Southern California Gas Co

Southern California Gas Co. has not properly warned residents of 34,000 dwellings in Ventura and the Ojai Valley of possible safety hazards resulting from impure gas piped into the area in previous years, union officials have charged. The components that regulate pressure in gas meters outside the home and in appliances indoors could have been damaged by the contaminated gas, potentially transforming a "pilot light into a torch," one top union official said.

Returning to basics, Pacific Enterprises, parent of Southern California Gas Co. and Thrifty Corp., announced Tuesday that it will shed many of its troubled retailing units--including the Big Five sporting goods chain--along with its unprofitable oil and gas exploration company. But the move by the 106-year-old Los Angeles company--following two consecutive years of losses--may only partially satisfy its critics.

Paul A. Widrig, senior title officer, city of Los Angeles, has been elected president of the Los Angeles chapter of the International Right of Way Assn. Other new officers are Gary L. Peck, Southern California Edison Co., president-elect; Kathy L. Friedman, Los Angeles Unified School District, first vice president; Sharon O'Rourke, Southern California Gas Co., secretary-treasurer; Rob Shultz, Exxon Co. USA, second vice president and Maria Elliott, Southern California Gas Co.

Southern California Gas Co. and San Diego Gas & Electric said their customers would see lower energy bills in the coming months because of warmer-than-normal weather in January. The warmer conditions have driven down the cost of natural gas, reducing winter gas and electricity bills from earlier estimates, said the utilities, which are units of Sempra Energy.