Lawrence City Manager Buford Watson and former state legislator John Vogel told a Kansas Senate panel that a Lecompton interchange on the Kansas Turnpike was badly needed to help Lawrence cope with rapid westward expansion. Historian Charles Wright spoke in full support of the move.

Anonymous death threats reportedly had been aimed at the Norman Forer family here in the wake of a speech by State Sen. Joseph Hoagland, R-Overland Park. Hoagland criticized the Kansas University social welfare professor’s trip to Iran in December of 1979. Forer had made the unofficial journey in an effort to get release of U.S. hostages but had met with no notable success.

Sunny and unseasonably mild January weather prevailed, with highs in the 50s and lows only in the 30s. However, a cold front soon was to dash hopes for an early spring, forecasters said.