WRITER: Bremen Keasey

Baldwin City's new mayor has everything from growth to preparing for the unexpected on his mind as term begins

A 30-year law enforcement career brought Gerry Cullumber to places all over Kansas, but Baldwin City had a pull on him. Cullumber, who grew up in Leavenworth County, worked for police departments across several communities in Johnson County — his longest stint in Lenexa for 24 years — but since he and his family moved to Baldwin City in 2000, there was not another place he called home. Even when he served ...

Lamonte McIntyre, who was freed after 23 years behind bars, will help launch author's book about him at The Raven

The year that Lamonte McIntyre was freed after 23 years behind bars, reporter and lawyer Rick Tulsky heard about the case and knew he had to learn more. McIntyre, as the Associated Press has reported, was convicted in a 1994 double homicide in Kansas City, Kansas, even though no physical evidence or motive tied him to the crimes. He was freed in 2017 after a prosecutor asked the court to vacate his convictions ...

Panasonic plant up to about 1,400 employees; officials hope to hire 'several hundred' more in coming months

Currently, the Panasonic plant on Kansas Highway 10 in De Soto has less than half of its previously promised target of 4,000 employees, but company officials will be holding a hiring fair this week and hope to hire “several hundred” more skilled machine technicians over the next three months. As the Journal-World reported, the nearly 5 million-square-foot electric vehicle battery factory opened in De Soto, ...

Lawrence bike shop to hold 'unity ride' Saturday in memory of Alex Pretti

Lawrence bike shop Cycle Works will hold a “unity ride” on Saturday in support of one of the people in Minneapolis who was recently shot and killed by federal officers. Keith Muller, an owner of Cycle Works, said that the idea was sparked by a Minneapolis cycle shop called Angry Catfish. Alex Pretti, the man who was shot and killed last week, was a customer of the store, so Muller said he reached out to the ...

Amid changes and challenges on the federal level, LMH Health leaders express optimism about 2026

Some changes on the federal level could bring more funding to LMH Health, and others could bring frustration, but the hospital's leaders struck an optimistic note on Wednesday in their first board meeting of 2026. The LMH Health Board of Trustees met only briefly on Wednesday morning and didn't have any action items on its agenda. But trustees and hospital executives did go over some happenings in Washington ...

Free State sophomore named Youth of the Year by Lawrence Boys & Girls Club

Laila Reetz, a sophomore at Free State High School, was named the 2026 Youth of the Year by the Boys & Girls Club of Lawrence. Reetz was announced as the winner Tuesday night during an event at the Lied Center, 1600 Stewart Drive. Youth of the Year is the premier recognition program for Boys & Girls Clubs across the country and it highlights the relationships members develop with the Club from as early ...