AND THE WINNER IS: Pete Wilson will...

AND THE WINNER IS: Pete Wilson will take the Valley in November. Or that’s how it looks to political consultant Paul Clark, based in Northridge. Wilson, who announced his reelection bid Tuesday (A1), has turned things around from a year ago, Clark said. . . . “He has redeemed himself,” he said. “His performance after the quake was good and he shows he’s anti-crime.”

HE’S A ROCK: It wasn’t even Eddie Van Halen’s promise, but he kept it anyway Tuesday. . . . The rock legend showed up at New Start Homes in Chatsworth and spent time with patients there after a sweet-talking scam artist passed himself off as Van Halen’s agent last week, vowed that the star would visit, then stole a nurse’s car. Van Halen was a hit; “he was so warm and caring,” said nurse Carol Balta, the one whose car was stolen.

OPPORTUNITY: Andrew Young has done it all: mayor, diplomat, civil rights advocate. Now add philosopher to the list. Young, above, told a gathering at Cal State Northridge on Tuesday that the earthquake is an opportunity: “Crisis is really that which produces change and progress.” And, for Young, a living. He’s vice president of a company overseeing much of the cleanup work on campus (B2).

STRANGE SCENERY: What do Magic Mountain, Temple Beth Shalom and the Santa Clarita YMCA have in common? Absolutely nothing, except they are temporary classrooms for displaced students from quake-damaged CalArts in Valencia. . . . Said one student: “It’s not refreshing, exactly, but a change is kind of a good ground for generating new ideas” (F11).

RESERVE HEROINE: Reserve forward Kathy Reith scored seven points in the fourth quarter to boost unbeaten Alemany High to a 63-53 comeback victory over Escondido in the first round of the girls’ Division II state basketball playoffs (C6). . . . Alemany in Mission Hills, now 29-0, trailed by 10 points in the third quarter.