Hart beats state API goals

The Hart district shot up 13 points in the state's Academic Performance Index (API), exceeding the state's goal of 800 points with an overall district score of 804. Ten of the district's 17 schools also exceeded the state goal and almost every school noted significant growth over last year's API score, according to data released Thursday by the California Department of Education. "Districtwide that is right where we want to be - 804 is a ...

She’s on Parr with the best

Christine Parr, an English Language Development teacher and coordinator at Placerita Junior High School, was named Teacher of the Year for the William S. Hart Union High School District.

Homeless man dies in hit-and-run

A small truck or SUV struck and killed Michael Yant, a homeless man from Newhall, while was walking along the center divider on the eastbound side of Highway 126 late Monday, a CHP official said.

Effort aims to help boy with leukemia

Canyon Country's two-year-old Jacob Fierro has leukemia and needs a bone marrow transplant.

Tuesday council meeting cancelled

The regularly scheduled Santa Clarita City Council meeting for Tuesday has been cancelled due to the Veterans Day holiday. A special City Council meeting is scheduled for Nov. 19.

Free dental clinic offered for youth

The Foundation for Children's Dental Health hosts a free dental clinic for local low-income children from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Friday in Canyon Country and Valencia. At no cost, Dr. Amy Monti of Adventure Dental in Canyon Country and Drs. Rose Kim and Kathleen Mulcahey of Valencia Children's Dental Group in Valencia will treat about 55 children who were identified through the foundation's dental screenings and who have no dental care access or ...

City plans moment of silence for vets

The city of Santa Clarita hosts a Veterans Day ceremony honoring veterans and military families at 11 a.m Tuesday at the Veterans Historical Plaza in downtown Newhall. The ceremony will begin with a two minute moment of silence as a sign of respect for those who have died in war. The changing of the flags will be done by the Knights of Columbus Santa Clarita Assembly and representatives from various armed services recruiting offices.

Favorite son Smyth returns

It was back to work on Wednesday for Republican Assemblyman Cameron Smyth, who won Tuesday's race against Democrat Carole Lutness for the 38th District.

Sales tax to rise to 8.75% for transit

A half-cent sales tax to improve transportation in Los Angeles County was among the measures approved by voters on Election Day.

Measure CF too close to call

"Cautiously optimistic" is how one school board member described his feelings after vote totals on Measure CF were announced Wednesday.

First priority: Castaic high school

It's official - the Hart district's $300 million school bond measure passed with more than the minimum 55 percent of votes needed.

Voters approve Prop. 8

When it came to predicting a split vote on Proposition 8, the street corners of Santa Clarita said it all.

Strickland trails by 108 votes

A day after the election, the Senate race between Democrat Hannah-Beth Jackson and Republican Tony Strickland for the 19th District remained heatedly undecided.

Auditorium renovation gets helping hand

The auditorium at Newhall Elementary School, built in the 1940s and once used by William S. Hart to screen western movies, has been long underused because it is far from being a viable performance space.

Father of teen who killed self speaks out

Jeremiah Lasater sent a poignant message in the time it took to pull a trigger. Jeremiah's dad heard the message and vows to spread it the rest of his life. "He was saying, 'Dad, I'm tired of this. This needs to stop,'" said Jeff Lasater, Jeremiah's father. Jeremiah didn't utter those words. His actions spoke for him, Jeff said. Jeremiah, a 14-year-old freshman, shot himself in a bathroom at Vasquez High School Oct. 20. The ...

Local educator found slain on Valentine's Day

A former Valencia High School educator was shot and killed in Woodland Hills on Valentine's Day and her daughter arrested in Oregon eight hours after the body was discovered, law enforcement officials said Tuesday.

Suppliers during 2000 energy crisis face billion-dollar refund

SAN FRANCISCO, February 19, 2013 - The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) today said that an Administrative Law Judge at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) last Friday issued a sweeping "initial decision" finding more than a dozen electricity wholesalers guilty of market manipulation in the summer of 2000, when California suffered the highest electricity prices in history. If the Administrative Law Judge's decision is adopted by FERC, the sellers will face a collective refund ...

Bi-partisan bill by State Senators to require prevailing wage jobs in California charter cities

(Sacramento) – Senate President pro Tempore Darrell Steinberg (D-Sacramento) and Senator Anthony Cannella (R-Ceres) will co-author a measure on prevailing wage to increase middle-class jobs, sustain a skilled workforce, and ensure cost efficient and high quality public works projects. Senate Bill 7 would make charter cities eligible to receive or use state funds for a public works project only if the city has a policy of requiring contractors on all its municipal projects to comply ...

LAPD chief: Review of Dorner firing under way

LOS ANGELES (AP) - Los Angeles police Chief Charlie Beck says the review of ex-officer Christopher Dorner's firing is under way, but it's too early to comment on the re-examination.

UPDATE: Storm due to hit SCV overnight

Santa Clarita Valley residents will be asleep for most of the latest winter storm expected to hit our area, a spokesman for the National Weather Service said today.

"Every 15 Minutes" program planned for Hart High School

On Thursday, February 21st 2013, the City of Santa Clarita, the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff's Station and Hart High School officials will join in partnership to conduct the Every 15 Minutes program at Hart High School.

Today in the SCV: Tuesday, Feb. 19, 2013

Today is Tuesday, Feb. 19, the 50th day of 2013. There are 315 days left in the year.

Helmet saves a life

HOA still recovering months after paint crime

Vandals who hopped a North Valencia HOA pool fence last summer and dumped seven gallons of paint into the pool and hot tub, causing more than $300,000 damage, are still at large.