The Lincoln Star from Lincoln, Nebraska • Page 11

243-Page Rewrite of Criminal Code Ready for Legislative Journey playing of pinochle, rummy and similar games, such as take place in business establishments in many of our smaller communities. The- real problem in gambling is organized gambling So long as the money only changes hands between actual players, there is no great problem because such games tend to police themselves. It is only when some outsider is 'raking the pot' or skimming off the money from the players in some fashion, that we start to have a dangerous situation." LB623 as did its ancestor, LB8, which angered through the 1973 and 1974 sessions without being pushed for passage deals with organized gambling (the new term is "aggravated gambling and almost every other kind of "dangerous situation." 3 Main Features Sen. Roland Luedtke of Lincoln, who has presided over the Judiciary Committee throughout the long consideration of the project, said the chief features of the bill are: Consolidation of the 1,500 criminal statutes entered on the books since the last recodification in 1873, editing out obsolete provisions and redundant language. Currently, there are a dozen sections relating just to the various forms of embezzlement.

Classification of crimes into Ave categories of felony and three of misdemeanor, with maximum and minimum penalties for each. Currently, each crime carries its own penalty. Provision for affirmative defenses did it, but listen to my and broadened definitions of such words as building (to include camper vans and boats) to close loopholes. Luedtke said the years devoted to "scanning and scouring this state" for reaction to the proposals should have prepared the ground for passage this year. Many, Many Hearings "We've held so many, many hearings," he said, referring to a process that began in 1969.

At that time, the Legislature directed the creation, under Atty. Gen. Meyer, of a 20-member advisory commission to work on a new criminal code. It had a research and drafting staff of seven, headed by retired Supreme Court Judge Edward F. Carter Sr.

Edward F. Carter who worked on the project in the latter stages when his father was ill, was quoted in April 1972 as saying: "We hope it's not going to be too controversial, because we'll never be able to get it through the Legislature otherwise." That's a concern Luedtke expresses about LB623, which he said he expects will ignite some fiery floor debates because it Committee Hearings List on Page 2B exposes for discussion the whole spectrum of crime. But this latest version of the code rewrite contains the latest legislative word on some of the most controversial issues. Recent bills on capital punishment, abortion, -obscenity and rape have been plugged into LB623, and supporters of the measure have their fingers crossed that new battles won't develop on those topics. Pendulum Swinging Luedtke said he has noticed the "pendulum swinging toward a tougher public attitude toward crime." He said this could be demonstrated in the fixing of penalties.

The years of study which have involved the Nebraska State Bar the Nebraska Trial Lawyers judicial groups and organizations concerned about civil liberties make the scheduled Jan. 1, 1977, effective date realistic, according to Luedtke. He said there should be time after enactment of the bill to have copies distributed throughout the criminal justice system so that everyone will be ready at the first of next year. More on Page 6B NU Football Stars Won't Work As Lincoln Police Next Summer 9 1B Lincoln Nebraska Since 1972, Nebraska law has required that full-time police officers undergo a seven-week training course during their first year of employment Part-time and reserve officers working more than 100 hours a year also were covered by that law. Although there were no incidents or court challenges to the summer arrangement, Hansen isn't willing to push his luck.

No Police Training Asst. Chief Dale Adams, who was among the first group of footballers to work summers for Lincoln police, admits the players and law students weren't properly trained. "Some had handled guns before and were good shots," he says. "But as far as police training, they didn't have any." The players were chosen by the Athletic Dept. and okayed by police.

Several were later hired as full-time officers. Hansen says they've all made good By Steve Kadel You won't see any Nebraska football stars riding in Lincoln police cruisers next After more than a quarter century, the department is no longer offering summer jobs to select players. That program, begun in 1947 under former Chief Joe Carroll, didn't win the favor of current Chief George Hansen. A similar program for University of Nebraska Law College students also is being dropped. Both the players and law students were armed after one day of training and rode cruiser patrol with veteran officers in a backup capacity.

Dangerous Situation Hansen says that was a dangerous situation. "I just don't believe untrained people should be on the street, even as backup," he says. Usually about five athletes and five law students were hired at starting police officer's salary. flMMBiirrBPWlMPwHBi iHWpBHwnii Underground Water Level Dropping in Imperial Area By Don Pieper There's good news for chicken thieves, sporting pinochle players and people with an earthy vocabulary. The 243-page rewrite of Nebraska's criminal code, due for a public hearing at 2 p.m.

Wednesday before the Legislature's Judiciary Committee, addresses their problems along with such weightier issues as capital punishment and drug abuse. LB623, seven years on the drawing board at a cost of nearly $200,000, would be the first overhaul of the criminal statutes to more than a century. It would take out of the lawbooks and put into the history books bans on Sunday baseball, 25e-a-word fines for cursing and prohibitions against displaying the black flag of anarchy. No longer would a chicken thief be liable to five years' imprisonment while a person who steals a $99 portable television faces a six-month sentence. Pinochle Omitted As for games of chance, Clarence Meyer, who was attorney general then, had this to say in 1972 when he delivered to the Legislature a draft of what has become LB623: "It was the general feeling (of the commission writing the draft) that state law did not need to deal with such matters as the Athletes rode with uniformed officers, law students with plainclothed detectives.

High Interest "I can't remember any law students who didn't display a lot of interest in law enforcement," Adams says. "They'd all had theory, but not the practical side of law enforcement." During their summer on the streets, students learned of problems the police face, Adams says. He thinks they made "good ambassadors" for police officers1 point of view when they returned to the Don Shaneyfelt, law professor who worked with the intern program is disappointed by Hansen's decision. "It was a very valuable program, not only for the students but also for the police department," he says. "It allowed a two-way street for communication.

Police were acquainted with legal rules and why they exist through contacts with the students, and it helped students relate to police "Increased pump irrigation in the Frenchman Valley is reducing the flow of Frenchman Creek by as much as 30," Dreeszen explained. "There clearly is a decline in underground water supply. There is a cone developing in the area where as much as 10 to 15 feet of water level has dissappeared," Dreeszen explained. A part of the decline is thought to be the result of pumping in Colorado as well as in Nebraska. "It is simply a matter of taking more water out than nature puts back into the area," Axtheim said.

Inflows at Enders Reservoir have dropped to 38,000 acre-feet annually, compared to 58,500 acre-feet 10 years ago. This has created a major concern for surface irrigators. "The stream just soaks away into the ground because of the drop in underground water levels," said Lee Ortoo of the Nebraska Natural Resources Districts Assn. in Lincoln. Dreeszen Confident Dreeszen expressed confidence that the people in the area will find a way to solve their problem.

"They know they have a problem." he said. "It will be their deci- ooi ours, uur jot is raucsuon on wnn The i of well spacing, allocation of water to irrigators, setting up a rotation basis for pumping, denying drilling permits for new wells, or switching to crops mat require lest water than corn. Costuncd: Page 2B, OoL 7 to see what the poetical scene looks Bee." said Phares in an interview before not mayoral announcement Requests for elaboration brought little more than slmtlw puffs on his eves present pipe. Repubucao Phares already owns the kind of image that public rotations firms often are paid to project in a candidate Family man, church nan, prosperous hometown busnwreman he it these for real as wefl as beng an unquestionably energetic mayor. Yet a reporter request for a Sunday afternoon drew a firm tan roach about the man.

"That's chorea and family day for us." explained tire time-pressed official. "Manreae and I sponsor a church youth group, and were taking the bds A 9 p.m. hueretew was sqaeewd hi later in the week after mother church arrorve-ment Again rt was Frst Baptist, where be nas mm vnietjfy every orrjee snort or tie also mi done conswerawe hryi Generally, res, though not every Axtheim noted that farmers throughout the state will have to do a better job of managing water for a number of reasons. "We know the water supply isn't limitless," he said. "Fuel costs are getting higher and irrigation pumps are becoming increasingly expensive to run." Satellite Imagery Using satellite imagery, the Engineering Research Center at the University of Nebraska has learned that the number of center-pivot systems in Nebraska increased 58 from 1973 to 1974.

In Chase County the increase was 46 from 1973 to 1974 but 2297c from 1972 to 1973. In 1974, there were 6,676 systems in Nebraska, compared to 4,218 in 1973. Dr. Donald Edwards of the Engineering Research Center thinks there may be 1 Dreeszen fed there is no urgent crisis in the Imperial area that must be solved today, but they warn that farmers there need to study the options available to them so that long-range plans can be developed. "We are already working on getting reuse pits built," Milner said.

"We have been working with individual farmers on problems vim water application. One farmer had a problem with leaking pipes that greatly reduced his irrigation efficiency. These are all steps in die right direction." Supply Problems Both surface irrigators and pump I to experience ome tune in the By Donunick Costello Farm Editor The rapid expansion of pump irrigation in the Imperial area is causing underground water levels to drop as much as a foot and a half a year, according to Vince Dreeszen, head of the University of Nebraska Conservation and Survey Division What to do about the problem will be the main subject of discussion at a Feb. 3 meeting of the board of directors of the Upper Republican Natural Resources District (NRD). The board will review the results of an informal survey of area farmers who attended public meetings at Grant, Imperial and Benkebnan.

"We are trying to get some idea of what people want us to do. We may have to bold a public hearing for additional input," said Ron Milner, NRD manager. Computer Module Officials of the various water-related agencies in Lincoln generally are suggesting that no action be tain until a computer module being developed by Eric Lapaua of the U.S. Geological Survey is completed in October. "That module should provide a lot of wells or limited irrigation in some other way," explained Dan Axtheim of the University of Nebraska agricultural He i provide answers for specific area of the NRD, as weO as for the district as a whole.

in Nebraska? Yes, but the unseasonably warm weather may soon, in me meantime, persons ox an ages, including wis young found hiking in Pioneers Park a delight Boy Mayor Bob Phares of North Gubernatorial Timber STAFF PHOTO BY RANDY HAMPTON He graduated in business administration from Kearney State College in 1958. then joined his father's insurance firm and helped expand it to a five-man agency Phares' wife. Margene. is do stranger to politics on her own side of the family', her father beirg State Sen Myron Rumery, also of North Platte The Pharoses have three children Bradley. 11.

Bryan, 10. and Amy, 7 Family considerations had much to do with Phares decision not to run for Congress, save he felt Washington would not be best far ha children I don't suppose I re ever preyed about anything more diugentry than that. he recalled Although be had been active church and tome cx activities, particularly ihe Jaycees. Phares had no government cipaieace before becowung mayor But be figures seven years that office eight by the time he lompltau be current term manes one an ouster i of age Winter Walk enu lad, Platte Is has brought acclamation from a full populace now approaching ZS.000 An impressive list of administration achievements four typed pages, according to his city clerk naturally has A roahuulbofrdoQar urban renewal project now well along, brought con-siderabte flack for months Phares also took some beat several years ago in granting an unusual mayoral pardon in a driver bconse suspension case More recently, be was caught up a garbage collection dispute Soil, as one North Platte observer pat it, Phares has maintained good retaboni with hu cooncilmen and "has completely avoided any general uproars." He was boded as "a particularly astute financial manager." but still enough of a pohocian to mm me ra Interestingly the sitictlta Ptara taxes less pnde in any swumpastanents per se dan in hit 'learn to wrach be credits them He's crossing tut fingers that this could even bring the city, already an- of ZD current aroma, au- January By Dean Terrfl Norm Plata -Ware he a tender 28, Bob Phares took a lot of teasing about being North Platte' boy mayor. Seven ana a worn a ccptnrscc ana, we up sou toptayf knowledge here that a hair breadth of seeking (be Third Dbtrict bare ttnt waea Dare Mart bowed oat tw yenn ago It sin no secret be woaM prefer forer-narstnp.

bat dare ttnrhnu treat Bob hat dMnhte ware be says: "it's obviously way tao arte to make any years kidding bat bean about grown wanting to play guvnor. Suddenly that ttotiaf bat a datferent ring The ecboa ureaded sorely salons when Paaretamoosd two days ajotbat he will not accept a lard term as mayor. Added were these carefnay chosen words: "I am retiring frost taaii fcpal pontics (aunicipal wit tmderlaed). bat not retiring from tie pontics! scene. Lincoln ahead? Phares came wit Amencan recognition.

"The overriding factor which permeates everything we've done is the bringing together of people in cooperative explained the mayor, trun and casualty dressed. "It's a 'we' bog of thing, not an By building a commumtywide team, we've done more with a kit less strain than some other cities Probably as challenging as any of the North Platte ventures was the consolidation of two hospitals and. eventually, test fall's opening of the new Mi million Great Plains Medical Center Phares described it as especially granhing" becauve of a broad-bared origin nvohing several otuem groups Referring to a community attitude survey taken during hv first term, the mayor said 19 priority needs were identified All but a couple of these, notably a new aw center and a second town vudoct, art now reality or wefl on the way Born Atlantic. Iowa, where his father Carl was then bub. distributor for an oU company.

Phares was schooled North Platte after ha family moved here in 1947. are nrearearejaflnreal JiLflaflH Wtk PfcnTCS Some days I fed bke I'm 35 going on he commented. "And then there are some days which are worse -NiivvsPAPtRflHCHIVE -What Hauu red, we? Just am NewspapuJIRCHIVE.