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 High students, staff gear up for icy-cold swim in support of Special Olympics
Brrrr! The weather forecast calls for a low temperature near 20° the night before Lawrence’s annual polar plunge. Lawrence High School teacher Susie Mička just hopes organizers won’t need an ice axe to clear the frigid water for Sunday’s event.
Community leaders share updates with Lawrence City Commission ahead of Black History Month proclamation
Black history is integral to Lawrence history, community leaders with the local NAACP branch, Lawrence NAACP Youth Council and B.L.A.C.K. Lawrence discussed during Tuesday’s city commission meeting.
KU nominates 4 students for Truman Scholarships
Four KU students — including three from Douglas County — have been selected as nominees for Harry S. Truman Scholarships, given to college juniors for leadership in public service.
House Republicans explore new way to punish low-income, aging Kansans seeking food
A Florida-based lobbying group that fights government assistance programs wants Kansas lawmakers to impose new restrictions on federal food support for low-income people in their 50s.
Lawrence City Commission says no to helping county fund southern extension of Wakarusa Drive
Lawrence city commissioners on Tuesday voted to give Douglas County millions in funding for a road project, but with the caveat that the funds are not to go toward an extension of Wakarusa Drive south of city limits.
Fire damages duplex in Lawrence; no injuries reported
Fire damaged a duplex in the 2700 block of Crestline Drive Tuesday evening, but no injuries were reported, according to Lawrence-Douglas County Fire Medical.
Lawrence PRIDE expands to host more events; Queer Prom first on the agenda
Lawrence PRIDE has expanded to become a nonprofit, which will allow the organization to use additional funding resources and host more community events with the goal of providing everyone with a safe and welcoming space.
The Raven Book Store’s bestsellers for Feb. 7, 2023 (Sponsored post)
”January is widely believed to be a dead time in publishing. … That doesn’t appear to be the case with Raven readers this year, though: seven of our 10 bestsellers this week are January releases,” the Raven Book Store writes.
Kansas faith leaders, environmentalists call for transparency around Keystone pipeline spill
Faith leaders joined environmental advocates and Kansas legislators for a vigil Monday at the Statehouse to call attention to TC Energy’s lack of transparency regarding December’s Keystone pipeline spill, which dumped 588,000 gallons of crude oil in northern Kansas.
Monthly ‘Women on the Wall’ event creates space for women to practice rock climbing in Lawrence
Climb Lawrence invites women to come chalk up their hands and scale the walls during special events each month at the indoor climbing gym downtown.
Kansas lawmakers unveil bill to incentivize private education with public funds
A new education bill would funnel money into unregulated, unaccredited private schools, with lawmakers saying the legislation would protect parental authority.
ACLU, motorists challenge roadside detention, dog searches triggered by ‘trooper two-step’
A trial started Monday that challenges the constitutionality of the Kansas Highway Patrol’s policy of targeting out-of-staters for vehicle searches by drug-sniffing dogs.
Advocates concerned about city leaning on unpaid work from resident of North Lawrence campsite
The task of checking people in at the North Lawrence campsite for people experiencing homelessness falls on resident Jennifer Adams — along with other duties, such as de-escalating problems, distributing donations, and trespassing people when they violate the contracts secured in Adams’ tent.
Sedgwick County judge offers Kansas legislators package of bills to stem domestic violence
Judge Phil Journey’s vantage point from a courthouse in Sedgwick County — epicenter of the state’s domestic violence caseload — led to development of a package of reform bills he wants the Kansas Legislature to consider.
Boy found alive after going missing overnight south of Lawrence
A young boy was found alive Monday morning following an overnight search effort. He was being examined by medics but appeared to be OK, according to the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office.
Kaw Valley Almanac for Feb. 6-12, 2023
You can identify many more prairie plants than you might suspect by their leaves. Wild indigo, featured in this photo, keeps its leaves on all winter long.
Photos: Barbers put skills on display at Cuttin Up showcase in Lawrence
The Cuttin Up Barber Showcase brought hundreds of spectators to watch many of the area’s talented barbers compete at Venue 1235 in North Lawrence on Sunday.
LMH Health Foundation recognizes community members’ support of health care
The LMH Health Foundation has announced several recipients of an annual award that celebrates those who have provided significant service to the Lawrence hospital and support for community health care.
Educators say attacking Kansas teachers is GOP strategy to push private schools
When Buhler teacher Sam Neill gave lawmakers her opinion on educational issues in the state on Monday, she was told by a lawmaker that people like her were the reason no one wanted to become teachers.
Kansas City’s role in making doomsday weapons is a boon for the local economy
A plant on the southern edge of Kansas City makes most of the non-nuclear parts for nuclear weapons in the U.S. arsenal. That plant is expanding rapidly, spreading billions of federal dollars around the metro.
LOLA Valentine’s Day show to span 2 days, feature dozens of artists
This year, 35 vendors will sell their creations at the LOLA (Ladies of Lawrence Artwork) Valentine’s Day show — so many that the event is being spread out over two days.
Kansas might tighten criminal penalties for kids, after loosening them 6 years ago
Kansas lawmakers are trying to retool juvenile justice laws to bring back more penalties for children who commit crimes. Supporters of the bill said it brings back accountability. Opponents see it as unforgiving and regressive.
Clay Wirestone: Statehouse scraps – Secrecy shrouds semiconductor deal, counting a community, silver screen plans (Column)
”Somehow we just wrapped the fourth week of the 2023 Kansas legislative session. Tracking lawmakers’ antics sometimes feels like pounding a half-dozen slushies and taking a ride on a tilt-a-whirl,” Clay Wirestone writes in this Kansas Reflector column.
Lawrence students revive local NAACP Youth Council
Wendo Kimori believes in walking the talk when it comes to equity work, so she’s doing just that. The Free State High School senior is reviving Lawrence’s NAACP Youth Council.