Tate Slaying

Defense attorney Chiquita Tate was found stabbed to death in her law office on Feb. 20. Tate was stabbed 38 times and police suspect her husband of 14 months. While questioning the husband the police realized he had an outstanding warrant for his arrest from 2007 of battery domestic violence against Tate. However, Greg Harris, Tate's husband, is only suspected by the police. Friends, family and neighbors said they were nice people who seemed happy. However, police believe that Tate had intentions of divorcing Harris due to marital problems, which seems to be cause for motive.

column grief

I really had a difficult time coming up with a topic for my spring break column. I didn't do anything over spring break, just slept and watched tv, so literally nothing worth writing about. I also talked to several of my friends but still didn't come up with anything to write about.

My initial column began as how my spring break differed from the typical beaches and gambling. But, it was definitely uninteresting to say the least. So I was scrounging around trying to remember every thing that happened and person I talked to during spring break. Finally, I vaguely remembered talking to my roommate about his time in the NAVY and what he was doing on Sept. 11.

Although I am pretty disappointed with the outcome of my column, I couldn't come up with anything else I felt people would want to read about.

Column 1

Tara Purdie
JMC 425
Column 1: Spring Break
March 26, 2009
I never thought I would meet someone who was personally involved in the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11. I imagined, if I ever did meet this person, I would know right away. I figured they must be cynical, sarcastic and most likely less tolerant of any culture that “threatens” the unity and patriotism of the United States of America. I never expected this person could be my roommate.

My roommate, Isaac Bachmann, a happy-go-lucky, mellow kind-of-guy, was 21 years old when Al Qaida terrorists attacked the World Trade Center and Pentagon. After nine weeks in basic training for the Navy and one-and-a-half years at nuclear power school, Bachmann was sent to Sub Base New London in Groton, Conn. on Aug. 3, 2001. As a nuclear-trained electrician, Bachmann’s orders were to fly to Italy on Sept. 19 to meet the USS Providence on the Mediterranean and join them on their trip back to Sub Base New London.

But, early Sept. orders changed. Security levels were raised to THREATCON (threat conditions) from Alpha to Bravo and all submarines were commanded to return to the submarine base. The new seamen waiting for the return of their submarines completed odd jobs around base but were given a new mission—filling 40lb sandbags and building 5 ft tall bunkers on all 32 piers until they were given other orders.

Bachmann felt like part of a chain-gang completing a dauntingly back-breaking task for an unapparent reason. He worked in the heat of the day and the howl of the storm. The rain instantly added 20 lbs of weight to the sandbags. For a week, Bachmann alongside other seamen filled thousands of bags until Sept. 9 when they had constructed a bunker on every pier. These bunkers were built to protect the men standing charge with 50-caliber machine guns. Upon completion of the job, although security levels were still heightened, Bachmann was ordered to complete his daily chores. Orders changed once again on Sept. 11.

Bachmann had just completed his morning chores and was waiting in the holding unit for more orders when the Petty Officers in Charge came in and announced the attack. Bachmann, who was one of several men, was told to return to his barracks and get rest so he could come stand guard for the night shift. Although he had been packing thousands of 40 and 60lb sandbags for a week, Bachmann had the same reaction as almost every other American. He was filled with disbelief when he first saw the airplanes crash into the towers, but he also realized the importance of the work he had been doing the past week.

For the next month, Bachmann stood watch in the Sub Base New London verifying identification and reporting suspicious behavior for 12 hours a day, every day, until the previously increased security levels began to fall.
Bachmann finished his 6 year enlistment on Oct. 20, 2005 with new ambitions. He enrolled in school and is currently working on his Bachelors of Science. No one would ever guess that he was involved in protecting the country on the day of the attacks because he is optimistic and surprisingly trusting of others. Some people affected by the terrorist attacks on that tragic day find it hard to forgive, but Bachmann is kind-hearted and willing to help those in need. I wouldn’t have pegged my roommate for someone that was involved in Sept. 11 because I didn’t give the person I imagined enough credit.

Editorial 3

Budget reductions totaling $629,294 raise the critical eyebrows of several faculty and staff at the University of Nebraska at Kearney. Fear of losing employment at the university has pushed faculty to conceive extreme solutions for a problem that could possibly affect over 1,000 full and part-time positions to permanent and temporary employees.

The solution? Oddly enough, faculty and staff members propose their own salary cuts after receiving an email from Chancellor Doug Kristensen warning that budget cuts could include the elimination of faculty and staff positions, a rise in tuition costs and cutting of university programs. Their proposition suggests that instead of eliminating jobs, everyone should take a pay-cut, which would be determined on the income with the cut ranging between .25 percent and 10 percent. The proposal was presented at the Faculty Senate meeting and was the numbers were suggested for discussion purposes and are workable.

Although this is generous of the faculty to recommend, salary cuts would be impractical and almost impossible to implement due to bargaining agreements some faculty members are already under—even if possible, renegotiating individual contracts would be time-consuming and would most likely not amount to the full budget deficit that is necessary. If salaries were cut, quality professors would not have an incentive to join the university faculty, also, because Kearney is a small university it is difficult enough without competitive wages to offer. However, Kearney professors already have the competitive edge because on average they make more than professors at the University of Lincoln. A freeze on these salaries would prevent the recommended salary increase of 2.9 percent that would take place in the next two years, thus saving a considerable amount of money.

Substantial financial problems don’t necessarily call for an apocalyptic solution. The budget reductions demand answers from all sides of the room, not just the front. A combination of eliminating unnecessary or unpopular programs on campus, raising tuition, freezing faculty pay, reducing the number of faculty and staff positions at the university and urging the Unicameral legislature for financial help is an acceptable solution, which would hold everyone involved responsible.

Editorial 3 things to remember

*some professors suggest pay reductions are good for the economy

*pay reductions would be based on salary
-------> 10 percent pay cut for those making more than $150,000
-------> 9 percent pay cut for those making 150,000-125,000
-------> 8 percent pay cut for those making 125,000-100,000
-------> 7 percent for those making 100,000-90,000
-------> 6 percent pay cut for those making 90,000-80,000
-------> 5 percent pay cut for those making 80,000-70,000
-------> 4 percent pay cut for those making 70,000-60,000
-------> 3 percent pay cut for those making 60,000-50,000
-------> 2 percent pay cut for those making 50,000-40,000
-------> 1 percent pay cut for those making 40,000-30,000
-------> .5 percent pay cut for those making 30,000-20,000
-------> .25 percent pay cut for those making less than 20,000

*pay reductions could prevent increasing tuition costs

*must make $629,294 in reductions effective July 1, 2009

*is the pay cut proposal impractical? impossible? bargaining agreements?

*are contracts negotiable?

*eliminating staff positions will make it harder to offer courses

*faculty said they are concerned about effect on economy and students

*faculty said if jobs are cut it is directing cutting the basis of education

*MAIN PROBLEM W/CUTTING PAY
----would lose edge and quality of staff higher salaries bring in
----need to stay competetive

Other suggestions for cutting the budget:
-raising tuition
-urging unicameral to give university more $
-cutting programs

articles for editorial 3

http://www.kearneyhub.com/site/index.cfm?newsid=20261923&BRD=268&PAG=461&dept_id=577576&rfi=8

http://www.kearneyhub.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=20257853&BRD=268&PAG=461&dept_id=577571&rfi=6

http://www.topix.com/city/kearney-ne/2009/02/unk-faculty-propose-pay-cuts-to-ward-off-layoffs

http://www.topix.com/colleges/university-of-nebraska-kearney/2009/02/some-at-unk-seek-salary-reductions-to-avoid-job-cuts

http://nebraska.statepaper.com/vnews/display.v/ART/4990185cc0bd4

http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_page=2798&u_sid=10559374

http://www.klkntv.com/Global/story.asp?S=9814391

http://www.kolnkgin.com/news/headlines/39342887.html

http://new.khastv.com/modules/news/article.php?storyid=16170

http://www.journalstar.com/articles/2009/02/25/news/local/doc49a5ddc1d8377902794547.txt?orss=1