Public Safety

Overnight storm produces local damage; high winds down trees, homes in North Lawrence

UPDATED 12:20 P.M. JUNE 9 A middle-of-the-night storm caused tornado sirens to blare and sleepy residents to scurry, while damaging both properties and trees in various parts of Lawrence. What the storm — which first responders said did not produce any known injuries — didn’t produce ...

Indiana man charged with child sex crime from 2001 in Douglas County

An Indiana man has been charged in Douglas County District Court with a child sex crime that allegedly happened more than 25 years ago. John Matthew Lotz, 62, of Terre Haute, Indiana, was booked into the Douglas County Jail on Tuesday, according to jail records, and is charged with one count ...

Man convicted of domestic battery in plea deal that dropped a count of rape

A man originally accused of rape in Douglas County District Court was convicted instead on Thursday of two lesser felonies, neither one a sex crime, as part of a plea deal. Drew Botello pleaded guilty to one count of third or subsequent offense domestic battery and one count of interference ...