BUT THEY CAN CHEW GUM: It was...

BUT THEY CAN CHEW GUM: It was billed as a “soccer relay,” a PR event designed to lure soccer fans to Glendale during the World Cup. But by the time it was over, a large chunk of the city’s political leadership had been wounded in action. More than 200 participants took turns booting a soccer ball along various streets. While most got a nice little workout, the mayor and two council members fell down; one got a black eye in the bargain. (B2)

LIBRARY FIX-UP: Among the many Los Angeles institutions damaged by the Jan. 17 quake was the city’s library system. Ten branches--all but one in the Valley--are still closed. And officials say light fixtures and bookshelves in 27 others don’t meet new seismic codes or recommended safety standards. But officials insist bookworms are in no imminent danger. (B1)

ROWDY ROAD: By day, the six unpaved miles of Mulholland Drive above the Valley are a scenic byway for joggers and hikers. But after dark, it becomes a haunt for carousing teens, thieves, even killers. . . . City officials have an idea. They want to put up gates to keep out vehicles at night and during fire season. Above, ranger Kenn Hughes on patrol. (B1)

MOTHER KILLED: It was a case of murder by mistake. Rene Hurtado had gotten back into her car after getting change at a North Hills store when a suspected gang member started shooting at his rivals. A bullet slammed through Hurtado’s windshield, killing her and barely missing her daughter. (B1)

MONEY TALKS: You might wonder if Republican congressional candidate Richard Sybert got his money’s worth last Tuesday. After all, he spent about $300,000, and got only 18,089 votes--more than $1.60 per vote. . . . But he did win the primary and a November showdown with Democrat Anthony Beilenson is next. “I won strongly, and it makes me a more credible candidate for the fall,” Sybert said.