LABORERS' BIG DAY OFF SANTA CLARITA CREWS ENJOY ANNUAL HOMAGE.Byline: JUDY O'ROURKE Staff Writer SANTA CLARITA Santa Clarita, city (1990 pop. 110,642), Los Angeles co., S Calif., suburb 30 mi (48 km) NW of downtown Los Angeles, on the Santa Clara River; inc. 1987. Situated in the Santa Clara valley and nearby canyons, Santa Clarita includes the former towns of Canyon Country, -- Santa Clarita, hitting its 20th anniversary, has focused on aesthetics -- planting medians, building scenic roadways and building top-notch parks to create an attractive city. The credit goes to teams of laborers, from landscapers to road workers, parks maintenance crews and even volunteers who vow to remove graffiti almost before it dries. Labor Day Labor Day, holiday celebrated in the United States and Canada on the first Monday in September to honor the laborer. It was inaugurated by the Knights of Labor in 1882 and made a national holiday by the U.S. Congress in 1894. is their day. Before Wayne Smith The name Wayne Smith refers to a number of people:
"The younger trees require a lot of time and care so as they mature they become more safe and healthy. Without proper maintenance, trees can become unsafe, heavy and overgrown overgrown said of a part that has not been kept trimmed. overgrown hoof overgrown hooves put unusual stresses on bones and tendons and allow for distortion of the wall and sole. ," said Smith, 40. Unhealthy specimens risk dropping branches or limbs with a thud. Some relish yard work Monday, but not Smith. "I will be hanging out with the family and enjoy spending time "Spending Time" is the first single released by Christian artist Stellar Kart. The lyrics describe the band members desire to spend "more time with God". "Sometimes it’s a real struggle to spend time with God. in the backyard in the pool!" he said with a chuckle. "No tree trimming is planned for the holiday weekend." It doesn't take much to qualify as a protected oak, just a minimum 6-inch circumference. A trio of full-time tree trimmers, two part-time helpers, Smith and a division supervisor comprise the city's urban forestry Urban forestry is the care and management of urban forests, i.e., tree populations in urban settings for the purpose of improving the urban environment. Urban forestry advocates the role of trees as a critical part of the urban infrastructure. division, which maintains more than 55,000 trees on city streets and in parks. The division's annual budget is about $731,000 and it's a big reason Santa Clarita is recognized nationally as a Tree City USA Tree City USA is a tree planting and tree care program sponsored by The National Arbor Day Foundation for cities and towns in the United States. Requirements
Growing tree roots can destroy city sidewalks and driveways, but four crews of street maintenance workers, some 16 people, hold the attackers at bay. The crews repair walks, fill potholes and sunken pavement, stripe crosswalks and roads, and maintain more than 14,000 signs along 935 miles of city streets and rights-of-way. Bob Dixon sank roots in Santa Clarita in 1961, when corn and onion fields outnumbered stores. He helped shape the city after signing on 17 years ago, pouring asphalt and concrete, painting and removing weeds from the roadside. An assistant supervisor in the General Services Department, Dixon, 46, won't stew in traffic jams Monday. "I'll be kicking back and having a Dr Pepper and barbecuing," said Dixon, whose penchant for the soda is well known in city circles. Barbecue-tenders endure heat for pleasure, but the minimum temperature for compacting asphalt is 275 degrees. Rick Klaus once paved roads in Santa Clarita's 112-degree heat. Today, the seven-year city veteran supervises a trio that lays hot asphalt. "The heat radiates up all around you, and your body really feels it," he said. He urges workers to slather slath·er tr.v. slath·ered, slath·er·ing, slath·ers Informal 1. To use or give great amounts of; lavish: slathered gifts and attention on their only child. 2. a. on sunscreen sunscreen /sun·screen/ (-skren) a substance applied to the skin to protect it from the effects of the sun's rays. sun·screen n. and wear hats and loose, light-colored clothing. Klaus drinks more than a gallon of water a day. Perils of roadwork road·work n. 1. Sports Outdoor long-distance running as a form of physical exercise or conditioning. 2. The activity of taking a band, typically a rock band, on extended tours. 3. Highway construction. include heat exhaustion heat exhaustion, condition caused by overexposure to sunlight or another heat source and resulting in dehydration and salt depletion, also known as heat prostration. The symptoms are severe headaches, weakness, dizziness, blurred vision, and sometimes unconsciousness. , heat stroke, fatigue and the risk of being hit by a car. Since November, the crews have plugged more than 400 potholes, shaped ramps on some 600 sidewalks and smoothed more than 700 tons of asphalt on cracked roads. Klaus, 46, plans to hit the road today. "I'm going to the beach," he said. "I'm going to ride up and down the coast on my Harley." He might head south to Santa Monica Santa Monica (săn`tə mŏn`ĭkə), city (1990 pop. 86,905), Los Angeles co., S Calif., on Santa Monica Bay; inc. 1886. Tourism and retailing are important, and the city has motion-picture, biotechnology, and software industries. or west to Santa Barbara, but wherever Klaus goes, he provides a running critique on the road quality. The annual budget for the street maintenance department is about $565,000. Others work in the city's General Services division, keeping the city's vehicle and equipment fleet humming and its buildings ship-shape. The annual budget for vehicle care is nearly $421,000 and maintaining the buildings costs more than $1.5 million. However, the results not only mean a nice place to live and work, but higher property values for the thousands who move in each year. judy.orourke(at)dailynews.com (661) 257-5255 CAPTION(S): 3 photos Photo: (1) Gonzalo Hernandez uses a chain saw to cut branches along Orchard Village Road in Santa Clarita. (2) Filemon Chavez rakes up leaves that fell during tree trimming in Santa Clarita. (3) Jesus Macuil holds up a warning sign for motorists passing a tree-trimming crew at work along Orchard Village Road. Evan Yee/Staff Photographer |
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