Good morning, Santa Clarita.

Affordable round-trip Beach Bus service from Santa Clarita Valley to Santa Monica Beach began yesterday and will run on Fridays until Labor Day.

Riders board at the Castaic Sports Complex or Richard Rioux Memorial Park, paying $4 (or $2 for seniors and people with disabilities) with reservations recommended.

On Thursday evening, firefighters in Valencia quickly halted the Franklin Fire on Franklin Parkway, containing the brush fire to 1 acre.

Santa Clarita Grocery will host its Fourth Annual Operation Rolling Gratitude on Saturday, June 20 at 11 a.m. to honor hometown heroes who protect the community (serving both locally and nationally).

Regular registration for the SCV Fourth of July Parade has been extended until Monday, June 15 to allow community members, scout troops, nonprofits, classic cars, and local businesses to join the celebration along Old Town Newhall.

The parade winds from the Newhall roundabout to Avenida Dalbey.

The Santa Clarita Library’s Summer Reading Program, running until July 24, needs volunteers ages 14-17 to help with sign-ups, prizes and activities.

Volunteers must attend a training session on Monday, June 29 at either Old Town Newhall Library (3-4:30 p.m.) or Canyon Country Library (6-7:30 p.m.).

On May 14, the Zonta Club of Santa Clarita Valley awarded over $25,000 in scholarships + grants at the Dr. Dianne G.

Van Hook University Center, recognizing women leaders with distinct awards and community grants. The club will offer these opportunities again next year.

Hart District announced that its Class of 2026 secured acceptances to hundreds of colleges, universities, trade schools and military academies today (under its One Hart philosophy), highlighting a strong commitment to personalized learning for every student preparing for diverse post-secondary paths.

Seven Girl Scouts earned Girl Scouting’s highest honor, the Gold Award, by launching projects tackling dental health, clothing poverty, and STEM education.

Savannah (Valencia) led oral hygiene workshops, Kendall (Stevenson Ranch) organized outfits for students, and Andrea (Santa Clarita) created a STEM program celebrated on June 7.

WalletHub’s report on 180 large cities shows Santa Clarita recorded the highest total credit card debt in Q1 2026 — $1,797,709,958, with households owing an average of $23,714.

Santa Clarita Valley businesses in unincorporated LA County (including Castaic and Val Verde) will see their wage increase to $18.47 per hour on July 1 after city wages reached $16.90 on Jan.

1; the dual schedules have caused confusion. The Employment Development Corporation urged employers to follow the new rate.

The California DMV offers free, mobile-friendly online tools that guide teen drivers through safe driving steps with a step-by-step roadmap, digital handbook, and 14 educational videos available on its website.

Santa Clarita Transit now offers contactless fare payments to simplify riding for local commuters.

Riders can use the new system immediately on all bus routes — check with transit staff for any updates.

Valencia volleyball player Dylan Murphy was named to the Division 3 All CIF-SS team and honored as Foothill League Player of the Year on June 12 after leading his team to an 11-1 league record and 24-9 finish; he is the only Santa Clarita player granted this award and is committed to North Central College.