Social work is woven into Sheryl Sanders as much as she’s woven into Lawrence. Sanders has retired as one of the longest-tenured Lawrence Community Shelter employees. lawrenceks.news/4aBos5W

Rather than a white Christmas, a foggy one prevailed in Lawrence. Temperatures this weekend could reach record highs before dropping again on Sunday. lawrenceks.news/3LjG4J6

Reminder: Starting next week, HeadQuarters Kansas will no longer have its direct local phone number, and all crisis hotline calls will need to go to 988. lawrenceks.news/4qjxDfC

"Lawrence city commissioners should increase the age limit for youths to be eligible for free access to recreation facilities from 17 to 26," Irene Ratzlaff Soderstrom writes in this letter to the Times. lawrenceks.news/49teF0z

Bonner Springs is giving more than $200 million of tax incentives for Mattel Adventure Park. City officials say it will boost the local tax revenues. But a public finance expert says the deal will mostly cost the state. Via Kansas News Service: lawrenceks.news/4q4YYCH

Here’s a look at some holiday sights, lights and happenings in Lawrence this season. lawrenceks.news/4sev0h6

Kansas’ failed proof of citizenship law could serve as a cautionary tale for Congress and other states just beginning to craft similar voting restrictions, a report found. Via @kansasreflector.com: lawrenceks.news/48UmwUS

A Lawrence family is hoping that perhaps by way of a Christmas miracle, they can reunite with a painting they treasured for decades until it was accidentally sold in an estate sale. lawrenceks.news/4b7cqBf

The news on Monday that the Kansas City football team is moving across the state line drew excitement from Kansas public officials and disappointment from Missouri's. Via Kansas News Service: lawrenceks.news/4siyxLw

Business trends are fluctuating for two restaurants and a retail store on Ninth Street this holiday season as they navigate the new normal of a long-term road closure for a major city project. lawrenceks.news/4jdNcn0

ICYMI: The former Jayhawk Bookstore/McLain's Bakery building has been demolished to make way for KU's entrepreneurship hub. The project team has shared more details about what the hub will entail and renderings of the planned building. lawrenceks.news/44Dh8CU

A lucky adopter can celebrate the holidays with a warm Coco by the fire. lawrenceks.news/4jfUrL9

Lawrence police will have increased traffic enforcement to be on the lookout for people driving impaired during the holidays. lawrenceks.news/4pe8tOO

Some personal property — such as off-road vehicles, motorized bicycles and scooters, and watercraft — will cease to be taxed by the state of Kansas starting in the new year. lawrenceks.news/4535W2P

Here's a quick glance at closures, service changes and more for the Christmas and New Year's holidays in Lawrence. lawrenceks.news/4qqRwSj

Four finalists for the provost and executive vice chancellor role at the University of Kansas will give public presentations in January and February. KU aims to fill the position by March. lawrenceks.news/4si0HpV

We've reached out to more than 100 restaurants around Lawrence. Here are the ones that have confirmed they’ll be open on Christmas. lawrenceks.news/3KNNjce

The Kansas City football team will relocate to Wyandotte County, Kansas, after lawmakers offered a major tax incentives package that could cover up to 70% of construction costs for a new stadium. Via Kansas News Service: lawrenceks.news/4jb58yn

Great blue herons can be spotted in winter. Their diet is mainly aquatic but they are happy to snatch a mouse, shrew or other rodent in the winter if the ice limits options. Latest @kvalmanac.bsky.social: lawrenceks.news/4p9tqui

Temporary closures of part of K-10 in southern Lawrence are planned Tuesday for maintenance work, KDOT has announced. lawrenceks.news/4p6RXQm

The former Jayhawk Bookstore/McLain's Bakery building has been demolished to make way for KU's entrepreneurship hub. The project team has shared more details about what the hub will entail and renderings of the planned building. lawrenceks.news/44Dh8CU

Members of the Lawrence Jewish Community Congregation gathered this evening to celebrate Hanukkah with menorot lighting, a potluck, and fellowship. lawrenceks.news/3MKWDy5

Since Santa Claus must conserve energy for his Christmas Eve omnipresence, he wisely delegates some duties to remote workers. Here are a few of the Lawrence locals who signed on to give Santa a helping hand this year. lawrenceks.news/3MKIkcS

A stag and an elk walk into a bar and, no joke, they will aim to make Lawrence’s newest rootin’ tootin’ brewery with live country music and a speakeasy. lawrenceks.news/4scLDKe

"Taylor Drift" was so last season. Now, there's a new name in town among the city's snowplow fleet, and the machine has been adorned with a custom magnet. lawrenceks.news/3Y8Q4rw

Even if dogs can’t solve the world’s biggest problems, they can be present at just the right moment for folks who need a fuzzy shoulder to lean on, Loving Paws Animal Therapy's volunteer coordinator believes. lawrenceks.news/3Y0XVrb

Kansas Supreme Court Chief Justice Marla Luckert will step down from her position at the start of the new year and retire within weeks, she announced today. Via @kansasreflector.com: lawrenceks.news/4rXOEh8

Kansas legislators will meet Monday to take a final step toward luring the KC football team across the state line, floating bonds worth hundreds of millions so the team can build a domed stadium and an entertainment district. Via @kansasreflector.com: lawrenceks.news/3LbKeTg

President Donald Trump took the first step Thursday to reclassify marijuana, but the move won’t affect Kansans unless the state changes its laws, a law enforcement professional said.  Via @kansasreflector.com: lawrenceks.news/4p1SD9O

Though the owners of a beloved holiday home have retired, there are plenty aglow this year to keep us inspired. Where to see holiday lights in Lawrence – 2025 edition: lawrenceks.news/lights25

"It is important in the current conversations about developments along the South Lawrence Trafficway … to have a better appreciation of what the Wakarusa Valley represents to the larger community of wildlife," Ken Lassman writes in this column. lawrenceks.news/3MJl8f0

Student musicians are set to blow listeners away on the KU Wind Ensemble’s new album, “Midnight Sun,” a triumphant entry in the group’s repertoire. lawrenceks.news/4pMooFa

A former Prairie Park Elementary School speech pathologist was bound over for trial today on charges of child sex crimes against students. lawrenceks.news/3XYCwii

Although Douglas County has expressed commitment to tenant right to counsel and has engaged in implementation discussions for months, a majority of county commissioners tonight opted instead to have county staff do more research on mediation. lawrenceks.news/48KfFx9

Planning commissioners gave nods of approval to one zoning request to allow houses to be built at the former Dragon's Hoard location and another for Bert Nash to construct apartments off Sixth and Rockledge. lawrenceks.news/4s1Nnpt

A Topeka man was sentenced today to nearly 52 years for the murder of a Lawrence musician, and the victim's family members said they were grateful for a sense of justice. lawrenceks.news/4pDFuF3

A state law requires Kansas agencies and universities to eliminate any policies related to diversity, equity and inclusion. Republican lawmakers are questioning whether they should also regulate the content in college courses. Via Kansas News Service: lawrenceks.news/4iZiyNY

Gov. Laura Kelly predicted Tuesday that the 2026 Legislature wouldn’t muster enough political support to implement a new congressional district map splitting Johnson County & making it easier to defeat U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids in the midterm. Via @kansasreflector.com: lawrenceks.news/4p2G0vg

Lawrence city commissioners have voted to keep the Community Building open and free to residents for a three-month trial basis once access fees to use the city's other recreation centers go into effect in January. lawrenceks.news/4siBn39

An updated version of "Embattled Lawrence, Vol. 1," an original work detailing history of Lawrence, aims to fill in more gaps than its predecessor. lawrenceks.news/457NAgL

Unlike her namesake, 3-year-old brindle shepherd mix Cardi B. doesn't have to ask if she's the drama. She's guaranteed to be a human's peace. lawrenceks.news/4qd6RWm

In January, all access to hormone treatments and other gender-affirming care for transgender youth will end in Kansas. Some families have already moved to avoid the ban. Via Kansas News Service: lawrenceks.news/4phkhQt

Free State High School theatre students will take “The Addams Family: School Edition” on the road after being selected as one of five schools statewide to participate in the Kansas Thespian Festival. lawrenceks.news/4rRkV9A

The Lawrence area's unified command to prep for the World Cup is now dubbed "Lawrence 2026," and the group has launched a website to share information about plans with residents and visitors. lawrenceks.news/4oWcze4

The Douglas County Commission on Wednesday will review staff recommendations to create a limited tenant right to counsel pilot program for 2027, despite an advocacy group’s calls for a program to support all renters facing eviction. lawrenceks.news/4pNnFUg

Lawrence city commissioners on Tuesday will revisit the access fees the city is planning to charge people to use rec centers. A new commissioner has a proposal to patch a budget deficit that staff members say would result without fee revenue. lawrenceks.news/4s0jXI7

Melissa Clover, a fourth grade teacher at Deerfield Elementary School, was surprised today with an award for her dedication to student success. lawrenceks.news/3MEvEUL

This time of year is a great time to lie down in some tallgrass prairie remnant on a sunny day, and it will shield you from the wind and insulate you from the cold ground. See what you see in the deep, blue winter solstice sky. Latest @kvalmanac.bsky.social: lawrenceks.news/4oUDQxK

More supportive spaces for Native American youth to grow in the arts and entrepreneurship are always needed, said Rachael Lackey, one of six Phoenix Award recipients recognized today for their contributions to Lawrence arts. lawrenceks.news/4rXCyok

Jesse and Linda Hunter carry a legacy of their family's barbecue business through their homemade sauces. Jesse & Linny's BBQ Sauce was one of around 100 vendors at the Winter Inclusive Market, which reopens Sunday. lawrenceks.news/3XQeOET