News
- Immigration Raid in Newhall: On Friday, April 27, officers with the Immigration and Customs Enforcement department descended on Newhall and arrested an unknown number of illegal immigrants. For over a week, no one knew exactly what happened, that is until Connie Llanos with the Daily News did some digging and got the story. ICE focused on one apartment complex on Valle Del Oro on San Fernando Road, and arrested about 50 immigrants. One man was arrested while on his way to pick up his daughter from preschool, while a 22 year old undocumented worker says both his cousin and roommate were snagged by ICE. The former man leaves behind a wife and two daughters who attend local schools. Story
- Seniors upset about rent increases: Today's A-1, above the fold story comes from Josh Premako who spoke with some Canyon Country seniors who are upset about rental increases in their senior citizen apartments. Some residents have had their rent raised three times in the last 18 months, and others say they may have to ask their children for support. The owners of the apartment buildings aren't known. Not online but apparently sourced from this TITTS post.
- First you get the seat in Congress, den you get da money, den you get da power: Long the target of some editorialists at the Signal for his campaign contributions, Buck McKeon was the focus of an article by the Signal's political reporter Katie Geyer, who took a look at the funds McKeon has received from the student loan industry. McKeon, who used to be chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee, has received some $68,000 in contributions from Sallie Mae since he became a congressman in 1992. That industry has come under fire recently for the apparent too-cozy relationship it has with student loan offices that serve students at universities around the country.
- Mitt visits SCV: The handsome candidate for the GOP ticket visited a home in West Ranch Friday to raise funds for his presidential campaign. There was virtually no media coverage of the event, but KHTS has a brief article with some pictures of the SCV's oligarchy movers and shakers. If you're really interested in Romney and his activities in California, the Fresno Bee spoke with him on Friday just before his fundraising event in Santa Clarita.
- It's gotta be the hair: Don't miss my original, detailed report on rookie Assemblyman Cameron Smyth's town hall meeting Saturday at the SCV Senior Center.
- Fire & Water, part 1: Santa Clarita is one of the top five areas in Southern California for residential solar panel use, according to Katie Geyer's article in the Signal today. Governor Schwarzenegger supports solar panels, and has signed legislation increasing the number of residents who can receive credit for excess power generation. The cost of entry remains high, however, with one solar power representative saying you'll have to shell out $15k to harness the power of the sun.
- Fire & Water, part 2: Alexi Dobuzinskis has a detailed look into last week's announcement that the Castaic Lake Water Agency had settled with the former and current owners of the Whittaker-Property for the perchlorate contamination in the water supply under the site.
- SCV Man & Woman of the Year: As distringuished from SCV Newsmaker of the Year, 51 most influential people of the year, etc...Jeanna Crawford and Greg Nutter share the honors for 2007.
- Curious about George's Bistro? SCV Blog Princess really enjoyed her experience at the restaurant located at the Gateway Shopping Center on Newhall Ranch Road and Copperhill. "This is as close to fine dining as you’ll get unless you go to the TPC or Vines. The meals are amazing," she says.
- Farklepants says keep track of your rugrats: The west side actress and liberal mom complains about parents who don't watch their kids at SCV parks and other public places. "While trying to spend happy family time with *my* family this past weekend, cheering on my son and his softball team, I had to play offense with a little "tweener" (not quite a toddler but not yet a preschooler) from hurling water bottles at my daughter. "I made a weapon!" he declared...super. His own mother was peacefully enjoying the game, ocassionally tossing a disinterested "stop that" over her shoulder," she says. The SCV is a great place to raise your, or another's, family apparently. Rant on
- Google Cache on the Beacon: Yesterday, Valencia Signal columnist Tim Myers openly apologized to Dave Bossert for his column mocking the West Ranch Town Council president's blog and spelling skills. "I apologize to Dave Bossert for my baseless diatribe...the column was an opinion piece based on the opinion of others and the writings of Mr. Bossert, since I have never met Dave Bossert personally and cannot make a firsthand and fully informed evaluation of his motives or views," Myers said.
Bossert's response was almost immediate, but don't go to the West Ranch Beacon to find it. Yesterday, Bossert posted this in response:
Tim Myers column several weeks ago was riddled with baseless statements and opinions and he has changed his views. In his column today Tim gives an apology for what he said about the Beacon and me because he realized that his “diatribe” was based “opinion of others”. Below is exactly what Tim wrote and sent to Leon Worden, Chief Editorial Tool at The Signal.
In perhaps the latest evidence that the rest of the town council is exercising control over what Mr. Bossert posts there, the blog entry above has been deleted or removed as of Monday morning. It's simply gone. Thanks to Google's Caching feature, however, you can enjoy the fracas and read the personal assaults on Leon Worden here at SCVTalk.com.First order of business: I apologize to Dave Bossert for my baseless diatribe called a column published on April 22, 2007. The column was an opinion piece based on the opinion of others and the writings of Mr. Bossert since I have never met Dave Bossert personally and cannot make a first hand and fully informed evaluation of his motives or views. Further, comments about spelling and writing structure of not only Mr. Bossert but other contributors to the West Ranch Beacon upon further reflection turned out to be mean rather than a clever attempt at humor.
The one difference between what Mr. Myers sent to Leon and what was actually printed is that “West Ranch Beacon” was edited out of the column in today’s fish wrap. It appears that Leon is very insecure with even the mention of this publication. I wonder what Mr. Myers thinks about his column being edited? Does it happen on regular basis? What a pathetic editorial manager that he would allow for a columnist to attack the Beacon, naming the site and all. But when it comes time to apologize for the “baseless diatribe” the so-called editorial manager doesn’t want the West Ranch Beacon name mentioned. Gutless, worthless, and ridiculous is about all you can say about Mr. Worden’s apparent editorial skills or lack there of. It is yet another example of what is wrong with The Signal. One more in why our Valley lacks a credible local newspaper. As for Mr. Myers, I appreciate the fact that he reflected on his previous column of two weeks ago and decided to apologize. Doing so in the same venue that he had disparaged the Beacon and me was the right thing to do. Unfortunately, Leon. Worden diminished Tim’s apology by editing it for no other reason than to satisfy his own insecurity Dave Bossert Dave Bossert is a community volunteer who serves on a number of boards and councils. His commentaries represent his own opinions and not necessarily the views of any organization he may be affiliated with or those of the West Ranch Beacon.
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