On this day in 1956, the Los Angeles Times reported the official dedication of Placerita Canyon State and County Park, now Placerita Canyon Natural Area—a site rich in California’s gold discovery history. According to the article published May 27, 1956, “yellow flakes of gold, clinging to the roots of wild onions” were first discovered in Placerita Canyon over 114 years ...

On this day, May 20, 1946, singer Cher, the great-granddaughter of Placerita homesteader Frank Walker, was born in El Centro, California. Born Cheryl Sarkisian, the world-famous superstar reminisced about her Santa Clarita Valley connections in her autobiography. “My Grandma Lynda; she was only thirty-two in this picture. She’s beautiful, isn’t she, like a Gypsy. I’m on my way to a ...

The Santa Clarita City Council convened Tuesday evening for a meeting that featured a long and heated discussion about the Dockweiler Drive Extension project. The debate over the project centered on funding concerns, emergency access, and long-term city planning. Highlights of Action Taken from Santa Clarita City Council: Proclaimed March 29, 2025, as National Vietnam War Veterans Day. Recognized the ...

Six years before the famed California Gold Rush of 1848, another discovery of gold had already taken place in Santa Clarita’s Placerita Canyon on March 9, 1842, making history as the first documented gold discovery in California.  The man credited with this discovery in 1842 was Francisco Lopez, a foreman at Rancho San Francisco, which encompassed much of the modern-day ...

On this day in history 85 years ago, the movie “The Marines Fly High,” which was filmed in Santa Clarita starring Lucille Ball, made its debut in New York City. March 4, 1940, the adventure film brought action, romance, and military heroism to the silver screen that was filmed at Monogram Ranch in Placerita Canyon, later known as Melody Ranch.  ...

A car crashed into a fence in Sand Canyon Wednesday morning, with no major injuries reported. Around 7:10 a.m. Wednesday, first responders received reports of a crash on Sand Canyon and Placerita Canyon Roads in Canyon Country, according to officials. It was a single vehicle crash, said Deputy Robert Jensen, spokesperson for the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station. As of ...

The Master’s University (TMU) is hosting its annual 5k run at the beginning of the year in Newhall.   In what has become an annual tradition since 2011 to start off the new year, The Master’s University’s Winter 5K fun run is scheduled to once again be taking runners through the beautiful Placerita Canyon area near the campus on Jan. 18, ...

During its regular meeting Tuesday night, the Santa Clarita City Council approved a number of land swaps related to the Dockweiler Drive Extension Project in Newhall, among other issues. The land swaps took place between plots of land controlled by the County of Los Angeles and Prostor Land LLC,as well as councilmember Laurene Weste in her capacity as a private ...

The Santa Clarita Planning Commission is scheduled to host its regular meeting on Tuesday night to discuss a single item on the agenda.  On Tuesday night, the Santa Clarita Planning Commission is scheduled to hold its regular meeting to consider an appeal of a hearing office decision regarding a second structure for a home in Placerita Canyon Special Standards District. ...

Emergency personnel responded to the scene of a vehicle over-the-side crash Tuesday afternoon. At around 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, emergency responders received reports of a crash involving a vehicle down a ravine on the 16700 block of Placerita Canyon Road in the eastern side of the Angeles National Forest near Santa Clarita, according to Dispatch Supervisor Bernard Peters with the Los ...