GIGA GRANADA HILLS

LAUSD is closer to completion of the new high school being built on Balboa Boulevard north of Devonshire, and there'll be a public meeting providing residents with a construction update and a forum for addressing questions about the new school on Tuesday, May 25 from 6:30-8pm. The construction will cause sidewalk and lane closures along Balboa Boulevard, San Jose, and Genesta throughout July and August and some nighttime construction work in May. In other words: Yay! More traffic on Balboa!

Today's Google Doodle celebrates the 30th anniversary of Pac Man, and features a playable version of the game. Visit http://www.google.com today to check it out.

The always-fascinating historic blog Pleasant Family Shopping does it again. Check out the site for an amazing full color photo spread of Ralph's Supermarket on the corner of Balboa and Chatsworth in 1965. "Beyond the new layout itself, a big part of the remodeled Granada Hills store’s appeal was its striking new decor. The colorful, classy new look was the work of Brand-Worth and Associates, a Los Angeles-based firm that specialized in retail interior design. The new and remodeled Ralphs supermarkets of the 1960’s were among the most elegant of the era." The best part is the graphics on the aisle directory signs, which feature images instead of words. The politically incorrect yet still unmistakable Eskimo (drawn with so few lines!) indicates -- yes, it's obvious -- frozen foods. Also, dig the boxer sporting a pearl necklace about to elegantly dine on a dish of Alpo. read more

The Daily News reported today that the former owner of Golden State Collective is facing two years in state prison for his no-contest plea to stealing more than $18,000 worth of electricity. There's two philosophies about running businesses that are in grey areas of the law: keeping your nose as clean as possible , or just saying screw it, I'm already breaking one law, why not break mor e? Steven Richard Kall, the 55-year-old co-owner of the Golden State Collective, obviously went with option B. Kall, according to the Daily News report, was already out on bail on similar charges in Ventura County at the time of his arrest . The dispensary owner had installed an illegal electrical by-pass at a Valley grow house and had been growing the marijuana plants with free electricity for eight months . In a previous interview , the owner of another Granada Hills dispensary, Junior Martinez, railed against shady dispensary operators and the guilt by association they create for leg...

It's Britney, bitch! Popstar/I-used-to-be-on-top-star Britney Spears, apparently with the full complement of hair and undergarments she's been famous for shedding/forgetting, paid a visit to our humble metropolis this week for a Candie’s photo shoot. Yes, Britney sells shoes, but Lady Gaga sells booze -- so who would you rather party with? M.I.A.? Yeah, me too. Call me when she shows up in Granada Hills. Same goes for Madonna.