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S.C.V. History
June 24
1980 - Saugus Train Station relocated to Hart Park, Newhall [story]
Saugus Train Station


The Wheeler North Reef, among the world’s largest artificial reefs built to mitigate environmental impacts, was constructed off the San Clemente coast starting in the late 1990s as a way to mitigate the harmful impact the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station was having on local marine life.

Though the nuclear plant shut down in 2013, the California Coastal Commission concluded that the artificial reef was not adequately offsetting damage the plant’s effluent had done to the area’s marine ecosystem. In 2019, the plant’s operator, Southern California Edison, expanded the reef from about 175 acres to more than 380 acres in hopes of completely restoring the marine habitat.

California State University, Northridge marine biologists Kerry Nickols and Mark Steele, along with Oregon State University marine biologist Will White, have been awarded a $220,279 grant by the California State University Council on Ocean Affairs, Science and Technology (COAST) to help the state of California determine how artificial reefs influence fish populations. The researchers will explore whether artificial reefs attract fish from other areas or “produce” fish by virtue of providing additional habitat.

“The Wheeler North Reef is the perfect site to study this question,” Nickols said. “Since 1999, when construction on the reef first started, local marine life on the reef has been consistently monitored, including during the two stages of expansion and after.

“We are going to use that data to answer some really key questions about how different species at the reef arrived over time,” she continued. “Were they just attracted to the reef because it was a new structure? Or, did they actually stay there and produce more babies, which led to there being more fish overall? We are going to use a combination of the data that’s been collected as part of the monitoring program, as well as some populations models, to test some really specific hypotheses around attraction versus production taking place at this artificial reef over time.”

The results of the study, Nickols said, will provide state officials valuable information about the roles artificial reefs can play in efforts to protect and restore marine ecosystems, from kelp forests and other sea life habitats to the tide pools families like to explore during visits to the beach, along California’s coast.

Nickols noted that Steele has spent years working alongside researchers with the University of California, Santa Barbara, monitoring the impact of the Wheeler North Reef.

“The data set collected over the last 20-plus years by UCSB and CSUN researchers on artificial reef function is unprecedented in detail and replication,” Steele said. “This new funding from COAST gives us a fantastic opportunity to use these hard-won monitoring data to explore fundamental questions about what makes artificial reefs work best for fishes, which should allow us to make some policy recommendations for future reefs.”

This latest project builds on the work Nickols and Steele have been doing, measuring the effectiveness of marine protected areas (MPAs), areas designated as no-fishing zones in the waters off the coasts of the United States to help protect and restore marine habitats damaged by overfishing.

Nickols was co-author, with colleagues at Oregon State University, of a recently published study in the journal Frontiers in Marine Science that identified significant gaps in the United States’ ocean protections — leaving critical marine systems and the coastal economies that depend on them vulnerable to unprecedented ecological pressures and posing a challenge to meeting conservation goals laid out in the Biden Administration’s “America the Beautiful” initiative. The initiative called for a 10-year, locally led and voluntary nationwide effort to conserve the country’s lands, waters and wildlife.

Nickols noted that her own research and Steele’s have shown that MPAs are effective in restoring marine ecosystems.

“The problem is, we’re not acting fast enough to designate areas as MPAs if we’re going to meet national and international goals. Protecting and restoring marine ecosystems is important not just to marine life but to the sustainability of so many of our coastal communities,” she said.

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HIGHER EDUCATION LINKS
LOCAL COLLEGE HEADLINES
Friday, Jun 20, 2025
The Santa Clarita Community College District Board of Trustees will hold a meeting Wednesday, June 25, beginning with a closed session at 2:30 p.m. The open session begins at 5 p.m.
Thursday, Jun 19, 2025
California Institute of the Arts was recently named in The Hollywood Reporter’s inaugural Top Animation Schools list for 2025.
Tuesday, Jun 17, 2025
The American Sign Language Interpreting program at College of the Canyons is a comprehensive two-year program designed to award students with an Associate in Arts degree in American Sign Language Interpreting.
Tuesday, Jun 10, 2025
Cell and molecular biologist Chhandak Basu, a professor at California State University, Northridge, is an expert in plant and microbial cellular responses to climate change and environmental extremes.
Monday, Jun 9, 2025
In fall 2025, College of the Canyons will launch its Diagnostic Medical Sonography program with an 18-student cohort.
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Latest Additions to SCVNews.com
Local nonprofit Fostering Youth Independence recently held its “Celebration of Everything” event in appreciation of the many volunteers who make such a difference in the lives of Santa Clarita Valley foster youth and recognizing a record number of 32 youth for education milestones.
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The city of Santa Clarita will host a location for the 2025 World’s Largest Swim Lesson on Thursday, June 26, 10:30-11 a.m. at the Santa Clarita Aquatic Center, presented by Kaiser Permanente.
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Airman Matthew Mancillas, a native of Santa Clarita, is one of more than 60 sailors celebrating America’s 249 years of independence while serving aboard USS Constitution, the Navy’s oldest commissioned warship.
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The Gibbons Conservation Center is nearly halfway to its June fundraising goal, which will generously be matched. That leaves one week to double your donation.
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The Valley Industry Association is calling on all CEOs, presidents, business owners, chief marketing officers, chief operating officers, HR directors, vice presidents, executive directors, regional managers, project managers and more to fill in answers on a five-minute survey today that will help develop solutions for tomorrow.
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John Paul Mitchell Systems, a manufacturer of hair care products and styling tools, has announced it will relocate from California to Texas.
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Luke Brueckner, a former player and assistant coach with The Master's University golf team, has been hired as the new head coach for both the men's and women's programs.
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1980 - Saugus Train Station relocated to Hart Park, Newhall [story]
Saugus Train Station
William S. Hart Park has been a cherished part of the Santa Clarita community for nearly 70 years.
Ken Striplin | Preserving a Community Treasure, William S. Hart Park
The city of Santa Clarita has announced the launch of Kaizen, a new online recreation registration system designed to make it easier for residents to register for classes, programs and events.
City Launches New Online Recreation Registration System
Ava DiNapoli, a senior at Valencia High School, placed second in Impromptu Speaking at the 2025 National Speech and Debate Association's National Tournament in Des Moines, Iowa.
Valencia High Student Placed Second at NSDA National Tournament
The Regular Meeting of the Saugus-Castaic School Facilities Financing Authority will be held on Tuesday, June 24, at the Saugus Union School District, 24930 Avenue Stanford, Santa Clarita, CA 91355, at 6:30 p.m. in the Board Room.
June 24: Saugus-Castaic School Facilities Financing Authority to Meet
The Santa Clarita City Council will meet in open session on Tuesday, June 24 at City Hall, with the first reading of an ordinance of the Fire Hazard Severity Zone Map of the city of Santa Clarita issued by CalFire.
June 24: Council Will Consider CalFire Hazard Map of City of Santa Clarita
Assemblywoman Pilar Schiavo submitted a formal budget request letter calling for comprehensive funding, beyond the $110 million currently allocated, to fully implement Proposition 36.
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California Credit Union Foundation has awarded a scholarship to Saugus High School Senior Nathan Lieber as part of its College Scholarship Program, recognizing exceptional students for their school and community activities.
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The county of Los Angeles Department of Parks and Recreation will host a "Pride at the Park" event, 6-8 p.m. Thursday, June 26 at Castaic Regional Sports Complex.
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The city of Santa Clarita Film Office has released the list of seven productions filming in the Santa Clarita Valley for the week of Monday, June 23 to Saturday, June 28.
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A special meeting of the William S. Hart Union High School District’s Governing Board will be held Wednesday, June 25, beginning at 8:30 a.m.
June 25: Hart District Governing Board Special Meeting
The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors will hear input on a number of topics during a public hearing on Tuesday, June 24, beginning at 9:30 a.m. in Board Hearing Room 381B, Kenneth Hahn Hall of Administration, 500 W. Temple St., Los Angeles, CA 90012.
June 24: L.A. County Supervisors’ Public Hearing
1946, 11:20pm: William S. Hart, 81, dies at L.A.'s California Lutheran Hospital, leaving his Newhall estate and his (now West) Hollywood home to the public [story]
Hart dies
1972 - Vasquez Rocks added to National Register of Historic Places [list]
Vasquez Rocks
The Agua Dulce Women's Club Community Blood Drive will be held Wednesday, June 25, 10 a.m.- 4 p.m. at 33201 Agua Dulce Canyon Road, Agua Dulce, CA 91390.
June 25: Agua Dulce Women’s Club Community Blood Drive
The regular meeting of the Saugus Union School District Governing Board of Trustees will be held Tuesday, June 24 beginning at 6:40 p.m. The board will first meet in closed session at 5:30 p.m.
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1941 - Ernie Hickson buys out Trem Carr's interest in their Monogram movie ranch, renames it "Placeritos" (later called Melody) [story]
Ernie Hickson
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