WRITER: Sara Shepherd

Foreseeing marijuana legalization in Kansas, DA concerned about effect on violent crime

Douglas County District Attorney Charles Branson says he’s often asked whether he supports legalizing marijuana. “My answer is typically, ‘It doesn’t matter,’” Branson said. “It’s coming to Kansas.” Branson said he expects Kansas to legalize medical marijuana as soon as a year or two from now, and recreational marijuana at some point after that. With that assumption, Branson said his focus ...

Man who was initially arrested and released now charged with sex crime on KU campus

A man who was arrested last fall but released at that time has now been charged with a sex crime reported on the University of Kansas campus. Hayden B. Gragg, 19, of Lee’s Summit, Mo., was arrested on the charges this week, released on $500 bond and ordered to appear in court later this month, according to jail records. He’s charged with one count of sexual battery, a misdemeanor, for allegedly touching ...

Crews extinguish house fire in eastern Lawrence; 3 cats missing

No people were injured but some cats were missing after firefighters extinguished a house fire on Tuesday afternoon in eastern Lawrence. The fire was reported just before 2 p.m. at 2714 Ponderosa Drive, Division Chief Tom Fagan of Lawrence-Douglas County Fire Medical said in a news release. Firefighters had the fire under control in 20 minutes. Damage was estimated at $40,000, Fagan said, but the cause of ...

Date set for U.S. Supreme Court to hear Douglas County traffic case

A date has been set for the U.S. Supreme Court to hear arguments in a Douglas County case, Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt announced Monday. On Nov. 4, the high court will hear the state’s appeal in the vehicle-stop case of Kansas v. Charles Glover, according to a news release from the AG’s office. Schmidt previously announced that the case would be among three appeals from Kansas that the Supreme ...

One killed, 4 injured in 3-car crash northwest of Lawrence

One person was killed and four others were taken to hospitals after a three-vehicle crash Sunday northwest of Lawrence. The wreck happened about 4:30 p.m. on U.S. Highway 24 near U.S. Highway 59, in Jefferson County, according to a preliminary report from the Kansas Highway Patrol. An eastbound Jeep Wrangler rear-ended an eastbound Dodge Dart that had slowed to turn left onto Oak Road, according to the ...

2 lawsuits slam fights, underage drinking at popular Lawrence college bar

Two men hurt in fights at a popular Lawrence college bar are suing, claiming the bar’s negligence created an unsafe environment that caused their injuries. The separate lawsuits against the Jayhawk Cafe at 1340 Ohio St., known as the Hawk, are currently pending in Douglas County District Court. In one case, the plaintiff was injured after fighting with Hawk staff who refused to let him in because he was ...