Hold the tomato, Jack

Ask for tomato on your sandwich at Subway and you'll be offered peppers instead. On the other hand, go shopping for tomatoes at Ralphs or Whole Foods in Valencia, and you'll find at least some of the juicy red produce, but not all types. At McDonald's nationwide, you can't get tomato slices on your burger anymore. Local businesses Monday were complying with a Food and Drug Administration warning to avoid red plum, red Roma and ...

Newhall Land says commitments are solid

With Newhall Land and Farming Company's requirement to pay millions for some of the city's biggest infrastructure projects, Santa Clarita city officials are evaluating the company's funding obligations in light of news that Newhall Land's parent company, LandSource Communities Development LLC, has filed for bankruptcy.

Teen girl in critical condition after crash

A 16-year-old Santa Clarita girl was seriously injured late Monday night after her sport-utility vehicle collided with a station wagon in Newhall, Sgt. Byron Wainie said Tuesday.

Council to take on budget Tuesday

The Santa Clarita City Council will begin tackling next year's $165 million city budget in a public hearing Tuesday.

Small businesses slumping

Mike Anderson can pinpoint the time when his small business first saw a slowdown. It was May 2006, right when gas began selling for $3 a gallon.

McGrath surprised, honored by school's name

The closely guarded secret was revealed at Superintendent J. Michael McGrath's retirement dinner, taking even his secretary by surprise: The next school built in the Newhall School District would be named in McGrath's honor.

Highlands math whiz earns perfect score

Most sixth graders don't even pass the Math Honors Test given each year by the Saugus Union School District, and only one student in the 12 year history of the test has earned a perfect score.

Memorial gardens raise money for the troops

Two boys from Santa Clarita died in Iraq. On Sunday, their service and the service paid by scores of other local military heroes to our country was honored, not with a gun salute or a parade down Main Street, but with a simple invitation to stroll through gardens of flowers and a simple message - remember those who serve.

Man caught with coke, marijuana on Highway 14

A Lancaster man was arrested in Canyon Country after authorities found more than six grams of rock cocaine, less than one gram of marijuana and nearly $3,000 in cash in his vehicle during a traffic stop, an official said Monday.

Italian Feast satisfies

One does not need to fly East to please the palate with the taste an Italian feast. For those living in the Santa Clarita Valley, one only has to travel to Westfield's Valencia Town Center, where the sights and sounds of Italy came to life Saturday with an entire day of food, music and play. For the second straight year, Frankie Competelli - owner of Hollywood's Frankie's on Melrose - brought the Italian-American experience to ...

Video team nabs dual awards

The video program at West Ranch High School continued its award-winning work this spring, bringing home honors from state and national competitions. At the 42nd annual California Media Festival, the WRTV daily broadcast was named the Best Student Produced Television Show in the state of California. "The Coffin," a short film by Tyler Sellars and Josh Chocooj, was named Most Creative Video and "Cruel Melody," a music video by Aaron LaRue and Jordan Paterson, won ...

History given life

Some 30 young children and teenagers swimming in a community pool at Soledad Canyon's Thousand Trails in Acton were surprised Saturday when a cannon was fired. Thankfully, the cannon was not real. Instead, the fake piece of artillery was used to take about 300 onlookers back in time to the 1860s, when America was engulfed in the Civil War.

French fry grease turned into fuel

A lot of people complain about the skyrocketing price of gasoline, but a West Ranch High School chemistry teacher, with the help of his students, decided to do something about it. After gathering used vegetable oil from a local Burger King, teacher Benjamin Scott taught his students how to turn the leftover french fry grease into biodiesel fuel.

As gas goes up, so does SCV bus ridership

As the week rounded out with average gas prices reaching $4.40 per gallon, city bus ridership is now at an all-time high, according to a Santa Clarita Transit official. "People need public transportation now more than ever," said Transit Manager Jeff O'Keefe. "Clearly the rising fuel prices have had an effect on ridership."

Man arrested after hitting dog with shovel

A Saugus man was arrested Saturday morning after a neighbor saw him beating his Pit Bull Terrier repeatedly with a shovel, officials said. According to Lt. Tom Bryski of the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff's Station, Matthew Lantzy, 30, was taken into custody after his neighbor called the station to report that Lantzy used a shovel to beat the head of his dog.

UPDATES: Biking activities take center stage in Santa Clarita Valley

You might call today the kick-off of Bicycle Week in the Santa Clarita Valley.

Insanity plea by Holmes holds risks for both sides

CENTENNIAL, Colo. (AP) - One of James Holmes' lawyers asked a judge on Monday to change his plea to not guilty by reason of insanity in the Colorado theater shootings. Such a plea is seen as his best hope of avoiding the death penalty in the killings of 12 people at a packed midnight showing of "The Dark Knight Rises" in Aurora. Changing the plea still carries risks for Holmes but moving in that direction ...

Smoke from controlled burn alarms Castaic residents

Smoke from a controlled burn near Hasley Canyon alarmed some Castaic residents this morning, a Fire Department spokesman said.

City budget projected to be slightly smaller than last year

Even as state and national economic conditions continue to improve, Santa Clarita's proposed budget for next year will actually shrink a bit, City Manager Ken Striplin said at a recent budget study session.

Homeowners face challenges from high-speed rail project

While the planned California high-speed rail isn't expected to arrive in the Santa Clarita Valley for 20 to 30 years, homeowners are already being held hostage to what some call a boondoggle and others say is a step into the modern transportation era for the state, some local residents say.

Kids and youth compete in the Antelope Valley Youth Rodeo Association Junior Rodeo

About 90 contestants raced, roped and rode in the Antelope Valley Youth Rodeo Association Junoir Rodeo on Sunday at JPK Arena in Agua Dulce.

Babies and parents celebrate Henry Mayo NICU’s first birthday

Graduation season has begun in the Santa Clarita Valley, but one recent ceremony was unique: all the graduates arrived in diapers.

Road closures for Amgen

Family, friends gather to honor crash victim

Blast to the past at Placerita Canyon nature Center's Open House

Outdoor fire in Castaic spreads to house

An outdoor fire around supper time Saturday ended up spreading to a house, emergency response officials said.

Chloride options: Pay up or pay up

Nearly everyone who flushes a toilet or does a load of laundry in the Santa Clarita Valley faces a complicated and costly problem over the issue of chloride contamination ­- and, according to sanitation officials, it's a problem that's not going to go away.

Real Life Church opens community center

Real Life Church has opened "Savia," a 23,600 square foot community center in Newhall, Real Life Church spent more than a year finishing the interior of a vacant building in the Stagecoach Plaza retail center on Newhall Avenue that was originally slated for a grocery store.

Coyotes are threat at local park

A coyote snatched a dog from a girl's arms in Valencia Summit Park, where sheriff's deputies and animal control workers responded Friday on a report of a jogger chased by a coyote, officials confirmed.

The Master's College holds 86th commencement

About 300 students from The Master's College marked the end of their college days during a Friday commencement ceremony at College of the Canyons in Valencia.