The helicopters were coming down in Tesoro’s lake to fill up with water.  Seeing that happen was insane.  The police came and told us all to get out of there, but we were able to get some video.

The streets were really chaotic.  It seems as though people forget how to drive when there is something like this is happening.  All the rules of the road really went out the window.

It was a weird site to see McBean closed off when I drove to the mall yesterday at 3:00.  According to the Signal there was a fake bomb found in the McDonalds at the Promenade Shopping Center.  The arson/explosive team actually detonated it, but it was a dud.  There are investigators reviewing surveillance tapes to see if they can determine who left it there.

Now on the other side of this.  See the picture above…This was at 3 and the report was called in at 1:30.  You can’t tell from the picture, but the sheriff’s were sitting and standing around the vehicles.  There was no traffic patrol, people were just on their own for the most part.  What the heck guys, couldn’t one of you have gotten out and waved people through to make the u-turn?  Did we really have to sit and wait for that light? Some didn’t, but oh some did.

The connector will take you from the 5 all the way to the 14 via Newhall Ranch Road, then on to Golden Valley.  It is really a TRUE time saver and a long over due welcomed addition to Santa Clarita.

Now this was a smart move, unlike those dumb round abouts in Castaic.  Ya, I’m still baffled by that.

KEY PROVISIONS THAT TAKE EFFECT IMMEDIATELY UNDER SENATE BILL AS AMENDED BY RECONCILIATION BILL

Below are some of the key provisions that will take effect immediately, under the legislative package the

House passed this weekend (the Senate health bill as amended by the reconciliation bill). The reconciliation

bill is based largely on the improvements put forward by the President’s proposal – moving towards the House

bill in certain critical areas.

1. SMALL BUSINESS TAX CREDITS—Offers tax credits to small businesses to make employee coverage more

affordable. Tax credits of up to 35 percent of premiums will be immediately available to firms that

choose to offer coverage. Effective beginning for calendar year 2010. (Beginning in 2014, the small

business tax credits will cover 50 percent of premiums.)

2. BEGINS TO CLOSE THE MEDICARE PART D DONUT HOLE—Provides a $250 rebate to Medicare

beneficiaries who hit the donut hole in 2010. Effective for calendar year 2010. (Beginning in 2011,

institutes a 50% discount on brand?name drugs in the donut hole; also completely closes the donut hole by

2020.)

3. FREE PREVENTIVE CARE UNDER MEDICARE—Eliminates co?payments for preventive services and exempts

preventive services from deductibles under the Medicare program. Effective beginning January 1, 2011.

4. HELP FOR EARLY RETIREES—Creates a temporary re?insurance program (until the Exchanges are available)

to help offset the costs of expensive health claims for employers that provide health benefits for retirees

age 55?64. Effective 90 days after enactment

5. ENDS RESCISSIONS—Bans health plans from dropping people from coverage when they get sick. Effective

6 months after enactment.

6. NO DISCRIMINATON AGAINST CHILDREN WITH PRE?EXISTING CONDITIONS—Prohibits health plans from

denying coverage to children with pre?existing conditions. Effective 6 months after enactment. (Beginning

in 2014, this prohibition would apply to all persons.)

7. BANS LIFETIME LIMITS ON COVERAGE—Prohibits health plans from placing lifetime caps on coverage.

Effective 6 months after enactment.

8. BANS RESTRICTIVE ANNUAL LIMITS ON COVERAGE—Tightly restricts new plans’ use of annual limits to

ensure access to needed care. These tight restrictions will be defined by HHS. Effective 6 months after

enactment. (Beginning in 2014, the use of any annual limits would be prohibited for all plans.)

9. FREE PREVENTIVE CARE UNDER NEW PRIVATE PLANS—Requires new private plans to cover preventive

services with no co?payments and with preventive services being exempt from deductibles. Effective 6

months after enactment.

10. NEW, INDEPENDENT APPEALS PROCESS—Ensures consumers in new plans have access to an effective

internal and external appeals process to appeal decisions by their health insurance plan. Effective 6

months after enactment.

11. ENSURING VALUE FOR PREMIUM PAYMENTS—Requires plans in the individual and small group market to

spend 80 percent of premium dollars on medical services, and plans in the large group market to spend 85

percent. Insurers that do not meet these thresholds must provide rebates to policyholders. Effective on

January 1, 2011.

12. IMMEDIATE HELP FOR THE UNINSURED UNTIL EXCHANGE IS AVAILABLE (INTERIM HIGH?RISK POOL)—

Provides immediate access to insurance for Americans who are uninsured because of a pre?existing

condition ? through a temporary high?risk pool. Effective 90 days after enactment.

13. EXTENDS COVERAGE FOR YOUNG PEOPLE UP TO 26

TH BIRTHDAY THROUGH PARENTS’ INSURANCE –

Requires health plans to allow young people up to their 26th birthday to remain on their parents’ insurance

policy, at the parents’ choice. Effective 6 months after enactment.

14. COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTERS—Increases funding for Community Health Centers to allow for nearly a

doubling of the number of patients seen by the centers over the next 5 years. Effective beginning in fiscal

year 2010.

15. INCREASING NUMBER OF PRIMARY CARE DOCTORS—Provides new investment in training programs to

increase the number of primary care doctors, nurses, and public health professionals. Effective beginning

in fiscal year 2010.

16. PROHIBITING DISCRIMINATION BASED ON SALARY—Prohibits new group health plans from establishing

any eligibility rules for health care coverage that have the effect of discriminating in favor of higher wage

employees. Effective 6 months after enactment.

17. HEALTH INSURANCE CONSUMER INFORMATION—Provides aid to states in establishing offices of health

insurance consumer assistance in order to help individuals with the filing of complaints and appeals.

Effective beginning in FY 2010.

18. CREATES NEW, VOLUNTARY, PUBLIC LONG?TERM CARE INSURANCE PROGRAM—Creates a long?term

care insurance program to be financed by voluntary payroll deductions to provide benefits to adults who

become functionally disabled. Effective on January 1, 2011.

OFFICE OF SPEAKER NANCY PELOSI MARCH 22,2010

There will be a free Thanksgiving Feast on Thursday, November 26, from 10:30 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. at the Newhall Bicycle Company. Any and all Santa Clarita Valley families are invited! Please feel free to attend and pass the word on to anyone you know who could enjoy and partake in this free, annual event.

10:30am-2:00pm
Newhall Bicycle Company
24343 Railroad Avenue
661.284.6187

The Greens will be torn down and the Sheraton will rise in its place.

The hotel is scheduled to open in December of 2010 at 26501 McBean Parkway. The Galaxy Car Wash will remain, as will the Shell station and the SCV Transit Center.

On Monday some Canyon Country students will be walking from school to the First Christian Church at 3pm for a 4pm memorial service for Nicholas Pruett. No service has been announced yet for Jose Cruz.

First Christian Church is located at 27421 Homyr Place in Canyon Country.

Good afternoon. This is an informational message for parents in the Hart School District: The Sheriff’s Department has asked us to inform our parents that there is an e-mail circulating around Santa Clarita that a gang initiation will occur this evening at Wal-Mart in Santa Clarita. This is the same e-mail hoax that has been sent out in several other states. The Santa Clarita Sheriff’s Department is aware of this e-mail and, for the assurance and safety of the community, they will maintain a strong presence in the area. There is no action required of local parents at this time. This is simply an informational message to make you aware of a community situation.

Apparently it is a hoax and as impacted many cities across the country.  If you do a Google search for WalMart hoax there is a whole bunch that come up in cities in Georgia, Arkansas, California, etc.

Santa Clarita teens went wild with forwarding this text message all over town and the news spread like wildfire.  Surely Walmart must have seen a decline in customer traffic.  It’s likely for the next few days people may choose to go to Target until the fear settles.

Want to do more than just honk at them when you drive by? Here’s what you can do do help.

• You can wear pink on Friday to show that you are supporting your local teachers.
• Organize or help organize an event.
• Call or email your legislature. 

• Call Your Assembleymember (Cameron Smyth for the SCV) and Your State Senator Using CTA‘S “CUTS HURT” Hotline 1-888-268-4334
• Call Your U. S. Senators 1-800-294-9811

• Tell them how you feel about the importance of investing in public education.

Got to their website for more information.

Note to self: Do not rest on a train track. Ever.