Image provided by: University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries, Lincoln, NE
About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 9, 1999)
By Margaret Behm - - Staff writer Nebraska residents who are unsatisfied with the look of current license plates have die opportunity to design the 2002 plates in a statewide contest. The Department of Motor Vehicles decided to involve Nebraska residents in the selection of the new license plates, said Veronica Lueders, the administrative assistant for the department. “We decided it would be fun to include everybody in the design of the plate,” Lueders said. “They could come up with something that repre sents Nebraska to put on there.” This is the first time Nebraska has had a design contest for license plates, Lueders said. In the past, an internal committee of the DMV designed the plates. “We’ve never done this before, so there rs" mixed feelings about it,” ’ • Lueders said. “But I anticipate that -there Will be a lot of interest for it.” This contest is important because people have been unsatisfied with the look of past license plates, said Chris Peterson, press relations secretary for Gov. Mike Johanns. "License plate design has often been controversial in Nebraska,” Peterson said. “When the last license plate came out, there was a general impression that it was not very attrac tive.” The contest is open to any Nebraska resident. Entries must be submitted or postmarked by Jan. 14. A committee, which will be named in January, will choose three entries for Nebraska residents to vote on either online or in county treasur ers’ offices. A representative of the DMV, a law enforcement official, a county treasurer, a graphic artist and one per son'from each of the three congres sional districts will make up the com mittee, Peterson said. People can vote between April 15 and May 15, and the winner will be announced May 31. “This is an opportunity for Nebraskans from all 93 counties to have a say in the design and selection of the next license plate,” Peterson said. Lancaster and two other counties will be the first Nebraska counties to have alphanumeric plates, under a change passed by the Legislature last spring. The Legislature passed a bill for alphanumeric license plates that will exclude the county number for Douglas, Sarpy and Lancaster coun ties, said Lester Hineline, administra tor of titles and registration for the DMV The size of the counties was the reason they were chosen, Hineline said. Johanns vetoed the bill because he did not see a reason for it to be passed, and the veto was later overrid den, said Peterson. Von Maur allows Christian music By Dane Stickney Staff writer Lincoln’s Von Maur department store is adding a little Jesus to its musical repertoire at the request of Von Maur headquarters. The upscale department store, which features live pianists, quartets and choirs, has been instructed by the Von Maur corporate headquarters to play Christian music as well as secular music. For the past few weeks, Lincoln’s Von Maur, at 27th Street and Pine Lake Road, has been scrutinized for telling its performers to not play music with religious context. When customers askecLperfqrm-__ ers if they would play Christmas songs about Jesus Christ, the perform ers said it wasn’t in their repertoire. Rick Von Maur, president of the Von Maur company, said the store had no policy discouraging Christian music from being played. “We’ve never had a stance against it,” he said. “We’ve always played reli gious music, and we have never banned it at any store.” Von Maur said he was not able to find out what caused the misunder standing at the Lincoln store, but he sent a memo to all 14 Von Maur stores to make sure the policy was clear. “It’s not realty important to point fingers,” he said. “What’s important is that we’ve got it right, and our cus tomers are happy.” Officials from Lincoln’s Von Maur refused to comment on the situ ation. Despite Von Maur’s policy, the idea of excluding religion-related songs is not a new idea. Muzak, one of the nation’s largest music services, also decided to not use any music that is related to reli gion. Officials from Gateway Mall’s J.C. Penney and Younkers said they both used Muzak for their in-store jnusic. “We don’t have a choice,” said Deb O’Hanlon, assistant store manag er ofYounkers. “Whatever they decide is played is played. It takes the deci sion off of us.” Rickio Woods, creative director of audio architecture at Muzak, said the decision to stop using religious music was a difficult choice to make. “One of our promises is to limit the liability of a business to its clients,” Woods said. “It’s our job to provide music that doesn’t offend anyone. Personalty, that bothers me, ■ ■ I ■ u am ■ ■1*11 VI maw ^ » '^m W *J m k V . i ■ ft 'i' J "J k 1 ■■ W i 1 pi RB|||flMtaB|p||||p|p|H|iBiB|^^HBj^BHHHHHBB ■mmmmUmmUmmB but the consumers come first.” Woods said Muzak has offended people by playing Christian music in a variety of stores. The company was even accused of promoting pagan beliefs by playing songs about Santa Claus. “It’s sad that people are offended by certain kinds of holiday music,” he said. “It makes our job difficult, but our job is to filter content to make everybody happy.” Muzak will compile a custom pro gram including religious songs if a store requests it. Woods said he wished Muzak could use songs like “Silent Night” or “We Three Kings,” but that would be alienating non-Christians. “Personally, while I was growing up, I had certain memories of the hol idays, and a big part of those memo ries is music,” he said. “It is such a strong medium that can pull an emotion trigger to get me in the holiday mood.” The DMV hasn’t heard any com plaints against the alphanumeric license plates from the public, Hineline said. “There wasn’t much opposition to it at the public hearing when the bill was introduced,” Hineline said. The DMV supported the bill because it will cut down on waste, Hineline said. Counties with extra plates, which aren’t designated by county, can give them to counties that need them. These plates will have a sticker that will have to be put on to identify the county of the car, Hineline said. Tim Salmen, a sergeant at the traf fic office of the Nebraska State Patrol, said the alphanumeric license plates will be a challenge for officers to identify at first, but they will prob ably get used to it. “It will be a little bit of adjustment for us to recognize that they are from Nebraska,” Salmen said. “But once we get past that initial stage, it won’t be a big problem.” Cash for the holidays! Work for HoneyBaked Ham and earn up to $7/hr over winter break. Reps on Campus at SEIC Rm 345 This Fri. 11 to 4, or call our Omaha location at 491-0000 475-RIDE Every Thursday, Friday and Saturday night 11:00 p.m. to 3:00 a.m. Must present NU student ID HOW TO USE NU ON WHEELS: 1) Call 475-RIDE. 2) Give your name, pick-up location and exact home address. 3) Wait at pick-up location. Be watching for your taxi! 4) Show your NU student ID to the taxi driver. Your NU student ID is required! 5) Tips are appreciated! Questions? Comments? Suggestions? E-mail NU on Wheels at: nuonwheels@unl.edu or call 472-7440 A program* Project CAHE and to UrwerstyHetoil 1 Center. UNI is a norefcaiminatory institution. L I;: t-> NOW TEXTBOOKS • CAN EXPAND '-V-j YOUR WALLET AS WELL l -ST .... .f&J, % jgi.. :V . ’ S AS YffUR MIND. ? K. _ ;; r ■ ■■■?■■ \ .fcs I ■ • . v " .v m .*|i TEXTBOOKS.COM IS LOOKING EOR CAMPUS MANAGERS. i e-commerce i