Lawrence is making an impact on America’s technology landscape. Data from the Brookings Institute revealed the latest trends in technology across the country and how the pandemic has disrupted the geography of tech jobs. It listed Kansas City as a “rising star” metro, and also showed how Lawrence has grown substantially in recent years. Lawrence lost 1,570 tech workers from 2015-2019; however, in 2019-2020, Lawrence saw growth of 151 workers, according to the data.  A closer look at the report from Axios shows that, at 19.3%, Lawrence is the No. 1 city for growth in tech workers per capita for 2019-2020. Per capita growth shows how much a population is increasing in proportion to the general population — in other words, Lawrence’s tech worker population rose rapidly even when taking general population growth into consideration.
Source: The Lawrence Times

Lawrence’s Community Police Review Board is set to review a draft proposal that could reconfigure the board, leading one member to resign over what she sees as an effort to turn the board into little more than “window dressing.” At its meeting Thursday, the CPRB will review a project charter for a new Community-Police Oversight Task Force that would review ordinance revisions proposed by the CPRB and assess the existing complaint policies, procedures, and systems. CPRB members had sought direction from the city commission last fall after working for months on a revised ordinance that would have expanded its duties. The CPRB was established in 2018 to review racial or other bias-based complaints made against the police department. But under the current ordinance, the CPRB doesn’t review a case unless it is appealed within 14 days of a decision. The CPRB has yet to review a complaint since the board was launched.
Source: The Lawrence Times

A new sign celebrating a few of North Lawrence’s distinct features now greets residents and visitors just past the intersection of North Second and Locust streets. Designed by North Lawrence resident and graphic designer Wade Kelly, the sign prominently features a bald eagle in flight above the slogan “Colorful Past. Bright Future.” The North Lawrence Co-op Elevator’s massive grain bins, Kansas River waves and a tiny sandrat – all features of North Lawrence – round out the sign’s distinctive facets. Don and Sarah Benda donated the sign, and the City of Lawrence Parks and Recreation Department installed it recently just south of the Lawrence Visitors Center and Union Pacific Train Depot. Ideally, a spotlight and landscaping will round out the project, Don Benda said.
Source: The Lawrence Times