BRIEFLY; BUSINESS LOTS CUT AT PORTER RANCH.

The Los Angeles Planning Commission on Thursday approved a reduction in the amount of commercial development that will be allowed at Porter Ranch.

In its second change to the specific plan for the project, the commission reduced commercial development from 6 million to 3 million square feet in exchange for giving the developer more flexibility on where those projects will be built.

Still to be decided are issues involving signs and development standards, officials said.

The project is planned to include 3,000 homes and 1,200 multifamily units.

- Daily News

DEPUTIES TO CARRY TRAUMA CARE KITS

Sheriff Lee Baca announced Thursday that 5,000 ``trauma kits'' will be distributed to deputies countywide to help in the emergency treatment of gunshot and stabbing victims.

The medical kits are designed primarily to help the wounded before paramedics arrive, Baca said.

The kits were provided, in part, by funds raised through Los Angeles County Supervisor Don Knabe, Baca said.

- City News Service

SAFER CIGARETTES HAVE SENATE FANS

SACRAMENTO - The state Senate voted Thursday to make California the first state to require that all cigarettes sold in the state be self-extinguishing to reduce accidental fires.

State Sen. Adam Schiff's measure would allow only fire-safe cigarettes to be sold in California beginning in July 1, 2002. A 22-11 vote sent Schiff's bill to the Assembly.

Schiff, D-Pasadena, said that while most of the tobacco industry opposes the bill, Philip Morris announced development of a cigarette paper in 1998 that will extinguish itself if unattended.

- Associated Press

POWER OUTAGE HITS 2,000 CUSTOMERS

VALENCIA - More than 2,000 customers lost power Thursday when underground circuits were knocked out for unknown reasons, also prompting the Sheriff's Department to dispatch deputies to seven intersections in Newhall and Valencia during rush hour.

Power went out at 3:51 p.m. It was mostly restored several hours later, said Southern California Edison spokeswoman Karen Shepard-Grimes.

- Daily News