Here's what Wescoe Beach looks like, as of Thursday. Think more benches, fewer concrete planters. Trees will be planted later.

Photo by Andy Hyland

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Adolfo and Deborah Gomez, of Northlake, Ill., were arrested June 13, 2012, after two of their children were found bound by their hands and feet in a Lawrence Wal-Mart parking lot.

Douglas County Sheriff's Office

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Lawrence artist Nancy Marshall combines landscapes and still life in her paintings, and was influenced by growing up near the banks of the Mississippi River. She has a solo exhibition on display at Park University in Parkville, Mo., through Friday.

Photo by Richard Gwin

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Although a bit too young to qualify for the position, 9-year-old Jack Bellemere, a fourth-grader at Raintree Montessori School, wants to be a county commissioner. Jack was photographed Thursday in the County Commission chambers at the Douglas County Courthouse.

Photo by Nick Krug

From left, Johnetta Brown, kitchen assistant and meals delivery driver, Shannon Ocsody, senior meals outreach coordinator, and Ray Buckingham, senior meals program manager, all with Douglas County Senior Serivces, prepare and load meals for delivery from the Lawrence Senior Center on Wednesday, Aug. 15, 2012. Douglas County Senior Services will be celebrating its 40th anniversary Oct. 11.

Photo by Mike Yoder Lawrence Journal-World

Glen Marotz, associate dean of the School of Engineering explains the design structure of the Fracture & Fatigue Lab where testing can be done on construction industry large scale structural members. The lab is part of the School of Engineerings new research facility, the Measurement, Materials and Sustainable Environment Center (M2SEC).

Photo by Mike Yoder Lawrence Journal-World

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The inside of a trailer home at the Riverview Trailer Park, Wednesday, Aug. 15, 2012. Nick Krug/Journal-World Photo

Photo by Nick Krug

The inside of a trailer home at the Riverview Trailer Park, Wednesday, Aug. 15, 2012. Nick Krug/Journal-World Photo

Photo by Nick Krug

Kansas University volleyball players Caroline Jarmoc, left, Tayler Tolefree and Morgan Boub talk with media members during a fall sports media day at Allen Fieldhouse, Thursday, Aug. 16, 2012.

Photo by Nick Krug

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Kansas University senior cross country runner Donny Wasinger talks with media members during a fall sports media day at Allen Fieldhouse, Thursday, Aug. 16, 2012.

Photo by Nick Krug

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Kansas University women's soccer midfielder Whitney Berry talks with media members during a fall sports media day at Allen Fieldhouse, Thursday, Aug. 16, 2012.

Photo by Nick Krug

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During a scene from the first day of the filming of "Jayhawkers," outside the School of Architecture, Kansas forward Justin Wesley, playing the part of Wilt Chamberlain, is greeted by various students and faculty upon his arrival at KU. Jayhawkers is a film by Kansas University film professor Kevin Willmott, which focuses on the emergence of Wilt Chamberlain into college basketball.

Photo by Nick Krug

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Lawrence artist Nancy Marshall’s paintings combine landscapes and still lifes.

Photo by Richard Gwin

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In this Aug. 1, 2012 photo, a rendition of Lady Liberty stands in front of a parched corn field near Crete, Neb. The front row of corn remains green because it is irrigated by a lawn sprinkler. The latest U.S. drought map shows that excessively dry conditions continue to worsen in the Midwest states that are key producers of corn and soybeans. This is the worst U.S. drought in decades. The weekly U.S. Drought Monitor map released Thursday, Aug. 9. 2012 shows that the area gripped by extreme or exceptional drought rose nearly 2 percent to 24.14 percent.

AP Photo/Nati Harnik

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Dried corn plants stand in a field near Mead, Neb., Thursday, Aug. 9, 2012. The latest U.S. drought map shows that excessively dry conditions continue to worsen in the Midwest states that are key producers of corn and soybeans. This is the worst U.S. drought in decades. The weekly U.S. Drought Monitor map released Thursday, Aug. 9. 2012 shows that the area gripped by extreme or exceptional drought rose nearly 2 percent to 24.14 percent.

AP Photo/Nati Harnik

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The Welcome Club of Lawrence delivered donations to the Willow Domestic Violence Center and the Lawrence Community Shelter at its June luncheon. Aimee Eickmann, of the Willow center, and Lynate Pettengill, of the shelter, accepted the checks. Pictured from left are Trudy Urbanski, Eickmann, Pettengill, and Wanda Belsing. Sandra Heacock submitted the photo.