— LEGISLATURE
Bill would abolish
lottery in Nebraska
ByJillZeman
Staff writer
Anyone who ’s dreamed of win
ning the Powerball jackpot may not
have much more time to do it if a
proposed Legislative bill passes.
LB905, introduced Jan. 5 by
Sen. Ernie Chambers of Omaha,
would eliminate the state lottery
beginning July 1,2001.
The General Affairs Committee
discussed the bill Monday and has
not voted whether to advance it to
the floor.
Chambers said the state should
raise money through taxes, not lot
tery revenue.
“The state is trying to raise
money the easy way - by preying on
people’s weaknesses,” Chambers
said.
Currently 99 percent of lottery
proceeds left after prizes and annu
ities are paid benefit environmental
projects and education, while the
remaining 1 percent goes to a fund
set up to help compulsive gamblers.
“It’s a tragic situation when
society will try to take advantage of
its citizens,” Chambers said.
Sen. Ed Schrock of Elm Creek
said the senators need to think of the
people of Nebraska when making
their decisions, because the people
voted to legalize the lottery in 1993.
“Maybe this is an issue that
should be put on the ballot for the
people to decide,” Schrock said.
Pat Loontjer, director of the
anti-gambling group Gambling
with the Good Life, said the state
should not promote gambling.
“How, in good conscience,
could the state conduct a business
that creates heartache for those who
least need it?” she said.
Loontjer said the state needs to
set a precedent in eliminating the
lottery.
Dan Lambert, chairman of the
Excellence in Education Council,
testified against the bill and said
many schools have benefited from
lottery money.
“Lottery proceeds have been
important in transforming the edu
cational landscape in Nebraska,”
Lambert said.
Lottery money has helped
improve special education, distance
education and curriculum in
Nebraska’s schools, so if the state
lottery is shut down, the school dis
tricts will feel a negative impact,
Lambert said.
Chambers said he disagreed
with the lottery being portrayed
positively.
“It’s a good thing the lottery
supports the environment because
some people (who play the lottery
and lose) end up living under a tree
and catching a fish or two to eat,” he
said.
Chambers said he was serious
about the bill, and if the committee
kills it, he will either motion to
advance the bill to the floor, which
requires 30 votes, or he will add it
as an amendment to every bill intro
duced regarding the lottery.
“This bill is not about morality;
it’s about the state raising money in
a way that doesn’t harm anyone,” he
said.
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THE NEW DOLLAR COIN features on its front Sacagawea as a mother carrying her child, and on its back a soaring
eagle. The coin is the center of controversy with some American Indians, as they believe Sacagawea did nothing
to help her own people.
New dollar incites debate
By Katie Mueting
Staff writer
The image of Sacagawea on a new
golden dollar coin has received mixed
reactions from UNL faculty members.
Released into circulation in recent
weeks, the new coin features
Sacagawea, a Shoshone who interpret*-,
ed for Lewis and Clark on their expedi
tion through the Pacific Northwest fro#*
1804-18Q6.
Sacagawea’s image was chosen for
the coin through a series of public hear
ings, focus groups and votes from
Americans via a Web site, said Carol
Lawrence, a spokeswoman for Rep.
Doug Bereuter.
A UNL history professor was
involved in the selection of the image
that appears on the coin.
Professor Gary Moulton has spent
* 20 years researching and editing jour
,.nals bn the Lewis and Clark expedition.
Moulfon* along wi& 200 others, went to
' Washington, D.C., 1o evaluate designs
,..pf Sacagawea.
The design that appears on the coin
was Moulton’s favorite.
“It was so outstanding and so above
all the rest,” Moulton said.
The coin shows Sacagawea as a
mother carrying her child. Moulton was
attracted to the positioning of the image
and the warmth of die design.
When the final coin design was cho
sen, Moulton returned to Washington
for a reception at the White House.
Many American Indians at the reception
seemed pleased with the selection of
Sacagawea, Moulton said.
Some members of the American
Indian community were not as pleased,
because Sacagawea is a American
Indian known for her contributions to
the first Europeans exploring America.
Sacagawea did not make things bet
taa&fbr her own people, said Frances
Katye, ah imglish professor.
*• “Many people would say that Lewis
■ indClark didn’t come into this country
to do good things for the native people,”
Kaye said.
Kaye sad that honoring Sacagawea
on the dollar coin'is “kind of a back
handed compliment”
Moulton was not aware of the con
troversy. He said viewing Sacagawea as
a traitor to her race because she assisted
Europeans in America would be taking
an extreme view.
The Lewis and Clark expedition
was a mission of friendship, not a mis
sion of conquest, he said. Sacagawea
Was not in a threatening situation.
Sacagawea was only about 17 years
old, and she would not have thought
about the consequences of her actions,
Moulton said.
“Moreover, what you’re doing i^
you’re trying to place 20th-century
assumptions on a woman of the 19™
century,” Moulton said. “I just don’t
believe that’s fair.”
Helen Long Soldier, a Lakota and
education specialist Multicultural
Affaire office, said most American
Indians with whom she has talked
approved of using Sacagawea’s image.
“I don’t think people are going
‘Yahoo!’ or groaning and moaning
about it,” she said.
Long Soldier said people must also
remember the consequences of
Sacagawea’s assistance.
“In fact, it did open up this part of
the country to a nation of Europeans.
That was not good for us,’’she said.
Some people feel as though
Sacagawea assisted with the concept of
manifest destiny, Long Soldier said.
Manifest destiny declared that the west
ward expansion of the United States in
the 19th century was destined.
Long Soldier said it is important for
Sacagawea’s name to be as prominent as
Lewis and Clark’s.
Long Soldier was glad that
Sacagawea was honored on the coin,
rather than a nameless American Indian.
Long Soldier said the anonymous
images on Indian-head coins and in
government buildings indicate that peo
ple do not understand that historic
American Indians were a real culture> ~
Sacagawea played an important role
in American history, said Randy Ross,
an American Indian and director for the
Indian Center in Lincoln.
Ross said many American Indians
deserve honor for their contributions to
their own people.
“It is my hope that they can expand
the honor to other Native Americans,”
Ross said. He mentioned people such as
Sitting Bull, Red Cloud and Standing
Bear.
The coin is available at local banks
and Wal-Mart stores.
Accused felon found in Iowa
Authorities in Sioux City, Iowa,
apprehended an armed man Friday who
had led Nebraska authorities on a high
speed chase Wednesday.
Lance McDaniel, 34, of Norfolk
was taken into custody Friday at about
10:30 a.m., at a motel in Sioux City.
It took authorities 14 hours to con
vince McDanielio surrender.
Iowa police learned Thursday night
from Lincoln police that McDaniel was
in the Sioux City area at a Day’s Inn,
Police Chief Joe Frisbie said.
Police called off Wednesday’s chase
just north of Lincoln because McDaniel
was driving recklessly.
Parents arrested for child abuse
Saturday night, both parents of three
children thought the other parent was
watching them, Lincoln Police Ofc.
Katherine Finneil said.
Police responded to a call at 2915
Merrill St., where they found a 4-year
old girl, 3-year-old boy and a 1- to 2
year-old boy unattended, Finneil said.
Officers did not know the age of the
youngest son, and the parents were
unavailable to verify the child’s age.
Officers waited at the home for an
hour without word from the parents.
' At 2 a.m., the mother, Arva Kelley,
31, called police wondering where her
children were. They were placed in pro
tective custody, Finnell said
Kelley said she thought the father,
Anthony Kelly, 29, had been watching
the children.
Anthony Kelley was contacted and
met police at 27th and O streets, where
he said he had thought Arva Kelley was
watching the kids, Finnell said
Both parents were arrested for
felony child abuse, Finnell said
Man accused of exposing self
A man was seen fondling himself at
Kabredlo’s Convenience Store at 1325
South St., on Saturday night
The man went into the store, pur
chased a soda and lingered inside the
business at about 10 p.m., Finnell said.
The clerk was stocking items when
she turned around and noticed the man
had his penis out and was masturbating,
Finnell said.
The woman asked him to leave, and
he left. She called police.
Johnny Palmer, 42, of 1634
Washington St., was arrested for inde
cent exposure.
Compiled by staff writer Michelle
Starr; The Associated Press con
tributed to this report
