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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 28, 1987)
WEATHER; Friday, partly sunny. — I IflSidei High in mld-70s. Winds from the ^B 1 CL J | ^B I News Digest.. Page 2 SSKT IV I ST'.ZZ t breezy and warm. High In the mid I \ILj|||^C| C 1/^ I IKeinmenY!!! !!! Page I ' 1 1CMICICMVCUL l |cia3si,led::-::::.pa9e10 August 28, 1987 University of Nebraska-Lincoln Vol. 87 No. 6 More freshmen at UNL this year By Amy Edwards Senior Reporter While the number of students gra duating from high schools in Nebraska is declining, University of Nebraska Lincoln officials say the number of freshmen enrolling here is on the rise. The State Department of Educations’ Management Information Service report shows a decrease in Nebraska high school graduates from 23,516 in 1981 82 to 19,814 in 1985-86. Robert Furgason, vice chancellor for academic affairs at UNL, said the number of freshmen enrolled this sem ester is about 100 more than last fall. Furgason said the number of pro grams designed to address the needs of incoming students contributed to the increase; The University Foundations course is one of these programs. Furgason said that the course is designed to acquaint freshmen with the university. The University Honors program is also for incoming freshmen. Patrice M. Berger, the program’s director, said the honors program "indicated to the entire student body and to the public at large that we have a strong commitment to academic excellence.” The honors program is made up of about 100 incoming freshmen who have distinguished themselves academically in high school, Berger said. ‘The program adds to the entire uni versity,” Berger said. "It tells all stu dents that it's OK to be intellectually active and academically motivated." Furgason said the university also attracts students by giving them the opportunity to change their minds. The university’s general studies division indicated to students that it’s not a bad idea to be undecided about a nuyor, Furgason said. The idea of the general studies pro gram is to encourage students who are undecided about their majors to take general courses in many fields. “There’s nothing wrong about hav ing made up your mind,” Furgason said. "In fact, it might be a good idea to look around before deciding on a nuyor.” $1.50 ‘insurance’ added to vending machine By Lisa Twiestmeyer Staff Reporter Declining cigarette sales and in creased concern about AIDS (ac quired immune deficiency syndrome) have moved condoms from restrooms to cigarette machines in at least one Lincoln bar. Last Friday, owners of O’Rourke’s Lounge, 121 N. 14th St., began sel ling Health Gards condoms in their cigarette vending machine. The con doms cost $1.50, the same price as cigarettes, and are sold in packs of two. Signs in restrooms tell custo mers that condoms are sold in the cigarette machine. Doug McLeese, co-owner of O’Rourke’s, said the idea came from Amco Vending Service, the Lincoln company that supplies O’Rourke’s machine and cigarettes. Keith Thomas, president of Crown Marketing Services of Omaha, the vending supply company for Amco, said this marketing concept is in an experimental stage in Nebraska. Thomas said some businesses hesi tate to sell condoms in vending machines. "Some of them just aren’t sure what they’re promoting by doing this,” Thomas said. Health Gards condoms have been sold nationwide in cigarette ma chines since last February, said Bill Hemann, vice president of Hospital Speciality Co. in Cleveland, Ohio, Health Gards manufacturer. He said that with cigarette sales declining 7 percent each year, vendors were looking for new items to sell through the machines. Butch Ireland/Daily Nebraskan A Health Gards condom advertisement in O’Rourke’s women's restroom. “With the demand created by the surgeon genenl for condom use, and with cigarette machines in most public locations, this was a natural thing to do,” Hemann said. Kunle Ojikutu, administrator of the University Health Center, said many universities have begun to sell condoms in vending machines. But, Ojikutu said, whenever con doms are sold in public it must be done in good taste. “You have to avoid the truck-stop type of situations,” Ojikutu said. Other Lincoln bars may also begin to sell condoms in their cigarette machines. Keith Langren, manager of the Zoo Bar, 136 N. 14th St., said he has considered selling condoms in cig arette machines. “We’ve kicked the idea around, and I think we’ll begin doing it eventually,” Langren said. McLeese said it is too soon to tell what customer reaction will be at O’Rourke’s. But he has no doubts about selling condoms this way. "If it will prevent someone from getting pregnant and prevent dis ease, that’s fine with me. We’ve always tried to be the trend set ters,” McLeese said. Fine, associate professor, dead at 44 From Staff Reports Warren Fine, associate professor of English, died of complications from diabetes last week in his home, a member of the English department said. Fine was 44. An official autopsy and date of death will be released later today. Servces will be Saturday at 1:30 p.m. at Oak Hill Cemetery in Lawrence, Kan. Fine came to the University of Nebras ka-Lincoln in the fall of 1976. He mainly taught fiction writing at undergradu ate and graduate levels, but had deve loped an interest in teaching poetry writing, said Robert Stock, vice chair man of the English department. Besides teaching, Fine published four novels: "The Artificial Traveler" (1968), "The Mousechildren and the Famous Collector" (1970), "In the Ani mal Kingdom” (1971) and "Their Fam ily" (1972). He also published a number of poems, short stories and essays. Fred Link, chairman of the English department, said Fine was "highly experimental in technique and densely lyrical in style." Fine won many awards, including the National Endowment For the Arts Grant in 1972 and 1980, and several research council fellowships in 1977 and 1979. Fine was born in Fort Smith, Ark. Get pickled at a pickle parlor instead ot a bar By Randy Lyons Staff Reporter Three new pickle card parlors in Lincoln will serve people who enjoy playing pickles but don’t like to buy them in bars, the owners say. Twenty-one pickle parlors have recently opened in the state. Troy Armagost, co-owner of two pickle parlors in Lincoln, said The Pickle Palace, 6125 Have lock Ave., sold many pickle cards on its opening day Tuesday. "We sold just a little over $1,000 worth this first day," Armagost said. The figure includes playbacks, which are winning cards traded in for more cards, he said. Patrons of The Pickle Palace are served free coffee and can watch cable TV. Snacks also are available, as well as video games to keep youngs ters entertained while parents play pickles, Armagost said. Armagost and his partner, Craig Moore, opened another Pickle Palace at 121 S. 27th St. two months ago. They are sponsored by Viking Ship, a non profit organization located in Omaha which donates profits to many groups. The third parlor, Lady Luck, 220 N. 10th St., will open this weekend, said co-owner Daryl Shiber. lie and his wife, Allison, own four parlors in Omaha. "We think Lincoln will be a good market,” Shiber said. "We’ll sell about 17 different types of pickles ranging in price up to $2." Lady Luck, which will serve free soft drinks to patrons, is sponsored by Children’s Fund, Inc. A pickle card is a game of chance in which customers purchase a card with peel-back win dows containing a combination of symbols. If the symbols match those of the declared winners, a customer may win up to $1,000, depending on the type of pickle card that is played. In Lancaster County alone, 138 licenses have been issued to sell the cards at 117 different locations, said Roger Hirsch, deputy tax com missioner for the Nebraska Department of Rev enue. The number of locations is lower than that of licenses, he said, because some locations sell for more than one non-profit organization. Total expenditures on the cards by patrons in the state have risen from $70 million in 1985 to $97 million in 1986, Hirsch said. State Sen. Elroy Hefner of Coleridge said he may propose legislation in January to outlaw pickle parlors in Nebraska. Current legislation will be reviewed to see if pickle parlors are lawful, Hefner said, and the attorney general will be asked to look at the situation. Hefner said current laws concerning pickles were established to help charities supplement their income. Fickle parlors are “mini casinos,” he said, and that’s not what Nebraskans want. Hefner said he has spoken with other senators about the parlors and if they can’t be addressed with current legislation, he will introduce legisla tion to deal with the problem. Owners of the Lincoln pickle parlors said they do not keep a large cut of the profits. Armagost of Pickle Palace said, “We usually make around 7 percent of our sales, and that amount has to cover our overhead.” A receipt from the Pickle Palace showed that after selling a “deal,” or a box of 2,160 pickles, at 25< each, the gross amount taken in was $540. Of this, $372 was returned as paybacks to winners. Viking Ship received $148 and Pickle Palace received $20 for selling the cards. "We also sponsor groups in the Lincoln area out of our own profits,” Armagost said. The owners of the The Pickle Palace are primarily concerned with youth, and along with Viking Ship have put money back into the Lincoln area to such organizations as the Lincoln Fireman’s Benefit Association, Armagost said. The parlor also sponsored the Children’s Cedars Home, he said. Vendors of the cards must have a non profit sponsor with an officer to account for expendi tures. The non-profit organization receives 10 percent maximum off the top to cover expenses, and the state receives 3 percent in sales tax. Payback must be at least 65 percent and ranges up to 83 percent some games. Although there is quite a range in the percen tages, Lincoln parlor owners said they usually end up with about a 7 percent total when the averages are figured. “We’ve been working 14 hours some days," Armagost said. “We wouldn’t do that if’ e made as much money as some people think. v*e would hire more employees to do the work." I Dave Hansen/Daily Nebraskan Troy Armagost, co-owner of Pickle Palace, stands in front of his store at 121 S. 27th St. I