P                                                                                                                                                                                                    

paintball

PLC (see business entry)

Pacific Coast Highway - (PCH acceptable on second reference but use sparingly). Don't abbreviate

to Hwy. (although that is acceptable in graphics, where space is tight). PCH is OK in a headline in a sqeeze

Palos Verdes blue butterfly (reason for lowercase on "blue butterfly" is that there are many blue butterfly breeds, including the El Segundo blue)

Palos Verdes Peninsula - Use Peninsula (uppercase "P") on 2nd, 3rd, etc. references

Body copy: Palos Verdes alone is not acceptable; must say Peninsula if referring to the entire area. If you find "The Hill" in quotes or featury material, the two words should be capped

Headlines: PV is acceptable but nor preferred when referring to entire peninsula.

Palos Verdes Peninsula High School - Palos Verdes Peninsula High School on 1st reference; Peninsula High School on second. Don’t confuse with the re-opened Palos Verdes High School.

paperwork (as per Webster's Third)

parenthetical information in quotes – use parens, not brackets

parks

Alta Vista, Redondo Beach

Jane Addams, Lawndale (note 2 "d"s)

park-and-ride lots/facilities

"partial-birth abortion" (use quote marks)

passer-by, passers-by (AP Style, contrary to Webster’s)

PEO – Philanthropic Educational Organization (sometimes shows up in biz copy. Please spell out on first reference.

Perestroika

Persian Gulf War - Gulf War or (style changed to upper case 3/93) phone (acceptable on all references). AP hasn’t decided what to call the 2003 war, Norm Goldstein said in 2004.

phone area codes (eff. 1999)

Because of the numerous area codes in the Los Angeles area, always include the area code, even if it's 310. The correct format is 310-540-5511, 213-111-1111.

For 800, 888, 900, 976 (?), etc., follow the same format. Do NOT use the 1 before a long distance number (such as: 1-818-222-3333; we're gambling (again in order to save some time and hassle) that everyone knows you always have to dial 1 for U.S. long distance.

We discourage cute phone numbers such as 310-LUV-BIRDS. Change it to the numerals. You can run the cute version in parenthesis at your discretion.

Also, make it 911, not 9-1-1

Hermosa Beach Pier

Malibu Pier

Manhattan Beach Pier

Redondo Beach pier - the collective name for 3 piers: Municipal Pier (commonly called horseshoe pier - this burned in the fire of '88); Monstad Pier (also known as straight pier); Fishing Promenade Pier (built in early '80s as a link between the other two)

Santa Monica Pier

Venice Pier

the Pike (Long Beach); no cap in the, according to John Futch

Pilates

pin stripe (2 words)

"pineapple express" - a weather pattern that brings moisture-laden tropical storms to the West and Northwest (Of course, “Pineapple Express” was the movie filmed at the Breeze.)

plainclothes

play (theater) titles (see composition titles)

PLC - acronym for a publicly held company

plead, pleaded (past tense is NOT pled), pleading

the Pledge of Allegiance (as in "to the flag"); note it's c/lc and no quotes. And remember that there’s no comma after “one nation.”

Pog - A game similar to tiddlywinks but with milkcaps, Pog was invented by a Hawaiian dairy in the early 70s (the game's name is an acronym for the dairy's tropical fruit drink made from passion fruit, orange and guava juices. The World Pog Federation bought the rights to the trademark in 1993. Technically we should use the generic "milkcap game" unless it's certain true Pogs were used.

Point Vicente (not Pt. Vicente)

police officer (see job titles)

policymaker (per 2006 AP style; however, remember that not all maker words are one word)

Porsche

Port Police (when referring to specific departments)

Ports O' Call Village, San Pedro. Remember to keep the space between O’ and Village, otherwise it sounds like an Irish name!

post office - This should be lower case, even when used with a city name. This is because the official

name would be "U.S. Postal Service, Redondo Beach branch or office." When we shorten it to "Redondo Beach post office," or "main branch of the Torrance post office" we're using an unofficial form so the lower case format.

post-traumatic stress disorder (second reference use PTSD)

pour/pore - Please don't "pour" over this entry, "pore" over it instead

Powell, Laurence - officially terminated from LAPD

Power Rangers, replaces Mighty Morphin etc. because of copyfright dispute

Elmer "Geronimo" Pratt, now known as Geronimo ji Jaga (9/97) use the above phrase during this transitional period. Refer to him as Jaga on second reference this will be our style until he's known by the new moniker at which point we'll drop Pratt

pregame (one word)

presa Canario

preschool (as per Webster's Third Collegiate)

prime time (2 words, no hyphen)

Princess Pavillion, San Pedro (yep, 2 "l"s)

Profanity (3/2002) - The editors recently discussed the use of profanity, sexual detail and racial slurs in Daily Breeze copy. Common sense is always the best rule of thumb. Whenever hard and fast rules are made, there are exceptions.

That being said, here are some topics that may need more examination than we have been giving them. The purpose of this memo is to alert reporters, editors and copy editors to areas where caution should be used. In every case, there may be exceptions.

These choices should be discussed with the section editor before the story is submitted. Ideally, this would then be brought up in the 3 p.m. news meeting so that there is a link between the city and copy desks about the reasoning involved. In the absence of such discussion, copy editors should red flag for review the use of the following:

Racial, ethnic, sexual orientation slurs: Specific language should not be used.

Sexual detail: Testimony and police reports are rarely euphemistic, but our reporters should not have to be graphic to be accurate. We should also be careful of using too much prurient detail. For example, "The boy ran away because Jones'’ penis was sticking out of the leg of his shorts," should be "The boy ran away because Jones was partially exposed." Defending graphic detail with "people's right to know" isn't a valid argument if what we're really talking about is satisfying prurient interest. Nick Green has proven you can get national attention from a sexual assault story without including every detail. Just a hint of bestiality was enough. Identification of victims in child sexual abuse: Use phrases like young female relative or generalized age references such as a child younger than 12.

Profanity: Should not be used in most cases. The key is who said it and why - when a candidate for the presidency calls a reporter a major league asshole, it is different than if the same phrase is used in a post-game interview with a 16-year-old football player. If in doubt, check with an editor. We’re not going to distribute a list of what is allowed and what isn’t because context is the key. Certainly words like pissed and sucks are in common use and may be used in direct quotes if central to the story. Neither should be part of a pulled quote or headline. Graffiti: We should be careful in our use of photos of tagging or other property destruction as to not increase the notoriety of the vandals.

Story slugs: Our story slugs should be selected with care since they are used on the web site for links. There is also case law where a story slug was used as evidence to show reporter malice in a public figure libel suit.

Proposition - Always spell out the full word in body copy; example: "The vote on Proposition 13 was..."

In headlines, use the abbreviated form; example: Prop. 13. In either case, always capitalize when referring to a specific proposition.

province – Anbar province, for example

Publications (quotes vs. ital). See compositions

Body copy: Put publications in italic type

Headlines: Do not use quotes around names of publications in heads (Herald Examiner calls

it quits), unless omission could lead to confusion (ie. make it `Time' for the magazine).

Captions: Same as body type, ie put in italic type

Teasers: Punctuate publications as for headlines

pupils/students (see students)

3) APOSTROPHES

Plural possessives - The following do not take apostrophes: writers strike, teachers union, citizens committee, farmers market. Reason is it is difficult to "own" a strike, union, etc.

AP stylebook tip: if you could use "for" or "by" (rather than "of") in the long form -- a strike by writers, a union for teachers -- then an apostrophe is NOT appropriate.

4) QUOTATION marks

General

Body copy: use double quotes.

Captions: same as body type, use double quotes.

Headlines: use single quotes.

Refers: same as body type, use double quotes.

Teasers: Punctuate as for headlines.

Publications

Body copy: Put publications in italic type

Headlines: Do not use quotes around names of publications in heads (Herald Examiner calls it quits), unless omission could lead to confusion (ie. make it `Time' for the magazine).

Captions: Same as body type, ie put in italic type

Sumgrafs: Use the double quote marks. “”

Teasers: Punctuate publications as for headlines

Events: Just capitalize, do not put in quotes: Manhattan Beach Twinkie Throwing Contest

5) HYPHENS - In general, when you're faced with a 2-word noun which is not hyphenated and a third noun is added, DO hypenate the noun to avoid confusion. Example: life support, life-support ruling

6) COMMAS - In attributions -- don't use commas when you use "of". Example: "Jack Jones of Los Angeles is a twit." Do use commas if there is no "of": "Jack Jones, Los Angeles, is a twit."

Q                                                                                                                                                                                                   

quake (see earthquake)

quotes:

abbreviations – AP style is “to follow basic writing style in quotes and use abbreviations where appropriate.” Examples: “He said to look at Montgomery, Ala. (not Alabama).” “The team is No. 1” (not number one). “We lived at 201 Western Ave.” (not Avenue).

thoughts within quotes – Use alternating single and double quotes, says AP. Example:“I was riding along and I thought ‘Why am I doing this?’ Then I hit a bump.”

R                                                                                                                                                                                                   

Raber, Julie Ruiz (Carson councilwoman). Changed 1/2/07 per City Desk. On second reference, make it just Raber .

race –

Preferred are: white, Asian (not Oriental, re which AP stylebook is out of date), American Indian (as opposed to Indian for India natives or Native American which could refer to anyone born in this country)

Latino/Hispanic/Chicano (do NOT use Chicano): As of 8/91 we will make Latino/Latina our preference (moving on from our most recent policy which dubbed Latino/Hispanic as equally acceptable). Use Latina/Latinas when referring to a woman or women. Use Latinos when referring to a group including men and women.

2007 note: LANG uses Latino and Hispanic interchangably unless a preference is stated.

Exceptions to Breeze policy:

1) if the subject of an article (a group or individual) expresses a preference, such as Hispanic, honor that preference;

2) if the specific nationality of the subject or group is known and is germane to the article (Mexican, Cuban, Salvadoran), use that;

3) when in a government or other context where Hispanic is favored, use that to avoid confusion (for instance, if a census asks whether a resident is Hispanic we don't want to use both Latino and Hispanic in the story).

African-American/black - As of 10/02, follow AP style and use BLACK unless there's a common-sense reason to say African-American, such as in a direct quote, the name of an organization, a health issue specific to African-Americans. Remember:

1. Not all blacks are of immediate African descent.

2007 note: LANG uses the terms more interchangably, but be aware of 1. above.

race, when important to mention

When it comes to including a racial identification in an article we publish, we can't handle it like just any other fact to be thrown in. These references Ð white, black, Asian, Hispanic, whatever Ð should never be added just to satisfy someone's curiosity. There must be a compelling reason.

If an article mentions in an off-hand way that "the burglary suspect was Hispanic" or "two

black men robbed a Torrance liquor store," we open ourselves to criticism for proliferating stereotypes or unfairly casting aspersions. Remember, many readers are extremely sensitive to this issue - as we should be.

For obvious reasons there never are precise rules to follow in these cases, an in close calls, you should ask your editor. In general, however, these are accepted cases for including racial identifications:

- When the news peg requires it. If a black police officer says he is harassed and subjected to racial insults by white officers, it's important to note the race of the officers involved. However, there should always be this critical distinction: mention race only if it's clear from your reporting that the incident is largely based on racial matters.

- When it is critical to the description of a person sought in a police hunt. After a mall theft, it is OK to say police described the robber as "black, 5 feet 10 inches, 185 pounds, driving a gray Chevy Blazer, and wearing a thick mustache, red baseball cap and gold Lakers jacket." That's a full description of a man sought by police, and it could help citizens identify a dangerous person still on the loose. But it is not acceptable to say a suspect is "about 6 feet tall, over 200 pounds and Hispanic." That skimpy description applies to thousands of people and adds little valuable information. Ask yourself: Does this description

narrow the population enough to be useful or does it simply portray an entire race of people in a negative light?

- When a story involves a particular feat or accomplishment that has not been routinely associated with members of a particular race. Examples: the nation's first black astronaut, the first Hispanic superintendent of the Los Angeles Unified School District.

From Tony Tranfa in "As the Word Turns," June 1991

racetrack (one word as per Webster's Third)

racetracks, proper names

Del Mar, Del Mar (so Del Mar race track)

Fairplex Park, Pomona

Hollywood Park, Inglewood

Santa Anita Park, Arcadia

races, sports-related - 10K race; 5K race winners (no hyphen)

radio

Top 40, Top 40 hit (as noun or adjective, no hyphen)

Station nicknames/slogans, use quotation marks: "Power 101"; "Pirate Radio"

railyard (logic: schoolyard in dictionary)

rainfall, inches - For rainfall totals less than an inch, it's "0.50 INCH of rain fell," not inches.

Ralphs, Ralphs Grocery Co. (no apostrophe)

Rancho Los Cerritos – when it's just referred to as Rancho on second references or for headline purposes, the R in Rancho is capped.

RAND (uppercase) Corp. - Acronym for research and development. Note that within RAND are several what they call "programs" including Institute for Civil Justice, Health Sciences, Institute on Education and Training...when pertinent to mention the various subdivisions, refer to the institutes as proper nouns and refer to the others as departments/areas/groups and lower-case the specific department (health sciences group, etc.)

r&b (the preference of the powers at LA.com)

Rat Beach (no quotation marks necessary; not Rats Beach, not RAT Beach) - Unofficial name for a strip of sand between Malaga Cove and Torrance Beach, to the south of Hollywood Riviera. It's part of Torrance beach. Origin of the nickname is unknown; theories range from:

1) surfers descending the hillside and scared the s--t out of the rats to

2) the fact that the area is a natural collecting basin for kelp, man's debris and dead animals due to

ocean current patterns resulting in a ratty beach to

3) Right After Torrance (or Right After Torrance Stops)

Since it's folklore and so far cannot be traced to any one source, city desk just closed its eyes and picked one. (5/96)

rave! (cap the R at the start of a sentence in body text and headlines; in special formats, keep it down)

Rebuild L.A. (do not use RLA in any headlines or copy) - task force, originally headed by Peter Ueberroth, which is coordinating the revitalization of South-Central L.A. after the 1992 civil disturbance. Group officially changed its name to RLA in August 1992 (to show the group intends not just to rebuild what was destroyed but to improve existing conditions) but until the new name gains greater acceptance, we're sticking with the full name. RLA acceptable on second references.

redcoats – for grand prix in Long Beach, per http://www.gplb.com/committee300.html

recyclable (note no `e' after the "cl")

REDCAT (Roy and Edna Disney Cal Arts Theater)

red planet, for Mars

Redondo Beach - south Redondo Beach, north Redondo Beach

Redundancy, the enemy from within -- Do we need to say "shot and wounded?" If you're shot, you're wounded (but if, in some freak instance the person/animal was not wounded, we should say so)

Reform Jews (not Reformed Jews)

refute/rebut -- they're not interchangeable

As per AP stylebook: Rebut means to argue to the contrary. Refute connotes a successful argument was made and almost always implies an editorial judgment (for example, Person A's argument against Person B is only refuted -- ie successfully argued -- once a jury issues a verdict in favor of Person B). In cases where you don't know if the point was successfully argued, substitute deny, dispute, rebut or respond to.

Re/Max (changed 3/05)

restrictor (as in water restrictor)

ride sharing (n.); ride-sharing plan/project/etc. (adj.)

Right Aid

right of way (no hyphen), rights of way

-rights (hypenate if used as part of a compound modifier ie abortion-rights advocate, etc.)

Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus (note first "and" and second "&")

ringtone

riot, L.A. (L.A. riot) in 1992: death toll stands at 54 as of 12/1/93 (with death of street preacher); Watts riots

roadmap (as in roadmap to peace)

roads (see Freeways)

Robert Haag Recital Hall at El Camino College - (related venue is Marsee Auditorium)

Robinsons-May (no apostrophe)

rock house (no quotation marks needed if it's clear in the article that it's a drug reference)

Rollerblade (a registered trademark; must be upper case and one word) the generic term is in-line skates. If you know for sure the skates in question are Rollerblades, that term is acceptable; however, if it's a generic situation ("in-line skates have turned the bike path deadly") best to use in-line skates.

Rosh Hashana (no "h" on end of Hashana, as per AP)

runoff (n and adj)

Runway 24-Left - think of runway as "street" which we capitalize when we use the full name; 24-Left is the runway's proper name.