Conference examines
the impact of buffalo
By Iara Luchiari
Staff writer
At one time, the buffalo permeat
ed every aspect of Great Plains life.
They served as a spiritual force
and as an important source of food.
The buffalo also provided trans
portation and material for clothing.
The impact of buffalo as an
active part in the history and ecology
of the Great Plains will be examined
at a conference that starts Thursday
and runs through Saturday. It will be
at the Comhusker Hotel, 333 S. 13th
St.
“It will be a event for the com
munity and the academic section of
UNL,” said Charlene Porsild, an
assistant professor of history and a
symposium co-chairwoman.
Top scholars, American Indian
leaders, buffalo producers, ecolo
gists and artists are expected as pre-i
senters or attendees at the sympo
sium.
“It is an opportunity for students
to meet a variety of people and to
learn about the history of the Great
Plains by listening to people with dif
ferent points of view,” said Linda
Ratcliffe, spokeswoman for the
Center for Great Plains Studies.
Session topics include: ecologi
cal issues, prehistory and archaeolo
gy, indigenous perspectives, preser
vation, Canadian and European buf
falo, grazing and production, man
agement and nutrition, and literary
and artistic references.
The buffalo was considered an
essential animal by American
Indians because it provided them
with everything they needed - meat,
clothes and transportation, said Matt
Jones, a storyteller who will be par
ticipating in the conference.
The buffalo also represents the
story of the Great Plains because it is
an example of transition, Porsild
said. In the past, she said, buffalo
could roam freely, while now they
are confined.
Porsild said this process also
happened with the human popula
tion of the Plains. The increase in the
number of cities limits people’s free
dom, Porsild said.
Except for meals, registration is
free for high school or college stu
dents. Pre-registration for the confer
ence is $60 and includes the lunch
eon. >
5 . S
Police; Woman arrested after
taking 6-year-old son to bar
A Hickman woman was arrested
for child neglect after taking her son to
a bar Saturday.
Sheriff’s deputies found Charlene
K. Hardy, 33, intoxicated at a local bar,
Trackside Offsale and Discount
Tobacco, with her 6-year-old son
Zachary at about 11 p.m., Chief Deputy
Bill Jarrett said.
Deputies took Hardy to Detox and
her son to a friend’s house, Jarrett said
Police continue to investigate
case of stolen Chihuahua
Someone allegedly kicked in a
back door Saturday and stole Kila, a
brown Chihuahua.
Melissa Schafer, 711 Barrow
Court, said her 1-year-old Chihuahua
was taken from the garage, Lincoln
Police Ofc. Katherine Finnell said.
Schafer said she suspected her ex
boyfriend - they bought the $450 dog
together - but police interviewed him
and don’t believe he is a suspect,
Finnell said.
The investigation on the stolen
Chihuahua continues.
Student receives disturbing calls
A woman in Neihardt Residence
Center reported to University Police
that she received disturbing phone
calls.
On March 10, a man called the
woman’s room and identified himself
as Larry, Asst. University Police Chief
Mylo Bushing said.
The man then informed her he
wanted to check the vents in her room
for geibils, Bushing said.
“Larry” then said he would shoot
the gerbils for her if he found any, he
sajd.
Later that same night a man called
and identified himself as David,
Bushing said.
“David” said he was in one of her
classes and was her friend from high
school, Bushing saidv He also gave
another name - Jim, Bushing said.
The third and final caller did not
identify himself, but said he had a
bowling ball and a geibil in the lobby of
the residence hall, Bushing said.
Police have no suspects, and the
woman was advised to contact univer
sity police if she receives more calls.
Man arrested on warrant
at Memorial Stadium
A man was arrested on a warrant
after getting into Memorial Stadium on
Saturday.
Lawrence N. Cribbs, 42, of Lincoln
asked a community service officer and
an officer at the stadium to let him in
because he had to work, Bushing said.
Cribbs, who had no identification
on him, said he was working for
Arcadia Chair Repair Company on the
west stadium’s fourth floor, Bushing
said.
Once Cribbs was inside, officers
checked his name for warrants, and one
appeared for failure to appear in court,
Bushing said.
What Cribbs was originally
charged with is unknown.
Cribbs was taken into custody.
Compiled by staff writer
Michelle Starr
Dog bites second victim
By MicheDe Starr
Staff writer
A dog bit its second victim in less
than a year Saturday.
Roger Butts’ deg, Mac, bit a 2-year
old boy at about 10:30 ajn.
Butts of Waverly was unavailable
for comment
The boy, Travis from Lincoln, was
playing outside of a family friend’s
home in Waverly when he was bit in die
face by Mac, Chief Deputy Bill Jarrett
said. The dog was chained up at the
time of die injury, he said. 1
The boy was transported to St.
Elizabeth’s Hospital with severe lacera
tions and puncture wounds on his face,
Jarrett said.
A plastic surgeon was called.
Travis was released from the hospi
tal Sunday.
For now the dog has been confined
in a kennel for 10 days.
Last August, die dog also bit a child
in Lincoln.
* Mac was given rabies shots five
days after the first child was bitten,
Jarrettsaid.
The owner is considering putting
the dog to sleep but hasn’t made a deci
sion yet, he said
Sgt. Robert Marker said Sheriff
Terri Wagner issued a letter to Butts on
Monday afternoon declaring his dog as
dangerous.
If the dog bites another person, the
state can petition to put the dog to sleep.
Trial starts in sexual assault
of a Union College student
■ The accused has been
connected with similar
cases across the country.
By Mkhelk Starr
Staff writer
With jury selection completed
Monday, a 1997 rape trial began with
evidence that afternoon.
Vinson Champ, a 38-year-old for
mer Los Angeles comedian, is charged
with first-degree sexual assault of a
Union College student, County
Attorney Gary Lacey said.
Lancaster County Public Defender
Shawn Elliott, representing Champ,
was unavailable for comment.
According to court documents,
Champ allegedly attacked a 27-year
old student who was alone playing the
piano in the basement auditorium of
the college’s E. Dick building on Feb.
2,1997.
Champ has been connected to,
charged with or convicted for attacks
across the country.
Champ pleaded no contest in
Omaha District Court to raping a
University of Nebraska-Omaha facul
ty member a month after the attack at
Union College.
The judge decided to wait to sen
tence Champ until his trial in Lincoln
was over.
In other states, Champ was charged
for sexual assault at St. Ambrose
College in Davenport, Iowa, and for
attempted assault at Pasadena, Calif.,
City College.
Attacks also were reported at Knox
College in Galesburg, 111., Carthage
College in Kenosha, Wis., and
Augustana College in Rock Island, 111.
No charges have been made in connec
tion with the three attacks.
Each attack shows similarities in
physical evidence and patterns during
the rape.
Champ’s blood type and DNA
match with evidence found from the
attacks, police said. His schedule also
coincided with the attacks, police said.
In each rape the man asks about the
victims’ sexual histories, forces anal
sex, uses his saliva for lubrication and
asks the women to pray for him after he
rapes them.
The trial is being heard in
Lancaster County District Court Judge
Paul Merritt’s courtroom.
The Associated Press con
tributed to this report.
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