Daily News from New York, New York • 43

911800 after son's ear surgery trotting around the hotel room a little bit. I was so happy." A day later, the exhausted boy was carried by a nurse into Romo's East Side office to show the first results of his remarkable surgery. Curled up on a chair and holding tight to two little dinosaurs, Edmund cried a soft "ouch" when the elastic bandage around his head was removed to reveal the first stage of an ear. "It's really all a miracle for us," said his mom, praising Romo. "We couldn't have done this without him." After learning about Romo's foundation, Little Baby Face, Hobbs brought her son's birth defect to the attention of the surgeon, who is performing the $25,000 operation free.

In the first procedure, Romo is created a polyethylene ear. In a second operation, Romo will build an ear canal and insert a titanium hearing aid, allowing the boy to hear with his left ear for the first time. By LINDSAY FORTADO and OWEN MORITZ DAILY NEWS WRITERS It was a wond-ear-ful day for little Edmund Hobbs. The 6-year-old kindergartner from Arizona, still groggy from surgery on Friday, showed off the makings of a brand-new ear that a surgeon is crafting on the left side of his head. The Native American boy from the Hopi tribe was born with microtia, a defect that left a small flap of skin in place of his left ear.

"He's doing fabulous," said Dr. Thomas Romo, chief of surgery at Lenox Hill Hospital, who performed the operation Wednesday. "He is as good as he can be doing in 48 hours." Then smiling at the boy's mom, Sandra Hobbs, Romo remarked, "He's going through this great, huh?" "Yeah, better than I am," replied the mother. On Thursday, Hobbs said her son "was CRAIG WARGA NICE JOB Dr. Thomas Romo examines ear he created for Edmund Hobbs, 6.

Gotbaum rips ACS in kid deaths By THOMAS ZAMBITO DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER As many as 16 children died needlessly because child welfare case workers didn't do enough to help them, Public Advocate Betsy Gotbaum charges. More than a third of the 46 child deaths that happened in families investigated by the Administration for Children's Services in 2002 could have been prevented, Gotbaum alleges. "There is no excuse for negligence this outrageous, for outcomes so Gotbaum said. "No children should die because the city is too careless or incompetent to keep them safe." ACS officials disputed Gotbaum's Collision kills upstate driver An upstate man died after he was thrown into the windshield of his car in a three-vehicle accident in the Rockaways, police said yesterday. The 31-year-old man, whose name and address were not released pending notification of relatives, had been driving east on Beach Channel Drive when he lost control of his 2004 Nissan and swerved into the opposite lane of traffic at 11:45 p.m.

Friday, police said. He collided head-on with a 2001 Volkswagen, which spun around and was clipped by a 1993 Ford heading west near Beach 149th police said. The force of the impact sent the Nissan's driver partially through his windshield, and he was pronounced dead at the scene, police said. Neither of the other two drivers was hurt. No arrests were made or summonses issued.

It was not clear whether excessive speed or icy roads played a role in the crash, a law enforcement source said. Jonathan Lemire 8 DEATH NOTICES findings and said she incorrectly tallied the number of fatalities. The agency said 25 children in families known to the agency died in 2002. "The public advocate has drawn unjustified conclusions in an attempt to discredit an agency that is widely accepted as one of the best child welfare agencies in the country," ACS spokeswoman Maclean Guthrie said. Guthrie also said, "The death of any child is of chief concern to us." Among the deaths Gotbaum cited were: A 7-month-old Brooklyn boy was beaten to death on New Year's Eve 2002 by his foster mother's brother, a convicted murderer who banged the baby's head against a stove to quiet his crying.

Weeks before the boy's death, his biological father questioned the brother's presence in the home but, Gotbaum said, an ACS agency failed to do a background check on everyone living in the apartment. In February 2002 a 4-year-old Brooklyn girl died from second- and third-degree burns over of her body after her mother scalded her in a bath. The mother was charged with criminally negligent homicide. The child's parents, who had three other children, had been the subject of abuse allegations dating back to 1996. Fifteen months before the girl's death, ACS found the couple guilty of inadequate guardianship but closed the case without removing the children from the home, Gotbaum alleged.

Blast, landmark fotos in flat spur terror fear By CARRIE MELAGO, JONATHAN LEMIRE and DON SINGLETON DAILY NEWS WRITERS An explosion in front of a Brooklyn home coupled with the discovery of maps of city landmarks prompted fears of terrorism yesterday but it was only a performance artist's project gone wrong, officials said. Authorities who responded to 217 Butler found a badly burned Christopher Hackett, 31, as well as a cache of weapons and explosives in his third-floor Boerum Hill apartment, police said. The firearms, including two rifles, a shotgun and a machine gun, and pyrotechnics were eventually determined to be part of Hackett's performances, said NYPD Deputy Chief on Counter Terrorism John Colgan. "It appears the gentleman is an artist and uses these devices in the course of his work," Colgan said. "They're not real guns.

He'll form Death Notices, In Memoriam and Acknowledgment Notices Notices may be telephoned to "THE NEWS" by your Funeral Director, Monday thru Friday, 8 A.M. to 6 P.M., to appear in the A.M. edition the following day. Our Saturday hours are 9 A.M. to 3:30 P.M.

Sunday Notices must be phoned in by 2 P.M. on Saturday. Monday notices must be phoned in by 3:30 P.M. on Saturday. CALL In New York 212 949-2000 Out of N.Y.

City 1-800-223-1660 FLORIO- Barbara A. (nee Fehlker), on Jan. 23, 2004. Long time Exec. Secretary at Proskauer, Rose LLP.

Beloved wife of the late Frank. Loving mother of Loretta Fiorio and Lu Ann Karlan. Dear sister of Marilyn and George Shelley. Reposing at LEO F. KEARNS FUNERAL HOME, 6140 Woodhaven Bivd.

Rego Park Sunday, 2-4 7-9 Funeral Monday, Mass at Resurrection Ascension Church, A.M. Final Resting Place, St. Charles Cemetery. FORAN LUCY (nee Alescio). Beloved wife of the late Peter.

Beloved mother of Rosaleen (Chickie) Rapisarda. Cherished grandmother of Chris, Mike, Steve and Melissa. Reposing VANELLAS CHAPEL, 29 Madison St. NYC until Tuesday, 8:45 A.M. Mass of Resurrection St.

Joseph's Church 9:15 A.M. KENNEY at age Eugenia 67. F. On Loving January sister 2004, of Daniel and his wife Catherine. Also survived by her many nieces and nephews, grandnieces and grandnephews and many friends.

Friends may call at ANDRETT FUNERAL HOME, 353 Second Ave, NYC, Today, 2-5 7-9 P.M. Mass of Christian Burial Monday, January 26, 10 A.M. at Epiphany R.C. Church, Second Ave and 2200 St. NYC.

Interment to follow at Calvary Cemetery, Contributions in her memory may be made to a charity of your choice. MARKIEWICZ late Catherine Beloved Loving mother of Catherine Healey and Charles and Eleanor. Cherished mother-in-law of grandmother of Brendan, Kathleen and Brian Healey. Dear sister of Daniel Shaw. Reposing at PAPAVERO FUNERAL RAL HOME, 72-27 Grand Ave, Maspeth.

Funeral Mass St Adalbert's Church, Tuesday Interment Maple Grove Cemetery. Visiting Sunday Monday 2-5pm 7-9pm. MICHALSKI- -John on January 23, 2004. Beloved brother of Dorothy and Veronica. Loving uncle of Pauline husband Jimmy Kaufmann, William and wife Angela Michalski.

Caring greatuncle of Andrew and Dorothy. Family will receive friends at the John J. Fox Sons 203 East 201 St, Grand Concourse today 2-5 7-9pm and Monday 2-5 7-9pm. Funeral Mass will be Tuesday St Philip Neri Church. Interment Thursday St Joseph's Cemetery, Auburn, NY.

MULLIGAN John J. Native of Ballinamore Co. Leitrim, Ireland and of Bronxville on January 23, 2004. Beloved husband of Margaret, father of Catherine, Thomas, Joan and Lynda. Beloved grandfather of Kelsey, Katie, Patricia, Desmond, Kyra and Falyn.

Brother of Bridget Laydon and the late Mary Keegan and Michael Mulligan. Calling hours at the Fred H. McGrath Son, Inc. Funeral Home, Bronxville, between the hours of 2-4 7-9pm Sunday and Monday. Mass of Christian Burial, St Joseph's Church, Bronxville Tuesday January 27th 10AM.

ORESTE- -Allessandro of S.I. On January 24, 2004. Beloved Husband of Joanne. Loving father of Amy, Nicholas, Lynn and Steven. Dear brother of Jo Anne Zolfo, James, Robert and Richard.

Cherished grandfather of Joseph and Richie. Funeral from the JOHN VINCENT SCALIA HOME FOR FUNERALS, 28 Eltingville Tuesday, 10:00 A.M. Mass of Christian Burial Holy Child Church 10:45 A.M. Interment Resurrection Cemetery. Visiting Sun and Mon, from 2-5 TREACY -Natalie on January 23, 2004.

Visiting Sunday only 2-5 7-9pm at the MARINE PARK FUNERAL HOME, 3024 Quentin Road, Bklyn. Mass of Christian Burial Wednesday at Good Shepherd RC Church. Interment Holy Cross Cemetery. IN MEMORIAM GALLAGHER-Brendan Daddy, Happy Birthday. Love you and miss you more and more each day.

Love, Stacey and Isabella GRECH -Peter Paul, In memory of our dear Peter, lost to on January 25, 2003 in Miami, Fl, at the Born May 23, 1961 in Ghainsielem, Gozo, Malta. Pete, life and we know that you would have loved to have stayed with US but God needed you more. We miss your company, your friendship, your laughter, especially that beautiful smile of yours. We have an emptiness in our hearts, but with God's help and yours we go on, until we meet again. Pete you are deeply, missed will by all be who in love you.

You always our hearts and prayers. We love you We will cherish the memories of our times together, always. R.I.P Dear Peter. Your Mom Dad, Brothers Sisters, Nieces Nephews, Relatives all your Dear Friends. McMAHON- Mary Mom, Another Birthday in Heaven, and We Miss You All The More.

Your Loving Children RELATED SERVICES MARTIN A. GLEASON FUNERAL HOME, LLC. Privately owned operated. Service provided in all areas Flushing (718) 359-6300 Whitestone Call Classified Monday-Friday Saturday of 23, of Beloved H. the On of the 23, them into different things," said neighbor Richard Nelson, 15.

"He'll take an AK-47 body and turn it into something The cache came to light when a "spud gun" a 2-foot-long pipe that Hackett had rigged to fire confetti exploded, injuring him, Colgan said. Hackett was treated for serious facial burns at Lutheran Medical Center after the 11:15 a.m. explosion. Counterterrorism investigators were called in when photos and maps of the Brooklyn Bridge, the World Trade Center, the Croton Reservoir and other landmarks were found in Hackett's flat. But NYPD spokesman Paul Browne said, "There was no indication that he was looking at any targets or infrastructure." Instead, the folders on New York landmarks belonged to the woman who shared Hackett's apartment and did research on the history of the city, a law enforcement source said.

Neighbors said Hackett, arrested on weapons charges, had appeared on the TV show "Junkyard Wars." on at to on, are the DAILY NEWS 'Kepuns January 25, 2004.