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.)
Lawrence police looking for missing woman, 74; silver alert issued
Lawrence police are looking for Wanda Dyer, 74, who has been missing since Friday morning.
Nathan Kramer / Lawrence Times
Lawrence school district looking to add preschool classes at neighborhood schools
Preschool classrooms will be added to two Lawrence elementary schools next year, with the district’s vision to make enough seats for 3- and 4-year-olds accessible. The district also has plans to expand other programming.
‘Stolen Focus’ author is Lawrence library’s 2025 Ross and Marianna Beach Author
The Lawrence Public Library has announced Johann Hari as this year’s Ross and Marianna Beach Author, and he’s set to speak in Lawrence in June.
Kansas Supreme Court justice to step down, citing Lou Gehrig’s disease
Kansas Supreme Court Justice Evelyn Wilson will retire, effective July 4, following a recent ALS diagnosis.
Kansas governor vetoes legislation that would disqualify slow-arriving mail-in ballots
Gov. Laura Kelly on Monday vetoed legislation that would eliminate a three-day grace period for advance mail-in ballots to arrive after Election Day.
Molly Adams / Lawrence Times
ACLU of Kansas, Loud Light to share info on anti-trans bills moving through statehouse
Local advocates will discuss current anti-trans legislation and community resources at a Trans Day of Visibility event in Lawrence.
Molly Adams / Lawrence Times
Lawrence, Douglas County cultural events can seek up to $10K from new grant program
Annual events that “celebrate, honor and uplift the county’s diverse cultural heritage” could receive up to $10,000 in funding from a new Heritage Conservation Council grant program.
Letter to the Times: Planning Commission should deny 3rd and Michigan upzoning request
“Please encourage the development interests — public and private — to engage the neighborhood so that the results reflect sensible density that adds value for all concerned,” Phil and Peggi Englehart write in this open letter to the Planning Commission.
Kaw Valley Almanac for March 24-30, 2025
A wave of pink, red and white redbud blossoms is sweeping south to north across Kansas right now. The flowers and early green pods are quite edible and delicious.
Nathan Kramer / Lawrence Times
Lawrence school district reports state and federal aid setbacks; board to hear budget update
The Lawrence school district may have to return funds already spent on security equipment, among other changes to state and federal funding the school board will hear about on Monday.
Molly Adams / Lawrence Times
Applications open for Racial Equity Community Building grants from United Way of Kaw Valley
The United Way of Kaw Valley has opened applications for local people and organizations to seek up to $5,000 in grant funding for work to elevate marginalized community members.
She arrived in Overland Park undocumented. It took her 22 years to get her citizenship
Natalie Zarate, 28, spent two decades working to become a citizen after crossing the border illegally as a child. Now she worries that the Trump administration’s efforts to crack down on immigration could endanger her and her family.
Lawrence community invited to Korean Culture Day at KU
The Lawrence community can learn traditional Korean games, learn calligraphy and more during an upcoming cultural celebration at the University of Kansas.
Kansas government efficiency committee restricts access to public suggestions
The chair of the Kansas Senate Committee on Government Efficiency restricted access to public submissions to its suggestion portal until after this legislative session, despite state law that requires public records be made available as soon as possible.
Obituary: Karl Robert ‘Bob’ Williams
Karl Robert “Bob” Williams, 3/10/1936 – 3/19/2025
August Rudisell/Lawrence Times
Lane reductions, road closures set to begin for Jayhawk watershed project in Lawrence
Construction for the Jayhawk watershed project is set to begin Monday, starting with a lane closure on Tennessee Street. The city expects the multiphase project to continue through the end of 2026.
Tom Harper/Lawrence Times
Tom Harper: Son of longtime Liberty Hall owners aims to preserve something ‘beneficial for everyone’ (Column)
Josh Millstein is stepping up to keep Liberty Hall alive and well, aiming to preserve his father’s vision and an iconic piece of downtown Lawrence’s historic district, Tom Harper writes in this column.
Obituary: Chris Lauber
Chris Lauber, 3/24/1954 – 3/13/2025
Kansas senator seeks higher rent for Statehouse reporters who write ‘inaccurate’ stories
Sen. Virgil Peck wants to raise the rent of reporters who write “inaccurate” things about him from their Statehouse offices. He offered no evidence to support his claim.
Obituary: Sureva C Towler
Sureva C Towler, 9/22/1932 – 3/5/2025
Kansas House denounces satanic black mass as ‘despicable, blasphemous and offensive sacrilege’
The House approved a resolution that denounces the Satanic Grotto’s plans to hold a black mass at the Statehouse after members debated the balance between respecting First Amendment protections for offensive speech — and their own right to respond.
Proposed row houses to undergo design tweaks to fit into downtown Lawrence
Developers will work with architects to try to make the design of 15 proposed row houses better fit in with the area near Seventh and Rhode Island streets in downtown Lawrence.
Voters will decide how to pick Kansas Supreme Court justices. But how many will cast a ballot?
Kansas voters will decide in the August 2026 primary election how the state should select its Supreme Court justices, but some fear the timing of the vote could dampen turnout.
Obituary: Phil Hoffman
Phil Hoffman, 8/12/1949 – 3/18/2025
