Daily News from New York, New York • 535

Report On Schools pages 2-3 JJ, a ML Vernon men facing slay indict Dyre Ave. line shift to local service nixed By GREG WILSON DWUf NEWS STAFF WRITER A petition and some bipartisan legislative muscle have kept express service on the Dyre Ave. No. 5 subway line from going off the rails. "We probably saved people 15 to 20 minutes each way on an already-slow commute," said Assemblyman Jeffrey Klein (D-Pel-ham Parkway), who announced yesterday with state Sen.

Guy Velella (R-Bronx, Westchester) that express service had been preserved. Express service between 180th and 149th Sts. saves thousands of straphangers valuable time on their morning and afternoon commutes. But the Metropolitan Transportation Authority announced in April that it planned to halt the express service, meaning the No. 5 would make seven more stops.

The line's terminus is in Eastchester. to put the measure before voters, bipartisan support from both houses got the MTA's attention, Velella said. "My success was in pointing out to the MTA that what looked to a planner like a great idea on paper had a devastating effect on the life of an everyday commuter," Velella said. "I used a lot of Bronx logic nothing you can print in a family paper." Klein, who organized the petition drive among Dyre No. 5 commuters, said the plan he helped derail was ill-conceived from the outset.

"Fifteen to 20 minutes means a lot to a commuter," he said. "When we talked to people, they were shocked at first, then they were outraged." The train's fourth southbound stop in the morning is at Pel-ham Parkway and Esplanade, in the heart of Klein's district. "If you get on at the Pelham Parkway station, you already can't get a seat," Klein said. WESTCHESTER Two men have been indicted in the June 1 slaying of a Mount Vernon man. Thomas Greene, 21, faces two counts of second-degree murder for allegedly shooting Abdrice Holcomb in the back in front of a Seventh Ave.

apartment building. Germaine Simpson, 22, is charged with one count of criminal facilitation for allegedly providing the weapon. Holcomb was taken to Jacobi Medical Center, where he died two days later. Both suspects were arrested Aug. 4.

Greene faces a maximum life sentence if convicted, and Simpson faces up to 15 years. Greene is being held in Rikers Island, while Simpson is in the Westchester County Jail. Morrisania The neighborhood's housing revival continued last week, when residents and a month, then for the summer. Yesterday, Klein claimed victory, after learning of MTA Chairman Virgil Conway's change of heart. "I have instructed the MTA N.YC.

Transit to delay implementation of this service change until there is sufficient rolling stock available to support service on both lines," Conway said in a statement yesterday. The Legislature has oversight authority over the MTA and recently voted to place the $3.8 billion Transportation Bond Act on the November ballot. That act includes $1.6 billion for the MTA's capital program, and given that Klein and Velella voted When the No. 5 crosses from the local to express track just north of the 180th St. station, it can back up service down the line for as long as five minutes, say MTA officials.

The proposed change in No. 5 service would have speeded up the No. 2 and No. 5 lines in Manhattan, but admittedly would have slowed service north of 149th said MTA officials. Wilma Torres, 41, of Allerton, said cutting express service in the Bronx to improve service in Manhattan was a bad idea.

"We're the ones with the longer commute, and we're the ones that need a break," Torres said. Klein successfully lobbied the MTA for two reprieves, first for Famines inn bridal Eioliiinig await justice NABE city officials celebrated the opening of a 67-unit apartment if t. Ia i i The city Housing Development Corp. financed the construction of homes at 1118 Intervale Ave. through a 100 low-income tax-exempt program.

Corporation President Russell Harding praised Mayor Giuliani and the city's efforts in the South Bronx, where more than 1,000 housing units have been added in the last three years. Mount Vernon Three Mount Vernon men have been indicted on charges of gang-raping a teen last month, and a fourth man is still at large, Westchester County District Attorney Jeanine Pirro said. Dwight Huie, 18, Wycliff Elliott, 21, and Chadrick Braham, 20, were charged with raping the teen, who was visiting a Highland Ave. apartment, on Aug. 24.

Officials said the teen was allowed to leave the apartment after the attack and called police from a pay phone. Cops grabbed two of the four suspects as they left the apartment, and a third man was picked up on the street soon after. Norwood Pregnant women ages 16 to 45 can take a free test to detect Down syndrome and other fetal abnormalities as part of a nationwide study. Women in the first 10 to 14 weeks of pregnancy are invited to participate. They will get free prenatal care at Montefiore Medical Center.

For information, call (877) EARLY-OB or (877) 327-5962. By CHRISENA COLEMAN DAIUT NEWS STAFF WRITER It was supposed to be the happiest day of 39-year-old Gladys Ricart's life; instead, it was her last. One year ago today, Ricart was shot to death, allegedly by her longtime boyfriend, Agustin Garcia, as she stood in her wedding gown preparing to marry another man, James Preston. Garcia, a prominent Washington Heights businessman, sits in the Bergen County Jail in Hackensack, waiting for his day in court. Authorities say Garcia stalked Ricart after she broke up with him.

Garcia's attorneys say the shooting was a crime of passion and that he should be charged with manslaughter, which carries a sentence of five to 15 years. If convicted of murder, Garcia faces 30 years to life. The prosecution has said it will not seek the death penalty. Nonetheless, two families are shattered and continue to grieve. Ricart left behind a son, Davis, now 20.

Garcia has a teenage son and daughter. Her family longs for justice to be served. His family longs for a fair trial. Ricart's sister, Norma Rosario, did not wish to comment: "We want to wait for the trial." But Garcia's brother Jose said the case is a tragedy and was eager to talk about his brother and the nine-year relationship he had with Ricart. "We are pleased the prosecution will not seek the death penalty," Jose Garcia said.

"This is a very difficult case because it was a crime of passion. My brother loved Gladys, and they were a couple. They spent most of their time together, just like a family." Jose Garcia said his brother did not know that Ricart was set to marry another man last Sept. 26. He said his brother had always believed Ricart would be his wife.

I rVtirMtfif----MrJ MICHAEL SCHWARTZ Gladys Ricart posing in front of her home just before she was killed on her wedding day. Longtime boyfriend Agustin Garcia (r.) is accused of shooting her. in Before the gag order was imposed, Garcia's attorneys, led by Manhattan lawyer Fernando Oliver, held a string of news conferences. At one, attorneys showed reporters footage of Ricart and Garcia shopping at Pathmark in North Bergen, 12 hours before her wedding. Bergen County First Assistant Prosecutor Fred Schwanede blasted the defense and said its actions would make finding an impartial jury difficult.

"It's a very sad situation," Jose Garcia said. "We are hopeful the truth will now be able to come out." "The truth of their relationship will come out when the case goes to trial," Jose Garcia said. "There is a lot of information that supports they were still dating." Garcia, 49, is being held on $1.5 million bail, accused of walking into Ricart's home and firing five shots. According to sources close to the case, three of the bullets struck her. The shooting occurred just after Ricart and the wedding party posed for pictures.

Sources also told the Daily News that the videographer hired to record the nuptials captured segments of the shooting on tape. Silenced by a gag order, attorneys on both sides declined to comment. The case is ex-pected to be tried by spring. to News Bureau (718) 822-1174 Fax (718) 822-1562 home Delivery 1-800-692-NEWS.