FIGHTING BACK: The System has again proven...

FIGHTING BACK: The System has again proven no match for Kenneth Dine. The target of an improperly issued bench warrant in the Antelope Valley, Dine, a North Hollywood contractor, sued for his time and trouble. He won. (B1) . . . In the mid-80s, his complaint over another improper warrant led authorities to redesign traffic tickets, making the forms easier to understand.

NEW FACES: Women have broken into yet another male-dominated workplace--the automobile showroom. According to J.D. Power and Associates in Agoura Hills, there are now 25,000 female salespeople in the United States. (D1). . . . One new face is Marybeth Emberland, 36, who has sold 18 cars since starting at Woodland Hills Honda in September: “I think a lot of customers prefer women. I don’t like to be pushy.”

SLIM PICKINGS: Ready to buy a new home in the Valley? Great. Just one problem--there’s not much to buy. Low prices have kept many properties off the market, and others have been scratched because of quake damage. Says realtor Karin Miller, above: “It’s difficult to find a house.” . . . Rebuilding isn’t easy, either. But homeowners who need more quake aid still have other options. See Valley Business, Pages 3, 4, 9.

FLYING HIGH: He’s a nemesis to everyone else on the Formula One racing circuit, and now Lancaster’s Jon Sharp is going to get special credit for it (B1). . . . He and his plane--Nemesis--will be recognized Friday by the National Aeronautic Assn.

REACHING OUT: It’s the next best thing to being there. It’s the county’s new “video telephone” system that lets probation officers and public defenders communicate with inmates at the Peter J. Pitchess Honor Rancho in Castaic (B8). . . . The idea had a major glitch at the start--at least one inmate disabled the system by ripping the plug-in cord out of the wall. That problem was soon fixed with a more secure plug.

* The Top of Today’s News is on A2