City Council to revisit district-based city elections

The Santa Clarita City Council is scheduled Tuesday to hold a special meeting to discuss a lawsuit that may put Santa Clarita voters in a position to elect their council members through district-based elections instead of the existing “at-large” method.  The lawsuit, filed by Bay

State announces fewer COVID-19 restrictions starting June 15

Most businesses and activities will return to “usual operations” starting June 15 under new state public health guidelines released Friday morning.  Capacity limitations and physical distancing will not be required for most business, including sectors outlined in

County takes action on veterans’ suicide prevention

The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors earlier this month authorized the creation a veterans’ suicide review team to respond to “systemic concerns” related to suicidal behavior among veterans and recommend strategies to minimize the

Hart student’s painting selected to appear in Congress

Olivia Moon is a junior at William S. Hart High School — and her artwork is headed to the U.S. Capitol.   Moon was named the winner of the 2021 Congressional Art Competition for California’s 25th District. She

Modified Make a Blanket Day still brings comfort

Students from the Santa Clarita Valley chapter of Project Linus organized and facilitated a drive-thru blanket drop-off event Saturday in the parking lot of the Dr. Dianne G. Van Hook University Center.  It’s the first Make a Blanket Day event hosted by the student-run nonprofit,

Residents ‘Hit the Trail’ for Bike Safety Month

Cyclists from across the city rode their bikes Saturday morning as part of the city’s Hit the Trail community bike ride.   Riders could start from one of four city-designated locations depending on their desired ride length.   Anne Kamps and

Farm-to-Table in Newhall and Valencia

Since Larry McClements took the helm of the Newhall Farmers Market, the Saturday open-air market in Old Town Newhall has grown. “When I first took it over, which is about

Four-car collision stops traffic on southbound 14, 2 injured

A four-vehicle crash on the southbound lanes of Highway 14 near Soledad Canyon Road brought traffic on that route to a standstill Saturday afternoon.  The California Highway Patrol closed all lanes at 3:42 p.m., according to Officer Elizabeth Kravig.  The

CDC funding to support COVID-19 testing at schools

Santa Clarita Valley’s six school districts could receive a little over $7.5 million from Los Angeles County to provide comprehensive COVID-19 screening programs at SCV schools.  That sum is part of a $300 million award from the Centers for Disease Control to

Baby bear stuck in tree in Canyon Country

A baby bear was spotted atop a tree Saturday morning near the intersection of Abelia Road and Grandifloras Road in Canyon Country.  Neighbors gathered around the tree to look at the bear

Roundtable faces scrutiny over inclusivity

Following a member’s resignation in April citing “reverse racism” on the city of Santa Clarita Human Relations Roundtable and criticism that Santa Clarita Mayor Bill Miranda found himself addressing from the dais at City Hall

Sand Canyon Resort development returns to Planning Commission

The city of Santa Clarita Planning Commission is scheduled to conduct a public hearing Tuesday to further deliberate on the Sand Canyon Resort development.  The proposed 75.5-acre development returns to the Planning Commission after three prior hearings on the subject. 

City receives 800+ rental assistance applications

The city of Santa Clarita received approximately 850 applications for its rental assistance program ahead of the program’s April 30 application deadline.  “Now we’re in the process of basically fully vetting the applications,” said Michael Villegas, the city’s preservation officer, “determining

Cycling the daily commute for Bike to Work Week

The city of Santa Clarita marked Bike to Work Week this week by inviting residents to ride their bikes and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.   Residents could take a pledge to ride to their workplaces at

Wilk introduces resolution seeking to protect retirement benefits

Sen. Scott Wilk, R-Santa Clarita, introduced last week a state Senate joint resolution, SJR 5, to urge Congress to amend the Social Security Average Wage Index — a variable in the Social Security Administration’s formula for calculating Social Security benefits — to