Episode 31: Broadway to Cheyenne (Monogram 1932)

The Trem Carr movie ranch (now Disney) in Placerita Canyon and Vasquez Rocks in Agua Dulce feature prominently in this 1932 Monogram gangster-cowboy picture, “Broadway to Cheyenne,” starring Rex Bell – who went on to serve as lieutenant governor of Nevada from 1954 until 1962, when he died during a campaign kickoff event for his run for governor.

“Broadway to Cheyenne” was put together by a team that churned out hundreds of hourlong films in the early 1930s: Producer Carr, set designer Ernie Hickson and cinematographer Archie Stout, together with occasional director Harry L. Fraser. At the time, Carr’s movie ranch, est. 1931, was located east of present-day Highway 14; after 1936, when Carr lost his lease, the production team moved west down Placerita Canyon Road to property owned by Hickson. There they established the Monogram movie ranch, which eventually became Gene Autry’s Melody Ranch.

ABOUT E.J. STEPHENS

E.J. Stephens is a noted Hollywood historian, author, lecturer and tour guide. An Indiana native, E.J. has lived for 10 years in the Santa Clarita Valley with his wife Kimi and their two children, Mariah and Dylan.

By day, E.J. can be found in Burbank on the Warner Bros. Studios lot where he is a tour guide and an audience coordinator on Conan O’Brien’s late-night talk show. When not giving tours at the studio, E.J. and Kimi host tours of their own for their Newhall-based company, Newhallywood Tours.

E.J. has co-written four books on subjects ranging from the history of Warner Bros. and Paramount to Griffith Park and the Santa Clarita Valley (the latter with Kimi and Dr. Alan Pollack). The trio is currently working on another SCV history book titled “Then & Now: The Santa Clarita Valley,” scheduled to hit the shelves in early 2014.

ABOUT BILL WEST

Bill West is a movie nut who serves on the board of Friends of Hart Park, gives tours of the Hart Mansion and maintains the Friends’ website.

In his spare time, Bill writes software for Walt Disney Imagineering, where he has contributed to Star Tours, Toy Story Midway Mania, the Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage and other attractions. Previously, he wrote software at Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

Bill enjoys lounge music and he plays the drums for pickup bands. He lives in Santa Clarita with his Realtor (his wife Liliana) and their son Josh. Pets include Maya the Mutt, Luigi the Canary, and a cat whose name he can’t pronounce but is Polish for “kitty.”

Broadway to Cheyenne (Monogram 1932) http://scvtv.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/scvmovies031broadwaytocheyene.jpg

Re-Birthday

Episode 32

Hosts E.J. Stephens and Bill West interview the Santa Clarita Valley’s own Brian Imbler, writer-director of the 2013 comedy, “re-Birthday,” and its star, the SCV’s Scott R. Wright.

ABOUT RE-BIRTHDAY

After a series of tragic events, Phineas “Phin” Chase (Wright) developed an extreme case of agoraphobia and locked himself inside his house just prior to college, never again to step outside. Years later, Jack Chase, Phin’s estranged brother by adoption, returns in a no-holds-barred attempt to save his brother by luring him out of his house by his 40th birthday. Fake accidents, fast women, eccentric psychotherapists and even an assortment of religions fail to lure Phin out into the world. However, after a series of clumsy “miscues” (or is it divine intervention?) Phin must make the hardest choice of his life… to leave or not to leave.

ABOUT BRIAN IMBLER

re-Birthday is Brian Imbler’s feature movie directorial debut. After 10 years as CEO of a manufacturing firm, Brian hung up his executive suit and entered the entertainment world. Since then, he has written a number of feature scripts and directed a variety of feature film concept trailers, short films and music videos. His beautiful wife of 22 years and 5 very ornery boys provide plenty of material for his screenplays.

[SCOTT R. WRIGHT on imdb.com]

ABOUT E.J. STEPHENS

ABOUT BILL WEST

Re-Birthday http://scvtv.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/scvmovies032rebirthday.jpg

Statement on Syria (8-31-2013)

President Obama speaks on the situation in Syria from the White House Rose Garden.

OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPT

Statement by the President on Syria

Rose Garden

1:52 P.M. EDT

THE PRESIDENT: Good afternoon, everybody. Ten days ago, the world watched in horror as men, women and children were massacred in Syria in the worst chemical weapons attack of the 21st century. Yesterday the United States presented a powerful case that the Syrian government was responsible for this attack on its own people.

Our intelligence shows the Assad regime and its forces preparing to use chemical weapons, launching rockets in the highly populated suburbs of Damascus, and acknowledging that a chemical weapons attack took place. And all of this corroborates what the world can plainly see — hospitals overflowing with victims; terrible images of the dead. All told, well over 1,000 people were murdered. Several hundred of them were children — young girls and boys gassed to death by their own government.

This attack is an assault on human dignity. It also presents a serious danger to our national security. It risks making a mockery of the global prohibition on the use of chemical weapons. It endangers our friends and our partners along Syria’s borders, including Israel, Jordan, Turkey, Lebanon and Iraq. It could lead to escalating use of chemical weapons, or their proliferation to terrorist groups who would do our people harm.

In a world with many dangers, this menace must be confronted.

Now, after careful deliberation, I have decided that the United States should take military action against Syrian regime targets. This would not be an open-ended intervention. We would not put boots on the ground. Instead, our action would be designed to be limited in duration and scope. But I’m confident we can hold the Assad regime accountable for their use of chemical weapons, deter this kind of behavior, and degrade their capacity to carry it out.

Our military has positioned assets in the region. The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs has informed me that we are prepared to strike whenever we choose. Moreover, the Chairman has indicated to me that our capacity to execute this mission is not time-sensitive; it will be effective tomorrow, or next week, or one month from now. And I’m prepared to give that order.

But having made my decision as Commander-in-Chief based on what I am convinced is our national security interests, I’m also mindful that I’m the President of the world’s oldest constitutional democracy. I’ve long believed that our power is rooted not just in our military might, but in our example as a government of the people, by the people, and for the people. And that’s why I’ve made a second decision: I will seek authorization for the use of force from the American people’s representatives in Congress.

Over the last several days, we’ve heard from members of Congress who want their voices to be heard. I absolutely agree. So this morning, I spoke with all four congressional leaders, and they’ve agreed to schedule a debate and then a vote as soon as Congress comes back into session.

In the coming days, my administration stands ready to provide every member with the information they need to understand what happened in Syria and why it has such profound implications for America’s national security. And all of us should be accountable as we move forward, and that can only be accomplished with a vote.

I’m confident in the case our government has made without waiting for U.N. inspectors. I’m comfortable going forward without the approval of a United Nations Security Council that, so far, has been completely paralyzed and unwilling to hold Assad accountable. As a consequence, many people have advised against taking this decision to Congress, and undoubtedly, they were impacted by what we saw happen in the United Kingdom this week when the Parliament of our closest ally failed to pass a resolution with a similar goal, even as the Prime Minister supported taking action.

Yet, while I believe I have the authority to carry out this military action without specific congressional authorization, I know that the country will be stronger if we take this course, and our actions will be even more effective. We should have this debate, because the issues are too big for business as usual. And this morning, John Boehner, Harry Reid, Nancy Pelosi and Mitch McConnell agreed that this is the right thing to do for our democracy.

A country faces few decisions as grave as using military force, even when that force is limited. I respect the views of those who call for caution, particularly as our country emerges from a time of war that I was elected in part to end. But if we really do want to turn away from taking appropriate action in the face of such an unspeakable outrage, then we just acknowledge the costs of doing nothing.

Here’s my question for every member of Congress and every member of the global community: What message will we send if a dictator can gas hundreds of children to death in plain sight and pay no price? What’s the purpose of the international system that we’ve built if a prohibition on the use of chemical weapons that has been agreed to by the governments of 98 percent of the world’s people and approved overwhelmingly by the Congress of the United States is not enforced?

Make no mistake — this has implications beyond chemical warfare. If we won’t enforce accountability in the face of this heinous act, what does it say about our resolve to stand up to others who flout fundamental international rules? To governments who would choose to build nuclear arms? To terrorist who would spread biological weapons? To armies who carry out genocide?

We cannot raise our children in a world where we will not follow through on the things we say, the accords we sign, the values that define us.

So just as I will take this case to Congress, I will also deliver this message to the world. While the U.N. investigation has some time to report on its findings, we will insist that an atrocity committed with chemical weapons is not simply investigated, it must be confronted.

I don’t expect every nation to agree with the decision we have made. Privately we’ve heard many expressions of support from our friends. But I will ask those who care about the writ of the international community to stand publicly behind our action.

And finally, let me say this to the American people: I know well that we are weary of war. We’ve ended one war in Iraq. We’re ending another in Afghanistan. And the American people have the good sense to know we cannot resolve the underlying conflict in Syria with our military. In that part of the world, there are ancient sectarian differences, and the hopes of the Arab Spring have unleashed forces of change that are going to take many years to resolve. And that’s why we’re not contemplating putting our troops in the middle of someone else’s war.

Instead, we’ll continue to support the Syrian people through our pressure on the Assad regime, our commitment to the opposition, our care for the displaced, and our pursuit of a political resolution that achieves a government that respects the dignity of its people.

But we are the United States of America, and we cannot and must not turn a blind eye to what happened in Damascus. Out of the ashes of world war, we built an international order and enforced the rules that gave it meaning. And we did so because we believe that the rights of individuals to live in peace and dignity depends on the responsibilities of nations. We aren’t perfect, but this nation more than any other has been willing to meet those responsibilities.

So to all members of Congress of both parties, I ask you to take this vote for our national security. I am looking forward to the debate. And in doing so, I ask you, members of Congress, to consider that some things are more important than partisan differences or the politics of the moment.

Ultimately, this is not about who occupies this office at any given time; it’s about who we are as a country. I believe that the people’s representatives must be invested in what America does abroad, and now is the time to show the world that America keeps our commitments. We do what we say. And we lead with the belief that right makes might — not the other way around.

We all know there are no easy options. But I wasn’t elected to avoid hard decisions. And neither were the members of the House and the Senate. I’ve told you what I believe, that our security and our values demand that we cannot turn away from the massacre of countless civilians with chemical weapons. And our democracy is stronger when the President and the people’s representatives stand together.

I’m ready to act in the face of this outrage. Today I’m asking Congress to send a message to the world that we are ready to move forward together as one nation.

Thanks very much.

END 2:02 P.M. EDT

Statement on Syria (8-31-2013) http://scvtv.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/obama083113.jpg

1 DUI Arrest at Friday Night Checkpoint in Valencia

File photo

The Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station conducted a DUI/Driver’s License checkpoint Friday night in Valencia as part of the city of Santa Clarita’s commitment to traffic safety. This checkpoint was one of many that have been or will be conducted throughout the year in Santa Clarita. The location of Friday’s checkpoint was on Newhall Ranch Road and Grandview Drive.

DUI Checkpoints along with regularly scheduled high visibility DUI enforcement serves as a proven deterrent with the goal of removing alcohol and drugged impaired drivers and heightening awareness of the dangers of driving under the influence.

[1,093] Vehicles were screened.

[2] Drivers were given field sobriety tests.

[1] Driver was arrested for DUI.

[7] Unlicensed and/or suspended/revoked drivers were sent to court.

[13] Drivers were cited and sent to court for various Vehicle Code violations.

[3] Vehicles were towed, one with a 30-day impound hold.

“Over the course of the past five years, DUI collisions have claimed 11 lives and resulted in 255 injury crashes harming 363 of our friends and neighbors,” said Sergeant Cohen. “If everyone planned ahead for a sober non-drinking designated drivers these numbers could be lowered to Zero.

Those arrested and convicted for DUI can expect jail time, vehicle storage or impound fees, license suspension, fines, fees, DUI classes, insurance rates will increase and other expenses that can push the cost of an arrest to over $10,000; not to mention the embarrassment they’ll face around family, friends & co-workers.

1 DUI Arrest at Friday Night Checkpoint in Valencia

Statement on Syria

Following a meeting with Baltic leaders at the White House, President Obama makes a statement about the situation in Syria.

OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPT

Remarks by President Obama and the Presidents of Estonia, Lithuania, and Latvia

2:22 P.M. EDT

PRESIDENT OBAMA: Well, obviously, I’m very grateful to have my fellow Presidents here, as well as the Vice President. Before I begin, I want to say a few words about the situation in Syria.

As you’ve seen, today we’ve released our unclassified assessment detailing with high confidence that the Syrian regime carried out a chemical weapons attack that killed well over 1,000 people, including hundreds of children. This follows the horrific images that shocked us all.

This kind of attack is a challenge to the world. We cannot accept a world where women and children and innocent civilians are gassed on a terrible scale. This kind of attack threatens our national security interests by violating well-established international norms against the use of chemical weapons by further threatening friends and allies of ours in the region, like Israel and Turkey and Jordan. And it increases the risk that chemical weapons will be used in the future and fall into the hands of terrorists who might use them against us.

So I have said before and I meant what I said, that the world has an obligation to make sure that we maintain the norm against the use of chemical weapons. Now, I have not made a final decision about various actions that might be taken to help enforce that norm. But as I’ve already said, I have had my military and our team look at a wide range of options. We have consulted with allies. We’ve consulted with Congress. We’ve been in conversations with all the interested parties.

And in no event are we considering any kind of military action that would involve boots on the ground; that would involve a long-term campaign. But we are looking at the possibility of a limited, narrow act that would help make sure that not only Syria, but others around the world, understand that the international community cares about maintaining this chemical weapons ban and norm.

Again, I repeat, we’re not considering any open-ended commitment. We’re not considering any boots-on-the-ground approach. What we will do is consider options that meet the narrow concern around chemical weapons, understanding that there’s not going to be a solely military solution to the underlying conflict and tragedy that’s taking place in Syria. And I will continue to consult closely with Congress.

In addition to the release of the unclassified document, we are providing a classified briefing to congressional staff today, and we’ll offer that same classified briefing to members of Congress as well as our international partners. And I will continue to provide updates to the American people as we get more information.

With that, I want to welcome President Ilves, President Grybauskaitė, and President Bērziņš to the White House. These countries that they represent all share very deep ties to the United States, both as allies and because of the extraordinary people-to-people relations that we have with these countries.

I want to thank all the Presidents who are here, and their nations, for all that they do to promote democracy not only in their own countries but around the world. The Baltics are among our most reliable allies in NATO, and our commitment to their security is rock-solid. Our soldiers sacrifice together in Afghanistan, and the Baltics, of course, continue to help support our troops as we transition the NATO mission.

Today we’re going to spend some time talking about shared commitments to the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership negotiations, which will add jobs in the Baltics and the United States. We’re working on development assistance projects, including building institutions and strengthening civil society in the emerging democracies of Eastern Europe and Central Asia. We will obviously have discussions about our NATO relationship and the security concerns that we share together.

So, again, I’ve had occasions to meet with all three Presidents in a wide variety of settings and wide variety of summits. They have been outstanding friends to the United States of America. We are very proud of them. And I want to thank each of them for their leadership. We know how far Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania have come in just the past two decades, and I know that we’ll accomplish even more in the decades to come.

So with that, I want to give each of these leaders a chance to say a few words. We’re going to start with President Ilves.

PRESIDENT ILVES: Thank you. I’d actually like to begin by thanking President Obama for inviting us here, and we are quite grateful to the United States and to you personally for your leadership, commitment and support.

The main issue on our agenda today is global and regional security, and the question, of course, on everyone’s mind is the situation in Syria. For Estonia, the use of chemical weapons is deplorable. The attack demands a response. Those responsible must be held accountable. Violations cannot be overlooked.

When it comes to our security, we appreciate the commitment that the United States has shown to our region and Europe as a whole, and we attach great importance to continued U.S. engagement in European security.

The transatlantic security link is unique and enduring as are the common values that underpin it. As a NATO ally, Estonia takes its responsibility for our common defense seriously. We are currently and will maintain committed to NATO’s mission in Afghanistan. We spend 2 percent of our GDP on defense.

We also believe in maintaining a strong transatlantic link in other areas, such as trade, cyber and energy security. I look forward to exchanging views on all of these issues, as I also look forward to discussing what we can do together internationally to promote our common values: democracy, human rights, rule of law.

We already cooperate in countries that lie to the east and the south of us — Ukraine, Moldova, and Georgia, and Tunisia, as well, just to name a few. I am sure that this global cooperation aimed at helping countries transition from authoritarian to democratic rule will be expanded in the future.

Recently, we’ve heard a lot of talk about pivots. Today we are on the verge of a new rebalancing of the U.S. focus, this time to the Nordic-Baltic region. Our region is one of the most secure, stable, and prosperous in Europe. We are proud to be part of it. We are proud of the partnership we have with the United States here, just as we are proud of our alliance and the enduring friendship of the American people.

PRESIDENT OBAMA: Madam President.

PRESIDENT GRYBAUSKAITÈ: So adding in line, I would like to emphasize that to go with the matter of security in the region, we are talking about economic security in the region. And here, especially on energy security, the United States plays a very serious role.

We opened in our region already, in Vilnius, the NATO Center of Excellence for Energy Security, and bilaterally with the United States, the Center for Nuclear Security. And this is important because we are on the borders of NATO with some other not-so-secure regions, and why this involvement of the United States is so important for all of our region.

And of course, as a country which presides today the European Union’s Council, we are engaged very much in starting negotiations on the free trade agreement between the United States and European Union. And I’m very happy that we got one meeting, and now we were thinking October for a second one. And I think that it is a generational challenge and opportunity for all of us — for United States and Europe — to move fast these kinds of relations and to have very efficient and resultative outcome. And I hope that we will be able to do it fast.

So together with the military new challenges, we are trying to battle new economic challenges together with the cyber challenges, which our region all the time receives and receives. And I want to say that every day, every day practically we see this aggressiveness and new forms of challenges our region is facing, so why I just can also confirm that Baltic and Nordic cooperation is a new phenomena — I would say unique phenomena in Europe, which is very much reliable and you can find from us as being — we are strategic partners for the United States.

PRESIDENT OBAMA: Mr. President.

PRESIDENT BĒRZINŠ: This week is important for American people, 50th anniversary of March on Washington. As I say, for us, this is 15 years over when Baltic-American Charter was signed. This is the right moment to review and to move forward.

For us, we are thankful to you giving your presidential time to the determined goals of the Baltic nation — U.S.-led military exercise in Baltics strengthen Nordic — the distribution network to Afghanistan. British-American Freedom Fund, which helps Baltic students to study in American universities.

Of course, we see — together, at the same time being very active in Europe — we will become members of eurozone on the 1st of January. We are actually working at the same time to become members of OECD. And of course, our focus is to look for new possibilities in Europe using our past experience. We are focusing to Central Asia countries and also to Eastern Partnership countries. And this is particularly important in relations to Afghanistan and to develop this country in a peaceful manner.

Latvia has past crisis, but at the same time, we have to do much, much more. And having this really good NATO support and such partners as U.S., we can move forward. And it’s clear that today’s meeting is a reason and demonstration of the stable, long-term interest of the United States and Baltics. And we are proud, free, and at peace.

Thank you.

PRESIDENT OBAMA: Thank you so much.

Q Mr. President, is your decision on Syria imminent? And why did you feel like it’s appropriate to move forward without formal authorization from either the United Nations or Congress, particularly given that the British Parliament had an opportunity to vote?

PRESIDENT OBAMA: We are still in the planning process. And obviously, consultations with Congress as well as the international community are very important. And my preference obviously would have been that the international community already acted forcefully. But what we have seen, so far at least, is a incapacity at this point for the Security Council to move forward in the face of a clear violation of international norms.

And I recognize that all of us — here in the United States, in Great Britain, in many parts of the world there is a certain weariness given Afghanistan; there’s a certain suspicion of any military action post-Iraq. And I very much appreciate that. On the other hand, it’s important for us to recognize that when over a thousand people are killed, including hundreds of innocent children, through the use of a weapon that 98 or 99 percent of humanity says should not be used even in war, and there is no action, then we’re sending a signal that that international norm doesn’t mean much. And that is a danger to our national security.

And, obviously, if and when we make a decision to respond, there are a whole host of considerations that I have to take into account, too, in terms of how effective it is. And given the kind of options that we’re looking at, they would be very limited and would not involve a long-term commitment or a major operation.

We are confident that we can provide Congress all the information and get all the input that they need, and we’re very mindful of that. And we can have serious conversations with our allies and our friends around the world about this. But, ultimately, we don’t want the world to be paralyzed.

And, frankly, part of the challenge that we end up with here is that a lot of people think something should be done, but nobody wants to do it. And that’s not an unusual situation. And that’s part of what allows over time the erosion of these kinds of international prohibitions, unless somebody says: No, when the world says we’re not going to use chemical weapons, we mean it.

And it would be tempting to leave it to others to do it. And I think I’ve shown consistently and said consistently my strong preference for multilateral action whenever possible. But it is not in the national security interests of the United States to ignore clear violations of these kinds of international norms.

And the reason is because there are a whole host of international norms out there that are very important to us. We have currently rules in place dealing with the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. We have international norms that have been violated by certain countries, and the United Nations has put sanctions in place. But if there’s a sense that over time nobody is willing to actually enforce them, then people won’t take them seriously.

So I’m very clear that the world generally is war-weary. Certainly, the United States has gone through over a decade of war. The American people, understandably, want us to be focused on the business of rebuilding our economy here and putting people back to work. And I assure you, nobody ends up being more war-weary than me.

But what I also believe is that part of our obligation as a leader in the world is making sure that when you have a regime that is willing to use weapons that are prohibited by international norms on their own people, including children, that they are held to account.

END 2:40 P.M. EDT

Statement on Syria http://scvtv.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/obama083013.jpg

Labor Day Message

“President Obama discusses Labor Day and reflects on the contributions of the working men and women in our country.”

OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPT

Remarks of President Barack Obama
Weekly Address
The White House
August 31, 2013

Hi, everybody. This Labor Day weekend, as we gather with family and friends, we’ll also come together as a nation to honor some of our own – the working men and women of America who, across the generations, built this country up and helped make us who we are today.

On Monday, we’ll celebrate that proud history. We’ll pay tribute to the values working Americans embody – hard work; responsibility; sacrifice; looking out for one another. And we’ll recommit ourselves to their cause; to securing for them a better bargain so that everyone who works hard in America has a chance to get ahead.

See, over the past four and a half years, we’ve fought our way back from the worst recession of our lifetimes. And thanks to the grit and resilience of the American people, we’ve begun to lay a foundation for stronger, more durable economic growth. But as any working family will tell you, we’re not where we need to be.

For over a decade, working Americans have seen their wages and incomes stagnate, even as corporate profits soar and the pay of a fortunate few explodes. For even longer than that, inequality has steadily risen; the journey of upward mobility has become harder. And in too many communities across this country, the shadow of poverty continues to cast a pall over our fellow citizens.

Reversing that trend needs to be Washington’s highest priority. It’s certainly mine. That’s why, over the past month, I’ve traveled all across America, laying out my ideas for how we can build on the cornerstones of what it means to be middle class. A good job that pays a good wage. A good education. A home of your own. Health care when you get sick. A secure retirement even if you’re not rich. And more chances for folks to earn their way into the middle class as long as they’re willing to work for it.

The truth is, it’s not going to be easy to reverse the forces that have conspired – for decades – against working Americans. But if we take a few bold steps – and if Washington is able to come together with common purpose and common resolve – we’ll get there. Our economy will keep getting stronger and more Americans will be able to join the ranks of the middle-class.

So this Labor Day, while you’re out there grilling in the backyard, or taking that final trip for the summer, I hope you’ll also take a moment to reflect on the many contributions of our working men and women. For generations, it was the great American middle class that made our economy the envy of the world. And as long as I’m President, I’m going to keep fighting to make sure that happens again.

Thanks, and have a great weekend.

Labor Day Message http://scvtv.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/obamaweekly083113.jpg

An Orange Blog and a Coffee Can | Commentary by Jennifer Fischer

I can’t believe the ABCs of the Santa Clarita Valley are almost at an end – just Y and Z remain. Any guesses on what they’ll be? You’ll have to wait until next Saturday to see. I’m pausing this week to share a special challenge with you.

With August drawing to a close and September just a day away (or already here, depending on when you’re reading), I had to take this moment to spread the word that September is Hunger Action Month.

If you’ve read my commentaries consistently, you’ve probably noticed that hunger is something I’ve discussed before. Or if you read my blog, The Good Long Road, you know this, as well. Last year I turned my blog “orange” for Hunger Action Month and shared many posts to raise awareness about hunger in the United States, including in our local community, and about ways individuals, families and kids could get involved during Hunger Action Month.

This September I’ll be doing the same thing and have decided that one part of my awareness and fundraising will occur in the form of a coffee can challenge, partially inspired by my younger self.

Last year, Chalice Press published the book, “It’s Not All About You: Young Adults Seeking Justice,” edited by Julie Richardson Brown and Courtney Richards. I contributed a chapter, which opened with a simple question: “Can an empty coffee can change the world?” I recount a story from my childhood in which I dumped the coffee grounds from a coffee can all over the kitchen floor so I could take the now-empty coffee can door-to-door in my neighborhood to collect money for children who were starving, halfway around the world.

Click images to enlarge

This time, I am using a coffee can that has long been empty of coffee grounds, which I actually put in my coffee maker. What I’ve decided to do for the month of September is take an empty coffee can with me everywhere I go and put all of my spare change in it throughout the month. The can is wrapped in paper that has the “No Kid Hungry” logo on it.

Perhaps as I do this (and maybe look a tad odd), others will ask about the can or notice it and decide to add some of their spare change, as well. It will be interesting for me to see how much I can raise with simply spare change in just one month – 30 days.

There’s certainly a need. Tuesday, No Kid Hungry released a report from a survey they conducted of 1,000 teachers and principals. Seventy-three percent of teachers reported they had taught students who routinely came to school hungry, as did 87 percent of principals.

Many found the report shocking. As someone who has been involved in education through after-school programs for many years, I did not.

The coffee can challenge will be just one of the many things I plan to do in September to raise awareness and funds. I hope you’ll be inspired to do something, too. (Note: It doesn’t have to be monetary. Sharing a Facebook status or Tweeting a fact that raises awareness makes a big difference.)

If you check out my blog in September, look for posts with ideas and calls to action around hunger, and remember that right here in the Santa Clarita Valley there are families and individuals in need, and there are many ways to help them, particularly through Help the Children or the Santa Clarita Valley Food Pantry.

And if you happen to see me around town with my coffee can, I hope you’ll be able to spare some change. Who knows? Maybe I’ll decide to make this an ongoing thing and just select a different cause each month. I’m not sure where this particularly coffee can challenge will lead me. I only know the coffee-can experience from my childhood demonstrated a desire that has stuck – a desire always to help others – and a belief that stuck, too: a belief that it is possible to end hunger.

I’d love for you to pop over to The Good Long Road on Facebook and share your thoughts and ideas related to Hunger Action Month. Go Orange!

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.

An Orange Blog and a Coffee Can | Commentary by Jennifer Fischer

Friday, August 30, 2013

Pregame: Hawthorne @ West Ranch

Hosts Dave Caldwell and Chris Varner discuss the ins and outs of each team before kickoff.

Pregame: Hawthorne @ West Ranch http://scvtv.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/fbopen083013-1024x576.jpg

Chant: West Ranch Wildcats

This week’s chant features the West Ranch Wildcats, warming up before they face the Hawthorne Cougars. New head coach Jan Miller leads the chant.

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SCV NewsBreak for Friday, August 30, 2013

In this episode:

A hot prowl burglar who broke into a home near Lost Canyon Road in Canyon Country Thursday night, got more than he bargained for when shots are fired; Persia Restaurant owners are cleaning up a mess after a car slams through the font window Friday morning.

Sports:

High School Football kicks off in the SCV tonight. Dave Caldwell joins us from Valencia High School with a preview of tonight season opener.

Finally:

Registration is now open for the the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department SWAT team’s18th annual Mud Run in Castaic.

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Mason Falahat of West Ranch High School

This week’s Student Athlete of the Week, presented by SCVTV & Wendy’s of Santa Clarita, is Mason Falahat of West Ranch High School.

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Review: Sinbad at the PAC | Commentary by Gloria Locke

Santa Clarita welcomed a “houseguest” who was on hand Saturday to launch the comedy series at the Santa Clarita Performing Arts Center at College of the Canyons.

“It’s been such a tough week and I just want to laugh,” said Gloria Mercado-Fortine. The Hart School Board member and 2014 City Council candidate was joined by more than 800 laugh-out-loud hopefuls.

Visitors and patrons, clad in everything from upscale evening attire to summer board shorts and flip-flops, were greeted by PAC Executive Director Evy Warshawski, who collected ticket stubs with a warm smile and a bright red chili-pepper necklace. Wolf Creek Restaurant provided light beverages and desserts in the foyer, including beer and petite lemon bars.

As the house lights dimmed, Warshawski entered center stage as host of an evening that promised to present “one of the top 100 stand-up comedians of all time.”

Atlanta native Chase Anthony warmed up the crowd, giving a shout-out to single parents with tales from his childhood. He relived awkward moments, from wearing hand-me-downs from four sisters to stepdad fights and a grandmother who was out to “find a man on that Facebook machine.”

Sinbad

“Just ‘cause there’s snow on the roof, don’t mean there’s no fire in the furnace,” he said, recalling his grandmother’s Facebook motives.

Addressing the cheering crowd, Sinbad joined Anthony on stage, needing only a stool, microphone and a leopard-print hand towel. Both Sinbad and Anthony tried to get a handle on the SCV.

“OK, what is it? Santa Clarita or Valencia? You can’t have two names. Newhall, Valencia, Santa Clarita – it’s all the same. Everything takes you to MAC-Bean – just get back to MAC-Bean Parkway. MAC-Bean, MAC-Bean. That’s your Ventura Boulevard, your 101,” Sinbad insisted.

His one-and-a-half hour “therapy improv session” entertained by fielding family problems: “What drives you crazy? Tell me, I’ll fix it.”

The “calls” kept coming in for the 57-year-old doctor of comedy who, donned in charcoal gray dress shirt with satin purple sides, dark gray dress pants and dress shoes, prescribed anecdotes for everything from prostrate exams to teenage rebellion, sharing that he can “no longer eat blue jello,” and advising parents to “jack up their kids by using reverse psychology on them to get a right response.”

“It’s wrong, but it’s right,” he said, defending his approach to problems in life.

Sinbad had the house in stitches by bringing up serious subjects, from pulling the plug on life-support to why anyone would ever consider online dating.

“That’s where ‘Dexter’ hangs out,” he discloses, warning that social media makes it too easy for serial killers. His advice: “If they grin too long, they’re a serial killer.”

Roars of laughter continued when the SCV houseguest examined “Honey Boo-Boo.”

“Honey Boo-Boo. What is that? We watch these shows because it makes us feel better about our family.”

Probing deeper, Sinbad asked wives what bothered them most about their husbands. Replies of leaving dirty clothes on the floor, raised toilet seats, and calling Mom, allowed Sinbad to turn the tables skillfully and hilariously by blaming the wives.

“Women suck the life out of men,” he said. “That’s where sleep apnea comes from. No single man has sleep apnea.”

He concluded that comedians are crazy, admitting to A.D.D. as a child, but there were no medications forcing him to “centralize his powers.”

“Does your child have ADD/ADHD? Don’t give him meds. Is he crazy? Look at me. You paid for ticket, didn’t you? Work with what you have.”

Ending the comedy counseling session at precisely 10 p.m., Sinbad acknowledged he needed to go to sleep in order to wake up in time to for a 1:30 p.m. church service.

One of the most notable highlights came from the SCV crowd – a wonderfully diverse audience, with a variety of ages and personalities – enjoying a laugh-out-loud night to remember. It was a family night of entertainment, without any profanity or off-color remarks – a rare and priceless gem in the world of comedy.

Perhaps it was a tough week – yet Sinbad succeeded in bringing laughter to the everyday trials, tribulations and trivia of the SCV.

As for the first night of the PAC 2013-14 season: a resounding bravo, brilliant, and big, BIG smiles.

Continue the laugh-out-loud experience with the PAC comedy series featuring actor-comedian Paul Reiser, the official Blues Brothers Revue and Kathleen Madigan. For details visit www.CanyonsPAC.com.

Review: Sinbad at the PAC | Commentary by Gloria Locke

High School Football Returns Tonight on SCVTV

High school football returns to your television set and computer screen as SCVTV kicks off its full season of games Friday, Aug 30.

Games are telecasted on Time Warner Cable Channel 20 and AT&T U-Verse Channel 99, and available on-demand at SCVTV.com/football.

Televised game time is 11 p.m., following the conclusion of game play.

This Friday’s Game of the Week features the West Ranch Wildcats as they meet the Hawthorne Cougars.

Dave Caldwell returns for his 16th season behind the mike to handle play-by-play for SCVTV. Caldwell has been named one of the best Southern California play-by-play sportscasters by the Los Angeles Daily News for seven consecutive years. He will be joined in the booth by former Canyon Cowboys head coach Chris Varner.

SCVTV has a new website for on-demand viewing of high school football games: SCVTV.com/football.

To listen “live” while game play is under way, and to catch up on scores as they come in from other fields, tune your radio to KHTS AM-1220.

High School Football Returns Tonight on SCVTV

Assembly Panel OK's Pavley Bill on Kiddie Porn

Fran Pavley

The Assembly Appropriations Committee voted unanimously Friday to approve Senate Bill 145 by Sen. Fran Pavley (D-Agoura Hills), which would raise the maximum penalty for the most serious child pornography offenses. The committee vote paves the way for a vote on the Assembly Floor.

California currently has the weakest child pornography sentencing laws in the nation. SB 145 would raise the maximum penalty for the worst offenders: those with huge collections of child pornography, those with images of children forced to endure sexual sadism or masochism, and those who use images to groom children to participate in this crime. The bill is sponsored by Ventura County District Attorney Greg Totten and strongly supported by the California District Attorneys Association.

“We need to halt the cycle of child abuse at its roots,” Pavley said. “As long as there is a demand to see sexually abused children, and possessors of this material fail to receive serious consequences, possessors will continue to fuel the production and distribution of images and the vicious cycle of child abuse will continue.”

Testifying at the hearing was Erin Runnion, who founded the Joyful Child Foundation after her daughter, Samantha was sexually assaulted and murdered in 2002. Runnion was also representing the National Association to PROTECT Children and the Surviving Parents Coalition.

“Child pornographers perpetuate the victimization of children,” Runnion said. “The man who killed my daughter had a collection. Our greatest responsibility is to protect our children.”

Assembly Panel OK's Pavley Bill on Kiddie Porn

Feinstein, McKeon Statements on Syria

Feinstein Statement on Chemical Weapons Attacks in Syria (Aug. 30)

Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif.

Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Dianne Feinstein released the following statement Friday after Secretary of State John Kerry spoke on last week’s chemical weapons attacks in Syria:

“I listened carefully to what Secretary Kerry had to say and believe his remarks should stir the conscience of the world. He pointed out the high confidence our government has that this was a chemical weapons attack, that it was directed by the Assad regime and that it killed 1,429 people, including at least 426 children.

“The unclassified intelligence assessment released today tracks closely with briefings I have received over the past week. I agree with Secretary Kerry that the world cannot let such a heinous attack pass without a meaningful response, and I hope the international community will take appropriate action.”

McKeon Statement on Developments in Syria (Aug. 26)

House Armed Services Committee Chairman Howard P. “Buck” McKeon, R-Santa Clarita, made the following statement regarding recent developments in Syria:

“I share Americans’ concern with the developing situation in Syria, and I am monitoring events there closely. Using chemical weapons against innocent civilians is unacceptable. No regime can be allowed to do so with impunity.

The President established a red line policy. I expect the Commander in Chief would consult with Congress in the days ahead as he considers the options available to him. Drawing red lines before you know what you are willing to do to back them up is folly, but now that American credibility is on the line, the President cannot fail to act decisively.”

Feinstein, McKeon Statements on Syria

Drop-testing a Helicopter; LADEE to the Moon; Asteroid Search; more

NASA prepares for the launch of the Lunar Atmosphere and Dust Environment Explorer or LADEE probe to the moon. Also, a new crew of ISS Astronauts meet the Media, and the Spitzer and WISE Telescopes get ready to help in the search for asteroids. These stories and more on This Week @NASA.

TRANSCRIPT

LUNAR DUST MISSION – WFF/GSFC/ARC

@NASALADEE

Final preparations are being made to launch the Lunar Atmosphere and Dust Environment Explorer or LADEE probe to study the structure and composition of the Moon’s atmosphere and determine whether dust is being lofted into the lunar sky.

Brian Day, LADEE Team Member:
”LADEE will help us better understand other bodies in our solar system that are similar, such as Mercury, some of the larger asteroids and even some of the moons of the outer planets.”

NASA TV will carry the LADEE launch from Wallops Flight Facility Friday night, Sept. 6 … and Orbital Sciences Corporation has tips on their website for seeing the launch from spots around the Washington Metro area.

MAVEN’S ROCKET – KSC

#Mars

The Atlas V rocket that will send NASA’s Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution or MAVEN spacecraft to the Red Planet arrived at Port Canaveral, Florida. MAVEN will be the first mission dedicated to searching for clues about what existed in the upper atmosphere of Ancient Mars. Launch is scheduled for November 18.

EXPEDITION 38/39 MEETS THE MEDIA – JSC

#ISS

Rick Mastracchio, NASA Astronaut:
“I’m really looking forward to actually spending a long period of time up there, helping to do some research, get involved in the science.”

During a press conference at Johnson Space Center, members of Expedition 38/39, the next crew headed to the International Space Station, met the media. Astronauts Rick Mastracchio of NASA, Koichi Wakata of JAXA and Russian cosmonaut Mikhail Tyurin will launch in their Soyuz spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on Nov. 6.

SCOPING FOR ASTEROIDS – JPL/HQ

@AsteroidWatch

In its first ten years NASA’s Spitzer Space Telescope used its infrared vision to discover carbon spheres in space called buckyballs and the first ever light from a planet outside our solar system. Spitzer will start its second decade of observations helping scope out potential asteroid candidates for the agency’s asteroid capture and redirection mission – starting in October with a small near-Earth asteroid named 2009 DB.

And in September, NASA plans to wake up and use the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer or WISE telescope for its asteroid hunting ability. WISE will look for asteroids suitable for exploration as well as those potentially hazardous to Earth. Part of the successful Near Earth Object survey mission called NEOWISE, the telescope was put to sleep in 2011.

3-D INJECTOR TESTED – MSFC

@NASA_Technology

The largest 3-D printed rocket injector NASA has ever tested blazed to life during a hot-fire test that generated a record 20-thousand pounds of thrust. The successful test of the subscale injector, made using additive manufacturing technology, is a milestone in the agency’s quest to use the advanced technology to make space hardware at reduced cost. The complex part was made using just two pieces from a 3-D printing machine – compared to the 115 pieces used in traditional manufacturing.

NEW PIPES FOR ENGINE TESTS– SSC

@nasa_sls

At Stennis Space Center, workers are busy preparing the A-1 test stand for new testing of the RS-25 engine. The test stand is being outfitted with a piping system for liquid hydrogen, liquid oxygen and other elements needed to test these engines that will power the core stage of NASA’s Space Launch System.

SAFETY DROP TEST – LARC

#NASAAero

At Langley Research Center a helicopter was dropped from about 30 feet at the center’s Impact Research Facility. NASA, The Army, Navy and FAA crashed the copter to test its improved seats and seat belts and to analyze new techniques and crashworthiness data. The 30 mile per hour impact is considered severe but survivable under civilian and military requirements.

NUSTAR DELIVERS X-RAY GOODS – JPL

#NuSTAR

The first batch of X-ray image data from NASA’s black-hole hunting Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array, or NuSTAR is publicly available via NASA’s High Energy Astrophysics Science Archive Research Center. The images, taken from July to August 2012, shortly after the spacecraft launched, include an assortment of extreme objects, including black holes near and far.

WEBB TELESCOPE MINI-ME – GSFC

#JWST

There’s a James Webb Space Telescope Mini-Me at Goddard Space Flight Center. The team of engineering students that built the 1/6th scale model as part of a mentoring program gained valuable hands-on experience in design and development of complex space systems. There are plans to also use the model to help the public understand the challenges of advancing space science.

NASA ANNIVERSARY: Launch of The Van Allen Probes, August 30, 2012 – HQ

@NASAhistory

One year ago, on August 30, 2012 The Van Allen Probes were launched to study the Van Allen radiation belts around Earth and space weather – which can disrupt satellites, GPS communications and cause power grid failures. The Van Allen Probes will help researchers better design spacecraft that can survive the rigors of outer space.

FULLERTON REMEMBERED – DFRC

@nasadryden

The NASA family is mourning the loss of astronaut Gordon Fullerton, who logged over 300 hours in space – including the Spacelab 2 mission and STS-3 – the only shuttle mission to land at White Sands, New Mexico. His 22-years as a test pilot at Dryden Flight Research Center included work with the F-15, the X-38 and the X-43A. Fullerton had been in a California long-term care facility since having a stroke in 2009. He died August 21 at the age of 76.

And that’s This Week @NASA.

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Nissan of Valencia: "Community"

Nissan of Valencia fosters the community spirit needed to keep the Santa Clarita Valley functioning.

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What's Up for September 2013

A lunar night launch, moon, planet pairs, Comet ISON spotted.

TRANSCRIPT

Jane Houston Jones: What’s Up for September. A nighttime lunar launch, comet ISON is spotted again, and the moon meets up with Saturn, Venus, Mars and Jupiter.

Hello and welcome. I’m Jane Houston Jones from NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California.

NASA’s LADEE mission, the Lunar Atmosphere and Dust Environment Explorer, is scheduled for a night launch on September 6 at 11:27 p.m. Eastern time from NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility on the eastern shore of Virginia. LADEE will orbit the moon to gather information about the lunar atmosphere, conditions near the surface and environmental influences on lunar dust. It’ll take 30 days to travel to the moon, followed by 30 days for checkout and 100 days for science operations.

Comet ISON was recovered in mid-August and imaged using an 11-inch telescope. There have been other observations of the comet, but it’s still to early to predict ISON’s behavior. So stay tuned!

On September 27 Comet ISON will be very close to Mars. The comet is coming directly over Mars in its orbit. An orbiter and a rover on Mars will be looking to image ISON as it passes near the planet.

Here’s what’s visible in the night sky this month. You can find Mars and Jupiter in the eastern dawn sky.

On September first, second and third the moon can be found near Jupiter and Mars. On the 7th and 8th the moon pairs up with Saturn and Venus in the southwest sky just after sunset. And on September 16 Venus is directly below Saturn.

Early next month NASA’s Juno spacecraft will perform a close flyby of Earth on October 9, stealing a tiny bit of Earth’s orbital momentum to get the boost it needs to reach Jupiter in 2016. Juno may be visible with binoculars to observers near Capetown, South Africa.

You can read about all of NASA’s missions, including LADEE and Juno, at w w w dot nasa dot gov.

That’s all for this month. I’m Jane Houston Jones.

Music.

NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology

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Oct. 20: Soroptimist Wine Affair

Please Join Us!

Sunday, October 20, 2013

2-6 PM

Town Center Drive, Valencia, CA

Purchase your tickets now…

	Buy Tickets

Vintner Sponsor – Pinot’s Palette

We are pleased to announce that Pinot’s Palette has offered to be a Vintner Sponsor this year!

Pinot’s Palette, a national Paint and Sip franchise known for providing guests with an entertaining evening of art and wine, will open a studio in Valencia. Stephanie Sewell, a Santa Clarita resident and Kathy Guccione a Los Angeles area native, will open the new location at Granary Square this fall. The Pinot’s Palette mission is to bring fine art to the masses in a fun way. Guests sign up online to attend a two-hour or three-hour painting class where they are instructed by a local, trained artist on how to recreate the featured painting of the night. Pinot’s Palette provides art supplies, while guests enjoy their favorite wine or beer. Pinot’s Palette Valencia will have access to extensive painting libraries of artwork tested for all skill levels, as well as the ability to create unique paintings to respond to guests’ taste in artwork and local trends.

“We can’t wait for Valencia to ‘Paint.Drink.Have Fun.’ – our motto!”

Band Sponsor – fahr.west

In late 2009, singer/songwriter and guitarist, Tom Lamog met up with local guitarist/vocalist and songwriter, David Fry at a Newhall musicians’ event. After a few jam sessions, they discovered common ground with each other’s styles of music. Together they would go on to form The fahr.west Sessions, performing original and popular country rock, and rock and roll tunes, while adding a unique musical imprint from their own lifetime of personal experiences.

Today, the band’s core lineup includes Tom on vocals/guitars and mandolin, David on guitars/vocals, violin/mandolin player Arden Acord, drummer/vocalist Mark Davis, bass guitarist Phil Sykes, and Trout Davis on slide guitar/harmonicas and vocals.

Venue Sponsor – Valencia Wine Co.

Today, Valencia Wine Company is an anchor in the community. We are dedicated to making great wine accessible to everyone, no matter what your taste or budget. From First Growth Bordeaux to casual sippers, we have an ever-changing selection and a knowledgeable staff to help you discover something new each time you visit. Our full-service wine retail shop offers hundreds of selections, while our Wine Club gives clients the chance to taste new and different wines each month. The wine bar provides sophisticated choices by the bottle, glass, or tasting flight, as well as an assortment of exceptional appetizers. Our outdoor patio offers the perfect spot for languid afternoons and long evenings. Weekly tasting classes taught by skilled instructors presents the opportunity to learn about a great variety of wines from all over the world. On weekends, music brings warmth and energy to Valencia Wine Company.

Located on beautiful Town Center Drive, the heart of Valencia’s urban entertainment complex, the Valencia Wine Company offers a warm and welcoming spot for all wine lovers with a dynamic atmosphere and knowledgeable staff second-to-none.

Please come join us!

Food Sponsor – Persia

Persia and the countries bordered by the Mediterranean Sea produce some of the finest food the world has to offer. In many ways these countries are completely different from each other, but one thread links them all – the love of good food.

Persia Restaurant offers you an experience of great taste and style. The Persian and Mediterranean cuisine with a contemporary touch is a true pleasure for the eye and palate. Discover delectable subtleties from the food of the sun. We hope to bring you a true taste of Persian and Mediterranean food.

Big S