WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2008
“We need a miracle over the next couple of days.”
Charities struggle
to fill holiday needs
BY FRED MANN
The Wichita Eagle
H
oliday charity programs
in Wichita are in dire
shape.
Organizers expected
problems because of the
economic downturn, but
even they are shocked.
“It’s probably the most difficult
situation we’ve been in since I’ve
worked here,” said Tim Brown,
Salvation Army development
director, who has been with the
organization for nine years.
“We need a miracle over the
next couple of days,” said the Rev.
Sam Muyskens, executive director
of Inter-Faith Ministries, which
runs Operation Holiday.
Some of the programs begin dis-
tributing items this week, but
organizers aren’t sure they can
meet record requests.
Operation Holiday is in danger
of failing to meet its cash goal for
only the second time in its 48-year
history, Muyskens said.
With deliveries due to start
Thursday, it may have to ration
food, he said.
Operation Holiday needs
Please see CHARITIES, Page 5A
Eva Murphy sorts clothing Tuesday at Inter-Faith Ministries. Operation
Holiday, which Inter-Faith runs, may have to ration food this year.
KANSAS.COM Find out what donations are on the wish lists of Wichita-area nonprofits this holiday season by using the
Eagle’s searchable database, which includes more than 1,000 requested items, at Kansas.com/wishlist.
SEN. ROBERTS MAKES REQUEST OF COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF
President Bush agrees Drivers, snow face off; drivers lose
to meet Alex’s family
BY ROY WENZL
The Wichita Eagle
June 15, 2007
On Air Force One, after it took off from
Andrews Air Force Base,
Kansas Sen. Pat Roberts
could see that the presi-
dent of the United States
was ill.
Some sort of inner ear
thing he picked up in
Europe, President Bush
told Roberts.
The plane banked
southwest, toward
Kansas. Bush had walked
to the middle cabin to say
hello; the two men had
been friends for years,
PART FOUR
and allies in the bitter
debates over the war,
OF SEVEN
which on this day had
lasted four years and cost more than 3,000
American dead.
Please see ALEX, Page 3A
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50 CENTS
MIDTOWN REDEVELOPMENT PROJECT
Developer’s
Sam Muyskens of Inter-Faith Ministries
past woes
delay vote
BY BRENT D. WISTROM
AND DION LEFLER
The Wichita Eagle
investigate,” said council mem-
ber Sharon Fearey. But, she
added, “this is still a good
development.”
Wichita City Council mem- The Renaissance Square pro-
bers delayed a vote Tuesday on ject, in Wichita’s Midtown
a redevelopment project in neighborhood, involves using
central Wichita after reading $11æmillion in public funds to
an Eagle report that the busi- buy property and demolish
nessman who negotiated the aging homes and businesses
deal has been sued at least 35 to make way for new office
times in seven years and owes buildings, houses, apartments,
back taxes.
“I think we just need to Please see DEVELOPER, Page 3A
CONSPIRACY, BRIBERY AMONG CHARGES
Photos by Mike Hutmacher/The Wichita Eagle Associated Press
Volunteer Don Tener sorts groceries Tuesday for Inter-Faith Ministries’ Operation Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich was arrested Tuesday, accused
Holiday. Donations for such programs are down, organizers say. of conspiring to sell or trade President-elect Barack Obama’s
vacant Senate seat, among other charges.
TO DONATE
„ Catholic Charities of Wichita: Needs
toys, hats, blankets, peanut butter, pasta,
cereal. Call 316-264-8344 or visit
Ill. governor,
www.catholiccharitieswichita.org.
„ Operation Holiday: Needs food, money.
Call Inter-Faith Ministries, 316-264-9303, or
chief of staff
are arrested
take donations to its distribution site, 5025 E.
Kellogg, and other locations listed at
www.ifmnet.org.
„ Salvation Army: Needs money, clothing,
food. Call 316-263-ARMY (2769) or visit BY CARRIE JOHNSON coarse language and blunt
www.ringbells.org. Washington Post threats that the FBI recorded
with telephone wiretaps and
„ Share the Season: Needs money. Call WASHINGTON — Federal listening devices planted in his
316-263-ARMY (2769), or the Wichita prosecutors charged Illinois campaign office, the
Community Foundation, 316-264-4880. Or Gov. Rod Blagojevich on Democratic governor laid bare
visit sharetheseason.org or wichitacf.org. Tuesday with engaging in a a “pay-for-play” culture that,
series of illegal schemes intend- according to prosecutors,
ed to enrich himself, including began shortly after he took
an attempt to sell the Senate office in 2002 and continued
seat recently vacated by until before sunrise Tuesday,
President-elect Barack Obama.
In conversations riddled with Please see GOVERNOR, Page 9A
‘LEARNING CURVE’ SNOWSTORM HITS WICHITA AREA
BY STAN FINGER
The Wichita Eagle
Wichita’s first measurable snowfall of winter
triggered dozens of accidents Tuesday, turning free-
AT KANSAS.COM/FORALEX ways and major thoroughfares into icy nightmares for
drivers.
„ Read earlier installments in the “All in all, Sedgwick
series. County is bad,” Kansas
Department of
KANSAS.COM:
„ Read and sign Alex Funcheon’s
memorial guest book. Transportation „ View a gallery of photos
„ Watch video interviews with his spokesman Tom Hein taken during Tuesday’s snow-
parents, Bob and Karen Funcheon. said Tuesday afternoon. fall.
„ Read e-mails Alex Funcheon “For some reason, I-235 „ Watch a video of
exchanged with his parents during has really caught it from Wichitans weathering the
his overseas tour. this storm.” first major snow of the sea-
„ View family photos and images Less than 1½ inches son.
from Alex Funcheon’s platoon in Iraq. fell on the city, forecast- „ Read Stan Finger’s blog,
„ Read journal entries written by ers said, but strong, Finger on the Weather, at
Gloria Funcheon, Alex’s sister. steady north winds http://blogs.kansas.com
„ Learn the story behind the series reduced visibility /weather/.
with Roy Wenzl. and glazed roads with „ Sign up for weather
„ Watch a YouTube clip of Alex ice. advisories at
practicing his German language Multi-car pileups www.kansas.com/weather.
skills. were common around
the city and county, and
INSIDE numerous cars skidded off exit or entrance ramps.
“Oh, man, what a mess,” Hein said of the storm.
The Pentagon inspector general says “It’d be nice if people would slow down in this, but
that the military knew years before Mike Hutmacher/The Wichita Eagle this is the ‘learning curve’ storm.
the Iraq war that mines and home- Pedestrians endure snow driven by high winds “We’re out in full force, but the wind’s blowing it
made bombs would be a serious Tuesday as the season’s first winter storm left
threat. 8A about 1½ inches of snow in Wichita. Please see SNOW, Page 6A
Local & State
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