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.)
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.
Tricia Masenthin / The Lawrence Times
Eight months later: The aftermath of closing Kennedy Elementary School
Eight months after the Lawrence school board voted to close Kennedy Elementary’s K-5 classrooms, students and staff are grappling with changes and uneven class sizes.
August Rudisell/The Lawrence Times file photo
Looking ahead: Plans still in flux for Kennedy Early Childhood Center
The Lawrence school district continues efforts to finalize plans eight months after the school board’s vote to close Kennedy Elementary School to grades K-5.
KU astronomers want answers to a big question: What else is out there?
Two KU professors have helped decide that national astronomy research priorities for the next decade should focus first and foremost on the most curious question in their field.
Clay Wirestone: Kansas politics have been a freak show this year. There’s a cynical explanation for that. (Column)
“In 2021, conservatives just decided to double down on racism and death. They didn’t say that outright, of course, but they understood that hatred of Black and brown people is still a potent weapon among white voters,” Clay Wirestone writes in this column for Kansas Reflector.
Contributed Photo
‘Liberate LFK’: Student documentary highlights LGBTQ+ activism at KU through the years
Students at the University of Kansas School of Journalism on Friday released a short documentary about LGBTQ+ activism at KU over the years, completing a semesterlong project and spotlighting the queer community in Lawrence.
Delta Dental board directors illegally seized power from Kansas dentists, court rules
Political appointees to the Delta Dental of Kansas board illegally extended their terms and stripped power from member dentists during a confidential meeting last December, a Sedgwick County District Court judge ruled Thursday.
Lawrence Times graphic
Lawrence hospital opens COVID-19 unit amid uptick in cases
Lawrence Memorial Hospital has opened a COVID-19 unit because of its recent uptick in COVID inpatients, the hospital said in a community update Thursday afternoon.
Contributed
Lawrence creators to host interactive multimedia art shows, holiday concert
Whether you’re hoping to catch a holiday music performance or looking to explore the connection among art, music and community, a hometown artist and his collaborators have you covered in three upcoming shows.
Kansas classroom safety panel grows increasingly concerned as students’ mental health issues rise
A rise in youth suicide rates and increased reports of anxiety and depression among school-age kids has a Kansas panel focused on COVID-19 safety in the classroom concerned as the pandemic drags on.
August Rudisell/The Lawrence Times
Here’s the offer that Lawrence’s next police chief accepted
Incoming Lawrence Chief of Police Rich Lockhart will start his job with an annual salary of $156,035, expenses for moving, and a vacation perk on par with city staff employed 6-10 years.
‘Americans always rebuild’: Biden promotes infrastructure investments in Kansas City speech
President Joe Biden on Wednesday visited the Kansas City Area Transportation Authority to tout the $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill he signed into law last month, expected to bring billions in spending on roads and bridges, clean water, public transportation, high speed internet and more to Kansas and Missouri.
Celia Llopis-Jepsen / Kansas News Service
Kansas judge throws out abortion regulations, saying they infringed on women’s access to care
Abortion regulations in a law passed by the Kansas Legislature in 2011 have been thrown out by a Shawnee County judge who said they infringed on women’s access to care.
KD Rudisell / Contributed Photo
Photos: Lawrence students hold protests against district proposal to nix gymnastics
Students at Free State High School held a walkout Wednesday in protest of district administrators’ tentative plan to end the high school gymnastics program.
Carter Gaskins / The Lawrence Times
Bart Littlejohn, Amber Sellers sworn in as newest Lawrence city commissioners
New Lawrence City Commissioners Bart Littlejohn and Amber Sellers were sworn into office Tuesday night, joined by recently re-elected incumbent Lisa Larsen.
Carter Gaskins / The Lawrence Times
Lawrence City Commissioners Jennifer Ananda, Stuart Boley say goodbyes as terms end
Coming from a childhood of poverty and trauma, Jennifer Ananda said that by the numbers, she should not be sitting on the Lawrence City Commission dais Tuesday night.
Should the Douglas County Commission have 5 members? Your chance to sound off
Douglas County on Thursday will host a community listening session on the possibility of moving from three county commissioners to five.
