May 20, 2004

William L Hamilton article on tour of International Contemporary Furniture Fair in New York with four savvy New Yorkers who offer decidedly skeptical opinions about some extreme designs; four approve other designs offering value and comfort; photos (M)

Archdiocese of Newark Facing Church Closings The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Newark has begun a major reorganization effort that requires its 235 parishes to examine how efficiently each is using its resources and calls on 48 of them to consider mergers or realignments that would result in some churches being closed. Officials said they could not say how many churches were in danger of closing because each of the 48 parishes -- the last vestiges of declining European immigrant populations in older urban areas like Newark, Jersey City and Elizabeth -- will have a say in their fate over the coming months. But under recommendations released by a task force named by Archbishop John J. Myers in April 2002, 16 of the 48 churches would probably close and another 11 could close. The officials did not rule out closing or realigning more churches in the future.

Lucent Technologies' chairwoman-chief executive Patricia F Russo has returned telecommunications giant to modest profitability by eliminating tens of thousands of jobs, slashing billions of dollars in debt and settling major lawsuits with investors; Russo is now in race against time to develop new products and services that will allow Lucent to survive as entire industry changes around it; Russo comments; photo (M)

Majority of shareholders at Intel Corp challenge management on contentious issue by backing resolution calling for employee stock options to be treated as normal business expense; company executives say Intel will continue to report stock options in way that does not show up as direct cost on its profit-and-loss statements as long as accounting regulators permit it; Intel's senior management has been outspoken in its belief that expensing stock options will be bad both for company and entire technology industry (M)

Minnesota Timberwolves defeat Sacramento Kings, 83-80, to win second-round playoff series, 4-3; photo (M)