April 8

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dailynebraskan.com

Secondhand finds

Out of routine

Lincoln offers diverse range of thrifting options

Senior gymnast looks to future after breaking arm

tuesday, april 8, 2014 volume 114, issue 128

stalemate It’s a good bill. You should never discriminate against anyone regardless of your feelings on the topic, it’s wrong.”

Nebraska Legislature fails to bring LGBT anti-discrimination bill to vote Monday

Taylor Noel

senior chemical engineering major

It would be good to have that bill. Everyone deserves these rights.” Ali Cox

junior elementary education major

Just coming from an ethnic studies matter, I think that it doesn’t matter. It shouldn’t matter if someone is straight or gay or lesbian or what their skin color is.” Danielle Swiatek

N

ebraska senators failed to bring the LGBT anti-discrimination bill, LB485, to a vote on Monday. Lawmakers voted 26-22 on a cloture that would have overcome a filibuster aimed at killing the bill. LB485 is unlikely to return to the agenda as Monday was the 56th day of the 60-day legislative session. Debate on the bill, presented by Sen. Danielle Conrad of Lincoln, began Thursday. Conrad’s bill would protect members of the LGBT community from employment discrimination by making it illegal for an employer, employment agency or labor organization to refuse a person a job on the foundation of sexual orientation or gender identity. The bill would apply to businesses with 15 or more employees, all employers with state contracts and state and local governments. But it would not apply to religious organizations. Legalizing the bill would add to the state’s existing laws that bar discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, disability, martial status or national origin. Sens. Mark Christensen of Imperial

A young crowd watches the debate unfold at the Nebraska State Capitol on Monday afternoon regarding LB485, an anti-discrimination bill that would protect LGBT individuals. and Beau McCoy of Omaha each introduced 11 amendments to filibuster LB485. One of McCoy’s amendments was an attempt to kill the bill. “I think it’s unfortunate that the senators in the state are taking the time and

junior english major

what he believes.”

story by McCartney Martin photos by Stacie Hecker

Everyone has a different reason to be gay or lesbian, and I think it’s bad to not give him a job for Ahmad Aboragah

graduate in student animal sciences

—compiled by mara klecker

The senators failed to bring LB485 to a vote Monday, meaning they didn’t end the filibuster. It was the 56th day of the senate’s 60-day legislative session.

energy to basically block discussion on something that’s a really important matter for Nebraskans,” said Pat Tetreault, director of the LGBTQA Resource Center at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Tetreault was one I think it’s of several members unfortunate of the LGBT community gathered at the that the senators Nebraska State Capitol to show support in the state are for LB485 on Monday. taking the time She said many people don’t realize that un- and energy to less discrimination is basically block prohibited, it isn’t ildiscussion on legal. “Currently, the something that’s current state of Nebraska condones and a really important supports discrimina- matter for tion, which is why it is so challenging trying Nebraskans.” to get a bill passed,” she said. Pat Tetreault director of the lgbtqa In 2012, the Linresource center at unl coln City Council voted 5-0 to pass a city ordinance comparable to one in Omaha that prohibits discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity. However, opponents of the ordinance received enough signatures on a petition that would either require re-

stalemate: see page 3

StarTran orders natural gas buses Nam Tran DN StarTran is making the switch to natural gas buses. The bus system will add five compressed natural gas, or CNG, buses when they arrive in June, and they should all be in use by early August. StarTran is also planning on purchasing an additional eight buses that are expected to arrive next year. During the next two years, into 2016, an additional 11 CNG vehicles will be coming to StarTran and replacing StarTran’s Handi-Vans. Overall, StarTran will have converted about a third of its 75 buses and handi-van vehicles. In addition, StarTran is creating new paint and design schemes marketed specifically for UNL services and new signs, as well as moving from a flag bus stop system to a designated bus stop system on UNL routes. “There’s a lot of thinking that are going into where these stops should be,” said Michael Davis, transit manager at StarTran. “We’re moving to designated stops on UNL routes so we’re putting additional stops out there and then that will help speed up the system so people can congregate at stops rather than the bus having to stop every block along the way.” The current route itself won’t change; the changes will just happen to some of the bus stops. Many of the stops will stay the same, and additional stops will be added. The stops will be spaced in a convenient way, Davis said. Spaced anywhere from about 800 feet to 1,000 feet apart, the stops will be placed where ma-

Student faces assault charges, brought to jail Police: Freshman assaulted UNL police officer with BAC level of 0.173; charged with third-degree assault Colleen Fell DN

Andrew Barry | Dn

Passengers board a StarTran bus outside of the Nebraska Union on the University of NebraskaLincoln’s City Campus. StarTran will begin replacing the current buses with new natural gas buses in June and should be in use by early August. jorities of people are getting on the bus currently, most likely they’ll be found at intersections with other roads where people are coming down. Paul Cammack, manager customer relations at Black Hills Energy, said that they have been talking to StarTran about CNG vehicles for a while. “We’ve just been working with them for a long time to help convince them that this is the

right way to move their fleet,” he said. Black Hills Energy has also paid $70,000 to help offset the cost of two of the conversion systems in the five buses, Cammack said. He said the benefits that come with CNG vehicles go beyond just cost savings. “It reduces air pollution, which most people in Nebraska don’t think about,” Cammack said. “The air all across this coun-

try is polluted. We just don’t see it like you see it in Denver and Salt Lake City and Los Angeles, but our air is still polluted so the more we can do to clean the air up I think the better we all will be for our lungs.” Cammack also said natural gas is a completely domestic product. There are reserves that will last for hundreds of years,

startran: see page 2

@dailyneb | facebook.com/dailynebraskan

A University of Nebraska-Lincoln student was taken to jail Friday night after assaulting an officer. UNL Police Department officers approached Adam Biodrowski, a freshman exploratory major, after seeing him in an emotional state and having blood on his shirt. “The officer that came over was calm the whole time, but (Biodrowski) just attacked him out of nowhere,” said Kelli Yost, a sophomore Spanish and pre-med student, who was in a nearby car at the time. Police said Biodrowski grabbed an officer by the arms and torso area and then a second time near the head and neck. He then struck the officer in the face and was taken to the ground by police. Yost said she later saw Biodrowski taken away on a stretcher, still shouting at officers. Biodrowski ended up with mi-

nor cuts and bruises to his upper back and chest. The assaulted officer ’s face was red and swollen. Biodrowski was intoxicated at the time of the incident with a .173 BAC, according to police reports. He was charged with third-degree assault on an officer and was cited for obstructing a peace officer and resisting arrest. Yost was inside the car with three people when Biodrowski came up to them. Yost said they had pulled into a parking lot behind the Kappa Delta chapter house at 405 University Terrace and were on their way to Delta Gamma chapter ’s philanthropy event that night at its chapter house, 400 University Terrace. “He stumbled in front of our car – he was pretty clearly intoxicated,” Yost said. She said he also appeared to be out of breath. Biodrowski approached the driver ’s side door, and those inside rolled down the window halfway to see if he needed help. Yost, who was sitting in the passenger seat, said he began to scream profane statements and suggested he was being followed by the CIA. “He told us that he was trying to save our lives,” she said. Yost said they asked Biodrowski about the large blood stains on his shirt, but he didn’t give a clear answer. “Then he asked us to call this

assault: see page 2


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