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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 21, 1998)
HY 21,1998 Cubans finish preparing, await pope’s visit Trip expected to be slight economic boon for the country HAVANA (AP) - The faithful sang and prayed Tuesday in the streets of Havana, and Cubans of every per suasion - Catholic, communist and curious - awaited a papal visit that many said could be a turning point for their nation. In a concession to the pope that had some churchgoers in tears, a bishop expelled from Cuba at the lowest point of church-state relations was allowed to return and celebrate Mass Tuesday in his old parish. On the eve of John Paul II’s first visit ever to Cuba, the communist government was still working to patch and tidy up sections of the crumbling capital, which has been ravaged by a collapsed economy. Crews poured and steamrolled fresh asphalt over the cracked and potholed roads, traveled by rusted and creaking old cars and trucks. Workers sprayed yellow paint on one school’s faded facade. While most Cubans agree the pope’s five-day visit will leave then country changed, expectations on what will change depends on their political and religious perspective. Foes of Fidel Castro hope it will weaken his communist regime, which took power in 1959. Castro hopes to gain stature for his revolution and support for an end to the more than three-decade-old U.S. economic embargo. And the Cuban church hopes to expand its influence. A nationwide prayer vigil was planned in churches throughout the country Tuesday evening. Outside downtown Havana’s Our Lady of Carmine Church, boys and girls joy ously swung each other around as young and old worshippers sang and prayed as excitement continued to build for the pope, who is scheduled to arrived at 3 p.m. today. At Medalla Milagrosa Church, 10-year-old Claudia, dressed in a pink Snoopy sweatshirt, dreamed of shaking hands with the pontiff as she and others finished work on the last of 80,000 simple Cuban and papal flags made at the church. “The pope is like God, a beautiful picture,” Claudia said. While Castro sought to burnish his government’s image and the pope hoped for a spiritual awakening in Cuba, it was unclear which of the two men has the tougher task of evange lization. “Missions are more difficult here than in Africa or India. We have to start from scratch. We have to explain everything,” said the Rev. Jesus Luzaretta, a Spanish priest who spends two months a year at Medalla Milagrosa Church. “You can’t easily wipe out 40 years of restrictions.” Castro is scheduled to greet John u— I believe the visit will have an impact in our country; a great impact ” Elizardo Sanchez Cuban human rights monitor PaulII after the pope arrives at 4 p.m. EST Wednesday in Havana, then meet privately with the papal leader the following day. Castro has encouraged Cubans to come out for the papal services in Santa Clara, Camaguey and Santiago, and the revolutionary leader says he will attend the final Mass at die secu lar government's most sacred meeting ground, the Plaza of the Revolution in central Havana. The trip is expected to be a minor boon to the Cuban economy - with estimates the thousands of journalists and visitors will pour some $20 mil lion into the foreign currency-starved nation. “I believe the visit will have an impact in our country, a great impact,” said Elizardo Sanchez, a prominent Cuban human rights mon itor who spent 11 years years in \ prison. “Although regretfully, I’m not expecting a miracle, nor do I believe that the Holy Father thinks that there will be a miracle.” Man arrested for abuse A Lincoln man was arrested on tftrefe counts; of felony'child abuse Monday night. . Earl Crane, 28, was charged with abusing his three daughters, aged 7,9 and 11. He physically, ver bally and emotional abused the chil dren, Lincoln Police Sgt. Ann Heerftiann said. Crane was intoxicated when he picked the children up from their mother’s house Sunday evening for an overnight visit. He then tortured the children Sunday night and con tinued until Monday afternoon. Crane reportedly shot a staple gun at the kids and stapled their shoes to the floor with their feet in them. Crane then shot himself in the arm with the staple gun and forced the seven-year-old to remove the staples for him. After hours of torture, the chil dren were tired and haggard, Heermann said. Crane then gave the 11-year-old a picture of a rifle, say ing he would kill the girls, their mother and their aunt. The incident was reported to police by the mother, Rhonda Romero, when her children were returned to her home Monday night. Pedestrians robbed Two pedestrians were robbed Saturday morning around 7 a.m. as they walked along 44th Street A sedan containing four black males stopped next to the couple and one of the men demanded the woman’s coat, Heermann said. The woman was wearing her boyfriend’s leather Nike coat, worth more than $250. His wallet, contain ing some cash, was also in the coat. The male pedestrian told the woman to run, then took off. The woman began to run away also, but was caught by the robbers. The four men surrounded her, put a gun to her head and made her empty her pockets, though she was only carrying a pack of cigarettes. The men took the coat contain ing her boyfriend’s wallet and left Compiled by Senior Reporter Josh Funk Editor: Paula Lavigne Managing Editor: Chad Lorenz Associate News Editor: Erin Schulte Aandate News Editor: Ted Taylor Assignment Editor. Erin Gibson Opinion Editor: Joshua Gillin Sports Editor: David Wilson A&E Editor: Jeff Randall Copy Desk Chieb: Bryce Glenn Photo Director: Ryan Soderlin Design Co-Chiefs: Jamie Ziegler Tony Toth Art Director: Matt Haney lilt' i hi WlfiTiiireiSMiani Questions? Comments? Ask for the appropriate section editor at (402) 472-2588 or e-maM dn@unlinfo.unl.edu. Asst. Online Editor: Amy Pemberton General Manager: Dan Shattil Publications Board Melissa Myles, Chairwoman: (402) 476-2446 Professional Adviser: Don Walton, (402)473-7301 Advertising Manager: Nick Paitsch, (402)472-2589 AastoMtAd Manager: Daniel Lam ■tel Manager: Mami Speck ASUN focuses on new issues By Jessica Fargen Assignment Reporter A new semester means a new set of goals for ASUN, President Curt Ruwe saicf. But that does not mean last semester’s goals have been complete ly dropped or met, Ruwe said. The Association of Students of the University of Nebraska is just moving on. Part of the moving-on process involved miscommunication result ing in a change to the new goals, Ruwe said. Originally, one of ASUN’s goals was to lobby for a jury deferment bill that would exempt college students from jury duty if they would have to miss classes or tests to serve. But poor communication between ASUN and the Government Liaison Committee hampered movement toward that goal. Both groups soon realized the bill was “not even close to hitting the floor,” Ruwe said. “The realistic thing to do is to say we screwed up and switch our support to a bill that has a chance,” he said. John Wiechmann, chairman of the GLC, said instead of the jury defer ment bill, the committee will focus on a bill proposed by Gov. Ben Nelson aimed at keeping students in Nebraska after college graduation. As for last semester’s goals, Ruwe said most of those goals remain on the table this semester, but are not “high er-priority items.” “We are not just working on the same issues,” Ruwe said. “There are new issues at stake.” Only one goal was physically completed - the adoption of an NU Board of Regents bylaw change to allow student organizations to apply for funds from the University Program Council once every two years rather than once every four. ASUN goals are not very specific, Ruwe said, because ASUN did not want to be “locked into a potentially bad idea” and be stuck with it halfway through the semester. He conceded that vague goals have become the norm in student gov % # r. *£ is a list of goals ASUN has set, and the progress It has made. 1. To credo succowful programming for Martin Lulher King Jt1. Day on Jan. 19 a» wel as create a Martin Lulher King Jr. Day coordnaHng commission for 1999. -ASUN President Curt Ruwe said he was pleased by foe everts sponsored by ASUN Monday. On the average, Ruwe said, 75 people attended programming by UNL student groups at the Nebraska Union. There was not a point when people weren't being exposed to Martin Luther King events.’ Ruwe said. Because of everyone's intense efforts in making Martin Luther King Jr. Day a success, Ruwe said some senators did not have time to work on other ASUN goals. As for next year, Ruwe said he planned on meeting with Omar Valentine, UNL junior and member if the Afrikan People’s Union, to discuss appointments for the 1999 coordinating commission. 3. Continue to woiktoHari implementation of a parking education class. -This week, Senators Kaly Hofcchneider and Adam Anderson, who namely would wok on toe patting class eftorts, were working onaptantogetabua shafter for toe area on East Campus near toe Anbnal Scienoe complex Ruwe said ASUNbsacarm«tod to toe parking class, but no work had been done last week toward implemenfngl. wont ipwaroi huh tutregragaBonior gaseos. —Ftowe said he prodded tost UNL students would be roistering for dassee onfne by spring semester, 1999. ARvughtob was rrtaprajed tost RuMrofeadmHsMton would see beoomea'tec^’ Ruwe said he hoped work, which along wfcotoer projects, was put on hold Mb weektobegtotoeatablsh more groundwork far toe project 5. Lobby for student eupport for the“Brain dnrinMn gain” ML -John wechmam, chairman of toe Gcwemment Liaison Oormitoe, saidtoeM (taMrotogeaf hi would look at wsyetoenoouwge Nebwaha odfage atudertatoalsy htoeatslB after gaduaion torougb such tofags as scholarehtps tost would reqreealudantBto8lBy and woricfaNefaraskafaraperiod dime. 6. WorkiowartJ keeping die Student ImpedTeem end Government Ueieon Committee busy through woridng toward campus beouMcefion projects. -Ruse said beauMcafon world artel Inkastog efcrts on toe part of SIT far toe purchase of tsee to replace toe ones destroyed in last yearb October snowstorm. Ffawe said STThae not yet met Ms year to dacuss fundraising eftorts. The QtCwft be lobbying far defatredmointononooblBtolmptOMB toe aeetoeicsr of UNLfc campuses. 7. Reconstruct the Outdancing Educator AmrL -Ruwe said he has not made any specie eftorts yet Mb yeartogatanew system implemented. eminent, such as ASUN’s commit ment to diversity issues and efforts to improve interaction among student governing bodies. But Ruwe said senators working on more specific projects from last semester know they need to remain committed to those. - Wiechmann said the GLC was still working with city officials to address safety concerns near 14th and Vine streets. And the Committee for Fees Allocation, Ruwe said, did spend time last semester getting more student opinion on fee allocations. But he said this semester will focus more oh determining what to do with that information. Ruwe said implementing a fall break policy was a goal that did not work out the way ASUN hoped it would, with the Academic Senate vot ing it down. But surveys were submitted to the University of Nebraska Calendar Committee showing student support for die policy, Ruwe said. Only one goal, continuing to work towards the implementation of a park ing education class “benefiting stu dents and parking services,” physical- j ly carried over to the new list because it was still a main priority, Ruwe said. “We felt it important,” Ruwe said, “to let the public know we weren’t remaining stagnant.”