WRITER: Chad Lawhorn

Talk is heating up on a 3,000-acre solar panel farm along the Douglas-Johnson County line; it would power 40,000 homes

There really might be a 3,000-acre solar panel farm — the largest in the state — developing along the eastern edge of Douglas County in the near future. While official plans for the project have not yet been filed, you can hear a lot of talk about the potential project — if you are willing to listen to generally boring and technical discussions about zoning code text amendments. Those are exactly the ...

KU has strong interest in vaccine mandates, but still contends state law prohibits them

The University of Kansas said Tuesday it’s highly interested in a vaccine mandate for its students, but don’t look for one to be implemented any time soon. A KU spokeswoman said the university still believes Kansas law precludes state universities from implementing vaccine mandates, and the recent FDA approval of the Pfizer vaccine does nothing to change that status. “KU would strongly consider a ...

As classes begin, KU provost makes it clear she expects faculty to adhere to in-person requirements

As the University of Kansas began in-person classes today, KU faculty members were given a clear reminder that they don’t have the authority to simply switch their classes to a remote format due to COVID concerns. Provost Barbara Bichelmeyer recently sent KU faculty and staff members a memo that addressed talk around campus that “some instructors may be considering independently moving the first few weeks ...

A new downtown coffee shop that also loves water; business hopes to be hub for paddling, wading, fishing enthusiasts

Some people think if you want to go fast on the water, you need a big 150 horsepower outboard engine hanging off the back of your boat. But maybe there is another way. How about a paddle and a double espresso? There is a new coffee shop in downtown Lawrence that likes that way of thinking. Great Blue Heron is in the process of opening at 823 Massachusetts St., and when it does, it will be a mix of a coffee ...

Downtown's Liberty Hall to require proof of vaccination in order to attend live music concerts

Updated at 5:33 p.m. Thursday Concert-goers at downtown Lawrence’s Liberty Hall now will need to show proof of vaccination before they can enter the live music venue. The longtime downtown business at 644 Massachusetts St. made the announcement on its social media page Wednesday night, and I confirmed the news with management there on Thursday. Liberty Hall appears to be the first major business in Lawrence ...

LMH sees first COVID death since March; recent average age of COVID patients has been 48

Updated at 12:10 p.m. Wednesday Lawrence Memorial Hospital has had its first patient death related to COVID since March, LMH’s board of trustees was told Wednesday morning. “It is very hard to see this happening again,” Traci Hoopingarner, chief nursing officer and vice-president of clinical care, told board members. Following the meeting, a spokeswoman for LMH Health said the death occurred on ...