From the Lawrence Daily Journal-World for Sept. 1, 1986:

• During a six-hour flight delay on the way to an Austin, Texas, math conference, local educator Mary Hatfield had gotten into conversation with her seatmate, the managing editor for mathematics for Merrill Publishing Co. The editor originally asked Mrs. Hatfield, who had been the mathematics coordinator for Lawrence public schools for nine years, if she would be interested in being a reviewer for a new high school math textbook. However, their lengthy conversation on philosophy of education and mathematics led the editor to call her two weeks later and offer her the chance to author four of the chapters in the new text. Mrs. Hatfield later mused, “It was one of those little quirks in life that you look back on and say, ‘How did I get started in this?'”
• The state of Kansas was looking back on the summer of 1986 as a solid tourist season. Larry Rutter of the Kansas State Historical Society said that 109,316 visitors had toured the 13 state-run historical sites and museum during fiscal year 1986 — a nearly 12 percent increase from the previous fiscal year. Lynn Burris, director of the state Park and Resources Authority, said that state parks and campgrounds had also seen a slight but steady increase in visitors and income over the previous several years. Lake Cheney, located between Wichita and Hudson in south-central Kansas, had been the biggest draw, with 674,000 visitors during the year.