Lincoln Journal Star from Lincoln, Nebraska • 1

The environmental threat posed by cell phones, sphereiE Islamic militant groups agree to halt attacks on Israelis for three months, World3A 78 53 Details, 6B THURSDAY, JUNE 26, 2003 LINCOLN, NEBRASKA LINCOLN www.journaIstar.com 1 So, whaddya been up to? GOT mm mm mm hi JNJ il The five-state nuclear-waste group says the state acted in 'bad 1 Sanctions imposed Membership in the five-state group revoked. Ordered to pay $125,000 in dues. State has been told that all of its legal rights under the compact shall cease within one year. Nebraska told that all of its legal obligations to the compact remain binding until they have been fulfilled, including its obligations as a host state. State told to take no action interfering with or denying the compact's efforts to license a low-level radioactive waste disposal facility near Butte or to develop an alternative regional facility elsewhere in the compact region.

WILLIAM LAUERLincoln Journal Star Phanetta Ball (left) and Imogene Cox look at the Lincoln High Class of 1932 yearbook at The Cornhusker Wednesday evening during the Class of 1 933 reunion. Ball was a 1 932 graduate and Cox a 1 933 grad. Lincoln High graduates gather for 70-year reunion BY ALGIS J. LAUKAITIS Lincoln Journal Star Nebraska's nuclear-waste woes worsened Wednesday after a five-state compact kicked the state out of the group and imposed financial and legal sanctions. The Central Interstate Low-Level Radioactive Waste Commission found that Nebraska acted in "bad faith" when it denied developer US Ecology a license to build and operate a low-level radioactive waste storehouse in Boyd County.

The group, made up of representatives from Louisiana, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska, then imposed a long list of sanctions, one of which obligates Nebraska to not interfere with the commission's plans to license and develop the Boyd County site near the town of Butte. Nebraska's compact commissioner, Gregory Hayden, a University of Nebraska-Lincoln economics professor, was the only one to vote against the bad-faith allegation and the sanctions. For most of the morning, Hayden conducted a near filibuster against the proceedings, which he claimed were "biased." "It is completely inappropriate for the commission to make a decision when it is not a neutral or impartial party," he said. "Does anyone expect this commission to vote contrary to the federal court decision that Nebraska acted in bad faith? U.S. District Court Judge Richard Kopf lastyearruled Nebraska officials acted in "bad faith" during the licensing process and ordered the state to pay $151 million in damages.

my wife it will probably be my last." They weren't talking that way in the fancy hotel Wednesday night In the Renaissance Room the tables were set with school colors and Mikasa china. Let's meet again in 10 years, Dan Williams told his fellow Links as he wel-comed them. Let's do this again. Twenty years ago they had a big crowd for their 50th, said classmate Dorcas Cavett, who helped organize both reunions. Three hundred and fifty people, maybe more.

This time 40 people filled the tables, including a few spouses, sisters, brothers, neighbors and friends. The classmates didn't recognize one an other. "You see all these folks and you don't recognize a one," said Lyle Caywood, Class of '35, who attended with his wife, Ruth, Class of '32 and sister Leona LeRiche, Class of '34. It was even hard to recognize themselves. Even though Helen Ashford still had those big blue And Dorcas was still smart as a And Bob Campbell still could make the girls When Jean Spencer Armstrong found her photo in the old yearbook she had to look twice at the somber, dark-haired girl who belonged to the drama group Mummers and sang with the a capella choir.

See REUNION, Page 2A BY CINDY LANGE-KUBICK Lincoln Journal Star Floyd Barnett wore a black suit to his high school reunion. A black suit with a red tie. His school colors. He didn't have time for many friends in his high school days at the big school in the middle of town. He was too busy keeping up with his studies, he said.

But things would be different Wednesday night A lifetime after leaving Lincoln High, he was back. Back with the Class of 33. "I've never been to one before," said Floyd, 88, a few hours before leaving for The Cornhusker and his old classmates. "I told The money would go to the compact and the waste generators mostly electric utilities with nuclear power plants who paid the bills for the project Nebraska has appealed Kopf's decision and is awaiting a ruling from the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals in St Louis, Mo. Wednesday's action was a separate matter.

Nebraska already has notified the compact that it is withdrawing See COMPACT, Page 2A Migratory birds such as this cliff swallow I shut down bridce NESTING BIRDS, DELAYED WORK I Adamsjtregt Iff work in Lincoln fi for a week. It was then that Holak took a gander under the 1-180 bridge that hovers over Oak Creek, situated just south of the Cornhusker interchange. Workers were preparing to rebuild the old bridge that Holak said was in bad repair. It will be combined with a new, adjoining bridge built earlier. Together, the new and rebuilt bridge will provide a wider northbound roadway complete with a new lane for motorists exiting onto Cornhusker.

Underneath the old bridge, Holak saw about a dozen swallow nests, which are made of mud pellets. He identified some of See BIRDS, Page 2A delayed for a week, June 13 to June 20. "I've never had to deal with this type of incident," Hugh Holak said. Holak is the state Department of Roads engineer for a project that began in 2001 and includes work on both Cornhusker Highway and Interstate 180. A primary component is reconstructing the interchange of the two roads.

Despite rainfalls that have stalled the project, which is expected to be finished by September, construction was going as planned earlier this month. Then entered the proverbial monkey wrench, on June 13. BY NATE JENKINS Lincoln Journal Star Heavy rain, calamities served up by Mother Nature, sudden financial disaster each has the power to halt major road projects. None of those, however, is to blame for the recent stall of the last leg of a $12 million, years-long effort to improve a key artery of the city's traffic system. The unlikely culprits: migratory birds considered relatively common.

The apparent disappearance of some of their nests also may have prompted an in-vesrjgatioa Construction on a bridge was D. MATT VAN DRIESTllncdn Journal Star Deshler plant back in business Fed's cut puts rates at a 45-year low it harder for the average person to build earnings from saving. The Fed's first rate cut since November its 13thstraight cut since Knight Ridder Newspapers WASHINGTON Mashing its money-policy accelerator in hope of speeding up the sputtering early 2001 lowered the target for economy, tne heaerai Keserve Board on Wednesday pared interest ye central bank's benchmark fed-ratpc hv nuartpr.Anint tn thp inj eral funds rate, the interest banks Inside Low yields from reduced interest rates should have some investors looking at other options, advisers say. Business, 1C est level in 45 years. BY JOE DUGGAN and LEAH THORSEN Lincoln Journal Star Production resumed at Reinke Manufacturing Co.

Wednesday, two days after tornadoes damaged buildings at Deshler's largest employer. About 200 of the plant's 360 production employees reported for work in the irrigation division Wednesday morning, President Bob Friehe said. "Some of our employees we just don't have work for, but we'll be calling them back in the very near future," he said. In addition to irrigauon equipment, Reinke produces flatbed semi trailers and container chassis. The company, just west of Deshler, employs nearly 400 people in the region.

"I want to thank the Reinke employees and volunteers who have worked around the clock to get our irrigation production and shipping up and running in an impressive two days," Friehe said. Four tornadoes touched down in the Deshler vicinity Sunday night. The east side of Reinke's main trailerchassis production building was damaged, the roof over the offices was lifted up and several overhead doors were blown off. Friehe hopes to resume limited trailerchassis production by July 3. Repair See DESHLER, Page 2A 2 percent.

Stock investors shrugged off the Fed's action. The Dow Jones industrial average fell 98.32 points or 1 1 percent to close at 90 1 1 .53. The rate cut probably will lead most banks to announce quarter-point cuts in their prime lending rates the benchmark for many consumer and small-business loans from 4.25 percent to 4 percent, experts said. That's the lowest in 24 years. That should help people with loans whose interest rates are pegged to the prime rate.

loans. The rate, which before Wednesday was at a 42-year low of 1.25 percent, has been lowered to 1 percent, the lowest level since 1958. The Fed also lowered its discount rate the rate charged to banks when they borrow from their Federal Reserve district banks to ine wiaeiy anticipated move will lower interest rates on consumer loans and some credit cards, making it cheaper for people to borrow and spend, but it also will lower already anemic returns on interest-bearing saving accounts and money-market funds, making Nebraska: Sen. Ben Nelson will visit U.S. troops in Iraq next weekIB Sports: Three more commit to NU; plus: Miami, VT get ACC invitcslF Local 1B-4B Lotteries 2A Movies 2E Nation 3A 8A Nebraska 2B Opinion 58 People 5A Sphere IE 3E Sports 1F6F Television 5E World 3A, ID Advice 5E Births 38 Bridge 8D Business 1C 5C Calendar 2E Classifieds 108D Comics 4E Crossword 5E Deaths 4B Horoscope 4D Jumble 5D CONTACT US Delivery and subscriptions Newsroom 473-7301 Classified ads ....473 7373 Retail ads 473-7450 Toll free (800) 742 7315 40 pxtfM EARLY RISER SAIL! Sat.

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