Newspaper Page Text
*
v
J Bulldogs take week off to get ready for MSU - 3
The Red & Black
An independent student newspaper serving the University of Georgia community
■ INSIDE
• Get the full scope
on 'The Full Monty’
• Gym Dogs will host
NCAA champs
UCLA this season
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 1997 • ATHENS, GEORGIA • VOLUME 105, ISSUE 7
Campus activity halts as power
By ANDREA JONES and MARK NIESSE
Staff Writers
It was the night the lights went out at Georgia.
At 6 p.m. Monday, half of the University’s build
ings fell into darkness for about three hours, result
ing in “mass confusion” and traffic problems for
many students and faculty.
Power was restored to most of campus just after
9 p.m.
A fault on a University power circuit near
Stegeman Coliseum tripped another circuit at the
substation at the Ramsey Student Center, said
Sene Austin, operations and maintenance manager
at the Physical Plant.
The fault caused a main breaker in the substa
tion to trip, “essentially knocking out 40 percent of
facilities on campus,” Austin said.
The circuit left Stegeman Coliseum, Alumni
House and the Tennis Complex in the dark.
Somewhere in that area, “something major”
went out, which could include “a major line blow
ing, or an underground circuit going out,” Austin
said.
Circuits will probably be rerouted to get the
power back online, Austin said.
The loss of electricity left many students biding
time outside buildings waiting to find out what the
problem was.
More than 10 buildings on campus were affected
by the power outage, including the journalism
building and the Main Library. As a result, several
evening and night classes were canceled.
Students in the Main Library were evacuated
from the building due to the power outage.
“They were asking us to evacuate the building,
and all the lights were completely out,” said John
Campbell, a reference librarian.
Snelling Dining Hall also was dark.
“We had to close down for the evening, but are
hopeful that they will take care of the problem and
reopen at some point,” said Michael Floyd, director
of food services.
The blackout affected buildings all over campus
stretching from the Ramsey Center to the North
Campus quad.
During the blackout, the Athens-Clarke County
Fire Department responded to an alarm at the
Biological Sciences Building on South Campus.
Occupants said they smelled an electrical fire on
the second, seventh and eighth floors, said Mike
Murray, a shift commander for the ACC Fire
Department. Apparently, a “large electrical air han
dling unit went out, and the motor produced a
strong, electrical smell,” Murray said.
There were also reports of fire at Stegeman
Coliseum, but Murray said the smoke people saw
was produced as a result of the diesel generator
starting up.
-iStaff Writer Ty Brown contributed to this story.
Circulation desk workers Sarah Bridges, a
freshman, and Jennifer Drake. Jaime Dice, and
Sonia Boyum, all seniors, converse outside the
library after being forced out by Monday
evening’s power outage, which swept campus.
MORE INSIDE
Blackout leaves students in the dark. Page 7.
By BETH HAGGERTY
Staff Writer
A line of people dressed in
wingtips, flapper dresses and
zoot suits wait outside the
Georgia Theatre. One couple
steps out of the door, and
another couple is allowed to
enter the cigar smoke-filled
room.
Dancers inside are bumping into each
other in the crowded room.
A man in a red jacket calls out, “Right,
left, rock step, John Travolta,” as couples try
to keep up with the dance moves.
It’s not disco night at the Theatre, but
one of two swing dance nights offered in
Athens.
Swingers can also go Daddy-0 at the 40
Watt Club tonight and on various Tuesdays
when it hosts “The Hi Ball Lounge.”
Both of the clubs offer free dance lessons
on their swing nights, but each has a differ
ent atmosphere for couples to learn in.
At the 40 Watt Club recently, Tad Kozak
and Chelle Buchanon sat at a candlelit table.
A couple wearing ’40s-style clothing whirled by
as “Rum and Coca Cola” blared through the
speakers.
Kozak and Buchanon started off the evening
watching the dancers.
After a few martinis, the couple
asked the two instructors to teach
them the basics of swing.
The female instructor showed
Buchanon the basic rock-step as
Kozak learned the same from the male teacher.
Another woman walked up, dragging her date
along. The women went over the step once or
twice, then stood around giggling at their partners,
as they struggled to learn the same step.
“The instructors were really good,” said Kozak,
a junior from Lawrenceville. “They made me feel
like less of a klutz, even though I still look like
one.”
Although neither Buchanon nor Kozak had been
swing dancing before, they said they didn’t worry
about their lack of dancing skills.
“I’m pretty good at making an ass of myself in any
situation, so I figured it would be just like an everyday
occurrence,” said Buchanon, a senior from Lilbum.
Kozak said it was the first time he’d done any kind
of dancing.
“A few martinis took care of that,” he said. “I think
most of the guys out there agree with me that you pret
ty much have to have alcohol in you to do most kinds of
dancing, especially this.”
The couple both said they didn’t feel intimidated
because everyone was there to have a good time.
“The hardest thing about the whole night was hav
ing to iron my shirt,” Kozak, who was wearing sus
penders and dress pants, said jokingly.
“I felt like I was dancing OK — not great, but OK,”
Buchanon said. “I’d dance with Tad and he’d say, you’re
taking an extra step. That was kind of frustrating.”
Velena Vego, booking agent for the 40 Watt Club,
said she got the idea for “The Hi Ball Lounge” after she
saw the success of such acts as Squirrel Nut Zippers
She said people have taken
advantage of the lessons and drink
ing the drinks suggested on the “Hi
Ball Lounge” menu.
“We’re pretty happy with how
(our swing night) is going,” she
said.
The club has had more than
100 people attend, which Vego
said is more people than some
bands have in attendance.
David Parker, the drummer for
7 Ft. Politic and DJ for the swing
night, said swing is becoming pop
ular the same way many other
trends do.
“(Swing) is like every move
ment in pop music. ... It all starts
out in California and moves its way
across the country,” he said.
Vego said the decorations during swing
nights are the club’s main advantage over
The Masquerade in Atlanta, which has been
swinging for nearly a year.
The club, still equipped with a large disco
ball, has added a lounge setting on stage, ciga
rette girls walking around and tables and
chairs to the usual setting.
Although she compared the 40 Watt Club to
an Atlanta club, Vego said she didn’t see the
Georgia Theatre as competition.
“If it’s something cool to have, then people
are going to do it,” she said.
Rick Poss, manager of the Georgia Theatre,
said he doesn’t mind that the 40 Watt Club has
a swing night.
“I think it’s great,” he said.
“Hopefully, this thing will take off
here.”
On its Swing Night Grand
Opening on Sept. 18, the Georgia
Theatre had admitted 375 people
one hour after opening.
“We’re at capacity,” Poss said at 9:30 that
night. “We’re doing one in, one out.”
Kyle Pilgrim, co-owner of the Theatre, said
970 people came in throughout the evening,
which was better than he expected.
“At 375, people had to line up," he said. “We
wanted to give them room to dance.”
The Georgia Theatre has instructors from
Atlanta Dance World who also teach swing in
Atlanta at Kaya Club and Bistro, The Chamber
and The Masquerade.
Poss said The Masquerade was taking in huge
crowds, and he hopes the Theatre will do the same.
The Theatre also undergoes a face change for swing
night. They have a martini bar and cigar store in the
balcony and old dance movies are projected onto the
lowered curtain on stage.
“We’re just going to go all night with it the first cou
ple of nights and see how it goes,” Poss said. “After a
few weeks we’re going to start having dance contests.
We’re working on that right now. We’re going all out
with this.”
Nick Servino, manager of Atlanta Dance World, said
he was impressed by the turnout.
“Georgia Theatre did everything right," he said.
“They advertised perfectly."
He said the large group instruction taught at the
Theatre was a great way to get introduced to what he
calls “the swing of the ’90s.”
Please see SWING on page 10
SWING DANCING IN ATHENS
The 40 Watt Club hosts “The HI Ball Lounge-
tonight and on various Tuesdays starting at 9 p.m.
Admission Is free If you're dressed In appropriate
period attire and $1 for others.
The Georgia Theatre will hold Its second Swing
Night Grand Opening Thursday night at 8:30. After
this week Its swing thing will move to Wednesday
nights, and there will be a $3 admission.
Both clubs offer free dance lessons early In the
evening on their swing nights.
and the Mighty Blue Kings.
Plus, the members of the band 7 Ft. Politic encour
aged her to do it, she said.
“We want to welcome people who just want to
watch,” Vego said. “If they want to dance, they can
dance, too. 1 don’t want people to feel intimidated."
Into the
Things
WITH HOT DANCE CRAZE
LOCAL CLUBS FILLING
AVOID
Kiesha Brown
undergoes
surgery on
injured knee
Heralded point guard could
be out for rest of this year
By CAL POWELL
Staff Writer
Kiesha Brown just can’t seem to catch
a break these days.
After sitting out most of last season
due to an anterior cruciate ligament tear
in her left knee, the sophomore guard for
the Georgia women’s baskethall squad
underwent arthroscopic surgery
Thursday to repair damaged articular
cartilage in the
same knee.
Brown’s injury
occurred during a
pickup game last
month, and she
has experienced
pain and swelling
in the knee.
Team physi
cian Robert
Hancock per
formed the
surgery.
Brown will be
on crutches for six
weeks and is
expected to miss most of the calendar
year, said assistant sports information
director Mike Mohley.
Andy Landers’ squad opens its season
Nov. 7, hut Brown could be back in time
for the second half of the schedule in
1998, Mobley said.
“Some things that happen just hap
pen and are unfortunate,” Brown said.
“Don’t count me out, though.”
The former National Prep Player of
the Year started five of the Bulldogs’ first
eight games last season as a freshman,
but did not receive a medical redshirt
because she exceeded the amount of
playing time required for such a request
to be granted.
Last season, Brown averaged 6.5
points per game and added 20 rebounds,
36 assists and 10 steals before her injury.
“It’s obviously a setback to our bas
ketball program, but more so for
Kiesha." Landers said. “I know it’s diffi
cult for her to understand, especially in
light of the fact that just a month ago,
she had fully recovered and was playing
at almost 100 percent. In spite of her
most recent injury, I have full confidence
in Kiesha and her motivation to rehabil
itate and make a full recovery as quickly
as humanly possible."
Brown was projected as the starter at
point guard this season. Freshman twins
Coco and Kelly Miller, along with junior
Pam Irwin, are now expected to provide
stability in the Georgia backcourt.
Brown
Scieszka trial may change venue,
start date; ruling on Wednesday
By ANDREW DEMILLO
md TY BROWN
Staff Writers
The man accused of sexually assaulting
five University women will have to wait
two more days to see if his trial will be
delayed and moved to another town.
A hearing held Monday morning yielded
ittle as to a possible delay in the trial of
John Alexander Scieszka.
Scieszka’s defense attorney, Jo Carol
Nesset-Sale, Scieszka and ACC Chief
Assistant District Attorney Gerald Brown
ittended the 8:30 a.m. hearing, which was
leld in Athens-Clarke County Superior
Court Judge Lawton Stephens’ chambers
due to electrical problems in the court-
"oom. Nesset-Sale had filed for a continu
ance because of a lack of time to prepare
or the trial, currently slated to begin Dec.
1.
“I cannot possibly be ready to try this
case by Dec. 1,” Nesset-Sale said. “The
state’s been ready with their case for
almost a year.”
Nesset-Sale said while the state already
had their case prepared, she was still
“scurrying to get incident reports which
(she) had yet to receive.”
Brown said Scieszka’s attorneys have
had enough time to file motions and pre
pare the case.
“She has had the chance to come to the
D.A.’s office and inspect and copy the evi
dence to her heart’s content," Brown said.
Nesset-Sale also expressed concern
about the amount of time consumed by the
trial and preparations for the trial.
"I have many other clients who have
cases pending at this time," Nesset-Sale
said. “Mr. Scieszka’s case is very important
to me, but I don’t
think I should sac
rifice my obliga
tions to my other
clients.”
Brown said the
state might not
have any objections
to a change of the
trial’s venue.
“We may be
agreeable as far as
the state and the
people are con- Scieszka
cerned," Brown
said. “Ill confer with District Attorney
(Harry) Gordon and let the court know. It’s
very possible that there won’t be any real
dispute on this.”
Stephens scheduled the change of
venue hearing for Wednesday morning,
SCIESZKA RAPE TRIAL
The trial for John Alexander
Scieszka, 46, was to begin Dec. 1
In Clarke County Superior Court.
But motions filed Monday could
move the trial date and location.
and a ruling on the request for continuance
was scheduled for the same day.
Nesset-Sale is an attorney with the
University’s Legal Aid and Defender
Clinic. The Clinic assumed responsibility
for Scieszka’s defense after Fletcher
Griffin III, the attorney Scieszka initially
hired, withdrew from the case.
Griffin did not file motions in the case,
and on July 25 he asked that his client be
declared indigent, citing Scieszka’s failure
to pay an legal fees since his January
arrest in Cherokee County.
At his arraignment Aug. 5 in ACC
Superior Court, Scieszka pleaded not
guilty to all 17 felony charges against him.
During the arraignment, Stephens gave
Nesset-Sale 30 additional days to prepare
and file motions in the case.
Scieszka was arrested Jan. 30 and
charged with the rape of a University of
Florida student in Gainesville, Fla
ACC Police then used DNA evidence to
connect Scieszka with the series of rapes in
the Five Points area that occurred between
March 18, 1995 and March 17, 1996
On Feb. 19, a Clarke County grand jury
indicted Scieszka on three counts of rape
and 14 other felony counts including
aggravated sexual assault, aggravated
sodomy, burglary and aggravated assault.