Tom Harper: Ben Graham’s craftsmanship preserves Lawrence buildings, compels with its details (Column)
Lawrence has benefited from Ben Graham’s generous spirit and broad skillset, particularly as a plasterer, since 1985, Tom Harper writes in this column.
Douglas County judge sets hearing over Kansas anti-trans ‘bathroom bill’ for Sept. 29
A lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of Kansas’ new law regulating bathroom use in government buildings and forcing Kansans to hold documents reflecting their biological sex at birth won’t have its next hearing until September.
Tom Harper: Ben Graham’s craftsmanship preserves Lawrence buildings, compels with its details (Column)
Lawrence has benefited from Ben Graham’s generous spirit and broad skillset, particularly as a plasterer, since 1985, Tom Harper writes in this column.
Douglas County judge sets hearing over Kansas anti-trans ‘bathroom bill’ for Sept. 29
A lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of Kansas’ new law regulating bathroom use in government buildings and forcing Kansans to hold documents reflecting their biological sex at birth won’t have its next hearing until September.
Kaw Valley Almanac for March 23-29, 2026
The dust in the foreground is pollen coming off a male eastern red cedar tree last week. Expect the trees to replenish and send out enough pollen to make it miserable for allergy sufferers in coming days.
Third No Kings protest planned in Lawrence
Lawrence will join the third surge of nationwide No Kings protests with a demonstration starting in Watson Park focused on visibility.
Cuyler Dunn/Lawrence Times
Lawrence Tenants rally support for tenant right to counsel before county commission meeting
Lawrence Tenants, a citywide tenant union, rallied support at a town hall Saturday for a delayed program meant to provide legal representation for people facing eviction.
Kaw Valley Almanac for March 23-29, 2026
The dust in the foreground is pollen coming off a male eastern red cedar tree last week. Expect the trees to replenish and send out enough pollen to make it miserable for allergy sufferers in coming days.
Third No Kings protest planned in Lawrence
Lawrence will join the third surge of nationwide No Kings protests with a demonstration starting in Watson Park focused on visibility.
Cuyler Dunn/Lawrence Times
Lawrence Tenants rally support for tenant right to counsel before county commission meeting
Lawrence Tenants, a citywide tenant union, rallied support at a town hall Saturday for a delayed program meant to provide legal representation for people facing eviction.
Kaw Valley Almanac for March 23-29, 2026
The dust in the foreground is pollen coming off a male eastern red cedar tree last week. Expect the trees to replenish and send out enough pollen to make it miserable for allergy sufferers in coming days.
Third No Kings protest planned in Lawrence
Lawrence will join the third surge of nationwide No Kings protests with a demonstration starting in Watson Park focused on visibility.
Cuyler Dunn/Lawrence Times
Lawrence Tenants rally support for tenant right to counsel before county commission meeting
Lawrence Tenants, a citywide tenant union, rallied support at a town hall Saturday for a delayed program meant to provide legal representation for people facing eviction.
LAWRENCE NEWS
Molly Adams / Lawrence Times
Lawrence NAACP to preserve stories of Black people buried in unmarked graves with headstones, biographies
Lawrence’s NAACP chapter will reclaim the stories of 30 Black people who were buried in unmarked graves in Oak Hill Cemetery, including three men lynched by a mob in 1882, with new granite headstones and a digital biography archive.
August Rudisell / Lawrence Times
Lawrence school board to consider replacing high school tracks for $1.73M
Lawrence school board members on Monday will consider approving a bid for $1.73 million to replace running tracks at Lawrence and Free State high schools. Access to the tracks would be restricted for the construction period this summer.
Plans for high-density apartments near KU campus headed for architectural revisions
A city board on Thursday recommended that plans to demolish five buildings and construct a 75-unit, 300-bedroom apartment complex near KU go to an architectural committee for revisions.
Cuyler Dunn/Lawrence Times
Thousands in KU community vote ‘no confidence’ in chancellor, CFO
A majority of KU faculty and students who participated in an unofficial vote this month said they do not have confidence in the leadership of Chancellor Doug Girod.
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STATE NEWS
Kansas House, Senate strike deal to end in-state college tuition for qualified immigrant students
The Kansas House and Senate have struck a deal on a bill repealing a law offering in-state tuition rates to students who immigrated to the U.S. and live in Kansas without documentation.
Kansas House advances property tax relief plan, but its outlook remains uncertain
The Kansas House has advanced property tax relief legislation, but its components must clear several more hurdles, including passage in the Senate, a vote of the people and another round of lawmaking, before its effects are realized.
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COMMUNITY VOICES (OPINION)
Tom Harper: Ben Graham’s craftsmanship preserves Lawrence buildings, compels with its details (Column)
Lawrence has benefited from Ben Graham’s generous spirit and broad skillset, particularly as a plasterer, since 1985, Tom Harper writes in this column.
Shawn Alexander: When W. E. B. Du Bois came to Lawrence (Column)
W. E. B. Du Bois spoke in Lawrence 105 years ago today. “We should draw inspiration from those who have come before us and dare to envision a better world,” Shawn Alexander writes in this column.
MORE …
LAWRENCE LIFE
The Raven Book Store’s bestsellers for March 19, 2026 (Sponsored post)
“Lawrence readers are on trend with this bestsellers list! … Stories from the Phog by Lawrence author Chelan David also makes an appearance and is the perfect read for our Jayhawks celebrating March Madness,” the Raven Book Store writes.
Lawrence Humane Pet of the Week: Rocket is an out-of-this-world snuggler, loves other dogs
Rocket, a 3-year-old shepherd mix, is an out-of-this-world snuggler who loves other dogs, but he can’t seem to catch a break.
Wulfe Wulfemeyer/Lawrence Times
Free meditation, movement classes offer space for queer, trans people in Lawrence to ‘let it all out’
In a time when queer and trans people are politically and socially under attack, a free movement and meditation class in Lawrence seeks to be a space where the community can soothe their nervous systems and unpack all of the real, gnarly emotions.
The Raven Book Store’s bestsellers for March 19, 2026 (Sponsored post)
“Lawrence readers are on trend with this bestsellers list! … Stories from the Phog by Lawrence author Chelan David also makes an appearance and is the perfect read for our Jayhawks celebrating March Madness,” the Raven Book Store writes.
Lawrence Humane Pet of the Week: Rocket is an out-of-this-world snuggler, loves other dogs
Rocket, a 3-year-old shepherd mix, is an out-of-this-world snuggler who loves other dogs, but he can’t seem to catch a break.
Wulfe Wulfemeyer/Lawrence Times
Free meditation, movement classes offer space for queer, trans people in Lawrence to ‘let it all out’
In a time when queer and trans people are politically and socially under attack, a free movement and meditation class in Lawrence seeks to be a space where the community can soothe their nervous systems and unpack all of the real, gnarly emotions.
MORE …
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT …
Molly Adams / Lawrence Times
Judge denies request to pause anti-transgender law during ongoing lawsuit
A Douglas County judge on Tuesday denied plaintiffs’ request to temporarily halt an anti-transgender law in Kansas from taking effect while a lawsuit against the state plays out.
Molly Adams / Lawrence Times
Lawyers for Kansas state departments see benefit to monthlong delay in enforcing anti-transgender bill
Legal representatives for two Kansas state departments said Friday that there would be benefits to delaying the enforcement of a new anti-transgender bill for another month, drawing an apparent concession from AG Kris Kobach.
Molly Adams/Lawrence Times
No charges filed in fatal Lawrence City Hall shooting
The Douglas County district attorney’s office announced Friday that it will not file charges against anyone in January’s fatal shooting inside Lawrence City Hall.
Maya Smith/Lawrence Times
KU faculty union, administrators reach tentative contract agreement after nearly 2 years
After nearly two years of bargaining, the KU faculty union has reached a tentative agreement with administrators, union leaders announced Friday.
Molly Adams / Lawrence Times
Judge denies request to pause anti-transgender law during ongoing lawsuit
A Douglas County judge on Tuesday denied plaintiffs’ request to temporarily halt an anti-transgender law in Kansas from taking effect while a lawsuit against the state plays out.
Molly Adams / Lawrence Times
Lawyers for Kansas state departments see benefit to monthlong delay in enforcing anti-transgender bill
Legal representatives for two Kansas state departments said Friday that there would be benefits to delaying the enforcement of a new anti-transgender bill for another month, drawing an apparent concession from AG Kris Kobach.
Molly Adams/Lawrence Times
No charges filed in fatal Lawrence City Hall shooting
The Douglas County district attorney’s office announced Friday that it will not file charges against anyone in January’s fatal shooting inside Lawrence City Hall.
Maya Smith/Lawrence Times
KU faculty union, administrators reach tentative contract agreement after nearly 2 years
After nearly two years of bargaining, the KU faculty union has reached a tentative agreement with administrators, union leaders announced Friday.
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MORE COMMUNITY VOICES
The opinion pieces in this section are generally written by members of the Lawrence community and those who have close ties. In addition, we’re offering some space for area organizations and organizers to provide updates and attempt to reach other folks who might share their mission.
Want to submit a letter to the Times? Great!
Click here to find out how.
Holly Krebs: Looking at the bigger picture as Lawrence City Commission considers $184M in debt (Column)
“Can our community afford an extra $21 million per year in debt payments when the city had to cut $6.6 million to balance the 2026 operating budget?” Holly Krebs writes in this column.
Amy Helmer/Contributed photo
Amy Helmer: Life, liberty, and the right to pee (Column)
“Fearmongering over the alleged safety risks of peeing is so deeply American, it is hardly surprising that the modern-day politician increasingly attempts to frame transgender people as political scapegoats,” Amy Helmer writes in this column.
Letter to the Times: City of Lawrence should revise, not rescind, sustainability ordinance
“While the federal government is undoing efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, Lawrence can and should lead the way,” members of the League of Women Voters of Lawrence-Douglas County write in this letter to the Times.
The opinion pieces in this section are generally written by members of the Lawrence community and those who have close ties. In addition, we’re offering some space for area organizations and organizers to provide updates and attempt to reach other folks who might share their mission.
Want to submit a letter to the Times? Great!
Click here to find out how.
Holly Krebs: Looking at the bigger picture as Lawrence City Commission considers $184M in debt (Column)
“Can our community afford an extra $21 million per year in debt payments when the city had to cut $6.6 million to balance the 2026 operating budget?” Holly Krebs writes in this column.
Amy Helmer/Contributed photo
Amy Helmer: Life, liberty, and the right to pee (Column)
“Fearmongering over the alleged safety risks of peeing is so deeply American, it is hardly surprising that the modern-day politician increasingly attempts to frame transgender people as political scapegoats,” Amy Helmer writes in this column.
Letter to the Times: City of Lawrence should revise, not rescind, sustainability ordinance
“While the federal government is undoing efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, Lawrence can and should lead the way,” members of the League of Women Voters of Lawrence-Douglas County write in this letter to the Times.
MORE …
