PAPER CHASE: After funds for a meal...

PAPER CHASE: After funds for a meal program for the elderly were cut, 84-year-old Alex Andres came up with a plan: recycling newspapers. “It’s good for the ecology, and if we can make money too, why not?” said Andres, a volunteer at the Valley Senior Service and Resource Center. “We need the entire community to support us,” said Lola Rabow, the center’s director. A recycling bin is located at 18255 Victory Blvd. in Reseda and at the Organization for the Needs of the Elderly, 17400 Victory Blvd., in Van Nuys.

LONG TEDIOUS JOURNEY: Since the Northridge quake, thousands of families have been forced to navigate the murky waters of home repair, stretching insurance payments and loans to meet the cost of repairs. The Bachelises of Northridge lived in a condo while restoring their home. It wasn’t easy. Valley Business, Page 8. For some homes though, there was no hope of repair.

END OF THE ROAD: After the quake, Robin Kay, above, with her daughter, owed more on her condo than it was worth. “I had to walk away. There was nothing to save,” Kay said. Faced with costly repairs, and unable to sell at a decent price, numerous homeowners have abandoned their damaged properties. Home foreclosures in the Valley are up 19%. Valley Business, Page 4.

CSUN FIRING: Officials at Cal State Northridge are set to demote Bob Hiegert, the school’s longtime athletic director, to another position, sources say. The athletic program is plagued with a $700,000 deficit. (C1)

BAKER’S PRIDE: Disneyland visitors were treated to a sweet surprise Monday: a piece of birthday cake in honor of the park’s 40th anniversary. The cake was baked with the help of Martino’s Bakery in Burbank and made 300,000 pieces. The recipe? 15,000 pounds of flour, eight gallons of vanilla, 2,850 pounds of sugar and 380 pounds of margarine, among other things.