Hahn Gains Ground on Villaraigosa
With the Los Angeles mayoral election a week away, incumbent James K. Hahn has made large gains among major voting blocs, but still trails challenger Antonio Villaraigosa by 11 points, a Los Angeles Times poll has found. Hahn’s improved standing with such pivotal groups as San Fernando Valley whites and South Los Angeles blacks has cut into the 18-point lead that Villaraigosa held in a Times poll last month. If the election were held today, the poll found, the councilman would oust Hahn by 51 percent to 40 percent. The survey found 9 percent of likely voters undecided.
LAPD to Have Role in Stadium Security
After fan misbehavior marred a game last Tuesday and overwhelmed their security force, the Dodgers said Monday they would hire uniformed Los Angeles Police Department officers to patrol the stands at Dodger Stadium, the Los Angeles Times reported. The Dodgers also said they would increase the number of security staff and ushers, announced a director of security, and said they had not decided whether to offer $2 tickets on any future Tuesdays, a promotion introduced as “True Blue Tuesdays.” The Los Angeles Police Commission is scheduled to consider the proposal today.
Avery Dennison Sues Taiwanese Company
Avery Dennison Corp. claims a Taiwanese company that lost an $80-million verdict in 2000 has been doing business through “sham intermediaries” in a bid to avoid paying the judgment. Four Pillars Enterprise Co., which was ordered by an Ohio jury to pay for stealing trade secrets from Pasadena- based Avery Dennison, ceased operations in the U.S. under its own name in an attempt to circumvent laws, the lawsuit said. Avery Dennison said it had won court rulings, including a default judgment last month in Los Angeles, to stop Four Pillars from using such companies to avoid paying the judgment. Avery Dennison claims Four Pillars is selling its products through another company called Adheva Inc., Bloomberg News reported.
Movie malaise Hits Hollywood Hard
Hollywood is suffering through its longest box office slump in five years, reported the Daily News of Los Angeles. The summer season’s first big release, “Kingdom of Heaven,” made just $19.6 million domestically over the weekend, even less than distributor 20th Century Fox originally estimated. The lackluster performance of “Heaven” contributed to the 11th-consecutive weekend in which grosses were lower than those from the same weekend last year. That puts 2005’s box office receipts 5.6 percent behind last year. Even more troubling is that actual ticket sales trail 2004’s by 8.4 percent.
Textile Groups Differ on Central America Pact
Two major groups representing the textile industry came out on opposing sides in the debate over a free-trade agreement with six Central American and Caribbean countries. The National Council of Textile Organizations announced its support for the Central American Free Trade Agreement, a decision that was hailed by the Bush administration. The American Manufacturing Trade Action Coalition, however, repeated its opposition to CAFTA, saying it was a “job killer” filled with loopholes designed to encourage the outsourcing of U.S. jobs, the Associated Press reported.
