Fri 30 Jul 2010
Hike the Walker Ranch and Bear Divide trails Saturday
Posted by admin under Local , Nature , Recreation , Weekend No Comments
The Community Hiking Club will be traversing the Walker Ranch and Bear Divide Trails on Saturday, July 31, 2010. Hikers interested should plan on meeting at the Walker Ranch Trail head on Placerita Canyon Road at 7:00 AM for a 7:15 departure to the trail head, leaving some of the vehicles at Walker Ranch. The other cars will drive to the base of Bear Divide trail. You’ll hike 2 miles up the Bear Divide Trail, cross through the wild land fire fighter’s camp, go down 3N17 to Wilson Saddle, then back up the road to Los Pinetos which we will take down to Walker Ranch. Total mileage will be close to 10 with 800 ft gain. Bring water, lunch or snacks and your camera…there are spectacular views! For more information contact Dianne at Zuliebear@aol.com. Hike subject to cancelation depending on local fires!
Recently I was thrilled to meet one of my Facebook wine friends in real life: Carmen Russo. We both attended Kirk and Nicole Stinson’s 4th of July party and met, don’t you know, over wine. I had brought a couple of “picnic” wines, a French Rose and New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, while Carmen brought wine from her favorite Italian region, Montepulciano. She had quite a bit to say about the benefits of Italian over American wines so I’ve turned our meeting into an interview for Beacon readers: 
Venerable Beacon columnist and humorist John Boston has won honorable mention in the 2010 National Society of Newspaper Columnists annual contest. John’s columns 
C’mon. Up and at ‘em, wag it and shag it, you Thursday a.m. bunk huggers. Sun’s almost up and we’ve got some tall riding ahead. Actually, because of the time traveling aspect, we’ve got some tall riding behind. Relativity can just be a stinker when it crosses paths with syntax. Dress light. We’re riding into what will seem to be hell- the hottest July on record. 
“Are you going to come along quietly or do I have to use earplugs?”- From “The Goon Show”; There are those few rare saints scattered about the planet who have never cursed. Ever. Not even once. For some I imagine they are constantly tuned in to some heavenly inner radio station, smiling in serene confidence of a better existence than what we mere mortals are doomed to slush through. There are those through sheer willpower finish out a life without ever uttering a single cuss, although the effort of holding in so much bile might make them a serial killer their next lifetime through. 
In response to local Judge Graciela Freixes request for trained advocates to stand with and support local victims of domestic violence in court, the Santa Clarita Valley Zonta Club and Soroptimists, in cooperation with the Domestic Violence Center of Santa Clarita Valley, have scheduled a special training for volunteers to meet this need. 
There is currently a proposal to hike the Santa Clarita Valley Sanitation District fees to all property owners in the greater Santa Clarita Valley area to cover the cost of mitigating chloride levels in the local water supply. Although this is certain to pass and the Santa Clarita Valley residents will be saddled with yet another tax disguised as fee it is important to let the elected officials on the Santa Clarita Valley Sanitation District board know that you are against these additional “fees”. A number of local groups and organizations have come out against this fee hike including the local “
You May not have been there today but you can get this wine by tomorrow! Valencia Wine Company’s Annual Holiday Tasting was the wine affair of the season, as promised. Delayed a week by fire and freeway closures there wasn’t a lack of interest or attendance. People needed a holiday now and it served to get them ready for the real ones to come. 
(From the Signal) A state agency has ranked three Santa Clarita Valley elementary schools as low achievers, which allows parents to pull their students out of those schools and enroll them elsewhere. But a local educator says the ranking is flawed, adding that no exodus of students is expected in the new school year. “Our parents know that our schools are doing good jobs,” said Joan Lucid, Saugus Union School District assistant superintendent of instruction and curriculum. 
“I enjoy dating married men because they don’t want anything kinky. Like breakfast.”- Joni Rodgers; Just about a decade ago, I got to vote for my choice of the Greatest Athlete of the 20th century. Alas, my choice never made the top 100. Chicago Bulls guard Michael Jordon is still the reigning CNN’s Greatest Athlete Since Dinosaurs Walked the Planet. 
This past week the William S. Hart School Board finally made a decision by choosing the Romero Canyon property to build the proposed new Castaic High School. This puts to rest the long drawn-out political jockeying over where to site the new school and actually gives hope to all parents in the Hart School district that the Castaic High School will open its doors for the 2013-2014 school year. 
Hey saddlepals. Top of the West Ranch morning to you. Well. Actually, bottom of the morning. It’s dark and I’m outside, patiently holding a few thousand horses for you and no attempt to rush you but if you’re not down here in two seconds, we’re going to have serious rein crossage. This morning we’ve got a pretty interesting trail ride ahead. Like we’ve ever had a dull one. Well. There WAS that time when Tom Frew tried to stay back in the 19th century and buy land with a 21st century check. On a closed account. Had to send Santa Clarita banker James D. Hicken back 150 years to retrieve him. 
At the William S. Hart School Board meeting held on Wednesday, July 14, 2010 the board members voted unanimously 5-0 to build the proposed new Castaic High School on the property known as Romero Canyon. This was the obvious choice for many and the school board members recognized that this site would be the safest most viable site to yield the new school for the self imposed 2013 deadline. Romero, owned by local developer Larry Rasmussen, is the near center of the populated Castic area and elevate scholl over-crowding as well as complete the traffic circulation plan for the area. More to come! 
The following is the latest video from Nota FerryFan and are highlights and commentary from SCV’s July 13, 2010 City Council Public Hearing. This is a must see video of local residents speaking out against the 4 City Council members, or the 4 horseman of the Apocalypse, that voted to approve the raising of campaign contribution limits. You can view the video here: 
(From the Signal) The Santa Clarita City Council raised campaign contribution limits to $1,000 this week, despite explosive public commentary from dozens of residents who opposed the move. Some of the speakers stormed out as four out of five council members gave their “yes” votes. Councilman Bob Kellar voted against the move. 
I’m baaaack!! Well, I got back from Maine a few days ago fully relaxed and recharged for the coming year. Yet, I am already looking forward to my sabbatical next summer and contemplating expanding it from 10 days to more like 16 or 17 days. That should quell the fact that my time off in Maine absolutely flew by; I mean it seemed like it was over in a snap! 
“This gum tastes funny.” – Message scrawled on a condom vending machine
