Photos of the Week: Dec. 31, 2016 – Jan. 7, 2017

Katharine Lotze
January 7, 2017
2:53 pm

Newborn baby Nicholas Georgy is held by his father, Michael Abbas, at Henry Mayo Newhall Memoria Hospital on Sunday. Samie Gebers/Signal

Newborn baby Nicholas Georgy rests in his mother’s arms at Henry Mayo Newhall memorial hospital on Sunday. Samie Gebers/Signal

Michael Abbas, right, look up from his newborn son, Nicholas Georgy, held by his wife, Mira Sophoclis, at Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital. Samie Gebers/Signal

Michael Abbas, right, looks at his newborn son, Nicholas Georgy, held by his wife, Mira Sophoclis, at Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital. Samie Gebers/Signal

A person pulls a sled along in the snow over New Year’s weekend. Jeff Zimmerman/For the Signal

Swimmers tread through an unheated pool at the 11th annual Arctic Chill Polar Bear Swim at the Santa Clarita Aquatic Center on Sunday. Samie Gebers/ Signal

Swimmers run into the 50-degree water during the 11th annual Arctic Chill Polar Bear Swim on Sunday. Samie Gebers/ Signal

Participants of the annual Arctic Chill Polar Bear Swim warm up with hot cocoa and coffee at the Santa Clarita Aquatic Center on Sunday. Samie Gebers/ Signal

Cricket, a 12 year-old American kestrel watches the members of the audience during the weekly Native Live Animal Presentation at the Placerita Canyon Nature Center on Saturday. Dan Watson/The Signal

Smaller version of the gopher snake seen here being handled by volunteer Roger McClure as he describes shape of the head of gopher snake, Sylvester, at the Placerita Canyon Nature Center. Dan Watson/The Signal

Barn owl Catori flaps his wings as volunteer Roger McClure leads the weekly Native Live Animal Presentation at the Placerita Canyon Nature Center on Saturday. Dan Watson/The Signal

Adrian Tester, left, looks on as Christian Tester,7, opens his mouth as he can to mimic a snake preparing to eat a mouse during the weekly Native Live Animal Presentation at the Placerita Canyon Nature Center on Saturday. Dan Watson/The Signal

Volunteer Roger McClure describes how the air passes through the feathers of the flapping wings of Catori, a barn owl, makes them nearly silent during the weekly Native Live Animal Presentation at the Placerita Canyon Nature Center on Saturday. Dan Watson/The Signal

Zoey Hollander, 4, left, of Canyon Country gets a close-up look as volunteer Roger McClure holds up a 12 year-old American kestrel named Cricket during the weekly Native Live Animal Presentation at the Placerita Canyon Nature Center on Saturday. Dan Watson/The Signal

A vehicle overturned near Soledad Canyon Road and River Circle Saturday evening. Austin Dave/The Signal

Carly and Bob Cookson of Newhall toast and kiss as they ring in the new year at the Rose and Crown British Restaurant in Newhall on Saturday. Dan Watson/The Signal

Sean and Susan O’Connell toast as they wait for the new year at the Rose and Crown British Restaurant in Newhall on Saturday. Dan Watson/The Signal

Greg Sutton, owner of the Rose and Crown British Restaurant takes a photo of the crowd as they count down to the new year, London England time – 4PM Santa Clarita time, at the Rose and Crown British Restaurant in Newhall on Saturday afternoon. Dan Watson/The Signal

Walt Gorey plays Auld Lang Syne on his bagpipes for the crowd as they welcome in the new year, London England time – 4PM Santa Clarita time, at the Rose and Crown British Restaurant in Newhall on Saturday. Dan Watson/The Signal

Dozens of attendees toast the new year at at the Rose and Crown British Restaurant in Newhall on Saturday afternoon. Dan Watson/The Signal

A runner runs by an oak tree along the bike path near Duane R. Harte Park at River Village on Monday, Jan. 2, 2017. Katharine Lotze/Signal

A fox head decoration is displayed on the Indian stage handle of the custom bowie knife. Dan Watson

Bill Herndon displays two of his high art knives which would command more than $2,000 dollars each. The Persian style dagger on the left, has his name engraved in the blade and five ounces of silver, the knife on the right has silver inlay and mother of pearl handles. Dan Watson

Bill Herndon uses a hammer on a hot steel blank to shape it into a blade. Dan Watson

Bill Herndon places a steel billet into his 30 ton press (yes 30 tons) after removing it from his three-thousand degree furnace. Dan Watson

Sparks fly as Bill Herndon shapes a blade using one of six grades of sandpaper on a grinding wheel. Dan Watson

A billet of steel for blade is heated in the three-thousand degree furnace. Dan Watson

A group gathers to play soccer on a basketball court near the Boys and Girls Club in Newhall on Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2017. Katharine Lotze/Signal

CHP began receiving calls about the single vehicle crash about 8:02 a.m. reporting a traffic collision on southbound I-5 truck route, at the I-5 and Highway 14 connector. Austin Dave/The Signal

Two of three turkeys cross Wildwood Canyon Road in Newhall on Thursday. Dan Watson/The Signal

Film producer Collier Landry gets out of his car as he waits for three turkeys to cross the road in front of his car on Wildwood Canyon Road in Newhall on Thursday. Dan Watson/The Signal

Film producer Collier Landry waits for three turkeys to cross the road in front of his car on Wildwood Canyon Road in Newhall on Thursday. Dan Watson/The Signal

A dummy body hangs from a telephone pole inside a Southern California Edison facility off of Rye Canyon Road in Valencia. Local business owners reported its presence to the Signal on Thursday, Jan. 5, 2017. Katharine Lotze/Signal

A dummy body hangs from a telephone pole inside a Southern California Edison facility off of Rye Canyon Road in Valencia. Local business owners reported its presence to the Signal on Thursday, Jan. 5, 2017. Katharine Lotze/Signal

Volunteers Clare Storey, left, and Judi Bruner with a group of senior Chihuahuas at the Castaic Animal Care Center in Castaic. Dan Watson/The Signal

Volunteer Judi Bruner holds senior Chihuahuas Dinky, left, and Sammy at the Castaic Animal Care Center. Dan Watson/The Signal

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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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