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By SHANNON SOLLINGER
Times Newspapers Staff Writer
Santa Claus dropped in on the Times Community Newspapers Editorial Board meeting Thursday and ran into a barrage of questions about his operations.
Nonetheless, Claus distributed candy canes to the senior editors of the group, including publisher Arthur W. Arundel, while pointing out that the candy wasn't offered till after he had submitted, voluntarily, to the intense grilling. There could be no question, said Claus, of his • "buying off' the press with the candy.
Times editors showed no hesitancy in asking Claus about details of his activities. The questions and answers follow:
Marcia McAllister (managing editor, Fairfax): Do you have clearance to land at Dulles Airport? Has obtaining clearance ever been a problem? Do you expect to have enough Elmo dolls?
Santa Claus: This is no a regional issue and clearance has never been a problem. We don't need to land at Dulles in any case. As far the Elmo supply goes, we expect to have plenty. The whole Elmo issue has been overblown.
Ramona Fortanbary (associate editor, Fairfax): Are you able to fly over the White House?
Claus: There are special exceptions, but usually we land on the Old Executive Building and go underground through the tunnel from there.
McAllister: The metropolitan Washington region is considered a serious non-attainment area for air pollution. Can you tell us, does your sleigh cause air pollution? What steps are you taking to prevent pollution?
Claus: Air pollution has really been a non-issue. The sleigh and the reindeer are very environmentally friendly, and we send a clean up team around the next day to pick up some particulate material on the ground. That goes back to the North Pole and we recycle.
McAllister: Would the proposed Western Bypass make it easier for you to reach the children of Northern Virginia?
Claus: We re mostly air mobile, so we really don't have any problem with ground transportation issues. The elves have some problems in the summer, when they're checking lists and keeping tabs on behavior. We would always encourage inter-state transportation and cooperation.
Arthur W. Arundel (publisher): On the subject of animal rights, can you assure us that the reindeer are well treated?
See Santa, Page A-2
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