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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 24, 1995)
Legislature advances, adjusts Micron bills By Matthew Waite Senior Reporter After much debate Thursday, two of the three “Micron bills” gained second-round leg islative approval. The Nebraska Legislature ad vanced LB828and LB829, bills that would offer incen tives to lure a new Micron Inc. plant LEGISLATURE anu lls LKLulOLMI URC t0 Omaha. A simi lar bill, LB830, advanced to final read ing Wednesday night. An announcement on where the plant will be located is expected March 1. In addition to Omaha, the company is considering sites in Oklahoma City, Okla., and Utah County, Utah. The Legislature played hokey pokey with LB829 by adding an amendment, pulling it out and shak ing support for the bill in the process. The bill would allow qualifying com panies to use income tax money for job training. The bill passed 27-10. LB828 passed 26-3 after only one amend ment. An amendment proposed by Sen. Kermit Brashear of Omaha that would have eliminated net incentives from cost-benefit analysis had a short, but damaging life. The amendment originally passed 25-15, but after an amendment to repeal Brashear’s amendment and a speech by Revenue Committee Chair man Jerome Warner of Waverly, it was repealed 27-3. Brashear’s amendment said that in current cost-benefit analysis com putations, a company was charged twice for the net incentives that they received. A cost-benefit analysis is done to determine if an investment is profitable. See LEGISLATURE on 3 Micron bills try patience of politicians oy Mannew wane Senior Reporter In only its 32nd day in session, the Nebraska Legislature was hard at it Thursday for a second night in a row. With Speaker of the Legislature Ron Withem pushing the “Micron bills” through the Legislature, members were again asked to work into the night. A Saturday session was rumored to be on the horizon if. the bills did not pass. Some members grew tired of the debate, with tensions erupting Thursday morning when Sen. Ernie Chambers of Omaha lashed out at Withem for “bastardizing” the leg islative process. Odd for only 32 days into the session? Yes, Withem said Thurs day night. “I’m not a very good person to ask,” he said about the mood of the Legislature. “I’ve come down from See DEBATE on 3 Panel studies benefits for gay partners | | By Ted Taylor Staff Reporter The UNL Committee for Gay and Lesbian Concerns is asking the employee benefit com mittee to look into a proposal that would allow homosexual partners of UNL employees to receive benefits. Barbara DiBemard, co-chairwoman of the Gay and Lesbian Committee, said the commit tee did not have a concrete proposal, but would ask the benefits panel to look into the situation. “All we want is for the committee to make a commitment to study the issue closely,” she said. The possibility of providing unmarried het erosexual partners benefits also has been raised. “That issue has been debated, too,” she said. “The senate could come up with a policy they feel appropriate, when and if it comes to that.” DiBemard, an associate professor of En glish and director of women’s studies, cited the University of Chicago, the University of Iowa and Stanford University as having similar pro grams in place. “There are dozens of schools who have dealt with this issue,” she said. “UNL is not a leader in this area.” DiBemard said that benefits for homosexual partners fell under the university’s nondis crimination policy, which says sexual orienta tion is not a basis for denying employee-related services and benefits. “Research shows that the people’s biggest fear is that insurance costs would skyrocket,1’ she said, “but in similar programs, costs have added up to less than .3 percent.” Football star i f arrested for noncompliance From Staff Reports Lincoln police arrested NU football player Abdul Muhammad after he allegedly refused to cooperate with an officer. Police were responding to a Tuesday after noon disturbance call in which a weapon may have been involved. The man allegedly wield ing the gun has refused to give his name. Also cited for not cooperating with officers in the incident was Brian Knuckles, a junior running back from Charlotte, N.C., who redshirted with the Comhuskers this year. Sgt. Ann Heermann gave the following account of the incident: See ARRESTS on 3 Color my world Damon Lee/DN Jpnet Bringewatt, a graduate student in speech pathology, helps a student with a drawing at Barkley Preschool at the Barkley Memorial Center Thursday morning. Classroom gives graduate student new opportunity By Julie Sobczyk Staff Reporter Janet Bringewatt has learned a lot this semester. But much of it hasn’t been from her professors — it’s been from children. Bringewatt, a first-year graduate student in speech pathology, teaches at the Barkley Preschool at the Barkley Memorial Center on UNL’s East Campus. Her teaching position began in January as part of her clinical practicum as a gradu ate student. Linda Crowe, a clinical instructor in speech pathology, supervises Bringewatt and three other students teaching at the pre school. Crowe said the school, in its second year at UNL, was part of Lincoln Public Schools and had 26 preschoolers enrolled. Working at the preschool offers the gradu ate students practical experience in the class room, Crowe said. “It’s like an internship for graduate stu dents,” she said. “They not only get to participate, but they get to collaborate with other professionals and team members as well.” Bringewatt said teaching had been a learning experience. “So far this semester, I’ve gotten a good idea of preschoolers’ language develop ment,” Bringewatt said. ' One enjoyable part of teaching, she said, is just being with the children. “I get exposure to a different setting,” she said. Bringewatt said she had worked with the elderly in the past, and working with chil dren had made her see a different side to speech pathology. “I get to see another aspect,” she said. “I get a good picture at this end, and I’ve gained knowledge.” The majority ofBringewatt’s day is spent planning activities with the children. She helps the children organize activities, plays games and sings songs with them. Bringewatt said there was one part of teaching she enjoyed most. “My favoritejjart is talking with the kids,” she said. “They’re so honest, and they have some fun ideas.” Bringewatt said it was important not to play favorites with the children. “I like them all,” she said. “They’re all so different.” Although Bringewatt said she found teaching enjoyable, sometimes it could be trying. “The most challenging thing for me is dealing with behavior problems,” she said.
