Brick

Early morning light streamed down from a skylight two floors up, illuminating huge canvases, paint tubes and a calico cat lounging on the stairs. This would be a peaceful scene in artist Amy Ellingson's Long Beach loft, but for a dozen city planners standing in her dining room to admire what architect and developer Carl Day had wrought. Here in an old brick building, former home of the Royal Windjammer cocktail lounge just northwest of downtown, are 11 bright artists' lofts.

Here’s a back-and-forth photo essay that pairs scenes from two Disney Main Streets. The first Main Street (also known as Kansas Avenue) runs through Marceline, Mo., where the young Walt Disney spent several pre-teen years at the outset of the 20 th century. The second is Main Street, U.S.A. the all-American commercial district that Disney unveiled, along with the rest of Disneyland , in 1955. As Walt later made clear, one street inspired him in creation of the other.

— The last time Judith Ivey played a Tennessee Williams role was opposite Karl Malden. As introductions to playwrights go, it's hard to imagine many more authoritative guides than a man who had famously shared the stage with Jessica Tandy, Marlon Brando and Kim Hunter in Elia Kazan's 1947 premiere of "A Streetcar Named Desire. " Ivey's encounter with Malden was roughly 40 years ago, while she was studying acting at Illinois State University. The play was "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof.

The juries have spoken and what they have said to law enforcement is: "Do your job, go to jail. Use a brick, it's a misdemeanor." JOHN J. VALENCIA San Dimas

Two Venice groups are promoting a plan to resurface the community's boardwalk in brick, but critics say it would be too costly and anathema to the boardwalk's funky ambience. At stake is about $10 million in funding earmarked for Venice Beach from Proposition A, a $500-million ballot measure for improving parks and recreation facilities. The closed Venice Pier will be restored with $3 million of the allotted funds, leaving $7 million for refurbishment of the boardwalk.

Many migrants who attempt to cross the U.S.-Mexican border into Southern California never make it. Inadequately dressed and without enough food and water, they fall prey to extreme weather, rugged terrain and other dangers. Their deaths often go unnoticed. Their bodies are placed in a dirt plot in the back of a cemetery. Only a brick with the words "John Doe" marks each grave. In the Imperial County border town of Holtville, 150 unidentified immigrants are buried.

No team in the NBA, including Boston, can beat the Lakers, except the Lakers. This year the culprits seemed to be the 16-year jinx on champions repeating, Pat Riley and Mr. Clutch, Byron (Throw Up a Brick) Scott. BRUCE ALAN Sun Valley Editor's note: These letters represent many of the best received by The Times in 1986

Heavily armed police concluded a search of a large, earthquake-hit building Saturday morning without finding a gunman who earlier disarmed a guard, held him hostage, then let him go unhurt. "He must've somehow snuck out of there," said Officer Farrell Suslow. Five people died in the old unreinforced brick building when the quake hit Oct. 17.