GETTING IN GEAR: It doesn’t offer the...

GETTING IN GEAR: It doesn’t offer the companionship of car pooling, but how many commuting alternatives develop the cardiovascular system? . . . More and more Americans, recognizing it’s a good way to stay in shape and cut down on pollution, are biking to work. Even so, they make up only 1% of all commuters. For a look at existing bike routes and others that are proposed, see Valley Briefing (B3).

RELIGIOUS STRUGGLE: The leaders of a relatively obscure Indian religion continue efforts to build a temple in North Hills, despite objections from neighbors. Residents say concerns about increased traffic prompted them to oppose the temple, not religious discrimination. . . . But temple leaders attribute the opposition to a lack of familiarity with Sikhism, whose male members often wear turbans and long beards. Times are changing, however, with many adapting their dress and culture to match their new U.S. home. (B1).

DOMINO EFFECT: Conditions may have improved at Lanark Park, but it’s gotten lousy at nearby apartment buildings. . . . Drug dealers and gang members driven out of the Canoga Park recreation area have simply moved across the street, taking their business into alleyways and carports. Columnist Scott Harris stopped by recently for a look through the eyes of residents who moved there to escape crime in the Valley’s eastside. (B1)

A PIONEER PASSES: To thousands, she was the “Kidney Girl.” At her funeral Saturday, a quarter of a century after her ground-breaking kidney transplant that helped change the course of medicine, Marianne Levine was remembered. Her celebrity extended beyond her Granada Hills home to the world, which raised $40,000 in 1968 for the lifesaving operation. . . . Afterward, headlines blared: “Milestone for Marianne--Kidney Transplant Girl Wins Diploma at Alemany.” (B1)

Pedal Power

Number of bicycle commuters in the U.S. since 1983, in millions: 1983: 1.5 1984: 1.6 1985: 1.8 1986: 2.0 1987: 2.2 1988: 2.7 1989: 3.2 1990: 3.5 1991: 4.0 1992: 4.3 Source: Bicycle Institute of America