August 19, 2010 – Daily Brief

  • Romero Canyon home and property owners don’t want to see a Castaic High school built in their area and are lawyering up. Also, it appears Larry Rasmussen, the property’s owner, was a bit too eager; LA County says he doesn’t have the proper permits to begin studies on the land SIGNAL
  • Great & sobering article on how veterans returning to the SCV from the war in Iraq have adjusted to civilian life. Melissa Gasca opens her story with an anecdote from one veteran, who grew anxious while driving under bridges along McBean Parkway because the overpass reminded him of an IED explosion that killed one of his friends SIGNAL
  • Office vacancies keep increasing in the SCV beyond what commercial real estate agents predicted; in the first half of 2010, vacancy increased to 28.3 percent, and may even peak above 30. But, as one agent puts it, it’s a great time to be a tenant SIGNAL
  • $24 million worth of marijuana plants have been found in a park area in the Newhall Pass. LAPD and LASD cooperated on the find and have arrested a Glendale man SIGNAL
  • City says major crimes have decreased 5.75% in SCV during the first six months of 2010. The press release includes great statements like this, “Criminal homicide is down 64%,” but the number of murders isn’t in the release. Also in the press release: Captain Paul Becker is announcing a new “aggressive and comprehensive” gang enforcement anti-drug strategy.
  • 2 year old Castaic boy nearly drowns in neighbor’s jacuzzi. He was airlifted to Children’s Hospital Los Angeles. KHTS
  • A Center for Responsible Lending report finds that between 2004 and 2008, Latinos accounted for 48% of all foreclosures in California. The study also found that most foreclosures weren’t on “McMansions” but on modest homes of around 1,500 sq. ft. RESPONSIBLE LENDING
  • Also, a Zillow.com survey says 5% of the nation’s homeowners are ready to sell their homes if the market improves. But two-thirds of respondents to the survey don’t think the residential real estate market has bottomed out yet. TIMES
  • A Santa Clarita World War 2 tail gunner is driving down to San Diego today to watch as a WW2 dive bomber is salvaged from the bottom of the Lower Otay Reservoir. The airplane, notoriously difficult to fly, was ditched in the reservoir in May 1945. SCVer Robert Kofnovec was supposed to be in it, but let a friend take the gunner position instead. AWESOME STORY
  • At a County supervisor meeting this week, someone let slip that LA County had conducted a search of employee emails to find out who ratted out the Department of Child and Family Services to the LA TIMES.
  • It’s almost September and that means it’s time to think about high school football and how thoroughly Hart will dominate the other weak schools this year, especially the pretty boys at Valencia High. KHTS has your high school football schedule for fall ’10
  • Assemblyman Smyth says a film tax program he supported is helping to keep film productions in the state of California DAILY NEWS OP/ED
  • Speaking of Cameron Smyth, today is his birthday. Happy 39th B-Day! SACBEE
  • Lynne Plambeck on CalPERS’ 2006 investment into Newhall Ranch SIGNAL
  • Did you know that in 1980, a rowdy elephant up Soledad Canyon way started a fire? No? Neither did I, but I’m so glad John Boston remained in the SCV so he could tell us great stories like these TIME RANGER
  • LTE writer complains about neighbors calling the cops for noise violations in the middle of the day or when French students visit his house LTE
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21 Responses to August 19, 2010 – Daily Brief

  1. SCVSuckz says:

    Jeff…it’s not possible for HART to win league this year….not enough players on the roster because almost all the kids going to high school this year are packed into VHS! It’s a conspiracy, this whole Castaic High thing, perpetuated by VHS parents to ensure we get all the sports talent in the Valley and leave Hart dessimated forever!

    oh…and this whole Castaic thing…super smart move for the district to move them all to VHS and out of West Ranch….my son says you can barely move during break and lunch and 2 of his courses don’t have bboks for any of the students. They are thinking of “borrowing” some from West Ranch!! WTF?

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  2. Andy says:

    Today is also Valencia’s 43rd (but they will tell you 45th) birthday!

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  3. Timothy Myers says:

    I agree with Jeff. Hart will dominate Valencia if by “dominate” he means they will allow the Vikings to take them to the middle of the field, pull down their pants and give the Indians a spanking!

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  4. lvogel says:

    Great article on Steven Watanabe and Dan Kaplan. Unfortunately, Steven is not the only soldier to come home with not only PTSD, but the fustration of returning to civilian life, unprepared. Applause to Ms.Gasca for bringing this to our communities attention.

    Our armed forces have no problem enticing our young people to enlist, however when they have served their country and are ready to return to ‘civilian’ life, they often don’t have the necessary resources/training to successfully do so. I’m glad there are young men like Dan Kaplan who step up and help those who need it (just as he did) and make it easier for those returning home from service.

    Last week my youngest just got his first ‘recruiting’ call. I informed the recruiter that he has plans to attend college after this last year in High School and that he is ONLY 16 and I will be doing the recuiting until he is of legal age to make his own decisions. I mean come on, he can’t even legally vote yet or buy a frick’n pack of cigarettes, which I hope he NEVER does!

    I’m glad that both my boys have decided to get an education prior to considering military service. Life is difficult enough for our young people these days; to come home after experiencing death and distruction, only to have to try to start all over, is just not fair to these men and women who give so much.

    My daughter-in-law is scheduled to deploy in a couple weeks, to Afghanistan. Knowing that life could be different for her, after reading the story about Steven and Dans situation, helps us also, knowing that there are recources should she need it upon her homecoming.

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  5. Castaic says:

    Larry Rasmussen is a snake! He and his company will screw over the Hart Board in a heartbeat.

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  6. ScottE says:

    Saugus will have to be reckoned with … last year’s wunderkind running back who was out substantially all season is healthy and will be unstoppable.

    You heard it here first..

    Petz, can I get a witness!?

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  7. navigator says:

    It was interesting to note that the MJ was found in Newhall Pass. It was actually found near O’Melvany Park which is a pretty good distance away from “The Pass”. The only was to get there is through Little Tujunga/Lake View Terrace/Kagel Canyon.

    I caught a 9 lb bass in the Otay Reservoir and he never said a thing about a plane being down there. Go figure!

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    • spineflower2 says:

      O’Melveny Park is west of Balboa Blvd (and far west of the I-5), nowhere near Kagel Canyon.

      You can hike into it from the SCV via Rice/East Canyons south of Calgrove on The Old Road.

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      • navigator says:

        Thanks for the correction SF2. I had something totally different in mind. When you’re right, you’re right. Of course we all know you’re not right. :-)

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  8. navigator says:

    Congratulations to Petz for winning the weekly Signal Quikee.

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  9. Petz says:

    Petz will testify on behalf of the Centurions-an obnoxious mascot to place in the midst of a faith community.

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    • Timothy Myers says:

      Petz:

      You know that the Centurion was the first non-Jew and probably first person to believe in the absolute divinity of Jesus. Reread the New Testament.

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  10. Petz says:

    Thanks for The Signal alert-now Petz can take his wife out on the town. Petz dropped a lot of dough at Hobby People-so He knew the sign well

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  11. john adams says:

    Let me get this straight…Upon Obama’s arrival in Martha’s Vineyard, the waters are discovered contaminated with fecal bacteria. There’s Obama’s problem in a nutshell: Everything he touches turns to SHIT. Here’s America’s problem: Obama touches everything.

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    • lvogel says:

      Did I miss a post in this particular ‘daily brief’? I don’t remember reading anything that Jeff wrote about the contamination on Martha’s Vineyard…hmmm

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      • john adams says:

        Let me tell you another thing you wont see in the daily brief……..get ready for it…… Healthcare plan will save money or Stimulus was good for the country or Dems will keep congress after Nov 2

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        • Damageinc says:

          Here is something you won’t see… John Adams saying something intelligent.

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          • john adams says:

            Just pointing out the obvious! It is like asking a liberal to explain a simple question. Tell you what nate, I will give you a shot.

            Riddle me this…. During the eight years of the Clinton Administration the Federal government collected a total of $5.66 trillion dollars in individual income taxes. During the eight years of the Bush Administration the Federal government collected approximately $7.45 trillion dollars in individual income taxes. (after Bush Tax cut)

            Now the 8 years of Clinton were during a boom and the 8 years of Bush were in economic decline. How was the federal government able to take in almost 2 trillion more ? (after a tax cut for the rich) And after that huge tax cut for the rich how come their percentage of overall taxes paid in went up to 38%?

            I am sure it will take awhile to come up with an answer so I will check back in a couple of days

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  12. john adams says:

    Hey Nate while you are at it can you explain this video to me?

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qqyeb-5ZfEc

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  13. Nate says:

    Hey Johnny,

    You aren’t the only one that can copy and paste links here is a good one for you…

    http://www.marketwatch.com/story/reagan-insider-gop-destroyed-us-economy-2010-08-10

    A Reagan insider blaming the GOP for nearly every part of this financial collapse… have fun rationalizing this one away.

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    • John Adams says:

      did you read the story nate? I agree with 9o% of what he wrote.

      Now have you come up with an answer for my first post? Maybe you can call mike and he will help you out.

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