Thursday, October 14, 2010

Chapter Eight: Appalachia and the Ozarks

     The Appalachia and the Ozarks is very different than Santa Clarita, California.  They cover 300 miles with three physiographic regions, whereas Santa Clarita consists of approximately 10 miles covering four small regions that were incorporated in 1987.  The Appalachians is a relatively poor region, whereas Santa Clarita is mixed with both affluent and poor communities. 



SANTA CLARITA





Santa Clarita is relatively new in comparison, therefore there are many roads and highways that were recently built to accommodate its' every growing population.  




 As was mentioned in earlier chapters, there is no agriculture, or mining that produces substantial revenue in Santa Clarita.  If one travels north along highway 126, there are numerous orange orchards, and strawberry farms. 




The Tennessee Valley Authority supplies electricity accross the Appalachia and Ozark region.

Santa Clarita receives it electricity from Southern California Edison.

Southern California Edison (SCE) is one of the largest electric utilities in California, serving more than 14 million people in a 50,000 square-mile area of central, coastal and Southern California, excluding the City of Los Angeles and certain other cities.
Based in Rosemead, California, the utility has been providing electric service in the region for more than 120 years. SCE's service territory includes more than 180 cities.
Southern California Edison logo

http://www.edison.com/ourcompany/sce.asp







Santa Clarita receives its gas and heating from the Southern California Gas Company.

Southern California Gas Company has been delivering clean, safe and reliable natural gas to its customers for more than 140 years. It is the nation’s largest natural gas distribution utility, providing safe and reliable energy to 20.5 million consumers through 5.7 million meters in more than 500 communities. The company’s service territory encompasses approximately 20,000 square miles in diverse terrain throughout Central and Southern California, from Visalia to the Mexican border.

The Gas Company is a regulated subsidiary of Sempra Energy (NYSE: SRE). Sempra Energy, based in San Diego, is a Fortune 500 energy services holding company.
Map of Service Territory
  • The Gas Company is a regulated subsidiary of Sempra Energy (NYSE: SRE).   Sempra Energy, based in San Diego, is a Fortune 500 energy services holding company.
  • Glad to be of service®
    • Our motto reflects our commitment to provide customers with world-class service. This has been the key to our longevity and success.
    • Everyday we work to improve our systems, develop gas technologies, add convenience, and share useful information to help make it easier for our customers use energy safely and wisely.
    • Our commitment to our customers also includes maintaining a diverse workforce and working with suppliers that represent and reflect the communities we serve.
    • This commitment extends to improving the quality of life in our communities through volunteer activities and charitable contributions. These community programs help to develop thriving neighborhoods and local businesses.
  • Like other investor-owned utilities in the state, Southern California Gas Company’s operations are regulated by the California Public Utilities Commission and other state and federal agencies.
Last Updated, December 1, 2008





SANTA CLARA RIVER





The Santa Clara River flows for 116 miles through northern Los Angeles County and southern Ventura County, in southern California.  With headwaters in the San Gabriel Mountains, the river empties into the Pacific Ocean near the city of Ventura, draining a watershed of approximately 1,600 square miles. 


Many large coastal southern California rivers (e.g. the Los Angeles, Santa Ana, and San Gabriel rivers) have been drastically modified to provide for flood protection and urban development, reducing the influence of natural physical and biological processes that maintain aquatic and riparian habitat.  While the Santa Clara River has been impacted by flood control and water resources infrastructure, urban development and agriculture, the river continues to possess many of the historical attributes of lowland coastal southern California rivers, including a broad, dynamic floodplain, extensive riparian vegetation, and a large coastal lagoon.

The Santa Clara River and its tributaries experience high annual flow variability, multi-year droughts, and extreme seasonal flooding, resulting in a complex matrix of aquatic and riparian habitats that suport a number of endangered and threatened species.  These include the tidewater goby (Eucyclobius newberryi), arroyo toad (Bufo microscaphus californicus), southwestern willow flycatcher (Empidonax trailii extimus), least Bell’s vireo (Vireo bellii pusillus), and slender-horned spineflower (Dodecahema leptoceras).  The Santa Clara River also supports a remnant run of federally endangered southern steelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss).  The run is much reduced from pre-1950’s levels estimated to have been on the order of about 9,000 adults, making the watershed a focus for regional steelhead recovery efforts.


RADIO

 The Santa Clarita Valley is exclusively served by one radio station: AM-1220 KHTS. The commercial radio station, operated by long time residents and public servants Carl and Jeri-Seratti Goldman, broadcasts from studios located in Canyon Country. The station carries local news, traffic, weather, sports, music and talk shows. The station's transmitter and antennas are located on Sierra Highway between Soledad Canyon Rd. and Sand Canyon Rd. The station has been on the air since October, 2003. Prior to KHTS, AM-1220 was known as KBET until 1999 when the Goldmans sold it to now-Clear Channel Communications, only to buy it back in 2003.
In addition to KHTS, the City of Santa Clarita and its surrounding communities are indirectly served by a number of major market Los Angeles FM and AM radio stations, though residents often complain that radio reception in the valley is poor due to the surrounding hillsides.

Television

 All local programming for Santa Clarita is carried on a single public television channel, which is operated by SCVTV, a tax-exempt 501c3 nonprofit corporation. It is available to Time Warner Cable customers throughout the Santa Clarita Valley on Channel 20 and to AT&T U-verse customers under local programming (Channel 99/Santa Clarita). SCVTV carries public, educational and government programming, including Santa Clarita City Council and Planning Commission meetings, history shows, high school and college news programs, talk shows, football games and other programs of local interest.

There are no commercial over-the-air television stations in the Santa Clarita Valley. The city is part of the Los Angeles media market. Digital signals from the Los Angeles stations are available on local cable television systems, DirecTV and Dish Network.

No comments:

Post a Comment