BRIEFLY ZINE WANTS CITY TO CONSIDER SUIT.

Los Angeles City Councilman Dennis Zine asked the council Wednesday to consider filing suit against alarm companies who falsely advertise the city's policy on burglar alarms to get more customers.

Some companies have been advertising that the police will no longer respond to burglar alarms. Zine said that is a misstatement of the city's current policy.

The Police Commission voted to change the alarm policy earlier this year, but citizen outrage put the implementation of the policy on hold. Meanwhile, the Police Commission in May will consider a less-strict three strikes alarm policy instead.

- Daily News

Redevelopment proposal opposed

Hollywood residents and business owners urged the Los Angeles City Council Wednesday to reject a proposal to extend the redevelopment plan for that area.

The Community Redevelopment Agency began its efforts in Hollywood in 1986, but according to a recent report the 1,100-acre area is still blighted by crime, low property values and high vacancy rates.

Agency critics said Hollywood redevelopment efforts have largely failed, despite using up more than $220 million in property taxes over the last 17 years.

Several business owners said developers had threatened them with eminent domain action if they refused to sell their properties to make way for new projects.

- City News Service

Van Halen singer catches fugitive

PASADENA - David Lee Roth got an unwanted visitor when a man being chased by police climbed over a fence and tried to hide out in the rock star's yard, authorities said Wednesday.

The former Van Halen frontman's publicist said Roth used a shotgun to hold the man at bay until police arrived, but police spokeswoman Janet Pope could not confirm that.

``He was lying on the grass when our officers arrived,'' Pope said of the man arrested.

- Associated Press