BRIEFLY.

Charges brought in police chase

VAN NUYS - Charges were filed Friday against a probationer accused of crashing a Ford Crown Victoria into a BMW while being pursued by officers, who found replica guns and police equipment in the trunk of his car.

Todd Dereck Taylor, 46, of Los Angeles, was charged with two felony and four misdemeanor counts, including evading an officer causing injury, possession of a deadly weapon and hit-and-run driving.

Taylor, who was on probation for being a felon in possession of ammunition, is accused of leading police on a chase on surface streets and the Ventura Freeway in Sherman Oaks.

- City News Service

Foundation plans dinner fundraiser

CHATSWORTH - The Foundation for the Preservation of the Santa Susana Mountains will hold a fundraising dinner April 29 at Casa de Carlos, 20549 Devonshire St.

The evening will include a social hour at 5:30 p.m. with a Mexican buffet at 6:30. The cost is $18.95 per adult and $8.50 for children.For information or to RSVP, call Pearl Turbush at [phone].

- Daily News

Bush schedules California visit

SACRAMENTO - President George W. Bush plans a long California weekend of politicking, pitching policy and R&R later this month, a low-key visit that has even some longtime aides scratching their heads.

Picking up campaign cash is a fixture of presidential trips to California. Bush will attend at least one and possibly two fundraisers, the first at a country club in Palm Springs on April 22.

The policy pitches are specially tailored to California, where interest in technology and the environment runs deep. This will mark Bush's 16th visit as president to the most populous state.

On April 23, Bush plans to attend a training exercise at the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center in Twentynine PalmsZZSB.

Aides to Bush and Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger say they are still in delicate negotiations on how to stage a meeting between the two Republicans. Both are held in low regard by California voters: A Field Poll this week found just 36 percent are inclined to re-elect Schwarzenegger, and 32 percent approve of Bush's handling of the presidency.

- Associated Press

NASA won't open spacecraft report

Citing sensitive information, NASA said Friday it will not publicly release its official report on the failure of a spacecraft during a mission to rendezvous with a Pentagon satellite without human help.

The 70-page document on the DART spacecraft mishap contains details protected by the International Traffic in Arms Regulations, said space agency spokesman Michael Braukus.

But NASA plans to release a summary of the report that will explain why DART did not complete its mission last year, Braukus said.

- Associated Press