July 30, 2012 Daily Brief - "Very Bad Things" Edition

Sheriff's deputies continue to investigate the death of a man who apparently hanged himself from a utility pole in Newhall in front of about 50 witnesses after SD's failed in attempts to talk him down. Glad I wasn't there. SIGNAL SCVNEWS

Piru Mansion finally sells for $2.15 million, hopefully for realsies this time. SIGNAL Folks will remember back in the late 90's when a golf pro and weather caster entered into a lease option on the property, only to have it terminated suddenly. Rumors at the time said that a member of the Newhall family saw the regal mansion as a backdrop for a soft core pornographic film on the Playboy Channel and reacted badly. (One will note that soft core porn was not listed in the article on film and TV credits.)

I you build it 320 would come? Draft EIR report for Castaic High School talks about 5,000 seat athletic pitches and 1,300 students (that would make the school too small to compete in the Foothill League). SIGNAL Other article by by new Signal Ed reporter Perry Smith reveals that school could open with as few as 320 students. SIGNAL

School construction follies Part Deux. Saugus Union School Board president Rose Koscielny says the SUSD "plans" to open Emblem Elementary School two years past the original construction deadline. Plenty of weasel word from staff so nobody had to have their fingers crossed. SIGNAL

This isn't a local thing, but I want to give a shout out to local columnist Steve Lunetta for setting out in a very cogent fashion why apologists for Penn State and Joe Paterno should really shut up before the NCAA reconsiders their penalties already imposed. SIGNAL

Dave Bossert pens a missive saying that he is against term limits (I am too) and that voters in Santa Clarita recently proved they are not necessary by turning out incumbent Laurie Ender. WRB So far, so good. However, the piece then veers into a hagiography of Supervisor Antonovich, who is never named, and why he should be in office forever. So much is the love of Mr. Bossert for the Supervisor that I am afraid if the Supervisor stops suddenly Mr. Bossert's head will end up you know where.

Dr. Lee Rogers calls out Congressman McKeon for providing second chances to convicted felons who are his employees but not in general since he consistently votes against federal prisoner rehabilitation proposals. WRB More shockingly, he reveals that Morris Thomas was once a registered, gasp, Democrat.

Also no relationship to local affairs, but for those with Netflix streaming service I want to give a shout out to the BBC series "Sherlock Holmes" where season one is now available. The updated telling of the Sherlock Holmes story in present day London is so quick witted, innovative and action packed that it makes American television look like it was written by chimps banging on typewriters. I also would recommend "Luther" staring Idris Elba (fans of "The Wire" know who he is) where seasons one and two are available. But "Luther" is definitely adults only and should be viewed when children are fast asleep.