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

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

Daily News, Los Angeles, Business People Column.
July 2, 2001... Jul. 2--NEW HIRE: Janice Miseroy is checking in to Pacific Gardens as director of personal care. The registered nurse, a specialist in senior care, will handle the firm's two sites in Tarzana and Santa Monica. A graduate of Harbor College Los...

Daily News, Los Angeles, On the Job Column.
July 2, 2001... Byline: Ken Lloyd Jul. 2--CORRECT FALSE WITNESS QUICKLY QUESTION: What do you do when an employee comes in and gives you a bunch of information about his co-worker that is just plain false? Some of his information could have been...

Encino, Calif., Hospital Drops Aetna Healthcare.
July 3, 2001... Byline: Evan Pondel Jul. 3--ENCINO, Calif.--Tarzana Regional Medical Center will no longer accept Aetna U.S. Healthcare insurance, posing two options for patients: pay higher out-of-pocket fees or find a new doctor. "This is clearly an...

Newport Beach, Calif.-Based Theater Chain To Sever Ties with IMAX.
July 3, 2001... Byline: Brent Hopkins Jul. 3--Edwards Cinemas' bankruptcy has left it IMAXed out. The troubled theater chain asked a bankruptcy court judge Monday to allow it to sever ties with the Canadian company, ending the run of its large format...

Judge Says Lancaster, Calif., Can't Move Discount Store for Costco.
July 3, 2001... Byline: Karen Maeshiro Jul. 3--LANCASTER, Calif.--A federal judge has declared unconstitutional Lancaster's attempt, since abandoned, to move out a 99 Cents Only discount store to make room for an expansion of the neighboring Costco...

Los Angeles-Area Freeway Interchange Work Awaits MTA Vote.
July 3, 2001... Byline: Jim Skeen Jul. 3--LANCASTER, Calif.--Lancaster officials will learn this month whether the MTA will approve $7.3 million in grants for the city, including $5.3 million to help modify the Avenue I interchange. The Metropolitan...

Negotiators for Hollywood Actors, Studios Continue Talks.
July 3, 2001... Byline: Jesse Hiestand Jul. 3--ENCINO, Calif.--Negotiators for Hollywood's actors and studios moved into their second day of post-deadline talks Monday amid signs they are close to a new three-year deal. After a 14-hour session Sunday...

KB Retail Chain Revives eToys Web Site.
July 4, 2001... Byline: Brent Hopkins Jul. 4--After a high-profile flameout, eToys lives again. The dot-com shopping site, once the pinnacle of the Internet boom, ceased operations in early March as massive debts forced the company into bankruptcy....

Bad Data Send TDK Shares Plunging.
July 4, 2001... Byline: Gregory J. Wilcox Jul. 4--CALABASAS, Calif.--Shares of TDK Mediactive Inc. plunged 24.69 percent Tuesday and company officials think they know what happened. Officials at the OTC Bulletin Board posted some erroneous...

Southern California Forests May Get Filming Income.
July 5, 2001... Byline: Becky Oskin Jul. 5--ANGELES NATIONAL FOREST, Calif.--With an estimated $10,000 a month in filming fees from the Angeles National Forest accumulating in a federal account, Rep. Adam Schiff is willing to introduce legislation to...

Palmdale, Calif.-Area Lawmakers Support Plan to Build More Space Shuttles.
July 5, 2001... Byline: Charles F. Bostwick Jul. 5--PALMDALE, Calif.--An Assembly committee has passed a resolution by local lawmakers urging Congress to build more space shuttles in Palmdale. Assembly Joint Resolution 9, passed Tuesday by the...

NASA Schedules Test of Solar-Powered Aircraft.
July 5, 2001... Byline: Jim Skeen Jul. 5--EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif.--A flying wing with ties to Edwards will make a functional flight check Friday in preparation for a record-setting, 100,000-foot-high flight over the Pacific Ocean. Helios, a...

Burbank, Calif., Airport Noise Fine Levied Just Once.
July 6, 2001... Byline: Sabrina Decker Jul. 6--BURBANK, Calif.-- In the five months since the Burbank Airport Authority increased penalties for aircraft that violate noise regulations, only one operator has been fined, authorities said Thursday. A...

Secession May Not Hurt Los Angeles Bonds, Financial Institution Says.
July 6, 2001... Byline: Rick Orlov Jul. 6--One of the nation's premier financial institutions declared on Thursday that a breakaway of the San Fernando Valley from the city of Los Angeles would have no long-term repercussions on the city's bond ratings,...

Power Plant Builder Seeks Delay on Proposal Hearing in California.
July 6, 2001... Byline: Jim Skeen Jul. 6--LANCASTER, Calif. -- Electricity Provider Inc. is seeking a second 10-day extension in getting state approval for its proposed power plant, citing the need for more time to complete a study into connecting the...

Los Angeles-Based Clothing Retailer's Profits Fall.
July 6, 2001... Byline: Brent Hopkins Jul. 6--A tough retail sector is looking like a sure thing to Guess Inc., as the clothing designer announced Thursday that its second-quarter earnings would fall below expectations. When Los Angeles-based Guess...

Suspects Arrested in Attack on Taco Bell Workers in Los Angeles.
July 6, 2001... Byline: Sabrina Decker Jul. 6--Tracing a partial license plate number provided by the victims, police arrested two Los Angeles men in the kidnapping and robbery of two Taco Bell employees, and the rape of one, officials said Thursday. ...

Class-Action Racial Bias Suit Filed against Los Angeles-Area Theme Park.
July 6, 2001... Byline: Holly Edwards Jul. 6--More than 80 people have filed a class-action suit against Magic Mountain, claiming they were accused of being gang members and illegally searched and videotaped by park personnel who targeted them because of...

Glendale, Calif., Utility Bills Get Higher.
July 6, 2001... Byline: Helen Gao Jul. 6--GLENDALE, Calif.-- Residents began paying 16 percent more for electricity and 1 percent more for water this month, as Glendale Water and Power raised rates in a move to close a $6 million funding gap caused by the...

Residents in California's San Fernando Valley Split on Busway Plans.
July 9, 2001... Byline: Martin Kuz Jul. 9--San Fernando Valley residents opposed to a proposed rapid busway system that would run through their neighborhoods want the project scrapped, but from where bus commuters sit -- namely, their bus seats -- the...

Daily News, Los Angeles, On the Job Column.
July 9, 2001... Byline: Ken Lloyd Jul. 9--Focus on job, not on affairs QUESTION: I recently transferred into another department, and the manager and some of her pals keep telling the same old stories and referring to the same old in-jokes. You would...

Santa Clarita, Calif., City Council to Vote on Diaper-Recycling Program.
July 9, 2001... Byline: Heather MacDonald Jul. 9--SANTA CLARITA, Calif.--The City Council will consider Tuesday whether to approve a contract formally launching a state-of-the-art program to recycle the city's dirty diapers. No other city in the...

President of Sylmar, Calif., College Earns Good Grades in First Year at Helm.
July 10, 2001... Byline: Joseph Giordono Jul. 10--SYLMAR, Calif.--One year into her tenure as president of Los Angeles Mission College, Adriana Barrera has earned rave reviews for her steep learning curve, ability to build consensus and aggressive...

Competitors: Online Grocery Service Webvan Expanded Too Quickly.
July 10, 2001... Byline: Brent Hopkins Jul. 10--Though Webvan's overhead got it in, well, over its head, local companies report that the grocery delivery business is far from dead. The key, all agree, is to stay small and simple, avoiding the...

Thousand Oaks, Calif.-Based Amgen Settles Lawsuit over Anemia Drug.
July 11, 2001... Byline: Evan Pondel Jul. 11--THOUSAND OAKS, Calif.--Amgen Inc. and licensing partner Johnson & Johnson have settled a patent suit with Roche Holding AG and Genetics Institute, ending a decadelong squabble over the anemia drug EPO. But...

Managed Care Providers in California Set Bonuses for Best Doctors.
July 11, 2001... Byline: Gregory J. Wilcox Jul. 11--THOUSAND OAKS, Calif.--Blue Cross of California on Tuesday joined several other managed care providers in monetarily rewarding doctors to emphasize patient satisfaction over controlling costs. The...

Kaiser Permanente Can Deny Viagra to Members, California Judge Rules.
July 11, 2001... Byline: Brent Hopkins Jul. 11--A judge's ruling that Kaiser Permanente cannot be compelled to provide Viagra to its members is a move that might cost users more if they cannot prove a medical condition. The order was made Friday by a...

Ex-Nuclear Research Workers in Southern California May Not Know of Aid Program.
July 11, 2001... Byline: Beth Barrett Jul. 11--Up to 6,000 former San Fernando Valley nuclear research workers could be eligible for $150,000 each in compensation and lifetime medical benefits under a federal program that agencies have failed to...

Politics Unplugs Plan to Sell Los Angeles' Excess Power.
July 11, 2001... Jul. 11--A much-heralded deal to sell the city of Los Angeles' surplus power to the state "at cost" this summer has stalled over a series of political roadblocks, officials said Tuesday. Mayor James Hahn has delayed the agreement between...

Sears Will Remove Its Cosmetics Counters.
July 11, 2001... Jul. 11--The softer side of Sears got a little too soft. Citing high costs of operations, the Hoffman Estates, Ill., department store chain announced it will pull out of the beauty business, closing counters at 450 stores nationwide. Sears...

Los Angeles City Council Panel Favors Street Toilets.
July 11, 2001... Byline: Harrison Sheppard Jul. 11--A City Council committee on Tuesday called for moving forward on a plan to install 150 self-cleaning pay toilets throughout Los Angeles, along with thousands of bus shelters, computer information kiosks...

Burbank, Calif.-Area City Councils Debate Airport Control.
July 12, 2001... Byline: Sabrina Decker Jul. 12--BURBANK, Calif.--Officials from Burbank, Glendale and Pasadena jockeyed for position Wednesday in advance of a landmark meeting scheduled for tonight to help decide the future of Burbank Airport. The 6...

Illinois-Based HomeLife Closes Six Furniture Stores in Los Angeles Area.
July 12, 2001... Byline: Dan Anderson Jul. 12--HomeLife pulled the welcome mat out from in front of its 133 furniture stores Wednesday, an abrupt end to a company that struggled from the outset. The closings, including a half-dozen stores in and around...

Northridge, Calif.-Area College Leaders Stress Importance of Job Training.
July 12, 2001... Byline: Joseph Giordono Jul. 12--NORTHRIDGE, Calif.--Community colleges provide the backbone of job training programs that produce the skilled employees that fuel the San Fernando Valley's diverse economy, the leaders of four Valley-area...

Boeing, Labor Officials React to Aid News for Ex-Nuclear Workers in California.
July 12, 2001... Byline: Beth Barrett Jul. 12--Department of Labor and Boeing Co. officials responded quickly Wednesday to public disclosure that thousands of former San Fernando Valley nuclear workers who might have been made ill by radiation exposure...

Analysts: Toy Retailer Zany Brainy Is Good Buy for Los Angeles Firm.
July 12, 2001... Byline: Gregory J. Wilcox Jul. 12--Waterton Management LLC's $115 million buyout of specialty toy retailer Zany Brainy Inc. is a no-brainer, analysts said Wednesday. The Los Angeles investment firm bought the financially troubled...

Dole Reaps Profits with Banana Boom.
July 13, 2001... Byline: Brent Hopkins Jul. 13--WESTLAKE VILLAGE, Calif.--The fruit business is looking nice and fresh for Dole, as the huge grower reported revenues of $1.23 billion for the second quarter Thursday. Though sales dropped slightly from...

Haggling over Retirement Benefits May Lead to Strike in Ventura County, Calif.
July 13, 2001... Byline: Bhavna Mistry Jul. 13--Although Ventura County and the Service Employees International Union reached a tentative agreement on salary Wednesday, disagreements could still lead to a strike. Negotiators said the critical issue of...

Los Angeles-Area Law Enforcement Officials Use Technology to Fight Cyber Crime.
July 13, 2001... Byline: Jason Kosareff Jul. 13--Local and national law enforcement agencies unveiled a regional task force Thursday that will combat high-tech crime. "We have assembled the finest minds in law enforcement," said Los Angeles County...

Nationwide Firm Unveils Retail-Banking Concept in Stevenson Ranch, Calif.
July 13, 2001... Byline: Kathleen Sweeney Jul. 13--STEVENSON RANCH, Calif.--At first glance, it looks more like a retail store than a bank. There's a concierge who greets customers at the door, children's toys and books for sale, and touch-screen...

Westlake Village, Calif., Couple Gives $4 Million to Prep School.
July 13, 2001... Byline: Joe Giordono Jul. 13--CALABASAS, Calif.--Viewpoint School, an exclusive college preparatory academy, has received a $4 million gift from a Westlake Village couple, school officials announced Thursday. Dirk and Tina Gates, who...

Feuding Rivals Agree to Share Power of Calabasas, Calif.-Based Software Maker.
July 13, 2001... Jul. 13--CALABASAS, Calif.--A battle between shareholders for control of software maker NetSol International ended with a truce, company officials said Thursday in announcing a power-sharing arrangement between the rival groups. Company...

Los Angeles Mayor Key in Fight over San Fernando Valley Busway.
July 16, 2001... Byline: Troy Anderson Jul. 16--An early test of Mayor James Hahn's promises to the San Fernando Valley comes later this month when his appointees on the Metropolitan Transportation Authority weigh in on the controversy over the east-west...

Kansas Professor Says Talking, Not Cell Phones, Cause Collisions.
July 16, 2001... Byline: Dominic Berbeo Jul. 16--Cell phones don't cause car crashes, chatting does. That's the conclusion of a new study by an expert on driving habits. And it conflicts with the trend in state capitols across the country, where...

Burbank, Calif., Would Be Best Downtown for San Fernando Valley, Study Finds.
July 16, 2001... Byline: Matt Hufman Jul. 16--NORTHRIDGE, Calif.--Recognize a great city by its skyline, by its downtown -- New York's Manhattan metropolis, San Francisco's hilly landscape capped by the Transamerica Pyramid or Chicago's imposing Sears...

Critics: California Governor Faltered on Fixes for State's Energy Crisis.
July 16, 2001... Byline: Dana Bartholomew Jul. 16--To Gov. Gray Davis, commander in chief of California's energy war, the enemy lies bunkered in out-of-state power companies that ripped off $8.9 billion in overcharges. Davis' strategy has played well...

Los Angeles-Area Mobile Home Park's Proposed Rent Hike Prompts Tenant Protest.
July 16, 2001... Byline: Cecilia Chan Jul. 16--Residents of the Simi Country Estates mobile home park are protesting a proposed 3.5 percent rent hike, after receiving a 3 percent increase last year. Some 129 residents have signed a petition asking the...

Los Angeles-Area Teens: Finding Good Summer Jobs Has Been Easy.
July 16, 2001... Byline: Brent Hopkins Jul. 16--For high school students, the summertime blues don't include unemployment. Despite a troubled economy, high school students are reporting little trouble in their search for summer employment. More than 86...

Sports Agent Portrayed as Conniving, Egotistical in Breach-of-Contract Suit.
July 17, 2001... Byline: Beth Barrett Jul. 17--Super-agent Leigh Steinberg was portrayed Monday in court papers as angry, greedy and selfish -- a lot like the "Jerry Maguire" movie character that was partly modeled after him -- a man who had come to think...

California Electricity Consumers Shocked by Skyrocketing Rates.
July 17, 2001... Byline: Amy Raisin and Patricia Aidem Jul. 17--Massive rate hikes imposed because of California's energy crisis have started to hit consumers with "sticker shock" as they get their electricity bills this month. For the conserving few...

Calabasas, Calif., High School Student Starting Music Magazine.
July 17, 2001... Byline: Brent Hopkins Jul. 17--CALABASAS, Calif.--Devin Lazerine's not your prototypical rap mogul, swaggering with furs and a lady on each arm. Then again, he's only 17 -- the kid's just getting started. While most of his...

Calabasas, Calif., Teen Begins to Publish Hip-Hop Magazine.
July 17, 2001... Byline: Brent Hopkins Jul. 17--CALABASAS, Calif.--Devin Lazerine's not your prototypical rap mogul, swaggering with furs and a lady on each arm. Then again, he's only 17 -- the kid's just getting started. While most of his...

Real Estate Values Hit Record High in California's San Fernando Valley.
July 17, 2001... Byline: Gregory J. Wilcox Jul. 17--The San Fernando Valley's residential real estate market ignited during June as the median price for a single-family home hit a record $265,000 and sales jumped 8 percent on an annual basis, an industry...

Panel Urges Curfew at Van Nuys, Calif., Airport.
July 18, 2001... Jul. 18--An advisory committee studying noise issues at Van Nuys Airport made two recommendations Monday night designed to reduce noise problems at the facility. The Noise Compatibility Program Steering Committee, made up of appointees...

Los Angeles Mayor Seeks More Hearings on Airport Expansion Plans.
July 18, 2001... Byline: Rick Orlov Jul. 18--Mayor James Hahn, following through on a campaign pledge, called Tuesday for a 60-day extension on the Los Angeles International Airport master plan so four more public hearings can be held, including one in the...

Encino, Calif., Architect's Vision Extends beyond Rooftops.
July 18, 2001... Byline: Brent Hopkins Jul. 18--Architecture isn't just figuring angles and sketching blueprints to Ronald Altoon. No, it's much more. A founding partner of Los Angeles-based Altoon + Porter Architects, the Encino resident has learned to...

Moorpark, Calif.-Based Communications Products Firm Hires Financial Consultant.
July 18, 2001... Byline: Gregory J. Wilcox Jul. 18--MOORPARK, Calif.--Financially troubled Accelerated Networks Inc., a communications products maker whose stock price plunged 99 percent in the past year, said Tuesday it has hired a financial adviser to...

Agoura Hills, Calif.-Based Guitar Center Files to Issue More Stock.
July 18, 2001... Byline: Evan Pondel Jul. 18--WESTLAKE VILLAGE, Calif.--Guitar Center Inc. filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on Tuesday to sell up to $100 million in stock in an effort to tone down outstanding debt. In addition to...

Glendale, Calif., Community College to Stress Registered-Nursing Training.
July 18, 2001... Byline: Helen Gao Jul. 18--GLENDALE, Calif.--Reacting to declining enrollment and changing demands from local hospitals, Glendale Community College will close its program for licensed vocational nursing and expand training for...

Public Employees in Ventura County, Calif., Ready to Strike.
July 18, 2001... Byline: Bhavna Mistry Jul. 18--Ventura County's largest workers union was scheduled to launch a two-day strike today after negotiations broke down over retirement benefits. The 4,200 members of the Service Employees International Union...

Los Angeles Board Backs Safety-Testing Bill for High School.
July 18, 2001... Byline: Troy Anderson Jul. 18--The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors voted 4-1 Tuesday to endorse legislation calling for resumption of toxicity testing at Belmont Learning Center. The testing will help officials decide whether...

Water Purification Plan Could Swamp Encino, Calif., Basin Land.
July 18, 2001... Byline: Harrison Sheppard Jul. 18--ENCINO, Calif.--Infuriating neighbors and outdoor activists, Los Angeles city sanitation officials want to cover up to 300 acres in the Sepulveda Dam Recreation Area with recycled wastewater to purify it...

Union: One in 10 Calls to Los Angeles' 911 System Fails to Reach Live Operator.
July 19, 2001... Byline: Harrison Sheppard Jul. 19--One in 10 people who called the LAPD's 911 emergency system this year did not reach a live operator, according to figures released Wednesday by the police union. Los Angeles Police Protective League...

Profits Fall for Van Nuys, Calif.-Based Automotive Parts Maker.
July 19, 2001... Byline: Gregory J. Wilcox Jul. 19--VAN NUYS, Calif.--Superior Industries International Inc. on Wednesday reported a 39 percent drop in second quarter profits that was fueled in part by weakness in the vehicle manufacturing sector and high...

Los Angeles Mayor's Anti-Busway Vow to Be Put to Test.
July 19, 2001... Byline: Troy Anderson Jul. 19--An early test of Mayor James Hahn's promises to the San Fernando Valley will come later this month when he and three appointees on the Metropolitan Transportation Authority weigh in on the controversy over...

Los Angeles-Area Transit Authority's New Report Proposes Weekend Busway Detour.
July 19, 2001... Byline: Troy Anderson Jul. 19--A new report by the MTA staff proposes moving the San Fernando Valley rapid busway from Chandler Boulevard to Oxnard Street on Saturdays to defuse opposition from the Orthodox Jewish community over disruption...

Cheaper Energy Undercuts California's Long-Term Power Contracts.
July 19, 2001... Byline: Dana Bartholomew Jul. 19--California suddenly faces an energy surplus, forcing the state to sell power it bought for an average of $138 per megawatt for as little as a dollar, electricity traders say. In fact, the state has...

Road Gets Bumpy for Agoura Hills, Calif., Biker-Magazine Publisher.
July 19, 2001... Byline: Evan Pondel Jul. 19--AGOURA HILLS, Calif.--Easyriders Inc. skidded into bankruptcy Wednesday, seeking Chapter 11 protection from its primary lender, Nomura Holding America Inc., which claims it's owed more than $21 million from the...

Kaiser Permanente to Detail Plans for Palmdale, Calif., Medical Center.
July 19, 2001... Byline: Karen Maeshiro Jul. 19--PALMDALE, Calif.--Kaiser Permanente will hold a public meeting tonight about its $16.7 million, 47,000-square-foot medical center planned for southeast Palmdale. Kaiser officials hope to break ground...

California-Based Medical Device Maker Reports Increase in Sales.
July 19, 2001... Byline: Brent Hopkins Jul. 19--NORTHRIDGE, Calif.--MiniMed Inc.'s final quarter on its own was a healthy one, as sales climbed 38.7 percent over the same period last year. In the medical device developer's last report prior to its...

Workers Help Douse Fire at Lancaster, Calif., Motor Home Factory.
July 19, 2001... Byline: Greg Botonis Jul. 19--LANCASTER, Calif.--A fire caused an estimated $500,000 in damage Wednesday to the Rexhall Industries Inc. motor home production plant in Lancaster, officials said. Employees battled flames with portable...

Lancaster, Calif., Power Plant May Miss Start Date.
July 19, 2001... Byline: Jim Skeen Jul. 19--LANCASTER, Calif.--A Tustin firm planning to build a $210 million power plant in Lancaster might miss a Sept. 30 deadline to start operations and is looking at other options for bringing the facility online, the...

Ventura County, Calif., Workers Seek Hike in Retirement Benefits.
July 19, 2001... Byline: Bhavna Mistry Jul. 19--VENTURA, Calif.--As many as 3,000 Ventura County employees started a two-day strike Wednesday, creating a slowdown in government operations although critical services remained in place. The work action...

Los Angeles Elementary Schools to Get Computer-Based Reading Program.
July 19, 2001... Byline: Joseph Giordono Jul. 19--A computer-based reading program that provides individualized lessons will be installed at 244 elementary schools in the Los Angeles Unified School District this year, Superintendent Roy Romer will announce...

Los Angeles Commission Approves Anti-Noise Measures for Airport.
July 20, 2001... Byline: Harrison Sheppard Jul. 20--VAN NUYS, Calif.--The Los Angeles Airport Commission on Thursday recommended a series of long-awaited measures designed to reduce the impacts of noise on homes near Van Nuys Airport. The measures,...

Opponents of Los Angeles Airport's Expansion Plan Gain Ally.
July 20, 2001... Byline: Bill Hillburg Jul. 20--WASHINGTON--Foes of a massive expansion plan of Los Angeles International Airport won support Thursday from U.S. Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta, who said he favors a regional solution to Southern...

Popular California Bakery Reopens Doors with New Name, Location.
July 20, 2001... Byline: Evan Pondel Jul. 20--NORTHRIDGE, Calif.--When Brown's Bakery closed its doors in North Hollywood, confounded customers felt something was awry. After 42 years of baking up black and white cookies, Brown's oven light went off...

Los Angeles Mayor Reaches Out to Business.
July 20, 2001... Byline: Rick Orlov Jul. 20--Los Angeles needs to send a message to business that it is willing to help overcome regulations and red tape while targeting new industries if it is to continue its success, Mayor James Hahn told business...

Busway Allies, Foes Address Los Angeles Transportation Authority Board.
July 20, 2001... Byline: Troy Anderson Jul. 20--Members of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority board listened Thursday to both sides of the growing controversy over a proposed "rapid busway" that would speed buses across the San Fernando Valley. ...

Universal City, Calif., Catering Company Fills Need for Good Food to Go.
July 20, 2001... Byline: Brent Hopkins Jul. 20--UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif.--In a typical day, City Catering sends sushi to Santa Monica and chocolate cakes to Culver City, pretzels to Pacoima and beef to Burbank. Ben Patterson, a chef for the newly...

Lancaster, Calif., Hospital Gets Temporary Reprieve from Closure.
July 20, 2001... Byline: Karen Maeshiro Jul. 20--LANCASTER, Calif.--County-operated High Desert Hospital, threatened with closure under the latest round of proposed cost-cutting measures, has received a temporary reprieve. Fred Leaf, interim director...

Los Angeles Advisory Panel to Seek Compromise over Planned Housing Development.
July 20, 2001... Byline: Jason Kandel Jul. 20--VAN NUYS, Calif.--After nearly three hours of testimony Thursday, a city advisory board said it would try to find a compromise between developers of a controversial Chatsworth housing tract and neighboring...

Mattel Calls on He-Man to Bulk Up Toy Maker's Bottom Line.
July 20, 2001... Byline: Brent Hopkins Jul. 20--EL SEGUNDO, Calif.--Though Mattel's profits are lagging, the most powerful man in the universe could put them back on track. The El Segundo-based toy maker announced second quarter losses of $4.9 million...

Retailers See IRS Rebate as Sale Opportunity.
July 20, 2001... Byline: Evan Pondel Jul. 20--Retailers hope to cash in on the $38 billion in federal income tax rebate checks that soon will be in the mail, analysts said Thursday. The checks, part of President Bush's tax-relief package signed into...