THE NIGHT BEFORE: Whether it’s a string...

THE NIGHT BEFORE: Whether it’s a string orchestra with choir or something small and simple, Valley churches offer something for everyone Christmas Eve. Some services will be in Spanish, Vietnamese or other languages. But they all offer the same overriding message: the joy of Christmas for all. See Valley Life! Page 3

THEY WILL SPEND: Lancaster officials expect the two new softball fields dedicated this week to hit an economic home run for the city. They’ve already booked 20 regional softball tournaments. Their vision: that 4,500 out-of-town players, coaches, relatives and friends will leave their dollars at high desert restaurants, motels and gas stations. How much? About $3 million, city officials hope. (B5)

BREAK A LEG: The curtain goes up on New Year’s Eve at the historic, 68-year-old Alex Theatre in Glendale, above. The theater is reopening as a musical drama stage and cultural center after a $7.3-million renovation. The gala ceremony will feature Robert Guillaume, Peter Marshall and the homecoming of the Glendale Symphony Orchestra. See Valley Life! Page 8

SPORTS TALK: XTRA-AM, the sports-oriented radio station, is based in San Diego, but one of its rising stars actually broadcasts from the food court of the Fallbrook Mall in West Hills. Jim Rome’s sarcastic, even punkish attitude has brought him good reviews and ratings . . . good enough to get him a cable TV spot, too. See Valley Life! Page 12

TOUGH LOVE: Maybe some people would consider it child abuse, making your little son play against bigger, tougher, better kids--”a little white guy from the suburbs” thrown into Compton basketball wars. But his father’s tough regimen paid off for Steve Aylsworth of Westlake High. Today, he’s one of the top-ranked sophomore basketball players in the state (C8) . . . even if he is only 5-11.