Good morning, Santa Clarita.

Nominations are open for SCV 40 Under Forty, an annual leadership awards program for young professionals in our valley, produced by JCI Santa Clarita in partnership with Santa Clarita Magazine.

Nominees must be 18 to 39 as of Dec. 31 and submit a bio, headshot, and two references by Aug. 15 plus attend the nominee mixer on Oct. 4 and a gala on Nov. 15 if selected.

Debs Nieves is a 38-year-old marketing freelancer from Canyon Country who uses her social media influence to gather donations and support disaster relief efforts, having helped with Hurricane Maria recovery and the Eaton Fire response.

She now works with local businesses to coordinate drop-offs and homeless outreach in Santa Clarita—fostering a community where no one stands alone.

Santa Clarita city staff seeks volunteers for William S.

Hart Park’s barnyard to care for chickens, ducks, geese, horses, donkeys, rabbits, and turkeys by cleaning enclosures, preparing meals, and grooming animals. Interested volunteers 14 and older must register — selected candidates will receive further instructions and work Tuesday through Saturday from 6 to 10 a.m.

Santa Clarita resident Celine Chen was named a semifinalist in the Rubato International Piano Competition, which will take place from August 12 to 16 at the Oxford Performing Arts Center in Oxford, Alabama—she will compete against top talent from around the world in both classical and jazz categories.

The Hart District announced new leadership appointments for the upcoming academic year with Jennifer Ambrose becoming Principal at Golden Valley High School on July 24—Anna Konopliv and Marisa Lucero were named Assistant Principals for Canyon and Saugus High Schools respectively.

Debbie Dunn was appointed Director of Communications and Community Engagement, highlighting the district’s plan to strengthen its leadership team.

The Hart District Trail Crew in the William S.

Hart Union High School District offered a two-week paid summer work experience in trail building through a partnership with the U.S. Forest Service and the city—students gained real job skills while helping install a new hiking trail in Agua Dulce and restore 1.7 miles in the Bobcat Fire impact area along the Pacific Crest Trail at Cloudburst Summit. The program also selected 28 U.S. Forest Service workers from more than 160 applicants.

Residents in Santa Clarita must now put food waste in a plastic bag and place it in the green organics recycling cart with yard waste (as required by new city rules) (to help sort recycling correctly).

The California Highway Patrol reported that vehicle thefts in 2024 dropped by more than 13% to 176,230, with 85% of stolen vehicles recovered, and urged drivers to secure their cars by locking doors and removing valuables.

Supported by Governor Newsom, the CHP expanded crime suppression operations in Oakland, Bakersfield, and San Bernardino—aiming to further reduce car thefts.

The Canyon Country U14 AYSO team is playing in the AYSO National Tournament today in Irvine after earning a win and a tie in their previous games, and they are the first team from their region to reach nationals.

They lost their first game to Hacienda Heights by a score of 4 to 0, won the second 1 to 0 against San Juan Capistrano, and will finish with a doubleheader starting at 9:20 a.m. and again at 6:40 p.m. — Coach Christian Cruz said the players value the opportunity.