Daily News from New York, New York • 583

1 7 i THURSDAY, DECEMBER 7. 1978 BKL 1 FindeMeturner gets Ms dy in sun .1 I serve the demonstration of the time-honored virtues of honesty and integrity." Rivera said that he was in fact tempted, and that as he was headed back to the Army Recruiting Station at 1481 Flatbush he "fantasized" about buying a Mercedes-Benz, but he said he quickly put that thought out of his head. When asked by a reporter if some people might not think there was something wrong with him for returning the dough, Rivera shrugged off the question by saying, "There's nothing wrong with me. I have my peace of mind and that's enough." His friends kid him Rivera did concede that his friends still kid him about the incident and said he had gotten a number of phone calls telling him what "a fool" he was for giving back the money. "You jerk," one caller reportedly said to Rivera, "didn't you know the money was unmarked, that they couldn't trace it back to you?" For his efforts, Rivera, who is married and the father of a 5-year-old girl, Michele, was rewarded with a $1,000 bond for the child.

Asked if that was his only reward, the recruiting officer said the bank also promised to take him out on the town. By KEITH MOORE They honored Sgt. Luis Rivera yesterday for being a good Joe, even though there were an awful 'lot of other people who had some-not-so-kind things to say about the good sergeant. Sgt. Rivera is the 22-year-old recruiting officer who two months ago found $78,100 in $5 bills in a money bag on the Belt Parkway and gave it back to the bank, the Community National Bank arid Trust Co.

But before he had a chance to get out of his car and retrieve the money bag, another car hit it, ripping the bag open and sending $5 bills flying all over the, place. A traffic jam ensued with drivers stopping to scoop up the bills so that by the time Rivera emerged with the money bag and returned it to the Staten Island bank an estimated $7,000 was missing. "Time-honored virtues" Rivera was given the Army Commendation Medal in ceremonies at Brooklyn Borough Hall. According to Rivera's commander, Lt. Col.

Alan B. Phillips, Rivera "did not flinch in the face of temptation." Borough President Howard Golden said in citing Rivera, "It is rare to ob News photo by Ed Molinarl Sgt- Luis Rivera is joined by his mother, Mrs. Sylvia Reveron, at Borough Hall ceremony where he was cited for returning $71,100 he found. Say pastors were fleeced by a smooth talker come for the money, Capace would then Queens Criminal Court, Kew Gardens, priest about 3 p.m. on that date and identified himself as a detective working give a description of himself and go pick it up.

We believe he pulled the same trick in at least four parishes in Nassau. from Valley Stream to Farming-dale, and at least 10 in Queens." Kelly described Capace as 5 feet eight inches in height, 135 pounds and with a mustache. The cop said that after Capace called Rooney, the priest became suspicious and recalled hearing from other priests in other parishes about similar calls. He called police and Kelly and Pistone arrived at the church moments after Capace, who apparently spotted them and. took off.

By BERNARD RABIN The pastors of more than a dozen Catholic churches in Queens and Nassau were taken for almost $1,000 since last July in a phony bail scheme by a smooth-talking Ozone Park Queens police said. They said the alleged con man, identified as Joseph Capace, 27, of 92-11 103d was charged with petty larceny, attempted petty larceny, fraudulent accosting and criminal impersonation of a police officer. He is free in $100 bail and is scheduled to receive a hearing in next Thursday. The scheme came to light yesterday when police of the Queens Senior Citizens Robbery tJnit sent warnings to priests, ministers and rabbis in Brooklyn, Queens, Nassau and Suffolk to beware of anyone attempting to pull a similar swindle. Police Officers Robert Kelly and Peter Pistone said Capace was arrested Nov.

15 outside Our Lady of Snows Church, 258-15 80th Floral Park, as he attempted to flee after allegedly attempting to swindle Rev. James Roo-ney out of $50. The cops said Capace called the out of the Williston Park Precinct in Nassau County. He said he had arrested one of the priest's parishioners on a minor charge and after giving a name which could fit a number of church members, added that the prisoner needed $50 for cash bail. "What he would do," said Kelly, "is tell whichever priest he spoke to that he couldn't call home for the money because his mother had just returned from the hospital and had a serious heart condition.

He said if he called home for the money it would kill his mother.1 "When the priest said it was okay to erhorn. Church Rockaway Parkway, Sutter Livonia Bv RICHARD EDMONDS Going Improvemment Programs is mind-boggling. The planning chart lists stations to be modernized in the East 185th Church Mvrtle-Wyekoff. MANHATTAN: 42d of the Americas, Times Square, Fifth Fulton Astor Place, 5th Circle, Brooklyn Bridge. Spring Wall-William 23d Mth Mth 72d Nth 23d City Hall, South Ferry, 137th Mth 125th St-Lexington mth 135th 103d IHth 110th 125th 125th lUth 145th 242d 110th Seventh 145th 57th Whitehall Oelancey Wist Fort Washington Mth Canal Lexington Canal 157th St-Broadway, Sth Lexington Fifth St.

Adopt-a-Station Wall Street Lexington IRT, Manhattan The Mayor's Office and the Chase Manhattan Bank are adding design elements to this station and are planning art exhibits. Astor Place IRT, Manhattan New York University and Cooper Union have pledged money to beautify this station. 81st Manhattan The Museum of Natural History placed posters and art in this station. 53d St. Fifth Ave.

IND The Museum of Modern Art designed painted ceilings for this station. Clark IRT, Brooklyn Various downtown Brooklyn businessess contributed to redevelop the arcade and subway mezzanine underneath the Hotel St. George. Hoyt IRT, Brooklyn Abraham Straus donat-. ed funds for architectural improvements to the mezzanine that opens into their department store.

The scope of rfork to be on 40 stations over the next five years under th Accelerated and On- coming two years. Based on need, existing conditions, and type of station, the following items will be included: New WalL and floor finishes on platforms and mezzanines, acoustical treatment, fluorescent or mercury lighting, better signs and graphics, information panels, public conveniences, toilets, heated waiting areas, seating on platforms, translucent canopies on elevated stations, new hand rails, rearrangement of entrance areas, removal of old equipment, pipes, wiring, new paint. New escalators will be installed at many stations. Station Modernization Closed Circuit Television for Security 57th St. Sixth 42d St.

Eighth 14th Square, 145th St. Eighth Franklin 34th St. Eighth Broadway Junction-East New York. Major Improvements First Year Jay Worth 125th Pacific Atlantic Ave. (IRT), Atlantic Ave.

(BMT), Hoyt Fulton, Union Square, Wall St. Broadway, Herald Square, 42d St. Eighth Grand Central, Utica Pkwy. (new escalator), Stillwell Ave. Major Improvements-Second Year Flatbush Kings Highway, Borough Hall, Still-well 125th St.

St. Nicholas Union Square, Herald Square, 42d St. Eighth Grand Central, 51st St. There's good news for Brooklyn straphangers who believe their station is beneath them, those riders worried about crime and disgusted by grime while they await their regular subway train. Highly visible improvements are planned for more than 80 stations within the next two years.

Rehabilitation work will include modernization under three projects: "Operation Facelift," "Adopt-a-Station," and Brooklyn stations slated for a facelift will be the outposts of a futuristic underground city linking subways and office buildings in midtown. See the latest look at the subway of tomorrow on Page 65. the combined "Accelerated Transit Program" and "On-Coing Station Improvement Program." Operation Facelift is a mostly cosmetic, $10 million effort by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority to create architectural pleasantries at 84 stations. Adopt-a-Station is an ambitious ongoing project to lure the private sector underground and to help improve and beautify stations. The AcceleratedOn-Going programs are the giants that provide the bulk of the system-wide, $1.7 billion upgrading.

Twenty stations will be modernized within the next year at a cost of $68 million: Operation Facelift noniwi YN- Beverly Road, Cortelvou Road, DeKalb Brighton ch SewWrk Ave Prospect Park, 4th Hoyt Nevins June? AN Nos and Iv. -Eastern Parkway. Franklin HovtSclttrm..