photo by: Photo courtesy of Lynn O’Neal

Bob Swan, left, and Steve Mason play guitar and banjo Sept. 24 during an open house of the Lawrence Rotary Arboretum and Xeriscape Garden. The Lawrence Parks and Recreation Department’s Horticulture and Forestry Division, along with the Lawrence Rotary clubs, held an open house recognizing several projects within the arboretum. The event included a dedication of the Bob Frederick Bike Rack, and donation recognitions of the Eleanor and George Woodyard Anniversary Garden and the Georgeson Monarch Waystation.

photo by: Mike Yoder

Jon Standing, left, and Bill Busby survey a wooded area for birds along the River Trail in North Lawrence near the Eighth Street boat ramp Saturday. The two took part in the annual winter bird count, which runs Dec. 14-Jan. 5.

photo by: Mike Yoder

Stephanie Roberts, front left, and Shannon Gray, right, lead participants in the 2nd annual SantaCon on Saturday, Dec. 17, 2011. SantaCon combined elements of flash mob and a pub crawl with Christmas carols and random acts of kindness. This year it included a food drive to benefit Just Food, the primary food bank for Douglas County.

photo by: John Young

Firefighters work the scene of a residential house fire in Eudora on Saturday evening. The Eudora Fire Department responded to a fire at approximately 3:15 p.m. Saturday at a duplex located on the 1400 block of Ash Court in Eudora. The fire originated in a vehicle parked next to the duplex and spread to the building’s attic, a fire official said. Fire departments from Wakarusa and Eudora townships assisted in fighting the fire, which was extinguished without any injuries.

photo by: John Young

Geneva Izquiredo watches from the sidelines with ear plugs on during KU’s game against UMKC on Saturday.