Daily News (Los Angeles, CA) articles from August 2001

Daily News (Los Angeles, CA) archives from August 2001

County Supervisors Urge Rollback of Ontario, Calif., Airport Landing Fee.
August 1, 2001... Byline: Troy Anderson Aug. 1--The County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday challenged the city of Los Angeles' 59 percent hike in landing fees at Ontario International Airport as a setback to expanding regional air traffic. Supervisors,...

Board Develops Expansion Plan for Burbank, Calif., Airport.
August 1, 2001... Byline: Sabrina Decker Aug. 1--BURBANK, Calif.--With residents and city officials each fighting to control development at Burbank Airport, the Airport Authority weighed in Tuesday with its own plan: to pursue construction of a 14-gate...

Boeing Work on Space Station Project Being Moved from California to Houston.
August 1, 2001... Byline: Evan Pondel Aug. 1--CANOGA PARK, Calif.--Nearly 200 Boeing Co. employees who work on the International Space Station project in Canoga Park will be moved to Houston as part of a transfer of more than 1,100 engineering jobs from...

Boeing Advises NASA against Delaying Orbiter Modifications.
August 1, 2001... Byline: Jim Skeen Aug. 1--PALMDALE, Calif.--Boeing Co. advised NASA on Tuesday to continue to bring space shuttles to Palmdale for modifications and to forget a proposal to defer work on the orbiter fleet until after 2005. Boeing has...

Los Angeles Community Colleges Warn How Cutback in State Funding Will Hurt.
August 1, 2001... Byline: Joseph Giordono Aug. 1--Local community college leaders warned Tuesday that a massive cut in statewide funding will delay restoration of their dilapidated campuses and hamper efforts to improve technology. Last week, Gov. Gray...

Los Angeles Lacks Jobs near City's Center, Study Finds.
August 1, 2001... Byline: Dana Bartholomew Aug. 1--Los Angeles has fewer jobs downtown than any major U.S. metropolitan area because suburban cities lure away business with friendly low-tax offers, according to a new study. Despite the investment of...

Woodland Hills, Calif.-Based Managed Health Care Firm Posts Loss.
August 1, 2001... Byline: Evan Pondel Aug. 1--WOODLAND HILLS, Calif.--Managed health care leader Health Net Inc. posted a second-quarter loss Tuesday, as the $49 million sale of its Florida Health Plan business offset a 21 percent increase in operating...

Woodland Hills, Calif., Office Complex Not for Sale, Owner Says.
August 1, 2001... Byline: Gregory J. Wilcox Aug. 1--WOODLAND HILLS, Calif.--The owner of Warner Center Properties, the San Fernando Valley's largest office complex, on Tuesday denied rumors that the sprawling complex is for sale. "No decision has been...

Pasadena, Calif., Congressman Supports Open Space in Verdugo Mountains.
August 1, 2001... Byline: Helen Gao Aug. 1--GLENDALE, Calif.--U.S. Rep. Adam Schiff urged Mayor Gus Gomez on Tuesday to consider recreational open space as an environmentally superior alternative to a developer's proposal to build 572 homes in the Verdugo...

Glendale, Calif.-Based Restaurant Chain IHOP Reports Rise in Income.
August 1, 2001... Byline: Brent Hopkins Aug. 1--GLENDALE, Calif.--IHOP Corp. reported sweet second quarter results on Tuesday, showing record income. The restaurant chain's returns were resoundingly positive, showing a 22 percent increase in net income...

Los Angeles Mayor Seeks Two-Year Tax Exemption for New Firms.
August 1, 2001... Byline: Rick Orlov Aug. 1--STUDIO CITY, Calif.--Hoping to attract and help new businesses, Mayor James Hahn and Councilman Jack Weiss called on Tuesday for a permanent two-year exemption on city business taxes for all startup companies....

Granada Hills, Calif., Resident's Windmill Falls Victim to Lack of Permit.
August 1, 2001... Byline: Dana Bartholomew Aug. 1--GRANADA HILLS, Calif.--George Horvath wants to uncrunch the energy crisis with his very own windmill. Except the backyard invention that has powered Horvath's refrigerator since 1998 was broken up...

Equestrian Neighborhood in Glendale, Calif., May Escape Fence Ban.
August 2, 2001... Byline: Helen Gao Aug. 2--GLENDALE, Calif.--An ordinance that would exempt the equestrian Rancho neighborhood from the city's fence ban has been introduced by the City Council, drawing renewed criticism from fence opponents and proponents....

California-Based Hair Care Products Maker Wins Major Legal Victory.
August 2, 2001... Byline: Gregory J. Wilcox Aug. 2--Hair care products maker Sebastian International Inc. said Wednesday that it has won a key portion of its counterfeiting lawsuit brought against a New York-based distributor and an Italian company. The...

Balmy Climate Blamed for Failure of Los Angeles-Area Kids' Playrooms.
August 2, 2001... Byline: Evan Pondel Aug. 2--When the 3-year-olds at Woodland Hills' Halsey Schools walked into class Wednesday morning, they couldn't read the note attached to the sign-in sheet. But parents relayed the disappointing news that their...

Retailers Count on Cash Spent for School Supplies.
August 2, 2001... Byline: Brent Hopkins Aug. 2--Though the retail sector has flattened along with a tumultuous economy, it's about to benefit from a little education. Parents looking to stock their children's backpacks with the latest Harry Potter and...

Granada Hills, Calif., Residents Fear School Campus Will Add Noise, Traffic.
August 2, 2001... Byline: Joseph Giordono Aug. 2--GRANADA HILLS, Calif.--A private religious school that wants to boost enrollment by building a high school campus with 21 classrooms, an athletic field and gym has run into stiff community opposition. ...

Los Angeles Panel Approves Sale of Office Building for New School.
August 2, 2001... Byline: Rick Orlov Aug. 2--A city panel on Wednesday cleared the way for the $50 million sale of a Sun Valley office building to become a new high school despite continuing questions over the long-term costs. At the urging of Mayor...

AMC Theatres Scales Back Plans for Burbank, Calif., Entertainment Venue.
August 2, 2001... Byline: Sabrina Decker Aug. 2--BURBANK, Calif.--AMC Theatres is eliminating a second story of retail space from a movie megaplex and shopping mall proposed for the heart of downtown because of difficulty in securing tenants, city officials...

Los Angeles-Area Transit Agency Gets $29.6 Million in Fraudulent Billing Case.
August 2, 2001... Byline: Troy Anderson Aug. 2--In the largest verdict ever for the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, a jury on Wednesday awarded the county transit agency $29.6 million in damages for fraudulent billing on the subway by one of the...

Panel Approves Noise-Reduction Plan for Homes near Van Nuys, Calif., Airport.
August 3, 2001... Byline: Jason Kandel Aug. 3--A citizens steering committee Thursday signed off on a long-awaited proposal to reduce noise affecting homes near Van Nuys Airport, but refused requests from neighborhood activists who wanted further measures...

Coming Evictions on Busway Path Jolt Many in California's San Fernando Valley.
August 3, 2001... Byline: Dominic Berbeo Aug. 3--Religious groups, longtime business owners and residents took it hard Thursday as the harsh reality dawned on them: They face eviction to make way for the San Fernando Valley's east-west rapid busway. ...

Third-Quarter Profits Rise for Disney.
August 3, 2001... Byline: Gregory J. Wilcox Aug. 3--BURBANK, Calif.--An increase in movie revenue helped boost third-quarter profits at The Walt Disney Co. 8.6 percent even though television advertising sales and theme park attendance were flat, the...

Center Boosts Ailing Los Angeles-Area Businesses with Free Help.
August 3, 2001... Byline: Evan Pondel Aug. 3--A shifty economy can wash away even the most insulated businesses. David Long is general manager of Custom Decorating California Inc., a Sylmar-based company that stamps the print on shampoo bottles. ...

Thousand Oaks, Calif., Game Store Readies to Unveil Harry Potter Trading Cards.
August 3, 2001... Byline: Joseph Giordono Aug. 3--THOUSAND OAKS, Calif.--The Harry Potter empire is about to give fans another reason to squander their allowance: a Pokemon-like trading card game. Followers of the bespectacled, fictional wizard on...

Daily News, Los Angeles, Real Estate Column.
August 5, 2001... Byline: Gregory J. Wilcox Aug. 5--A strong real estate market deserves some credit for the likelihood the Greater Los Angeles area will just flirt with a recession during the softest economy in a decade. And the San Fernando Valley...

Cities to Vote on Creating Burbank, Calif., Airport Panel.
August 6, 2001... Byline: Sabrina Decker Aug. 6--BURBANK, Calif.--The three cities that jointly own the Burbank Airport are expected to decide this week whether they will form a landmark committee to discuss the airport's future. Burbank officials --...

California Residents Are Much Like Rest of United States, Census Survey Shows.
August 6, 2001... Byline: Beth Barrett Aug. 6--California looks a lot like America as a whole except... we're more likely to have a college degree, have a higher household income, have bigger families, be foreign-born, have trouble speaking English and car...

Drug-Crop Seizures Could Match Last Year's Record, California Officials Say.
August 6, 2001... Byline: Bhavna Mistry Aug. 6--A record 111,000 marijuana plants were seized last year from the Angeles and Los Padres national forests, and authorities are bracing for what they say could be an even bigger harvest this year. More than...

Daily News, Los Angeles, On the Job Column.
August 6, 2001... Byline: Ken Lloyd Aug. 6--Rebel worker asking for it? QUESTION: I am not sure how to handle an employee who challenges my leadership. He makes negative comments about me to the other employees, and yesterday he flat-out refused to...

Plan Flickers for Glendale, Calif.-Area Power.
August 6, 2001... Byline: Helen Gao Aug. 6--GLENDALE, Calif.--At the height of the energy crisis, Glendale, Burbank and Pasadena officials had rosy visions of how they would make the best out of the worst. They would start by selling surplus power...

Audit: Los Angeles Building Department Missed Steps in Faster Permit Approval.
August 7, 2001... Byline: Rick Orlov Aug. 7--An effort to streamline city building and occupancy permits to speed construction apparently works too well, with the Department of Building and Safety approving permits that needed further review, according to...

Glendale, Calif., Council May Give Disabled Residents Free Bus Rides.
August 7, 2001... Byline: Helen Gao Aug. 7--GLENDALE, Calif.--Disabled residents will be able to ride the Glendale Beeline buses for free in the future if the City Council approves an agreement tonight with Access Services Inc. Under a contract with the...

Palmdale, Calif., May Become Home to 120-Bed Hospital.
August 7, 2001... Byline: Jim Skeen Aug. 7--PALMDALE, Calif.--Palmdale officials are considering providing $6.67 million in incentives, including $3.9 million to acquire land and make site improvements, to bring in a 120-bed hospital. Universal Health...

Woodland Hills, Calif., Man Sentenced in Minority Advertising Scam.
August 7, 2001... Byline: Troy Anderson Aug. 7--A Woodland Hills man was sentenced Monday to 45 months in federal prison on money laundering charges in connection with a scam where he collected about $700,000 for ads to be placed in nonexistent "minority...

Restaurant Company Moves Corporate Home to Sherman Oaks, Calif., Mall.
August 7, 2001... Byline: Gregory J. Wilcox Aug. 7--SHERMAN OAKS, Calif.--The Sherman Oaks Galleria, birthplace of the "Valley Girl" craze, continued its buttoned-down transformation on Monday as a big restaurant chain said it would make the facility its...

Littleton, Colo.-Based Satellite Provider's $30.7 Billion Bid Surprises Rival.
August 7, 2001... Byline: Brent Hopkins Aug. 7--EL SEGUNDO, Calif.--Whether EchoStar's gutsy $30.7 billion offer for rival Hughes Electronics is approved or not, analysts agree it was a wise one. The Littleton, Colo.-based satellite provider on Sunday...

Tech Firms in California's San Fernando Valley Remain Steadfast.
August 7, 2001... Byline: Evan Pondel Aug. 7--The San Fernando Valley remains a fertile playing field for the technology sector. More than half of the finalists for Deloitte & Touche's 2001 Los Angeles Technology Fast 50 program reside in the 101 Corridor...

Burbank, Calif., Council Develops 10-Year Strategic Plan.
August 8, 2001... Byline: Sabrina Decker Aug. 8--BURBANK, Calif.--A strategic plan designed to guide services, development and hiring over the next decade is expected to be adopted at a 6 p.m. meeting Thursday by the City Council, culminating a yearlong...

Glendale, Calif., Council Spares Equestrian Area from Fence Ban.
August 8, 2001... Byline: Helen Gao Aug. 8--GLENDALE, Calif.--The City Council passed an ordinance late Tuesday night exempting the equestrian Rancho neighborhood from the city's 79-year-old front-yard fence ban. The vote was 4-0 with Mayor Gus Gomez...

Los Angeles County, Calif., Health Workers Issue Demands to Supervisors.
August 8, 2001... Byline: Troy Anderson Aug. 8--Dozens of county health workers Tuesday called on the Board of Supervisors to restore staff reductions and cancel plans for future layoffs. The protest comes at a time when county officials are facing...

Glendale, Calif., Park Plan Represents Balancing Act.
August 8, 2001... Byline: Helen Gao Aug. 8--GLENDALE, Calif.--The latest version of the Town Center project features a 1.5-acre urban park with lush landscaping and water features surrounded by seven mixed-use buildings restricted to five stories tall. ...

Santa Clarita, Calif., Planning Panel Tackles Phone Towers.
August 8, 2001... Byline: Naush Boghossian Aug. 8--SANTA CLARITA, Calif.--Concerned about the growing number of wireless transmitters being erected in Santa Clarita, the Planning Commission discussed Tuesday how to minimize the visual effects of the towers....

California's San Fernando Valley May See Major Real Estate Deals, Experts Say.
August 8, 2001... Byline: Gregory J. Wilcox Aug. 8--WOODLAND HILLS, Calif.--The confirmation on Tuesday that the San Fernando Valley's biggest office complex is on the market coupled with the sale of a large Warner Center office for $120 million signals...

Software Company Opens New Home in Burbank, Calif.
August 8, 2001... Byline: Evan Pondel Aug. 8--BURBANK, Calif.--The personal computer is 20 years old this month, and Executive Software International Inc. is all grown up. Founded in 1981, the privately held company that specializes in producing...

San Fernando, Calif., to Loan Teachers $15,000 Down Payments for Homes.
August 8, 2001... Byline: Dominic Berbeo Aug. 8--The Mission City has decided to put its money into keeping teachers in the neighborhood. A new program approved by the San Fernando City Council on Monday would provide teachers at local schools...

Leaders to Meet over Burbank, Calif.-Area Airport Expansion.
August 9, 2001... Byline: Sabrina Decker Aug. 9--BURBANK, Calif.--The three cities that own the Burbank-Glendale-Pasadena Airport have agreed to meet Aug. 16 to grapple with the expansion controversy, although the question remains whether the session will...

Canoga Park, Calif., Development to Include More Than Just Housing.
August 9, 2001... Byline: Dana Bartholomew Aug. 9--CANOGA PARK, Calif.--In a first for Los Angeles, an award-winning developer may soon combine affordable housing, a new charter school and a Boys & Girls Club, officials announced Wednesday. The Canoga...

California Has Dirtiest Beaches in Nation, New Report Finds.
August 9, 2001... Byline: Lisa Mascaro Aug. 9--Beach closures and advisories tripled last year in Los Angeles County, helping California lead the nation with dirty ocean water, according to a report issued Wednesday. Urban storm-water runoff -- the rain...

Los Angeles Council Adopts Framework for Growth.
August 9, 2001... Byline: Harrison Sheppard Aug. 9--The City Council approved a vague general outline Wednesday for Los Angeles' vision to accommodate population growth in the next 10 years. Critics denounced it as inadequate and immediately threatened...

Los Angeles Unveils Program to Improve City's Worst Intersections.
August 9, 2001... Byline: Rick Orlov Aug. 9--NORTH HOLLYWOOD, Calif.--Dodging traffic with a handful of children from Burbank Elementary School in tow, Mayor James Hahn on Wednesday announced a $1 million traffic congestion and safety program designed to...

Lancaster, Calif., Officials Set Opening for Desert Park.
August 9, 2001... Byline: Jim Skeen Aug. 9--LANCASTER, Calif.--After a battle with a contractor in the wake of several years of planning and acquiring property, city officials intend to open the Prime Desert Woodlands nature preserve Oct. 2. The 65-acre...

Revenues Rise 37 Percent for California-Based Religious Radio Broadcaster.
August 9, 2001... Byline: Evan Pondel Aug. 9--CAMARILLO, Calif.--Christian radio broadcaster Salem Communications Inc. posted a 37 percent increase in second-quarter revenues Wednesday as the company continues an aggressive quest for religious radio...

Saturn Again Ranks First in Sales Satisfaction Survey.
August 9, 2001... Byline: Gregory J. Wilcox Aug. 9--AGOURA HILLS, Calif.--Saturn Corp.'s no-haggle pricing policy proved a winner again with consumers as they ranked the automaker tops in J.D. Power and Associates' 2001 Sales Satisfaction Survey, released...

Lancaster, Calif., School District to Build New Campus on Its Own.
August 9, 2001... Byline: Karen Maeshiro Aug. 9--LANCASTER, Calif.--Rather than wait for state funding to become available, the Lancaster School District will use its own money to build the $10.1 million permanent campus for Jack Northrop School. The...

Air-Space Craft to Begin Testing in 2002.
August 9, 2001... Byline: Jim Skeen Aug. 9--PALMDALE, Calif.--Although future funding has yet to be resolved, assembly will begin late this month or in early September of a craft that will be tested both in the air and in space. Components of the X-37...

Number of Uninsured Growing in California's San Fernando Valley.
August 9, 2001... Byline: Lisa Mascaro Aug. 9--An estimated 28 percent of children and adults under age 65 go without health insurance in the San Fernando Valley area, putting a strain on the region's health care system, according to a study released...

Los Angeles Council Backs Five Appointees for Airport Positions.
August 10, 2001... Byline: Rick Orlov Aug. 10--WESTCHESTER, Calif.--A City Council panel on Thursday recommended confirming five airport commissioners, after receiving assurances they would support a regional approach to air traffic growth. Two of those...

Animators Gather at Los Angeles Festival to Picture Future.
August 10, 2001... Byline: Gregory J. Wilcox Aug. 10--The keg was iced, King Swami G had the incense going along with some reggae riffs and pretty soon the stuffed-animal toys were flying off a second-story balcony at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel. Not...

Avon Sets Up Shop with J.C. Penney.
August 10, 2001... Byline: Brent Hopkins Aug. 10--GLENDALE, Calif.--Avon just made a huge house call, and J.C. Penney is answering in a big way. The two companies, among the most recognized in American business, began the local launch of their new...

Los Angeles Mayor Vows to Support City's Harbor Area.
August 10, 2001... Byline: Harrison Sheppard Aug. 10--ABOARD THE ANGELENA II--A new breeze is blowing through Los Angeles Harbor, and it was evident Thursday during a feel-good cruise Mayor James Hahn organized with Harbor-area community members. The...

Palmdale, Calif., Council Approves Efforts to Woo Hospital Project.
August 10, 2001... Byline: Jim Skeen Aug. 10--PALMDALE, Calif.--The Palmdale City Council approved $6.67 million in incentives, including $3.9 million to acquire land and make site improvements, to bring in a 120-bed hospital by 2006. The city will offer...

Hispanic Broadcasting Firm Drops Sponsorship of Los Angeles Latino Festival.
August 10, 2001... Byline: Lisa Mascaro Aug. 10--A long-running Northeast Valley festival that raises money for a gang-prevention program was canceled abruptly because its corporate sponsor bowed out, organizers said Thursday. Sunday's planned Los...

Los Angeles Parks Awaiting Signs to Make Kids' Play Areas Smoke-Free.
August 10, 2001... Byline: Rick Orlov Aug. 10--With the signing of a statewide ban by Gov. Gray Davis this week, Los Angeles parks officials said Thursday they will join in outlawing smoking near children's play areas and ballfields as soon as possible. ...

Daily News, Los Angeles, Real Estate Column.
August 12, 2001... Byline: Gregory J. Wilcox Aug. 12--WOODLAND HILLS, Calif.--It looks like Warner Center is the new favorite place for builders of luxury apartments. And what had become an eyesore in the San Fernando Valley's toniest office market is...

Firm's Stance on Beryllium Risk May Be Harmful to Canoga Park, Calif., Workers.
August 13, 2001... Byline: Beth Barrett Aug. 13--Rocketdyne exposed dozens of workers, far more than previously known, at its Canoga Park plant to potentially dangerous beryllium for years without their knowledge and later opposed requests to monitor health...

Fire Destroys Sherman Oaks, Calif., Dry Cleaners.
August 13, 2001... Byline: Sabrina Decker Aug. 13--SHERMAN OAKS, Calif.--Neighbors were jolted from their beds early Sunday morning, when a Ventura Boulevard dry cleaning business exploded in a massive fire that heavily gutted the storefront property. ...

Daily News, Los Angeles, On the Job Column.
August 13, 2001... Byline: Ken Lloyd Aug. 13--Names aren't the big issue QUESTION: My manager kept rushing me on my project, and when it was done, it was not very good. Now he is upset with me, but I don't think it's my fault. He pushed me too hard to...

Screen Actors Guild: Minority Acting Jobs Rise, but Age Bias Limits Roles.
August 14, 2001... Byline: Valerie Kuklenski Aug. 14--The Screen Actors Guild on Monday reported a 7 percent gain in employment last year and the most roles for minorities since it started tracking ethnic casting in 1992. The bad news in the guild's 2000...

North Hollywood, Calif.-Based Animators Report Higher Second-Quarter Revenue.
August 14, 2001... Byline: Evan Pondel Aug. 14--"Simpsons" animator Film Roman Inc. on Monday posted a 19 percent increase in second-quarter revenue bolstered by two live-action projects created for Disney and Universal. The company saw revenue of $9.4...

Budget Cuts Hit Glendale, Calif., Community College Hard.
August 14, 2001... Byline: Helen Gao Aug. 14--GLENDALE, Calif.--Computers used in teaching at Glendale Community College might not get updated, and instructors will likely have to do without certain laboratory equipment and essential tools as a result of a...

Sherman Oaks, Calif., Cleaners Seek Fire Cause as Clients Mourn Lost Clothes.
August 14, 2001... Byline: Dominic Berbeo Aug. 14--SHERMAN OAKS, Calif.--Owners of a popular dry cleaners destroyed in a weekend fire consoled customers shaken up Monday upon learning their favorite suits, dresses or even police uniforms were incinerated....

Home Sales Stay Hot in Santa Clarita, Calif., Area.
August 14, 2001... Byline: Lisa Mascaro Aug. 14--SANTA CLARITA, Calif.--Home sales sizzled in July, soaring 38 percent over a year ago as buyers took advantage of low interest rates even as prices increased, a real estate group reported Monday. Home...

Cities Postpone Planning Meeting for Burbank, Calif.-Area Airport.
August 15, 2001... Byline: Sabrina Decker Aug. 15--BURBANK, Calif.--Burbank officials on Tuesday decided to postpone a landmark meeting between the three cities that jointly own the Burbank-Glendale-Pasadena Airport after reaching an impasse with Glendale...

Fraud Squad Raid Hits Burbank, Calif., Auto Dealer.
August 15, 2001... Byline: Orith G oldberg Aug. 15--BURBANK, Calif.--Trying to break a suspected auto fraud ring bilking insurance companies, investigators served search warrants Tuesday at 13 locations in the San Fernando Valley area. Armed...

Taiwan Holds Key to Chatsworth, Calif.-Based Fiber Optics Maker's Future.
August 15, 2001... Byline: Evan Pondel Aug. 15--CHATSWORTH, Calif.--Luminent Inc. signed a pact with Taiwan's Ministry of Economic affairs Tuesday to fortify the fiber-optic maker's relationship with the government and formally establish its presence in an...

Gas Prices Sink 22 Cents in Southern California.
August 15, 2001... Byline: Brent Hopkins Aug. 15--Southern Californians are getting a welcome dose of pump shock as gasoline prices plunged 22 cents in the past month, the Automobile Club of Southern California said Tuesday. It's especially good news...

Lancaster, Calif., Loan Service Center to Bring 500 New Jobs to Area.
August 15, 2001... Byline: Jim Skeen Aug. 15--LANCASTER, Calif.--Described as creating the most jobs of any brand-new employer to open in the city, Countrywide Home Loans plans to build a $10 million loan service center that will employ 500 people. ...

Los Angeles Council Approves Power-Plant Upgrade.
August 15, 2001... Byline: Harrison Sheppard Aug. 15--The City Council approved a $228 million contract Tuesday to upgrade the Valley Generating Station in Sun Valley to increase its capacity and decrease its pollution. The station's two working...

Palmdale, Calif., Raceway Offers Safe Place to Satisfy Drivers' Need for Speed.
August 15, 2001... Byline: Aaron Levine Aug. 15--PALMADALE, Calif.--Littlerock's Ernie Narez sat in his 1990 Acura Integra, anticipating the green light. The 19-year-old revved his engine, the roar of his motor drowning the sound of the wind blowing...

Low Fares Usher in Flights to New York from Long Beach, Calif., Airport.
August 16, 2001... Byline: Keith Higginbotham Aug. 16--LONG BEACH, Calif.--The bumper sticker slogan sums it up: "Goodbye LAX. Follow me to Long Beach." And that's the message JetBlue Airways Chief Executive Officer David Neeleman wants to spread. ...

Brea, Calif.-Based Furniture Chain to Close to Los Angeles-Area Stores.
August 16, 2001... Byline: Brent Hopkins Aug. 16--Two local Krause's Furniture stores are among 25 nationwide that will close within 10 weeks as part of a liquidation that begins today under the direction of Encino-based Buxbaum Group. The shuttering of...

Remains from Los Angeles Landfill Fuel New Power Plant.
August 16, 2001... Byline: Dana Bartholomew Aug. 16--Los Angeles will flip the switch today on the largest microturbine power plant in the world lighted by gas from rotting garbage. The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power is scheduled to fire 50...

Glendale, Calif., Officials Approved 108-Foot-Tall Sign Prior to Controversy.
August 16, 2001... Byline: Helen Gao Aug. 16--GLENDALE, Calif.--A 108-foot-tall sign was approved because the project was submitted before the recent public backlash against large signs, the city manager said late Tuesday under questioning by the City...