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1863 - Gen. Edward F. Beale loans money to A.A. Hudson and Oliver P. Robbins to erect toll house in Newhall Pass [story]
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Now and Then in the SCV | Commentary by Darryl Manzer
| Monday, Jun 30, 2014

mug_darrylmanzer2Why do retail stores leave their lighted signs on after they are closed? I’m in Newhall, and sure enough, a furniture store have this huge sign illuminated with about 100 gazillion watts of bulbs.

Do some highly educated folks understand that regular folks aren’t looking for the services of medical specialists, dentists, lawyers and certified public accountants at 10 o’clock at night, and they don’t need to advertise at that time by leaving on their lighted signs and window displays?

I know some lighting is required inside stores, even when they are closed. This is done for safety and security reasons. Do those same stores need to have the huge plastic sign illuminated all night?

I don’t know about other folks, but I was taught that at night, when I left a room, I turned out the lights. It saved energy and thus a little bit of money on the electric bill.

I really don’t understand all of those stores along Lyons Avenue, Bouquet Canyon, Sierra Highway and even Newhall Ranch Road that seem to leave their lights on 24/7.

Ever since the billboard ordinance issue appeared, I’ve been doing a very unscientific survey of the lights around the SCV. I’ve concluded that we have become “Awesometown” because the amount of light we transmit into space, and the electricity to do so, may be approaching the levels emitted by Las Vegas.

Blinded by the light ... of "traditional" billboard reflecting back the sun at dusk.

Blinded by the light … of a “traditional” billboard that’s illuminated with spotlights at night.

We aren’t Las Vegas. Do we need to leave so many lights on at night? I can’t help but think folks are acting just like Congress – the lights are on but nobody is home.

So I have an idea: Each of us asks the folks in the stores and businesses to turn off their outside signs at night and save a little bit of energy. Maybe a better idea is for us to stop buying stuff from those stores and service providers unless they do reduce the brightness at night.

We aren’t the only community with night lighting concerns. Palm Springs has a few that are somewhat funny. I once saw signs there which, had it not been night, I’d never have noticed. You see, there was a bright yellow, illuminated sign for a lawyer specializing in DUI cases located just above a liquor store. Now that is funny.

manzer060314aCould our business owners please think about reducing your electrical usage and outside lights when you are not open for business? I don’t know what savings you might realize in doing that, but if some child in Valencia or Newhall or Saugus is able to look up and see stars for a change, it will be well worth the effort.

Last night, as I was headed south on the 14 Freeway in Acton, I saw two large billboards very brightly illuminated. That prompted me to check out billboard lighting all the way through Newhall. If there is no other reason to accept the billboard ordinance as it is right now, it’s that almost every one of those things I saw had lots of lighting pointing towards the sky.

No wonder we are losing the stars.

I was surprised that I didn’t see the “Awesometown” sign in Canyon Country illuminated. I’m not even sure it is still there. Does anyone know? And just so you know, I hate the term, “Awesometown.” “Valley girl” talk should be left in that lesser valley to the south. It shouldn’t be associated with our valley at all. Ever. The women and girls in the SCV can use better words than “awesome.” I mean, “Totally, ya, know?”

So let’s turn out a few of these lights, folks. Not all. We can all work to dim the lights a little.

And please, always turn out the lights when you leave a room. Why? Because I said so.

That’s all I’m going to say about that.

 

Darryl Manzer grew up in the Pico Canyon oil town of Mentryville in the 1960s and attended Hart High School. After a career in the U.S. Navy he returned to live in the Santa Clarita Valley. He can be reached at dmanzer@scvhistory.com and his commentaries are archived at DManzer.com. Watch his walking tour of Mentryville [here].

 

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28 Comments

  1. Tessa Lucero says:

    @Darryl, the “Awesometown” ad on the billboard at the Sand Canyon exit from the 14 has been replaced by an ad for some for-profit “career college”. I for one am not sorry to see the “where awesome lives” billboard gone from my corner of Canyon Country. Substitute “arrogance” for “awesome” and it would be more accurate. No offence to the residents of Valencia, some of whom are very nice people, but the attitude of whoever came up with the “awesometown” campaign is repellent.

    And on the original topic, yes to turning out lights both for energy conservation and to be able to see the stars. Can we turn out unneeded porch lights and side yard lights, too? If you’re concerned about prowlers then install motion detector lights, but don’t floodlight your property — and your neighbor’s — all night every night.

  2. Marketing 101! It got your attention!

  3. Did Darryl do any real research about business lighting at night other than driving around the valley? I can do that too. Let me know when the deadline is to turn in my article!
    And for the record, “Awesometown” is brought to you by the City of Valencia’s lame marketing attempt that made most of us roll our eyes into the back of our heads – so don’t single out the “ladies of SCV” as the valley girl dummies you suggest in this article.

  4. Ugh another self righteous article from Darryl.

  5. darryl manzer says:

    I seldom comment on the comments but wait until another article. This time I cannot avoid it.

    First of all, Ms. Goldberg. It is an Op-Ed piece. It isn’t “news”. Self righteous? Prove that please.

    Next – Ms. Forster – I stated that I did an UNscientific survey. Go ahead. Drive around and do your own survey. I was telling you what I saw. Also, like you I hate the term, “Awesome town”. In my OLD way I was tying to support the fact that the women in the SCV are far to good for that talk. Please read it again. I’m glad that sign has been replaced. Now if we can get rid of all the signs…just saying. Could you please tell me where I find the “City of Valencia”? I know there is one in Spain. It was a very lame marketing attempt by the folks that are welling homes in Valencia which is in the City of Santa Clarita. Is that what you meant?

    And kast comment on the comments so far…Those signs did get my attention. I still hate them.

  6. Cass Lopez says:

    Wow this guy is a prick isn’t he? Darryl, I feel sorry for you that you are that bored. Do you really not have a life ?? Or did some SCV female hurt your feelings ??? Is that why you feel the need to bash SCV girls??? I am 26 years old and I grew up here my whole life. I have more of a vocabulary than what you are illustrating in your article. I am in school for speech pathology and take offense to your statement as you label SCV females in such an arrogant and uneducated way. Shame on you! I feel sorry for you and will pray for you tonight !

  7. Actual research would include seeing how much electricity is wasted by leaving said lights on. With new technology, it’s not much. The marketing aspects of leaving the lights on, for people to see, far outweigh the amount of electricity they are using. Do PROPER research before you write an article!

  8. Rachel Forster. A few things “for the record”. No such thing as the “city of Valencia”. The campaign is 100% created by a private developer.

  9. This has to be the most rediculous waste of time article I have ever read. Find something better than this to spend your time stressing over.

  10. Brendie, I didn’t realize we were on the record. Please subsitute the word city for community. “Awesometown” refers to Valencia alone and IS a marketing campaign.

  11. Oh Darryl I really don’t see the point of your article . I actually hate seeing your face on this page almost every morning

  12. Bill says:

    Regarding the comments, I always heard that schools were great in Awesometown.

    • SCVNews.com says:

      They are, but they’re great in the rest of the Santa Clarita Valley, too. “Awesometown” is a registered trademark of The Newhall Land and Farming Co., and it applies only to Valencia.

  13. I see the stupidity of a lighted sign after hours, it doesn’t take a mind trust to figure it out. BUT I DO see the waste of time on such a stupid topic ! Mature interesting topics please.

  14. Joanna Ochoa says:

    Its called advertising

  15. Kim Sloan says:

    They should switch to LED lights. No need to waste electricity, but they like to advertise that is why their lights on the sign are left on! Is the city council going to make that punishable too?

  16. Day Man says:

    Another tool to usher in the new order of billboards. Trying to rid the small business adds and have only the couple Vegas style boards on the freeway which of course will be privately owned and operated showing mostly car and home adds.

  17. Neil Wachs says:

    Laura’s Beauty Supply (Canyon Country)…keeps the lights on for safety and Advertising…Thanks for advising customers not to shop at small businesses… Maybe everyone should stop reading SCTV Santa Clarita….BTW..you wasted gas just driving around to find the lights…

  18. Eric Bunde says:

    next weeks article is titled “You kids get off my lawn!”

  19. This article is highly opinionated and poorly written. I agree with Neil, none of the small, independent businesses appreciate your advice to boycott shopping or halt utilizing the services that they offer. I am appalled that such a thing would even be suggested; especially being that you live in this community. Shame on you. Maybe your enthusiasm to better the community could be much more efficiently used on something that would actually “better our community?” Lastly, implying that the term “awesome town” is a reflection on the woman of this community is stereotypical and chauvinistic. Why does the term only impact woman and not men?

  20. Shouldn’t SCVTV be a little more open to answers rather than voicing only their own opinion?

  21. I think a better topic might be how much water is wasted by businesses in this community that keep their grassy areas soaking wet while we are in a drought.

  22. With all the dang crime happening around our AWESOMTOWN I know that IF I owned a business here, I too would have it lit up!

  23. SCV Janie says:

    First off, what a bunch of mean spirited women posting here, and slinging personal insults at the writer. Post a pic of your own faces and we will have a contest. Yes, there are other important issues in the SCV. Right now, some of you women own the word petty.

  24. Linda says:

    I think everyone needs to chill out.

  25. Just using your own terminology Rachel :-)

  26. Just using your own terminology Rachel :-)

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