PINCH HIT: Mickey Mantle got a second...

PINCH HIT: Mickey Mantle got a second swing at life Thursday during a liver transplant operation in Dallas (A1). But he might not have done as well in the Valley, where organ donations are declining. . . . Among the causes: the 55 m.p.h. speed limit, which has reduced the number of car crashes. Said Dr. Ronald Ziman, who oversees organ donation policy at Northridge Hospital Medical Center: “As more lives are saved, it reduces the pool of donors.”

PARENT TRAP: No Valley coach likes to lose. But some parents like it even less. . . . From physical threats to harassing phone calls, a handful of parents have driven some coaches off the field. “It takes the fun away from you,” said one coach who temporarily quit. . . . But without parental fund raising, some high school athletic programs wouldn’t survive (C1).

TEEN TANGO: Dump disco. Forget rap. If you really want to dance, it’s time to tango. . . . Katie Felser and Anton Dochtermann, above, are members of a North Hollywood High tango team that uses dance to learn about culture outside the classroom. They perform at this weekend’s NoHo Arts Festival. See Valley Life!, Page 7

COUNTERPOINT: No two San Fernando Valley-area congressmen are further apart on the political spectrum than Reps. Henry A. Waxman (D-Los Angeles), an unabashed liberal, and Carlos J. Moorhead (R-Glendale), once named the most conservative member of the House. Their viewpoints are explored in today’s Political Briefing (B5). . . . The interviews were conducted by Times Valley Edition Washington correspondent Marc Lacey.

NOHO FESTIVAL: How popular has the NoHo Performing Arts Festival become? Good enough to snarl traffic. . . . A strip of Lankershim Boulevard will be closed for this year’s event, which kicks off Saturday. Highlights include sketch comedy pieces and a one-woman play on Rose Kennedy. See Valley Life!, Page 6