It's been almost a year since Fabio took a gander at Busch Gardens.

How could one forget? The supermodel came to play a Roman God at the opening of Apollo's Chariot, the theme park's newest roller coaster, and wound up seeming mortal when a flying goose struck Fabio's beak on the Chariot's initial descent.

Fabio's three-stitch wound has healed fine, said his agent, Eric Ashenberg, and both the park and Fab have moved on.

The park on Saturday opened to the public for the 2000 season, albeit only on weekends for now.

And Fabio is back to work. He's been getting plenty of face-time lately, on "I Can't Believe It's Not Butter" commercials and a just-completed Lite Beer commercial alongside Wayne Newton and Luther Vandross.

He hasn't given up playing gods, either.

Fabio is starring as the title voice in an animated film, "Thor: God of Thunder," which he also co-executive produced, said Ashenberg.

Nor has Fabio ditched his concern about passenger safety aboard Busch Gardens' roller coasters, Ashenberg said.

After the incident last spring, Fabio lashed out against the park, saying the bird that struck his face could have killed a child. He called upon the park to install netting between the ride and a nearby pond to prevent future fly-bys.

Busch Gardens has since installed netting, though the park maintains the bird strike was a freak accident.

"What we have done is put some netting down there as a safety measure," said park spokeswoman Cindy Sarko. "I think everyone understands it was a bizarre incident. Nothing like that has ever happened in the history of the park, in 25 years. We've had no incident before then and none since then."

Fabio's nose wasn't the only thing bruised in the incident -Eso was his pride.

Overnight the romance-novel coverboy became the butt of late-night jokes.

Still, despite his pain and the indignity of the accident, Fabio did not sue the park.

"He's said that if, God forbid, it ever happens again, he's prepared to testify," Ashenberg said. "But he has no interest in profiting from it. There were no lawsuits or anything, but that was the thing: It's a question of public safety. As long as they take appropriate action to make it safe."

Busch Gardens opens daily for the season May 15.

Until then, the park will be open only on weekends, with the exception of a two-week opening from April 17 to 30 for spring break.

THEN AND NOW

Compiled by AMANDA HASKINS

25 YEARS AGO. In March 1975 a Hurst factory representative demonstrated the uses of the Hurst Rescue Tool, also known as the "jaws of life," to the Hampton Fire Department.

The 68-pound tool, operated by one man, could do the work formerly assigned to three men and two wrecker trucks. With a maximum of 10,000 pounds of pressure, the tool could open its jaws and separate tangled cars, take off a jammed car door or pull a steering wheel free of a trapped victim.

A task that took 30 vital minutes would now be reduced to seconds.

The Hampton Fire Department uses the Hurst Rescue Tool almost daily. Recently, a representative of Champion Rescue Tools, a producer of a modernized variation of the Hurst tool, demonstrated its uses to the department. According to Capt. Don Halifax, the department is considering replacing the older tool with this more powerful and manageable version. If the department receives a grant, it will purchase one new tool for approximately $20,000.

10 YEARS AGO. The Virginia Peninsula Council on Domestic Violence began renovations on the former Hampton Christian Church for a program called "Next Step."

The "Next Step" shelter would fill the gap between the two temporary shelters the council provides and the need of abused women to have long- term living arrangements to become independent.

The shelter opened in June 1990. The council offers one of eight apartments, for a one- to two- year period, to women eager to separate themselves from violent relationships.

Case manager Sadye Hodges evaluates each woman's case and suggests counseling programs and life- skills classes, such as budgeting, problem solving and resume writing.

FIVE YEARS AGO. Williamsburg city officials agreed to spend $450,000 over three years to rehabilitate the Wales subdivision in partnership with Housing Partnerships Inc. in March 1995.

Housing Partnerships Inc. is a nonprofit agency working to improve living conditions for people financially or physically unable to do the work themselves. The Wales project marked the first time the group had taken on an entire neighborhood.

Financed by state grants, city money, Housing Partnership regional loan funds and nearly 1,200 volunteer hours, the group intended to install new sewer and water lines, clear overgrown shrubs and weeds, paint houses, replace roofs, build new homes and provide other repair work.

In October 1998, the neighborhood, the city of Williamsburg and Housing Partnerships Inc. gathered in the neighborhood park, another improvement, to celebrate the renovated Wales subdivision.

Housing Partnerships Inc. is celebrating its 15th anniversary this year.

Dennis O'Brien can be reached at 247-4791 or by e-mail at dobrien@dailypress.com