The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current, February 24, 1995, Page 2, Image 2
a=— NewsDgest Friday, February 24,1995 Page 2 News... _ in a Minute Former Congressman arrested WASHINGTON — Former Ohio Rep. Donald “Buz” Lukens was arrested today on charges he accepted bribes from two businessmen who wanted his help for their trade school. Lukens, who resigned from Congress in 1990 amid charges of sexual misconduct, was indicted by a federal grand jury in Washington on charges of accepting $27,500 from two Ohio businessmen. One of the businessmen, John Fitzpatrick of Middletown, Ohio, was charged in a related indictment of conspiring to bribe Lukens and of conspiring to cover up a fraud involving government student loans and grants. The other businessman, Henry Whitesell, is dead, the Justice Department said. Fitzpatrick and Whitesell ran the Cambridge Technical Institute. If convicted on all counts, Lukens would face a maximum penalty of 65 years in prison and a $1.25 million fine. Denver may have mislead investors DENVER— Documents turned over to federal investigators show city officials were warned repeatedly about delays at Denver Interna tional Airport and may have misled investors by not revealing poten tial investment risks. The city’s reaction to several of the early alerts was to exclude one bearer of bad news from critical meetings and order the contractors to meet increasingly unrealistic deadlines. Denver City Councilman Ted Hackworth says that when he voted to approve airport bond sales and offer documents to investors he was unaware of the problems cited in the documents. “Up until this point I’ve always felt we weren’t guilty of misleading anyone about progress at the airport,” Hackworth said. “After seeing these memos, I’m not so sure. We may not have reported as accurately as we should have.” Denver International is scheduled to open Tuesday, with all requi site fanfare. But due to problems cited in the documents, four previous openings were postponed, investors are considering lawsuits over unreported risk on $3.4 billion in bonds, and the city has paid a Washington law firm more than $1 million to deal with investigators. Teachers say school lunch program shouldn’t be cut WASHINGTON — It is lunch time at New Haven Elementary in Columbia, Mo., and chattering chil dren descend on the cafeteria. For 31 percent, the baked chicken, mashed potatoes, green beans, salad bar, fruit rollup and milk may be their only square meal of the day. They are youngsters who get a free or low-cost lunch because their parents are poor. “It’s probably one of the most im portant things we do,” says principal Carole Kennedy. “For some of the kids we have, it’s just vital.” But now, it’s getting a second look in Congress. As part of Republicans’ welfare reform plans, a House committee voted Thursday to replace the subsi dized lunch program with block grants for states to spend on child nutrition. “We’re not saying, 'Take the school lunch money and build high ways,”’ insisted Rep. Bill Goodling, R-Pa., the chairman of the House Economic and Educational Opportu nities Committee, upset that Republi cans are portrayed as callous. “We’re talking about a more efficient way to run the program.” But teachers and principals worry the changes would leave children hungry. “This isn’t a free handout,” Eakin says. “The children who get it defi nitely need it, to give them the energy they need to stay awake and leam in school.” In all, about 14 million American schoolchildren — one-third of all public school students — received free or low-cost school lunches last year. Five million also received break fast. Not all schools offer breakfasts. A smaller number of schools also offer lunch during summer vacations. On weekends and school holidays, children are on their own. Children in a family of four with income below SI9,240 get the free lunch. Parents are asked to fill out a form each year if they think they’re eligible. Individual schools have great lee way in deciding what to cook, within general guidelines from the federal government. The Republican proposal also would wipe out those guidelines. Teachers have long felt children don’t leam well if they’re hungry. But it’s been only in the last decade, researchers say, that they have found evidence to support that claim. A recent Tufts University study found children who ate a school break fast had better attendance and stan dardized test scores than children who ate no breakfast at home or school. Several other researchers have found that even mild malnutrition, such as an iron, vitamin A or zinc deficiency, can hurt a child’s development. Goodling and other supporters of the GOP plan say that bringing school lunches under block grants would bring costs under control, and also give states leeway to spend federal money on their most pressing needs. Under the proposal approved Thursday, most of the money from School lunch Who benefits? ;;/y" ■Q the nation has about 42 million children in public schools kindergarten through 12th gradev,;| ^ About 14 million American vl': schoolchildren received free :: reduced-price school lunches p;$ last yean ' - , n 5 million also received free or ? reduced-price breakfast. Nof aff Mi schools otter breakfasts, :|yf§:y Children receiving Lur : .' free or low-cost y £ lunches and breakfasts Vyi/i u ■ ' ' *” ..^ III III 111 U 4 11 in 1989 38 ’• "St ^ ^ 3S W I .... AP/Wm. J. Castello the current school lunch program still would go to school lunches. But each state could spend up to 20 percent on other programs. now! mm March 25 8 pm All Seats Reserved Tickets available at all TicketMaster locations, includ ing Homers. Younkers, select Hy-Vee stores. Blockbuster Music and the Omaha Civic Auditorium Box Office. For more information or to charge tickets call 402/422-1212. Flash photography allowed. $2 off with student ID Carter returns to help with Haitian elections PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti—Former Presi dent Jimmy Carter, who averted a U.S. inva sion by persuading Haiti’s military leaders to step down, arrived Thursday to work on the next step in Haiti’s experiment with democ racy. Carter said he planned to help prepare for peaceful elections and assess progress on secu rity and economic issues. Carter oversaw the December 1990 presidential election that Jean Bertrand Aristide won by a landslide. The next major democratic test for Haiti is scheduled for June 4, when the first round of legislative and local elections takes place. Presi dential elections are set for December. Carter, accompanied by his wife Rosalynn, was to be joined Friday by Sen. Sam Nunn, D Ga., and retired Gen. Colin Powell, former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. All three were instrumental last fall in inducing the departure of Haiti’s military leadership, lead ' ing to the unopposed arrival of the U.S.-led multinational force. They will meet with Aristide, Haitian gov ernment officials and political party leaders, among others. Also on the agenda during Carter’s three-day visit is a review of the inter national aid effort in Haiti. Carter’s visit coincides with a scaling down of U.S. forces from a peak of 21,000 troops to 3,000 by the end of the month. Americans are expected to comprise slightly less than half of a 6,000-member U.N. force that takes over from the American-led force on March 31. Aristide’s government didn’t send a repre sentative to greet Carter at the airport, and someone had painted red graffiti in a square in the capital demanding that he go home. Although Carter’s September negotiations forestalled a U.S. invasion and likely saved thousands of lives, some Haitians resent the fact that Haiti’s military rulers were allowed to stay in power for almost a month and then leave for exile. Carter was upbeat as he stepped from the plane. “I’ve always been welcomed when I return to Haiti —this time by President Aristide, who invited us to come, and also, I understand, by a graffiti artist who in red paint wrote words of welcome,” Carter said with a smile. Lt. Gen. Raoul Cedras and Brig. Gen. Philippe Biamby went to Panama and Police Chief Michel Francois to the neighboring Do minican Republic. Several Haitian youth groups and neighbor hood political organizations spoke out against Carter’s visit, but a threatened demonstration at the airport did not materialize. Venel St. Trouice of the Avenue Pouplard Youth Movement said Thursday that U.S. sol diers arrested a colleague as he was painting graffiti in a downtown neighborhood. An Army spokeswoman could not immediately confirm the arrest. The Haitian army and its attaches killed more than 3,000 people in the three years following Aristide was overthrown in a coup in September 1991. After his return last Oct. 15, Aristide vowed tocut the army from 7,500 to 1,500 soldiers and establish a separate police force. Nebraskan FAX NUMBER 472-1761 The Daily Nebraskan(USPS 144-080) is published by the UNL Publications Board, Nebraska Union 34,1400 R St.. Lincoln, NE 68588-0448, Monday through Friday during the academic year; weekly during summer sessions. Readers are encouraged to submit store ideas and comments to the Daily Nebraskan by phoning 472-1763 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. The public also has access to the Publications Board. For information, contact Tim Hedegaard, 436-9258. 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