From the Lawrence Daily Journal-World for Nov. 8, 1987:

• Rep. Jessie Branson, D-Lawrence, and fellow local legislators today asked Gov. Mike Hayden to request a renegotiation of the state employee health insurance plan, or at least continuation of the current plan. The lawmakers also suggested that the state’s health care commission may have exceeded its authority in making such major changes. The controversial health plan affected at least 5,000 state employees in Douglas County and and 40,000 state workers overall, offering decreased benefits at higher rates.
• Yet another retail plan was being proposed this week for Lawrence by the Downtown Improvement Committee. Members of the committee, meeting in a daylong retreat, had voted 13-0 to endorse the plan, which called for scattering three department stores, four parking garages, and associated smaller shops among the existing shops in the 700, 800, and 900 blocks of downtown. Skywalks would be installed to connect the various elements of the project. Win Campbell, a committee member representing the Downtown Lawrence Association, said that the new plan would be more likely to win support from downtown merchants than had previous mall plans.