WRITER: Josie Heimsoth

Record-breaking $250K raised at O’Connell Children’s Shelter’s 38th Annual Festival of Trees gala

At its 38th annual Festival of Trees Gala fundraiser earlier this month, the O’Connell Children’s Shelter raised a record-breaking $250,000 to support children and families in need. The gala has been around since 1986 and involves Douglas County businesses, clubs, children’s groups, families and organizations donating decorated Christmas trees and wreaths to be exhibited. This year's event was on Dec. 6, ...

2 Lawrence High students receive national recognition for their art; their works explore identity and social issues

With photos and paint, two Lawrence High School students have been telling very personal stories about isolation, identity and women's rights — and now they're in a selective national program that will help them take their art even higher. Junior Lola Brown and senior Adele Erickson both learned at the end of November that they'd won a YoungArts award for their artwork. They were among the 800 or so students ...

Douglas County commissioners approve stormwater and agrivoltaics plans for controversial solar project

Douglas County commissioners approved two significant plans for a 8 million-square-foot solar project on Wednesday after hearing more than two hours of comments from members of the public, many of whom urged them to delay the votes. The commissioners unanimously voted to approve the two plans – a stormwater management plan and an agrivoltaics plan – for the Kansas Sky Energy Center, a solar farm project ...

Artists Helping the Homeless seeks $36K in county funding to fund full-time outreach position

Douglas County commissioners on Wednesday will consider authorizing an additional $36,000 of ongoing funding for Artists Helping the Homeless to help turn its part-time peer outreach position to a full-time position. The county, in its 2025 budget, had already allocated $412,686 for Artists Helping the Homeless — $376,686 for the operations of the nonprofit's two supportive housing projects, and $36,000 for ...

Douglas County commissioners to review agrivoltaics plan proposal for controversial solar farm

Sheep and solar may go hand-in-hand in Douglas County, according to a new plan for a large solar farm near Midland Junction north of North Lawrence. Douglas County commissioners on Wednesday will consider approving an “agrivoltaics” plan for the Kansas Sky Energy Center solar project. The plan outlines practices for how hundreds of acres of land currently used for row crop agriculture could house solar ...

Douglas County Food Policy Council to urge County Commission to delay decision on solar project's agrivoltaics and stormwater plans

After reviewing two significant plans for a controversial solar project in Douglas County, the Douglas County Food Policy Council plans to send a letter to county commissioners asking for additional time for other organizations to review the proposed plans. The council held a special meeting on Monday to discuss a letter, which requested more time for organizations to review both the stormwater and ...