Jennifer Oldham

Tight inventories and a steady supply of buyers in the state sent median home prices to their highest level on record during the first quarter of this year, according to the California Assn. of Realtors and Transamerica Intellitech. In the first quarter, the median price of an existing single-family home rose to $232,620, a 14.5% gain over the $203,180 for the same period a year ago, the survey showed.

Tight inventories and a steady supply of buyers in the state sent median home prices to their highest level on record during the first quarter of this year, according to the California Assn. of Realtors and Transamerica Intellitech. In the first quarter, the median price of an existing single-family home rose to $232,620, a 14.5% gain over the $203,180 for the same period a year ago, the survey showed.

The crash of a Learjet in South Carolina that killed four Southern Californians stunned rock music fans Saturday with news that the two badly burned survivors are former Blink-182 drummer Travis Barker and popular DJ Adam Goldstein, both of Los Angeles.

One man was killed and a second wounded in what appeared to be a gang-related attack in Koreatown late Friday, police said. Isaac Lauriano died from a gunshot wound at County-USC Medical Center after he was fired on in the 800 block of South Oxford Avenue just before midnight, said Norma Eisenman, an LAPD spokeswoman. A second man was treated and released. -- Jennifer Oldham

We are grateful to Times staff writer Jennifer Oldham for her story on defective attic furnaces ("Faulty Furnaces Set Scores of Fires, Weren't Recalled," Part A, Sept. 27). Due to her information we checked our furnace, which was installed in 1991. It was in very bad condition. We had it removed and a new furnace installed. We shudder to think what might have happened. MR. and MRS. LEROY FOUHARD Torrance

Despite the Vatican's rescinding meatless Fridays in 1965, fish consumption rose. Now the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops is thinking about bringing back meatless Fridays, and environmentalists are concerned about overfishing. A look at per-capita fish consumption in the U.S., in pounds per year: 1996: 14.8 pounds Source: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's National Marine Fisheries Service Researched by JENNIFER OLDHAM / Los Angeles Times

Sporting equipment sales in the U.S., led by exercise machines and golf products, totaled $15.7 billion in 1996, up about 2% from $14.8 billion in 1995. A look at the most popular sporting equipment sold in the nation last year: *--* Category 1996 sales, in billions Exercise machines $2.6 Golf 2.2 Firearms/hunting 1.7 Fishing 1.6 Camping 1.5 In-line skating 0.6 *--* Source: Sporting Goods Manufacturers Assn. Researched by JENNIFER OLDHAM / Los Angeles Times

Business editor: Bill Sing Markets editor: Daniel Gaines Graphics and design: Robert Beamesderfer, Robert Burns, Pat Rathbun, Mark Sims, Paul Zieke Financial tables: Gerard Babb, Robert Beamesderfer, Kathleen Brady Copy editors: Bob Bayer, Anne Colby, Janet Cromley, Art Dolgin, Laura Dominick, Josh Friedman, Ann Harnagel, Krissy Harris, Betty Liong, Shirley Marlow, Patricia Marroquin, Joanna Raebel, Matt Smith Researcher: Jennifer Oldham Cover Illustration: Lambert Alvarez E-mail:

Infogrames Entertainment, Europe's No. 1 maker of video game software, said it will purchase a 70% stake in GT Interactive Software Corp. for $135 million in cash and notes. One of the nation's largest video game publishers, New York based-GT Interactive said in June it would seek a merger or a sale. The embattled company, publisher of the popular video games "Deer Hunter" and "Duke Nukem," fired 35% of its work force last month. (Jennifer Oldham)

California gas prices have steadily risen this year while falling across the rest of the nation. The reason, industry experts say, is that refinery breakdowns in California have cut supplies. But inventories of gasoline are finally beginning to rise. Wholesale gas prices have dropped 5 cents in the past two weeks, which should translate into lower prices at the pump. Story, D1 PRICE PER GALLON OF REGULAR, INCLUDING TAXES (4/14) California: $1.38/gallon U.S.: $1.

The top 10 retail titles in January: *--* Rank Title Manufacturer 1 Turbotax 95 Intuit 2 Windows 95 Microsoft 3 Quicken 5.0 Intuit 4 Quicken 5.0 Deluxe Intuit 5 Warcraft 2 Davidson 6 Myst Broderbund 7 Windows 95 Upgrade (3.5) Microsoft 8 Netscape Navigator 1.2 Ventana Communications 9 Star Wars Rebel Assault 2 LucasArts Entertainment 10 Encarta 96 Microsoft *--* Note: Rankings are based on unit sales from more than 7,800 stores.