News briefs

Cinco de Mayo fest planned in Val Verde A Cinco de Mayo celebration will be held in Val Verde 2-5 p.m. Saturday, at Val Verde Park. The festivities will include a live mariachi band, a taco truck, kids activities, and more, hosted by the Val Verde branch of the Boys and Girls Club and the Val Verde community. Val Verde Park is located at 30300 Arlington Drive. Singer contest entries due today Today at 5 ...

Paramedics end three-day strike

Just days after ambulance drivers walked off the job, the strike is over. A labor agreement between American Medical Response and the International Association of EMTs and Paramedics has tentatively been reached early this morning, according to AMR spokesman Jason Sorrick. The new agreement brings an end to a strike that started on Monday morning in Lancaster and Palmdale by IAEP Locals 77 and 187. "The strike is over," Sorrick said. "Our employees are coming ...

News briefs

Two mountain lions spotted in Newhall Two mountain lions were spotted near the 21300 block of Oakriver Lane of Newhall shortly after 5 p.m. on Wednesday afternoon, according to officials at the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff's Station. While deputies reported that the mountain lion did not pose a threat to local residents, some small bones, apparently belonging to a small domestic animal, was found in the same area as the mountain lion. The California Department ...

Health fair scheduled for Saturday

The city of Santa Clarita and the county will host the second annual Community Health Fair on Saturday at the Santa Clarita Community Center in Newhall.

Hearing for suspect in infant murder postponed

The pretrial conference scheduled for Tuesday in the upcoming criminal trial against Jacqueline Linaras was postponed until June 12, according to Judge Alice Hill of the San Fernando Superior Court. Nearly two years after she was charged with murder and assault on a child for allegedly dumping her dead newborn daughter in a trash bin, Linaras was set to appear in Dept. G of the San Fernando Superior Court on Tuesday for her pretrial conference.

Plan sets aside land around valley's rim

A bill that could lead to expanding the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area to include the Rim of the Valley Corridor is headed to the president's desk after it passed in the U.S. House of Representatives Tuesday. The Rim of the Valley Corridor Study Act would allow for a study to be conducted to determine the potential impact of expanding the nation's largest urban national park to include the Rim of the Valley Corridor.

Woman arrested for stealing mail

A traffic stop on Sierra Highway turned into an arrest on drug and mail theft-related charges, an official at the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff's Station said Tuesday. Sharon Mozo, 29, of North Hollywood, was arrested Monday morning after deputies pulled her over during a routine traffic stop near Sierra Highway and Dolan Way.

Hart: Budget cuts won't hurt pupils

The Hart district was in the process of restructuring its special education program even before the jobs of 30 resource instructional assistants were cut from the district budget, an official with the district said Tuesday. The district governing board voted to eliminate all 30 resource instructional assistant positions in March as part of more than $10 million in cuts that were needed to meet the state's proposed budget require-ments.

Pedophile bill clears hurdle in Legislature

An anti-pedophile bill introduced by Assemblyman Cameron Smyth passed through the Senate Public Safety Committee on Tuesday, clearing what his staff calls a "major legislative hurdle." Smyth, R-Santa Clarita, introduced the Surrogate Stalker Act in response to self-proclaimed pedophile Jack McClellan visiting the Santa Clarita Valley in 2007.

News brief

About 243 Valencia residents and Southern California Edison customers went without electricity for more than four hours Sunday night.

Trial nears in infant death case

Nearly two years after she was charged with murder and assault on a child for allegedly dumping her dead newborn daughter in a trash bin, Jacqueline Linaras is set to appear in Dept. G of the San Fernando Superior Court today for her pretrial conference. Attorneys from both sides will discuss formal evidence and file potential motions with the judge. At today's hearing, Judge Alice Hill will oversee the proceedings.

Paramedics, EMTs go on strike

With labor negotiations at a standstill, more than 60 Santa Clarita Valley paramedics and emergency medical technicians were among those who rejected American Medical Response's most recent offer and carried through with a planned strike Monday morning. Corporate officials say they will keep the service going with assistance from other ambulance firms and hope to see a quick end to the strike.

Mayors prayer breakfast set for Thursday

A local business group will be hosting the 4th annual Santa Clarita Valley Mayors Prayer Breakfast on Thursday morning at the Valencia Hyatt to pray for leaders who shape the future of the community. The Santa Clarita Valley Interfaith Council will be hosting its own prayer event in front of City Hall after the breakfast.

COC to celebrate Law Day Thursday

In recognition of the 50th anniversary of Law Day on Thursday, College of the Canyons will hold student debates and a presentation on the issue of appointed versus elected judges, all with a theme of "Can You Buy Your Own Judge?" A recent article by the former Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor on interest groups and the court system inspired a COC student planning committee to find out more about the issue and then ...

Alleged Hart scandal being probed

An employee at a Hart district high school is being investigated for allegedly having an "inappropriate" relationship with a 16-year-old student, it was reported Monday.

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.

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.

Fire doused near Golden Valley Road

A brush fire that broke out near Golden Valley Road on Friday afternoon blackened about half an acre and prompted a traffic jam as Golden Valley High School students left for the weekend.

UPDATE: Coyotes snatch dog, confront person at Valencia 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.