City Hall evacuated as employees arrive to discover an unidentified box. “Erring on the side of caution,” KHTS reports, “City Hall was evacuated and is awaiting a response from the Arson squad.” KHTS. The Signal describes it as a bomb scare and says Valencia Blvd has been shut down SIGNALUPDATE: Threat cleared, there was nothing dangerous in the box. One twitter commenter wins the SCV Internet for the day: “Suspicious package at City Hall was in fact the little cardboard box of Laurie Ender’s personal belongings she was removing from premesis”
Laurie Ender was a no-show as TimBen Boydston and Bob Kellar were sworn in as City Councilmembers last night, in what was a pretty interesting Council meeting. In his first remarks as a Councilman, Boydston invoked Abraham Lincoln, said he’d represent poor and wealthy SCVers, remarked that the culture of the City “must change” and challenged Frank Ferry to be more respectful of residents. At least one person let an audible “Oh God” slip during Boydston’s remarks (Facebook friends suggest it was Ferry). Ferry, who was made Mayor on a 4-1 vote, also said he had spoken with Boydston since the election and wanted a better relationship “over the next two to four years.” Kellar and Boydston also received standing ovations. I HEART, SCVNEWS, SIGNAL, SIGNAL 2, KHTS
Re: the above. In his reaction to Boydston’s challenge, Ferry blamed “five or six” blogs for, I guess, demeaning the City Council and staff. ”To think in the audience that it doesn’t take a toll when you read things in the paper. But now with blogs. I mean there’s five or six active blogs, where people just openly, ‘bam, bam’, it’s like a machine gun. They’re just hitting you every day,” he said.
McKeon gives up on SCV? Patricia McKeon won’t be attending any more public discussion forums/debates in the Santa Clarita Valley because “there are no undecided voters” in this area, according to her campaign manager. Instead, the wife of Congressman Buck McKeon will talk with “real voters” directly and may hold a public forum in the Simi Valley, also part of 38th AD. The move follows her awkward answer of “I have no idea” at a discussion forum last week and her (and Paul Strickland’s) refusal to share the stage with Scott Wilk at a forum earlier this week at the CTG SIGNAL
Of course, just because she won’t participate doesn’t mean the forums will stop. KHTS, the Signal and SCVTV will hold a joint candidate forum for both Assembly and Congressional candidates on April 30, and it will be televised. They’re asking for questions from the public too KHTS
For the first time in several months (years?) people are excited about the residential real estate market in the SCV, calling it “remarkable” and a “seller’s market.” Not only were March SFR home sales up year over year and over February, but prices were up to, and a realtor tells the Signal that it’s not just investors buying anymore, but “truly qualified buyers.” She says that houses under $450k are “often turning into multiple-offer situations.” Condos aren’t enjoying the same bounce, however. SCVNEWS, SIGNAL
Letter writer pins woes of Santa Clarita Valley on the fact that we only have one hospital, one sheriff’s station, and no good places for kids to hang out SIGNAL
It’s Councilwoman Laurie Ender’s last day as a City Councilmember as TimBen Boydston & Bob Kellar will be sworn into office tonight at the City Council meeting. Expect the Mayor/Mayor Pro Tem thing to be settled and expect to see how our new (humbled?) Council and staff interact. All starts tonight at 5pm, regular meeting at 6pm. SIGNAL
Local Republicans were upset last night as assembly candidate Scott Wilk was the only candidate to show up at a well-publicized discussion forum for the 38th Assembly District race. There was much buzz about whether Patricia McKeon would show up at the evening event, but it turns out neither she nor Paul Strickland were on site. Democrat Edward Headington wasn’t invited presumably because it was a Republican event. Facebook pics show a lonely Wilk on stage, having his way with the floor. So what really happened? One anti-Wilk partisan says on SCVTalk the whole show was a clever setup by the Wilk campaign while Signal commenters allege Buck McKeon lieutenants were busy calling around to local activists telling them the forum was canceled. SIGNAL, FACEBOOK, SCVTALK
Re: the above, Joe Messina has a good post over at WRB describing some of the background to last night’s discussion forum and he excerpts from an email he says Bob Haueter sent on the subject. WRB. All I can say is that my All-Inclusive SCV Republican Club Guide 2011 is due for an update.
Speaking of the Assembly District race, as well as other races, the local Tea Party group has published an online poll to gauge support for the various candidates ahead of their ‘official’ endorsement next week. I think it’s open to everyone because they even have Democrats on the ballot. POLL
Meanwhile, a Republican and Democratic candidate for LA County District Attorney came to speak with the only local Democratic club late last week. KHTS
Buck McKeon has raised more money from defense industries in the 2012 cycle than any other Republican: $393,000 so far according to Open Secrets. THINK PROGRESS
A Canyon Country resident is organizing opposition to Sulphur Spring’s $72 million bond measure. Mike Nauom says the bond isn’t affordable and has no cost-protection for homeowners of the elementary school district. District officials say that’s not true. It’s rare for a school bond to be opposed in the SCV, as the Signal notes SIGNAL
A companion article lays out what Sulphur Springs’ Measure CK would do for special ed students SIGNAL
The City of Santa Clarita has deployed a new online bidding system for local businesses and it’s enjoying rapid adoption and success with over 925 business registering so far. SIGNAL
Did you see it? Yesterday, briefly, the Signal posted a huge list of names of people who were arrested for various charges in the last few weeks. The charges ranged from graffiti to drug use to domestic abuse, and the story was linked off their Facebook and Twitter accounts. It was odd considering the Signal’s own long-standing and controversial policy of not naming people arrested by the Sheriff’s Department until they’ve been formally charged, a policy the Signal took a lot of heat for last year when it refused to name a child molestation suspect who worked as martial arts coach in Canyon Country. The story has since been removed from the Signal’s website.
Speaking of crime, SCVNews has that list (with names redacted) and says overall, the City’s major crimes rate is rising “as a direct result of Assembly Bill 109, Gov. Jerry Brown’s prison realignment legislation which granted early release to thousands of convicted criminals.” SCVNEWS. The DAILY NEWS looks more into how prison realignment is affecting local crime in the SFV
Why are old people driving alone up into Santa Clarita’s isolated canyons, crashing mysteriously, and ending up lost, dead, and far from home? It happened last week with an 87 year old and last year with an 88 year old, both males. Jim Holt compares the two strange stories. SIGNAL
Fascinating piece on Cougar News about an 87 year old Greek Holocaust survivor who recounted his story of escaping the concentration camps, joining the American army, and avenging the death of his families. He spoke before Congregation Beth Shalom recently. “Every time I would kill a Nazi or throw a bomb I would always say this is for you Daniel, this is for you sister.” WOW
Today is the 50th anniversary of the Castaic Lake Water Agency, which was voted into being on April 24, 1962. The agency is going to put together a special video commemorating its history as one of the SCV’s oldest public agencies. More at SCVNEWS
Poor KHTS: last week an email went around town accusing the station of knowingly hiding pornography links on its site. “I thought this was a family friendly website in a family friendly town. How can this be ok? The community needs to know that the “safe” local website is publishing adult content!!!!!! I let me kids on that website. I trusted KHTS. NOT ANY MORE! I will tell every one what I found and never to trust them again!!!!!”” read the email from some hyper-active, ignorant person. KHTS explains it had no knowledge of the links and that its site was under cyberattack SCVNEWS
Local AT&T workers are striking after management refused to let them work wearing buttons with the letters “WTF” on them. An AT&T spokesman says it’s obvious why workers shouldn’t be allowed to wear WTF buttons when they visit customers but the union says the letters stand for something else entirely. SIGNAL
If any of you know who Lana Del Rey is, she was apparently in Santa Clarita last weekend filming another one of her low-budget but viral music videos LINK
Letter writer says you people dress like slobs when you go out to eat at SCV restaurants. This calls to mind Tim Myers’ famous column about getting kicked out of the TPC for dressing in shorts. But seriously, we are a rather loose and low standard people when it comes to dress, are we not? Sweatpants -even high priced ones with letters on the ass- are not appropriate public attire people. LTE
City posts 25 reasons you should love the City of Santa Clarita. CITY OF SANTA CLARITA
West Ranch Beacon breaks story that Assembly candidate Patricia McKeon will most likely no show Republican candidate forum this evening at the Canyon Theater. WRB Dave Bossert poses what he perhaps thinks of as rhetorical questions regarding this development but we at SCVTalk have the actual answers:
“Why would a few Republican leaders undermine a joint club effort to UNIFY the clubs and promote the Republican candidates for the Assembly race?
When your candidate of choice already enjoys high name recognition but whenever they appear in public recently in a forum situation they look like a smiling fool.
What is to gain by discounting the event?
Not having your candidate of choice look like a smiling fool.
Why wouldn’t you want your candidate to show up and take questions so they can show the voters they are qualified for the office of State Assembly?
Because they are not actually qualified for the office.
Is “hiding” now a legitimate campaign tactic?
Yes. See questions 1 to 3 above.
Is this really an appropriate role for Central Committee members?”
Yes, if the members are part of the machinery of a certain elected official and his family members.
First, a three person over the side crash in the Angeles National Forest. SIGNAL
Second, six persons injured in a single vehicle rollover crash on the southbound 5. SIGNAL
And finally, multi-car crash on Highway 126 which included vehicle ejections (Seat belts, people for the love of God!)
All accidents clear weather and good road conditions, so let’s be extra careful out there folks this week with rain in the forecast.
According to City officials Cowboy Poetry Festival overcame butt kicking heat on Saturday with probably one of the nicest weather days Sunday to achieve more or less regular attendance. SIGNAL Like people who live in Anaheim and never go to Disneyland, the Myers clan has only be to the Festival once, some 14 years ago.
Say what you want about Valencia Water Company, but they had that sinkhole at Decoro and McBean fully repaired with cones picked up and everything within 24 hours. I know because that intersection personally affects me. SIGNAL
Shrinking inventories make finding a house in the SCV difficult, at least for the short term. Are the good times ahead again? We would personally like to maximize our value when we transition to Orange County in about a year, but any gain will just flow into a similarly rising property market in the OC. SIGNAL
It looks like Canyon and Saugus High Schools, which both have EXCELLENT performing arts programs, will finally get their own real performing venues after decades long waits. SIGNAL
New Council members will be sworn in on Tuesday at 5:00 pm and Facebook traffic would indicate quite a lot of supporters of the victors will show up to celebrate. SIGNAL Technically, sitting council will certify election and then Bob Kellar and TimBen Boydston will be sworn in, followed by an election for Mayor and perhaps Mayor Pro Tem. I pen a column on how the thumping re-election of Bob Kellar and the stunning victory of TimBen Boydston will substantially change the tone of City government, and perhaps have knock on effects in the open primary. MYERS MUSINGS
I can’t link to FACEBOOK and I can’t find it on the campaign website, but Scott Wilk is passing out reusable grocery bags with the legend “Got Wilk” in an obvious jab to the Patricia McKeon candidacy origin story of paying for paper bags at a Stevenson Ranch Von’s. Scott deserves everyone’s vote (in my opinion) just for understanding irony.
Again, SCVTALK does not generally cover sports but the SIGNAL has a Sunday feature story about the 2012 Valencia boys tennis team’s historic domination of the Foothill League this season and they again make mention of some kid named David Myers who, along with partner Cameron Braun, has enjoyed 10 6-0 victories out of 24 in League play so far.
The Santa Clarita City Council agenda is out. Next Tuesday, election results will be officially read, new members will be sworn in, and then things will get back to normal: awarding office supply contracts, purchasing a rather expensive acre ($325,000) for road improvements, and considering other transportation-related items. AGENDA
The Signal thinks it’s only logical that Frank Ferry should replace Laurie Ender as mayor, and Bob Kellar should replace Frank Ferry as mayor pro tem. Friday Editorial
California High-speed Rail Authority has not yet settled on an option for routing the HSR line through Santa Clarita. Both of the most viable options will affect homes and the Sulphur Springs School, Pinecrest School, and Evangelical Free Church of the Canyons. SIGNAL
LA County Board of Supervisors settles a lawsuit pertaining to a Brown Act violation. The board had multiple closed meetings concerning prison realignment. SIGNAL
Locally-headquartered Princess Cruises responds to reports that one of its ships did not act to rescue three fishermen stranded at sea, two of whom ultimately succumbed. Passengers on the cruise ship say they noticed the fishermen waving a flag in distress from their tiny boat and notified ship staff. Princess has issued a statement that the ship captain was never notified of the distressed fishing boat. SCVNews
Teacher tribute remembers Clyde Smyth, honors educators. SIGNAL
TMS also continues with coverage of tight budgets facing local schools, this time focusing on administrators. Pink Slips
KTLA’s Allie Mac Kay hypes this weekend’s Cowboy Festival. Enjoy video clips of her surrounded by an array of colorful characters eating cobbler, spinning pistols, and standing emphatically. CityBriefs/KTLA
The City Clerk’s office has posted the final aggregate results for the 2012 City Council election and these results should put to rest any feeling by Ender partisans that a desultory or inadequate campaign resulted in her thumping loss at the hands of TimBen Boydston (“TBB”). It should be clear to anyone that rational ignorance has been significantly wrung from the system and that Ms. Ender paid the price for hubris at the polls, primarily for her role in the hospital expansion approval and the library takeover, with a sprinkling of “Ender Math” on for good measure.
Why is this more than speculation? It is because EVERYTHING about the 2012 election lined up with either the 2008 election (the last two seat race) or trends seen over the last several elections EXCEPT for the outcome. This can only mean a significant shift in the feelings of the thin cadre of participating voters and how they felt about this particular incumbent who, as a group, they helped bring to office in 2008.
What exactly was similar to 2008 or to trend?
Turnout was slightly less (16.9% vs. 17.3%) in 2012 vs. 2008, so a groundswell of new voters did not sweep TBB into office;
The trend in increased mix of vote by mails (“VBM’s”) continued to 75% in 2012 vs. 70% in 2008 (A slight hiccup in 2010 when the percentage of VBM’s decreased momentarily to 67%) so a sudden shift to poll voting did not sweep TBB into office; and
Implications of “bullet voting” about the same (1.78 votes per ballot in 2012 vs. 1.77 votes per ballot in 2008) so a big increase in bullet votes did not sweep TBB into office.
So what occurred differently in 2012 when compared to 2008?
TBB, while losing to the incumbents in the VBM’s, hung in there only needing to overcome a 202 vote deficit going into the poll votes where in the past challengers found themselves facing an impossible to overcome 800 to 1,000 vote deficit; and
TBB (and Bob Kellar) absolutely SMOKED everyone else in the poll votes. Once we receive the precinct distributions from the City Clerk I am sure we will find that just under 1 in 3 ballots cast on election day contained a vote for TBB while only 1 in 6 carried a vote for Laurie Ender. This meek performance at the polls would doom Laurie Ender.
So for the first time in a long time every vote did “matter.” TBB needed to reduce the incumbent’s generally overwhelming support in the VBM’s (he did) and then clean it up on election day (he did).
May he have the honor of heaving the first paper weight! He has earned it.
Final vote counts are in, and as Myers noted, TimBen pulled even further ahead of Laurie Ender in last week’s election and Bob Kellar finished just a few dozen short of Laurie Ender’s record haul in 2008. SIGNAL, KHTS
Looks like the Bank of Santa Clarita laid off a manager and a founding executive because of disagreements over the growth, direction, and potential merger of the small bank SIGNAL
Bad collision on Highway 126 yesterday between a big rig and a flat bed truck. Two are injured and transported to the hospital SIGNAL
The VECO Star has another report on Tuesday’s 38th Assembly District candidate forum at the Newhall Legion post. The question Patricia McKeon answered with an “I have no idea” was asked by Jason Schaff of the Signal; I think in the video you can hear him say “Well that’s at least an honest answer” in response. Also, McKeon called Obamacare a failed European-style single payer system, and Headington said he’s the only moderate in the race VECO STAR
Really Patricia Blogger finds that Team McKeon (or someone) is trying to promote their candidate on Wikipedia RP BLOG
Earlier this week, the LA Times released photos of US Army paratroopers posing with dead insurgents and suicide bombers in Afghanistan. When asked about the pictures, Buck McKeon was “seemingly unaware” of the photos and thought the Fox News reporter asking him about them was referring to the notorious 2004 Abu Ghraib pictures FOX NEWS
SCVNews posted an interesting piece yesterday about the make-up and workings of the Sheriff’s Station Crime Prevention Unit, and it actually looks like a real thing and not just a nice marketing term. The article lists crime zones throughout the SCV and names a coordinator for each zone; in a post today, the Deputy in charge of the zone where I live (SoLy) talks about the crime trends he sees in his area (lots of vehicle burglaries). Nice work LASD SCVNEWS
Convicted felon arrested at Saugus home after probation officers find him in possession of drug paraphernalia and a sawed-off shotgun SCVNEWS
Letter writer tells Signal staff they’re out of touch with resident anger over the library takeover and new Newhall library building. “People are talking and the City Council members who don’t listen will be voted out. This is a fact, and this will continue,” she writes. SIGNAL
President Benjamin Harrison’s train rolled through Saugus this week in 1891. Also find out why Saugus might have been named “Surrey” and read about a famous SCV Lawman named Jack Pilcher, who was killed in a freak accident and whose funeral was “paid for and well-attended by the Ku Klux Klan” TIME RANGER
Regarding the above: I remember when President Bill Clinton’s helicopter flew over the SCV in 1997. Anyone remember what he was doing there?
The thin library of published books about the SCV just got a little bit thicker with the forthcoming publication of “LEGENDARY LOCALS OF THE SANTA CLARITA VALLEY.” The book is written by three SCV historians, Dr. Alan Pollack, Kim Stephens and EJ Stephens. Cover art shows several SCV legends, including my favorite, Tiburicio Vasquez, and hopefully will include my second favorite, the Puritanical Henry Clay Needham. Legendary Locals will be released in September FACEBOOK. If you aren’t following Dr. Alan Pollack’s facebook page, be sure to subscribe!
Is it a good or bad thing when a candidate for high office says flat-out that she doesn’t know the answer to a voter’s question?
On the one hand, Patricia McKeon’s answer to a voter’s question last night about budgeting & initiatives shows remarkable honesty. It wasn’t just “I don’t know,” or even a Palin-esque, “I’ll check on that for you Katie and bring an answer right back to ya.” Rather it was, “I have no idea.” Utter, complete bewilderment. Like that’s what I would have said if someone asked me for my opinion on 17th century French literature.
On the other hand, it was not a question about 17th Century French Literature. This was a soft-ball question, a gimmee. The voter wanted to know how Sacramento leaders will deal with the constant tug-of-war between what Californians want and what they are willing to pay for. This is a rich and juicy question, you can make of it whatever you want, really. Every two years, several propositions go on the ballot. Some are expensive. Many tie the legislator’s hands. And some we end up regretting. So how would Patricia McKeon, Assembly Member 38th District, handle such challenges in a state fallen from its former glory and scraping around for resources?
“I have no idea.”
Really? No idea? You couldn’t even toss in a “illegals are bankrupting us” or something about global warming being a fraud and AB32 or the bullet train initiative. Grocery bags, anyone? I mean come on, be creative!
Ouch.
But consider it could have been worse. As I saw Patricia’s confused look, I winced because I thought she might drift into Miss South Carolina 2007 territory, the pageant queen who should have said “I have no idea” rather than actually try to answer a question:
Maybe her advisers, worried that Patricia might say something silly like that, just advised her to be honest. And so I find that somewhat refreshing.
What’s not refreshing at all, however, is the allegations fresh on Facebook last night that Patricia McKeon or her staff may have copied nearly verbatim from a State Senator’s website on the topic of pension reform. Check it out:
What is it with plagiarism in this town? Do we self-select for lazy half-wits, or what is it?
Some Laurie Ender partisans are quietly whispering that her recent loss was caused by some tactical failures in her campaign, i.e. late start, timing of mailers, etc. Well, the City Clerk just toted up the final results including provisional and dropped off vote by mails, and, make no mistake, Laurie Ender’s defeat at the hands of TimBen Boydston was the electoral equivalent of a baby seal clubbing, so the current incumbents are whistling past the graveyard if they believe that this was lightning in a bottle. SIGNAL
Based on the final results TBB beat Laurie Ender by an astounding 737 votes. (SCVTalk predicted on election night that he would just pad his lead later, so Ms. Ender was right to concede.) Even more astounding and interesting: TBB’s total vote count was just 45 votes shy of Laurie Ender’s total when she swept into office in 2008.
Perhaps most astonishing (and revealing): Bob Kellar with 7,519 votes has set a record for most votes received in a “regular” election. (He is still beaten by Buck McKeon and JoAnne Darcy in the City formation election in 1987, but remember that folks had FIVE votes to distribute in that election so it is really not comparable.) He also INCREASED his total vote count from 2008 by a gargantuan 25%! This from a candidate supposedly “targeted” by the McKeon establishment for defeat. It seems hilarious now that these folks thought they could oust Mr. Kellar just by wishing for it.
Many think that my previous predictions of incumbent victory served some establishment conspiracy to maintain the status quo. Nothing could be farther from the truth. I just like being right and that USED to be the easy way to be right. But like Paul on the road to Damascus everyone can now count me as one of the converted. Incumbency will now only work if said incumbent did not alienate a sufficient portion of the (admittedly tiny) electorate, which Laurie Ender obviously did. With the shield of incumbency gone I want NO more 5-0 decisions, NO more building of consensus, and NO more of this desultory go along to get along BS. Once the paper weights are flyin’ again in the council chambers, then we will know that everyone is fully engaged!
Scott Wilk was “cut deep” by Tony Strickland’s endorsement of Patricia McKeon for Assembly District 38. “I always considered him a little brother. I gave him his first job in politics,” Wilk told Tim Herdt of the VECO STAR. Wilk says his wife is even hurt by it because the Wilks and Stricklands were friends. So why did Strickland betray his friend? Raw, naked, boundless, friend-stomping ambition YOU TUBE
Candidate forum at the Paseo club has all the Republican angst and intrigue you could possibly shake a stick at, including a gem about how the candidates think there are too many regulations driving businesses out of California while at the same time promising to shut down the CEMEX mine. Oh, also Patricia McKeon plays the victim-card and says she hasn’t attacked anyone, and Paul Strickland lets loose against the environmental movement SIGNAL
Really Patricia blogger explains why s/he started blogging again, gets a bit melodramatic RP BLOG
* Local Republican activist finds strong similarities between a post Patricia McKeon made on her Facebook account with text from a State Senator on the topic of pension reform. Like really similar. FACEBOOK
Succession is a problem in monarchies and at City Hall, but no longer! As Myers wrote about yesterday, the high parliamentarians on Valencia Blvd have determined how we’ll get our next mayor, which will likely be Frank Ferry with Bob Kellar serving as Mayor Pro Tem. That will happen next week at the City Council meeting.Also the final mail-in and provisional ballots will be counted today at City Hall at 10 AM SIGNAL
The County of Los Angeles will close 56 courtrooms (including one in Santa Clarita) and shed 350 workers to deal with a $30 million budget deficit. Juvenile court programs will also be slashed KHTSCVTVNEWS
Saugus District pausing on creating a parcel tax or education foundation until state budget picture becomes more clear SIGNAL
Horton with a thoughtful column on the SCV’s best-kept secret nature trail, the one behind the YMCA park in the Summit. At the top of the path, you can see COC, CalArts, and the new UCLA film archive, “ a ton of culture and education all in one special, consolidated corridor. Truly, this section of our town is a capstone for Santa Clarita, and a blessing and gem for all of its citizens.” Horton says our new leaders should have the same foresight that the people who built the Summit did nearly 30 years ago. SIGNAL
Speaking of capstones of the SCV, did you know Wendy Langhans is a graduate of Fuller Theological Seminary and is a volunteer chaplain at a probation camp? In addition to her recurring role as KHTS’ naturalist-in-residence? Neat profile by Carol Rock at KHTS After you read that, read Langhan’s newest piece about BEES
How did we miss this? Assemblyman Cameron Smyth appeared in a video late last month with Governor Jerry Brown’s dog (a Corgi?) urging viewers to support a spay & neuter fund. SCVNEWS
The data is in, the results are revealed: the American cities that are the least walkable are also the most conservative; cities where people walk more also happen to be more liberal. SLATE
Congrats to SCVTalk’s own Mike D. whose wife gave birth to a 6’7oz baby boy last night!
came here with a coupon last weekend got their to discover the location in stevenson ranch is closed and they have moved note on door said to watch their facebook page about updates for their new… […]
First let me say that the food was great. The service was great. So why only 3 stars? The bathroom floor and kitchen floor was filthy. I mean really really really dirty. It looks like the floor was… […]
Loading ...