SPORTS
Oh, Canada
Freshman gymnast Jason Hardabura, from
Canada, plays the role of leader as the Huskers
_ head into the NCAAs. PAGE 7
A&E
Hail to the cab
For UNL student Ken Paulman, “Taxi” isn’t just
a sitcom with the late Andy Kaufman, it’s a part
time job. PAGE 9
Tunno’ AY
March 19, 1998
Snowflakes Fauin’ On My Head...
Chance of snow, high 33. Light snow tonight, low 27.
VOL. 97 COVERING THE UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA-LINCOLN SINCE 1901 NO. 126
Not guilty plea entered in Cockson death
By Josh Funk
Senior Reporter
Jeffrey E. Ireland pleaded innocent to
the charge of motor vehicle homicide
Tuesday in Lancaster County Court.
Ireland was charged for the Saturday
death of Laura Cockson, a 21-year-old
UNL junior. She was a front-seat passen
ger in the car Ireland hit after running a
red light at North First Street and
Cornhusker Highway.
If convicted, Ireland, 25, could face up
to five years in jail.
Lancaster County Attorney Gary
Lacey said other charges - including run
ning a red light, leaving the scene of an
accident and driving under the influence -
could be filed after results of Ireland’s
blood alcohol test come in.
Ireland was arrested at 3:45 a.m.
Sunday when he showed up at Bryan
Memorial Hospital for treatment of
injuries he sustained in the accident.
According to court documents, the
officer at the hospital said that there was
alcohol on Ireland’s breath, his speech
was slurred, his eyes bloodshot and his
mouth dry, and he admitted drinking earli
er. Ireland arrived at the hospital nearly
three hours after he fled the scene of the
accident on foot.
Cockson’s two sisters, Sarah, a 19
year-old University of Nebraska-Lincoln
freshman, and Erin, a 16-year-old high
school sophomore from Friend, were criti
cally injured and taken to Lincoln General
Hospital.
By Wednesday evening Erin had been
upgraded to fair condition and was moved
out of intensive care. Sarah is in serious
condition in the intensive care unit.
In court Tuesday, Ireland said he could
not afford an attorney. Public defender
Susan Ugai was appointed to represent
him, court records said.
Bond was set at $500,000 with the con
dition that Ireland is not to drive under
any circumstances. He returned to jail
after the arraignment.
According to Lincoln Police records,
Ireland has a history of traffic offenses,
beginning in 1992. Not including the most
recent charges, they include driving under
the influence, negligent driving, giving
false information to a police officer and
two counts each of driving with a sus
pended license and leaving the scene of an
accident.
A judge suspended Ireland’s license
for six months and fined him $200 in July
1997 for a DUI offense.
At that time, his license already was
suspended indefinitely in connection with
a 1993 accident and related failure-to
appear charge, records said.
Lane Hickenbqttom/DN
TED PADDY, a UHL biology professor, recently woo the 1998 Outstanding Teaching and Creativity Award. The
flask hi life hands contains algae, a subject of his research.
man
in 77
motion
Energy activity
guide teacher’s
life, classroom
By Eric Rineer
Staff Reporter
Ted Pardy never stops; he’s constantly in motion.
In his childhood, the UNL professor of biological sci
ences dreamed he would ride the railways as a locomotive
engineer,
He’s spent years of free time bicycling across states and
European countries.
And when he returns, he keeps moving. Even during
his lectures, he jolts around his classroom to interact with
students.This exciting life in motion and its ability to
inspire students recently won Pardy the 1998 Outstanding
Teaching and Creativity Award,
The University of Nebraska recognizes two professors
each year who demonstrate teaching excellence in their
fields.
Pardy, who joined the University of Nebraska-Lincoin
faculty in 1977, said he was thankful for the award.
His students and colleagues said he was a perfect recip
ient because of his boundless energy and diligent work to
further UNL students’ education through-teaching and
research.
Please see PARDY on 6
Deal reached in
tobacco lawsuit
Nebraska to benefit from settlement
By Brian Carlson
Senior Reporter
Nebraska and 13 other states
will receive SI million each over
nine years under a recently
announced settlement with the
Liggett and Brooke Tobacco
Group.
The settlement, which would
be superseded by a federal set
tlement pending in Congress,
also includes a $100,000 upfront
payment that each state will
receive over the next six months.
Liggett also must make annual
payments to each state for the
next 25 years based on the state's
share of Medicaid costs.
Forty states have settled with
Liggett, a small company con
trolling 2 to 3 percent of the
tobacco market.
“This settlement is signifi
cant for Nebraska not only
because of the money but
because it requires the tobacco
company to take steps to curb
tobacco use among Nebraskans,”
Gov. Ben Nelson said in a state
ment. “The attorney general and
I agree that this is the correct
time for Nebraska to approve of
the Liggett settlement.”
The agreement prohibits out
door advertising and restricts
indoor advertising by Liggett.
The company also may not
advertise on the Internet or pay
for media product placement.
Liggett also agreed to coop
erate as states press other tobac
co companies for compensation
for medical costs required by
smoking-related illnesses. The
company will be required to
place new warnings on cigarette
packages and advertising.
Nebraska Attorney General
Don Stenberg said the settle
ment offered a better deal for
u
The attorney
general and I agree
that this is the
correct time ...to
approve of the
Liggett settlement
Ben Nelson
governor
Nebraska than previous negoti
ated settlements with Liggett,
which the state did not join.
Although Nebraska is one of
10 states that has not filed suit
against the tobacco industry,
Stenberg and his office have
been involved in federal tobacco
negotiations.
Stenberg has assured
Nebraska lawmakers this will
not prevent the state from
receiving its share of the settle
ment, and he said the Liggett
agreement bears this out.
“This agreement also points
out the reality that a state need
not file a lawsuit in order to
enter into a settlement,”
Stenberg said in a statement.
Karl Bieber, Nelson’s press
secretary, said Nebraska’s deci
sion not to file suit means the
state will receive its share of the
settlement without using taxpay
er money to pay large legal fees.
Thirteen other states joined
the Liggett settlement:
Arkansas, Colorado, Idaho,
Maine, Missouri, Pennsylvania,
Rhode Island, Wyoming,
Montana, New Hampshire, New
Mexico, North Dakota and Ohio.
Read the Daily Nebraskan on the World Wide Web at http: / lwww.unl.edu /DailyNeb
