Latest new posts from ALL categories of The Lawrence Times:
Lawrence news, state news, Community Voices, Lawrence Life, obituaries and more.
(Please note that opinion pieces are included in this list, marked as columns or letters to the Times. Not all posts linked on this page were written or produced by the Lawrence Times staff.)
Kansas BOE names Jake Steel as state’s next education commissioner
Kansas public schools will soon have a new chief administrator. The Kansas State Board of Education has named Jake Steel as the state’s next education commissioner.
Mississippi Street to close at 9th as construction continues in Lawrence
Mississippi Street will close at both sides of its intersection with Ninth Street in Lawrence next week as construction continues on the Jayhawk watershed project.
‘The people of Kansas lost’: Last-ditch attempt at property tax relief devolves into finger-pointing
TOPEKA — The Kansas Legislature’s last-ditch attempt to make good on campaign promises to deliver […]
Obituary: Mary Catherine Valus Zapala
Mary Catherine Valus Zapala, 11/21/1935 – 4/11/2026
Nathan Kramer / Lawrence Times
Lawrence’s Parade of Hearts installation celebrates disability inclusion
Lawrence is now home to a Parade of Hearts installation called “Inclusion Starts with the Heart,” celebrating acceptance and inclusion of people with disabilities.
Maya Smith/Lawrence Times
Lawrence school board hears about new Family Engagement Center, state legislative updates
The Lawrence school board on Monday heard a presentation about the new Family Engagement Center to be located at the current school district offices, as well as some legislative updates.
Molly Adams / Lawrence Times
Blocks of southbound Haskell Ave. closed after water leak
About half a mile of southbound Haskell Avenue is closed to traffic following an overnight water system leak.
Courtney Lane/Lawrence Times
Jan. 2027 jury trial set for former Lawrence school speech pathologist charged with child sex crimes
A former Prairie Park Elementary School speech pathologist pleaded not guilty Monday to charges of sex crimes against students, and the court set his jury trial date: January 2027.
Obituary: Rodney Dale Eklund
Rodney Dale Eklund, 9/30/1956 – 4/9/2026
Kansas Legislature’s GOP supermajority leans into rule that skirts debate, muffles dissent
Republican leaders of the Kansas Legislature relied on an arsenal of parliamentary procedure that frustrated Democrats seething about a bill forcing transgender people to use public bathrooms and obtain driver’s licenses matching their sex assigned at birth.
Dan Oetting/Courtesy photo
Jayhawks from around the world to host 10th annual cultural show
Jayhawks from all over the world will host a cultural event this week, featuring performances, a fashion show, activities and more. There will also be free T-shirts, door prizes and food.
Courtney Lane/Lawrence Times
Hearings for teens charged in fatal Hawk shooting pushed back for third time
The judge and families in the courtroom expressed frustration as attorneys for the two teenage defendants charged in January’s fatal shooting at the Hawk requested again to delay court hearings.
Kaw Valley Almanac for April 13-19, 2026
Recent rains have triggered morels, so go check your favorite haunts. Several have been seen under cedar trees this spring, something that only happens when conditions are just right.
Lawrence Fraternal Order of Police raising funds for family of officer who died
The Fraternal Order of Police Lodge #2 Lawrence, Kansas, has set up a memorial fund for those who wish to support the family of Lawrence police Officer Zachary Garcia-Kerns, who died this month at age 28.
Lawrence school board to hear plans for Family Engagement Center; new agenda platform is live
The Lawrence school board’s new agenda platform has launched, and the superintendent on Monday will share more plans for “enhancements,” this time focused on a new family engagement center.
Sur Landscape Architecture/Contributed image
Midco and Native Lands collaborate to plan native plant park in downtown Lawrence
A park will soon take over an unused lot next to Midco in downtown Lawrence, incorporating native plants with the work of several local artisans and offering community members a chance to step into the role of stewards of native land.
Molly Adams / Lawrence Times
Indigenous designers’ work to shine on the runway at annual Haskell fashion show
The third volume of the Haskell Indian Nations University Fashion show will feature creations from seven Native designers with a theme of “generational beauty.”
Logan Pierson / Lawrence Times
KU Powwow brings family, tribal representation and celebration inside the Lied Center
Dancers took the celebration onto the Lied Center stage Saturday for the 37th KU Powwow, honoring family, tribal representation and the circle of life.
Jacob Rice / Lawrence Times
Lawrence Public Library makes nerding out free, accessible at annual fandom convention
The Lawrence Public Library seemed bigger on the inside Saturday as superfans and media lovers packed both levels of the building with cosplay, fan art and a passion for all things fandom.
Obituary: Mary Ann Strong
Mary Ann Strong, 6/28/1925 – 3/19/2026
Obituary: Marclyn Jane Woolsey
Marclyn Jane Woolsey, 11/10/1942 – 3/28/2026
Molly Adams / Lawrence Times
Kansas students to face punishment for protests after lawmakers override veto
Kansas public school students will need parental permission to leave school grounds for a protest and schools could face $100,000 penalties if they don’t enforce restrictions after legislators overrode the governor’s veto Friday.
Jacob Rice / Lawrence Times
Friends, colleagues honor Douglas County Judge Sally Pokorny at retirement ceremony
Judge Sally Pokorny told the people packed into a Douglas County courtroom for her retirement ceremony Friday that she’s the luckiest woman in the world.
Lawrence board reviews early results in housing study, advocates for deeply affordable options
Members of Lawrence’s Affordable Housing Advisory Board are emphasizing the need for community education on multifamily housing, more development incentives and strategies for boosting deeply affordable options in an ongoing study.
