On The Cover
WAGES Southern California companies are boosting wages again and that means price increases for many retail goods and services.
TELECOM Usage of cellular phones has exploded over the last four years, thanks to cheaper rates.
CARDS Many people are carrying a half-dozen or more business cards these days, reflecting the many hats worn by business owners and the changing economy.
Up Front
NFL Backers of the L.A. Coliseum project say they are closer to meeting NFL demands for public financial support. 3
HOME SALES L.A. County homes are selling faster than ever. 3
APARTMENTS Despite a shortage of rental housing in the San Fernando Valley, old apartments in some communities remain vacant. 3
HOLLYWOOD ? A plan to build a high-rise hotel in Hollywood could run afoul of CRA plans for the area. 4
CITYSEARCH The never-profitable Pasadena company is going public, proof of the market’s hunger for Internet offerings. 5
TITANIC Twenty-eight weeks after its premiere, James Cameron’s epic is still steaming into movie theaters. 6
NORTHROP The company’s final shareholder meeting may signal the end of an era in Los Angeles. 6
REITS The L.A. real estate market is booming, but local REIT stocks hover near 52-week lows. 7
AUTOS GM shakes up dealerships in the Valley to reverse a slump in sales. 8
PLAYA Playa Vista developers halt construction, potentially jeopardizing the huge DreamWorks deal. 8
ACTRESS Connie Stevens may have faded away as a TV star, but she’s made millions in cosmetics. 9
HEALTH Alhambra’s University Affiliates is an example of how doctors have responded to the challenge of HMOs. 10
ONIONS L.A. becomes the target for the Walla Walla sweet onion. 10
SUPPLIES No layoffs anticipated following the sale of Viking Office Products to Office Depot. 11
Media & Technology
DISNEY Has the other shoe dropped on Disney? 12
UNIVISION The L.A.-based Spanish-language network is faring much better than ESPN and ABC on World Cup broadcasts. 12
SOFTWARE Bowne Global Solutions is a market leader in translating software for international distribution. 14
Columns & features Tech Talk 12, Advertising & P.R. 15, Computers 16
Small Business
TILES The owner of Monterey Ceramic Tile & Marble in Rosemead has an aggressive strategy for attracting business. 17
Columns & features Weekly briefing 17, Entrepreneur’s Notebook 18, Ask Lorraine 19
People
RUTH GALANTER L.A. City Councilwoman talks about the controversial LAX expansion. 20
Columns & features Newsmakers 29
Investments & Finance
CORPORATE FOCUS News Corp. 30
Columns & features Wall Street West 31, Econowatch 31, LABJ 100 32, Jane Bryant Quinn 33
Real Estate
Columns & features Real Estate briefs 37
