Los Angeles County Government Officials

Susan Nissman recalls a few, fleeting moments of doubt when she wondered whether she was doing the right thing by taking a job as a field deputy to Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky. After years as an outspoken community activist working to prevent development in Topanga Canyon, would she be able to adapt to life as a behind-the-scenes aide to the newly elected Yaroslavsky? "I got to this point where I asked myself, 'Why am I going into politics in 1994, of all times?' " said Nissman, 45.

Most major Marina del Rey leaseholders turned out in February for the fund-raising dinner that launched Los Angeles County Supervisor Deane Dana's reelection campaign. Although the three-term supervisor had no prominent challengers, leaseholders bought more than 60 tickets at $500 apiece for Dana's fund-raiser at Santa Monica's Museum of Flying.

Four years after it was proposed, Los Angeles County supervisors Tuesday approved a program intended to dampen the spread of AIDS by distributing bleach and condoms to intravenous drug users. Board observers said the action signals the most significant shift in county policy since Supervisor Gloria Molina took her oath of office on March 8, ending a decade of conservative domination of the board.

THERE IS A STORY GLORIA MOLINA TELLS again and again. All of her most loyal friends have heard it, as have her most bitter enemies. It's 1982 and Gloria Molina is an ambitious 34-year-old with a host of credentials in state and federal government. There is an open seat in the Assembly, a district in East Los Angeles, and she thinks she has a good chance of becoming the first Latina in the state Legislature. Two dozen of the most powerful Latinas in Los Angeles agree: Molina is their candidate.

County Supervisor Pete Schabarum's decision not to seek reelection set off a shiver of anticipation late Friday in the Latino political community, which has long coveted his 1st District seat. Prospective candidates were expected to gather this weekend to try to thrash out their differences and unify behind one standard-bearer. Rep.

The creme de la creme of what they call "the county family"--administrators, bureaucrats, politicians past and present--gathered recently at the Music Center to bid farewell to the woman who had kept the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors' meetings running as smoothly as possible during some of the county's most tumultuous times.

Los Angeles County supervisors Tuesday approved a $90,000 payment to one of the county's highest-ranking black executives after the retiring department head agreed to settle a racial discrimination lawsuit. The supervisors wrapped up the arrangement between the county and Edgar Hayes, the director of the county Data Processing Department, by waiving a restriction that would have barred Hayes' new company from competing for county jobs for at least a year.

Gerald Davis, a veteran Los Angeles County social worker arrested last week for allegedly molesting children, had argued publicly in the past year that his agency was too quick to condemn sexual acts involving youngsters, according to letters released Monday by the County Commission for Children's Services.

Supervisor Deane Dana took a helicopter tour. Supervisor Ed Edelman took out subscriptions to community newspapers. And Supervisor Mike Antonovich hired Sarah Flores, who is popular in new portions of his district. In recent weeks, Los Angeles County supervisors have hurriedly taken such steps to familiarize themselves with their redefined districts--and to make themselves known to their new constituents.

Los Angeles County Assessor John J. Lynch, who took office less than a year ago, was accused Wednesday of assaulting one of his employees and threatening to fire him during a heated dispute over the worker's union activities. Frank Dominguez, a 15-year employee of the assessor's office and a director of Local 660 of the Service Employees International Union, charged that Lynch "physically assaulted" him last month by angrily grabbing his arm during a confrontation at the Hall of Administration.