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.)
Obituary: Vaughn Leonard Flora
Vaughn Leonard Flora, 1/17/1945 – 3/17/2022
Recycle used electronics at drive-thru event; volunteers needed
Douglas County residents will have the opportunity to recycle virtually any electronics next month during a spring e-cleaning dropoff event.
Prosecutors move to seal document in rape case against ex-Lawrence police officer
Documents filed in the case of a former Lawrence police officer accused of raping a woman while on duty indicate that prosecutors are moving forward cautiously to protect both the woman and their case. Also, here’s how the man’s bond differs from most local sex crime cases.
Survivors of child sex abuse call for elimination of Kansas statute of limitations
By the time Kim Bergman was able to come forward about her experiences, it was past the statute of limitations in Kansas to collect damages for childhood sexual abuse.
Community partners to hold workshop Saturday on how to access mental illness and addiction resources
Organizers of an upcoming workshop aim to offer information, break down barriers and empower community members to navigate resources for mental illness and addiction in Douglas County.
Lawrence St. Patrick’s Day Parade returns to Mass Street
A Lawrence springtime staple returned to Massachusetts Street this afternoon, bringing with it thousands of smiling faces.
Lawrence panel to address how to fight Kansas’ anti-abortion amendment
The Douglas County Democratic Party is holding an event this weekend to help inform the public about how to protect the right to an abortion in Kansas.
Kansas Senate health panel endorses vaccine opt-out for school kids, ivermectin prescriptions
The Kansas Senate Public Health and Welfare Committee adopted a bill that gives an easy out for childhood vaccine requirements and allows doctors to prescribe ineffective treatments for COVID-19 without fear of discipline.
Kansas Senate bill would bolster inspections of dog breeders, animal shelters
A bill supported by animal shelters and opposed by the Kansas Livestock Association and dog breeders would establish a division of the Kansas Department of Agriculture to deal with pet animal facility inspections.
Edith Guffey: March Madness, then and now (Column)
“Please, let’s not talk about returning to business as usual, or getting back to the way it was before the pandemic. As a community, we have seen too much, and hopefully learned some things both personally and collectively,” Edith Guffey writes in this column.
Kansas House map plan raises concerns about Leavenworth County, LGBTQ representation
More than 50 people submitted testimony to the House Redistricting Committee urging modifications to the map titled Freestate 3, with debate largely centered on Leavenworth County districts, LGBTQ representation, and the need for further analysis.
Kansas Senate launches effort to legalize medical marijuana by end of session
Retired Holton mechanic Jim Ricketts, 71, is a criminal. That’s because in order to ease the pain of injuries he suffered in a pair of car crashes, he relies on smoking pot — which has allowed him to stop taking opioids.
Food Truck Festival to return to Lawrence, ‘bigger and better’
The Kansas Food Truck Festival is returning to Lawrence this spring with global cuisine, live entertainment and an art market to help support Just Food, the Douglas County food bank.
Galway Girls share their German-Irish heritage, love of dancing with Lawrence
Although many yearn to be Irish on St. Patrick’s Day, there’s a trio of sisters in the Deerfield neighborhood who actually hail from the west coast of Ireland — Galway, to be exact. And they know their Irish dance moves.
Calls for additional analysis go unheard as panel advances updated Kansas Senate map
A Kansas Senate panel approved a redistricting map despite pushback from Democrats and concerns from those testifying that legislators had allowed inadequate time for map analysis.
AG-backed bill prohibiting ‘sanctuary cities’ brings heavy opposition to Kansas Statehouse
Kansas lawmakers are wrangling with a bill that would prohibit city governments from adopting rules that block cooperation with ICE, aka becoming “sanctuary cities.” The bill drew strong opposition Tuesday.
Deja Brooks crowned Queen of Lawrence St. Patrick’s Day Parade; it ‘shows growth,’ she says
St. Patrick’s Day Parade Committee members selected their queen on Sunday, and she already was one. Deja Brooks, a Lawrence drag artist, said she was shocked and excited to be chosen for the honor.
Ex-Lawrence police officer charged in alleged on-duty rape, plus 24 other counts
A man accused of raping a 20-year-old woman while he was on duty as a Lawrence police officer was formally charged during a court appearance Tuesday afternoon.
KU’s federal lobbyist to start similar position at Northeastern University in May
KU will soon have a new face lobbying on behalf of its interests on Capitol Hill as Jack Cline prepares to depart for a new opportunity after a decade as a Jayhawk.
Polar plunge invites community to take a dip in support of Special Olympics, ‘meaningful inclusivity’
With a fundraising goal of $17,000, organizers for the Special Olympics Lawrence Polar Plunge ask community members to get cold for a cause this month and help more than 4,000 Kansas athletes.
This week (and every other), let the sunshine in to illuminate Kansas government (Column)
“There could be no better time to observe National Sunshine Week, a time for citizens and elected officials alike to recommit themselves to the ideals of open government.”
‘It gives meaning to your life,’ filmmaker Kevin Willmott says of the work during virtual talk
When Kevin Willmott was in fifth grade, a comic book gave him his first lesson in Black history. Seeing those lessons entwined with entertainment that way helped the Oscar winner make the connection of sharing history with others through storytelling.
Ottawa man, Iola woman killed in head-on crash; man and child seriously injured
A 62-year-old Ottawa man was one of two people killed in a head-on car crash near Humboldt, Kansas, Monday morning. Two others were seriously injured.
Republicans introduce proposed redistricting map for Kansas House, Democrats on hold
The redistricting showdown between Republicans and Democrats shifted Monday to the House with the introduction of the GOP’s map accommodating a decade’s worth of rural-to-urban population shift and adhering to the quest for partisan political advantage.