- No new details in Valencia Murder case: I wish I could give you some new information on the shocking Tuesday murder of Anthony Lombardi, the 55 year old Valencia man who was found stabbed in his car, but there are no new news reports today on the matter. I did find an SCVTV video that I missed before though with some footage of the neighborhood and even the victim inside the car. Reporter Carol Rock had the story here.
- We’re gonna need a bigger dog: A pack of coyotes is “terrorizing” a Valencia neighborhood and has ‘murdered’ at least two dogs, according to an A-1 below the fold story in today’s Signal. Reporter Brian Charles talked to one homeowner whose Yorkshire Terrier was killed by a coyote and another homeowner whose Cocker Spaniel got tricked into playing with a coyote and was then eaten. And this isn’t just some neighborhood on the edge of the SCV- it’s a Valencia neighborhood within sight of the mall. A P-Canyon nature official says coyotes are being driven into town by hunger and thirst and that pets make easy snacks. Some neighbors got together and hired a trapper to move the coyotes (to The Greens hopefully) but that hasn’t allayed the fears of the homeowners, one of whom told The Signal “I am worried the coyotes will run out of food and start looking at our kids.” Signal
- I’m doomed! Median home prices fell another $20,000 in August to $380,000 in Los Angeles County, some 31% lower than last year. That, according to LA Land, makes home prices throughout the southland equal to what they were in 2003, the same year that I, first time home buyer, plunked down a big load of cash for the official SCVTalk headquarters, orbiting high above the SCV. Home sales are up, so there’s some good news in DataQuick report. Make sure to read the comments on the blog post too, one of which says, “These median numbers are irrelevant. They’re skewed by the hundreds of thousands of homes sitting in the desert where the homebuilders built cities no one wants to live in.” Link
- David Gauny/SmarthGrowth SCV continue pressing for Ender/Ferry recusal: David Gauny and his SmartGrowth SCV group released an announcement and video yesterday saying they were “dissatisfied with the response from City Attorney Carl Newton regarding its demand that council members Frank Ferry and Laurie Ender recuse themselves…from voting on the G&L/Henry Mayo Campus Expansion Master Plan.” Recall that Newton said at the 9/9 Council meeting that Ferry and Ender hadn’t prejudged the hospital’s plan, and Ender herself said that she had no plans to recuse herself from voting. But Gauny isn’t bending- he’s posted a NotAFerryFan video with excerpts from various council meetings. Methinks Gauny is setting up the City for a lawsuit- the final vote on Mayo expansion may be at the next Council meeting (we’ll know more when the City Council agenda is released today or tomorrow.) Press Release, Video
- Santa Clarita Metrolink Riders reflect on recent train crash: The San Fernando Sun newspaper says the parking lot at the Sylmar/San Fernando Metrolink station is “considerably” emptier this week, following last week’s terrible train collision in Chatsworth that claimed the lives of 26 commuters. The paper talks to a few riders who say they’re nervous about getting on Metrolink and some are opting for long bus rides instead. Link
- County plan to privatize health clinics: Supervisor Antonovich supports a plan that would “shift primary care from some of the county’s health centers to private nonprofit clinics” according to City News service. The plan, which boosters say could save the county up to $44.7 million a year, faces some opposition. Not sure if any health centers in the SCV would be affected (or if there are any county health centers even in the SCV). Link
- Mayor Bob comments on Whittaker Bermite cleanup: The plan to cleanup the site of a former munitions manufacturer will proceed as planned Mayor Kellar said Wednesday thanks to the federal government’s seizure of insurance behemoth AIG. “It is certainly encouraging news that AIG is going to be maintained and operational. If it were allowed to crumble, it might have impacted our ability to move forward.” In yesterday’s Signal, reporter Jim Holt detailed the relationship between AIG and a subsidiary company that’s shouldering some $225 million of the $300 million cleanup costs. Link
- City pats itself on back, details future plans at luncheon: The State of the City luncheon occurred yesterday at the Valencia Hyatt, and Mayor Bob Kellar and councilmembers reviewed city programs and initiatives this year and detailed some interesting plans for the future. Kellar said he hopes that by this time next year, the McKeon Cemex bill will be “signed and passed” and remarked that the city’s efforts to target gangs have resulted in a drop in “nearly every crime category” in 2008. Councilwoman McLean talked green, telling the guests about the city’s innovative Transit Maintenance Facility (yeah we know, for the 1000th time, it’s really green) and said that the city is aiming to make Santa Clarita more sustainable so that we can “reduce our carbon footprint as a community.” There’s also plans (though no funding yet) to create a fly-away style bus service to LAX from the McBean Transfer Station. They hope to have that in place by the end of next year. I think that would be most excellent. Signal, KHTS
- And a luncheon for the Signal’s 51 most influential: Carol Rock has a report on the lunch given for the 51 most influential people in the SCV, an event put on by the Signal. Of the list, she writes: “The list, which has been published for the last four years, traditionally puts the spotlight on community leaders otherwise called “movers and shakers.” This year’s roster varied from previous lists, featuring a lot more folks from the trenches than the chamber mixer circle.” TimBen Boydston topped the list at #1 this year and other volunteers made the list too, including the very worthy Belinda Crawford, who runs the SCV food pantry. New Signal publisher Ian Lamont also had comments for the crowd, saying we’re blessed to have so many good people. I couldn’t help but read his comments and imagine a thick Scottish accent, maybe you’ll have more luck. Link
- Ignore the SCV Chamber’s ballot recommendations: The Chamber says you ought to vote yes on Hart’s $300 million Measure SA, and no on the high speed rail bond, the “alternative fuels initiative” and LA County’s Measure R, the half cent sales tax being sought by Metro for transit improvements over the next 30 years. It’s a bit early to be making ballot recommendations, isn’t it? In any event, Carol Rock says the Chamber’s endorsement of Measure SA wasn’t “exactly a slam dunk.” Details
- I Heart Details weekend events: River Rally, OLPH bbq, Hart Park Anniversary, and “Gawking” at the EXTREEEME NEIGHBORHOOD MAKEOVER!!!11!!1 are all things you can do this weekend in Newhall. Link
- WaMu may be sold: The Seattle based Savings and Loan is trying to sell itself off, according to LA Land. It’s stock is down to $2 and it has hired Goldman Sachs to find a buyer. “Among the potential bidders that Goldman has talked to are Wells Fargo, JP Morgan Chase, and HSBC.” WaMu has a number of properties in the SCV- I wonder what’s to become of them. Also, are you getting nervous with all this financial news? I don’t want to be dramatic, but I wonder if this is how people felt just before or during the Crash of 1929. LA Land
Nine years of the Valley’s town square · 2006–2015
