WRITER: Bremen Keasey

Local historical society hopes grants will boost efforts to celebrate America's 250th birthday

After receiving about $11,000 in grants for marketing, the Douglas County Historical Society is hoping to reach more people than ever before for a special project celebrating the United States’ 250th year of independence. As the Journal-World reported, the Kansas Department of Commerce announced Monday that the historical society, which includes the Watkins Museum, received an $8,000 grant to support new ...

KU to permanently close three lots around stadium due to construction of second phase of Gateway District

Multiple parking lots around KU’s campus will close permanently as construction for the second phase of the school’s Gateway District will start later this month. The school shared in an email to students, staff and faculty that parking lots 92, 94 and 97 — three lots located just east of David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium — will be closing permanently. If any vehicles are in those lots after Dec. 15, ...

World Cup organizers include Lawrence in transportation plan that connects multiple sites to downtown Kansas City

Lawrence is one of 15 sites included as part of a regional transportation plan announced Tuesday that will have a direct connection to downtown Kansas City during the 2026 FIFA World Cup. In a meeting at Lenexa's city hall, KC2026, the nonprofit that will oversee strategy and perform the host city duties for the World Cup, unveiled ConnectKC26, a regional transportation plan designed to move visitors and ...

New CEO praises LMH Health’s culture, commitment as she looks to improve operations

For most of her career as a physician, Shelly Kortkamp didn’t envision ever shifting into the C-suite. But as she was working as a hospitalist at the Hospital Sisters Health System in Illinois, Kortkamp, said the CEO approached her to see if she would serve as the Chief Medical Officer on an interim basis, where she “fell in love with the administrative side” of medicine. Kortkamp said working as a ...

A downtown Lawrence gallery to host special exhibition featuring doughnuts as 'feast for your eyes' after Thanksgiving

As Thanksgiving feasts are shared Thursday across Lawrence, artists for Lawrence’s Phoenix Gallery have been whipping up a different sort of feast for Friday. “A feast for your eyes,” Rochelle Marsh, the director of the gallery, said. After the plates of turkey and trimmings are finished off with rich pies on Thanksgiving, Phoenix Gallery’s Final Friday event will feature a celebration of another ...

Lawrence man faces up to 24 years in prison after pleading guilty to two counts of rape

A Lawrence man charged with numerous child sex crimes in Douglas County District Court pleaded guilty to two counts of rape as part of a plea agreement Tuesday afternoon, avoiding a jury trial and a possible life sentence. Adrian Raye Wisdom pleaded guilty to two counts of rape, both level one person felonies, as part of a plea agreement that dropped 13 other charges Wisdom was facing. As the Journal-World ...