Valencia takes care of basketball, gets good games from Hill, Wright

After falling to West Ranch in the teams' first matchup of the season, Valencia made a few changes and turned the tables on the Wildcats. It took just two changes for the Vikings to defeat West Ranch 43-37 at Valencia High on Friday night.

Hart blasts its way past Cowboys

For the Canyon boys basketball team to pull the upset of Hart Friday night, it would need solid shooting and tough defense.

Reader Meter results, Jan. 30-Feb. 6, 2009

Here are the results of The-Signal.com's latest Reader Meter poll. The-Signal.com visitors cast a total of 265 votes from mid-morning Friday, Jan. 30 to late afternoon Friday, Feb. 6, 2009. Question: "What's your Valentine's Day plan?" * Dinner, flowers and a movie (31 votes) * Make whoopie with soulmate (54 votes) * Find somebody to love (11 votes) * Try to forget being alone (16 votes) * No plan -- just another day (153 votes) ...

Updated: Applications available for Zonta community grants

Nonprofit organizations in the Santa Clarita Valley which work to improve the lives of women are invited to apply for Community Service Financial Grants offered by Zonta Club of Santa Clarita Valley Foundation.

Zonta offers free economic advice in LifeForward workshop for women

What is a FICA credit score, and how can a bad score be corrected? What money management and budgeting skills are necessary to plan for a secure future? What are the unique credit and economic issues that accompany a divorce?

COC Receives Highest Possible Accreditation Rating

This week, the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges, Western Association of Schools and Colleges took action to reaffirm its highest accreditation status upon College of the Canyons - completing a nearly two-year long self-study and application process.

SCV deputies arrest armed robbery suspect

A suspected armed robbery suspect is behind bars today thanks to an alert patrol deputy, and a collaborative effort between detectives from the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff Station's Robbery and Assault team, members of the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff Station's Community Interaction Team (CIT), and members of the County of Los Angeles/Sheriff's Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) team assigned to the Santa Clarita Valley.

Tonight's 'Instrument Petting Zoo' at Borders: Guitarist Gary McGrath

Looking for something fun, educational, and FREE for the kids tonight? The Santa Clarita Symphony has your ticket! Veteran rock 'n' roll singer/songwriter/guitarist and bandleader Gary McGrath is the featured artist at the Symphony's Children's Instrument Petting Zoo tonight from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. in the Cafe at Borders Books. McGrath will demonstrate and provide instruction on the guitar -- acoustic, electric, and bass. Don't miss this special hands-on musical experience for young and old ...

'Coraline'

The director of "Coraline" has suggested it is for brave children of any age. That's putting it mildly. This is nightmare fodder for children, however brave, under a certain age. I know kids are exposed to all sorts of horror films via video, but "Coraline" is disturbing not for gory images but for the story it tells. That's rare in itself: Lots of movies are good at severing limbs, but few at telling tales that ...

'The Pink Panther 2'

If there's a huge error behind "The Pink Panther 2" - other than the mistake of producing the sequel in the first place - it's pairing Steve Martin with John Cleese, then failing to capitalize on their potentially explosive verbal exchanges.

‘He’s Just Not That Into You'

"He's Just Not That Into You" isn't exactly a romantic comedy - at least, not in the most traditional sense. Yes, the characters work themselves into the same sorts of tizzies over falling in and out of love - or finding love in the first place - but mixed in with the fizziness is an unexpected seriousness, an attempt at injecting realism and even failure.

Local students 'off and running'

Eight Golden Valley High School and Academy of the Canyons students recently completed a rigorous 17- week training program, each logging more than 200 miles in preparation for the 26.2 mile Surf City Marathon on Feb. 1.

Two Schools Receive Distinguished School Nominations

Rancho Pico Junior High School and Academy of the Canyons, the Hart District's middle college high school, have received word they are nominated for recognition as California Distinguished Schools for the 2009-10 school year.

Bond oversight committees: COC in full compliance

College of the Canyons is in full compliance with legal requirements that mandate public oversight of the disbursement of bond revenues for both Measure C and Measure M, the oversight committees for the respective bond measures have determined. The two citizens' oversight committees made their unanimous determinations after reviewing the results of independent audits covering the fiscal year ending June 30, 2008. All of the findings from those audits were favorable to the college and ...

Wine Classic to benefit SCV Student Orchestra

The College of the Canyons Foundation will host the 2009 SCV Wine Classic, the popular and long-running wine-tasting event benefitting the SCV Student Orchestra. The 20th annual event will be held from 7 to 10 p.m., Saturday, May 30, 2009 at the California Institute of the Arts.

Midwest braces for more storms

SHAWNEE, Okla. (AP) - When Lindsay Carter heard on the radio that a violent storm was approaching her rural Oklahoma neighborhood, she gathered her belongings and fled. When she returned, there was little left.

Small Fla. city wonders who won Powerball jackpot

ZEPHYRHILLS, Fla. (AP) - Some lucky person walked into a Publix supermarket in suburban Florida over the past few days and bought a ticket now worth an estimated $590.5 million - the highest Powerball jackpot in history.

10 Things to Know for Monday

Your daily look at late-breaking news, upcoming events and the stories that will be talked about Monday:

Obama exhorts good deeds by Morehouse graduates

ATLANTA (AP) - President Barack Obama, in a soaring commencement address on work, sacrifice and opportunity, on Sunday told graduates of historically black Morehouse College to seize the power of their example as black men graduating from college and use it to improve people's lives.

Tornadoes level homes in Okla., 21 injured

SHAWNEE, Okla. (AP) - One of several tornadoes that touched down Sunday in Oklahoma turned homes in a trailer park near Oklahoma City into splinters and rubble and sent frightened residents along a 100-mile corridor scurrying for shelter.

Rebates benefit buyers and the local economy

Rebates are available to Santa Clarita Valley residents this spring on high-efficiency washing machines and electric-powered lawnmowers under deals offered through government agencies.

Santa Clarita City Council weighs in on state legislation

Santa Clarita City Council members have heartily endorsed the Boxer-Feinstein bill to block the proposed open-pit sand and gravel mine in Canyon Country but turned thumbs-down to a bill that would open up public spaces to use by the homeless at any time.

At least seven injured in two crashes on Highway 14

Two multi-car crashes involving five vehicles injured at least seven people and caused a backup on the northbound Highway 14.

Greening's goal in 2nd OT lifts Sens over Pens

OTTAWA (AP) - Colin Greening scored 7:39 into double overtime, and the Ottawa Senators rallied for a 2-1 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins that cut their series deficit to 2-1 on Sunday night.

AP CEO calls records seizure unconstitutional

WASHINGTON (AP) - The president and chief executive officer of The Associated Press on Sunday called the government's secret seizure of two months of reporters' phone records "unconstitutional" and said the news cooperative had not ruled out legal action against the Justice Department.

Angels' Vargas goes 7 scoreless against Chisox

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) - Jason Vargas kept throwing strikes and catcher Chris Iannetta kept taking his walks - a winning formula for the Los Angeles Angels on Sunday.

Braves rally with 4-run 8th to sweep Dodgers

ATLANTA (AP) - Ramiro Pena got a fierce wakeup call with the bases loaded and the scored tied in the eighth inning.

College of the Canyons football adapting to slew of changes

COC Insider: Cougars close season with two state titles

Tornadoes hit Kansas and Oklahoma; no injuries reported

EDMOND, Okla. (AP) - A powerful storm system rumbled through the Plains and upper Midwest on Sunday, spawning tornadoes that damaged homes and buildings near Oklahoma City and put the Tulsa area on high-alert.