SANTA MARIA, Calif. - Ahern Rentals recently opened a branch here, giving the Las Vegas-based company 20 locations.

An Ahern official told RER that the company already had a growing customer base in the area and will now be able to serve it more efficiently, rather than ship equipment from Oxnard, Calif. about 50 miles south. The Santa Maria location, managed by Rob McLean, carries aerial equipment exclusively.

The new outlet was the fourth branch opened by Ahern in California in 1999, having previously expanded to Sacramento, Fremont and Bellflower. Ahern Rentals, No. 18 on the RER 100, has six branches in California, 10 in Nevada, two in Arizona and one each in Colorado and Utah.

In its November 1999 issue, RER reported the death of U-Haul founder Leonard S. Shoen and quoted an Associated Press report that the company had sought bankruptcy protection following a 1995 court judgment. According to a correction run by AP, neither U-Haul International Inc. nor its holding company, Reno, Nev.-based Amerco Inc., filed for bankruptcy protection. According to AP, five directors of Amerco Inc. sought personal bankruptcy protection after they were ordered to pay a $461 million judgment stemming from a family battle over control of the company.