Business Hour

Your Weekend Viewing/Listening Some highlights of business programming. (All times are Pacific time.) Today * Noon: "Business Hour." (KFWB-AM [980]) * 1 p.m.: "Business Hour With Bob McCormick." (KNX-AM [1070]) * 2 p.m.: "Tech Hour." (KNX-AM [1070]) * 3:30 p.m., 7 p.m., 8:30 p.m.: "Moneyline." (CNN) * 4 p.m.: "Market Week With Maria Bartiromo." Brad Martin, CEO of Saks Inc. (CNBC; also airs Saturday and Sunday at 4 and 11 p.m.) * 5:30 p.m.: "Nightly Business Report." Scott Marcouiller, A.G.

A devastating magnitude 6.3 earthquake struck the New Zealand city of Christchurch on Tuesday, killing at least 65 people and burying victims under collapsed buildings. Some victims used their cellphones to frantically call for help, officials said. The earthquake, the second large temblor to hit the city since September, struck at 12:51 p.m. local time as the city center teemed with pedestrians. Several people were reportedly in the tower of the Christchurch Cathedral as its spire toppled.

Today * Noon: "Business Hour." (KFWB-AM [980]) * 1 p.m.: "Business Hour with Bob McCormick." (KNX-AM [1070]) * 2 p.m. "Tech Hour." (KNX-AM [1070]) * 3:30 p.m., 8:30 p.m. 11:30 p.m.: "Moneyline." (CNN) * 4 p.m.: "Market Week With Maria Bartiromo." (CNBC; also airs at 4 p.m. and 11 p.m. Saturday and Sunday) * 5:30 p.m.: "Nightly Business Report." Eugene Peroni Jr., vice president, John Nuveen & Co. (KCET; also airs at 6:30 p.m. on KOCE) * 8:30 p.m.: "Wall Street Week With Louis Rukeyser."

JAMES FRANCO "The Iceman" (2011) Franco cometh, along with Benicio Del Toro and Michael Shannon, in this film based on a true story of a hitman who leads a double life as a family man. "Lovelace" (2012) At press time, Franco was in discussions to play the porno man who captured Linda Lovelace on camera, reuniting him with "Howl" directors Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman. "General Hospital" (2009-present) Franco's had a killer role as, well, Franco on the sudser; he claims he's studying up for his upcoming "Maladies" with Catherine Keener ?

They were saved from the worst. Now supporters of Westlake Village's public library have to forge ahead with second-best. Instead of closing the library, county officials have agreed to keep it open four days a week, using volunteer labor to help operate it. Last month, Los Angeles County proposed closing down half of its 87 libraries--including the one in Westlake Village--to make up a budget shortfall.

A city zoning administrator on March 2 ordered five Van Nuys motels to hire security guards and work with police to reduce crime or risk being shut down. The measure was lauded by community leaders but criticized by motel operators as expensive and unfair. Now some community leaders concerned about crime on Sepulveda Boulevard have called for the city to extend its crackdown to include other 24-hour businesses that may increase crime in the area.

JAMES FRANCO "The Iceman" (2011) Franco cometh, along with Benicio Del Toro and Michael Shannon, in this film based on a true story of a hitman who leads a double life as a family man. "Lovelace" (2012) At press time, Franco was in discussions to play the porno man who captured Linda Lovelace on camera, reuniting him with "Howl" directors Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman. "General Hospital" (2009-present) Franco's had a killer role as, well, Franco on the sudser; he claims he's studying up for his upcoming "Maladies" with Catherine Keener ?

Los Angeles city officials have released the terms of the controversial consulting contract for the former general manager of the Department of Water and Power, H. David Nahai, who resigned this month. Under the three-month contract, Nahai can earn a maximum of $82,000 to "provide consulting services and provide knowledge transfer relating to issues that arose during his tenure as chief executive officer and general manager." Nahai is required to make himself available by phone or e-mail during normal work hours.

A young man opened fire Thursday in a bustling building in a prestigious university in Azerbaijan, killing 12 people before turning the gun on himself. The gunman was identified as Farda Gadyrov, a citizen of neighboring Georgia. He entered the building at Azerbaijan State Oil Academy in Baku, the capital, about 9:30 a.m. and began climbing the stairs, shooting indiscriminately as he went, officials said. More than a dozen people were wounded. The gunman killed himself as police closed in.

A majority of area police and sheriff stations are inaccessible to residents after business hours and do not have armed officers on site at all times, according to a Ventura County Grand Jury report released this week. The panel studied the issue after hearing about a woman being followed by someone who was trying to force her off the road as she drove home from work early in the morning.

Californians will hear an expanded forecast on their morning commutes this summer, courtesy of the energy crisis: "The 405 Freeway is jammed, there's a slim chance of showers, and oh, by the way, there's a 50% likelihood of blackouts." By the end of this month, the California Independent System Operator, the agency that manages the state's power grid, expects to issue 24-hour forecasts generally detailing when and where blackouts can be expected.

Some highlights of business programming. (All times are Pacific time.) Today Noon: Business Hour, (KFWB-AM [980]) 1 p.m.: Business Hour With Bob McCormick, (KNX-AM [1070]) 2 p.m. Tech Hour, (KNX-AM) 3:30 p.m., 8:30 p.m.: Moneyline, (CNN) 4 p.m.: "Market Week With Maria Bartiromo" (CNBC) 5:30 p.m.: Nightly Business Report, Doug Preiser, director of research at McDonald Investments. (KCET; also airs at 6:30 p.m. on KOCE) 8:30 p.m.

Today * Noon: "Business Hour." (KFWB-AM [980]) * 1 p.m.: "Business Hour with Bob McCormick." (KNX-AM [1070]) * 2 p.m. "Tech Hour." (KNX-AM [1070]) * 3:30 p.m., 8:30 p.m. 11:30 p.m.: "Moneyline." (CNN) * 4 p.m.: "Market Week With Maria Bartiromo." (CNBC; also airs at 4 p.m. and 11 p.m. Saturday and Sunday) * 5:30 p.m.: "Nightly Business Report." Eugene Peroni Jr., vice president, John Nuveen & Co. (KCET; also airs at 6:30 p.m. on KOCE) * 8:30 p.m.: "Wall Street Week With Louis Rukeyser."