Adult Swim carnival returning to downtown

A street-style carnival at Eighth and New Hampshire streets has won approval from Lawrence City Commission.

Commissioners at their Tuesday evening meeting agreed to allow the 2011 Adult Swim College Carnival use the 100 block of East Eighth Street on April 14.

This is the second year for the event, which will feature a band, carnival games and other entertainment. But this year the event is expanding into the intersection of Eighth and New Hampshire, meaning New Hampshire will be closed to through traffic during the event. The street is expected to be closed from about 9 a.m. to 1 a.m. on April 15 to allow for set up and take down. The event, which won’t charge admission, will be from about 5 p.m. to 10:30 p.m.

The carnival is part of promotion campaign for the Adult Swim television programming that runs on the Cartoon Network. Last year about 4,400 people attended the event.

Commissioner approved the event on a 4-1 vote. Mayor Mike Amyx was opposed. He said he was concerned about closing the intersection.

Commission concerned about grant cuts

Commissioners agreed to send a letter to the state’s Congressional delegation expressing concern about possible cuts to the Community Development Block Grant Program and other similar programs.

As federal legislators wrestle with the federal budget, the House of Representatives has approved a bill to cut 60 percent of the CDBG program’s budget, and 20 percent from the Section 8 housing program.

The city receives about $825,000 in CDBG funding each year. The city uses the money in a variety of ways, including to make infrastructure improvements to low-income neighborhoods, housing projects, sidewalk construction and to fund various neighborhood associations and social service agencies.