WRITER: Kim Callahan

Fired professor sues KU, saying its 'egregious conduct' under China Initiative left his life and career in shambles

A former University of Kansas professor who was prosecuted for wire fraud and making false statements has filed a federal lawsuit against KU to get his job back, along with back wages and compensation for damage to his reputation. Feng (Franklin) Tao, a Chinese-born researcher, was hired in 2014 as a tenured associate professor in chemical engineering. Five years later he was arrested under the Department of ...

Ex-Haskell regent and former Kickapoo Tribal Council chairman banished from tribe, must forfeit property

A former Kickapoo Tribal Council chairman and ex-regent for Haskell Indian Nations University has been banished from the Kickapoo Tribe after he pleaded guilty to numerous crimes Friday, including attempted homicide and arson. The sentence of banishment means that the former regent, Lester Randall, is "considered legally dead and a nonentity to the Kickapoo Tribe," according to a news release from the ...

Lawrence adds 3 more inches to week's snow total; slight chance of more precipitation over weekend

The snowfall overnight Thursday caused minimal disruption compared with the foot of snow that blanketed Lawrence at the beginning of the week, but it was enough to complicate driving and to close area schools once again. Lawrence schools have been closed every day this week except for Thursday. The Lawrence area received around 3 inches of snow, measured at Clinton Lake, according to meteorologist Kyle Poage ...

Recently diagnosed with cancer, Lawrence's best-known 4-legged therapist is inviting the public to celebrate life

Around 2010 when Raven Rajani was looking to adopt a dog, a tiny female puppy at a rural animal shelter in Arkansas caught her eye. Rajani had been looking online at loads of cuddly rescues with melt-your-heart puppy faces and wiggly tails. She would come away thinking “well, that's cute!” But then, for some reason, she’d scroll back to the Staffordshire terrier in Arkansas named Dolores — the Spanish ...

Michigan man arrested at Lawrence credit union, accused of trying to steal thousands of dollars via identity theft and forgery

A 37-year-old Michigan man was arrested Wednesday afternoon at a Lawrence credit union and has since been charged with felony identity theft and forgery for allegedly trying to steal thousands of dollars. Shortly before 3:30 p.m. officers were dispatched to Mid America Credit Union, 550 Wakarusa Drive, for a report of a man attempting to pass a forged check. Employees at the business reported that they had been ...

Police arrest man who has been wanted since 2023 in connection with teen's murder case; state calls him major flight risk, but attorney says he was here all along

Updated at 4:50 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 7 A young man who was wanted by police during the murder trial of Derrick Del Reed was arrested early Tuesday morning at a Lawrence convenience store. Owen Gage Walker, 20, was taken into custody on charges of obstructing apprehension or prosecution and interference with law enforcement by concealing or destroying evidence in a felony. Reed stood trial for the March 2023 ...