A.V. JOBLESS CLAIMS RISE IN DECEMBER : TOTAL UP 2.6% FROM NOVEMBER.

Byline: Jim Skeen Daily News Staff Writer

The number of new unemployment claims in the Antelope Valley rose 2.6 percent in December compared to November, according to statistics released Tuesday by the state Employment Development Department.

There were 1,924 new claims recorded in December. The numbers are down 23 percent from December 1995, but the 1995 numbers were inflated by the furloughs during the federal budget impasse.

The average number of people drawing weekly benefits rose 1 percent in December compared to November, according to EDD statistics.

``There was nothing radically different from the prior month's activity,'' said Pete Eskis, manager of the Lancaster EDD office. ``Still, nearly 2,000 people out of work is a lot of people.''

The short-term job picture for the Antelope Valley is a mixed bag, particularly for the region's biggest industry - aerospace, industry officials said.

Bolstered by recent contracts to build prototypes of a new fighter and an aircraft to test technologies for a future spaceship, 3,900-employee Lockheed Martin ``Skunk Works'' is the only major aerospace company in the hiring mode.

At Northrop Grumman, there will be ``continued downward adjustment'' in employment as the program nears completion of production of the B-2 stealth bomber in 1998, said spokesman Ed Smith.

Northrop Grumman employs about 2,800 people in Palmdale. If Congress orders more B-2 stealth bombers built beyond the 21 aircraft already authorized, employment could climb to 3,500. If no additional bombers are ordered, employment will drop to about 200 to 300 workers.

A real question mark, aerospace observers say, is what Boeing plans to do with its Palmdale facilities now that the corporate giant has bought out Rockwell Corp.'s space and aircraft divisions. No announcements have been made about Boeing intentions for the area, but company officials have said Palmdale will be a ``key part'' of their plans.

In the long term, Antelope Valley officials are hopeful a designation as an enterprise zone will aid efforts to diversify the region's economy, lessening its dependency on the aerospace industry.

Enterprise zones can offer such incentives as tax credits for sales or use taxes paid on the first $20 million of equipment or machinery purchased, deductions for interest income earned on investments. Employees get tax credits for wages earned from a firm located in the zone.

In October the state Trade and Commerce Agency conditionally selected the Antelope Valley as an enterprise zone and gave a list of conditions that must be met before the zone is activated.

Responses to the state's conditions have been submitted and Antelope Valley officials expect to hear back from the state Trade and Commerce Agency later this week.

``I think we've met every condition they've imposed,'' said Ron Creagh, Palmdale's assistant city manager.