The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current, December 07, 1999, Image 1
SPORTS ■ ■ '* 1 r -— Buffaloes Bowling Along with five other Big 12 teams, Colorado will playing in a bowl game this holiday season. PAGE 9 kAA You Oughta Be in Pictures | Digital filmmaking advances are making production I cheaper and easier, creating one of the changes the industry will experience in the next century. PAGE 6 TUESDAY December 7, 1999 Partly sunny, high NEBRASKA-LINCOLN SINCE 1901 NO. 71 Johanns says he won’t cut funds ■ Despite his opposition to fetal cell research, the gov ernor says he wouldn’t sup press NU funding to stop it. ByJoshKnaub Staff writer Gov. Mike Johanns said Monday he would not try to withhold funds from die University of Nebraska despite his opposition to fetal cell research. Johanns said in a letter to NU President Dennis Smith last week that he wants the university to discontinue use of tissue from aborted fetuses. Johanns stood by his letter on Monday. “The ultimate goal is to have no tis sue from aborted babies used in research,” Johanns said But, Tie said, he wbiild not combat the use of fetal tissue tty taking money from the university's pocketbook. The University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha is conducting the research, which it hopes will give clues leading to the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease. Smith and other NU officials main tain die use of tissue from aborted fetus es is a research issue, not a moral issue. They have called for Johanns to keep out of the debate, letting die faculty and regents make any decisions. Johanns said he was not sure what steps needed to be taken to end the use of fetal tissue in research. “I’m looking at this one step at a time,” he said. Johanns called on die NU Board of Regents to take up the matter at its meet « These matters should be discussed without reprisal threats ” Don Pederson state senator from North Platte ing on Saturday. Johanns said he had the utmost respect for Smith. But he urged Smith and others in the university to examine the use of fetal cells “in the public arena.” Speaker of the Legislature Doug Kristensen of Minden has speculated that state senators will move to cut funds to the university when die Legislature convenes in January because of dis agreements cm the use of fetal cells. The Legislature V appropriations committee, which approves funds for the university, would be responsible for any changes in funding for NU. But its vice chairman said Monday he wouldnot support cutting funds to the university based cm any research issue. State Sen. Don Pederson of North Platte said he agreed with Johanns that the university’s funds should not be tied to fetal cell research. “I don’t think it’s healthy for our higher education system to threaten to withhold funds when we don’t approve of one project or another,” he said. Pederson said he would encourage public debate on the issue but wanted the debate to be free of discussions of money. “These matters should be discussed without reprisal threats,” he said. ■ r'». . --- Cramming with coffee '. /'/ • Nate Wagner/DN JAKE KIMBERLY, a sophomore computer science major, hits the books at The Mill, 800 P St., on Monday ' aaM Iua Ia a mahIa TIua ill II 5 IfiPfPilrWIfWi HBilwlIf SSM IN IS3 rSgillm 81 IIW Mill. ■ VINE, which will track inmates, will be functional statewide in January. By Josh Knaub Staff writer Gov. Mike Johanns on Monday unveiled a system that will immedi ately notify crime victims when crim inals are released, transferred or escape from jail. « The computerized system, Victim Information and Notification Everyday, provides information about all Nebraska prisoners. By calling a toll-free number, (877) NE4-VINE, and identifying an inmate to track, a victim can obtain updates every time the criminal is moved. VINE will be fully functional by January 2000. “I’m very pleased to announce that 83 of Nebraska’s 97 counties have already implemented VINE,” Johanns said. He said the remaining 14 counties, including Lancaster County, would implement the system this month. Residents of these counties may already use the system, but inmates held by the 14 counties are not includ ed in tee VINE database. Nebraska is the eighth state to offer the VINE system statewicie. Harold Clarke, director of the Nebraska Department of Qxiectional Services, said anyone could use the VINE system. Often, he said victims are able to Please see VINE on 2 Reinhard to change his focus By Kimberly Sweet Senior staff writer A UNL anthropology professor once at the center of controversy sur rounding treatment of American Indian remains will switch depart ments next semester. Karl Reinhard will transfer to the School of Natural Resource Sciences in the spring to develop a new area of expertise. ■ - Reinhard will focus his study on palynology, the study of pollen and spores, said Blaire Blad, director of the school. “Karl looked at both programs and decided what he wanted to do fit better in natural resources rather than anthropology,” Blad said. Reinhard faced investigations in 1998 by the university and the State Patrol for allegations of mishandling American Indian remains. He was cleared of all charges by the Nebraska State Patrol. Robert Gnmit, a university-hired attorney, also released a report this year saying he found no credible evi dence to support many of the allega tions made against Reinhard. While Reinhard’s main area of emphasis will be in the school of nat ural resources, he will still teach classes in the anthropology depart ment, said Patricia Draper, chair woman of the anthropology depart ment. Reinhard’s expertise in biological anthropology is needed in a depart ment filled predominantly with archeological anthropologists, Draper said. Mary Willis, who earned her doc toral degree in biological anthropolo gy from Washington University in St. Louis, will join UNL’s faculty in the spring. She will be the sole full-time bio logical anthropologist in the depart ment, Draper said. Blad said he was happy Reinhard was joining the school’s faculty. He s a world-renowned scien tist,” Blad said. The School of Natural Resources was formed in 1997. Several faculty from various departments within the College of Arts and Sciences have become fac ulty in die college, Blad said. The school contains majors including environmental studies; fisheries, forestry and wildlife; and natural resource economics. Reinhard will teach introductory courses, as well as more advanced palynology courses, Blad said. He will continue research on issues such as diets of ancient people and the effect of American-Indian diets on diabetes. He will also look at the effect of pollen on insects, Blad said. Blad said Reinhard’s contribu tions, both as a professor and a researcher, would be valuable to the school. “He’s a neat guy who’s been through some hard times,” Blad said. Bar owners unsure of New Year permits ■ Some won’t apply for the time extension, which would allow bars to stay open until 3 a.m. By Sarah Fox Staff writer If an ordinance allowing bars to stay open an extra two hours passes next week, some Lincoln bar owners said they may not find the extra dance time as appealing as people celebrating die millennium would. The bars would have to apply for permits, which would allow dancing until 3 a.m. Alcohol would have to be put away at 1 am Rob Rossman, assistant manag er of P O Pears, 322 S. Ninth St., said P O Pears probably wouldn’t apply for a permit if it wouldn’t make money by selling alcohol. “What’s the purpose of staying open if we don’t have anything but dance to offer?” Rossman said. “Why pay $100 and not make any income on the deal?” Applicants would pay $100 for die permit. They would also have to already have an annual dance permit and be free of liquor violations dur ing 1998 and 1999. Sherry Vanek, owner of Sherry’s Dining Dancing & Sports Bar, 3223 Comhusker Highway, said she had n’t decided if she would apply for a permit She said she wouldn’t make much money if she could sell only Please see BARS on 2 Read the Daily Nebraskan on the World Wide Web at dadyneb.com