WRITER: Sylas May

Lawrence City Commission to consider incentives for Alarm.com; tech company wants to renovate downtown building for its offices

Tech firm Alarm.com is seeking incentives from the City of Lawrence to redevelop a building on Vermont Street into its new office space, and the City Commission will consider the request next week. At its meeting on Tuesday, the commission will consider two incentives requested by Alarm.com for its project at 714 Vermont St.: a Neighborhood Revitalization Area property tax rebate, and Industrial Revenue Bonds ...

At preliminary hearing, man describes being shot by girlfriend's ex; defendant told police it was self-defense

It was just a few minutes, Logan Labelle said, from when he was putting his daughter in the car to when he was shot by his girlfriend’s ex. Labelle testified Thursday in Douglas County District Court about how the altercation with the other man, Temujin Jernigan, went down. He said Jernigan pulled up next to him and his child; there was some “trash talking”; Jernigan pulled out a gun and cocked it. ...

Man convicted of domestic battery in plea deal that dropped a count of rape

A man originally accused of rape in Douglas County District Court was convicted instead on Thursday of two lesser felonies, neither one a sex crime, as part of a plea deal. Drew Botello pleaded guilty to one count of third or subsequent offense domestic battery and one count of interference with law enforcement, and in return, the single count of rape against him was dismissed. The parties agreed to recommend a ...

Lawrence has made an offer to a city manager candidate, but negotiations are still in progress, mayor says

Lawrence has made an offer to a city manager candidate, Mayor Brad Finkeldei told the Journal-World on Wednesday, but negotiations on the contract are still in progress. It's now been almost two weeks since the City Commission voted to enter into negotiations on the city manager hire, and Finkeldei said Wednesday that the city made an offer to a candidate last week and has been negotiating details of the ...

Lawrence's housing study calls for hundreds of new units a year, repairing existing affordable homes

Lawrence needs more new housing – hundreds of units a year – but it might also want to try rehabilitating some older properties to preserve its existing affordable housing stock. That’s what Justin Carney, of consulting firm Development Strategies, told the Lawrence City Commission on Tuesday night. Development Strategies is the firm conducting the city’s housing study, and some of its main ...

City Commission OKs purchasing former Journal-World printing plant; it could become a City Hall annex

Lawrence city commissioners have approved purchasing the former Journal-World printing plant building, and they’re interested in using it for more than just extra space for city offices. At its meeting on Tuesday, the commission voted unanimously to approve the $2.1 million purchase of the building, which is directly across the street from City Hall. Staff said the intent was to create a City Hall annex that ...