BRIEFLY : THREE HURT IN DRIVE-BY SHOOTING IN PACOIMA.

PACOIMA - Three people were injured Tuesday in a midday drive-by shooting in front of an apartment complex near Maclay Middle School, officials said.

The shots were fired from a van filled with young men toward a group of people standing in front of an apartment complex in the 12600 block of Pierce Street around 4 p.m., said Lt. Joe Hiltner of the Los Angeles Police Department's Foothill station.

Hiltner said it was uncertain whether the shooting was gang-related, or what may have prompted the attack.

``At this point we're not sure all that went on,'' Hiltner said.

All the victims were young men. The youngest, 17, suffered a gunshot wound to the left thigh, and was taken to Pacifica of the Valley Medical Center for treatment, said Los Angeles Fire Department spokesman Bob Collis. A 22-year-old also went to Pacifica for treatment of a gunshot wound to the ankle, he said.

A 19-year-old man was shot in the abdomen and left thigh, and was treated at Providence Holy Cross Medical Center in Mission Hills, Collis said.

Police were interviewing witnesses late Tuesday, Hiltner said. No one was arrested, he said.

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Scores hurt in 2 days of Pitchess jail rioting

SAUGUS - The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department brought in dozens of deputies as reinforcements Tuesday to cope with a second day of rioting at the Pitchess Detention Center.

By Tuesday evening 109 inmates had been injured, including 19 men who suffered major injuries requiring hospital care. The Pitchess complex as well as other county jails were under lockdown through the evening.

Sgt. Ron Spear, a Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department spokesman, said the rioting spread among four of the five Pitchess jails that house a total of nearly 8,500 inmates.

Sheriff's officials said the brawling appeared to have been orchestrated.

``We knew this was coming, it was planned,'' Spear said. ``We had information and we moved on it.''

The fighting started about 3 p.m. Monday in open dormitories at the sprawling Pitchess center. It erupted again after 11 p.m., leaving dozens injured including inmates suffering broken bones and puncture wounds.

Then on Tuesday afternoon, the fighting resumed and three ambulances were seen leaving the compound and transporting the injured to hospitals.

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Firm signals regrets about offensive sign

The vice president of a company that makes city trash cans has apologized in writing to City Councilwoman Rita Walters for posting a ``Parking for Germans Only'' sign in the parking lot of its South Central Los Angeles factory.

Walters had denounced the sign and called for a city review of whether Plastopan North America Inc. is meeting requirements for outreach to hire local residents.

In a letter to Walters, Catherine Bump said it was insensitive to post the sign, which was meant to be humorous, and she said all 15 of the plant's current employees are minorities.

At the peak of the company's operation last year, 41 of the 48 employees were minorities, the letter states. The work force has been cut back because the city reduced its order of trash containers, Bump said, adding she believes the city has not fulfilled its contractual obligations.

Despite the dispute, Bump said she is not threatening to sue the city.

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Man, 80, in hospital after robbery-beating

An 80-year-old man was hospitalized in serious condition after he was beaten and robbed on a Canoga Park street, allegedly by a man who returned to the area less than two hours after the incident, officials said Tuesday.

Police arrested Danny Cezar Dresda, 27, of Canoga Park on suspicion of robbery in the attack on Herbert Anderson. LAPD Detective Ken Crocker said the man returned to the area on the same type of bicycle used by the attacker.

Passers-by came to Anderson's aid after the daylight robbery in the 8400 block of Canoga Avenue. The suspect took less than $100 and some of the stolen money was recovered.

``It's pretty brutal, totally uncalled for, the guy would have probably given his wallet if he asked for it,'' Crocker said.

Dresda is a parolee who imprisoned a victim in an earlier burglary, Crocker said.

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Council OKs anti-bias grant for firefighters

The Los Angeles City Council approved a $300,000 program Tuesday to create a anti-discrimination unit in the Fire Department.

Councilwoman Jackie Goldberg said the unit would help the department in investigating and resolving complaints of discrimination and sexual harassment in the department.

Complaints over problems faced by minorities and women surfaced last year.

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