BUSH MAY VISIT SCENE OF '92 RIOTS.

Byline: Rick Orlov Staff Writer

With the 10th anniversary of the Rodney King riots on Monday, President George W. Bush has tentatively scheduled a tour of South Los Angeles, which his father visited in the wake of the violence in 1992.

Details are still being worked out by the White House, but local leaders have been told the president is considering a visit and meeting with officials.

``We aren't confirming anything,'' White House spokeswoman Sara Steele said. ``Everything for next week is still in the planning stages.''

Mayor James Hahn has been alerted to the possibility of a presidential visit, and is holding off on finalizing his schedule for Monday so he can accommodate the president, spokeswoman Julie Wong said.

``We are waiting to hear from the White House and then can make some decisions,'' Wong said.

Officials at First AME Church said they have been told to prepare for a presidential visit.

The riots, the worst such disturbances since the Civil War, resulted in more than 50 deaths and an estimated $1 billion in damage in the three days after four white LAPD police officers were acquitted of all charges in the beating of African-American motorist Rodney King.

After the riots, then-President George H.W. Bush toured the riot scene and meet with local leaders to discuss what could be done to repair damage to the city.

A number of other commemorative events are planned for Monday, including Days of Dialogue, in which Councilman Mark Ridley-Thomas will lead a discussion of the impact of the riots on the city. The session will be held from noon to 2 p.m. at the 8th District Constituent Service Center, 8479 S. Vermont Ave., Los Angeles.

Bush is scheduled to be in Los Angeles for a fund-raiser on behalf of Republican gubernatorial candidate Bill Simon. That event, scheduled for Monday evening at the Century Plaza Hotel, will go on if Bush's plans change, Simon campaign officials said.