6A = THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
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NEWS
MONDAY, FEB. 25, 2002
HERITAGE
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Office of Multicultural Affairs, included a soulfood dinner, guest artists and music from D.J. Dorian lordan and local band "Hot Sauce."
The keynote speaker of the event was Rev. Gill Ford, the Region IV director of the NAACP. During his speech, Ford told attendees not to take for granted the rights they have and not to ignore the racism that still exists today. He said that although African-Americans only made up 12 percent of the population, they were about 50 percent of the population in prisons. Ford said the majority of those in jail were in for non-violent drug crimes and that problems in this country were tied to both class and race.
"If you are poor, the justice system is just as unfair to you as it is to a minority." Ford said.
until you destinee Maxwell, Kansas city, Kan., sophomore, and a charter member the KU NAACP chapter, said that the evening was both entertaining and informative and that she was expecting more things to come from this new group.
"Without NAACP, African-Americans wouldn't be where we are today," she said.
Contact Shaffer at Ishaffer@kansan.com. This story was edited by Justin Guenley.
SARA SHEPHERD/KANSAN
Gabriel Roland, Kansas City, Kan., junior, plays the keyboard with his band, "Hot Sauce," at the NAACP's Black Heritage Ball. The ball, which took place last night at the Kansas Union Ballroom included food, music, art and speakers.
Senator speaks frankly
The Associated Press
TOPEKA — To find out what Sen. Ed Pugh is thinking, just ask him.
In a world of politicians who make fence-straddling an Olympic sport and political speak an art form, the self-described "beefy country lawyer" expresses his views without mincing words.
Last week, the Senate voted 32-8 to require registration of beer kegs and their buyers. Pugh, of Wamego, was the only Republican voting "no."
"It's just a bunch of political malarkey," he said after the vote.
As for his no-frills style, Pugh said, "There's no reason to speak in riddles. I like to go where it's at and deal with it."
A senator since 1997, Pugh, 52, doesn't play follow the leader and isn't a go-along, get-along kind of guy — as his vote on the beer keg bill showed.
"Sometimes I follow the leader if I like the way he's headed or if it's the thing to do to
make a point," Pugh said.
It was Pugh who offered a state Senate redistricting plan that won the chamber's approval two weeks ago over the objections of Senate President Dave Kerr, R-Hutchinson, who backed another plan.
Pugh said his plan was drafted by a group of fellow conservative Republicans and the Senate's minority Democrats — and that he offered it because it was a good idea.
But Sen. Tim Huelskamp, who help draft the plan, said there was another reason why it was Pugh who brought it to the floor.
"You don't take on Ed Pugh in debate unless you are absolutely certain. He can outspeak anyone in the chamber, and that's why we had him present it," said Huelskamp, R-Fowler.
Sen. Robert Tyson, R-Parker, who goes elk hunting with Pugh, said his friend is direct but often uses humor to make a point.
"He sees life as being too short to be too serious," Tyson said.
Sometimes Pugh uses humor to make a point outside the Statehouse, too. He recalls that when his law office was gutted by an electrical fire in 1994, the fire chief asked him if he had any enemies.
"I looked at him and said, I'm a lawyer and a politician. What the hell do you think?" he said with a laugh.
"We disagree on many issues, but he's very intelligent, very articulate and a strong advocate for the issues he believes in," said Vratil, R-Leawood. "I actually like him."
On biographical questionnaires, Pugh, who went to law school at the University of Kansas, said that, as a jest, he likes to list his hobbies as "motoring" and "ballroom dancing."
Even lawmakers who don't agree with his politics give Pugh high marks, including Senate Judiciary Chairman John Vratil. Pugh is the committee's vice chairman.
Pugh's style can be forceful
"Ed Pugh is the master of intimidation to get his way," Vratil said. "He's just trying to make a point."
Although a lawmaker, Pugh would like to see fewer laws made.
"We'd be far better off if we allowed laws to be settled and let the courts interpret them. As long we keep changing them, nobody knows what they mean," he said. "The more laws you write, the less personal freedoms you have."
It's a view that fairly reflects those of many constituents in his northeast Kansas district — a healthy skepticism, if not outright distrust, of government.
"I see myself as the kind of Republican I grew up around— government should be limited and personal freedoms maximized. Government isn't the answer to everything," he said.
Explosives plant violates rules
The Associated Press
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A massive blast at a southeast Kansas explosives plant would have caused injuries and damage more than a mile away, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms says.
Agents seized the Slurry Explosive Corp. plant near Columbus, Kan., late last month after alleging numerous safety and security violations and finding more than 4 million pounds of explosives at the site.
Robert Mosley, ATF's regional director of industry operations, said at a federal hearing in Kansas City last week that Slurry's alleged violations of federal safety and security rules are the worst he's seen in 28 years as an explosives regulator.
"Slurry was several million pounds of explosives in excess of what they were allowed to store there," Mosley said. "I believed there was tremendous risk to public safety."
The plant in the far southeast corner of the
state was authorized to store just 90,000 pounds of explosives, the ATF said. It was the only one of 9,500 of its kind to have its manufacturing license revoked after a nationwide security sweep following the Sept. 11 attacks.
Slurry argued at the hearing that it was correcting the problems when the ATF seized the plant. Its lawyers also argued that the company maintained continuous security at the plant, and should retain its license.
Slurry's lawyers did not dispute that the company, which also has plants in Oklahoma, kept more explosives at the plant than it was permitted.
Stephen L. Hill Jr., a former U.S. attorney in Kansas City who represents Slurry, said company executives had tried to follow unclear federal regulations and had worked with federal inspectors.
"I here is no factual basis for (willful violations) or an issue of public safety," Hill said. "Under the regulations, (Slurry) should be allowed to correct it."
The plant had more than 4 million pounds of smokeless powder, blasting agents and high explosives, said Mark James, special agent in charge of the Kansas City ATF office.
Most of the excess was military solid rocket fuel that the company planned to manufacture into commercial explosives used in mining and quarrying.
James said ATF had pulled agents from as far away as Dallas to boost security at the plant while the bureau tries to sort out how to dispose of the explosives. James said the plant is safe for now, though experts from the Department of Defense are working to determine how stable the explosives are.
The nearest public highway to the facility is about 1,000 feet from the nearest storage magazine. The public is barred from getting within a mile of the plant.
Lawyer Patrick McNerney, also representing Slurry, said that the company provided 24-hour security at the plant. He said that ATF has not contended that any explosives were stolen.
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