LOS ANGELES-Real estate giant tabs Morgan Stanley Dean Witter and a powerful law firm to evaluate unsolicited takeover bid from Blum Capital Partners LP. The move may signal that CB wants to generate other offers.

LOS ANGELES-A study led by MIT suggests that some power companies intentionally cut back production to boost their profits just as summer's heat started to push demand for electricity higher.

LOS ANGELES-Investment Development Services figures its spec building on county's northern rim will prosper as vacancies in San Fernando Valley keep dropping.

SAN DIEGO-Some residents of toney community launch incorporation effort, saying county has let development and traffic in their area careen out of control.

SAN DIEGO-Smith Consulting Architects will handle third phase of $90-million project in Golden Triangle area. Construction should begin in the spring.

LOS ANGELES-With dot.com addresses running out, the group that oversees Internet's addressing system approves seven new suffixes. Look for .biz, .pro and even.name to come into use by next spring.

LOS ANGELES-Revolutionary Eyewear pays $2.6 million for 29,769 sf of space and in Simi Valley, and plans to relocate its headquarters there from Van Nuys.

LOS ANGELES-Credit-rating giant puts real estate firm on CreditWatch list with a "negative" designation, citing the brokerage's high debt level and uncertainty about terms of proposed takeover.