Lawhorn's Lawrence: Group looking for a hand with handball

There's an easy way to solve this problem: open up the handball/racquetball courts at KU's Robinson Center on weekends. There are 7 courts there and they sit empty much of the time.

March 10, 2013 at 12:09 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

Lawrence boy receives more than 600 Pez dispensers for Christmas

I certainly don't want to disparage the human interest angle of a father's great git to his son. But it's not a front page story. Perhaps the JW randomizes front page content, or worse, tries to somehow decide what their readers would like to see based on facebook metrics or something.

Just that the JW still feels like Lawrence has a population of 4,000. There's a great J-school here. Lots of talent. This paper still has that "small town newsletter" feel. Nothing controversial that would offend the advertisers. The thing is, they can offend anyone they like because they're the only newspaper in town.

Where's William Allen White when you need him?

December 30, 2012 at 3:49 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

Lawrence boy receives more than 600 Pez dispensers for Christmas

this is the headline of today's JW web edition? I respond with a prediction and some advice.

My prediction: the Journal World will never EVER be considered for a Pulitzer Prize until it gets a new owner who cares about journalism.

Advice: reporters who write for the JW are advised to keep this fact OFF their resumes if they ever want to work for a legitimate news organization.

December 30, 2012 at 1:44 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

Fire at apartment building early Sunday morning fits pattern of recent suspected arsons

What "ref above" are you talking about?
"eco-terrorists?"
are you saying that they routinely start fires with bags of potato chips as accelerant?

November 13, 2012 at 8:55 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

Fire at apartment building early Sunday morning fits pattern of recent suspected arsons

Oh, and let's get one thing straight. Nobody's gonna get a beat-down for "snitching" on a crazy firebug. This obviously isn't gang-drug turf related. It's the work of a lone mentally ill individual who must be stopped at all costs.
A reward should be posted (the owners of the apartment buildings should pool their resources and come up with a decent amount--say 10K) to help get this sick person off the street and into treatment (or prison) before someone dies in a fire.

November 12, 2012 at 11:23 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

Fire at apartment building early Sunday morning fits pattern of recent suspected arsons

Arsonists are almost always troubled, mentally ill individuals.

Everyone in the neighborhood needs to keep their eyes and ears open. If you see or hear a kid even talking or joking about setting a fire, report them immediately. Arsonists like to talk about what they did.

November 12, 2012 at 10:20 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

Lawrence man ticketed after clipping elbow of bicyclist

Thanks, Earl for clarifying. So it's pretty obviously a case of unwarranted road rage.
The D.A. should press charges.

January 18, 2012 at 10:23 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

Lawrence man ticketed after clipping elbow of bicyclist

Okay, I think I get it now. Goes like this: the driver passes the group of cyclists, then stops, waits for the cyclists to pass him, and then speeds up, passes them again, intentionally clipping on of them. No accident there. It was an intentional act.
The driver should get more than a traffic citation. It's assault with a deadly weapon or at least reckless endangerment.

January 18, 2012 at 10:20 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

Lawrence man ticketed after clipping elbow of bicyclist

@earlphoto:
Can you be more specific in your description of the incident, since you were a witness?
"Stopped after he buzzed?" I don't think anybody reading this has any idea what you mean.
By "buzzed" do you mean "honked the horn?"
If that's the case, then I can sort of picture it. He slowed down behind the group rather than passing normally, honked angrily and then sped up and purposefully clipped the cyclists. Can you tell us how fast he was going when he passed you?

January 18, 2012 at 9:47 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

Early-morning fire displaces family of 11 from rural Douglas County home

turns out it was caused by poor fireplace safety.

January 1, 2012 at 8:03 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )