The J.C. Penney Co., viewed as the major retailer most willing to build a large department store in downtown Lawrence, turned down an invitation from local officials to meet here later in the month.

Three Lawrence waste dump sites, including an abandoned rocket fuel plant, were identified through a state and federal waste cleanup program. The state confirmed that tests were being run at the former Callery Chemical Co. plant, northeast of North Iowa and Lakeview Road. The other two sites were Rocky Mountain Bank Note and the FMC property in North Lawrence.