Legislative bill thwarts creation of fake IDs
California exhausts
emergency budget
■ LB574 would bring
Nebraska ID's and licenses up
to par with other states.
BY GEORGE GREEN AND
JH. CONNER
On Monday, the Legislature
moved one step closer to thwart
ing the schemes of fake ID suppli
ers.
The Transportation and
Telecommunications Committee
moved a bill to the floor of the
Legislature that would change the
face of Nebraska driver’s licenses.
LB574 would abandon
Nebraska’s ID in favor of new digi
tal ID, complete with a bar code
that could provide an array of
information including the indi
vidual’s age, driving record and
more.
“We recognize that there is a
large problem with the current
license,” said Scott Berryman, a
legal aid to Sen. Curt Bromm of
Wahoo.
He said people who make
false IDs could easily tamper with
the Nebraska license, one of only
five state licenses that are laminat
ed paper, as opposed to the newer
credit card-like IDs of other states.
Because the ID is prone to
criminal activity, Berryman said
area businesses frequently had to
struggle with deciphering real IDs
from fake ones.
More importantly, he said die
committee heard complaints
from Nebraskans who were
refused seats on airplanes and the
opportunity to open bank
accounts because the Nebraska
ID appeared unofficial
The state also has struggled
with underground manufacturers
who create false IDs and sell diem
to illegal immigrants, Berryman
said.
Td foil fake ID dealers and to
ensure Nebraskans access to air
planes and banks, the new ID
would include micro-printing,
digital pictures and a magnetic
strip that could hold a bastion of
personal information.
But, he said, a few people had
voiced concerns that "Big
Brother” could put too much per
sonal information on die ID.
Joel Schafer, president of
Association of Students of the
University of Nebraska, said the
bill moved the fight against
underage drinking in the right
direction.
"It’s much better than piling
on punishments,” he said.
The student government
opposes LB 114, which would
increase penalties for minors
caught possessing alcohol
Schafer said the state fre
quently forced students into envi
ronments where entertainment
opportunities were few and far
between.
Moreover, he said it prints an
ID that invited fraudulent use.
“It's a failing of the system that
driver’s licenses are so easy to
fake,” he said.
Linda Major, director of NU
Directions, an anti-binge drinking
group, said her group supported
the bill because 12 percent of
UNL’s students reported using a
fake ID in the past 30 days.
If the state can put a lid on
these fakes, she said, it also will
stop some minors from drinking.
“It’s a problematic system that
needs to be updated and its time
has come,” she said.
Fake IDs are used for purchas
ing alcohol and tobacco products,
but Lincoln Police Chief Tom
Casady said they were also used in
cases of forgery and imperson
ation.
The#iew lamination process
would make fake IDs obvious,
said Beverly Neth, director of the
Nebraska Department of Motor
Vehicles, along with providing
better protection of drivers’ iden
tities.
Lincoln bars and liquor store
owners also say the new IDs are a
necessary improvement
Chris Davey, the alcohol man
ager for Super Saver at 27th and
Comhusker Highway, said a com
mon way to make a fake ID is to
pull back the lamination of a cur
rent Nebraska ID and switch the
birth date.
Davey said he had caught
about three fake IDs a month.
“It’s so easy to fake these
Nebraska IDs,” he said. "It's scary
tome.”
Bill Jergensen, owner of P O
Pears, 322 South 9th St., said
Nebraska IDs were easy to fake in
a number of different ways.
Jergensen said the digital sys
tem would allow businesses to
electronically swipe cards and
find out information about the
patron immediately.
“(The new system) will add to
our ability to check (customers)
for height, weight, color of hair
and so forth,” he said.
One other benefit to the new
system, Neth said, is that it would
put Nebraska in die same league
as other states already using the
technological driver's license sys
tem.
Nebraska is one of five states
currently not using digital licens
es, the other states being
Oklahoma, Alaska, New Jersey
and Rhode Island.
“We can kind of leap frog from
being the very last to being the
very best,” Neth said.
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
SACRAMENTO — California
has exhausted a $400 million
emergency energy fund, but Gov.
Gray Davis on Monday ordered
that other state money be used to
continue buying power while law
makers try to resolve the state's
energy crisis.
Davis’ decision to continue
buying power will keep the lights
on for the time being in energy
strapped parts of die state, but his
administration wouldnotsay how
much money was available or
how long short-term energy buys
would remain possible
The state began buying elec
tricity 12 days ago under emer
gency legislation that set aside the
$400 million. All that money was
spent by late Sunday, Department
of Water Resources spokesman
Mike Sicilia said.
Davis said last week he would
use department money to make
emergency power purchases if the
$400 million ran out Lawmakers,
meanwhile, were waiting Monday
for an audit ordered by the Public
Utilities Commission to assess the
finances of Southern California
Edison and Pacific Gas & Electric
Co., which say they have lost a
combined total of at least $12 bil
lion to soaring wholesale electrici
ty prices.
The state’s 1996 deregulation
law prevents thein from passing
on costs to their customers, and
suppliers are refusing to extend
credit to die utilities.
Assembly Minority Leader Bill
Campbell said lawmakers need to
see the audit to know whether the
reported losses were inflated.
“What does that audit mean
for the legislation we are drafting
to solve the rate crisis?” he said.
“We can’t craft solutions if some
one’s playing hide die ball”
Davis spokesman Roger
Salazar said the audit was not fin
ished. .
One proposal under discus
sion would have the state issue
revenue bonds to cover the utili
ties’ debts and make their cus
tomers pay the money back over
10 years, at rates of 9 percent for
residential customers and 7 per
cent to 15 percent for businesses.
In exchange, California would
bp granted long-term options
allowing the state to buy low
priced stock in the utilities. If the
price goes up, the state could sell
the stock and use the profits to
help pay off the bonds.
Utility officials have declined
to comment on die proposals.
Hour-long chats
help students learn
■AUNL program allows for
international students to
practice English with a peer.
BY MARGARET BEHM
Students who are looking for
someone to talk to could get lucky
this week.
The English Conversation
Program pairs an American stu
dent with an international stu
dent to chat
Juan Xu, one of the coordina
tors, said the program is a great
experience for international stu
dents.
“It helps the students adjust to
life here academically and non
academically,” she said.
The partners will meet for the
first time Thursday from 7 pun. to
9 p.m. in the Nebraska Union
Ballroom.
After that, the students will get
together on their own to talkfor an
hour When and where they meet
is up to the students, Xu said.
Haifeng Jig, who participated
in the program in the fall, said that
finding an hour a week to spend
with his partner was easy.
"When we met, we usually
had dinner together,” said Jig, a
graduate student in computer sci
ence. “So it wasn't any extra cost of
time.”
The program gives interna
tional students an opportunity to
practice their English speaking
skills with one of their peers, Xu
said.
This is important because
many international students
struggle with the language, she
said.
"When we met, we
usually had dinner
together. So it wasn't
any extra cost of
time.M
Haifeng Jig
graduate student
"Many international students
have problems with communi
cating with other people,” she
said.
During the hour, the interna
tional student has the opportuni
ty to ask the American student
questions about American cul
ture.
For example, Xu said that in
her homeland of China, it is inap
propriate to ask a question while
the professor is teaching. But in
America that is acceptable, she
said.
“If they could have an
American Mend, they can help
them know what is acceptable,”
Xu said.
Seventy-six international stu
dents have signed up for die pro
gram, Xu said. So far, 66 American
students have signed up, she said.
Although the deadline to
apply is today, applications can
still be picked up from the
International Affairs Office, 420
University Tbirace.
Jig said one of the best out
comes of the program is Mend
ship.
“Both international students
and American students can make
Mends, so that’s a good opportu
nity.”
CZECH QUEEN from page 1
"We are trying to preserve oral histories as
well as other documents and memorabilia.”
Saskova-Pierce said.
The Czech Heritage Materials
Preservation Project seeks to create a digital
archive of Nebraska Czech histories, photo
graphs and letters.
The group is working with the UNL
Nebraska Consortium for Regional
Humanities office to get the materials avail
able to the public via the Internet
With such an ambitious project in the
works, Saskova-Pierce said the Undergraduate
Creative Activities and Research Experiences
grant had been wonderful
For Kimbrough, the UCARE funding has
given her a chance to earn money while doing
something she loves.
"Last semester I had another job, but this
spring my only job will be the translation proj
ect,” She said.
After hearing about the undergraduate
research opportunity, Saskova-Pierce
approached Kimbrough, offering to be her
faculty sponsor for the program.
Saskova-Pierce said she and others had
noticed Kimbrough’s dedication to the study
of the Czech language.
Last year when Kimbrough was crowned
Nebraska Czech Queen, she met the Czech
ambassador to the United States, Alexandr
Vondra.
After conversing with the diplomat in his
native language, Vondra extended an invita
tion for Kimbrough to attend a dinner in New
York City sponsored by the American Friends
of the Czech Republic.
With financial assistance from the Lincoln
Czech Club and the local Czech Language
Foundation, Kimbrough attended the black
tie gala wearing the traditional Czech costume
that was made especially for the Nebraska
Czech Queen pageant
While at the event, Kimbrough met the
president of the Czech Republic. Standing out
from the crowd in her ethnic dress,
Kimbrough was approached by former U.S.
Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, who
immediately began conversing with her in
Czech, Albright’s native language.
The event was a highlight of her year,
Kimbrough said. As a Nebraskan of Czech
descent, Kimbrough is proud of her heritage
and hopes to participate a second year with
the UCARE program to continue her research
project
Kimbrough said she was thankful for the
opportunity die Czechs of Nebraska gave her
and she saw her research project as a way to
give back to the Czech community.
"She has spent so many hours listening
and translating.” Saskova-Pierce said.
" She has the patience and a real gift for the
language.”
UCARifrom page!
uates an extensive research expe
rience.
“It is a win-win situation for
everyone involved.” UCARE
Project Coordinator Laura
Damuthsaid.
“While other institutions may
offer (one-year) undergraduate
research opportunities, the
UCARE project is the only two
year program I know of ”
UCARE pairs undergraduates
with faculty sponsors. The partic
ipating students assist the faculty
members during their first year in
the program and work on an
independent project in the sec
ond year.
“The two-year design allows
undergraduates to form strong
mentor relationships with faculty
members,” she said.
• “It helps students approach
their independent projects with
confidence and also to earn some
money for their work.”
First-year participants are eli
gible to receive up to $2,000,
while second year students can
earn up to $2,400 to aid in their
research.
The funding for the program
comes from the Pepsi
Endowment, an agreement the
university has with Pepsi-Cola,
which gives UNL more than $24
million over 12 years.
In its second year of opera
tion, the program involves nearly
100 students. Damuth said she
would like to double the enroll
ment for next year. .
“Right now one of our biggest
priorities is making sure everyone
knows about it." Damuth said.
“We want students to know
UCARE is not just for science
majors."
“Right now one of our biggest priorities is
making sure everyone knows about it We want
students to know UCARE is not just for science
majors
Laura Damuth said.
UCARE Project Coordinator
The program has a wide range
with participants with research
projects in chemistry and biology
as well as architecture, art history,
journalism and theater.
Undergraduate students who
are interested in the program can
get more information at the Web
site www.unl.edu/ucare. The
deadline for applications in Feb.
Damuth said the idea for the
project came from Senior Vice
Chancellor of Academic Affairs
Richard Edwards and Associate
Vice Chancellor of Academic
Affairs David Brinkerhoff.
Edwards said he was pleased
with the program, noting it was
designed to help both students
and faculty members.
"This is a good way for stu
dents to take advantage of the fact
we are a research university.”
Edwards said.
“Teaching and research are
often set against each other, but
they really go hand in hand”
City works to lighten winter woes
Lagging pay becomes priority
WEATHER from page 1
"The roads are in very poor
condition,” Schwarten said. “The
morning rush is going to be a little
tricky for everybody.”
Interstate automobile acci
dents were common, including
one where a car slid into a state
patrol cruiser while troopers were
investigating another accident,
Schwarten said
None of the accidents were
life-threatening, he said
Lincoln Police reported 82
accidents - none life-threatening
- from 6 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. on
Monday.
When winter weather hits,
Schwarten said, people need to
drive slowly and not follow other
cars too closely.
Schwarten said the State
Patrol, as well as the State
Department of Bbads, is advising
people not to travel today unless
absolutely necessary.
Air travel was delayed
Monday at Lincoln Municipal
Airport, with nearly every flight
canceled for some of the after
noon and others expecting delays
through the evening, said Sgt.
Rick Horsley of the Lincoln
Airport Authority Police
Department
Most flights got out of
Omaha’s Eppley Airfield without a
hitch, said Dale Washburn, airport
operations supervisor.
Some passengers experienced
delays, but staff members worked
through the day and night to keep
one of Eppley's runways dear.
Some UNL students may have
unknowingly ditched classes
Monday, when at least two
Omaha television stations,
WOWT-Channel 6 and
KMTV-Channel 7, broadcast the
University of Nebraska-Iincoln
canceled classes for the day.
Dan Cupak, WOWT director of
marketing and promotion, said
his station erroneously broadcast
UNL classes were canceled for
about 10 to 15 minutes Monday.
“We weren’t reporting it all
day,” he said
Some radio stations also
announced UNL classes were off.
Sally Buchholz, interim direc
tor of UNL Public Relations, said
her office was alerted to the erro
neous broadcasts early Monday
morning.
She attributed the mis-broad
cast to possible confusion
between UNL, which canceled
only evening classes, and the
University of Nebraska at Omaha,
which canceled classes all day.
Buchholz contacted die Office
of Academic Affairs about the
error in case some students heard
the broadcasts and unknowingly
skipped what they thought were
canceled classes.
“They’ll want to catch up on
whatever they missed,” shesaid “I
would think that their professors
would be very understanding of
the fact that onadaywith hit-and
miss weather, you can expect that
some of your students are going to
have to catch up.”
Please recycle your Daily Nebraskan.
TEACHERS from page 1
tion association, cited several
states that are working to
improve salaries.
He said Iowa was close to
establishing a minimum salary
requirement just shy of $30,000,
and Kansas and Colorado teach
ers paid their teachers $4,000
more on average than Nebraska.
For all the suggestions
offered, Raikes noted that propo
nents tactfully dodged the ques
tion of how to finance the
increases.
Instead, he said they left
financing up to senators who
would begin wrestling with the
dilemma later this week
With expensive price tags in
mind, several senators have pro
posed bills that fulfill only some
of the task force's recommenda
tions.
LB560, introduced by Sen.
Chris Beutler of Lincoln, would
adopt one of the task force’s pro
posals to extend teacher’s con
tract days.
The bill doesn't specify how
the teachers would use an extra
five workdays, but its sister bill,
LB643, which will come before
the committee today, would pro
pose specific guidelines for
t
I
teachers to use their in-service
days.
Griess, of the state education
association, said both bills would
help struggling teachers. But he
cautioned that extended contract
days should not be a substitute
for increasing teacher pay.
“This is not a raise,” he said.
Sen. Marian Price of Lincoln
also departed from task propos
als, but stuck with the day's
theme of improving teacher
salaries when she introduced
LB576.
The bill would tweak the state
aid formula to reward districts
that employ teachers with higher
levels of education.
Virgil Home, a spokesman for
Lincoln Public Schools, said the
bill would help teachers and stu
dents.
“The higher the degree, the
greater the likelihood that learn
ing will increase," he said.
Ironically, the Legislature has
been working for years to retire
experienced teachers who get
fatter checks in the hopes of trim
ming district budgets.
Raikes also took a new and
complicated approach to teacher
pay when he introduced LB744.
The bill, presented to the
committee Monday, would fun
w
"The higher the
degree, the greater
the likelihood that
learning will
increase
Virgil Home
Lincoln Public Schools
spokesman
nel state aid to districts that
demonstrate need for the money
while passing over wealthier dis
tricts.
Some districts in Nebraska
generate enough revenue with
out state aid to run their schools,
while other districts couldn't sur
vive without state dollars.
Raikes' bill also assures that
districts spend their state dollars
on teacher pay.
Griess said the bill would bail
out sparse districts that don’t col
lect much money from property
taxes. These taxes are the back
bone of school funding, he said.
Forcing districts to be
accountable for their spending is
also essential, he said.
“ (The bill) has some concepts
we like a great deal,” he said.