California: Feb. 16, 2001

A U.S. District Court judge in Los Angeles denied a request by Southern California Edison (SCE) to order the California Public Utilities Commission to raise electricity rates for customers of beleaguered utility company. SCE has been under the threat of bankruptcy as the result of escalating energy prices in the state...The Los Angeles County Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO, voted to endorse former Assembly speaker Antonio Villaraigosa in his run for mayor of Los Angeles in the April election. The endorsement of the largest labor union in Los Angeles marks a victory for Villaraigosa, who will be up against a long list of mayoral hopefuls including representative Xavier Becerra, state controller Kathleen Connell, city attorney James K. Hahn, businessman Steve Soboroff, and City Councilman Joel Wachs...San Francisco will soon have a new park and nearly 4-acres of much needed commercial real estate soon open up, thanks to clothing manufacturer Esprit de Corp, which recently announced plans to put the a 4-acre parcel of land on Illinois Street up for sale. The parcel is currently home to the company’s outlet store, which will be closed and its approximately 19 employees offered other retail positions with the Esprit, according to the company. The company also announced plans to transfer a small plot of land to the city and has put a nearly 4-acre parcel of land up for sale. Esprit Park—a small plot of land next door to its Minnesota Street headquarters—has been used by area residents for the past 18 years and will be transferred to the city.