From the Lawrence Daily Journal-World for March 27, 1989:

• The organizers of Lawrence’s annual Independence Days festival were searching for people interested in joining an Honorary Founders Club. The club was designed to recognize honorary founders, generate enthusiasm and support for the festival, and encourage volunteer participation. To qualify as an honorary member, a person needed to have been born in the year 1915 or earlier and must have been born in Lawrence, must have lived in Lawrence for 30 years or more, or have attended a school in Lawrence. All Honorary Members were to receive a special Founder’s Club lapel pin designed by Stan Herd, who was 1989’s official Independence Day artists, as well as other perks.
• After amending an ordinance the previous week to allow a local company to apply for an exemption from the emergency burning ban, Douglas County Commissioners today denied the company’s resulting application. The commission voted 3-0 against the request from Mike Shumway of Kaw Valley Pallet Co., saying that drought conditions had made outdoor burning hazardous. In related action, commissioners also voted unanimously to extend the ban for another week.