Nathan Kramer / Lawrence Times
Lawrence City Commission to consider resolution pledging compliance with federal executive orders
City staff members are asking the Lawrence City Commission to pass a resolution saying the city will indefinitely suspend enforcement of its equal rights ordinances in hopes of maintaining federal funding.
Leavenworth sues to keep CoreCivic from reopening Kansas prison as ICE detention facility
The city of Leavenworth and CoreCivic will take their fight to court June 9 to determine whether the company can reopen its prison facility as an ICE detention center without going through a permitting process.
Nathan Kramer / Lawrence Times
Lawrence City Commission to consider resolution pledging compliance with federal executive orders
City staff members are asking the Lawrence City Commission to pass a resolution saying the city will indefinitely suspend enforcement of its equal rights ordinances in hopes of maintaining federal funding.
Leavenworth sues to keep CoreCivic from reopening Kansas prison as ICE detention facility
The city of Leavenworth and CoreCivic will take their fight to court June 9 to determine whether the company can reopen its prison facility as an ICE detention center without going through a permitting process.
Molly Adams / Lawrence Times
State court upholds Lawrence’s ordinance to protect against housing voucher discrimination
Kansas Court of Appeals judges have upheld Lawrence’s ordinance intended to ensure voucher recipients can secure housing, finding that “State and local governments have a legitimate interest in protecting the affordability and quality of housing.”
Historic Resources Commission advances plans for row houses near former Borders building
Plans to build 15 row houses next to the former Borders building in downtown Lawrence got a 3-2 nod of approval from the Historic Resources Commission Thursday evening, and the city is considering the former book store building for a City Hall annex.
Molly Adams / Lawrence Times
Project SEARCH students graduate from KU and Lawrence Memorial Hospital internships
Anthony Watts said he’ll most likely have to get a job soon because he’s “too young to retire.” Fortunately, Project SEARCH helped him and his fellow graduates prepare.
Molly Adams / Lawrence Times
State court upholds Lawrence’s ordinance to protect against housing voucher discrimination
Kansas Court of Appeals judges have upheld Lawrence’s ordinance intended to ensure voucher recipients can secure housing, finding that “State and local governments have a legitimate interest in protecting the affordability and quality of housing.”
Historic Resources Commission advances plans for row houses near former Borders building
Plans to build 15 row houses next to the former Borders building in downtown Lawrence got a 3-2 nod of approval from the Historic Resources Commission Thursday evening, and the city is considering the former book store building for a City Hall annex.
Molly Adams / Lawrence Times
Project SEARCH students graduate from KU and Lawrence Memorial Hospital internships
Anthony Watts said he’ll most likely have to get a job soon because he’s “too young to retire.” Fortunately, Project SEARCH helped him and his fellow graduates prepare.
Molly Adams / Lawrence Times
State court upholds Lawrence’s ordinance to protect against housing voucher discrimination
Kansas Court of Appeals judges have upheld Lawrence’s ordinance intended to ensure voucher recipients can secure housing, finding that “State and local governments have a legitimate interest in protecting the affordability and quality of housing.”
Historic Resources Commission advances plans for row houses near former Borders building
Plans to build 15 row houses next to the former Borders building in downtown Lawrence got a 3-2 nod of approval from the Historic Resources Commission Thursday evening, and the city is considering the former book store building for a City Hall annex.
Molly Adams / Lawrence Times
Project SEARCH students graduate from KU and Lawrence Memorial Hospital internships
Anthony Watts said he’ll most likely have to get a job soon because he’s “too young to retire.” Fortunately, Project SEARCH helped him and his fellow graduates prepare.
LAWRENCE NEWS
Molly Adams / Lawrence Times
Community Transition students embrace growth as they graduate
Students graduating from the Community Transition, or C-Tran, program in Lawrence were praised for their perseverance and resilience this year.
Chloe Anderson/Lawrence Times
Deed finalized to protect Baker Wetlands from development
The Baker Wetlands south of Lawrence will be permanently protected from development under a newly finalized restricted deed covenant, according to an announcement from Baker University.
Nathan Kramer / Lawrence Times
Just Food celebrates opening of expanded community garden space
Lawrence community members gathered Wednesday to celebrate a new “enhanced” garden space at Just Food. It includes a tea garden with native plants, accessible raised beds, an outdoor classroom and more.
August Rudisell/Lawrence Times
KU proposing 3% tuition increase for undergrads, 5% for grad students amid federal changes
KU is proposing tuition increases of 3% for undergrads and 5% for grad students as the chancellor said the university is grappling with changes coming from the federal level.
MORE …
STATE NEWS
Greg Kramos / USFWS
Trump administration wants to remove protections for threatened Kansas bird
The Trump administration is attempting to strike protections for the lesser prairie chicken, a bird that has teetered between threatened and endangered for decades.
Anti-porn center files four Kansas lawsuits alleging violation of state’s age-verification law
A bundle of federal lawsuits in Kansas have been filed on behalf of a 14-year-old Olathe resident alleging owners of online businesses violated a state law mandating steps be taken to prevent minors from accessing pornography lacking scientific, artistic or political value.
MORE …
COMMUNITY VOICES (OPINION)
Holly Krebs: Lawrence community deserves transparency and a voice on city budget, debt (Column)
“Because we believe our community would benefit from more public discussions about these important issues, our coalition will independently host a community conversation about the Lawrence city budget,” Holly Krebs, of the Coalition for Collaborative Governance, writes in this column.
Max Kautsch: Kansas Legislature’s supermajority makes mockery of open records law over efficiency portal messages (Column)
“This iteration of the Legislature seems to think it is entitled to redact information that could traditionally be found in a phonebook, and that it may do so in a futile attempt to shield the identity of a handful of powerful Kansans but not the rest of us,” Max Kautsch writes in this Kansas Reflector column.
MORE …
LAWRENCE LIFE
Lawrence high school journalism programs bring home state awards
Student journalists from Lawrence High and Free State both took home awards from the Kansas Scholastic Press Association this year, adding to a tally of recent honors for the programs.
Free State wins 6th straight speech title, completes season sweep
The Free State High School speech team claimed its sixth straight state championship, completing a sweep of state titles this year after winning the debate crown in January.
Molly Adams / Lawrence Times
Douglas County events selected for first round of new grants
Five annual Lawrence and Douglas County events have been selected to receive a portion of $24,000 in funds from the Heritage Conservation Council.
Lawrence high school journalism programs bring home state awards
Student journalists from Lawrence High and Free State both took home awards from the Kansas Scholastic Press Association this year, adding to a tally of recent honors for the programs.
Free State wins 6th straight speech title, completes season sweep
The Free State High School speech team claimed its sixth straight state championship, completing a sweep of state titles this year after winning the debate crown in January.
Molly Adams / Lawrence Times
Douglas County events selected for first round of new grants
Five annual Lawrence and Douglas County events have been selected to receive a portion of $24,000 in funds from the Heritage Conservation Council.
MORE …
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT …
Molly Adams / Lawrence Times
Ex-Prairie Park speech pathologist found competent to stand trial in child sexual abuse case
A former Prairie Park Elementary School speech pathologist on Thursday was declared competent to stand trial on one count of aggravated indecent liberties with a child younger than 14 and one count of kidnapping, but those charges may multiply.
Mackenzie Clark/Lawrence Times
City of Lawrence tightens residency requirements for people to receive homelessness services
The City of Lawrence is tightening requirements for people to receive homelessness services, and people who previously lived in town, relocated elsewhere and returned are now “considered non-residents” until they’ve established housing.
Molly Adams / Lawrence Times
Powwow at Hillcrest Elementary School draws hundreds of community members
School powwows are common in areas with large Native American populations, but Saturday’s powwow at Hillcrest Elementary was a first for Lawrence schools.
(Contributed)
Youth-led inclusive period pantry to host block party in Lawrence amid leadership shift
As the founders of Honor Moon’s period pantry and nonprofit foundation make their transition from high school to college, they’re teaming up with incoming leaders for a community event.
Molly Adams / Lawrence Times
Ex-Prairie Park speech pathologist found competent to stand trial in child sexual abuse case
A former Prairie Park Elementary School speech pathologist on Thursday was declared competent to stand trial on one count of aggravated indecent liberties with a child younger than 14 and one count of kidnapping, but those charges may multiply.
Mackenzie Clark/Lawrence Times
City of Lawrence tightens residency requirements for people to receive homelessness services
The City of Lawrence is tightening requirements for people to receive homelessness services, and people who previously lived in town, relocated elsewhere and returned are now “considered non-residents” until they’ve established housing.
Molly Adams / Lawrence Times
Powwow at Hillcrest Elementary School draws hundreds of community members
School powwows are common in areas with large Native American populations, but Saturday’s powwow at Hillcrest Elementary was a first for Lawrence schools.
(Contributed)
Youth-led inclusive period pantry to host block party in Lawrence amid leadership shift
As the founders of Honor Moon’s period pantry and nonprofit foundation make their transition from high school to college, they’re teaming up with incoming leaders for a community event.
MORE …
MORE COMMUNITY VOICES
The opinion pieces in this section are generally written by members of the Lawrence community and those who have close ties. In addition, we’re offering some space for area organizations and organizers to provide updates and attempt to reach other folks who might share their mission.
Want to submit a letter to the Times? Great!
Click here to find out how.
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.
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.
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.
The opinion pieces in this section are generally written by members of the Lawrence community and those who have close ties. In addition, we’re offering some space for area organizations and organizers to provide updates and attempt to reach other folks who might share their mission.
Want to submit a letter to the Times? Great!
Click here to find out how.
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.
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.
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.
MORE …
