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July 6, 2010 – Daily Brief

By Jeff — Jeff Wilson

  • The Infiniti sedan that ran a red light, hit an SUV and crashed into fireworks spectators was launched at least 10 feet in the air before smashing into a traffic light pole at Valencia Blvd & Mall Entrance, the Signal says today. The car hit the pole, then slid down onto the top of Matilda Garnica Juarez, the 43 year old Newhall mother who was killed. A witness to the accident said the pole stopped the car from creating even more carnage. SIGNAL
  • The Daily News talked to one of Garnica Juarez’ Newhall neighbors who said the mom of three was “was an excellent person, a good friend and very well known here, especially at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church.” The paper has several witness statements and adds that there were 20,000 spectators in and around Town Center for the fireworks show DAILY NEWS
  • Both papers report that alcohol was not a factor in the crash but the Signal says tests for other substances are pending. Also in the Signal article, we hear from the City for the first time. Gail Ortiz offers condolences to the victims but “had no comment on the issue of fireworks show safety.”
  • It seems so long ago now, but 25,000 people did turn out for the 4th of July parade in Newhall. Mayor Weste described the parade as “a microcosm of America.”  DAILY NEWS
  • Also, I HEART SCV reviews the parade
  • A California Highway Patrol vehicle crashed and overturned on Placerita Canyon road Monday evening, injuring one patrol officer and an Explorer scout says CBS 2 and THE SIGNAL
  • Is the CEMEX deal Buck McKeon has tried to broker in trouble? It would seem so according to a Victorville Daily Press article that says the land CEMEX might receive in an exchange for its Soledad Canyon land already has “mining claims on it” by other companies. McKeon’s office says it asked the Bureau of Land Management for a report on any other mining claims for the Victorville site. Mike Murphy, the City’s intergovernmental relations coordinator says he’s confident the dispute can be resolved VICTORVILLE DAILY PRESS
  • The Canyon Country campus of College of the Canyons could grow to rival the amount of students at the Valencia campus someday, and a third COC campus might one day be built along Highway 126 according to Scott Wilk, a COC Board member. The CC campus may have up to 5,000 students enrolled this fall SIGNAL
  • A small 50 member Newhall church will close its doors at the end of July, which will result in the closure of a popular Friday night music venue as well. Antioch Church says donations have dried up due to the economy. The SCV arts group Proxart, which organizes the music concerts, says Antioch’s closure is the “death of Santa Clarita’s only local venue.” SIGNAL, PROXART
  • 11,000 marijuana plants worth $22 million were discovered in Angeles National Forest near the SCV last week SIGNAL
  • Skaters and BMX bike riders don’t like sharing the City’s shiny new skate park, but the City says things are going to stay the same SIGNAL
  • Tea Party SCV blog that posted that racial joke last week says it is not affiliated with the Tea Party Patriots or any other Tea Party group in the SCV. TEA PARTY SCV
  • Speaking of Tea Party, local Dem Bruce McFarland wonders if the SCV Tea Party might be a natural ally for Democrats who want to break the Republican vice-grip on local elected offices. Ummm. I think not. I’d rather be a Ferry Democrat than break bread crumpets with the Tea Party SIGNAL
  • Hart Principal takes issue with Tim Myers column from last week SIGNAL
  • Parent writes in support for Romero Canyon site for Castaic high but Signal commenter brings up a good point: what about roads to that site? SIGNAL
  • Increasing to $1,000 the limit that can be donated to council candidates only helps the incumbents, according to Myers this week. This is essentially what I was arguing last week. SIGNAL
  • Nativist Roger Gitlin seems to agree that a panelist who spoke at last week’s Immigration forum should be arrested for aiding and abetting illegal immigrants. That panelist happens to be a UCLA law professor and attorney SIGNAL

Comments

30 · as published
  1. Jim FarleyJuly 6, 2010 at 7:56 am
    I’m glad for the clarification that Tea Party SCV is not related to the Tea Party movement in general. It shows that any knucklehead can set up a blog with ‘Tea Party’ in the name. The racist posting by Tea Party SCV was out of line and not anything anyone I know in the Tea Party movement would agree with. Those who want to lump all things labeled Tea Party together are making a big error in judgement. Those politicians running in November that write off the Tea Party movement as not relevant do so at their own political peril.
  2. Your Web GuruJuly 6, 2010 at 9:04 am
    Amazingly enough, there is a very visible graphic link from the (I’m guessing) officially sanctioned SCV Tea Party site TO the infamous Tea Party SCV blogger ( http://www.teapartypatriots-scv.com/ . Scroll down to the calendar). Is that easily accessible link to the knucklehead’s blog there on the front page of the SCV Tea Party’s site an effort to distance themselves, or an endorsement? I would actually love to see the Tea Party become more relevant if, for nothing else, to prompt the established parties into action that is truly of the benefit of the American people. The problem is, it appears that different Tea Party movements have different ideals regarding the direction of the party with no solid focus on one ideal that will benefit the majority of the American people. And as long as our local official movement acknowledges the wackjobs who do hurt their cause with nice visible links on their website, I think the rest of us might have a tough time taking the party seriously.
  3. Valencia JoeJuly 6, 2010 at 8:16 am
    After reading the numerous articles on the terrible accident, I think that the City may be in line to be sued by the victims’ family. Think about this… we just had two deadly accidents in the recent months that involved a car making a legal left turn (on a left turn light) being struck my someone speeding through the red light coming from the opposite direction. I am assuming that in both cases that the lights were green in both directions, but the left turn light was triggered by the waiting vehicle wanting to make that left turn, thus causing the red light in the opposite direction. That is a program that the City placed on those lights that can be easily changed from a computer at the City’s traffic department. Things have to change where the left turn signals are only activated after a full stop, and not “triggered”. I cannot tell you the times that I always hesitate making the left turn onto Grandview (or Hillsborough) travelling eastbound on Newhall Ranch Road. I hesitate because I am looking out for that “bozo” who is travelling westbound and wants to catch that light before it turns red. It is sad that tragedies cause change, but the traffic situation in our City needs to change.. reduce speed, and change the timing of the lights.
  4. scottJuly 6, 2010 at 8:31 am
    The intersections on Valencia blvd in that area also have the flashing yellow left turn lights. These caution, left turn lights seem to confuse drivers, as they are not common at all. I’m not sure this was a factor in this case, but I have seen many near accidents because of these lights. I have never seen these types of lights anywhere else, and I definitely didn’t learn about them in driver’s ed.
  5. cashJuly 6, 2010 at 10:15 am
    The flashing yellow left turn lights are a serious problem. The give a false sense of security that it is OK to proceed. Why they are set that way is unclear and I see little benefit. The next dumb move the City will make is creating traffic circles.
  6. DerrickJuly 6, 2010 at 12:02 pm
    I looked up the flashing yellow lights. Its an experimental signal head through the FHWA. Looks like cities have to apply to state/federal before getting permission to use them. The studies that are on the internet appear that this is safer than the yield on green. Also looks like Pasadena and Fullerton use them through the internet searches.
  7. cashJuly 6, 2010 at 3:54 pm
    It’s a bad idea in that it requires every driver to modify the normal driving behavior. The flashing light is about as dumb as the back in parking tried in OTN.
  8. derrickJuly 6, 2010 at 5:47 pm
    Good..Because people’s current driving behaviors are bad and a modification is needed
  9. mikeJuly 6, 2010 at 8:39 am
    Just to note, the other accident you’re referring to (I assume Plum Canyon) did not happen in the city.
  10. cashJuly 6, 2010 at 10:15 am
    Sooooooooo!
  11. TeresaToddJuly 6, 2010 at 9:18 am
    After saying a few choice words about that particular yellow flashing light, my 19-year-old pointed out that a green arrow followed by a green light with a “Yield on Green” sign would suffice. BTW, my two girls were diagonal to that intersection Sunday night and confirmed that the crash occurred seconds before the fireworks finale. For them it was very surreal — screach, crash, screams – blood-curdling screams — while fireworks boomed from above. The scene was horrific.
  12. DerrickJuly 6, 2010 at 11:59 am
    Dont see how the traffic lights are the issue. Its clearly driver error if they are going through a red light by not paying attention. The green arrow means its a protected and the other direction is red.
  13. Valencia JoeJuly 6, 2010 at 3:08 pm
    There is a lot of assumptions since we don’t know the entire story… yet, but I don’t know why you say that traffic lights are not the issue. If Vehicle A was travelling eastbound on Valencia sees the upcoming red light and speeds up the run the light. Vehicle B, assuming that Vehicle A will stop at the red light, proceeds to make the left turn. But, the end result was that Vehicle B gets hit by A. Same thing happened to me some years ago. I had the green light allowing me to make the left turn, but I was slow through it because I have seen too many cars trying to run the red light. And what happened, I got clipped in the front due to a car running the light, but was lucky that I wasn’t fully through the intersection. So, don’t tell me that lights were not an issue when someone is trying to speed through them.
  14. derrickJuly 6, 2010 at 5:51 pm
    Then you have an issue with every single traffic light in the world. Thats how they operate. I’m sorry but that is about the dumbest statement I’ve ever heard. You’re saying traffic lights are useless. What would you replace them with? Stop signs. People abuse those even more.
  15. lvogelJuly 6, 2010 at 8:52 am
    I think that it’s a bit premature to mention a law suit against the city. From all accounts, it sounds as if the sedan sped through the red. It would also appear from the newest details that for the car to “launched 10ft into the air”, would also be an indication of speed. The city is not responsible for speeders. However, the city is responsible for the publics safety. With all those spectators on the sidewalks and the number of cars on the road, there should have been more enforcement out. That is something that the city should concern themselves with and I believe that if there had been more sheriffs visible that evening, perhaps ‘speeding’ would be something a person (even a young one) would think twice about. I do have a problem with that flashing yellow light though. I thought that it was installed when they were doing construction (for the trucks to have easier access, in and out) and would then be gone after? Guess not.
  16. cashJuly 6, 2010 at 10:19 am
    We’ll see! The city certainly did create and attract people to a bad condition and unsafe environment.
  17. DerrickJuly 6, 2010 at 12:05 pm
    We’ll see. If the City gets sued and loses, just expect more cuts to City services. Those that are quick to blame the City will see parks and rec, sheriff, and other services reduced.
  18. cashJuly 6, 2010 at 3:51 pm
    You may be correct.
  19. Valencia JoeJuly 6, 2010 at 3:11 pm
    A shrewed attorney can put partial blame on the City since they control the timing patterns at stop lights. Though they are not responsible for someone running a red light, they are somewhat indirectly responsible for setting up the green light to proceed on the left turn.
  20. derrickJuly 6, 2010 at 5:52 pm
    that will be a tough case to prove
  21. lvogelJuly 6, 2010 at 8:56 am
    I wonder when McKeons ‘office’ asked for the report from the Bureau of Land Management regarding any other mining claims? Shouldn’t that have been done YEARS ago when the city first hung the “Thank You Buck McKeon” banners all over town.? hmmm……
  22. lvogelJuly 6, 2010 at 9:06 am
    Unfortunately for Hart High School, anything that may be written about in a positive way about the school, will get negative comments from Tim Myers. He has a very strong disdain for Hart High (or ‘Newhall High’ if Myers had his way) and has not hesitated to show it. Heck, he even had to “(grudgingly) give props to Hart ASB and Hart cheer” for the work they put into the parade that 25,000 people turned out for and enjoyed! We should give ‘props’ to all our schools in this valley. We have some of the best educators around and they should be proud of the work they do and proud their students accomplishments.
  23. IHeartSCVJuly 6, 2010 at 11:00 am
    I completely agree with Tim in this situation. I don’t see how a single criterion–the number of AP tests that students take–can be claimed to indicate the quality of a school. The Newsweek list didn’t even care if students passed the tests, just that they sat through them. Tim’s central premise was completely ignored in the principal’s “rebuttal”.
  24. lvogelJuly 6, 2010 at 11:23 am
    Perhaps if Tim argued stickly on the Newsweek article as is ‘central premise’ and how the article is skewed somehow, I would be apt to agree. However, as usual Tim brought in his disappointment with Hart High as he generally does. As he even admitted, his family benefited from his son taking ap classes allowing him to graduate in 11 quaters. I am of the thinking (and past posts and writings of Mr. Myers has indicated) that this was his chance to yet again bash Hart. I’m sure if Valencia was the one with the higher ranking, then he’d be referrring to how great Valencia High is. Again, perhaps if his dislike for the school were not so great, then it wouldn’t be taken on a personal level. Take it up with Newsweek then and don’t blame the school!
  25. Tim MyersJuly 6, 2010 at 12:53 pm
    IHeart: You are correct, though the Newsweek author did articulate a compelling reason for measuring participation rather than a pass rate. In a pass rate measurement a school could “game” the system by only allowing students judged very likely to pass the AP exam to take the AP exam. Also, some folks in the Hart High attendance area are not going to be happy to know that the Principal thinks they are socioeconomically distressed and not comparable to Mission Viejo, Irvine, etc.
  26. lvogelJuly 6, 2010 at 4:21 pm
    Um, Newhall is not socioeconomicallly comparable to Mission Viejo. It’s a fact, not just something the principal ‘thinks’: http://www.city-data.com/city/Newhall-California.html : 2008 estimated meidan household income in Newhall:$87,927 house or condo value in Newhall: $577,506 6.3% live below poverty level http://www.city-data.com/city/Mission-Viejo-California.html 2008 Median Household income in Mission Viejo: $93,930 House or Condo Value in Mission Viejo:$626,500 3.9% live below poverty level So, I think that the principal was correct , eh?
  27. Tim MyersJuly 8, 2010 at 12:08 pm
    lvogel: The differences between those numbers are (surprisingly) not statistically significant. Plus, I would imagine the folks that live in the Summit would like to think they are just as good as Mission Viejo and Irvine.
  28. Tim MyersJuly 6, 2010 at 12:49 pm
    lvogel: You know that is how I role on Hart High! But seriously, IHeart is correct. The administration is bragging that this somehow proves that Hart High School is producing superior students top to bottom, which this is A measure of a very limited CRITERIA.
  29. cashJuly 6, 2010 at 10:26 am
    It is ironic that cities, like Santa Clarita, have outlawed fireworks because they believe individuals will not handle them in a safe manner and as the result my be injured or worse. Well………, now what?
  30. derrickJuly 6, 2010 at 6:34 pm
    Sounds like we need to ban cars as well. People are not handling them in a safe manner and as a result people are being injured or worse.
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