FOLLOWING O.J.: It’s no coincidence that ads...

FOLLOWING O.J.: It’s no coincidence that ads for Western State University School of Law, based in Fullerton, are on KNX radio during breaks in its live coverage of the O.J. Simpson murder trial. “If you’ve ever thought about entering the exciting field of law. . . . “ the ads say. College spokesman Joe Horshack says it bought the ads to help support KNX’s live trial coverage, and adds that it’s working: “We’ve gotten an amazing number of calls from it.”

HONORING DAN: The next Orange County High School of the Arts production, “Into the Woods” is more than just its next play. Proceeds will benefit the Charles Family Memorial Scholarship Fund. Daniel Charles, an alumnus of the school, and his parents were found slain last fall. . . . The play, to be performed Feb. 17-18 at Los Alamitos High School, will star many of Charles’ friends and instructors.

HAPPY RIDERS? If you commute by rail and have little ones, how would you like day care near the train depot? . . . Laguna Beach attorney Sarah L. Catz is the new chair of the agency that overseas Metrolink, the multi-county rail commuter service. Her ideas include developing property near train depots to provide service to commuters. . . . Says Catz: “First we had to just to get the trains running. Now we’ve got to think about long-range plans to serve commuter needs.”

TITLE SEARCH: It wasn’t the job that Costa Mesa City Councilman Peter F. Buffa minded when his colleagues chose him as vice mayor a few months ago: It was the title. Buffa this week finally got them to change it--to mayor pro tem. . . . Says Buffa: “When you’ve studied Latin for four years, you don’t want to miss the opportunity to use it. You drag it out any time you can.” . . . Most cities have long switched to the “pro tem” term, short for the Latin pro tempore meaning “for a time”--or, “when the mayor’s on vacation.”