When I was a freshly-licensed, pimply-faced, up-to-no-good teenager, my parents and my friends’ parents all warned me to stay off of Highway 126.

“It’s nicknamed Death Alley for a reason,” they said. “It’s one of the most dangerous highways in the state,” a friend’s dad who happened to be a CHP officer told my friends and me. “Stay away from it!”

Now whether that was true at the time or not, it certainly made sense for parents to tell their kids to stay away from the picturesque road, which used to feature suicide passing lanes before it was modernized.

Zoom forward 16 years and I feel that if I had kids I’d tell them to stay away from Bouquet Canyon for the same reasons. Consider the death and destruction of the last two years:

• Bicyclist hit and paralyzed by a hit and run driver in Spring 2009
• Bicyclist hit and killed by a hit and run driver in summer 2009
• Stevenson Ranch dentist kills himself after crashing his Lamborghini in the Canyon
• 24 year old, allegedly intoxicated, twists his Porsche around a tree, killing his 26 year old female passenger
• Unidentified sport biker killed in March 2010

Last year I wrote about some sport bikers who were zooming up and down the canyon, making my friend Kevin Korenthal and I nervous to ride. So we pulled over and filmed them shooting through at speeds approaching 100 mph.

Look, the point is this: Bouquet Canyon may not have any more fatalities or accidents than any other stretch of road in or near the SCV, but it is clear that it attracts those who like to speed because, let’s face it, it’s a really cool place to drive/ride.

So cool, in fact,t hat those who like to race it warn each other about enforcement crackdowns. Check out this post in a motorcycle forum from 2008:

Boquet is under heavy CHP patrol looking specifically for bikes (with modifications). I should know. At the start of Boquet on the only straight, I pass a car with Radner rapidly coming up on me, as soon as we pass, we see a totally white CHP radar unit on the shoulder…SH*T……! We roll by him and he doesn’t move, we go around the next right hander and a CHP Interceptor is all lit up blocking the road. We slow and he waves us next to him, and points at me to pull over and let all others go. He says they got me at 85 in a 55. He was real nice as I explain they must have gotten a fix on that blue sportbike guy (Radner) about to overtake me. I think they really did ’cause Mike was going faster about to pass me (where he shouldn’t of as I am passing a vehicle!). The cop seems to be thinking about it. I couldn’t f*ckin’ believe it! WHAT THE F. He radios the Radar Unit for a desription of the bike. (I am on the black Sprint with bags). I hear over the radio “He’s on a black bike with saddlebags wearing a black jacket.” Cop #2 asks “What color of helmet?” Cop #1, dark helmet, {long pause}, maybe blue. I am thinking, “DAMN, ticket for sure!” Then Cop #2 says. “Well it sounds like we may not have the right guy, there is some doubt here. And your bike looks expensive, one doesn’t modify a bike like that, we are looking for illegal mods also. Since we aren’t sure you are the right guy, we’ll let you go, have a safe day.”

It’s unreasonable to expect the CHP to patrol the 10+ mile long canyon at all hours of the day and night, especially when the sport bikers with mods are so much faster than conventional CHP cruisers.

Therefore a simple, cost effective solution to the problem emerges: Speed bumps (or humps) every half mile or so at least through the twistiest, funnest sections of the canyon. I know they are hated by everyone (including me) but you can’t deny their effectiveness. The next time a group of adrenaline junkies want to race their Lambos or suped-up motorcycles, they’ll be forced to slow down lest they go…well…airborne.

I know, I know. I’m besmirching the professionals in the LASD by merely bringing this up. And I have unreasonable expectations formed by years of watching one hour cop dramas on TV. How dare I suggest that anyone in authority has forgotten about our murder victims? Don’t I know how hard and expensive it would be to establish a local police force?

And yet, I don’t care. Because there is no justice for those murdered in the SCV and the resources we depend on to solve major crimes are shared with everyone else in Los Angeles County.

Obviously I’m speaking out of frustration, but someone’s gotta say it.

Former Santa Clarita City Council candidate David Galvan was arrested this morning on suspicion of impersonating a police officer.

Detectives from the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station served a search and arrest warrant this morning in the 25900 block of Moreno Drive, Valencia. The warrant was issued after a deputy from the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station reportedly saw a private citizen conducting an apparent traffic enforcement stop using his personal vehicle and flashing red and blue mounted lights.

…

The deputy contacted the motorist who claimed he was a member of the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT). The motorist allegedly stopped the vehicle to warn the driver about cutting him off. The deputy documented the incident in a police report and further investigation led to the service of the search warrant and arrest today.

During the service of the search and arrest warrant, deputies recovered the suspect’s vehicle which had fixed red and blue emergency lights attached to the dashboard. They also recovered a police jacket, a replica badge, and other police related equipment.

Full story at KHTS. Another link at SCVSheriff.com

Galvan was the other young man in the City of Santa Clarita Council election. Some people thought he was a plant to confuse Gauny voters since he placed relatively well for a young candidate who had virtually no campaign.

His campaign website says he is studying law enforcement:

David graduated from William S. Hart High School in 2004 and attended College of the Canyons to peruse his degree in Criminal Justice. He has graduated with his Associates Degree in Criminal Justice from ITT Technical Institute and is currently finishing his last year of his Bachelors program.

Sounds like he was a bit too eager.

If guilty, I suppose this means Galvan joins Johnny Pride in the Infamous Council Candidate Hall of Shame?

EDIT: I forgot the other infamous 2010 Council Candidate : Daniel Henriquez, the man whose exploits as a Naval Jack Bauer were so secret even the Universities he claimed to have attended had no record of him. (HT:Damaginc)

A thief broke into the Santa Clarita Valley Senior Center over the weekend, stole a meal-delivery truck and drove it through the Newhall nonprofit’s chain-link fence, authorities said Monday.

Sheriff’s officials are still looking for the truck, which has been missing since early Sunday. The trucks are used to deliver meals to the elderly who can’t prepare meals on their own.

Why don’t you just steal crutches from disabled children or an insulin pump from a diabetic while you’re at it, Mr. Dickhead?

Fortunately the SCV meals delivery truck is kind of hard to miss. It’s big, green, with a big freezer/container on the back and the words Home Delivered Meals.

I hereby authorize vigilante justice. Go forth and do what you must.

From the SCV Sheriff’s Station:

On Friday, May 14, 2010, detectives from the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station’s COBRA team were patrolling in the area of the 22300 block of 2nd Street, Newhall, when they recognized two gang members who they knew to be on parole, walking in an alley. They stopped to investigate. One suspect ran from the detectives. When he climbed over a nearby wall, detectives saw that he was carrying a gun in his hand. They followed his path and found a loaded gun laying on a driveway on Race Street. Although deputies and detectives combed the area, the suspect was not located.
…
Detectives are still seeking information on the whereabouts of Johnny Martinez. Martinez has family living in the 24600 block of Newhall Avenue and a last known address in the 22300 block of 2nd Street, Newhall. He may frequent both locations. Once apprehended, Martinez, could face multiple felony charges including being a convicted felon in possession of a loaded firearm.

By the way: Pasillo Nuevo, the words tattooed above the suspect’s eyes means “Newhall.” Also, note the NH tattooed under his right eye.

I love Newhall as much as the next guy, but damn. That’s dedication. Only 21 years old too.

Here’s hoping the Deputies catch this cat.

I am a 19 year old SCV resident and have lived here all my life.
I can verify first hand that black tar heroin and oxycontin(along with any other drugs you want)are readily available at competitive low prices. I am 37 days clean of any drugs or alcohol and am working the 12 steps recovering from a nasty heroin addiction. I know plenty of kids hooked on dope some as young as 13. Santa Clarita is infested with heroin junkies in disguise. Kids have plenty of free time, money, and resources like cars, cell phones, and valuables. Its very scary and i know 2 close friends that have already died because of heroin. Please pay closer attention to your children’s activities,whereabouts,and friends.Its also availiable at school! which is so convenient and makes it even tougher for parents to control. Awesometown…great name for this piece of shit town that cares more about its image and financial security than the well being of its young residents. I hate all of the rich snobs that think they are sooo superior to the SFV residents when really their money is funding that valley’s drug habits.

Some proportion of young people are always going to use drugs. Particularly pot and alcohol. No matter the community, no matter the zero tolerance programs, the schools, or law enforcement.

But black tar heroin isn’t like those drugs. Its effects on the human body and its ability to turn a one-time try into an all-consuming habit are so much more potent than pot or aclohol that it deserves special enforcement in my opinion. In other words, drop the zero tolerance nonsense and focus enforcement efforts on dealers who are selling this stuff to kids.

I’m glad Bob Kellar asked for more information about this from the Sheriff’s Station. I hope we’ll hear a good report back soon.

As for the 19 year old reader: Good luck with your recovery and try not to lash out at the entire community. We’re talking about this because we care.

That’s the question I had after reading today’s Signal report and the Hart Board agenda item about Cressall donating his company’s services to the Hart District gratis:

Numerous strategies need to be utilized to establish a drug free campus.  Current strategies being utilized are curricular drug and alcohol education and prevention, referrals to community intervention programs such as DAPEC (Drug and Alcohol Prevention Education Curriculum) at the Child and Family Center, ACTION, and the SCV Youth Project, parent conferencing, student study teams, strict discipline policies, and law enforcement intervention.  In addition, the District has set up a voluntary student drug testing program called CADRE (Comprehensive Alcohol Drug Reduction Education) that includes drug education seminars for parents.  Drug detection dogs are another strategy that can be effective in establishing drug free campuses.

Randy Cressall, of CTR School Drug Dog Detection Services, is present this evening to offer his company’s services to the Hart District at no charge.

No offense to Mr. Cressall, who is something of an expert when it comes to local gas prices, but I’d think twice if I were a parent of a Hart District student before I’d let my kid’s possessions be sniffed by dogs belonging to a company with no track record and no website that I can find anywhere.

Stepping back even further, I’d have a problem with any private business interest offering drug dogs for use on school campuses. Why? Because we’re talking about a student’s rights and liberty versus a business model that will sooner or later have to show results to justify the expense and trouble of bringing the dogs in in the first place.

I realize everyone is frightened and nervous about the black tar heroin stories, but acting without thinking isn’t going to do us any good.

Should be interesting to see how this one plays out.

View more news videos at: http://www.nbclosangeles.com/video.

This is junk journalism. NBC cites no statistics, interviews no City officials, LASD Santa Clarita Deputies (COBRA or VICE in particular), school officials or any other community stakeholders. They also don’t mention that Councilman Bob Kellar asked the Sheriff’s station to report on this matter at the Council meeting two weeks ago.

They do talk to the mother of Trae Daniel Allen, the young man who died of an overdose here in the SCV in March and who has spoken before the City council. Her testimony, if you will, helped push the City to pressure the Hart District to take a second look at its Zero Tolerance policy. But NBC didn’t report that. Because it doesn’t fit into their thesis that black tar heroin is “big” here.

They did, however, go out of their way to find two other unidentified SCV youths who smoke black tar heroin and who are currently recovering.

To take the sad case of Trae Daniel Allen and extrapolate that heroin is “Big” in the SCV is absurd.

Unfortunately we as a community lack the journalistic resources to really investigate this issue and learn whether this is a big problem or not. Until we get them, you can expect this story will get traction and the SCV will become synonymous with black tar heroin just like the Antelope Valley is synonymous with crystal meth.

PS: This also chafes me for another reason: just as we in the SCV have stereotypical views of the “big city,” so do Angelenos have stereotypical views of the suburbs. And one of those views is that all our youths do drugs. It’s a stereotype NBC is only too happy to exploit so as to construct a narrative about suburbs in general…imagine a movie trailer announcer voice and you’ve got the idea….”They thought they were safe in the suburbs. But they were wrong. DEAD WRONG!”

The SCV Sheriff’s office is reporting the two inmates that escaped early this morning have been found and apprehended.

Both inmate escapees have been apprehended near Hasley Canyon Road and Commerce Center Drive, Castaic.

A concerned resident called the Santa Clarita Sheriff’s Station to report that two male Hispanics had asked him for clothing. Deputies from the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station immediately responded to the area and began searching.

A short time later both escapees were located hiding in nearby trash dumpster storage area. Their jail jumpsuits were located in the dumpster.

Kudos to the concerned resident, Sheriffs, supplemental law enforcement and City for their coordination and communication with this incident.

Now… can we get a post-mortem on how the escape happened, and what is going to be done to prevent future escapes?  If it was a laundry truck or the kitchen (if memory serves, the methods used on previous escapes), someone has some serious ‘splainin to do.

UPDATE:

Local ABC7 is reporting more details on the timing and an escape scenario for the pair:

“They were nearing the end of their trial, and apparently it wasn’t looking good for their case, and they were expecting — anticipating, if you will — a guilty verdict,” said L.A. County Sheriff’s Department Spokesman Steve Whitmore. “And connected to that guilty verdict, some severe jail time.”

Deputies believe the suspects planned the escape. They are suspected of leaving from a kitchen loading dock area.

“Two inmates were on a work detail at one of our kitchen docks. It’s a secure area, but trucks come and go. About 1:05 they were on a work detail, and then we officially noticed them to be missing at 3:15 when we did our wristband count,” said Whitmore.