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

Hart District Exceeds Expectations CDE Launches 2020 Dashboard

The Dashboard makes complex school and student performance data easier to understand and is accessible on smart phones and tablets. District, school and student performance levels are indicated on a gauge with an arrow pointing to a range of colors, with red the lowest and blue the highest. The new Dashboard has the most current school and student data available to the state, including student performance on the 2019 state assessments (with the exception of science) and graduation rates. To find your school within the Hart School District, go to www.caschooldashboard.org and type your school name in the landing page. There is also a video on that page to help explain the Dashboard.

FivePoint Sells First 781 Lots in Eventual 21,000-Home Community

In a major step forward to opening its newest master-planned community in Los Angeles County, Five Point Holdings LLC has announced the sale of 781 homesites at Valencia (formerly Newhall Ranch) in the fourth quarter of 2019. The proceeds from the closed homesites were approximately $135 million. This new community is anticipated to provide a wide range of homes, high quality public education, job/housing balance with approximately 11.5 million square feet of commercial space, including healthcare and lifestyle-focused uses among other amenities, and 10,000 acres of open space. In addition, this community is designed to be the first net zero greenhouse gas community of its size in America.

Saugus Cheer Brings Home CIF Championship

This year, the Centurions’ spirit squad stepped up its game and took home the Division 4A Championship. With no deductions, the Centurions scored the highest score of the day. A near-perfect score of 91.50, Saugus leaped ahead of the competition in a division of 15 other teams. Saugus High School’s cheer squad after winning the CIF-SS Ford Traditional Competitive Cheerleading Championship Division 4A. Photo courtesy Kelly Pierson.

LA County Students Encouraged to Apply for CA Credit Union’s Scholarship

California Credit Union invites college-bound students in Los Angeles County to submit an application for its annual College Scholarship Program. Through the program, California Credit Union provides $20,000 in scholarships annually to recognize students who are motivated in their academic studies and active in their schools and communities, giving back to others through service and volunteer work. Interested students can find more information and apply online at ccu.com/scholarship2020. Online applications will be accepted through March 16, 2020. Recipients will be announced on April 6, 2020. Furthermore, if you’re interested in a non-reciprocal link exchange instead, I am a contributing editor at 365businesstips.com (DA 63), glitternglue.com (DA 41), and homebyhank.com (DA 15). For more information go to https://www.ccu.com/

SoCal Forests & Watersheds Accepting Proposals for Grant Funding

The Angeles National Forest (ANF), Los Padres National Forest (LPNF), and National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) are excited to announce the next round of funding availability for landscape scale restoration efforts on U.S. Forest Service lands. Approximately $8 million dollars will be available for award in this grant cycle to be directed toward fire restoration and recovery stemming from the following past fires: on the ANF, the Copper, Powerhouse, and Sayre fires, and on the LPNF, the Jesusita, Piru, and Zaca fires. Details of the program, application information, and submittal deadlines are available through the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation’s website at www.nfwf.org/socal.

City Votes to Change Ratings Process for Arts Grants Program

Over the last 30 years, the city has provided annual funds for community organizations through the Community Services and Arts Grants program. This year 19 organizations will receive funding from $90,000 for community services projects and 16 agencies with arts programs will receive from the other $90,000. After last month’s vote, however, the process will now follow a three-tier procedure, with a second tier that requires a review by the Arts Commission, and the third tier by the City Council.

CSUN Gifted with $1M from Design Software Giant Autodesk

California State University, Northridge has received a $1 million gift from design software giant Autodesk to support the creation of a Center for Integrated Design and Advanced Manufacturing at the university. The proposed center would establish a single, comprehensive space to design and create prototype products, with enough room for and a workflow that encourages team discussions among students from different disciplines during the design, prototype manufacturing and testing processes.

CalArts Alums Score Nominations for 92nd Oscars

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences unveiled nominations for the 92nd Academy Awards Monday morning, and CalArts alums are among the nominees.
• “Best Picture”: James Mangold for “Ford v. Ferrari” along with fellow producers Peter Chernin and Jenno Topping
• “Best Animated Feature Film”: Sergio Pablos for “Klaus” along with Jinko Gotoh and Marisa Román
• “Best Animated Short Film”: Bruce W. Smith, director of “Hair Love” along with Matthew A. Cherry and Everett Downing Jr.
• “Best Animated Short Film”: Siqi Song for “Sister”

Hills-Garcia of Saugus Gets 5-10 Years in Prison in Nationwide Meth Case

Joel Travis Hills-Garcia, the second of two Saugus men arrested two years ago for involvement in a nationwide meth-trafficking ring has been sentenced in a Pennsylvania court to a prison term of five to 10 years. Hills-Garcia, 31, appeared December 30 in Montgomery County Court for sentencing after pleading guilty to seven criminal counts, including manufacturing, delivering or possessing methamphetamine with the intent to deliver the drug. The seven sentences are to be served concurrently, a spokeswoman for the Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office said Monday.

Bottler of Crystal Geyser Fined $5M in Hazardous Wastewater Case

The company that produces the Crystal Geyser Natural Alpine Spring Water brand pleaded guilty last month to federal charges of illegally storing and transporting hazardous waste created from filtering arsenic out of spring water at its facility in Olancha, California. CG Roxane, LLC pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful storage of hazardous waste and one count of unlawful transportation of hazardous material. In a plea agreement recently filed in United States District Court, CG Roxane agreed to pay a criminal fine of $5 million.

College of The Canyons Community Warned of Increase In Car Battery Thefts

Eric Harnish, Vice President of Public Information, Advocacy and External Relations for College of the Canyons, sent an email to the campus community warning of a recent increase in the number of car battery thefts at their Valencia campus. In light of this development, Harnish urged students and faculty to be aware of any “unusual activity” that they may see in the parking lots on campus. For the Valencia campus, students and faculty can call 661-259-7800, and then press “0”, and for the Canyon Country Campus, students and faculty can call 661-362-3801 and press “0,” according to Harnish.

Former L.A. County Sheriff Lee Baca Ordered to Surrender For Prison Sentence

Baca was sentenced to 36 months in federal prison in 2017 but faced numerous appeals, according to the United States Attorney’s Office. A federal jury convicted Baca on three felony counts: conspiracy to obstruct justice, obstruction of justice and making false statements to federal investigators. Baca is ordered to serve on or before February 5, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.