CAMPUS/AREA
UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Tuesday, February 21, 1995
3A
Unseasonable weather isn't unusual
Kathleen Driscoll / KANSAN
Brenda Krebs, graduate teaching assistant in Spanish, answers a question for Carrie Benton, Glenview, Ill., freshman, and Aaron Zimmerman, Northbrook III., freshman. Krebs took her class outside behind Wescoe Hall yesterday to enjoy the warm weather.
By Robert Allen
Kansan staff writer
The current warm spell makes Kansas weather seem as unpredictable as O.J. Simpson's trial.
"It isn't the norm, but it's not unusual," he said.
But this isn't odd weather for February, said David Braaten, assistant professor of meteorology.
"It's just a normal wave pattern in the atmosphere," he said. "If you look down from space, you'd see the jet stream in a wave pattern. Those waves basically move. Where we are, it's warmer. In a couple of days, the East is going to warm up, too."
Braaten said that the warm temperature was a result of the current shape of the jet stream, a narrow band of swiftly moving air found at very high altitudes.
The jet stream's current shape allows warm air from the Gulf of Mexico to sweep into Kansas. North of the jet stream, cold air is kept at bay. When the jet stream moves, it will allow cold air back into the Midwest.
"We're just lucky it's moving slowly, and we're in the middle of it." Braten said.
The warm spell is not a result of El Niño, an oceanographic event that sometimes affects climate. Braaten said.
Anything less than a seasonal or at least monthly change in climate could not be a result of El Niño, Braaten said, because
the connection between El Niño and temperature and precipitation tended to be more long-term.
Several days of consistently warm weather during winter are not unusual, Braaten said.
"I was inspired to go out and do stuff instead of staying in and watching T.V.," she said.
"五 days is nothing," he said. "It's certainly not unusual. It's the luck of the draw."
Some KU students were glad that that luck brought warm weather for the weekend. Adrienne Goodwin, Prairie Village freshman, took advantage of it.
Goodwin spent Saturday on the shore of Lake Perry.
"It was just gorgeous." she said.
Animals also take advantage of the warm temperature, said Robert Timm, acting chairman of the department of systematics and ecology.
"On days like this, they can get out; they can forage better and replenish their food sumblies." he said.
Timm said that the native ecology had evolved to cope with large variations in temperatures and would not be fooled into thinking that spring had arrived early. For instance, trees would not start budding.
"If we have another few weeks of really nice weather, some trees might start budding," he said, but those would not be trees native to Kansas.
Slackjaw members leave
City commission race not a cause, they say
By Sarah Morrison Kansan staff writer
Josh Brewer, Bob Cutler, Shane Murray and Doug "Skinny D." Richards rehearsed earlier this year. Brewer, Murray and drummer Dave Melody recently quit the band.
Cutler said concern about publicity he had received for running for city office had caused discord in his band. Slackjaw.
Lisa Perry / KANSAN
Politics and punk rock music do not always mix, at least not in the life of Lawrence city commission candidate and musician Bob Cutler.
Last Monday three of the five bands members, lead singer Doug "Skinny D" Richards, rhythm guitar player Shane Murray and drummer Dave Melody quit, citing personal problems with Cutler as the reason.
Murray said his reason for quitting the band had nothing to do with Cutler's candidacy in the city commission election. The problems began four months ago, before Cutler filed to run in the election.
"A lot of it had to do with Bob being in charge of the (band's) money," Murray said. "While he was in charge of it, $600 disappeared."
Cutter said the he had not mismanaged the band's funds. He said all the money could be accounted for in band expenses, like repairs on the van they used for travel.
"He is just simply wrong," Cutler said. "I think it it was something he brought up to make me look bad. It is embarrassing, and it's based on things that are really not true."
Richards quit the band for personal reasons that he would not talk about, but he said he held no grudges against Cutler and wished him the best in the election.
"I am not real into the personal attack thing," Richards said. "A band either works
or it doesn't. Sometimes you come to an impasse, and the band breaks up."
In December, Slackjaw won a contest sponsored by The Note to attend the South By Southwest Music and Media Conference March 15-19 in Austin, Texas. Cutler said the remaining band members still wanted to attend the event.
"It depends on how quickly we can get
something put together." he said.
Richards, Murray and Melody are starting a new band and are currently holding auditions for additional members, Richards said.
Finding new band members would not be too difficult, Cutler said, because many musicians already have expressed interest in joining Slackiak.
Student faces two battery charges
Kansan staff report
A 19-year-old KU student was arrested early Saturday morning after a fight outside of Kwik Shop, 1846 Massachusetts St., Lawrence police said.
Gerald Garwood, Leawood freshman, was charged with two counts of battery after allegedly hitting two men during a fight, police said.
According to the police report, George Markovich, 20, a student at Johnson County Community College, was resting in the back seat of his friend's car outside of the convenience store.
Markovich told police he woke up after two men opened the car door and stuck their heads in the car. The two men continued to bother Markovich after he told them to leave him alone.
Markovich said the two men then asked him to fight. At that point, Markovich was grabbed by one of the men after getting out of the car.
The second man hit Markovich in the head several times, police said. Markovich was also kicked in the eye after falling to the ground.
Markovich said he then got up and started fighting with the second man.
Police said that Kade Hoff, Lawrence resident, also was battered during the fight.
Soon after the fight, Garwood was taken to the Douglas County Law Enforcement Center. He was released Saturday afternoon on his own recognizance. His first appearance was set for 3 p.m. Thursday.
Garwood declined to comment about the incidents.
Kansanstaffreport
Student has to move or appeal
Andrew Spitz has been given an ultimatum by student housing.
Move out of Oliver Hall by 5 p.m. Friday or be arrested for trespassing
The West Long Branch, N.J., freshman, said he received a letter from John Long, an assistant director of student housing, concerning his status as a resident of Oliver.
According to KU police, Spitz has been involved in two altercations with Oliver Hall staff members, and he had been written up for several residence hall violations.
"Basically, he told me if I don't appeal it by 5 p.m. on Friday. I have to leave Oliver and never come back," Spitz said.
Spitz said the letter angered him because he would not be allowed back in Oliver for any reason the rest of the school year.
"I was kinda pissed off because they're saving I can't see my friends." he said.
The letter said he had been placed on system-wide disciplinary probation for the rest of the academic year, Spitz said. According to Spitz, his options are either to leave Oliver and move to Templin Hall by Friday afternoon, or he can file an appeal to the decision.
At this time, Spitz hasn't decided what he will do.
"I don't know if I really want to stay here or not," he said. "I'm not coming back next year, so it doesn't make any difference."
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