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🌱 What the affidavit alleges about a former Lawrence para and student.

Hi there, Lawrence! We've got your morning read ready! Read on to stay connected. ☕️️

In today's newsletter:

  • What the affidavit alleges about a former Lawrence para and student.
  • How could Lawrence’s 2026 legislative wish list change life here?
  • How a Deerfield Elementary teacher earned a surprise $5,000 honor

📸 Have a great pic of holiday decorations from around Lawrence? Post it to Lawrence photos of the day! ☃️ 🟢-🟠-🟣-🔴-🟡-🔵 ☃️

Today's riddle: Can February March? 🤔 (Answer below!)

Weather forecast:

  • Tuesday: Freezing fog this morning, with a high of 51 and low of 25 degrees.
  • Wednesday: Breezy in the afternoon, temps: high: 53, low: 42.
  • Thursday: Very windy; mostly sunny, with a high of 51 and low of 18 degrees. ⛄️ Brr!

📰 News we're reading

1. Former award-winning paraprofessional in Lawrence school district accused of sex crime against student (ljworld.com) — A former Lawrence school district paraprofessional who previously received a local education award is facing felony and misdemeanor charges involving alleged misconduct with a West Middle School student, according to an arrest affidavit. The document details claimed online and in-person interactions over several months; the allegations have not been proven in court, and the defendant is currently free on bond pending a January court date.
   

2. Local control, ending dropping of homeless people into Lawrence is part of 2026 legislative statement city commissioners will consider (ljworld.com) — Lawrence city commissioners are set to review their 2026 legislative priorities, including a push to stop other counties from dropping unhoused people in Lawrence and to restore stronger local control over taxes and spending. The draft agenda also backs Medicaid expansion, more affordable housing support, mental health and addiction services, public safety staffing, renewable energy efforts, and economic development funding.
   

3. 4th grade teacher at Deerfield Elementary receives $5,000 Dedication to Education Award (ljworld.com) — A Deerfield Elementary fourth grade teacher in Lawrence has been honored with the 2025 Dedication to Education Award and a surprise $5,000 check from the Lawrence Schools Foundation. Colleagues praised Melissa Clover for her deep connections with students and extra care for those who need it most. The annual award recognizes educators who advance the district’s Excellence, Equity and Engagement goals.
   

4. Headlines for Monday, December 15, 2025 (kansaspublicradio.org) — Lawrence readers may want to note that 34 KU faculty members have accepted an early-retirement offer tied to a major cost-cutting reorganization. The wider roundup also covers a Potawatomi effort to exit a detention-center contract, nuclear plant interest in Johnson County, a Pittsburg shooting arrest, and other Kansas developments.
   

5. Research solves confusion over poison frog holotype (ku.edu) — Lawrence-based researchers at KU’s Biodiversity Institute have cleared up a decades-old mix-up involving a poison frog holotype in their collection, correcting the scientific record for a Peruvian species. Their detective work in the Lawrence museum’s herpetology collection shows how vital local natural history collections are, and why future species descriptions should rely on full specimens and data, not just photos.
   

📸 Around Lawrence

Show off your photography skills and the sights around town! Click here to submit your Photo of the Day to Patch AM!

🗓 Upcoming Events in Lawrence

Add your event to our calendar and newsletter!

    Wednesday December 17
  • 1 Million Cups Lawrence
    KU Innovation Park , 2029 Becker Dr , Lawrence
    9:00 am
    • Tuesday December 23
  • Bid Openings
    City Commission Room, City Hall , 6 E. 6th Street , Lawrence
    3:35 pm
    • Wednesday December 24
  • 1 Million Cups Lawrence
    KU Innovation Park , 2029 Becker Dr , Lawrence
    9:00 am

📣 Lawrence Shout Outs!

Want to say something great about someone in town? Click here to submit your Shout Out to Patch AM! It's free!

🗓 Events Nearby

Have we missed something on our calendar? Add an event yourself! As always, before attending confirm event details to ensure accuracy.

Want to see your business here? Click here to connect with local customers.

💬 Chatter

What your neighbors are talking about on social media

  • Hey East Lawrence!
    Last night, my partner dropped his backpack somewhere on this side of town while walking home. It's brown and has his glasses inside. If anyone… (Nextdoor East Lawrence)
  • Lost cat!!
    My neighbors haven’t seen their cat Joey since around the beginning of December. He wanders outdoors a lot but has never been gone for this long or… (Nextdoor Pinkney)
  • McDonald's posted a job opening for Shift Manager-- All Shifts in Lawrence. Apply here.
  • Aerotek posted a job opening for URGENT Forklift/Material Handlers 1st, 2nd And 3rd Shift in Lawrence. Apply here. You can search for other jobs near Lawrence here.

Ok Lawrence! So now you're in the loop about what's happening today. Thanks for reading, and see you in your inbox next time! Oh -- and if you like what you're reading, invite a friend to Patch AM!

-- The Patch AM Team

P.S. The answer to today's riddle: I don't know, but April May!
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Send it to us!

👉 Help make Patch AM better

We use a combination of real people and machines to tell you what’s happening around town. Learn more about Patch AM.

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Stay in the loop with what's happening in Lawrence

Never miss out on local news and events that matter to you.

Stay in the loop with what's happening in Lawrence

Never miss out on local news and events that matter to you.