BRIEFLY NOT GUILTY PLEA ENTERED IN KILLING.

A man convicted of killing a wealthy New York widow pleaded not guilty Wednesday to the murder of a Los Angeles business associate.

Kenneth Kimes, 25, entered the plea during his Superior Court arraignment, where he was kept behind a glass partition. He spoke to his attorney and the judge through a small opening, agreeing to waive his right to a preliminary hearing within 10 days and return to court for a June 28 hearing.

Kimes and his mother, Sante Kimes, are accused of killing David Kazdin, a 63-year-old businessman whose body was found in a trash bin near Los Angeles International Airport in 1998. Police believe Kazdin was killed after he found out the Kimeses had forged his name on a loan. They allegedly took $200,000 from the loan account.

- Associated Press

'Riordan Library' clears last hurdle

The renaming of the Los Angeles Central Library after Mayor Richard Riordan cleared its final hurdle on Wednesday when the City Council again failed to overturn the action by the Library Commission.

With a final 6-5 vote - four short of what was needed - the council allowed the name change to take effect.

Several council members, some longtime political opponents of Riordan, objected to the procedures followed by the Library Commission in not allowing public hearings.

- Daily News

Van Nuys project takes step ahead

VAN NUYS - Financial documents have been completed, paving the way for construction to begin on a long-delayed $34 million city office building in the Van Nuys Civic Center, officials said Wednesday.

Councilwoman Cindy Miscikowski said the city can now complete final drawings for the Marvin Braude Constituent Service Center at the southeast corner of Van Nuys Boulevard and Sylvan Street. The 142,000-square-foot building will provide offices for several municipal departments as well as a 9,500-square-foot retail section.

- Daily News

Man killed during car-to-car gun fire

Shooters in a green Izusu Rodeo and green Chevrolet Blazer fatally shot a man on a Silver Lake street Wednesday night, police said.

Gunfire erupted from both vehicles near Fletcher Drive and Glendale Boulevard about 8:50 p.m., said Los Angeles police Officer Jason Lee.

A total of five or six people were in the two sport utility vehicles, he said.

The dead man's name was withheld pending notification of relatives. No immediate arrests were made.

The shooting might have been gang-related, he said.

- City News Service

Senior lead officer to be introduced

WINNETKA - Winnetka Neighborhood Watch will host a community meeting at 7 p.m. today for the public to meet the Los Angeles Police Department's new senior lead officer for the area.

The session will be at the Demirdjian School Auditorium, 6844 Oakdale Ave.

- Daily News

Valley students visit courthouse

Kennedy High School students learned that basic tenet of the American judicial system during their visit Wednesday at the federal courthouse in Los Angeles.

About 30 students from the Granada Hills school filled the courtroom of U.S. District Judge Spencer Letts.

The U.S. District Court organized the event - including courthouse tours and presentations by court officials - in observance of Law Day.

- City News Service