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Town Hall On Proposed Home Depot at Devonshire and Balboa

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Image pilfered from https://thedcontinuum.wordpress.com/2014/08/06/the-home-despot/ In case you haven't heard, Home Depot purchased the property at the SE corner of Devonshire and Balboa, and plans to demolish everything from Regency Theater to Ralphs, and replace it all with a Home Depot.  But before you get mad at Home Depot for wiping out community-friendly storefronts with an industrial-style warehouse focused primarily on serving contractors (and sure, they're partially to blame),  go back a step prior and learn about the proposal to expand the Van Nuys Airport which will crowd out the existing Home Depot on Roscoe just east of Balboa.  Watch this page for info and updates, and put this event on your calendar:  Town Hall Meeting 2 pm – 6 pm Sunday, Aug. 14 John F. Kennedy High School 11254 Gothic Avenue, Granada Hills Reproducing post on GHSNC.org here:  Representatives of The Home Depot Corp. have filed an application with Los Angeles City Planning to build a new Home De

Thoughts on Joe's Cafe and cancel culture

On June 1, 2020, the date when people planned to gather in Granada Hills to protest George Floyd's killing, fearful rumors began flying early. The protest was certain to be violent. The claims that it was planned as a "peaceful" protest was certain to be cover for looters. Some started spreading the rumor that "the organizers have cancelled the event," presumably with the hope of making that come true.  I spent that afternoon trying to debunk the myths that seemed designed to suppress the event from happening. Myth debunking has, at times during 2020, seemed like a full-time job for me, starting with my pointless and overmatched efforts to argue with "the pandemic is a liberal hoax" theorists. I still find it difficult to believe that my pleas for evidence-based reasoning would so often be dismissed as radical.  Yet I stubbornly cling to my insistence that without evidence to support them, beliefs are worthless.  On social media, I pled with fear-sprea

Mitchell Englander Agrees to Plead Guilty to Federal Charge Related to Obstructing Public Corruption Investigation

by L.J. Williamson Former Los Angeles City Councilman Mitchell "Mitch" Englander filed a plea agreement this morning in federal court, pleading guilty to one count of scheming to falsify material facts. Federal criminal charges against Englander stem from obstruction of a public corruption investigation related to his acceptance of gifts from a businessman during trips to Las Vegas and Palm Springs. In the plea agreement, Englander pled to a scheme to cover up cash payments, expensive meals, escort services and other gifts offered to him from a businessman who operated companies in Los Angeles relating to major development projects.  The agreement also states that Englander knowingly and willfully falsified and concealed material facts pertaining to this federal public corruption investigation According to the Department of Justice, after he learned about the FBI’s public corruption investigation, Englander sent an encrypted message to "Businessperson A" o

The Englander Indictment: What Next For John Lee?

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John Lee's Facebook profile pic.  by L.J. Williamson After the jarring arrest of former City Councilmember Mitchell Englander dropped jaws all over Los Angeles, heads swiveled next toward his successor and protégé, Councilmember John Lee. Englander was arrested by federal agents on criminal charges that he obstructed an investigation into accepting cash, female escort services, hotel rooms and expensive meals from a businessman during trips to Las Vegas and Palm Springs, and later lied to the FBI about his conduct. In response, Lee issued a  statement  that he had in fact been along for the ride in Vegas, but had made an effort to reimburse expenses and was "unaware of any illegal activities for which Councilmember Englander is being charged." Englander's  indictment  is a gripping read. The vacationers in the former councilmember's entourage included Lee and a businessman "seeking to increase his business opportunities in the city," who

The Market Report, 7:30 a.m., Monday, March 16

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The line at Smart & Final, 7:28 a.m. Ralph's, Balboa & Devonshire, 7:34 a.m. "You think this is long, you should see Albertson's on Nordhoff!" one woman said.  Target, 7:38 a.m. Line goes all the way up the escalator.   Trader Joe's,  7:39 a.m. New later opening time to allow for restocking.    Sprouts, 7:45 a.m. Open, lines longish but not crazy. No milk.  Also, no Purell wipes.  Frosty Queen, 8:01 a.m. Only guy in line. "It's better than going to the store where there's no food!" he said. 

Organ Transplant Recipients Will Gather in Guinness World Records Title Attempt at the Donate Life Run/Walk & Family Festival

14 th Annual Run/Walk Honors Those Touched by Organ, Eye and Tissue Donation, Inspires Southland Residents to Donate Life Elsa Arana, Granada Hills resident, made the decision to donate her son Marco’s organs when he passed away suddenly at the age of 28 in a car accident.  In 2010, the Arana family had the rare opportunity to meet one of Marco’s organ recipients: David Jones, a young African American man who had been undergoing dialysis treatments for 11 hours a day before he received the life-saving gift of a kidney. Now, Elsa dedicates her time to being an Ambassador for OneLegacy, the non-profit organization dedicated to saving and healing lives through organ, eye and tissue donation and transplantation. As an ambassador Elsa spreads the word about the life-saving power of organ donation and inspires others to register as donors. OneLegacy’s Ambassadors adopt cities, DMV field offices, high schools and hospitals. Through these community-based efforts, Ambassador