WRITER: Chad Lawhorn

Part of the Douglas County Courthouse is moving to The Malls Shopping Center; space will be new home for election workers

UPDATED 5:25 P.M. I’m not sure many people would say the American electoral system has been epic fun lately. But in Douglas County, we soon will be able to say the headquarters for local elections is located in the former home of the arcade business Epic Fun. Douglas County officials have announced that the elections division of the county clerk’s office is moving into The Malls Shopping Center at 23rd ...

With the mask mandate done, there are signs Lawrence's live music industry is coming back to life

The masks are off, but it is still a bit early to say the shows are back on. One of the city’s largest promoters, though, thinks the day that Lawrence is again full of live music is getting nearer. “I hope people are ready to see some music soon,” said Mike Logan, who owns two of the largest music venues in Lawrence, The Granada and The Bottleneck. Logan said he thinks there will be some live music ...

'A new tradition': 3 Lawrence organizations teaming up this year for big drive-thru holiday display with music and lights

Usually when I see a singing snowman, it is because I’ve gotten into a bad batch of eggnog. But this year, it is at least equally as likely because I’m at a whole new type of large Lawrence holiday event. Three organizations have teamed up to create a new holiday light display that will take motorists through a west Lawrence sports complex to see nearly 20 holiday displays that will be synchronized to ...

Plans for indoor driving range at county golf course come unraveled; questions about K-10 growth emerge

At one point, this looked like a gimme — you know, the type of short, easy putt that you are not even required to tap in. A 30-year old golf course between Eudora and Lawrence wanted to add an indoor-outdoor driving range and a small restaurant to make the aging course more viable for the future. The facility, Twin Oaks Golf, is located at the interchange of Kansas Highway 10 and County Route 1057, meaning ...

One year after pandemic began, sales tax collections surge to new highs both in Lawrence and statewide

While we haven’t yet been able to rip off those masks, there are new signs that Lawrence’s economy has become unshackled from pandemic-era restrictions. In fact, one set of numbers shows retail spending is now well above pre-pandemic levels. The Kansas Department of Revenue has released its May report on sales tax activity across the state. While the report is labeled as being for May, most of the numbers ...

Checking in on what the future holds for Douglas County's mask mandate

In a completely different time, it was the masked men that you always wondered about. What are they hiding? Now it is the unmasked that create the question of our age: Are they really vaccinated? It seems like that is the question holding back Douglas County from joining the legions of communities that have dumped their mask mandates. Commissioners last week declined to accept a recommendation from the ...