Back in the Saddle Again

I’m officially back from my vacation and the holiday and I’m looking forward to the New Year.

I want to extend a hearty thank you to NickelDime and Tim & Chip Myers for watching over the blog and keeping it fresh while I was away. NickelDime especially did a stand-up job posting several Daily Briefs. Nice work!

I think the experiment was worthwhile. It was a trip to see someone else post on the blog, to see some fresh new ideas and styles, and I really hope NickelDime and Tim Myers stay on board in 2010. I know that must feel like I’m putting them on the spot, and I guess I am! So how’s about it guys?

2010 should be an exciting year for Santa Clarita. For starters, I’m hoping to bring you some exclusive and original coverage of the City Council election, just as I did in 2008 when I interviewed council candidates and live-blogged the results.  By May, we’ll have the City Council election settled and we can look forward to the June gubernatorial & Senate primary. We should also know by then whether anyone is going to challenge Buck McKeon, Cameron Smyth and others in the fall.

Also in 2010 (SCVTalk’s fourth year of existence I might add) I expect we’ll learn more about how re-districting is going to play out in California in 2011 and its effects on Santa Clarita. We may hear more about west side/Castaic annexation/incorporation. And another big story in 2010 will be the local economy: will retail real estate rebound in ’10, will housing sales pick up, and will the local economy grow or contract?

Along the way will be the miscellaneous stories you’ve come to like. You do know that we have a new grocer coming to town, right? Sprouts, a competitor to Trader Joe’s, should open in August. There will be other food stories too. For instance, there’s a Round Table Pizza opening in Newhall, look forward to a review by your’s truly on opening day.

Thank you as always for reading SCVTalk. None of us who post or comment here receive any money for the thought and work that goes into the site, yet we all come back time and again to discuss, debate and talk about our valley. You make this place fun and worthwhile and I’m thankful and excited for the chance to continue to blog in 2010.