WRITER: Chad Lawhorn

Wichita State study predicts Lawrence will be the fastest growing city in Kansas over next 50 years

Lawrence is poised to grow over the next 50 years. In fact, a new report from Wichita State University says Lawrence has the ingredients to be the fastest growing community in the state between now and 2072. Whether it will have the housing is another matter. Lawrence landed atop the list of fastest growing communities in Kansas when WSU economists recently compiled their statewide population projection ...

DA challenger Loomis raises more than $70K in district attorney race, far outpacing the field; other incumbents also trail

If you thought the race for Douglas County District Attorney was drawing some interest, the latest campaign finance reports surely will back up your contention. The three-way race to be the Democratic nominee has drawn nearly $90,000 in campaign contributions thus far, which is a historically high number. Most of the money has gone to one candidate: Democratic challenger and Lawrence attorney Dakota Loomis has ...

Former rural school site proposed to become adult day care facility; site once was considered for homeless shelter

Plans have been filed to convert a former rural school house between Lawrence and Eudora into a day care home for adults with developmental disabilities. The site — the former Kaw Valley School building at 1411 East 1850 Road — had been under consideration by the city of Lawrence and other partners to serve as a shelter for homeless families, as the Journal-World reported in April. This new filing with ...

Home sales fall nearly 30% in June; market enters second half of year slightly above 2023 totals

The start of summer fizzled more than sizzled in the Lawrence real estate market. Home sales were down 28% in June, and year-to-date totals are now at risk of falling below last year’s already soft results. June home sales totaled just 85 units, down from 118 homes in June 2023, according to the latest report from the Lawrence Board of Realtors. The 28% drop was the steepest monthly decline of the year thus ...

Majority of proposed Lawrence property tax rate increase would support rebuilding city's rainy day savings account

Lawrence city commissioners are being asked to approve the city’s largest property tax rate increase in at least 50 years to help fund everything from increased sidewalk maintenance to raises for city employees. But a Journal-World review of the proposed 2025 City of Lawrence budget found that the majority of the money from the tax increase wouldn’t go to those projects or any other such initiative. ...

A look at how one decision in the summer of 2023 created the city's current budget hole

It was about this time in 2023 that the seeds of Lawrence City Hall’s 2025 budget problems were planted. They weren’t intentionally planted, but nonetheless, the summer of 2023 played a big role in the current city budget woes that have led City Manager Craig Owens to recommend a 3.5 mill property tax rate increase, which would be the largest such increase for Lawrence city government in at least 50 years. ...