BUS RIDERS: Cars dominate the culture, but...

BUS RIDERS: Cars dominate the culture, but Los Angeles and the Valley have their share of daily bus riders--1.2 million, to be exact. Most passengers don’t earn much, don’t own a car, belong to a minority group--and are more than 30 years old (above). . . . Still, if the MTA has its way, fares will go up by 25 cents. A federal judge may rule next week whether hike would penalize low-income riders (B5).

SMALLER FAIR: Randy Travis and Clint Black drew a crowd, and wrestling was a big hit. But unofficial total attendance at the Antelope Valley Fair, which ended Monday, dropped to 231,610 from last year’s 243,201, spokeswoman Denise Fisher said. . . . She blamed it on the hot weather, sub-par economy and two concert showings. “Hank Williams Jr. and the Smothers Brothers didn’t do well,” she says.

SAVE THE POOL: Goodby summer. Hello Santa Claus. That’s the story of the West Valley Family YMCA swimming pool in Reseda. Damaged by the quake, it barely survived the popular summer season with broken pipes and problems in its filter system. . . . Then came Taco Bell to the rescue. The company, which set up quake collections at restaurants nationwide, has donated $40,850 that will be used to make repairs when the pool closes in December.

TOURISM: There is good news and bad news about the tourism business in Southern California (D1). Despite the quake, people still came to see the sights, including the Valley’s Universal Studios. . . . But most came from a short distance away; there was a big drop in out-of-state and international visitors.

ON A MISSION: The Mission League is moving up in the world, from Division IV to Division III, and that’s a pretty big step for any prep football program. “It will be tougher,” Chaminade Coach Rich Lawson said. “We used to play easier teams in the playoffs.” . . . In another preview of the new high school season, Valley Sports (C15) takes a look at what the new alignment means.

Who Rides MTA?

How the age of MTA riders compares with overall Los Angeles County population.

MTA L.A. Age riders County Under 18 13.9% 27.7% 19-29 27.1% 20.9% 30-39 23.7% 17.9% 40-49 15.5% 12.1% 50 and over 19.7% 21.3%

Source: Metropolitan Transportation Authority