WASHINGTON, DC-Republican US Senator Orrin Hatch of Utah was credited with making it easier for small investors to include real estate stocks in their portfolios through several key pieces of legislation.

CAREFREE, AZ-Peery Arrillaga, a private real estate investment firm, has sold the 85,000-sf Carefree Court, drawing $10.85 million from Hawaii's Alexander & Baldwin. The buyers market has piqued interest in Valley real estate once again.

LOS ANGELES-Robert Pernell says he will recommend that plans for the 53-megawatt plant be rejected by the full Energy Commission, noting neighborhood opposition and air-quality concerns.

ORLANDO-Critics claim the $535 per sf Orange County is paying for 972,000 sf of new exhibit space is the most expensive in the country. But convention center officials say they need a world-class structure to be competitive.