fears, new year
By Michelle Starr
Staffwriter
4
As thousands of Lincoln resi
dents counted down the seconds to
2000, city, county and UNL cam
pus officials stood by ready with
supplies and alternate plans for the
- possible effects of the Y2K. bug.
«- But midnight came and went
without any major power problems
be and only two incidents were
fit reported by Lincoln police.
If the Y2K bug were a fire
i:i work, it would be nicknamed “die
i 3 dud,” said Gov. Mike Johanns at a
or press conference on New Year’s'
V Day.
i . The preparedness of business
or es, utijities and the government is
responsible for the lack of Y2K
incidents, Johanns saicL,
\v, Steve Masters, public utilities
s administrator at Lincoln’s Public
ji Works and Utilities, said there
were no problems with city traffic
lights, water or wastewater facili
ties.
“Things have gone surprising
ly smoothly,” Masters said.
Rick Haden, manager of street
and traffic operations at Public
Works and Utilities agreed and
said the only calls made to the'
‘ office were traffic barricade
requests for the downtown Fire
n and Ice celebration.
Haden said it was the two-year
preparation and testing of the city’s
electric system and traffic lights
1 that made the difference in the
smooth operation.
Public Works and Utilities city
crews were prepared with tempo
rary stop signsjfif power failure
were to occur, Haden said.
Larry Pelter, spokesman for
Y2K at the Lincoln Electric
System, also said nothing went
m wrong.
*>f! “It appears that most electrical
v 1 ; __
power around the world survived
the Y2K turnover,” Pelter said.
Forty LES employees were
ready for any problems, he said.
LES also monitored the elec
trical systems at 11 p.m., 12 a.m.
and 1 a.m. on New Year’s Day to
make sure the switch was a success
for the Eastern Standard Time and
Mountain Time, Pelter said.
After expecting a busy
evening, the Lincoln Police
Department had relatively little to
complain ibout on New Year’s
Eve.
One of the two incidents
reported to Lincoln Police
involved Nickolas D. Bera, an 18
year-old from ^Lincoln, who
allegedly robbed a woman, fired
shots into the car of another
woman and threatened another
group of motorists, all between
7:30 and 9:45 p.m., police said.
Bera, 3235 S. 14th St., was
taken into custody at 11 p.m. and is
charged with seven felonies. His
preliminary hearing is set for Feb.
7.
The second incident involved
Jason Morin, 20, and a 15-year
old, charged with theft and child
abuse.
Police said the two suspects
may have stolen a Chevrolet
Cavalier that was left running in
the driveway in front of an apart
ment at 611 S. 20th St. An 18
month-old toddler was in the back
seat.
Police found the two suspects
near 15th and F streets, and the
infant was found later unharmed in
his car safety seat in a nearby alley.
The Lincoln Police
Department was prepared for the
festivities of the evening with
more than 100 officers on the
street, about 20 more than a typical
Friday night around midnight, said
John Becker, assistant chief of
! ... I ' T ... . i- ,
operations.
Becker said even though
police were prepared, it was a quiet
evening.
“It was great. I went home ear
lier than I thought,” Becker said.
Despite the two incidents,
Becker said, some Thursday nights
or football Saturdays have had
more problems than New Year’s
Eve.
Although the additional offi
cers did not encounter many prob
lems, Becker said, it was better to
over-plan than be caught off guard
and not prepared.
Lancaster County Sheriff
Terry Wagner said that like the city
of Lincoln, Lancaster County
increased the number of officers
on duty and had few problems.
Wagner said there were 26
officers on patrol compared with
the average of about 10 officers for
that time of night.
The evening cost about $ 1,200
for the county sheriff’s depart
ment, Wagner said.
The entire night cost the
Lincoln Police Department about
$15,000.
University Police officers also
were put on emergency prepared
ness plan, which included training
for possible problems, additional
officers on duty and f2-hour shifts
beginning at 7 a.m. on Dec. 31.
Eight extra police officers
were commissioned for the univer
sity, said University Police Sgt.
Mylo Bushing.
No reports of electrical failure
were reported to the University
police, Mylo said.
Because of the lack of prob
lems, University Police discontin
ued the preparedness plan at 2 a.m.
Jan.1.
“It was as quiet of a New Year’s
Eve I’ve seen in a long time,”
Wagner said.
1
ABOVE: A 30-F00T-TALL AIR
puppet rings in the New Year
in front of Pershing Municipal
Auditorium, 226 Centennial
Mall South. Thousands of
Lincoln residents were down
town to witness the city
sponsored laser show and
fireworks.
LEFT: In a scene reminiscent
of Mardi Gras, Pam Nelson
and her life-size puppet friend
join the revelers on 0 Street.
The Lincoln Police
Department had extra officers
on duty but saw few problems
related to the large downtown
celebration.
photos by Sharon Kolbet
■»
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