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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 23, 1996)
Misuse or heating units causes more large-scale fires in city By Chad Lorenz Senior Reporter The Lincoln Fire Department has been busy this winter because some larger fires have brought more firefighters to the scene than usual. Charlie Beachamp, chief of the Bureau of Fire Prevention, said the department had responded to a higher number of large-scale fires. “It seems to me they have been more devastating,” he said. In the past, losses have averaged about $2 million for the entire year, Beachamp said. Lincoln fires claimed $9 million in damage in 1995, a con siderably high amount, Beachamp said. Losses in the first two months of 1996 may make it a record year too, he said. The two biggest fires in Lincoln so far this year—the fires at the Univer si ty of Nebraska presidential residence and at the Family Dollar Store—have brought a total loss of $1.5 million. “We’ve got some high dollar losses for the beginning of the year,” Beachamp said. The university’s presidential resi dence, 5930 Norman Road, burned down Jan. 18, causing $500,000 in structural damage and $200,000 dam age to contents. Investigators deter mined that an electric heater caused the blaze. i “It seems to me they (the fires) have been more devastating. ” CHARLIE BEACHAMP chief of the Bureau of Fire Prevention The Family Dollar Store, 2541 N. 11th St., was gutted by fire Feb. 2, causing $400,000 damage to the bui ld ing and $400,000 contents damage. A fluorescent light fixture ignited a pile of clothes beneath it to start the fire. Beachamp said he wasn’t sure ex actly how many fires the department had responded to in January and Feb ruary. During Lincoln ’s cold spel 1 in those months, more fires were started be cause of misuse of heating devices, Beachamp said. Fires caused by wood-burning stoves started when stoves burned for days at a time and heated up combus tible material around them, he said. Chimney pipes on the stoves that are the wrong size or improperly insu lated radiate heat around the ceiling and walls until they ignite, he said. Electric heaters and space heaters kept on for an unusual amount of time also can ignite nearby combustibles, Beachamp said. Such appliances should be kept 36 inches from any thing that could burn. The extension cords plugged into those heaters need to be the right weight to handle such a high amount of elec tricity, he said, or they too could start a fire. Some fires this winter started be cause people tried to thaw water pipes with torches and lighters, Beachamp said. Leaving the flame there will thaw the pipe but also could ignite the ceil ing, he said. People should use a hair dryer to keep pipes from freezing, or, better yet, wrap them with heat tape or insu lation before the temperature drops, Beachamp said. People should take those cautious measures to prevent fires in their homes, Beachamp said. Even though people may think they are safe, a fire can destroy everything without warning, he said. “People have the idea,' it will never happen to me.”’ 1 Law & Order . . •. . t ... . I . UNL student raped near campus /\n is-year-oiu university ot Nebraska-Lincoln freshman was raped Monday night, Feb.12, just outside campus on her way home to Smith Residence Hall. The victim told police she was walking home alone from Nebraska Wesleyan University after visiting a friend, Sgt. Ann Heermann said. She stopped to sit down for five minutes on a bench in a brick pavil ion near the Ready Mixed Concrete Company plant at 1800 Y St., Heermann said. Two halogen lights shine up at a flagpole in the middle of the pavil ion. A gazebo sits in an adjoining pavilion, surrounded by evergreen trees. The rest of the area is open and flat. The bench where she stopped was fewer than four blocks away from her residence hall, Heermann said. At about 11:30 p.m., someone allegedly pulled her hair from be hind and pushed her down to the ground, Heermann said. As she fell down, she hit her head on the ce ment bench." The victim was still conscious but dazed when the perpetrator al legedly put something, possibly a hand or scarf, over her face so she could not see him, Heermann said. He then allegedly raped her and fled, Heermann said. The victim, who reported the r crime Wednesday, could not give police any description of her assail ant. Police are unsure why the vic tim, who owns a car, made the seven mile walk from the Wesleyan cam pus, Heermann said. They plan to interview the victim again to see if any new information becomes avail able. — Chad Lorenz Cabinet meetings will discuss budget UNL academic programs top the priority list By Erin Schulte Staff Reporter The Chancellor’s Cabinet began meetings this month with university faculty and administrators to draw up plans on how funds will be distributed in 1997 through 1999. Joan Leitzel, vice chancellor for academic affairs at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, said the committee’s main goals were to iden tify strengths at the university and make sure money was allotted to support those programs. The meetings are held in two-year y\*ai a luwuugii uiv vuu centrating on planning programs for the university, and the next meetings will concentrate on planning the bud get, she said This biennial plan is based on the two-year process of fund allocation by the Nebraska Legisla ture. Academic college vice chancellors and deans present what they view as their colleges’ strengths and weak nesses to the Chancellor’s Cabinet, Leitzel said, and give their plans for allocation of funds. Academic program funding is the top priority for financial backing, but there are other issues to be discussed, she said. Facility needs—such as the reno vation of Richards Hall and additions to Love Library—are big issues. The Chancellor’s Cabinet researches W Ills 111^/1 UUUiiUv iwuua wt v u»u*iwwiv for those needs, Leitzel said. The planning committee also writes (JNL’s Strategic Agenda to explain i ts reasons for wanting to expand certain programs or facilities, she said. The agenda justifies fund requests to the . Legislature. John Benson, director of institu ional research and planning, said the wo-year planning cycle was very ef fective. “It allows us to concentrate on the ight thing at the right time,” Benson ?aid. “If we’re going to plan effec ively, it has to be an integrated pro cess considering a variety of determi lants and priorities.” After the Chancellor’s Cabinet lis tens to proposals, the proposal swill be compiled into a recommendation lobe voted on by the Board of Regents. Job seekers to benefit from upcoming career fairs The next few weeks will otter sev eral opportunities for students on the job hunt. The University of Nebraska-Lin eoln Career Services is sponsoring an engineering and technical career fair in the Nebraska Union on Feb. 29 from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. All students interested in learning about engineering careers may attend. Students can contact John Rohde, as sociate professor ot civil engineering, at 472-8807 for more information. A government and non-profit ca reer day is scheduled for March 7 from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Nebraska Union. More than 40 local and na tional government and non-profit or ganizations will be present to discuss job opportunities for students. On March 15, a business dining etiquette seminar will be held at the Wlck Alumni Letter trom z>:ju p.m. to 8:30 p.m. The seminar will teach students the proper way to conduct themselves in a formal, business-like environment. The cost is $15, including dinner. Students interested in the career day or etiquette seminar may contact Geri Cotter, acting director of the ca reer services center, at 472-8029. — Joshua Gillin The Daily Nebraskan proudly presents the 1995-1996 Fraternity & Sorority Initiates lowne chid Sigma rhi Epsilon Congratulations to our 95-96 Initiates Mindy Bloom Monica Dickes Heidi Hunkins Connie'Hoffman Karen Hoffman Kathryn Maney April Simpson Laura Scott SuzyZarybnichy Kristy Denton Theresa Friesen Erin Loken Erin Troy Becky Brown Clint Seeman Matt Epp A1 Frank Chad Ballain Chris Schmidt Bill Fellows Matt Stefkovich Sam Vetter J JefFShannon Seth Farrington Nathan Penney KifFin Anderson Bob Willis Collin Stork Andy Wane Shane Miller Cody Lay Ryan Beatty Kevin Weber Ryan Jones Steve Gale AndyMonnich Ryan Manning JeffHazen Cory Olson JohnOrmesher Alpha Gamma Sigma Kipp ADrescn David Bird Jamie Bustamante Ryan Buschkamp Jed Christensen Steve Cockson Garron Frank Jay Gish urew uiassnon Jeremy Ham Jason Hirschfeld Wade Johannes Fred Koch Brent Kramer Gregg List Kenton Schegg Brian Scherling ChadVillwok Brandon Vossler Brian Wieman Preston Hillier ChadLichtenberg Gary Hembd Blake Wentz JeffBrakenhoff Brian Pape BenYelkin Charlie Braymen Theta Xi Chris Keetle Brian Schlicting Brad Anthofer Brett Flodine Jason Langenfeld SamSaad Shane Dirks Aaron Berger Brent Claassen BillEdelman Dan Goeke Karl Hying Eric Jarecki Justin Katzberg Scott Kraus Ag Men Lance Mosier RyanRavenscroft Jeremy Reiter Scott Schmidt Jason Schwan Matt Sobotka Chad Soukup Roland Zumbrunn Tara Andresen Stacie Beach Keri Bemadt Jessica Bode Jenny Bohuslavsky Laura Bradley Andrea Bredow Stacy Churchill Amber Combs j Brie Cooper Janna Dasenbrock Kelly Davis Gamma rhi Beta Lutuy Julie Erickson Jen Estudillo Melissa Fletcher Tanya Holfeldt Melissa Ingold Becky Karpan Lelly Klostermeyer Holly Koemer Kelli Lacey Mindy Lacey Laura Lessley Laura Masur Jamie Meyer Alicia Miller Nicole Neid Lindsay Palmer Lindsay Quadhammer Sarah Richter Jamie Schomerus Robyn Souillere Laura Taylor Becky Thompson Jen Wachtler Janet Warner Molly Weichman Eliza Widdowson Rex Dembowski JeffSindelar Dan Botsch Mike Kastens Chad Bockstadter Bryan Helms Travis Paulson Lee Potts Alpha Gamma Rho Steve Hilgenkamp A -A A Craig Hegemann Will Wittier Jed Erickson Roger David Kevan Reeson Mark Johnson Jim Dickey Joel Conradi