Posts by mveneman:
GBHS teachers moving on to new futures: Seven faculty to leave for retirement, administration, transfer
May 25th, 2011At the end of every year, Granite Bay High School says goodbye to some of its teachers. This year is no exception, as the school is losing some of its most accomplished and beloved teachers who are moving on after many years in the classroom. Read the rest of this entry “
Grizzlies defeat Thunder 86-47
February 16th, 2011
Grizzly players rush onto the court after introductions.
The Granite Bay Grizzlies took on the Rocklin Thunder at home on Wednesday night securing another crushing victory and improving to 8-1 in league. The Grizzlies won yet again in dominating fashion beating the Thunder 86-47.
At six all early in the first quarter, Robert Duncan hit a three to give the Grizzlies the lead and they never lost it.
Old Spaghetti Factory
November 17th, 2010The Old Spaghetti Factory is located off Sunrise Avenue in Roseville, very accessible from nearly everywhere in the local area.
The Old Spaghetti Factory is a classic Italian restaurant providing great food at a quality price.
My mom, my girlfriend and I were instantly seated in the “train” in the middle of the restaurant.
To me, it felt a little claustrophobic — we were literally inside a small train car.
We saw a booth nearby outside of the train and asked to be moved. The staff graciously allowed us to move to the booth of our choice.
Upon being seated, we were greeted by our friendly waitress who quickly took our drink orders and brought us freshly made bread.
As I sipped on my Shirley Temple, I looked around the restaurant and admired the building.
The centrally located train was surrounded by booths and tables. There was also a second floor with even more seating.
Within a few minutes the waitress brought our fresh green salads.
Minutes later my girlfriend spilled some lettuce on the floor.
Without us ever saying a word, it was cleaned up awkwardly next to us by a bus boy.
After we got that ordeal past us, our food arrived.
The food was all piping hot and delicious.
Being that we were eating at the Old Spaghetti Factory, naturally I ordered spaghetti.
The spaghetti came in a huge portion and it was fresh, hot and topped with their homemade marinara sauce.
My mom ordered the lasagna, and was presented with layers of meat and cheese topped, once again, with the marinara sauce.
My girlfriend ordered spinach and cheese raviolis.
A large portion of raviolis stuffed with three different cheeses and spinach were served under their marinara sauce.
All three of us ordered classic Italian dishes and none of them disappointed.
The portions were all huge. I barely finished mine and my mom had enough left to make another meal the next day.
I had to make room in my stomach for a complimentary desert after my meal. All meals come with your choice of vanilla ice cream or spumoni.
All of this food and great service came at a reasonable price. Expect to pay around $10 for most entrées.
I enjoyed every last bite of my meal down to the last drop of ice cream and I found myself stuffed but very satisfied.
GBHS doesn’t fare well compared to similar schools
November 17th, 2010Granite Bay High School has performed better than many other schools in the area over the last several years.
In terms of number of AP tests taken, AP tests passed and API scores, Granite Bay outperforms other schools in the district.
In 2008-09 GBHS students took 851 AP tests and 78 percent of students passed these tests.
This is a much higher pass rate than the national average of 58.7 percent.
Based on Academic Performance Index (API), GBHS ranks much higher than schools in the local area.
But there is another number which people seldom see. It is called the Similar Schools Rank. For this number, GBHS is grouped with 99 other schools that break down similarly in terms of demographics.
GBHS ranks in the bottom 20 percent when compared with similar schools. Read the rest of this entry “
Dave and Buster’s
October 18th, 2010 If you’re looking for quality food at a reasonable price, all in a great family atmosphere, Dave and Buster’s is the place for you.
Dave and Buster’s is located right in the fountains off East Roseville Parkway.
I had heard that Dave and Buster’s was basically an adult version of Chuckie Cheese or John’s Incredible Pizza, but I found out that this is far from the truth.
As I walked in, I looked off to my left and saw a huge arcade filled with games. There was an equal number of kids and adults in the arcade.
Now sure, it has more adults than say Chuckie Cheese, but it is much more geared towards families.
My party and I were instantly seated in a large booth of our choice. The walls of the booth were so big that we felt enclosed in our own world, separate from the chaos and noise of the arcade.
We were greeted by our very loud and bubbly waitress who then brought waters and took our orders.
As I awaited the arrival of my food, I found myself watching the multiple TVs throughout the restaurant. The TVs were broadcasting every sports game possible.
The layout of the restaurant was interesting; the arcade was located to the side, a bar was in the middle of the building, and then most of the seating was located on the opposite side of the arcade.
This separation between the noisy arcade and the quieter section of the restaurant created somewhat of a wall for those families who wanted a nice family dinner.
My attention was drawn back to the sports games – many of which were ending – for our food was nowhere to be seen after nearly a half hour of waiting.
After a long and painful wait, our food finally arrived.
Although the wait was long, the food was delicious.
I ordered a cheeseburger topped with lettuce, tomato and onions and served with a side of French fries. I savored every last juicy bite.
We also had an order of fish and chips served with French fries as well. The fish was crispy on the outside and tender and delicious on the inside.
Our final entrée was a Philly cheese steak sandwich. The sandwich consisted of thin strips of steak on a warm roll topped with cheese.
I quickly devoured my delicious cheeseburger while my parents also enjoyed every bite of their meals.
Throughout the night, our waitress seemed to disappear for long periods of time even though she was needed.
But overall, the food outweighed the poor service. I was happy as I strolled through the fountains reflecting on a good night capped off by a great meal.
Canada geese migrate to GBHS
October 18th, 2010Canada Geese are a migratory bird species native to North America.
These birds associate in large flocks and stick together throughout the year.
One of these flocks however has recently invaded Granite Bay High School.
Most Canada Geese migrate during the year, but these geese native to Granite Bay have become residential: they are here to stay.
GBHS biology teacher Scott Braly explains that the growing geese population is nation wide and not just a local problem. Read the rest of this entry “
Soccer team delivers shutout
October 13th, 2010
Granite Bay’s varsity soccer team improved on their flawless record Wednesday afternoon by beating the Nevada Union Miners 11-0.
This blowout game was not uncommon for the team and this was one of many times the Grizzlies have shut out their opponents this year.
Senior Brenden Pettingill got things started early for GBHS scoring the first goal within the first ten minutes.
Minutes later Connor Hallisey dished up a perfect ball to Lucas Schorer who headed it in for the team’s second goal. Read the rest of this entry “
Mimi’s Café
October 2nd, 2010 If you’re craving a restaurant with some great cuisine at a reasonable price and all with great service, then Mimi’s Café is the place for you.
Mimi’s Café is located right on the corner of East Roseville Parkway and Galleria Boulevard near the mall, making it a very easily accessible restaurant for most people.
Upon entering, my party and I were immediately seated, while we were permitted to choose either a booth or table. The restaurant doesn’t take reservations, but they do however allow their guests to call ahead, (which to me is basically the same thing).
When we were seated I began looking around at the walls and noticed that all the pictures and memorabilia were French. I wondered, ‘is the food going to be only French cuisine?’ Read the rest of this entry “
Female martial artist kicks and flips to the top
September 14th, 2010
Freshman extreme martial artist Mackensi Emory practices a kick at Feist Park without
When we think karate and martial arts we often think of kicks and punches. This is the traditional type of martial arts. There is however, a whole different branch to the sport: extreme martial arts.
Extreme martial arts is not a widely known activity but it is different from traditional karate.
This sport involves flips and turns, just like we see in the movies. Extreme martial arts involves the stunts we see in Hollywood with stunt men running and flying and flipping through the air while kicking and hitting.
For Granite Bay High School freshman, Mackensi Emory, extreme martial arts is her life and passion.
Emory began her martial arts career at Kovars Academy when she was six years old. She trained there for several years.
“One of the instructors introduced me to our karate school’s demo team,” Emory said. “I was on that team for about a year and during that time I learned the basic kicking and flipping techniques.”
Emory found the transition to the sport easy, for she had been doing gymnastics since she could walk. She began to participate in local tourna¬ments in the state and experienced immediate success. Read the rest of this entry “
Crush 29
May 20th, 2010If you’re looking for great food and a beautiful restaurant at a reasonable price, then Crush 29 is the place for you.
Crush 29 is located right off Eureka Road in Roseville, easily accessible from anywhere in Granite Bay.
As my dining party and I walked into the restaurant, I noticed an Audi R8 parked in the valet lot. For those of you familiar with cars, this is well over a 100,000 dollar purchase. I also noticed a Porsche 911 and two Jaguars. This seemed to be foreshadowing what was to come.
The restaurant itself was quite beautiful. Tile and stone is used a lot, both inside and out. A circular bar is located in the middle of the restaurant with many smaller rooms that can seat regular guests or large parties. (Many of these rooms were used by different groups of students for their prom).
My party and I were promptly led to our booth by a beautiful hostess. The waiter then greeted us right away and brought water and breadsticks for everyone. Read the rest of this entry “
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