Lawrence city commissioners hesitate to make budget cuts but support fire station
Lawrence city commissioners on Tuesday struggled to specify where they want to make cuts in the 2027 budget, but they agreed they want to proceed with building a new fire station. They’ll ask community members to help find $4.5 million in cuts.
ICE detention center in Kansas can open after Leavenworth granted a private prison company’s permit
The Leavenworth city commission voted to grant a permit allowing private corrections company CoreCivic to hold more than 1,000 federal immigration detainees in a shuttered facility.
Lawrence city commissioners hesitate to make budget cuts but support fire station
Lawrence city commissioners on Tuesday struggled to specify where they want to make cuts in the 2027 budget, but they agreed they want to proceed with building a new fire station. They’ll ask community members to help find $4.5 million in cuts.
ICE detention center in Kansas can open after Leavenworth granted a private prison company’s permit
The Leavenworth city commission voted to grant a permit allowing private corrections company CoreCivic to hold more than 1,000 federal immigration detainees in a shuttered facility.
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.
Tom Harper/Lawrence Times
Q39 barbecue restaurant opens in downtown Lawrence
Kansas City barbecue joint Q39 officially fired up the smokers and opened its doors in downtown Lawrence on Tuesday.
August Rudisell/Lawrence Times
Douglas County commissioners to consider extending permits for potential solar farm north of Lawrence
Douglas County commissioners on Wednesday will consider extending permits for a potential solar farm north of Lawrence while a court injunction blocks progress on the facility’s construction.
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.
Tom Harper/Lawrence Times
Q39 barbecue restaurant opens in downtown Lawrence
Kansas City barbecue joint Q39 officially fired up the smokers and opened its doors in downtown Lawrence on Tuesday.
August Rudisell/Lawrence Times
Douglas County commissioners to consider extending permits for potential solar farm north of Lawrence
Douglas County commissioners on Wednesday will consider extending permits for a potential solar farm north of Lawrence while a court injunction blocks progress on the facility’s construction.
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.
Tom Harper/Lawrence Times
Q39 barbecue restaurant opens in downtown Lawrence
Kansas City barbecue joint Q39 officially fired up the smokers and opened its doors in downtown Lawrence on Tuesday.
August Rudisell/Lawrence Times
Douglas County commissioners to consider extending permits for potential solar farm north of Lawrence
Douglas County commissioners on Wednesday will consider extending permits for a potential solar farm north of Lawrence while a court injunction blocks progress on the facility’s construction.
LAWRENCE NEWS
Molly Adams / Lawrence Times
Superintendent: Lawrence schools plan welcome center, seek to boost staff pay and more updates
A district welcome center, an expansion of a program to help high schoolers earn KU credits, and “streamlining” to ensure the district’s pay for staff members is competitive are all in the works, according to the Lawrence Public Schools superintendent.
August Rudisell/Lawrence Times
Lawrence school board OKs $4.16M for Centennial building to host flexible high school option
The Lawrence school board on Monday voted to approve bids totaling about $4.16 million to ready the former Centennial Elementary School building to serve as a new flexible high school option.
Nathan Kramer / Lawrence Times
Lawrence Public Schools delays public records for months, wants $13K for fulfillment
The Lawrence school district has delayed responding for months to an open record request related to its silent switch from one AI monitoring software to another. It’s also asking for thousands of dollars to produce the records.
August Rudisell/Lawrence Times
Learn how to stay safe in severe weather at upcoming training session
Douglas County Emergency Management will lead a two-hour training session on how to identify storms and stay safe in severe weather. The session is free and open to the public.
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STATE NEWS
Clergy-led activists block entry into Kansas Senate in protest over bathroom law
Clergy members led a sit-in protest Tuesday in opposition to Kansas’ recently passed anti-trans law.
Proposed constitutional amendment would put abortion back on the Kansas ballot
A Kansas Republican is once again looking for a path to stop abortion, with a new proposal to change the state constitution to say life begins at conception.
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COMMUNITY VOICES (OPINION)
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.
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LAWRENCE LIFE
Jacob Rice / Lawrence Times
For a welcoming adult choir in Lawrence, singing brings connections, joy
Crescendo, an adult choir in Lawrence with a “come one, come all” attitude, wants every voice to shine, regardless of musical experience. They’ll showcase their harmonies at an upcoming concert with a local children’s choir.
August Rudisell / Lawrence Times
City of Lawrence compost facility reopening for the season
The City of Lawrence’s compost facility is set to open for the season on Saturday, March 7.
Lawrence Humane Pet of the Week: Squishy-faced Azalea blooms when not confined to a kennel
Azalea, a 3-year-old pit bull, is calm, cuddly and kind when she’s not cooped up at the shelter.
Jacob Rice / Lawrence Times
For a welcoming adult choir in Lawrence, singing brings connections, joy
Crescendo, an adult choir in Lawrence with a “come one, come all” attitude, wants every voice to shine, regardless of musical experience. They’ll showcase their harmonies at an upcoming concert with a local children’s choir.
August Rudisell / Lawrence Times
City of Lawrence compost facility reopening for the season
The City of Lawrence’s compost facility is set to open for the season on Saturday, March 7.
Lawrence Humane Pet of the Week: Squishy-faced Azalea blooms when not confined to a kennel
Azalea, a 3-year-old pit bull, is calm, cuddly and kind when she’s not cooped up at the shelter.
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IN CASE YOU MISSED IT …
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.
August Rudisell/Lawrence Times
Transgender people in Lawrence lack answers about enforcement around invalidated driver’s licenses
Transgender people in Lawrence — and former residents who left the country to avoid persecution — have been swept up in the statewide confusion about enforcing anti-trans legislation that invalidates driver’s licenses with corrected gender markers.
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.
August Rudisell/Lawrence Times
Transgender people in Lawrence lack answers about enforcement around invalidated driver’s licenses
Transgender people in Lawrence — and former residents who left the country to avoid persecution — have been swept up in the statewide confusion about enforcing anti-trans legislation that invalidates driver’s licenses with corrected gender markers.
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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.
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.
Tom Harper/Lawrence Times
Tom Harper: Lawrence volunteers craft a story we need right now (Column)
Kim Brook brings the supplies and encouragement for Lawrence volunteers to come together and create hundreds of handmade valentines for Meals on Wheels recipients, Tom Harper writes in this column.
Letter to the Times: Lifting short-term rental cap could harm Lawrence residents
“The need for long-term rentals won’t decrease because the World Cup is coming and the need for short-term rentals is increasing,” Chris Flowers writes 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.
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.
Tom Harper/Lawrence Times
Tom Harper: Lawrence volunteers craft a story we need right now (Column)
Kim Brook brings the supplies and encouragement for Lawrence volunteers to come together and create hundreds of handmade valentines for Meals on Wheels recipients, Tom Harper writes in this column.
Letter to the Times: Lifting short-term rental cap could harm Lawrence residents
“The need for long-term rentals won’t decrease because the World Cup is coming and the need for short-term rentals is increasing,” Chris Flowers writes in this letter to the Times.
MORE …
