GIGA GRANADA HILLS

The LAFD Blog is reporting that there's a "stubborn" structure fire with one casualty burning near Devonshire and Haskell. I could bike down there and take a picture, but I'd rather re-run this one instead. Structure Fire* 15739 Romar St; MAP 501-F4; FS 87; 1 story home well involved w/fire; NFD; Ch:8,18 @ 3:58 PM -Brian Humphrey### *UPDATE: 15739 Romar St* One civilian injury (65 y/o M smoke exposure & minor burn); NFD - Brian Humphrey### *UPDATE: 15739 Romar St* Now described as large 2 story garage conversion to rear of property; Stubborn fire - Brian Humphrey###

Friends of the Granada Hills Library is holding a used book sale on Friday, 2 pm - 5 pm and Saturday, 10 am - 2 pm. There will be hundreds of paperback and hardcover books in many genres for sale. You may also bring books, CDs, DVDs or other material to donate for the sale. For info call (818) 368-5687. When: Saturday, June 26, 2010, 10am – 2pm Where: Granada Hills Library 10640 Petit Ave. Granada Hills, CA 91344

Happy Birthday To This! Today is the birthday of Giga Granada Hills. This thing I started on a lark a year ago today has now grown into... a somewhat larger and more time-consuming lark. Thank you everyone for all of the FB birthday wishes, thank you to everyone who's ever supported this blog by visiting the sites of our advertisers, or purchased an ad! Ads make the world go round! I'm actually stunned and humbled by the number of readers I have. Maybe it's because I don't just write about Granada Hills; I know it, I love it, I live it. Accept no substitutes, my fellow Granada Hillsians. And may you all live to be as old as I am.

Index Street just west of Balboa is full of lovely lavender blooms — lovely, that is, if you don't have to park your car there on a regular basis. "A few years ago, a photographer from Arizona Magazine came out here and photographed this street, because it's the only place that has Jacaranda trees all the way up and down both sides," a neighbor who had lived in on Index Street for more than 40 years. "It's nice, but for a couple weeks, a couple times a year, we've got a lot of cleaning to do. Look at that sidewalk!" he says, pointing at the flower-covered ground at our feet. There are as many blossoms on the lawns and concrete as there are on the trees; it looks like the floor of a Lilith Fair concert after a confetti drop. Some homes on the street enhance the trees' showy color display by planting flowers with similar colors; Lily of the Nile and Lavender are popular along the street. But at this time of year, many residents with the trees...

Don't worry, it's now safe to visit the Valley Fair — The Journey cover band "Don't Stop Believin'" has left the building. Tonight's scheduled entertainment is Poncho Sanchez. The Valley Fair website promises that the event, held on the campus of Birmingham Community Charter School, will be "Funtastic," and if your dad likes Poncho, then take him there today and get the Father's Day discount. Hours of Operation: 12:00pm – 10:00pm Admission Prices: $6.00 Adults $5.00 Children under 11 $5.00 Seniors Sunday – Father’s Day Special (Adults get in at kids price) $5.00 Adults $5.00 Children under 11 Parking: Free $1.00 discount for adult Metro riders

"To be interested in the changing seasons is a happier state of mind than to be hopelessly in love with spring." —George Santayana Think you know what the weather is going to be like in Granada Hills, just because you saw it on the local news? Think again. "What a lot of people don't realize is that the weather that you see on television and radio stations, it's not really Granada Hills weather. It's taken from Van Nuys Airport," explains Tom Tcimpidis, Granada Hills' chief weather guru — or weather geek — take your pick. "As you can tell he's really into the weather. He loves it!" says Tom's wife, Linda. Google "Granada Hills weather," and you'll find The Tom and Linda Tcimpidis Weather Page , a pet project of Tom's that's been online since 2001, providing data so accurate it's used to verify the integrity of other stations. "Basically, it's a hobby," Tom says. "I've been int...

Remember the old, frantic, gleefully loopy TV commercials for The Federated Group? Those were made by filmmaker and Granada Hills resident Chuck Cirino. Cinefamily is hosting A Tribute To Shadoe Stevens tomorrow night, June 15, and you can relive the speed-freaky memories in all their glory. Shadoe Stevens, director Chuck Cirino and the rest of the "Fred Rated"/ Shadoevision brain trust will all be here at the Cinefamily for a Q&A after the screening! 6/15 @ 8:00pm TV Tuesday: A Tribute To Shadoe Stevens (feat. "Federated Group" Commercials Best-Of & Shadoevision !) Who knew that commercials could be this much fun?! One of the most berserk, outrageous and unforgettable TV comedies of the 1980s, doled out thirty seconds at a time, was the unending series of wacky, ultra-fast-paced commercial spots for the So Cal electronics chain The Federated Group that starred "Fred Rated", the half-insane "Bass-O-Matic"-style spokesman with a smoo...