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May 7, 2012 – Daily Brief

By Jeff — Jeff Wilson

  • By the time you read this, all four Assembly candidates should be in the middle of making their case for your vote at the SCV Chamber of Commerce’s AD 38 Candidate Forum at the Hyatt in Valencia. The page hosting the flyer says all four candidates, including Patricia McKeon, have committed to showing up at what’s likely to be one of the last discussion forums. SCV CHAMBER
  • When Bob Haueter told the Signal last week that someone at SCVTV botched the invite of Patricia McKeon to the Assembly candidate forum, I bet he wasn’t intending on that someone (or “The Woman” as he said) going on her daily SCVTV show and detailing how she reached out to the campaign. She all but calls Haueter a liar and says she’s “very upset.” SCV TODAY (begins about 2:13 into the program), FACEBOOK
  • “Everything is a priority, but nothing is a priority,” says one local school board member of the state budget in summing up the rather dismal fiscal picture facing our schools in 2012-2014. Tammy Marashlian describes three scenarios, one of which, might cost SCV school districts $40 million more in funding. Other scenarios are brighter but will require voter approval for tax increases SIGNAL
  • The solar panel systems going up at Hart District junior and senior high schools are just about done, and at build-out will generate 7 megawatts of energy or about 80% of the District’s electrical needs. The district is paying no up-front costs for the technology; rather a Huntington Beach company is building the system and will sell electricity at a fixed rate to the District for the next 20 years, saving Hart some $18-20 million according to officials. SCVNEWS, PR
  • A group called Val Verde Against Land Fill Expansion (VvALE) has formed to attempt to fight the planned expansion of the Chiquita Canyon landfill. Recall that the landfill operators want to expand the site from 257 acres to 400 acres and increase the height of the landfill up to 143 feet. VvALE says the public review process hasn’t been fair to residents of Val Verde because the person who works on landfill oversight is a member of the Castaic Town Council and doesn’t live in Val Verde at all. Read more at their WEBSITE or like their page on FACEBOOK
  • Terrible weekend on local roads: Two motorcyclists, both apparently driving at high rates of speed, died in separate incidents on Friday and Saturday. The motorcyclists were both male, aged 42 and 25. Then on Sunday morning, a head-on collision on Highway 14 near Red Rover Mine road killed a man and a woman.
  • A new-to-me Magic Mountain roller-coaster blogger says Six Flags has completely removed its small Magic Mountain history museum that used to reside at the top of the orange Sky Tower. LINK. Rory Aronsky, a local writer who writes movie reviews for the Signal, despairs, saying it’s another example of how the some in the SCV don’t appreciate our history. His whole post is worth a read BLOG
  • Re the above: The same roller coaster blogger claims in a post from last year that the Magic Mountain Sky Tower was originally built for Hugh Heffner. Oh the jokes I could write about that one. LINK
  • Tom Dierckman, Newhall Land exec, former SeaBee, and the man who brought us the Valencia Town Center Mall wins SCV Man of the Year award. Myrna Condie, local costuming legend and volunteer, wins SCV Woman of the Year. Interesting profiles at KHTS
  • Taste of the Town event was this weekend, with over 40 restaurants handing out food. Did you go? KHTS
  • Oh dear: The Daily News reports that Republicans are so down on their luck in the SFV that many are thinking of moving to the SCV and AV just so they can find some success in in Republican politics. “It’s almost futile for Republicans to run at this stage. The Valley is just so heavily Democratic,” one Republican club official mourned. But they have a plan to turn the SFV red once again DAILY NEWS
  • Interesting American Spectator column explains how Buck McKeon and our neighbor Congressman to the north, Kevin McCarthy, are planning to undo defense cuts agreed upon last year during debt ceiling negotiations. The author thinks Mitt Romney will or should embrace McKeon’s plan AMERICAN SPECTATOR
  • VeCo Star letter writer wins points for criticizing Patricia McKeon’s mailers and the fact that she’s employed by her husband but loses massive points for referring to SCV as the “high desert.” (for the record, we are semi-arid Mediterranean, high desert is the Antelope Valley, not us. Coastal elites should learn more about topography and climate). VECO STAR
  • Steve Lunetta apparently got over his fear of the Gang Infested Streets of Newhall and recently bought a house here, but now he’s upset about how hard the water is on this side of town. He blames the City, environmentalists, and wealthy strawberry farmers and says that’s why he’s purchased an illegal softener. SIGNAL
  • Four weeks from election day and no endorsement yet from the Signal. Who will the Signal endorse for Congress and Assembly? Is there any doubt it will be Team McKeon? I give 3-1 odds it will be. They kick off their endorsements with an encouragement to vote yes on Prop 28, a law that changes how term limits are counted. SIGNAL
  • LTE writer proposes name for Cemex Mine if Buck McKeon does nothing to stop it: “Buck’s Folly.” That’s pretty good LTE
  • Bossert surprises no one and endorses Wilk, saying of Patricia McKeon: ““I have no idea!” When Patricia McKeon uttered those four words she basically defined her candidacy. Couple that with several of her stilted appearances, especially the one at the Simi Valley Tea Party forum, with the fact that she has not held any elected office before, appeared to have plagiarized on her Facebook page, and it all adds up to a very inexperienced candidate. We don’t need to elect a seat warmer or someone that will be getting on the job training.” WRB
  • Full footage of last week’s Assembly forum, sans Patricia McKeon VIMEO

Comments

63 · as published
  1. IHeartSCVMay 7, 2012 at 5:07 am
    I think Lunetta’s column is best read as satire, intentional or not: hard water as a “first world problem”, that popular meme. Hard water leaves a film on my clean dishes…first world problems. Hard water keeps me from icing my glass of Coke…first world problems. Hard water crusts our French faucets…first world problems. (All of these are the actual problems mentioned in the piece).
  2. Alan FerdmanMay 7, 2012 at 7:57 am
    If you want to become better informed about the Chloride issue and how it will affect Santa Clarita, Mr. Basil Hewitt, LACO Sanitation District Senior Engineer, will be presenting at the May 16 Canyon Country Advisory Committee Meeting, 7 PM at the Mint Canyon Moose Lodge, 18000 Sierra Highway in Canyon Country. This will give us a chance to hear what the Sanitation District Staff has to say and ask any questions we may have.
  3. CCMay 7, 2012 at 9:02 am
    Wait, he’s blaming hard water on environmentalists? Does he even know the origins of hard water? I received a pretty extensive phone poll last night that was obviously geared toward selling a desalination plant to SCV. Unfortunately, the poll didn’t provide the opportunity for real comment.
  4. mikeMay 7, 2012 at 9:36 am
    I disagree with the main thrust of his argument, but I actually enjoyed reading the column and its self-aware absurdity. Most of his “problems” are silly, and it’s equally silly that septic users are held to the same ban (or are they?). Isn’t Lunetta a chemist? I’m surprised he doesn’t have his own dishwashing mix with phosphates and what not. What changed the game in our house was the Finish Quantum tablets. It cleans like dishwashers used to.
  5. Capt. GeneMay 7, 2012 at 5:27 am
    So either Haughtier was ignorant to the facts surrounding the candidate forum, or he was lying about them. Maybe he thought “The Woman” was like the other blondes in his life and he figured he could just tell them whatever he wanted and she would go along with it. Either way, I for one can’t wait until he and Buck are both out of work. Go Dante!
  6. NateMay 7, 2012 at 10:51 am
    So weird seeing this from the one guy that defended Lynn when plagiar-gate happened
  7. Capt. GeneMay 7, 2012 at 11:21 am
    How so?
  8. NateMay 7, 2012 at 12:17 pm
    Maybe Mike can find that post in the forum.
  9. mikeMay 7, 2012 at 12:30 pm
    It’s a new day. Old beefs are in the freezer.
  10. Capt. GeneMay 7, 2012 at 1:24 pm
    I’m curious what Lynn Vakay has to do with this. Other than the fact that I’m hoping her latest husband finds himself looking for work, I don’t see how she relates. Unless someone is just trying to stir the … er… pot.
  11. Fed Up N SCVMay 7, 2012 at 1:37 pm
    Here are some emails that I think Lynn actually wrote (not plagerized) herself Nate. http://truthliesdeception.com/la-county-gop-chair-bullies-volunteers
  12. Capt. GeneMay 7, 2012 at 2:11 pm
    Nate, if you are implying that I defended Vakay’s plagiarism, you can simply plug “vakay” into the search feature and you will find everything that was said here about her. What you won’t find is a single post by me about her or her plagiarism.
  13. NateMay 7, 2012 at 4:06 pm
    It wasn’t here it was in the forum… you where clearly a fierce supporter… What changed your mind?
  14. Capt. GeneMay 7, 2012 at 5:25 pm
    Says you. I have no recollection of supporting her, can you offer us a shred of proof? Oh yeah, and what does this fantasy of yours have to do with me wanting to see both McKeons fail?
  15. Capt. GeneMay 7, 2012 at 5:40 pm
    I searched here, and I searched the forum. There is nothing from me about Vakay at either place, care to try again?
  16. Capt. GeneMay 8, 2012 at 4:11 pm
    Must be happy hour somewhere.
  17. AdamMay 7, 2012 at 5:35 am
    I must have been to Magic Mountain 50+ plus times growing up here in SCV. I have never once been up the Sky Tower. In fact my whole life going to the park it was never even open to the public. Now granted, I have not been to MM in 10+ years. When did they even open it (the tower) back up? That was an interesting read on the Tower though, both the coster blog and the piece about local history.
  18. Mike MMay 7, 2012 at 7:36 am
    As a roller coaster junkie and a Six Flags enthusiast, I’m stoked that Jeff discovered that blog! Man, what a fun find. I’m really bummed that the museum is gone, though – my son and I have been trying to go see that for a while now, but the tower kept getting closed for one reason or another. We were actually in the elevator to go up recently when they shut it down because of wind gusts
  19. Rory L. AronskyMay 7, 2012 at 7:51 pm
    Mike, and to everyone else who might visit Kurt’s blog: You have to read his profiles of various rides. Dig deep in the archives and enjoy such terrific research and passion. He knows.
  20. CCMay 7, 2012 at 9:04 am
    I was up in the tower many years ago, but when you’re a kid. An elevator ride just doesn’t seem to hold the same zing as a rollercoaster.
  21. brookMay 7, 2012 at 10:13 am
    I was up in it a few years ago for a private function and they had a lot of great history, an old coaster car, you could sit in and take pics, old pictures, things from opening day, old uniforms, etc. Wonder what the reasoning was for removing it? Something new for the tower?
  22. LarMccMay 7, 2012 at 11:18 am
    We went up in the tower once. There was a picture of me in the museum working on crafts back in 1986. It’s a side profile but I am sure it was me doing a wood cutout. I had no idea, it was really strange to discover this.
  23. AlpinerMay 7, 2012 at 4:25 pm
    The Magic Mountain museum on top of the tower was a relatively new idea. When Jay Thomas was president of MM he initiated an employee entrepreneur program where any employee could come up with a park idea and submit it to management. A minimum wage employee came up with the museum idea and Thomas thought it was brilliant. Thomas himself came up through the ranks at Six Flags. He was a quality MM leader who brought some needed luster back to the park. It was a shame that Six Flags corporate moved him just when things were going in the right direction again.
  24. ThomasMay 8, 2012 at 12:49 pm
    Just like everything at MM, upkeep was an issue. The displays kept getting smaller, so it only made sense to get rid of everythig up there.
  25. Capt. GeneMay 7, 2012 at 6:14 am
    SCV Chamber of Commerce’s AD 38 Candidate Forum costs $40 a head? My, how civic minded of the Chamber.
  26. Phil EllisMay 7, 2012 at 7:18 am
    $38.00 would have been a better price.
  27. ToddMay 7, 2012 at 8:36 am
    Hey, I see what you did there.
  28. mikeMay 7, 2012 at 8:50 am
    quite a few of these forums in the elections this year have had admission prices. Makes me shake my head every time.
  29. AlpinerMay 7, 2012 at 4:27 pm
    What is amazing is that people actually will pay to see them!
  30. AdamMay 7, 2012 at 10:47 am
    Well, the Chamber always charges for it’s events. (Believe me as a member I know) The $40 for soggy eggs, blah potatoes, limp bacon, and weak fruit cup was not worth it. The lunches at the Hyatt that the chamber does though are generally decent. Terri Crain (Chamber CEO) said there were about 130 people in the room. The crowd was docile. The questions were typical. The answers prepared. Overall a pretty bland event. But I think that is what the chamber wanted. There where many digs, by all the candidates at Mrs. McKeon. Whether it was Headingtons mention of nepotism, Wilk’s mention of supermarket epiphanies, or numerous mentions (even by Jason Schaff) of how good it was to actually get all the candidates to attend a forum. The only real moment that had any interest from the crowd was the closing statements by Patricia. She went on a slight tangent (that was planned and in her notes she read from) attacking Wilk as a career politician who is going to cost the College District 100′s of thousands of dollars in a special election if he is elected or force the district to appoint someone, which is against what she believes in… democracy. Her statements above not withstanding, she actually didn’t sound like a complete nutcase and novice today. She threw out numbers and figures (who know if they are correct) which always makes crowds think you know what you are talking about. There were no big gaffs, no gotcha questions, no flubs. Wilk’s response to her closing statement was to simply list all the people who are supporting him, why he is more qualified, and than make another swipe at the grocery bag epiphany. I was a bit disappointed in him. I thought he should have gone after her a bit more since she mentioned him by name in her closing remarks. My opinion overall after the whole thing was that Wilk is the best prepared (No surprise there), Headington is dangerous (He has the look, composure, wit, and knowledge. Just not the money right now), Stickland is hard to define, McKeon is still the least prepared and most deer in the headlights candidate (When she wasn’t answering questions she was staring off into space not even seeming to pay attention to her opponents answers)
  31. NateMay 7, 2012 at 12:19 pm
    Anything included?
  32. VenturanMay 7, 2012 at 8:19 am
    Acton and Agua Dulce are decidedly high desert. Santa Clarita, not so much. More high desert adjacent and squarely Zone 18 on the definitive guide to US climates, Sunset Mag. But I do take issue, Jeff, with calling the Simi Valley LTE writer a “coastal elite.” Simi and Santa Clarita are kissing cousins, and for the writer to distance himself from the region and subsequently curse the redistricting process is laughable.
  33. ToddMay 7, 2012 at 8:49 am
    Indeed. Gerrymandering? Obviously the writer is not well informed on the process which we’ve instituted here that is far from gerrymandering.
  34. SeanMay 8, 2012 at 12:09 am
    I’ve always been told we’re high desert, and I grew up here. I’ll have to keep this in mind, though “Above and below the thermal belts in Southern California’s interior valleys ” isn’t quite as succinct as “high desert”.
  35. Phil EllisMay 8, 2012 at 7:22 am
    Just say quasi-high desert. It’s not quite accurate, but it gets the point accross.
  36. Capt. GeneMay 7, 2012 at 9:44 am
    “The Woman” is not the only one inviting Camp McKeon to debate and calling them out when they…ahem…give their account of events: http://www.the-signal.com/section/35/article/64803/
  37. PetzMay 7, 2012 at 1:36 pm
    Tomorrow the good citizens of North Carolina will uphold traditional marriage , defining it between a man and a woman. It does not matter what Biden thinks, or whether Obama’s thoughts are evolving. Whether You Like It or Not !
  38. ToddMay 7, 2012 at 2:11 pm
    On “traditional marriage”: How much dowry did your wife’s parents pay your parent’s Steve? Just, you know, since you’re all about “traditional” marriage…
  39. Capt. GeneMay 7, 2012 at 2:34 pm
    “How much dowry did your wife’s parents pay your parent’s Steve?” Another apostrophe catastrophe.
  40. PetzMay 7, 2012 at 2:35 pm
    None…but I picked up paying off her student loans.
  41. PattyMay 7, 2012 at 3:50 pm
    Continuance of a Southern state’s proud tradition of hate. Why are people so insecure about others’ commitments. Is it just complete stupidity?
  42. PetzMay 7, 2012 at 4:13 pm
    The ignorance and hate come from the left….no surprise there . The violence and personal attacks by the No on 8 crowd after the vote will never be forgotten.
  43. Mike MMay 7, 2012 at 4:16 pm
    Funny to argue hate when you’re the one supporting denying rights to others. Bet all them blacks who wanted to vote were just filled with hate, too. Were you in defense of traditional same-race marriage? Does miscegenation turn your stomach the way marriage between two dudes does?
  44. PetzMay 7, 2012 at 4:40 pm
    Game..set…match.. The Dems drumming up some wedge issue. Billy Graham supports traditional marriage and so does Obama…or does he? Flip flopper Obama http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/b72ca3d4-9855-11e1-ad3e-00144feabdc0.html#axzz1uEZkdgTJ
  45. 4eyedsueMay 7, 2012 at 11:00 pm
    Obama won’t commit to marriage equality before the election- it won’t play well for the swing states. He and Biden are so condescending- “evolving” wtf. And Biden had to actually hang out with some same-sex families to realize that they are fully human deserving of equal rights and protections under the law? They fool no one.
  46. Phil EllisMay 8, 2012 at 7:20 am
    So did Clinton.
  47. PattyMay 8, 2012 at 7:39 am
    So gays who care what Billy Graham thinks, don’t get married. Quite simple. It’s none of his business or any one else’s who marries whom as long as the parties are consenting adults.
  48. Mike MMay 7, 2012 at 4:17 pm
    Let me tell you, Prop 8 and its supporters will never be forgotten, either.
  49. AlpinerMay 7, 2012 at 4:31 pm
    Easy to label things you disagree with as hate — both sides are guilty of this.
  50. PattyMay 8, 2012 at 5:37 pm
    I don’t think one who believes couples who love one another should be barred by government from marrying is hateful.
  51. 4eyedsueMay 7, 2012 at 10:50 pm
    I’d like supporters of “Traditional Marriage” to watch this video. It’s long- but it needs to be seen by those who believe that their conservative, literal interpretation of scripture should be law of the land. This young man, Matthew Vines, is amazing- he’s an intelligent, articulate, calm, cool, celibate, Christian, gay advocate. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ezQjNJUSraY
  52. Timothy Myers SRMay 7, 2012 at 1:51 pm
    On SCVTV: Jeff, Teri Edwards did not “all but call” Haueter a liar, she pulled the trigger on that characterization full on.
  53. Capt. GeneMay 7, 2012 at 2:06 pm
    Tim, doesn’t it bother you even a little that she has more balls than you do?
  54. NateMay 7, 2012 at 4:09 pm
    Says guy using fake name to guy using real full name.
  55. Capt. GeneMay 7, 2012 at 5:31 pm
    My pseudonym does not change the fact that Myers is a coward. Speaking of facts, did you ever find any evidence that I defended Vakay? Oh wait, let me move to the edge of my seat…
  56. SCV LoverMay 7, 2012 at 8:56 pm
    Good lord, are you autistic Gene?
  57. Capt. GeneMay 8, 2012 at 5:15 am
    You have a problem with autistic people?
  58. Mike MMay 8, 2012 at 5:48 am
    You’re intending that as an insult?? So, yeah. Really shitty thing to say. You wanna attack someone because you don’t like them, that’s fine, but you’re not doing yourself any favors like that. Many of us around here count someone with autism in our circle of friends or loved ones – I’d suggest trying to find something that makes you look like less of a douchebag.
  59. Cheryl PhillipsMay 7, 2012 at 6:42 pm
    That would be TAMMI Edwards, Tim, not Teri.
  60. JayceMay 8, 2012 at 12:26 pm
    Tami is pretty cool. Class of 89 represent!
  61. Rory L. AronskyMay 7, 2012 at 7:44 pm
    Thanks for the mention, Jeff! I’m surprised my post spread as it did, but am very happy that it did. However, one correction: I am a former movie reviewer and former interim Escape editor for The Signal. I left in 2008.
  62. PetzMay 8, 2012 at 4:33 am
    You write very well………enjoyed your piece.
  63. Rory L. AronskyMay 8, 2012 at 10:11 am
    Thanks Petz! In your parlance, I hope Petz will visit again soon.
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