From the Lawrence Daily Journal-World for Dec. 23, 1970:

• Plans had been announced for the reopening of the Eldridge House dining room as a private dining club and a conversion of the Eldridge Hotel into a permanent residence building. The Eldridge had been closed at the end of June after 115 years of service [see OHT for June 2 and June 30, 1970].
• A road-widening project for Kasold Drive was under discussion by the Lawrence City Commission. The commissioners approved the paving of two additional lanes on Kasold from 23rd to the south line of the Four Seasons subdivision.
• Secretaries in the Lawrence city manager’s office were busy sending out Christmas cards to the city’s 300-plus employees. The card’s message of appreciation and good wishes was signed by Mayor Donald Metzler, City Manager Buford Watson, and the city commissioners.
• The national tour of the musical “Hair” was going to bypass Wichita, where it had been scheduled for three performances. The only explanation given was as follows: “In the view of the attitude of the city commissioners and that of City Manager Ralph Wulz, we have today decided not to present” the rock musical.
• A lawsuit from the Missouri attorney general’s office alleged that the Armco Steel Corp. plants in Kansas City were dumping acids and metal compounds into the Blue River. The suit was seeking to close the plants until company officials complied with orders of the Missouri Water Pollution Board.