The Signal’s Year in Photos 2016

A white Ford Mustang involved in a fatal solo traffic accident on Bouquet Canyon waits to be removed from Bouquet Creek just meters away from the memorial for another fatal collision on Jan. 4. The SCV saw several fatal accidents in 2016. KATHARINE LOTZE/Signal. 01042016

Wearing her daughters favorite cowboy boots, Cassandra Parks, mother of Elena Kramer displays a shadow box of sports memorabilia belonging to Kramer, 19, who was killed in a car crash on Bouquet Canyon Road last week. 011415 DAN WATSON

Residents shore up rain gutters on Cross Street as thye divert water and mud flowing down Wildwood Canyon Road in Newhall in January. Rainfall at the start, and end, of 2016, may have helped the drought conditions somewhat. 010515 DAN WATSON

Powerball hopefuls fill out tickets and wait in line at Valencia Liquors in Newhall on Friday. The jackpot is $800 million, and the liquor store is considered a lucky spot to buy tickets, as they’ve sold many winners over the years. KATHARINE LOTZE/Signal. 01082016

An officer walks through the scene at Shangri La Drive and Nathan Hill Drive in Canyon Country following an officer-involved shooting on Jan. 13, 2016. (KATHARINE LOTZE/Signal)

Oreo, the cat found tied up with electrical tape last month is doing well at the Castaic Animal Shelter in February. KATHARINE LOTZE/Signal. 02022016

Tim Davis, the director of Bridge to Home, retired in 2016. KATHARINE LOTZE/Signal. 02042016

Castaic Lake Water Agency water bottles sit at the feet of attendees of the Newhall County Water District and the Castaic Lake Water Agency merger meeting at the Santa Clarita Activities Center in February. The two entities merged by year-end. KATHARINE LOTZE/Signal. 020420216

Southern California Gas Company spokesperson Mike Mizrahi, right, makes a statement for the TV cameras after the arraignment at Los Angeles District Court Santa Clarita Courthouse in Valencia in February. The company reached a settlement in November. 021716 DAN WATSON

Standing between the two mangeled big rig cabs, first responders are surrounded by lemons as they use shovels to absorb diesel fuel at the scene of a crash where two people were killed and a third person injured after two tractor-trailer trucks collided on Highway 126 at Chiquito Canyon Road in February. Dan Watson/Signal

The Golden Valley Bridge, later named for Connie Worden-Roberts, was completed in 2016.

Santa Clarita Councilaman Bob Kellar displays a Hometown Heroes sample banner in Canyon Country in February. Dan Watson/Signal

Santa Clarita City Councilman Bob Kellar, left, discusses the Hometown Heroes Military Banner program with U.S. Marine Sergeant David Gonzalez after the press conference held at at City hall to officially kick off the the program in March. A sample of the banner hangs behind Gonzalez. Dan Watson/Signal

Excavators and workers create a form for a 700 foot long, 4 foot high by 8 foot wide storm drain as construction progresses at Vista Canyon development in Canyon Country in February. Dan Watson/Signal

Michelle Littlefield’s parents, William and Gigi Littlefield, stand next to a photo of their daughter, who was killed in February 2016 in a car crash on Interstate 5 in Commerce. Littlefield was returning from Disneyland with three friends, including Brian Lewandowski, who was also killed in the crash. The two other occupants were seriously injured. Katharine Lotze/Signal

Tears run down a woman’s face as she listens to the friends and family of Michelle Littlefield and Brian Lewandowski speak at a at a candlelight vigil in College of the Canyons’ Honor Grove in march. Littlefield and Lewandowski, both students at COC and employees of Six Flags Magic Mountain, were killed last Saturday in a car crash on Interstate 5 in Commerce. Katharine Lotze/Signal

The Five Knolls development erected a sign in the style of the “Hollywood” sign near a section of the Santa Clara River Trail on some of its yet-to-be developed property. The sign caused a stir and was taken down just days after going up. Katharine Lotze/Signal

Graham and Lena Kelley, the uncle and aunt of a 6-year-old girl taken from her foster family in Saugus, chase the car carrying their niece down Ron Ridge Drive on Monday, March 21.

Rusty Page carries his foster daughter to a car that will take her, along with several officials, away from the family’s Saugus home on March 21 last year. The Supreme Court declined to hear the Pages’ appeal last week. Signal photo by Katharine Lotze

Attendees applaud and take pictures as fire apparatus from Los Angeles County Fire Station 76 is the first to officially roll over the Eastbound lanes of the SR 126 overpass near Commerce Center Drive in Valencia at the ceremonial ribbon cutting ceremony in March. Dan Watson/Signal

The national election was certainly seen and heard in the SCV. John Etheridge waves to passing cars as he and a small group of Donald Trump for President supporters hold signs in front of Santa Clarita City Hall in Valencia in April. Dan Watson/Signal

The annual Santa Clarita Cowboy Festival returns in April. Here, trick roper Dave Thornbury entertains passersby at a previous fest. Dan Watson/Signal

Walk of Western Stars 2016 inductee, Johnny Crawford twirls a rope around himself as he stands on his star after the unveiling ceremony on Main Street in Newhall in April 2016. Dan Watson/Signal

TODAY Show host Sheinelle Jones reveals a stack of laptop Chromebooks as she presents them to Castaic Middle School teacher Beth Holen after Jones and a camera crew revealed Holen had won a Helpful SoCal Honda award in May. Katharine Lotze/Signal

Santa Clarita athlete Michael Pedraza comes to the tape to win his leg of the 50 meter run event against competitors from Glendale and Ventura County at the Special Olympics Regional Competition held at Hart High School in Newhall in May. Dan Watson/Signal

Santa Clarita athlete Blake Collins out runs his competition from Glendale and the San Fernando Valley as he wins his leg of the 50 meter run event at the Special Olympics Regional Competition held at hart High School in Newhall in may. Dan Watson/Signal

California Highway Patrol officers investigate the fatal hit and run of local teacher Rod Bennett in May. Katharine Lotze/Signal

Cars pass by a bouquet of flowers on Friday at the site on Placerita Canyon Road in Santa Clarita where Arroyo Seco Junior High School math teacher Roderick Bennett was killed while riding his bike in May. Dan Watson/Signal

An estimated 300 riders turn into the Santa Clarita City Hall Parking lot from Valencia Blvd. as they participate in the Rod Bennett Memorial Bike ride in May. Dan Watson/Signal

Saugus High School officials, students, Hart School District officials, representatives of state and national politicians, and representatives of the TELACU construction team pose for a groundbreaking photo at the site of the school’s new performing arts center, to be called The Forum, at a groundbreaking event in May. Katharine Lotze/Signal

Pauline Harte receives a plaque dedicated to the service of her late husband, Duane Harte, from Santa Clarita Mayor Bob Kellar, right, and Bill Reynolds, center, during the Memorial Day ceremonies at Eternal Valley on Memorial Day. A local park was also named after Harte. KATHARINE LOTZE/Signal.

The Ronald Reagan Marine Corps League of Simi Valley gives a rifle salute at the end of the Memorial Day ceremonies at Eternal Valley on Memorial Day. KATHARINE LOTZE/Signal.

2016 Class Valedictorian Kevin Dai carries the Viking Tourch of Learning as he leads the Valencia High School graduating seniors during the Valencia High commencement ceremony held at College of the Canyons in Valencia in May. Dan Watson/Signal

Trinity Classical Academy graduating seniors sing a hymn before the Trinity Classical Academy 2016 Commencement ceremony held at Trinity Classical Academy in May. Dan Watson/Signal

Graduating Senior Azaria Hill waves to family as she marches with the 2016 graduating class of Golden Valley High School as they march into the stadium at College of the Canyon during their commencement ceremony in May. Dan Watson/Signal

Bryce Wilkinson smiles during a student speech to Santa Clarita Christian’s teachers during commencement ceremonies at the Master’s College in May. Katharine Lotze/Signal

West Ranch High School graduates walk to their seats ahead of commencement in May. Katharine Lotze/Signal

Canyon High School graduate Jason Wotherspoon high fives a faculty member as he makes his way to his seat as the band plays “Pomp and Circumstance” at the start of the school’s commencement ceremonies in May. Katharine Lotze/Signal

Hart seniors raise lighted smartphones to cheer on their classmates as they sing during the school’s commencement ceremonies at College of the Canyons in May. Katharine Lotze/Signal

Senior members of the Saugus High School choir sing at the school’s graduation ceremonies in May 2016 at College of the Canyons. Katharine Lotze/Signal

The College of the Canyons Cougar mascot leads the 1766, 2016 College of the Canyons graduating class to the Honor Grove during the commencement ceremony held at the College of the the Canyons Valencia campus in June 2016. Dan Watson/Signal

Academy of the Canyons graduating senior and ASB Class President Paulina Cedillo, second from right, reacts as she is named the recipient of the Principal’s Award during the Academy of the Canyons 2016 Commencement ceremony held in the College of the Canyons Honor Grove in Valencia in June. Dan Watson/Signal

Actor Don Cheadle speaks at the California Institute of the Arts commencement ceremonies in May, after he was honored by the school with an honorary doctorate. Cheadle was a CalArts graduate himself, in 1986. Katharine Lotze/Signal

Steven Lavine, president of CalArts, tears up as he finishes his speech at the school’s commencement ceremonies in May. Lavine said he is stepping down after 29 years as the president of the school next year. KATHARINE LOTZE/Signal.

Graduating sixth-grader Devan Altmayer, left, hugs his brother Airman Dylan Ryndak as Ryndak surprises him during the James Foster Elementary 2016 graduation ceremony in Saugus in June. Dan Watson/Signal

FILE PHOTO: Alex Wheatley, left, and Muhammad Ayers, right, hold a sign together on the corner of McBean Parkway and Valencia Boulevard in June during a Black Lives Matter protest. KATHARINE LOTZE/Signal.

Saugus High graduate Abbey Weitzeil swims during a workout at the Santa Clarita Aquatic Center in June in preparation for the Rio Olympics. Weitzel won several medals as part of relay teams in Rio. Dan Watson/Signal

A Los Angeles County helicopter makes a drop on the flames from the Sage Fire as seen from a home on Chicory Court in June in Santa Clarita. Dan Watson/Signal

Sheriff’s deputies gather in front of a Pizza Hut at the corner of Sierra Highway and Soledad Canyon Road in July after an unconscious man with a gun was found on a city bus. The incident closed the intersection for several hours. Katharine Lotze/Signal

Sheriff’s deputies surround a City of Santa Clarita transit bus at the intersection of Sierra Highway and Soledad Canyon Road after an unconscious man with a gun was found in July. KATHARINE LOTZE/Signal.

Groups of people play Pokemon Go in front of the movie theater at Westfield Valencia Town Center in July 2016. KATHARINE LOTZE/Signal.

Kids and parents draw chalk art in support of law enforcement at the Santa Clarita Sheriff’s Station in July, following the killings of officers in Dallas and Baton Rouge in the last week. KATHARINE LOTZE/Signal.

Trish Lester, left, of Newhall and Christine Korenthal of Canyon Country hold signs at the corner of Valencia Blvd. and Magic Mountain Parkway at the SCV Back the Blue Rally in Valencia in July. Dan Watson/Signal

Flames from the Sand Fire engulf the ridge as viewed from Placerita Canyon Road and Sand Canyon Road in July. Dan Watson/Signal

A helicopter drops water on flames from the Sand Fire in Santa Clarita in July. Katharine Lotze/Signal

Angeles National Forest firefighters prepare to head out on the line off of Little Tujunga Canyon Road near Wildlife Waystation to fight the Sand Fire on Saturday, July 23, 2016. Katharine Lotze/The Santa Clarita Valley Signal

A volunteer loads up a taxidermied hawk into a county vehicle at the Placerita Canyon Nature Center on Placerita Canyon Road evacuate their facility on Saturday, July 23, 2016. Ranger Frank Hoffman said he had been evacuated from the center 14 times in his more than 20 years at the center. Katharine Lotze/The Santa Clarita Valley Signal

A member of a hand crew readies a water hose as he joins firefighters and water dropping helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft fighting flames of the Sand Fire along Placerita Canyon Road in July, 2016. Dan Watson/Signal

Denise Johnson walks her two horses, Handsome and JT, back up Iron Canyon Road off of Sand Canyon to their home on Gwendala Lane. Johnson said the horses were rescued by a neighbor and kept safe during the evacuation. Dan Watson/Signal

Christopher Reding, left, and Mike Silvey wash the ash and dust off Silvey’s classic 1957 Chevrolet BelAire in his driveway on Running Horse Road in Canyon Country on Wednesday. The community was threatened by fire and evacuated in July. Dan Watson/Signal

In August, Steve Arklin points out what he calls the “miracle of Rancho Deluxe:” a tee-pee that somehow survived when the Sand Fire swept through the movie ranch in Placerita Canyon. KATHARINE LOTZE/SIgnal.

Jeff Zimmerman, right, smiles before he and fellow freelance photographer Bernie Deyo, center, accept awards from the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station, Supervisor Michael Antonovich’s office, and the Los Angeles County Fire Department for catching an arsonist in the act near Zimmerman’s Neenach home in July. KATHARINE LOTZE/SIgnal.

Firefighters from Los Angeles County Fire Station 111 enjoy plates of deserts during the First Responder Thankyou Party held at Centeral Park in Saugus in August. Dan Watson / The Signal

Daryl Hunt, 9, left, and brother Dylan, 5, of Valencia sign the thank you for first responders during the First Responder Thank You Party held at Central Park in Saugus in August. Dan Watson / The Signal

Mrs. Drummey’s transitional kindergarten class raises their hand when asked if they wanted to plant plants in the new garden at Charles Helmers Elementary School in Valencia in August. KATHARINE LOTZE/SIgnal.

Jon Murphy, a volunteer from the local Lowes, works to stack cement blocks to build a retaining wall for the new garden at Charles Helmers Elementary School in Valencia in August. It is the first elementary school in the valley to have a garden. KATHARINE LOTZE/Signal.

Chuck Champion, Publisher of the Signal Newspaper, left, begins the questioning during a debate forum with five of the candidates for Santa Clarita City Council held at the Dr. Dianne G. Van Hook University Center at College of the Canyon in Valencia in September. Candidates from left, TimBen Boydston, Alan Ferdman, Bob Kellar, Cameron Smyth and Mark White. Dan Watson/Signal

The Santa Fe 3751 steam engine rolls through the Newhall Metrolink Station in September after traveling to the new Acton Metrolink station overnight. Katharine Lotze/Signal

Xander Jeanneret, left, and Bonnie Gordon, right, who form the Library Bards, perform their parody version of Meghan Trainor’s “All About That Bass” called “All About That Space” during the first night of the first-ever SCV Comic Con at LIMS Motion Picture Studios in Castaic in October. Katharine Lotze/Signal

Left to right: Xander Jeanneret, Dustin Silva, Ambika Silva, and Bonnie Gordon take a photo together on the post-apocalyptic set at LIMS Motion Picture Studios in Castaic during the first day of the first-ever SCV Comic Con in September. Jeanneret and Gordon form the Library Bards, and performed at the first night of the convention. Katharine Lotze/Signal

Ashley Martinez, 14, left, and her cousin Ava Trepepi, 13, dance the the fancy shawl dance during the intertribal dance at the 23rd Annual Hart of the West PowWow & Native American Craft Fair held at William S. hart park in Newhall in October. Dan Watson/The Signal

Gavin Watts, 13, dances wearing the northern traditional regalia including eagle wing bustle, bone breast plate and porcupine hair roach during the inter-tribal dance at the 23rd Annual Hart of the West PowWow & Native American Craft Fair held at William S. Hart Park in Newhall in October. Dan Watson/The Signal

Connie Worden-Roberts’ son Leon Worden, left, and grandson Jake unveil the sign for the Connie Worden-Roberts Memorial Bridge at the official ribbon cutting ceremony in Santa Clarita in October, when the bridge officially opened. Dan Watson/The Signal

Citizens put their hands on their hearts as local Santa Clarita Valley sheriff’s deputies and firefighters salute fallen Sgt. Steve Owen as a procession in his honor moved northbound on Highway 14 past the Golden Valley Bridge in October. Sgt. Owen was the first line-of-duty fatality for the sheriff’s department in several years. Katharine Lotze/Signal

Mourners pay their respects to fallen Sgt. Steve Owen on the Golden Valley Bridge as a procession the Lancaster sheriff’s deputy’s honor drove from Los Angeles to Lancaster in October. Katharine Lotze/Signal

Hundreds of attendees hold up candles at a candlelight vigil honoring Sgt. Steve Owen at the Santa Clarita Sheriff’s Station in Valencia in October. Dan Watson/The Signal

A firefighter is blown backward by a combination of wind and heat from a fire that broke out in October near Sierra Highway and Via Princessa. According to officials on scene, hazardous materials were possibly burned during the blaze. Katharine Lotze/Signal

Eric Zimmerman, who normally works in the flooring department at Lowe’s, helps install new flooring at the Bridge to Home winter shelter in October. Lowe’s donated time and materials to install new flooring, thermostat controls, and decor at the shelter. Katharine Lotze/Signal

Thousands of blue streamers obscure the dignitaries as they lift shovels of dirt at the Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital patient tower groundbreaking ceremony held at Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital in Valencia in October. Dan Watson / The Signal

Signal file photo Empty dump trucks pull into a soil treatment area to pick up clean dirt as viewed on tour of the cleanup efforts of the Whittaker-Bermite site in Valencia in October 2016. Dan Watson/The Signal

Mauricio Pineda, left, meets Nicholas Klima, right, and Tyler Lopez, center, after helping rescue them from a burning car after Klima crashed off on Plum Canyon Road in October. Klima doesn’t remember the accident. Pineda was working construction in the area, and ran to help the boys. Katharine Lotze/Signal

Clerk Gurpreej Gadiok hangs an American flag out side the entrance to Wolf Creek Resaurant which is also a polling place in Valencia on Election Day. Dan Watson/The Signal

Clerks check in voters in a garage in Canyon Country on Election Day. Dan Watson/The Signal

A group of about thirty protestors who responding to a Facebook post hold signs as they gather on the corner of Magic Mountain Parkway and McBean Parkway to protest against President-elect Donald Trump and his policies in November. Dan Watson/The Signal

Bouquet Canyon resident John Fligg is one of the first local residents to travel on the newly reopened Vasquez Canyon Road in November. The road, vital to commuters, was closed in 2015 after the hillside crumbled. Dan Watson/The Signal

The Master’s University mens basketball team took on UCLA for the first time in both schools’ histories in November. Katharine Lotze/Signal

The Master’s University’s Evan Jenkins passes to a teammate during an exhibition game at Pauley Pavilion in Los Angeles on Tuesday. Katharine Lotze/Signal

Customers wait outside Santa Clarita’s new Cheesecake Factory for lunch on Election Day, the long-awaited restaurant’s opening day. Katharine Lotze/Signal

The City of Santa Clarita’s Gail Morgan makes her exit Dec. 27, when she will retire. Katharine Lotze/Signal

Frida Iniguez, left, and Max Diaz, 5, center, and Giselle Diaz, right, lay roses near the stump of the tree that was involved in the car crash that killed Paul Walker three years ago. Mourners left mementos at the site in November, the anniversary of the actor’s death. Katharine Lotze/Signal

A Los Angeles Dodgers hat, along with two miniature cars hold down a written note left by a Paul Walker fan near the site of the fatal car crash that killed the actor and the drive of the vehicle three years ago in November. Katharine Lotze/Signal

Signal senior reporter Jim Holt prepares be the subject on an interview himself in December, for Investigation Discovery, about Holt’s coverage of Dino Roy Guglielmelli, who was charged with murder-for-hire of his wife in 2013. Katharine Lotze/Signal

Signal senior reporter Jim Holt shows archive copies of the Signal to a French film crew in December, showing stories about the Paul Walker and Roger Rodas crash in November 2013. Holt was interviewed for two separate productions in December. Katharine Lotze/Signal

file photo. Captured using high dynamic range settings, snow on the San Gabriel Mountains can be seen from Vasquez Rocks in Agua Dulce. Katharine Lotze/Signal

Snow levels dropped to an elevation of 3,000 feet this morning with substantial snow fall in Frazier Park just before Christmas. Jeff Zimmerman/For the Signal

Snow covers the hills north of Santa Clarita, overlooking the Five Knolls development, as seen from Ermine Street at Golden Valley Road the morning of Dec. 26, 2016. Katharine Lotze/Signal

Signal file photo: Part time crossing guard Fred Mortimer, right, stops traffic on Decoro Drive for students and parents caring umbrellas as they head home from Santa Clarita Elementary School after rain fell on Saugus on Tuesday afternoon. A recent Sheriff’s Station operation focused on driving and pedestrian safety DAN WATSON 011916

PHOTOGRAPHER FAVORITE: A squirrel seems to be smiling as it scratches it’s head on the branch of a tree at Newhall Park in Newhall on Friday. 021216 DAN WATSON

PHOTOGRAPHER FAVORITE: A water dropping helicopter makes a drop on flames of the Sand Fire as it burns near Placerita Canyon Road and the Placerita nature Center. Dan Watson

PHOTOGRAPHER FAVORITE: A bird is silhouetted by a full moon. Dan Watson/Signal

PHOTOGRAPHER FAVORITE: Rain pools and continues to fall as Taco Llama’s open sign reflects on the corner of 9th and Main Streets in Newhall on Thursday evening. Katharine Lotze/Signal

PHOTOGRAPHER FAVORITE: Saniya Travenia, 8, tries to dodge kisses from poodle Romeo as she reads a book to him at the Canyon Country Library’s Read to Dogs program on Thursday, Sept. 15, 2016.

FILE PHOTO A rattlesnake makes its way across the Six Flags Magic Mountain parking lot. Katharine Lotze/Signal

PHOTOGRAPHER FAVORITE: A white rose is flecked with pink fire retardant in front of a home on Morning Mist Drive in Stevenson Ranch following the weekend’s Sage Fire. KATHARINE LOTZE/Signal. 07112016

PHOTOGRAPHER FAVORITE: A pair of golden trout in a moment of stillness after Robledo netted them.

PHOTOGRAPHER FAVORITE: A firefighter with the Angeles National Forest douses flames at a car fire on the northbound Placerita Canyon Road off ramp off of Highway 14 on Friday, Aug. 13, 2016.

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Katharine Lotze

Katharine Lotze is a photojournalist and columnist at the Signal, and can be found photographing daily life in Santa Clarita, or writing personal essays about her own daily life.

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