News and notes from around town:

• UPDATE: There is news that Central National Bank will close two Lawrence branches in early 2012. The bank has confirmed that it plans to close its branches at 800 Mass. and 2321 Harper St.

Charles Derby, local president for Central National Bank said the move is being made in hopes of improving operational efficiencies. No word yet on how many employees at the bank may be impacted, although Derby said in a statement that the bank hopes “to retain affected personnel through relocation to other branches or departments.” I hear that the bank, which got its start in Junction City, plans to close other branches in other communities as part of larger re-organization. No word yet on those plans.

Derby said in a statement that the bank is in “excellent financial health” and has total assets of more than $849 million. Central National Bank will continue to operate four branches in Lawrence — 3140 Nieder Road, 711 Wakarusa Drive, 603 W. Ninth St., and inside the Wal-Mart at 3300 Iowa.

• Count the Pine Family of North Lawrence among the rare breed that doesn’t mind watching the grass grow. For about the last 15 years, Pine Family Farms has operated one of the larger sod farms in the area on property just east of the Tee Pee Junction in North Lawrence. But now the company has confirmed it has sold the sod business to a Wichita-based firm, SodShop. The Pines, however, will continue to operate their landscaping materials business, Pine Family Landscape Center, at 1783 E. 1500 Road. That business sells decorative stones, mulch, soil additives, outdoor fire places and other products, in addition to having a contract to serve as landscaping consultants for the Kansas Speedway.

But when it comes the sod business, Pine Family partner Brian Pine said the slowdown in the area home building industry caused the family to make a decision.

“The turf grass business is like a lot of businesses right now,” Pine said. “To make a go of it, you need to have some size and spread out geographically to make it work. We needed to either head in that direction or take this opportunity to sell.”

The SodShop has a sod farm near Wichita, but has been looking to add a second sod farm to its operations to better serve customers in the region from Kansas City to Manhattan, said Tony Wilbur, a partner in the business.

The company bought the sod farm business and equipment from the Pines, but the Pines continue to own the approximately 155 acres of real estate that the sod farm is located on, Pine said.

The Sod Shop plans to employ about five people as part of the Lawrence operations, and Wilbur’s son, Wade Wilbur, will be serving as the on-site manager for the business.

As for the Pines, this will mark the first time since about the late 1860s that members of the family haven’t been actively engaged in growing a crop in the Kansas River Valley. The family gave up traditional row crop farming several years ago to focus on the sod business.

“I don’t think any of us, 15 or 20 years ago, thought this is what we’d be doing today,” Pine said. “But things have changed in the community and the economy, and as things have changed we just try to change too.”

Pine said the company is excited about growing the landscape material business — which does both wholesale and retail sales — and expanding its relationship with the Kansas Speedway. The Pine family established a relationship with the Speedway years ago by providing all the sod needed for its infield locations when the track was built. Now, the company has a full-time person at the track each day advising the company on how to best care for the 1,200-acre site, and the company also does special landscaping installations and plantings to make the track look its best for the two Sprint Cup races that the track hosts each year.

• Keep an eye out for a new gourmet food store to open on East 23rd Street. Lawrence resident Karen Sue Carlson is in the process of renovating space at the K-10 Marketplace — 23rd and Harper — for CopperLeaf Gourmet. The company has been selling spice blends, sauces and jellies in retailers around the country and locally for several years. But now Carlson is opening a space to do some of her own production work and to sell a few items directly to the public. The company produces several seasonings — such as steak, garlic pepper, Cajun and others — along with pepper jellies and barbecue and steak sauces. CopperLeaf has been outsourcing its production, but the new location will allow it to begin producing some of its own products — primarily the sauces and jellies. The location also will include about 400-square-foot shop where Carlson will sell her products and other products made by local companies and members of the Kansas City Food Artisans group. She hopes to have the location open by mid-October.

• If you are looking for an excuse to enjoy a little nature, the city and area Rotary clubs will be hosting an open house at the Lawrence Rotary Arboretum and Xeriscape Garden from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday. The arboretum is at 5100 W. 27th Street. The event also will include dedication ceremonies for several new additions at the arboretum, including the Bob Frederick Bike Rack, the Eleanor and George Woodyard Anniversary Garden, and the Georgeson Monarch Waystation.