BRIEFLY ACTORS' STRIKE ENTERS WEEK TWO.

As the Screen Actors Guild and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists began its second week of strikes Monday over wages from advertisement productions, hundreds of ad agencies signed temporary agreements meeting the unions' demands.

Some 300 commercial producers, including the media consulting firms working for presidential candidates George W. Bush and Al Gore, have signed the temporary contracts allowing production to continue during the strike, said SAG President William Daniels, whose union represents some 135,000 actors nationwide.

Some main goals of the strike for a new three-year work contract include increased residual payments for commercials and a computerized system for keeping track of when commerials run on television, radio and the Internet.

Daily News

Opera director honored by CSUN

NORTHRIDGE - Cal State University, Northridge announced Monday that Peter Hemmings, founding general director of the Los Angeles Opera, will receive the one honorary degree it will bestow this year.

Hemmings started the Los Angeles Opera in 1984. At the time the city was the only major city without one. When he retires this year, it will be the sixth-largest in the country.

University Interim President Louanne Kennedy will confer the honorary Doctorate of Fine Arts during commencement ceremonies on June 1. In the opera company's existence, it has featured CSUN alumni Carol Vaness, Deborah Voigt and Rodney Gilfrey as performers.

Daily News

MTA board awards contracts

The MTA board voted Monday to award five-year contracts, with three one-year extensions, totaling $227 million to First Transit, Coach USA/Progressive, MV Transportation and R&D Transportation.

The contracts are for continuation of bus service along 13 lines, as well as the initiation of four pilot lines.

City News Service

Road rage bill clears hurdle

A Southland lawmaker's bill aimed at increasing penalties for people who brandish guns or other deadly weapons while driving was approved today in the Assembly Transportation Committee.

AB 2733 by Assemblyman Herb Wesson Jr., D-Culver City, also would require a ``road rage'' component in classes for aggressive drivers sentenced to traffic school.

``Road rage and aggressive driving are quickly becoming the number one concern of the motoring public,'' Wesson said.

- City News Service

Cruise workers charged with rape

Carnival Cruise Line employees were charged in federal court Monday with raping two female passengers off the coast of Puerto Vallarta.

Officials said the two women, who are in their 20s, reported that crew members Desmond Abraham and Julio Delgado followed them into a cabin, tore their clothes off and assaulted them after the women returned from shore drunk on May 3.

- Associated Press