The pictures in this post were taken last Friday of the final section of the City’s Cross Valley Connector.

It’s been roughly 10 years and taken approximately $245 million to build the 8 1/2 mile roadway known as the Cross Valley Connector and the wait for completion is nearly over.

Work continues, even in inclement weather, on the last segment of the road that will connect Newhall Ranch Road to Golden Valley Road creating a continuous link between I-5/Highway 126 and State Route 14.

Late March is the target for the Grand Opening and Ribbon Cutting for the project.

The City of Santa Clarita, along with Goodwill Industries and the Employment Development Department, will host its free monthly Job Fair on Tuesday, February 9 from 10 a.m. – 12 noon. The event, held at the Santa Clarita WorkSource Center’s current location at 20655 Soledad Canyon Road, will feature a number of prospective employers looking to fill open positions.

Later this month, the  WorkSource Center is moving to the Univeristy Center at College of the Canyons, but services are not planned to be interupted.

A new entrance sign was part of the project

In November 2009 the City of Santa Clarita began construction on road improvements surrounding the intersection of Sierra Highway and Newhall Avenue (click here for “before”). The work was part of one of the City’s American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funded projects related to the Highway Infrastructure Program. The project is now comlete.

Landscaped medians were part of the project that took place in a highly visible and busy entrance point to the City

The project was intended to help facilitate better traffic circulation and safe pedestrian access to the intersection. Improvements included: striping to allow more room for eastbound buses to stop without impeding traffic flow, a dual left-turn to southbound Sierra Highway, construction of landscaped median, traffic signal modifications, pedestrian access ramps and installation of pedestrian push buttons. 

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This latest offer from ThinkSantaClaritaValley.com could be the cure to your plumbing woes…

Santa Clarita community members will have several opportunities to get vaccinated for H1N1 this month

During the month of February, Santa Clarita residents and community members will have mulitple opportunities to get vaccinated for the H1N1 Virus, commonly known as the Swine Flu. 

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The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health is holding a total of six clinics in February. Three clinics will be held at local school district sites and will be open to students, staff, and their families. Local residents are also able to get free vaccinations at the clinics.  

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Three clinics will also be held at community sites around the Santa Clarita Valley and are open to the public. County officials recommend residents call ahead to ensure dates and times are still accurate as they are subject to change. Children must be at least 6 months of age and minors must be accompanied by an adult.

For more information click the Santa Clarita H1N1 Shots Flyer or contact the L.A. County Information Line by dialing 2-1-1.

The Santa Clarita WorkSource Center’s next Job Fair will be held next Tuesday from 10 a.m to 12 p.m. A mulititude of other services and resources, including workshops, are offered at the Center.

Via SCVHistory.com

2010  will see continued improvements to the Old Town Newhall area with the next phase of the Streetscape project and the ground breaking for the Newhall Library.

The picture above shows “Old Town” Newhall in its’ infancy. SCVHistory.com, which is an invaluable resource to the community, has the story…

Probably taken in 1879 from the Newhall Depot looking west, this is the oldest known photograph of downtown Newhall. In January and February of 1878, the town moved from the junction of modern-day Bouquet Canyon Road and Magic Mountain Parkway, where it started in 1876, to the corner of Railroad Avenue and Eighth Street. Building materials are still piled up in the foreground.

Sporting the blank frontage at left is Mike Powell’s Palace Saloon. In the center is George Campton’s general store, which was originally established at Bouquet Junction in 1876 and housed the Newhall Post Office. At right is the Derrick Saloon, a favorite of the Pico Canyon oil drillers (Mentryville was a “dry” town). Barely visible next to the Derrick is a “Billiard and Pool Room” which advertised “soft drinks, cigars and tobacco” on its storefront sign. In the distance is the spire of the first Newhall School, built about 1879. It burned down in 1890.

Besides having some of the most famous actors in Hollywood, what do Iron Man 2, Zombieland and The Men Who Stare At Goats have in common? These films were among the dozens of features that shot scenes in Santa Clarita in 2009. See who is filming in Santa Clarita on the City’s film website.

The SCV Search and Rescue Team Trail Challenge kicked off this last weekend with its first hike at Towsley Canyon. For  twelve straight weeks particpants will be challenged to complete hikes in the Santa Clarita Valley. Upon completion hikers will recieve a commemorative shirt, a certificate and be invited to an awards BBQ on April 18th.

Individual participation requires a $50 tax deductable donation per hiker which goes directly to support the volunteer SCV Search and Rescue Team. The Trail Challenge began last weekend, but it’s still not too late to sign up. Late registrants can make up the first hike over the course of the next 11 weeks.

The application to sign up is here. For more information call: Ken Wiseman (661) 775-0611 or email: Ken@scvsheriffsfoundation.org

Westfield Valencia Town Center debuted “Shops at the Patios” back in November with several new businesses opening in the brand new open-air addition to the shopping mall.

While there is still much more to come, two new businesses opened their doors recently. Dink’s New York  Deli and Menchie’s Frozen Yogurt are now both open for business.

Dink’s New York Deli at the Patios at Westfield Valencia Town Center is a full service restaurant with an extensive menu of New York style deli favorites.

Menchie’s Frozen Yogurt is a popular franchise with stores scattered across the United States.  Menchie’s is unique in that the customer creates their own frozen yogurt treats and then pays by weight, not topping.