Author Honored: Glendale author Montserrat Fontes is...

Author Honored: Glendale author Montserrat Fontes is flying to Chicago next week to accept an award from the Before Columbus Foundation for her novel, “Dreams of the Centaur.” . . . The book’s hero sets out to fight Mexico’s Yaqui Indians, but ends up joining them. Fontes, who is of Mexican descent, also had a change of heart while writing the book. In learning about the Yaquis, “everything changed: my feelings toward Mexico, toward my family,” she said.

* CONQUISTADORS CONQUER: El Camino Real High won its third City Section 4-A baseball title in five years, holding off Banning, 13-11 in a game played at Dodger Stadium. Shortstop Jesus Lopez, shown bunting above, played on the JV team until the last few games. Now he is one of the champions. C1

* CSUN CHANGES: Sources say Cal State Northridge may drop as many as five men’s sports teams in order to balance the athletic department budget and meet gender equity requirements. C10.

* GANG CRACKDOWN: A court injunction aimed at cracking down on gang members on long-troubled Blythe Street has failed to reduce violent crime, a study has found. B1

* JEWISH FESTIVAL: About 35,000 people are expected to attend the Second Biennial Valley Jewish Festival to be held Sunday at Pierce College. Calendar Weekend, Page 47.