Amanda Hesser profiles Emeril Lagasse, who hosts popular television cooking show Emeril Live; finds that Lagasse, more jester than cook, is most influential cook on television; appraises his techniques; photos (L)

Under the Toque; 'Here's Emeril!' Where's The Chef?

 CALIFORNIA  Democrats Retake the Biggest Prize     For the first time in 16 years, Democrats reclaimed the Governor's office as Lieut. Gov. Gray Davis defeated the State Attorney General, Dan Lungren. And Senator Barbara Boxer, a liberal Democrat, withstood a furious challenge from the Republican State Treasurer, Matt Fong.  

OTHER HIGHLIGHTS

George Vecsey Sports of The Times column suggests that basketball fans should 'get a life' during NBA lockout; also criticizes 'antisocial' behavior of some New York Yankee fans during baseball playoffs (M)

Sports of The Times; The Lockout Reminds Us: Get a Life

Exhibition of photographs by Philippe Halsman will open Nov 6 at National Portrait Gallery in Washington; photo of Albert Einstein; Dorothy DeLay, Juilliard School faculty member who has taught such Japanese musicians as Midori and Koichiro Harada, will be honored by Japan for her contributions to education of nation's musicians; bronze statue of Winston Churchill to be unveiled in Paris in ceremonies attended by Queen Elizabeth II on Nov 11; photo; architect Frank Gehry is to design new museum in Biloxi, Miss, to showcase region's cultural legacy (M)

FOOTLIGHTS

New York Knicks season-opening game against Boston Celtics is canceled because of NBA lockout; Paul Vellios, part owner of Cafe 31 sports bar across street from Madison Square Garden, says businesses are hurt and fans are hurt; photo (M)

Sounds of Silence Echo in N.B.A.

New York Yankees might try to sign free-agent pitcher Randy Johnson if David Cone does not exercise option in his contract that would guarantee at least one more year with team (M)

Yankees Awaiting Johnson And Cone

Anthony Tommasini reports on heady times and current confusions in classical recording industry; crossover artist--one that sells beyond usual classical market--is seen becoming a lifeline for record companies; success of the Three Tenors albums stunned record execs more used to selling recordings by thousands rather than millions; photo of Gregory Barbero, who helped make Three Tenors' first album a crossover hit (M)

Classical Labels Shoot for Superstars; The Crossover Artist Is Becoming A Lifeline for Record Companies

George W Bush, Republican, defeats Democrat Garry Mauro in race for Governor of Texas; his brother, Jeb Bush, defeats Democrat Buddy MacKay to become Governor of Florida; photo (M)

George W. and Jeb Bush Are Easily Elected Governors in Texas and Florida

Democrats roar back in midterm elections, winning impressive victories in crucial Senate and gubernatorial races nationwide despite months of dire predictions by Republicans and Democrats that Pres Clinton's sex scandal would drag down party's candidates; Republicans maintain control of Senate and House, but Democrats' strong showing in off-year election, when party in White House typically loses seats, makes it far less likely that Congress will move ahead aggressively with impeachment inquiry; Republicans fail to come close to publicly stated goals of winning 60 Senate seats, number needed to cut off filibusters, or to substantially widen party's narrow 11-seat edge in House; key Democratic victories include Repr Charles Schumer's triumph over incumbent Sen Alfonse D'Amato in New York, John Edwards over incumbent Republican Sen Lauch Faircloth in North Carolina, Sen Russell D Feingold's defeat of Repr Mark W Neumann in Wisconsin and Sen Barbara Boxer's victory over Matt Fong in California; Republicans also get some important wins, including ouster of Illinois Sen Carol Moseley-Braun by State Sen Peter Fitzgerald; maintain domination of governorships nationwide; victory of Jeb Bush in Florida gubernatorial race and of brother, Gov George G Bush Jr, for second term in Texas noted; election is also marked by resurgence of Democrats in Deep South, spurred in part by better-than-expected turnout among black voters; results in other state and Congressional contests discussed; photos (M)

DEMOCRATS HOLD OFF G.O.P. ADVANCE, WEAKENING IMPEACHMENT PROSPECTS; SCHUMER OUSTS D'AMATO; PATAKI WINS

Anna Kisselgoff reviews Lar Lubovitch Dance Company 30th anniversary gala program at City Center; photo of Jeffrey Gribler and Sylvain Lafortune (M)

A Gala That Shows Off Why It Is

Molly O'Neill reports on scene in farm country south of Philadelphia, mushroom capital of nation; notes competition is keen and acclerating among mushroom growers to develop and market an ever-widening array of mushrooms, each more exotic than the last and each requiring talent and technique that no one in area seems eager to share; stunning commercial success of portobello mushroom spurred growers to intense competition to develop new mushrooms; photos (M)

After the Portobello, It's Mushroom Mania

News analysis discusses Repr Charles E Schumer's victory over Sen Alfonse D'Amato in New York Senate race; political analysts say that combination of factors--strength of Schumer's candidacy, his financial support, years of investigation into D'Amato's ethics and D'Amato's numerous gaffes--had made the 3-time Republican Senator dangerously unpopular; photo (M)

D'Amato Fails, Finally, To Confound Rivals

Democratic US Repr Charles Schumer defeats incumbent Republican Sen Alfonse D'Amato, ending his reign as one of most imposing figures New York Republicans have produced in 50 years; adopted many of D'Amato's own political techniques, from relentless fund-raising to take-no-prisoners style of television advertising to achieve goal that has eluded Democrats since 1980, when D'Amato slipped into office in divided three-way field; wins 2,332,401 votes or 54 percent, compared with 1,901,978 for D'Amato or 44 percent, with 96 percent of votes tallied; he thanks voters for honoring him with trust; is congratulated by Pres Clinton; D'Amato thanks voters; says he is proud for having carried torch; Republican, George E Pataki, wins re-election to second term as Governor, easily defeating Democrat Peter F Vallone, independent B Thomas Golisano and Liberal Party candidate, Lieut Gov Betsy McCaughey Ross; incumbent Atty Gen Dennis C Vacco remains locked in tight contest with Democrat Eliot L Spitzer; H Carl McCall, Democrat and incumbent State Comptroller, defeats Republican challenger Bruce A Blakeman; photo (M)

Schumer Uses D'Amato's Tactics To Win Senate Election Handily

 Mideast Accord Is Tested  The agreement between the Israelis and the Palestinians is being imperiled by delays. Page A3.

INSIDE

John Russell Critic's Notebook column on new library at French Institute/Alliance Francaise on East 60th Street in Manhattan; library was designed by Michael Graves; photo (M)

An Architect Gives a Library Spaces to Read And to Dream

 Chrysler Posts 20% Rise For Sales in October  Chrysler reported that its car and truck sales rose 20 percent in October compared with figures from the month a year earlier, indicating another strong month for industry vehicle sales despite waning consumer confidence.  

BUSINESS DIGEST

Citibank and Chase Manhattan Bank to discontinue their test of electronic cash; banks issued so-called smart cards to nearly 100,000 people who live on Upper West Side of Manhattan; most people who tried system never loaded their cards a second time; and with few people using cards, two-thirds of merchants dropped out; less than $2 million was spent using all of the cards in program's first year (M)

Got a Dime? Citibank and Chase End Test of Electronic Cash

Southern Democrats buck 20-year trend in once 'solid' South, faring well in midterm elections; regain governorships in South Carolina, hold on to governorship of Georgia, defeat incumbent Republican senator in North Carolina, and retain Senate seat in South Carolina; prevail in all Southern races considered competitive; Democratic Lieut Gov Don E Siegelman defeats Republican incumbent, Gov Fob James Jr, in Alabama gubernatorial race; Democrat Roy E Barnes defeats Republican gubernatorial candidate, Guy Millner, in Georgia; Democrat Jim Hodges ousts incumbent Republican Gov David Beasley in South Carolina, where Sen Ernest Hollings fends off aggressive challenge from Republican Repr Bob Inglis; political novice, John Edwards, unseats Republican Sen Lauch Faircloth in North Carolina; photos (M)

Democrats Buck 20-Year Trend, Faring Well in Once 'Solid' South

Article on decline of Philadelphia Eagles under Coach Ray Rhodes notes that team has 1-7 record and that he will probably be fired before season's end; photo (M)

When Willpower Isn't Enough: Decline of Ray Rhodes's Eagles

Citigroup Inc, merger of Citicorp and Travelers Group, is getting off to rocky start, and it may be some time before any of the hype surrounding creation of company becomes reality; how co-chief executives Sanford I Weill and John S Reed will get their troubled corporate businesses, those involving investment banking activities like stocks and bond trading and underwriting that Travelers specializes in, to mesh with such staid businesses as corporate lending that were Citicorp's forte is remaining basic question (M)

Citigroup Is Facing First Law of Megamerger: The Inertia of Mass

News analysis of results of national midterm elections; impeachment inquiry against Pres Clinton seems to have had little influence on voters, majority of whom disapproved of way independent counsel Kenneth W Starr and Republican leaders have handled probe; weaker-than-expected Republican showing will mean not only fewer anti-Clinton votes, but less zealous pursuit of President; photo (M)

Voters Show Own Agenda

Offbeat fashion designers are giving up the business, squeezed by department stores that are devoting more of their space to fewer name-brand design companies; thinning ranks of independent designers stems to some degree from gradual erosion in consumer confidence; with signs of economic slowdown ahead, shoppers have been reining in their free-spending ways; industry shakeout is also ripple effect from earlier consolidation among department stores that weakened fashion's grip on retailing; some winners in industry include Tommy Hilfiger, Donna Karan and Ralph Lauren; losers include Isaac Mizrahi, Kenar, Adrienne Vittadini and Anne Klein; photos (M)

Staying in Vogue; Clothing Designers Adjust to a Vastly Changed World

Peter Marks reviews Kenneth Lonergan comedy This Is Our Youth, revived by Second Stage; photo (M)

Folkways of Spoiled, Dissolute West Side Teen-Agers

Boston Scientific Corp says its Japanese subsidiary improperly inflated sales by millions of dollars of a medical device, used in patients with heart problems, that it was forced to recall last month; Food and Drug Administration is investigating whether Boston Scientific should have notified Federal regulators before it changed its method of manufacturing the device, known as a stent; company executives say routine internal review detected that subsidiary reported $40 million to $50 million in sales of inventory to distributors that were not true sales; chief financial officer Larry Best says subsidiary may have overstated sales in earlier years by further $40 million; two executives in charge of company's Japanese operations have offered to resign (M)

Japanese Sales Were Inflated, U.S. Medical Company Says

Florence Fabricant comments on virtues of dried mushrooms; recipes; drawing (M)

November 4, 1998

Headlines from November 4, 1998

Under the Toque; 'Here's Emeril!' Where's The Chef?

OTHER HIGHLIGHTS

Sports of The Times; The Lockout Reminds Us: Get a Life

FOOTLIGHTS

Sounds of Silence Echo in N.B.A.

Billboard 200

Vol. 2... Hard Knock Life

The Miseducation Of Lauryn Hill

Come On Over

'N Sync

Rush Hour

Historical Context for November 4, 1998