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Melissa Clover, a fourth-grade teacher at Deerfield Elementary, was honored with the 2025 Dedication to Education Award for her exceptional commitment to students and education. The award, presented by the Lawrence Schools Foundation, included a $5,000 check and was celebrated with a surprise assembly attended by family, friends, colleagues, and students. Melissas peers praised her ability to connect with every student, especially those needing extra care. The annual award recognizes educators who embody the districts goals of Excellence, Equity, and Engagement, and Melissa exemplifies these values.

Childcare providers in Missouri face significant challenges due to inconsistent building regulation inspections, hindering efforts to address the states childcare shortage. Wendy Clark Chacon, owner of Sunshine Daycare and Learning Center, spent forty thousand dollars and six months to open her facility, only to find her downstairs area unusable due to conflicting city and state requirements. Tana Betts of Kidz Inc. reports similar issues, with different inspectors interpreting regulations differently. Both providers call for more consistency in the regulatory process to reduce financial strain and expand childcare options for families.

Authorities in Providence, Rhode Island, are urgently seeking a gunman responsible for a deadly shooting at Brown University, leaving two students dead and nine wounded. Despite a person of interest being detained, the suspect remains at large, causing unease among students and residents. New video shows a person in black near the scene, but the face is not visible. The investigation continues as authorities search for evidence and trace the suspects movements.

In a Douglas County workshop, participants discussed supporting low-income and single-parent families, focusing on ALICE households (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed) who earn above the federal poverty level but still struggle. The goal is to move families from surviving to thriving. Survey results highlighted the need for direct resources and peer support. Attendees proposed action steps, including a guaranteed income pilot program for low-income single mothers, which county commissioners are exploring.

Lawrence city commissioners are set to discuss funding options for a new affordable housing project, Nine Del Lofts Two, which aims to create live-work units and affordable one-bedroom apartments. The developer, Tony Krsnich, seeks an eighty thousand dollar fee waiver to secure state low-income housing tax credits, as the competition for funding has become tougher due to changes in the states tax credit landscape. City staff have explored several ways to fund the fee waiver, including using the fund balance from the Affordable Housing Sales Tax Fund, which currently holds two hundred sixty-one thousand six hundred fifty dollars. The City Commission will meet Tuesday night at five PM to discuss these options further.

Ring in 2026 with a song: Local music scene offers diverse New Years Eve options

Senator Ted Cruz of Texas is advocating for stricter military flight regulations following a deadly mid-air collision. He aims to pass these safety measures as part of a government funding package in January, known as the ROTOR Act. The proposed changes come after concerns were raised about military helicopters operating without broadcasting their precise location, a practice that was in place before the January crash. The families of the victims, along with safety officials and unions, have criticized the new provisions in the defense bill, arguing they would weaken aviation safety, particularly around Reagan National Airport.

Lawrence School Board to Evaluate Superintendent Swift; No Public Comment Allowed

Federal authorities in Southern California foiled a New Years Eve bomb plot by an extremist group, arresting four individuals before they could carry out their plan. The group, an offshoot of the Turtle Island Liberation Front, aimed to bomb multiple sites belonging to two U.S. companies. The suspects, Audrey Illeene Carroll, Zachary Aaron Page, Dante Gaffield, and Tina Lai, were charged with conspiracy and possession of a destructive device. Carroll had reportedly created a detailed plan, Operation Midnight Sun, to bomb five or more business locations across Southern California. The groups targets were described as Amazon-type logistical centers, and they planned to plant backpacks filled with complex pipe bombs, set to detonate simultaneously at midnight.