The Signal from Santa Clarita, California • 10

25, 1989 10 Ngwholl Siqnol Squgut Enterprise Weo 9 9 opinions Overcrowded conditions primary concern of school board nominees i i hi 1 ((I Lfvrv i I i a i i si By SHODJA KARGARI Signal staff writer Six candidates for the Newhall School District Board primarily spoke about the overcrowded conditions in the area's schools during a PTA-sponsored forum Tuesday night at Valencia Valley Elementary School. The candidates Mike McCabe, Zandra Stanley, Leon Wordcn, and incumbents Howard Hill, Charles Payne, and Patricia Willett are vying for three board seats in the Nov. 7 election. "We are going to year-round schooling so we don't build additional classrooms and schools unnecessarily," said Payne, a senior board member. Keenan Warner of the Newhall Teacher's Association expressed concern over the district's plan to implement a five-track system which requires instructors to teach for 60 days and then break for 20 days.

"The five-track system will add more combination classes," Keenan told the candidates. "The quality of education suffers when one teacher is assigned to a classroom with students from two different grade levels." But incumbent Willet said her own calculations show that fewer combinations classes will result from the five-track calender. Hill joined Willet in saying parents and the district support the five-track system because it allows a period of one month from June to July for everyone to share a common summer vacation. However, candidate McCabe opposed the five-track system because it is used only in three of the 502 year-round schools in California. "If it's so much better, why have 99 percent of schools chosen not to use it," said McCabe.

McCabe and Leon Wordcn said the current board is not doing enough to provide funding for new school facilities. "Developers have an interest in good schools because it sells houses," said Wordcn. However, incumbent member Payne said the board has been trying to work with developers and establish Mello-Roos districts to help fund new construction. "I think the majority of developers have shown that they are not interested in helping us solve the current crisis," said Payne. He added, "The problem is that the state categorizes what funds can be spent where, and lately we have not been receiving enough for school construction." Party host's eyes allegedly gouged A Saugus man was charged with assault Tuesday in Newhall Municipal Court after he allegedly tried to gouge out a neighbor's eyes during a violent argument.

Loren Roccoforte, 27, pleaded not guilty and was released pending a preliminary hearing Nov. 2, court officials said. The alleged fight occurred Saturday night at a barbecue party after Roccoforie who was reported to have been drinking got into an argument with his host When Matt Langseth of Saugus tried to stop the argument, Roccoforte hit him in the face and scratched him with his fingers, witnesses told Sheriffs deputies. Party guests broke up the fight and Roccoforte left, a Sheriffs report said. About an hour later, Langseth and his wife Connie were leaving when Roccoforte returned and resumed the fight, the report said.

During the scuffle, Roccoforte allegedly poked his fingers in Lang-seth's eyes, saying, "How do you like your eyes?" witnesses told deputies. Connie Langseth told deputies she tried to pull her husband's attacker away, whereupon Roccoforte bit her on the arm, hand and finger. Following the incident, Roccoforte reportedly drove home he worked for Langseth and lived in a guest house on his property and stole tools worth more than $1,000, the report said. He apparently then fled to the San Fernando Valley, where he was arrested by Los Angeles police. CAROL CHAMBERS No contest plea entered to charges A Los Angeles man pleaded no contest Tuesday in Newhall Municipal Court to charges he carried a sawed -off baseball bat and knives onto Peter J.

Pitchess Honor Rancho property. Daryle Wayne Germany, 30, was arrested at the Castaic jail Saturday. He was originally charged with two felony counts of having a marijuana cigarette and weapons in a jail facility. The two felony counts were dismissed Tuesday after Germany agreed to enter a no contest plea to misdemeanor charges of unauthorized possession of marijuana and possession of a concealed weapon. He was sentenced Tuesday to two years probation and 10 days community service to be completed by Dec.

12. Sheriffs deputies found the sawed-off bat, two 4-inch-bIade knives and the marijuana when they conducted a search of Germany's car, which was parked in the county jail's visitor parking lot, a Sheriffs report said. Germany explained to deputies that he carried the bat for protection, the report said. KIMBERLY KINDY 'The Music Men' coming to Hart The men of the SCV Barbershop Harmony Singers will present a musical comedy, "The Music Men" at 8 p.m., Nov. 4 at the Hart High Auditorium in Newhall.

Two guest quartets will also entertain. A spokesman said the Sound Generation, from the Conejo Valley, will bring back the moods and harmonies of a bygone era. Also featured will be Vocal Variety from the San Fernando Valley. All seats to the event are reserved. They can be secured by calling 259-6109.

Red Cross to explain parenthood What to expect before, during and after the birth of a baby is outlined in a course called "Preparation for Parenthood," to be conducted from 7 to 9 p.m., Thursday at the Red Cross Service Center, 23 152-12 Valencia Santa Clarita. Expectant parents will learn about the physical and emotional preparation for birth, the labor and delivery process and the care of a newborn infant. The cost recovery fee is $10. Advance registration is requested. Additional information can be obtained by calling the Red Cross Service Center at 259-1805.

gffff I HANS GUTKNECHTn Signal Michael McCabe, a candidate for the Newhall School District board, speaks to guests at Valencia Valley School during a PTA-sponsored forum Tuesday night. Continued from Page 1 that would otherwise be hired-out, such as tilling the garden, washing the car or babysitting and they should be paid well. "Do not rip off your children," he warned. "They are the ones who will one day make decisions for you like which nursing home you should be in." Never before has it been so hard to raise children in America, he said. Twenty years ago, it was a big thing for a teen-ager to lay his hands on a six-pack.

Today a high school student with $300 worth of cocaine thing we use most," she said, adding she saw several other teachers and administrators in the audience. Parents Karen Baldwin of Newhall and Janet Pearson of Canyon Country said they heard their own voices in many of the scenarios Zink portrayed. Grandmother Lois Bezilla of Newhall said Zink's approach made good sense. "There are too many chiefs and not enough Indians," she said, adding that the whole thing sounded like a case of good, old-fashioned discipline. can make $3,000 worth of crack in about 90 minutes, he said.

This is not something that just goes down in East L.A., he added, it goes down in Saugus and Newhall. And lacking a positive message from parents, Zink said, we are forcing our children to be two people one to mom and dad, and another to their friends. But they can't really be just one person either place, he added. "It's time that we have parents in charge of their homes by setting rules and above all catch the kids doing something right. It sends a positive message and builds self- esteem.

"A positive message is not necessarily what they want," he said. "They want another Nintendo cartridge. But it's what they need. "Every child out here expects to have a car by the time he is 16 years old," Zink said, adding, "if you don't believe it just look in their bedrooms. It looks like Toys-R-Us." Sheila Nell, a teacher at Arroyo Seco Junior High School, had heard Zink speak about eight years earlier, and has used his approach with her students.

'Catch him being good' is the areas city officials deemed critical to their planning efforts. A sphere of influence is the area surrounding a city that may eventually be annexed into the city, giving the city influence over development in the sphere. The area Benell has asked the commission to approve includes the city's existing 39.7 square miles of territory and about 42 square miles of currently unincorporated county territory. But it does not include Elsmere, Tows-ley, Blind and Browns canyons, all of which are considered potential landfill sites. Chiquito and Sunshine canyons also are excluded.

The two canyons are currendy dump sites and the landfill operators have proposed expansions for the landfills. Three county agencies requested LAFCO exclude the landfill sites from the "be considered one big truck stop." Several SCV developers also made special requests to LAFCO. Some were heeded in Benell's recommendation, some were not. Paragon Homes Inc. requested that Paragon's pending projects north of Copperhill Road and east and west of Seco Canyon Road be excluded, and maps of Benell's recommended sphere appear to exclude the projects.

Larwin Construction Co. officials requested the company's Castaic projects be excluded, and Benell's recommendation excludes all of Castaic. Maps show a Dale Poe Development Corp. request to exclude the massive Stevenson Ranch development west of Interstate 5 would not be granted if Bonell's recommendation is approved. sphere.

"The department believes that the determination made by the commission on Feb. 10, 1988, that no landfill site should be within a city's sphere of influence, should not be changed or ignored," said a letter from Charles Coffee, director of the Department of Health Services. And Director of Public Works Tom Tidemanson said the regional nature of the county's trash crisis makes exclusion of the landfill sites a necessity for the county's Waste Management Action Plan. "To avoid delaying this critical program, we ask that the sites be left out of the proposed sphere of influence so the county can place the appropriate landfills in operation at the earliest possible time," said a letter from Tidemanson. County Sanitation District officials also recommended the landfill sites be excluded.

Continued from Page 1 this week. Also excluded are the communities of Castaic, Val Verde and Agua Dulce. Many Castaic residents actively opposed Castaic's inclusion in the sphere, and a letter-writing and petition drive has apparently been successful. Aside from the exclusion of Castaic, the recommendation closely resembles the 1987 proposed city boundaries. The commission is scheduled to consider the sphere proposal and the city's proposed annexation of the Pinetrce area during a public hearing Nov.

15. who is on vacation and could not be reached for comment Tuesday, has recommended approval of the annexation of the territory east of Sand Canyon Road and north of Highway 14. But the sphere of influence she recommends for the city is less than half the size of the city's proposed sphere, and excludes a a a Castaic residents efforts opposing the community's inclusion in Santa Clarita's sphere will apparently be successful. LAFCO has received form letters from about 40 Castaic residents and businesses, and an estimated 500 residents signed petitions opposing the sphere. The Castaic Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors sent a letter to LAFCO stating the board had unanimously voted to oppose the sphere.

After receiving mixed reactions from Castaic residents, the Santa Clarita City Council this summer decided not to withdraw Castaic from the proposed sphere. LAFCO did receive one letter supporting Castaic's inclusion in the sphere. Shirley Babb, a manager of the South Lake Inn, told LAFCO that the city could help Castaic improve and grow as a gateway to the Santa Clarita Valley, rather than Committee to press issue iciais disappointed, not surprised Continued from Page 1 "We were hoping against hope. It would have been marvelous if they could have taken into consideration the people who will be impacted by their decisions," McLean said. The canyon is controversial because the city of Los Angeles and the county want a landfill on the property.

Santa Clarita has not taken an official position on the project, and City Council members say they will wait until an environmental impact report on the project is released before making a stand. The city's sphere of influence committee originally recommended the City Council not include Elsmere Canyon in the sphere proposal on the grounds that LAFCO traditionally has not allowed landfills to be included in spheres. The preservation committee, whose mission is to oppose all landfills near populated areas, urged inclusion of the canyon as a gesture of the city's concern. "We wanted our city to make it clear that they feel landfills are dangerous and that if one is going to be operated near the city they want to have a say in it," McLean said. She said she hopes the city will continue trying to acquire some influence over the canyon.

"I'm hoping the council will fight as hard as they can to get everything they asked for," she said. Jo Anne Darcy, Santa Clarita councilwoman and SCV field deputy to Supervisor Mike Antono-vich, said she also was not sur-prised by LAFCO's recommendation. "I can see why (LAFCO) wouldn't want to include it with the county wanting to put a landfill there. I think the city will still try to have it included," Darcy said. The LAFCO staff recommendation also calls for all other sites of proposed landfills or dump extensions to be excluded from Santa Clarita's sphere.

They include Towslcy, Blind, Browns, Sunshine and Chiquito canyons. commendation, the city could get a sphere that exceeds the original proposed city boundaries. "It's not the end. It all depends on how much the city impresses LAFCO when it makes its presentation in November," Darcy said. Assistant City Manager Ken Pulskamp said the city will stand by its position that Santa Clarita should have a hand in planning the entire valley.

"We feel strongly about the position we put in our request. We're still convinced we have good arguments," he said. Although the city put extensive study into its sphere proposal, the LAFCO staff did not contact them before making its recommendation, Pulskamp said. "I'm disappointed. I wish we'd had the opportunity to discuss it with them before they made the recommendation." the community.

The letters also contained self-addressed, stamped envelopes, asking residents to vote whether to be included in the sphere. Preach said the results should clear up the controversy concerning what the community wants. "I suspect it's going to be overwhelming (against being in the sphere)," he said. Val Verde also has been excluded from the sphere by LAFCO staff. But in a meeting of the Val Verde Civic Association, members of that community voted to be included in the sphere.

Boyer said Val Verde may still be included if that community shows it strongly wants to be included. "I hate to see Val Verde left out," he said. Councilwoman Jo Anne Darcy said that despite the re been cut out. Some Castaic residents have protested their community's inclusion in the proposed sphere and those objections were sent to LAFCO. "What happens is LAFCO is very reluctant to enter any controversy," Boyer said.

He added that Castaic might still be included if that community shows an outpouring of support for inclusion in the sphere. Castaic Chamber of Commerce Vice President Jeff Preach said he was "absolutely pleased" by the recommendation. The chamber has led the drive to keep Castaic out of the city's sphere. But other area residents have accused the chamber of representing only its own interests, and have said they favor being included in the sphere. Preach said the chamber sent a two-page letter Monday to every home in Castaic explaining what the sphere would mean for Continued from Page 1 tion Commission staff has recommended Santa Clarita be granted a sphere that, with a few exceptions, follows roughly the same boundaries as the 95-square mile area originally proposed for incorporation by cityhood proponents in 1987.

A sphere of influence is the area the city may someday annex, giving the city greater authority in speaking out on developments in the area. LAFCO is scheduled to conduct a public hearing and vote on the sphere proposal Nov. 15. Councilman Carl Boyer said he had mixed feelings about the recommendation. "It's a combination of feeling that we're getting a lot more than some other cities and some disappointment about what's been cut out," Boyer said.

The community of Casiaic, which was included in the city's incorporation proposal, has.