Lawrence Board of Realtors 2011 award winners, From left, Realtor of the Year Sandy Garber, Distinguished Service Award winner Doug Stephens, and Salesperson of the Year Brandi Abram.

Photo by John Young

2012 Lawrence Board of Realtors officers and directors. Front row from left, president-elect John Esau, president Oliver Minnis, past president Bob Kocour. Back row from left, director Jason Robinson, director Mary Ann Deck, director Crystal Swearingen, treasurer Jason Todd, director Tanya Kulaga, director Pat McCandless, treasurer Bev Hill, director Darren Abram.

Photo by John Young

Lawrence High guard KJ Pritchard (14) drives past senior Drew Johnson during Lawrence High’s game against Olathe South Friday, Jan. 13, 2012 in Olathe.

Photo by John Young

Lawrence High guard Shane Willoughby (20) is whistled for a charge as he crashes into sophomore Noah Knight (42) during Lawrence High’s game against Olathe South Friday, Jan. 13, 2012 in Olathe.

Photo by John Young

Olathe South sophomore Noah Knight (42) holds the ball while he looks over Lawrence High’s zone defense during Lawrence High’s game against Olathe South Friday, Jan. 13, 2012 in Olathe.

Photo by John Young

Lawrence High center Bryce Montes de Oca (55) shoots over defenders Noah Knight (42) and Tyler Thomas (32) during Lawrence High’s game against Olathe South Friday, Jan. 13, 2012 in Olathe.

Photo by John Young

Lawrence High guard Shane Willoughby drives the lane during Lawrence High’s game against Olathe South Friday, Jan. 13, 2012 in Olathe.

Photo by John Young

Lawrence High guard Anthony Buffalomeat shoots an off-balance shot after defender David Nelson tripped during Lawrence High’s game against Olathe South Friday, Jan. 13, 2012 in Olathe.

Photo by John Young

Olathe South senior Drew Johnson (25) outreaches junior Tyrone Jenkins (34) for a rebound during Lawrence High’s game against Olathe South Friday, Jan. 13, 2012 in Olathe.

Photo by John Young

Lori Alexander works at her dispatcher station in a secure area of the Judicial & Law Enforcement Center, 111 E. 11th St., in this 2009 file photo. Douglas County Administrator Craig Weinaug said Friday he’s recommending the city of Lawrence and Douglas County come up with $7 million in the near future to help the center that handles 911 calls and other emergency communications meet new federal technology standards.

Photo by Richard Gwin

Lawrence High guard KJ Pritchard (14) blows past the Olathe South defense and flips the ball off the backboard for two points during Lawrence High’s game against Olathe South Friday, Jan. 13, 2012 in Olathe.

Photo by John Young

Revelers celebrate the end of prohibition in Chicago. The Watkins Community Museum of History will host a "Speakeasy Night," a fundraiser celebrating the free-wheeling 1920s.

Associated Press

State Reps. TerriLois Gregory, R-Baldwin City, and Connie O'Brien, R-Tonganoxie, are among 25 members of the Kansas House backing a measure introduced by pro-life group Personhood Kansas to outlaw abortion.

Olathe Northwest's Willie Cauley (35) throws a hook shot over Free State's Gabe Patterson (25) on Friday, Jan. 13, 2012, at Northwest.

Photo by Mike Yoder

Shavon Shields (31) looks for a pass while posting up inside against the Firebirds during action against Olathe Northwest Friday, Jan. 13, 2012, at Northwest.

Photo by Mike Yoder

Free State's Kyle McFarland (30) guards Ravens center Wille Cauley on Friday, Jan. 13, 2012, at Olathe Northwest.

Photo by Mike Yoder

Brett Frantz drives the baseline for Free State against the Olathe Northwest on Friday, Jan. 13, 2012, at Northwest.

Photo by Mike Yoder

Free State's Brett Frantz, right, draws a charging foul against Olathe Northwest Friday, Jan. 13, 2012, at Northwest.

Photo by Mike Yoder

Free State's Tyler Self (20) reaches for a rebound during action against the Ravens of Olathe Northwest Friday, Jan. 13, 2012, at Northwest.

Photo by Mike Yoder

Kennedy Kirkpatrick puts up a shot for the Firebirds against Olathe Northwest Friday, Jan. 13, 2012, at Northwest.

Photo by Mike Yoder

Free State's Abbey Casady, left, is closely guarded by Olathe Northwest's Kelsey Brooks, right, on Friday, Jan. 13, 2012, at Olathe Northwest.

Photo by Mike Yoder

Olathe Northwest's 6-foot-3-inch Michaela Crall (32) blocks a shot by the Firebirds' Jackie Garcia during their game Friday, Jan. 13, 2012, at Northwest.

Photo by Mike Yoder

Free State's Chelsea Casady (32) attempts a rebound during action against the Ravens of Olathe Northwest Friday, Jan. 13, 2012, at Northwest.

Photo by Mike Yoder

Free State's Jackie Garcia, center, scrambles for a loose ball during action against the Ravens of Olathe Northwest Friday, Jan. 13, 2012, at Northwest.

Photo by Mike Yoder

Kelly Evans, executive director of Trinity In-Home Care in Lawrence, center, joined other health care provider in attending a public meeting Friday, Jan. 13, 2012, about the administration's plan to privatize Medicaid.

Photo by Mike Yoder

Sharon Spratt, CEO of Cottonwood Inc., left, and Carl Locke, on the Cottonwood board of trustees, greet Kansas Department on Aging Secretary Shawn Sullivan on Friday, Jan. 13, 2012, at Free Methodist Church, 3001 Lawrence Ave. Sullivan spoke about the administration's plan to move to a managed care system for all Medicaid clients.

Photo by Mike Yoder

Barbara Barnett is an associate professor and associate dean at the Kansas University School of Journalism. She researches how the media covers mothers who kill their children.

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A Lawrence-Douglas County Fire Medical firefighter walks past exterior damage to the 1424 Bristol Terrace building of the Meadowbrook Apartments complex on Friday.

Photo by Nick Krug

Lawrence-Douglas County Fire Medical’s Kendon Regier, left, plays the victim for Ryan Kelley during a cold water rescue training exercise Friday at Potter Lake on the Kansas University campus.

Photo by Mike Yoder

Susan Wachter, Kansas University Athletics chief financial officer, is retiring from the position this year.

Photo by Mike Yoder

LaVell Winsor is pictured with her husband, Andy Winsor, and their 1-year-old son, Brayden, on Friday on their farm outside of Grantville. LaVell is one of several women in the state who participate in CommonGround, a woman-to-woman group that works to dispel misconceptions about farming. Winsor would like others to understand her belief that the overwhelming majority of farming in the country is done by family operations rather than corporations.

Photo by Nick Krug

Bound copies of old Lawrence city records contain hand-written notes from City Council meetings and city ordinances dating back to the 1850s.

by Mike Yoder

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Jonathan Douglass, city clerk, looks through bound copies of old city record and ordinance books, some dating from 1854.

Photo by Mike Yoder

Jacob Gillespie, 12, shapes a clay vessel at the Lawrence Arts Center in a Sculpting with Clay class in this Aug. 2011 file photo. Gov. Sam Brownback on Thursday proposed providing $200,000 for the arts, but arts supporters said the measure was inadequate and didn’t make up for his veto of arts funding last year.

Photo by Richard Gwin

Traffic and pedestrians move about Massachusetts Street in this Aug. 2011 file photo. Businesses began filling up vacant spaces in many parts of Lawrence in 2011, but downtown Lawrence wasn’t necessarily one of them. A new study by the Lawrence office of Colliers International found the city’s overall retail, office and industrial vacancy rates all fell in 2011, and all were significantly less than national averages.

Photo by Nick Krug

The Eudora United Methodist Church held a live nativity Dec. 4. From left are Chris Ellis, Ryan Plate, Mike Boring, Todd Stauffer, Mary Diehl-Fisher, Erin Stauffer and Becky Barrera. Connie Meyers submitted the photo.