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.)

Lawrence school board candidates critique process of evaluating superintendent’s job performance
Candidates for Lawrence school board defined their perceived roles in public education advocacy, budgeting, COVID-19 safety protocols, hiring, wage increases and grading the superintendent during the teachers union forum on Saturday.

Photos: LowRence Cruisers hold inaugural fundraiser for Lawrence schools
The LowRence Cruisers held their inaugural fundraiser to benefit the Lawrence Schools Foundation on Saturday.

How to register to vote, request a mail ballot and more for Lawrence city elections
A quick guide to why Lawrence city elections matter, how to register to vote fast, how to vote from your couch on your own time, and more. Tuesday, Oct. 12 is the deadline to register.

Lawrence Transit event to celebrate Peaslee Tech students’ construction of bus shelters
A ribbon cutting Saturday morning will celebrate the students of Peaslee Tech who hand-built and installed new wooden bus shelters around town.

Kansas school board candidate compares mask mandate to Nazi persecution of Jews
Shawnee Heights school board candidate Christina Flaming compared COVID-19 mask mandates to Nazi persecution of Jews, referred in a campaign fundraising appeal to “so-called vaccinations” for coronavirus and accused physicians and news media of being complicit in an effort to stoke public fear with bad science.

Tom Harper: Lawrence train depot fountain is a misfit (Column)
The city has finished the nine-month-long rebuild of the fountain next to the historic Santa Fe/Amtrak depot in East Lawrence. Now that it’s finally completed, be sure to stop by to see it — before it is removed.

Review: Gold Medal BBQ brings sweet Southern style to downtown Lawrence
Review: Gold Medal BBQ Co. brings high-quality smoked meats and Southern-influenced side dishes to downtown Lawrence. The predominant flavors lean strongly toward the sweet, even in dishes that are typically tangy.

Kansas health officials: Schools see COVID-19 case rates decline, but youth vaccination rates lag
The Kansas Department of Health and Environment reported fewer new school-related COVID outbreaks this week — the first decline after several consecutive weeks. However, schools and students continue to lag in other key metrics.

Construction project at Lawrence High School to culminate in ribbon cutting, alumni Hall of Honor ceremony Saturday
As an extreme makeover of Lawrence High School nears completion after a two-year renovation, the public is invited to view the Chesty Lions’ new digs.

Lawrence City Commission candidates talk climate resiliency at Douglas County Democrats forum
Lawrence City Commission candidates shared their ideas to make Lawrence more “climate resilient” during Thursday’s Douglas County Democrat forum.

‘We must tell the truth of our past before we can improve it,’ Lawrence NAACP chair says
Remembering what happened to three Black men lynched in Lawrence more than 139 years ago is crucially important to improving racial equity now, Lawrence NAACP chair Ursula Minor said Thursday.

Kansas lawmakers want to challenge a COVID-19 vaccine policy that doesn’t exist yet
Republicans in Kansas are intent on pushing back against a forthcoming federal vaccine policy for private employers. The only problem? It isn’t written yet. But the politics of a nonexistent policy are benefiting both sides.

Indigenous Community Center to host art show, cultural event this weekend
The Indigenous Community Center (ICC), a local nonprofit focused on healing and connection for our Native community, is hosting an Indigenous Day Art Show this Saturday alongside educational opportunities to promote intercultural understanding.

For-profit Kansas prison an understaffed ‘hell hole’ of violence, death and drugs
The Leavenworth Detention Center, a pretrial lockup run by the nation’s largest private prison operator, CoreCivic, has been the site of two suicides and at least 10 severe beatings and stabbings this year, according to attorneys representing inmates there. Guards have quit rather than face the dangers.

Lawrence school board candidates share guiding values for pandemic safety decisions
The moderator of the Douglas County Democrats’ school board forum Wednesday asked the candidates to name the greatest successes and struggles in the district’s adaptations to the pandemic, and what values would guide their decision-making about safety policies.

Driver flown to hospital after crash in Douglas County
The driver of a cement truck was flown by helicopter to an area hospital with injuries that were not life-threatening following a crash Wednesday afternoon, according to a tweet from the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office.

Lawrence’s municipal services workers petition for election to unionize
Municipal Services and Operations workers are the latest City of Lawrence group to seek unionization with Teamsters Local 696.

20 things to know about 20 years of Kansas wind farming
From the total power Kansas wind generates to the county with the most turbines, here’s 20 interesting facts about Kansas wind.

Kansas hospitals see off-season surge of RSV cases, sickening children and straining system
The highly contagious RSV is usually a winter virus, which means Kansas doctors typically see fewer cases over the summer. This year, however, data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows state cases of RSV in Kansas took off in August.

City of Lawrence still needs church volunteers for winter shelter program; commissioners discuss $1.5M soccer field project
The Lawrence city manager gave city staff and commissioners an update Tuesday on the winter weather shelter program, which is anticipating demand of about 200 people and so far only has the capacity for 40. The commission also discussed a $1.5M soccer field project.

KU administrators engage in conversation on sexual assault with student protesters
What was planned to be a protest against ongoing complaints of sexual assault on college campuses turned into a closed-door conversation between University of Kansas students and administrators Tuesday night.

Attorney files complaint against Douglas County district attorney, calls for investigation of coroner
A Lawrence attorney has filed a complaint against the Douglas County district attorney for “spiteful, malicious” conduct, called for an investigation of the former coroner, and says the DA’s office should be disqualified from handling his client’s case.

Kansas Rep. Jake LaTurner to hold town hall at Lawrence Public Library
Rep. Jake LaTurner, whose district includes the Lawrence/Douglas County area, will hold a town hall this week at the Lawrence Public Library.

Audit: Inadequate IT security at Kansas schools leaves vital information exposed
A legislative audit revealing many school districts are not practicing basic security measures for information technology systems raised eyebrows Tuesday from a panel of legislators.