From the Lawrence Daily Journal-World for July 6, 1972:

• The State Highway Commission filed a petition in District Court today asking the court to acquire the rural right of way needed for the U.S. 59 highway south of Lawrence. The court was being asked to obtain 28 tracts under the laws of eminent domain. Robert Hagen, highway commissioner, said that grading and bridges would begin as soon as the right of way was cleared. In other highway news, Hagen estimated that the four-lane freeway and expressway for K-10 from I-35 in Merriam west nine miles to K-7 would be completed by the end of 1973.
• The Lawrence Police Department today was still receiving reports of illegal discharge of fireworks, with the latest call at 2:01 a.m. today. No arrests had been made in any of the cases.