LJWorld.com

I'm a native Kansan, raised in Wichita and McPherson, before coming to Lawrence to attend Kansas University. After completing my journalism degree, I worked at the Parsons Sun for about a year and a half but when the Journal-World offered me the chance to come back to Lawrence, it was sort of a no-brainer to make the move.

After stints as a reporter, features editor and the Sunday editor (working 3 p.m. to 1 a.m. every Saturday for six years did wonders for my social life), I took over as editorial page editor in 1987. In that job, I get to pick columns and cartoons, review letters to the editor and write editorials. When the World Company moved into the News Center in 2001, I took on the additional title of multimedia managing editor for two years, helping facilitate the merging of the company's online, print and television news staffs.

Working on a newspaper was the job I wanted since I was a kid, so I'm lucky to get to work in my field in a great place like Lawrence. I've liked all of my jobs at the World Company, but working on the editorial page gives me a chance to be involved in the community in a special way, helping other people express their opinions and offering some of my own from time to time.

That connection with the community has opened up a lot of volunteer opportunities over the years. Among other volunteer jobs, I've served as the board chair and drive chair for United Way of Douglas County, board chair of the Lawrence Chamber of Commerce, chair of Leadership Lawrence and currently serve on boards of the Friends of the Lied and the Douglas County Historical Society. I'm a Leadership Kansas graduate and have been fortunate to be a regular recipient of editorial writing and editing awards from the Kansas Press Association, Kansas Professional Communicators and the Suburban Newspaper Association. In 2006, I also the Inland Press Association's first place award for Editorial Excellence.

Free time is a precious commodity, but when I get a chance, I like to garden, travel and hang out with family and friends. My husband, Tom Gleason, is another KU journalism major who was smart enough to go on to law school. Tom's son, Chris, also lives in Lawrence. And thanks to the Lawrence Humane Society, we also pal around with our 17-pound (he's not fat, just big-boned) Maine Coon cat, Arthur, and the sweetest dog anywhere, Adelaide, who's mostly Australian shepherd, but we think there's some St. Bernard in there somewhere!

Recent stories

Fair on Saturday to feature candidates for Lawrence school board, city commission

By Ann Gardner

March 30, 2011

Candidates for Lawrence City Commission and the Lawrence school board will gather Saturday morning for a Candidate Fair sponsored by the local Voter Education Coalition.

Voter Education Coalition to sponsor events for Lawrence residents to meet and question candidates for school and city elections

By Ann Gardner

March 15, 2011

The local Voter Education Coalition has announced plans for a Lawrence school board forum and a Candidate Fair for school and City Commission candidates.

Voter Education Coalition schedules forum for City Commission candidates

By Ann Gardner

March 10, 2011

Two public forums have been scheduled for candidates in the upcoming Lawrence City Commission race.

Two public forums scheduled for Lawrence City Commission candidates

By Ann Gardner

March 8, 2011

Two public forums have been scheduled for candidates in the upcoming Lawrence City Commission race.

As protests heat up, Petraeus stays cool

By Ann Gardner

September 21, 2007

Every time he gestured with his hand or looked up from his prepared text, Gen. David Petraeus was greeted by a flurry of clicking camera shutters. Television lights bore down on him and Ambassador Ryan Crocker as they faced more than 100 U.S. House members seated before them in rows, awaiting their turn to praise or pounce.

War veterans have important story to share

By Ann Gardner

May 28, 2006

It seems like listening is the least we can do. A story published earlier this month in the Journal-World told the story of a Vietnam veteran from McLouth who was asked to recall his war experiences in honor of Vietnam Veterans Recognition Week. Forty years ago, he served in Vietnam for 18 months and, like most other veterans of that war, he still is dealing with that experience.

Nation’s highest court is a powerful draw

By Ann Gardner

May 3, 2006

Within an hour of learning that the U.S. Supreme Court would rehear oral arguments on the Kansas death penalty law on one of the days I would be vacationing in Washington, D.C., I was on the phone finding out how I could get in.

Court balances death penalty

High court hears Kansas case again with Alito on bench

By Ann Gardner

April 26, 2006

Would flipping a coin be an acceptable way to decide if someone is executed? That question came from U.S. Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens during the court’s hearing Tuesday on the Kansas death penalty law.

Pitts talks about race, future

By Ann Gardner & Greg Hurd

July 14, 2004

Prior to a June 28 speech at Washburn University in Topeka, syndicated columnist Leonard Pitts spoke to Journal-World editorial page editor Ann Gardner and “River City Weekly” host Greg Hurd on a variety of topics including race relations in the United States, the “American Dream” and the war in Iraq.

Chautauqua message echoes from past

By Ann Gardner

June 25, 2004

Chautauqua is literally in my blood. So news that a modern-day version of the turn-of-the-century tent shows was coming to Lawrence this week sent me digging for my Chautauqua roots. The circa-1920s flyer I pulled from the aged metal box advertised a Chautauqua show lineup.

Full story list