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

City loosens restrictions on water in county: By Chad Lawhorn; October 8, 2008; The end of a contentious era between city and rural interests in Douglas County began to come to an end Tuesday night. City commissioners unanimously approved a new contract with Douglas County Rural Water District No. 5 that removes long-standing limitations on how many water meters the district can add each year.
Retail center on commission agenda: By Chad Lawhorn; October 7, 2008; City commissioners tonight will consider allowing a proposed retail center at 23rd Street and O’Connell Road to grow in size.
Group floats riverside development idea in North Lawrence: Riverside redevelopment: Group hopes to highlight city’s waterfront; By Chad Lawhorn; October 7, 2008; A development group is working to create a new riverside district of shops and offices — and perhaps homes or a hotel — on property near Johnny’s Tavern in North Lawrence. Developers don’t have specific plans for the nearly 20 acres surrounding the longtime Lawrence tavern, but they envision an area where people could dine, shop and stroll along the Kansas River, said Rick Renfro, owner of Johnny’s.
Retailers debate impact of sales tax: By Chad Lawhorn; October 5, 2008; City Manager David Corliss stands in front of the crowd and tugs on the lapel of his suit jacket — David Letterman style — and delivers his now-standard line about the city’s proposed 0.55 percent sales tax increase. “When Corliss goes and buys another $100 suit, it will cost me an extra 55 cents,” Corliss says at a recent Chamber of Commerce luncheon. Thus far, the line is drawing a laugh — and for the most part — a nod of agreement.
Get Down Town party to close New Hampshire Street: By Chad Lawhorn; October 2, 2008; Motorists beginning on Friday morning will start to see the signs of a two-day downtown party.
Flap over Sen. Pine’s residency spills over to wife’s term on board: By Chad Lawhorn; October 2, 2008; A political flap over the residency of State Sen. Roger Pine has now spilled over to his wife’s previous service on the Lawrence-Douglas County Planning Commission.
Merger details lacking as vote nears: Voters to decide sales tax issues without knowing new bus routes; By Chad Lawhorn; October 1, 2008; Voters won’t be armed with many details about a proposed merger of the Kansas University and city bus systems when they decide a pair of key transit-related sales tax issues on Nov. 4. In fact, there’s no guarantee that such a merger will happen, even if voters approve the two sales tax questions.
City of Lawrence offers truckloads of woodchips for sale: By Chad Lawhorn; September 30, 2008; Area residents will have the chance to buy woodchips in bulk this week from the City of Lawrence.
Water main break closes Louisiana between 12th and 13th streets: By Chad Lawhorn; September 30, 2008; Louisiana Street between 12th and 13th streets is closed while city crews respond to a water main break.
New group campaigning for passage of three city sales tax questions: By Chad Lawhorn; September 29, 2008; A pair of Lawrence attorneys — one a prominent Democrat and the other an active Republican — have created a new group to campaign for passage of all three city sales tax questions in November.

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