Runza closed for remodeling; Wicked Broadband co-owner files for seat on City Commission; local PAC has nearly $16K ahead of city elections

In 20-plus years of reporting in Douglas County, one thing I have learned about the public is they are very concerned about any threats to their cabbage-stuffed sandwiches. Over the last few days I started getting messages from people concerned that the Runza at 27th and Iowa streets — perhaps the largest purveyor of cabbage-stuffed sandwiches — had gone out of business. But fear not, the restaurant is closed, but only temporarily for a renovation.

I turned on my lights and sirens in the F150 and went to the scene for a firsthand investigation. Doug Nations, the local franchisee for Runza, said the restaurant is getting an interior makeover. When it reopens, the furnishings will be different, but the menu will be the same. That means the Original Runza, a stuffed sandwich “full of ground beef, onions, cabbage and secret spices” is not going anywhere.

Nations said he expected the restaurant to reopen sometime next week. (Which is good because you don’t want to see people have cabbage withdrawal. It involves people tipping over entire salad bars and yelling at the top of their lungs, “YOU CALL THIS A LEAFY VEGETABLE?”)

Nations said business has been good, and said redevelopment in the area has been drawing more customers to the intersection. In recent weeks, a Buffalo Wild Wings opened across the street, and last year a Dick’s Sporting Goods also opened at the intersection of 27th and Iowa.

“Right now, this is the intersection to be at in town,” Nations said.

Runza has been at the location since about 1986, Nations said, which makes it one of the older restaurants in the city.

In other news and notes from around town:

• It is not as much fun as cabbage, but the race for three seats on the Lawrence City Commission is continuing to heat up. As expected, Lawrence school board member Kris Adair has filed for a spot on the City Commission.

Adair is a co-owner of Wicked Broadband, the business formerly known as Lawrence Freenet that is seeking some city incentives to start a high-speed fiber optic broadband network in the community. She also is the director of the Lawrence Center for Entrepreneurship, a startup operation that she has founded. It has space in the shopping center at Ninth and Iowa, and will provide office space, counseling and other assistance to entrepreneurs in the area.

When I had talked with Adair before, she had said she would resign her position as a school board member, if she won a seat on the City Commission. I’m assuming that is still the case, but haven’t yet got in touch with Adair. Look for a full report on her announcement when I get in touch with her.

• New details also are starting to emerge about PAC activity for the Lawrence City Commission race. Perhaps you remember Lawrence United, a political action committee that was new on the scene during the City Commission election two years ago. During that race, the PAC raised tens of thousands of dollars and sent out mailers on behalf of a trio of candidates it supported.

It looks like the group may be primed to be active again. The PAC has made its state-required financial report, and it shows that it had almost $16,000 in the bank at the end of 2014. There also were indications that the group was seeking new contributions. The PAC raised $1,500 between Dec. 19 and Dec. 22 from two donors: a $1,000 contribution from Emprise Bank and a $500 contribution from Lawrence builder Tim Stultz.

A Lawrence attorney by the name of Casey Meek is the chair of the organization. The better known organizer of the group, though, is Lawrence banker Doug Gaumer. Gaumer, who is a former chair of the Lawrence chamber of commerce, is the group’s treasurer.

I put a call in to Gaumer to get a better sense of how active the group plans to be during this upcoming campaign. I’ll report when I hear back.

The group lists its purpose as supporting local candidates who have an interest in growing jobs and the local economy.