11 simple steps To make caulking application go smoother in any sealing situation. Fix-It Chick, 6A
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MONDAY • MAY 25 • 2015
City facing $600K deficit in street maintenance
‘You roll with what comes’
John Lomas, versatile, vital musician By Conrad Swanson Twitter: @conrad_swanson
R
By Chad Lawhorn
olling Stone magazine brought John Lomas to town in the early ’70s. In those days, the publication offered musicians free classified ads, he said. “I put an ad in there, said ‘I’m in Chicago, play guitar, want to relocate,’” Lomas said. “I got a reply from a band in Lawrence. They said ‘we’ve got a band, we’ve got gigs and we’ve got a place for you to stay.’” Lomas blew into town with everything he owned thrown in his 1964 Chevy Impala. The band, whose “awful” name Lomas preferred not to share in an interview last week, only lasted a few years. He quickly split off to start new groups with the bass player and make a name for himself in
@clawhorn_ljw
Please see LOMAS, page 2A
ONLY IN LAWRENCE A Monday feature highlighting the behind-the-scenes stars and unsung heroes who make Lawrence a special place to live. To suggest someone for an Only in Lawrence feature, email news@ ljworld.com. Put Only in Lawrence in the subject line.
Nick Krug/Journal-World Photo
LAWRENCE MUSICIAN JOHN LOMAS says he has been in about 40 bands in his musical career. He has been playing in and around Lawrence since the early ’70s.
Lawrence shoppers may be coming to the rescue of city streets this summer. Engineers are alerting city commissioners that they are expecting about a $600,000 shortfall in fundCITY ing for the city’s summer street maintenance pro- COMMISSION gram, which includes work such as repaving and curb repair. “We are seeing an escalation of construction costs,” said Mark Thiel, the city’s assistant director of public works. But city officials think they can cover the $600,000 shortfall by pulling money out of the city’s sales tax infrastructure fund, in part because that fund has been growing more rapidly than projected thanks to an uptick in retail sales in the city. For the year, Lawrence’s sales tax collections are up 5.8 percent. In 2014, they were up by about 4 percent. City commissioners will be asked to approve the $600,000 infusion of cash at their meeting on Tuesday. In addition, the Public Works Department is seeking another $250,000 to fund repaving work for Louisiana Street between 27th Street and the area Please see STREETS, page 5A
KU researchers, students examine rare cicadas emerging now By Conrad Swanson Twitter: @conrad_swanson
Hanna Rankin, a Kansas University junior majoring in ecology and evolutionary biology, never considered herself particularly fond of bugs. But after the first few days in KU environmental studies professor Robert Hagen’s Biology of Cicadas class, Rankin said her interest in the insects has been piqued. “I knew absolutely nothing about them coming into the class and in
just a couple of days I learned a lot more than I thought I would,” Rankin To celebrate the rare appearance of the periodical cicadas the Kansas University Natural History Museum, said. the Kansas Biological Survey and the city will hold educational events: Hagen’s class isn’t ofl Summer Sirens: At 7 p.m. June 4, participants can gather in South Park, 1141 Massachusetts St., to enjoy fered every year. In fact, beer, wine and food. The educational portion of the event will focus on the ecology of the insects and the implihe said the breed of cicacations of using arthropods for protein. Tickets are $30 and can be bought at the KU Natural History Museum das the class focuses on, or online through Free State Brewing Company at shop.freestatebrewing.com. called periodical cicadas, l Science on Tap: At 7:30 p.m. June 9, at Free State Brewing Company, 636 Massachusetts St., KU profesonly emerge every 17 sor Robert Hagen will discuss and answer questions about cicadas and their life cycle. years. l Festival of the Cicadas: From 1 to 4 p.m. May 30 participants can gather at the Prairie Park Nature CenAnd now, in late May ter, 2730 Harper St. There, entomologist Mary McCoy will speak about the insects and help the group search and early June, tens of for cicadas in the Kansas prairie. millions of the insects will make an appearance around Lawrence, Hagen said. Residents may soon by their large numbers. ger,’ adult cicadas are etation, shedding their Hagen said. “The males hear their “gentle buzz” “It’s just beginning. crawling out onto the nymphal skins and kind Please see CICADAS, page 4A of a mating call, amplified The first, call them ‘ea- ground and low veg- of unfolding their wings,”
Educational events to celebrate the cicadas’ appearance:
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Vol.157/No.145 30 pages
Milt giving back Former Jayhawk Milt Newton is starting a charitable foundation in his native Virgin Islands. Page 1C
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