Ken Striplin

According to the American Society of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, 6.3 million lost or stray animals enter animal care centers across the nation every year. Rather than purchasing your pet from a breeder, adopting from a care center truly saves a life. Living in Santa Clarita, we’re fortunate to have many outdoor recreational opportunities for families with pets. With three dog parks, acres of open spaces, agility equipment and miles of trails and paseos, it’s an ideal community for pet owners who want to explore the great outdoors with their four-legged friends.

As Santa Clarita moves farther into 2024, a year that holds significant promise and change, community engagement has never been more crucial. With important elections on the horizon, this is the perfect time for residents to get informed, involved and inspired about the future of our city. The upcoming State of the city event is not just a celebration of our accomplishments but also an invitation to every member of our community to take an active role in shaping what comes next.

“Voting is the expression of our commitment to ourselves, one another, this world and the future.” — Sharon Salzberg Voting for open Santa Clarita City Council seats will look different this year. As we prepare for the upcoming elections on Tuesday, Nov. 5, make sure you know how redistricting has changed our local voting landscape, before you cast your ballot.

With the holidays just a few weeks away, my favorite time of year is officially upon us. Whether its spending time with family and friends, flipping the switch for our annual Light Up Main Street event in Old Town Newhall or enjoying the cooler weather – there’s so much community fun to be had this season, including a new, unique holiday experience. For the first time, the city of Santa Clarita will be partnering with Metrolink to host the Metrolink Holiday Train Express at our very own Vista Canyon Multi-Modal Center in Canyon Country.

Propositions, ballot measures, judges, City Councilmembers, state assembly, Congress, Senate and of course, the President—as Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024, approaches, the stakes couldn’t be higher. With just days remaining until the election, now is the time to ensure you have a solid voting plan in place. These choices will shape our future, so being prepared is more crucial than ever.

“We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.” ― Winston Churchill The Thanksgiving holiday is all about gratitude. Being thankful for what we have and all the blessings we have in our lives. Here in Santa Clarita, we are fortunate to have much to be thankful for. We live in one of the safest cities in the nation, with top-notch schools, 38 parks, thousands of acres of open space, engaging events, our Santa Clarita Public Library system, multiple Community Centers and much more. We are also fortunate to have a compassionate and generous community of nonprofits.

As we mark 37 years of Cityhood, it’s time to look back on the journey we’ve taken to become the incredible City we are all proud to call home. On December 15, 1987, the communities of Newhall, Saugus, Valencia and Canyon Country joined together to form the City of Santa Clarita. At the time of incorporation, our City spanned 39-square-miles and now has now grown to over 70- square-miles and is the third largest City in Los Angeles County. This growth speaks to our collective commitment to create a thriving, innovative City that retains a close-knit, family-friendly atmosphere.

The holiday season is in full swing, filling Santa Clarita with festive cheer.

This Sunday, Dec. 15, the city of Santa Clarita will mark its 37th birthday.

The new year is just around the corner and with the change of the calendar, we will be in the homestretch of the city’s Strategic Plan, Santa Clarita 2025 (SC2025). Looking back over the past 12 months, we checked off many key action items in this extensive plan.