Toys R Us launches special 'Twilight' merchandise sections in stores and online

Can't wait for "New Moon," the latest movie in the "Twilight" saga, to premiere in 17 days? Fans can get their vampire fix on at Toys R Us, which is selling "Twilight"-themed charm bracelets, Barbie dolls, backpacks, lunchboxes and even dog tags through special in-store sections and a dedicated New Moon section on its website.

"Curl up with the dark mystery that is Edward Cullen on the fringed pillow," reads the description for a throw pillow that bears the vampire's image.

The "New Moon" movie, starring Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson and Taylor Lautner, hits theaters Nov. 20.

-- Andrea Chang

Photo: Toys R Us' Twilight Saga New Moon Trio Pack features a tote bag, fleece blanket and throw pillow and sells for $34.99. Credit: Toys R Us

Starbucks and AT&T offer free coffee and Wi-Fi for those displaced by wildfires

Starbucks Corp. and AT&T Inc. have paired to provide relief to those displaced by the Station fire in the form of free coffee and free Internet service. 

Coffee will be donated to fire staging areas and Red Cross evacuation centers, Starbucks said in a statement.

AT&T is offering free Wi-Fi service in 19 Starbucks locations in communities affected by the fire so people can stay in touch with family, friends and business contacts, said John Britton, an AT&T spokesman.

The free coffee and Wi-Fi efforts began Monday and will run through Sept. 15, Britton said. By then, it is hoped that the fires will be extinguished, he said.

The Station fire has consumed more than 120,000 acres over the last week, mostly in the Angeles National Forest. Two firefighters have been killed by the blaze.

The 19 Starbucks locations with free Wi-Fi service are:

280 E. Palmdale Blvd., Palmdale

8349 Foothill Blvd., Sunland

3747 Foothill Blvd. #A, Glendale

2627 Foothill Blvd., La Crescenta

475 Foothill Blvd. #M, La Cañada Flintridge

1929 Verdugo, La Cañada Flintridge

1840 E. Washington Blvd., Pasadena

1135 Truman St., San Fernando

19435 Soledad Canyon Road, Santa Clarita

24802 Orchard Village Road, #A4 Santa Clarita

23792 San Fernando Road, Santa Clarita

26925 Sierra Highway, Santa Clarita

805 E. Avenue K #101, Lancaster

1845 W. Avenue I, Lancaster

2062 W. Avenue K, Lancaster

39904 10th St. West #D, Palmdale

39570 Lowes Drive, Palmdale

2834 Lenwood Road, Barstow

2843 Lenwood Blvd. Suite D, Barstow

-- Nathan Olivarez-Giles

Southern California Edison announces bill forgiveness for wildfire victims

Southern California Edison is providing relief to customers who live in areas devastated by the wildfires.

The utility said today that customers whose homes were destroyed or rendered uninhabitable don't have to pay for electricity used since their last bill. Customers who qualify can call the utility at (800) 250-7339.

For those who were indirectly affected by the fires, such as customers who lost business income, Southern California Edison is offering payment arrangements. To organize payment arrangements, call (800) 950-2356.

-- W.J. Hennigan

Photo: Burned electricity wires in Tujunga. Credit: Getty Images

Gas prices rise an average of 4 cents across U.S.; no change in California

Pump prices have begun rising again across much of the U.S., the Energy Department said, ending a four-week run of declines as retail gasoline prices followed oil prices higher.

The U.S average price for a gallon of regular gasoline saw a 4-cent increase over the last week to $2.503, the Energy Department reported today based on its weekly survey of filling stations. California’s average remained unchanged at $2.829.

Gas prices had been on a steady decline from a June 22 peak of $2.691 for the U.S. average and $3.005 for the California average. California’s price, the highest in the nation, was down $1.488 from this time last year; the U.S. average was down $1.452.

Average fuel prices were lowest on the Gulf Coast, where gas rose 4.6 cents to $2.367 a gallon.
The increase in the retail gas price came as a bit of a surprise as U.S. supplies of crude oil have grown over the last six weeks, which helped spur the recent decline in prices at the pump.

Crude oil prices rallied over the last week as the Dow Jones Industrial Average passed the 9,000 mark for the first time since January with an 11% increase over the last nine days. Two weeks ago crude oil hit an 8-week low.

Today, crude for September delivery rose 33 cents to $68.38 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange.

It’s too early to tell whether the recent rise in oil prices would cause gas prices to take another upswing, as seen earlier this summer, said Jeffrey Spring, a spokesman for the Automobile Club of Southern California.

“The price of oil has been inching up over the last couple weeks and production levels have been trimmed back because demand has been soft and there’s a surplus of oil on the market,” Spring said. “So [refineries] are looking to find that balance on price and production.

“It’s hard to say right now whether or not prices will swing up or down,” he said. “One week doesn’t make a trend.”

-- Nathan Olivarez-Giles

Photo: Associated Press

OfficeMax and FedEx ink multiyear deal

FedEx Express and FedEx Ground shipping will now be available at more than 900 OfficeMax Inc. retail locations.

The two companies announced a multiyear agreement today that is set to roll out through July, August and September. The exact terms of the deal were not disclosed.

“This expansion of the FedEx retail network is designed to benefit express and ground shipping customers, including small business shippers and consumers,” said T. Michael Glenn, FedEx Corp. executive vice president, market development and corporate communications, in a statement.

The move comes as FedEx’s domestic volume has plummeted amid the recession. The Memphis-based company’s U.S. express volume has dropped for 14 consecutive quarters.

According to a statement released by the two companies, the on-site shipping options are expected to be offered at all OfficeMax stores by Sept. 30. However, stores in Chicago and Memphis have already begun accepting packages.

FedEx hopes the move performs better than its previous foray into the retail market. In 2004, the company purchased Kinko’s, now known as FedEx Office. The company has since had to take write-downs totaling about 70% of the $2.4-billion purchase.

-- W.J. Hennigan

Federal stimulus funding -- how to get and spend it

There’s plenty of federal stimulus money available, but getting at the funds can be a pain. Local politicians, nonprofits and businesses are meeting to help clear the road. 

On Thursday, Pasadena City College is hosting the free San Gabriel Valley Economic Stimulus Collaboration Summit -- basically a long-winded way of saying that participants will discuss and distribute information about how to nab and spend the federal funds. 

From 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the College’s Community Education Center, attendees will brainstorm on how to form partnerships to access the money and then use it to boost the state’s sorry economic situation.
For reservations, e-mail the center's dean, Rick Hodge, at rlhodge@pasadena.edu or call (626) 585-3010. The event will take place in the Jack Scott Multipurpose Room, at 3035 E. Foothill Blvd. in Pasadena. Lunch will be provided.

-- Tiffany Hsu

Southern California Edison offers bill forgiveness for Santa Barbara fire victims

It may be only a small comfort, but some Santa Barbara residents who lost homes in the Jesusita fire may catch a break on their utility bills.

Southern California Edison customers whose houses were destroyed or are now unlivable will not have to pay for electricity used at those residences since the last bill received.

The utility says it also is offering special payment arrangements to people indirectly affected by the fire.
Homeowners seeking bill forgiveness should call (800) 250-7339. Information about special arrangements is available at (800) 950-2356.

-- Tiffany Hsu

Special hotel deals for Santa Barbara fire evacuees

The Santa Barbara Conference and Visitors Bureau has a page on its website dedicated to information about the Jesusita fire.

In addition to details about road closures and air quality, as well as canceled events and closed attractions, the site links to a list of special hotel rates for evacuees.

Here are the hotels offering rooms under $100, according to the bureau:

• Beach House Inn & Apartments: 805-966-1126
• Best Western Carpinteria Inn: 805-684-0473
• Cheshire Cat Inn and Cottages: 805.569.1610
• Coast Village Inn: 805.969.3266
• Embassy Suites Hotel: 805.735.8311
• Hotel Santa Barbara: 805.957.9300
• Inn at East Beach: 805.965.0546
• Inn of the Spanish Garden: 805.564.4700
• Marriott Santa Ynez Valley: 805.688.1000
• Radisson Hotel Santa Maria: 805.346.8879
• Santa Barbara Hotel Group: 805.687.5511

-- Tiffany Hsu

Plans to spend for prom may be thwarted by swine flu

Prom-goers might not be willing to break the bank for the formal, but many still plan to spend a sizable amount. That is, if swine flu doesn't get in their way, according to beauty information site DailyMakeover.com, owned by Makeover Solutions Inc.

A recent survey found that more than half of the female respondents intend to spend at least $300 on hair, makeup and a dress for prom.

Most of the 73% of girls planning to get their hair professionally styled said they would spend $50 or more. A quarter of respondents plan to pay for professional makeup application. Four out of 10 girls want to plunk down between $100 and $200 for a dress, while another 35% said they would exceed $200.

But as schools across the country -- including Park City High School in Utah and Pisgah High School in Alabama -- cancel or postpone the events in an attempt to contain the swine flu threat, prom attendees are having to rearrange their plans, according to the site. In Riverside, prom at Lee V. Pollard High School was canceled after a student was thought to have possibly caught the virus.

The full story on "Opting for prom without all the frills" here.

-- Tiffany Hsu

Photo: An array of dresses at Sandy's Bridal store in San Fernando. Credit: Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times

American Apparel founder Dov Charney speaks out on Woody Allen trial

He's kept mum for months on a lawsuit brought by actor-director Woody Allen. But today, American Apparel Chief Executive Dov Charney spoke out against "numerous inaccurate reports" about the case in the media:

(Last year, Allen sued the Los Angeles clothing retailer for using his image on billboards without his permission. A trial is scheduled to start in Manhattan on May 18.)

"I have not made personal comments to the press in the last few months because of the impending trial of this case. However, during the last month, numerous inaccurate reports have appeared in the media which have created misperceptions I feel compelled to correct. The media has misinformed the public that American Apparel supposedly plans to make Woody Allen's personal life the central focus of our defense. This is false. It has also been reported that American Apparel intends to call Mia Farrow or Soon Yi as witnesses in the upcoming trial. This also is false.

I have deep respect for Mr. Allen who is a source of inspiration to me. The billboards and images from the Annie Hall movie were intended to be a parody/social statement and comedic satire to provoke discussion and public discourse about the baseless claims that had been made against American Apparel and myself, society's reaction to lawsuits that delve into an individual's private sexual life and the media's sensationalism of such matters.

The false media reportage is an obfuscation of the key issue in the case, which is whether the use of an image from the film Annie Hall, depicting Mr. Allen as the character Alvi Singer, for purposes of evoking a societal discussion about these issues is protected by the First Amendment."

Allen last month said in court papers that American Apparel had tried to intimidate him by requesting information about his family life, personal finances and career. The Associated Press had quoted a lawyer for American Apparel as saying the company planned to focus during the trial on Allen's relationships with actress Mia Farrow and her adopted daughter, Soon-Yi Previn, whom Allen married.

-- Andrea Chang