Distant Neighbors: Neighbors and competitors Richie Hearn...

Distant Neighbors: Neighbors and competitors Richie Hearn and Bryan Herta have crossed paths before. But this weekend, the two race car drivers (C11) will be starting their engines almost 250 miles apart because of the dispute between the Championship Auto Racing Team and the Indy Racing League. . . . Canyon Country resident Hearn will be in Indianapolis for the Indy 500 on Sunday, but Valencia resident Herta will be in Brooklyn, Mich., for the inaugural U.S. 500.

Prom Train: The Metrolink trains that usually haul bleary-eyed office workers will tonight whisk 530 wide-eyed students from Glendale’s Hoover High to their prom at Union Station. The idea is to reduce problems and make the evening memorable. . . . To keep the affair classy, conductors will wear tuxedos.

Disco Docs: To celebrate National Hospital Week, Kraig Butrum, left, Jeff Flocken and the rest of the staff of Northridge Hospital had a retro costume party Friday. Organizer Toshia Johnson said dressing up in bell-bottoms, platform shoes and tie-dye would boost worker morale and cheer patients. “I thought it would be a lot of fun for the patients to see their doctor or nurse walk in with peace signs, or love beads or a leisure suit on,” she said.

Alien Aircraft: The still of Woodland Hills was broken Friday morning by a quartet of helicopters towing banners through the sky that read “NO WARNING,” “NO NEGOTIATION,” “NO LOS ANGELES,” and “INDEPENDENCE DAY.” . . . The stunt was to promote a summer movie about alien invasion, but with all the recent talk about Valley secession, was it coincidence?