ALSO...

US West Communications Group said second-quarter profit rose 8.7% to $314 million, or 65 cents a share, from $289 million, or 61 cents, a year earlier. . . . W.R. Grace & Co. said second-quarter net income fell to $117.4 million, or $1.57 a share, from $333.9 million, or $3.39, a year ago. . . . Homestake Mining Co. reported a bigger-than-expected second-quarter loss of $16.2 million, or 11 cents a share, compared with net income of $6.8 million, or 5 cents, a year earlier. . . . Hershey Foods Corp. said second-quarter earnings rose 24% to $50.6 million, or 33 cents a share, from $40.8 million, or 26 cents, a year earlier. . . . Richard Schuetz, president and chief executive of Las Vegas-based Stratosphere Corp., resigned. . . . In a deal negotiated by the Hotel Employees & Restaurant Employees Union, Local 2, and 37 hotels in San Francisco, hotel workers will be eligible for help with their monthly child- and elder-care costs. The agreement provides $60 to $150 per month for 1,200 hotel workers. The plan was developed to address the needs of hotel workers, who often work swing and late-night shifts and need child and elder care at odd hours.