MOVE OVER, BILL? Alicia Cooke, who is...

MOVE OVER, BILL? Alicia Cooke, who is 12, decided her message had to go straight to the top. So the Fountain Valley seventh-grader wrote President Clinton a blistering letter--via e-mail--about the economy: “I’m just a kid but I know that if the U.S. is ruined financially now, what chance will we have when I’m President?” . . . Clinton--or someone in the White House for him--responded: “I’m glad that young Americans like you are taking an interest.” No mention of Alicia’s plans to take his job.

ON THE ROAD AGAIN: You thought USC was the only Southland team to make a bowl game? Rancho Santiago and Fullerton community colleges play in bowl games Saturday. . . . Nationally ranked Rancho Santiago (9-1) plays Los Angeles Valley (9-1) in the Simple Green Orange County Bowl at Orange Coast College. Fullerton (6-3-1) takes on Allan Hancock (7-3) in the K-Swiss Bowl in Santa Maria. . . . Says Fullerton Coach Gene Murphy, who was at Cal State Fullerton for 13 seasons: “I figured it out--this is my 104th road trip.”

CELESTIAL FEUD? Serious Trekkers are shocked: Mr. Sulu and Lt. Uhura saying such nasty things about Capt. Kirk. Rather, George Takei and Nichelle Nichols are taking a few shots at series star William Shatner in their new books. . . . You can hear more: Nichols signs books Saturday at the Carnival Barn in Orange, and Takei will be at the UC Irvine bookstore on Tuesday. . . . Neither can attend the annual “Star Trek” fans’ gathering this weekend at Anaheim Convention Center.

MARGARITAVILLE! If you wonder whether Rancho Santa Margarita residents plan to use their new $6-million privately funded library, here’s a few early stats: Opening night Tuesday, 2,100 items were checked out between 5 and 8 p.m. More than half were children’s books. The library already has 6,000 card applications on file. Spokeswoman Helen Lotos sums it up: “Rancho Santa Margarita residents love their new library.”

TONIGHT: Jeff Joad & the Joads at 8, St. Matthew’s American Catholic Church, Orange. (714) 879-7494.

WEATHER: Mostly sunny today after patchy morning coastal low clouds and fog. High: around 70; low: low 40s. (B8)

* The Top of Today’s News is on A2