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.)
Free State High School principal to retire
Free State High School Principal Myron Graber will retire at the end of June, the Lawrence school district announced Wednesday.
Ella Lee Dominguez: The kids aren’t alright (Column)
“I have worked with youth, both virtually and in person, since the pandemic began two years ago. I have seen firsthand the sorrow and fear these children carry with them daily,” Ella Lee Dominguez writes in this column.
House Republican wants bonus pay for teachers to replace funding for at-risk students
An Augusta rep. dueled Tuesday with a school board lobbyist over her proposal to create a bonus pay system for teachers by redirecting money earmarked for schools with high concentrations of low-income families.
Lawrence high school students outperform competitors in forensics, debate
After a weekend of success, it’s hard to argue that Lawrence’s high school debate and forensics teams aren’t among the best, both regionally and nationwide.
Douglas County Sheriff’s Office seeks to launch an in-house coroner program
Douglas County commissioners on Wednesday will hear a pitch to create an in-house, civilian-led death investigation program.
Kansas lawmakers want schools to post class lessons online as a tool against critical race theory
In the battle over critical race theory and how to teach about topics like racism or history in Kansas schools, conservative activists and lawmakers have a new clarion call: curriculum transparency.
Lawrence school board consensus: No school closures this year
Lawrence school district staff members have their work cut out for them: Don’t close any schools, and find $7 million in budget cuts that won’t impact students on a daily basis.
Kansas panel balances transparency, costs in open records act update
A Kansas Senate panel is considering how best to proceed with amending the state’s open records act to increase transparency without triggering unintended consequences and placing an undue burden on municipalities.
Voting rights groups launch court battle over new Kansas congressional map
The ACLU of Kansas and Loud Light filed lawsuits Monday arguing the congressional map endorsed by a GOP supermajority in the Legislature intentionally violates constitutional rights of Democrats and communities of color.
Lawrence Juneteenth group announces call for voting rights essays by highschoolers
The Lawrence, KS Juneteenth Organization is offering cash prizes for winning essay submissions from 9th – 12th grade students on the topic of voting rights.
Kaw Valley Almanac for Feb. 14-20, 2022
Learn what to do with new seeds; watch for geese, moonrise, and blooming crocuses; and more from this week’s Kaw Valley Almanac.
Lawrence school board to start meeting with budget work session
The Lawrence school board’s Monday meeting will begin with a 90-minute work session on the budget, then proceed to a regular meeting at 7:30 p.m.
‘This is punitive’: Kansas Senate committee considers poison pill wind energy bills
A series of bills would transform Kansas — one of the top producers of wind energy for two decades — into one of the most restrictive states in the nation, pro-wind experts say.
Photos: Families gather to celebrate Lawrence schools
Families and friends of Lawrence neighborhood schools gathered for a rally Saturday at South Park to “Celebrate Our Schools.”
Karen Vaughn: Read books, don’t ban them (Column)
“The challenged books are not pornography or treatises on bomb-making. These books have been chosen (by teaching professionals) for their artistic and educational value,” Karen Vaughn writes in this column.
Sexual assault survivors Bill of Rights provides Kansans critical trauma supports, advocates say
A bill under consideration in a Kansas House committee would provide a sexual assault survivor with a support person throughout any physical examinations, interviews, investigations or any interaction with the legal system.
Updated Lawrence school district budget data shows school closures would save less than slashing programs
Updated data from the Lawrence school district shows that a plan that includes closing or repurposing five schools would save the district less money than a plan that closes no schools but makes deep cuts to programs.
Man charged with soliciting murder after paperwork seized from his Douglas County jail cell
A man was charged Thursday with allegedly attempting to have someone killed — a charge that comes two and a half months after a Douglas County jail cell search that the man’s defense attorney says violated his client’s constitutional rights.
Fair to provide eager growers opportunity to trade and share seeds with fellow gardeners
In a sure sign of spring, the Kaw Valley Seed Fair is returning to the Douglas County Fairgrounds Saturday with food, vendors and thousands of seeds to share.
‘Caught off guard’: Lawrence community members share their concerns about school closure proposals
The Save Our Schools 497 group has hosted community meetings and rallies with more to come soon. But these efforts are just the top layer of organizers’ work, and the enthusiasm shown in these demonstrations is a veneer on top of deep concerns for many families.
Lawrence author tells paranormal tale of entomologist’s first year at KU in new novel, ‘The Bug Diary’
In another life, Amber Fraley might have studied biology. Now, the Lawrence writer has channeled her love of the natural world into a novel that tells the mysterious story of a KU freshman’s first year on campus.
Lawrence school district apologizes for inaccurate data shared on budget options
The Lawrence school district shared breakdowns of three cost-cutting options during a meeting Wednesday evening — but some of the data was inaccurate.
Kansas Senate weighing bill to trim property tax for K-12 schools by $150 million annually
Passage of property tax legislation in the Kansas Senate would exempt $100,000 of the assessed value on residential property from the 20-mill tax used by the state to finance public schools and would result in a decline of nearly $150 million annually in state revenue.
Lawrence’s Indigenous Community Center launches new food sovereignty farm
Lawrence’s Indigenous Community Center has reserved an acre of farmland, where board members and a crew of volunteers will plant perennial crops including berries, vegetables, roots, edible flowers and herbal medicines.