Zale

A judge Wednesday rejected a proposed settlement of a class-action suit against jewelry store giant Zale Corp. "I've never seen anything like this," Judge James R. Ross said during a fairness hearing at Superior Court in Fullerton. "The settlement is absolutely denied," he said, calling the offer "the greatest advertising scheme I've ever seen." Three law firms--B.

Ten felony charges of forgery, grand theft and perjury have been filed against a Van Nuys couple and an accomplice who allegedly bilked MCA Inc. of $294,000 last summer, authorities said. Cynthia Zale, 31, an accounting office supervisor with the Universal City-based entertainment conglomerate, and her husband, Steven Zale, 30, who owns a Sherman Oaks jewelry store, were charged along with Jeff Dean Allison, 27, said Deputy Dist. Atty. Ed Consiglio.

An MCA Inc. accounting-office supervisor and her husband were arrested Thursday in connection with a forgery scheme that bilked the Universal City entertainment conglomerate of $294,000 last summer, Los Angeles police said. Forgery detectives arrested Cynthia Zale, 31, and Steven Zale, 30, at their Van Nuys home about 7 a.m. after a 3 1/2-week investigation. The investigation was triggered when a routine audit found that the money was missing, Lt. Duane Gansemer said.

Former world middleweight champion Rocky Graziano was in critical condition today, four days after suffering a stroke, according to a published report. The New York Daily News reported in today's editions that Graziano was stricken at his home and taken to New York Hospital. A spokeswoman at the hospital told the Associated Press that the 69-year-old former boxer was a patient, but said she was not permitted to discuss his condition.

A preseason exhibition game between the L.A. Traiders and the Houston Oilers from the Oakland Coliseum instead of the L.A. Coliseum? Who cares? I wish Al Davis would finally convert on third down and stop playing "dollar$ball." On the other hand, you can't exactly call what we've seen the last two weeks football, either. VIKKI ZALE MERRYWEATHER Playa del Rey