WRITER: Bremen Keasey

Lawrence Public Library's board unanimously approves new free speech policy aimed at preventing disruptions

The Lawrence Public Library Board of Trustees on Monday unanimously approved a new free speech policy that aims to ensure activities ranging from protests to panhandling won't “interfere with study and enjoyment” of the library’s users. The board approved the new free speech policy along with updating its public event policies and reservable room policies to better align them with the new policy. James ...

Lawrence needs new housing, and code changes and accessory dwellings could help fill the gaps

If there is one thing Lawrencians can agree on, it’s that Lawrence needs more housing. Housing costs are increasing in the city while not enough homes are being built. The city is on pace to hit a record low in single-family homes this year, as the Journal-World reported, with only 44 permits being given, much lower than the 79 single-family building permits approved in 2022 — a number that was the lowest ...

Report shows visitor spending in Douglas County up to nearly $300 million in 2023, setting new record

Visitor spending in Douglas County in 2023 reached its highest level ever recorded, signaling that tourism in the Lawrence area is back above pre-pandemic levels, according to a recent report. Spending by visitors in the county totaled $296.3 million in 2023, a 6% increase from the previous year, according to a report by Tourism Economics. The report used a data gathering model that tracked visitor-related ...

City of Lawrence to host open house for Bob Billings Parkway project that will add city street west of SLT

The City of Lawrence will soon host its first open house for the Bob Billings Parkway extension project. The two-phase project aims to upgrade the current partially unpaved rural two-lane road to an arterial roadway from Kansas Highway 10 to East 800 Road. The first phase will work on K-10 to the halfway line, and construction for that is anticipated in 2026. The second phase to fully complete the paved road ...

Lawrence Public Library Board of Trustees to consider adopting new free speech policy

The Lawrence Public Library Board of Trustees will vote Monday on a new free speech policy aimed at preventing disruptive protests and other behaviors that "interfere with study and enjoyment" of the library's users. James Pavisian, the secretary and treasurer for the board of trustees, said the new policy would highlight that the library is a limited public forum, and that restrictions could be imposed on ...

Lawrence City Commission approves rate increases for stormwater, solid waste utility rates for 2025

The Lawrence City Commission unanimously approved increases to the city's solid waste and stormwater utility rates for 2025 on Tuesday night, some of which were smaller than last year's rate increases. For the solid waste rates, Mike Lawless, the deputy director for Lawrence’s Municipal and Services Operations department, told the commission Tuesday there would be a 4% increase for residential rates, which ...