Top five City Hall stories of 2008

Posted by Chad Lawhorn December 17, 2008 at midnight

We're counting down the top five stories on various topics today as part of an annual recap of the top stories of the year we'll do later this month. Join the conversation by letting us know what we missed or what stories you think are important by posting a comment, below.Honorable Mentions

5. Wakarusa waves good-bye
The Wakarusa Music and Camping Festival ended its five year run in Lawrence by announcing next year’s event would be in Arkansas. The parting came after festival leaders and the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks disagreed over several financial issues related to holding the event at Clinton State Park. 4. Last Call closes
The controversial downtown nightclub Last Call closed its doors for good in February after a shooting at the club left three people injured. 3. Industrial development battles
In what they say is a critical search for new industrial land, city commissioners approved a controversial proposal for a new business park along the Farmers Turnpike, and agreed to submit a new bid for the vacant Farmland Industries fertilizer plant. But commissioners balked at a proposal to convert property near the Lawrence Municipal Airport into an industrial park, after neighbors objected strongly. 2. Home industry tumbles
The home construction industry — generally considered the second largest employer in the city — suffered through its worst year in recent memory. Home values also began to fall citywide for the first time in memory. 1. Sales taxes roll to victory
Voters in November overwhelmingly approved a trio of citywide sales taxes — two to keep the city’s public transit system operating, and one to fund a variety of street and other infrastructure projects.

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foodboy 4 years, 5 months ago

Commission resists pressure to violate free speech by rejecting new panhandling ordinance. Current ordinance just needs to be enforced

akuna 4 years, 5 months ago

The Wakarusa Festival leaving Lawrence and DGCO, really chaps my hide. Enough so that I want the people responsible for not working with the WF management to be fired, not re-elected, or at least have some very bad karma. Lawrence, a once progressive city that is turning into corporate and Republican squaresville.

smitty 4 years, 4 months ago

This ever missing story on what Mike Amyx described as a personnel issue handled by the city manager's office when asked publically about the on gong investigation into the LPD, Olin, and his staff by an outside higher legal authority. Olin, McAtee were/are under investigation. Olin is no longer vailable for public comment and McAtee went to rehab in lieu of any criminal charges for the drug thefts from Red Bud dealers and the evidence room. But there is a formal complaint or two against the LPD's actions on an open federal case so the data is most likely sealed by the feds until the local people are tried. That doesn't excuse the abuse of power and corruption they are consealing though. If you were an addicted druggie criminal you would be prosecuted with maybe some leniency given for an early attempt at rehab but you sure wouldn't of had it handled as a personnel problem by the city's various levels of authority,This corruption is #1 this year and every year that Olin has been chief and the city commission bows and scraps to hide the facts of their corruption.

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