Douglas County officials will soon learn how much the planned expansion of the Douglas County Jail will cost. The Douglas County Commission will receive an update on the expansion plans during its work session at 4 p.m. Wednesday. County staff is expected to present an estimated cost for the project, which currently includes constructing a four-story tower on the south side of the jail to add between 84 and ...
Several residents of Big Springs voiced opposition to changes to the Douglas County zoning regulations, arguing the proposed changes may hinder their ability to operate businesses in that community. The Lawrence-Douglas County Metropolitan Planning Commission on Monday heard their concerns after it began discussing the county staff’s proposal for new zoning and land use regulations for the unincorporated ...
Although several programs meant to provide alternatives to incarceration and decrease the number of inmates in the Douglas County Jail have garnered some positive results, county officials say the jail still needs to be expanded to address overcrowding. Since those programs — including pre-trial release, house arrest and behavioral health court — were implemented, Douglas County has been able to reduce the ...
A popular downtown Lawrence restaurant was temporarily forced to close earlier this week for a cockroach infestation. The Mad Greek, 907 Massachusetts St., closed Monday after a state health code inspector found 30 live roaches in various locations between the restaurant’s basement and kitchen, according to the state’s health code inspection reports. The roaches were present despite the restaurant using ...
An alternative high school program housed at the Lawrence College and Career Center may help address a drop in the Lawrence school district’s graduation rates, education officials said recently. Patrick Kelly, director of the LCCC and technical education for the school district, and Bill DeWitt, principal of adult education services and alternative programming, proposed to the school board on Monday the ...
Three rural property owners in Douglas County will soon be able to operate new businesses or build onto businesses currently housed on their properties. The Douglas County Commission on Wednesday unanimously granted the property owners' requests for conditional use permits — one to operate a swimming lessons business, another to run a storage unit for trucks and a third to build a storage unit for boats and ...