WRITER: Chad Lawhorn

KU Endowment purchases apartment complex to help KU housing; North Lawrence Family Dollar closing

While local residents sometimes complain that Lawrence has too many apartments, KU officials are now saying the opposite is actually true. In fact, Lawrence is so short of apartments to house University of Kansas students that KU Endowment has purchased an entire apartment complex near the Lawrence campus. Plus, KU leaders are seeking approval to partner with a national marketing firm to better communicate ...

By one measure, Lawrence water 16th most expensive in U.S.; updates on office project, airport hangar

News and notes from around town: — I long ago determined that ear plugs to block out the neighbors' comments are cheaper than a sprinkler to keep the yard green. Not everyone has, though, and the cost of summer water bills is a frequent topic of angst in Lawrence. Now, there is a ranking out that you can add to the debate. The lawn care website Lawn Love recently published its list of the most expensive ...

Douglas County remains among the few Kansas counties adding population; new Census report shows 546-person increase

I’m pretty sure the motto of March in these parts — thanks to a particular basketball team — will be: Throw the rankings out the window. (That’s better than throwing the TV out the window, which also has been a thought lately.) Regardless, I’m going to dive into some rankings because the U.S. Census Bureau has released one of its more important reports of the year: its annual population estimates for ...

Local farmer buys North Lawrence greenhouse business; it will expand nursery, add fresh produce sales

At least on one particular day more than a decade ago, Lawrence’s Free State Brewery surely had the shiniest, cleanest radishes in all of Kansas. New farmer Scott Thellman had sold 20 bunches of the radishes to Free State’s kitchen, and it was the very first sale for Thellman’s Juniper Hill Farms. He was so nervous and so much wanted Free State to be pleased with its purchase that he remembers he and ...

See the latest renderings for multimillion dollar Turnhalle renovation project; new mattress chain coming to town

News and notes from around town: — It is hard to find a combo older than the idea of dinner and a show, and plans are moving ahead for that pairing to happen in one of Lawrence’s oldest buildings. We’ve reported that plans have been filed for the Turnhalle building — the 1860s stone structure at 900 Rhode Island St. — to be converted into a restaurant and event venue. Recently, we’ve reported ...

With roots in Uruguay and Cuba, new restaurant to bring unique flavors to downtown

Downtown diners should get ready for the sweet flavors of South America. The soon-to-open Delicias del Sur, 724 Massachusetts St., will have plenty of them. And just to be safe, owner Romina Novick always will have a special sauce within arm's reach that can add a stylish sweetness to any dish — dulce de leche, a condensed caramel-like creation. “It is very sweet, and we use it everywhere,” Novick, a ...