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: David Allen Dinneen
David Allen Dinneen, 6/24/1931 – 5/12/2023
Kansas governor signs K-12 education bill, strikes portion slicing state aid to rural schools
Gov. Laura Kelly struck down a K-12 budget bill provision that would have decreased funding to more than one-third of Kansas public schools, calling the provision potentially “devastating” for rural communities.
Chloe Anderson/Lawrence Times
City opens splash pad on Burroughs Creek Trail; outdoor pools to open June 5
Lawrence community members can now cool off at the splash pad on Burroughs Creek Trail, and the outdoor pools are set to open soon.
Church and state: Kansas Republicans ignore voters and pass new anti-abortion laws
Despite the 59-41 margin in a statewide vote on the constitutional amendment last year, Republican lawmakers passed new anti-abortion laws.
Molly Adams/Lawrence Times
Native American Student Services honors graduating seniors; history made with eagle feather dedication
Lawrence High School senior Inila Brave is set to give a speech at her school’s commencement ceremony next week, an honor that she said the Lawrence school district’s support program for Native American students helped prepare her for.
Kansas Board of Regents contemplates 5% to 7% tuition hikes at public state universities
KU and the state’s other five public universities recommended Wednesday the Kansas Board of Regents authorize tuition increases ranging from 5% to 7% in the upcoming school year.
August Rudisell/Lawrence Times
It’s graduation season for Lawrence Public Schools; here’s when and where to celebrate
Lawrence Public Schools will celebrate the accomplishments of hundreds of graduating students with several upcoming ceremonies this week and next.
Lawrence police to conduct DUI saturation patrol
Extra Lawrence police officers will be patrolling for impaired drivers Friday throughout city limits, according to a news release from the department.
Church and state: Kansas Republicans justify private school handouts with fear of ‘woke ideology’
Adam Peters, GOP chairman in Ellis County, draws a parallel between the average Kansas fourth-grader and Janissaries of the 16th century Ottoman feudal system, saying public schools will ”weaponize those children against you.”
Wichita Sky Kings’ free fan fest to feature former KU hoops stars (Sponsored post)
The Wichita Sky Kings, Kansas’ pro basketball team, are hosting their first annual fan fest, including meet-and-greets with some Jayhawk legends and NBA players and champions.
Lawrence city commissioners face potential $4.6M budget deficit but ask about cutting property taxes
Lawrence city commissioners on Tuesday took their first steps in budget planning for 2024, which early numbers indicate could require bridging a $4.6 million deficit. However, some commissioners said they wanted to look at a potential property tax cut.
Chansi Long/Lawrence Times
Housed and unhoused Lawrence community members planning camp cleanups
Sandy Burkett is eager to participate in an upcoming camp cleanup, one of several planned collaborations between housed and unhoused community members and neighborhood groups throughout Lawrence.
Molly Adams/Lawrence Times
Lawrence High’s Valerie Schrag wins annual Bobs Award and $10K prize
The payout was huge, and it matched the praise heaped today on social studies teacher Valerie Schrag as she received the Lawrence Schools Foundation’s 2023 Excellence in Teaching Award.
Chloe Anderson/Lawrence Times
Attorney Ron Kuby reflects on free speech violations at KU, changing ‘marketplace of ideas’
Civil rights attorney Ron Kuby came to Lawrence for the first time in a decade this weekend — he had an arrest reunion to get to.
He spoke about free speech violations on KU’s campus and why he’s now questioning his previous position as a First Amendment absolutist.
The Raven Book Store’s bestsellers for May 16, 2023 (Sponsored post)
”This week features our usual fantastic mix of local authors, event books, staff picks, and a few national bestsellers. Raven readers, thanks as always for your amazing taste and support for local authors!” the Raven Book Store writes.
Church and state: Kansas Republicans target ‘imminently exploitable’ LGBTQ community
The role of religion in attacks on the LGBTQ community is evident in the hate group that writes legislation, debate among lawmakers, and a secret audio recording from a March 2 meeting of Republicans in Hutchinson.
Some city, county commissioners supportive of $52.5M plan to build new fire stations; some want more options
City and county commissioners voiced general support Monday for new fire and medical stations that would cost an estimated $52.5 million, though some commissioners said they would like to see more options presented.
Courtney Farr: Kansas is passing the same laws that powered the 1969 Stonewall raid (Column)
”Almost 54 years (after the Stonewall riots), the idea of being arrested after a genital inspection doesn’t feel all that far-fetched once again,” Courtney Farr writes in this column.
Molly Adams/Lawrence Times
Lawrence Public Library to hold clinic on how to change gender markers on legal documents
The Lawrence Public Library is teaming up with Kansas Legal Services to hold a free clinic Wednesday to help transgender people get their gender markers changed on their Kansas birth certificates and IDs before new anti-trans legislation goes into effect.
Kansas, Montana lawmakers object to pronounced riptide of LGBTQ+ ‘erasure’ legislation
Kansas Rep. Brandon Woodard and Montana Rep. Zooey Zephyr pushed back Monday against movement among conservative state legislators to erode non-discrimination protections of LGBTQ+ individuals in a quest to “erase” them from public society.
Lawrence City Commission to start budget planning
Lawrence city commissioners will kick off this year’s budget planning process on Tuesday by taking a broader look at where tax dollars are going and considering priorities. The community can weigh in, too.
Church and state: Republicans revel in divine plan to turn Kansas into ‘conservative sanctuary’
This week, Kansas Reflector is publishing a series of stories that examine the influence of religious beliefs on state government. On Monday, they begin with a GOP official’s plans for turning Kansas into a conservative sanctuary.
Ken Lassman
Kaw Valley Almanac for May 15-21, 2023
Spiderwort is a perennial native wildflower that has started blooming in area prairies.
Chloe Anderson/Lawrence Times
KU graduates told to ‘sow more unity and peace, less discord’ as they go into the world
Higher education leaders made clear Sunday that they have high hopes and expectations for the University of Kansas Class of 2023 to make the world a better place.
