Image provided by: University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries, Lincoln, NE
About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (April 18, 2000)
The Recap m recaps a spring of developments. PAGE 16 w£-'£ .. *Tk Iranian Intrigue Tuesday, April 18,2000 dailyneb.com \fcl99, Issue 142 f! A&E, PAGE 10 — ELECTION 2000 — Senate hopefuls rip into Stenberg ■ DeCamp and Moore were the only candidates to participate in the debate. By Brian Carlson Staff writer HASTINGS - Only two candidates showed up for a Senate debate here Monday night, but Scott Moore and John DeCamp took the opportunity to bash no-show front-runner Don Stenberg. Moore, the secretary of state and a Republican Senate candidate, harshly criticized Stenberg, the attorney general and GOP Senate front-runner, for failing to participate in this and other debates this spring. “The U.S. Senate is not a structured press conference,” Moore said during the debate on the campus of Hastings College. “It’s about thinking on your feet and getting things done. “If you won’t come to a debate, I think it shows what your ability in that area is.” y ■ ^ DeCamp, a former state senator who, by his own admission, has a “one-in-a trillion” chance of victory in the GOP Senate race, joined the criticism of Stenberg. He said Stenberg misunderstood Thomas Jefferson’s axiom, “That gov ernment governs best which governs least.” “Donny Stenberg misunderstood that to mean, ‘That candidate does best who debates least,”’ DeCamp said. Stenberg participated in a debate in Kearney on April l but has largely avoid ed joint appearances with other candi dates. He is preparing to defend Nebraska’s ban on partial-birth abor tions before the US, Supreme Court on April 25. ; In an Omaha World-Herald poll con ducted last month, Stenberg had a 20 point lead over his GOP rivals. His clos est challenger in that poll, George Grogan, has since dropped out of the race. Only Moore and DeCamp participat ed in Monday’s debate. Republicans Stenberg and Dave Hergeit, a Scottsbluff agribusinessman, declined invitations, as did former Gov. Ben Nelson, a Democrat. Lincoln der matologist and GOP candidate Elliott Please see UEIATE on 8 — CITY COUNCIL - ^ -4 -rf -rf -4 sexual contact debated ■ Mataya’s Babydolls once again defends itself in front of the council. ByCaraPesek Staff writer The highly discussed topic of sexual contact in public places found its way back onto the City Council agenda Monday. Council members discussed a new ordinance proposed April 10 that would amend an ordinance passed in February, banning sexual contact in public places. The most recent ordinance would redefine the phrase “sexual contact” to mean contact initiated by an exotic dancer toward a patron, as well as con tact initiated by patrons toward dancers. Hie proposed ordinance would also place some restrictions on the existing ordinance. City Attorney Dana Roper said sex ual contact in theatrical performances, ballet and other art forms would be exempt from the ban. The City Council intended the orig inal ordinance to put a stop to patron employee contact at Mataya’s Babydolls, a Lincoln juice bar. Please see CONTACT on 8 Colorful chill Sharon Kolbet/DN MONDAY MORNING’S CHILLY temperatures gave way to clear skies and wanner afternoon tempera tures. Monday’s temperatures were In the 50s; today’s forecast calls for cloudy skies with a high in the lower 70s. Polls open to choose next license plates ■ Three possible plates were chosen from more than 800 entries. Jr - ByJiUZeman Staff writer Nebraskans casting their ballots in the next few weeks may not have thoughts of politics on their minds but rather the stated next license plate design. Citizens have been asked to vote for their favorite designs either at the governor’s Web site, gov.nol.org, or at all County Treasurer and driver’s license examination offices. Voting began Monday with the unveiling of die three semi-finalist designs and will conclude May 15. The winning design is set to grace the stated vehicles in 2002. The first plate, designed by Jane Macholan of Omaha, features Sandhill cranes flying in a red, yellow and orange sunset. The second plate has the outline of the state with a gray-and-white picture of the state Capitol. The design was submitted by Ken Wiedenfeld of Hickman. The third design, by Troy Thompson of Lincoln, also shows a sunset with a silhouette of the state capital in the background. All three plates include the state’s Web ate, www.state.ne.us. Gov. Mike Johanns expressed his appreciation of the contest partici pants’efforts. “These individuals clearly demon strated their pride in our state,” he said in a press release. The state is required to redesign the license plate every three years, and the Department of Motor Vehicles a It was distracting. It almost looked like a painting.” Dominique Ellis UNL secondary education major requested the public’s help in choosing a new design, said Veronica Lueders, administrative assistant at the depart ment The department received nearly 800 entries, and the governor appoint ed a seven-member committee to choose three semi-finalists, Lueders said. The committee had to determine whether die colors of the plate would allow it be visible at night. Its members also had to choose the most aesthetical ly pleasing plates, she said. • Dominique Ellis, a University of Nebraska-Lincoln freshman second ary education major, said she preferred the white design with die outline of the state. Ellis said she thought the design with Sandhill cranes flying in a sunset was too bright. “It-was distracting,” she said. “It almost looked like a painting.” Adam Fischer, a freshman busi ness law major, agreed with Ellis. “The white design will look better with more vehicles than the other two,” he said. All the design entries will be on display in the Nebraska State Office Building at 14th and M streets from May 30 to June 9, Lueders said.