WRITER: Josie Heimsoth

Community open house to address stormwater management plan for controversial Douglas County solar project

An open house will be held to discuss a stormwater management plan for a large solar project in Douglas County on Wednesday. The Kansas Sky Energy Center plans to install 8 million square feet of solar panels on approximately 600 acres of farmland in the Kansas River valley, located in northern Douglas County. This project, which has been controversial among county residents, requires two approvals from the ...

At South Park, community members rally for women's rights and reproductive freedom ahead of the election

There was no lightning in the sky during Lawrence's rainy women's rights rally on Saturday, but you might have heard a thunderous chant at the end: "We're not going back!" It came from the dozens of people leaving South Park carrying their umbrellas, lawn chairs and signs — a slogan that has defined Vice President Kamala Harris' presidential campaign, and a slogan that Johnson County LGBTQ+ activist Jae Moyer ...

Invasive species and flood management are among the challenges a new partnership hopes to address at the Baker Wetlands

Floodwater management and controlling invasive species of plants are a couple of the challenges at the Baker Wetlands that Baker University's new nonprofit partnerships are aiming to address. Earlier this month, Baker University announced its partnerships with Ducks Unlimited and the Kansas Alliance for Wetlands and Streams, or KAWS. It also announced the hiring of a full-time wetlands director with expertise ...

Many candidates concerned about County Commission taking action on solar project before new commissioners are seated; incumbents see it differently

After Monday's announcement that the current Douglas County Commission may approve a large-scale solar project by year's end, many of the candidates running for the commission have concerns about taking action on it before the new members are seated. The two incumbents in the race, meanwhile, say they don't see a need to alter the timeline, and one of them said to do so would be "irresponsible." As the ...

There's still time to enjoy some fall fun at Lawrence-area agricultural businesses

The Halloween season may be drawing to a close, but there's still time to get into the fall spirit at local farms and agricultural businesses. From pumpkin patches to locally produced cider, these agricultural hubs are offering unique experiences that capture the essence of the season. Here’s a closer look: South Baldwin Farms, 22 East 1700 Road This farm maintains 70 acres and 100,000 fruit trees for ...

Douglas County is expected to break early voting record ahead of the general election

Douglas County is on track to see its highest-ever number of early voters for this year's election, approaching its record just one week before Election Day. County Clerk Jamie Shew told the Journal-World that there have been 11,805 in-person advance voters so far. He said the county was likely to surpass its previous record for advance voting, which is around 16,000 votes. “We’re at almost 12,000 now, ...