VICIOUS CIRCLE: It’s Southern California’s eternal cycle....

VICIOUS CIRCLE: It’s Southern California’s eternal cycle. Unusually heavy winter rains quench a parched state’s thirst. But the rain promotes growth of heavy grass--perfect brush fire fuel when temperatures rise and the Santa Anas blow . . . It’s possible to protect your home, firefighters say, although no safeguards are foolproof. See Valley Briefing (B5).

POLICE LIMITS: On his way to sweeping the San Fernando Valley vote, Mayor Riordan stressed a key promise--increasing the LAPD ranks by 3,000, to a total of 10,500, in his first term. Can it be done? Police Chief Willie L. Williams says not (B1) . . . The LAPD academy, running full tilt, could not increase the 7,600-officer force by more than 1,200 officers in four years, the chief said in an interview.

TUSK POWER: Banker Alfred R. Villalobos is such a gung-ho Republican that his Tarzana home, where he threw a party last year that raised $75,000 for GOP campaigns, is decorated by elephant statues, elephant paintings and an elephant in stained glass. Now Mayor Riordan has named him deputy mayor (B1) . . . Fellow Latinos, even Democrats, praised his appointment to the $89,500-a-year job--a big pay cut.

FINICKY CAR: A Van Nuys man now has a car that won’t go anywhere unless it likes his breath. But it wasn’t his idea. . . . Murray J. Greenfield is the first drunk driver in Los Angeles sentenced under a new law requiring him to equip his car’s starter with a breath analyzer (B4) . . . Bad blow, no go.

NEW DIRECTION: Calstart, the Burbank-based transportation consortium, is switching gears. Until now, it has focused its efforts on creating a local electric car industry to bring new jobs to the recession-plagued Southland. . . . With Southern California Gas Co. as its newest member, Calstart is broadening its focus to other alternative fuels such as natural gas (D1).