Talented AV youth wow crowd at Baca fete

This story appeared in the Antelope Valley Press March 2, 2001.

By DENNIS ANDERSON
Valley Press Editor

LANCASTER - When Palmdale gets its new sheriff's station, some credit and maybe some beachfront property in the desert will be dedicated to a Los Angeles County supervisor who voted when it counted, Sheriff Leroy D. Baca said.

About 400 community leaders and their guests turned out to fete Baca at a fund-raiser Wednesday at the Essex House Convention Center.

The sheriff and the crowd were treated to a spectacular talent show with teenage singers, musicians and performers from public and private high schools in the Valley.

Baca is hoping the state's energy crisis won't scuttle funding requested to get a peace officers academy built in Lancaster. He knows another priority for the Antelope Valley is the new sheriff's station on Sierra Highway just north of Palmdale Boulevard.

Funding already had been secured for new stations in San Dimas and another county locale. County Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich could be counted on for north county interests in his 5th District, which includes the Antelope Valley, but Baca said he needed a third vote and approached Supervisor Don Knabe, whose district includes Long Beach and other south county territory.

"What does Palmdale have to do with Long Beach?" Baca recalled Knabe asking.

"I told him that after we build a station in Palmdale, we're going to build a beach and name it after you, Supervisor Knabe," the sheriff quipped.

Baca, now a couple of years into his first term, is doing what politicians must do, which is to raise cash for re-election. The fund-raiser for the incumbent sheriff, which took in $30,000, was organized by Lancaster businessman Frank Visco.

Since Baca's 1998 election, he has made the Antelope Valley a regular stop, and has delivered much in the form of vehicles and resources for fighting gangs.

Valley attorney R. Rex Parris introduced Baca, saying, "It was on that election day, 2 1/2 years ago, that the department changed. He said, `Why don't we do something meaningful about drug rehabilitation in jail?' "

Citing other accomplishments, Parris said, "Los Angeles County is becoming one of the safest large counties in the nation. We're proud of the job you are doing."

A quickly organized display of young Valley talent wowed the crowd, with event organizers saying the idea was inspired by the Antelope Valley Press' recent publication of its "Future Leaders" edition.

Baca lauded Valley schools, saying of the Antelope Valley Union High School District, "Your kids don't fall through the cracks."

Among the groups entertaining Wednesday night were Palmdale High School's percussion champs, the Trash Can Trio, consisting of Zach Poteat, Tyler Timpe and Mike Agorilla, who beat an array of cans and pots until the crowd cheered. Also performing was a Lancaster High School group whose name sounds like "indication" but is spelled NDaKaSioN, for the performers' initials - Nekia Allen, Nathan Fogde, Kristen Salliotee, David Sauer and Stefanie Perez. The group sang songs from "The Lion King."

Also, a young Dixieland band that delighted crowds at the Antelope Valley Fair performed, with John Weier, Tony Perrino, Jimmy Austin, Jason Hunter and James Hughes playing, "When the Saints Go Marching In."

Soloists included Kristen Fogle from Paraclete, Zandi De Jesus from Quartz Hill, Shea Dittman from Littlerock, Sarah Grandpre from Desert Christian and clarinetist Christian Villalta from Littlerock.

At virtually all of Baca's appearances, he emphasizes the department's "core values." Baca's values for the department include promises to respect the dignity of all people, to uphold integrity in fighting wrongs and doing right, wisdom in applying common sense, fairness and courage to stand against racism, sexism, anti-Semitism, homophobia and bigotry in all its forms.

That is Baca's belief system, and he works at it daily to get the 10,000-plus-member department to buy in.

"We're not hiring gunslingers," he said. "We want people who will step up to the plate, people who want to help children, and neighborhoods, and businesses. People who think, `I can do this.' "