Daily News from New York, New York • 757

I I In ywwMinii jwiiniiHiiniijl JJ Kern Cjrsjn 718) 793-3328 Fax (212)2102231 1-80O692-NCWS Answers to immigration questions and other information for new New Yorkers on PACES .4 MAKING (RADIO) WAVES: Solomon Goodrich of the Roy Wilkins Park Center (r.) meets with Rep. Floyd Rake yesterday. OUDDOBg I I been painful, but they have energized the community tremendously." Employes of WWRL, a talk and gospel station based in Woodside, initiated the radiothon because many participate in the center's programs, and "many of them were affected by the cutbacks," said WWRL spokesman Robert Cuilla. The program kicks off at 11 a.m. with Sharpton hosting his regular Saturday morning program, "National Black Action Network." It will continue until 3 p.m.

WWRL personalities Donna Wilson, Van Jay, the Rev. Del Shields and the Rev. Paul Stephens will co host the event presents an annual spring concert at York College in Jamaica. Group officials said the orchestra will receive a $20,000 challenge grant from the city and the state if it can match the funds with private contributions. Contributions may be made by check, or donors may use VISA Mastercard or American Express cards by calling the symphony at (718) 786-8880.

Orchestra officials ask that contributions be sent to The clSM. A vK small sums to make up for severe budget cuts. "This is a call for people to begin the process of investing in themselves," Flake said yesterday. He promised to help answer the phones and pledged $500 to the effort "The center has offered so much to the community, from programs for youths to the elderly, and we want them to understand the value of it." The center which runs an array of community and youth programs lost about 60 of its city funding in the mayor's deficit-reduction plan. Employes have been laid off and programs scaled back for programs to survive the cuts, said executive director Solo ness and industry.

Contributions will enable the continuation of such successes as the arts-in-educa-tion program, based on a science curriculum. It has been hailed as a model for other arts education programs around the city. The orchestra has run the program for the last five years. The orchestra needs contributions because ticket sales pay for less than 30 of annual expenses, and the average cost of orchestra musicians for three rehearsals and one By TONY ROGERS Daily News Staff Writer Rocked by fierce winter storms and repair snags last year, the Long Island Rail Road had its worst on-time performance since 1991, officials said recently." Only 89.7 of trains were on time in 1994, compared with 92.9 in 1993 and 93.7 the year before. The LIRR's on-time goal had been 93.

Figures for the morning rush were even worse, with only 85.3 of the trains on time. The afternoon rush fared better, with 91.7 of trains on schedule. Susan McGowan, an LIRR spokeswoman, said bad weather and repair problems were the culprits. "The largest percentage of delays was in January and February as a result of weather," she said. "But snow wasn't the only problem; about 25 of delays for the year were from mechanical problems." A four-month review of maintenance procedures found that trains were of-ten patched up just enough to get them running again.

That led to re-curring breakdowns, McGowan said. "We were looking for a quick fix to get the trains back on the tracks," said McGowan. we're looking for the root causes of problems." McGowan said the LIRR's chief engineers responsible for maintenance twin brothers Steve and Nick LaRocca had been reassigned. In addition, managers from the mechanical department will ride trains with the most problems. That way they can better assess what's wrong and be on hand in case of trouble.

"Those managers will accompany those trains to the shop if they need to be taken out of service," said McGowan. Sheldon Schachter, LIRR Commuters Council chairman, said he hoped the changes im- mon Goodrich. "We will be able to continue supplying the community in the long run, but the next six months are going to be critical," Goodrich said yesterday. He said the center hopes to generate about $200,000 to save programs such as its latchkey, youth, elderly and educational services. The radiothon, called "It's Our Park, Let's Do It," also has mobilized a cross section of community members, including firefighters, police, parents, elderly and young people to accept pledges.

"Here is an organization that refuses to close, and folks are rallying to the cry," said Goodrich. "The cuts have hall rentals. "Contributions are crucial," Marchant said. "The orchestra has made Queens a better place to live, a better place to do business; it has improved the quality of life in Queens." A new emphasis during this year's annual fund-raiser is to get ethnic groups that now live in the borough such as Asians, Hispanics and African-Americans to pledge their financial and general support to the orchestra. Marchand said the orches- By SURASK1 AVASTHI Special to The News Local luminaries will hit the airwaves and answer the phones Saturday in a radiothon to benefit a South Jamaica community center that lost a big chunk of its funding to city budget cuts.

The five-hour radiothon, hosted by WWRL-1600 AM, will bring the Rev. Al Sharp-ton, Rep. Floyd Flake (D-SL Albans), City Councilman Archie Spigner (D-SL Albans), Julius Garvey and other local activists to the Roy Wilkins Park Center in South Jamaica. The radiothon will be broadcast from the center's gym in hopes of getting community members to pledge By ELANCA W. QUINT ANILLA Daily News Staff Writer The Queens Symphony Orchestra hurt by cuts in government and corporate fund-ing is counting on a-generous community to stay alive.

The severe funding drought that has crippled arts institutions throughout the country is threatening the existence of the orchestra and its 75 professional musicians, said Nicole Marchand, associate director of the orchestra. As the orchestra begins its -fifth decade of performing, of- ETcgtestira Bias idhw obs CO to a. trrfprms fQurJ.masterMoiitaMBSjwripiiony: performance, -J prove performance, ot oi dt- OX It rvw jk uc i---.