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.)
Where to go for fireworks in Douglas County
Lawrence will host a drone show instead of fireworks at its Summerfest, but opportunities for dazzling eruptions are offered elsewhere in Douglas County.
Lane Rozin/Lawrence Times
Free summer lunches in Lawrence extended through July; meal kits still available
Free in-person summer lunches for kids have been extended through July in Lawrence.
Obituary: Brett Matthew Elliott
Brett Matthew Elliott, 6/27/1980 – 6/7/2025
Leader of Kansas public defender office resigns in face of budget cuts, constitutional crisis
Heather Cessna is resigning as executive director of the state public defender’s office after years of warning apathetic legislators about the constitutional crisis they created by persistently underfunding her agency.
Kansas university presidents get pay boost amid tuition increases, staff cuts
KU Chancellor Doug Girod on Friday received a 12% hike that increased his salary from $695,000 to $800,000 a year. His total compensation is now $1 million a year, according to Regents data.
Kaw Valley Almanac for June 30 – July 6, 2025
It’s been raining a lot in much of Kansas — not necessarily what wheat harvest and haying needs, but less than a quarter of the state is currently in some sort of drought, which is a considerable improvement overall.
August Rudisell/Lawrence Times
Split Lip Rayfield, massive Lawrence crowd celebrate 30 years of music
Split Lip Rayfield and thousands of their Lawrence fans gathered on Mass Street late Saturday to celebrate 30 years of the band.
Obituary: Jerry Thomas Lyons
Jerry Thomas Lyons, 9/28/1940 – 6/16/2025
August Rudisell/Lawrence Times
Rec centers closed, celebrations planned and more to know for July 4 in Lawrence
Here’s a quick roundup of closures, changes, celebrations and more for the Fourth of July in Lawrence.
Lawrence couple questions Evergy policy after power outage in high heat
A Lawrence couple is voicing concerns about what could’ve happened when Evergy unexpectedly cut their electricity for hours on a 90-degree day this week. Long outages without notice could be dangerous for people, pets and food.
Kansas AG wants state education department to remove gender, sex language from lunch contracts
Kansas AG Kris Kobach encouraged the State Board of Education to remove sex discrimination language from the state’s lunch contracts, the latest in his offensive against gender and identity politics.
Molly Adams / Lawrence Times
Haskell faculty senate: Budget cuts would defund tribal colleges ‘beyond any hope of functionality’
Members of the faculty senate at Haskell say proposed federal budget cuts amounting to about 90% of funding would devastate tribal colleges and violate the government’s legal obligations.
Celebration of life for Ila Wuerdeman
Ila Wuerdeman, 10/31/1932 – 3/12/2025
Nathan Kramer / Lawrence Times
Watkins Museum of History celebrates completed restoration of stained glass windows
The Watkins Museum of History is celebrating a successful stained glass window restoration project — a community-funded effort to maintain a local historical landmark.
Molly Adams / Lawrence Times
Save the dates: Public hearings set for proposed Douglas County budget
Douglas County commissioners will kick off their annual budget process with a series of public hearings set to begin Monday, July 7.
Andrea Albright/Lawrence Times
State’s expert witness can’t testify in trial for man charged in Lawrence teen’s shooting death
A Douglas County district judge on Thursday denied the state’s last-minute request to allow an expert witness to testify about cell tower data during an upcoming Lawrence murder trial.
‘I would have died without it.’ Kansas teen copes with gender-affirming care ban
Kansas’ ban on puberty blockers and hormone therapies for transgender minors takes effect next year. This family is trying to navigate the changes — and give their daughter a normal teen life.
Molly Adams / Lawrence Times
Boba & Beyond opens at Lawrence’s Central Station
Amrutha Ravikumar has opened her second Boba & Beyond location. The cafe is the sole vendor at Lawrence Transit’s Central Station.
Kansas companies share anxiety about potential cuts to federal renewable energy tax incentives
Sarah Hill-Nelson, CEO of Bowersock Mills & Power Co., said tax benefits designed to encourage growth of alternative energy production projects — now threatened by Congress — were essential to upgrading the hydroelectric plant.
Molly Adams / Lawrence Times
Panel of Lawrence librarians discuss challenges to intellectual freedom at Free State Festival screening
Although Lawrence has not weathered the book-banning movements that have swept conservative states and other sectors of Kansas, local librarians want to see patrons taking proactive measures to support their educational institutions.
Obituary: Delores Marie Ringer
Delores Marie Ringer, 10/27/1948 – 6/21/2025
Mac Moore/Lawrence Times
Lawrence organizations, community members gear up for summer of advocacy
Dozens of Lawrence community members showed up for an advocacy event Tuesday evening, despite the 90° temperatures and no air conditioning inside the Ecumenical Campus Ministries building.
Community members can take adoptable Lawrence Humane Society dogs out for adventures
The Lawrence Humane Society has expanded its programming to include opportunities for community members to take adoptable dogs out for cost-free adventures.
Molly Adams / Lawrence Times
July 4th Freedom Fest to bring community together, recognize infringed rights
A new Fourth of July event in Lawrence will feature a U.S. Constitution reading, local performers, food and family activities to celebrate our constitutional rights while acknowledging that many rights are under attack, organizers say.
