December 29, 1994

As she stood in front of the Candelaria Church on a recent steel-gray afternoon, at the site of the 1993 murder of eight street children, tears welled in Jacquelyn Bracy's eyes. In August 1993, she learned of the plight of Rio's street children while watching a segment on ABC's "World News Tonight," at her home near Sacramento, Calif. Mrs. Bracy had been so moved by the tears of a young Brazilian boy named Fernando Cesar that she had not only tried to contact and help him, but had eventually sought to adopt him.

A PATAKI APPOINTEE FOCUSES ON WELFARE Governor-elect George E. Pataki named Westchester County's Commissioner for Social Services to do for the state what she has done at home -- dramatically reduce the cost of welfare. But unable to get the Commissioner, Mary E. Glass, to sign on for the long term, he agreed to limit her appointment to 90 days. A1.

Governor-elect George E. Pataki yesterday named Westchester's Commissioner for Social Services to do for the state what she has done at home -- dramatically reduce the cost of welfare. But unable to persuade Commissioner Mary E. Glass to sign on for the long term, he agreed to limit her appointment to 90 days. Aides to Mr. Pataki, who named eight other top members of his administration yesterday, said that even if Ms. Glass were unable to complete the task of revamping the Department of Social Services, he would have sent a strong signal that he intended to make good on a campaign pledge to change welfare.

As part of their effort to redesign welfare and control costs, House Republicans are drafting legislation to abolish a part of the Supplemental Security Income program that provides cash grants of up to $446 a month for children with severe disabilities like mental retardation, cerebral palsy and spina bifida. The program, which serves 847,000 children, would be replaced with vouchers that could be spent on a more limited program of medical care. Article, page A16.

North Korea said today that a captured American helicopter pilot had confessed to illegally intruding into its territory and had asked for leniency so he can return to his family. The official Korean Central News Agency released a statement it said had been signed on Sunday by the pilot, Chief Warrant Officer Bobby Hall, whose Army helicopter entered North Korean air space on Dec. 17. In the statement, Mr. Hall admitted to "criminal action" but not to espionage, the accusation made by the North.