Lori Lang did not appreciate the news.

Lang, a sales clerk that was staffing the sidewalk sale booth for Prairie Patches this morning, had just been told by a reporter that the surface temperature of the sidewalk – at 8:30 in the morning – was 98 degrees.

“Oh, you got to be kidding,” Lang shot back.

But it was no joke, at least not according to a thermometer purchased at Ernst & Son Hardware. (Normally $4 but just $2 today. Can you believe the deal?)

Yes Lawrence, it is time for the annual Downtown Lawrence Sidewalk Sale. And if the meteorologists are right – predicted highs of 105 with a heat index of 115 – it will be the hottest on record.

Rod Ernst, owner of Ernst & Son Hardware, said he knows that because since 1946 he has staffed everyone of these sales.

“If it gets over 100, it will be the hottest one on record,” Ernst said. “The crowd is out there now, but if it gets over 100, I hope they’ll stay, but I don’t know. I guarantee you that you’ll easily be able to fry eggs on the sidewalk.”

But that won’t scare the more stalwart shoppers.

“Heat is nothing,” Eudora resident Mandi Sanders boldly proclaimed. “There’s always one side of the street that is in the shade.”

Sanders and her mother began their sidewalk sale preparations last week, scoping out merchandise at downtown stores. It paid off. She bought a pair of running shoes that normally are priced at $90 for $40.

There are several opportunities at the sale for relief from the heat. Several merchants are offering free water, and many other booths are selling bottled water $1. Police officers also are out in stronger force. Police Chief Ron Olin, who was walking the streets this morning, said there were two sets of foot patrol officers and one bicycle team that would be patrolling downtown all day and evening.

“We have doubled our staffing from past years,” Olin said. “We just want to make sure we’re around.”

Some stores are taking even more precautions. At Kieu’s, a woman’s clothing store, they’re having the sidewalk sale without the sidewalk. Signs in the front of the business direct customers to come inside where it is cool.

“It is way too hot to put stuff outside,” said store manager Madeline Heck. “We decided to stay cool.”

Heck said she thought, if anything, the decision would help business.

“I think it may draw more customers for us because they’ll be looking for a way to get out of the heat,” Heck said.

Shoppers also were taking steps to regulate themselves. Jeanette Martens made the trip from Topeka, like she does every year. But she admitted that she thought long and hard about not coming this year because of the heat. Instead, she compromised.

“I’ll leave by 10 this morning,” Martens said. “The smart money will leave by 10.”

The sidewalk sale runs from sun-up to sundown.