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.)
Obituary: Mary Brown Wilson Bennington (Reid)
Mary Brown Wilson Bennington (Reid), 5/30/1945 – 2/1/2026
Obituary: Jeanne Pauline (Messenhimer) Haider
Jeanne Pauline (Messenhimer) Haider, 5/18/1949 – 1/23/2026
Cuyler Dunn/Lawrence Times
KU faculty union still without contract nearly two years in; city commissioner urges progress
Contract negotiations between KU’s administration and faculty union remain stalled after more than 600 days of bargaining, and a Lawrence city commissioner has joined those urging KU to end the delays.
Kansas GOP House members renew attacks on DEI, CRT at public universities
Kansas House Republicans stirred an academic hornet’s nest Tuesday with a bill imposing a ban on diversity, equity and inclusion as well as critical race theory in most classes counted toward degree requirements at the state’s public universities.
Lawrence City Commission general public comment for Feb. 3, 2026
Here’s the general public comment for the Lawrence City Commission’s Tuesday meeting, as public comment is no longer being broadcast.
Nathan Kramer / Lawrence Times
City Commission pledges tax breaks for west Lawrence affordable housing project
A majority of Lawrence city commissioners on Tuesday pledged their support for tax breaks to offset development costs of an affordable housing project planned for the far western edge of town.
Chloe Anderson/Lawrence Times
Fundraisers for the Lawrence Arts Center offer a smorgasbord of culinary-themed creations
As football fans gear up for the 60th Super Bowl, Lawrencians are readying their utensils for an annual soup and ceramics jubilee. The Lawrence Arts Center’s Souper Bowl is set for Saturday.
CoreCivic receives Leavenworth planning commission approval in contentious meeting
CoreCivic is a step closer to reopening its private prison in Leavenworth as a lucrative immigration detention center after the city planning commission approved a special use permit over objections from local advocates.
Tom Harper/Contributed photo
Former KU professor to give talk on biography of George ‘Nash’ Walker
A former KU professor will give a talk on his new book, a biography on the trailblazing Black performer George “Nash” Walker who spent formative years in Lawrence.
De Soto Panasonic battery plant nearing 50% production, second wing underway
Panasonic’s Kansas battery plant will ramp up to 50% of its production capacity in the next few months, a company executive said Monday.
Contributed image
Lawrence High School student artists shine in regional competition, advance to nationals
Lawrence High School students are celebrating success in a prestigious regional art competition, and many of their works will advance to the national level.
Tom Harper/Contributed photo
Student-curated collections on Indigenous literature, human connection with ecology to launch at KU
A dual exhibition will celebrate two new student-curated collections at KU Libraries focused on contemporary Indigenous literature and human connection to the flora and fauna of China and Japan.
One side of street, sidewalk closed on section of 24th Street in eastern Lawrence
City contractors are blocking some traffic and closing part of a sidewalk for a storm sewer replacement project along 24th Street in southeastern Lawrence.
August Rudisell/Lawrence Times
City Commission to consider tax breaks for 121-unit west Lawrence affordable housing project
Lawrence city commissioners on Tuesday will hold a public hearing and consider tax breaks for a 121-unit permanently affordable housing project that’s slated for K-10 and Bob Billings.
Kansas bill eliminates mail-in ballots if court strikes down signature verification law
A Senate bill would end advance voting by mail if a court strikes down state law requiring election officials to verify a voter’s signature. The prospect of such a ruling is playing out in Shawnee County.
Kaw Valley Almanac for Feb. 2-8, 2026
These geese are flying over a cottonwood. This time of year, it’s easy to hear the honking flocks of geese, particularly in the morning and evening skies, and it’s a great time of year to spot many other birds such as ducks, hawks, eagles, gulls, doves and more.
Nathan Kramer / Lawrence Times
Lawrence students, teachers celebrated at Ovation! talent show; creator returns to perform
Community members gathered Sunday evening for the 10th annual Ovation! talent show, spotlighting the showmanship of Lawrence Public Schools students.
House Republican forces hearing, despite no support, on restrictions for delivering advance ballots
House Democrats heckled Leavenworth Republican Rep. Pat Proctor’s latest idea to undermine advance voting after he forced a hearing on a bill that nobody was willing to support.
Molly Adams / Lawrence Times
Lawrence Public Library to grapple with budget, perceptions of safety during master plan development
The Lawrence Public Library director told a gathering of community partners, library staff and volunteers Friday that it’s his job to translate their unfettered brainstorming into financially sound realities.
Obituary: Judy Ann Smith Neslage
Judy Ann Smith Neslage, 1/18/1942 – 1/28/2026
Nathan Kramer / Lawrence Times
Young artists of Van Go, community celebrate new mural at downtown Lawrence bridal shop
Community members gathered Friday afternoon to celebrate the completion of the latest mural by the young artists of Van Go. The mural now decorates a wall of J.Lynn Bridal & Suiting in downtown Lawrence.
August Rudisell/Lawrence Times
Fatal shooting at Hawk stemmed from argument with bar staff, Lawrence police allege
A confrontation at the Hawk, a popular bar near KU’s campus, escalated from a dispute with bar staff members to gunfire that killed an 18-year-old and left a 16-year-old critically injured, court records show.
Nathan Kramer / Lawrence Times
Students of Lawrence schools to perform in annual Ovation! talent show
The 10th annual Ovation! talent show, set for Sunday, will highlight Lawrence Public Schools’ young singers, dancers, musicians and more.
Kansas schools could be required to verify family income for every student receiving free lunch
A proposed bill would require school districts to verify the gross household income of every student who receives free or reduced-price lunches. Federal law requires schools to verify a random sample amounting to 3% of recipients.
