About 22 East Lawrence property owners were in the process of requesting that the city “upzone” about 60 lots scattered over the area. A former city commission had initiated a comprehensive “downzoning” in 1983, changing the lots from multi-family, commercial and industrial to single-family residential. Opponents of the upzoning were concerned about the character of the neighborhood changing and creating a “patchwork” of zoning in East Lawrence.

Property owners in Douglas County owed about $881,000 in back taxes, which was about five percent more than the previous year’s delinquent taxes. “It looks to me like a lot of people have just forgotten about paying taxes,” said the county treasurer.

At the halfway mark, August 1985 was shaping up to be a rather wet month. As of August 15, rainfall for the month was already surpassing the average monthly rainfall.