As temperatures drop and forecasts call for snow, several individuals and organizations have come together to provide a temporary overnight shelter for the homeless. The Lawrence Community Shelter has been operating at a reduced capacity because of financial issues, and some homeless people ...
Because of a staff shortage, city bus drivers have spent weeks putting in mandatory overtime behind the wheel. Local union leader Justin Priest, who is president of Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1754, said drivers have had to work a mandatory extra shift for more than a month, typically ...
An anonymous donor will be contributing up to $10,000 to the Lawrence Public Library, promising to provide a dollar-for-dollar match to the library’s long-term endowment for every dollar the community provides for immediate library needs. The idea for the donation came from the upcoming ...
Municipal Services and Operations Assistant Director Chuck Soules will be leaving his position with the City of Lawrence. City spokesman Porter Arneill said that Soules started with the city as public works director in February 2002. Following the merger of the public works and utilities ...
The City of Lawrence has denied claims that its police department used excessive force against a motorist who was shot by police and instead claims that the motorist’s conduct led to the incident. Akira S. Lewis was shot by police after a traffic stop turned violent and in September filed a ...
Just over half of respondents to a city survey about potential ordinances regarding disposable plastic and paper bags indicated they favored banning plastic bags, a city advisory panel learned Wednesday. Lawrence-Douglas County Sustainability Director Jasmin Moore presented results from the ...
City leaders are interested in discussing potential changes to the local resolution governing city employee unions. As part of its study session Tuesday, the Lawrence City Commission received a report from the area union Teamsters Local 696 regarding Resolution No. 6817, which the commission ...
The city’s Affordable Housing Advisory Board is asking whether part of the money from the city’s affordable housing sales tax should be earmarked for social services such as housing vouchers. The board had the discussion at its meeting Monday, following its most recent round of funding. ...
City leaders will soon hear from an area union that would like the city to make changes to its local resolution governing employee unions. As part of its study session Tuesday, the Lawrence City Commission will receive a report from Teamsters Local 696 regarding Resolution No. 6817, which the ...
There are approximately 1,000 fewer daily trips being taken on the bus today than there were two years ago, and some city leaders are asking whether making the bus free could help bring more people to the bus stop. For only the second time since service began in 2000, ridership on Lawrence ...
CONSENT AGENDA: 1. APPROVE CITY COMMISSION MEETING MINUTES: a) Consider approving City Commission Meeting minutes of 12/3/19. 2. BOARD AND COMMISSION MEETING MINUTES: a) Receive LMH Health Board minutes from 10/16/19 and 11/20/19. 3. CLAIMS: a) Consider approving all claims. The list of ...
The City of Lawrence is preparing to launch a new utility billing system and online platform. Most customers who pay their bills online or have their accounts set up to pay automatically will need to take certain steps in order to continue payments. Customers who pay their bill by mail and ...
Come this spring, those who water their lawns or otherwise use larger than average amounts of water will have to pay 10% to 15% more for those extra gallons. The Lawrence City Commission finalized this week the long-discussed inclining block rate structure for residential water fees, which ...
One of the first actions by the new Lawrence City Commission was to take up a proposal to ban the sale of tobacco and vaping products to people under 21. The previous commission declined to consider a Tobacco 21 ordinance earlier this year, but two newcomers to the commission, Commissioner ...
As part of her State of the City address Tuesday, outgoing Mayor Lisa Larsen told attendees that there is much to celebrate and much to work toward. “The state of the city is sound, but not without challenges,” Larsen said. “We have significant needs that have gone unmet in our core ...
Lawrence city commissioners will soon decide if they want to expand the city’s fast-track incentives program for industrial projects, allowing a beverage distribution company to apply for incentives under the program. As part of its meeting Tuesday, the commission will consider expanding ...
When Jennifer Ananda dropped off her forms to become a Lawrence City Commission candidate in 2017, she said she was literally shaking. “It’s scary to put yourself out there,” Ananda said. “You’re saying 'Please tell me that you find me appropriate for this.' It’s very public and ...
The City of Lawrence will soon have a new mayor and two new members on its governing body. As part of its meeting Tuesday, if tradition holds, the Lawrence City Commission will vote to elect Vice Mayor Jennifer Ananda as mayor and incoming Commissioner Brad Finkeldei as vice mayor. Lawrence ...
A judge has dismissed a lawsuit filed by a Lawrence man against the City of Lawrence over the Queens Road taxing districts. Earlier this month, a judge gave Lawrence resident Kurt Schaake until noon Tuesday to secure an attorney or the case would be dismissed. No attorney has been retained, ...
City of Lawrence offices will be closed Thursday and Friday for the Thanksgiving holiday, and the solid waste collection schedule will be altered. There will be no trash, recycling or yard waste collection service on Thursday, according to a city news release. Collection service will be ...