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Sun Healthcare Group Inc. of Irvine, a nursing home chain that operates 18 California facilities, has been ordered to pay $2.5 million and boost nurse staffing for violating an order to improve elder care, the state Attorney General's Office said.

The company, which operates 100 nursing care facilities nationwide, violated numerous parts of a permanent injunction requiring that the company improve care in its California facilities, State Attorney General Bill Lockyer said in a statement.

"Sun's failure to comply with the previous injunction not only violated a court order, it also caused pain for residents and their families," Lockyer said. Sun officials said they have "continued to abide by the initial injunction" in their facilities.

Home mortgage applications fall

Applications for residential mortgages fell last week as higher interest rates deterred borrowers from refinancing their existing loans, according to a report by the Mortgage Bankers Association. Its index of mortgage applications for home purchase and refinancing loans fell 1.4 percent to 760.6 in the week ended Sept. 9. The index rose 6.8 percent in the previous week.

Despite the decline in activity, some mortgage lenders said they are still seeing robust demand. "Our refinancing pipeline has not slowed down and our volume is very strong, which is why we are expecting a record quarter in terms of production," said Michael Perry, chairman and chief executive officer at IndyMac Bank based in Pasadena.

Remec plans payment to holders

Wireless equipment maker Remec will pay stockholders $1.35 a share next month from the sale of assets. The payment will be made Oct. 4 to shareholders of record as of yesterday, according to the San Diego company.

Remec in the past year sold wireless assets and a business that makes outdoor radios. The company sold its defense and space unit Chelton Microwave for $260 million in May. Remec's shares fell 5 cents to close at $6.52 on the Nasdaq Stock Market.

First Community makes purchase

Rancho Santa Fe-based First Community Bancorp will acquire Cedars Bank of Los Angeles for $120 million in cash. First Community said the purchase would add $486 million in assets and seven branches for the company in Los Angeles and Orange counties, and in San Francisco.

The transaction is expected to close in the first quarter 2006. First Community plans to merge its Pacific Western National Bank subsidiary with Cedars Bank. Cedars chief executive William Hanna will become president and CEO of Pacific Western's Los Angeles region.

First Community, which has grown largely through acquisitions, reported $3.1 billion in assets as of last month. Its shares fell 25 cents to close at $45.70 on the Nasdaq Stock Market.

RF Industries net income dips

RF Industries posted second-quarter net income was $194,000, or 5 cents a share, compared with income of $266,000, or 7 cents a share, for the same period last year. Sales for the San Diego communications equipment maker increased 20 percent to $3.3 million.

The company recently acquired the assets of Worswick Industries, a privately held San Diego-based manufacturer and supplier of custom and standard computer cabling and wire harness assemblies. Worswick had sales of more than $350,000 in its most recent fiscal year.

RF Industries shares fell 15 cents to close at at $5.75 on the Nasdaq Stock Market.

Griffin files for Chapter 11

Griffin Investigations Inc., a company known in the casino world for tracking cheats, has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy after losing a court battle to two gamblers who say they were unfairly marked. The Las Vegas-based company filed for bankruptcy protection last week, citing assets and debts of between $100,001 and $500,000. The company owes more than $109,000 in legal fees stemming from a July judgment in favor of gamblers Michael Russo and James Grosjean.

The two, who filed a defamation lawsuit against Griffin, were awarded $105,000 in damages and attorney fees. Russo and Grosjean claimed Griffin had false information about them that led to their April 2000 arrest in Las Vegas. Charges were later dropped.

Pan Pacific buys shopping center

Pan Pacific Retail Properties, a Vista-based company that owns supermarket-anchored shopping centers, purchased Silverdale Plaza in the Seattle area for $33 million. The center is completely leased. Pan Pacific shares fell 4 cents to close at at $66.59 on the New York Stock Exchange.