Monday, December 31, 2012

December 31

We wrap up 2012 at one of our favorite places in the SCV, Reyes Winery. Reyes Winery will be the home to the Sierra Pelona Wine Festival on January 26th. There will be over 60 wine and food vendors there all to benefit the Henry Mayo Newhall Memorial Hospital. You will not want to miss any of the details in this episode. We also had a couple suprise visitors pop-in to let us know what they will be bringing to the festival.


December 31

New Sculpture Adorns South Fork Trail

southfork123112aThe City of Santa Clarita recently installed its third piece of art along the South Fork Trail as part of the Common Spaces: Art in Public Places campaign.  The piece, titled “The Finish,” pays tribute to the men, women and children who use the trail system to stay active and healthy.

Artist Scott Bruckner donated the wood art piece to the City and describes his creation as representing a runner’s excitement as he or she passes the finish line in a race.  The piece was constructed from Douglas fir with steel support brackets and steel cables.  It is approximately 14 feet high from the base with a wingspan of seven feet.  Several coats of weatherproof deck sealer were applied to help maintain the finish and protect it from the drying and fading effects from the sun.  “The Finish” is the third art installation along the South Fork Trail, which also includes “The Spirit of Santa Clarita” by artist Dianne Foderaro and STROLL, an audio-art collaboration with CalArts.

southfork123112b“The South Fork Trail runs through the heart of our community and is a great place to showcase unique works of art for the residents who use the trails,” said Mayor Frank Ferry.  “’The Finish’ not only represents Santa Clarita’s commitment to healthy living, but the joy associated with setting a goal and accomplishing it.”

Artist Scott Bruckner began his wood sculpting in 1995, working with found objects and unused construction materials.  His work has garnered numerous awards over the years in local art shows, with his last award in the 2012 Santa Clarita Art Classic.  He has been an active part of the Santa Clarita arts community and was president of the Santa Clarita Artists’ Association from 2005 to 2006.

“The Finish” is part of the City of Santa Clarita City Council and Arts Commission’s efforts to provide a variety of enriching experiences in the community through public art in public spaces.  For more information about the City’s arts endeavors, please visit Common-Spaces.org.

To learn more about “The Finish” sculpture along the South Fork Trail, please contact Arts and Events Supervisor Jeff Barber at (661) 250-3779.


New Sculpture Adorns South Fork Trail

Today in SCV History (Dec. 31)

1920 – Singer-actor Rex Allen, Newhall Walk of Western Stars inductee (1982), born in Arizona [Walk]


Today in SCV History (Dec. 31)

Going to the Rose Parade? Some Do's & Don'ts

As this year’s Rose Parade approaches, the Pasadena Fire and Police Departments are issuing safety tips for the thousands of overnight campers who line the route on New Year’s Eve.

The parade route will be a safer place if everyone follows the rules and regulations intended for the safety of all parade-goers.

 

roseparade010112What You Can Do:

• Overnight camping is permitted only on the night of Dec. 31.

• A permanent position on the sidewalk may be maintained along the parade route beginning at noon on Dec. 31. The “Blue Line” is the honor line. All persons and property such as blankets, chairs, etc., must remain on the curb until 11 p.m. on Dec. 31. At that time spectators may move out to the honor line.

• Small, professionally manufactured barbeques elevated at least one foot off the ground are allowed on the parade route 25 feet from buildings or other combustibles. A fire extinguisher and water must be readily available.

• Minors under the age of 18 may be on the parade route from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. only if they are under the supervision of adults.

• Dress for cold weather. Children and seniors may need extra layers of clothing to avoid hypothermia.

• Stay hydrated and consume nourishing meals to avoid dehydration.

• Report any suspicious activities and packages to emergency authorities along the parade route.

• In case of emergency call (626) 744-4241 from a cellular phone or 9-1-1 from a landline phone and know the cross streets from which you are calling.

 

tournamentofrosesWhat You Can’t Do:

• Open containers of alcohol are illegal on public streets, sidewalks and all other public areas.

• Tents, sofas and boxes of any type that can be used as stools or seats are prohibited are not permitted along the route.

• Unoccupied chairs are not allowed.

• Bonfires are strictly prohibited and considered “illegal burns.”

• Fireworks are prohibited except as part of scheduled official events.

• No items may be sold along the parade route without a permit.

• No public areas (sidewalks, curbs, gutters, streets) may be cordoned or roped off.

• No ladders or scaffolding may be used as elevation for viewing the activities.

• It is illegal to buy, sell or give away horns on the parade route.

• Pets are not recommended along the parade route because they are easily frightened with sudden, loud noises.

• Selling space along the parade route, other than grandstand seating, is illegal.

• Throwing any projectile into the parade, including seemingly harmless items such as tortillas, marshmallows, flowers, etc., is prohibited.

• Vehicles obstructing emergency lanes will be towed.


Going to the Rose Parade? Some Do's & Don'ts

Blotter: Thief Nabs Tip Jar from Newhall Pizzeria

crimezone6newhallNewhall, Zone 6
Public Safety and Crime Prevention Information
Snapshot for 12/17/2012 – 12/23/2012.
Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station Crime Prevention Unit

 

During the past week Newhall (Zone 6) had seven reported Part-1 crimes.

Newhall saw two aggravated assaults (one of which was related to a domestic violence incident), one residential burglary, one grand theft, and three petty thefts. There were no reported vehicle burglaries during the above dates.

On Tuesday, 12/18/2012, US currency was stolen from a tip jar at the Papa John’s Pizza located at 23120 Lyons Avenue. The witness reported that the suspect entered the business and was pacing back and forth in the lobby of the location. The suspect exchanged words with the witness and then exited the location with the cash from the tip jar (ref -17906).

On Thursday, 12/20/2012, a victim reported that her wallet was stolen from inside a bar located on the 22500 block of 8th Street in Newhall. After the victim’s wallet was stolen, the victim reported that the possible suspect used her credit card at a gas station to make a purchase without her permission. This incident is currently under investigation (ref -18080).

During the past week, deputies working in Newhall (Zone 6) made over 10 arrests for various crimes such as narcotics, domestic violence, and being under the influence of the a controlled substance.

I continue to partner with the residents and business owners in Newhall. On 12/19/2012 I had the opportunity to meet and speak with numerous members of the Old Town Newhall Association about some of the exciting things taking place in Newhall. We also had the opportunity to discuss public safety and some of the latest and most current crime trends.

Remember to interact with your local sheriff’s station deputies by following us on Twitter, and liking our page on Facebook.

 

Deputy Joshua Dubin

jddubin@lasd.org

Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station

Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department

661-255-1121 ext. 4411

Twitter @SCVSheriff http://www.twitter.com/scvsheriff

SCV Station Homepage – http://www.santaclarita.lasd.org

Facebook -https://www.facebook.com/SantaClaritaValleySheriffsStation


Blotter: Thief Nabs Tip Jar from Newhall Pizzeria

Hart Boys Win Own Basketball Tournament

Lewis Stallworth, tournament MVP

Lewis Stallworth, tournament MVP

The Hart boys basketball team won its own Holiday Classic tournament with a 72-56 win over Glendale in the championship game.

Lewis Stallworth scored 22 points and was selected as the tournament MVP.

Stanley Wilder and Nico Cruz earned spots on the all-tournament team.

The score in the championship game was tied, 28-28, at halftime. Hart outscored Glendale, 24-11, in the third quarter to take a 13-point lead into the fourth quarter.

Myles Franklin scored16 points in the championship game. Cruz scored 11.

The Indians are 15-0 and won the Hart Holiday Classic for the first time since 2007.


Hart Boys Win Own Basketball Tournament

Happy New Year, America? | Commentary by Joe Messina

mug_joemessinaIt’s the day before the holiest day in the lives of football freaks and parade aficionados alike – New Year’s. The Rose Bowl and the Rose Parade usher in a new year of – well, wait, let’s finish 2012. I don’t want to get ahead of myself.

By the end of 2012, I will have completed almost 250 shows, written more or less 100 columns or blog posts, and wolfed down about 80 hot dogs from Wienerschnitzel.

I will have seen our economy flat-lined at less than 2 percent GDP growth and our real unemployment rate hanging in at 14.6 percent. This doesn’t account for the countless Americans who are taking jobs earning considerably less than they were making, not to mention millions of Americans who just gave up.

One out of every four houses in major metropolitan areas is in foreclosure. The U.S. credit rating has dropped for the first time in – forever. Our deficit has tripled in four short years. Millions of Americans are living on food stamps, and almost 46 million more are living under the poverty level.

Americans are giving up. Something is not right.

The person who does not work and receives government assistance often makes more money than a median-income person. How is it possible that a person who is receiving public assistance still gets services amounting to more than $40,000 a year?

When you add up what they receive in food stamps, Medicaid services and cash assistance, it adds up to $40,000 to $50,000 per year. Is anyone wondering why so many don’t want to work? A person who makes $33,000 to $40,000 per year really sees just $19,000 to $24,000 after taxes. But when you go for services, you are told you “make too much.” You don’t make enough money to survive, but you make too much to receive services. You can barely make ends meet. Why bother getting up every day to go to a job that pays so little when you can make more with government assistance?

So, to beat poverty, you simply need to go on government aid. How do we move forward when things are this backward? Wouldn’t it be better for government to encourage people to take on ANY job and assist them a little bit if needed to bridge the gap?

Thousands of businesses are closing down. Between the economy, taxes, health care mandates and out-of-control regulation, it’s just too hard to be a business owner and survive, let alone succeed.

We can’t drill for oil. Manufacturing plants can’t open because we can’t import needed metals because of regulations. We are living in a global economy and are regulating ourselves out of business.

Case in point: It’s cheaper and easier to build the Volt battery in Taiwan than in America (where our president says we need to be more green-friendly). So he loaned GM money to build the Volt to save the car industry and further green energy, essentially putting many of GM’s workers out of a job (in the middle of a recession), bankrupting many GM re-investors and sending the green battery manufacturing services to Taiwan. Makes sense to me. Not.

The president said earlier this year, “Small business is doing well.” Really? Which small businesses was he speaking of? Look at the local strip malls and commercial industrial areas. Many are empty. Bankruptcy is up with small business owners.

It must be backwards year.

The cliff is in sight, no matter what they agree on. But 2013 can’t get any worse – really? Many economists say that there is another recession coming in 2013, maybe even a depression.

Current GDP is at a level that can’t even sustain the recession we are in now. (Yes, we are still in a recession.) We are extremely dependent on Europe’s economy. As of November, Greece alone has more than 11 million people, and only 4.7 million are working. They need to borrow $30 billion-plus to pay their bills for the next few months until a permanent plan can be worked out. Sounds like they are taking a lesson from our legislators. Oh, and Japan, which we rely on heavily, has government debt that is 230 percent of its GDP.

Here at home, the foreclosure problem has only just begun. Banks have been holding back. Just you wait.

Rising health care costs, stronger regulations, more stringent oil drilling regulations, more foreclosures looming, and a severe shortage of jobs … Happy New Year?

 

Joe Messina is host of The Real Side (TheRealSide.com), a nationally syndicated talk show that runs on AM-1220 KHTS radio and SCVTV [here]. He is also an elected member of the Hart School Board. His commentary publishes Mondays.

 


Happy New Year, America? | Commentary by Joe Messina

No DUI Arrests at CHP Checkpoint in Stevenson Ranch

logo_chpCalifornia Highway Patrol officers conducted a DUI checkpoint Saturday night at The Old Road and Constitution in Stevenson Ranch, and no one was arrested for drunk driving, according to California Highway Patrol officials.

The checkpoint was conducted from 6 p.m. to 2 a.m., according to a CHP statement.

The number of cars screened was not yet available, according to CHP officials with the Newhall Station.

Countywide, the Winter Holiday Anti-DUI crackdown has resulted in a significant number of DUI arrests from local routine traffic enforcement and special DUI deployments during the past several days in Los Angeles County.

From 12:01 a.m. Friday, Dec. 14, through midnight Thursday, Dec. 27, officers representing 100 county law enforcement agencies have arrested 1,480 individuals for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. In 2011, 1,849 DUI arrests occurred during the same 14-day time period. (Note: These numbers are only provisional, with some agencies yet to report.)

For New Year’s Eve holiday weekend and the final five days of the campaign, DUI saturation patrols, DUI checkpoints and other DUI details will be deploying throughout L.A. County ending the 19-day campaign. The CHP will be deploying all available officers for their Maximum Enforcement Period during the New Year’s holiday weekend beginning tonight (Dec. 29) at 6 p.m. until midnight Tuesday, Jan. 1.

All regularly scheduled traffic and patrol officers will focus efforts at stopping and arresting DUI drivers during their normal shifts.


No DUI Arrests at CHP Checkpoint in Stevenson Ranch

CougarNews.com | Local photographer discusses his work

Christmas and the New Year bring to mind images of babies as many celebrate the birth of Jesus. Others look ahead to the symbolic baby New Year. For award-winning Santa Clarita photographer, Yoti Telio, babies are angelic everyday of the year.

“I love photography babies. They’re angelic, they’re beautiful, they’re little and every one of them is a small gift to the parents and to the world,” Telio says, owner of Santa Clarita Photographic Studio.

The holidays bring out the child in most people as they prepare gifts for one another, especially for the children. It is the time many churches portray the gifts brought by the wise men to the Christ Child. Across the globe, angelic images of fragile fingers and chubby cheeked cherubs adorn holiday decor.

This year children are at the forefront of most American’s minds because of the Newtown tragedy. When looking at Santa Clarita tots, many are reminded to pray for the families affected.

Telio has seen many children from different communities and nationalities. His giftedness for photographing children began at an early age.

“I am of Greek and Italian heritage born in Romania. I have been a photographer since I was 6-and-a-half-years-old,” he explains, continuing his childhood passion throughout high school. Yoti was recently awarded the grand prize during Santa Clarita’s Empowering HeARTS competition for his photographic images of his childhood icon, Alice Davis, designer for Disney’s “It’s a Small World.”  Other professional accolades include:

Baby Talk with Santa Clarita award-winning photographer, Yoti Telio

Baby Talk with Santa Clarita award-winning photographer, Yoti Telio

2009 Best of Valencia Wedding & Portrait Photography
2007 California Studio Portrait Photographer of the Year
2007 National Fuji Masterpiece in Portraiture Award

Babies change quickly during the first few months. Yoti encourages new parents to take the time to photograph infants within the child’s first two months.  He opens his new photography studio in the heart of Valencia’s industrial park at 25345 Avenue Stanford, Suite #203 where he tastefully displays stunning portraits of many cheerful children. Yoti makes it clear that his photography is far more than a photo op.

“Babies are God’s gift to us. It’s proof that the best things do come in small packages.”


Local photographer discusses his work

Sunday, December 30, 2012

Today in SCV History (Dec. 30)

1964 – United Air Lines Convair 340 forced down in Saugus when both engines fail; 47 aboard, none injured [story]


Today in SCV History (Dec. 30)

Frozen Pipes, Chilly Horse | Commentary by Darryl Manzer

Darryl Manzer

Darryl Manzer

As I write this, the outside temperature is in the mid-30s. Cold! So cold, it reminded me of one cold morning in Mentryville around 1965.

As usual, we got up before the sun and started chores. I was milking and taking the milk to the back porch of the house. I poured it into one of the big milk cans and went down to complete the milking.

Next it was time to turn the cows out to graze, and to feed the hogs and chickens. I also had to do one of my least favorite chores: collecting the eggs.

Those chores were complete, so it was back into the house to stand in front or the fire in the dining room until breakfast was ready.

That day I wasn’t getting breakfast on time. It seems the water had stopped flowing out of the kitchen faucet. We had bottled water to make coffee and for other cooking needs, but the other water was not there in the pipes.

It was a Saturday and the sun was rising over the hills to the east. This time of year, the bottom of Pico Canyon doesn’t see full sun until mid-day. Since my father was working, my mother told me to go up the canyon and see if there was a problem at the pump near the schoolhouse, or whether the upper tank had water. That tank was on top of PCO Hill south of CSO No. 4, the old, historic well.

My favorite horse, Suzy, was in the corral, so I went to the barn and got her ready to ride. I should have been thinking I had to break the ice on the water trough in the corral that morning so she could drink. Getting her bridle and saddle on was quickly done, and I rode up the canyon to the lower tank and pump. (The tank is still there.)

It's not Pico Canyon in the 1960s but it's close. It's Potrero Canyon (just over the hill from Pico) in 1949.

It’s not Pico Canyon in the 1960s but it’s close. It’s Potrero Canyon (just over the hill from Pico) in 1949. Click to enlarge & find more info.

The tank was nearly full, and the pump was ready to start. There weren’t any obvious leaks or ponds of standing water nearby. I went up the canyon a little more.

Suzy wasn’t so happy about being out in the cold. She would have been happy back at the corral in the small pole barn my father and I had built.

That barn is still there. Recently restored. Someone called it “historic.” Am I that old?

Anyway, it was cold. The road curves to the left and then back right, and I stopped to break the ice in the water trough at that curve. Had to keep the cattle and deer happy. Back in the saddle, I rode on up to Minnie-Lotta Canyon maybe another 200 yards.

Now there is a footbridge crossing Pico Creek at that canyon. Back then there was nothing but the creek. I could see the foundation for the old bakery, and in the early light it seemed to glisten. Why was that?

The whole flat area at the bakery was covered in ice – thick and starting to sparkle in the early sun rays that found their way between the canyon walls. There were foot-long icicles hanging from trees and a very thick, uneven, frozen waterfall covering the flat area that flowed into the creek.

The creek bottom was also encased in thick ice that had formed up to the road. The formation had stopped when the water stopped spraying. The upper tank must have been emptied when I looked at all the ice that was there. In some places the ice was more than a foot thick.

I now knew why we didn’t have water at Pico Cottage. The water in the pipe had become ice, and burst the pipe. Enough water was able to get around the ice plug in the pipe and start spraying the bakery flat. It must have sprayed for hours.

Riding back to the house, I told my mother the problem and she called the Standard Oil office to get the pipe repaired. In about 30 minutes, men from the company came and started repairs. First they had to chip ice to get to the break.

In the 1962 snow, we never lost water due to frozen pipes. In 1965 the pipes froze. From the tank on top of PCO Hill to the break was a drop of a few hundred feet. There was a lot of pressure in the pipe. Once the pipe burst, the water found a path and all of that force made the hole bigger by expanding the rip in the pipe. That huge tank that was 32 feet in diameter and 16 feet tall emptied through that rip. It was a lot of ice from a lot of water.

In no time at all, the pipe was repaired and water was being pumped up the hill. Pico Cottage had water again. My mother made breakfast for the crew that fixed the pipe. Fresh eggs, our own bacon, hash browns and toast from homemade bread. The butter had been churned that morning, and my mother’s jelly or jam was also on the table.

The ice melted. The pipe is still there. You can see it as you hike up Pico Canyon. It is the larger-diameter pipe. The smaller pipe was for oil. And to think this happened in the 1960s. We had just gotten electricity full-time.

I took Suzy to the barn and made sure she had an extra helping of oats. It had been a short ride, but she deserved the extra. It was so cold that we had ice floes in Pico Canyon. Can’t see that every day.

Keep warm and Happy New Year. See y’all in 2013.

 

Darryl Manzer grew up in the Pico Canyon oil town of Mentryville in the 1960s and attended Hart High School. After a career in the U.S. Navy he returned to live in the Santa Clarita Valley. He can be reached at dmanzer@scvhistory.com and his commentaries, published on Sundays, are archived at DManzer.com. Watch his walking tour of Mentryville [here].

 


Frozen Pipes, Chilly Horse | Commentary by Darryl Manzer

Saturday, December 29, 2012

Korenthal Frisbee Golf Event a Success | Commentary by Steve Petzold

stevepetzoldThe Frisbee Golf Fundraiser for Kevin Korenthal was an awesome success Saturday morning. Approximately 30 people including some of Santa Clarita’s most notable citizens stopped by Central Park to play Frisbee Golf, drop off donations, and spend time together.

Prior to leaving for the course, many people shared their feeling of love and respect for Kevin Korenthal. A common theme was the passion and zest that Kevin shows for life and helping others. More than $1,500 was contributed at the event site and delivered to the Korenthal family.

Kevin Korenthal

Kevin Korenthal

Kevin is recovering at Henry Mayo Newhall Memorial Hospital after being struck by a car while riding his bike last weekend on Sand Canyon Road. Kevin asks that we pray for a full recovery from the injuries he suffered. With a smile, Kevin said that “quick was good,” but he is patient enough to wait for complete healing.

More than 70 people have visited Kevin at Henry Mayo since his accident. Please keep Kevin D. and Christine Korenthal in your prayers as he faces an extend period of physical therapy.

 

Steve Petzold is a Santa Clarita resident.


Korenthal Frisbee Golf Event a Success | Commentary by Steve Petzold

Dec. 14-27: At Least 1,480 DUI Arrests Countywide

duicheckpoint-lasdThe Winter Holiday Anti-DUI crackdown has resulted in a significant number of DUI arrests from local routine traffic enforcement and special DUI deployments during the past several days in Los Angeles County.

From 12:01 a.m. Friday, Dec. 14, through midnight Thursday, Dec. 27, officers representing 100 county law enforcement agencies have arrested 1,480 individuals for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. In 2011, 1,849 DUI arrests occurred during the same 14-day time period. (Note: These numbers are only provisional, with some agencies yet to report.)

For New Year’s Eve holiday weekend and the final five days of the campaign, DUI saturation patrols, DUI checkpoints and other DUI details will be deploying throughout L.A. County ending the 19-day campaign. The CHP will be deploying all available officers for their Maximum Enforcement Period during the New Year’s holiday weekend beginning tonight (Dec. 29) at 6 p.m. until midnight Tuesday, Jan. 1.

All regularly scheduled traffic and patrol officers will focus efforts at stopping and arresting DUI drivers during their normal shifts.


Dec. 14-27: At Least 1,480 DUI Arrests Countywide

Snow Likely to Stick to I-5 Saturday Night

A snow advisory is in effect for Interstate 5 over the Grapevine north of Gorman, creating hazardous driving conditions.

Accumulations of 1 to 3 inches of snow are expected above 3,000 feet through the Grapevine pass, and 4 to 6 inches in mountain areas above 5,000 feet.

The National Weather Service reports a “high impact along the Interstate 5 and Highway 58 corridors” until 11 p.m., and motorists are “encouraged to check road conditions as this situation develops through the afternoon and early evening.”

Temperatures are hovering around 30 degrees in the Lebec area at noon Saturday, with intermittent snow falling. Chains are required on roads in the Mount Pinos region.

“A winter weather advisory means that periods of snow, sleet or freezing rain will cause travel difficulties,” according to NWS. “Be prepared for slippery roads and limited visibilities.”

Santa Clarita has an 80 percent chance of rain through 4 p.m., followed by possible showers and thunderstorms, with a high near 52.

The chance of rain in Santa Clarita lowers to 40 percent Saturday night, mainly before 10 p.m., with a low around 37.

Sunday should bring a 20 chance of rain to Santa Clarita with a high near 54, followed by mostly clear skies and overnight lows of 38-41 degrees throughout the week.

 

snowflakes-long


Snow Likely to Stick to I-5 Saturday Night

Today in SCV History (Dec. 29)

1925 – Retired Judge John F. Powell dies at home in Newhall [story]


Today in SCV History (Dec. 29)

Canyon Grad Competing for Miss California USA

Lauren Moniz 2-240x336Lauren Moniz, a Canyon High graduate who is currently completing her law degree at Golden Gate University, is in the running for Miss California USA 2013.

Moniz, after graduating High School and receiving a full scholarship to play soccer at San Jose State University, decided to continue her education and become a lawyer.

“I want to be a lawyer, (because) there are so many things I can do, (so many people) I can help” said Moniz.

While at university she got involved with Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA), a non profit that represents the best interests of abused and neglected children in the courtroom and other settings.

“You advocate for these kids, visit them once, twice a week and the ultimate goal is to find them a permanent loving home,” said Moniz.

Her platform for winning Miss California USA is a combination of foster children and foster care reform and animal rights.

Lauren Moniz 1-300x449“I’ve always loved animals, I grew up with dogs and I have a special affinity with dolphins. The way they live and act, we can learn a lot from them (because) their social hierarchy is very similar to human behavior.”

Moniz is no stranger to competing in pageants, she won Miss LA County Teen USA 2003, then competed in Miss CA Teen USA where she placed 4th runner up.

What Moniz enjoys most about competing for Miss California USA is not just the life experience it brings but how busy she gets to be.

“(For me) doing this is about the Journey, and the opportunities and the life experience I can gain throughout that journey and If I win (Miss California USA) I will compete in Miss USA in June then immediately take the bar exam in July, I love being busy,” said Moniz.

When asked how she feels about being in the running to become Miss California USA Moniz simply said.

“I’m just like anyone else, I decided to do these things and just went for it, I’m no different than any other Canyon Country kid.”

The Miss California USA Pageant will be held Jan. 12 and 13 at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium.

For more information about Lauren and how you can support her on her road to the crown visit LaurenMoniz.com.

Check out Lauren Moniz’s KHTS radio podcast [here].


Canyon Grad Competing for Miss California USA

Let's Make 2013 Magical | Commentary by Jennifer Fischer

JenniferFischerSometimes the daily grind and patterns of our lives can begin to make us feel like we are just going through the motions, shuttling between different errands and commitments – hardly aware and awake to the moments before us.

In response to this, sometimes we feel like we are waiting for something special to happen, hoping  something magical will happen, something that will shake us out of the everyday humdrum.

The truth is that what we are waiting for is actually happening right before our eyes every day. If we slow down and pay attention to the everyday moments, we might find they hold their own kind of magic. Perhaps we will see that magic in a sly smile from our child over something as simple as ice cream for dessert, or the happiness a favorite song on the radio brings on the drive to soccer practice. Or we might recognize the special magic of reading a bedtime story to a child or the preciousness of that quiet moment with our spouse or partner after the kids are in bed.

If we really pay attention, we can recognize that every day holds the possibility of magic, not only for us, but also for others because our daily lives hold magical opportunities to be kind to others, to spread the magic with little extra effort, simply through small acts or gestures of kindness to those around us. Sometimes it is merely a smile or simple hello.

jfischermagical122812For me, recently, it was the kind act of a stranger offering to put my shopping cart away for me at the grocery store after watching me load two young children into the car and bags and bags of groceries. Or it could be my own gesture of giving an extra nice tip for good service and seeing the smile this gesture produced.

After the tragic events at Sandy Hook Elementary School, many individuals began committing themselves to 26 Acts of Kindness for the children and adults who were killed. I find myself hoping this idea, these commitments, will expand beyond 26 specific acts and will lead to a way of being, and become entrenched habits for all of us.

I am hoping for a new year that is full of kindness, goodness and magic as more and more of us slow down and enjoy the time we have with our loved ones and become awake and aware of our actions so  we do not miss opportunities to spread some extra joy, kindness and happiness to others.

Even the smallest gestures and the most ordinary of moments can be amazingly transformative. So go ahead and join me in a commitment to make 2013 truly magical. It will be worth it.

Also, stay tuned; Starting next week I will kick off the ABCs of the Santa Clarita Valley, which will run for 26 weeks as I focus on a different aspect of the SCV from A to Z.

 

Jennifer Fischer is co-founder of the SCV Film Festival, a mom of two, an independent filmmaker and owner of Think Ten Media Group, whose Generation Arts division offers programs for SCV youth. She writes about her parenting journey on her blog, The Good Long Road. Her commentary is published Saturdays on SCVNews.com.

 

 


Let's Make 2013 Magical | Commentary by Jennifer Fischer

CougarNews.com | Taking 'Madonna and Child' to the street

The Madonna & Child are familiar visuals during the holiday season from greeting cards to Christmas plays and television classics such as “A Charlie Brown Christmas” all depicting the Biblical declaration:

“For unto you is born this day in the City of David, a Savior which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you: you will find the Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.”

Virgin & Child by Lorelle Miller

“Virgin and Child” by Lorelle Miller

Nothing quite compares to the uniqueness of the Madonna & Child created in street painting, a classic art form.

Artist, Lorelle Miller, embraces the genre and is among the elect when it comes to American street painters. Residing in Santa Clarita for over 20 years, Miller has travelled the globe in various chalk art festivals while teaching art through SCV Arts, the College of the Canyons Community Service workshops, senior complexes, and other art education programs until the recent budget cuts.

Yet, Miller continues to uphold the standard set by 16th century street painters in her “Virgin & Child” works.

“I think I’m drawn to that, no pun intended, because I love the sensitivity of the mother and child,” explains Miller.

The Italian Madonnari were itinerant artists, many of whom created artwork for the huge cathedrals, most often depicting the Madonna. When the work was completed, these artists needed to find another way to make a living. Replicas from the church art were often recreated on the pavement with pastels and chalk.

For the Madonnari and for Miller, a universal concept transcends the visual imagery gracefully and skillfully detailed in the artwork. As the message of Christmas is shared in various visual art forms, the essence rings in glad tidings and good news.

“It’s really about love. That’s all it ever is … really. When it distills down through all the struggle, through everything, it’s about that. There’s nothing more to say,” she concludes with heartfelt laughter.


Taking 'Madonna and Child' to the street

Friday, December 28, 2012

SCV NewsBreak for Friday, December 28, 2012

In this episode:
Santa Clarita’s new city manager sheds light on future goals; Local Congressman won’t be investigated for involvement in home-loan program; Western actor Harry Carey Jr. died Friday at 91.

Also:
The City of Santa Clarita is offering a chance to celebrate the new year in a chilly way; Local weather forecast; A frisbee golf fundraiser is scheduled for Saturday for an injured SCV cyclist.

Entertainment:
New Year’s Eve activities and celebration ideas.

SCV NewsBreak is a co-presentation of KHTS AM-1220 and SCVTV. It can be viewed on both organizations’ websites – HomeTownStation.comSCVTV.com and SCVNews.com.
Television viewers can catch it on SCVTV at the top of every hour from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m., repeating the following morning at 6 a.m. and 8 a.m. SCVTV runs on Time Warner Cable Channel 20 and AT&T U-verse Channel 99, and streaming on SCVTV.com.


SCV NewsBreak for Friday, December 28, 2012

'Django,' Filmed in SCV, Has Strong Opening (Video)

django_posterWhatever your take, it’s got people talking – and watching.

Quentin Tarantino’s controversial “Django Unchained,” filmed in part at the Melody Ranch Motion Picture Studio in Placerita Canyon, opened Christmas Day and grossed $15 million – the biggest-ever Christmas Day haul for an R-rated film.

It grossed $33 million in its first three days, putting it in the No. 3 position. That’s not shabby, considering No. 1 is “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey” and No. 2 is “Les MisĂ©rables.”

“Django” is rated “R” for Tarantino’s typical, over-the-top violence and language, including an estimated 110 uses of the N-word.

It stars Jamie Foxx as freed slave who is trained as a bounty hunter, then sets out to rescue his wife from an evil Mississippi plantation owner.

Tarantino immediately drew heat from director Spike Lee, who said on Twitter: “American Slavery Was Not A Sergio Leone Spaghetti Western. It Was A Holocaust. My Ancestors Are Slaves. Stolen From Africa. I Will Honor Them” (by steering clear of the film).

Samuel L. Jackson, who plays a house slave to Leonardo DiCapio’s character, came to Tarantino’s defense, calling it entertainment and describing it as “essentially a spaghetti Western exploitation movie with some Hong Kong overtones.”

Tarantino called Lee’s criticism ridiculous.

“It would be one thing if people are out there saying, ‘You use (the N-word) much more excessively in this movie than it was used in 1858 in Mississippi,’” Tarantino said in a published interview. “Well, nobody’s saying that. And if you’re not saying that, you’re simply saying I should be lying. I should be watering it down. I should be making it more easy to digest. I don’t want it to be easy to digest. I want it to be a big, gigantic boulder, a jagged pill and you have no water.”


'Django,' Filmed in SCV, Has Strong Opening (Video)

Lady Mustangs Stay Undefeated with 62-45 Win

Jacquelyn Marshall

Jackie Marshall led The Master’s with 14 points in their win over Montana State-Northern.

Behind a tenacious defense, The Master’s College Lady Mustangs, ranked 13th in the country in the most recent NAIA Division 1 poll, defeated the Montana State-Northern Skylights 62-45 Friday afternoon at Bross Gymnasium as part of the Jersey Mike’s Holiday Classic.

The Skylights shot just 29.6% from the field in the first half, including just 1-of-6 from behind the 3-point arc.  Their leading scorer, Nikki Tresch, who averaged 16.3 points per game coming into Thursday’s game, was held to just four points on 2-of-6 shooting.

The Lady Mustangs had four players in double figures, led by 14 from Jackie Marshall, 11 for both Whitney Best and Lena Rivera, and ten points by Theresa Brown.  Marshall and Rivera also had seven rebounds each.

In addition to defense, the game was a series of runs by both teams.  The Master’s (10-0) ran out to a 13-2 lead to start the game, only to have Montana State-Northern (7-5) run off an 11-0 run to tie the game.   The Lady Mustangs rattled off nine unanswered points followed by the Skylights going on a 6-0 run.

Montana State-Northern was led by Laci Keller with ten points.

The Master’s next play Saturday at 2 p.m. against the UC-Merced Bobcats at Bross Gymnasium.


Lady Mustangs Stay Undefeated with 62-45 Win

Woman Startled by Burglar in Jake's Way Area

Santa Clarita Valley sheriff’s deputies are scouring the Jake’s Way area (Friday, 4:50 p.m.) for a would-be burglar.

According to the sheriff’s crime broadcast, a woman in the 27300 block of Dovehouse Street in Canyon Country was startled by a loud “thud” at her door. She was in a back room and came out to find her front door standing open, with damage to the door frame.

She did not get a look at the suspect, who apparently fled when he or she realized the resident was home.


Woman Startled by Burglar in Jake's Way Area

Blotter: Thefts Top the List on West Side

CrimeZone3_RubalcavaStevenson Ranch / Westridge, Zone 3

Public Safety and Crime Prevention Info

Snapshot 12/17/2012 – 12/23/2012.

Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station Crime Prevention Unit

 

This past week Stevenson Ranch had eight reported Part-1 crimes. Of those crimes, there was one robbery, one residential burglary, one commercial burglary, four petty thefts, and one shoplifting. A robbery occurred at a business located on the 25600 block of The Old Road. A male pointed a gun at a cashier and demanded money. The suspect left the location with an undisclosed amount of money. An attempt burglary occurred at a home located in the 25000 block of Hawthorne place. The victim observed damage to her home indicative of someone attempting to break into her home. Entry was not made. A package was stolen from the doorstep of a home located in the 24000 block of Old Stone Way. A theft from unlocked vehicle occurred at Pico Canyon Park. Cellphones were stolen after they were left unattended on a ride platform at Six Flags Magic Mountain. An iPad was stolen after it was left unattended at a business located in the 28000 block of Hasley Canyon Rd. A suspect was arrested after attempting to steal a cellphone from Wal-Mart. The suspect was also in possession of narcotics.

We’ve been seeing an increase of bicycle thefts. Most are stolen from unlocked garages. Make sure to always close and lock garage doors. Always lock your vehicles and do not leave personal items visible. If you must leave them in the car, secure them in the trunk.

If you see any suspicious activity either close to your home or while you are out shopping, call the Sheriff’s station at (661) 255-1121 or 9-1-1 in an emergency.

For up to date information follow us on twitter and like us on Facebook.

If you have any questions or concerns regarding Zone 3 (Stevenson Ranch), please feel free to email or call me directly.

 

Deputy Ana Rubalcava

avrubalc@lasd.org

Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station

Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department

661-255-1121 ext. 4283

Twitter @SCVSheriff http://www.twitter.com/scvsheriff

SCV Station Homepage – http://www.santaclarita.lasd.org

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/SantaClaritaValleySheriffsStation


Blotter: Thefts Top the List on West Side

CC-East Crime Blotter: Gas Stolen from Church Van - Again

crimezone8-jacksonCanyon Country East, Zone 8
Public Safety and Crime Prevention Information
Snapshot for 12/17/2012 – 12/23/2012.
Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station Crime Prevention Unit

 

The following is a snapshot of Part-1 crimes reported last week.

13 Part-1 crimes were reported in Zone 8 as follows:

 

Burglary:

17000 Block of Chelsea Street – Suspect entered the victim’s apartment through an open sliding glass door and stole her dog.

18000 Block of Sundowner Way – Suspect entered the victim’s apartment through the sliding glass door and stole her wallet and cell phone while she took her child to school.

22000 Block of Silver Saddle Circle – Suspect stole money from the victim’s bedroom. No other items were taken and point of entry is unknown.

26000 Block of Golden Valley Road – LA Fitness – suspect was seen trying to open the victim’s locker while he was working out. Suspect left location when he was approached by the victim and is currently not in custody.

19000 Block of Golden Valley Road – Target – Suspect used a cutting instrument to open packages and steal several utility knifes and DVDs.

 

Larceny:

26000 Block of Starling Court – Suspect stole children’s toys after they had been left on the victim’s front porch by a postal service carrier.

27000 Block of Manzanita Lane – Suspect stole Christmas gifts from the victim’s front porch after they were delivered by a postal service.

17000 Block of Deana Lane – Suspect stole the victim’s bicycles by cutting the lock on their chain. The bikes were taken from the front of the victim’s residence.

27000 Block of Manzanita Lane – Suspect stole victim’s wedding ring from the bedroom. Victim believes service technician stole them while at their residence on a service call.

19000 Block of Golden Valley Road – Target – Victim had items taken after he left them in the shopping cart and went home.

19000 Block of Golden Valley Road – Kohls – Suspect was arrested after she attempted to steal women’s clothing by concealing them in her purse.

28000 Block of Sand Canyon – Suspect stole 20 gallons of gasoline from the a van at the Church. This is the second time this has occurred in the past month.

 

Grand Theft Auto:

Sandy Drive at Rock Rose Lane – Suspect stole victim’s 1989 Nissan 240ZX from the street by his apartment complex.

Have a great New Year’s Holiday and don’t hesitate to call or e-mail me with information on any of the above crimes.

 

Deputy Jeffrey S. Jackson

JSJACKSO@LASD.ORG

Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station

Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department

661-255-1121 ext. 5159

Twitter @SCVSheriff http://www.twitter.com/scvsheriff

SCV Station Homepage – http://www.santaclarita.lasd.org

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/SantaClaritaValleySheriffsStation


CC-East Crime Blotter: Gas Stolen from Church Van - Again

Big-Rig Crash Ties Up 14 Freeway

A big-rig slammed into the northbound center divider on the northbound side of Highway 14 on Friday near the Placerita Canyon Road exit, spilling concrete debris into the road and bringing traffic to a standstill, according to California Highway Patrol officials.

“We got a call at 1:51 p.m. about a tractor trailer versus the center divider – it doesn’t appear that anybody was hurt,” said CHP Officer Tatiana Sauquillo. No other vehicles were involved in the crash, she said.

“He hit the center divide and there’s a SigAlert in the (left-most) lane. This one will probably take about two hours (to clear),” she said.

Witnesses reported that several lanes were impacted by the collision.


Big-Rig Crash Ties Up 14 Freeway

BevMo! Planning to Open 2nd SCV Store

bevmo-logoBeverages & More Inc., a major beer, wine and spirits chain with outlets in California, Arizona and Washington, is preparing to open its second BevMo! store in the Santa Clarita Valley.

The new store is to be located at 19201 Golden Valley Road in the Golden Valley shopping center east of the 14 Freeway. A Halloween costume retailer most recently occupied the space.

BevMo! operates a store on the opposite side of the valley near Castaic Junction, just west of Interstate 5.

The company has applied for two liquor licenses for the Golden Valley location: a general license for on-site sales of all alcoholic beverages, and an off-site license for beer and wine. The license applications are pending approval.


BevMo! Planning to Open 2nd SCV Store

Valencia's Precision Dynamics Sells for $300 Mil.

Brady Corporation, a world leader in identification solutions, announced today that it has acquired Precision Dynamics Corporation (“PDC”) from Water Street Healthcare Partners, a strategic private equity firm focused exclusively on the health care industry, in a cash transaction for $300 million, subject to customary working capital and post-close adjustments. PDC, with annual sales of approximately $173 million, is a leader in identification products primarily for the healthcare market, specializing in patient wristbands, specialty labels and identification systems used in hospitals to reduce medical errors and integrate and share patient data.

PDC, founded in 1956, is based in Valencia, Cal., and employs approximately 1,000 people globally. The company has manufacturing facilities in Tijuana, Mexico and Port Orange, Fla., and a European sales office with light manufacturing in Nivelles, Belgium. PDC’s healthcare wristband and label systems are used by most U.S. hospitals and reach every touch point in the delivery of patient care, from admissions to discharge. PDC’s products also meet important patient safety guidelines of The Joint Commission, FDA, AHA, and HIPAA. In addition to its primary focus on healthcare identification, PDC also offers wristband products for the leisure and entertainment industries and for crowd control and law enforcement utilizing technologies including RFID, holograms and barcodes. PDC products are sold through a direct sales force, distributors and system integrators.

“The acquisition of PDC, a leader in the U.S. healthcare identification space, provides an important anchor position for Brady in the attractive healthcare market and fits well with our mission to identify and protect premises, products and people, and our vision to be the market leader in all of our businesses,” said Brady President and Chief Executive Officer Frank M. Jaehnert. “PDC’s highly regarded management team comes with deep experience in the healthcare identification space and has been very successful in building PDC into the strong business that it is today. PDC’s large customer base, strong channels to market and broad product offering together with Brady’s laboratory and people identification products, deep materials and printer expertise, and global footprint, make this a very attractive business combination and provide a strong foundation to build upon PDC’s market leading position.”

Curt Selquist, an operating partner with Water Street and chairman of PDC stated, “Over the last five years, we expanded and enhanced PDC’s product development and manufacturing capabilities, and significantly broadened its portfolio of identification products through strategic acquisitions. The sale of PDC to such a highly regarded market leader in identification solutions fulfills our mission of having PDC end up with a company that continues this mission of long-term profitable growth.”

Excluding one-time acquisition-related costs, Brady expects this acquisition to be slightly accretive to earnings per diluted share for the remainder of fiscal 2013, and $0.10 to $0.15 accretive to earnings per diluted share in the first full fiscal year. The non-recurring acquisition-related costs are expected to include a one-time, non-cash tax charge of $25 to $30 million related to the repatriation of cash to the U.S. in financing this acquisition and $8 to $12 million of other acquisition-related expenses.

Brady Corporation is an international manufacturer and marketer of complete solutions that identify and protect premises, products and people. Its products help customers increase safety, security, productivity and performance and include high-performance labels and signs, safety devices, printing systems and software, and precision die-cut materials. Founded in 1914, the company has more than 1 million customers in electronics, telecommunications, manufacturing, electrical, construction, , medical and a variety of other industries. Brady is headquartered in Milwaukee and as of July 31, 2012, employed approximately 6,900 people at operations in the Americas, EMEA and Asia-Pacific. Brady’s fiscal 2012 sales were approximately $1.32 billion. Brady stock trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol BRC. More information is available on the Internet at www.bradycorp.com or www.pdcorp.com .


Valencia's Precision Dynamics Sells for $300 Mil.

Ethics Committee Taking No Action Against McKeon in Countrywide Matter

Statement from Rep. Howard “Buck” McKeon’s office

U.S. Rep. Howard "Buck" McKeon

U.S. Rep. Howard “Buck” McKeon

The Ethics Committee has unanimously decided to end their review of the FOA program and take no further action.  The Committee has found that there are no grounds for opening an investigation and that any further review is unwarranted.  The Committee found that customers often didn’t know their loans were being processed through any different channel, the loans were required to meet the same underwriting standards as any other loan, the loan conditions were often not the best “deals” available in the marketplace and were typical of commonplace negotiated loans and can not be considered “gifts”, and that mere inclusion in the program was not a violation of any House rules or ethics.

The committee found that the FOA program was first designed as merely a customer service program, and evolved into a larger program  in the early 2000’s.  Most of these FOA loans were originated during the mortgage boom between 2002-2004, well after Congressman McKeon’s 1998 home re-finance.  In particular, the committee found that: “the V.I.P loan unit handled thousands of loans worth billions of dollars for a very broad spectrum of individuals, large numbers of whom had never met, let alone befriended, Mr. Mozilo.  Overall it appears that V.I.P.s were often offered quicker, more efficient loan processing and some discounts.  However, it also appears that all V.I.P. loans, including F.O.A. loans, were required to meet the same underwriting standards and conditions for resale on the secondary market as non-V.I.P. loans.  Furthermore, there is evidence on the record that the discounts offered to V.I.P.s and F.O.A.s were not the best deals that were available at Countrywide or in the marketplace at large.  In sum, participation in the V.I.P. or F.O.A. programs did not necessarily mean that borrowers received the best financial deal available either from Countrywide or other lenders.

Therefore, mere inclusion in one of these programs is not, in and of itself, a violation of any rules, laws, or standards of conduct governing Members, officers, or employees of the House of Representatives.  In addition, insofar as the widely available and indisputable evidence indicates that loan “discounts” or “discount points” are labels applied to standard and publicly available terms in every day arms-length negotiations with commercial lenders, they are not the kind of “gift” which would be, in and of itself, outside the realm of reasonable market rates for commercially available loans.  Finally, given that the standard market practices on negotiating for desirable loan customers varies widely, it is not evident that any of the fee structures presented by the evidence are outside of reasonable market rates for commercially available loans, even if those loans were within the jurisdiction of the Committee.”

From the beginning Mr. McKeon has been completely upfront and transparent about his 1998 home re-finance loan.  Congressman McKeon never knew about the Friends of Angelo program, had never met Angelo Mozilo and was unaware of any V.I.P designation given to his loan.  Upon learning of the FOA program, Congressman McKeon immediately provided the media and the public all his personal loan documents, including an itemized closing statement and all supporting documentation, showing that he paid over $2500 in applicable closing costs, and paid an interest rate of 6.75%, well above the 6.49% national average. Additionally, Mr. McKeon was never aware of Countrywide’s internal discussions and emails regarding his loan.  All of these facts have been confirmed.  Congressman McKeon is pleased that the conclusions made by the Committee on Ethics confirm what he has always known to be true.

 

Statement of the Chairman and Ranking Member of the Committee on Ethics Regarding Allegations Concerning the “V.I.P.” Loan Unit of Countrywide Financial Corporation

DEC 27, 2012

Today we announce the conclusion of the Committee on Ethics’ review of the allegations related to the “V.I.P.” program of the Countrywide Financial Corporation (Countrywide).  In accordance with Committee Rules, this review was conducted in order to determine whether the allegations presented warranted further investigation by the Committee.  After a lengthy and deliberate review, including over 2,000 of pages of documentation provided by Countrywide or its successor, Bank of America, as well as giving careful and serious consideration to the submission and reports of the Chairman of the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, the Committee has unanimously agreed to end its review with the publication of this statement, and the issuance of a general advisory issued simultaneously on the subject of the use of one’s position in the House of Representatives for personal gain or benefit.

Numerous allegations have been made that certain Members and employees of the House of Representatives acted improperly when they received “discounts” on personal residential or vacation property loans, or when their loan applications were handled by an office within Countrywide called the “V.I.P Loan Unit,” or handled as “Friends of Angelo,” referring to Angelo Mozilo, the former CEO of Countrywide.  In addition, the evidence suggested that certain House employees made explicit requests to Countrywide lobbyists or spoke to a Countrywide lobbyist about their personal loan needs, and that the lobbyists then facilitated those loans.

While these allegations concern serious matters, almost all of the allegations concerned actions taken outside, or well outside, the jurisdiction of this Committee, as designated in House Rule XI, clause 3(b)(3), because they occurred before the third Congress prior to the current Congress.  In addition, several of the Members and employees mentioned in the allegations are no longer serving in or employed by the House, and therefore are outside the Committee’s jurisdiction pursuant to House Rule XI, clause 3(a)(2).

However, while there are no allegations of actual violations that fall within the Committee’s jurisdiction, we take this opportunity to provide the House community and the public at large with an analysis of these allegations, and guidance that may be helpful in considering future conduct and avoiding even the appearance of impropriety.

To begin with, the Committee conducted its own analysis of the role and practices of the Countrywide V.I.P. loan unit to determine if participation on its own indicated something improper had occurred.  The Committee reached largely the same conclusion as the Senate Select Committee on Ethics, which indicated in 2009, in public letters to Senators also involved in the V.I.P. unit, that:

It appears the V.I.P. Loan unit was initially established for the purposes of originating, processing, and funding home loans as a courtesy to senior-level employees and V.I.P. customers, but it increasingly grew in scope and size.  A large subset of V.I.P. loans referred by Angelo Mozilo, former Countrywide C.E.O., were known as the “Friends of Angelo” or F.O.A.  During the mortgage boom that occurred from late 2002 through 2004, the V.I.P loan unit handled thousands of loans worth billions of dollars for a very broad spectrum of individuals, large numbers of whom had never met, let alone befriended, Mr. Mozilo.

Overall it appears that V.I.P.s were often offered quicker, more efficient loan processing and some discounts.  However, it also appears that all V.I.P. loans, including F.O.A. loans, were required to meet the same underwriting standards and conditions for resale on the secondary market as non-V.I.P. loans.  Furthermore, there is evidence on the record that the discounts offered to V.I.P.s and F.O.A.s were not the best deals that were available at Countrywide or in the marketplace at large.  In sum, participation in the V.I.P. or F.O.A. programs did not necessarily mean that borrowers received the best financial deal available either from Countrywide or other lenders.

Therefore, mere inclusion in one of these programs is not, in and of itself, a violation of any rules, laws, or standards of conduct governing Members, officers, or employees of the House of Representatives.  In addition, insofar as the widely available and indisputable evidence indicates that loan “discounts” or “discount points” are labels applied to standard and publicly available terms in every day arms-length negotiations with commercial lenders, they are not the kind of “gift” which would be, in and of itself, outside the realm of reasonable market rates for commercially available loans.  Finally, given that the standard market practices on negotiating for desirable loan customers varies widely, it is not evident that any of the fee structures presented by the evidence are outside of reasonable market rates for commercially available loans, even if those loans were within the jurisdiction of the Committee.

To be clear, however, whether terms are within or without a commercially reasonable range, it is improper to knowingly use one’s position or influence within the House of Representatives to obtain a personal benefit.  Therefore, if a Member, officer, or employee has reason to believe there was such an explicit connection between their position and some personal business transaction, it is incumbent on that Member, officer, or employee to take steps to ensure they are being treated no differently than a member of the public who is similarly situated in other relevant ways.  Without doubt, there is a wide range of possible and appropriate steps.  For instance, while the steps reportedly taken by Representative Pete Sessions, rejecting any offers of negotiated discounts, are an excellent way to avoid even the appearance of impropriety, there is still no requirement that a Member, officer, or employee refuse to participate in normal negotiations, or refuse to accept terms of negotiation regularly available to a member of the public..  In other words, while Members, officers, and employees must not personally benefit in a manner directly caused by their position, they also need not suffer financially due to nothing but their position.

Instead, other steps that may be taken if and when a Member or employee is given specific reason to believe they may be treated differently based on their position include receiving reasonable assurances or certifications that the offered terms are commercially reasonable and would be available to the borrower based entirely on reasons unrelated to the individual’s position in the House. Another option that is always available to all Members, officers and employees is calling the Ethics Committee for assistance in examining the nature of the loan offer and negotiations.

While these are just some of the steps that may be taken to avoid the appearance of impropriety, they would not be required under normal commercial circumstances when one visits or calls a commercial institution for a loan, indicates their place of employment onlyon a loan application (as is almost always required) and continues to be handled by the regular loan department.  In this matter, for instance, with one exception occurring well outside the Committee’s jurisdiction, there has been no evidence presented that the Members or employees of the House of Representatives were aware of their inclusion in the V.I.P. unit or that they were labeled “Friends of Angelo.”  If, however, they were referred by, or handled by, persons who were not regular loan officers, or, more significantly, persons involved in congressional affairs, then steps should have been taken to ensure that no improper connection was being made between their sphere of influence and their personal loan negotiations.

Of greatest concern to the Committee, therefore was email evidence regarding the specific conduct of some employees of the House of Representatives  who may have reached out to lobbyists or other government affairs officials at Countrywide for assistance with their personal loans (there was no such credible evidence that Members engaged in this kind of conduct).  Had any of these actions occurred within the Committee’s jurisdiction, further investigations would have been conducted that may have led to disciplinary action against these staffers or former staffers.     This is because, as most Members, officers, and employees understand, it is improper to, for instance, take a meeting with a representative of an outside organization or a constituent seeking some action or general assistance, and then immediately make a request for assistance with one’s own personal finances at the same meeting.  This conduct is not made any less improper merely because there is some separation in time between a past or future meeting and the personal request.

Therefore, every member of the House community should understand that, when your relationship with a representative of a particular business or outside organization is based on your power to affect that person’s organization, and their efforts to influence you or your office in the exercise of that power, that is a relationship that should never be used for your personal benefit.  Where there is credible evidence of such conduct within the jurisdiction of this Committee, the Committee will act to enforce this standard.

However, for all the reasons indicated above, and after lengthy and careful consideration, it does not appear that there is any specific credible evidence of actual violations that remain within the jurisdiction of the Committee.  The Committee therefore has unanimously determined to end its consideration of allegations related to improper participation in Countrywide’s V.I.P. program.


Ethics Committee Taking No Action Against McKeon in Countrywide Matter

Actor, Saugus Native Harry Carey Jr. Dies at 91

dobe2005Western actor and Saugus native Harry Carey Jr. died Friday at 91. He lived most recently in Santa Barbara with his wife, Marilyn.

Carey, who earned the nickname “Dobe” as a child for the adobe color of his hair, was born May 16, 1921, to Harry Carey Sr. and Olive Carey at their ranch in Saugus, which is now the Tesoro Del Valle housing development.

Dobe Carey’s birthplace is now the Los Angeles County-run Tesoro Adobe Park. He participated in its 2005 dedication and appeared on SCVTV’s “Newsmaker of the Week” program at that time. It can be viewed above.

Some of his biggest film appearances were opposite John Wayne in nine John Ford including “She Wore a Yellow Ribbon,” “The Searchers” and “3 Godfathers,” in which he sings.

He appeared in numerous Western television series filmed in Placerita Canyon at Gene Autry’s Melody Ranch and Walt Disney’s Golden Oak Ranch. Fans of more recent Western films might remember Dobe Carey as Marshal Fred White, who gets gunned down in the street in 1993′s “Tombstone” starring Kurt Russell and Val Kilmer.

Publicity photo: Dobe Carey in John Ford's "She Wore a Yellow Ribbon"

Publicity photo: Dobe Carey in John Ford’s “She Wore a Yellow Ribbon”

(The following is adapted from Carey’s website, HarryCareyJr.com):

Carey and his younger sister, Ella, nicknamed “Cappy,” attended Newhall School when it was on Lyons Avenue near Newhall Avenue. As children they got to know some of the regular visitors to the Saugus ranch, such as actor William S. Hart, humorist-actor Will Rogers, painter Charles Russell and their parents’ good friend, director John Ford.

Dobe went to high school at Black Foxe Military Institute in Hollywood with the sons of other Hollywood personalities. As a young man he yearned to be a singer. While taking voice lessons in New York City in 1939 he got his first paying job at the New York World’s Fair in the show, “Railroads on Parade” — not as a singer, but as a horseback rider, something he learned to do with great skill on the Saugus ranch.

In 1941 he was hired by NBC as a page boy and then entered in the Navy. He shipped out but was quickly recalled to Washington by John Ford, who was working for the OSS — the predecessor to the CIA. Under Ford’s “direction,” Dobe developed Allied and captured German spy film for the war effort. In 1944, while still in the Navy, Dobe married Marilyn Fix, the daughter of actor Paul Fix. She would remain his lifelong companion and gave him four children.

In 1946, Dobe followed his father into the motion picture business, landing a role in a “B” movie, “Rolling Home.” Next came a featured role in Raoul Walsh’s “Pursued,” and he was on his way. In 1947 he made his first of 11 films with John Wayne, appearing in the Howard Hawks classic, “Red River.” Harry Sr. appeared in the film, as well, although they did not appear on camera together. Senior never saw it; it was released posthumously in 1948.

In that year Ford remade “3 Godfathers,” which he had made in 1919 with Harry Sr. This time Junior shared the lead (and sang) with Duke Wayne and Mexican box-office sensation Pedro Armendariz. It was his first of nine films as a member of the John Ford Stock Company — the others being “She Wore a Yellow Ribbon,” “Wagonmaster,” “Rio Grande” (in which he did some Roman riding, standing on two horses while galloping through Monument Valley), “The Searchers,” “Two Rode Together,” “The Long Gray Line,” “Mister Roberts” and “Cheyenne Autumn.”

Harry Carey Jr. appeared in nearly 100 films and hundreds of television episodes, including numerous appearances in the Mickey Mouse Club series “The Adventures of Spin and Marty” (shot on the Walt Disney Co.’s Golden Oak Ranch in Placerita Canyon), “Gunsmoke” (early episodes shot on Gene Autry’s Melody Ranch in Placerita Canyon), “Rawhide” (ditto) and others. He has made two documentaries, “Legends of the American West” and “John Ford’s America” and is the author of the book, “Company of Heroes: My Life As an Actor in the John Ford Stock Company,” available in hard- and softcover editions.

FILMOGRAPHY (from harrycareyjr.com):

Last Stand at Saber River (1997) (TV) … James Sanford

Ben Johnson: Third Cowboy on the Right (1996) … Himself

Sunchaser, The (1996) … Cashier

Wyatt Earp: Return to Tombstone (1994)

Tombstone (1993) … Tombstone Marshall Fred White

Exorcist III, The (1990) … Father Kanavan

Back to the Future Part III (1990) … Saloon Old Timer #2

Bad Jim (1990) … J.C. Lee

John Ford (1990) (TV) … Himself

Breaking In (1989) (as Harry Carey) … Shoes

Once Upon a Texas Train (1988) (TV) (as Harry Carey) … Herald Pitch

Illegally Yours (1988) … Wally Finnegan

Cherry 2000 (1987) … Snappy Tom

Whales of August, The (1987) … Joshua Brackett

Crossroads (1986) … Bartender

Adventures of William Tell (1986) (TV) … Mutino

Mask (1985) … Red

Gremlins (1984) … Mr. Anderson

Princess Daisy (1983) (TV)

Shadow Riders, The (1982) (TV) … Pa Traven

Endangered Species (1982) … Dr. Emmer

Long Riders, The (1980) … George Arthur

Wild Times (1980) (TV) … Fitz Bragg

UFOria (1980) … George Martin

Kate Bliss and the Ticker Tape Kid (1978) (TV) … Deputy Luke

“Black Beauty” (1978) (mini) (TV Series) … Mr. Bond

Nickelodeon (1976) … Dobe

Take a Hard Ride (1975) … Dumper

Challenge to White Fang (1974) … Tarwater

Cahill U.S. Marshal (1973) … Hank

Man From The East (1972) (Italy)

Run, Cougar, Run (1972)

Trinity Is STILL My Name! (1972) (USA/Italy)

Big Jake (1971) (as Harry Cary Jr.) … Pop Dawson

One More Train to Rob (1971) … Red

Something Big (1971) … Joe Pickins

Moonshine War, The (1970) … Arley Stamper

Dirty Dingus Magee (1970) … Charles Stuart

One More Time (1970)

Undefeated, The (1969) … Soloman Webster, Thomas Rider

Death of a Gunfighter (1969) … Reverend Rork

Bandolero! (1968) (as Harry Carey) … Cort Hayjack

Devil’s Brigade, The (1968) … Captain Rose

Way West, The (1967) … Mr. McBee

Ballad of Josie, The (1967) … Mooney, Meredith’s Foreman

Rare Breed, The (1966) … Ed Mabry

Alvarez Kelly (1966) … Corporal Peterson

Billy the Kid versus Dracula (1966) … Ben Dooley, wagonmaster

Cyborg 2087 (1966) … Jay C

Shenandoah (1965) … Rebel Soldier

Taggart (1965) … Lt. Hudson

Cheyenne Autumn (1964) (uncredited) … Trooper Smith

Raiders, The (1963) … Jellicoe Flashing

Spikes (1962) (TV) … Player in dugout

Public Affair, A (1962) … Bill Martin

Two Rode Together (1961) … Ortho Clegg

Noose for a Gunman (1960) … Jim Ferguson

Great Impostor, The (1960) … Dr. Joseph Mornay

Rio Bravo (1959) … Harold (Final scene was cut but Screen Credit remained on print)

Gundown at Sandoval (1959)

Escort West (1958) … Travis

“Texas John Slaughter” (1958) (TV Series) … Ben Jenkins

From Hell to Texas (1958) … Trueblood

“New Adventures of Spin and Marty, The” (1958) (TV Series) … Bill Burnett

River’s Edge, The (1957) … Chet

“Further Adventures of Spin and Marty, The” (1957) (TV Series) … Bill Burnett

Kiss Them for Me (1957) (uncredited)

Gun the Man Down (1956) … Deputy Lee

Great Locomotive Chase, The (1956) … William Bensinger

Searchers, The (1956) … Brad Jorgensen

7th Cavalry (1956) … Corporal Morrison

House of Bamboo (1955) (uncredited) … John

Mister Roberts (1955) … Stefanowski

Long Gray Line, The (1955) … Dwight Eisenhower

“Spin and Marty” (1955) (TV Series) … Bill Burnett

Spin and Marty: The Movie (1955) … Bill Burnett

Outcast, The (1954) … Bert

Silver Lode (1954) … Johnson

Island in the Sky (1953) … Hunt

Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953) (uncredited) … Sims

Sweethearts on Parade (1953) … Jim Riley

San Antone (1953) … Dobe Frakus

Niagara (1953) (uncredited) … Taxi Driver

Beneath the 12-Mile Reef (1953) … Griff

Monkey Business (1952) (uncredited) … Reporter

Wild Blue Yonder, The (1951) … Sergeant Shaker Schuker

Warpath (1951) … Captain Gregson

Rio Grande (1950) … Trooper Daniel ‘Sandy’ Boone

Wagon Master (1950) … Sandy

Copper Canyon (1950) … Lt. Ord

She Wore a Yellow Ribbon (1949) … Lt. Ross Pennell

3 Godfathers (1948) … William Kearney, ‘The Abilene Kid’

Moonrise (1948) … Jimmy Biff

Red River (1948) … Dan Latimer

Blood on the Moon (1948) (uncredited) … Cowboy

Pursued (1947) … Prentice McComber

Rolling Home (1946) (uncredited)

———Notable TV guest appearances———

“B.L. Stryker” (1989) … in episode: “Auntie Sue” (episode #1.4) 4/17/1989

“Knight Rider” (1982) playing “Josh Morgan” … in episode: “Not a Drop to Drink” (episode #1.7) 11/5/1982

“CHiPs” (1977) playing “Grandfather Criss” … in episode: “Flare Up” (episode #5.20) 3/7/1982

“Little House on the Prairie” (1974) playing “sheriff Pike” … in episode: “New Beginning, A” (episode #7.3) 10/6/1980

“B.J. and the Bear” (1979) … in episode: “Fire In The Hole”

“Gunsmoke” (1955) playing “Amos Brody” … in episode: “Trail of Bloodshed” (episode #19.21) 3/4/1974

“Doc Elliot” (1973) … in episode: “Runner, The” (episode #1.6) 2/13/1974

“Banacek” (1972) playing “Dean Barrett” … in episode: “Horse of a Slightly Different Color” (episode #2.5) 1/22/1974

“Gunsmoke” (1955) playing “Kelliher” … in episode: “Gold Train: The Bullet: Part 3″ (episode #17.14) 12/13/1971

“Gunsmoke” (1955) playing “Kelliher” … in episode: “Gold Train: The Bullet: Part 2″ (episode #17.13) 12/6/1971

“Gunsmoke” (1955) playing “Kelliher” … in episode: “Gold Train: The Bullet: Part 1″ (episode #17.12) 11/29/1971

“Gunsmoke” (1955) playing “Will Roniger” … in episode: “Lost, The” (episode #17.1) 9/13/1971

“Virginian, The” (1962) playing “Thad” … in episode: “Follow the Leader” (episode #9.11) 12/2/1970

“Mannix” (1967) … in episode: “Missing: Sun and Sky” (episode #3.12) 12/20/1969

“Outcasts, The” (1968) … in episode: “Thin Edge, The” (episode #1.17) 2/17/1969

“Gunsmoke” (1955) playing “Nathan Cade” … in episode: “Waco” (episode #14.11) 12/9/1968

“Cimarron Strip” (1967) … in episode: “Sound of a Drum” (episode #1.19) 2/1/1968

“Gunsmoke” (1955) playing “Will Roniger” … in episode: “Baker’s Dozen” (episode #13.15) 12/25/1967

“Bonanza” (1959) … in episode: “Judgment at Red Creek” (episode #8.24) 2/26/1967

“Rounders, The” (1966) … in episode: “Horse On Jim Ed Love, A” (episode #1.1) 9/6/1966

“Legend of Jesse James, The” (1965) … in episode: “Celebrity, The” (episode #1.12) 12/6/1965

“Gunsmoke” (1955) … in episode: “Bank Baby” (episode #10.26) 3/20/1965

“Branded” (1965) … in episode: “Vindicator, The” (episode #1.2) 1/31/1965

“Redigo” (1963) … in episode: “Man in a Blackout” (episode #1.7) 11/5/1963

“Wagon Train” (1957) playing “John Jay Burroughs” … in episode: “Sam Pulaski Story, The” (episode #7.8) 11/4/1963

“Wagon Train” (1957) playing “Charlie Hankins” … in episode: “Molly Kincaid Story, The” (episode #7.1) 9/16/1963

“Stoney Burke” (1962) … in episode: “Tigress by the Tail” (episode #1.30) 5/6/1963

“Laramie” (1959) … in episode: “Time of the Traitor” (episode #4.11) 12/11/1962

“Gunsmoke” (1955) playing “Jake” … in episode: “Abe Blocker” (episode #8.11) 11/24/1962

“Laramie” (1959) … in episode: “Lost Allegiance” (episode #4.6) 10/30/1962

“Gunsmoke” (1955) playing “Jim Grant” … in episode: “Quint Asper Comes Home” (episode #8.3) 9/29/1962

“Checkmate” (1960) playing “Phil Cassidy” … in episode: “Bold and the Tough, The” (episode #2.32) 5/16/1962

“Frontier Circus” (1961) … in episode: “Race, The” (episode #1.24) 5/3/1962

“Lawman” (1958) playing “Mitch Evers” … in episode: “Cort” (episode #4.33) 4/29/1962

“Wagon Train” (1957) … in episode: “George B. Hanrahan Story, The” (episode #5.26) 3/28/1962

“Rawhide” (1959) … in episode: “Deserter’s Patrol” (episode #4.18) 2/9/1962

“Laramie” (1959) … in episode: “Barefoot Kid, The” (episode #3.15) 1/9/1962

“Perry Mason” (1957) playing “Frank Deane” … in episode: “Case of the Roving River, The” (episode #5.15) 12/30/1961

“Rifleman, The” (1958) playing “Lt. Bond” … in episode: “Journey Back, The” (episode #4.5) 10/30/1961

“Whispering Smith” (1961) … in episode: “Safety Value” (episode #1.5) 6/5/1961

“Laramie” (1959) playing “Harry Markle” … in episode: “Debt, The” (episode #2.25) 4/18/1961

“Gunsmoke” (1955) playing “Turloe” … in episode: “Bad Sheriff” (episode #6.17) 1/7/1961

“Tall Man, The” (1960) … in episode: “One of One Thousand” (episode #1.16) 12/31/1960

“Bonanza” (1959) … in episode: “Mission, The” (episode #2.2) 9/17/1960

“Overland Trail” (1960) … in episode: “Sour Annie” (episode #1.13) 5/8/1960

“Hotel de Paree” (1959) … in episode: “Sundance and the Long Trek” (episode #1.26) 4/22/1960

“Rifleman, The” (1958) playing “Lt. Paul Rolfe” … in episode: “Deserter, The” (episode #2.25) 3/15/1960

“Tombstone Territory” (1957) … in episode: “Holcomb Brothers” (episode #3.22) 3/4/1960

“Rawhide” (1959) … in episode: “Incident of the Shambling Man” (episode #2.3) 10/9/1959

“Gunsmoke” (1955) playing “Deesha” … in episode: “Horse Deal” (episode #5.3) 9/26/1959

“Wagon Train” (1957) … in episode: “Chuck Wooster, Wagonmaster” (episode #2.33) 5/20/1959

“Have Gun Will Travel” (1957) … in episode: “Road to Wickenberg, The” (episode #2.7) 10/25/1958

“Have Gun Will Travel” (1957) … in episode: “Gentleman, The” (episode #2.3) 9/27/1958

“Broken Arrow” (1956) … in episode: “Blood Brothers” (episode #2.33) 5/13/1958

“Lone Ranger, The” (1949) playing “Dice Dawson, alias Jay Thomason” … in episode: “Return of Dice Dawson” (episode #4.44) 7/14/1955


Actor, Saugus Native Harry Carey Jr. Dies at 91

Blotter: Presents, Decorations Stolen in Saugus

crimezone4saugus_manskarSaugus, Zone 4 Update
Public Safety & Crime Prevention Information
Snapshot: 12/17/2012 – 12/23/2012
Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station Crime Prevention Unit

 

This week we returned to the average number of Part-1 crimes. There were two residential burglaries over the past week. One occurred in the 22300 block of Homestead Place on Tuesday, 12/18/12, between 3:45 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. The victim returned to his residence to find it ransacked and multiple items missing. It is believed that entry was made through an unlocked door.

The second residential burglary occurred in the 22900 block of Oakridge Drive on Sunday, 12/23/12. After a detailed investigation deputies arrested a male for burglary and possession of stolen property.

There was a 2006 Dodge Pick-up stolen over the past week from the 27300 block of Arriola Avenue on Friday night into Saturday morning. There were no witnesses to the theft.

There was a vehicle burglary in the 20800 block of Plum Canyon Road on Saturday, 12/22/12, at approximately 7:40 p.m. Suspect(s) unknown smashed the passenger side window and stole over $400 from the vehicle.

There was a grand theft from an unlocked vehicle in the 22700 block of Pear Court on Saturday night into Sunday morning. Suspect(s) unknown entered the vehicle through an unlocked door and stole miscellaneous personal items.

There were two separate incidents where items were taken from the front yard area of two homes. The first occurred in the 21800 block of Deena Place at approximately 11:44 a.m. on Friday, 12/21/2012. The victim had a package stolen from her front porch. The second occurred in the 22400 block of Paragon Dr. early Sunday morning, 12/23/2012, where the suspect stole a holiday decoration.

On a proactive note, there were numerous arrests made over the past week. The most impressive occurred along the 21100 block of Altena Drive. Deputies arrested four people from a house suspected to be associated with the sales of narcotics. The investigation is ongoing.

If you have any information regarding the above mentioned crimes please call the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station at 661-255-1121.

Have a safe New Year’s Holiday.

To report graffiti in the city please call (661) 25-CLEAN (252-5326) or visit www.santa-clarita.com

 

Deputy Mark Manskar

mamanska@lasd.org

Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station

Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department

661-255-1121 ext. 5161

Twitter @SCVSheriff http://www.twitter.com/scvsheriff

SCV Station Homepage – http://www.santaclarita.lasd.org

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/SantaClaritaValleySheriffsStation


Blotter: Presents, Decorations Stolen in Saugus

Crime Blotter: Diamond Theft was Inside Job in Castaic-Val Verde

crimezone2-rooneyCastaic and Val Verde, Zone 2
Public Safety and Crime Prevention Information
Snapshot 12/17/2012-12/23/2012.
Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station Crime Prevention Unit

 

There were three Part-1 Crimes in Castaic/Val Verde. A laptop, cash and ear phones were reported stolen after a house party on Sierra Oak Trail. A Diamond ring was taken from a resident’s safe by a family member and pawned without permission. A man reported his iPhone stolen from the Wendy’s inside the Pilot Truck Stop. While using the restroom, he left his phone unattended on the table and it was missing when he returned.

Notable: Units working with CHP on a road rage call conducted a traffic stop which ended in the arrest of two suspects on narcotic related charges. During a search of the suspects’ nearby hotel room, a loaded handgun, which had been reported stolen, was recovered. Santa Clarita Detective Bureau is investigating further.

Please remember to close your garage doors, and never leave valuables in plain view in your vehicle. Minimize your risk and avoid being the victim of a crime of opportunity. If you see any suspicious activity, call the Santa Clarita Sheriff’s Station at (661) 255-1121 or 9-1-1 in an emergency.

If you have any questions or concerns regarding Zone 2 (Castaic or Val Verde), please feel free to email or call me directly.

 

Deputy Brian Rooney

bjrooney@lasd.org

Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station

Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department

661-255-1121 ext. 4283

Twitter @SCVSheriff http://www.twitter.com/scvsheriff


Crime Blotter: Diamond Theft was Inside Job in Castaic-Val Verde

Crime Blotter for Western Canyon Country

crimezone7canyoncountryCanyon Country West, Zone 7
Public Safety and Crime Prevention Information
Snapshot for 12-17-2012 to 12-23-2012
Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station Crime Prevention Unit

 

This past week in Zone 7, the following Part-1 crimes occurred:

(1) Aggravated Assault, (3) Residential Burglaries, (2) Thefts from Unlocked Vehicles, (1) Grand Theft, (1) Petty Theft and (1) Petty Theft/Shoplift

On Friday Dec. 21st, 2012, an aggravated assault occurred near the 29800 block of Arline St. An unknown suspect threw rocks at the victim, striking him in the face. The suspect was concealed by darkness in the ridgeline behind the location, enabling him to go undetected. The case is currently under investigation.

A residential burglary occurred near the 27300 block of Sierra Hwy. An unknown suspect entered the location through a bedroom window and stole video games.

A residential burglary occurred near the 26900 block of Flo Ln when an unknown person pried open the pedestrian door leading into the garage of the location. During the incident, the suspect entered a vehicle, which was parked in the garage, and took several items, including an iPod Touch and a GPS unit.

A theft from an unlocked vehicle occurred near the 18900 block of Nearbrook Ave. The suspect gained access to the vehicle through an open window and took a disabled driver placard that was hanging in the rearview mirror.

Another theft from an unlocked vehicle occurred in a parking lot near the 19300 block of Soledad Canyon Road. The suspect entered the vehicle through an unlocked door and took a purse that was left on the rear floorboard.

A grand theft occurred near the 20850 block of Centre Point Pkwy. Unknown suspects took two aluminum back flow sprinkler valves. The suspects were able to bypass the padlocked covers and take the valves.

I am happy to report there were no GTAs in Zone 7 last week. Santa Clarita deputies and detectives have worked tirelessly to resolve the many recent incidents of vehicle theft in our area. In the past two weeks, several people have been arrested for vehicle theft related crimes.

Zone 7 also had numerous narcotics related arrests, as well as domestic violence arrests.

As always, please call me if you have any questions.

 

Deputy Jeremy Carr

Zone 7 – Canyon Country West – Zone Leader

661-255-1121 Ext. 5158 jmcarr@lasd.org

Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station

Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department

661-255-1121 ext. 4411

Twitter @SCVSheriff http://www.twitter.com/scvsheriff

SCV Station Homepage – http://www.santaclarita.lasd.org

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/SantaClaritaValleySheriffsStation


Crime Blotter for Western Canyon Country