Quad-City Times from Davenport, Iowa • 2

mty QUAIKITY TIMES Saturday, December 23, 2006 www.qctlmes.com 1 A I WEDDING Continued from Page Al the year. But this was just such a neat idea; I wanted to do it." The mother of three young sons, Rosson got her big break last Christmas with Paula Deen, a popular chef and personality on cable television's Food Network. Rosson and her husband, Maj. Steven Rosson, lead a military life and the family was stationed at that time near Savannah, Deen's headquarters. "I contacted her people, explained to them that my husband was in the Army, and they asked me to come on the show.

I think they thought I would bring on a little brown house," she said during a telephone interview from her busy residence. Rosson's husband is now head of the Reserve Officers' Training Corps department at Western Illinois University, Macomb. It was the major's military career that sparked his wife's interest in gingerbread. The couple spent two tours of duty in Germany, and Rosson noted with interest how the European chefs showed artistry in their foods. "I started pretty small, but each year, I got better," she said.

She built a home with a military theme for the 2005 Deen show, and she's since become a contributing writer to Deen's magazine, "Cooking with Paula Deen." "It's a magical thing. People just love gingerbread," she said, noting some of the appeal comes because the projects are also edible. All of Rosson's work, in fact, can be eaten, or it can be stored for up to a year in a cool, dry location. Rosson was asked to build elegant, centerpieces for the HesseMcCaulley reception. Each of the 13 artworks is 12-13 inches high in neutral colors and complete on all four sides.

There are different designs: a chalet, wedding cottage, Victorian brick house with rose window, and chapel. The windows are made of caramelized sugar, and there are lights inside that allow the centerpieces to shine. "They are really beautiful," the artist said. Rosson, a stay-at-home mom who gets up at 4 a.m. to do much of her work, said the gingerbread art has almost become an obsession.

"It's such a neat way to communicate with people. They always have a million questions, and I do enjoy talking with them." Deirdre Cox Baker can be contacted at (563) 383-2492 or dbakerqctimes.com. Larry FisherQUAD-CITY TIMES Gingerbread house artist Johanna Rosson checks over one of the 13 houses she made for a wedding reception today at The Abbey Hotel in Bettendorf. "Most people in our area like to attend Christmas Eve Mass," Harness said from his office at St. Joseph Catholic Church.

"Many consider that the most solemn time." After Advent masses today and Sunday, he estimated that 650 people will arrive for the "family in the late afternoon of Christmas Eve and that his church's building will overflow that night during midnight Mass. It will be the more traditional Catholics who attend one of two services to be offered Monday, Harness said. At Christ's Family Church in Davenport, there will be two Sunday services, with large crowds expected at each one, the Last-minute wrappings STREET scene on a holiday twinight, hardly the "Silent Night" sort of Two guys in Santa hats getting shocked stares and honks from below as they stand, showing off colorful bare bottoms of the season from Davenport's skywalk. Red and green moons, shining off the holiday colors on the bridge, until shooed away by security. Here come the reindeer jokes Which reindeer has the worst manners? Rude-olph.

Which reindeer has the cleanest antlers? Comet. What do reindeer always say before telling a joke: "Wait, wait, this one will sleigh ya." Happy gifting Randy Campbell, that hapless delivery guy for the Quad-City Times who was beaten to a pulp in the dark of night after delivering his last paper on Oct. 11, has received another check from sympathetic readers of this noospaper. Ten days ago, a check for $4,000 was delivered to Randy, who is hobbling around on crutches. Now, another check has been put into his thankful hands, raising the total gifting to $7,300.

All this handled by an anonymous Samaritan who had an urge to do good because he, too, once delivered newspapers. The account is still open, co Randy Campbell Benefit Fund at any of the Northwest Bank Trust Co. banks in Davenport and Bettendorf. ADD, OTHER GOOD DEEDS: Will they fit in the roaster? Three ostrich-size turkeys, all dressed out and ready for the oven, have been given Sister Ludmilla Benda to help feed the Q-C needy on Christmas Day. One bird weighs 39 pounds; another, 38; another, 35.

They were the gift of John Ven-Horst, who raises turkeys on his Long Grove, Iowa, farm. "Biggest one I ever had was a 48-pounder," he told Sister Luddy. "When they're that big, they're all meat." Another cup of coffee quotes Before U. of Iowa closing for Christmas break, patrons of Wild Bill's Coffeeshop on campus drew up these holiday blessings for java: "Coffee isn't helping. Get out the jumper cables." "Life is a daily grind but it's perking up." "I refer to the euphoric time period after my first cup as BC blissfully caffeinated." "Need coffee.

Have deadline. Must write." Holiday, add-cetera OVERHEARD from little nippers at a Christmas program: "Good king wants his applesauce." "Mommy, who is the urchin Mary?" GRINCHES are having a wicked time stealing the warm Santa hats and mufflers from the bronze statues at the point of 4th and River Drive in front of the Times. Denny Benes, Bettendorf, put them there to keep the statues from shivering. Twice in 10 days, they've swiped hats and wraps from life-size bronzes of Olympians Bill Rodgers and Joan Benoit Samuelson; and from me interviewing Bix. Denny has foiled the scofflaws for the moment by wiring long wood Santa stockings to the arms of Bix and me.

He doesn't want us to go giftless. Probably, coal will go in those stockings. Bill Wundram can be contacted at (563) 383-2249 or bwundram qctimes.com. 1 it.jl1 -A -J Iowa Lottery Cash Game: 9-18-19-21-27 Pick Three Midday: 2-7-5 Pick Three Evening: 60-3 Pick Four Midday: 8-5-6-0 Pick Four Evening: 9-2-8-5 Hot Lotto Wed. drawing: 1-8-13-25-39 Hot Ball: 6 Jackpot: $17.36 million Powerball Wed.

drawing: 1-6-14-26-34 Powerball: 34 Power Play: 5 Jackpot: $65 million DISPOSING OF YOUR CHRISTMAS TREE Here's a look at how you can dispose of your Christmas tree in the Illinois Quad-Cities: East Moline Tree collection will be on residents' regular garbage day the week of Jan. 1 5-1 9. Moline Tree collection will be on regular garbage days during the month of January. Trees should be placed three feet from residents' garbage carts. Milan Trees will be collected on residents' regular garbage day.

Rock Island Trees will be picked up during January. The city will release details about the free collection program during the next couple of weeks. Silvis Tree collection will be Jan. 5 and Jan. 1 2.

day, with a reverent sacramental service focusing on the birth and life of Jesus Christ, including special musical performances and speakers, she said. Davenport is home to one of Iowa's largest Episcopalian parishes at Trinity Cathedral. There will be a total of three services there on Christmas Eve one in the morning for Advent and two later in the day for Christmas. While the Christmas Eve services will fill the pews Sunday, there will be a far smaller crowd for the 10 a.m. worship on Christmas Day, Harris predicted.

Deirdre Cox Baker can be contacted at (563) 383-2492 or dbakerqctimes.com. "Since going to automated waste in June, we have not had a workman's comp claim," he said. "Last year, we had in excess of $300,000 in workman's comp. But if you start making regular garbage operators get out of the truck again, you start exposing them to injury. We feel if you recycle enough, you shouldn't have to exceed the cart." Like Moline, Rock Island is maintaining the status quo.

"It will be business as usual," he said. "If they can't fit all their garbage in their cans, they can put it in next week, or we offer a couple alternatives." The city offers free trash dropoff of refuse, leaves and brush from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturdays at 1309 Mill St. In addition, all Rock Island residents are allowed one "special" pickup each year.

That can be arranged by calling public works. Pickup will be one day later than normal in all the cities, due to Christmas falling on Monday. Tory Brecht can be contacted at (563) 383-2329 or tbrechtqctimes.com. Besides an unrelenting insurgency, killings and kidnappings between Sunnis and Shiites are approaching civil war dimensions with U.S. and civilian casualties rising.

Gates said there are several approaches that could be used to improve security, yet offered few details. Gates started his day Friday having breakfast with six Army soldiers with the 10th Mountain Division to discuss their mission training Iraqi troops in southern Iraq. TO OUR READERS The Quad-City Times circulation customer service department will be open from 4 a.m. to 9 a.m. Christmas Day to receive calls regarding newspaper delivery.

Suburban IIP Rev. Brian Akker said. A traditional worship is planned Sunday morning, while the 5:30 p.m. ceremony will include more scripture and song. "Both will be pretty well attended," he said, noting that many congregants will host out-of-town visitors.

The Utica Ridge Road church is part of the Reformed Church of America, one of the oldest Protestant denominations in the country. A holiday celebration for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was held Dec. 3, and it was accomplished via a satellite broadcast involving the church presidency in Salt Lake City, local spokeswoman Michelle Hamby of Bettendorf said. Their church will meet Sun cart so it can be picked up by the automated arm," she added. In Moline, where automated pickup began this year, the regular rules apply, said Mike House, municipal services general manager.

The city is urging residents to recycle non-foil wrapping paper, cardboard and glass and aluminum. The city has two free recycling dropoff points, one at the public works building on 4th Avenue and one behind South-Park Mall near Harold's Landing. The decision to not modify collection was made for safety reasons, House said. escalating violence in Baghdad and elsewhere. Flanked by Casey and Gen.

Peter Pace, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gates said he has asked Casey to confer with Iraqi military leaders and the prime minister to make specific recommendations on how to improve the security situation. "Clearly success will only be achieved by a joint effort with Iraqis taking the lead," he said. Gates has said he did not talk about specific numbers of U.S. troops with the Iraqi officials. During his meetings here, Gates assured the Iraqis of "the steadfastness of American support." Gates said he discussed with the Iraqis how their government could reverse the deteriorating security problem.

CORRECTION A criminal dispositions item published Tuesday in A Matter of Record listed incorrectly the sentence that Patricks. Wilcox received after pleading guilty to second-degree theft. He was sentenced to five years in prison and the sentence was suspended. SERVICES Continued from Page Al Christmas Day on Sunday and Monday. The bulk of the Christmas celebrants are expected to attend church Sunday rather than on Monday "In recent times, Christmas Day is not the main day for church services," said William Swantos, a religion sociologist from Galva, 111.

On the other hand, Roman Catholics and Episcopalians are among the faiths directed by church discipline to hold Advent services in addition to Christmas Eve and Christmas Day ceremonies. GARBAGE Continued from Page Al bags placed outside a bin have required a $4 sticker to be picked up since the city automated refuse collection in July residents will be allowed an unlimited amount of free bags, provided they follow some rules. The program will run two weeks, from Dec. 26 to Jan. 6.

Public Works Director Dee Bruemmer said residents need to use 33 gallon bags. If only one extra bag is used, she asks that it be placed on top of the bin so it can still be picked up with the automated arm. Additional bags must be at least four feet away from the cart, she added. She expects to double the 9-person crews, utilizing snow plow drivers and a couple temporary day laborers. "We're going to need additional personnel, and it doesn't appear it's going to snow that week, so we're going to line up employees from other divisions within public works," she said.

The money to pay for the additional labor will come from the city's solid waste fund. GATES Continued from Page Al done," Gates said. "But I do expect to give a report to the president on what I've learned and my perceptions." Speaking to reporters at Camp Victory, with the sounds of artillery fire and jet aircraft in the background, Gates said that "clearly there are more discussions that need to take place in Washington and more specific recommendations." He said Gen. George Casey, the top U.S. commander in Iraq, was continuing to work with Iraqi officials, with more details expected in the days ahead.

Gates said he is "quite confident that what I've heard from the Iraqis of their plans this week, that we will be able together, and with them in the lead, we will be able to make an improvement in the security situation in Baghdad." Gates also said that he does not believe there is a large split among Iraqi leaders about whether there should be an increase in U.S. troops. The issue, he said, is how the Iraqis assert their own leadership in taking charge of their own fate. The new defense chief, who ASK THE TIMES Ask the Times appears on Mondays and Thursdays. You can call (563) 333-2632, e-mail askqctimes.com, or write Ask The Times, Quad-City Times, 500 E.

3rd Davenport, IA 52801 "I don't know yet what it's going to cost, but we will keep full documentation and give it to the council," she said. "I think they were in a cheery mood for the holiday." Since Bettendorf automated in 2004, it has allowed residents to place two free bags alongside their regular carts for the pick up week after Christmas. The city will send out its rear-loaded, bulky waste truck to accompany the regular garbage trucks, said deputy public works director Michelle Javornik. "If people have one bag, we ask them to place it on top of the was sworn in on Monday, traveled to Iraq with a mandate to scope out a new war strategy, as the Bush administration continues to search for a way to bring the violence in the embattled country under control. To that end, Gates shuttled back and forth across Baghdad over the last three days meeting with his military commanders and Iraqi government officials, and gathering input from U.S.

troops. On Iran, Gates told reporters there has been an increase in Naval forces in the Persian Gulf. But he denied that it was a direct reaction to any movements by Iran to pursue a nuclear program. Instead, Gates said, the message to the Gulf countries is that the United States is going to be an enduring presence in the region. "We've been here for a long time and we will be here for a longtime," he said.

Gates' visit comes as Bush is reassessing U.S. policy in the war, which is widely opposed by the American public after 3' years of bloodshed. Among the president's options is whether to quickly add thousands of U.S. troops to the 140,000 already in Iraq, in hopes of staunching the LOTTERY Illinois Lottery Pick Three Midday: 2-7-5 Pick Three Evening: 6-0-3 Pick Four Midday: 8-5-6-0 Pick Four Evening: 9-2-8-5 Fri. Little Lotto: 7-20-21-26-27 Wed.

Lotto: 9-14-23-32-49-50 Jackpot: $7.75 million Mega Millions Fri. drawing: 5-12-15-25-34 Mega Ball: 43 Jackpot: $50 million limes Vol. 151, No. 69 The Quad-City Times. (USPS 804-120).

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