William Fain

William Fain's comparison of lost opportunities for our L.A. River and the Tiber in Rome is historically interesting ("Finding a Heart: the L.A. River," Commentary, Dec. 2). In fact, many of his ideas for both rivers are already being studied here by different community-based groups. One example, Connect the Parks, is a study underway to create landscaped pathways connecting parks, schools, recreational facilities and neighborhoods adjacent to the L.A. River in the communities of Echo Park, Elysian Valley and Silver Lake.

William Fain's comparison of lost opportunities for our L.A. River and the Tiber in Rome is historically interesting ("Finding a Heart: the L.A. River," Commentary, Dec. 2). In fact, many of his ideas for both rivers are already being studied here by different community-based groups. One example, Connect the Parks, is a study underway to create landscaped pathways connecting parks, schools, recreational facilities and neighborhoods adjacent to the L.A. River in the communities of Echo Park, Elysian Valley and Silver Lake.

If any individual can be credited with creating modern architecture in Los Angeles, it would be William Pereira. A heroic figure at a time when the city was becoming a regional metropolis, Pereira was featured on the cover of Time magazine in 1963 for his work as master planner of Orange County's 93,000-acre Irvine Ranch. When he died in 1985, he had chalked up an Oscar-worthy list of design credits in a practice that spanned more than 50 years.

Eric Owen Moss is flipping through architecture magazines in his Culver City office. There's Moss' 708 House on one cover, his Petal House on another, his Adams House on another. Nearly two dozen magazines are marked to indicate photographs of his projects, but he hasn't a clue what the captions say. He can't read Japanese. Moss hasn't built a thing in Japan. He was invited to compete for Tokyo's New National Theatre a few years ago, but he didn't get the commission.

Eric Owen Moss is flipping through architecture magazines in his Culver City office. There's Moss' 708 House on one cover, his Petal House on another, his Adams House on another. Nearly two dozen magazines are marked to indicate photographs of his projects, but he hasn't a clue what the captions say. He can't read Japanese. Moss hasn't built a thing in Japan. He was invited to compete for Tokyo's New National Theatre a few years ago, but he didn't get the commission.

A lawyer for William Archie Fain has asked a judge to throw out peeping and prowling charges against his client, a convicted murderer and rapist whose 1983 parole stirred a public outcry. Attorney Robert Y. Bell told Santa Clara Municipal Judge Leon P. Fox that sections of law that Fain was arrested under are vague, unenforceable and resulted in unfair prosecution. "He was arrested because he was William Archie Fain," Bell said. The judge said he will rule on the motions Jan. 17.

Cyril Chern, principal of the Hollywood-based architectural firm H.C.T. Inc., has been installed as 1987 president of the American Institute of Architects' Los Angeles chapter. Robert Allen Reed, Welton Becket Associates, was installed as vice president, and Richard Appel, Hutner & Appel, assumed the duties of chapter treasurer for a second year. Glenous Absmeier was installed as president of the Women's Architectural League.

The Los Angeles-based architectural firm of Pereira Associates named President and Chief Executive Roy G. Schmidt to the additional title of chairman. He is the successor of William L. Pereira, who died earlier this month. At the same time, the firm announced four promotions to the level of executive vice president: Neil W. Birnbrauer, management services; William H. Fain Jr., urban design and planning; R. Scott Johnson, architectural design, and Alister A.

Convicted killer-rapist William Archie Fain was found guilty Friday of peeping through a window in a south San Jose apartment while out of prison on parole. Municipal Judge William F. Martin, who heard the case without a jury, convicted Fain despite his defense that he was looking for a faucet to get water for his disabled car. Fain's lawyer, Robert Bell, has argued that his client has been prosecuted unfairly because of his notoriety.

If any individual can be credited with creating modern architecture in Los Angeles, it would be William Pereira. A heroic figure at a time when the city was becoming a regional metropolis, Pereira was featured on the cover of Time magazine in 1963 for his work as master planner of Orange County's 93,000-acre Irvine Ranch. When he died in 1985, he had chalked up an Oscar-worthy list of design credits in a practice that spanned more than 50 years.