By I.M. Claritan
June 20 marks the first day of summer this year. And like any great beginning, it is also an ending. Days are shortening. Sunset on July 1 is 8:10, but it's back to 7:56 by July 31. That subtle shift was probably more noticeable in Santa Clarita circa 1921 than 2021. We don't use sunset as a dinner bell much anymore. But make no mistake: There is a little less summer light each and every day. I don't mean to bore you with a meteorology lesson. The point is, summer should be chased while it can be.
"However, not all Fourth of July festivities escaped unscathed - they've been scathed QUITE A LOT, actually."
Little Less Water
Pretty people can never know if others like them for who they are or just as something nice to look at. As summer ramps up, people with pretty backyard pools can never know if their friends and neighbors really like them or just want something nice to splash in. If pool owners wish to avoid the self-doubt and emotional turmoil, perhaps they should focus on the fact that it might be getting more expensive to fill up said pool.
Beginning in 2016, there was a confusing shake-up that involved the merging and dissolving and renaming of water districts, companies, agencies and boards. SCV Water emerged as the big name. As a legacy of the shake-up, customers in SCV Water's Newhall, Santa Clarita and Valencia divisions pay different rates. A proposed change will mean uniform rates for all. According to a report, some would see savings, but others would see their bills go up by an estimated 6 percent in the first year. So if you want to keep a little more money, you may need to use a little less H2O. In good news, SCV Water promises that it is well-positioned to supply water. With this year's historic drought and new construction everywhere, that's a plus.
Little Less Obscure
For some unbeknownst reason, Sean Malin is trying to make Santa Clarita part of the LA food scene - or at least a peripheral blip on its radar. As a writer for Eater - la.eater.com surpasses a million visits a month, per similarweb - he has recently sung the SCV's praises in several pieces. In one entitled,
"12 Must-Try Restaurants in the Burgeoning Santa Clarita Valley" (Did he just call us fat?), Malin says the SCV is having a "culinary moment" and "boasts some of the county's most charming, inventive and historical restaurants."
A lot of good people are putting in a lot of good work at area restaurants. With all the take-out from the past year, I can remember finding great chicken adobo, competent pizza crust, seriously-good hummus, moderately-drinkable espresso and much more at restaurants I had never tried before. Claritans are more than ready to find and support promising new spots. The Santa Clarita Foodies Facebook group - another recipient of Malin's ardor - has surpassed 17,000 members. Basking in the glow of warm words and the warmer summer sun, Santa Clarita food is ready to be noticed.
Little Less Marching
May 25, 2021 was the date that Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital reported having 0 Covid-19 patients after over a year of continuous cases. That's not quite the same thing as saying that no one in Santa Clarita had it or that the hospital would never see cases again. Still, progress, y'know? People are more relaxed. We're being reminded of what our neighbors' lower jaws look like. Independence Day celebrations won't have to have as many asterisks regulating acceptable behavior this year.
However, not all Fourth of July festivities escaped unscathed - they've been scathed quite a lot, actually. There's no parade again this year. The official website's - scvparade.com - countdown clock is now running in the negative at over 700 days since Santa Clarita's last parade in 2019. It's a bitter disappointment. The display of community, the embrace of American independence and crowd support for less-than-stellar community displays, all in blazing heat - that's how you earn the rest of the day off. There will be a patriotic pee-wee parade this year and a patriotic tour of decorated homes and businesses. Sounds charming. But for the parade, that most time-honored event showcasing how much the SCV hearts home and country, another year of waiting remains.
This column is intended as satire and a (sometimes successful) attempt at humor. Suggestions and catty comments intended for the author can be e-mailed to iheartscv@insidescv.com.