SHOP TALK: Forget about quake damage to...

SHOP TALK: Forget about quake damage to our psyches! Let’s get down to what really matters: Where can we go shopping? Actually, a lot of places. Many of the malls made it through without too much damage, though some department stores may not open for weeks or even months. (B12)

QUAKE CHANNEL: It may not get the ratings of the Home Shopping Network or MTV, but a new cable channel has emerged to give 24-hour earthquake information. It’s the Recovery Channel, being shown at disaster assistance sites and recovery offices. . . . It is carried on KLCS Channel 58 and on a government-access channel. (F2)

ALMIGHTY BUCK: Never is that wonderful entrepreneurial spirit more alive than in the wake of natural disasters, and the quake is certainly no exception. From elaborate T-shirts with maps of the temblor’s epicenter to broken souvenirs from freeways and the homes of celebrities, vendors (above) are cashing in big-time. . . . But weren’t those no-quake cakes prepared by the West Hills Pavilions perhaps in slightly bad taste? “No, they taste great,” said a spokeswoman. (B1)

TAX RELIEF: The American Dream is in ruins, and you face foreclosure. What’s that got to do with your taxes? Displaced Valley homeowners want to know. The IRS suggests calling (800) 829-1040 to request proper forms or visiting representatives stationed at FEMA sites. (A1)

COLLEGE GOAL: Crescenta Valley High’s Sarah Hagman was blowing any opportunity for a basketball scholarship to college, and her senior year was only months away. But then Daddy came to the rescue. All summer, after her supportive father spray-painted a three-point arc on a court at a local park, Hagman practiced her long-range shooting. . . . It paid off. She has set three-point records, and both opponents and college recruiters are paying attention. (C14)