The City of Lawrence has finished cleaning the area between the Amtrak station and the Kansas River that was, until Wednesday, a sprawling homeless camp, and it says it has no immediate plans to dismantle other homeless camps that have sprung up throughout the city. “Currently, there are no plans to clear other camps,” said Misty Bosch-Hastings, director of the city’s Homeless Solutions Division. “With ...
A Lawrence man accused of drunkenly crashing his vehicle into a central Lawrence restaurant two years ago and injuring several people will face trial early next year. Douglas County Judge Sally Pokorny on Thursday scheduled Brandon Vess’ trial for Feb. 3, but first she warned him that she would jail him if he continued to miss court dates, as he had on Wednesday and throughout the case. “You have ...
The “Big Boy” steam locomotive didn't stop in Lawrence this time, but it slowed down enough Thursday for 3-year-old train enthusiast Leslie Alldritt to get a good look — and, given the volume of the train's whistle, a very, very good listen. Leslie, a preschooler at Little Red Schoolhouse, was among the crowd patiently waiting to catch a glimpse of Union Pacific’s historic Big Boy, which was built in ...
Hours before the sun rose Wednesday two teams of Lawrence police officers walked through a longtime homeless camp by the Kansas River, alerting remaining campers that they needed to leave before heavy equipment arrived to clear the area. Police, including Chief Rich Lockhart, notified 15 or so people, many of whom had been sleeping, that they needed to clear out once and for all. “I know we’re ugly alarm ...
The rape trial for two men that was set to begin this week was put on hold at the 11th hour over the alleged victim’s continuing noncooperation in the case. The woman had accused four men of brutally raping her over several days in March of 2023 while she was on drugs and in and out of consciousness and of videotaping the assaults. The woman testified at the men’s preliminary hearing in June of 2023, when ...
A bench warrant was issued Tuesday for a man's arrest after he failed to appear for his sentencing for an aggravated battery conviction that stemmed from a shooting. The defendant, Evan Gauge Heffner, 19, pleaded no contest to the charge on Sept. 4. He had originally been charged with attempted first-degree murder after allegedly shooting a man on May 10 at the Motel 6 at 1130 N. Third St. As the Journal-World ...