🌱 Westwood’s Ralphs Has Fast Food + Betty White Mural On Melrose

Sylvia Cochran
Updated ·5 min read
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Up and at 'em, Los Angeles, and happy National Dress Up Your Pet Day! It's Friday, so let's get you started with everything you need to know going on in Los Angeles today.

If you don’t like cooking after shopping, the Ralphs on Le Conte has a solution. Also, a QR code on the Betty White mural lets you meet the #BettyWhiteChallenge. Finally, there’ll be no price-gouging over COVID-19 at-home tests.

First, today's weather:

Mostly cloudy. High: 73 Low: 56.

Here are the top five stories in Los Angeles today:

  1. Shopping at Westwood’s Ralphs (located at 10850 Le Conte Avenue) is getting more convenient. We learned Thursday that this store is trying a new business model that involves fast food order placement and fulfillment while you shop. Before grabbing a cart, head to the kiosk and order from Wild Rice Asian Kitchen, Fresh Brothers, Bad Mutha Clucka, or Plant B (among others). By the time you finish shopping and checked out, the order’s ready to go. (LA Eater, Kitchen United)

  2. 'Be More Like Betty' is the writing on a new mural you can see on Melrose Avenue as of this Thursday. It honors the late Betty White, a known animal lover and advocate. The artist, Corie Mattie, included a QR code that directs you to Studio-City based Wagmor. This charity “helped rescue 4,500 dogs during the pandemic,” which is perfectly in keeping with the #BettyWhiteChallenge hashtag. (NBC)

  3. Los Angeles City Attorney Mike Feuer is going on record that price-gouging involving COVID-19 at-home tests is illegal. He took the opportunity Thursday to discuss penalties, fines, and even the possibility of imprisonment for anyone who increases prices “by more than 10 percent of the regular retail price.” The issue caught his attention when an Agoura Hills pharmacy “was accused of selling COVID tests for more than double the regular retail price.” (CBS)

  4. On Wednesday, the L.A. City Council “approved 58 anti-camping locations” that will lead to homeless encampments facing enforcement actions. These begin with a notification, then there’s going to be an outreach attempt, and finally, there will be a dismantling of the encampment. Council Member Mike Bonin voted against banning encampments from “sidewalks, driveways, freeway overpasses, on-ramps, near libraries, parks and schools, and in front of homeless shelters.” (CBS)

  5. Officials are concerned that the light rail that was supposed to connect downtown L.A. with Artesia “is in danger of falling decades behind its expected opening date.” Originally, the project was supposed to be finished in time for the 2028 Olympics. Even though funding was supposed to come from a voter-approved sales tax increase, Metro staff now says it might take until 2053 to build the line. We learned Wednesday that LA County Supervisor Janice Hahn is demanding “answers about why the timeline has been dramatically pushed back and what can be done to speed it up.” (LB Post)

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Today in Los Angeles:

  • The Original Farmers Market to Host Blood Drive with Cedars-Sinai (10 AM to 4 PM)

  • Free Sing-along Sessions for Seniors from Music Mends Minds (online) (11 AM)

  • FREE WEBINAR: “Michelangelo and the Terrible Pope” Presented by Dr. Rocky Ruggiero (2 PM)

  • Makers Mess Presents 2022 Intention Candle Making with Sayde (6 PM)

  • Disco Dome with DJ Colette (7 PM)

From my notebook:

  • The Los Angeles County Fire Department, Lifeguard Division issued a High Surf Advisory for all Los Angeles County beaches. Surf is in the 5 to 8 foot range, with sets up to 10 feet. Know your limits! Check in with a lifeguard for an update on conditions before getting into the water. (Facebook)

  • The Los Angeles Conservancy announced that the L.A. City Council unanimously approved the Nishiyama Residence/Otomisan Japanese Restaurant as a historic-cultural monument. (Facebook)

  • A neighbor in Westmont Northeast is offering a $50 reward for finding their lost dog. (Nextdoor)

  • A N Hollywood Oxnard-Archwood neighbor needs recommendations for an honest / affordable refrigerator technician. (Nextdoor)

  • Our Bellaire-Strathern neighbor is missing their family dog. Did you see it? (Nextdoor)

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  • Avoid Trust Administration Mistakes! (Webinar w/ Live Chat Q&A) (January 15)

  • Taxes In Retirement Seminar (January 17)

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  • Understanding the Probate Process (Webinar w/ Live Chat Q&A) (January 19)

  • Estate Planning for Your Loved Ones - Webinar w/ Live Chat Q&A (January 19)

  • Taxes In Retirement Webinar (January 24)

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Now you're in the loop and ready to start this Friday off right! See you tomorrow for your next update.

— Sylvia Cochran

About me: Sylvia Cochran works out of sunny Southern California and has been freelance writing full-time since 2005. She loves dogs, cats, books, plays Best Fiends (don't judge), embraces social justice, and tries to live out Micah 6:8.

This article originally appeared on the Los Angeles Patch