WRITER: Josie Heimsoth

Douglas County commissioners to consider agreements with Baldwin City to acquire Black Jack Battlefield property

Douglas County commissioners are set to consider agreements with Baldwin City on Wednesday to jointly acquire and preserve the historic Black Jack Battlefield property. The proposed agreements aim to ensure the long-term preservation and management of the Black Jack Battlefield, 163 East 2000 Road, through public ownership, protecting its national significance, expanding recreational opportunities, and ...

Lawrence school board to consider approving tentative agreement with education support professionals

Lawrence school board members will consider approving a tentative agreement for the district’s education support professionals Wednesday with a $1 increase to base hourly wages for the 2025-2026 school year. The tentative agreement was reached between the district and the Lawrence Education Association on Sept. 9, the agenda said. The salary pool for the employees is expected to receive a 5.97% increase, ...

'The true essence of La Yarda': New murals along the Lawrence Loop celebrate the Mexican American housing complex's stories

Gabriel Hernandez said that while faith, family, food, the arts and community often come to mind when he thinks of Mexican culture, music is what means the most to him personally. Hernandez is the grandson of the late Jesse and Juanita “Jenny” Hernandez from the Romero family, who were both longtime residents of La Yarda, and his family lived there until the 1951 flood, which destroyed the Mexican American ...

The annual Kaw Valley Farm Tour returns the first weekend of October; here's everything you need to know

Farms and heritage sites across the Kaw Valley will welcome visitors in October for the annual Kaw Valley Farm Tour, offering hands-on experiences, local food and a behind-the-scenes look at the region’s diverse agricultural landscape. This year, there will be 33 farms and six heritage sites participating in the tour, which will take place on Saturday, Oct. 4, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday, Oct. 5, from ...

Program to pay fines with school supplies nets more than $750 in supplies for Lawrence students this year

Lawrence residents have purchased more than $750 worth of school supplies through the Lawrence Municipal Court’s “School Supplies for Fines” program. Now in its third year, the program allows participants who have outstanding fines to bring $15 worth of approved school supplies and the receipt to the court in exchange for a $50 credit toward fines for traffic infractions or parking tickets. The ...

Douglas County commissioners approve site for a future fire station in northwestern Lawrence

Douglas County commissioners have approved the location for a new fire station in northwestern Lawrence, aiming to close coverage gaps and improve emergency response times in the area. On Wednesday, county commissioners voted 4-0, with Commissioner Shannon Reid absent, to approve 555 Stoneridge Drive as the location for Lawrence-Douglas County Fire Medical’s new fire station, also known as “Station 6.” ...