That was a nice long weekend. What’d I miss? Catch up in the Daily Brief.

• LA Councilman will introduce anti Newhall Ranch motion tonight: Richard Alarcon -the same LA City Councilman who has lobbied in favor the controversial Las Lomas project- will introduce a motion  at today’s LA City Council meeting that asks “the city of Los Angeles to examine large land developments, such as the Newhall Ranch project, that might impact negatively on the health and quality of life in Los Anegles,” according to The Signal. Local environmentalists Lynne Plambeck and Teresa Savakie plan to attend the meeting with other SCV residents who oppose the 21,000 home project on west side of Interstate 5.  Alarcon’s motion follows news last week that Santa Clarita Assemblyman Cameron Smyth and LA City Councilman Greig Smith had urged two state agencies to look into possible criminal charges against the developer of Las Lomas. Signal report, Alarcon press release.
  
• Another youth motorcycle death: This time, a 15 year old Castaic boy  dies “after colliding mid-air with another teenager while riding a motorcycle off-road during the holiday weekend in California City,” according to the Bakersfield Californian. The victim, Taylor LaKamp, jumped his motorbike over a dirt berm in the opposite direction of another teen when the two collided. The accident took place at at a popular Off-Highway Vehicle recreation area. Link
• SCV Facilities Foundation* purchases land in Canyon Country, Castaic upset: Some Castaic residents are “appalled” that the SCV Facilities Foundation -an organization set up by the Hart District to purchase land for high school construction- will soon close a deal on some 250 acres of land in Canyon Country near Sierra Highway and Vazquez Canyon Road despite the delay in construction of a high school for Castaic. John Kunak, a Castaic Town Council member says that he’ll fight the Foundation if it tries to build homes on land it owns in the Hasley/Sloan area of Castaic. “To hell with it, you’re not getting to build the homes until you build the high school,” he told The Signal. The land purchase will be discussed at tomorrow’s Hart Board meeting but will also be discussed tonight at the Foundation’s meeting.
• Council Candidates debate: The five candidates for two seats on the Santa Clarita City Council squared off Friday night in front of a packed audience in the City Council chambers. The debate, hosted by KHTS and The Signal, touched on all manner of controversial and mundane topics: traffic, safety, the new civic center, annexation, Newhall Redevelopment, and, of course the expansion of Henry Mayo Newhall hospital. You’ll get the best information by reading both reports, and KHTS also has an mp3 recording of the debate. Notable quote comes from Maria Gutzeit on Newhall redevelopment by way of I Heart’s commentary: “I would say that, um, we’ve been afraid to utter the big scary word about eminent domain, and instead we have businesses that are dying a slow death. I’m very scared that downtown Newhall is going to be boarded up soon.”
• Lutness launches campaign against Smyth today: Santa Clarita Democratic activist Carole Lutness says on her new website that it’s “time for a Democrat to win in the 38th Assembly District,” and remarks that Councilman-turned-Assemblyman Cameron Smyth has “consistently voted against the people’s interests and for Big Business.” Bruce McFarland, who is apparently managing Lutness’ campaign, says 2008 might be a “viable” year for a Democratic challenger for seat in the traditionally Republican district: “Republican registration is down 5% in the 38th  AD, and both Democratic and ‘Decline to State’ registrations are up.  Dissatisfaction with the status quo is apparent,”  McFarland says. In 2006, Smyth beat Democratic challenger Lyn Shaw by double-digits. The kick-off to the campaign will happen today at noon at Veteran’s Historical Plaza in Newhall. Website
• Skaters launch petition to save Skate Park: Web-savvy skaters in the SCV have organized a petition to stop the City of Santa Clarita from demolishing the city’s only skate park at the George Caravalho Activities center ahead of construction of a new, larger skate park. Despite the current park’s small size “it has been our home for close to 10 years,” Mike Riederer of Hydro Skateboards says. The petition notes that the City has been amenable to skater’s input on the new park but says that demolishing the old park in April or May is unacceptable since the new park won’t open until summer 2009. Over 400 people have signed the petition which is getting a lot of “press” on skater websites. The group also has a MySpace page with parent letters and an email from Councilmember Marsh McLean. Link (warning, music)
• Former UCLA Coach’s home on the market in SR: Karl Dorrell resided in Stevenson Ranch during his time as head coach of the Bruin’s football squad but he was fired last fall. He’s selling his five bedroom, 3,500 sq. ft home in Stevenson Ranch for a cool $1.125 million. Link

Blogs & Miscellaneous:

• Must I choose? The heavens are literally aligning against my plans to attend the next City Council candidate debate, scheduled for Wednesday night from 7 to 9pm. You see, nature has inconveniently scheduled a full eclipse of the moon during that same time period, and it will be the last full eclipse of the moon until 2010. “It will be a very spectacular reddish-orange glow,” a JPL researcher told the Daily News. Maybe the Council Candidates can debate outside?
• City Editor/Music Fan Josh Premako blogs on Amgen entertainment: The editor, who opens his post by defending his ee cummings style, says that though the Gin Blossoms reached their peak about 10 years ago, he still gives the city credit for “securing a real band, rather than the cover bands they plan in central park every summer.” But other Signal staffers are unconvinced: “One co-worker said he’d rather hear fake Rod Stewart sing this weekend than the Gin Blossoms.” He asks you to opine on the choice.
• Laurie Ender on Council Debate: The candidate reflects on Friday night’s debate and says she’s “more convinced than ever that I represent a voice that is not being heard in Santa Clarita.” Link
• Buck Blogs Berkeley: The Congressman signed his name to a long letter condemning Berkeley’s decision to forbid the opening of an armed services recruiting center in Berkeley. He calls the action by the Berkeley City Council a “direct insult” to soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines in his blog post on The Hill’s website.
• SCV Ad mag for sale; which one? An SCV advertising magazine boasting of its delivery to 60,000 SCV mailboxes is up for sale on BizQuest.com. The post says the advertising magazine is printed on high quality glossy stock “with a varnished coating so the ink will not come off on your hands the way it will with other lesser quality magazine and paper stock.” That’s assuming anyone cares to read Santa Clarita’s advertising magazines. So which one is it? No idea, but it sounds like elite SCV, which us Newhall slobs don’t even receive. Link
• Funny Picture: Oh dear, hide your children’s eyes from the First American Title building. SCVBLogGirl
• Have a broken guitar? Donate it to Valencia High: Linda Slocum says the high school’s color guard is in need of “three to six broken guitars to use as props for upcoming competitions.” Get more details here.
• Rick Gould, Parks director, Newsmaker of the week: SCVTV interviews Rick Gould ahead of this week’s Amgen race.

Caption this Picture!

Snapped by a non-media attendee at Friday night’s Council Debate.