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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (April 8, 1981)
Wednesday, april 8, 1981 lincoln, nebraska vol. 106, no. 57 Lincoln voters drive over the radial proposition The proposed Northeast Radial died at the hands of Lancaster county voters, while city council incumbent Joe Hampton held a first place position throughout Tuesday's primary elections. The top six vote-getters who will appear on the May ballot are Hampton with 14,491 votes; Louis Shackelford with 13,054 votes; William Danley with 11,325 votes; Keith Scarborough, 8,410 votes; Dorothy Oldfield with 7,563 votes; and Kenneth Miller, with 7,0 votes. Final voter turnout was 31 percent of Lincoln's regis tered voters, f-laine Usher, Lancaster county election commissioner, earlier predicted tin ly 26 percent of those registered would vote. The Northeat Radial went down with a 60 to 40 per cent margin. The proposed roadway received 17,395 "against" votes to 1 1 .529 "for" votes. A radial proponent, Willard Woodside, said he was disappointed but not surprised with the radial defeat. "I'm not very happy about it, but I've seen the hand writing on the wall," said Woodside, president of the Lincoln Citizens Association. He said Mayor Helen Boos alis and the opponents to the radial "didn't face up to the facts and distorted what we know is possible." An exuberant Mayor Boosalis entered the Glass Onion admidst cheers from anti-radial supporters. "It (the defeat of the radial proposal) shows that the voters have a greater grasp of what the present and future holds than a lot of people give them credit for," she said. When told that radial supporter Woodside said she and opponents had distorted the facts, she replied, "I would like him to tell me what facts were distorted by me. I don't deal in anything but the facts." Top vote-getter Hampton said the issue of the North east Radial was "grossly distorted." He said northeast Lincoln could be hurt because of its lack of a major thoroughfare. Hampton said he thought he had a chance of finishing first, but his support of the radial, which was soundly rejected by the voters, could have cost him votes. He also said he felt his direct style of communication could turn some against him. "If I lake a position I speak out forcefully and don't beat around the bush," Hampton said. He commented that the city "can't afford to experi ment with government anymore," and that he under stands the plight of the workingman. Lou Shackelford, who won second place in the City Council race said, "I was extremely pleased. I think it was based upon two things. First, my experience from the Planning Commission and as a senior citizen. And second, a sirong effort by volunteers. "I feel pretty good," said Bill Danley. who finished third. "We came a long ways with an unknown name." "I'll run a positive campaign. I won't run a mud- slinging campaign." Danley said people voted for him because he backs the opinion that Lincoln must move ahead. He is concerned because Lincoln is not getting the number of industries it once did. Keith Scarborough, at a party at the Lincoln Hilton, said he was very pleased to be running in fourth place. "The fact that I've done a lot of personal door-to-door campaigning had made the difference," he said. Scarborough said he fell he had gotten good support from neighborhood groups. Scarborough said he was surprised by the radial margin. "It's strange that it's losing, but its main supporters arc winning." lie said. "Joe Hampton has been there for four years and has done nothing which would indicate he wants to redevelop the area. People can legitimately have doubts that he will change his stance now." Dorothy Oldfield. who took fifth place in the City Council race said. "I'm a little disappointed that I didn't finish as high as fourth. I think that the populace that I directed my campaign at, the average working man and the elderly, possibly didn't vote. Ken Miller, who was running in sixth place, said he was glad to be past the primary stage because he had filed his candidacy late and didn't even have any organized support a month ago. Residents' water concerns influence mining issue By Diane Andersen and Reid Warren Editor's Note: This is the last in a three-part series of stories on the proposed uranium mining in northwest Nebraska. Daily Nebraskan reporters visited the area in mid-March to gather this information. The town needs money. There's not much besides a little railroad " work, folks agree, to keep it moving. Many of the approximately 1,200 people who lived in Crawford are retired. And they have the highest mil levy in Nebraska, they all will be sure to tell you. For more stories on the reactions of people from the Crawford area to the uranium find, see pages 6 and 7. Net Crawford is worried because the surrounding countryside makes it painfully obvious how dry it is around these parts parched grasses, dried flowers, tum ble weeds and a few fields dusted with a green sprinkling of just-sprouting wheat. Crawford's water conies from surface sources, chiefly from the White River. It is, according to the townspeople, sometimes brownish and a little smelly. But the fear of contaminating untapped supplies of groundwater if uran ium mining in the area becomes a large-scale reality is the fear expressed by many of them, mixed with hopes for a boost in the area's economy that such mining might bring. The people in Crawford, and those who own the land near Crow Butte that has been leased to Wyoming Fuel Co. and Amoco Minerals Co., are excited at the pros pect of money pouring into northwest Nebraska, but ' i A , , " ' ' " Photo by Reid Warren Hie town of Crawford, population 1 200, hardly bustles on a calm spring Saturday afternoon. Group approves center resolution The UNI Central Planning Committee has passed a resolution supporting the proposed recreation center. The resolution, which recommends that Interim Chancellor Robert Rut ford endorse the center, gives the recreation department approval to prepare a program statement. The statement would identify an approximate site for the center, the justification for it, the needs of the users, budget costs, and a schedule of when the building could be completed, said Ray Coffey, committee secretary. The resolution slates that the committee recog nies the need for an adequate indoor recreation ccntci tor students, faculty and staff. an appropriate site must be identified; the financing of the center must not use state-appropriated funds; and funds in addition to existing resources must be identified for the operation and maintenance of the center. After completion of the statement, it must be approved by the committee, Rutford and the NU Board of Regents. After final approval, ar. aiJii tic' for the project can be chosen, Coffey said. concerned about water shortages and contamination. Meanwhile, test drilling goes on and legal battles are being organied in what the Crawford residents consider faraway places like Lincoln. Economic boon The woman who runs one of three gas stations in Crawford is looking for an economic boon to her com munity. "I feel like that danger (to water) is something we can't control," she said, wishing to remain anonymous. "Most of the people are retired and don't give a damn about anything," she said of the town she has lived in most of her life. The woman said about 30 Crawford families work on the railroad, but that most of the town's young people leave for better job opportunities in cities. Her five children have done just that, the woman said as she shook her head sadly. lid Petersen, mayor of Crawford and owner of Lid's Body Shop, said, "My main concern is our water problem because we really don't have any (water)." Seeking legal advice Petersen said the town is seeking legal advice to find out whether the fuel companies have the right to drill in side the town. "A little town like we arc doesn't have a chance against these big companies," he said. "We're not trying to stop them; we just want to control it," Petersen said. One tear is that land leased for drilling upstream from the eastern part of the state. Petersen expressed River, wlu'ch is fed from underground springs, Petersen said. Crawford also has received a $453,000 grant from the Department of Housing and Urban Development to improve its water treatment plant. "We don't want to spend a million dollars and then come up with contaminated water," Petersen said. "Everybody that lives here knows about our water problems," Petersen said. "What good is the money going to do us if we can't get water?" Being so far from Lincoln has hindered the town's efforts to draw attention to mining concerns, he said, but there has been more contact lately from officials from the eastern part of the state. Petersen expressed optimism because state officials have promised him that test wells will be monitored for contamination. A local uranium task force has been formed to study the problems and to look for solutions, Petersen said. But ominous things have happened, he added, Like a com pany staking out parts of the town for mineral claims. Townspeople pulled up those stakes, he said. Continued on Page 6 IbM; Wednesday Myths about Women: A psychologist says that stereotyp ic views of women still must be conquered .... 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