Five well-known community volunteers were chosen on Thursday as the finalists for the 48th Annual Fernando Award given for an outstanding record of volunteerism in the San Fernando Valley. Chosen were Armand Arabian, Jill Banks Barad, Dorothy Jean Jauck, Ed Rose and Pauline Tallent out of a field of 14 nominees submitted by businesses, business groups, educational institutions and individuals throughout the Valley. The finalists, selected by a committee, were announced at the annual Jesse McHam Nomination Luncheon at the Woodland Hills Hilton. The winner of the Fernando Award will be announced on Nov. 10 at a dinner at the Warner Center Marriott.

The Calabasas Chamber of Commerce hosts a business networking mixer and bowling tournament to benefit its education committee’s awards and scholarship program. 5 p.m. 9 p.m. AMF Woodlake Bowl 23130 Ventura Blvd., Woodland Hills (818) 222-5680 calabasaschamber.com

Woodland Hills-based Younan Properties has acquired a 190,000-square-foot office building in Dallas, bringing to 3.7 million square feet its Dallas-area holdings. Younan acquired the Galleria Plaza, a 12-story tower, from Terrabrook, a Dallas-based developer. The office building is the ninth facility Younan has acquired since the company turned its attention to areas outside Los Angeles.

The city of Santa Clarita has launched a billboard advertising campaign condemning the Cemex Mining Co. in its bid to construct a 69 million ton mining project just east of city boundaries. The city erected the 80-foot-wide billboard on SR 14 at Sand Canyon Road. It depicts the words “Cemex Mega Mining” with a red line through it and the phrase “Think Traffic is Bad Now Just Wait.” The city contends the proposed mine would add more than 1,000 trucks to area freeways each day and hurt air quality. Santa Clarita has also started a mailing campaign denouncing the mine. U.S. Rep. Howard McKeon, who represents Santa Clarita, has introduced legislation that would limit mining in the area near the city. Cemex has opposed the legislation. Mining could start as soon as 2008.

The Chatsworth/Porter Ranch Chamber of Commerce on Wednesday tossed its support behind Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa’s reform proposals for the Los Angeles Unified School District. It was not, however, without caveats. The group recommended that the mayor make several changes to the legislation, including giving himself more authority; easing restrictions on other district member’s right to withdraw from the district; and adding the ability to audit the reforms within five years. “The Chatsworth/Porter Ranch thanks the mayor for his zealous efforts and commitment to improving the education of our children, the future working citizens and leaders of our city,” chamber President Melissa Phillipp said in a statement. “His work will truly change lives and with it the future landscape of Los Angeles.” The reform bill is expected to pass the state Senate Appropriations Committee Thursday before heading to the full Senate next week.

A Los Angeles Superior Court judge has given the go-ahead for a Saugus subdivision that environmental groups had tried to block. The Center for Biological Diversity, Sierra Club, California Water Impact Network and Friends of the Santa Clarita River had challenged the Santa Clarita City Council’s approval of River Village, a 1,089-home division planned by The Newhall Land and Farming Co. north of the Santa Clarita River. They said the developer’s Environmental Impact Report was not thorough enough and did address the project’s possible impact on the river and native plants and animal species. Judge Dzintra Janavs disagreed and sided with the city, clearing the way for construction to start.

SCORE offers a workshop on creating a successful business plan presented by Ralph Horwitz, former comptroller, IHOP Corporation. 9:30 a.m. – Noon SCORE Conference Room 330 N. Brand Blvd., Suite 190, Glendale (818) 552-3206 scorela.org

Passing along rising energy and fuel costs is no longer solving the problem of rising prices for many small businesses, according to a report released by the International Profit Associates Small Business Research Board. “As of late 2005, energy and fuel costs hadn’t appeared on any previous IPA SBRB list of most significant business concerns,” said Gregg Steinberg, president of IPA, a management consulting firm specializing in small and mid-sized businesses. ” In the spring of 2005, 64 percent of small businesses were passing on increased energy and fuel expenses. By summer 2005 the number of small businesses passing along the costs rose to 72 percent and by year end the number had escalated to 85 percent,” he said. Currently, 15 percent of small businesses surveyed said energy and fuel costs are significantly impacting their business. Another 13 percent of the companies surveyed said cost of materials is the biggest factor in running the business.

Construction materials prices rose in July in spite of an easing in price increases elsewhere in the industry, a trade group reported. Price increases for materials and components for construction rose 7 percent in the month, compared to a 3 percent rise in June, while the prices for finished goods rose only 1 percent, according to The Associated General Contractors of America reporting on the most recent statistics from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. “Since July 2005, the overall PPI has risen 4.2 percent while the construction materials index climbed twice as fast, rising 8.3 percent,” said Ken Simonson, chief economist for the AGC. Simonson said the gap is even more significant because, while prices for lumber and plywood have fallen, those materials make up a very small percentage of the cost of nonresidential construction. Over the past 12 months, materials including pipe, wiring and faucets have risen 88 percent, wallboard has increased 23 percent and PVC-based products have jumped 20 percent, Simonson said. “Furthermore, the PPI for diesel fuel which affects the cost of running off-road equipment, construction vehicles and fuel surcharges for delivering materials to job sites spared 26 percent over 12 months,” Simonson said. “That means the delivered costs of many materials have gone up even more than their prices at the producer’s point of sale, which is what the PPI measures.”

The Valley Economic Development Center offers a workshop on how to get your business online. 4-6 p.m. 5121 Van Nuys Blvd., 3rd Floor Van Nuys $25 (818) 907-9922