News from Partners for Otoe County

Tie One On For Safety

December 10, 2010, the PRIDE Group at Nebraska City High School kicked off a "Tie One On For Safety" Campaign with MADD Nebraska and local law enforcement officials. MADD's Tie One On For Safety is a campaign to encourage the community to make a pledge to designate a sober driver, not to serve to anyone under 21 and to always wear your seat belt during the holiday season and the entire year.

Mary Kotan, a volunteer for Mothers Against Drunk Driving, spoke to the student body about her experience of losing her two young children when a drunk teenager ran into her car. She urged participants not to drink and drive or get into a car with someone who has been drinking.

Simera Reynolds, Executive Director of MADD Nebraska, said a person in Nebraska is killed by a drunk driver every four days. She reminded students that the legal limit for persons under 21 in Nebraska is .00 - no alcohol at all and that the best defense to protect yourself from a drunk driver is to wear your seat belt.

Nebraska's First Lady, Sally Ganem, reminded students that alcohol use for persons under the age of 21 is illegal, and that people who drink & drive not only hurt themselves, they hurt others. A pledge to Tie One On For Safety is a pledge to drive safe, sober and buckled up.

Dawn Leu, the PRIDE Sponsor at NCHS closed the program by showing the video Simple Plan Untitled.

All of the speakers thanked law enforcement officials who are the front line to stop drunk driving . Law enforcement officials on hand at the event included: Sgt. Tim Earhart, Trooper Randy Bybee, and Trooper Chris Richardson, representing the Nebraska State Patrol; Chief Deputy Mike Holland, representing the Otoe County Sheriff's Office; and Chief Dave Lacy and Sgt. Chris Bando representing the Nebraska City Police Department. Increased traffic enforcement with zero tolerance for impaired driving violations will occur statewide December 3rd through January 1 as part of the "You Drink & Drive. You Lose.: impaired driving crackdown". All of our local law enforcement agencies will be participating.

PRIDE - Students Reaching Into Drug Education - is a student organization of Nebra Red Ribbon

ska City High School dedicated to the prevention of alcohol, tobacco and drug use. PRIDE is teaming up with MADD, Partners for Otoe County and local law enforcement to remind everyone to designate a sober driver, not to serve to anyone under 21 and to always wear a seat belt by distributing red ribbons throughout the community. MADD Tie One On For Safety ribbons can be obtained from any PRIDE student, from MADD NE, or from Partners for Otoe County.

ALCOHOL LACED ENERGY DRINKS BANNED IN NEBRASKA

The commission had arranged last week for a voluntary halt of new shipments into the state, but retail sales had continued at liquor stores that still had cans of "Four Loko" and "Joose."

The caffeine-filled malt beverages contain about four times the alcohol of a typical bar drink.

The federal Food and Drug Administration issued a warning last month that the two beverages, and five others, were unsafe.

Bob Batt of Omaha, one of the three state liquor commissioners, said he attempted Wednesday to have the products removed within 24 hours, but that was deemed unworkable for liquor wholesalers. Commissioners then agreed to a one-week deadline to remove them.

"This stuff is poison," Batt said. "We want nothing to do with it."

The beverages have been billed as "blackout in a can" and have been banned by several states and linked to an increase in alcohol-related hospitalizations among college students.

After the FDA warning letter, some stores voluntarily pulled the products. Others experienced a run on the remaining cans as fans stocked up in anticipation of a ban.

The manufacturer of Four Loko, Phusion Projects of Chicago, has said it plans to remove caffeine from the beverage and continue selling it. The FDA has said that all cans of Four Loko with caffeine should be off the shelves by Dec. 13.

Cassandra Greisen, an official with the Omaha-based anti-teen drinking group, Project Extra Mile, said the Liquor Control Commission needs to have the power to immediately ban the sale of such products, not just halt shipments to wholesalers.

Batt said the commission moved as quickly as it was able. He added that discussing whether to ban mixed drinks served at bars that combine alcohol and caffeine was a different issue. Article courtesy of the Omaha World Herald, 12/8/10.