WRITER: Chris Conde

Photo gallery: Día de los Muertos at KU

A crowd turned out Thursday at the Kansas Union to celebrate the Mexican holiday Día de los Muertos, or the Day of the Dead, with Mexican foods, crafts and mariachi music.

Lawrence's Raintree Montessori School to celebrate 40th anniversary with slate of activities

Lawrence's Raintree Montessori School will host a weekend of events in celebration of its 40th anniversary. On Saturday, Raintree, 4601 Clinton Parkway, will have a fall festival starting at 11 a.m., followed by a silent art auction on Sunday. Saturday's festival will begin with an open house and scavenger hunt at the private school. Participants will be given a map with 80 locations — 40 inside and 40 out ...

Photo gallery: Sand mandala takes shape at Lawrence Arts Center

Tibetan monks were hard at work Thursday at the Lawrence Arts Center, where they were creating a sand mandala. The monks, from the Drepung Gomang Monastery, were creating the work as part of their Sacred Art Tour in the Kansas City area.

Lawrence's Veterans Day Parade slated for 100th anniversary of WWI armistice

The Stars and Stripes will be on full display in this year's Veterans Day Parade in downtown Lawrence. On Nov. 11, Massachusetts Street will be lined with citizens ready to honor, remember and thank veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces. Opening ceremonies start at 10:30 a.m., followed by the parade at 11. The parade is a rain-or-shine event that will begin lining up at Seventh and Massachusetts streets and will ...

Despite recent rainfall, 'extreme drought' conditions continue in Douglas County

Recent rainfall hasn't done much to ease dry conditions in Douglas County, and more dry weather is ahead over the next couple of months, weather and climate monitoring agencies say. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration currently ranks Douglas County's drought condition as “extreme drought," unchanged from its rating in late July. According to the National Weather Service rain gauges at ...

Free State Festival to kick off next month with Cheech Marin, Fantastic Negrito and a smorgasbord of culture

Lawrence's Free State Festival — a showcase of film, music, art and ideas — will be back Sept. 17-23 for its seventh year, this time with an emphasis on activism. While some of the events will be free to attend, others will cost anywhere from $5 to $30 per ticket. Here are a few of the scheduled highlights: The festival will kick off with Cheech Marin, who will headline the "Ideas" portion of the festival ...