STOCK SETBACKS: The stock market rebounded from...

STOCK SETBACKS: The stock market rebounded from a bad start Thursday as the Dow Jones Industrial Average finished up 9.21 points (A1, D1). But experts agree that it’s been a tough first quarter, and Valley stocks weren’t spared in the wreckage. . . . 20th Century Industries in Woodland Hills, in fact, finished the quarter at $19.50 per share, down 29%. Great Western Financial in Chatsworth closed at $16.125, down 19%.

PROM TIME: April has finally arrived, which means that prom season is only weeks away. This week’s Valley Life! (Page 29) takes a look at prom fashion trends and finds that the “age of innocence” style is coming back, while the tawdry look is no longer cutting-edge. . . . And, believe it or not, Valley girls will again wear Doc Martens boots on Prom Night.

PLANT TIME: Spring also means that it’s a good time to plant the flower garden, above. But, before you start, you should ask: How large an area do you plan to plant? Is it in sun or shade? What’s in the background? . . . “It’s important to start with an idea,” says one garden artist. “Putting flowers together isn’t like building a brick wall.” See Valley Life! Page 10.

GREEN IS HER VALLEY: The Valley gets a big endorsement from a little star. She’s Gaby Hoffman, 12, the lead on NBC’s new sitcom, “Someone Like Me.” Hoffman spent a lot of time in Manhattan before moving to Woodland Hills, and her preference is clear: “When I walk outside in the morning, I’m outside with grass and trees.”

TOUGH TALK: At 5-foot-5 1/2, 215 pounds, Jim Buffo, 32, of Van Nuys is almost a midget compared to his likely opponents in the “World’s Toughest Man” boxing competition. He’s a nephew of the Goosen brothers, who know a lot about boxers, and he’s not the kind of guy to be intimidated by anyone. . . . “Usually,” he said, “when the people in my family come to fight, it turns out pretty well” (C8).