BRIEFCASE CITY ABLE TO BLOCK CABLE-FIRM SWITCH.

Byline: - Staff and Wire Services

THOUSAND OAKS - Ventura County's cable imbroglio came to a temporary halt Friday, as the city of Thousand Oaks won an injunction preventing Adelphia Communications Corp.'s purchase of the americast system.

Verizon Communications Corp.'s Feb. 28 sale of americast has become a point of contention in Thousand Oaks, with the city filing suit in Ventura County Superior Court to block the sale. Adelphia fought back, alleging in U.S. District Court that the city illegally violated the Cable Communications Act in its attempts to stave off the transfer of assets.

The injunction will last until April 12, at which point all parties will present their arguments in court.

Gas prices keep going up in region

Gasoline prices in Southern California rose for the 12th straight week this week and are now 60 percent higher than at the beginning of the year, the Automobile Club of Southern California reported Friday.

Gasoline prices in Southern California hovered just below $1 per gallon at the start of 2002.

This week, the average price of self-serve regular unleaded in the Los Angeles area was $1.578 per gallon - 5.3 cents more than last week and 25 cents more than a month ago but 4 cents less than at this time last year, according to the Auto Club's Weekend Gas Watch.

Northrop extends TRW stock offer

CENTURY CITY - Northrop Grumman Corp. on Friday extended its tender offer for shares of TRW Inc. to April 12.

The earlier offer was set to expire at midnight Friday.

The extension did not include an increase in Northrop's offer of $47 per share.

Century City-based Northrop Grumman said about 2.1 million shares, or about 1.7 percent, of TRW common stock, have already been tendered. TRW has about 126.5 million shares of common stock outstanding.

TRW has already rejected Northrop's offer as being too low and has recommended that its shareholders reject the bid at a special meeting called for April 22.

AMC seals deal for cinema rival

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - AMC Entertainment Inc. has completed its $167 million purchase of GC Cos., the parent company of General Cinemas, AMC said Friday.

The acquisition, approved March 18 by the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Delaware, includes 66 theaters with 621 screens in the United States and a 50 percent stake in a joint venture operating 17 cinemas with 621 screens in South America.

Kmart discloses $174 million loss

TROY, Mich. - Kmart Corp. on Friday reported a $174 million net loss for February, the first full month since the discount retailer filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.

The Troy-based company, in a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, also reported $2.2 billion in sales for the month. The filing didn't offer comparative figures for 2001.

Kmart, filed for bankruptcy Jan. 22.

Formula recalled after baby death

WASHINGTON - Mead Johnson Nutritionals is recalling a batch of specialty formula used for babies and others with rare digestive diseases after an infant who was tube-fed the formula died of a rare infection.

The formula is called Portagen. It is used mainly by hospitals but some families may use it at home under a doctor's instructions.

Cans from the recalled batch bear the code BMC17 embossed on the bottom. That batch contained 17,000 cans shipped nationwide in February 2001, but they do not expire until January 2003.

Do not use formula from that batch, warned Mead Johnson.

Consumers with questions can call [phone].