From the Lawrence Daily Journal-World for Dec. 31, 1972:

• A candle burning unattended in the living room was suspected as the cause of a fire reported just before midnight at 503 W. Fourth. Flames had broken through the front door of the one-story frame structure before the first fire truck arrived, according to a spokesman from the fire department. The four tenants renting the house were not at home when the fire started. Firefighters had responded to seven other calls on the same day, including fires caused by electrical shorts.
• A surprise year-end thunderstorm had brought .73 of an inch of rain and gusty winds to the Lawrence area this week, with the sun later making a brief appearance. Temperatures had dropped from a high of 58 to below freezing on the day after the storm, and snow flurries were now expected.