Escrow

The U.S. Comedy Arts Festival has announced the Jury Award winners in a variety of categories from its recent festival, held in Aspen Feb. 28-March 4.

In the live performances, the best stand-up award was shared by Kirk Fox and Shane Mauss. John Oliver took honors for best breakout male, while TastiSkank, the duo of Sarah Litzsinger and Kate Reinders, earned best breakout female.

Tim Minchin was named best alternative act, with the Summer of Tears ensemble winning best sketch. Nilaja Sun earned best one-person show for her No Child ... .

In the USCAF Film Program, Ira & Abby, a romantic comedy written by and starring Jennifer Westfeldt, earned the best feature award, and Westfeldt earned best actress as well. Best director went to Tom DeCillo, for Delirious, a satire of celebs and paparazzi.

Valley business people in the news

Hugh and Stacy Carson of Palm Desert are the new owners of the Blue Guitar in Palm Springs. Managed by their son, Rob Carson, the revamped Blue Guitar offers a wide range of music and entertainment.

Rosemary Chandler has joined Prime Prospects Inc., a business directory and database firm serving the Coachella Valley.

Richard La Rue is the new broker/owner of four Realty Executives offices located in Indian Wells, Palm Desert, Palm Springs and inside the Hyatt Regency Suites in Palm Springs. La Rue, with more than 22 years affiliation with Realty Executives as a sales associate, corporate executive and regional developer purchased the offices from Richard Grommon. The company is home to 70 real estate professionals.

Pat Kelly has been promoted to the position of Southern California branch manager for Granite Construction Company.

Hot Property: Larry King, Travis Barker

Talk about being discovered overnight. CNN talk show host Larry King and his wife, singer-actress Shawn Southwick, had been looking on and off for years for a new house. Then, in a flash, they bought one in Beverly Hills for close to

$12 million.

"I did the legwork and screening for Larry," Southwick said.

"From seeing to buying, how long did it take?" King prompted his wife.

"Two days," she replied.

She had started the search by casually looking for a home with more rooms and slightly more space than what they had.

Southwick, 47, and King, 73, wanted to continue to live in the flats of Beverly Hills, an area south of Sunset Boulevard they called "a feel-good neighborhood," where residents walk to schools and shops.

Revenue from slot machines could trigger property tax relief this year

HARRISBURG -- Tax relief is on the way for senior citizens -- and younger Pennsylvanians also could get that benefit from slots gaming this year.

"There's a chance ... but I'm not going to say it's absolutely going to happen," Gaming Control Board Chairman Tad Decker said yesterday.

It depends on whether the state can certify on April 15 that revenue will reach $500 million by Oct. 15, Mr. Decker told House members yesterday during a joint hearing of the Appropriations and Gaming Oversight committees.

Of that, $100 million must be held back in an escrow account while the rest could be used to reduce property tax bills.

The gaming board now has on hand about $143 million in license fees and slots revenue that will count toward the $500 million.

By law, another $200 million must go toward expanding property tax and rent rebate programs for senior citizens, widows, widowers and disabled residents.