The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current, February 16, 1996, Image 1
FRIDAY "V WEATHER: Today - Mostly sunny. Southwest wind 5 to 15 mph. Tonight - Mostly clear.. T • 1 • S\t Low in lower 20 s.. _February 16, 1996_ Travis Heying/DN Nebraska Quarterback Tommie Frazier jokes around with former Nebraska football standouts during the “Hoops for Heart” charity basketball game Thursday night at Southeast High School. i uskers at heart Football seniors hoop it up for charity By Michaela Pieler Staff Reporter Steve Volin couldn’t wait toexchange the football for a basketball Thursday night. The Husker offensive guard seized the opportunity to play in a charity basketball game for the American Heart Association. At Lincoln Southeast High School, Husker seniors and football legends played in a charity game to benefit heart disease and stroke research. Kim Evers, south central director Saf the American Heart Association, said theuJjDops for Heart” game had been the most stress ful fund-raising event for her associate for the last five years. Lincolnites enj% the event because they get a unique chanceto see the football team out of season, she said. About 2,300 people attended the fund raiser, which was sponsored by Bryan Me “It's great to play basketball again for the benefit of an organization that does so many good things. ” STEVE VOUN Husker offensive guard modal Hospital, Valentino’sand KLIN 1400 AM. All 21 seniors on the Husker football team were scheduled to play, she said. They faced a team that included former Huskers Turner Gill, Danny Noonan and Brian Wash ington. Volin, who played basketball in high school, said the event was a good chance to have fun while helping charity. “It’s great to play basketball again for the benefit of an organization that does so many good things," he said. Husker quarterbacks coach Turner Gill said helping the heart association was more important than the game. It doesn’t matter who wins or loses, said Gill, the Nebraska quarterback from 1981 1983 who went on to play in the Canadian Football League. Bill Lefler, board member of the associa tion, said he had expected more spectators than ever because of the Huskers’ back-to back national championships. The championships also made the charity game popular for children, Lefter said. They love the event, he said, because they can get See HOOPS on 3 Salaries will be discussed By Erin Schulte Staff Reporter Faculty members and UNL administrators will meet later this month to discuss how state approved salary increases will be distributed. Peter Bleed, chairman of the Salary Advi sory Committee and president-elect of the Aca demic Senate, said salary increases for profes sors were traditionally based on merit. Very few raises are distributed across the board, he said. The committee recommends its plan to Chan cellor James Moeser and the NU Board of Regents then decides to pass or reject the rec ommendations. Bleed said he did not know if raises would be similar to those given in the past. Last year, a 2 percent raise was given to faculty members who had done satisfactory work. Everything beyond that was based on merit. Although it is unusual for a faculty member to not receive a raise, Bleed said, it could happen. The dean or chairman of each aca demic college makes the decision on salary increases. Deciding where faculty salaries should be at during the next two years is another major issue for the committee, said Joan Leitzel, vice chan cellor for academic affairs, Leitzel said the committee recommended salaries that were average among peer institu tions. This will be a major issue discussed at the committee's next meeting, she said. Last month Gov. Ben Nelson decided not to include a $7 million allocation for salary in creases in the university’s budget. Moeser indicated at Wednesday’s ASUN meeting that if this money were not allotted, students would suffer by making up the differ ence in tuition increases. The committee’s next meeting is scheduled for Feb. 29. Bill aims to punish police killers By Ted Taylor Senior Reporter A proposed bill stemming from the murder of Omaha Police Officer Jimmy Wilson would add killing a law enforce ment officer in the line of duty to the list of crimes punishable by death. Jimmy Wilson Sr., father of the slain officer, passion ately testified Thursday be fore the Nebraska Legislature’s Judiciary Committee in favor of LB990. The bill, introduced by Sen. Gerald Matzke of Sidney, said aggravating circumstances would be present if the offender knew or should have known the victim was a law enforcement of ficer. “It’s not only Jimmy Wilson who I’m here for. I’m here for any police officer who has been killed in the line of duty,” Wilson said. His 24-ycar-old son was shot to death in his police cruiser last August. Wilson was the first Omaha police officer to be killed in the line of duty since 1974. “The way the current bill reads today, you can kill a police officer and it’s not an aggra vated circumstance,” he said. “We want that to change.” Wilsonwas referring to the current Nebraska law that states that an aggravating circumstance exists only if the murder occurs while the of fender is in the custody of the law enforcement officer. uov. Ben Nelson, me nrst supporter to tes tify, told the committee that the bill was neces sary because society depended on the police for protection and public service. “We, in turn, must provide the maximum punishment for those who kill officers while they are carrying out those difficult duties that we give them,” he said. Nelson,said the concept of the bill also was ■not whether capital punishment was right, but that it gave the courts the opportunity to levy such a penalty. But Sen. Ernie Chambers of Omaha continu ally asked supporters why the bill singled out police officers and left other public servants such as teachers, doctors and ministers out of the legislation. “Do the lives of police officers have more intrinsic value than any other people?” Cham bers said. The overwhelming answer from supporters was no. “But let me ask you Sen. Chambers, Sen. (John) Lindsay, or any of you senators,” Wilson See COP KILLERS on 2 Judge rejects state’s request to close Santee Sioux casino OMAHA (AP)—A small Indian casino in northeast Nebraska on Thursday cleared a legal hurdle as a federal judge denied the state of Nebraska’s request to close it. U.S. District Judge William Cambridge rejected the state’s request for a temporary injunction to close the Santee Sioux casino in a renovated cafe a mile south of the South Dakota border. After an hour-long hearing, the judge said the state had no legal standing to seek the injunction. The case, if there is (me, belongs in the hands of federal prosecutors, Cambridge said. “Whether the actions of the tribe are law ful or unlawful, that issue is not before me,” he said. Tribal attorney Dan Evans said he was '\ pleased with the ruling but conceded that he could be back in court in a few days making the same arguments against federal prosecu tors. Casino gambling is prohibited in Ne braska. Some tribal members say the Ohiya Casino offers hope on a reservation that has 70 percent unemployment. It employs nine legal debate centers on interpretation of the 1988 Indian Gaming Regulatory Act. Tribal officials say the law allows them to offer Las Vegas-style games — Class III gambling that includes slot machines, rou lette and poker—because Nebraska allows keno, betting on horse races and a state lottery.