The Los Angeles Times from Los Angeles, California • Page 113

2003:08:01:23:06:24 CALIFORNIA CC latimes.com/california VENTURA COUNTY EDITION By Steve Chawkins Times Staff Writer Acting under threat of a lawsuit, the Ventura City Council early Friday decided to auction off Grant 24-foot cross, a wooden structure seen by some as a piece of history and by others as a religious symbol unsuited for public property. The high bidder would get the cross and an acre around it. According to a contract approved by the council, the buyer also would have the right to keep the cross lighted and repair or replace it. The unusual action is designed to stave off the suit and save the illuminated cross, which sits on a stone perch 800 feet above the downtown area. Acherished icon to many Ventura residents, it is the target of possible litigation from a group called Americans United for the Separation of Church and State.

The closed-bid auction, which was approved by a 5-2 vote, is to take place at the Sept. 22 meeting. Three Ventura County residents took on the city in March, contending that the cross violates federal and state constitutional guarantees for the separation of church and state. One of them, retired teacher Stan Kohls of Somis, said Friday that the prospective plaintiffs have not discussed their next step. Kohls said he was disappointed that the council had decided to let any new owner continue to keep the cross lighted at night.

Even if the cross and an acre surrounding it are transferred to private ownership, the lighting the impression that the city of Ventura is advertising and promoting the Christian said Kohls, who has described himself as In a hearing room overflowing with people who want the cross protected, city attorneys Thursday night said the auction strategy had protected a 103-foot Ventura to Auction Off Hilltop Cross The City Council acts to avoid a lawsuit. The high bidder would own the historic 24-foot structure and an acre around it in Grant Park. See Cross, Page B8 By Allison M. Heinrichs Times Staff Writer In the wee hours of Aug. 27, Californians will be able to witness the closest approach of Mars to Earth in almost The Red Planet will be a little more than 34.6 million miles away, shining like a ruddy orange sparkle in the southern sky.

At that distance, even modest telescopes and binoculars will reveal many Martian features from the white south polar cap and light orange highlands to deep brown basins and perhaps a smudgy dust storm or two. Because only half of Earth is dark at any given time, closest position will be visible mainly to people in North and South America, and many Pacific islands. Tahiti will be roughly the closest spot to Mars during the event, said Bruce Betts, a scientist with the Pasadena-based Planetary Society. But people in other parts of the world will be able to see Mars just as well in the days before and after the closest approach. In anticipation of the historic occasion, the Griffith Observatory is launching the first of a series of Mars parties this plenty of telescopes for the public to look through.

The parties will begin at 8 p.m. every Saturday in Au- Gina Ferazzi Los Angeles Times The Griffith Observatory, which is undergoing an $83-million restoration, will be holding several events marking proximity. Work is underway to replace the old leaky roof. B4 An Astronomical Project A Galactic Block Party for Mars closest approach in all of recorded history. Kind of sounds like the sort of thing you want to Tony Cook Griffith astronomical observer See Mars, Page B11 By Lee Romney Times Staff Writer SAN JOSE One set of doors faces the grassy expanse of San Jose State.

The other beckons passersby in the heart of San revitalized downtown. At eight stories tall, with a $177-million price tag, the state-of-the art library that opened Friday would be a source of pride anywhere in this cash-strapped state. But San new Martin Luther King Jr. Main Li- braryrepresents more than athrowback to Silicon days of prosperity. It is believed to be the first library in the country to be shared by a four-year university and a major city.

Boosters are hailing the marriage as an innovative experiment that brings the ivory tower down to earth, offering the diverse population an entree to lifelong learning. The blend of town and gown brings San Jose esoteric collections on Ludwig van Beethoven and John Steinbeck under the same roof as a center and a teenage lounge where youths can peruse copies of Thrasher magazine or watch a DVD of Britney From Las Anyone with a city li- San Jose Library Marries Town, Gown Librarians unveil a new facility offering more features than either the university or the city could afford on its own. See San Jose, Page B10 By Julie Cart and Monte Morin Times Staff Writers SAN DIEGO A suspicious fire that tore through a construction site early Friday, destroying the wood skeleton of a five-story apartment complex, may have been set by an underground group that claims to combat urban sprawl, authorities said. San Diego officials called in the FBI and the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms to assist in the investigation after they discovered a banner nearby reading, you build it, we will burn with the initials The initials are presumed to stand for Earth Liberation radical environmental group that has taken credit for torching development projects, sport utility vehicles, ski lifts and genetic engineering labs across the nation. still investigating what this banner or boasting Capt.

Jeff Carle of the San Diego Fire Metro Arson Strike Team said at an afternoon news conference. The Times sent an e-mail to Web site seeking comment Friday, and received the following response: ELF press office has received no communique for the Diego fire that took place Aug.1, 2003, and thus cannot answer any questions as to why this location and city was chosen for the latest ELF action. The banner at the site reading build it we burn it is a legitimate claim of responsibility by the Earth Liberation The fire in the upscale University Town Centre district near UC San Diego caused no injuries, but sent flames 100 feet into the air. More than 400 residents of apartments nearby were evacuated. The sprawling construction site covered nearly 34 acres and was to include 1,500 apartment units.

Officials estimate the blaze caused $20 million in damage and burned with such intensity that it blew out glass panes and melted window shades in apartments blocks away. The construction site is in northern San so-called Golden Triangle, one of the faster-growing areas. Suspicions that the fire might have been set by an eco-terrorist group rattled city officials and nearby building owners, who said they were beefing up security as a result. is an said Councilman Scott Peters. a group puts lives and Albert Johnson TOTAL LOSS: Flames shoot 100 feet into the air early Friday as a suspicious fire destroys the wood skeleton of a five-story apartment complex under construction in San University Town Centre district, causing $20 million in damage.

No injuries were reported. See Fire, Page B11 Eco-Terrorism Suspected as Fire Levels Construction Site By Michael Finnegan Times Staff Writer Gov. Gray Davis suffered new setbacks Friday in his effort to keep the Democratic Party united behind his fight to survive the Oct. 7 recall election, as U.S. Sen.

Barbara Boxer and Atty. Gen. Bill Lockyer openly questioned his campaign strategy. With Davis struggling to recover from rock-bottom poll rat- ings in barely two months, Lockyer stunned fellow Democrats by accusing the governor of running an unnecessarily negative reelection effort last year. He warned Davis not to take a similar approach in the recall race.

was a puke campaign, and like Lockyer told the Sacramento Bee, according to an article published Friday. think a disservice to voters and the profession. just tired of that If Davis runs a against potential Republican gubernatorial hopeful Richard Riordan, Lockyer said, prominent Democrats will jump Democrats Attack Davis Over Campaign Atty. Gen. Bill Lockyer criticizes negative tactics; Sen.

Barbara Boxer faults strategy. See Recall, Page B13 By Andrew Blankstein and Wendy Thermos Times Staff Writers Afire that destroyed four houses and consumed more than 5,000 acres last summer was set by a freelance videogra- pher who sold footage of the blaze to television news stations, aLos Angeles Department spokesman said Friday. Joshua Harville of Palmdale, 23, was arrested on suspicion of setting the fire thatforced more than 200 people to flee for their lives. He was held in lieu of $250,000 bail. arrest in Palmdale Friday culminated an 11-month investigation into the cause of the Sept.

3, in Leona Valley by the Los Angeles County Detail, the U.S. Forest Service and the California Department of Forestry. It took more than two days for 750 firefighters to control the fire, which spread quickly through brush parched by one of Man Held in 2002 Leona Valley Arson See Arson, Page B12 Police say a Palmdale videographer set the blaze that destroyed more than 5,000 acres. Fugitive Ordered to Pay Parents of Slain Boy Afugitive sought in the slaying of a San Fernando Valley teen is ordered to pay part of a million judgment. B3 Modesto Mayor Charged Prosecutors filed 10 criminal charges against Modesto Mayor Carmen Sabatino Friday.

B12 Luther Henderson Dies The orchestrator and arranger was well known in the jazz world and through his work on Broadway. He was 84. B14 B3 B16 B14 B18 INSIDE.