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Chicago Tribune
22-05-2025
- Health
- Chicago Tribune
For Phoenix Bridegroom, Chesterton park benches are a community thank you after cancer
The four Friendship Benches being installed at Dogwood Park represent a meaningful marker in the life of their benefactor, Phoenix Bridegroom. Phoenix, 19, decided to raise funds and have the benches built for her Gold Award project with the Girl Scouts. They are scheduled to be installed soon, weather permitting. She will graduate June 5 from Chesterton High School and plans to start in August at Ball State University as a communications major, specializing in media production. But there's more to the project than four new benches in a park. Phoenix is the survivor of multiple bouts with acute lymphoblastic leukemia that first occurred when she was 5. She has been cancer-free for more than 6 years after doctors at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia successfully deployed what was then a new treatment option. 'I want to give back to the community because they did so much for me growing up,' Phoenix said. The Friendship Benches each have a simple question, aimed at generating conversations for children between the ages of 6 and 12. Phoenix remembers feeling like an outsider when she was younger because the leukemia flare-ups caused her to feel isolated at times. 'I was uncomfortable with socializing,' Phoenix said. 'I felt different from the kids, and I didn't know how to feel like that at that time.' Phoenix had to repeat kindergarten because she missed a school year after her initial leukemia diagnosis. 'The first time I didn't really have a recollection of what was happening,' Phoenix said. When Phoenix recovered the first time, she joined the Girl Scouts in kindergarten, and they have given her a sense of community ever since. It gave her a needed 'breather' from dealing with her illness at times and the opportunity to make friends. 'I could show more of my quirky side. I could learn more ways to get into my community better,' Phoenix said. Becky McGowan, the leader of Girl Scout Troop 30321, said that it's been a pleasure to have Phoenix in the troop all these years. Phoenix is petite in stature. But McGowan said people soon learn that she's assertive. 'This girl has spunk and attitude,' McGowan said. There are banners hanging on the front porch railing of the Bridegroom home, recognizing that Phoenix is graduating and Ball State bound. John Bridegroom, looking at the banners, acknowledges that he didn't know whether he would get to enjoy a moment like this. 'We've been blessed,' Bridegroom said. 'I can't imagine anything harder and for 10 years in our life, it was a real struggle. To be here and where we are is wonderful.' 'Having been in that world for a while, we saw lots of families that didn't have that kind of good fortune,' Bridegroom said. Phoenix went through a difficult time at age 9 in 2015, when the leukemia recurred. She was more aware of what was happening to her. She had a bone marrow transplant. The donor was Brett Kasper, a man she didn't know who was then playing quarterback at the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh. At the age of 10, Phoenix met Kasper and People magazine wrote a story about their meeting and their bond. Then, when Phoenix was 12, she went to the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia where they were treating children suffering from leukemia with what was then cutting-edge cell therapy. Bridegroom said the local community has been incredibly supportive throughout. There were several fundraisers, like a spaghetti dinner put on by Peggy Sue's Diner. 'Chesterton as a community really stunned us,' Bridegroom said. 'The (Duneland) school system went above and beyond the call of duty.' Bridegroom said the Duneland School Corporation even sent tutors to Phoenix when she was hospitalized to ensure she kept up with her studies. One personal touch in elementary school was when a giant teddy bear was placed in Phoenix's seat whenever she was hospitalized. 'The giant teddy bear was in her seat so the kids wouldn't forget about her,' Bridegroom said. Bridegroom said that it was her daughter's idea to do the Friendship Benches. Phoenix raised $1,100 from donors for materials and got the Chesterton High School's building and trades students to construct the benches. Chesterton Parks Superintendent Tyler McLead said he's grateful to Phoenix for the time and effort she put into the project. 'Her Friendship Benches are more than just places to sit — they represent community, connection and kindness. Her project reflects a thoughtful understanding of how public spaces can foster inclusion and emotional well-being,' McLead said. Bridegroom said he's so grateful that Phoenix these past few years has been able to live a 'regular, healthy life.' 'She gets to go on and do the things that she's doing now,' Bridegroom said. 'She's not wasting that, which is wonderful.'
New York Times
22-05-2025
- Science
- New York Times
Funding Cuts Are a ‘Gut Punch' for STEM Education Researchers
Change continues to ripple through the National Science Foundation as it tries to comply with the policies and priorities of the Trump administration. But the branch of the agency that funds STEM education research is taking a disproportionate hit. STEM education research focuses on improving how students, from preschool to university, are trained in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. That encompasses everything from adopting better curriculums and teaching methods to changing the way schools and districts are run. Researchers say that the values encapsulated in diversity, equity and inclusion, or D.E.I., have been a focus in the field since long before the terms were strung into an acronym and popularized. 'The work of STEM education has always been about creating a bigger tent, giving access to more students of all backgrounds so that our STEM work force better reflects the diversity and demographics of the American public,' said Mike Steele, a math education researcher at Ball State University and a former program officer in the National Science Foundation's directorate of STEM education. More than 1,400 research grants at the foundation have been canceled since April, according to Grant Watch, a crowdsourced online database. As of May 7, awards for STEM education accounted for 54 percent of those terminations, a loss of $773 million in funding, which represents nearly three-fourths of the total dollar amount of terminated foundation grants. One canceled project aimed to use virtual reality to better engage high school students with autism in engineering. Another created hands-on programs for Indigenous youth to grow food using traditional knowledge and modern technology. A third intended to double the number of rural students earning associate's and bachelor's degrees in STEM across the Black Belt of Alabama. Experts in the field saw the grant cancellations as part of a broader attack on education, as well as on D.E.I., by the Trump administration. 'It was a gut punch,' said Julie Posselt, an associate dean of the graduate school at the University of Southern California, and a 'pretty profound confirmation' that the cuts were not about science writ large. 'It's about the association of educational research with interests and values that are at odds with the administration's priorities.' Dr. Posselt was a member of an advisory committee, dissolved in April, for the foundation's education directorate. This month, two of her grants from the agency, both supporting research on STEM graduate education, were cut. 'De-prioritizing STEM education is just a slightly delayed way of de-prioritizing STEM,' said Joe Champion, a math education researcher at Boise State University. He noted that it often took a decade or more of training for scientists to meaningfully contribute to cutting-edge programs. 'Reducing the quality of the training can't possibly be good for society,' he said. On May 9, the foundation announced that it was 'sunsetting' its division of equity for excellence in STEM, part of the agency's directorate for STEM education, 'to ensure our efforts align with our priorities,' according to a statement on the agency's website. (The foundation suspended this decision on May 12 in compliance with a temporary restraining order, according to internal records reviewed by The New York Times.) The move follows previous actions by the foundation to comply with an executive order issued by President Trump in January, which called for the elimination of D.E.I. across the federal government. A spokesman for the agency declined to comment on the grant terminations or the decision to close the division of equity for excellence in STEM. The federal government has worked to broaden participation of people from underrepresented groups in STEM since at least 1980, when Congress enacted the Science and Technology Equal Opportunities Act. The mandate authorized the foundation to support educational efforts to increase the number of women and racial minorities in STEM. In 2010, the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act required the agency to include the increased participation of marginalized groups in STEM as part of its criteria for funding research. The agency began to adopt D.E.I. language more explicitly during the Biden administration. 'It was an emerging priority,' said Adrienne Dixson, an education researcher at Pennsylvania State University. Dr. Dixson was hired by the foundation in 2021 to help run its new racial equity in STEM education program. In 2022, the foundation hired its first chief diversity officer and renamed its education directorate, as well as the division of equity for excellence in STEM, to 'more accurately reflect and communicate' its values, including diversity and inclusion in STEM. But when Mr. Trump took office this year, the foundation began a review of current awards containing buzzwords commonly associated with D.E.I. In April, the agency announced that projects relying on 'D.E.I. frameworks or advocacy' did not represent its priorities, and the grant terminations began. The defunding comes amid broader shifts in education. That includes mass layoffs and hundreds of millions of dollars in cuts to various components of the Department of Education, which Mr. Trump has tried to eliminate altogether. 'The broader attack here is on evidence,' said William Penuel, an education researcher at the University of Colorado Boulder. 'Without evidence, anyone can make up a story about how schools are doing and what they need to do.' One potential outcome of defunding a large portion of STEM education research is that the work may become more concentrated at larger universities that are able to provide alternative sources of funding. That's unfortunate, Dr. Champion said, as STEM education is often tailored to local and state-level priorities. 'When the research is done by just a few people in localized parts of the country, everyone else is tapping into incomplete information about what's the best way to teach and to learn, and what are the most effective materials to use,' he said. Researchers funded outside of the foundation's STEM education directorate — in physics, engineering, geoscience and more — face less extreme cuts. But they, too, are concerned about the financial support and educational preparation of students in STEM, many of whom would lead the next generation of scientific discoveries. 'STEM and STEM education research need to grow hand in hand,' Dr. Penuel said. 'And if we stop funding education research, they won't.'
Chicago Tribune
10-05-2025
- General
- Chicago Tribune
Indiana Department of Transportation nixes idea of arboretum for road interchange in Porter
The idea of developing an arboretum in the green space around the Indiana 49 and U.S. 20 interchange was rejected by the Indiana Department of Transportation. Architecture students from Ball State University recently presented a study of the interchange during a Porter Plan Commission meeting. Jeremy Merrill, an assistant professor of landscape architecture, relayed by video feed the observations of his students. The town of Porter was looking for ideas to enhance the appearance of the intersection as an entrance into the community. Porter Town Councilman James Burge, I-2nd, arranged for the Ball State University College of Architecture and Planning to do the study, free of charge. The plan included an arboretum with winding trails, a mound, a playground and an amphitheater on the southeast side of the intersection, which would link up with the nearby Indiana Dunes Visitor Center off Indiana 49. Merrill even proposed having a pedestrian bridge over the entrance ramp. 'That plan was much more complex than what we might be able to have there,' said Cassy Bajek, an INDOT spokeswoman. The reason why INDOT had to say no was the safety concern for people in the area of the interchange. 'We don't want people to come in and out of the roadway,' Bajek said. Bajek said there are clear parameters of what the town can do with the intersection. The town would be permitted to do landscaping projects and welcome signs. Michael Barry, Porter's building commissioner and development director, said the town will look at landscaping options and artwork to spruce up the area. He said it was clear, though, that INDOT doesn't want people congregating within the intersection's green space. Barry said the town will talk with the Indiana Dunes National Park to coordinate with plans for the Visitor Center. The Ball State students did pitch other intriguing ideas outside of the Indiana 49 and U.S. 20 interchange that the town would consider, Barry said Barry said one proposal addressed the greater connectivity of trails within the Porter community. In recent weeks, Barry said he has been working with Parks Director Brian Bugajski and Rob Albrecht-Mallinger, a plan commission and Board of Zoning Appeals board member, on the trails issue. An obstacle is the recent Indiana state budget cut out money for the Next Level Trails program, which helps to fund the construction of trails, Barry said. The town wants to see its current trail that goes north on Waverly Road extended to Porter Beach. Barry said what the town can do downtown is widen the sidewalk on Lincoln Street to 8 feet so it can accommodate pedestrians and bicyclists. That could help to connect the trail from Waverly Road and Lincoln Street to the Porter Brickyard Trail, which runs down Beam Street. The Porter Brickyard Trail has a bridge over U.S. 20 and runs through the Indiana Dunes National Park, linking with the Calumet Trail/Marquette Greenway at North Mineral Springs Road. Barry said the one thing he plans to do this year is install wayfinding signs for the Porter Brickyard Trail and other trails within the town to better inform bicyclists and pedestrians. There are practically no signs for the trails now.
Boston Globe
06-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Boston Globe
Trump cares about art, image, and spectacle. They're also central to his political project.
Send questions or suggestions to the Starting Point team at . If you'd like the newsletter sent to your inbox, . TODAY'S STARTING POINT President Trump, a former reality TV star, brander, and builder, cares about aesthetics. 'The Art of the Deal,' his 1987 book, describes Yet as president, Trump's focus on the aesthetic has reached new heights. His latest forays came over the weekend. On Friday, his Truth Social account posted an AI-generated image depicting Given his history, Trump's aesthetic focus might seem like just his latest obsession. But there's a case for seeing art, culture, image, and spectacle as central to his political project. More than many past presidents, Trump seems to grasp their political value. Advertisement 'I think that he understands, especially now in the age of social media, how incredibly powerful art can be,' said Natalie Phillips, an art historian at Ball State University who co-edited ' Advertisement Here's how Trump's preoccupation with the arts is shaping his presidency so far. Making a mark Trump tried to leave an aesthetic legacy in his first term. In 2020, he signed an executive order requiring future government structures to conform to the Romanesque style of the Treasury Department, Capitol, and other classic Washington buildings. He redoubled those efforts after returning to the White House. 'It was an interest in the first term and is now a priority in the second,' said Victoria Coates, a former Trump national security official who has a PhD in art history. Trump Trump has taken over the Kennedy Center, Washington's marquee performance venue, by making himself chairman. He also pressured federal agencies that dispense arts and arts education grants to stop funding projects that supposedly promote diversity, equity, and inclusion. After a court blocked that, the administration published a new list of priorities ' Then there are his home renovations. Trump, whose taste often runs toward kitsch, has Advertisement Past occupants have left their mark on the White House, but Trump is contemplating even more. He recently told NBC News that he'd like to The art of politics Renovating buildings and reshaping federally funded art echo Trump's efforts to brand himself and his politics. His reality show, 'The Apprentice,' established the reputation of a decisive, competent businessman that still shapes his image. His campaign turned the mugshot in his Georgia criminal case into merchandise. AI-generated memes and Rebalancing cultural institutions the political left has captured is necessary, Trump allies say. 'The people who are getting the grants, the people who have been getting the funding, the people who have been invited to perform, have been pretty much 100 percent exclusively on the left,' said Coates, the former Trump official who is now at the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank. Yet the notion of suppressing some art while elevating other kinds has raised censorship concerns. Past politicians — Advertisement What's next? Trump has a penchant for spectacle, frequenting galas and movie sets before becoming president. The US Army Trump's interventions come at a time when some artists 🧩 1 Down: POINTS OF INTEREST Boston City Councilor Tania Fernandes Anderson outside a federal courthouse in Boston on Monday. David L. Ryan/Globe Staff Boston Tania Fernandes Anderson: The Boston city councilor Inside the tent: Marty Walsh, the former Boston mayor and Biden administration official, Massachusetts and New England Karen Read case: A firefighter-paramedic testified that Read saying he hoped an investigator's family died. Smoke signals: Massachusetts may ban young people from buying tobacco products. Brookline, which passed a similar policy in 2020, Promoted: Charles Lieber, the former Harvard scientist who lied to federal agents about his ties to China, Jennifer, Pedro, and Sandra Oh my: Meet the Comeback bid: Paul LePage, Maine's former governor, Trump administration Abortion: The administration will defend FDA rules that let patients receive abortion pills via telehealth, saying three Republican-controlled states lack standing to sue. ( Signalgate: Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth used the messaging app more extensively than previously disclosed, including to discuss an unfolding military operation. ( Novel approach: The administration plans to give migrants $1,000 if they 'self-deport' using a government app. ( Lawsuits: 19 states Mixed reviews: Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s pledge to find autism's 'cause' Fact check: The administration says companies have invested $5 trillion into the US since Trump took office. But some investments were The Nation Pulitzer Prizes: ProPublica won the public service award for stories about pregnant women who died in states that ban abortion. The Globe Met Gala: Andre 3000 wore a piano and Kamala Harris made a surprise appearance. See looks from the red carpet. ( BESIDE THE POINT By Teresa Hanafin 📺 This week's TV: Season 2 of 'Poker Face,' a David Spade comedy special, the Country Music Awards, a series called 'Octopus!', 🚪 Open house: How do burglars get in your home? Through unlocked front doors. And for heaven's sake, don't leave a spare key under the mat. ( 🍄 Marriage magic: Researchers say psilocybin, aka magic mushrooms, may benefit mental health. Can it also save a marriage? The Love Letters podcast 👻 Now you see me ... In 1962, 20-year-old Audrey Backeberg took a bus from Wisconsin to Indiana — and vanished. A dogged detective recently located her. It turns out she disappeared deliberately. And has no regrets. ( Advertisement 💍 The Big Day: They said they were 'just friends' — but their closest friends 🤲 Don't shake: A new survey discovered that nearly half of US adults admitted to forgetting or choosing to not wash their hands after visiting germy places like a grocery store or doctor's office. Please tell us who they are. ( 👩🏼🍳 Star food: This private chef can't name the Celtics player she cooks for, but she does reveal the 🗺️ Measure up: Countries aren't really the size they seem on maps. In this cool tool, type in the name of a country (try Greenland), then drag it on top of other countries. Prepare to be shocked. ( 🇹🇷 Mother's Day: Forget the flowers and candy: Treat Mom to a brunch spread based on Thanks for reading Starting Point. This newsletter was edited by ❓ Have a question for the team? Email us at ✍🏼 If someone sent you this newsletter, you can Advertisement 📬 Delivered Monday through Friday. Ian Prasad Philbrick can be reached at
Indianapolis Star
29-04-2025
- Business
- Indianapolis Star
SB 1 cut property taxes. But will local governments hike income taxes? How much you could pay
AI-assisted summary Indiana's SEA 1 will provide property tax relief to homeowners and businesses, with businesses receiving the largest cuts. Local governments can offset property tax revenue by increasing income taxes. That could mean some families pay over $1,000 more per year on income taxes. Cities across Indiana are evaluating the impact of SB 1 and considering measures like hiring freezes and delays to infrastructure projects. In northern Indiana, the Democratic mayor of South Bend called Senate Bill 1 a " sweeping anti-growth policy" that sabotages local governments. In southern Indiana, the Republican mayor of Jeffersonville responded with cost-cutting measures including a hiring freeze on all but "essential and critical" roles and tighter restrictions on overtime and work-related travel. And in Central Indiana, Noblesville's Republican mayor is contemplating new income taxes and delays to major infrastructure projects as he expects his city to miss out on tens of millions in property tax revenue over the next few years. Much remains unclear as municipal leaders reckon with how much property tax revenue they stand to miss out on from the 345-page SB 1, an overhaul of local government finance signed into law by Indiana Gov. Mike Braun April 15. Tax revenues will still increase as property values keep rising, but by far less than local leaders had expected under the current system. With lost revenues statewide at an estimated $1.4 billion from 2026 to 2028, local leaders say that years of belt-tightening will entail tough decisions about how to maintain crucial services like road maintenance, public education and emergency response systems. Multiple experts say they expect most communities to increase income taxes come 2027, which could completely offset the property tax savings for the typical Indiana homeowner and wring out more money with no relief from the nearly 30% of Hoosiers who rent. Many communities could tax a Hoosier family with an income near the median $80,000 over $1,000 more per year, according to Michael Hicks, a Ball State University economist who leads the university's Center for Business and Economic Research. "The income tax increases are delayed a year, so we will have a year of tax cuts and service cuts before we start seeing schools, counties and cities scrambling to plug budget holes," Hicks told IndyStar. The tax cuts, he added, "take an awful lot out of local government and expose an awful lot of taxpayers to potentially paying a much higher income tax." How the new law helps homeowners, businesses The new law will save most homeowners some money, mainly through tax credits of 10% on their property tax bill, with a $300 max credit. Wealthier homeowners will receive the full $300 while most homeowners whose assessed value falls below $300,000 will save less, aside from added relief for seniors, veterans and people with disabilities. Republicans say they expect two-thirds of homeowners to pay a lower property tax bill in 2026 than they will this year. Businesses will receive the most tax relief as the minimum threshold for filing taxes on business equipment, such as computers and machinery, rises from $80,000 to $2 million by 2027, meaning most Indiana businesses won't pay any property tax, according to Hicks. Cuts to taxes on depreciating business equipment bought after Jan. 1 will also drain money from local coffers over the next decade, Hicks said. Crucially, the bill allows cities and towns to make up for lost revenue by imposing income taxes, which are currently applied at the county level. Most homeowners are likely to see their property tax savings offset by higher income taxes levied by local governments desperate to shore up their budgets, multiple public policy experts told IndyStar. The governor and Republican legislators tout that the law will reduce the local income tax cap in each county from 3.75% to 2.9%. Because most counties already impose a rate well below 2.9%, however, the new law is still likely to increase the income tax that most people pay, said Paul Helmke, a former three-term Republican mayor of Fort Wayne who now teaches public policy at Indiana University. Under the current system in which local governments rely heavily on property taxes, only seven of the state's 92 counties have local income tax rates over 2.8%. Marion County's levy, for instance, is 2.02%, while Hamilton County's rate is 1.1%. Dwindling property tax revenues will strain local leaders' ability to deliver high-quality services like a robust police department or well-maintained parks without somehow scraping together more revenue, Helmke said. It's possible that local governments won't take the political risk of setting tax rates near the 2.9% cap, Helmke said, but the corresponding quality-of-life reductions could prove even more unpopular. "For the elected officials, the challenge is going to be how to provide first-class services that people expect with these property tax changes," Helmke said. "For the city and the county, I think it means you're going to have to hike the income tax." If local units in Hamilton County were to increase income taxes to the maximum rate, that would mean someone with a median county household income of just under $118,000 could pay an additional $1,800 in income taxes per year. Even just bumping the rate up to 1.4% — well beneath the limit allowed under law — would offset the max savings from the property tax credit. "Since the (SB 1) tax cuts are the broadest and largest business tax cuts in state history," Hicks said, "most local governments will need to maximize most of that income tax." Justin Ross, an IU economist specializing in state and local tax policy, said he would be surprised if most local governments don't tax near the maximum 2.9% rate in the next couple of years. Otherwise, they sacrifice amenities like ample parks, strong schools and robust police and fire departments that give cities and towns the edge in the competition for new residents. "Local governments, for good or for bad, are the closest to being like a business," Ross said. "Their property taxes are largely tied to their ability to make the place a desirable place to be." Republican legislators aim to increase transparency by requiring local governments, starting in 2031, to vote annually on the income tax rates. Tax levies will no longer continue indefinitely but will be discussed and voted on during standalone public hearings. "If local units of government choose to raise other taxes, like a local income tax," State Sen. Chris Garten, R-Charlestown, said in a statement, "those units will have to justify to their taxpayers why they need more hard-earned taxpayer money instead of first looking to make their operations more efficient." How local governments are reacting so far A consequence of local governments' shift from depending less on property taxes and more on income taxes will be greater difficulty forecasting revenues and planning long-term capital improvements, Accelerate Indiana Municipalities CEO Matt Greller told IndyStar. "Property tax is very stable. You know what you're going to get for the most part. Every year, it doesn't fluctuate a whole lot," Greller said. "Income taxes can fluctuate a lot more." Under the new property tax law, Marion County is forecast to miss out on roughly $77 million in property taxes from 2026 to 2028 while Hamilton County forgoes $133 million, according to a state fiscal report. In Marion County and statewide, schools are poised to face the largest losses. In 2024, nearly half of the roughly $1.6 billion in property taxes collected in Marion County went to schools. The consolidated city-county government of Indianapolis and Marion County received a third of the taxes, about $513 million, that year. Smaller disbursements went to township trustees' offices, libraries, hospitals and public transit. Many local officials told IndyStar that the complexity of Indiana's property tax system means the looming changes are uncertain and require further analysis. But as towns and cities begin forming their 2026 budgets this summer, officials will act in anticipation of the millions of tax dollars they expect to miss out on in the coming years. "The way we fund local government is shifting pretty significantly," Greller said, "and there's going to be a whole lot of nuances in order to figure out what it looks like now." Officials with the Indianapolis mayor's office and the Marion County assessor's office declined interviews on how the bill may reduce services in the state's largest city. The same was true of leaders in Carmel and Westfield. All said they are still analyzing how the bill will affect their cities. Noblesville Mayor Chris Jensen said extensive internal analyses show his city could receive about $36.5 million less than projected over the next four years. Those numbers far exceed Legislative Services Agency estimates — about $21 million for the city and school system combined — because the city is taking more factors into account than merely the tax credits, Jensen said. With healthy cash reserves, the city is likely to manage the losses by pulling back on plans to boost its already "very lean" staffing levels, Jensen said. The lost revenue will also probably delay some of the 284 capital projects in Noblesville's 10-year plan. The mayor wasn't specific on which projects could be delayed, but Noblesville lists a number of road projects, such as improvements to State Road 37 and 38, as under design on its website. "Even though we won't probably see the fiscal impact for another eight or so months until we get to 2026," Jensen said, "we'll certainly be budgeting based on those fiscal impacts here in the next 90 days." Deb Whitfield, the Democratic mayor of Lawrence, said the law may benefit homeowners but places intense strain on local governments. Lawrence city government could lose more than $1.2 million from 2026-2028, while the Lawrence school district stands to miss out on nearly $2.7 million. Starting this budget season, Whitfield said, she's intent on figuring out how to maintain high-quality public safety, schools and libraries with less money. Whitfield said that for her and her fellow mayors, there are "going to be a lot of sleepless nights coming."
