ORANGE COUNTY

Loss, Layoffs at Gateway Communications: Gateway Communications said it will report a pretax charge against fourth-quarter earnings of about $860,000, which will probably result in a loss for the period. The Irvine computer products company also said it will lay off about a dozen of its 104 employees. Kirk Andrews, chief financial officer, said the company, which makes equipment for computer networks, is in the midst of a “strategic redirection,” but he declined to be specific. The charge for the quarter ended Dec. 31 includes the cost of severance payments to laid-off employees and discontinuation of unspecified product lines, the company said.