WRITER: Sylas May

Recent storms and North Lawrence tornado have kept the city's forestry staff busy day and night

Whenever trees fall or break along Lawrence’s roadways, it’s a job for the city’s forestry staff – and sometimes it’s much, much more than a full-time job. That’s certainly been true this month, when Lawrence has seen storms with heavy rain, high winds and even a weak tornado in North Lawrence. All of those things can cause trees to fail, and so “this last week and a half’s been kind of a lot of ...

Contamination in Lawrence's recycling has risen to 17.5%, audit finds; that means city will continue paying more for processing

Contamination in the City of Lawrence's recycling has risen to more than 17%, a recent audit found, and the city will have to continue paying tens of thousands of dollars in surcharges to its recycling processor because of it. The city announced the findings from its most recent recycling audit in a news release this week. The recycling audits happen twice a year, in spring and fall, and they determine how much ...

Scaffolding comes down at Liberty Hall in downtown Lawrence after months of repair work

The repairs are almost done and the scaffolding is all gone outside of Liberty Hall, and co-owner Joshua Millstein is glad that its historic facade is back to normal. “We’re happy to have shed all of our scaffolding, all of our exoskeleton, you know?” Millstein said Friday outside of Liberty Hall, 644 Massachusetts St. Millstein said the scaffolding had been in place for four to five months, but the ...

STAR Bond project is proposing $1.3B of development in Lawrence, including an arena geared toward 'international cycling competitions'

With his STAR Bond project proposed for Lawrence’s southern and western edges, developer Phil Bundy thinks he’s found something that could be “a win all around.” It’s a win for the city, the Wichita businessman said, because it would get new attractions, like an arena with a velodrome that could host major cycling races; new homes; and new property tax revenue. It’s a win for his group because it ...

City to keep Community Building open through end of 2026; leaders want more data before deciding on 2027

The Community Building in downtown Lawrence will stay open for free use through the end of 2026, but city leaders say they need more data before they make decisions about 2027. On Tuesday, the City Commission voted 3-1, with Commissioner Mike Dever opposed and Commissioner Kristine Polian absent, to keep the downtown rec facility open through the end of the year using fund balance. It will cost $39,000 to pay ...

City leaders approve incentive for 131-unit housing development near Wakarusa and Queens

Lawrence city leaders have approved an incentive for a development of more than 100 units of housing on the city’s west side, although that housing won’t qualify as affordable. The City Commission voted 3-1 on Tuesday to approve a request from Nebraska developer Metonic for $35.3 million of Industrial Revenue Bonds for a sales tax exemption on construction materials. Vice Mayor Mike Courtney was the lone ...