The Salina Journal from Salina, Kansas • Page 3

The Sallna Journal Monday, December 12,1988 Employers avoid being named 'Scrooge' By CAROL LICHTI Staff Writer Things have been good this year for D.E. Kempton, who runs Kempton's Chiropractic Clinic, 1027 Midway. He married in July, adding two children to his family, which now has four children. "It was a good year for me my family so I wanted to pass it around," Kempton said. "I to see people and I did not want to be visited by four ghosts." So he and his office staff decided to adopt a needy family to take care of this Christmas.

His office learned about the family with two girls and one boy from a patient. Patients are helping donate food, clothing and toys. Whether it's adopting a needy family or planning the company Christmas party, employers like Kempton and their employees have found various ways to avoid being called this Christmas season. Kempton said his office got the idea for a family from Salina dentist Harry fJett. Kathy Clark, the receptionist at Jett's i off ice, said the employees are buying clothing, 'food and turkey for a family they adopted.

'There is a box in the office for patients to donate items. "It's the first year, but we will now do it Clark said. Sherri Oilman, co-owner of Systems 4 420 N. Santa Fe, said adopting a family for the Christmas season was her idea. "I just took it upon myself," Oilman said.

"If 1 the guys didn't want to, I decided I would do it "It was a good year for me and my family so I wanted to pass it around. I hate to see people and I did not want to be visited by four ghosts." D.E. Kempton, chiropractor all myself." But the 16 employees at the plumbing, heating and sheet metal shop have given their support to the family. "Everyone here is fortunate and has a good job," she said. "If we can help in some way, we should.

Some people don't realize it, but Salina does have people who are Mark Boor, manager of Long John Silver's Seafood Shoppe, 1019 E. Crawford, said one of his employees wanted the restaurant to adopt a needy family from the Salvation Army. It's a project he hopes to continue annually, he said. Customers also can donate, he said. In Hays, about 60 children picked out presents at the Wal-Mart store Saturday.

Mark Kaseforth, store manager, said some employees voted this year to use money for a store Christmas party to buy toys for children instead of having the party. About $600 was spent for the children. This year was the third time employees opted for the children's project in the four years the store has been open. "Some kid's eyes really light up," Kaseforth said. Other Hays businesses, including McDon- ald's, Burger King and Arby's, served breakfast Saturday for the children.

At Philips Lighting 3861 S. Ninth, children of employees can come and see Santa Claus Saturday and Sunday afternoon and receive a present, said Joe Cinalli, plant manager. A holiday party between Christmas and New Year's, when the plant is partially shut down, is a way to show recognition for plant's more than 600 employees, Cinalli said. "People are the most important asset of any business, and it's important to show that recognition," he said. "It's important to let them know the company cares for them." For those who have to work, the company gives a free dinner on another evening.

Tony's Pizza Service, 3019 Scanlan, is sponsoring a blood mobile Dec. 22. "There is always such a demand for blood during the holiday season," said Nita Gregoire, communications administrator for the plant. More than 120 people have signed up to donate. The company's employees participate in food and toy collections for the needy and help sponsor the Angel Tree in the Central Mall.

The tree has angels with the age, sex and items the person wants or needs. Tony's employees have volunteered to help wrap packages. "We try all year-round to get our employees involved, but at Christmas there are more opportunities," she said. "We feel good about our employees. Whenever there's an event, there are always people wanting to help." Several businesses give employees gifts such as hams or turkeys or a gift certificate to a grocery store.

Cinalli said Philips Lighting employees receive turkeys. Tony's employees receive a Schwan ham. Employees of the KPL Gas Service receive a grocery store certificate. Many of those certificates are given to agencies that help the needy, said Pat Morgan, district manger of KPL. Bank IV is giving employees a certificate for stores at the Central Mall, said Ed Pogue, executive vice president of the bank.

The bank and many other businesses and companies have dinners, some of which include a dance, for their employees. The dinners often include the choice of alcohol, many employers said. Scott Bogart, director of the Central Kansas Foundation for Alcohol and Chemical Dependency, said many businesses allow employees the choice of buying their own alcohol. In the past, some of the businesses offered a free bar for employees. The employers "have to take a look at their own philosophy," Bogart said.

"If they have a strict policy statement about employees' use of alcohol on or off the job, they should be consistent with that." Probe of KPL safety under way By The Associated Press The National Transportation Safety Board has begun a wide- ranging investigation of KPL Gas Service, which includes the utility's efforts to control pipe corrosion, find leaks and respond to customer complaints. inquiry, prompted by two recent explosions and a gas fire in the Kansas City area, also will focus on wjiether Kansas and Missouri regulators have adequately monitored 5. KPL on those issues. natural gas explosions killed a rr J-year-old boy and injured nine other -rgeople. The safety board is in- yestigating the causes of those blasts a fire last week in which a car ignited leaking gas in a south Kansas iftlity neighborhood.

') The safety board probes gas pipe- t'Une accidents that result in death, injuries or extensive prop- $erty damage. Andersen, a spokesman tyor the safety board, said the KPL investigation began as agency in- raised safety questions went beyond the causes of those MI "It hasn't escaped us that KPL has Shad these three incidents since Sep- Andersen said. "That's pretty hard to overlook in this case." inquiry is being coordinated the safety board headquarters rih-Washington, rather than from its field office in Lenexa, she said. At three investigators were as- to the case. Andersen could say why the Washington office was directing the inquiry.

spokesman Hal Hudson said board investigators first met Hxtyith utility officials Wednesday to copies of company pro- and its operation and main- tejiance manual. KPL serves 1.1 million customers, -Deluding 470,000 residential cus- in Kansas and 355,000 in The agency can only issue rec- after such inquiries. Tom Dortvy Morgan Rockhold, 4, Smolan, talks with Santa at Santa Land in downtown Salina. Santa Land will be open weekends until Christmas. Santa Land thrives outside North Pole By WAYNE LAUGESEN Staff Writer Linda Staven, 3226 Canterbury, knows how to entertain a class of young baton twirlers.

"They love coming to Santa Land," Staven said. So on Saturday, she loaded up seven twirlers and took them to Santa Land, in the old Montgomery Wards building, 131 N. Santa Fe. It was the second trip to Santa-Land for the baton class. Wearing their uniforms, the girls performed a baton routine and then were turned loose to talk with Santa Claus, go on rides and look at a toy train display.

"It's a good place," said Janet Rock, 8, 805 Seneca. "I like the rides." Laura Beth Hyberger, 5065 N. Highway 81, also liked the rides. However, she was at Santa Land to conduct serious business in a meeting with Santa Claus. "I told him I want a talking Cabbage Patch Kid," Hyberger said.

Most children said they enjoyed the rides, but all said their favorite attraction at Santa Land was the miniature train display set up and operated by Mickey Nicholson, 1215 E. Beloit. Santa Land was started this year by the Christmas Promotions Committee of Salina Downtown Inc. "Our goal was to create excitement and show we have a great place to shop here," said Patty Wellborn, co-chairwoman of the committee. The committee began setting up Santa Land in August, and it opened Nov.

19. It's open every Saturday and Sunday until Christmas. Wellborn said Santa Land's first year has been a success. "We're already talking about doing it again next year," Wellborn said. "So many people have been helping and working together." For example, merchants have donated materials to decorate Santa Land and time to help oversee it, Wellborn said.

Judy Ewald, coordinator of Salina Downtown said about 50 businesses have contributed to the project. Wellborn said 300 to 400 people visit Santa Land each weekend. "We've registered between 400 and 500 households since opening day," she said. The main attraction, besides Santa and the trains, are three rides for small children. A company in Dodge City contracted for the service, which cost 50 cents a ride.

Two houses damaged by blaze in Concordia CONCORDIA A fire damaged two Concordia houses early Sunday when it spread from the house where it started to a neighboring house, and a firefighter was injured at the scene, the Cloud County sheriff reported. None of the occupants of the homes was injured in the blaze. The fire was reported shortly after 3 a.m. at a two-story residence at 332 E. Sixth.

The occupants of the home, Pamela Owen and Sharon Valeka, were renting the home from owner Harry Vanek, Concordia. 1 The fire at the home of Valeka and Owen spread to the residence at 336 E. Sixth, which is owned and occupied by Ovid Deneault. The fire at Deneault's residence caused severe damage to the roof and attic. A firefighter was injured during the fire when she was struck in the head by a female occupant of the house at 332 E.

Sixth. Carol Britt, Concordia, who's also an emergency medical technician, is in stable condition at St. Joseph Hospital, Concordia. According to the sheriff's report, Britt was attempting to assist law enforcement officers in restraining the female. The female became violent and allegedly struck Britt in the head.

Concordia Fire Chief Phillip Schlup is requesting assault and battery charges against the female because of Britt's injuries. The cause of the fire is being investigated. A dollar loss has not been estimated. Authorities believe a fire Dec. 3 at 332 E.

Sixth could be related to Sunday's fire. By Harris News Service ULYSSES City council members are looking for an angel, a sugar daddy, a philanthropist or some kind of a miracle. Since a month ago, the city has owned a historic hotel. Council members soon must decide what to do with it, knowing that any option they choose will take hard-to-get tax dollars. The three-story Ralsamore Hotel is the largest building in town.

Because it has occupied the "hotel corner" at Grant and Main in the heart of downtown for 58 years, sentiment looms as another factor. "Frankly," said Fern Bessire, Grant County historian and civic leader, "what we need is another Bob Wilson." The late Robert R. Wilson grew up in Grant County and became one of its most successful businessmen. When Ulysses civic leaders ran into a financial crunch in building the hotel, Wilson stepped in to save the project. As a result, the hotel was given his middle Wilson also made substantial donations to the hospital and library in Ulysses.

"If I won Lotto America, I'd take a couple of million and do a complete restoration, put the Ralsamore back just like it was in the beginning," mused Mayor Bill Rogers. "Well, I'd want you to do it with another color scheme," Bessire rejoined good-naturedly, referring to an old newspaper clipping that described "cream-colored walls, stenciled in red and green close to the' ceiling forty inches down from the ceiling is the striped border of light; and dark tan, intermingled with redl and green." Rogers said, "We're still hoping that someone has an ideal use for the building. I don't know of anybody who wants to maliciously tear it down. The economic practicality is what influenced the vote." The "vote" on the Ralsamore was in the form of a public opinion poll marked by Grant County voters at Larry Mathews SENIOR ASSOCIATE EDITOR Victim of prank had last laugh Even Santa Claus doesn't like to get caught with his pants down. But there he was early last week, sitting on a toilet in the front yard of Frances Stone, 2768 Bret.

Herewith the story of a practical joke that backfired on the jokester: Frances Town must decide fate of hotel Cuff stuff the general election in November. The option to tear down the building received 702 out of 1,186 of the votes 59 percent. The option to improve the building to marketable value was chosen by 21 percent and 16 percent marked the third option to mothball the structure. Four percent said "none of the above." Council members estimate the first choice would cost the second, $1 million; and the third, $50,000, plus annual maintenance of $1,000 a year. Any of the three would require a citywide bond issue.

City administrator Gary Burr knows the Ralsamore well. His office in city hall is across the street. He has the key, shows interested people through it and worries when the wind blows, rain falls and kids climb the fire escapes to watch parades. "The roof leaks at both ends and in the middle," he said. "The windows are relatively secure but every time the wind blows, we lose another window pane.

The pigeons have taken over the third floor." Stone, it seems, works with Frances Cormier at Southwestern Bell. Stone had spotted a toilet in Cormier's trash at 205 E. Ray and said that, since Cormier was always decorating things, she should do something artistic with the toilet. So Cormier made a life-size Santa Claus, sat it on the toilet and placed the entire work of art in Stone's front yard. Then she waited for some reaction.

Nothing. And to top it off, by the next day Santa and his throne were gone from Stone's yard. "I though she was mad, that she took it the wrong way," Cormier said. So she took the direct approach and asked Stone about it. Stone said she had seen Santa, but in a neighbor's yard, and didn't know Cormier had anything to do with it.

And Cormier could only assume Santa had since been stolen. Ah, well, the best-laid Then came Friday. Cormier arrived at work. And sitting on his gleaming throne right there in front of her desk was the missing Santa. Then the truth came out.

Stone actually had hid the Santa display in her garage, then made up the story about seeing him in a neighbor's yard before it disappeared. "She played the prank back on me," Cormier admitted. "Now, one person has nicknamed us the potty girls." The job applicant certainly made an impression the other day on the Salina Journal. The Journal, you see, only recently erected a nice wooden fence around its patio for the convenience of its employees taking lunch breaks. The enclosed area borders a parking lot.

The applicant planned to apply for a job in the Journal's circulation department. Trouble was, he circulated too far right through the fence when the brakes on his car failed. About a third of the fence went with him. At last word, the circulation department vacancy had yet to be filled. Herb Johnson of Courtland is a baseball fan.

And now, thanks to Herb, a bit of history is on display at the Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown, N. Y. Some 15 years ago, Herb purchased an old cash register at a store that had just closed in Kackley. Upon returning home, he discovered something lying face-down in the bottom of the cash drawer. It turned out to be a perfectly preserved advertising poster for the old Kansas City Monarchs, touting a game that the traveling Negro team was to play at the Concordia fairgrounds on Sept.

16,1928. And it also featured a new portable lighting system the team was using. Herb eventually had the poster framed for display in his office at the Swedish American State Bank. Then, earlier this year, Herb mentioned the poster to a friend, Buck O'Neil of Kansas City. O'Neil once was a Kansas City Monarch and still works as a scout for the Chicago Cubs.

He asked if he could show the poster to officials at the Hall of Fame. The poster was immediately accepted and acknowledged in a letter to Herb. As a result, Herb has a lifetime pass to baseball's Hall of Fame. "Jiggs" passes on this tidbit in the Western Times at Sharon Springs: The holiday weekend had arrived and the ticket counter at the airport was crowded by those who had waited until the last minute before purchasing their tickets. Among them was a minister who finally managed to get to the counter.

"I'm sorry this has taken so long," the clerk said. "It seems like everybody waits until the last minute to get ready for a trip they knew they were taking months ago." "I know what you mean," the minister responded. "I have the same problem in my business.".