Winnipeg Free Press

Winnipeg Free Press (Newspaper) - December 17, 2000, Winnipeg, Manitoba need a solution for Reading problems Magazine twinkle City Winni Eggers have risen to the Challenge of a former mayor and made the City the Christmas Light capital of Canada / by its been a spectacular year for the Vikings Star quarterback and the coach says its Only going to get better Down the Road / cd press sports Culpepper shot All grades a 3 locations evenings amp saturdays a. The weather is increasing Cloud. Windchill 1700. High -21 Low -30 7&Quot 76639 05026 5humble Backhoe rescues flood threatened Homes by Kevin Rollason where dynamite had failed a Backhoe was victorious Clearing an ice Jam on the swollen Roseau River that had threatened to flood dozens of Homes. It was an Early Christmas present for a lot of worried people a some of whom had already fled to higher ground. Rick Tkachuk the areas Deputy Reeve said it took a Backhoe with a 20-metre-Long Boom to Knock out the ice Jam Friday night. A the water immediately dropped a foot a a Tkachuk said. A then it was Down 22 inches and now its Down As much As three feet. A a we be had a Good sleep and that did no to happen the night before when we were As of yesterday afternoon the seven evacuated families of Stuart bum 15 Kilometres North of the . Border were moving Back into their Homes and the mood in the Community was buoyant. A we were All out at Coffee time All laughing a resident Mary Matichuk said. A we feel very Good a we can almost say she said there were few words to describe the Relief she Felt As she watched the River finally subside from her Yard. A it was just the nicest feeling in be had in a Long Long time. We did no to have any Hopes continued please see ice Jam a2makes a great gift order today 1 we be gone on a buying Binge household spending up 6% in Manitoba statistics Baycar oleanders Cariejo has two children a husband a Home business and a Home theatre. A once you have children your disposable income is gone a laughed the St. James woman who like most Manitoban according to statistics Canada is spending much More than last year. A report released this past week says Manitoba households spent six per cent More in 1999 than in 1998. The average Canadian household spent four per cent More Over the same period. Manitoban Are spending More on Home entertainment transportation clothing gambling Charity smokes and booze and less on Bingo tuition food and shelter statistics show. If Christmas shoppers Are Hack out in full Force this season we can expect to see a repeat of 1999�?Ts High spending in the province a and continued Rosy economic times Here says an economist at the University of Manitoba. A i have taught at the u of m for 28 years and this is the strongest provincial Economy that in be seen on a sustained basis a said John Mccallum. A thesis the strongest provincial Economy that in be seen on a sustained basis. Spending by Manitoban. Is a direct consequence of that economic strength a u of m economist John Mccallum a spending by Manitoban. Is a direct consequence of that economic Canejo said she does no to want her family a last name published because she fears thieves will use it to track Down All the Home electronics equipment they be bought. The advertising specialities business owner said they did no to go out and buy a whole new system All at once but have bought one component at a time Over the years. She said they Are a a comfortable average Middle income earners but with a 16-year-old and an 11-year-old, they re spending most of what they make. By the time they pay for her son theol a hockey and daughter Sarah a fencing and graduation for example Quot going to the movies has become prohibitively Stan Enns has owned Enns to and radio service in North Kildonan for 42 years and said he a sold out of big screen tvs right now. Who a buying them a a it a the Middle aged people or couples who be just married a they be got to have the continued please see spending a2 29th3362000 in Winnipeg or thu free at 1-80o219-9547 or #4444 on its mobility a >100 each they All want to believe Santa a visitors at Polo Park included Ariel Shatsky right and her Mother Charlene. Named Devon. Little Devon promptly held up three fingers on one hand and three fingers on the other. Apparently Devon was testing Santa. A a you re three not six a Santa said. Devon smiled impish by. So what special gift did Devon want a i want a hockey game Quot he said sounding More like six than three. A the shoots he scores a and then there was four year old Mark who wanted a plane and began his visit with Santa like a Good Little boy. A i done to break my toys a Mark assured Santa. But then the naughty Little boy in Mark surfaced. Santa Hadnot noticed that his Beard was slipping but Mark had. A nah has Mark said in his Sweet Little boy voice a i see your Mouth. There a something right the something was Santa a other Mustache. A a that a my nose a Santa said As he suddenly Felt it grow longer. Then he tugged at his Beard and his Helper Erin the 16-year-old Elf quickly whisked Little Mark away. Some bigger kids came by and plunked themselves in Santa slap. Natalie and Pauline were 21 and Kristin was 20. Natalie wanted a horse Pauline wanted a porsche and Kristin wanted something More Santa a Speed. Continued please see Santa a2 innocent children goofy grownups. Santa brings out the Best in everyone it Wasny to my idea. Our City editor wanted yours jovially to go undercover As a shopping mall Santa. The assignment editor assured me id be perfect. So did my wife. A a you be got the perfect Button nose a she said. A yeah a i crouched. A and i wont need a amp a Santa does no to use that kind of language a my wife said. That a just the first of Many rules when it comes to playing the worlds Favourite fat Guy. Karen Borysowicz who co ordinates Santa a appearances at the Polo Park shopping Centre began my crash course with a warning. Its More difficult than you think. A a there a certain guidelines that Santa operates in a Karen said. For one Santa always refers to himself As Santa. A and Santa is always gentle kind Good hearted patient and has a sense of Humour a she explained. Obviously shed never read my column. A a what a the worst thing that a Ever happened to a Santa a i asked. A ooh one fellow had a gallstone attack a she said. A and he did no to want to leave the a who hoho a i roared As my belly Shook like a bowl of Jelly. I was a natural after All. A if that a the worst that can happen a i thought to myself a this should be a piece of Plum later i recalled there was just one thing i forgot to ask Karen. What a the Best thing that can happen to you playing Santa Claus As it turned out i had to discover that for myself. Ill it was almost 8 of clock wednesday night and Santa had been sitting on his throne at his Polo Park Castle for about half an hour. Things were going fairly smoothly. Sure his friends 20-month-old daughter Ariel Shatsky a who usually cuddles and Calls him a Uncle Cordys a had burst out screaming at the sight of old White whiskers. But then Santa met a six year old dream child named Robert who when Santa asked a a what a the Best thing about Christmas a replied Robert also said if he could give one gift it would be a world and the trusting kids kept on coming. A How old Are you a Santa asked a toddler ;