BRIEFLY : HIGHLY CONTAGIOUS FLU REPORTED IN L.A.

A 17-year-old boy from West Los Angeles was diagnosed with a case of highly contagious type A influenza on Christmas Eve, the chief of the county's acute communicable disease control unit said Monday.

A vaccine being used this year to protect people from influenza types A and B is available for free at special flu clinics for county residents 60 or older or anyone with a chronic disease, Laurene Mascola said.

The vaccine is the best way to prevent influenza infection, she said.

Influenza A is extremely contagious, Mascola said. She advised people with symptoms such as fever, cough, headache, muscle ache and fatigue to stay home during the first three to five days of the illness, to eat light foods and drink plenty of fluids.

- City News Service

Permits available to park in Burbank

The city of Burbank is accepting residential parking permit renewals for 1999-2001.

The Public Works Department will accept renewals by mail or in person at the Public Works Counter on the second floor of the Municipal Services Building behind City Hall at 275 E. Olive Ave.

Permit holders are asked to return a completed application form along with $6 for each residential permit.

Renewals can be sent to city of Burbank, Public Works Department, P.O. Box 6459, Burbank, CA 915022-6459.

All current residential permits will expire on New Year's Eve. There will be no grace period for enforcement of expired permits.

- Daily News

Anti-war protesters arrested downtown

Federal police arrested three men Monday who spilled motor oil in front of the downtown Federal Building and splashed it with real and fake blood in protest of U.S. bombings and sanctions in Iraq, officials said.

About two dozen members of the Los Angeles Catholic Worker, a nonprofit group that runs a Skid Row soup kitchen, protested outside the building at 300 N. Los Angeles St.

Two demonstrators played guitars, and one of them sang ``Amazing Grace'' into a microphone while the group held signs reading ``No Blood for Oil,'' ``End Sanctions! Impeach Clinton for War Crimes!'' and ``Clinton Slaughters the Innocents.''

- City News Service

Girl hurt after being hit by pickup truck

SUNLAND - A 6-year-old girl suffered a serious injury Monday when she darted into the street and was hit by a pickup truck, officials said.

The incident occurred about 6:10 p.m. in the 7900 block of Foothill Boulevard, said Los Angeles City Fire Department spokesman Jim Wells.

The girl received a skull fracture and was airlifted to Childrens Hospital Los Angeles, where she was listed in critical condition, said hospital spokesman Steve Rutledge.

The injury was not considered life-threatening, but the girl was being cared for in the intensive care unit, he said.

- Daily News