IN 1977

Amid talk of new and intensified job actions by Lawrence Police force employees, officer representatives and city officials continued talks to try to work out contract packages for calendar 1978. The local police slowdown entered its second day of protest about the lack of progress in negotiations with the city over 1978 pay and benefits. So far, there had been no crisis because of the “job action.”

Carter administration officials said the president’s decision to cut 1978 wheat acreages 20 percent would not significantly raise the consumer prices or affect world food supplies. Locally, a lot of wheat farmers thought no big impact would be felt, at least for a while.

It seemed unlikely that the Kansas University fall semester enrollment on the Lawrence and Kansas City (medical center) campuses would top a projected 25,000 after setting a record of 24,372 in the fall of 1976.

U.S. Energy Secretary James Schlesinger had given his staff just more than a month to prepare a standby gasoline rationing program in case the oil crisis heightened. KU people were expecting to be contacted for advice.

Elmer Ousdahl, longtime Douglas County commissioner who had led the charge to get the Douglas County Fairgrounds established, died at the age of 85. His wife had died earlier in the year.

IN 1962

After resigning as mayor and city commissioner, Ted Kennedy, 49-year-old dentist, called the mayor’s job “a fake.” He suggested that the name either be changed or that the city provide the office, secretary and transportation he considered necessary to do the job right. Kennedy had resigned effective Sept. 18 because he planned to move outside the city limits. City residence was a requirement for commission membership.

IN 1902

On Aug. 30, 1902, the Lawrence Journal observed, “Objection is made to the automobile because it kills people. So do the railroads; likewise steamboats and wagons; people have been known to die in their beds, without the aid of any of these machines.”