Antelope Valley Press
Park-and-Ride repairs
LANCASTER — The Park-and-Ride Parking Lot Refurbishment construction project has been completed, the Lancaster City Council announced at its meeting last week. The Public Works Construction Project was done by Addison-Miller, Inc. for...
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Poppy Festival returns next month
LANCASTER — One of the Antelope Valley’s most colorful traditions is set to return next month as the California Poppy Festival brings a weekend of entertainment, food and family fun to Lancaster. Scheduled for April 17-19 at the AV Fair & Event...
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Lancaster council pays tribute to Crist
LANCASTER — The Lancaster City Council meeting had a lengthy and emotional tribute to Lancaster Vice Mayor Marvin Crist on Tuesday afternoon, marking his retirement from the City Council. Crist, who first joined the council in April 2010, announced he...
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Beloved teacher is set to retire
PEARBLOSSOM — Tears filled Teresa Gallup’s eyes as she saw the gift of a jump rope and the handwritten note from her kindergarten student: “To Mrs. Gallup, my best friend.” That note made all the years of teaching worth it. Now, a few years later,...
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Summit tackles hard fiscal data Lancaster and Palmdale present projects, planned development
LANCASTER — The Antelope Valley Economic Development & Growth Enterprise Spring Business Summit featured economic reviews and previews and a deep dive into the hard fiscal data Thursday at the Antelope Valley Fair and Event Center. The cities of...
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Palmdale deputies honor relay backer
PALMDALE — The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Palmdale Station on Wednesday honored local businessman Adrian B. Dares for his support of its running team in The Baker to Vegas Challenge Cup Relay. The relay race, which is in its 40th year,...
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Valencia honored at AV EDGE summit
LANCASTER — After 20 years of living in the Antelope Valley, Aaron V. Valencia said he finally considered himself a local Thursday morning. Valencia, the founder and CEO of Lost Angels Career Center, was honored Thursday by The Antelope Valley...
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Sharing love of aerospace with students
Antelope Valley native Bob Redman grew up with a love for aerospace, from early flight to the space program, with a father who worked for NASA. Redman has been sharing his love for aerospace for the last 25 years, giving a presentation titled Capt....
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Guidance for new career path
Peter Sheahan remembers his frustration as a business owner early in his career. Sheahan also remembers the profound impact he felt attending an educational seminar. It helped change the career path for the renowned entrepreneur and author, who has...
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Top young Southland scientists
PALMDALE — The Palmdale Aerospace Academy Science Olympiad team finished second at the Los Angeles Regional Tournament at Antelope Valley College on Feb. 14, qualifying them for the state finals. The state finals are on April 11 at the California...
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Valley teens scout job market
PALMDALE — Hundreds of high school students got to interact with potential employers on Friday afternoon at Boeing Site 1 during the 32nd annual Aerospace Valley Career Fair: A Salute to Youth. Dozens of organizations, with over 50 exhibitors, ranging...
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Athletic trainer program grows
PALMDALE — The Palmdale High School Sports Medicine Program has grown to 140 students after almost 30 years. On Wednesday afternoon, Palmdale High certified athletic trainer Jayme Wright had several student trainers at a Palmdale High track meet, at...
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New circus experience arrives
PALMDALE — The Marinelli Brothers Circus will bring their new production “A New Experience” to Palmdale with an all-new engagement at the Antelope Valley Mall, starting Friday and continuing through March 30. The circus promises to bring its signature...
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City of Hope gets investment
LANCASTER — Rep. George Whitesides announced a $1 million federal investment in the City of Hope Antelope Valley on Tuesday morning, allowing the cancer treatment center to acquire a new piece of equipment to improve care. The federal funds will allow...
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Active troops like cookies, too
Blue Star Mothers of Antelope Valley, joined by Coffee4Vets supporters, Assemblyman Tom Lackey and a host of others, helped the Blue Star Mothers send 400 boxes of Girl Scout cookies to active duty troops deployed. They gathered at Palmdale...
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No Hate Tour wows students
LITTLEROCK — The anti-bullying message of the No Hate High School Tour was delivered with spectacular BMX stunts on Friday afternoon at Littlerock High School. The tour also performed at Rosamond High School Friday morning. Four professional BMX...
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Guests, students enjoy books
PALMDALE — Mesquite Elementary School featured a parade of guests in classrooms on Thursday morning, reading to the students in celebration as part of Read Across America. Firefighters, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s deputies, a captain from the US...
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Road to recovery ends with new book
PALMDALE — Patricia Evans Skoog was in an abusive, manipulative marriage for 16 years, starting in the 1960s, that took her from California to Vietnam. Skoog, 96, was finally able to reach forgiveness by telling her story in her book “Destroyed and...
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Spring comes early: Poppies blooming
LANCASTER — Bright orange California poppies are already beginning to bloom in the Antelope Valley weeks earlier than usual, thanks to a mix of winter rain and sunny days in early February. Staff at the Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve State...
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District hosts 7th giveaway event in school gymnasium
LANCASTER — Families from the Lancaster School District lined up on Friday morning to get their chance to enter a room filled with food, clothes, hygiene products and school supplies. The room adjacent to the gymnasium at the Lancaster School District...
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Learning about making films
PALMDALE — A bright light shined on several students crammed into a small classroom Thursday afternoon at the Learn4Life — Antelope Valley Learning Academy. A student actress was seated at a small table as two sound engineers and a cameraman got ready...
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Rec center upgrades coming
LANCASTER — The Lancaster City Council approved three items through a consent calendar vote on Tuesday afternoon for upgrades to the Midtown Recreation Center. The council approved the purchase of networking equipment and cabling infrastructure, the...
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Scrivner-inspired bill is introduced
BAKERSFIELD — A second locally elected lawmaker has proposed state legislation at least partly inspired by the mental health diversion case of former Kern County Supervisor Zack Scrivner. State Sen. Shannon Grove, R-Bakersfield, introduced a...
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Avenue J interchange complete
LANCASTER — The Avenue J Interchange Improvements Project is officially complete and fully open to the public, the City of Lancaster has announced. Improvements included two new ramps at Avenue J, widening of existing ramps and traffic signal upgrades...
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ESports standouts capture honors
PALMDALE — In partnership with Lollipop Labs, students were presented with championship trophies after competing in last month’s Palmdale School District eSports Showcase. During the Jan. 17 showcase, student teams from schools throughout the district...
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City OKs rail crossing funds
PALMDALE — The City Council on Tuesday approved an amendment to the City of Palmdale’s agreement with Southern California Regional Rail Authority for additional design review services for the Palmdale Boulevard and Sierra Highway Railroad Crossing...
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Intersection improvements set
LANCASTER — The City of Lancaster is adding protected left turns and push buttons to seven intersections. The modifications are being added for residents’ safety. Thee affected intersection are Avenue J and 15th Street East, Avenue J-8 and Challenger...
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Whitesides praises law enforcement
LANCASTER — Rep. George Whitesides visited two Lancaster law enforcement departments on Wednesday morning, one to celebrate a grant for equipment and the other to mark the addition of a safety barrier the congressman from the Antelope Valley helped...
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Illegal dispensaries are raided
ROSAMOND —The Kern County Sheriff’s Office led a multi-agency effort on Feb. 12, executing search warrants that led to four illegal marijuana dispensaries to be shut down. Personnel from nine different agencies helped execute the search warrants at 6...
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Blood donation celebration
QUARTZ HILL — Antelope Valley resident Bill Foisel made his 283rd blood donation on Thursday at an American Red Cross Blood Drive and celebrated by sharing a non-alcoholic beer with the organizer. The 97-year old Foisel has donated a little more than...
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County closing health center
LANCASTER — The Antelope Valley Health Center is being closed by the Los Angeles County Public Health Department on Feb. 27. The closure of the center, 335-B East Ave. K-6, had been planned for a few months, but was only announced by the department on...
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Kern: ‘ The deficit stars have aligned’
BAKERSFIELD — Kern County is looking at a $14 million budget deficit in the coming fiscal year as local costs continue to outpace revenue amid massive policy and funding changes at the state and federal levels. “Federal and state policy actions —...
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Report: Lancaster crime drops
LANCASTER — The Lancaster Police Department and the Los Angeles Sheriff Department’s Lancaster station reported that crime dropped 15% in Lancaster in 2025. Lancaster Police Chief Rodrick Armalin and Lancaster Sheriff’s Station Operations Capt. Paul...
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AVC trustees get construction update
The Antelope Valley College Board of Trustees was provided an update on construction projects Monday night and a look at future needs on its campus. The board was presented with the 5-Year Capital Outlay/Construction Plan, which is the mechanism to...
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Kaiser workers go on strike
LANCASTER — Pharmacy and lab employees in the Antelope Valley went on strike against Kaiser Permanente on Monday, joining thousands of nurses and health care workers in California who are in their third week of an Unfair Labor Practice strike against...
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Newsom touts high-speed rail progress
WASCO — Gov. Gavin Newsom, standing near Wasco aside a stack of steel beams for use in California’s high-speed rail system, celebrated a project construction milestone Tuesday, even as officials in Kern County press for answers on how the work will...
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EAFB sets ‘Game of Drones’
Members of the Experimental Test Force and private industry conduct a performance-based sUAS experiment (above) during the inaugural “Game of Drones” event Dec. 8-12 at Edwards Air Force Base. The weeklong effort brought together six industry partners...
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Activists analyze policing deal
LANCASTER — Community leaders and activists reflected on the progress the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department has made in the federal settlement agreement over the conduct of deputies policing the Antelope Valley and the work that still needs to be...
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Baker Hughes to invest in project
In the latest example of conventional and renewable energy coming together locally, a global technology company best known for servicing oil fields this week announced a large investment in what is planned to be Kern County’s largest non-battery power...
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Lancaster High students protest ICE
LANCASTER — A large group of students protesting US Immigration and Customs Enforcement on Friday afternoon marched from Lancaster High School to Lancaster City Hall. A group of approximately 250 students, many carrying signs, first circled the...
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Youth start medical program
PALMDALE — The first class of the Mini Med Program at Palmdale Regional Medical Center was introduced on Wednesday afternoon. The class was comprised of 24 fourth- and fifth-grade students from Quartz Hill Elementary School, as well as 12 internal...
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Kern voters will decide charter issue
BAKERSFIELD — Kern County voters will decide whether to convert to a charter county in the June 2 primary election, following a unanimous vote Tuesday by the Kern County Board of Supervisors to place the matter on the ballot. Following lengthy — and...
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Planners OK Parkway Village plan
LANCASTER — The Lancaster Planning Commission approved the land use design, zoning and certified the final Environmental Impact Report for the Parkway Village Specific Plan during a meeting on Monday afternoon. All four members of the planning...
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Kaiser Permanente nurses strike
LANCASTER — Kaiser Permanente nurses and health care workers in the Antelope Valley joined in the statewide open-ended strike, starting on Monday morning, alleging unfair labor practices amid prolonged contract talks. Approximately 500 Kaiser...
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Stratolaunch secures big investment
One of eastern Kern’s most promising aerospace operations has secured a nine-figure investment — likely its largest ever — from a prominent private equity firm intent on extending the company’s leadership in hypersonic testing services. Stratolaunch...
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Volunteers count AV’s homeless
LANCASTER — The 2026 Greater Los Angeles Homeless Count took to the streets and neighborhoods of the Antelope Valley on Thursday morning, as thousands of volunteers spread throughout LA County to participate. The homeless count, conducted countywide...
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Schi , Padilla call for greater accountability at California City site
CALIFORNIA CITY — Both of California’s US senators visited the immigration detention facility in California City on Tuesday, calling for better oversight to ensure detainees are being provided adequate care. Following a tour of the California City...
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The Air Force is changing: ‘Embrace it’
EDWARDS AFB — Chief Master Sgt. Joshua Skarloken, 412th Test Wing command chief master sergeant, encouraged Airmen to embrace change, keep a positive attitude and make responsible decisions during the “Back-in-the-Saddle” All Call earlier this month at...
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East Kern borax mine might get help
BORON — Retaliatory tariffs imposed by China on eastern Kern’s largest mineral export will become a focus next month as members of the county Board of Supervisors deliberate how to help one of the region’s major employers. The board’s Legislative...
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Drones used as first responders
LANCASTER — City officials confirmed Tuesday that Lancaster Police Department drones are fully operational and already responding to first responder incidents. During the meeting, Lancaster Police Chief Rodrick Armalin told Mayor R. Rex Parris that...
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County plans new teen centers
The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors approved more than $4 million in funding Tuesday for four new teen center projects, including at Jackie Robinson Park in Sun Village and Stephen Sorensen Park in Lake Los Angeles. The projects will create a...
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LA County weights ICE-free zones
The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday will consider a motion introduced by Supervisor Lindsey Horvath that seeks to create “ICE-free zones” in Los Angeles County to prevent federal officers from using county-owned property for any...
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AV storm cleanup continues
Supervisor Kathryn Barger on Wednesday highlighted the reopening of Palmdale Boulevard between Palmdale and Lake Los Angeles as well as three other major roads in the eastern Antelope Valley. Also opened are Avenue I between 50th and 60th streets...
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Board may expand wolf therapy
The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors today will consider a motion introduced by Supervisors Holly Mitchell and Kathryn Barger to expand wolf therapy to underserved and atrisk youth via a proposed amendment to an existing contract with the...
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Hospital greets 1st 2026 baby
LANCASTER — Parents Irma and Jose Alvarez celebrated the new year with the birth of their daughter, Brielle, the first baby born in the Antelope Valley in 2026. The proud parents welcomed their daughter at the Antelope Valley Medical Center Women and...
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Flight research advances in ’25
EDWARDS AFB — NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center at Edwards Air Force Base advanced work across aeronautics, Earth science, exploration technologies and emerging aviation systems in 2025, reinforcing its role as one of the agency’s primary test...
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NASA hunting for critical minerals
Called AVIRIS-5, it’s the latest in a long line of sensors pioneered by NASA JPL to survey Earth, the moon and other worlds. Cradled in the nose of a high-altitude research airplane, a new NASA sensor has taken to the skies to help geoscientists map...
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AV student performances gain
LANCASTER — Most Antelope Valley school districts showed an increase in student achievement and graduation rates and decreases in suspension rates and chronic absenteeism, according to results from the 202425 California Dashboard. The Dashboard is an...
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Strong storm drenches, floods Valley
PALMDALE — A powerful Christmas Eve storm that dropped more than four inches of rain in Acton, more than two inches of rain in Lancaster and more than an inch of rain in Palmdale over a 12-hour period from 3:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. caused dangerous...
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Turkeys and toys for the needy
LANCASTER — It was an early Christmas for many families as Lancaster Sheriff’s Station deputies and Explorer Academy recruits distributed turkeys and hundreds of toys to those in need Monday at Deputy Pierre W. Bain Park. An estimated 500 people lined...
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Local teen wins poetry contest
PALMDALE — When Palmdale Academy Charter High School junior Yesenia Martinez moved to Lake Los Angeles last year from the San Fernando Valley, she quickly discovered the “lake” in the rural community’s name was in name only. Yesenia turned her move...
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New health center opens doors
LANCASTER — Reisner Health Center celebrated its grand opening Thursday with a party in the parking that included a DJ, tacos and a row of low-rider vehicles parked in front of the office. The center, at 43807 10th St. West, is a family practice...
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Lighting up holiday season
The granddaughter of Lancaster Mayor R. Rex Parris lights the Christmas tree as he watches (far right) Saturday during the City of Lancaster’s A Magical BLVD event on Lancaster Boulevard. The celebration included lights, music and activities such as a...
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Wreaths honor memories of vets
LANCASTER — Hundreds of people, friends, family, members of veteran and youth groups turned out to decorate the marker stones of more than 1,000 veterans of the armed forces interred at Lancaster Cemetery. The Saturday morning event unfolded under...
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Preserving AV aviation history
EDWARDS AFB — The Flight Test Museum at Edwards Air Force Base is a testament to the eight decades of flight tests and unparalleled aviation milestones made at the desert base. The museum celebrates and preserves the aircraft and stories of these...
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Students give paws to animal welfare
PALMDALE — Yellen Learning Center students helped save the lives of 156 animals this fall at the Palmdale Animal Care Center, thanks to teacher Angelique Milillo’s Faces of Hope project. Milillo started the project this summer after one of her...
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Winter-style fun at amphitheater
Guests snow-tube (left) at the City of Palmdale’s Jolly Holiday winter wonderland Saturday at Palmdale Amphitheater. At right, Rancho Vista queens visit with two of Santa’s elves. Visitors also made snow angels and made hands-on holiday crafts.
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Santa drops in for milk, cookies
Santa Claus greets Lancaster Community Center guests just after his arrival Saturday for its first Milk and Cookies event. The center will host Santa again for pictures from 3 to 5 p.m. and 6 to 8 p.m. today, then for pictures and cookies at the same...
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Residents can apply for county rent relief
LOS ANGELES (CNS) — The Los Angeles County Department of Consumer and Business Affairs announced Thursday it will open applications for emergency rent relief on Dec. 17 to residents impacted by January’s wildfires and new financial pressures tied to...
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It’s time to frolic in the snow
PALMDALE — Palmdale School District’s Community Schools Department will host its second Winter Extravaganza from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at SAGE Magnet Academy, 38060 20th St. East, at Avenue R. The free, family-friendly community event will...
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MKJ Foundation aids with burial costs
LANCASTER — The Madelyn, Kadence and Joseph Foundation seeks to provide low-cost or no-cost burial services for victims of violent crimes or accidents due to violence. The new charitable foundation is named after Madelyn Gonzales and her stillborn...
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Directors discuss rule changes
LANCASTER — Starting next year, four bills signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom will revise provisions of the Brown Act, the California Public Records Act and the Political Reform Act with changes that include remote participation as an Americans with...
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New slide coming to DryTown
PALMDALE — DryTown Water Park will get a brand new slide tower in time for the 2026 summer season. The latest addition to the 20-year-old park will feature three slides with one dedicated for adrenaline junkies, a body slide for riders and a twisting...
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