ON SUNDAY JANUARY 4, ethical issues in the news will be presented by the Ethical Humanist Society of LI on the first Sunday of each month at 10 a.m. at the society, 38 Old Country Rd. Call 741-7304...

DEFENSIVE DRIVING courses are 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: •Jan. 3 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. •Jan 4 from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. •Jan. 8* from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. •Jan. 10 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. •Jan. 12 and 14** from 6:15 to 9:15 p.m. •Jan. 18 from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. •Jan. 23* from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. •Jan. 24 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. •Jan. 25 from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. •Jan. 27 and 28** from 6:15 to 9:15 p.m. •Jan. 31 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m... ON SUNDAY, JANUARY 11, the New York Chapter of the American Rhododendron Society will hold a meeting at 2 p.m. in the Burns Horticultural Center at Planting Fields Arboretum. The guest speaker will be Bud Behnrich, former American Rhododendron Society President familiar with horticultural areas world wide and entertaining speaker par excellence will present "A Photographic Tour of West Coast Gardens." This program will also be repeated on Feb. 15 at 2 p.m. also at the Burns Horticultural Center. For directions, please call Jim Fry at (631) 754-2412 or email fryseal@juno.com. More information may be had at our web site at www.nyrhododendron.org. For Planting Fields info, call 922-9200... ON MONDAY, JANUARY 12, Literacy Nassau offers training at Hillside Public Library. Literacy Nassau is seeking people who are interested in using their talents to help others learn to read, write and speak English. The next scheduled training session for tutors will be held at the Hillside Public Library, 155 Lakeville Rd., New Hyde Park, from Jan. 12, through Friday, Jan. 16, at 1-4 p.m. each day. For further information, you may contact Literacy Nassau directly at 486-2789 or pick up an application at the library... IF YOU ARE THINKING OF adopting a dog, try the Town shelter first by calling 944-8220...

POLICE REPORT: MISCHIEF AND MAYHEM

ON DECEMBER 26 , a female victim reported that someone had taken her wallet containing credit cards, $100 U.S., while she shopped at stores along Franklin Avenue... PO FLORIO arrested a 19-year-old Garden City male for allegedly making an illegal left turn onto Franklin Avenue at 3:50 a.m., on December 27, and for the alleged failure to stop at a stop sign and for alleged DWI (.12%)... ON DECEMBER 17 , PO Sommer arrested a 63-year-old Franklin Square man at New Hyde Park Road for allegedly obstructing governmental administration (he refused to obey police orders), leaving the scene of an accident, and no insurance, after the man allegedly put his car in reverse to strike a victim's car he believed had tailgated him... ON DECEMBER 23 , GC detectives arrested a 19-year-old Lynbrook man (near the courthouses) who was wanted for a May incident where he allegedly sold cocaine. The charges included the criminal sale of cocaine, the criminal possession of cocaine, criminal mischief for intentionally damaging a police car, and for unlawful fleeing... BETWEEN DECEMBER 12 and 19, a $1250 Dell lap top computer was stolen from Harvey Hall, Adelphi University... ON DECEMBER 28 , some time before 11:30 p.m., an 18-year-old GC male holding a marijuana cigarette in public view while sitting as a passenger in a car, was charged with the possession of marijuana at Colonial Avenue/Glen Road...

FIRE RESPONSES:

FD DISCONNECTED A BATTERY to silence a horn at St. James St. North on December 23... FIREMEN RESCUED a person trapped in an elevator at 200 GC Plaza on December 24... A CAR WITH 4 occupants went onto the third rail just west of the LIRR crossing near Nassau Blvd. on Christmas Eve-but all escaped unharmed. The driver had gone onto the tracks by accident and firemen extinguished the fire caused by the car's contact with the third rail... AN OIL BURNER malfunctioned at 295 Stewart Avenue on December 26...

That's all this week. G. T.