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THE UNIVERSITY DAILY
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Wednesday
February 11, 1998
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Vol. 108 • No. 98
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THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF THE UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS
Uncapping microbrews
(USPS 650-640)
Bill proposal could increase beer output
By Brandon Copple and Gerry Doyle bcopple@kansan.com adayle@kansan.com
Kansan staff writers
Finally, a cause that college students can unite behind: a bill in the Lee-
iature that would permit Kansas breweries to make more beer.
The bill applies to microbreweries similar to Free State Brewery, which 636 Massachusetts St., which could produce up to 30,000 barrels of beer annually under a proposal by state Sen. Ben Vidricksen. The existing law limits microbrewery production to 15.000 barrels per year.
15,000 barrels per year. Vidricksen, R-Salina, sponsored the bill at the request of Pony Express Brewing Company, an Olathe-based microbrewery. Pony Express, in its third year, brews about 5,000 barrels each year, said Joe Effertz, owner and operator.
"We're trying to plan for the future," he said. "It's hard to plan ahead for growing a business when the law creates a ceiling that won't let you expand to produce at full capacity."
Effertz said Pony Express could produce as much as 30,000 barrels per year.
Robert Eilert, co-founder of the Flying Mongoose Brewery in Merriam, said all Kansas brewers could benefit from the bill.
"It could probably affect the competition between Kansas and Missouri brewers," he said.
"We're never for government limiting free enterprise."
Dan Volmgren, manager of Cork & Barrel Wine and Spirits, 2000 W. 23rd St., said Kansas microbrews such as Pony Express and Flying Monkey sold high beer to get into his store's coolers.
enough beer to get into his store so that "Pony Express sells about five cases a week on average," he said. "That's not bad, but it's nothing compared to a Boulevard or a Sam Adams." Vidricksen said Kansas should give its workers
Vidricksen said Kansas should give its microbreweries the opportunity to compete with the bigger brewing companies.
"Boulevard has been a good seller all over Kansas," he said. "We know there is a demand for the product, so it makes sense that we should allow this type of activity."
John Bryan, a salesman for Boulevard Brewing Co. in Kansas City, said the company
brewed 30,000 barrels a year. Missouri places no limitations on beer production. Kansas liquor laws were designed after the repeal of prohibition in 1933. The microbrewery law was drafted in the
and sell liquor on the same premises. Free State Brewing Company owner Chuck Magerl helped draft the original micro-brewery rules, which capped production at 5,000 barrels a year. Free State produces about 2,500 barrels a year and sells 80 percent of its beer on the premises, so Magerl doesn't compete directly with Boulevard or Pony Express beer at bars and lounge stores.
"We're more concerned with the quality of microbrewed beer than the quantity," he said. "The microbrew fad brought some poor-quality beers onto the market and that's created a certain backlash movement among consumers."
Magerl said there was serious opposition to the original microbrewery law from Kansas teetotalers, and Vidricksen said that opposition still existed.
"There are a lot of people in this state who are opposed to having taverns and selling beer anywhere," Vidricksen said. "We'll get some opposition from those who are opposed to alcohol period.
Commission OKs election money limits
By Melissa Ngо
mgo@kansan.com
Kansan staff writer
There will be campaign spending limits during this year's Student Senate elections, but the limits will be raised.
The Elections Commission adopted the new limits last night. This will be the first year Senate elections will require campaign spending limits. In previous years, the commission has recommended spending limits.
Coalitions and independent presidential and vice-presidential candidates will be allowed to spend $2,780, an increase from the $2,210 listed in the preliminary elections code. The $200 spending limit for independent senate candidates will remain the same.
Brad Finkeldei, commission chairman, broke a 2-2 tie by voting for the spending limits.
"I voted for it because I believe that spending limits not only support the educational mission of the University and the student government, but they are also responsible for increasing participation in a student process." Finkeldei said.
Jason Fizell, Liberal Arts and Sciences senator, said he did not agree with the decision to raise spending limits.
"I completely agree with the commission instituting spending limits, but they watered down their impact by increasing the limits." Fizell said.
Kevin Yoder, Interfraternity Council senator, questioned the commission's decision to keep spending limits.
"By overruling the general counsel of the University of Kansas and the Constitution of the United States, the Elections Commission has made a questionable decision," Yoder said. "While I agree with the intent of making elections fair, I don't feel that this is the proper means as it violates students' constitutionally protected rights."
In a letter to the commission Thursday, Victoria Thomas, University general counsel, said that Senate campaign spending limits were unconstitutional.
The commission discussed the potential ramifications of maintaining the limits and decided to keep the limits.
"Any decision we make can be reviewed," Finkeldei said. "If we're going to live in fear of being reviewed, we should just pack up and go home now."
Complaint hearings about the elections code have ended and the code cannot be changed until after elections results have been validated, said Elections Commissioner Audrey Nogle.
According to Senate Rules and Regulations 6.5.3 E, appeals on the elections code can be filed with the University Judicial Board. The final draft of the elections code will be available Friday.
Clarification:
Because of a copy editor's error, an article in yesterday's Kansas reported that there were 202 motor vehicle thefts on the University of Kansas campus in 1997. The number should reflect items taken from vehicles, not vehicles stolen.
Dancers jazz up campus in parade
By Emily C. Forsyth
eforsyth@kanson.com
Kanson staff writer
A parade of dancers pirouetted and promenaded through several campus buildings yesterday.
Gersten Morgan, Junction City sophomore, Kimber Andrews, Kanopolis junior, and Jennifer laughlin, Red Oak, Iowa, junior perform an environmentally choreographed dance for their Dance 450 class. Photo by Tara Bradley/KANSAN
The Parade of Indoor Dances was part of an environmental choreography class taught by Joan Stone, director of dance.
The parade started in the central court of the Spencer Museum of Art with a dance that was inspired by Dale Chihuly's blown-glass artwork called "Persian Wall."
"We tried to make ourselves look like flowers every time we opened up and curved," she said. "It was very jazzy because of the colors and the music."
"Our assignment was to go out and find a space indoors and choreograph a dance," McMurray said. "Some of the spaces that were picked are places that you would never imagine to see dance."
Jennifer Beltran, Arlington Heights, Ill. senior, and dancer, said the dancers tried to interpret the artwork.
Three dancers wearing red shirts and black tights entered the court from different directions to the sounds of jazz.
Scott McMurray, Coffeyville senior, said the class presented challenges that regular stage performances did not.
A second dance, performed in the Strong Hall Rotunda, delivered a serious message as two dancers wearing street clothes engaged in a fight that ended when one dancer acted out shooting the other dancer.
Ashante Childs, Derby sophomore, said that the assassination of her partner symbolized a murder that might occur because of envy.
"Murders do take place in public buildings, and they do take place on university campuses," Stone said. "It's a powerful scenario because it indicates the violence that always is simmering in American society, and we don't know when it will erupt."
Stone said the dances related to events in people's lives.
In the final performance, four dancers in the east atrium of Budig Hall told the story of Hoch Auditorium's destruction
and rebuilding. The dancers dressed in costumes that represented the stonework of the walls.
James Vequist, director of Budig Hall,
said he enjoyed watching the dance.
A fourth dance was postponed because of repairs to the tunnel between the Kansas Union and the Spencer Museum of Art. The dance will be held 2:30 p.m. Thursday.
"The freestyle looked really neat with the costumes and everything," he said. "I think it's kind of neat using the atrium to do it."
Stone has been performing environmental dance since the 1960s and has taught the class at the University of Kansas since 1982.
"The main objective is to get off the stage and to develop new movement material by responding to different kinds of spaces," Stone said.
The class will have two more performances this semester, including a parade of outdoor dances on campus April 23.
The class also will perform living advertisements March 17 in front of Wescoe Hall and the Kansas Union for the University Dance Company concerts, which will be held May 1 and 2 at the Lied Center.
Stone said that not many people attended the parades of dance, and that those who encountered the dancers had mixed reactions.
"Some people will look and stay and watch," Stone said. "Others will go through as quickly as they can. People seem to be intrigued to find dance in their midst where they're not expecting it.
1
Dancers from Joan Stone's Environmental Choreography class perform in the East Atrium of Budig Hall. The performance was one of three on campus Tuesday afternoon. Photo by Roger Noper/KANSAN