thursday, february 8, 1979
daily nebraskan
page 7
Petition drive initiated to permit Sunday liquor sale
By Tom Prentiss
The notion that Sunday drinking in Lincoln is an im
possibility may change if enough Lincoln citizens sign a
petition to place the question on the May 1 ballot.
The petition drive is spearheaded by Jim Ritzman, an
advertising executive and chairman of the Chamber of
Commerce's convention and tourism committee.
Judy McDowell, convention director for the Chamber
of Commerce, said Ritzman also is the only member of a
committee called "Progressive Lincoln."
To place the question on the ballot, McDowell said,
five percent of the city's registered voters must sign the
petition. She said they are being circulated in the city to
businesses and interested parties.
Over 4,000 names needed
"We have to come up with 4,196 signatures, 1 think,
but of course we're shooting for a lot more," McDowell
said. News of the petition is circulating through word of
mouth.
McDowell said it is an important issue for people who
just want to get a drink on Sunday, but is of major im
portance for the convention industry.
Last year, she said, over $25 million was spent on con
ventions in Lincoln. Lincoln has had a hard time drawing
conventions because many businesses are closed on Sun.
day, she said. Sunday is the starting day for most regional
and national conventions.
"Lincoln has a very cosmopolitan image and many
people see it as a progressive image," said McDowell.
If enough citizens sign the petitions, the Lincoln City
Council will have 30 days to enact the measure or place it
on the ballot.
All-day sales
If approved, it would allow beer and wine to be sold
(on- and off-sale) from 6 a.m. to 12 p.m. and would allow
the sale of on-sale liquor from 6 p.m. to 12 p.m. on
Sundays.
McDowell said she realizes that there are many people
who think the sale of liquor on Sunday is a bad idea. But,
she said, those people should respect the right of those
who would like to be able to have a drink.
She said it is a matter of individual choice and it makes
sense to have liquor available on Sunday, when "people
can go just outside of town and get it, if they want."
McDowell said it is a good idea to place the idea before
the voters because Lincoln citizens have not addressed a
drinking referendum of any kind since 1966. She said in
1966 Lincoln chose to allow liquor by the drink. All that
was available before that was private clubs.
Turnout hinges on races
She said turnout may depend on how heated the
mayor's race becomes and the seats up for election in the
city council.
Last year, the city council voted to approve a proposal
that would have allowed restaurants to serve alcohol, if it
Jelly Belly jumps into mayoral race
By David Ostdiek
With four dollars in his campaign fund and no party to
back him yet, a former bus driver who calls himself Jelly
Belly has declared he will run for mayor of Lincoln.
Jelly Belly is Barton E. Chandler, 41, who announced
his candidacy Saturday after he was fired by the Lincoln
Transportation System.
After getting no response from other parties, he said he
went to the governor's office to seek the backing of the
Republican party .
Kay Orr, executive assistant to Gov. Charles Thone,
said she had not talked to Chandler yet, although he
had dropped by the office. She said, however, that the
governor's office won't endorse any candidate.
Carol Walker, Lancaster County Chairman of the Re
publican Party, said her organization has a campaign com
mittee that assists republicans running for office in the
county.
She said the committee provides help in the form of an
encouragement committee and a "how-to" manual, but
will not formally endorse a candidate except by vote of
the Central Committee, and then only if there are no
other Republicans running in the primary.
Conditions for assistance include party membership
for a year. Such a case hasn't come up in the committee's
two-year history , Walker said .
Union activity
Chandler said he has never been active in political
parties, but has been active in unions.
In a press release, Chandler said he thinks individuals
should choose whether or not to have an abortion. He also
thinks family members should decide whether to put
senior citizens in a home and he favors development of
gasohol to lower U.S. dependence on foreign oil sources.
About the proposed change in zoning regulations, he
said he would "study the proposal and have something to
say about it later."
His experience as a laborer qualifies him for the office,
Chandler said.
"In my jobs, I can understand what the working man
wants in service from Lincoln," he said. "The people
we have (in office) don't really understand what the work
ing man goes through. "It's a service-oriented government,
he said, and "the departments have to work together."
Recent decision
Chandler, of 2856 Garfield St., said he decided to run
for mayor about 10 days ago. He said the large turnover in
city personnel convinced him that "there must be defects
in the supervisory field."
Before working for LTS, Chandler said, he had worked
for the Lincoln Sanitary Sewer System for about two
years. When he was fired by LTS, Chandler said, he was
told that a number of people had told LTS they would
not ride in his bus anymore. Chandler said he was also
asked if he had campaigned on the job. He hadn't, he said,
but he did hand out some cards Friday evening that said
"Vote for J.B. (Jelly Belly)."
Mail-order shoes
Chandler said he is now selling shoes for a mail-order
firm and looking for another job. He plans to contest
his firing.
Of 100 signatures necessary to put his name on the
ballot for the April 3 primary, Chandler said he has six so
far. The deadline for getting the signatures and paying a
$10 fee is March 14. So far, three candidates-Martin J.
Kushner, Ray Little, and Alan M. Hansen -have filed and
several others, including incumbent Helen Boosalis, have
announced their candidacy.
Chandler estimated that he had a two percent chance
of getting elected, compared with 30 percent for Mayor
Boosalis. His support, he said, should come from students,
laborers and retired people.
CAREY BELL
the Bob Reidy
Chicago Blues Show
featuring
Carey Bell and Sam Lay
Thurs.-Sat. Feb. 8-10
Reidy's group provides excellent back-up for
Chicago Blues stars Carey Bell and Sam Lay.
This is one of the most versatile and pro
fessional blues shows in the Chicago area.
Try'em, you'll like'em. (Also try their albums
on Rounder. Flying Fish. Blueswav. and
Blue Thumb.)
33.00 Entertainment Charge
Show starts at 9 pm
Pj136 IM. 14th
could show that at least 60 percent of its gross revenue
was from food sales.
Mayor Helen Boosalis vetoed the proposal on the basis
it was discriminatory. The council failed to override her
veto.
Local bar and liquor store owners had mixed feelings
about the proposal.
Rob Cole, owner of Horsefeather's and the Water Hole,
said he supports the idea. He said it would help business
some but wouldn't make any drastic changes.
Sunday prohibition 'ridiculous'
"It's ridiculous that you can't go out to eat on Sun
day and enjoy a cocktail with your meal," Cole said. He
added that it definitely would help the convention
business in Lincoln.
He said he won't be able to spend much time on it,
because he is fighting the proposal to raise the drinking
age to 21. If it is placed on the ballot, Cole predicts it
will be a close vote.
Herm Strackbein, owner of Herm's Liquor Store, 1644
P St., said he is favor of the proposal for eating establish
ments but not for off -sale stores.
"I think six days a week and 17 hours a day are
enough," said Strackbein. "I don't think we need the
extra day."
Tom Schaefer, manager of N Street Drive In, agreed
with Strackbein's comments.
"If it passed, I'm sure we'd open up," he said, "but I'm
not in favor of it for off -sale stores."
Cross
ri is counting
H Hon you.
Wilfer Pa im
Nebraska's QUALITY Department Stores
Olympus Camera
Demonstration
Gateway
Friday, Feb. 9, 4 to 9 P.M.
Lincoln Center
Sat . Feb. 1 0, 9:30 to 3:30
Charlotte Johnson, factory representa
tive, will demonstrate the OM System...
the most complete compact SLR in the
world!
AND...during our demonstration, there
will be a special price on the OM-1
chrome body with 50 mm 11.8 lens.
Normally priced, $310, during demo,
only $270. Plus....10 off any other
Olympus product, including the extra
ordinary OM-2.
Camera Store,
Lincoln Center and Gateway
