WRITER: Chad Lawhorn

KU opens new research and office building in latest effort to attract tech companies to West Campus; leaders tout future phases of KU Innovation Park

A $24 million research and office building will house nearly a dozen tech companies and eventually add about 225 employees to the University of Kansas' West Campus, a Lawrence crowd was told Wednesday. An opening ceremony for the recently completed building at KU Innovation Park attracted many of the state’s top leaders on Wednesday, and also produced much talk about how the new KU-led project will produce ...

From nearly 30% to zero, Douglas County property tax collections are set to increase by wildly different amounts

If you pay property taxes in Douglas County, chances are you soon will pay more of them. Even if the governments that serve you — the county, a city, a school district, a township — hold their property tax rates steady, you likely are going to pay more in property taxes. Even if the government reduces its property tax rate, there’s a strong chance you’ll still pay more in property taxes. How so? In ...

County agrees to take less aggressive approach in trying to correct rural code violations

Douglas County officials are open to trying a more patient, less aggressive approach in dealing with rural properties that are violating some county codes, county commissioners were told Wednesday evening. County commissioners at their weekly meeting unanimously approved a temporary business use permit that will give a rural resident up to five years to remove approximately 100 vehicles — many of them ...

A 'sounding sculpture' has been selected as KU's Common Work of Art for new school year

The University of Kansas’ Common Work of Art for the upcoming school year is one that not only can be seen but also heard. KU’s Spencer Museum of Art has selected a “sounding sculpture” by artist Harry Bertoia as the Common Work of Art piece for the 2022-2023 school year. As such, the untitled sculpture will be on display at Spencer for the entire year. The sculpture is unique because it is designed ...

Plans filed to convert old, vacant East Lawrence tavern building into neighborhood restaurant

An old tavern building on an East Lawrence corner may get new life as a neighborhood restaurant. Longtime Lawrence restaurant and bar owner Brad Ziegler has filed plans at City Hall to use the mid-1800s stone building at 900 Pennsylvania St. as a “neighborhood restaurant.” Those of you who have been in Lawrence long enough might remember Charlie’s Eastside Grill & Bar at Ninth and Pennsylvania ...

'Either we prepare for it or we get run over by it': Douglas County leaders begin to plan for Panasonic battery plant

Imagine the Energizer Bunny with a turbo charger. Plans in De Soto for a new $4 billion, 4,000-job plant that makes batteries for electric vehicles may get growth moving at that type of speed in Eudora — and perhaps Lawrence. The EDC of Lawrence and Douglas County — a countywide economic development corporation — brought together leaders from communities across the county on Thursday afternoon to begin ...