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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (March 15, 1989)
Local stores remove fruit from Chile after warning By Larry Peirce Senior Reporter In response to a warning from the Food and Drug Administration, many Lincoln grocery stores removed fruit imported from Chile from their shelves Tuesday. The FDA warned consumers not to eat Chilean fruit after cyanide was found Monday in Chilean seediess red grapes in Philadelphia. The cya nide was found after an anonymous threat to poison Chilean fruit was telephoned to a U.S. Embassy in Chile, according to The Associated Press. ‘It has put quite a dent in my sales. Grapes are the big volume mover tor Chile. ’ --Porto ■■§3H Kevin McTaggart, produce mcr nuniuiMiig iiidiidgci ell riciiung Companies Inc., said his company advised produce managers Tuesday morning to remove fruit from Chile. Fleming, an independent food wholesaler, recalled the Chilean fruit from the retailers it serves, he said. Fleming sells fruit to about 60 stores in Nebraska, McTaggart said. McTaggart said he didn’t have an exact count on the amount of fruit that was pulled, but said the amount was “significant.” Mike Porto, produce manager at Super Saver food store, 233 48th St., said Chilean grapes were removed Tuesday morning after hearing FDA warnings. Chilean plums, peaches pears and nectarines were removed after Fleming called, he said. Porto said the amount of cyanide found in the grapes was minute and probably not dangerous, “but it’s better to be safe than to be sorry,” he said. i .—1 The Associated Press said the grapes tested in Philadelphia con tained three micrograms each of cya nide, a level at which a young child would have to eat at least 2,000 grapes to ingest a lethal dose. About 100 cases of fruit were removed at Super Saver, he said. “As for grapes, it has put quite a dent in my sales,” Porto said. “Grapes are the big volume mover for Chile.” Super Saver received “many” phone calls about the grapes, he said, and people were generally pleased that die fruit was removed. MeTaggart said that because Philadelphia is a main port of entry for Chilean produce, there was a good chance Fleming produce has been IaqHaH f horn Trevor Townc, produce assistant manager at B & R IGA, 1709 Wash ington, said Chilean grapes were removed Monday nightalter the FDA warning came out. Towne said all Lincoln stores probably would remove the Chilean fruit. McTaggart said Chile is a prime source of fruit during this lime of year and he had “no idea" where a re placement source would be found. Dwain Hutson, manager of Save Mart on 11 th and Belmont streets said his supplier, Nash Finch Co., recalled Chilean fruit from Save Mart Tues day morning. Hutson said that until several years ago, the kinds of fruit supplied by Chile were not available during late winter. Chilean fruit sales have increased because the quality and prices have improved, he said. The recall of the fruit w ill have a great impact on Chilean fruit dealers and wholesalers, Hutson said. “There will be hundreds of thou sands of cases sitting around,” he said. Unless authorities can find that the cyanide-laced grapes are an isolated case, it will take a long lime to build up customer trust in Chilean produce, Hutson said. Bikers say winter travelling has benefits I By Michelle Cheney Staff Reporter___ Although breaking away to campus in sub-zero temperatures may seem foolish or dangerous, some University of Nebraska-Lin coin students swear by the thrift and speed of winter biking. Troy Miller, a senior theater arts major who lives 1 1/2 miles from school, said he bikes to class faster than it would take him by bus and saves 60 cents in bus fare. Other winter bike riders said it is cheaper to ride to class and park ing is not a problem. According to undeclared sophomore Erik Snyder, there arc some drawbacks, however. “I don’t have fenders and when the snow thaws, it gets all over me,” Snyder said. Some students who don’t ride to campus in the winter, including secondary education sophomore Chris Schneider, complain about the weather. “That would be stupid (to ride in the winter), it’s too cold,” Sch neider said. But Snyder said, “it’s colder parking and walking than riding.” Some students said riding in the winter is too dangerous. Synder said this is a legitimate complaint, but that students just have to be careful. He hasn’t been in an acci dent yet Winter bike riding has not pro duced much business for the UNL police. There were no reports of car/bicycle accidents reported to the UNL police between Nov. 1, 1988 and March 2, 1989, accord ing to Sgl. John Luslrcaof the UNL Police Department. However. Dr. Gerald Fleischli, medical director at the University Health Center, said that from Nov. 1,1988 to March 2,1989, about 15 patients have visited the center because of bike accidents. Fleischli said more seriously injured students go to Lincoln I hospitals instead of the health cen ter. Patrick Donohoe, an owner of Deluxe Bicycles on 19th and O streets, said students wishing to avoid the UNL police and the health center can ride mountain bikes, which arc safer than 10 speeds. Donohoe said mountain bikes have handlebars that allow riders to sit upright and enable motorists to see riders better. Mountain bikes can be equipped with studded knobby tires. Donohoe said these tires have metal studs and studs provide better traction. For 10-spccd bikes, he said, there arc only knobby tires available, but no metal studs. NU officials endorse salary hike! at legislative hearing on budget I LEGISLATURE From Page 1 Money for the governor’s five year research initiative is not included in NU’s budget request because it is considered Orr’s special project. But NU officials told senators that con tinuing the research initiative is cru cial. Massengale said the research ini tiative already has stimulated exter nal support. In engineering, he said, a SI63,000 investment has attracted more than $600,000 in new grants. In jiotechnology, a $100,000 invest ment has produced $400,000 in new grains, he said. Capital construction also was on the list of highest priorities. Roskens said about half of the money requested for capital construc tion is marked for renovation, code compliance and utilities. Massengalc said an addition to, and the renovation of, UNL’s CBA building is one of the highest priori ties for new construction projects. Enrollment has increased 82 percent since the building was last renovated in 1967, he said. Irv Omtvedt, vice-chancellor for the Institute of Agriculture and Natu ral Resources, said that renovation 1 1 1 /•* and upgrading of greenhouses on East campus is one of his high priorities for construction. “The existing facilities have dete riorated to the pomt where they will be unusable for grow ing plants in two or three years,” he said. While new projects are important, both Diffendal and Effle said that upgrading major utilities and improv ing classrooms should be the two highest priorities for construction money. The Appropriations Committee will make its final NU budget recom mendations to the full Legislature in mid-April. 4 • 4 1 Apple pays cashback onlhese when you buy one of these. upto “ upto upto ^ $800per system $250per system $500per system Now through March 31st, when you buy an Apple will send you a rebate for up to half the Apple*computer system, you not only get a suggested retail price of select Apple-branded powerful, versatile, and easy-to-use computer, peripherals you purchase * you get something more. It’s cash—cash rebates It’s simple. Buy a qualifying Apple system, of up to $800 per system during the Apple Pays add on a peripheral, and Apple sends you a check. Half promotion What better way to get everything you need— Because when you buy a qualifying all in one trip. Macintosh* computer system'. See us today for further details about Apple Pays Half, going on right now through March 31st. The Computer Shop University Bookstore, Lower Level Nebraska Union 472-578S Hours: M — F. 8am Spill m ■yuk.0*ml ifWM, At piudma 0—* wm mm.** fm+K* may mi »r t. j jy i ------ ■ .. “■ * - - --•'l i norson alleged or unetnicai conduct, g legal violations by another candidate I RHA From Page 1 Although RHA bylaws prohibit candidates from being on the commission, Commissioner Cindy Kirstine said Thorson was not techni cally a candidate until he filed on March 8. After Tuesday’s meeting, Kirstine said she will defend the commission’s decision to ap prove Thorson’s eligibility. ‘‘I feel that they’re qualified enough indi viduals to make that decision.” But Sunday she had said Thorson violated bylaws and acted unethically by staying on the commission when he knew he was running. Kirstine said she sent memos to members of the electoral commission in early February saying that if they wished to run for executive offices, they would have to appoint substitutes to the commission by Feb. 21. On Feb. 23, she sent a memo declaring Thorson ineligible until he appointed a substitute. Thorson appointed a substitute March 6. Before the appointment, Kirstine said, Thorson was violating RHA bylaws by hand ing out business cards declaring his candidacy. Kirstine said she did not know Thorson had been campaigning illegally until after his sue cessor was appointed. Thorson said any campaigning he did be fore appointing a substitute was on a personal level. “The extent of my campaigning before I found a substitute consisted of my personal comments,” he said. Thorson acknowledged that he had distrib uted business cards on a limited basis while serving on the commission. ‘ ‘ 1 know for certain that I didn’t do anything unethical,” he said. According to a formal statement, the com mission decided Tuesday to stand by the deci sions to allow Wick less and Thorson to run because “The dale for having a proxy (substi tute) for ihe commission was unclear at the time in question.” The commission’s statement said, “We have recognized and addressed the complaint submitted by RHA president Lap-y Jtoubsky k. We will not onieh^aHyvtttofccOraplaints • poncemingtheir Bui Lloyd Guy, a member of the commis sion who resigned after Thorson’s candidacy was approved Thursday, said he will take the issue to RHA’s Judicial Board this week. The Judicial Board decides whether legisla tion and actions arc constitutional or in accor dance with bylaws. “I believe that what happened during the meetings was highly unethical and illegal ac cording to state law and the (RHA) constitution,” Guy said. According to Kirstinc, voting in executive session as the commission did March 2 by approving Wickless’ candidacy is against RHA rules. Kirstinc said that on March 2 the commis sion did not know of such a regulation. “We did screw ourselves over with that,” Kirstinc said. In an open session March 7, the commission voted to waive the rules and let the decision stand, she said. Guy said Thorson, president of Cather Hall, had lime to appoint a substitute before voting on Wickless’ eligibility. “I believe there arc like 800 residents in Cather, and he probably could have found one who could sit on the board, blow some ethics unH Y\j ‘ a Kanm/ r'omnor 99 f.uv/ CQlH Wickless said Thorson acted legally when he voted on Wickless’ eligibility. ‘‘I’ll admit it was not maybe the most ethi cal thing for him to do, but it was certainly legal,” Wickless said. In Tuesday’s meeting, Klippcnstein said the six-member Judicial Board is uneducated about the RHA constitution, and should not overturn decisions made by the more knowledgable senate. ,, “These people don’t know diddly-squat, Klippcnstein said. f The commission also discussed a complaint by Koubsky Tuesday that Wickless and Thor son, of the IMAGE parly, illegally posted campaign signs on utility poles near dormito ries on 14th, 16th and 17th streets. The commission decided that although placing the posters is not against RHA election rules, it is against city litter codes. The com mission ordered the IMAGE party to remove mpustcajmnwdiftMto'.