Month In Review – January 2020

A reflection on our communities past month’s achievements, community development and awesomeness!

Hart School District Welcomes New Board President

After years of service and dedication to education right here in the Santa Clarita Valley, Linda Storli was officially named the next president of the William S. Hart Union High School District Governing Board. Storli served as a teacher at Canyon High School for decades and followed up her tenure as an educator and representative on the board. Storli takes over for the previous president of Trustee Area No. 2, Rep. Bob Jensen, and is looking forward to ringing in the new year with her new position.

SCV Sheriff’s Station’s Annual Toy Drive

This year marks the 16th annual Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station toy drive, which was organized to help share the magic of the holidays with families and children who may not be as fortunate during this special time of year. The drive ran through December 18th, with several locations accepting toy donations all throughout the Santa Clarita Valley, with donations welcomed 24 hours a day, seven days a week at the station itself

Celebrating Literacy and Fine Arts

The 13th annual Family Literacy Festival took place on Dec. 7th at the Old Town Newhall Library, giving families an opportunity to engage in the world of fine arts and literature. Among the activities were performances by local musicians, artists, and interactive booths featuring prizes and giveaways. The event catered to a host of interests and set the stage for an afternoon of fun and games while celebrating all that the world of literature and arts has to offer.

Festivities, Tree Lighting, and
Community Spirit

The lighting of the community Christmas tree in the Valencia Marketplace started off an evening of festivities, holiday cheer and generosity in early December. The holiday season was marked by choir performances, magician acts, and the gathering of several public leaders. The evening also served as an invitation for residents to participate in the annual Sheriff’s Station toy drive. In an evening of merriment and yuletide fun, residents of the City were able to enjoy the festivities and learn how to spread the love this holiday season.

Boys & Girls Club of Santa Clarita Valley Hosts Thanksgiving Dinner

As families gathered for Thanksgiving feasts and celebrations, the Boys & Girls club continued their tradition of providing a free Thanksgiving dinner for families of club members the Tuesday before turkey day. Families enjoyed a delicious Thanksgiving meal and left with turkeys for their own Thanksgiving preparations, and the event served as a reminder for residents to stop and enjoy the company of their loved ones after a year of ups and downs.

Grand Opening of Straightening Reins

Known for its therapeutic Equine-Assisted Psychotherapy program, the Straightening Reins ranch celebrated the start of the holiday season and their grand opening in Castaic in mid-December. Their “Holiday at the Ranch” event commemorated their movement to a new, larger facility in Castaic, and helped spread the word throughout the Santa Clarita Valley. Attendees were able to pet animals, participate in a raffle, and enjoy refreshments all in the name of supporting mental health.

“Merry Christmas, Charlie Brown!”

On December 18, the Santa Clarita Performing Arts Center at College of the Canyons hosted its own performance of “A Charlie Brown Christmas Live on Stage”, bringing together friends and family alike to celebrate a favorite holiday cartoon classic. The play brought Charles Shulz’s world of the “Peanuts” comic to life with tons of holiday cheer, and as is always the case with Charlie Brown and his friends, “A Charlie Brown Christmas Live on Stage” had a little something for everyone.

Santa Clarita: A City for Cyclists

In an exciting development for our community, the League of American Bicyclists bestowed a silver-level award for the City of Santa Clarita to honor its position as one of the few top bicycle-friendly cities in the United States. The creation of bike lanes and trails all throughout the city played a large role in securing such a significant award for Santa Clarita, and continuing efforts are being made to ensure that the city remains cyclist-friendly now and in the future.

The Return of the Holiday Lights Tour

For just $3 a ticket, Santa Clarita residents enjoyed the return of the popular holiday lights tour, held by SCV Transit. From Dec. 19 to 21, residents were given a ride through some of the most festive, brightly-lit neighborhoods in Santa Clarita, and donations were accepted for the Santa Clarita Food Pantry in exchange for a ride on the tour bus. The event was a wonderful opportunity to not only enjoy the fun of a Christmas light tour, but to give back this holiday season as well.

Turkey Day at Bella Vida

Volunteers joined together to spread the love (and good food) around this past Thanksgiving morning at the Bella Vida senior center. Both students and teachers alike worked together to prepare and serve over 600 meals throughout the course of the day, but aside from the delicious eats, there was an underlying message of community and solidarity, and the desire to celebrate unity on the most thankful day of the year. Undoubtedly, Bella Vida’s first Thanksgiving at its new location was a memorable one.

Giving Tuesday

On this special day of the year, nonprofits get the spotlight they most definitely deserve, and countless Santa Clarita residents took some time to break from the chaos of Black Friday and Cyber Monday to donate to one of the more charitable events of the holiday season. Giving Tuesday is celebrated all around the world, with over 1,000 nonprofits listed right here in the Santa Clarita Valley. Though Giving Tuesday only comes around once a year, the year-round opportunities to give back are endless!

Cameron Smyth: Santa Clarita’s New Mayor

As the year comes to a close, mayor pro tem Cameron Smyth is preparing to take on his new role as Santa Clarita’s mayor. Smyth takes over for Marsha McLean, who served as the city’s mayor for the 2019 calendar year. This marks Smyth’s fourth run as mayor throughout his 20-year service on the Santa Clarita City Council, having most recently served as mayor in 2017. Filling the position of mayor pro tem for the year 2020 is Councilmember Bill Miranda.