header image

[Sign Up Now] to Receive Our FREE Daily SCVTV-SCVNews Digest by E-Mail

Inside
Weather


 
Calendar
Today in
S.C.V. History
May 2
1884 - McCoy & Everette Pyle discover important Tataviam Indian artifacts in Bowers Cave (Val Verde) [story]
Bowers Cave artifacts


Now and Then in the SCV | Commentary by Darryl Manzer
| Saturday, Oct 8, 2016

darrylmanzer0215I’ve been reading a lot about the Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL) of late. I have a huge interest in that project. You see, my father once lived on or near the Rosebud Reservation when my grandmother taught school there. Because of that, I know that many of the attitudes he had came from that time.

His stepfather, Henry Havens, was of the Lakota Nation. I met “Grandpa Havens” in 1964 in Rapid City, S.D. He was a tall man, and even though he was in his 70s, he picked me up as he hugged me for the first time. It was a family complete.

My father’s name was Alton, but Grandpa Havens always called my dad “Steve.” He didn’t like the name Alton. Above all, he was a man who was kind and brave. He had taught my father how to be a dad. For that, I’m so very honored to call him “Grandpa Havens.”

I know when he died, but I don’t know where he is buried. I pray it isn’t on the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation. I don’t want him to be displaced by a pipeline. (Actually I think he was laid to rest near Rapid City.) I can feel the pain of not knowing, but it hurts just as much that some stupid pipeline contractors have dug up a cemetery sacred to the First Nation people. Once again, a treaty has been broken in the name of progress.

Imagine if oil were found deep under the old Newhall Refinery between Sierra Highway and the 14 Freeway. Imagine they decided to lay a pipeline from there to a terminal for oil tankers near Ventura. Now imagine they routed the pipeline through Eternal Valley Cemetery, under William S. Hart Park, on to Lyons Avenue and through Stevenson Ranch. From there it would follow the Santa Clara River to the sea.

I just can’t figure out how the folks of the DAPL could have selected a more disruptive route, much like the one I’ve just described. DAPL is through sacred lands. It rips through farms and rivers. Nobody asked them, so the First Nation people in the path of the pipeline are once again an obstacle to progress, according to the government – and have been ever since Europeans first arrived in North America.

On Sept. 3, one day after a federal judge denied a temporary injunction, Dakota Access Pipeline construction workers graded burial grounds and other sites sacred to the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe.

On Sept. 3, one day after a federal judge denied a temporary injunction, Dakota Access Pipeline construction workers graded burial grounds and other sites sacred to the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe. Photo: Native News Online

Just so all y’all know, there was-is a pipeline from Newhall to Mentryville. It runs from the Pioneer Oil Refinery on Pine Street through Heritage Junction and Hart Park, over the hill roughly under Market Street, on through to Lyons Avenue and out to Pico Canyon. You can see it when you visit Heritage Junction. A short portion is above ground just south of the relocated Saugus Train Station. You can see a lot of it the next time you hike up Pico in Mentryville. It is that rusted old pipe on the south side of the road.

There was also a pipeline that ran from Pico Canyon over the ridge just north of the Felton School. That pipeline was laid in the late 1800s because the Southern Pacific Railroad was charging too much to ship the oil to Ventura in tank cars. The pipeline was used for water instead, since the railroad figured out it wouldn’t get any oil shipping business from the good folks at California Star Oil Co. Old Alex Mentry was pretty keen on how to run an oil company.

There are pipelines all over the Santa Clarita Valley for crude oil, natural gas, water, sewers and electrical cables. For the most, part they don’t seem to cause many problems. Pipeline engineering is just that good. The 1971 and 1994 earthquakes in the San Fernando Valley didn’t do much damage to those pipes, considering how many there are. But the potential is there.

For those of you who have been on Interstate 40 heading east from Needles, Calif., toward Kingman, Ariz., you can see a large pipeline bridging the Colorado River on suspension cables. It is a really impressive piece of construction. It is a pipe filled with natural gas for Arizona and beyond. No problems with the pipe – yet.

I’m pretty sure the Mohave people are well paid for the pipes that cross the river on the property they own. The native people in North Dakota aren’t paid at all. The Army Corps of Engineers and DAPL are simply taking the river.

One hundred forty years after the Battle of the Little Bighorn, the Army is attacking the Indians again. This time it isn’t with guns. This time it is with bulldozers and graders. This time it is with a legal system that won’t honor treaties.

This time they may have picked on the wrong people.

This time they picked a fight with all of us who believe an agreement is to be honored. We believe our forefathers should be honored, too. We are a nation of laws. It is time we followed those laws.

 

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 for a spell. Now he hangs his cowboy hat in Arizona. He can be reached at dmanzer@scvhistory.com. His older commentaries are archived at DManzer.com; his newer commentaries can be accessed [here]. Watch his walking tour of Mentryville [here].

 

Comment On This Story
COMMENT POLICY: We welcome comments from individuals and businesses. All comments are moderated. Comments are subject to rejection if they are vulgar, combative, or in poor taste.
REAL NAMES ONLY: All posters must use their real individual or business name. This applies equally to Twitter account holders who use a nickname.

9 Comments

  1. Nadiya Littlewarrior says:

    They have guns and armed vehicles there now….. They are racist Trump lovers who have no intelect or compassion what so ever.
    Nor do they care about our Mother the earth! Water is Life and the oil and gas industry just wants to poison all of it.

  2. Lee Jenkinson says:

    It’s the Golden rule; them that has the gold, rules.

  3. Catlan Rich says:

    Darryl, thank you for bringing attention to this while so many others look away.

  4. Susie Evans says:

    That is awful! Everything for the almighty dollar nothing for the little guy who is displaced and pooped on in the process!

  5. Mike Norman says:

    I agree with Darryl. I have Native American heritage on both sides of my family. It is sad that the federal government is backing the land grabbers as usual.

  6. Pat Willett says:

    I also have Native American heritage, and my grandmother taught the Sioux on the Rosebud reservations. And here I thought the injustices to the Native Americans were mostly in the past! What a joke that some tribes have discovered oil on the worthless land to which they were exiled by the U.S. Government. What do you want to bet someone is claiming all the profits there, too!

  7. jim says:

    Hey Darryl,

    It’s awfully hard to separate truth from fiction when the only source is news media. One thing I do know is that the history of the United States Government’s treatment of Native American peoples is long and filled with stories of mistreatment, shady dealings, and outright fraud.

    re Pat Willet’s post: Oil is only one of the commodities that have been in the leftover lands “granted” to American Native peoples throughout history. Gold in the Dakotas, coal and Uranium in the Southwest, and now even water rights throughout the West have become contentious issues. And generally they have provided vast profits to corporations that receive contracts from the US Gov’t – and sometimes local Native American governments. Rarely have the Native American peoples received fair value for what they’ve given up.

    One quick place to look for an example: search for “Black Mesa Coal controversy” online.

  8. TED WELFELT says:

    FROM FT. LAUDERDALE IM LEAVING FOR STANDING ROCK AREA TO SHOW MY SUPPORT..ONE CITIZEN POTAWATOMI NATION FROM FLORIDA…HOPPING MANY MORE WILL FOLLOW. TED WELFELT US NAVY RET.

  9. Jayne Saporito says:

    You tell them! What’s happening is a disgrace, like the whole USA lately.

Leave a Comment


Opinion Section Policy
All opinions and ideas are welcome. Factually inaccurate, libelous, defamatory, profane or hateful statements are not. Your words must be your own. All commentary is subject to editing for legibility. There is no length limit, but the shorter, the better the odds of people reading it. "Local" SCV-related topics are preferred. Send commentary to: LETTERS (at) SCVNEWS.COM. Author's full name, community name, phone number and e-mail address are required. Phone numbers and e-mail addresses are not published except at author's request. Acknowledgment of submission does not guarantee publication.
Read More From...
RECENT COMMENTARY
Wednesday, May 1, 2024
Imagine a day where barriers dissolve and possibilities unfold, a day dedicated to celebrating diversity and fostering inclusivity.
Monday, Apr 29, 2024
At the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors meeting this week, we reviewed the Chief Executive Officer's proposed $45.4 billion budget for the next fiscal year.
Thursday, Apr 25, 2024
Spring heralds a time of renewal and rejuvenation, not just in the natural world, but within our homes and lives as well.
Tuesday, Apr 23, 2024
Los Angeles County Fifth District Supervisor Kathryn Barger issued a statement in support of the Los Angeles County Chief Executive Officer’s presentation of a $45.4 billion budget for the forthcoming 2024-25 fiscal year.
Monday, Apr 22, 2024
Recently I had the opportunity, along with spcaLA President Madeline Bernstein and Inland Valley Humane Society & SPCA President Nikole Bresciani, to meet with NBC 4 reporter Kathy Vara to discuss the current challenges facing animal sheltering organizations.
Monday, Apr 22, 2024
As city manager for 12 years now and a longtime resident of Santa Clarita, I am always proud to see how our community continues to grow.

Latest Additions to SCVNews.com
1884 - McCoy & Everette Pyle discover important Tataviam Indian artifacts in Bowers Cave (Val Verde) [story]
Bowers Cave artifacts
The Los Angeles County, Department of Public Social Services, and the Department of Public Health’s  CalFresh Healthy Living Program have launched the annual CalFresh Awareness Month campaign to remove barriers associated with applying for food assistance.
May is CalFresh Awareness Month
Ekklesia Meta Church, a non-denominational institution founded by Pastor Carthel Towns, is proud to announce the grand opening of its Community Closet in Santa Clarita. 
May 4: Ekklesia Meta Church to Launch Community Closet in Santa Clarita
College of the Canyons captured a 13th straight Western State Conference Championship on Monday, April 29 at Knollwood Country Club, after a 36-hole tourney that saw all six players finish in the top-10 of the field's individual standings and send the Cougars to another 3C2A Southern California Regional Championship event.
Canyons Wins 13th Consecutive WSC Title
The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health cautions residents who are planning to visit the below Los Angeles County beaches to avoid swimming, surfing, and playing in ocean waters:
Ocean Water Warning For May 1
The cheers will be heard blocks away later this month as more than 11,000 graduating students cross the stage in front of California State University, Northridge’s iconic University Library as CSUN celebrates its 2024 commencement.
CSUN to Celebrate the Class of 2024 with Series of Ceremonies
Thanks to the community's support, E.C. Loomis Insurance Associates has officially awarded a $10,000 donation to The American Cancer Society, a nonprofit organization dedicated to saving lives, celebrating lives, and leading the fight for a world without cancer.
The American Cancer Society Awarded $10,000
Imagine a day where barriers dissolve and possibilities unfold, a day dedicated to celebrating diversity and fostering inclusivity.
Cameron Smyth:  Free To Be Me at West Creek Park
The final Business Property Statement deadline is approaching fast, with payments need by May 7 to avoid penalties. 
May 7: Assessor Reminds Businesses as Last BPP Deadline Nears
The Santa Clarita Valley Economic Development Corporation teamed up with the city of Santa Clarita, College of the Canyons, L.A. County's America's Job Center of California and the Chamber of Commerce to host the fourth Santa Clarita Valley job fair.
Fourth SCV Job Fair Draws Biggest Crowd Yet
The Santa Clarita Public Library is excited to announce its upcoming celebration in honor of Día de los Niños/Día de los Libros on Saturday, May 4, from 10 a.m. to noon at the Canyon Country Jo Anne Darcy Library Branch.
May 4: Celebrate Día de los Niños/Día de los Libros at the Santa Clarita Public Library
1927: First major competition, second annual rodeo, at new Baker Ranch arena (later Saugus Speedway). Overflow crowd more than fills 18,000-seat arena. Entire SCV population was ~3,000 [story]
1927 Baker Ranch Rodeo
California State Assemblywoman Pilar Schiavo has announced the introduction of AB 2863, a bill aimed at protecting consumers and putting more money back in people’s pockets by simplifying the cancellation process for subscription services.
Schiavo Introduces Click to Cancel Bill to Protect Consumers
City of Santa Clarita residents can get low-cost spay/neuter services for your pets every Monday at the mobile clinic located in the parking lot of the Newhall Community Center.
Low Cost Spay/Neuter Mobile Clinic at Newhall Community Center
The Vasquez Rocks Natural Area invites you to an evening around the campfire at the Vasquez Rocks Interpretive Center. Live music, sing-alongs, animal meet and greets, storytelling, crafts, activities, show + tell tables, s'mores and more.
May-October Fireside Nights at Vasquez Rocks
It's time to kick up your heels and head on over to Gilchrist Farm for the Hoedown for Hope event Saturday, June 22, 6-10 p.m.
June 22: Howdown for Hope at Gilchrist Farm
A relic of Saint Jude has left Italy for the first time on an extended tour of the United States. Treasures of the Church, an evangelization ministry of the Catholic church, will present the Tour of the Relic of St. Jude the Apostle. The relic of St. Jude will be hosted Monday, May 6 at Saint Kateri Tekakwitha Catholic Church.
May 6: Catholic Relic of St. Jude Makes Stop at St. Kateri
College of the Canyons film instructor Bavand Karim will attend Marche du Film, one of the largest film markets in the world, at the Cannes Film Festival in May to promote the launch of a new film slate by CINE & Lost Winds Entertainment.
COC Film Instructor to Attend Marche du Film at Cannes Film Festival
Santa Clarita’s opera company, Mission Opera has been selected to present ‘The Merry Widow: Madonna’ as part of the OPERA America National Conference and World Opera Forum, being held in Los Angeles in early June.
June 6-8: Mission Opera Performances of ‘The Merry Widow: Madonna’
Given the ongoing uncertain situation in the Red Sea and surrounding area and following extensive consultation with global security experts and government authorities, Princess Cruises, which is headquartered in Valencia, is revising the itineraries for its two 2025 World Cruises, which will no longer visit the Middle East or Asia, and now instead, will offer new port stops in Africa and Europe.
Princess Cruises Reroutes Global Voyages Due to Middle East Uncertainty
California State Assemblywoman Pilar Schiavo will host an upcoming Youth and Family Festival, a day packed with fun, learning and community engagement. This event is free to all and will bel held on Saturday, May 4 from noon to 4 p.m. at the College of the Canyons
May 4: Schiavo to Host Youth, Family Festival
1973 - Watergate figure H.R. "Bob" Haldeman, a former CalArts board member, resigns from Nixon White House [link]
Haldeman
The 97th annual commencement ceremony of The Master’s University will be taking place on campus Friday, May 3, at 7 p.m.
May 3: Livestream 2024 TMU Commencement
Three seats on the Santa Clarita Community College District Board of Trustees, which oversees College of the Canyons, will be up for election in November 2024.
COC Hosting Info Sessions for Prospective Board Candidates
SCVNews.com