Contracts

In these troubled economic times, it's not hard to understand why people might want to protect their life savings by purchasing a hard asset like gold or silver. At least, that's the pitch of Monex, the big Newport Beach investment firm, which bills itself as "America's trusted name in precious metals investments" and assures clients that it's "committed to customer service. " So let's take a look at the experiences of some customers who say their trust in Monex was misplaced.

WASHINGTON - Europe's recession stretched into the first three months of the year, making it the single-currency region's longest downturn and raising concerns about its effect on the U.S. recovery. The 17-nation Eurozone economy contracted 0.2% in the first quarter compared with the previous quarter, according to data released Wednesday by Eurostat, the region's statistical office. It was the sixth straight quarter of contraction, exceeding the five-quarter recession from 2008-09.

Los Angeles police will not pursue through the courts scores of motorists with unpaid tickets from the city's defunct red-light camera program. The city Police Commission voted this week to end its contract with the company that operated L.A.'s cameras until they were shut off last summer. And authorities are now planning to reassign a small group of officers who regularly appeared in court to testify in contested photo enforcement cases. With the cancellation of the contract, officers will no longer have easy access to the photo and video evidence that courts require.

Los Angeles airport commissioners took additional steps Tuesday to halt a dramatic decline in passengers at LA/Ontario International Airport, including potential cost reductions for airlines and incentives that might encourage them to add service. Inland Empire officials, who are trying to wrest control of Ontario from Los Angeles, immediately criticized the measures, saying that they were too little and too late to lure flights back to what used to be one of the fastest-growing regional airports in the nation.

NEW YORK - The next wave of union protesters isn't blue collar. It's lawyers, paralegals, secretaries, helicopter pilots, judges, insurance agents and podiatrists. These white-collar workers are not exactly the picture of the labor movement, but they are becoming a more essential part of it as they turn to unions for help in a tough economy as bosses try to squeeze out more profits. "Employers have been downsizing, asking employees to take on larger roles, making them work more hours," said Nicole Korkolis, spokeswoman for the Office and Professional Employees International Union.

Car dealers have found a new way to profit from people with money trouble: leasing them hand-me-down vehicles. The deals are pitched to customers as the cheapest way to drive a used car off the lot, with the added benefit of an easy escape for those who can't keep up with the payments. Few customers are told about the advantages on the other side of the trade. Leases can allow dealerships to sidestep interest rate caps, and there are fewer financial disclosures rules than with a conventional car loan.

Los Angeles County supervisors announced Tuesday that they have agreed to a one-year contract extension with 17,000 public safety employees that involves no cost-of-living or salary increases. The contracts with firefighters, sheriff's deputies and others expired in December and January. The extension allows both sides to avoid negotiating a new three-year agreement during the county's uncertain financial circumstances. "There is nothing hidden in this. There are no side deals," said county Chief Executive William T Fujioka.

Verizon Wireless, the second-largest U.S. mobile-phone company, will offer month-to-month contracts that don't have cancellation fees, a bid to attract customers wary of long-term commitments. Monthly subscribers will pay the same rates as those with long-term contracts, though they won't get discounts on new handsets, a Verizon spokeswoman said. Verizon and larger rival AT&T Inc. faced criticism from lawmakers and consumers who said fees for canceling contracts early were too high.

A ranking official of the Los Angeles County Transportation Commission said Friday the commission will urge transit district leaders to look closely at other ways to save money on the troubled Metro Rail subway project before taking the drastic step of terminating contracts. "It is important to sit down with a contractor and resolve an issue before taking a drastic step like this," said Richard Stanger, director of rail development for the county commission, which is providing 14% of the $1.25 billion needed for the first, 4.4-mile segment of the subway.

T-Mobile introduced its new no-contract Simple Choice Plan this week, with Chief Executive John Legere boldly telling users that if the service is not good, they can drop it after one month of trying it. The new plan includes unlimited talk and text and half a gigabyte of high-speed Internet data for $50 a month. Users can choose to pay an additional $10 for a total of 2.5 GB of high-speed data or $20 for unlimited high-speed usage. Adding a second line costs $30, and each line after that costs $10. Although T-Mobile says there are no contracts, users must either provide a T-Mobile-compatible smartphone or buy one from the company.

On the day Frank McCourt surrendered the keys to Dodger Stadium and cashed out, the Dodgers had the best record in the National League. In the year since Mark Walter flashed his cash and Magic Johnson flashed his smile - from May 1 of last year through May 1 of this year - the Dodgers were 83-83. Money can't buy you love, at least in the standings. The Dodgers might be looking up at three teams in the National League West, but "looking up" just might be the best way to describe the state of the franchise.

Though the primary focus for the Clippers will be on re-signing Chris Paul and on whether the team keeps or releases Coach Vinny Del Negro, L.A. has other roster decisions to make as well. The players came in Saturday for their exit interviews with the front office a day after the Clippers were eliminated by the Memphis Grizzlies in a Western Conference first-round series. It was a Clippers team still coming to grips with having won the franchise's first-ever Pacific Division and finished with a team-best 56-26 record.

UCLA basketball Coach Steve Alford is still trying to disentangle himself from the University of New Mexico. New Mexico says Alford owes the university $1 million, which was the buyout amount in a contract extension that was to take effect April 1, two days after UCLA hired him. Alford, in a letter to the school, has offered $200,000 under the terms of his previous contract. Alford was required to give 30 days' notice, so New Mexico officials believe he is therefore bound by the terms of what would have been his new contract.

SACRAMENTO - The national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has stepped in to investigate outbreaks of valley fever in two California prisons where more than three dozen inmates have died after contracting the fungal disease. Staff from the Atlanta-based CDC met with state prison health officials Tuesday and another meeting is planned Thursday. California's health department formally asked for the assistance last week on behalf of a court-appointed monitor, who had previously requested repeatedly that state officials seek federal help.

Gary Sacks , the Clippers' vice president of basketball operations, wanted to put an end to speculation about Coach Vinny Del Negro's future. Sacks said that the organization supports Del Negro and that officials are happy with how the team has played. "Our head coach and his staff have done a terrific job here," Sacks told The Times on Monday night. "They deserve a huge amount of credit for the way the team has played and the way our roster has developed. " Del Negro is in the final year of his contract, leading to speculation that his future with the Clippers is uncertain.

The playoffs are the place where the knocks on Eric Bledsoe go to die. Too erratic? He made all seven shots Saturday night in the Clippers' playoff opener. Not ready to become an NBA starter? He was certainly prepared to finish, becoming the only Clipper to play the entire fourth quarter. Nothing but pure athleticism? He showed plenty of grit by grabbing six rebounds, as many as Memphis big men Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph had … combined. Bledsoe was such a blur during the Clippers' 112-91 victory over the Grizzlies in Game 1 of their Western Conference first-round series that teammate Chris Paul rendered a head-spinning analysis of his backup's contract status a day later.

In the parlor below the deck of her houseboat docked on the Potomac, a youngish woman--blond and dressed in white--recounts the dream and nightmare of her search for her long-hidden legend-filled past. Among the framed old photographs decorating the wood-paneled room, there is only one that really matters to Jett Williams: a black-and-white picture of a handsome young man in a cowboy hat with a dreamy expression on his face. It is no ordinary face, no ordinary family photograph.

Michael Jackson is the $20-million corporate spokesman who won't speak. "Protect me. . . . Don't let them ask me any questions," Jackson whispered Wednesday morning to a top executive from L.A. Gear, moments after the enigmatic pop star told a Hollywood Palladium full of reporters that he was "very happy" to be a part of the L.A. Gear team. By next spring, Jackson will be starring in L.A. Gear commercials. In the meantime he will help design and market a new line of L.A. Gear shoes.

The California Public Employees' Retirement System picked four new HMO plans for five-year health insurance contracts starting next year, a blow to incumbent carrier Blue Shield of California. The giant pension fund voted Wednesday to split up Blue Shield's statewide HMO contract and offer additional plans from Anthem Blue Cross, UnitedHealth Group Inc., Sharp Health Plan and Health Net Inc. alongside Blue Shield. Those five companies will offer health maintenance organization plans to about 400,000 people who have Blue Shield coverage now as well as to other CalPERS members participating in open enrollment this fall.

On a little-known launch pad off the coast of Virginia, a team of about 200 engineers and technicians is readying a 13-story rocket for its maiden flight to space in a test mission for NASA. The Antares rocket, developed by Orbital Sciences Corp., is going through final preparations for a 2 p.m. Pacific time blastoff planned for Wednesday. The eyes of the U.S. government will be on the launch to see whether the two-engine booster has the right stuff. NASA has invested about $288 million in seed money to help the Dulles, Va., company develop its technology, and has an additional $1.9 billion on the table with a contract for eight flights to transport cargo to the International Space Station in the coming years.