Poughkeepsie Journal from Poughkeepsie, New York • Page 1B

Rush for toys begins Some childrervs gifts may be fn short supply. Families, 5B Journal MID HUDSON Your Lawmakers 3 Obituaries 4 Families 5 CITY DESK (845) 437 4833 SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2002 IN BRIEF Tennessee man charged in stabbing TTTUSVILLE A Tennessee man was arrested Saturday for allegedly stabbing another man in the throat in the Town of LaGrange Friday night, according to the Dutchess County Sheriff's Office. Ronald Kyker, 28, of Sweet 1 Water, Teno, was arrested Sat urday morning and charged with criminal assault in the second degree, a felony. Police allege Kyker stabbed a co worker in the throat with a knife at 10:19 p.m. Friday in a room at the Travelodge on Route 55.

The victim is a 27 year old, also from Tennessee. The victim was taken to St Francis Hospital by the LaGrange Rescue Squad. He remained in the Intensive Care Unit in critical condition Saturday night, according to a hospital nursing manager. Man faces charges In city store robbery A City of Poughkeepsie man was arrested Friday night after allegedly robbing a city convenience store, police'said. Michael Harrell, 31, allegedly entered the Trinity Variety Store on Hooker Avenue at 11:04 pan.

Friday and demanded cash from the clerk, said Lt. Michael Horkin of the city police. The clerk resisted and Harrell allegedly jumped over the counter and struggled with the clerk, who suffered a minor injury in the scuffle. Harrell took about $400 and fled, but was apprehended by city police on Cannon Street at 1H2 p.m., Horkin said. Harrell was charged with third degree robbery, a felony, and could face parole violations related to a previous robbery conviction, Horkin said.

Veterans Day closings November 11, 2002 City, town mpm and village slff halls County offices State offices Post offices Banks LOOP Regular schedule Bus For Information, service call (845) 485 4690 City Regular Schedule Bus For Information, Service call (845)451 4188. Metro Regular schedule North For Information, call 1(800)METRO INFO.j Amtrak Regular schedule For Information, call 1(800)872 7245. SPEAK IIP SADDAM WONT COMPLY HI 5 seek Family Court judgeship Parties interview candidates By Larry Fisher Hertz Poughkeepsie Journal Five local attorneys are vying for the Dutchess County Family Court judgeship that opened Tuesday when James Brands was elected to the state Supreme Court. And competition for the $125,600 a year post heats up this month as town and city Republican committees begin interviewing the prospective candidates for the job. Brands, a Family Court judge since 1993, was one of five Republicans to win seats on the state Supreme Court in the Ninth Judicial District The other four are from Westchester County.

The Ninth District includes Dutchess, Orange, Putnam, Rockland and Westchester counties. Local candidates who have publicly announced they're seeking the Family Court judgeship are Hyde Park Town Justice Valentino AT A GLANCE FAMILY COURT Family Court judges handle a Variety of cases, including juvenile delinquency and child custody and visitation disputes. They serve 1 0 year terms and earn an annual salary of $125,600. Sammarco, Wappinger Town Justice Heather Kitchen, City of Poughkeepsie Common Council Chairman Thomas J. O'Neill, who is a partner in private law practice in the Town of Poughkeepsie; Michael Kranis, who has a practice in the City of Poughkeepsie, and Christine Sproat, confidential law clerk to state Supreme Court Judge Judith Hillery.

All five are Republicans who will seek the county GOP endorsement when the committee holds a nominating convention on Dec. 11. County Republican Chairwoman Elizabeth Brilliant said she was impressed with the caliber of the candidates. "All five would certainly bring excellent credentials and experience to the bench," Brilliant said. Town and city GOP committees will interview the five candidates over the next four weeks in advance of the county convention, Brilliant said.

The name of the candidate picked by the county committee will be submitted to Gov. George Pataki for consideration when he appoints an interim Family Court judge to fill Brands' term for the bal Saturday's question 19 responses Do you believe Saddam Hussein will comply with the U.N. resolution demanding Iraq allow weapons inspectors? Yes: 7 But then, Bush and Cheney will have to find another place to start a war By now he's had enough time to hide Even if he complies, the plans have been made for an invasion. The big boys want that oil. No: 12 But it will look like he did while he gets his weapons ready to destroy I'll believe in the Easter Bunny before I'll believe that He's more concerned with what he wants Shan the safety of his people.

'Today's question Should a federal court overturn the 137 year old conviction of Dr. Samuel Mudd for aiding Abraham Lincoln's assassin, John Wilkes Booth? (Please see story, page 3A) "Speak Up" is your chance to express opinions on a variety of topics. Call (845) 437 4923 between 7 am. and 7p.m. Please call only once.

Speak Up is not intended as a scientif' ic survey. Fending off an attack HHBi ,1:.. "HZ. 1 Danyt BautlttaPoughkeepsle Journal Town of Pough'keepsie'sTeri Jennings sels to strike an "attacker" during self defense training at Vassar College Saturday. The Rape Agression Defense system trains women to defend themselves.

Women learn points of self defense By Dan Shapley Poughkeepsie Journal Panting from fear and exhilaration, Lynita Plain explained what it was like to be menaced by three men intent on attacking her. They taunted, they whistled, they shouted. When one grabbed her, she elbowed him in the gut and after a flurry of arms and legs, she left all three lying prone. "It's intimidating," the Vassar College security officer said Saturday night, "but self preservation kicks in. And all the things you practiced oyer and over, before you know it, kick in." "Practice" in this case is the Rape Aggression Defense system, a series of self defense techniques for women to ward off would be attackers.

The incident Plain described was a sce nario set up by her instructors to simulate an attack. Plain is one of nine people who will complete a three day training course today hosted by Vassar College in the Town of Poughkeepsie. The graduates will then be trained to train others in Rape Aggression Defense known as RAD. "I wanted to train to help other women to prevent anyone who's interested," Plain said. "To empower them, to give them options." Officers participate Brian Springstead, also a Vassar security officer and a RAD instructor, organized the training, which drew people from neighboring states as well as Vassar College staff.

Most of the instructors came from two Massachusetts police de Loggingon For more information about the Rape Aggression Defense system, visit www.rad systems.com. To find tout about local classes, contact Jen Wait, a New York State RAD at the State University of New York 257 3340 or via mail at waitj newpaltz.edu partments, and New.Paltz police and Vassar College security assisted. "It's not martial arts, but it's to defend themselves enough to get away from an attacker," Springstead said. "It's about empowering women and giving them a greater sense of confidence as they go through their daily lives said Steve La Rivee, one of the instructors from the Wilmington police department in Massachusetts. Whether it's hammer strikes to an arm, a kick to the groin, or a double fistedfisted knock over the head, the techniques allow women to knock off attackers who might be much larger than they are.

"I usually end up with a fat lip," said New Paltz police Lt. Michael Doylej who has trained women in RAD techniques for seven years. Muscled and 230 pounds, Doyle suited up in body armor called "Aggressor" suits to take blows during practice. Each time, he ended up on the ground. "Women," he joked, "can be vicious." Commission to report on handling of child abuse The Dutchess County Legislature's Child Protection Commission will present its final report on handling of child abuse cases during a meeting at 6 p.m.

Tuesday in Poughkeepsie. The commission was formed earlier this year after a state report revealed Dutchess County Child Protective Service workers were aware of suspected abuse involving a 2 year old Hyde Park boy before he was killed in 2001 by his mother and her live in boyfriend. Another report also criticized the county's handling of a case that ended in a 7 week old boy being strangled by his mother in 1999. The commission has focused on the policies and procedures guiding county workers and the organizational culture within the agency. The report is expected to include recommendations 'All five would certainly bring excellent credentials and experience to the bench' Elizabeth Brilliant Dutchess County Republican Chairwoman ance of 2003.

The position cannot be filled until Pataki's nominee is approved by a state judicial screening committee and is then confirmed by the Please see Judge, 2B Libraries get more diverse in languages for improving the agency and how it serves children and families in the county. The presentation begins at 6 p.m. in the legislative chambers on the sixth floor of the County Office Building, 22 Market Poughkeepsie, AnfAony Farmer By Michelle J. Lee Poughkeepsie Journal Ever wanted to read Confucius in Chinese? Or the novels of Gabriel Garcia Marquez in Spanish? In an effort to diversify their collections, more and more public libraries have begun offering books, magazines and video tapes in foreign languages. Collections in Chinese, French and Spanish have sprung up in Beacon, Fishkill, LaGrange and Pleasant Valley, among other locations.

Many of them were funded by the Mid Hudson Library Language Diversity Grant "It's to benefit all those who are not already bene fiting from library services," said Merribeth Advocate, Mid Hudson Library System Outreach and Education coordinator. The Mid Hudson Library System serves public libraries in Columbia, DuW chess, Greene, Putnam and Ulster counties. Spanish books growing Advocate said funding for Spanish collections is a popular grant request "It's going to be more of a trend with our growing diverse populations," said Janet Huen, assistant direc tor of Adriance Memorial Library in the City of Poughkeepsie. "Libraries have traditionally served as a school for the immigrant." While most of the collections are aimed at people for whom English is a second language, the materials can also be used by children and students, Advocate said. At Adriance, foreign language collections have changed to reflect different immigrant populations.

The library previously had a Greek and Italian collection. Due to space limitations, the Greek collection was given to local Greek churches and the Italian books were donated to the Marlboro Free Library collection, Huen said. Adriance is focusing on its Spanish collection, begun in February. The section has two cases of novels, magazines and "fotonovelas," comic booklike picture novels. Blodgett Memorial Library in Fishkill started a Chinese collection two years ago with the help of Ellen Liu of Where to call Several local libraries offer foreign language collections, including: Adriance Memorial Library, 93 Market Poughkeepsie.

(84S) 485 3445. Blodgett Memorial Library, 37 Broad Fishkill. (845) 896 9215. Howland Public Library, 313 Main Beacon. (845) 831 1134.

For information on other libraries, visit the Mid Hudson Library System Web sita at http ymid hudson.orgalpha.hrml Hopewell Junction, a retired math teacher: "I'm Chinese and there were no Chinese books in Dutchess County," said Liu, who is originally from Taiwan. "No library had Chinese books, except universities." The collection now has grown to include more than 200 items, library Director Sue Blackshear said, "This helps us a lot because I read Chinese more, faster and I get more meaning from it," said Julia Sun, a Poughkeepsie resident who volunteers at the library. 'Also there are older grandparents watching children, and they have something to do." Howland builds holdings Howland Public Library in Beacon is working on a Chinese collection, which has 60 items in Mandarin. At 1,000 items, Howland's Spanish collection is one of the largest, library director Patricia Keaton said. Many residents seemed pleased the libraries were reaching out to different ethnic groups with these collections.

Hemlata Gupta of Fishkill hoped there might be one in Hindi in the future. "It would be really nice to see some children's books, I'm teaching the children Hindi, and it would help," Gupta said. "There is a need," said Fishkill resident Ai Ping Ma, who started the Howland library Chinese collection. "Hopefully people will understand the globe is getting smaller and everyone will try to understand each other." 'Us the season for static electricity's snap, crackle, pop Kris Spielvogel has just about given up on a favorite pair of shoes. They are terrorizing her office.

"I just can't face all the shocks," the Town of Poughkeepsie resident said of the static electricity that zaps her and her co workers every time she wears the otherwise unassuming shoes. "It does hurt and you can see it even with the lights on." Spielvogel wondered why she and her shoes were so susceptible to the "snap, crackle and pop," as she put it. DAN SHAPLEY FIELD NOTES She's not the only one to wonder. Static electricity is as much a part of this season as early sunsets and falling leaves, "It's a much bigger problem at this time of year because it's so dry," said Robert Balogh Robinson, chairman of Chemistry and Physics Department at Marist College in Poughkeepsie. Static electricity is essentially the rapid transfer of electrons from one substance to another.

When, you climb out of your car and touch the door, the shock you feel is electrons rushing from your finger to the car. In humid weather, surfaces are covered with a thin layer of water that inhibit that traijs fer. As winter approaches, humidity drops dramatically, according to Vacil Koleci, a meteorologist for the National Weather Service in Albany. Here's why electrons jump in the first place. Atoms are made up of smaller, charged particles.

Negatively charged electrons stay bound to the atom because they are attracted to the atom's positively charged nucleus. Vinyl releases electrons Some atoms hold all their electrons tightly. Others tend to let them go. For instance, vinyl seat covers tend to release electrons, whereas wool sweaters tend to attract them. Hard rubber tends to attract electrons, whereas human skin tends to release them.

Spielvogel's rubber soled shoes attract electrons as she walks, and her hand releases the built up force when she a co worker or file cabinet. The tendency is to return to neutral, and though her co workers may not appreciate it the shocks that fly from her fingertips return Spielvogel to a neutral charge. "For dry air, it takes about 27,000 volts per inch for electrons to spark through it," Balogh Robinson said. "The voltage is very high, but the actual current is small, so there's no real risk of electrocution from wearing a sweater." Diplomatic, Spielvpgel has taken strides to make her City of Poughkeepsie office peaceful. "I can't deal with a day of snap, crack and pop, so I wore these," Spielvogel said, pointing at a less electrifying pair of shoes.

Dan Shapley's column appears Sundays, Write him with suggestions or comments at dshapleypoughkee.gan nettjcom or call (845) 437 4814. Outdoor notes 3B if.