The Lawrence Times

Kansas Supreme Court justices seemed skeptical Tuesday of a Wichita city ordinance used to justify arresting a protester. They will decide whether the ordinance is a violation of First Amendment rights. In 2020, Gabrielle Griffie led a protest over the death of George Floyd. The group marched through Wichita, even walking through streets and blocking some traffic. The demonstration ended at the steps of the federal courthouse. Nobody was arrested the day of the protest. But Wichita Police watched social media videos after it happened and charged Griffie with disorderly conduct for blocking traffic. ... At the heart of the debate [...]

Douglas County commissioners on Wednesday will consider a new policy that would allow the county to pay people who have lived experience for their input on community issues and initiatives. County staff members want to seek input from people who are experiencing homelessness, in particular, and the new policy is in hopes of addressing barriers that prevent people from participating in listening sessions and work group meetings. Source: The Lawrence Times

Despite record-breaking temperatures, an overflow crowd of frustrated taxpayers crammed into the Shawnee County Commission chambers recently to voice concerns about rising property taxes driven largely by growing home values. ... It’s a scene playing out across the state as local governments hold public hearings on their budgets required by state law. Local budgets continue to rise and some taxpayers are frustrated as their property taxes increase and they feel their voices aren’t being heard. The interest shows that legislative action in recent years didn’t resolve concerns over rising property taxes. Lawmakers, local officials, and taxpayers alike are gearing up for [...]

If a Lawrence police officer pulls you over for having a taillight out, you might get a voucher to get it fixed instead of a ticket. LPD and its Blue Santa charity have partnered with Lights On!, a Minnesota-based program that aims to help prevent equipment violations from sending people who are already financially stressed on a downward spiral that could mean someone paying a ticket rather than buying food; being unable to afford a repair and getting another ticket; or even winding up in jail because of outstanding tickets and fines, which can then lead to losing employment or housing, [...]

In hopes of avoiding numerous driver’s license suspensions, Douglas County District Court judges have dismissed about 940 traffic cases. The circumstances of the batch dismissals are also mentioned in a pending disciplinary matter against Douglas County District Attorney Suzanne Valdez. The traffic court docket, which generally brings dozens of people into one courtroom on Friday mornings, was placed on hold for the height of the pandemic. The DA’s office also continued cases on the docket during the delta variant wave in winter going into 2022. Source: The Lawrence Times

The Lawrence school district is partnering with county agencies to hopefully prevent students from being introduced to the criminal legal system for missing too much school. The district is partnering with Douglas County District Attorney Suzanne Valdez’s office, Douglas County Youth Services and the Kansas Department for Children and Families (DCF) to address truancy. Students are considered truant if they are absent without excuse for a “significant portion” of the school day for three days in a row, for five days in a semester, or for seven days in a school year. At the high school level, a “significant portion” of [...]

A Lawrence Municipal Court initiative that allowed people to pay for $50 worth of traffic tickets with $15 worth of school supplies brought in more than 900 items. Vicki Stanwix, court administrator, said via email Tuesday that 44 people donated items in exchange for a reduction in parking or infraction fines. The court also received donations from some people who owed less than $50 in fines, and from people who did not owe fines to the court but wanted to give back to the community, she said. Altogether, the court received 924 school supply items including 187 glue sticks, 160 boxes [...]

A committee’s revised plan to update the city’s many boards recommends that the Sustainability Advisory Board and Public Incentives Review Committee be dissolved, among numerous other changes. Over the last several months, the Board and Commissions Structure Committee has been tasked with limiting the number of city advisory boards, committees, commissions and task forces to 10, not counting those that are required by state statutes. In a previous draft recommendation, the committee suggested consolidating 13 boards down to five and nixing another. The update comes after an online questionnaire and two listening sessions. Source: The Lawrence Times

Lawrence community members gathered at the Watkins Museum of History Saturday morning for the annual reading of the names of known victims who died in Quantrill’s Raid. Monday, Aug. 21 will mark 160 years since the proslavery forces attacked the town, largely considered an antislavery stronghold, killing between roughly 160 and 200 people and destroying much of the property. The town quickly rose from the ashes as the people rebuilt. Anthony Boynton, writer and member of B.L.A.C.K. Lawrence, gave an original reading during the event. He said it was a poem written from the perspective of someone who knows history has [...]

The Lawrence City Commission on Tuesday soundly adopted a local ordinance protecting people from racial discrimination based on hair, making Lawrence the first city in Kansas to do so. “This is huge for our community,” Commissioner Amber Sellers said. “This is huge for our state. This is huge for individuals who live here who are trying to thrive and survive here — that they can balance and feel that they can take their nurtured self and bring it out into the community, unapologetically.” The CROWN Act, which stands for “Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair,” combats race-based hair [...]