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.)
Ken Lassman
Kaw Valley Almanac for Dec. 20-26, 2021
The winter solstice is on Tuesday; expect 14 1/2 hours between sunset Tuesday and sunrise Wednesday morning. In contrast, summer solstice nights last just a little more than 9 hours.
Is cutting down a tree for Christmas bad for the environment?
Christmas is a time for celebrating the season and a time for cutting down trees — and that holiday tradition sometimes leads to discussions about what’s best for the environment: Is it greener to buy a real tree or a fake tree, or abstain altogether?
Tricia Masenthin/The Lawrence Times
Lawrence school board to hold special meeting to discuss budget-cut proposals
Inside 300 pages of cost-trimming ideas for the Lawrence school board’s consideration are proposals to combine low-enrollment classes at high schools, restructure middle schools and more.
August Rudisell / The Lawrence Times
Douglas County has confirmed case of omicron variant
Kansas’ second confirmed case of the omicron variant of COVID-19 is in Douglas County, according to Lawrence-Douglas County Public Health.
Surging COVID-19 case numbers have some Kansas hospitals sapped of bed space, resources
Amid concerns COVID-19 will worsen as the temperature drops, Kansas hospital leaders are warning of rapidly rising case numbers leading to poor outcomes and limiting bed space.
August Rudisell / The Lawrence Times
Fire at Lawrence strip mall was accidental, fire department says
A fire in the attic of a Lawrence strip mall Thursday afternoon was caused by an “electrical event,” according to a news release from Lawrence-Douglas County Fire Medical.
Jeff Burkhead/Contributed Photo
Lawrence photographer tells story of community’s response to first year of COVID-19 pandemic in new book
Lawrence photographer Jeff Burkhead’s “Our Pandemic Year in Photos” is filled with hundreds of images telling tales of love, strength and resilience. Observations and essays penned by locals punctuate the collection and tie together the book’s message of hope.
Tricia Masenthin/The Lawrence Times
Lawrence school district says it hasn’t received any credible threats of violence amid nationwide fears
Joining school districts across the country, Lawrence Public Schools on Thursday sent a message to families regarding social media posts “containing vague threats of mass violence to schools” on Friday.
An eastern Kansas resident is the state’s first confirmed case of the omicron COVID-19 variant
A vaccinated person in Franklin County is the first confirmed Kansas case of the COVID-19 omicron variant.
Contributed images
Organizers of Coats 4 Kids hope to ‘promote peace, love, and positivity’ in Lawrence; drive is Sunday
Anthony Harvey Jr. and Ja’Darius Woods will be giving away free winter accessories to anyone who needs them, no questions asked, at the second annual Coats 4 Kids drive this Sunday.
Kansas National Guard deploys helicopters to wildfires burning in Kansas
The Kansas National Guard will deploy helicopters in an effort to put out wildfires in several counties in central and western Kansas, several state departments said in a news release Thursday.
Tom Harper/The Lawrence Times
Tom Harper: An update on Lawrence’s blue/purple streetlights (Column)
Here’s an update on the streetlights casting a blue-purple hue over Lawrence’s roadways.
August Rudisell/The Lawrence Times
Proposals to help balance Lawrence school district budget include school closures, reductions of positions
The public got its first glimpse of the details behind more than two dozen budget-trimming ideas for the Lawrence school district Wednesday afternoon.
‘Our greatest challenge’: Latest COVID-19 surge threatens Kansas hospitals again as omicron looms
The chief medical officer for the KU Health System is monitoring a steep climb in COVID-19 hospitalizations, almost entirely from unvaccinated residents, while hospitals already are busy treating patients suffering from influenza and the respiratory syncytial virus.
Courtesy of Sundance Institute
Lineup announced for Sundance Film Festival screenings in Lawrence
The Sundance Film Festival and Wichita’s mama.film will bring world premieres of comedies, period pieces, dramas and documentaries to Liberty Hall next month as part of the Sundance Satellite Screen program.
Tricia Masenthin/The Lawrence Times
Lawrence school district explains Montessori idea for New York Elementary; budget committee to hold meeting today
There is no current proposal or recommendation to close New York Elementary School, according to Lawrence Public Schools spokesperson Julie Boyle.
Carter Gaskins / The Lawrence Times
Bulk of Lawrence City Commission meeting delayed because of technical difficulties
The Lawrence City Commission cut its meeting short Tuesday evening because of audio problems for those attending via Zoom.
Shortage of substitute teachers in Kansas opens door to temporary change in license rules
Dramatic shortage of substitute teachers in Kansas public schools due to the COVID-19 pandemic is prompting the Kansas State Department of Education to consider temporarily modifying license requirements for people seeking part-time work in classrooms, officials said Tuesday.
Kansas AG’s natural gas well presents possible conflict of interest as he investigates industry
Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt has a financial interest in the sale of natural gas, prompting calls for him to disclose more information about his earnings as he investigates gas companies for potential price gouging during February’s severe freeze.
Mac Moore / KSHSAA Covered
Lawrence school board hears details about budget impact, support for gymnastics; approves legislative priorities and more
Budget cuts were the central focus of district staff as well as the public commenters who called for reductions of administrators’ six-digit salaries at Monday’s Lawrence school board meeting.
Lawrence schools see wave of alleged threats, alleged false reports of violence; police investigating another threat late Monday
Recent incidents and their aftermath at Billy Mills Middle School have some families on edge with concerns about student safety. On top of that, students at two other middle schools allegedly made false reports of a shooting and a threat on Monday, and police were investigating a threat to a Lawrence elementary school Monday night.
Former Kansas health secretary caught off-guard by firing, plans to keep fighting pandemic
As former KDHE secretary Lee Norman managed the state’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, he found himself at the center of a cultural battle between individual rights and the collective good.
Ken Lassman
Kaw Valley Almanac for Dec. 13-19, 2021
Last week, the calm water reflected the sunset and leafless trees just west of the Baker Wetlands a few minutes after sunset. This week promises to be much windier, with high fire danger and potentially severe weather midweek.
August Rudisell/The Lawrence Times
Lawrence school board to consider replacement of band uniforms, legislative priorities and more
The Lawrence school board on Monday will review its legislative priorities for 2022, consider replacing band uniforms for one of the high schools and more.
