May 3, 2011 – Daily Brief

By Jeff — Jeff Wilson

Dante Acosta, the grieving father of Spc. Rudy Acosta who died in March in Afghanistan, reflects on his son and the war in Afghanistan in the wake of Osama Bin Laden’s death ABC 7 The Signal also talked to several other SCVers as well as the father of another young man who died in the war in Iraq in 2004 about the news. SIGNAL
LA Times has more details on what happened as Navy SEALS stormed Bin Laden’s house in Abbottabad Pakistan Sunday LA TIMES
Crazy: a UCLA researcher and a team of undergraduate students predicted with 80% probability that Bin Laden was hiding out in Abbottabad….in 2009. How? They used a little thing called SCIENCE
Angst, fear, uncertainty, and a desire to belong -to someone, to something- shroud the discussion over Santa Clarita’s place in California’s new districts. Or so one gets the feeling after reading KHTS, the SIGNAL, and the SIGNAL again on how local officials and residents are telling redistricting officials not to forget about us in the SCV. Laurie Ender really nailed it by saying we don’t have a date to the prom, and for this adolescent community that amounts to a blow to our self-esteem.
But don’t think the angst is our’s alone to bear: turns out Buck McKeon probably has some angst over redistricting as well. A northern California paper reports he might have to face off against’ Ventura County’s Elton Gallegly -another GOPer- in a new district. I’ve also heard he might get squeezed by Kevin McCarthy, Bakersfield’s Republican Rep and #3 man in the US House of Representatives. We should find out in June. REDDING PAPER
After consulting with an accounting firm that specializes in engineering local tax revenue opportunities, the City says its library deal will run a $1.1 million surplus. The extra money will go towards paying off its $8.8 million startup costs SIGNAL
City staff will present a balanced budget to the City Council’s budget subcommittee tonight. They’ll actually have a $200,000 surplus. The Signal says that since 2007, the City has lost roughly $47 million in funding SIGNAL
KCET, the public television channel, takes a look at the Vista Canyon Development up Sand Canyon way in light of a new University of Quebec study that finds for every 1% increase in gas prices, a 1.28% decrease of suburban, low density housing results. Needless to say the Angelenos don’t like the Vista development, or Newhall ranch for that matter. KCET BLOG
Naked 20 something man goes running & screaming through quiet Tesoro neighborhood on a pleasant Sunday afternoon. His crazy episode came to an end after he was “subdued by a stun gun.” No. I’ve already looked. Apparently no one in Tesoro caught it on video and uploaded it to YouTube. SIGNAL
Giant novelty scissors joined local dignitaries at the ribbon cutting for Henry Mayo hospital’s monstrous new parking structure and helipad Monday. The 750 space parking structure will finally allow helicopter trauma flights to land at Henry Mayo again KHTS
Tony Miano, the local cop street preacher, engaged Planned Parenthood activists in front of the Whole Foods and got them to leave after turning on his camera MIANO
I picked a good week to take off – Big Picture has your ROYAL WEDDING PICS and BIN LADEN PICS
LTE Writer mourns the loss of SCV’s innocence and the friendly people who used to offer her a kind word or a smile for no particular reason. She also misses the sheep who used to graze off Valencia Blvd. Is that true? There used be sheep up there? I was just thinking about the cows that used to graze where West Ridge is now SIGNAL

Comments (7)

spineflower2May 3, 2011 at 8:12 am

Sheep used to travel across the valley, following the greening of grassland as it headed westward/downward along the flood plain areas. About 15 years ago a large herd was a regular event in upper Bouquet Canyon, and from there the herd could travel down the canyon skirting Seco Canyon, down San Francisquito. I believe it was a separate shepherd who brought his flock over Newhall Pass from Granada Hills into the Pico Canyon area and then around the Newhall Ranch highlands.

Timothy Myers SR.May 3, 2011 at 8:23 am

Jeff: You know you are supposed to confine your “jogs” to high density Newhall where they tolerate such things and stay out of the sublime county areas!

BertaMay 3, 2011 at 8:39 am

Welcome back Jeff. Regarding the shooting death of Bin Laden, to the Navy Seal and the entire team involved in hunting Bin Laden down and removing him from this planet, JOB WELL DONE, thanks! Osama has met his maker and had to answer for the murder of thousands of innocent civilians. I doubt his seven virgins were much comfort… On the article regarding Vista Canyon and Newhall Ranch projects, there are several errors, among them: “Newhall is arguably the most egregious of these proposals, but this newly approved project, to be located in Sand Canyon, is no picnic. The site is so remote it doesn’t even have freeway access.” That is incorrect. Vista Canyon, not Newhall Ranch, is NEAR Sand Canyon. Neither site is “remote”. They have no dedicated freeway ONRAMPS but certainly have freeway access since the 14 freeway is in close proximity to Vista Canyon and the 126 runs parallel to the Newhall Ranch project. The article goes on to say, “But 40,000 units of housing, with little public transit options, could mean tens of thousands more cars on the road commuting with you to work.” I do not know what transportation plan is in place for Newhall Ranch yet, but Vista Canyon Ranch has a bus transfer station as well as a plan for a Metrolink station on the project site which would provide public transportation options. Some much for the accuracy of the Times reporting.

MikeMay 3, 2011 at 9:05 am

Berta, I’m also puzzled by the author’s linking of Newhall Ranch and Vista Canyon. Newhall Ranch? Guilty as charged. It will make our homes-to-jobs imbalance worse. It’s going to add an incredible amount of cars on the freeway. But Vista Canyon? It has its problems, but it’s an entirely different development. It’s hardly in “the middle of nowhere”. The train station, if moved, would be closer to a freeway ramp (not sure why that matters anyway) than The Via Princessa station. It’s also a tiny little development compared to NR. BTW, this was a KCET blog post, not an LA Times article.

BertaMay 3, 2011 at 11:53 am

You are correct Mike. I don’t know why I thought it was a Times article other than perhaps because one of the other links I read was. Thanks.

Coastal SageMay 4, 2011 at 12:18 am

Berta, don’t get your hopes about the Metrolink station. After the Burbank, Glendale and Chatsworth crashes the Cal. Public Utilities Commission staff has become far more fussy about locating stations near heavily trafficked intersections. They consider Princessa one of the safest, because it’s down in the bowl. In addition, after the Charsworth crash, Metrolink demoted its General Manager (even though the crash was not his fault) and assigned the man to be in charge of “safety”, as penance for past arrogance, and God bless the man he seems to be taking his safety assignment seriously. His issues about moving the Metrolink Station to the Sand Canyon area will probably be roughly the same ones the PUC staff raises. Both the CPUC and Metrolink have complete veto power over moving a Metrolink Station, so nobody should be “counting their chickens before they are hatched” on that one.

Coastal SageMay 4, 2011 at 12:10 am

“A northern California paper reports he might have to face off against’ Ventura County’s Elton Gallegly -another GOPer” Elton may retire. However, I think this Buck v. Elton race would be the most hysterically funny primary race in the country, if someone could get them to debate each other. When Elton was the Mayor in Simi Valley, he was as dumb as a rock. Buck was a bit smarter. We still get hysterical, with laughter, that the “best” the Republican Party can come up with for Judiciary Committee and Armed Services Committee members were, respectively, Elton and Buck. My money would be on Buck, because Elton does not have a reliable religious base to count on, and he’s been gone from local political activities for so long, most Simi Valley residents (let alone those in Moorpark or Thousand Oaks) remember Elton’s “good works” from 23+ years ago when Elton was first elected. Still…bring it on, in terms of a debate between two such Republican luminaries, and I’ll buy tickets to watch, at any price. Far better than attending “Saturday Night Live” live, in terms of the humor factor.

spineflower2May 3, 2011 at 8:12 am
Sheep used to travel across the valley, following the greening of grassland as it headed westward/downward along the flood plain areas. About 15 years ago a large herd was a regular event in upper Bouquet Canyon, and from there the herd could travel down the canyon skirting Seco Canyon, down San Francisquito. I believe it was a separate shepherd who brought his flock over Newhall Pass from Granada Hills into the Pico Canyon area and then around the Newhall Ranch highlands.
Timothy Myers SR.May 3, 2011 at 8:23 am
Jeff: You know you are supposed to confine your “jogs” to high density Newhall where they tolerate such things and stay out of the sublime county areas!
BertaMay 3, 2011 at 8:39 am
Welcome back Jeff. Regarding the shooting death of Bin Laden, to the Navy Seal and the entire team involved in hunting Bin Laden down and removing him from this planet, JOB WELL DONE, thanks! Osama has met his maker and had to answer for the murder of thousands of innocent civilians. I doubt his seven virgins were much comfort… On the article regarding Vista Canyon and Newhall Ranch projects, there are several errors, among them: “Newhall is arguably the most egregious of these proposals, but this newly approved project, to be located in Sand Canyon, is no picnic. The site is so remote it doesn’t even have freeway access.” That is incorrect. Vista Canyon, not Newhall Ranch, is NEAR Sand Canyon. Neither site is “remote”. They have no dedicated freeway ONRAMPS but certainly have freeway access since the 14 freeway is in close proximity to Vista Canyon and the 126 runs parallel to the Newhall Ranch project. The article goes on to say, “But 40,000 units of housing, with little public transit options, could mean tens of thousands more cars on the road commuting with you to work.” I do not know what transportation plan is in place for Newhall Ranch yet, but Vista Canyon Ranch has a bus transfer station as well as a plan for a Metrolink station on the project site which would provide public transportation options. Some much for the accuracy of the Times reporting.
MikeMay 3, 2011 at 9:05 am
Berta, I’m also puzzled by the author’s linking of Newhall Ranch and Vista Canyon. Newhall Ranch? Guilty as charged. It will make our homes-to-jobs imbalance worse. It’s going to add an incredible amount of cars on the freeway. But Vista Canyon? It has its problems, but it’s an entirely different development. It’s hardly in “the middle of nowhere”. The train station, if moved, would be closer to a freeway ramp (not sure why that matters anyway) than The Via Princessa station. It’s also a tiny little development compared to NR. BTW, this was a KCET blog post, not an LA Times article.
BertaMay 3, 2011 at 11:53 am
You are correct Mike. I don’t know why I thought it was a Times article other than perhaps because one of the other links I read was. Thanks.
Coastal SageMay 4, 2011 at 12:18 am
Berta, don’t get your hopes about the Metrolink station. After the Burbank, Glendale and Chatsworth crashes the Cal. Public Utilities Commission staff has become far more fussy about locating stations near heavily trafficked intersections. They consider Princessa one of the safest, because it’s down in the bowl. In addition, after the Charsworth crash, Metrolink demoted its General Manager (even though the crash was not his fault) and assigned the man to be in charge of “safety”, as penance for past arrogance, and God bless the man he seems to be taking his safety assignment seriously. His issues about moving the Metrolink Station to the Sand Canyon area will probably be roughly the same ones the PUC staff raises. Both the CPUC and Metrolink have complete veto power over moving a Metrolink Station, so nobody should be “counting their chickens before they are hatched” on that one.
Coastal SageMay 4, 2011 at 12:10 am
“A northern California paper reports he might have to face off against’ Ventura County’s Elton Gallegly -another GOPer” Elton may retire. However, I think this Buck v. Elton race would be the most hysterically funny primary race in the country, if someone could get them to debate each other. When Elton was the Mayor in Simi Valley, he was as dumb as a rock. Buck was a bit smarter. We still get hysterical, with laughter, that the “best” the Republican Party can come up with for Judiciary Committee and Armed Services Committee members were, respectively, Elton and Buck. My money would be on Buck, because Elton does not have a reliable religious base to count on, and he’s been gone from local political activities for so long, most Simi Valley residents (let alone those in Moorpark or Thousand Oaks) remember Elton’s “good works” from 23+ years ago when Elton was first elected. Still…bring it on, in terms of a debate between two such Republican luminaries, and I’ll buy tickets to watch, at any price. Far better than attending “Saturday Night Live” live, in terms of the humor factor.