- City Hall evacuated as employees arrive to discover an unidentified box. "Erring on the side of caution," KHTS reports, "City Hall was evacuated and is awaiting a response from the Arson squad." KHTS. The Signal describes it as a bomb scare and says Valencia Blvd has been shut downSIGNALUPDATE:Threat cleared, there was nothing dangerous in the box. One twitter commenter wins the SCV Internet for the day: "Suspicious package at City Hall was in fact the little cardboard box of Laurie Ender's personal belongings she was removing from premesis"
- Laurie Ender was a no-show as TimBen Boydston and Bob Kellar were sworn in as City Councilmembers last night, in what was a pretty interesting Council meeting. In his first remarks as a Councilman, Boydston invoked Abraham Lincoln, said he'd represent poor and wealthy SCVers, remarked that the culture of the City "must change" and challenged Frank Ferry to be more respectful of residents. At least one person let an audible "Oh God" slip during Boydston's remarks (Facebook friends suggest it was Ferry). Ferry, who was made Mayor on a 4-1 vote, also said he had spoken with Boydston since the election and wanted a better relationship "over the next two to four years." Kellar and Boydston also received standing ovations. I HEART, SCVNEWS, SIGNAL, SIGNAL 2, KHTS
- Re: the above. In his reaction to Boydston's challenge, Ferry blamed "five or six" blogs for, I guess, demeaning the City Council and staff."To think in the audience that it doesn't take a toll when you read things in the paper. But now with blogs. I mean there's five or six active blogs, where people just openly, 'bam, bam', it's like a machine gun. They're just hitting you every day," he said.
- McKeon gives up on SCV? Patricia McKeon won't be attending any more public discussion forums/debates in the Santa Clarita Valley because "there are no undecided voters" in this area, according to her campaign manager. Instead, the wife of Congressman Buck McKeon will talk with "real voters" directly and may hold a public forum in the Simi Valley, also part of 38th AD. The move follows her awkward answer of "I have no idea" at a discussion forum last week and her (and Paul Strickland's) refusal to share the stage with Scott Wilk at a forum earlier this week at the CTG SIGNAL
- Of course, just because she won't participate doesn't mean the forums will stop. KHTS, the Signal and SCVTV will hold a joint candidate forum for both Assembly and Congressional candidates on April 30, and it will be televised. They're asking for questions from the public tooKHTS
- For the first time in several months (years?) people are excited about the residential real estate market in the SCV, calling it "remarkable" and a "seller's market." Not only were March SFR home sales up year over year and over February, but prices were up to, and a realtor tells the Signal that it's not just investors buying anymore, but "truly qualified buyers." She says that houses under $450k are "often turning into multiple-offer situations." Condos aren't enjoying the same bounce, however. SCVNEWS, SIGNAL
- Letter writer pins woes of Santa Clarita Valley on the fact that we only have one hospital, one sheriff's station, and no good places for kids to hang out SIGNAL
Nine years of the Valley’s town square · 2006–2015
