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.)
Molly Adams / Lawrence Times
Kansas Supreme Court questions First Amendment rights in disciplinary case against ex-Douglas County DA
Former Douglas County DA Suzanne Valdez told the Kansas Supreme Court Tuesday that never in her “craziest of nightmares” did she believe she’d be standing before them for a disciplinary hearing. The court will soon decide whether she will face any discipline.
Nathan Kramer / Lawrence Times
Lawrence City Commission to hear budget update as city looks to cut $6.6M
Homelessness solutions, parks and recreation, and economic development initiatives are among the areas that could see the biggest cuts toward patching a $6.6 million deficit in the City of Lawrence’s 2026 budget.
Kansas Governor vetoes bill that would extend state budget if lawmakers fail to pass one
Gov. Laura Kelly on Monday vetoed a bill that would roll over the previous year’s state budget if the Legislature failed to pass one, pointing out that every legislative body since the state’s founding had managed to pass a budget and she expects nothing less.
August Rudisell/Lawrence Times
Boys & Girls Club of Lawrence cuts some employees, facing potential $1M shortfall
The Boys & Girls Club of Lawrence, facing a budget shortfall that could rise to more than $1 million, has eliminated several positions, the organization announced. Current programs and services will continue as normal, however.
Lawrence likely to see storms, strong winds Tuesday night
The Douglas County area will likely see thunderstorms and strong wind gusts overnight Tuesday into Wednesday, according to the National Weather Service forecast.
Kansas Legislature’s Republican leadership hustling to end annual session in early April
Kansas House and Senate leadership want to quickly conclude their business for 2025. The goal of GOP leaders has been to tie the governor’s hands in terms of budget and tax policy, while avoiding a special session.
Kaw Valley Almanac for March 31 – April 6, 2025
This should be a great week for seeing “spring ephemerals,” the woodland wildflowers that use sunlight to bloom and finish up before the leaves come out on the dominant oaks and hickory trees by the end of April.
Molly Adams/Lawrence Times
KU Powwow and Indigenous Cultures Festival coming up; screenings to kick off events
The annual Powwow and Indigenous Cultures Festival at KU will feature activities for all ages, speakers, student researchers and two grand entries. Events kick off with a free film screening and panel this week.
Nathan Kramer / Lawrence Times
Wetlands advocates say developers are now using affordable housing as a ‘red herring’
Advocates in a Lawrence group protesting a proposed development south of town believe developers have added subsidized housing to the project to distract from its environmental and other consequences.
Letter to the Times: Lawrence’s policies should support business growth
“By supporting the expansion of existing businesses and by attracting new employers, we can create jobs, increase our tax base and ultimately ease the pressure on residential property taxpayers,” Gary Rexroad writes in this letter to the Times.
Obituary: Robert Paul (Bob) Hanzlik
Robert Paul (Bob) Hanzlik, 11/4/1943 – 3/28/2025
Group forming to ‘Bring Wanda home’; Lawrence woman, 74, has been missing for a week
Lawrence community members are coming together to bring Wanda Dyer home. She’s late to celebrate her 46th wedding anniversary.
Obituary: Robert ‘Bob’ Davis
Robert “Bob” Davis, 5/27/1944 – 3/20/2025
Obituary: Bobbie Ellen Moline
Bobbie Ellen Moline, 12/14/1938 – 3/20/2025
August Rudisell/Lawrence Times
City of Lawrence to host open house on airport master plan
The city is inviting community members and Lawrence Regional Airport users to an open house to learn more about the airport’s future and review potential development concepts.
Loud, boisterous rival protests of religious freedom among Catholics and satanists turn violent
The bullhorn-powered war of words between satanists and Catholics boiled over into brawling and a handful of arrests Friday during an extraordinary event at the Kansas Capitol that pushed boundaries of free speech and the separation of church and state.
August Rudisell/Lawrence Times
Here’s a glimpse at Lawrence’s Pallet village by the numbers after one year open
Just fewer than half of the people who have stayed at the Pallet shelter village for people experiencing homelessness have exited back to the streets or emergency shelter during the program’s first year, and about 25% left to permanent housing.
Kansas Legislature passes spending plan that would put state $460M in the hole within three years
The Legislature adopted a spending plan Thursday that fully funds public schools, raises pay for state employees, eliminates DEI initiatives, polices pronouns in emails, and puts the state on a course to face a budget shortfall within three years.
Kansas Legislature passes tax relief with talk of broken promises and out-of-control spending
Two tax bills will head to the Kansas governor’s desk after clearing the Senate Thursday, but Republicans and Democrats differed on whether the tax relief made good on their campaign promises to Kansans.
August Rudisell / Lawrence Times
Experts highlight stats, violence prevention efforts at Public Health After Dark event
When it comes to preventing violence in Douglas County, experts told a crowd of about 50 people on Thursday it takes a comprehensive community approach, and those efforts need to focus on youth as early as possible.
Molly Adams / Lawrence Times
More Haskell staff members to be reinstated
Several more of the Haskell Indian Nations University employees who were cut under federal orders last month will now be reinstated, according to an update from the university president.
Molly Adams / Lawrence Times
Watkins Museum, Lawrence library directors discuss potential fallout from federal order
Much is still unknown about how a recent executive order targeting the federal agency known as IMLS will ultimately impact Lawrence’s museums and libraries, but the stakes are high.
If you vote by mail in Kansas, you’ll have less time to return your ballot starting next year
Kansas will have one of the shortest mail-in voting periods in the country starting next year.
Molly Adams / Lawrence Times
Lawrence man pleads no contest to interference in police investigation of 14-year-old’s killing
A judge on Thursday found a Lawrence man guilty of interference with law enforcement after the 2023 shooting death of a 14-year-old Lawrence boy.
