SUITING UP: Lawsuits against the county are...

SUITING UP: Lawsuits against the county are going back up, to the dismay of its risk management office. Instead of dipping below the 1,000-mark, as the trend had indicated, county lawsuits shot up to 1,288 the past fiscal year. Says risk management’s Maria Bastanchury: “It’s concerning, since we still have so many unsettled claims that go back 10 years or more.” . . . Hardest to settle? Environmental lawsuits, she says: “There are more parties, more paperwork, and of course, more attorneys.”

PAPAL MISSION: David Rachuy, director of the 40-member Mission San Juan Capistrano Church Choir, learned that each day Pope John Paul II lets visiting groups sing during Mass at the Vatican. So he sent in the paperwork, including proposed selections, and gave it a shot. Result: The whole choir sings for the Pope at the Vatican today. “We can’t believe our luck in getting a Sunday Mass,” says a spokesman. Main piece: “Mass of the Angels.”

SOUTHERN TACOS? Now that Taco Bell is talking about moving its Irvine corporate headquarters out of state--where office space is cheaper--major cities are starting to court them. . . . Atlanta doesn’t keep a recruitment office in Southern California. But its economic development officers are regular visitors here, especially with their new enthusiasm to lure Taco Bell. Says Bill Crane, one of the city’s recruiters: “We think you’d be impressed with our frequent flier mileage.”

HOMELESS HOUSES: How much would you pay for a back-yard playhouse for your children? Last year some of the county’s biggest home builders built elaborate playhouses--castles, firehouses, mansions--for an auction to raise more than $70,000 for the homeless. They’re back this year (Real Estate, K1) with a Nov. 13 auction at Fashion Island, where they’re on display until then. Last year’s biggest seller, a cottage with a fireplace and running water, by William Lyon Homes, for $17,000.

Suing the County

Lawsuits against the county increased 23% in the last fiscal year. Lawsuits 1989: 1,190 1990: 1,059 1991: 1,097 1992: 1,043 1993: 1,288 Source: County Risk Management Office