State Has Until Noon to Challenge Bond:...

State Has Until Noon to Challenge Bond: The U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals has given the state until noon today to challenge a $16.3-million bond requirement for a U.S. Supreme Court appeal of the merger of the Lucky and Alpha Beta market chains. The court told California Atty. Gen. John Van de Kamp to verify his decision not to post the bond and to state the reasons he considers the bond requirement illegal. For the moment, the court left in place an order blocking the $2.5-billion consolidation of the chains, which have a total of 550 stores. The order was signed by Judges Cecil Poole and Diarmuid O’Scannlain. Van de Kamp challenged the merger last year, saying it would reduce competition and cost California consumers $400 million.