Good morning, Lawrence.

The City of Lawrence said Prairie Park Nature Center can support a 12-week-old bobcat ambassador despite concerns from animal advocates about the wildcat living in captivity.

The bobcat, bred for education, will have an adapted outdoor enclosure and ongoing care at the center.

KU will permanently close the Hilltop Child Development Center this month after over five decades of service to families, leaving more than 100 Lawrence households without daycare as after-school care ends on Oct.

23 and other classes close on Oct. 30 — parents are already organizing shared resources.

Lawrence will host the Autumn Harvest Festival at South Park on Sunday, Oct.

4 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., featuring booths selling jewelry, kids’ items, home goods, and food trucks with live music each hour from 12:30 to 3:30 p.m. (The city will decide on cancellation by Friday, Oct. 2 based on weather.)

The Lawrence Times has welcomed Cuyler Dunn as a new staff reporter to cover education + government + local development.

A Lawrence native who graduated from KU’s journalism program, Dunn published his 200th article during his first full week on the job.

A gas station at 23rd and Topping flooded for the fifth time four months ago, and its owner said he lost half his business as the temporary fix may not hold when rain is forecast later.

Lawrence parents are organizing a response after KU’s Hilltop Daycare closed abruptly (Thursday, Oct.

1). They plan to meet with university officials soon to seek answers and work toward reopening the vital child care center.

Multiple KU debate teams performed strongly at two tournaments hosted by the University of Kentucky last week.

Owings and Ulven finished second at a round-robin invitational (Sept. 23-24), while Shaw and Suleman placed third at a national tournament (Sept. 27-29), reflecting a strong start to the season.

KU assistant professor Isaac Melanson was named the inaugural Donald M.

Baer and Elsie M. Pinkston Endowed Professor in applied behavioral science, with a three-year term that began on July 1, supporting his research with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Food assistance benefits increased yesterday effective Oct.

1 for families in Kansas and Missouri to help offset rising food costs. A family of four now receives up to $1,023 per month along with tighter eligibility rules (including stricter documentation and product restrictions) that may affect new and current applicants.

Kansas alumnus Jalon Daniels, an undrafted rookie who played six seasons at Kansas, will be the first of his draft class to start for the Buccaneers against Green Bay today after Baker Mayfield suffered a thumb injury last week.