Sunday Signal
NEWS FEATURES
Community
A flight path forged by fortitude
The men and women who make up the Los Angeles County Fire Department’s Air Operations Unit enjoy a slightly different commute than most. Early each
October 5, 2019
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Community
Centurions’ first leader shares from life in education
Though Myron Sproul has now been retired longer than he worked, he still has many fond memories of his 30-year career as an educator here
October 5, 2019
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Arts & Culture
The sounds of Cilience
Though local alternative rock band Cilience came up with their name from a made-up word, they’ve been able to adapt it to encompass the essence
September 29, 2019
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News Features
J-Team enters 2nd decade of battling addiction, saving kids
Santa Clarita Valley’s top cop keeps on the wall by his desk a laminated poster the size of a dinner placemat that bears the face of every person who has died of a drug overdose in the SCV.
September 22, 2019
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Art
Jacket inspires unique artwork, documentary
As Valencia artist Suzanne DeCuir sat with her husband in a stuffy, little hotel room in the Hunan province of China, they began removing layer upon layer of clothing from their newly adopted, 14-month-old daughter Anna.
September 22, 2019
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News Features
An evening with the stars in the SCV
It may seem like the millions of stars and constellations that light up the night sky are undetectable without the proper equipment, but local astronomy experts say the colorful nebulas and glowing galaxies that span hundreds of miles are detectable with nothing but your eyes and a dark night.
September 22, 2019
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News Features
SCV sees rise in nontraditional pastimes
With 11,000 acres of preserved open space and more than 30 parks across the Santa Clarita Valley, it’s no rarity to find cyclists down bikeways or little leagues running bases at Central Park.
September 22, 2019
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News Features
Why some choose pets over parenthood
While some choose to raise pets to see if they can handle bringing up another human life, others view their pets as their children and are going above and beyond to ensure they live their best lives.
September 15, 2019
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News Features
Team SuperFighters: The group to battle it all
Each member of Team SuperFighters has faced some kind of obstacle in their lives over the past few years, whether it be cancer, a knee replacement or the loss of a patella.
September 15, 2019
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Events
Patriot Day brings community together in remembrance
This year marks 18 years since the devastating Sept. 11 terrorist attacks that killed nearly 3,000 people and injured another 6,000.
September 8, 2019
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News Features
Living with 9/11: NYC cop assigned to Ground Zero remembers
Castaic homeowner and former NYPD officer Marc Manfro has lived with 9/11 every single day since terrorists toppled the Twin Towers, with every labored breath he takes, every time he gets up in the morning and every time he goes to sleep.
September 8, 2019
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News Features
Free and fun: SCV History 101
Santa Clarita is unique not only because of its history, but also for its preservation of that history.
September 8, 2019
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News Features
Sharing a longtime love
William Lyons III, 80, has been in a love affair for 55 years. His mistress has sensuous lines, a long nose and an ample boot. Lyons’ sweetheart is an award-winning 1956 Jaguar XK140 MC Fixed Head Coupe.
September 1, 2019
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News Features
New generation of SCV authors emerging
Publishing a book is a dream for many adults across the nation, and in the Santa Clarita Valley, two authors are part of a growing generation of younger writers sharing their stories.
September 1, 2019
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News Features
Tabletop gaming on the rise in the SCV
For those looking for an alternative to their routine of movies, video games and streaming shows, a growing number of Santa Clarita Valley residents are having fun with a more interactive way to bring adventure into their lives: tabletop gaming.
September 1, 2019
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Food
Pumpkin spice and everything nice
Though temperatures remain high, it’s Sept. 1, which means it’s officially time for the pumpkin-flavored cravings to come out of hibernation — pumpkin spice to begin appearing on menus everywhere.
September 1, 2019
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News Features
SCV pilot helps 200 kids discover flight
Lisa Fusano never thought she’d be where she is today — a pilot with her own plane, giving more than 200 kids the opportunity to soar through the skies.
August 25, 2019
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News Features
Volunteerism offers families chance to get together outside
Often offering a break from school, work and day-to-day hustle and bustle, the summer is considered an ideal time for families to bond with each other.
August 25, 2019
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News Features
SCV crime plunges by nearly 24% since last year
Crime in the Santa Clarita Valley — both violent crime, such as assaults, and property crimes, such as burglaries — are down by an unprecedented 24% compared to last year, and the SCV’s top cop points to dedicated deputies and a vigilant community as the reasons for the change.
August 25, 2019
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News Features
Scientists hope dreams lead to discovery
There might be a lot be a lot we can learn about ourselves from the way we dream — but not in the way we traditionally think of, according to Dr. Alon Avidan, director of UCLA’s Sleep Disorder Center and professor of neurology at UCLA.
August 18, 2019
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News Features
Experts weigh in on right time to refinance
With mortgage rates tumbling down in recent weeks, millions of homeowners could save more than $150 a month from refinancing.
August 18, 2019
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Entertainment
Where the SCV gathers to get outside
There is something fundamentally healthy about being outdoors. For children, it can give them the freedom to run, jump and play. And while physical activities
August 17, 2019
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History
Laughs, lessons and life at 100
When Santa Clarita resident Bernie Glass was told he would be a good standup comedian, he replied: “The toughest part of that would be to
August 11, 2019
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News Features
CalArts alumni keep memory of Connie alive
For more than four decades, the case of murdered CalArts student Connie Marsh remained inactive as the tragedy slipped silently into history — until now.
August 11, 2019
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News Features
The magic of making people feel better
Life is full of challenges, and while some might grow bitter after being dealt an especially bad hand, Dovid Rabotnick uses the magic of optimism and actual magic to keep his spirits up and give back to others.
August 11, 2019
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News Features
Meet the SCV’s ‘Hotshots’ from Bear Divide
They’re the Bear Divide Hotshots, and a description of their work feels akin to discussing an elite paramilitary unit, due as much to their specialized training as it is to the dangerous and unique nature of their assignments.
August 11, 2019
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Art
Ballerina ready for next ‘stepping stone’
Though most children prefer playful, kid’s music, as a child, Gianna Juliet loved classical music. “That’s what I always wanted to dance to,” she said.
August 4, 2019
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Business
It’s wine o’clock in the SCV
Enjoying a glass of wine is much more than a companion for a good meal. The tradition that stretches back thousands of years can now
August 4, 2019
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Community
Local ocean lifeguard specialist receives Medal of Valor
Newhall resident Jon Van Duinwyk has always known he wanted to be a lifeguard and make a career out of it, yet he didn’t know
July 27, 2019
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News Features
Family stories from Cinema Drive
Mom-and-pop shops have always seemed to have a welcome home in the Santa Clarita Valley. “Family-owned businesses have always been a part of the Santa
July 27, 2019
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Kids & Family
Finding loving homes in the SCV
Eleven-year-old Mary traveled to Valencia from Colombia for five weeks this summer. She, like many other 11-year-olds, loves to play outside, write and dance, yet
July 26, 2019
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Business
Cicoil marks anniversary of ‘one small step’
In 1969, Apollo 11 astronauts Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins launched from Florida’s Kennedy Space Center with the goal of being the first to walk on the moon.
July 20, 2019
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News Features
Best practices for traveling with pets
It’s summer time, which also means it’s time for summer vacations. Preparing for a trip can be stressful on its own, but for those with pets, it can seem like a daunting task.
July 20, 2019
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News Features
Santa Clarita-based Tombot creates robot service dog
“Jennie” is the first prototype for Tombot, a robotic puppy with the hyper-realistic appearance and feel, created by a Santa Clarita-based company that goes by the same name, for individuals facing health adversities such as dementia and autism.
July 20, 2019
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News Features
The SCV preps for the next ‘Big One’
Are you ready if the next “big one?” The recent Ridgecrest earthquakes that also shook the Santa Clarita Valley offered painful reminders for some residents of the deadly 1994 Northridge Earthquake, pictured above, which was much closer and devastated the SCV.
July 20, 2019
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News Features
Glowhouse looks to grow gaming in SCV
“You can’t make a living by playing video games.” While many grew up hearing this admonishment as a means to motivate to do chores, studying
July 13, 2019
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News Features
Santa Clarita Valley skate parks offer summer fun
Southern California has long been considered a hot spot for skaters, bike riders and other action sports-enthusiasts, and while it may not be considered one
July 13, 2019
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Art
Castaic musician earns encore at Juilliard
Kenneth Joshua “K.J.” McDonald is a proud recipient of a Kovner Fellowship at The Juilliard School — not once, but twice. At 6 years old,
July 12, 2019
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Community
Newhall resident searching for kidney donor
A car accident is almost never thought of as a “good thing,” and it wasn’t for Newhall resident Valerie Day, either — at first. In
July 12, 2019
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News Features
SCV crime draws national spotlight
Although the Santa Clarita Valley is a safe, close and relatively quiet community, every now and then, a crime story catapults L.A. County’s third-largest city
July 7, 2019
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News Features
The authors behind some of SCV’s children’s books
Like any city, Santa Clarita is home to a number of different creative minds, but what many don’t know is it’s also home to a
July 6, 2019
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News Features
How to buy a motorcycle in Santa Clarita
There are those who like to see and feel the road beneath them. Those who ride against the wind. There are those who ride motorcycles.
July 5, 2019
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News Features
Preparing you and yours for fire season
The sun is shining and the weather is warm — summer is officially here. But with warm weather comes fire season. The warmer the temperature,
July 5, 2019
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News Features
When you take to the trails this summer
With summer officially underway, hundreds of Santa Clarita Valley families are flocking to the lakes, parks and miles of trails that zig and zag throughout
June 29, 2019
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Community
Henry Mayo celebrates 7th annual NICU reunion
Seven years ago, Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital opened the Kim and Steven Ullman Neonatal Intensive Care Unit in response to the valley’s growing community, and
June 29, 2019
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News Features
Two missing persons reports leave questions unanswered
On average, Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station deputies receive several hundred missing persons reports each year, and sometimes more than one a day. Due to
June 22, 2019
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News Features
How to keep your home safe while on vacation
With summer just around the corner, families everywhere are getting ready for exciting summer vacations. But those vacations aren’t just exciting for you; summer is
June 22, 2019
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News Features
Canyon Country Barber shop celebrates the big 5-0
Olive-tinted leather chairs with built-in ashtrays. Clippers and a scalp massager. Even a wooden rack adorned with all the magazines you’d expect to find at
June 21, 2019
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News Features
Vaping — a growing national epidemic
More and more teenagers across the nation are beginning to experiment with tobacco and marijuana products through the use of vape pens and devices like
June 15, 2019
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Finance
Card skimmers at the gas pump: how to spot and avoid scams
The number of credit card skimmers at gas pumps, ATMs and other points of sale has risen dramatically over the last few years, hitting various
June 15, 2019
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News Features
Off the SCV’s beaten paths
The true motorbike and off-road riders understand why most bikes and gear shops tend to be closed on Sundays on Mondays. “Our industry has always
June 14, 2019
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Health & Fitness
How to survive the sweltering, summer heat
School’s out for much of the Santa Clarita Valley and that means that summer’s almost here. Temperatures have already reached the triple digits, sparking multiple
June 14, 2019
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News Features
Study finds Gen Z is stressed out about money
A recent Turbo survey found that Generation Z’s top money problem is student loan debt, but James McKinney, with Status Not Quo in Valencia, shared
June 8, 2019
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News Features
Experts share how to talk to kids about safe driving
There’s freedom, convenience and thrill behind getting your driver’s license for the first time as a teenager but statistics show the leading cause of death
June 8, 2019
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News Features
The faces behind roadside memorial shrines
Whether young or old, in a car or on a bike, several high-profile crashes in the Santa Clarita Valley over the last few years have
June 7, 2019
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News Features
Trick riders: the daredevils of horse riding
Performing stunts while riding a horse is a time-honored tradition for some risk-takers. Trick riding has been around for years, and perhaps the most standout
June 7, 2019
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Environment
Recycling: You may be doing it wrong
Sometimes, we put things in the recycling bin simply because we want them to be recyclable. A plastic bag, a greasy pizza box, a paper
June 1, 2019
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Art
Let’s get crafty, Santa Clarita!
If you’re artsy and crafty, Santa Clarita is the perfect place for you. Not only are there various classes and events, but also plenty of
June 1, 2019
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News Features
Overcoming adversity to become Top Dog
The Tucker family’s dog grooming business endeavors brought them closer together at a time when they needed just that. MacKenzie Tucker was perfectly healthy until
May 31, 2019
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Health and Lifestyle
When you’re always a little late…
For many of us, there are three little words that almost always accompany our delayed entrance into a meeting, class or date. It’s the phrase,
May 31, 2019
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News Features
How to buy a new car in Santa Clarita
Depending on who you speak with when it comes to buying a car, there are a number things to be on the lookout for, from
May 26, 2019
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Community
The history behind the names: SCV edition
As Santa Clarita Valley residents, we quickly become familiar with the names of the neighborhoods that make up the valley, as well as the streets
May 26, 2019
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Food
SCV’s 12 best burgers for National Burger Month
May is National Burger Month (yes, it’s a thing) and to celebrate, some of The Signal staff have compiled a list of their very favorite
May 26, 2019
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News Features
Home brew operations on the rise
The rise of craft breweries and niche wineries has probably caught the attention of those who like beer or wine. The Brewers Association says two
May 26, 2019
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News Features
Mentryville, the SCV’s first boom town
In 1876, Charles Alexander Mentry would bring in California’s first commercially viable oil well in Pico Canyon. He pulled liquid gold out of the ground,
May 18, 2019
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News Features
Giving back to those who made a difference
It was his sixth-grade teacher who changed it all for Santa Clarita resident Tyler Anderson. When others failed to see his academic potential, his educator
May 18, 2019
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News Features
A few of the SCV’s more infamous bank robbers
The day prison doors recently swung open for the bank robber who came to be known as the “Bombshell Bandit.” Sandeep Kaur, now 29, was
May 17, 2019
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News Features
Voicing his full potential
By Nathanael Rodriguez, Sunday Signal Contributor Brian Hull stood behind the recording microphone. His mouth stretched wide, his lips and teeth forming a thin line.
May 17, 2019
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News Features
Cosplay in the Santa Clarita Valley: Caring, community and commerce
Michael Gomes enjoys the convenience of modern society, but sometimes feels like he wants to rebel against the kind of uniformity his homeowners association demands,
May 11, 2019
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Family Fun
Fitness options for kids in the SCV
When most think of exercise, they imagine running on the treadmill, lifting weights or going to the gym. For kids, exercise simply means playing and
May 10, 2019
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News Features
Eleven animals who love spring just as much as we do
The weather is getting warmer and the flowers are blooming — spring is here. It’s the season where everything is growing and coming to life,
May 4, 2019
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Kids & Family
Young Marines program strengthens SCV’s youth
Ten “young marines,” ranging from ages 8 to 15, stood perfectly still and in formation as Tim Stratton, a retired U.S. Marines master sergeant and
May 4, 2019
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News Features
Fighting cancer with screenings, awareness
While there are lots of local effort to raise awareness about mental and personal health, many Santa Clarita Valley residents still aren’t sure what diseases
May 3, 2019
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News Features
Community leaders give their best pieces of advice
Advice is an interesting thing. Sometimes it’s good; sometimes it’s terrible. That’s why the best advice lies in the eye of the beholder. However, there
May 3, 2019
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News Features
How to stay safe on the internet
While you need to be like Neo, the main character from “The Matrix” to make sure your identity and possessions are safe online. But an
April 27, 2019
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News Features
Amgen Tour: Everyone’s ready to race
An elite peloton of women cyclists are just weeks away from passing through Santa Clarita for the finish line of the 2019 Amgen Tour of
April 27, 2019
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News Features
How to capture the best photos with your phone
Smartphone cameras are getting better and better with each update released, so it’s no surprise that we are uploaded billions of photos to social media
April 26, 2019
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Family Fun
When the Santa Clarita Valley saddles up
History tells us that horses have been in the Santa Clarita Valley since the early days of its settlement, part of a culture the area
April 26, 2019
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News Features
Checking up on your child’s care
espite recent controversy in the news involving daycare locations in the Santa Clarita Valley and beyond, there are numerous safe local options. Parents searching for
April 20, 2019
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News Features
Organizers weigh in on how to get things in order
Many people choose the start of a new year as an opportunity to make changes in their lives, such as becoming more organized. The new
April 20, 2019
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Kids & Family
Teaching safety on social media
Today’s teens live in a world where technology is growing rapidly, and they are now almost always equipped with a cell phone or laptop to
April 19, 2019
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News Features
Local family raises second puppy for Guide Dogs of America
Raising a puppy for a year and a half then having to give it back is not easy for most, but the Ramirez family has
April 19, 2019
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Health & Fitness
Natural remedies found right in your own home
We all know that chicken soup isn’t only good for the soul, but also for helping relieve cold and flu symp- toms. And what many
April 13, 2019
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News Features
The rising cost of higher education
There are more opportunities to attend college today than ever before, but get- ting an education is also more expensive than in years past. The
April 13, 2019
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News Features
Wellington’s odyssey: A Maltese story
Melisa’s dog Wellington, a Maltese mix, had been missing for almost eight years when she got a call from the Castaic Animal Care Center telling
April 12, 2019
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News Features
Planning for a day at the lake
Residents longing for a beach experience without mixh if a road trip can make 15-minute drive to Castaic Lake, and find a treasure of activities
April 7, 2019
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News Features
No. 7173: sharing the legacy of a badge
For three decades, Deputy William Villamil wore badge no. 7173 with pride. So when he retired last week, laid his service firearm on the table
April 7, 2019
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News Features
Keep your skin healthy this summer
Springtime is here and summer is soon to follow, meaning many Santa Clarita Valley residents could soon be exposed to 100-degree temperatures and the sun’s
April 7, 2019
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News Features
Six steps to improving your credit
Anyone who’s ever tried to finance the purchase of a house, a car, a business expense or even an education loan knows, your credit score
April 7, 2019
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Design
TLC’s ‘Trading Spaces’ returns and heads to Valencia
After a 10-year hiatus, TLC’s hit home-makeover series, “Trading Spaces,” returned for its 10th season this month. “Trading Spaces” was around long before hits like
April 1, 2019
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