Stories for April 2002
Monday, April 29
Merchants Split Over Effects of a Breakup
There are days when Donato Caputo doesn't get a single customer at his Sherman Oaks barber shop located within two blocks of six hair salons along Ventura Boulevard.
NEWSMAKERS
Renovated Century Plaza Gets Familiar Face
Biomedical Park Given New Life in Compromise Plan
USC has reached a broad agreement with Los Angeles County that will allow its stalled plan for a biomedical research park next to County-USC Medical Center to move forward.
L.A. Not as Volatile of a Place Decade After Riots Rocked City
Commentary By EARL OFARI HUTCHINSON, author and columnist on KPFK Radio, 90.7FM
Hospital Reaches Out to College To Help Boost Nursing Program
Henry Mayo Newhall Memorial Hospital has its own solution to the state's nursing shortage: if you can't find any, train them yourself.
LABJ Forum: Celebrity Dirt in a Post-9-11 World
On April 18, one-time television cop Robert Blake and his bodyguard were arrested and charged in the shooting death of Blake's wife, Bonny Lee Bakley. A trial would be the most high-profile celebrity murder case in Los Angeles since O.J. Simpson's prosecu
Increased Courtroom Antics Draw Attention as Blake Case Nears Trial
Nearly a decade after "If it does not fit, you must acquit," a new celebrity trial awaits and with it, the possibility of new courtroom histrionics.
My Favorite Sites
Favorite Websites of Gary Chang, film composer, Gary Chang Music Co. Inc.
Stealth Software Is Deemed Less Than Brilliant
For a man who needs to win the trust of tens of millions of computer users around the world or face bankruptcy, Kevin Bermeister did not exactly get off on the right foot.
REIT Pushes Biotech in Pasadena
When David Rozzell was looking to expand his biotech startup after outgrowing a cramped 2,500-square-foot wet lab near Huntington Memorial Hospital he figured he might have to move out of pricey Pasadena.
Deal Nears for Major Glendale Office, Development Site
Real Estate by Danny King
End to UCLA Housing Crisis Seen in Building, Buying
The University of California at Los Angeles is taking several aggressive steps to cope with its housing shortage, spurred by an expected 12 percent increase in students by 2010 and a desire to lessen the ratio of commuters.
LETTERS
Letters to the Editor
Youbet.com Wins With Churchill Downs
Technology by Christopher Keough:
Executive Summary / The Pacesetter
Summary and highlights of this week's List - Insurance Brokers, Ranked by 2001 L.A. County revenues
Korean Banks Face Increased Scrutiny On Cash Dealings
Chang Kyu Park was nearly 30 before he saw his first check. It was 1971, the year he immigrated to the United States from Korea.
Review & Preview
Weekly News Summary and Preview
Hollywood, Harbor Towns Face Uphill Secession Fight
L.A. Divided The Battle Over Secession
Investor Group In Debt Deal for Arco Plaza Site
An investor group has a $300 million deal to acquire the debt on Shuwa Investment Corp.'s portfolio of downtown Los Angeles office properties including Arco Plaza and is positioning itself to take title to the assets, several real estate sources said.
Shopping Center May Find Distinction as Tourist Stop
Spotlight on Lynwood
Water Marketer Benefits as Sector, Firm Gain Attention
Corporate Focus by Anthony Palazzo
Plunging Pension Income Seen Threatening Stocks
An accounting tactic that's allowed some companies to pad their earnings with pension-plan income is beginning to backfire. With stock markets in reverse the past two years, pension income at Fortune 500 companies has fallen dramatically.
Even Trusted Staff Can Become Dishonest Bookkeepers
Entrepreneur's Notebook by Tod V. Beebe and Thomas E. Mccurnin
Small Business Profile: The Entertainers
A new line of adult action figures is the latest creation for SOTA Corp., a firm
Fox's Biggest Fan
PEOPLE INTERVIEW: Sports Net President Tracy Dolgin revamps programming to give cable network a sharper identity in ever-costlier industry.
L.A. Stories / The Roving Eye
Weekly Columns
Disgrunted Merrill Clients Find Friends at Local Firm
Wall Street West by Benjamin Mark Cole
New Owner of Westwood's Crest to Keep Reels Turning
Robert Bucksbaum takes a pad and pen and writes the number: $3.2 million. It's too much money to utter aloud. All the same, he never hesitated when he got the chance to buy the Crest Theatre in Westwood.
Complaints Prompt City to Revisit News Rack Rules
Placing a news rack on a Los Angeles sidewalk is easy. No permit is required and while there are some rules, they mostly go unenforced.
Ad Picture Brightening for Local Television Stations
Media by Claudia Peschiutta
Sonnenschein Law Firm Gains In Exodus of LeBoeuf Attorneys
Sonnenschein Nath & Rosenthal came to town a decade ago and has been growing rapidly since. Good for Sonnenschein, bad for LeBoeuf Lamb Greene & MacRae LLP.
Disaster In The Making
Comment by Mark Lacter
Weekly Briefing - Bakery Shop Faces Up To Cake-Making Duty
Seeing famous faces is not unusual at Regal Cake Gallery where an entire wall is adorned with autographed photographs of celebrity patrons.
How a Valley City Would Operate
It's all but assured that voters will determine this November whether the San Fernando Valley should secede from the city of Los Angeles, creating an historic showdown that likely will reshape the city's future.
New Cable Channel Looks for Good Life
Ken Solomon claims to be feeling fine. The president of Fine Living, Scripps Networks' fourth cable channel, Solomon is touting a new distribution deal as a signal that the channel dedicated to "maximizing precious free time" is on the cusp of gaining a
Monday, April 22
Don't Show Me the Money: Genex Lives Without VCs
THE INTERNET'S NEXT WAVE - STAKING OUT A SPOT
My Favorite Sites
Favorite Websites of Farsh Askari Senior television editor, filmTracker.com
Failure of Big Firms Creates Room for Small Developers
THE INTERNET'S NEXT WAVE - STAKING OUT A SPOT
Workers' Comp Crisis Taking Hold in State
When state legislators moved to deregulate the workers' compensation insurance market almost a decade ago, they envisioned increased competition that would drive down employer premiums. And for five years, that's what happened.
Budget Outlook Improves in City, Worse in County
The city's financial situation has improved in recent months and, thanks to previous belt-tightening and a little creativity, there only will be cuts of about $38 million in the $4.8 billion 2002-03 budget, with most of those coming from internal operatio
Ballot Battle Looms Over Santa Monica Historic Zone Plan
For the City of Santa Monica's Landmarks Commission, it's about history, not control. For a local homeowner's group, it's about freedom, not money.
Time Running Out for Fixes at Homestore.com
The clock is winding down at Homestore.com. Over the past several months, the once-mighty real estate portal has endured an accounting scandal, a management overthrow, the evaporation of more than $2 billion in market value and the temporary suspension of
City Tries to Shed Image of County Bureaucratic Center
Spotlight On Norwalk
Parties Take Positions As State Set to Revisit Nurse Staffing Levels
Just months after Gov. Gray Davis released proposed regulations on nursing staff levels, unions and the hospital industry are ready to go head-to-head over the issue again.
Small Business Profile: A Bigger Picture
Houston Fearless 76 uses expertise in photo processing to move into a growing market for industrial strength pollution control systems for manufacturers
COMMENT: Choosing One Of Your Own
Commentary by Mark Lacter
Lost in the Translation
Shortage of Interpreters Causes Delays in Trials
Shift From Hardware Gives Tech Firm New Focus, Cash
Corporate Focus by Anthony Palazzo
Westside Homeowners Believe Councils Will Dilute Their Clout
POLITICS by Howard Fine
Good Deals Still Find Funds In New Era of VC Investing
THE INTERNET'S NEXT WAVE - STAKING OUT A SPOT
Office Suite Operations Falter in Dot-Com Fade
Lease space in a trophy office building, reconfigure it for as many individual offices as possible, and wire it to the hilt. All that was left was to staff it with secretaries and technical support, then wait for entrepreneurs willing to pay $8 to $10 per
Executive Summary / The PaceSetter
Summaries of this Week's List - Real Estate Appraisal Firms, ranked by the number of licensed real estate appraisers in L.A. County
People Interview: Power Broker
David Wiggs, L.A. Department of Water & Power's general manager, presides over a once lauded agency now dogged by overbilling charges.
NEWSMAKERS
People and Businesses in the News
Air Force Makes Deal For Boeing's C-17 Jet, Keeping Facility Alive
The Air Force has agreed to purchase 60 additional C-17 cargo planes from Boeing Co., keeping the defense contractor's Long Beach plant at its full 7,500-employee staffing for another six years.
Expected Gains From Jet Orders Tempered by Cuts
The Pentagon plans to trim fiscal year 2004 requests for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, F-22 Raptor and F/A-18 Super Hornet projects that would have generated up to 17,000 jobs locally.
Some Dot-Com Firms Found Secret to Survival
THE INTERNET'S NEXT WAVE - STAKING OUT A SPOT
Gibson Dunn Taps Local Attorney for Managing Partner
LAW by Amanda Bronstad
Large Real Estate Practice Leads to Conflict Questions
In representing Credit Suisse First Boston in the $300 million buyout of a majority interest in the 73-story Library Tower, Allen Matkins Leck Gamble & Mallory LLP reinforced its place as one of the city's premier real estate firms.
Bell Gardens Lease is Latest Buy For New York Group
Real Estate by Danny King
Opportunity Remains Even As Consolidation Continues
THE INTERNET'S NEXT WAVE - STAKING OUT A SPOT
Review & Preview
Weekly News Summary and Preview
Calpers Insurance Deal Seen Signaling Ongoing Rate Hikes
Health care inflation is rising more rapidly than was projected even a few months ago, and the pace isn't expected to subside anytime in the near future.
Blue Cross Chafes At High Ranking On "Political" List
Health Care by Laurence Darmiento
Women-Only Club Can't Work Out New Lease, Will Close Down
Retail News by Deborah Belgum
LETTERS
Letters to the Editor
WEEKLY BRIEFING: Owner of Wellness Spa Keeps Healthy Outlook
Weekly Column - Small Business
Seeking Best Loan Terms Extends Beyond Lowest Rates
Entrepreneur's Notebook by Mark Hafner
Having Reached Heights, Entrepreneur Returns to Roots
THE INTERNET'S NEXT WAVE - STAKING OUT A SPOT
Nothing Ambiguous About Apparel Company's Growth
When apparel industry veteran Don Kerkes was looking to invest in Irvine clothing upstart Ambiguous Industries, he turned to his teenage daughter.
Riordan Faces Tough Run at Publishing
Former Los Angeles Mayor Richard Riordan who just came off a grueling campaign and ultimate defeat in the Republican primary, has confirmed that he will start a newspaper in Los Angeles by this summer.
New NPR Base Bubbles Up on Westside
Media by Claudia Peschiutta
LABJ FORUM: Spending Time on the Net
For many, the Internet has become an essential part of the day. From e-mail to online stores to news, Internet sites are being used by even the most techno-phobic. Meanwhile, news about the dot-com implosion has made more people aware of many facets of wh
EUniverse Signed Deal With Controversial Stock Broker
Wall Street West by Benjamin Mark Cole
Idealab, Investors Still Sparring Over Buyback
Technology by Christopher Keough
Sims, Longtime News Chief, Departs KNX; Ed Pyle Takes Charge
KNX-AM (1070) switches news directors this week, but no programming changes are planned at L.A.'s top news radio station.
Plan Shaped to Push Farmer Brothers Stock
Unhappy shareholders of Farmer Brothers Co. have taken a first step in an effort to pressure management of the secretive, family-run company to take some shareholder-friendly actions.
L.A. Stories / The Roving Eye
Weekly Columns
Monday, April 15
Riordan Rejoins Old Firm Though Role is Undefined
Wall Street West by Benjamin Mark Cole
LABJ Forum: Searching for a New Chief?
Last week, the Los Angeles Police Commission voted against giving Chief Bernard Parks a second five-year term. Although the City Council could overturn the commission's decision, that appears unlikely and the names of potential successors to Parks are bei
Second Generation of Attorneys Keeps Boutique Firm Up to Date
Norman Tyre, who died in January at the age of 91, had been coming to work every day until a couple of months before his death, climbing the five flights of stairs to the firm's Rodeo Drive offices in Beverly Hills.
Uncertainty Keeps Tenants
Uncertainty Keeps Tenants On Guard in Quiet Market
A Rapper's Tribute, By Unlikely Partners
When a bunch of Chinese-American techies meet straight-out-of-Compton rappers, something interesting is bound to happen. In the case of Ruthless Records and Univessence Digital Studios Inc., it's a video game based on the musings of the late rapper Eric "
West Valley's Strength Helps Market Maintain Equilibrium
West Valley's Strength Helps Market Maintain Equilibrium
Magic's Mayoral Aspirations Must Go Beyond Race
Opinion by EARL OFARI HUTCHINSON
Review & Preview
Weekly review of Top Stories; plus preview of upcoming week.
Market Finally Notices Effects of Economic Downturn
Market Finally Notices Effects of Economic Downturn
Andersen Employees Bolting Firm Before Layoffs Come Down
Local employees of beleaguered accountant Arthur Andersen are starting to leave the firm.
Market Continues to Tighten As Tenants Leave Sidelines
Market Continues to Tighten As Tenants Leave Sidelines
Software Firm Redoubles Overseas Push
Technology by Christopher Keough
Cause for Optimism Seen Despite Continued Weakness
Cause for Optimism Seen Despite Continued Weakness
Adelphia Finances Cloud Future of L.A. Franchises
Whether or not debt-ridden Adelphia Communications Corp. puts its prized L.A. properties on the block, the company's financial problems could have a bearing on its renewal of long-term franchise contracts in Los Angeles and Beverly Hills.
Activity by Small Businesses Causes Drop in Vacancy Rate
Activity by Small Businesses Causes Drop in Vacancy Rate
Public, Private Effort Created Philadelphia's Arts Avenue
Public, Private Effort Created Philadelphia's Arts Avenue
Spotlight on South Pasadena
Long-Awaited Train Station Leaves Shopkeepers Fretting
Arts Advocate Pushes Greater Use of Downtown Space
Arts Advocate Pushes Greater Use of Downtown Space
Smaller Deals Dominate as Market Girds for More Space
Smaller Deals Dominate as Market Girds for More Space
Slow, Steady Growth Marks Ongoing Rebound of Market
Slow, Steady Growth Marks Ongoing Rebound of Market
Small Business Profile: Local Hero
Nearly 100 years old, Williams' Book Store has outlasted large national competitors to become a San Pedro staple and the oldest bookstore in L.A.
LAUSD Brass Feathers Nest as Teachers Depart
COMMENTARY: Sports fans wouldn't cheer for an overpaid coach and a big stadium if the team didn't have any seasoned players. Yet the Los Angeles Unified School District continues to spend hundreds of millions of dollars on top officials and their wasteful
Prescription for Profit
Tenet Healthcare boosts revenues, influence by adding patient services.
Staples Expansion, Southern Anchor, Awaits Public Funds
Staples Expansion, Southern Anchor, Awaits Public Funds
First Quarter Deals Lag as Market Turns
Mergers-and-acquisitions activity in Los Angeles County remained at depressed levels during the first quarter, tracking a worsening national trend, according to statistics compiled by Mergerstat LP.
Executive Summary / The PaceSetter
Summaries of this Week's List - Public Relations agencies Ranked by 2001 L.A. County fee income
District Taps Pillsbury Winthrop To Guide Belmont Construction
Also: Latham, Not L.A.
L.A. Stories/The Roving Eye
Weekly LABJ Columns
New Chief Executive Looks To Steady Initiative's Ship
Media by Claudia Peschiutta
Courts Won't Give Doctors Relief From Unpaid Medical Bills
The California Medical Association has reached the end of the line in its lawsuit against Blue Cross of California, Health Net Inc. and several other managed care plans over unpaid medical bills.
Weekly Briefing: Leaving Beach Behind, Jeweler Chooses Retail
Weekly Column by David Greenberg
Vision of Monumental Boulevard Gets Off to Fitful Start
Vision of Monumental Boulevard Gets Off to Fitful Start
Parks Ouster Likely to Stem Tide of Police Defections
Also: Mayor Produces Victory as Voters Show Write Stuff
Cutting Business Insurance Costs May Prove Expensive
Entrepreneur's Notebook by BRIAN KABATECK
Base of Small Tenants Helps Complex Outpace Market
Real Estate by Danny King
Softening Continues, Hit by Entertainment Consolidation
Softening Continues, Hit by Entertainment Consolidation
INTERVIEW: Sea Worthy
Stepped-up security and increased container volume has Larry Keller anxious for the Alameda Corridor
San Gabriel: They Hear the Trains a-Comin'
The $2.4 billion, 20-mile Alameda Corridor project connecting the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach with the rail yards near downtown is supposed to make life easier for commuters and shippers alike.
Wilshire Vacancies Decline; Market Becomes Alternative
Wilshire Vacancies Decline; Market Becomes Alternative
Major Retail Projects Fail to Counter Aging Office Base
Major Retail Projects Fail to Counter Aging Office Base
My Favorite Sites
Favorite Websites of Paul Nadel, managing partner, Eastwest Venturegroup
Newsmakers
People and Businesses in the News
Right for Lawyers to Sue Each Other at Issue in Case
A case born out of a Hollywood divorce and now pending before the California Supreme Court could determine whether accountants and lawyers have the right to sue one another after a deal goes awry.
Revival of Bookings Ends Dry Spell for Radio Stations
L.A. radio is on a comeback trail, as two years of financial woes from the dot-com implosion, the recession and the after-effects of Sept. 11 appear to be running their course.
CEOs and Proletariats
Comment by Mark Lacter
Increased Sublease Volume Helps Push Vacancies Higher
Increased Sublease Volume Helps Push Vacancies Higher
Overture's "Victim" Role in Merrill Controversy Open to Interpretation
Overture Services Inc. claims to be the victim of allegedly tainted investment advice given out by Wall Street brokerage house Merrill Lynch last year, and it's easy to see why.
Loss of Contract Spurs Reshuffling at Boeing Satellite
In the wake of losing a $900 million contract earlier this year to help build next-generation communications satellites for the Air Force, Boeing Co. is restructuring its El Segundo manufacturing operation.
Post-Attack Pullback Slows Activity, Increases Vacancies
Post-Attack Pullback Slows Activity, Increases Vacancies
Monday, April 8
L.A. Stories/The Roving Eye
Weekly LABJ Columns
LETTERS
Letters to the Editor
Business Has Learned to Let Community Lead
Commentary By GARY STEWART, President of the Board at the Liberty Hill Foundation and a former board member at the Social Venture Network.
Gangs, Economic Woes Cause Renewed Rise in Crime
Mixed Messages 10 Years After The Riots
Terror Policy on Trial As Oxy Faces Insurers
With incidents of terrorism against corporations on the rise, the courts could become a testing ground on how businesses should be compensated for their losses.
Sun Sets on Effort to Reach Asian Market
Technology
Fremont General Pursues Deal for Sale of Ailing Unit
Fremont General Corp., once the state's second-largest underwriter of workers' compensation insurance, has decided to exit that market and remake itself solely as a financial services firm.
Merger Plan for National Golf Fails to Calm Outside Investors
After months of negotiations, the independent directors of National Golf Properties Inc. have succeeded in bringing company Chairman David Price into the fold with a restructuring plan that absorbs his distressed, closely held companies.
Angelenos Look Back at Days and Nights of "Anarchy"
Mixed Messages 10 Years After The Riots
Burned and Looted, Family Store Rises From the Ashes
Mixed Messages 10 Years After The Riots
Replay Weighs Heavy on Fate of Riot-Weary Druggist
Mixed Messages 10 Years After The Riots
Local Theme Park Operators Set Sights Closer to Home
Theme park operators looking to rebound from the flattest year in a decade are devising various discounts and bonuses to nudge more Southern Californians through their turnstiles.
KCRW Solicits Backers to Fight Online Regulations
KCRW-FM (89.9) is urging its listeners to join the fight against proposed rules and royalties for online radio.
Commentary: Civic Improvement Has Come From Within
Mixed Messages 10 Years After The Riots
Updated Bombs An Opportunity For Small Firm
The munitions industry has faded in Los Angeles since its heyday during World War II, but Sensor Systems Inc., is poised to grab a piece of the action as the military develops the next generation of "smart bombs."
Race Relations Improve Amid South City Demographic Shifts
Mixed Messages 10 Years After The Riots
South L.A.'s Sketchy Recovery - Hard-Hit Area Better Off, But Makeover Incomplete
Mixed Messages 10 Years After The Riots
Debt Strategy Seems Sound As Dialysis Firm Recovers
Corporate Focus by Anthony Palazzo: Davita Inc.'s return to financial health, underscored by its current Dutch tender offer to buy back as much as $600 million of its stock, proves that with a change of management, anything's possible.
Rodeo and La Brea: From Fires to Retail Destination
Mixed Messages 10 Years After The Riots
Getting HOT
Small Business Profile: Owners of It's A Grind coffee chain pick up steam with ambitious expansion plan throughout Western states
Biotech Billionaire Says Market Not Ready for IPO
Entrepreneur Alfred E. Mann has decided to wait until early next year to take his biotech conglomerate MannKind Corp. public, despite plans for an initial public offering this summer.
Tenants Face Soaring Operations Costs
Office building landlords have two words for their tenants: Brace yourselves.
Biotech Company Sees Fat Profits With Stem Cell Harvest
It's those crazy fads that usually earn the "only in L.A." tag, not biotech startups on the lookout for venture capital. But StemSource Inc. is one local company that might be the exception.
NEWSMAKERS
People in the News, on the Move;
People Interview: Outside The Arena
Back in the private sector, ex-mayoral hopeful Antonio Villaraigosa turns to family, lecture circuit.
Judge Stops Marina Apartment Complex That Had City's OK
Halting a controversial residential development in the heart of a South Bay industrial zone, a Los Angeles Superior Court judge ruled that the city should not have authorized rezoning of the land.
Investors Pressure Coffee Firm to Act To Lift Stock Price
Disgruntled shareholders, including some members of the family that runs venerable Farmer Brothers Co., are looking to put pressure on management in hopes of boosting the company's stock price.
Strong Economy, Not Government, Made a Difference
Mixed Messages 10 Years After The Riots
Maguire's Equity in Tower Deal is Unclear
Was MaguirePartners' coup done without cash? That's the question being asked after the developer arranged the buyout of its partner in the 73-story Library Tower, Tokyo-based Dai-ichi Mutual Life.
Digital Tinkerers Make Games Their Own
id the smell of stale cigarettes, guitars mounted on the wall and computer monitors stacked among a latticework of keyboards and mixing boards, Mario Orsini's dreams appear more suited to a life in the recording industry.
Hotelier's Commission Appointment Sparks Concern
Electing the owner of downtown L.A.'s largest hotel as president of an advisory commission on convention center operations is raising howls of protest from some corners of the hotel and tourism industry.
My Favorite Sites
Favorite Web Sites of Larry Thompson, President, Larry Thompson Entertainment
Spotlight on Brentwood: Success of Tony Retail Strip Has Residents Seeking Limit
For the Brentwood neighbors of the retail stretch along San Vicente Boulevard, a little success has proven too much of a good thing.
The List: Executive Summary/The Pacesetter
About this week's List
Review & Preview
Summary of past week's top stories, plus a look at the upcoming week.
Monday, April 1
Small Business Owners Girding To Fight Workers' Comp Costs
Business owners don't often take up picket signs and chant protest slogans. But one L.A. area group that took this approach a decade ago to combat skyrocketing workers' compensation costs is at it again.
Review & Preview
Review of past week's news; Preview of upcoming events. Sign On or Register now to view - it's FREE!
LABJ Forum: Breaking Up Is Hard to Do
Chances are increasing that secession of the San Fernando Valley, the San Pedro/Wilmington area and Hollywood from the City of Los Angeles will appear on the November 5 ballot. A recent Los Angeles Times poll showed support for secession was 55 percent in
Executive Summary / The Pacesetter
About this week's List - Minority-owned businesses, L.A. County based; ranked by 2001 companywide revenues.
City Hall Lags in Secession Fight
There's a growing prospect that secession measures for the San Fernando Valley, the Harbor area and Hollywood will be placed on the Nov. 5 ballot and a recent poll shows surprisingly strong support.
Antelope Valley Takes Offensive as B-2 Jobs Threatened by Cracks
A delegation of Antelope Valley businesspeople will lobby California's Congressional delegation later this month amid growing concern that Northrop Grumman Corp. will be forced to shelve plans to restart production of the B-2 Stealth bomber because of cra
Fandango Taking on Moviefone In Battle of Online Ticket Sellers
Online movie ticketing start-up Fandango is mounting a credible challenge to two leading competitors AOL Time Warner Inc.'s Moviefone and Movietickets.com by locking major exhibitors into alliances that include exclusive ticketing deals.
Fountain View Taps New Management to Negotiate Chapter 11
Fountain View Inc., the Burbank-based nursing home operator, has hired new management as it restructures under Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.
Sammy Glicks And Tinseltown
Comment by Mark Lacter
Old Tire Centers to Make Way for Retail Developments
Real Estate by Danny King
Fox Finds Synergy With Baseball
Viewers tuning into Dodger game broadcasts on KCOP-TV (Channel 13) this season might think they have mistakenly landed on Fox Sports Net West 2. That's because the production team that puts together Net West 2's broadcasts is doing the same for KCOP...
Insurers Cry Politics in Bill That Would Limit Use of Credit Data
The insurance industry is up in arms over a bill that would prohibit the growing practice of using credit information to set premiums and to determine whether to offer insurance to drivers and homeowners.
Macro Management
Joan Payden has adopted a global perspective when it comes to dealing with $40 billion in clients' assets.
NEWSMAKERS
Firm Looks Inward as it Broadens Base.
Buying a Piece of History
Descendants of original Spanish land grant sell last portion of property.
My Favorite Sites
Favorite Web Sites - Tal Vigderson, Managing Director, Icebox
SPOTLIGHT ON VALENCIA
Retail-Office Complex Gives Community a 'Main Street'
Creator Defends Afghanistan Video Game
Technology by Christopher Keough
Senior Partner Defection Puts Firm's Future in Question
Attorneys at Lyon & Lyon LLP will have much to reflect on during the firm's annual partnership retreat this month. Like their future.
Struggling Westside Office Building Sold To Canadian Outfit
The Green Monster just got tamed. The pine-colored Santa Monica Gateway office building, located alongside the 405 Freeway in West Los Angeles, has seen nothing but trouble since it was built in 1986.
Weekly Briefing: Educational Toy Shop Finally Finds a Home
Bernice Baird-Browning started her toy business, Small Wonders, in a Palos Verdes mini-mall 26 years ago.
Job Loss in L.A. Pales in Comparison to Rest of State
UCLA's Anderson forecast last week concluded that while Los Angeles continues to experience lagging growth in several industries, including entertainment, the area has fared far better than the state as a whole and "is not really participating in the nati
Boutique's Retreat Evidence of Pain In Specialty Sector
Retail by Deborah Belgum
State's Energy Woes Not Over, Officials Claim
Power may be plentiful and prices stable for now, but that could change as early as this fall when federal price controls end. And a recent report by federal regulators warns that California could suffer from tight energy markets over the next few years..
Small Business Profile: Book Mark
Daniela Soberman's Streamline Press publisher of books on retro style is finding buyers at corner stores, overseas.
Paramount's Legal Head Returning to Greenberg Practice
Plus: Key Departure Thins O'Melveny Leasing Department
Retuning for KSUR as Owner Tries to Hit Right Notes
Saul Levine does things few other radio station owners would dare do. His stations play music that appeals to older listeners and draws weak ratings. He pushes aside generous offers to sell.
Host of "Marketplace"Adding KCET Show to Resume
Media by Claudia Peschiutta
Manufacturer of Auto Parts Needs Stock Super-Charge
Corporate Focus by Anthony Palazzo
Historic Herald-Examiner Building to Become Offices
Thirteen years after Hearst Corp. folded the Los Angeles Herald-Examiner, the newspaper's historic downtown building will be converted into creative office space to capitalize on the development resurgence in and around nearby Staples Center.
L.A. Stories / The Roving Eye
Weekly Columns
Cathedral Conference Center Drawing Business Interest
This week, the 200 or so members of the downtown Rotary Club will break a 43-year tradition at the Wilshire Grand Hotel and bring their weekly meeting to order at a new location: the just-completed conference center of the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Ang