73d

They amble in with overgrown manes and beards, looking as if they've spent the night on the street. Some of them have. Eyes downcast, they climb three metal stairs, duck through the doorway and sink into the black vinyl chair, where the proprietor begins to snip. By the time he has brushed their necks with talc and patted their cheeks with clove-scented after-shave, they could pass for anyone's impeccably coiffed father or brother or uncle. In reality, they are veterans whose haggard faces reflect the psychic scars of service in Korea, Vietnam, Iraq or Afghanistan and of their ongoing battles with addiction, grief and pain.

They amble in with overgrown manes and beards, looking as if they've spent the night on the street. Some of them have. Eyes downcast, they climb three metal stairs, duck through the doorway and sink into the black vinyl chair, where the proprietor begins to snip. By the time he has brushed their necks with talc and patted their cheeks with clove-scented after-shave, they could pass for anyone's impeccably coiffed father or brother or uncle. In reality, they are veterans whose haggard faces reflect the psychic scars of service in Korea, Vietnam, Iraq or Afghanistan and of their ongoing battles with addiction, grief and pain.

BUILDING LEADERS 1995 Company Sales in millions *--* Rank 1995 Company 1995 1996 City, Key Officer Volume Projection 1 Kaufman & Broad Corp.* 432 ** Los Angeles, Bruce Karatz 2 Greystone Homes Inc. 293.9 ** Los Angeles, Jack R. Harter 3 Standard Pacific Corp. 266 ** Costa Mesa, Ronald R. Foell 4 Pardee Construction Co. 231 297.5 Los Angeles, David E. Landon 5 Lewis Homes Group of Companies 210.5 210 Upland, Richard A. Lewis 6 Centex Real Estate Corp.* 191 212.9 Corona, Larry B.

Fifty trophies fill the antique china cabinet in the tiny one-bedroom apartment at the tennis club where Vic Seixas lives alone, supporting himself at 76 with two bartending jobs mornings and afternoons. The oldest trophy, his first, came from a 1937 boys tournament, and it looks more impressive than a modest silver cup inscribed "singlehanded championship of the world." That one is from Wimbledon, 1953. "The bigger the trophy, the smaller the tournament," says Seixas, who also won the U.S.

My family and I extend heartfelt thanks for sharing with Southern Californians the tragic loss of my husband, author Forrest E. "Skip" Fickling (April 11). The memorial service honoring Skip's 73d birthday, the special life he lived and his new life in heaven was truly magnificent. Inspiring beyond belief was the blessing of Rev. Gary Tucker, the words spoken following his invocation, and our proud U.S. Marine Corps personnel, who stood at attention in their elegant blue uniforms during the entire 45-minute procedure.

STACKING UP SALES Total album and single sales of CDs and cassettes for the week ended March 19, compared with week-ago and year-ago levels, in millions of units: Atop the Charts Weekly and year-to-date record company market share as of March 19, based on current albums sold. This is an indicator of music company performance. Figures do not include catalog sales. MARKET SHARE *--* Latest Year Distributor week to date Top-selling album Artist Universal 27.3% 28.5% Unleash the Dragon Sisqo BMG 18.

  Lagunitas Brewing 'A Little Sumpin' Sumpin" Ale This is a delightful little sumpin' sumpin'. The nose is almost as piney as a West Coast India Pale Ale, but the palate is so malty-sweet you scarcely notice any bitterness until the finish, which is clean and short — the opposite of clingy, as it were. It gets its smooth character from malted wheat, though wheat flavor doesn't exactly leap out at you. Lagunitas introduced it last year as a summer seasonal and has clearly repeated it because of popular demand.

Chris Walters hit a free throw with two seconds left to give visiting Antelope Valley College a 75-74 victory over Rio Hondo in a Foothill Conference basketball game Friday. The victory was the sixth in a row for the Marauders (15-10, 9-1 in conference play) and kept them alone atop the Foothill Conference standings. Rio Hondo dropped to 17-8, 7-3. D. J. Jackson had game-high totals of 33 points and 12 rebounds for Antelope Valley. Jason Grimes added 17 points and 11 rebounds for the Marauders.

The Lakers have a 4-6 record under Coach Mike D'Antoni, losing 15 of 40 quarters (37.5%). In comparison, the team went 1-4 under Mike Brown, losing 11 of 20 quarters (55%). In the six-game Bernie Bickerstaff interim period, the Lakers lost just four of 24 quarters (16.7%), but three were in the same game (San Antonio Spurs). In the five Bickerstaff victories, the Lakers lost just a single quarter. The team has won 70% of their first quarters (7-3) under D'Antoni, suggesting the issue may go beyond questions in the starting lineup.

If your ancestors traveled on the great overland trails to the West, you probably wish you knew more about their journeys. James A. Michener consulted about three dozen narratives of emigrants who made the historic journey from St. Joseph, Mo., to Oregon or California in researching material for his novel, "Centennial." In the foreword to an exciting new book, "Platte River Road Narratives" by Merrill J.

VENTURA COUNTY JR. GOLF ASSN.