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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 4, 1999)
SPORTS Recruiting hijinks Frank Solich speaks, the experts speak, and so does Josh Davis in the Daily Nebraskan’s 1999 football recruiting special. PAGE 6 ] « & E I Eclectic boogaloo I From dodging police to teaching kids at commu 1 nity centers, breakdancer and graffiti artist i Houston Alexander is making changes. PAGE 12 THURS AY February 4, 1999 On the Upside Mostly sunny, high 45. Cloudy tonight, low 31. VOL. 98 COVERING THE UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA-LINCOLN SINCE 1901 NO. 94 Students are the focus of newest ASUN party ByIevaAugstums Senior staff writer A room full of students focused on potential student government leaders Wednesday at a rally celebrating their candidacy. Concentrating on the urgency that the university “clearly focus on stu dent-body needs,” Focus party mem bers officially announced their candi dacy for the March 3 ASUN student i government elections. * Paul Schreier, Focus party presi dential candidate, said instead of iff! ^forming a party platform, his party went directly to students and asked them what issues the Focus party should concentrate on. “Our goal is to refocus the univer sity on the students - the very' reason for its existence,” Schreier said. “Our platform brings the university’s focus back to students.” Focus campaign manager Andy Faltin said Focus candidates were ready to respond to student needs. For coverage of this week’s ASUN meeting, please see story on page 3. “From diversity to campus beauty, this campaign is focused on making this university a better place for every one,” Faltin said. Jon England, Focus party first vice presidential candidate, said one of his goals was to make sure the NU athlet ic department was responsive to stu Please see FOCUS on 3 U—mi , ft ^mrWT.I I i_ Sandy Summers/DN TRISHA MEURET, Focus party second vice president candidate, takes down her party’s banner Wednesday afternoon in the Nebraska Union. The Focus party announced its candidacy for student government executive positions in the Crib. Daniel Luedert/DN NEBRASKA SEN. RAY JANSSEN listens to Sen. Ardyce Bohlke while she discusses LB149, a bill concerning the state aid for schools, on the Legislature floor Wednesday. Legislators debate school aid By Shane Anthony Staff writer State senators looked backward and for ward Wednesday before passing a state school aid bill to the next round. While debating LB 149, veteran senators explained legislation that led to a $22 million miscalculation in state aid last year. Not every one was convinced LB 149 would bring stabil ity to the complex state aid formula, but most senators spoke in favor of the bill, which passed on a 42-0 vote. “An error isn’t a mistake until you refuse to correct it,” said Hastings Sen. Ardyce Bohlke as she opened debate. The error, she said, was the result of sever al bills during the past decade. On Dec. 1, 1997, she said, schools received certification of state aid for 1998. Schools planned their budgets - including staffing and course offer ing decisions - on those numbers, she said. It was the first time state aid was calculat ed using a three-year estimate under LB806. On Dec. 1, Bohlke said, 1998 state aid was recalculated, called a “re-spin,” based on actu al numbers. The re-spin showed schools would have to pay back $22 million in cuts to this year’s state aid if the Legislature did not act. The re-spin occurs every year, and some fluctuations are common, she said, but not $22 million. “By and large it is our mess, not the mess of children sitting in our classrooms,” she said. Speaker Doug Kristensen spoke about bills dating back 10 years. “State aid has been a fight in this state since the day it was designed,” he said. LB 1059, a bill passed in 1989, created a pot for school funding, he said. Schools received per-pupil money and equalization money. Then, in 1996, the Legislature passed LB 1114, limiting property tax levies, he said. Harrison Sen. Bob Wickersham said that LB806, passed in 1997, framed a means for calculating state aid to make up funding schools lost under LB 1114. The formula, he said, is needs minus Please see SCHOOL on 2 Bill targeting alcohol use by minors passes in committee By Jessica Fargen Senior staff writer A bill that would stiffen penalties for minors who consume or possess alcohol and boost fines for liquor retailers who continually sell to minors was advanced by the General Affairs Committee on Tuesday. The bill picked up several amendments Wednesday, said Ken Winston, legal counsel for Stanton Sen. Stan Schellpeper. If adopted, LB 126, would make Nebraska one of 33 states with drivers license suspension for a minor in possession of alcohol offense. Under LB 126, sponsored by Schellpeper, minors caught drinking alcohol would be slapped with a mandatory $250 fine and an automatic six month drivers-license suspension on their first offense. Fines and suspension periods increase as a minor racks up more MIP tickets. Under an MIP probation, minors would lose their licenses for 90 days for a first offense. Martin Costello, Alcohol and Tobacco Enforcement Coordinator for the Nebraska State Patrol, said the amended bill cleared up some gray areas in MIP law. “It does plug a couple of loopholes,” Costello said. “I think there’s some questions that need to be answered before we know exactly how it would be interpreted.” Under the amended bill, minors could be cited for MIP for consumption if a police officer sees them drinking or if they appear drunk. Evidence of intoxication or breath that smells like alcohol would be indicators of consumption. The bill would adopt a zero tolerance policy, which would mean .01 percent of alcohol in a minor’s blood would constitute consumption. The minor would have the right to request a chemical Please see ALCOHOL on 2 Read the Daily Nebraskan on the World Wide Web at dailyneb.com