BUSINESS, CLASS SHARE OUTLOOK.

Byline: Daily News

Antelope Valley economic leaders express their thoughts of the new millinneum.

THE 21ST CENTURY WILL BRING a new and better economy to the Antelope Valley.

In much the same way as the aerospace industry and a housing boom transformed the farming-intensive Antelope Valley in the half-century after World War II, diversified manufacturing will drive change in the region in the century ahead.

The change is already beginning, as Los Angeles industries face up to a critical shortage of developable land - a deficit of 11 million square feet a year just for industries already in L.A.

Possessing both land and labor that companies must have to remain competitive, the Antelope Valley is the logical destination for businesses on the grow. But the question is whether business diversification and growth can catch up with and more adequately balance the region's already serious imbalance between housing and jobs.

Continued High Desert population growth seems virtually assured, generated largely by the ever-escalating prices for housing in the greater Los Angeles area. And without more wealth producing jobs in the Antelope Valley region, already strained transportation systems and ever-rising commuting costs will make daily commutes unbearable - in both directions.

In the world we'd like to see and fully expect in the new century, the Antelope Valley will successfully attract and grow the companies needed for sustainable prosperity through regional employment.

While the aerospace industry will continue to be a dominant employer well into the new century, diversified companies will provide more employment options than Antelope Valley residents have ever before seen.

Many of those important new employers will be home-grown start-up companies that today manufacture products in business incubators and leased business park spaces.

Our reversal in employment fortunes will stimulate more changes in almost every other area of life. With more locally-owned, operated and involved companies and a higher percentage of the population locally employed, look for:

--Rapid proliferation of upper-division college programs and campuses;

--Marked increases in business-led support for community service projects and programs;

--Far more ``reverse commutes'' in which Los Angeles-area residents work in the Antelope Valley;

--Frequent economic downturns, with shorter local duration and less severe effect;

--Far more consumer choices in restaurants, shopping, entertainment, recreation and services. As energy and transportation costs continue to escalate, the frequency of travel to Los Angeles will decline a bit. The opportunity for a more self-sustaining and sustainable community will be driven by a growing aversion to driving.

Even with all the growth, the Antelope Valley won't look all that much different in the next century.

At a size that would envelop the San Fernando Valley four times, with room to spare, the Antelope Valley will still have that spacious feeling come Jan. 1, 2010.

Oh, and the Lancaster JetHawks will be part of a Major League Baseball expansion program in the year 2000, and will be a pennant contender in 2045 - just in time for my 100th birthday.

Hey, a guy can dream right?

- Larry Grooms

President and CEO 

Greater A.V. Economic Alliance

I BELIEVE THE ANTELOPE VALLEY has finally come into its own and the millennium holds bounty for our residents and businesses.

New companies are showing more and more interest in relocating to our area. These companies are not only from the Los Angeles area, but also from other states and even foreign countries. Because of the Foreign Trade Zone, the Enterprise Zone and various incentive programs being offered by Palmdale and Lancaster, as well as a talented work force available in the community; all this makes us a prime relocation target for many companies.

The Los Angeles area, including Santa Clarita, is almost totally built out. Traffic is getting worse, as is air pollution, and the price of housing is skyrocketing.

Los Angeles International Airport is bursting at the seams. Not only is the airport jammed to capacity, so are the freeways leading to that area. The air traffic patterns themselves are full.

It is my belief that once L.A. World Airways tells existing airlines that are flying in there that they must utilize the facilities at Palmdale before they will be granted any additional gates at LAX, then those airlines will commence operations here.

Quality residential properties are available in the Antelope Valley for from $75 a square foot and up. A comparable home in the Santa Clarita area will run anywhere from $100,000 to $150,000 more than one of the same size and quality and with the same amenities.

The future is indeed bright for the Antelope Valley. In fact, in my opinion, never brighter. The planning that has gone on in the last two decades for this future growth will serve us well.

No more boom-and-bust economies are seen in my crystal ball. Instead, we'll build on a steady base as we head into the new century.

- R. Gregg Anderson

General Partner, Rancho Vista Development Co.

IF YOU ASK ME what I think the next 100 years are going to be like, I really don't know. The future hasn't been decided yet.

We are still in a position to help shape it. We are at a crossroads, a fork in the road, and, depending on which course we choose to continue on, things can go in a number of different directions. We have to go back to basics in so many arenas.

Common sense, for one. We seem to have misplaced it along the way during these past 100 years.

I'll give you some examples of this and I'll give you a sampling of what I think some of the issues we're going to have to deal with are.

Lawsuits: Lawsuits are out of control and our judicial system is being abused.

The latest ``technique'' is: placing blame anywhere except where it belongs. For instance, the novel idea of suing gun manufacturers because some bonehead decides to use their product to commit a crime or suing McDonald's because you spilled hot coffee on your lap, and let's not forget about all the fraud being perpetrated on the insurance companies, etc.

``Anyone can sue anyone over anything'', this seems to be the order of the day.

Gangs and ``juvenile'' crime: We have to start treating gangs, juvenile criminals and crime as just that, criminals and their crimes. We have to stop releasing them to ``the custody of their parents'' when they are arrested. In most cases, these are parents who have already shown that they cannot control or prevent their offspring's criminal activities.

If a juvenile decides to cross that line and show a lack of respect for and a disregard for human life and other people's rights, then they should be held just as accountable as adults are. Gangs and violent crimes by juveniles are out of control in this millennium, we shouldn't allow this to continue in the next.

Education: We have to compensate our teachers appropriately and give them the tools and authority necessary to fulfill their mission. As a society and as parents, we have to re-establish communication, support, teamwork, respect, common sense, values, discipline, responsibility, consequences, higher standards, and accountability in our schools and in the home and allow them to flourish. Students need to know that parents, teachers and administrators are on the same side and on the same page. This will give them the structure they require in order to thrive, feel secure, confident and hopeful.

Sense of humor: We seem to have lost some of our ability to laugh at ourselves, our shortcomings and our idiosyncracies and to find the humor in things. We are overly sensitive to everything now. Every nationality, race and religious persuasion has plenty of history, baggage and skeletons in their respective closets, good and bad. Along the way, we have all been conquerors and conquered, victims and perpetrators, masters and slaves. We are all in the same boat that way. If we dig deep enough into our heritage, we can all find something to make us victims or something that we should be held accountable for, something we can be proud of or something we should be ashamed of. So we need to stop pointing fingers, we need to be more understanding, we need to get our own house in order and we need to learn and practice forgiveness. Most of all, we need to lighten up and stop taking ourselves so seriously.

Peace on Earth? We have to put an end to ignorance and the resentments, prejudices, misunderstandings, misinformations, grudges, fears, secret agendas, vendettas and hatreds that come with it which have been passed on from generation to generation for way too long and start working on working together in harmony, just like musicians do in music. Harmony, the best and most creative universal language! We'll just have to keep trying.

Success: We must remember that it takes more than talent to succeed at anything. It takes committment, persistence, timing, patience, dedication, help from others, a little bit of luck and lots of hard work.

I hope we can come up with a better way of imparting our knowledge or whatever wisdom we've acquired to our kids so that they learn from our mistakes instead of having to go out and make them also. I can't even begin to tell you how much time and opportunities I wasted by not listening to my parents when I was young.

Honoring our heroes: During these past 100 years, hardship and pain contributed immensely toward building strong character and producing good people. It would serve us well to remember and emulate the generations of Americans who lived through the Great Depression and the veterans of our world wars and other conflicts. They are wonderful examples of the inner-strength, sacrifice, faith and character that made Americans famous and admired all over the world.

The strength of our nation: In order for us to continue being the most powerful nation in the world, we have to strengthen and replenish our armed forces and national defense. In a perfect world, we wouldn't have to, in this one, we must. If we intend to survive and preserve our way of life. We must continue the exploration and development of our space program. We also must try to put a stop to illegal immigration. The influx of illegal immigrants from all over the world is straining our ability to function the way we should. Too many people come here for the wrong reasons who do not believe in the American dream, who hate what we stand for and who would do everything possible to destroy us, our country and our freedom.

We must continue to uphold the Constitution and prevent any further erosion of the Bill of Rights and the responsibilities and freedoms entrusted. Too many people would trade ``safety'' for those freedoms. We should welcome and embrace all those who would embrace us and keep the rest out.

Priorities: God, country, honor and family should again take their rightful place above everything else in our lives. Back to basics, common sense, ``everything else'' will be taken care of if we do this.

- Isaac Diaz Barcelona, President

Antelope Valley Hispanic Chamber of Commerce

AS SO MANY BEFORE ME have added to my life, I hope that I have helped in some small way to make the path a little clearer. I am grateful for all blessings of the past year and my wishes are:

--That the poor can find food and shelter.

--For a world of peace.

--Good health.

--Prosperity.

--For the lonely to find companionship.

--For the bereaved to find comfort.

May this season's simple joy always be to celebrate freedom, to make choices and changes.

We must never stop growing, but foremost, we must channel energy and determination for self-improvement into one stream.

The best is yet to come.

- Darren W. Parker, President

Antelope Valley Human Relations Hate Crime Task Force

MEMBERS OF THE LANCASTER HIGH SCHOOL Class of 2000 express their thoughts of the new millinneum.

AS THE END OF THE CENTURY rapidly approaches, we close another chapter in our history books. Yet as the finale draws closer, new hopes and dreams for the new millennium map out the road we hope the future will take us.

Technology and more open minds are the wishes I have for the coming millennium.

As a child, I imagined the year 2000 as a mimic of the cartoon, ``The Jetsons.'' Robot servants, flying cars and jet packs were images I had of the future. Though we are not quite there yet, technological advances are constantly happening. Internet access and medical advancements are things I hope will continue to grow and improve.

If we are not careful, history is doomed to repeat itself. Though the century has been filled with great achievements, it has had its share of heartaches. The Holocaust and many wars are bits of history we care not to remember. Yet if we fail to remember them, they will happen again.

My hope for people across the world is for them to always keep an open mind. We all have our differences, that's what makes this world unique. There's no reason you should hate or want to fight someone just because they are different than you.

As we head into a new millennium, I hope and pray that the achievements we have accomplished continue to grow and improve our lives. I also hope that we are aware of the fact that our past is something that happened so we can learn. Everything happens for a reason.

- Phuong Pham

AS SENIORS, the end of the century and the upcoming millennium do indeed have extra special significance. In a sense, we have a tremendous responsibility on our hands.

It is true that every other graduating class also has a responsibility, but I believe that America expects more of the class of 2000.

As future leaders for the new millennium we must show the people that we will uphold our responsibility.

When people look back many, many years from now, they are going to look at the people who started it all, which is us. Whatever happens throughout the century will probably be blamed or praised upon us, being the future leaders.

Many current leaders and people have the notion that our country is going to go down the drain in the future because of the progress of this country's high school students.

My hope for the future is to prove these people wrong and laugh in their faces when they realize they're wrong. My plans are already set in my mind.

I will attend a university after high school, then go to dental school to study oral surgery. After working for a while I will open up my own practice (which I already can picture in my mind). How could planning like that ruin this country?

What many people don't know is that a lot of students plan like this every day for their future in the new millennium.

- Sejal Patel

SO MANY EVENTS are soon coming to pass in this new century. It is the mark of a new millenium, the time in which we all graduate and the birth of many more inventions. All the world - regardless whether they know it or not - find hope in this new century, just as they do with every new year.

In mid-June, all of the seniors from the seven high schools in the Antelope Valley will graduate. We are the generation that has the opportunity to make a difference. As life is now with the violence, pregnancies and all the other defiance in the world, it makes us look like the generation that will force the world to fall apart. We have hope in education, in love, friendship and all around kindness.

We will live with ideas of what the future may bring. Whether we get our flying car and live on Mars or if we keep the street cars we have and remain in our homes on Earth, we will live in the 21st century with success.

- Ashley Lungren

WHAT'S SO EXTRAORDINARY about the upcoming new year? I don't think that there is any ``special significance'' about the new millennium. To me it's just another year. Sure the new year is a cause for celebration, but don't blow it out of proportion.

Society's attitudes and feelings toward the upcoming millennium can be compared to some recent cliches. Last year's cliche was the ugly little Furby . . . and the year before everyone just had to buy a Beanie Baby or a Tickle Me Elmo. The frenzie over the new millennium is just another cliche.

Someone talks about the millennium and everyone just follows that person's leap. It's like they're jumping on the bandwagon. It's kind of like a passing trend. By this time next year I'm sure that everyone will find something new to go crazy for.

- Anthony Zaval

AS HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS, the end of the century and the upcoming millennium have extra special significance.

For me, the millennium is a time of great opportunities. I know that no immediate physical changes will occur at midnight Dec. 31, but I do believe that mental changes will occur.

This time represents a turning point for many people, including myself. New Year's resolutions will take on new meanings as people ``turn over a new leaf.'' I hope that with these heightened resolutions people will become more tolerant, friendly, and focus less on our differences.

The millennium, for me, is extra special because it is a time of great changes in my environment.

I will be moving from my familiar high school atmosphere to the unknown realm of college. I will face new responsibilities, joys, and fears; all of which I must approach with determination.

My actions in the beginning of this millennium will set the course for the rest of my life. Although I may not be able to control many of these changes, I can do my part to make this millennium a success.

- Alyssa Honeycutt

THE YEAR 2000 HAS BROUGHT a lot of controversy with our society. People see the year 2000 in various point of views. Some people believe the year 2000 is different from other past years.

Those people who think the new millennium begins on Jan. 1, 2000 are wrong in this concept. The new millennium will begin on Jan. 1, 2001. People know that a millennium covers 1,000 years.

To illustrate that the new millennium will begin on Jan. 1, 2001, people can imagine the first year of our era as Page 1 of a book. This book has 2,000 pages and if a person wants to read the whole book she or he must read the page 2000, the last page, to finish reading the complete book.

Similarly, people should know that we have to live all the days of 2000 to finish our second millennium. Thus the new millennium will start on Jan. 1, 2001.

Other people, religious people, believe in the ``end of the world,'' that will happen in the year 2000. But they think it will happen in 2000 because of the new millennium. This idea is wrong. I know that the new millennium begins in 2001.

Religions relate the ``end of the world'' to this date because they say Jesus was born 2000 years ago and now is the time that Jesus must govern in the world. Of course, the Bible talks about Jesus as the king and governor of the earth. But these religious people are wrong because researchers know Jesus was not born exactly 2000 years ago but before our common era.

- Daniel Ponce

IN THE YEAR 2000, I am going to finally be able to show the world how responsible the children from Generation X can really be.

As children, we were always told how special we were because we were graduating at the turn of the century. To be able to say that I am the first graduating class of the millennium is a huge and great honor. There comes a lot of responsibility when you're the first graduating class; the children of years to come look up to you.

- Syreeto Butler

THE HYPE FOR THE NEW MILLENNIUM is tremendous. It's a big deal, but not as big as people are making it out to be. It's really sad, to me at least, that with this birth of a new year, a great deal of negativity is coming with it.

The year 2000 is just that. Nothing more. The night of Dec. 31, everyone should be partying with the people they love, not prophecizing the end of civilization. It should be known as more of a new beginning than a drastic end.

January is the beginning of the rest of my life, in a sense, rather than the downfall. The new millennium is a reason for the world to grow, so why shouldn't I grow with it? I need to start over with a fresh outlook on my life and the coming year is definitely going to point me in the right direction - as it should for everyone.

- Lindsay Adams

GROWING UP FOR THE PAST 17 years has been an unforgettable and exciting experience. From 1982 to 2000, the world has changed in many unique ways. The new millennium is coming, and many fears and concerns have come across the world of today. The Y2K computer problem, education in America's schools and finding a good job have all been concerns regarding the new millennium.

America will have many dreams for the new millennium, I hope. The education system in not just America but our world needs to come together and form a nation of peace with our children. Let the new millennium become a century of new beginning and world peace for everyone.

- Toishia Duren

THE YEAR 2000 MEANS A LOT to me, not only because it's the start of a new century, but also because I will be graduating from high school, will be entering the work force and beginning my life out in the real world.

The hopes of everyone, I believe, will be shattered. Everyone has their hopes and beliefs up so high that when Jan. 1, 2000 shows up, and nothing major happens, people will be upset that banks don't burn down or the stock market doesn't fall.

I personally hope that things change but I hope they change for the better, not for the worse.

- David Wilson