Hair Spray

A 13-year-old Westminster boy was being held at the Charles H. Hickey Jr. School after he allegedly struck an 11-year-old boy, took his cap, wallet and backpack and ignited hair spray to use as a torch on Monday.The older boy was charged with two counts of assault and battery and one count each of theft and use of a deadly weapon with intent to injure.Police said the victim, who suffers from asthma, was standing in front of the library on East Main Street talking to a friend when the 13-year-old and a companion struck him in the chest.

Around the houselTC* Dust outdoor furniture and repair where necessary. If wicker furniture is wobbly, wash with hot, soapy water. Rinse with a hose and let air dry. The wood and cane will swell and tighten. Wax leg bottoms of wooden furniture to protect against moisture that might be soaked up from puddles.* Perk up ruffles on pillowcases and curtains easily. Lay item flaon a table; spray ruffles with extra-hold hair spray and let dry.* Turn mattress over every three months. Turn end to end eversix months.

Current plans call for the movie version of the Broadway hit Hair- spray to be filmed in both Baltimore and Toronto, an executive with New Line Cinema confirmed yesterday. "It is our intention to shoot in Baltimore and Toronto," said Mark Kaufman, an executive vice president with New Line. "It could be a day in Baltimore, it could be a week in Baltimore. ... That has been our intention from the start." He said details of the film's budget, which will dictate where Hairspray will be shot, are being worked out. Open auditions for several roles in the film will be held nationwide beginning next month in Atlanta.

Around the house* Shine glass tabletops with lemon juice and a damp, soft cloth; dry with paper towels; buff to a shine with newspaper.* When hanging pictures on the wall, mark the spots with adhesive tape. This will prevent the plaster from cracking when hammering the nails into place.* Clean shower head. Place in pan of 1 quart water and 1/2 cup vinegar and boil for 15 minutes; soak plastic shower heads in equal amounts of hot vinegar and water.* Keep gloves and mittens in a basket near the door.

What if I told you 26 million people visit beauty salons every week, and 68 percent of them choose their hairdresser mainly for psychological reasons, and a third of the time they spend talking with their hairdresser is spent hashing over "serious problems" of an emotional or psychological nature, and -- this is the best -- a whopping 84 percent of them would trust their hairdresser's advice over the advice of their therapist?If you saw -- and believed -- "Steel Magnolias," and you figure the average hairdresser is as warm and wonderful and wise a person as the Dolly Parton character, not to mention as interested in other people's serious emotional and psychological problems, maybe you wouldn't be surprised.

The nearly indestructible leather jacket -- whether for the motorcycle, the nightclub or just the outdoors -- has been a top pick for holiday gifts. But now that you have one, you should know that some care is required to keep it in good condition.Following are some maintenance suggestions from the Leather Apparel Association in New York City:* Avoid applying hair spray or perfumes while wearing a leather garment. Also, do not apply pins, adhesive name badges or tape to leather.* Water and stain repellents should be applied immediately after purchase for the best results.

Around the house* Make a spooky light for trick-or-treaters. Paint a metal vegetable grater with black paint and place it over a votive candle. Also, illuminate the front porch area with a few candles that have been stuck into apples and tiny pumpkins. Carve a small hole in the top of the fruit to insert candle.* Need an instant pair of horns for a costume? Cut two fingers from an old rubber kitchen glove. Stuff them with cotton, then paint them.* Lubricate and adjust the garage door.* When a fireplace isn't in use, close fireplace dampers, so room heat does not escape up the chimney.

Around the house* Dust and vacuum closet floor and shelves before hanging up winter clothes. Remove seldom-worn shoes from floor and store in boxes on shelves. It's a good time to remove marks from floors and walls with soap and water.* For extra storage space in a child's room, use gym lockers painted to match the room. Baseball bats, skateboards and toys can be stored inside lockers, out of sight.* Scour tree sap from windows with a damp paper towel that has been dipped in baking soda. It is less abrasive than scouring powder.

No other teen film heroine has enjoyed herself as much as Tracy Turnblad (Nikki Blonsky) in Hair- spray. She's always singing about her elation and her delight in feeling that elation. She belts out all her love: for her hometown in "Good Morning, Baltimore," for Zac Efron's sympathetic, ready-for-action Link Larkin in "I Can Hear the Bells" and for an optimistic and open-for-anything age of music and dancing in "You Can't Stop the Beat." Tracy may live in an East Baltimore rowhouse, but her songs expose a gaudy-yet-wholesome, split-level pop psyche that helps the filmmakers maintain the verve of John Waters' 1988 comedy and provides this adaptation of the 2002 Broadway musical version with an effervescence all its own. In the scintillating Marc Shaiman-Scott Wittman score, Tracy is as self-aware as she is gung-ho about romance, idealism and rock 'n' roll.

Around the house* Spray freshly polished brass accessories with extra-hold hair spray. This will prolong shine and can be washed off easily with soap and water when items need repolishing.* Fluff and soften air-dried clothes. Set dryer on "air" setting and spin with a fabric softener sheet for about five minutes.* Soak heavily soiled oven racks in tub with hot water. Sprinkle 1/2 cup of automatic dishwasher detergent over rack. Let sit until grease spots dissolve.* Pour 1 cup baking soda into sink drain to avoid clogging.