Vaulting to love / Page 9 http://www.dailyemerald.com Tuesday, April 29,2003 Since 1900 University of Oregon Eugene, Oregon Volume 104, Issue 142 Robbers hit bank; police nab suspects Police quickly apprehended two men suspected of robbing a West Eugene credit union on Monday Brook Reinhard and Jan Montry News Editors Dozens of police officers swarmed a West Eugene neighborhood less than a mile away from student housing shortly after 3 p.m. on Monday and apprehended two bank robbery suspects seen running from a local bank just minutes earlier. The two men, both of Eugene, were transported to the Lane County Jail and will likely face federal charges related to the bank robbery, according to police, who have not yet released the names of the suspects. The robbery and subse quent arrests ended with no injuries to suspects or police. Authorities would not say how much money was stolen or whether any had been recovered. “We’re checking all the Dumpsters in the area,” one witness quipped. Eugene Police Department Sgt. Scott McKee said one of the suspects allegedly approached Pacific Cascade Federal Credit Union at 1155 Chambers St. at 3:08 p.m. and gave a note to a teller de manding money. An EPD press release stated that a credit union employee said the man then fled west. One bystander, an 11-year-old girl, said she saw two men running down the street and into a house two blocks west at 1208 Grant St. McKee said one of the suspects, who identified himself as the renter, came out of the house when police surrounded the building at 3:19 p.m. The other suspect hid in the attic until a canine unit from the Springfield Police Department flushed him out. Turn to Robbery, page 12 Police arrest one of two suspects accused of robbing a Pacific Cascade Federal Credit Union branch. The two men will likely face federal || charges. ■ Brook Reinhard Emerald The sco°? on free ice cream The local Ben &Jerry’s franchise hosts Free Cone Day today fbrthe benefit of local children’s organization Relief Nursery Jacquelyn Lewis Pulse Editor Kids and ice cream might be uni versally linked. The connection is timeless; all summer, every summer, the telltale signs of multi-colored frozen treat stains grace the face of many a youngster. However, Ben & Jerry’s has an even deeper tie to chil dren today, given that Free Cone Day doubles as a benefit for the Eu gene Relief Nursery. Ben & Jerry’s, located at 1239 Alder St., will be serving up free ice cream cones from noon to 9 p.m. today, with the help of employees and 20 to 25 vol unteers from the Relief Nursery. Nursery Development Director Michelle Meader said the organiza tion is a private nonprofit group dedicated to preventing child abuse. The nursery’s main services come in the form of a preschool and parent ing classes. “We provide free preservation services to low-income families who have children under the age of six who are at risk of child abuse and neglect,” Meader said. She added that Free Cone Day helps raise money for the organiza tion through a raffle and donations. Ben & Jerry’s customers can buy a Emerald Ben & Jerry's Free Cone Day will benefit the Eugene Relief Nursery forthe second year. raffle ticket for $1, giving them a chance to win six months of free In ternet service, or they can make a do nation of at least 50 cents to receive a free coupon to get an additional free ice cream cone on any day. Meader said volunteers will also furnish infor mation about the nursery’s programs to interested customers. Meader said the Relief Nursery was also the beneficiary of last year’s Free Gone Day, and the organization became involved through Ben & Jer ry’s owner Gary Bertelsen, who Meader said has been a dedicated supporter of the nursery. Bertelsen said Ben & Jerry’s has al ways been interested in helping non profit organizations. The shop has hosted Free Gone Day each of the 25 years since its Eugene founding; all Turn to Ice cream, page 8 FPEP program might suffer funding slash Hard economic times on the state level might leave the Legislature trimming the budget of the Oregon Family Planning Expansion Project Lindsay Sauve Family/Health/Education Reporter The Oregon Legislature’s slash-and-burn budget-balanc ing strategy may have a drastic impact on a program that has helped thousands of Oregon residents, including many University students, avoid unwanted pregnancies. Local health organizations such as Planned Parenthood and the Oregon National Abortion and Reproductive Rights Action League are lobbying the state Legislature to continue the Oregon Family Planning Expansion Project, a program that offers free contraceptive and health services to applicants who qualify. Planned Parenthood Executive Director Bill Sheppard said FPEP will run until the end of 2003, but further con tinuation of the project will depend on the outcome of re newal procedures in May. The project, part of a federal Medicaid waiverfents. Planned Parenthood estimates that more than $55 million in state and federal funds have been saved because of the program. Sheppard said Oregon was one of the first states to im plement the Medicaid waiver to assist with family planning services. He said because of FPEP’s success in preventing unwanted pregnancies, Planned Parenthood is optimistic about the program’s survival. Since FPEP began, it has served more than 138,000 Ore gon residents. Planned Parenthood estimates that more than $55 million in state and federal funds have been saved Turn to FPEP, page 8 Anti-NAFTA group will host presentation, discussion The San Francisco-based group Global Exchange will offer a forum tonight on criticisms of NAFTA policy Roman Gokhman Campus/City Culture Reporter In 1998, Sunbelt Water Inc. of California sued the Canadian government for #10.5 billion in lost future profits after the British Columbia government became concerned about its water being shipped out of the province and into California, and subse quently canceled the company’s permit. The North American Free Trade Agreement was designed to make interactions between different countries and companies — like Sunbelt’s dispute with Canada — an easier task. But opponents are saying NAFTA has backfired. Tonight, one opponent, San Francisco based nonprofit Global Exchange, will pres ent its case against NAFTA at 7 p.m. in 180 PLC. The event, part of a North American tour called “The Economy is Killing Us: The Newest Battle Against Corporate Globaliza tion,” will feature specialists on the negative affects of NAFTA from the United States, Canada and Mexico. “Canada has been sued for $18 million under NAFTA,” Canadian activist, writer and speaker Jamie Dunn said. “We’re hav ing to buy back our democracy. It’s a corpo rate ransom.” Dunn said the goal of the tour, which started in El Paso, Texas, and runs through to Vancouver, British Columbia, is to tell people how NAFTA affects them directly and start a debate in different communities. “People don’t know the reality,” Dunn said. “People did not know NAFTA would work like that. Where is all that added value to Canada, the United States and even Mexico?” Cheri Honkala, another speaker on the tour who is founder of the Kensington Wel fare Rights Union and spokeswoman for the Turn to Forum, page 4 Weather: Today: H 60, L 45, showers likely / Wednesday: H 60, L 45, chance of showers I On Wednesday: $8.7 million in Opportunity Grant funds may be coming to students