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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Sept. 27, 1999)
Monday September 27,1999 Volume 101, Issue 20 Weather University of Oregon Eugene, Oregon An independent newspaper www.dailyemerald.com New budget to freeze tuition The Oregon Legislature has approved a $149.6 million increase for higher education in order to implement a student-centered funding system. PAGE 4 Ducks prevail in three OTs After Nathan Villegas ties the game in the waning moments of regulation, Josh Frankel finally gives Oregon a Pac i0 opening victory in the third overtime. PAGE 1 § Kinkel pleads guilty, spares victims trial ■ I he date for the sentencing hearing will be determined today, and Kinkel will face 25 to 220 years in prison By Laura Cadiz Oregon Daily Emerald ‘ Kipland P. Kinkel pleaded guilty Friday to the Thurston High School shootings that left two students „ dead and wounded 25 others and will now face at least 25 years in prison — bringing some closure to a crime that tore apart the Eugene Springfield community. Three days before his trial was scheduled to begin, Kinkel, 17, unexpectedly abandoned an in sanity defense and pleaded guilty to four counts of murder and 26 counts of attempted murder in a Lane County Courtroom filled with victims and families impact ed by Kinkel’s May 21, 1998, shooting rampage at Thurston High School in Springfield. “I am very pleased for the vic tims and the community that Mr. Kinkel has taken this route,” Lane County District Attorney Doug Harcleroad said. As Kinkel’s sister, Kristin, and their aunt Claudia Jurowski silent ly supported him, Kinkel pleaded guilty to murdering his two par ents, William and Faith Kinkel, as well as students Benjamin Walker and Mikael Nickolauson. Of 26 to tal counts of attempted murder, 25 counts of attempted murder with a firearm stem from the 25 student victims that Kinkel wounded dur ing a shooting spree in the school’s hallway and cafeteria. For the 26th count, Kinkel entered an Al ford plea in the attempted murder of Springfield Detective A1 Warthen for attempting to stab him in the stomach with a concealed knife during his arrest. Through the plea, Kinkel does not admit guilt but acknowledges that the state has enough evidence against him to convict him of that crime. By pleading guilty to the charges, Kinkel agreed to “waive the defenses of mental disease or defect, extreme emotional distur bance or diminished capacity,” according to the plea petition. Kinkel will now serve four con current 25-year sentences for the four murder pleas. Kinkel also faces a mandatory 90-month sentence for each attempted murder count. Turn to Kinkel, Page 13 Students still lack housing after building delays ■ Construction woes at the University Commons leave a few students in hotel rooms By Sara Lieberth Oregon Daily Emerald Each year, as thousands move back into town before school be gins, there are the routine hassles of lugging furniture, hooking up new phone lines and deciding where that orange couch is going to fit in the brown living room. These inconveniences are often minor though, and getting settled usually takes but a day or a week end at most. But for nearly 75 University students, getting settled this fall has been characterized by a series of delays, disappointments and disruptions. These setbacks have left them feeling disenchanted with promises made by Capstone Development Corp., property managers of the University Com mons apartments off Centennial Boulevard in Eugene. In many cases, the situation has also left them homeless. The 252-unit complex was slat ed for completion well in ad vance of students’ 12-month lease terms, which began early this month. Due to an unforeseen halt in construction, however, two of the 11 buildings are unfinished to date, with one expected to be oc cupant-ready by Oct. 4 and the other by Oct. 17, said Jeff Jones, executive vice president of the Alabama-based development company. “We are now accommodating 90 percent of our residents,” Jones said. “For only 10 percent have we not been able to accom modate— yet.” The partially complete build ings contain 12 two-bedroom units and another dozen four-bed room units that house portions of the total 696-tenant capacity of the complex. Jones said this “unfortunate transition period” resulted from the failed business venture of the , ■ , . ucmoy OlUbillUII LlllCldlU (above) Workers repair a walkway damaged during construction ot the University Commons, located off Centennial Boulevard in Eugene, (below) Many of the students wait ing for the University Commons to be completed are staying at the Red Lion Inn on Coburg Road. original contractor and the confu sion that ensued during the sum mer, creating a five-week con struction delay and a host of unhappy residents. The company notified students in August regarding the delays and, in addition to waiving their rental rights for the duration of continued construction, offered them one of two options. Stu dents could either live in reserved hotel rooms at the Red Lion Inn on Coburg Road or accept a $25 per day housing allowance if they lived with nearby friends or fami ly until their units were available. Red Lion Manager Tim Hochst edler said that 11 rooms at the ho tel are currently being occupied by displaced tenants, with ap proximately two staying in each room. He said in general, they are in good spirits but the situation is an inconvenient one, mainly where storage issues are con cerned. Lori Morgan, property manager at University Commons, indicat ed that the majority of the resi dents-in-waiting opted for the $25 stipend over hotel accommoda tions. Feelings of disappointment are net exclusive to those who are temporarily living in local hotels, however. Students whose units Turn to Construction, Page 13 Scott Barnett Emerald
