August 16, 2013 – Daily Brief — The SCV Talk Archive

Looks like a consensus is forming in the background among the City, CLWA, and other stakeholders (even farmers) on what to do about the chloride problem. A little of Option 4 would be the most cost-effective according to CLWA & the City, and it's possible the 100mg/L limit could be raised. It's all very technocratic now and removed from the democratic process so you better hope our public staff members are capable and competent. Holt at the SIGNAL
Not if TimBen has anything to say about it: "As an elected representative of the City of Santa Clarita it is somewhat disturbing that the City does not have an elected representative of the people at these "talks". I can assure the people of Santa Clarita that I will not allow a staff member of the City to be making any commitments on my behalf, or on the behalf of the people I represent," the City Councilman says on Ray's Facebook LTE PAGE
Over 440 families are trying to get their kids into Albert Einstein Elementary, despite the fact that the troubled charter school system has been ordered by the City to cease improvements on its industrial center area site. Supe Joan Lucid of Saugus, where 300+ families have requested to go to Einstein, says she feels badly for families who chose Einstein and says students should be in school right now. "We're ready for you, we want your children to have the best education," she remarked to Smith at KHTS
Deputies arrest security guard for stealing iMac from school he was supposed to be guarding. The guy had the chutzpah to store that stolen computer -and another one from a different school- in the security company's offices. SIGNAL
Four people were arrested for DUI and 10 or so drivers were cited at last night's sobriety checkpoint, which was held at Railroad Avenue & Oakridge, just a quarter or mile or so from the City's Senses party on Main Street. KHTS has photos of one of hte guys who failed a sobriety test and ended up in the back of a cruiser. FACEBOOK
Deputies showed parents how kids can hide drugs in plain sight during a seminar Tuesday night. You can click the picture and embiggen it; I see a bong, which isn't very easy to hide (according to friends), a cough syrup bottle, and multiple other items including a lint remover, which has me really curious and fascinated. CITY BRIEFS
A bit of glam & metropolitan at Town Center Drive: Yesterday Jana Adkins reported how Town Center drive is in demand; today we read a press release from one company moving in: Free People, a women's boutique clothing store that "has been designed with the brand’s ‘Boho Bungalo’ concept. The look and feel represents Free People’s globe traveling girl and the collections that she curates and displays within her environment. The store at Valencia Town Center will be unique in that it will also channel a more metropolitan vibe, welcoming customers with a steel storefront and featuring reclaimed wood beams, columns, and doors. In the store’s rear, a custom-carved cashwrap is illuminated by a sunny skylight highlighting mica plaster walls." If that doesn't make sense to you, I'll translate: hipster shop for girls. Nikki, the friendly girl who does those videos for the Signal is going to have a blast taking her Bro-boyfriend there. PRESS RELEASE, FREE PEOPLE.COM
Re the above: I have many theses I have developed about the SCV during the six years I've blogged on it, and one is that everyday there is a battle for the future soul, the je ne sais quoi of the SCV, a battle raging to replace the predominant suburban/conformity culture with High Desert culture (think AV, meth, tumbleweeds, but rustic, less dense living,sand, and a free-spirit, leave-me-alone type attitude),or Los Angeles Cosmopolitanism (more open, hip, spunky and chaotic yet a little more judgmental and superficial). Every day we could swing either way, but with Free People moving in, the scales today at least are definitely tipping the SCV toward the LA Cosmo side; Free People only has stores in Glendale, Century City, Brentwood and Hollywood. And now Valen-cha.
And then you read this: Valencia woman grows ginormous 11 foot Sunflower, poses for adorable pictures with the Signal. She didn't even plant the Kansas-style organism, she says birds did it. And she lives in a condo complex. I wonder how this thing survived HOA rules, it's completely non-conformist in nature. SIGNAL
Super Scoopers are back. As is that familiar orange Air-Crane helicopter with the giant hose. Merci beaucoup to the Government of Quebec for continuing to lease these to us; other communities notice it's fall when the leaves change, but I feel like you can't have a proper fall season in the SCV without Santa Anas, Super Scoopers, the threat of fires, and high school football spreads in the Signal. SIGNAL
I Heart Lois Eisenberg: Lois Eisenberg must be a little old lady who hand writes (or dare I say types?) letters to the editor and post marks them the old fashioned way, via snail mail. I say that because she writes some of the greatest tsk-tsk LTEs about young people being & streets. In June she complained about junior high schoolers, full of glee and summer merriment, celebrating too much on the last day of school. And today she complains about a "most disturbing" front page newspaper photo that showed "a young woman crossing in a pedestrian zone while talking on the cell phone." She wants there to be a law against walking and talking while on the cell phone, and even calls those of us with cell phones "cellphoners." LTE
While I'm at it: who uses their cell phone to talk anymore? If I have to take a call, I've failed in some way to communicate with you.
Speaking of traffic, it's back to school week which means it's time for SCV parents to get aggressive and rude when they drop their kids off school. One Facebooker took a pic, and a whole stream of interesting comments about how kids get to/from school followed. SANTA CLARITA COMMUNITY
Nice work KHTS: The radio station puts together a Google map of all public art sculptures, statues and murals the City has built in the last several years. Neat stuff. Boyer at KHTS, website with MAP.

Comments (9)

Tony MianoFriday, August 16th, 2013 at 1:18 pm
I enjoy your daily briefings, Jeff. Thanks for taking the time to write them.
Timothy Myers SRFriday, August 16th, 2013 at 5:54 pm
Reverend Tony Glad to see you are presently at Liberty and not "banged up in the knick!"
TootsieSaturday, August 17th, 2013 at 8:28 am
The FreePeople store won't last very long. It's too expensive. There isn't a large enough customer base. Look at all the Targets and walmarts out here. We are big on getting our stuff at a discount out here in the SCV. Now if they opened an H&M out here, that would do very well.
MikeSaturday, August 17th, 2013 at 7:09 pm
I agree. Just the latest in a long list of upscale business over-estimating the disposable income and/or appetite for such things in the SCV.
JackieSaturday, August 17th, 2013 at 10:12 am
SUSD superintendent, Joan Lucid, "feels badly" for students who have left the district for Albert Einstein Academy. Curious if Dr. Lucid "feels badly" that class sizes in the SUSD have increased by up to 30 percent in just three years. Does she "feel badly" for the thousands of students who had no clue that a Nazi-sympathizing board member, with an inappropriate interest in young children riding animals, had access to SUSD campuses even after the other board members discovered his disturbing online activity months prior? Does she "feel badly" for the students who have to experience an insensitive, unprofessional district employee who has been the subject of formal complaints and even a lawsuit, yet retains her job year after year? Or how about the kids and parents who are said to be verbally abused by a SUSD teacher, creating anxiety and dread among those afraid to land in her classroom... does Dr. Lucid "feel badly" for them? You'd think formal complaints to the school and district would create some change but nope -- nothing happens. Don't feel badly for the 303 students enrolled elsewhere, even though many purchased homes in the area just so their children could attend one of the exceptional SUSD schools. Because they, along with their parents, have exercised the right to a choice in education by being strong, proactive and determined to create opportunities without the self-serving beaurocracy that keeps children from thriving.
anonSaturday, August 17th, 2013 at 4:41 pm
No kidding! What a ridiculous bias this blog has. You realize in most parts of the country, like the upper Midwest with the best education and the East Coast school doesn't start until after Labor Day? Dr. Lucid is irresponsible to imply that parents who don't send their kids to these SCV public schools don't want the best for them? What a joke. Actually, the joke's on them. Parents are seeking out alternatives.
mominthescvSunday, August 18th, 2013 at 2:53 pm
Indeed, Jackie. Pretty sure Dr. Lucid doesn't "feel badly" for the children who are waiting on their new school to open thanks to the bullying of her beloved SUSD. She also doesn't "feel badly" for frightening parents who are looking for choice. Lucid and the SUSD (including the teacher's union) are bullies who can't stand that someone else might be able to do something different. And better. Of course, she and her cronies have no sympathy for students who have been bullied and intimidated by inept teachers who cannot be fired. And I'm pretty sure she doesn't "feel badly" at all for the numerous AMAZING former SUSD teachers who no longer have jobs thanks to the gross fiscal mismanagement of the SUSD.
JeffWilsonMonday, August 19th, 2013 at 7:53 am
Every parent already has choice in education. You can choose to send your kid to a public school or a private school. As long as hucksters and flim-flam artists try to get money from the public trough to stand up their own "public" boutique charter schools on my dime, I'll be blogging about them.
ToddTuesday, August 20th, 2013 at 9:53 am
Quick correction/retraction for you. Railroad/Newhall/Bouquet/Whatever its called and Oak Ridge is 1.5 miles away from the Senses location. Not the mere 1/4 mile you cited.