WRITER: Bremen Keasey

Kansas director hopes new documentary on Marion County newspaper raid reveals deeper story beyond headlines

Sharon Liese knows a thing or two about telling stories as an award-winning director and producer from Kansas. One day as she was listening to NPR in her car, she heard a story that really drew her in. Bernie Rhodes, the attorney representing the Marion County Record, was describing an “incredible event” of a police raid on August 11, 2023 of the Marion County Record, where law enforcement seized computers, ...

Lawrence's embrace of Algerian fans is international news; leaders hope this bond continues after the World Cup

Updated at 8:52 p.m. Friday, June 26 When Algerian forward Amine Gouiri managed to score the winning goal off a corner kick in the 82nd minute Monday night to give “Les Fennecs” a 2-1 victory over Jordan, there were surely large celebrations in Algiers — but there were big celebrations in Lawrence as well. Ruth DeWitt, the director of community relations for Explore Lawrence, was at the watch party in ...

Hundreds of Algerian fans rally on KU's campus ahead of final group stage match in Kansas City

Ahead of Algeria’s final group stage match on Saturday, hundreds of fans gathered on KU’s campus Friday evening to support the team and celebrate with the community. The rally happened right near Lied Center of Kansas, 1600 Stewart Drive, with Algerian supporters dancing, singing and lighting flares to show their support for “Les Fennecs” before the huge showdown against Austria in Kansas City on ...

Foundation created for Kansas biking legend is raising funds to gift bikes, helmets to Lawrence second graders

A foundation created for a Kansas biking legend hopes to find ways to give back to Lawrence children by gifting them the freedom and confidence that comes from learning to ride a bike. The Steve Tilford Foundation is currently raising funds for a new “Let’s Ride” program, which would provide second graders in the eight Title I elementary schools in Lawrence with their very own bicycle and helmet. Title I ...

From Lawrence to Broadway: How Free State alumna Erin Ramirez's adaptability led to a 'dream role' in 'Hamilton'

Everyone on Broadway had a different journey to get there, and Erin Ramirez’s happened to start in a former Soviet republic. Ramirez, the daughter of a Peruvian-American Army officer, grew up bouncing around between different bases in Europe and trying different activities along the way — singing, acting and dancing. While starting high school in Tbilisi, Georgia — a small country on the Black Sea — ...

New group opposing data centers in Douglas County urges residents to start protesting before developments are proposed

Inspired by the opposition to data center development in a nearby community, a new coalition of Douglas County residents is trying to deter potential projects from locating here, and about 100 people showed up to hear about it on Tuesday night. The group is called Douglas County Data Center Watchdogs, and it hosted a “call to action” against potential data center projects on Tuesday at the Lawrence Public ...