My body is here in front of the computer, but my mind and heart are out on the road. I just got a new bicycle, and this time, it’s a racing bike. I’m planning to enter a triathlon this fall, though I’ll only be performing in the biking segment of the event. Anyway, if you see a streek of lightning this morning in Newhall, it’s probably me.

News

•  Crime drops in SCV for 1H2008: So reports the Sheriff’s Department, which released a summary of major crimes in Santa Clarita that showed “violent crimes dropped by almost 5 percent in the city of Santa Clarita and 8 percent in the unincorporated parts of the SCV,” according to Jim Holt at The Signal. Chief LaBerge credits increased funding by the city with the drop in crime, noting that the Sheriff’s Station has added a patrol deputy, while the county added nine new patrol deputies for unincorporated areas. LaBerge says that in the past, the SCV Sheriff’s station was “struggling with severe staffing shortages” but says many new “young energetic and motivated deputies” are hitting the streets. Press Release
• Company backs out of building TCU at old Saugus hospital: Citing rising costs, G&E Healthcare “backed out of escrow on the purhcase of the former Hillside Community Hospital building in Saugus and is in negotiations for a site next door,” reports Katie Geyer at the Signal. The Transitional Care Unit at Henry Mayo Hospital closed this June despite protests from seniors and other members of the community; such units are used typically to care for patients “released from a hospital but in need of long-term care.” The company is instead looking to buy some 23 acres of land to the old hospital site.
• Now LA City joins the fight and debate over MTA tax: Following the surprise decision by the LA County Board of Supervisors that leaves the proposed half-cent MTA sales tax increase off the November ballot, City of Los Angeles leaders and councilmembers are now debating the proposal, reports the Daily News. Some City of LA Councilmembers from the SFV say they wouldn’t get their fair share of the transit funds, a criticism first leveled by Supervisor Antonovich. Speaking of our LA County Supe, he sent a letter to Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa yesterday asking the Mayor to meet “with officials from the county’s other 87 cities to develop a consensus on a sales-tax measure for early 2009 that would be more equitable.” What’s the City of Santa Clarita’s position on this? Wouldn’t it be wise to have a dog in this fight, considering we’re the fourth largest city in LA County in terms of population and many of our residents commute out of town everyday?
• Gauny mobilizing against Mayo/G&L Realty plan: David Gauny, the Valencia resident who has lead the critics of the Henry Mayo Hospital’s expansion plan, is asking like-minded residents to send emails and snail mail to Santa Clarita Councilmembers and senior staff that asks the City “provide our public with a proper public comment/review period for the current G&L Realty Henry Mayo plan proposal.” He says state law requires “a public hearing comment period” and says that “for reasons unknown, this is the first time in city history that they are not doing this and on a project that is, without a doubt, the most controversial proposal before any previous Santa Clarita City Council.” His email to city leaders, which he asks residents to copy/paste into their own email, is very specific in its demands for “full, complete, printed hard EIR copies,” “Public comment periods,” and more formal city/planning documents and meetings. He says that this effort really isn’t about the Mayo Master plan, but about “due process in our city.”
• Santa Barbara Independent profile on Strickland/Jackson: There’s an excellent piece in the Santa Barbara Independent today on the crucial State Senate race between Democrat Hannah-Beth Jackson and Republican Tony Strickland in California’s 19th Senate seat, which the Independet says “slithers like an anorexic tape worm up along the coast from the Magic Mountains of Santa Clarita to the shimmering tulip fields and howling wind tunnels of the Lompoc Valley.”Damn, gotta love political writing that gets so creative and descriptive. Anyway, the Independent likens the race between the well-funded Strickland and the underdog Jackson as “Godzilla vs. King Kong, and the earth will tremble.” Perhaps that’s going a little overboard, but it’s a great article and you should read it. Link
• Missed this yesterday- Hart District ponders PR company for bond: After paying a political survey company to phone residents of the SCV and ask them about a bond for school construction, the Hart District is now pondering whether it will hire a “public relations firm to pump up the Hart District’s reputation in advance” of the ballot. Recall that Hart is seeking some $300 million in bond money to improve schools, and perhaps, build a high school in Castaic. The brief article in the Signal says the cost of the “public relations firm will be paid from proceeds donated to the bond campaign fund.” Hat tip to SCVTalker Mike for this observation: Who would donate to Hart? Contractors and others who stand to benefit from the bond money. Link
• Real Estate on west and east coast expected to tumble even further, heartland stabilizing: During the go-go real estate years, we all loved knowing that our homes had risen 20% or more in value, but Mortgage insurer PMI Group says that thanks to the coastal real estate bubble, we can expect more declines in our home values even as real estate prices stabilize, and even increase in the flyover states. Peter Viles, LA Times Real Estate blogger, even has a map of “house price risks” nationwide, and SoCal is bathed in red, the universal color of bad. Link
• Smyth on Schwarzenegger, taxes: Assemblyman Smyth spoke with the Ventura County Star about Governor Schwarzenegger’s announcement yesterday that he would sign no bills until the state Assembly and Senate can work out a budget compromise. Smyth told the Star that he doesn’t know if Schwarzenegger’s announcement will be effective. He also said Republicans aren’t to blame for the fiscal fubar, stating that the only requirement Republicans have in budget negotiations is that the state enact no new taxes. “Republicans have been very clear from Day One. At least you know where we stand,” he told the Star. Link
• NY Times mentions Santa Clarita company: In an article on how businesses are coping with high gas prices, the Old Gray Lady mentions Bayless Engineering, a Santa Clarita company that’s created a van pool for it’s dozen employees who live some 50 miles away. The company literally drives its employees to and from work. Other firms in the article are approaching the issue of high gas prices differently: a company in Oregon went to a 4/10 work week, while a pizza company is buying 40mpg smart cars for delivery drivers. Link
• Times/KTLA video on Ventura County hotspot: Remember that report about a patch of land north of Fillmore that was literally sizzling last week at 812f? KTLA went out to visit the spot -really several of them- and produced an interesting report. Turns out there are oil deposits below ground and grasshopper-type oil platforms near the hotspots as well. The area is well known for this odd type of activity. Link
• Coffee Shop owner ponders future: That mysterious arson fire that damaged and shutdown the new hot Rattlesnake Slim’s in Newhall isn’t solved yet, and the shop’s owner says fixing the place up will cost about $100,000. Tammy Marashlian has a report.
• SCV Man in big tiff with Metrolink: Sue Doyle at the Daily News writes about Santa Clarita resident Robert Arkow, who’s facing misdemeanor charges of battery after he refused to sign his monthly Metrolink pass when asked to by a train conductor. Arkow, described as a city of Santa Clarita worker and a “serial litigator” by the Daily News, says he won’t sign the ticket stub because of concerns over identity theft. Link

Misc

• LTE “Shocked” By Ender Revelation: Hey what’s the backstory with this LTE’s comment about Frank Ferry?
• Conaway has campaign website: The Barstow Democrat who’s challenging Buck McKeon for his seat has built an official campaign website.  It’s got music, so if you’re at work, check your volume.
• Speaking of the Hart District and funding: How is the SCV Facilities Foundation’s investments in real property doing these days in light of the plunging real estate market? Financials on the organization’s website haven’t been updated since the close of FY06-07.