TO OUR READERS

The Orange County Edition of The Times is launching a major expansion of local news coverage beginning today.

The redesigned edition will feature more local news in Part II--the Orange County section--and special Orange County pages every day in Business and Calendar.

A colorful new feature section called Orange County Life will debut Thursday and will appear three days a week.

The new design will make it easier for readers to find Orange County news throughout the newspaper. An index on the front page of the Orange County section will serve as a guide for local news throughout the paper.

In addition, each section with Orange County news will have an index at the bottom of the page telling readers where they can find the local stories in that section. And local stories will appear on pages clearly labeled “Orange County.”

Here are highlights of the changes:

Calendar--Pages with Orange County news will appear each day. New features will include an Orange County Movie Guide and expanded listings of other entertainment attractions. There will be columns on personalities and events in music, theater, dance and art as well as more reviews. Sunday Calendar will carry a special section of Orange County arts and entertainment news.

Business--There will be Orange County pages every day. Readers will find expanded financial data about the county and stories on business trends, successful strategies and the people who make it all happen. There will also be Q & A interviews with Orange County business leaders.

Orange County Section--The Orange County Digest page, Page 2, will contain more news briefs. Herbert J. Vida’s People column will run Monday and Wednesday, and his Friday column, Three Cheers, will salute Orange County residents who have won awards and honors. The Digest page on Sunday will be replaced with “Your Week,” a planning guide to the following week. It will have listings of activities, important local government meetings, events worth watching and a graphic of freeway road work. Page 3 is a full open news page. On Monday, it carries a feature, Postscript, that updates readers on a person or event previously in the news. The page also carries a special column on different areas of interest written by Orange County staff writers who cover those beats.

Southland News--Orange County editors each day will prepare a package of regional news from throughout Southern California, selected with the interests of Orange County readers in mind. This will appear toward the end of the Orange County section under the heading “Southland.”

Sports--Our extensive local sports coverage will continue on virtually a daily basis with all Orange County stories and photographs packaged together on newly designed pages added to The Times sports section.

Orange County Life--This upbeat section appearing each Thursday, Friday and Saturday will have a full-color feature on the cover and will carry coverage of local issues, personalities and events, consumer advice and commentary. There will be stories about how people in Orange County live, work and spend their leisure time, plus columns and stories of special interest to singles, families, seniors and high school students.