Coal-fired culture war
Proposed power plants bring out the worst in Kansas culture clash
Politics and culture have a way of driving a wedge between Lawrence and the rest of the state.
Heads above water
Artists cope with rising casualty rate of Lawrence galleries
It wasn't long ago that Lawrence officially declared itself "City of the Arts"-1999 to be exact. Just five years after downtown lightposts first trumpeted the new slogan, the commercial core of Lawrence's art scene began to lose galleries one by one.
Behind the music
How Robert Moore came to be the most inspired DJ within the reach of 89.3 FM's airwaves
Robert Moore is putting the punk into public radio. As a music DJ on 89.3 FM, Moore has the methodical urgency of a news anchor and the mellow on-air presence of a late-night jazz announcer.
Mind game
In an 'over-stimulated' society, the world's oldest game still captures imaginations
In the midst of today's video game technological fanaticism, Lawrence chess players stand in sharp contrast. Afterall, their fanaticism is focused on a game that's pretty much unchanged after some 15 centuries.
The other crimson and blue
A look inside KU's College Republicans as they join the final campaigns push in a tough mid-term election
It's rush hour on a chilly Thursday evening, just a few days before mid-term elections. At the busy intersection of 23rd and Iowa, cars line up to head back toward wherever home is.
Bad rap
Following murder of Lawrence rapper, local artists speak out on the cultural stereotype equating rap with violence
Anthony Vital's bullet-riddled body was recently found by police in a field outside Lawrence. At first, no details were released. Police didn't announce the cause of death until three days into the investigation. But that didn't stop some locals, armed with deep-seated stereotypes, from forming their own conclusions.
Project: Recycled Runway
Local designers and boutique owners take advantage of disposable culture to create eco-friendly fashions
Andy Warhol once said he'd rather hang a dress on the wall than a painting. Loni Hosking, local fashion designer and owner of Ecoboutiquo, sees fashion as an art form, too. But she'd be damned if her masterpieces weren't worn.
Les femmes de spin
Lawrence's lone DJ dames Dolly Surprise hold it down for more than just the ladies
By day, Megan Dudley is a typical 20-something Lawrence townie. She bakes bread at Wheatfields, shops thrift stores and hits the floor at local dance nights whenever she can.
Stranger than fiction
Lawrence playwright interprets bizarre disappearance of Lawrence-area teen that's still unsolved after 18 years
Randy Leach was a "happy-go-lucky, all-American, clean cut, normal boy," says his mom choking back tears. Talking to a Lawrence Journal-World reporter in 1989, a year after her 17-year-old son disappeared without a trace, Alberta Leach can't believe not a single clue had been found yet. Nobody seems to know a thing about what happened in Linwood - a town 13 miles northeast of Lawrence, pop. 377.
Fighting Fire
KU students and Lawrence bands come together to benefit a country that's falling apart
If you don't know where Darfur is, chances are you will soon. The long-burning genocide in Darfur, the western region of Sudan, has recently begun to capture as much media attention as the Middle East and the international war on terror.
Ad Astra Per Islam
As Ramadan approaches, Lawrencians recount Muslim experiences in the Midwest
Falestine Afani Ruzik grew up in the Middle East, playing in the sand and carving castles into the Saudi Arabian desert. She loved it there, even though she was forced by law to cover her body with a dark wrap, she says. She's proud of the friendliness of the Saudis, their deep-rooted culture and the pervasive practice of Islam.
The bluegrass is greener
Many fans say the unofficial side of Winfield's festival is where it's at
Since its humble beginnings 35 years ago, the Walnut Valley Festival has grown up considerably, becoming perhaps the premier bluegrass festival in the country.
Fear and Hoarding in Lawrence
The resurgence of nuclear standoffs - and memories of those stranded post-Katrina - have some preparing for the Day After
In the first few scenes of "The Day After," the 1983 made-for-TV movie about a nuclear attack on America, one Lawrence citizen asks: "What do you really think the chances are of something like that happening way the hell out here in the middle of nowhere?"
Nice Rack
In a society 'two clicks away from Victorian', breasts shape more than women's curves
When she was 16, Cara already had what most men lust for and many women would do anything to have - enormous breasts. The problem was, she didn't want them.
Eating great, even late
What's open into the wee hours to sate your grumbling tummy
The Frosty. The Big Mac. The Double Decker Taco. They're cheap, impossibly convenient and yes, deliciously decadent during the late night hours. But, as the saying goes, too much of a good thing is never a good thing. So for those looking to revamp their nocturnal fast food habit, here's a guide to the best eats in town after the sun goes down.
Culture cravings
Offerings to soothe your occasional urge for refinement
Let's face it. Kansas isn't the most culturally "cool" state in the nation.
Norway's Hurra Torpedo plays everything but the kitchen sink
Hurra Torpedo just added a new instrument to its repertoire. It's a vertical two-door refrigerator which, when bashed with a bicycle seat, should have a nice ring to it.
Concert creates good vibes for area businesses
Liquor, grocery, big-box stores see sales soar
Cash drawers are popping and the dollars are dropping as thousands of Wakarusa Festival attendees head for the shops to buy everything from booze to bug spray, incense and "hippie clothing."
Sitar player carves out own La La land in music industry
Don't judge Gabby La La by her small stature. Or her cuteness, for that matter.
Festival in full gear
Music fans amuse themselves as traffic moves at a snail's pace
The west side of Lawrence was a dreadlock-filled gridlock Thursday, as thousands of music fans jammed traffic on their way into the Wakarusa Music & Camping Festival.
The Mutaytor brings circus atmosphere to outdoor fest
When Matty Nash was a child, nothing could satisfy his racing attention span quite like the circus.
On a roll
Imaginative kids give Ford Tempo fourth makeover for parade
Most people wouldn't trust an 8-year-old to paint their car. Then again, most people don't drive a Ford Tempo that was once plastered with 1,000 fast food toys, transformed into a rolling nightmare and then finger-painted and glittered to within an inch of its carburetor's life.
No small miracle
Local production of Helen Keller play goes beyond touching story of a girl and her teacher to memorialize a Lawrence couple's son
What would it be like to be blind, deaf and living in a time period devoid of tolerance?
In a split second
A cancer diagnosis suddenly altered his priorities. Now friends are banding together to help Split Lip Rayfield's fighting frontman.
When Kirk Rundstrom is well enough to write his next song, he'll have plenty to say.
Author weaves 'All Parts Together' in historical novel
Lawrence author Tom Mach has harbored a keen fascination with the Civil War since childhood.
