BRIEFCASE DISABILITIES FORUM SLATED AT HOSPITAL.

Byline: - Staff and Wire Services

NORTHRIDGE - Northridge Hospital Medical Center will host the Olmstead Forum on Friday to discuss Americans with disabilities and their struggles against institutionalization.

The meeting will focus on developing plans to help disabled people find more opportunities for community living.

For information, call Eva Goetz at [phone].

Software repair for DVD recorder 

LONG BEACH - Pioneer Electronics Inc. is warning consumers who use its popular DVD recorders to download and apply an important software repair to prevent permanent damage that could occur when recording video using new high-speed discs.

Pioneer said it was ``extremely important'' that consumers apply the software repair, which it made available free on its Web site and by mail. Without it, Pioneer indicated its drives could freeze when using high-speed blank DVDs, allowing the laser within the unit to permanently damage an important optical lens.

The problem can occur when the drives use newer, blank four-speed DVD-R discs and two-speed DVD-RW discs, the company said.

Pioneer said the glitch affects its computer DVD recorders and two stand-alone DVD recorders. Pioneer has sold in the United States about 1 million of its computer recorders and about 10,000 stand-alone recorders.

The affected models are: DVR-7000; PRV-9000; DVR-A03; DVR-103; DVR-A04 and DVR-104.

Stock price slump for Hershey Foods

HARRISBURG, Pa. - No longer for sale, Hershey Foods Corp. saw its stock price drop sharply Wednesday as speculation turned to how the charitable trust that controls the candy company might now try to diversify its assets.

``We will continue to explore alternatives,'' Robert Vowler, the trust's chairman and chief executive, said Wednesday, less than 12 hours after board members voted 10-7 against selling Hershey Foods.

Analysts said the Hershey Trust Co. could sell a chunk of its 43 million Hershey Foods shares to the company or place them on the open market.

In choosing not to sell late Tuesday night, the trustees turned down two bids: Wm. Wrigley Jr. Co. offered to pay $12.5 billion in cash and stock, while Nestle and Cadbury made a joint $10.5 billion cash offer.

Consumer prices went up in August

WASHINGTON - Consumer prices in August posted their biggest increase in four months, especially hitting the wallets of energy users, clothing shoppers and smokers.

The Consumer Price Index, the government's most closely watched inflation gauge, rose 0.3 percent in August from the previous month, the Labor Department reported Wednesday. The advance, the largest since April, came after a tiny 0.1 percent rise in July.

Although the latest reading on inflation was slightly worse than the 0.2 percent increase many analysts were predicting, it did not alarm economists, who believe the weak economy will make it difficult for companies to raise prices.

Merrill Lynch fires two executives

NEW YORK - Two top Merrill Lynch & Co. executives have been fired for declining to testify in federal investigations into financial transactions the nation's largest brokerage conducted with Enron Corp. in 1999.

Thomas W. Davis, Merrill Lynch's vice chairman, and Schuyler Tilney, an investment banking managing director who directly oversaw corporate finance matters related to Enron, both declined to testify for investigations being conducted by the Justice Department and the Securities and Exchange Commission, Merrill Lynch said in a statement Wednesday.

Merrill Lynch said it uncovered no evidence of wrongdoing by Davis and Tilney, but fired them in keeping with its policy ``requiring employees to fully cooperate with regulatory and law enforcement investigations.''

'Rent-to-own' bill passed by House

WASHINGTON - The House voted Wednesday to establish federal disclosure rules to protect consumers, mostly those with lower incomes, who buy furniture, appliances and TVs on a rent-to-own basis.

Consumer groups said the legislation doesn't go far enough to shield people from industry exploitation.

The legislation, passed 215-201, sets federal standards on rent-to-own contracts, including disclosure of cash price, the amount of payments and other costs and fees.

But the bill was fiercely opposed by consumer advocates and faces an uncertain future in the Senate. Some conservatives also voted against it on states' rights grounds.