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.)
Amy Helmer/Contributed photo
Amy Helmer: Life, liberty, and the right to pee (Column)
“Fearmongering over the alleged safety risks of peeing is so deeply American, it is hardly surprising that the modern-day politician increasingly attempts to frame transgender people as political scapegoats,” Amy Helmer writes in this column.
Cuyler Dunn/Lawrence Times
Report suggests solutions to help single mothers in Douglas County
Single mothers in Douglas County regularly endure overlapping struggles to find housing, food and health care, according to a report produced by the county, KU and a handful of other local agencies.
Kansas disaster declaration prepares state for World Cup visitor boom
The upcoming World Cup prompted Gov. Laura Kelly to declare a state of disaster emergency in Douglas and two other counties, anticipating effects from four base camps in the Kansas City-area.
Kansas Republicans force transgender bathroom restrictions into law, overriding a veto
Republicans in the Kansas Legislature have forced restrictions on bathroom use by transgender people into state law by overriding the governor’s veto.
Lawrence City Commission general public comment for Feb. 17, 2026
Here’s the general public comment for the Lawrence City Commission’s Tuesday meeting, as public comment is no longer being broadcast.
via Sanctuary Alliance
Lawrence police, Douglas County Sheriff say they had no notice ahead of ICE arrests
Spokespeople for the Lawrence Police Department and the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office said that neither agency was involved in Tuesday’s ICE sightings and arrests, nor did they know they were coming.
Molly Adams / Lawrence Times
Lawrence Mardi Gras parade draws energetic crowd
The Lawrence Mardi Gras parade drew a crowd of energetic and festive paradegoers who sang, danced and cheered their way through downtown Lawrence Tuesday.
Kansas Senate overturns governor’s veto of anti-trans ‘bathroom bill’
The Kansas Senate overturned Gov. Laura Kelly’s veto on Tuesday, putting the state one step closer to forcing people to use bathrooms in government buildings that match their biological sex at birth.
Kansas cell phone ban applying to both public and private schools clears House
TOPEKA — Cell phones are one step closer to disappearing from Kansas classrooms after the […]
Obituary: Nancy Kaufmann
Nancy Kaufmann, 7/1/1933 – 2/16/2026
via Sanctuary Alliance
Multiple reports of ICE detainments, sightings in Lawrence; 5 arrests confirmed, advocates say
Lawrence was swept with reports of ICE sightings and arrests Tuesday. Advocates say they’ve confirmed five people were detained.
Lawrence Transit On Demand to start charging per ride; here’s how to pay
Lawrence Transit will start charging $3 for each one-way on demand ride starting next month, and the city will only accept credit card payments.
The World Cup is the perfect place for disease to spread. Kansas health workers are preparing
A projected 650,000 people will visit the Kansas City region for the World Cup this year, and with that comes the risk of disease spreading and health care demands.
Kaw Valley Almanac for Feb. 16-22, 2026
Here are the opened male blossoms of the silver maple, resting on tree bark. Some maples are male while others are female, and some have both types of flowers.
Molly Adams / Lawrence Times
Lawrence Humane Society takes in pets surrendered because owners fear deportation, detainment
The Lawrence Humane Society has taken in three dogs so far this year who were surrendered because their owners were afraid of detainment and deportation. The shelter had never documented cases like this before.
Molly Adams / Lawrence Times
Haskell’s spring Welcome Back Powwow draws hundreds
The Haskell Welcome Back Powwow drew hundreds of community members to the Coffin Sports Complex Saturday.
Logan Pierson / Lawrence Times
Ahead of World Cup, Lawrence advocates to share how to spot, prevent human trafficking
The Willow and the Care Center in Lawrence are partnering to provide human trafficking awareness and response training in preparation for the World Cup games in Kansas City.
Letter to the Times: City of Lawrence should revise, not rescind, sustainability ordinance
“While the federal government is undoing efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, Lawrence can and should lead the way,” members of the League of Women Voters of Lawrence-Douglas County write in this letter to the Times.
Kansas governor vetoes ‘bathroom bill’ aimed at transgender people
Democratic Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly vetoed a GOP-led bill on Friday that bans transgender people from using restrooms and locker rooms according to their gender identity.
Obituary: Patsy Darlene Kirkman
Patsy Darlene Kirkman, 5/8/1941 – 1/27/2026
KU organizations to host Lunar New Year celebration
The Lawrence community can ring in the Year of the Horse at the KU Center for East Asian Studies’ New Year Festival, which will feature giveaways, performances from local organizations, activities and more.
Landlord-friendly bill would roll back Lawrence’s protections for low-income renters
A Kansas property owner wants to impose a restriction across the entire state because of Lawrence’s ordinance protecting low-income renters.
Nathan Kramer / Lawrence Times
Lawrence city commissioners won’t restore free senior swim days as they await more data
Lawrence city commissioners considered reinstating free senior swim on Wednesdays at the Indoor Aquatic Center, but they chose to hold off until they have more data about rec center usage following fee implementation.
Douglas County/Contributed Photo
Reminder: Douglas County treasurer’s office to move all services into satellite location from courthouse
Reminder: The Douglas County treasurer’s office will close its public-facing services in the historic courthouse downtown after this week and move all operations to the satellite location on Sixth Street.
