Gun dealers unhappy with proposals GUNS from page 1 bing felons who fail “long gun” back ground checks. Nebraskans who have handgun certificates are not required to have their backgrounds checked. Included in this proposal was an addition of 500 Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms agents around die nation. It was the one thing Hopper could agree with the president on. “Right now, if I get a felon who tries to buy a gun, and he is denied after a background check, there’s nothing I can do,” Hopper said. And sometimes, Hopper said, there’s no way to get a hold of the Federal Bureau of Investigation to con duct the background check. “You get busy signals,” he said. Johnson agreed. Originally, he said, the system was supposed to field 18,000 calls a day - a number fewer than the nation’s amount of gun dealers. Johnson estimates the number of dealers around 100,000. In Nebraska, these calls do not include any handgun sales. That handgun sales aren’t checked at the show concerned many dealers, considering that buyers could commit a felony midway through the three-year stint of the certificate and still buy a handgun. Johnson said he could call in for background on handgun sales, but it’d take too much time and he’d lose business. Another business-losing proposal, Johnson said, was Clinton’s proposal of “smart guns,” which can oiJy be fired only with special rings or bracelets. Clinton has said the guns will pre vent shooting accidents, specifically ones involved with children. It might do that, Johnson said. But just how many people would want to pay extra for such a gun? “Almost no one,” he said. “We’re talking about $1,000 to $2,000 guns here. Who can afford these guns?” “And then there’s the reliability fac tor,” said Tom Lawman, a buyer from Plattsmouth. “Say somebody breaks into your house. “If your smart gun requires a spe cial ring to use it, and you reach for the gun, and you don’t have it on because you just got out of the shower, you can’t used.” Defending oneself seemed to be the top argument from all the gun dealers for keeping regulations at a minimum. Dealers said they believed that if crimi nals could get handguns illegally, then citizens should have handguns So any policy that might prevent handguns from being sold easily are always met with caution, Johnson said. “If some person gpne in here and they hated guns, and they could give me absolute proof that a gun law could work, I wouldn’t have to sell guns any more,” Johnson said. “But if the bad guys can get them, well, I’d just as soon have a handgun, too. Just in case ” During his State of the Union address on Thursday President BiH Clinton proposed Melanie Faik/DN Gun store By MkheUe Starr - -• — Staff writer A man who was known and respected among gun owners and collectors in Lincoln and sur rounding areas was found dead at the gun store where he worked. Gary “Casey” Jones, 51, of Ceresco, was found dead on Friday at about 6 p.m. at Acher Arms, 1334 S. 33rd St. Jones had worked at the store for two years. Mark Hatten, a customer who was picking up some guns for the annual Black Powder Gun Show at the State Fair Park on Saturday and Sunday, dis covered Jones on the floor at the gun store and called police. Police arrived on the scene and found the vic tim unresponsive, Lincoln Police Capt. David Beggs said. A preliminary investigation showed Jones died as a result of a gunshot wound, Lincoln Police Chief Tom Casady said. Police are treating the death as a homicide. Police have no suspects and no witnesses at this time, and a solid motive does not exist, Casady said. “I suppose the most plausible motive would be robbery, but it’s just that, a guess,” he said. Davis Mosby, of Lincoln, owned the now defunct Gun Rack, where Jones worked for about 25 years before going to work at Acher Arms, he said. “He’s an awful hard man to explain because they’re hardly around today,” Mosby said. “He wouldn’t take advantage of anyone; he was too honest.” While he worked for Mosby, Jones never had a problem with customers, looked out for their inter ests and had a good rapport with everyone, Mosby said. Jones was a person customers would seek out to get straight answers and prices, he said. Police continued to investigate the case on Sunday. Casady encouraged anyone with information concerning the case to contact Lincoln Police at (402) 441-7204 or call CrimeStoppers at (402) 475-3600. A call to CrimeStoppers can be anonymous and possibly lead to a reward, Casady said. Chinese to celebrate year of the dragon n w « • « _ oyjituuc DUUT Staff writer The Chinese New Year is a festi val celebrated around the world, including the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. The Chinese Student & Scholar Association is sponsoring the Chinese Spring Festival Celebration on Saturday in the Nebraska Union’s Centennial Room. The celebration is part of China Week. Two lectures, a Chinese movie and a China study abroad informa tion session will also be held. Last year the CSSA did not have the funds to sponsor a Chinese New Year celebration. Instead, the group had a small party. But with help of the University Program Council, UNL alumni and International Affairs, this year’s cele bration will be the biggest in Nebraska that is open to the public. Alicia Bacon, UPC programming secretary, said one of her group’s goals was to find programs that reach a diverse group of students. “We’re happy to help out with the I want people to open themselves to the Chinese culture,” she said. “The festival will be a place to mingle and learn from each other.” MandyGuo CSSA adviser celebration since it’s going to reach not only the Chinese community, but other students as well,” Bacon said. The festival is a reunion for the local Chinese community, but many Americans have been invited as well, said Mandy Guo, CSSA adviser. “I want people to open them selves to the Chinese culture,” she said. “The festival will be a place to mingle and learn from each other.” This year the festival is celebrat ing the beginning of the Year of the Dragon. The dragon is the fifth of the 12 animals associated with the lunar cal endar. Dragons are described as having a strong and energetic character, self confidence, curiosity and as being perfectionists. The celebration begins at 5:30 p.m. with a traditional Chinese din ner, followed by door prizes. At 7:30 performances will begin with 16 to 20 different shows, includ ing painting, calligraphy, dragons, folk dancing and magic tricks. CSSA estimates between 600 and 700 people will attend, and 550 tick ets were sold as of last week. The celebration is open to the public with a $10 admission fee, which includes the dinner and perfor mances, and $4 for the performance only. Formal attire is suggested. B RATING .' .The Chinese Students and $choldrs Association, along With International Affairs and | |f»e University Program Council, among other groups, . .... japtfilpr.king one of the biggest •" • <0 '^|S|jiriji$e celebrations each nDArflM 31 the university of UlxnOUlM Nebraska-Lincoln campus. ;.•% $&>. 'i ~ hone calls to the Daily Nebraskan on Friday. The commission voted to kill the study if the Legislature failed to pass LB1008 this year. 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