Friday, January 28, 2000
The University Daily Kansan
Section A · Page 3
Kansas lawmakers eye keg registration proposal
Bill would allow keg buyers to be traced statewide
By Katrina Hull
writer@kansan.com
Kansan staff writer
TOPEKA — Lobbyists mumble that infamous prohibitionist Carry Nation and her ax were revived in the state Capitol yesterday as two Emporia legislators proposed laws requiring state-wide keg registration.
Proponents and opponents of the legislation testified to Senate and House federal and state affairs committees, neither of which has yet set a date to vote on the bills.
"It's the fifth time this bill has come before you," said Jim Scott, president of the Kansas Retail Liquor Dealers Association. "And apparently no one felt it important enough to improve on the wording you rejected last year."
But since last year, Emporia and four Kansas counties have enacted keg registration ordinances, and representatives from the localities want the state to jump on the bandwagon.
Keg registration would require liquor retailers to record a purchaser's personal information before issuing a registered keg, making it easier for police to trace a keg back to its purchaser.
Thirteen states have keg registration laws, and the Lawrence City Commission is considering the issue, too.
Teresa Walters, a representative from Emporiers for Drug Awareness, said that she wasn't a prohibitionist but that beer was the choice beverage for underage drinkers. Substance abuse education isn't working well enough, she said.
"The focus is stopping keg parties where teens are so drunk they can't remember if they wore a condom or how many sexual partners they had," she said. "Or they are left out in the country to sleep it off and choke on their own vomit."
Usually, when police break up keg parties, no one knows who purchased the keg, said Coffey County Sheriff Randy Rodgers.
"Without a state law, keg purchasers can simply go to an adjoining county." Rodgers said.
But Scott said that even with statewide keg registration, underage drinkers would find a way around the law.
Scott, who owns a liquor store in Fort Scott just five miles from Missouri, said his customers would cross the border to purchase kegs. Those not close to state borders always can purchase a registered keg, transfer the beer to a legal non-registered container — like a spare keg — and return the registered keg, he said.
Both sides admitted no statistics
"The focus is stopping keg parties where teens are so drunk they can't remember if they wore a condom or how many sexual partners they had."
Teresa Walters Representative from Emporians for Drug Awareness
Parking permits to be limited
existed that either confirmed or denied the effectiveness of keg registration, but that didn't stop the flood of numbers and facts.
Proponents cited underage drinking statistics and labeled alcohol a gateway drug, while opponents claimed underage drinking was down nationwide and alcohol misinformation prevailed.
"Drinking for many of the youngsters is about getting drunk
—and we all know that means trouble," said Cynthia Engle, chairwoman of the Morris County anti-drug task force.
But Scott said that more effective legislation would take drivers' licenses away from underage drinkers instead of making adults who purchased the alcohol responsible for teens' actions.
"Good intentions aren't enough." Scott said. "Emotional responses aren't justification. Laws should be reasonable, valid and serve the public."
The KU Parking Board approved proposals Tuesday to limit the number of parking spaces sold for lots near Gertrude Sellards Pearson-Corbin Hall and Jayhawker Towers for the first time.
By Sara Shepherd
writer@kansan.com
staff writer
Parking officials said there might be negative reactions from students, but the new measures should help alleviate congestion and confusion in the future.
"I don't think it'll be popular," said
Donna Hultine,
assistant
director of
parking.
"But
I
think it'll
be more
popular
than never
being able
to park in
that lot."
Instead of selling an unlimited number of permits, the parking department approved a proposal to limit the
residents would be allowed to purchase a permit. If additional spaces remain, there will be a lottery among others who wish to purchase a permit. New Jayhawker Towers residents would be required to purchase a residence hall permit, which would allow them to park in the lots on Daisy Hill and overflow into the Lied Center parking lot.
Morris Faiman, chairman of the parking board and professor of pharmacology and toxicology, said the board wanted to overcome the stereotype that buying a parking permit was actually more like buying a hunt-
number of permits issued for the GSP-Corbin lots to the exact number of spaces available. Returning GSP-Corbin residents would be given first priority for permits. Residents who were unable to purchase a GSP-Corbin permit would be able to obtain a Yellow Zone permit.
ing license.
Only returning Jayhawker Towers
Faiman said he thought the new limits would be a way for the parking department to be more honest with permit-holders.
"I have a problem with issuing so many permits when I know they're not going to have anywhere to park." Hultine said.
"I think when you sell a permit, you give somebody the impression you have a parking spot," Fairman said.
Ryan Hayes, Chicago sophomore, said he thought the plan might help the situation at the towers, where he lives. Hayes said he didn't agree with overselling the permits, because the
Hultine agreed that overselling permits could be misleading for students.
overflow parking at McColum Hall often was full.
"It might help so people don't have that false sense that there's going to be spots available for them when actually, there's not," he said.
Even with limited permit sales,not all students will be guaranteed a space.
"There is no perfect solution," Faiman said. "We're just trying to help the students."
However, Faiman said chances would be better than they would be with open sales.
Hultine said parking at GSP-Corbin was limited by space and facilities.
“There’s no where to go.” she said.
“They’re so landlocked over there.”
Faiman said the parking department simply was trying to do the best it could with the resources it had.
Hultine said the key to helping would be to inform residents before they moved in. She said the Department of Student Housing had agreed to include parking information with their mailings to potential students.
Housing officials were unavailable for comment yesterday.
Puzzle mania
KU graduate students Mark Ashbrook, Glenview, Ill., Brian Lindamay, Maryville, Mo., and Peter Bonello, Kansas City, Mo., work on a giant puzzle in Snow Hall yesterday afternoon. The puzzle contains more than 91,000 squares and 28,000 clues. Photo by Aaron Lindberg / KANSAN
Game unites fanatics, others
By Brandon Kriszal
sports@kansan.com
Kansan sportswriter
Super Bowl XXXIV is the culmination of a grueling season.
No, not for the St. Louis Rams and Tennessee Titans, but for nearly every fan in America that has been working hard to watch football games all season long.
Since August, die-hard football fans have been dodging work, homework and even their significant others just to check out action week-in and week-out on the gridiron. Sunday's game is a celebration when traditional and even not-so traditional football fans focus their attention on the National Football League. It is a time when people spend a little
bit of money for snacks and drinks to congregate around the magical picture box. The Super Bowl has a different level of significance for everyone.
Admittedly, some viewers will watch the big game just to see the commercials. ABC reportedly will rake in as much as $3 million for each 30-second Super Bowl XXXIV commercial spot. According to www.superbowlspot.com, the high costs have driven away some long-time advertisers. The Bud Bowl sponsor, Anheuer-Busch, is agonizing about the $30 million that it has committed to this year's extravaganza.
David Steiner, St. Louis senior and die-hard football fan, is excited to attend a Super Bowl party that has some personal significance, instead of just having an excuse to party on a Sunday.
"I'm ecstatic," he said. "In St. Louis, it's crazy. It's been wonderful because football has always been pretty big in St. Louis. This is just making it bigger. We've always been known as a baseball town."
Kansas football coach Terry Allen admits
St. Louis Rams vs. Tennessee Titans
Coverage begins at 1 p.m. Sunday
On channels 9 and 14
that on Sunday, he'll be pulling for the Rams. Allen coached St. Louis quarterback and league MVP Kurt Warner at Northern Iowa University.
SUPER BOWL XXXIV
"Don't talk to me about the Titans," he said.
"I'm a Ram on Sunday. Kurt always did possess a great arm. It's kind of fun that I coached him."
Tennessee fans are just as hyped for the showdown Sunday in Atlanta.
Anate Aelion, Memphis senior, said she was looking forward to the game because it would put football in Tennessee into the spotlight for the first time on a professional level.
"We're huge college football fans," she said. "I think by going to the Super Bowl it kind sheds new light on Tennessee. We've always been known for Elvis and country music. This adds a new dimension, and I think it really helps the economy."
The sporting world's biggest annual event isn't so important to some well-known sports figures.
Legendary NBC sportscaster Bob Costas, who lives in St. Louis, said he was not pulling for either team. He will be in Houston broadcasting an NBA game early Sunday afternoon.
"I'm gonna go back to the hotel and order room service and watch the game," he said. "I'm not crazy wild about it like a lot of people are. It's not the be-all end all for me."
Indeed, the Super Bowl's level of importance varies from person to person.
For the "Sunday widows," it means they get their significant others back.
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