John Donahue

In a pivotal test of religious rights versus fair-housing laws, the state Supreme Court agreed Thursday to decide whether landlords can cite their religious beliefs to refuse rentals to unmarried couples. The high court, in a brief order signed by all seven justices, set aside a widely debated appellate court ruling that held that the constitutional right of a Downey couple to free exercise of religion would be violated by forcing them to rent to a woman and her boyfriend.

In a pivotal test of religious rights versus fair-housing laws, the state Supreme Court agreed Thursday to decide whether landlords can cite their religious beliefs to refuse rentals to unmarried couples. The high court, in a brief order signed by all seven justices, set aside a widely debated appellate court ruling that held that the constitutional right of a Downey couple to free exercise of religion would be violated by forcing them to rent to a woman and her boyfriend.

*** The Chemical Brothers, "Surrender," Astralwerks. Ever since the Chemical Brothers broke through in a big way with their 1997 album "Dig Your Own Hole," they've incurred the wrath of techno purists who felt the British duo had forsaken subtlety and depth in favor of big, dumb beats. Once hailed as innovators, they came to be regarded as lumbering giants, stamping out electronic music's potentially diverse outreach with the monolithic primacy of their big-beat approach.

Terry Donahue should now gear the program and the UCLA community toward winning the race for the national championship. Simply winning the conference title would never have satisfied Coach John Wooden. Donahue, likewise, should share a greater vision than a chance to play in the Rose Bowl. Donahue will never win the national title by running under the yellow caution flag, as he did while preparing for Oklahoma. His low-key, defeatist attitude prior to playing the Sooners didn't exactly instill the confidence his players needed to make a game of it. Why not champagne and caviar instead of wine and roses?

A former drug dealer from America was freed unharmed by Lebanese drug traffickers after his family reportedly paid a $400,000 ransom to end his 11-month captivity. "I was treated fairly. It was psychologically draining being held for a long period of time," the former captive, Steven John Donahue, told the Associated Press today in a telephone interview from the U.S. Embassy in suburban Beirut.

Today, 12:30 p.m., at Rose Bowl TV--Channel 7. Radio--KXTA (1150) WHEN UCLA HAS THE BALL Quarterback Cory Paus completed eight passes of more than 20 yards last week and is sure to go after an injury-riddled secondary that has given up 257 yards a game through the air. If the Bruins take a lead into the fourth quarter, though, they will rely on the ground game.

Mission College has been awarded a $300,000 federal grant to establish a unique college program to help immigrant teachers learn English and obtain a state teaching credential, college officials said Wednesday. The three-year U.S. Department of Education grant will be used to pay for special English classes, career workshops and analyzing the transcripts of foreign-educated students, said Victoria Munoz Richart, dean of academic affairs at Mission College.

State officials knew that a pesticide used to fumigate homes could travel through pipes to neighboring buildings at least a year before a Toluca Lake woman was fatally poisoned in such an incident, a group that favors banning the pesticide said Tuesday.

State officials are trying to revoke the licenses of two San Fernando Valley board and care homes, alleging that lack of supervision resulted in a fatal scalding at one home and repeated sexual assaults on a resident at the other. The state Department of Social Services charged that an 88-year-old man died in May of burns he received while taking a shower unattended at the Sherwood Retirement Hotel in Northridge.

When Ted and Toby Sanders started talking about where to retire, they considered the Caribbean. They both enjoy being near the ocean and had spent vacations on the islands before. Then, in 1995, the couple traveled to Maine from their home outside Philadelphia to visit a son. On a brilliant October morning, they went to Reid State Park and watched the waves crash against the shore.