(From the latimes.com) Three wildfires broke out in northern Los Angeles County on Thursday, the worst of which was threatening at least 1,500 homes in Leona Valley, near Palmdale. Some structures have been lost to the so-called Crown fire, officials said, but they will not be able to determine whether those were homes or outbuildings on the many ranches in the area until sometime Friday. (more…)

“Recent tragedies are the failure of a coordinated protocol of County departments who come into contact with abused and neglected children and their families,” said Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich, who with Supervisor Don Knabe, introduced a motion ordering an independent audit and recommendations to protect these children. (more…)

This is a reminder to all that pools pose a serious safety hazard for unattended children. Palmdale Sheriff Deputies responded to a baby not breathing, accidental drowning call, last night near the 38600 block of Palms Place, in the City of Palmdale. When deputies arrived they learned that a two year old at the location had slipped away from their mother and entered the rear yard of the residence before falling into an in ground pool. (more…)

In the wake of the discovery of a dead bird testing positive for West Nile Virus in the Santa Clarita Valley, Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich has introduced a motion calling for multi-agency coordination and a renewed effort to combat the virus to prevent an epidemic. Supervisor Antonovich’s motion directs the Department of Public Health and Public Works to investigate and clear open water ways that harbor mosquito breeding sites, exterminate active breeding areas, and educate the public on West Nile Virus prevention. (more…)

In light of today’s incident at Arcadia County Park, Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich will introduce a motion to direct the Departments of Parks and Recreation and Public Health to conduct a thorough investigation of all County public pools to identify and remove any conditions that may impact public safety. Antonovich’s motion will require a report back to the Board on current testing procedures of water and equipment, and recommendations to ensure water quality and safety in public pools. Approximately a dozen swimmers at Arcadia County Park were evacuated today from the public pool due to a problem with the pool pump system that may have caused over-chlorination in the water.

(From Science Daily) Parents are being urged not to use domestic spoons to give children medicine after a study found significant differences in capacity. A parent using one of the biggest domestic teaspoons would be giving their child 192 per cent more medicine than a parent using the smallest teaspoon and the difference was 100 per cent for the tablespoons. This increases the chance of a child receiving an overdose or indeed too little medication. (more…)

The City of Santa Clarita and Los Angeles County Department of Public Health are reminding residents to take necessary precautions as the summer sets in and temperatures rise to uncomfortable numbers. To help residents beat the heat, two “Cooling Center” locations will be open to offer relief. The Valencia Library will be open as a Cooling Center Monday through Thursday from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.; on Fridays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and on Sundays from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. The Senior Center will be open as a Cooling Center Monday through Thursday from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Fridays from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Sundays from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. (more…)

(From the AP) Some of the bagged lettuce produced by Salinas-based Fresh Express is being recalled because of concerns of possible E. coli contamination. The company and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration say the voluntary recall involves Fresh Express Romaine salads with expired “use-by” dates of July 8 – 12 and an “S” in the Product Code. FDA says the recall comes after one package of the salad test positive for E. Coli. The agency says no illnesses have been reported.

(From the latimes.com) Here’s your weekly roundup of recalled products announced by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service: (more…)

The large earthquake that shook a portion of Southern California Wednesday should serve as a reminder that disasters – both natural and man-made — can strike at any time. With that in mind, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health has tips on pre-planning for an emergency in order to best protect your health and the health of your family. (more…)

(From the AP) Alarmed by a spate of near-collisions involving airliners, the government is trying to find out why air traffic controllers and pilots are making so many dangerous errors. In recent months, there have been at least a half-dozen incidents in which airliners came close to colliding with other planes or helicopters — including in Chicago, Houston, San Francisco, Burbank, Calif., and Anchorage, Alaska. In some cases, pilots made last-second changes in direction after cockpit alarms went off warning of an impending crash. (more…)

I read with much dismay Jonathon Randles article, “Seal’s Habitat Endangered” in Saturday’s, June 19, 2010 Signal and I remain troubled with its numerous omissions and lack of accuracy.  Clearly, Randles’ article was intended to champion the swim team’s perspective but in the end, I fear it further stokes an atmosphere of personal attacks by certain homeowners against those who question the Summit swim team’s activities.  (more…)

Here we go again folks; The Signal has tapped into another story that has received a lot of discussion right here at The Beacon. A guest commentary posted here on June 7, 2010, by local resident Bill Reynolds set off a fire storm of comments and debate. That prompted Signal reporter Jonathan Randles, who had been keeping up with the discussion here at The Beacon and other blogs, to write a follow on story. Once again, The Signal is deathly afraid of giving any acknowledgement for its story ideas!  (From the Signal) Hoots of laughter and splashing erupt from the jewel-like pool as another Summit Seals swim team practice gets under way Friday. But beneath the tranquil suburban setting lurks threats of restraining orders and lawsuits, videotaping by private investigators, menacing parents and an ugly allegation of child molestation. (more…)

Santa Clarita Residents,

Since assuming command of the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station nearly three months ago, it has been my intention to review every aspect of our service to the community. As the new chief of police, a long-time resident of the city of Santa Clarita, and someone who has spent 29 years of my life in law enforcement, I am committed to protecting others and community service. I have made it a priority to meet with community leaders, officials in local government, school representatives, and our local press. I have learned much in this short period of time regarding crime trends, effective allocation of available resources, and especially concerns about narcotic use in the valley. (more…)

(From the latimes.com) The U.S. Forest Service failed to fill an order for air tankers that its own commanders urgently requested for an assault on the disastrous Station fire before it began raging out of control, according to records and state officials — a finding that rebuts months of assertions by the federal agency that it took every step to deploy the planes as quickly as possible. (more…)

Cell phones are great – unless the person using one is behind the wheel of a car and ends up killing somebody. Fatal accidents involving cell use while driving have taken their toll in California, and state legislators have reacted by adopting three laws restricting using cells while operating vehicles. But state Sen. Joe Simitian, author of those laws, says too many motorists are still racing down highways fumbling with cell phones and cruising city streets while pecking at tiny keyboards. (more…)

As the Memorial Day holiday approaches, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health would like to highlight the importance of safe swimming practices. The week before Memorial Day (May 24-30, 2010) has been designated as National Recreational Water Illness Prevention Week. This year’s theme is the prevention of injuries associated with pool and spa chemicals. (more…)

As the Memorial Day holiday approaches, many Southern Californians might be dusting off their grills, and preparing to spend the holiday weekend enjoying picnics at the beach, or barbequing in the backyard. The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health would like to remind cooks that combining warm temperatures and the great outdoors could be a recipe for disaster if the food is not properly handled. (more…)