Come to the defensive driving courses being conducted by the Automobile Club of NY in the Garden City office located at 229 Seventh St. The six-hour course allows participants to get the latest driving information from AAA-certified instructors, a 10 percent discount on collision and liability insurance and a reduction of up to four points from driver's license. One hour lunch break on all-day sessions. The cost is $35 for AAA members; $45 nonmembers ($25 senior discount days members 55+*; $25 young driver discount days members 16 to 24**). Class size limited. Reservations required. Call 873-2381. The following dates are offered: -Aug. 17 from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. -Aug. 19 and 21 from 6:15 to 9:15 p.m. -Aug. 23 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. -Aug. 24 from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. -Aug. 27 from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m...On Saturday, August 24,

The Viking Cooking School at the Loaves & Fishes Cookshop, 835 Franklin Ave., presents free cooking demonstrations every Saturday from noon to 2 p.m. - topics vary from week to week. Samples served. Reservations required. Call 877-1010; web site: www.vikinghomechef.com)... Come to a rummage sale being conducted by Young Israel of New Hyde Park, 264-15 77th Avenue, on Sunday September 14 from 9:30 AM to 3 PM. Many items for sale including household items and toys. Call 718 343-6509...If you are thinking of adopting a dog, call the town shelter at 944-8220. Saturday is a big adoption day...

Police Report: Mischief and Mayhem

Between August 13 and 14, someone knocked down a light pole, which was found broken at its base, on the premises of the GC High School. Damage was $2500... Between August 16 and 17, someone stole a $700 wrought iron bench from a Transverse Rd. property... On August 17, 12:40 PM, a male described as in his mid-20's, Caucasian, with a tattoo on his neck, wearing a design tee shirt and dark jeans, allegedly stole 2 Blackberry's valued at $750 from T Mobile at Old Country Road... A $400 computer chip car key was taken from the NY Sports Clubs, Franklin Avenue on August 15... 7 trucks were taken out of service with one weight violation and 43 tickets issued at a truck stop conducted at Clinton Road on August 13...A 22-year-old East Meadow male and a 22-year-old East Meadow female in a car allegedly approached a 64-year-old GC woman as she walked near Hamilton Place/ Franklin Avenue, on August 14. The female grabbed the woman's handbag, but after the woman screamed, she let go and fled the scene with her accomplice. Police later located the couple's car at Terrace Avenue in Hempstead, and brought a witness and the victim to the scene where the couple was identified and charged with attempted robbery second degree...

Fire Responses:

Wires came down in the yard at an Elm Street residence on August 14... Lightning struck the front yard and tree at a Pine Street residence on August 15... Water leaked from a second floor bath at a Spruce

Street house on August 16...An overheated electrical pump caused alarm at 400 GC Plaza on August 17... Plastic striking a fan in a refrigerator caused a noise at a Princeton Street house on the same day...The exterior side of a Cherry Valley Avenue house may have caught on fire from charcoal being placed in a nearby plastic garbage can. There was flame damage to the outside and smoke damage inside, after a 1 3/4" hand line extinguished the fire... FD shut off an oil burner at 652 Franklin Avenue, on August 20...

That's all this week.G. T.