Right Stuff: When Antelope Valley officials peer...

Right Stuff: When Antelope Valley officials peer into the future, they see their ailing economy revived by a “spaceport” for the proposed X-33, the next-generation space shuttle. Today they will share that vision with NASA as Rep. Howard “Buck” McKeon (R-Santa Clarita) shuttles NASA Administrator Dan Goldin to local meetings. . . . “This area has been thrashed by downsizing,” a McKeon spokesman said. “We’re starting to turn that around.”

Active Duty: After an eight-month stint in Germany, Marine Col. Lawrence Gonzales, above, returned to his normal duties as principal of Pacoima Elementary School. Gonzales, a U.S. Marine Corps Reserve officer, also served in the Persian Gulf War. . . . “Sometimes you have to go away to appreciate what you’ve got,” he said (B3).

Hot Car: Burbank police weren’t surprised to hear that the Honda Accord ranks as the most frequently stolen car in America, according to an annual report. Monday, hours after the report was released, they arrested a juvenile on suspicion of stealing an Accord. . . . Said Sgt. Scott Wilson: “It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that the best-selling car will be the most stolen car.”

Numbers Game . . . Indeed, studies show that the Accord ranks about average in number of thefts per 1,000 cars, Honda executives say. Wilson explained: “Hondas are not any more easy to steal than any other car. It’s a matter of numbers.”