Chico

The Vigilantes were unable to take advantage of an outstanding pitching performance by Mike Smith and lost to Chico, 5-2, in 12 innings Monday in a Western Baseball League game at Saddleback College. Smith showed why he was recently selected as the league's 1997 pitcher of the year. In 10 innings Monday, he gave up two unearned runs and five hits. Smith (9-4) got no decision for his 140-pitch effort. He walked three and struck out nine. "That was a tough loss," Smith said.

BELLINGHAM, Wash. - With All-CCAA guard DeRonn Scott out because of a foot injury, the call came from the Cal Poly Pomona coaches for someone to step up. Terrence Drisdom answered the call and scored a career-high 26 points Friday, leading the Broncos to a 69-61 first-round NCAA Division II victory over Chico State. Chico State took an early 17-9 lead, but Cal Poly Pomona closed out the first half on a 20-4 run. "This just shows how tough we are," Drisdom said "When we're down like that, we don't hang our heads and go through the motions, we just try to keep playing tough.

The Vigilantes ended their three-game losing streak and Chico's nine-game winning streak with a 6-1 victory Sunday in Chico. Phil Kernan drove in two runs and Sam Voita, Manny Gagliano and Robert Muro also drove in a run each for the Vigilantes (4-7). Kent Ervin (4-4) pitched six innings for the victory. He gave up five hits and an unearned run. Kirk Irvine pitched the seventh and eighth and Josh Belovsky worked a perfect ninth.

If the Cal Poly Pomona men's basketball team has a home away from home, it is Bellingham, Wash. Since Greg Kamansky became Cal Poly's coach, the Broncos have won all eight games they have played at Sam Carver Gymnasium on the campus of Western Washington University. Cal Poly would like to extend that streak by three games at the NCAA Division II West Regional. The Broncos, 27-2 and regular-season and tournament champions of the California Collegiate Athletic Assn., are seeded No. 2 in the regional.

There's an easier way to spot celebrities than prowling the produce aisle at a Whole Foods Market in Hollywood in hopes that Paula Abdul will stumble along. You can go to the zoo. Chico the Lonely Meerkat now joins such famous fauna as Ruby the Abused Elephant and Reggie the Elusive Alligator at the Los Angeles Zoo, whose collection has come to more closely resemble a troupe than an exhibit. These animals have become household names for a variety of reasons, but mostly because they've gotten more media coverage than a Britney Spears court appearance.

A Chico fraternity member who allegedly killed a pledge while drag racing near the Sacramento River two years ago will stand trial on charges of vehicular manslaughter, a judge in Oroville ordered. Michael Davirro, 20, is charged in the death of Jeffrey Long, 23, of Belmont, who was participating in a fraternity initiation for Tau Gamma Theta at California State University, Chico.

Mission Viejo rallied for two runs in the ninth inning to beat host Chico, 8-7, Sunday night to end the Heat's eight-game winning streak. Alan Burke drove in three runs for the Vigilantes, including two with a double in the seventh. The Heat pushed its winning streak to eight by beating the Vigilantes, 3-2, in an afternoon game also Sunday. The teams played twice Sunday because Friday's game was rained out.

Re "Chico and the 'Manor,' " editorial, Aug. 30 I found it interesting that you noted the zoo's collection has become more of a "troupe than a collection" and reminded us of some of the zoo's past public relations nightmares. But after noting the popularity of the TV show "Meerkat Manor," and the comments of those who want the zoo to get Chico the meerkat a new companion, you side with the zoo's officials and conclude that it is more "scientific" to let the aging, dentally challenged meerkat live out his days at the zoo alone.

The Suns scored once in the ninth inning to tie Chico, 2-2, Tuesday night. Starter Kenny Krahenbuhl allowed two unearned runs on five hits and one walk with seven strikeouts in nine innings. JETHAWKS Jason Regan hit his ninth home run for Lancaster (28-24) and Patrick Dunham (6-3) allowed six hits in 7 1/3 innings in an 8-1 victory over San Bernardino on Tuesday night at the Hangar.

In the talk leading up to the NCAA Division II West regional baseball playoffs, Cal State Northridge Coach Terry Craven said he was uncertain 1) how his team would respond in the double-elimination tournament and 2) who on God's green turf were these guys from Cal State Chico--champion of the Northern California Athletic Conference and CSUN's first-round opponent. Who were they and were they any good?

A leader of the Azusa 13 street gang and his son were sentenced in federal court Monday to lengthy prison terms after pleading guilty to conspiring to attack blacks and force them to leave the city. Santiago "Chico" Rios was sentenced to 19 years and seven months in prison by U.S. District Judge Gary A. Feess. His son, Louie "Lil Chico" Rios, who is hearing-impaired and required a sign-language interpreter, received a 10-year sentence. Both Rioses have "Azusa" tattooed above their upper lips.

Spilt Milk A Novel Chico Buarque Translated from the Portuguese by Alison Entrekin Grove Press: 178 pp., $23 Eulálio d'Assumpção is on his deathbed. A century old, born into the Brazilian aristocracy, he has watched his world change, or crumble, and still he lingers. "As the future narrows," he tells us early in Chico Buarque's deft and moving "Spilt Milk," "younger people have to pile up any which way in some corner of my mind. For the past, however, I have an increasingly spacious drawing room.

NEW YORK - "Watch out for the dead bird. " Eric Beckman, president of GKIDS, is climbing out of his office window to take in the skyline view from a narrow terrace 26 floors above Lower Manhattan. Inside, a staff of seven taps at computers in two rooms crammed with boxes of DVDs, film reels and posters of animated movies from France, Japan and the U.K. The GKIDS office feels more like an old record store than the headquarters of a company that has helped three movies earn Oscar nominations in as many years.

The Cabin in the Woods Lionsgate, $29.99; Blu-ray, $34.99 Available on VOD beginning Sept. 18 Joss Whedon is one of the hottest writer-directors in Hollywood thanks to his blockbuster "The Avengers," but that's not even the best movie Whedon has been involved with in 2012. His script for this horror-comedy is brilliant: a deconstruction of the college-students-getting-picked-off-one-by-one-in-the-wilderness genre that's genuinely scary, even as it's explaining to the audience what it's doing.

When Sergio C. Garcia was sworn in as a lawyer at a courthouse in Chico late last year, hundreds showed up. A local restaurant gave out food and a Spanish radio station covered the event. In this community bounded by orchards and fields, Garcia's success was unique, and cherished. His parents had brought him to the United States illegally when he was 17 months old. They toiled as farmworkers and constantly encouraged their children to go to school. As an adult, Garcia worked full time at a grocery store while attending college.

Drawn with a moody artistry, shaded by its Cuban musical roots, "Chico & Rita" is a buttery rich animated tale of love, jazz, showbiz, fame and politics in the late '40s and early '50s that is as catchy as its tunes. This is definitely animation for grown-ups — its look is voluptuous, sexy and sultry; its Latin-inflected Dizzy Gillespie sound is seductive; and its story of young lovers whose passions are tested is timeless. It all begins in Havana in the pre-Castro years when rich Americans jetted down for entertainment.

California's congressional delegation appears headed for its biggest change in years as a fifth member, veteran Republican Rep. Wally Herger of Chico, announced plans Tuesday to retire when his term expires. The wave of departures comes as Capitol Hill watchers await an announcement by Rep. Jerry Lewis of Redlands, 77, dean of the state's GOP delegation, on whether he will retire or run for reelection in a new district. Herger's decision comes days after fellow Republican Rep. Elton Gallegly of Simi Valley announced he would not be seeking reelection when his current term expires after the 2012 race.

Runner-up Gery Chico tonight called Rahm Emauel to acknowledge Emanuel's lead is insurmountable and he will be Chicago's next mayor. "We've elected a mayor tonight," Chico told supporters. "I want with all of my heart for Rahm Emanuel to be successful as mayor. We need that, ladies and gentlemen. " While Emanuel has yet to declare victory, he was well above the 50 percent benchmark he needed to avoid a runoff election. With 89 percent of precincts counted, Emanuel had 54.9 percent to 24.3 percent for Gery Chico.