WRITER: Austin Hornbostel

City of Lawrence's next 5-year Capital Improvement Plan calls for $172 million in 2025 spending, nearly $530 million overall

This week, Lawrence leaders will get their first look at the city’s nearly $530 million five-year Capital Improvement Plan. At Tuesday’s Lawrence City Commission meeting, commissioners are set to hear a presentation about the plan and will be able to provide their input. The presentation is one of the first steps in the 2025 budget approval process that will be underway throughout the summer. The CIP is ...

Addiction recovery is lifelong; that's why Drug Court graduates have launched a supportive alumni group, aided by Lawrence nonprofit

It’s standing room only in a Douglas County courtroom on a Friday morning in early June, but not because there’s a high profile case on the docket. Instead, the crowd is there to celebrate the three latest graduates of the Douglas County Drug Court program, a four-phase treatment court for adults who have been charged with felonies or have pending felony probation violations and have a substance use ...

Lawrence Community Shelter board set for extra meetings in June and July, including one on Monday

The Lawrence Community Shelter Board of Directors is slated to take part in additional special meetings in June and July, and board members will be asked to approve agreements related to installing Pallet cabins outside of the existing shelter building and requesting more funding from the City of Lawrence. Melanie Valdez, the shelter’s director of human resources and payroll, on Friday afternoon emailed ...

City of Lawrence's draft Brick Streets and Sidewalks Policy is available for public feedback through June 25

A draft version of the City of Lawrence’s comprehensive Brick Streets and Sidewalks Policy is now available for review, after more than a decade in the making. The city announced Wednesday that the draft policy is available for public review and comment from now through Tuesday, June 25. The city is also set to host a public open house about the policy during that window, next Thursday at 5:30 p.m. at the ...

Instead of fireworks, City of Lawrence to host drone show as part of this year's 4th of July festivities

The City of Lawrence’s Fourth of July festivities will look a little different this year. While the city still plans to host its annual free Summerfest event at the Douglas County Fairgrounds in celebration of the holiday, an Independence Day staple will be markedly absent. That’s because instead of a fireworks display, the city is hosting a lighted drone show. Members of the city’s Parks and Recreation ...

Lawrence City Commission adopts action plan for nearly $1.4 million in HUD grants

The Lawrence City Commission on Tuesday adopted an action plan required as part of its process for spending nearly $1.4 million in grant funds awarded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Commissioners voted 4-0, with Commissioner Amber Sellers absent, to adopt an annual action plan and investment summary for $1,357,533 in grant funds through HUD’s Community Development Block Grant and ...