TUESDAY I
WEATHER:
Today - Mostly sunny. Hot.
South wind 10 to 20
--inifiht - Mostly clear.
__August 22, 1995_
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Retailers say Herbie still husking big green
By Paula Lavigne
and Trevor Parks
Senior Reporters
His job was to excite fans on the sidelines,
but the key to Herbie Husker’s survival de
pended on whether he excited fans in the stores.
Athletic administrators announced their de
cision to replace Herbie this summer, but they
had been talking about it since February, said A1
Papik, senior associate athletic director.
Inside:
■ Please see page 6 for more Herbie
Husker coverage.
A new mascot will be approved by Athletic
Director Bill Byrne, who was out of the country
Monday.
Chris Anderson, director of Nebraska Sports
Information, said the decision was based on a
survey of900 season ticket holders and recruit
ing, marketing and public feedback.
City mourns
slain Omaha
police officer
By Steve Kline
The Associated Press
OMAHA — For the first time in more than
20 years, Omaha will bury a police officer killed
in the line of duty.
Officer James Wilson Jr., a 24-year-old,
third-generation police officer, was shot in the
head about 8 p.m. Sunday when he stopped a
van to check its registration. He was declared
brain dead about an hour later but was kept on
life support until 5 a.m. Monday, said a Univer
sity Hospital spokesman.
Two men were arrested about 9:30 a.m.
Monday at a south Omaha housing proj ect about
six miles from the residential neighborhood
where Wilson was shot. They were being ques
tioned about the shooting. Police said a third
man later surrendered.
Their names were not made public, and no
formal charges had been filed late Monday.
“What a tragedy for the police department,
his family, for everyone in Nebraska,” Gov.
Ben Nelson said.
“We just don’t know what to think when we
see this sort of thing happen in Nebraska,”
Nelson said. “It’s senseless. It’s cowardly.”
Wilson had stopped the van, which he sus
pected was stolen, a few miles northwest of
downtown.
Before he could get out of his patrol car, he
was struck by shots fired from the van, wit
nesses said. The van sped off, and neighbors
called 911.
“I am outraged by such a cold-blooded act,”
Omaha Mayor Hal Daub said.
Daub said officials believed an automatic or
semiautomatic weapon was used.
Wilson had been on the police force for
about a year. His father, James Wilson Sr., and
grandfather, Walter Olson, also had served with
die Omaha Police Department. Fellow officers,
including many off-duty officers, volunteered
to help search for suspects.
Police searched for the van using the de
scription from one of Wilson’s last radio calls.
When two officers spotted the van and tried to
stop it, at least two men fled from the van and
ran into the Southside Terrace Homes.
Through the night and into the morning,
police stopped every vehicle that tried to enter
or leave the Southside Terrace Homes area.
The last time an Omaha policeman was killed
in the line of duty was June 5, 1974, when
officer Paul Nields was shot by a man with a
shotgun who had barricaded himself in a home.
Wilson was the 22nd officer to be killed in
the line of duty in the 129-year history of the
department. The mayor asked citizens to fly
flags at half-staff in honor of Wilson.
“They’ll still buy Herbie. He’s still the mascot in the fans’ eyes. ”
■
JIM CORNELL
Nebraska bookstore general manager
Physical appearance, age, gender and racial
issues made Herbie’s popularity wane.
“People felt he was very outdated,” Ander
son said. “He was a misrepresentation of farm
ing and agriculture.”
Anderson said Herbie didn’t sell, but repre
sentatives at local retail stores said sales showed
otherwise.
Jim Cornell, general manager of Nebraska
Bookstore, said Herbie sold on everything from
coffee mugs to golf club covers.
“Herbie’s always sold well,” Cornell said.
Gwen Plummer, assistant manager at Uni
versity Bookstore, said out-of-state customers
recognized Herbie as the Nebraska mascot. He
sold better to those customers than to college
students, she said.
And Herbie merchandise has always moved
off the shelf at the Big Red Shop, selling as well
as other Comhusker items, said manager Loraine
Livingston.
After the announcement was made that
Herbie’s mascot days were over, Cornell said,
sales at Nebraska Bookstore “shot through the
roof.”
“People are seeingthemascollector’s items,”
he said. “They’ll still buy Herbie. He’s still the
mascot in the fans’ eyes.”
Nebraska fans, regardless whether they’re
nostalgic about Herbie, are encouraged to offer
new umscui »ujjgcsiiuua.
Marketing Director Heidi Cuca said a com
mittee was taking ideas from the public and
The 21-year-old mascot will remain a li
censed logo of the University of Nebraska
professional marketing agencies.
Cuca said the athletic department had an
outline of what to look for in the new mascot.
“We’re looking for something that’s ath
letic, we’re looking for something that’s strong,
we’re looking for something that’s powerful
and can entertain,” Cuca said. “We want some
thing that will represent Nebraska well any
where whether it’s New York City or Lexing
ton, but we’re kind of struggling.”
Lincoln Athletic Department, Anderson said.
Herbie merchandise still will be produced.
And Herbie will continue to exist — off the
field.
The department’s research found Herbie
appeals to children. He will greet people out
side the stadium before football games and
continue to be involved in youth activities,
Papik said.
“Herbie’s not dead.”
Jon Waller/DN
Camera operator Lawrence Gibbs goes through microphone, lighting and script checks with anchorwoman Deb
Collins before the KOLN-TV (Channels 10/11) newscast at 6 p.m. Monday in the Nebraska Union.
Broadcast eye shines live from union
By Matt Woody
Senior Reporter
Lincoln’sonly commercial television sta
tion is taking its show on the road.
First stop: the Nebraska Union.
Beginning with its 5:30 p.m. newscast
Sunday, KOLN-TV (Channels 10/11) has
been broadcasting its news live from the
heart of the University ofNebraska-Lincoln
campus.
Glen Mabie, newsroom manager, said
while the television station was retooling its
newscast set, it needed a temporary home.
And UNL was an easy choice.
“The thousands of students and staffmake
it a city unto itself,” Mabie said. “And there’s
a lot of interest in what goes on there.”
But the 10/11 News team found out what
looks good in theory does not necessarily
work well in practice.
“Let’scall ita logistical nightmare,” Mabie
said.
Although the cast and crew is experi- '
enced in doing remote broadcasts, he said, “I
don’t think any of us have undertaken some
thing like this.”
Some of the arrangements include find
ing adequate power for the remote truck, a
location for the makeshift studio and support
for engineering and production.
The television station got all the help it
needed from the university.
Phyllis Larsen, UNL public relations di
rector, said the office was sponsoring the
effort, making all the arrangements in only a
few days.
“The union was very cooperative and
excited about them coming in and using their
space,” Larsen said.
Public relations paid a nominal amount to
cover rent for the space, but Larsen said it
was money well spent.
“What we get out of it is a lot of great air
See BROADCAST on 7
TV participation
thrills new student
By Matt Woody
Senior Reporter
The temporary relocation of KOLN-TV
(Channels 10/11) on the University of Ne
braska-Lincoln campus had a personal im
pact for one new student.
Courtnev Shaw, a freshman from Lin
coln, was the subject of a story that will air
today.
Shaw said she was filmed Wednesday as
she moved into her roon in Selleck Hall and
met her roommate, Gloise Hunter. She also
was filmed as she made her way around
campus Monday.
See SHAW on 7
