SWEET RETURN: Sure, it boosted Valley morale...

SWEET RETURN: Sure, it boosted Valley morale to see Cal State Northridge back in business. But that was nothing compared to the best post-quake therapy of all: Girl Scout cookies are back! . . . On Saturday at Burbank Airport, the San Fernando Valley Girl Scout Council will kick off its annual cookie drive, postponed because of earthquake damage.

QUAKE TROUBLE: The news, however, isn’t as encouraging for a group of much older women--the Van Nuys Woman’s Club. It, too, was hit hard by the quake, but so far, help hasn’t come from FEMA or the banks. The club’s treasury is nearly drained, and its spirits aren’t any better. . . . “It’s been a blow to all of us,” one 85-year-old member said (B2).

HIZZONER’S EARS: She calls herself “the eyes and the ears of the mayor.” Georgia Mercer of Tarzana (in red) is Mayor Riordan’s new West Valley liaison. Topping her priorities: Earthquake recovery and crime. “We won’t want to live here unless we really get a handle on . . . crime,” she says (B5).

COMPUTER COMEBACK: Two years ago, Packard Bell had $93 million in debt and a negative net worth of $4 million. Its survival was certainly up in the air. . . . These days, the company, based in Westlake Village and Camarillo, is recording healthy profits. See Valley Business, Page 3.

LOSING MONEY: The quake has been hard on many Valley businesses. . . . Damage to their facilities and merchandise resulted in slower product shipments, turning possible quarterly profits into substantial losses. See Valley Business, Page 4.