It's definatly later than our usual send time, but before the day wraps up, here's a fresh roundup of what's happening across the San Fernando Valley.

🔹 In Today's Issue:

As always, thanks for catching up with the Northridge Now. Whether you're reading before bed or catching up first thing tomorrow morning, we've got you covered on what's happening in and around the Valley.

Let’s get into it 👇

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Several students from across the San Fernando Valley have been named semifinalists in the 2026 National Merit Scholarship Program, one of the nation's most prestigious academic competitions.

The honor places these students among the top high school scholars in the country and keeps them in the running for National Merit Scholarships that will be awarded next year. Finalists will be selected after completing additional application requirements, including essays, academic records, and recommendations.

🏫 Chatsworth
Sierra Canyon School
Aiden Gofnung, Nikhil McGowan

🏫 Granada Hills
Granada Hills Charter High School
Sarkis Akopian, Jason Bowden, William Kim

🏫 North Hollywood

North Hollywood High School
Connor H. Chang, Henry C. Felts, Daniel C. French, Katie M. Hwang, Marlowe E. Jaspan, Danny Kim, Vincent H. Lim, Shashwat Mishra, Lev S. Newhall, Suzuko D. Ohshima, Natalie N. Olinger, Jack C. Putnam, Jerry A. Yang, Connor Z. Zhao

Oakwood School
Noah Walpert

Science Academy STEM Magnet
Frederick I. Ernst, Pranav P. Kunnath, John D. Lee, Ryan M. Lee, Xavier M. Rowe

🏫 Reseda
Reseda High School
Siona Gupta

🏫 Sherman Oaks
Notre Dame High School
Alexander Braithwaite, Benedict Henry Cruz, Ethan Le, Katherine Mcauliffe

🏫 Studio City

Campbell Hall
Eli Reyblat

Harvard-Westlake School
Zachary R. Abrahamson, Miles S. Aguilar, Sydney D. Assil, Vikrant Bakaya, Samuel L. Benardo, Brando K. Bowse, Ethan Z. Chen, Markenever Dai, Mikenever Dai, Lauren Daub, Adrian Drouin, Jessica Ferrie, Calder J. Glass, James E. Graczyk, Kayla A. Graff, Anju Higashi, Ella M. Jeon, Andrew H. Jo, Seoyoon Lee, Silas M. Liftin-Harris, Robinson J. Louie, Lyra Majumdar, Chase Mayer, Max S. Meyer, Audrey E. Park, Sally M. Ramberg, William L. Rosen, Erin Y. Ryu, Nikhil Sarvaiya, Shimon Schlessinger, Levi R. Schwartz, Cordelia T. Scoville, Emma Tran-Lee, Melanie H. Yam, Darren R. Yilmaz, Chen Yuan, Cyrus C. Zahiri, Ka Yan Zhang

🏫 Sun Valley
Francis Polytechnic High School
Eduardo Barraza Saucedo

🏫 Tarzana
Sherman Oaks Center for Enriched Studies
Sarah M. Kovalev-Sheinberg, Sylvia M. Wachs

🏫 Van Nuys
Van Nuys High School
Ian Lee

🏫 West Hills
Chaminade College Preparatory
Marc Kogan

🏫 Winnetka
A.G.B.U. Manoogian-Demirdjian School
Andrew Gharibian, Sevag Markarian, Sevag Vakian

🏫 Woodland Hills
William Howard Taft High School
Jakob D. Marletti, Seth J. Nabat, Jack A. Simpson

👉 Full story: LA Daily News

A North Hollywood neighborhood was temporarily evacuated Wednesday morning after police discovered explosives inside a home near Rhodes Avenue, prompting a response from the LAPD Bomb Squad.

🔹 Key Details:

• Police responded to a report of explosives at a home in the 6100 block of Rhodes Avenue

• Residents in the immediate area were asked to evacuate as a precaution

• LAPD's Bomb Squad safely removed about 20 sticks of dynamite weighing approximately 11 pounds

• Investigators believe the explosives belonged to the homeowner's late husband, who reportedly used dynamite for road-clearing work years ago

⚖️ Why It Matters:

Authorities say there was no active threat to the public, no injuries were reported, and no criminal investigation is underway. However, the discovery prompted a large emergency response as officials worked to safely remove and secure the explosives.

👉 Full story: ABC7 Los Angeles

Los Angeles County officials have unveiled a new Heat-Related Illness and Mortality Dashboard designed to help residents track the health impacts of extreme heat as temperatures begin to rise across the region.

🔹 Key Details:

• Tracks heat-related emergency room visits and deaths across LA County

• Data can be viewed by region, age, gender, race, and ethnicity

• Dashboard aims to identify communities most vulnerable to extreme heat

• Public Health officials will update the tool throughout the May–October heat season

⚖️ Why It Matters:

Extreme heat is one of the deadliest weather-related hazards in the United States. County officials say the new dashboard will help residents, health agencies, and local leaders better understand heat-related risks and prepare for future heat waves.

👉 Full story: San Fernando Sun

A Los Angeles County jury has awarded more than $176 million to the family of two young brothers who were killed in a 2020 Westlake Village crash involving socialite Rebecca Grossman and former Dodgers pitcher Scott Erickson. The verdict found both Grossman and Erickson liable for the deaths of Mark and Jacob Iskander, who were 11 and 8 years old at the time.

🔹 Key Details:

• The jury awarded the Iskander family more than $176 million in damages

• Jurors found both Rebecca Grossman and former MLB pitcher Scott Erickson liable in the civil case

• The brothers were struck and killed while crossing a marked crosswalk in Westlake Village in September 2020

• Grossman was previously convicted of second-degree murder and is currently serving a 15-years-to-life prison sentence after her conviction was upheld on appeal earlier this year

⚖️ Why It Matters:

The civil verdict comes nearly six years after the crash that devastated the Iskander family and drew national attention. While Grossman has already been convicted in criminal court, the civil case focused on financial accountability and damages suffered by the family. The verdict marks another major chapter in one of Southern California's most closely followed criminal and civil cases.

👉 Full story: Yahoo News

Caps and gowns are about to take over the Valley as high schools, colleges, and universities across Los Angeles prepare for graduation ceremonies throughout the coming weeks.

The Daily News released its full 2026 graduation schedule, including dates and times for campuses across the San Fernando Valley and greater L.A. area — from local high schools to major universities like CSUN, UCLA, and USC.

Families are encouraged to plan ahead for parking, traffic, and large crowds around campuses during ceremony dates, especially during peak evening and weekend events.

For many Valley families, graduation season marks one of the biggest community milestones of the year — celebrating years of hard work, late nights, and proud moments finally paying off.

👉 LAUSD Schools: LA Daily News

Grow your business through real referrals - not just networking.

🗓 Thursdays · 7:00 AM
📍 The Vineyards, Porter Ranch

👉 Register to Visit or send this to someone who should: LeTip - Valley Referral Network

FRIDAY · June 5

🥬 Olive View Farmers Market

🕘 9:00 AM – 2:00 PM · Every Friday

📍 14445 Olive View Dr, Sylmar / Parking Lot A · Corner of Eisenhower Ave & Reagan Rd

Perfect stop for fresh fruits, vegetables, and local shopping heading into the weekend. Accepting EBT

🔗 More info: Sylmar NC

FRIDAY · June 5

🌮 Granada Hills Grubfest

5:00 – 10:00 PM · Chatsworth St between White Oak & Zelzah · 30+ rotating food trucks. Casual, dog-friendly. The standing Valley food event.

🔗 More info: Facebook

SUNDAY · June 7

🥬 Weekly Farmers Market at The Vineyards

9:00 AM – 2:00 PM · The Vineyards at Porter Ranch · Fresh produce, artisan foods, local vendors. Mother's-Day-meets-fresh-flowers energy — perfect plus-one for Mom.

🔗More info: More info

TUESDAY · June 9

🥕 Sherman Oaks Farmers Market

🕑 2:00 PM – 6:00 PM · Every Tuesday · Rain or Shine

Fresh produce, baked goods, flowers, prepared foods, and local vendors with laid-back neighborhood market vibes in the heart of Sherman Oaks.

📍 Sherman Oaks / Parking lot of the Westfield Mall

🔗 More info: Facebook Page

WEDNESDAY · June 10

🥬 Weekly Farmers Market at Northridge Fashion Center

⏰ 5 PM – 9 PM

Fresh produce, artisan foods, flowers, desserts, and local vendors with relaxed midweek Valley vibes.

📍 Northridge Fashion Center

🔗 More info: Northridge Fashion Center Events

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