KHTS Radio Santa Clarita Radio – Santa Clarita News
With another year in the books, KHTS has compiled the 10 stories that most profoundly shaped life in the Santa Clarita Valley in 2025.
From destructive wildfires and violent crime to contentious development battles and urgent public safety concerns, 2025 marked another defining chapter in our community’s history.
As always, these stories have not been chosen based on the number of views they received, but on the level of interest shown by our neighbors and the conversations they sparked amongst our neighbors.
Steven Barrera | KHTS News
Hughes Fire
One of the major blazes of the 2025 January Firestorm, the Hughes Fire ignited on Jan. 22 near Lake Hughes Road in Castaic. The fast-moving brush fire exploded from just over 50 acres to more than 3,400 acres within hours amid Red Flag conditions and Santa Ana winds.
Mandatory evacuations were ordered across Castaic, north Valencia, and surrounding canyon communities, affecting more than 30,000 residents. Multiple major roadways, including portions of the 5 Freeway, were closed, and several school districts canceled classes.
Over the following days, more than 1,100 firefighters, aircraft, bulldozers and hand crews worked around the clock to halt the blaze as it grew to 10,425 acres. Progress was gradual but steady, aided by cooler temperatures and eventual rainstorms that reduced fire behavior and helped crews secure containment lines.
By Jan. 30, the Hughes Fire was fully contained, with evacuation orders lifted and a shift toward suppression repair, erosion control and restoration of disturbed terrain.
While no loss of life was reported, unlike the devastating Palisades and Eaton Fires to the south, the fire shook local residents who feared that similar natural disasters could strike our area.
LASD
The Murder of CalArts Student Emily King
On February 4, 2025, the body of 23-year-old Emily King was discovered by her roommate inside their shared apartment on the 21300 block of Nandina Lane in Newhall.
Birth name Menghan Zhuang, King, a Chinese national, was set to graduate from CalArts in the spring.
Just weeks before her death, King matched with 23-year-old Jack Minh Terry of Garden Grove on the dating app Hinge in mid-January. The two later moved their conversation to Instagram and arranged to meet at CalArts on Feb. 3.
The following day, Ring camera footage captured Terry climbing out of King’s second-story window, hours before her roommate returned home and discovered King’s body. According to the medical examiner’s report and court records, King suffered multiple injuries, including lacerations to her neck, signs of blunt force trauma to her head, and a puncture wound to her right ear.
On Sunday, Feb. 16, detectives with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Homicide Bureau located and arrested Terry. He has since been charged with first-degree murder and pleaded not guilty. The case continues.
TMU Athlete Punches Elderly Man In Bar
In February, Owen Hayes, a baseball player at The Master’s University (TMU) punched an 84-year-old man in the head at Doc’s Inn, a bar in Newhall.
After several weeks of investigating, detectives identified Owen Hayes as the suspected attacker and arrested him on March 17, 2025.
Hayes played baseball for the Master’s University as a junior, however TMU could not release specifics pertaining to the case.
“Due to legal and privacy considerations, the University does not comment on legal matters pertaining to any individual students,” said Mason Nesbitt, a spokesperson for the college. “However, we take all investigations seriously, working in cooperation with the relevant authorities, collecting information, and adhering to our established campus procedures.”
It is standard for students at The Master’s University to sign a code of conduct agreement when they are accepted to the college, which includes not using alcohol or drugs of any kind during the school year.
TMU officials could not confirm what repercussions a student might face in a case like this.
While the Master’s University wouldn’t directly confirm whether Hayes was a student at the college, shortly before the KHTS article was published, the University removed all information about Hayes from its team website.
Firework explodes in Saugus (Lily Chiang)
Fireworks Terrorize Saugus Neighborhood
Following a destructive January that saw multiple wind-driven fires, a group of teenagers continued to light fireworks in Saugus, which they had been doing near Skyline Park since at least July 2024.
Multiple homeowners shared with KHTS their concerns about the fireworks, some of which were set off during the January Firestorm, as the Palisades and Eton Fires burned out of control. Most were also set off late at night, violently waking residents.
After several attempts to report the illegal fireworks to law enforcement went ignored, Saugus residents had had enough when a massive explosion went off one April night.
In an interview with KHTS, homeowners said Sheriff’s deputies would not take a report despite several videos and photos being presented. Deputies told residents they had to see the crime being committed to investigate.
After KHTS broke the news, the story gained attention from Los Angeles area media, and residents brought the issue before the Santa Clarita City Council.
Once the case was made public and brought before the city councilmembers, detectives then began investigating all illegal firework use and, days later, made at least two arrests, including one suspect taken into custody during a rally at Valencia High School.
Renderings of Newhall Mixed-Use Development Project
Historical Preservation Discussions Dominate Hartwell Development
Throughout 2025, the Hartwell mixed-use development remained one of Santa Clarita’s most contentious planning battles, culminating in a dramatic August vote by the Santa Clarita City Council. What began as a project approved earlier in the year escalated into a politically charged showdown when the project was presented to the council for an expansion, increasing the development to a total of 98 residential units and incorporating the KHTS Radio station building, ultimately stretching the project across six parcels – totaling about an acre.
Multiple meetings were marked by heated exchanges between residents, developers, and council members, as well as key recusals that shaped the outcome. Councilman Jason Gibbs stepped aside, while Mayor Pro Tem Laurene Weste again recused herself “out of an abundance of caution,” leaving just three council members to cast a final vote in August. Then Mayor Bill Miranda, Marsha McLean, and Patsy Ayala ultimately approved the expansion in a 3-0 decision, despite visible reluctance.
When complete, the 98-unit Hartwell project is expected to dramatically change Old Town Newhall, transforming a stretch of the historic area with a larger, denser mixed-use footprint. With approval secured, demolition began in early September, with construction permits anticipated by May 2026.
Image of Deputy Daniel V. Chavira courtesy of LASD.
Deputy Dies In San Francisquito Canyon Crash
On May 19, an off-duty Pitchess Detention Center deputy died in a head-on crash on San Francisquito Canyon Road, sparking renewed scrutiny over deputy work conditions in the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.
The three-vehicle collision occurred at approximately 3:20 p.m. on northbound San Francisquito Canyon Road near Dry Gulch, a winding canyon route connecting the Santa Clarita and Antelope Valleys. Three people were injured, and one person, an off-duty deputy, was killed.
The deputy was identified as Daniel Valencia Chavira, 21, a graduate of Academy Class 476 and a member of a multi-generational law enforcement family.
“We are heartbroken by the tragic loss of one of our own, who was taken from us far too soon,” said Sheriff Robert Luna at the time. “Our Deputy dedicated his life to the service and safety of others, both in and out of uniform. His commitment to public safety was not just a job — it was who he was. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family, friends, and all who knew him.”
Chavira is survived by: his father, Rodrigo Valencia; his brothers, Deputy Rodrigo Valencia and Deputy Rene Valencia-Chavira, of Lancaster Station; his sister-in-law, Deputy Crystal Valencia, of San Fernando Court; his sister, Detective Nancy Alcaraz; and his brother-in-law, Deputy Martin Alcaraz, both of Palmdale Station.
Only eight months into the job, Chavira had just finished a 16-hour double shift at Pitchess Detention Center in Castaic, working from 10 p.m. the night before until 2 p.m. the day of the crash. Reporting by KCAL stated that in the 88 hours before his death, Chavira had been on duty for 56 of them.
A preliminary investigation by the California Highway Patrol indicated fatigue was a likely factor in the crash, prompting additional discussion among LASD union representatives about the strains deputies were under.
Teenage Curfew Enforced After Fight
One violent moment in a Saugus park quickly became one of the stories that shook the Santa Clarita community in 2025. A late-night party at Pacific Crest Park with hundreds of teens turned chaotic when a glass bottle was smashed over a juvenile’s head, sending one teen to the hospital and injuring several others. A 15-year-old was arrested on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon, but the impact of the incident extended far beyond that night.
Citing the park attack and other violent incidents involving juveniles, sheriff’s officials significantly increased enforcement of Santa Clarita’s long-standing juvenile curfew, leading to dozens of minors being detained at local gathering spots, including fast-food restaurants. By October, the crackdown culminated in a single enforcement sweep that resulted in 31 minors detained, sparking community debate while deputies emphasized the actions were driven by safety concerns and a need to prevent further violence.
Interim COC President David Andrus sitting to the right of President Sharlene Johnson and Vice President Fred Arnold in the COC Board of Trustees meeting (Sophia Lesseos | KHTS)
College of the Canyons Interim CEO David Andrus Removed
One of the most consequential local stories of the year unfolded in September when the College of the Canyons Board of Trustees voted to place Interim CEO David Andrus on paid administrative leave and move toward his termination, igniting outrage across campus and the broader Santa Clarita community.
The late-night decision came despite overwhelming public support for Andrus from faculty, staff, unions and managers, many of whom accused the board of retaliation tied to Andrus’ push for transparency and his initiation of a forensic audit into college finances under former Chancellor Dr. Dianne Van Hook.
While trustees unanimously voted to forward the audit to the Los Angeles County District Attorney, they blocked its public release.
The move intensified an already volatile governance crisis marked by votes of no confidence against board leadership, ongoing litigation from Van Hook, and deep concerns about shared governance and accountability.
By year’s end, a new interim CEO has been appointed, and the audit remains unreleased.
5-Year-Old Oliver (pictured) walked off North Park Elementary School campus November 4, 2025
5-Year-Old Walks Away From North Park Elementary
A story that deeply resonated with Santa Clarita parents unfolded in November, when a Valencia family discovered their 5-year-old son had walked off campus unnoticed from North Park Elementary School.
The child left the after-school program through an unsecured gate and walked nearly a mile down McBean Parkway, crossing busy intersections before being found alone outside a McDonald’s by his family’s nanny – purely by chance.
School staff did not realize the boy was missing and even told the mother, Natalie Epstein on the phone he was still on campus – while he was already in his nanny’s car on the way home. The incident sparked outrage, fear, and renewed concerns over student supervision and campus safety, especially after the family said the Saugus Union School District’s response and board discussion felt limited and impersonal.
The Epstein Family says North Park Elementary School has not increased security or added any camera on campus.
Castaic Gas Line Rupture
A gas line rupture in Castaic led to a shelter-in-place order for several neighborhoods on Dec. 27, shutting down the 5 Freeway and sending out a plume of odor that was smelled as far away as Porter Ranch.
At approximately 4:17 p.m., emergency responders received reports of a possible gas leak along Ridge Route Road, north of the Northlake neighborhood, according to the Los Angeles County Fire Department.
“Because of the potential danger, we responded with a large number of resources to mitigate the situation and gather information,” said Los Angeles County Fire Department Capt. Brian Kight.
Authorities later confirmed the rupture involved a 34-inch natural gas transmission line located between Ridge Route Road and Interstate 5, near Northlake Hills Elementary School.
While the cause remains under investigation, SoCalGas officials reported significant land movement at the site, with preliminary geological findings pointing to ground instability as the likely cause.
Honorable Mentions
Kendall Fortner, 24-Year-Old Santa Clarita Native, Among Victims In San Diego Plane Crash
Midtown Manhattan Shooter Identified As Former Golden Valley Student
Mitt Romney’s Sister-In-Law Found Dead In Valencia Parking Garage
Memorial Service Held For Santa Clarita LASD Deputy Killed In Explosion (VIDEO)
Residents Question Transparency As Saugus District Weighs Offer For Santa Clarita Elementary Site
Rising From The Ashes: Community Rallies To Support Canyon Country Yoshinoya Employees (VIDEO)
Rescue Search Becomes Recovery Operation At Castaic Lake Following Missing Kayaker
Off-Duty LAPD Officer Killed In Fiery Santa Clarita Crash Identified
Second Victim Dies After Deadly Halloween Shooting In Newhall
See you next year! — The KHTS News Team
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