City Commission elections often are focused on topics like zoning, streets, sidewalks and economic development, but each commissioner, as an elected official, swears an oath to support and defend the U.S. and Kansas constitutions. With that in mind, the Journal-World asked each candidate about their broader philosophies on good government. Each candidate was asked the question: "What does good government mean ...
The Lawrence City Commission race is the only one in Lawrence that requires a primary election this year, but it includes a crowded field of candidates with varied backgrounds and priorities. Two four-year terms on the commission are on the ballot this year. The Journal-World reached out to all 13 candidates in the City Commission race whose names were on the ballot ahead of the Aug. 5 primary election, which ...
After Congress approved a request from President Donald Trump to claw back over a billion dollars in federal public broadcasting funds, Kansas Public Radio has announced an emergency fundraising drive to keep its operations going. The U.S. House of Representatives voted early Friday morning to approve a bill that cut over $9 billion in federal funding for public broadcasting and foreign aid. This will rescind ...
Lawrence Transit's biggest projects, like a downtown bus station and electrifying more of its fleet, are anticipating some minor speed bumps. But in terms of growth, its director says the ride has been fairly smooth. Felice Lavergne, who took over as Lawrence Transit's full-time director in May, told the Journal-World that the transit system's ridership held relatively steady in 2024 after a spike in 2023, when ...
A band of overnight storms early Thursday brought between 3 and 5 inches of rain to much of Douglas County, flooded part of a government building and closed Lawrence's outdoor pool, and a week of dangerous heat is expected to follow. Jenifer Prieto, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Topeka, said that although most of the county got 3 to 5 inches of rain, there was one report in the eastern ...
Lawrence city commissioners expressed interest Tuesday in exploring potential membership fees for the city’s Parks, Recreation and Culture department rec centers, but they advised the department to consider cheaper costs than the initial proposal and make access free for low-income residents. As the Journal-World reported, the PRC publicly released details for the membership fee proposal featuring fees that ...