BRIEFLY : 8 STUDENTS FALL ILL IN CLASSROOM.

Eight sixth-graders who got sick Thursday in a classroom at a Christian school in the Harbor City area required medical treatment, possibly for carbon monoxide poisoning.

Paramedics were sent to 25500 S. Vermont Ave. at 1:25 p.m., Fire Department spokesman Brian Humphrey said.

The 11- and 12-year-olds who got sick were in one classroom at the Gateway Christian School, Humphrey said.

After being refused admission by a Kaiser hospital across the street, three of the children were taken to San Pedro Peninsula Hospital, Humphrey said.

One asthmatic who was having trouble breathing was taken to Harbor-UCLA Medical Center in Torrance, where he was given oxygen.

Four of the children were released to their parents after treatment by paramedics, he said.

The source of their illness is under investigation, Humphrey said, but a new heater was ``red-tagged'' for further investigation.

?13- Daily News

City Hall bridge to close for project

The pedestrian bridge connecting City Hall with City Hall East will be closed later this month as part of a massive earthquake-repair program that won't be completed until the next century, a city official said Thursday.

Earthquake repairs to City Hall will take about 38 months to complete, but that effort can't begin in earnest until some occupants of the landmark building move out.

Council chambers and some members' offices will be relocated to the third floor of City Hall East during that time, but repairs need to be made first to that location before the move can be made.

Those construction changes on City Hall East are expected to be completed by March or April, according to Jeff Druyun of the Chief Legislative Analyst's Office.

?13- City News Service

2 screenwriters sue Universal

Two Los Angeles screenwriters who claim their idea for the coming movie ``Half Baked'' was stolen sued Universal Studios Inc. and others, a lawyer said Thursday.

Daniel Bernstein and Erik Petersen claim they ``shopped'' a script by that name last year, and that the film due out in January and starring rapper Snoop Doggy Dogg and Cheech & Chong's Tommy Chong has a plot remarkably similar to theirs.

A Universal spokeswoman said the studio does not comment on pending lawsuits.

?13- City News Service

Armed robber fires gun in credit union

ARCADIA - A shotgun-wielding man walked into an Arcadia credit union Thursday and shot into the ceiling before jumping a teller's counter and robbing the facility.

The robbery occurred at Foothill Federal Credit Union, 133 E. Duarte Road, shortly after 1 p.m., said Lt. Tim Murray.

Several customers and employees were in the facility but no injuries were reported, he said.

?13- City News Service