,” he added.
Boydston said the potential rail route that
passes nearest to Santa Clarita might skirt
the edge of Sand Canyon.
“When it’s underground, it’s pretty far underground,”
he said.
The Authority said the revised Palmdaleto-Burbank
routes aim to “reduce and largely
avoid environmental justice impacts in the
highly populated communities of Santa
Clarita, Sylmar, San Fernando and Pacoima.”
Varied concerns
At an April 12 Authority meeting in Anaheim,
McLean said State Route 14 remains
“troubling” in its proximity to Santa Clarita
and its impact on Acton.
The Santa Clarita City Council wants the
Palmdale-to-Burbank portion of the rail to
run entirely underground, McLean said.
“You could avoid problems with all the
communities if you do that,” she said.
Numerous public officials and members of
the public flocked to Anaheim from the San
Fernando Valley to oppose a potential route
called “E2,” a competing route with State
Route 14 that runs well east of Santa Clarita.
Michael Cano, an aide to Los Angeles
County Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich,
said E2 calls for aboveground tracks that
would divide the community of Lake View
Terrace.
The $68 billion high-speed rail — the first
in the nation — is intended to send passengers
between San Francisco and the Los Angeles
basin in less than three hours, at speeds
of more than 200 mph. plans call for the rail
system to extend eventually to Sacramento
and San Diego.
California voters approved a bond measure
for the system in 2000. R

10 • THE Reader
caStaic
Castaic charity Splash Run May 1
By Tammy marashlian
Staff Writer
The Castaic Area Town Council will host
its annual Splash Run on May 1, giving
the local community a chance to stay
active and raise money for the Castaic community.
The event, now in its 20th year, includes a
10-mile run, 5K run/walk, and 1K for kids at
Castaic Lake. About 300 runners are expected
to turn out to the event.
“This is our only major fundraiser for the
Castaic Area Town Council,” council treasurer
Lloyd Carder said. The event typically raises
about $7,000.
The council does not receive tax or county
dollars to operate, which means the nonprofit
organization relies on fundraising to
cover its costs. In turn, the money raised
through the run is invested back into Castaic
charities. Among the recipients are the Castaic
Education Foundation, Boy and Girl
Scouts, Castaic Lions Club, and Young
Marines.
“We’re always trying to represent the community,”
Carder said. “We try to give back as
much as possible.”
The town council is also looking for businesses
to serve as event sponsors to raise additional
money.
“We’ve always been blessed with having a
lot of people give sponsorship money, which
allows us to do a lot of things,” Carder said.
The Sunday run has a 7 a.m. start time for
the 10-mile and 5K and an 8:30 a.m. start for
the Kids 1K. Runners are able to take part in
pre-day pickup and registration from 3-7
p.m. at Papa Z Grill in Castaic.
All participants who register will receive a
T-shirt and runners receive medals. The top
three finishers will receive awards. The Castaic
Lions Club will serve up a free pancake
breakfast before the run.
The town council acts as an advisory board
for the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors
in matters related to Castaic. The Castaic
community elects 10 representatives from
five regions within Castaic to be part of the
council. R
To sign up for the run, visit:
http://www.active.com/castaic-ca/
running/distance-running-races/castaic-lake-
2 0 t h - a n n u a l - s p l a s h - r u n - 2 0 1 6 .
For more information, visit http://castaic
areatowncouncil.org/main23.html.
April 2016
Water connection is set for Castaic High
By Robb Fulcher
Staff Writer
County officials have cleared the way for
the new Castaic High School to get its
water from the Newhall County Water
District.
In a money-saving move, the Los Angeles
County Board of Supervisors transferred 84
acres of uninhabited land to the NCWD from
the county’s Waterworks District No. 36.
“The cost of the water system improvements
necessary for the school to connect to
the Newhall County Water District is significantly
less than the cost to connect to Waterworks
District No. 36,” according to a county
report.
“This detachment will result in significant
Sheriff’s Department
looking for public’s help
to identify gunmen
The Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station
is asking for the public’s help in identifying
three men who allegedly held up
a gas station attendant at gunpoint. The suspects
were caught on video surveillance
holding up the gas station on Ridge Road in
Castaic in the early morning hours last
month.
The video shows two men approaching the
counter and robbing the attendant while the
third man acts as a lookout at the door. The
suspects used a chrome pistol to rob the store
and are identified as Hispanics and then fled
on foot, according to the Sheriff's Depart-
cost savings for the William S. Hart Union
High School District,” the report read.
Hart District officials have set a 2017 target
date for the opening of the school, in the
area of Romero Canyon Road and Canyon Hill
Road in unincorporated Castaic.
Construction for the school was funded by
a $300 million bond measure approved by
Hart District voters in 2008.
Students will come primarily from Castaic
Middle School, which currently feeds West
Ranch and Valencia high schools. Educators
say projected growth in the Castaic and Val
Verde areas shows a need for the new high
school.
The school will open its doors initially to
ninth graders only, then will add a grade each
year until grades 9-12 are present. R
ment.
Anyone with information is encouraged to
call the Santa Clarita Sheriff’s Station at 661-
255-1121.

April 2016 THE Reader • 11
City and Sheriff to launch
“DRIVE.FOCUS.LIVE” campaign
In an effort to increase safety on Santa
Clarita streets, the City, in conjunction with
the Santa Clarita Sheriff’s Department, is
launching a new traffic safety campaign for
residents to change their driving behaviors, including
driving slower and less distracted.
“Drive.Focus.Live.” will include a variety of
outreach, enforcement and traffic engineering
efforts to help educate the community about
the dangers and sometimes life-ending consequences
of distracted and reckless driving.
In 2015, Santa Clarita experienced a 14 percent
increase in traffic collisions, when compared
to 2014. The majority of accidents
involved speeding, following too closely, failure
to yield, distracted driving, unsafe lane
changes, traffic signal/sign violations and driving
under the influence.
“It is very disheartening to see an increase in
collisions. One fatality on our streets is one too
many,” said Mayor Bob Kellar. “Bad driving
habits affect everyone and enhancing traffic
safety in the community begins with each individual.”
The City of Santa Clarita and the Sheriff’s
Department are increasing their efforts for
traffic safety enforcement. Additionally, the
City has constructed traffic-engineering projects
to improve safety on our roadways and is
committed to a significant reduction of incidents
in Santa Clarita.
It is the City’s goal to generate awareness
about unsafe driving habits so there is a significant
decrease of incidents in 2016. Targeted
enforcement on major thoroughfares, an
education and outreach campaign and more
discussion in the community is aimed at making
that happen.
For more information on the
“Drive.Focus.Live.” campaign, visit santaclarita.com/DRIVEFOCUSLIVE.
Hometown Heroes Banners unveiled
By Pearl obispo
Staff Writer
Local residents now have a new way to
honor their military veterans. City officials
recently unveiled a sample of the
Santa Clarita Valley Hometown Heroes Military
Banner, a program unanimously approved
by the City Council.
The program allows families to purchase a
3-foot by 6-foot double-sided banner, which
will include the name, rank, branch of the
military, and a photo of their hometown hero.
A sample of the Santa Clarita Valley Hometown Heroes
Banner was unveiled at City Hall. PHoTo By PEARl
oBiSPo
The banners will be hung throughout three
of the city’s major thoroughfares and will be
displayed for a three-week period during the
Memorial Day, Fourth of July and Veterans
Day holidays.
Applicants must be active members of the
military and have lived in the city of Santa
Clarita at some point and have family locally.
The cost of the program will be approximately
$417 a year. However, sponsors of the
program have offered a reduced rate of approximately
$100 to the first 200-300 applicants.
Critics of the program questioned why military
families have to foot the bill for a program
designed to honor their hometown
heroes.
Gail Morgan, public information officer for
the city of Santa Clarita, said it was a matter
of community involvement and economic
sustainability.
“Other cities who have launched this program
without thinking it through are at a
point right now where their programs are
unsustainable and now they’re looking at letting
them go,” Morgan said. “Our program is
sustainable. We thought it through and hope
that will be an encouragement for military
families throughout the valley.”
Mayor Bob Kellar spearheaded the program
and expressed excitement at seeing his
plans go to fruition.
“I know this is something that here in
Santa Clarita, we appreciate our veterans,”
Kellar said. “We appreciate our service members
and we will continue to always honor as
we have for many years.”
In addition, Kellar said a second banner
honoring local military veterans who have
mayor of Santa Clarita Bob Kellar unveils a full-size
rendering of the Santa Clarita Valley Hometown Heroes
Banner. PHoTo By PEARl oBiSPo
died in service since 9-11 will be hung at the
Fallen Warriors Bridge, located at Valley Center
Drive and Golden Valley Road, and costs
will be borne by the city.
For Valencia resident and Vietnam veteran
Bob Ventrice, the program represents something
more than just banners hanging from a
light pole.
“It’s an appreciation that’s long overdue,”
Ventrice said. “We were criticized from so
many of our countrymen for even going.
We’re finally getting the recognition we feel
we deserve. “ R
To order a banner or for more information
regarding the program, visit www.santaclarita.com.

12 • THE Reader
April 2016
election
COC looks to bond for
campus improvements
By Josh Premako
Staff Writer
As the push is underway to gain support
for a multimillion-dollar bond for
campus improvements on the June
primary ballot, the state of Santa Clarita Valley’s
community college is healthy and has a
bright future, according to the school’s president.
During the March 16 Valley Industry Association
luncheon, Dr. Dianne Van Hook, chancellor
of College of the Canyons, presented a
“state of the college” overview focusing on
the college’s various programs, capping it
with a discussion of the $230 million bond.
Looking to the future, Van Hook said the
college is focusing on the next decade, when
she said it is estimated nearly 2 million job
openings in California will require some college
study or an associate’s degree. In addition
to continual development of its offerings,
among the college’s top priorities, Van Hook
said, are modernizing the Valencia campus
and adding permanent structures to the
Canyon Country campus. Currently, about
20,000 students per semester attend both
campuses, with that number projected to
reach 30,000 in the coming decade.
The college is developing an educational
and facilities master plan to assess needs.
Through the process, more than 200 faculty,
staff and community members will be interviewed
to review department projections,
identify major goals and pinpoint needs. Van
Hook said preliminary results already show a
need for increased space for programs including
nursing, robotics and manufacturing/technology.
Infrastructure needs that have already
been identified include updated classrooms
and roadway and infrastructure repair.
During her presentation, Van Hook noted
the college’s economic development division
works closely with the SCV Economic Development
Corp., the SCV Chamber of Commerce
and VIA.
“The thing that’s always been great about
COC is their responsiveness (to the business
community),” said Ed Masterson, chair of the
VIA board of directors. “Dianne (Van Hook)
The College of the Canyons Valencia campus is seen from above, looking west.
and her staff are just stellar at that.”
In the last year, Van Hook said, COC’s economic
development division generated $3.9
million in grants to offer training for nearly
900 companies and more than 5,000 employees.
In early March, the COC Board of Trustees
approved putting the bond initiative on the
June 7 ballot, and the county Board of Supervisors
voted unanimously March 29 to place
it on the ballot. If Measure E receives approval
from primary voters it will move to the
November ballot.
If the bond is approved, college officials
said, homeowners would pay about $15 per
$100,000 of their homes’ assessed values, to
generate $230 million over 12 years.
“This is a defining moment for the future
of College of the Canyons,” Van Hook said in a
recent statement. “Local bond funding is the
College of the Canyons' Canyon Country Campus, located south of the intersection of Sierra Highway and Sand
Canyon Road, opened to students in 2007.
Dr. Dianne Van Hook, chancellor of College of the Canyons, spoke at the march 16 Valley industry Association
luncheon, held at the Valencia Country Club.
only way to ensure College of the Canyons
has the resources it needs to meet this community’s
expectations for access to higher education.”
Longtime COC board member Bruce Fortine
said he expects the bond to be an easy
sell.
“We did a survey of 600 local voters and it
was between 60 and 70 percent very positive,”
Fortine said. “I haven’t found anybody
that opposes it.”
“The big problem we have is that we have
4,000 students on waitlists for classes,” he
said. “We’ve got to build more facilities. We’ve
got to finish the Canyon Country campus.”
The Canyon Country campus opened to
students in 2007 and still consists of a network
of portable buildings. However, on the
horizon is the construction of a 24,000-
square-foot science center, with work expected
to begin next year. The building will
add faculty offices and eight science labs to
the campus, which serves roughly 4,500 students
per semester. Local firm Lundgren Management
has been retained as the
construction manager for the project.
Also planned for the Canyon Country campus
is a 34,000-square-foot classroom and
student resource building.
In addition to funding modernization of
some 350,000 square feet of the Valencia
campus, another highlight of the bond, Fortine
said, would be funds to add a muchneeded
1,000-space parking structure to the
campus.
The campaign for a new bond comes as
nearly all of the $160 million Measure M —
approved by voters in 2006 — has been
spent. Fortine said it was money well-spent,
and that will hold true for Measure E should it
gain voter approval.
“What the community got out of (Measure
M) was exactly what was in the bond,” he said.
“Every project was completed as promised.” R

April 2016 THE Reader • 13

14 • THE Reader
April 2016
local hiStory
The Many Adventures of Henry Mayo Newhall
By John Boston
Staff Writer
For good, bad or indifferent, as Americans,
we’re no longer an adventurous
people. Days are spent commuting,
watching TV, shopping for today’s essentials
that 100 years ago would be considered the
wildest of luxuries. I’d be hard-pressed to
find a Santa Clarita man who lived a more adventurous
life than the tycoon Henry Mayo
Newhall.
Mr. Newhall was a phenomenally interesting
fellow. Before his birth in 1825, his family
traced their American roots seven generations.
Newhalls fought in the American Revolution
and if you ever visit Saugus, Mass., you
can see a ton of them in the cemetery. Interestingly,
the “New” cemetery dates back to
1776. The “Old” cemetery is for prior visitors.
The fifth out of nine children, when HMN
finished elementary school, he went to work
in a factory. The work bored him. He ran
away to Boston to sign on as a cabin boy for a
ship bound to Philippines, East Indies. Maybe
that’s where he learned salesmanship. Climbing
a rigging, Newhall fell and broke both his
legs. The captain didn't want a non-working
mouth to feed and was going to leave the kid
in Manila. Somehow, the 15-year-old boy
talked his way into being taken back to Massachusetts.
You can imagine how that soured him on
ocean travel. He worked as a cobbler until his
legs completely heeled, then became a surveyor’s
assistant, then, at 15, a grocer.
He was fascinated with commerce, loved
the hustle and bustle of trade. Quickly he became
an auctioneer’s assistant, carting
woolen goods back and forth 12 hours a day.
He became a partner with the grocer, became
one of the few photos of Henry mayo Newhall. This
one is of him as a young man. (CouRTESy THE NEWHAll
FouNDATioN)
an auctioneer and at the age of 20, he married
16-year-old Sarah Ann White. The DAY
after his wedding, he kissed his bride goodbye
and hit the wretched ocean again, headed
for the gold fields of California.
Alas, Hank didn’t quite make it. He almost
died en route and spent six months in a
Panama City bed, recuperating from fever.
Imagine. Six months, in a strange bed, just
lying there.
Finally, Henry Mayo Newhall made it to the
gold fields. Within months, except for two
suitcases, he was broke. He walked out of the
HmN built a luxury hotel in the middle of nowhere. The 5-star Southern Hotel was one
of the poshest on the entire west coast. (CouRTESy SCV HiSToRiCAl SoCiETy)
Sierras all the way to Stockton. There, the
doughty Newhall climbed atop a boardwalk
and sold everything he owned — socks, hair
brush, watch, clothes — for $300. He used
the money to reach a village that was not
growing, but mutating in a population explosion.
San Francisco was bedlam. Ships from
all over the world were harboring. At 25,
Newhall already had 10 years experience as
an professional auctioneer and merchant. He
found the real money was in the buying/selling
merchandise, not gold. Within 18 months,
starting cold, broke penniless, HMN was on
his way to becoming one of America’s wealthiest
and most powerful men.
One of the oddest stories I’ve ever read
about the SCV involved Henry and his bride.
Remember? He left her back East the day
after the wedding? In San Francisco, Newhall
wrote Sarah that he missed her and it was
time for them to be together and start their
family. He popped a stamp on the envelope,
mailed it and headed by ship down the west
coast for Panama. Unbeknownst to him,
Sarah had written him with essentially the
same message. She headed down the east
coast for Panama. Window shopping in
Panama City, the pair bumped into one another
in a store alcove. Sadly, after giving him
three sons, Sarah died. Newhall would marry
her sister, Margaret Jane, who would birth
two more sons.
Simply, Newhall made a killing. He bought
mansions, businesses, started an insurance
company and entire blocks of downtown San
Francisco. Newhall lent a friend $90,000.
When the guy couldn’t repay the loan, he gave
Hank one-third interest in a railroad. I believe
it was called the Southern Pacific. Newhall
became the first person to order something
called a “locomotive” built in California.
Then Newhall started buying huge cattle
An original stock certificate
from Newhall land — which
Henry mayo Newhall had nothing
to do with. it was built after
his death by his widow. (CouRTESy
SCV HiSToRiCAl SoCiETy)
ranches, five to be exact. One was the Rancho
San Francisco. Today, that’s called the Santa
Clarita Valley. He bought the entire valley for
around $2 an acre. The asking price was
around $12. Newhall then settled down on
the ranch.
The few farmers left in the SCV today will
admonish that you cannot grow wheat in the
SCV. Wrong climate. Wrong soil. The first two
years, Newhall had a bumper crop, including
a whopping 12 million pounds in 1880.
Newhall knew the railroad was coming. He
deeded some land to his friends on the SoPacific
board. There had already been a settlement
here prior to 1876. But, it moved first
to modern-day Saugus, then to around 6th
and Main. Two towns emerged, Newhall and
Saugus.
Newhall was an amazing guy, inexhaustible
and filled with energy. The best
word to describe him? Companionable. He
served on various boards, was an elder in the
Presbyterian church, ran 5 ranches, railroad.
He built the Southern Hotel, a bona fide 5-
star resort where Main and Market streets intersect
today. (It would burn down in 1888.)
His San Francisco empire, H.M. Newhall & Co,
did business with every trading nation of the
world.
But even giant lives come to an end. In
1880, while visiting Chicago, he suffered a severe
bout of food poisoning and never really
recovered. In 1881, he saw his first grandson
and, the same year, the baby’s mother dies.
Then, in 1882, Newhall is riding at his
ranch. His horse throws him. He travels back
to San Francisco for medical care but dies in
March, still a relatively young man at 57. Despite
nostalgia, Downtown Newhall had always
been somewhat of an armpit. It would
be interesting to see what sort of “Paris of the
West” Newhall could have made of the town.
Many neophytes today think the mogul
created Newhall Land. It was actually his
widow/former sister-in-law, Margaret Jane.
It takes a year to sort out the man’s fortune
— which includes $3 million in cash, real estate,
livestock, jewelry, city/county/state
bonds, bank stock plus the income of his
trading company.
In 1883, the Newhall Land & Farming
Company was established with 10,000
shares, valued at $100 per. Mrs. Newhall held
2,500. Her five boys had 1250 each. The company
left a legacy that forever shaped the SCV
today. Why?
As early as the 1890s, the foundation of Valencia
was being planned. R

April 2016 THE Reader • 15
newhall
Contracts awarded for parking
structure in Old Town Newhall
By Robb Fulcher
Staff Writer
The Santa Clarita City Council has approved
contracts for conceptual plans
and other services for a $15 million
parking structure in Old Town Newhall.
The 400-space structure, with five stories
above ground and one underneath, is part of
a revitalization project that also includes a
Laemmle movie theater and mixed-use buildings
with retail and housing.
The three-part project, set for a large vacant
block across the street from the Old
Town Newhall Library, could open in 2018.
The council awarded a $290,000 contract
for Walker Parking Consultants to prepare
“bridging documents” with conceptual floor
plans, elevations, architectural facades and
parking layouts.
The council also awarded a $157,000 contract
for a supplemental environmental site
Homeless needs lead a survey of SC concerns
By Robb Fulcher
Staff Writer
Services for homeless people arose as a
top priority in a city survey that officials
will use to help divvy up about $1 million
in grant funding from the federal government.
Santa Clarita City Council member TimBen
Boydston said concern for the homeless
sounded a consistent theme in the city’s annual
Community Needs Assessment Survey.
“This is a trend, and an important thing for
us to realize,” Boydston told his council colleagues.
Under the survey category “supportive
human services,” a need for “homeless services”
ranked first among survey respondents.
Council member Dante Acosta pointed out
that a need for “mental health services” followed
closely behind. He said the need for
homeless services and mental health services
are closely aligned.
Under the survey category “Community
Facilities and Infrastructure,” the top response
was “homeless shelter.”
Under the category “Housing,” a need for
“affordable rental housing” ranked first.
investigation by JHA Environmental, and authorized
an increase up to $125,000 for an
existing contract with MNS Engineers for
support services.
The contracts were approved on a 4-0 vote.
Council member Laurene Weste, who owns
property near the site, did not cast a vote or
take part in the council’s discussion, citing a
conflict of interest.
Council member TimBen Boydston urged
city officials to “look at possible revenue
streams” to recoup some of the city’s costs.
The seven-screen Laemmle art-house theater
will show a mix of Hollywood blockbusters
and smaller films, and will include
some retail space. Under an agreement with
the city, Laemmle must operate the theater
for at least 15 years.
The two mixed-use buildings will consist
of ground-floor retail with 46 housing units
upstairs and 85 underground parking spaces.
R
Boydston said that dovetails with homeless
concerns as well.
Boydston raised the possibility of forming
a council subcommittee to address homelessness.
No one took him up on that, but
Mayor Bob Kellar said the matter “is being
aggressively approached by staff, and I don’t
think we are missing any opportunities.”
Other high-priority concerns of survey respondents
included youth activities, anticrime
programs, youth centers, senior rental
housing, job creation and retention, and employment
training.
City officials will use the survey results
when they divvy up the federal funds, which
are given out each year by the Department of
Housing and Urban Development in the form
of Community Development Block Grants.
The council was expected to consider specific
spending proposals for the federal
money on April 26.
The needs assessment survey was available
to the public Nov. 7 through Dec. 15 of
last year, and 326 people responded. City officials
publicized the survey through press releases,
emails to service providers, and posts
on the city’s website. R
New Netflix Television show to be
set and filmed in Santa Clarita
Netflix has greenlit the comedy series
“Santa Clarita Diet,” starring Drew
Barrymore (“Charlie’s Angels”) and
Timothy Olyphant (“Justified”). Filming is in
Santa clarita and is scheduled to start later
this year for streaming availability in 2017
Santa Clarita Diet will follow Joel
(Olyphant) and Sheila (Barrymore), husband-and-wife
realtors who live in Santa
Clarita and have a boring existence until
Sheila goes through a change that sends
"both their lives down a road of death and destruction
— but in a good way," according to
Trusted and referred since 1978
the producers.
Santa Clarita Diet comes from veteran TV
creator Victor Fresco, who also created Better
Off Ted, Andy Richter Controls the Universe
and Sean Saves the World.
Olyphant is best known for serious roles in
Justified and Deadwood.
Showrunner Fresco and stars Barrymore
and Olyphant will executive produce “Santa
Clarita Diet” along with Aaron Kaplan, Tracy
Katsky, Chris Miller and Ember Truesdell.
Nancy Juvonen, Barrymore’s partner in the
production company Flower Films, will
serves as producer.
5
3
Hospital
continued from page 6
commitment to the community under the
master plan, address the needs of patients,
and of course, meet state code. This important
expansion requires a major investment
by the hospital and community donors and
we want to make sure the new building has
the capacity to deliver the kind of high-quality
experience our patients and their families
deserve.”
Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital will host
two informational meetings to answer any
questions the community may have on the
proposed modifications. One meeting will be
on April 26 at 6:30 p.m. in the Henry Mayo
Education Center on the Hospital Campus in
Valencia and the second will be April 27 at
6:30 p.m. at the Santa Clarita Activities Center,
20880 Centre Pointe Parkway, Canyon
Country.
The new patient building, ultimately offering
142 total beds, will address the demand
for an expanded Women’s Unit with dedicated
surgical space, labor and delivery beds,
and ante- partum/post-partum beds. The existing
women’s unit will be utilized to expand
existing hospital units.
“We look forward to working with the City
as we go through these modifications to our
development agreement and master plan,”
concluded Seaver. “Our City’s master plan
process was intended to ensure that we can
meet the current and future needs of the
Santa Clarita Valley and we believe these
modifications are consistent with the intent
of the City’s previous approval to upgrade our
healthcare capabilities.”
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16 • THE Reader
m r. Sa n ta c l a r i ta Va l l e y
captain roosevelt? nice coffee,
but where’s the donuts?
by John Boston
Reader Columnist
Drat and darn it all. I missed Coffee
With The Captain recently. I’d like to
say the captain in question was James
T. Kirk of the Starship Enterprise. Or Captain
Jack Sparrow, that nice pirate fellow. Or
maybe even Cap’n Crunch, the jocular chap
on the cereal boxes.
No.
The captain in question was Captain Roosevelt
Johnson, head gendarme of SClarita
PD.
My large O’Farrell hat is off to Capitan
Johnson. The few times I’ve met him, outside
the Memorial Bob Kellar Sobriety Checkpoints
At Pico & The Old Road, Captain RJ has
been a true blue, tireless, good-humored and
devoted public servant. We should clone the
guy and send his likeness to other more heathen-rich
and depraved parts of the country.
Studio City comes to mind.
I pick on Studio City because everyone
there has had Botox injections and can’t, at
least verbally, defend themselves.
I’m not complimenting Cap’n Johnson because
I have a twin brother in the pokey and
want to arrange conjugal visits with his wife,
Councilwoman Marsha MacLean. I like the
guy. I like my sister-in-law. I’m just sorry I
missed meeting Capt. RJ at coffee along with
all the daft chatty and elderly trailerpark
housewives who have no lives.
One of the major reasons why I missed Coffee
With The Captain was because of the time.
The local lawman I guess is a late sleeper and
scheduled his event at a Saugus Starbucks
around suppertime, 6:30-8 p.m. I know. I
know. He’s a policeman. Why didn’t he have
CWTC at some place more appropriate, like
Dunkin’ Donuts?
My childhood friend, Tony Newhall, couldn’t
make Coffee With Captain Johnson either.
Tony was born without punctuation. This
rare childhood abnormality, coupled with a
few quarts of high-octane Columbian java,
causes Tony to talk really fast. When it came
to Tony’s turn to ask a question, the ancestor
of this valley’s founder would probably just
blurt out:
“Who’dyouthinkwouldwininafightSuper
manorTheGreenLanternI’dpickSuper
manalthoughthisdoesnotdimmyviewson
theimportanceofClimateChangeandThe
GreenMovementwhichwasBeethoven’s17th
SymphonyinRRupturedFlatCanIjusthold
yourgunIpromisenottoshootanyoneMuch
SwearPleasePleasePlease.”
I’m not particularly concerned about crime
in the SCV (I have an entourage plus several
armed bodyguards each with a trained
Pittmeranian. A Pittmeranian is half Pitt Bull,
half Pomeranian and 3/16ths Armenian. Not
only are they vicious and dangerous, they’re
annoying). Still. I have questions I wanted to
ask over coffee.
Like: “Who designs you guys’s uniforms?
Mrs. Maytag Repairman? Was there some
sort of going-out-of-business sale on beige
fabric at Jo-Ann’s? OK. Fine. Your unis are
made of Spandex. But is there some city law
Captain Roosevelt Johnson
that forbids deputies from going up a size?
Are you trying to send a message to criminals,
and hopefully, progressives: “We Have 90-
Inch Chests. Don’t Try Anything Funny Or We
Will Bench Press You.”
Actually, after a few cups of coffee, I’d like
to suggest that “Don’t Try Anything Funny Or
We Will Bench Press You.” is much more of a
crime deterrent than your current prowl car
side door advertisement: “A Tradition of Service
Since 1850.”
Woo.
Shaking in my boots.
I’ve another question I would have liked to
ask the captain over coffee. How come we
don’t employ catapults? You know? Those
1,000-year-old siege engines with the highspeed
60-foot arm that hurls things like boulders,
oil-soaked hay bales or caskets of nails?
But, instead of such primitive ordnance, we
just place a drug dealer or pervert in the seat,
roll the catapult next to the side of the Hart
Auditorium and, with an ax, chop the launch
rope? At a rate of about 12,000 mph, the
crook is hurled approximately two-feet into
the brick wall, then, ala Wile E. Coyote, slithers
down the side.
That’s a deterrent.
And at least a hernia.
In fact, it’s an E-terrent, F-terrent and G-
Cripes-Boy-Howdy-terrent.
So many questions I have for Capt. Roosevelt.
Captain: Didn’t you have a long and vainglorious
career as a questionable pop star
and how was it being married to Tennille?
Have you guys thought of changing your
green arm patches with the Star of David to
say: “If You Can Read This You’re Too Close”
or “Death Before Disco?”
Do your guys call each other before shift
and ask: “Hey!? What are you wearing to
work today?”
Have you ever considered giving Nagler a
first name? Granted. It’s imposing. But I believe
the good Santa Clarita sergeant is the
only three-striper anywhere, save for
Madonna when she dresses up, to be just
called by one name. Nagler.
Sgt. Dion Ballentine? Is that the SAME guy
from Dion and the Belmonts, and, if so, can he
Allan Cameron said the overall chloride project
cannot be “piecemealed” for a partial goahead,
but must be scrapped entirely.
Cameron called the separation of the water
diversion plan from the rest of the chloride
project “a flagrant violation” of the California
Environmental Quality Act, which governs
how the chloride project must be vetted.
Cameron heads a company that, in part,
manages and commissions environmental
impact reports. He also was a member of
Santa Clarita’s city formation committee.
Cameron said activists want assurance
that the “purple pipe” reusable water will indeed
be restored as part of the chloride project.
He said recycled water is needed
throughout the area.
“We want a project that benefits the Santa
Clarita Valley,” he said. “This one doesn’t.”
The endangered fish in the judge’s ruling,
the unarmored threespine stickleback, was
once common to the watersheds of the Santa
Clara, Los Angeles, San Gabriel and Santa Ana
rivers. In the 1940s the fish was thought to
be extinct, before small populations were discovered,
according to ichthyologists with
Aquarium of the Pacific.
The 2-inch-long fish has no scales, and so is
“unarmored.” It has a roughly one-year lifespan.
R
get my twin’s wife Marsha some tickets to his
next nostalgia concert?
Has anyone told Lt. John Roberts the staff
has figured out it’s not Darth Vadar, breathing
heavily over the intercom announcements?
And does Traffic Sgt. Richard Cohen
work on straight salary, or commission?
Just wondering.
I have all sorts of questions about Sgt. Deborah
Miller but shall save them as I don’t
want to see her standing over me, reloading
and calmly mouthing her alibi, with various
inflections: “He matched the description of
the escaped Unabomber…”
I think it’s great for our leaders to meet
with the community.
Canyon HS PAC
April 2016
Nextdoor App allows Santa Clarita residents the
tools to create their own Neighborhood Watches
Have you met your neighbors? In an effort
to help residents foster neighborto-neighbor
communications so that
they are able to facilitate their own virtual
neighborhood watch programs, the Santa
Clarita Sheriff's Station has partnered with
Nextdoor (www.nextdoor.com), the private
social network for neighborhoods.
Nextdoor is free for residents to set up an
account on and start connecting with their
neighbors. Each neighborhood in Santa
Clarita has its own private Nextdoor neighborhood
website, accessible only to residents
of that neighborhood.
Residents can use their website to get to
know their neighbors, ask questions, and exchange
local advice and recommendations.
For example, neighbors use Nextdoor to
share information about neighborhood
watch and safety issues, lost pets, and much
more.
Neighborhoods establish and self-manage
their own Nextdoor website. Information
shared on Nextdoor is only visible to verified
members. The Santa Clarita Sheriff’s Station
will be able to post important information,
Chloride
continued from page 8
such as crime updates to Nextdoor sites
within the city.
“In this day and age, social media has
changed the way that people communicate
with each other,” said Shirley Miller, Public Information
Officer, of the Santa Clarita Sheriff’s
Station. “By establishing a virtual
neighborhood watch, residents will be able to
access their neighborhood watch from their
smartphones, tablets and computers. They
will be able to efficiently relay messages to
others in their neighborhood. Through this
network, neighborhoods can come together
and look out for each other.”
School officials from the William S. Hart union
School District recently celebrated the completion of
Canyon High School's new Performing Arts Center
with a ribbon cutting ceremony. PHoTo By DAVE CAlD-
WEll
Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station
Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department
661-255-1121
www.santaclarita.lasd.org
continued from page 9
school district sites.
Band Director Stephen Hummond said his
students, who’ve been forced to use the
school gymnasium, are “ecstatic” about the
PAC.
“As a side effect of using the gym, we would
often get our concert dates moved around
due to sports conflicts,” Hummond said. “We
barely had enough time to rehearse in the
space we would perform.”
But with the addition of the new PAC,
Hummond’s students will now be able to
practice and perform without having to
worry about getting displaced.
“The band program as a whole is very
grateful for this new building,” Hummond
said. “They can’t wait to get in there for our
first two events.”
Those two events will include a dedication
concert on April 15 and a Canyon High School
Jazz Festival on April 22. R
Well. Some of the community.
Hm. Next time I see Roosevelt, middle-ofthe-night
coffee or otherwise, I’m going to
have to thank him, truly, for the great job he
and Santa Clarita Sheriff’s have done over the
years. Guys. Way to show up and suit up. But
then, I’m also going to ask him what all his
deputies chat about in their down time at Valencia
HQ:
“Who would you think would win in a fight
— Captain Roosevelt or Captain Kangaroo?” R
Author and humorist John Boston has
earned more than 100 major awards, writing
about the Santa Clarita Valley. For more of his
work, visit thejohnbostonchronicles.com

April 2016 THE Reader • 17
w h y t e’S w o r l d
how ruby became coyote
bait and got Saved by blue
and a cookie
by Tim Whyte
Reader Columnist
Runner raise money for diabetes
Take one minute to protect your health
by taking the Type 2 Diabetes Risk Test
Americans are urged to take the Diabetes
Risk Test to learn their risk for
developing Type 2 diabetes. For those
at high risk, there are simple steps to take.
A recent release of a UCLA health study
discovered that 55% of California adults have
either diabetes or pre-diabetes, a condition
in which blood glucose (sugar) levels are
higher than normal but not high enough to be
considered Type 2 diabetes.
While the estimate for people with the disease—9%
of the adult population—was well
known and documented, researchers calculated
the number of adults with pre-diabetes
to be 46% (up from previous estimates of
33%) or nearly 1 in 2 adults.
“Equally as concerning is the fact that these
numbers do not include pediatric statistics,”
said Cynthia E. Muñoz, PhD, MPH, pediatric
psychologist with Children’s Hospital Los Angeles,
assistant professor of clinical pediatrics
at the University of Southern California Keck
School of Medicine, and president of the
Community Leadership Board for the American
Diabetes Association, Los Angeles. “The
Association reports that the number of teens
diagnosed with pre-diabetes and diabetes is
growing, and being overweight is this group’s
number one risk factor.”
With more than 86 million people living
with pre-diabetes, most of whom are unaware,
it’s important to take one minute to
protect your health.
Americans are urged to take the risk test
at diabetes.org/risktest and to start living a
healthy and active lifestyle to prevent or
delay the onset of Type 2 diabetes.
Diabetes is a serious disease that strikes
nearly 30 million Americans including 1 in 10
people living in and around Los Angeles. A
quarter of those affected by diabetes, or
nearly 3 million Angelenos, are not aware
that they have the disease. Recent estimates
project that as many as one in three American
adults will have diabetes in 2050 unless
we take the steps to Stop Diabetes®.
Unfortunately, diagnosis often comes
seven to 10 years after the onset of the disease,
after disabling and even deadly complications
have had time to develop. Therefore,
early diagnosis is critical to successful treatment
and delaying or preventing some of its
complications, such as heart disease, blindness,
kidney disease, stroke, amputation and
death.
The primary risk factors for Type 2 diabetes
are being overweight, sedentary, over
the age of 45 and having a family history of
diabetes. Early intervention via lifestyle
changes, such as weight loss and increased
physical activity, can help delay or prevent
the onset of Type 2 diabetes.
With the right steps, pre-diabetes can be
reversed. “Studies have shown that type 2 diabetes
can be prevented or delayed by losing
just 7% of body weight (such as 15 pounds if
you weigh 200) through regular physical activity
(30 minutes a day, five days a week) and
healthy eating. The key is to find out early
whether you’re at risk or not,” said Muñoz.
To help people better recognize their own
risk for Type 2 diabetes, the American Diabetes
Association provides the Diabetes Risk
Test, asking users to answer simple questions
about weight, age, family history and other
potential risks for prediabetes or Type 2 diabetes.
Preventive tips are provided for everyone
who takes the test, including encouraging
those at high risk to talk with their health
care provider.
You can be part of the movement to Stop Diabetes
and get your free Diabetes Risk Test
(English or Spanish), as well as information
about diabetes, by visiting at diabetes.org/
alert. For information on programs in the Los
Angeles area, contact the American Diabetes
Association at 323.966.2890 or by calling 1-
800-DIABETES (1-800-342-2383). www.Diabetes.org
Help us Build a Great Community News Magazine
The Reader is looking for Reporters & Sales Account Executives
Email Richard@WestsideReader.com
My wife and daughter pulled into the
driveway one evening last month,
and our
“main” dog, Blue, the
Aussie shepherd,
was agitated. He was
barking at them
from inside our front
gate, as if he was trying
to alert them to
something.
I was at my CSUN
teaching gig, and
Erin hadn’t been
gone long — maybe
20 minutes, as she
went over to the high
school to pick up
Brooke from cheer
practice. Blue often
meets them at the
gate, but this time
was different. He
was doing his best “Lassie” impression.
You know:
“BARK BARK BARK BARK BARK! BARK!”
“What’s that you say, Lassie? You say
Timmy is in trouble?”
“BARK BARK!”
“You say he’s stuck somewhere, Lassie?
Where? Where’s Timmy?”
“BARK BARK BARK!”
“He’s trapped on a rock by the waterfall,
you say? OK, let’s go rescue him!”
Lassie starts running toward the waterfall:
“BARK!”
Yes, dog lovers. We give our pets a lot of
credit for communicating.
So, based on Blue’s agitated state, Erin and
Brooke knew SOMETHING was up. They
made their way to the front door, and Blue
bolted from the side yard, hauled butt to the
doggie door leading in from the back patio,
and met them in the dining room, where he
rushed to the side of Ruby, our backup dog.
Ruby was bleeding. And crying.
It was immediately apparent that she had
been on the wrong end of an encounter with
wildlife. We’ve always been a little concerned
about this sort of thing, because our back
yard is up against a slope that’s frequented
by all sorts of critters, including coyotes. It’s
like the freakin’ Mutual of Omaha’s “Wild
Kingdom” back there.
Coyotes, raccoons, owls, hawks, squirrels,
bunnies, rats, snakes. We’ve seen ’em all during
our 15 years in this house, and we’ve always
thought we did a decent job of making
it difficult for the larger animals to get into
our yard: A fairly high fence, strategically
placed cacti, and so forth.
It wasn’t decent enough. For the first time
in 15 years, one of our pets got attacked. Erin
and Brooke rushed Ruby to the 24-hour vet,
fearing the worst.
The vet concluded what the girls had speculated:
She had been attacked by a coyote.
There were four puncture wounds — two on
top of her neck, and two underneath. The
punctures just missed her larynx. A millimeter
or so was the difference between life and
death.
The speculation is
that the coyote had
managed to hop the
fence, and grab Ruby
by the neck. At that
point, the vet speculated,
the coyote may
have had a difficult
time hefting Ruby
over the fence, and
we’re pretty sure
Blue would have
made his presence
known by then, too.
The situation probably
got a little complicated
for the
coyote, so the intruder
dropped Ruby
and fled.
We’ve always kind of joked that Ruby is a
little… well, robust for a shih tzu. She likes
cookies. Ironically, that last Scooby Snack
might have saved her: The vet said that, tipping
the scales at a little over 20 pounds, she
might have been a little on the hefty side for
the coyote that was trying to haul her over
the fence.
The vet patched her up, gave us some antibiotics
for her, and sent her home with a
giant bandage wrapped around her upper
body and neck. When we got her home, Blue
went right to her and checked on her, sniffing
around the bandage.
She yelped a lot for the following week —
poor thing was in quite a bit of pain, and
seemed to be pretty much afraid of her own
shadow in the days after the attack. After all,
she’s lived in the same house with us for all of
her eight years, and that back yard has always
been her safe place.
She seems better now — the wounds are
healed, she’s a little more like her normal
ornery self, and we’re making changes on the
back yard to make it more coyote proof.
And Blue? Well, the story gets more dramatic
every time he retells it. I swear, that dog
has been trying to tell us that he was inside
the house at the time of the attack, heard the
commotion, sprinted out through the doggie
door and single-handedly rescued Ruby from
the coyote, chasing the wild canine back out
over the fence where it belongs.
“Not in MY yard,” says Blue.
How do I know that’s what he’s saying?
Tell me this isn’t crystal clear:
“BARK! BARK BARK BARK BARK!”
Hey, if Lassie can communicate that much
detail…
Tim Whyte is a public relations consultant,
a member of the award-winning team at Mellady
Direct Marketing, and a part-time faculty
member in the Journalism Department at California
State University, Northridge. Find him
on Twitter @TimWhyte.

18 • THE Reader
April 2016
Reader Education
Athletes from William S. Hart union School District's Adapted Physical Education Program competed in the 7th
Annual Hart Games held at Valencia High School. PHoToS By PEARl oBiSPo
annual hart gameS
Seventh annual event held at Valencia High
By Pearl obispo
Staff Writer
The temperature was cold and the
winds were howling. But that did not
stop the more than 300 athletes competing
in the 7th Annual Hart Games at Valencia
High School recently.
The district-wide event, sponsored by the
William S. Hart Union High School District’s
Adapted Physical Education Department and
the Special Olympics, is a track and field meet
promoting physical activity, achievement and
inspiration for students with specialized
needs.
Patti Miller, a specialist for the Adapted
Physical Education Department, spearheaded
the event, and said the games exceed
her expectations every year.
“I still tear up at the opening ceremony
and the singing of the national anthem by
one of our students,” Miller said. “And the
turnout was great.”
The weather was the one letdown at this
year’s competition. Miller said some of the
athletes ended up back in the classroom because
it was “too cold.” She also wished more
parents could make it to the event.
“It’s always a fantastic day when we can
witness 300 student athletes with special
needs shining and smiling ear-to-ear,” Miller
said. “It’s their moment of glory.”
Athletes from Sierra Vista, La Mesa, Rancho
Pico, and Rio Norte junior high schools,
as well as Trinity Classical Academy, Golden
Valley, Hart, Canyon and Valencia high
schools, competed in the event.
The track and field meet included competitions
such as the 50-yard, 100-yard, and
200-yard dashes, 4 x 100 relay, hurdles, long
jump, shot put and javelin throw.
Volunteers for the event included student
athletes from Valencia High School’s track
team. One such volunteer was Claire
Williams, a 17-year-old junior, who was introduced
to this event by her track coach.
“I enjoy doing this,” said Williams, who was
volunteering for the second year in a row.
“Our coach was talking to us about this experience.
I really like working with the kids.
They’re all really excited about it. And it’s
cool to be able to help them.”
It wasn’t just students who volunteered.
Parents, such as Frances and Michael Molacek,
held the finish line for the athletes.
The Molaceks have volunteered for the
event in the past and said the Hart Games will
always have a special place in their hearts.
Their son competed in the games while a student
at Golden Valley High School. Even
though their son is no longer a student, the
couple said competing at the Hart Games was
important to him.
“It was awesome,” Frances Molacek said.
“He really looked forward to it every year. As
you can see, even if they’re in a wheelchair,
it’s the thrill of competing. It’s the thrill of
having people cheer them on. It’s something
they can all participate in that is similar to
what everybody else can do.” R
Twenty seven students from four different
schools in the William S. Hart
Union High School District won honors
at the annual Student Television Network
Conference in Atlanta, GA.
A total of three First Place awards went to
the four schools, along with a third and five
Honorable mentions.
WEST RANCH
1st Place—Anchoring: Avery Schroeder,
Josie Lionetti, Nelson Poole
1st Place—Movie Editing: Alex Burdsall
and Eddy Park for their movie "Connections"
3rd Place—Movie Trailer: Alex Burdsall,
Eddy Park, Caden Cerulle
Honorable Mention—Crazy 8 Broadcast
(entire WRTV crew produced a full broadcast
in 8 hours)
GOLDEN VALLEY
1st Place—Crazy 8’s Best Unscripted Talk
Show: Jordan Nunn, Ja’Corey Bowens, Emily
Holmes, Zach Andrews, Samantha Sharaf, Eduardo
Martinez, Ryan Lopez
SAUGUS
Honorable Mention —Movie Trailer: Har-
Current and former principals, teachers, staff, parents, and students celebrated the 50th Anniversary of Sierra
Vista Junior High School.
Sierra Vista celebrates Golden Jubilee
By Pearl obispo
Staff Writer
It was more than a trip down memory
lane. It was a celebration of a school
whose community helped educate more
than 50,000 children.
Teachers, staff, parents, and students recently
descended upon Sierra Vista Junior
High School to celebrate its Golden Jubilee.
There was even a special appearance by Dr.
Dave Baker — the school’s first-ever principal.
Baker remembered a time when the infrastructure
was less than inviting.
“There were no paved roads, and no signals
in the entire Santa Clarita Valley,” Baker
told the crowd. “Most cars because of the
gravel roads had broken windows. So we always
knew who was a local person.”
Baker went on to credit the parents who
played a significant role in getting Sierra Vista
built despite the conditions at the time.
“The parental support was so great,” Baker
said. “We were able to build this school and
Hart District students win national awards at STN
rison Ta, Cristian Vuola, Danny Diaz
PLACERITA
Honorable Mention—Middle School Convention
Recap: Katie Scarlett Day, Brian Saaty
Saugus winners Cristian
Vuola, Harrison Ta and
Danny Diaz above.
Golden Valley team (l to r)
Eduardo martinez, Ryan
lopez, Zach Andrews,
Ja'Corey Bowens, Golden
Valley video teacher
Charles Deuschle, Jordan
Nunn, Samantha Sharaf
and Emily Holmes.
staff it and bring the children in even though
it was not completed.”
Baker’s grandson, Matt Ballard, a current
instructor at Sierra Vista, also expressed
pride in the families that have had a hand in
making the school what it is today.
“One of the great and unique things about
Sierra Vista is how close-knit this community
is and how people refuse to leave,” said
Ballard, who was also a product of the
school. “Nobody ever really leaves Sierra
Vista. People just kinda end up coming back
for more.”
Event-goers not only enjoyed guest speakers,
but also school performances and classroom
demonstrations, food trucks and an
auditorium full of school memorabilia from
the past 50 years.
Twelve-year-old student Elizabeth Hannah
said she couldn’t think of any other school
she’d want to attend.
“I love the staff,” Hannah said. “They’re really
nice. I really enjoy going to this school.
And this (event) is fun. You get to see a lot of
people and see the projects you’ve done.” R
Honorable Mention —Middle School Anchor
Team: Samantha Meyers, Lauren Gardiner,
Carly Wilkinson
Honorable Mention—Middle School Movie
Trailer: Bentley Freeman, Kalaimagal Nesarajah,
Drew Cerulle, Brady Jones
Over 2600 students from nearly 200 high
schools across the nation participated. In addition
to the competition, the four-day event
offered professional breakout sessions from
active professionals in the film and broadcast
industry.

April 2016 THE Reader • 19
Reader Sports
ScV S P o r t S
Valencia high baseball
by Steve Pratt
Sports Editor
The class of the Santa Clarita Valley in
baseball this year is Valencia High
School, led by Mike Killinger, a 17-year
science teacher at the school and head baseball
coach since the end of the 2014 season.
Killinger assumed the head role under notso-ideal
conditions as he replaced longtime
varsity head coach Jared Snyder, who was relieved
of his duties after allegedly submitting
fraudulent reimbursement forms to Valencia
High School from 2008 to 2014. Snyder also
was in charge of the team’s parent-funded
booster club account and is accused of paying
for personal credit card expenses from
that fund.
Snyder, who had been Valencia’s baseball
coach since 1998, has pleaded not guilty to
the charges of embezzling between $10,000
and $15,000.
Killinger served as an assistant coach to
Snyder and called him a friend. But everyone
involved with the Valencia High program —
from the administration to the parents to the
boosters and even the players — was ready
to look to the future and happy to give
Killinger the keys to the program.
“I don’t feel any undue pressure since becoming
the head coach,” said Killinger, who
has led the Vikings to an impressive 14-3
overall record, and a Foothill League mark of
5-0 after the first round of play. “A lot of the
time people don’t know all the things that are
going on with the program, but I don’t think
I’ve had anything bad in terms of dealing with
the parents or the boosters.”
Killinger said the team has been winning
with a steady 1-2 pitching combination, great
defense and some timely hitting in close
games. The Vikings are seeking their first
Foothill League title since 2011.
UC Santa Barbara-bound Ben Fariss has
been a strong No. 1 pitcher and throws in the
low 90s. Killinger also hands the ball to No. 2
pitcher Chase Farrell, who was 3-1 through
preseason and the first round of league play.
The reigning Foothill League MVP Scott
Ogrin, who will play for Cal Poly-San Luis
Obispo next year, has played a solid shortstop
and centerfield for Killinger. He can also be
called upon in late innings to pitch and has
added three saves.
Killinger leans on top assistants Mitch
Graff and Russ Hoglund, and both have provided
stability over the years. Killinger knows
it takes a lot of work to build a successful program,
and says he’s prepared for anything
that comes his way. “It takes the kids buying
in, and them having the right mindset of
never being happy with any given win or
practice,” he said. “They have to just keep
working hard to perform every time they get
a chance.”
Killinger grew up in Washington state and
played baseball for Central Washington University.
Seventeen years go Killinger attended
a job fair in Washington and was hired for a
job at Valencia High on the spot.
Killinger said there was an adjustment
coming from a small town in Washington, but
Valencia High School baseball team and coahing staff
he loves living in Santa Clarita. “I was surprised
at how intense they are with all the
sports. It doesn’t matter what sport it is,” he
said. “It was a bit of an eye-opening experience.”
Killinger led the Vikings to a 15-7 record
last year. He has coached in the program
since 2000 and with the varsity since 2005.
“Our goal every year is having a shot at a
CIF title,” he said. “First thing you have to do
is get to the playoffs, and if you win a league
title that’s great, too. We just can’t get all
cocky with ourselves and have to keep working
hard.” R
Reigning Foothill league mVP Scott ogrin
Starting pitcher Ben Fariss

20 • THE Reader
Reader Opinion
g u e S t V i e w
legislators take aim at cemeX mine
Knight, Wilk Bills
Would Prevent Mine
from Rising Yet Again
By Andy Fried
Contributing Writer
As soon as the federal Bureau of Land
Management announced it was canceling
the CEMEX Soledad Canyon
mining contracts last August, those of us who
have been following the issue for over a
decade noticed one potentially frightening
loophole:
The BLM never said it was ruling out a
massive gravel mine in Soledad Canyon. It
was just canceling CEMEX’s contract to develop
it.
Yes, perhaps we’re paranoid. For a decade
and a half, we at Safe Action for the Environment,
Inc., along with the city of Santa Clarita,
other government leaders and local organizations,
have been fighting to protect our region
from the devastating impacts of the
planned 56.1-million-ton sand and gravel
mine.
Unfortunately, the mine has been behaving
like one of those Hollywood horror movie
villains. Every time you think it’s been killed,
it comes back, and it knows the frightened
teenagers are hiding in the basement, right
behind the chainsaws. The only thing separating
the mine from “Jason” is a bad hockey
mask.
So, once the BLM decision was announced,
even as others were proclaiming the mine
was “dead” at last, we were at once excited
— could this REALLY be the end? — and
skeptical: Should we really be hanging
around in the basement right now?
The BLM decision — if it survives administrative
appeals and legal challenges by
CEMEX, which disputes the cancellation —
could remove CEMEX from the Soledad
Canyon mining picture. But it could also
leave the door open for the BLM to find
someone else to pollute our air and clog our
roads and highways with gravel trucks.
Thankfully, two legislators representing
the Santa Clarita Valley recognize the mine is
not dead just yet — and have taken important
steps to help stop it, should it rise again.
In separate pieces of legislation, Rep. Steve
Knight and state Assemblyman Scott Wilk
have sought to address two different issues
regarding the mine.
Knight, R-Palmdale, has introduced a bill
that seeks to close the loophole that would
allow the BLM to dismiss CEMEX, then shop
around for another contractor to mine
Soledad Canyon. If he’s successful, Knight
will play a significant role in assuring that the
massive mine and its 1,164 gravel truck trips
per day will never wreak devastating impacts
on regional traffic, air quality and public
health.
The Soledad Canyon Consistency Act
would withdraw the mineral rights for land
in the eastern portion of the SCV, preventing
future mining activity. Knight has rounded up
bipartisan support for the bill. It is cosponsored
by Rep. Judy Chu, D-Monterey Park,
Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Burbank, and Rep. Brad
Sherman, D-Sherman Oaks.
Knight said: “Preventing Cemex from
breaking ground on this mine has been my
top priority since before I took office. … We
have strong momentum on this issue, and I
am confident that this bill would grant consistency,
safety, and peace of mind to the people
of the Santa Clarita Valley.”
Knight, who also has urged the BLM to expedite
the CEMEX appeal process, has
worked closely with local and regional officials
and reached across the aisle to cultivate
bipartisan support, which should prove helpful.
Remember, the mine site is adjacent to
the 346,000-acre San Gabriel Mountains National
Monument, designated by President
Obama in 2014. A massive aggregate mine is
hardly the ideal gateway to a Forest Servicemanaged
national monument.
The bill, as one might expect, has drawn
local support. Among those publicly thanking
Knight were Santa Clarita Mayor Bob Kellar
and Councilwoman Laurene Weste.
Meanwhile, Wilk has recognized that, even
though the mine is primarily a federal issue,
there’s a role for the state government, too.
Wilk has introduced Assembly Bill 1986,
which would reopen the state’s permitting
process regarding water needed for the
mine’s operations.
“(The mine) would wreak havoc on our environment
and quality of life,” Wilk said upon
introducing the bill. “Our children and seniors
won’t be able to breathe, our roads will
be choked daily with an additional 1,200 18-
wheelers and the mega-mine will soak up our
most precious resource, water. I’m committed
to killing this project.”
A prepared statement from his office explains
it this way: “Back in 1991, CEMEX’s
predecessor-in-interest (Transit Mix Concrete)
filed an application with the California
State Water Resources Control Board
(SWRCB) for a water appropriation permit.
The application requested 322 acre-feet of
water per year from the Santa Clara River for
use related to mining and industrial operations.
Under current law, the administrative
process allows for a protest period and the
SWRCB is required to hold a hearing as long
as a protest remains unresolved or there is a
disputed material fact. No hearing was held
and the SWRCB has essentially suspended
activity on the application, although the status
of the application is still considered active.”
Wilk’s bill would amend the water code to
require a new notice of application if the
SWRCB has not rendered a final determination
on an application within 20 years. The
new notice would reopen the protest period
and other administrative processes. This,
then, would provide opponents of the mine a
valuable opportunity to have their concerns
heard, should the mine rise from the ashes of
the BLM’s dismissal of CEMEX.
We at SAFE are thankful for the actions of
both Rep. Knight and Assemblyman Wilk,
which demonstrate they are not only attentive
to this important issue, but also willing
to step up and take action before it becomes
too late to do so.
Hopefully, both bills will receive favorable
consideration — and the SCV’s “Nightmare in
Soledad Canyon” will end, once and for all.
Andrew Fried is president of Safe Action for
the Environment Inc. To find more information
regarding SAFE, visit www.Safe4Environment.org.
by Dave Bossert
Contributing Writer
There are a number of people in the
Santa Clarita Valley that think I have
something against Henry Mayo
Newhall Memorial Hospital. I don’t. I am
merely reporting facts from documents obtained
through reliable sources and writing
opinions that need to be heard in our community.
Healthcare is an important topic and
having access to excellent health care is an expectation
in any community.
Recently, my 78 year old mother-in-law fell
and fractured her sacrum, the base of her
spine, and she was transported via ambulance
to Henry Mayo. We had no choice. This is
where a nightmarish six week ordeal begins.
There was a surgery on her spine, then she
caught influenza- B in the hospital, which
weakened her immune system causing an infection
to develop on the incision, a second
and third surgery all as a result of the infection,
and in between all this a horror show of
mismanagement, miscommunications, and
escalating costs.
It’s my view that Henry Mayo Newhall Memorial
Hospital seems to have a disproportionately
higher rate of infection. I’m sure
management would argue they don’t but by
all accounts my mother-in-law should not
have gotten an infection since the surgery left
a small two-plus-inch incision. Yet, an infection
she got that required multiple surgeries
to clear up.
During the aforementioned there was a
battery of test and scans that had to be performed.
Just to get a scan, hospital staff had to
wheel my mother-in-law on a gurney out of
the hospital and across a parking lot to another
building. Bumping and jostling her on
the uneven payment along the way. This happened
several times. Yes, Henry Mayo Hospital
the Calcutta of the Santa Clarita Valley.
According to a hospital case worker, my
mother-in-law was lucky to have actually survived
the ordeal altogether. I kid you not; the
case worker essentially said that my motherin-law
must be stronger than she appears because
she lived through the six weeks at
Henry Mayo Newhall Memorial Hospital. Yes,
my mother-in-law ran the Grim Reaper’s
gauntlet of death at our local hospital and survived;
life was the prize, the brass ring from
this medical facility circus. The case worker
instilled in us a sense of confidence akin to a
roll of the dice; a life or death lottery where
the jackpot is survival.
With my mother-in-law still clinging to life,
the facility unable to kill her, it was time for
the hospital to discharge her and what better
day to do it on than Easter Sunday, resurrection
day. Let’s just make it even more difficult
for everyone and jack the system for more
money while they’re at it. The hospital gets to
bill Medicare extra if a patient is discharged
on a holiday; something that Medicare has
taken note of. So rather than waiting until
Monday morning they decided, admittedly, it
was best to throw her out on Easter Sunday
afternoon. That’s the way to make another
buck and stick to the man.
I certainly could go into lengthy, often unbelievable,
detail on all that happened during
daV e b o S S e r t
April 2016
another henry mayo
newhall memorial hospital
horror Story
that six week interment at Henry Mayo but to
what end; she is still alive and recovering at
another facility now. The bill for the hospital
was in excess of $150,000.00 and it is riddled
with interesting charges and items that appear
excessive. It is just another example of
the business of healthcare; profits over life
and health.
There are many inconstancies when it
comes to our local hospital in delivering on
quality care that we all expect. Some local
supporters have said to me it is the only hospital
we have in SCV and I should stop knocking
it. But these same supporters will not go to
Henry Mayo Newhall Memorial hospital for
care or a surgery. In fact, a number of hospital
donors have gone down to major medical facility
in LA rather than do their surgery at
Henry Mayo. That’s a real confidence builder.
I’ve written in the past of a woman entering
the emergency room with chest pains. She
was homeless and had no insurance. Checked
out by the emergency room staff and then discharged,
the woman went into the emergency
room waiting area sat down in a chair and
died quietly. Her cold, dead body was not discovered
for seven or eight hours. This is just
one of a myriad of horror stories at Henry
Mayo Newhall Memorial Hospital. You can
read more at: http://hospitalrantandrave.
blogspot.com/
The doctors and nurses at Henry Mayo are
terrific and should be praised for their dedication.
But they are also hampered by how the
facility is being managed. It appears to be
more about the almighty dollar and less about
patient’s best interests. This is especially true
of the elderly. There are numerous stories of
elderly patients going in for simple procedures
and ending up dying.
There is a disconnect between the administration,
doctors, and patients which needs
to be corrected. The only way that can happen
at this point is to bring in a new administrator,
someone that can start fresh and bridge the
deficiencies in quality health care at the hospital.
It must be someone that isn’t going to
stack the board of directors or medical advisory
committee with individuals that are lining
their own pockets and turning a blind eye
to the serious issues that play out each day at
this hospital.
I truly want our Santa Clarita Valley community
to have a great hospital facility. Unfortunately,
we don’t have one and to change that
will require members of the community, such
as me, to continue speaking up and illuminating
the issues. Our valley communities disserve
an excellent hospital that provides
outstanding health care and we shouldn’t settle
for anything less. R
Dave Bossert is a community volunteer who
serves on a number of boards and councils. He is
an award winning artist, filmmaker and author.
His commentaries represent his own opinions
and not necessarily the views of any organization
he may be affiliated with or those of the
Westside Reader. Dave writes a regular weekly
column online at www.thescvebeacon.com

April 2016 THE Reader • 21
c a m e r o n S m y t h
the political landscape
continues to change
S c ot t w i l k
time to derail the bullet
train
by Cameron Smyth
Contributing Writer
by Assmemblyman Scott Wilk
Contributing Writer
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In previous columns I wrote about how
2016 was going to be an election year like
no other and, unlike my presidential prognostications,
my predictions of 2016 continue
to ring true.
Locally, we had a significant shake-up with
Sen. Sharon Runner’s last-minute decision to
not seek re-election. Fortunately Assemblyman
Scott Wilk chose to step into the void
and his candidacy ensures that the seat remains
in Republican hands. In fact, Mr. Wilk
will be the first Santa Clarita resident to hold
a state Senate seat in decades, which means,
pending the outcome of the race to fill the
38th Assembly District, Santa Clarita residents
could occupy both a Senate and Assembly
seat, giving our community
significant representation in Sacramento.
Wilk’s decision to jump into the Senate
race did set off a five-day scramble for potential
candidates to file the necessary paperwork
and put a campaign together. While no
one candidate was able to clear the field,
three Republican challengers emerged: Santa
Clarita Mayor Pro Tem Dante Acosta, Supervisor
Antonovich Deputy Jarrod DeGonia,
who also served as my district director, and
retired Officer Tyler Isen. Regardless of who
secures the nomination, Republicans need to
unite as the Democrats have a strong candidate
in Newhall School District board member,
Christy Smith.
But even beyond the local races, for the
first time this century, both presidential races
will still be in play when California holds its
primary on June 7. What makes California
even more unique is the way Republicans allocate
our delegates. Unlike states that award
delegates based on vote percentage or are
“winner take all,” we allocate delegates based
on a combination of statewide results and individual
congressional district winners.
Of the 172 delegates, 13 are awarded
statewide with 10 going to the top vote getter,
and three going to “pre-determined” delegates
(the state GOP chair, the national committeeman
and committeewoman). The remaining
159 are split among the 53
congressional districts (CD) with the winner
of each CD receiving three delegates. So even
in parts of Oakland where Republican registrations
hovers around 10 percent, the same
number of delegates will be awarded as our
own 25th CD. Also important is the fact that,
unlike our legislative races, which have a
“jungle” or “top two ” primary system, California’s
presidential primary is closed, so
there can be no cross-over votes like in other
states.
So what does all this mean? For one, candidates
with the best ground game have the
advantage. Huge rallies in major population
centers aren’t enough. Candidates must tailor
their message much more carefully. Also,
statewide polling isn’t as reliable. While a
USC/L.A. Times poll released Easter weekend
showed Donald Trump and Ted Cruz basically
tied (36-35) among likely voters, you
don’t have enough of a sample to break down
each CD individually.
Finally, the closed primary is an obstacle
for Trump — he has always relied on
crossover votes to pad his Republican base,
which is not an option here in California and
that creates greater opportunity for Cruz and
John Kasich to pick up more delegates.
So whomever you support, be excited! All
the candidates will spend time a significant
amount of time in California not to just raise
money but actually campaign — who knows
when that will happen again. R
Cameron Smyth is a lifelong resident of the
Santa Clarita Valley who served six years on the
Santa Clarita City Council before being elected
to represent the Valley in the State Legislature.
After leaving the Assembly in 2012, Cameron returned
to the private sector and continues to reside
in Newhall with his wife and three children.
The old saying goes, ‘fool me once,
shame on you, but fool me twice,
shame on me.’ In the case of the highspeed
rail project, voters have been initially
misled by bold promises back in 2008, but
Californians clearly can’t be fooled twice.
In the past eight years, we have been given
multiple cost estimates, differing travel times,
and have yet to see any viable funding plan
for a project that will be an incredible drain
on our precious taxpayer dollars – it’s time to
derail the bullet train.
A Hoover Institution Golden State poll recently
confirmed the negative public sentiment:
53 percent of Californians surveyed
support terminating the high speed rail, and
instead favored a ballot initiative that would
use the unspent money on water storage.
Only 31 percent said they would not.
Moreover, the Hoover Institution poll also
found that 62 percent of Californians rank
“water storage construction” as their first priority
for public infrastructure projects. “Light
or commuter rail and bus systems” ranked
last in priority preference, behind “highway
expansion,” “K-12 school construction,’ and
“affordable housing construction” respectively.
Vocal criticism erupted last October when
the LA Times published an article claiming
that when the California High Speed Rail Authority
(CHSRA) gave its 2014 business plan
to the Legislature, they used a lower cost estimate
and intentionally withheld higher cost
projections in order to secure Cap-and-Trade
dollars.
In response to this, and the systemic problem
in Sacramento of mispresenting facts or
outright lying by heads of agencies, I authored
Assembly Bill 1566. This bill will ensure
better accountability and transparency
of state agencies and heads of departments
by holding those individuals civilly liable for
any reports they submit to the Legislature or
Executive branch.
AB 1566 would require these written reports
to include a signed statement by the
head of the agency or department, affirming
that the contents of the report are accurate
and comprehensive to the best that person’s
knowledge.
Most recently, Superior Court Judge
Michael Kenny of Sacramento County recently
took the California High Speed Rail Authority
(CHSRA) to task for not having a
viable financial plan.
Ironically, Judge Kenny’s ruling was hailed
in the media as a victory for the high-speed
rail, even though his ruling stated: “While
Plaintiffs have produced evidence that raises
substantial concerns about the currently proposed
system's ability to ultimately comply
with the Bond Act, the Authority has yet to
produce the funding plan that makes those
issues ripe for review.”
Essentially, Judge Kenny’s ruling permits
the high-speed rail to continue because he
can’t judge whether or not a funding plan that
doesn’t exist complies with the Bond Act.
Additionally, when the CHSRA finally attempts
to utilize these funds passed in Proposition
1A, they will find themselves right back
in court as the project will be out of compliance
with what voters approved in 2008.
The high-speed rail project has proven to
be a failure of epic proportions and I agree
with the majority of Californians – the high
speed rail project needs to be stopped and its
bond funds responsibly redirected to a real
problem facing all of Californians: our crippling
drought.
That’s why I introduced Assembly Bill
1866. This bill would give Californians the opportunity
in November to strike down the
high-speed rail bond funds, and convert them
into water infrastructure dollars.
Sacramento has been slow to respond to
the drought in a responsible manner, and
since Governor Brown's cutting residential
water use is not a long term solution, AB
1866 is a chance for voters to capitalize on future
rainfall, spend the high-speed rail tax
dollars wisely, and invest in water infrastructure
for the future.
AB 1866 will responsibly convert the $8
billion in high-speed rail bonds to fund desperately
needed water infrastructure projects.
This would include construction of
desalination facilities, wastewater treatment
and recovering facilities, reservoirs, water
transportation infrastructure, and aquifer
recharge.
The high-speed rail project has been an
eight year boondoggle of half-truths, misleading
statements, and incompetent governance.
Thankfully, most Californians can’t be
fooled twice — they know it’s time to end this
crazy train and return to responsible governance.
R
Scott Wilk, R-Santa Clarita, represents the
38th Assembly District encompassing Simi Valley,
the northwestern section of the San Fernando
Valley and most of the Santa Clarita
Valley.
l e t t e r S
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letters to the editor for publication in
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may be sent by mail or email. Letters
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must include the author’s name, town
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22 • THE Reader
a day i n t h e l i f e
Students, business tours
and Junior chamber
make for a busy day
r ay t h e r e a lto r®
they never learn
April 2016
by u.S. Rep. Steve Knight
Contributing Writer
by Ray the Realtor® Kutylo
Contributing Writer
Iwake up on a breezy March Wednesday
morning in a fantastic mood.
One of my favorite activities as a congressman
that I’m fortunate to do is speak
to students, and that will be my first activity
of the day. At 8:50 a.m. I arrive at Golden Valley
High School in Santa Clarita, where I will
be spending the next two hours. I park my
car in the staff parking lot and make my way
to the front office, where I am greeted by a
very nice faculty member named Lynn.
She walks me over to the auditorium and
onto the main stage. A moment later, the
room fills with noise as students begin filing
into the hall. Around 75 high schoolers
find their seats, and their teacher spends
about a minute quieting everyone down. I’m
given a quick introduction, and then they
turn the microphone over to me.
I rundown what my job as a member of
Congress entails — from voting on legislation,
to considering different ideas in committees,
to meeting and listening to different
groups about the challenges that they face
and the changes they would like to see. I explain
how it is all interconnected, and that I
see my role as a vessel to take good ideas
and put them into action at the federal level.
Next, I get more into the nitty gritty of
how the political process works. After a
quick overview, I bring seven students onstage
to hold a mock debate so that the
teenagers can get a feel for what it’s like to
form opinions on a wide range of topics,
then defend those stances in front of a
crowd. I turn it over to the audience to ask
the “candidates” questions about whatever
they want, and there were some very indepth
inquiries, from cell phone privacy to
North Korea’s nuclear threat. The debate
goes on for quite a while, and the participants
gave some very thoughtful responses.
I wrap up my lecture by encouraging
everyone to get involved with the political
process. There is so much potential in the
room, and in gyms across the country, but
that potential can only be realized if young
people step up and put in the necessary
work to see their ideas become realities.
The bell rings, and the class shuffles off.
There’s a ten minute break where I chat
with a local reporter and with lingering students,
then a new class files in and I do the
whole presentation over again.
This time, the questions and responses
were different, but the overall theme remained:
if you want your voice heard, take
initiative, get involved, and work to implement
the changes important to you.
I depart Golden Valley High School
around 11:15 a.m. and head back to my district
office. There, I meet with local representatives
from the National Association of
Home Builders. We discuss their legislative
priorities for the upcoming year, and the issues
that the home building industry is currently
facing as a result of federal
regulations.
My staff and I take notes, and after the
meeting we pass everything we learned to
my staff in Washington, D.C. so they can
strategize on how best to support the industry,
which plays a big role in the Santa
Clarita Valley.
After the meeting, I eat a quick snack then
head over to the intersection of Newhall
Ranch Road and the Old Road, where I will
have my first of two tours for the day. Advanced
Bionics is a company that designs
and sells audiology products and specializes
in sophisticated cochlear implant technology.
An employee shows me around the site
and explains the function of cochlear implants,
as well as how federal regulations
like the Affordable Care Act are making it
difficult for companies like theirs to grow.
My next tour is at Cobra Tactical Inc., a
small business located in Valencia that manufactures
custom firearms. The owner
shows me around the shop, and we have a
conversation about how their operation has
been hampered by uncertainty and overregulation
at both the state and federal levels.
As a member of the House Committee on
Small Business, it is very important for me
to get input from all kinds of growing companies
— especially those like Cobra Tactical
that are subject to a wide range of
restrictions.
After the visit, I finish my day at JJ’s Bar
and Grille, also in Valencia, where the Santa
Clarita Chapter of the Junior Chamber International
is holding a “Politics on Tap” event.
They invited me to come discuss two bills
that I introduced this year: one that would
block companies like Cemex from mining in
Soledad Canyon in the future, and one that
would give a boost to longstanding efforts to
clean the Eastern Santa Clara River Basin
and provide fresh water to the Santa Clarita
Valley. I also gave a miniature version of my
talk with the Golden Valley students that
morning, outlining my experience and vision
as a member of Congress, and encouraging
everyone to continue to be involved in
their community. I spend over an hour at the
event chatting with young people from
around the SCV, and once again I am impressed
with their dedication to improving
our community.
As I drive home, I reflect on everything I’ve
said and heard over the course of the day. I
have a renewed sense of service, but also a
great feeling of confidence for the future of
our communities and our country. There are
so many passionate and talented individuals
right here in the Santa Clarita Valley, and I
look forward to supporting them as they
shape the world of tomorrow. R
Steve Knight is the U.S. Representative of
California's 25th District which covers the
Santa Clarita and Antelope Valleys as well as
portions of Simi Valley.
Iwoke up this morning and wondered
what topic I would cover in this column.
The deadline for submission is the end of
today, and I usually write it on the day it’s
due. However, I generally have a topic already
picked and thoughts popping though my
mind as to how I will approach it. Not this
time. I’ve been really busy lately, yesterday in
showing property in Santa Rosa (!), and all
over my extended market area with some
great clients.
Then later today I have been reading that
some people, including some in the public
policy arena, want to relax credit requirements
in order to stimulate the housing market.
Really? Didn’t we try that in the late ’90s
and the early aughts (or the double ohs or
whatever), and didn’t that result in the nearcollapse
of the entire freaking financial system,
worldwide? My friends and my clients
know I can go on a rant, and here goes! First
the disclaimer: I’m a Realtor®. I love to sell
homes. The idea and the reality of “home” is
something that is so important for individuals
and for families. “Home” can largely define
who we are, and who we become,
influence the people we meet, the friends we
make, the joy we find, and the comfort we
seek. The idea of our own home, owned as
our real property, is an essential component
of liberty itself. Never underestimate the
power of “home,” and I and the rest of the Realtor®
community want to help you find the
very best home in the very best area that is
possible, and one that you can afford, and fits
in your household budget and comfort zone.
Unless you can pay all cash, you are going
to need a home purchase loan. Most loans require
a down payment (the Veterans’ Administration
has a no-down loan available), and
FHA has a 3.5 percent down program, and
there are home loan programs for 5 percent,
10 percent, 20 percent down and so forth and
so on. Interest rates vary with the program,
as do qualifying ratios. Qualifying ratios are
based first on the home loan/taxes/insurance
monthly amount divided by your documented
income, and secondly on the monthly
housing costs plus all of your monthly debt
obligations, again divided by income. These
two ratios are added to the mix of your credit
score (FICO at least in the mid to low 600s
and possibly lower) and your credit history,
and your home loan lender will be able to determine
how much of a loan you qualify for.
With your down payment, you have your
maximum qualifying purchase price.
So the Obama administration wants to
relax credit requirements and/or down payment
levels so more people can buy homes? I
am as much of a cheerleader for homeownership
as anyone, but if housing values fall,
even a modest amount, and people are underwater
again in their equity position, or
they lose their jobs or have other economic
difficulty, how is that going to help people?
Didn’t anyone watch the movie, “The Big
Short”? Derivatives and mortgage-backed securities
are still a thing! Are people’s memories
completely gone? Are the idiots still in
charge? When will they (and we) learn? Apparently,
never!
Ray the Realtor® Kutylo is associated with
the SCV Home Team at Keller Williams VIP
Properties in Santa Clarita. My team and I are
ready to help you find and buy the very best
home you can afford given your loan-ability
and your budget. Home-buying is HUGE, and
we respect you and the decision involved. We
will treat you just like we would like to be
treated if our roles were reversed. Call us.
Call or text us at 661-312-9461 or email at
Ray@SCVhometeam.com. Our Mobile App is at
www.mobile.SCVhometeam.com CalBRE license
number 00918855
Readers are encouraged to submit their views, reviews and questions as
letters to the editor for publication in the SCV Reader/Westside Reader.
Submissions may be sent by mail or email. Letters are subject to being
edited due to space constraints. Letters to the editor must include the
author’s name, town and phone number for verification.
Email:
Mail To:
Info @westsidereader.com 25876 The Old Road, Suite 66
Stevenson Ranch, CA 91381
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April 2016 THE Reader • 23
reStaurant reView
Olive Terrace Bar & Grill Offers Eclectic
Menu with Mediterranean Flair
Restaurant offers good food
and good service in a
beautiful setting.
By michele E. Buttelman
Features and Entertainment Editor
The Olive Terrace Bar & Grill may be located
in your average Santa Clarita
Strip mall, but the ambiance inside,
and the view to the outside, may change your
opinion of what is possible in elegant restaurant
décor.
A recent lunchtime visit to the Valencia
restaurant found my window-side table per-
Rustic Baguette Brushetta ($7.95 lunch $8.95
dinner).
olive Terrace lunch Trio with Caesar Salad, Soup of
the Day and Half Turkey Sandwich on Focaccia
bread ($15.95).
fect for gazing at an outdoor lemon tree, filled
with ripe lemons. I forgot, for a while, where
I was, instead I felt like I was far away from
life in hectic Santa Clarita.
The service is exceptional, as is the food, at
the Olive Terrace. The extensive menu is labeled
Mediterranean, but includes plenty of
eclectic choices. The challenge is to pare your
entrée selection down to just one choice.
Nearly everything on both the lunch and dinner
menus looks enticing.
Most lunch entrees are in the $12.95 to
$15.95 with a few high-end offerings such as
the Filet Mignon Kabob and Paella Valencia
priced at $23.95 and Herb-Crusted Sea Bass
at $21.95.
The lunch and dinner menus are nearly
identical with a few more entrees offered on
the dinner menu and priced slightly higher.
Beef Koubideh ($15.95 lunch $17.95 dinner). Ground beef kabob with onion, sumac, blistered Roma tomatoes
and saffron basmati rice.
A friend and I met at the Olive Terrace for
lunch recently and we thoroughly enjoyed
the Rustic Baguette Brushetta ($7.95). The
large portion was perfect and the Brushetta
made with tomatoes, garlic, basil Italian
herbs and extra virgin olive oil was perfectly
seasoned. The balsamic reduction drizzled on
the crunchy slices of warm baguette was
tasty and the gorgonzola cheese was a nice
touch.
There were many starters I would have
liked to sample as well including the Hummus,
Eggplant and Garlic Persian Dip, Cheese,
Olive, Fig, Walnut and Crostini and the Artichoke
Spinach Dip.
Next time I visit I may try the Al Fresco
Combination Appetizer Platter ($24.95 lunch,
$25.95 dinner) which includes Caprese,
choice of three cheeses, choice of two dips,
mixed Greek olives, dried sour cherries, candied
walnuts, grapes, French baguette and
lavosh bread.
For lunch my friend chose the Olive Terrace
Lunch Trio ($15.95). The trio offers the
choice of half sandwich of turkey, Club or
ham, choice of Caesar or Garden Salad and
choice of Tomato Basil Bisque or Soup of the
Day. My dining companion chose the turkey
sandwich on focaccia bread, Caesar and the
Soup of the Day which was a chilled cucumber
gazpacho.
She cleaned her plate and reported she
would gladly order the same meal on her next
visit.
I tried the Beef “Koubideh” ground beef
kabob ($15.95) which included two char-
See Restaurant Review, page 31

Colorful throw pillows can add a fresh look to your
home this Spring.
Get your home organized and decluttered by
using proper storage bins.
Ruben Haynes, of Ruben Haynes Interior Design
(rubenhaynesdesign.com), in Valencia, said
Spring is the “perfect time to refresh, renew and
declutter your home.”
Haynes recommends keeping your shelves “open
and clean.”
“Just decorate your shelves with a few books, a couple
of candlesticks, and a picture frame,” he said.
Haynes said turquoise and cobalt blue are currently
popular colors in home decorating.
“Use white with cobalt blue or turquoise for a
fresh, new look,” he said.
Here are some additional Spring tips to declutter
and refresh your home.
Inside Your Home
Here’s a list to help you get started on bringing Spring, and new life,
to your home.
Declutter
1. The first step in the decluttering
process is to make a checklist. Prioritize
the areas of your home you
want to organize. You can make the list
as general or specific as you like. It you
feel good about getting items of your
check list try listing specific projects
(cleaning off the table by the front
door), or if you are a big picture person
you can list entire rooms or areas (Living
room, bathroom, etc.). A checklist
can hold you accountable and also
measure your progress so you don’t
give up halfway through your project.
The first step in the
decluttering process is to
make a checklist.
are making progress.
2. Don’t get distracted. Life is hectic.
Choose a time each day and give yourself
a reasonable time limit from 15 minutes
to 1 hour. Commit to the time. Don’t
do less, you can do more, but you’ll find
yourself more satisfied if you commit to
one project at a time, finish it, and
check it off your list. Some projects
made take more than one day and
that’s okay. If you complete doing
“your time” you will feel satisfied you
3. Fill one trash bag every day. It doesn’t matter if your bag is trash
or items to donate to thrift store. A trash bag represents visible
progress and helps provide a psychological reward.
Celebrate Spring!
Now is the time to refresh, renew
and declutter
by Michele E. Buttelman • features and entertainment editor
4. Sell items you don’t need on eBay, OfferUp, Amazon or a
dozen other apps that have recently been created to help sellers
and buyers connect. As always, make sure you use common sense,
like meeting a prospective buyer at a location away from your home
for small items and making sure you have plenty of company around
if you need to bring a buyer to your house.
5. Use psychological “tricks” to help in the decluttering
process. Find 10 items to give away, 10 items to throw out and 10
items to keep, but store in the proper location. This fun exercise uses
your brainpower, as well as your muscle and keeps the decluttering
project moving forward. Commit to the process every day until you
are finished.
6. Pick a drawer, or a shelf or a general area of your home and
take everything off, or out or away. Before putting anything back
on the self, or back into the drawer, ask, “Do I really, really need this?”
If the answer is “no,” then donate or toss.
7. The Hanger Experiment. This idea has been around for years, but
it still works. Take all the clothes hanging in your closet and turn the
hangers around, backwards. After you wear an item of clothing turn the
hanger to the correct position. After six months you can visibly see what
clothes you never wear and can donate to the thrift store.

8. Give away one item each day. Yes, pick anything in your house and give it away. Every.
Single. Day. You’ll be amazed at how quickly you can reduce your clutter with this simple
method.
9. Change the way you think about your “things.” Changing your mindset when you
shop is equally important. Before a purchase ask yourself if you really “need” that item.
Make yourself exit the store and go to your car for five minutes. If you have pondered your
purchase and still think you need it (items like toilet paper are exempt from this rule), then
purchase the object, but make a deal with yourself to eliminate one item from your home to
make room for the new purchase. Take photos of your home. Try to see your home through
the eyes of others.
Paint
Nothing says “renew, or
refresh” like a new coat
of paint.
“You can really ‘doll up’
your home with fresh
paint,” said Haynes. “Use
a dramatic color on the
wall behind your sofa to
brighten up the room.”
However, the power of
paint is more significant
then you might realize.
Painting is one of the
easiest and least expensive
ways to transform
the look of a space. The
colors homeowners
choose for their walls
can give rooms their
own unique feel and
even affect the moods of
the people within them.
Finding the right shade
for a bedroom or kitchen
involves more than just
selecting the first color
that catches your eye. Design experts and psychologists alike say it may be worthwhile to
choose a color that helps you feel good rather than just following design trends. The paint
color you pick may add energy to a space or create a tranquil retreat where you can unwind
at the end of the day.
Blue: To create a spa-like environment and a more serene space, look to shades of blue in soft
variations. Cool blues are soothing colors that can help lower stress levels and promote sleep.
Design
Fresh flowers can improve the air quality and add
a beautiful spring feeling to your home.
Fresh paint can help homeowners refresh and renew living
spaces this Spring.
In addition to paint, other elements of
design can be used to renew and refresh
your home for spring.
Flowers: Spring is the perfect time to
add plants or flowers to your décor.
Flowers and plants can make colorful
additions to a home’s interior. Plants and
flowers also can improve indoor air quality.
Several studies, including one published
in the Journal for the American
Society for Horticultural Science, have
shown that houseplants improve indoor
air quality by filtering out volatile organic compounds, or VOCs, that can be harmful to
human health. A great place to find flowers to decorate your home is the Farmer’s Market,
there are several Farmer’s Markets held in the SCV each week, including one on Sunday
mornings in parking lot 5 of College of the Canyons and one on Saturday mornings at
the Community Center in Newhall.
Throw pillows: Instead of buying new furniture, invest in some colorful throw pillows to
give a room a more vibrant look. Patterns can be mixed and matched to provide some
contrast and transform a room.
Haynes suggests using white and turquoise pillows to give your home “a dramatic look.”
“Any of the spring colors, yellow, green, turquoise, orange, any pop of color will revitalize
your living space,” Haynes said.
Orange: Many people do not immediately consider bright orange for their homes, but when
used as an accent shade, orange can really brighten up a home. Consider an orange accent
wall or a burst of color with orange throw pillows
Red: Red stimulates energy and appetite, which is why the shade is so popular in restaurants
and home dining spaces. Red is a good choice for social gathering rooms but may not be
the wisest choice for a bedroom, as the color may prove overstimulating.
Green: Green can evoke composure and tranquility and works in any room of the house.
Since green is the primary color of nature, it also works well for those people who want to
bring some of the outdoors inside.
Purple: People have long related purple to royalty, and this dramatic color can add a formal,
regal aspect to a home depending on the hue. Purple also may help stimulate the creative
side of the brain. In paler shades of lavender, purple can seem almost ethereal and spiritual.
Some designers suggest avoiding purple in a bedroom because that is a place you want your
brain to rest rather than be stimulated.
Yellow: Few colors are more vibrant than yellow, which can help stimulate conversation and
make thoughts more focused. A luminous shade of yellow is an ideal way to make any space
more welcoming and bright.
Pantone Color of the Year
Every year Pantone, the global authority on color and
provider of professional color standards for the
design industries, chooses its “Color of the Year.”
The selection is a symbolic color selection; a
color snapshot of what the color experts at
Pantone see taking place in culture that serves
as an expression of a mood and an attitude.
For the first time Pantone introduces two
shades, Rose Quartz and Serenity as the Pantone
Color of the Year 2016.
The Pantone Color of the Year often finds its way
not only into home interiors but also fashion, nail
color and automobiles.
Rose Quartz is a persuasive yet gentle tone that Pantone’s Color of the Year 2016 is Rose
conveys compassion and a sense of composure.
Quartz and Serenity.
Serenity is weightless and airy, like the expanse
of the blue sky above, bringing feelings of respite and relaxation even in turbulent times.
Whether in soft or hard surface material, the pairing of Rose Quartz and Serenity brings
calm and relaxation. Appealing in all finishes, matte, metallic and glossy, the engaging combo
joins easily with other mid-tones including greens and purples, rich browns, and all shades
of yellow and pink. Add in silver or hot brights for more splash and sparkle.
See Celebrate Spring!, page 28
Wallpaper: Paper the walls. While many homeowners
prefer paint to wallpaper, those who want a less
permanent solution to brighten up their homes may
want to consider removable wallpaper. Such paper
is less expensive than traditional wallpaper, and
many do-it-yourselfers find removable wallpaper is
easy to both install and remove. Choose a
colorful\pattern that can turn an otherwise plain
wall into powerful palette that adds life to your
home’s interior. Because removable wallpaper does
not require a significant financial investment, you
can experiment with various colors or change
things up each month if you so desire.
Art: Add some artwork. Another way to add color
to the walls inside your home without dusting off
your paintbrush is to hang some colorful artwork.
Paintings that feature bold colors tend to draw your
The colors of green and blue can
add a spring feel to any room.
immediate attention when you enter a room. If you want to go the extra mile, find a painting
that features colors which match throw pillows or other accessories in the room. If
you want to go “all in” with art, think about hiring a muralist to paint landscapes or add
design elements to your rooms.
Throw rugs: A patterned throw rug is another accessory that can effectively
brighten a room without much effort or financial investment on the part of homeowners.
When choosing a throw rug, find one that's colorful but does not clash considerably with
existing furnishings, as you don't want the rug to draw attention for all the wrong
reasons.

The Pantone Color of the Year 2016 Rose
Quartz and Serenity can be used in home
decorating to bring warmth and relaxation.
“With the whole greater than its individual parts, joined together Serenity and Rose Quartz
demonstrate an inherent balance between a warmer embracing rose tone and the cooler tranquil
blue, reflecting connection and wellness as well as a soothing sense of order and peace,”
said Leatrice Eiseman, Executive Director of the Pantone Color Institute. “In many parts of
the world we are experiencing a gender blur as it relates to fashion, which has in turn impacted
color trends throughout all other areas of design.”
Past selections for Color of the Year include: Marsala (2015); Radiant Orchid (2014); Emerald
(2013); Tangerine Tango (2012); Honeysuckle (2011); Turquoise (2010); Mimosa (2009); Blue
Iris (2008); Chili Pepper (2007); Sand Dollar (2006); Blue Turquoise (2005); Tigerlily (2004);
Aqua Sky (2003); True Red (2002); Fuchsia Rose (2001) and Cerulean (2000)
Outside Your Home
Outdoor living
One of the hottest trends – literally
– for 2016 is the incorporation
of warming features into outdoor
spaces. From candles and tiki
torches to fireplaces and lighting,
products that lend physical and
ambient warmth will be in high demand.
Look for increased use of
LED lights integrated into deck
railings, stairs and yards as homeowners
seek to enhance the ambiance
and safety of their outdoor
space and extend the time they
can spend enjoying it.
Thanks to advances in all-weather
materials, furnishings and accessories,
you can outfit an outdoor
living space in much the same way
that you would any room in the
continued from page 25
Heading into the outdoor living season, expect functional
outdoor kitchens complete with cooking islands, pizza ovens,
refrigerators and all-weather cabinetry and storage features
will continue to be a popular trend.
home. As a result, expect to see decks with features such as integrated benches with upholstered
cushions, privacy walls and ornamental post caps and railings with decorative balusters
similar to those found inside the home.
Another emerging trend is home automation. This trend is hugely popular right now, so it’s
only natural that the tech trend should migrate outdoors. From lighting and music controlled
from a smart phone to motorized rear-projection screens synced to outdoor LED televisions,
homeowners are now able to bring their entire entertainment system outdoors.
Outdoor kitchens
Cooking with class: Americans have taken backyard cooking and dining to a whole new level.
In Southern California this trend has been underway for more than a decade. Heading into
the outdoor living season, expect this trend to continue with increasingly functional outdoor
kitchens complete with cooking islands, pizza ovens, refrigerators and all-weather cabinetry
and storage features.
Planting a garden
In Southern California there aren’t too many days of the year that are off-limits to gardeners.
In years past the Santa Clarita Valley has seen its share of “frost” days, so it is prudent to assume
that frost might still be in the forecast, but most gardeners will just roll the dice and bet
that this year is not one of those years.
Early spring is a great time to get a head start on the gardening season.
Clear debris: One of the best things you can do for your garden is to clear it of debris. Dead
leaves, fallen branches, rocks that surfaced during the recent rains and even garbage that
might have blown about in the frequent winds can all pile up in a garden.
Examine the soil: Soil
plays a significant role
in whether a garden
thrives or struggles. Examining
the soil before
the season starts can
help gardeners address
any issues, so test the
soil to determine if it
has any nutrient or mineral
deficiencies. This
may require the help of
a professional, but if a
problem arises, you will
have time to adjust the
acidity or alkalinity of
the soil. Another way to
examine the soil is less
complex, but can shed
light on when would be
a good time to get back
to work. Reach into the
soil and dig out a handful.
If the soil quickly
crumbles, you can start
preparing for gardening
seasoning. But if the
soil is still clumped together,
it needs more
time to dry out before
you can begin your prep
work.
A home vegetable garden is a great resource for fresh
food and is fun to plant.
Edging: Edging is another
task gardeners
can begin as they get
ready for the season.
Edge plant and flower
beds, but be sure to use
a spade with a flat blade
or an edger designed to
edge flower beds. Such
tools will cut deep
enough so grass roots
that may eventually
grow into the flower
bed are severed. Depending
on how large a garden is, edging can be a time-consuming task, so getting a head
start allows homeowners to spend more time planting and tending to their gardens once
the season hits full swing.
Fight weeds: As inevitable as weeds may seem, homeowners can take steps to prevent
them from turning beautiful gardens into battlegrounds where plants, flowers and vegetables
are pitted against unsightly and potentially harmful weeds. Now is the time to apply
a pre-emergent weed preventer, which can stop weeds before they grow. Though such solutions
are not always foolproof, they can drastically reduce the likelihood of weed growth.
Vegetable Garden: To plant a successful vegetable garden spend some time examining
your landscape. Vegetables generally need ample warmth and sunlight to thrive, so find
an area of the yard that gets several hours of direct sunlight per day. A sunny spot is good,
but you also want a location with adequate drainage so your garden does not succumb to
flooding or fungus. Don't place the garden too close to rain gutters or near a pool, where
splash-out may occur. Select a location that is isolated from pets so the plants are not
trampled and cats and dogs do not relieve themselves nearby.
What to plant: When deciding what vegetables to plant, consider what you eat and how
much produce the household consumes, then choose vegetables that fit with your diet.
Some vegetables, like peppers, tomatoes, eggplant, and squash, produce throughout the
season. Others, such as carrots and corn, produce one crop and then expire. Plan accordingly
when you purchase plants or seeds, as you want enough food but not so much that
it will go to waste. Choose three to four different vegetables and plant them in the garden.
Select varieties that require similar soil conditions, so that you can adjust the pH and mix
of the soil accordingly. This will serve as good practice, particularly the first year of your
garden. After you have mastered the basics, you can branch out into other produce.
When to plant vegetables: Many of the foods grown in vegetable gardens, including tomatoes
and peppers, are summer vegetables, which means they reach peak ripeness after
the height of the summer season. Pumpkins, brussel sprouts and peas are planted to be
harvested later on. These plants may be put in the ground a little later than others. Many
vegetables are planted outside in April or May. Read seed packets to know exactly when
to plant or consult with the nursery where you purchased established seedlings. You also
can visit The Garden Helper at www.thegardenhelper.com/vegtips to find out when to plant,
seed depth and how long it takes plants to reach maturity.

SPRING’S
FRESHEST
LOOKS
by Michelle Sathe • staff writer
Winter is over. Are you ready to update your look to reflect the hottest spring trends?
Three local fashion and beauty experts weighed in to give us their forecast on the
coolest looks for the Santa Clarita Valley as the weather gets warmer.
Think fresh, soft, and simply stylish.
FASHION
Ditching the harsh black favored in winter for calming and comforting colors is just one
of the trends of this season.
“Rose quartz is among the top colors of the spring,” said Laurie Tucci Auger, owner of
Via Tucci Boutique in Newhall. “It’s reminiscent of a blooming color that highlight’s
many women’s softer side.”
Looking for something a little bright? Punch up the palette with a wide selection of peach tones that
will also be in style this spring.
Auger’s favorite look from the runway is the endless combination of greys and blues. “There are gorgeous
blending options that range from navy all the way to a softer dusty grey,” she said. “You’re
going to love to blend, mix, match, and enjoy these great colors.”
While Auger didn’t predict a particular outfit or piece that would define this spring, she did notice some
distinct trend in fabrics.
“What is very noticeable is the patterns on top of patterns and mixing of textures to give outfits a more
interesting look and feeling,” she said.
Gold jewelry is making a comeback in fashion showrooms and boutiques like Via Tucci, according to
Auger. “Amazing statement pieces are still coming out and making a splash, but there is a tendency
to make that statement more often through a series of layering lengths and sizes versus one singular
piece,” she said.
Whatever the season, quality over quantity is always in fashion.
“First and foremost, quality means durability. A quality piece will last longer, stand up to routine wear,
survive appropriate cleaning techniques, and in the end be a much better value for the buyer than inexpensive
‘disposable’ clothing,” Auger said.
For many, the feel of a quality garment can be priceless, Auger added.
“When you spend the day in an item of clothing that feels good, you really appreciate that piece above
and beyond so many things in your close,” she said. “I am drawn to soft, comfy clothing to fill my
store with.”
Via Tucci has been open since 2014 and caters to women of all ages and sizes.
“I began my store with the vision and belief that you can be 30, 40, 50, 60, 70 and older and still dress
with style and personality,” Auger said. “The fashion industry is also starting to finally listen more to
our pleas for beautiful plus size fashions. Stop by and see what new items have arrived.”
Via Tucci is located at 24335 Main Street, Newhall. Auger is also available to bring Via Tucci to clients
via home parties and events. For more information, call (507) 390-1999 or email lt_auger@msn.com.
HAIR
Tresses falling a bit flat as you head into
spring? Adrienne David of Mizz Hollywood
Hair can help. The native Californian
has 30 years experience in the
industry and a salon presence in Santa
Clarita since early 2008.
“What’s hot for spring 2016 in haircuts is
the texturized Lob, or a long bob,” David
said. “Choppy shaggy shoulder length
hair, also known as ‘I just woke up with
this look’, is also in.” She recommends
Kevin Murphy Hair Resort beach spray to
finish the style.
Like fashion, hair color for spring is also
leaning towards the softer side. For
blondes, that means babylights.
“This is a technique that applies fine
strands of color/lightener throughout predetermined
areas,” David said. “Typically
this is done freehand and the result is
very natural and kissed by the sun rather
than struck by lightning.”
“Ronze” and “Bronde” are in for
brunettes, with the former combining
copper red with bronze brown (a color
that works for most skin types, according
to David) and the latter a soft brown for
all over color while adding some blonde
in the face for light.
Like fashion, hair color for spring is also leaning towards the
softer side. For blondes, that means babylights.
Looking for something a little bright? Punch
up the palette with a wide selection of peach
tones that will also be in style this spring.
Layering of patterns and mixing of textures
gives outfits a more interesting look
and feeling.
“These trends are across the board, if done right,” David said. “A qualified hairstylist can choose which
of these looks will be the best fit for a client’s age and personal style.”
Miss Hollywood Hair is located at 24510 Town Center Drive, Suite 250, Valencia. For more information,
visit www.mizzhollywoodhairstudio.com or call (818) 523-3288.
See Spring’s Freshest Looks, page 34

30 • THE Reader
Reader People
April 2016
Profile: Jennifer gerard
SCV Entrepreneur Jennifer Gerard Finds Giving is Beautiful
By michele E. Buttelman
Features and Entertainment Editor
Canyon High School grad and
Sand Canyon resident Jennifer
Gerard is one of the
Santa Clarita Valley’s most successful
entrepreneurs.
Gerard was born in the San Fernando
Valley at Valley Presbyterian
Hospital and lived in Simi Valley
until age 11.
She moved to the Santa Clarita
Valley in the summer before 6th
grade.
After high school Gerard attended
College of the Canyons and
California State University, Northridge
and then spent more than 20
years working in sales and finance
at various car dealerships in the
SCV.
“I wanted to be a lawyer,” she
said. “But I gave up being a lawyer
because I was making more money
in the car business then a lot of
lawyers.”
CEO of Whitening Lightening and Gerard Cosmetics endows $10,000
annual award to Domestic Violence Center of SCV
Change of Career
In 2010 she followed her heart
and founded Whitening Lightning, a teeth-whitening product.
Gerard found that she wanted to change careers to get away
from the negativity she said surrounded her at the time.
“I really didn’t care what I did at that point,” she said. “I
would have gone to wash windows or whatever. I wanted to be
happy and make my own choices of where I went everyday
and who I was around.”
Gerard’s Christian faith is central to her life philosophy and
she is a member of the Sylmar Christian Fellowship Church.
“This was also the time I started going to church,” she said.
“God is part of everything I do.”
Gerard said she just “stumbled” into the teeth whitening
business.
“I made it profitably within a few weeks,” she said.
She learned a lot about the business and then her manicurist
suggested she create her own product.
Gerard followed her advice and created Whitening Lightning.
With the help of social media “influencers” customers
flocked to buy the product, the “Whitening Lightning Super
Booster Teeth Whitening Pen,” which can be used at home.
“We grew so fast we soon were distributing in more than
100 countries,” said Gerard.
It didn’t hurt that celebrities were among the first to embrace
the Whitening Lightening pen and the product has been
included in exclusive celebrity gift bags at the 2011 Primetime
Emmy Awards, 2012 Academy Awards (The Oscars), and the
Academy of Country Music Awards (CMA).
Gerard Cosmetics
After her success with Whitening Lightning Gerard began
offering lighted lip glosses and the Brow Bar to Go, she soon
decided to expand her entrepreneurial passion to a full line of
cosmetics and Gerard Cosmetics was born.
“It is so much fun playing with makeup, it’s like a dream
come true,” she said. “When you think of a product and then
see it come to life, that’s the most exciting thing that you will
ever experience.”
Jennifer Gerard is a 1986 graduate of Canyon High School.
Her first Gerard Cosmetics
product was a BB cream that included
illumination.
“We decided to start the business
slowly,” she said. “Our line is
different from other lines. Many of
the big brands will launch 30
shades of lipstick at once. I will
never do that. We might start with
30 but end up with six because the
others aren’t right, or we are waiting
for raw materials. We want to
create quality rather than quantity.”
Gerard said part of her brand is
launching new cosmetics every
few weeks.
“It might only be a new shade of
lipstick, or lip gloss or a small line
of four or five products,” she said.
“People who love our brand and
want to collect everything we
make don’t have to mortgage their
house to afford all the new products.”
Gerard said makeup collecting is
becoming “a big thing.”
“I try to make sure we can keep
enough products in stock, too,” she
said. “Some items do sell out.”
Gerard said the success of Gerard Cosmetics has “blown by
Whitening Lightening.”
Gerard Cosmetics just passed 1.2 million followers on Instagram.
“It is unbelievable. We hit one
million followers on January 2nd of
this year,” she said.
The company celebrated its second
anniversary in March.
Gerard said she has been surprised
by the brand recognition that
Gerard Cosmetics has received.
“I was sitting outside a restaurant
in my car that has a Gerard Cosmetics
license plate and a guy comes
and taps on my window,” she said.
“He asked me, ‘Are you the owner of
Gerard Cosmetics?’ I told him yes
and he said, ‘Oh my God my girlfriend
loves your lipstick. Honey,
come here.’”
Gerard said before she knew
what was happening the man called
his girlfriend over to her car, with
her family, to take photos with Gerard.
“They just happened to be driving
through Santa Clarita from San
Antonio and they stopped at the
same restaurant for lunch,” she said. “They were so nice.”
Gerard said she is constantly surprised at the support for
her products.
“I am always surprised at how moved people can be by my
lipstick that they want to stop and say hello,” she said. “The
brand recognition is off the chain.”
Gerard is humble about her success.
“I still don’t see myself as being any different then I’ve always
been,” she said. “I still make time for friends and make
Jennifer Gerard speaks to guests at the annual SCV Charity
Chili Cook off.
time to answer questions on Instagram.”
Gerard said social media has been a huge factor in her success
and she works hard to engage product users.
“If someone asks a question, we answer them back,” she
said. “If someone says, ‘I really love this color,’ we try to answer
them and back and say, ‘We’re glad you’re loving it.’ We
really try to encourage two-way communication with our fans
and followers. I think it is what has helped build such a loyal
following. People appreciate good customer service.”
Gerard said she works hard to give people “a little extra.”
Giving Back
Success has allowed Gerard to give back to the community
in a big way.
Whitening Lightning has given support to many nonprofits
in the Santa Clarita Valley including the Child & Family Center
and Boys & Girls Club of SCV, as well as title sponsorships of
the Miss SCV Pageants, Old Town Newhall Car Show, Comics
for a Cause and the Sweet Charity Cake Auction (fundraisers
for SCV Youth Project), the annual SCV Chili Charity Cook Off
and many others.
“I have lived here since 1979 and this community has done
so much for me,” she said. “It has given me a safe, happy place
to live. When I had nothing, walking around with Whitening
Lightening pens in my purse people supported me. It is a privilege
to be blessed enough to give back.”
Gerard’s latest philanthropic project is a true “game
changer.” She recently announced a partnership with the Domestic
Violence Center of Santa Clarita Valley to donate
$10,000 a year to fund a business development award for victims
of domestic violence.
The program will help a selected recipient follow in Gerard’s
entrepreneurial footsteps by launching a business. The
award also includes mentoring and
marketing assistance by Gerard to
help the recipient grow a successful
business.
“Jen Gerard has a big heart, she
is just an amazing woman,” said
Linda Davies, executive director of
the Domestic Violence Center of
SCV. “She has chosen to assist the
Domestic Violence Center when a
lot of times we don’t get chosen because
we are not a topic that people
want to think about. She is
going to help us get women back
on their feet and that is an amazing
and wonderful thing. We can’t
thank her enough. All of our clients
are going to be encouraged by
what she is doing.”
Gerard said she is looking to
help support someone’s passion.
“I want to change someone’s
life,” she said. “I want to offer somebody
the same opportunity that I
have.”
Gerard said her friend, Oriana
John, a member of the Domestic Violence Center of SCV board
of directors, helped facilitate the donation.
“I considered a number of charities,” Gerard said. “But Oriana
encouraged the Domestic Violence board to listen to my
idea.”
Gerard said she will offer business advice to the candidate
selected to receive the award.
See People, page 33

April 2016 THE Reader • 31
Eggs Benedict ($13.95); Skirt Steak with two
eggs ($17.95); Belgian Waffles with two eggs
($10.95); Raisin Cinnamon French Toast
($9.95); Seven Grain Pancakes with two eggs
($10.95) or the Omelet Market ($8.95 for two
ingredients).
Children ages 2-10 can eat free on Sundays
and Mondays with the purchase of an adult
entry (one free child’s meal per one purchased
adult entrée, and offer not available
on holidays).
The Olive Terrace has a beautiful dining
room with lovely art on the walls and beautiful
tablescapes which include fresh flowers
and white napkins.
However, the real star of the show is the
food. I can’t wait to go back! R
Olive Terrace Bar & Grill, 28261 Newhall
Ranch Road, Valencia, 91355. 661-257-7860.
Open Monday-Friday 11 a.m.-9 p.m., Saturday
noon-9 p.m. and Sunday noon-8 p.m. For full
menu visit www.oliveterracebarandgrill.com.
The elegant tablescapes inside the restaurant offer
guests comfortable seating and plenty of elbow
room.
The exterior of the olive Terrace Bar & Grill features
an olive tree and a water feature.
Restaurant Review
continued from page 23
broiled ground beef skewers, onion, sumac,
saffron, blistered Roma tomato and saffron
basmati rice.
The beef was seasoned perfectly and the
entire platter was wonderfully tasty. I asked
the waiter for a side of Tzatziki sauce and it
was swiftly fetched.
Even the bread plate is remarkable at the
Olive Terrace. Warm, crunchy, chewy bread
with a trio of toppings, butter, olive tapenade
(my favorite) and olive oil and balsamic is a
great way to start any meal.
The lunch menu also offers soups and salads,
artesian sandwiches, seafood, pasta and
entrée “favorites.”
The dinner menu drops the artesian sandwiches
and offers a section of
chicken/beef/lamp options. A few of the
highlights (remember I did say the menu was
eclectic) include Grilled Lamb Loin Chops
($23.95) with mint garlic butter, roasted vegetables
and basmati rice; Chicken Picatta
($17.95) sautéed chicken scaloppini with
garlic, lemon caper sauce, baked vegetable
bouquet and choice of potato or rice; Skirt
Steak Sheri ($23.95) marinated grilled Angus
skirt steak with lentil parmesan wild rice,
whole grain mustard port wine sauce and
roasted vegetables; Beef Stroganoff ($23.95)
beef tenderloin with sautéed sweet onions,
mushrooms, fettuccine brown crème friache
sauce and shoestring crisp potatoes; Short
Rib Herb Stew “Ghormeh Sabzi” ($15.95)
fenugreek, spinach, cilantro, shallots, parsley,
red kidney beans and saffron basmati rice
and Classic Baked Chicken Parmesan
($17.95) herb breaded chicken filet with
marinara sauce, parmesan cheese, mozzarella
cheese, roasted garlic, linguine and
garlic toast.
Clearly this was a menu assembled by
someone who loves food. It is exactly the kind
of menu I would create if I opened a restaurant.
Influences of Mediterranean, Italian,
The complimentary bread basket includes a trio of
toppings including butter, olive tapenade and olive
oil and balsamic.
Persian, Fusion, Vegetarian and Gluten and
Dairy-Free are obvious and make Olive Terrace
a unique dining experience.
In other words, Olive Terrace has something
for everyone.
For example: Borracho Tequila Chicken
($16.95) chicken filet with penne, artichokes
sun-dried tomatoes, sautéed garlic in a
cilantro-tequila sauce; Grilled Norwegian
Salmon ($19.95) in a cucumber dill sauce
with herbs couscous and seasonal vegetables;
Cioppino ($25.95) fresh clams, shrimp,
calamari, assorted fish, mussels in a hearty
aromatic herbed tomato fish broth; French
Onion Soup Gratinee ($8.95); Valencia
Quinoa and Fava Bean Salad ($15.95) with
steamed quinoa, scallions, tomato, mint,
grilled dates, cucumber, arugula, extra virgin
olive oil and an orange blossom honey lime
dressing and Grilled Organic Tempeh
($17.95) gluten-free tempeh marinade in coconut
milk with curried coconut, lentils, wild
rice, kale, sweet potatoes and onions.
The dessert menu at the Olive Terrace is
equally diverse offering homemade desserts
including bread pudding, crème brulee, berry
cobbler, warm pecan tart, Tiramisu, Persian
ice cream (saffron, rose water, mascarpone
crème or pistachio), gluten-free, dairy-free
macaroons or chocolate cake and New York
Cheesecake at prices ranging from $4.95 to
$7.95.
On Saturdays and Sundays Olive Terrace
offers a Champagne Brunch from 11 a.m.-3
p.m. Reservations (661-257-7860) are recommended.
Menu items are offered ala cart
not prix fixe. You can start your brunch experience
with a specially crafted brunch cocktail:
Blood Orange Mimosa ($8); Valencia
Bellini ($9); Olive Terrace Bloody Mary ($10)
or French Piscine ($8). Brunch items include
many off the regular lunch and dinner menu
including the Grilled Organic Tempeh, Grilled
Norwegian Salmon, Fish and Chips, Ground
Beef or Saffron Chicken Kabobs and the Borracho
Tequila Chicken, as well as salads,
starters and desserts.
The brunch also offers traditional brunch
food as well. Organic eggs are offered in the

32 • THE Reader
o u t & a b o u t i n t h e ScV
Sierra Pelona Valley
wine festival to benefit
ScV Senior center
April 2016
The last month or so in the Santa Clarita
Valley has been a busy time for
fundraising. Nearly every weekend has
featured at least one, if not more charity
fundraisers for the nonprofits of the SCV, and
there’s more to come!
Sierra Pelona Valley Wine Fest
Don’t miss the Sierra Pelona Valley Wine
Festival to be held noon-4 p.m. on Saturday,
April 23 in the beautiful Reyes Winery vineyard.
The event is a fundraiser for the SCV
Senior Center and features tastings from
more than 80 wine and food purveyors. If you
love wine and food and charity, this is your
event! One price gives you unlimited tastings,
free parking, swag bag and live music. Tickets
are $85 per person for general admission
and VIP tickets are $100 (early entry at 11
a.m.) Visit www.reyeswinery.com to purchase
tickets online or for more information.
Xi Nu Zeta Lasagna Dinner
The 49th annual Xi Nu Zeta Lasagna Dinner
was held Feb. 27 at the Parish Hall at Our
Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church in
Newhall. The event, one of the longest running
charity events in the SCV benefits the
Sally Coss and Darlene mcleish check on the pans
of lasagna at the 49th annual Xi Nu Zeta lasagna
Feed to benefit the SCV Scholarship Foundation.
SCV Scholarship Foundation. The Xi Nu Zeta
Sorority has funded thousands of dollars in
scholarships throughout the years. “Next
year will be our 50th year, that’s a lot of
lasagna,” said event chairwoman Sally Coss.
“We’ll have to do something spectacular.”
Celebrity Waiter
It was an evening of “Fun and Games” at
the annual Celebrity Waiter Dinner to benefit
the SCV Senior Center. The event, cochaired
by Vanessa Wilk and Brian Koegle,
by michele E. Buttelman
Features & Entertainment Editor
Bob and Kathy
Kellar enjoy a
game of
“monopoly” at
the Celebrity
Waiter Dinner.
Cheri and Don
Fleming were seen
at the Habitat
Builder’s Ball.
Scott and Vanessa Wilk encourage Cameron Smyth
(center) to play a little dodge ball at the “Fun and
Games” Celebrity Waiter event.
found guests dressed to match their table
themes. Tables were decorated in styles from
Monopoly to golf to “The Amazing Race.” It
was a fun evening and one the SCV’s best
events. I love the music of the SoundWaves!
Among those seen at the event were
Cameron Smyth, Bob and Kathy Kellar,
Larry and Peggy Rasmussen, Jack and
Doreen Shine, Margo and Bob Hudson,
Wayne and Dianne Crawford and Dennis
Poore.
Habitat’s Builder’s Ball
The annual Habitat for Humanity SFV/SCV
Builder’s Ball attracted a large contingent of
guests from the SCV. Humanitarian Doreen
Elizabeth and Steve
Hopp attended the
Builder’s Ball event
honoring Doreen
Shine.
College of the Canyons Foundation Silver Spur honoree Jill mellady with
friends and family.
Bob and margo Hudson are
golfing fashion trend-setters at
the Celebrity Waiter Dinner.
Shine was honored with the Hammer of
Hope at the event. Pauline Harte, and her
daughter Denise, attended to see the late
Duane Harte honored with the creation of the
Habitat’s Duane Harte Memorial Family Assistance
Fund. Among those spotted at the
event held at the Universal Sheraton were
Don and Cheri Fleming, Scott and Vanessa
Wilk, Steve and Elizabeth Hopp, Jim and
Susan Lentini, Laurene Weste and James
McCarthy, Bob and Kathy Kellar, TimBen
and Ingrid Boydston, Hunt and Pamela
Braly and Cheryl Gray.
Jill Mellady Honored at Silver Spur
A beautiful and humble Jill Mellady was
honored by the College
of the Canyons
Foundation at the annual
Silver Spur
Award for Community
Service in the stunning
Starview Room
at the Universal Sheraton.
She was joined
by her husband, Jim,
and children Stephanie
and Brendan.
The gala, always a
laurene Weste and James mcCarthy
were seen at the Builder’s Ball held
at the Sheraton universal.
Brian and Karen
Whiteley sport the
“old-time” las
Vegas look at the
annual Celebrity
Waiter Dinner to
benefit the SCV
Senior Center.
Eric and April Harnish take in the
view from the Starview Room at
the Sheraton universal during the
Silver Spur Gala event.
“must attend” event,
was chaired by Randy
Moberg. Among
those who attended
Reena and Tony Newhall at
the Silver Spur Gala.
Gary and
myrna Condie
attended the
Silver Spur Gala
event to honor
Jill mellady.
Habitat for Humanity SFV/SCV
Builder’s Ball honoree Doreen Shine
and CEo Donna Deutchman.
were Charlotte Kleeman, Eric and April
Harnish, Gary and Myrna Condie, Apo and
Janet Yessayan, Bruce and Gloria Fortine,
Harold and Jackie Petersen, Brian and
Heather Lake, Mitzi Like and Randy
Moberg, Tony and Reena Newhall, Dianne
and Roger Van Hook and Michael and
Melina Berger.
Girl #2
I was privileged
to attend
the recent premiere
showing
of the short
film “Girl #2” at
the historic
Raleigh Studios
in Hollywood
with Bella
Shaw and
David Jeffery.
The film was
produced and
directed by SCV
resident Jeffery,
who is also a
David Jeffery and Bella Shaw on
the red carpet at the premiere
screening of Jeffery’s short film
“Girl #2” at the Raleigh Studios
lot in Hollywood.
producer on
the TV show “Bones.” R
Michele E. Buttelman is the features and
entertainment editor of the SCV/Westside
Reader and can be reached at Michele@
WestsideReader.com.

April 2016 THE Reader • 33
If you want to design or redesign
your garden for a more
efficient and attractive landscape,
here are some basic elements
you can use to make sure
the design flows both practically
and aesthetically.
First, chose a look that will go
with your property. Ideally the design
should blend with your
house style and its surroundings.
If you have a neutral style house
and your yard is surrounded with
fencing, you can pretty much do
whatever you want. If you have
views, you will want to preserve
them or block areas you don’t
want to see.
Building a pool, play area or
any other event that will entertain
or potentially be dangerous to
children or pets should be positioned so it
can be viewed from not only other parts of
the garden, but also from indoors with a line
of sight from windows. Safety is alwaysparamount
no matter what you are designing.
Outdoor entertainment areas, especially
those used for cooking or barbecues should
be located with easy access to your kitchen
where dishes and food will be supplied. This
is doubly important if you don’t have an outdoor
sink area. You will also want vegetable
and herb gardens located where you can nip
out and pick whatever you need without
making it into a major hike.
Compost heaps should be set up as far
from the house as possible since they can attract
rodents. Bird feeders can be fun to
watch from inside when positioned close to
a window, but can also attract undesirable
pests that will come to feed on dropped seed
at night. (Think rats and other vermin!)
Make sure you add pathways and easy access
to all parts of your garden for maintenance.
When starting a new landscape, never
overlook essential utilities: irrigation,
drainage, electric, water and gas. It is safer to
make provisions for everything you might
need –even if you don’t end up using everything.
Extra lines can always be stubbed in
and capped closed. Adding them later will
mean digging up everything you have previously
installed.
Design-wise, use straight lines, sharp angles
and geometric shapes mostly for formal,
contemporary or minimalist styles. Curves
and random placement look best in natural,
native and transitional gardens. You can mix
a little of both in most gardens.
Here are another half dozen suggestions to
keep in mind:
• Use the rule of three. Odd numbers look
the most natural. Rocks or boulders look best
when placed randomly in groups as do taller
plants and many items of décor.
• Opt for durable, permeable or recycled
materials in building for sustainability.
• Always group like types of plants (those
that have similar watering, soil and light
g a r d e n g at e S
basic landscape design
elements
by Jane Gates
Staff Writer
Grouping desert plants together makes for easy care and thriving
specimen plants.
needs together).
• Plant trees and large shrubs envisioning
how much space they will need when fully
mature. Since they will be charmingly small
when first purchased it is easy to forget how
soon they will grow big — and just how big
that can be. When these woody plants are
first set into your garden you can fill surrounding
space with less expensive or
shorter-lived living material that will become
expendable as the tree or shrub grows to fill
the area.
• Consider adding a theme for continuity.
A theme can be a place, like a desert, tropical,
Western, Asian, farmhouse or nautical garden,
or a time, like retro or historical. Or it can
be a color, one flower tone or a color family
like pastels, brights, cool (blues, purples and
pinks) or warms (reds, oranges and yellows).
Or it can be a texture or material, like woody,
metallic, or stone. Themes can be anything
you want them to be and add a little creativity
and magic to your overall landscape.
• Avoid anything toxic or dangerously
sharp. I repeat, safety is non-negotiable when
designing your landscape.
These are just some guidelines that can
help you make your own design flow well,
function properly and look professional. Not
everything will apply to your garden, but if
you are considering starting a new garden or
renewing you old one, adding basic design
principles to a waterwise garden will help
you achieve the garden you’ll love to look at
and live in for many, many years to come. R
You can find Jane locally at Gates & Croft
Horticultural Design where she offers garden
consultations and quick-sketch or formal landscape
plans (www.gatesandcroft.com). A professional
artist and writer, she is the author of
“All the Garden’s a Stage” and “Design a Theme
Garden”. She is a licensed landscape contractor
and a member of the Association of Professional
Landscape Designers, Garden Writers
Association and Great Garden Speakers. Jane
is a resident and avid gardener here in Santa
Clarita.
Gerard
continued from page 30
“My thinking is that if we can make one
woman a success by supporting herself doing
something she loves that it can be a huge shot
in the arm for another woman that is just
walking in the door (at the Domestic Violence
Center) having no self-respect,” she said.
“Imagine that woman seeing what other
women have done with the help of the Domestic
Violence Center.”
Gerard said she hopes it will give women
the strength “to dig in and not go back (to an
abusive situation.)”
Words of Wisdom
Gerard said her advice is to “believe in
yourself.”
“Never let anyone tell you that you can’t do
something,” she said. “We all have people in
our lives who say, ‘no, no, no, that’s a terrible
idea.’”
Gerard said it is important to banish “that
negative voice in your head.” “Everyone has
that negative voice. A hundred people can tell
you that something is wonderful, great, etc.
but if one person says, ‘that’s a stupid idea’
then you’re done,” she said. “Do not listen to
anyone but yourself. Believe in yourself. If
you don’t believe in yourself nobody else
will.”
Gerard said when she lived in the Summit
a little girl once knocked timidly on her door
and asked, in a tiny voice, “do you want to buy
some girl Scout cookies?”
“I said, listen kid, come here, let me help
you,” she said. “I am going to buy 50 boxes of
cookies from you, but I want you to go next
door, the lady’s name is Sandy and I want you
Jennifer Gerard, of Canyon Country, founded Whitening
lightening, a teeth-whitening product, in 2010.
to knock on Sandy’s door and I want you to
say, ‘Listen, Jennifer next door just bought 50
boxes of cookies, how many boxes are you
going to buy?’”
Gerard said success is often a reflection of
how we present ourselves.
“When you have belief in yourself and you
stand up straight and say, ‘Hey! I have something
that is worth something,’ it gives people
a better impression then walking around
with your head in the dirt,” she said. “How do
expect anyone to believe what you are saying
if you don’t believe in yourself?” R
For more information about donating to the
Domestic Violence Center of SCV Entrepreneurial
Business Development Award – The
Tree of Second Chances call 661-259-8175.
Those interested in applying for the award can
email info@dvc-scv.org or reach out to the
agency at 661-259-8175.

34 • THE Reader
w h at a Pa i r!
hurrah for international
Sauvignon blanc day!
MAKEUP
continued from page 29
April 2016
Kiss the heavy Hollywood starlet
look made popular by such
celebrities as Kylie Jenner and
Kim Kardashian goodbye this
spring, as a fresh, clean looks
take precedence.
by Beth P. Heiserman
Contributing Writer
Did you know that May 6 is International
Sauvignon Blanc Day?
The day was created by some savvy
public relations folks in New Zealand to help
promote the wine. The country produces
more than 70 percent of the world’s supply of
Sauvignon Blanc.
This year’s celebrations will kick off on May
6 in New Zealand, a country that owes much
of its reputation to Sauvignon Blanc, and will
continue across the globe (following the sun)
with tastings planned around the world and
eventually finishing 43 hours later at the organization’s
headquarters in San Francisco.
Celebrate by enjoying a glass of Sauvignon
Blanc and take a photo and post it at
#SauvBlanc
Sauvignon Blanc is grown around the world.
In California, the wine is sometimes called
Fume Blanc. Sauvignon Blanc is a greenskinned
grape that comes from the Bordeaux
region of France, but further research has
shown it might have originally been from
Sauvignon.
The Loire Valley in France is comparable to
the climate in New Zealand which makes the
aromas of the wines very similar.
Sauvignon Blanc has also been linked with
the Carménère family of grapes which along
with Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc,
Merlot, Malbec and Petit Verdot, are the original
six red grapes of Bordeaux, France.
Sometime in the 18th century the vine
paired with Cabernet Franc which became the
Cabernet Sauvignon vine.
The first cuttings of Sauvignon Blanc were
Reyes Winery’s Renaissance
2013 Sauvignon Blanc Cake
By Beth P. Heiserman
I have made this cake with many different
wines, it is always a hit. It is a moist delicious
cake that can be served with fresh fruit or ice
cream. This year for mother’s day, this will be
my featured dessert. This cake will be a nice
finish to a spring brunch. Enjoying brunch
with your mom shouldn’t be just once a year.
Every holiday, my mom always prepares
everything and I will have the pleasure again
this year to prepare brunch for my mom on
her day.
Mother’s Day was founded by Anna Jarvis in
1908, but Congress rejected her suggestion to
create Mother’s Day as a national holiday.
However, she persisted and in 1914 Woodrow
Wilson signed a proclamation that Mother's
Day will be held on the second Sunday in May.
I can’t imagine not talking or seeing my
mom as often as I do. We talk every day. Just a
little more than 100 years later, this holiday
continues to show our admiration for our
mothers. Even if I don’t say “thank you” to my
mom for being my mom, I know she knows.
Ingredients
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste
2 cups cake flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
brought to the California sometime around
1880. The vines were planted in Livermore
Valley. Eventually, the wine became known as
"Fumé Blanc" in California in 1968 by a commercial
producer.
The grape was first then planted in New
Zealand in the 1970s as an experiment, a very
successful experiment.
Sauvignon Blanc is a crisp white wine with
notes of apple, grapefruits, tropical fruits, floral
and sometimes bell pepper. Depending
upon the region, the aromas and tasting notes
will vary. This wine tastes good when it is
slightly chilled. It pairs well with chevre, jambalaya
and even sushi.
Reyes Winery makes a Sauvignon Blanc that
was sourced from Amador County, which is
east of Sacramento. The wine has aromas of
crisp citrus and green apple with slight floral
notes. On the palate, you get a hint of honeydew
melon and Granny Smith apples. This
fruit forward wine can be appreciated alone or
with food. It will be officially released during
Reyes Winery’s annual Mother’s Day Brunch.
Sauvignon Blanc was one of the first wines
to be bottled with a screw cap rather than
using the traditional cork. This wine should be
consumed young. Aging isn’t recommended
because vegetable aromas occasionally develop.
Beth P. Heiserman is the sales and marketing
director for Reyes Winery in Agua Dulce. She is
also the event director for the Sierra Pelona Valley
Wine Festival. Heiserman has spent her life
in a “food and wine” family, as well as working
in restaurants and in the sale of “spirits.”
3/4 cups buttermilk
1/2 cup plus an additional 4oz. Reyes Winery’s
Renaissance 2013 Sauvignon Blanc
3 eggs
1 1/2 cups white sugar
1 can prepared Butter Cream Frosting (any
variety). (You can add additional vanilla bean
paste to taste).
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Spray non-stick baking spray on two 9-inch
round baking pans.
Beat butter and vanilla bean paste together
in a bowl until creamy.
Mix flour, baking powder, baking soda and
salt together in a separate bowl.
Beat butter mixture; slowly add eggs, buttermilk
and 1/2 cup Reyes Winery’s Renaissance
2013 Sauvignon Blanc, into flour
mixture until fully incorporated.
Pour batter evenly into the prepared baking
pans.
Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick
inserted in the center of each cake comes
out clean, 28-33 minutes. It depends upon
your oven.
Cool in the pans for 10 minutes before removing
to cool completely on a wire rack.
Drizzle approx 2oz. of Reyes Winery’s Renaissance
2013 Sauvignon Blanc on each layer.
Spread frosting atop one of the cakes and
top with second cake. Spread the remaining
frosting over the top cake and around the
sides of both cakes.
Kiss the heavy Hollywood starlet look goodbye this
spring, as a fresh, clean looks take precedence.
That rule goes for women of
any age. “Lips get thinner as
we get older and bolder colors
help lips pop and gives volume,”
Swanson said. “You
can do a matte lipstick with lip
liner and throw some gloss on
top for softness.”
Swanson also suggested
sporting clean brows, which
give eyes a lift, as well as
nude or taupe polish with a
hint of pink on nails.
And here’s a timeless tip…
stay hydrated by drinking
plenty of water throughout the
day.
“If you have good skin, everything
looks good,” she said.
All Dolled Up Beauty Lounge,
26615 Bouquet Canyon
Road, Santa Clarita. For more
information, visit www.alldolledupbeautylounge.com
or
call (661) 388-1790.
“It’s kind of the opposite of
what’s been going on. At a lot
of the fashion collections, there
were no eyelash extensions,
just a naked eye,” said Monica
Swanson, a freelance makeup
artist for 17 years and owner of
All Dolled Up Beauty Lounge in
Santa Clarita. “Those of us who
can’t go out without mascara
can get the eyelashes tinted
and just curl them, which adds
color, but keeps it soft.”
For the face, clean skin is the
ideal foundation topped off by
a light application of a BB or
CC cream, according to Swanson.
A pop of color comes from a
bold lip, in shades ranging from
candy apple red to hot pink to
bright coral.
“Don’t be afraid of using color,
just find the proper pigment
and undertone for your skin
color,” Swanson.
“It’s kind of the opposite of what’s been going on. At a lot of
the fashion collections, there were no eyelash extensions, just
a naked eye,” said Monica Swanson, a freelance makeup artist
for 17 years and owner of All Dolled Up Beauty Lounge in
Santa Clarita. “Those of us who can’t go out without mascara
can get the eyelashes tinted and just curl them, which adds
color, but keeps it soft.”
“Ronze” is for brunettes, combining copper red with bronze
brown, is a color that works for most skin types.