40 years ago: County unemployment doubles since previous year
From the Lawrence Daily Journal-World for Aug. 29, 1971:
- Unemployment in Douglas County had reached 6.6 percent during the month of July, nearly double the rate for the same period in 1970. The state unemployment rate for the month was 6.3 percent. Officials said that much of the county unemployment could be traced to layoffs at the Sunflower Army Ammunition Plant. While plant workers were not counted in the county workforce, they impacted the area figures after their layoffs when they came to the area looking for work, said Ed Mills, county employment department director. Other factors affecting the rate were returning Vietnam veterans and students in the job market during the summer months, he added.
- The number 13 proved unlucky for a Lawrence woman who was stopped downtown on a recent night for driving erratically. The woman, who was driving a car with 13 passengers, was held overnight in jail, charged with “being drunk and using profanity.” The 13 passengers, all females, were not charged, but were advised by police officers to walk home. The car, with 10 six-packs of beer inside, was then towed away.