What was the top local/state story of 2002?
Dennis Schmitz, a Catholic priest formerly of Lawrence, is charged and convicted of taking indecent liberties with a teen.
Kansas Legislature approves $115 million bond issue for construction of research facilities at Regents schools.
After nearly two years of wrangling, Gov. Bill Graves approves demolition of houses on Ohio Street to make way for new Kansas University scholarship halls.
A 17-year-old cashier at a McDonald’s restaurant is interrogated for three hours after a Lawrence police officer finds what appears to be lint on his order of chicken strips.
Lawrence social worker is killed when she is hit near 15th and Iowa streets by an allegedly drunken teen-age driver.
A symposium to honor Langston Hughes is attended by hundreds from around the world.
KU student from Salina survives after being struck by lightning while walking across campus.
Dole Institute presidential lecture series attracts capacity audiences from across the region to hear top presidential biographers. It’s the first public event of the new center still being built on West Campus.
Lawrence lands Serologicals Corp., an Atlanta-based biotech firm, which will build a plant in East Hills Business Park to employ 40 at wages of about $50,000.
After years of hand-wringing, county begins overhaul of Wells Overlook park aimed at cleaning up the site and making it more family friendly.
Preservation efforts begin to save the site of the Black Jack Battlefield from encroaching development.
A late January ice storm leaves thousands without electricity, closes schools for days and causes general mayhem in Lawrence and across the area.
The bodies of Pete Wallace and Wyona Chandlee, both 71, are found July 11 in their house at 1530 Learnard Ave., lying next to each other on the carpet in the living room. Both had been shot to death. On July 18, Damien C. Lewis, 22, Lawrence, was charged with capital murder and several other offenses in the slayings. The Journal-World later learned the suspect was a parole violator already being sought by state authorities.
Social service agencies, public schools and Kansas University struggle throughout the year to cope with declining funding from the state, which was suffering its worst budget crisis in history. KU enacts a 25 percent increase in tuition, pledges to use additional funds raised for enhancements, not to patch an ailing budget.
Sandra Praeger of Lawrence is elected to the statewide office of insurance commissioner in November statewide elections.
Coping with shifting population and declining funding, USD 497 trims programs, increases fees and contemplates closing schools.
Raymond Boothe is charged with first degree murder after allegedly killing his mentally disabled son on the Kansas Turnpike, then trying to kill himself and his three other children in a car crash in Lawrence.
Transportation issues were of conintinuing interest as the South Lawrence Trafficway appeared headed toward a route through the Baker Wetlands and officials picked a new route for a freeway version of U.S. Highway 59 between Lawrence and Ottawa.
Two years after fireworks burned an apartment building, the city of Lawrence bans fireworks from city limits.
Lawrence is split in Congressional redistricting, leaving the eastern and western portions split roughly across Iowa Street.
Drought gripped Lawrence and much of the rest of the area, causing hardships for agricultural producers, water rationing in some area towns, burn bans.
KU Jayhawks make Final 4 appearance, then lose Drew Gooden and Jeff Boschee.
Haskell Indian Nations University cancels summer school in response to budget woes.
Pit bulls continue to wreak havoc across Lawrence, most notably killing a family’s pet dog as it is chained outside to a doghouse.
William Sepic resigns from the Lawrence Chamber of Commerce after about two years in the post.
Major downtown construction and redevelopment projects are completed as the Douglas County Law Enforcement Center renovation project is finished and the new Lawrence Arts Center opens.
Controversy continues over size and form of development at 31st and Iowa streets and across town at Sixth and Wakarusa streets. Wal-Mart continued wrangling with City Hall over plans for a supercenter at Sixth and Wakarusa.
In an early morning house fire, a heroic dog saves KU students from an Oread Neighborhood house, then perishes in the smoke and flames.
Upheaval continues at Watkins Community Museum of History, as management and the future of museum are debated.
¢ see the results » Note: This is not a scientific poll. The results reflect only the opinions of those who chose to participate.
