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
December 5
1938 - County Supervisors award construction contract for jail at Wayside Farms in Castaic, later called Pitchess Detention Center [story]
Wayside


Fred Gruchalla, a veteran of the Vietnam War, received the 2020-2021 Veteran of the Year Award from the Van Nuys/Reseda Elks Lodge 2790 on Jan. 10.

He was presented with the award by Van Nuys/Reseda Elks Lodge Exalted Ruler Meredith Thomas.

The award acknowledges Gruchalla’s tireless work with the Eternal Valley Memorial Park’s annual Memorial Day event, honoring veterans who have given their lives in service to the country.

A familiar face throughout the Santa Clarita Valley for his volunteer work, Gruchalla has volunteered for numerous nonprofits including the SCV Child & Family Center. He also has announced at the SCV Fourth of July Parade and emceed the main stage the Santa Clarita Cowboy Festival.

Gruchalla served in the U.S. Army from 1966 to 1969. He served one year in Vietnam, from July 1967 to July 1968.

An advocate for United States military veterans, Gruchalla’s service in the SCV has included the SCV Veterans Memorial Committee and assistance to the the Veterans Historical Plaza Committee.

He has also served on the board of directors for the Pacoima Veterans Day Memorial event and volunteered at the Sepulveda VA Medical Center.

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.

0 Comments

You can be the first one to leave a comment.

Leave a Comment


SCV NONPROFIT LINKS

NONPROFIT HEADLINES
Thursday, Dec 4, 2025
JCI Santa Clarita is seeking volunteers to support its annual Santa’s Helpers program, a beloved community tradition that brings holiday joy to children and families in need throughout the Santa Clarita Valley.
Wednesday, Dec 3, 2025
Volunteers in the Santa Clarita Valley will be hosting a Toys for Tots toy drive on Saturday, Dec. 6, noon-2 p.m. at 5 Below in Stevenson Ranch.
Monday, Dec 1, 2025
Join a hop-tastic celebration at Pocock Brewing Company in Santa Clarita on Saturday, Dec. 6 for its 10th Anniversary Beer Festival.
Monday, Dec 1, 2025
Are you looking for new and interesting opportunities? Are you looking to get out more and mingle with people? Do you like high-quality entertainment? Then why not be a volunteer usher at the Santa Clarita Performing Arts Center?
Friday, Nov 28, 2025
Certain annual holiday traditions in the Santa Clarita Valley are treasured by residents year after year. Festival of Trees, Light Up Main Street, Henry Mayo's Home Tour League Holiday Home Tour Gala and the Santa Clarita Ballet Company's "The Nutcracker" are the ones that come immediately to mind.

Latest Additions to SCVNews.com
Sky Zone Trampoline Park will hold its grand opening and ribbon cutting 4:30-5 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 18 at 26573 Carl Boyer Drive, Santa Clarita, CA 91350.
Dec. 18: Sky Zone Trampoline Park Grand Opening, Ribbon Cutting
Detectives from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Missing Persons Unit are asking for the public’s help locating At-Risk Missing Person John L Brown.
LASD Asks for the Public’s Help in Locating Missing Santa Clarita Man
Last week we kicked off the boys and girls Foothill League soccer seasons, noting that there were a number of league games coming up on Dec. 2 and 4. Now that those have been contested, here is where things stand:
Foothill League Soccer: Hart, Saugus Rolling
1938 - County Supervisors award construction contract for jail at Wayside Farms in Castaic, later called Pitchess Detention Center [story]
Wayside
The city of Santa Clarita will present its latest art exhibition, “Let Go,” by Dani Samson, on view now through Feb. 4, at the Canyon Country Community Center.
Explore ‘Let Go’ Art Exhibit at Canyon Country Community Center
College of the Canyons celebrated the 25th anniversary of its Mathematics, Engineering and Science Achievement program on Tuesday, Nov. 25, with an event held in the Aliso Hall courtyard.
MESA Celebrates 25 Years of Student Success at COC
Kaiser Permanente joined the Saugus Union School District recently to honor its outstanding achievement in health education; all 15 SUSD district schools earned America’s Healthiest Schools All-Star Recognition from the Alliance for a Healthier Generation.
Kaiser Presents $10,000 Community Health Grant to SUSD
JCI Santa Clarita is seeking volunteers to support its annual Santa’s Helpers program, a beloved community tradition that brings holiday joy to children and families in need throughout the Santa Clarita Valley.
JCI Santa Clarita Seeks Volunteers for Annual Santa’s Helpers Toy Drive
"Fatherless No More" is a new faith-based documentary that has been officially accepted for an Oscar-qualifying theatrical run at the Laemmle Theater in Old Town Newhall.
Dec. 5-11: ‘Fatherless No More’ Begins Oscar Campaign at Laemmle
The Master's University will present "Alleluia! TMU Come Christmas Sing" on Saturday, Dec. 6 at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. in The Master’s University Music Recital Hall on the college campus is Placerita Canyon.
Dec. 6: ‘Alleluia! TMU Come Christmas Sing!’
The Santa Clarita Valley Water Agency Water Resources and Watershed Committee will meet on Wednesday, Dec. 10 at 1 p.m.
Dec. 10: Water Resources and Watershed Committee Meeting
College of the Canyons cross country had a combined 10 student-athletes earn All-Western State Conference honors for the 2025 season, with all seven members of the women's team earning recognition.
Canyons Cross Country Teams Combine for 10 All-WSC Selections
College of the Canyons had eight players earn Southern California Football Association (SCFA) All-League awards, with three players recognized as First-Team selections.
Canyons Football Sees Eight Earn SCFA All-League Recognition
College of the Canyons women's volleyball was recognized with six players named to the all-conference team, with freshman Katelyn Nelson and sophomore Morgan Dumlao both taking home All-Western State Conference, South Division First-Team awards.
Canyons Features Six Players on All-Conference Squad
College of the Canyons women's soccer capped its conference championship season by seeing 12 players earn all-conference honors, headlined by sophomore forward Bailey Williamson, who was named the Western State Conference, South Division Offensive Player of the Year.
Williamson Named Offensive Player of the Year to Headline Cougars’ All-WSC Class
1962- Actress and future Soledad Canyon big-cat rescuer Tippi Hedren, "Hitchcock's New Grace Kelly," makes cover of Look magazine for upcoming thriller, "The Birds" [story]
Tippi Hedren
Nearly 1000 kids are looking for their Christmas toys through Northeast Valley Health Center's Holiday Toy Drive. 
Give a Gift with Northeast Valley Health Center’s Holiday Toy Drive
As we wrap up this incredible year with JCI Santa Clarita, my heart is truly overflowing with gratitude. This chapter has shown up in such wonderful ways, and I’m so proud of everything we’ve created together.
Brittany Barlrog | Wrapping up 2025 for JCI
Volunteers in the Santa Clarita Valley will be hosting a Toys for Tots toy drive on Saturday, Dec. 6, noon-2 p.m. at 5 Below in Stevenson Ranch.
Dec. 6: Toys for Tots Santa Clarita Toy Drive
Join the Valley Industry Association as they welcome the 2026 board of Directors on Dec. 19, from 11:45 a.m to 1:30 p.m.
Dec. 19: Join VIA for the Installation of the 2026 Board of Directors
The Santa Clarita International Film Festival has announced that Casas De Arte, a national touring art gallery based in Houston, Texas, will present a curated selection of exclusive artwork from international artists at this year’s festival.
Dec.11-14: Casas De Arte Brings Global Art Collection to SCIFF
Since the COVID-19 pandemic first upended our lives in 2020, the concept of the hybrid workspace has evolved.
CSUN Study Looks Towards the Future of the Hybrid Workspace
As California continues to see increased safety on its roadways, Governor Gavin Newsom today announced the state’s continued commitment to new and innovative investments in transportation safety, education and enforcement programs.
California Awards $140M in Road Safety Projects
The small shells found by researchers that include California State University, Northridge anthropologist Hélène Rougier at La Roche-à-Pierrot, a prehistoric archaeological site in Saint-Césaire, France, date back more than 42,000 years, providing evidence of the oldest workshops for the manufacture of shell ornaments in that area.
CSUN Prof’s Work Leads to Discovery of Oldest Shell Ornament Workshop in Western Europe
SCVNews.com