The Lawrence Times

Lawrence city commissioners on Tuesday will hear an update on some measures of the city’s performance in safety and security. Some of the city’s progress indicators in Tuesday’s meeting agenda still include baseline data from the city’s 2019 community survey, according to Interim Lawrence-Douglas County Fire Medical Chief Tom Fagan. One of those indicators is the percentage of residents who perceive Lawrence as safe or very safe. At 82%, the city was below the target of 90%. The city’s strategic plan website currently shows that the percentage of residents who rate their trust in emergency services from the police department as [...]

Some teachers in Lawrence elementary schools are concerned about what multi-age classrooms will look like in the district and the domino effect that may follow.nThe Lawrence school board has approved about $6.41 million in budget cuts. About $2.07 million, or 32% of that total, will come from changing elementary class thresholds to eliminate about 34 teaching positions, largely through attrition. The district will be implementing multi-age classrooms, though it is unclear exactly where and how many, primarily because class sizes depend on each year’s enrollment numbers, according to information provided by district spokesperson Julie Boyle. Source: The Lawrence Times

A Kansas bill signed into law Thursday spans the gamut of tax policy, packaging more than two dozen measures amending property, sales and income tax laws. The massive House Bill 2239, backed by the Legislature and Gov. Laura Kelly, included provisions from 29 different bills cutting taxes and will hack nearly $91 million from state tax revenue in the first year. The largest cost is the taxpayer-assessed 20 mill levy toward supporting K-12 public education. In approving the changes to state tax laws, Kelly said she felt the opportunity to provide relief for Kansans was now, while the state experiences its [...]

The Kansas Emergency Rental Assistance program is accepting applications for rent, utility and internet assistance from tenants and landlords who have experienced financial hardship during the COVID-19 pandemic. Known as KERA, recent updates have allowed the state to serve more Kansans, according to a news release from the Kansas Housing Resources Corporation. Here are the changes: Eligible households may receive up to 18 months of assistance — an increase from the previous 15-month maximum; Recipients may receive a lump sum of $900 in past-due or future internet assistance — an increase from the previous $750 limit; and Households that have endured [...]

Following what will surely be remembered as one of the greatest comebacks in NCAA history, 70,000 KU fans flooded Massachusetts Street late Monday night into the early hours of Tuesday morning, according to an estimate from law enforcement. The Lawrence Police Department tweeted just before 2 a.m. Tuesday that “we ended the party with minimal incidents. Preliminary reports show 3 arrests and one person issued a notice to appear without a physical arrest. None included serious injuries.” The Douglas County booking log indicates arrests on suspicion of interference with law enforcement and battery on law enforcement; criminal damage to property; and [...]

The Jayhawks made it look easy, holding a lead over the Villanova Wildcats for the entire Final Four matchup and winning 81-65. And Lawrence was partying in the streets. KU will advance to the championship game, coming up at 8:20 p.m. Monday, April 4. They’ll face the North Carolina Tar Heels, who topped Duke 81-77 Saturday night. Jayhawks fans had fun watching the game in parties big, small, indoors and outdoors, all over downtown Lawrence. Source: The Lawrence Times

Despite thousands of people flooding the street to party Saturday, there were no serious injuries, accidents or property damage reported, according to Lawrence police. Lt. Amy Rhoads said Sunday morning that she wasn’t even aware of any citations issued. That would qualify as rock chalking responsibly, and that’s what she said officers are hoping fans will do Monday night, too. Following the Jayhawks’ 2008 championship win, more than 80,000 people came downtown to celebrate, according to the city. The city estimates that on Saturday, there were between 15,000 and 20,000 people filling between four and five blocks of Massachusetts Street. Source: [...]

Following a national search, the city has selected Melissa Sieben as the new director of Municipal Services and Operations, according to a news release Tuesday. Sieben, who recently served as assistant county administrator at the Unified Government of Wyandotte County and Kansas City, Kansas for seven years, has 23 years of local government experience serving communities in Illinois, Iowa and Kansas, according to the release. “I am looking forward to working with Municipal Services and Operations staff and City leadership to implement the goals of the strategic plan and continue to enhance service delivery,” Sieben said in the release. “Lawrence is [...]

Gabi Sprague is the new human services program manager for Douglas County. She’ll focus on preventing homelessness and helping unify the work of local social service agencies. Though the title is new for Sprague, the work isn’t. Sprague previously was the Housing Stabilization Collaborative (HSC) program manager with the United Way of Douglas County. HSC represents a joint effort of multiple community organizations that began as a grant-funded program through Family Promise of Lawrence after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. The mission: preventing homelessness, eviction and loss of utilities while helping navigate community resources. That process can feel overwhelming to [...]

Cuts to administration that both did and did not make it into recommendations for the Lawrence school board to consider drew questions from board members Tuesday evening during their budget work session.  District administrators recommended a restructuring of administration; on the other hand, they recommended against a 5% reduction to administrative staff who make $100,000 or more, which would save about $169,600. The district is facing a budget shortfall estimated between $3.2 and $3.85 million dollars, though the school board members have said they’re looking to make around $7 million in cuts to provide staff raises and rebuild depleted reserve funds. [...]