LJWorld.com / Chad Lawhorn

Staff

Chad Lawhorn (City and neighborhoods reporter)

Chad Lawhorn has been reporting news in Lawrence since 1992. Before joining the NewsCenter, Lawhorn was editor and publisher of the Lawrence Business Ledger and the Baldwin Ledger newspapers. He's been with The World Company since 2001, when he sold his weekly newspaper business to the company.

Lawhorn mainly covers city government and neighborhoods, but also has served as business editor and has undertaken a variety of first-person journalism projects. He has a degree in journalism from Kansas University, and also did undergraduate work at Emporia State University. He is a native of Kansas.

He lives with his wife and their two children. In his spare time, Lawhorn enjoys writing fiction, playing pool, and boating.

Recent stories

‘Rubber mulch’ being road-tested at playgrounds: Old tires used to combat weeds at parks; By Chad Lawhorn; August 21, 2008; It’s bouncy and may remind you to change your snow tires. It also may be the newest feature at parks across the city. Lawrence Parks and Recreation crews recently installed chopped-up rubber tires underneath the new playground equipment at Clinton Park, Fifth and Alabama streets. It’s the first time the city has used the recycled material instead of the traditional wood mulch.
Airport business park plan deferred: By Chad Lawhorn; August 20, 2008; Lawrence city commissioners on Tuesday balked at a proposal for a new industrial park near the Lawrence Municipal Airport, saying the project has more questions than answers at this point. Commissioners unanimously deferred — likely for 60 to 90 days — a rezoning request for 144 acres near North Seventh Street and U.S. Highway 24-40 after expressing a variety of concerns about the project.
City eases sidewalk drinking regulations: Commission takes away food sales requirement; By Chad Lawhorn; August 19, 2008; Six downtown bars may qualify for sidewalk seating areas under the new rules.
Commission to consider sidewalk seating for bars: By Chad Lawhorn; August 18, 2008; A pitcher of Budweiser and a sidewalk seat: it may soon be the newest downtown attraction. City commissioners at their meeting Tuesday night will consider lifting a long-standing ban against downtown bars applying for sidewalk seating areas. Since 1994, downtown restaurants that make at least 70 percent of their sales from food have been allowed to apply for sidewalk seating areas. But bars and restaurants that don’t meet that sales standard have been prohibited.
KU students can now ride T for free as city and university begin bus pass collaboration: By Chad Lawhorn; August 18, 2008; Monday marked the first day for a new collaboration between the city and university bus systems.
Domestic partners mark registry’s first anniversary: Nearly 40 couples have taken advantage of city’s unique recognition program; By Chad Lawhorn; August 17, 2008; It’s been one year ago this month that Lawrence leaders took what many in the gay and lesbian community believed was the most significant step yet in Kansas to change impression. Lawrence city commissioners created the state’s first domestic partnership registry. Lawrence residents since Aug. 1 of last year have been able to register their unmarried relationships with the city clerk’s office.
Improvements cited in town-gown relations: Communication increases between neighborhood leaders, chancellor’s office; By Chad Lawhorn; August 16, 2008; It has been six short years since Kansas University and Oread Neighborhood leaders clashed over a controversial demolition of several houses in the 1300 block of Ohio Street to make room for a new scholarship hall. The project generally was seen as a low point in town-gown relations in the community. Today, the scholarship hall has been built, but neighborhood and KU leaders say some bridges have been, too.
KU launching universal-access transit system: By Chad Lawhorn; August 16, 2008; All aboard! When students return to the Kansas University campus for the fall semester, KU transit leaders will be all but shouting the familiar refrain in hopes of attracting new riders to the university’s expanded bus service.
Discovery channels: Super phones, biofuels take form in KU laboratories: By Chad Lawhorn; August 16, 2008; A new sign on the Kansas Turnpike proclaims three major KU accomplishments that passing motorists may want to know: the 2008 NCAA men’s basketball championship; the 2008 Orange Bowl championship and KU’s status as an international research university. The research designation is listed first.
Industrial park proposal sweetened: Developer says he will drop request for city to pay $1 million to extend utility lines; By Chad Lawhorn; August 16, 2008; Developers who are proposing a new industrial park near Lawrence Municipal Airport are sweetening their offer to city commissioners, who thus far have failed to approve the project. At Tuesday’s City Commission meeting, Lawrence developer Jes Santaularia will drop his request for $1 million in city funding to extend sewer and water lines to the property, which is near the intersection of North Seventh Street and U.S. Highway 24-40. Santaularia said his company now will pay for those costs.

Full story list

Recent photos

Several area legislators say they were surprised to learn that a bill they voted for in 2007 loosened the restrictions on concealed-carry holders bringing loaded weapons into bars.

For concealed carry Web package

Journal-World reporter Chad Lawhorn carried a .22 caliber pistol around the streets of Lawrence after receiving a concealed carry permit from the state. Read about his experiences below.

A .22 caliber Jimenez pistol cost $139 to buy at a local pawn shop. The pistol is about the size of a cell phone.

Finding places that allow you to carry a concealed weapon in Lawrence is not hard, Journal-World reporter Chad Lawhorn found. Lawhorn carried a concealed weapon around the city during the last week as part of project to document the process of receiving a concealed carry permit in the state.

Full photo list