WRITER: Bremen Keasey

As $6.5M budget hole looms, leaders want to recharge city's savings account and haven't ruled out raising the mill levy

As the city of Lawrence stares down a projected $6.5 million budget hole for 2026, city commissioners say they want to recharge the city's savings account, and they haven't yet ruled out raising the mill levy. City commissioners provided some early feedback at their meeting on Tuesday about the 2026 budget process, and they agreed they wanted to set aside $2 million in the city's reserve fund. They also wanted ...

City leaders will start discussing what they'd like to see in new Lawrence-Douglas County Fire Medical agreement

The city and county will soon have to craft a new agreement for Lawrence-Douglas County Fire Medical, and Lawrence city commissioners will give some initial input on what they'd like to see at their meeting on Tuesday. LDCFM, which provides fire services in Lawrence and EMS services throughout Douglas County, operates on an inter-government agreement between the city and county. That agreement was originally ...

How a relief fund created during the COVID crisis still helps Lawrence servers, bartenders and other hospitality workers today

When COVID scrambled the economy in March of 2020, one profession in particular was flipped upside down: Those who made a living feeding others in restaurants now needed help to feed their families and pay their bills after the industry practically shut down overnight. Here in Lawrence, it was the Lawrence Restaurant Association that stepped up to serve the servers — even just a month after COVID struck. As ...

City of Lawrence projects $6.5 million budget deficit in 2026; commissioners will discuss priorities, likely cuts

Early numbers show Lawrence will face a $6.5 million budget shortfall in 2026, and City Hall budget-makers say it is not too early to ask city commissioners a couple of questions. What would you cut, and would you consider raising property taxes? Commissioners at their Tuesday evening meeting will discuss multiple options for bringing down the budget gap, including whether to commit to keeping market rate ...

Parks, Recreation and Culture's master plan proposes making public art program a permanent city ordinance

For decades, the City of Lawrence's biggest building projects, including its police headquarters and bus station, have set aside a portion of their funding for public art, and now a new proposal could make this tradition stronger by permanently enshrining it as a city ordinance. The program is called Percent for Art, and it's been around since the City Commission initially approved a resolution on it in 1986. ...

Theatre Lawrence's first play of the year, 'Native Gardens,' is a sitcom-style feud whose roots run much deeper

The saying goes that “good fences make good neighbors.” And in Theatre Lawrence's first show of 2025, which premieres Friday night, tearing down a fence makes a good story. "Native Gardens," a play written by Karen Zacarías that was first performed in 2016, starts off with what looks like a typical — and comedic — neighborly dispute. But it “plants the seed” for the audience to explore much ...