Sheriff’s department installs reception window

The roaring sound of saws and steel cutters filled the air outside the Douglas County Sheriff’s Department on Monday morning.

A construction crew cut a hole in a wall and installed a reception window at the entrance to the department, located on the second floor of the Douglas County Judicial & Law Enforcement Center, 111 E. 11th St.

Until now, visitors to the department rang a doorbell, and a receptionist let them in.

That system caused security concerns, said Pam Madl, the county’s director of administrative services.

Also, it didn’t work well, Lt. Kathy Tate said. Visitors tended to ignore the doorbell while trying to open the door.

The window cost $2,533 in county sales-tax dollars, Madl said. It was one of the last projects associated with a $4 million overhaul of the building.

Nomination deadline set for peace, justice award

The Lawrence Coalition for Peace and Justice set March 1 as the deadline for nominations for the 2003 Tom and Anne Moore Peace and Justice Award.

Any organization or individual, except active coalition members, may be nominated for the award. Nominees may be awarded for their longtime, broad-based contributions to peace and justice, or for special projects of shorter duration that have a significant effect on peace and justice.

A letter of nomination should be sent by March 1 to:

Lawrence Coalition for Peace and Justice, P.O. Box 474, Lawrence 66044.