Lincoln Journal Star from Lincoln, Nebraska • 8

2 LKriCOLIlflEEIlASICA SATURDAY. SEPTEMBER 20. 1 WW LINCOLN. NE. JOURNAL 8C Colwell is guilty of sex assault Verdict will discourage pats by teachers Shafer i lit Hfllh fbtiilUuiHi Decision strikes up discord Politics keeps Links from playing for Reagan By David Swartzlander Journal Writer The Lincoln High School band was tuning up to play for President Reagan In Omaha Wednesday when their plans hit a sour note.

Now, instead of playing "Hail to the the band is playing the blues. The band and the Pomaltaks, the high school drill team, were told Friday that they could not perform at the Omaha rally because of political overtones. Reagan is coming to Nebraska to boost Republican gubernatorial candidate Kay Orr's campaign. What the high school students and parents saw as an opportunity for the 128 teen-agers, the Lincoln Public School administration and school board saw as political dynamite. And the decision created quite a ruckus at school Friday.

"Mv datehter was cryine," said Mau- DAN DULANEYLINCOLN JOURNAL The executive director of the Lincoln Education Association predicted that Friday's sexual assault conviction of instrumental music teacher Robert Colwell will cause "Lincoln Public School teachers to quit giving younger students encouraging hugs and pats on the back. Colwell, 57, 7811 S. Hazelwood Drive, was found guilty of one count of sexual assault on a child and not guilty of two counts of sexual assault on a child. Colwell, a teacher for 32 years and in Lincoln since 1971, was convicted of putting his hand in the rear jeans pocket of a fifth-grader in his music room and fondling her buttocks. Two other fifth-graders from the same music class at Belmont Elementary School alleged that Colwell touched their breasts and patted the buttocks of one, but the jury found Colwell not guilty of those charges.

Testimony during the two-day trial indicated that many LPS elementary teachers give their students hugs and pats on the back as positive reinforcement for good work and consider such touching a valuble teaching 'tooL But LEA Executive Director Peg Shafer said that may come to an end. "I think it's going to chill it right now, and it's a crying shame," she said. 'Positive message' Deputy Lancaster County Attorney John Colborn, who with Deputy County Attorney Doug Cyr prosecuted Colwell, declined to address Shafer's concern but said the guilty verdict is a positive message to children who believe that they are victims of sexual assault to come forward to authorities. Colwell testified during the trial that he had slipped his finger tips into the back pocket of the girl as he talked to her but did not wiggle his fingers or stroke the girl's buttocks. That testi mony apparently led to his conviction.

A juror, who asked not to be identified, said the jury believed that Colwell had to force his fingers into the girl's tight pocket, indicating an intentional sexual assault Jim Hoppe, one of Colwell's two attorneys, said he found the conviction incredible. "That putting your fingers in someone's back pocket for a few seconds is sexual assault is totally unreasonable to me he said. Colwell said he frequently gave his young students hugs and pats on the back as encouragement and may have accidentally touched the other girls' breasts or buttocks. The juror said the -jury believed his testimony on that account Colborn and Cyr talked to the jurors after they reached their verdict and Colborn said the jurors believed the testimony of the girl in the jeans because she complained to a friend immediately after leaving Colwell's classroom The other girls who claimed to have been improperly touched by Colwell waited several weeks before complaining. 'Absurd' verdict Colwell's other attorney, Jim Mowbray, was visibly angry as he left the courtroom Friday, slapping the hallway wall with a rolled piece of paper.

He called the guilty verdict "absurd." "The United States Supreme Court has said that it's all right for a teacher to touch a student for punishment, but today the jury said they are not allowed to touch them for affection or support," he said. Mowbray promised to fill the Lancaster County District courtroom with supportive students when Colwell is sentenced on Nov. 14. Colwell faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $10,000 fine. He also could receive probation.

Airport fountains sparkle Visitors to the Lincoln Municipal Airport are greeted by the recently completed fountains near the airport entrance. The. new fountains are part of an extensive landscaping and beautification project, including trees, shrubs, a reflecting pond and signs. A drainage, and erosion-control project and a multilevel parking building also are among the airport's long-range plans. reen Parsons, mother of Brenda, a 17- i ii "1 1 1 1 year-old senior who is drum major and 1 wo men killed plane crash near via saxophone pter in JT were the only high school in the state asked.

To not be aiiowea topiay "tiau 10 the Chief" for the president is almost like taking away a child's civil rights. He is the leader of this land Numero Uno. These kids worked for what they got When you work, you ought to reap the benefits." The plane crashed in a field 3 miles west of the Ovid interchange on Interstate 76 and about a half mile south of the highway, she said. Civil Air Patrol spokesman Dieter Hantschel said that, although the pilot did not file a flight plan, he was believed to have planned to follow Interstate 76 from the Nebraska border to the Fort Morgan-Brush area and then head directly for Boulder. Flight service stations reported thunderstorms in Nebraska and eastern Colorado at the time the plane would have been en route, Hantschel said.

OVID, Colo. (AP) Two Colorado men were killed in the crash of a small, single-engine plane near Ovid, en route from Ogallala to Boulder, the Sedgwick County sheriff's department said. Department spokesmen identified the victims as David Lei-bovic, 33, of Boulder, thought to be the pilot, and Arthur Ter-rence Bowman, 38, of Lyons. The National Transportation Safety Board dispatched an investigator from its Denver office to the crash scene near the Nebraska-Kansas border. Sheriffs dispatcher Madeline Ramirez said a ranchhand found the wreckage Friday morning.

Nationally known Events began last Wednesday when Terri Ourada, who is the drill team instructor and whose work is known in high schools throughout the country, received a call from Eric Sieb, a White House advance man in Omaha, asking for help in staging the rally. Ourada, who said she had planned to ask drill teams from other high schools to join in, suggested that the Lincoln High band participate. She checked with Principal Sam Nelson, whe was enthusiastic. They also checked with Associate Superintendent Daisy Arredondo, who gave her tentative approval The trip, to be paid for by the White House, was on. But someone contacted school board member James Wickless, who, despite being a Republican, saw potential political problems.

He alerted Superintendent Philip Schoo, who was attending the American Association of School Administrators conference in Washington, D.C. "My sense of the situation is that if the purpose primarily is for partisan political reasons, a campaign for one candidate, it is inappropriate," Wickless Ifel nirl-t APWIREPHOTO A tornado that hit Trumbull on Thursday night scattered Irrigation pipe through Greenwood Cemetery. Trumbull is about 5 miles northeast of Hastings. a-A APWIREPHOTO business A i isy Mr After board members were contacted for what Jim Carver, the board vice president, called "advice and counsel," the administration decided that the trip would be inappropriate. Told to find out more Arredondo said she had been urged to find out more about the rally, specifically if Reagan's speech would be separate from the Orr rally and whether the speech was a political one.

"It became very, very clear that it was a political speech," Arredondo said. She said the speech, according to White House staffers, would include comments about Republican success since Reagan was elected in 1980 and would include a strong endorsement for Orr. The speech is to be given during the Orr rally, Arredondo said. White House staffers, after being informed of the decision, told Arredondo they would line up another school immediately. She said they were understanding.

But Terry Rush, Lincoln High band director, is less so, and was outspoken in hisoppositioa "I just see this as an opportunity for my kids to do something they'll probably never get a chance to do again," said Rush, a Democrat "I would have the same feeling whether he was coming for (Democratic gubernatorial candidate Helen) Boosalis or Orr. I dont care whether it's the Republican, Democrat or Bull Moose party. It's an opportunity for us to perform before the president of the United States. I just dont feel the kids are getting an honest break. If we don't get to play, I feel we've wasted an opportunity for our school and students.

My band will get more out of being there than Kay Orr will with us being there. I cant think how anybody would vote for Kay Orr just because the Lincoln High School band played "Ruffles and Flourishes" for the president We're not endorsing anyone for anything." Enlisting support Rush said he and parents of band members were calling politicians throughout the city to enlist support In a fight to overturn the decision. "They're telling us we cant do this because of the way it looks," he said. "A minority is ruling the majority, I think. They fear that a handful of people will raise the dickens." Carver said he agreed with the decision.

"It's part and parcel a political rally," he said. "I think you can appreciate how a taxpayer might feel about students participating in a political rally. I dont think students should be allowed to go to political rallies during school hours. Parents want their kids educated." DAVID FAHLESON LINCOLN JOURNAL House foundations are the only things remaining of many homes in Hardy. A tornado that hit the town Thursday picked up several houses and deposited the rubble in other locations.

Hardy joins in volunteer day to clean up tornado damage Nebraska City firm gets $3 million pact WASHINGTON (UPI) The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has awarded a Nebraska City, firm a $3.6 million contract to construct a disposal area for material dredged from a ship channel in Corpus Christi, Texas, it was announced Friday. The contract was one of a series awarded to Midwest Construction, a heavy equipment contractor, for work in the Corpus Christi and Houston areas. Midwest Construction has operated in Nebraska City for about 40 years. Farm credit crisis to continue Harl SIOUX FALLS, S.D.

(AP) -Neil Harl, a lawyer and economics and agriculture professor at Iowa State University, says he thinks the farm credit crisis will continue for another two to five years. Harl, considered an expert on farm debtor-creditor relations, said that even if American farmers can solve their debt problems, the overproduction by farmers around the world still will mean giant surpluses. Harl who addressed a seminar on ag law, said case law in agriculture has been expanding rap-Idly. As financial troubles have forced more farmers off their Tim Dllley finds an encyclopedia in the rubble across thg street and a block away from where he used to live. The trailer house where he lived was destroyed by the tornado.

Omaha Farm Credit Banks to reduce staff OMAHA (AP) Officials at the headquarters of the Farm Credit Banks of Omaha say they will reduce their combined work force by 50 people as part of a staff reorganization. The staff cut will bring to 100 the number of Farm Credit Banks of Omaha employees who have been let go during the financial difficulties of the past two years. With the latest reduction, employment in Omaha will have dropped from 430 to about 330, a 23 percent decrease, since April 1984, bank officials said. Those to be laid off were informed Friday. The reorganization takes effect Octl.

None of those bid off in the latest round of cuts works at regional offices of the federal land bank associations and production credit associations in the Omaha district, which includes Nebraska, Iowa, South Dakota and Wyoming, bank officials said. Ron Hanser, vice president for public affairs, said he doesn't know how much money the banks will save as a result of the 50-employee reduction, but it is significant The Omaha banks lost $510 million in 1985 and another $194.3 million during the first six months of this year. By United Press International HARDY (UPI) Saturday was to be a "volunteer day" in this Nuckolls County village as more than 200 people from surrounding towns offered their services to help residents clean up after Thursday's tornado. "It looks very good. The community is recovering very well," said Larry Nedrow, a state Civil Defense spokesman, on Saturday.

"The spirits of the people seem to be up." Insurance adjusters were assessing the damage Friday, but total damage estimates still were unavailable Saturday. Ned-row said six homes and three businesses were destroyed, 75 homes suffered damage totaling 10 percent to 50 percent of their value and 32 homes had damage totaling 10 percent or less of their value. A lumber-yard, a service station and all of the Farmer's Coop, except the grain elevator, were destroyed in the town of 232 people hear the Kansas border. Seven people were Injured. Harold Persinger, who suffered broken bones and internal injuries in the tornado, was listed in stable condition Saturday in the Intensive care unit at Broadstone Memorial Nuckolls County Hospital in Superior.

His wife, Evelyn, was in good condition with scrapes and bruises. Five other people were dismissed Friday. Mayor Jim Newell said attitudes of the residents appeared to be positive. "They're hanging in there, working together and picking things back up," he said. "They're looking ahead." The Nebraska National Guard remained on the scene Saturday blocking all entrances, into the town.

The roads were being blocked to prevent looting and to control the number of volunteers, Nedrow said. No more volunteers were needed, he said. About 75 percent of the town's utilities were turned back on Saturday. The water remained undrinkable, however, because the system dried out and must be purged, he said Residents were being asked to boll their water or treat it with 16 drops of household bleach per gallon and letting it set for 15 minutes. The National Guard and the Red Cross had drinkable water supplies and the Salvation Army was serving meals.

land, those farmers need different advice from their lawyers, Harl said..