Wonderline

The following questions were asked recently on the Wonderline:

Q: A couple of weeks ago, the News-Times answered the question about the publication of the sample ballot. The News-Times said yes, it had published the Notice of Election or something of that sort had been published sometime in March. But I thought the sample ballot should have been published closer to the primary election so the voter could use it as a (resource). Is this correct or has the date of publication changed?
A: Wonderline checked with York County Clerk Cynthia Heine, who said the format of the notice of election was the protocol set forth by the state this year and was the same in other counties as well. She said the timeline was also followed and was consistent with the publication in other counties in the state.
The format may have changed, but the information was the same as in the past.

Q: A couple of weeks ago, there was a question about a sex offender working with kids downtown. You said no. Well, yes, you do! I think you should reprint the right answer.
A: This reader is referring to a question recently received by the Wonderline, asking why a registered sex offender (with a specific name) was working at a local business (also specifically named). Wonderline checked on the individual’s status and found that he was not a sex offender on the public Nebraska Registered Sex Offender Registry. The registry, which publicizes the names of “High Risk to Reoffend” individuals, only includes the names of Class 3 sex offenders — the only class that can be publicized by the newspaper.
The reader sent Wonderline this question this past week, along with sex offender information that was labeled as “Confidential.” There was a reason it was labeled as “Confidential,” because the man in question is a Class 2 registered sex offender — therefore, the newspaper cannot publicize that information.

Q: Is there anyone in the York area that provides guitar lessons for 10-year-olds?
A: Wonderline is encouraged to call 362-4478 if they know of someone who teaches such lessons, and those names will be listed in next week’s publication.

Q: I understand the library is trying to raise money for a major sculpture project that is underway. How close are they to raising the funds?
A: According to the minutes of the last meeting of the York Library Board, 72 percent of the funds have been raised.

Q: I live on Nebraska Avenue and expected my yard to be dug up this summer, for the big drainage project. But nothing is happening. What is the status of that project?
A: The Nebraska Avenue project is still in the review phase with the Nebraska Department of Roads. City officials have said they hope the project will be released for bidding in the near future. As far as a timeframe for actual construction, that remains to be seen.

Q: Everyone is talking about looking for oil these days. I read somewhere that Canada has “large amounts of oil sands,” or something called “bituminous sands.” Can you explain what that is, and would that type of oil add a significant amount to the world supply? I’ve just never heard of “oil sands” before.
A: Wonderline did research on the term “oil sands,” and this is what we found:
“Canada and Venezuela are two countries with large bitumen deposits, which also are known as ‘oil sands’ or ‘tar sands.’
“Bitumen is a tar-like form of petroleum that can be upgraded to synthetic crude oil. But producing it, which can involve strip mining, is energy intensive and generates more emissions than conventional crude.
In particular, the Canadian province of Alberta is home to vast reserves of oil sands. Industry officials estimate the region could yield as much as 175 billion barrels of oil, which would make Canada second only to Saudi Arabia in crude oil reserves.
“In western Canada, oil sands production has grown fourfold since 1990 and exceeded 1.2 million barrels a day last year, according to the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers. That could grow to 3 million barrels a day by 2015 — not an insignificant amount, given that the current global output of oil is roughly 85 million barrels a day.
“Investment in oil sands is expected to reach $100 billion by 2020, Canadian officials have said. Royal Dutch Shell PLC and Conoco-Phillips are two of the players with a stake in Canadian oil sands, joining others who’ve gotten involved as high oil prices have made the costly ventures more economical.
“Not everyone, however, is gung-ho about the prospects for increased oil sands production. In a recent report, environmental groups in the U.S. and Canada said a large portion of proposed U.S. refinery expansions is to accommodate the heavier oil, which they say will lead to further pollution.”

Q: OK, so the city council put the fluoride issue on the ballot for the General Election. But someone told me the question is confusing. What exactly is the question going to be on the ballot?
A: York voters will be asked the following question on the ballot, regarding the fluoride issue:
“Shall the City of York, Nebraska, enact an ordinance to prohibit the addition of fluoride to the water supply for the City of York, Nebraska?”
Voters will have the opportunity to vote either FOR the ordinance or AGAINST the ordinance.
In other words, a vote FOR the ordinance means you want fluoride to be prohibited. A vote AGAINST the ordinance means you don’t want fluoride to be prohibited.
If the majority of the people vote AGAINST the ordinance, fluoride will have to be added to the water supply, in accordance with state legislation, LB 245.
If the majority of the people vote FOR the ordinance, fluoride will not be added to the city’s water supply.