BRIEFLY.

Two-vehicle crash kills one

WEST HILLS -- One person was killed late Tuesday in a collision between a car that may have been street racing and another vehicle driven by a student driver, according to authorities and broadcast reports.

The collision was reported around 8:45 p.m. on Vanowen Street near Valley Circle Boulevard, according to Sgt. Fred Meck of the Los Angeles Police Department's Valley Traffic Division.

One person was killed in the collision, Meck said.

KCAL (Channel 9) reported that the person killed was the driver of a car that may have been participating in an illegal street race before apparently losing control and colliding with a vehicle carrying a student driver and instructor.

The student driver and instructor were taken to a hospital, but their conditions were not immediately known, according to KCAL.

-- City News Service

Sheriff's patrol unit, car collide

WOODLAND HILLS -- A two-vehicle collision Tuesday involving a sheriff's Transit Service Bureau patrol unit resulted in minor injuries, authorities said.

The sheriff's car was eastbound on Oxnard and the other vehicle was westbound when they collided at the intersection of Owensmouth Avenue and Oxnard Street at 1:40 p.m., said Sgt. Augie Pando of the sheriff's Transit Bureau.

Pando said it was unclear what caused the crash.

The sheriff's unit patrols along the Metropolitan Transportation Authority's Orange Line, Pando said.

-- City News Service

Marie Callendar's robbed twice

SIMI VALLEY -- The same gunman might be responsible for two nighttime robberies within five days at a local Marie Callender's restaurant, police said Tuesday.

``It's very unusual, and investigators are considering the possibility it is the same person,'' said Sgt. Stephanie Shannon of the Simi Valley Police Department.

In the robberies Friday and Tuesday shortly after midnight at the restaurant at 20 W. Cochran St., the suspect wore a mask, brandished a handgun, took an undisclosed amount of money and left on foot.

There was no further description, and police were asking witnesses to call them at [phone].

-- Daily News

Gas lawn mower swap Saturday

The South Coast Air Quality Management District is offering a new Neuton 24-volt cordless rechargeable electric lawn mower for $100 to residents who trade in their gasoline-powered mowers Saturday at Los Angeles Valley College.

You must pre-register for the exchange by signing up online at www.aqmd.gov or call [phone].

-- Daily News

LAX Hilton staff returning to work

Dozens of waiters and housekeepers will return to work Thursday at the Hilton Los Angeles Airport hotel, where they were suspended for stopping work and challenging the firing of a co-worker.

On May 11, the workers gathered for about two hours in the employee cafeteria and demanded to speak with management about the termination of a waiter. Hotel executives suspended the employees, saying they had refused to work and were engaged in an illegal job action.

In a statement Monday, the hotel's general manager said Hilton believed the workers were misled by a union that is attempting to organize the hotel workers, about the legality of their action.

-- Associated Press