Santa Clarita Weekly

Santa Clarita Weekly | June 3, 2026

On this special morning-after election edition of Santa Clarita Weekly, we delayed hitting the record button to bring you the freshest data, the biggest local breakdowns, and some massive breaking news shaking up both the sports world and international travel.
From local races right here in the Santa Clarita Valley to historic blockbuster trades in Inglewood, we are covering a massive lineup of stories you won't want to miss.
What’s Inside This Episode:
Honoring a Legacy: We open the show with a tribute to the life and civil rights legacy of activist Andrew Joseph, Jr., featuring a powerful floor speech delivered by Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley.
2026 Primary Election Results: Breaking down the 10:00 AM morning-after numbers. We look at the deadlocked California Governor and Lieutenant Governor races, the surprising surge in the LA Mayor's contest, and what the early ballots mean for our backyard in the 40th Assembly District and the LA County Sheriff's Department.
Sanctuary City Travel Chaos: Renee takes the mic to examine a controversial proposal floated by Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin to scale back customs processing in sanctuary cities—and why the travel industry warns it could cripple LAX just weeks before the World Cup.
Rams Pull Off a Blockbuster: Sage flies solo to break down one of the biggest defensive trades in NFL history. The Los Angeles Rams are living by their "all-in" mantra once again, sending a massive haul of future picks to Cleveland to bring two-time Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett to SoFi Stadium.

Santa Clarita Weekly | May 27, 2026

Governor Gavin Newsom took the stage at the Association of California Water Agencies Conference on May 7, 2026, and he had some things to say about valves, wildfires, and a couple of DOGE staffers who flew to California to fix the water crisis themselves. We break down the real story behind Trump's "magic valve" claims during the LA wildfires, what actually happened with the Army Corps of Engineers' reservoir releases, and why California's water system is nothing like a kitchen faucet. Plus: meet Bryton Shang and Tyler Hassen, the recent college grads Elon Musk sent to manually restart federal water infrastructure — while DOGE was simultaneously firing the engineers who actually knew how it worked. We also explain what the shrinking Salton Sea tells us about California's water future. It's politics, infrastructure, and pure absurdity — all flowing downhill.

Santa Clarita Weekly | May 20, 2026

This week on Santa Clarita Weekly, we bring you a lineup of local leaders, candidates, and elected officials speaking directly to the community. Hear remarks from Congressman George Whitesides, followed by speeches from Valerie Bradford, Lynne Plambeck, David Ross, and Paul Thompson. From city politics to water policy and judicial races, the episode captures a wide-ranging snapshot of the issues shaping Santa Clarita’s future.
We close the show with Assemblywoman Pilar Schiavo speaking at a press conference promoting the passage of AB 2488, legislation aimed at building California’s climate workforce and preparing the next generation for clean energy and infrastructure jobs. It’s an episode packed with policy, local voices, and the political currents moving through the Santa Clarita Valley like a convoy rolling through dry canyon wind.

Santa Clarita Weekly | May 6, 2026

Election season is officially here. We discuss the June primary ballots that just hit mailboxes—which feature the highly anticipated 2026 California Governor's race at the bottom of the ticket. We also head to Sacramento to share audio from Assemblywoman Pilar Schiavo’s recent press conference, where she joined advocates to urge Governor Newsom to protect critical victims' services funding in the state budget.
Then, we pivot to the sports desk to cover a wild week for LA teams. We break down Santa Clarita native Tyler Glasnow's early exit from the Dodgers game due to lower back pain, while celebrating his massive milestone of hitting 1,000 career strikeouts. Finally, we look at the ice as the LA Kings make a major mid-season change, firing head coach Jim Hiller and tapping D.J. Smith to turn the season around.

Santa Clarita Weekly | April 22, 2026

In this episode, we listen to a debate between candidates for Governor of California.

Santa Clarita Weekly | April 8, 2026

This week on Santa Clarita Weekly, we are breaking down the latest political shockwaves hitting California. We dive into the upcoming Governor's race and what President Donald Trump’s recent endorsement of Republican Steve Hilton means for the ballot. Then, we shift gears to examine the new allegations surrounding Democratic Representative Eric Swalwell, followed by a look into his recent town hall event to hear what he had to say to constituents this week. Tune in for all the details!

Santa Clarita Weekly | March 31, 2026

This week on Santa Clarita Weekly, we cover a packed news cycle from the SCV to Washington. We recap the No Kings Rally, where roughly 1,000 locals joined more than 8 million Americans nationwide in protest — with speeches from Assemblywoman Pilar Schiavo on Trump's funding cuts to California and the Democrats' shot at flipping the Santa Clarita City Council, and Julee Brooks, who is challenging Bob Jensen for the Hart School Board in Trustee Area 2. Special thanks to Rise Up SCV for the rally audio.
We then turn to the War in Iran, now over a month in with 15 American service members killed and no exit strategy in sight — Senator Adam Schiff breaks down the human and financial cost hitting families right here at home.
Finally, we cover the double assault on your right to vote: Trump's executive order signed today directing the Postal Service to restrict mail-in ballots to a federally approved list — already headed to court — and the SAVE America Act moving through the Senate, which California's own Senator Alex Padilla has been fighting tooth and nail on the floor all week.

Santa Clarita Weekly | March 25, 2026

This week, hosts Sage and Renee take you inside the Santa Clarita Valley's political scene and beyond.
First, we crash the Liberty Gala — the 40th Assembly District GOP's annual fundraiser — where Congressman Kevin Kiley showed up to raise money for the Republican Party while running away from the Republican label in his new district. Also in attendance: former LA County Sheriff Alex Villanueva, freshly re-registered as a Republican after years of hiding his MAGA politics behind a Democratic ballot line; perennial political chameleon Jonathan Hatami; the viral "MAGA dentist" Harleen Grewal; Santa Clarita City Councilmember Jason Gibbs, who is mounting a longshot congressional run against George Whitesides; and 40th Assembly District candidate Elizabeth Ahlers. Oh — and the venue looked like a dungeon. We're not kidding.
Then, Senator Suzette Valladares wants to blame California Democrats for rising gas prices — but we explain why the real culprit is the U.S.-Iran war and Iran's chokehold on the Strait of Hormuz, the waterway that carries one-fifth of the world's oil supply.
We also play highlights from last week's press conference with Governor Newsom and Attorney General Rob Bonta, who announced they are fighting the Trump administration's rollback of the EPA's Endangerment Finding in court.
And we wrap up with big news for Rams fans — LA is headed to Melbourne, Australia to open the 2026 NFL season against the San Francisco 49ers.
Santa Clarita Weekly — local voices, state politics, and the stories that matter to the Santa Clarita Valley.

Santa Clarita Weekly, March 18, 2026

A bombshell, a war, a whistleblower, and your Rams. This week's Santa Clarita Weekly has it all.
We open with the story everyone is talking about: civil rights icon Dolores Huerta has broken a 60-year silence, publicly accusing United Farm Workers co-founder Cesar Chavez of sexual assault and revealing two secret pregnancies. We walk through her full statement and what it means for Chavez's legacy — and the farmworker movement he helped build.
Then we bring it home to the 40th Assembly District, where GOP challenger Elizabeth Wong Ahlers spent her Sunday at a Moms for Liberty film screening — the same organization the Southern Poverty Law Center has designated an extremist group. We break down who Moms for Liberty really is, why Ahlers' ties to communities outside the district raise serious questions, and what it all means for voters heading into November.
Next, we go deep on Trump's war in Iran. Nineteen days in, California gas prices are above five dollars a gallon, the Strait of Hormuz is paralyzed, and there is still no exit strategy in sight. Congressman George Whitesides has been sounding the alarm — we break down the human cost, the economic fallout, and the international chaos this administration has unleashed.
We also feature a powerful clip from the California Democratic Convention, where Secretary of State Shirley Weber rallied Democrats around voting rights — and called out the Trump administration for targeting her personally.
Assemblywoman Pilar Schiavo joined us to talk about her landmark new bill, AB 2021 — the Whistleblower Protection and Privacy Act — which would create first-in-the-nation protections and financial incentives for insiders who expose corporations illegally collecting, selling, or failing to delete the private data of Californians, especially children.
And we close things out with your Los Angeles Rams, who are going all in for 2026 with a blockbuster offseason that has Super Bowl written all over it.
Santa Clarita Weekly — your progressive voice in the Santa Clarita Valley. New episodes every week.
Topics covered: Dolores Huerta | Cesar Chavez | Elizabeth Wong Ahlers | Moms for Liberty | 40th Assembly District | Iran War | Gas Prices | Strait of Hormuz | George Whitesides | Shirley Weber | Voting Rights | Pilar Schiavo | AB 2021 | Data Privacy | Los Angeles Rams | NFL Offseason

Santa Clarita Weekly | February 25, 2026

This week on Santa Clarita Weekly, we're covering a packed week in politics at every level — from the Supreme Court to Sacramento to right here in the Santa Clarita Valley.
First, the Supreme Court has overturned President Trump's tariffs, ruling that his sweeping trade actions were unconstitutional. We break down what that decision means, how it happened, and what comes next for a White House that has built much of its economic agenda around tariff power.
Closer to home, we have a new name in the race for the William S. Hart Union High School District Board of Trustees, Area 2. Julee Brooks has entered the race, and we discuss what her candidacy means for the contest and for the community she's looking to represent.
We also bring you our firsthand account of the California Democratic Convention, held last weekend at the Moscone Center in San Francisco. With nine candidates vying to replace Governor Gavin Newsom, the convention ended without a party endorsement — no candidate came close to the 60% threshold required. We talk about the surprising delegate results, the very real fear of two Republicans locking Democrats out of the November general election under California's top-two primary system, and what the delegate vote tells us about the difference between poll popularity and political trust.
And finally, we share a speech from U.S. Senator Adam Schiff, delivered at the convention — a reminder of what's at stake in California and nationally as we head toward a pivotal election year.
All that and more, this week on Santa Clarita Weekly.