I took a day off and did some much-needed work around the place. I guess I’d best catch up on some of the topics I love.

Last Thursday night in Val Verde, the Val Verde Civic Association held a vote among those present, polling whether they were for or against the expansion of the Chiquita Canyon Landfill. With the attendance much greater than a “normal” meeting, 112 people voted to stop the expansion and 0 – zero – voted to approve it. That is a pretty large, representative sample of the population.

The vote came on the heels of a last-minute effort by the dump to convince the folks of Val Verde they should vote yes.

Just a thought, folks: What if the dump used all of the money it gives away to pay for the equipment necessary to operate the place in compliance instead?

Oh, the billboards came up as a subject again. A self-named group called “Citizens Against Billboard Blight” (CABB) has yet to realize that if it gets its way, none of the current billboards will be removed along the Metrolink tracks. So if they are against “billboard blight,” what is their point? We get to keep it?

CABB also invited me, or a sitting City Council member, to participate in a debate with folks about the billboards. Sorry. All y’all know how I stand on the subject. I declined – and apparently so did the council member. Not minutes later, there appeared on Facebook picture of a “billboard” that said we refused.

That’s right. They used an electronic billboard. Think about it. The whole Internet is electronic. But no harm, no foul.

Flier generated by/on behalf of the landfill company and distributed throughout Val Verde. The public saw through the ruse.

Another one of my frequent subjects is the California high-speed rail route through our valley. Now read carefully and understand. THERE IS NO STATION planned for anyplace in the SCV. The high-speed train will not stop in our valley unless it breaks down. There never has been a stationed planned for us. The stations are or were planned for Palmdale, at one time San Fernando, Burbank and downtown Los Angeles. Nothing here. The Santa Clarita City Council, Acton and Agua Dulce are not doing anything to remove a planned stop here, because there never was one. They did send a rather strongly worded letter to move the tracks to a tunnel between Palmdale and Burbank.

Another bit of information came my way. It appears Los Angeles County gets to pick which town councils – as well as committees and other folks elected or appointed by the county – have to have their members file financial disclosure statements, or the infamous Form 700. This is required under the Political Reform Act, which says “most state and local government officials and employees (must) publicly disclose their personal assets and income.” Well guess what? (Please take note, you folks on the Agua Dulce Town Council:) A letter to the VVCAC and CATC indicated they are not required to obey that law. News to us in the real world.

Is it hot enough for all y’all? This isn’t unusual for our valley. I remember a day in July 1970 when it was someplace around 110 degrees. I was in my dress uniform getting married. Needless to say, it was warm. But this is a dry heat. I do so love our summer evenings when we can sit outside and get a little cooler. Try that in the hot and humid areas back East. Remember that those neat electric bug zappers were invented for those flying critters that bite. When I lived in Virginia and Kentucky, we would buy a new one or two every year.

I’ve always hoped those things would work on politicians, door-to-door sales folks and those peddling various religious beliefs. I think for pests that size, we couldn’t afford the electricity bill.

I want to thank those of you who recommended folks for my weekly “Extraordinary Citizen” spotlight on Saturdays. I get to meet some wonderful folks and let them have some recognition which, for the most part, they say they really don’t want. They’re happy just contributing without fanfare.

My recent piece about the roundabout was not meant to be serious. All y’all will know when I’m serious about something. I actually do some research and … no, that isn’t how you’ll know … but you will know. I know those statues and stuff at Green Landscape Nursery wouldn’t work. They are too inexpensive and are thus prone to common sense. Not a way the government does things like public art.

Never forget that an elephant started out as a mouse but soon it had to be made in accordance with government regulations.

No, government does things just a little differently because it must be held accountable to the people. At least we like to think so. That idea is true except for the president of the United States along with Congress (both houses), the attorney general of the U.S. and each state, plus most governors (Jerry included).

Then there are the non-government folks who also seem to be unaccountable to anyone like the Chiquita Canyon Landfill, various defense contractors and CEMEX. Just some examples of folks who never let the law, regulations, common sense or promises get in the way of profits.

Just some more reasons I love this country.

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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