James B. Keysor Jr., who represented parts of the Santa Clarita and San Fernando valleys in the state Assembly from 1970 to 1978, has died. He was 86.
The lone Democrat in a family of Republicans, “Jim” was the eldest of five children and namesake of patriarch James “Bud” Keysor, who brought his vinyl record manufacturing plant from Burbank to Saugus in 1957.
Jim Keysor was president of the family company when, in 1970, he unseated the incumbent Republican, one-term Assemblyman and Newhall businessman Henry “Hank” Arklin. Keysor beat Arklin again in a 1972 rematch.
No sooner was Keysor seated in the Assembly than the Sylmar-San Fernando earthquake of Feb. 9, 1971, shook his district, knocking down new freeway bridges and destroying Olive View hospital. Keysor served on a special three-member legislative panel that analyzed the quake effects, and he authored new seismic safety laws that remained on the books until the 1994 Northridge earthquake rendered them obsolete.
Considered a friend to the environment, in 1972 he was one of three lawmakers (out of 120) to receive a 100-percent rating from environmental watchdogs. Roughly half of the bills he carried in his freshman term were signed into law by Republican Gov. Ronald Reagan. In 1976, as chairman of an Assembly subcommittee on elections, it was Keysor’s name on the legislation that established processes to qualify political parties and randomize the order of candidates’ names on ballots.
Born Dec. 10, 1927, in Salt Lake City, Keysor served in the U.S. Army during World War II. Afterward he earned his bachelor’s of science degree from UCLA and performed some graduate work at San Fernando Valley State College (now CSUN).
He married Patricia Williams and had four children: Bill, twins Susan and Karen, and Julie.
As president and CEO of Keysor-Century Records (later Kesyor-Century Corp.), he served as the 1967 president of the Newhall-Saugus-Valencia Chamber of Commerce (a predecessor to the SCV Chamber), and he was an active Rotarian, serving as president of the local club.
He also served on the boards of the Boy Scouts, United Way and Red Cross. He was active in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the NAACP, the San Fernando Valley Symphony Association and the CSUN President’s Club.
As the Santa Clarita Valley Water Agency works to remove hazardous substances from the Saugus Formation Aquifer, the agency hosted a virtual public meeting Thursday to inform residents of the process and gather community input.
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Myrna Condie, 78, the 2012 Santa Clarita Valley Woman of the Year, died on Tuesday, March 4 in American Fork Hospital, in American Fork, Utah, of heart failure.
Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors Chair Kathryn Barger is advocating for an update from the University of Southern California Cancer Surveillance Program to address ongoing community cancer concerns related to the Chiquita Canyon Landfill.
The Hart Games will be held 10 a.m.- 1 p.m., Monday, March 24, at Valencia High School, Valencia High School Stadium, 27801 North Dickason Drive, Valencia, CA 91355.
Myrna Condie, 78, the 2012 Santa Clarita Valley Woman of the Year, died on Tuesday, March 4 in American Fork Hospital, in American Fork, Utah, of heart failure.
The College of the Canyons men's swim team went north to compete at the 46th Annual Cuesta College Invitational on Friday and Saturday, March 7-8, with freshman Sebastian Villalobos breaking three COC program records.
Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors Chair Kathryn Barger is advocating for an update from the University of Southern California Cancer Surveillance Program to address ongoing community cancer concerns related to the Chiquita Canyon Landfill.
The Santa Clarita Community College District Board of Trustees will hold a business meeting Wednesday, March 12, beginning at 5 p.m. The board will first meet in closed session at 3 p.m.
The Hart Games will be held 10 a.m.- 1 p.m., Monday, March 24, at Valencia High School, Valencia High School Stadium, 27801 North Dickason Drive, Valencia, CA 91355.
The city of Santa Clarita Film Office has released the list of nine productions filming in the Santa Clarita Valley for the week of Monday, March 10 to Saturday, March 15.
College of the Canyons hosted the Western State Conference South meet at Cougar Stadium on Feb. 28, with the Cougars men's and women's teams both securing second place finishes.
Senator Suzette Valladares (R-Santa Clarita) has announced the introduction of Senate Bill 508, which would expand access to life-saving cancer care by allowing cancer patients in California to consult with out-of-state physicians through telehealth platforms.
Valley Trails Summer Camp, a premier summer camp in Santa Clarita, invites families to a special Open House on Sunday, March 16, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
On Saturday, March 22, College of the Canyons will hold Discover Day, an event that will give new and potential students the opportunity to explore program offerings and opportunities.
Placerita Canyon Nature Center Associates and Field Mycologist Bat Vardeh, founder of Women Forage SoCal, will present a Mushroom Foray and Talk, 2 p.m. Sunday, March 16 at Placerita Canyon Nature Center, 19152 Placerita Canyon Road, Newhall, CA 91321.
Among several important issues presented at its Tuesday, March 11 regular board meeting, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors will hear a review on emergency actions ordered and taken to respond to and recover from the January 2025 windstorms and fires.
The Castaic Union School District will hold its regular board meeting Thursday, March 13 at the District Office, located at 28131 Livingston Ave., Valencia, CA 91355. A closed session will begin at 5 p.m., followed by an open session at 6 p.m., where there will be a report of closed session action.
The American Cancer Society Relay For Life of Santa Clarita Valley invites the community to indulge in a delicious way to support the fight against cancer with its spring-themed See’s Candies fundraiser.
The Santa Clarita Valley Man and Woman of the Year Committee has released the names of the 12 nominees and the nomination organizations for 2025 Santa Clarita Man of the Year.
The Santa Clarita Valley Man and Woman of the Year Committee has released the names of the 21 nominees and the nomination organizations for 2025 Santa Clarita Woman of the Year.
The Santa Clarita City Council will meet in open session on Tuesday, March 11 at City Hall to consider a number of agenda items, including awarding a contract for an environmental impact report for the Belcaro at Sand Canyon Project.
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1 Comment
Sorry for your loss. I am sure he will be missed. I met Jim through my long time friend, Karen King