Thirty candidates are running in August to represent Kansas in the U.S. House and U.S. Senate, including 12 who are seeking to unseat Republican incumbent U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall. Via @kansasreflector.com: lawrenceks.news/4dZpvfM

Sustainability Action Network is preparing for hot and dry summers in Lawrence by hosting a workshop about protecting communities next to natural environments from wildfires. lawrenceks.news/4vl8iob

Johnson County Transit has suspended the K-10 Connector bus service for the summer, and Lawrence Transit is expanding service with new "Score Lawrence" routes for World Cup match days. lawrenceks.news/49wSo1D

Challengers have filed to run in the primaries for two of the three Douglas County Commission seats that will be on voters' ballots this year, and the third incumbent will face a challenger in the general election. lawrenceks.news/4efi7hD

Milkweeds are currently blooming, but this means much more to species other than us, such as this monarch butterfly caterpillar. Latest @kvalmanac.bsky.social: lawrenceks.news/4uI0ugi

Lawrence PRIDE’s annual parade and party are set for Saturday, and they’ll be accompanied by a month of events to celebrate LGBTQ+ pride and resilience. lawrenceks.news/437xIcT

Outfitted with a little eyelash glue and tiny, solar-powered tags, Kristen Baum and her team at Monarch Watch will be able to watch the progress of monarch butterflies hatched in Lawrence as they fly across the country. lawrenceks.news/4uBtIgN

Folks in Lawrence can join walking tours or digital tours of public art that celebrates the World Cup, from cut window graphics to sculptures to wearable public art for sale downtown. lawrenceks.news/4vdrXq4

Nine candidates have tossed their hats in the ring for a district judge vacancy in Douglas County. lawrenceks.news/4nWpxcZ

A draft of the updated Lawrence Bikes Plan is now ready for review, and local planners are seeking feedback for updates to a countywide bikeway plan. lawrenceks.news/4uF93Zp

Speakers told tonight's Lawrence Adult Education Center graduates that by claiming their GEDs and diplomas, they have already shown the strength and resolve they need for their post-grad journeys. lawrenceks.news/3Q6EBby

Lawrence city commissioners on Tuesday will consider purchasing for $2.1 million — with an expected $21 million in renovations to follow — the former newspaper printing press building downtown, to be used as a city hall annex. lawrenceks.news/43A1Xcy

Advocates have sounded an alarm about a report indicating 10,300 children in low-income families in Kansas stopped receiving food aid since Trump signed a sweeping federal law nearly a year ago. Via @kansasreflector.com: lawrenceks.news/4e6RfAt

Scout, a 2-year-old pitbull mix, loves playing fetch so much she’ll throw the ball in the air for herself to catch. lawrenceks.news/4uCAWkG

The Douglas County Extension Master Gardeners will soon host their annual plant sale, offering more than 10,000 plants. lawrenceks.news/4vhsiYV

A Democratic candidate for the U.S. Senate denigrated the race’s frontrunner today, accusing him of covering up a child sex abuse scandal at the church he leads and demanding he withdraw his candidacy. Via @kansasreflector.com: lawrenceks.news/3S6XeN1

Inside a room of dark blue cloth, soft light and layered patterns, Wabwila Mugala’s “Quilted Existence” asks viewers to do more than look. The installation opens Friday at the Lawrence Arts Center. lawrenceks.news/3RR3IQ5

The Dole Institute of Politics at KU has announced a summer of programming themed around the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. lawrenceks.news/43zQoCe

Lawrence school board members did not yet vote tonight on whether to raise school meal prices next year by 15 cents for lunches and 10 cents for breakfasts. lawrenceks.news/42ZfJ8r

Lawrence school board members voted unanimously tonight to approve new contracts with raises for the district’s certified staff and education support professionals. lawrenceks.news/4v7jyV6

With less than three weeks until the World Cup arrives in the United States, Lawrence is in celebration mode with these upcoming events. lawrenceks.news/4fJA8G4

Free State High School students earned awards — and double snaps — from Starlight Theatre Thursday for their staging of “The Addams Family Musical: School Edition.” lawrenceks.news/3PtQok2

KU and four other public universities in Kansas are seeking in-state undergraduate tuition increases ranging from 3.5% to 6% in the upcoming academic year. Emporia State wants to hold tuition steady another year. Via @kansasreflector.com: lawrenceks.news/4wRuhog

Lawrence school board members on Tuesday will consider approving new contracts with teachers and district staff, administrator raises, and an increase to meal prices. lawrenceks.news/4o868Gl

The common milkweed is underrated as a spectacular wildflower, with its fireworks-like spray of fragrant flowers that attract bees, butterflies and other pollinators. Many milkweed species are blooming this week. Latest @kvalmanac.bsky.social: lawrenceks.news/49lFIKT

Trump endorsed Senate President Ty Masterson today in the Republican primary for Kansas governor. Via @kansasreflector.com: lawrenceks.news/4fF81I7

Lawrence hotels were expecting World Cup demand to pick up by now, but the city’s hotel market is still showing a mixed picture. lawrenceks.news/4fFodcl

The KU Hospital Authority is suing CVS, alleging the mega pharmacy company secretly kept $62 million in prescription drug discount savings. The suit says CVS terminated its contract when the hospital asked for an audit. Via Kansas News Service: lawrenceks.news/42Vqx7D

The Lawrence City Band will kick off its summer series of free concerts this week at South Park. lawrenceks.news/4e0bNuq

The annual Art Tougeau parade drew creative community members to downtown Lawrence today, with entries including a Robo-Buffalo, a purple people eater and of course, a flying saucer. lawrenceks.news/42NQy8T

The City of Lawrence says ongoing construction work on Maple Lane will wrap next week. Read about that and other traffic updates here: lawrenceks.news/4wQQSSa

"Lawrence readers continue to be on trend with national bestsellers," the @ravenbookstore.bsky.social writes of the latest list. lawrenceks.news/4urOPlN

The eastbound exit ramp from K-10 to Clinton Parkway will close next week for crews to work on a new highway alignment, part of the SLT expansion project. lawrenceks.news/4fC8ElC

If all goes to plan with contract negotiations, the residents of Lawrence should find out who their new city manager is next week, Mayor Brad Finkeldei said this morning. The city hasn’t released the name of the top candidate yet. lawrenceks.news/4tM3xTD

The Lawrence Outdoor Aquatic Center opening has been delayed to Monday, June 1 after the city announced plans to open on Memorial Day. lawrenceks.news/4a2oxOC

Twenty-three seniors from Bishop Seabury Academy graduated this evening, with younger classes joining in the annual Stepping Up ceremony. lawrenceks.news/3PVUVf9

Lawrence Public Schools will offer free meals and meal kits to all kids in the community this summer. Details: lawrenceks.news/3PYysOx

Douglas County District Judge Carl Folsom was selected today as one of three nominees the governor will consider to fill a vacancy on the Kansas Supreme Court. lawrenceks.news/4tOFIdK

Angelia Perkins planned to sneak out quietly after her last day of 32 years teaching photography at Lawrence High School, but colleagues had other plans, surprising her with this year’s Master Teacher award. lawrenceks.news/4dVG11E

Downtown parking will be free, the outdoor pool will open for the season and more notes ahead of the Memorial Day holiday in Lawrence: lawrenceks.news/4a3UW7w

Graduation season is always one of my favorite times for @lawrencekstimes.com ... so many beautiful moments of pure joy. What an honor for our team to be present. Thanks for sharing, Classes of 2026! 💗 Still more to come! Find 'em all here: lawrenceks.news/grads 📷 : Jacob Rice & Nathan Kramer

The Lawrence Public Library will score a goal with its summer reading program that combines books, the FIFA World Cup and dinosaurs. lawrenceks.news/4usLByv

No kennel bars will hold Ash, a Labrador/Great Pyrenees mix, but that’s OK because he’s a gentle giant who won’t tear up a home if he’s roaming alone. lawrenceks.news/42P8RKL

Family and friends of 317 Lawrence High School graduates filled the stadium this evening, gathering to celebrate the Class of 2026 in a ceremony that balanced both achievement and grief. lawrenceks.news/4tRRDrk

A recruiter spoke to community members' concerns about diversity and controversies among four finalists for the Lawrence city manager position tonight, also saying the position has “a full page” of challenges. lawrenceks.news/49fxLa6

The Wakarusa River Valley Heritage Museum will soon hold a film screening and a panel discussion highlighting the consequences of Clinton and Kaw Lake to the Indigenous people who were displaced by their construction. lawrenceks.news/4dGPWqx

A Douglas County judge blocked the state from enforcing portions of a ban on gender-affirming care for minors, allowing transgender kids in Kansas to undergo hormone therapy and use puberty blockers. Via @kansasreflector.com: lawrenceks.news/4fyrqdI

Downtown Lawrence streets are set for a weekend of creative fun with the return of the Busker Festival and Art Tougeau. lawrenceks.news/49IySPG

The newly formed United Kansas Party nominated Lawrence resident Scott Morgan to mount a campaign for Kansas secretary of state. Via @kansasreflector.com: lawrenceks.news/4usUJ68

Family and friends of 409 Free State graduates filled Allen Fieldhouse this evening as district administrators called the occasion a milestone of resilience and perseverance. lawrenceks.news/4tNq7Lx