Show t r ii n aft K fc' Hlw-- tS '' fior two local residents the hoUays are the time of year to (Msplaythet unique collections of Christmas Items See Cache MtWklhtgmwIh ’J t ' l(3imigswytow ' ep&tifmn on V unborn i Q Fighting continues in Romania - BUCHAREST Romania (UF1) Depoced dictator Nicolae Cemisescu has been arrested by rebel army units and will be put an trial Romanian television reported Saturday as prodemocracy forces and Cesusescu loyalists fought fierce battles in Bucharest and otherdties ' Heavy fighting was reported around the presidential palace in die capital Saturday evening Hungarian Defense Ministry spokesman Gyorgy Kelety told Hungarian television that die army movement had supporting the defeated Ceausescu loyalists in the area The situation in die Romanian capital appeared to have stabilised following die battle and Kelety told Hungarian television “Bucharest is quiet now” A truck loaded with corpses rumbled down a downtown street leaving behind a trail of Mood as a reminder of die day’s violence As Romania slipped into virtual civil war Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev warned that Moscow and other Warsaw Pact countries would come to die aid of the Romanian movement and army in their fight with die better-trainand often betteroquipped jiroCeausescu secret police forces Hungarian television reported however that an emergency meeting of die alliance — set for Sunday — had been called off because die situation in Bucharest had stabilised with forces in control There was no accurate total for the number of dead and wounded throughout Romania but unofficial wtfhnntw pul dig iwwnhwr itwiuiA Sources at die National Salvation fonurriM which has taken over following fee ouster of pro-refor- a ° o O © O D o ° s' £4 ' '1 ' J - ' if ?? 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JIV ' A" O ° o o O n O fw4 sA " o n r ' f magazine o G t o°£ 0 m ed f MranEwnaaBjaiiu JA nUUwC UT 1101115 ° SeeftOMAlfiAonpafe2 1 Leo Geddas stands in front of Ns Preston home and the thousands of Christmas Rghts that adorn it each holiday season Geddes said it costs about $500 Just for the electricity to run thej1"'' and the animated displays See page more detailed story " V: rep ort s pr ogr e ss reinforcements fly in PANAMA (UP1) — A CTTY Panama US miUtary com- mander reported “significant progress” m ending resistance and restoring order in Panama City Saturday despite continued dashes wife irregular troops belonging to die Dignity Battalions of fugitive Gen Manuel Antonio Noriega The government of US installed President -- Guillermo Endara began to assert its authority Saturday creating a new lOfMnember security force to patrol fee capital alongside American soldiers in an attempt to end several days of anarchy and looting Gen Maxwell Thurman commander of fee US Southern Command said at an afternoon briefing that members of die Panamanian Defense Forces increasingly were laying down their arms Bndara’s government negotiated the surrender of PDF troops in fee provincial capitals people are waiting for our arrival of David Santiago CMpre and and we’ve noticed that people in Bocas del Toro a European the barrios and streets and neighborhoods are beginning to diplomat said “I1 would suggest to you that dean up debris” the laying down of arms begins Despite Thurman’s upbeat to tell you that we’re making briefing there were reports of significant progress” Thurman new fighting as Dignity Battalion said “I think the Panamanian members loyal to Noriega harassed US troops wife small aims and mortar fire forces launched an unattack successful against fee home of US Ambassador Arthur Davis Marine chief warrant officer Pro-Norie- ga pre-da- f See PANAMA - an page 2 Local ‘elves’ help Santa ByJimVaJcarce staff writer Northern Utah got a holiday surprise when the “flu season” arrived about a month early this year That’s fee condurion of the Bear River Health Department after monitoring public achool absenteeism dUgnoMi University and Student influenza Health See FLU on page 2 Several hundred Cache Valley children sent mail to this year Most got replies thanks to fee Santa efforts of warmhearted locals who appointed themselves as “Santa’s hetyers” According to Logan Postmaster Kim Taylor each letter wife a local return address sent to Santa has been answered with a personal response “Christmas elves” all More than 15 associated in same way wife local post offices have been accepting mail for Santa in Logan and outlying valley communities The volunteers have been busy compiling and carrying out what some said were “Santa’s orders” In Logan fee bulk of fee letters to Santa have gone to a woman who spoke to The' Herald Journal only on mndirifw feat her name not be revealed She has more than ISO pieces stacked by her word processor in a “secret” room in her house “My Job is to compile the mail make sum each piece has a return address send fee mail to Santa and then wait for an answer” she said wife some Juxtaposition of tongue and cheek “I’m in contact wife Santa at all times during the year” While serving as a local secretary for Santa Claus this Valley elf has personally typed each response from fee “head office” at fee North Foie “In each letter Santa gives fee kids a personal message and then tells each one to try and do something nice for someone else during the holiday” she said adding feat “Santa never makes promises V The Logan elf had replied to about 150 letters by Christmas Eve Thursday and was still hard at work self-proclaim- ed Christmas elves ’ all associated in some way with local post offices have been accepting mail for Santa in Logan and outlying valley communities ed at fee Utah State Service a local nursing home and at selected physicians offices Bear River started weekly monitoring Nov 1 according to Dr John Bailey Bear River District Health Department director wife analysts seeking “the dinical diagnosis of flu’ Symptoms of fee conditions include sudden and severe onset of fever chills headache muscle pain andbr cough Bailey said department officials fust noticed signs of flu in fee area when school absenteeism Jumped by double or more during die week of Dec 11 Then officials received feedback from a local nursing home and USU Student Health Services feat flu diagnoses at those facilities also increased He said the most precise measure — reports from physicians offices — had not increased above normal reports as of Dec IS but he said he anticipated those numbers to jump in next week’s report Baity said two strains of influenza have been found in the Bear River District as of Friday More than 15 1 MIMfermfereHeWni One of Santa's elves lends a helping hand approached Other volunteers were performing similar duties replying to as many as 25 letters coming into each post office in Clarkston Hyde Park Hyrum Mendon Millville Newton Paradise Providence Richmond Southfield Trenton and Wellsville Although she said there’s been a slight decline in the number of letters sent to Santa Claus this year more letters than ever show that youngsters are thinking of others during this holiday season she said “Some of fee letters are real describing a letter recently received asking only for help for the child’s father “But then we also receive the scroll asking for a ton of presents typical and some unusual requests — last year one kid asked for a chain saw” The Cache Valley elf has received letters from as far away as Illinois No doubt they came from a kids who moved from fee valley but liked Logan’s link to fee North Pole she said Some youngsters asked about Santa's reindeer this year tear-jerker- s” four-foot-lo- ng u See ELVES on page 2 Holiday season can be a stressful time for some people By Lynnette Harris staff writer Christmas is a season of goodwill Joy and celebration but getting through the hoUdays can still be a daily emotional struggle for many people The season brines wife it a lot of expectations — dreams of giving or receiving the “perfect” gift creating a culinary masterpiece for Christmas dinner having holiday shopping done weeks before Dec 25 being fee hit of every seasonal party “We often expect too much from the holidays” said Grant Hyer a social intense feelings of unworthiness guilt and pain at Christmas” Greene said “And worker at LDS Hospital in Salt Lake City people who are estranged from their “Then afterwards when we compare our families can feel especially guilty or sad expectations wife what actually happened during the holidays” Greene added that he tries to help his there can be a pretty big gap That leads to and frustration congregation by including advice for fee anger” disappointment to tend also reelings intensity holidays during church services luxidays “I mink there is a feeling here too that of loneliness loss and being separated we don't discuss problems wife people from family or friends The Rev Kenn Greene vicar of St outside our families” Greene said “So John’s Episcopal Church said he sees people may think if they feel angry or many people seeking council and advice at depressed feat they shouldn't discuss it Christmas “A lot of people feel very or that they should Just try to work things out by themselves” Other events that can also make die holidays difficult to bear are the death of a loved one or serious illness in a family Kim Passaro a muring supervisor who deals with grief support at Hospice of Cache Valley said the season stirs up many memories of Christmases past that survivors cannot separate from departed loved ones who shared diem Passaro said the tendency is for people not to talk about the pain they feel or about L See STRESS on page 2 |