The pieces in this section are generally written by members of the Lawrence community and those who have close ties. In addition, the Times is offering some space for area organizations and organizers to provide updates and attempt to reach other folks who might share their mission.
The Lawrence Times does not publish staff editorials (unsigned opinion columns, usually about the topics we cover, that many news publications run).
Want to submit a letter or column to the Times? Great! Click here to find out how.
OPINION COLUMNS
Tom Harper: A ‘Thanksgiving miracle’ in Lawrence (Column)
”Simple acts of kindness and generosity happen daily. Sometimes they are small, such as holding a door open for a stranger; other times, they’re as monumental as gifting a vehicle to someone in need,” Tom Harper writes in this column.
Shawn Alexander: Say his name – Fred Harvey Smith (Column)
”Racial violence has been omnipresent in American history, and in far too many of the incidents, the perpetrators of the crime are acquitted or not even brought up on charges. When I think of such cases I am often haunted by the heinous murder of Fred Harvey Smith here in the land of John Brown in May 1936,” Shawn Alexander writes in this column.
Mike Warner: Voters have an experienced choice in this district attorney race (Column)
”Experience matters. … A poorly managed district attorney’s office undermines justice and wastes taxpayers’ money, and I want to end this,” Mike Warner writes in this column.
Tom Harper/Lawrence Times
Tom Harper: Keep City Hall in downtown Lawrence where it belongs (Column)
”Our city hall communicates strength and has an aura of permanence … City hall must remain in the heart of our city: downtown,” Tom Harper writes in this column.
Tom Harper/Lawrence Times
Tom Harper: Behind the brew – How KANbucha came to be (Column)
Elliot Pees, creator of KANbucha, recently gave Tom Harper a tour of his business and allowed him to document the weekly process of making 240 gallons of kombucha.
Shannon Portillo: Save KU’s centers that espouse values, help form leaders (Column)
”I benefit to this day from the strong networks I was able to build in spaces that students demanded. I hope that KU can continue to have those spaces of learning and connection for the students, staff and faculty there now,” Shannon Portillo writes in this column.
LETTERS TO THE TIMES
Letter to the Times: Bail fund overregulation would keep ‘justice’ system in hands of the elite
”The idea that community bail funds should be regulated with insurance requirements is an absurd overregulation of what amounts to voluntary mutual aid within a community,” Douglas County Community Bail Fund directors write in this letter to the Times.
Letter to the Times: No more false populism
”We must be diligent in calling out disingenuous actors who seek to further divisions under the guise of helping the working class,” Isaac Johnson, of Trans Lawrence Coalition, writes in this letter to the Times.
Letter to the Times: The new land development code – A finish line appraisal
”Give the (new land development) code a little breathing space … and let’s watch and see what the early returns are on residential infill. Perhaps neighborhood concerns will prove largely misplaced,” Phil Englehart writes in this letter to the Times.
ORG CORNER
Letter to the Times: Bail fund overregulation would keep ‘justice’ system in hands of the elite
”The idea that community bail funds should be regulated with insurance requirements is an absurd overregulation of what amounts to voluntary mutual aid within a community,” Douglas County Community Bail Fund directors write in this letter to the Times.
Bert Nash Center: Community Resource Fair to offer food, demos, dozens of agencies (Announcement)
”This will be the third year for the Bert Nash Center’s Community Resource Fair. And this year’s will be the most interactive one yet,” Jeff Burkhead writes in this Org Corner piece from Bert Nash Community Mental Health Center.
Watkins Museum of History: Free fun to return with Summer Games (Announcement)
“The Watkins Museum of History is excited to announce the return of a popular event series: Watkins Summer Games,” the museum writes.
FROM THE STACKS
Note: Staff members at the Lawrence Public Library write blog posts about books, bookish things and other media. The Times is reposting some of those blogs in this feature, From the Stacks. Find many other blog posts, titles referenced in these posts and much more on the library’s website, lplks.org.
From the Stacks: Who is David Lowery?
“David Lowery fans: I hope you’re free to join us on Nov. 3 at the Lawrence Arts Center. You can expect an irreverent, wide-ranging conversation about the business of rock music, the Internet, capitalism, and maybe even a little math,” Library Director Brad Allen writes.
Lawrence Public Library/Contributed Image
From the Stacks: Unsolicited reading recommendations for Lawrence candidates
Here’s a series of unsolicited reading recommendations for Lawrence City Commission and Lawrence school board candidates, based on favorite books they shared with the Times.
Contributed Image
From the Stacks: An interview with Bathsheba Demuth ahead of her Wednesday event
“One of my favorite books of the past couple years is Bathsheba Demuth’s award-winning ‘Floating Coast,’ so I was pleased to see that the author is part of this season’s speaker series at KU’s Hall Center for the Humanities,” Jake Vail of Lawrence Public Library writes.
