FAREWELL: They arrived in September, a group...

FAREWELL: They arrived in September, a group of Chinese sixth-graders from Guangzhou who came to learn English and American culture at Hale Junior High in Woodland Hills. On Sunday they returned home. . . . Although the stay was marred early on by the death of a boy hit by a car, they hated to leave. “They were all crying,” said businesswoman Christine Tung, who arranged the visit. Many said they’d return to attend college.

BURBANK HIP: They are the haunts of the hip, the boulevards of cool, streets like Santa Monica’s Third Street Promenade. But where are the cool streets of tomorrow? . . . Today’s Next L.A. (B2) looks at candidates, like the “Golden Mall” stretch of San Fernando Road in Burbank. . . . “In a lot of ways it reminds me of the way Westwood used to be,” said David Smith, Book City manager.

THINGS TO DO: It was his first day on the job Monday, and already Los Angeles City Councilman Mike Feuer, above, had an agenda (B1). . . . After his swearing-in, he said he’d identified the top 20 issues confronting his district. At the top? Quake repairs in Sherman Oaks and revitalizing Westwood.

L.A. LITE: It’s been a tough time for tourism the last few years, but things are finally starting to look up, especially in the Valley. Some say the area benefits from a belief that it’s safer than other parts of Los Angeles. . . . “After the riots, people began to discover areas outside of Downtown, including the Valley,” said John Poimiroo, California’s director of tourism (Valley Business, Page 10).

SURVIVOR: After a consolidation that saw many rivals shut down or absorbed, Align-Rite is in the company of giants. The Burbank firm is one of only four independent U.S. companies that make photomasks, the stencils used to create computer chips. . . . Now it’s going public, offering 1.2 million shares of stock (Valley Business, Page 3).

TONIGHT: A fireworks show will begin at 9 p.m. at Cal State Northridge’s North Campus area at Devonshire Street and Zelzah Avenue. Entertainment begins at 2 p.m. Tickets are $8 for adults and $5 for children under 12. Information: (818) 349-5676.