Daily News (Los Angeles, CA) articles from November 2002

Daily News (Los Angeles, CA) archives from November 2002

Job Creation Is Vital for California's San Fernando Valley, Expert Says.
November 1, 2002

Few Points in Mortgage Rate Seldom Worth Wait, Experts Say.
November 1, 2002

Sears Embarks on Major Remodeling at Valencia, Calif., Store.
November 1, 2002

Judge Rules against Los Angeles on Billboard-Inspection Fees.
November 1, 2002

Anti-Landfill Support Draws Mixed Reply in Los Angeles Area.
November 1, 2002

Daily News, Los Angeles, Real Estate Column.
November 2, 2002

Successful Emigrant from Cuba Offers Financial Advice to Hispanics.
November 3, 2002

NBC to Pay $1.25 Billion to Get Bravo Cable Entertainment Network.
November 5, 2002

Competition Emerges in Los Angeles Area for Up-to-Date Balloting Tools.
November 5, 2002

'Spider-Man' Video Nibbling at Sales Record.
November 5, 2002

Los Angeles Councilman Urges City Police to Take over Operations at Airport.
November 6, 2002

Big-Name U.S. Companies Set Sights on Hispanic Products, Firms.
November 6, 2002

Glendale, Calif., Shopping Plaza Is Up for Sale.
November 6, 2002

Los Angeles County, Calif., Trauma Care Tax Is in Good Shape.
November 6, 2002

Casino Operator Pinnacle Entertainment to Move Headquarters to Las Vegas.
November 6, 2002

Amgen Shares Fall 7.7 Percent.
November 7, 2002

San Fernando Valley, Calif., Cityhood Defeat Elicits Mixed Feelings.
November 7, 2002

Downtown Los Angeles Development May Face Old Hurdles.
November 7, 2002

Major Movie Studios Win Payment of Legal Fees by Consumer Group.
November 7, 2002

Housing Affordability Sinks in California, Report Shows.
November 8, 2002

Disney Emerges from Dismal Year with Increased Movie Revenues.
November 8, 2002

Holiday Sales in Los Angeles Likely to Rise, Economic Development Group Says.
November 8, 2002

Westlake Village, Calif.-Based United Online Nets Profit.
November 8, 2002

Residents near Van Nuys, Calif., Airport Say Soundproofing Work Is Overrated.
November 8, 2002

Los Angeles-Area Film Production Is Up for October in Most Categories.
November 8, 2002

Los Angeles Housing Office Is in Disarray, Audit Reports.
November 8, 2002

Bus Way in California's San Fernando Valley Runs Over Life at 100 Sites.
November 11, 2002

Bus Way Foes in California's San Fernando Valley to Hold Town Hall Hearings.
November 12, 2002

Calabasas, Calif.-Based Countrywide Credit Industries Announces Name Change.
November 12, 2002

Palmdale, Calif., Council Likely to Award Contract for Airpark Upgrade.
November 13, 2002

Santa Clarita, Calif., Gets Set to Fight Proposed Master-Planned Community.
November 13, 2002

Palmdale, Calif., Council to Consider $1 Million Land Deal for Auto Dealership.
November 13, 2002

Los Angeles Housing Agency Opens New Regional Office.
November 13, 2002

Wal-Mart Reportedly Is Looking at Property near Burbank, Calif., Airport.
November 13, 2002

Group Calls on Los Angeles Transit Agency to Help Businesses in Path of Busway.
November 14, 2002... Byline: Lisa Mascaro Nov. 14--The president of the Valley Economic Development Center called Wednesday on the MTA to provide more relocation aid to the nearly 100 businesses losing their leases to make way for the planned East-West Busway....

Glendale, Calif., Growth Rate Is Slowing Down, Report Shows.
November 14, 2002... Byline: Nicholas Grudin Nov. 14--GLENDALE, Calif.--This city's population will likely grow to about 213,000 -- or by nearly 9 percent -- over the next 30 years, a substantial slowdown from the nearly 35 percent growth since 1980, according...

New Stores Mean Success for Columbus, Ohio-Based Closeout Retailer Big Lots.
November 14, 2002... Byline: Brent Hopkins Nov. 14--By changing its predecessor's name and image, Big Lots! has found big money. The former incarnation of the closeout specialist, Pic 'N' Save, earned accolades for its great finds and eclectic selections,...

Swiss Biotech Firm to Market Amgen Multiple Sclerosis Drug in United States.
November 14, 2002

Suppliers for Next-Generation Fighter Jet See How their Work Fits.
November 15, 2002... Byline: Gregory J. Wilcox Nov. 15--VALENCIA, Calif.--Todd Taylor has made aircraft landing gear components for seven years, but it wasn't until this week that he received some hands-on experience on how his efforts affect national defense....

Cigna to Cut 50 Glendale, Calif., Jobs in Restructuring Effort.
November 15, 2002... Byline: Evan Pondel Nov. 15--GLENDALE, Calif.--Cigna Corp. will eliminate 50 jobs from their Glendale office as part of an overall restructuring plan in "light of operational issues," the insurer said Thursday. The job cuts affect...

Regional Mall in Burbank, Calif., May Change Hands.
November 15, 2002... Byline: Susan Abram Nov. 15--BURBANK, Calif.--Media City Center could be in for a sudden string of new owners, real estate experts said Thursday. San-Diego based Pan Pacific Retail Properties announced plans last week to acquire Center...

California Home Prices Zoom Up 19.3 Percent in Third Quarter.
November 15, 2002

Parents in Southern California Get Break on College Saving.
November 17, 2002... Byline: Barbara Correa Nov. 17--High school junior Cindy Kite lives less than 25 miles from the University of California, Riverside (tuition: $4,500 a year). But ever since a second-grade teacher told her she could do anything she wanted,...

Pack of Elvis Impersonators Keeps the Legend Alive in Las Vegas.
November 18, 2002... Byline: Eric Noland Nov. 18--But before you jump to any conclusions, be advised that he asked for the shrimp grilled, favored rice over French fries and didn't touch the ribs. His drink of choice? Cranberry juice. "Elvis," in this case,...

Tough Run on Luck? You'll Still Find Plenty of Free Entertainment in Las Vegas.
November 18, 2002... Byline: Eric Noland Nov. 18--LAS VEGAS--They're easy enough to spot: glassy eyes, a quickened step (born of sweaty-palmed panic), the occasional furtive glance at the automated-teller machines that have sprouted like weeds on the Las Vegas...

Fine Art Establishes a Foothold amid Las Vegas' Abundance of Kitsch.
November 18, 2002... Byline: Eric Noland Nov. 18--LAS VEGAS--Ten years ago -- maybe even five years ago -- the concept of art in Las Vegas probably ran no deeper than paintings on black velvet. You know -- a tiger, a matador, a sultry Polynesian maiden with...

Fremont Street Area Takes Visitors to the Las Vegas of Yesteryear.
November 18, 2002... Byline: Richard Irwin Nov. 18--LAS VEGAS--The baby squirmed in its stroller as the tattoo artist struggled to finish the bright-green sea turtle on its right leg. Now, this was not your everyday tourist destination. Where else could...

Las Vegas' McCarran Is an Airport Stretching to Accommodate More Visitors.
November 18, 2002... Byline: Eric Noland Nov. 18--LAS VEGAS--Boom? A megaton detonation is more like it. In 1985, there were a just more than 50,000 hotel rooms in Las Vegas. A dozen years later, that total had more than doubled. And then the Bellagio, the...

Measure to Remove Security Gates Angers Van Nuys, Calif., Store Owners.
November 18, 2002... Byline: James Nash Nov. 18--VAN NUYS, Calif.--Some Van Nuys Boulevard merchants say the city is asking them to trade security for aesthetics by calling for them to remove the metal security gates protecting the fronts of their stores. ...

Owner of Mission Hills, Calif., Cemetery Unveil Expansion Plan.
November 19, 2002... Byline: James Nash Nov. 19--MISSION HILLS, Calif.--Plans to create more space for the dead at San Fernando Mission Cemetery are causing some consternation among the living. The Archdiocese of Los Angeles, which owns the cemetery and...

New 'Harry Potter' Film Earns $88.4 Million in First Three Days.
November 19, 2002... Byline: Greg Hernandez Nov. 19--"Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets" cast a slightly stronger spell over moviegoers in its opening weekend than originally estimated, racking up a massive $88.4 million at the box office, according to...

Home Buyers Get in Line for Opening of Palmdale, Calif., Subdivision.
November 19, 2002... Byline: Peggy Hager Nov. 19--PALMDALE, Calif.--A week before a new "luxury" subdivision of $320,000 to $370,000 houses opens for sale, five families are already camping out to claim homes. On Monday near the model homes in the Pacific...

October Home Sales, Prices Soar in California's San Fernando Valley.
November 19, 2002... Byline: Greg Wilcox Nov. 19--Propelled by low interest rates and strong buyer demand, sales of single-family homes in the San Fernando Valley soared to the second highest level ever for October, with the median price up 21.6 percent from a...

Los Angeles-Area Leaders Unite to Battle Gridlock, Improve Public Transit.
November 19, 2002... Byline: Lisa Mascaro Nov. 19--Recognizing that their lack of cohesion has cost Los Angeles County millions in federal transportation dollars, political and business leaders took the first step Monday to form a coalition committed to fight...

Encino, Calif.-Based Inventor of Orange Drink Keeps Pace with Consumers.
November 20, 2002... Byline: Evan Pondel Nov. 20--SYLMAR, Calif.--For Orange Bang! Inc., having a taste for your audience is more important than the drink itself. That was David Fox's philosophy when he stood in his kitchen 30 years ago attempting to...

Ventura County, Calif., Panel to Consider Housing Development's First Phase.
November 20, 2002... Byline: Grace Lee Nov. 20--The Ventura County Planning Commission is expected Thursday to consider a plan outlining the first phase of development for the 3,050-home Ahmanson Ranch and a supplemental environmental impact report. The...

Shopping Frenzy Gets in Full Swing, Many Los Angeles-Area Retailers Say.
November 20, 2002... Byline: Brent Hopkins Nov. 20--A shortened holiday season has forced retailers to deck their halls already as they labor to get consumers shopping early in a challenging year. Calendar quirks have lopped nearly a week off the...

Blockbuster Making Move to Increase Retail Presence.
November 21, 2002... Byline: Greg Hernandez Nov. 21--SHERMAN OAKS, Calif.--Customers walking into the Blockbuster store on Van Nuys Boulevard are greeted these days by a large, red 20-foot-long banner hanging from the ceiling proclaiming "Movies To Buy." ...

Economists Urge Southern California Businesses to Invest in China.
November 21, 2002... Byline: Brent Hopkins Nov. 21--Sharing what Mayor James Hahn is learning first-hand, economists advised local business leaders Wednesday of some lucrative opportunities for Southern California to take advantage of China's fast-growing...

Los Angeles Council to Mull Anti-Predatory Loan Law to Protect Homeowners.
November 21, 2002... Byline: Gregory J. Wilcox Nov. 21--The City Council on Friday will consider an anti-predatory lending law structured to protect homeowners from losing their property and equity through unfair mortgage practices. The measure, which won...

Los Angeles Mayor Gets City Businesses Involved in Work for Olympic Games.
November 21, 2002... Byline: Mariel Garza Nov. 21--BEIJING, China--Mayor James Hahn signed the second of two deals today with Chinese government officials in a bid to get Los Angeles businesses a piece of the $23 billion the country plans to spend preparing...

Los Angeles Planning Panel Postpones Debate on Horse-Land Changes.
November 22, 2002... Byline: James Nash Nov. 22--Threatened with a public-notice violation, Los Angeles planning commissioners postponed a vote Thursday on changes to the city's horse-keeping regulations -- a delay that drew the ire of scores of horse...

James Bond Provides Golden Touch for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.
November 22, 2002... Byline: Greg Hernandez Nov. 22--Every decade or so, another actor takes over the part of James Bond, but one thing has remained the same since the first Bond movie was released 40 years ago: Suave Agent 007 brings in the fans, and the...

Woodland Hills, Calif.-Based Pharmaceutical Firm Syncor May Be Acquired.
November 22, 2002... Byline: Evan Pondel Nov. 22--WOODLAND HILLS, Calif.--Syncor International Corp. and Cardinal Health Inc. said Thursday they have initiated talks regarding their proposed merger, a sign that the deal is likely to materialize despite an...

Home Builder Says Los Angeles-Area Oak Tree Can Be Saved by Being Moved.
November 22, 2002... Byline: Heather MacDonald Nov. 22--The 400-year-old oak tree at the center of a fiery protest by environmentalists and local residents will be moved to an oak preserve, the developer of a nearby subdivision said Thursday. Even though...

Burbank, Calif., Shops Say Thanks to Patrons with Holiday Festival.
November 22, 2002

Daily News, Los Angeles, Real Estate Column.
November 24, 2002... Byline: Gregory J. Wilcox Nov. 24--CHATSWORTH, Calif.--Therese Brown paid $187,000 for her dream house in 1995 and shortly thereafter cashed what she though was a $2,500 check -- free money from her lender, Household Finance Corp., to make...

Day after Thanksgiving Means Power Shopping for Some in Southern California.
November 24, 2002... Byline: Barbara Correa Nov. 24--For most of us, Thanksgiving is about turkey, football, pumpkin pie and family time. But for serious shoppers across Southern California, it celebrates a completely different kind of holiday tradition: the...

Los Angeles Tax Office Focuses on Collecting Back Business Fees.
November 26, 2002... Byline: Gregory J. Wilcox Nov. 26--Los Angeles residents are flooding the city's tax office with questions about a tough new attempt to collect back business taxes and fees, with many saying they don't even operate a business. Earlier...

Owner of National Enquirer, Other Investors May Bid for Magazine Publisher.
November 26, 2002... Byline: Evan Pondel Nov. 26--WOODLAND HILLS, Calif.--The owner of the National Enquirer and a New York-based investment group are mulling the purchase of Weider Publications for $335 million, reports said Monday. The move comes at a...

Latest Bond Film Gets Help in Appealing to Younger Moviegoers.
November 26, 2002... Byline: Greg Hernandez Nov. 26--Saturation on MTV, a new video game and the addition of Halle Berry all contributed to make the first James Bond film of the 21st century, "Die Another Day," a big hit with younger moviegoers. The new...

Los Angeles Mayor Has Plan to Improve Safety of Containers Heading to Port.
November 26, 2002... Byline: Mariel Garza Nov. 26--On the last day of his trade mission to Asia, Mayor James Hahn announced a plan Monday to tighten security of containers shipped from Hong Kong to Los Angeles -- steps one terrorism expert said are good, but...

Activists Vow Fight against Moving Tree away from Los Angeles-Area Development.
November 26, 2002

Los Angeles Airport Officials Expect Deluge of Holiday Travelers.
November 27, 2002... Byline: Lisa M. Sodders Nov. 27--Laura Ferretti and Jim Fleigner didn't take any chances Tuesday as they headed to Scottsdale, Ariz., for the Thanksgiving holiday. The self-employed couple left on Tuesday -- ahead of today's expected...

Los Angeles-Area Motorists to Encounter Painful Freeway Fix.
November 27, 2002... Byline: Lisa Mascaro Nov. 27--SHERMAN OAKS, Calif.--Both the Ventura Boulevard and Greenleaf Avenue on-ramps to the northbound San Diego Freeway will be closed for nine months while Caltrans upgrades one of the nation's most-gridlocked...

Granada Hills, Calif., Hospital Seeks Chapter 11 Bankruptcy Protection.
November 27, 2002... Byline: Evan Pondel Nov. 27--GRANADA HILLS, Calif.--Granada Hills Community Hospital, plagued by a botched contract with a financier and several million dollars of outstanding debt, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection Tuesday,...

Santa Claus Brings Jingle to Registers, Los Angeles-Area Mall Officials Say.
November 27, 2002... Byline: Brent Hopkins Nov. 27--When Santa Claus makes his list and checks it twice, he's more likely to be projecting profits than marking down who's naughty or nice. To a 5-year-old, the man in the big red suit can be the living...

Calabasas, Calif.-Based Internet Banking Firm Digital Insight Loses President.
November 27, 2002... Byline: Evan Pondel Nov. 27--CALABASAS, Calif.--Digital Insight Corp. announced the resignation of its president and chief operating officer Tuesday as the Internet banking provider struggles to retain a once-robust customer base. A...

Conservancy Acquires Sherman Oaks, Calif.-Area Woodlands Parcel.
November 27, 2002... Byline: James Nash Nov. 27--SHERMAN OAKS, Calif.--The Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy has purchased a woodlands area that, while small in size, is large in importance as a watering hole for animals and a point for humans to enter a...

Toy Retailer Zany Brainy Will Stop Selling Console-Based Video Games.
November 27, 2002... Byline: Brent Hopkins Nov. 27--Zany Brainy unplugged video games Tuesday as the upscale toy retailer announced it would no longer carry console titles. The company, part of the FAO Inc. conglomerate that also includes Calabasas-based...

Los Angeles Staffers to Review Ideas for Business Tax Reform.
November 27, 2002

American Media to Buy Woodland Hills, Calif.-Based Weider Publications.
November 28, 2002... Byline: Evan Pondel Nov. 28--WOODLAND HILLS, Calif.--American Media Inc., owner of the National Enquirer and Star, has agreed to buy Weider Publications for $350 million in an effort to broaden the tabloid publisher's persona. Along...

Movie Industry Blazing New Trail toward Its First $9 Billion Year.
November 28, 2002... Byline: Greg Hernandez Nov. 28--The film industry is racing toward its first-ever $9 billion year at the box office, with the latest adventures Harry Potter and James Bond providing much of the horsepower as the movie season heads into its...

Los Angeles-Area Gift Givers Already Dreading Long Lines at Post Office.
November 29, 2002... Byline: Dana Bartholomew Nov. 29--It's a holiday rite of postal resignation: dozens of customers snaking around the post office, inching stacks of parcels toward too few clerks. The holiday rush is just getting under way, but...