July 30, 2008 - Daily Brief
Written by Jeff on July 30th, 2008So listen to CBS 2’s lede for their web story on the quake: ” Despite shaking a large swath of Southern California, a magnitude-5.4 earthquake was not the “Big One” that scientists have long feared.” Gee, ya think? Is our tribal memory of earthquakes that sparse that we forgot what a large earthquake is really like? Way to dumb it down CBS.
News
- Bravo to the Signal! Short-staffed and just as affected by the quake as the rest of us were, the Signal produced three different stories today on yesterday’s 5.4 temblor which rattled nerves across the Southern California region. In the first, Jim Holt simply describes the quake and talks with various institutions and companies around town to get a sense of the damage (there was little to none), while in the second, Holt talked a bit about the emergency procedures and inspections that went into effect shortly after the quake. And finally, in the third(and best!) article, Holt got all sciencey and spoke at length with a USGS scientist who, get this, says that in 1999, the USGS “set off powerful explosions 12 miles underground [in Santa Clarita] and monitored blast response on those fractures in the earth’s crust.” That study, the USGS guy says, “was very helpful to our survey people in understanding earthquake-producing machinery.” EDIT: Also, the City quickly opened up an Emergency Information website which looks like it could be useful in the future. Link
- About that guy who “predicted” the quake: I’ve had almost 24 hours to ponder Luke Thomas’ prediction (which I wrote about on Monday) and I’ve come to the conclusion that he was simply lucky. Since the quake happened, people viewing his prediction video have skyrocketed from just around 100 views on Monday to over 7,000 today.Most of the commenters fall into two camps: they’re amazed and think Thomas can predict the future, or they think that even a wrong clock is right twice a day. What’s being ignored is that Thomas also predicted a quake in the Bay Area and his prediction about a quake in Santa Clarita wasn’t strictly true: the quake was centered some 50-60 miles away in Chino Hills. Indeed, the official USGS “shake map” shows Santa Clarita received only “Light to Moderate” shaking compared with the “Very Strong” shaking in Chino Hills.
- Why your iPhone or Blackberry didn’t work after the quake: Another interesting aspect of yesterday’s quake was the spike in landline and mobile phone usage immediately following the 5.4 temblor. The LA Times reports today that telco disruptions were “widespread” over Southern California; Sprint even reported an 800% call spike while Verizon says the spike in calls was 40% higher than they expected for emergencies. Link
- Mervyns Declares BK: Mervyn’s, the official wardrobe outfitter of SCVTalk.com, has declared bankruptcy and the LA Times says the outlook is “cloudy” for the future of the mid-tier clothing retailer. The chain, which operates 129 stores in California and one here in Santa Clarita (River Oaks shopping center), plans to operate through the bankruptcy, though it has a list of “unprofitable stores that should be closed.” No word on whether that might include Santa Clarita’s Mervyn’s, which when I moved here, was pretty much the only place in town to get a decent set of threads. The store is popular for its good deals, it’s catchy “Open, Open, Open” advert campaign, and its wide selection of non-offensive middle class clothes. Link
- Henry Mayo Hospital lets slip the dogs of war: Just as things were starting to settle down in the old SCV (both politically and seismically) , I received a mailer yesterday from the fine folks at Henry Mayo Hospital on “Ten Reasons to Support the Master Plan.” The mailer, sent by way of Victory Mail, lobbyist Scott Wilk’s mailhouse, says the hospital will host an “old-fashioned ice cream social” next month so that neighbors and residents can “get the scoop on the hospital’s revised Master Plan.” On the flip side are the ten reasons we should support the hospital’s plan, which is now up to its 3rd/4th/or possibly 5th revision. One of the reasons we should support it, the mailer says, is that the expansion plan “adds up to 120 much-needed beds and more private rooms.” The mega-controversy over the Hospital’s plans has largely been sidelined since last fall as hospital boosters, city leaders and others awaited the outcome of the April 2008 City Council election, an election where expansion plan critic TimBen Boydston would be replaced. I don’t think the City Council will take a look at this until September; in the meantime, you can view a slick new website (with a pretty young doctor!) that has more on the expansion plan. SCVBetterHealth.com
- Chinese Students visit SCV on English language mission: Several students ranging in age from 12 to 19 are in town for the next few weeks to “see the sights and practice their conversational English skills” according to the Signal’s .edu beat report Sharon Cotal. They’re staying with families in town and to get around, the’re mostly riding Santa Clarita Transit buses (god help them). So far they’ve visited Mountasia, Universal Studios, the Valencia Ice station and took the beach bus down to Santa Monica. Link
- Reminder: SCV Sheriffs to close Soledad for unknown reasons today: The Station will shut down portions of Soledad Road between Crossglade and Luther drive today starting at around 9 am and ending at 12. “With a reduced number of traffic lanes at various intervals and potential detour patterns, traffic may be heavy at times and motorists should expect delays in both directions as the investigation is conducted.” Deputies will be conducting a collision investigation. WRB.com
- Canyon Country woman attacked by Pit Bulls: A 40 year old woman was walking her Chihuahua on Scherzinger lane in Canyon Country when “two pit bulls got out of their yard and moved towards her and her dog.” The woman picked up her Chihuahua but then was attacked by the two other dogs. She suffered puncture wounds and bites to her neck and hand. The two dogs were taken to the Castaic shelter and will likely be euthanized, Katie Geyer reports. The Chihuahua suffered wounds too but was being treated. Link
- Official SCV Real Estate report from June: The Signal has a story today on June statistics released yesterday and detailed here on SCVTalk. Not surprisingly, the Southland Association of Realtors says things are quite rosy and remarks that last month’s sales increase was the “fifth consecutive month of increased activity.” Jim Link,SRAR CEO, says the SCV is “far better off than other, harder hit areas of the state, especially those that had large numbers of new home tracts aimed primarily at first time home buyers.” Link
Misc
- Buck and House GOP using sly maneuver to spur energy debate: A blog over on EdWeek.org says Congressman McKeon and Minority Leader John Boehner are circulating a memo in the House today advising House Republicans to talk about the cost of fuel and energy as it relates to local school districts. House members go on break next month and usually return to their home districts; this comes just as a USA Today survey found that some 15% of school districts nationwide were considering going to a 4-day school week in order to reduce transportation and energy costs. It’s also an issue Buck can sink his teeth into: he’s the ranking Republican on the Houses’ Education and Labor Subcommittee and he’s been out-in-front on the energy debate, advocating for off-shore drilling and accusing Nancy Pelosi of doing nothing. Link
- I Heart = SCV Papparazi? The blogger says a number of high-falutin’ Hollywood types will be in the SCV in the coming weeks in order to film a new comedy called “Stay Cool.” He says he’ll pay you $1.04 if you can get a picture of one of them in front of an SCV landmark. Link
- Extreme Home Makeover house getting foreclosed upon: How’s this to make your blood boil? Back in 2005, the Extreme Home Makeover team went and built this beautiful mansion for a family in the Atlanta area. ABC paid for it all and even gave the family enough money to pay taxes on it for 25 years. Since then though, the family took out a loan against the house to start a business and bam! just like that, the home is in foreclosure. LA Land blog has the story.
- Ryan Metlen provoking discussion: The Signal’s sometimes cartoonist, Cal Arts grad Ryan Metlen, has penned a few comics in the last week discussing Obama’s campaign and his trip to Europe. In today’s Signla, Gary Horton replies to one, while on Metlen’s blog site, the cartoonist discusses the cartoons and invites responses. Good stuff even if I disagree with it!
- Signal reader weary of sympathy for CC mom: “I’m growing weary of the daily news reports that describe the mother of 2-year-old Jack Winchester as ‘upset and distraught,” reader Sharon Devol writes to the Signal today. She continues: “His death was a horrible accident but one that could have been prevented if the mother had turned her primary focus on her kids rather than her groceries.” Wow - a frank opinion in the LTE section. Wonder if this letter will light up the Signal switchboard today with complaints. I don’t know what to say - the mother is responsible but that doesn’t make the situation feel any better. Link
- And Finally, mad props to Signal for Same Sex Marriage Announcement: I missed this but thanks to the reader who reminded me of it: In Sunday’s Lifestyle section, the Signal published a wedding announcement for one same-sex couple: Bruce Ivie of Newhall and David Bowers of Tennessee were married in June in San Francisco according to the announcement. They both live in San Francisco and work as private chefs and have been a couple for some 27 years. Ivie still has relatives in the SC and graduated from Hart High (rah rah!) in 1975. Their announcement and photo appeared in The Signal on the same day this ultra-conservative LTE appeared in the Opinion section. Congrats to the happy couple!
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I saw the same sex marriage announcement in the Lifestyle Section and did a double take. Kudos to the Signal’s editorial board in deciding to publish when it would have been much “safer” to blow it off.
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Kudos to the Signal’s editorial board in deciding to publish when it would have been much “safer” to blow it off.
Very poor choice of words even for Tim!
Frankly, I would rather not hear or read about this kind of thing.
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If you saw the freak show that was the massive truck hauling split pea soup piling into residential walls like a crashed UFO, then you would have mentioned it in your brief. A sight to be seen. I can’t believe it missed the telephone pole. Ironically, while I drove past that, there was another worker replacing the red light camera that was the victim of a hit and run last week. That has to be the most troublesome T-shaped intersection in the city.
In that LTE, strange how the signal actually has the hyperlink to nambla’s site. For a moment, I thought I was reading a Daily Show transcript.
As exciting as it was to think about during the quake, I still think quake guy is a quack.
As for the new pro-HNMNMH site, the most glaring omission is any sort of 3-D rendering of the project. What this drawing really puts across in the massive imbalance between the amount of space meant for the hospital versus that meant for offices. This isn’t very persuasive.
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I too was surprised of the marriage announcement. I was pleased with the Signal for doing that on the same day they put in the ‘conservative’ LTE from George Colvin. When Mr. Colvin states that our society was founded on “traditional values”, I can’t help but think that slavery was allowed also and that it wasn’t too long ago that people of different races/ethnic groups couldn’t marry either.
There will always be different opinions and feelings about gay marriage, just as there are still many people that don’t believe in inter-racial marriages. In both cases my feelings are this: If it doesn’t effect me (or harm me or my family) then what’s the big deal? I’m not gay, but my mother was and I have gay friends. I’m caucasion, but there are many people in my life that aren’t. They have the same love for their families as I do mine. They have the same worries as I do. Their lives are no different then ours. I enjoy them as much as I do anyone else in my life. That naive person in me still says, “What are people so afraid of?”
I agree with Tim: Kudos to the Signal’s editorial board in deciding to publish when it would have been much “safer” to blow it off.
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Cash -
“Frankly, I would rather not hear or read about this kind of thing.”
I personally would rather you never post on this site, but sadly you do, even after “taking a break” from doing so.
If the thought of two people marrying offends you so much, do as I do with your rantings here, I INGNORE THEM or do not read them.
Get used to it though, we are here and have no plans on going away!
Proud, Out and GAY in the SCV
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Comparing inter-racial marriages and slavery with gay marriage is crazy. The other apologies and disclaimers are great and accepted, but it is not a matter of people being afraid.
I am not surprised that the Signal printed the article, as I am sure they know they gained big points with the City of Santa Clarita. When in Rome, do as the Romans do!
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Michael.
Last I heard, freedom of speech was legal in all states. Your decision to read or not to read is also legal in all states.
Many forms of matrimony that could be legal are not. You must have a good imagination, so I will let you conclude what they could be.
Two people marrying is not offensive to me, I just happen to believe that the marriage of two people of the same sex is wrong.
Don’t take it personal Michael.
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Crazy perhaps Cash, however when our country was founded on “Traditional Values” slavery was allowed. Then of course it was against the law the inter-racial couples to marry. And I ask WHY? I’m not comparing homosexuality to slavery; they are two different subjects. However those same traditional values are a reason given to not allow homosexuals to marry! Homosexuality has been around since the beginning of Human Kind and is referrenced in many texts (and I believe) even the Bible.
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Just took a look at the map of the expansion (on the website) and I can’t believe that they’re going to move an entrance to the furthest side of the campus adjacent to Village Homes North. That’s a blind curve! Sure making a left (into the campus) from McBean will be okay, but there is NO WAY a car will be able to turn left onto McBean from that entrance/Exit!
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lvogel
Thanks for helping me understand your point. What else does the Bible have to say about the subject? You need not answer, as my question is intended to be rhetorical.
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Cash, touche!
I couldn’t answer that question in any case, rhetorical or not. I only know that when the subject of gay marriage comes up, quotes from the bible are usually referenced as to why gay marriage should not be allowed. Of course George’s LTE brought up the fact that it may lead to the ‘legalization’ of men having sex with children……that was a different argument, eh?
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I generally refrain from commenting here, but I must clarify for some of the posters here: The Signal’s editorial board has nothing to do with announcements that run in the Lifestyle section. That section is handled by Features Editor Michelle Buttelman.
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If you do not mind I will exit this subject. It may be too painful for some.
I am concerned about the hospital expansion or lack there of depending on your point of view. I think the location is no longer the right place given the projected growth for the Valley. That said, if approved as currently planned, I think it will be years, if ever, before we see anything close to its build out. I think even G&L will rethink spending money to build more office space in this economy. One might even wonder why a developer would even want to pursue being looked into a 25 years development blue print.
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Thanks for the note Josh…I wonder if you’d tell us if you’ve received any complaints about the announcement?
As for the hospital- it’s been so long, does anyone remember what their latest revision is? I thought they had scrapped a medical building or perhaps reduced its height.
http://bitterpill.info/Default2.aspx hasn’t been updated in awhile.
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Josh. Thanks for the disclaimer; the personal one and for the Signal. I did not read the annoucement however. I hope you can now maintain peace and harmony at the office.
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“And finally, in the third(and best!) article, Holt got all sciencey and spoke at length with a USGS scientist who, get this, says that in 1999, the USGS “set off powerful explosions 12 miles underground [in Santa Clarita] and monitored blast response on those fractures in the earth’s crust.” That study, the USGS guy says, “was very helpful to our survey people in understanding earthquake-producing machinery.” ”
Interesting side note: none of the eartquake-prone area to the west of I-5 were included, probably because NLF didn’t want any new understanding of how quake-prone Newhall Ranch will be. Too bad–all that data about underground rock formations might have meant we’d understand the groundwater and perchlorate plume behavior much better. But money spoke.
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Cash,
G&L can lock themselves into a 15 or 25 year agreement because of the clause that says that they don’t have to build anything (a hospital included) if they don’t want to.
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Navigator
Understood. My point is that locking up a long term blue print for the property, could put limitations on the property that may be viewed as undesirable by other investors, should G&L find itself needing to sell the asset, mid term. Lots can happen in 15 to 25 years. To me it is kind of like agreeing to a 25 year mortgage at a very high interest rate, with the understanding that you, or the future owner, can never refinance the debt. There must be a loop hole on which G&L is depending, that would get them off of the hook.
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I got the flyer in the mail yesterday and was knocked over about the 120 beds that are being planned - wonder if they will actually put that in the plan or is it another one of their lies to get the people on the side of G&L. Of coarse now that Ender is on the council the expansion is a done deal so people of Santa Clarita can all go back to sleep.
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Cash/Coaster,
G&L has included a few loopholes. The no-build clause just being one of them. The point of the master plan is to eliminate any necessary CUPs for future development which would allow an “anything goes” situation for whomever the developer may be.
I loved the points in the mail piece that said “UP TO 120 beds”. I suppose 5 would fall into that category. READ THE FINE PRINT. Also they claim THREE MOBs when there alternatives to the development that call for 2. They obviously know more than we’re being told.