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.)
Police investigate a Kansas city council member’s citizenship after a complaint left via voicemail
Lenexa City Councilmember Melanie Arroyo revealed that police had recently investigated her citizenship status and required her to prove her citizenship after a false allegation made in a voicemail.
Obituary: Barbara Lynne Watkins
Barbara Lynne Watkins, 6/25/1941 – 8/1/2025
August Rudisell/Lawrence Times
Lawrence community members ask city commission to reconsider police camera integration program
More than 20 public commenters railed against Lawrence city commissioners Tuesday night for approving a camera integration program the police department rolled out last month without public input.
Lawrence City Commission general public comment for Aug. 5, 2025
Here’s the general public comment for the Lawrence City Commission’s Tuesday meeting, as public comment is no longer being broadcast.
Housing progress in Kansas may slow with state, federal cuts to programs
The housing industry in Kansas faces a rollback of funding on the state and federal levels, rising building costs, inflation and tariffs, which could affect the progress made to address a dire need for housing in communities across the state.
August Rudisell/Lawrence Times
Lawrence City Commission approves Fall Creek Villas plan despite earlier rejection, community opposition
Lawrence city commissioners voted 3-2 Tuesday to approve a final plan for the Fall Creek Villas, a 14-duplex project planned near Kasold and Tomahawk drives. It had initially been rejected twice before approval.
August Rudisell/Lawrence Times
Lawrence city commissioners approve tax breaks for senior affordable housing project
Lawrence city commissioners on Tuesday voted to approve a 10-year, 65% property tax abatement for a planned affordable housing development for seniors.
Molly Adams / Lawrence Times
Schumm, Polian, Littlejohn and Courtney advance in Lawrence City Commission primary election
Bob Schumm, Kristine Polian, Bart Littlejohn and Mike Courtney will face off for two Lawrence City Commission seats in the Nov. 4 general election.
Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector
Sports Pavilion Lawrence to close for a week for renovations
Sports Pavilion Lawrence will be closed Monday through Sunday, Aug. 25-31, for interior facility renovations.
Obituary: Fredrick Jesse Harrell
Fredrick Jesse Harrell, 11/13/1953 – 6/26/2025
Lawrence Humane Pet of the Week: Whisky, a sensitive soul, is a pleasure to have in doggy playgroups
As a Great Dane mix, Whisky has many of the iconic Scooby Doo features while only weighing 55 pounds. For those who were called “old souls” or “a pleasure to have in class,” she might just be the perfect dog.
The Raven Book Store’s bestsellers for Aug. 5, 2025 (Sponsored post)
“Although ‘Project Hail Mary’ took the gold (and who wouldn’t want to read the book after seeing that trailer?!), so many of the books on this list were written by authors from Kansas,” the Raven Book Store writes.
Nathan Kramer / Lawrence Times
‘A systemic failure,’ part 1: Hilltop Child Development Center staff, families say abuse reports are symptoms of bigger issues
Despite reports of abuse surfacing, current and former Hilltop Child Development Center staff members and families say they have deeper concerns, and publicized incidents are a small part of a much larger story.
Nathan Kramer / Lawrence Times
‘A systemic failure,’ part 2: Teachers, families say Hilltop’s ‘magic is gone’ after key staff are pushed out
Hilltop Child Development Center has taken a dramatic turn for the worse very recently. Teachers and parents say that “the magic is gone” after two longtime staff members were pushed out.
Nathan Kramer / Lawrence Times
‘A systemic failure,’ part 3: Hilltop staff, parents question whether center will be able to open safely after staff exodus
Hilltop Child Development Center is supposed to open its doors for the fall semester on Monday, Aug. 11. But many Hilltop staffers and families are unsure whether that will be able to happen — and if it does, if it’ll happen safely.
Mackenzie Clark/Lawrence Times
‘A systemic failure,’ part 4: Kansas publishes some info on child care center investigations online. Here’s how to find it
State investigations into child care facilities in Lawrence have found serious issues, such as physical and verbal abuse, children “escaping” near busy streets and more. Parents have a right to know about these kinds of issues.
August Rudisell/Lawrence Times
Lawrence City Commission to consider final plan for Fall Creek Villas after project adjusted to address stormwater concerns
Lawrence city commissioners on Tuesday will consider approving a final plan for the Fall Creek Villas, a 14-lot residential project planned near Kasold and Tomahawk drives.
Lawrence city commissioners to consider tax breaks for senior affordable housing development
Lawrence city commissioners will hold a public hearing and consider awarding about $750,000 in property tax breaks for a new development providing affordable housing for seniors.
Kansas governor joins lawsuit against Trump administration for federal funding losses
Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly joined 22 other states and Washington, D.C., in suing the Trump administration for terminating federal funding, which she said has led to cuts to state agriculture, health and safety programs “on a whim.”
Nathan Kramer / Lawrence Times
Open house celebrates decade of Free State High School prairie restoration project
Local wildlife appeared and wildflowers were in bloom on Sunday as community members toured the decade-old Free State High School prairie.
Letter to the Times: They want us to stay quiet. We can’t
“What happens when the people in power make a major decision that affects all of us, but don’t tell us about it? What happens when they don’t ask for our input, don’t open the floor for conversation, and then act as if it is too late to question it?” Micha Anne Cox writes in this letter to the Times.
Kaw Valley Almanac for Aug. 4-10, 2025
Believe it or not, these bugs are the same species: the two mating adult green stink bugs on the right looked like the round striped bug on the left when they were in the nymph stage.
August Rudisell/Lawrence Times
Kids Expo to offer free school supplies, shoes and more for Lawrence students
The Lawrence Schools Foundation will soon host its second annual Kids Expo, offering creative activities for families, free screenings, free shoes, back-to-school supplies and more for students who need them.
2nd Street to close, Iowa traffic pattern to shift and more traffic updates in Lawrence
About half a mile of Second Street will close to through traffic, work on Iowa Street will flip to the other side of the road and more roadwork will be underway in the coming week.
