WRITER: Austin Hornbostel

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 ...

Lawrence City Commission to handle light agenda this week

The Lawrence City Commission will handle a light agenda at its meeting this week. As of Monday afternoon around 2:30 p.m., the City Commission has no business listed on the regular agenda for its Tuesday meeting. There are, however, items to consider on the meeting’s consent agenda, which is reserved for items generally considered routine that can be approved by one vote from commissioners without any ...

Lawrence school board reviews work ahead for district and building needs assessments

Members of the Lawrence school board on Monday had a chance to learn more about the information the school district must gather for a pair of reports analyzing students’ performance on state assessments. At Monday’s school board meeting, Chief Academic Officer Patrick Kelly gave a presentation on the district’s “Building Needs Assessment” and “State Assessment Review,” two reports Kansas school ...

A look at how major changes to the city's bus service — from Sunday on-demand rides to a brand-new station — have been received 6 months in

Though there aren’t many people milling about inside the city’s brand-new bus station on a Tuesday afternoon in early June, there’s still plenty going on behind the scenes. That’s because the bus station — Central Station near Bob Billings Parkway and Crestline Drive — is just one of a bevy of significant changes for the City of Lawrence’s transit office since the beginning of 2024. The launch ...

Lawrence school board to learn more about district needs assessments required for upcoming budget approval process

Next week, the Lawrence school board is set to learn more about the information each building — and the school district as a whole — must gather and review regarding students’ performance on state assessments. At Monday’s school board meeting, the group will hear a presentation on the district’s “Building Needs Assessment” and “State Assessment Review.” State law requires school districts to ...

'Integrated outreach' event to bring multiple agencies serving the unhoused population to one location

Though the city’s new Homeless Response Team only recently began its work, the team is already gearing up for its first major outreach event. On Tuesday, the Homeless Response Team is hosting an “integrated outreach” event, making various local and regional service providers available from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. along a block near downtown Lawrence. The event will take place along 10th Street between Vermont ...