FRESHMAN YEAR: Howard P. (Buck) McKeon campaigned...

FRESHMAN YEAR: Howard P. (Buck) McKeon campaigned for Congress promising to shake up Capitol Hill and trim unnecessary spending. . . . It’s been 15 months since Buck stopped here--Washington, that is--and the freshman congressman from Santa Clarita says it has been one of the most educational years of his life (A3).

PINK SLIP: Defense giant Northrop will slash another 2,500 Los Angeles County jobs this year, striking a new blow to the region’s economic recovery, according to analysts (D1). Locally, about 200 jobs will be cut at Edwards Air Force Base and the company’s Palmdale facility. . . . “The outlook remains very negative,” said UCLA economist Larry Kimbal.

CATCH ME IF YOU CAN: No longer content to play armchair quarterback, gridiron fans are facing off on the fields of Pierce College in fast and furious flag football contests (above). Drawing a crowd of mostly twenty- and thirtysomethings, the Saturday games are low on spectators but high on action. . . . “It’s the average guy’s Super Bowl tournament,” said Chuck Price, a former Cal State Northridge quarterback. See Valley Life! Page 10.

BUCKAROO BARDS: The life of the cowboy, the best and the worst, will be honored tonight at a showcase of verse. From ropin’ to ridin’ to life on the range, all subjects are covered--no matter how strange. . . . For three nights in Newhall, you’ll hear their tales told. All ages are welcome, the young and the old. See Valley Life! Page 6.

MIGHTY MORPHIN MANIA: In case you wondered, demand for “Mighty Morphin Power Rangers” toys is still as strong as ever, three months after Christmas. At the Van Nuys Toys ‘R’ Us on Thursday morning, about 300 eager customers snatched up every item associated with the wildly popular children’s program within an hour. . . . “It’s a physical danger to put them on the shelves,” an employee said.