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Thursday, October, 21, 1982
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
.Vol. 82, No. 45
Photo courtesy of San. Edward Zorinsky
Sen. Edward Zorinsky
Cases of abuse
uninvestigated
By Vicki Ruhga
uAt the end of September 1982, there wasa back-
log of 103 cases of child abuse or neglect that had
not been investigated by personnel of Child Pro-
tective Services.
Mike Johanns, a candidate for Lancaster County
Commissioner, said he believes that the Lancaster
County Board is responsible.
"It is a question of filling the two open posi
tions," Johannas said. "The entire funding struc
ture for that organization is figured by the board."
Johanns said he became aware of the problem
"through the grapevine." He said he heard of it
from an individual who had been talking with Child
Protective Services, and Johanns later called to
verify the statements.
"The funding problem of filling the two posi
tions should not have come up," he said. "A cer
tain amount of money is committed to that de
partment of local government and then allocated
to certain areas." ,
"The Lancaster County Board is basically res
ponsible for all county programs," Johanns said.
"I would change, the situation by making sure the
Child Protective Services was properly funded.
It would take a very insensitive person not to fund
it. I think most people would respond."
Judy Wong, the unit manager of Child Protec
tive Services, had no comment as to where the
fault of responsibility for the uninvestigated cases
lies. The estimate of 103 cases is accurate, she
said.
Jerry Lemonds, Lancaster County director of
welfare, said that the state welfare system super
vises the county welfare operation.
He estimated that 85 percent of the county
welfare operations budget comes from the state
Department of Public Welfare. Thus, the budget
drawn up by the County Board is based on how
much it gets from the department, he said.
In regard to the Child Protective Services pro
blem, Lemonds said that he went to the County
Board of Public Welfare and told them more staff
members were needed in Child Protective Services.
The County Board directed him to the State.
Welfare Office. The acting state director said Child
Protective Services could have the funds to hire
one supervisor, Lemonds said. However, the move
was stopped, when Gov. Charles Thone put a
hiring freeze on all government offices, he said. .
Lemonds and Wong said there had definitely
been an increase in child abuse and neglect refer
rals in recent months.
"It is difficult to tell whether the increase is
due to improved reporting or increased incidence,"
Wong said. "It may be due. to greater public aware
ness which makes people report cases."
Currently, Wong said, there is also great econo
mic stress on families, which sometimes results
in increased child abuse.
Zorinsky favors parity before freeze
By Eric Peterson
, Sen. Edward Zorinsky, Democratic incumbent for
U.S. Senate, said he opposes the nuclear arms freeze
proposal supported by Sens. Edward Kennedy and Mark
Hatfield and many grass-roots groups across the country.
Zorinsky said he favors instead the Warner-Jackson
resolution, which heaid aims at achieving parity between
Election '82
the Soviet Union and the United States in nuclear wea
pons before freezing or reducing arms.
"I favor bilateral disarmament after parity is attained,"
Zorinsky said. He said he takes this position because
he has access to more information than is generally
available.
"Because of top secret briefings, I think to accept
a freeze at this time would not be in the best interest
of the United States," he said.
Zorinsky criticized the Reagan administration for not
working harder at arms limitation talks.
"This administration is dragging its feet on START,"
Zorinsky said.
The human rights situation in El Salvador has not
improved appreciably, he said.
"The human rights situation is still being Violated
in El Salvador," Zorinsky said. The United States should
act as a catalyst to bring the two sides together, not
ship arms there.
He' noted that it may take as much as a 10-to-l ratio
of troops for the government to defeat the guerrilla
forces, a ratio he said could never be reached in spite
of the $800. million in aid this country has given to
the El Salvadoran government.
Continued on Page 7
Keck says he's strong on education
By Chris Welsch
Education is an area where President Reagan's cuts
have been excessive, said James Keck, Republican candi
date for the U.S. Senate.
Keck, 61, said his opponent, Democratic incumbent
Edward Zorinsky, has been weak in supporting educa
tion, while he would be a strong supporter of it. Keck
has been endorsed by the Nebraska State Education
Association and the National Education Association.
Although cuts in education have been excessive, Keck
said, funding for public school programs could best be
provided by local 'ffietsni...:ZSJ?-'i ,
"Programs to help human needs, food stamps and
school lunches, would be best met at a local level," he
said.
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S Election '82
Keck said he would fight any effort to cut financial
aid or Guaranteed Student Loan programs. He said
educating the youth of America is the cornerstone of
democracy.
"The future of America is education," he said.
Keck said his experience in business and in the mili
tary makes him more qualified for the Senate than Zorin
sky. Keck, born in Scranton, Pa., said he spent most of
his life moving around the country. He is a graduate of
West Point and was in the Air Force for 37 years. Keck
retired as a lieutenant general in 1977.
Using legislation to cut government spending would
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Staff Photo by Dave Bentz
Jim Keck
be one of his priorities, Keck said.
"For every one dollar we pay in federal taxes," Keck
said, "Nebraskans . only see 35 cents of it." The rest
is spread out and contributes to supporting a bureau
cracy, he said.
Continued on Page 7
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Staff Photo by Davt Bantz
Workers from United Roofing Inc. take care of the roof on the Transamerica Occidental Life building at 216 N.
11th St.