Friday, Senator Scott Wilk, R-Santa Clarita, delivered strong remarks urging the Orange County Courts to deny placement of convicted sexually violent predator Lawtis Donald Rhoden in Lancaster during a public comment hearing held before Judge Megan L. Wagner. Below are excerpts from Senator Wilk’s remarks today during the public comment hearing: “The Antelope Valley is a suburban/rural setting and is ...
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Antelope Valley Man Indicted On Federal Firearm Offenses
An Antelope Valley man made his initial court appearance Friday for allegedly making false statements in connection with the unlawful purchase of multiple firearms and selling the firearms without a license, officials said. According to allegations contained in the federal indictment, from about May 13, 2020, to about August 17, 2021, Kenneth Earl Smith Jr. — 28, of Lancaster, California ...
Read More »Lawsuit Impending Over Santa Clarita City Council’s Sand Canyon Resort Denial
Attorneys representing Steve Kim, the owner of the Sand Canyon Country Club, are filing a lawsuit over the Santa Clarita City Council’s denial of the controversial 50-acre resort proposal on grounds of racial bias and inverse condemnation, according to the lawsuit. Tensions ran high at the Santa Clarita City Council meeting in question when council members unanimously denied the construction ...
Read More »Former L.A. County Supervisor Ridley-Thomas To Be Arraigned
A former Los Angeles County Board of Supervisor and current Los Angeles City Councilmember Mark Ridley-Thomas is scheduled to be arraigned on Wednesday after allegedly being part of a bribery scheme. The arraignment is scheduled for Wednesday, Oct. 20 at 1 p.m. at the Roybal Federal Building, according to officials. “While prosecutors will be in attendance, it is expected that ...
Read More »Temporary Restraining Order Against Gascón For ‘Abusing Civil Service Rules’ Pending Superior Court
The Association of Deputy District Attorneys for Los Angeles County (ADDA) is filing a temporary restraining order in Superior Court to prevent L.A. County District Attorney George Gascón from “continuing to violate the law by appointing ‘ineligible’ political supporters to civil service protected positions in the District Attorney’s Office.” If the order is approved, Gascón may not appoint anyone to ...
Read More »Barger Urges Public To Denounce ‘Sexually Violent Predator’ That May Be Released In L.A. County
The upcoming release of Lawtis Donald Rhoden sparked an outcry from Fifth District Supervisor Kathryn Barger Wednesday, with the announcement that the convicted serial child rapist may be released in Lancaster, just northeast of Santa Clarita. Orange County Superior Court has scheduled an upcoming hearing to consider Lancaster as a possible placement location for Rhoden, a serial rapist who has ...
Read More »Law Firm Owen, Patterson & Owen Help Aliso Canyon Natural Gas Leak Survivors Receive $1.8 Billion Settlement
Nearly six years following the worst methane gas leak in United States history, law firm Owen, Patterson & Owen’s clients are among the residents of Porter Ranch that received a $1.8 billion settlement from Southern California Gas Company (SoCal Gas). The Los Angeles based utility company and the primary provider of natural gas to Southern California, SoCal Gas discovered gas ...
Read More »Santa Clarita Attempted Murder Suspect Held To Answer In Court
A Santa Clarita attempted murder suspect who tried killing his wife and son in 2019, in a case that detectives called “one of the worst domestic violence assaults they have seen,” returned to court last week. David Charles, of Santa Clarita was held to answer on two counts of attempted murder and one count each of injuring a spouse, mayhem, ...
Read More »Local Officials React To Violent Sexual Predator Placed In Antelope Valley Community
Several Santa Clarita representatives issued statements Wednesday in response to a Los Angeles County Superior Court judge approving the relocation of a violent sexual predator to Littlerock in the Antelope Valley. 66-year-old Calvin Grassmier was sentenced in 1989 to a 15-year state prison term for sexual assaults in the 1970s and 1980s, the last of which occurred in 1988 and ...
Read More »Music Teacher Sentenced To 183 Months In Federal Prison For Production Of Child Pornography
A music teacher from Ventura County who gave flute lessons throughout Southern California, including in Santa Clarita, was sentenced Thursday to 183 months in federal prison for producing child pornography. John Edward Zeretzke, 62, of Ventura, was sentenced to 183 months — or 15 years, three months — in federal prison by United States District Judge Fernando M. Olguin, according ...
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