From staff reports

Chef's TV deal is kicked up a notch

The star of E.W. Scripps' Food Network, chef Emeril Lagasse, signed a five-year, multimillion-dollar deal Wednesday.

The deal calls for 90 new episodes a year of the network's top-rated show Emeril Live!, Judy Girard, Food Network's president, said.

As part of the deal, Food Network will also produce 26 episodes annually of fan-favorite Essence Of Emeril, as well as multiple network specials. Scripps Networks, which includes the Food Network, have developed into a huge profit center for Cincinnati-based Scripps.

Lagasse - who now owns six restaurants with two more about to open - sometimes cooks with guests, which have included legendary cook Julia Child. His show also is the first cooking show with a house band.

Armoring firm reports earnings

Armor Holdings Inc., parent of Fairfield's O'Gara Hess-Eisenhardt Armoring Co., reported first quarter net income of $5.08 million, or 17 cents a share, after including a loss of a penny a share from discontinued operations.For the same period last year, the company reported net income of $5.9 million or 19 cents a share.

Revenue for the three months ended March 31 increased 16 percent to $80.5 million from $69.6 million a year ago.

Acura CL sports coupe hits wall

Honda will stop making the Acura CL sports coupe, its first car fully designed and produced in the United States, because of slumping sales.

The Acura CL, introduced in 1996, is made only in Marysville, Ohio. Production will end this summer.

Overall production levels and employment, which is now at 5,800 workers, won't be affected, the Japanese automaker said.

Honda spokesman Ron Lietzke said production of Accord sedans, Accord coupes or Acura TL sedans will be increased. Honda has been making about 1,000 Acura CLs a month at the plant, which represents 2 percent of total production.