Daily Brief ready to rock on this soggy Monday morning.

News

• So much rain, Signal writers struggle to describe it: “The Wrath of Mother Nature”, “Deluge”, “Muddy torrents” are some of the words used to describe rainfall and its effects over the last several days. Karen Elowitt at the Signal was so impressed by the amount of rain, she used the word “whopping” twice in her Saturday article. There’s reason to be impressed: At least nine inches of rain have fallen on parts of the SCV if you add up rainfall totals from Wednesday to Sunday. That’s more rain in one week than Santa Clarita received all of last year, which should help to replenish “local natural water resources.”. Infrastructure has held up well, with the City claiming that its investments in bridges and roads have paid off, though homeowners in Placerita Canyon are concerned that they may lose some utilities if Placerita Creek continues to undermine a road in the area.
• Opposition to mandatory drug testing at Hart District: Testing students at Hart’s schools for drugs would be divisive, expensive, and fraught with legal issues, students, staff and parents told Hart Board members at Wednesday night’s meeting. At the meeting, two Hart staffers presented a report on the matter that found that “most administrators, coaches, and parents” were against the program. Parents said that it would be unfair to single out students who participate in extra curricular activities, the students least likely to experiment with drugs. Board Member Dennis King was said to be disappointed with the report, remarking that, “Anybody who tries to tell me, and has lived here as long as I have, that there is no drug problem in Santa Clarita is probably on drugs.” Sharon Cotal has a good report while KHTS has other news from the meeting.
• So Long Newhall Hardware: Linda Slocum reported on Saturday what Signal readers saw in the paper today: Newhall Hardware, the near-legendary hardware store that’s been a fixture in the SCV for 60 years, will close its doors “forever” after liquidating its current stock. Slocum says “one of the biggest factors forcing the store closing was the lack of parking in the area,” and says this is the second privately-owned Newhall-area business to close (Antique Flower Garden closed in December) amid all the Old Town Newhall redevelopment changes. Link, ad in today’s paper.
• Boydston endorses Trautman, fans of alliteration rejoice: The City Councilmember says Planning commish Diane Trautman is the “most independent candidate” and that she “takes into account everyone’s needs, not just those of the developers, but the needs of people who live here already.” That’s the second endorsement of Trautman by a city council person; Marsha McLean endorsed her two weeks ago. Press release
  
• Prop 93 and the Runners: Proposition93 changes how term limits are applied to state Senators and Assembly members, and whether the proposition passes or not, George Runner and his wife Sharon will be affected. If it doesn’t pass, Sharon Runner will be termed out, but her husband George might become the Senate’s leading GOP member. It’s all a bit confusing, but these reports from the VV Daily Press, the Sac Bee, and Leon Worden’s interview with George Runner can help you make up your mind on the proposition.
• Death in Newhall: One man dies in Newhall after an emergency call to paramedics. Drugs may be involved, and Homicide detectives were on scene to investigate, though no cause of death has been determined. KHTS report.
• More tagging at West Ranch High: The high school upon a hill is tagged by five youths who get busted by Sheriff’s Deputies on Friday night.
  
• New Signal website delayed: My weekend report
  
• Animal rescue complete in Lancaster: After making several requests for help, local animal welfare groups have completed the rescue of hundreds of dogs and other animals from a ranch in Lancaster. Jon Dell wraps it up in this article.

Blogs, Opinion & More

• Interesting Sunday Opinion section: With California’s Primary just eight days away, the Signal on Sunday featured local endorsements for various politicians running for president. Newhall Water board member BJ Atkins likes Mike Hukcabee, Scott Wilk supports Mitt Romney, TimBen Boydston favors McCain, and community hiking club leader Dianne Erskine-Hellrigel says Rudy Giuliani is the best man to fight terrorism. On the Democratic side, Bruce McFarland and Lynne Plambeck like Edwards, while Cal Planakis says Clinton has “wisdom and know-how.” Maybe there is a generational divide: the endorsements above come from people over the age of 30, and none of them liked Obama.
• Democratic Straw Poll: In other local election news, John Edwards won the straw poll at the DAA’s meeting last Thursday.
• I Heart Scores interview with American coot: No one in town has bothered to ask a coot what they think of the controversial Bridgeport HOA’s decision to cull coots, so I Heart took the time to ask one a few questions. Legendary post
• New SCV Food Blog: SCVFeedbag is a “nod to the valley’s western past” and chronicles the blogger’s experiences with food -flash frozen or homemade- in Santa Clarita. In one post, the blogger visits the local Farmer’s Market; in another he/she writes about eating at Yaki-Kui (a Japanese/Korean place) in Canyon Country. Link