The Cincinnati Enquirer from Cincinnati, Ohio • Page 6

METRO TllKClNCINNvnFNilUJ11! C4 SMiDAX.DiXKMiiKK 10. 1994 anta's gift can't be bought in store see if she gets to where she was before," said her mother, Lisa Patterson. "But if she doesn't, we'll take her just the way she is." Her father, Robert Patterson, went to Wasson, the American Mall Santa Claus who was Stephan-" ie's holiday highlight before the accident. He asked him to help. Wasson visited Stephanie several times, including a trip to a Columbus hospital when she had pneumonia.

"I'm the symbol of love and hope for her," Wasson said. "In the next year or two when she walks up here on her own, that will be the greatest thrill." During her visit at the American Mall on Thursday night, Stephanie leaned close to rub Santa's beard. Christmas has always been her favorite holiday, her mother said. And she cherishes Wasson, a Santa for 28 years. "This guy has really brightened her life.

He's gone out of the way to visit her, nobody made him do it," Patterson said. "Stephanie really loves him." Wasson said the feeling is mutual. "I don't have a family. I'm not married," he said. "When Stephanie comes around and I see she's improved, that's my Christmas." The Associated PressDave Polcyn Stephanie Patterson is excited by a stuffed toy from Santa Jim Wasson.

The girl, 7, can't talk or walk since hit by a car in 1 992. Woman faces charges in '80 embezzling case WAREHOUSE Saturday Dec 10th The Associated Press NEW ORLEANS A woman accused of stealing nearly $250,000 from a Cincinnati credit union will be returned to Ohio by U.S. Marshals, an FBI agent said Phyllis Jean Strub, 56, waived her removal and detention hearing set for Friday, Agent Freddy Cleveland said. Cleveland said he did not know when Strub would be returned to Ohio. "That's entirely up to the marshals.

They don't disclose a time when they're removing a prisoner," Cleveland said. Strub had been living in New Sarpy, about 19 miles west of New Orleans. She was arrested Dec. 2 by the FBI on a 1982 indictment alleging that she embezzled $247,826.54 from the Netherland Terrace Federal Credit Union in Cincinnati, where she was treasur GRAND OPENING 241 Northland Blvd. (Next to NAPA Auto Parts) $1,000,000 SELL-OFF lOOO's OF ITEMS Accident victim thrilled by visit The Associated Press LIMA, Ohio Stephanie Patterson loves the jolly man in the red suit in the American Mall.

So do her parents, who believe Jim Wasson, who plays Santa Claus, has played a special role in her recovery. Stephanie, 7, of Lima, can't talk or walk. But she grinned as she sat in Wasson's lap Thursday night at the mall. On Sept. 5, 1992, Stephanie, then 5, darted into the path of a car in Lima.

The driver never saw her and could not hear the impact because he is deaf. He stopped after feeling a bump. But his car already had dragged the girl 150 feet. Stephanie was not expected to live. She was comatose for several months before she opened her eyes again.

Slowly, with intensive physical therapy, she lifted her head and learned to feed herself. Now she can hug her mother. "She has a traumatic brain injury. They told us it takes up to four years to see how she might do, to FREE BALLOONS' FOR KIDS (M Jf SHE -it IIWWWIWWWUIIJtlJILIWIMWIM -V 3-way swap considered 'win-win-win' situation '1 1 i -T yr J- er before disappearing on July 17, 1980. The FBI said the money was taken in regular withdrawals between Jan.

1, 1975, and July 1, 1980. Strub was 42 when she left her family behind in Harrison, Ohio. Her former husband, Earl Strub, who now lives in Lawrence-burg, said neither he nor the couple's four children have heard from Strub in the past 14 years. He filed for divorce in 1981 to avoid legal problems over property, but never remarried. The FBI said Strub traveled through 20 states from July through November, 1980, before settling in Louisiana.

She married another man the following year, but apparently kept both husbands in the dark about what happened at the credit union, the FBI said. Plans call for the county to purchase the 12-story Courter Education Center and adjacent parking lot from the schools for $4 The county plans to use the parking lot for expansion of the Hamilton County Justice Center. The building would be used to house some county offices. The city would buy from the county the former Hale-Justis Drug Co. property at 20 E.

Central Parkway for $2.2 million. Payment would be $1.2 million cash and $1 million credit for transferring the school board's $2 million delinquent storm-water utility charges to Hamilton County. The city would use the property to develop a supermarket for Over-the-Rhine and downtown. The Board of Education would repay the $2 million debt to the county over 10 years. If approved, the deal would allow the Cincinnati Public Schools administration to move out of its present location and into offices being built at the former Merry Middle School, 301 Oak St.

The new Education Center will share the same building as the Mayerson Training Center, where classes are provided for teachers, staff and administrators. The Celestial "It's one of the largest employ' ment termination verdicts in Hamilton County ever," said Randy Freking, Pulver's attorney. In a statement, Joseph Rippe, managing partner of Rookwood Highland Tower Investments, said an appeal will be filed. Rippe said the restaurant had not engaged in any retaliatory action and that Pulver was terminated for lawful reasons. Pulver was hired under contract in 1988 at $45,000 a year.

The restaurant owner cut his pay in 1993 to $27,500 during a year in which The Celestial failed to obtain a four-star rating, Freking said. When Pulver raised questions about the salary cut, the restaurant began to make claims about his performance and his ability to speak English, Freking said. 0 1 OO's OF OAK TABLES FROM 239M TWIN BEDDING FROM 69 EA. PC. (JAK ulAIKb CHEST- 59" 69" OAK END TABLES 9900 UP SOFA LOVESEAT -79900 UP GLIDER ROCKERS FROM 19900 SOLID WOOD ROCKERS FROM 1 1 9M GURIOS FROM 99 Only DON'T MISS THIS SALE Queen Anne Tables Solid OakSolid Cherry Starting At 168 ENTERTAINMENT CENTERS FROM 1 9900 BY MARK SKERTIC The Cincinnati Enquirer The Cincinnati Board of Education is expected to approve plans Monday for proceeding with discussions with the city and county for a three-way land and cash swap.

Plans for the deal that would culminate with the sale of the school administration building at Ninth Street and Broadway downtown will be on the board's agenda Monday night. The move could eventually allow the school administration to leave an aging facility too large for the system's current needs. "It's a three-way benefit," school board member Catherine Ingram said. "It's win-win-win." Under terms announced last month, the sale would give the county needed room for expansion, the city land for a grocery and the school administration the chance to move into a newer facility and the ability to pay an outstanding storm-water bill. "It's a creative solution; we haven't needed that much space in a couple years," school board member Lynwood Battle said.

Also Monday, Hamilton County Administrator David Krings will brief county commissioners on the status of the deal. OAK BOOKCASES FROM 79" BLACK IRON CANOPY BED QUEEN OR KING 1 9900 FACTORY BUYOUT! 1 Jury awards chef $850,000 tSSk. Designer Quality Nottm Starting At $549 in! 1 Solid Oak Tables Chairs Chairs Starting Tables Starting i 1 1 in case against BY JOHN HOPKINS The Cincinnati Enquirer A Hamilton County jury awarded the former executive chef at The Celestial restaurant in Mount Adams $850,000 after finding he had been wrongfully discharged. Swedish Chef George Pulver won the lawsuit Friday after a nine-da'y trial before Common Pleas Judge John O'Connor. Pulver filed the lawsuit against Rookwood Highland Tower Investments, which is doing business as The Celestial Restaurant.

The jury found that the owner of the restaurant breached a contract with Pulver. It also found that the restaurant's owner unlawfully retaliated against Pulver after he filed a discrimination lawsuit against the restaurant. I Infill SALE HOURS Call Store 8am-5pm For Details 1.