NO RUSH: Of the seven men on...

NO RUSH: Of the seven men on Death Row for Ventura County murders, Robert Cruz McLain will probably be the first to die--but not for two or three years, Deputy Dist. Atty. Richard Holmes said. McLain, 53, was convicted of killing a Ventura woman in 1980--the same year David Mason killed four Oakland women (A1). But unlike Mason, McLain did not forsake his appeal rights. McLain’s conviction has been upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court. Now a second round of appeals is creeping through the federal courts.

SMALL SCREEN: It will be the turn of the century before Ventura County residents get their own Cal State campus, according to the latest forecast. In the meantime, the university has found a new way to satisfy the hunger for higher learning: Let them watch television. . . . Cal State Northridge will use interactive TV to teach three classes at its Ventura campus this fall (B1). Students can pose questions to instructors in Northridge--and teachers will be able to see who’s not paying attention. . . . About 1,300 students are expected at the Ventura campus this fall.

TROUPER: At 80, Frankie Laine just keeps rolling, rolling, rolling. In the 1940s, he got his big break with “That’s My Desire.” In the ‘50s and ‘60s, his hits included “Jezebel” and the “Rawhide” theme. Today, he guest stars at the Ventura County Fair’s Big Band revival. . . . It will be Laine’s first performance since Nan Grey, his wife of 43 years, died in July. . . . At 6 tonight, Laine will sign copies of his autobiography at the Ventura Bookstore. It was released by Pathfinder Publishing of Ventura.

SNAGGING TOURISTS: Worried about a drop in tourism, Oxnard officials are considering a plan to reverse the slide--by raising the tax on tourists (B1). The money would pay for a revived tourism bureau to lure visitors. . . . Elsewhere in Southern California, the summer tourist trade has been better than expected. Island Packers of Ventura reports a 12% increase in passengers on its Channel Islands trips. (Valley Business, Page 3).